Pouring on Extra Pounds?

So, you've got the exercise part down and have cleaned up your food choices. With Spring upon us this is the time the liquids can be a problem - from the fruit punch at the bridal shower to the booze at the BBQ those empty calories can pack on the fat and the pounds.

Beverages should be calorie free except for the fortified versions that are aimed to keep your nurished, energized and alkalized!

Fortify Your Fluids

Protein and grains are acid-forming foods; they cause the pH of the blood to rise. While this may not sound serious, it has a myriad of negative consequences on our health — not the least of which is an increased release of the stress hormone cortisol.

The process of buffering the acids of acid-forming foods results in a decrease in lean mass (both muscle--through the action of cortisol--and bone, through the calcium buffering action of neutralizing the acid) along with an increase in fat storage, particularly in the abdominal wall.

When you eat an acid-forming food, you must neutralize the acid. This can happen in one of two ways: Either your body will neutralize the acid on its own, using the mechanisms summarized above, or you can help your body neutralize the acid by producing an alkaline or basic load.

For obvious reasons, the second option is a better choice. Fortunately, alkalinizing your intake is easier than you might suspect!

Here are a few ideas:

• Eat several servings of vegetables or fruit at each meal (you're all doing that already, right?).

• Add freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice to the water that you drink.

• Drink more various teas.

• Take in at least one serving of a Green or Red food supplement each day. It actually has all of the fruits, vegetables, and green tea packed into one supercharged drink!

• Aim to include some of these powerfoods in your Metabolic Drive protein shakes. Give this recipe a shot:

Forified & Fueled - Power Shake



1 cup chilled pomegranate green tea
½ cup hemp milk, unsweetened
2 tbsp pumpkin puree
½ packet frozen acia pulp
1 tsp ground flax & chia seed blend
1 scoop Poliquin Primal Meal, berry
½ scoop Poliquin Primal Reds
Ice cubes (optional)

Combine in a blender and enjoy.

Time to get your liquid lunches working FOR you and your waistline, not against you.

Getting Lean the Hormone-Friendly Way

As many of you know, I am not a fan of harsh supplements and relied on them very little for my contest preparations where I would get very lean for bodybuilding.

Rather, I like to use Aceyl L Carnatine Propionate and Green Tea Excellence 2.0.

I typically use 1 capsule of each upon waking and again in the early afternoon.

Cmmercial stimulants / fat burners can come into play as a tool to drop the last 1-2% body fat if you are competing or already very lean and peaking but for most they are more harm than good.

ALC and GTE promote fat loss, energy and other health benefits in a more hormone-friendly manner.

When / if I do get into contest prep and chose to use a commercial "fat burner" I also cycle on and off with Green Tea Extract in the following manner (as an example):

1 to 2 weeks "fat burner"

1 week ALC and GTE

I also use smaller dosages than recommended for "fat burners". If they recommend 2 capsules, I will take 1. I also do not use them for more than a few weeks.

I like to get lean as naturally as possible first to avoid any hormone or metabolism pendulum swing after I peak.

As Brendan Brazier says so brilliantly in his book The Thrive Diet, stimulants are like using credit cards.



“If stimulation is used when it will not help you achieve something of value, it is an uncomplimentary stress. I consider coffee drinking an uncomplimentary stress. I view it as a form of credit, similar to shopping with a credit card. You get energy now that you don’t actually have, but you pay for it later – when the “bill” or fatigue hits. Simply drinking more coffee to put off the inevitable is like paying off one credit card with another: It will catch up with you sooner or later. You’ll most likely pay a high interest rate as well, needing more time to recover than if that energy had not been borrowed in the first place.”

Brendan Brazier, The Thrive Diet

You are borrowing energy and you WILL have to pay it back at some point in time. So I prefer to magnify my own energy or boost is ever so slightly with something like GTE rather than a major overdose of a harsh stimulant.

Defining Edge Powerlifting Brings Home Hardware from Nationals

Defining Edge athletes, Sonja Bedic (75 kg Open), Ashley Werner (67.5 kg Junior) and Carol Brady (67.5 kg Master III) all brought home medals from the 2010 CPU National Powerlifting Championships held in Quebec City April 7th to 11th.

Their accomplishments are even more amazing considering it was their first national championships, they were up against some impressive competition and it was a particularly harsh day on the platform with very strict judging.

Carol Brady of Caledonia brought home gold and established National and Provincial records in the Master III category with a 95 kg (209 lbs) squat, a 47.5 kg (105 lbs) bench press and 92.5 kg (203 lbs) deadlift for a personal best total of 235 kg. Carol is now looking forward to the 2011 IPF Masters Worlds hosted by Niagara in Fall 2011.


Pictured: Ashley Werner attempting 155 kg squat

Ashley Werner of Jarvis stood at the top of the podium in the 67.5 Junior division with an amazing 142.5 kg (314 lbs) squat, 85 kg (187 lb) bench press and 145 kg (321 lb) deadlift, totalling 375.5 kg. All of those lifts are Provincial Junior records in Ontario!

Sonja Bedic of Simcoe should be very proud of her bronze finish in the 75 kg Open division as she had to battle to secure the third place in a very competitive class. Her 130 kg (286 lb) squat, 57.5 kg (126 lb) bench press and 135 kg (297 lb) deadlift got her to the medal platform and also a personal best total of 322.5 kg.

Coach Krista Schaus, a Canadian powerlifting champion and record holder, chose not to compete in the recent National championship to devote her energy and attention to her athletes. She commented, ``I am so proud of the strength they have gained, both physically and personally through their powerlifting preparations. Some of the most memorable and life altering movements I have experienced in this sport over the past decade have taken place in the past 10 months coaching these insprigin women.``

Krista would like to extend her congratulations to all of these amazing ladies and also a special thank you to assistant coach, Pete Koning and supporter Ruth Smith

For full results and contest information visit: http://nationals2010.wordpress.com/results/

The Defining Edge Powerlifting team will be taking some well earned time off from the competitive heavy lifting and focusing on general strength and fitness over the next few weeks. You can watch Defining Edge powerlifting on the platform at the London Open May 15th and the Niagara Open August 21st in the more near future. To learn more about Defining Edge go to www.definingedge.ca.