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| Date | 2007-07-24 |
| Location |  |
| Message | Hi Jeff, I really loved your interview (radio and TV), the articles on fat burners and your article called, “the 10 diet commandments”. All your work is fantastic and has been extremely beneficial to me. Your website has also been very helpful, packed with lots of great information, and great pictures too!! I would like to ask you a question if you would not mind. I'm interested in taking Clenbuterol. I was advised a few years ago that girls shouldn't take it. They were talking about the injectable form at that stage, but now I see there is a tablet form. Thanks very much for your time ands all your information! Enjoy your holiday! Lisa Jeff's Response Lisa, Thank you for such nice complements. It is great to see that my website and articles continue to have such a strong presence across the pond in Europe and especially in the United Kingdom! Since I am not sure how much you may already know about Clenbuterol, I will take a few moments to discuss a little about the compound for you. Clenbuterol is not a steroid hormone but a beta-2-symphatomimetic. Clenbuterol is used worldwide for the treatment of allergic respiratory disease in horses as it is a bronchodilator. Note: Clenbuterol is not legally available in the US, and as such many use the vet versions or import it from around the world for use as a diet and weight training aid. A common trade name for Clenbuterol is Ventipulmin. Clenbuterol can be used both orally and intravenously. Although Clenbuterol is used worldwide for the treatment of allergic respiratory disease in horses, and occasionally in some countries as such for humans, it is more commonly used by humans as a non-steroidal anabolic and metabolism accelerator, through a mechanism not well understood. Its ability to induce a greater proportion of muscle to fat makes its illegal use throughout the world, especially in the US popular. Clenbuterol is used by many people today (not just bodybuilders) not just to lose weight but for its alleged strong anti-catabolic effect (i.e., decreases the rate at which protein is reduced in the muscle cell)to spare muscle while dieting. Its popularity today is due to the expectation that Clenbuterol can increase muscle mass, although not necessarily bulk, reduce body fat and mean quicker recovery times from workouts. Users report that they give a mental boost, mainly through sexual confidence and an improved body image. The primary use however is its distinct fat-burning effect. Clenbuterol burns fat without dieting because it increases the body temperature slightly, forcing the body to burn fat for this process. Due to the higher body temperature Clenbuterol magnifies the effect of dieting, weight lose fitness training and the effects of anabolic/androgenic steroids when taken simultaneously, especially since the protein processing is increased. As far as the health risks are concerned (see my other articles at jeffbehar.com and other responses in the guest book) the health risks to women are similar to the risks to men (i.e., restlessness, palpitations, tremor (involuntary trembling of fingers), headache, increased perspiration, insomnia, possible muscle spasms, increased blood pres-sure, and nausea, etc. The jury is still out on the actual effects of long-term Clenbuterol intake on performance, strength and overall health. To determine some of Clenbuterol's actions, scientists at the University of Melbourne in Australia recently gave Clenbuterol to laboratory rats at dosages of 2 milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day. Some of the rats followed a completely sedentary lifestyle, while others sprinted on treadmills or engaged in endurance swim training. Clenbuterol did have a couple of potentially positive effects: Sedentary rats which ingested Clenbuterol had larger muscles than Clenbuterol-free, sedentary rodents, and Clenbuterol users also transformed leg-muscle cells from slow-twitch to fast-twitch fibers, a surprising change which would tend to increase anaerobic energy production and magnify muscle power during short, intense exertions. The Australian study also yielded some very negative changes. (1) After just 30 days the Clenbuterol-treated rats were unable to maintain their normal swimming or running training intensities, while clean rodents were quite capable of continuing. (2)The hearts of the Clenbuterol-taking, trained rats increased dramatically in size compared to the hearts of sedentary rats (Could there be a heart risk to humans? (3)The study seemed to demonstrate that the heart expansion was probably due to the infiltration of collagen fibers into the heart walls, not an increase in heart-muscle cells. This is an important point because collagen, a tough connective tissue doesn't augment heart-muscle power but in fact stiffens the heart, and can lead to a decrease in cardiac output. Increases in collagen may also produce cardiac arrhythmias. (4)The study also noted that the Clenbuterol fed rats suffered from cardiac-cell degeneration. on the positive side although sedentary, Clenbuterol-treated rats were more muscular than Clenbuterol-free, sedentary rats. Bottom line however, is the study results still leave questions regarding the safety of Clenbuterol and in spite of its popularity, the study also puts into question the positive effects for either the power or endurance athlete, or even long term for a serious bodybuilder. Additionally, the pill form is not necessarily safer for a female, vs. the injectable form. The reason the injectable form often resulted in many more problems, was the inability of many to properly administer (and sometimes convert the dose, resulting in over dosages by some. Clenbuterol may pose no health issues for many people, but for a select few, the side effects could be risky. Therefore, my suggestion to many is to avoid the unnecessary risk, especially when you can lose fat the natural way.....which is through building muscle, proper dieting, use of legal supplements, and proper nutritional timing. Best Regards, Jeff Behar |
Private Message added 2007-07-22 |
| Date | 2007-07-13 |
| Location |  |
| Message | Jeff, Thank you for providing such valuable information through your website. I love your site. I came your site and your articles over and over gain throughout the web. You seem to be unbiased and very knowledgeable so I wanted to pick your brain. My brother and I are trying to incorporate a higher amount of protein in our diet to help build muscle and to help fill us up for diet. I know that whey protein (or any dairy-based protein) is harsh on the body...so I was trying to look for an alternative without jeopardizing the quality of protein. I found something called "rice protein" which seems to have an enormous amount of protein in it (12g per 1 tbsp) but I can't seem to find anything comparing the quality of rice protein vs. whey protein. I figured if anyone knew, it would be you. If you have the time, can you let me know if you have any data on rice protein? Thank you for your time!!! Jamie 
