The Mozart diet?

I recently started reading a biography of Mozart. And to my surprise, I found a mention of a diet in it. In a letter that Mozart wrote to his mother in 1770. He's been traveling with his father, his sister and this other man.

"I myself have had the privilege of luncing with this saint, who on this occasion drank a whole decanter and finished up with a full glass of very strong wine, two big slices of melon, some peaches and pears for dessert, five cups of coffee, a whole plate of cloves, and two full dishes of milk and lemon. I suppose he might be following some sort of diet, but I doubt it, for it would be too much; and anyway he eats like this at every meal and what's more, stokes himself up with several snacks the afternoon as well."

Mozart: His life and music. by Jeremy Siepmann

Your year-end summary

As 2009 comes to the end, it is time to look back on your accomplishements. If you made resolutions last January, how did you do? How far did you get with your goal of getting back in shape? What obstacles did you meet? What did you do to get over those? What did you learn about yourself? What habit will you drop or maintain?

If you achieved your goal, congratulations. If not, you still have another 15 days to get closer to your goal. It is never too late to look after yourself. You don't need to wait for the new year. If you need to scarp the old plan and start with a clean slate, do it now. I know it is hard. But the challenging times make the rest of the year easier.

Super-sneaky Weights loss secrets

My wife’s Cosmo just came in. And I had a peek at it. There was an article called “Super-sneaky Weights loss secrets.” That got me curious. I’ve heard of weight loss secrets before but not super snaky ones. So here are a few secrets I found in there.

End your workout with protein.
This one I really like. They suggest you eat a snack that includes protein if you feel hungry after a workout. And this is the part I agree with “People overestimate the number of calories burned while exercising…” And they usually reward themselves with food that has more calories. It kind of defeats the purpose.

Drink after dinner coffee
This one I’ve never heard. But it could be a way to change the dessert habit. They say to drink decaf coffee after dinner. By doing this, your body will gradually stop craving sugar at the end of a meal.

Give your guy the first bite
How about this one? They tell readers to give their guy the first bite, so that they have less to eat. Well ladies, just make sure you eat enough. We don’t enjoy having dinner with someone that eats like a bird. And if you don’t get enough calories you won’t be much fun to be with.

All that sneaky secret stuff means nothing. If you don’t look after your bodies need, you will struggle with your weight. Listen to your body and see how certain foods make you feel. If you do it right, you will not fall prey to cravings. From that, create your eating plan and build health from the ground up. Do it first for your health and everything will fall in place. If you post a comment on this blog, I’ll email you a free report on how to maximize fat loss using food and physical activity.

Cosmopolitan, November 2009

Anti-aging whey protein

This one is not just for bodybuilders. Yes it is a protein supplement and it is not to increase your caloric intake. Its purpose is to minimize the damaging affects that oxidation can have on your tissues. For that reason it is kind of an anti-aging protein. For more info, click on this link.
http://tinyurl.com/y8orcj7

Keep it simple

Lately have been ranting about the fact that many people need equipment to exercise. And from what I see at the gym, they don’t use it properly. They walk on a treadmill and read a magazine. I never understood how they could do that withourt falling off. Anyway, my point is all you need to get it shape is your motivation and desire to change. When you have that, the rest is secondary. A great exercise plan performed poorly will bring you dispionting results. And a so-so program done with intensity will get you where you want.

So the equipment does not guarantee the results. Yes it may bring convenience but it is not the guarantee it promises. At the beginning, your body weight can be all you need. Did you know that you use 75% of your body weight when you do a push-up? So stop delaying the beginning of your exercise routine. Get going.

We were made to move

I just started reading "The stress of life" by Hans Selye. He is a pioneer in the research on stress and its effects. The main point is that we cannot live without a certain level of stress

He also confirmed one of my beliefs: That we were made to move. He writes "As we have so often said, living beings are constructed for work and if they have no outlet for their pent-up energy, they must make extreme efforts at adaptation... "

So choose the good stress over the bad. This is one more way to show you that physical activity is vital to your health.

Do you have a disaster breakfast?

How many of you have a coffee and muffin for breakfast? Do you think this is healthy? Well most muffins are loaded with carbs. And by now you should know what this does to your insulin response. And on top of it, did you know that caffeine will spike that insulin level? It’s kind of a double whammy. If you are a true carb person you may get away with it. But for most of us, that combination is a highway to the love handles.

Add protein to your breakfast. It will slow down digestion and it will not get to your fat cells as fast. Moreover, it will keep you full for longer.

Is there anything harder than losing weight?

For a lot of North Americans, it seems to be the hardest thing. And I assist a lot of my clients through that process. But if you ask people that have lost weight, they may tell you that it was harder to keep it off.

Sadly you hear that story often. An individual loses 20, 30 pounds only to gain it all back and then some. What happenned here? How can a person who had the discipline to lose the weight just gain it back?

They did not use a systme that was right for them. To borrow a term coined to our economy, it was not sustainable. I know someone who lost 70 lbs 2 years ago. He found a plan that worked for him and he is happy following it ti this day. Yes he cheats from time to time. But he gets right back on track.

Keeping the weight off is going to be hard if you don't use an approach that is not sustainable for you. Most crash diets fit into that category. Spend some time to find the right eating plan and do it for your health first. The rest will follow.

3 things you need before your start an exercise program

Before you get started on any exercise plans, follow these steps:

1. Reason or goal

You need to know the reason why you are doing this. What do you want to achieve? Why is it important to you?

