SPIKE 4 LIFE! Putting You in Control

Coconut Oil is Pure Poison to Harvard and Monsanto

2018-08-23T13:58:00.002-05:00

"Coconut Oil is Pure Poison"
Wow, more damaging lies coming from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Why?
Could it be...Satan, I mean Monsanto?

"Could it be Satan?"

Maybe that's a stretch but I'll let you be the judge.
Let's recap
In June of last year, Frank Sacks, Professor at Harvard T.H. Chan said;

"Coconut oil isn't healthy. It's never been healthy."

His statement was based on a false meta-analysts that had no real evidence to support his opinion.

But, that was enough, I guess.

Because, then they upped the attack several levels last week when Karin Michaels, Adjunct Professor at Harvard TH Chan said;

"Coconut Oil is Pure Poison"

Without making this a 10-page rant, let's focus on the fact that never once has saturated fat been found to cause heart disease, not once! These Harvard professors are stating odd opinions without any factual evidence to back them up. Why do I care? Because I love coconut oil, it has been a staple for me over the past 15 years as I lost over 130 pounds and went from fat to fit. I have an average of 2 TBSP a day and I have reaped the benefits, no doubt. One reason I struggled so long with obesity is that there is so much bad information in the mainstream that has been spread by those we should be able to trust; like the Harvard School of Public Health.

Now I don't have any evidence that Monsanto is behind the Harvard attacks on Coconut Oil but Monsanto would definitely benefit if coconut oil was removed from stores. And did you know that the President of Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, John L. Henshaw, MPH, CIH, was a public health executive for Monsanto Company in the 1970's, around the same time a true poison, Roundup, was commercialized for agricultural use? And this wouldn't be the first time that Harvard and Monsanto traded money for favors. They have been caught several times not disclosing their connection or money paid in exchange for research and public statements by Harvard professors on Monsanto product safety.

Again, I'm not making factual claims, just stating a coincidence based on the ridiculous statements via Harvard and their past connections to Monsanto, and the only thing that makes a bit of sense to me is that they have an ulterior motive.

It's a shame that such an amazing and historic University like Harvard sold it's soul to Satan.

Healthy & Edible Cookie Dough Recipe

2018-07-26T16:45:00.000-05:00

Edible and healthy cookie dough! 🍪

*1 Cup Organic Peanut Butter
*1 Cup of natural vanilla whey protein powder.
*3 TBSP of Coconut Flour
*3 TBSP of Raw Honey
*3 TBSP of mini M&M's or chocolate chips.

👉 Mix all of the ingredients together. Roll into balls or flatten in a pan and then cut into squares.

4 - Week Weight Loss Bootcamp - G2

2018-05-31T16:28:00.001-05:00

You are the Hero on your own journey and I will be your guide!

My first 4 - Week Weight Loss Bootcamp was a huge success and now it's time for Group #2 to begin. My purpose is to help guide you through this journey. You're the hero and every great hero needs a guide, that's me! My knowledge and experience are for you and your success.

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Limited Time Offer from Amazon- Get SPIKE DIET X Kindle Version For Free!

2017-08-02T11:31:00.004-05:00

https://www.amazon.com/Spike-Diet-Obese-Six-Pack-Escaped-ebook/dp/B06XY31FXJ/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Fergus Falls "Fat-Shaming" columnist get fired and a taste of what it feels like to be the one judged and alientated

2017-02-21T18:37:00.001-06:00

Below is a section from the New York Post - Found here

Columnist gets canned for fat-shaming airline passenger

By Joshua Rhett Miller

February 21, 2017

"A newspaper in Minnesota has parted ways with a fat-shaming columnist who detailed his recent experience flying next to an overweight passenger — saying airlines should consider selling “tickets by the pound.”

Alan Linda, an unpaid columnist for the Fargus Falls Daily Journal, has sounded off on a wide range of topics during his 30 years writing for the newspaper — politics, his children, telephone companies and appliances, to name a few — but his cringe-worthy Feb. 10 column, on sitting next to a 300-pound Georgia man during a flight, will be his last."

You may have heard of the Trojan Horse

but have you ever seen a "Trojan Jack-Ass"?

I read the column and I felt it was very mean spirited and also quite cowardly. Making fun of someone because of the way they look is pathetic, but if you’re going to do it, at least have the guts to do it to their face. It’s worse thinking that this “300-plus guy” had no idea of how mean Alan Linda was and probably even thought he was a nice guy. Maybe even a new buddy. Then he finds out his “new buddy” was only nice to him so he could make fun of him in his column.
I’ve experienced several levels of cruel in this world but when someone is laughing inside at someone while being “fake-nice” is one of the lowest of the low. I call people like him a “Trojan Jack-Ass”. When you first meet them you think, “Hey a friend! This is a nice surprise” But once you let your guard down the “ass-door” opens, painfully revealing their true and nasty intentions. I kind of feel bad for Alan Linda for losing his column. It’s harsh to lose something after one mistake, but perhaps this wasn’t a one-time issue. Besides losing his column, he is also taking a lot of heat from the press and social media. He’s being ridiculed, mocked, alienated and judged. With a bit of poetic justice, Alan Linda is getting a taste of what it feels like to be 300 lbs. Well, at least they didn’t “Trojan Jack-Ass” him.

Here's the article if you' like to read it;

Taking notice of the size of people in today’s world

By Alan Linda

Have you noticed the size of people lately? Of course, none of us from the post World War II era can help but notice that kids are a lot taller these days. But people in general are bigger. Wider. Thicker. Got huge belts. No holes left in them. Okay, I give up. I’m trying real hard here not to use the F word.

Fat! Not that other F word. Although this one’s bad enough.

I was on an airplane not too long ago, seated on one of three seats. Guess who my seat partners were? The one on my left was so big, I couldn’t get the arm rest down. If he didn’t weigh 300-plus pounds, then I don’t weigh 165 pounds.

I tried. The arm rest. Tried to get it down. He looked at me, kind of grimaced. And when a 300-plus guy has you effectively pinned in and you can’t even run for it, when they grimace at you, your first thought is: “Oh, man. He looks hungry.”

