Is The Alpha Male Extinct?

Listen to my FitTalk Interview with Rick Collins - Is The Alpha Male Extinct?

Alpha Male Challenge
co-author Rick Collins

www.alphamalechallenge.com

Men, are you a true Alpha Male? Ladies, is your husband/boyfriend a true Alpha Male or, if you’re single, are you looking for an Alpha Male? Is the Alpha Male extinct?

What does this mean? In America today, men are fatter, sicker, more stressed, and less rested than ever before. Too many men have slipped from “alpha” to “beta,” and average testosterone levels are dropping at an alarming rate. In other words, American men are losing their masculinity.

Alpha Male Challenge is a revolutionary 10-week transformation program designed to not only rapidly build muscle and lose body fat, but to build a better man, inside and out. This is a straightforward instruction manual to build the kind of man these hard times demand: ruggedly powerful and supremely confident; traditionally manly but with modern enlightenment. Not just a guy whose muscles look heroic, but one who feels heroic.

I had the opportunity to talk with Rick Collins, co-author of The Alpha Male Challenge about what a True Alpha Male is and how you can BE a true Alpha Male.

Rick is a celebrated personality in the bodybuilding, fitness and nutritional supplements industry. He has degrees in psychology and law and is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (National Strength and Conditioning Association).

He is monthly legal columnist for the internationally circulated Muscular Development magazine and a member of the Editorial Advisory Board of Muscle & Fitness magazine, is a principal in the New York law firm of Collins, McDonald & Gann, P.C, and legal advisor to the International Federation of Body Builders and the International Society of Sports Nutrition.

I enjoyed reading the Alpha Male Challenge, and, as a self-proclaimed Alpha Female and Fitness Professional, I know that this book is written by guys, for guys, but I’ve got to admit, I just couldn’t help taking the Alpha Male Challenge myself and I am enjoying the workouts and seeing great results. There is some great information in this book that I can certainly use with the male clients I work with. The workouts in this book are clearly designed with men in mind, and anyone, any age can do the challenge. The book is meant to inspire people, men In particular, to improve themselves.

The title of chapter 1 is called “The Decline and Fall of Manliness”. According the the authors, James Villepigue and Rick Collins, men have changed culturally over the years. Rick said on my show that guys are in a state of confusion as to masculine excellence is all about with the reign of the “metro-sexual”. The fundamental qualities of what make men “manly” were getting confused.

Not only are men losing their manliness sociologically, but physiologically as well. There was a study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metaboliosm in January 2007 which provided evidence of a new physiological de-masculinization of the modern man. The study compared testosterone levels of three generations of men in the 80’s, 90’s and new decade and the news was quite troubling. Their study found that of the age-matched subjects, the men in the 80’s had higher average testosterone levels than the men of the 90’s, and the men of the new century have on average the LEAST testosterone of all. Simply put, testosterone levels are going down.

Testosterone is not just about your libido

Testosterone is a more than a hormone that makes men manly. Testosterone influences psychological factors such as mood, memory, libido, assertiveness and confidence. It also affects physiological factors such as cholesterol levels, blood sugar which means equates to body fat and obesity.

Sociologically, our male hero’s have evolved over the years. Back in the day, John Wayne and Robert Mitchum epitomized the true Alpha Male, The 80’s had Sylvester Stallone (Rambo) and Arnold Schwarzenegger as our action hero’s. Today, there really isn’t a truly “manly” American movie star and Johnny Depp certainly is not what I would call an Alpha Male.

According to Rick, there clearly is a cultural and physical downward spiral of manliness which inspired the writing of this book.

The authors developed a system for you to find out what your current Alpha Factor number is with the AlphaMale Scale™. At the end of the 10 weeks, you will revisit The AlphaMale Scale™ and discover that your Alpha number went up. You can quickly the express version of the AlphaMale Scale™ by visiting: http://alphamalechallenge.com/male_scale.php

The Alpha Male Challenge is not just a diet and exercise program, but a plan, a blueprint, that has a psychological aspect to it to “bring manly back”.

Alpha Attitude

One of the key aspects to the Alpha Male Challenge is “Alpha Attitude”. It’s what makes a guy a hero. What makes him his best. What makes him a leader. Alpha Attitude are inner innate qualities that can be developed. The book covers the “4 C’s” – Confidence, Courage, Commitment and Conscience.

Alpha Archicture

The book as 27 workouts that are all different and should not keep you in the gym longer than an hour. The workouts are fun and challenging and designed for different fitness levels. The exercise can be done at home or in the gym. Alpha Architecture is the part of the book that provides you with what I call a true “game plan”, so that when you walk into the gym, you know exactly what your goals are making your workouts more efficient. The workouts designed in “Alpha Waves”. A specific result will be achieved in each wave such as increasing endurance, lean muscle, increased strength and explosive power. In each wave you are building up for the next wave and continuing to improve on the benefits of the previous wave.