2. An appointment
Set up the days and times that you will dedicate to exercise. Plan it in advance.Otherwise you will never find time for it.

3. Motivation/support
It can come from family members and friends. Or a group of people that are on the same journey.

Find your weight loss plan.

Lately I've been reading "The metabolic Typing diet" by William Wolcott and Trish Fahey. It is one of the first diet books that suggests different eating strategies.

More weight loss wisdom

Avoid snack foods with the “OH” sound in the name. Doritos, Fritos, Cheetos, Tostitos, Hostess Ho Hos, etc. – Donna David

Never eat something that is pretending to be something else; e.g, no “textured vegetable protein” or veggie burgers (fake meat), no artificial sweeteners, no margarine (fake butter), no “low fat” sour cream, no turkey bacon, no “chocolate-flavour sauce” that doesn’t contain chocolate, no “quorn.” If I want something that tastes like meat or butter, I would rather have the real thing than some chemical concoction pretending to be healthful. – Sonya Legg

Weight loss or entertainment?

I ask myself that question sometimes. What do people want more: a weight loss workout or an entertaining one? I was reading an article in the paper the other day. I was about another one of those miracle machines. It makes you feel great, gives you a great burn, and you’ll look like a movie star soon. It looks like every body is after the next machine. They want the new piece of equipment that will be the answer to their bulging mid section. A machine that would make them look fantastic with no effort. A machine that does the exercise for you.

I used to have this client that wanted to do new exercises every workout. Because she was easily bored. Well, first I’m not here to entertain you. And second, how can we progress if you are always learning a move?

Well wake up and smell the sweat. That is not how it works. First, find a routine that you like. And second, learn how to perform the exercises properly. And third, perform them as hard as you can. That is how you will get your body to change. And if you want to be entertained, go catch a movie after your workout.

Weight loss quotes.

Here are a few quotes that I found in the New York Times magazine.

After spending some time with people with eating disorders, I came up with this rule: “Don’t create rules for eating if their only purpose is to help you feel more in control.” I try to eat healthfully, but if there’s a choice between eating ice cream and spending all day obsessing about eating ice cream, I’m going to eat ice cream! – Laura Usher

If you are not hungry enough to eat an apple, then you are not hungry. – Emma Foot

It’s better to pay the grocer than the doctor. – John Forti

Different strokes for different folks

When it comes to weight loss programs, we are not the same. There's no one size fits all solution. Unfortunately, most weight loss system and diet books try to do that. And as it works for some individuals, we see their newly skinny bodies in before and after pictures. Great marketing approach that helps racking in the money.

We never hear about the ones that had a hard time. Or did not have any success. One of my clients got herself sick after trying a diet plan that worked for one of her friends. So spend some time in finding what brings you the best overall health benefits. Plan for the long haul, not for a quick fix.

I don’t feel like working out

Man, these days I really don’t want to do it. I drag my butt around and come up with excuses not to workout. Then I start blaming the lack of light, blah, blah, blah. And then I think of the people that read this blog for motivation. And sometime I feel like a fraud. But you know what, it can happen to any of us. The important thing is just to get going again. Just find time for a short workout. That’s what I did. I exercised for 20 min. I felt pretty god. I was happy to have done it and to have taken action out of my slump. And my hamstrings were sore.

So if you fall off the horse, don’t dwell on it. Just keep your focus on what you want to achieve and get back at it.

Fat is not fattening

If you look for it, the evidence that low fat diets don’t really work is there. A review article that was published in 2002 could not relate dietary fat intake and weight gain. It looks like once again we are being misled to think that we should be afraid of fat and delve into carbs. You need to find the balance that works for you. The right proportions of protein, fat and carbohydrates will keep you slim and full of energy.
See “What is your metabolic type?” posted on October 5, 200

Diet pop is no help

I was reading a Kevin Trudeau book the other day. He was reporting results of a study that looks into the effects of diet pop. Does it really help to lose weight? Well, he used two groups of kids. The first one drank diet pop and the second one kept on drinking regular pop. What do you think the results were? The diet pop kids got fatter and the regular pop ones stayed the same. Maybe it is time you re-think your choice. Pop is crap but if you will drink it, stay with the real stuff.

Easy strategy for weight loss

I was surprised by this article in the New York Times magazine. The article was on calorie restriction diets. And what caught my attention was the fact that people tend to eat the same weight of food every day. The problem is that some days we eat more calorie dense foods.

So if you want to lose weight, focus on foods that bring a lot of nutrition but low calories. An example is an apple, low calories for the weight. Conversely, alcohol has a lot of calories with little nutrition.

Thus make the bulk of your food, high nutrition and low calories. Dr. Phil calls it high yield foods. Looks like fruits and vegetables win the comparison again. Non of the low fat crap allowed.

Listen to your body

Yes, listen to it. It’s talking to you. And it does so every minute of every day. It communicates to you what is going on inside. Your body doesn’t use words. It communicates with emotions, feelings and sensations. But don’t worry, this won’t be a “feelings” article.

My point is, your body tells you if something is going wrong. We are the idiots that ignore the message. As an example, notice how you feel after a meal. Does it give you a boost or does it make you feel sleepy? If you feel sleepy, that meal had the wrong foods or proportions for you. Food is our source of energy. It should not leave you feeling sluggish. Unless you eat foods that are wrong for you..

So, 1-2 hours after a meal, notice how you feel and learn from the message your body is sending you.

