Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Common Nutrition Myths And Mistakes


Common Nutrition Myths And Mistakes

We know nutrition is one of the main components of any healthy lifestyle change, however, with all the information out there, we must be careful to make sure we know the myths from the facts.  This report has been written to help you sort through the common myths and mistakes we make in our nutrition planning and implementation.

Myth #1:  Carbohydrates At Night Make You Fat

Not True!  Carbohydrates by themselves will not make you fat.  It’s important to remember the simple fact that calories are what will ultimately cause or reduce your weight.  The fact is that if you burn more calories than you take in, you will lose weight,  if you eat more calories than you burn you will gain weight, and if you consume and use the same amount then you will maintain your weight.  It is not about eating carbs at night, it’s your overall calorie intake throughout the day compared to your overall calorie usage that will determine how your body responds. 

Myth #2:  Sodas Are Bad, Drink Fruit Juice Instead

True, sodas are bad for you.  However, fruit juices, although they provide much of the needed vitamin C and other vitamins, they are very high in calories and sugar.  I recommend keeping your fruit juice intake to before or after workouts and at breakfast.  By doing this, you are getting fueled and recovered from workouts well, but you are not overdoing it on the overall calories and sugar.  Additionally, because of the high level of sugar, and because the body absorbs fruit juice very well, it causes an insulin spike in the blood stream that triggers fat storage and increases your appetite.  My best suggestion on this is to drink water as a substitute for sodas and fruit juice.

Myth #3:  Egg Yolks Are Bad For You Because They Are High In Cholesterol And Fat 

Not True! Well they are high in both of those, however, that doesn’t necessarily mean they are bad for you.  All of the eggs vitamin D, E and A are located in the yolk.  The yolk portion also contains more manganese, copper, phosphorus, iodine, iron, calcium and zinc than the egg white itself. The reason why so many people avoid the egg yolk is because of the high cholesterol level. However, recent studies show that humans do not absorb much cholesterol from the egg yolk (University Science article on eggs and cholesterol). With that said, why would you toss away such a perfectly nutritious food?

Myth #4:  A Fat Free Diet Is Good For You

Um NO!  Let’s start with the fact that it’s almost impossible, plus we all need good fats in our diet.  We need dietary fats to carry fat-soluble vitamins such as D, E, K and X.  Our body also needs essential fatty acids found in plants and fish in order to properly function.  Those essential fatty acids keep our cell membranes watertight.  By making sure we get these essential fatty acids, we help our body avoid symptoms of inflammatory problems like rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and we also help support heart health and joints.  Fats are not your enemy.  We just want to make sure we consume the right amounts and the right kinds.

Myth #5:  Water Makes You Gain Weight

Really?  Our body is made of 80% water.  Even a 2% drop in that level can cause our bodies to dehydrate.  Do not skip on water.  It is very important for our well-being.  I recommend you drink ½ your body weight in ounces everyday for optimum health.  Just like a car cannot run without gasoline or oil, we cannot run without water.  Drinking enough water can help reduce your risk of colon cancer by 45% and bladder cancer by 50%!  Just keep in mind that if you are doing cardiovascular exercises that cause sweating, we need to replace that water on top of what we normally need.  Consuming water will not cause your body to retain it.  If you don’t drink enough water then your body will think it is scarce and then it will want to retain it.  So the bottom line is drink more water to avoid water weight so your body will know that it does not need to retain it and it can flush it out, cleansing your entire body in the process.

Myth #6:  Sea Salt Is Better Than Table Salt


Salt is Salt.  Sea salt is made from evaporated seawater, but the amount of sodium per teaspoon is the same as table salt that comes from a mine.  They both contain about 2300 milligrams of sodium per teaspoon.  Plus, table salt is regularly fortified with iodine, which plays an important role in regulating the hormones in the body.  Sea salts have virtually zero iodine, so unless you have an allergy to iodine, you are simply wasting your money if you choose sea salt over regular table salt. 

