And no, I’m not talking here about solitary confinement in the slammer.  What I’m referring to is an isolation hold in a given exercise movement, at that movement’s most extreme joint angle, i.e., the joint angle of least favorable mechanical advantage.  You might also have heard these referred to as eccentric quasi-isolations (EQIs).  How long of an isolation hold are we talking about here?  How  about a full five minutes — eventually.  But we’ll start of with less, though — much less — and buildup to the full five minute mark.  Maybe.  And I say “maybe” because this methodology is — though it might not sound very much so — beyond difficult, both physically and psychologically.

I like to sprinkle these in throughout the week, mostly on “off” days, shuffling through about seven different position holds.  The push-up, squat and lunge positions (and their variations) comprise the core of the options here, but there’s absolutely no need to limit yourself to these positions.  Take just about any exercise you can conjure, figure out that movement’s CJA (critical joint angle, i.e., the angle of least mechanical advantage), and stick a hold in that position.  Use additional weight if need be — take the biceps curl as an example of an exercise that would require additional loading.  Also, LDIs (or EQIs, if you prefer that terminology) are great for those times when it’s impractical to get to the gym, or get outside — or, as in my situation over the last few days. — foul weather, mixed with company, leaving little opportunity for other workout options.  Another bonus to this methodology is that — in a bit of irony — although it’s fast-twitch intensive, (a bit of irony in and of itself) it is very easy on the central nervous system.

The LDI/EQI method itself is deviously quite simple.  Take the basic push-up as an example: assume the push-up position, then lower yourself into a full stretch and a nice, tight plank, with your chest hovering just a fraction from the floor.  Now, hold this position for 5 minutes.  Sounds easy, huh?  Yeah, that’s what I thought when I fist attempted them.  Just give it a shot and tell me if it doesn’t re-define time for you.  Never thought 20 seconds could last so damn long, didja?  Ok, so start off with 2-minute holds, and when you do have to take a break, make it only as long as it takes to draw and exhale 3 big breaths, then re-assume the position until your 2 minutes are up.  A curious thing will happen in as short as a week — not only will you be able to significantly lengthen the position’s hold time, but your strength in both the flat bench and the various shoulder presses will increase as well.   Hmmmm.

But why should this be, you ask?  What’s going on here, — physiologically speaking — with this methodology?  Now, I don’t claim to understand the science behind why this methodology works, though I’ve studied it vigorously and I do think I have a pretty good handle on things.  From what I’ve been able to distill from the (sometimes) vague sources that I can find, here is the gist of what’s going on when you do an LDI/EQI:

1. neural programming (if done correctly) at the proper exercise positions/stances
2. a tremendous fast-twitch muscle fiber activation (and a prolonged activation) at a low CNS “cost”
3. tendon/ligament stretch (especially the golgi tendons) and strengthening

Now, what can I say, empirically, about LDIs/EQIs?  They do work, simple as that.  They are also extremely friggin’ boring.  Seriously boring.  However, the mental conditioning required to persevere with these also adds to the acquisition of a certain mental toughness.  They are also great in a pre-hab/re-hab sense, and I do employ them quite often as a pre-pre-warm-up tool, i.e., soon after I get up in the morning, prior to my hour-long commute to work/the gym.  I’ve found it is best not to use them immediately prior to (i.e., as a warm-up tool) the “meat”of a workout, as these are a workout in and of themselves.

A discussion on the proper uses of (and the supporting hows and whys of) LDIs/EQIs could go on, ad nauseam.  Here’s a forum discussion thread that delves much further into the subject of LDIs/EQIs than I’d ever be able to do here.  You’ll see plenty of references in this thread to Jay Schroeder, as he is — I guess you could say — the “developer” (for lack of a better term) of this methodology.  Of course, that itself could be disputed as well, and Schroeder himself is as controversial a figure as you’ll find anywhere.  My point here is not to take sides in a Jay Schroeder debate — I certainly have my opinions on his training methods (positive, for the most part) — my point here is simply to introduce you to yet another methodology that I believe works (and that I employ myself), and that you can keep readily at hand in your own workout toolbox.  This is just another example of there being an opportunity hidden within every obstacle.  I believe that the more tools you have at your disposal, the less likely you are to be tripped-up by an unfortunate or unforeseen event.

Give them a shot and see what you think.  I suggest starting with the basic push-up hold, and maybe the squat or lunge hold.  You can do these as often as you like, but I wouldn’t do them just prior to a regular workout, as they’ll render that workout worthless.  If you use them as a “pre-warm-up” like I do, give yourself about an hour’s recovery time before diving into the real McCoy.

