Boundless Life

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.

Click here for the full written transcript of this podcast episode Click to Subscribe to All Ben's Fitness & Get A Free Surprise Gift from Ben. In this April 21st free audio episode:cramping, insulin, exercising your calves, apple cider vinegar for fat loss, SPARK energy drink, analyzing supplement quality, bike tire choices, carb loading, staying fit through injuries, and more on mini-fasts - (sorry about some of the audio issues on this one - in the process of switching mics!) 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: Cramping Dr. Pascal has been treating and creating miracles with high  school, college and world-class athletes for more than 17 years. His experience not only includes work with Olympic track and field stars but has spanned other sports and athletic disciplines as well. From 1990 to 1991, he worked with the Women's Pro Beach Volleyball tour, with gymnasts at the World Gymnastic Championships in 1991 and with golfers from 1994 to 1998 on the PGA Nike Golf tour. Dr. Pascal grew up in Los Angeles, where he was the City Cross-Country Champion, ran the fastest mile at the California State Track & Field Championships, and was awarded the coveted moniker of “Athlete of the Year.”  He ran cross-country and track for UCLA, where he set the NCAA Intramural National Record for 800 meters, and was a  member of the NCAA National Championship Track & Field Dual Meet Team. He was sponsored by Nike while competing for the Santa Monica Track Club (ranked as the #1 track team in the world at the time), and for the U.S. Team on the World Tour (Zurich, Berlin, Helsinki, Stockholm, Oslo). He has run the metric equivalent of a 3:57 mile, and was the 1,500-meter Champion at the 1983 World Games in Helsinki, Finland. During our interview, Dr. Pascal and I discuss the following: What are the cause factors for cramps? Are certain people or body types more prone to cramping? Are there foods that raise/lower the risk of cramping? What about pickle juice as a preventive measure for cramping? Is sodium chloride the only salt involved, or does it need anything else to work properly? Are all cramps created equal, or can there be cramps related to dehydration vs. cramps related to muscular fatigue? What are techniques to quickly rid the body of cramps that occur during competition? Could fluid or electrolyte transport to the muscle actually not work properly in some people? Can you actually massage a cramp out on the go, or should you just stop? Can eating a carbohydrate or consuming gels help? Can licking your own skin or sucking on a sweat band recycle some minerals? During the interview, Dr Pascal also talks about the "Natural Vitality" minerals and products that he uses with his athletes. Click here to learn more about them. -------------------------------------------------- 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. 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) --------------------------------------------------- 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. B.J. asks: "I have found out through both blood tests and saliva tests that my fasting insulin level, and insulin level after a challenge meal are both so low as to be undetectable.  My endocrinologist gave me a glucose meter which I have used to check my blood glucose level at various times before and after meals.  I have never gotten a reading that was abnormal for the time it was taken in relation to a meal.  So it seems I am producing enough insulin even though it is low.  My doctor suggests that I may have insulin hypersensitivity and that I just don't need much to keep my blood sugar regulated.  I know that insulin is important in building muscle etc.  Can having low insulin such as I do hinder my athletic performance?  Is it common for generally fit people to have low insulin levels?  Should I be concerned about this or just consider it normal for me?" Congratulations to B.J., who was nominated as the top question for this week's podcast! B.J. 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. Listener Thomas asks: "I recently signed up for your podcast and am finally all in for this fitness push.  I am a 40yr former wrestler for Univ of Maryland.  I have recently (last 3 years) had tremendous problems with my calf muscles, I am 6 foot 275 pounds wrestled 190. My calf muscles are approximately 20 inches in circumference and I am constantly straining them and pulling them as I start to push myself with exercising.  I am signing up for the 2010 Summer Contest in May.  Can you make any suggestions?  I am using the elliptical and have found it to be less stressful on my legs didn't know if I should put off running until I get my weight much lower?  Any suggestions would really be appreciated.  BTW I started taking Magnesium and zinc and vitamin D and have never slept better.  Thanks." A big shout out to Thomas, who donated 25 bucks to the podcast! If you want to donate, just scroll down to the bottom of the page, and I'll mention you on the show! Listener Phil asks: "I am currently training for IMCDA in June. Last week I had unexpected surgery on my abdominal area and surgeon has grounded me from anything except spinning on trainer for two weeks. What should I be doing to keep as strong as possible during this time? I can lift weights as long as they aren't too heavy." Listener Chuck asks: "I read an article recently that talked about a new way of carbo loading.  