Has Your Fat Loss Stalled?

If you are struggling in general or have hit a plateau with your fat loss, check out this very long but excellent article from John Berardi at Precision Nutrition.

He discusses common nutrient deficiencies that can derail your weight management efforts, portion sizes and control (not calorie counting), nutrition for different body types, the truth about meal frequency, etc.

Check it out here ==> How to fix a broken diet: 3 ways to get your eating on track

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The "I Love Carbs" Nutrition Plan

If you're a person who hates restrictive low-carb diets, I have great news for you. Craig Ballantyne's Simple Nutrition System guarantees you'll be able to enjoy lots of carbs and still dump excess fat.

Plus, you'll get his 31 Blender Drink, Smoothie, and Post-Workout shake recipes to fuel your metabolic fire. (I don't know why he calls it "31" recipes when it actually contains 43. Maybe those wacky Canadians count differently than Americans. ;-) )

I know how confusing it can be with all the different "experts" saying you have to eat a certain way to discard excess fat. But Craig is dedicated to helping simplify your nutrition program so that it's easy (and delicious) to follow for fat loss.

He knows what he's talking about. C.B.stays at 9-10% body fat year round, enjoying every meal and eating plenty of carbs.

So, not only will you get proven fat loss advice (his system is backed by clinical scientific research) but this program also takes the stress out of eating. It's so simple...even Craig's dog, Bally, uses the plan to get his six pack abs. :-)  (Yes, a vet actually told Craig his dog has six pack abs).

Let's be honest; we need simple. You may lose weight following a complicated, restrictive diet but are you going to continue eating that way for the rest of your life? Most likely, no. Then you're back where you started, probably even heavier because you binged on all the foods you weren't allowed to eat.

So, get ready to discover...

• The Simple Nutrition Rules for fat loss 
• The top 3 food myths that everyone gets wrong in their diet 
• The 7-step detox diet plan (no zany detox methods required) 
• Craig's grocery list and meal plan 
• 43 blender drink, smoothie, and post-workout recipes 

Best of all? You get all of that for just $7. No, that's not a typo. Craig has put his Simple Nutrition System on sale for just $7 until Wednesday (July 25th) at midnight.

$7? You can spend that much on a cup of coffee.

So, don't wait. Click here to get the Simple Nutrition System & Fat Loss Recipes ==>
 Craig Ballantyne's Simple Nutrition System

Remember, this crazy special price is good only until tomorrow at midnight so don't wait to check it out.

P.S. - If you are sick and tired of confusing and complex diets, you need to stop the insanity and switch to the Simple Nutrition for Fat Loss System. Your results are guaranteed by Craig's 100% money back promise.

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Simple Fat Loss Guidelines

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3 "Rebel" Fat Loss Tricks from Jon Benson

Fitness author Jon Benson shared this article with me and gave me permission to repost it here for you.

3 "Rebel" Fat Loss Tricks
by Jon Benson

You know what?

I like "weird."

I've always been a bit on the fringe side of the fence if you know what I mean.

A bit of a rebel.

So were guys like Einstein, Mozart, and Picasso. Not that I'm putting myself into their category of genius by any stretch... but I love their approach to life.

BE BOLD...OR GO HOME.

Makes sense to me. This life it too darn short for anything less than being bold.

That means taking some risks here and there. That means taking action while the others are content to sit on the couch being the same person they were yesterday.

And the day before...

And the month before...

And the year before.

Do you want to live your years like that? Or do you want to dive into life? Be the greatest "you" possible?

Then be a bit of a rebel.

Here's some "rebel tips" for fatloss I think you'll enjoy...

REBEL TIP 1
Flip The Food Pyramid Upside-down

The USDA's Food Pyramid is an utter joke. It's origins stink up the joint, let me tell you.

First, the grain industry was in a pinch when the Food Pyramid was created. And wouldn't you know it... the grain industry increased their "contributions" (read: bribes) to certain politicians to get placement atop the pyramid... or in this case at the very bottom. The "foundation" if you will.

