vitamins and herbs

[FoundationStepper]

anyone take herbs and vits to help them along? what do you take?

my morning dose: spirulina, vit c, mens multi or a vit b, fish oil... more c and garlic if im fighting sickness

[Direkt]

I just try to eat a well rounded diet, exercise regularly and sleep well.

There's been some studies coming out recently that taking vitamin supplements outside of normal diet pathways may not be quite so good for you.

[witty_pseudonym]

i only hit the ecanaecia, garlic, zinc and c combo if i feel like a cold is on the horizon, but don't really bother apart from that.

[Polecat]

Nope. I just try to eat well, but I do get vitamin B and C from my (mostly daily) berocca hit.

[breaksRbest]

a bottle of V or Red Bull

[deviant]

FTW

I find this helps with alertness and energy levels. Does not pass straight through (if you know what I mean).

Also, I no longer take this (due to cost) But I HIGHLY recommend this....



amazing stuff... 100% derived from plant matter (most multi vits are synthetic and have low bio-availability)

[JAMESSSS]

I was taking blackmores mens multi

I think it makes me feel worse actually.

Stopped.

[almax]

yep i drink this stuff every morning, bit horrible at first but you get used to it, kinda tastes like coola cordial after awhile

Also have salmon oil capsules souced from wild salmon (so not grain fed), great for skin, heart, joints and keeping lean, highly recommend these, so cheap too, bout $25 for 500 capsules.

Also take a multi vitamin and eat as healthy as possible, plenty of fruit and veg, no boxed, pre packaged shit full of preservatives, no white bread or white rice, no processed meats like salami, hot dogs, meat pies etc try to eat as organic as possible and since i have been doing this (bout 6 months now) i feel a million bucks, i dont get hunger pains, i dont crave food and i have energy to burn it really is unbelievable how much of a difference it makes, i was sceptical at first but the results have definately spoken.

[Lizkins]

i take a vitamin for skin, hair and general health, otherwise i am starting to eat more fruit and drink more water. i haven't been sick really (couple of headaches) for 6 or 7 months now (touch wood it stays like that), eating better and not getting trashed is working well

[deviant]

vital greens = WIN

put it this way... when you eat a standard multi you usually have the old fluro piss a few hours later (see above comment). Meaning that you're body is not actually using the vitamins effectively. A standard multi is like 500mg. With Vital Greens each dose is like 12Grams, so 24x the amount, and NO fluro/stinky wee wees. You'll feel wicked even after your first go of it.

[FoundationStepper]

i feel that i eat pretty well (wholegrains, lots of variety but not enought fish, plenty of vegies, prob not enough fruit though, not much surgars, very minimal processed food and mostly organic), but never get enough sleep and am constantly exposed to childcare bugs.

its not like i go out and get trashed, or drink that much, but havign a toddler about is very hard on the system

i think what i take does help, id be creashing and burning a lot more if i didn't. I also think i probably wouldnt be getting these things though diet alone, but understand there are potential issues in propping up diet with pills...

[Lizkins]

yeah being around kids does increase the chance of getting sick yourself. my sister works in childcare and is always sick.


i have just gotten into fruit. i used to hate it. now i try at least one piece of fruit a day.

[almax]

i dont understand how anyone could hate fruit, its fucking delish, so much variety in flavour and texture.

[deviant]

one banana, one apple.... every day

<3

[gnat]

i take tresos b with selenium. potent vit b, get third degree about my prescription every time i get it. really tired without it, apparently because of fast twitch muscle fibres and r'ship with vit b

i eat mega healthy like you al but need the extra b it seems. selenium is a major antioxidant- prob need it less now that i 'm off the darts tho

also take milk thistle if i've smashed it up- pre and post. i swear it is the closest thing you will find to a hangover 'cure'

[Direkt]

apparently because of fast twitch muscle fibres and r'ship with vit b

Can you elaborate pls?

[mixtress]

thanks to a super fast metabolism, I tend to eat total rubbish. Since it doesn't show, I'm kidding myself that it's ok. So I take buckets of healthy stuff to try and counteract my irresponsibility.