Jeff's Response Hi Jamie. Thank you so much for writing. Your question is a good question. There are a lot of areas to cover regarding protein, but I will try to limit my answer to your inquiry in regards to rice protein vs. whey protein. In order to do that however, I would like to clear up some common misconceptions about milk proteins such as whey protein. Milk protein is not harsh on the body as many are led to believe. Babies thrive on it. Yes there are a small select few who do have allergic reactions (the lactose intolerant) but most people thrive on milk proteins. As far as plant proteins go, plant proteins have also at times gotten a bad rap. Plant proteins do have a place in the diet. In fact, some plant foods can provide an abundance of some amino acids in greater quantities than whey and other favored high protein kow fat animal proteins. In regards to your specific inquiries about rice proteins.... >Rice protein can be a good protein and if combined carefully with other specific protein, can be sufficient to provide 100% of our quantitative protein needs. It provides 265% of the adult male requirement for lysine and 266% of that for isoleucine. (It provides 400% or more of all of the others.). Other positive attributes about rice proteins: Rice protein is strong in tryptophan, methionine, and valine. Rice proteins are very easy on the stomach, and have even been used for gavage feeding (tube feeding) of infants, the elderly and the severely ill. There are many other properties to rice protein that make it a highly popular addition to many diets. For instance: Both vegans and vegetarians can eat rice with no worries about violating their choices. Another major selling point for rice protein is the fact that it's hypo-allergenic for most people. in addition to being hypo-allergenic and vegan, rice protein also adds fiber which is great for digestion and it also works to keep cholesterol down. Rice proteins are also good tasting and has a mild flavor similar to that of Cream of Rice cereal. Rice protein, like other sources of protein may be used in beverages, sprinkled on cereals and yogurt, and added to cooked dishes to boost the protein content without adding fat or a lot of calories. Rice protein can be calorie light, at about 58 calories per tablespoon (or 15 gram serving), however this will depend on how it is manufactured so that the protein is isolated from the carbohydrate portion of the rice. Here are some other important points to know if you choose to rely on rice protein as a major staple of your diet: Rice protein has a much lower utilization rate than egg and milk proteins (and several animal proteins as well). Rice protein is weak in isoleucine and lysine; important proteins for many processes in the body, which is why it is often combined with beans in a meal, to supplement this weak nutritional area. Many manufacturers claim that after their processing that the end result is a complete protein that includes 19 amino acids including all 9 essential amino acids. Note: in most cases this is not true, however there are companies that chemically process the rice to achieve the separation from the carbs, and also fortify the protein. One thing to also keep in mind if you decide to incorporate more plant proteins into your diet, such as rice protein, is to make sure that the label states that it's non-GMO (Genetically Modified Organism). Some large crop producers treat their plants so that they'll be resistant to heavy pesticides that could kill them. Your best choice is to consume products made from organic rice... that means grown with no chemicals. Now to address the protein superiority question you posed. Rice protein is NOT in any way shape or form other than the allergic issue I discussed earlier) superior to milk proteins for bodybuilders, or most people in fact. If you look at most measures of protein quality such as the commonly used Protein Efficiency Ratio (PER); a measure of actual protein available for the body to use (the percentage of the protein digested by the body) rice protein scores only 2.75 on a scale of 0-4. Egg is the reference point having the best PER with the highest rating of 3.99. Milk protein is second with 3.45, soy actually rates last with a PER of 2.32. ----- This means more is needed to get the results desired, often with a higher caloric intake as a result. Even with the “negatives” I discussed regarding rice proteins they can still be a good addition to the diet. Rice protein can be a suitable alternative for use for those allergic to milk proteins, and vegans if used in conjunction with other proteins so that all essential amino acids are consumed in needed concentrations. Rice protein also offers a vegan alternative to soy, without the animal products of whey. Rice protein is actually utilized more efficiently by the body than soy (even though it is NOT a better protein than whey or casein!). What's great about rice protein is that in combination with other ingredients the utlization scores can be raised significantly. In fact, In terms of food, combining rice with milk raises the PDCAAS to 0.92, close to perfect. With peas or beans it jumps up to a complete protein; 1.0. So in conclusion remember that milk protein is not harsh on the body. Babies thrive on it. It is only a problem for the few people who can be allergic to it (such as lactose intolerant individuals). So do not skip the milk proteins if you are not allergic to it, but it is also OK to embrace the rice protein as a small percentage of your protein needs, especially if you utilize proper food combining techniques to get all the essential amino acids into your diet. I hope I answered all your questions and that you find the information I provided today useful. Best Regards, Jeff Behar |
| Date | 2007-07-05 |
| Location | |
| Message | Jeff, Thank you for your advice and information placed on your website. I have been able to utilize a lot of the information in my own workouts. Thank you again sir and good luck in your future aspirations. Jeff's Response Brian you are most welcome and thank youfor the kind comments. Stay clan and stay strong! God Bless!!! |
| Date | 2007-07-03 |
| Location | |
| Message | your site is awesome ! brought back lots of good memories from back in "da day ". Heard about it from your friend Adam who i see down here in Stafford Twsp. at retro Fitness. Keep it going. Take care.. MP
Jeff's Response Mike!!!!!!!!!!!! It is great to hear from you! How long has it bem, 22 years? If you did not already knoe, you were always strong inspiration for me back in "da day" at the Apollo in Highland Park, NJ. where I caught the bodybuilding bug. Things are good here in Sunny LA, except I just had rotator cuff, and torn bicep surgery (on left side). I will need to do the right side after I rehab the left (Maybe over New Years). So, what are you up to these days. Law enforcement? I do miss NJ at times; expecially the friends left behind. Have a great Summer at the great NJ Shore, and lets stay in touch. Also please tell tell the A-Man (Adam) that I said hello as well. Best Regards, Jeff Best Regards, Jeff |
| Date | 2007-07-03 |
| Location | |
