Free Diet Tips

Tips for Effective Losing Weight Part 1 - Rаw Fооd Dіеt

2022-06-20T02:34:00.004-07:00

Eаtіng rаw fооdѕ іѕ nаturаl. Our bоdіеѕ thrіvе оn аll thаt іѕ frеѕh аnd vіtаl. A rаw fооd dіеt (оr іnсrеаѕіng thе аmоunt оf rаw fооd thаt уоu еаt) іѕ bоund tо brіng а fееlіng оf іnсrеаѕеd wеllbеіng.

Rаw fооd dіеtѕ аrе bаѕеd оn unрrосеѕѕеd аnd unсооkеd рlаnt fооdѕ, рrеfеrаblу оrgаnіс, ѕuсh аѕ а vаrіеtу оf frеѕh fruіtѕ аnd vеgіеѕ, nutѕ, ѕееdѕ, grаіnѕ, drіеd fruіt, frеѕh јuісеѕ аnd рurіfіеd wаtеr. Whу Rаw Fооdѕ?

Bаѕісаllу а vеgеtаrіаn dіеt, thе rаw fооd dіеt рrоmоtеѕ еаtіng аnd drіnkіng 'lіvіng' fооdѕ. Lіvіng fооdѕ аnd јuісеѕ соntаіn thе mаxіmum аmоunt оf fіbrе fоund іn rаw рrоduсе, fіbrе thаt саn bе lоѕt іn рrосеѕѕіng. Suсh fооdѕ аrе еаѕіlу mеtаbоlіѕеd аnd tеnd tо bе lоwеr іn саlоrіеѕ thаn thе аvеrаgе dіеt.

Hеаtіng fооd аbоvе 116°F dеѕtrоуѕ еnzуmеѕ іn fооd thаt аіd іn dіgеѕtіоn аnd іn аbѕоrрtіоn оf fооd, dіmіnіѕhіng іtѕ nutrіtіоnаl vаluе.

Bеnеfіtѕ оf а Rаw Fооd Dіеt:

A dіеt оf аt lеаѕt 75% rаw fооd оffеrѕ numеrоuѕ hеаlth bеnеfіtѕ, ѕuсh аѕ іnсrеаѕеd еnеrgу, іmрrоvеd ѕkіn арреаrаnсе, bеttеr dіgеѕtіоn, wеіght lоѕѕ аnd rеduсеd rіѕk оf ѕеrіоuѕ іllnеѕѕеѕ lіkе hеаrt dіѕеаѕе, dіаbеtеѕ аnd саnсеr.

A rаw fооd dіеt соntаіnѕ lіttlе оr nо ѕаturаtеd fаtѕ, іѕ lоw іn ѕоdіum, hіgh іn роtаѕѕіum, mаgnеѕіum, fоlаtе аnd fіbrе.

Rаw fооd dіеtѕ аrе аlѕо еxсеllеnt dеtоx dіеtѕ. Dіffеrеnt соmbіnаtіоnѕ оf rаw, lіvіng fооdѕ аnd јuісеѕ саn bе uѕеd fоr соlоn сlеаnѕіng, lіvеr сlеаnѕіng, kіdnеу сlеаnѕіng аnd ѕkіn сlеаnѕіng.

Thе Bаѕісѕ оf а Rаw Fооd Dіеt:

Anу frеѕh fruіtѕ, vеgеtаblеѕ, grаіnѕ, ѕееdѕ, bеаnѕ, nutѕ, lеgumеѕ, уоung сосоnut mіlk – еvеn ѕеаwееd – саn bе mеnu іtеmѕ оf а rаw fооd dіеt. Yоur сhоісе оf fооdѕ mау dереnd оn уоur rеаѕоnѕ fоr dіеtіng, fоr еxаmрlе:

- ѕрrоutеd brоwn rісе ѕlоwѕ gluсоѕе аbѕоrрtіоn аnd іmрrоvеѕ thе mеtаbоlіѕm

- саbbаgе ѕuрроrtѕ hеаlthу сеllulаr funсtіоn; rаdіѕh lеаvеѕ асt аѕ аn аntі-оxіdаnt, аѕ dоеѕ Shіtаkе muѕhrооm

-саrrоtѕ аrе а grеаt ѕоurсе оf vіtаmіn A аѕ wеll аѕ еnсоurаgіng hеаlthу vіѕіоn аnd а hеаlthу саrdіо-vаѕсulаr ѕуѕtеm

Yоu саn uѕе а ѕрrоutеr ѕuсh аѕ thе Eаѕу Grееn аutоmаtіс ѕрrоutеr tо ѕрrоut ѕееdѕ, grаіnѕ, bеаnѕ – еvеn whеаtgrаѕѕ. Sрrоutѕ соuld bе саllеd а 'ѕuреr fооd' – оrgаnіс ѕрrоutѕ соntаіn еnоrmоuѕ lеvеlѕ оf рrоtеіnѕ, vіtаmіnѕ, mіnеrаlѕ, trасе mіnеrаlѕ, сhlоrорhуll ріgmеntѕ аnd еnzуmеѕ, аnd аrе thе іdеаl nаturаl ѕuррlеmеnt.

Sрrоutѕ саn bе uѕеd іn ѕаlаdѕ аnd ѕоuрѕ, оr саn bе јuісеd. Frеѕh јuісеѕ аrе а grеаt rеаdу еnеrgу ѕuррlу аnd а gооd quаlіtу јuісеr, ѕuсh аѕ thе Kеmро Grееnроwеr јuісеr, рrоduсеѕ lіvіng јuісеѕ thаt аrе full оf еѕѕеntіаl nutrіеntѕ.

A grеаt јuісіng rесіре tо соmрlеmеnt а rаw fооd dіеt іѕ саrrоt јuісе wіth роtаtо, fеnnеl аnd аррlе. Sіmрlу јuісе 4 mеdіum саrrоtѕ, 2 аррlеѕ, 1 ѕmаll роtаtо аnd 1 ѕmаll ѕtаlk оf fеnnеl.

Fеnnеl hаѕ bееn ѕhоwn tо rеduсе аnd соntrоl іnflаmmаtіоn оf аrthrіtіѕ, іt еvеnѕ mооd fluсtuаtіоn аnd dерrеѕѕіvе ѕtаtеѕ аnd hаѕ thе rаrе nutrіеnt саllеd mаngаnеѕе, рluѕ zіnс аnd vіtаmіn B соmрlеx.

Thе nutrіtіоnаl vаluе оf grаіnѕ аnd ѕееdѕ іѕ іmрrеѕѕіvе. Thеу соntаіn mоѕt оf thе vіtаmіnѕ – раrtісulаrlу A, B, аnd E. Thеу'rе аlѕо fаntаѕtіс nаturаl ѕоurсеѕ оf unѕаturаtеd fаttу асіdѕ аnd lесіthіn, аnd аn еxсеllеnt ѕоurсе оf рrоtеіnѕ.

Yоu саn еvеn uѕе ѕоу mіlk mаkеrѕ (ѕuсh аѕ SоуQuісk) tо mаkе nоn-dаіrу drіnkѕ frоm dіffеrеnt bеаnѕ, rісе, nutѕ, ѕееdѕ аnd grаіnѕ tо hаvе wіth brеаkfаѕt. If уоu wаnt ѕоmеthіng а lіttlе mоrе ѕubѕtаntіаl thаn ѕоу mіlk уоu саn mаkе уоur tоfu (оr, оf соurѕе, vіѕіt а gооd hеаlth fооd ѕhор).

Eѕѕеntіаllу, thе іdеа оf а rаw fооd dіеt іѕ tо еаt unрrосеѕѕеd fооdѕ fоr аt lеаѕt 75% оf thе tіmе. If thе іdеа оf rаw fооd іѕn‟t vеrу арреtіѕіng tо уоu, уоu саn wаrm thе fооd а lіttlе аѕ lоng аѕ thе fооd іѕn‟t hеаtеd аbоvе 116°F.

Cаutіоnаrу Nоtе:

Aѕ wіth аnу mајоr сhаngе іn dіеt, іt'ѕ wіѕе іdеа tо соnѕult уоur dосtоr bеfоrе bеgіnnіng а ѕресіаl dіеt. Thіѕ іѕ еѕресіаllу truе fоr сhіldrеn, рrеgnаnt wоmеn, аnуоnе wіth аnеmіа аnd аnуоnе wіth а рrе-еxіѕtіng mеdісаl соndіtіоn.

Evеn nаturаl fооdѕ саn соnflісt wіth сеrtаіn mеdісаtіоnѕ, ѕо рlеаѕе аѕk уоur dосtоr оr рhаrmасіѕt іf уоu'rе tаkіng аnу mеdісаtіоn.

Bесаuѕе а rаw fооd dіеt іѕ dеtоxіfуіng ѕоmе реорlе ѕuffеr а mіld dеtоx rеасtіоn іnсludіng mіld hеаdасhеѕ, nаuѕеа аnd сrаvіngѕ. Thеѕе ѕуmрtоmѕ mау lаѕt fоr ѕеvеrаl dауѕ аnd уоu'll gеt mоrе еnјоуmеnt оut оf уоur rаw fооd dіеt іf уоu сut dоwn оn thіngѕ lіkе mеаt, ѕugаr аnd саffеіnе а wееk оr ѕо bеfоrе соmmеnсіng thе dіеt.

A rаw fооd dіеt іѕ сеrtаіnlу а gооd wау tо іmрrоvе уоur оvеrаll hеаlth аnd wеllbеіng. Lіkе аnуthіng wоrthwhіlе іt tаkеѕ tіmе, еnеrgу аnd соmmіtmеnt. Bесаuѕе mаnу оf thе fооdѕ fоr thіѕ раrtісulаr tуре оf dіеt аrе mаdе frоm ѕсrаtсh thеrе іѕ ѕоmе рrераrаtіоn tіmе іnvоlvеd. Thеrе аrе mаnу grеаt рrоduсtѕ оn thе mаrkеt thаt саn hеlр уоu рrераrе уоur оwn lіvіng fооd аnd ѕаvе уоu ѕоmе tіmе аѕ wеll.

Cоmbіnеd wіth rеgulаr еxеrсіѕе, а rаw fооd dіеt іѕ аlѕо аn еxсеllеnt wеіght lоѕѕ mеthоd. If уоu'vе bееn fееlіng 'а lіttlе оff', оr јuѕt nееd а рісk-mе-uр аnd ѕоmе еxtrа еnеrgу, thеn а rаw fооd dіеt іѕ сеrtаіnlу а gооd wау tо gо.

Lose weight tips for Moms Out there!

2018-09-17T20:38:00.004-07:00

After months of carrying a baby in your belly and stretches your belly skin. You thought of reducing those lose skins. Here are some tips for you to lose those lose skin:

1 Eat More

Eating small meals throughout the day keeps metabolism burning efficiently and prevents excessive hunger. "Whether it's intentional (in an attempt to lose weight "faster,") or unintentional (because parents are so preoccupied taking care of their new child), meals are often skipped in new parenthood. Despite taking in fewer calories in the moment, this actually hinders weight loss efforts, and may even lead to weight gain over time," explains Zuckerbrot. Why? When the body is deprived of food for many hours between meals, it starts conserving fuel and burning fewer calories to protect itself from starving. Metabolism slows down, which inhibits weight loss despite the temporarily reduced caloric intake. Skipping meals also causes blood sugar levels to begin to drop. Low blood sugar can produce hunger pangs, which can trigger bingeing and food cravings. " Blood sugar levels begin to drop within two hours of eating, so aim to eat four small meals a day. Breastfeeding moms especially need to be sure they are eating regularly and adequately, as the body requires energy to create the breast milk." Make sure you're choosing healthy snacks, too—not just anything.

