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Oct 17, 2012 free podcast: "Healthy Foods" That Cause Belly Fat. Also: is fasting effective for recovery, what to do about degenerative disc disease, how much should you eat to gain 1 pound of muscle, losing weight without becoming amenorrheic, how to be less susceptible to injury as you age, and when to use grape seed oil.

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• Don't want to do high intensity interval training? You can get some similar effects with carb depleted aerobic training.
• Great study on the benefits of probiotics, especially for athletes.
• Yes, "drafting" actually does help in running, pretty significantly.

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As compiled and read by Brock, the Ben Greenfield Fitness Podcast "sidekick".

Audio Question from Graeme @ 00:16:47 For quick recovery between 2 marathons, given some of the benefits of a fasting day (like reduced inflammation), I was pondering the idea of using a fasting day two days after the first marathon. Use Monday as a refuelling day with a focus on good fats and then use Tuesday as a fast supplemented with BCAA's.

~ In my response, I recommend a greens supplement and amino acids.

Audio Question from Stacy @ 00:25:23 Injured her hip about 1.5 years ago (trochanteric bursitis). This year, her back went out. It hurts on both sides of the spine. Then her stomach started to hurt, very low down. MRI showed early stage degenerative disc disease between L5 and S1. Doctors believe this is the root of her hip and back problems. She is 41 and likely has surgery in her future. Her question is, can this diagnosis be correct and is there anything she can do about it? Can she exercise? Also are there any supplements she can take to help. She is 6'3" and weighs 150lbs. Her goals are to be fit... and some "mini-guns" would be nice.

~ In my response, I recommend Hyaluronic Acid along with sea salt. Also SAM-e (S-adenosylmethionine) and Capraflex.

Audio Question from Anonymous @ 00:36:33 Would like to know how much time you have to accumulate 2500 calories after a workout for it to be effective to gain 1 pound of muscle.

Audio Question from Ben @ 00:41:17 Wants to know what the best way to lose stomach fat is. He was a skinny guy who gained some weight in the stomach and wants to get rid of it.

~ In my response, I mention Get Fit Guy's Guide To Achieving Your Ideal Body, and 10 Ways To Burn Belly Fat Fast.

Marianne asks @ 00:47:25 I want to loose about 10 pounds so I can carry less weight and hopefully become a bit faster running and biking, but if I decrease caloric intake, I lose weight but I get amenorrheic, I'm constantly hungry, thinking of food all the time and I feel weak and dizzy. When I eat "enough", I am not hungry, but I gain weight which I attribute to muscle gain because my body fat % does not change much (18%). I’m a 5’8” 140 lbs 35 y/o female, my diet is about 50% vegetables and fruits, 25% proteins (fish, chicken) and 25% whole grains. I train 6 days a week for about 2 hours each day. Do you have any suggestions?

William asks @ 00:54:32 How do I make my muscles less susceptible to strains and pulls; particularly my hamstrings? I am 55 years old and have been competing at skiing and running at a serious level since I was a child. I have a very healthy diet and a low stress lifestyle. I’ve got a good handle on managing my muscle health. I’ve had the best success with GuaSha massage, topical magnesium, EMS Compex Active Recovery Program, and Glutamine for recovery. I have good muscle strength and low body fat of less and 10%. I have been this size my entire adult life. My hormones are still at healthy levels. It just seems my muscles have become more fragile with age. I’ve lost a bit of spring and explosive power, but if I train for that, I tend to tweak things. My running form is fairly efficient and quiet. I’ve tried light (laser) therapy and Chinese adaptogenic herbs but they do not seem to have much noticeable effect. Am I missing something, or as other people have said, I’m doing OK for my age - just be grateful.

~ In my response to William, I recommend the Rumble Roller. I also mention the Agile Eight hip mobility drills.

Brigid says @ 01:02:03Hi Ben, I just listened to podcast #192. You talked about the different oils and which ones are good for high heat content verses others. There is one that I've been using for all my stir frys, sautees, pan-frying fish and anything else that requires high heat. It is called; "Grapeola" or "Grape Seed Oil". Is this a good choice to use for all that I stated above? I also use it as a salad dressing, mixed with Red Wine Vinegar.

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