Interview about Weight Loss from An Expert: Mark Kaiser

I did my first internet interview with my friend Maureen’s brother, Mark Kaiser. He recently graduated from a masters program in Sports Administration and is a national level amateur bodybuilder. I wanted to interview him about his nutritional philosophy because he is very adept at gaining and losing weight for competition. How does he do it? What advice would he have for my readers?

Mark’s Eating Habits
"As far as personal diet and ability to gain and lose weight it is not as easy as it sounds. I have a very slow metabolism naturally and I have learned some foods burn quicker than others. I eat 7 meals a day and I aim get around 7,000 calories of ‘clean’ food in a day. My caloric break down currently is around 500-550 grams of protein a day with around 400 grams of carbs a day."

I sent him the "11 Critical Conclusions of Good Calories, Bad Calories" by Gary Taubs to get his comments on them. He has not read the book, but felt comfortable commenting. I post his edited responses after each conclusion from the book below.

1. Dietary fat, whether saturated or not, does not cause heart disease.

I agree here fat is not the sole cause of heart disease but it does play a role. Studies have shown that if you consume a ton of good fats you will actually be healthier and have stronger joints. However the key word in that sentence is GOOD fats, not crap. Examples of good fats are those high in Omega 3 fatty acids, one can find these in salmon, almonds, natural peanut butter in extra virgin olive oil.

2. Carbohydrates do, because of their effect on the hormone insulin. The more easily-digestible and refined the carbohydrates and the more fructose they contain, the greater the effect on our health, weight, and well-being.

I don't agree with this at all. When consuming carbs one needs to focus on quality, long digesting carbs to fill their carb needs throughout the day. Examples would be oatmeal, sweet potatoes, and brown rice. Simple carbs will spike your insulin levels and if you spike them too high one will create fat in their bodies because their body can't float out the spike in insulin as quick as they need to avoid fat gain.

(Note from Nicole: This seems a little contradictory. I am not sure he really does not believe this.)

3. Sugars—sucrose (table sugar) and high fructose corn syrup specifically—are particularly harmful. The glucose in these sugars raises insulin levels; the fructose they contain overloads the liver.

I agree on this point here. High fructose corn syrup will be the death of anyone trying to start a diet if they aren't careful. Just because it is fat free/sugar free doesn't mean it won't get you fat. The FDA approves labels as marketing tools without really looking all the junk that is in a lot of these diet items. High fructose corn syrup is a unrefined sugar that wil raise your insulin levels to record levels and add fat to your frame as mentioned in the previous note (2). Pretty crazy how that much junk can be in a "diet" food huh?

4. Refined carbohydrates, starches, and sugars are also the most likely dietary causes of cancer, Alzheimer’s Disease, and the other common chronic diseases of modern times.

I haven't researched the effect of particular foods that lead to Alzehimers disease. Personally, I am always a little bit sketchy on any food that “leads” to any terminal disease such as this-but then again I haven't read any health reports to clear my understanding on this topic.

5. Obesity is a disorder of excess fat accumulation, not overeating and not sedentary behavior.

There are a ton of things that lead to obesity. I feel that excess fat (I am not sure if he means excess fat on your frame leads to obesity or excess fat in your food?) and lack of mobility are the keys that lead to this. I feel that it is a mixture of your diet and what you do or decide to not do that leads to a huge weight gain.

6. Consuming excess calories does not cause us to grow fatter any more than it causes a child to grow taller.

I agree that excess calories don’t necessarily lead to people getting fatter. However, as I am sure you have learned so far in this interview I believe it is not only about what you eat or how you workout but it is a combination of the two in order to lose or gain weight. An average American guy consumes 2,500 calories a day. I haven't consumed LESS than 6,500 in a day in the past year with exception to dieting for my show-when I am trying to get my joints to heal faster I will bump it up to 8,000. All this food and I still have visible abs so yes I agree here.

(Note from Nicole: THIS IS CRAZY. Can you imagine eating 6500 calories? WOW.)

7. Exercise does not make us lose excess fat; it makes us hungry.
Exercise itself doesn't do a whole hell of a lot-it starts the process of gaining/losing weight.

How one gains or loses weight depends on what they do after they workout: their nutritional intake. Same idea for losing weight-when doing cardio it helps speed up your metabolism and makes you more hungry-this a good thing so eat!
(Note from Nicole: I think this is Gary’s exact point: exercise makes you eat.)

8. We get fat because of an imbalance—a disequilibrium—in the hormonal regulation of fat tissue and fat metabolism. More fat is stored in the fat tissue than is mobilized and used for fuel. We become leaner when the hormonal regulation of the fat tissue reverses this imbalance.

I can't comment on hormonal regulation when it comes to fat imbalances, as this is not a topic that I have medical proof to stand behind.

