Click to Subscribe to All Ben's Fitness & Get A Free Surprise Gift from Ben. Click here for the full written transcript of this podcast episode Do Endurance Sports & PowerLifting Mix? Do you like this post? Let us know with the Facebook like button above!  In this June 30, 2010 free audio episode: do endurance exercise and powerlifting mix, what caloric deficit is healthy, static contraction exercise, what are superfoods, bonking while cycling, alternatives to heartburn medications, relaxing before a triathlon, how to use hamstrings more when you run, exercising on a raw diet, exercising in the heat, is guacamole healthy, accuracy of body fat measurement devices, treating torn muscles, can women train like men, eating healthy when your family doesn't, natural eczema treatments, how to breathe while swimming, multivitamin absorption, is cooking with aluminum dangerous, does beta-alanine work, and what is H20 Overdrive? Remember, if you have any trouble listening, downloading, or transferring to your mp3 player just e-mail ben@bengreenfieldfitness.com. And don't forget to leave the podcast a ranking in iTunes - it only takes 2 minutes of your time and helps grow our healthy community! Justclick here to go to our iTunes page and leave feedback. Scroll down to donate anything over $15 to the show, and Ben will send you a BenGreenfieldFitness.com t-shirt...you can also conveniently donate any amount with your phone by simply clicking here. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Featured topic: Dr. Jerry Moylan has been competing in a variety of sports for the past 40 years. Some of his stand-out accomplishments are Junior State Champion and record holder in power-lifting with personal best 700-pound squat, 400-pound bench press, 635-pound dead lift, 3-time Ironman triathlon finisher, completed the Catalina Classic - a 32 mile paddleboard race, Vail Lake mountain bike series champion, and 2005 San Diego Senior Games male athlete of the year. He also finished his first decathalon at the 2006 National Masters Championship. In this interview with Dr. Jerry Moylan , we discuss the following: What is powerlifting? How did the 700-pound squat, 400-pound bench press, 635-pound dead lift jive with Ironman triathlon training? Were the powerlifting and endurance sports at completely different times of your life, or do you maintain that amount of power during Ironman training? On the same vein, do you feel that powerlifting and endurance training can and should be done simultaneously? If so, what would be sample program, for, say a marathoner, cyclist or triathlete? You also had success with kettlebell competition. Can you explain what a kettlebell is and how it can be used? From a nutrition standpoint, what does your diet look like? Does it change from powerlifting to endurance sports? Broke up at 11:32. If you want to know how to combined weightlifting with endurance sports, you won't want to miss this interview. By the way, if you're interested in the kettlebells that Jerry talks about, just click here. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Special Announcements: 1. What did we learn about in the Body Transformation Club this month? How to make your own hummus, a variation of the corkscrew exercise, two must-have spices, a technique to significantly increase the force you can produce during an exercise, how to make a natural energy drink, what to do when you don't have access to a pull-up bar or pull-down machine, and how to eat healthy for cheap.To learn more about Ben's Body Transformation Club, click here. 2. FREE Video Webcast: “How to Use Fresh, Seasonal Ingredients to Create Fast, Nutritious Meals in 5 Simple Steps” . Do you love the idea of cooking with the freshest ingredients available, but think preparing a meal “from scratch” just takes too long? Are you intrigued by in season cooking or scared to buy new ingredients because you’re afraid you won’t succeed at cooking fresh? Do you feel guilty every time you open another packaged meal because you know in season cooking and cooking fresh leads to more healthy and nutritious cooking? Then you do NOT want to miss this FREE Video Webcast, where Chef Todd is going to show you EXACTLY how he overcomes these cooking obstacles to cooking fresh, quickly and easily EVERY night at home. This is the same thing he's taught thousands of others to do – and you’re going to learn it for free! Click here to register for the webcast now AND to get a free bonus gift from Chef Todd. 3. The Marathon Dominator officially launched on May 20 at midnight and is now LIVE! This is a complete program designed for the complete beginner who wants to ease themselves into a marathon, all the way up to the advanced marathoner interested in breaking their PR! Click here to learn more, and to find out about all the bonus items Ben Greenfield is including with the Marathon Dominator. 4. Ben Greenfield has joined The Quick & Dirty Tips Network at http://getfitguy.quickanddirtytips.com to produce a new feature called "The Get-Fit Guy", which is the latest addition to the network's top ranked iTunes podcasts and free online advice column. Go subscribe in iTunes and leave a ranking! 5. BenGreenfieldFitness t-shirts are now available and you get one instantly when you donate more than $15 to the show. Just scroll down to donate. 6. Join Ben to race a double triathlon in Thailand (http://www.lagunaphukettriathlon.com/)! Week 1: Laguna Phuket Triathlon; Week 2: Ironman 70.3 Thailand. Ben can still get you into the sold-out race AND organize your entire trip, but you must e-mail him at ben@bengreenfieldfitness.com within the next week. 7. Get insider VIP tips and discounts from Ben - conveniently delivered directly to your phone! Just complete the information below... First Name Last Name Email Cell # (1+area code) ---------------------------------------------------------------- Listener Q&A: Listener Dave asks:  I am 50, in the process of trying to lose 2 lbs per week and train for a very tough (hilly, often windy) bicycling century ride in September. I keep a food and activity log at www.livestrong.com (which after trying several sites I found this one the best.) I am eating to a +1,000 calories a day (ie. If I burn 1000 Kcals with my activities I will eat 2,000 Kcals. Since I've gone to the +1,000 .. (I was at +1,500) I have lost between 1.8 and 2.3 pds each week for 4 weeks and have felt fine. Do you see any problems with this? Question 2. I am lifting weights (more for general health, looks and so forth rather than trying to improve performance.) I am using Pete Sisco's "Static Contraction" method. I was wondering what you thought? Listener Miguel asks: Here in Portugal it is growing quickly the superfoods market. I would like to know what's your opinion about these superfoods like spirulina, maca, goji berries, cocoa...the marketers are always trying to say that this is good for you stomach and this for your brain. If you agree with these foods how can I introduce them in my diet? Listener Bob asks: Why do I bonk after only two hours of riding. I ride at a reasonable pace, ex. only 17-20 mph. Not a crazy high heart rate, maybe 130? Not really winded. I consume two bottles of Hammer, Heed (2scoop ea.) fuel. After two hours I am really slowSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Click to Subscribe to All Ben's Fitness & Get A Free Surprise Gift from Ben. Click here for the full written transcript of this podcast episode Do you like this post? Let us know with the Facebook like button above!  Sorry, couldn't resist showing this photo on a health blog! In this June 23, 2010 special 100th free audio episode: a trip down memory lane back to the first BenGreenfieldFitness.com podcast, how to make your kitchen healthier, calories in walking vs. running, how long it takes to burn off caffeine, how long it takes to build tolerance to caffeine, whether caffeine after a workout helps, is aloe vera a scam, how to determine how much salt is in your sweat, how to know if you're running hard enough, and how often should you train in hot weather? Remember, if you have any trouble listening, downloading, or transferring to your mp3 player just e-mail ben@bengreenfieldfitness.com. And don't forget to leave the podcast a ranking in iTunes - it only takes 2 minutes of your time and helps grow our healthy community! Justclick here to go to our iTunes page and leave feedback. Scroll down to donate anything over $15 to the show, and Ben will send you a BenGreenfieldFitness.com t-shirt... ---------------------------------------------------------------- Special Announcements: To learn more about Ben's Body Transformation Club, click here. 1. FREE Video Webcast: “How to Use Fresh, Seasonal Ingredients to Create Fast, Nutritious Meals in 5 Simple Steps” . Do you love the idea of cooking with the freshest ingredients available, but think preparing a meal “from scratch” just takes too long? Are you intrigued by in season cooking or scared to buy new ingredients because you’re afraid you won’t succeed at cooking fresh? Do you feel guilty every time you open another packaged meal because you know in season cooking and cooking fresh leads to more healthy and nutritious cooking? Then you do NOT want to miss this FREE Video Webcast, where Chef Todd is going to show you EXACTLY how he overcomes these cooking obstacles to cooking fresh, quickly and easily EVERY night at home. This is the same thing he's taught thousands of others to do – and you’re going to learn it for free! Click here to register for the webcast now AND to get a free bonus gift from Chef Todd. 2. The Marathon Dominator officially launched on May 20 at midnight and is now LIVE! This is a complete program designed for the complete beginner who wants to ease themselves into a marathon, all the way up to the advanced marathoner interested in breaking their PR! Click here to learn more, and to find out about all the bonus items Ben Greenfield is including with the Marathon Dominator. 3. Ben Greenfield has joined The Quick & Dirty Tips Network at http://getfitguy.quickanddirtytips.com to produce a new feature called "The Get-Fit Guy", which is the latest addition to the network's top ranked iTunes podcasts and free online advice column. Go subscribe in iTunes and leave a ranking! 4. BenGreenfieldFitness t-shirts are now available and you get one instantly when you donate more than $15 to the show. Just scroll down to donate. 5. Join Ben to race a double triathlon in Thailand (http://www.lagunaphukettriathlon.com/)! Week 1: Laguna Phuket Triathlon; Week 2: Ironman 70.3 Thailand. Ben can still get you into the sold-out race AND organize your entire trip, but you must e-mail him at ben@bengreenfieldfitness.com within the next week. 6. Get insider VIP tips and discounts from Ben - conveniently delivered directly to your phone! Just complete the information below... First Name Last Name Email Cell # (1+area code) --------------------------------------------------- Featured Topic In today's featured topic, you get to listen to the very first episode of BenGreenfieldFitness, in which Ben discusses the following: 1. Introduction: "What to Expect in The BenGreenfieldFitness.com Podcast" 2. Interview: Preview of Upcoming Interviews 3. Workout of the Week: Round & Round 4. Book Review: Run With No Pain 5. Nutrition: Healthy Chocolate-Peanut Butter Ice Cream 6. Special Topic: Preview of the National Personal Training conference ----------------------------------- -Topic websites mentioned in this episode- http://www.nsca.com http://www.thestrongtriathlete.com http://www.runwithnopain.com http://www.nutritiondata.com http://www.champsportsmed.com --------------------------------------------------- Listener Q&A: All Call-In Questions This Week! This week, I am giving away a free t-shirt to the person who ask the best question to @bengreenfield via twitter. Click here to ask your Twitter question now! Listener Pat asks how to make her kitchen healthier. Listener Daniel has a question about calories burnt in walking vs. running. Listener Chuck has several questions about the role of caffeine in training, including whether can you build tolerance to caffeine, whether you should redose with caffeine during races, whether a small change in mg makes a difference, and should you take after a workout. Listener Jeff has a call in question about supplements called "Light Force Nutrition Greens with MSM" and "Univera" aloe vera products. In my response to Jeff, I mention the Enerprime capsules and powder. Listener Patrick asks how to determine the amount of salt in sweat. Listener Luke asks how to know if you are running hard enough