It did not mention what distance it was referring to, but the article suggested that instead of doing a traditional load over a few days, to instead do a very hard 3-minute exercise bout followed with 30 seconds at maximum speed 24 hours before the race.  Then for that next 24 hours, to eat 10g of carbohydrate per kilogram of bodyweight leading up to the race.  I was wondering what your thoughts on this were and if I got right what the article was saying? I was also wondering about the carbohydrates used during training, and those used for recovery after training: Should there be a difference between them?  For example, would taking a couple servings of Hammer Nutrition Heed carbohyrate formula after a workout be a good source of refueling carbs?" Greg asks:  "I wonder if you could provide some advice on what type of wheels I should get for my Tri bike. I recently demoed a pair of high-end carbon tubular wheels and was blown away by the performance but many folks say that I shouldn't use tubulars for racing since they are difficult to repair and could cost you the race. I will never podium so I am willing to take the risk but others are saying that I should go with a clincher since the performance gap is not that big anymore.  Any thoughts?" Tina asks: "I've been using your recommended green supplement, EnerPrime, for about 2 months now and I'm really enjoying the energy and feeling of wellness I get from it.  As mentioned on your podcast, I did experience about 4 weeks of very itchy skin and a mild rash as I released the toxins from my body which eventually subsided.  Since EnerPrime can be quite expensive, I decided to try another green supplement from Trader Joe's that was more cost effective.  However, shortly taking the Trader Joe's version, I started experiencing the same itchy skin and rash symptoms.  Why would I have to detox again if I was already taking EnerPrime but then switched to another green supplement?  Does the other green supplement release different toxins?  And how do I tell the difference in quality between green supplements? 2) In your last podcast, you talked about mini-fasts with a 30-45 minute aerobic cardio session to burn extra fat.  Would you recommend this mini-fast if you were also doing weight training?  I like this concept, but I only work out in the early mornings and I'd like your opinion on how to do workouts and use these mini-fasts optimally." DeAnna asks: "I have a question.  I just recently tried a sample of an energy drink called SPARK made by a company called Advocare.  Is this an ok energy drink? Because I really liked it better than any of the energy drinks and it seems to be better for me?" Kelly asks: "I love listening to your podcasts.  I am an avid marathon runner and enjoy listening to all your advice on training tips and nutrition.  Despite logging the miles necessary to run a 3:40 marathon (In Boston) I still struggle to keep my weight down.  I am a tall  5'10" 39 year old female who has always been involved in sports ( I have a fair amount of muscle on my frame).  I currently weigh about 156 pounds but it seems like a constant struggle to keep the pounds off and it seems next to impossible to lose that irritating 10 pounds that hang around my midsection.  I am willing to try anything and would like to know your thoughts on using natural weightloss aids such as apple cider vinegar etc.  My bmi is around 22.5 but I would like to get it down to 20 (or 145 pounds) because according to your optimal race weight I should be at about 140 pounds (although this might be a little unrealistic).  Currently, I run 3x ( 2 runs of about 1 hour at a 8 minute per mile pace and one long slower run at about an 8:40 pace) per week and usually do weights once per week.  Is there anything I can do nutritionally  or using a natural supplement like apple cider vinegar to lose the weight?  I can't see myself adding anymore workouts to my current schedule because of a busy work schedule and family commitments.  I know that lifting weights can help." 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/BenGreenfieldFitness91.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 14th free audio episode:what you must know about anti-inflammatory drugs, losing fat with mini-fasting, walk-running during a marathon, exercising during the HCG diet, is it OK to eat anything you want if you stay lean, omega 3-6-9 blends, triathlon wetsuits, eating dates during exercise, sockless shoes, carb cravings at night, and what books do I recommend? 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. ---------------------------------------- Featured Topic:In today's featured topic on anti-inflammatories, I interview natural healing expert and physician Dr. Roby Mitchell, also known as Dr. Fitt, who addresses the following issues: Why more people die from NSAIDS like ibuprofen and celebrex than from HIV infection... Why studies have associated NSAIDS with thromboembolic phenomena such as "heart attacks",kidney damage,and GI bleeds accounting for around 16,500 deaths each year... How NSAIDS actually impede cartilage repair and can cause cartilage loss... What about for athletes who are sore, or who want to be able to run while sore... would it be OK for them? After an injury, should an individual take a NSAID? If NSAID’s are not advised, what are alternatives, and how do they work? During our interview, Dr. Roby Mitchell, mentions that one alternative for pain from inflammation  