In Health,

Keith

“In Mozart and Salieri we see the contrast between the genius which does what it must and the talent which does what it can.“

Maurice Baring

Here are a pair of back-to-back workouts I performed earlier this week.  I did the MetCon-intensive workout early in the week (Monday), took a day off, then clobbered my fast-twitch IIb’s in Wednesday morning  deadlift/dip/pullup smack-down.  Now, I very well could have reversed the order here — done the fast-twitch workout on Monday, followed by the Metcon drill on Wednesday, but here’s why I chose this order: recovery time.  I knew I’d have a few days off over the Thanksgiving holiday to fully recover from Wednesday’s more fast-twitch (and central nervous system) intensive session.  Let’s have a look at the MetCon circuit (you’ll hear these referred to as “complexes” as well) first.

Now, the idea behind the Metcon type of workout — complexes, if you will — have been around for quite some time.  If you deconstruct a typical CrossFit workout, what you have at the core is a complex.  Nothing really new here.  This method, though, is a sure-fire and effective means of boosting (1) a high metabolic response — great for inducing weight loss (if paired with a proper TTP-like diet), and (2) GPP (General Physical Preparedness) — both for a competitive athlete’s early-season prep, or at any time, for the general, health-mined masses.  I like to sprinkle them in here and there in my own workouts, especially as the weather turns more foul and I’m forced to limit my outdoor sprinting bouts.  A MetCon complex, in my mind (and in my workout planning) is a good equivalent to a tough bout of sprinting — with the added bonus of additional upper body work being thrown in.

Check out this site (hat tip to reader Shaun, who pointed this one out to me — thanks, Shaun!) for a good, all-round explanation of the complex method.  Now personally, I like my workouts shifted a little more toward the speed-strength or strength-speed (power) end of the spectrum, so I’ll make appropriate tweaks toward that end.  For example, on Monday morning, I did a “tweaked” version of Javorek’s barbell complex #2:

Javorek’s Barbell Complex # 2 Exercise:

Barbell Upright Row                                        x 3
Barbell High Pull Snatch                                  x 3
Barbell Behind the Head Squat Push Press         x 3
Barbell Behind the Head Good Morning             x 3
Barbell Bent Over Row                                     x 3

How did I did tweak and manipulate this complex into the power realm?  By simply doing the following:

1. I set the weight to allow for explosive repetitions on each exercise, i.e., no “grind it out” reps.
2. I added a set of 3 power cleans between the High Pull Snatch and BTN push-press.
3. I added a front push press as a transition between the power cleans and BTN press work.
   
4. Instead of BTN “push-presses”, I did BTN push-jerks.
5. I did “drops and sticks” into the full squat, i.e., instead of lowering into a full squat, I dropped & stuck the landing (akin to a plyo landing) at just below the thigh being parallel to the ground.
   
6. I added 90 lbs. to the complex weight for the bent over rows, then did 3, explosive, rest-pause reps.  Then I shed the weight again to restart the complex.

I did four sets of this complex, increasing the weight for each set.  It’s not something I would do often (but neither would I do a CrossFit WOD, as Rx’d, very often either), but it is a great way to force the body into an unfamiliar zone.  It serves as a great psychological break from the “usual grind”, as well.  Always keep the body — and the mind — guessing.

One complex I enjoy throwing into the mix every now and again is The Bear .  What I usually do with this one is three reps of the full bear complex (in rest-pause fashion), followed by a set of dips and  a set of pullups (both usually — but certainly not always — in a rest-pause methodology, for threes or fours), then back for another round of the bear.  There’s nothing magical about this particular mix, other than adding the dips and pullups adds work in planes that are otherwise missing from the bear complex.

Wednesday’s change of pace ~

This is the ol’ Chicken Soup for My Weight Liftin’ Soul workout.  When you want to get back to the basics of pushing iron, this is the way to go.  If I had to pick three, and only three strength improvement movements, these would be the ones, and this is how I’d incorporate them.  And so as to further the strength building theme of the day, I used the rest-pause method throughout.

1. Deadlifts + Straight Leg Deadlifts (on the negative back to the floor, ~ 6 secs each negative) x 3’s
2. Weighted Dips x 3’s
3. Semi-supinated (palms facing one another) Weighted Pullups x 3’s

Three total rounds of the above, once I reached working weight.  And again, all of these were done in a rest-pause fashion, with near maximal weights.  I’ll will have needed the two day’s recovery following this one, as the central nervous system is especially taxed during this intensive workout.

