5 Fat Loss Snacks to Keep You Full

NutritionData.com (now owned by Self) has a cool fullness factor rating for certain foods.

Here are five snacks that rank high on the list

Turkey slices with bread-and-butter pickles  Fullness Factor 3.0
Buffalo mozzarella with tomatoes  Fullness Factor 2.9 
Edamame   Fullness Factor 2.7 
Subway Turkey Breast Wrap  Fullness Factor 2.4 
Hummus and carrot sticks   Fullnses Factor 2.3

Edamame and Buffalo Mozzarella with tomatoes are perfect for any fat loss diet and fill me up everytime.

Top 10 Snacks (not just for kids)

The folks at Fooducate put together a great list of top 10 snacks for kids

Ants on a Log – a classic. Celery sticks filled with peanut butter or cream cheese, dotted with raisins, or dark chocolate chips.

(I loved that one as a kid). The list is great but remember they aren't just for kids - these would be great snacks for you as well!

Don't give them this:

Here's one of my favorite fat loss diet snacks

Grilling meat without increasing risk of cancer

Grilling is one of my favorite ways to cook foods. However, charred meats (and even vegetables) may increase your risk of certain cancers. Here's one way to fight cancer and oxidative stress without putting your grill away before the winter.

Marinate your foods in antioxidant-containing ingredients-such as rosemary, citrus fruits, and green tea-which may reduce HA levels. Additionally, if you are going to brush the foods with oil, use one that has a high-smoke point, such as avocado oil or high-oleic safflower oil, to help lower the extent of oxidative damage to the oil itself.

Remember that food safety is key. Check out 5 more tips for safe cooking on my blog.

What is the Healthiest Way of Grilling? [WHFoods.org]

Read it before you eat it

Nutrition got you confused? Here is some solid advice extracted from an interview with Bonnie Taub Dix

1. Don’t be fooled by the flashy front of the package — flip the bag or box over to get the real “facts” about what’s in the food you’re spending your money on and putting into your body.

2. Beware of buzz words like “free”, “natural” and “organic”, just to name a few. These terms are not always what they seem. In my book I have a whole chapter on misleading terms because they bug me the most! Bottom line: words like “free” could cost you unnecessary dollars and calories!

3. And of course, most importantly, Read It Before You Eat It (couldn’t help using that line!)

Have you read Read It Before You Eat It: How to Decode Food Labels and Make the Healthiest Choice Every Time

It is now top on my list!

Don't forget to checkout my warnings regarding organic masking

Fat Loss Goal Setting

Here is some great goal setting advice from Mike Robertson

Whether you have achieved your goals for this year or not is irrelevant.  That’s in the past.  The only thing you have control over is the present, and by extension, the future.

Always remember The #12 Rule of Fat Loss as well.

Childhood Obesity Facts - just scary

If you read my blog on insulin resistance and prediabetes then you know it is a huge problem. The scariest part is that it isn't just a big problem among adults

6. Type 2 diabetes: Whereas in 1990 only 4% of newly diagnosed childhood diabetes was type 2, by 2001 the proportion was 45% in adolescents  in areas with a large population of African-American, Mexican-American, or Native-American children. Also noteworthy, type 2 diabetes in youth is more common in girls than in boys, with one study showing that up to 80 percent of children who develop type 2 diabetes are female.

You can check out 9 more scary facts about childhood obesity at Diet-Blog.com

Healthy Eating While Traveling

Eating right on the road can be an utter disaster if you don't plan ahead. This single best thing you can do is to bring healthy food with you as you're not going to find it on the road:

1. Stock up on the healthy stuff. One reason we eat crap on the road is because we're bored. After a long drive of a whole lotta nothing, what's more exciting than injecting a little fat and sugar into old bloodstream? Perhaps what's not so exciting is the size of your rear after several days of that type of behavior. One way to avoid the crap is to have plenty of healthy items available. Stock a cooler with plenty of water, fruit, yogurt and cut veggies to munch on to help you avoid temptation.

Don't forget to read my top 5 tips for healthy eating while traveling either.

Road Trip - Avoid Weight Gain on the Road [About.com]

Insulin Resistance Dangers - Start Fighting Now!

I recently blogged about insulin resistance and how it is become a huge problem.

Here's some cool info from WebMD about how you can crush your risk of getting diabetes by just some simple diet and exercise hacks

Studies have shown that people with prediabetes can prevent or delay the development of type 2 diabetes by up to 58 percent through changes to their lifestyle, including modest weight loss (as little as 5 to 7 percent of your current weight) and increasing physical exercise.

If you have prediabetes, do something about it now [WebMD]

Healthy Eating in 3 Easy Steps

Marion Nestle's tips on healthy eat are right in line with the 6 Pillars of Nutrition.

Tell patients that healthy eating simply means three things: variety, minimal processing and moderation.

Variety means choosing many different kinds of foods from the various food groups: meat, dairy, fruits, vegetables, grains. It counts because foods vary in nutrient content. Varying foods within and among food groups takes care of needs for nutrients without having to think about them. People who consume adequate amounts of varied diets rarely exhibit nutrient deficiencies. It’s the most restrictive diets that are likely to be deficient in one or another nutrient.

Minimal processing means that the foods should be as close as possible to how they came from the animal or plant. The greater the level of processing, the less the foods resemble their origins, the less nutritious they may be, and the more salt, sugar and calories get added to disguise the changes.

Minimal processing excludes foods high in salt and sugars and low in fiber, as well as sugary sodas and juice drinks, those popularly known as junk foods.

My definition of minimal processing is only slightly facetious: Don’t eat anything with more than five ingredients or an ingredient you can’t pronounce.

Moderation is about balancing calorie intake with expenditure and maintaining a healthy weight through food choices and physical activity.

 

San Francisco Chronicle column: nutrition advice to doctors [Food Politics]

Vegetarian Protein and Fake Meat

Do you eat meat substitutes? According to some new data most people are not big fans of them

According to a survey conducted by Mintel, over half of consumers are disappointed with the variety of meat-free products, with a strong perception of poor taste of these products.

Meat substitute manufacturers need to focus on more exotic and ethnic flavours, as well as more premium products to increase appeal to many consumers, particularly women, says Mintel.

I'm personally not a fan of meat substitutes because they are traditional made with allergenic foods. Check out my video on vegetarian proteins for more on that.

You can read more about the meat substitute decline here.

Calorie Sneak ups

I've written on my blog before about hidden factors that make you eat more. One way to combat calorie snack attacks is by having your snacks already planned out so you know exactly what you are eating. Another approach (below) from Yahoo Health Tips also works well. My recommendation would be to create a list of 10 'approved snacks' and their sizes so when you head to the kitchen for a snack you have choices laid out for you and know that they will all fit in your plan.

Sneaky Snack Approach
When you know how many calories are in your snack of choice, you're in a better position to adjust your calorie intake of other foods later, so your total caloric intake for the day stays on target. That's right -- you can't snack away without cutting back somewhere else. But knowing how many calories your chosen noshes contain -- be they fruit, veggies, and yogurt or higher-calorie snacks like cereal and savory crackers -- will help you modulate at mealtime.

Diets that dieted (thank goodness)

You can go on one of two types of diets: a healthy diet or a crazy fad diet. I just came across a great list of the "Top 25 Fat diets from the last 25 Years". Here's a gem known as the Sleeping Beauty Diet (I can't make this up).

The general idea behind this warped sedative-fueled fad diet is, “Take two of these and call me in seven days.” You are supposed to drug yourself to sleep for up to seven days at a time.

You may lose some weight because you didn't eat for a week, but we've got snooze for you: This diet, which was reportedly used by Elvis during those times his trademark jumpsuits became a tad too tight, just won't work. You'll awaken hungrier than a hibernatin' bear and lumber your way to the nearest buffet for a binge to end all binges. Just say no to drugs... and yes to a healthier diet and weight loss plan.

