Diet Soda and Dementia: What You Need to Know

A study published last week in the journal Stroke found that drinking even one can of diet soda a day triples your risk of dementia. Not surprisingly, this caused quite an uproar.

Sharyn posted her concerns on the Nutrition Diva facebook page:

“I'm disturbed by a report I heard yesterday about a possible link between artificial sweeteners and dementia. I'm reluctant to stop using artificial sweeteners on the basis of a single study. I'm in my 60's and use artificial sweeteners daily. So sure, I'm concerned. Are there other studies that support this?”

As a matter of fact, Sharyn, there don’t seem to be any other studies linking artificial sweeteners to dementia. And I think your reluctance to change your behavior based on a single isolated finding is very reasonable—especially when we take a closer look at what this particular study actually found.

However, there may be other, more compelling arguments against daily consumption of artificial sweeteners. I’ll get back to those in a moment. For now, let’s take a look at what this most recent study does (and doesn’t) tell us about the relationship between artificial sweeteners and dementia risk.

Do artificial sweeteners cause dementia?

This is the first study to find a link between artificial sweeteners and dementia, mostly because this seems to be the first time researchers have looked for a connection between the two. I predict that this provocative finding will now prompt more researchers to ask the same question, which will shed a lot more light on the situation.

As it stands, the evidence that drinking diet soda may contribute to dementia risk is circumstantial, at best. This study simply observed that people who drink diet soda regularly are a lot more likely to eventually be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.

However, further analysis found that those who drink diet soda are also more likely to be obese or have diabetes or heart disease. All of these conditions significantly increase your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. And if you are overweight or have diabetes, you might be more likely to drink diet soda because you’re trying to reduce your sugar or calorie intake. 

So the real question here is: Does drinking diet soda increase your risk of dementia any more than having diabetes or being overweight already does?

And sure enough, when the researchers adjusted the analysis to account for these other risk factors, the link between diet soda consumption and dementia essentially disappeared.

So, in this case, Sharyn’s skepticism is absolutely the right impulse. There’s very little in this study to suggest that drinking diet soda affects your risk of dementia. However, there are several other good reasons to reconsider your diet soda habit.

3 Reasons to Think Twice about Diet Soda

Reason #1: Artificial sweeteners may increase your risk of diabetes. This is pretty ironic because—as I just mentioned—people with diabetes often choose artificial sweeteners in order to reduce their consumption of sugar. Although the sweeteners themselves don’t cause an increase in your blood sugar, research has found that they may impair your body’s ability to process carbohydrates from other foods you eat.

You can read more about this research in episode #390 Do Artificial Sweeteners Promote Diabetes?

As I explained in that show, having a diet soda with your meal is not the same as having water with your meal. Even though both have zero sugar and calories, your blood sugar is likely to be higher after the meal with the diet soda. Over time, those higher blood sugar and insulin spikes can increase your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, as well as lead to weight gain.

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Reason #2: Artificial sweeteners may promote weight gain.  Although our bodies get no calories from artificial sweeteners, they still provide a food source for your gut bacteria. Different bacteria appear to prefer different sweeteners. Whichever strains of bacteria you feed are going to proliferate in your gut, often at the expense of others. Research suggests that artificial sweeteners tend to promote the growth of intestinal bacteria that are associated with weight gain and suppress the growth of intestinal bacteria associated with leanness.

This research is explored in more detail in episode #303: Artificial Sweeteners and Weight Gain. 

Reason #3: Cutting out artificial sweeteners increases your enjoyment of healthier foods. This last reason is based not on research but on my own experience in working with hundreds of people on developing healthier eating habits.

I’ve found that people who drink diet soda or use artificial sweeteners tend to use a lot of them. Because they have no calories, people seem to think it's OK to consume them in unlimited quantities. But people who drink artificially sweetened beverages all day long become so accustomed to the hyper-sweetness of artificial sweeteners that more natural foods taste dull and unsatisfying by comparison. 

Because they have no calories, people seem to think it's OK to consume them in unlimited quantities. 

If you're a heavy user, cutting down on artificially sweetened foods and beverages can be challenging. And yet, when people do this, they almost invariably tell me that they have a whole new appreciation for the flavor of foods.

“I can’t believe how delicious a piece of fruit tastes to me now,” one said to me recently. “Even vegetables are more delicious.”