Magnesium for muscle cramps
probiotics to counteract the crap food
Vitamin B for energy
Garlic to ward off colds and flu
Fish oil for joints and skin
Ascorbic acid (pure vitamin c) during the onset of a cold
Plus bits and bobs. You can't say boo to my Mum without her shoving some kind of garlic infused honey and apple cider vinegar tincture down my throat.

I find it quite funny how in the 80's and 90's there as a big backlash towards herbal remedies cause the FDA and other government bodies were noticing a decline in pharmaceutical sales. Anyone promoting natural remedies was a quack. Now though, there are more studies on herb and there are heaps more everyday products containing herbs. It pleases me. Thousands of years of human medical history can't be wrong. Even Jesus used Frankincense and Myrrh.

[gnat]

apparently because of fast twitch muscle fibres and r'ship with vit b

Can you elaborate pls?

vit b fuels fast twitch musle fibres. helps in producing red bllod cells which carry oxygen to tissues. no nuff RBC- not nuff muscle oxygenation > fatigue

was told athletic build peeps need more vit b and also deplete more

in any case, i've been taking it for years and i'm shattered without it- can barely get out of bed. also feel more alert due to same components i guess- better brain perfusion

[Direkt]

That's interesting.

I thought ATP and glycogen mainly fueled FT muscle fibres.

Athletic build doesn't necessarily mean a greater proportion of FT fibres as much as a muscular build does - but even still, that's not quite so cut and dry.

Must investigate.

Food for thought though... literally... especially about the RBC comment.

[gnat]

hmm.. i meant more that B fuels oxgenation of muscle fibres

i'm no expert- this was all told to me by a naturopath (who admittedly is a gun), and it worked when i started taking it

i have higher than average muscle mass for a chick- sprinted for many years

[L-J]

What kind of foods/Vitamins etc should i be taking to kickstart my metabloism? During the last year ive put on heaps of weight and well...Enough is enough. I know i need to exercise. But in all honesty i eat alot of junk too.

[ghetto kitty]

olive leaf extract WORKS for lots of things.
specially in winter to keep colds at bay.

also take bio C and echinachea when i feel wierd...

milk thistle YES for hangovers of all kinds..

i9 buy lots of shit but often cant feel if its helping or not, olive leaf was the first hting that actually made me feel GREAt, so i take it lots.

im supposed to be taking apple cider vinegar too but hate the taste so am not in the routine yet...

[mixtress]

As my Mum always tells me, the bitter the better. The worse it tastes, the better it is for you. She's gotten so used to the taste of horrible things that she wonders why I gag at the mere thought.

I've actually found "the bitter the better" usually works for pingahs and such as well

Apple cidar vinegar is the ducks guts GK. Same with (yes I know) bi-carb. They're actually using bi-carb to reduce the size of breast tumours. They cut into the skin, spray bi-carb solution directly on the tumour and it practically washes it away. Great stuff

[Direkt]

What kind of foods/Vitamins etc should i be taking to kickstart my metabloism? During the last year ive put on heaps of weight and well...Enough is enough. I know i need to exercise. But in all honesty i eat alot of junk too.

Cut out or at least minimise the junk.

Start exercising - low intensity, long duration is best for starters.

There are fat metabolising amino acids that will aid in the burning off of fat (L-Leucine is one I think), but diet and exercise are the key.

[Direkt]

hmm.. i meant more that B fuels oxgenation of muscle fibres

i'm no expert- this was all told to me by a naturopath (who admittedly is a gun), and it worked when i started taking it

i have higher than average muscle mass for a chick- sprinted for many years

Got ya.

[L-J]

What kind of foods/Vitamins etc should i be taking to kickstart my metabloism? During the last year ive put on heaps of weight and well...Enough is enough. I know i need to exercise. But in all honesty i eat alot of junk too.

Cut out or at least minimise the junk.

Start exercising - low intensity, long duration is best for starters.

