You Are What You Eat (for Breakfast)

Be not the slave of your own past. Plunge into the sublime seas, dive deep and swim far, so you shall come back with self-respect, with new power, with an advanced experience that shall explain and overlook the old.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

You Are What You Eat (for Breakfast)

I know you’ve been told: “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” more times than you care to hear it, and I hate to break it to you, but it’s true. Think of your body as a car (a fancy sports car maybe?), it can’t run without fuel. Studies have shown that breakfast is both a physiological and psychological need and kids and adults who eat breakfast are less likely to be overweight or obese, concentrate better and out perform those who do not eat breakfast at work/school. So even if you think you can’t stomach food that early in the morning, do it for your body and that extra edge over your peers or coworkers (hey, there’s nothing wrong with a little healthy competition).
Whether you are an alarm-clock snoozing junkie, an early bird exerciser or an up-an-adam type of guy or gal, its best to get fuel in your body within 60 to 90 minutes of waking up in order to replenish your glucose and protein stores, jumpstart your metabolism and give you more strength and endurance after your 7 hour fast, and no that cup-of-joe is not a complete breakfast.  If you’re trying to lose weight, your breakfast should be around 180-300 calories and should contain protein, carbohydrates and yes, some fat. (If you aren’t trying to lose weight, your caloric intake for breakfast should hit at least 300 calories.)  But why should it contain all protein, carbohydrate AND fat?

Protein: Protein in the morning will literally get you moving; it helps build and repair body tissue, gets those muscles working and produces enzymes and hormones needed for daily activities.
Protein options: eggs/egg whites, low-fat dairy products such as Greek yogurt and cottage cheese, lean meats including turkey bacon, Canadian bacon and deli meats, lox/nova, beans and milk
Carbohydrates: Absolutely essential in the morning, your body and brain runs on carbohydrates so be sure to get your fill in order to be alert and productive.
Carbohydrate options: whole grain breads, oatmeal, healthy cereals, fiber-rich grains, fruits and vegetables.
Fats: Fats are necessary for vitamin absorption, healthy skin and that fullness factor; otherwise you’ll be reaching for that midmorning snack an hour early.
Fat options: nuts, but butters, oils, seeds (flax seeds), reduced fat cheeses and avocado.
The Good, the Bad, and the On-the-Go
The Good:
Oatmeal: Oatmeal is a great way to start your morning; this whole grain option is high in soluble fiber, which may help lower your cholesterol, boost your immune response and stabilize blood sugar to prevent that sugar spike followed by a midday crash.

• Look for: a minimum of 3g of fiber and a maximum of 6 g of sugar per serving. Always opt for steel cut or rolled oats/old fashion oats opposed to instant and avoid flavored/sugary options like maple brown sugar (>13 g of added sugar and < 1 g fiber).
• Brands: McCann’s Steel Cut Oats, Arrowhead Mills

Cereals: Cereal can be a breakfast do, but it depends a lot on the ingredients.

• Look for: whole grains, 5 g of protein and 5 g of fiber per serving, a total carbohydrate to sugar ratio of no less than 4:1 (24 g carb:6 g sugar), 25% of RDA for folic acid, zinc, iron and other B vitamins.
• Brands: Fiber One, Kashi Go Lean, Arrowhead Mills Shredded Wheat Bite Size, Uncle Sam Original Cereal, Nature’s Path Raisin Bran, Barbara's Shredded Wheat

Eggs: A classic breakfast choice, eggs are high in protein and nutrient dense with essential nutrients like omega-3s.

• Healthy ways to prepare eggs: poached, hard or soft boiled, over-easy, or baked, eggs go great with fresh fruit or steamed spinach.

Dairy: Milk is a breakfast staple, from a drop in your coffee to a cup in your cereal, fat-free or 1-2% options are the way to. Other ways to get your dairy and calcium needs are through yogurt and cheeses. Top them with some fresh fruit, healthy granola, nuts/seeds or even cereal is a great way to start your morning.

• Brands:
• Yogurt- 0% or 2% Fage greek yogurt, Chobani, Oikos
• Milk: no specific brand but stay with skim or 1-2%
• Cottage cheese: 2% Breakstone’s cottage cheese or low-fat Breakstone’s Cottage Doubles

The Bad:
Cereal: As I mentioned above, cereal can be a breakfast do but it can more likely be a breakfast don’t. Most cereals are high in sugar, trans-fat and have enough food coloring to sponsor your child’s 70’s themed t-shirt tie-dying birthday party.

• Things to avoid: fruity cereals, hydrogenated oils, dyes or artificial colors and chemical-preservatives.