Just think about this for a moment:

The USDA wants you to eat (gasp) MORE starch than vegetables? More bread than fruits, lean meats, and hormone-producing fats?

Are they NUTS??

Yes... they are nuts. (Which, by the way, are no where near the foundation... nuts, that is.)

You'd be better off flipping the sucker upside-down.

That would look like this:

40% of your cals from healthy fats 30% of your cals from protein 30% of your cals from carbs

Roughly, that is.

Sounds... rebellious, right? Well it is.

Too bad I have the science (and the abs) to back it up.

If you want a system laid out for you, then go to JonBensonFitness.com/EODD


REBEL TIP 2
Cardio Is Not Smart-ee-o

 

At least the way the so-called "experts" want you to do it.

Look: This isn't rocket science. Just walk into any gym...take a look at the folks who only do cardio work for 45-60 minutes every day.

Do they look any different from year to year?

Let me save you some time: NO. They do not.

Cardio (unless you are into endurance sports) is a waste of energy done this way. First, it increases your carbohydrate cravings. For most people that's not a good thing. Why? Because cardio at this pace burns mostly SUGAR, not bodyfat.

What do you want to burn?

Exactly. Bodyfat.

Finally, cardio is no where near as efficient as resistance training at dissolving bodyfat... and certainly not even CLOSE to resistance training when it comes to shaping lean muscle and getting the look all these cardio bunnies are after.

Now, I 'do' have a rebel cardio trick... and it takes 9-15 minutes 2-3 times a week to perform.

That's it. And you get ALL the benefits heart-wise of long-session cardio.

Combine that with some brisk walking and my overall fitness plan and presto: No more bodyfat.

Here's what is cool: I put my new in-home version of this resistance-based workout online for a few days at a major discount... but it's only for people who pick up this: Jon Benson's Every Other Day Diet

This is completely illustrated with photos too... and you do not need anything but resistance bands and perhaps some cheap dumbbells to do this in-home. Or you can use the gym-based workouts (included with videos.)

Train like this just 3-5 days a week and you can kiss long, boring cardio goodbye.

REBEL TIP 3
Do Not Overwork Your Abs

Here's a mistake I see most people make in the gym: They do endless sets of crunches, leg raises, and (gasp again) sit-ups... all geared toward seeing those toned abs they want.

Guess what?

Waste of time.

In fact, it's worse than that... it can literally shut down your recovery ability. You'll slow your progress in the gym (or at home)... and your fat-burning too.

And you may give up your plan entirely because of it.

Here's the brutal truth: Ab 'muscles' are easy to build. It only takes about 3 minutes 2-3 times a week... that's it.

( Note: I included my "3 Minute Abs" in the fitness book I just told you about... it's only for those who get EODD though... )

The muscles are not what make your stomach flatter... it's the nutrition plan folks.

You're just building muscle underneath layers of bodyfat... not good.

I do very little direct ab training. When I do it's usually 3-5 minutes tops 2 days a week. And my abs are... well... good. : )

I rely on resistance training and my special "favorite foods dietplan" to get and stay lean.

More about it all here: JonBensonFitness.com/EODD

So be a rebel.

Thumb your nose at the establishment and step out on your own.

Trust me: You'll be a leader in every sense of the word if you do.

JonBensonFitness.com/EODD

 
Jon Benson is an internationally recognized transformation lifecoach, specializing in mental strategies for the excellence lifestyle, fat-burning nutrition and superior physical fitness.


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What's So Bad About 100 Calorie Snack Packs?

Kim Ball recently posted a great article on her blog about 100 Calorie Snack Packs.

Check it out here ==> Down With 100 Calorie Snack Packs




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Simple Nutrition Rules

Exercise is important to a healthy life but so is good nutrition. Too many times people decide to join a gym or start working out to get in shape but fail to improve their nutrition.

If you're a regular reader of this blog, you know you can't out-train a bad diet.