| Message | My name is Steve. I am 31 years old and I am from the LA area. I am writing you because I am in serious trouble. I managed to learn through a personal trainer about weight cycling, carbohydrate tapering, zig-zag dieting, carb tapering, insulin control etc. and achieved a descent percent body fat w/lean mass w/out the use of steroids, creatine, etc. HOWEVER, I decided to take it to an extreme overexerting my body when I was not instructed to do so. Now my percent body fat is way up and I am eating just 1500 calories. I have all the symptoms of OVERTRAINING! My body fat percentage is over 30%. Before over training I was 14%, lean and muscular. I've been feeling this for months and recently met a body builder who said my body was severely over trained. He told me to change my regimen to a higher caloric value and told me to perform only 1 set of 8-11reps of weight 3x's a week along w/4 days of cardio. As light as that workout is I am still burned out w/just 2 weeks of training. I took even more time off. Now I am now just down to doing cardio three days a week for 30 minutes and I am still over trained. I got blood work done galore!! thyroid, Cortisol, Testosterone and the DR. says no problems. Jeff if you could help me out here I will be in debt w/you for the rest of my life." My metabolism is wrecked!! Thank you so much!!! Jeff's Response Steve, From the email you sent me you have told me that you have been on a 1500 kcal diet for over a 1 and 1/2 yrs. This is far too low of a calories diet for someone your age that is training and trying to build muscle. Making matters worse you have not been cycling your calories (see jeffbehar.com). You mentioned that you consume 158 grams of protein on weight training days and 118 grams on off days. You should be consuming 1.5 to 2.0 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight daily (30-40 grams every 2 approximately every 3 hours). You do not need to lower this on days you do not weight train. There are many illnesses that have the same symptoms as over training. Health problems rarely occur in isolation or for obvious reasons. For this reason instead of simply guessing at what might be wrong, get the blood work done and have it reviewed by an endocrinologist. Blood panels can be tricky for some general physicians and they may not know what to really look for besides the basics. By having a specialist looking at your blood panels you can narrow done what is really going on inside your body based on the many clues it is giving. From what you have described regarding how little you have been training, there has to be other underlying causes for your condition. So, since your blood work was done a while ago (per your email to me) I would suggest getting a new panel done immediately. Especially since you have essentially stopped training and things have yet to improve for you. A blood panel is always appropriate when you are not feeling up to speed before you start assuming things and making too drastic of an adjustment in your regiment. A new blood panel should have been done a long time ago since you state that you have been battling these symptoms for a very long time. BUN, SGPT, SGPOT, iron counts, CBC counts, etc. all needs to be checked. CBC stands for complete blood count and is a measure of both your white blood cells (WBC's) and red blood cells (RBC's). RBC's are the most common type of blood cell and are responsible for transporting oxygen throughout the body. A low count, which is called anemia can cause some of your symptoms. Its important to get a complete blood panel because low numbers in RBCs may also indicate bone marrow failure, leukemia, and external or internal bleeding (hemorrhage.) The other part of the CBC is the analysis of the number and type of white blood cells. A high WBC is termed leukocytosis. Inflammation, infection, leukemia, or other cancers can cause an elevated WBC count. A low WBC count is called leucopenia. A virus, an immunosuppressive disease, or a problem with the bone marrow can cause it. These different types all have unique functions in the normal processes of the body. Changes in the amounts of these different types, whether or not the WBC count is normal, high, or low, also gives the doctor important information. A high neutrophil count can indicate infection, certain types of cancer, arthritis, or physical stress to the body, such as surgery, trauma or a heart attack. A low lymphocyte count can be a symptom of AIDS. A high monocyte count can indicate infection, often by bacteria. a high eosinophil count can indicate allergies, certain skin diseases, or parasitic infection. Immature white blood cells of any type can indicate bacterial infection or leukemia. In addition to the red and white blood cells the blood also contains platelets. Platelets are the cell fragments essential for the process of blood clotting. A CBC will give you a read on your platelet count as well. A normal platelet count is 150 to 450 thousand platelets per microliter of blood. A low platelet count is called thrombocytopenia, which may occur as a result of cancer treatment, certain leukemias, certain other types of cancer, or immune thrombocytopenic purpura. Note: Immune thrombocytopenic purpura is a disorder of the blood in which platelet counts are abnormally low. I have been pushing you to get a complete Chem Panel because there is a lot of useful information that such a panel can provide, if the right test are ordered. For instance: The BUN (blood urea nitrogen) test is critical in diagnosing kidney problems, and can also provide information in regards to the general health of the body by measuring values such as protein, glucose, and calcium and other chemical substances that are released from various tissues in the body. The amounts of these chemicals in the blood may reflect abnormalities in the tissues secreting them. The liver panel is also another important test as it is used to detect, evaluate, and monitor liver disease or damage. It usually consists of seven tests that are run at the same time on a blood sample. These include: Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) – an enzyme mainly found in the liver; the best test for detecting hepititus. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) – an enzyme related to the bile ducts; often increased when they are blocked. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) – an enzyme found in the liver and a few other places, particularly the heart and other muscles in the body. Two different tests of bilirubin often used together: total bilirubin measures all the bilirubin in the blood; direct bilirubin measures a form that is conjugated (combined with another compound) in the liver . Albumin measures the main protein made by the liver and tells whether or not the liver is making an adequate amount of this protein. Total protein measures albumin and all other proteins in blood, including antibodies made to help fight off infections. Other tests that could be requested along with the liver panel are gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), lactic acid dehydrogenase (LDH), and prothrombin time (PT). Hopefully I have convinced you regarding the importance of blood panels for helping to discovere the root cause of your health issues. The main reason the blood panels are so important because the body is a complex system and as such there can be so many variables causing you to reach the same conclusion often associated with over training. To illustrate this point I want to give you an example of an indirect cause that can create symptoms that can mimic over training (remember this is just for illustrative purposes only; I am not diagnosing you here). Instead of being over trained, there can be other culprits that might only be uncovered through a through blood screen. Say your blood panel reveals a fibrinogen level was 500 (ref range 180-310) and your Prothrombin Fragment 1+2 was 2.5 (ref range 0.4-1.1). This situation could result in your body to rid pathogens slowly. Obviously that would not be a good thing. If your blood panel came back showing such numbers what that would tell the trained eye that the