Work Heart, Play Heart

Another part of building your Alpha Architecture is a program the writers created called Work Heart, Play Heart. This is a cardiovascular system that does not require endless hours on a treadmill. Instead, you earn points making simple beneficial choices such as taking the stairs over the elevator or parking at the far end of the parking lot rather than finding the closest parking spot to the door.

Alpha Fuel

Alpha Fuel covers the nutrition portion of the book and I can tell you that the foods aren’t weird and that no, you won’t be on a diet of rabbit food, tofu and soy. You are eating NORMAL food, however, you will be more conscious of the foods you eating consuming QUALITY calories that are nutrient rich. You will be eating less processed foods, more sources of lean proteins, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats. The book also has some great recipes that are quick and easy to make.


To help further simplify things, there is the “Handshake Diet” taking all the guess work out of portion control by measuring a portion with the size of your hand and supplementing your diet with a whey protein shake which is a quick, easy, convenient way of ensuring you’re getting your daily protein intake which is essential for building lean, healthy, fat burning, muscle.

The Alpha Male Challenge is a call to action for men. It is designed men to become healthier, fitter and just, better.

If you’re on Facebook, search Alpha Male Challenge and join their Fan Page www.facebook.com/pages/Alpha-Male-Challenge or visit the website www.alphamalechallenge.com

Order your copy of the book today

Tom Venuto Reveals the Big Fat Lies in Weight Loss and Fitness

Listen to my FitTalk Interview with Tom Venuto

Big Fat Lies in Weight Loss

Tom Venuto - Author Burn the Fat and

The Body Fat Solution

Part 1 of a 2 Part Blog

FitTalk had the opportunity to interview Tom Venuto about the Big Fat Lies in Weight Loss and Fitness. What do I mean by that? Time and time again you’ve tried the latest diet, or took a weight loss supplement that promised to give you the body of your dreams, bought the latest exercise gadget as seen on TV that promised to deliver 6 pack abs and got little or no results and you end up feeling frustrated and unmotivated.

Tom Venuto exposes the biggest scams, cover-ups, lies, myths and deceptions in the diet, supplement, fitness and weight loss industries known as the Big Fat Lies which is a free mini e-course he offers on his Burn the Fat site. It is these Big Fat Lies that have been sabotaging your weight loss goals.

Burn The Fat is a Fat Loss Program geared towards people with Weight Loss Goals. The program is designed to help overweight people clear the misconceptions regarding Weight Loss and teach then the best Weight Loss diet, exercise and mind techniques and help people lose weight while sparing muscle.

So, what are some of the Big Fat Lies? Well, the media certainly has no shortage of them. An article published in Time Magazine which caused a lot of controversy in the health and fitness industry, is a great example of Tom's Big Fat Lie #3 - “The Magazine Lie”.

"In general, you tend to trust what you see printed in the magazines, just as you tend to trust the information you hear on the evening news and read in the daily newspapers. The news media and most magazines have mega-credibility. Most people automatically assume - consciously and unconsciously - that if it's in print or on the news, then it must be true".- Tom Venuto

This article also ties in to Fat Loss Lie #9 – “Exercise is not necessary – all you need is a diet”. AKA the ‘ol Diet vs. Exercise debate. The article in question is called "Why Exercise Won't Make You Thin." People who read this will think that the information in this article is true and accurate because it is in TIME magazine. As Tom explained it, "the issue here is what's more important, diet or exercise? To answer that, you need to create a caloric. You can create a caloric deficit with just diet alone or through exercise, expending more calories than you consume."

Dieting alone is 50% of the equation. Yes, you can lose weight with just dieting. Tom provided a great explanation of the The Diet vs. Exercise debate. "If person "a" burned 1,000 calories with a combination of weight training and cardio, and person "b" didn't do any training and just cut calories, are the results going to be the same? Will persons "a" and "b" health be the same? Will their body compositions be the same? No. The training group will always come out better all the time. 


No amount of dieting can ever make you stronger, only training can do that. No amount of dieting will ever make you more physically conditioned or build lean muscle. Only training can do that. Yes, you can lose weight with just dieting, but if you are able bodied, dieting alone is the worst way to lose weight."

Tom and I also talked about the pros and cons of the popular TV show, The Biggest Loser. While it does have several positive aspects, it does have some negative aspects giving people an unrealistic view of how much weight someone can lose in a week. Tom suggests you draw your inspiration from it, not your education.

Another one of the Big Fat Lies we discussed is Fat Loss Lie #12 - "It takes just minutes a day". What we mean by that is when you see or hear the ads for

"2 MINUTE ABS" - "A FEW MINUTES IN THE MORNING!" -

"THE ONE WORKOUT A WEEK FITNESS REVOLUTION!"