How To Prevent Eating When You're Not Hungry

I have written before on how it is very easy to sabotage your diet though unknowing snacking (see last week's post as well)

Melaine at Dietterric also posted her top 3 tips on how you can make sure that your aren't eating just because you are bored. Here's my favorite of her list:

#3 Take a short walk
This may seem like a strange way to avoid eating when not hungry, but sometimes just getting the blood flowing through the body, helps you realize you aren’t as hungry as first thought.

Also, exercise itself tends to suppress the appetite, so you’ll probably find that walking around cures any hunger cravings you were having anyway.

Plus, you’ll also burn off some additional calories — great if you’re trying to lose weight.

This is also known as 'delaying the craving' and it a very good strategy for emotional type eating as in these situations your desire for food isn't

Kettlebell Snatches and Fat Loss (Video)

Download now or preview on posterous

kettlebells012010.pdf (1474 KB)

Here is a good 'how to kettlebell snatch' video. Chris shows you how to make sure you don't beat up your wrists (a problem I had for a while).

You may remember back a couple months there was a lot of buzz about kettlebells and fat loss due to a study published in ACE Fitness Matters. The study showed how kettlebell snatches burned more calories than anyone could have imagined. I'm not sure if this is because of the kettlebells or because of the metabolic acceleration nature of the workouts. Either way I find training with kettlebells fun and they burn a ton of calories.

Stress out? Do some push ups

I remember as a kid that my wrestling coach always insisted that we practice during final exam periods while most of the other teams were given time off to 'study'. Most of my fellow teammates were stress about missing the time to study but Hutch (my coach) was adamant that it would help us blow off steam and study better (side note: it is hard to blow off steam when you are working out in a room that is steaming!!)

A study from PLoS ONE shows that Hutch was right and exercise does help deal with stress.

...the women who engaged in brief vigorous physical activity -- at least 40 minutes over the three-day study period -- and were stressed had longer telomeres than their inactive, stressed-out counterparts. The authors conclude that 13 minutes or more of vigorous exercise daily appears to be the critical amount correlated with longer telomeres.

“Physical activity is so good for you and stress is bad for you, but the new study shows the stress-buffering effects of physical activity in those who are chronically stressed,” says study author Eli Puterman, PhD, a health psychologist at the University of California at San Francisco.

When life gets stressful often times your fat loss training will take a back seat to vegging on the couch at the end of a long day. Don't get sucked into the couch. Take the extra effort and get in your workouts. Your body will thank you.

Exercise May Buffer Effects of Stress [WebMD]

More Good News About Caffeine

A new study published in the Journal of the International Society of Nutrition found that:

a moderate dose of caffeine may be sufficient for enhancing strength performance in resistance-trained women.

The women is the study were given 6 mg/kg of caffeine. Which for a 150lbs women is about 400mg of caffeine or 2 cups of coffee. When the women took the caffeine prior to working out they boosted their 1 rep max bench press by just under 2lbs. Not ground breaking strength gains but every little bit helps right? This fits in perfectly with my nutrient stacking concept and one more (small) reason to include some caffeine in your fat loss training program when you energy levels may be a little low.

Caffeine enhances upper body strength in resistance-trained women [JISSN.org]

Do What You Do Better with Caffeine

I've written before about the benefits of moderate caffeine and coffee consumption. A new review of studies looking at the effect of caffeine intake on shift workers (14% of Americans) show that it will cut down on work related errors and increase productivity.

Depending on the study design, the workers received caffeine through coffee, energy drinks, food, or pills. In most studies, the workers completed neuropsychological tests to gauge their memory, attention, reasoning, and perception skills. Several studies compared the results of neuropsychological testing in participants given caffeine versus a placebo.

The study authors say that, compared to doing nothing at all, the caffeine helped shift workers improve their cognitive performance and reduced job-related errors. None of the studies reviewed assessed the effects of caffeine on work-related injuries.

Caffeine Reduces on-the-Job Mistakes [WebMD]

Drink this to Sabotage Your Weight Loss Plan

The 4th Pillar of Nutrition is to "Drink more water and cut out calorie-containing beverages (beer, soda, etc.)." One of the fastest ways that I see people sabotage their fat loss diet is by drinking to many calories. So you can image that I was horrified (but not shocked) to see that Cold Stone has a shake that is just over 2,000 calories. While that is utterly ridiculous, I don't understand why companies have to make such calorically dense products? Who in their right mind would volunteer to drink 2,000 calories in one setting? Food scientists are pretty amazing now-a-days, you're telling me they could make the drink taste pretty much the same if it contained 1,000 calories?

I'll stick to drinking water and tea.

A milkshake containing 2,010 calories - equivalent to eating 68 strips of bacon or 30 chocolate chip cookies — has topped a list of the 20 worst drinks in America compiled by Men's Health magazine.

The Cold Stone PB&C milkshake, made with peanut butter, chocolate ice cream and milk, contains 68 grams of saturated fat and 153 grams of sugar, according to nutritional details on the company's website.

"In terms of saturated fat, drinking this Cold Stone catastrophe is like slurping up 68 strips of bacon," the magazine said.

Here's a recap of the 6 Pillar of Nutrition for you

2,000-calorie shake tops list of worst drinks [MSN Health]

Rice Krispies Boost Immune Function?

Several months ago when buying some cereal for the kids I came across the a box of Rice Krispies promising to boost Peter and Grace's immune system. I thought it was funny and snapped a picture with my phone. Apparently Kellogg's got in trouble for this.

The Kellogg Company will change immunity claims for Rice Krispies after the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ruled the claims misleading – but ruled out a financial penalty.

Instead the agency hit the $13bn food giant with an expanded settlement order that applies to all Kellogg’s products and associated health claims, along with a stern and somewhat unusual “dissenting statement” from FTC commissioner Julie Brill, and chairman Jon Leibowitz.

The letter accused Kellogg’s of irresponsibly conceiving and engaging in the multi-million dollar immunity campaign conceived last year at the very same time it was settling another misleading mental health claims conviction with the FTC.

But not enough trouble according to some people.

“What is utterly befuddling about this action is that Kellogg’s have hit the Daily Double with this – immunity and misleading claims aimed at children – and still the FTC won’t fine them just because they are Kellogg’s.”

“Here is a company that has breached a prior order [in relation to the mental health claim action] and still the FTC won’t take money from them. Even if that prior order didn’t exist the FTC has the power to disgorge a company of all of its ill-gotten gains. Kellogg’s has shown itself to be a repeat offender and it should have been punished accordingly.”

Dan Fabricant, PhD, the Natural Products Association’s vice president of scientific and global government affairs, agreed, "it was bizarre the FTC didn't hit Kellogg's with a fine".

 

I've written before about using caution when believing health claims on foods. What do you think?

Kellogg’s escapes FTC fine over false immunity claims [Food Navigator]

Foods that make you feel better fast

I'm convinced that food is one of the most powerful drugs out there. Aside from it making or breaking your fat loss goals what you eat can greatly effect your mood and wellbeing. the Real Age folks posted a list of their top 3 mood boosting foods (my favorite below) over at Yahoo Health Tips.

Tea: A spot of tea may give you just the mood and performance boost you crave, thanks to the caffeine. Plus, research links tea drinking to lower rates of depression. And studies show that the very act of preparing tea may soothe nerves. 

Supplement Dangers

With the recent expose from Consumer Reports regarding dangerous supplements, there has been a lot of buzz about what's good, what's bad, etc. Marion Nestle recently blogged about this and provided a good summary of what Consumer Reports advises people to do: 

Beware of these categories.  Supplements for weight loss, sexual enhancement, and bodybuilding have been problematic, the FDA said, because some contain steroids and prescription drugs.

   Don’t assume more is better. It’s possible to overdose even on beneficial vitamins and minerals. Avoid any product that claims to contain “megadoses.”

   Report problems. Let your doctor know if you experience any symptoms after you start taking a supplement…do it yourself at www.fda.gov/medwatch or by calling 800-332-1088.

   Research in the right places. Be skeptical about claims made for supplements in ads, on TV and by sales staff. If a claim sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Here's an oldie (but a goodie) sample from my former Fat Loss Accelerator program talking about some of my recommended supplements:

Also check out my post on Whey Protein Isolate vs. Whey Protein Concentrate.

