30+ fitness regimen

Seems to me that you should eat less exercise more. Your body needs so many just to function and if it doesn't get those it has to get it from fat. I'm not saying starve yourself but the best thing is to exercise so you burn more calories then you put in. I myself lean toward over indulgence during the summer months but during winter I wrestle and so I want to be as light a possible. For example: Last winter during our body fat test I weighed about 160. The mininum weight I could make was 132 which would put me at 8% body fat. So I set a goal for myself. I ate very small light meals worked hard and came out at 137. The first week or so you feel hungry but by the end of season my stomach had shrunk and I wasn't really hungry after that.

Tip Summary!

.6oz of water per pound of body weight. Water acts as a vehicle to remove fat, lubricate joints, help digestion and keep you hydrated.

1.1 to 1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day. This will help you build muscle and be sure that the pounds you loose are fat, not muscle.

No white sugars or flours.

Eat the majority of your carbs in the morning and taper them off during the day. Carbs only make energy and fat, if they're not burned.

Train (cardio) for a minimum of 20 minutes up to six days per week. Do this in the morning after drinking 16ozs of water and prior to eating. You'll burn up to 300% more fat than doing the same exercise at the same intensity, post eating. Raise the duration and/or intensity as needed.

Do lift weights, stick to high rep programs, free weights if possible and compound movements (bench, military, squat and dealift). For every pound of muscle, you'll burn 10 calories per hour at rest.


Pick up some vitamin packs such as the high stress packs sold at Wal-Mart.

BE CONSISTENT, DON'T CHEAT and live long.

vetwfo'er


great job SloMo

No disrespect meant to anyone but I could not bite my tongue any longer. As so commonly occurs with discussion of diet and exercise alot of misinformation is spread. I share in your love of motorcycles and have been an avid rider for over 20 years. I also have the same enthusiasm for fitness and health. I am in the healthcare field, so I not only live it I work it. As a starting point here is a good link for a position paper from The American College of Sports Medicine and The American Dietetic Association about nutrition and athletic performance. Click on position stands.
http://www.acsm-msse.org/

Some thoughts on this thread:

The best thing I've ever done for myself that resulted in an overall improvement for riding and racing M/X was to cut out refined sugar as much as humanly possible from my diet.

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Sugar is not your enemy beit refined or naturally occurring. Looking at the absorption rate or glycemic index "maybe" a discriminating factor of favorable carbohydrates but the jury is still out on this one. Think of food as a fuel source and you will quickly see why carbohydrates are the staple of an athletes diet.

Muscle burns more calories than fat-so try and train with weights a couple of times per week, even if it is high rep low weight it will help increase lean muscle mass.

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Of course muscle burns more calories than fat, fat is a primary fuel source where as muscle is not. The point usually made in comparison is that muscle weighs more than fat, therefore body compositon of greater percent lean muscle mass is preferable to same weighted person with higher percent of fat, since energy utilization is higher with increased muscle mass.

I do the atkins diet which means that you don't eat any sugar or other carbs. The problem with just cutting out sugar is that when you eat starchy foods (pasta, rice, bread, etc.) they are turned to sugar by your digestive system. So if you are going to bother cutting out sugar, then you'll be wasting time if you don't cut out all carbohydrates.

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If you cut out carbohydrates from your diet you crash and burn. Carbos are your friend! The are an essential part of any athletes diet. High protein, low carb diets have been around since the 70's and get recycled because they usually provide an initial weight loss, often water, but to not stand up to the test of time. A prominent exercise physiologist once said "fat burns in a glucose flame." There is alot of truth to this statement and highlights the pitfalls of high protein diets that could possibly lead to serious medical problems and the classic "yo-yo" effect.

try not to consume more than 10% of your calories as fat(especially unsaturated fat).

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Fat is your friend, especially unsaturated fat. In moderation fat is essential and desirable part of your diet as well as your greatest supply of fuel gram for gram. Saturated fat restriction is better approached as a matter of health vs. a matter of fitness.

I've always wondered about the caffeine part of that. I've heard that caffeine is ok if you exercise immediately afterward. I don't know if it's a metabolism thing or if caffeine has some effect on your body fat. Maybe it's just that caffeine is a diarhetic?

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Caffeine has been shown to be an ergogenic aid for endurance events. Studies have shown its effect with use both before and during endurance events. It is suspected on aiding fat metabolism. It can cause nasuea and increased urine output in some people.