In my experience, weaning yourself off of artificial sweeteners frequently results in a big upgrade in the overall nutritional quality of your diet—and I’ve never seen it lead to out of control sugar consumption or weight gain.

If you've cut back on your consumption of artificial sweeteners, I'd be interested to hear what you experienced. Post your comments below or on the Nutrition Diva Podcast Facebook page. 

Image courtesy of Shutterstock.

Which Is the Best Ice Cream Machine for You?

We are joined today by Dana Cree, executive pastry chef of The Publican restaurants in Chicago and the author of the book Hello, My Name is Ice Cream: The Art and Science of the Scoop. Many ice cream books tend to choose a method and stick to it, whether that means using a particular kind of machine or a particular stabilizer. In this book, Dana really explores the pros and cons of various methods and why they work the way they do. Read below for an excerpt that will help you choose the ice cream method to perfect your technique this summer.

The Machines

If you want to make ice cream, you have to have an ice cream machine. There are no two ways about it. You do have choices, though, when you decide which ice cream maker to bring into your kitchen; they all have pros and cons for you to weigh. The various home models fall into three categories: machines with pre-frozen inserts, machines with built-in compressors, and machines with buckets filled with salt and ice. The physics behind all these machines is identical. In fact, the basic mechanics of ice cream machines haven’t evolved much since the mid-nineteenth century, so let’s start there.

Hand-Crank Salt and Ice Machines

The earliest ice cream makers depended on ice and salt to freeze the ice cream base. The styles vary, but basically these machines are made of an internal metal canister with a fixed double-blade dasher, a larger external bucket, and a top yoke that allows you to crank and turn the internal canister. You fill the canister with liquid ice cream base and submerge it in the bucket, which is then filled with a slush of ice and rock salt. The physical reaction between the salt and ice interferes with the freezing point of water, causing it to melt but stay liquid below 32°F (similar to how sugar prevents water from freezing in your ice cream!). This super-chilled water surrounds the canister, and the ice cream inside will freeze around the edges. As you crank, the canister rotates, and the blades of the dasher scrape the newly frozen ice cream from the walls, stirring it into the liquid ice cream mix. Historically, ice cream was consumed immediately after churning, as there was no refrigeration to further freeze and harden (or store) the frozen dessert.

You can still hand-churn your ice cream in this fashion by using an old-fashioned hand-crank machine. I have one at home, and it makes a wonderful group activity, especially when children are around. You’ll need a large bag of ice, and rock salt (table, kosher, or other cooking salt is too small and just dissolves into the water).

The biggest advantage to this machine is the ability to churn more than one flavor a day, unlike the more-popular machines that use canisters you chill in the freezer a day ahead of time. You can just keep reloading the machine with more salt and ice, and churn ice cream all day long! These machines often can churn bigger batches, too—up to a gallon of ice cream at a time—allowing you to feed large groups of ice cream lovers.

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Pre-Frozen Canisters

The most common home ice cream maker has a thick-walled bowl filled with a gel coolant, which requires a 24-hour pre-freeze. A mechanized base rotates the bowl while a plastic double-blade dasher churns inside. The frozen bowl usually retains temperatures below the freezing point of water for 30 to 40 minutes at room temperature.  In our recipe testing for this book, we purchased every home ice cream maker with a frozen insert we could find, ten in all. The prices ranged

from $30 to $100, and all of them had the same basic mechanics. The differences in quality came in the bowl’s ability to maintain cold temperatures when in use and the physical strength of the dasher. We had two clear favorites: the Cuisinart countertop model, in either 1½-quart or 2-quart capacity, and the ice cream maker attachment for Kitchen-Aid stand mixers.

The Cuisinart was our all-around favorite, with the best chilling and the strongest paddle. You might be surprised to learn that many professional pastry chefs without the funds for a large-batch freezer rely on these models. I used to make all the ice cream for Eva restaurant in Seattle with a trio of these machines.

