“All I eat is low fat muffins and salads and I can’t lose the weight! It must be my genetics, or maybe I need to have my thyroid checked. I give up. It’s not worth all that time in the gym. I just have to accept that my body will not lose the fat.” Sound familiar?
The science of fat loss is very simple. Consume fewer calories than you use. Forget about fat, carbs and what time of the day you eat your last meal. Being in a caloric deficit is the bottom line. A little research as opposed to assumption is the key to determining how many calories you are actually ingesting.
Let’s say you are a busy person, always on the go. You stop at Starbucks on the way to work for a soy latte and a low fat cranberry muffin. Good choice, right? Your business meeting is at Milestones for lunch. You opt for the vegetarian Thai salad. It has the words vegetarian and salad in the name so it must be the way to go. Don’t pat yourself on the back quite yet. Have you researched the nutritional information of either your breakfast or lunch? Surprise! You’ve already consumed about 80% of what should be your total number of calories for the day and its only 12:30! Yikes.
The lesson here is to never assume that the best choice will have the words ‘salad’ or ‘low fat’ in the name. “Healthy” is another key word that seems to be showing up in the marketing copy for food that is nothing short of crap. Do your homework. Your breakfast was nearly void of nutrients and left you hungry an hour later. For the same amount of calories you could have enjoyed whole grain toast with peanut butter and yogurt or a couple of eggs and avoided the growlies. Lunch was somewhat tasty but actually had about 100 calories more than the steak sandwich with fries! I’m certainly not suggesting you opt for the steak and fries, but the point is to take a little time and really learn about what is going into your body. Go online and your can find the nutritional info on nearly any restaurant.
It’s not your thyroid, or your genetics. If you are not losing weight you are not in a calorie deficit. The workouts at the gym and walks around the neighborhood are most definitely worth it. The problem is making the assumption that the extra calories aren’t there. Dig a little deeper and you’ll find them.

You’ve heard it a million times. You need more fiber in your diet.It is why your mother told you to eat your veggies, whether she knew it or not. You know it’s an essential part of a healthy diet, but why is that?

Dietary fiber refers to a food that cannot be absorbed or digested by the human body. It is a carbohydrate that passes through the digestive system unchanged and without being broken down into nutrients.

There are numerous benefits to maintaining an adequate amount of fiber in our diets. Fiber has been shown to help prevent certain types of cancer, heart disease, kidney stones, hemorrhoids, obesity, and of course constipation. Make sure to drink enough water though. High fiber with low water will result in something like the hoover dam in your lower intestine.

High fiber foods also help to regulate our blood sugar levels. It slows down glucose absorption and rate of digestion allowing blood sugar levels to remain more consistent and avoiding hunger pangs, headaches and
irritability. Fiber helps reduce insulin levels and the release of glucose into the blood. It is this process that helps ward off type 2 diabetes and may assist those with diabetes in keeping it controlled.

All these above benefits also help you to lose body fat. When insulin levels are elevated lypolysis or fat burning is shut down. Insulin is a storage hormone. This can be good if you are storing amino acids and glycogen in the muscles, but bad if you are storing fat.

The recommended daily intake of fiber is between 25 and 30grams. North Americans typically consume about half of that. If you are trying to lose or maintain a healthy weight, increasing your fiber intake may help you do that. Fibrous foods tend to be higher in volume yet lower in calories,keeping you feeling satiated for longer. This can go along way to keeping you sane on your road to six pack abs.

Fiber is easily added to the diet in the form of lentils,dry beans, peas, vegetables, fruit, brown rice, and whole grains.On a restricted calorie competition diet you may have to add a fiber supplement to your daily routine as well. Eating a balanced,healthy diet includes lean protein, healthy fats and high fiber carbohydrate at every meal. Increase your vegetable servings, add fruit to your breakfast, and ditch the instant rice at dinner for a wild or whole grain type instead. Its a good bet that anything that come in a box or bag is low in fiber. Read the labels and find out for yourself. Just a few simple changes and additions can make a big difference.

