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HYDROXY NOT !!

Here we go again! Jeezzz, will it ever end? This madness over finding "the shortcut!" The magic pill! It's amazing... I guess new "suckers" are born every day.
Consumers using Hydroxycut products should immediately stop taking the dietary supplements, the Food and Drug Administration warned May 1, 2009, after receiving reports of serious health problems related to the drugs.

The dietary supplements --made by Iovate Health Sciences Inc. of Oakville in Ontario, Canada, and distributed by Iovate Health Sciences USA Inc. of Blasdell, N.Y. -- have been linked to one death and are associated with several serious liver injuries, the FDA said. Iovate has agreed to recall the products from the market.

The FDA has received 23 reports of serious health problems including jaundice, elevated liver enzymes and liver damage requiring liver transplant.

Other health problems reported included seizures, cardiovascular disorders and rhabdomyolysis, a type of muscle damage that can lead to other serious health problems such as kidney failure.

One death due to liver failure has been reported to the agency.

Liver injury was reported by patients taking the doses of Hydroxycut recommended on the bottle. Symptoms of liver injury include jaundice and brown urine, the FDA said. Other symptoms include nausea, vomiting, light-colored stools, excessive fatigue, weakness, stomach or abdominal pain, itching and loss of appetite.

“The FDA urges consumers to discontinue use of Hydroxycut products in order to avoid any undue risk," said Linda Katz, interim chief medical officer of the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.

Hydroxycut products are dietary supplements that are marketed for weight loss as fat burners, energy enhancers, low-carb diet aids and water loss. The list of products being recalled by Iovate includes:

Hydroxycut Regular Rapid Release Caplets
Hydroxycut Caffeine-Free Rapid Release Caplets
Hydroxycut Hardcore Liquid Caplets
Hydroxycut Max Liquid Caplets
Hydroxycut Regular Drink Packets
Hydroxycut Caffeine-Free Drink Packets
Hydroxycut Hardcore Drink Packets (Ignition Stix)
Hydroxycut Max Drink Packets
Hydroxycut Liquid Shots
Hydroxycut Hardcore RTDs (Ready-to-Drink)
Hydroxycut Max Aqua Shed
Hydroxycut 24
Hydroxycut Carb Control
Hydroxycut Natural

The Health Benefits of Protein and Whey Protein

Protein is an important nutrient needed by everyone on a daily basis. Protein is made up of essential and non-essential amino acids, which are the "building blocks" for healthy bodies. Protein has a number of different roles in the body including the following:

Repair body cells
Build and repair muscles and bones
Provide a source of energy
Control many of the important processes in the body related to metabolism
The body is able to make non-essential amino acids from other amino acids in the body. However, the body is not able to make essential amino acids and the only way to get them is by eating high quality protein foods. Protein sources that contain all of the essential amino acids are called complete proteins.

All Protein foods are not created equal and can vary in a number of ways including the following:

Number and quantity of essential amino acids
Digestion and absorption rates
Fat content
Taste
Purity
Whey protein is a very high quality complete protein with rich amounts of all the essential amino acids. Whey protein isolate is the purest form of whey protein, which is why it is absorbed so quickly and efficiently into the body.

You are probably asking "What is Whey Protein? Is it just a new fad?" Whey protein is not something new and has been available for hundreds of years. Doctors and nutrionists have singled out whey protein as a super-star ingredient for weight loss, infant nutrition, immune support, and especially in the area of sports nutrition.

Little Miss Muffet ate it. Remember the nursery rhyme - "eating her curds and whey"? Curds and Whey are the two products formed while making cheese from cow's milk. Although we're much more familiar with cheese, whey protein turns out to be a much better protein for you, your body and your health. It's more soluble which means you can absorb more if and it doesn't stick to your arteries and veins and is easy to disgest. That's one of the reasons it's the best type of protein for infants and children.