Juices: Especially when you’re trying to lose weight, giving up the morning OJ or apple juice can get you that much closer to your goal weight. In breakfast world, juices are packed with sugar that they will generally leave you thirstier, hungrier and with that midday crash we are trying to avoid. Unless its fresh squeezed with pulp and only 8 oz or less, I highly recommended taking this off your breakfast bill.
The On-the-Go:
Fruit (apple or banana) with 1 Justin's Nut Butter (Peanut Butter) packet
A protein/breakfast bar: 

• Cascadian Farms Almond Butter granola bar
• Gnu Foods fiber and flavor bar
• Renew LIfe Organic Fiber bar
• Luna Bar- toasted nuts n' cranberry

Individual sized Kashi Go Lean cereal packet (130 cals)
Individual sized Instant Oatmeal- John McCann regular (100 cals)
Greek yogurt with banana or berries

Last but not least; Start your day with a huge glass of water. Every single day.
The first thing you should do after your feet touch the floor in the morning is head straight for the kitchen and pour yourself at least 12 ounces of fresh, cold water. (Yes, it's best to finish it before you dive into your coffee!)
Water will "cleanse" your body after an overnight fast, helping you feel refreshed and alert (and who wouldn't want that in the morning?). This is a great way to set the tone for a healthy day! And a start like that helps you make the right decisions about what you're going to have for breakfast and whether you'll make it to the gym. It will also give you a better workout, since you'll feel more hydrated. Good hydration also keeps your joints flexible, which may reduce your risk of injury, so you can keep moving. Finally, a big glass of water will start filling you up so you won't overeat at breakfast -- it helps make you a better judge of your own satiety.

Now that you’ve got the facts and options for sprucing up your boring breakfast routine, there is no excuse to skip the most important meal of the day.

An unwritten wish is just a dream. In writing, it’s a commitment, a goal.

6 Ways to Fire Up Your Metabolism

DECIDE WHAT YOU WANT, DECIDE WHAT YOU ARE WILLING TO EXCHANGE FOR IT. ESTABLISH YOPUR PRIORITIES AND GOT TO WORK!

L.H. Hunt

6 Ways to Fire Up Your Metabolism

It can be discouraging when your results don't seem to match the efforts you're putting into getting in shape. But instead of giving up on your fitness program, or worse, diving into the Twinkies^® (trust me, you'll regret it!), try making just a few easy changes to your diet and your lifestyle. Sometimes the smallest things—like getting more protein in the morning or enough rest at night—can lead to the biggest weight loss surprises.

1. Don't skip breakfast. Eating lean protein in the morning will help get your metabolism revved up for the day ahead. Protein from egg whites, for instance, will help stabilize your blood sugar, make you feel fuller, and keep you from overeating later in the day.
2. Resistance training. Working out with some form of resistance—resistance bands, weights, or a stability ball—helps build your muscles. And because one pound of muscle burns way more calories than a pound of fat does, the more muscle you have on your body, the higher your metabolic rate will be.
3. Interval training. Short 20-minute explosive cardio sessions (see HIIT mervmail) will rev up your metabolism. Get your beauty rest. Human growth hormone works directly on cells to increase your metabolic rate by 15 to 20 percent and can only be produced during the hours of deep sleep. So make sure you get a good night's sleep!
4. The magic mix. At mealtime, try consuming lean proteins from chicken and white fish along with complex carbohydrates from fruits and veggies. This magical combination will speed up your metabolic rate as food is transformed into usable nutrients, and you'll build muscle and burn fat during the digestive process.
5. ¡Ay, caliente! Studies show that hot peppers, spices, green teas, and caffeine can give your metabolism a sudden surge by stimulating the release of stress hormones. If jalapeño and cayenne make you wince, turn to our all-natural slimming formula supplements, which contains green tea, for the same metabolism-boosting effect.

DON’T FEAR FAILURE SO MUCH THAT YOU REFUSE TO TRY NEW THINGS. THE SADDEST SUMMERY OF LIFE CONTAINS THREE DESCRIPTIONS; COULD HAVE, MIGHT HAVE, AND SHOULD HAVE.

Louis E. Boone

rest

TO DREAM ANYTHING THAT YOU WANT TO DREAM. THAT IS THE BEAUTY OF A HUMAN MIND. TO DO ANYTHING THAT YOU WANT TO DO. THAT IS THE STREGTHS OF THE HUMAN WILL. TO TRUST YOURSELF TO TEST YOUR LIMITS. THAT IS THE COURAGE TO SUCCEED.

Bernard Edmonds

How much sleep do people need?
My theory is sleep in multiples of 90 minutes REM cycles, such as sleeping 6 or 7.5 hours per night. In my case it’s 6 hours a night!
For athletes, I recommend 9 hours per night after hard workouts if you can get it. If you are Paula Radcliffe, rumour has it she sleeps 11 hours per day, but that probably includes a nap.

How Much Sleep Do I Need?

Let’s face it.. sleep is necessary for life!
Better yet, sleep has an increased rate of anabolism (the synthesis of cell structures), and a decreased rate of catabolism (the breakdown of cell structures).
What this means to you is more muscle.
Have you heard the term, “You don’t grow in the gym, you grow out of the gym.” Well sleep is part of that. It’s not just recovery but it’s when your muscles repair themselves.