Myth #7:  "Trans Fat Free" Foods Are Really Trans Fat Free

False!  The guidelines from the FDA allow companies to claim “trans fat free” as long as the level of trans fats in the product is not more than 0.5 grams per serving.  Due to their link to heart disease, the World Health Organization recommends keeping them to a level of less than 1 gram per 2000 calories consumed.  This means if your cupboard is full of products that claim to be free of trans fats, but they actually have 0.5 grams per serving, then you will easily exceed the recommended dosage.   Your best bet is to read labels.  Avoid any foods or products that state,  “partially hydrogenated oil” (meaning trans fat) anywhere on their ingredients list.  This will help you stay within the recommended dosage. 

Myth #8:  Chocolate Is Bad For You

False againCocoa is a plant-based food full of flavonoids.  These help to increase blood flow and release endorphins, which are our body’s feel good neurotransmitters.  They also contain stearic acid, which is a healthy saturated fat that has shown to increase your good HDL cholesterol.  Keep in mind however, chocolate doesn’t mean “milk” chocolate.  Milk chocolate contains far more sugar than actual cocoa.  Look for 60% or more of cocoa when choosing your chocolate so that you can receive maximum health effects and still curb your sweet tooth.

Myth #9:  Oranges Are Your Best Source Of Vitamin C

You guessed it.  Not true.  Vitamin C is far more than a simple immune booster.  It is an antioxidant that strengthens the skin by helping to build collagen.  It helps improve your mood by increasing the flow of norepinephrine and it boosts the metabolic ability of the body by helping to transport fat cells into the body’s energy-burning mitochondria.  However, your body can neither store nor create vitamin C, so you need a rich supply all the time.  While oranges claim to fame is vitamin C, and it is a good source, it is by no means the best.  Papayas, brussel’s sprouts, strawberries, broccoli and red bell peppers are all sources of just as much vitamin C as an orange, but with fewer calories.  So, next time you are looking to get your C vitamin, reach for one of these instead. 

Myth #10:  Meat Is Bad For You

We need meat.  Among the world’s best sources of complete protein are pork, beef and lamb.  A Danish study found that dieting with 25% of your calories from protein could help you lose up to twice as much as dieting with only 12% protein.  And don’t forget about B12, which is essential for building red blood cells.  B12 is only prevalent in animal-based products.  Adequate intakes of B12 help protect against brain shrinkage, according to British researchers.  So don’t skimp on the meat.  Make sure to get an adequate amount in your diet so that your body can perform at its peak. 


So the next time you hear someone talking about nutrition, don’t believe everything you hear.  If you are skeptical, do some research.  Even if you aren’t skeptical, it’s always best to confirm something before accepting it as fact.  Many people read health magazines and the like, but the truth is they have an agenda.  They make profits as many ways as they can, and this includes advertising from nutritional product suppliers.  These manufacturers are biased, and we cannot take their word for it. 

Always do your homework and ask people you trust.  If you don’t have anyone you can ask, there is always that beast at the gym that seems to always be doing it right.  Keep in mind that any nutrition information should be used only as a guideline and not as absolute truth because every individual is unique in his or her own way.  Experiment and see what type of diet and nutrition plan works for you.  Let’s face it, we’ve all fallen for nutritional myths, so the best advice is to listen to logic and do some research, because the sooner you realize if it’s a myth or truth the better off you will be. 




Would you like to speak with me and my team directly so you can get personalized help to lose the weight?
Call now to set up your FREE weight loss consultation.

(641) 715-3900 Extension 755346#
or go to my website:  www.easyfatburnnow.com

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These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. 

Any link or ads that take you to an outside party indicates that I likely have an affiliate relationship and benefit in some way either by reciprocal links or financially.  I make all product recommendations and affiliate ad choices based on what I feel will most benefit my readers, not how much my commission or benefit is from that affiliate.  


















Monday, December 17, 2012

Discover Motivation...


Discover Something to Motivate You to Exercise

Even though most people are aware of how significant exercise is to weight reduction, many have trouble making themselves do it. There are others who never can seem to find the time. Reality is that developing an exercise routine can be difficult when you are starting out. The key is developing a lifestyle that is accommodating to an exercise routine.