Healthy diets should regularly include high quality, low fat sources of protein, like whey protein. Calories do count and you want to make sure that you are getting the most benefit from the calories you consume. Compared to other proteins, on a gram-to-gram basis whey protein isolate delivers more essential amino acids to the body but without the fat or cholesterol. Nutrition experts recommend a diet with a variety of protein foods but for optimal results make sure that one of them is whey protein.

Protein needs vary by person depending upon age, weight, sex, activity level and overall health. Athletes and people on healthy lifestyle programs often need more protein than the recommended dietary allowance, or RDA. That's because Whey protein is the richest known source of naturally occurring branched chain amino acids (leucine, isoleucine and valine). The body requires higher amounts of branched chain amino acids during and following exercise as they are absorbed directly by the skeletal muscles versus first being metabolized through the liver, like other amino acids. Low BCAA levels contribute to fatigue and they should be replaced in one-hour or less following exercise or participation in a competitive event. Many athletes consume a whey protein shake or drink both before and immediately after exercise or an event to help repair and rebuild lean muscle tissue.

You'll find that there are two main kinds of whey protein sold today - whey protein concentrate and whey protein isolate. Whey protein isolate is the most pure and concentrated form of whey protein available. It contains 90% or more protein and very little (if any) fat and lactose. Whey protein concentrate has anywhere between 29% and 89% protein depending upon the product. As the protein level in whey protein concentrate decreases the amounts of fat and/or lactose usually increase.

Whey Protein, either in Isolate or Concentrate, is the ideal not only for active individuals, individuals who exercise and professional athletes, but any one and every one. Whey protein is a particularly good source of protein for people with special dietary needs like:
People on a low-carbohydrate diet 'cause whey protein contains very little cholesterol on it's own
Pregnant Women
Vegetarians that include dairy in their diet.
The lactose-intolerant due to the small amount of lactose contained in whey protein isolate (the lactose-intolerant should avoid whey protein conentrate though).
The wheat-intolerant because whey protein contains no gluten.
People with digestion problems because whey protein is so easily digestible that it rarely causes adverse stomach or intestinal reactions.
Adding whey protein to your healthy lifestyle is a great way to jump-start the weight loss phase of your program. Whey protein is a key ingredient in numerous weight loss and meal replacement products and whey protein isolate (with no fat or carbohydrates) is often the preferred choice. Studies have found that individuals who combine diets with leucine rich protein foods, like whey protein, and exercise have more lean muscle tissue and they lose more body fat. As they lose fat their metabolic rate increases and they naturally burn more calories each day. Another way that whey protein helps manage weight is by making you feel "full" after drinking your whey protein shake.

As you can see, whey protein has a lot of benefits for you. We at FantaC Fitness go the extra step and only use the highest quality whey protein in our products. Our whey protein isolate has the highest protein scores available on the market today.

Let us help you reach your goals by making our Whey Protein Powders the cornerstone of your healthy lifestyle. Enjoy the benefits - and the great taste - of our Natural Whey Protein Isolate (available in Vanilla or Chocolate) Call us at 203-240-1964 or order here.

 

Aahhhhh another day at the beach .... I just cant believe that it is Dec 19th and I spent the day at the beach with my dogs.. I LOVE IT !! So for those that dont know I am new to California.. Been here since March so this will be my FIRST winter with NO snow.. and it is snowing back home in Ct so this just made me feel sooooo good.. SOmetimes I start missing home but then I go to the beach and the missing just goes away LOL Beach day was really good on my legs.. Awesome calf workout :)

What you need to know about Chromium

Chromium helps insulin metabolize fat, turn protein into muscle and convert sugar into energy. ChromeMate, a unique form of niacin-bound chromium, is designed to optimize energy output. It accomplishes this by increasing the amount of glucose available for energy production nearly twenty-fold. It also is the "master" nutrient for controlling blood sugar, which in turn curbs sugar cravings.