The Kitchen-Aid’s blade was strong, and the bowl also stayed cold for a long time, but it won our hearts as the only machine that allows you to churn at different speeds. If you refer to the section on Air in “The Five Components of Ice Cream” (page 20), you’ll see that ice cream’s texture is defined in large part by the amount of air whipped into it, referred to as overrun. Most home ice cream makers churn very slowly, making dense, chewy ice creams. This is great if you love a dense, chewy ice cream. However, there are those among us who like a lighter, softer ice cream, much like the scoops we get in old-fashioned ice cream shops. The Kitchen-Aid allows you to churn your ice cream at a little higher speed and whip a little more air into your scoops. If you do that, you’ll get about 1½ quarts of churned ice cream with each of the recipes in this book, sometimes closer to 2 quarts, depending on the flavor. The biggest advantages to this type of machine are the small footprint, taking up less

of your precious cupboard or counter space, and their relatively low cost. The disadvantage is that it can only be used once in a 24-hour period. Unlike the ice-and-salt machines, or those with built-in compressors, the freezing capability decreases the longer you use it. This means a moderately warm ice cream base may never freeze if added to this machine, and you won’t be able to fix it without freezing the bowl again for 24 hours. When I used these machines in a restaurant, I purchased extra bowls, allowing me more than one churn a day. They are much cheaper than the machine itself, and can live in the freezer until you need them. If you are serious about home-made ice cream, and have the room, an extra bowl will be a great advantage.

Also, if your ice cream needs to churn longer than 30 minutes, keep a watchful eye on it. After that time, the freezing capability of the frozen coolant diminishes greatly, and there will come a point when it no longer freezes. If you continue churning past this point, you will begin to melt your ice cream instead of freezing it. If you don’t see any textural change for 2 minutes, you’ve reached the end of the bowl’s freezing capability.

Built-in Compressors

Professional ice cream manufacturers all use machines with large compressor units that remove heat from the ice cream quickly as it churns with the dashers. There are a handful of ice cream machines with small compressors available to home cooks that work well, offering you the option of churning multiple batches of ice cream in one day, and they do not require planning ahead and pre-freezing an insert.

The capability of a compressor directly affects the quality of the ice cream. The better the compressor, the faster it freezes and the smoother and creamier the ice cream will be. And the better

from $30 to $100, and all of them had the same basic mechanics. The differences in quality came in the bowl’s ability to maintain cold temperatures when in use and the physical strength of the dasher. We had two clear favorites: the Cuisinart countertop model, in either 1½-quart or 2-quart capacity, and the ice cream maker attachment for Kitchen-Aid stand mixers.

The Cuisinart was our all-around favorite, with the best chilling and the strongest paddle. You might be surprised to learn that many professional pastry chefs without the funds for a large-batch freezer rely on these models. I used to make all the ice cream for Eva restaurant in Seattle with a trio of these machines.

The Kitchen-Aid’s blade was strong, and the bowl also stayed cold for a long time, but it won our hearts as the only machine that allows you to churn at different speeds. If you refer to the section on Air in “The Five Components of Ice Cream” (page 20), you’ll see that ice cream’s texture is defined in large part by the amount of air whipped into it, referred to as overrun. Most home ice cream makers churn very slowly, making dense, chewy ice creams. This is great if you love a dense, chewy ice cream. However, there are those among us who like a lighter, softer ice cream, much like the scoops we get in old-fashioned ice cream shops. The Kitchen-Aid allows you to churn your ice cream at a little higher speed and whip a little more air into your scoops. If you do that, you’ll get about 1½ quarts of churned ice cream with each of the recipes in this book, sometimes closer to 2 quarts, depending on the flavor.

The biggest advantages to this type of machine are the compressor, generally the more expensive the machine.

The top-of-the-line home ice cream makers with built-in compressors will cost an arm and a leg. If you are a texture fanatic, and are willing to shell out the big bucks, these are your machines. There are also less expensive models, all with similar capabilities. But for every machine, we found the best results when we turned the compressor on 5 minutes before we added the ice cream base, ensuring the machine was cold when we started churning. This cut the churning time by about 10 minutes, and made noticeably less icy ice cream. Without taking this step, we found the ice cream churned in home compressor models was icier than the scoops we made with pre-frozen canisters.

The biggest advantage of an ice cream machine with a built-in compressor is its convenience. It allows you to churn ice cream without premeditation, becoming cold the moment you flip the switch. It also allows you to make multiple batches in one day. The quality of the ice cream increases with the pricier models, but the machines in the lower cost range made ice cream of equal quality to those made in our favorite pre-frozen canisters. They do take up quite a bit more space, though, and you’ll need to dedicate a large portion of a shelf to house it between your ice cream–making adventures.

