This clip is from Little Britain USA. It has nothing to do with health and fitness, but it made me laugh, and laughter is the best medicine, so there you have it. I'm probably revealing a little too much about my twisted sense of humor by showing you this clip, but I find it absolutely hilarious. My wife thinks I'm going nuts though. Warning: some language may not be appropriate if you are watching this at work. Besides, what the heck are you doing looking at my blog when you should be working anyway? ;-)
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Sunday, January 25, 2009
My best diet advice
Today, I wanted to share with you a little piece of advice, that although simple, can make an incredible change to your body almost overnight.
And this has to do with diet.
Although the Atkins diet has come and gone for the most part (thank heavens!) it did leave us with one tid-bit of information that is truly valuable.
And that is, GET RID OF STARCH!
What I mean by starch is potato, pasta, flour products of any kind, rice, etc (and yes, even peas and corn count!). On top of this, refined carbs like sugar and high-fructose corn syrup and even fruit juice are all ticking time bombs; waiting to make you explode into jean sizes you'll be embarrassed to admit you wear.
Now, most people assume that many of these foods are healthy choices. I mean, you would think that a baked potato is great compared to a plate of french fries.
Let me put it like this: Starches are a form of highly condensed energy. Energy that you just simply ARE NOT BURNING. If you have job that requires to you be physical all day long (like a farmer, carpenter, laborer etc.) then you can get away with it, but then again, if you have one of these professions, chances are your weight isn't too much of a problem.
The reality is, our lives are VERY sedentary. Even if you're 'busy' (who isn't) you probably aren't all that physically active. And while you do need some carbs to fuel your brain and keep you going throughout the day; the carbs you are getting from fruits and veggies are plenty to accomplish this task.
Quite simply, if you are eating carbs, and you have an inactive lifestyle, those carbs are not being used as energy, and WILL end up as body fat, period.
You need to make a shift from having meat, potatoes, and veggies for dinner, to having a salad, meat, and some cooked veggies.
Resist it as much as you want, but my clients who have the best success are all following this type of plan. This is what my wife and I have been doing for years now, and I can tell you the results were visible nearly overnight.
If you MUST have carbs, eat them only in the morning, and in sensible amounts. After that, focus on fresh fruits and veggies, and protein for the rest of your meals, and you will be amazed at the changes in your body.
Put this in to practice now folks. Don't wait any longer. The sooner you do this, the sooner you will get great results.
RD
And this has to do with diet.
Although the Atkins diet has come and gone for the most part (thank heavens!) it did leave us with one tid-bit of information that is truly valuable.
And that is, GET RID OF STARCH!
What I mean by starch is potato, pasta, flour products of any kind, rice, etc (and yes, even peas and corn count!). On top of this, refined carbs like sugar and high-fructose corn syrup and even fruit juice are all ticking time bombs; waiting to make you explode into jean sizes you'll be embarrassed to admit you wear.
Now, most people assume that many of these foods are healthy choices. I mean, you would think that a baked potato is great compared to a plate of french fries.
Let me put it like this: Starches are a form of highly condensed energy. Energy that you just simply ARE NOT BURNING. If you have job that requires to you be physical all day long (like a farmer, carpenter, laborer etc.) then you can get away with it, but then again, if you have one of these professions, chances are your weight isn't too much of a problem.
The reality is, our lives are VERY sedentary. Even if you're 'busy' (who isn't) you probably aren't all that physically active. And while you do need some carbs to fuel your brain and keep you going throughout the day; the carbs you are getting from fruits and veggies are plenty to accomplish this task.
Quite simply, if you are eating carbs, and you have an inactive lifestyle, those carbs are not being used as energy, and WILL end up as body fat, period.
You need to make a shift from having meat, potatoes, and veggies for dinner, to having a salad, meat, and some cooked veggies.
Resist it as much as you want, but my clients who have the best success are all following this type of plan. This is what my wife and I have been doing for years now, and I can tell you the results were visible nearly overnight.
If you MUST have carbs, eat them only in the morning, and in sensible amounts. After that, focus on fresh fruits and veggies, and protein for the rest of your meals, and you will be amazed at the changes in your body.
Put this in to practice now folks. Don't wait any longer. The sooner you do this, the sooner you will get great results.
RD
Friday, January 16, 2009
The truth about Alli
Don't even go here folks. Not one bit. Do not pass go. Do not collect 200 dollars.
You know how people who abuse laxatives are considered bulimic?
Yup, same idea here.
Alli is a pill you take with your meal that binds to fat rendering it incapable of proper digestion.
Here's the process: Take Alli...eat a burger...fat in burger binds to Alli...Alli and fat from burger ends up in toilet.
Eat all the fat you want, and your body won't absorb it. Great huh?
Not really.
Two big problems here.