"CHANGE YOUR BODY IN 30 MINUTES A WEEK"

"It used to be the big corporations touting ads and infomercials promising you weight loss miracles in just minutes a day. There now seems to be an increase of Fitness Professionals looking for sales making these types of claims. What they're doing is making these ultra condensed workouts saying they're superior to conventional workouts. Some may have crossed the line with integrity by selling quick fixes." According to Tom, it's all about finding the right balance between intensity and duration. For example, if you are in the gym for an hour and not really working out intensely, you're not going to achieve the same results as someone who may be doing an intense 30 minute workout.

“Big Fat Lie #1 – The Starvation Diet” is something I think most of us are victims of. I know I was once upon a time ago. I know I have clients that are victims of this lie – and it’s not just the women who are guilty of this. Men are equally victims of this lie just as much as women are. We were all taught to believe that if you want to lose weight, simply keep your mouth shut. The truth is that most of us aren’t consuming enough calories and the calories we are consuming aren’t the right calories.

There is that fine line between an optimal "caloric deficit" and simply going overboard and not consume enough enough calories, which is "starvation" which can cause confusion. Starvation diets are done for instant gratification to lose weight faster. Most people fail on starvation diets and according to Tom, "they will make you fatter in the long run. It is difficult to stay on these diets. Hunger/food is the most primal drive and your body will start to crave what it doesn't have, causing you to binge, rebound and give up."

"A diet is as good as your ability to stay on it and as effective as your ability to keep the fat off afterwards." - Tom Venuto

The Burn the Fat program is based on burn more, eat more. You have a caloric deficit, but what if you stay active doing two types of training - weight lifting and cardio - with high level of calorie burn - let's you take in more fuel and still have a caloric deficit at a higher level energy expenditure.

Another one of the 12 Big Fat Lies we talked about is Fat Loss Lie #10 – “Fat loss can be Quick and permanent” which is a lie you see advertised almost daily.

"Lose 30 pounds In 30 Days!"

"Lose 9 Pounds Every 11 Days!"

Lose 10 Pounds This Weekend!

We have become a society that has become accustomed to instant gratification and think that the same concept applies to the human body. Everyone wants a quick, easy fix and if there was a quick, easy fix, someone would be a multi millionaire and weight loss would no longer be an issue. But that’s not the case.

Here's how Tom explains it. "When it comes to weight loss, it is critical that you understand body composition which is the difference between body weight and body fat. You body weight isn't the whole picture. There is a difference between losing water weight, muscle tissue and body fat. You want to distinguish what the weight loss consists of.

You can take a body fat test with a body fat caliper or a body fat scale you can use at home, a DEXA scan, or hydrostatic test. Check your weight and body fat once a week and write it down on a progress chart and don't obsess over the short term fluctuations, but more on the long term results.

You also need to set realistic goals. Double digit numbers that you see on TV are unrealistic. It is more realistic and to lose 1-2 pounds per week keeping a caloric deficit.

Tom’s Burn the Fat is a really great program and I learned a lot from it when I went through my initial body transformation. If you want to see all 12 Big Fat Lies in his free mini e-course, or get more information about Burn The Fat, all you need to do is Click Here!

Tom and I continued our conversation about his newest book, The Body Fat Solution which you can read about in Part 2 of this blog: Tom Venuto and the Body Fat Solution.

Your Burning Nutrition Questions.....ANSWERED!!!

Your Burning Nutrition Questions.....ANSWERED!!!

click on the blog talk radio logo to hear my interview with Marie Spano

Marie Spano
Sports Nutritionist
http://www.mariespano.com/

The ONE topic most people have questions about is nutrition. Yes, it is VERY confusing. How do you know what’s good for you, what’s not good for you, how much is too much, or not enough? There’s always some new diet craze going on and which one should you choose? Low Carb diets, low fat, no fat, etc. There are foods that are advertised as being healthy but really aren’t.

I interviewed Marie Spano and asked her to answer the most commonly asked nutrition questions. Marie Spano, is an M.S., RD, FISSN, who holds a B.S. in Exercise and Sport Science from the University of North Carolina, Greensboro and an M.S. in Foods and Nutrition from the University of Georgia. She is also the current VP of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.

Protein/Meal Replacement Bars
The one topic that garners the most questions is nutrition. It can be such a minefield of conflicting information and makes it hard for someone to separate fact from fiction. Take for instance, protein bars/meal replacement bars. They are everywhere. I don’t advise my clients not to make a habit of eating them. On the rare occasion I have one, I feel bloated and horrible for hours on end after eating one. Marie had recently made a comment in one of her articles about IBD in which she referred to The South Beach Living Bar. “One South Beach Living bar full of sugar alcohols and I'd qualify for IBS if I could even make it out of the house to see the physician.” Here’s a great example of something that is marketed as being good and healthy for you and really isn’t. A lot of those bars are full of sugar alcohols which can be worse than sugar. I asked Marie to give me the low down on sugar alcholos.