The above is excerpted from Hello, My Name is Ice Cream, (c) 2017 by Dana Cree. Reproduced by permission of Clarkson Potter. All rights reserved.

How to Make the Most of Your Veggies

Munchable Fresh-Cut Veggies

If you’ll have crudités at your outdoor party, keep those cut veggies fresh and crunchy by storing them properly: Place damp paper towels over the vegetables and wrap everything in plastic wrap. Stick the wrapped veggies in the fridge until it’s time to serve. Carrots, broccoli, and peppers will stay bright and crisp for 12 hours.

Crisp Up Your Carrots

Limp carrots putting a crimp in your crudités tray? Get the crunch back by soaking them in a bowl of ice water for 20 minutes. They’ll be as good as new!

Make Use of Newspaper

It is always a good idea to line the crisper bins of your refrigerator with newspaper or a few paper towels to absorb excess moisture. Mold spores love moisture, but the paper will keep it away.

Lettuce Abuse?

To make sure iceberg lettuce lasts as long as possible, you should remove the innermost core before you store it. An easy (and admittedly fun) way to do this is to hit the lettuce against a hard surface and then twist the core out.

This Lettuce Is Toast

Your lettuce will last longer if you store it in a bag with a piece of nearly burnt toast. Yes, really! The toast will absorb moisture from the lettuce, making it last a long time. Check the toast daily, and replace it once it gets soggy.

Revive Limp Celery

Have you ever found it hard to use up an entire package of celery before it starts going all rubbery on you? To get the celery crispy again, place it in a bowl of ice water with a few slices of potato, then wait an hour. When you come back to it, it will be ready to use.

Shriveled Mushrooms? No Problem

They can still be sliced or chopped and used in cooking. You won’t be able to tell the difference!

Recipe for Frozen Mushrooms

To freeze mushrooms, wipe them off with a damp paper towel and slice them. Then sauté them in a small amount of butter of olive oil until they are almost done. Remove from the heat, allow them to cool, then place them in an airtight plastic bag in the freezer. They should keep for up to 10-12 months!

Water Your Asparagus!

To make asparagus last longer in the refrigerator, place the stem ends in a container of water, or wrap them in a wet paper towel and put in a plastic bag. Like flowers, the asparagus will continue “drinking” the water and stay fresh until they’re ready to use.

Prevent Soggy Slaw

Coleslaw is one of our summertime faves, but the shredded cabbage salad always tends to turn soggy and limp before we’ve made it to a second helping. Luckily, we’ve found a prep tip that helps keep cabbage crunchy for longer: Place a head of cabbage in a large bowl or pot, fill it with ice-cold water, then add one tablespoon of salt for every two quarts water. Let soak for 10 minutes. The salt absorbs water, helping the cabbage stay hydrated and crisp even once it’s shredded and mixed into a salad.

For more food-related tips, check out our In the Kitchen board on Pinterest. And don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter and follow us on Facebook for our Tip of the Day!

Photo by Shutterstock.

6 Surprising Ways to Clean an Iron

Vinegar and Baking Soda

Need to clean your iron? A paste of vinegar and baking soda is the easiest way to clean the base (sole plate) of your iron. Clean your ironing board by spraying it with a vinegar and water solution and ironing it while it’s still damp.

Dryer Sheet

If you’ve got a gunked-up iron on your hands, here’s an easy way to clean it: Use a dryer sheet! Turn the iron on low heat, then rub it over the dryer sheet until the soleplate is residue-free.

Salt

If your iron is beginning to stick to fabrics, sprinkle some salt on a piece of waxed paper and iron it. The salt will absorb the stickiness.

Aluminum Foil

If you’ve been ironing too many clothes with starch and your iron is starting to get sticky, run it over a piece of aluminum foil to clean it.

Nail Polish Remover

If you’ve ever had scorched, melted polyester or vinyl on your iron, you know what a mess it can be. Wait for your iron to cool, then rub the melted muck with a rag that has been dipped in nail polish remover. Scrape off the mess with a wooden spoon (or anything else made from wood—metal can scratch). Wipe with water before ironing again.