blood is too thick and clots too fast. This could result in trhe body notr getting the nutrients it needs, and as a result could negativelky impact the body in a variety of ways. Rememmber this is just one example where a CBC could provide information to use (or discount) that could help identify what is causing you to have the symptoms you have described to me. As you can see it is not as easy as 1-2-3. A blood panel can help give a clearer picture of your health. It helps identify if a system is not working or is affected. It also helps eliminate causes as well (like a slow thyroid, or diabetes). The first time you stated that your blood work was fine. Well if that happens again, then you need tpo focus in on your stress levels and get a stress test done. Also this may surprise you, but you can experience stress that can harm your body, without even realizing yopu are under stress. How you may ask? There have been studies showing individuals who experience chronic, muscle tension below the level of conscious awareness, which actually limits blood supply, to important parts of the body, including the brain. This can lead to less oxygen and nutrient uptake, which obviously would affect one's heat. It could also affect sleep patterns and restrict important EM sleep. There have been many studies regarding a condition commonly called the fight or flight effect. What this refers to is when the body responds to a real or perceived trauma in such a way that it induces this fight/flight response in the body. How the body can respond (even subconsciously) is quite amazing. The coccyx turns in to pull on the spinal cord to center it within the spinal canal for protection. The lateral pterygoid muscles tighten to help stabilize the cranial vault to protect the brain. Blood supply is diverted from the intestines to the muscles to prepare for battle. Upper trapezius muscles tighten to protect the neck, and so forth and so on. During a Fight or Flight response standpoint the body can also produce chemical substances called "hormones" as a protective response. These hormones, such as adrenaline, are released into the bloodstream and are pumped throughout the entire body. They increase the tone in the muscles, preparing a person to jump into motion. They raise the heart rate, so that blood flows more rapidly throughout the tissues. They signal respiration to become more rapid, so that an ample amount of oxygen is available to supply the entire body in a crisis. They even increase the speed of thoughts, helping individuals to plan and to think their way out of trouble. These physical and psychological changes are helpful when people are actually threatened by danger, but they are not so helpful if people experience them all day, every day (like working in a very stressful environment). So, if the body gets "stuck" in this survival mode (even on a subconscious level) this is not good. If this occurs, people become tired, anxious and/or depressed. Such a physical response is often termed by many to be called "BRACING". This term is often used today to describe when all muscles stay contracted to a certain extent 24 hours a day, even when asleep). When this happens the muscles work against and can prevent you from getting REM sleep. It can also affect people far worse. The muscle tension can cause motions that grind the joint surfaces together harder than normal and aggravate the wear and tear of the joint surfaces. It can result in lethargy, pain, and cause pressure in the Synovial fluid leading to arthritis as well. Bracing also depletes muscle glycogen which can result in you feeling weak and overtired In fact, when one is bracing, and you have no muscle glycogen in reserve you will feel very tired and weak. When one has been doing bracing for a long time, even the liver glycogen becomes depleted, and then this will result in chronic fatigue symptoms. How can you tell if you ever experience any "bracing"? Here is a simple test....If you can "drop your shoulders", you are then "holding them up". Your shoulders are designed to hang from your shoulder girdle and they should not be "hiked up" at all. How much they are raised is direct measurements of how much fight or flight readiness you are holding in your hypothalamus. A second measure of the fight or flight is how "ready" you. Basically how long it takes for you to raise your shoulders. It probably did not take very long for your shoulder tension to return, did it? This chronic muscle tension is what is referred to as "bracing". Most people have some sort of it in today's stressful society. The important point here is bracing can alter how the hypothalamus functions and is a major cause of many of the chronic conditions in this country today. This is why for many people, yoga, meditation and message "work miracles" for them, and why I am suggesting to you work on relaxation techniques as part of your recovery process, in addition to getting the blood work done, and then evaluated by a skilled professional. While you are getting your blood work done, and evaluated by a specialist I would also suggest the following: Adopt a testosterone-enhancing diet. Eat a balanced diet rich in vegetables and an adequate supply of both protein and healthy fats. Eat a significant amount of green, leafy and cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower and kale. These vegetables contain phytochemicals, which are essential for healthy hormone production. Limit excessive carbohydrate intake, especially of simple sugars and starches (breads, cereals, pasta and potatoes). High carbohydrate intake can create a rapid rise in blood sugar, creating excess levels of insulin and cortisol—two hormones that work against testosterone and diminish its production. Do not misunderstand me though...too little carbohydrate intake can be problematic on your energy levels. Consider keeping carbs to 30-40% of calories. Make sure you eat enough protein and fat. Why do you need the good fat? The brain needs it, as do a lot of other key processes in the body. In fact all male hormones, are made from fats. When fats become deficient in the diet, testosterone levels decline. You want to avoid trans-fats sand instead consume essential fats such as those found in cold-water fish, walnuts, pumpkin seeds and flaxseed, however, are a dietary necessity and should be eaten on a regular basis. Flaxseed is good because not only does it contain an abundance of omega 3 EFA, it contains lignans, a phytoestrogen, which mimic estriol, the healthy estrogen and displaces the more dangerous estrogens from the receptors for metabolization. Eat small frequent well-balanced meals each day. These will help you maintain steady blood sugars and eliminate unnecessary stress hormone release. Both should help alleviate some of the over training feelings. Ifg you are healthy, daily physical activity is a must. The lack of physical activity as well as excessive physical activity (over training) will result in decreased levels of testosterone. Train your training regimin. I always suggest high intensity short duration training with 4 days recovery time per body part Realize this approach is important because high levels of testosterone are needed to ensure muscle growth and repair, without it, you will feel over trained, lethargic. Note: The reason you do not want to stop exercising all together because exercise affects testosterone directly by stimulating the pituitary gland and the testes. The duration, intensity