Train (cardio) for a minimum of 20 minutes up to six days per week. Do this in the morning after drinking 16ozs of water and prior to eating. You'll burn up to 300% more fat than doing the same exercise at the same intensity, post eating. Raise the duration and/or intensity as needed.

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You can not trick the body into burning fat! Energy utilization between fat, carbohydrate,protein and some immediate sources is complex. Your fitness and the intensity that you are working are the primary determinants of the balance of the fuel sources. You have more than enough carbo's stored in your liver and muscles to get through a 20 min work-out (300-400kcal). There are no lines here, only shifts towards different sources depending on energy demands, availability, and your degree of fitness. Increased fat metabolism is a by-product of training in both the extraction of fat from cells and the burning of fat in muscle.

I would be glad to elaborate on any of the above and will offer additional opinions if asked. No offense intended, only want to inform in an area I have spent a great deal of time studying.

Good Luck, Keith.

Keith,
Your points are valid, and make sense. Please post some of your thoughts on what the ideal plan would be. The rollercoaster ride Im on needs to stop.:(

Keith, thank you for your input! It is nice to see some science to offset the hype. The paper you included was very helpful and enlightening. I'll be using that site again as I am in the Health and Safety field.

I am interested in your response to the "train before you eat" item. So, are you saying that it doesn't really matter if you train before or after eating? I know it is common practice for some competitive cyclists to do morning training rides before breakfast, but is this more to provide fuel for muscle recovery?

Morning Training

JTT, I'm no expert but I have ridden MTB competitively. I always rode hard first thing in the morning because your body will burn fat for energy instead of the calories from food. I understand you train your body to utilize fat.

When I said muscle burns more energy than fat; I was only saying it as a figure of speech. As to say a person with greater muscle mass will burn more cals. than a person of the same weight with greater fat %. As for doing the cardio before eating in the morning from my personal experience it does boost the metabolism(dieted for competitive body-building shows with personal trainers who have over 15 years of hands on experience). Probably the most important thing to remember is that it is not an exact science, what works great for one person may not work well at all for another. Moderation and consistency are two important factors (don't go over your head).

Saturated fats(bad)/Unsaturated(good)my whoops! in earlier post. Again in moderation is healthy, but we definitely do not have to go out of our way to find fat. OK maybe a can of salmon once in a while;)

I am interested in your response to the "train before you eat" item. So, are you saying that it doesn't really matter if you train before or after eating? I know it is common practice for some competitive cyclists to do morning training rides before breakfast, but is this more to provide fuel for muscle recovery?

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There is a great deal of literature on the subject of nutrition before, during and after exercise. Unfortunately, there remains a lack of consenus among the experts. The problem is that people take study results out of the context of the research and print them in health magazines as general guidelines for all to follow. Yes, some elite cyclist practice what you have said but keep in mind they are highly trained athletes on a different metabolic playing field than you or me. Rest assured, their energy supplies have been topped off after the previous day of training. Remember, fat burns in a glucose flame. Keeping the fire stoked with adequate carbohydrate will give you the ability to train at intensities and durations to alter the way your body accesses and burns fuel, especially fat. This practice was based off a study of subjects fasting not just skipping a light meal before training. A performance based view would suggest that pre-exercise nutrition is benificial.

What to eat before training often comes down to individual toleration, but a light snack 1-2 hours before exercise is desirable. A combination of carbo and protein appears to be the best at about a 4 to 1 ratio respectively. Emphasis on light and easily digested. Ex: Some fruit with some soy milk, oat meal, energy bar. Water intake of 8-16oz about 45-60 mins before provided you are adequately hydrated on a daily basis. High protein foods and bars can cause quite a bit of activity in the gut and are better suited after a work out.

During a work-out the general rule is that nutrition becomes a factor in performance in activities lasting greater than 60 mins (enduro, HS). Fluid replacement should occur at a rate of 5-12oz per 15-20mins of exercise. If over an hour, a sports drink (gatorade, all sport etc.) is desirable for glucose supplementation and delay onset of fatique. MX'ers can handle this btween motos. The latest buzz for sports drinks is to add some protein which has shown to delay the onset of fatique in fit cyclist. A product called Accelerade comes to mind. I sure this will be a growing trend. Keep in mind, some people do not tolerate protein well when exercising due to stomach irritation.