Stages of Sleep

Currently, scientists divide sleep into two general types: REM (Rapid Eye Movement) and NREM (non-REM).
And within those types, there are 5 defined stages of sleep referred to as Stages 1 thru 5.
Did you know that Non-REM (Stage 1-4 sleep) accounts for 75-80% of total sleep time? it’s also in those stages that your body repairs itself and it’s when the real growth occurs.

Optimal Sleep Amounts

An American study linked life spans with sleep amount and found that those who sleep 4 to 7 hours live the longest, with those sleeping less than 4 or more than 9 hours living shorter lives. The National Sleep Foundation however maintains that 8 hours of sleep is optimal, claiming improved performance in tests, reduced risk of accidents and a better immune system. It is important to mention this does not apply to children and adolescents, particularly children who require as much as 13 hours a night.

Importance of Optimal Sleep

First, some theories of sleep describe sleep as a dynamic time of healing and growth for organisms. For example, during stages 3 and 4, or slow-wave sleep, growth hormone levels increase, and changes in immune function occur.
Non-REM sleep may be an anabolic state marked by physiological processes of growth and rejuvenation of the organism’s immune, nervous, muscular, and skeletal systems.
But what happens if you don’t get enough sleep?

Lack of Sleep

This is a list of potential problems associated with a lack of sleep or sleep deprivation.

• Irritability
• Hernia
• Nausea
• Decreased ability for the immune system to fight off sickness
• Weight gain
• Increased blood pressure
• Aching muscles
• Faster aging
• Dizziness
• Slowed reaction time (Editors note: Not good for short sprinters!)

For all those reasons, you can see that getting enough sleep is EXTREMELY important to your goals of muscle building and fat loss. A lack of sleep can really put a lid on your progress.
Short bouts of sleep deprivation probably won’t stifle your gains but long term sleep problems can certainly curtail your progress.
While there is not single number that works for every single person, generally 4-7 hours should be enough for most people under most conditions to build muscle and burn fat.
It’s true that some people need more and some people need less.

Sleep Tips for Getting the Rest You Need

Here’s just a few tips for healthy and restful sleep:

• Sleep only when sleepy – There’s no reason to go to sleep or attempt to sleep if you aren’t tired.
• If you cannot fall asleep within 20 minutes, get up until you are tired and try again. Don’t lie awake for hours.
• Nap no more than 20 minutes and certainly not too late in the day as it will interfere with going to sleep later.
• Get up and go to bed at the same time every day. This includes weekends. Establish a sleep routine and stick with it.
• Refrain from exercising 4 hours before your regular bedtime. You can do morning workouts and late afternoon but if you workout too close to bed time, you’ve essentially just woken yourself up. It will be harder to go to sleep quickly if you’ve just got your blood flowing.
• Develop sleep rituals. Many parents try and calm their children down 20 minutes or more before bed. This establishes a relaxation time frame before sleeping. Whatever you can do to relax before going to bed.
• Only use your bed for sleeping.
• Stay away from stimulates 4-6 hours before bed. That includes alcohol, nicotine and caffeine.
• Have a light snack before bed.
• Take a hot bath 90 minutes before bed. Some studies have shown that a drop in body temperature will leave you feeling sleepy. The bath will warm you up and getting out will cool you down. That drop can leave you feeling ready to sleep and it’s a relaxing ritual as well before heading off to bed. A hot/warm shower will also do the trick.
• Ensure your bed and bedroom are quiet and comfortable. This means the place where you sleep is conducive to sleeping.

One sleep “secret” action you can take within 45 seconds of opening your eyes in the morning, to instantly raise your energy is to use sunlight to set your biological clock. When light hits your skin, it starts to destroy melatonin. The faster you can get rid of melatonin, the less groggy you will feel upon waking. The first 15 seconds you can either open up a window and get some sunlight or you can look near a bright light if it’s too dark outside. This will help to wake you up quickly and get rid of that groggy feeling you sometimes can feel.
Needless to say…
Sleep is extremely important to getting the most of our your fitness program. There’s several benefits to sleep beyond the simple fact it’s required for life. There’s long term effects of sleep deprivation that will interfere with your goals.
Clearly when you sleep, your body is growing and repairing form the workout you did to stimulate muscle growth. This means it is critical to your overall progress.

THE WILL TO CONQUER IS THE FIRST CONDITION OF VICTORY.

Ferdinand Foch

getting strated with weight training

To laugh often and love much; to win the respect of intelligent persons and the affection of children … to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to give of one's self; to leave the world a bit better … to have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with exultation; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived ... this is to have succeeded!
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Cardio Warm-Up:

When you first get to the gym, hit the treadmill, bike, or any cardio equipment for 5 to 10 minutes to get blood pumping in the muscles and loosen the joints. This helps prevent injury, lowering the chance of a muscle pull or joint damage.

This isn't just a safety precaution your fat 50 year old coach recommends, warming up actually helps peak your focus, enhance your pump, and gives you a better workout.