during your races. Listener Toby asks if there are any benefits to regularly training in hot weather. Finally, listener Chris has some call-in feedback about the podcast! Do you have a question for Ben? Just call 1-877-209-9439 and leave a voicemail, leave a Skype voicemail to username "pacificfit", or e-mail ben@bengreenfieldfitness.com. -------------------------------------------- Remember, if you have any trouble listening, downloading, or transferring to your mp3 player just e-mail ben@bengreenfieldfitness.com And don't forget to leave the podcast a ranking in iTunes - it only takes 2 minutes of your time and helps grow our healthy community! Justclick here to go to our iTunes page and leave feedback. Brand new - get insider VIP tips and discounts from Ben - conveniently delivered directly to your phone! Just complete the information below... First Name Last Name Email Cell # (1+area code): [embed]http://www.bengreenfieldfitness.com/BenGreenfieldFitness98.mp3[/embed] Scroll down to donate $15+ to the show, and Ben will send you a BenGreenfieldFitness.com t-shirt... ------------------------------------------------------See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Click to Subscribe to All Ben's Fitness & Get A Free Surprise Gift from Ben. Click here for the full written transcript of this podcast episode In this June 16, 2010 free audio episode: how to stay fit when you're stuck at home, when is the best time to stretch, what to do about hypoglycemia, is juice OK after a workout, how many calories are in a pound of fat, how to stay fit on a road trip, shin splint tips, what to do about stress fractures, keeping track of laps while swimming, how to recover from Ironman triathlon. Remember, if you have any trouble listening, downloading, or transferring to your mp3 player just e-mail ben@bengreenfieldfitness.com. And don't forget to leave the podcast a ranking in iTunes - it only takes 2 minutes of your time and helps grow our healthy community! Justclick here to go to our iTunes page and leave feedback. Scroll down to donate anything over $15 to the show, and Ben will send you a BenGreenfieldFitness.com t-shirt... ---------------------------------------------------------------- Special Announcements:       1. FREE Video Webcast (watch video above for more details): “How to Use Fresh, Seasonal Ingredients to Create Fast, Nutritious Meals in 5 Simple Steps” . Do you love the idea of cooking with the freshest ingredients available, but think preparing a meal “from scratch” just takes too long? Are you intrigued by in season cooking or scared to buy new ingredients because you’re afraid you won’t succeed at cooking fresh? Do you feel guilty every time you open another packaged meal because you know in season cooking and cooking fresh leads to more healthy and nutritious cooking? Then you do NOT want to miss this FREE Video Webcast, where Chef Todd is going to show you EXACTLY how he overcomes these cooking obstacles to cooking fresh, quickly and easily EVERY night at home. This is the same thing he's taught thousands of others to do – and you’re going to learn it for free! Click here to register for the webcast now AND to get a free bonus gift from Chef Todd. 2. The Marathon Dominator officially launched on May 20 at midnight and is now LIVE! This is a complete program designed for the complete beginner who wants to ease themselves into a marathon, all the way up to the advanced marathoner interested in breaking their PR! Click here to learn more, and to find out about all the bonus items Ben Greenfield is including with the Marathon Dominator. 3. Ben Greenfield has joined The Quick & Dirty Tips Network at http://getfitguy.quickanddirtytips.com to produce a new feature called "The Get-Fit Guy", which is the latest addition to the network's top ranked iTunes podcasts and free online advice column. Go subscribe in iTunes and leave a ranking! 4. BenGreenfieldFitness t-shirts are now available and you get one instantly when you donate more than $15 to the show. Just scroll down to donate. 5. Join Ben to race a double triathlon in Thailand (http://www.lagunaphukettriathlon.com/)! Week 1: Laguna Phuket Triathlon; Week 2: Ironman 70.3 Thailand. Here's the details... 1) The Laguna Phuket triathlon sold out BUT they have given me race slots for any athletes who want to accompany me for this trip. The 70.3 race is still open for entry.      2) I was able to book a block of rooms at the main hotel at the center of the race hub and *exactly* where you want to be for all the action, for a 30% DISCOUNT (plus, cut that in half if I hook you up with a roommate).       3) I was given all information about WHAT you need to do to get the rooms and to register for the race, along with special "travel agent" pricing, even though I'm not an agent.      4) I have had 8 athletes confirm that they will be attending and so that leaves room for SEVEN additional athletes. I simply don't see myself being able to arrange logistics and guide more than FIFTEEN athletes on this trip. So, 7 slots left.   5) Let's be very straight up about cost: I am flying from Seattle in the U.S. and, not counting food & incidentals, am budgeting $2950 USD for the entire trip, start to finish. 6) Let's also be very straight about MY responsibilities: I will get YOU your hotel, a roommate to share costs with, your race slot, get you and your bike from the airport to the hotel, do guided race course tours, get awards banquet tickets if you want one, and arrange all nightly dinners, social functions and group parties. 7) Let's finally be very straight about YOUR responsibilities: YOU will register for the race following my instructions, arrange your own flight into Phuket, pay $200 USD for me to organize everything, and make sure you settle with me for your share of the room block. So IF YOU WANT IN, reply very soon! I will be acting fast to squeeze us into the race. Like I said, only 7 slots are left. 6. Get insider VIP tips and discounts from Ben - conveniently delivered directly to your phone! Just complete the information below... First Name Last Name Email Cell # (1+area code) --------------------------------------------------- Listener Q&A Listener Rod asks: "I'm nearly 40 and have never had to work hard at my fitness to stay in reasonable shape and have never been overly concerned with how much muscle I have. Over the last few weeks listening, you have motivated me to get fitter as I've been putting on a little fat in the moobs (chest fat) and belly. I can't affort to get a gym membership so Im thinking some anaerobic fat burning excersises would be good. I'm often in with my kids so I want something cheap I can do around the house. Would you recommend body weight circuits (push ups etc) combined with skipping and perhaps a run once a week? Last question, what effect does beer have on training. I know it's not good but how much difference would a few beers once a week make?" In my response to Rod, I mention a page I have that gives a list of exercise tool recommendations. Listener Chuck asks: "I was wondering about the best time to do static stretching.  I know to warm up for a workout with dynamic stretches, so is static stretching best after workouts?  And if I exercise in the afternoon or evening, would it be a good idea to stretch again later that night?" Listener Robert asks: "I have been diagnosed with hypoglycemia. The query whether it’s been caused by my faulty eating habits [binge eating, foolish starving and fasting] over the course of the years, while doing endurance sport [18-21 hour on weekly basis] concurrently – we, that is my physician and me, don’t know. Would you kindly elaborate on the difference between, postprandial, reactive and exercise induced hypoglycemia? At the end of March, I experienced an unprecedented status, being constantly down. Devastating fatigue and lethargy on daily basis, dizziness, sluggishness, despite having changed my eating habits [no binging any longer ]. For what it’s worth, I m about to turn 36, this June coming up. Is that middle-age-something related? I mean, I have been able to handle hypoglycemia fairly well, it is probably the age, and all that being associated with, which urges my body to react differently?" Congratulations to Robert, who was nominated as the top question for this week's podcast! Robert will receive a free month of membership to the Body Transformation Club, full access to the Club's secret video page, the life-changing piece of Club mail that I will personally send him each week, and much more. To learn more about the Body Transformation Club, click here. Listener Kim asks: "I am running 60 to 90 minutes 6-10 miles.  Is homemade green juice (one head romaine, 160z. spinach, 2 lemons and a grapefruit- this gives me about 16-20 oz of juice) a good recovery food?  I run in the morning and prefer to drink this after a run and not eat until about 2 hours after I'm done running.  I have heard your podcasts on recovery food after excercise and want to know if the juice is acceptable." Listener Chris asks: "I'm curious about how many calories are in a pound of body fat.  Most of what I've heard says that a pound of body fat is equal to about 3500 calories. But if 1 pound = about 450grams, and 450g x 9cal/gram of fat = 4050 calories, how does that make sense?  I suppose this doesn't have practical consequences, but It's bothering me! Listener Chris also asks: "Do you have any recommendations for how to take on a multi-day road trip(2-3 days) and keeping fit? I'm thinking about stopping every 90minutes or so to walk around, and maybe go for a short bike ride, but beyond that I'm not sure how to keep my legs from getting stale from sitting on my butt for so long. " Listener Lee asks: "I am a relatively active person, I go to the gym 4/5 times a week doing both cardio and weight training. Recently when running on the treadmill the left and right side of my shin bone become sore and tight, particularly on my left leg. Even when starting the cardio with a casual walking pace to warm up my legs, once i run for 10mins the muscle/tissue on each side of shin bone become sore and tight. Do you have any advice as to what is causing this or how to prevent this?" Listener Mike asks: "I have a question about chronic stress fractures.  I’m 44 and was training for the Couer D’Alene Ironman; things were going well, but two weeks ago my left thigh started to hurt.  I have a history of stress fractures and so I had a bone scan and sure enough the left femur has a stress fracture midway between the knee and the hip.  I’ve completed two other Ironman races, both were done on stress fractures.  I’ve had the following stress fractures in the past three years: Right femur midway between knee and hip Left tibia One of the tarsal bones in my right foot Right femur at the neck My goal for this race was to compete healthy and consequently have withdrawn my name from the entry list.  I’m out for this year, but I guess the question is: do I have to give up long distance running events?" Listener Jeff asks: "Please give me some tips to help me to not lose my swim lap count in the pool." In my response to Jeff, I mention the swim lap counter you can get here. Listener TM asks: "I'm participating in the Coeur d'Alene Ironman in two weeks.  