is Phenocane. Phenocane is a natural anti-inflammatory and COX2 inhibitor that relieves pain and eliminates inflammation without inhibiting COX1 development like aspirin does or causing many of the liver and stomach problems that ibuprofen and Advil do. In other words, it prevents the production of an enzyme which is bad for you without inhibiting the growth of one that is good for you. COX2 enzymes have long been thought to be one of the causes of cancer in the body and they are known to help sustain PGE1 (Prostaglandin) which is the secretion that causes inflammation and the pain that results from it. COX2 is an enzyme that protects the lining of the digestive tract and bloodstream. Phenocane is a safe and popular alternative to pharmaceutical anti-inflammatories, giving you all of the benefits without the harmful side effects. Click here to try Phenocane now, and use code "NATURAL" for free shipping to the US. ---------------------------------------- Special Announcements: 1. Ben's Body Transformation Club has officially launched and is open to anyone, anywhere in the United States! Prepare to re-invent your body and discover how to eat and exercise in the most effective way possible. Ben's Body Transformation Club is now open and has already mailed the first exercise and nutrition instructions for March, straight to your home! Want to get on board?  What the heck is Ben's Body Transformation Club? You'll need to click here to find out! 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. 4. 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) 5. Mother's Day Contest 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. Popular Coach, author and founder of the Rock Star Triathlete Academy, Ben Greenfield, has teamed with Mindset Triathlon to make this Mother's Day contest possible. Have fun writing and honoring a Mother in your life! Submit your short essay about a Triathlete Mother by April 15th and your words could appear in the Mindset Triathlon book, "Triathlon: A Mother of a Sport! Super Moms Who Train, Race and Win," will be edited by Ben Greenfield. Mindset Triathlon will select the top 30 essays they receive for publication. Plus, the author of the favorite essay will win 2 underwater mp3 players, 2 sets of Ben Greenfield's books on MindsetTriathlon and 2 memberships to Ben Greenfield's Rock Star Triathlete Academy. Select essays will also run in USAT's Multisport Zone. The final published book will be available for free download on Mother's Day (Sunday, May 9th). Ready to get started? Click the banner  to the right or click here to submit your essay about the special woman in your life. --------------------------------------------------- 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: "I'm training for my second Ironman.  The run holds the most challenge for me with my lack of experience and GI issues.  I plan to use the Galloway method. My question is, what distance length vs.. walk time should I use.  Presently I've been training with run 1 mile / walk 2 minutes.  Is that reasonable? Should I always train the same distance vs. time on my long runs or should I change it?" Listener Autumn asks: "My partner and I are considering doing the hcg diet.  We have a great naturopath here in Oregon who will work with us.  However, she does not work with athletes very often, and we had a few fitness related questions.  We will be doing Reach the Beach (a century ride) on May 15th.  We are both very active, exercise regularly and eat very healthy foods.  This will be the third time we've done the ride.  We are worried about being able to train for it while doing hcg, and wonder if we should wait till after the ride to start the hcg protocol.  Also, how much exercise is ok to do while on the protocol?" Listener Corey asks, "I have a question regarding general nutrition, i am male, 36 and train for olympic distance triathlon around 15hrs per week, i don't eat fast food or heavily processed food and eat meat rarely,lots of beans and lentils hardly any vegetables, i eat a lot of bread (4x loaves a week) and cereal, i choose grain bread and a wheat based cereal with skim milk, i will have a protein shake with flaxseed oil daily and snack on pistachios and fruit, i always have lots of energy, sleep well and have no health issues and keep very low body fat percentages without trying and can lean down to my race weight in a week easily,my question is should i try and cut down carbohydrate intake and eat more veges and meat even though i have always eaten this way and doesn't seem to give me any problems and as mentioned energy levels, sleep etc are great." Listener Amy asks: "I am fairly new to Triathlons and I am looking to make a wetsuit purchase.  Do you recommend specific brands?  I recently tried on an Aquaman Cell Gold wetsuit that boasts of the #40 neoprene throughout the entire suit.  It is a higher priced wetsuit and I wanted to know if you felt it would be a good purchase.  Being new to the sport, I am not sure if it really matters if I have a top of the line suit and if it would make that much of a difference in my swim time." Listener Bret asks: "What exactly would you suggest using to fuel during my IM. I have been training with PowerGels, Perpetuem and ShotBloks. I noticed that your 2007 IM Kona, you used Perpetuem but then in 2008 you didn’t…what changed? Also, the PowerGels by Powerbar have added sodium in them with the idea that you don’t have to take salt tabs…do I need more sodium than is in a PowerGel?" Listener Casey asks: "I just read your article in Triathlete magazine on nutrition.  