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Exercise And The Brain

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[ Editor's Note:  Fitness author Jon Benson shared this letter with me and gave me permission to share it with you. ]

If you ever needed another good reason to exercise, I've got one for you:

Exercise makes your brain bigger.

Actually this isn't entirely accurate. To be more specific, exercise was found to increase brain size slightly, but far more important to increase "spatial reasoning."

This is the ability to recognize patterns, remember phrases, numbers, and so-on. This was discovered by researchers at the Universities of Chicago and Pittsburgh.

It is also one of the most important factors to the prevention of Alzheimer's and dementia.

My mom suffered with dementia the last ten years of her life. But unlike most dementia patients she was fully functional thanks to exercise. She drove and had a mind that was unbelievably sharp right up until an accident injured her beyond the ability to exercise.

After that, she mentally went downhill rapidly. Thankfully, she passed in peace... and she had ten wonderfully active years thanks to her willingness to take up weight training at the age of 71.

She eventually walked up to 3 miles per day and trained in the gym 3 days per week.

That kept her mind sharp, along with fish oil and N-Acetyl L-Carnitine, a wonderful brain nutrient.

Once again, we see the power of exercise. It increases the QUALITY of your life.

Quantity is no where near as important to me as quality.

The links at the bottom of this newsletter are to my books on exercise. Pick the one that appeals to you most and take action.

Your brain will thank you, as will the rest of your body.

One of the best ways to start exercising when you are over 40 is by using the routines covered in "Fit Over 40".

This book profiles 53 different men and women, age 40 to 80, all sharing their workouts, nutrition plans, and mental empowerment techniques.

It is a MUST-HAVE for anyone wanting to begin exercising or improve their level of fitness after the age of 40.

For a freee fat-burning course from Fit Over 40, go here --

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 Find Out If You Too Are At Risk

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Want to know what your real odds are of having a heart attack?

How about a stroke? Diabetes?

Okay, this isn't sounding like a positive letter... but hang in there. It gets a lot better and more positive.

I was having lunch today with my CPA and my good friend Sherry Strong. Sherry's upcoming book is a must-read. I will let you know when she's ready to release it.

Since Sherry has been here visiting me in Dallas I have learned SO much about natural food preparation and what really causes disease.

Our conversation took a turn to "doctor's tests." I think most of them are worthless. Some are vital.

It's important to know the difference.

I'm going to give you the three tests you absolutely must take if you want to help ensure your future health in a moment.

But first, let me give you Sherry's argument to my third test.

Yes, we nutritionists argue sometimes. ; )

I'll let you decide. But statically it's far more accurate than any blood test... and get this:

You can do it at home for freee.

So far, are you with me?  Good.

I'm going to go in reverse order, third test to last...

The third test is simply this:

Measure your waistline. Use a tape measure and do not pull it tight. Measure right below the navel.

Write down that number in inches.

Then measure your height out of shoes in inches. Write that down too.

Multiply your waist inches by 2. If that number is greater than your height inches you are FOUR TIMES more likely to have heart disease.

For example, if you have a 36-inch waist and you are 70 inches tall, you are at a much greater risk for heart disease (36 x 2 = 72 which is greater than 70.) However if you have a 34-inch waist and you are 70 inches tall, you risk is far less (34 x 2 = 68 which is less than 70.)

Four times. That's more predictive than cholesterol tests by far.

And a lot less expensive to boot.

Don't just read about this test -- DO IT. I'll give you something you can do ABOUT it if you fail this test in a second.

The great news is that this is one factor that is totally within your control.

Test number two:  Know your SED rate. This is an inflammatory marker in the blood.

Test number one:  Know your hsCRP and LP(a) levels. Both of these can be done as one test usually. Both are inflammatory markers as well as key indicators of heart health.

Go to your doctor and ask for these three blood tests. Usually they can be done all at once. Sometimes they are separate, but they are all crucial.

If you are thin and look healthy, listen to this:

You too can be Lance Armstrong or Jim Fixx....and not know it.

Lance and Jim looked like two of the healthiest men on the planet. Lance beat testicular cancer but came within an inch of his life. Jim died after a short jog of a heart attack very young in life.

Looks can be deceiving.

This is Sherry's argument -- and she's totally correct.

That's why I give you THREE (well, actually four) TESTS.

You see, it's virtually impossible to have a normal SED rate, a normal hsCRP level and a normal LP(a) level and be at imminent risk for any of these killer diseases.

Possible, perhaps -- but almost not.

So, if you look healthy and feel like a bazillion bucks, you still need to know your levels of these inflammatory markers.

If you are overweight or obese, you totally absolutely MUST do the waist/height test as well as the others.

You see, it goes both ways.

Some obese folks test out okay at the doc's office. Their cholesterol, blood pressure, and all typical readings are okay. Rarely does a doc run an hsCRP or LP(a). And rarely do they run a SED rate.

