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Does FAT make you FAT?
Fat to Avoid
YES & NO. The right answer to this query is dependent on what type of fat we are talking about. Sure fats are actually essential for so lots of important bodily functions, but the wrong kind of fat can lead us down an unhealthy path to weight gain & a long list of diseases.
Hydrogenated Oils
You have probably already heard in the media or anywhere that hydrogenated oils are detrimental to your health so to keep away from them at all costs. But what exactly are they?
Hydrogenation is a chemical technique used to make fat more shelf stable. This hydrogenation technique alters the liquid oil’s molecular structure so that it no longer resembles a natural fat. Because your body does not recognize the transformed molecule as a natural fat, it cannot technique it & treats it as a toxin. This “toxin” has been linked to cancer, birth defects, heart , diabetes, weight gain & obesity.
They must read labels! Hydrogenated oil & partially hydrogenated oil can be found in most packaged foods (margarine, crackers, chips, pretzels, cookies, cereal bars, sugar cereals, microwave popcorn, & low-fat & fat-free snacks). There’s even lots of packaged foods advertised as “health foods” that include this toxic ingredient.
Your body cannot survive without fat – specifically essential fatty acids. Your brain, hormones, immune technique, & digestion are all dependant on this healthy fat (which is why people who go on very extreme low fat diets often suffer lots of health problems).
Fats You Must Eat
Cooking Oil
The only oil that is suitable for high heat cooking (& two of the healthiest oils you can consume) is raw, organic, unrefined coconut oil. Coconut oil has been proven to be two of the healthiest oils obtainable for the human body & increases the body’s metabolic rate (helping in weight loss)
Omega 3 Fats
Omega 3 Fats are essential to human health but cannot be produced by the body which is why it is essential that they get these great fats from food. Foods high in Omega 3 fats are leafy green vegetables, flax seeds, salmon, sardines, raw walnuts, organic eggs & grass fed beef.
Extensive research indicates that omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation & help prevent risk factors associated with chronic diseases such as heart , cancer, & arthritis. These essential fatty acids are highly concentrated in the brain & appear to be important for cognitive (brain memory & performance) & behavioral function. In fact, babies who do not get omega-3 fatty acids from their mothers during pregnancy are at risk for developing vision & nerve problems. Symptoms of omega-3 fatty acid deficiency include extreme tiredness (fatigue), poor memory, dry skin, heart problems, mood swings or depression, & poor circulation.
All you need to know about fat & fat consumption:
1. Avoid all products containing hydrogenated oil & partially hydrogenated oil
2. Consume foods high in Omega 3’s such as salmon, flax seeds, walnuts & organic eggs
3. Cook with Organic, Unrefined Coconut Oil
4. Use Olive Oil & Flaxseed oil raw for salads & veggies. Also include avocados as a healthy source of fat in to your meal designs.
Oils best Raw
Olive oil & flax seed oil are two wonderful oils to use for salad dressing or on cooked or raw veggies. These oils have a lower melting point & are more stable (& healthier) when kept raw.
Recall all fats are not created equal & proper use of the lovely fats can be a great way to keep you & your relatives at optimum health!
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The Truth About Cholesterol
I am going to let you in on something shocking. Cholesterol is not the major
culprit in heart disease. I know this may be hard to believe after all we have heard about the dangers of high cholesterol from our doctors, and the media. But the truth is, it is not the cholesterol levels themselves or the cholesterol containing foods that are the culprits in heart disease, it is those foods and any other thing that causes inflammation in your body that is the major cause of heart disease (as well as diabetes and high blood pressure).
What is cholesterol and why do we need it?
Cholesterol is a soft, waxy substance found among the lipids (fats) in the bloodstream and in all your body’s cells. It’s an important part of a healthy body because it’s used to form cell membranes. Cholesterol also aids in the manufacture of bile (which helps digest fats), and is also important for the metabolism of fat soluble vitamins, including vitamins A, D, E and K. It is the major precursor for the synthesis of vitamin D and of the various steroid hormones (which include cortisol and aldosterone in the adrenal glands, and the sex hormones progesterone, the various estrogens, testosterone, and derivatives ).
How could something so good be so bad?
Cholesterol has been wrongly accused because upon inspection of the arteries of someone at risk for a heart attack, levels of cholesterol and plaque build up are very high. Cholesterol is actually being transported to tissues as part of an inflammatory response that is there to repair damage. It will only lodge itself onto the artery and cause plaque if the artery has become damaged. Inflammation in the artery is what causes this damage. In fact, it is now known that the coronary disease that causes heart attacks is now considered to be caused mostly from chronic inflammation.
To blame cholesterol for heart attacks would be the equivalent of blaming increased police security in a high crime area. It was not the police that caused the crime, they were just placed there in response to the crimes.
A more important question to ask ourselves, is how do we decrease the amount of inflammation in our bodies so that cholesterol will not bind to our arteries?