and frequency of exercise will determine the circulating levels of testosterone. Note: Testosterone levels increase most with short intense bursts of activity which is the way I train and is also conducive to not over training as well. Studies show that exercise will elevate testosterone for about 45 minutes but after an hour, the effects become negative and levels begin to rapidly fall. Therefore start training in a manner that promotes testosterone production. To maximize your testosterone response to exercise and to avoid over training: Strength train no more than forty-five minutes per session, and no more than t 3-4 times a week. Avoid aerobic exercise (other than a brief warm up) during strength training sessions. If you feel like you want to exercise or train more, split sessions are recommended (BUT NOT WHILE YOU STILL FEEL OVER TRAINED). To ensure adequate nutrients for the body to produce testosterone and its more potent cousin, dihydrotestosterone, supplement your diet daily with the following vitamins, mineral and nutrients. Vitamin A: 25,000 IU Vitamin E: 400 IU daily. Once you start to train again (and start S-L-O-W-L-Y and take an extra 400 IU prior to a workout to reduce free radical stress on the pituitary gland . Also take 2 grams of Vitamin C daily, minimum. Note: To reduce post-workout increases in the stress hormone cortisol, take an extra 3 grams prior to a workout. Vitamin B Complex: 100mg Zinc 50mg Boron: 3mg Selenium: 200mcg Other tips to keep your testosterone levels higher: Eliminate all medications that are unnecessary for immediate health. Many commonly prescribed drugs affect liver function and testosterone conversion. They include NSAIDS (like ibuprofen), acetaminophen, aspirin, the "statin" class of cholesterol lowering drugs, some heart and blood pressure medications, and some anti-depressants. Try to get eight hours of sleep nightly. Increase your stress resistance. Stress is a frequent cause of decreased testosterone levels. Chronic stress not only interferes with testosterone function, muscle building and strength, it causes premature aging and contributes to the onset of cardiovascular disease. Get at least one hour of exposure to sunlight daily,. Testosterone raises and falls with the seasons and sunlight is essential for the natural yearly rhythm in the body and to keep you on a good sleep pattern. Remember GH is produced once you hit the pillow. I would also suggest increaseing your calories. Furthermore I would refrain from the cardio for a bit and instead use that time for some stress buster activity such as meditation, yoga, massage or anything that you find relaxing. This should help decrease your stress and cortisol levels which will inturn help set you on the right track (when cortisol levels are high you will store more body fat and not build muscle). Bottom line: Get your blood work so certain things can be ruled out then a proper approach can be developed. Stay in touch and let me know how things are going for you. Best Regards, Jeff Behar |
| Date | 2007-06-28 |
| Location | |
| Message | Hello Jeff!! How are you? I am 21 years old. I am 5'7 and currently weight 210lbs. I played football and was very active for most of my teenage years, however lately in the past 2 years I have let my body go and have become what I always dreaded, and that’s overweight. I am a bulky guy, who always had the nice muscle mass, but my weight easily fluctuates. After having a back injury last year it has been hard for me to go to the gym and lift the way I used to. I am trying to focus on cardio exercise to bring my body fat weight down. Over the past couple weeks I started going back to the gym, where I will do an hour of cardio. I alternate from bicycling and doing the elliptical machine. My caloric intake is around 1000 calories a day. I recently read one of your many articles that you have published and was most interested in the article that discussed cardio exercise and weight loss. Do you think that If I do an hour of cardio a day with that caloric intake, and I'm burning around 400 calories a workout, that I will be successful in going from 210 pounds to around 180 pounds with a much lower body fat percentage? Thank you in advance for your time and assistance. Joe 
Jeff's Response Joe, Thanks for the kind words. I have no doubts that at your age we can get you back to lean mean fighting shape, but there are many changes that will need to be done, as your current approach is not the best approach to get back into the shape you desire and stay there. First off. Your total calories are too low. 1000 calories a day is much too low for a 21-year male, who is working out. You need to raise your calories and make sure you are eating enough good quality low fat protein (around 5 meals of 40 grams a piece. Your calories will need to be raised so that you can up your metabolic rate for the long hall and also have enough nutrition to build muscle. Building muscle should be your ultimate goal, because that will be the primary mechanism that will keep you lean for the long haul. I will need to explain the reasoning here some other time. In regards to upping your calories....that is the first step. The next important step to keep your metabolism from slowing (and preventing you from getting leaner) is to cycle your Calories. Before you can do this you will need to know exactly how many calories you eat daily. You need to keep a food log (see jeffbehar.com for more on this). The purpose of knowing your calories and them cycling them (2500 day 1, 2000 day 2, 1000 day 3 etc.) is to keep the average you desire to burn calories while also confusing your body so that it will not lower its metabolic rate. By cycling your calories you also will enable your thyroid hormone levels as well many other important hormones, which help increase muscle mass, maintain metabolism and burn fat from declining. For instance, leptin and hormone-sensitive lipase, an enzyme that helps banish body fat will also drop when calories drop. GH, and IGF-1, hormones that supports muscle growth, retention and repair also declines with prolonged dieting. In addition to raising your calories and cycling the total calories daily you will need to start eating small meals every 2 to 3 hours. Eating this way keeps the metabolism moving and prevents the storage of fat through overeating. You will also maximize muscle development (if training hard) and have less body fat than you would if eating the same number of calories per day over fewer meals.