In this video Dr. McGuff provides an overview of Chapter 4 of Body By Science, which details the “Big 5″ workout. He covers such topics as exercise selection, aggressive fatiguing of muscle, why multiple sets aren’t required, and the tremendous importance of recovery in between workouts. The link to the video is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eNBTZiZnLY

– John Little

In this segment, Dr. McGuff explains the proper role of strength training for athletes and contrasts it with skill training (an important distinction that we cover in great depth in Body By Science). In addition, he elucidates the supreme importance of strength training for seniors, revealing how it enhances both health and (to an amazing extent) functional ability. Here is the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSGCcjCjAlk

– John Little

Actually worked out on Saturday because I had to work in the ER today (Sunday).
Nautilus Pullover (SS retrofit)- 200/1:28
Pulldown (SS without cam)-stage reps-contracted/mid/stretch. 170/120/100-total TUL approx 1:20.
MedX row with SS cam 260/1:38
MedX chest press 382/1:30 rest pause 1 rep
Med X chest press top range partials 182/1:20
ET=7:40.
Feel very good and vibrant today. Moderate, but pleasant soreness.

My wife did her usual routine of Chest Press, Pullldown, Overhead Press, Leg Press. 21 days since her last workout and she went up on all movements, requiring an increase in resistance for her next workout.

Publish your WOW’s.

I found a link to this article from Keith Norris’ excellent blog (www.theorytopractice.wordpress.com). The article describes how researchers elucidated the complex structure of the fatty acid synthase enzyme.
You will recall in Body by Science we discuss how this enzyme converts carbohydrate to bodyfat when glycogen stores are full and insulin levels are high. The link to the news article is:

www.labspaces.net/95541/Groundbreaking_study_on_complex_movements_of_enzymes

The actual study is Nat Struct Mol Biol. 2009 Feb: 16(2)190-7.

The study describes the complex 3 dimension structure of this enzyme, and how it moves to transport substrate.

The motivator for studying the structure of this enzyme is to hopefully develop a drug that can inhibit this enzyme which converts carbohydrate to bodyfat during periods of carbohydrate abundance. This is a step in the right direction because it at least demonstrates the scientific community acknowledging that obesity is linked to overconsumption of carbohydrate relative to expenditure. Recall that fat storage is signalled when there is an abundance of the least available macronutrient (in a hunter-gatherer environment from which we evolved).

If such a drug is developed, it is my opinion that you would not want to take it. I had a brilliant professor in my med school pharmacology course by the name of T. Kent Keaton, PhD. The entire basis of our coursework was based on “Keaton’s Laws of Pharmacology” which were:

1) No drug has a single effect.
2) All drugs have side-effects.
3) Side-effects are proportionate to therapeutic effect., and
4) Drugs can kill you.

If we apply Keaton’s laws to this drug, what might be the unintended effects that could kill you? Remember this beautiful enzyme complex is responsible for our successful survival as a species. What happens if we cannot convert these sugars into bodyfat when these sugars are in abundant supply in our body? Remember, conversion to bodyfat is not just an energy storage scheme…it is a method of self-protection from toxicity. This enzyme is active when glycogen stores are full and carbs are high. If the sugar cannot go to fat storage where will it go? It will stack up in the blood stream, stimulating even higher insulin levels. Blood sugar will rise, and osmotic effects will occur (increased urination and thirst, brain edema, etc). The only protection in this scenario would be even further reductions in insulin sensitivity in an attempt to protect the cells from further transport of glucose into their already overloaded environment. This, in my opinion, would stimulate a viscious cycle which would escalate the metabolic syndrome. In an attempt to treat obesity, we would be ramping up the entire metabolic syndrome which underlies the problem.

This is what drives me crazy about being a physician. It is the problem of “when your only tool is a hammer the whole world is a nail”. As physicians who deal with large numbers of patients who can’t or won’t assume responsibility for their own health, we feel our only tool is drugs. Fortunately, this is not always the case. Body by Science is written for those who will assume responsibility for their own health.

The way to effectively deal with fatty acid synthase’s contribution to obesity is to deny it of excess substrate. Eat a diet that mimicks a hunter-gatherer diet and partake of high intensity exercise which empties the cells (especially muscle) of stored glycogen.

It really is that simple.

– Doug McGuff, MD

This is a two-part video that contains Dr. McGuff’s presentation of some of the key points of Chapter 9 of Body By Science. This is an excellent summary of the actual science underlying how human beings lose body fat and the role of high-intensity exercise in optimizing the fat loss process. Here are the links:

The Science Of Fat Loss (Part 1): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzA-E8zb-Ds

The Science Of Fat Loss (Part 2): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToGt_GYCUmY

– John Little

In this video (taken from a recent lecture Dr. McGuff gave at a book store), Doug speaks about Chapter 3 of our book Body By Science, in which he details the Dose-Response relationship of exercise. Along the way he touches on the content of other chapters such as Enhancing The Body’s Response To Exercise (Chapter 6) and Tweaking The Exercise Stimulus (Chapter 7). Here is the link to this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUaJxsLBaHY

– John Little

In this excerpt, Dr. McGuff explores the true nature of cardiovascular exercise during a seminar he gave at a recent book signing. The realities of “anaerobic” and “aerobic” pathways and his concept of “Global Metabolic Conditioning” (the touchstones of Chapter Two) are examined in detail. Here is the link to Part Three:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiHhc7eLpQY

– John Little

I have just added Part Two of Dr. McGuff’s lecture on Body By Science in which Doug provides an overview of Chapter One. The central theme being what exactly are “health” and “fitness” and why they are not necessarily intrinsically linked. Here is the link to Part Two:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NxnywlDOb0

– John Little

Recently Dr. McGuff gave a brief seminar about the content in our book Body By Science at a book signing that happened to be recorded on video tape. I’m going to post this seminar as a series, covering different topics covered in the book ranging from “cardio” to “Whom Can You Trust?”

It is my hope to provide higher quality videos of this talk (and others) on this site in the near future. In the meantime I will upload these excerpts on Youtube.com and post links to the presentations here on this blog. The first one is up and (as always) Doug gives a masterful presentation of the material covered in our Introductory chapter. The link to watch this video is below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-ufSYBcZa0

More to come!
– John Little

Dr. Doug McGuff has been in demand for book signings and TV appearances. The link below is from the San Antonio CBS affiliate KENS channel 5:

http://www.kens5.com/news/health/stories/KENS20090209-BodyByScience.35a4bbf6.html

Doug has another interview scheduled for the local Fox affiliate KABB, which will air on their morning show. I’ve been busy on the north side of the border as well with book signings and press interviews. Be sure to check these out (we hope to have a link to Doug’s KABB appearance in the weeks to come) and we will post more information on book signings and interviews as they become available. I’m also working on editing a short video featuring Doug that we will post on this site. Stay tuned!

– John Little