For your convenience, here’s direct access to the Pacific Elite Fitness nutrition supplements page, the home for Ben Greenfield’s personally recommended supplements for all his clients and athletes, and now, for you too! If for any reason, you have trouble viewing this post, just surf on over to http://www.pacificfit.net/supplements.php

I am often asked what my “Top Recommended Supplements” are. Sometimes the question is vague (i.e. overall health) and sometimes it is more specific (i.e. burn fat fast). But it is probably the most common question I receive.

That’s understandable.

Ever walked in a health club, gym or supplement outlet and been hounded by what seems like eight thousand “fat loss” labels staring back at you? Or some supplement with thirty ingredients designed to “shed fat and build lean muscle”? Or an article in the newspaper that basically tells you “nothing at all works, just exercise harder”?

Having worked for over a decade with thousands of people from across the planet, I realize that everybody’s nutritional and dietary needs are vastly different. Because everybody’s body is different. BUT there are a handful of supplements (SEVEN, as a matter of fact) that I actually do recommend, across the board, for everybody. These specific supplements will ensure that your body operates at peak capacity with maximum fat burning, optimized physical performance, laser focus, enhanced mental clarity, and a bulletproof immune system.

In other words, if you were headed to a stranded desert island, these are the supplements you’d want to take along. My “Super-Seven”, if you will. Anything else is just icing on the cake. Here they are (and yes, I take them all): Read the rest of this entry »

Check these out. I ran across them at a gym yesterday. They’re from a company called “US Wellness Meats” and they run about $3.50 (half as much as you’d pay for a sandwich).

They are a combination of grass-fed beef jerky, grass-fed tallow, touch of honey, dried cherries and sea salt, which is advertised as a  “tried and true historic Native American recipe”. Each bar contains 20 grams of protein and 380 calories. And zero preservatives.

I approve. So for those you looking for a low-carb afternoon meal, there you have it.

When I am coaching people for nutritional goals, whether via phone, e-mail, or face-to-face, one of the documents that I supply is a proprietary 13 page primer on the “Top 18 Dietary Questions to Ask Yourself”.

One of these eighteen questions covers the topic of supplements…and includes the following snippet:

When choosing energy bars, look for:

-Primary carb source (at least 3g of fiber or more) from whole grains like brown rice, oats, bran, barley, rye, buckwheat or whole wheat flour.

-Natural sugars (preferably 15g or less): dried or fresh fruit, fruit juice, purees (fructose), milk (lactose), agave nectar, and honey

-Lean protein sources such as whey, soy, casein or eggs

-Monunsaturated fat supplied by nuts and seeds, nut butters or flaxseed

-Limit ingredients like wheat flakes, rice, white flour, high fructose corn syrup, sugar, dextrose, malitol, malt syrup, artificial sweeteners, preservatives and colors, saturated/trans fats, palm kernel oil, hydrogenated vegetable oil or extra calories from chocolate, caramel, frosting, or icing.

- Recommend Bumblebar, HammerBar or Larabar.

Read the rest of this entry »

Yeah, yeah, I know. You read the article that “Food X” is good for you, then 10 minutes later, you walk away and completely forget to incorporate it into your routine. But seriously, this one is so easy and commonplace that there’s no reason not to include it.

This column contribution is from my guest blogger, John Gilbert, AKA “The Metabolism Mastermind”…John usually is a regular contributor to the FREE Ben Greenfield Fitness newsletter, but I’ve decided to give you a taste of his writing here on this blog post, since I’m racing a triathlon in Chile and don’t have much time to write!

Read this article if you A) are concerned about the flu but don’t want to get “The Shot” or B) want to enhance your physical performance.

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From John Gilbert:

This time of year brings the increased potential of contracting infections of all kinds, especially the flu. However, you can increase your chances of avoiding infection through the foods you eat. This week’s article is from a study “Apples and Onions may Protect Athletes from Flu” and focuses on these preventative measures you can incorporate into your diet.

Read the rest of this entry »

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

In this December 29, 2008 podcast, I interview personal trainer, strength and conditioning coach, and health specialist Paul Eastwood about dairy products and the effect of milk on the human body. There is quite a bit of confusion about whether dairy is good for fat loss, human performance, and overall health, and Paul and I have a conversation about some important things to consider before you tip back that glass of milk or grab another serving of string cheese. Included in our discussion:

Is milk a “low glycemic index” food, and if so, is that a good thing?

How has the dairy industry changed over the past century, for better or worse?

Is raw milk even safe? How can you get it?

Are soy milk, almond milk, or rice milk good alternatives to cow milk?

What about milk from animals other than cows?

What about osteoporosis? Is that a concern for non-milk drinkers?

Read the rest of this entry »

As a personal trainer, nutritionist, and exercise physiologist, I work with many people, both face-to-face in Spokane, Washington, and also online, anywhere in the world. I help  with everything from..

…getting ready for a triathlon…

…to losing fat…

…to eating healthy and enjoying it…

…to winning a beauty pageant…

…to toning thighs and abs…

…to figuring out what the hell is going on with their body, their metabolism, and their health…

And sometimes people have unsuccessfully tried many, many other methods. You must watch this video to see an extreme example of someone who has tried EVERYTHING:

Here are some pictures that she sent:

So can I help her?

In December of 2008, this 32 year old stay-at-home mom signed up for training (through my online training website Pacific Elite Fitness). Within 48 hours after she had signed up, I had collected a series of online questionnaires about her health and exercise history, conducted a video conference between me in Spokane, Washington and her in San Diego, California, and sent her the first set of exercise and dietary recommendations.

Read the rest of this entry »

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

In this week’s Podcast Episode #23, I host a roundtable with personal trainers Mark Cavallaro and Jolene Wilkinson. During this episode, we talk about very practical and easy ways to maintain fat loss and fitness during the holidays and Thanksgiving. If you’re trying to lose fat or get fitter during the holiday season, you won’t want to miss this episode, which includes:

-The top five fattiest foods and perfect substitutions

-Smart strategies straight from top trainers at Pacific Elite Fitness

-How to make food less likely to get stored as fat

-Tricks for staying motivated to exercise

-Ways to make “Holes in Your Calendar” for fitness

Also included in this podcast is an answer to the following listener question:

I listened to podcast #21 where you gave your 1-2-3 secret to fast fat burning and basically, you advocated 20-30 min @ 60% MHR an on empty stomach.  My question is that I work out 5x a week at an hour each morning – 2-3 times full body weight training and 2-3 times high intensity cardio at 85-95% HR or interval training. To increase my fat burning potential, how do I use this slower, steady cardio technique?  Should I continue with my current workout program and then tack on an extra 30 min of steady cardio?

Read the rest of this entry »

Imagine if you showed up to a personal trainer, but instead of just a simple and basic exercise or diet routine, you had access to:

-Exercise metabolic testing to determine your exact caloric needs, fat burning and maximum fitness response heart rates, and unique biochemical and nutrient utilization profile.

-Body composition, dynamic range-of-motion and fitness testing to identify structural imbalances, assess your personal fitness levels, and customize a program to your body.

-Detailed workout calendar and nutritional plans, with daily instructions for every aspect of your program – fitness, diet and lifestyle!

-Unlimited phone and e-mail access to a physiologist, nutritionist and metabolic expert.

-Full access to any necessary medical testing procedures, including comprehensive blood metabolic profiles, thyroid screening, hormone analysis, and biomechanical evaluation.

Read the rest of this entry »