Conditioning and transforming our bodies in the New Year is something most of us think about — with some of us actually getting into action. But at Tampa’s MI40 Gym, located just a stone’s throw from West Tampa’s Alessi Bakery, this Pollyannaish concept of “New Year / New You” just doesn’t meet muster. And that’s because Ben Pakulski, MI40’s founder and owner, is a lifelong advocate of conditioning and body transformation. He’s not some fly-by-night personal trainer who just landed a cushy job at a local health club/meat market, where clients are told they can become lean and mean machines after just 30 days. Nope. Ben is a purist when it comes to strength and conditioning, a mindset that enabled him to climb the ranks of the world’s best and highest achieving bodybuilders. For instance, in 2012, Ben was ranked the No. 1 bodybuilder in all of Canada, according to […]
As the title of today’s post suggests, we’ve got a lot to cover in this, one of our final posts of the year, so let’s get right to it. We promised this in last week’s post — BioDesign Wellness is offering an innovative program for the New Year that features a 30-day medically-supervised detox for only $799 (which is much less than our normal $1,900 price for a 60-day program and includes all the supplements you need, plus three one-on-one coaching sessions). In order to participate, you need to purchase the detox kit from our office by the cutoff date of Friday, Jan. 18. The kit can be purchased over the phone and mailed to your home or office, or you can stop by and pick it up at our Tampa functional medicine clinic. For questions or further details, please call our patient care coordinator, Lori, at (813) 445-7770. If
After a close inspection of our professional development calendar and a peek at next year’s desk calendar — still wrapped in cellophane — we’ve finalized our holiday schedule and office hours here at BioDesign Wellness Center. Here’s what you need to know: We will be closed beginning Saturday, Dec. 22, for some advanced training and a well-deserved holiday break for all of our doctors, nutritionists, health coaches and back-office staff. We will reopen at 9 a.m. sharp on Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2019. If you have a need to call our Tampa Functional Medicine practice with any important or urgent health issues over the holidays, our answering service will be taking messages and we will return calls on Dec. 27 & 28. If you have a medical emergency, please do not call BioDesign Wellness. Instead, call 911 or go directly to the emergency room. We are so grateful for our patients
In September of 2016, a tap water database published by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) revealed that 20 regions in Florida had drinking water with levels of chromium-6 higher than those deemed safe by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). These regions include Sarasota (county and city), Tampa, and Tallahassee, where water from one source tested 75 times the “safe” level! While chromium-6 may not ring a bell, you’re probably familiar with the name of the legal clerk who brought international attention to this dangerous chemical — Erin Brockovich. While working as a clerk at a Los Angeles law firm, she uncovered documents that led to 600+ residents of Hinkley, California, filing a lawsuit against the Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) Company. That lawsuit accused the company of contaminating the community’s drinking water with chromium-6, and it ultimately resulted in a $333 million settlement. Chromium-6 is a known carcinogen
Can eating fat make you thin? Proponents of the ketogenic diet (the keto diet) say, “Yes!” And they’re right. When you starve the body of carbohydrates — either by fasting for several days or by following a high-fat, extremely low-carb diet — your body’s metabolism shifts from glycolysis (burning sugar/carbs) to ketosis (burning fat). Stay in ketosis long enough, and your body literally burns away stored fat, assuming, of course, you don’t significantly increase your total caloric consumption. Rationing Your Macros To shift from glycolysis to ketosis, you must consume the proper ratio of macronutrients (fat, protein, and carbohydrates): About 70% to 75% fat About 20% to 25% of protein Less than 5% carbohydrates For example, a woman weighing about 200 lbs. needs to eat about 2,000 calories per day to maintain her weight. The amount of fat, protein, and carbs she would need to eat to achieve ketosis would be as follows:
Ask anyone — even the staff here at BioDesign Wellness — if it’s okay to overindulge a bit during the holidays. Of course, it is, but notice the emphasis on a bit (it’s italicized because we feel moderation is the key to long-term happiness, especially this holiday season). If you’re new to our functional medicine practice in Tampa, or even if you’ve been visiting our office for the last year or so, you know how much emphasis we place on maintaining healthy habits one day at a time. Now, when we say one day at a time, you know that what we really mean is the rest of your life. But if you just say, “I’m going to make good food and exercise decisions today,” it seems a little less daunting. And then, of course, we encourage you to say the same thing tomorrow! In addition to listing our office hours for this