We must decrease all of those things that we do that cause inflammation and increase things that decrease inflammation. First and foremost we must stay away from foods that cause inflammation in our bodies. Any food that causes a fast rise in blood insulin levels will quickly cause inflammation in the body. These foods are sugar, white breads, most dairy products and almost all packaged and processed foods. What does this leave you with? Fresh, wholesome foods such as fruits, vegetables, lean animal proteins, nuts, and lots and lots of water. Also, taking in lots of omega-3 rich foods will dramatically decrease inflammation in the body (salmon, organic eggs, walnuts and sardines).
What about your cholesterol medication?
Some may be thinking, it is just easier to take a pill and not have to change what I am eating. But you may want to think twice considering the side effects of statins (cholesterol lowering drugs). The most common side effects reported are fatigued, headaches, nausea and the most common of them all, severe muscular pains and muscular degeneration. If you remember that cholesterol is essential for the formation of cell membranes, taking a drug that is drastically lowering cholesterol may be causing membrane damage in neural and muscle tissue. Most people on statins complain of neck, back or leg pain.
Millions of Americans are now on cholesterol lowering drugs, but the number of people suffering from heart attacks and heart disease is only increasing. Let’s take a personal responsibility for our health and truly get to the root of the problem. Managing your diet and staying away from those foods that are causing an inflammatory response in your body is your first step to decreasing your chance of heart disease and heart attacks.
Burn fat by taking the right fat burning program. Get Honest Reviews about tested and proven fat burning programs from experience and our subscribers recommendation.
The Best Diet Plan is NO Diet at all
As a nutritionist, the most common question I get daily is “What is the Best Diet to follow?” My answer is always the same and one that shocks many people. “The best diet to follow is to follow NO diet at all.” How could any nutritionist wanting to promote health tell you not to follow a diet?”
Easy. I’m here to tell you that diets do not work. They are one of the most common reasons people have such a hard time losing weight. People are making the mistake of following a diet instead of following a delicious way of eating that will satisfy their hunger, their taste buds and help them reach and maintain an optimum weight and optimum health.
With all of the junk food, false advertising, and false information out in the world today, how is this even possible? A delicious way of eating healthy that will help me lose weight at the same time?
Yes, this is possible for you once you are armed with the correct information.
The best diet is going to be one that you can stick to (for more than just a week), one that includes delicious food and one you are happy with, not to mention one that you can maintain for a lifetime.
Here are a few tips that will help you develop the Best Diet for you:
1. Only eat food you enjoy.
Well Isabel, that would be just great, but I enjoy pizza and donuts and that sure doesn’t seem to be helping me lose weight. Yes, I agree. What I mean here is don’t establish a crash diet of cottage cheese and grapefruit if you absolutely hate those 2 foods. Healthy food does not have to be akin to bird seed. How about scrambled whole eggs in butter with your favorite vegetables and 2 slices of sprouted grain toast? French toast made from healthy bread, and eggs? A juicy hamburger or steak for lunch or dinner? How about making your own pizza from healthy ingredients? I could go on and on with a long list of delicious foods. The point is you do not have to eat like a bird or eat tasteless food to be healthy and lose weight. Find the healthy foods you enjoy and get creative with those. You will find you will have an incredible amount of delicious food options.
2. Do not go cold turkey.
Rome wasn’t built in a day right? You do not have to change every single one of your habits overnight. Establishing one healthy eating habit each week or eliminate one “not so good” food every week. This will prove to be life changing in just 1-2 months. Not to mention it will eliminate any stress or anxiety you may have over changing all of your habits overnight. Start with the easiest one for you. How about drinking water? Can you replace your sugar drinks with water and just do that for one week? How about just cutting down on a few sodas and replacing them with water? One small step each week will make your transition simple and easy.
3. Do not go hungry.
Another very common mistake I see is people starving themselves in an effort to lose weight quickly. The truth is you do not need to feel hunger in order to effectively lose weight. Actually, the contrary is true. You must give your body enough nourishment (good nourishment, that is) in order to see weight loss results. Make sure to feed your body consistently throughout the day. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are all important but so are snacks in between. Munching on things like raw nuts, fresh fruits and healthy trail mixes can really keep you from experiencing any hunger throughout the day and help control any cravings that may come up.
Remember that the Best Diet you can begin today is an eating plan that does NOT resemble a diet at all. Tell people you had French toast for breakfast, chicken stir fry for lunch and a juicy steak with potatoes for dinner and they will wonder how in the world you are losing weight and looking great. Easy, I stopped dieting and found the Best Diet for me!
Butter: Good Fat or Bad Fat?
People are often shocked when they see how much butter I use and eat in one day. But I know the real truth; Butter is a good fat and can actually help you lose weight.
Unfortunately, people thinking butter is unhealthy is a very common misconception. People still think that butter and saturated fats are the reason heart disease is one of the top killers in this country (and now in many other countries as well). The truth is that it’s not the natural fats that are causing this epidemic, its the sugar, processed and packaged foods and overconsumption of refined oils that are causing so much disease (and you can add Diabetes, High Cholesterol and High Blood Pressure to this list as well).