Fat Loss Diets Not Just for Fat Loss

A key factor to maintaining the fat you have lost is not to have 'dieting' vs. 'regular eating' mentality. If you are on a properly structured fat loss diet then you will be eating a lot of the same foods, in the same ways that you would if you weren't dieting. The main difference is just portion size. Martha Shulman at the NYT Health blog posted about this inadvertently while talking about how she likes cottage cheese.

Most days, I make a quick, no-nonsense lunch out of cottage cheese and vegetables — tomatoes and cucumbers in the summer, avocado and/or leftover cooked vegetables (roasted sweet potatoes are a favorite) when summer gives way to fall. Friends have accused me of eating “diet food,” but I take great pleasure in these lunches. Besides, I’m never on a diet.

This kind of mental shift is very liberating and essentially eliminate the yo-yo effect of dieting because you don't see yourself as on or off.  Check out my post on Stage 4 Surges for more on this topic (the Stage 4 Surge idea is more about tightening your dietary control rather than drastically changing your diet).

Best Way to Lose Weight

If you are in search of the best fat loss diet then here is a great summary of exactly what you need

It's the healthy eating plan that not only creates a caloric deficit but also feeds you the variety of healthy, delicious foods that keep you engaged and feeling satisfied!

Thanks to John McGran for the quote.

4 Ways to Quench the Summer thirst

Staying hydrated is very important (so important that it is one of the 6 Pillars of Nutrition - see below) but if you aren't drinking water then it is easy to mistakenly get some added calories quickly. Here are 4 good options (the first is my personal favorite - lemon not lime please)

• Plain old water. If you just don't like water, add a squeeze of lemon or lime juice, or a tablespoon of True Lemon powder.
• Beverages containing artificial sweeteners--but drink them in moderation and then only if they don't bother you, and if they contain no more than 10 calories per serving.
• If you're craving a refreshingly icy drink but don't want to ingest a sugar blast like my "Koffee Cooler," try putting your favorite low-calorie drink in the freezer. After you've taken it out of the freezer and scraped it with a fork to simulate an Italian ice dessert, pour it into a margarita glass to make it festive and throw in a sprig of mint.
• Sports drinks may be indicated if you're running marathons, out in the hot weather for long periods, or if you're sweating profusely. But many people may not need them, and may be just fine with plain old water instead. [Quench Your Thirst]
  

If you need a refresher here are the 6 Pillars...

The 6 Pillars of Nutrition - The 6 Pillars of Nutrition drive our day to day eating. If you want to lose weight, get healthy, ward off heart disease, or muscle up your body so you don’t feel embarrassed to take off your shirt at the beach then the 6 Pillars need to be your mantra.

i. Eat five to six times a day.
ii. Limit your consumption of sugars and processed foods.
iii. Eat fruits and vegetables throughout the day.
iv. Drink more water and cut out calorie-containing beverages (beer, soda, etc.).
v. Focus on consuming lean proteins throughout the day.
vi. Save starch containing foods until after a workout or for breakfast.

#1 diet tip (someone else agrees with me)

This is tip 1 from a list of 25. They are dead on (especially 1). Remember a food journal and a meal plan are two different things. Meal plans are proactive fat loss diet plans while food journals can turn into a reactive diary of your ill eating fast.

1. Create a food menu
Like most things in life, having a game plan is vital. And, weight loss is no different.

Always start your week by figuring out what meals you’ll have ahead of time, and then prepare a grocery list that will guide you in what to purchase.

When you stock only healthy foods in your home, it’ll be so much easier to stick to your program.

Here's the rest of the list - 25 tips to Get You In Shape

Salt, Weight Loss, and Health

I'm not convinced that salt is the devil. I love salt. Salt makes your food taste better. Unfortunately salt is under attack. The recent dietary guidelines have set salt recommendations so low that you can forget adding salt to your food. My argument is that if you are eating whole foods, fruit, vegetables, etc then adding a little extra salt to your diet isn't going to kill you (literally). I've never adding salt to a dish effect any of my clients fat loss. However, not everyone agrees. Here are 6 reasons why people think you need to cut out the salt

6 Reasons to Drop the Salt

1. Salt increases the number of fat cells in your body

2. It makes the fat cells you have fatter

3. Salt prevents your metabolism from burning fat as it should

4. It increases insulin resistance

5. It makes you hungrier and thirstier

6. Salt makes it more difficult for fat-burning oxygen to blast the fat in your fat stores

Read the rest on why the Nutrition Twins think salt stinks.

Maca might be useful...but tastes awful

I've never had anything contaminate the taste of a shake like this stuff

Mindful or Mindless Eating - Which do you do?

Mindful eating is a great concept.  You could be on the best fat loss diet in the world but if you are eating your meals it in the time it takes for a hulu commercial to pass only to find yourself still hungry? This is a perfect example (I know she's talking about ice cream but you get the point):

This is also very true of our eating. We eat meal after meal, snack after snack, barely aware of when and why we are eating, what we’re eating and how much we’re actually consuming. This is mindless eating and we are all guilty of it.

I remember one particular incident of mindless eating. My sister was going through a very difficult time and we were talking on the telephone. As we chatted, I took a pint of ice cream from the freezer, grabbed a spoon and dug in.  An hour later, when I hung up the phone, I realized I had eaten the entire pint of ice cream!

Read the rest of the post here http://diettogo.com/blog/eating-mindfully-weight-loss-you-can-do-it

Spice up Your Fat Loss Diet

Adding spices to your fat loss diet is essential for survival. Just because you are trying to lose weight doesn't mean that you need to suffer through bland tasteless foods. While there are countless premade spice combinations available at your local supermarket you can save a bunch of money while cutting out preservatives and additives by making your own. The Cheap Healthy Good blog has a great list of DIY spice combinations

Taco Seasoning
      
Ingredients
    * 1 tablespoon chili powder
    * 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
    * 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
    * 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
    * 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
    * 1/2 teaspoon paprika
    * 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
    * 1 teaspoon sea salt
    * 1 teaspoon black pepper

Directions: In a small bowl, mix together chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, oregano, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Store in an airtight container.

Rapid Weight Loss Better than Slow Weight Loss

I have long believed that for many people rapid weight loss, when done correctly is better than slow fat loss because people like results and fast results keep you motivated. Right? Here's a blurb from a study that showed just that. It is always good when science proves your point :)

   "Surprisingly, and against current beliefs, this study shows rapid weight loss appears to be superior to gradual weight loss in achieving target weight," she said of the study conducted on subjects weighing around 100 kilos.

   Her results showed that 78 per cent of those on the rapid diet achieved the target of losing 15 per cent of their body weight within the determined period, while only 48 per cent of those on the gradual diet met the target.

   One of the reasons, she said, is psychological and has to do with motivation.

   On the rapid diet, "subjects lose 1.5 kg a week and that keeps them going. On the gradual diet, when you lose 0.5 kg now and then" motivation is harder to keep, she said.

   In fact, four of the participants following the gradual diet gave up before the end of the experiment, against only one in the rapid diet group.

Read the whole article here: http://www.calgaryherald.com/health/Rapid+weight+loss+better+than+slow+studies+show/3276737/story.html#ixzz0wiDXUXfw

If you have any sort of shoulder pain...

If you have any sort of shoulder pain this is a great article http://backtoformfitness.com/5-quick-tips-to-save-your-shoulders-in-the-gym/

Insulin Resistance The Real Health Epidemic

(My Original Blog Post: http://mikeroussell.com/insulin-resistance-the-real-health-epidemic/)
Insulin resistance, also known as pre diabetes, is an every growing problem in the American. In fact it is estimated in 2007 that 23.6 million people in the U.S. have diabetes with more people upgrading from insulin resistance everyday (that number has only gone up since).

What is amazing is that preventing diabetes and warding off insulin resistance is acutally pretty simple. A massive study called the Diabetes Prevention Program found that if you make some basic lifestyle changes then you can reduce your risk of developing diabetes by 70%! This is great because taking insulin sensitizing drugs only decreased risk of developing diabetes by less than half of that.
Over the past decade the rate of new diabetes cases has doubled and it is on track to do more than that in the next decade. What are some things that you can do to make sure that you aren’t of the unfortunate millions caught in the blood sugar tsunami?