Good stuff!  I have heard a few times now that Omega 6 oils are a culprit for inflammation.  I often take the Udo's oil 3-6-9 blend.  I was wondering if the anti-inflammation properties of the 6 are somehow counteracted with the omega 3s.  Would I be better off simply taking a straight up flax oil or the like instead?  Incidentally Udo's 3-6-9 blend was also advertised in the same publication as your article.  Thanks in advance for the assistance. " During my response, I recommend Casey listens to Podcast #86... Listener Deb asks: "I know very little about bike power meters - except that they are ridiculously expensive. I've also recently heard of a power meter called an iBike - which is supposed to be very accurate and affordable. Because I know so little about power based training though, I'd love your opinion on the subject as well as your thoughts on the various products out there including the iBike." Lorenzo asks: "I was just talking to a buddy of mine that is an Ironman Triathlete and he suggested that I find a shoe that allows me to not wear any socks, what do you think?" Listener Katharine asks: "I  have a question about dates.  During half-marathons, I have eaten organic dates with tremendous results in energy and endurance.  I am training for my first ironman, and would love to use dates as a main source of food for the race, and they seem ideal to me - delicious, high in natural sugar, etc.  However, my coach is worried about their fiber content leading to gastric issues. I am wondering what your thoughts are on this, and if you have any advice on the topic. Also, do you advise eating sweet potatoes, etc., on the bike in some way?  If so, how would you go about that? (I totally never thought of doing that!)" Listener Cindy asks: "I have been trying to your Holistic Fueling plan. My problem is that I have extreme evening hunger. I have always been a big carb eater and my dinners would always be protein (chicken, fish or tofu), with a portion of veg (usually only 1/2 cup) and either rice, pasta or potatoes. Then I would have fruit about 1 hour later and sometimes a few crackers. Now for dinner I have protein (fish chicken or tofu) and lots of veg and/or salad. I just never seem to get full without the carbs. Tonight I had a good size piece of grilled salmon, about 1 cup of asparagus and a large salad (lettuce, cucumbers and carrots). One hour later, my stomach is growling and I feel like I haven't eaten a thing. I feel like I ate enough food through out the day: 6am - 1/2 cup applesauce and green tea followed by a 40 minute hard swim 7:30 - protein smoothie (vegan protein powder, 1 cup fruit and almond milk) and 1 egg 9:00 -  1 sprouted grain toast with peanut butter and coffee 12:00 - 1 sprouted grain toast with slice of turkey and cheese, carrots and celery with pb, 1/2 cup watermelon 3:00 - 1 apple, handful of almonds 6:00 - grilled salmon, 1 cup asparagus, large salad 7:30 - absolutely starving!!!!! I drink water throughout the day, take 1 acidopholus tablet in the morning on an empty stomach, 1 calcium and 1 magnesium and a fish oil supplement in the morning and at supper time. Is my body just in carb withdrawal? It's been about 2 weeks since I cut back on the evening carbs. I do feel better and have been sleeping better but I hate this evening hunger." In my response to Cindy, I recommend Mt. Capra Double Bonded Whey Protein or LivingProtein as two late night snack options... Congratulations to Cindy, who was nominated as the top question for this week's podcast! Cindy 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 Paul asks: "Ben, in previous podcasts, you've mentioned books that you've been reading. What books do you recommend for either training or just a day at the beach, and how do you choose which books to read?" During my answer to Paul, I mention the following books, which you can "surf" below: Run Faster from 5K to Marathon, The New Psycho-Cybernetics, How to Win Friends & Influence People, The Runner's Edge, Get The Edge by Tony Robbins, Tribes: We Need You To Lead Us, The Magic of Thinking Big, The Go Giver, Getting Things Done, Rich Dad, Poor Dad: What The Rich Teach Their Kids About Money In addition to the books below, I'm also smack-dab in the middle of "The Thrive Diet" by Brendan Brazier and recently finished "50/50 : Secrets from 50 Marathons in 50 Days" by Dean Karnazes and "Chi Running: A Revolutionary Approach to Effortless, Injury-Free Running" by Danny Dreyer. <A HREF="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=US&ID=V20070822%2FUS%2Fbengree-20%2F8010%2F8fc3eedb-eeb2-49a5-8e8a-e96ed52f26da&Operation=NoScript" mce_HREF="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=US&ID=V20070822%2FUS%2Fbengree-20%2F8010%2F8fc3eedb-eeb2-49a5-8e8a-e96ed52f26da&Operation=NoScript">Amazon.com Widgets</A> 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/BenGreenfieldFitness90.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 httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyaAICOBKk8 In this April 7, 2010 free audio episode: using mental tactics for training, a high fat diet for staying lean, eating while running, yerba mate, agave nectar, strength training while endurance training, sugar alcohols, and passing a physical examination test. Featured Topic: Want to learn how to use your mental power to achieve awesome feats of endurance - from a 5K to an Ironman and beyond? In today's featured topic, I interview Jon Berghoff (from the video above), who runs a Peak Performance Sales Training company for sales professionals, executives and small business owners.  