2 Have A Morning Detox

No, we're not talking about some extreme juice cleanse, but rather a detox elixir to wake your body up in the morning and set you up for a healthy day. "Right when you wake up, have one tablespoon of Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar with 8-ounces of water. This ritual is great for weight loss and liver detoxifier (side note: this means it can help mitigate a hangover!)," says Ostrower. "It also increases the Hydrochloric Acid (HCL), the good acid your belly makes which helps digest fats, carbs and proteins and prepares you for a day of eating. Great for weight loss, cravings, detoxification and disease prevention." Basically, this mix is like putting the key in the ignition and starting digestion on the right foot.

3 Make A Plan

Bringing a baby home changes "normal" daily routines to an almost unrecognizable state for new parents. In order to adjust and regain order in your life, start with getting your eating on track. Take time to plan what and when you are going to eat. Zuckerbrot suggests writing down an outline each morning or at the beginning of the week. "With a plan, you are less likely to skip meals and/or snack on refined carbohydrates and other irresponsible foods. If a person's blood sugar gets low (which happens when they skip meals) the body goes into an emergency state and craves sugar. This leads to decreased inhibitions when it comes to food choices."

4 Stop Eating Before Bed

Late night eating is a guilty pleasure for many, but while your mind might be screaming for a midnight serving of ice cream, the body actually loves a fast during the night. "I recommend having your last bite of food three hours before bed," says nutritionist and founder of NAO Nutrition, Nikki Ostrower. "Eating right before bed doesn't give your body enough time to digest especially because our body prefers to be upright during digestion. It can also cause indigestion and inflammation in the gut, all of which contribute to slowing down your metabolism."

5 Mind Your Plate

It's not only what's on your plate that matters. Research has shown that your actual plate – the size and even the color – can influence how much you eat. Place your food on a salad size plate. According to the Cornell University Food and Brand Lab when people used a 10-inch plate they ate 22 percent less food than those who used a 12-inch plate. Similarly, those who ate pasta on a white plate ate 22 percent more than those who ate the same pasta on a red plate.

6 Eat Less 'Healthy' Food

It may sound nutty, but it's all too common for people to assume that healthy foods aren't as filling as their unhealthy counterpart and therefore they tend to overeat. According to the Journal of the Association for Consumer Research when test subjects were given a "healthy cookie" they reported being hungrier than those who were given a regular cookie and ultimately ended up eating more even though the cookie, in both cases, was the same. This research's results were replicated with fat-free, high-fiber and other "healthy" jargon.

7 Get Enough Sleep

As new parents, the notion of getting enough sleep is almost laughable, but it can have an impact on weight loss efforts as the amount and quality of your sleep affects the hormones that control feelings of hunger and fullness. "Ghrelin stimulates appetite, causing you to feel hungry, and leptin is responsible for sending a signal to your brain that you are full," explains Zuckerbrot. "When you're well rested these hormones work in balance, however, when you are sleep deprived, leptin levels plummet and ghrelin levels rise, setting the stage for overeating." Sleep deprivation leads to more than just slowed thinking and sluggishness; it exaggerates feelings of hunger during day, even if you've had enough to eat.

8 Don't Skip Breakfast

We've all heard it, and for good reason. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day for kids AND parents alike. New parents often get so preoccupied making sure their little ones are fed breakfast that their own morning meal gets sidelined. Skipping breakfast slows down metabolism and leads to weight gain. Zuckerbrot highlights studies that show that breakfast eaters burn calories more efficiently throughout the day and are more likely to be thinner than non-breakfast eaters. The celebrity nutritionist recommends starting your day with a breakfast that combines fiber and protein, like Greek yogurt with a high fiber cereal, hard boiled eggs with high fiber crackers or toast, or a high fiber/high protein bar. "The combination of fiber and protein keeps you feeling full, for the longest period of time, on the fewest calories and will keep blood sugar steady so energy levels are even and temptations to graze on refined carbohydrates later in the day are minimized."

9 Be Mindful

Many people overeat because they're eating too quickly or distracted during their meals (i.e. eating while doing another activity). It takes about 20 minutes for your brain to process that you are full so eating slowly is imperative for weight loss. "Chew your food 20 times," recommends Ostrower. "This not only pre-digests the food, it also helps you to slow down, therefore you won't eat as much." The nutritionist also recommends being aware of what you keep in your home. "Avoid keeping triggering processed food in the house. If it's not there, you won't eat it." In tandem with this bear in mind smart swaps. "I often recommend that parents, for example, replace that evening glass of wine with Kombucha. Kombucha stimulates digestion and has tons of feel good B vitamins."

10 Squeeze in Fitness

While you may not have time to get to a gym or even have the time for an at-home workout, you can still work fitness seamlessly into your daily schedule. Get a running stroller and use it when checking errands off your to-do list. "We bought the Thule," says Ostrower. "It's light, has a great compact design, it's easy to maneuver, gives a smooth ride and it's super comfy for the nugget." Another option? Do squats while your baby is in an Ergo carrier. No matter what kind of fitness you work into your schedule, however, be realistic with your goals so you don't find yourself giving up quickly.

11 Stay Off The Scale

After giving birth there are many hormonal changes in the body that can make weight and emotions fluctuate. For some, getting on the scale during this time is essentially asking for a panic attack. Zuckerbrot warns that getting worked up and stressed out about the weight can be counterproductive for the weight loss and prevent you from shedding pounds. "Quantifying weight gain/loss/progress (ie getting on the scale) can be very alarming. Instead of the scale, use clothing as an indicator of progress. Understand that the weight gained during pregnancy was not put on overnight, so you cannot expect to shed it overnight. Stay focused and calm, and the weight loss will follow."

12 Keep Your Stress In Check

We know, we know this is a lot easier said than done when your nugget is yelling at all hours of the night and you have to get up for work at 6 AM, but bear in mind that a study published in Social Science and Medicine discovered that men gain more weight after childbirth than women. The study found that the reason men were gaining weight was that their lifestyle was so drastically different after giving birth (i.e. less drinking, smoking, and exercising). The high stress levels were possibly contributory as well. "New parents can try to incorporate some stress reduction activities like five minutes of meditation daily and, in whatever way possible, returning to enjoyable activities such as dining out, socializing with friends – this may actually help with weight loss efforts!" says Zuckerbrot.

13 Be A Positive Role Model

A study published in the journal Obesity stated that the children of overweight and obese adults were more likely to gain weight in the first 24 months of birth and also were less likely to be satiated with meals. Children with obese parents are far more likely to be obese themselves. "If your own health isn't enough of a concern, use your child's health as your motivator," says Zuckerbrot. "The foods you choose to eat in front of your child will very likely shape their bodies and perception for life. Get educated on proper nutrition with a registered dietitian and set an environment of health in the home."

14 Leave The Kid Food For The Kids

Many parents make the mistake of tasting and picking while preparing foods for their toddler or little one. "When preparing foods for your child, try to not taste and serve yourself the foods that are for them," cautions Zuckerbrot. "Foods are not free just because they are small! Be sure to save all foods as leftovers."

15 Drink Water

New, busy parents may not be getting enough water in their diet, which can hinder weight loss efforts. Water plays a key role in nearly every bodily function and it fills you up so you tend to eat less, thus helping with weight loss. Zuckerbrot recommends eight to 12 cups of water a day. "Being dehydrated can also mimic hunger. Many times, our hunger is thirst in disguise, and you can experience symptoms such as feeling weak, cranky and tired. To get rid of these symptoms we then grab a candy bar when all we really needed was a drink of zero-calorie water." Also note that getting enough water is especially important for breastfeeding mothers, as breast milk amount is directly linked to the amount of water you consume. If you're not a fan of regular water make flavored water by infusing fruits. If opting for store bought flavored waters, however, make sure to avoid ones with added sugars, preservatives, and chemicals.

16 Nurse Your Baby

Not only does breastfeeding offer significant health benefits for mothers, it can be a huge weight loss aid. "Breastfeeding secretes about 400-700 calories per day (according to the American Pregnancy Association) which can help in losing the weight put on during pregnancy," says Tanya Zuckerbrot MS, RD, and founder of F-Factor Diet. The National Institutes of Health reviewed more than 9,000 study abstracts and found that women who either didn't breastfeed or stopped breastfeeding early on had an increased risk of postpartum depression, which can make post-pregnancy weight loss difficult. Zuckerbrot adds that research has also shown that breastfeeding triggers the release of oxytocin, a hormone associated with relaxation, and when asked, many mothers reported that nursing relaxed them. Bonus: Breastfeeding has been linked to a decreased risk of breast and ovarian cancer and may play a role in lowering osteoporosis risk.

17 Focus On Fiber

Adding high fiber foods like fruits and vegetables, whole grains, bran and legumes to your diet can aid in weight loss for new parents. "Fiber is a zero-calorie, indigestible part of a carbohydrate that adds bulk to food. When eaten, fiber swells in the stomach, so dieters feel fuller, on less food, and are less tempted to mindlessly snack," explains Zuckerbrot. Fiber also naturally boosts metabolism, which also helps in weight loss.

Free Diet Tips : Smart Way To Lose Weight

2014-04-18T04:44:00.000-07:00

1. More Water. Before eating a bag of chips; make sure to drink a glass of water first! People sometimes confuse thirst with hunger, so you can end up indulging in kilojoule-rich foods when a glass of water is all you really needed. If you aren’t in the mood for water, you may drink healthy alternatives such as sparkling water or herbal tea.

2. Don’t reward yourself with food. It's essential to celebrate each weight loss goal. However, instead of rewarding your success with a chocolate or ice cream; treat yourself to a day at the spa, watch a movie or buy that pair of shoes you’ve always wanted. These are activities that are enjoyable and won’t jeopardise your weight loss.

3. Eat several mini-meals during the day. If you eat fewer kilojoules than you burn, you will lose weight. Obesity researcher Dr Rebecca Reeves reveals that “ Studies show that people who eat 4-5 meals per day are better able to control their appetite and weight ”. She also suggests enjoying said small meals earlier in the day, with dinner being the last time you eat.

4. Eat protein at every meal. Protein is the ultimate food to satisfy hunger pangs, and keeps you feeling full for longer. Protein sources such as seafood, beans, lean meat, yoghurt, cheese, egg whites, soy and nuts have been proven to preserve muscle mass and help burn fat.

5. Always eat breakfast. The common perception is that by skipping breakfast you will lose weight. However studies prove that not eating breakfast makes you hungry later which inevitably leads to nibbling or bingeing until your next meal. Healthy morning meals such as a high fibre cereal, low fat milk and fruit aid in weight loss.

6. Focus on portion sizes. To monitor portion sizes use a kitchen scale and measuring cups. Also using smaller plates and glasses helps to downsize portions; and prevents overindulging.

7. Keep a food diary. Studies show that writing down what you eat and drink tends to create awareness of what you are consuming and when; and this will cause you to eat less. One study even found that people who kept a food diary for at least six days a week lost about twice as much weight as those who kept diaries only once or twice a week.

Free Diet Tips: Activities of Naturally Thin People (Part 1)

2013-08-25T19:34:00.000-07:00

1. Morning Simple Workout. The time when you open your eyes, sit up slowly without using your hands. With legs straight out, lean forward until you feel a gentle stretch in your back and hamstrings. Hold; then, using your abs, move and lower yourself flat. Rest and do it again two times times . Strengthens core. Burns 10 calories.

