You may have noticed me less active on the forums in November. The reason for this is I was moving home. While I've been putting shelves up and building flat pack furniture I was thinking about what we can do for MuscleTalk in the next year. I've got a few ideas buzzing around which we'll fill you in more in the next couple of months. In the meantime if you have any comments, ideas or suggestions on what you would like to see on your favourite bodybuilding, strength and fitness website, please email them to me
james@muscletalk.co.uk
Another Christmas is looming and we're all supposed to be filled with Yuletide happiness rather than being burned out with the stress of the run up to the Big Day. At least we can use the Christmas break to sit back, relax, eat some good food and reflect on the past year's progress in the gym. If your gyms shut, why not take the time off to chill out and re-motivate yourself for a productive New Year?
Get the excellent MuscleTalk Healthy Christmas Recipes eBook in time for Christmas which contains lots of delicious healthy variations of traditional festive delights. The ebook is just $7.95 (less than £5.00) and can be purchased and downloaded immediately: www.muscletalk.co.uk/xmas-recipes.aspx
Stick a MuscleTalk T-shirt on your Xmas list!
*** Best Wishes from James and The MuscleTalk team! ***
*** Know Your Fats ***
By Paul Richards - MuscleTalk Member
There are different types of fat, some of which are required to stay healthy. However it's getting the right proportion that is important. Some fats cannot be produced by the body and must be consumed and are essential for health.
** Lipoproteins
These are a result of fat that has been broken down and used by the body and are types of fat found in the body. There are many types, but the two principle ones are LDLs (Low Density Lipoproteins) and HDLs (High Density Lipoproteins). LDLs help carry cholesterol to cells but too higher level of LDLs indicate excess cholesterol in the blood which in turn can clog arteries and lead to heart disease. HDLs help carry away excess cholesterol from the blood for destruction. Different fats affect LDL and HDL levels as discussed below.
** Triglycerides
These are fats that are dissolved in the blood and levels tested may indicate how much fat you consume, though there are other factors which also affect triglyceride levels
** Saturated Fats
These are solid at room temperature and typically come from meats and dairy produce. Saturated fat intake should be minimal as too much could raise LDL levels and increase risk of heart disease. Saturated fatty acids play a vital role in cell membrane construction and also help the utilization of essential fats. Though these are often considered bad fats, as it's easy to consume enough, more often than not people consume too much.
** Unsaturated Fats
These can be monounsaturated fats or poly-unsaturated fats. These typically come from plant sources and are liquid at room temperature. Monounsaturated fats are found in olive oil, peanut oil, canola oil and vegetable oils and can help to lower LDL levels while maintaining high HDL levels. Polyunsaturated fats can be found in safflower, corn, soya bean and sunflower oils, nuts and seeds. Polyunsaturated fats have been shown to reduce LDL levels but also can lower HDL levels. Remember HDL levels should remain high compared to LDL levels so these fats should be limited to a degree.
** Omega 3 Fatty Acids
These are a subsection of polyunsaturated fats and are typically found in oily fish (e.g. salmon, mackerel, and herring) and also things like flaxseeds (linseeds) and pumpkin seeds. These are of particular interest because the body cannot actually manufacture these fats itself. So, it' essential to consume foods containing good sources of these fats. Omega 3s have been shown to lower LDLs, reduce clotting in arteries and hence helping to reduce the risk of heart disease. They have also been shown to help with arthritis and other joint problems.
** Hydrogenated Fats (Trans Fatty Acids)
Some polyunsaturated fats undergo a process called hydrogenation. Once hydrogenated, these fats act like saturated fats negating any positive effects they once had. These are typically found in margarines, snack foods and fried foods. These fats should be avoided.
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** James Collier BSc (Hons), Registered Nutritionist offers personalised nutrition programmes through email tailored to YOUR needs. For more information see: www.muscletalk.co.uk/james.aspx or email: james@muscletalk.co.uk
*** Which direction are we going? ***
By Michael Iurato aka Capri200 - MuscleTalk Member
I was sitting on my couch the other night watching the re-run of this year's Mr Olympia. A little while later I popped in my 25th Anniversary Edition of Pumping Iron. I was left with many confusing question marks.