The dirty secret of weight machines

It kills me when I see an obese person that is trying to lose weight, on a biceps curl machine. It is a waste of time. It is such a small muscle and burn few calories. Moreover, machines do not help you wit h posture or core strength. Thus you need to use a lot of them to cover your whole body. And machines work your muscles in isolation which never happens in real life.

Invest your workout time in exercises that use as many muscles as you can. And learn a variety of bodyweight exercises. If you can’t perform a chin up, what the hell are you doing on a biceps curl machine?

Do you see yourself as a fat person?

Most people that have a weight problem have a bad perception of themselves. Earl Nightingale discovered that we become what we think about. Thus if you constantly think about the weight you have to lose and feel bad about being overweight, it will always stay as your reality. Change you mind and it may bring positive change.

Here’s a story that may seem unrelated. But to me it shows how little change can change any situations.

A few weeks ago I was reading a book on psychology. And, it was from a therapist who had a different approach to treatment. Now stay with me, this is interesting. The patient was a man in his 40s suffering from depression. He would just be at home and be depressed. And it’s all he would talk about. The therapist asked him to go to his local library and be depressed there. So the patient followed the recommendation. Nothing really changed for a week. Then, he decided that since he was in a library, he might check some books. He always had an interest in cave exploration and found some books on it. A few days later, he met another guy who had the same interest. Then they planned their first exploration trip. Long story short, the patient found something else to talk about and he forgot about depression.

The therapist knew it would be hard to treat the patient if he stayed home. He just changed the environment and something happened. It could have not worked at all, but it was worth a shot. So, what are you thinking about? How do you see yourself?

Power breakfast

I don't know about you but I like my breakfast. When I wake up in the morning, I need to eat. And I like a big breakfast. My metabolic type is Mixed with a tendency towards Protein. And lately, I've been trying to include veggies in my breakfast. I can now make a great veggie omelette. But I wanted a bit more. So, here is what I came up with yesterday. I made a three-egg omelette with onions and red bell peppers and added salsa on top of it. It was great. And to boost my veggies I had a big green salad with a dressing of olive oil and apple cider vinegar. Man, it was great. And I wasn’t even hungry for my mid-pm snack. Give it a try.

Weight loss and water intake

Now I know what you are thinking. How can water make a difference in weight loss if has no calories? I'll give you one good reason. It can boost your metabolic rate.

Yes sir it can. By eating a lot of unhealthy foods, get a lot of toxins in our bodies. And those just clog our system, making it slower. And the best solution for pollution is dilution. By drinking plenty of water, you will help your body get rid of the toxins and let it work properly. Thus an increased metabolic rate and more calories burned.

Now, how much water should you drink? The recommended 8 glasses is a good rule of thumb. And that is clean water, nothing added to it. You have to add more if you drink caffeinated drinks, if you exercise and if the weather is warm.

A new path to self-esteem

Do you lack self confidence? Would you like to have better relationships? Well, there are steps to get there. And you need to take care of your basic physiological needs first. In the 40s, psychologist Dr Abraham Maslow presented the hierarchy of needs. At the bottom, you have physiological needs like water, sleep and food. And from that base, you move on to other levels.

Based on this information, it is hard to have self esteem and confidence if we don’t eat well. We need to first nourish our bodies in order to attain the higher levels. In our society, we drive expensive cars and eat cheap food. We try to gain self-esteem by getting other’s approval. Why not try a little shift here. Treat your body very well first and see what happens.

Are you going to wait for the New Year… again?

Today is the 283rd day of 2009. We have 82 more days to go. Did you make some resolutions this year? Did it involve getting in shape and losing some weight? How is that goal coming along? If you are like most people, your waist has not changed or you are wearing a larger size.

So try this little exercise. Picture yourself at a fork in the road. On your right, you see yourself on October 10, 2010, if you don’t take action. You are unhappy, unhealthy and still fatter. And if you look to your left, there’s a new you. You look slimmer and have more energy. And you are really happy about your life.

Which path are you going to take? What are you going to do with your 82 days?

Did you hate Phys Ed in high school?

Remember when you were in high school. Remember those days that you had to go to the gym for physical education. Did you dread it? I hated it too. I know it may be hard to believe. In my last year of high school I was able to take an extra math class in order to get out of phys ed.

What they called physical education was more about sports education. And I could not stand the constant focus on performance. I did not care about putting the little birdie in the back corridor. I just wanted to have fun by running around and smacking that birdie. That class was no fun. And I know that I’m not alone. There are a lot of you out there.

So you may wonder how I became a personal trainer. I started working out in my bedroom as a teenager. And I’ve always been fascinated with the human body. How it works and how it auto regulates. And when I started to study the physiology of exercise, I was hooked.

What I’m trying to say is that you need to let go of the gym class syndrome. High school has been over for a few years but I know it still haunts most of you, especially when you join a fitness facility. So find an exercise routine or activity you enjoy. And remember that it is all about you. Your challenge is to improve yourself. You don’t need to join a gym. You can workout at home and save the travelling time. Does it sound like a plan?

Don’t break your bad habits

Yes you read it right. You should not try to break your old habits. For most of us it will lead to failure. So what should you do if you want to lose eight and have bad habits. The answer is to switch to a better habit.

Yes, take your bad or disgusting habit and switch it to a good, healthy one. Let’s say watch TV after dinner. Just trying to not watch TV will be really hard. You have to find something to do that will get you closer to your goal. You could go out and take a walk. If you have a tendency to snack on garbage, just buy healthy snacks. Don’t let temptation enter your house. Personally, I was in the habit of drinking coffee every morning. It felt like I did not have control over it. One morning I started drinking tea and I found that I was satisfied with the warm tea.

