More research is showing that 6mg of capsinoids which is the active heat producing compound in chili peppers may signifcantly decrease the amount of fat around the midsection. 

In a 12 week study out of the University of Maryland School of Medicine showed subjects taking capsinoids lost significantly more abdominal fat than those taking a placebo and the capsinoid group appeared to burn more fat as a source of fuel. 

Look for chili pepper extract standardized to at least 6mg active capsinoids a day with your healthy eating plan.  Take twice a day before meals.

Yours in good health,

Jayson Hunter RD, CSCS
America’s Trusted Weight Loss Expert

You always hear this excuse for those that are overweight and refuse to follow healthy eating guidelines. 

"I have bad gentics and that is why I am overweight or why I can’t lose weight"

Well, Finnish researchers have blown that excuse out of the water. 

They do say that some genetic conditions can increase the likelihood of obesity, but what they found was that exercise can trump genetics when it comes to weight gain.

The Finnish researchers followed almost 150 sets of twins over a span of 30 years and one twin exercised regularly over that period and the other twin did not exercise. 

The twins who did not exercise gained on average almost 12 pounds and 3 inches inches on their waist compared to their twin who did exercise .

Even if you think you have genetics that may play a role in your obesity or weight gain don’t give up on exercise as it has been found to be very powerful in combating weight gain.

To learn about what type of exercise you should be doing for maximum effectiveness check out these:  Exercise Secrets 

Yours in good health,

Jayson Hunter RD, CSCS
America’s Trusted Weight Loss Expert

Resource: (International Journal of Obesity 32(2):353-361, 2008)

Researchers from the Netherlands found that anxiety can cause you to overeat when you’re not hungry.

Now this isn’t breaking news or anything, but it reinforces the fact that stress can cause weight gain. 

In this study, people who felt stressed after taking a difficult test  consumed more sweeets than those who felt relaxed after the test. 

The reason for this they believe is because eating sugary foods may relieve stress by releasing chemicals in the brain that increase reward feelings says study author Femke Rutters, Ph.D

Here is an alternative to relieving that stress without putting down empty calories. 

You could exercise.  Even a 10 minute vigorous and intense exercise session can burn up those stress hormones and bring a feeling of calm so that you aren’t tempted to pig out on junk food and sweets. 

If you need a sweet tooth craving then try these healthy snacks as they are all organic, dark chocolate (benefits your heart) and only 180 calories.

Healthy Snacks

Yours in good health,

Jayson Hunter RD, CSCS
America’s Trusted Weight Loss Expert

"Scientists see little dietary benefit in food companies’ scramble to swap out processed sweeteners for natural ones" quote from Chicago Tribune.

It looks like the food manufacturers are giving in to all the bad media coverage of high fructose corn syrup.  It appears their sales must be dropping for them to switch their formulas from using high fructose corn syrup to regular sugar. 

Does this solve the problem though?

Not at all!!!

You see 5-10 years from now we will still have millions overweight and some advocate group will blame the food manufacturers for using sugar in their products. 

Never mind that 5-10 years earlier their were blaming HFCS in foods for the obesity problem.  They will somehow forget about that.

When are we going to blame the individual?

Last time I was at the grocery store I don’t remember any food manufacturer putting their foods in my cart.  I distinctly remember going through the checkout lane and paying for the foods that I put in my cart all by myself.  Ok, my daughter Hailey may have put in a few things into the cart, but you get my point.

This article in the Chicago Tribune I think is pretty darn accurate. 

HFCS is not good for us.  If we eat too much of it yes it can lead to weight problems, but so can sugar.  All they are doing is replacing one bad ingredient for another bad ingredient. 

It is up to the consumer to make a choice in regards to what they are going to put in their mouth.

We already know the food manufacturers are going to do what they can to sell more foods and convince you to buy their foods.

It is up to you to say yes or no.

I want to hear what you think about this topic and who is to blame.  Who should step up and take responsiblity?

Let me hear your thoughts.

Yours in health,

Jayson Hunter RD, CSCS
America’s Trusted Weight Loss Expert

Chicago Tribune Resource:

Natural Sugar vs. High Fructose Corn Syrup

Watch this short video and learn about how powerful EFA Icon is.

It’s main ingredient is krill oil which is an essential fatty acid and much more powerful than conventional fish oil based on these studies.

Click Here ===>>> Krill Oil Research

Yours in health,

Jayson Hunter RD, CSCS
America’s Trusted Weight Loss Expert

When is the last time you took a break from your attempts to lose weight?

How long have you been attempting to lose weight and dealing with the frustrations that may have happened along the way?

It is time for a break!

This past weekend we went camping for Father’s Day weekend and mentally I needed it.

I have been working hard on research and development for Prograde nutrition, launched the new web TV show and mentally I was just tired.

I didn’t turn my computer on the entire time we were camping and let me tell you I feel great today.

That 2.5 day mental break from anything work related was the perfect medicine.

I am re-charged and ready to tackle this week with full force.

Sometimes you need to do the same with your weight loss.

Just step away and let your body decide what to do for a few days.

I am not saying step away and purposely eat everything in site.

What I am saying is step away and just let whatever takes place happen.

I bet you will find that mentally you will feel a relief and comfort.

You will feel re-charged and ready to get after it again.

Sometimes taking a break is the best thing you can do for your body and your fat loss.

Give it a try and see if it makes a difference for you.

Yours in health,

Jayson Hunter RD, CSCS
America’s Trusted Weight Loss Expert

PS: When you are ready to back on board with losing fat make sure you start with the done for you 30 day meal plans. Follow a proven formula for fat shedding success. Hundred of people have found success with just one 30 day meal plan.

30 Day Done For You Meal Plans and Recipes

Just wanted to let you know that my new web TV show Fighting Fat For America went live today.  It will be bi-weekly episodes teaching you healthy eating guidelines for any healthy weight loss diets. 

You will also learn quick weight loss tips and numerous tips on healthy eating. 

Go check it out and please leave a comment!

http://FightingFatForAmerica.com

Yours in health,

Jayson Hunter RD, CSCS
America’s Trusted Weight Loss Expert

Why does it seem that no matter how hard you try to lose weight you seem to struggle with it or only lose a couple of pounds.  It may not be your willpower, but rather your body’s chemistry.

A leading authority on weight loss and obesity, Dr. Aronne is director of the Comprehensive Weight Control Program at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, a multidisciplinary obesity research and treatment center that he developed and founded in 1986. He is clinical professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College.

Dr. Aronne states when talking about his new book The Skinny:  "Weight loss isn’t about priorities, willpower or wanting it badly enough. Rather, it’s about your body, your brain and your hormones."  "And if you don’t first re-sensitize your weight-regulation mechanisms, typical approaches to weight loss, such as portion control and calorie counting, just won’t work."

According to Dr. Aronne, our bodies are programmed to resist weight loss that goes beyond roughly 7 percent of total body weight. That means that if you weigh 200 pounds, you may be able to lose fewer than 14 pounds before the going gets tough. The reason, he explains, is that the body’s metabolism and weight-regulating hormones — like insulin and leptin — drop faster than your body loses fat, making your brain think your weight is near normal even though you’re still overweight. This leaves dieters hungry, even after they’ve eaten all the calories they need.

Dr. Aronne tips are many of which I discuss with you quite frequently and teach you in the Weight Loss Is Made Easy meal plans program. 

Among his specific tips:

* Eat a Protein Breakfast. People who eat breakfast are more successful at losing weight because it helps control appetite and cravings throughout the day. High-protein, low-starch foods like a vegetable frittata are best. Avoid juices that pass through the body too quickly. Eat grapefruit or melon instead.

* Exercise in the morning. Putting off your gym visit until later in the day increases the chances that something will come up to derail your plans. And don’t think of making up for it with a longer weekend session. How often you exercise is more important than the length of each exercise session.

* Eat your salad and vegetables first. Dig into the leafy greens before you start the main course. This will curb your appetite by making you feel full. Other foods to keep you feeling sated include soups and spicy foods.

* Watch less television. By turning off the television you will automatically be more active.

* Look for hidden causes of weight gain. Sleep disorders and medications can cause weight gain. Appropriate management can help with weight loss.

Much of what Dr. Aronne teaches and what I teach is not just re-programming your mind, but rather re-programming your body to benefit from healthy eating plans. 

You can know all the healthy eating guidelines in the world, but sometimes it comes down to following healthy eating plans that help you reprogram your body before you actually see success. 

Yours in health,

Jayson Hunter RD, CSCS
America’s Trusted Weight Loss Expert

PS:  Pick up a copy of 30 days of specific meal plans that will help you re-program your body so you don’t have to struggle with weight loss anymore.

Click Here==>>  Weight Loss Is Made Easy

Apparently a research study has shown that bacteria in genetically engineered mice at the University of California can melt fat inside these mice into thin air.

The researchers discovered some bacteria such as E. Coli can burn fat completely into carbon dioxide, rather than converting fat into sugar. 

This essentially means mice are free from dangerous side effects that promote high blood sugar and diabetes. 

Under a high fat diet the mice stayed lean and with lower cholesterol levels and lower fat levels. 

Interesting research, but what does genetically engineered mean?

What does it take for us humans to become genetically engineered?

Time will tell if this research can be duplicated with humans. 

Might be kind of hard to get the review boards to approve a study where they are injecting E. Coli into humans as we have seen what E. Coli can do to a human.

Leave your thoughts and comments below.  I would love to hear what you think about this research study.

Genetically Engineered Mice Can’t Get Fat

Jim Labadie:  Jayson there is a lot of confusion as to what Antioxidants are and how they can help us?  What are Free Radicals and Antioxidants?

Jayson Hunter:  Well, our bodies are made of atoms and these atoms need a full outer shell of electrons to be happy peaceful atoms.  When this happens they tend to not enter into chemical reactions and just enjoy life. 

Those atoms that do NOT have a full outer shell of electrons are considered unstable and unhappy.  These unstable atoms are called Free Radicals
When free radicals are in the body they attempt to steal electrons from whatever molecules that happen to be around them.  So then that molecule becomes a free radical now.  This process will just keep happening over and over. 

In moderation these free radicals are not bad because as our body performs the many functions it has to perform each and every day these free radicals will be created.  It is just a part of the process.  The problem lies in the amount of free radicals that can start to accumulate and get too high.  This is where you can run into major problems and research has linked numerous diseases and health issues to these free radicals.

A common type of free radicals is something called oxygen free radicals.  These are oxygen atoms that are missing an electron.  A perfect example is a piece of metal that has rust on it. This is called oxidative stress and this will start to cause damage inside your body. 

Jim:  So what causes Free Radicals?

Jayson:  Basically anything that has to do with living can cause free radicals.  Any stress we put on our bodies can cause free radicals.  Other sources are polluted air, stressful event, carcinogenic foods.  Even “healthy” activities can create free radicals such as intense exercise. 
I am sure you are now asking yourself why should we even exercise if there is damage we are causing.  My answer to you is because there is a way to neutralize these free radicals and make them harmless. 

How do turn a free radical into a harmless cell you ask?

It is actually really simple.  You give it the extra electron that it is looking for.

Well, what supplies this extra electron?

That is easy too:  Antioxidants

Antioxidants are any substance that can prevent or slow down the oxidation process.  Free radicals cause oxidation and antioxidants prevent oxidation so free radicals are essentially neutralized or deemed harmless.  Antioxidants will donate an electron to a free radical so that it becomes a stable oxygen molecule again.

Jim:  So what does ORAC have to do with all of this?  You see ORAC associated with these foods and supplements, but what does it mean?

Jayson:  ORAC stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity. ORAC measures the ability of any substance to subdue oxygen free radicals in the test tube. To summarize, ORAC is a lab test that can measure the antioxidant activity of any substance and give it a number. The higher this ORAC number from the test the stronger the antioxidant properties of that substance.

The National Institute on aging developed the ORAC method and both the US Department of Agriculture and Brunswick Labs have been very instrumental in perfecting the ORAC testing procedure and testing various foods to determine ORAC levels.

The science behind ORAC is very in depth and can’t all be explained in this interview, but the basic premise is you want foods with greater antioxidant properties.  You should look for foods with high ORAC levels.  The USDA recommends that we consume 3,000-5,000 ORAC units a day. 
In reality only 80% of the population is consuming less than 1,000 ORAC units a day.  Now if you were to follow the USDA recommended 5 fruits and vegetables a day motto you would be getting around 1,750 units so that also proves that we don’t get even close to 5 fruits and vegetables a day.  It is probably more like 2 fruits and vegetables total in a day.

Fruits and vegetables tend to have the highest ORAC values. ½ a medium apple gives you a score of 218, 1 small banana is 221, and ¾ cup of blueberries gets you 2,400. And what about fresh Acai berry? Acai has an amazing 5,500 ORAC score.

 
Fruits such as the Acai berry that are exposed to lots of intense sunlight see an enormous amount of ultra violet light. This UV light will cause free radicals to form in the fruit. The fruits will then develop high levels of anthocyanins because they have very strong antioxidants properties and can stop the free radical production.  The cool part is that the antioxidant properties of anthocyanins are still available even after they are eaten by another organism.  Fruits with bright pigmentation tend to have the great ORAC values as a result and are loaded with anthocyanins!
So let’s discuss the real benefits of Acai berry since there are so many false claims in the news about this superfruit. 

This fruit has been featured on the Today show, Oprah, New York Times and everywhere else.  D. Perricone named the Acai berry as the #1 Superfood in the world.  For many they are calling it the miracle berry.  Then all the scam artists came out and started taking advantage of all this hype and selling acai berry for weight loss when the research and science doesn’t support this claim. 

Acai berry is one of the healthiest foods on the planet, but don’t assume it is a cure for everything that ails you.

Acai can be freeze dried and turned into a stable powder which has all the health benefits of the fresh Acai berry.  Acai berry has 10 times the antioxidant level of grapes and twice that of blueberries. Acai has 10 to 30 times the Anthocyanins of red wine.

Jim:  So how can Acai berry help with all these health benefits?

Jayson:  Well, here are some quotes from the USDA website as they are initiating studies to look at the relation between high antioxidant foods and aging.

"Studies at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston suggest that consuming fruits and vegetables with a high-ORAC value may help slow the aging process in both body and brain."

Ronald L. Prior, the researcher for the USDA study went on to suggest that "the ORAC measure may help define the dietary conditions needed to prevent tissue damage."

Jim:  So is Acai berry the only wonderful antioxidant nutrient?  What about green tea?

Jayson:  Green tea is another highly powerful antioxidant that you should be consuming.  The flavonoids which are called polyphenols in green tea act as antioxidants to neutralize the free radicals we talked about early that contribute to aging and chronic disease. 

In green tea there is a significant amount of something called catechins.  Catechins are a category of polyphenols and these catechins are epicatechin (EC), epigallocatechin (EGC), epicatechin gallate (ECG) and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG).  EGCG makes up about 10-50% of the total catechin content and looks to be the most powerful of the catechins.  EGCG appears to be 25-100 times more potent than vitamins C and E.  Studies have also shown it to be effective in inhibiting the growth of cancer cells.

Here is a list of alleged benefits of green tea.

EGCG found in green tea may block the mutation of cells and reducing cell damage.  It may also block the liver enzymes that convert pro-carcinogens into carcinogens (harmful cells)

Scientists have revealed that green tea is 10-100 times more potent than black tea and can block enzymes that cause cander cells to grow. 

Tea increases the blood’s antioxidant capacity.

Green tea has been shown to reduce damage to blood vessels in smokers.

Green tea’s polyphenols can boost white blood cells, and might be an effective supplement to chemotherapy and radiation treatments that impact bone marrow and lower white blood cell count.

A cup of green tea may provide 10-40mg of polyphenols and has antioxidant activity greater than a serving of broccoli, spinach, carrots or strawberries.

Jim:  I have heard something about CoffeeBerry® forte which some believe to be as powerful as Acai berry and EGCG?

 
Jayson:  Well, CoffeeBerry® forte research has shown benefits with consuming the whole coffee fruit which CoffeeBerry® forte is derived from.  CoffeeBerry® forte is full of phenolic acids and other healthy plant nutrients. 

CoffeeBerry® forte is exceptionally rich in antioxidants because it grows in regions where the sun’s rays are strongest. As the plants mature, they develop these powerful antioxidants to protect them from damage caused by high doses of the sun’s radiation and the natural byproducts of photosynthesis.

A single 1 gram serving of CoffeeBerry® forte provides the same antioxidant power as about 459 fresh blueberries!
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Center for Aging at Tufts University measured the Oxygen Radical Absorbent Capacity (ORAC) of more than 40 fruits and vegetables.

Compared to the USDA’s measurements, a 1 gram serving of our CoffeeBerry® Forte Extract provides the same antioxidant free radical power as 459 fresh blueberries, 81 medium strawberries, 647 raspberries or 1015 grapes!

Coffee polyphenols:

• Neutralize toxic free radicals.

• Help protect against systemic oxidative stress.

• Help reduce oxidative diseases such as coronary heart disease, inflammation and possibly certain cancers.

• Provide health benefits associated with Type 2 Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome.

Jim:  What are our options to get the benefit from these powerful antioxidants?

Jayson:  We don’t feel that taking dozens of supplements every day the best method to live a healthier life so we created Prograde Longevity so that the best of these powerful antioxidants could be combined into one product for ease of use.  Our main focus was to make sure the ORAC value which we talked about earlier was as high as possible.  So to give you an idea of the powerful potency of Longevity here are some numbers for you.  Prograde Longevity’s ORAC rating per 1 gram is 3646.

Compare this to 1 gram of:
Vitamin A:  1.25
Vitamin E:  1.25
Lutein: 6
Fish Oil: 8
Lycopene: 58

 
So if you want to maximize your ORAC potential you need to consume products such as Prograde Longevity .  It is the best source for powerful antioxidants and you don’t have to eat pounds and pounds of fruit.  As I mentioned earlier the USDA recommended "5-a-day" fruit and vegetable servings will give you an ORAC score of about 1,750 units.

Even though I suggest you eat a minimum of 5 fruits and vegetables a day the reality is most don’t. So if you were to just take 1 serving of Prograde Longevity your ORAC intake would almost equal 1750 ORAC units of 5 fruits and vegetables.  If you do eat a minimum of 5 fruits and vegetables a day and combine these with 1 serving of Prograde Longevity you would have consume over 3,000 ORAC units which meets the USDA’s minimum recommendation.
Take two servings of Prograde Longevity and your ORAC rating is close to the 1 gram serving we tested for Longevity ORAC potency of 3,646.  Combine that with a minimum of 5 fruits and vegetables and you are giving your body the best defense mechanism it can have. 

Click here to order whole foods based Prograde Longevity