After a work out, and especially after a intense work out there is, believe it or not, a growing consenus on the benefits of a combination of carbo/protein
to assist in recovery. Within an hour of working out try to consume a light to medium size carbo/protein combo in proportion to the duration and intensity of the work out. Higher intensity and duration slant slightly to more protein. Repeat this with a larger meal 2-3 hours later. It is coming apparent in the research that protein has been underestimated as a fuel source and a role player in the onset of fatique.

I think I probably said enough, don't want to come across as a preacher. I just enjoy these topics. Incidently, guys who are concerned about weight loss. Concentrate on getting fit!! This is the silver bullet you are looking for.
Commit to getting fit and improved nutrition will become a necessity to you, as you will begin to see food as a fuel source to optimize your performance.
From a health perspective it is better to by overweight and fit than thin and in poor shape and yes, it is in the literature. Sorry about long post.

Good luck, Keith

I work out better in the morning after I eat than I do if I wait until late afternoon before I go to work.

Excellent Info Keith

Originally posted by skmcbride

Concentrate on getting fit!! This is the silver bullet you are looking for.
Commit to getting fit and improved nutrition will become a necessity to you, as you will begin to see food as a fuel source to optimize your performance.
From a health perspective it is better to by overweight and fit than thin and in poor shape and yes, it is in the literature.

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To make getting fit easier, find something that you are passionate about and it will help you in your commitment. Volleyball was my passion for many years and I worked to be in the best physical shape I could be in for it - it served me well with college scholarships, 36" jump (nothing like flying on your own power) and some great experiences playing in Europe one summer.

Work, family and lack of people to play ball with made it very difficult to remain motivated in the sport after college so my fitness level suffered until I discovered dirtbikes! After each ride I get more motivated to workout more and more.

The office gym was getting too boring and my commitment was deteriorting until I found my mountain bike and the awesome trails 7 minutes from my office. Perfect solution - I ride for my lunch hour (and a half ;)) almost everyday. I love the ride and the terrain is very technical plus it helps me on my two wheel skills. I can feel the improvement when I get back on the dirtbike.

The key is to do something physical as often as possible and if it is something you enjoy you will find more time to do it. Then do it with as much intensity as you can.

As for diet, if you need a regimen then go for it. I can't do a regimen but I take a healthy lunch and snacks to work because I'm usually late getting back and have to eat at my desk. But, it keeps me from joining the boys at the local restaurant and eating way too much. Plus, it gives me more money to spend on my toys! :)

That's okay, I already had my salsa & chips breakfast!! You can move outa the SW but you can't ever get away from that Salsa craving!!! ;)

Aw Truespode:p almost made me spit my beer all over the place.

skmcbride, well said. Another big problem with the Atkins diet, and all high-protein diets, is the longterm damage they do to your kidneys. As explained by my nutrition professor, glucose is what we burn for fuel. Simple sugars are the most readily available and the shortest lasting method of raising your glucose (blood sugar) level, followed by complex carbs, and finally by fat and protein. Simple sugars and complex carbs are made up of CHO (carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen), whereas fat and protein are CNHO (carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen, and oxygen). In order to convert to a burnable energy source, your kidneys filter out and expel the nitrogen component, which ages your kidneys. The rule of thumb used by most nutrition experts is .8 times your bodyweight in kg., in mg. of protein per day. So in other words, Atkins subscribers, bodybuilders, etc., are at very high risk for early kidney complications or even kidney failure. So if you don't want to be doing dialysis and wearing Depends under your riding pants, go with the "food pyramid" (55-60% carbs, 10-12% saturated fat, with <30% total fat, and 10-20% protein).:)

Sorry Keith!

I have read many of your posts here and at other sites and know you have a more complete knowledge than I. However, I will not beleive that after fasting all night and utilizing the majority of your blood born glycogen and then taxing your body via low intensity cardio and increasing the level of intensity as your fitness improves. You would not burn more fat, than if the same exercise was done, post calorie intake. If you have no available glycogen in your blood and only what is stored in organs. Would you not deplete those stores and start to convert fat for energy sooner? Thus raising the amount of fat burned?

I did not figure this out, I'm only quoting from training information I have read from several sources over several years.

vetwfo'er

Sorry Keith!

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I have read many of your posts here and at other sites and know you have a more complete knowledge than I. However, I will not beleive that after fasting all night and utilizing the majority of your blood born glycogen and then taxing your body via low intensity cardio and increasing the level of intensity as your fitness improves. You would not burn more fat, than if the same exercise was done, post calorie intake. If you have no available glycogen in your blood and only what is stored in organs. Would you not deplete those stores and start to convert fat for energy sooner? Thus raising the amount of fat burned?