Unfortunately, we're bombarded with cheap fast food and "convenience" foods. The more packaged foods you eat, the easier it is to pile on excess pounds.

In his book, "The End of Overeating", David Kessler, M.D., former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner shows how the food industry has made it a priority to create high-calorie foods with the most addictive possible combination of intense flavor and "mouthfeel".

As Caroline Apovian, M.D., director of the Nutrition and Weight Management Center at Boston Medical Center points out, "A century ago, to consume 400 calories, you had to go buy the meat, vegetables, and rice, and come home and cook it. Now you can consume the same amount of calories just by downing a bag of Cheetos."

And it's not just calories. How many chemicals are we consuming so that foods can remain edible for months or even years? Does anybody think that's good for us?

So how do you go about improving your nutrition?

Michael Pollan, an award winning food and agriculture writer, sums up his nutrition advice in 7 words: "Eat food, not too much, mostly plants."

"Edible food-like substance"

When Pollan says eat food, he means real food such as vegetables, fruits, fish, whole grains, and some meat (if you so desire). He has labeled much of what passes for food nowadays as "edible food-like substances."

If all this seems overwhelming, start with small changes. Increase the number of fresh vegetables and fruits you eat daily. Choose only packaged foods that contain 5 or fewer ingredients. Limit snacks to fresh fruit or raw nuts.

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How To Find Real Food At The Supermarket

Came across this great article from Darya Pino, Ph.D and really funny (but true) food flowchart.

Is It Food? [Flowchart]

Grocery shopping has never been more confusing than it is in 2011.

With conflicting nutrition information coming at us from all sides, navigating the supermarket can feel as impossible as doing long division while juggling loaded bear traps. It's neither fun nor safe.

To help you find real food within the endless labyrinth of junk, I've put together this handy flowchart for your use and amusement. Consider it your supermarket GPS. If you ever get lost, just start back at the top.

Alternatively you can just ditch the supermarket altogether and head to the farmers market like I do.

Please feel free to share this with friends.

May the food be with you.

Originally posted at Summer Tomato, where you can find more healthy eating tips.

 

Follow Darya Pino, Ph.D on Twitter: www.twitter.com/summertomato 

Darya Pino is a Ph.D trained scientist, San Francisco foodie and advocate of local, seasonal foods. 

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How To Get The Best Results From Boot Camp (Or Any Exercise Program)

I recently wrote an email to my boot campers about getting the best results. This applied to anyone working out who wants to get the most bang for their buck so I'm passing the info along with a few modifications.

* You can out-train a bad diet. If fat loss is your goal, good nutrition and proper portion size are a must.

* If slimming down is your goal, don't focus on the scale. Go by inches and how your clothes feel. You can actually drop a clothing size or two and lose little or no weight. Isn't your real goal to be smaller? Then forget about the sale and focus on reducing inches and body fat.

* There are 168 hours in a week. Just doing boot camp (or any exercise) for 3 of those hours will not magically transform your body. If you want faster fat loss results, you need to be active most days of the week. Ideally, you would come to boot camp 3 days a week and 3 other days you would do some type of moderate activity for 30 minutes- walking, biking, dancing, playing with your kids/grandkids, hiking, bodyweight circuits, etc.

* Although I often ask if your weights are challenging enough, I also tell people when their weights are too heavy. Please remember that good form should always be your primary goal. Don't try to do more challenging exercises until you have mastered the easier versions. Performing an "easier" exercise or using lighter weights with good form is far more productive (and safer) than using sloppy form on a more advanced exercise or with heavier weights. If you can't do an exercise with proper form then it's not easy for you, which means it's challenging your body and that's all that matters.

* Celebrate your improvements. I realize the majority of boot campers (and most everyone) want to lose fat and that's important but don't minimize or ignore your progress in other areas. Have you doubled the time you can hold a plank? Increased your weights? Mastered exercises you could barely do when you started? Lowered your blood pressure or cholesterol? Can you now do household chores with ease that you used to struggle with? Take the stairs without getting winded?