One thing is for sure: you need to get involved with an exercise plan that will keep your attention. In other words, I want you to be involved in exercises that you enjoy. This will make it natural to get into the daily routine since you want to do it.

You can even stay home and exercise. For many people this is key because the time and effort it takes to go to a gym often precludes participation in an exercise program. I use a spare bedroom, but I don’t have fancy equipment as you might expect. I don’t need it and neither do you. What you do need is a balance ball and weights that can be adjusted. A mat helps as well as a stationary bicycle. That’s it. You don’t need a lot to get a fat loss program going. By having a way to exercise at home, you will find that it is easy to work out when you don’t have to go across town. The truth is that many people don’t exercise because they don’t like where they exercise.

What I want you to think about is what might make your exercise time more fun. Whatever you do, you will find that building it on the foundation of activities you enjoy is the key to developing a lifetime of fitness.

You can begin your fitness program together with a good diet. You can find tips for both in the Fat Burning Furnace.  I highly recommend watching this unique and fun, free video to help you get started on your journey.

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Any link or ads that take you to an outside party indicates that I likely have an affiliate relationship and benefit in some way either by reciprocal links or financially.  I make all product recommendations and affiliate ad choices based on what I feel will most benefit my readers, not how much my commission or benefit is from that affiliate.  

Sunday, December 16, 2012

The Hidden Dangers of Your Excess Abdominal Fat


I felt this article would be great for my readers.  It was written by Guest Author Mike Geary.  Hope you enjoy it.


The Hidden Dangers of Your Excess Abdominal Fat - It's More Serious Than a Vanity Issue!
by Mike Geary, Certified Nutrition Specialist, Certified Personal Trainer

Did you know that the vast majority of people in this day and age have excess abdominal fat? The first thing that most people think of is that their extra abdominal fat is simply ugly, is covering up their abs from being visible, and makes them self conscious about showing off their body.

However, what most people don't realize is that excess abdominal fat in particular, is not only ugly, but is also a dangerous risk factor to your health. Scientific research has clearly demonstrated that although it is unhealthy in general to have excess body fat throughout your body, it is also particularly dangerous to have excess abdominal fat.

There are two types of fat that you have in your abdominal area. The first type that covers up your abs from being visible is called subcutaneous fat and lies directly beneath the skin and on top of the abdominal muscles.

The second type of fat that you have in your abdominal area is called visceral fat, and that lies deeper in the abdomen beneath your muscle and surrounding your organs. Visceral fat also plays a role in giving certain men that "beer belly" appearance where their abdomen protrudes excessively but at the same time, also feels sort of hard if you push on it.
Both subcutaneous fat and visceral fat in the abdominal area are serious health risk factors, but science has shown that having excessive visceral fat is even more dangerous than subcutaneous fat. Both of them greatly increase the risk your risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, sleep apnea, various forms of cancer, and other degenerative diseases.

Part of the reason visceral fat is particularly dangerous is that it apparently releases more inflammatory molecules into your body on a consistent basis.

If you care about the quality of your life and your loved ones, reducing your abdominal fat should be one of your TOP priorities! There's just no way around it. Besides, a side-effect of finally getting rid of all of that excessive ugly abdominal fat is that your stomach will flatten out, and if you lose enough stomach fat, you will be able to visibly see those sexy six pack abs that everyone wants.

So what gets rid of extra abdominal fat? Is there actually a REAL solution beyond all of the gimmicks and hype that you see in ads and on commercials for "miracle" fat loss products?
The first thing you must understand is that there is absolutely NO quick fix solution. There are no pills or supplements of any sort that will help you lose your abdominal fat faster. Also, none of the gimmicky ab rockers, rollers, or ab belts will help get rid of abdominal fat either. You can't spot reduce your stomach fat by using any of these worthless contraptions. It simply doesn't work that way.

The ONLY solution to consistently lose your abdominal fat and keep it off for good is to combine a sound nutritious diet full of unprocessed natural foods with a properly designed strategic exercise program that stimulates the necessary hormonal and metabolic response within your body. Both your food intake as well as your training program are important if you are to get this right.