I go into this topic in much greater detail in the Fats Chapter of the Diet Solution Program but here are a few nuggets of info to ponder:
1. Did you know that during the 60 year period from 1910-1970, the proportion of traditional animal fat in the American diet declined from 83% to 62%?
2. During this same time butter consumption plummeted from 18 pounds per person each year to 4 pounds per person each year.
3. During the past 80 years, the consumption of dietary cholesterol intake has increased only one percent.
So where is the problem? Why all the heart disease?
1. During the same period, the average intake of dietary vegetable oils (margarine, shortening, and refined oils) increased by about 400%.
2. During the same period, the consumption of sugar and processed foods increased by about 60%
Those are the facts, but there’s never better proof than the results I see with my clients and my readers. When people finally stop eating margarine, refined oils, “fake” butters, sugar and processed foods, their health sky rockets! (and by sky rockets I mean, gets better, greatly improves, elevates to whole new levels). Not to mention all the body fat they lose off their body (now isn’t that just an awful side effect?)
It’s important to mention that the butter I use is organic and grass fed. It has this beautiful deep yellow color and is not white like most conventional butters. It has gone through minimal processing and has no added growth hormones and antibiotics. I get all my butter from www.grasslandmeats.com
Now that I told you butter is ok to eat, here is a delicious chicken recipe you can enjoy:
(Please remember that the mad scientist in me sometimes forgets to document the exact amounts so you may need to play around with this a bit.)
Chicken with “I’m not afraid of butter” dressing
Ingredients:
2 large chicken breasts (approximately 1 lb of chicken)
6 Tbsp of melted butter
lemon juice from 1/2 large lemon
1/4 cup olive oil
salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste
Directions:
Melt 1 tbsp of butter in a large pan. Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Cook chicken breasts in butter covered on very low heat. Do not let the butter get brown. Pour lemon juice in a seperate bowl. Slowly stir in the remaining melted butter as you stir mixture. Then slowly add the olive oil as you stir mixture. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder.
Once the chicken is cooked through, served on a plate and pour the “dressing mixture” over your cooked chicken breasts.
Don’t be surprised if you are tempted to pour this dressing on your veggies and just about every other food item you can think of. It’s delicious!
Burn fat by taking the right fat burning program. Get Honest Reviews about tested and proven fat burning programs from experience and our subscribers recommendation.
Top 10 Ways to Burn Fat in 10 Days
Excessive fat stored in the body causes a number of health risks. For instance, a man with excessive fat stored around the midsection is just asking for trouble. Unfortunately, about two-thirds of men in America are now fighting obesity or excessive weight.
Experts have conducted numerous studies, which indicate that belly fat, specifically in men, is a direct cause of a number of health problems. However, if these men, and women, were to burn fat, the increased risk begins to decline dramatically.
Whether you are a man or woman, it is essential that you start to burn fat to ensure you remain healthy. In this article, we wanted to provide you with the top ten ways to burn fat so you not only have a healthier body, but also feel and look better. Taking care of your body is the best decision you can make and we will show you how.
1. BMI
Before you do anything to burn fat, you have to know your BMI or Body Mass Index, which is a means of measuring not weight, but fat. You will find hundreds of BMI calculators online to help. Most people are shocked by how high their BMI really is a great motivator to burn fat and keep it off.
2. Exercise – Without doubt, the best ways to burn fat is by incorporating exercise into your daily life. By exercising regularly for a minimum of 30 minutes every day, you will begin to see major changes. Although any type of exercise is beneficial when time to burn fat, aerobics are the best. These exercises would include biking, swimming, jogging, walking, and hiking. In addition, you will gain other benefits such as a healthier heart and lungs.
3. Calories
In addition to exercise, to burn fat you need to reduce the amount of calories consumed. For this, simply cut the portions of foods eaten by one-third and one-half if possible. If you find yourself hungry, add more high fiber foods to the diet, which will make you feel fuller.
4. Fat Burners
Now, rather than expect supplements to burn fat alone, you need to view supplements more as a tool that aids other methods of burning fat. In other words, along with better diet and exercise, supplements can be highly beneficial in burning fat.
In fact, a number of supplements currently on the market target burning fat but unfortunately, many of them do not work. However, one particular supplement that has been studied and proven successful when it comes time to burn fat is called ECA Stack, which is made from caffeine, ephedrine, and aspirin. Although effective, keep in mind that through clinical studies, people only burned an extra 150 calories per day, again making fat burners good but only as an aid.
5. Yard Work and Cleaning
If you were unable to get to the gym or you find that moderate exercise is difficult, another ways to burn fat is by working in the yard or cleaning house to burn fat. The activity of both is enough to burn fat quite effectively. Spending just one hour raking or gardening, or vacuuming, dusting, and picking up, will make certainly help.
6. Stairs
Too often, people will go to work, the mall, doctor’s office, and so on, choosing the elevator instead of the stairs. Again, to burn fat, you simply need to change this routine, forcing yourself to go up and down the stairs. If you work in a building with your office on the fourth floor, and you take the stairs every day, within two weeks, you would notice change.
