nutrition Archives

The Benefits of Taking Creatine When Lifting Weights: A Guide for Personal Trainers.

Jun 24 2024

As a personal trainer in San Diego, I understand the importance of maximizing your clients’ performance and results. One supplement that consistently stands out in the fitness community is creatine. This article will explore why creatine is beneficial for weightlifting and highlight additional advantages that make it a staple in many athletes’ supplement regimens.

What is Creatine?

Creatine is a naturally occurring compound found in muscle cells, helping produce energy during high-intensity exercise. It’s synthesized in the liver, kidneys, and pancreas from amino acids and stored primarily in muscles. When you take creatine as a supplement, you increase your muscle’s phosphocreatine stores, allowing for the production of more ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the energy currency of cells.

Why Creatine is Essential for Weightlifters:

Enhanced Strength and Power- Creatine supplementation is proven to increase strength and power output, crucial for lifting heavier weights and performing explosive movements. Studies show significant improvements in maximal power and strength, especially in compound lifts like squats and bench presses.
Increased Muscle Mass- By enabling more intense training sessions, creatine indirectly promotes muscle hypertrophy. It also causes muscle cells to store more water, leading to cell volumization, which can contribute to muscle growth.
Improved Workout Performance- Creatine allows for more sets and reps at a given weight, enhancing overall workout performance. This improvement is particularly beneficial for bodybuilders and athletes looking to push through plateaus and reach new levels of fitness.
Quicker Recovery- By reducing muscle cell damage and inflammation, creatine can help speed up recovery between sets and workouts. This means less downtime and more frequent training sessions, optimizing your workout schedule.

Additional Benefits of Creatine:

Cognitive Enhancement- Emerging research suggests that creatine may have neuroprotective effects and improve cognitive function, particularly in tasks that require short-term memory and quick thinking.
Bone Health- Some studies indicate that creatine can improve bone mineral density, potentially reducing the risk of osteoporosis and fractures, especially valuable for aging athletes and those engaged in high-impact sports.
Improved Hydration- By drawing water into muscle cells, creatine helps with hydration, which is essential for overall health and optimal performance during workouts.
Ease of Use and Safety- Creatine is one of the most researched supplements on the market, with a robust safety profile. It’s easy to incorporate into your daily routine, typically taken as a powder mixed with water or a pre-workout shake.

Incorporating Creatine into Your Routine:

For personal trainers in San Diego, recommending creatine can be a game-changer for your clients. Here are some tips for incorporating creatine effectively:

Loading Phase: Some athletes start with a loading phase, taking 20 grams of creatine per day for 5-7 days, followed by a maintenance dose of 3-5 grams per day. This approach saturates muscle creatine stores quickly.
Maintenance Dose: Alternatively, clients can take a consistent dose of 3-5 grams daily without a loading phase. This method is simpler and still effective.
Timing: While timing isn’t critical, many prefer taking creatine post-workout with a carbohydrate source to enhance absorption.

Conclusion:

Creatine is a powerhouse supplement that offers numerous benefits for weightlifters and beyond. As a personal trainer in San Diego, incorporating creatine into your clients’ regimens can lead to significant improvements in strength, muscle mass, and overall performance. With its proven safety and effectiveness, creatine is a valuable tool in achieving fitness goals.

Whether your clients are new to lifting or seasoned athletes, creatine can help them reach their peak potential. Encourage them to consider adding this supplement to their routine and witness the transformative effects it can have on their training and results.

By understanding and leveraging the benefits of creatine, you can enhance your personal training services in San Diego, setting your clients on the path to success. For more personalized advice on supplement use and tailored training programs.

Optimize Your body with Personal Training:

Looking to maximize your fat loss and achieve your fitness goals? Contact us today to schedule a consultation with John Turk, San Diego’s top personal trainer for aging professionals wanting to get their body back. Whatever your fitness goals are, we’ll create a customized plan that works for you.

Call 858-877-1370 or Visit us at www.PersonalTrainerSanDiego.com to Get Started!

My Experience with the supplement-Nattokinase

May 21 2024

Hello everyone,

I wanted to share my recent experience with a supplement that has been garnering a lot of attention for its potential heart health benefits: Nattokinase. Derived from the Japanese soy product natto, nattokinase is known for its fibrinolytic properties, meaning it helps dissolve blood clots and can contribute to reducing high blood pressure and the risk of strokes through a process called fibrinolysis.