Sugar Alcohols are in a lot of “Low Carb” foods. They are a type of carbohydrate that is not fully digested in the gastro intestinal track. According to Marie, the healthy bacteria that lives in the stomach feeds off sugar alcohol and this is where the gas, bloating and stomach distention comes in. When buying bars, check the ingredients for sugar alcohols or make sure there’s only a few grams in them. You want to find a bar that is high in protein and contains no more than 5 grams or no sugar alcohols. Marie recommends VPX Bars.

VPX Zero Impact Bars, Box Of 12, Chocolate Peanut Butter

Products that are labeled low carb will be higher in other ingredients to help make it more palatable such as sodium, hidden fats or sugar alcohols. It’s always best to read the labels but your best rule of thumb is to stick to whole real grains such as 100% whole wheat tortilla wraps, breads, pasta, etc. rather than purchasing the low carb version.

Caloric Intake
A common mistake people make is that they tend to not eat the RIGHT calories let alone ENOUGH calories. People are afraid to eat, i.e, we were programmed that if you want to lose weight, keep your mouth shut, or people get so busy that they forget to eat. What happens is that your body stores fat instead of burning fat and you wind up reaching for the wrong foods. How does a person know how many calories they should be eating to make sure they are consuming enough calories throughout the day? Marie recommends the Harris Benedict Equation. My simple recommendation is to take your body weight x 12 divided by 6 for progressive fat loss. This formula will tell you approximately how many calories per day you should be consuming and how many calories per meal (6 meals per day). There are also several nutritional sites which can help you track your meals and caloric intake. Marie has The Daily Plate as a recommended site http://www.thedailyplate.com/.

Children and Nutrition
With regard to children, a lot of them are diagnosed with ADD and other “behavioral” type problems. The American diet is pitiful and children are exposed to way too much sugar in their diet with soft drinks, fruit juices, sugary snacks, sugary breakfasts such as Pop Tarts and Fruit Loops Cereal and the list goes on and on. Knowing what these foods do to the insulin levels of adults, imagine what they do to children. I asked Marie if what a lot of what children are being fed is causing behavioral problems and what food alternatives do you suggest a parent can shop for that their children will like and is quick, easy and convenient? There are studies showing that some foods can increase behavioral problems in some children. Some great grab and go snacks that parents can buy for kids are string cheese, whole grain crackers (provided they are sugar free and contain no trans fats), baby carrots, fruit (seedless grapes are great!) bottled water, and now, products such as Silk Soy Milk and other milk products come in small shelf stable packaging which is a great alternative so the sugary juice boxes.

Nutrition over 40
As we age, our metabolism slows down, our digestive systems become more sensitive, our bones become more brittle and we lose bone density. Another part of the aging process is that we lose muscle mass and there tends to be a decrease in fitness activities. For those over the age of 40, what adjustments, if any, should be made to diet? Are there more foods we should be eating and less of other types of food? Marie and I both recommend that you should be engaging in an exercise program that does include strength training/weight bearing exercises to protect your lean muscle and bone density. You diet should contain lean protein sources such as egg whites, fatty fish high in Omega 3 or Fish Oil Supplements, chicken, whey or soy protein and foods rich in Calcium and Vitamin D.

Snacks before bed
It’s OK to have a snack before bed, however, you don’t want to eat a full meal and then go to bed an hour later. Recommended night time snacks would be a whey or soy protein shake, low fat/low sugar yogurt, low fat cottage cheese or cereal that contains no or low sugar and partially hydrogenated oils.


If you would like more information on this topic, Marie and I recommend the following books:

Your Health, Fitness and The Laws of Attraction

Your Health, Fitness and the Law of Attraction

Click on the Blog Talk Radio Logo to listen to the interview

Bob Doyle
Creator & Facilitator of the
Wealth Beyond Reason Program
Featured Teacher in the Movie “The Secret”
People are under a lot of stress these days and are not sleeping well, they are smoking and drinking more, eating more, and exercising less. They feel as if life is spiraling out of control.

The world is a crazy place and we are all being inundated with negativity these days through the media. Every day all you hear about is the economic crisis, job layoffs, government bailouts of huge corporations, rising gas prices, and home foreclosures. Perhaps you may or may not be one of the hundreds of thousands of people affected by these events. The news and the current times are scary, depressing and stressful and these events can put you as an individual into a negative vibration where you will be attracting negativity into your life.

I interviewed Mr. Bob Doyle, who is the creator and facilitator of the Wealth Beyond Reason Program. The Wealth Beyond Reason program is an in-depth, on line curriculum of the Law of Attraction. His work gained the attention of the producer's of the movie "The Secret" which has touched millions of lives around the world, and continues to do so with it's message of the Law of Attraction.

Bob is a veteran broadcaster, and had also spent some time in the fitness industry, but is better known for his real passion, the Law of Attraction, and helping people to realize its full potential in their lives, no matter what their starting point or current beliefs may be. I spoke to Bob about the Laws of Attraction and how it comes into play with health, fitness and wellness.

