By Chris Lim

“I’m getting old”

“I’m starting to feel my age.”

“I’m too old for that.”

Sounds familiar?

Look at this people who didn’t give up their health even over age 40.

LEFT: Darra Torres (43 years old), a mother who is still competing in Olympics; CENTER: My dad (54 years old), even before battling lymph node cancer, he already trained for body-building; RIGHT: Karl Malone (41 years old), playing high level of basketball before he retired from NBA at age 41

These people are like you and me, with career and family commitments. Still, they are committed to their health.

Erase the age excuse forever

• One thing that people fail to consider is the cumulative effect of years worth of unhealthy living.

• Is the problem that has been blocking you from achieving your training goals really your age or the years of bad eating that have finally caught up with you?

Given both are of the same age, who do you think is going to be healthier?

• The guy who has been eating fast food 5 times a week, drinking alcohols and sleeping 6 hours per day his whole life OR

• The guy who has been eating healthy, minimizing alcohol consumption, and having 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night?

TWO things to make all the difference in the world… attitude & lifestyle.

To Feel and perform your best at any age, you have to make sure you take training and nutrition seriously.

That is why we equip every client who steps into Genesis gym for Personal Training and Bootcamps with quality nutrition knowledge and effective training programs to help them maintain their health.

Sounds familiar? Do yourself a favor, Do Something RIGHT NOW.

Remember this “Don’t drag life, Live Life, Love Life”

By Malcolm Pow

Have you ever wondered why the Jamaican sprinters dominated the 2008 Olympics? Paradoxically, it could be due to their “finger ratio” known as the second-to-fourth digit ratio (2D:4D). Is your ring finger longer than your index finger? If it is, then you may have the potential to excel in sports.

The 2D:4D digit ratio is sexually dimorphic. It is affected by the prenatal exposure to testosterone and is predetermined within the 14th week of pregnancy. To calculate, you simply measure the length of index finger and ring finger of the right hand, and divide the former by the latter.

Several studies conducted by researcher, John Manning have elucidated that prenatal exposure to testosterone promotes the growth of ring finger while prenatal exposure to oestrogen promotes the growth of index finger. Digit ratio varies among ethnic groups and genders. Caucasians tend to have high 2D:4D, while black and East Asian people tend to have low 2D:4D. The average digit ratio for a Caucasian male and female is 0.98 and 1.0 respectively.

Usain Bolt (male world record holder for 100m and 200m ) is a classic exemplar of a low digit ratio. A more detailed analysis indicates that the 2D:4D ratio of Usain Bolt’s right hand could be close to 0.93 – which is quite low for an average man.

3 Snapshots of Usain Bolt's left hand: the ring finger is much longer than the index finger

Beijing 2008: the golden Jamaican 4x 100m relay spint team - Usain Bolt & Asafa Powell showing their relative long ring finger! (low 2D:4D ratio)

The best female sprinters from Jamaica also appear to have the long ring finger!

However, no need to give up sports if you have a high digit ratio. A lot still boils down to old fashion hard work. In my opinion, nothing bests a good proper training programme and a tenacity to not only achieve but also stick with it when the going gets tough.

So are you a covert superstar athlete?

Would you agree that this is a pretty average Singaporean’s daily food intake?

• Breakfast: Bread with kaya, milo
• Morning snack: Biscuits from the office pantry or a curry puff from the store down stairs
• Lunch: Cai-Fan from the food court
• Afternoon snack: More pantry food
• Late Dinner: Noodles from the food court

From hundreds of fitness bootcamp and personal training Singapore client interviews per year, these are the answers my team and I at Genesis Gym have encountered.

“Well its what everybody does” is the main reason for eating this way. That is the way an average person eats. True. But remember…

Average is not the same as normal.

This is not the way you should be eating normally for maximal health, or weight loss/fat burning results.

“But I have counted the calories, and its within my recommended daily intake”

Calorie counting is useless if you have not got the correct food type first.

That is because, food is not just calories, it is not even just nutrient content like grams of protein, fat or carbohydrates.

In fact, food is information to tell your body what to do.

The bread and kaya and Milo are high in refined carbohydrates which tell your brain to relax and fall asleep.

Breakfasts like this are part of the reason many people have poor energy in the morning, and can’t be productive at work. A better choice is a piece of meat with a few nuts.

Or at least some food with protein like Greek yoghurt, or eggs. Nuts and protein improve your concentration and memory.

The biscuits and curry puffs at snack time are usually full of refined carbohydrates (we just talked about those) and refined vegetable oils.