In Health,

Keith

Although this may have come too late, have a look at this blog post by, and a couple of videos of, Meesus TTP.  She does a knock-out job on turkey.  Check it out, and have a wonderful, low carb and Paleo-like Thanksgiving.

In Health,

Keith

Here’s a podcast of an interesting radio interview with Dr. Mauro Di Pasquale.  Dr. Di Pasquale doesn’t label his various diet plans as “Paleo”  or “Hunter-Gatherer” per se, but in essence, the tenants behind his teachings are very similar to those of the “Paleo” methodologies.  And while Dr. Di Pasquale’s emphasis and “specialty” is in boosting athletic performance and body composition via diet and supplements — and not necessarily with an overriding “health-driven” concern, either (in my humble opinion, at least) — there are some interesting and informative nuggets to glean from this interview.  He’s been in the game quite a while, and I’ve read his work over a good many years.  I will say this about the man — since way back when fat was considered the ultimate diet “evil”, he was the lone (as I remember, anyway — and not saying there weren’t others) that hollered bullshit on it all.  I’ve got to respect him for that.  Anyway, he’s an intelligent and articulate man and gives quite a good and informative interview.

And a hat tip to Carl Lanore, at Super Human Radio.  You can find some very interesting interviews at his site.  The show quality is top-notch, and the questioning from Carl is intelligent, informed and timely.  Check him out when you get a chance.

In Health,

Keith

…and drop a “howdy”, at my Facebook page.

Habits are at first cobwebs, then cables.

~ Spanish Proverb

The best place to begin this post, I think, is with the Friday night meal.  What follows , then, is the run-down for a simple pot roast in a pressure-cooker.  It’s very easy to pull-off, fast and as low-carb as you want to make it.  Now, as starchy veggies hold-up best in these cooking situations, I (or should I say, “we” as this dish is mostly Meesus TTP’s doing) will call them into limited duty for the purposes of this recipe.  I won’t partake much of the veggie outcome — though I will have a bit — a sweet potato, in this case, some carrots and a few hunks of parsnip.  If you’re actively trying to loose weight, though — or trying to bust free of the carb Jones — I’d avoid the veggie portion of  this dish altogether (unless you just want to pressure-cook the meat, which is actually pretty damn fine on its own).  Otherwise, if you’re happy with your body-fat percentage, or if you’ve recently done some endurance work, don’t fret it.  In either case, a sweet potato here and there won’t doom your progress or damage your health.  What I’ll do when we have this dish is make some broccoli or cauliflower on the side.  That generally keeps me from over-indulging on the starchy stuff.

So what you see below is a 4-pound boneless rump roast that has been seasoned (fresh, cracked black pepper and brisket rub), browned in olive oil, and topped enough water to to submerge roughly a quarter to one-half of the roast.

Browned, seasoned, and ready to go

Next up, we’ll secure the lid, jack-up the heat and, once we get the topper rockin’ (get up to pressure), set the timer for 45 minutes.  Remember, once at pressure, to lower the heat so that the rocker is just maintained at a steady “rock”.  Yeah, I’ve made the mistake of letting the thing go at full-bore for, like an hour.  Talk about an ugly result.  That ended up being an unplanned “intermittent  fast” night with lots of endurance-scrubbing thrown in for good measure.  Anyway, while the pressure-cooker’s doin’ its thing, get what ever veggies you want to add prepped and ready to go.

Here’s a look after the veggies were added, just before re-clamping the lid.  We’ve got parsnips, carrots and two small sweet potatoes in the mix.  We’ve also added a bit more water.

After the veggie add

This gives you an idea of the size of the pressure-cooker.  It’s a 10-quart model.  Again, this is just prior to closing ‘er up and lettin’ ‘er rip for the second time.

10-Quart pressure cooker, ready to rock

So, we’ll regain pressure and let ‘er go for an additional 5 to 8 minutes.  This last period will depend on the amount , type and size of the added veggies.  We went for about 7 minutes with what we’d added here.

I don’t know how well broccoli would hold-up in a pressure-cooker.  We haven’t tried that yet, preferring, instead, to steam it on the side.  If anyone has tried it — or cauliflower — in a pressure-cooker, let me know how it turned out.