There are fat metabolising amino acids that will aid in the burning off of fat (L-Leucine is one I think), but diet and exercise are the key.

Is that like going for walks etc?How much a day should i be doing too?


Cheers

[FoundationStepper]

i think you will find pretty univeral messages on general diet and health on government websites and the like

[almax]

screw that, just do interval training, go for a run where you sprint at 80-90% for 1 min (use a stop watch) then walk for 1 min then repeat for 15 - 20 mins, do this first thing in the morning and it will kick start your metabolism. And dont forget to stretch afterwards. I find this is much easier than going for jogs/walks for an hour or whatever, gets it all over and done with quicker and your ready to start the day.

Will also burn the fat of you like no tomorrow

[Direkt]

screw that, just do interval training, go for a run where you sprint at 80-90% for 1 min (use a stop watch) then walk for 1 min then repeat for 15 - 20 mins, do this first thing in the morning and it will kick start your metabolism. And dont forget to stretch afterwards. I find this is much easier than going for jogs/walks for an hour or whatever, gets it all over and done with quicker and your ready to start the day.

Great for cardio and anaerobic threshold training, not for losing weight.

You need a certain amount of oxygen present to oxidise fat, sprinting does not provide enough 02 to oxidise glucose - let alone fat.

LJ - yes, walking is the biz. As much as possible mate. Brisk walking FTW. It's a slow process, but combined with a good diet - it should get you there.

[Lizkins]

What kind of foods/Vitamins etc should i be taking to kickstart my metabloism? During the last year ive put on heaps of weight and well...Enough is enough. I know i need to exercise. But in all honesty i eat alot of junk too.

Cut out or at least minimise the junk.

Start exercising - low intensity, long duration is best for starters.

There are fat metabolising amino acids that will aid in the burning off of fat (L-Leucine is one I think), but diet and exercise are the key.

Is that like going for walks etc?How much a day should i be doing too?


Cheers

L-J you sound like me, quick fix to kick start metabolism, but it doesn't work like that. i found doing any exercise i so wish, keeps me getting easily distracted or giving up (i do skipping, like Rocky styles lol Its kinda fun and feels like i am a kid again, and i do jogging and weights while i watch the tele). Cut back on the crap food. try cutting out coke for instance. not sure if you drink it, but it made a huge improvement for me in terms of energy and my skin clearing up WAY more. i don't really have bad skin, but i still noticed the difference. one step at a time, and just build from there. And it may take some time to get your metabolism kick started again, but just keep at it.

[almax]

screw that, just do interval training, go for a run where you sprint at 80-90% for 1 min (use a stop watch) then walk for 1 min then repeat for 15 - 20 mins, do this first thing in the morning and it will kick start your metabolism. And dont forget to stretch afterwards. I find this is much easier than going for jogs/walks for an hour or whatever, gets it all over and done with quicker and your ready to start the day.

Great for cardio and anaerobic threshold training, not for losing weight.

You need a certain amount of oxygen present to oxidise fat, sprinting does not provide enough 02 to oxidise glucose - let alone fat.

LJ - yes, walking is the biz. As much as possible mate. Brisk walking FTW. It's a slow process, but combined with a good diet - it should get you there.

from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interval_training

It is believed by many in the fitness industry that this method of training is more effective at inducing fat loss than simply training at a moderate intensity level for the same duration. This has been confirmed in at least two studies.

i know you studied Human movement back in the day Spiesy, but from my research late last year, there has been alot of development and research into the benefits on interval training since you finished studying, check it out. Ill look up some for you and post

[almax]

from just January this year
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21 ... 98,00.html

A REVOLUTION in weight loss is about to hit Australia after scientists devised a workout that burns three times the amount of fat.

They found their specific brand of interval training prompts the body to click into a metabolic response that allows more fat to be burned under the skin and within the muscles.

Researchers at the University of NSW and the Garvan Institute studied 45 overweight women over 15 weeks, putting them through a 20 minute cycling regime in which they sprinted on a stationary bike for eight seconds followed by 12 seconds of cycling lightly.

