Be Careful with Taking Pharmaceutical Supplements from Personal Trainers & Coaches

 

Pills my newest client asked me if they were fat-burners that she got from her last personal trainer.

First, no one should be taking pharmaceutical products from anyone who is not a pharmacist or Dr. most of these people have not done enough or any research on what they are giving you and how it will affect your body. It is ALSO ILLEGAL for anyone other than a Dr. or pharmacist to prescribe any of these medications for you. 

Oxarox Pill Form Steroid for Weight Gain & Bone Pain

I got this new client a little over a month ago from a very well-known personal trainer in my local area and yesterday, she asked me about some "fat-burners" the past trainer had given her. Right away I was suspicious because this female trainer is known for being on sports performance pharmaceutical drugs. I was not familiar with this brand name and asked my pharmacist friend. He confirmed it was a STEROID for weight gain and for bone pain. He also gave me the run-down of the side effects. I will never understand why anyone would take any of this stuff just to gain muscle when you can't keep it without repeatedly being on a cycle and destroying your organs, voice, enlarging your genitalia and facial features. What amazes the most is how you keep the deep voice, huge face and enlarged female genitalia, but not the MUSCLE when you quit juicing. 

Pharmacist Will Casey & Oxarox Side Effects

To me it is not worth it. I personally stayed completely natural because BODYBUILDING saved me from a life of drug-abuse, alcoholism, depression, anger issues and an eating disorder that I suffered from since I was 12 years old. It hurts my heart when I hear people tell me how bodybuilding did the complete opposite for them and ruined their lives. A lot of this starts with trainers, coaches and supplement stores illegally selling pharmaceutical drugs and persuading individuals that the ONLY WAY they can GAIN MUSCLE and LOSE FAT is with these drugs. This is FAR FROM THE TRUTH! The body is a machine! It can lose fat and gain muscle completely on its own NO MATTER THE AGE. Granted, depending on age determines how strong your hormones are, but it DOES NOT MEAN you CAN'T GAIN MUSCLE!!!

Huge Acne Scars Side Effect of Deca-Durobolin Steroids on a NPC Bikini Competitor

 

In addition, let people DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES whether they want to take pharmaceutical drugs to assist in their fitness goals. One of the worst situations that I have been in repeatedly is telling a potential competitor that they cannot compete naturally because they took illegal substances without knowing it. Some of the strictest shows that I competed in with the WNBF (World Natural Bodybuilding Federation) require an athlete to take a lie detector test prior to being accepted to compete in the show. If they place in the top 3 or 5, they are immediately tested after they leave the stage. Athletes who have taken steroids or any type of other pharmaceutical drugs cannot compete in this federation and many others for more than 2 to 7 years depending on how long they actively took the drugs. 

2019 WNBF World Championships 7th Place Pro Fit Body

So, make sure that when you are making the decision to play with illegal substances that you will not be able to go and compete in strict natural bodybuilding shows with the NGA, INBF, NFF, OCB and other natural federations that require a lie detector test. Also make sure you talk to a professional with a medical background to monitor your vitals. Most of these people giving you all these medications are not monitoring their clients' vitals and it seems like they are just throwing as much as they can on a wall to see what sticks. They never consider their client's health and well-being. 