The Finished Product

Here’s what we had at the end — a fantastic wintertime meal.  The sweet potato looks (and is) much bigger than when we started due to its swelling.  It tastes absolutely wonderful, especially when you’ve been away from the starchy stuff for some time.

Saturday morning, 4:30 A-friggin’-M. There’s just something very wrong about rolling out of bed this early on a weekend — with your mutt looking at you (as he’s stretched-out at the end of the bed) like you’re the absolute  craziest thing he’s ever seen — to go into work.  Oh well, as they say, quitcherbitchin’ and get on with it — so, I did.

Below is what I packed-up that morning to take in to work.  I had no idea how things would play out that day; sometimes I’ll have plenty of opportunities to eat, other days I’ll have to work straight through.  I always, though, go in prepared.  This is all leftovers from previous dinners, save for the eggs which I soft-boiled that morning.

Fast Food, TTP Style...

I wound up eating the fruit with some walnuts I had stashed at work, at about 9 AM.  The rest went down at 1 PM.  I probably would not have eaten the second time around had I known I was going to have an opportunity to hit the gym that day — which I did, at 4 PM.

The Workout

This is what I cobbled together, on the fly, after taking inventory of what equipment was available:

1. Power Cleans x 3, rest-pause method
2. Weighted Russian Ballistic Lunge x 12 “jumps”
3. 45 lb.plate toss with a “stiff” catch x 10

I did 4 rounds of this in roughly 45 minutes.  My focus was centered on the power cleans, and I went particularly heavy here as I don’t often have that opportunity to do so, due to my usual time constraints.  This was a “later in the day” workout, too, so my body was a bit warmer, just from doing the daily thing, and better adapted to be able to handle a heavy load than it would be right off the bat, first thing in the morning.  Also, I had the time to properly warm-up for the demands of such an exercise done at near-max (for that rep range) intensity.

The Russian Ballistic Lunge is demonstrated here, in a Jay Schroeder, EvoSport promo video clip, beginning at the 40-second mark.  I cradle a weight (dumbbell or plate) when I do these, and (in this version of the exercise) attempt to get max height on each jump.  In another version (demonstrated in the clip below), the emphasis is on obtaining max transition speed.

The Plate Toss is demonstrated here, in another Jay Schroeder, EvoSport promo video clip.   The Plate Toss demo begins at 24 seconds in,  with the speed lunge coming at 34 seconds in.  I attempt to stiffen my plate catch as much as possible, though (as opposed to what’s demonstrated in the clip), akin to the ballistic push-up catch.  This is a fantastic shoulder-girdle plyo exercise.
And in case you’re wondering, I’m in the “Jay Schroeder is a misunderstood genius” camp.  I do believe that his methods are the cutting-edge for athletic improvement. Remember, though — gains in athletic prowess, past a certain point, do not necessarily correspond to gains in overall health.

So, I completed my workout at approximately 4:45 — but I didn’t eat until 8PM that evening, and by then, well, I could’ve eaten the wooden asshole out of a hobby-horse.  And oh what a meal it was — well worth the wait.  Check it out:

Dinner is served!

Now that’s a serious rib-eye.  Steamed cauliflower, avocado and tomato, and a smattering of fruit.  And a nice glass of Cabernet Sauvignon to round things out.

Just a snippet of things, from an ordinary day in the life.

In Health,

Keith

“In the spider-web of facts, many a truth is strangled.”

~ Paul Eldridge

Thank God (go ahead, pick one.  No, really, it’s OK) for Podcasts.  I spend 10+ hours a week commuting to and from work, and I do believe that I’d go absolutely snake-shit if I didn’t have a solid library of downloads to rely on to get me through.

What I’ve provided here are some links that might be of interest, pertaining to the recent publication of the JUPITER study in the New England Journal of Medicine.  In true TTP fashion, I attempted, best I could, to listen to (and read, as well) all sides of the debate with an open mind.  Here is some of the stuff I sifted through in order to come to my current stance on this subject.

The following insightful interviews are courtesy of The People’s Pharmacy:

Extended Interview with Nortin Hadler

Extended Interview with Nortin Hadler, MD, Professor of Medicine, Microbiology and Immunology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is attending rheumatologist at UNC Hospitals.

Extended Interview with Paul Ridker

Extended Interview with Paul Ridker, MD, Professor of Medicine at the Harvard Medical School and Director of the Center for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention at the Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston, MA. He led the JUPITER trial of Crestor against CRP.

