Protein Isn’t the Bad Guy…

I don’t know if you may remember it or not, but in the early 90’s low fat became all the rage as far as dieting. Everyone (myself included) was eating lots of carbs (and not the good ones) and eating low protein.

This was, of course, the wrong thing to do.

Protein is incredibly important to us. It not only helps us feel full, but our bodies need it to repair muscle tissue from working out. Remember that muscle burns fat, and protein builds muscle. So protein is vital to our fat burning efforts.

I have found that I get the best weight loss results from choosing lower fat protein sources most of the time. Eggs, egg whites, lean beef, skinless chicken and turkey breast, 1% or Skim dairy products, and protein supplements have given me the best results, and they’re what I recommend you eat most often.

No, protein isn’t the bad guy.

More later.

Why You Should Stay Away From Fad Diets

I don’t know about you, but before I figured out how to lose weight and keep it off, I tried some pretty stupid diets.

The Watermelon Diet.

The Cabbage Soup Diet.

The Grapefruit Diet.

Yes, there were other fad diets as well.

They all helped me lose a couple of pounds for the short term, but the weight loss never lasted.  These types of desperate measures may help you lose weight for the simple fact that if you eat less, you will weigh less.  But these type of extreme diets will NEVER help you burn fat and keep it off for good.  Here’s why:

• There is no Magic Food that can offset eating too much and exercising too little.  It’s just physically impossible.
• You don’t get all the vitamin, minerals and other nutrients that your body needs to function and stay fit.
• It’s BORING.  If it’s boring, we will not stick with it.

There is only one solution for safe, permanent weight loss and fitness: sound nutritional principles and consistent exercise.

Don’t fool yourself into thinking that there is some magic pill or food that will strip the weight off of you.  There isn’t.  If there was, I would have found it a long time ago.

But I have found the truth.  And if you’d like to know the truth as well, keep coming back here because I am happy to share it with you.

Fats Aren’t the Bad Guys…

Another diet myth that gets circulated with great regularity is that dietary fats causes our body fat.

In fact, there were even government guidelines released some years ago that pushed a carbohydrate-based diet (potatoes, rice, pasta, cereals) and recommended eating low fat and low protein.

The exact opposite of what I’ve done to lose my weight and get fit.  Hmmmm.

Yes, there are fats you should limit or avoid, trans fats and  saturated fats in particular. (Let me know if you’d like me to post more information about the different types of fats and how they affect us)

But the fats that occur naturally in foods like nuts, avocados, olives, canola oil or fish is good for us.  Fat helps us build muscle, helps deliver nutrients that we need and even helps us control our appetite!

No, fats aren’t the bad guys.

More later.

Carbs Are Not The Bad Guys…

Next time you’re in your local library, take a moment to check out the shelf holding all the diet book.

Tons of them, aren’t there?

I don’t think I have ever seen so much confusing and conflicting information on one topic in my life.

What’s sad, is that it really shouldn’t be all that confusing.  What happens, though, is that publishers have to reinvent/recycle diet information plans so that they can continue to suck the money out of our wallets and purses.

Here’s what I mean…currently, the big No-No seems to be carbs.  “Quit eating carbs and lose weight EASY”, they seem to say.  “Eat all the steak, eggs,cheese, etc you want and LOSE WEIGHT”.

The fact of the matter is, carbs are not the bad guys.

You need carbs to fuel the body and the mind.  You should stay away from processed, “white” carbs, of course, and eat whole grain rice, whole grain breads (limit to 2 pieces a day), yams, sweet potatoes, fruit and vegetables.

These will help you feel fuller longer, and will provide your body with proper fuel for all of your activites.

No, carbs are not the bad guys.

More later.

On a Scale of 1 to 10

Did you know that you can control your eating by being aware of how hungry you are?

Let me explain.

Next time you’re starting to feel hungry, stop for a second and rate your hunger on a scale of 1 to 10.  If 1 =  ravenous and 10 = couldn’t possible eat a bite, try to keep it around 5.  At a five, you can control your hunger.

You may find it easier to stay around a 5 if you start eating before you get REALLY hungry, and if you stop eating when you’re NOT hungry anymore (as opposed to when you’re full).

Let me know how this works for you.

Abs in No Time? Stupid Commercials…

I have had it up to HERE with commercials for ab work out products.

The one I see most frequently these days is a cot-like contraption that lets you practically bend over backwards to  work your abs with no sweat and no effort.