I would like to know what your habit switching successes are. Please share your experience. It may help someone.

The ultimate advice to lose weight.

So her I am trying to make this as simple as possible. And to sum it up in one sentence, one piece of advice. Not an easy task against such a big problem. But before that, let’s look at what it takes to lose one pound of fat.

One pound of fat equals 3500 calories. That is what you need to burn in order to be lighter by one pound. So if you plan on losing one pound per week, you need to create a deficit of 500 calories every day. As an example, you could cut 250 calories from you diet and burn 250 calories through exercise every day. A little less input, a little more output.

I think I got it. Here is the ultimate advice to lose weight.

EAT LESS, MOVE MORE

"If my middle is so soft, why is the rest of my life so hard"
-- Paul Simon

Flat abs for ever

I know it’s hard to believe. And it has nothing to do with how many crunches you can do. Thus this advice will help you get a flat gut, not necessarily a 6-pack. What I want you to understand is that there’s something pushing your abs from the inside out. Yes there’s internal fat. And even if you lose the extra fat, you may still have a paunch belly. Why?

One of the possibilities is that you have a food intolerance. Meaning there’s one or more foods that your body just doesn’t agree with. And when you eat that food, it wreaks havoc in you gut. This will create internal pain for your body and the last thing in needs is pressure to the inflamed area. Thus your gut muscles get the order to relax and be loose. Imagine this going on for a few years and you can imagine the end results. Abdominal muscles that are harder to recruit and keep hard.

What should you do? Start by being aware of how certain foods make you feel. A lot of people have a problem with gluten. It makes them feel like a hot air balloon (no pun intended). As an example, if you suspect flour products to be the problem, eliminate them all from your diet for a week. And see if your gut feels differently. This is called an elimination diet. It is a trial and error approach to finding why is it so hard to keep your abs flat.

What is you metabolic type?

We all have different biochemistry. That means that we respond to a given food differently. As an example, I love peanut butter. And other people can die from it. Even though there are general guidelines that we should follow, we need to tweak our nutrition plan. You need to find a plan that works for you. To help you with that, here are a few questions that can help you determine your metabolic type.

Do you prefer:
A. Dark meat
B. Light meat


How would you describe yourself?
A. I live to eat
B. I eat to live


Do you often...
A. Add salt to your food
B. Find food too salty


I prefer my dairy products...
A. Richer, like full fat yogurt and cheeses
B. Lighter, like low fat yogurt and cheeses

About snacking
A. I feel better when I snack between meals
B. I don’t need to eat between meals

What type of breakfast you prefer?
A. Large breakfast including protein and fat
B. Light breakfast with cereal, fruits and bread

Results:

Carbohydrate (%) Protein (%) Fat (%)
Mostly A 35 45 20
Mix of A and B 50 40 10
Mostly B 70 20 10

These are just a few questions based on the research of Weston A. Price. He was a pionner in the field of nutrition. He studied different cultures that continued with their traditional way of eating. And our metabolic type is based on what our ancestors ate naturally.

I this the new face of malnutrition?

Do you remember the UNICEF ads of the 80s? We were urged to send money to help feed a malnourished kid. Do you remember the images? I was a child with a belly. That was the image of being malnourished. And our donations were to go toward getting them good food.

Fast forward to today. And walk down your street. You will soon see the new face of malnutrition, obese adults and kids. They probably eat too much of the wrong things. Which are foods that give a lot of calories and very little nutrition. Thus, their bodies send them for more food, in search of the missing nutrients. Now I understand that we don’t have the same genes, some of us got lucky. And if your genes tend to keep you well insulated, it is the hand you were dealt. Now, how are you going to play the game?

Nutrition is more than counting calories. You’ll get proper nutrition by making wiser food choices. If you are in the habit of writing a food diary, try to change one processed food for a wholesome one. And gradually work your way out of the nutrition-less foods. Eat a variety of fresh and wholesome foods. It will give your body the vitamins, nutrients and minerals it needs. Treat your body right and it will return the favour.

Eating garbage food and taking a multi-vitamin won’t cut it. It is the equivalent of building a house with rotten wood and using gold nails.

An even more sensitive subject

This one had nothing to do with food. It is more about an added benefit of fat loss. It could actually improve your sexual performance.

I guess I got you interested now. While, being fit will give you more endurance in any activity, you will also improve your blood lipid profile. By having less fat in your blood, you reduce the clogging of your arteries. Consequently, it will improve blood flow (See Sept 27 posts) and improve your erection. Just in case you did not know, an erection is caused by an increased blood flow to the penis.

On the flip side, erectile dysfunction could be a sign of future cardiac problems. The arteries in the penis are small and get clogged early.

This is a sensitive subject

I knew that I’d have to tackle this subject at one point. And for most of us, we have a hard time cutting down on this one. I am talking about alcohol.

The calories from alcohol, being liquid, won’t do much to keep you full. And you have to count them as part of your carbohydrates at meal time. It means that you should reduce your other carbs if you decide to drink alcohol with your meal. (See Balanced Meal post on Sept 9) Moreover, try to avoid alcohol on an empty stomach. Always eat some protein before you start drinking. It will slow down its absorption thus keeping you sober a little longer.