I've actually even seen a particular study that divided thousands of participants into a diet-only group and an exercise/diet group. While both groups in this study made good progress, the diet-only group lost significantly LESS abdominal fat than the diet & exercise combined group.

Now the important thing to realize is that just any old exercise program will not necessarily do the trick. The majority of people that attempt getting into a good exercise routine are NOT working out effectively enough to really stimulate the loss of stubborn abdominal fat. I see this everyday at the gym.

Most people will do your typical boring ineffective cardio routines, throw in a little outdated body-part style weight training, and pump away with some crunches and side bends, and think that they are doing something useful for reducing their abdominal fat. Then they become frustrated after weeks or months of no results and wonder where they went wrong.
Well, the good news is that I've spent over a decade researching this topic, analyzing the science, and applying it "in the trenches" with myself as well as thousands of my clients from all over the world to see what works to really stimulate abdominal fat loss.



The entire solution... all of the nutritional strategies, as well as training sequences, exercise combinations, and more have all been compiled in my Truth About Six Pack Abs Program.
Keep in mind that the point of this whole program is NOT abdominal exercises (that is only a very small portion of it). The main point of this program is showing you the absolute most effective strategies for losing your stubborn abdominal fat, so you can get rid of that dangerous health risk, as well as get a flatter more defined midsection.

If you follow the guidelines, you WILL lose your belly fat that has been plaguing you for years. This is not guesswork... it is a proven system that works time and time again for all of my clients on every corner of the globe that actually apply the information I teach. If you apply it, the results will come. It's really that simple.

The only reason most people fail in their fitness goals is that they have good intentions at first to adopt a new lifestyle, yet after a few weeks or months, they abandon their good intentions and slip right back into their old bad habits that gave them the excess body fat in the first place.

I want to help you succeed in finally getting rid of that extra abdominal fat that is not only UGLY, but also DANGEROUS.

Don't waste another day allowing that nasty abdominal fat to kill your confidence as well as contribute to your risk for MAJOR diseases.

Get the solution to rid yourself for life of this problem at...

Train hard, eat right, and enjoy life!
Mike Geary
Certified Nutrition Specialist
Certified Personal Trainer
Author - The Truth about Six Pack Abs

Saturday, December 15, 2012

Goal Setting For The New Decade: Beyond The New Year's Resolution



Goal Setting For The New Decade: Beyond The New Year's Resolution
By Tom Venuto

www.BurnTheFat.com

When you pause and reflect on the past decade as you look ahead to a new one, it makes you appreciate how short life is, how valuable time is and how quickly the time can pass you by - with nothing to show for it, if you don’t plan otherwise.

That’s why the passing of another decade can feel like a wakeup call as much as a fresh start: Looking at the technological wonders that surround us in 2010, I can’t help thinking it feels like science fiction.
In fact, modern technology is one of the reasons why some people have succeeded at body transformation while others have failed.

I’m still in awe of the web. The satellite navigation system in my car amazes me every time I drive. I can store a library of books in a device that fits in my pocket. It blows my mind that we can speak to each other face to face through the internet live on video. That’s straight from Star Trek! And those are just the everyday little things.  It’s the greatest time to be alive in all of human history! Unfortunately, today’s modern conveniences have brought a dark side upon us.

Rising obesity has paralleled the march of technology. The chair-bound, desk-job, computer, car, elevator, television based society of today is helping to make millions of people fat and lazy.
Our current way of life is less than a century old, yet our biology hasn’t changed in tens of thousands of years. Our bodies were designed to move and work, not sit and click.

We’ve become spoiled. Complacent. Dependent. And we are paying a price for it. We are fatter than ever before in all of human history. More than two thirds of Americans are now overweight. One third are obese.  People are dying because they‘re too fat.

Ironically, none of our new technology can solve our body fat problems.  There’s no easy way. No pill. No machine. No drug. More knowledge isn’t going to help. We already have most of the answers. We know more about the human body than ever before. But it’s all academic.