Here are 7 ways to get you started.

1. Eat a Healthy Fat Burning Breakfast


2. Focus on Eating Nutrient Rich Power Foods


3. Avoid Dietary Displacement


4. Lose Visceral Fat (The bad stomach fat)


5. Eat an Anti-Inflammatory Diet


6. Make Small Changes to Your Diet and Maximize Nutrient Stacking


7. Don't Let Traveling Be an Excuse for Eating Bad

Another Vegetarian Protein Packed Salad

(My Original Blog Post: http://mikeroussell.com/another-vegetarian-protein-packed-salad/)
I eat a lot of salads (and hopefully you do to). One problem with eating lots of salads is that it is easy to get bored with what you are eating:

spinach, grilled chicken, olive oil....ugh

That is why I'll go weeks at a time on a spinach boycott. This forces me to great creative with tastes and flavors. One of my favorites is a Mediterranean Salad (Naked Nutrition Insiders can get the recipe here) which is made up cucumbers, pine nuts, tomatoes, and other goodies (but not spinach or lettuce). I came across a great vegetarian protein packed salad recipe that you're sure to love if you are getting tired of the same old chicken and spinach dance. To make this recipes a little simpler you can skimp on stuff like mint and chives but know that the flavor will suffer a little.

• 3 cups cooked large limas or Christmas limas


• 1 pound ripe tomatoes, cut in 1-inch dice or wedges (it looks nice if they’re cut about the same size as the beans)


• 1 green pepper, cut in 1-inch slices


• 1 small cucumber (preferably a Persian cucumber), sliced (peeled if waxed)


• 2 tablespoons chopped chives


• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or mint


• 2 ounces feta cheese, diced or crumbled


• Salt and freshly ground pepper


• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar


• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil


• 2 cups arugula

I'm not  a huge lima bean fan so replacing them with canned low sodium Cannellini beans is a great option. This salad also uses arugula with is one of my favorite leafy greens. It has a distinctive taste that is great with just a little lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil.

The above recipe can make 4 servings which are about 350 calories a piece containing 12 grams of fiber and 15 grams of protein.

For more vegetarian protein options check out the vegetarian protein page.

Greek Salad With Giant Beans and Arugula [NYT Fitness & Nutrition)

Vegetarians don't make this big mista...

Vegetarians don't make this big mistake http://su.pr/2EmKWT

Vegetarian Protein Rules: Don't Make This Mistake

(My Original Blog Post: http://mikeroussell.com/vegetarian-protein-rules-dont-make-this-mistake/)
Vegetarian protein sources and getting enough protein is a common concern with people following a vegetarian diet. But getting enough protein isn't always the issue - eating too many carbs is! Here is another excerpt from my Naked Nutrition for Fat Loss seminar. Watch and make sure you don't make the big mistake I talk about regarding your body's biochemistry.

**Special Deal - Get This Entire Presentation for Free**

This presentation is getting released as a 2 DVD set on September 15th. You can get the entire Naked Nutrition for Fat Loss set for free (just $4.95 pay S&H) when you become a Naked Nutrition Insider today. Learn More Here (Offer Ends 7/23/10)

**Special Deal - Get This Entire Presentation for Free**

This presentation is getting released as a 2 DVD set on September 15th. You can get the entire Naked Nutrition for Fat Loss set for free (just $4.95 pay S&H) when you become a Naked Nutrition Insider today. Learn More Here (Offer Ends 7/23/10)

Inactivity & Obesity - Chicken or Egg?

(My Original Blog Post: http://mikeroussell.com/inactivity-obesity-chicken-or-egg/)

In health and fitness there are so many polarizing opinions:

• Are All Calories Equal?


• Need to Lose Weight - Diet or Exercise?


• Do Types of Carbs Matter?

I could go on and on....

Yesterday I read an interesting article on childhood obesity. As you know it is a problem. Kids are getting fatter (let's not forget that their parents are as well) and fatter at younger and younger ages. This next part may or may not be surprising to you...exercise doesn't help.Numerous studies have shown that exercise interventions don't impact weight loss. It is just too easy to out eat the calories you burn from exercise. As a nutritionist, this warms my heart - diet is king (or queen). These were some of the conclusion in a paper published from the EarlyBird Diabetes study.

It is well known that less active children are fatter, but that does not mean -- as most people assume it does -- that inactivity leads to fatness. It could equally well be the other way round: that obesity leads to inactivity.

The interesting part is that the researchers from the EarlyBird study also found that while being inactive didn't impact weight loss, being fat lead to more activity. This is a circular argument if I ever saw one.

Here is the conclusion from the paper :

Physical inactivity appears to be the result of fatness rather than its cause. This reverse causality may explain why attempts to tackle childhood obesity by promoting PA [physical activity] have been largely unsuccessful.

What do you think? Is being inactive a side effect of being fat?

Inactivity 'No Contributor' to Childhood Obesity Epidemic, New Report Suggests [Science Daily]

Fatness leads to inactivity, but inactivity does not lead to fatness [Archives of Disease in Childhood]

Processed Organic Foods and Organic Masking

(My Original Blog Post: http://mikeroussell.com/processed-organic-foods-and-organic-masking/)
Here is a clip from my upcoming Naked Nutrition for Fat Loss DVD set. In the video I talk about the importance of moving your diet from bar codes to bags, that is eating less foods that come with bar codes and more food that you need to put into bags while shipping. Moving from bar codes to bags will automatically improve the quality of your diet. When your diet quality goes up, your heath and weight loss will also increase.

In this video I also talk about organic masking. With the popularity of organic foods increasing daily more and more companies are coming out with organic junk food. You'll find cookies with organic labels on them. Here's the truth - organic sugar is just as bad for you as regular sugar - don't be fooled. Companies are trying to mask the detrimental effects of junk food by sticking organic labels on then. The worst part is that it will cost your 2x as much!

**Special Deal - Get This Entire Presentation for Free**

This presentation is getting released as a 2 DVD set on September 15th. You can get the entire Naked Nutrition for Fat Loss set for free (just $4.95 pay S&H) when you become a Naked Nutrition Insider today. Learn More Here (Offer Ends 7/23/10)

SCRIBEFIRE8qdiVOmpzkSCRIBEFIRE

(My Original Blog Post: http://mikeroussell.com/scribefire8qdivompzkscribefire/)
SCRIBEFIREL0nJTr9eSCRIBEFIRE

Strength Training Without Weights - Work Capacity

(My Original Blog Post: http://mikeroussell.com/strength-training-without-weights/)
In this video 2006  NSCA Strength Coach of the Year, Robert Dos Remedios talks about work capacity and how it is a key component to your strength training and fat loss workouts with or without weights. When training with just your body weight it is extra important to increase the stress on your body by decreasing rest times and pushing your work capacity to the limit.  Here is a simple strength training workout without weights that Coach Dos described in the video is as follows:

• Clap Push Up x 10


• Burpee x 10


• Squat Jumps x 10


• Plank to Push Up x 10

Repeat 3 times with as little rest as possible.

See how long it takes for you to complete all 3 rounds. Repeat this circuit at least weekly trying to improve your time each time through.

For More Workouts Like This Check out CoachDos.com Premium

Fat Burning Breakfast in Less Than 5 Minutes

(My Original Blog Post: http://mikeroussell.com/fat-burning-breakfast-in-less-than-5-minutes/)


Do you eat breakfast everyday? I hope so. Surprisingly the actual research on eating breakfast isn't that robust and some nutrition experts don't think that breakfast is that important. I really believe that a good healthy breakfast sets the stage for your day. It sends the message that you're going to do what it takes that day to eat right and do what you need to do in order to reach your fitness goals. Here what I had this morning (a slight variation on one of my long standing breakfast staples). This shakes comes in at just over 400 calories and can be consumed while driving to work or chasing around 2 year old twins trying to get them to put their diapers back on.