You may not be seeing your outer body change as fast as you'd like but your fitness level and overall health are definitely improving. Give yourself a pat on the back for sticking with it and pushing yourself enough to achieve those results. Be grateful for the improvements you've made so far and you'll see more of them. Fat loss is important but it shouldn't be your only measure of success.

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5 Nutrition Tips for Fat Loss - Craig Ballantyne

5 Nutrition Tips for Fat Loss
By Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training

This is always tough to admit, but nutrition is more important than your workouts when it comes to fat loss.

And since diet is more important than exercise, I've decided to spend a lot time sharing nutrition tips this week, starting with these 5 diet secrets:

1) Your nutrition program doesn't have to be extreme.

Hold up on making any extreme diet changes. Make sure the nutrition plan you've chosen is sustainable. Simple diet changes go a lot farther than you might think.

Why not just eat more whole, natural foods rather than trying to go on an impossible-to-stick-to ultra-low carb extreme plan?

2) Get the junk out of the house.

If it's in your house, you'll eat it...and trust me, this goes for me too. When I visit a relative's house for holiday, I always eat the treats they have sitting around. That's why I keep the junk out of my house.

So whatever your weakness is, keep it out of your home.

Success is that simple.

3) Fill in the "diet-killing" gap.

For some folks, the diet-killing gap is between work and dinner. For others, it's between dinner and bedtime, but for almost everyone, there is a point in the day when we suffer from mindless eating.

So make sure you have alternatives...as soon as you come home from work, cut up vegetables and dip them into hummus. That will keep you full on a small amount of calories.

After dinner, if you need something sweet, stir up chocolate protein powder into a small bit of plain yogurt. That will satisfy you.

(Mickey's note: If you want a protein that actually contains what the label says and doesn't taste like chalk, check out Prograde Nutrition at www.GetPrograde.com. They sell a high quality and very tasty protein powder.)

4) Chew your food 5-10 times before swallowing.

Most people eat so fast they only about 1-2 times. You'll really notice a difference and you'll slow your eating so you feel full.

5) Have a bowl of broth-based vegetable soup before a meal.

American researcher Barbara Roll has published a lot of studies showing that this will help you reduce the food you eat. Surprisingly, consuming just water doesn't seem to do the same trick.

So those are just 5 of the diet secrets we have for you this year.

(Mickey's note: I know Craig didn't mean this to be an all encompassing nutrition article but I feel the need to add a very simple but important tip...

* Ditch the liquid calories. Soda, ice tea, lattes, "energy" drinks, etc. are just full of nutritionless, empty calories.)

Stay tuned for proven secrets to help you lose fat in 2010.

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS

About the Author

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Food Companies Lying About "Healthy" Food Is Like Doctors Promoting Cigarettes In The 50's.

If you didn't grow up in the 50's you don't remember magazine ads and TV commercials with doctors promoting smoking. Yep, you read that right.




This is an ad for Lucky Strikes although according to the video below most doctors smoked Camels. And, yes, they did smoke in their offices.




As totally idiotic as that seems now, may people believed cigarettes were safe because of ads like those. You might think that people nowadays would never be so naive but it's happening today with the food industry. We are bombarded with lies about how all different kinds of foods are healthy for us when they're not.

If you struggle with your weight and are tired of trying to sift through the lies, check out Mike Geary's The Fat Burning Kitchen. His birthday sale ends today and this is only the second sale he's had in 5 years.

For less than 20 bucks, you get Mike's ebook containing eye-opening nutrition tips and tactics AND you also get an entire series of videos that review tons of specific food labels, showing you how you might be inadvertently making wrong choices at the grocery store. Plus, you get lots of other great info on quick, healthy meal ideas, and more. Mike's also added a bonus program called: The Advanced Nutritional Fat Burning Blueprint but it's only included until Thursday.

To find out more about The Fat Burning Kitchen, go to www.TheFatBurningKitchen.com.