Not too long ago, I learned that my local theater still had all the old 30s-era seats, which were removed sometime in the late 50s. I installed a couple of short rows of them in the basement. Then I took them out again. There’s a problem — hardly any of my company fit into them. Which was why the movie theater took them out. Hard to sell popcorn dripping with butter to people who already can’t squeeze their big, fat — ummmmm — self into the seat.

Mostly I haven’t had to depend on speed to handle big guys who grimace at me. The Lord gave me a mouth, and that’s usually enough to get me out of jams that my mouth got me into in the first place. So I decided I’d better talk to this guy. (Find out if he’s hungry, at least.)

It turns out he was from Georgia, and couldn’t wait to get back home to find out if the tornado that tore up that part of Georgia got his home. He did seem mostly upset about the local Walmart store getting destroyed. “Thet torndo rapped the saling raght offen the play-us.”

Huh? I’m getting deaf in my old age — or as the old folks in Iowa used to say it — “deef,” — so it was impossible with the din of the airplane in the background to know for sure what it was he just said.

So I smiled and nodded. Then I shook my head side to side, just to make sure I had the proper reaction included. He seemed to think I was sympathetic, and I seemed to think maybe he wouldn’t steal my airline peanuts if and when they ever brought any.

He then said: “Mebb’et’s true thet ol’ roooov’re go-on. I jest hop’n my tars din’t git hurt.”

Okay, I had to think on this one a while. I decided to throw out a feeler and replied: “Might they-of?” (See how quick I pick up a foreign language?)

So he proceeded to describe his pick-up truck, upon which he had just spent an undisclosed amount of money in new tars. (Tires.) He went on to muse that maybe they were almost big enough to float, should the tornado have dropped that much rain.

About then the stewardess delivered peanuts. I offered him mine, but he was so upset with his tars that he couldn’t hardly have et his own.

He got out his cell phone and showed me a picture of his tars; then he showed me a picture of his store. True enough, the ceiling was indeed gone, gone, gone.

He had to get up once to go to the bathroom. You know the size of the bathroom at the back of the plane? And the door into it ain’t hardly a foot wide. I kind of wanted to foller him back air, watch if that worked, him getting hisself in there. (You gotta love that language.)

In the meantime, I ate my peanuts afore he were back.

If airlines need to make more money, they should sell tickets by the pound.

These are a few changes that I believe need to happen to really help those struggling with obesity

2017-02-15T11:22:00.000-06:00

1. Elimination of the words “health food” and “junk food” by people in authority and on food labels. I just want the FACTS. You know like, the fact that the guilt and shame from eating “bad food” like a donut are far worse for weight-loss success than the calories in a donut.

2. Health risk labels on all short-term diet fads that state “Surgeon General Warning: May cause depression, isolation, anxiety, shame, and OBESITY

3. In order to be called a “true” weight-loss expert, you need to have personal experience.

4. On second thought, let's just get rid of the term. There’s no such thing. Especially NOT! those always-skinny "experts" who have NO CLUE of what it’s like to be obese. Besides, these “experts” can’t even agree on what causes obesity or what to do about.

The fact they fight over a direct cause and then find some food group/company to demonize should open your eyes. A direct cause of obesity, really? I thought it was as simple as, “calories IN and calories out”.

But it makes sense when you think about it, they need to talk out of both sides of their mouth in order to profit. They need a bad-guy, a demon, in order to sell us the cure. BUT! they also want us to remember that it’s ultimately our lack of willpower and our fault when we inevitably fail.

You can also think of it this way. If there truly was an authoritative “weight-loss expert”, why the heck are we getting more and more overweight? Either they have no clue or they are purposely making us fatter. And, if it’s just as simple as calories in and calories out, why do we need diets or weight-loss experts?

I’m not big on believing conspiracy theories but I do think it's quite interesting when you see the decade to decade obesity stats. The epidemic starts taking off in the 1980’s and then hit’s full throttle through the 1990’s.

Most of the time people will then show you the stats of carb/sugar intake, as it also skyrocketed during the same time. This increase was mainly due to food processing AND B.S. public health warnings about eating animal and/or natural saturated fat.So good essential fat was replaced with non-essential processed carbs and sugar. The 1980’s is the epic beginning of why #1 on my list of changes is, for companies to stop labeling food non-essential food as healthy and for clueless authorities to stop telling us what we like to eat is “junk”

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not an anti-carb guy. I’ve personally lost weight on the 80’s low-fat diets. But carbs and fat are only the parts of the real issue which are too many calories. What really happened was calorie intake skyrocketed along with the carbs, which should have been pretty obvious.

Now, the part that I find “quite interesting” is that the 80’s & 90’s was also the takeoff of the diet industry as we know it today.

Now, I can’t speak for you, but I didn’t go on my first diet after I was labeled obese by my doctor. I started when I was technically just overweight. Then, several years and about a dozen diets later, I was no longer labeled obese but now I had the distinction of morbidly obese.

Now, I’m definitely going more correlation because no one can prove causation, but it makes you think right?

Diets being a cause of obesity!? It’s downright scandalous!!

Do I really think that dieting made me obese?

Well, from my own experience, diets created only short-term weight loss and a slowdown of my metabolism and my cravings increasing and I can definitely say that diet failure would often lead to an immense amount of depression, isolation, anxiety, and shame.

But, I’m not answering the question.

Would I say that dieting caused me to become obese?

You want answers?

Well, let’s see if you can handle the truth?

The truth is, dieting did NOT make me obese.

I made myself obese.

It was all me.

I had to take full responsibility for my past and present to believe that I can create a new future. Blaming my situation on anything else is just telling myself that I never had and never will have control over my weight.

Let me tell you with full sincerity and love that, you can’t place the blame of your circumstances on anyone or anything.

With full authority, YOU have to BE IN CONTROL if you want to kick obesity’s BIG stupid ass once and forever.

I will also tell you with joy and excitement that, YOU CAN DO IT!

If I, a lazy, donut loving, and lifelong dieter can go from obese to a six-pack, why can’t you?

Of course, you can do this!

Your new life starts with a dream, and then that dream becomes a vision and that vision combined with hope get’s you on your path. However, the path is never easy and you be forced to persevere. Each time you do, every small victory, your belief in yourself grows stronger. It’s in those tough moments that the tide begins to change to your side.