Fabric Softener Sheet

Sticky iron? Solve it with a used fabric softener sheet placed on top of your ironing board. Just set the iron on medium with no steam, then iron the dryer sheet until the stickiness is gone. The grime will stick to the sheet for easy disposal!

For more cleaning tips for around the house, check out our Cleaning Tips board on Pinterest. And don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter and follow us on Facebook for our Tip of the Day!

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

20 Small Acts to Fight Climate Change

An estimated tens of thousands of people showed up in Washington, DC this past weekend—in solidarity with an additional nearly 400 sister marches spreading across the globe—to have their voices heard in support of taking bigger steps toward protecting our planet – and our future - from the now inevitable onset of climate change. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, spanning back over the past 150 years, the United States is the number one cumulative producer of carbon dioxide worldwide and still produces 16% of the current CO2 emissions despite making up just 4% of global population. China currently produces the most CO2 of any country (with the US in second) but the US more than doubles those emissions per capita.

Despite our dominating role in CO2 emissions, the U.S. as a nation has been slow to adopt firm and lasting measures to address the realities of climate change. The large and diverse participation in the Climate March suggests that people are ready for that change.

This readiness perhaps comes in part because people in the US and worldwide are already starting to notice first hand the changes brought on by a warming climate. According to the National Climate Assessment, a 2014 report produced by more than 300 experts together with a 60-member Federal Advisory Committee and reviewed by the public, experts, federal agencies, and a panel of National Academy of Sciences, US residents are already regularly observing longer, hotter summers,  more intense rain storms, more acidic oceans (sea water which is more corrosive), longer, more severe seasonal allergies, and differences in plants species that thrive in their yard or neighborhood.

Given how steeply global average temperatures are already rising, large-scale policy changes and solutions are necessary to move toward a cooler climate. But does that mean that there’s nothing we can do as individuals other than hope for the best? Let’s look at 20 ways you can have a positive impact on reducing carbon emissions and safeguarding the future of our planet.

As an Individual

1. Be informed. At the start of 2017, the US Environmental Protection Agency provided extensive online information on the results of decades of scientific studies on the impacts and risks of climate change. Now, however, that information has been entirely removed and replaced with a note stating that “we are currently updating our website to reflect EPA’s priorities under the leadership of President Trump and Administrator Pruitt.” However, much of the information is still available (although not maintained and updated) via snapshots of the previous pages. The Canadian government also maintains a site with basic climate change information. Knowing what to expect from rising global temperatures can help you make more informed choices to protect yourself and your family.

2. Choose your information carefully. Despite our shared planet, climate change has surprisingly become a controversial issue so always check your sources. Does a source make claims without citing the research? Who funded that research? For example, if a source cites reliable studies showing that CO2 emissions or global average temperatures are on the rise but suggests that humans are not the cause, does that source propose any mitigating or adaptive action? What is the real motivation behind a call not to act if we can agree that the threat exists?

3. Contact your representatives both locally and nationally to find out their stance on the climate change issues that matter most to you. Ask them, for example, what plans they have to inspire economic innovation or to create new jobs in the face of a changing climate. Do they have plans aimed at mitigation (for example, providing incentives for individuals and corporations to lower CO2 emissions through carbon taxes) or aimed at adaptation (i.e., preparations for cities that are vulnerable to sea level rise? If you’re not impressed by their response, tell them so and consider that response when they are up for re-election.

4. Donate to causes that are working to address the climate change issues that affect or matter to you. Are you a fan of camping? Donate to a national or state park. Do you prefer to keep it local? Find organizations that are advocating for river or beach clean up, wildlife preservation, or cleaner air in your town or city.

5. Tell others what you are doing. Sometimes the hardest part of tackling issues that seem as large as climate change is taking that first step. Let others know that you are making that step and that they can do it too.

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At Home

6. Look for the Energy Star label when buying appliances, electronics, and heating and cooling equipment. Reductions in nonrenewable energy use are ultimately reductions in carbon emissions. The EPA estimates that household items with the Energy Star label can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 130,000 pounds, and as a bonus, can lead to savings on your utility bills of $11,000 over their lifetime as well as provide tax credits.

While we wait for large scale policy changes, many of us are ready to make an impact as individuals. 

7. Swap out the 5 lights you use the most in your home to more efficient light bulbs, again marked by the Energy Star label. These bulbs not only use ~75% less energy but also last from 10 to 50 times longer.

