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Compare the effectiveness of kettlebell training, for example swings, deadlifts, windmills, cleans, presses, snatch, and others to bodyweight exercises and walking. Kettlebell training, bodyweight exercises, and walking each have unique benefits, and their effectiveness depends on your goals—such as strength, endurance, cardiovascular health, or overall mobility. Here’s a breakdown of how kettlebell exercises compare to bodyweight exercises and walking: 1. Strength and Power • Kettlebell Training:  Exercises like swings, deadlifts, cleans, presses, and snatches are excellent for building functional strength and power. Kettlebells allow for dynamic, ballistic movements that engage multiple muscle groups, improving overall strength and explosiveness. • Bodyweight Exercises:  Bodyweight moves like push-ups, squats, lunges, and planks are great for foundational strength, especially for beginners. However, they may have limitations in building maximal strength over time, especially without added resistance. • Walking:  While excellent for lower-body endurance, walking doesn’t significantly build muscle strength or power. It can contribute to maintaining baseline muscle tone, especially if combined with inclines or fast pacing. 2. Cardiovascular Conditioning • Kettlebell Training:  The intensity of kettlebell exercises, particularly swings and snatches, makes them excellent for cardiovascular conditioning. These moves increase heart rate quickly, providing a high-intensity interval training effect. • Bodyweight Exercises:  High-intensity bodyweight workouts like burpees, mountain climbers, and jump squats can offer similar cardiovascular benefits and can be more accessible without equipment. They provide a good option for cardio conditioning. • Walking:  While lower in intensity, brisk walking is effective for low-impact cardiovascular fitness, particularly beneficial for active recovery and maintaining endurance over time. 3. Mobility and Flexibility • Kettlebell Training:  Moves like windmills, Turkish get-ups, and halos improve range of motion, stability, and flexibility. Kettlebell training builds strength through an extended range of motion, enhancing both mobility and flexibility while adding resistance. • Bodyweight Exercises:  Many bodyweight movements, such as yoga-inspired flows, bear crawls, and dynamic stretches, are great for mobility and flexibility. Bodyweight training allows for a greater focus on flexibility and control. • Walking:  Walking helps maintain a basic range of motion in the lower body but doesn’t significantly enhance flexibility or mobility. However, it’s a useful form of gentle movement for those recovering from more intense activities. 4. Core Stability • Kettlebell Training:  Kettlebell exercises are excellent for core stability due to the off-balance load. Exercises like the kettlebell windmill, Turkish get-up, and one-arm movements especially challenge the core and improve stability. • Bodyweight Exercises:  Core-focused exercises such as planks, leg raises, and hollow holds strengthen the core without equipment, making them accessible and effective for stability training. • Walking:  While it does require core engagement to maintain posture, walking does not significantly build core stability. 5. Functional Strength and Balance • Kettlebell Training:  Kettlebells are highly effective for functional strength and balance. Movements like one-arm presses and cleans build coordination, balance, and stability, which translates well to real-life movements. • Bodyweight Exercises:  Bodyweight training builds functional strength, particularly in the early stages, by requiring control over body movement. Exercises such as single-leg squats and lunges are great for balance and stability. • Walking:  Walking is excellent for joint health and weight-bearing but does not significantly challenge balance beyond basic requirements. However, uneven terrain can engage stabilizing muscles. 6. Convenience and Accessibility • Kettlebell Training:  Requires access to kettlebells and space for dynamic movement. It may be less accessible than bodyweight training but still compact and versatile compared to other equipment. • Bodyweight Exercises:  Bodyweight exercises are the most convenient and accessible, requiring no equipment. They can be done almost anywhere and adapted to different fitness levels. • Walking:  Walking is the most universally accessible and requires no special equipment or space, making it ideal for beginners or those seeking gentle activity. Summary of Effectiveness by Goals: • Strength and Power : Kettlebell > Bodyweight > Walking • Cardiovascular Conditioning : Kettlebell ≈ Bodyweight (HIIT) > Walking • Mobility and Flexibility : Kettlebell ≈ Bodyweight > Walking • Core Stability : Kettlebell > Bodyweight > Walking • Functional Strength and Balance : Kettlebell ≈ Bodyweight > Walking • Convenience : Walking > Bodyweight > Kettlebell In essence, kettlebell training provides a unique combination of strength, power, and conditioning that bodyweight exercises and walking alone may not match. However, bodyweight exercises are great for foundational strength and flexibility, while walking is an essential, low-impact activity ideal for recovery, active aging, and general cardiovascular health.