Remember, this is the last day to take advantage of Mike's half price birthday sale. With his iron-clad, 8-week, 100% money back guarantee, there's no risk.

5 Simple Fat Loss Guidelines

There is still time to get in better shape for swimsuit season. Use these 5 simple fat loss guidelines. Keep in mind I said simple; that doesn't necessarily mean easy.

1. Good Nutrition. I say it (and write it) over and over. You can't out-train a bad diet. Just accept it.

Eat as much non-processed food as possible. Focus on fruits, vegetables and lean meats. Keep your carb intake lower (especially refined carbs). Ditch the liquid calories; drink water instead.

Make sure you have a caloric deficit. Learn proper portion sizes. Although harder, it is possible to overeat good foods.

The best and healthiest way to create a caloric deficit is through a combination of both diet and exercise.

2. The Right Type of Exercise. Contrary to popular misconception, steady state cardio is not the best exercise for fat loss.

Cardio: Cardio intervals and bodyweight circuit training will give you far more bang for your buck than long bouts of steady state cardio.

Research shows that even hundreds of hours of cardio per year barely make a dent in your belly fat. Replace the cardio with 20 minutes of interval training done at the end of your fat loss workout. Interval training has beat slow cardio workouts in a head to head study for burning belly fat.

Plus, that study tested only 20 minutes of interval training compared to 40 minutes of slow cardio, so you can cut your workout time in half! ~~~Craig Ballantyne

Strength training: Stick to total body strength workouts concentrating on compound exercises; they are not only more functional but will burn more calories. If your goal is fat loss, leave body part split routines to the bodybuilders.

Total-body, integrated movements are more effective for boosting metabolism than exercises that train one muscle group... so get rid of most isolation exercises! You get a lot more out of a squat than you do from a biceps curl! I refer to total body exercises as “big bang” movements... capitalize on them! ~~~Sarah Rippel

3. Be Active 6 Days a Week.

If you combine strength and cardio intervals on the same day, get 30 minutes of activity on your "off" days - anything that won't interfere with muscle recovery. Go for a bike ride, play with your kids, go for a walk, play some tennis, etc. Or, do strength training one day and intervals the next.

4. Mental Attitude.

You must make a commitment to lifelong change and believe in your ability to achieve your goals. Until you believe that you CAN change, it will never happen.

Allowing a constant loop of negative self talk to run through your head will derail you in no time. You cannot beat yourself up over ever little slip; don't turn every minor misstep into major failure.

Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude. ~~~Thomas Jefferson

5. Consistency

It's not about dieting strictly for a day or a week or a month; it's about eating nutritiously 90% of the time for the rest of your life. It's not about working out for 3 hours in one day; it's about being active 30-60 minutes most days of the week.

Strive for progress not perfection. You are not going to eat perfectly at every meal or never miss a workout. If you screw up, just start again.

If you cheat: get right back on track. A lot of people think after cheating- I've blown it- so I might as well REALLY blow it! Let me ask you- if you get a flat tire do you get out of your car and slash the other three? Hey, you have a flat tire- might as well have four, right? ~~~Alwyn Cosgrove

Diet vs. Exercise Episode #4

Here is Craig Ballantyne and company's latest diet versus exercise video.

Less Than 5 Hours Remaining...

The holiday special on Jayson Hunter's Carb Rotation Diet ends tonight at 11:59 PM. If you're looking for a solid nutrition program, check out the details here or just scroll down to yesterday's post for the basics.

I'm always annoyed by bloggers and marketers and their canned sales letters who gush about every product that they come across. I'm recommending you check this out because, at this price, I am truly shocked by the personal support you will receive from Jayson and by the number and quality of the bonuses.

Remember, you only have until 11:59 tonight to grab the Carb Rotation Diet with all the extras at this price.

If You Struggle With Nutrition

I'm not going to post some long sales pitch here but I wanted to let you know that Jayson Hunter, RD, CSCS is running a special on his
Carb Rotation Diet.