Extended Interview with Stephen Sinatra

Extended Interview with Stephen Sinatra, MD, FACC, cardiologist at the New England Heart Center in Manchester, CT.

This is a good trio of interviews, because you’ll hear the pro, the con and the “sensible center” of  the Crestor (statin)/CRP (C-reactive protein) debate, related to their (purported) relationship to heart attack and stroke.

Additionally, Richard, at Free the Animal,  posted about the JUPITER study here.  Also included in this post is some good-to-know information about about my one of my favorite foods — eggs.  And eggs vis-a-vis the cholesterol issue.  Which leads us back again, full circle, to the whole JUPITER study debate.  If you’ve got the time and want to delve deeper into this debate, a good place to start is here, courtesy of Junkfood Science.

So what are we to make of all of this?  And more specifically, what can we control?

After listening to/reading all sides in this debate, it seems obvious to me that, practically speaking, what we need to control — and what is perfectly within our power to control — is inflammation. And for the most part, that troublesome inflammation within our bodies is brought on by poor lifestyle choices.  I won’t waste time mentioning the obvious culprits here (smoking, excessive drinking, chronically elevated stress levels, sleep deprivation, etc.) — I mean, c’mon, right?  But aside from eliminating those sources of inflammation, the next obvious source is diet related.  Cut the bad carbs, cut the grains.  Eat the way of the hunter-gatherer.  Really, the answer to preventing these “diseases of inflammation” is just so astonishingly simple.  I would add, too, that this also lends credence to Art DeVany’s notion (and one that I have adopted) of avoiding  a chronic inflammatory response as a result of poorly selected exercise regimens.   The long, drawn-out, punishing sessions are futile — both as related to performance and health.  Hit it hard, hit it infrequently, and go home and rest.

In Health,

Keith   

“It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.”

~Harry S. Truman

I thought I’d post this link to an interesting lecture, by Dr Loren Cordain, on the Paleo Diet and Multiple Sclerosis, brought to us by Dr.  Dan at At Darwin’s Table. The lecture, in its entirety, will cost  about an hour of your time — but if you don’t have that kind of time to spare , just watch the first 10mins as this gives a really good introduction to the Paleo Diet in general.

In a broader sense, this lecture will open your eyes to the plethora of diseases inflicted upon our genotype by the consumption of a substandard diet.  The focus here is Multiple Sclerosis — a disease I hadn’t really given much thought to as being largely diet-driven; Dr. Cordain, however, delivers a good bit of evidence to the contrary, and it’s highly interesting stuff.  Now, the good doctor and I don’t see eye-to-eye on everything diet-related — the consumption of saturated animal fats, for instance — (he, for the most part, being against it), but this is a minor contention, as otherwise I believe that he and his brand of Paleo are spot-on.

In other news, I plan on writing a “day in the life” post for Saturday — kind of a “highlight chronicle” of a typical (or, not so typical, as it wound-up being a  “working ” Saturday) — but nonetheless, it may provide  some insight for those curious about how I juggle eating, exercise and my work schedule.  Now, I’m chronicling Saturday’s highlights, however, it may be a few days before I post.  My work schedule has been a tad demanding as of late.  Hopefully it will be worth the wait  though, as I’ll include the recipe for the awesome pressure-cooker roast Meesus TTP made last night.  Yummmm, yum!

In Health,

Keith

“Most beautiful dumb girls think they are smart and get away with it, because other people, on the whole, aren’t much smarter.”

~ Louise Brooks

From a very cool collection by solarixx

The snatch.  The dumbbell snatch.  Yeah, I’m 44 years old and I still get a little chuckle when the talk turns to this exercise.  Just try to say “dumbbell snatch split jerk” without cracking a smile, I dare you.  Say it to the hottie at work and check her reaction.  See how long it takes for HR to give you a call.  And when they do call, just tell them you were trying to let  the little miss in on a juicy  secret: that what the deadlift, in all its various mutations, is to the building of overall strength, the snatch, in its various mutations, is to the acquisition of overall power.  Yeah, in my opinion, the snatch is the money exercise for building overall bodily power.  Believe it.  And as an added plus, it just gives you a warm tingly  feeling all over to say it.  My personal best snatch.  I hit the snatch so hard my knees were weak the rest of the day. Believe me, I’ve been in the game quite a while, and this never gets old.  Never fails to make me feel like I’m back in junior high.