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We will have to agree to disagree on this one. Some food for thought!
Utilization of fuel for energy is not a cut and dry issue, however, I will give you several reasons why the prescribed theory you have read has holes in it.

Can we agree that as exercise intensity goes up the proportion of carbohydrate metabolism rises? Conversly the greatest proportion of fat metabolism occurs at rest and low to moderate intensity exercise. Why? It is simply a matter of efficiency. Although fat is an abundant and arguablly inexhaustable fuel (70,000kcal worth on average) found in adipose tissue, the liver, and muscle, the process of it's metabolism is slow and turn-over rates to energy for muscle are much slower than that of carbohydrate. Therefore as intensity of exercise increases there is a "cross-over" effect to more carbo metabolism to meet the immediate energy demands. Carbohydrate can be quickly converted to energy and is not oxygen dependent to utilize unlike fat.

Without getting technical: The factors the effect the amount of fat we utilize during exercise our closely linked to your level of fitness, intensity of exercise and duration of exercise. What we have available for fuel determines our ability to train at a given level of intensity or duration and does not "force" the use of one substrate vs. another. We can't suddenly change our ability to mobilize fat into the circulation, uptake it into muscle cells, activate it into fatty acids, oxidate it and subsequently produce energy for a working muscle simply because we didn't eat before exercising. All these steps involve enzymes and hormones that are influence by stressing the system to force adaptation. As we train there is an improvement in our bodies abilty to both access and burn fat. This pushes the level of the "cross-over" to higher intensities, thus sparing our carbo stores. A highly trained athlete will burn a greater proportion of fat at rest and during exercise.

O.K., I know you are saying, exactly Keith so when I do not eat before I exercise I will force myself to burn more fat. It is not so simple. Assuming you have normal carbohydrate stores we have about 400-500grams (depending who you read) of carbohydrate available for energy. Sources include blood sugar, liver glycogen and muscle glycogen. We sleep for 8 hours (remember we are burning our largest proportion of fat at rest) therefore overnight we don't significantly tap our carbo stores but for argument sake lets say we burn 400kcal of carbo store or 100 grams. The brain does get hungery overnight and it loves glucose. This leaves us 300-400 grams of sugar in the tank or 1200-1600 kcal. At my peak fitness the most intense work-out I do 10 - 1/2 mile intervals at 10.4 mph with 1/4 mile jog between. I weigh 200 pounds and this work-out burns about 1600kcal. and takes about 70 mins. Even at 100%, which it is most definitly not, I have enough sugar in the tank to get me through. At lower intensities it becomes even more apparent that we haven't depleted carbo stores to "force" fat metabolism.

So what happens if I fast for 36 hours and deplete my carbo stores, then will I become a fat burning machine? Not quite, because one of the strongest
determinants of fatigue is decrease blood glucose. You simply will crash and not make it through your work-out. The key is to maintain full carbo stores so you can train for duration and intensity to boost your ability to burn fat. Basically you will become a fat burning machine at rest and will delay the increased proportion of carbohydrate to higher intensities.

One last thought: Let say the theory is true. The depletion of carbo stores to "force" fat consuption dictates that the exercise intensity be low to moderate at best, because any attempt to increase intensity will be met like hitting a wall because fat metobolism can not keep up. Therefore, the training effect you achieve will not be as great because of your inability to tax the musculoskeletal system on all cylinders. The end result is you will not be as fit and isn't that what training is all about. Give the body what it needs and it will deliver the performance benifits we desire. I hold strong to performance based evidence. So eat or don't eat before a work-out, it is not such a factor for a 30 -45 min. low to mod intensity wor-out but make it a matter of what works for you and not a trick for fat burning. If your work-outs get much longer with higher intensity or you combo cardio with a little weight training the literature (research) will support some pre-exercise nutrition to enhance performance.

I think I am out of gas, but is was fun! Sorry in advance for typo's, I have had a long day. Hope I didn't muck up the water too much.

Train on, Keith

My experience ...

After going through the "getting in shape" routine several times, I have (so far) found that only 1 way to train that really works for achieving my fitness goals: A balance of cardio and strength training. Without either it's just not effective for me. I put on weight fairly easily & combining both always seems to give good results. What I try to do is combine both in the same session because I can't justify taking the time to work out twice a day.