What’s more, a study at Auburn University showed that ChromeMate reduced LDL cholesterol by an average of 14%. In fact, ChromeMate has been awarded a patent for lowering cholesterol. Chromium deficiency is caused by exercise (up to five times the normal rate), and by the consumption of sugars and refined carbohydrates. Since your fat-loss program includes aerobic activity, ChromeMate supplementation is essential in order to recover chromium loss. Also, because it supports the conversion of food to energy and promotes metabolism.

There are two forms of chromium. The inexpensive stuff called picolinate and a high quality niacin-bound form known as polynicotinate. Again, the difference is quality

ChromeMate's patented oxygen-coordinated, chromium-niacin complex is the most potent of all -- over 18 times more potent than any other form of niacin-bound chromium. ChromeMate is absorbed and retained by the body 300% more than picolinate.

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Hey hey hey !!!!! Hows it going people !!???? Is everyone getting stressed out because of the holidays ?? Getting all that last minute shopping in ? Or did you god forbid just START ??!!! aaahhhhhh ARE YOU CRAZY !!! lol
We are not celebrating .. no wait ... we arent exchanging gifts this year :)
We are going to go to Disney Land on Christmas Eve.. Well my husband is fightin it but I will get my way and we will go :) yay!!!
How many of you have been hit with the Holiday parties or people at work bringing in all the goodies they dont want at home?? Are you mindlessly eating all this crap or are you just nibbling?? STOP !!! Dont do it ! Your only gonna be pissed at yourself later when after the holiday you cant button your pants :(
I remember when I worked a regular job and all the customers would bring us candy --- oh man I was the first person ripping it open and eating the candy !! Yea I was the first offender.. Glad I work solo now I dont have that problem and my clients know better than to bring anything like that to me LOL
Well I just want to leave you with some TIPS for avoiding a 5-10lbs weight gain :)

1. Have the right attitude

If you go into Christmas with the idea that you'll just eat everything you possibly can and worry about it in January then you will bitterly regret it when Christmas is over. Decide to enjoy the festive season without going plain silly over all the goodies on offer. Choose the things you particularly like and say no to anything which you're really not bothered about.

2. Eat how much you need

At every meal aim for a comfortable feeling of satisfaction rather than getting to the stage where you need to loosen your waistband. Decide to enjoy your meal AND feel great afterwards. This tip alone will save you hundreds of calories every meal. If you want to try all the courses, have small portions of everything you really want. TALK MORE ~~~ EAT LESS

3. Keep up your exercise

Don't give up your usual exercise routine over the holidays because it will be hard to get back into it later. If you really can't get to the gym, do a few exercises at home or go out walking. It will not just use up some calories, it will keep you in touch with your desire to stay slim and healthy. Also keep as active as possible as you go about your day - don't sit about watching the TV specials, nibbling nuts and chocolate.

4. Put it away

If you have lots of extra treats at home "for guests", get them out when people come and put them away when they go home. Out of sight, out of mind will help a little but if those treats do start calling out to you from the cupboard, put a few on a plate and put the rest away so that you are not constantly nibbling from the packet.

5. Peace and goodwill

Try and keep calm over Christmas. As stress levels rise, so does our tendency to eat for comfort. Just remember that you don't have to make Christmas perfect for everyone else while running yourself into the ground. Do the best you can with the time available and then just decide to enjoy it however much you've done. If others have expectations of how Christmas should be then get them involved in making it so! Have some (non-food) treats up your sleeve to enjoy when it all gets a bit too much. It doesn't cost a lot to tuck away a sachet of perfumed bubble bath, a glossy magazine or a novel you've been dying to read. If all else fails call an old friend for a chat rather than eating the fridge empty.

The whole story on Hamstrings

The hamstrings are a group of three muscles located on the back of the thigh. They originate on the hip and pelvis and insert on the lower leg bones. This means they aid in the function of both the hip and the knee. Good strength and flexibility in these three muscles can increase performance and decrease injury and soreness. Anyone who has experienced a hamstring strain knows the level of frustration the injury can cause. What most people don't know is that weakness or inflexibility in the hamstrings can affect a number different body areas.