"They lost three times more weight as other women who exercised at a continuous, regular pace for 40 minutes," UNSW Associate Professor Steve Boutcher said.

Their success was due to higher amounts of chemical compounds called catecholamines that are produced in increasing amounts when linked to interval sprinting; the resulting chemical reaction drives greater weight loss.

The scientists believe the regime would also be applicable to swimming, walking, running and rowing.

Professor Boutcher said other types of interval training use longer interludes which are not as effective for overweight people and said the current government recommendations for exercise are largely ineffectual.

"Walking for 60 minutes, seven times a week does not result in much fat loss, usually 1.15kg over 15 weeks – for a lot of overweight people this is going to be a revolution," he said.

The scientists found their method could "spot reduce" troublesome areas such as legs and buttocks.

The system will be useful to diabetics, as "insulin resistance was dragged down by about 32 per cent".

The findings were welcomed by Bondi local Kim Broderick, 21.

"I try to run or walk but if this system works better it's great."

The scientists are now ready for the next phase of the study which controls food and exercise plans.

"We hope to find even more loss in fat," Professor Boutcher said.

The trial will put participants through the interval training while placing them on a Mediterranean diet of fresh food as well as daily fish oil capsules, which helps burn fat more efficiently.

[almax]

lol, this ones for Feigan
http://fatmanslimming.com/2007/01/30/interval-training/

Interval Training
Research has been released that has shown that a specific style of interval training can burn three times as much weight as regular aerobic exercise.

45 overweight women were studied over 15 weeks, using a stationary bike they cycled for 20 minutes, sprinting for 8 seconds followed by 12 seconds of slower cycling, this was repeated for the whole 20 minutes. Besides increasing the amount fat loss compared to walking the other upside was a decrease in insulin resistance of 32%, this is probably more significant if you suffer from insulin resistance, adult onset diabetes or syndrome x.

Interval training is a sudden increase of speed followed by a sudden decrease in speed, it first came into popularity in the 70’s and was used by cross country runners to increase stamina and strength, it was known as Fartlek training. Fartlek is a Swedish word and translates to “speed play” in English. As its benefits are wide ranging for athletes it has been developed, expanded and used in almost every sport. I still have some not so fond memories of doing interval training around a 400 metre running track for Soccer training – often until we vomited!!!

Using interval training for weight loss is not new, body builders have been doing it for years. Due to their large size and need to retain muscle they have used interval training to strip fat especially pre competition. It has the advantage of needing less time to perform and can be performed on equipment that is kind on the joints, such as elliptical trainers and step machines. Even though the study was performed using a cycling machine it can be done on a rowing machine, while running, swimming, or on various aerobic machinery like a step machine.

What separates this study from other similar ones is that the researchers believe they have hit the holy grail of interval training by decreasing the time between intervals. Most interval training is done using a 30 second or greater cycle e.g. 30 seconds of sprinting followed by 30 seconds of slow work whereas in this study the cycle was 8 seconds of sprinting followed by 12 seconds of slow cycling. The shorting of the interval cycle increased weight loss dramatically, at this moment the researchers believe this is due to an increase of catecholamines. Catecholamines are a group of chemicals that include dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine (which used to be called adrenalin). Epinephrine is the most interesting one in this group as on of the things it facilitates is the release of fatty acids from fat cells, this makes fat available for energy = fat loss!

This really could be the Holy Grail but unfortunately there will need to be a few more studies to see if it pans out, of course the Researchers at the University of NSW and the Garvan Institute who did this study have already started on the next one in the series that will include diet thrown into the mix as well. Of course some anecdotal evidence wouldn’t go astray either. So at some point in the next couple of weeks I will give it a shot for a couple of weeks and see it makes a difference to my measurements, by no means is me doing it sound science but it will be interesting none the less.

You can check out the researchers website at http://medicalsciences.med.unsw.edu.au/ ... and+Health

If you have any questions regarding this post on interval training leave it in the feedback section and I will reply as soon as I’m able. I will try and do as many of these article style posts as time permits.

