Dieting & Weight Loss Advice & Support

The fat in your head

2009-01-19T05:07:00.001-08:00

The Little Thing In Your Head That's Keeping You Fat

I have no doubt that a scientist somewhere just read the title of this article and said out loud, "YES! Venuto is right! That little thing in your head – the hypothalamus – it IS the thing that is keeping you fat! By George, that Venuto guy isn't a dumb bodybuilder after all – he's been doing his research!" At which moment, I will be shaking my head and thinking, "you need to get out of the laboratory and into the real world, with real people, buddy." Okay, okay, to be fair, Neuro-endocrine control of appetite and body fat really is quite fascinating. But today, I'm talking about PSYCH-ology, not PHYSI-ology. The little thing in your head that's keeping you fat is actually just a….

Limiting belief!

Self-limiting beliefs are among the biggest problems that people deal with in their struggles to achieve a healthy ideal weight. They're also one of the reasons that so many people start to falter or fall off the diet and exercise wagon as early as late January or early February in their New Year's goal pursuits.

If you're that science guy I spoke of and you're about to bail because you're thinking, "Here we go again… another psycho-babble, self help article," then think again. A belief is the force behind the placebo effect, which is well known by every scientist and medical professional. A respected doctor gives a patient a pill and is told it's a powerful drug. The patient gets well immediately, not knowing that the "miraculous" substance was a dummy pill. Inert. Sugar. The miracle was in the mind.

But beliefs are not only involved in the mind-body connection, they are unconscious programs that control your behavior. The most important factor in whether you achieve the body and the health you want is NOT what diet or training program you follow. It's what makes you follow your diet and training program. And guess what? What you believe controls your behavior - whether you will stick with your program or sabotage it with cheating, bingeing or inconsistency.

What to do about limiting beliefs

Ok, so now you agree that beliefs are psychological factors that affect you physically by controlling your behavior, including your eating, exercising and lifestyle. What now? 3 steps. 2 questions.

STEP 1: IDENTIFY LIMITING BELIEFS

You are fully aware of many of your beliefs. For example, beliefs about spirituality or politics are usually in the front of your conscious mind.

But the beliefs that hold back your health and physical development the most are usually the ones you don't even know you have. They are like unconscious "brain software," running silently in the background.

So the first step is to bring those unconscious and potentially damaging beliefs up to the surface so you are aware of them. You can't fix a problem if you don't know you have one.

2 Quick Questions That Will Help Draw Out Your Beliefs

Beliefs can go back to childhood, but don't worry, you don't have to go to a psychotherapist and be regressed back to kindergarten. It's simpler than that. But it does pay to do this questioning process as a formal "exercise" with serious quiet time, with pen and paper (instead of just thinking about it).

Question #1: What causes me to be overweight (or unhealthy, or not having the body I want)?

Question #2: What's preventing me from getting leaner? (or healthier?)

Spend some time with it and see how big of a list you can create. Ask yourself whether each belief helps or hurts you. Does it move you forward or backward. Does it empower or disempower you? The ones that hurt you or hold you back will be obvious. You may come up with beliefs such as:

"I'm overweight and I can't get leaner because":

I have no time
I'm too old
I can't stop eating
I hate exercise
You just can't do it when you have 4 kids
It's impossible after having a hip replacement

But the million dollar question is; Are these beliefs actually true?

Beliefs are not facts. You may hold your beliefs as absolute reality, but when you deconstruct them and challenge them, you may see that they don't hold any water.

Self limiting beliefs are false interpretations (negative thought patterns) that hold you back. And you keep holding on to them because making excuses and staying the same is a lot more convenient than changing isn't it? Change requires hard work, effort and leaving your comfort zone.

Your mission now: weaken the limiting beliefs and get rid of them

STEP 2: CHALLENGE THOSE BELIEFS

How do you challenge a belief? 4 ways:

(A) Challenge it directly: Is the belief even valid at all? See if you can find a "counter example" that disproves your belief. For example; if you think that after you've had 3 or 4 kids, it's impossible to get a nice flat stomach, what will you say after I introduce you to a dozen of my clients and readers who had 3 or 4 kids and went from bulging belly to rock-hard flat stomach? If they did it, then how could your belief be valid? Answer: It WASN'T! You believed something false and inaccurate and it was holding you back!

(B) Challenge the source:Is it your belief, or have you been living what your parents, peers or culture handed down to you? Just the realization that a belief wasn't yours to begin with is enough to shatter it.

(C) Challenge the usefulness of the belief. Ok, so you believed something when you were younger. Does still believing it has any usefulness today? Does it help you move closer to what you want in your life today? If not, then when today would be a good time to get rid of it?

(D) Challenging the belief by weighing the consequences. If you keep this belief, what is it going to cost you? What will the pain be like? What will you miss? And what will these consequences be if you don't change it NOW?

STEP 3: INSTALL A NEW BELIEF

Nature abhors a vacuum, as Spinoza once said. You don't simply get rid of a belief, you also must replace it. What things would you want and need to believe instead that would create positive behaviors that would move you toward your goal? Write them down, then massage them into an affirmation. For example, if you've hung your hat on the belief that you didn't have time to exercise, could you write a new affirmation of belief similar to this?

"I'm a very busy person, so that means I must set clear priorities and I must keep my health and body on the top of my priority list. I always schedule time for my most important priorities, I am efficient with my training, and I use every minute of my day wisely. And if Barack Obama, the busiest person in the world, can train for 45 minutes a day 6 days a week, there's no excuse for me. I can do it too."

Write down your new belief affirmations and read them, right along with your goals, every day.

Then "activate" this affirmation by doing what Olympic and professional athletes do: engaging in mental rehearsal. Visualize yourself carrying out the behaviors that this belief would generate. Think about and feel what it would be like to take those positive actions steps and play mental movies of how your life would change by doing so. Involve all your senses: see it, hear it, feel it.

Keep it up until you start to see your behavior change and your habitual actions come into alignment with your goals/intentions. If you're diligent, you'll see changes in attitude and behavior with 21-30 days. It may happen sooner. It may take longer if you've carried deep, lifelong limiting beliefs. But in less than a month, the roots of the new belief pattern will be formed.

Then you can update your goals and affirmations to reflect your current priorities and move on to the next goal you want to achieve or the next limiting belief you want to change. Keep THAT up, and pretty soon, you will be LIMIT-LESS! BELIEVE ME, spending quality time understanding and working on your beliefs is a lot more productive than spending time in forums arguing about whether a low carb program is better than high carb program… or even whether the cure for obesity is found in the arcuate nucleus of the lower hypothalamus. It's in your head allright… but most people have been looking in the wrong place.

Train hard and expect success,

Tom Venuto
Burn the Fat

Losing fat: for beauty or health?

2008-12-05T13:34:00.001-08:00



Are you trying to lose fat for the wrong reasons?

by Rob Poulos
Fat burning furnace

I've talked a lot recently about finding your criteria (core
reason) for wanting to lose the fat, and that you must do
this if you want to stick with whatever system it is you're
following.

Too often, we end up trying lose fat for the wrong
reasons - surface reasons that society and the media are
telling us to focus on.

In fact, I take you through this process of finding your
criteria in an interview I did recently that can now be
found in the Fat Burning Furnace system.

Anyway, as I've been helping so many people get in the best
shape of their lives over the past couple of years, I've
found that there are two basic reasons why yo want to
finally lose that fat and keep it off:

1. Beauty: looking great, not being self-conscious about
wearing your shorts or swimsuit or going shirtless (for the
guys of course!), and simply feeling more confident.

2. Health: having more physical energy and feeling
healthier, stabilizing your blood sugar levels, and
decreasing your risk factors for disease and other ailments.

Well, you may not be surprised that reason #1, Beauty, is
the main driver for a lot of people...so we often focus on
our fat loss and fitness efforts in regards to looking
better for ourselves or our mate.

BUT, the real benefit of having a fat loss and fitness
method that you can easily fit into your lifestyle is that
it keeps you healthy so you can live out your life in that
lean body, LONGER, AND STRONGER that you've ever been in
your life!

I wanted to share with you a recent email I got from one of
my latest FBF readers:


Hi Rob,

Went to the doctor's yesterday (just needed a note that I'm
in good health - so I can go skydiving!). He did a quick
exam - just blood pressure, listened to my heart, etc.

Then he asked - your blood pressure's really good - has it
always been this low? Me - how low? Him - 90 over 60! And
your heart rate's 66!

Umm,  WOW! No, the numbers have never been that good - I've
worked out for the last 5 years but did the usual lower
intensity higher reps/long cardio six days a week. I've done
your program, for a little over a month.

Besides finally seeing results in the pant size department,
my heart rate used to be in the 80s and my blood pressure
was 110/70, And I'm 44!

Thanks, Rob! I feel like you gave me extra years for my
life!

Michelle


Now don't get me wrong, I love hearing from readers that
have lost pounds and pounds of fat and are enjoying life in
their new bodies, BUT -- to be honest, I like hearing stories like Michelle's even
more, I mean, what is better than knowing you are adding time
to your life from less than 1 hour a week spent sweating?

Maybe we'll have to update the old saying:

"An hour a week keeps the doctor away"

OK, it doesn't quite rhyme, I'm still working on that part
;-).

If you don't have a fat loss and fitness method that can
make these kind of changes in your life with such little
time investment, w.hat are you waiting for?

You can download one and put it to work for you right now,
right here:

Fat burning furnace

We'll talk soon.

Here's to getting lean, strong, and healthy for life,

Rob Poulos

Freedom from diet-stress for the holiday season

2008-11-27T04:05:00.000-08:00

An interesting strategy for managing the holiday overeating

by Brad Pilon
Eat Stop Eat

My little brother is back in Ontario visiting for the week. To
celebrate, my parents hosted an 'open house' on Sunday

where neighbors, friends and family got together and we all

had a chance to catch up.

We also ate.

Actually, given the way I was eating, I'm not sure if anyone else
even had the chance to eat.

I was a glutton. I'm not sure why, but I think I subconsciously
decided to either start training to be a professional eater, or was
just trying to see if I could make my stomach explode.

It was THAT bad.

Personally, between you and me, I blame my sister-in-law-to-be's
Xmas cookies. They are amazing, and they are what caused me to
"break the seal".

To use lingo from my alma mater (the University of Guelph) - I
crushed it.

Xmas cookies, walker's chocolates, muffins, some AMAZING meat balls
(thanks Mom!), more muffins, more Xmas cookies, pastry, even more
cookies....and a stick of celery ;)

It wasn't until my stomach actually started to hurt and BEGGED ME
TO STOP that I realized I had gone WAAAAY overboard.

But this is what happens when you hit the holiday season. You over
eat and when you do, there is a chance you overeat BIG TIME.

But here's some interesting info for you: At the height of my
stomach busting gluttony, about 1 hour after my eating frenzy, I
tested by blood sugar.

5.5 mmol/L (about 100 mg/dL)

Average.

Not even postprandial (the amount you would expect from an average
person after an average meal).

Thank you 2 years of fasting and weight training.

