Joe DeAngelis - 2000 Motivational Series

Welcome to MSN Live! In conjunction with DietRiot.com, tonight we bring you the first chat in our "Spring Into Fitness Series." Our guest tonight is Bodybuilder, Mr. America, Mr. Universe, and Mr. USA, Joe DeAngelis. We're honored to kick off our 8-week program with one of today's hottest fitness experts, Joe DeAngelis.

Joe, thanks for being our guest tonight! It's a pleasure to meet you! We have lots of fitness and diet questions for you tonight so let's get started!

Hi everybody!

kate says: What titles do you hold now?

At the moment, I was a 1998 Ironman Champ, and 5th place in 1999 IFBB North American Championships, but the one I'm most proud of is Mr. Universe and Mr. America.

prettyface says: When did you start bodybuilding? Is it ever too late to begin lifting?

No, I personally began lifting when I was 14 years old. In my experience and in the people I've seen through the years, as long as you're still breathing, I've seen people in adverse circumstances do well. People in their 40’s in competitive lifting do well. It's never too late.

luke12 says: Do you have a website with some tips for me on bodybuilding?

Yes, I do! It’s http://www.joedeangelis.com. You can email me questions and I'll answer them in the Q&A section.

hellcat says: What do you think of steroids?

dangerboy says: Are there any natural hormones I can take which will help me get fit and muscular? What about DHEA?

Well, DHEA was the first over-the-counter to hit the market. For younger people it isn't efficacious. For older people there might be a need. You see a lot about PRO hormones, androstene and norandrostene. With those it's generally people in their 30’s and beyond that get something out of them. If you're younger, you have enough testosterone you don't need anything else. I take both, and I'm happy with the results. As long as you're following as best as possible a good diet, vitamins and minerals and calories, your body produces enough testosterone.

Troy says: Do you like the protein bars? Think they can help? I eat one before and after I go to the gym.

Yeah, with any kind of supplement I think of as convenience food-- health or body-building-- eating often and frequently is important. If you don't have time for a meal, a protein bar or meal comes in really handy, and I do that myself.

porscheluvr says: What do think of the Atkins diet as well as the other diets?

Atkins is the low carbohydrates one. My stand on weight loss and fat loss in general is in the end to lose fat you need to create a calorie deficit, which means taking in less calories. Within those parameters, there are some people with a higher carbohydrates and lower cal diet works well and others work better on a lower carbohydrates and higher fat. That's individual and you need to keep a diet log and see what works. If you play around with your macronutrient levels and keep a diary, you should be able to come up with something that works for you. You have to experiment and see what works best for you.

That's a pretty common misconception. Muscle doesn't turn to fat or vice versa. If you stop training, if you were skinny when you started you'll go back to being skinny... if fat, gradually go back to fat. If you notice former athletes, when they are in training, they're burning a lot of calories and eating a lot of food. When they stop training hard, they don't stop eating that and they don't have the calorie expenditure, so they gradually put on body fat. When I can't work out as often as I like, I scale back my calories so that I don't put on body fat. You brush your teeth every day. There's no reason to stop exercising, actually. I don't think I'll ever stop-- I love training.

eddie says: How much protein do you think people should consume per kilo of bodyweight? There appears to be conflicting amounts been thrown around in the magazines.

Again, that's you have to look at the individual. When I'm in heavy training, 2x a day, I take in 2g of protein per body weight, 600 g per day. If I were working with someone who was working out 3x a week once per day, I'd scale it down. They're not having the energy expenditure I'm having. I might only recommend 1g per kilo. There's a lot of conflicting evidence because people aren't cookie-cutter like that. Start with your activity level, lifestyle-- do you work construction or sit at a desk, and then look at more protein the more active you are, and work on fine-tuning it to what works for you!

The standard right now is the Ma Huang, ephedrine. Lots of products that work like elcarnitine, mobilizes fatty acids across cell membranes. There’s conflicting evidence on that, but I think elcarnitine works. But it really all comes down to reducing your calories.

sweetdust Asks: Is weight lifting bad for your body if your small build?

No, not at all. That's the wonderful thing about weight-training, you go at your own pace, use the weights appropriate to you. You're only in competition with yourself. Weight-training, done correctly, is about the safest thing you can do. Incorrectly, it’s about the most dangerous. So, get a good trainer. And no matter what your age or size, you can do it.

slimjim says: Can you recommend a good ab workout?