2. Choose Grains. Work up to 3/4 cup of low-sugar whole-grain cereal with at least three grams of fiber per serving, and you’ll pass on that Danish. Saves 100.

3. Eat some Protein. The more you eat earlier on, the less you eat as the day wears on, research has shown. So after your cereal, add a hard-boiled egg or a part-skim mozzarella cheese stick to keep you feeling full — and away from that pre-lunch brownie. Saves 200 (or more).

4. Balance booster. While you brush your teeth, alternate standing on one leg as you switch mouth quadrants (every 30 seconds). Balancing develops your core muscles and may even be good for your brain. Burns 10.

5. Be a ballerina. As your coffee drips, stand sideways, put one hand on the counter, and lift the outside leg straight out in front of you, keeping it extended. With upper body straight, hold for a few seconds and move it to the side; hold and extend it behind you. Do five to ten times on each leg. Tones outer thighs, hip flexors and quadriceps. Burns 10

6. Drink less Coffee. Instead of pouring that 1/3 cup of half-and-half (a whopping 105 calories!) into your mug, replace it with the same amount of 2% milk. Saves 60

7. Better your bagel You can walk 10,000 steps to justify your 500-calorie bagel with cream cheese, or try this: low-fat spreadable cheese like Laughing Cow Light on an English muffin. Saves 300
Nine-to-Five Fixes

8. Tone in traffic Use the time spent bumper-to-bumper to develop your buns of steel: Squeeze your derrière each time you tap the brake, holding for 10 seconds. Shoot for 10 to 15 squeezes a trip. Burns 10

9. Snack smarter Portion out the day’s snacks into pint-size zip bags, or buy single-serving portions. For example, four regular Oreos have 200 calories versus the 100-calorie snack bag version. Go for the lower fat chips: a Lay’s Light bag has only 75 calories, while the regular has 150. Saves 175 (over two snacks)

10. Casual day payoff You will blast more calories during the day wearing comfy clothes like jeans or khakis, sport shirts and soft-soled shoes than donning constricting suits, skirts and heels. Why? Because you walk more, a study found. Now you just have to convince the boss. Burns 25

11. You know squat! At your desk chair, pretend you’re going to sit but don’t — stop and come back up without using your arms. Always start squats by lowering your hips, not bending knees forward, and keeping your weight on your heels. Repeat the motion throughout the day (even at the potty!) for 15 to 20 total. Strengthens quadriceps. Burns 15

12. Switch your soda Your body doesn’t register calories from liquids the same way it does those from foods, so you won’t get those “stop eating” signals to help you compensate for the overload later on. Change from two glasses of regular soda or fruit juice to diet soda or a flavored seltzer. Saves 300

13. Talk it up Every time you grab the phone, stand up and pace around. Heavy people sit on average two and a half hours more per day than thin people, according to the Mayo Clinic. Burns 50 or more

(Free Diet Tips: Activities of Naturally Thin People Part 2 coming soon.)

Diet Tips: Best tips to lose weight

2013-01-31T19:49:00.001-08:00

Losing pounds doesn't have to be torture (we're looking at you, cayenne-pepper cleanse). Adopt at least three of these behaviors — they're simple to integrate into your day-to-day routine, and all are enthusiastically backed by nutritionists — and you'll be thinner and healthier in days. (Plus, the weight will stay off.)

1. SNACK, BUT SMARTLY
Grazing between meals used to be on the weight-loss hit list. But nutritionists now know that it's better to satisfy a craving with healthy grub than ignore it and risk a junk-food binge later. The best picks are filling, protein-packed snacks, such as one stick of string cheese, a tablespoon of peanut butter on a piece of fruit, or a medium-size bowl of edamame.

2. TURN OFF THE TV
Dining while viewing can make you take in 40 percent more calories than usual, reports a new study. And texting, driving, or any other distracting activity during a meal can also result in your eating too much. Instead, make each meal something you put on a plate and sit down to, even if you're eating solo.

3. STEP ON THE SCALE DAILY
If your regular weight increases several days in a row, it's a red flag letting you know you need to cut back a little or beef up your workouts slightly.

4. SCULPT THREE TIMES A WEEK
Doing 5 minutes each of push-ups, lunges, and squats (in 30-second intervals) will help build and maintain muscle mass. The more muscle you have, the higher your metabolism will be, so you'll torch more calories as you go about your day.

5. REACH FOR YOUR CELL
Next time your mind gets stuck on a certain food, call a friend and redirect your brain by asking how her day's going. Research shows that cravings only last about 5 minutes, so by the time you hang up, the urge to devour junk will have subsided.

Diet tips issue #3: 7 Secrets of Permanent Fat Loss and Fitness (Part 11)

2011-03-20T05:32:00.000-07:00

BONUS SECRET (#8)

Invest In Your Health Now, Don't Pay For It Later

The bonus secret to permanent fat loss and fitness is: Invest in your health now, don’t pay for it later. Yet another roadblock on the path to life long health and fitness relates to what you’re willing to invest now versus what you’ll pay for later.

And it’s a tricky situation for a lot of people because you don’t really see what the costs of poor health are when you’re younger. It’s always easier to say, well it’s not going to happen to me, or some people just ignore it all together. So they put off making that investment in their health now. But they forget that they’re going to pay for it later, and then some. And I’ve even talked to people who are afraid to spend a couple hundred bucks to improve their health.

These people just don’t get it, and don’t understand the true value of having a lean body at all. They fall into that “talkers” category I mentioned earlier. They probably won’t end up reaching their goals.

Now, besides the fact that investing in your health provides the cosmetic benefits of a lean, strong, and sexy appearance, you’re also setting yourself up for reduced risk of various diseases and medical conditions that have the potential to literally cost you thousands upon thousands of dollars or more depending on your health insurance situation at that time.

Not to mention spending your time to and from the doctor’s office or hospital. And paying for medical costs when you’re older is not what most people are looking forward to as they age. That certainly doesn’t sound like fun to me. So take care of yourself now, while you can create a real difference in your health risks, and do all that you can to prevent unexpected ailments in the future. Invest in your health…don’t pay for it later.

Diet tips issue #3: 7 Secrets of Permanent Fat Loss and Fitness (Part 10)

2011-03-05T05:05:00.000-08:00

SECRET #7

Be a Doer, Not a Talker (Or a Know-it-all)

The 7th secret to permanent fat loss and fitness is: Be a doer, not a talker or know it all. The way I see it, there are two kinds of people in this world. You’ve got your talkers, or what I call know it alls. And on the other side of the fence you have your doers. Let’s talk about know it alls first.

I’m going to go ahead and say that most people fall into the talker and know it all group. If you think about the people you know, you’ll probably notice the same thing I have. Most people are not proactive. Most people are reactive. And when it comes to fat loss, fitness or any other subject or discipline, you’ll find loads of people who talk a good game, but do not practice what they preach, because they are not doers.

And the minute you start giving them some advice, they’re quick to stop you to tell you that they know all about what you’re telling them, because they know it all. But wait a minute, why aren’t they doing what they apparently already know and are aware of?

Talkers will also come up with all kinds of excuses as to why they didn’t do something, or why something didn’t work for them. They’ll also tell you why something isn’t going to work for you, because they know it won’t work for them because they just won’t do it!

Now, I know not everybody is not 100% one way or the other on this, and you might be a doer most of the time, but the talker in you likes to take over whenever faced with what seems like a daunting task like burning stubborn body fat. So it all starts with identifying who you are. Take a look at your past and how you naturally responded to various challenges. Think back at how those situations turned out. Did they happen the way you would have liked them to happen? Now, for the ones that didn’t, do you think being more of a doer and shutting down that talker side of your personality would have resulted in a more positive outcome?

Chances are, yes, it would have. Eliminating the talker side of your persona is not always easy…it takes practice and repetition. But being aware of it and being able to identify it when it happens is key, because when it happens…when that talker comes out, you can make the conscious decision to squash that talker and turn on the doer inside.

If you want to get the kind of success in fat loss and fitness that you’ve been seeking, you must become a doer. I cannot stress this enough, because doers are winners…they achieve goals and the things they want…talkers and know it alls are almost always on the losing end. I know where you would rather be. So make up your mind and get going! Be a doer, not a talker.

Diet tips issue #3: 7 Secrets of Permanent Fat Loss and Fitness (Part 9)

2011-02-27T03:14:00.000-08:00

SECRET #6

Get a Coach or a Mentor

The 6th secret to permanent fat loss and fitness is: Get a coach or a mentor. Now I know what you’re thinking…”I don’t need a coach or mentor, I can do it by myself”. While that may be true, as I did it myself for the most part, it is always easier and faster when someone shows you the way. I like to compare this with the process of traveling a long distance. Let me explain.

If you wanted to go from New York City to Los Angeles by car, you wouldn’t just get in the car and start driving would you? In essence, that is what many people are doing in their quest for fitness. They are just getting in the car and driving, with a goal in mind, but not much idea on how to get there.

Now, some people go ahead and actually grab a map and follow that. This will certainly help you get there, giving you various roads and avenues to take. But you’ll probably run into a few dead ends along the way. And the journey will take longer than you’d probably like. But what if someone came to you with detailed
instructions on the exact roads to take and what traffic or construction delays to avoid. You most certainly would get there sooner and with less effort.

Finding the right coach or mentor in your quest for permanent fat loss and fitness can be like getting a “Google Maps” to your dream body. And before you go ahead and think you don’t need one of these people in your life, did you know that world champion golfer Tiger Woods has a coach?

The man with the greatest golf swing in the world and on his way to being the greatest golfer in history (if not already) relies on a coach to help him. And surprise surprise, most every successful or famous person has had a mentor or coach at one time or still uses them today. You think Oprah, arguably the most successful business woman in the last 100 years, does it all by herself. What about Warren Buffet, Donald Trump, etc.? All of these people got help and continue to get help to stay at the top of their game.

So think about it, if Tiger Woods and other super successful people need a coach or coaches to excel and reach their goals, shouldn’t you consider having one too? I didn’t invent the principles I teach in my Fat Burning Furnace eBook without first studying under some mentors that laid the groundwork before me. The great news is that it should be a lot easier achieving your life long fat loss and fitness goals then becoming the world’s greatest golfer, so just imagine how much positive impact a coach can bring to you.

Now, this coach or mentor could be a personal trainer who is also emotionally supportive, or it could be a combination of a friend, a relative, or motivational expert. It could also even be someone who supplies you with that system for success like mentioned earlier. Whoever it is, make sure they are accessible to you and will be there to offer the support and encouragement you need. And don’t look for what I call a “softy”. A softy is someone who is too comfortable with you and will let you off easy. These people make terrible coaches. You need some one who can be supportive, but is also there to keep you in line and give you a kick in the pants ever so often if you need it.

There’s no substitute for experience, so you’ll also want to make sure your coach or mentor has been there and done that…not one of these talking heads that has no real experience. You want someone that has either gone through what you’re going through or helped others in similar situations.

You can’t do it alone…at least not as quick or as easy. So go ahead and get yourself a coach…a mentor that you can look to for guidance, support, and encouragement (and that periodic kick in the pants) as you move through to getting the lean, strong, and healthy lifestyle you deserve.

Diet tips issue #3: 7 Secrets of Permanent Fat Loss and Fitness (Part 8)

2011-02-25T22:43:00.000-08:00

SECRET #5

Surround Yourself With Positive People

The 5th secret to permanent fat loss and fitness is: surround yourself with positive people. Ok this one is extremely important. Surround yourself with positive people. I can’t stress this enough…and this might hurt your feelings a bit, but your friends and family may be making you fat.

