From the macro to the molecular, this solid, science-based information will help you understand your own body better than you ever have. A leading expert in the field presents the latest scientific research on diet and nutrition.
Changing Body Composition through Diet and Exercise
So many diets, so little time. Cut through the clutter and the chatter to get the skinny on how to get, well, skinnier, by using proven effective and healthy methods.
Rated 5 out of
5
by
KarenLee from
Outstanding course and lecturer!
I finally got around to watching this series on body composition, and I'm so glad I did. After explaining the science behind each topic, the lecturer (who's very knowledgable on the subject, btw) provides practical tips for changing one's diet based on the previous lecture. Wonderful and valuable course. Thank you!!
Date published: 2024-07-21
Rated 5 out of
5
by
CarolU from
Best course I have taken. Worth every penny!
Dr Ormsbee is so very knowledgeable. I am a detail person and find it valuable to understand the why behind things. You get that to a T with the course. It has totally changed the way I eat and think about nutrition, exercise and health in general. I thought I knew how to read food labels but this taught me so much more. The way to learn to eat more healthfully is to understand what your body needs right down to the cellular level. Believe me, you will think about food intake in a whole new, more beneficial way. Does he go deep into the material and the studies behind it? Absolutely. And since we are all different, there is no one answer that fits all. I appreciate that he talks about this. But that is one reason why this course is so great. Thank you, Dr Ormsbee, you have made a huge difference to my health and well-being . I appreciate you and the Great Courses for making this series available.
Date published: 2023-04-08
Rated 5 out of
5
by
PTAP from
I learned so much from this course! Cant wait to try changes! Thank you!
Date published: 2023-02-07
Rated 5 out of
5
by
SeniorD from
2nd to none on how to achieve a healthy lifestyle
I would recommend this course to anybody serious about achieving a life-long healthy lifestyle.
I’ve tried a lot of things over the years with limited and short to medium term success. Michael Ormsbee explains why that happens and backs it up with studies while offering sensible tips on how to deal with and overcome the yo-yo effect. And that’s just a small piece of what this course offers.
I’ve never found a more informative amount of information on how to become healthy and find the proper body composition thru diet and exercise anywhere and I’m in my mid 60’s having tried different things off and on for over half my life.
This course puts it all together in a sensible providing the knowledge necessary to understand what works or doesn’t work and why it works or doesn’t work along with easy to implement tips to achieve a healthy lifestyle and stay with it, for life.
Michael Ormsbee is an obvious expert in this field and it doesn’t take long to realize that. This is the best program I’ve ever found on body composition, diet and exercise, bar none. Easily the best money I’ve spent in my lifetime to educate and put me on track to living healthy. I’m thankful to Dr. Ormsbee and that I found his course.
Date published: 2023-01-29
Rated 5 out of
5
by
kim kemal from
Science, not ideology, in this important topic
I want to know what really works, and if possible, why. This instructor is clear about his goal: is there evidence? Yes, then do it. No, then you can do it, but don't get mad if it doesn't work. Emotion and numbers are both important, in getting yourself healthier!
The instructor is both clear and non-didactic (most of the time). It's not just willpower. You need to know exactly what to do and how often and when. And when you know the why, which is research, you can help yourself to stay on track.
Date published: 2023-01-17
Rated 5 out of
5
by
bugrabklmz from
Best by test
I better understood importance of increasing intensity of exercises. It helped me gain self-confidence about the exercises. Thank you.
Date published: 2022-12-11
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Senior over 70 from
Great Information
Lots of good and helpful information. Helps to better understand and manage my health goals.
Date published: 2022-11-22
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Nute from
Easy to follow
In each lecture it was easy to follow the science and understand how all of the components of fitness come together
Date published: 2022-08-02
Overview
About
Dr. Michael Ormsbee is an Associate Professor in the Department of Nutrition, Food, and Exercise Sciences and Interim Director of the Institute of Sports Sciences and Medicine in the College of Human Sciences at Florida State University. He received his B.S. in Exercise Science from Skidmore College, his M.S. in Exercise Physiology (research emphasis in Sports Nutrition) from South Dakota State University, and his Ph.D. in Bioenergetics from East Carolina University. He is an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Durban, South Africa and a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine and the International Society of Sports Nutrition.