As I'm sure you can imagine, I run across all kinds of health and fitness related products. I honestly don't think I've ever seen a product that contained the level of support and the quality of bonuses that Jayson is offering.

You really should check it out yourself here but below is a sampling of what you'll get.

* 30 Day Weight Loss Made Easy Meal Plan - I know there are people who like having specific meal plans to follow when they are working on losing weight and you will get an entire month's worth.

* 90 Days of Unlimited E-mail Support - How often do you have 3 months of unlimited e-mail access to the creator of something you purchased?

* A 20 minute phone consultation with Jayson - Remember Jayson is a registered dietitian AND a certified strength and conditioning specialist.

Besides that you get 14 other bonuses, including nutrition and motivation reports and exercise programs from...

Valerie Waters

Craig Ballantyne

Rachel Cosgrove

Jason Ferrugia

Steve Cotter

and others. These people are some of the best in the business.

With that kind of one-on-one support and the number and quality of the bonuses, I am shocked at the low cost of this holiday special.

If you have any interest in a nutrition program, you really should do yourself a favor and check out Jayson's
Carb Rotation Diet before Thursday, December 11th, at 11:59 p.m. EST.

3 Biggest Factors In Fat Loss by Craig Ballantyne

3 Biggest Factors In Fat Loss
By Craig Ballantyne

If you're trying to lose weight, you must know the 3 biggest factors in fat loss.

First up, is social support.

A study from Stanford University showed that social support is the #1 factor for success in female fitness programs.

I'd bet that its also important in male fitness programs - no matter how much guys would be unwilling to admit it.

And this should come as no surprise...just look at the popularity of Internet message boards dedicated to fitness and fat loss.

And while the social support can come from your spouse, family members, friends, the Internet (i.e. the Mens Health Belly Off Club) or co-workers, the Stanford study showed that individuals have a greater chance of sticking to an exercise program when they have to be accountable to an authority figure - such as a doctor, lifestyle coach, or trainer (again, use the MH Belly Off Club or other Internet weight loss club with experts).

Regardless, don't feel that you need to do this on your own. Get some social support and watch your success rate soar.

(I also encourage everyone to do a lifestyle review with his or her physician, especially if you are over 30 years of age and previously sedentary. Better safe than sorry. And it's also great to get your doctor into your social support group.).

Good communication and professional instruction will significantly increase your chances of success.

The second most important factor is nutrition.

That's right, what you eat is more important than how you exercise.
It's always tough for me to admit this, but its true. No matter how great a TT workout can be, it's no match for eating a large pizza or scarfing down a huge piece of chocolate cake. Nutrition will always have the final word on your fat loss success.

So make sure you know how many calories you are eating and have an expert check to make sure that you aren't eating something that you think is healthy, but in reality is actually an obstacle to your success.

And finally, the 3rd most important factor in fitness is exercise.

And the more customized your program is for you, the better your results will be. When you combine a great workout program with proper nutrition and accountability, you can make incredible changes...you can even feel like you are reversing the aging process.

"Hi Craig, I just have to respond to this email...I'm 55 years old and have been on TT for over a year now. I'm in the best shape of my life, have 15% body fat, can run easily 10+ mph on the treadmill, am stronger than ever, and I feel and look great (if I do say so myself). TT is simply AMAZING! So whoever thinks they are "too old"...forget about it.....never too old. If you have the commitment and desire, you can do it. And frankly, I don't accept the 'no time' excuse...there is a simple solution to the 'no time' reason...prioritize your daily activities and start thinking about your health FIRST...you are of no use to anyone when you're 'disable'. Enjoy life!"
Al Aiello

Start today working to get access to all 3 factors...

1) Social Support

2) The right nutrition info

3) A professionally designed fat burning workout

You can even join hundreds of other folks in the 3rd Turbulence Training Transformation Contest. It started a few days ago but you can still jump on board.

To discover the 12-week TT Transformation Contest & Prizes:

=> Click Here to Know All About the TT Contest

And please refer your friends to the contest.