My question is, how much time do I take off afterwards and how intense do I train when I start back into training?" Listener Bret asks: "I completed IMSG about a month and a half ago and me and my buddies are really struggling getting motivated again. Training sessions seem boring, races seem lame in comparison to IM. Any suggestions of how to rebound from what I heard is called the Post IM Blues?" Finally, listener Chuck has a call-in comment on the Triathlon Dominator. Do you have a question for Ben? Just call 1-877-209-9439 and leave a voicemail, leave a Skype voicemail to username "pacificfit", or e-mail ben@bengreenfieldfitness.com. -------------------------------------------- Remember, if you have any trouble listening, downloading, or transferring to your mp3 player just e-mail ben@bengreenfieldfitness.com And don't forget to leave the podcast a ranking in iTunes - it only takes 2 minutes of your time and helps grow our healthy community! Justclick here to go to our iTunes page and leave feedback. Brand new - get insider VIP tips and discounts from Ben - conveniently delivered directly to your phone! Just complete the information below... First Name Last Name Email Cell # (1+area code): [embed]http://www.bengreenfieldfitness.com/BenGreenfieldFitness98.mp3[/embed] Scroll down to donate $15+ to the show, and Ben will send you a BenGreenfieldFitness.com t-shirt... ------------------------------------------------------See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Click to Subscribe to All Ben's Fitness & Get A Free Surprise Gift from Ben. Click here for the full written transcript of this podcast episode Vote here for Ben's latest hubpage on PUFA's and MUFA's! New! Scroll down to donate anything over $15 to the show, leave your address, and I'll send you a BenGreenfieldFitness.com t-shirt. In this June 11 free audio episode: Can diabetics exercise hard?, how to look good naked, how much sodium is acceptable for fit people, how fast do multi-vitamins digest?, is egg protein OK?, is it better or run right after a bike ride, or later in the day?, what's the best swim workout?, what exactly happens if you don't eat after a workout?, how to get dressed during a triathlon, a drink called Eiro, caffeine capsules, a supplement called DMSO, and what to do about a pear figure. Remember, if you have any trouble listening, downloading, or transferring to your mp3 player just e-mail ben@bengreenfieldfitness.com And don't forget to leave the podcast a ranking in iTunes - it only takes 2 minutes of your time and helps grow our healthy community! Justclick here to go to our iTunes page and leave feedback. Scroll down to donate to the show, and Ben will send you a BenGreenfieldFitness.com t-shirt... ---------------------------------------------------------------- Featured Topic: "Diabetes and Exercise." In this featured topic, I interview Daniel Vincent, team captain from Triabetes . We discuss the following questions: Do diabetics compete in sports, and if so, who are some diabetic athletes we might be familiar with? Many of our listeners do marathons, triathlons, etc. Let’s say someone just found out they have diabetes. Do they need to stop training, and if not, what is going to change for them, specifically for their training and racing? How does this compare to someone who has had diabetes for their entire life? Are they managed the same way? What type of tools are commonly used to help athletes monitor their blood sugars? Do these tools differ from what the general non-athlete diabetic would use? How frequently do you test, both during exercise and apart from it? What are you looking for when you test, and what do you do if your numbers aren’t where they need to be? What does your diet consist of? What does your training schedule look like? What is the biggest threat when you are swimming/cycling/running? If you're a diabetic, or have a loved one with diabetes, this is a great introduction to exercising more seriously while managing diabetes! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Special Announcements: 1. The Marathon Dominator officialy launched on May 20 at midnight and is now LIVE! This is a complete program designed for the complete beginner who wants to ease themselves into a marathon, all the way up to the advanced marathoner interested in breaking their PR! Click here to learn more, and to find out about all the bonus items Ben Greenfield is including with the Marathon Dominator. 2. Ben Greenfield has joined The Quick & Dirty Tips Network at http://getfitguy.quickanddirtytips.com to produce a new feature called "The Get-Fit Guy", which is the latest addition to the network's top ranked iTunes podcasts and free online advice column. Go subscribe in iTunes and leave a ranking! 3. BenGreenfieldFitness t-shirts are now available and you get one instantly when you donate more than $17 to the show. Just scroll down to donate. 4. Join Ben to race a double triathlon in Thailand (http://www.lagunaphukettriathlon.com/)! Week 1: Laguna Phuket Triathlon; Week 2: Ironman 70.3 Thailand. Here's the details... 1) The Laguna Phuket triathlon sold out BUT they have given me race slots for any athletes who want to accompany me for this trip. The 70.3 race is still open for entry. 2) I was able to book a block of rooms at the main hotel at the center of the race hub and *exactly* where you want to be for all the action, for a 30% DISCOUNT (plus, cut that in half if I hook you up with a roommate). 3) I was given all information about WHAT you need to do to get the rooms and to register for the race, along with special "travel agent" pricing, even though I'm not an agent. 4) I have had 8 athletes confirm that they will be attending and so that leaves room for SEVEN additional athletes. I simply don't see myself being able to arrange logistics and guide more than FIFTEEN athletes on this trip. So, 7 slots left. 5) Let's be very straight up about cost: I am flying from Seattle in the U.S. and, not counting food & incidentals, am budgeting $2950 USD for the entire trip, start to finish. 6) Let's also be very straight about MY responsibilities: I will get YOU your hotel, a roommate to share costs with, your race slot, get you and your bike from the airport to the hotel, do guided race course tours, get awards banquet tickets if you want one, and arrange all nightly dinners, social functions and group parties. 7) Let's finally be very straight about YOUR responsibilities: YOU will register for the race following my instructions, arrange your own flight into Phuket, pay $200 USD for me to organize everything, and make sure you settle with me for your share of the room block. So IF YOU WANT IN, reply very soon! I will be acting fast to squeeze us into the race. Like I said, only 7 slots are left. 5. Get insider VIP tips and discounts from Ben - conveniently delivered directly to your phone! Just complete the information below... First Name Last Name Email Cell # (1+area code) --------------------------------------------------- Listener Q&A Listener Mark asks: "I have traditionally used whey protein concentrate as part of my post workout nutrition for harder and/or longer sessions. As a Paleo nutrition plan eliminates dairy I am looking into alternatives. You have mentioned pea protein and hemp protein in previous podcasts – I am I wondering what are your thoughts on Egg White protein as an effective substitute for whey protein?" Listener Hila asks:  "I'm 25, female and train for aesthetic purposes only. Yes, I'm that shallow. I run and bike for the calorie burn, and weight lift for the muscle mass. I eat 100% clean. My questions are regarding my diet. 1) Since most of your diet recommendations are geared towards better PERFORMANCE, what would you recommend differently for athletes that don't care about performance, don't compete, and just want to look good naked? (Now I know good is a relative word and each has its own opinion, but generally speaking, I want to get that Jillian Micheals figure - toned yet feminine) 2) Small question regarding sodium. I love dairy and eat low-fat cottage cheese daily. I've noticed it has 450mg of sodium per 100grams and I eat a 200grams container. Is that too much to have on a daily basis, or is it still OK since I train and sweat regulary? Can you clearfy the deal with soduim.. I don't get it, is it good or bad for athletes?" In my response to Hila, I mention Shape21 Lean Body Manual. Listener Chuck asks: "First, what is the physiological difference and which would be more beneficial to my training: After a long bike going into an immediate brick run, or doing that run later on the same day and being able to go faster and harder? Second, if I am only able to get in the pool once a week, should I focus my sessions and form and drills, harder/endurance workouts, or a combination of both? Finally, I am well aware of the benefits of taking in the correct amounts of fuel, protein and carbs, after a workout.  But when someone does not refuel within that recovery window, are there negative effects on the body, or just a lack of the posotive recovery benefits?" Listener Carmen asks: "I received an email about a product called Eiro.  A friend of mine knows how into health and nutrition we are and is saying it is "right up my alley".  I am not trying to lose weight, I eat a very healthy diet and exercise regularly.  Just want to get your input on whether or not this is even worth looking into or is it another "Acai" juice hype." Listener Ryan asks: "I am a listener with a question about what to wear in my first triathlon.  I am going to tackle the Medical Lake Founder's day triathlon in 2 weeks and it will be my first triathlon.  I haven't wanted to buy a pair of those expensive tri shorts since I wanted to go into it with minimal expenses with this being my first triathlon.  Especially since I was told you really only wear the tri-shorts during the race since they cant stand up to chlorine.  What I am trying to figure out is what I can wear that can transition from the swim to the bike and then the run that will not only dry quickly, but be comfortable and supportive.  I'll be wearing a wet suit during the short swim. I have thought about buying compression shorts, which seem cheaper, and then putting shorts over them after the swim, but didn't know if the waistband would stay tight when they were wet or if they would dry out quickly or not.  I have also thought of just wearing a jock strap under my swim suit.  Any creative ideas for me or am I just going to have to suck it up and buy the tri shorts?  Any feedback you have for me would be helpful.  Also, I am assuming that you don't really have an area to change your clothes in the transition area. " Listener Roxanne asks: "I really enjoy your show, although I am not a triathlete I find your show super informative and entertaining.  I do work out twice a week with a personal trainer, do the Insanity workout a couple times a week, and try to fit in 3 or so 1 & 1/2 to 2 hour runs a week (in the mornings).  My question is that I am trying to decrease my body fat in my lower extremities without much luck (as I have a very low body fat percentage in my upper body and much higher in my lower body--overall body fat is 17 percent).  After listening to your podcast I really think it may be that I am fueling improperly in timing with my workouts but unsure. I eat a relatively clean diet and am trying to eat fewer but more frequent meals. I know you have addressed fueling issues in past podcasts but I was wondering if you could give advice to someone like myself, who is not a competitive athlete, as to what I can do differently to help knock down that fat?" Listener Brian asks: "I have a biking question.  I tend to get numb on my right foot just behind my toes (where my toes meet my foot) while riding long distances (50 milers).  I have tried adjusting my seat and the clips on the bottoms of my shoes, but neither seemed to help.  When I transition to my run, it takes about 2 miles for my toes to feel normal without that frostbitten or asleep feeling." Listener Josh asks: "I recently began taking a multi-vitamin in the morning which contains super greens and all that good stuff, problem is I've been taking them with coffee! I had no idea that caffeine was detrimental to the absorption process until listening to one of your podcasts where you addressed this. Thing is, I've been feeling really good during my morning workouts since taking them and I've been doing it for quite some time (I'm pretty sure I was lacking b-vitamins in my diet which is probably a factor). Regardless I don't want to be flushing these pricey things down the toilet, but I've got to have my morning coffee and don't know what to do here. 1. How long should I wait after drinking my morning coffee before taking my multi? 