See the importance here?

Both the fit and the unfit can be at dire risk and not even know it.

Now, here's the solution:

A low-inflammatory nutrition and training plan, along with plenty of stress-free time.

I can help you with the first two things.

The third thing -- de-stressing -- is up to you. You may want to spend 30 minutes a day doing yoga, walking, meditating, praying, or whatever calms your MIND and BODY down.

Check it out:

Lance and Jim were both doing insane amounts of exercise... so much that they demanded insane amounts of high-inflammatory foods. Foods like processed carbohydrates for example.

And they both got sick. One of them died.

My good friend Dr. Steven Chase believes that 85% of cancer is preventable.

Re-read that:  85%.  And he's an oncologist -- a cancer doctor.

And you know heart disease is 95% preventable... or did you?

But all of these killers, especially diabetes, demand a low-insulin, low-inflammatory nutrition and exercise plan.

Lance and Jim had sky-high inflammatory levels from all that exercise. It was literally TOO much exercise.

That's why so many marathoners die of heart attacks. They eat inflammatory foods and engage in high-stress exercise for too long of a time.

So, what's the answer?

1. Short workouts that are intense, effective, and enjoyable. Weights and cardio both, or in-home resistance workouts will work fine.

2. Longer "soft" workouts like brisk walking that helps de-stress the body and burn more bodyfat.

3. A nutrition plan that allows for your favorite foods at the RIGHT TIME of the day but also helps you burn bodyfat without activating your body's stress-producing hormones like cortisol...cool.

Most nutrition plans are stressful. Big mistake. Stress can cause you to hold on to bodyfat. Plus stress causes inflammation.

Most workout plans are either too easy or too intense for too long a period of time. My System is super-short (7-14 minutes a day, plus walks when you can.) This is enough to build all the muscle you need plus burn bodyfat when combined with the nutrition plan.

My System's nutrition plan is ideal if you are willing to "diet" for a day or two, then enjoy a day of eating "normal" foods.

Hey, no one is perfect. Anyone who has half a brain should know that not very many people (myself included) are willing to do without their favorite foods forever.

That's silly -- and it's not necessary to burn bodyfat.

In fact, my System 'demands' that you eat these foods at certain times TO BURN MORE BODYFAT!

Wild, isn't it?

It's the System I've used for years.

It's the combination of two books:

7 Minute Muscle + Every Other Day Diet

Get them both for one low price...

Go here: http://www.7minutemuscle.com/go/jameses661/oto 

Any of my three Upgrade Kits come with both books, a full year of support from me on the Every Other Day Diet group Forum, and so many bonuses I can't list them all.

This combo is something I am so very proud to share with you.

It's the ultimate System for lowering bodyfat, increasing lean muscle, lowering insulin, lowering inflammation, and ensuring your health.

Whether you are in shape or obese, this System is one that will work for you.

 

Hi

I just received this article from Jon Benson and HAD to share it with you.

It really opened my eyes to what is possible.

Let me know what you think, okay?

James

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How To Gain Muscle And Burn
Bodyfat At The Same Time

by Jon Benson


What is your "big dream?"

I have two:

-- To make an impact on the lives of over 10M people before I die;

-- To have a family that's mobile so I can live in many places.

Not bad, right?

Want to know a "third" dream of mine?  One that I saw become a reality a few years ago?

To gain muscle AND burn bodyfat all at the same time.

It's like a pipe-dream that somehow worked its way through the pipes and into my gym.

It is not easy, granted, but you can do it.

Almost anyone can do it.

You just have to train and eat in a very specific way.

Listen:  You do NOT want to just "burn bodyfat" or god-forbid "lose-weight"... that will not give you the body you want.

You absolutely MUST shape your muscles, tighten and tone, and burn bodyfat.

And you can do it at the same time.

Most pros disagree with me. They think it is metabolically impossible to gain muscle while in a state of low-calorie dieting.

They are wrong.

Here's an article I wrote on this topic. I hope you enjoy it.

To save you time, I put a link to the online complete version of the article below...

- - - - -

I remember a friendly argument with my co-author of Fit Over 40 Tom Venuto. It all started when I told Tom how I was eating and training for my last peak. A peak is where you lower your bodyfat and try to maintain as much muscle mass as possible.

"There's just no way I could ever get in shape eating and training like that," says Tom. "Sure you could man...what are you, a mutant?" Tom fires back, then me, then Tom....and so it goes. (I really didn't call Tom a mutant. That was creative liberty.)

So why are so many fitness pros like Tom freaked out about my training and nutrition plan? Simple: I claim it burns fat while building muscle at the same time. Every time I read an article by some doctor or expert claiming it's "biologically impossible" to gain lean muscle mass on a hypocaloric diet (a diet low in calories) I just laugh.