7. Sports
This is another best ways to burn fat, because you are giving the body a good workout. Anything such as volleyball, basketball, softball, tennis, or bowling, not only helps to burn fat but also calories. Additionally, while you are doing something to burn fat, you are also getting to have fun.
8. Tea
Yes, you will have the opportunity to burn fat by drinking certain types of tea. For instance, if you drink caffeinated black or green tea daily, you will lose weight. In this case, the caffeine causes metabolic changes, which helps to burn calories. It has also been determined that drinking tea or even taking tea supplements with a meal help block the absorption of carbohydrates. Of course, both black and green tea is known for their many benefits that go beyond burning fat and calories.
9. Breakfast
We have all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, which is true. New evidence shows that people who skip breakfast actually have increased body weight. The reason is that skipping breakfast typically leads to higher calorie and fat intake with the evening meal. Therefore, to burn fat and get your body off to a good start, eat a breakfast of egg whites, whole grain toast, oatmeal, and/or fresh fruit.
10. Low-Fat Dairy
While calcium derived from low-fat dairy does not help with burning calories, it does discourage body fat. Studies now show that low-fat dairy causes the body to absorb fewer fat calories due to the calcium. Keep in mind that men especially seem to benefit from calcium found in low-fat dairy but it is also beneficial to women.
5 Top Weight Loss Mistakes Made By Women
As a professional fitness trainer, I see 5 common mistakes that women make when they are trying to change their body’s composition (more muscle mass, less fat mass). You want a healthy, lean and toned body. You need the right fitness strategy for your body.
Let’s get right to the mistakes I see most:
1. Don’t set your body sculpting goals by looking at a woman on a magazine cover!
This can be a major mistake. First, the women you see on a magazine cover are professional fitness models. These fitness models may or may not take supplements and they probably don’t have your body type.
For instance, you may be petite in your upper body and heavy in your lower body. You should build muscle mass in your upper body and burn fat and tone your hips, thighs and butt. Your workout plan should be tailored to your body type. Two women following the same workout routines can get different results.
2. Your meal plan is based on a meal plan you see in a book or magazine.
Each individual has different nutritional needs and preferences. You should base your meal plan on your basal metabolic rate (BMR) and your level of activity (including exercise).
Your BMR is the amount of daily calories your body needs to maintain itself in a resting state. You will use this amount and your daily activity level to set your daily menu. If you use severe calorie restriction (i.e., don’t eat enough), your body will store fat because it will think you are starving. And, you don’t want to lose muscle, you want to lose fat! Even though you must maintain a caloric deficit (burn more calories than you eat) to lose weight, you don’t want the severe calorie restriction required by some diets.
Also, get to know your body. The same food item can affect two people differently. For example, certain carbohydrates can affect your body differently than your friend. Choose foods that you like and you will be more likely to stay in compliance with your meal plan.
3. You try every fad diet that comes out because you are too concerned about weight loss.
You experience rapid weight loss. But, you end up seeing your weight yo-yo back and forth because you can’t maintain that fad diet! Fat loss is more important than weight loss! Work on losing inches and changing your body’s composition. The weight loss will take care of itself in the long-term if you comply with a realistic, healthy meal plan.
4. Your weight loss goals are unrealistic.
Part of the first fitness consultation with a personal trainer will include you identifying WHY your fitness goals have failed in the past. Another part of the consultation is for you to VISUALIZE and set REALISTIC fitness goals.
You have to be honest with yourself to set realistic fitness goals. Sometimes the truth hurts. That’s okay! Many of you have tried over and over to lose fat and weight. Its hard to keep trying. Its easier to quit. Just make the commitment and get the guidance and support you need to reach your goals!
And, achieving fitness goals takes hard, smart work. You might have thought you could reach your goals by only doing cardio exercise (you were afraid that lifting weights would make you too bulky). You might need to change behaviors you have had since childhood. Also, it takes longer to change your body’s composition. But, the results will stand the test of time! Don’t try to take shortcuts!
5. You are trying to lose weight “all by your lonesome.”
Don’t underestimate the value of well-designed fitness program put together by a personal trainer. It makes all the difference because you get direction, feedback and encouragement from a trainer who is fit and knows what it takes to get fit and stay fit.
You also need social support. Research has proven that you are more likely to succeed with your weight loss and fat loss goals if you have a weight loss buddy (social support or accountability partner). Group exercise classes and bootcamps succeed in part because of social support.
Have you made mistakes with your weight loss and fat loss goals and later succeeded? Share your story!
Mark Dilworth, Certified Personal Trainer
Her Fitness Hut http://herfitnesshut.com
Burn fat by taking the right fat burning program. Get Honest Reviews about tested and proven fat burning programs from experience and our subscribers recommendation.
The Diet Solution Program Interview Questions
About Isabel…
Q: Isabel, tell us a little a bit about yourself, and what you do.