Warm-Up Sets:

Once you're done with your cardio, you've got to focus on the specific muscles you're about to train, and fill them with nutrient-rich blood.

For your first two sets of each body part, do some light lifts to activate the muscle fibers and have them prepped for your upcoming massive lifts.

2 sets of 15 reps will do the trick, but be sure to use only 60% of the maximum poundage you could lift. Don't worry about anyone gazing at the 10lbs weights you have in your hands - your warm up is crucial, and you should keep your ego out of it.

Form:

Form is one of the most important aspects of training. Whether you are brand new to the iron or have some experience, form should always be in the back of your mind.

If you have improper form, you might be working the wrong muscles and also risking injury. If you get injured then you can't spend time in the gym, and you will lose the mass you've already packed on.

Guidelines for form are:

• Stay strict
• Use a weight you can manage
• Mentally focus on the muscle being worked

Focusing on the mind muscle connection is key to targeting muscle growth - if you are lifting biceps, then imagine your biceps expanding and forcing a contraction.

When in doubt, Arnold had it down: Schwarzenegger envisioned his biceps growing to become mountain peaks, and he achieved amazing, unparalleled development in his biceps. If you have the same focus, then you too can have solid results.

The mind is the limit. As long as the mind can envision the fact that you can do something, you can do it! As long as you really believe 100 percent.

By Arnold Schwarzenegger

Warm-up Properly with Dynamic Stretching

UNDERTAKE SOMETHING THAT IS DIFFICULT; IT WILL DO YOU GOOD. UNLESS YOU TRY TO DO SOMETHING BEYOND WHAT YOU HAVE ALREADY MASTERD, YOU WIL NEVER GROW.

Ronald E. Osborn

Warm-up Properly with Dynamic Stretching!

Unlike static stretching, dynamic stretching has been shown to improve flexibility, increase range of motion, and engage the nervous system through active movements in multiple planes.

Although dynamic stretching does involve quick movements like lunges, squats, swings, and rotational work, it does not incorporate ballistic and bouncing movements. Stretching too fast is unsafe in most cases and should be avoided unless you are an advanced athlete and already thoroughly warmed up.

Dynamic stretching is most useful in preparing the body to begin that day's exercise program. That means you will be completing a range of body weight exercises to prime the nervous system and stimulate the muscles in a way that resembles what you may be doing later in that workout.

Here's an example of a 5-minute dynamic warm-up:

1. Forward lunges x 10 reps each leg
2. Backward lunges x 10 reps each leg
3. Lateral side lunges x 10 reps each leg
4. Medicine ball rotations x 20 reps
5. Hand walkouts (like and inchworm or downward facing dog from yoga) x 10

This dynamic warm-up will have your body temperature up, your muscles feeling more limber, and your heart rate pumped and ready to get right into your exercise program!

Give it shot and remember you will begin to loosen up with each repetition, so don't feel like you have to push the range of motion from the start.

IF EVERYTHING’S UNDER CONTROL, YOU’RE GOING TOO SLOW.

Mario Andretti

Stretching and Flexibility

Once you agree upon the price you must pay for success, it enables you to ignore the minor hurts, the peer pressure, and the temporary failures.

Vince Lombardi

Stretching and Flexibility

Stretching is one of the most important aspects of any exercise program, and usually one of the most ignored and/or misunderstood. Because it doesn't burn a massive amount of calories or give you a six-pack, many people choose to skip the stretch, hurrying off to Starbucks for a skinny vanilla latte instead. On the other end of the spectrum, there are those who push their cold limbs into pretzel-like positions, ultimately harming their connective tissue. Like most things that are good for us in life, if you ignore it or overdo it, stretching can create imbalances and eventually cause you harm. So how do you get stretching right? It's easy enough, but first let's learn about why it's important.

What is flexibility?

In technical terms, flexibility is defined as "the ability to move a joint through its complete range of motion." This means that when a particular joint, like your shoulder, is in a fixed position, the shoulder's range of motion is measured as the arm is moved. Stretching is the practice of elongating the surrounding soft tissue, or the muscles, around that joint. Over time, regular stretching can increase flexibility, but tight muscles aren't the only factor limiting a joint's range of motion.

Why don't I have flexibility?

So if it's not those tight hamstrings, what is it that limits flexibility? Joint structure, for any given joint, has a lot to do with range of motion. Ball and socket joints, like your hips and shoulders, are capable of the greatest amount of movement, while ellipsoidal joints, such as your wrist, are among the least flexible joints in the human body. As we age, our muscles undergo a process called fibrosis, in which muscle degenerates and is replaced by fibrous tissue, which limits movement. Connective tissue, like tendons and ligaments, can limit range of motion, as they don't share the elastic properties of muscles. Athletic training programs that focus on a limited range of motion, including many sports, can cause specific areas to tighten up, creating bulk and decreasing range of motion. Also, the frequency and duration of the stretching program you undertake, along with your general activity level, can make a huge difference in the degree of flexibility you achieve.