[Direkt]

They (Wiki) may be right Al, but 2 studies in the general scheme of things means fuck all... there would have been many of those studies done over the years.

Perhaps I'm wrong, but that's what I learnt at high school and uni, studying human movement.

Your body's preferred energy sources in order:
*ATP
*Glycogen/glucose (carbs)
*Fat
*Protein

The energy source used by the body depends on the intensity of exercise and duration of exercise (corresponding with energy system being used), and available fuel sources.

These bottom two sources, fat and protein would require a lower intensity, aerobic exercise with more oxygen to oxidise the fuel (from what I can remember).
Protein (muscle) only gets used in extreme cases, like the bottom half of a marathon etc...

But... it's been a few years since I've hit the books...

[almax]

it says "at least 2 studies" and yes i studied PE throughout VCE so what you have said there rings true to what i learnt back then, but back then was quite awhile ago now Spiesy, go have a look around online, go look at university studies etc. That general flow of energy consumption is true, but check out this discovery this year

What separates this study from other similar ones is that the researchers believe they have hit the holy grail of interval training by decreasing the time between intervals. Most interval training is done using a 30 second or greater cycle e.g. 30 seconds of sprinting followed by 30 seconds of slow work whereas in this study the cycle was 8 seconds of sprinting followed by 12 seconds of slow cycling. The shorting of the interval cycle increased weight loss dramatically, at this moment the researchers believe this is due to an increase of catecholamines. Catecholamines are a group of chemicals that include dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine (which used to be called adrenalin). Epinephrine is the most interesting one in this group as on of the things it facilitates is the release of fatty acids from fat cells, this makes fat available for energy = fat loss!

[deviant]

L-J, it sounds to me like you know exactly what you need to do

[Direkt]

Al, are they are both the same study you referenced?... Very interesting reading nonetheless.

[Feigan]

lol, this ones for Feigan
http://fatmanslimming.com/2007/01/30/interval-training/

Interval Training
Research has been released that has shown that a specific style of interval training can burn three times as much weight as regular aerobic exercise.

45 overweight women were studied over 15 weeks, using a stationary bike they cycled for 20 minutes, sprinting for 8 seconds followed by 12 seconds of slower cycling, this was repeated for the whole 20 minutes. Besides increasing the amount fat loss compared to walking the other upside was a decrease in insulin resistance of 32%, this is probably more significant if you suffer from insulin resistance, adult onset diabetes or syndrome x.

Interval training is a sudden increase of speed followed by a sudden decrease in speed, it first came into popularity in the 70’s and was used by cross country runners to increase stamina and strength, it was known as Fartlek training. Fartlek is a Swedish word and translates to “speed play” in English. As its benefits are wide ranging for athletes it has been developed, expanded and used in almost every sport. I still have some not so fond memories of doing interval training around a 400 metre running track for Soccer training – often until we vomited!!!

Using interval training for weight loss is not new, body builders have been doing it for years. Due to their large size and need to retain muscle they have used interval training to strip fat especially pre competition. It has the advantage of needing less time to perform and can be performed on equipment that is kind on the joints, such as elliptical trainers and step machines. Even though the study was performed using a cycling machine it can be done on a rowing machine, while running, swimming, or on various aerobic machinery like a step machine.

What separates this study from other similar ones is that the researchers believe they have hit the holy grail of interval training by decreasing the time between intervals. Most interval training is done using a 30 second or greater cycle e.g. 30 seconds of sprinting followed by 30 seconds of slow work whereas in this study the cycle was 8 seconds of sprinting followed by 12 seconds of slow cycling. The shorting of the interval cycle increased weight loss dramatically, at this moment the researchers believe this is due to an increase of catecholamines. Catecholamines are a group of chemicals that include dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine (which used to be called adrenalin). Epinephrine is the most interesting one in this group as on of the things it facilitates is the release of fatty acids from fat cells, this makes fat available for energy = fat loss!