2018 Mr. Olympia Shawn Rhoden

IFBB Pro Alena Hatvani

Ever since I got into competing back in 2011 with the INBF (International Natural Bodybuilding Federation), it was common knowledge that an average of 10 - 15 athletes with the NPC/IFBB were dying each year because of substance abuse. It has only gotten public scrutiny lately because of the deaths of some high-ranking competitors like, 2018 Mr. Olympia Shawn Rhoden, IFBB Pro Cedric McMillan, IFBB Pro Alena Hatvani and many others in 2019 - 2022. Before, they would just lie and tell everyone that people like this died of eating bad foods to fast or too soon. Never would they admit it was substance abuse until recently. IFBB Pro athletes like Mr. Olympia Classic Physique Chris Bumstead are finally publicly admitting they take sports performance drugs. Before, they would lie to the public and say it was genetics. There are many who still say they are natural, but the public is starting to realize that there is no way for many of these athletes to gain so much weight, muscle and get so dry naturally. In addition, a well-known IFBB Pro Coach, Shelby Starnes, has been linked to many deaths and permanently medical damaged female bodybuilders. There were a few ladies in my local area of the Rio Grande Valley coached by this guy and one of them ended up in the hospital after her prep. Check out this wild YouTube podcast that goes into the depth of how dangerous his coaching is to athletes. 

 

IFBB Pro & Coach Shelby Starnes

 In conclusion, this blog post is just to inform people of the risks of not being aware of what your trainer, coach or friend might suggest for you to take to enhance your fitness goals. Make sure you investigate everything you take prior. Even legal supplements can have disastrous side effects on people who have heart issues, high blood pressure and diabetes.

 

Keep safe out there, keep active and train smart!

Candace Foxx

Sources:

• Heartwise.com
  
• Leo and Longevity Podcast
  

 

 

Winter Vegetables: Cabbage

Image Credits: www.driftlessorganics.com

Benefits of Cabbage

• Cabbage is an abundant source of vitamin C. You might be surprised to know that it is actually richer in vitamin C than oranges
• Vitamin C, one of the best antioxidants, reduces free radicals in your body that causes premature aging. It also assists in repairing the wear and tear of the body through the course of life. As a result, cabbage is very helpful in boosting the immune system, defending against cold and cough, depression, treating ulcers, and certain cancers. It speeds up the healing process for wounds and damaged tissues, regulates the proper functioning of the nervous system, and reduce the effects and presence of Alzheimer’s disease and other degenerative neural diseases.
• It helps prevent scurvy. This is a disease commonly characterized by spongy and bleeding gums, cracked lip corners, weakened immune system, frequent infections and cold, premature aging, and depression.
• A lack of roughage (fibrous indigestible material) in food can result in constipation, stomach ulcers, headaches, gastrointestinal cancers, indigestion, and a subsequent loss of appetite. Lack of fiber can even extend to skin diseases, eczema, premature aging, and many of mild to serious conditions.
• Cabbage is very rich in fiber, this helps the body retain water and it maintains the bulkiness of the food as it moves through the bowels. It is a good remedy for constipation and other problems related to digestion.
• Cabbage is rich in sulfur and it is a very useful nutrient to fight infections. A deficiency of sulfur can result in microbial infections and greatly reduces rate in healing of wounds
• This vegetable also has a number of anti-cancer compounds, like lupeol, sinigrin, and sulforaphane. These compounds are known to stimulate enzyme activity and inhibit the growth of tumors that lead to cancer.
• Cabbage is known to accumulate a build-up of cadmium-binding complexes in its leaves and one of the main components of that is glutamine. Glutamine is a strong anti-inflammatory agent, which can reduce the effects of allergies, many types of inflammation, irritation, joint pain, fever, and various skin disorders.
• It is also a rich source of beta-carotene, which is know for the ability to prevent macular degeneration, promote good eye health and delay cataract formation. Beta-carotene has also been linked to reduce chances of prostate cancer.
• Cabbage is a great vegetable for those who want to lose weight to include in their diet. It is packed with many beneficial vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients, it is a healthy dietary option for people to eat and is quite filling since it has high levels of fiber. It is also low in calories, with only 33 calories in a cup of cooked cabbage.
• With he presence of vitamin K and anthocyanins, eating cabbage can give a strong boost to mental function and concentration. Vitamin K is essential for the production of sphingolipids, the myelin sheath around nerves. This wrapping is what protects nerves from damage and decay. Therefore, consuming veggies high in vitamin K can improve your defense against neural degeneration, Alzheimer’s disease, and dementia.
• Red cabbage has even more types of anthocyanins than green cabbage.
• Cabbage is great source of calcium, magnesium, and potassium. These three essential minerals are integral in the protection of bones from degradation and the onset of conditions like osteoporosis and general bone weakening.
• Potassium is a vasodilator, which means that it opens up the blood vessels and eases the flow of blood. Great addition to people who have high blood pressure. It helps relieve the constriction of the blood vessels.
• Free radicals can cause of wrinkles, discoloration, spots, and many skin other conditions. The antioxidants you get from eating cabbage can turn-around the aging process leaving you feeling and looking healthy and young.
• Lactic acid is released when bacteria ferments the sugars in cabbage during the preparation of sauerkraut. It has been shown to reduce muscle soreness and aches. Cabbage can help general pain relief and muscle soreness, depending on how it is prepared.
• Eating cabbage purifies the blood and removes toxins. Primarily free radicals and uric acid which are the main causes of arthritis, eczema, gout, rheumatism, renal calculi, and skin diseases. This detoxifying effect is due to the high content of vitamin C and sulfur in cabbage.
• Being rich in iodine, cabbage helps in proper functioning of the brain and the nervous system, along with keeping the glands of the endocrine system in proper condition. It is good for the brain and is useful in the treatment of neural disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease. The other nutrients in this vegetable, such as vitamin E, keep the skin, eyes, and hair healthy. The calcium, magnesium, and potassium are very useful for a wide range of health benefits. Cabbage can also be used for the treatment of varicose veins, leg ulcers, and peptic and duodenal ulcers.