The importance of planning your fat loss journey

I’m sure you’ve heard this one before. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. And I’ve seen this many times during my years in fitness clubs. New members start to workout and then life gets in the way. They just think that they fit exercising when ever they can. Truth is, you need to schedule it like any other appointment. And respect it. That’s why personal training works for most people. It gives them a fixed time. And I found it works well with the business crowd. Without an appointment, they always find something else to do.

Here’s the strategy. After you’ve decided to include an exercise routine in your life, decide when you’ll do it. Write down days and times that work for you. It may be Mon, Wed and Fri at 6pm for 60 min. Or if you don’t have that chunk of time you be more comfortable with 15 min workouts at 6:30 am and 12 noon. Just find what works for you. I’m sure you can drop one of those TV shows for your workout. The best exercise routine is the one that you’ll do.

You don't need a treadmill to do cardio.

I know, it is something that is engraved in your mind. And I have to admit, the fitness industry is guilty of this misconception. They want you to get a membership, pay monthly and after a few weeks, you don't show up again. And I know, a lot of people think that by getting a membership, they'll get in shape easily. And they like to see new toys. Those should be better for getting in shape. It's almost an entertainment factor.

The reality is, you don't need any equipment. I train most of my clients, using no equipment at all. And I get their heart rates higher then when they do cardio. Your body weight should be enough if you know how to use it. And you need to be committed to change and not afraid of working hard.

New fat loss supplement

Finally! A weight-loss system that has everything you need to lose the weight and keep it off. And it feeds you with high quality whey protein that boost your immune system. It is called FITT, Future In Thinning Technology. Follow this link for more info.

http://tinyurl.com/yawn25n

The problem with diet foods

There are so many low-fat/ no-fat food options at the supermarket. You would think that if dietary fat was the main cause of our obesity problem, we would be getting thinner. If you ate a lot of “light stuff” we would get lighter. That’s not what the stats are showing us. We’re getting fatter and fatter. What’s going on?

If you took the time to read the ingredients in your no-fat yogurt, you’ll see that corn starch is part of it. Since fat is taken out, they need to add something as a binding agent. Corn starch, corn syrup and the others, are the cheapest food filler money can buy. And it is a processed carbohydrate. This will increase the glycemic index of your food. So you will digest your food faster and soon you will be hungry again.

I know that we’ve been educated to stay way from fat. Reality is we need a daily intake of healthy fat. All the cell of the body needs it. And it looks like processed carbs are the bad guys in weight gain. What do you think?

No equipment workouts

I hear all kinds of excuses for not following an exercise plan. I don't have time, I don't like going to the gym, I don't have any equipment at home, etc,... Soon I'll start posting exercise routine that you can do at home and of different time length, from 10 to 30 min. And the best of all they will be no equipment workout routines. Yes, you can have a kick ass workout at home with a no equipment workout. Keep coming to this blog and you'll soon be able to watch videos of no equipment workouts that you can follow at home.

Can exercise make you smarter?

If you need one more reason to get your butt off the couch, here it is. Recent research shows that aerobic exercise can help your brain perform better. But you need to get your heart pumping a little faster. Increased blood flow carries growth factors from the periphery of the body to the brain. This would help creating new neurons and connections.

At the University of Illinois, students performed better at a memory test following a brisk walk compared to sitting down. Same results for elderly people, comparing a 6-month program of cardio or stretching.

And the bonus is, the harder you workout, the more positive change you get.

Fibre and fat loss

In earlier posts, I mentioned 3 elements that can slow down digestion; protein, fat and fibre. Turns out, fibre is a great ally in preventing fat gains. A recent study reports that participants who ate more fibre were less likely to gain weight and body fat. This is because fibre adds weight and volume without adding calories. It also binds to fat, thus decreasing fat absorption. The author, Dr Larry Tucker, suggests a high fibre intake combine with abundant physical activity for weight management.

This is one more reason why you should eat more fruit and vegetables. And this research supports my suggestion of eating a salad before the rest of your meal. Just give it a try.

Waist management

I know we are all obsessed about weight. If you make weight the focus of your plan, you may not get the whole picture. I have clients that find themselves fitting better in their clothes without budging a pound on the scale.

Here’s what I suggest. Get on a waist management program instead of a weight management program. Focus on losing inches instead of pounds. Your waist girth is a more important predictor of mortality related to being overweight. (See Sept 22nd post)

Take a tape measure and record your waist girth at the belly button. Keep the tape measure parallel to the floor. The ideal waist for a man is 35 or less. And it starts to be dangerous for your health when you reach 40 inches.

Low-glycemic shake

A few days ago I posted on how to use the glycemic index (GI) to help you lose fat. Here is a shake that is low glycemic.

Blend the following ingredients (GI in parentheses)

- ½ apple (39)
- ½ peach (28)
- ½ cup ice (0)
- ¼ cup ready-to-eat muesli (66)
- ½ cup of skim milk (32)
- ½ cup low-fat yogurt (14)

Enjoy

Weight loss approach different for men?

I once had a conversation with a guy and he said that losing fat was a constant challenge for him. He said that he liked to eat like a man. And that meant to eat until being so full he felt sick. He could easily eat 2 pizzas and a tub of ice cream.

It’ true that most of us eat like vacuums. Personally, I never leave food on my plate. But now that I’m approaching 40, I can’t get away with the eating habits of my 20s. I figure I need to be smarter about it.

