Low Carb or Low Fat for your Health and Fitness

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Rant and Tip for January 13, 2012

Quote: “Even when experts all agree, they may be mistaken.” Bertrand Russell

For the past 40 or 50 years health professionals have preached a low fat diet. They have told us repeatedly that we need to eat a low fat diet to be healthy. However as a nation we are one of the fattest group of people on the planet. We have all these high carbohydrate foods just begging us to eat them. All of the snacks on the shelves are not only high if simple carbs but also have a fair amount of fats as well and not good fats either. Even when you find a low fat snack it is so high in simple carbohydrates that you do not have a chance at ever eating a healthy diet. Well we are at a point in society where science is starting to catch up and debunk the low fat, hi carb diet. Many scientist and doctors are rethinking the whole low fat diet. Some are even willing to acknowledge what we have been taught for so many years is in fact wrong. They were mistaken and they were the experts.

I enjoy a low carb lifestyle. I eat plenty of complex carbohydrates and lots of dietary fiber. I eat more healthy green vegetables than I have ever eaten in my life and I love it. The real key to having a higher fat lower carb diet work is the fibrous carbohydrates. They come from the healthy vegetables you eat or at least should eat. Make sure you get your veggies in today and everyday. You will be happy you did.

I worked my triceps, and middle back muscles today. The mid and lower trapezius muscles. Usually I will give the triceps a rest after a day of benching, but for some reason I just felt like I had to hit them for that big bench I am eyeing. As far as the trapezius muscles if you recall I need to strengthen them to avoid aggravating the bicep tendonitis I am recuperating from.

Now on to a different subject, as you all know I like to blog about health and fitness and sometimes I will touch on a sensitive subject. Today I wanted to mention something that happens to be dear to some of my readers. You know it really is amazing the people who contact me overtime via this blog. It never ceases to amaze me the people that have interesting stories to share with me. I have to tell about one such story. This person has been dealing with a family member that required a drug abuse rehab center. They were very concerned about their family member to the point of just reaching out to vent and look for encouragement. I personally have not had to deal situation like this. However my heart went out to them. Drug abuse rehab is one of those services you think that you will never need nor know of someone who will need it. For whatever reason a person turns to drugs whether it is alcohol to the point of addiction to prescription or even illegal drugs the effects on them and their family is devastating. Please take care of yourself and your family when it comes to drug addiction. The first step is recognizing the condition and then seeking help.

Be there for your friends and family!

Have a good workout!

Tip: Here are 3 exercises that work the lower and middle trapezius muscles. Courtesy of Livestrong.com

Behind the Neck Presses

Behind the neck presses require a barbell, and you can do these standing or seated. If you do them seated, use a workout chair with a backrest instead of a bench. This will give you more support. Hold the bar straight over your head with your hands wider than shoulder-width apart. Slowly lower it behind your head, push it back up and repeat. To help you get the bar up to the starting point, have a spotter on hand.

Cable Rows

Cable rows are performed on the seated cable machine. These work the middle and lower traps as well as the rhomboids and latissimus dorsi, which are back muscles. While sitting on the bench, place your feet shoulder-width apart on the steel plate, grasp the close-grip handle with both hands and sit up straight with your arms extended in front of you. Pull the bar to your stomach as you pinch your shoulder blades together. Slowly extend your arms back out and repeat.

Behind the Back Shrugs

Regular shrugs work the upper, middle and lower traps, but when you do them behind your back, you place more emphasis on the middle and lower segments. From a standing position, hold a barbell down by your butt with your palms facing backward. Carefully raise your shoulders as high as possible and hold for a full second. Slowly lower your shoulders and repeat.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/202590-middle-lower-trapezius-exercises/#ixzz1jJ6OLNRg