A particular study that caught my attention can be found here: Nattokinase Study. The study highlighted the benefits of a 10,800 FU/day dosage of nattokinase, noting no adverse side effects among the 1062 participants. It was emphasized that lower dosages were not as effective, which is an important point to consider when choosing a supplement regimen.

Given the potential lingering effects of COVID-19, which can include increased clotting risks, I decided to try nattokinase. I found a reputable company that offered a clean product with minimal fillers, providing 4000 FU per capsule. To meet the study’s recommended dosage, I took three capsules daily, totaling 12,000 FU, slightly above the study’s suggestion but within what I believed to be a safe range.

It’s crucial to note that nattokinase should not be taken with other blood-thinning agents like aspirin, Ibuprofen, aspirin or Ginkgo Biloba due to the increased risk of bleeding complications. I was taking fish oil at the time which also thins the blood.

After taking nattokinase for four months, I began noticing some concerning symptoms. Initially, I observed a blood bruise in my big toe joint, which I dismissed as arthritis given my age of 62. However, my joints became severely stiff over time. I also noticed blood bruising in several finger joints. Suspecting the nattokinase might be the cause, I researched and found information on Hemarthrosis, a condition where bleeding inside the body causes blood to pool around a joint.

As a precaution, I have stopped taking nattokinase and will monitor my condition over the coming weeks. I plan to update you all on my progress.

This experience serves as an important reminder that supplements, while beneficial, can also be potent and potentially harmful if not used correctly. Always consult with a healthcare professional before adding any new supplement to your routine.

Stay informed and take care.

John Turk

Exercise Myths and Why!

Dec 27 2010

I’ve been a personal trainer for well over thirty years and it never ceases to amaze me how some of the mainstream media and public still believe certain myths about diet and exercise as fact. So what I will try to do here is “debunk the funk” about some of the most common myths that many people believe to be true. We all have our excuses not to workout or to stay out of the gym but in order to see great results, we need to STOP making excuses, and as my company slogan says- “Get over it”.

So I decided to list the most common exercise myths in the order of what I believe to be the most rediculous.

1) “Lifting heavy weights or lifting any weights makes you bulky.”

This aggravates me more as a personal trainer than any of the other myths on the list. I can point out many men under 150 pounds that can lift far more weight than I can. They are actually skinny. So what makes someone bulky you ask? It’s simple: Your Fork! Weight lifting and the type of results you want to achieve all depends on how you workout with those weights. So many woman are tricked into this “bulky belief” which robs them of so many benefits, such as greater bone density to prevent osteoporosis, strength that helps them in everyday life and vital hormone and immune system stabilization that only hard work can attain as we age. Lastly, an increase in metabolism at rest, due to an increase in lean tissue (not bulky fat). Muscle cells have something called a mitochondria which is the powerhouse of the cell and uses energy. With an efficient mitochondria a person can burn more calories at rest. Here’s more info on weight training’s benefits.

2) “Too much muscle turns into fat”

This one is so crazy that it doesn’t even warrant much of an explanation. Muscle is muscle it can not turn into fat. What makes this seem true is many of the bodybuilders and football players continue to eat like they did when they were competing and put on weight when they quit because their eating habits do not change.

3) “If I don’t eat I will lose more weight”

This is true at first, however after 24hrs your body begins to slow the metabolism to accommodate for the lower caloric intake and before you know it you’ll find yourself putting weight on by eating just a Tic Tac. So try to aim for a daily caloric deficit of 300 calories below your maintenance. This will prevent the body from slowing the metabolism. As a general rule of thumb, a good way to find a starting point to determine your daily caloric intake is to take your body weight and multiply it by 15. Realize some people may require more or less. This is only a starting point and a safe amount of weight loss per week is 1-2lbs. If you lose more than 3 pounds in a week you run the risk of slowing your metabolism. Here’s some good information about nutrition and personal fitness.

4) “I just want to work my stomach so I can spot reduce”.

Are you sure??
The initial feeling of spot reducing that many new exercisers experience is the toning of a muscle that was not used for a very long time. After that, all one can do is build that muscle and not spot reduce the fat around it. Unfortunately when God created us, he made us all unique and we all deposit fat differently. Some around the stomach, some around the hips and butt and others between the ears. The ones that develop fat between the ears will never lose weight because they continually believe these crazy myths and try to replace hard work and dedication to a healthy lifestyle with fad diets, pills and potions and other drugs that make your stomach look…down right nasty.