2. I've felt really good since taking them before my morning workouts/races and have found that the magnesium helps me with cramping, so obviously some things are getting absorbed. However, I am wondering how long multi-vitamin supplements typically stay inside ones body as I'm obviously going to have to change my regimen." I thought this table would be helpful for Josh: Congratulations to Josh, who was nominated as the top question for this week's podcast! Josh will receive a free month of membership to the Body Transformation Club, full access to the Club's secret video page, the life-changing piece of Club mail that I will personally send him each week, and much more. To learn more about the Body Transformation Club, click here. Listener Rick has a call in question about caffeine supplementation. Listener Patrick has a call in question about DMSO. Do you have a question for Ben? Just call 1-877-209-9439 and leave a voicemail, leave a Skype voicemail to username "pacificfit", or e-mail ben@bengreenfieldfitness.com. -------------------------------------------- Remember, if you have any trouble listening, downloading, or transferring to your mp3 player just e-mail ben@bengreenfieldfitness.com And don't forget to leave the podcast a ranking in iTunes - it only takes 2 minutes of your time and helps grow our healthy community! Justclick here to go to our iTunes page and leave feedback. Brand new - get insider VIP tips and discounts from Ben - conveniently delivered directly to your phone! Just complete the information below... First Name Last Name Email Cell # (1+area code): [embed]http://www.bengreenfieldfitness.com/BenGreenfieldFitness98.mp3[/embed] Scroll down to donate $15+ to the show, and Ben will send you a BenGreenfieldFitness.com t-shirt... ------------------------------------------------------See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Click to Subscribe to All Ben's Fitness & Get A Free Surprise Gift from Ben. Click here for the full written transcript of this podcast episode New! Scroll down to donate anything over $15 to the show, leave your address, and I'll send you a BenGreenfieldFitness.com t-shirt (pictured above). In this June 2 free audio episode: a mystery injury that you probably have, hornet juice, is protein powder toxic, dealing with road rash, more on the carb equation, traveling for endurance events, how hard should you race a triathlon, food vitamin interactions, stomach problems while running, recovering from knee surgery, and homemade gels and sports drinks. Remember, if you have any trouble listening, downloading, or transferring to your mp3 player just e-mail ben@bengreenfieldfitness.com And don't forget to leave the podcast a ranking in iTunes - it only takes 2 minutes of your time and helps grow our healthy community! Justclick here to go to our iTunes page and leave feedback. Also, Ben just made available a "100% Vegan Nutrition Plan", along with a "4 Weeks Before A Triathlon" Nutrition & Training Plan, and a "12 Week Fitness and Fat Loss" plan ALL AVAILABLE NOW at Ben's fitness, triathlon and nutrition plan download page, at http://www.trainingpeaks.com/pacificfit. Just click here! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Featured Topic: "The Mystery Injury." In this featured topic, I interview Tom Vachet from Performance Management about the single injury that is responsible for more than 75% of the pain you have while exercising.Our discussion includes: -Exactly what this injury is, and why it is severely underdiagnosed... -How to know if you have the injury... -What to do to fix yourself.... -How to get rid of mysterious leg, back and shoulder problems... -And much more! I have personally struggled with the injury that Tom and I discuss, I have coached and seen many, many athletes with this problem, and would highly recommend you listen to this interview if you run, bike, swim, lift, or play any sports. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Special Announcements: 1. The Marathon Dominator officialy launched on May 20 at midnight and is now LIVE! This is a complete program designed for the complete beginner who wants to ease themselves into a marathon, all the way up to the advanced marathoner interested in breaking their PR! Click here to learn more, and to find out about all the bonus items Ben Greenfield is including with the Marathon Dominator. 2. Ben Greenfield has joined The Quick & Dirty Tips Network at http://getfitguy.quickanddirtytips.com to produce a new feature called "The Get-Fit Guy", which is the latest addition to the network's top ranked iTunes podcasts and free online advice column. Go subscribe in iTunes and leave a ranking! 3. BenGreenfieldFitness t-shirts are now available and you get one instantly when you donate more than $17 to the show. Just scroll down to donate. 4. Join Ben to race a double triathlon in Thailand (http://www.lagunaphukettriathlon.com/)! Week 1: Laguna Phuket Triathlon; Week 2: Ironman 70.3 Thailand. Here's the details... 1) The Laguna Phuket triathlon sold out BUT they have given me race slots for any athletes who want to accompany me for this trip. The 70.3 race is still open for entry. 2) I was able to book a block of rooms at the main hotel at the center of the race hub and *exactly* where you want to be for all the action, for a 30% DISCOUNT (plus, cut that in half if I hook you up with a roommate). 3) I was given all information about WHAT you need to do to get the rooms and to register for the race, along with special "travel agent" pricing, even though I'm not an agent. 4) I have had 8 athletes confirm that they will be attending and so that leaves room for SEVEN additional athletes. I simply don't see myself being able to arrange logistics and guide more than FIFTEEN athletes on this trip. So, 7 slots left. 5) Let's be very straight up about cost: I am flying from Seattle in the U.S. and, not counting food & incidentals, am budgeting $2950 USD for the entire trip, start to finish. 6) Let's also be very straight about MY responsibilities: I will get YOU your hotel, a roommate to share costs with, your race slot, get you and your bike from the airport to the hotel, do guided race course tours, get awards banquet tickets if you want one, and arrange all nightly dinners, social functions and group parties. 7) Let's finally be very straight about YOUR responsibilities: YOU will register for the race following my instructions, arrange your own flight into Phuket, pay $200 USD for me to organize everything, and make sure you settle with me for your share of the room block. So IF YOU WANT IN, reply very soon! I will be acting fast to squeeze us into the race. Like I said, only 7 slots are left. 5. Get insider VIP tips and discounts from Ben - conveniently delivered directly to your phone! Just complete the information below... First Name Last Name Email Cell # (1+area code) --------------------------------------------------- Listener Q&A Listener TM asks: What is your take on hornet juice? Listener Paul asks: I have a question about consuming protein drinks/powder.  Consumer Reports has put out an article stating that high consumption of these powders can be damaging to your body due to heavy metals which are injested.  You can read the article here:  http://www.consumerreports.org/health/natural-health/protein-drinks/overview/index.htm . Nearly every morning, after I workout, I eat Bob Seebohar Super Oatmeal Breakfast.  You probably know what this is but it is oatmeal, cocoa, protein powder, flax, raisens and banana.  See it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5R4cde9IzSc . Sometimes I have a protein drink after my evening workout.  The article talks about high consumption being maybe 8 scoops per day.  I average just over 1 scoop.  I know that natural proteins in chicken, eggs, etc are better but do you think that this level of protein powder intake put me at any long term risks? In my response to Paul, I mention Living Protein (get it here) and Mt. Capra Double Bonded Whey (get it here, use 5% discount code BGF). Listener Chris asks: Can you talk about the best way to deal with road rash? (got some, no fun). Also, I have found your post-workout carb intake formula INVALUABLE.  I have always struggled with either over eating or feeling like crap later in the day, or the next day, after a long and hard work. I am definitely eating more during and after working, and starting to drop that last 10 I've never been able to shed, with the post-workout carbs being the only variable I've changed recently.  My question is that since part of the equation is based from your ideal body weight, do you have to factor in calories consumed during your work out? Listener David asks: Anyway, my question really is more around the logistics of traveling to a distant event.  I need to plan on at least 2 travel days to get there, during a fairly critical phase of training, plus time to overcome any jetlag, time to acclimate, hopefully train a little on the actual course, and then properly taper during the last week.  How far in advance would you recommend trying to get to the event location to take all these factors into account.  Bear in mind, I'm an age grouper just wanting to finish in a respectable (for me) time, probably 13-14 hours.  Any suggestions on planning and logistics for something like this would be much appreciated.  One thing I definitely plan on doing is following your nutrition and supplement recommendations, especially during the travel period, to ensure I don't get sick and bounce back quickly from any jetlag. Listener Graeme asks: I'm an Irish guy based in London and found your podcast (Ben Greenfield Fitness) through the Tri Swim Coach podcast.  I'm now working my way through your back catalogue and have a ton of notes on tips and advice which is awesome. I have also signed up for the Rockstar Triathlete Academy which I'm exploring and enjoying. I have a couple of questions that I can't get out of my head if you dont mind me sharing: Q1 - I downloaded (in Rockstar Triathlete) the 70.3 intermediate programme as I have a 70.3 coming up in 3 weeks.  I looked over the last 4 weeks to see what you recommend and was suprised to see power workouts and unless I missed it, no long endurance rides/ runs.  Is it right to work through base, then do more musular endurance and then finish up with some power sessions without continuing to invest in base workouts.  I'd love to hear your thoughts! Q2 - I raced an Olympic Tri at the weekend which was my first race of the year and where previously I have used pure caffeine with 'Sports Legs' as pre race nutrition I didnt like the feeling that a large dosage of caffeine gives me so this year I will race on Sports Legs (I assume you are familiar with this supplement which uses vit D/ Calcium/ Magnesium & Lactate) with 'Pre Race', a supplement by 1st Endurance which has a bunch of stuff to stimulate the nervous system.  The combination seemed to work really well, my threshold was 15 beats higher on the bike and 12 on the run.  This got me thinking, when I train in 'tempo' pace I will be training at the right effort with no supplements but on race day my HR will be higher which I assume equates to higher effort/ workload so I may be undercooking my race pace/ tempo pacing.  So how do you factor in race day performance supplements into your training?  If I am to guess the answer I think it is that I need to train at the 'power' and intensity of my racing tempo pace, which in racing is endurance tempo and in training (without supplements) will feel more intense and I will purhaps be above my threshold.  The area of pacing for my upcoming 70.3 I find tricky enough without my zones going out the window because of some supplements (although I'm not complaining).  So how do you triain for this effect and how do you plan your pacing? Q3 - I now take, Omega 3/ Vit C/ Magnesium/ multi vits/ Q10 supplements (and I just ordered some stuff from your site today to add to this list).  I consume these tablets together on an empty stomach first thing in the morning mainly so I dont forget to take them.  But when should I be taking these supplements, together, with food, am/ pm or what suggestions would you have to maximise their effectiveness. Congratulations to Graeme, who was nominated as the top question for this week's podcast! Graeme will receive a free month of membership to the Body Transformation Club, full access to the Club's secret video page, the life-changing piece of Club mail that I will personally send him each week, and much more. To learn more about the Body Transformation Club, click here. Listener Eric asks: During the last couple of triathlons stretching back to last August, I have struggled during the run segment with GI stress.  It feels like something bouncing around my gut.  Is this a symptom of something that can be resolved?  I read somewhere that this can be a sign of an electrolyte imbalance or shortage.  My usual in-take pre-race is a yogurt/granola mix, bananas, and/or toast.  During a race, I usually take in one or two gels during the bike depending on the distance and a water/gatorade mix.  