I ate sugary cookies and pastries until I could barely keep my eyes
open and still had a normal blood sugar reading.

Here is another great thing I want to share with you. On the drive
home, I obviously knew I had overate, but I also knew it wasn't a
big deal.

I knew I wasn't going to wake up 5 pounds heavier on Monday (I
checked yesterday morning..just to make sure)

And since I knew I could fast twice this week I still had
everything under control.

So here's my point - We all mess up. And chances are if it's gonna
happen, it's going to happen during the holidays. Yes I could have
been a little better, but (AND HERE IS THE IMPORTANT PART)

there is no need to stress out.

Devoting your entire life to losing fat and not taking time off to
enjoy the cookies every once in while is a recipe for a very boring
life.

Don't let your quest for weight loss get in the way of what truly
counts.

Food, family and friends.

Brad

Eat Stop Eat

PS - Freedom from diet-stress comes from knowing that

you CAN eat less. That your metabolism won't slow down and you

won't lose muscle just because you decided not to eat for 24 hours.

Just as you can overeat every once in a while and not need to stress out

you can also under-eat without stressing out.

Eat Stop Eat - Experience freedom now.

How to Fight Trans-fats

2008-09-09T01:47:00.000-07:00

by Tanya Zilberter

Dietary measures.

Since TFA have been nicknamed "phantom fats" because the FDA doesnot require it to be listed on food labels, we can only learn in what foodsthey occur and avoid beef, dairy fat, and margarine.

Reduce the TFA intake instead of total fat intake:

"The theory that a high proportion of fat relative to other nutrients promotes the development of obesity is founded on research with experimental animals and in human population surveys. This theory has been difficult to prove in prospective feeding studies in humans; therefore it remains a contentious issue. Regarding coronary heart disease, little evidence supports a claim that a high proportion of dietary fat predisposes to disease. Although animal studies and epidemiological studies have implicated dietary fat as a factor in cancer, recent prospective epidemiological data in humans have cast doubt on the possibility of a strong relationship. In summary, clear evidence points to the need to reduce intakes of saturated and trans fatty acids in the diet. Beyond this change, a balanced ratio of unsaturated fatty acids to carbohydrate leading to fat intake of approximately 30% of total energy seems appropriate for the American public. (Annual Review of Nutrition. 19:325-41, 1999.)

The researchers (US Nurse's Health Study, Harvard) say that replacing5% of energy from saturated fat with energy from unsaturated fats could reduce coronary heart disease risk by 42%. Replacing 2% of energy from trans fats with energy from unhydrogenated, unsaturated fats could reduce risk by 53% (N Engl J Med 1997; 337: 1491-99), while replacing 5% of energy from saturated fat with energy from unsaturated fats could reduce coronary heart disease risk by 42%. Whereas a 5% increase in saturated fat would result in a 17% increased risk of CVD. That says that TFA are more harmful than total animal fat.

It is important that the dangers of margarine are estimated comparing with liquid oils, not with butter! Concentrations of "bad" cholesterol and apolipoprotein B were about 10% lower with margarine than with butter. (BMJ. 312(7036):931-4, 1996)

The optimal ratio of fat-to-carbohydratein the diet.

Current dietary advice is to replace fatty foodstuffs by food richin complex carbohydrates. Although substitution of carbohydrates for fatlowers the blood level of low-density lipoprotein ("bad") cholesterol, italso lowers the level of high-density lipoprotein ("good") cholesterol, therebyadversely influencing the risk profile for cardiovascular disease. Neitherdoes a low fat diet appear to reduce obesity, another risk factor. (NederlandsTijdschrift voor Geneeskunde. 142(16):886-9, 1998)

Seems that to beon the safe side means to have about 30% of energy from total fat, excludingsaturated fats and TFA. Fiber-rich carbohydrates derived from vegetableswith intact cell walls, and monounsaturated fatty acids should provide thebulk of total energy. (Diabetes. 46 Suppl 2:S125-30, 1997)

Supplements

TFA tend to increase the atherogenic (promoting athersclerosis)lipoprotein-a. Coenzyme Q10 was found to protect the blood vessel walls fromatherosclerotic plagues induced by TFA in rabbits, concluded researchersin Heart Research Laboratory, Moradabad, India. The plaques were bleedingless and were less ulcerated, thre was less thrombosis in the coenzyme Q10 group compared with placebo.

Facts about CoQ10

2008-08-15T04:32:00.000-07:00

Facts about CoQ10 they didn't tell you...

Coenzyme Q-10 (also known as CoQ10) has been the focus of scientific study for years. Playing a crucial role in producing energy in cells, CoQ10 also acts as a powerful antioxidant, a little like vitamin E or vitamin C. Yet, despite its popularity, there are some worrying drawbacks to CoQ10 supplementation that the companies who sell it would rather you didn't hear about.

Discovered in 1957, CoQ10 is also called ubiquinone because it belongs to a class of compounds called quinones. Its name also comes from the word ubiquitous, which means, "found everywhere." That's because CoQ10 is found in every cell in your body. Some foods, notably pork and beef heart, also contain small amounts of CoQ10 [4].

CoQ10 information

As with most food supplements, trying to find independent and unbiased CoQ10 information is difficult. Because most magazines and websites are either owned or supported financially (in the form of advertising) by supplement companies, getting to the truth can be extremely difficult.

Dubbed by some as a...

The rest of this report is available in the Members-Only Area. Subscribe to the Members-Only Area and you'll enjoy immediate access to a "secret vault" of expert knowledge and university-tested tips and tricks you can use to shed stubborn fat once and for all... get bigger biceps, broader shoulders, a bigger bench press... or strip away the fat from your belly to reveal a flat and attractive stomach. Click here now to join.

If you're a member, you can click here to continue reading.

The Omega-3's

2008-05-23T07:16:00.000-07:00

Tom Venuto
Burn the Fat

Writing a series of lessons on "sure things" for fat loss is not as easy as you'd think.
There are so many opinions about the "right way" to eat for getting leaner, that getting
all the experts to agree on anything occurs about as often as Haley's comet flies by.

Even the subject of dietary fat is hugely controversial. Just try
mentioning "saturated fat is bad for you" in a nutrition forum these days and you'll see
exactly what I mean.

But when it comes to one particular type of fat, the vote is virtually unanimous:
Omega-3 fatty acids are sure things for
your health. Even better: Scientists are beginning to uncover the important roles they
play in the fat burning process as well.

Omega-3 fatty acids are labeled "essential" because your body can't manufacture them, so
you must get them from the food you eat (much like certain amino acids, vitamins and
minerals).

Omega-3 fatty acids can be obtained from plant or animal sources.

The richest animal source of omega-3 is fatty fish such as salmon,
mackerel, albacore tuna, rainbow trout, sardines or herring.

The fat in fish contains two important long-chain polyunsaturated
omega-3 fatty acids: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). These
appear to be the major players responsible for the biological activity in fish oil that
produces the long list of benefits.

The richest plant sources of omega-3 fats are flaxseeds or flaxseed oil. Flaxseed
contains alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) which your
body can convert into DHA and EPA.

The list of potential health benefits from eating these "good fats" is so long, that if
you couldn't look up the scientific references to confirm them for yourself, you would
swear I was just pulling your leg.

Peer-reviewed research has been published on fish oil and omega-3 fats
for the treatment, management or prevention of ALL these conditions:

cardiovascular disease, atherosclerosis, hyperlipidemia, high blood pressure, cardiac
arrhythmias, inflammatory diseases, joint pain, arthritis, osteoporosis, kidney disease,
prostate cancer, colon cancer, breast cancer, skin cancer, crohn's disease, ulcerative
colitis, Alzheimer's, asthma, cystic fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,
sickle cell anemia, glaucoma, lupus, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, cirrhosis,
epilepsy, chronic fatigue syndrome, menstrual symptoms, psoriasis, diabetes, insulin
resistance, migraines, response to stress, bipolar disorder, depression, psychological
disorders, and metabolic syndrome. Okay, so omega 3 fats are healthy stuff, we can all
agree on that!

Here's why I also suggest that omega-3 fats should be added to the
list of "sure things for fat loss":

At least a half a dozen human studies and more than two dozen animal studies in the last
10 years suggest that the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish may help you burn more fat or
at the very least that
they play an important role in the fat burning process, or that
a deficiency could inhibit fat burning. Some studies found that omega 3 fats may function
as fuel partitioners
and increase fat oxidation. This means that omega-3's shift glucose toward glycogen
storage and direct fatty acids away from body fat
formation and toward fatty acid oxidation.

Omega-3 fatty acids also enhance the expression of the Uncoupling protein 3 (UCP3) gene
in skeletal muscle. Scientists say that this
may indirectly increase energy expenditure by dissipating calories as heat. Other
potential mechanisms include increased sensitivity to the
"anti starvation hormone" leptin, decreased insulin, reduced
fat cell proliferation and improved cell membrane fluidity. It's an exciting area of
research and a highly publicized one as well.

If you pay attention to the news or read any fitness or nutrition
literature, you probably already know about the benefits of omega-3 fats - it's no secret
anymore.

What's shocking is the fact that most people are still deficient
in omega-3 fats, according to the latest statistics.

As with that other "super food" - vegetables - most people seem to know that they
"should" be eating more healthy fats, but they still don't do it. This gap between
knowing what to do and actually doing it is a real problem, when it's so easy to take
advantage of the benefits
of this incredible "power nutrient."

Here are 7 tips that can accommodate both vegetarians and fish eaters alike:

1) eat fatty fish at least twice per week and even daily
if practical and economical for you. If not, you could supplement with fish oil (2-3
grams of combined DHA/EPA daily)

2) Omega 6 fatty acids are also essential, but most people
have an unbalanced omega 3 to omega 6 ratio. This can be
remedied by increasing the omega 3 consumption and or
reducing the omega 6 consumption (by decreasing intake of
processed foods, refined grains, and supermarket cooking
oils, with the exception of extra virgin olive oil)

3) grind up flaxseeds and sprinkle them on salads or add
them to oatmeal, protein shakes or morning cereals. Alternately, supplement with flaxseed
oil; 1 tbsp is equivalent to 3 tbsp flaxseeds (use as a supplement; Not for cooking)

4) snack on walnuts, which contain modest amounts of omega 3 fats

5) increase your consumption of leafy greens which
contain small amounts of omega 3 fats.

6) if you eat red meat, try game meats or grass fed
beef or bison. they dont have nearly the quantity
of omega-3 as marine sources, but they are higher in
omega-3 and have a better omega-3 to omega-6 ratio than conventionally raised and fed
beef.

7) Try omega-3 fortified eggs instead of regular eggs.

See how easy it is to get more omega-3? With all the health benefits stacked on top of
the potential
fat loss benefits, you simply can't go wrong by making this one change to your diet
program - eat more omega 3...
it's a sure thing!