4) “Stretch before you workout”

Although I am a big believer in stretching it is also possible to over stretch and impede performance. In sport a muscle requires a certain amount stretch reflex to attain maximum speed and performance. By over stretching an athlete can impede this reflex and slow his or herself down or worse cause injury. Light stretching on a daily basis before and after exercise or sport is best. Stretching should be relaxing and not painful.

5) “Don’t eat before you workout”

This school of thought is correct when it refers to a large meal, however studies have found that small feedings a half hour before exercise actually helps to limit fatigue and muscle tissue breakdown. Realize it is not advisable to eat prior to a competitive event and it’s a good idea to speak to your coach or nutritionist if you are competing in any activity.

6) “Don’t eat fatty foods”

This pertains mostly to trans fat or saturated fats. The fats contained in walnuts, seeds, avocados, fish and oils such as olive oil are excellent for maintaining health and should not be avoided unless there is a medical reason why.

Well I hope this information helps and as always if you are under the care of a doctor or nutritionist always ask them what to do before adding or changing your diet and before beginning an exercise program.

Personal Training Tip: Staying motivated to workout and eat right

Sep 11 2010

The alarm clock goes off: You hit the snooze knowing you have to go to the gym and throw around weights and move your body in ways that makes you want to hit the snooze again. Now it’s raining out, cold and you’re nice and warm in your bed… so… you hit the snooze again. Before you know it your Personal Trainer is calling wondering where you are. Or you make it to the gym hoping that he/she doesn’t show up; however if you workout with me you know that’s a fat chance.

Does this sound familiar? You’re not alone. Being in the fitness industry for over 30 years, I’ve seen every excuse to not workout. Some excuses are good but most are bad. I especially love the honest one’s like: “I got hammered last night on Margarita’s and pizza and I feel like crap.” (I won’t mention your name you’re secret is safe with me)

At any rate, lets face it we’re all human beings, we have emotions, desire’s, likes, dislikes and more importantly a lifestyle. If I sat here and told you working out is a blast and I love eating good all the time I’d be a liar with a nose the size of New Jersey. The truth is that I also constantly struggle, and everyday I have challenges. Every time I walk into Starbucks I can swear that the French Toast Muffin calls out to me, but I ignore it like a telemarketer and move on.

So how does one stay motivated and still enjoy the finer things in life? It’s called balance and I’m not talking about the stability ball. Here are some helpful hints that help get me through.

For working out:

I love working out so it’s not a problem for me. I can tell that many of you would rather have your toenails ripped out. To get over this tell yourself “You Like It”. If anyone remembers Freud from psychology class, we all know what a self fulfilling prophecy is. So make it a positive one and not negative by being excited to go to the gym and watch your body improve in regards to strength, coordination and endurance. Remember the old saying “Pain is weakness leaving the body”!
Set clear attainable goals. Unrealistic goals like losing 4-5 pounds a week is not only crazy but unhealthy. Strive for 1-2 pounds a week at most, if you are under 30% body fat.
Use visualization. Picture your body munching on all the fat cells while your working out. You can do this with your diet as well, whenever you eat good healthy food.
Take a challenge from a co-worker who is harassing you about working out or eating better. No one wants to lose to the office loud mouth.
Wear clothes that are not flattering to a body part you do not particularly care for. For example, if you hate your stomach wear tighter fitting shirts around your mid section while working out to remind yourself why you’re there. Who cares what other people think, they’re not you and honestly, are we all really that important to each other. Once that stomach shrinks down those same people will compliment you on your hard work and new appearance and that my friends is positive reinforcement!

For eating right:

I always eat before I go out to dinner with friends, so I don’t go overboard on the pre meal snacks, like bread, garlic and olive oil.
Out of site out of mind. I don’t even let them put the bread on the table. Once a week I reward myself with it though.
Fill up on vegetables as much as you want you can, even put a little olive oil on them.
There are 4 ways your body turns down the hunger signal.

1. Blood sugar rising is number one. So eat “slow burning” carbs chewed well. I.e. Any whole grain.
2. Warm foods- Heat things up.
3. Distention or expansion of the stomach wall. i.e. Fiber
4. Hormones- Ghrelin is a hormone the body secretes in response to mealtime or starvation. By eating smaller more frequent meals you can keep this hormone from going haywire. Another thing to keep it at bay is to eat protein with every meal and surprisingly, getting 8 hours of sleep.