A: I am a NJ based Holistic Nutritionist and Exercise Specialist. I have a private practice in NJ and when I’m not seeing clients in my office I am writing books, newsletters, articles or speaking on the principles of healthy nutrition for weight loss and disease prevention. Basically, doing my best to communicate what true health is to the world.
Q: Isabel, I just finished your ebook, The Diet Solution, and get the sense of an interesting and diverse background. Can you tell a bit about yourself?
A: The Diet Solution Program is really a culmination of my search for answers to my own weight loss and health problems. I can remember going on my first “diet” in the 7th grade. You name the diet and I tried it. Not until I found the true answers to weight loss and how to keep it off was I able to finally reach my own ideal weight and level of health that I enjoy today.
It was also my mother’s and my grandmother’s struggle with obesity and type 2 Diabetes that led me to research how blood sugar affects our ability to lose and gain fat. As I studied Diabetes more and more, I found that the same principles that could be used to control a diabetic’s blood sugar were the same principles that all people needed to use to lose fat and keep it off. Once I figured this out, I was almost amazed at how easy the answer was the whole time and couldn’t believe all of the past unhealthy plans I had attempted with no success.
Q: How did you happen to get into the Nutrition industry? What were the deciding factors?
A: As I continued to work on my own health and weight struggles, I became fascinated by the human body. I was truly amazed by the discoveries I had made in regards to weight loss and blood sugar control and could not believe that this information wasn’t main stream. Even worse, I could not believe that doctors and food companies were actually recommending the exact opposite of the information that I had discovered to be the only way to lose weight. This led me to be as passionate as I am now about communicating this exact information to the world.
Q: What was your inspiration for The Diet Solution? Did you follow some other diet or fitness guru’s before your own ideas developed?
A: Writing the Diet Solution Program was inspired by seeing hundreds of clients in my private nutrition practice in New Jersey. All of the nutrition principles that I would teach my clients was a combination of several books, classes and seminars that I had read or attended and grabbed the best principles taught in each. I knew there had to be a way to put all of this great information together in an easy to read, easy to follow program. Don’t get me wrong. Actually putting the information together and laying it out in a way that would be easy to understand by all people was not an easy chore. But once it was complete, it really was a culmination of 15 years of research and study.
Q: Getting into the diet and nutrition industry can have a ton of positive benefits – has there been a downside at all?
A: No, I wouldn’t call it a downside. But I will say that I do encounter a lot of resistance to my not very mainstream ideas. I tell people “If you have been following the same nutrition and diet principles with no results, isn’t it time to take a new approach?” When people see the kind of results my clients get, they realize that a new approach may be the only way they will successfully lose weight.
I battled my own weight since I was a teenager and through my own mistakes and struggles, I found the only way to really lose weight and keep it off was through a natural foods approach. And by no means does that mean a tasteless, bland food approach. I mean the stuff good ol’ Mother Nature provided us with in their delicious forms.
About The Diet Solution Program…
Q: people need is another “diet program.” How is your nutrition program different and who would be a perfect candidate for your nutrition program?
A: My nutrition program is the best way and the only way most people should be eating. It is not some crazy fad diet, nor is it some extreme crash diet. It is how everyone should be eating on a daily basis, as mother-nature intended. What most people don’t realize is, if we ate they way our ancestors ate centuries ago, we would all be lean and healthy. It is the over-commercialized and toxic processed foods in our countries that are keeping everyone so overweight and unhealthy. Does it really seem healthy to sign up for a diet program that makes you buy their food and only their food? Or to nourish your body with fake powders and bars? That’s really not how are bodies were designed.
Q: It looks like the ebook is getting great reviews – what has been the response so far?
A: The response has been incredibly positive. People have been emailing me and telling me what an eye opening experience it has been for them. They also just couldn’t believe how simple weight loss could really be with all the right tools and information on hand. After the first 2 weeks, people tell me they have lost weight that they have been struggling with for years. I get an overwhelming amount of ‘thank you’ notes in my email inbox everyday.
Q: What is the biggest benefit of following your nutrition program and does it come with meal recipes and meal plans?
A: The biggest benefit of my nutrition program is that it is made up of all real food. It also recommends that you eat good healthy portions of food and that you should NEVER be hungry. If you are walking around hungry, you are doing something wrong. You are most likely starving your body of the nutrients and whole foods it needs.
I have done all the hard work for you. I have put together all of the healthy principles into easy to follow meal plans, no matter what your starting point is. I have also included 61 of my favorite meal recipes so that you can always keep your nutrition program delicious.
Q: Why did you decide to write The Diet Solution Program when there is more than enough nutrition info out there?
A: I decided to write the Diet Solution for that exact reason. People are being bombarded with nutrition information and either one of two things is happening: They are either being grossly misinformed with information that is the complete opposite of what is the truth or they are so overwhelmed with all of the good information and they just don’t know where to start. What I did with The Diet Solution was take all of the BEST information out on the market today and compiled it in an easy to understand, easy to read and easy to implement program. Basically, took the best of the best and saved my readers hundreds of hours and hundreds of dollars in research and trial and error.