Try this shake recipe for a super easy, high protein,
high fiber breakfast.

2 cups frozen mixed berries

½ cup nonfat sugar free vanilla flavored yogurt

1 scoop vanilla flavored whey protein

1 cup ice

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on med-high
speed until smooth and creamy. Enjoy!

Calories 382

Protein 31 grams

Fat 3 grams

Fiber 10 grams

There has been a lot of talk about trans-fats in the news lately. New York city started the ban on trans fats in its restaurants a couple years ago, and now the entire state of California has imposed a ban. Numerous other US cities have done the same, with Canadian cities and schools following suit. So what exactly are trans-fats and how is it that they are so bad, the government sees fit to intervene?

Trans-fats are processed, man made fats used to increase the shelf life and flavor of foods like Twinkies, french fries, cookies, pizza and donuts. Trans-fats are an inexpensive alternative to butter and lard, created when liquid fats (unsaturated) are converted into solid fats (saturated) by the addition of hydrogen atoms. Although they certainly can be convenient and cheap, they have also been shown to increase LDL (bad cholesterol) and decrease HDL (good cholesterol), leading to an increased risk of heart disease.

The bottom line is that trans-fats are not at all good for us and in fact can be very dangerous.
We all should be smart enough to realize however that even without the use of trans-fats in food preparation, french fries, cakes and donuts are STILL not good for us. They weren’t healthy choices 20 years ago, and they won’t be healthy choices 20 years from now. I’m not saying the ban on trans-fats is pointless. It most certainly serves a purpose, but we have to understand that the alternative to using trans-fat is replacing it with butter or lard or creating a different processed fat.The reason Trans fats came to be about in the first place was because of their ability to remain on the self for an extended period without going rancid, so it is not likely that trans fats are going to be replaced with natural fats that spoil very fast. Whether your pastries are made with butter, trans-fat, or some other yet to be named man made fat, they are still pastries. Tasty yes, but healthy no.

If you truly care about the health of your heart and the look of your abs, the best choice is to eliminate these foods in all circumstances. I am realistic and am not saying you can never have a doughnut, I intend to eat some myself, but choosing processed and high fat food very rarely is definitely do-able. It has to be, your health depends on it.

I read an interesting quote from a cardiologist today that said “Children that consume a steady diet of pop tarts, hamburgers, pastries, donuts and candy are at an increased risk for heart disease later in life.” Well, no S**T. If that is what the average child is consuming on a regular basis then of course it’s no wonder we have the health crisis of today. You don’t have to be a cardiologist to figure that out.

We shouldn’t need our government to tell us we are not allowed to eat certain things. We should simply know better. I am not sure where the idea that you have to have these foods in your house if you have kids came from but it is B******t. Get back to basics and eat some real food. When it comes to processed, high fat foods, don’t buy them, don’t serve them and don’t eat them, trans-fats or not. Your physique and your heart will thank you for it.

I came across this inspirational story of overcoming adversity and never seeing any challenge as to great. I hope it inspires you like it did me.
Mark Wellman, 44, has been a mountaineer since the age of 12. Wellman has ascended over 50 Sierra Nevada peaks, including the French Alps. A freak accident on his descent of the Seven Gables in the John Muir Wilderness left him paralyzed from the waist down in 1982.
Mark has continued his love for climbing with the help of his climbing partner, Mike Corbett. In 1989, they made history with their ascent of the 3,000-foot face of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. On September 4, 1991, Wellman and Corbett set out to conquer Yosemite’s other big wall, Half Dome. Thirteen days later they reached the top of the 2,200 foot vertical Tis-Sa-Ack route on Half Dome
A former member of the United States Disabled Ski Team, competing in two Paralympics, Mark is also known for his extreme down hill skiing and white water kayaking adventures.
In the spring of 1993, Mark skied 50 miles, to be the first paraplegic to sit-ski across the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range with only the use of his arms. The Trans’ Sierra crossing started at Ellery Lake, on the east side of the Sierra, ascended over the 10,000 foot Tioga Pass, and four days later ended at Crane Flat
.
Mark earned a Park Management Certificate from West Valley College in Saratoga, California. From 1986-91 he worked as a full time Interpretive Ranger and was Director of the Disabled Access Program in Yosemite National Park
.
The book Climbing Back, is Mark’s autobiography. It is a story of his struggle to survive a disabling accident, to become a park ranger and an accomplished wheel-chair athlete, and ultimately to climb the sheer granite faces of El Capitan and Half Dome. He has designed ‘adaptive’ equipment and has developed programs to inspire and motivate others
.
Mark’s passion for the outdoors has led him to document several videos on outdoor adventure, featuring physically disabled individuals enjoying outdoor sports and using their individual means of adaptation. The videos No Barriers, Beyond the Barriers and Wheels of Fire are filled with adventure, drama and inspiration. They include climbing, skiing, kayaking, sailing,surfing, diving and hang-gliding, and more. Every video is enhanced with outstanding music and lyrics, by musicians with varied disabilities.
In August of 1996, Mark demonstrated to the world an example of overcoming adversity. Honored by the Paralympic Committee, he ascended a 120-foot rope, with the flaming torch, and lit the cauldron for the Opening Ceremonies of the 1996 Paralympics in Atlanta, Georgia.
On July 19, 1999, Mark made a repeat climb of El Capitan, which would be ten years later with climbing partner Mike Corbett. Called ‘Return to the Challenge’ his 10-year anniversary climb was completed in 11 days on a much more challenging route, The Nose.
Mark speaks for the Washington-based, Disabled Sports USA. He lends his name to the Governor’s Committee on Employment for the Disabled, and is a consultant for the California’s Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. He is also a member of the General Motors ‘Barrier Breakers’ Team and is an advisor for World T.E.A.M. Sports.
Mark Wellman lives in Northern California where he operates his business No Limits. Whether training for new wilderness adventures, or touring the country as a motivational speaker, Mark constantly strives to break down barriers. From college campuses to corporate boardrooms he has become a nationally known influence for the disabled and able-bodied alike. With his dynamic style and bold determination, Mark continues to encourage his audiences to fulfill their dreams by reaching for higher goals to success.

Depression is an extremely complex disorder that can be affected by several factors including genetics and environment. There is much evidence to support a connection between consumption, or lack there of, of omega 3 fatty acids and various forms of depression. Several studies have shown that nations that consume higher amounts of fatty fish like salmon, sardines and mackerel, have much lower incidences of depressive disorders.

Omega 3 fatty acids are made up of EPA and DHA. EPA appears to be a key player in depression as the lower the level of this fatty acid in the body, the more sever the depressive state. In a study in 2002 published in the American Journal Of Psychiatry, reasearchers found that just 2g of pure EPA could improve the symptoms of treatment resistant depression. Also interesting to note, there were no adverse side affects reported from the EPA supplements.

The modern western diet is very low in omega 3 fatty acids and much higher in omega 6. An ideal ratio between these 2 omega fats is suggested to be between 1:1 and 1:2. The reality in modern society is more like 1:25 in favor of the omega 6. An over abundance of Omega 6 has been implicated in chronic inflammation in the body which can lead to many problems including heart disease, and neurological problems.

Supplementing your diet with a concentrated fish oil is the best way to shift the balance of omega fats back to a more stable ratio. Increasing dietary intake of walnuts, flaxseeds, and free range meat and eggs also can contribute to more omega 3’s in your diet. Limiting safflower, sunflower, and corn oil, which are found in many packaged and processed foods, can help cut overall omega 6 consumption.

Water should be your first choice when it come to liquid refreshment, but a recent report shows that this is becoming increasingly rare.

The study found on average people were consuming 20 percent of their calories from liquids. This is a staggering amount when you consider water would be 0 percent of your daily calories.