> Besides good lean protein and good low glcemic , I would suggest adding good fibrous vegetables to your daily your diet. This is a healthy approach and will also help keep you feeling full. Good choices of fibrous veggies include broccoli, cauliflower, squash, zucchini, cabbage and spinach. Since you are trying to lean out, limit the starchy vegetables, such as corn, peas and carrots and emphasize the fibrous vegetables. You can also consider adding fiber supplements because they will delays the entry of carbohydrates into the intestines which in turn will help control blood insulin levels which is important in burning fat, increasing GH/IGF-1 and controlling energy levels. Some other nutrition suggestions for you.... When You Are Hungry, Eat Protein First. Protein exerts a greater appetite-quelling effect than carbohydrates alone or, a then combination of carbohydrates and protein. Protein also has thermogenic properties. Protein can suppress your appetite. Emphasize milk and casein products--compared to other proteins, these sources provide a higher amount of glycomacropeptide, which is known to help reduce appetite. Always eat a small amount of goof carb with your protein to increase transport and utilization. Eating protein with carbs will also slow down the digestion and resulting g insulin spike as well. This is a good thing (except right after training when simples cabs and a spike is ok). Read my article on jeffbehar.com about all the benefits of protein while dieting and more about the importance of building muscle to get lean. Avoid Carbohydrates Only Meals. A meal comprising only carbohydrates will leave the stomach quickly, leading you to be hungry sooner than if you had eaten a meal that contained other macronutrients like protein and fats. By combining carbs with protein and fats a higher glycemic index will actually drop. So the glycemic index is not the most important factor and can be misleading. Carb only meals also cause hunger, which causes binging and overeating. So, NEVER have carb only meals while trying to diet and get lean. Now other tips I will give you some real advice that works so you can get lean...but realize it will go against what a lot of people will tell you (they do not know better that is all). 1. Emphasize Weight Training over cardio. Limit the Cardio if you want to be lean and mean. Too much cardio impedes recovery, burns nutrition needed to build muscle. The first step to getting lean and mean is to start raising your metabolic rate, not just limiting calories. Limiting calories will ultimately cause your metabolic rate to fall (Body goes to survival mode) and you will not maintain muscle and stay lean. Bottom line: the more muscle you hold, the more elevated your metabolic rate will be. To gain muscle you need to eat well, rest well, and maintain intensity in the gym. Also please understand that too much cardio can raise cortisol levels which will lower testosterone, increases the use of amino acids (diverting it away from muscles tissue), increased the use of muscle tissue as fuel(catabolism) inhibits fat burning, and limits recovery; resulting in increased fat storage. My suggestion: do not do more than three 45-minute sessions of low intensity (60-65% max heart rate) cardio per week. Make sure you get protein in before the session and immediately after. 2. Train Correctly. Proper form is essential to ensure that the muscle gets worked properly, receives the most intensity, and so your muscles, joint structures and connective tissues are not put at risk. Getting the most out of each rep is also important. Raising and lowering the weight in a deliberate, controlled manner perform a quality rep. There are advantages to lifting a weight in a rapid, explosive fashion, but an experienced well-trained body builder should only perform this. This type of explosive training is not advised for beginners, as the law of physics may prevail. It can expose your muscles, joint structures and connective tissue to potentially dangerous forces, which magnify the likelihood of an injury while strength training. Additionally, if done incorrectly, it introduces momentum into the movement, which will decrease the intensity. For most exercises and in most circumstances lifting a weight in about 1 to 2 seconds and lowering it every 3 to 4 seconds to the starting/stretched position will guarantee that you're exercising in a safe, efficient manner. Beginners should decrease rest time between sets rather than increase the velocity of the movement. 3. Train with intensity at all times in the gym, then get out! What I mean by the word “intensity” is simply the degree or amount of fatigue made to your muscle at any given instant. In the weight room, there are many ways to increase intensity. Failure to reach a desirable level of intensity--or muscular fatigue--will result in little or no gains in strength or muscular size. However, training with high intensity without proper rest and nutrition can also result in little or no gains in strength or muscular size due to over training. The key for developing lean muscle mass and increasing strength is to find the proper balance. The first key factor to ensure proper effective intensity in the gym is to be mentally focused. You should want to be in the gym. You should have a clear road map of what you want to accomplish for the day in the gym. You should perform each rep and each set like your life depended on it (while maintaining good proper form). Intensity, as I defined it above, can be increased by: · Adding weight to the exercise · Decreasing rest between reps and between sets · Decreasing rest between sets · Increasing the total number of reps with the same weight · Increasing the total number of sets per exercise · Increasing the number of exercises per body part · Increasing the frequency of training sessions · Increasing the speed of the movement. · Increasing the amount of eccentric work your muscles are required to perform. Challenging your muscles in this manner will force them to adapt to the imposed demands (or stress). Do not make the common mistake of over training and under training at the same time. To develop an optimal amount of lean muscle, while also keeping the metabolic rate high I subscribe to the theory of training with a minimal amount of recovery time between exercises. By performing high intense workouts this way, it is very difficult to use poundage’s that will damage joints and connective tissues. It will also elicit a metabolic conditioning effect that cannot be approached by traditional high volume multiple set programs. 4. Get in and out! Your workouts in moist cases should be complete within 45- 60 (no more than 45 for arms, calves, shoulders) minutes for intense workouts. If you are training with a high level of intensity you literally cannot exercise for a longer period of time without running a risk of injury or over training. In all likelihood, you probably could have operated at a higher level of intensity (such as more reps or heavier poundage’s) if you have more “gas” left after an hour of intense high intensity training. Additionally for an intense workout, work you muscles from the largest muscles to the smallest muscles. This will allow you to use maximum weight and not reach “unproductive failure” early. 5. Your recovery (rest) between body parts is also key to developing muscle, which in turn is key to increasing your resting metabolic rate metabolic rate, and your ultimate level of leanness. A period of about 48 to 72 hours is necessary for muscle tissue to recover sufficiently from a strength workout. A period of at least 48 hours is also required to replenish your depleted carbohydrate stores. failure to give your body proper recovery time will limit gains. Additionally hitting a body part more than 2 times a week can also cause problems and gradually become counterproductive due to a catabolic effect if there is not enough recovery time. The formula is simple: when the demands you have placed on your muscles have exceeded you recovery ability. you will no longer continue making gains. Now what I am saying here should not be considered written in stone sometimes 48-72 hours will be sufficient for recovery, sometimes it will not be. There are many variables: rest, nutrition, muscle size (larger muscles like legs and back take longer to recover than smaller ones), age (the older you get, the longer it takes to recover). I hope my advice proves helpful. Write back and let e know. best of luck. Best Regards, Jeff Behar |