9. Insulin is the primary regulator of fat storage. When insulin levels are elevated, we stockpile calories as fat. When insulin levels fall, we release fat from our fat tissue and burn it for fuel.

I agree here. As I noted, spiking insulin levels will lead to excess fat gain-thus one needs to focus on complex carbs that are slow digesting or they run the risk of spiking their insulin too high.

10. By stimulating insulin secretion, carbohydrates make us fat and ultimately cause obesity. By driving fat accumulation, carbohydrates also increase hunger and decrease the amount of energy we expend in metabolism and physical activity.

The first statement here is a repeat of number 9 and 2. The second part I agree with to a degree, simple carbs (fruit, chips, general crap) won't fill one up that's why they can eat an entire bag of chips "without realizing it".

11. The fewer carbohydrates we eat, the leaner we will be.

Agreed. If one is not educated on this point they make think “well if it is the fewer I eat the leaner I will be, then I will just not eat a single carb.” There are successful very low carb diets that some bodybuilders follow. One is the ketomorphic diet that I have heard works wonders with particular body types. Atkins is crap as it is not realistic to follow in my opinion. If one is concerned with their carb intake, many times these people are eating out or eating dessert too often.

Summary
* To get leaner, focus on diet. Remember look at the entire label and look for the diet killers, high fructose corn syrup being the main one.

* Focus on GOOD carbs, those that are slow digesting in nature that will make you feel full for longer.

* When doing cardio focus on interval training on the treadmill or whatever piece you are using-it will be a much tougher workout but it will burn at least twice the amount of calories you will burn if you go at a steady pace.

* Keep cardo sessions under 45 mins.

* Eat often-ideally every 3 hours without missing a feeding. You don’t need a sit down meal but something that will “keep the furnace burning.” Think a small protein shake or some quality bread with peanut butter. The goal is to keep the metabolism in anabolic (burning) not catabolic (starving) mode.

* Question trainers. If your trainer is stringing you along to keep the cash flow coming in consider hiring another trainer or, if necessary, hire me! I have done a ton of personal training online for people
in the past!

* Stay positive! Remember that there is not magic pill to a six pack stomach, it will take lots of hard work and determination to make it there but if your goal is set then stick to it no matter what the naysayers say-because they don't have the guts to do it themselves!


Thanks so much Mark. I really appreciate your taking time to do the interview. If anyone wants to get in contact with Mark, he can be reached at: kaisermarkd (at) hotmail (dot) com. (Interview was edited for content, clarity, and length.)

January

Look, I know it is Valentine's day, but I wanted to tell everyone how happy I am that January, and well the first two weeks of February are over. It was rough over here at the Latkins, crisis after crisis.

I got back from St. Louis on Tuesday. The weather gods gave me Wednesday and Thursday off. I worked Friday, and continued my recuperation from the month from hell yesterday and today.

So now that we are half way through February, I am declaring a drama free zone. No more drama, just smooth sailing.

How's your 2010 going?

family trees

While visiting Gram these last two weeks I got caught up on the past few months of Martha Stewart Living. I just love that magazine.

I ran across this little website in the magazine called My Family Tree and Me. You buy the tree and either fill it in yourself or have them print it for you. I think this will make a great gift for my siblings this year! I would also love to do one for Grammy.

What is funny is that family tress only grow I guess. I would like one with roots, so I could also put in the new generations!

(We have at least four feet of snow on our deck and it is super windy. Crazy weather.)

back from st. louis

Back in DC from St. Louis. Made it on the last flight in.

More soon.

cards for gram?

hello loyal readers,

i am asking a favor...would you mind sending my grandmother a get well card? she is doing well, but could use the moral encouragement.

eve murry
14644 rialto dr.
chesterfield, mo 63017

many thanks,
nicole

comments sought: KinderPort

One of my friends from the Bosch Fellowship is seeking comments on her MacAuther Foundation application. Follow the link below to learn more about the KinderPort...And please leave a comment.

www.kinderport.blogspot.com

new theory

I think God might send you crises when you become too self involved...as a way to get you out of your self.

book review: the new york regional mormon singles halloween dance: a memoir

by elna baker


At times I was completely in love with Ms. Baker, and then at other times, I just did not buy what she was saying. Ms. Baker tells the story of growing up in her Mormon family, living all over the world with them, and then her move to New York. Like all good Mormons, she is supposed to get married. But she was fat and not really into Mormon boys. What’s a girl to do?

I picked up the book because of her supposedly amazing weight loss. I don’t buy this part of the story. We don’t ever see any picture of her fat. There are apparently none on the internet, I’ve looked. So, while she might have slightly large calves, by her calculation, I can’t really believe she was ever fat. I think this was calculated. She wants to be a performer and becoming the fat Mormon woman who is skinny now would not be good for her image.