You'll be helping them change their bodies and their lives,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
TurbulenceTraining.com

Meal Plans For Fat Loss

If you've spent anytime researching fat loss, you've probably read that you can't out-train a bad diet. Most experts now agree that nutrition is more important than exercise for weight loss (although strength training is critical to make sure that you're losing fat and not muscle).

I am sometimes asked for specific meal plans that someone can follow to lose fat. Well, right now on Mike Geary's website, Isabel De Los Rios is giving away 6 weeks of free meal plans. No catch, no obligation, you aren't even required to supply your e-mail address.

You can pick it up here --> 6 Weeks To Kickstart Your Metabolism

Obviously, Isabel's program is a general one. If you're looking for something more individualized, check out Meal Plans 101.

Using Meal Plans 101, you create your own meal plans based on your personal food choices. The software gives you options as far as nutrient ratios- high carbs, low carbs or medium carbs or high, low or medium protein amounts. It's up to you.

There is no guesswork; you pinpoint your exact calorie requirements by entering your specific data (height, weight, gender, etc) and choosing from 94 different exercise categories. As your body changes, you can easily change your data and adjust your meal plans accordingly to continue progressing.

There are over 13,000 food options so you can design lots and lots of enjoyable meals.

Was It The Nutrition Or The Workout?

Yesterday, I wrote about a fitness trainer who was recently featured on T.V. with one of her celebrity clients.

The post was pretty long as it was so I didn't add this important info regarding the results her featured client got.

The client changed her diet.

That is a key fact. The celebrity admitted to going through a stage of consuming too much junk food. She went back to her previous good nutritional habits of eating healthy, fresh foods with little or no processed crap.

So, what do you think? Is her body primarily the result of two-hour workouts with practically no resistance or good nutrition?

Maybe I should rephrase that for more clarity. If the star hadn't cleaned up her diet, do you really think that all those reps with little or no resistance would have made her lose 20 pounds?

Any decent trainer will tell you that you can't out-train a lousy diet but maybe those 3 pound dumbbells have magical powers that I'm unaware of. ;-)


Disclaimer: I'm not dissing anyone who uses 3 pound dumbbells if that is truly a challenging weight for them. Some of my older clients use them on certain exercises until they get stronger. It's not about the weight / resistance; it's about the challenge / intensity of your workouts.

Are You Ready to Step Off the Weight Loss Merry-Go-Round?, Part 1

The sad fact is that if I set up a website and promised people they would lose 30 pounds in 30 days by doing nothing other than taking my special fat burning pill, I'd have tons of orders. In fact, I could probably charge $100 for a month's supply and still be drowning in customers.

Everyone wants effortless. Effortless riches, effortless weight loss, effortless nutrition, effortless fitness. Well, it's time for a reality check.

Fitness, good nutrition and fat loss take effort. I'm not talking about revolving your entire life around working out and eating right. However, a healthy, fit body will not come in a magic pill.

If you really want to drop fat and keep it off there are certain things you need to do. Some, if not all, you've probably heard before but never really committed to them (or you wouldn't be reading this). So, hang in there with me for the next few days.


Dump the diets and quick fixes.

In people's minds, diets are finite. They have a beginning and end; you don't follow them forever.

What you need is a lifestyle makeover. Good nutrition and regular exercise are not just things you do until you look good for your wedding or class reunion or until you fit back into your smaller clothes. At least not if you have any interest in maintaining your svelter self.

If you're unwilling to make some long term changes than stop reading right now. You're either not ready at this time in your life (which is OK but you should acknowledge that to yourself and quit beating yourself up and wasting money on scams) or you're looking for a quick fix and I ain't got one.

The short-term mindset is what often derails people. They make sweeping changes that are overwhelming and which, sooner or later, lead to a poor choice or a binge. Then they figure they blew it and just give up.

If you overslept and woke up late for work one day would you just throw in the towel and never go back? If you made a parenting mistake, would you decide you're a total failure and put your kid up for adoption?