I am usually racing in sprint to olympic distances and this problem has been most pronounced during longer distance races. Listener Christina asks: I am a fitness instructor and mom of 3 who 2 weeks ago had ACL reconstruction and cartiledge repair on my right knee. I kept teaching and staying strong up to the day preceeding my surgery and - thanks to God - am up and walking and riding the recumbent bike 2 to 3 miles each time. I don't get to start PT until next week since I have to wait for my script at the 3 week follow up, so my inquiry is this: if it doesn't hurt would doing things like mini squats or very narrow lunges (think chair pose and warrior poses) be more harmful or beneficial? Listener Mark asks: I am currently preparing for the Ironman 70.3 World Champs. I follow a Paleo nutrition plan which has included eliminating both sugar and artificial sweeteners. One sticking point is sports drinks and gels – most of which contain large amounts of sugar and/or artificial sweeteners. Do you have any thoughts on this recommendations of alternatives that I can use both in training and racing? Do you have a question for Ben? Just call 1-877-209-9439 and leave a voicemail, leave a Skype voicemail to username "pacificfit", or e-mail ben@bengreenfieldfitness.com. -------------------------------------------- Remember, if you have any trouble listening, downloading, or transferring to your mp3 player just e-mail ben@bengreenfieldfitness.com And don't forget to leave the podcast a ranking in iTunes - it only takes 2 minutes of your time and helps grow our healthy community! Justclick here to go to our iTunes page and leave feedback. Brand new - get insider VIP tips and discounts from Ben - conveniently delivered directly to your phone! Just complete the information below... First Name Last Name Email Cell # (1+area code): [embed]http://www.bengreenfieldfitness.com/BenGreenfieldFitness97.mp3[/embed] ------------------------------------------------------See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Click to Subscribe to All Ben's Fitness & Get A Free Surprise Gift from Ben. Click here for the full written transcript of this podcast episode In this May 26 free audio episode: how to know if your carbohydrate intake is proper, how long should it take for the heart rate to recover after exercise, are some fruits better than others, eating before a morning workout, how to stop appetite cravings, cardio before weights or weights before cardio, should athletes train their body to burn fat, does getting stronger make you faster, do you have to give up a muscular body to be an Ironman triathlete and is something called "Zone 3" training bad? Remember, if you have any trouble listening, downloading, or transferring to your mp3 player just e-mail ben@bengreenfieldfitness.com And don't forget to leave the podcast a ranking in iTunes - it only takes 2 minutes of your time and helps grow our healthy community! Just click here to go to our iTunes page and leave feedback. Also, Ben just made available a "100% Vegan Nutrition Plan", along with a "4 Weeks Before A Triathlon" Nutrition & Training Plan, and a "12 Week Fitness and Fat Loss" plan ALL AVAILABLE NOW at Ben's fitness, triathlon and nutrition plan download page, at http://www.trainingpeaks.com/pacificfit. Just click here! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Featured Topic: "Carbohydrates and Blood Sugar Testing" In this featured topic, I interview Dr. Richard Cohen from Bioletics. Our discussion includes: -Why traditional blood glucose tests can be ineffective... -How to know exactly how your body is responding to your current carbohydrate intake... -Why you need to pay attention to blood sugar, especially if you're an athlete.... -New, cutting-edge procedures for evaluating your carbohydrate status... -What is an "A1C" test? -And much more! If you want to know more about your blood sugar and carbohydrate management, you’re going to want to listen to this interview. Dr. Cohen really knows his stuff, and is on the cutting-edge when it comes to dispelling old-fashioned medical concepts. His entire Bioletics program can be best understood by listening to the interviews about the six key performance factors in podcasts #53 and #62 (which you can find by clicking here). If you’re ready to get started and want to testy our own internal performance factors from your home, just click here to go to the Bioletics website to begin your six key performance factor testing or call Bioletics at 888-371-1033, ask for Dr. Richard Cohen, and tell him that Ben Greenfield sent you. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Special Announcements: 1. The Marathon Dominator officialy launched on May 20 at midnight and is now LIVE! This is a complete program designed for the complete beginner who wants to ease themselves into a marathon, all the way up to the advanced marathoner interested in breaking their PR! Click here to learn more, and to find out about all the bonus items Ben Greenfield is including with the Marathon Dominator. 2. Ben Greenfield has joined The Quick & Dirty Tips Network at http://getfitguy.quickanddirtytips.com to produce a new feature called "The Get-Fit Guy", which is the latest addition to the network's top ranked iTunes podcasts and free online advice column. Go subscribe in iTunes and leave a ranking! 3. Ben just made available a 100% Vegan Nutrition Plan, along with a 4 Weeks Before Ironman Nutrition & Training Plan, and a 12 Week Fitness and Fat Loss plan ALL AVAILABLE NOW at Ben's fitness, triathlon and nutrition plan download page, at http://www.trainingpeaks.com/pacificfit. Just click here! 4. Get insider VIP tips and discounts from Ben - conveniently delivered directly to your phone! Just complete the information below... First Name Last Name Email Cell # (1+area code) --------------------------------------------------- Listener Q&A Mark asks: "I regularly run with a heart rate monitor. At the end of a short run, perhaps 30 minutes or less, I'm used to seeing my heart rate quickly drop to below 120 when I slow down to a jog at the end. A couple times now, following runs longer than an hour, my heart rate has barely slowed down when I slowed down. For example, this past weekend following an 80 minute run, I walked for the last 5 minutes, but my heart rate remained in the 140-150 range. When I came to a complete stop in the parking lot, my heart rate actually increased by 10 points over my walking heart rate. It took maybe 5-10 minutes of sitting in the shade before my heart rate dropped below 120. On this long run, I didn't have any water or food (the temperature was in the mid 80s), and I may have been starting to bonk, as I'm prone to low blood sugar. I also was exercising right around, and occasionally above my AT for the last 2 miles. Could any of these factors explain why my heart rate took so long to return to normal?" Patrick asks: "In keeping with your Holistic Fueling plan, I've gotten pretty used to keeping nuts (specifically cashews) and fruit on hand to snack on after shorter workouts or for just afternoon hunger pangs. In the beginning I stuck mainly to Granny Smith apples, but now that summer has hit I'm eating more of the sweeter melons like cantaloupe and watermelon. How do sweeter fruits stack up nutritionally with the more conservative choices like grapefruit, pineapple and blueberries? Is there a significant difference from a recovery or general health aspect, or am I splitting hairs?" Anonymous asks: "Living in Virginia, it gets pretty hot in the summer. I like to run in the morning as soon as possible to avoid the heat and humidity. What do you think would be a good thing to eat so I can run but not be starving during the run? I usually eat like half of a powerbar to take the edge off. Runs are usually an hour long. This is also true for swimming--I am part of a masters swim group that meets at 6am. I really don't want to get up and eat at 4:30 just so food wil sit well on my stomach. Any suggestions?" Olivia asks: "I just finished my first HIM and now that it’s over I think I would like to focus on losing the weight I gained during training. I am 5’8” and weighed 152 pounds before training, but now I’m pushing 159 pounds. What are the chances that this weight gain is muscle? If it’s not muscle I want to lose the weight, but I am having a really tough time eating less now that I am not training as much. Do you have any advice for how to “taper” calories and change the eating habits I started during training? I’m still hungry!" In my response to Erica, I mention: LivingFuel Supergreens, Thermofactor appetite stabilizing supplement, and the book "100 Ways To Boost Your Metabolism". Eric asks: "I am a big proponent of weight and resistance training, as I believe you are too, and I really like your The Strong Triathlete training guide. My question is that most of the days I lift, I don't have time to split my endurance/ triathlon training and my weight lifting. So an average day might be like a hard 45 minute lift, an intense 60 minute spin class, and then a 5-7 mile run with some intervals thrown in. I know have depleted a lot of my glycogen stores during the lift and so this always makes the cycling and running a lot harder, but by knowing the times and paces I want to hit, I am able to maitain the same outcomes as days I didn't lift. So if this is the case, is better, worse, or indifferent that I lift before all the training? Also, when I can confined to a gym as days like this, these workout can be 2:30- 3 hours- should I be eating something during this and if so when? After the lift? Omar asks: "I have been told that i have a very nice body. This is a result of a lot of weight training that I'm used to doing after playing football in college. I am down to 85kg (about 187lb), but I can´t seem to shed more weight and, honestly, I'd like to still have a nice body. Is this something I'll have to sacrifice in order to be a good Iron Man? I'm 6'3", so it's not like I'm huge, although I do know that i have  alarge volume compared to most people my size, I just don't weight all that much. When I get your Ironman Dominator package, will I be able to consult with you in order to maintain both my goals in check?" Alecio asks: "I am using your Dominator package to prep me for Ironman. I must say for the money it is a steal and extremely useful program. I have use many plans before but nothing comes close to what is included in the Dominator package. So thank you. Also I love the website as it has lots of great information and secrets/tips. My questions about the package are reguarding your heart rate zones and workouts in these zones. When I compare your zones to others progams they seem a bit higher. Also, because of this, it seems that there is a lot of zone three work which from what i understand leads to "mediocre" racing or injury. Do you have any thoughts, or perspective as to why or what the intent is behind training in zone three under your program to help me ensure I am training or applying the appropriate method and approach?" Chuck asks: "As a triathlete, would it make me faster overall to get stronger, especially in the disciplines that have a lot of muscle recruitment like the bike and the swim?  I have been doing pretty hard lifting sessions 3-4 times a week, but how can I actually put on the muscle while training at Half Ironman distance volume?  As someone who isn't trying to lose weight- I'm 5'11, 154 pounds, 4-5% body fat, will getting stronger have to mean adding body weight, since I would be adding lean muscle, and can this muscle and weight actually be beneficial in getting me faster, not slow me down?  Again, not trying to bulk up and lose flexibility etc, just be stronger!" Kevin asks: "I am a 47-year-old male, ran my first marathon in the early 80’s and over the years have competed in ultras including runs, long distance swimming, and triathlons. My current marathon time is sub 3:30. I am 5ft 9 and weigh 150 pounds. Back in the late 70’s and 80’s we used to follow a strict carbo load diet pre an endurance event  which included, 2 days of no carbs followed by 3 days of carb overdose.  In those days, there were no gels or sports drinks. Water tables in races included water, and pop.  I primarily drank water, and occasionally watered down coke.  What did we know? We ate raisins instead of gels on long runs, sometimes bananas and even had chocolate in the very long events. Then along came Dave Allen who believed in using body fat for endurance events, with the theory of training at a low heart rate to encourage the body to use fat as opposed to carbs for fuel. Interestingly, I recently read in a runner’s magazine, two articles both in the same mag.  One covered the carb load and the other article dealt with runners that rely on fat for fuel.   The no carb runner does not train with gels or sportsdrinks, just using water.  The thought being that as the run progresses they get stronger compared to other runners who rely on carbohydrates for fuel. What is your opinion on what works best?  