Guys, if you are overweight, it is time to make some changes before it’s too late. For most of you, you need to reduce your portions. Try to eat more regularly in order to control hunger. And just because the menu says “Hungry Man” doesn’t mean you should order it. And unless you plan to chop wood, the lumberjack breakfast may not be the best option.

At the same time, I’m not advocating that you make yourself miserable by eating like a bird. Find new habits that you will be able to maintain. Don’t try to starve yourself. If I don’t eat well, my wife thinks that there’s something wrong with me.

Stress and fat loss.

It may be news to you. It seems like more stress equals bigger gut. Maybe we should change the terminology from beer gut to stress gut. Stress-related hormones promote fat deposit in the abdomen. Not only do you gradually lose sight of your penis, it also puts you at greater risks of heart disease.

And stress is not only trying to finish a project in time. It is driving in traffic, being sleep deprived, not eating properly. These are all stresses that your body has to deal with. And it all adds up. So take time to relax and take deep breaths. One thing you can do is to take breathing breaks. Take 5 deep breaths every hour at the hour. It will have a calming effect.

When it comes to exercise, just get started

People can find all kind of excuses to delay the start of their exercise program. And when I was working in health clubs we gave them another one. I often suggested that they get a doctor’s approval before starting an exercise program. This was supposed to reduce the risks of a member dying in our club. I understand that I should never prescribe high intensity exercise for a beginner. But even if you have high blood pressure, wouldn’t you benefit from walking regularly?

And recently I read that this approach has no scientific base to support it. And a research published in August 2009 suggests that sedentary individuals should start exercising as soon as possible. Start small and build up gradually. Go to a doctor if you feel dizziness or chest discomfort. The authors do suggest a medical exam for individuals with intermediate or high risks of heart problems. In these individuals, it reduces the risks of problems.

What are you waiting for?

Is 10 minutes enough to lose fat?

Another misconception is that you need to workout for 20 minutes at a time to burn fat. Again it is based on old research that the fat burning system takes 12-20 minutes to go full throttle. It is true, and you now know that it is not the best approach to maximize total fat loss. Intensity is the key to that door. (See yesterday’s post)

Let’s look at a study published in 1995 in the International Journal of Obesity. They investigated exercise adherence and fat loss. To do so, they compared a group that trained on average 30 minutes per day, and a group that exercised in bouts of 10 minutes at a time.

1X30 min VS 3X10 min

What do you think happened? Well, one group exercised more diligently and lost more body weight. And it is the 3X10 min. Seems like bouts of 10 min are easier to fit in the schedule and you can work harder. And the effects on cardio fitness were similar. Do we still have guys out there that will use the no time excuse?

Exercise Intensity and fat loss

While I was doing my Masters’ degree, I realized that our research was comparable to the Formula 1. F1 technology is 10 years ahead of our cars. And our research results would influence the public’s approach to fitness 10 years later.

So it is about time that we stop thinking that slow continuous cardio is the best strategy to lose body fat. Research from the 80s taught us about the “fat burn” zone. While it is true that we burn more fat than carbohydrates at lower intensities, it is still not the best approach. We will soon learn that you need to maximize fat burn post-exercise.

A study from 1994, in the journal Metabolism, investigated the effects of exercise intensity and fat loss. They compared high intensity (HI) and regular endurance (E) training over a 20-week period.

The results? Even though the E group burned twice as many calories during the exercise sessions, the HI group lost more body fat. How’s that possible? One of the explanations is that HI exercise favours a greater body fat utilization after exercise. This is why I suggest that HI exercise should be the base of your fat loss plan. Just be reasonable and don’t start too crazy. Challenge yourself and increase gradually.

Think yourself thinner

One thing that I have noticed with weight loss clients is that they have a tendency to put themselves down. And that includes their achievement. When you lose your first 5 pounds, be proud of yourself. Don't focus on the fact that you still have a lot to lose. You have to acknowledge your daily success. It keeps you positive and motivated.

Here is one exercise you should do. Write down 5 things that you like about yourself. It could be qualities, skills, personality traits, etc. Then find 5 things that you like about your body. These positive views abot yourself will set up your mind to focus on what is great about you. You will feel better about yourself and about your goal of getting healthier.

Now that you have set a weight loss goal.

You finally have that goal. It represents "what" you want to achieve. What you want to see change. And it is very important to be specific. Now there are other questions to be answered. The next one is "why". Why do you want to see that change? Why is it important to you to achieve your goal? This is your reason for embarking on this journey. This is what will keep you going when times get challenging. It will keep you focus and on track.

Then you need to figure out how you will do this. You probably need to change some habits. If your present habits made you gain 40 pounds, it's time to change them, don't you think? Unless you want to wait another year and gain an extra 10.

In other words, what is your plan. It's like a business plan for your body, your new body. Decide what you want to see change and why. Then write down the steps you need to follow in order to get there.

Top five habits for fat loss

1. Balanced meals and clean eating habits are crucial. And this blog will keep on giving you tips on how to improve. Find what works for your lifestyle.

2. Watch your eating habits. I'm not kidding. You need to create a fat burning environment by eating the proper food.

3. 2-3 high intensity workouts per week. This will increase your metabolic rate and push the fat burn even more.

4. 2-4 low to moderate activities per week. It will burn extra calories. And it may save you from your cravings. Have a craving for cake? Go out for a walk.