For those who have never heard of the movie “The Secret” and are not aware of what The Laws of Attraction are, I asked Bob to give an explanation of what it is. “The Law of Attraction explains how energy works. We are energy made up of atoms and electrons that are in the Universe and there are certain rules that energy follow and energy follows the Law of Attraction. Energy vibrates at a certain frequency and we as humans are vibrating at a frequency. When we are in resonance with another vibration, we attract it. With regard to the study of the Law of Attraction, it’s all about how we get into vibrational resonance with the things we want such as money, cars, health, fitness, relationships, careers, etc. Essentially, we are attracting all aspects of our life and that includes health and fitness.”

You really need to get “clear” and let go of all limiting beliefs which causes resistance. Your Temple, the precious human body, and it’s health, fitness and wellness is at the core or center of getting clear within yourself of what your passion and or purpose is. If your health, fitness and wellness are not up to par, it becomes difficult to get “clear” of what it is you want and attract the things you want.

Poor health or self image makes it hard to feel positive about things because you feel so bad physically and emotionally. If you are lethargic all the time, feeling unmotivated or unproductive because your energy levels are low, it makes it hard to focus and concentrate on the things you really want. If you look at yourself in the mirror and are not happy with the image you see, it affects your self-confidence making you feel you are unworthy of things. Your mind is cluttered with negativity.

Exercise releases “endorphins” which is a chemical in the brain that is responsible for putting you in a positive mood. It’s almost as if you’ve taken a “happy” pill. Another chemical that is released from exercise is Serotonin which helps combat depression.

Shifting your mindset
One of the keys to weight loss is your mindset. If you use the concept of the Laws of Attraction and shift your vibration, you will have much better weight loss success. Remember, mind and body connect. If you can see it in your mind and feel it emotionally, you will BE the person you want to be.

According to Bob, “This is where we get into the visualization mindset of the Laws of Attraction. If you visualize yourself as a healthy, fit, person, you WILL BECOME that person. If you stay stuck in the mindset and see yourself as a fat person who will never be thin, “this is the way I am, this is the way it has been and this is the way it will always be”, then that’s the way you will be. “When you have that mindset and you have that thought process over and over again, it can transcend whatever action you take, and according to the Law of Attraction, that is what you are going to attract more of. Even if you go to the gym every day and improve your diet and keep telling yourself “I don’t deserve to be thin, fit. I’m fat, blah, blah, blah, that is going to be your reality because you are RESISTING a fit, tone, healthy, body. You can’t get into vibrational resonance with health if your inner conversation with yourself is “It’s too hard, I don’t deserve it, etc.” When you change your inner conversation, you’ll logically start marking different choices and migrate to better foods and want to exercise more.”

The foods you eat can impact the way you feel. Foods that are processed and are high in sodium and fats can make you feel sluggish and bloated or can cause heartburn or indigestion in some cases turning us into “couch potatoes”. When you start to feel bad physically, in turn, you feel bad emotionally and mentally, which again, does not put you in a positive frequency. There are simple things you can do such as reaching for an apple instead of chips.

Getting started isn’t easy, but once you get started, you’ll start to feel better. You’re not going to see results overnight, but mentally you will start to feel better and if you are feeling better mentally, that will put you in a positive vibration. It doesn’t have to be anything complicated. The simple act of getting outside and walking or running is a good starting point or doing simple bodyweight exercises that require no equipment. I know when I’m exercising, it’s almost like a form of meditation for me and I start getting inspired thought which gets me clear and focused on what I want.

When you start feeling better physically and emotionally, you start to feel better mentally. You are more confident, happy, energetic, and people are drawn to that “feel good” energy. You are able to get “clear” of the things you really want making it easier to attract the things you want through the people you interact with and take inspired action. Aaahhhh, inspired action. How refreshing. Actually doing something about what you want as opposed to just talking about it. Not living your life as a “what if”. And it all started with something as simple as taking care of YOUR Temple, your precious human body.

Here are some links and information about Bob Doyle, The Law of Attraction, and some of the programs and products he offers.

The Boundless Living Challenge is one of the biggest success stories, changing more lives in a concentrated time than any other undertaking - and it's FREE to participate in!!!! Click here to view the video about it.

To learn more about the infamous Wealth Beyond Reason program, click here to view the video about it.


There are so many Law of Attraction DVD's out there. I really like Bob's. It's so honest and raw. Bob talks about his family, his experiences and his life and how using the Law of Attraction changed his life and how it can change yours.