When it comes to ab training, and I'm a former fat kid so I'm an expert, your abs respond to exercise like any other muscle group. So, doing endless reps won't do a lot. The most efficient is the crunch lying on the ground. Your abs curl your spine forward, so you need to do that I don't do a lot of reps or a lot of sets. I just do really concentrated movements and really feel them. Nutrition comes into it. 90% is nutrition! I used to do an hour of ab work when I was younger and saw no results. Now I do less and reduce calories and body fat, they show through. Spot reducing-- there's not a lot of faith put in that. You can't reduce the fat in certain areas by exercising that area. You lose fat all over the body with exercise.

candy says: Did you find reducing your carbohydrates intake helped your abs- i.e. bloating etc.

Paimae Asks: Joe: My wife is mostly vegetarian, (she does eat some chicken, turkey, tuna, etc) and she is VERY physically fit. I'm worried about her protein intake. What suggestions can you make as far as decent hi protein sources (low cal however)?

I started in the 80’s when high carbohydrates were "in". For vegetarians, it's possible to follow a 100% vegetarian diet and get plenty of protein. The problem is getting complete protein, which can be overcome with food-combining-- a science-- rice & beans, for instance. For most vegetarians, supplementations of protein intake is a good idea. I'm with Universal Nutrition Labs and they have a soy protein supplement that's wonderful. It has a great taste and complete protein. You said she's in great shape, so that's indication that she's getting enough protein.

The Universal Soy Protein- does that get added to juice or another liquid?

I mix it with water. It tastes SO GOOD just with water. It's 100% protein, about 1g carbohydrates, and tastes so good in water it's unbelievable. I don't even mix it with juice because it tastes so good! SoyPro, is what it's called.

"Mr Biggelsworth" Asks: Hey Joe, can you over train your abdominals?

Yes, you can over train your abs. Actually there are some people who believe it's easy to over train your abs and your entire body, holding back your progress. When I trained back in the 80’s with all the ab work, that was when my gains were the least. 10 to 12 sets for abs is plenty, in about 15 minutes.

petree says: I heard you can train with a weight on your chest doing abwork. But a friend said no way, it's dangerous.

It could be dangerous if it fell off your chest and hit you in the mouth, but putting resistance on your chest does put a load on the abs and makes them work harder. But in my experience you don't have to do it. Just really concentrate on flexing the abs. People who say they're doing 100 crunches, well, they aren't doing them right. You can only do about 15 to 20 if you really do them right. Don't forget a proper diet!

Jimbo says: Is it important to combine aerobics with weight training?

With combining weight training and aerobics, it's always about using the right tool for the right job. If you're trying to gain muscle mass and body fat isn't a problem, back off on aerobics. If weight loss is a concern, increase the aerobics and less weight, you still need both, but do the right one for the right job. I do twice a week if I'm trying to get bigger, but otherwise an hour to two on aerobics.

eddie Asks: What are your thoughts on the use of creatine monohydrate?

Creatine works in 60-75% of people, so some people may not get results. I feel I've gotten good results from it, myself. I make sure I take it after I train, when I'm done, 5-10g. I take Creatine from Universal-- it tastes like grape Pez.

Paimae Asks: I used to consume MetRx back when it first came out. Is that still a good product or has it faded out like the other fads? Thanks in advance!

angelfire says: I am 5 feet 6 female. I want to get fit but not huge and muscular. Got any tips for me? You are gorgeous, Joe!

*chuckle* I'm blushing. When it comes to getting huge and muscular, that doesn't happen by accident to anyone. And if it should happen to you, give me a call and I'll have you train me! A woman's body won't respond to training like a man, because you have a lot less testosterone. You can use the same techniques, but the muscle you'll gain is going to speed up your metabolism so you'll be leaner and muscle gives your body shape and contour, so it will make your body more shapely. It still comes down to calories. Maintain calories and you'll maintain your body, increase them and you'll increase. Thanks for the compliment, btw.

angelfire says: What about the women who look quite manly in the competitions? They have no breasts and enormous shiny muscles. I don't want that.