Dr. Ormsbee researches the interaction of exercise training, nutrition, and supplementation to achieve optimal body composition, human performance, and health in populations ranging from younger athletes to older adults. His work has been published in numerous scientific journals as well as consumer publications, and he has been featured as a nutrition and exercise expert on radio and TV.
Both his teaching and research have been recognized with numerous awards, including the 2013-2014 University Teaching Award, the Excellence in Online Course Design Award, the Excellence in Online Teaching Award, and the 2013 Transformation through Teaching Award. In 2015, he received the prestigious FSU Guardian of the Flame Award, granted to faculty members whose contributions have advanced FSU as a leading institution of higher education.
Trailer
01: Body Composition: Managing Our Expectations
Confused by so many conflicting messages about nutrition and exercise? In this course, you'll learn the latest from the field of performance nutrition, with scientific research backing up every concept presented. Clear, easy-to-understand explanations will provide all the information you need to set your personal body composition goals-and reach them....
33 min
02: A Healthier Way to Measure Body Composition
If you want to feel, look, and perform better-whether that means lifting the grandchildren with ease or running a marathon-your weight is no way to chart your progress. Learn why your proportion of fat to muscle is a better gauge of health, and see how that ratio can be measured....
37 min
03: How Food Is Digested and Absorbed
Learn about the chemical reactions involved in digestion and absorption and the mechanisms of nutrient partitioning-how nutrients are moved into specific storage areas in your body. Armed with this knowledge, you'll understand why exercise is the best way to use your food to improve body composition!...
32 min
04: Nutritional Needs and Cellular Function
What we eat affects the functionality of every microscopic process inside each of our 30 trillion cells. Learn how the nutrients absorbed from our food protect cells from damage, provide the fuel used by the mitochondria to produce energy, and continually create new cells to replace old or damaged cells....
33 min
05: Bioenergetics: Converting Food to Energy
Bioenergetics, the process of converting food into a usable form of energy, is directly related to overall metabolism. Learn about the chemical work of the body's three energy-producing systems, the fuel each uses, when each is activated-and how your fitness level significantly impacts your body's use of fat as a fuel source....
31 min
06: Carbohydrates: Composition, Storage, and Use
While the breakdown of carbohydrates provides the energy needed for all human functions, excess carbs can significantly disrupt good health. Exploring the complex relationship between carbs and the hormone insulin, you'll learn which carbs are best eaten at certain times of the day based on your individual total nutrition and workout schedule....
31 min
07: Fat: Not the Nutritional Bad Guy
It's a common-but erroneous-belief that the amount of fat you eat is directly proportional to the amount of fat on your body. To the contrary, the latest research shows why you need to add specific fats to your diet for optimal health and to meet your body composition goals....
33 min
08: Protein's Critical Role in Body Composition
Proteins play an integral role in almost every physical aspect and function of our bodies-from hemoglobin to hair to hunger, from mitochondria to metabolism to muscles. Examine the body's use of protein at the molecular level and learn the importance of incorporating high-biological-value protein into your diet....
30 min
09: High-Protein Diets and Anabolic Resistance
Are high-protein diets a harmful fad potentially leading to kidney injury? Or should we believe the marketing messages touting protein powders as beneficial for muscles and strength? Dr. Ormsbee reveals the latest scientific truth about protein: how much protein you need to maintain health, improve metabolism, and meet your body composition goals....
35 min
10: Critical Micronutrients and Water
Learn about the life-sustaining functions provided by micronutrients-vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals-along with water. While these nutrients are critical to regulating cell processes and metabolic pathways, many of us suffer from micronutrient deficiencies, and some studies have even revealed links between deficiencies and obesity....