If there is a “key” to long-term success, it is perseverance, your unwillingness to give up. And when you REFUSE to quit, your dream will start becoming your reality.

Believe me when I say that, “this battle is NOT won at the dinner table nor is it won at the gym, This war is fought and victory is had inside your head.”

God Bless!

-- Russell Branjord
Author of Spike Diet and Obesityslayer

The Long and Winding Road to Publish Spike Diet X

2017-01-24T10:56:00.001-06:00

SPIKE DIET X is Now Available on Amazon

Spike Diet X:
From Obese to a Six-Pack: How I Escaped "Diet Hell"
Paperback 246 pages
ASIN: 1542329434
ISBN-13: 978-1542329439
$15.95

Order SPIKE DIET X on Amazon

It's been 10 years since I first published Spike Diet as an eBook hence the "X" in the title. I thought SPIKE DIET X was cooler than "SPIKE DIET 10 years later" and I'm a nerd that likes Roman numerals.
My eBook was then picked by a local publishing company in 2008 and officially released as a paperback book in 2009. SPIKE DIET actually did okay despite its low production value and zero marketing dollars. It even showed up on the top 100 sales chart for weight loss books on Amazon a few times. While not huge, it was enough to get the publisher's attention.
In 2011 the same publisher approached me about writing a new book. He promised this one would be bigger and better and we’d have real PR and marketing. Of course, I said “yes!”

The plan was to release my new book in October of 2012; all I had to do was write my book and finish by the deadline, they’d take care of everything else.
I couldn’t hold back the excitement and I didn’t want to hold it back! So despite some worries that this was too good to be true. I went ahead and told everyone; friends, family, colleges, strangers walking by on the street.
By the spring I was done with my book and it was going on to a few months of editing and other behind the scenes stuff. The publisher put the manuscript into some review process and the initial reviews I read were very positive.
Then, as if I couldn’t be even more excited, the PR firm sent me my itinerary for a 12 city launch tour! I had my future in my hands, quite literally. My future was going to begin at the Barnes & Noble on 5th Ave in New York and finish several weeks later in Los Angeles. Each city had network TV appearances and signings at their biggest bookstores. At this point, I could hardly sleep and I was counting down the days.

Well, as I’m sure you could have guessed, that "amazing future" began crashing down.
I guess I am thankful that it crashed down before I was on the plane.

When summer hit, everything with this cooled down. I stopped getting calls and emails with updates. At first, I thought that we’re just at the point where we wait, so I did. Another week and more nothing. So I called the publisher and the phone just rang. I emailed him and days went by with no response. The PR firm called me and asked if I’d been able to get a hold of the publisher because they weren’t returning her calls either. I asked if I should be worried and she said, probably not, she’d make some calls to find the scoop for the both of us.
Well, there was no need to find it because the scoop found me. One of the publisher’s designers, whom I became friends with during the process, called me to say that he was just laid-off and I need to call the owner asap. I told him that I’d been trying for weeks with no luck. He gave me another number and said I should call as soon as we hang up. So, I immediately called the new secret number and he answered! I could tell that he was surprised it was me. He started by saying he was sorry, then proceeded to tell me that his company was in the process of filing bankruptcy. Everything we’d been working for; the tour, TV appearances and my book, they’re finished, he said, and he’s sorry but there’s nothing he could do. I wanted to be angry with him but I couldn’t. I could tell he was in tears as we spoke and I realized that his dream came crashing down with mine. I didn’t know what to say, I was heartbroken and on the verge of a panic attack. After the initial shock wore off, a feeling of loss and embarrassment took over. I didn’t want to give up yet because I couldn’t face it. So I became desperate! Willing to do anything, even sell my soul if it came to it.
I thought if I found a new publisher or new investor quickly we could still follow the current plan and make it all happen!

The dream was still alive!

Then I got a call back from a publisher and he seemed interested. He quickly lost interest when he asked me if I had a signed letter granting the rights of the book back to me. The bankrupt publisher still owned the rights to my book.

Dream now dead again.

I didn’t get the legal rights back until the following year and by then it was too late. The momentum and hype were completely dead. I didn’t have any options in front of me and I was too hurt to try it all over again.
So honestly, I didn’t even care that I got the rights back. I didn’t care because quite frankly, I quit!

I gave up on this ridiculous dream! Who did I think I was anyway?

I felt stupid for even hoping that something that amazing would happen to me. It was about time I faced the truth. I was born to live an ordinary life and there’s nothing wrong with that.
Now, almost 5 years later I realized the sad irony of the situation. I gave up on this dream as I gave up on my dream to lose weight. I wasn’t born to live an ordinary life just as I wasn’t born to be fat. I naively chose these lives.

I refuse to quit! No matter how long it takes.

I’m not used being so worried about being made fun of. I totally wimped out. I’m sorry. I used to say that my skin was as thick as the body-fat beneath it. I can thank the bullies for that after years of desensitization. Well, I guess with the weight gone I lost my immunity for a while.
The truth is, I know releasing this book, not professionally edited and without a publisher and their “final touches”, I am opening myself up to ridicule for errors. But I also know I can’t afford a professional editor or afford more time. If I use that excuse I’d just sit on this book for another 5 years. So be warned, this book will have grammatical mistakes. I also tend to ramble and I’m pretty sure I rambled a few too many times in this book. Yet, I’m not waiting for another proof-reader so go ahead and call me “The Rambler”, it's okay.

Yeah, some may snicker and talk behind my back because they think I’m either crazy or an idiot or possibly even a crazy idiot, to believe that my book could actually make a difference. I’m willing to take that risk.
I also know I will once again be able to read my name next to the word “broscience” on message boards. Look don't get me wrong, I love fitness groups and forums. Most of the time they are extremely helpful and motivating. But sometimes the dieting message boards can become a bit brutal! The truth is, when people disagree they tend to get angry, but when they disagree over diets they can get downright nasty. I think we are loyal to our diets like we are to our sports teams. So don’t you dare say your team is better than mine! If you’ve been on them, you know what I’m talking about. Now I’m rambling again.