There are close up shots of sexy, sculpted abs and “testimonials” from people telling you how easy it was to lose their bellies and get ab definition.

Before you run out and spend your hard earned money on one of these things, let me make just a couple of quick points:

• You can not spot reduce body fat.
• You don’t need to spend a dollar on equipment to get a good core work out.
• You still need to  eat healthy and do cardio exercise.
• Definitions in your abs (in fact, ANY muscle definition) is achieved by lowering your body fat percentage, not just by doing exercises.

I’m one the road tomorrow so I won’t have time, but I’ll try to post a quick and effective ab/core routine by the end of the weekend.

I’m going to make it my personal mission to teach the world how to do this without lining some slick marketer’s pockets with cash.

Weight Loss Motivation: If You Don’t Know Where You’re Going…

“If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll end up somewhere else”.

–Yogi Berra

One of the keys to achieving your weight loss goals is to be absolutely clear on what you’re working for.

You have to know exactly what you’re working for, or “…you’ll end up somewhere else.”

Be clear on what you want. Grab some magazines and find a picture of what you want your body to look like. Cut it out, paste a picture of your face on it and put it on the fridge.

Silly? Maybe, but it works.

The clearer the picture you have of your goal, the greater the chance is that you’ll achieve it. Make the picture come to life in your head. How will it feel? What will your friends and family say to you when you achieve it? What will it be like to walk down the street in your new, slimmer body? Picture yourself trying on new, smaller-sized clothes. Get excited by all the possibilities.

Keep it in your mind constantly. Live it, breathe it, believe it. Make it come to life!

If your mind can see it, you can achieve it!

Believe in your future, believe in your ability, believe in yourself.

And know that I believe in you, too.

One of My Favorite Healthy Breakfasts

I wanted to share one of my favorite breakfasts with you.  This is fast, filling and healthy.  I usually eat this at least 3 times a week.

Brian’s Breakfast Burrito

• 1 whole egg, 2 egg whites
• 10 inch whole wheat tortilla
• 1 oz of sliced turkey, torn into bite size pieces (can use ham as well)
• 2 tablespoons of shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
• 1 tablespoon low fat sour cream (optional)
• 2 tablespoons of salsa.

Warm the tortilla in the microwave according to the package instructions.  Put the eggs in a microwaveable bowl, then, using a fork, whisk the eggs, 1 tablespoon of cheese and turkey together until well blended.  Pop them in the microwave and nuke them for 3 1/2 minutes on high.  Spread the sour cream on the inside of the tortilla.  Place the cooked eggs in, then sprinkle the remaining tablespoon of cheese and the salsa on top.  Roll it up and have at it!

10 Weekly Steps To Begin Losing Weight: Week 2

Last Sunday, I posted the first of 10 weekly tips that, if done, will help you begin to lose weight. If you missed it, here’s Tip 1.

This week, start using the Rule of Two Thirds. For at least 2 of your daily meals, make sure that 2/3rds of your plate is covered by vegetables and /or fruit.

Now, by vegetables, we do not mean potatoes or bread. 🙂 We mean vegetables and fruit.

Bonus tip: Corn is not a vegetable either…it is a grain. Do not count corn as a vegetable. Corn and corn-byproducts cause a lot of fat storage! I’ll post on this topic later in the week.

The whole purpose of these Sunday tips is to give you some easy to take steps that you can take without getting overwhelmed by behavior changes. But do not think that this means these tips aren’t super effective. They are. If you follow these I can guarantee the weight will begin to drop off in no time at all.

Be sure to check back next Sunday for the next tip.

Fat Burning Cardio Tip

The last couple of days have been beautiful where I live.  Sunny and in the 60’s.  Because it’s been so nice, I’ve been seeing a lot more people (myself included) out walking and running.

If you are out walking or running and want to maximize the fat burning, be sure to include some hills in your work out.

Hills will help your heart beat faster and improve your cardio vascular health.  Also, going up and down hills works your muscles at different angles which helps strengthen them and sculpt your body.

If you are a beginner, DO NOT push too hard too early!  Start out on flat ground to start building up your base fitness level.  After 6 weeks or so of consistent exercise, start hitting some gradual inclines and declines.

If you live in an area that is flat and offers no hills, check out your local high school football stadium.  You can get the same effect on the stairs there.

Incorporating hills into your walking/running routine is a great way to get out and enjoy Spring, AND to get the fat melting off of you!