• 1.5 Cups Blueberries


• 1.5 Scoops Vanilla Protein Powder


• 1 TBSP Flaxseed Oil


• A Handful of Ice Cubes

Put it all in a blender, add 1-2 cups of water (less if you like a thicker shake), and blend until the ice is all crushed up.

Good Sale for you. Save 17% on BCAAs http://su.pr/1S2Rlb

7 Day Kettlebell Fat Loss Routine

(My Original Blog Post: http://mikeroussell.com/7-day-kettlebell-fat-loss-routine/)
You have to admit it...kettlebells are very hot right now, especially for fat loss and metabolic training. Ever since I ditched my gym membership, I have found them to be an indispensable tool along with my TRX.

Here's a full kettlebell workout that you can use courtesy of kettlebell lover Chris Lopez. (Note: Chris uses the blast straps in some of the movements, you can use a TRX here as well).

Monday

1a) KB Clean & Press (3 x 5-8)

1b) Blast Strap Reverse Fly (2 x 15)

2a) Renegade Row x 20

2b) KB Windmill x 8/side

2c) Ab Wheel Roll Out x 20

3) 2-Arm KB Swings x 100

Tuesday

1) Turkish Get-Ups (3 x 5/side)

2a) Close Grip Chin-ups (3 x AMRAP)

2b) Pistols (3 x AMRAP)

2c) Blast Strap Push-Ups

3) KB Snatches (AMRAP in 7 minutes)

Wednesday AND Saturday (optional)

1) Early AM Hill Sprints

2) Stretching, planks & bridges

Thursday

1a) KB Military Press (3-4 x 5)
1b) KB Row (3 x AMRAP)

2a) Blast Strap Dips
2b) Blast Strap Tricep Ext
2c) Blast Strap Ab Fall-Outs

3) 2-Arm KB Swings x 100

Friday

1) 1-arm KB Snatches (AMRAP)

2) Turkish Get-Ups

2) Chin-up Variation

SUNDAY - OFF

Kettlebell Q’n'A: My Current Program & The RKC [Kettlebell Workouts.com]

Today is also the release of the TRX Kettlebell DVD (which I'm personally excited about). Check out the video
below. The guy doing the advanced movements is really working on the overhead single leg lunges!

Your Mind is Continuing to Sabotage Your Weight Loss Efforts

(My Original Blog Post: http://mikeroussell.com/your-mind-is-continuing-to-sabotage-your-weight-loss-efforts/)
Just a week or so ago I wrote about how there are lot of different factors that influence how much you eat during the course of a meal. In this post, I shared with you research on eating with other people and how who you eat with and the number of people that you eat with has been shown to influence how many calories you'll consume at a meal (bad news for men with more than one wife who like to eat as a family - read the post and you'll see what I mean).



Research along these same lines was just presented at Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior by Dr. Jeff Brunstrom of the University of Bristol UK and colleagues. In the study by Dr. Brunstrom, they showed study participants either a small amount of fruit or a larger amount of fruit and told the participates that is what they would be getting in their smoothie (in actuality they were both give the same amount).

They study participants they rated how satisfied they thought they would be after the smoothie and then again rated their satiety 3 hours after drinking the smoothie. The people who were shown the smaller amounts of fruit were significantly less satisfied despite acutally consuming the same amount of food.

If you are a regular reader of my blog this should come as no surprise to you, but just more evidence to support the fact that if you want to be more satisfied while eating less calories you need to bulk up your diet with more fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables give you the visual appeal of eating a lot of food without the high calorie backlash.

Could Our Minds Be Tricked Into Satisfying Our Stomachs? [Science Daily]

Beef Makes Things Taste Better?

(My Original Blog Post: http://mikeroussell.com/beef-makes-things-taste-better/)
Z3UAKDGMN4TF

Please ignore that random string of numbers above. I'm just trying to prove to the site Technorati that I do indeed own my own site :)

I've recently been doing some beef research (well my PhD has to do with lean beef and CVD so technically I've been doing beef research for 4 years now) for an upcoming magazine article and have come across some really interesting info regarding beef and Umani (the new official 5th taste).

Check this out:

When you combine umami-rich foods, it's not like one plus one equals two in terms of flavor,” Zino says. Instead, a 50-50 mixture of two umami compounds can produce eight times as much flavor as either one of the compounds alone. So, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

This synergy is part of umami's crave-creating power, and it explains why certain flavors pair so well with beef.

Aged cheeses, bacon, barbecue sauce, mushrooms, red wine, sour cream, soy sauce, tomatoes and Worcestershire sauce are among the top flavors to pair with beef, and they are all rich in umami.

How can you not love synergy? here's the link to the original article.

If you haven't already make sure to check out my new Naked Nutrition Insider program. Here's a video that explains it all.

how to get the most out of green tea ...

how to get the most out of green tea http://su.pr/1Se4ws

just went up. See you in the forum ht...

just went up. See you in the forum http://su.pr/2UXSwI

Naked Nutrition Insider is LIVE

(My Original Blog Post: http://mikeroussell.com/naked-nutrition-insider-is-live/)
Hi. It has been months in preparation but the new Naked Nutrition Insider Program is now LIVE.

You can learn about everything in this video.

Check it out. Let me know what you thinks. I'm really excited for this and to work with you.

If you are a fit for the program and join by Friday then I'm throwing in a couple extra special things for you.

1) Fat Loss Experts Audio Series

2) Truth About Carbs Audio

3) Free instant upgrade from GOLD to GOLD+ Status (Saves you 33% every month)

See you in the forums,

Mike

Deadly Guacamole!! http://ow.ly/2aUrN

Deadly Guacamole!! http://ow.ly/2aUrN

30 Foods that you should be eating ht...

30 Foods that you should be eating http://su.pr/1Rw38D (what did I miss?)

Support Cancer Research http://su.pr/...

Support Cancer Research http://su.pr/18wf34

Green Tea gets a lot of hype and many...

Green Tea gets a lot of hype and many people forget this is just as good of an alternative http://su.pr/1HCNqE

thinks my cottage cheese snack is making me stuffed up...not happy about that.

A body transformation roadmap --> http://mikeroussell.com/body-transformation-roadmap/

Body Transformation Roadmap

(My Original Blog Post: http://ping.fm/3vOmK)
So I've been a little delayed with technical problems for the release of the new Naked Nutrition Insider. But every will get fixed this weekend so we'll be a go on Monday. In the meantime I wanted to share with you the featured article from Janurary's issue. The article focuses on how to achieve your New Years Resolution Weight Loss Goal and since we are a little over 1/2 way through 2010 I thought it would be a good one to share. Maybe you need a shot in the arm to refocus on the goals you set Jan 1st of this year or maybe you never set any...either way this article will give you a road map on how to achieve what you want.

Resolution Roadmap

Strong, Fit, & Healthy Featured Article by Mike Roussell

Things are going to be different now right? 2010, you're going to lose those last 10lbs, create a new positive routine, end an old negative habit. While new year resolutions may be cliché and lots of people make fun of them, saying that they are bound to fail so why bother setting them - I think new year resolutions are the most powerful motivation injectors that you will receive this year (second maybe only to your birthday). Why, because as Billy Crystal's character in City Slickers told Daniel Stern, you get a do-over.

Identification

In the opening editorial of last month's issue of SF&H, I encouraged you to audit your life and figure out what isn't working. If you remember I shared two things that weren't working in my life. One of these was my inability to consistently accomplish my professional writing first thing in the morning when most fresh and alert. After identifying this problem my resolution was to get up before my family does and write for 60-90 minutes each day. I'm happy to tell you that I'm writing this article at 5:37am.

So, what isn't working for you? I had a client once who was in sales and spent a good portion of his day driving around from sales presentation to sales presentation. The problem that he was having was that as a result of all the driving he either ate out or on-the-go in his car, with both options resulting in him consistently making bad food choices. Once we identified this problem we were able to make a specific plan to deal with this road block. All the excellent nutritional advice in the world would not have worked with this client had we not first addressed the primary issue of his unique daily schedule and how to incorporate good foods into it.