About the Author:

Tom Venuto is a natural bodybuilder, certified strength and conditioning specialist
(CSCS) and a certified personal trainer (CPT). Tom is the author of "Burn the Fat, Feed
The Muscle," which teaches you how to get lean without drugs or supplements using methods
of the world's best bodybuilders and fitness models. Learn how to get rid of stubborn fat
and increase your metabolism naturally by visiting: Burn the Fat.com

Your Fitness Future: 20 Predictions for 2008

2008-01-28T02:32:00.000-08:00

Tom Venuto
Burn the Fat

I'm going to predict your future and forecast exactly what kind of results you're going to get in 2008.

Sylvia Browne step aside... I'm pretty good at this.

Several years ago, a public relations firm in New York City asked me to write an article
for one of their publications about fitness trends and predictions for the coming year.
It turned out that my "crystal ball" was pretty darn accurate.
I nailed most of the predictions I made about aerobics classes,
yoga, core training, "holistic" approaches, online personal
training technology, the baby boomer market, increasing obesity
and many other subjects.

I do confess though, it wasn't that difficult, because instead of just guessing, I
actually did some research on industry statistics. I also had some "inside insights"
because I'd been a health club manager for so many years and was privy to fitness
business trends.

This year, instead of making predictions for the whole fitness industry, what if I could
take out my crystal ball again and
predict with with 99% precision exactly what kind of results you will achieve with your
body by the end of 2008?

Well, I can do that too! I would claim that I have some kind of "gift" for this, but to
be honest, you and I don't need to be psychic to make predictions
like these. There are two things you can always count on: (1)Nature's laws of cause and
effect and (2) human nature. On that basis, here are my 20 fitness predictions for 2008:

I PREDICT that if you can reach into your pocket and pull out a card or piece of paper
with all your 2008 body and fitness goals written on it in vivid detail, the odds are 95
to 1 in favor of you achieving every one of those goals before the end of the year.

I PREDICT that if you focus your thoughts on your goals and how you are going to achieve
them, all day long, you
will reach your goals so fast in 2008, it will make your head spin.

I PREDICT that if you focus your thoughts on your health
and body fat problems and if you think about what you don't want, all day long, your
problems will get worse than
ever this year.

I PREDICT that if you made a new year's resolution, but you didn't turn it into a
specific, written goal with a deadline
and a strong reason why you must achieve it, you will freely abandon it the moment the
going gets tough.

I PREDICT that if you can tell me all the reasons why achieving
your health and fitness goals are important to you, you will be
motivated from within to stick to it even more when the going gets tough

I PREDICT that at times, the going is going to get tough.

I PREDICT that if you can tell me today what is your life
purpose and what is your lifelong vision for your body and your health, you will be as
motivated and driven half way through the year and at the end of the year as you were at
the beginning.

I PREDICT that if you don't have long term goals and a "big picture" vision for your life
that you will lose your
New Year's enthusiasm and motivation in a matter of months or even weeks.

I PREDICT that the way you see yourself in your mind's eye today will be an exact
reflection of what you see in the
mirror at the end of the year.

I PREDICT that if you have a setback that seems to get in the way of you reaching your
health and fitness goals and
you tell yourself "this just is temporary; this too shall pass," then it won't set you
back and it will pass.

I PREDICT that if you believe the way your body looks today
is out of your control and you feel helpless or powerless to change, you won't even make
much of an effort this year.

I PREDICT that if you accept complete responsibility for the
way your body looks today and you believe that you have the
power to change, that you will take action and keep taking
action, even through the tough times.

I PREDICT that if you're unhappy with your physical condition
and you say,"it's not my fault" or you blame it on genetics, hormones or age, then your
body will look pretty much the
same at the end of 2008 as it did on New Year's day.

I PREDICT that the more you have patience, a long term perspective and the ability to
postpone immediate gratification,
the more likely you are to be a success one year from now.

I PREDICT that the more you seek "miracle pills" or "quick fixes," the more likely you
are to be a failure one year from now.

I PREDICT that you will be tempted by many quick fixes in 2008.

I PREDICT that if you hang out with losers and negative people
this year, you will become just like them.

I PREDICT that if you hang out with winners and positive people
this year, you will become just like them.

I PREDICT that you will run into more negative people and losers
this year than positive people and winners.

I PREDICT that if you recruit just one friend or support partner
that stands behind you and the lifestyle changes you want to make
in 2008, you will double your chances for success. If you surround
yourself with numerous support partners, you will become virtually unstoppable.

So how does your future look for 2008?

Based on my predictions," if it doesn't look as bright as you'd like it to be, then don't
worry, because a prediction is not predestination.

You can't do anything to change the past, but with your thoughts, attitudes and actions
of the present moment, the future is yours to create.

Your friend and coach,

Tom Venuto
Burn the Fat

Eat Right For Your Body Type

2008-01-24T03:19:00.001-08:00

by Dr John Berardi

Simplicity and Individualization
Last week, I posted a short article entitled "It Really Is Simple."

The whole point of the article was that, while nutrition is a source of confusion for many folks, their confusion is usually self-made.

In other words, rather than applying the simple principles of thermodynamics, folks usually "out think" themselves, getting bogged down in advanced details, spinning their wheels the whole way and never really learning how to control their body, never really learning how to be in the driver's seat of their body composition.

In essence, at its most basic level, body change is about controlling energy balance. Therefore:

1) If you aren't losing...
You're not in a negative energy balance

2) If you aren't gaining...
You're not in a positive energy balance

In the article I then went on to discuss how to achieve that seeming elusive negative (or positive) energy balance - simple strategies, for sure - but strategies I see people missing out on time and time again. Strategies that, once mastered, make the biggest difference - much bigger than macronutrient splits, special supplements, and other such techniques.

So, if you haven't read this article, please do by clicking here. And once you've finished reading it, repeat to yourself the fact that understanding how to control energy balance is always the first step to changing your body.

However, once you're done with that article, I want you to come back here and read this one. You see, while basic energy balance information is absolutely necessary for physique change, it's not always sufficient to help everyone achieve their higher level goals. Sometimes, more is required - especially after you've achieved a certain "nutritional age."

Act Your Nutritional Age
I never ask clients - flat out - what they believe their nutritional age to be. Why not? Well, because they usually have no idea since nutritional age, nutritional experience, nutritional level, are all subjective and based on some reference points.

For example, if you eat better than everyone you know, you may think your nutritional level is "advanced." Yet, compared to a different standard, it may be very much "beginner." Likewise, if you hang out with a bunch of "nutrition nuts" who seem to have it all together, you may believe yourself to be "beginner" while maybe you're really more "intermediate" or "advanced."

Of course, you can read a nutrition book every week and still be a beginner as your practice of this information might still be immature. On the other hand, you could never read a single nutrition book or text yet have a high level nutritional intake.

In the end, it's for these reasons that Precision Nutrition V2.0 contains some tools for helping people categorize themselves according to 3 different nutritional levels - Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3.

You can call this your "nutritional age," your "nutritional level," etc. Whatever you call it, this categorization is based on how your body looks and performs as well as your specific nutritional habits.

Further, not only does your nutritional level describe you, it also describes how you should approach improving your intake.

Level 1 individuals should concern themselves with the the nutritional programming taught in the Precision Nutrition Diet Guide, using Gourmet Nutrition meals and the Precision Nutrition nutrient timing templates or Super Foods Checklist,

Level 2 individuals should concern themselves with using the activity and goal-based calorie calculations, body type specific macronutrient breakdowns, and nutrient-sensitivity based nutrient timing strategies - all outlined in detail in the Individualization Guide of Precision Nutrition V2.0.

Level 3 individuals should concern themselves with high level individualization like calorie cycling, periodic very low carb diets, periodic very high carb diets, etc. - all outlined in detail in the Individualization Guide of Precision Nutrition V2.0.

In the end, it's important to realize that the nutritional strategies you choose should be based on your current level/nutritional age.

They should not be based on some general ideal, some general program, or on what works for someone who's had success but is at a different level than you.

For The Level 2s and 3s
We always teach Level 1 clients that their primary focus should be on making better food choices and controlling energy balance (without counting calories, etc.). And by focussing on these two things, Level 1 clients proceed at a great pace without being overwhelmed.

However, once a client graduates from Level 1, they have to progress to the next level in terms of their nutritional habits if they hope to continue to improve. This is where we focus on more individualized nutrition - nutrition based on activity levels, goals, body type, and more.

To this end, in Precision Nutrition V2.0 we begin by outlining 3 general body types, the characteristics of each type, and our recommended starting macronutrient intakes. Here's one chart summarizing these details:

Notice that each body type has a different set of characteristics and that each type benefits from a different dietary breakdown. Trust us on this one, by eating according to your body type, you'll experience almost immediate improvements in the way you look and feel.

To Count or Not To Count
Now, once we get to this level of individualization, folks often wonder whether they should start counting calories or not.

Well, it all depends on need.

You know, you can generally tailor your diet to the specifications above without counting calories. Simply, if you shift your fat and carbohydrate intake in the direction that best suits your body type, you'll do well - without counting.

For example, if you've an ectomorph that's graduated from level 1 yet you don't want to really start counting calories and macronutrient percentages, you can simply start paying more attention to keeping your fat intake in check and increasing your carb intake. Likewise, if you're an endomorph, you'd do the opposite - all the while using the "eyeball" method rather than using a weigh scale and calorie calculator.

Of course, this doesn't mean you should never count calories and macronutrients. If you've got no idea how many calories are in the foods you're eating and no idea where your proteins, carbs, and fats are coming from, you'd likely benefit from a lesson on these topics.

Likewise, even if you know these things yet your results aren't falling in line with your expectations, you may need to spend some time counting so that you can better determine where you stand with respect to energy balance and you can decide how to best shift your energy balance in the direction you like.

Ahh, energy balance again! So we've come full circle! Remember, without controlling energy balance, no amount of macronutrient planning will make much of a difference.

Want More Info
Ok, it's time to wrap up this article before I type out the entire Precision Nutrition manual right here on the forum! Now, admittedly, the article above presents just a brief synopsis of the Precision Nutrition system. However, it should give you a good idea as to how you can begin to establish a nutritional plan based specifically on your body type.

Of course, if you're looking for more information about how to determine your nutritional level as well as how to eat for your level and your body type, make sure you get yourself a copy of Precision Nutrition V2.0.

Think Fit to Be Fit

2008-01-17T03:35:00.000-08:00

Victoria Johnson
Star of 24 Dance/Fitness DVD/Videos
Published Author, Professional Trainer,
Television Fitness Celebrity
Motivational Life Coach

"Mastery comes from concentrated energy directed repeatedly in a specific direction on a specific action." - Inner City Games – Danny Hernandez in LA

Some of the First Class Celebrated Winners who are celebrated right now are: Tiger Woods, Venus Williams, Regina Jacobs, Colin Powell and Troy Demond

What do these individuals have in common besides great success in their field? They have mastered the art of concentration.

Concentration

Concentration is vital to success. Whether you want to lose weight, get fit, find a new job, start a business or be a better parent. Focused energy is crucial to success.