Number one (well number two actually) is that this causes laxation. Well, to be fair, let me tell you exactly what the manufacturer states: “gas with oily spotting, loose stools, and more frequent stools that may be hard to control.” Sounds like a party to me.
The other is that it doesn't do a damn thing about the carbs, sugar, and all the other garbage you might be jamming down your throat.
And a third problem (I know I said two, but who's keeping track anyway) is that you NEED some of the fat you are eating. If you are eating healthy fats like olive oil and fish oils, you'd then be depriving yourself of some incredibly beneficial and healthy nutrients that actually help you BURN fat.
Okay, so I've got one more. Alli comes with a little manual that contains an eating plan and exercise guide. Guess what? It states for this pill to work, it must be combined with healthy diet and exercise plan.
WAKE UP PEOPLE! It's not the pill that is making you lose weight, it's the strict diet and exercise plan they include with it that MUST be followed in order to achieve the 'incredible' results.
You will not, I repeat, NOT get healthy and skinny from a bloody pill. Give up on the magic bullet, it does not exist.
Your body is NOT meant to be fat.
It's also not meant to sit around all day at a desk, and it's not meant to consume the types of things that are getting passed off as food these days.
Move more, eat less. It's a no brainer folks. Two simple steps and you will lose weight; while maintaining control over your sphincter I might add.
Yeeesh!
You know how people who abuse laxatives are considered bulimic?
Yup, same idea here.
Alli is a pill you take with your meal that binds to fat rendering it incapable of proper digestion.
Here's the process: Take Alli...eat a burger...fat in burger binds to Alli...Alli and fat from burger ends up in toilet.
Eat all the fat you want, and your body won't absorb it. Great huh?
Not really.
Two big problems here.
Number one (well number two actually) is that this causes laxation. Well, to be fair, let me tell you exactly what the manufacturer states: “gas with oily spotting, loose stools, and more frequent stools that may be hard to control.” Sounds like a party to me.
The other is that it doesn't do a damn thing about the carbs, sugar, and all the other garbage you might be jamming down your throat.
And a third problem (I know I said two, but who's keeping track anyway) is that you NEED some of the fat you are eating. If you are eating healthy fats like olive oil and fish oils, you'd then be depriving yourself of some incredibly beneficial and healthy nutrients that actually help you BURN fat.
Okay, so I've got one more. Alli comes with a little manual that contains an eating plan and exercise guide. Guess what? It states for this pill to work, it must be combined with healthy diet and exercise plan.
WAKE UP PEOPLE! It's not the pill that is making you lose weight, it's the strict diet and exercise plan they include with it that MUST be followed in order to achieve the 'incredible' results.
You will not, I repeat, NOT get healthy and skinny from a bloody pill. Give up on the magic bullet, it does not exist.
Your body is NOT meant to be fat.
It's also not meant to sit around all day at a desk, and it's not meant to consume the types of things that are getting passed off as food these days.
Move more, eat less. It's a no brainer folks. Two simple steps and you will lose weight; while maintaining control over your sphincter I might add.
Yeeesh!
Thursday, January 15, 2009
What I recommend for heart rate monitors
This is one piece of equipment that I recommend all my clients get. It is imperative that you know your heart rate when you are training to ensure that you are working at a sufficient enough intensity to cause a change in your body. The only way to know this for sure is to wear a heart rate monitor such as this.
All of my programs contain heart rate guideline for the cardio training sections, and trying to take your pulse manually is nearly impossible to do while working out and almost surely you will end up with major errors. Therefore all my private clients are instructed to get one of these.
I have seen many different models and prices of monitors, but my favorite continues to be the Polar F4 (this is the one I use). The price is great, it is easy to use, and it even tracks how many calories you burn during a workout so you can make sure that you are training just as hard each session.
Locally they have been hard to come by as of late, and the best price I've seen online has been Amazon, so you can click the link below to take you right to their page.
NOTE: It says 'women's' for some reason, but it is exactly the same as then men's; fellas, don't let that confuse you, there is no difference at all.
All of my programs contain heart rate guideline for the cardio training sections, and trying to take your pulse manually is nearly impossible to do while working out and almost surely you will end up with major errors. Therefore all my private clients are instructed to get one of these.
I have seen many different models and prices of monitors, but my favorite continues to be the Polar F4 (this is the one I use). The price is great, it is easy to use, and it even tracks how many calories you burn during a workout so you can make sure that you are training just as hard each session.
Locally they have been hard to come by as of late, and the best price I've seen online has been Amazon, so you can click the link below to take you right to their page.
NOTE: It says 'women's' for some reason, but it is exactly the same as then men's; fellas, don't let that confuse you, there is no difference at all.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Question about how to beat cravings...
Q: I have been trying my best to do the mind over matter and when someone offers me a chocolate or asks if I want to go for wings and it’s a hell of a lot harder than I thought, what can I do to subdue the craving? Some people say drink water or green tea??