I do more than make claims--I have proved this to be true many times. I've had my bodyfat hydrostatically measured during several peaks. In all but one I showed an increase of muscle mass and a decrease of bodyfat during a 12-16 week period. The one time I didn't show an increase in muscle mass when was I was training the most in the gym. That may not make sense right now, but it will in a moment.

Article Continued Here --

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The Secret To A Better Lovelife

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[ Editor's Note:  Fitness author Jon Benson shared this letter with me and gave me permission to share it with you. ]

Today we need to chat about your hormones.

Yeah, I chat a lot about hormones. That's because I have been to Hormone Hell and back. Twice.

I've lived to tell the tale.

It's scary... and it's one of those hidden illnesses that you might not even know you have.

I had it at 27. I did not affect my lovelife, but that was probably due to my youth. If I did not treat it then, I would have no lovelife or drive at ALL right now.

I treated it with drugs. That is all we had back then.

Today I use a combination of therapies, many of which are natural....

1. I train with weights to increase testosterone-levels naturally.

2. I train and do cardio before eating in the morning do increase gH levels naturally without drugs.

3. I cycle my calories to increase my thyroid levels naturally.

As you can see there are many ways to increase your hormone levels naturally.

But it's not all exercise and nutrition. Now we have several "botanical" supplements:  Herbs and other natural helpers to help the fight.

I wish I would have known about Dr. Lucille when I was 27.

She's the expert in that field. Herbs, nutrition for hormone help, and how to protect your body IF you have to take drugs to help the problem like I do.

I listen to her. So should you.

Here's her site:

http://www.naturapause.com/go/jameses661 
The best thing about having your hormones optimized is energy.

Yes, you will burn more bodyfat.

Yes, you will increase your lovelife and your desire to have intimacy.

Yes, you will increase your resistance to disease and common illnesses.

But I think MORE ENERGY is the best.

I have the energy to do anything I want at just about any time I want.

Here's an example:

Today I had to go to the funeral of a dear friend. She passed away after struggling with a lifetime of various illnesses, many of which were made worse by lifestyle choices. Some she had no control over.

We all loved her dearly.

We drove until 1:00AM this morning. I got up early for the funeral but not early enough to eat breakfast.

I had a large lunch afterwards and then we headed back -- another 3 hour boring drive in traffic.

Even with all of this emotional stress, my body only needed a 2-hour nap to pop right back into high gear. I could literally go and workout now at almost 11:00pm if I had to.

I'm glad I don't because I have a night of packing ahead of me for a business trip!

Still, the point is simple:

Hormone Health = Greater Energy

Most people do not exercise because... get this....

They do not FEEL like it.

I don't mean "feel like it" as in they would rather do something else, although that is the case sometimes.

I mean "feel like it" in the sense that they have NO energy to do it.

They are tired, run-down after a 9 to 5 day, and feel zonked.

You too?

If so, you need this info...

http://www.naturapause.com/go/jameses661 
Remember:  More energy, more lovelife. More workouts that burn fat. More done in the day.

More living... in the best way possible.

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Training With Weights vs "Weight Training"

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Just a word of warning:

I will be using the term "bodybuilder" or "bodybuilding" to refer to anyone who wants to build lean muscle and burn bodyfat in this article.

That means you.

Yep... you are a "bodybuilder." That does not mean you want to look like a monster on stage and pose in front of thousands of people wearing nothing but your undies.

That means you want more lean muscle and less bodyfat -- that's it.

With that in mind, here's something you have to know:

Bodybuilders do not "lift weights" -- we "train" with weights.

We use weights as a tool like a sculptor uses a hammer and chisel.

The object of the game is not to lift some heavy weight from Point A to Point B and back. That's weight lifting. "Bodybuilding" is about making the muscle you want to change do all the work.

Here's two ways to do it:

1. Lower the weight and focus:  Most people are just concerned with the lift itself. "Get this weight off of me!" seems to be the unconscious mantra. This will not get the job done. In fact you may end up looking bulky rather than sleek... or just not change at all. Instead, lower the weight slightly, slow the pace down (especially on the descent of the movement) and picture the muscle in your mind doing ALL of the work. Literally put your mind in the muscle. You will be amazed at how different the same exercise feels with this degree of concentration,.

2. Contract, hold, release:  At the top of any movement, contract the muscle hard. Hold that contraction for a second or two, then release it and lower the weight slowly. This will not only cause faster muscle growth (that is a good thing) but also demand that you use less weight to get the job done. This means your joints -- shoulders, knees, elbows -- will last a lifetime. At 45 my joints are in perfect health. Protect yours at all costs.

Just remember:  You are not just lifting weights when you train for muscle shape and "tone" -- you are a sculptor. Treat your tools and your body with that degree of care.

I cover many more tips on how to build lean muscle and burn bodyfat faster in my book "7 Minute Muscle".

Read more here: