Last week I was in Sao Paulo, Brazil to teach trainers, athletes and fitness buffs how to build a better body. On my day off I flew to Rio de Janeiro to check out the sun, surf, and bikinis.

While I was roaming around Ipanema Beach in a somewhat dehydrated state, I was relieved to see a cool little stand that sold coconut water, straight from the source. After mumbling through enough Portuguese to get my order across to the distracted Brazilian dude working the hut, he grabbed a young coconut, chopped off the top with what appeared to be a machete, and stuck a straw in the opening. I handed him a few reais and off I went because I didn’t want to find out what other uses he might have for that machete.

Coconut water is readily available in Rio and it’s as much a part of their culture as iced tea is to America. In Brazil, there aren’t any outrageous claims with regard to the purported health benefits, and that was a refreshing change from what I’ve been seeing around Los Angeles.

I’ve been prescribing fresh coconut water as part of my athlete’s daily nutrition program for years and the results have been excellent. But as soon as marketers get their hands on a product with a few health benefits, everything goes to hell.

I was reminded of this fact when a friend recently told me that she tried coconut water and it “didn’t do anything.” I’m not exactly sure what she intended it to do, but it’s likely that she read some outrageous claim like it can fix cancer, obesity, diabetes or something along those lines. And it doesn’t help matters when ConsumerLab found that two of the leading brands made label claims that didn’t hold up under testing, as reported last year by the NY Times.

Nevertheless, coconut water’s role is simple: hydration. Now, I believe that coconut water benefits your body and performance beyond hydration, but I’d only be guessing what those other benefits could be since it’s too early to say. However, I know it’s better than water and any other popular sports drinks that are tainted with neon coloring and chemical additives. And don’t believe the sparse research from obscure journals that claim water, coconut water, and sports drinks are the same since they all equally restored the amount of body weight that was lost through training.

Adequate hydration is considerably more complex than just restoring your body weight. Blood tests should have been performed to measure electrolytes, as well as tests of reaction times, cognition, etc. to get a clearer picture. Those are the factors that matter when it comes to performance, and fresh coconut water surely ranks best when compared to water or neon sports drinks.

How can I say this? Because the nutrients in fresh coconut water are in their natural form, paired with all the other known and unknown compounds that increase assimilation. This is why it’s shown that people who eat a lot of citrus fruits are healthier than those who take a lab-made multivitamin with similar nutrients.

Dr. Marian Neuhouser summed it up best when she said, ”The vitamin C in a multivitamin is likely just not as effective as the vitamin C in a citrus fruit, where it’s also surrounded by fiber and flavonoids and carotenoids. All these nutrients working together is what really keeps you healthy.”

And this is exactly why fresh coconut water beats regular water or Jolly Rancher flavored sports drinks. It’s also the reason why the only multivitamin that I use with clients is plant-based. You can find that excellent multivitamin at this link.

Is coconut water perfect for athletes? Probably not since it doesn’t contain enough sodium to replenish your needs when you’ve been sweating heavily. Indeed, sodium is the electrolyte we lose most when sweating and coconut water doesn’t contain much of it. But the solution is as simple as adding a pinch of salt to each 16 ounce bottle – that’s what I have my athletes do before and after intense training.

The catch, however, is that we all don’t live on Ipanema Beach where fresh coconut water is readily available in little huts. Nevertheless, Whole Foods and some other progressive health food stores sell what I consider to be the best tasting coconut water on the market: Taste Nirvana’s Real Coconut Water.

If you want to know what coconut water is supposed to taste like, pick up a glass-bottled version of Taste Nirvana. There’s nothing in it but pure coconut water, unlike those sour-tasting versions that are sold in gas stations and liquor stores that contain additives to preserve shelf life.

When I’m working with athletes that are in an intense training phase leading up to a competition, I’ll have them start their day with 16 ounces of fresh coconut water with a pinch of salt added. You can also use it before and/or after intense training when you sweat a lot.

Finally, the time I consider coconut water to be invaluable is immediately after my fighters weigh-in for a competition. As soon as he or she steps off the scale, 32 ounces of coconut water with a few pinches of salt jumpstarts rehydration and ensures that they’re one step closer to being able to fight with fury the next day.

Stay Focused,
CW

To burn stubborn fat, all your organs and glands must be able to work at their peak. These days thyroid problems are rampant, and that’s no surprise. Your thyroid can take a serious beating in your quest to sculpt a lean physique.

However, the thyroid is probably the most misunderstood parts of your body when it comes to fat loss. It’s absolutely essential to have your thyroid working for you, not against you, as is typically the case with most dieters out there.

Last week I interviewed nutrition expert, Ori Hofmekler, about post-workout nutrition. The response was so large and favorable that I invited him back to discuss thyroid function and how to maximize it.

With this information you’ll be one enormous step closer to finally burning off your most stubborn fat.

CW: Ori, thanks for coming back to talk with us. First, explain why the thyroid is so important for fat loss and overall health.

Ori: My pleasure, Chad. The thyroid hormones regulate your body’s energy utilization, metabolic rate, body heat and they also regulate how sensitive your body is to other hormones. Hence, your thyroid hormones affect your capacity to produce energy, burn fat, and sustain a healthy metabolism.

CW: That explanation alone should make people realize just how crucial thyroid hormones are for fat loss. What happens when the thyroid isn’t working like it should?

Ori: Impairment in thyroid hormone production, such as seen in the case of hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid), leads to a sluggish metabolism, intolerance to cold, and a diminishing capacity to break fat storage for energy. The principle thyroid hormones are T4 (tyroxine) and T3 (triiodothyronine). T3, the active hormone, is 7-10 times more potent than T4, which is actually a pro-hormone.

CW: So the key hormone here is T3. We need to convert as much as possible from T4, right?

Ori: Yes. In a healthy body up to 80% of T4 is converted to T3 by peripheral organs such as the liver, kidney, and muscle.

CW: And this is why I always say that to burn stubborn fat you need to make sure your organs are working at their peak. So what causes hypothyroidism?

Ori: An underactive thyroid condition is mainly caused by thyroid suppressing chemicals.

CW: Give us some examples.

Ori: Those chemicals include: drugs, plasticizers, industrial iodides, petro-chemicals, antiseptics, selenium salts, and many thyroid inhibiting substances that are found in the foods we eat. Hypothyroidism is also a result of extreme low calorie restriction, inferior protein intake, and a deficiency or excess in iodine and selenium. One of the most typical factors of hypothyroidism is an impairment in the body’s capacity to convert T4 to T3. This impairment is largely caused by chronic calorie restriction and amino acid deficiencies.

CW: In the past when I suspected an imbalance of thyroid hormones with my clients, I sometimes put them on iodine and selenium supplements since those nutrients were purported to support thyroid health. But in many cases their symptoms got worse. 

Ori: The thyroid is a highly evolutionary conserved organ which evolved to support the primordial shift of organisms from the sea – the iodine-rich habitat – to more iodine deficient grasslands and woodlands that were the early human habitats. What this means is that the human species evolved to do well on a moderate to low iodine diet. By effectively trapping and storing iodide ions from foods that contained little iodine, the human body has been capable able of utilizing this mineral for hormonal production and optimal organ functions.

As is the case with most substances, either too little or too much can cause a problem. About 100 years ago, populations in certain world areas suffered from epidemics of underactive thyroid due to iodine and selenium deficiency in the soil. Since then, iodine and selenium supplementation became a mandatory method to prevent hypothyroidism.

The problem is that in the past 50 years supplementing with iodine and selenium has turned out to be utterly counter-effective.

CW: That’s definitely what I experienced with my clients. What was the problem?

Ori: The reason for your lack of results is due to an excess of iodine and selenium. Soil areas that were previously deficient in iodine and selenium are now plugged by an excess of these minerals due to the deposition of industrial waste and agricultural chemicals. So there’s actually too much iodine in our food and soil. Accumulating evidence indicate that excess iodine can increase the prevalence of autoimmune thyroid disease, hypothyroidism, and even thyroid cancer. And excess selenium has been linked to an underactive thyroid, shattered metabolism, obesity, and mental disorders.

CW: Wow, that’s a frightening list of disorders. So how can people determine if their thyroid needs help?

Ori: There are five symptoms of an underactive thyroid:

1. Sensitivity to cold.
2. A lower body temperature. Check your body temperature upon rising. If it’s below 97.5 degrees you may suffer from an underactive thyroid.
3. Abnormally high TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) as determined by a blood test. A TSH value over 1.50 means that your thyroid isn’t functioning properly and as a consequence your body over pumps TSH to compensate. Many doctors mistakenly regard a TSH value of 2.50 as borderline high. But based on recent research, the true high limit of TSH is 1.50.
4. Chronic fatigue.
5. Difficulty losing weight and leaning down.

CW: That’s excellent information, Ori. What steps can people take to prevent hypothyroidism?

Ori: First, stay away from substances that suppress thyroid hormone activity.

CW: What are some examples of those substances?

Ori: Thyroid suppressing chemicals include: petro-chemicals, PCBs, pesticides, industrial iodides, chemical detergents, parabens, chlorine-containing substances, cobalt, and cadmium paints.

In addition, you should avoid: chronic extreme caloric restrictions, high glycemic foods, chlorinated or fluorinated water, and thyroid suppressing (goitrogenic) foods.

CW: Tell us some foods that fall into that category.

Ori: Thyroid suppressing foods include: soy products, uncooked cruciferous vegetables, parsnips, cassava, millet, and Brazil nuts.

And certain drugs such as diuretics, iodide antiseptics, and histamines are thyroid suppressors.

CW: So what’s your position on supplementing the diet with iodine and selenium?

Ori: Iodine and selenium supplements suppress the thyroid. They should be avoided.

CW: Wow, that will come as a shock to many people. Tell us what supplements support the thyroid.

Ori: The most proven and effective thyroid supportive herb is commiphora mukul, the active ingredient in gugglesterone. Other thyroid supportive herbs are shilajit, milk thistle, and bacopa monavari.

I recommend that people supplement their diet with thyroid enhancing herbs to help counteract the effects of common thyroid inhibiting substances.

CW: Once again, Ori, thanks for your outstanding information.

Ori: You’re welcome, Chad.

If you suspect that you suffer from hypothyroidism and you’ve been struggling to lose stubborn fat, I highly recommend that you try Thyrolyn, Ori’s herbal support formula for the thyroid. My clients have experienced excellent results with his formula and it definitely helps burn stubborn fat. Take 6 pills on an empty stomach in the early afternoon each day.

Stay Focused,
CW

Two years ago I started reading Ori Hofmekler’s work. I was late to the game since he’d been writing for more than a decade, but as the saying goes: better late than never. I was not only fascinated by Ori’s knowledge of biology and human physiology, but his recommendations were also in-line with some of the more progressive research I was seeking out on gut health and hormones. Especially during the period after exercise when we need to maximize post-workout nutrition.

Since the spring of 2010 I’ve been implementing Ori’s unique principles and supplements with myself and my clients. The results were so impressive that it was time I met the man in person to talk shop. Listening to Ori speak about nutrition must be what it feels like to sit in a room with Bill Gates and hear him discuss computer technology.

Yep, I was blown away by the meeting. And since we all try to maximize post-workout nutrition, I wanted to share what Ori Hofmekler had to say.

I’m honored to have Ori here in this exclusive interview.

CW: Ori, throughout the majority of my career I’ve recommended fast-acting carbs with protein powder in the post-workout meal in order to get an insulin spike and shuttle amino acids into the muscles for growth and repair. But after consulting with you I’ve realized that I might have been wrong with this approach.

Can you explain the problems with ingesting simple carbs such as raisins or cherry juice immediately after training?

Ori Hofmekler: First off, after training your muscle becomes temporarily insulin resistant. That’s due to tissue micro-injuries which impair the mechanism that utilizes glucose in your muscle. Putting a high glycemic fuel in your muscle right after exercise will jeopardize energy utilization and disrupt your insulin sensitivity. High glycemic fuel includes all kinds of sugars, dried fruits and refined flour.

One of the biggest misconceptions is the idea that an insulin spike is necessary for boosting protein synthesis in the muscle. The truth is quite different. The real factor is not insulin spike but rather insulin sensitivity.

It has been proven that as long as insulin sensitivity is high, even low (fasting) insulin levels along with amino acids will be sufficient to trigger mTOR/AKT – the cellular pathway that deposits protein in the muscle towards repair and growth.

Overly spiking insulin with simple carbs immediately after exercise impairs insulin sensitivity and diminishes your capacity to sustain a healthy metabolism and a lean, strong physique.

CW: We all know that the few hours after training are important to maximize for muscle growth and fat loss. What’s the best approach to post-workout nutrition when a person is trying to add muscle without inhibiting fat loss?

Ori: The post-exercise period isn’t just your window of opportunity to build muscle, it’s also your ideal opportunity to burn fat.

What many people fail to understand is that exercise only initiates the first phase of fat breakdown; it does not grant the completion of the fat-burning process.

After exercise there’s a substantial increase in the level of circulating free fatting acids coming from adipose tissue, and unless these are mobilized to the liver and muscle for final utilization, most of them will be re-esterfied into triglycerides and re-deposited back in the fat tissues.

Yes, all your hard work to burn fat will be wasted!

In order to grant an effective completion of the fat-burning process you must manipulate your muscle to suck in the circulating free fatty acids that were released by exercise. And the way to do that is to wait for 30-60 minutes after exercise before having your recovery meal.

CW: So much for the notion that post-workout nutrition must begin as soon as the workout is finished.

Ori: Yes, by waiting 30-60 minutes it will give your body the time needed to remove circulating fatty acids for utilization and thus prevent re-deposit and build-up of fat in your adipose tissue.

CW: So why is the post-exercise period a person’s ideal window of opportunity to burn fat?

Ori: It’s because of empty glycogen reserves. Glycogen is your body’s most immediate and preferred fuel for survival activities, such as the fight or flight response. Hence, your body regards glycogen replenishment as a top survival priority. And that’s what happens after intense training: your body is forced to swiftly convert fatty acids into glucose, via gluconeogenesis, which are then used for glycogen replenishment in your muscle.

What this means is that fat breakdown and utilization reaches a peak, not during exercise, but right after exercise. Importantly, this process can only reach its peak in a fasting state. It will be utterly inhibited by carbohydrate feeding.

CW: Fascinating. I can’t tell you how many times I recommended carbs during and immediately after training to clients who wanted to burn off excess fat. Eliminating carbs during this period has drastically increased my client’s rate of fat loss. 

Ori: You’re right, Chad. I was glad when you told me that you removed carbs from Ronda Rousey’s first post-workout protein feeding as you prepared her for her title fight against Miesha Tate.

CW: Yes, that was a key component for leaning Ronda out so she could drop a weight class. So when is the best time to eat carbs in general? 

Ori: The right time for eating carbohydrates is at night when the muscle is no longer insulin resistant like it is directly after training. For effective glycogen loading, eat slow-releasing complex carbs from whole plants the night before training or competition. Ideal sources are corn, quinoa and oatmeal.

With all that said, you still need to feed your muscle to grant repair and growth in the post-exercise period. And you need to do that without inhibiting the fat-burning process.

Therefore, you should use quality whey protein with no sugar added. This is your best bet. Quality whey protein not only nourishes your muscle with essential amino acids and bioactive immune-boosting nutrients, but it also promotes insulin sensitivity via peptides such as CCK and GLP-1. Importantly, insulin sensitivity is necessary for both muscle growth and fat burning.

CW: So what’s the best approach to post-workout nutrition?

Ori: If your goal is to burn fat and build muscle, you must take advantage of the post-exercise window of opportunity. Avoid feeding for 30-60 minutes after training, and then have 40-60 grams of whey protein with no sugar added for recovery. Three scoops of Warrior Whey is ideal at this time. To further enhance muscle build up, have a second recovery meal – same amount of whey protein – about 60 minutes later.

CW: What if a guy isn’t interested in burning fat? Can he have carbs in the post-workout window?

Ori: Yes, but carbs should only come in the second post-workout feeding. And this is only applicable when you’ve trained hard for more than two hours, such as long, intense sparring session or other very high endurance activities. The first feeding should be immediately after exercise from 40-60 grams of quality whey. This is for people who aren’t worried about burning fat – they need to feed their muscle with fast assimilating proteins to stop the catabolic process and promote recovery.

The second feeding should come 30 minutes later and it should include another 40-60 grams of whey. At this time you could have a handful of organic raisins or a bowl of berries. Fruits are densely packed with antioxidants and yield an alkalizing balance effect on your body, which is typically over-acidic after intense, prolonged training.

CW: Terrific information, Ori. Thanks for your time and incredible insight.

Ori: Thank you, Chad.

Ori’s Warrior Whey is the best protein powder I’ve ever used. Through research and development he has created what I consider not only the most effective protein powder for supporting muscle growth and fat loss, but it also tastes incredible. It’s the only whey protein I currently use.

For only $24, you can try Ori’s Warrior Whey. I bet you’ll never use another whey again. You can find out more about Warrior Whey at this link.

Ori’s Post-Workout Protocol for Fat Loss and Muscle Growth
30-60 minutes after exercise: 3 scoops of Warrior Whey in water.
60 minutes later (for maximize muscle growth): 3 scoops of Warrior Whey in water.

Ori’s Post-Workout Protocol for Extreme Endurance Athletes
Immediately after exercise: 3 scoops of Warrior Whey in water.
30 minutes later: 3 scoops of Warrior Whey in water with a handful of organic raisins or a bowl of berries.

Stay Focused,
CW