No one is perfect. Some times we make poor choices. Trying to massively overhaul your life in one fell swoop is a recipe for failure with most people.

"Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently." - Henry Ford

If you are a "failed" serial dieter or someone who has "succeeded", only to regain the weight, start again more intelligently.

If you currently eat fast food almost every day, don't try to eliminate it totally starting tomorrow. Decide to limit yourself to x number of times a week; something that is a challenge but that is also doable for where you are right now.

If you are a second helping guy or gal, cut back to one or at least wait 20 minutes to see if you are truly still hungry before eating more.

If you're a total couch potato, don't start spending hours exercising (you shouldn't spend hours working out anyway but that's a topic for another day) but do commit to exercising for x number of minutes for x number of days a week.

If your regular routine is coming home and downing a few beers or cocktails, limit yourself to a specific number.

Small changes will make a difference, mentally, physically and emotionally. You won't lose 30 pounds in 30 days but you will be forming better nutrition and exercise habits and creating a healthier lifestyle.

Let me be clear. As you progress on your journey, you will need to continually improve your nutrition and to challenge yourself physically but making it a process rather than a one day makeover will be far less overwhelming.

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Stop Programming Yourself for Weight Loss Failure

“If you focus on results you will never change.
But if you focus on change, you’ll get results.” ~ Jack Dixon

That's my favorite fitness quote; it's even on Body & Soul's brochures.

So, are you ready to change?

Do you truly believe you can improve your health and discard fat? If not, you need to change that mindset.

Also, although some of you may find it “airy-fairy” thinking, I honestly believe that no one can have long term weight management success if they hate their body. The messages you send to yourself through negative self-talk become self-perpetuating.

“I hate the way I look”, “I’m as big as a house”, “I can’t believe I ate all that, I’m such a pig”, “My thighs are huge”, “I hate this jiggle under my arms”. If you say, or think, things like that about your body, you need to stop.

Think of the many positive things about your body. Are there particular features that you like? If necessary, could you run from a burning building to save your life? Can you take care of yourself, pick up your kids or grandkids, go dancing if you want?

Your body may not be the exact size you prefer but you are alive, not bedridden, and probably healthier than most. Be grateful.

Think about it. If we tried to run our cars on the same quality of fuel that most of us put in our bodies, they wouldn’t perform at all. And yet, you’re still functioning.

Have you ever tried to basically starve yourself into a certain size? Obviously, it didn't work or you probably wouldn't still be reading this. Declaring war on your body will cause it to fight back. How far would you get if you only put half a gallon of gas in your car? Your body is no different; it won’t perform at its best without adequate, high-quality fuel (nutrition) and proper rest.

Be grateful for your body, treat it well and your chance of success will skyrocket.

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Simple Things You Can Do To Improve Your Nutrition

Getting healthy and discarding fat involves good nutrition but it doesn't have to be as complicated as some people make it, especially when you're just getting started. Here are some simple things you can do that will make a difference:

* Educate yourself on proper portion size. You will probably be shocked.

* Eat more fruits and vegetables.

* Treat your body more like your car. Most of you wouldn’t fuel your car with the equivalent quality of fuel you run your body on.

* Forget "a calorie is a calorie." Don't listen to anyone who tries to tell you that 2500 calories of burgers, fries, donuts, onion rings, manufactured iced tea, Tastykakes (Twinkies for any West Coasters), and ice cream has the same effect on your body as 2500 calories of lean meats, fruits, eggs, vegetables, and nuts.

* Eliminate liquid calories and drink lots of water.

* Limit processed foods, especially items containing sugar or high fructose corn syrup. (Sugar can also be disguised on the ingredient label as glucose, sucrose, maltodextrin, maltose, dextrose, sorbitol, fructose, corn sugar, cane sugar, beet sugar, evaporated cane juice, fruit juice concentrate, barley malt, caramel, and carob syrup.)

* Eat fresh, whole foods as much as possible.

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