We also get some great insight into being Mormon and as readers of my blog will know, I love conspiracy theories and strange religions. I have had a few friends who were Mormon and always wondered what it would be like to explain my religion to others if I was Mormon.

“You see, this guys found some gold tablets from God, but instead of taking the gold with him, he reburied the gold, and then when he came back the tablets were gone.”

And you believe this? Ms. Baker sees how strange her religion might seem to others. And, as readers, we go with her, as her walk of faith is tested. But, at the end of the day, she decides she is still Mormon and I don’t buy this either. Really? You get that your religion is made up, but you still believe? I guess we all believe in make-believe sometimes; it keeps us sane.

gram

Great news on the Grammy front. After quintuple bypass surgery, she is awake, off the ventilator, and talking. Brent thinks our biggest concern will be her overdoing it.

drama

In St. Louis, waiting for Gram to get out of bypass surgery. More to come.

making do v. producing

One of the reasons for the year of making do is that I want to be a net producer not a net consumer. Years ago I realized that nothing productive comes from a day of shopping. I mean, it might be fun, and I might really like my new stuff, but I would not feel fulfilled at the end of the day. I feel fulfilled when I am creating things, when I am taking pictures, reading a book, painting, cleaning, talking to friends, spending time with friends, laughing. Not watching TV. I don't feel fulfilled after an evening of TV, even if I need it sometimes.

So far the year of making do has been interesting. First, sometimes I shop without noticing it. Not a lot anymore, but sometimes. Second, we were not buying nearly as much stuff as I feared. We are about a month into the experiment, and really we spend most of our money on shelter, travel, and food. Interesting.

But I realized just now that even though I am not out shopping, I am still consuming all of the time...just consuming time screwing around on the internet, rather than working on my book...

So maybe this should be the year of producing, instead of the year of making do?

my new favorite blog: Indigo Days

I am taking a new writing class that started a few weeks ago. I love these classes through the Stanford Online Writer's Studio. At this point I have quite a few new online only friends...that is after three years or so of classes.

Well, Nancy is in my newest class. She lives in Japan and just lives such a deliberately lovely life. In her blog she talks about all of the food they grow over there...and she mentioned rice.

Rice.

Right, who grows their own rice?

She does. Well she and her family do. I loved it. It just seems so amazing to grow all of your food. Her most recent post was about plucking the feathers off of her duck to eat it for Christmas. Wow.

Check it out...neat stuff over there...and some great recipes.

foto

memoirs

I really liked these lines when I read them in the Wall Street Journal:

"Memoirs are typically episodic, likely to describe only a fragment of a life or an aspect of
it -- aspects that tend to emphasize emotional subject matter. The things we stay up late
thinking about are the stuff of memoir. They are our interior lives, our complicated feelings, what we write about when we write about love -- and the complexities of failure and sympathy and ambivalence and money and mortality."

:(

hrumpf. that is how i feel today. after a nice weekend and fun birthday, i feel like the world is letting me down. i am sure the feeling will pass...but until then...

one friend thinks it is because of mercury...it is messing with my stars. we will see...

a weekend in boston

we had a lovely weekend in boston with brent's friends. we went to one of his college friend's wedding. (click here to see pictures.)

we also got to spend time with our friends tania, franklin, and sabine. (click here to see picture.)

and we celebrated my birthday. see the cupcake picture above.

la without people or ads

http://emptyla.com/

Can you imagine it?

fun movie

Doesn't this movie look like fun?

book review: the ultimate cheapskate’s road map to riches

by Jeff Yeager

Lots of reading going on this week. Thank you library. (We will be making a donation.)

Great tips to be had in this book that really focuses on the intangible ways we allow money to control our decisions. When we stop spending, money loses its power over us.

Time is money, but as Yeager points out, money is time then. How do you want to spend your time? What makes you happy?

One thing living in Germany taught me was that I am happiest spending time with family and friends, not shopping. I like having the memories of doing things together. My law school friends have a pattern of always going out to dinner and drinks when we see each other. The food is always great, but I find that sometimes I wish we would all go do something. (Now, I do live a few hours from all of them, and this is also a generalization, but try not to focus on that…)

Back to the book. The author is cheap. I mean cheap in ways I had never thought of. Linda was cheap too. So is Erica. I mean, not eat food all day when traveling to DC cheap because the food was all too expensive cheap. I am the opposite of that. If I feel I need something, out I go to get it. I think there needs to be some middle ground. Spending for the sake of spending is not good, nor is over-saving.

One of the many tangible pieces of advice he gives in the book is to pick a firm number for the amount of money you think you need to live on, and save the rest. He suggest picking the amount of money you were making when you turned 30. All raises, etc. should go into savings. I love this ideal. In fact on of my favorite high school teacher’s sister lived only on every other paycheck. She was a millionaire.