Many of the principles he teaches on what it takes to be the “best in the world” at your work, are the same teachings that drew him towards ultra marathons for the first time in 2005. Jon is not your conventional athlete.  His physical training is typically a fraction of the prescribed regiments, and his number one strategy for completing an ultra race is using his Personal Psychology to manage the mental challenges of endurance running. Today, I ask him about the psychological techniques he uses during his ultra-running, which includes a nearly 400 mile run from Washington D.C. to Cleveland, Ohio! Visit www.400milerun.comfor details. During the interview, Jon and I discuss the following: What do you do in your work as a Peak Performance Business Coach, and how did that lead to running Ultra Marathons? What role do you believe our mental abilities play in our success as athletes? Is it true that for the past 3 50 Mile runs, your 100 Mile run, AND your 332 Mile run, you didn’t really train for these? If you don’t follow a formal training program, how do you really know if you are appropriately prepared physically? WHY did you choose to run from Washington D.C. to Cleveland, Ohio? Just getting prepared for this event was significantly more challenging than the actual run, why was that? What were some of the challenges you faced each day as you ran from D.C. to Cleveland? For our listeners who can relate to the excitement of achieving an incredible physical feat, what advice do you have? ---------------------------------------- Special Announcements: 1. Ben's Body Transformation Club has officially launched and is open to anyone, anywhere in the United States! Prepare to re-invent your body and discover how to eat and exercise in the most effective way possible. Ben's Body Transformation Club is now open and has already mailed the first exercise and nutrition instructions for March, straight to your home! Want to get on board?  What the heck is Ben's Body Transformation Club? You'll need to click here to find out! 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. 4. 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) 5. Mother's Day Contest 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. Popular Coach, author and founder of the Rock Star Triathlete Academy, Ben Greenfield, has teamed with Mindset Triathlon to make this Mother's Day contest possible. Have fun writing and honoring a Mother in your life! Submit your short essay about a Triathlete Mother by April 15th and your words could appear in the Mindset Triathlon book, "Triathlon: A Mother of a Sport! Super Moms Who Train, Race and Win," will be edited by Ben Greenfield. Mindset Triathlon will select the top 30 essays they receive for publication. Plus, the author of the favorite essay will win 2 underwater mp3 players, 2 sets of Ben Greenfield's books on MindsetTriathlon and 2 memberships to Ben Greenfield's Rock Star Triathlete Academy. Select essays will also run in USAT's Multisport Zone. The final published book will be available for free download on Mother's Day (Sunday, May 9th). Ready to get started? Click the banner  to the right or click here to submit your essay about the special woman in your life. ---------------------------------------- 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 Sarah asks: I have a question, I was recently reading how Hilary Swank was trained for her muscle when preparing for her role in Million Dollar Baby, evedentally, her trainer had her on a VERY low carb regimen, HIGH fat(mostly from Flax oil) and of course high protein, but her calorie intake was upward to 4,000 calories, they trained her hard in the gym plus a couple of hours of cardio, everyday, it was mandatory she got at least 9 hours of sleep every night, and sometimes they had her getting up in the middle of the night to drink eggs. Anyway, my question is, I have heard that that type of regimen is almost impossible to build muscle on (apparently she put on 23lbs. on that regimen), I could see how she got shredded, but the muscle? I was actually gonna try this approach, I have been trying to put on muscle forever, but I really don't want to put on extra unwanted fat in the process, all the bodybuilder and fitness people I know, say that in order to put on muscle, that you gotta put on some fat and not do cardio, but then I see that regimen Hilary did and it makes me wonder. Whats your opinion? Your recommendation for building but staying lean? Listener Jeff asks: Hey Ben, you might remember me i emailed you a little while ago from England with a question regarding shedding a few pounds before i entered my first duathlon ? Well firstly i thought you'd like to know that after following your helpful tips i managed to shed those pesky pounds and beat my target time for the duathlon :-) infact as i fared so well i've entered another race in a couple of weeks time which brings me onto this question. I was listening to a recent podcast and during the listener q+a the subject of nutrition and triathlons cropped up and you mentioned that eating too much during the run can actually slow you down when you make the transition between running and cycling. As i have another race in a fortnight i wondered if you could explain that in a