Q: What is your advice for someone just starting your Diet Solution program? Can anyone do this? Absolutely anyone can follow and succeed on The Diet Solution Program. My mother started following the program at 63 years old after a kidney transplant. In 6 months, she lost 40 lbs and has never been healthier or felt better in her life. Not only has she lost a significant amount of weight, but she has greatly reduced the number of medications she was previously taking. If she can do it, anyone can do it!
A: I would start by incorporating one principle at a time. People get very overwhelmed and think they need to completely overhaul their life all at once, but this is not true. My own nutrition changes took almost 3 years. Now you may incorporate these principles sooner than I did, but remember that getting to your health goals at a pace that is do-able for you is much better than not doing anything at all.
Q: How does “meal planning” fit into the weight loss equation?
A: Meal planning is extremely important especially when you first change your current eating habits. If you find out that you feel best on a meal plan that contains protein in each meal, you must plan accordingly. This often intimidates people and makes them feel like “it is too much work”. But the whole thing really does become second nature. You finally know what you need each day to feel good and lose weight and you just naturally gravitate towards those foods. To make it a much simpler process in the beginning stages, I provide several days worth of detailed meal plans in my book, so my readers and my clients know exactly where to begin, without having to do the exact meal planning themselves.
Q: If there was one Diet Solution secret you could share with everyone what would it be?
A: Just one? Oh that’s tough. I guess it would be to learn your metabolic type and follow an eating plan that is specific to that type. Without this information, you may actually be following a healthy eating plan but one that is not specific to your metabolic needs. If it’s not what your body needs, you will not see the results you’re after.
Q: Any exciting new plans for the future?
A: Of course. We are now in the process of recording The Diet Solution Program as an audio program so that you can listen to the entire book in the car or on the go.
I am also in the process of putting together The Diet Solution for Children and The Diet Solution for Diabetes. Lots and lots of exciting projects in the works.
About Misconceptions With Food…
Q: You clearly state that soy is NOT a health food. Does this go for everyone including those people who want to gain muscle?
A: This goes for absolutely everyone, but especially for those who want to build muscle. I would even say the effects of eating soy will contribute to the exact OPPOSITE hormonal changes in your body that you want if building muscle is your goal. This is because most soy products on the market today contain phytoestrogens. These phytoestrogens mimic the effects of estrogen in the body and have been shown to decrease the testosterone levels of rats, monkeys and other animals, including humans. It has been known for quite some time that soy lowers testosterone to the point that there is an old Japanese wives’ tale that says women punish straying husbands by feeding them a lot of tofu. Now what do you think that means?
If building muscle is your goal, definitely stay away from any protein powder or protein bar that contains soy or soy protein isolate. Make sure to read labels carefully as it is in more products than you think.
Q: When choosing a protein powder, should I really be concerned about artificial sweeteners harming my body?
A: Artificial sweeteners have been found to be one of the most toxic substances we can put inside our bodies. Besides the fact that it causes brain and metabolism dysfunction, they clog up your liver to a point where it can not fully function.
Why is your liver so important? Your liver is not only responsible for eliminating toxins from your body but it is also responsible for metabolizing fat. If it is so busy processing through artificial sweeteners (a harmful toxin), it will not spend a sufficient amount of time processing through the unwanted fat you are trying to lose.
Believe it or not, I have had clients give up Diet Coke and lose up to 10 lbs in 2 weeks!
Q: Why are artificial sweeteners so bad if they supposedly have “zero calories”?
A: Zero sugar foods are actually much worse than sugar containing foods. Artificial sweeteners (like aspartame, sucrolose, and saccharin) are poison to our bodies. Whenever the body reads an ingested food as a potential danger, your liver comes to the rescue to help ward off any danger these foreign substances may cause. People who eat and drink “diet” foods and “diet drinks all day, are overwhelming and taxing their livers. Your liver is crucial in the weight loss/fat burning process. So if your liver is taxed and not working at optimum, it becomes near impossible to lose any weight. This is why I give my readers many alternatives to sugar free foods and sugar containing foods. There are natural alternatives that are ideal replacements for any of these diet foods, without the potential harm to the liver.
Q: In your program, you talk about good dairy and bad dairy. Any tip you can provide before I buy any more dairy?
A: Dairy is one of the leading reasons most people can not lose weight or, worse yet, are constantly gaining weight. The shocking truth about dairy is that it is only healthy in its raw form. All of the pasteurized dairy in the supermarkets today are really keeping people fat and making them fatter. Besides the countless amount of research that has been done showing us how healthy raw dairy is, the proof is really in the thousands of people and children that are overweight or obese and drinking several glasses of pasteurized milk each day.
Q: Eating organic food is really expensive. Is it worth the extra cost or completely over rated? Will it really make a difference in building muscle faster and losing fat quicker?
A: The answer to this question takes us back to the function of the liver. The pesticides, antibiotics and hormones that are being added to most foods are clogging up our livers. Again, a clogged up liver can not burn fat. And worse yet, will continue to store fat. Yes, organic food may be a bit more expensive. But most of my clients notice their grocery bill is the same once they eliminate the expensive cereals and “so called” expensive diet foods they were eating before.