If you haven't already, then sit down to do a quick audit of your life and identify what is not working. Once you have your list, I'll help you move forward and problem solve three main areas of your life, mindset, diet, and training streamlined so that you can reach your 2010 goals.

Mindset

When it comes to diet and losing weight (a very popular New Year's Resolution of course), the mindset that you need to be successful is often overlook and rarely given enough attention (not nearly as much time as you would spend on your diet or training). This is a mistake as your thoughts frame your feelings and inevitably your actions. If you think of yourself as an overweight person that eats fast food and other junk, then in the end you are going to revert back to that behavior as it is continuous with your own mental image of yourself. World famous speaker and author Brian Tracy refers to this phenomenon constantly in his teaching. He encourages people to identify habits of lean people and do those things, make these your habits and image of yourself and you will create a lean physique. I call this the principle of inevitable results.

In Your Naked Nutrition Guide I talk about people in fitness and advertising professions that plan and pack all their meals at the beginning of the week so that as the week goes on all they need to do is pull out that predetermined meal and eat it. This is without a doubt one of the behaviors that allows them to maintain such low body fat percentages. See yourself as that person, or the person you are striving to be, maybe it’s an old picture of yourself much thinner. Research has shown that one strategy of people who successfully lose weight and keep it off, is always having a mental image of what they want to look like to keep them on track and moving toward their goals.

If in your life audit you find that you lose steam on your goals after 2-3 weeks or you find that you are constantly doubting your ability to lose the weight, focus on putting the 'inevitable results’ principle into action. Resources:Goals by Brian Tracy and The New Psycho Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz.

Diet

As a reader of this newsletter, hopefully you have a pretty good grasp on your diet. However, you'll undoubtedly be able to identify 1-2 areas where you are having problems. I would feel comfortable in assuming that if you are having trouble reaching a weight loss, muscle building, or health related goal then nutritional compliance is an issue. Please start tracking how well you are sticking to your plan. On page 11 (in the Key Concepts section), or issue 3 of SF&H, I included a link to a downloadable compliance tracking sheet. If you haven't already, then download that file, print it out, stick it to your refrigerator, and start tracking. This one habit will probably make a bigger impact on your success than anything else.



The next piece nutritionally is to identify where you are in the Stages of Nutrition. This is important as it will let you know what kind of nutrition plan you need to develop based on your current nutritional habits. I have made my 50 minute Stages of Nutrition presentation available to you as an added members bonus in the Strong, Fit, and Healthy members section at MikeRoussell.com

Training

Regardless of your health goal this year, whether it is to decrease your risk for heart disease, lose 10 lbs, or gain 20 lbs of muscle, exercise needs to be an integral component. Not only will exercise help you burn more calories and build more muscle it will also keep you invested in your plan. While I don't have scientific studies to support this, my own experiences and observations have shown me that people adhere to their diets better while involved in an exercise program. I believe that it has to do with supporting your commitment to one goal in several different areas of your life. If you are staying on your diet AND training hard, why would throw your diet out the window on Wednesday night for a medium pizza when you just spent 60 minutes at the gym working to burn calories and fat - the two actions do not jive.

The Metabolic Workout of the Month is a great place to start getting ideas and variety for your workouts. Most of the workouts in this section can be added to your current training program in place of traditional cardiovascular activity (running, biking, etc). When picking a training program two very inexpensive but very effective options you should look at are ‘Power Training’ by Robert Dos Remedios, ‘The New Rules of Lifting’ and ‘The New Rules of Lifting for Women,’ both by Alwyn Cosgrove and Lou Schuler with the later also co-authored by Cassandra Forsythe, and finally ‘The Female Body Breakthrough’ by Rachel Cosgrove. These books are readily available at Amazon.com or Barnes and Nobles and will provide you with top notch training programs to help you reach your health and fitness goals in 2010.

Regardless of what you choose for an exercise program, the one thing that you must vow to do is MOVE MORE. Over the Christmas/New Year’s break when my family traveled back to Vermont, I had the chance to meet up with a previous mentor at the University of Vermont. She has recently lost 25lbs, looks and feels great. In addition to tracking everything she ate, she attributed her weight loss to moving more. She set a goal of taking 10,000 steps everyday. I commented on how that must be really hard if not impossible as her job requires a lot of desk work. She replied that she realized that but had to make it work so she forced her self to take breaks during the day to go on short walks. It is these kinds of actions and commitments that make the difference. Move More this year. Go to the nearest sporting goods store and pick up a pedometer, track your activity levels. While pedometers are not the world's most accurate devices they will give you a good idea of how much you move each day relative to the previous one. If you need more convincing read the "Key Concepts: NEPA" article at the back of Issue 3.

Action

The one thing left for you to do is IT, or as Nike's slogan commands "just do it." Identify what isn't working in your life in the areas of your Mental Muscle, Diet, and Exercise programs. Practice the principle of inevitable results. Vow to track your dietary compliance all 52 weeks this years. Find out where you are in the stages of nutrition and build your nutrition plan accordingly. Finally commit to a top quality exercise program and move more everyday.

Free Issue of Strong, Fit, & Healthy to Download

(My Original Blog Post: http://ping.fm/rHvML)
I hope that everyone had a great holiday weekend. We had a classic 4th of July Weekend full of BBQ, the twins running around in the backyard and playing in the kiddie pool, and lots of sun (I needed a good vitamin D infusion).

Before I get into the free download info I wanted to make sure that you checked out my last 2 blog posts (they are a 2-part series) on Stage 4 Surges. I think that it is one of the best blogs of the year here at the site and hope that you will find it extremely useful. Check it out here --> Stage 4 Surges.

Onto today (and tomorrow). Starting tomorrow, I will be re-opening and re-releasing my Naked Nutrition Insider Program. I have been working on this for several months and if you have been a reader for a long time then you will really like the updated program. The flagship component of the Naked Nutrition Insider Program is the Strong, Fit, & Healthy Newsletter. I'm kind of a put your money where your mouth is kind of guy so I figured that the best way to see what the Strong, Fit, & Healthy newsletter was all about would be to give you a copy. So below you can download the first ever issue of Strong, Fit, & Healthy.

Over the next couple days I will be posting some more great health and nutrition info to build on the this free issue and other benefits of being a Naked Nutrition Insider. So look for my email tomorrow as I have put together an amazing deal for you. In the meantime  download Strong, Fit, & Healthy below.

Enjoy!

Download Here

Stage 4 Surges - Minimizing Body Fat the Fastest Way Possible & Keeping It Low

(My Original Blog Post: http://mikeroussell.com/stage-4-surges-minimizing-body-fat-the-fastest-way-possible-keeping-it-low/)
In the previous post I started talking about the idea of timed periods of intensity built into your year long training program called Stage 4 Surges. The name comes from the fact that you would move from the 3rd Stage of Nutrition to the 4th Stage of Nutrition. These surges center on your current life situation and motivation levels.

Let's finish this discussion by looking at a different approach to peaking so that instead of peaking you will instead plateau at your idea body weight.

When you are ready, when your motivation is high, when your plan is set...move up to the 4th Stage of Nutrition, count calories or portions, be perfect….but only do it for a finite period of time. 4, 6, 8, or 12 weeks. Don’t diet until you are burned out. Lose the weight and leave on a high note. Maybe your goal is to lose 30lbs and after 4 weeks you’ve only lost 15lbs but you are completely spent. Your compliance is slipping, your motivation is low - Don’t force the issue. No one can keep up that level of intensity and focus forever without losing ground in other aspects of their lives. Plus, you don’t want to stop dieting because you just “can’t stick with it anymore.”



To steal from the overused sports phrase, it isn’t ‘Go Hard or Go Home’ it is ‘Go Hard then Go Home.’

Transition back to a healthy but less rigid approach (i.e. the 3rd Stage of Nutrition), instead of reverting to eating garbage food as many people end up doing, until you  feel your fire comeback (and it will a lot sooner if you keep the weight off and don’t gain it back). When it does, move back up to Stage 4 and get back into attack mode.

