FABULOUS FAT LOSS WITH PYRUVATE
By John Basedow

Dear John:

I read your column regularly and I love your "Fitness Made Simple" video. The nutrition and detailed fat reducing/lean muscle building meal plan have really helped me tone my body and lose fat in my trouble areas (hips and thighs). I can't believe the difference the video made and it was surprisingly "simple" as you say.  I recently tried the supplement pyruvate, which you recommended, and I've  noticed a substantial loss of body fat and I have more energy. I got the Genetic Evolutionary Nutrition (GEN) brand and I think it's a great product. It also works well with the nutrition program you describe on the video. A friend of mine, however, tried a different brand of pyruvate and said he didn't notice any benefits. Why do you think this is? Are there really such big differences between brands?
Donna G. - New York

Dear Donna:

I've said it before and I'll say it again... I can't  believe the amount of positive responses I've received from readers who've tried the GEN brand of pyruvate. It sounds as if this supplement is actually as good as it's been hyped to be. WOW, imagine that.

According to user feedback, pyruvate not only significantly increases fat loss in both exercising and non-exercising men and women but it also increases energy and endurance. And its benefits seem to be coming without the side effects of nervousness, moodiness, and general anxiety typically associated with other fat burning supplements like ephedrine and caffeine. By prioritizing the transport of nutrients into muscle cells after meals, pyruvate is believed to increase glycogen ("muscle fuel") storage, leaving less excess glucose to be converted into body fat. As I've stated before, some experts also theorize pyruvate enhances both fat and weight loss by increasing metabolism, thermogenesis, and fat utilization as well as by possibly improving insulin sensitivity.

I've also used the GEN Pyruvate and I'm very impressed with the results it's given me. I've been able to maintain my low body fat and definition, especially in my abs, and what's even better is I don't get that bloated feeling so common after an occasional "cheat" meal. Yes, I do have "cheat" meals and recommend them highly.  Regarding your friend's lackluster experiences with a different brand of pyruvate, and in answer to your question, "Yes, there is a big difference in quality and purity between brands of pyruvate."

Quality pyruvate, like the GEN brand is hard to find.  Not to get too technical, but pyruvate is a salt of pyruvic acid and comes in a variety of forms including sodium pyruvate, potassium pyruvate, and calcium pyruvate. Calcium pyruvate, found in the GEN brand is the form that was used in the clinical fat reducing and endurance enhancing studies. Unfortunately, I've noticed a lot of pyruvate being pumped onto the market is sodium pyruvate, which I've found causes a good deal of water retention in me. As we all know, subcutaneous water retention can lead to a smooth or bloated look, which isn't a goal of anybody trying to increase definition. Also, many companies are not even licensed to sell the higher-grade pyruvate. A company called MED-PRO Industries holds the rights to the only source of nutrient pyruvate patented for usage in weight loss and fat reduction products. GEN Pyruvate carries the MED-PRO logo on each bottle, indicating  the purity of its product.

JOHN BASEDOW:
From TV Producer to Fitness Star
By Scott Harrah

At age 26, most people are still stuck in the same go-nowhere administrative job they found  fresh out of college. But not John Basedow of Long Island, star of the hot new video "Fitness Made Simple" that's being sold worldwide in fitness publications.

Basedow acted as producer and host for the international TV magazine series "Images," a health-and-science-oriented program he and partner Paquita Jean-Charles created after meeting as interns at WLIW-TV on the Island. The show became such a hit that it was distributed to viewers in more than 40 countries, airing on 172 PBS stations and 57 commercial stations in the U.S.

"We learned every aspect of the industry," he says of the show, which tackled subjects ranging from infertility to steroid abuse.

Although Basedow was an international success, he faced very common American problems when it came to fitness.  He played tennis as a teen, but didn't start weight training until he was 24. Like most of us, he says, he tried all the abdominal exercises, trying to get those elusive "washboard abs" but to no avail.

"The thing I lacked was proper nutrition," he says. "Once I started eating correctly, the results came tenfold. Fitness is really knowing what your body needs at specific times."

And that, says Basedow, means learning when it's best not to eat-such as first thing in the morning, when doing cardio before breakfast will help you burn fat. Basedow says the body burns fat the best on an empty stomach, when it's able to tap stored fat for energy.

Basedow, who's 6'3" and over 200 pounds with a 31-inch waist, has nothing but kudos for protein, which acts as an appetite suppressant. "Protein is very important," he says. "Forty percent of your diet should be protein." He recommends clean sources of protein, such as egg whites, turkey breast and lean red meat.

Basedow's new video, "Fitness Made Simple," deals with the dynamics of sound nutrition, supplements, and proper workouts.  He says the biggest trouble people have with workouts is overtraining. "More is not always better when it comes to exercise,"  he says, adding that he trains four days a week, allowing enough time off to allow his muscles to rest and grow. Basedow stresses that people sometimes try to cut all the fat out of their diets, but many overlook the fact that they need "good fats," essential fatty acids like flaxseed oil. People, he says, sometimes go overboard with low-fat carbohydrates, such as "fat-free" snacks loaded with sugar.  In reality, some carbs stimulate a chemical in the brain that makes people crave more-which is why some eat a whole bag of "fat-free" cookies in one sitting.

The main problem most people face when trying to reduce or gain weight is the contradictory information in the fitness press, he says. Most people get discouraged when they don't see immediate results, but Basedow believes people need to allow 4 to 5 weeks to adjust to a new nutritional plan. "Eventually your body adjusts, and you don't crave the garbage," he says.  And as far as working out, he says we need to look at our routines with a wider scope: "Look at your fitness regimen as a lifelong journey, not as a weekend trip."

His most vociferous source of ridicule is "weight-gain" shakes, those over-priced tubs of powder that have 2,000 calories or more per serving. "They're bogus," he says of weight-gainers. "You may as well go to the bakery and load up.  With weight-gain shakes you're not even getting the enjoyment of real food."

Basedow's advice for other young entrepreneurs yearning to succeed?  Be wary of advice.  "Don't listen to anybody," he says. "If you have a dream or goal, listen to yourself."

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