little more depth... Again many thanks and keep up the good work ! Listener Christine asks: What are your thoughts about yerba maté as a pre and post workout drink? Most pre and post workout drinks or shakes have a lot of ingredients I don't want to consume and the healthier choices are very expensive. I do use some of the ones you have suggested, but am looking for a more economical option. I've read that yerba maté contains a lot of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. There are also many other claims of its benefits including improving digestion and helping with weight losss, but I was most interested in knowing if its nutritional properties are helpful for workouts and recovery. Listener Todd asks: Ben, what is your true take on Agave Syrup? I heard from your interview with Nancy Appleton that it is about the worst thing to ingest (close to HFCS, I believe). Yet, it is in many things these days, including HammerBars and the CocoChia bar that you and KC Craichy discuss this week! We’ve been making our own energy bars lately, and have been using Agave Syrup and Nectar in them. However, we also add a sucrose/glucose source like honey or sucanat to the mixture as I understand that a glucose/fructose mixture is a better combo for digestion. Can you weigh in on this agave syrup debate? Should it be avoided like the plaque, or used in moderation? With respect to the nectar vs. the syrup, is one better than the other? I am correct in thinking that mixing agave syrup with another sugar source is the way to go? Listener Bill asks: I am a 34 year old male whose typical work-out routine involves strength training, lots and lots of strength training. However, influenced by some friends' attempts to train for an upcoming triathlon in San Diego, I decided to start training with them (and now hope to complete my first duathlon, which is being held at the same event). I have been doing very well with the biking we have been doing, and have worked my way to actually jogging/running 1.5 miles without stopping (a big deal for me). However, I am somewhat confused about how to balance such endeavors with the strength training I love to do. Currently, I hit the weights one day, then do cycling/spinning and running the next, with 1-2 days of rest (I cycle on my off days from the gym). My body has been reacting to such training favorably: I have lost about 10 pounds in the past 2 months, dropped body fat (about 2-4% depending on how it is measured). But, is my current work-out regime going to negatively affect my ability to improve my biking and running? Do you have any suggestions concerning how to modify my work-out so that my disparate interests do not negatively impact my goals? Great podcast and thanks for you help. Listener Chris asks: I had a question about sugar content in "carb control" protein bars, such as the myoplex bar produced by EAS. It has 1g sugar, but around 20g of alcohol sugar. How do they claim carb sensibility with that amount of alcohol sugar, and are there any adverse affects of that much alcohol sugar that we should be aware of? One more question if you have time, what real foods would you suggest to eat while on the bike during training rides? Fake food tends to be more convenient to eat on the bike, but I'd like to eat more real food. Listener Chantelle asks: I am trying out for the SERE specialist position in the Air Force. This is one of their toughest jobs, with an incredibly high attrition rate. SERE stands for Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape. In order to get into the SERE tech school (and getting in does not mean you will successful pass the course), you need to be able to pass the PAST (Physical Aptitude Stamina Test) in which all the exercises are performed back to back. The order is: 1. 200 meter swim 2. 1.5 mile run in under 11:30 3. Calisthenics- 3 Calisthenics exercises are evaluated, each with specific time parameters and specific exercise form mechanics 4. Minimum of 6 chin-ups within one minute 5. 50 situps within 3 minutes 6. 42 pushups within 3 minutes 7. Be able to carry a 65 lb rucksack 4 miles in 1 hour How do I work up to this especially the pushups and chinups, in 8 weeks? Can you go from 5 pushups to 60 in 8 weeks? And 0 chinups to 6? Finally, listener Bret has a call-in comment about the Triathlon Dominator package. 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): [powerpress]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 httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lU1wbAvSNQ If you thought the video above was interesting, you're going to want to check out this entire post! In this March 31st free audio episode: what is living fuel?, what to do if you're a female with too much muscle mass, bodybugg vs. hr monitors, where to ride your bike when you don't have room to train, is too much exercise a bad thing, how to use electrolytes, compression socks vs. compression tights, the Egoscue method of pain management, do smoothies destroy your food?, the best protein for women, do expand-a-lungs work?, and a good substitute for hamburger patties. 