The TyG Index, or Triglyceride-Glucose Index, is a diagnostic tool derived from fasting triglyceride and glucose levels, used to estimate insulin resistance. Insulin resistance occurs when cells in muscles, fat, and the liver don’t respond well to insulin and can’t easily take up glucose from the blood, leading to elevated blood sugar and increased risk of conditions like type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). High TyG Index values indicate higher levels of insulin resistance. Since insulin resistance often correlates with high triglyceride levels (as insulin normally helps to regulate fat breakdown) and elevated fasting glucose, the TyG Index leverages these two markers to produce an accessible, low-cost metric. Benefits of the TyG Index • Non-Invasive and Cost-Effective : It only requires basic lab measurements (triglycerides and glucose). • Useful Screening Tool : It provides a simple measure of insulin resistance risk, which can prompt further testing if necessary. • Correlation with Metabolic Health : Research supports the TyG Index’s correlation with metabolic syndrome, NAFLD, and other insulin-resistant conditions. In clinical practice, the TyG Index is considered a reliable tool for early detection and monitoring of insulin resistance, especially when used alongside other clinical assessments. Ranges for insulin resistance and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: • Insulin Resistance Risk : • Low Risk: TyG Index < 4.5 • Moderate Risk: TyG Index 4.5 - 4.8 • High Risk: TyG Index > 4.8 • Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) Risk : • Low Risk: TyG Index < 4.6 • Moderate Risk: TyG Index 4.6 - 5 • High Risk: TyG Index > 5

Discussions often have flipped usage of terms regarding "low carb". Even in research, studies will say they were conducted as low carb and not be. Some studies will merge low carb & and with a keto diet suggesting the study subjects were following a carbohydrate intake suitable for a physiological ketogenic state and they were not. There should be clear delineation between a "keto" as a diet and being in a "state of ketosis". What follows are general definitions of carbohydrate consumption ranges for high-carb , low-carb , and ketogenic  diets, based on grams of carbohydrate consumed per day: 1. High-Carb Diet: • Definition:  A diet where carbohydrate intake is above 225 grams per day . In some cases, it can go up to 300-400 grams or more, especially in diets rich in grains, fruits, legumes, and starchy vegetables. • Source:  This value is based on general recommendations, such as those from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which suggest that carbohydrates should make up about 45-65%  of total daily calories. For a 2000-calorie diet, this equates to around 225-325 grams of carbs . 2. Low-Carb Diet: • Definition:  A diet where carbohydrate intake is under 130 grams per day . However, some sources define low-carb diets as anywhere between 50 to 150 grams  of carbohydrates daily. • Source:  The American Diabetes Association suggests a lower carbohydrate intake as beneficial for certain individuals, and some low-carb diets, such as the Atkins diet, define a range between 20-100 grams  per day during different phases. 3. Ketogenic (Keto) Diet: • Definition:  A very low-carb, high-fat diet where carbohydrate intake is typically below 50 grams per day , and in many cases, under 20-30 grams . This low intake is intended to induce a state of ketosis, where the body uses fat as its primary energy source. • Source:  Studies and guidelines related to ketogenic diets often set this limit based on the amount required to achieve and maintain ketosis. The precise number can vary depending on individual metabolic responses, but under 50 grams is a common threshold. References: 1. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 , which provides the carbohydrate recommendations as part of daily caloric intake. 2. American Diabetes Association (ADA) standards, which discuss the impact of carbohydrate intake on blood sugar management and include definitions of low-carb diets. 3. Paoli A. (2014). Ketogenic Diet for Obesity: Friend or Foe?  International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. This paper discusses the typical carbohydrate intake for ketogenic diets being below 50 grams. These ranges offer a general guideline, but personal needs can vary depending on metabolism, activity level, and specific health goals.

Yes, Mark Bell continues to advocate for a low-carb, ketogenic-style diet, specifically through his “War on Carbs” approach. This diet emphasizes eliminating most carbohydrates, with a focus on high-fat, moderate-protein foods. His dietary philosophy revolves around cutting out sugars and carbs, particularly from non-vegetable sources, to help the body run on fat for fuel. While the “War on Carbs” approach is based on ketogenic principles, Bell tailors it for athletic performance. His diet isn’t strictly about maintaining a long-term state of ketosis but rather using keto-like phases to reduce fat and improve mental clarity. He allows some flexibility for athletes, incorporating targeted carbohydrates when necessary to support performance. Overall, Bell’s diet encourages discipline and long-term habit changes, focusing on clean eating and cutting out processed carbs and sugars. Mark Bell is a well-known powerlifter, entrepreneur, and fitness personality. He gained prominence through his involvement in the strength training and fitness world, particularly for creating innovative fitness products, such as the Slingshot , a training tool designed to help with bench pressing. Bell is also a prominent social media figure, sharing his journey in strength training, health, and nutrition, as well as hosting the podcast Mark Bell’s Power Project . Mark Bell advocates for the ketogenic diet  (a high-fat, low-carb eating regimen) primarily due to its benefits for fat loss, metabolic health, and mental clarity. After years of pursuing strength at any cost, Bell became more health-conscious as he aged, realizing that carrying excess weight and following a traditional high-calorie, carb-heavy diet led to health issues such as body inflammation, weight gain, and possibly reduced longevity. Bell turned to a ketogenic or low-carb diet  for several key reasons: 1. Fat Loss : The ketogenic diet promotes fat burning by putting the body into ketosis, a state where it primarily burns fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates. This helped him shed excess body fat while maintaining muscle mass and strength. 2. Mental Clarity : He often mentions the cognitive benefits of the ketogenic diet, such as improved focus and energy levels throughout the day. 3. Reduced Inflammation : A low-carb, high-fat diet is often associated with lower levels of inflammation, which can be beneficial for joint health and recovery, especially in strength athletes. 4. Sustainable Energy : He claims that by relying on fat for fuel, his energy levels are more stable, avoiding the energy spikes and crashes that can come from a high-carb diet. Mark Bell promotes his version of a ketogenic or “War on Carbs” diet, adjusting his approach depending on his fitness and health goals while encouraging others to explore low-carb lifestyles for their own physical and mental benefits.

Muscle plays a key role in glucose storage, utilization and consequently metabolic flexibility and health. This is a big deal for those who want to pre-hab their health and avoid metabolic health problems or those who are already dealing with metabolic problems such as pre-diabetes, type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, central obesity, high blood pressure and others. The description of muscle use of energy below uses a few descriptions that need some explanation first: In the cell, glucose, fatty acids, and ketone bodies (and some others) are metabolized into energy molecules called ATP - adenosine triphosphate. This molecule with 3 phosphate molecules is split to release the energy binding the molecules together and use that energy for cell energy. This will reduce the molecule to adenosine diphosphate (ADP). As required, the molecule can be further split to adenosine monophosphate (AMP) which is the final division and last level of contributing energy. An AMP/ATP ratio represents the amount of energy available: “no energy left to give/full energy to give”. Muscle contraction enhances glucose uptake in skeletal muscle cells primarily through the activation of the GLUT4 (glucose transporter type 4) pathway. This process allows muscle cells to absorb glucose from the blood, a critical function during exercise or physical activity when energy demands increase. Here’s a step-by-step description of how muscle contraction activates glucose absorption: 1. Muscle Contraction and AMP/ATP Ratio Increase During muscle contraction, ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the cell’s main energy molecule, is rapidly consumed. This causes an increase in AMP (adenosine monophosphate), the low-energy form of ATP, signaling the need for more energy. 2. Activation of AMPK (AMP-Activated Protein Kinase) The rise in AMP levels activates AMPK, which serves as an energy sensor in cells. AMPK, once activated, plays a key role in regulating energy homeostasis and enhancing glucose uptake to meet the increased energy demands. 3. Translocation of GLUT4 to the Cell Membrane In resting muscle cells, the majority of GLUT4 transporters are stored inside the cell within vesicles. Upon AMPK activation during contraction (and also in response to insulin), GLUT4 vesicles are mobilized and translocated to the plasma membrane. 4. Glucose Uptake via GLUT4 Transporters Once GLUT4 is on the cell surface, it facilitates the entry of glucose into the muscle cell from the bloodstream. The increased presence of GLUT4 on the membrane dramatically enhances glucose uptake, providing the muscle cell with the necessary fuel (glucose) to produce more ATP. 5. Glucose Utilization for Energy Inside the muscle cell, glucose is either used immediately for ATP production via glycolysis (especially during intense activity) or stored as glycogen for future energy needs. This process occurs independently of insulin during exercise, though insulin can also trigger GLUT4 translocation. Muscle contraction ensures glucose uptake even in cases where insulin sensitivity is reduced, such as in type 2 diabetes. If muscle activation plays a key role in glucose absorption by muscle and regulating glucose in the bloodstream, it would be usefull to know what muscle groups have the greatest ability to do this. To illustrate where the greatest amount of muscle mass is located on the human body, I will describe the major muscle groups that contribute the most to overall muscle mass. Here are the areas with the greatest muscle mass: 1. Upper Body:    Pectoral muscles (Chest): Large muscles covering the upper chest.    Latissimus dorsi (Back): These broad muscles span the sides and back, connecting the spine to the upper arms.    Trapezius (Upper back and neck): Extending from the neck to the mid-back, helping with shoulder and arm movements.    Deltoids (Shoulders): Large, triangular muscles that shape the shoulder and allow arm rotation.    Biceps and triceps (Arms): Located in the front and back of the upper arm, respectively. 2. Core:    Rectus abdominis (Abs): The "six-pack" muscles that extend along the front of the abdomen.    Obliques (Sides of abdomen): Muscles on the sides of the waist, important for rotation and side bending.    Erector spinae (Lower back): A group of muscles running vertically along the spine, essential for posture and lifting. 3. Lower Body:    Gluteal muscles (Buttocks): The gluteus maximus is the largest muscle in the body, responsible for hip extension and stabilization.    Quadriceps (Front thighs): A large group of muscles on the front of the thigh, crucial for knee extension and leg movement.    Hamstrings (Back thighs): Located at the back of the thighs, they help in knee flexion and hip extension.    Calf muscles (Gastrocnemius and soleus): Located in the lower legs, essential for foot movement and posture. These muscle groups together make up most of the muscle mass in the human body, especially in areas like the legs, chest, back, and buttocks. The distribution of muscle mass throughout the human body varies between individuals, but general estimates based on average anatomy studies can be broken down as follows: Summary Breakdown: Upper Body Total: ~20-26% Core Total: ~7-11% Lower Body Total: ~38-48% The legs (especially the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings) contain the greatest amount of muscle mass, while the upper body and core have smaller individual percentages. 1. Upper Body:    Pectoral muscles (Chest): ~5-7% of total muscle mass.    Latissimus dorsi (Back): ~6-8% of total muscle mass.    Trapezius (Upper back and neck): ~2-3% of total muscle mass.    Deltoids (Shoulders): ~2-3% of total muscle mass.    Biceps and triceps (Arms): ~3-5% of total muscle mass combined (2% biceps, 2-3% triceps). 2. Core:    Rectus abdominis (Abs): ~2-3% of total muscle mass.    Obliques (Sides of abdomen): ~2-3% of total muscle mass.    Erector spinae (Lower back): ~3-5% of total muscle mass. 3. Lower Body:    Gluteal muscles (Buttocks): ~8-10% of total muscle mass.    Quadriceps (Front thighs): ~10-12% of total muscle mass.    Hamstrings (Back thighs): ~8-10% of total muscle mass.    Calf muscles (Gastrocnemius and soleus): ~5-6% of total muscle mass.

First, lets get your attention… The following represents lab results and an iHeart report for a 42 year old caucasian female Her labs show pre-diabetic HbA1c and normal Fasting Glucose. Her HOMA-IR indicates a high level of "insulin resistance". HOMA-IR is a lab test that looks at the relationship of the amount of insulin the body must produce to keep glucose at a proper metabolic level. Her labs show a high fasting insulin level required to keep her glucose where it is. A high HOMA-IR indicates cells are not responding well to insulin. Elevated insulin levels (and elevated glucose levels) are associated with increasing arterial stiffness. The persons internal age is advanced by 13 years to 55 when her chronological age is actually 42. To the right is the result of an iHeart report for a 62 year old caucasian male.   The persons internal age is 28 years younger than his chronological age. Specific nutrition, physical training and other Lifestyle Factors will define your heath - in this case vascular health CONTACT ME TO LEARN MORE iHeart is NOT a medical device. It is intended for wellness education only. It is not intended to be used for any medical diagnosis or management of medical conditions.