Just combine a basic weight lifting program that you can run through in 30 min w/ a 2 mile run. When starting, run as slow as you like...but never stop.

Try sprints once a week - these seem to help me build stamina and speed faster than anything. You can start by just doing 4 (length of a small soccer field). You'll be totally winded & your lungs will hurt but you body will react by starting to adapt to the stress (BTW - takes only 10 min.!)

I honestly wouldn't try to get the diet down to an exact science - it's not worth it w/ all the guesswork involved. Just cut down the obviously bad stuff & try to eat healthier in general. BTW, although I would never be able to stomach 300 grams of protein a day like bodybuilders, I've found having a protein shake once a day to be really good at curtailing snacking and overeating in general.

my .02 FWIW

P.S.

sticking w/ it after you've made your original goals is the hardest part....

I'm starting again after almost a year out of the gym.

Best Wishes!

Keith: After many years of dieting I have found most of what you say to be true. Without carb's I sleep. Can you recommend authors that think the same way, someone who is specific about this type of diet/nutrition?

Thank you,

Bill

If you don't believe that over consumption of refined sugar is not your enemy, then just take a look at the explosive epidemic of diabetes in the U.S. There is a direct relationship in the dramatic increase in consumption of refined sugar products over the last 100 years and diabetes. While it's true that this increase in sugar intake along with a sedentary lifestyle add to the incidence of diabetes, the sugar plays the role of "poison". The pancreas has to secrete insulin to metabolize sugar into energy. If one intakes sugar laden foods, the pancreas is constantly stressed to produce insulin to counteract this. Diabetes occurs when the body no longer can process sugars efficiently, whether it's refined or naturally occuring. Type II diabetes is a condition where the pancreas is still producing insulin but the body's ability to utilize this insulin effectively is diminished. The type II diabetic must go on a special diet and exercise program to keep from becoming full blown diabetic prematurely and needing insulin injections. The diet recommended for a type II diabetic is also one that would be very beneficial for the MX'er. It simply calls for a well balanced diet with an eye toward avoiding the highs and lows that sugar intake can give. We get all the sugar complexes by simply eating fruits and certain vegetables. If you have other health problems such as hypoglycemia, then this info is not valid. These are general guidelines that don't apply to everyone. The posters who lean toward moderation are probably the ones who will perform the best. If you pay attention to what your body says to you, then you have the battle nearly won. If you think that you get too tired too quickly when riding, then something is probably amiss. Heed the signs and find out what's wrong. Oftentimes, a simple change in diet will make all the difference.

Originally posted by Boit
If you don't believe that over consumption of refined sugar is not your enemy,

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This is still a far cry from declaring sugar poison.

The posters who lean toward moderation are probably the ones who will perform the best.

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Quite.

I think you excluded a portion of my post. I clearly state that I sincerely believe that refined sugar is poison. Sugar cane is the primary source of refined sugar. This source was not readily available until the late 1800's. From that point on, diabetes has increased exponentially. The result has been that the average intake of sugar for Americans has increased over 100 fold in the last century. Medical advancements have increased our life expectancy in spite of our horrible habits. If you want to cling to the belief that refined sugar is benign, knock yourself out. There are people who still believe that tobacco smoke is harmless.

Make fruits and vegtables a larger percentage of your diet.

A friendly rebuttal:

There is a direct relationship in the dramatic increase in consumption of refined sugar products over the last 100 years and diabetes. While it's true that this increase in sugar intake along with a sedentary lifestyle add to the incidence of diabetes, the sugar plays the role of "poison". The pancreas has to secrete insulin to metabolize sugar into energy. If one intakes sugar laden foods, the pancreas is constantly stressed to produce insulin to counteract this. Diabetes occurs when the body no longer can process sugars efficiently, whether it's refined or naturally occurring. Type II diabetes is a condition where the pancreas is still producing insulin but the body's ability to utilize this insulin effectively is diminished. The type II diabetic must go on a special diet and exercise program to keep from becoming full blown diabetic prematurely and needing insulin injections. The diet recommended for a type II diabetic is also one that would be very beneficial for the MX'er. It simply calls for a well balanced diet with an eye toward avoiding the highs and lows that sugar intake can give.