Your Sexual Health and Fitness

Your Sexual Health & Fitness on Fit Talk with ShariFitness

Click on the blog talk logo to hear the show

Dr. John Stripling
www.striplingcenter.com
678-356-2000
Center For Sexual Health & Education
www.bestsexualadvice.com
888-LOW-DESIRE



Your sexual health and fitness was discussed on my radio show with Dr. John Stripling. Dr. Stripling is a board certified Urologist who specializes in Sexual Medicine. Dr. Stripling is a member of the American Urological Association, the Sexual Medicine Society, and the International Society of Women's Sexual Health. He is also the co-founder of the Center for Sexual Health and Education in Atlanta, Charlotte, and Palm Beach. He has been in private practice in the Atlanta area for over 20 years and is a frequent speaker on Sexual Medicine Topics on Radio and Television.

We hit all the topics, Testosterone, Andropause, Menopause, Sex Drive, Testosterone Supplementation, and how your health, fitness, wellness and lifestyle plays a role in your sexual health, sexuality and sexual performance.

Ladies, if you thought we had “issues” men have them too.

We started the show off by talking about Testosterone or “T”. Dr. Stripling explained that it is the sex hormone that creates desire in both men and women. It is produced to a small degree in women in the ovaries and adrenal glands, and in men, it is produced in the testicles and to a smaller degree, the adrenal gland.

Your “T” levels climb as you reach puberty and remain high in women until they hit puberty. As a man reaches his early 30’s, his testicles start decreasing the amount of testosterone he produces. For men, if they have low testosterone, they experience Andropause, which is a gradual decrease of testosterone. Your lifestyle plays an important role in keeping your testosterone at a good level and is influenced by strength training exercise and the things you eat. A poor lifestyle can decrease testosterone levels. According to Dr. Stripling, weight training is CRUCIAL in keeping Testosterone levels up.

How does a man know if he is experiencing low testosterone? Testosterone levels are highest around 8 a.m. and lowest around 6 p.m. Generally speaking, you should wake up in the morning with an erection. Other signs of having low testosterone levels are fatigue, irritability, low sex drive, low self esteem and mild depression.

The conversation then moved on to Testosterone supplementation. I asked Dr. Stripling about receiving Testosterone from a Doctor or buying one of the popular over the counter testosterone supplements for your local supplement store.

I learned from Dr. Stripling that Testosterone given orally can be damaging to the liver or increase cholesterol. The best way to receive testosterone supplementation is in a gel you rub on your or you can get testosterone injections.

Most over the counter supplements are made in China and there are a lot of impurities in the product. Studies show that the active ingredient varies from 0 to 200 times what they say it is. Some even have an illicit form of Viagra or Cialis in them. You want to make sure you are buying a quality product from a reputable company.

DHEA is recommended for a man who still wants to have children. Testosterone can suppress sperm count. Dr. Stripling recommends 25 mg of DHEA times a day.

Sexual Health Issues – Erectile Dysfunction, Obesity, Diabetes and the “Hidden Penis Syndrome”.

As a Urologist, Dr. Stripling is very well versed with Erectile Dysfunction. Interestingly enough, Erectile Dysfunction is a canary to heart disease. A study showed that men who showed up at a hospital for a heart attack had begun experiencing erectile dysfunction 5 years prior to the heart attack. Dr. Stripling said, “A doctor that gives you Viagra and sends you on your way is doing you a disservice”.

Diabetics can have problems retracting their penis which can become dangerous because you can’t clean it and can possibly develop penile cancer from not keeping the shaft clean. When a man gets a pad of fat around the penis, it literally works the skin of the shaft up so what is really exposed is much less. Fat eats away at the penis. If you want a longer penis, you need to lose weight to gain length. If you are 25-30 pounds overweight, you are at risk of “buried/hidden penis syndrome.” As you get more and more obese, less and less of the shaft is visible and appears smaller and smaller.

Once again, it all goes back to exercise and diet to maintain good Sexual health.

To learn more about Testosterone, Andropause and your sexual fitness, the following books are recommended.

Did you know that Hypnotherapy can help you Lose Weight, Improve Your Workouts and Diet?

Did you know that Hypnotherapy can help you Lose Weight, Improve Your Workouts and Diet?

Yes, it is amazing and true. I had the pleasure of interviewing Clinical Hypnotherapist, Steve G. Jones, M. Ed on my on line radio show, Fit Talk with Shari Fitness.

We discussed this very intriguing topic and was surprised to learn as much as I did about this. Hypnosis can help you to overcome limiting beliefs such as poor self image, which, in the sub-conscious mind, causes self-sabatoge. When it comes to achieving anything you want in life, you need to believe in yourself and let go of the idea that you are unworthy or losing weight.


With someone who has already begun or has been consistent with a diet and exercise program, Steve explained that hypnotherapy helps to reinforce keeping up with a healthy lifestyle and not fall off the wagon.


The conversation got really interesting when Steve spoke about how you can increase muscle mass which begs the question to be asked, how can WORDS make muscles bigger???? Research shows that you can increase muscle mass with words. You can cause physiological changes in the body simply through telling the brain where to direct that power. This concept also applies to getting the body to heal itself.