Q: Do you think fat burning pills are helpful in the weight loss process?
A: I think people really don’t realize the severe damage they are causing their bodies with fat burning pills. Whenever you attempt to artificially spark your metabolism with harmful pills, you are essentially creating a “lazy” metabolism. When you go off these pills, your metabolism is too lazy to do anything. Almost every person I know who has taken fat burning pills complains of gaining even more weight when they attempt to get off of them. Of course this happens. Their metabolism is now “on vacation” and not sure if it will ever come back as strong as it was before. The best way to spark your metabolism is to eat good amounts of healthy protein, fat and carbohydrates all day long. This is what your metabolism was designed to do: metabolize healthy food into energy and muscle for the body to utilize.
Q: Are there really certain foods that are toxic to our bodies? How do we know which foods to look for?
A: The amount of toxic chemicals that are now added to our foods is actually quite frightening. The same pesticides that are designed to kill bugs are all over conventional produce and these pesticides go into our bloodstream when we eat these sprayed fruits and vegetables. The 2 worst forms of chemicals are hydrogenated oil and high fructose corn syrup. Hydrogenated oil is a toxic change in oil to make it more shelf stable, hence keeping foods like packaged cookies, cakes and most processed foods in the stores longer to make maximum profit by these companies. My program teaches people exactly which chemicals they must stay away from if they want to finally lose their excess weight (and often times, these chemicals are exactly what’s keeping them from achieving their desired goals).
About Your Physiology…
Q: How important is it to eat based on your metabolism and eat the right foods for your metabolism? Do you touch on this in your program?
A: Eating the right foods for your metabolism is so important, that it is the difference between losing weight and not losing weight. We are all individual and so are our metabolisms. In order to pinpoint exactly which meal plan will work best, I have included a Metabolic Typing Test so my readers can determine exactly how they metabolize food and which foods are “fat burning” foods and which foods are “fat storing” foods. The results of this test have been a true “AHA” moment for thousands of people, finally, maybe for the first time, finding why they have not been able to shed their unwanted fat before.
What I teach in The Diet Solution Program is exactly what your body needs to maintain a lean and healthy body for a lifetime.
Q: Do you think people can lose weight on a fat free diet?
A: Definitely not. The no-fat craze clearly made most Americans (and many other countries) gain more weight than ever before. Why? Because the right kind of fat is essential to the body and without it, your body can not metabolize the fat you don’t want. So unless you feed your body the fats that it needs, it literally holds on to all the fat you don’t need (and don’t want!). Eating a low fat or no fat meal plan is a huge mistake. Not only will you not lose weight but you may suffer from many conditions such as asthma, diabetes, and heart disease. This is usually one of the most eye-opening chapters for most of my readers. They can’t believe they need to eat fat to lose fat and are amazed when they see the results first hand. Now, of course, eating unhealthy fats (like the ones found in French fries and burgers) is not the right approach. You must focus on the healthy fats (again, as Mother Nature intended).
Q: After reading The Diet Solution I discovered that I am a serious ‘Protein Type’ – what the main thing I should do to increase my energy?
A: The main thing is not to be afraid of eating healthy fat and healthy proteins. Everyone thinks chicken breasts and egg whites is the only way to lose weight but, especially for a protein type, that is not the case. Actually a protein type may gain weight by only eating low fat proteins and a low fat meal plan. Someone like you needs whole eggs, dark meat poultry, beef, and healthy fats.
Q: What exactly is Metabolic Typing and why is it so important for each of us to know our metabolic type?
A: Metabolic typing is actually a very old science-based way to determine which foods respond best to your body. The best way to describe this method is: the foods that an Eskimo would eat are clearly different than the foods a native Hawaiian would eat. Why? Because their natural ancestors and their environment dictate how their bodies will process and digest food. So an Eskimo will need a meal plan higher in healthy fats to keep warm and a Hawaiian will need a meal plan higher in veggies and fruits to stay cool. Now, it is often not this simple. Each and every person’s metabolism responds very differently to all food and can vary greatly from person to person. For example, I feel my best and stay at my ideal weight when I eat higher fat proteins along with lots of vegetables where as many of my clients do better with higher amounts of natural carbohydrates and lower fat proteins. My book provides a detailed, easy to answer test to determine your own personal metabolic type and then tells you exactly which foods are the best fit for you.
Q: Can people lose weight by just starving themselves?
A: Back in the caveman days, there were periods of feast and famine. Our bodies have a natural ability to make sure we do not die of starvation. This mechanism in our bodies holds on to every bit of fat and every calorie possible to keep us from dying. This is obviously no longer a risk in most countries, but this mechanism is still present in our bodies. So when people starve themselves all day, the body sees this as a potential risk, and holds on to every calorie and fat gram it possibly can. This is why people become extremely frustrated when they “don’t eat all day” and still don’t lose weight. I know it seems counterproductive, but the only way to truly lose weight and keep it off is to start eating. But not processed unnatural foods. Your body will respond best to natural, wholesome foods and LOTS of them.