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There is a saying in research that correlation does not constitute causation. This could not be more true for the above. Saying that sugar causes Type II diabetes is like saying salt causes hypertension. Can excessive carbohydrate elevate your blood sugar? Yes, of course, and excessive salt can raise your blood pressure yet neither of these can be singled out of causing the disease of type II diabetes or hypertension. They aggravate the disease. Type II diabetes is a product of age,obesity and genetics for the most part. Obesity mprobably at the fore-front. Now if you want to tell me that excessive refine sugar intake is the cause of obesity, I will grant you that it is, shall we say, a "risk factor" along with excessive fat, protein, and more importantly calories. The fact that the pancreas responds to sugar as poison is off- base. Rising blood sugar is merely a trigger for insulin production so it can be brought into cells for use as energy or stored, hardly poison. Did you know that protein is also a potent trigger for insulin production? Basically a high calorie meal is a trigger for insulin production. If you really want to keep insulin at bay, eat small meals (< 500cal.) Insulin is your friend. It brings glucose into cells for energy and works overtime when we exercise. The problem with type II diabetes is insulin resistance at the cellular level. There is a down regulation of receptors and studies have shown that receptors can become blocked with substances similar to lipoproteins (usually elevated in people that are overweight.) There has been studies on the effects of insulin spikes with high carbo intake, but the jury is still out on the overall consequences. This was the basis for the "Zone" diet. Which has some nice research behind it but as happens so many times did not wait for the verdict and decided to "cash in" on the desperate population looking for the silver bullet for weight loss. Incidentally, most of these diets, Zone ,Atkins etc.. where designed around sedentary individuals and don't look as promising when time tested, moreover, once you throw exercise in the equation they probably won't hold up from the get go.

As for your recommendation that a diet for type II diabetes would be good for mxer's, I think that is a bit extreme. What is the most beneficial alteration for a type II diabetic: Again, it is exercise. Exercise greatly increases the activity of the chief transporter proteins to bring glucose into cells. I have seen first hand the dramatic effect an exercise routine will have on type II diabetes. This is the true take home message about type II diabetes. You may even be surprised on what the American Diabetes Association recommends: 50% complex carbs, <35 % fat, and 15% protein. This is from memory but I think it is close.

Medical advancements have increased our life expectancy in spite of our horrible habits. If you want to cling to the belief that refined sugar is benign, knock yourself out. There are people who still believe that tobacco smoke is harmless.

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To compare refined sugar to tobacco use is a stretch at the very least.

Keith: After many years of dieting I have found most of what you say to be true. Without carb's I sleep. Can you recommend authors that think the same way, someone who is specific about this type of diet/nutrition?

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Bill,
Higher in the thread is a link to position paper on diet and exercise. If you can't get it e-mail me and I will send it to you. It is fairly comprehensive and is well cited, I don't prescribe to it all, but it is a great place to start. I pull most of material out of journals, text books, continuing education, and conference. Try the article first and I can give you some text book names if you want more.

Disclaimer: Boit, please do not take offense to my reply. I respect your point of view as I hope you do mine. I think that there is some validity to watching refine sugar intake, but I think when it comes to diet people get charged up and take things to extreme. It if works for you, great! I debate this stuff all week at work, at conferences, dissertations etc.. I think opposing views benefit all involved, especially if it inspires inquire and a search for understanding. I don't think I know it all. I get humbled at work all the time, not to mention on my YZ. We share a love for a sport and I need all the riding buddies I can get, they are a dying breed where I come from.

Take care, Keith.

Keith, no offense taken. The information I have offered comes from the Diabetic web sites, namely the one you cited. My claim that a type II diabetic diet is a generally good one for MX'ers is still sound in my opinion. Why you describe it as being "extreme" escapes me. This diet follows just what you said about eating smaller meals along with a well thought out excercise program. I was concentrating on the refined sugar issue, one which I still stand by my opinion...and it IS simply an opinion. Some of these sites show the historical increase in refined sugar intake and the epidemic of diabetes. While there are still many unknowns about this disease, there is the strong appearance of certain relationships. If a generally healthy individual eats a well balanced diet along with proper exercise and rest, what possible benefit does refined sugar have for him/her?

I like riding motorcycles alot, but my real passion is racing bicycles. Ten speeds, which have actually grown to 27 speeds. Almost everyone I race with is on the Zone Diet which is a blend of 40% carbs' 30% protien,& 30% fat. In a sport where weight is as important as training this is the best diet I have tried. And it work GREAT. Its a diet you can live with meaning that you never hungry and still lose weight. Its a pain to get started because you have to weigh everything. But you soon get use to it. Go to the bookstore and buy it.