First, let me tell you about a little trick that I use to decide if I'm actually hungry, or if I'm just 'craving' something. First, think of a food that you don't particularly enjoy all that much, but if you are hungry, you'll more than happily eat it. For me, it's canned tuna. Bodybuilders around the world have a love-hate relationship with this stuff, and I am no exception. Now, I'm not talking about tuna salad here, just plan ol' canned tuna. Back in school, I had days where I had gone more than 12 hours without eating anything because I had been so wrapped up in my work that I literally forgot to eat (by the way, I do NOT recommend you do this). When I finally stopped working, I realized how hungry I was. All that was around at the time was a can of tuna, which I would often keep in my backpack for just such emergencies. That can of tuna tasted like a gourmet feast at the time, because I was really hungry. Now ask me if I want to eat a can of tuna, plain, when I'm not REALLY hungry, and I'm not going to be interested. So this is a great measuring tool that I use to decide if I am really hungry, or just wanting to snack.
Most people get this right after dinner if they include starches or other heavy carbs in the meal. As soon as they put down the knife and fork they want something sweet. And since you JUST ate, you know you're not really hungry, it's just the hormones and chemicals that have been released into your system from the meal you just consumed.
The only way to beat this is good ol-fashioned determination. Sure you could grab something like a diet soda, but they have been proven to make your sweet tooth even worse. The best thing to do is not eat anything that is bad for you for at all, for at least 10 days, and the cravings will dramatically reduce or subside altogether. This means no cheating on your diet, not one little bit. Every time you eat something that you shouldn't, you are starting the whole process over again, and the more you eat of the bad thing, the worse the cravings will be in the days to come.
When you're struck with cravings, pick something in your mind that you would only eat if you are actually hungry, and if it sounds appetizing to you, then you ARE hungry, and you should eat. But if you'd rather pass, then it's probably just cravings and withdrawal, and you don't need food at the moment.
As I've eluded to in recent posts and various articles, cravings are often a result of the withdrawal process that takes place when you begin to eliminate certain problematic foods from your diet. Although it might sound too extreme to be the case, cutting junk foods from your diet is very much like trying to kick a coke habit. Everything you eat is broken down into it's 'chemical' byproducts (some good, and some bad) and these byproducts have an effect on your body. Sugar, for instance, causes a number of chemical responses to take place, one most notably is a sharp spike in serotonin - a feel good drug. Why do you think when you feel sad, depressed, or upset (all emotional responses to low serotonin) you crave things like chocolate and candy? Because it rapidly boosts your serotonin, and you feel so much better almost instantly. This is how antidepressant medications are thought to work.
We've all had the experience of feeling crappy, then having a bit of junk food to make ourselves feel better - and it works! It works frighteningly well too (although the effects are very short lived). Now try and tell me that isn't a drug addiction. It's just in a different form. If you take just one little bite of chocolate, you are risking sending yourself into an uncontrollable feeding frenzy that will land you with a gut ache, a fuzzy head, and a nice bit of guilt to go along with it. Just like alcoholics, there is no wiggle room here. You cannot allow yourself even a little tiny bit of the foods that you know you have a weakness for, at least not for a period of 30 days like I explain in my Daily Detox Diet program. In this I explain that after a certain period of time has elapsed, you can start selectively re-introducing potentially problematic foods to then determine what you can handle in moderation, and what you should avoid indefinitley.
You really do have to give yourself time to let the cravings pass. This ultimately comes down to digging in your heels and refusing to let anything bad pass your lips. No it's not easy, that is why so many people struggle their whole lives with weight problems. But, given enough time, the toxic byproducts of these bad foods in your system will be eliminated, and the cravings will disappear.
Also, I should also mention, that if your eliminatory processes in your body are in any way overloaded (meaning less than optimal colon, kidney, and liver function - which is the case for the vast majority of people today), then it will take much longer for you to excrete these byproducts. Although not a topic most people want to discuss, I have to bring this up. If you're not having at least one good bowel movement each day, your liver and colon are not working as they should, and you are accumulating toxins in your system that WILL cause you major problems if they haven't already.
This is why including lots of fresh fruits and veggies, high fiber foods, and at least 2 liters of water per day in your diet is ESSENTIAL. They help you cleanse the colon, liver, and kidneys, keep you regular, detoxify the system, and replenish the much needed vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that are leached from your body by harmful foods and pollutants.
Folks , this cannot be understated. You MUST be drinking 2 liters of water every day, and you MUST be getting fresh fruit and/or vegetables in each meal. This is NOT negotiable.
Clean up your diet, stick to it, and it will get easier. It will be a lot of work at first, but once you get past that initial hump (the first 7-10 days) you will be amazed at how your momentum picks up, and how it becomes easy to stick to your plan.