Have you ever tried to train your body to use fat as opposed to carbohydrates as fuel? I would be interest to hear your thoughts on this topic." Congratulations to Kevin, who was nominated as the top question for this week's podcast! Kevin will receive a free month of membership to the Body Transformation Club, full access to the Club's secret video page, the life-changing piece of Club mail that I will personally send him each week, and much more. To learn more about the Body Transformation Club, click here. Do you have a question for Ben? Just call 1-877-209-9439 and leave a voicemail, leave a Skype voicemail to username "pacificfit", or e-mail ben@bengreenfieldfitness.com. -------------------------------------------- Remember, if you have any trouble listening, downloading, or transferring to your mp3 player just e-mail ben@bengreenfieldfitness.com And don't forget to leave the podcast a ranking in iTunes - it only takes 2 minutes of your time and helps grow our healthy community! Just click here to go to our iTunes page and leave feedback. Brand new - get insider VIP tips and discounts from Ben - conveniently delivered directly to your phone! Just complete the information below... First Name Last Name Email Cell # (1+area code): [embed]http://www.bengreenfieldfitness.com/BenGreenfieldFitness96.mp3[/embed] ------------------------------------------------------See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Click to Subscribe to All Ben's Fitness & Get A Free Surprise Gift from Ben. Click here for the full written transcript of this podcast episode [video http://www.bengreenfieldfitness.com/clubvideos/GymBoss.flv GymBoss] sorry, but the video is a bit blurry in the beginning - don't worry, it gets better! In this May 20 free audio episode, I include more details on the Tabata sets (that I mention above) and why you would want to use them along with something called "The GymBoss".I also answer listener questions about how to run faster, drop fat fast, treat foot pain, use indoor cycling to get faster for bike racing, what to do if you panic in your triathlon wetsuit and getting ready for a century ride on a bike.  --------------------------------------------------- Featured Topic: I've been using something called "The GymBoss" to complete my "Tabata" workouts. Just wait until you try it...combining The GymBoss with a Tabata set is a perfect way to get fit fast or squeeze a workout into a very short period of time. If you want to learn more about why Tabata sets work, and where they originated, just read an article on Hubpages that I wrote by clicking here. If you want to try a Tabata set, then do 1 set of 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off for 4 minutes of each of the following, with a 60 second rest between Tabata sets: -Pushup or Knee Pushup -Squat -Crunch -Row, Assisted Pull-Up or Pulldown As you can imagine, "The GymBoss" makes your Tabata sets MUCH easier to manage, because you're not constantly looking at your watch! Watch the video above, then click here to check out more info on  "The GymBoss". ---------------------------------------------------------------- Special Announcements: 1. The Marathon Dominator launches on May 20 at midnight! This is a complete program designed for the complete beginner who wants to ease themselves into a marathon, all the way up to the advanced marathoner interested in breaking their PR! Click here to learn more, and to find out about all the bonus items Ben Greenfield is including with the Marathon Dominator. 2. Ben Greenfield has joined The Quick & Dirty Tips Network at http://getfitguy.quickanddirtytips.com to produce a new feature called "The Get-Fit Guy", which is the latest addition to the network's top ranked iTunes podcasts and free online advice column. Go subscribe in iTunes and leave a ranking! 3. Ever wonder if your swimming technique is all it could be? Want to know if your bike is fit properly, or if you have a good pedal stroke? Would you like to know if your running gait is slowing you down or setting you up for injury? Our online video analysis of swim, bike or run is quick way to get professional feedback, inexpensively. Click here to get started now with a swim, bike or run video analysis from Ben Greenfield and the team at Pacific Elite Fitness. Want to see what a video analysis looks like? Check it out by clicking here. 4. Get insider VIP tips and discounts from Ben - conveniently delivered directly to your phone! Just complete the information below... First Name Last Name Email Cell # (1+area code) --------------------------------------------------- Listener Q&A Listener Rick asks: "My mom is going to have surgery in a couple of weeks. Should she be changing her diet in pre-surgery for a faster recovery?  Any dietary tips would be appreciated." In my response, I mention something called "Recoverease". Glen asks: "What to do do improve running speed?" Listener Cheri asks: "I have 30 days before my first 100 mile run.  I'd like to drop some unwanted fat.  My work load is high right now so my dietary needs are high, is it still possible to drop some fat?" Listener JD asks: "Hi Ben—One of my training partners has this nagging pain through the arch in his foot and Achilles/heel area.  He indicates it’s mostly tight but bothersome.  He recently mentioned he tore his Achilles twenty years ago when he wrestled in high school.  So I’ve suggested some yoga poses for stretching, mainly downward dog, and using a golf ball or frozen bottle of water to “massage” the foot.  He’s the kind of guy who’s resistant to seeing a doctor but it’s been going on now for a couple of months.  In addition to visiting his doctor are there any stretches, exercises or recovery tools that you could suggest?" In my response to JD, I mention topical magnesium therapy, and the magnesium you can get by clicking here. Listener Roy asks: "I am a part-time indoor cycling instructor (several classes per week) with another full-time job who adopted our first daughter, age three, over the winter.  Because my time at home has now increased exponentially in value, I am focusing in this season's triathlon training on increasing training intensity as a path to helping decrease my training volume while still remaining competitive enough to reach my personal goals.  Cycling, as you know, is the most time-consuming of the triathlon disciplines.  Recently, while catching up on back episodes of the Indoor Cycling Instructor podcast, I heard you as guest on the show talking about how, as an indoor cycling instructor and a competitive triathlete, you trained using several indoor rides per week combined with (I believe you said "maybe") one outdoor ride weekly.  Would you mind sharing some tips on the protocol you followed to be able to cut back on outdoor riding and still be able to compete on the bike in a race?" Listener Kathy asks: "I joined your Body Transformation club and am a participant in the Summer Body Challenge.  I have been cycling 2 or 3 times a week spending about an hour on the bike, totalling 50 or 60 miles.  I registered for a century ride which will take place 6 weeks from now.  I figured it will help me stay motivated in the challenge and will help me lean out. I just turned 50 this year and need to step it up!  My last big ride was the L.A. fun ride which was 64 miles, before that I ddi the Sea Otter Gran Fondo which was 50 miles.  My questions are: 1. If I keep my calorie intake low will I still have the energy to train? 2. How many miles a week should I be in the saddle, or should I focus on hours in the saddle? 3. Should I focus on specific muscle groups while doing my strength training?" Listener Cheryl asks: "I did my first triathlons in 1993 as a novice and I never had any problems with the swim in fact I did quite well usually finishing in the top 1/3 of the swim. I didn't do anymore until 2006 and have been doing 5-6 every season since. My problem is that I often panic in the swim which when it's bad can completely ruin my entire race. It seems to be worse when I wear my long sleeve wet suit. I always seem to get a little panicky but sometimes it's so bad I have to stop and hold on to the kayaks b/c I feel like I can't breathe, it feels like I'm having an asthma attack and sometimes my chest hurts even after the race is over. Any advice you have for me would be greatly appreciated." Congratulations to Cheryl, who was nominated as the top question for this week's podcast! Cheryl will receive a free month of membership to the Body Transformation Club, full access to the Club's secret video page, the life-changing piece of Club mail that I will personally send her each week, and much more. To learn more about the Body Transformation Club, click here. Do you have a question for Ben? Just call 1-877-209-9439 and leave a voicemail, leave a Skype voicemail to username "pacificfit", or e-mail ben@bengreenfieldfitness.com. -------------------------------------------- Remember, if you have any trouble listening, downloading, or transferring to your mp3 player just e-mail ben@bengreenfieldfitness.com And don't forget to leave the podcast a ranking in iTunes - it only takes 2 minutes of your time and helps grow our healthy community! Justclick here to go to our iTunes page and leave feedback. Brand new - get insider VIP tips and discounts from Ben - conveniently delivered directly to your phone! Just complete the information below... First Name Last Name Email Cell # (1+area code): [embed]http://www.bengreenfieldfitness.com/BenGreenfieldFitness95.mp3[/embed] ------------------------------------------------------ This video shows what I've been up to the past 4 days...keep your eyes posted for future camps at http://www.pacificfit.net/calendar.php See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this podcast, they discuss marathon training tips, power-to-weight ratios, and body fat for triathletes. They also address questions about craving carbs, not sweating during workouts, and exercising without eating in the morning. They collaborate with marathon coach Jill to create a training program and discuss race day strategies. The importance of having a written training plan and using core exercises like planks are also highlighted.

Click to Subscribe to All Ben's Fitness & Get A Free Surprise Gift from Ben. Click here for the full written transcript of this podcast episode In this May 5th free audio episode: resistance stretching, best temperature for ice baths, skipping meals, exercise headaches, runner's knee, slow metabolism, hay fever and exercise, carbo-loading, sodium phosphate supplements, v8 juice, alcohol health effects, altitude training and trouble sleeping. Remember, if you have any trouble listening, downloading, or transferring to your mp3 player just e-mail ben@bengreenfieldfitness.com. And don't forget to leave the podcast a ranking in iTunes - it only takes 2 minutes of your time and helps grow our healthy community! Just click here to go to our iTunes page and leave feedback. Finally, be sure to experiment with our cool new commenting system, where you can add photos, links and a personal profile to your comments! --------------------------------------------------- Featured Topic: Dara Torres is a 12 time Olympic medalist, including 5 time Olympian, American Record Holder, Oldest Female Swimming Medalist Ever and the Most Decorated American Female Swimmer of all time. Dara refers to something called resistance training as her ’secret weapon’ when it comes to keeping fit.  Recently, she released a DVD Resistance Stretching With Dara Torres in collaboration with Steve Sierra and Anne Tierney from Innovative Body Solution that teaches resistance training.  In today's featured topic, I interview Anne about Resistance Stretching. My questions include: -What is resistance stretching? -Who would it benefit? -How long is a typical session? -Will it make an athlete “too flexible”? -Would it be best performed before or after a workout? -Can it be used a substitute for a workout? Overall, resistance training is a mild form of exercise that increases flexibility and also prevents injury and it’s something that both athletes and non-athletes should add to their daily workout routine. The DVD includes new ways of stretching and also includes strength training, flexibility training and aerobics.  You get a total of 17 exercises for the upper and lower body all of which Torres takes you through in 20 minutes. I did it in my living room a couple weeks ago, and it's surprisingly a cardiovascular workout that also includes the flexibility component. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Special Announcements: 1. "Triathlon: A Mother of a Sport! Super Moms Who Train, Race and Win" is now available for free from Mindset Triathlon! Click here to download a free copy now that you can send to your mom! Being a mother is hard enough. But being a mother and a triathlete earns  women a whole new level of respect. This Mother's Day, we want to hear  about the amazing, strong and motivated women in your lives! We want to  know about the Herculean efforts they have made in order succeed in their sport and still excel at their most important job: being a Mom. 2. $300 in cold, hard cash, a FREE Gymstick, and a 1 hour personal interview with Ben Greenfield...a free one year membership and access to all past archives of Ben’s Body Transformation Club....a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get the body and health you’ve always wanted....Sound interesting? From May 1-May 15, Ben will be accepting entries for a brand new event called Ben’s 2010 Summer Body Challenge. To qualify for competition in the challenge and be entered into the drawing for the prizes above, you MUST follow the four easy steps that you get by clicking here. 3. The 2010 Ironman CDA Triathlon Camp is being taught by Ben Greenfield from Sunday, May 16- Wednesday May 19, 2010, and is specifically designed to completely prepare you for the race course, race day tactics and nutrition and pacing strategies for Ironman Coeur D' Alene! Click here for more information and to register. 4. Ever wonder if your swimming technique is all it could be? Want to know if your bike is fit properly, or if you have a good pedal stroke? Would you like to know if your running gait is slowing you down or setting you up for injury? Our online video analysis of swim, bike or run is quick way to get professional feedback, inexpensively. Click here to get started now with a swim, bike or run video analysis from Ben Greenfield and the team at Pacific Elite Fitness. Want to see what a video analysis looks like? Check it out by clicking here.  5. Get insider VIP tips and discounts from Ben - conveniently delivered directly to your phone! Just complete the information below... First Name Last Name Email Cell # (1+area code) --------------------------------------------------- Listener Q&A Do you have a question for Ben? Just call 1-877-209-9439 and leave a voicemail, leave a Skype voicemail to username "pacificfit", or e-mail ben@bengreenfieldfitness.com. Listener Tina asks: Hey Ben, in training for my Ironman I finally decided to try the dreaded ice baths and I was amazed how well I felt the next day.  I've tried it by running down to the lake which is close to my home, and standing in up to my hips for 10 minutes.  I've also sat in luke warm water in my tub and slowly added cold water up to the big dump of the ice tray from my refrigerator.  So my question is, is there a certain temperature that ice baths work better in? If I'm still sore on the second day of a hard weekend, would another ice bath be beneficial? Listener Fitz asks: Ben - how do you feel about paleo/primal diet proponents who advise skipping meals, avoiding carbs, even skipping breakfast? Seems like there's a lot of science behind it (although as a distance runner, I wouldn't skip meals or avoid carbs). Mark Sisson at marksdailyapple.com is big on this. Listener David asks: Question on headaches and working out. One of my clients complains of headaches halfway through the workout. I train him pretty hard, usually circuits with minimum breaks in between sets. He doesn’t drink coffee/tea. He keeps caffeine intake to a minimum (under 30 milligrams), and most day avoids all caffinated drinks, including his workout days. He’s 30 years old, male in good shape and of average weight with no special conditions, ie no diabetes, hypertension, high lipids, etc.. I’m working to build his upper body strength and improve his core. I think it could have something to do with his breathing technique. But I do watch him and make sure he’s exhaling on concentrics and  inhaling on eccentrics. So maybe he’s not breathing correctly or deep enough. What other possibilities do you think could be causing his headaches and if its with his breathing, do you have breathing tips/techniques? Could be low carbs or lack there of? In my response, I direct David to this breathing article I wrote...and also recommend Topical Magnesium. Listener Mike asks: Question 1:  I was hoping you could point me in the right direction on your recommended brands for the suggested 4 supplements (Vit D, Magnesium, Omega 3's, and Greens Multi-Vit).  I know not all supplements are created equal. Question 2:  Any treatment/ supplement recommendations for 'Jumpers knee'?  I'm 32 and developed a severe case playing volleyball a couple years ago and still struggle with it (even after physical therapy and avoiding any activities that cause patella inflammation/ pain).  I can run just fine, infact I'm training for the Hood to Coast again this year, but I want to be able to play other sports and jump again -- any suggestions? Listener Lance asks: 1) Are there any other sunscreens worth considering other than the interview subject own product? It doesn't sound like it all that available yet. BTW thanks for the vitamin D question, it was exactly what I was wondering. 2) In Podcast 92, I was puzzled by your fat recommendations. The research I have looked at indicates we need single digit percentages of daily calories from omega 3 and 6 EFAs. Why do you recommend 15-25%? Is there a benefit that outweighs the cardiovascular risk? Listener Josh asks: It's been a mantra in my family that "slow metabolism" is a curse. Is it true that some people struggle with a "slower" metabolism? Or does those people (like me) just eat a little bit (or a lot) more and slowly add to their body fat? I ask because I monitor what I take in, and most days, I get in 1800 calories (I'm 5'10", 190) and I exercise 6 days a week. No diet or meal plan seems to really be able to help me drop my body fat. My physician says my blood tests don't indicate a "slow metabolism", but even his dietary advice doesn't work. Can you help? Second question, much easier: how far in advance do you plan your workouts? How do you anticipate muscles that you're overtraining (and thus avoid overtraining that muscle) when you're planning ahead? Congratulations to Josh, who was nominated as the top question for this week's podcast! Josh will receive a free month of membership to the Body Transformation Club, full access to the Club's secret video page, the life-changing piece of Club mail that I will personally send him  each week, and much more. To learn more about the Body Transformation Club, click here. Listener John asks: What’s your opinion on V8 juice?  The 5.5oz cans are really convenient for eating on the go.  Should I be concerned with BPA like most other canned tomato products? Listener Casey asks: I have to work and go to school full time right now and I often lose sleep and can't wind down until very late because of it (not to mention the mass consumption of alcohol which has become my main goal to eliminate).Do you have any suggestions that do not involve quitting my work or school? I cannot afford to quit either, but I know the stress is slowly killing my body. I suffer from heartburn, fatigue, anxiety, high stress, etc. and I am only 21! If you have any suggestions they would be greatly appreciated. I don't want to vent or complain, I just would like a real world solution to what I'm sure is a pretty common issue. Listener Jeff asks: What are the benefits of Sodium Phosphate.  Thinking of trying Race Boost from Hammer.  Any thoughts? Listener Rich asks: Just a quick question, I have a good diet (helped by your tips and advice) which focuses on the anti inflammatory foods and wondered if you had any further tips on reducing my hay fever symptoms. I can deal with the extra mucous and itchy eyes using topical homeopathic remedies but it is the systemic effect that really kills my performance.  I notice a dramatic change in form throughout May, June, July in my running, cycling and rowing times and recover more slowly after a tough session. Listener Chuck asks: I was wondering for what distance should one do a specific carb-load?  Obviously for a full or half Ironman, but should I implement like a tapered version for an Olympic distance or is there a certain point where it's just not necessary to do at all? If a shorter load was best, would it be using the same technique you described, just for a shorter period of time? Listener Chris asks: I just got my butt royally kicked this past weekend at the Devil's PunchBowl bike race.  I believe that the altitude (3,800ft at the start) had a lot to do with that, as I live and train at sea level.  My heart rate was sky rocketing the entire race much higher than it ever had in the past.  Do you have any practical advice on how to prepare for 3 days of hard racing at a similar elevation in mid-June? Also, is it possible to improve one's lactate threshold?  If so, how might I do so? Listener Ken asks: I am having problems staying asleep.  I am going to bed around 10-10:30. I am waking up to go to the bathroom and I am not able to fall back to sleep.  Very wide awake after 4-5 hrs. Also, I am drenched in sweat when I wake up.  I do not work out before bed.  Most of my stuff is done morning or early evening. Is this normal? What can I do about it? Remember, if you have any trouble listening, downloading, or transferring to your mp3 player just e-mail ben@bengreenfieldfitness.com And don't forget to leave the podcast a ranking in iTunes - it only takes 2 minutes of your time and helps grow our healthy community! Just click here to go to our iTunes page and leave feedback. Brand new - get insider VIP tips and discounts from Ben - conveniently delivered directly to your phone! Just complete the information below... First Name Last Name Email Cell # (1+area code): [embed]http://www.bengreenfieldfitness.com/BenGreenfieldFitness93.mp3[/embed]See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Click to Subscribe to All Ben's Fitness & Get A Free Surprise Gift from Ben. Click here for the full written transcript of this podcast episode In this April 28th free audio episode: sunscreen, vegan diets, foam rollers vs. muscle sticks, training with crossfit, carb cravings, personal training certifications, gut problems during exercise, and joint pains. Remember, if you have any trouble listening, downloading, or transferring to your mp3 player just e-mail ben@bengreenfieldfitness.com. And don't forget to leave the podcast a ranking in iTunes - it only takes 2 minutes of your time and helps grow our healthy community! Just click here to go to our iTunes pageand leave feedback. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Featured Topic: As the weather begins to heat up, I've been receiving lots of questions about skin care and sunscreen - so I decided to get an expert on for an interview about the things you've always wanted to know about sunscreen, but were afraid to ask. If you're a triathlon fan, perhaps you know that Ironman world champion Craig Alexander has been wearing a new, healthier, more waterproof type of sunblock. The inventor of that sunblock, Nic Martens, Ph.D., has held key leadership positions throughout his 12 years with Johnson & Johnson (J&J) in Research and Development for Fast Moving Consumer Goods. We're talking about the stuff that Craig Alexander wear Nic launched several “market-disrupting” products with significantly superior features and benefits relative to competing products, including the biggest launch in Neutrogena’s history. He developed a breakthrough sun protection technology that delivers superior protection against harmful UVA rays, and his educational background includes a Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge (UK), and a BS degree from the University of Munich(Germany). During our discussion, I ask Nick the following questions: We all know that “too much sun” is probably a bad thing, but can you explain what actually happens to the skin of people, especially athletes, who spend a lot of time in the sun? Do environmental conditions, like sand or snow, play a role? Would exercise contribute to the damage, say, via more free radical production? What’s the difference between the UVA and UVB rays? How does sun screen work? Should people look for, or avoid, certain ingredients on the their sun screens? Athletes exercising in hot weather complain that sunscreen makes them feel hotter and reduces cooling. Could this be possible? Some would argue that sun screens cause as much cancer as the sun, due to carcinogenic chemicals in the suncreen. Is this true? What about vitamin D? Could wearing sun screen affect vitamin D production? Is there something that can be put into suncreen that makes it less likely to sting the eyes? Finally, what is your take on tanning beds? For all BenGreenfieldFitness listeners, Scape Labs is offering a "sample pack" which contains their 3 main items: lotion, lip balm and Face Stick.  