Anyway, I don’t care what the “hangry” people say anymore. I’ll happily be someone’s “broscience fool” if I’m another’s inspiration. The truth is, even if my book only helps one person transform their life, then I can say that any ridicule today and from my childhood was worth it. That was my purpose and what I forgot when I was so focused on 5th Ave New York.

I am very excited to finally hand over the book I wrote for you 5 years ago.

God Bless,

Russell Branjord

Peanut Butter Cup Pie That is Delicious and Healthy

2017-01-11T11:35:00.000-06:00

Ingredients:

* One Cup of Peanut Butter

* 2 Scoops of Vanilla Protein Power

* 1/4 Cup of Chocolate Chips

*2 TBSP of Coconut Oil

Directions:

*Combine Peanut Butter, Protein Powder and 1 TBSP of Chocolate Chips

Pack into a round cake shape and Set it in the Refrigerator

*In a Separate Bowl, Slowly Heat Remaining Chocolate Chips and Coconut Oil. Stir until it smooth and also set it in the Refrigerator for about 10 minutes.

(The Coconut Oil/Chocolate Mixture Will Solidify like a Chocolate Bar if left cold too long.

* Simply top the Peanut Butter Pie with the Chocolate and enjoy.

You can place the PB Pie back in cold place to harden the chocolate coating.

*To add a PB Fudge Topping. Warm 1 TBSP of Peanut Butter with 1/2 TBSP of Coconut Oil just like the Chocolate.

Don't Make Losing Weight your Resolution for 2017

2016-12-21T16:03:00.000-06:00

With New Year’s quickly approaching I am reminded of my annual “lose weight” resolutions during my obese lifetime.

I want to persuade you to NOT make losing weight your resolution for 2017.

In those B.S. years, Before Spiking, I used to struggle with dieting and my weight to the brink of insanity but each New Year provided me a fresh shot of hope. I’d say, “this will be the year I lose weight and become the new me”.

Well, you may say, “isn’t hope a good thing?”

Yeah no, well at least not when it comes to dieting. What you need is enduring faith.

Unfortunately, my new hope would only last a few months. Then predictably, I’d gain all the weight back and more. Even worse was the damage done to my self-image of yet another failed diet.

I’m not alone, each year, about half of us are coerced into making an Annual Resolution of Failure. ARF for short. I don’t want to be a “downer” or crush your hopes but this is for your own good. According to Forbes, only 8% succeed in their resolution and one out of three will make losing weight their ARF for 2017.

Please, do not be one of them!

Diets don’t work! The POWER of a New Year’s Resolution can't change that fact.

To be clear, I’m not saying it’s bad to have personal goals nor am I saying that it’s impossible to lose weight. Heck, I’m not even saying, don’t have a resolution. I actually have one to share with you at the end of my rambling.

I am saying that, in order to succeed in those lifelong struggles like, obesity. We need to be inspired from within. That is the foundation for any life altering transformation. Goals influenced from the outside like a New Year’s Resolution will not have the firm foundation necessary to hold us steadfast when our old world and new world collide.

The truth is, “all things are possible” including a life altering physical transformation. I am living proof of that. When I went from a lifelong struggle with obesity to not just losing over 100lbs and not just maintaining that weight loss but actually losing another 30lbs over the past 12 years.

By the year 1 B.S. I had resigned myself to a life of obesity. I was tired of fighting and decided to just accept my fate. The following year two events impacted my self-image like nothing ever had before. My first son was born and I also accepted Christ as my savior. I realized that both Jesus and my baby boy loved me no matter how much I weighed and I allowed myself to be loved. It sounds simple but before this, I don’t think I felt worthy of being loved. Joy, however, can only last so long. The shame and guilt started coming back with the realization that due to my genetics my son could very well struggle with his weight just like me. Also, I was well on my way to being 400lbs and I was already pre-diabetic with high blood pressure at 26 years-old. So how could I then be the father I wanted to be for him and how long would I be on this Earth for him? At that moment I decreed to “lose weight or bust”. I actually wrote that on the cover of my food journal.

Well as they say, “old habits die hard” and “old diets suck hard”.

So, of course, I began dieting like I had many times before, it should be simple right? “Eat less and exercise more”, yeah not so much. I eventually plateaued just like every diet I had ever been on. Even after a few long weeks of struggling with my nemesis, I refused to quit. However, I was beginning to lose hope along with my mind. Then God came to the rescue. After not finding help or answers from diet books and personal trainers I asked God to give me wisdom and guidance. Then while digging into my Bible, a verse jumped out at me.

"With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26

Maybe it was because I was losing my mind or because I was at the end of my rope, but I felt that verse stoke the fire of my inspiration. I believed it with every part of my soul.

All things are possible with God!

Then I heard God tell me to “Give in”. I knew immediately he was referring to my food cravings and the “junk food” I thought I surrendered forever. He gave me permission to splurge! Which to a dieter is kind of a big deal, because that's kind of like bingeing and the opposite of what I thought I needed to do.

I decided that the next day, which was a Saturday would be my Sabbath from dieting and exercise. I’d “give in” and eat anything and everything I wanted and had been craving. It was my first weekly Spike Day and it was legendary.

Dieting and not losing weight is what I call “Diet Hell” and the wisdom to "give in" freed me!

The point I want you to take away from this is not just that Spike Day’s are awesome but, no matter how you choose to lose weight it has to be a doable long-term lifestyle and not a diet.

My inspiration came from within, I wanted this more than anything. I refused to quit which meant I could NOT fail. You will have adversity but you won’t fail unless you quit.

A transformation has to happen on the inside before it does on the outside. So make your 2017 Resolution about loving and accepting who you are and knowing that you are and have always been worthy of unconditional love and respect.

Then, if losing weight is something you desire, you will have the patience and faith to build and unshakeable foundation.

My Weight Loss Journey in Pictures

2016-12-15T13:25:00.002-06:00

There are many ways to lose weight but to do it long-term there are some definite do's and don'ts.

The Do's:

Be patient, enjoy your journey and take one day at a time.
Do find a way to eat what you love, get in tune with your body.
Do educate yourself on nutrition and how your body metabolizes food.
Do listen to others, especially those who have succeeded and be open-minded.
Do customize your weight loss plan to you and make sure you can continue it as a long-term lifestyle.

