Using Supplements Always Pose A Risk

July 8th, 2010 Kevin Richardson No comments

Without Regulation Supplements Are Always A Risk

Here in the United States a legislative loophole makes it possible that health food products ranging from protein powders, to energy bars, fat burners and a wide range of bodybuilding supplements are allowed to be produced without any real oversee with regards to its marketing claims or its content. Most would be surprised to learn that some supplement companies got started in someone’s basement, and that there is no such thing as pharmaceutical grade whey protein/creatine or any such product as such companies don’t make the type of products you would find in at a GNC or Vitamin Shoppe. The American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classifies dietary supplements as foods and are thus exempt from the stringent manufacturing practices required for the pharmaceutical industry. Quality control is thus left to the discretion of the individual manufacturers, which is why so many products are often found to be harmful or containing harmful ingredients after being on the shelves for several years. In Europe all such supplements are banned due to the potential health risk posed by many of the unregulated vitamins, herbs and supplements that we here in the United States use on a daily basis and with good reason.

There are no such safeguards in place to protect the general public here in the United States, as a supplement can be made with no safety assurances, without having to answer to any quality control standards, and the product need not have any scientifically proven benefit. The argument is not really about whether these products are effective or not, or even whether they should be available to the public at large- more so the question is truly why they are exempted from safety testing and standardized quality controls. In the end it is a matter of safety. Every search on this subject will result in pro-supplement propaganda, as the supplement industry rakes in over 13 billion dollars a year, and a lot of money is funneled towards keeping you, the consumer believing that these products are not only healthy, and scientifically validated in their effectiveness, but are also an essential part of a healthy lifestyle, and nothing could be further from the truth. In the end, the numerous recalls on supplements found to be harmful as well as the lack of long term research on the safety of many mainstream supplements are more than enough reason not to use them. Besides, I have seen hundreds of people achieve their health and fitness goals, many reaching the highest achievements possible in terms of performance and the human physique, and they did due to their consistency and hard work, not from taking a pill or a powder.

Kevin Richardson is the creator of Naturally Intense High Intensity Training 10 Minute Workouts™ and one of the most sought after personal trainers in New York City. Get a copy of his free weight loss ebook here.

Categories: nutrition Tags: health tips, supplements

Tuna Fish Diet For Weight Loss- An Unhealthy Approach

July 30th, 2009 Kevin Richardson 1 comment

Tuna is not the only choice for weight loss

Tuna Fish Diet For Weight Loss- An Unhealthy Approach

I am often asked if it a tuna fish diet is the best way to lose weight. Tuna is a widely available source of protein and is relatively inexpensive and easy to eat on the run. All things considered, however, my answer to that question would be in the negative. While tuna fish does indeed supply a hefty amount of protein per serving, it should never be your sole source nor should you eat huge amounts of it on a daily basis, especially if weight loss is your goal. I truly believe that it is important that we as human beings eat foods that are not only nutritious, but that are prepared with some degree of goodwill. It might not occur to some, but there is a significant difference to the way that your body will respond to food that you took the time to cook for yourself or food prepared by a loved one over food that you would get in a box or from a fast food resturant- even if the foods are the same ingredient and preparation-wise. Aryuvedic thought places a lot of emphasis on the healing aspects of a well prepared meal, and I more than agree with this way of thinking. I think anyone can think back to the feeling of enjoying a meal made by a dear family member- mother, grandmother or otherwise to note that there is something to this idea. Fast foods and canned foods simply cannot compete and I for one try to eat them as little as possible.

Tuna Fish Diets & Low Fat Intakes Can Counter Your Attempts To Lose Weight

Mercury levels aside, there is also the problem of fats. Canned tuna, while containing some omega 3 fatty acids, have nowhere near enough fat to support your nutritional requirements, especially if you are engaged in regular intensive exercise. A can of tuna may be alright once and a while, but you will still need to eat a wide array of other fishes and meats to get the fats your body needs to stay healthy and to lose weight. (Important note- if you don’t eat enough fat your body will simply do its best to store as much as it can, since fat is an essential macronutrient for our bodies- the end result being that you will get fatter. So don’t be mislead by low fat diets). Fat is an important part of the equation, as are the micronutrients found in higher concentrations in other protein sources, such as eggs, chicken, and other meats. A healthy diet is one that has a variety of foods, not just tuna fish.

A Tuna Fish Diet Won’t Do It Long Term But A Varied Healthy Approach To Eating Will!

At the end of the day I have to say, (as I always do) that moderation is key to weight loss success, and that being said, there is nothing moderate about eating tuna fish for breakfast lunch and dinner. The same goes for skinless chicken breasts as well, but that is material for another blog post!

Get a copy of Kevin’s free award winning weight loss ebook here! Kevin Richardson is one of New York City’s most sought after personal trainers and the creator of Naturally Intense High Intensity Training 10 Minute Workouts. Visit his official website at www.naturallyintense.net.

Categories: diet, nutrition, personal training nyc, weight loss Tags: tuna fish

Don’t Compare Yourself

May 4th, 2009 Kevin Richardson No comments

The worst thing to say is that I want to look like this person or that person. In doing so you limit yourself to being only as excellent as they may be and in so doing prevent yourself from realizing a higher level of accomplishment that you never knew possible. One that far surpasses that of whom you admire. Let others be guides, not goals.