While some beverages can offer good nutritional value and convenience, such as protein shakes, the study found that nearly all of these calories were coming from liquids with little or no nutritional value like soda and the increasingly popular energy drinks.

This is certainly not just an adult problem. Among children aged one to three, water, milk and fruit juice were the top three beverages consumed. But the report found that as children
age, they tend to incorporate more sweetened drinks into their diets.
For example, boys aged four to eight drank approximately 68 ml of soda
on a daily basis, while boys aged 14 to 18 consumed about 376 ml. The
daily soda intake for girls was about 47 ml and about 179 ml for
teenage girls.

When people are trying to reduce their weight and increase their wellness it seems taking 20 percent of your daily calories and replacing them with water would make good sense. Bottoms up!

This last weekend I was I had the privilege of helping out my good friend Scott Abel with a seminar in Toronto. On the Saturday he made a statement that stuck in my head, not only because of its simplicity but because it is absolutely true. He said “whatever you are doing, if it does not feel like work, it’s not going to work!!. How many contraptions and diet schemes have you seen advertised where the big catch line is something like, “effortless” or ‘without changing anything you already eat” or something similar. Essentially the selling point is suppose to be “this is going to be easy”. They should have to put a disclaimer in front of these ads stating, ” What you are about to see is total bullshit and a waste of your money. The manufacturer of the following products takes no responsibility for your laziness and lack of common sense.”

In our “have it now with minimum effort world” the concept of hard work seems to be lost on most people, especially when it comes to exercise. Most people will put in the time but not the effort. Strolling along on a treadmill for an hour makes people think they are making a real effort. The fact that they have not made any progress in months or years seems irrelevant.

Let me leave you with these questions that should help you evaluate your workout intensity. If you can read or watch TV while you are exercising are you really putting in maximum effort? How much water do you go through during your workout? And here is a good one for the ladies. Do you wear make up when you work out? Is it still on your face when you are done?

Have a good day

Happy belated New Year everyone. I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. With this time of year comes the “resolution” to change things that you don’t like about yourself. I am not sure where the idea that you had to wait until the flip of the calendar to January to make positive change came from but nevertheless that has what has become accepted. These resolutions that are made are ultimately suppose to lead to one thing. Happiness. If you can do this one (or two or three) things you will finally be content and happy.

It comes as no surprise that one of the most popular resolutions is to get in shape or lose weight. People tend to think these are the same thing, which they are not, but that is a topic for another time. Speaking to a client recently he stated “if I can be —lbs by such and such a date I will be very happy” I thought about this statement for a minute and then asked him why that particular group of numbers held the key to his happiness. This question caught him off guard and he really had no answer so I gave him this scenario to ponder. Imagine if you will that for six months you where unable to weigh yourself or look in a mirror. In that six months you changed your eating so all you ate was whole fresh food and ate nothing out of a box or bag. No diet, no counting calories, just cutting out crap you know you should not be eating anyway. Secondly you scheduled a time slot 5 days a week to exercise. This is an appointment just like any other that you have everyday. It is a hour long start to finish including shower and everything. At the beginning following these two guide lines seems very hard but soon it just becomes part of your daily living. Soon you start to notice your clothes fitting looser. You notice you have more energy at the end of the day or on the weekends to play with your kids or do things with your wife. You wake up in the morning feeling rested and ready to face the day. Those workouts you used to dread are now a welcome stress relief from the rest of your workday. Your blood pressure is down as is your cholesterol. It would be very easy to describe yourself as, could it be, happy with how you look and feel? Now what if you were able to jump on the scale at this point and it showed you were 10-20lbs over the number you stated was the point you would find happiness. Does this number hold so much power that it cancelled out all of the other positives? I hope not. People are not really looking for weight loss, they are looking for health and vitality. This cannot be measured by a number on a scale. Obsessing over this number only leads to anxiety. Many people find if they can let go of this anxiety over numbers a very strange thing starts to happen. They lose weight and it feels, for lack of a better word, effortless.