Don’t drink water or any fluids with meals. This dilutes digestive enzymes and can lead to malabsorption of nutrients; which in turn can cause nutrient imbalances leading to cravings, bloating and gas.
Balance your intestinal flora. Certain bad bacteria can overcome our gut from antibiotics, alcohol and poor diet. These “Bad Bacteria” set up shop in our intestines and stomach and some of them can cause cravings such as sugar. So try to limit your alcohol consumption and bad eating habits. A good coarse of probiotics won’t hurt either, so talk to someone who is knowledgeable in supplements.
Lastly, I always think health first whenever I am deciding what to eat. Too many times many of us do the opposite. We eat first, think about it after and get depressed. It’s a vicious cycle because after a while you feel defeated and the road ahead looks long, so we give up. What you need to realize is that if you are not seeing benefits in your body fast enough, there are significant changes going on inside that will help you live a longer healthier pain free life. One thing you must remember, weight gain not only can shorten your life it can also make the quality of it bad as well. Excess weight causes strain on the joints, muscles, tendons and ligaments. That can lead to arthritis, tendonitis, bursitis and a whole list of itis’. So when I am looking at food, many times I say to myself, “Self- is that piece of cake worth the regret I’m going to feel not to mention what it’s going to do to my insides.”

So there you have it in a nutshell. Eat, live and be healthy all.

Are you at risk for Heart Disease?

Lessen your cancer risks

Jul 30 2010

Cancer kills more than 500,00 Americans each year, and I said only Americans! Many of us know how to decrease our risks and the most popular way is to quit smoking; however that decreases 1/3 of your risk. Another 1/3 is genetic disposition and another 1/3 is through diet and exercise. So if my math serves me correctly, by exercising properly and and eating right, you can diminish your risk by approximately 33%. Combine that with putting down the cigarettes and you cut your risk by approximately 66%. If I told you that you had a 66% chance to win the lottery would you buy a ticket? We shell out money routinely for that with far less chance of return. Do you know how much cancer treatments cost? Sometimes more than a lottery can pay out. Do you know how painful cancer can be? Can you turn back the hands of time? No, but if you are diagnosed with one of the many forms of this debilitating illness, you’ll wish you could and correct all those bad habits that contributed to it’s development.

So how can you decrease your risk? According to the Food and Nutrition Science Alliance (FANSA) the following is a good start:

1) Eat plenty of Fruits, Vegetables, whole grains and legumes.

2) Avoid highly processed foods that are high in fat or sugar.

3) Chose activities that are moderate or vigorous exercise.

4) Limit or abstain from alcohol.

If you are not familiar with how to eat properly it’s always a good choice to hire a Dietitian or Nutritionist and exercise can be intimidating as well. A good personal trainer goes a long way for healthy long lasting results.
To learn more about cancer risks for men and women Visit health information at Harvard University.

Healing Osteopenia and Osteoporosis the natural way

What are Probiotics?

Jun 10 2010

Many people suffer from gas, bloating, stomach cramping, and diahhrea along with a host of other ailments. The problem many times can be fixed by simply cutting something out of your diet, like hamburgers, hot dogs or beer…sounds like the ball game to me. At any rate, see your doctor first and ask he / she about probiotics for your ailing gut.

Probiotics are used for Dyspiosis or an imbalance of the bodies intestinal flora. This imbalance of delicate intestinal “good” bacteria is important for many functions in the body, especially immune health. The two most common ones used in supplements and other foods fall into the following categories, Lactic Acid Bacteriaand Bifidobacteria. There are so many versions out there of each, that people don’t have an idea about which one to get, especially since you need an english degree to pronounce some of them. So I’m going to start out by introducing a few you may see in some products and what each particular one does for your body.

1.) BiofidoBacterium Bifidum- Enhances assimulation of minerals, ie. Calcium, Magnesium etc.

2.) BiofidoBacterium Longum- Helps reduce diahhrea from antibiotic usage. It’s also among the first to colonise the sterile digestive tract of newborns and predominates in breast-fed infants.

3.) Lactobacillus Acidophilus- A natural antibiotic and has been used to treat or prevent vaginal yeast infections, yeast infections of the mouth, or diarrhea caused by taking antibiotics.

4.) Lactobacillus Bulgaricus- This particular substance is transient and needs to be continually supplied because it won’t colonize in your intestines. It’s mostly used to help regulate PH and It is often helpful to sufferers of lactose intolerance because it helps ferment lactose. While fermenting milk, it produces acetaldehyde, which is one of the main components of yogurts aroma.

5.) Lactobacillus Plantarum- Helps to synthesize L-Lysine which is used to prevent cold sores. It also assists in making N.O. (Nitric Oxide)

6.) Lactobacillus Rhamnosus- Helps colonise the geneto-urinary tract to help prevent infections.