All in all, I can honestly say that this was a really good show and I was very impressed with my guest, Clinical Hypnotherapast, Steve G. Jones.


To hear the show, click on the Blog Talk Radio Logo.




Click here to view Steve's website and to learn more about him ----> Better Living Through Hypnosis .


Steve G. Jones

Why is it that we RESIST and run away from the things we want most???

Why is it that we RESIST and run away from the things we want most????

I had an Ah Ha moment when I woke up this moment and it came from a conversation I had last night with a friend of mine. My Ah Ha moment, helped me to come to the realization about something within me, however, it also helped me to understand why the Object of My Affections was resisting me even though I AM what he is looking for, AND also helped me to come to a realization about why people resist doing anything to improve their overall health and fitness when it is something they want.

We all want things, desire things and want to acquire things in our life whether it is financially, relationally, mentally, physically and or spiritually. However, we are “wired” or “programmed” from birth to have certain beliefs which contradict what it is we truly desire. These contradictions cause us to RESIST the things we truly want for ourselves. RESISTANCE stems from fear and prevents us from stepping out of our Comfort Zones. It keeps us in a “holding pattern” where you keep doing the same thing over and over again.

Relational Resistance:
Here’s a good example relationally of this. I was presented by my OOMA (Object Of My Affections) with what we call “the White Elephant”. My OOMA had put out to The Universe what traits it is he is looking for in a person, and I enter his life. I am EXACTLY what it is he put down in writing of what it is he is looking for in a person, however, he RESISTED (in the form of The White Elephant) what it is he wanted and was looking for.

With everything he stated that he was looking for in a person, he RESISTED me even though I was what he was looking for. However, it is his wiring that caused the resistance which is something he acknowledged. The wiring and program can be changed, however, in order to do that, rather than running away from me, (which is what he did), he really needed to face it head on and work within himself to make that paradigm shift…..or…to change the tape in his head. In order for him to do that, he needed to spend more time with me, rather than away from me.


Health, Fitness and Wellness:
You talk to just about anyone out there, next to wanting to be financially abundant, the number one thing people want to is to lose weight, feel better and look better. But when you talk to people and ask them what they are doing about it, chances are they aren’t doing much of anything. And it’s not like they don’t know what it is they have to do to make improvements in this area. When you ask them why they aren’t doing anything to make the improvements they want, they will come up with all kinds of excuses. The excuses are forms of RESISTANCE. No body truly desires to be overweight, obese, lethargic, sick. Yet, we all know that being sedentary, sitting on the couch in front of the “plug in drug” with a bag of chips or getting your next meal from the drive thru of your nearest burger chain, is only going to continue to contribute to weight gain and a decline in your overall health, fitness and wellness. So why do people RESIST making better food choices or getting off the couch and exercising? Because it’s easier to stay in your holding pattern. To not step outside your comfort zone. It’s comfortable and familiar even though you know deep down it’s wrong and it’s not what you want.


Wealth Consciousness:
So many of us are held back by our belief system and money. The media plays a huge role in our thoughts about money and so we are led to believe that the world is full of lack and not abundance. We are beat over the heads every day with headlines about the Economic Crisis and our belief system buys into it. So, we start thinking in terms of lack and we feed on that. It creates our reality. What happens, we RESIST spending money. When people stop spending money, the economy slows down even more. Look around. When you go to the malls, the stores are practically giving away the farm to get you to spend money. If you don’t, then stores will go out of business and people will lose their jobs and the cycle never breaks. There are people I know who are still very much gainfully employed but are cutting back simply out of FEAR of the economy and it is making them RESISTANT to living the life they have always lived. If you continue to think in terms of lack and RESIST, you put yourself into the mindset that you will always lack, there is not enough to go around and that you don’t deserve to have. Don’t think you don’t have wealth. BE what you want. You don’t need to have external evidence. Just BE.

The Economics of Your Health, Fitness & Wellness

“Procrastination gives Way to Consequences” - Winston Churchill. These words apply to so many aspects of life, however, when you apply these words to your overall Health, Fitness and Wellness, they have a lot of meaning and truth to them.

It's very rare when you come across someone who doesn't want to look better, or just feel better. How many people do you know are always sick and run down? What about you? When you think about your overall Health, Fitness and Wellness, are there any changes you like to make? Chances are you answered yes to these questions, but then ask yourself, how many people do you know are actually being proactive about it? When I say proactive, how many people do you know are exercising, eating healthy, well balanced meals on a daily basis, drinking more water than soft drinks and taking a good quality multi-vitamin?

Obesity in this country is at an all time high and the numbers keep growing not only amongst adults, but amongst children as well. Diabetes and high blood pressure are common diseases. Health care costs are out of control.