8. Unplug electronics when you’re not using them as they can still be an energy drain. One way to do this easily is to plug items into a strip that allows you to turn them all off before going to bed or leaving on a trip with one switch.

9. Use a programmable thermostat that allows you to automatically set the temperature to change when you are either sleeping or not at home. Even lowering (or raising) the temperature setting by 2 degrees can lead to noticeable savings on your utility bill.

10. Insulate your home so that your efforts to cool or heat your home are not wasted with the escape of all that “store bought air” as my brother-in-law lovingly calls it. Use window coverings that keep in warmth and seal any cracks.

11. Treating and transporting fresh water requires energy and produces emissions, so use water carefully. Fix any leaks, install low flow toilets, and limit those long showers. Another easy adjustment is to not let the water run while you are brushing your teeth or shaving.

12. Participate in a recycling program and buy food with less packaging. Tell store owners you appreciate the availability of options with less packaging.

13. Remember that what you choose to eat also comes with its own carbon footprint. An estimated 18% of greenhouse gas emissions come from meat and dairy production. Almonds and walnuts are among the largest culprits for inefficient water use.

14. Set up a compost for your food/yard waste. The decomposition of organics sitting in landfills is a major producer of methane, a very efficient greenhouse gas. By composting, this waste can instead provide important resources and protection to soil.

15. Choose plants for your garden that are well-suited to your climate and thus don’t require too much extra watering. If you can, plant a tree that will help absorb CO2.

16. Switch to green power for your home with this guide from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. If your options are not so flexible, call and let your utility company know that you would like for them to switch.

On the go

17. When purchasing a car, choose one that has a high gas mileage and low emissions. For buyers in the US, the EPA has a helpful green vehicle guide. Don’t idle with your engine running more than you have to and check your tire pressure regularly.

18. Whenever possible, opt for public transportation, walking, biking, or carpooling to directly limit your emissions.

19. If your job allows it, opt for telecommuting to save the emissions produced during your daily commute. Consider whether you can participate in that conference or workshop remotely.

20. If you are in the US, your state may offer incentives for making more energy-efficient choices. Check out the DSIRE database from the US Department of Energy and the North Carolina State Clean Energy Technology Center for details in your area.

As we know, crowd size can be difficult to estimate, but CNN has some great aerial shots of the tens of thousands of Climate Marchers that came out on a day that fittingly matched the current record high for late April with 90 degree temperatures. While we wait for large scale policy changes, many of us are ready to make an impact as individuals. Because, of course, quoting one of the most popular signs from the Climate March, “there is no Planet B”.

Until next time, this is Sabrina Stierwalt with Everyday Einstein’s Quick and Dirty Tips for helping you make sense of science. You can become a fan of Everyday Einstein on Facebook or follow me on Twitter, where I’m @QDTeinstein. If you have a question that you’d like to see on a future episode, send me an email at everydayeinstein@quickanddirtytips.com. 

Image courtesy of shutterstock.

How to Be Radically Candid: Q&A with Kim Scott, Part 1

Get-it-done Guy: Today I'm here with Kim Scott, founder and CEO of Candor Inc, and author. Her latest, Radical Candor, is a guide to compassionately productive management and relationships. Kim, welcome.

Kim Scott: Hi!

GIDG: So tell us. What is radical candor?

KS: Radical candor is the ability to care personally about someone while at the same time challenging them directly. Sometimes, it's helpful to understand radical candor by understanding what it's not. For instance, when you care about someone but do not challenge them, that is ruinous empathy and not radical candor. When you do challenge someone and do not care for them, that is called obnoxious aggression and not radical candor. And when you neither care nor challenge that is manipulative insincerity. Radical candor includes both caring and challenging.

GIDG: And how do you measure radical candor?

KS: I would argue that it gets measured at the other person's ear, not at your mouth. If the other person knows that you care about them when you're giving feedback, then it's radical candor. If they feel like you're trying to humiliate them, it's not radical candor. So it really depends on how the other person feels. And if the other person feels terrible, it's not your job to back off your challenge, but rather to react with basic human compassion. A crucial part of radical candor is being humble. A reason that I call this "radical candor" and not "radical truth" is because claiming to have the "truth" about something implies that you are certain, as if you have some pipeline to truth that they do not. You cannot give your feedback as if you have a gift; you have to use your language to express that you know you are not always right and that you're not perfect either.