What does stretching do?

Regular stretching helps to increase flexibility, warms up muscle tissues and joint fluids, prepares the brain for movement, increases heart and respiratory rates, gets our bodies ready for accelerated energy production, and prepares us psychologically for work. For many people, stretching is also very relaxing and a way to de-stress and refocus. And lastly, stretching can decrease the risk of muscle imbalances, joint dysfunctions, and overuse injuries.

What if you have either too little or too much flexibility?

This brings us to what happens when we have poor flexibility. Your skeletal system, nervous system, and muscular system all work together as a balanced chain. If one part of the chain is misaligned, dysfunction can develop, which means your body can take the path of least resistance during movement, causing muscle imbalance. When muscle imbalances occur because of poor flexibility, some muscles may be shortened or tightened, while others will lengthen and become weak. This can lead to a muscle's overriding its opposing or assisting muscles, and can create abnormal pressure on a joint, causing the joint to wear down, which can eventually cause a serious injury.

Which brings us to the genetic anomaly, the hypermobile or really, really flexible person. Think gymnast, wrestler, or ballet dancer. The same problem occurs with them as with their super-stiff counterparts. In order for one muscle to be really loose, its antagonist, or opposite muscle, is often very tight. So if a dancer has really loose hamstrings, allowing him to kick extra-high, he'll often have pretty tight quadriceps to compensate for it. Eventually, this can put stress on the joints, and can cause serious hip, knee, or ankle injuries. This is why traditional yoga preaches the balance of strength and flexibility. Just being a rubber band is not what you're aiming for. What you want is to work within your personal range of motion, which as we have discovered depends on many factors, and slowly increase from there.

What types of flexibility training are there?

So now that you have an idea of the benefits you get by stretching, what does it mean? Do you have to lie on a mat and slowly hold painful positions for hours at a time? No, but you do need to understand that there are different kinds of stretching protocols out there, all of which fall into either the active or passive categories. Active stretches, which means you're in control, may be static, ballistic, or dynamic. Passive stretches, which give the control to someone else or a device, are usually static or dynamic. In active stretches, a static stretch is a constant stretch where the end position is held for 10 to 30 seconds. A seated toe touch is a good example of this. A ballistic stretch is one where a bouncing movement is involved and the end position is not held. Imagine the same toe touch, but quickly reach for your toes, and then return to your seated position immediately, at least 10 times. Dynamic stretching is sport-specific stretching that involves movement. A walking lunge is a good example of this.

In passive stretching, where someone (another person) or something (a machine or device) is in control, you may be lying on your back while someone else, or a device like a strap, is stretching your hamstring. One type of passive stretching is known as proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF), and is done by alternating the contraction and relaxation of both the antagonist, or opposite, and agonist, or primary working muscle. There are three different forms of PNF, but all follow the same basic premise. In the case of the hamstring stretch, the person being stretched would push into the hand of the stretcher for 4 to 10 seconds, contracting the quadriceps. The stretcher will then give a cue to relax, and as the person being stretched relaxes, will stretch the hamstring for another 10 seconds. This will be repeated for 2 to 5 repetitions. The hamstring will have increased range of motion, as the result of nerve responses that hinder the contraction of the hamstring. PNF is extremely effective, but should only be performed with a trained practitioner, as it can cause overstretching injuries.

Whether you choose to hold a static stretch or use a dynamic one has much to do with what you're training for. After all, a gymnast and a tennis player both need to be pliable, but not in the same way. And often functional flexibility is best achieved with movement

How, when, and how much do I stretch?

If you don't have the luxury of being led through a series of warmup stretches by a trainer, what's the best way to warm up for, say, a run? It's really common to bend over at the waist, grab your ankles for a quad stretch, and run 5 miles that end in the shower. And although this is better than nothing, you're ignoring at least 70 percent of your body, and a vital part of your cooldown. Every workout should begin with a light warmup and at least a few minutes of active stretching. You should at least address all major muscle groups that you'll be using during your workout. As a runner, that would include quads, hamstrings, glutes, hip flexors, and calves. You could hold them statically, or move through space dynamically. At the conclusion of your calorie-burning party, you should hit every major muscle group for a bit longer. That also includes your upper body, which has just been jarred with every footfall. Most professionals agree that the longer stretch should take place at the end of a workout, as the body is more receptive to elasticity work when it's warm. And, yes, this should happen every time you work out, which for many serious workout devotees can equate to 5 or 6 days a week. A well-designed post-workout stretch program could take just 10 minutes. It can also be the workout, as in a Yoga  workout. Whatever the case, we know that consistency is what makes the difference.

Sports, fitness programs, and even daily life can create imbalances in your body. The more you run, jump, lift, push, pull, and twist, the tighter your body can become, And yes, you do want your glutes to look tight in those skinny jeans, but you don't want them to be so tight they're pulling your body out of alignment. Based on the demands of the sport or exercise regimen you're involved in, you should adopt healthy stretching habits that will help you avoid the injuries that come from imbalance. This will do a lot more for you in the long run than all the chemicals in that skinny vanilla latte.