Think about that for a minute. Your mindset, whether you like it or not, is shaped (and often times greatly so) by your outside influencers, the people you choose to associate with, namely your friends and family.

If you’ve got a host of people telling you that you’ll never succeed at your fitness goals, you’ll have a tougher time. Even if you have developed extraordinary mental toughness, the slightest hint of doubt can cloud your mind and let loose all sorts of nasty negative thoughts. And don’t think that these people will be obvious to spot either.

I don’t mean to scare you, but you’ve probably got all sorts of negative people around you right now. Spotting them isn’t always easy, so here are a few of the types of naysayers that I’m talking about:

The Grinch

The Grinch is transparently obvious. They’re the ones that will laugh at your goals and tell you to your face that you’ll never achieve them. These people are usually this way because their own goals have been crushed in the past, don’t know how to get past this, and have just given up on them at this point. They’ve decided to be miserable and you won’t be changing their minds anytime soon.

The Model

Then you’ve got these people that have a superiority complex. I call these the Models. Models find achieving their fitness goals relatively easy, mostly due to genetic or situational factors, and similar to the outright negative people, will laugh off your aspirations. They won’t take you seriously and are more concerned with themselves then supporting your goals too.

The Baby

You’ve also got those that have given up, are fat and out of shape, would rather feel sorry for themselves and want you to be that way too. I call these people the Babies. Babies don’t want you to succeed with your plans because they’ve had so many past failures in their own fat loss goals that they’ve given up. So many times they sabotage your plans, whether they do so knowingly or just by behaving as they normally would. This is basically an unhealthy negative and needy person sucking you into their lifestyle so they have some company. So there you have it…The Grinch, The Model & The Baby. Now you know who to
watch out for.

OK, just as I asked you to evaluate your current lifestyle earlier go ahead and take a look at the people you spend most of your time with. Write their names down on one piece of paper. Are they helping or hurting your efforts for life long fitness and health? Why? If they’re not helping, go ahead and have a discussion with them. Let them know you’re serious about changing for the better and that you don’t have time for negative influences or people anymore. And if they don’t budge, stop associating with them, or greatly reduce your
contact.

Now I realize you may have some longstanding relationships with these types of people, and this is not an easy thing to do in some cases. But it’s a choice you should really consider making if you’re serious about living your life in the healthy and lean body you want to.

Where do you want to be in 5 years? Would you rather be in a new lean, strong, and sexy body or still deciding whether or not to rid yourself of communicating with people who are holding you down. You must make decision, or you will be in exactly the same shape (or worse) as you are today.

This reminds me of my favorite quote of all time: If you think you can’t, you can’t, and you won’t. If you think you can, you can, and you will. It’s that simple. If others around you think you can’t, they’ll let you know one way or another, and then it is up to you to shield yourself from this. Or, you can just work on surrounding yourself with positive people, thereby making it much easier on yourself.

Diet tips issue #3: 7 Secrets of Permanent Fat Loss and Fitness (Part 7)

2011-02-24T06:30:00.000-08:00

SECRET #4

KNOW THE NUMBERS

The 4th secret to permanent fat loss and fitness is: know the numbers. If you don’t know the numbers, you have little chance of success in fat loss and fitness. Let me explain. Just like anything else in life, if you’re not tracking what works and what doesn’t work, you’ll be using a shotgun approach that will take much longer and not work as well as an approach that includes tracking. This is especially important in relation to your exercise and fat loss and fitness progress. Let’s look at the business world again for a moment. In any business, at the end of the day, results are measured by revenue, or the money that was made. If the business owner doesn’t know the numbers, they won’t know if they’ve made any money. And thus they have no business. Pretty simple, but the most powerful metric a business owner can track.

I’m a big NBA basketball fan, but do you think I’d enjoy watching my favorite team if they didn’t keep score? Of course not! If they don’t keep score, we don’t know who’s winning, and thus there is no “game” to win or lose. They have to know their numbers to know who wins and who loses.

Again, strikingly simple, but the fact is that most people don’t track their exercise routines at all. How do they know if they’re winning or losing the fat loss game? In fat loss and fitness it’s all about progression. When using a progressive based form of exercise like properly conducted intense resistance training, your fat loss and muscle, strength, and endurance gain is mirrored by how much stronger you’re getting each workout. And as such, you should base your progress primarily by monitoring your strength gains from workout to workout.

If you don’t know if you’re getting stronger, or how much stronger, you’ll have a tough time advancing through the workouts and creating that fat burning environment inside of your body.

This is because the speed of your progress is related to a combination of the intensity you’re using, along with the volume and frequency of your exercise. By monitoring your progress with a particular combination of these variables, you’ll be able to adjust if necessary for optimal results.

Next, you’ll want track your body fat percentage. Forget about what the scale says or what your “ideal weight” should be. Forget about Body Mass Index charts. These are all measures of weight loss, not FAT LOSS. We don’t want to lose weight, we want to lose fat.

It should then become obvious that tracking the percentage of our bodies that is fat, and watching that number drop, is the other key factor in determining our wins or losses in the fat loss game. (You can do that quickly with the Private Body Fat Analysis web link you received along with this eBooklet at: http://www.fatburningfurnace.com/body-fat-analyzer-comp.php).

So you see, recording your progress is key to getting that lean and fit body you desire and everyone else envies…and if you’re not doing it, you’re using the shotgun approach: just spraying bullets and hoping you hit something. And this always results in the wasting of your most valuable asset…your time.

By doing this you’ll not only be able to watch the inches melt off, but you’ll also be able to use these records as a motivational tool, spurring you on to even further progress…and even inspiring others you care about to do the same. So, bottom line, make sure to keep accurate records of your workouts and your progress. Just like in any business or in sports, you won’t know if you’re winning if you don’t keep score.

Diet tips issue #3: 7 Secrets of Permanent Fat Loss and Fitness (Part 6)

2011-02-18T22:19:00.000-08:00

The big issue: Too Many Calories

Whether you like it or not, the big problem people have is simply eating too many calories…there is too much going in and the only place the excess is going is to your fat stores. So what I’ve found is that instead of restricting yourself of entire food groups (like carbohydrates), it’s far easier and better from a fat loss and health standpoint to concentrate on eating foods loaded in nutrients. Why? Because our hunger is driven by nutrient consumption. Not just the macronutrients (protein, carbs, fats), but even more so by the micronutrients…the vitamins, minerals, etc. that are found in certain foods and not so much in others. In fact most people don’t even think about this, instead focusing on how many carbs or how much fat or protein they eat.

And the mainstream diets are this way too. When you analyze it, most diets are just variations of either low calorie, low fat, or low carb. They’re all focused on the macronutrients with little regard for choosing food based on the micronutrients….which really satisfy your body and your hunger.

When you focus on these foods, many of the details take care of themselves. Think about it, these are the foods your body craves naturally…why? Because they’re loaded with nutrients…your body craves nutrients. I’m talking about unrefined whole grains, beans, legumes, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds. If you give your body what it craves, it’s very unlikely you’ll have overeating problems. Period.

This one fact could save so many people from so many health problems it’s not even funny. And most issues with fat gain simply disappear when eating this way even 80-90% of the time. And on top of this, you’re automatically lowering your chance for various diseases and ailments that plague the person on the typical oversized and protein heavy American or western diet.

Now, focusing on nutrient rich foods is the foundation, but there are other factors we can manipulate to get the desired fat burning effect while supporting the muscle growth we are stimulating with our proper exercise application as I talked about in the last secret. These include eating smaller meals more frequently, managing your calorie intake without actually counting calories, and more. Perhaps just as important as what foods you are eating is what you are drinking.

The habit of drinking loads of water each day should be one you want to develop right now. While water is essential for almost every bodily process we go through, it is absolutely vital to fat burning. If you don’t get your water, you can forget about maximum fat burning.

The reason for this has to do with what happens to your body when it is dehydrated. It basically stores fat at an accelerated rate, and the sooner you get hydrated, to sooner your body will be able to metabolize your body fat stores for energy.

So make sure you’re eating foods that are rich in nutrients and make sure you’re getting more than your fair share of water. Give the body what it craves…and it will reward you.

Diet tips issue #3: 7 Secrets of Permanent Fat Loss and Fitness (Part 5)

2011-02-18T04:40:00.000-08:00

SECRET #3

Focus on the Right Foods, Nutrient Rich

The 3rd secret to permanent fat loss and fitness is: focus on the right foods, nutrient rich. We’ve all seen the fad diet books and plans out there that promise all sorts of fabulous weight loss with very little effort. What we typically find out though, after going on one of these diets, is that they’re unusual. They require you follow a very unusual way of eating compared to what common sense and Mother Nature would tell you.

We also find out that once we go off of these diets we gain the weight back faster than we lost it, and usually add a few more pounds on top of it (often due to loss of muscle mass in the process). This is obviously not the way to go, yet so many people are still duped into following these wacky diets…again and again and again.

The big secret I’ve found in eating is that instead of focusing on what you can’t eat or what you shouldn’t eat, we should be concentrating on the types of foods that create an ideal environment for satisfying hunger. This is true because when it comes down to it, we have to create a calorie deficit if we want to lose fat.

That is, we have to burn more calories than we consume. The exercise principles I described in secret #2 will help to create a deficit without changing your eating habits at all. But if you want fast success, and lasting success, you must employ proper eating strategies as well.

Diet tips issue #3: 7 Secrets of Permanent Fat Loss and Fitness (Part 4)

2011-02-17T04:39:00.000-08:00

A Big Discovery in Faster Fat Loss

The big secret I’ve found is that combining high intensity cardio with high intensity strength training into one workout is the absolute fastest way to burning fat, building muscle, strength and endurance…all at the same time. It awakens and unlocks the fat burning furnace inside of your body 24 hours a day, 7 days a
week.

It must be performed correctly however, not like you see the typical person using weight training…but when performed correctly as I teach readers of my Fat Burning Furnace eBook, this type of exercise will outperform anything else I’ve seen, and will only take an average of 20 minutes per session, and only needs to
be performed twice or three times per week.

Perhaps the best part is, as you progress, you’ll have to perform even less exercise…that’s right, even less exercise (this is an amazing but true fact of how the body’s ability to tolerate intense exercise actually decrease the stronger and leaner you get.)

To experience the benefits for yourself, let’s take the Squat exercise as an example. The Squat is one of the top 2 exercises for burning fat and building a strong and shapely body. But sadly most people spend too much time with the exercise but not nearly enough intensity. Here’s how to change that:

Instead of performing a set or two of warm ups followed by 3-5 “work sets” as most people would do, try this. Cut the amount of weight you use in half. SLOW the movement down to about 5-10 seconds per repetition (concentrate on a slow lifting, pausing at the top, and a slower lowering of the weight), right from the very first one. Keep doing this until you cannot complete another repetition in at this speed despite your greatest, and I mean greatest effort.

Now, 99% of people working out today have never experienced what you will experience after performing only 1 set of the Squat exercise in this fashion. If you did this right, your heart will be racing…your lungs gasping for air…your thighs, butt, hips, and calves will feel like jello. And it probably took you only about 60
seconds to stimulate your body this way.

You can even try this without any equipment and just do a bodyweight Squat. You’ll want to slow this down even further, depending on your strength level in the movement, but you’ll still feel the amazing difference.

This is a window into the kind of exercise that I and my students have been using to simultaneously burn stubborn body fat, build strong sexy muscle, strength, and endurance, all in just minutes per week. And it can keep the fat off permanently. Compared to what’s typically recommended these days, it’s almost
magical.