First, let me tell you about a little trick that I use to decide if I'm actually hungry, or if I'm just 'craving' something. First, think of a food that you don't particularly enjoy all that much, but if you are hungry, you'll more than happily eat it. For me, it's canned tuna. Bodybuilders around the world have a love-hate relationship with this stuff, and I am no exception. Now, I'm not talking about tuna salad here, just plan ol' canned tuna. Back in school, I had days where I had gone more than 12 hours without eating anything because I had been so wrapped up in my work that I literally forgot to eat (by the way, I do NOT recommend you do this). When I finally stopped working, I realized how hungry I was. All that was around at the time was a can of tuna, which I would often keep in my backpack for just such emergencies. That can of tuna tasted like a gourmet feast at the time, because I was really hungry. Now ask me if I want to eat a can of tuna, plain, when I'm not REALLY hungry, and I'm not going to be interested. So this is a great measuring tool that I use to decide if I am really hungry, or just wanting to snack.
Most people get this right after dinner if they include starches or other heavy carbs in the meal. As soon as they put down the knife and fork they want something sweet. And since you JUST ate, you know you're not really hungry, it's just the hormones and chemicals that have been released into your system from the meal you just consumed.
The only way to beat this is good ol-fashioned determination. Sure you could grab something like a diet soda, but they have been proven to make your sweet tooth even worse. The best thing to do is not eat anything that is bad for you for at all, for at least 10 days, and the cravings will dramatically reduce or subside altogether. This means no cheating on your diet, not one little bit. Every time you eat something that you shouldn't, you are starting the whole process over again, and the more you eat of the bad thing, the worse the cravings will be in the days to come.
When you're struck with cravings, pick something in your mind that you would only eat if you are actually hungry, and if it sounds appetizing to you, then you ARE hungry, and you should eat. But if you'd rather pass, then it's probably just cravings and withdrawal, and you don't need food at the moment.
As I've eluded to in recent posts and various articles, cravings are often a result of the withdrawal process that takes place when you begin to eliminate certain problematic foods from your diet. Although it might sound too extreme to be the case, cutting junk foods from your diet is very much like trying to kick a coke habit. Everything you eat is broken down into it's 'chemical' byproducts (some good, and some bad) and these byproducts have an effect on your body. Sugar, for instance, causes a number of chemical responses to take place, one most notably is a sharp spike in serotonin - a feel good drug. Why do you think when you feel sad, depressed, or upset (all emotional responses to low serotonin) you crave things like chocolate and candy? Because it rapidly boosts your serotonin, and you feel so much better almost instantly. This is how antidepressant medications are thought to work.
We've all had the experience of feeling crappy, then having a bit of junk food to make ourselves feel better - and it works! It works frighteningly well too (although the effects are very short lived). Now try and tell me that isn't a drug addiction. It's just in a different form. If you take just one little bite of chocolate, you are risking sending yourself into an uncontrollable feeding frenzy that will land you with a gut ache, a fuzzy head, and a nice bit of guilt to go along with it. Just like alcoholics, there is no wiggle room here. You cannot allow yourself even a little tiny bit of the foods that you know you have a weakness for, at least not for a period of 30 days like I explain in my Daily Detox Diet program. In this I explain that after a certain period of time has elapsed, you can start selectively re-introducing potentially problematic foods to then determine what you can handle in moderation, and what you should avoid indefinitley.
You really do have to give yourself time to let the cravings pass. This ultimately comes down to digging in your heels and refusing to let anything bad pass your lips. No it's not easy, that is why so many people struggle their whole lives with weight problems. But, given enough time, the toxic byproducts of these bad foods in your system will be eliminated, and the cravings will disappear.
Also, I should also mention, that if your eliminatory processes in your body are in any way overloaded (meaning less than optimal colon, kidney, and liver function - which is the case for the vast majority of people today), then it will take much longer for you to excrete these byproducts. Although not a topic most people want to discuss, I have to bring this up. If you're not having at least one good bowel movement each day, your liver and colon are not working as they should, and you are accumulating toxins in your system that WILL cause you major problems if they haven't already.
This is why including lots of fresh fruits and veggies, high fiber foods, and at least 2 liters of water per day in your diet is ESSENTIAL. They help you cleanse the colon, liver, and kidneys, keep you regular, detoxify the system, and replenish the much needed vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that are leached from your body by harmful foods and pollutants.
Folks , this cannot be understated. You MUST be drinking 2 liters of water every day, and you MUST be getting fresh fruit and/or vegetables in each meal. This is NOT negotiable.
Clean up your diet, stick to it, and it will get easier. It will be a lot of work at first, but once you get past that initial hump (the first 7-10 days) you will be amazed at how your momentum picks up, and how it becomes easy to stick to your plan.
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