It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop.
- Confucius

The 5 Best Fats for Getting Lean

Take a satisfaction break. Make a list of the accomplishments you are proudest of, and then read over your list and appreciate yourself for all your hard work. You've done a lot, so celebrate already!

M.J. Ryan

The 5 Best Fats for Getting Lean

You might think that to lose weight, you need to cut the fat out of your meals. After all, fat is higher in calories than protein and carbs, and low-fat diets have been popular since the Senate Nutrition Committee first recommended them in the late 1970s. But research shows that a moderate-fat diet (with about 35 percent of calories consumed coming from fat) will help you drop pounds permanently, feel full longer, and avoid bingeing. The trick is to eat the right kind of fat to increase satisfaction and boost weight loss. Here's why it's important to eat fat—and we offer five of the best fat sources to add to your diet.
How eating fat will help you lose fat
In 2008, researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel found that people who followed low-fat diets lost less weight than people who followed low-carb or moderate-fat diets. The low-fat group lost an average of 6.5 pounds over 2 years, but the low-carb and moderate-fat groups lost about 10 pounds. Women did especially well on the moderate-fat diet, losing an average of 13 pounds during the study.
Fat is an important element in weight loss for several reasons:

• Fat helps your body control blood sugar and insulin spikes after eating carbohydrates. Better sugar metabolism means less fat storage.
• Fat slows down digestion and aids nutrient absorption. You'll stay fuller longer and get more health benefits from the food you eat.
• Essential fatty acids (like omega-3s) may boost your metabolic rate and increase fat burning.
• Fat tastes good. It also provides a "mouthfeel" that is satisfying, which can help you be happy with less food.

Eating more fat may also help you stick to your diet longer. In a study conducted by Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, participants got either 20 percent of their calories from fat or 35 percent of their calories from fat. After 6 months, both groups had lost weight. But after 18 months, only 20 percent of the people in the low-fat group were still following the diet, compared with 54 percent of the people in the moderate-fat group. Likewise, the subjects in the moderate-fat group had maintained their weight loss, while the low-fat group participants had gained most of the weight back.
If you reach for a box of low-fat or fat-free crackers or cookies when you want to lose weight, you may actually be sabotaging your diet. Manufacturers frequently replace fat with sugar in packaged food items to make them taste better. You think you're making a good decision by eating fat-free products, but the excess sugar and refined flour can lead to fatigue, cravings, mood swings, and weight gain caused by the overproduction of insulin, the fat-storage hormone. As a snack, a sliced apple with some peanut butter or a salad with oil and vinegar dressing would be a better weight loss choice. The complex carbs and healthy fats will maintain your blood sugar levels, boost your energy, and keep you satisfied longer.
What kind of fat should you eat?
To get lean, you need to eat the right kind of fat. Avoid saturated and trans fats (which are found in red meat, full-fat dairy products, and many packaged foods), and instead choose monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Here are some of the best sources of fat to help you reach your weight goal.

1. Fish. Fish like salmon, albacore tuna, herring, mackerel, and sardines contains beneficial amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. Most experts agree that eating two servings of fatty fish per week is safe for people who are worried about mercury or other toxins. (Pregnant women should consult with their doctors about consuming fish.) If you don't like fish, a quality supplement like Beachbody^® Core Omega-3^™ will give you the benefits without the fishy taste.
2. Olive oil. Heart-healthy oils like olive, canola, and peanut oil are excellent sources of fat for dieters. They have also been shown to lower bad cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease. Use them sparingly when sautéing, or drizzle them over your favorite salad vegetables with a little vinegar and some herbs to maximize the absorption of nutrients. Moderation is important: You really only need about a teaspoon of oil to get all its benefits. Using more will add significant calories.
3. Avocados. Eat a spinach and carrot salad with a little avocado, and you'll not only get a dose of good fat, but you'll also absorb more phytonutrients like lutein and beta-carotene. Scientists at Ohio State University in Columbus found that more antioxidants were absorbed when people ate a salad containing avocados than when they ate a salad without this tasty fruit. One-quarter of an avocado will add flavor while only adding about 75 calories.
4. Nuts. Almonds, walnuts, pecans, and peanuts are powerhouses of good nutrition—full of antioxidants, minerals, and monounsaturated fat. The Nurses Health Study, where more than 86,000 nurses were followed for 14 years, found that those who ate nuts regularly (about an ounce per day) tended to weigh less than those who didn't. The protein, fat, and fiber make nuts more filling, which helps dieters stay on track. Plus there's a psychological bonus to eating nuts: Because they're rich and satisfying, you probably won't feel like you're on a diet.
5. Flaxseeds. Packing the triple wallop of fat, protein, and fiber, flaxseeds are a delicious and healthful addition to any diet. You can grind them up and add them to oatmeal, yogurt, salads, or vegetables, or pretty much anywhere you want a nutty crunch. They're a plant source of omega-3 fatty acids, making them a good choice for vegetarians or the aforementioned non-fish-loving folks. Ground flaxseeds also have 3 grams of fiber per tablespoon, which helps slow digestion and keep your blood sugar stable.