Well, when it comes to women in competition, a lot of times they're taking things that are a lot stronger than vitamins and protein drinks. RE: the absence of breasts. When they get into that level, the body fat has to be very , very low. Breasts are not necessary for survival, so they're the first thing to go on losing fat. So when they go to competitive levels, they've lost so much body fat, they've lost their breasts. If she looks manly before training, she'll look manly after. I've never seen a petite feminine looking woman look manly after training!

Gord Asks: When and where will your next guest appearances be, Joe?

It's on my website at http://www.joedeangelis.com on my appearances page.

MajorMuscle Asks: How high would you recommend letting bodyfat go in the off season?

I'd keep it to a minimum. In the past, I used to get really heavy between contests, and for me it doesn't work. And it doesn't work for most people. When you try to lose it, you lose the muscle you gained along with the fat. Metabolically, it's easier to maintain if you don't let it go up. So, I'd recommend keeping it to 10% for men. That’s the minimum.

And for women?

I was a trainer for many years, for women, the ones I've seen in excellent shape are 18-22% bodyfat. When it comes to measuring bodyfat, they're all based on approximations-- none are 100% accurate. So, I've had people say I'm only 6% and you look and say, no way. But just like if you weigh yourself on a broken scale, it may not give you the right number but if you always use that scale, you can tell whether you're getting higher or lower. The best is the mirror-- if you like what you see, then that's the right body fat! Most people work out because they want to look better. Take the actual number with a grain of salt, because all the measurement methods fluctuate.

RuggedM Asks: What do you think about Phen free? Do you think it's a harmful supplement?

PhenFree is usually a mix of ma huang and St. John's Wort. If you can handle ephedrine, it should be ok. It doesn't compare to Phen-Fen, prescription, as far as dangers go.

What about Ma Huang?

The FDA has backed off of their warnings on ma huang. Your body has to metabolize it to become ephedrine, which is very different than taking ephedrine itself. There are stories we've heard about people abusing ephedrine. Use ma huang with common sense and it's very safe.

sweetdust Asks: Hi I am a 20 year old 5'0 small built weighing 98lbs I am very petite but I would like to gain 5 more lbs my doctor says its normal for me since I am so small he tells me not to worry that I am fine the way I am but I still want to gain a little more. Can you help me?

It comes down to increasing calories. Being 20, I'm sure you'll find it easier as you get older to gain weight. You need to increase your calories to gain weight. And this applies to anyone, man or woman-- a lot of people who want to gain think they can eat anything, but you can't eat Pizza Hut. Those are empty calories. Your body needs high-quality nutrients to gain muscle, not fat. So, if you're not getting it from your food, it takes it from your skin, bones, and muscles. Stick to healthier food and bigger quantities. Exercise. If you're doing aerobics or Stairmaster, back off on them and do weight-training instead.

eddie Asks: What advice would you give to someone wanting to prepare to compete at amateur level?

#1, for everyone, actually-- make sure you have FUN with it! The more fun you have, the better results you'll have. Gage your progress against yourself, not other people. You only have control over yourself, so be proud of what you've done. That's the mental aspect. No one ever thinks they're ready-- they'll be nervous, scared-- just have fun with it! You might want to take photos every week beforehand to see your progress. Talk to someone who's competed before so they can gauge your progress or see any flaws in your nutrition.

When it comes to knee injuries, go to a sports medicine doctor to have a look to see what the problem is. I never wear knee wraps, and I don't have any significant knee problems. I hurt my knee once in the Strong Man's competition. I ice them with a product by SportsCare to treat them deeply. Knee-wraps compress the patella, increasing the stress and which can cause problems. I recommend not using them, or wearing a neoprene, which keeps the heat in but doesn't hurt the muscle. Using knee wraps can cause the muscle to be underdeveloped, too, which is bad. When you're doing lunges, squats, etc. It's a hinge joint, so it should go out between your big toe and second toe. If it goes elsewhere, you're putting torque on it and could injure your knee.

Girl-E-Girl Asks: How long did it take for you to get so fit?

cheerleader says: Hi Joe! I think you great! Do you have a book?

peaches says: What are you competing in next?

It'll be the 2000 MDC USA Championships in Las Vegas in August. I may do a powerlifting meet in April, too.

Best of luck in your competitions, Joe, and thank you for being our first guest in our "Spring Into Fitness" series!

Thanks, everyone, for your support. Each and every one of you means a lot to me, hope you all have a great new millennium!