Guardrails. You might ask why there is so much information or guidelines pertaining to lifestyle regarding food, exercise, sleep and the list goes on. The simple reason is, there are no “guardrails” any more.   So now you ask guardrails? What can you possibly mean? Here comes the ancestral explanation. The environment which our primal ancestors lived in had “guardrails”! For example: When the sun set, it became dark, they went to sleep - “guardrails”! The food available was animal (or marine) based, leaves and greens, nuts and berries (for example) - “guardrails”! As herders/nomads they moved, likely had to chase down their animal meal, so they were active - “guardrails”! The environment we live in today has “no guardrails”! For example: When it gets dark, we turn on the lights. This can affect sleep duration, sleep quality, or circadian rhythms “no guardrails”! We have unlimited food choices 24/7 365 days a year, including those that are not natural and are altered in some way - “no guardrails”! We have solved the problem of having to be active. We can drive everywhere, we can take the elevator, we don’t have to herd or relocate for food or safety - “no guardrails”! The point is: No organism evolves or survives in a toxic environment. Some times they are able to adapt. Maybe take a look around and see how well we are adapting to the environment we have created. We did not have to think about what to eat, how to be active, when to sleep or how to get enough sun because we had “guardrails”!  We have now removed the “guardrails” and we are struggling with staying on the road! Our primal ancestors did not have to know anything regarding sleep, food or activity because the environment was conducive to our survival and evolution. It was defined. There were no choices. Because we have figured out how to remove the “guardrails” we now have to know an extensive amount about how all these choices, which are not representative of our natural evolutionary environment, affect our bodies and health while we try to stay on the road without “guardrails”! Here are a few examples of how the environment has changed: In the primal environment, you would not find a singular food that had high amounts of fat and sugar together. For example you might find berries with some sugar content but not fat in it. You would find an animal source of food that has protein and fat but not sugar. Then you might say, but I could have an animal source of food and then eat some berries. Possibly, but the berries would have no where near the sugar content of foods these days. Also, the berries might be only one serving a day and a decent amount of work had to happen to pick them rather than purchasing a pint. Have you ever heard of eating seasonally? Did you wonder what that meant? From a primal perspective (depending on geography) we might have fruits/berries available late summer. Consuming these along with leafy greens is much easier and more readily available than hunting down prey and might be the bulk of our food source at that time of the season. Perhaps there was a mix of these foods but leaning heavier toward a more carbohydrate based food source. We might even over consume more sugary foods and put on some body fat. That’s what the body is supposed to do, store when food is available. The bodies metabolism shifts to accommodate these foods - more glucose based. During the cold winter months, the fruits/berries would not be available. The sources might lean toward animal foods, perhaps nuts. These foods consist of protein and fats. These foods may even be scarce. The bodies metabolism shifts to accommodate these foods and even utilize body fat, effectively more fat based. That's what the body is supposed to do, use what it stored when food is not as plentiful. Perhaps feasting and fasting. So what about living at the equator? Pretty much the same season with lush climates allowing for plentiful fruits and vegetables. How is that explained? Everything depends on the rest of the “context” or “environment” in which it exists. Perhaps those at the equator would not have had a significant level of animal protein and fat. Also, the presence of more fruits was during a season that was pretty much the same all the time allowing for summer like activity. You might also be interested to know of research that is finding sunlight plays a role in fat cells releasing fatty acids (fat loss) and also plays a role in how cells make energy. So those at the equator with more sun exposure (and less clothing) would receive this biological benefit. Interior lighting (LED), clothing inhibiting sun exposure, and working inside do not allow for the proper light exposure.  The image next shows the difference in natural and artificial lighting. Blue light aids fat loss and red light aids cellular energy production. The natural environment we evolved with had this all under control. That’s why as an organism, we functioned well and evolved. Do we have the ability to adapt?  We do, just not at the rate we are changing our environment and maybe not to all circumstances. Take for example skin color. The dark color of those at the equator controlled the dose of sunlight these individuals received. As we migrated north, our skin color adapted to allow us to obtain the sunlight needed at a geography where the sun was less intense. Now here is another interesting point. You might know that sun exposure aids in our production of vitamin D. But did you know that the process of making the vitamin D uses cholesterol? This isn’t to say sun exposure is the solution to your high cholesterol, but it is a component to how our bodies are able to be healthy when present in the environment it evolved in and that it works in harmony with the environment. We might inappropriately believe that our health and biological function can be independent of our environment. Hopefully from some of the scenarios and the few facts given here, you can appreciate why understanding how our bodies work within the environment we have created is important to your health. Hopefully you gained an appreciation of why in our evolutionary past, we did not need to know anything about food, exercise or sleep and why now we do. You now have a couple options: 1) do not make an effort to learn how your body works relative to this new environment and try and stay on a road with no guardrails and with no knowledge of how to drive resulting in going off the road (or poor health), or 2) learn about how your body works and what it needs (and what it should avoid) in order to be able to drive on a road with no guardrails (good health). * The content in this article is not meant to be all inclusive and completely comprehensive. It is meant to highlight key aspect that individuals may want to investigate further. Any data point can have different meaning, relevance, or credibility based on the rest of the context-environment.