The Don'ts:

Don't deprive yourself
Don't kill yourself at the gym by believing that "more is better" or "no pain no gain"
Don't focus on the scale or losing weight as quickly as possible
Do NOT allow guilt or shame into your journey.

One more very important don't,
Don't give up!
If you never give up you can't lose. Well, you can lose weight but you know what I mean.

I found some pictures that I thought like my weight, were lost forever. If you click on the picture it should take you to the full Facebook album.
It's cool to look back and remember the some of the key moments of my journey.

100lbs lost in 11 months and another 35lbs lost in the past 12 years.

Click on the Picture to view the full Facebook Photo Album

https://www.facebook.com/spikediet/

Article published on Thought Catalog

2016-10-05T13:44:00.001-05:00

Cool news! Thought Catalog published my article on their site today! I'm shocked because they get around 15 million visits a day and one of my favorite authors, Ryan Holliday who wrote "Ego is the Enemy" & "The Obstacle is the Way" is a regular contributor there.
Please share the article and leave a comment, if you don't mind? :)
Thank you!

http://tcat.tc/2d3udfm

When You Can’t Escape The Feeling Of Being Judged

"It's always going to be about the weight"

2016-09-29T17:12:00.000-05:00

In the NBC show “This is Us” Kate, who has struggled with obesity her entire life, makes a very true and depressing statement to her friend who's attempting to get her to focus on something other than dieting and she says to him, ”It’s always going to be about the weight”.

Those who are obese know this feeling all too well. For when you are obese you feel constantly judged by everyone, even those who love you. Obese man/woman then becomes how we define ourselves and that identity warps the world around us.
We perceive kindness as pity or a cruel joke. We hear laughter from the "cool" group and assume it's another fat joke. We are also afraid to eat anything except salad in public, and walking into a gym filled with "fitness people" is like wearing Clinton t-shirt at a Donald Trump rally. No matter where we go we can’t escape the feeling of being judged.

It’s like walking around with a huge zit on your nose, you can’t hide it! We believe the only thing anyone will notice about us is our weight and no one will ever see the person we are on the inside through all of this fat.

But it's not true.
I know now that those perceptions are false and that most people are just kind and they can laugh for many reasons, and only having a salad at a steakhouse is far more embarrassing than just enjoying a real meal. Also "fitness people" can actually be okay sometimes.

But even knowing the truth it doesn’t change the fact that society, the media, and a few bullies helped us in creating this world of shame, embarrassment, and guilt.

To escape to a new more accepting world, you need to not make this all about the weight but instead, it needs to be about how you honestly see yourself.

My friends, the transformation on the inside precedes the transformation on the outside. You have to first love and accept who you are before the world will. After all, no one judges you harsher than you judge yourself, right?

The key is what you choose to focus on.

When your goal revolves around the scale you leave victory up to chance and your identity is still tied to your weight. However, when you focus on changing your lifestyle because you love yourself and feel you deserve the best life possible, you can't lose!

It's a Jedi Mind Trick, to yourself you do!

No longer will you say, "I want to lose weight because I'm fat and disgusting and no one likes me" (words I've used many times in the past to describe myself) but "I'm going to lose weight because I love myself and I deserve to live the greatest life possible."

That's the main point and yes this is far too simple because we have years of baggage, both in our minds and on our bodies, but this is a start.
Shifting your mindset is the beginning of creating a better world for you.

Love Russ

7 Tips to help you deal with hunger

2016-09-28T14:39:00.000-05:00

When I was over 300lbs I literally had several months of stored calories in my body fat and I was baffled as to why I always felt hungry.

It's important to understand that the hunger you and I feel has little to do with the amount of food we eat and more to do with the time's we normally eat. The hormone Ghrelin causes us to feel hungry and it's released just before we'd normally eat. So whenever we change the routine you can expect to feel extra hungry. The good news is Ghrelin will adjust to your new plan and if ignored it generally goes away.

It's also important to note that hunger is not the same as cravings and that's a topic that deserves its own space.

Hunger goes with weight loss like muscle soreness and going to the gym. It's more difficult at first but gets better the longer you go. *Cravings do the reverse as they tend to increase with time.

Here are 7 tips I used to battle hunger in my weight-loss journey:

1. Large glass of ice cold water with fiber powder

2. Strong mint gum! Ever eat after brushing your teeth? It makes ice cream taste like cigarettes. I always carry mint gum with me in case of an emergency so I can quickly pop one in my mouth when tempted.

3. Like #1 I'd chew ice chips

4. Sugar-free popsicles (Coolness is a trend)

5. Lots of protein, it helps me feel full and boost to TEF

6. Adding coconut oil, protein powder and fiber powder to almost everything

7. Last but most important. Accept who you are.

You are a beautiful person who loves to eat. After you lose weight, you are still a beautiful person who loves to eat just a smaller version. You can't fix who you are and there's nothing wrong with it. Food is meant to be enjoyed, it's a gift. All food can have a purpose which is why I despise calling foods "good" or "bad". If you eat something "bad" you feel "bad" and there's no place for guilt and shame on the journey to success.

The truth is if you are skinny but have to eliminate your favorite foods to get there you will still be miserable. And if you eliminate those foods to lose weight and bring them back after, there's a strong probability you'll just gain the weight back.

You want a fun and healthy lifestyle, not a diet.

A successful lifestyle will allow who you are on the inside to coexist with how you want to look on the outside. This is extremely important and It took me half my life and many failed diets to finally figure that out.

True, a lifestyle takes longer to lose weight than extreme dieting but it will guarantee long-term success. Because if you're not miserable while losing weight you can follow it forever.

Intuitive Eating and Spiking Part 1

2016-09-08T14:21:00.000-05:00

My Spike Lifestyle is very much what I'd call "Intuitive Eating", in fact my very first Spike Day was born out of desperation and then intuition.
Up until 2003, Cheating/Spiking absolutely went against my beliefs on weight-loss. My whole life I was taught some foods are good and some are bad, that foods like ice cream, pizza and donuts are what will and did make me fat. So I avoided them like the plague.

"I'm shocked at the beliefs I used to have about food and obesity but like many I was brain-washed by the mainstream and diet industry."