Have a great weekend

When it come to eating for fat loss or performance there is one thing that remains the same. You have to know how much of what you are eating. It does not matter if you are trying to get six pack abs for the beach, compete in a natural bodybuilding competition, or perform your best in a triathlon. ff you do not know how much of what kind of fuel you are putting in how do you know if it is enough or too much?

A second thing that is almost universal is people suck at estimating how much they are eating. “I am following my diet and doing all my workouts but I am not losing weight, I am actually gaining!” Really? Well I am no doctor but it sound like you might have a case of “stafa headupyourassia” These people are the same ones who will not log or measure their food with any consistency at all. If they do log it, it looks something like this.

Meal 1

eggs with some berries and a bowl of oatmeal

Meal 2

a small piece of chicken about 1/2 cup of rice and a handful of almonds

Now although the foods that are being chosen are not bad the amounts are so vague it is impossible to tell if this person is eating too much or too little and if the macronutrients are being eaten in the correct portions. Hardly the road to a six pack or a personal record performance.

I will admit weighing your food and looking up calorie counts can be a huge drag. I have done it for years and I still find it to be a pain in the place where that aforementioned persons head was. But I sucked it up and I did it anyway because I wanted the results. Just recently while surfing the internet I discovered something that made this process a whole lot easier. It is called the Eatsmart nutritional scale. This small scale actually tells you how many calories, carbs, protein, fat and something like 8 other nutrients in anything you weigh. Grab a piece of chicken, put it on the scale, punch in the code, and it is all there for you. I use it every meal. I put my plate on the scale and as I put my food on I not only know how much of everything I am eating but what the total for the whole meal is. No more guessing. So if I need to make adjustments I know where to make them and how.

When natural bodybuilders take on a pre competition diet one thing often gets lost in the mix. Fiber. This can lead to a myriad of problems not the least of which is decreased fat loss. Here are 5 foods you could include in you diet to up your fiber intake and keep your diet (among other things) running smoothly.

Beans. The humble bean is chock-full of nutritious fiber. A cup of black beans or lentils contains a whopping 15 grams of fiber—half the daily minimum supply required for a man, and more than half of the minimum required for a woman. Chickpeas, or garbanzo beans, have 13 grams of fiber. A cup of peas has 9 grams of fiber.

Artichokes. One medium artichoke contains 6.5 grams of fiber. One cup of artichoke hearts contains 14 grams of fiber and only 90 calories. Get one of those little jars of marinated artichokes (in vinegar, not in oil) and add them as a side to your meal. Tasty and nutritious.

Quinoa. Relatively new to us in North America, quinoa has been a South American staple for over 6,000 years. The edible seeds of the quinoa plant have 10 grams of fiber in a one-cup serving and also 8 grams of protein—in fact, quinoa seeds contain many essential amino acids that are missing from rice, proving to be a good substitute for rice. If you check your local health food store, and even some supermarkets, you can find quinoa.

Nuts. Nuts are great sources of fiber (but highly caloric, so measure carefully). A quarter-cup of almonds has 4 grams of fiber and about 200 calories. Stay away from the roasted variety and chose the raw instead. If you have a hard time restricting how many you eat at once try pre- portioning them into suitable calorie allotments so you don’t kid yourself and eat twice as many as you should.

Brussels sprouts. I am going to be honest with you, I hate Brussels sprouts and you could not make me eat one if you deep fried it in chocolate and fed it to me with a slingshot. Other people disagree though and these little mutant cabbages pack almost 7 grams of fiber into a one-cup serving and only about 60 calories. Try them with lemon juice and maybe a dash of soy sauce or Tabasco to “enhance” the flavor. Usually people love them or hate them and if you are the former, knock yourself out.

Along with helping you control hunger and maintain energy when you are chiseling your six pack abs, fiber has also been shown to help prevent many different types of cancer.