Listen to the full interview by clicking the link above! You'll catch insights such as:

• What to do when someone takes criticism personally
• The importance of a shared vocabulary 
• Why vulnerability is essential to radical candor
• And much more! 

Tune in next week to catch Part 2 of the interview! Plus, listen to a special audiobook clip from Radical Candor below:

 

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Kim Scott is the author of Radical Candor: Be a Kickass Boss without Losing your Humanity, published by St Martin’s Press and available for purchase now at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Indiebound, and Booksamillion. Plus, check out the audiobook at Audible, Amazon, or iTunes. Kim is also the co-founder and CEO of Candor, Inc., which builds tools to make it easier to follow the advice she offers in the book. 

How to Get a Stronger Body Using a Unique New Workout Style

You've already learned all about the concepts behind combining gymnastics, weight training complexes and high intensity interval training to get a strong and shredded body. In this episode, by putting this all together, you’ll see exactly what a sample day would look like.

Below is the complete mash-up. Depending on which options you choose, this workout will last anywhere from 60-90 minutes. It is hefty, it is voluminous and it is intense, but it's unique mashup of gymnastics, metabolic bursts and weight training complexes will get you extremely fit, with just a couple workouts like this each week (I do mine on Mondays and Thursdays).

Warmup:

Easy 5 minute jog Full shoulder set with bands. I've been doing the exact Crossover Symmetry band training routine that I demonstrate in this video 30 burpees OR 1/8-1/4 mile run at race pace (masochists can do both)

Static Holds/Core/Positions: 

45 second Straight body hold between mats (stomach up) 45 second Straight body hold between mats (stomach down) Max Time Wall Handstand 15-30 V-ups 30 Olga Crunches

Metabolic Boost For Exercisers Who Want More Cardio:

Insert 30 jump pull-ups OR 1/8-1/4 mile run at race pace (masochists can do both)

Gymnastics Exercises:

Planch Walks with Sliders Crab Walks with Sliders 10 Press First Half Drills - Press Compression slider assist (start at 1 minute mark to end of video) 10 Press Ball Assist 30 Second L Sit Leg Extends (stay in tuck for as long as needed)

Metabolic Boost For Exercisers Who Want More Cardio:

Insert 30 burpees + 1/8-1/4 mile run at race pace (masochists can do both)

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Gymnastics Exercise/Major Muscle Group Combo:

3-10 Muscle-up Thera-band Assist or (if muscle-ups already practiced earlier in day or sprinkled through day using "Grease The Groove" technique) weighted horizontal pull-ups or other hanging or grip activity like regular pull-ups or neutral grip pull-ups, one set to failure.

Metabolic Boost For Exercisers Who Want More Cardio:

Insert 30 jump pull-ups OR 1/8-1/4 mile run at race pace (masochists can do both)

Weight Training Complexes:

Choose 2-3 complexes from this exercise complex database and complete 3-5 sets or rounds, following the exact instructions, with full recovery between each round

Optional Metabolic Bursts For Finisher (choose one to three of the options below):

10-30 box jumps or band assisted squat jumps 4 sets treadmill sprints or Sprints with Jog back or band assist sprint in place Tabata set on treadmill, rowing machine bike or elliptical (4 minutes of 20 seconds all-out hard, 10 seconds easy)

Cooldown:

My cooldown is simple: I simply do 20 arm swings and 20 leg swings then lay on my back for 2 minutes and do deep nasal breathing to reactivate my parasympathetic nervous system.

Summary

As I highlight in the article "How To Get A Strong & Shredded Body With Just Two Gymnastics-Style Workouts Per Week." in addition to two of the gymnastics-style training sessions above, I am indeed stacking and sprinkling a few other components into my weekly program, such as obstacle course training challenges thrown at me by my coach Yancy Culp, mobility, foam rolling, ELDOA stretches, Core Foundation training, Kundalini yoga, my biohacked infrared sauna, cold thermogenesis and tennis.

I share all of those additional components and how I manage to squeeze them into a week in this plan, which is the exact workout plan I'm following for the first three months of 2017.

Whew! That’s it! I hope you enjoy the muscle gain, strength, cardo and fat loss results you’re guaranteed to get from this program. 

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