This really could be the Holy Grail but unfortunately there will need to be a few more studies to see if it pans out, of course the Researchers at the University of NSW and the Garvan Institute who did this study have already started on the next one in the series that will include diet thrown into the mix as well. Of course some anecdotal evidence wouldn’t go astray either. So at some point in the next couple of weeks I will give it a shot for a couple of weeks and see it makes a difference to my measurements, by no means is me doing it sound science but it will be interesting none the less.

You can check out the researchers website at http://medicalsciences.med.unsw.edu.au/ ... and+Health

If you have any questions regarding this post on interval training leave it in the feedback section and I will reply as soon as I’m able. I will try and do as many of these article style posts as time permits.

cause it's from fatman slimming or cause I'm a girl?

oh well - anything that will help me lose this aubergine body shape of mine.

[almax]

Al, are they are both the same study you referenced?... Very interesting reading nonetheless.

yeah i think so, just cut n pasted from innynet, didnt read much untill after, but the second one is more in depth

[almax]

well both really, phatman

[almax]

from http://www.stephenholtfitness.com/artic ... t_loss.htm

According to the research team, "... even if caloric expenditure during exercise is equal, higher intensity exercise may further aid weight loss due to an acute increase in energy expenditure up to 24 hours following exercise."

These findings have been confirmed by researchers from the University of Alabama, who showed that 24-hour energy expenditure was 160 calories greater in subjects performing high-intensity interval training rather than continuous exercise [5].

but yeah, i was wrong with the 1 min sprint thing, seems you should be sprinting for more like 10 seconds

[Jinx]

If you want to increase your metabolism exercise at least 30mins/3-4 week. Even if you start off doing something easy like going on long walks remember something is better than nothing. Eat Breakfast. Eat more breakfast/lunch and a small dinner 3-4hours before bed. Drink plenty of water and snack healthy during the day when you feel hungry.

[L-J]

L-J, it sounds to me like you know exactly what you need to do

Yer i aint gonna lie... I know excercise and Diet are the one. But i like quick results too.So anything which can help me with that combined with going for walks and eating good food isnt a bad thing. My eating pattern needs to change too by the looks. I eat like 2 meals a day.usually miss breaky. I dont drink coke or crap like that, so its all eating big meals rather than graising.

[Direkt]

Get some protein in on your breakfast if possible. It will make you feel full longer than other nutrients - staving off the hunger pangs etc...

Only quick loss is lipo or gastric bands, and I doubt you want those.

[huge]

you gotta exercise l-j and cut out the big meals of shit. i used to eat massive meals, like crazy big servings but i stopped and am losing some weight along with riding bike quite a bit. i used to do nothing cos i never got fat or gained weight. then i hit 25 and got a gut haha! cut out boozing during the week too.

also wii fit ftw

that interval training sounds like my kinda thing.

[L-J]

Is that Wii Fit cool? The Gf has it. Looks like im in the same boat. i was a rake then Pow!!!

[Lephrenic]

vital greens = WIN

put it this way... when you eat a standard multi you usually have the old fluro piss a few hours later (see above comment). Meaning that you're body is not actually using the vitamins effectively.

What he said. And synthetic multivitamin pills make me feel crook.

[deviant]

Get some protein in on your breakfast if possible. It will make you feel full longer than other nutrients - staving off the hunger pangs etc....

funny, I have tried all different breakfast cereal....

sustain keeps me from being hungry the longest, sultana bran (funnily enough) is the worst.

[Lephrenic]

Seriously. Stay away from the Kellogs or anything else that comes in a box. Get the cereal from the health food section.

[Direkt]

Get some protein in on your breakfast if possible. It will make you feel full longer than other nutrients - staving off the hunger pangs etc....

funny, I have tried all different breakfast cereal....

sustain keeps me from being hungry the longest, sultana bran (funnily enough) is the worst.

I don't understand... both of those cereals aren't high-protein meals... although Sustain may have more due to the added nuts, or was that your point?