In a sport that is grossly getting dominated by 'Freakish' size, it is no longer concentrating on the perplexity and the beauty of the human anatomy at peak conditioning. Why are we so fascinate by sheer size when the classic physiques like Arnold and Zane seemed to be perfectly sculpted works of art? What happened to the beauty of posing like 'The Master' Ed Courney as he graced us with his flawless string of poetry in motion? Isn't that what it's about? I'm afraid that we have taken a turn down the wrong street. A sport that produced the fathers of iron is now producing men with growth gut, protruding heads, horrible skin, bitch tits and the most unhealthy people on earth. Why is bigger better? Why are we so intrigued by Ronnie Coleman's frame? It is horrible! There is nothing appealing about his frame. He has a huge blocky waist that looks like he is bearing triplets. Is he huge? Hell yes! But whose frame would you rather have? Arnold or Ronnie? Danny Padilla or Lee Priest?
My point here is that even though they were juice heads back then too, the dosages and types were far different than today. It still had a window that you were able to see the genetics of these men. Now genetics are altered in a way not imaginable. These men are walking chemicals in which participate in a game of suicide. I love this sport but it is not going in a good direction. We are going to continue to see bodybuilders disappear from the sport if we continue to elevate our expectations year in and year out. How much bigger? How much more juice? How far will these men go to become the next generation of 'freaks'? Hopefully not too much farther. We want people to look at our sport like we are the poster boards for the perfect, muscular and symmetrical body. Not the people that are looked at like we are apart of a circus freak show. Hopefully the future turns back the clock a little bit and allows history to repeat itself. God Bless to all.
*** Christmas Recipe - Tutti-Frutti Ice Cream ***
By James Collier - MuscleTalk Moderator
A low fat, low sugar alternative to traditional ice cream; an average portion provides about 200kcal. Taken from MuscleTalk's Healthy Christmas Recipes eBook
**Ingredients
2oz/50g raisins
2tblsp rum
2tblsp custard powder
¾pt/30ml skimmed milk
2tblsp/30ml granulated artificial sweetener
¼pt/150ml whipping cream
2oz/50g glace cherries
1oz/25g chopped mixed nuts
**Method
1. Place raisins in bowl, cover with rum and leave to soak overnight
2. Blend custard powder with 2 tblsp of milk in saucepan, and whisk until over moderate heat until custard thickens
3. Remove pan from heat and add sweetener
4. Cover with damp greaseproof paper to prevent skin forming and cool
5. Lightly whip cream and carefully fold into cooled custard
6. Turn into a shallow container and freeze uncovered for 2 hours
7. Scrape mixture into a blender and mix well
8. Quarter cherries, then mix in bowl with ice cream, raisins rum and nuts
9. Return to freezing container, cover and freeze for at least 4 hours until solid
10. When ready to serve, remove from freezer and leave to stand for 10 mins
More great bodybuilding recipes can be found in Nicole's other great eBooks 'Muscle Menus', 'Muscle Menus 2' and 'Muscle Menus Vegetarian' eBooks:
And prepare for Christmas early with Healthy Christmas Recipes
*** Video Review - Kevin Levrone - The Maryland Muscle Machine ***
Review by DaveH - MuscleTalk Member
Another bodybuilding video directed by Mr Okabe, shot in the same fashion as other videos of its type. Take from that what you will.
What we have here is Kevin's whole body workouts prior to the 2000 Mr Olympia. Judging from the size of Kevin it's clear to see that he means business and is a definite contender for Mr O. What we are treated to is a traps and shoulders day with Kevin exploiting the smith for all it's worth with presses. Kevin does his quads and abs, his back and biceps. His choices of exercises are ones that do not get the viewer that excited in all honesty. I personally find it hard to maintain interest in so many isolation exercises. We get no deadlifts here and no typical squats to speak of. While this is intentional as Kevin has a history of back problems, it does not do Kevin justice and show off his brawn so to speak.
Plus points of the tape include his abs workout where he just seems to forever do machine weighted crunches. Apparently he did 100 reps, I however lost count. It's also interesting to see what he does for food. Basically he has some great friends who make his food!
On the whole though, this reviewer is not a fan of Kevin Levrone which may bias my review. Kevin is a peculiar chap to work out. At times he seems incredibly arrogant in front of the camera. "100lb dumbbell curls in your face" he is heard saying repeatedly pointing into the camera. He poses while kissing into the camera. Other times Kevin comes across as helpful and courteous, showing a budding bodybuilder the correct way to pose.
On the whole though there's no mistaking the great physique on offer here and Kevin is a talented individual. The music over the video is from his own band (Fullblown) it also reveals interesting bits like Kevin being able to get into shape extremely quickly with little warning.
If you're a fan of Kevin its worth checking out. For non-fans there are countless other videos on offer.
The articles in The MuscleTalker are for information purposes only and are the sole expressions of the individual authors opinion and are those not necessarily shared by the owners of www.MuscleTalk.co.uk