5. Be more physically active during the day. See 'Every stp counts from Sept 10 on this blog.

The glycemic index and weight loss

At the same time as you want to maximize fat burn, you want to minimize fat storage. And the only way to do that is to eat in a way to control insulin levels. You know, insulin, the hormone that makes glucose enter your cells? Well, we could call it the "storage hormone". That means the more insulin is secreted, the more sugar and fat is stored. And insulin secretion will be determined by your blood sugar levels.

So, on top of eating protein, fat and fiber, there's another way to keep your blood sugar in check. Choose carbohydrates that have a low glycemic index. The lower the number, gives you a smaller insulin secretion, thus less storage. And it might keep you full a little longer.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycemic_index

What is your weight loss goal?

If you are serious about getting leaner, setting goals can be a big motivator. It helps in keeping you focused. If you are starting, your goal may be to commit to 3 workouts per week. Or set up a food plan for a week and follow it. When you get those achievements under your belt, try to make them new habits.

Once you are eating well and are active, you can set a change goal. A goal like fitting in those pants that are "really" too tight. And make your goal attainable. I mean, if you are a size 42, don't set a goal to squeeze into a size 36 right away. The size 36 may be a great long term goal, just not appropriate for the short term. Makes sense?

And give yourself a realistic time line to achieve your goal. Anywhere from 8-16 weeks is OK. Now write down your goal in a positive statement. It coould look like this.

"Today (date), I can fit comfortably in my size (goal) pants. I am really proud of my achievement.

Give it a shot and let me now how it goes.

What is your fat threshold?

You know how some people gain 5 pounds and they want to lose it? And then you have some guys who just let it get out of control. Only to wake up one morning and they have 25+ pounds to lose? Which one are you? What is your fat gain threshold? And research shows that the threshold inches higher with time. Remember that the sooner you tackle the problem, the fastest you'll get back to your fighting weight.

If you wait until your waist get out of control and that you need a 3rd wardrobe, beware. You are just making the job harder for you. Fat cells can only store a certain amount of fat. Once they reach their limits, they trigger the formation of new fat cells. Making it harder to lose the extra pounds.
What is the best strategy? As stated by obesity researcher Claude Bouchard, don't get obese. And if you are, start making changes today. Don't wait for the New Year, the new month or the new week. The road to a new you starts today. The journey of a thousand miles starts with the first step- Confucius

Eating slow for weight loss

The defenition of eating is "Take into the mouth, chew and swallow". That means that most of us don't really eat. Because we tend to forget the chewing part. And I'm guilty of that. As a kid, we had races to see who could finish meals the fastest.

One thing is for sure, by chewing well, it will improve your digestion. And your body will be able to better absorb the nutrients in your food. Also, you'll probably eat less. It takes 20 minutes for your body to get the message that it is full. Thus by eating slower, you will get the feeling of fullness before you take in all the extra calories. Which will improve your chances of success for weight loss.

This is the purpose of eating a salad at the beginning of your meal. It is a low-caloric, slow-digestible food that takes place in your stomach. Leaving less space for higher caloric foods. And the message the message of fullness has time to get to your brain. About the salad, just don't use store bought salad dressings. They are full of sugar and other chemicals.

Another thing you can do to slow down your eating is to put your fok down while you chew. Believe me, it is harder thatn you think. And it is a great habit to have. A recent Japanese stude reported that fast eaters were more prone to diabetes and weight gain.

Food diary and fat loss Part II

By now you should have at least 7 days recorded in your food diary. And I hope that it helped you in finding areas to improve. Also, I want to reinforce that you need to be honest with this. I used to train this lady that had a hard time losing weight. Even though she was following her food plan and exercising on a regular basis. I was running out of options until one day I spoke to one of her co-workers. And I learned that she "forgot" to tell me about her daily chocolate bar!!!

So the food journal is a very important tool. It will make you realize what you need to improve in terms of nutrition. And one day, you will figure out what approach works best for you. You will feel fantastic and have lots of energy. Then all you have to do is to go back a few days in your food journal and see what worked so well. Without having it on paper, you will always be guessing.

And consider this. In a recent study out of the University of Arkansas, the participants who kept a food record for 3 weeks or more, lost 3.5 pounds more then those who didn't.

Every step counts in losing weight

The other day I heard 2 guys talking about weight loss and how hard it was. They both had more than a few pounds to lose and complaining about their beer guts. The interesting fact is that they were having this conversation while riding the escalator. Did they ever thought about using the strairs?

My point is that every bit of activity counts. If you use your food to create a fat burning environment, evry step you take will bring you closer to your goal. Make it a habit to take the stairs, walk instead of taking the car, park a little further away when you go to the mall. It all adds up. Now, just make sure that you don't reward yourself with food. It will just defeat the purpose.

Balanced meals for fat loss

Everytime you eat you should have some protein. Protein ia what will satisfy hunger the fastest. And by now you know that you should also have veggies with your meal. If you are really serious about fat loss, your plate should have salad in one half of it. Then a lean protein in one quarter and steamed veggies in the last quarter. Really minimize your consumption of pasta and rice. We all have a tendency to over eat them. They give a big rise in blood sugar and it will end up in your fat cells. If you have a big craving rice, pasta or bread, you can have some after a good workout. After a workout, your muscles' energy stores are lower. Thus making your muscles ready to take in the carbs you just ate.

So, a balenced meal will have a source of lean protein, some carbohydrates in the form of veggies and some good fat. Fat can be in your home made dressing made of olive oil and vinegar. If you eat this way, it is a no fail strategy.

No time to exercise?