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. ---------------------------------------- Featured Topic: In my interview with KC Craichy (the guy in the video at the top of this post), he answers my questions about living fuel, which you can learn more about or get by clicking here. What is a superfood? What are the primary ingredients in the SuperGreens? What makes the Living Fuel SuperGreens unique? In what type of situations would someone use SuperGreens? (i.e. Fat loss, sports performance, recovery, etc.) What is in the CocoChia bar? When would someone want to eat it? Would you consider these superfoods OK for kids? ---------------------------------------- Special Announcements: 1. Ben's Body Transformation Club has officially launched and is open to anyone, anywhere in the United States! Prepare to re-invent your body and discover how to eat and exercise in the most effective way possible. Ben's Body Transformation Club is now open and has already mailed the first exercise and nutrition instructions for March, straight to your home! Want to get on board?  What the heck is Ben's Body Transformation Club? You'll need to click here to find out! 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. 4. 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) ---------------------------------------- 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 Julia asks: "I have a question that you probably have not been asked before.  I am a top age-group female, age 56, triathlete who has been competing for 21 years. I’ve done 11 Ironmans including 4 Hawaiian Ironmans. I’m very strong on the swim and the bike but my running is slow due to my (I think excessive) muscle mass and a knee issue.  My body fat varies between 18-19%.  How can I lose muscle mass?  They say at around 35 years of age you start losing muscle mass…..I’m still waiting! How can I lose muscle mass besides starving; because then I would not be able to train for the 8-10 triathlons I do a season? I do not eat excessive protein or take anything that would “beef me up”.  People constantly comment on my muscles and I do not lift weights." Listener Patricia asks: "I need your help, I am so confused! I am a female, 5'7, 160lbs. I am trying hard to lose weight but I am really struggling in this department. I have been focused since Nov, and even though I have run three marathons in three months, bike long rides every weekend, run, swim and weight train during the week, and eat moderately well, I have not lost a single lb. I have gotten a local personal trainer to help me with muscle gain to aid towards this goal and recently she lent me a bodybugg device. My Polar HR has been indicating I burn approx. 10 cal/min during moderate to intense exercise. Well, I wore the BodyBugg for a 70mi bike ride (windy and hilly) and while I did not hammer it (working on base building) I was working pretty hard. Well, that took approx 4 hours and the BodyBugg says I only burned 1200 calories! According to my HR monitor, I burned 2400 calories. That's a BIG difference! No wonder I can't accomplish any progress. My trainer says 'welcome to the reality of calorie burn' that BodyBuggs are much more accurate because they use body heat. My question is, what's your input on the difference between the two and what should I trust? Also I cycled for 2:20 min. Body Bugg shows calorie burn of 565 vs HR Monitor (Polar) of 833. I ran for 45 min. Body Bugg shows calorie burn of 404 vs. HR Monitor of 450. Hopelessly confused and quite frustrated." Listener John asks: "While it is fresh in my mind, I was wondering if some point you could  give us an idea on training in a city that is not friendly to bikes. This weekend we had a car hit someone riding in a large group of cyclists while obeying traffic laws. In Tennessee, we have passed cycling laws but they don't seem to be getting through to motorists. What are your ideas on how to train when it's not safe to ride all   over town? Some of my thoughts, much more training on a trainer or roller, or finding a short loop in a park? I want to improve my skills on my bike but want to be safe also." Listener Mandy asks: "My husband is reluctant to get into endurance sports because he read an interview with Dr. Ken Cooper that said that the free radicals produced by heavy endurance training cause all sorts of diseases from heart disease to cancer to virtually everything else. What is your take on that?" Listener Chad asks: "I was wondering what your recommendations are for taking salt tablets while racing?  I have read where you can just take them orally and your body will know when to spit them out.  How does this affect your overall health long term? I fall flat after about 3 to 3.5 hours of training or racing, no matter what or how much I ingest for fuel, all of the symptoms that are said to come from low sodium I feel at that point.  So I know I need it, but really would like to know the healthiest way to get it.  Love all your podcasts, and recommend them almost daily to people." In my response to Chad, I talk about the Millennium Sports Athlytes. Listener Chuck asks: "You've talked about the benefits and science of wearing compression socks: would wearing compression tight have a similar effect, or are these socks designed differently?  I have some Under Armor tights and I'm curious if I would get benefit out of wearing these or not." Listener John asks: "In an interview on “goat vs cow’s milk”, the guest speaker mentioned that homogenization of milk destroys the fat globules and releases free radicals.  We have reduced our dairy consumption, but still consume low fat plain yogurt, some cheese, whey protein and occasionally raw farm fresh milk.  I like to make fruit smoothies that usually include yogurt, whey protein and sometimes milk.  