Here’s what’s going to happen, despite the fact that you will back off on your dietary control moving down from Stage 4 to Stage 3, you are probably still going to lose some weight. This makes you different than 99% of other people that just ‘finished dieting.’ After a couple weeks of maintaining or losing more weight you’ll really become motivated. I'm willing to bet that the normal course of events after you finish a diet is to slowly gain the weight back, imagine how motivated you would be if the weight kept coming off.

Take that motivation and energy, re-commit yourself to a Stage 4 Surge and you’ll take another huge leap towards your goal. This stair stepping approach to long term and permanent weight loss success is much more effective than the usual 2 steps forward, 3 steps back approach that plagues most people.

I’m not telling you to start tomorrow, tighten your dietary control and go at it. I’m telling you to listen to your body, look at how your life (family, job, etc.) is going, and when you see an opening for when you can triple your efforts and focus DO IT.

If you are ready to ratchet things up then the best resource I have for you is Warp Speed Fat Loss 2.0 but it isn’t for everyone and it isn’t for you until you see that opening in your life and are ready to go for it. When it is over, don’t go back to eating junk, scale it back to consistently making healthy choices, until you are ready for another sprint. It is the middle of the year now. When December 31st comes around you are going to look at how much weight you lost between Jan 1st and December 31st. It isn’t going to matter if you lost 20lbs during May but gained it all back by November. Trying to force the issue with unnecessary dietary control 24/7/365 is how you do that. If you want to be 10, 20, or 30lbs lighter on December 31st then maximize your winners.

Stage 4 Surges & Maximizing Your Winners

(My Original Blog Post: http://mikeroussell.com/stage-4-surges-maximizing-your-winners/)
In regards to health and weight loss what is everyone’s actual goal? Lose the weight AND keep it off. The ‘lose the weight’ part is easy. It is the ‘keep is off’ part that isn’t. The scientific community, nutrition community, and fitness community have all been woefully unsuccessful at helping you keep it off. I think this is for several different reasons. Over the next two days I want to explore a solution to one of these reasons that I call ‘Stage 4 Surges’ and while doing so expose a major flaw is most people’s approach to dieting.

As a primer to this post watch this quick recap on the Stages of Nutrition

The Stages of Nutrition:

• Nutritional Freestyling: You eat whatever you want whenever you want.


• Proper Food Choices Varying Compliance: You try to eat the right stuff but you just don’t do it consistently.


• Proper Food Choices 90% Compliance: You eat the right stuff and you rarely falter (this is the target stage for most people).


• Calorie/Portion Counting, Proper Food Choices 90% Compliance: You need to fine tune your diet more for a specific purpose (weight loss, health, performance) so you start counting calories or portions and you stay on your plan just about all the time.

So as you can see what your diet approach looks like should depend on where you are. If you are just starting out and nutritional freestyling then there is no need to worry about how many grams of protein, carbohydrates or fats that you are eating. In fact this could hinder your progress. What you need to be doing is focusing on consistently eating more fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins throughout the day. The key word in that phrase was consistent.

If you can’t consistently do this then the gram quantities of anything don’t matter as you probably won’t have the discipline or skill set to consistently hit those targets.

The best part is that once you DO start consistently eating better (better defined as in line with the 6 Pillars of Nutrition – video below), your body is going to start changing for the good. It will probably change so much for the good that you’ll think ‘Jeez, why bother counting calories when I can just eat in line with the 6 Pillars of nutrition and get the body that I want’ (Okay, you may not choose those exact words when talking to yourself but you get what I mean).

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mkAQGr8sAE[/youtube]

The key point and one that I stress again and again in my seminars is that the 3rd Stage of Nutrition should be your target Stage.

A couple months ago I was giving a seminar at the Fitness Circuit in State College, PA. During this seminar I introduced the attendees to the Stages of Nutrition and the 6 Pillars of Nutrition. After the presentation, I got into a conversation with the gym owner, Scott Ludwig, he loved the idea of the Stages of Nutrition - obvious he’s a smart guy :).  He went on to talk about how he could see the Stages being used in a back and forth type fashion. Exactly! (told you he was a smart guy)

Let me digress from my conversation with Scott to emphasize that nothing in life in linear. Not your weight loss, not your progress through the Stages of Nutrition, nothing. You will find yourself moving from Stage 2 (good food choices, less than optimal compliance) to Stage 3 (the target stage – good food choices, optimal compliance) and then maybe back to Stage 2. Hopefully never falling all the way back to Nutritional Freestyling. This ebb and flow of your compliance will most likely change depending on what is going on in your life. That is fine, it happens. When you find yourself slipping just step your game up, re-align your focus and achieve your compliance goals. Simple.

Back to my conversation with Scott. He wasn’t talking about the movement from Stages 2 to 3 to 2 and such but more using Stage 4 (Counting calories/portions, and optimal compliance) as a means for peaking. Good idea, right?

Think about the past 12 months. There have been times where you have been uber motivated to eat right and train, correct? There have been other times when you have been less than motivated or preoccupied with other things in your life such that you diet and training had to take a back seat (hopefully this wasn’t too far of a back seat and you were still hitting your compliance and training goals but they were just not as aggressively set).

Think about those highly motivated times. What could you have done if you really would have stepped your game up? How much extra weight could you have lost? How much extra muscle could you have built? There is a phrase that a business coach once told me that has always stuck with me….

“Maximize your winners.”

That is what I want you to do. Maximize your winners. Maximize those periods of high motivation and drive. Maximize the amount of calories you can burn. Maximize your ability to get that extra rep and burn off that extra layer of fat. Maximize the extra will power that you will have to ratchet down and tighten up your diet.

Tomorrow, I’ll finish up this post/article with what exactly is Stage 4 Surges how you can use them, and a major flaw is most people’s approach to dieting.

3 More Ways to Help Control Appetite

(My Original Blog Post: http://ping.fm/Ni1GV)
Today I'm going to continue on with sharing with you some of the ways that Naked Nutrition folks on Facebook

5. Sugar Free Gum - While often laughably touted on the TV show The Biggest Losers as the ultimate weight loss secret, chewing gum is a very effective option for many people - especially if you are prone to snacking.

6. Eating More Often - Increasing how often you eat is an extremely effective way to curb appetite. This again plays to the mental aspect of hunger, if you are constantly eating (or every 2-3 hours), your brain gets a different message about food and its availability than if you were only eating once or twice a day.

7. Exercise - I have seen this work both ways for people. Some find that exercise makes them more hungry while others find that it takes their appetite away. It is good know find out which type of person that you are so that you are prepared because you need to exercise regardless. A recent study showed that exercising in hotter temperatures results in people eating less. I'm not sure the answer to the exercise/appetite question requires that you pretend you are a high school wrestler and workout in a 95 degree room, but exercising in hotter temperatures did lead to the release of more peptide YY, a compound released by your intestines which reduces appetite something is going on at a biochemical level.

I wish I could tell you different, but there isn't a magic bullet to zapping appetite and you aren't going to 'get over it.' Hunger pangs will always be there while dieting. My best advice is to diet and get it over with. Lose the weight that you need to lose and then stop dieting and eat lots of healthy calories while maintaining your new weight. If you haven't already make sure to read my Lifetime Fat Loss post as Jack's story has rung true with many people.

4 Ways to Help Control Appetite

(My Original Blog Post: http://ping.fm/z7K6n)
Sometimes you just need to eat less. While I do everything possible in my writings and research to find ways to help you eat more food, still lose weight, improve your health, there is a limit to this. If you are not losing weight and want to lose 5, 10, or 15lbs you will need to eat less food than you currently are to make this happen.

The biggest stumbling block for most in this area is appetite and how to curb it. The bad news is that when you are dieting and eating less food you will always be hungry.Sorry to be the bearer of bad news here.

In a perfect world our body's would get used to the concept of eating less food and your brain would stop sending the 'I'm hungry' signal. Sort of like when you get a cut, it hurts for a little bit but then after a while your body stops transmitting the pain signal. Unfortunately, the human body's response to hunger is not the same as its response to a paper cut.