Making room for fat
Certain fats might be considered necessary for health, but that's not a cue to overindulge. At 9 calories per gram, fat is a more concentrated energy source than either protein or carbohydrates (each has 4 calories per gram). You need to be mindful of your overall caloric intake if you want to eat more fat and lose weight. But when you feel full and satisfied after eating the right kinds of fat, you'll probably find it a bit easier to manage your calories.
It isn't what you have, or who you are, or where you are, or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about.
Dale Carnegie

diet soda

Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be.

- John Wooden

IS DIET SODA BAD FOR YOU?

If you’re a weight-conscious person, you’ve probably switched from regular to diet soda in the belief that you’re doing something good for your health and waistline. You know that too much sugar is bad for you, and that regular soda contains a lot of sugar-nearly 10 teaspoonfuls per 12 ounce can. But there are those who argue that the artificial sweeteners in diet soda are harmful to health as well. Read on for some of the reasons why diet soda may not be your best beverage choice.

Aspartame

While there is more than one artificial sweetener used in diet soda, it is aspartame that has come under the most fire. The FDA has approved aspartame for use in diet sodas, but some consumers have complained of side effects, and there have been worries that aspartame promotes tumors in lab animals. Though not everyone believes it is safe, there’s no proof that the chemical sweetener causes cancer in humans.

Some scientists say another problem with aspartame and other artificial sweeteners is that they fool your body. The taste buds detect the sweet flavor, but when your body doesn’t actually receive sugar, it stimulates cravings for more diet soda.

Weight Gain

Perhaps you drink diet soda instead of regular soda because you want a low or no calorie beverage that won’t harm your weight. However, some researchers believe your body expects a certain number of calories based on the taste of food and drinks consumed. If the food or drink tastes sweet, your body’s responds as though it received sugar. This can lead to weight gain.

Also, the sweet flavor of diet soda is likely to stimulate a craving for other sugary foods and beverages. There are 15 calories per teaspoon of sugar, and considering the amount of sugar in everything from desserts, fast food, breads, snacks and fruit juice, you can consume too much sugar and calories very quickly.

Teeth and Bones

Diet soda does not contribute to tooth decay since it isn’t made with sugar like regular soda, but diet soda is still bad for your teeth because of the citric acid and phosphoric acid. These acids wear away tooth enamel. Over time, this can lead to cavities and sensitivity in teeth. And the phosphoric acid in diet soda has the effect of leaching calcium from your bones.

Caffeine

Caffeine in diet soda can cause irritability, heart palpitations and insomnia, especially if you are sensitive to the drug. If you are going to drink diet soda, switch to a decaffeinated version.

Replaces Healthier Beverages

There is nothing in diet soda that your body needs from a nutrition standpoint. Instead, diet soda replaces healthier drinks such as water and green tea, which contains antioxidants.

A can of caffeine-free diet soda now and then probably will not harm you, but making it a regular indulgence could be bad for your health. Replacing at least some of the diet soda in your diet with healthier drinks such as green tea and water will reduce the chance of weight and health problems due to diet soda consumption.

ONE’S PHILOSPHY IS NOT BEST EXPRESSED IN WORDS; IT’S EXPERESSED IN THE CHOICES ONE MAKES. IN THE LONG RUN WE SHAPE OUR LIVES AND WE SHAPE OURSELVES. THE PROCESS NEVER ENDS UTIL WE DIE. AND THE CHOICES WE MAKE ARE ULTIMATELY OUR RESPONSIBILITY.

~Eleanor Roosevelt

Sweeteners

Problems are good, not bad. Welcome them and become the solution.
Mark Victor Hansen

Sweeteners

Sugar

Instead of using words like saccharide and galactose, let's just say that sugar is the simplest form of carbohydrates. It's sweet, yummy, and easy to crave. In nature, it's found in plants. Plants have fiber, and this minimizes sugar's impact on your system by causing it to be digested slowly. Carbohydrates, whether from potatoes, lentils, or bananas, all break down into sugars in your body, and you use these sugars as fuel when you do stuff. So, if done right, eating carbohydrates is a good thing, especially when you're active.
Refined sugar, the white grainy stuff you'll find in gummy bears, chocolate, Coke, and most desserts, is sugar minus the fiber that surrounds it in nature. What you're left with is a sweet but highly caloric food that your body absorbs very rapidly, causing a "sugar rush." This "rush" is a temporary imbalance in your system that your body tries to regulate—a spike of energy followed by a lull.
But your body hates the lull, so to bring you back up, it'll crave, you guessed it, more sugar. It's an ugly cycle, considering refined sugar's only nutritional value is similar to a nitrous injection in a race car—a quick burst of energy that burns right out. This might be a good thing if you're in a drag race (or, in human terms, if you need an extra burst of energy during a workout), but it's a bad thing any other time because, if you don't put that excess sugar to use, it gets stored as fat.
Bottom line: Refined sugar is okay for sports performance (while or immediately after you are skiing, bicycling, running, working out and so on), but it's bad at all other times. Unfortunately, we tend to want it at all other times. Therefore, straight sugar consumption should be limited.
And now you're probably thinking, "But I want dessert after dinner!" Right, we all do. Something sweet after a meal is pretty darn ingrained in our society.