7.) Lactobacillus Salivarius- Helps to protect the teeth from cavities and sweetens the breath.

Probiotics are best taken with take with Fructo Oligosaccharide. A fiber which is food for the bacteria to help them grow.
Also, be sure to get an enteric coated version. This will allow the supplement to bipass the stomach acids and reach your intestines for maximum utilization.

Caution: if you are pregnant, immune suppressed or have any disease or condition that you are under the care of a physician, nutritionist, dietitian or other health care professional, always seek their advise before taking probiotics. It is advisable to get your doctors permission before taking any supplements as you may also encounter dangerous drug interactions or complications you may not be aware of.

The information obtained here was was from various web sites and a TLN television program- “Your Health”, with Dr. Richard and Cindy Becker, a great show on daily.

Are you at risk for Heart Disease?

May 21 2010

We workout with a personal trainer, we eat right and see our doctor routinely to make sure everything is working properly. However not all people are so diligent when it comes to their health. A much larger percent of the population takes better care of their car, boat or motorcycle as if that is what’s going to matter when they reach their golden years. The truth is we have only one body that the good lord has given us, and it has to last a lifetime. Many people neglect it until the day something goes wrong and hopefully by then it’s not too late.

So what can we do to keep the ultimate mode of transportation running smoothly? If you are one of those people who neglects your Ferrari, you can start off with a trip to your doctor for a complete blood work up. Always ask for your results and keep a file of the tests in a medical journal or folder. Whats normal for you now may not be normal in 10-15 years, even though your results falls into the “normal” range, which is rather wide. Below is a list of what your doctor will more than likely check.

Cholesterol:

Desirable – Less than 200mg/dl
Borderline high – 200-239 mg/dl
High – great than 240 mg/dl

HDL: (Good cholesterol)

40 mg/dl or less indicates at risk

Ratio of good to bad: (Total cholesterol/HDL= Ratio)

Greater than 4.5 indicates risk

LDL: (Bad Cholesterol)

Desirable – Less than 130mg/dl
Borderline high – 130-159 mg/dl
High – great than 160 mg/dl

Triglycerides:

Greater than 200 mg/dl may be at risk

Here are some other important nutritional facts to follow to help extend your bodies “Mileage”:

Sodium:

keep intake between 1500-2400mg per day

Water:

Drink at least half your body weight (lbs.) in ounces.

Fiber:

Eat at least 25-40gms per day.

Nutrition:

Eat at least (4) servings of fruit and (5) servings of vegetables.
Eat every 3-4 hrs whenever possible, that 5-6 meals a day.
Eat protein with each meal and a variety of it.
Eat 2/3 of your calories before 2/3 of your day is done.
Do not eat more than 10% of your total calories in sugar.
Eat more nuts and seeds instead of saturated fats.

Good luck and as always check with your doctor or dietitian if you are under their care. The above recommendations are for healthy adults.

Lessen your cancer risks

Indole 3 Carbinole

Jan 11 2010

There’s a new supplement on the market called, Indole-3-Carbinol. It is great for fighting cancer as well as being an anti viral compound. It consists of the substance found in such vegetables as Cauliflower, Broccoli and Brussel sprouts. You can get it at any health food store.
As always check with your doctor, dietician or nutritionist before taking any supplements as they are not regulated by the FDA.

If you cannot find it locally, Amazon has very reasonable prices.

Intestinal Bacteria

Dec 20 2009

A recent study showed that normal weight people have more Bacteroidetes bacteria in their stomach and intestines, while obese people have more Firmicutes bacteria.

Researchers don’t know if Firmicutes bacteria cause obesity or if obesity causes Firmicutes to grow, but the implications are huge: change the bacteria in your gut to change your body!

In fact, the same researchers have found that everyone’s bodies actually extract different calorie amounts from the same exact food, depending on your own particular combination of intestinal microflora.

For example, you and your friend could eat the same steak dinner, but depending on your gut flora, you could extract more calories from the same meal. Google Fermicutes and read up.

The Benefits of Taking Creatine When Lifting Weights: A Guide for Personal Trainers.

My Experience with the supplement-Nattokinase

Exercise Myths and Why!

Personal Training Tip: Staying motivated to workout and eat right

Lessen your cancer risks

What are Probiotics?

Are you at risk for Heart Disease?

Indole 3 Carbinole

Intestinal Bacteria

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