If you have been reading my blog for a while you will know that when looking at scientific research for an answer to a question, I like to use human research. Unfortunately, it is prohibitively difficult to continually restrict a group of people's calories and measure their appetite and hunger signals/cues in the brain to see how long they last. People have a tendency not so enroll in studies that would force them to under eat for decade.

So the best data we have to go on comes from animals. Studies from mice show that even after being underfed the equivalent of 7 human years (I say 'human' years because the lifespan of a mouse if much shorter - same concept as 'dog years'), the area in the brain responsible for sending the 'I'm hungry' signal is working just as hard sending that signal as it was on day 1.

Since it looks like our desire to eat more when we are eating less is always going to be there and considering that the brain is the driving force behind these feelings, we need to revert to tips, tricks, and other strategies to fool the brain into thinking we're not eating less. I took an informal poll on the Naked Nutrition Facebook page to see what people are doing to suppress appetite and fight this hardwired hunger response. Here's what's working for people:

1. Drinking Lots of Tea (Green, Black, Mate, etc) - While probably not as effective as all the ads on the internet claim, but tea has been used for hundreds of years as an appetite suppressant.



2. Fiber, Fiber, Fiber - Taking advantage of the satiating effects of fiber is also very important. One person adds ground flax to meals throughout the day. This is a great tip. Ground flax can be easily added to lots of things, it full of fiber, omega-3s, and other phytonutrients. In addition most fiber rich foods are generally not calorie dense foods which means that you can eat more without eating more calories.

3. Drinking More Water - While drinking water at a meal has not really been shown in scientific studies to make people eat less calories, it is still a widely used strategy by many people. What is really interesting is that if you take that same glass of water and use it to make a soup with the vegetables at that meal (so you are basically eating the same things just in a different form), studies show that you will then eat less - wild huh? Researchers think it has to do with visual cues and a glass of water just does not scream 'I'm going to make you full' to the brain (I know that it doesn't to mine).

4. Sugar Free Jello - This tip also fall under the category of eating foods that aren't calorie dense. Sugar free Jello is devoid of calories but the act of eating itself can help signal the brain that you should not be as hungry because you just ate. If there is one thing that research has shown us about eating behaviors, it is that calories don't matter. We are a very visually driven species, so seeing a big bowl of food that is low in calories (like Jello or a salad) will result in us thinking we ate a lot despite the fact that the actual amount of calories we ate weren't that much.

Tomorrow we'll look at the last 3 tips. If you have something that works for you that wasn't mentioned above please post a comment below so we all can benefit.

test

(My Original Blog Post: http://ping.fm/y8rMR)
test

test

(My Original Blog Post: http://ping.fm/Ee0NQ)
test

test

(My Original Blog Post: http://ping.fm/8zv2s)
test

test

(My Original Blog Post: http://ping.fm/Ry413)
test

test

(My Original Blog Post: http://ping.fm/KvfQj)
test

tet

(My Original Blog Post: http://ping.fm/2iSZj)
test

test

(My Original Blog Post: http://ping.fm/wWnUg)
test

test

(My Original Blog Post: http://ping.fm/f9K5q)
test

test

(My Original Blog Post: http://ping.fm/ZgYTK)
test

testtest

(My Original Blog Post: http://ping.fm/M8f0C)
test

test

(My Original Blog Post: http://ping.fm/OCzA4)
test

test

(My Original Blog Post: http://ping.fm/MItdR)
test

Effects of Energy Drinks & Functional Foods - Fact or Fiction?

(My Original Blog Post: http://ping.fm/HRLgU)
The label reads "improves brain function."

I don't know if it is sleep deprivation causing a reduction in my brain function or the fact that I'm very trust, either way I reach into the cooler and grab a can of Brain TonIQ (pronounced tonic).

Image via Wikipedia

The newest energy drink in an ever growing class of $2 miracle in a can products promising increased energy, fat loss, and improved brain function. It is amazing to think that Red Bull used to be the only game in town and before that the only drink you could by which promised anything was Jolt Cola (and that just promised to have 2x the caffeine of Coke - which12 year old Mike Roussell thought was both a scary and cool proposition).

Now there is Red Bull, 5 Hour Energy, 6 Hour Power Energy (apparently the makers of 6 Hour Power Energy took the advice of Harland William's character in There's Something About Mary regarding 7 Minute Abs and applied it to energy drinks, Rock Star, Monster Energy, Full Throttle, Crunk, NOS, and my perennial favorite for long driving trips -the Spike Shooter. While many of the products that I just listed only promise an instant surge of energy, which is easily accomplished by stuffing the can full of sugar and caffeine, more and more products are being placed on store shelves, like Brain TonIQ, that seemingly promise a short term benefit that could only be accomplished via long term consumption.

The great promises of physiological superiority are not limited to the energy drink aisle of your local convenience store or super market. It is a growing trend in functional foods that people like us need to be aware of in order to prevent being sent to the poor house due to our quest for good health without even the consolation of better health (more on that in a minute).

Instant Benefit Through Chronic Use

One of the reasons that energy drinks like Red Bull are so popular is because you get an instant result.

Drink it, get energy.

You feel different after to drink it almost instantly. Due to the miracle of caffeine this is not the placebo effect, you actually have more energy. The problem for food and beverage companies arises when they try to develop products that cannot rely on the instant feedback that caffeine gives in order to convince you, the consumer, that the food or beverage is working.

So with the caffeine angle out the window, the next trick in the tool box is scientific research. Add a bunch of stuff to product that has been shown or theorized to have a benefit in a can or tub, sprinkle on the label some technical jargon, and you're good to go. With the ridiculous popularity of energy drinks Field of Dreams 'formulate it and they will drink' mantra actually works! But I want you to stop and think next time you go to shell out $2 in hopes of thinking more clearly.

Let's look at Brain TonIQ for a minute to illustrate my point. The tag line for this product is "Fuel Your Cranium. Get Thinking Again." So what is in this can that is going to make you start thinking more clearly?

• Sugar. Organic Agave Nectar to be exact.


• DMAE,


• Choline (a classic ingredient in 'brain' drinks),


• blue green algae,


• eleutherococcus extract (aka Siberian ginseng)


• rhodiola rosea

I'm not going to get into the details of the formulation, I just want to point out the flaw in our thinking as consumers. The though process we go through is this. I need to improve my brain function. Brain TonIQ says it will do this. It contains Ginseng and Rhodiola Rosea both should help with this. I'll drink it and be on point for my test/presentation/[insert reason for needing to think better].

The problem with this mentality/thought process is that things like Ginseng, Rhodioloa Rosea, or just about anything except caffeine don't work instantly and don't work after one dose and they may not even have enough of the active ingredient to make a difference.

Not to keeping going at the nice people that make Brain TonIQ (I just happen to have the can in front of me) but, there are 1.8 grams of the proprietary herbal blend with the ingredients that I listed above in each can. Studies looking at the effect of Siberian Ginseng use 1-3 gram per day for up to 12 weeks. So it is important to ask yourself, for any supplement you are taking,

'Is there enough active ingredient in here to make an impact?'

and

'How long do I need to take this to see the effects?'

Functional Foods - Looking Beyond Energy Drinks

As I alluded to this 'now contains [insert hot nutrient of the week]' phenomenon is running rampant in our supermarkets and the end result could be you just paying more but not getting any added benefit. Another example that we can look at is Benecol. Benecol is a butter substitute/margarine product that contains plant stanol esters. Plant stanols/sterols have been shown in several different clinical trials to reduce your cholesterol levels.

1 TBSP of Benecol contains 0.85 grams of stanols. You need at least 2 grams/ day of stanols to get a cholesterol lower effect. This means that you need to take 2-3 TBSP per day to reap the benefit of this product. The company behind Benecol clearly state this on their site but that is the kind of stuff we often ignore and chalk up to the company trying to make us consume more of their products ('rinse and repeat' anyone?).

The take home message here for this article is to not get sucked into purchases because of buzz words or 'Instant Benefit Despite Chronic Use Needed' promises. If you are going to go the route of using functional foods (which I do recommend as they can be beneficial), make sure that you know the usage needed to get the desired effect so that you aren't wasting your money.

I'd love to hear your thoughts?