Artificial Sweeteners

I'm not going to do a breakdown of the artificial sweeteners on the market— but essentially, there are a bunch of different artificial sweeteners to choose from. Most are made of various chemical reactions that your taste buds think are sweet but aren't used by your body and have zero calories.
There are also some, called sugar alcohols, which have fewer calories than regular sugar because they've been combined with an artificial fiber that you can't digest. These have "-tol" at the end of their names, like "xylitol."
One, Stevia, or "sweet leaf," is natural. It's basically a, well, sweet leaf that you can chew on or that we can grind into a powder, like sugar. Now you might be thinking, "This all sounds great! What's the catch?"
The catch is that a lot of recent science is showing us that calories might not be the only reason we're fat. In fact, a handful of studies cited in "Sweet Nothing" concluded that those using artificial sweetener regularly tended to be more obese than those who used regular sugar.
Then there's the little fact that sweeteners may not be safe. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved some, but given their track record (Vioxx, etc.), we can easily—and should—be a bit skeptical. With a cursory search of the Internet, you can find both pro and con studies for each alternative sweetener. The FDA is highly influenced by lobbyists and does not accept all viable studies, meaning that you might want more than FDA approval before blindly trusting what you put into your body.
So let's use some logic to try to assess how best to choose a sweetener. By adding two and two together, we should be able stack the odds in our favor.

• Time. Saccharin is the most maligned of this bunch, yet it's been around for more than 100 years and is still on the market. Sure, there is some negative research out there, but it can't be that bad! A lot of people consume a lot of different artificial sweeteners. If people were dropping like flies, we'd probably hear about it. In fact, sweet leaf has been used for thousands of years. FDA approval or not, that's what I call time-tested.
• Research. If one of these sweeteners were so good, why would other people keep trying to come up with better ones? From this fact alone, we know that at least some of those negative findings must have an inkling of merit.
• Money. The influence of big business can keep need-to-know information from the public (again, Vioxx, etc.). Most sweeteners have become American staples, such as aspartame in diet soda.
• Artificial or natural? "Artificial" sounds bad and "natural" sounds good. But just because something is natural does not mean it's good. Tobacco and opium are natural. So, the claim that Stevia is good because "it's natural" bears little relevance. Many very beneficial drugs are artificial. However, you generally don't want to take them habitually, which is how some people use artificial sweeteners. Artificial doesn't mean bad, but it should mean caution.

Bottom line: There is no hard evidence that any one sweetener is better than the others. Most likely the stuff won't kill you, at least not quickly. But given that we also know it's not 100 percent safe, it would seem wise to limit your consumption as much as possible.
So now that we understand that sugar should be limited, let's look at some ways to do it.

5 Ways to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth

So what's a dessert-loving health seeker to do? Here are my five favorite ways to cut your sugar consumption without ruining all of your fun:

1. Portion control. I recently saw a sign in a Denny's window saying, "Remember, an apple a day." The sign was of an apple surrounded by about 2,000 calories of sugar and fat. Our society has gone crazy for "bigger is better." After dinner, your body is not hungry. You don't need 2,000 extra calories. You don't need 200! If you savor a square of chocolate or a tablespoon of Ben & Jerry's slowly, it will curb your cravings without a noticeable effect on your diet.
2. Don't snack on artificial sweeteners. Gum is probably the worst snack because it creates a stimulus-response action that causes you to crave sweet stuff constantly.
3. Add some fruit to your sugar or artificial sweetener. Fruit is both sweet and good for you. However, I realize an apple might not be enough all by itself to satiate your sweet tooth. But you can dress up fruit with a very small amount of a "real" dessert and make it pretty darn decadent.
4. Make sure you have some complex carbs in your diet. This sounds boring, but complex carbs, like whole grains, sweet potatoes, rice, beans, 'n' stuff, all slowly break down into blood sugar. If your blood sugar is steady, you won't crave sugar. You might still habitually crave it, but that's a ton better than a sugar-crash craving, which will likely lead to bingeing.
5. The protein powder trick. Most protein powders have a small amount of sugar and a touch of artificial sweetener, and are 90 percent protein

Fear less, hope more; Eat less, chew more; Whine less, breathe more; Talk less, say more; Love more, and all good things will be yours.

Swedish Proverb