What does inflexibility mean?
Healthy muscles in your body have some of the same properties as a rubber band. They contract and relax as needed. When the muscle is tight or inflexible, it acts more like a string. Everyone knows that more stress can be put on a rubber band before it breaks than on a piece of string. The same philosophy is true with muscles. An inflexible muscle will strain more easily because it doesn't have as much elasticity as the flexible muscle.

What about weakness?Injury happens when the body is not able to handle the demands placed upon it. In short, this means if a muscle is weak, it can be injured through repetition or one stressful incident much more easily than if it is well conditioned. For example, if a person has been inactive for a long period of time he or she may feel very sore after a set of lunges. A person who has been training will not be sore after the same set of lunges. Along the same lines, the inactive person is at a greater risk of injury from normal training activities because his or her muscles are not capable of handling the training demands.

Hamstrings and the Lower Back
Poor flexibility in the hamstrings has been identified as a contributor to pain in the lower back. Essentially, inflexibility in the hamstrings puts stress on the hips and pelvis, where they originate. This stress can be great enough to impact the angle of the pelvis and lumbar, or lower, vertebrae. This may create muscle spasms and strain in the low back musculature. Increasing the strength and flexibility of the hamstring and lower back muscles can relieve many cases of lower back pain.

Injury Prevention
The best way to prevent injury is to stretch and strengthen your muscles. Stretching all the muscles of the hips and thighs for 15 to 30 seconds at least once per day is a good start. Stretching should ideally be done after a mild warm-up when the muscles are more elastic. When blood flow increases to the muscle, as it does with exercise, they become more pliable. Flexibility exercises can be done before and after activity, but stretching following activity is generally more productive. Stretching more than once per day is safe and may produce faster results.

Strengthening, on the other hand, should be done every other day. When a muscle is stressed through strength training activities, it sustains tiny micro tears. Strength gains occur during the 24 to 48 hours following strength training when the muscle repairs itself as it responds to the stress.

Sexy sexy legs

SEXY LEGS !!!!!! Thats what I'm aiming for *woohoooo My husband always said I got great legs but I want them super MUSCULAR ! So today was my start towards my super muscular legs.. This pic is my legs before my figure competition and as much as I love them !! I always wished they were more muscular. I was my quads POPPIN ..
So today was inclined leg presses, one legged leg presses OOWWWW, stiff leg dead lift, leg extensions ( both legs and single) seated hamstring curl and lying leg curls.. Finished with oblique twists and the ab machine. I wanted to finish with some cardio but honestly I was toast !! Cardio day tomorrow so i'll make up for it :)

HELLO ladies !!!! OMG I cant tell you how much I HATE the weather.. UGH!! rain rain and more flippin rain !!! Now I can see why people wouldnt head to the gym today cause who the hell wants to go out in this shit !! Oh trust me I lingered at home trying to blow it off as much as possible but come around 2 I finally guilted my ass into going LOL and i'm glad I went !!!! I drank my protein before hand -- wasnt the pro at eating today , nothing bad just hardly anything. Yea I know better !! I'm so glad I have my line of supplements because now I have everything right at my fingertips and NO EXCUSES !! Check us out and ask if you need any advice on what to take.. Now i'll have to tell you this is top grade shit -- the best of the best !! Its the only way I live -- AT THE TOP !!
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So today I worked Chest,tris, shoulders and calves !! I feel so good !!! The benches were full so I had to use some of the chest machines and I really hate them but I think they wore me out ??? hmmm but as soon as I saw a bench free I ran to it.. I ran like a mad woman as soon as the guy got off think i scared the crap out of him LOL I like my old gym better --- I cant get my mojo going in this one.. May switch and get a free week somewhere and see if I like better..

OK thats all I got -- Bought some chicken at Costco so gonna go figure what I'm having with it ?? hmmm veggies ? veggies ? or veggies? Yep think I'll have some veggies :)

Pattis Audition ** YAY!!!