An effective metaphor of this is the light bulb verses laser beam approach to accomplishing a task, achieving a goal or realizing your dream. In the Roget’s Thesaurus an option word for concentration is Deliberate. I like that, deliberate. That says to me that wherever I deliberately put the majority of my energy and work, is where I will see the greatest return, progress or results.

Look around your environment right now. What do you see, what is in your drawers, closets, by your bed, in your kitchen cupboards, in your car, in your purse or wallet, in your briefcase, on your coffee table in, in your closet, on your body, on your abs, on your thighs, around your waist, in your bank account, in your financial portfolio. What do you think it all says about you? Are the findings helping you to achieve your desired goal.

"Don't focus on doing what you feel , focus on doing what's right." Colin Powell

What you focus and concentrate your energy on grows, expands and multiplies.

Those great athletes and Colin Powell had to consciously apply energy on a single focus to and they concentrate their effort on the their historical endeavors. They had to think , picture, see, visualize and then take concentrated deliberate action! It all started in their minds. They had to create the thought about their specific success and then they had to begin the journey through creating the appropriate mental images and taking action. But first and foremost they had to think it in order to be it.

Think Fit to Be Fit

Think Fit in your mind and immediately begin to be fit. Be fit now, get in the moment and begin the journey towards physical manifestation.

Connect with a fit image in your mind. Emulate being fit. Activity in this moment leads to repetition and that is the beginning of the phenomena of HABIT. Habits make you, break you, mold you, and shape you. In this moment as you read this begin the process of reprogramming your mind to operate in the place of achievement. Begin to craft out new and empowering habits that you can duplicate until you reach your goals.

Right now, sit up like a fit person, when you begin to move again after you get up from your computer, Walk like you're fit. Continue the process, by beginning to speak like you're fit person. When you are hungry , shop, prepare and eat what a fit person eats. On vacation and during your leisure time, go where a fit person would go. With every thing you do get into a victorious state. Set your mental mind on triumph. Don't allow anyone the opportunity to discourage you. Use your imagination, visualize your mind as a gigantic library that is filled with documents of mastery, attainment, achievement, accomplishment, and success. Don't let any negative documents get on the shelf of your mind.

When interviewed about his mastery of Golf and his extraordinary ability to concentrate, Tiger woods had this to say,

"My dad taught me to focus and concentrate on one element of golf at a time".

Walk away, move away, reject and refuse to be around any limiting thought or belief that creates doubt, fear, resentment, apprehension and Let go of your current body image . Move toward, study and literally Step into the world of the fit and fabulous. Get your mind on what works.

Fit to me is not just having a set of tight buns, although there's nothing wrong with that, fit is wholeness, wellness, a peaceful nothing lacking nothing. It is referred to as "the Zone". Every day you need to spend time "In the Zone" . Work in the Zone, Play in the zone and most importantly Live "In The zone"

Operating in the zone happens when you employ deep concentration. You will become highly efficient, your performance in all areas of your life will improve, you will mentally operate with psychological buoyancy. You will feel an absence of self-consciousness. Most importantly you will experience enhanced mastery.

Tiger woods won the british open . He broke a record that was set generations ago. To accomplish this, he maintained an extremely high level of concentration and focus. When he approached the ball he would block out all outside noise and activity. He would visualize his swing, estimate the ball’s destination while all the time taking into account the direction and the speed of the wind.

Life is like that when you are working on your goals. You must block out the extraneous noise from nay sayers, you must account for the weather which is a metaphor for the daily storms that we may incur. Anyone can stay focused when everything is perfect, it's what you do when the conditions are not perfect to matters. You must have a mental plan for pressing through the storm so that you don't get lost or caught up in swift changes.

Apply your mental and visual attention on your destination, your ultimate goal, your desired outcome. Don't surrender your goals and dreams to doubt, fear, negativity, or other limited thinker's opinions. Concentrate your attention on becoming Totally Fit; mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally and financially.

By applying the art of concentration you will not only develop your full physical potential, but your full Human potential.

Venus Williams begins every tennis match by swinging the tennis racquet one time then she builds momentum one swing at a time.

Regina Jacobs begins every race by shooting out of the starting blocks by putting one foot in front of the other. Each step leads to greater momentum. Her momentum is what she uses to win the race.

What are you waiting for, get a goal, write it down, develop a plan, chart your course, set a deadline and get focused. Then concentrate until you achieve your goal. I believe in you, I know you can do it.

Have an awesome week!

Diet and Nutritional Planning for 2008

2007-12-28T02:14:00.000-08:00

By Vince DelMonte

Vince DelMonte is the author of No Nonsense Muscle Building: Skinny Guy Secrets To Insane Muscle Gain He specializes in teaching skinny guys how to build muscle and gain weight quickly without drugs, supplements and training less than before.

Visualize this. You were just chosen to let world famous Fitness Model, Frank Sepe, shack up in your house while he does some local photo shoots in your area. His taxi is dropping him off at your door step step in 5 minutes! And, did I mention, he'll be relying on your kitchen and food supply...

The question is this. Is your kitchen prepared for your guest? Will he look inside your fridge and be impressed with your nutritional choices or will he cancel his photo shoot and call the Extreme Makeover Kitchen Gang leaving you embarrassed and humiliated of your kitchen which resembles the same fridge of the cast from America's Next Top Model!

In this article, I am not going to tell you what and why to eat. I am assuming you already know the importance and basics of bulking and cutting and have a plan to follow. In the article, we are going to discuss how to action-steps to executing your plan effectively in 2008.

Creating a Safe House
Before the new year gets too far in, we are going to revolutionize your kitchen. The plan is start stocking your kitchen as if you have professional bodybuilders, UFC fighters and professional athletes living in your house. No point in setting the standard low. If you wish to resemble the physique of a champion - then you better start living like one. The plan is to remove all foods not conducive to your goals and replace them with foods and replace them with a variety of better choices.

Let's face it. If the food is in your possession or located anywhere in your vicinity, you will eventually eat it. Don't kid yourself otherwise.

The key is to view your home as a 'safe house.' A place where you are free from all the temptations of fast food, finger food at socials, alcoholic beverages at parties, sweets at the girlfriends house, muffins at staff meeting and salty foods on poker nights. With all this temptation potential for sabotage, you need to create a safe house you can return to each night. Here's how to do it right for 2008:

The Fridge and Pantry Makeover

Just a few days ago, I bought myself a brand new stainless steel fridge! Compared to the one I bought at a garage sale for $25, this one is beautiful. It's even more beautiful when it's stocked to the brim with muscle building ammunition. Why am I telling you this? Because, for some reason, as soon as I owned this new fridge, I felt obligated to put it to good use. When it's empty, I almost feel inadequate of being called a man's man! If you don't plan on buying a new fridge for some extra motivation, my first advice, is to empty your entire fridge and do a complete over haul. Call your mom. Call your girlfriend. Call you wife. This fridge is getting a cleaning.

Don't be surprised if you are more motivated to parallel the cleanliness of the fridge with the cleanliness of the foods inside the fridge. Little changes can go along by adjusting your personal mindset.

Here's What to Dump in the Garbage

It would be easy to write out a Top 50 list of foods that you should avoid at all costs. However the reality is that this is rarely the cause for getting fat and not achieving your goals. There are actually very few BAD FOODS. I learned from an old university professor who said, "There's no such thing as good or bad food; there is only good and bad times to each certain foods." And yes, there are some foods that you should avoid at all costs but there is not a 'David Letterman's Top 10 List.'
However, I will lay down some guidelines that will give you a better chance of seeing your six-pack sooner than later. Eating some of these foods immediately after your workout will do little harm because they will be converted right into your muscles, but you will be better off leaving them on the shelves at the grocery store.

GET RID OF THESE FOODS
SODAS AND JUICES - excluding or including can be the difference between skinny and fat. Go ahead and read for yourself on your next 'healthy' fruit juice the amount of sugar. You have two ingredients- sugar and water.
HIGH FAT PROCESSED MEAT - sausage, pepperoni, bacon and related foods are loaded with the type of fat that will shorten your lifespan, and are also loaded with sodium. Don't confuse these for good sources of protein.
FROZEN DESSERTS AND ICE CREAM - again, more sugar to transform your six pack into a keg.. Sugar and oil-laden sauces - whether it is ketchup, barbecue or horseradish sauce, the majority of nice packaged sauces are quick injections of spiced-up high fructose corn syrup.
You're better off spicing up your meals naturally without all the sugar and extra empty calories.
MOST PROCESSED FOODS - make sure your warning sirens go off when you see anything packaged in colorful wrappers, boxes, bags or containers. These foods promote 'healthiness' but fail to admit the degree of processing it went through. Do your own experiment - next time you are unsure of a processed food just take a look at the ingredient list. If you see more than 5 ingredients that you can not pronounce then you have to wonder what the heck you are putting in your body. Most of these foods have an exhaustive list of 'fillers' that preserve the shelf life and have nothing to do with nutrient value. Avoid this stuff at all cost!
CRACKERS - refer to the above but you get to choke down a mouthful of sodium too.
WHITE FLOUR PRODUCTS like white bread and bagels - manufacturers first remove the wheat seed's bran, its six outer layers, and the germ, which results in more than 75% of the vitamins and minerals being lost and over 95% of the fiber being lost. It gets worse. What little is left gets bleached in chlorine dioxide to give the bread a shelf life. It is further whitened by adding chalk, alum, and ammonium carbonate to make it feel and look more improved for the customer. An anti-aging salt that I do not even know how to spell or pronounce is added to the final stage.
A few synthetic nutrients are then added back into the white flour and labeled 'enriched,' but in reality there has been no real 'enrichment' of the original product, only deception and destruction. Did you know that rats will die within seven to 10 days after being put a diet of white flour?
BAKING SUPPLIES - more chemicals to wreak havoc on the human body.
POTATO CHIPS - a cumulative batch of chemicals to put an enormous amount of strain on the pancreas, which is forced to protect your body from these chemicals.
MYSTERY FOOD IN ROTTING TUPPERWARE CONTAINERS - even though Aunt Wilma makes a mean turkey dinner and has supplied you with leftovers until next Christmas, there is no reason to test its life span! Do an inventory once a week and chuck any foods that have exhausted their expiration date.
Here's What to Add to the Kitchen
Since your fridge is probably looking bare like your college days it's time to stock it up so that even Chef Pasquale would be very happy.
Again, this is not the David Letterman Top 10 list but it is a very good start to being fully prepared to having the ammunition required to build massive muscle.
ADD THESE FOODS
BEVERAGES - Get ready to start drinking a lot of water. Invest in filtered water and avoid tap water if you know your local area comes from poor sources. Also, drink 2-3 cups of green tea a day for its high antioxidant profile and more than a handful of health reasons. Chuck the killer fruit juices and soda!
BONELESS CHICKEN BREASTS - If your budge permits, aim for free-range chickens (organically fed) as a the most superior choice. If you can not afford these regularly than go for the grain-fed, store-bought type because they carry minimal body fat.
COOKING SPRAY - Only buy the ones made from canola or olive oil
CHEESE - Typically the cheeses that have a stronger taste will serve more purposes. They have a better protein and fatty-acid profile and they provide more taste to your food. Cheese is higher in fat so use it in moderation and aim for a variety of cheeses, such as Feta, goat, Havarti, aged white cheddar and Parmesan.
DRIED FRUIT - This is a great source of easy calories. Just a small handful of some dried fruit has the same amount of calories as a large apple. If you're trying to gain weight, then dried fruit can work to your advantage, but if you are trying to lose weight then be very cautious.
Good sources are currants, dates, pears, mango, apples, and banana. Just don't eat the extra sweetened ones loaded with hydrogenated oils as an additive.
EGGS - Omega 3 eggs should always be chosen because they are laid by chickens that were fed a diet rich in ground flaxseed.
EGG WHITES - Egg whites can be a little pricey if you buy them in the cartons, but can save you the headache and mess of cracking and storing half your fridge with egg carton boxes.
Instead, buy a few cartons of pasteurized egg whites that are a great substitute to top off an omelet with some high quality protein. Egg whites are also great to throw into protein shakes, but don't be surprised if your significant other runs away because of wicked stink bombs.
EXTRA LEAN GROUND SIRLOIN - Always go for the leanest sources available. Your local grocery store should meet your requirements but feel free to venture down to a farmer's market and go for grass-fed beef freshly ground.
FRUIT - Always go for an assortment of colors and make sure your fridge is always stocked with fresh fruit. I typically shop for seasonal fruit from a quality perspective and cost perspective. If you can, go for local and organically grown produce.
Examples are apples, grapes, bananas, kiwi, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, mango, oranges, tangerines, and pineapple.
GREEN TEA - Go for the one with out any extra flavoring or fillers. An organic green tea without any extra herbs is the best.
GRAINS - Here is some safe ammunition on the grain side: oats (not the instant oatmeal loaded with sugar), oat bran, whole flaxseed's, quinoa, whole barley and wheat bran.
LEAN TURKEY AND CHICKEN SAUSAGE - This is great to mix things up, and while you might not want to buy this all the time there is nothing wrong with the occasional street meat!
LEGUMES - Kidney beans, split peas, chickpeas and lentils are excellent sources of fiber and a great addition to your arsenal.
MEAT, POULTRY AND FISH - There are many exotic selections to choose from and the best advice I can give is VARIETY! Eat a wide assortment and do not limit yourself to one shopping center. Rotate your shopping trips to farmers markets, the super-size grocery store and smaller grocery stores. Each will carry a different selection of meats.
MIXED NUTS - These are easy calories and a great source of good fat to balance out your meals. The best sources are walnuts, almonds, cashews, pecans and peanuts.
SAUCES AND CONDIMENTS - There are many options that will enhance your taste buds while not counteracting the nutrient profile of the meal.
Here are some safe bets: pesto, salsa, curry sauce, tomato pasta sauce, balsamic vinegar, white cooking wine, red wine, raspberry vinegar and flavored flax oil.
SALMON -Genuine wild salmon is better than farmed salmon because you will benefit from its higher quality Omega-3 profile and absence of mercury and toxins.
SPICES - Here is where the fun comes in. You don't have to be a gourmet chef to know how to use certain spice combinations but it may take some experimentation. Consider this free food and customize your spices to your dish. Focusing on just some of the basics like salt, pepper, fresh garlic, basil, oregano, chili powder, and cinnamon will bring your food to life.
VEGETABLES - If you know which aisle the chips and cookies are better than where the fresh produce section is then we have some work to do. You should be able to pick your vegetables from your local food market with your eyes closed. This should be the one section in the grocery store you are more familiar with than any other. Here are your staples: spinach, broccoli, peppers, asparagus, tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, cucumbers, celery and carrots. Try and aim for the colors of the rainbow - the more variety the better.
Secret Tip When Grocery Shopping

You will notice that the majority of these foods are stocked on the periphery of the grocery store. While you are at the grocery store you will notice that your trek does not wander into the 'forbidden aisle.' These are the aisles full of the present and future physique challenged. Grocery shopping does not get easier than this once you discover that the best foods are located in the produce and refrigerated section. Shop in the 'safe zone' to avoid the ambush of pre-packaged food and processed carbs, sugar and bad fats.
Don't forget to buy plenty of meal-sized Tupperware containers, plastic bags, a lunch bag, some 1L water bottles and perhaps some plastic cutlery. This will help you prepare your meals in advance.

Create a Nutritional Plan and Follow It
Have you heard of the saying, "Make your plan and than work you plan." It's quite powerful of taken seriously and applied wholeheartedly. Once you have decided on the plan, right for you, stop surfing the Internet, stop chatting on forums, stop trying to 'perfect' it and simply follow what you have.
Your biggest obstacle will be keeping a 90% adherence to the program. Commit to following the program for at least 90% of the time. That means if you are eating six times a day, you will be eating a total of 42 times per week. 90% com pliancy means you don't mess up more than four times in the entire week! Puts a new perspective on why you might have not succeeded the past few years...
One of my nutrition mentors reminded me to not judge a program until I have followed it to 90% com pliancy and for at least 4 weeks straight. Anything less, is too short to come to any conclusions of whether it was a good or bad plan. Don't play the blame game and try out a new nutrition plan for one or two weeks and then quit and say you didn't get results because 'it wasn't working!'
Replace Old Habits With New Habits
Habits are basically like automatic behaviors. I will be the first to admit that breaking bad habits and forming new habits is not easy at all. If it were, you would have no financial problems, perfect relationships, a healthy body and you would be rocking this world!
The 'sick-cycle' is the term I use to describe the continuous cycle of poor choices. When we continue to make choices that lead to the same dead end, we are in the midst of a sick cycle.
It's interesting how you have probably tried to break an old habit by doing the same thing over and over but expecting a different result. Isn't is foolish? Why can't we see that trying to write a different ending to a story by mentally writing a different story in our minds just does not work and it will never work!
Creating new habits to transform your body into a Greek-God or a Greek-Goddess is not easy and will require you to assess which habits in your life need to be destroyed. But you probably already know what habits are destroying your progress. Knowing what to do is not enough. In my opinion, YOU DO NOT TRULY KNOW ANYTHING - you might have talked about it - UNTIL YOU actually EXPERIENCE AND LIVE IT!
"A bad habit never disappears miraculously; it's an undo-it-yourself project."
-Abigail Van Buren-

HERE ARE SOME PRACTICAL TIPS
TO HELP YOU CREATE NEW HABITS:
1. Post your meal plan on the fridge. If in 2006, you simple kept your nutrition plan in your 'head' then replace this with a new habit - put it in a visible place where you can see it every day and reminded EXACTLY what to eat. Obviously, the kitchen will be the most practical spot.
2. Prepare your meals in advance. Instead of waking up causally each day without enough time in the morning to take your food to work, set aside a time in the week where you create all your foods three or four days in advance. Make your life as easy as possible. I suggest coming up with a set time each week where you designate a few hours to preparing all your meals and than freezing them until you need them.
3. Buy a cooler and Tupperware containers. Having the right equipment will force you to eliminate the excuses. Buy enough Tupperware containers so that you can separate all your foods and organize them nicely. Sure this might sound extreme to the general public but I assuming you are sick and tired of looking like the general public! I don't know any professional bodybuilder or fitness model who does not travel with a cooler. I have no alternate solution to suggest anyways. How the heck are you going to eat three or four meals away from home if you do not pack them in a cooler? Hey, did I mention - get a cooler!
4. Buy your supplements in bulk. How often have you run out of supplements which results in sabotaging your diet plan for a day or two. Mentally, having a stack of supplements sitting on my counter top reminds me of my goals each day and that I have the tools to succeed. I have no excuses if I am in a rush and need to mix a protein shake. From a financial standpoint, making a commitment to buying a certain volume of supplements in advance tells yourself that you are committed and not going to waste your hard earned money by quitting.
Failing to Prepare Is Preparing To Fail
I could not agree more strongly with the late Benjamin Franklin, "Failing to prepare is preparing to fail." Eating without a program is like building a house with out a blueprint. How will the final product look - if a final product is even achieved?

When I refer to meal plan, I'm referring to all the specific details of an nutrition plan. I'm referring to the overall calories, amount of carbs, amount of protein, meal frequency, food selection etc . These details must be pre-planned before you even start! Yes, this is a true plan. How much easier will it be to maintain your focus every time you wake up each morning? Having a plan to follow leads to one simple task - work it and execute it!

Decide To Be Successful and Take Responsibility.
I learned this philosophy from the Australian strength coach Ian King. It goes something like this:
"You are getting everything you deserve right now based on the person you are being and the decisions you have made. You will continue to get the same thing if you continue doing the same thing. You will not get a different result unless you become a different person by habit and action."
This philosophy has seriously impacted me - everything you have in life is exactly what you deserve to have and everything you want to have.

POWERFUL!

Jim Rohn, one of the world's greatest personal development coaches constantly preaches passionately on this topic and has this to say.
"You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself. That is something you have charge of. You don't have charge of the constellations, but you do have charge of whether you read, develop new skills, and take new classes."
Brad Sugars, an Australian entrepreneur and wealth/business coach, describes an excellent picture of this philosophy of taking responsibility. It is a very clear and accurate portrayal of the difference between taking responsibility (described as playing above the line), and avoiding responsibility (playing below the line). Observe the words 'victim' correlating with playing below the line, and the words 'victor' correlating with playing above the line.

Which line do you play in? It is much easier to play below the line, especially when our society reinforces this attitude.

Do you think that the best way to fulfill your potential for 2008 is by blaming someone else? Does this way of living allow you to reach your full potential? Never!
THIS IS A GUARANTEED WAY OF ALLOWING SHORT TERM RELIEF BUT THE DOWNSIDE IS THAT IT LEADS TO A LONG TERM SPIRAL DOWNWARD OF NEVER GAINING CONTROL OF YOUR LIFE AND NOT TRULY REACHING YOUR POTENTIAL.
So whatever body you are living in now - maybe it's too thin, too big, too soft, too flabby, not tight enough, not strong enough and so forth - you are responsible for transforming your body for the better, if that is truly what you desire.
Make 2008, not only the year that you master your meal plan - but the year that you stick to your resolutions and create a new body and a new life!

About the Author:
Vince DelMonte is the author of No Nonsense Muscle Building: Skinny Guy Secrets To Insane Muscle Gain He specializes in teaching skinny guys how to build muscle and gain weight quickly without drugs, supplements and training less than before.

All About Nutrition Bars

2007-09-21T06:22:00.001-07:00

People always ask me what I think about nutrition bars. The simple answer is, I don't think they're "nutritious." In fact, there is nothing nutritious about most of them. Usually, they're full of processed carbs and chemicals. They have as many calories as -- if not more than -- a candy bar. And they're loaded with trans fats and sugar alcohol.

Some bars are lower in calories, and some don't have trans fats, but unfortunately this cannot be said for most of them. Honestly, if this is your idea of a snack, you might as well just go have a candy bar and get it out of your system. Yep, it's that troubling.