How many people do you know, or perhaps yourself suffer from headaches, lack of energy, dizziness, are depressed or are mildly depressed? Some of these symptoms stem from nutritional issues and from leading a sedentary lifestyle. The human body was meant to be in motion, not sitting on the sofa glued to the TV with a bag of chips or ingesting all kinds of chemicals that make up the processed foods you eat. You go to the doctor because you want to feel better. The doctor says you are just getting older and it's a sign of aging so he prescribes you a pill? Does the doctor ask about your eating habits or your exercise habits? Probably not.


Complaints of physical ailments are really diet/nutritional issues as well as being sedentary, and being overweight is the obvious symptom. Being overweight or obese is not just too many calories, it is a nutritional imbalance. Symptoms associated with being obese or overweight are treated with over the counter remedies or prescription drugs.

Look, I'm not a doctor, but as a Fitness Consultant, one of the things I do with all my clients is ask for a food journal and it is obvious from all the food journals I have looked at over the years that people are eating too many processed foods, not enough fruits and vegetables and lean sources of protein. The average American knows that they don't eat healthy, but don't know how to change their habits. People want answers to diet and health.

There are two industries out there. You have the Sickness Industry and you have the Wellness Industry. As a fitness professional, I am in the Wellness Industry. People who are sick, are customers of the Sickness Industry. People who are customers of the Wellness Industry are avoiding being customers of the Sickness Industry.

Economic Causes of the Sickness Industry:
Let's take a look at the Food Industry because after all, most Americans are eating unhealthy, processed foods that are loaded with chemicals that the human body was not created to process. The food industry consists of fast food restaurants, Processed Foods (foods that are canned, frozen or in a wrapper), and Farmed Foods. The Processed Foods industry is 95% of our foods stemming from companies like the Golden Arches, Kraft, P&G. These companies will spare no expense on R&D to increase consumption of these foods. The more overweight you are, the more calories/product you consume.

They mix chemicals in the foods so that the consumer is never sated. The chemicals in every processed food has been altered, so that your taste buds don't get bored with the food. Hence, you consume more product, you gain more weight. You gain more weight, your caloric intake goes up. How many people do you know who are overweight are happy being overweight?

Trillions of dollars of lost productivity is due to health. Diabetes is up and never mind the cost for the shot. It is the 2-3 days someone is out of work because they are sick. One third of American children are diagnosed as being pre-diabetic all due to diet.

The Medical Industry
The Medical Industry targets the doctors. They have pharmaceutical reps visit doctors and get them to sing up to write Rx's for the latest drug to treat the SYMPTOMS of the newest ailment.

The Medical Industry treats SYMPTOMS, NOT DISEASES. Modern medicine is based on technology which is controlled by private companies looking to make money. Most of the drugs out there you end up taking the rest of your life because they don't cure, but treat the symptoms.

The medical industry is now the sickness industry because you become a customer when you get sick. One Seventh of our dollars are spent on treating sickness. Sickness is one of the largest causes of bankruptcy in the US.

Medical expenditures are going to sky rocket but nothing is being done to help a person lose weight or educate them on how to make better nutritional choices. When you see a doctor, do they sit you down and really talk to you about nutrition or seeing a fitness professional?


There is a need for a Wellness Revolution before the health and wellness of America becomes more out of control than it already is. Overweight and obesity is more than just a health crisis in this country, but it has become an economic crisis not only to the individual, but to Corporate America which will affect employment opportunities.

The Wellness Industry:
The Wellness Industry provides products and services pro-actively to healthy people who want to feel healthier, slow down the effects of aging or prevent diseases from developing in the first place. The Wellness Industry is what you do to keep from becoming a customer of the sickness industry.

There is a small percentage of Americans getting more fit and healthy as they age. They are early adopters for wellness. They are successful people looking to be fit and healthy and defy aging.

As I do my weekly trip to the grocery store, products that I used to purchase in a specialty market are now available in mainstream supermarkets. Publix Supermarkets, for example, now has a Greenwise Aisle where you can now buy Protein Bars, Protein Shakes, Protein Powder and Organic Foods. WalMart and Target are now selling supplements.

It is a shame that we have become a society of instant gratification. Everyone is looking for that quick fix from looking for that magic weight loss pill, the latest diet, plastic surgery, liposuction rather than just doing what you need to do. Be consistent about your diet, exercise and supplementation. You will improve your overall health, fitness and wellness, but it is hard work and it does not happen overnight, however, the results are PRICELESS.


The next time you go to the doctor and pay the bill for the doctor's visit, the lab bill for the blood work done on you and the prescription drugs, ask yourself if all of that could be avoided if you had a piece of fruit instead of the candy bar, if you went to the gym instead of sat on the sofa and if you took a good quality multi vitamin.

For those of you who have turned down the services of a fitness professional because you didn't want to spend the money on it, think of all the money you've wasted on fast foods, over the counter medications, doctor's visits, etc. What would you rather do, end up spending money on a visit to the doctor and the prescription drugs, or a few sessions with a qualified fitness professional. Where would you rather spend the money? “Procrastination gives Way to Consequences” - Winston Churchill