Those oils signal your cell walls to become more resistant to nutrients entering the cell. This not only “starves” the cell, but makes your blood sugar higher (if the nutrients can’t go into the cells, they stay in the blood), and eventually these nutrients end up storing in fat cells (which are always ready to accept them).

A much better snack choice are some nuts (healthy fats) and perhaps some veggie sticks (lots of fiber which does not raise blood sugar).

At lunch, besides the high refined carbohydrate content of white rice, the food quality is often compromised by unwashed vegetables and bad oils used in meat preperation. We have covered bad oils, and refined carbohydrates. But the unwashed vegetables in many food stalls, still contain toxins. These toxins signal your body to slow its metabolism, and store fat.

This is actually good, because if you have lots of toxins, which are mostly stored in your fat cells, it is a good idea to have them diluted (more fat!) and circulating less (lower metabolism).

However it’s not a great solution for long term health or weight loss. So ideally bring your own food to work. Or at least get some of those pre bagged veggies from the supermarket.

Finally, the late dinner signals your body to go into “digestion mode”.

That is fine for most of the day, except that your liver is heavily involved in digestion and is not able to perform it’s night time functions of detoxification and activating of hormones which repair your body, and burn fat.

This is why I suggest going to sleep slightly hungry.

As you can see, food tells your body what to do, and that means food plays a huge part in determining what your body becomes.

Quoting my mentor in nutrition and functional medicine, Dr Bob Rakowski: “The new science of nutrigenomics has proven that food is not just calories and micronutrients, it is information that drives genetic expression. All proteins – structural and enzymes are created by what we put into our body.”

That is why 1000 calories of meat, nuts and veggies is very different from 1000 calories of french fries! Make good choices and tell your body to do the right things.

Jen at Singapore Strongest Man Challenge 2011

By Jen Li Sheng

There’s a Chinese saying: 积少成多. Loosely translated, it means the accumulation of little can result in much.

I mused about this adage and how it applies, while preparing for the upcoming Strongman Challenge. I beleive it also applies to the motivation we try to give our personal training and fitness bootcamp clients.

Very often in training, we do not reap the rewards of our labor immediately. However, when the training goal is reached, the sense of satisfaction is definitely gratifying, especially when hard work and effort has been poured into the endeavor. Still, until that grand moment arrives, one is often faced with the mundane task of accumulating the “little”. Going to the gym, keeping to your diet, managing your rest and sleep. As they say, every little bit helps.

No matter what, there will be days when you deviate from accumulating the little.

Then, perhaps, life throws a curve ball at you. Work piles up. Family requires your time and attention. Or the task of reaching that training goal suddenly seems so boring or daunting, that accumulating the little loses its appeal.

For those of you hoping for a life changing solution to the above situations, sorry to disappoint. I ain’t Anthony Robbins. Everyone’s different, motivated in their own ways, and in distinct situations.

So, may I humbly offer you some different perspectives on this subject from a variety of authors.

Charles Poliquin believes that love should drive you. Do you love abs, or do you love that sugar glazed donut more?

Related to love, Nick Mitchell views his children as his source of motivation. It drives him to “be the best that (he) can be”, and to “train like a madman”. Applicable to those of you seeking to improve your health and well being for the sake of your family.

Matt Kroczaleski, champion powerlifter offers his insights on staying motivated. More applicable to the dedicated athlete.

Charles Stanley talks about intrinsic motivation, and extrinsic motivation, as well as a practical guide to measure and work towards your goals. Don’t suffer from herd mentality, even if you do join one of our bootcamps.

Zig Ziglar once said that “Motivation is like showering. The effects are not long term – but that’s why it’s recommend that you do it daily”. Whether your morale be low or high, whether it’s smooth sailing or tough, whether you feel driven or lazy, find what motivates you. Use it every day. And keep continuing to accumulate the little.

By Allison Yen

An article for the ladies, finally!

I’ve been asked pretty often by my female Personal Training and Bootcamp clients if they should train during their period. Besides being highly irritable and having an extremely high level of crankiness that all men can attest to, the other symptoms of PMS includes: lower back aches, abdominal constrictions, water retention and fatigue. Facing such discomfort makes training a physical and emotional chore for females!

So… to train or not to train?

Several studies and observations by coaches and female athletes have shown differing reports, possibly due to the numerous variables (nutritional status, fitness level, the degree of exercise, mood, etc.) of the females involved.