With the year of making do we are really trying to do this. But with 3000 advertisements flashed before the eyes of all Americans EVERY DAY, it is hard. Just keep trying I say.

book review: the selected works of t.s. spivet

by: Reif Larsen

This is one of those books I read about and instantly wanted…and then every time I would go to buy the book I would get cold feet…so I waited some time to get this one. (Obviously before the year of making do and our re-discovery of the library.)

The book chronicles the 12 year-old, T.S. Spivet as he decides to ride across the country from Montana to Washington, DC to accept an award at the Smithsonian. You see, T.S. is a very accomplished chart and map maker, even at 12. The book is filled with his charts in the margins. He chronicles his life in a series of notebooks, numbered, and in his bedroom. His mom is an entomologist and his father a rancher.

The book has a deeper theme that you are not told about on the book flap, and are only told about sparingly at first. I had to re-read some sections of the book when this theme popped up because I was so surprised.

I loved how the book falls together. As Stephen King says on the back, the book “combines Mark Twain, Thomas Pynchon, and Little Miss Sunshine.” Can you even imagine?

The only complaint I had with the book was that Mr. Larsen gave the dad a southern accent. Ranchers in Montana don’t have southern accents. It was kind of strange.

Another book to rush right out there and get dear readers. This one is a joy. And I think younger audiences will also really enjoy the book as well, but I caution parents to read it first, just to make sure the secondary theme is not too much for kids.

book review: you can’t catch death

by Ianthe Brautigan

Told as a series of vignettes, the book describes one daughter’s relationship with her father, who eventually kills himself. I am on a memoir kick, and can’t remember who recommended the book to me, but it was a lovely read.

Mrs. Brautigan’s father was a famous writer and throughout the book famous people flit in and out, seemingly to behave like the real people that they are. Her father split his time between San Francisco and a ranch outside of Bozeman. Ianthe did the same.

Pictures of her, and her father, are interspersed thought-out the book. By page 100 I felt the suicide and her relationship to her father had been well and interestingly covered. I was ready to move on, until I remembered that a mini-mystery was also involved in the book. We know from the book jacket that Mr. Brautigan had cut off all relationship to his family in his early twenties, but we don't know why. The cut was so final that for years Mrs. Brautigan did not know anything about her grandmother: not her name and not where she lived. I kept reading to find out the why. I suppose I never got any closure on that point, something I only noticed now as I was typing this.

So far as learning from how this memoir is pieced together, I really liked how some of her chapters are very long and some are only one line. I thought her chapter titles were superb, and I usually skip over chapter titles. She deftly interweaves clips of her father’s writing where apt in the book as well. I also found the length informative: 209 pages. Books take as long to tell as they take, but I find good examples of lengths worthy of noting. Finally, I loved how she put in information that was inter generational. We hear not only about her fears for her father, but her fears for herself and her daughter.

There were a few instances where she repeated something she had already told me, which I found annoying. And one quote had a typo in it...strange that I noticed.

This is a book to read. Well done, fast, and really gives you a glimpse into, not only the past, but also the pain of living with someone who is mentally ill, yet genius.

ps I also noted that Ianthe worked at Chico Hot Springs in the late 70's at the same time my parents drove across the US and considered buying the hot springs. I wonder if I already crossed paths with her. Funny.

i thought of two more

anything to do with the bathroom
and
anything to do with personal health for anyone outside of my family. (so if you are in the family, I will share your health information with others in my family)

conversations

One of the topics I am wrestling with in both my writing and my daily life is confidentiality. I suppose I assume, unless it is obvious from the discussion, that whatever you tell me, is ok to share with friends and family. Not in a malicious, gossipy way, but in a caring and concerned manner.

Some topics I feel are obviously not for sharing:
sex

Well, sexual topics...that about rounds out the group for me.

In my writing this is kind of a problem, because some of the funniest stories are, well, about sex. I would love to share those, but nope...not yet at least.

Bottom line, if you don't want me to share, tell me that.

a collection a day

This blog, http://collectionaday2010.blogspot.com/, is highlighting a new collection of something everyday for 2010. I think that is kind of fun.

book review: half–assed, a weight-loss memoir

by jennette fulda

I don’t have much to say here: large woman decides to lose weight, loses said weight. We don’t really get a lot of good details here. We don’t learn about her longing for a boyfriend, her horrible family, heck, we don’t even learn what diet she was on. And the book is not written in any order; we hop around in time, which drives this reader crazy.

This book is more of an inspiration to me, not because she lost the weight, but because she sold this book. I mean she must have made some money on it right?

Bottom line: great idea, poorly executed. Her blog is apparently very good however...http://www.pastaqueen.com/halfofme/