Then a miracle happened and my beliefs were turned upside down. In 2003 my weight was 330lbs and I was determined to finally lose weight once and for all. I was motivated like I had never been before.
As usual everything was going as planned when I hit the plateau. Even worse I was being bombarded with food cravings.

I was about to snap mentally when an intuitive voice, God, told me to "give-in". I knew this voice was giving me permission, or more like direction to eat what I'm craving without guilt.
So I did, and not only did it fix my craving issue, I lost weight! MIND-BLOWN!

Intuitive Eating and Spiking Part 2 - The Ugly Truth

2016-09-08T14:19:00.003-05:00

Fact, losing weight is easy. Don't believe me? All you have to do is stop eating and I promise you'll lose weight. Too extreme? Well you could eat but just eliminate one entire food group and you'll lose weight. Or, you could even just simply eat less calories than you burn and you lose weight.
The truth is everything works, every fad diet, every point or no point plan, and liquid shake meal program works, as long as they get you to restrict the calories you eat. This truth is why we have a billion dollar weight loss industry. It's easy to tell you what to do when there is no wrong answer. Truth is, pretty much anything you can buy will help you lose weight BUT the ugly truth is it only works in the short-term!
And the super ugly truth is; when you gain the weight back, the weight loss industry will BLAME YOU you for ITS failure and you will believe them. So much so that many of us go right back to the same broken plan the next time. Because in our mind the plan worked because we lost weight but we failed when we gained it back. I'm telling you my friends that the exact opposite is the Real Truth. They failed and continue to make money off our misery and desperation.

It wasn't your fault and hopeful that one day everyone who is struggling with this vicious cycle will know the truth and the guilt will be set free.

Intuitive Eating and Spiking Part 3

2016-09-08T14:19:00.000-05:00

Listen to your body and don't deprive yourself

I just read this awesome article on the Principles of Intuitive Eating that I want to share and discuss.

10 Principles of Intuitive Eating

https://www.intuitiveeating.com/content/10-principles-intuitive-eating

I don't feel right posting the whole article but I encourage you to click the link and check out all 10 principles.

First I have to say that I highly disagree with Principle number eight.

8. Respect Your Body Accept your genetic blueprint. Just as a person with a shoe size of eight would not expect to realistically squeeze into a size six, it is equally as futile (and uncomfortable) to have the same expectation with body size. But mostly, respect your body, so you can feel better about who you are. It's hard to reject the diet mentality if you are unrealistic and overly critical about your body shape.

I'm not saying don't respect your body but I am saying you don't have to accept your "genetic blueprint" and based on my transformation I really doubt there is such a thing. I truly believe anything is possible if the desire is there. How lean you want to go is a personal choice and simply being happy and content with your body and life is the ultimate goal. I wasn't happy being overweight and I used to dream of looking the way I do today.

However I love Principles 1-4 because it's about our relationship with food and control. Those are two of the most important factors that determine long-term weight loss success.

1. Reject the Diet Mentality Throw out the diet books and magazine articles that offer you false hope of losing weight quickly, easily, and permanently. Get angry at the lies that have led you to feel as if you were a failure every time a new diet stopped working and you gained back all of the weight. If you allow even one small hope to linger that a new and better diet might be lurking around the corner, it will prevent you from being free to rediscover Intuitive Eating.

2. Honor Your Hunger Keep your body biologically fed with adequate energy and carbohydrates. Otherwise you can trigger a primal drive to overeat. Once you reach the moment of excessive hunger, all intentions of moderate, conscious eating are fleeting and irrelevant. Learning to honor this first biological signal sets the stage for re-building trust with yourself and food.

3. Make Peace with Food Call a truce, stop the food fight! Give yourself unconditional permission to eat. If you tell yourself that you can't or shouldn't have a particular food, it can lead to intense feelings of deprivation that build into uncontrollable cravings and, often, bingeing When you finally “give-in” to your forbidden food, eating will be experienced with such intensity, it usually results in Last Supper overeating, and overwhelming guilt.

4. Challenge the Food Police .Scream a loud "NO" to thoughts in your head that declare you're "good" for eating minimal calories or "bad" because you ate a piece of chocolate cake. The Food Police monitor the unreasonable rules that dieting has created . The police station is housed deep in your psyche, and its loud speaker shouts negative barbs, hopeless phrases, and guilt-provoking indictments. Chasing the Food Police away is a critical step in returning to Intuitive Eating.

A transformation on the inside will lead to a transformation on the outside.

The Good the Bad and the Ugly of Foods and Long-Term Weight Loss

2016-08-30T19:12:00.002-05:00

The Good: Any food can serve a purpose

The Bad: Believing that certain foods make us fat

The Ugly: Depriving yourself of the foods you crave to lose weight

I think it's time to quit labeling foods "bad" and "good". The truth is you could eat anything and still lose weight. It's "good" to truly enjoy the foods you love, and it's tough to fully enjoy what you believe to be "bad".

I used to have a very abusive relationship with food. I'd love it, hate it and then hate myself. Then I lost a bunch of weight eating anything I wanted one day every week.

Now, I'm of the opinion that all foods, even those high in calories and low on nutrients can serve a purpose. For example; the purpose of a donut is to taste mighty damn delicious.

The key is to be in control of what you're eating and your cravings.

So if you want a donut, have a donut, BUT have it on your terms. You want to make it clear to yourself that it's your choice not cravings or peer pressure.

Personally it was the "surprise" attacks that got me; like donuts at work. When I'd I give up "bad foods" in past diets and came across free and tasty goodies. I'd have an internal freak-out crisis. It was so hard to say no when I missed them dearly. Like the Mark Twain quote,

"There's something about the forbidden that makes it completely desirable".

It's so true!

All food has a purpose, even if that purpose is simply pleasure.

Now when I bump into free and yummy donuts I have the power to say, "yep that looks awesome, so I will have one just like it on Saturday". I control what, I control when and nothing is off-limits.

I'm not trying to argue that all foods are equal. I'm just saying that you don't have to abolish any food or food group in order to lose weight.

