So, there's this multi-billion dollar industry that uses tricks, the guise of scientific objectivity, marketing ploys, your own insecurity, and concern for your health to get you to purchase a products that do nothing for you.  It is called the dietary supplement industry.  For the most part, their products do not elevate the average human above that which the average human was already capable.  And in the cases when they do, they are most likely to be spiked with an actual drug.  Drugs actually do change what the average human is capable of on there own, just take a look at the current Mr. Olympia, Jay Cutler, he did not get there with exercise and diet alone.

Drugs, in certain sense, are great.  They work, you are not wasting your money buying a drug.  However, if you buy a supplement that is spiked with a drug to make it effective, you are at risk of a host of drug-related problems.  Supplements are not regulated by the FDA.  That is so important I will repeat it, supplements are not regulated by the FDA.  The FDA only takes action on a supplement company if the supplement turns out to be dangerous or contain a regulated substance (drug).  So, when you take a spiked supplement you could be taking an unregulated dose of an unknown drug.  Check out these to articles on the supplment industry to get an idea of the kind of thing that goes on:

This New York Times article goes into drug spiking and supplements.

This Men's Health article goes into how supplements vendors sell you crap you don't need.

Enjoy, and remember, if it seems to good to be true, it probably (most certainly, definately, surely) is...

Eating at the restaurant chain Islands while trying to eat a moderate diet is effectively impossible.  Yesterday, I ate lunch there with a friend and the calorie count on their Cheddar Fries literally took my breath away.  2750 calories for one menu item.  That's most people's calories needs for two days!!  And if you feel like the cheddar fries alone will not be enough food you can add chili for a grand caloric total of 3190!!!!!  This is another island you will lucky to escape with your life.

Btw, I got the half Ceasar salad with chicken and escaped the apocalypso at just under 600 calories!! :-)  Keep up the clean eating everyone!!

Another low-calorie and healthy dinner choice.  I have made this a few times and it tastes really good.  If you dip the chicken in some flour and then some whisked up egg before adding the bread crumbs they stick much better:-)

If you take fish oil, a one-a-day, glucosamine and chondroitin, GNC's phyto-estrogen, protein shakes, weightgainers, Clenbutrex, or any of the other products provided by the multi-billion dollar supplement industry you should care about this.  Supplements are not regulated by the FDA.  If you look on the side of your supplement bottle, you will invariably find a little asterisk.  If you follow that little asterisk you will find this statement, "This statement has not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease".  This means that, at best, what you are taking will have no effect on your body, only on your bank balance.  At worst, you could be ingesting an unknown dosage of a most-likely-illegal, potentially-harmful, certainly-unregulated drug. 
 
Read this article and possibly rethink your next Jack3d purchase.  Remember, there is no secret.  Diet and exercise combined with almost anything will result in weight loss:-)

I always like the diet plans and recipes that appear in the pages of Men's Health.  They always keep an eye toward lower calorie foods with the best flavor payoff.  They usually include a variety of foods so that you can keep your veggie intake pretty high and offer vegetarian options.  The recipes are super easy to make.  And, above all, they don't require 12 ounces of some kind of animal protein with every meal like some other publications.

Enjoy this quick two page article:-)  comment on the facebook link if you tried it and liked it...

Everyday people ask me what the secret formula is.  You know?  The secret formula that allows you to eat whatever you want and still have 6-pack abs and nice legs?  I will tell you right now that there is no secret formula.  If there were a secret formula this would be it: consistent exercsie combined with consistent and moderate food consumption is the key to building the body you want.

The problem is that this simple fact is shrouded in mystery.  People, such as the creators of the Primal Blueprint Diet, The South Beach Diet, The Atkins Diet, The ketosis Diet, The 17-Day Diet, The Cookie Diet, The Cabbage Soup Diet, The Lemonade Diet (Also known as the Master Cleanse), The Zone Diet, The Cambridge Diet, The Slim-Fast Diet, The Eat Right for Your Blood Type Diet, The Burrito Diet (I am not making that one up), The Bread-and Butter Diet, The Chicken-Soup Diet, The Scaresdale Diet, The Air Force Diet, The Russian Diet, The Liquid Diet, The-Diet-to-Go, Nutrisystem, Medifast, The Sonoma Diet, Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, The P90X Nutrition Plan, The 5-Factor Diet (to name a few), want you to believe that there is a secret so that you will pay for the priveledge of knowing it.  The following article from Muscular Development examines the premises and research behind the hCG diet.  I think it is an even handed and informed analysis and worth the read.  My next news post will give a synopsis of the main points and what it means to the average consumer, so if you don't get through the whole article, don't worry:-)

I compiled a list for a client of a variety of common foods and their calorie content per 4 ounces.  The list is to the left.  The goal is to give you an idea of how many calories you are eating when you eat a tomato as opposed to a chicken breast.

Notice that foods with a high water content have proportionately less calories per 4 ounces.  For example, chicken has more than a sweet potato, which in turn has more than a tomato.  Knowing the caloric content of your food choices is the most important aspect in shaping your body.

Also notice how, even though it is considered a "good fat", olive oil has a much greater number of calories per 4 ounces than peanut butter or even regular butter.  This is because olive oil is a pure fat in liquid form, and because of this very dense when compared to butter, which has been whipped and so contains air (Even though you will never eat 4 ounces of butter at one sitting, it is important to remember that the ratios hold even for a tablespoon.  So, a tablespoon of olive oil has more calories than a tablespoon of butter).
One more thing:  the burger pictured up top is the Carl's Junior Double Six Dollar Burger and it contains a massive 1520 calories.

-James