If you really want some nutrition in your snacks, try having a cup of dry whole grain cereal, a piece of fruit, or a few raw or dry-roasted nuts or a couple of cups of air-popped popcorn. Just eat real food.

At the end of the day, as long as your snack calories fit into your overall daily allowance, the choice is up to you. There is no right or wrong answer on this, only different choices. But you can choose wisely.

Calorie Counting
Here's how to keep a record of your calorie intake so that you'll know how to stay on target with your meals. You'll need a food journal, a kitchen scale and measuring cups, and a calorie-counter book that includes information on protein, fat, and carb contents. Record everything you eat (and how much of it) throughout your day. Measure and weigh all your food to determine how many calories it contains until guessing the calories accurately becomes second nature.

Your grocery list may make you fat

2007-09-02T05:18:00.000-07:00

Mike Geary
Truth About Abs

I was at the grocery store today picking up some ingredients for a black bean & brown rice with seasoned venison strips dish I was planning to make, when an interesting thing happened...

I had gone straight to the grocery store after training a couple clients at the gym. Well, as I was grabbing some frozen veggies, a friendly lady (who must have seen that I was a fitness coach from my shirt), asked me my advice on a couple frozen prepared box meals she was picking out (by the way, those prepared frozen meals are usually highly processed crap loaded with sodium and other chemicals).

Now I will say that this woman was VERY overweight, and she mentioned that she has "tried everything" to get rid of all of the excess body fat and always failed.

Keep in mind I hear about 50 people a day tell me they've "tried everything" to get in shape. The problem that they don't realize is that they're trying all of the wrong things...they're trying all of the gimmicks and fads that are out there instead of just adopting a TRUE healthy active lifestyle.

Back to the woman in the store...

So we started chatting about her struggles with getting in shape, and I began scanning her grocery cart. If I can remember, these were some of the contents she thought were healthy:

Slim fast shakes (far from healthy...they're actually loaded with high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, and a bunch of other chemicals)
Fat Free Rice Cakes (ok...despite so many people believing these pieces of crap are healthy...they really are nothing but pure refined starch with zero fiber, which basically breaks down immediately into sugar in your body, spiking insulin and promoting fat storage...doesn't sound so good anymore, huh)
Protein bars "Scientifically Slim Body Engineered" or some BS statement like that (I took a gander at the ingredient list of these so called "healthy" protein bars and sure enough... hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, and enough sugar alcohols to give you diarrhea for a week!)
Canned fruit in syrup (I guess she could do worse here...but still, why not just eat fresh whole fruit which still contains the skins, fiber, active enzymes, etc, instead of resorting to processed, canned fruit that's been cooked and loaded with syrup)
Reduced Sugar Dessert Cakes (ok, so these are loaded with artificial sweeteners, sugar alcohols, preservatives, and a chemical ingredient list about 15 lines long)

Do you see what's going on here? This is the same scenario that I see all the time.

Most people are fooled by what the FRONT OF THE BOX says, leading them to believe what they are buying is healthy. On all of these items, the FRONT of the packages had all kinds of great sounding things like "fat free", "reduced sugar", "high protein", "low cholesterol", "low carb", etc.

However, the TRUTH is on the BACK OF THE BOX! Ah yes, the ingredient list and nutrition info is where the real truth is. However, I've realized that most of the general public doesn't know how to fully understand the ingredient list and nutrition info, so they rely on the advertising claims on the front of the package to guide them.

BIG MISTAKE!

If you notice, this woman thought she was doing great with her grocery shopping and buying all kinds of healthy stuff for her and her family.

In reality, EVERYTHING she was buying was highly processed and full of chemicals and industrially refined ingredients. No wonder "nothing has worked" for her to get in shape and lose the body fat... she actually hasn't been doing anything right. She's been mislead by all of the confusing marketing and labeling and conflicting nutrition info in the mass media.

If you want to discover the TRUTH about what it really takes to eat a truly healthy diet that maximizes your metabolism, brings your hormonal balance back to normal, reduces cravings, and strips off body fat faster than you'd believe is possible... it's all found in my Truth about Six Pack Abs program at Truth About Abs

Here's what some of my readers from all over the globe are saying about their experiences with this program:

Truth About Abs

Have fun and choose wisely on your next grocery store trip!

Feel free to pass this email on to any friends, family, or coworkers you think might enjoy this discussion.

Stay lean,

Mike Geary
Certified Nutrition Specialist
Certified Personal Trainer
Founder - Truth About Abs

Feeling too good?

2007-07-31T04:00:00.000-07:00

Don't Get Too Comfortable

Remember when you started working out, how you couldn't do 5 consecutive push-ups without collapsing? Now that you've been training for a while, you can do sets of 10 without even breaking a sweat. Feels good, right? Well, maybe it feels a little too good. It might be time to push yourself a little — by doing some push-up variations to further train the chest, triceps, and shoulders.

Here are two advanced push-ups to add to your repertoire:

Plyo Push-up
Start in your usual push-up position. Slowly lower yourself to the floor. With an explosive burst, exhale and push yourself up, bringing your hands off the floor and clapping them together. Land in the push-up position and repeat. The plyometric push-up increases muscle power by adding some additional difficulty to the regular push-up.

Close-Grip Push-up
Start in a push-up position but keep your hands directly under your shoulders instead of outside your chest. Your legs should be extended straight out behind you, your feet slightly apart, so you are balancing on your palms and the balls of your feet. Keep your elbows pressed firmly against your torso as you slowly lower yourself down. Exhale, press back up to the starting position, and repeat. This close-grip push-up places more emphasis on your anterior shoulders and triceps as well as your chest.

Challenging Yourself From Your Feet on Up
Another factor to consider when you vary your intensity level is your "base." This refers to the way in which you plant your feet on the floor. A wide base — placing your feet wide apart — helps stabilize your body. Working through an exercise with a wide base makes it easier to maintain form throughout reps. A narrow base, on the other hand — placing the feet together — makes any exercise more difficult, because your core and other muscle groups have to work harder to maintain a neutral body position.

Do you have a negative self-image?

2007-07-27T03:11:00.000-07:00

The Negativity Police
Is your inner voice a trash-talker? If you've tried and failed to reach your fitness goals in the past, negative thoughts might have been what held you back. Want to succeed this time? Get your journal (or log on to your online Fitness Diary). It's time to get some of those thoughts out of your head and onto paper. Ask yourself the following questions:

1. Do you have a negative self-image?
Do you constantly say things like "I'm fat" or "I'm ugly"? Do you pick yourself apart and beat yourself up when you look in the mirror?

2. Do you lack self-confidence?
Do you doubt your ability to achieve your goals, weight-related or otherwise? Do you dwell on your perceived limits or fears? Do you doubt your ability to accomplish the things you want to accomplish?

3. Do you feel powerless?
Do you feel as if you have no control over your life, or do you rely on excuses like "I'm genetically predisposed to being overweight"?

4. Do you label yourself in self-deprecating ways?
Do you think and talk about your failure to lose weight as a foregone conclusion? Do you refer to yourself mockingly (or not!) as a stereotype — the happy/funny fat person in the room? Is your e-mail address "fatso@blank.com"?

Now think about your responses. How would you describe the tone of your answers? Are they affirming and constructive, or downbeat and destructive? Want to turn your thinking around? The following question will help you understand why you have been propagating these destructive thoughts and behaviors so that we can cut them out at the root.

5. How is this negativity hurting you?
Is what you say about yourself really the truth? Or is it a defense mechanism? And if so, against what? Are you just making complicated excuses? How does this kind of negativity help you achieve your goals? The answers to these questions should help you start to see what's at the root of your negative thinking.

Now go back and answer the five questions again, and force yourself to use only positive terms. It can be hard to let go of these negative thought patterns. Often, they're the result of years of self-loathing and your internalizing of the negative opinions and judgments of others, but you can do it. Remember, knowledge is power. Next time one of those negative thoughts crops up, you'll have the awareness to cut it down.

Having Fans Never Hurts
Once you turn your negatives into positives, you might just become your own biggest fan! But having a network of people who genuinely want to see you happy and successful is also essential. The key is to find people who are supportive without being asked. Whether it's your mom, one of your kids, or your best friend, the encouraging and steady presence in your life can bring strength and courage when you need it most.

Very Low Calorie Diets

2007-05-10T02:31:00.000-07:00

Q: Hi, I was wondering how much weight I am expected to lose in a 900 cal diet, I need to lose about 95 pounds by November, is it possible?

A: Diet that low in calories are called Very Low Calorie Diets and should be done under professional supervision. Instead, you might to consume more calories and exercise more, plus, choosing right foods. As a successful diet developer, I am pretty comfortable recommending our free online plan: Banta Diet. Read the basics carefully and should you decide to give it a try, click on 'start' at any page.

SHould you still be interested in Very Low Calorie Diet, read more about Dr. Shatalova's diet: click here.

= Tanya Zilberter, PhD

Take four important steps toward reducing risk of cancer

2007-01-29T04:09:00.000-08:00

Check Yourself

Jillian Michaels

I'm usually all about taking off pounds and toning up muscle, but let's talk for a minute about taking care of what's underneath that outer layer. Did you know that half of the cancer deaths in the United States could be prevented with a healthy lifestyle and diet and regular exercise? That adds up to a total of 280,000 lives saved per year. What's more shocking is that 47 percent of adults believe they have no control over reducing their risk of getting cancer. So listen up, people!

Last week the American Cancer Society launched The Great American Health Challenge, a new campaign that asks Americans to take four important steps toward significantly reducing their risk of cancer: Check, Move, Nourish, and Quit. In other words: Get regular cancer screenings, maintain an active lifestyle, follow a healthy diet, and quit smoking. Yup -- it's that simple.

The first step toward preventing cancer is finding out which screening tests are appropriate for your age, gender, and family history and discussing them with your doctor. Screenings can detect cancer at its earliest and most treatable stage -- not to mention put your mind at ease. The ACS is offering The Great American Health Check, an online tool you can use to determine what steps you should take to prevent cancer at your particular stage in life.

JILLIAN'S TIP OF THE DAY
Why I'm Working With the ACS
My life has been greatly impacted by this disease -- I lost three grandparents to lung cancer. For this reason, I want to do anything I can to educate Americans about how they can reduce their cancer risk and improve their overall health -- so they can enjoy as many precious years with their family and loved ones as possible. This cause is very personal to me, and that's why I've joined The American Cancer Society in the fight to prevent other unnecessary cancer deaths. I hope you'll all join me and the ACS in taking the Great American Health Challenge, and spread the word to your family and friends! -- Jillian Michaels

One-Pot Meal Shortcuts

2007-01-23T07:56:00.000-08:00

4 Down and Dirty One-Pot Meals

By Joe Wilkes
Beachbody

For a lot of us, an elegant sit-down family dinner means serving the chicken without the bucket. Having to work until 5:00 or 6:00 at night and then having to come home and whip up something that your children will eat and won't get you reported to Protective Services can be a challenge for anyone. Then after the cooking, the serving, and potentially, the force-feeding, you get to spend the rest of the evening doing the dishes and cleaning your kitchen so you can do it all again tomorrow. They never show that part on Martha Stewart. No wonder the pizza place is on speed-dial. But it is possible to eat both healthy and fast. Here are a few ideas for getting something nutritious on the table in a hurry, and the best part -- only one pot to clean!