Retail is normally $30, but you get all 3 for $25, shipping included. None of these products are available for retail purchase (yet!) but all you need to to do get hooked up with Scape Labs is e-mail sales@outsidelabs.com with the subject "Sample Pack", or just mention that you heard about them from BenGreenfieldFitness.com. You'll get Dr. Marten's formulation sent straight to you. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Special Announcements: 1. $300 in cold, hard cash, a FREE Gymstick, and a 1 hour personal interview with Ben Greenfield...a free one year membership and access to all past archives of Ben’s Body Transformation Club....a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get the body and health you’ve always wanted....Sound interesting? From May 1-May 15, Ben will be accepting entries for a brand new event called Ben’s 2010 Summer Body Challenge. To qualify for competition in the challenge and be entered into the drawing for the prizes above, you MUST follow the four easy steps that you get by clicking here. 2. The 2010 Ironman CDA Triathlon Camp is being taught by Ben Greenfield from Sunday, May 16- Wednesday May 19, 2010, and is specifically designed to completely prepare you for the race course, race day tactics and nutrition and pacing strategies for Ironman Coeur D' Alene! Click here for more information and to register. 3. Ever wonder if your swimming technique is all it could be? Want to know if your bike is fit properly, or if you have a good pedal stroke? Would you like to know if your running gait is slowing you down or setting you up for injury? Our online video analysis of swim, bike or run is quick way to get professional feedback, inexpensively. Click here to get started now with a swim, bike or run video analysis from Ben Greenfield and the team at Pacific Elite Fitness. Want to see what a video analysis looks like? Check it out by clicking here. 4. Get insider VIP tips and discounts from Ben - conveniently delivered directly to your phone! Just complete the information below... First Name Last Name Email Cell # (1+area code) --------------------------------------------------- Listener Q&A Do you have a question for Ben? Just call 1-877-209-9439 and leave a voicemail, leave a Skype voicemail to username "pacificfit", or e-mail ben@bengreenfieldfitness.com. Sarah Asks: " I'd like to know your opinion on foam rollers vs. the muscletrac device that is on your website. I'd like to invest in something to use post-exercise for massage and to aid recovery and I'd like to know what may be the better purchase!" Listener Kel asks: I really identified with listener Thomas’s question in podcast 91 about his calf muscles. I have a similar problem and your response last week touched on a few parts of my issue. I am currently training for weight loss and I’ve come a long way, at the moment I’m weighing 115kg but I still have a lot further to go. In February this year I started to play basketball at a local club, I had previously played all though high school and college. It’s a means of adding some recreational sport into my life instead of just living at the gym. My problem is that after training I often suffer from pains in my knees, ankles, calves and the heels of my feet. My heels are often the worst and sometimes it’s agony to put weight on them the next day. I started to encorporate running into my exercise programme but found the same issues creeping up, so now I just stick to cycling, cross-trainer and swimming for cardio. I want to get back to running eventually though because in the past I have found my weight to drop when I was running regularly.  I’ve no major issues with my feet or joints (I’m still in my late 20’s) and I’ve been for foot and gait analysis twice in the last 6 months so I know I’m wearing decent footwear. As you know basketball involves a lot of eccentric movement and until I shift some of the weight then these issues will just keep creeping up, but sometimes it feels like a catch 22 situation. Could you suggest any further exercises I could do in the gym to try and condition my legs a little more? I’m quite under educated about leg exercises compared to what I know about upper body exercises. And in the meantime are there any sort of gel pads I could slip into my shoes when playing basketball to try and absorb a bit of the impact so I don’t get as much pain? Listener Josh asks: "Can you recommend a personal training certification course, possibly that I could attend during the summer (when I'm not teaching)? I teach in a small town in Tennessee. The gym here is small (basic dumbbells, some older circuit equipment, 1 bench press stand, 1inclined stand, etc.) so you can see the appeal of body weight training & CrossFit. I have had people ask me to train them- for a sport or just to get in shape- and I want to, but I also want to do it the right way. I don't want to be one of the amateurs who has a client call in to your show and you're like "What the hell is he telling you?!" I don't have time to go back to school to get a degree (I have an English PhD already, I can't go back AGAIN) and there's no one near this small town who is qualified to really train anyone. I want to help these students and the adults who have come to me, but I also want to do it right. I was a gym rat in college and an avid reader of the latest research. PhD work, marriage, and twin girls halted that, but I've started getting back in shape and I'm starting to read what I've missed in the last six years. I just don't want to get a "certification" to charge people money- I want to learn what I need to know." In my response, I recommend the NSCA, NASM, ACSM and ACE, as well as the book at http://www.trainfortopdollar.com Listener Brian asks: "I can control sugar/carb cravings all day but in the evenings the cravings seem to be much stronger?  Is this low blood sugar? Any recommendations. ThermoFactor carb craving supplement Listener Josh asks: "How would you construct an exercise program that incorporates CrossFit and Cardio-Strength training (Tabata Protocol! Complexes, Density Training, etc.)? I recommended that Josh check out this link: http://bengreenfieldtri.blogspot.com/2009/12/how-to-combine-crossfit-and-triathlon.html Listener Kathryn asks: "Thanks for another great post.  I'm writing specifically regarding your book recommendations and that you are in the middle of reading THrive. After completing it about 5 weeks ago I switched to a vegan diet and for the most part absolutely love the results.  My question is what are your thoughts of the vegan diet for an athlete. I'm a competitive primarily olympic distand/ 1/2 IM triathlete?  And what do you think of the 80/10/10 diet?  I've read a lot of strong testimonials but the fruit only/fructose scares me a little?" Listener Jerry asks: "What is your opinion of this homemade energy gel? Ingredients 1 cup Brown Rice Syrup (try Lundberg’s Organic Sweet Dreams Brown Rice Syrup) 1/2 cup Barley Malt (try Eden’s Organic Barley Malt syrup) 1/4 cup Unrefined Coconut Oil 1/4 cup Organic Creamy Peanut Butter, all natural variety (without hydrogenated oils or sugar added) 1 teaspoon Sea Salt 1/4 cup hot water Method Use a make-shift double boiler by placing a glass jar inside a saucepan. Fill the saucepan with water so that the jar is a little more than half immersed. Combine all ingredients except for the hot water into the jar. Turn heat to med-low and warm mixture, stirring frequently, until it is runny and well combined, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, then remove the jar from inside the saucepan. Add the hot water to the mixture in the jar, stir and shake vigorously until well combined and no separation occurs.  Let cool. Fill gel containers as needed for workouts. Store extra gel in the jar with a lid in a cool, dry place. Notes The gel will stay liquid enough to easily squirt from your tube-like container during workouts or races. In cold weather, the gel may become quite thick. Test it out, you may need to add a little more water for a thinner consistency in cold weather, or try storing it close to your body for heat during a workout. LOW-DOWN ON THE NUTRITION One ounce of this gel contains 150 calories, 24 grams of carbohydrates, 1.8 grams of protein, and 5 grams of fat-  ratio of approximately 64% carbohydrates, 5% protein, and 30% fat. Mostly carbohydrates, but enough protein and fat to balance your blood sugar and keep it from spiking or dropping during a workout or race- which is crucial to maintain your energy! BROWN RICE AND BARLEY MALT SYRUPS The brown rice syrup, the main ingredient in the gel, is 46% complex carbohydrates (polysaccharides), 29% maltose (a disaccharide), and 25% glucose (a simple sugar). Brown rice syrup also provides .46 g of protein in 2 TBSP. The barley malt syrup is 76% maltose, 16% glucose, 6 % sucrose (a disaccharide), and 2% fructose (a simple sugar). Barley malt syrup also provides nearly 3 g of protein in 2 TBSP. Both of these syrups are slow and easy to digest and provide the body with an immediate burst of necessary energy (due to the simple sugars), and then lasting carbohydrates (the poly and disaccharides) to refuel your cells. These syrups are about half as sweet as sugar to the taste. UNREFINED COCONUT OIL I used coconut oil to run a marathon. Great stuff. I have a sensitive stomach when I workout, my body turns off digestion more than most. The morning of my big race, I ate two spoonfuls of coconut oil, a banana and miso soup. It was the perfect fuel for my marathon. Coconut oil belongs to a special class of fats called medium-chain fatty acids. These fats are not normally stored in your body as fat, but are instead quickly converted to energy. They also boost your metabolism. This makes unrefined coconut oil an excellent oil for weight loss and athletic performance, as it helps produce lean body mass. ORGANIC PEANUT BUTTER The Peanut butter provides valuable monounsaturated fats, protein, and flavor to the energy gel. Make sure to choose an all natural variety that only contains organic peanuts and salt. Avoid peanut butter with added sugar and hydrogenated oils (trans fat). SEA SALT Sea salt provides valuable minerals for electrolyte balance. A high quality sea salt is rich in potassium, magnesium, sodium chloride, and trace minerals. Congratulations to Jerry, who was nominated as the top question for this week's podcast! Jerry will receive a free month of membership to the Body Transformation Club, full access to the Club's secret video page, the life-changing piece of Club mail that I will personally send him  each week, and much more. To learn more about the Body Transformation Club, click here.   Patrick asks: "I'm having GI issues on my longer brick workouts. I don't know how to put the elegantly, so I guess it's best to just say it: I always have to take a relatively large BM when I run off of long bike rides with lots of fueling. I started noticing it last year when I was eating lots of cheap pizza, pasta and rice and figured that it was due to poor nutrition. My diet it still not bulletproof, but feel like I've made a lot of progress in that area. My last workout was a 90 mile aerobic ride and a 20 minute run at LT. I thought I had fueled fairly minimally (~250 calories an hour), but still had issues after about 10 minutes into the run. Any thoughts? I used primarily Infinit for on-the-bike fueling, and supplemented with a Snicker's Marathon bar and a regular pack of Almond Joy, taking a mouthful every 45-60 mins. Drink was plain water with NUUN tabs. Fueling prior to that was oatmeal in the morning. The day before was a banana and almond butter toast for breakfast, a veggie sub for lunch and healthy snacks but (just realized) fried chicken w/ store-bought mashed potatoes and green beans for dinner the night before. But can I really point the finger at one meal?" Remember, if you have any trouble listening, downloading, or transferring to your mp3 player just e-mail ben@bengreenfieldfitness.com And don't forget to leave the podcast a ranking in iTunes - it only takes 2 minutes of your time and helps grow our healthy community! Justclick here to go to our iTunes page and leave feedback. Brand new - get insider VIP tips and discounts from Ben - conveniently delivered directly to your phone! Just complete the information below... First Name Last Name Email Cell # (1+area code): [embed]http://www.bengreenfieldfitness.com/BenGreenfieldFitness92.mp3[/embed]See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.