The effects of PMS would most definitely affect training performance. Additionally, there are higher incidents of musculoskeletal and joint injuries reported. A possible theory for this is due to the increased levels of the hormone, Relaxin, during the early phase of the menstrual cycle. Relaxin is responsible for the softening and relaxation of the ligaments in various joints. An increased in joint laxity may weaken the ability of support in the lumbar spine to withstand shearing forces.

But hey, don’t put off training yet. Testosterone peaks around ovulation and it may be beneficial to plan for peak strength training loads at this time.

Suggestions:
- Reduce the intensity and volume of training during the week before and a few days into menstruation.
- Keep a log!
Chart your exercise performance and note which are your strongest/best training days and which are your worst. It would be useful to also note down your feelings and thoughts which will help provide feedback on your emotional state of mind.
- Nutritional considerations:
Although cravings will be rampant during this time, remember that healthy nutritious food will build a healthy, lean and strong body. To optimize your body’s recovery and fuel stores, it is best to stick to your meat and vegetables and up your water intake.

Take care of your body and it will take care of you.
Till next time…!

By Tobias Kananggar

In our gym, we preach a low-carb diet for our personal training and fitness bootcamp client. One of the reasons is because of insulin. Insulin, as much as we need it, causes our cells to be aging faster if the amount is excessive.

Here is how it happens.

According to the research of Cynthia Kenyon, PhD., of University of California at San Francisco, there are 2 genes in our bodies. One is called “sweet sixteen” gene and the other is “grim reaper” gene. As the name suggests, “sweet sixteen” gene keeps our cells young while “grim reaper” gene accelerates cellular aging.

High level of insulin turns on the “grim reaper” gene. The gene soon turns off the “sweet sixteen” gene. As the result, the cellular aging process is accelerated throughout our bodies. This is the reason why diabetics often have shorter lifespan.

As our cells aged, they are more susceptible to “aging diseases”, such as osteoporosis, dementia, muscle mass loss, etc. Also, aged cells are more insulin resistance, a condition that makes it easier for us to get fat and more difficult to lose fat.

As insulin is mainly triggered by high-carb intake, low-carb diet is beneficial for us. We will feel younger, get healthier, and get leaner faster. That is why we encourage our clients to have a low-carb diet.

By Malcolm Pow

Hidden deep within all those foreign chemicals on the ingredients label of your shampoo bottle is a host of chemicals known as “Xenoestrogens”. Unlike natural estrogens, these external synthetic forms of the female hormone estrogens are very difficult for your body to dispose off, thus creating an excess of estrogens and causing havoc on your hormone function. Increased body fat is just one of the numerous symptoms of xenoestrogens to name.

Ensure you are not gaining excess body fat from your shampoo by looking out for these common xenoestrogens ingredients:

Parabens

Parabens are rampantly found in most personal care products. They imitate estrogens and are used as a preservative to give shelf life to shampoos and conditioners. There are evidences indicating a direct link between paraben exposure and low testosterone and even breast cancer. Eradicate any shampoo with an ingredient that ends with the suffix “-paraben” (e.g. methylparaben, butylparaben).

Sodium Lauryl Sulphate / Sodium Laureth Sulphate (SLS)

SLS are commonly used because they are inexpensive and are responsible for that thick lather of foam that most people are programmed to believe is responsible for cleaning their hair. Don’t fall prey to believing that you need thick suds to clean your hair. You don’t! Sulfates that enter your blood stream through your head have been linked to everything from excessive estrogen load to malformation of the eyes of the children.

Propylene Glycol and Polyethylene Glycol

These are common “organic” alcohols anti-freeze are used in everything from makeup to stain removers and as a fragrance stabilizer for shampoos and lotions. They tend to break down the structure of your cells to allow rapid absorption of the other xenoestrogens in your shampoo for a shotgun blast of female hormones straight into your bloodstream.

General rule of thumb, your shampoo shouldn’t lather up like most commercial brands since you want to stay away from the toxic foaming agents. Always read the ingredients of the shampoo before buying. Just because it says “Organic” on the front label, doesn’t mean it isn’t guilty of harboring toxic chemicals.

Now, you realize how susceptible you are to “environmental toxic”. So, it is important for you to detoxify yourself once in a while. Detoxification will make you healthier and also help you to lose fat faster.

By Chris Lim

First, what’s Carnitine? It’s a nutrient that is found in mostly red meat like beef or lamb.

What does it do then?