(And for single people, invest in some airtight containers, freeze your leftovers, and be a slave to Lean Cuisine no more!)

Get to wok. Instead of summoning the deliverymen with the greasy white boxes, try making your own stir-fry feast. You can cut out most of the extra fat, corn syrup, and sodium your takeout place so kindly provides, and if you can enlist some prep help with the chopping, it only takes minutes to cook, and less time to clean!
- Heat enough olive, peanut, or sesame oil to keep food from sticking to the wok.
- When the oil's hot, add sliced meat or tofu with some crushed ginger and/or garlic.
- When the meat is cooked through, add your favorite chopped veggies like carrots, celery, cabbage, onions, snow peas, or scallions (you can chop the veggies while the meat's cooking).
- Add a dash of low-sodium soy sauce or tamari or a little orange juice to make a sauce and serve!
If you're not watching your carbs, there are a lot of microwavable rice products available if you don't want to get another pot dirty. Just try and pick brown or wild rice, so you get some fiber with your starch. You can also make extra rice which can be stir-fried the next day with any leftover meat and vegetables. Scramble an egg into the mix and you've got healthy fried rice -- doubling your meal output for your efforts.

Shortcut: Many grocery stores sell mixes of stir-fry vegetables already chopped and combined in their produce section or frozen. They won't be quite as delicious as freshly chopped, but as long as they don't have any extra ingredients (frozen mixes especially might add some sauce or salt you don't want), they're just as healthy.

Loafing after work. The humble meatloaf. Most of us remember this classic treat from our childhood. It usually was an alchemic combination of ground beef, bread crumbs, ketchup, and whole eggs. Delicious? Yes. Nutritious? Not so much. Much of the deliciousness came from the beef fat soaking the bread crumbs and combining with the egg yolks to give us a couple of days' worth of saturated fat in one serving. And, there's all the extra salt and corn syrup the ketchup brings to the party. But it doesn't have to be this way -- a healthy loaf can be made, still be flavorful without the fat, and still maintain enough structural integrity to be repurposed as a sandwich filling the next day.
- Use extra-lean ground beef, or better yet, extra-lean ground turkey, although be sure to get extra-lean ground turkey or ground turkey breast. (Check the label -- sometimes the "lean" ground turkey has as much fat as the beef -- so what's the point?)
- Next add some vegetables to the meatloaf. You can add carrots, celery, onions, parsnips -- whatever you like, just watch the amounts of juicier veggies like tomatoes which can turn your loaf into less appetizing soup. The amount of vegetables should be proportional to the meat. (This is also a great way of slipping veggies to picky eaters in your family.)
- Instead of bread crumbs, add a handful of rolled oats. You'll get more fiber and they won't absorb fat (not that there's much to absorb anymore) as much as bread crumbs will.
- Add a few egg whites, which, along with the oats' gluten, will provide enough glue to hold the loaf together and any fresh herbs, garlic, or other seasonings you enjoy.
- Bake in a 350-degree oven for an hour or so and let it sit for at least 15 minutes and cool so the ingredients have time to cohere.
Shortcut: Not good at separating eggs? Most grocery stores sell cartons of egg whites on their own. Or you can use egg substitutes, like Egg Beaters. In addition to being a lot healthier, they're also more convenient. No cracking, scrambling, or getting hands and bowls dirty. It may only save a couple of minutes, but those are minutes better devoted to serious loafing!
Stew in your own juices. Stew. Or as I like to call it, my vegetables' last stop before Garbagetown. You're cooking and cleaning out your refrigerator -- now that's multitasking! You can call it stew, goulash, gumbo, cassoulet, ratatouille, cioppino, or ragout; but most importantly, you can call it dinner.
- Put a big pot on the stove. Brown some raw meat, poultry, fish, or tofu. (If you're using leftover or precooked meat, just throw it in with the vegetables, and ignore this and the next step.)
- Put the cooked meat aside, drain the fat, and then deglaze the pot with a little red or white wine.
- Next pay a visit to the vegetable morgue, also known as the crisper drawer, and add to the pot whatever looks like it won't make it through the night (some garlic and onions are always good, too -- even if they're not at death's door).
- Once the veggies have softened and relinquished their juices, add the meat back in, add some low-sodium chicken, vegetable, or beef broth and/or some no-salt tomato sauce, and cook on low heat until it reaches the desired consistency (about 15 to 20 minutes).
- If you're short on time after work, this could be thrown together in a Crock-Pot or slow cooker in the morning, and when you return home, dinner's ready!
Shortcut: Most meat departments sell stew pieces of beef or fish, all cut up and ready to go. Also, it's always good to have a couple of favorite staple vegetables in the freezer or a can or two of beans on hand to throw into the pot.

The casserole -- a pan and a plan. How would the cream-of-anything soup industry stay in business without casseroles? Not to mention the french-fried onion companies. Casseroles, in and of themselves, don't have to be bad for you. They start out with meat and vegetables, which are usually pretty healthy. It's the improvisations that usually get diets in trouble.
- To begin with, choose lean meats. Sausage-and-whatever casseroles are usually yummy because the other ingredients soak up all the artery-clogging fat from the sausage. Using lean meat or poultry will help keep it healthy from the beginning.
- Also, keep the vegetable-to-meat ratio fairly high. Imagine what a serving of a casserole would look like spread out on a plate in its component parts. You probably wouldn't consider a pound of meat and a brussels sprout a well-balanced meal. Try and keep the meat to about 4 ounces per serving and fill the rest of the pan with fiber-rich, filling, healthy vegetables (not just potatoes, either).
- For sauces, try to avoid cheese and anything that begins with "cream of" as well as cream itself. Canned soups, a casserole staple, usually rely heavily on sodium for flavor. You can do much better by using a low-sodium broth, which can be combined with some nonfat powdered milk and corn starch to make a faux cream sauce.
- If you like pasta in your casserole, try using a whole-grain variety.
- And instead of adding french-fried onions, how about thinly sliced almonds to provide a little crunch?
Shortcut: Most casseroles can be assembled a day ahead of time, so if you're anticipating a late day at the office, you can make the casserole the night before, and just pop it into the oven the next day. That overnight bonding time you give your ingredients will make the casserole that much tastier.

Check out Beachbody's Fitness Advisor responses to your comments in Steve Edwards' Mailbag on the Message Boards. If you'd like to receive Steve Edwards' Mailbag by email, click here to subscribe to Steve's Health and Fitness Newsletter. And if you'd like to know more about Steve's views on fitness, nutrition, and outdoor sports, read his blog, The Straight Dope

Writing About Your Goals

2007-01-17T04:09:00.000-08:00

From:Jillian Michaels

Don't panic over what I'm about to tell you: You have some writing homework. Now, I'm not sending you back to fifth grade with this one, but I do want you to get comfortable putting your thoughts and emotions on paper. You may be skeptical about this, but journaling on a regular basis will play a key role in helping you meet your weight loss goals.

Let me explain. Your journal is a place for you to write everything down, to see it in front of you, and to work through your problems and toward your goals. Without a journal, it's too easy to avoid your hang-ups and stay in neutral.

Writing about your goals will also help you think them through: Do you want to be healthy, confident, physically and mentally strong? Are there clothes you want to wear that you can't now? Do you want to see and feel yourself in your ultimate body, living a new life, playing with your kids, going on a date, getting compliments from friends or coworkers? Whatever your ultimate goals, physical and emotional, write them down in as much detail as you can, and refer back to them often. They will help you stay motivated on your journey.

If you have easy access to your computer every day, take advantage of the online Fitness Diary — commit for one week to recording an entry a day in your diary. It's easy — do it when you log in to get your daily workout, or use it to organize your thoughts before you hop on the Boards. And it's a great place to record what's going on with you where food is concerned, too!

JILLIAN'S TIP OF THE DAY

Plain Paper?
For those times that you aren't in front of you computer, choose anything from a simple lined notebook or a leather-bound blank diary. Besides writing down how you feel, you can include photos of yourself to chart your progress, pictures of clothes you'd like to wear, new recipes you'd like to try, and more. The sky's the limit! The most important thing is to find a journal that suits you. -- Jillian Michaels

South Beach Diet & Pre-Diabetes

2006-11-14T04:18:00.000-08:00

Paying Attention to Pre-Diabetes

Low Carb Diets:
Try the diet of delicious food & easy weight loss.
Join 1000s

Updated May 23 2008

November is American Diabetes Month, so it's a fitting time to learn about this disease and pre-diabetes, the condition that precedes type 2 diabetes.

According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), 18.2 million people in this country have diabetes. (About 5.2 million of them don't even know they have it.) The ADA estimates that the amount of adults with pre-diabetes is a staggering 41 million.

Type 2 diabetes is a condition defined by high blood sugar levels and abnormal insulin action. (Insulin helps the body use a substance called glucose as a source of energy for movement, growth, repair, and other functions.) Poor control of type 2 diabetes impacts the heart, nerves, eyes, and kidneys. Pre-diabetes, as the name implies, is a blood sugar level rising above what is considered normal but not as high as what occurs with diabetes. People with pre-diabetes also tend to have high blood pressure, high triglycerides (fats that circulate in the blood), low HDL ("good") cholesterol levels, and significant belly fat -- a cluster of symptoms that raises their risk for heart disease. Unfortunately, most people with pre-diabetes develop type 2 diabetes within 10 years unless they make lifestyle changes -- changes that have been found to be more effective for reversing pre-diabetes than medications, according to the National Institutes of Health.

"The most frustrating part about pre-diabetes and diabetes is that they are largely preventable and in circumstances where diabetes can't be prevented, the onset can usually be postponed," says Dr. Arthur Agatston, preventive cardiologist and author of The South Beach Diet. "These conditions are brought on by a Western lifestyle -- eating refined carbohydrates and unhealthy fats like trans fats and saturated fats, and inactivity," he explains. But a straightforward South Beach Diet approach to eating (an emphasis on lean proteins, whole grains, and good fats and carbs) and exercise can reverse pre-diabetes and diabetes.

"Many of my patients actually started the South Beach Diet because they were diagnosed with pre-diabetes or diabetes, and I've witnessed their blood glucose levels revert back to the normal range," adds Dr. Agatston.

The ADA recommends diabetes screenings every three years beginning at age 45. If you have symptoms of diabetes, which include excessive thirst and hunger, frequent urination, unexplained weight loss or fatigue, or irritability; see your doctor for a proper diagnosis and treatment

There's always something healthy on the menu

2006-10-18T08:57:00.000-07:00

Healthy Choices on Every Menu

By Jillian Michaels

Heading out for a bite to eat? Don't let your diet cramp your style. Whether you're craving Asian, Italian, or good ol' American grub, there's always something healthy on the menu if you're willing to look for it.