Your scale is only a tool

2016-08-24T14:10:00.001-05:00

Cindy's Spiking Success Story

2016-08-24T09:52:00.002-05:00

Spiking has released me from food bondage.

I was obese most of my adult life and I was weighing an all time high of 277 pounds and had a BMI of 43.1.

Then I discovered Spiking. Not only could I have a day to eat food I enjoyed but it broke my plateaus and kept the scale moving. I no longer live in food-bondage. I'm free to eat the foods I enjoy and lose weight. It's a win, win situation. So exactly one year later I am 112 pounds lighter. I've gone from squeezing into a size 24 to fitting easily into a size 10. I've got 10 to 15 more to go until I reach my goal and with spiking I'm going to get there.

"Spiking has released me from food bondage. I no longer have to starve myself and get nowhere"

- Cindy lost 112lbs

12 Years of Spiking and my body still can’t figure me out!

2016-08-22T17:48:00.000-05:00

12 Years of Spiking and my body has yet to adapt to my tricks

Most experts will agree that Metabolic Adaptation is a real phenomenon but they are struggling to find a solution. Some will even say you just have to keep adjusting calories down and exercise more. which is quite possibly the worst advice you could give.

Yes, I do believe that I have the answer and of course I’ll share it. The good news is you don’t need to buy anything or take worthless pills. I truly enjoy helping those who struggle like I did, take back control and win the war against obesity.

I didn’t discover this. I believe God gifted me with the answer and I want to share this gift.

Sure, I may sound crazy but growing up overweight and constantly struggling with diets and a “happy” life, believe me I’ve had many moments of “crazy”. This however is just crazy cool.

13 years ago I was miserable. I actually gave up trying for a while believing I was destined to be overweight. I thought I had to choose between losing weight or having the food I love. It may sound weak but I couldn’t make that choice. Ironically I specifically remember as a child asking God to allow me to eat whatever I wanted on my birthday without gaining fat. I was desperate even as a child but already on the right path.

Then I hit 330lbs I realized I needed to do something or I would soon be over 400lbs and growing. So I did what we all do, I dieted once again. Counting and logging calories worked for about 2 months but then the weight-loss came to an abrupt STOP.

I begged God for help. I prayed for guidance and wisdom and I wouldn’t give up. For four long weeks I just kept swimming. But I was swimming upstream and the current (my food cravings) was gradually getting stronger. Not wanting to quit and not knowing what to do, I was approaching a mental breakdown. Mercifully it was in my most desperate moment I got the answer, “Give in”, not give up but just “give in”. At the time it was simply an invitation to take a guilt-free day off and eat whatever I was craving to clear my mind and then get back on track. So I did just that and no guilt because told me to do it.

I followed my 4 weeks of low-calorie days with a high 6-7K calorie day of donuts, ice, cream, pizza and whatever else I was in the mood for. It worked, next day no cravings! I also felt refreshed, more energy and of course a bit bloated but I didn’t care. Then at the end of the week the miracle truly shined through, when I got on the scale I lost 3lbs. I was shocked! I didn’t understand how it was possible! To not lose a single pound in 4 weeks of low-carb/low-cal eating and then have an extremely high calorie day and yet lose 3lbs! It didn’t make sense. After re-weighing myself several times I decided with excitement that I’d have another high calorie day that weekend to see what would happen. Well, just like the first time it was...indulgent! And that week I lost another 2 pounds. That was the beginning of the end in my struggle with obesity. In case you’re wondering in the 11 years since I lost 100lbs I workout an average of once a month lifting weights, Spike the entire weekends and not only have I kept the weight off, I've lost another 30lbs. No drugs and I get to eat anything I want every week. Is this NOT a miracle?

If you met me today you’d have no idea that most of my life was spent dieting and overweight. The truth is the hard work and sacrifice before Spiking damaged my metabolism. The same food that first put on the weight brought my metabolism back! Like the “ The Obstacle is the Way” this food truly is the way to lose weight for good.

The best way to lose weight and keep it off is to focus on Metabolism. My plan was 6 days of caloric deficits and 1 day of a caloric surplus. Do this and you’ll be amazed.

The one day surplus breaks the gradual metabolic decline from dieting and the mental break is just as an important. Not only that but it puts YOU in control. You are choosing to eat what you want, this is not bingeing because by definition a binge means you're “out of control”.

Think of the power Spiking gives you. For example, on a Wednesday you see a box of free and delicious donuts in your office and you want one! NO you don’t want one! You’re struggling with the back and forth like if you had an angel and a devil on your shoulders saying “just take one, it’s ok” or “don’t you’ve worked so hard” ! Honestly not sure who says each one, but you know the feeling and how mentally draining it is. When Spiking you simply say “looks good, I’ll have to get myself a couple of those in two more days when I Spike”. You are always in control.

Spiking can change your life like it has mine. We have one life to live and we need to live it to the fullest. For me that’s feeling good about myself and enjoying the awesome blessings on earth and to me a donut is a sweet blessing.

6 days caloric deficit, around your RMR number and one day a week double that number to insure a caloric surplus. If you want to make it even more effective limit carbs those 6 days and put a bit more emphasis on higher carbs when you Spike. It has a greater effect on Leptin and it’s a nice tool for maximizing Glycogen.

Spike4Life!

More on Leptin http://spikediet.blogspot.com/2012/01/solution-to-fat-trap-leptin-and-how-we.html

Branjord's Brain Boost Bars

2016-02-16T07:07:00.003-06:00

Branjord's Brain Boost Bars
Ingredients:

1 Cup of Coconut Oil

10oz bag of 60% Caco Chocolate Chips

16oz jar of Natural Creamy Peanut Butter

2oz bag of Chopped Walnuts

2 Scoops of Vanilla Protein Powder

1 TBSP of Liquid Stevia

Nutrition Info per bar:

222 Calories

19 Grams of Fat

13 Grams of Saturated Fat

9 Grams of Carbohydrates

2 Grams of Fiber

6 Grams of Protein

Directions:

Warm Coconut Oil and Chocolate Chips in a sauce pan over low-medium heat. Stir into a smooth liquid.

While chocolate is warming combine Peanut Butter and Protein Powder in a mixing bowl with a spoon. Combine slowly and press down as the powder is mixed into the oil.