There’s no disagreement about what it does to the body. Carnitine is the “escort” for fat on its journey into the little “furnaces” of the cell, where it is burned for fuel. There are studies showing that supplemental Carnitine significantly increased fat loss and reduced fat gain. Thus, Carnitine is absolutely necessary to burn fat.

Here are what you should keep in mind about Carnitine.

• Carnitine works best when insulin is low because insulin blunts its action

• The main sources of Carnitine are animal-based foods. So, if you are a vegetarian, especially if you are trying to lose weight, it is important for you to take Carnitine supplement

• Carnitine lowers cortisol levels which helps you with the fat loss

• Carnitine reduces cholesterol and risk for atherosclerosis, as shown by a new research study (Kang, J., Lee, W., et al.) in the journal Food and Chemical Toxicology

• Carnitine enhances fat burning and muscle building process, as well as physical performance

It is important to take note that Carnitine alone CANNOT promote weight loss. However, in combination with proper nutrition and exercise, it WILL decrease body-fat and body weight. Its conjunction with paleo or caveman diet, which is gonna keep your insulin low, and exercise program makes a winning combination !!! That is why we strive to ensure all of our personal training and group training clients to have enough red meat intake complemented with proper nutrition plan and effective training program.

Not a red meat lover or a vegetarian? I will recommend you to get “Carnitine Synergy” supplement to help you improve your body composition in your fat-loss program. Don’t miss such benefits to improve your quality of health.

By Melvyn Yeo

Have you ever noticed the things that you tend to overeat and not overeat?

As experienced by our personal training and fitness bootcamp clients, foods that people mostly overeat without a limit have the combinations of sugar, fats and salt. In comparison, foods that people tend not to be overeat are mainly pure proteins, fats, fibers.

With advanced technology, the products do not actually have to contain a high amount of the product, as there are companies that can create a compound that gives the exact same taste. In order for sugars not to be listed as the main ingredient, there may have 3 or more types of different sugars.
The foods that tend to attract us have to appeal to multiple sensors such as visual appeal, aroma, taste and flavor, texture and mouth feel.

The reasons why certain foods hold its power over us is due to it being given a emotional value while we were young, it may have been a argument with family and having that slice of cake made the day better. This action motivates us knowing that the cake will make things better.

The anticipation of a particular reward motivates us to act and achieve anything required for that particular reward. This is due to dopamine telling us to go ahead by making us remember the pleasures we first had the particular item, as dopamine is involved in the activation aspects that cause us to look for food.

What we can do to try ending overeating is to understand why we carry such an emotional value over the foods, refuse the foods that you cannot control, create a nutritional rulebook and stick to it for a period of time and lastly limit the exposure to the item that you face the most trouble in.

Are you at risk of back pain? Many of our personal training clients start training with some kind of back issues, and we need to help them overcome back problems before they can train safely.

Note: If you have serious back conditions, personal training is the best program for you, the fitness bootcamps are better for those who have few medical complications.

Have any of you been camping? Or built a temporary shelter in the army? You know when you pitch a tent or “basha” the incredible thing is that that tent is very strong and a good tent can even survive the night on a windy mountain slope.

The secret to the strength of a tent is the poles or wires which anchor it to the ground. Without these poles or wires, the tent is just a floppy, weak, piece of fabric.

It’s the same thing with your spine. In general, my 85 year old grandmother’s spine can support about the same amount of weight as 2010 world strongest man winner Brian Shaw. Roughly the weight of a person’s head.

But why so some people get injured picking up a pencil, while others can lift hundreds of kilo’s off the floor safely?

The secret is in the strength of the muscles around the spine.

Unless you are lifting massive weights where strength matters, it is in fact the endurance of these muscles is the critical aspect of back health.

World renowned back health researcher Stewart McGill gives these following norms for core strength and stability which result in long term back health.

Next time you are doing your exercise program, give these tests a try. They are fairly easy to do and are pretty safe.

Because it is an endurance, rather than a strength test, the requirements are the same for men and women.

If you have problems holding the right position, or passing the test, its time to use these exercises as a training so you can get your back and core strong enough to support your spine well so you can have a pain free, and perfect functioning back.

Back Extension Test - Passing mark 120 sec keeping the back flat

Don't let yourself drop below this angle

Side Bridge Test – Passing mark 45 seconds. Shown is the easy version. Try the harder version with one leg and one hand in the air.

Side bridge position. You can also try with your top arm and leg in the air.

Front Bridge Test - Passing mark 75 seconds. Keep the buttocks tight and flat during this time. Not sagging down, or up in the air.

Front Bridge Position