Japanese
Sashimi is always a great choice. It's fresh fish and nothing else -- what could be healthier? If you're more of a sushi fan, order your favorite rolls as hand rolls without the rice (you can do this with almost any roll). Want to beef up that spicy tuna roll by adding a little avocado? Go ahead! Mix and match healthy ingredients to create rolls that suit your taste buds.

Italian
Choose chicken, fish, or beef -- beef carpaccio is killer -- and any salad (always ask for dressing on the side). Order your protein with red sauce -- tomato sauce is full of antioxidants. As always, avoid creamy and sugary sauces. I know it's tempting, but skip the pasta. With all the flavors of Italian meats and sauces, trust me -- you won't miss it.

French
Choose steak, chicken, or fish entrees with any salad (again, ask for dressing on the side). Or, make the salad your main course and order a Salad Niçoise with tuna, olives, and crisp vegetables. As always, avoid rich, creamy, and sugary sauces. And, hey, if you order the steak, skip the frites!

American
What's life without hamburgers? Place your order, but make sure to get that burger on a whole-grain bun (or lose the bread all together). Turkey dogs, meat chili, veggie soups, kosher turkey bacon, white meat turkey burgers, white meat chicken, and egg white omelets also make the top of my list. If you find pizza in your path, eat the toppings, but leave the dough.

<> JILLIAN'S TIP OF THE DAY
Dealing with Dessert
That dessert cart is tempting, isn't it? If you simply must have something sweet at the end of your meal, opt for the fruit plate or an herbal tea. If you really can't resist ordering a dessert, lessen the caloric blow and split one with your dining companion. Remember to have all the sauces and toppings served on the side — you'll thank me in the morning. -- Jillian Michaels

Emotional Eating

2006-10-17T06:25:00.000-07:00

Dealing With Emotional Eating
From the Zone Diet

Do you head straight to the fridge when you're stressed out or bored? After you complete a project, do you reward yourself with a big feast at your favorite Mexican joint? Is a tub of chocolate ice cream your response to feeling down? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may be an emotional eater.

Emotional eating is when you eat in response to feelings such as stress, anger, excitement, and sadness, rather than hunger. Most people practice emotional eating on occasion, but since it often involves overindulging in comfort and junk foods, it can not only derail your diet, but also lead to high cholesterol and other health problems if it starts to become a habit. Here are some thoughts and advice from message board moderator Admin Jen:

"I can relate to emotional eating (as I am sure many of us can). It's a challenge to find different ways to cope and soothe ourselves, but it is well worth the effort. Here are some of the ways I have found:

Start a hobby. Reduce stress by losing yourself in something that you enjoy rather than heading for the kitchen. I recently took up knitting to keep my hands busy.
When emotions rise, take a walk or get exercise in a different way.
Get out of the house and be around people until the urge passes.
Forgive yourself for past mistakes. Don't give up — get back on track!"

Tune in tomorrow for more advice about coping with emotional eating!

Identify Your Emotional Eating Triggers

What causes you to head to the refrigerator and indulge in unhealthy foods? Is it a bad day at work? A fight with a close friend? Or perhaps having too much time on your hands?

Recognizing the emotions that trigger overeating is the first step toward overcoming emotional eating, or eating in response to feelings rather than hunger. To do this, you need to start taking note of the reasons you eat. One way to increase your self-awareness is to keep a log for a few days of what you eat and the emotion you felt just before eating.

To get you started on this task, here are some of the most common feelings that can trigger emotional eating:

Stress and anxiety: Whether they're reacting to a hard day at work or experiencing nerves about an upcoming change in their lives, many people use food to provide comfort and relief.
Loneliness: It's common for people to try to fill the emptiness they feel with their favorite unhealthy foods.
Anger: Whether they're angry or frustrated with themselves, another person, or a situation, some people try to stifle their feelings with food rather than confronting an issue or a person head-on.
Sadness, depression, or hopelessness: Instead of facing feelings of sadness or depression, people often overindulge in unhealthy, "comfort" foods, thinking that will make them feel better.
Boredom: When people have nothing to occupy their minds or their time, they often pass the hours by eating.

Remember, being aware of the emotions that trigger your unhealthy behavior will help you learn how to deal with them. When you feel an emotion that you know will tempt you to overeat, try a healthier activity instead — go for a walk, call a friend, or take bath. Make a list of the behaviors you are most likely to do. Consider writing your ideas on a note card or Post-it so you can easily access them when needed.

Tune in on Monday for more advice on emotional eating from Zone Diet Online members.

MEMBERS GET MORE! You'll find hundreds of recipes and cooking ideas on Dr. Sears Zone Diet Advantage.

How To Count Your Calories

2006-10-16T08:50:00.000-07:00

Easy Calorie Counting

From Jillian Michaels

When it comes to losing weight, "calories in/calories out" is the name of the game. Burn more than you consume — it's that simple. But how do you know how many calories you consume in the first place?

Getting an accurate calorie count is easy on days when you can measure all your meals and snacks with the help of a measuring cup and scale. Once you've done all the scooping and weighing, you can get the number by adding up the calories based on your portion sizes. But how do you estimate calories when those tools aren't available?

If you're eating out, here are some useful tips for assessing portion sizes:

The size of your fist is roughly equal to a 1-cup serving of cereal, wild rice, black beans, and most other grain foods.
The size of your thumb is roughly equal to 1-ounce serving of cheese.
The center of your palm of your hand, without fingers, is roughly equal to a 3-ounce serving of fish, chicken, beef, or other meat.

Easy, right? Give yourself a hand — no pun intended — and start measuring!

JILLIAN'S TIP OF THE DAY
Does the thought of counting calories freak you out? Don't worry. You don't need to be a mathemetician to figure this stuff out. Why not buy a calorie-counter book? These completely affordable guides list calories for many common foods based on brand and portion size. -- Jillian Michaels

Diet Advice For Cole & Flu Season

2006-10-13T05:10:00.000-07:00

When You're Under the Weather

From Sonoma Diet

A cold or the flu can not only derail your plans for the week but also wreak havoc on your weight loss plan. And while the old "feed a fever" adage might not carry much scientific weight, eating well while you're sick is important for maintaining your energy level and speeding your recovery. If your cupboards are already filled with Sonoma-friendly foods, this won't be as much of a challenge as you might think. Here are a few sick-day suggestions:

Mild foods: If you can't bear too much spice while you're not feeling well, tone down the herbs and other seasonings in the recipes. For example, our Chicken Soup With Lime recipe can be made without the chili powder, cilantro, and red pepper, leaving you with a soothing and still healthful dish.

Liquids: Water and tea should be your first choices — they help you stay hydrated if you're losing fluids because of a fever, a runny nose, vomiting, or a cough. Fruit juices shouldn't be your go-to beverage unless your doctor instructs otherwise. Many are loaded with sugar and add lots of empty calories to your day.

Yogurt: The plain, fat-free variety goes down easy when you're having trouble eating solids. You might want to avoid it, however, if you're fighting a cold. Dairy may increase mucus production.

Grains: Even though grains won't help your cough or fever, a bowl of steaming rice or hot oatmeal can be just the thing when you're feeling weak. Be sure to prepare them as simply as possible. And don't forget: If all you feel like eating is one of the two sick-day staples -- dry toast and crackers — stay within The Sonoma Diet's guidelines by choosing whole wheat

Sonoma Diet Presents Dr. Guttersen's Tip of the Day

A Strategy for Prevention

Did you know that eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables helps boost the immune system, leaving you less likely to catch a cold? Keep colds and the flu at bay by getting your daily dose of greens, reds, and yellows. You'll be doing your immune system a favor, and the rest of your body will benefit, too.

Zone-Friendly Foods You Should Try

2006-10-11T05:39:00.000-07:00

Three New Foods to Try

When it comes to your diet, variety is always something to strive for. It keeps you from getting bored with any one kind of food, and allows you to maximize the number of nutrients you're consuming. To help you mix it up, here are a few foods from the Soy Zone book that you may not have tried. They could become new favorites!

Soy nuts: Eaten like peanuts, they make an excellent snack.
Edamame: Sold frozen in many supermarkets, these slightly sweet soy beans can be steamed while still in the pod. They also make a great snack.
Tempeh: This fermented soybean cake, which is sold vacuum-packed like tofu but without the water, can be grilled or added raw to soups and casseroles.

Save Time With Precooked Chicken Breasts

Using pre-roasted chicken breasts can save at least 30 minutes when you're preparing dinner. They cost a little more, but this shortcut ensures that you can make a Zone-balanced, home-cooked meal any night of the week.

To help you experiment with quick chicken dishes, try this delicious Zone Diet favorite:

Baked Chili Chicken Rellenos With Corn Tortilla
Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients
10 ounces chopped frozen peppers
1 1⁄2 cups frozen onion, chopped
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
2/3 cup precooked chicken breast
2 tablespoons light sour cream
1 cup canned black beans
1 teaspoon Cajun spices
1⁄2 cup liquid egg-white product
3 1⁄2 slices low-fat sharp cheddar, cut into strips
2 corn tortillas, cut into 2-inch strips
12 olives

Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray an 8- or 9-inch baking dish with olive oil cooking spray.
2. Spray a nonstick skillet with olive oil cooking spray. Over medium heat, sauté the peppers and onions with kosher salt and pepper until the onions are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken, sour cream, black beans, olives, and Cajun spices and cook for 1 minute. Place this mixture evenly in the baking dish. Pour the egg product on top and bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the tortilla strips are golden.

MEMBERS GET MORE! You'll find hundreds of healthy eating tips and ideas on Dr. Sears Zone Diet Advantage.

How to Cook With Tof

2006-10-01T08:34:00.000-07:00

South Beach Diet Diet Cooking Tip

Updated May 23 2008

Born from the simple soybean, tofu is a versatile ingredientthat adopts flavor from the spices and sauces used in its cooking. It comes in numerous varieties and textures and is a great lean protein that can be eaten on all Phases of the South Beach Diet. Because tofu isalso low in saturated fat (unlike lean protein that comes from animal sources), it makes sense to include it in your meal plan from time to time even if you aren't a vegetarian.

Tofu comes in two types -- traditional (Chinese-style) tofu and Japanese-style "silken" tofu. Silken tofu is softer than traditional tofu and while it comes in varying levels of firmness, even the extra-firm variety is quite smooth. Because of its custard-like consistency, silken tofu is ideal for blending into smoothies, creating creamy dips, or for other recipes when you desire a smoother result.

Traditional tofu also comes in varying levels of firmness: soft, firm, and extra firm. The firmer the tofu, the less moisture it contains and the more marinade it will be able to absorb. Traditional tofu works well as a meat replacement in stir-fries, casseroles, and baked entrees.

Since tofu comes packaged in water, it's always a good idea to drain it by pouring out the excess water. You can also blot the block of tofu with a paper towel. If the recipe calls for pressing it, wrap sliced tofu with paper towels and lay it under a heavy object (like a cutting board) for up to 30 minutes.

Don't bother pressing soft or silken tofu, as it will just fall apart.