Woohooooo I did something I would NEVER do in my life !! I auditioned for a tv show You got the Look !!! Now for those who dont know what it is --- Its a reality show with woman over 35 who live in a house together and compete to become the next model with Wilhemenia Modeling Agency.. Hell we all dreamed of being a model..?? Well I did think about it once or twice since birth but what got me to actually do it was I found the add for the Audition on craigslist and thought well hell why not ??!! I've been trying to change my way of thinking and get out of my comfort zone lately so what other way huh ??!!! LOL Do I think I'm good enough or will win ?? NO but hey who knows right ?? DId I do it for anyone else ? HELL NO ! I dont give two shits what people think I'm working on the "new" me :) This is part of self growth.. So anyways..... it was interesting to see who goes to these things and let me tell you EVERYONE goes !!! Ugly, plain, pretty, hoochies who I thought were a street walker ?? they all go!! It was fun and my daughter went with me !! She is such a great supporter !! I love her she is the best !!! xoxoxoxox

Interesting !!!!

In Northern Greenland, there is an indigenous society known as the Inuits. Among several remarkable things about this society, they continue to consume their natural ancestral diet and are known to have almost no heart disease.

Scientific interest in this observation has identified the fish oil from their ocean-water fish diet as the major factor in the superb Inuit cardiovascular health. They consume up to 60% of their calories in fat, with a major portion of that fat coming from fish oil. The fish oil contains two very important fatty constituents, called fatty acids, which are, eicosapentaenoic acid, EPA for short, and docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA. Both belong to the omega-3 family of fatty acids.

The Benefits of Fish Oils
Adequate levels of EPA and DHA are paramount to maintaining our cardiovascular system in good health. Different scientific studies on the oil of ocean-water fish have demonstrated that EPA and DHA reduce the "bad" cholesterol (the low density lipoprotein cholesterol LDL) and raise the "good" cholesterol (the high density lipoprotein HDL). These fatty acids assist in lowering blood pressure by helping to reduce arterial constriction. They also help lower blood fat, known as triglycerides, which if elevated will present significant risk for heart disease. EPA and DHA significantly reduce the risk of inappropriate blood clotting. Inappropriate blood clotting can also lead to stroke or pulmonary embolism, which can be life threatening like a heart attack.

Benefits Beyond the Heart
The focus on heart disease makes good sense since half of North American deaths are from cardiovascular disorders. Yet, EPA and DHA enhance the health of all other body systems as well. DHA is very important to the brain, retina, testes, and adrenal glands for facilitating optimal functioning. Inadequate DHA in the brain is thought to be an important contributing factor in many of its functional problems, including depression, and more recently, attention deficit disorder (ADD) has been tentatively linked with inadequate brain DHA.

EPA and DHA the Natural Way
Eating fresh ocean fish like salmon, sardines, tuna, herring, etc. at least three times per week will supply EPA and DHA in adequate amounts. However if fish or their oils do not appeal to you, you can turn to flax seed oil, a land-based source of omega-3 oil. Flax seed oil provides linolenic acid, which needs to be converted by your body into EPA and DHA. For many North Americans, the conversion is difficult because of dietary habits.

Contraindications
Fish oil or flaxseed oil will contribute to blood thinning, and this is desirable. However, if you are on blood thinning medication or using ASA frequently, check with your physician first. These oils are contra-indicated in hemophiliacs and those who have a tendency to hemorrhage.

A Recommended Amount
The recommended amount is 3 capsules of one gram each of the fish oil per day or as directed by a physician. If you're using flaxseed oil, the recommended amount is 9 grams per day with meals. Oils removed from their natural setting and processed are subject to oxidation. It is a good practice to complement your use of supplemental oils with vitamin E, which is a potent antioxidant, able to reverse oxidation of consumed oils and prevent oxidation inside the body. The recommended daily dosage is 400I.U. of natural vitamin E. If you are taking blood thinning medication speak to your physician before using vitamin E.

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www.fantacfitness.com Get ready for a healthy 2010 !!