Q: How do companies get away with selling products with harmful chemicals in them?
A: I hate to say this but most food and pharmaceutical companies are really only concerned with one thing: money. So if they were to actually teach people the real truth behind how to lose weight and take control of their health, most of the food products, supplements and medications on the market today would be completely unnecessary. Let’s be honest. No one is going to get rich selling apples, you know? I think many of these companies are also feeding off people’s emotions. The more addicted they get people to their products and diet foods, the more money they will continue to make. But if you were to get someone to their ideal weight with natural foods like veggies, fruits and natural meats, there would be no food addictions to diet foods and chemicals, just good healthy eating.
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The 2 Best Exercises to Lose Belly Fat
Some people have made a lifetime out of their efforts in dieting. The unfortunate thing is, they may not have been able to see these efforts through to fruition and although they are constantly on one diet or another, they may find it impossible to lose belly fat consistently.
Far too many people fall into this category and it seems as though they are beyond hope, which is why many of them finally give in and stop trying. The simple fact of the matter is, however, the way to lose belly is not as difficult as what you may have thought. One of the reasons why many of us have a misconception of how difficult it is, is because of all of the misinformation that we have been fed by the diet and exercise community.
The companies that are in business in order to sell you these diet and exercise products are not in the business to help you to lose weight. That is why you will typically see short-term effects and may lose weight enough to keep you somewhat encouraged, but then the weight will eventually come back on. If they were to help you to lose belly fat permanently, they would lose you as a customer permanently as well. That is the reason why they often hide behind research that is skewed according to their own liking.
The fact of the matter is, there are two different things that need to be done in order to lose belly fat efficiently. These can be broken down into 2 different types of exercises that need to be done consistently, but they are not outside of your reach. The first of these is a specific type of bodybuilding exercise that will cause your body to become a fat burning machine. The other type of exercise, is an exercise of will power and it has to do with the diet that you eat.
As far as the weight training exercises that will cause you to lose belly fat, these focus on building up the muscles of the body, in particular the core muscles and legs and are therefore not directly belly fat exercises. Since these are the larger muscles of the body, it is easier for you to gain lean muscle mass, which metabolizes body fat very quickly. Do not try to spot reduce the belly fat that you are carrying around, the human body does not work like that. By building up muscle through exercises such as the squat and deadlifts, you are giving your body the opportunity to drop its overall body fat percentage and to lose belly fat, right along with it.
Finally, you need to exercise your will power and watch what you are eating in order to lose belly fat effectively. Fortunately, once you understand the secrets of how to really lose weight in this way you are not going to be limited to the point where you are depriving yourself constantly. Simply try to eat a clean diet that is full of raw fruits and vegetables, and to eat smaller meals throughout the day when possible. This will help to keep your metabolism running strong, and will aid in helping you to lose belly fat quickly.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jack_Miller
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Blood Sugar and Burning Fat â?? Part 1
This is a subject not many worry about nor take the time to care about. This is very unfortunate as blood sugar plays a vital role in your weight gain or weight loss. Studies have reported that even in healthy people high blood sugar after meals can over time damage the body. Blood sugar effects everyone. It should concern you even if you are thin and healthy, and especially if you don’t get enough exercise or carry extra weight around your middle.
When you eat a big meal, especially one with a lot of starchy or sugary foods, the food makes its way through your stomach and intestines and then is converted into glucose, the main fuel for your muscles and even your brain. Boom! You now created instant energy. However, a big starchy meal can give the body more glucose than it needs. In fact, it can raise blood sugar levels twice as much as another, healthier meal would.
If you eat a big pile of french fries or something of that nature, your body has to deal with a serious flood of blood sugar. What happens now is your body reacts by pumping out too much insulin. May be even more insulin if you are overweight. The extra insulin will bring the blood sugar down way too far. It sticks around and does this for hours. Your body then can fall into a semi-starved state. This can cause your blood sugar to be even lower than it was before you ate the meal. Your body knows that your blood sugar is low so it reverses everything and spits out hormones that raise blood levels of sugars and fats. The really bad part about all of this is now your brain is sending signals that you are hungry. Whether you ate more calories than you even needed at lunch doesn’t matter. Your body is so low on sugar if thinks you need food. Now everything in front of you looks appetizing.
The best way to avoid all of this is just to start eating the right type of foods. Foods like white rice, white bread, potatoes, and sugary drinks seem to be the biggest cause of these type of reactions. You can keep your blood sugar at healthy levels by eating more wheat and oat carbohydrates. Those of you with a “spare tire” around your middle are most likely having problems controlling your blood sugar. This spare tire will fall off very fast if you learn to manage your blood sugar correctly.
There is a great deal of studies proving a direct link to many forms of cancer that our society experience and get diagnosed with everyday. That subject is going to be discussed in a “blood sugar and burning fat part 2”.