Stir chocolate until it's smooth and add in the Stevia and Walnuts, remove from heat.

Pour chocolate into the mixing bowl with peanut butter mixture. I stir it only a few times. It doesn't need to be completely mixed together.

Pour all into a large rectangle baking pan with wax paper on the bottom.

Using a spoon I press down and spread to cover the entire pan.

Place the pan in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes or until chocolate hardness.

I cut mine into 30 bars/servings

Store in the refrigerator.

Nutrition Info Per Batch:

6670 Calories

581 Grams of Fat

378 Grams of Saturated Fat

278 Grams of Carbohydrates

51 Grams of Fiber

174 Grams of Protein

Delicious and convenient brain fuel!

MCT Oil which is the saturated fat in coconut oil is premium brain fuel while the nutrients in chocolate, walnuts and peanut butter also have been shown to improve brain health. These bars were my go to fuel source while I was studying for my exams.

http://bebrainfit.com/brain-food-brain-health/

Mind over Diet

2016-01-13T16:40:00.001-06:00

It's been a long time since my last post, I apologize. Thankfully I am still alive and no I did not go into hiding because I'm back over 300lbs. Quite the contrary, I'm actually now under 200lbs for the first time in my adult life. So why have I been absent? The truth is I needed time, a lot of it, to regain courage after my 2nd book Spike Life fell through a few months before it's release. Yes I still "Spike" and I will for the rest of my life.

I am now the leanest I've ever been and I've done it by continuing to Spike! Except instead of one Spike Day I gorge over the entire weekend. Spiking has completely changed my life. I know now that I will never struggle with obesity again. In fact, I feel that my metabolism is higher than it's ever been which is extraordinary, since I will be 40 years-old this year. So much for metabolism slowing with age.

Mind over Diet
Why is losing wight so difficult and even more important,, why is maintaining weight loss nearly impossible?

The answer to both of these questions is Mindset.
Jesus says that with faith the size of a mustard seed you can command a mountain to fall into the sea. So surely faith can also be the catalyst to you losing weight once and forever. The main problem with dieting is we put our faith in the diet itself, in the program and not in power God has given us.

"Joe Bob lost 50lbs doing the "You're Crazy Diet" so surely I can too! Diet plans and programs are a dime a dozen, they must be in the tens of thousands. It seems like I hear about the new "weight loss miracle" every other day. Let me tell you, ff diets were the answer, surely by now we would have found the "Holy Grail" and obesity would be a demon of our past and not the present danger it is, destroying our lives and the lives of the people around us. All weight loss diets are fads if they don't change your "default lifestyle". The fads recycle every few years as the "hot new weight loss plan" and they tempt us with promises of a new life. For a while we get excited. We have hope. We say "yes, I can do this!" Our excitement and hope inevitably turns to frustration and embarrassment as we yet again "fall of the wagon" and regain all or more of weight loss that took weeks or months of sacrifice and hard work. It's truly heart breaking and like you, I've been there more times than I can remember.

.....To be continued

Spike Diet & Spike Life Testimonial of the Week

2014-08-11T13:51:00.001-05:00

Testimonial from Corey S. He read the Spike Diet and he has been progressing tremendously over the past few months.
He got a Body Scan done and this is what he sent me.

"On my scan, WOW! the results were including. We are agreed I am only 10 pounds away from my ideal weight, my body fat is at 19% (WOW!!! I NEVER thought I would be able to say that) Also, my measurements are strong, my hydration is great, all good news.
THE BEST NEWS OF ALL is my metabolism is through the roof, WOOHOOOOO!!! SPIKE FOR LIFE my friend. If you were there I would have given you the biggest hug ever! haha (hope that isn't weird)
Thank you sir, thank you very much"

Please Don't Look at Me

2014-08-07T18:18:00.001-05:00

Yesterday at a convenience store I had one of those eerie surreal moments. A guy walked past me and bumped into me, just slightly. He meekly mumbled "I'm sorry", I turned to say "no worries". We made eye contact for a spit second before he dropped his head and mumbled again" really sorry about that". I said, "it's really OK my friend". The guy wouldn't look at me, but he nodded and moved on. As he walked away it hit me, this guy was me from 11 years ago. He kind of looked like me, he was obese, and wearing baggy sweats, and like me, didn't want anyone to notice him, for fear of judgment or even disgust. I got goose bumps and my heart felt his pain. I wanted to talk to him but what would I say? I got in line next to him and I was trying to not totally "stare" but just hoping for eye contact so I could say something. He wouldn't look at me, he would look at the cashier. Then I was thinking Russ, you idiot. He probably thinks you are staring at him, judging, and ready to make a rude joke about the food he was buying. Because 11 years ago, that’s what I would have thought. But, I just wanted to tell him that there's hope, I lost 130lbs over 10 years ago and man if I can do it, I know you can too. I wanted to tell him that he deserved happiness and if he wasn't happy that I will help you. We only have this one life, it saddens me to think that I at one time had given up hope. That I was willing to accept my fate and simply survive life versus living it. I thought, what if he has given up too. Then before I said something I had fear that maybe I would hurt his feelings or he didn't want my help. Or just acknowledging the fact that he was overweight would be terrible awkward. So I just let him go, I failed this man, I failed my heart. I didn't talk to him I didn't help him. Now I keep thinking about him. I do wonder though if I am over-stepping bounds or judging, doing more harm than good. I don't know, I guess if someone had talked to me like that 11 years ago, I would have at first been embarrassed and probably just shrugged him off but later the idea of hope would have made me excited to at least try again. To me it does matter that I was once 330lbs, I hated getting advice from the people who have always been fit, and they don't get it. When this isn't your struggle you have no idea of how difficult, confusing, and frustrating losing weight can be. It's not simply a matter of laziness, I was never lazy. It wasn't because I always ate junk food, in fact I many times I just didn't eat. The struggle is a mind-game. It's about confidence, knowledge, and hope. If you have those 3 things you can do anything.

I'm wondering what you think? Should I approach the people I feel in my heart I should or would I be doing more harm than good? I feel the need to help people and like the guy at the convenience store.

Video on the most important trick for long term weight loss

2014-07-09T12:35:00.000-05:00