Source: Organicfacts.net

Keeping Track and Responsible for Your Actions to Reach Your Fitness Goals

Being in the fitness business for about 10 going on 11 years now, I have noticed the some of the biggest problems for people to lose weight or meet any fitness goal is to make a plan (journal), stay on track (meal prep), and be responsible for your own actions. Losing weight or any type of fitness goal is not something that you can wish off. Maybe when you were younger the pounds would just come off, but now that you are older your hormones are not as strong and it is harder to lose the weight. 

Make a Journal for your Food Intake, Resistance and Cardio Training

Image Credits: Make Over Fitness

Eating mindlessly will not help. I have met so many people over the years that tell me, "Oh, I eat healthy". "I don't need any help with that part". However, I always wonder do they eat too much healthy food because most of them fall into the obese or morbidly obese category. It is a great to eat healthy, but still eat too much were you will not lose weight and maintain your current weight or gain. It is like the old saying goes, "You can eat 100 lbs. of lettuce and still gain fat". It is all about portion control! I have gone out to eat with some of these people and they can easily eat an entire plate at a restaurant not realizing that they are eating 3 - 4 servings. In order to lose weight, you have to make a deficit, but how would you know if you are not tracking what and the amounts you are eating? Writing down what you eat per day will open your eyes on whether you are eating too much are not enough depending on your goals. 

The same thing goes for working out. I have met so many people that tell me they workout, but I look at them everyday for years and they always look the same or are getting bigger. I have watched these people around in the gym and most of the time it looks like they are lost or messing around. Some do workout, but are not doing the exercises correctly. It pretty much looks like those videos of people doing all the machines in the wrong way. None of them are writing down what they do per day or change up their routines. So how do you know if you are making gains or loses when you are not writing anything down? 

Just like when you went to college or worked up towards your career you had to study for it, right? You had to know what to do and how to do it write everything down. Then, you would get tested to see if you know what you are talking about in order to receive your degree, associates or gain that promotion, correct? Well, just like you had to be tedious with you studies for your career it is the same for fitness. If you do not know what you are doing and you need a plan then, ask for help. That is what I am here for. I have tips here on my blog, but if you know that you are not able to make a plan for yourself I can help you online for a fee. With my training, I have made some impressive physiques. However, these people listened to what I said and practiced what I preached.