Is the blending of these ingredients homogenizing the globules and releasing free radicals?" Listener Grace asks: "1. What is your take on Peter Egoscue's pain management methods? I have just started reading this as a way to relieve SI pain and IT band pain. 2. What protein supplements should women take? I have heard so much about whey protein that is not positive, now I am stuck. My training involves running 4 times a week, about 5 miles each and strength training for 1/2 hour each of those days." In my response to Grace, I recommend she check out http://www.runwithnopain.com and http://www.bulletproofknee.com , and also to check out the Mt. Capra Double Bonded whey protein and the Living Fuel LivingProtein. Listener Jim asks: "Do expand a lungs work?" Listener Lorenzo writes: "Dude, my wife stumbled on a new recipe. Our dog is 4 years old today (Chihuahua - Gomez), so obviously we had a party and my wife made him a cake.  She took 1/2 cooked quinoa and 1/2 cooked kidney beans (smashed) and "enough" almond butter to keep everything together.  she made a "cake" out of it. Well I watched my dog eating his cake and wondered "can I have that cake and eat it too?"  So I tried it...it is very good and stayed together extremely well.  Probably would be suited best as  a meat substitute in hamburger patty applications, use at will but if you get rich off of my wife's invention I will need some kickback." Finally, listener Chuck has a call-in comment about the Triathlon Dominator package. 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. 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/BenGreenfieldFitness88.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 March 27th free audio episode:Combining something called the Beach Body Insanity workout with endurance training, should you wait until you're thirsty to drink, forskolin for fat loss, Half Ironman nutrition, staying warm during cold water swims, and energy bars for appetite control. 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. ---------------------------------------- Special Announcements 1. Ben's Body Transformation Club has officially launched and is open to anyone, anywhere in the United States! Prepare to re-invent your body and discover how to eat and exercise in the most effective way possible. Ben's Body Transformation Club is now open and has already mailed the first exercise and nutrition instructions for March, straight to your home! Want to get on board?  What the heck is Ben's Body Transformation Club? You'll need to click here to find out! 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. 4. 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): ---------------------------------------- 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 Kelly asks:  I know you so appreciate my questions, so here goes.....I have a couple of girlfriends doing the Beach Body INSANITY workout and they are trying to get me on board...I was thinking no way since I'm training for a marathon, but as I started thinking more, perhaps it's fine to supplement with my running program....What do you think and/or know about this program? Listener David asks: My wife does not drink enough water.  She admit to this as well fails to drink water from a lack of thirst.  She has a history of kidney stones, and so her need to drink more water is evident.  Her dad who I bike with regularly, also does not drink much water.  He hardly ever brings two bottles on a ride even when the ride exceeds 50 miles.  Do some people just not get thirsty?  Can this be healthy and could there possibly be an underlying reason for their lack of thirst?  If so, do you have any methods to "re-thirst" and re-hydrate perhaps?  Love the show.  Thanks for your time. Listener Chuck asks: Can you help me figure my race day nutrition for the Half Ironman when the race gets closer? Listener Chuck also asks: I am doing the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon in May and the water temperature is going to be about 54 degrees for the 1.5 mile swim.  Besides my wet suit, are there any other things I can do to not freeze to death in the water.  I've heard wearing a second swim cap might help?  Thanks Ben, Listener Rick asks: I can't say enough good things about your pod casts. I have gained valued information, thanks! I have heard many good things about Forskolin. What do you know about it? Do you recommend supplementing a training regiment with this herb? Any information would greatly appreciated. In my response to Rick, I mention the forskolin-packed Lean Factor. Congratulations to Rick, who was nominated as the top question for this week's podcast! Rick 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 Patrick asks: Hey Ben, I wanted to ask you about a very popular brand of nutritional product that I see being sold at many stores and greatly displayed at the MIT Olympic triathlon last weekend. The company is called Pacific Health Labs and they have popular products that has been around for years i.e. endurox R4 and Accelerade.  My question is how come you don't suggest using these product in training.  They also have a gel called Accel Gel, and an energy bar that promote appetite control.  What are you thoughts on these products? In my response to Patrick, I mention the CocoChia bar for appetite control (check it out by clicking here). 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): [powerpress] [embed]http://www.bengreenfieldfitness.com/BenGreenfieldFitness87.mp3[/embed]See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.