The problem lies in the doing. You have to do the work – in the gym and in the kitchen. Hard work.
We are a quick fix society. It’s partly human nature, but technology is making us more impatient. We can have products delivered to us with one click and even do it from our cell phones. We have instant downloads, movies on demand, and drive through coffee shops. We get  our food made and delivered in just minutes while we are sitting in our cars, and it’s still not quick enough. The internet is blazingly fast, but most people will abandon a web page in seconds if it hasn’t loaded. It’s no different with fat loss. We want six pack abs yesterday.

Simultaneously fighting the pull of human nature and the convenience of new technology is no easy task. But there is a solution: Future Orientation.

The most successful people in the world today are those who have a long term perspective. They plan 5-10 years in advance and beyond. They know how to enjoy and live in the present moment, but they take action and make decisions based on their future vision.

The passing of another decade makes you take stock of yourself and your achievements, or lack thereof. “What did I accomplish in the last 10 years? Am I a better person today than I was in 2000?”
If you don’t like the answers, then it’s time to finally get serious about your future because the next 10 years are going to fly by even faster than the last 10 as the pace of life and society gets even faster.
To succeed in the new decade, think beyond new year’s resolutions. Think beyond the 12 week fitness goal. As you write your goals this year, don’t stop with 3 month or even 1 year goals.

Project yourself into the future: 3, 5 and 10 years from now. For each point, dream, fantasize, visualize: if your body, your health your physical performance were perfect in every way, what would that look like? Describe it in vivid detail.

With our ingrained penchant for quick fixes, we often overestimate what we can achieve in the short term and set unrealistic deadlines on our short term goals. But the flipside is that we often underestimate what we can achieve in the long term, so we set our long term goals too low.  Do you realize that people have gone from broke to billionaire in 10 years? In this internet age, some have done it even faster.

My challenge for you this year is to start thinking about your body and your life with the same type of creativity that has led to our greatest technological advances:  Not the same thoughts as yesterday. Not just positive thoughts. just bigger thoughts. NEW THOUGHTS! Creative thoughts! Inventive thoughts! From new thoughts will spring new goals, new actions and new achievements.

Fitness goals should not take over your life, they should enhance every other part of it. So take this opportunity to achieve balance by setting long term goals for every area of your life – health, fitness, finances, career, relationships, experiences, travel, possessions and spiritual growth.  Most people didn’t set any goals 10 years ago. They’re among the masses who are in the same place today as they were a decade ago.  

Some people only set short term goals, so they accomplished a few little things, but then stopped, as if a goal were a final destination rather than a stepping stone along a path. Other people set goals but didn’t follow through on them. They forgot that goal setting and goal achieving are two different things.
Don’t fall into these traps.

If you need coaching in the goal setting process – from the daily and weekly baby steps to the long term goals and dreams that span a decade – read chapter one of Burn The Fat, Feed the Muscle.  If you already have it. Now is the time to revisit it.

If you don’t own a copy yet, you can get the program at:
Most people make resolutions. Some people set well-formed goals. But long term goals are the goals that almost everyone forgets to set.  If you didn’t do this exercise 10 years ago, do it now. If you do, I guarantee that in 2013, 2015, 2020, you’ll not only find yourself living at a whole new level, you’ll find yourself living in another world - one of your own creation.

Happy New Year!
Tom Venuto, author of
Burn The Fat Feed The Muscle
www.BurnTheFat.com

PS. Remember, goal setting is just the start. Goal ACHIEVING requires a nutrition and training plan.  Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle is the most comprehensive fat loss program of its kind because it teaches you every element necessary to succeed: nutrition, cardio training, weight training and "mental training" (goal setting and mindset).

Learn more about the Burn The Fat program at:
www.BurnTheFat.com



About the Author:
Tom Venuto is a fat loss expert, lifetime natural (steroid-free) bodybuilder, independent nutrition researcher, freelance writer, and author of the #1 best selling diet e-book, Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle: Fat-Burning Secrets of The World’s Best Bodybuilders & Fitness Models (e-book) which teaches you how to get lean without drugs or supplements using secrets of the world's best bodybuilders and fitness models. Learn how to get rid of stubborn fat and increase your metabolism by visiting: www.burnthefat.com

For more information on health and wellness check out my website at:  http://www.considerhealthy.com