I hear that excuse often. And there's a way to work around it. A study published in the 90's reported that a group of people that exercised 3 times a day for 10 min each lost more body fat than the group that exercised for 30 min in one shot. How is this possible? Well you can workout at a much higher intensity if you only go for 10 min. See, that word again, intensity. Doesn't m atter what amount of time you have, peform your exercises in a challenging way. It should not feel like a walk in the park.

Sleep and fat loss

You probably never guessed th at the quality of your sleep could affect you weight. You have to realize that most of us are sdeep deprived. In order to funtion in our society we cut ourselves short of something very important. With lack of sleep, we become less alert and we cannot perform at a high level. And we are so used to feeling this way, that we don't remember what it feels like to be fully alert and rested.

And what do we t end to eat when we feel that way. Well research shows that we have a tendency towards sugary foods and snacks. And we use these foods to gi ve us a boost. Especially during the afternoon slump. So take on goo d sleeping habits and make sure you get plenty of restorative sleep. It will help your food choices.

Try this workout for fat loss

Now that your food intake is changing gradually, it is time to include a little activity. Your food choices will set the stage for fat burn. And the exercise will improve on this. And you need to find activities you enjoy. Doesn't matter what it is, get moving. This workout is one you can do at home, with no equipment. It is short and challenging if done properly. Just adjust the number of repetitions based on your fitness level. Do these as a circuit

Squats 10 reps
Push up 10 reps
Jumping Jacks 10 reps
Crunches 10 reps
Walk 1 min

Perform 2-4 sets. This will help you maximize your fat burn. Have fun

Food quality and fat loss

You are what you eat. You've heard that one before. Let's take a look at your food diary again and see what kind of food you eat. Is it processed and stripped of nutrients? If it is the case, you will digest it quickly and be hungry again soon. Your body seeks more than calories, it seeks nutrition. And most over processed foods are devoided of nutrition. Moreover, they are full of preservatives and coloring. The kind of stuff that should not be in your body.



You should choose foods that are as close as possible to the real thing. Go for chicken, not the cold cuts fake chicken. And fruits are better fresh, not dried. Take a good look at your food and what can be improved on in terms of quality. Even if you only subsitute one item for now. It is a step in the right direction. Feed your body well and it will thank you for it. If you are what you eat, do you wonder why you feel like garbage?

Eat more often to lose weight.

I know that is sounds weird. Eating more often does not mean that you'll ingest more calories. By eating more often you will have better control over your hunger. Thus making it easier on you to reduse your portions. You will control your blood sugar levels and maintain your body in a fat burn mode instead of a fat store.



Instead of 3 square meals, try to add snacks between your breakfast and lunch and between lunch and dinner. Chances are you won't feel as hungry when dinner time comes. And snacks should include protein and carbs. As an example, a piece of fruit and some nuts. Or fruit and some cheese. Give it a try.

Food Diary and Fat Loss

So, do you have 1 or 2 days of your food diary? When you look at it, does it make you realize a few things? Chances are your meals are unbalanced and heavy on the carbohydrates. Carbs are important, you just need the right proportions. One other thing that you may notice from your food diary is that you eat little during the day and a lot at night. How about vegetables? Did you eat them? (Now I sound like my mother). Well, let's talk about veggies. Why are they so important? Aside from giving you vitamins and minerals and antioxidants, they are a great source of fiber. And you may not know this but fiber is one of the things that can reduce your caloric intake. Fiber will reduce the speed at which you digest your food thus keeping you full a little longer.

With all this said, you may need to increase your intake of veggies. You can start lunch and dinner with a salad. You can also eat a veggies in an egg white omelette for breakfast. Try this for a few days and see if it make a difference in your food intake.

Exercise intensity and fat loss

Now that you are working on your food diary, let's look at exercise. I always hear people saying that they want a great program to lose weight. Well, the best program is the one you will do and that you will do with intensity. Here's the myth buster. We alwayd thought that long and slow cardio was the way to burn fat. Well, it helps but it should not be the corner stone of your plan.

Here's the truth, a bad program done with intensity will yield better results than a perfectly design program done at low intensity. Let's face it, if you give yourself time for a workout, wouldn't you want to get the maximum out of it? So why not burn the maximum number of calories by going as hard as you can? And research shows that you will lose more body fat inthe long run. Just don't forget to keep an eye on your food.

What to eat?

I get that question a lot. And the older we get, it seems we get away with less. In your 20s you can get away with anything. And if you had a great body in your 20s, you just lucked out. The body you have in your 30s and 40s, you work for. You work for it by eating right and exercising right. And remember that nutrition comes first. An exercise session cannot undo the damage of poor diet. You need to set up your body for fat loss using food first. An exercise session will enhance the fat burning environment that you have created with your meals.

So first start by writing everything you eat and drink for 7 days. You have to start being honest with yourself. Don't "forget" anything. This will be your reality check into the way you feed your body. In my next posts, we wil start to analyze your food diary.

Hello all

I'm all new to this, so here it goes. I'm a regular guy that works as a personal trainer. I'm no fitness competitor or body builder. I just aim at keeping my body strong and healthy. And most fitness "gurus" all look like models. I don't really aspire to that kind of level. And I'm sure there are a lot of you out there that feel like me.

So, I'm going to use this blog to share info on fat loss, nutrition, exercise and wellness in general. Don't worry, I like to keep things simple. And when it comes to exercise, I like to figure what is the minimum I can do. I'll be honest, I hated phys ed in school. And that did not stop me from becoming a personal trainer. We'll figure it out for you also.