35 min
11: Food Labeling and Nutritional Choices
Given that most of us eat at least some processed foods-and that all calories are decidedly not created equal-nutrition labels can reveal the real impact of our food choices. Dr. Ormsbee takes the consumer step by step through the current label as a tool for identifying the most nutrient-dense products....
35 min
12: Nutrient Timing and Frequency
Is breakfast really "the most important meal of the day," or is that just another nutritional myth? Should you eat 6 smaller or 3 larger meals per day? Scientific studies reveal new and surprising answers. Learn how the timing and frequency of meals can help you best meet your specific goals....
33 min
13: Nighttime Eating
Dr. Ormsbee explodes the myth that nighttime eating causes weight gain, explaining the fallacy in the myth's genesis. Numerous recent studies of both young and elderly, fit and obese individuals reveal that a small, before-bed protein snack can actually increase muscle protein synthesis and improve body composition....
27 min
14: Evaluating Dietary Supplements
Marketing messages from the multi-billion-dollar sports nutrition industry come at us loud and clear. But have rigorous scientific studies revealed any supplements that can safely and effectively burn fat or increase muscle mass? You might be surprised, as you consider whether or not to add these products to your diet and exercise plan....
34 min
15: Energy Balance and Weight Control
Your body is in energy balance when your daily energy output is exactly balanced by the energy of the food you consume. In this lecture, you will learn about the caloric content of food and how to choose specific foods to help you adjust your energy balance for desired body composition....
35 min
16: The Caloric Cost of Exercise
While caloric expenditure above resting levels is proportional to the duration and intensity of your exercise, small changes will make a difference, too-like consistently taking the stairs instead of the elevator. The most important aspect of your exercise program is to develop a plan you can stick to!...
31 min
17: Exercise for Fat Loss
While there are an infinite number of exercise strategies to choose from, only a few are scientifically proven to help you lose body fat. New studies examining the effects of exercise at the cellular level reveal the value of adding specific types of resistance training to any long-term fitness regime....
37 min
18: Exercise for Healthy Muscle Mass
Recent studies show that sarcopenia, the gradual loss of muscle mass as we get older, results primarily from chronic disuse and inactivity, not the aging process itself. Learn how to find a personal trainer to begin a safe and effective program to increase your muscular strength, endurance, and power-at any age....
31 min
19: Hormones and Body Composition
Hormones are the chemical messengers that affect every aspect of our physiology from blood pressure to internal temperature, energy availability, and the storage (and loss) of body fat. Learn about the complex relationships between your thyroid hormones, insulin, cortisol, and catecholamines and your sex, age, and body composition....
31 min
20: Novel Ways to Change Body Composition
Learn what scientific studies reveal about some outside-the-box methods for helping weight loss and improving body composition. Should you dismiss the potential impacts that artificial sweeteners, detox dieting, plate size, standing desks, sleep quantity, and environmental pollutants have on your energy intake and expenditure? You might be surprised....
30 min
21: Nutrition and Exercise: Special Needs
Explore how vegetarians can get the protein they need without turning to animal sources, how children can be provided the optimal exercise opportunities and nutrition to address their unique needs for growth, and how appropriate nutrition and exercise can help maintain and improve the quality of life for older adults....
33 min
22: Set Point Theory and the Last Five Pounds
Learn how your hypothalamus works to maintain a certain preset level of body fat and weight, commonly known as the set point, and how can you influence that set point. If you feel that you've plateaued, check back with these basics to help you accomplish your personal body-composition goals....
28 min
23: Choosing Your Nutrition Plan
With so many choices, committing to a particular diet plan can seem overwhelming. So start by emphasizing nutritionally dense, minimally processed foods. And remember that even one positive habit you adopt and stick with can make a positive long-term impact on your body composition and health....
30 min
24: Motivation to Change Your Body Composition
Time to get started! Identify a few small changes to make to your nutrition and exercise programs, ones that seem the easiest to fit into your lifestyle. Set small, reachable goals that you're confident you can stick with-and you will be successful....
33 min