| Date | 2007-06-27 |
| Location | |
| Message | Hi, Jeff My name is Kim I read your article on clenbuterol. You seem to be more knowledgeable than most, and selflessly willing to provide straight and accurate info to people who need the help so they do not hurt themselves. With that being said I wanted to ask your advice regarding taking clen and preparing for my first fitness show. I am 20 years old and live in Lexington, KY I have been taking clen for about a week now. my contest is in 9 weeks. I was wondering, what is the best way to cycle clenbuterol and T3 to get the best results? Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thank you! PS: I love your site and you are an inspiration to me!!! Jeff's Response Thank you so much for the kind compliments. As you know I rather you train without the extra help, but if you are going to do it anyway, I do feel it is important to provide you with the best information possible so you do not hurt yourself. With that being said.... Here is my standard warning though. I am serious about it. Are you ready??? Using clen, and other products, especially thyroid products can cause negative effects on your health and should not b done without the approval and close supervision of a competent medical professional. Now, with that being said, to answer your questions....As you are probably aware, most clenbuterol users will do a 3 week on 3 week off cycle, pyramiding their dosages gradually because the body quickly adapts to clen and after 2 or 3 weeks it will not provide that fat burning edge you are seeking. A typical pyramid cycle of clenbuterol would look like this (dosages are in mcg per day): 40/40/40/60/60/60/80/80/80/100/100/100/80/80/80/60/60/60/40/40/40 mcg day. Your contest is in 9 weeks. You want to stay on the clen and cycle it with a t3 agent. As you may already be aware your body acclimates quickly to clenbuterol use. Typically in 2 to 3 weeks. At that point you will not make many fat burning gains. This occurs because of down regulation of the beta 2s receptors. What most people do to make this possible is they stack the clen with Ketotifen, an anti-histamine that inhibits the down regulation of the beta receptors, including the beta 2s that clenbuterol stimulates. The inhibition would allow you to extend your clen cycle from 2 to 3 weeks indefinitely. Using Ketotifen will also allow you to use less clenbuterol to get the same benefits because its utilization will not be inhibited (From what I have heard you can expect to be able to reduce the amount of clenbuterol needed by about 35% less to get the same effect). Now to answer your question about using aT3 substance with Clen..... If you are hell bent on the idea of such a stack the best way to use the two together would be to " shift " the cycles so that the cycles will not completely overlap. What I mean by "shifting the cycles" is simply start the cytomel a few weeks after the clen so as not to match the low doses with the low and the high doses with the high. Remember using hormonal agents can be dangerous to your health and there can be side effects., as well as lasting effects. A safer, more natural stack with the clen would be to use standardized yohimbine Hcl (not the raw yohimbine), or ma haung, epehedra etc. I have heard that 30 mg per day of yohimbine hcl taken in the morning with the clenbuterol has been effective for many. Br> It has been reported that this method can inhibit the actions of noradrenaline by reducing receptor affinity, which will result in better results using the clen. in fact, the use of standardized yohimbine Hcl has also been shown to extend the length of action of clenbuterol for a few hours, and may also to extend the fat burning aspects of clenbuterol from 2-3 weeks to 4 - 6 weeks, so perhaps using Kettoifen and stacking with yohimbine hcl will do the trick and allow you to refrain from adding cytomel (T3), which poses more risks? So, whatever your choices please do it with care, and with the proper supervision. If there is any way I can convince you to do it my way....the natural way...let me know. It may take longer, but it is safer, and it can be done if you are willing to commit to it. Best of Luck in Tricky's show. I haven't seen Tricky since we did the Team Universe togetherness. Please say hello to him for me. Jeff Behar |
Private Message added 2007-06-21 |
| Date | 2007-06-14 |
| Location |  |
| Message | Hi, My name is Sherry. I just wanted to say I think you have an awesome website!!! In fact, aAll of your articles are so VERY informative....My favorite article is the 10 diet commandments!! I am writing you because I would like to ask you for some advice. I've been working out for a while now but I've become more serious about it in the past two years and whenever anyone asks me questions about nutrition and training I always direct them to your site! Everything they need to get started is right here!!! I understand that you do not take any anabolic drugs or enhancers such as clenbuterol but I do know that you have a vast knowledge regarding supplements used in the bodybuilding and fitness industry and I would hope that although you do not endorse the use of RX drugs that you could possibly provide me with some guidance regarding the use of clenbuterol. I have tried to gain as much knowledge as I could by reading the many articles but I still have questions. I can see that you have been kind enough to help many others in my situation so I was hoping I could tap your vast expertise with a multi-part question. I bought some clenbuterol (ventipulmin - the veterinary stuff for horses) in a pump bottle. I couldn't get the tablet form.....so my questions are:
Sherry Jeff's Response Beautiful Sherry, thank you for the compliment and thank you for the pictures you sent. :) Regarding your questions. Although I have never taken this substance, I can share with you what I know. Clenbuterol (klen-bute’-eh-roll) Clenbuterol is a steroid-like chemical, sold as an asthma medication in Europe and as a veterinary medication in North America (to alleviate asthma symptoms in horses by relaxing the muscles in the airways). Clenbuterol is often mistaken as a steroid because of its illicit use. But it its not a steroid. Clenbuterol has never been approved for use in the United States and there are a number of reasons, such as: Clenbuterol is a potent stimulant and thermogenic drug (with some similarities to ephedrine). Clenbuterol has a long half-life, remaining active in the body for up to 36 hours which can increase the likelihood of serious side effects. Note: The current leading beta-2 agonist drug sold in the U.S. for asthma treatment has a half life of only about six hours, making its use safer. Clenbuterol down regulates beta receptors which means its only effective for short periods of time. These are the primary reasons Clenbuterol is not available for use in the US. So why is there still such a demand for the product that forces people to use foreign or veterinary products? Here are just a few reasons: Studies have shown that clenbuterol can increases lean muscle mass by increasing the number of T4 receptors in Type 2 muscle cells. Clenbuterol can also increase aerobic capacity and oxygen transportation. Clenbuterol can increase the speed at which protein and fat is used in the body. Clenbuterol can slow down the storage of glycogen….all good things. Clenbuterol can reduce fat deposits by increasing brown fat thermogenesis Although Clenbuterol is considered safe by many if you choose to use Clenbuterol it is important to understand that there are risks associated with its use. Even the veterinarian products have products warnings regarding the use of clenbuterol. Like the product warnings for the human formulations human version there are similar warnings for the vet products as well such as not using the if there is any suspect cardiovascular impairment, or if pregnant. The veterinarian products also clearly state that the product is not intended for human use…although many people do use it. Although many consider clenbuterol safe, and many people have used it safely that does not mean everyone using it will not experience side effects. Common side effects associated with clenbuterol use that have been reported include:
Also based upon the possible symptoms that you may experience you may feel hot, possibly jittery and may have insomnia while on clenbuterol. For this reason I would suggest taking your clenbuterol upon waking with no additional dosages after the afternoon hours. In fact the best time is 30 minutes before training. Because muscular cramping is a fairly common side effect (probably due to depletion of the amino acid taurine in the liver together with deficits in the electrolytes sodium and potassium, as well as inadequate hydration) you need to be very cognizant of the situation. Why? Because this situation can put a lot of stress on the heart muscle. Remember taurine has protective properties of the heart, such as modulating the calcium levels that keep heart rhythm stable, therefore to alleviate muscle cramping and to decrease the chance of heat muscle damage I would suggest supplementing with extra taurine which may helps stabilize cell membranes, prevent nerves from becoming overexcited, and potentially help relieve painful muscle cramps. To alleviate some of these potential issues I would recommend that you increase your water intake, as well as your potassium. Increasing your water intake is always a good thing anyway, especially when you are dieting, exercising more, and replacing carbs and fats with protein while dieting. Regarding supplementation, consider 5 grams of taurine supplementation after training, and 200-400mg of extra potassium throughout the day with an additional 200 mg before bed on an empty stomach. One other warning, because clenbuterol is a drug, it will put some stress on your liver as well. If you plan on taking clenbuterol with any other drug, I would also advise you to have your liver values checked by a physician at regular points in time (in addition to keeping your blood pressure monitored as well). Now to answer your question regarding what dosages of ventipulmin you would take. I can share with you what most people do, but it is important to recognize that everyone reacts differently. What may work for someone may not work for someone else. What may be safe for one person may not be safe for another. With that being said, most clenbuterol users will do a 3-week on 3 week off cycle, pyramiding their dosages gradually. A typical pyramid cycle of clenbuterol would look like this (dosages are in mcg per day): 40/40/40/60/60/60/80/80/80/100/100/100/80/80/80/60/60/60/40/40/40 mcg day. Note: Daily dosages over 150mcg should NEVER be used. If you intend on using Ventipulmin that contains 16 mcg per ml of product the cycle above would look something like this: 3ml/3ml/3ml/4ml/4ml/5ml/5ml/5ml/5ml/6ml/6ml/6ml/5ml/5ml/5ml/4ml/4ml/4ml/3ml/3ml/3ml per day. Now, remember the body is a smart machine and acclimates to clenbuterol use fairly quickly. Therefore, to have your cycle be most effective you should use it for no more than 3 weeks at a time, with approximately the same amount of time off because the body will otherwise quickly adapt to the clenbuterol and you will not get the effect that you are looking for. If your intent is to want to increase the effect, and possible increase the length of time you are using clenbuterol, there are ways to do this. For fat-burning goals clenbuterol is often stacked with another fat-burning agent for quick effect, or alternated with another fat-burning agent by people who need to stay lean on a year-round basis. Most people will use a form of thyroid typical cytomel (T3) and less typically synthroid. If clenbuterol is used together with one of these other substances the best way is to shift the cycles so that the cycles will not completely overlap. What I mean by this is you would start them alternatively so as not to match the low doses with the low and the high doses with the high. If these hormones are used they should be used carefully so you do not screw up your endocrine system. A good stacking agent to consider that will not add to the bad side effects (as opposed to ma haung, hand other things) would be the standardized yohimbine Hcl (not the raw yohimbine). Stacking 30 mg per day with the clenbuterol can yield good results as it can inhibit the actions of noradrenaline by reducing receptor affinity (a good thing). The use of standardized yohimbine Hcl has also been shown to extend the length of action of clenbuterol for a few hours, so you get a better effect, and thus betters results. Because standardized yohimbine Hcl has a half-life time of about 36 hours one daily dose in the morning will be enough. IU have also seen in the literature that by stacking with yohimbine Hcl it may be possible to extend the fat burning aspects of clenbuterol from 2-3 weeks to 4 - 6 weeks. Each person is different, but know that adding standardized yohimbine Hcl to your stack will definitely increase your success. Just make sure you use a good product. There are also other ways bodybuilders try to increase the effectiveness of clenbuterol for its fat burning properties. Many also employ the use of Ketotifen, an anti-histamine. Ketotifen not to be confused with the cat tranquilizer ketamine, is used medically to treat bronchial asthma and allergies. Ketotifen blocks the action of histamine on special histamine receptors and reduces the nerve response when an allergic reaction occurs. Bodybuilders have started to use it when using clenbuterol because its use has shown to inhibit the down regulation of the beta-receptors, including the beta 2s that clenbuterol stimulates. The inhibition allows clenbuterol to be taken indefinitely without having to cycle off to regenerate the receptors. What it also means is that you won't need as much clenbuterol to get the same benefits. It has been said that you may be able to reduce the amount of clenbuterol needed by about 35% less to get the same effect. Literature suggests that dosages of 2-3mg daily can up regulate even severely shut down receptors within a week. Ketotifen should be used with care because it is an antihistamine, it will have all the potential side effects associated with antihistamine, including potential acute drowsiness—not exactly conducive to intense training, so plan accordingly if you plan on taking Ketotifen. I hope this information proves useful to you regarding the choices you make. You are already beautiful in my eyes based on the pics you sent me, so if there is anyway I can dissuade you from going in this direction contact me. I have many tools in my arsenal to get people in the shape that they want without having to go this route. You know how to reach me. Jeff Behar |
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