Check out this page from Exercise and Sport Science, by William E. Garrett, Donald T. Kirkendall.  Now, as regulars readers of this blog know, I’m all for properly conducted and properly interpreted and reported science.  To me though (and practically speaking), scientific findings are only as useful as to that degree by which they can be employed in a real-world setting.  Now,empirically speaking I can tell you this: a good bout of snatching — any form of snatching — will put a serious hurtin’ on you.  In a good way, that is.  Your central nervous system will be pushed to its limit and your post-workout metabolism will be jacked beyond belief.  I don’t have any science to present to you to back that statement up — nor do I need any — no more so than I need to say (and feel confident in the statement) that the deadlift is the truest test of overall bodily strength, involving every muscle you’ve got, and even a few that you never knew existed.

Barbell Snatch or Dumbbell Snatch?

Both have their particular benefits and really, you can’t go wrong with either choice.  I will say this: I would prefer to do much more barbell snatching than I currently do.  Why don’t I do more?  (1)Because my gym is not set-up for (unfortunately) Oly-lifting, and (2) I’m usually pressed for time and, therefore, don’t have enough to properly warm-up and hit this version of the exercise the way it needs to be hit — lots and lots of singles and doubles — really pushing the weight envelope (which means a miss or two here and there) — with plenty of between-set rest.

But I console myself by adding variations to the dumbbell version that would otherwise be impractical in the barbell version.  I use the DB version of the snatch as a lead-in for  various combos — adding a press, push-press, or some form of jerk (and sometimes all three) to the mix.  Talk about a metcon combo extraordinaire!  The DB snatch versions are the crown jewel.  Let’s take a quick look at a workout I did earlier this week:

6:30 AM, empty stomach, following an approximate 15-minute, progressive-intensity warm-up –

1. 5xDB Snatch + 1xPress + 1xPush Press + 2x (each leg, i.e., 4 total) Split-Jerk combo.  One full round through with each arm.
   
2. Feet elevated, Ballistic Pushups x 8.  Get as much “air” on each rep as possible.  Pretend that the floor is griddle-hot, so spend as little time as possible in the catch/reset stage between reps.  Catch/reset at lowest point possible, i.e., just prior to chin-planting into the floor.
   

Four total rounds of this, at working weight, in 30 minutes.  Quite taxing, to say the least.

So, how did I come about that particular DB snatch combo?  Well, for me, the most limiting portion of this particular combo is the strict press portion.  I’ve found, empirically, that I can rip-off about 5 really good DB Snatches with a weight that I can, using the same arm, strict press once (following the snatch portion — which, by itself is quite taxing).  So there you have it — the art of blending good science and real-world practicality to achieve solid results — or “horse training”, as I call it.

By the way, I really, really like this kind of methodology, as brought to us from Chris, at Conditioning Research.  In fact, this looks very similar to the way I construct the bulk  of (bulk of not all of) my weight training workouts.  And, It is in my humble opinion, the best workout methodology to pair with the TTP manner of hunter-gatherer eating modality.

In Health,

Keith

A highly recommended read ~

Just a quick post to alert everyone to a sampling of what I consider to be one of the brightest aspects of Web 2.0, namely the immediacy of sharing vital information, pinpointed to particular areas of interests.

Gary Taubes, author of Good Calories, Bad Calories, took the time to answer a host of questions posited by readers of Dr. Michael Eade’s blog.

Check out Gary’s answers to a handful of the gazillion (had to be!) questions that were submitted last week.  And it just so happens that the first question answered out of the gate was one that your’s truly submitted.  OK, well I’m sure that I was just one of a thousand or so with the same question (it’s one that all of us low-carbers have to face).  Nothing groundbreaking in Gary’s response, but it was nice to see this question taken on head first.

My question, in a nutshell, was “how is it that Asians, eating an indigenous diet (high carbohydrate, low fat, moderate protein) manage to stay thin.  This seems to be a paradox to the “high carb theory” of obesity.”  This question was more in the line of a Socratic form of questioning meant to illuminate what I already “know” to be true, but that I really want to emphasize, as this is the “bail-out” scenario many folks of a high carbohydrate leaning throw out during “diet-dogma” conversations with me.  I try not to evangelize, however, as I do believe that “when the student is ready, the teacher will appear”, well, let’s just say, I always like to have my “teacher spiel” down pat.  And I know Gary is the best in the business at whittling good science down to digestible, readily understandable, bits.

Enjoy the Q & A.  Lots of good info to be had…and for free!

In Health,

Keith