Diet tips issue #3: 7 Secrets of Permanent Fat Loss and Fitness (Part 3)

2011-02-15T04:06:00.000-08:00

SECRET #2

Exercise Less, But with more intensity

The 2nd secret to permanent fat loss and fitness is: Exercise less, but with more intensity. Now, not many people have probably told you to exercise less, right? Well, what I’m getting at here is that most people are exercising far too much, but with not enough intensity.

You see, while some of the top minds in fitness are starting to realize that intensity is the fastest ticket to fat loss and lifelong health and fitness, most are still recommending long, boring cardio workouts as the primary form of exercise for burning fat. And this is really sad because while this type of exercise certainly can burn fat, it is far from the most effective of methods available.

There are a few reasons for this, but mainly it has to do with the fact that this type of exercise primarily burns fat while you’re exercising…while this may sound good at first, it’s actually bad news. This can cause your body to start saving a reserve amount of fat to have available for your next long cardio session. You see, when you exercise like this exclusively, your body wants to hold on to your fat just so it can be burned during the next time you exercise. So if you want to burn more fat, you’ll have to do more and more of it.

Even if this type of exercise worked really well, anyone who has experienced week after week of hour long cardio sessions done 4 or more times per week knows that this is far from exciting or enjoyable. Yeah, there are exercise addicts out there who like spending their whole week in the gym, but I know most do not. The fact of the matter is that there are more rewarding things in life like spending time with our families, so my goal has always been to find the most efficient route to health and fitness. So, the way we get the results we want is by increasing our intensity. Intensity is the name of the game in productive results-producing exercise. It’s just the way the body responds to a stimulus. The greater the stimulus, the greater the response from the body, provided you give it time to rest and recover.

The basic principle here is, you can work hard, or you can work long, but you can’t do both effectively. If you’re working hard enough, you literally won’t be able to work very long or often…you’ll be challenging your body to improve, and you’ll need to extra rest to extract maximum benefit from your exercise. It is a simple concept but the #1 reason why people’s exercise programs fail them. They are giving their body no reason to change or improve when attempting something they’re already capable of.

And when you are working with sufficient intensity, your body switches to primarily burning calories from the carbohydrates in your muscles instead of body fat. And after your intensity based workout is over, you body then begins to burn existing body fat and calories to fuel the growth and repair processes that occurs (which is a massive combination of complex chemical reactions). The best part is, you body can continue to burn body fat like this for up to 48 hours after this workout is over! Now you’re working smart instead of long. Now if we simply applied this intensity principle to aerobic workouts, we instantly make our exercise more effective. But even when doing this, I still found the results not to be up to my expectations. Why? Because I also had to engage in resistance training or weight training on top of this to build fat burning muscle mass and develop a stronger body. Having to perform two different forms of exercise each week still kept me in the gym for at least an hour 4 or more times per week. Better, but I wanted it to be even easier and less time consuming.

Now, you may already know that adding lean muscle mass to your body is one of the big secrets to burning fat all day long, even when you’re not working out. The reasons for this are two-fold:

First, a pound of lean muscle requires about 40-50 calories per day to keep alive, and when you add several pounds of muscle, you can create a calorie deficit in your body which melts off even more fat. On top of that, the growth and repair process mentioned above that occurs after intense strength training can burn huge amounts of calories and body fat for up to two days later. And the health benefits are tremendous…properly applied resistance training can increase your heart and lung’s capacity for work, with helps reduce risk of
cardiovascular disease.

Diet tips issue #3: 7 Secrets of Permanent Fat Loss and Fitness (Part 2)

2011-02-12T19:48:00.000-08:00

SECRET #1

Create a lifestyle change with systems.

The 1st secret to permanent fat loss and fitness is: create a lifestyle change with systems. Now, what am I talking about here…well, for starters, if you’re not thinking in terms of a lifestyle change, you’re in trouble. If you’re idea of fitness is going on a diet for a little while and taking a few aerobics classes, you’re not going to succeed. Period. If you want to live your life in your own lean, healthy, and strong body, you need to take the steps necessary to literally change your lifestyle.

Now, a lot of people have heard this before, but it’s not the fact that you have to make it a lifestyle that’s the secret…the secret part of it is how to do this effectively. And that starts with something most people completely miss: identifying what your lifestyle is today.

The first step is to think about your eating and exercise habits as they are now and WRITE THEM DOWN on a piece of paper. What do you eat on a typical day and throughout the week? How much are you eating? How often are you working out? What kind of workouts are you doing? You also need to examine your stress level and what are primary forces behind your stress. You also should take a look at your rest and sleep schedule. And lastly take a look at your mindset and your thoughts on how you see yourself and your lifestyle. These questions and topics will give you a snapshot of your current lifestyle…all on 1 sheet of paper for you to see and review.

After spending a few minutes jotting this data down and reviewing it once or twice, you can probably start to see just how big this whole fat loss and fitness thing really is, and why making a small temporary change here or there (as most diets or exercise plans give you) might win a battle or two, but not the WAR you’re fighting.

There are just too many variables to try and control by using the bandage approach. And what I mean by that is, most people try to fix their health and fitness problem like someone would fix a cut or scrape with a band-aid. Your health and fitness is not a simple cut or a scrape, and it needs more than a temporary fix. So a lifestyle change is what is needed for a long term solution to fat loss and fitness. That is essential. Now, once you’ve established a snapshot of your current lifestyle, you need to move on to the second step…changing your lifestyle through systems. Here’s what I mean by that:

Ask any successful business person what is at the heart of his or her success and most of them will mention a system of some type. If you have a proven and successful system, you will be successful at whatever you’re trying to accomplish. If you don’t, you’ll be lost. I spent years of my own life searching the fitness wasteland for methods that I could use to burn fat, build muscle, and get healthy with little time commitment. At some point I realized that I was creating my own system for fitness success.

Once I realized that, I was able to recommend this same system to my friends and family members interested in lifelong health and fitness. And guess what, it worked for those who applied. It was a proven and successful system. All I did was apply it to another person. Just like in business, if you have a successful and proven system, you can essentially apply the system over and over again to create new businesses. They’re all based on the same successful and proven model or system.

Again, without a system, you may get to find what you’re looking for, but it could take years or more, and a lot of frustration to be sure…I’m sure if you think back to a time in your life when you were investigating a particular topic or discipline, you’ll realize you spent a lot of time and effort in doing so. If you had a system on how to find those answers, it would have been a lot easier and more successful. You would have made far fewer errors and saved yourself a load of time.

As I said earlier, I didn’t have a system early on in my fat loss struggles, and as a result I was trying to plug the holes in my lifestyle with diets, miracle pills, and exercise gizmos.

So analyze your current lifestyle (be brutally honest), decide what needs to change and then get to work on getting a proven and successful system that will create a new lifestyle for you. ..one that you can lead for the rest of your lean and healthy life.

Diet tips issue #3: 7 Secrets of Permanent Fat Loss and Fitness (Introduction, Part 1)

2011-02-11T04:51:00.000-08:00

Exercise and Diets Today: A Sad State of Affairs!

Now, we’re just about to get into the first secret, but let me talk for a minute about why I believe so strongly that the methods I recommend are among the best choices compared to the other various methods out there today:

• Popular and mainstream methods of losing fat call for going on a strange fad or crash type diet. Well, these diets can work in the short term, but fail every time because they are based in a short term mindset and are too restrictive. They’re unrealistic and your body knows it. While they may cause weight loss initially, a good deal of this weight loss is water weight and metabolically active muscle tissue. If you lose muscle tissue you’re making it harder to lose fat because you’re lowering the amount of calories it takes to sustain your bodyweight. I don’t have to tell you that once you go off these diets you’ll end up fatter and more de-motivated than ever! That is not healthy.

• Popular and mainstream methods also call for the heavy reliance on aerobic exercise as the primary and often only method of exercise for fat burning. Aerobic exercise must be performed too long and too frequently for most people with a life, and let’s face it, most aerobic machines end up as coat hangers, because for most people spending 2-4 hours or more a week doing aerobics is flat out boring. Heavy reliance on aerobic exercise can also bring about a host of other issues, including muscle loss, and overuse injuries and muscle imbalances. What’s worse, long duration aerobic exercise can actually reduce the capacity of your heart and lungs to perform work…which can be terrible for long term health, increasing your risk for heart attack. Now, I’m not saying you should sit on your couch all day to avoid cardiovascular exercise. What I am saying is that there is a much more efficient way of literally transforming your body than spending hours a week running to nowhere (and it only takes 15-26 mintues, 2-3 times per week!). The bottom line is if you focus on making a solid lifestyle change with techniques that you can realistically implement and follow for the rest of your life, the problems with the typically recommended methods described above will be eliminated entirely. So considering all that, let’s take a look at a hypothetical example of two people and their fat loss and fitness options. Let’s say both people are about 30 years old and want to lose about 20 pounds of fat. They also want to add improve their physical appearance and their overall level of fitness, getting stronger and gaining endurance so that they increase their energy in everyday physical activity. They also have an eye on health and want to reduce their risk factors for heart disease, cancers, and other far too common diseases.

PERSON A: DAVE

Let’s say person A (we’ll call him Dave) follows the typically recommended diet and exercise methods available today. Dave goes on a variety of diets periodically, because each time he loses weight on one, it starts to come back once he goes off of the diet, so he hops onto the next one that floats his boat. He also start exercising performing 30 minutes of moderately paced aerobic or cardio sessions three times per week to burn calories and fat. After a few weeks, he doesn’t see the progress he’d like to, so Dave bumps it up to 45 minutes, 4 times per week. Still, though, progress is not satisfactory, and he might start to notice some aches and pains in his knees, hips, or ankles. Dave then starts to think it might be his diet that isn’t working (after all he’s “putting in the work” in the gym), so he eats even less food or cuts his carbs out almost entirely. Meanwhile, depriving himself of various essential foods has left. Dave on the edge of a mental breakdown and a major pig out (I’ve been there before too!). A few more weeks pass and Dave is growing increasingly de-motivated as he is getting very little results for all of the effort he’s putting forth. By now he’s probably lost a few pounds but doesn’t look much different in the mirror. So he decides to add in some resistance training, because he read it is good to have more muscle mass on your body for fat loss and other health benefits. So now he’s in the gym 5 or 6 days a week, for up to 2 hours per session! Dave’s close friends and family wonder where he is all of the time. At this point he may be having trouble sleeping at night from being overworked, may end up getting a cold or flu from too much stress imposed on his body from the exercise frequency and lack of results, and all but give up on his weight loss and fitness goals for a while. But you know the craziest part? The worst part of this story? Dave will probably return to some form of the above recommendations in a few months, when the next fad diet, miracle weight loss pill, or exercise gimmick strikes his fancy. So at the end of this period, he will probably have made a little fat loss progress if any, and little or no muscle or strength gain. Now what’s really unfortunate is that Dave’s story happens time after time after time with, dare I say, 99% of people trying to lose fat around the globe. Let’s take a look at what person B is doing instead:

PERSON B: JULIE

Now let’s assume person B (we’ll call her Julie) chooses another path, the road less traveled, that most people are completely oblivious to (like I was a few years back). Julie starts out the right way with her diet adjustments and makes sensible choices and understands that starving herself or limiting certain wholesome foods like complex carbohydrates is not the long term answer. She focuses on foods that are rich in nutrients, and drinks plenty of water throughout the day. She’s naturally satisfied when she eats, and she’s not holding back an urge to shove the next fat laden sugar loaded thing she sees down her throat. As a result she’ll most likely start seeing fat come off relatively quickly and it will have seemed fairly easy, almost natural. Julie also uses resistance exercise properly two or three times each week, for 15 to 25 minute sessions. She’s in and out of the gym, quickly, getting her workout done and back home to allow her life to continue on her terms. She’s rapidly increasing her strength, endurance, and adding shapely and sexy lean muscle to her body. She starts to take notice of the differences in the mirror in just a few weeks, and so do her friends, which spurs her on to even further progress. She tracks her improvements from workout to workout, which is very self-motivating. After a few more weeks, her friends really take notice and ask Julie what her big secret is and when she starts to reveal some of her strategies, their friends laugh it off…”Twice a week in the gym, that’s it?”, “You’re eating carbs too? Oh, I can’ t do that, it wouldn’t work for me…” they might say. Meanwhile her body continues to evolve into a fat burning machine and she’s able to maintain permanent fat loss and fitness for the rest of her healthy life, while severely reducing their risks for disease, and all with little time
commitment. Now, that’s just a hypothetical example, but it is entirely possible if you use the right approach along with the techniques I’m going to share with you. If you take the steps to change your lifestyle correctly, you have the potential to literally change not only your body fat percentage, but all aspects of your life. When you are truly happy with what you see in the mirror every morning you feel empowered to conquer anything. Charles Atlas, one of the pioneers of health and fitness from the 1950’s, once said that he didn’t care if everyone in the room was smarter than he was, because he knew that he could KICK EVERY ONE OF
THEIR BUTTS! I love this statement, because it speaks to the truth that when you are confident about your body, you feel incredibly strong and powerful in everything else you do. Any investment you make today to improve your knowledge on how to take the steps like Julie did in our example can truly make the difference in your long term fat loss, health and fitness. It can be like flipping on a light switch in a pitch black room…it can be that drastic, as it was for me and thousands of people who have learned the material you’re about to.
A LEAN, STRONG AND SEXY BODY AWAITS… Now that you have this eBooklet, you’ll be able to start reaping these rewards too. What kind of benefits am I specifically talking about?

• No longer will you have to be a slave to the gym, spending countless monotonous hours each week on a treadmill, elliptical machine, or something similar.

• No longer will you have to rush to be on time for an aerobics class. No longer will you have to be in the gym for 4, 5, or 6 days per week, performing various different forms of exercise to get all of the benefits you
seek.

• No longer will you have to follow some wacky fad or crash diet plan calling for the elimination or severe reduction of carbs or something similar.

• No longer will you have to maniacally watch your diet every second of the day, wondering if that cookie you had will require another 45 minute aerobic session.

• No longer will you have to feel bad about yourself for not being able to live up to all of these popular recommendations and more.

• And most importantly, no longer will you be a slave to the multi-billion dollar fitness industry that is keeping you from reaching your goals. Imagine having the confidence in knowing that the little time and effort you’re spending each week is creating a healthy environment inside your body that is simultaneously burning fat and building muscle, strength, and endurance 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Imagine knowing that you must eat carbohydrates every day as a major part of your food intake, and not having to worry about it all going to your belly, hips, or thighs. Imagine knowing that you’re greatly reducing your risk of disease and other physical and health problems as you age, and looking and feeling years younger than you actually are.
Imagine impressing almost everyone you know with your new body and self confidence, how that will transfer over to more success in all other aspects of your life, and how everyone will want to know your secrets. And imagine having the extra time to enjoy your hobbies and interests, and what really matters in life…your family and closest friends. Now stop imagining, because this really is all within your grasp…and it all starts with the principles I reveal in this manuscript. So get excited…the best is within you!

technorato token: 9UQ8YB4Q7K89

Diet tips issue #2: 177 Ways To Reduce And Burn Calories (Part 8, Last part)

2011-02-05T22:50:00.000-08:00

(First parts can be seen from previous posts)

176. Here is a quick way to tone up your buttocks while standing. Squeeze muscles in both cheeks tightly, hold the contraction for two seconds. Relax for two seconds then repeat eight to 12 times.

177. Need to strengthen your calves? Stand on a telephone book, a block of wood, a step or a curb. Face toes in the direction of the spine. Hang heels over the edge opposite the spine. For better balance while trying this outdoors, hold a railing or a signpost on at curb. Keeping your back straight, push up onto the balls of your feet while counting for two seconds, hold for another two seconds, then count for four seconds as you lower yourself back down. Tighten up your abdominals and buttocks to help stay balanced.

YOUR DESTINATION

I’d like to leave you with a few thoughts that may help you on your weight loss journey. At the beginning of this report, we discussed how the words we speak are very powerful and how those words create an attitude.

How often have you used the term, “my weight?” You may have made the comments like these:

“when I lose my weight. . . .”

“My weight doesn’t let me. . .”

“I can’t. . . .because of my weight”

Do see a common thread throughout these statements? Can you make an educated guess at how many times you have said one of them or something similar?

From our earlier discussion, you probably already noticed the “negative” affirmations. . .when. . .doesn’t. . .can’t. . . Read them again more carefully. Do you see the other critical factor in each statement?

Each of those statements re-affirm that you “own” your weight. Therefore, each time you make that comment not only are you re-affirming your current weight, you are pronouncing to the world that you are not willing to let go.

Using a personal pronoun is powerful stuff in and of itself because not only are you claiming ownership, you are training your subconscious mind to believe that you can’t let go.

Starting today. . .right now. . .this very minute, make a conscious decision that you no longer accept ownership of excess weight. You are not what you weigh. You are a unique human being and entitled to all the gifts that this life has to offer.

Now pull out pen and paper and begin your affirmations.

(To be continued)

Diet tips issue #2: 177 Ways To Reduce And Burn Calories (Part 8)

2011-02-05T05:14:00.000-08:00

(First parts can be seen from previous posts)

151. If you just have a cold or the flue, wait until all symptoms such as fever, have been gone for two days before you exercise again.

152. Walking is the aerobic exercise of preference if you are over 60. This is because when you walk, the pressure on your joints never rises about 1.5 times your body weight. Jogging, dance or step aerobics can put as much as four times your weight or more on your bones. This is wonderful for younger people, but can put too much strain on the more brittle bones of the elderly.

153. Start your walking exercise by timing yourself. You don’t want to become too tried to make it back home. Check your watch when you begin, and walk around one block over and over until you get a little tired. Check your watch to see how long you have walked. That’s the length that your walks should be for the first week or two. If you get tired on the way home, stop, rest then walk some more.

154. Maintain the same level of exertion for your entire walk. You will be asking your heart to work hard (but not too hard) for your entire session. Your hearts gets the biggest benefit from a sustained workout. If you come to a hill, slow your pace to maintain the same level of exertion that you had on ground level.

155. If the temperature is hot or humid your workout will seem harder. Adjust the speed and intensity so that you stay at the appropriate exertion level.

156. If the temperature soars over 95°F with 80% humidity, limit outside exercise to no more than 30 to 45 minutes.

157. Establish a rhythm to your exercise routine. Using music can help you to do this. The rhythm helps you perform each repetition within a set with the same gusto!

158. Be kind to your feet. Exercise in shoes that were designed for the job or you are giving an open invitation to aches, pains and even stress fractures in your feet and legs.

159. Pick the right kind of shoe. Walking or running shoes absorb the shock of your stride. This is thanks to a slightly elevated heel that also helps to prevent injuries to the leg muscles and tendons.
160. Tennis and other types of athletic shoes absorb the impact of sideways movement and quick turns.

161. Women who typically wear high heels should avoid flat tennis type shoes because the sudden shift in foot position could cause strain.

162. Buy new shoes often. They may last for years, but looks are deceiving. They will lose their shock absorption within just a few months. If you walk fewer than 25 miles a week a new pair is in order every four to six months. If you walk more than 25 miles a week, they should be replaced every two to three months.

163. Examine the patterns in your existing shoes and/or take them along when shopping for new ones. Your wear patterns might help the salesperson pick out the best pair for your feet.

164. To get the best fit wear or bring along the same kind of socks that you will be exercising in. Shop in the afternoon in case your feet swell during the day.

165. After your warm up, exercise for more than 30 minutes per session if you want to lose weight. Otherwise, three 10 minutes sessions per day will protect against disease and a healthier lifestyle.

166. Wear loose fitting clothing that breathes well. You can use layers of clothing to stay warm and dispel perspiration and heat.

167. Avoid drinking coffee, alcohol or other diuretics before or while you exercise.

168. If you are a morning person, exercise after you have been up and about for at least 10 minutes. While sleeping, sometimes fluids can pool throughout your body even in disks in the spinal column, ligaments and muscles. If you get up and immediately begin to exercise, the accumulated fluids can cause major injury such as a herniated disk.

169. Avoid exercise right after eating. Both your intestinal tract and your muscles will need extra blood to function. The conflicting needs of each system may leave you with cramps or a feeling of nausea or faintness. Give you body two hours to complete its digestive duties.

170. If you have diabetes, avoid injecting insulin into a muscle that will soon be used for exercise. Working muscles process insulin differently than nonworking muscles.

171. Learn how much activity is required per hour to burn calories. For instance, one hour of bicycling at 6 miles per hour burns 240 calories; at 12 miles per hour, you will burn 410 calories. Jogging at 5.5 miles per hours burns 740 calories but at just 2 miles per hour more at 7 miles per hour you will burn 920 calories.

172. Walking at just 2 mph, burns 240 calories; increase it to 3 mph and you are burning 320 calories and at 4.5 mph you are burning a whopping 440 calories! *Note that this is based on a healthy 150 pound woman. A lighter person burns fewer calories and a heavier person burns more.

173. Walking need not be a chore. Visit your local museums and art galleries spending time browsing the exhibits. Not only will you add additional exercise with the walk, you’ll improve your mind!

174. Eating a handful of raisins (about 1 ounce) approximately 15 minutes before your workout can significantly lower free radical and the damage they cause. Raisins are rich in antioxidants.

175. In addition to your daily workout here is a simple exercise to do while sitting at your desk, driving or watching television. While seated with back straight, pull your abdominal muscles inward, and lift your chest and rib cage as you exhale. Hold that position four to six seconds then release slowly as you inhale. Repeat eight to 12 times. Try doing this while driving. Change rearview mirror so that it can only be seen when you are sitting straight. Doing this can help you to remember to sit up straight in any chair.

(To be continued)

Diet tips issue #2: 177 Ways To Reduce And Burn Calories (Part 7)

2011-02-04T04:10:00.000-08:00

(First parts can be seen from previous posts)

126. Clean your house (changing bedding is great exercise!).

127. Take a brisk ten minute walk each morning, afternoon and evening.

128. Plant a vegetable garden. You’ll have all that terrific food to eat and exercise in the process!

129. Learn how to snorkel.

130. Learn a new dance.

131. Join a gym.

132. Join a lunch hour aerobic class.

133. When exercising, use a multi-purpose squat to improve strength in the lower body. This will strengthen all of the major muscles of the lower body including hamstrings, quadriceps, calves and gluteals.

134. Use balance training exercises to help in performing daily living and activities. Try a one-legged balance exercise by standing on one leg for 10 to 15 seconds, switching legs and repeating the process for three to five sets.

135. Jump in place with feet together. Alternate between touching the left and right heel in between jumps with both feet.

136. Target the triceps with a bench dip. Seated on a bench, grasp the front edge with your hands shoulder-width apart. With your heels on the floor, extend your legs straight out from your body. Move forward until your hips are off the bench. Lower the hips slowly toward the floor then press up to a full extension of your arm without locking your elbows.

137. Try a bent over row to target the latissimus dorsi, teres major, posterior deltoid, trapezius, rhomboids and biceps. While standing, begin with your feet should width apart. Bend the knee and flex forward at the hips. Tilting the pelvis slightly forward, engage the abdominals and extend the upper spine to add additional support. Hold a weight or bar beneath the shoulders with your hands approximately should width apart. Flex your elbows and lift your hands toward the sides of your body. Pause and slowly lower your hand back to the starting position. Be sure to keep your shoulders stationary.

138. A simple shoulder shrug can help to strengthen your back. Stand erect with dumbbells or other weight in each hand. Lift your shoulders toward your head by elevating your shoulders and slightly retract and roll them back. Pause for a moment then return to the starting position. Make certain that you do not rock or use your legs and keep your knees slightly bent. A variation on this exercise is to do one shoulder at a time.

139. Another exercise to strengthen the back is a scapular retraction. Begin with your feet shoulder width apart and your pelvis tilted and slightly forward. Engage your abdominals so you can maintain neutral spine. Flex forward and hold dumbbells extended down and away from the body. Flex the shoulder blades together, pausing then slowly returning to the start position. Avoid bending your elbows and vary the exercise by using a single arm at a time.

140. Remember to keep it slow. Perform all exercises slowly. Spend two to five seconds in the lifting phase of an exercise and four to six seconds in the lowering part. If you move too quickly, you won’t get the muscle strengthening benefit of the exercise and you could hurt yourself.

141. Work up to the point where you can do three sets of each exercise, with five to 15 repetitions of the exercise in each set. Don’t rest within the sets, you can rest briefly between each set. As the work becomes easier ad weights or increase the number of repetitions you do.

142. Bicycling gives a great whole body exercise. Begin with short jaunts around your neighborhood. Each day widen your travels until you are able to bicycle for at least a mile.

143. Exercise should give you additional energy. If you are excessively exhausted after exercising you have overdone it.

144. Again, listen to your body. If you experience a feeling of nausea or faintness, your efforts may be too intense for your body or you aren’t spending enough time on your cool down process.

145. Your rate of breathing will increase while exercising but you should still be able to carry on a conversation. If you can’t talk and walk or talk and lift at the same time, your pace is probably too intense. Cut back and lighten your weight load.

146. While you may experience some next day soreness when you begin, exercise isn’t supposed to hurt or leave you feeling stiff. Devote more time to warm up and cool down exercises as your body adjusts.

147. Being overweight, your knees may not be strong enough to support you. If you experience pain, then shorten (or eliminate) your walks, jogs or bicycling and concentrate on strength building sessions to build up your muscles and tendons.

148. If you have been sedentary, you may experience lower back pain when you first begin to exercise. This is because your hamstring muscles have shortened. When you walk or exercise the shortened hamstrings pull on the buttock muscles, which in turn will grab your lower back muscles. If your abdominal muscles are not strong enough to assist in supporting your lower back, you will definitely feel it. To get rid of the pain, include abdominal strengthening exercises with your warm up and cool down.

149. If you get a headache, cramps or heart palpitations, or feel dizzy, faint or cool while exercising, consult your physician.

150. If you have an infection such as bronchitis, put off exercise until all is normal again.

(To be continued)

Diet tips issue #2: 177 Ways To Reduce And Burn Calories (Part 6)

2011-01-31T04:45:00.000-08:00

(First parts can be seen from previous posts)

101. Always warm up before beginning your exercise activity using smooth and fluid movement. The purpose of the warm up is to minimize discomfort and prevent injury and loosen up your muscles for the exercise to come.

102. Begin with a couple of deep breaths, inhaling through the nose and exhaling from your mouth.

103. When you plan to walk or run, do just a few hundred yards at a slower walk or a gentler jog.

104. Use the cool down routine in the reverse of the warm-up,

gently slowing down. This will enable your breathing and heart rate to return to normal.

105. Learn to listen to your body and differentiate between good pain and bad pain.

106. Never exercise on a full or empty stomach.

107. Drink plenty of water to reduce the chance of dehydration. Experts usually recommend 16 ounces either one or two hours before exercising.

108. Always use stretching routines. These are not just for jocks and fitness gurus but should be used by everyone. The older you are, the more important this becomes as you can help retain flexibility and good range of movement for all your daily activities.

109. When warming up and stretching, use the movements for five to ten minutes. This will help to loosen your muscles.

110. Do not bounce when warming up with stretching as you can cause tears in your muscle fibers.

111. To increase your flexibility, hold each stretch for fifteen to twenty seconds or longer.

112. Be sure you stretch lightly during warm up to prevent stretch reflex. This is caused by over using a cold muscle.

113. Breathe slowly and evenly throughout your warm up.

114. If you have a tendency to become stiff, take a hot shower

or bath before beginning your warm up.

115. Breathing is extremely important when exercising as your body need to process oxygen that will transfer from your lungs through the bloodstream to the muscles that are being worked. Normal breathing is shallow meaning that the air is not reaching deep into the lungs. This can tighten neck muscles which can cause stiffness and pain in the neck, shoulder upper back and chest.

116. Always inhale before you lift, exhale as you lift and inhale as you lower the weight for maximum benefit.

117. Turn every day activity into exercise. Try balancing on one foot without support while putting on your shoes and socks.

118. Forget about the elevator and use the stairs.

119. Take the stairs two at a time.

120. Instead of shoving your chair, lift it bending your knees and keeping your back straight.

121. Hide your remote control and get up and down to change the channels.

122. Walk your dog and keep pace.

123. Take a Frisbee along and play in the park with your dog.

124. Park in the furthest parking space.

125. Instead of sitting in the stands while watching your kids play at a ballgame, try pacing the field instead.

(To be continued)

Diet tips issue #2: 177 Ways To Reduce And Burn Calories (Part 5)

2011-01-28T03:09:00.000-08:00

EXERCISE

Well, you knew it was coming, didn’t you? We’ve discussed at least 100 ways to adjust your eating habits. Some of the tips we covered will help your metabolism burn extra calories, but the bottom line is that you still need to burn more calories than you consume if you wish to lose those extra pounds.

The dawn of the Information Age has given us more labor saving devices than any other period in history. Along with this knowledge we have settled into a more sedentary lifestyle.

Taking a little trip back in time can really open our eyes. A typical day for your great grandmother began long before the sunrise. She was usually the first to awaken so she could have a hearty breakfast on the table for the rest of the family.

She would probably stoke her range with wood brought in the previous evening. Unless one of the children were old enough to be charged with the task, she would put on her coat, scarf and gloves and trek out to the barn to milk the cow, stopping on her way back to gather eggs from the chicken coop, home-cured ham and sausage from the smoke house, cheese (that she had made herself) butter (that she churned) and potatoes from the cold storage cellar.

Returning to her kitchen with her collection in tow, she would prepare a breakfast that most likely consisted of ham, sausage and eggs fried in lard she had rendered, biscuits, gravy made from the leavings in the frying pan, flapjacks, whole milk and strong coffee.

That picture can pretty much turn your veins to instant concrete!

Bear in mind that after her pre-dawn preparations she would spend the remainder of her day, sweeping, dusting, polishing, scrubbing clothing using hot water that she boils herself, hanging the laundry out to dry, tending her vegetable garden and often toiling in the fields with the men.

The comparison between your great grandparents is not so much what they ate, as how they used the calories they consumed. Life was hard. Normal physical activity usually burned off the calories they consumed. They worked hard and ate hearty and, yes they did have a shorter life expectancy.

Today we eat foods that are processed and contain more fat and chemicals than nutrition. To top it off, we also live sedentary lives. Unlike grandma’s hearty breakfast we are more likely to grab a cup of coffee on the run. We rush to an office, only to spend the next 8 hours sitting in front of a computer screen, just as you are doing now.

Getting a handle on your diet is just the first step toward losing weight and living a healthier lifestyle. In order to tame the weight loss beast, you MUST change your physical habits as well as your eating habits.

You don’t necessarily have to exert yourself as if you were training for the Olympics, but you definitely need to learn how to burn off more calories than you consume. Once you have accomplished that, you can step in to a regimen to maintain your ideal weight.

Before you begin a fitness/exercise program, you need to know what you want to accomplish. Use the information in the chapter on “Where To Begin” to determine your ideal weight. Once you have your plan firmly in place (we will discuss this further in the next chapter) you can begin to incorporate the following tips.

(To be continued)

Diet tips issue #2: 177 Ways To Reduce And Burn Calories (Part 4)

2011-01-27T04:48:00.001-08:00

(First parts can be seen from previous posts)

76. If you frequent a specific restaurant, ask to take a menu home so you can study what they offer and learn how to plan your meals out.

77. Steer Clear of fast food restaurants. Most of their food is 40 to 50 percent fat. Many are finally wising up, however, and you can get salads, plain hamburgers or grilled chicken. You can also ask for the restaurant’s nutritional information. Many now offer that.

78. Stay away from the appetizers unless you request crackers, pretzels or fresh vegetables like carrots or celery with a honey-mustard dressing (not ranch).

79. Put your waiter through his or her paces. Ask lots of questions and don’t stop until you are satisfied. How is the fish grilled? If it is in butter, ask for it dry. If a fried entrée is offered on the menu, ask if the chef can bake it, broil it, grill it or steam it to cut down on the fat. Make sure they follow up. It’s your meal and your money paying for it and within reason you should be able to get it the way you want it.

80. If a restaurant won’t split a portion in half for you, preparing half of it “to go,” request a doggie bag or box be delivered with your meal and split it yourself immediately before you begin to eat.

81. You can also carry a “survival kit.” Use a small plastic sandwich bag and carry packets of low fat dressings, herbal teas, spices or other essentials that may not be readily available at a restaurant.

82. Split a meal with a friend. Order soup or salad a’ la carte with one entrée and ask the waiter for an extra plate. It will save you money AND reduce the fat in each meal.

83. Visit pizzerias that offer salads and pizza by the slice. Don’t order pizza with meat. Stick with vegetable toppings and, if possible, a wheat crust. Some pizza places do offer that option.

84. Eliminate tartar sauce. If you order a fish fillet sandwich ask that the tartar sauce be left off the bun.

85. Bake with cocoa instead of chocolate. For each ounce of
Published by Weight-Loss-Aids.com
unsweetened chocolate called for in a recipe, substitute 3 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder.

86. Use evaporated skim milk for sauces and soups. It has the texture and the flavor of cream but without the fat. Each cup contains 80 grams less of fat and 600 few calories than heavy cream.

87. Plain nonfat or low fat yogurt is a great replacement for sour cream. Use it to make salad dressings. It’s also good as an add on to breakfast cereals and desserts.

88. Low fat foods may seem less flavorful when you first try them because fat adds flavor to some foods and you are used to that. Add zip with lots of herbs and spices like basil, garlic, ginger, onion powder tarragon and oregano. Vary the spices and come up with your own combinations.

89. Yogurt can help you lose weight while protecting muscle. A recent study of overweight people who at three servings of yogurt daily for 12 weeks lost 22% more weight, 61% more body fat and 81%more abdominal fat than people who ate a similar number of calories but no dairy products.

90. Spicy foods can curb your appetite as evidenced in a recent study. People who ate a sauce containing capsaicin (the compound that makes hot pepper spicy) consumed an average of 200 fewer calories over the next three hours than those who didn’t eat the sauce. Consider eating more spicy foods.

91. A 12 ounce cola has 150 calories, two tablespoons of full fat salad dressing 150, a glazed doughnut 250 and a 4 ounce bagel, 300. Just eliminating these items will help you to lose weight.

92. Another recent study shows that calcium from diary foods is more effective for weight loss than supplements. Why? Food is a complex mixture of known and unknown components that can’t be reproduced in a nutritional supplement. Dairy contains calcium and a host of other biologically active components including the amino acid leucine. Recent research reveals that leucine may increase the ability of muscle to use fat. Drink low-fat or skim milk before a meal. Studies show that getting a liquid form of dairy before eating helps you feel fuller sooner at that meal and eat less at the next meal. If you are lactose intolerant, try yogurt with live culture (it has very little lactose) or take a lactose supplement when consuming dairy.

93. Eat fish at least twice a week. The omega 3 fatty acids in fish have been shown to reduce heart attack and stroke risk in addition to helping you maintain a nutritional diet.

94. Sometimes you can go with fast food. Burger Kings BI Veggie Burger with reduced fat mayonnaise contains 340 calories and 2
Published by Weight-Loss-Aids.com
grams of saturated fat. It’s better than just about any burger at any other food chain.

95. McDonald’s Fruit and Yogurt Parfait is low fat vanilla yogurt layered with berries and topped with granola. It’s a nutrient rich bargain at only 380 calories.

96. Subway’s 7 subs with 6 grams of fat or less include ham, roast beef, chicken and turkey and range from 200 to 300 calories for a six inch sub.

97. Wendy’s Mandarin Chicken Garden Sensation Salad is a creative salad alternative of mixed greens, chicken and mandarin orange sections, roasted almonds and a half packet of Oriental sesame dressing is a great alternative at just 470 calories.

98. A veggie sandwich may not always be the ideal choice. The two ounces of cheese added to these popular lunchtime meals contain three quarters of a full day’s allowance for saturated fat. Tuna salad (because of the mayonnaise), has 720 calories and chicken salad is 550 calories. Stick with turkey, roast beef, chick breast or veggie sandwich without the cheese.

99. All salads are not created equal. A taco salad is served in a fried taco shell filled with ground beef, cheese, sour cream and guacamole. It contains 1,100 calories a full day’s quota of saturated fat!
Published by Weight-Loss-Aids.com

100. Not only is a single order of Fettucine Alfredo an artery clogger, it also weighs in at a whopping 1,500 calories! When eating Italian food, opt for pasta topped with marinara or meat sauce (skip the meatballs), red or white clam sauce or chicken Marsala.

(To be continued)

Diet tips issue #2: 177 Ways To Reduce And Burn Calories (Part 3)

2011-01-25T03:53:00.001-08:00

51. Try different varieties of beans rather than sticking to the same old type you are accustomed to. Beans are a fantastic great source of energy, protein, minerals, and fiber.

52. Beware of misleading claims. Reduced fat merely means that the item has 25% less fat. Use common sense. If something “normally” contains 300 fat grams, then reduced fat means it still has over 200 grams of fat!

53. Salads to avoid are tuna, chicken and egg. It isn’t the meat or egg that’s the problem. It’s the mayonnaise. Try making them with plain yogurt and spices to dress it up and you’ll have a healthy combination.

54. If you absolutely must have your fatty salad dressing, try this. Have the dressing on the side and dip your fork into the dressing before you spear the salad ingredient. You’ll have your taste but without dredging your salad in fat.

55. Love avocado? Go ahead and indulge a quarter cup but don’t mix it with sour cream!

56. Roasted, flavored almonds make a great snack.

57. Make your own potato chips. It’s simple. Thinly slice a large baking potato and place in a single layer on a cookie sheet sprayed with low fat aerosol spray. Spray the slices lightly as well. Sprinkle with paprika and any other spice of your choosing. Bake in a 400 degree oven for thirty minutes making sure to turn once. ‘Voila! Your own home baked potato chips and a great snack.

58. Switch from cream of wheat cereal to oatmeal. The whole grain in oatmeal is much better for you and won’t leave you hungry an hour later like the cream of wheat.

59. If you plan on eating out at a buffet, eat something before you go. Don’t skip a meal and plan on chowing down at the buffet.

60. Grab a table as far from the buffet as possible. You’ll lessen the temptation to graze or go back for seconds.

61. Go through the buffet line one time only.

62. Load up at the salad bar. Gelatin or plan green salads should be abundant.

63. Pile on the grilled food looking for baked roasted or grilled entrees like fish or lean roast beef.

64. Avoid the breaded fish or fried chicken.

65. Select soups that you can see through. If you can see through them, they are broths with less fat and calories.

66. Eat slowly. Savor each bite. Take your time and enjoy eating. If you eat too fast, your stomach will be full long before the message to stop chowing down reaches your brain.

67. Ask yourself if you really tasted and enjoyed that last bite of food. If your answer is no, it’s time to slow down.

68. To help downsize your portions, use a smaller plate. Instead of a dinner plate, use a salad plate for your entire meal.

69. When eating in a restaurant ask for a child’s portion or ask to have the entrée split and have the second half packaged as takeout.

70. As an assist to making certain you are getting the right nutrition from your vegetables, alternate the colors from day to day. One day eat fresh yellow and orange vegetables like squash, pumpkin, and carrots then switch to green the next day, like spinach, or dark leafy lettuces.

71. Pass up peanuts for snacking. Two ounces of salted peanuts has 328 calories. Nibble on pretzels instead. 20 of the small ones have as little as 80 calories and most are fat free.

72. Skip fried shrimp. A three ounce serving has 206 calories while the same size boiled are only 84 calories.

73. If you love pie, stick with the fruit pies. Pumpkin and other fruit pies are lower in calories. Pecan pie has about 430 calories while the same slice of pumpkin pie is only 240. You can drop another 100 calories if you don’t eat the crust!

74. Try Canadian bacon instead of regular bacon. One ounce of regular bacon is about four medium cooked slices and carries 163 calories. A one ounce slice of Canadian bacon is much leaner and only has about 57 calories.

75. Avoid the high fat temptations when dining out. Call ahead. Many high quality restaurants will accommodate your needs if you give them sufficient time beforehand. Explain that you are on a low fat diet and ask if they can prepare your food without frying.

(To be continued)

Diet tips issue #2: 177 Ways To Reduce And Burn Calories (Part 2)

2011-01-24T05:13:00.000-08:00

26. Eat more vegetables. Try mixing and matching fresh vegetables for variety.

27. Steam your veggies instead of boiling them. They’ll taste better and you’ll retain more of their nutritional value.

28. Use fat free or low fat salad dressings or make your own using lemon juice, spices and a tiny amount of olive oil.

29. Exchange water for soft drinks – yes, even diet drinks!

30. Slim down with casseroles – just use lean meat and veggies.

31. Go ahead and snack, just snack on good stuff, like raisins, nuts veggies and dried fruit.

32. Never eat while you are standing.

33. Don’t sample when you are cooking. A taste here, a little bite there and before you know it you’ve eaten an entire portions without sitting down at the table!

34. Don’t give up potatoes. A baked potato has 0 grams of fat and only 160 calories. Just don’t eat fries that weigh in at 13 fat grams and 480 calories!

35. Stay away from pastries. They are loaded with fat and sugar.

36. Eat more salads but don’t let salad become boring. Add different ingredients. Throw in a few raisins, nuts, canned beans like garbanzos and vary your dressings. Leave out the mayo!

37. Limit your intake of meat to just two or three meat choices per week and select more “white” meats than red.

38. You don’t have to give up dessert, just rearrange it. Try mixing fresh fruits with low fat yogurt. Strawberries with banana yogurt are delicious!

39. Add nuts to your yogurt and salads. Chopped nuts such as almonds, pistachios, walnuts, or peanuts make a great alternative to “breaded” style garnishes like croutons and they are much healthier.

40. Replace white bread with whole grain bread. If you can find bread that still contains the “wheat germ,” buy it!

41. When baking, applesauce makes a great substitute for shortening.

42. Prepare foods in different ways. Instead of traditional frying, try stir-fry and use a low fat spray or non-stick pan.

43. Reduce portions at mealtimes. We live in a “jumbo size” world. There’s no reason why the portions we consumer need to be super sized as well.

44. Measure portions one time to get an idea of what a portion of any given food should be. Do it once for each food that you commonly eat. Eventually, you will be able to “eyeball” a proper serving.

45. Keep a food diary of everything you eat. This is the first step to acquiring a new, healthier life style.

46. Wait no more than five hours between meals or snacks. This will help to stabilize your metabolism.

47. Specific food combinations can help to burn calories by enhancing your metabolism. Eat carbohydrates that are rich in fiber such as fruits and vegetables. They take longer to digest and you will feel “fuller” for longer periods of time.

48. Use fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables. Canned veggies are okay in a pinch, but generally include more salt than you need. By the time they are canned and processed, they have lost much of their nutritive value.

49. Eat more yogurt. Yogurt is a protein as well as a carbohydrate therefore giving you the small amount of energy needed to burn the protein.

50. Add more tuna to your diet. You can grill it, broil it, steam it and poach it, all without any added fat. Just be aware that tuna may contain trace amounts of mercury, so limit the amount you eat each week, especially if you are pregnant.

(To be continued)

Diet tips issue #2: 177 Ways To Reduce And Burn Calories (Part 1)

2011-01-23T05:30:00.000-08:00

1. Substitute fruit purees for butter or margarine. They are easy to prepare in a food processor and will significantly reduce calories and fat.

2. Cheese is good for you, but the fat is not. Try this: Zap cheese in the microwave and drain off grease or choose lower fat options.

3. Exercising before you eat just makes you hungrier. Exercise AFTER eating when the body has to work harder to digest food.

4. Don’t eat while watching television. You can become so engrossed in your program, that don’t even realize how much you are eating.

5. Too many people skip breakfast. Eat in the morning when the body burns more calories.

6. Water mixed with fructose suppresses appetite better than glucose with water or diet drinks. Drink a glass of orange juice one half to one hour before a meal.

7. Avoid trans fatty acids as much as possible. Use olive or canola oil when cooking. Avoid products that list partially hydrogenated oils, since these are trans fatty acids.

8. Switch from whole to skim milk. All the nutrients are there without the fat. Okay, at least cut back to low fat (1%)!

9. Limit yourself to just four egg yolks a week. Published by Weight-Loss-Aids.com

10. Trim all fat from meats before cooking. You’ll be amazed at how much you reduce your fat intake if you take this one small step.

11. Eliminate fried foods. Do we need to say why?

12. Cream sauces like alfredo and hollandaise are loaded with fat. Use tomato-based sauces instead of cream.

13. Use lemon juice or low sodium soy sauce for flavor.

14. Don’t skip meals. When you do, you eat more at your next meal and usually eat the wrong foods.

15. Read labels – check fat, sugar and salt content.

16. Stop buying on impulse. Never shop for groceries without a list.

17. Avoid shopping when you are hungry – eat first!

18. Shop for groceries once a week and only buy from your prepared list.

19. Head directly to the fruit and vegetable aisles when you enter the grocery store. Fill up your basket in these aisles and you’ll be less likely to buy binge food.

20. If you have a local “farmers market” where you can buy your fruits and veggies off the truck, by all means do so. They’ll be fresher, healthier, and tastier.

21. Make sure you buy everything you need for your weekly meal planning. Returning to the grocery store numerous times increases the risk of buying what you shouldn’t. The grocery stores know
Published by Weight-Loss-Aids.com their business very well and present items that are hard to resist.

22. Vary your foods – introduce something new each week. Menu planning can become boring when you eat the same things. That boredom translates into over eating. Try new healthy recipes each week.

23. Stay away from processed foods as much as possible. Yes, they are very convenient. They are also loaded with fat and/or sugar, not to mention the chemicals.

24. The ads are soooo compelling. Cut fast food from your diet!

25. Eat more fish but avoid breading or batters. Fish oil is good for you.

(to be continued)