The Lies and Truths of Fad Diets

There are a lot of diets out there that promise very fast fat loss, and a lot of times, they don't mention anything about exercise and proper nutrition. Here are a few things to keep in mind when you are thinking about trying the "next big thing" in fat loss:

Lie: You can lose weight with “exceptionally easy rules.”
Truth: Most fad diet plans have complicated rules that require you to calculate protein requirements, count carbohydrate grams, combine certain foods, time meal intervals, purchase special products, plan daily menus, and measure serving sizes

Lie: You can lose weight by eating a specific ratio of carbohydrates, protein and fat.
Truth: Weight loss depends on spending more energy than you take in

Lie: This “revolutionary diet” can “reset your genetic code”
Truth: You inherited your genes and cannot alter your genetic code

Lie: High-protein diets are popular, selling more than 20 million books, because they work
Truth: Weight-loss books are popular because people grasp for quick fixes and simple solutions to their weight problems. If book sales were an indication of weight-loss success, we would be a lean nation – but they’re not, and neither are we.

Lie: People gain weight on low-fat diets
Truth: People can gain weight on low-fat diets if they overindulge in carbohydrates and proteins while cutting fat; low-fat diets are not necessarily low-calorie diets. But people can also lose weight on low-fat diets if they cut calories as well as fat.

Lie: High-protein diets energize the brain
Truth: The brain depends on glucose for its energy; the primary dietary source of glucose is carbohydrates, not protein.

Lie: Thosands of people have been successful with this plan.
Truth: Most (and many times, none) of the authors of fad diets have published their research findings in scientific journals. Success stories are anecdotal and failures are not reported

Lie: Carbohydrates raise blood glucose levels, triggering insulin production and fat storage.
Truth: Insulin promotes fat storage when energy intake exceeds energy needs. Furthermore, insulin is only one hormone involved in the complex processes of maintaining the body’s energy balance and health.

Lie: Eat protein and lose weight
Truth: For every complicated problem, there is a simple-and wrong solution.

Fad Diets And Fat Loss Scams - How To Identify Them

With the rise in various fat loss supplements and fad diets, there is only one formula that continues to proves to result in effective and efficient fat loss. And that is EXERCISE!!! Proper nutrition and exercise is your best chance of burning off fat and keeping it off.

I've been in the fitness industry a long time, and have seen countless individuals try crazy low carb diets, ridiculous fat loss pills, liposuction, sauna belts, liquid cleansing programs, and the list goes on. But the result is always the same. They lose a little bit of weight, but they gain it right back. The reason is because they did nothing to boost their metabolic rate. The only that works is proper nutrition and exercise.

Think about it. If all those fad diets and fat loss supplements worked, then we'd have a lean society. But why is that obesity in North America is higher than it's ever been?

Here are some ways to identify fad diets and fat loss scams:

1. The promise dramatic, rapid weight loss. Weight loss should be gradual and not exceed 2 pounds per week.
2. They promote diets that are nutritionally unbalanced or extremely low in calories. Diets should provide:
• A reasonable number of calories (not fewer than 1200 calories per day)
• Enough, but not too much, protein
• Enough, but not too much fat (between 20 and 30 % of daily energy intake from fat)
• Enough carbohydrate to spare protein and prevent ketosis (at least 100 grams per day) and 20-30 grams of fiber from food sources
• At least 1 liter of water daily
3. They use liquid formulas rather than foods. Foods should accommodate a person’s ethnic background, taste preferences, and financial means.
4. They attempt to make clients dependent upon special foods or devices. Programs should teach clients how to make good choices from the conventional food supply
5. They fail to encourage permanent, realistic lifestyle changes. Programs should provide physical activity plans that involve spending at least 300 calories a day and behavior-modification strategies that help to correct poor eating habits.
6. They misrepresent salespeople as “counselors” supposedly qualified to give guidance in nutrition and/or general health. Even in adequately trained, such “counselors” would still be objectionable because of the obvious conflict of interest that exists when providers profit directly from products they recommend and sell.
7. They collect large sums of money at the start or require that clients sigh contract fros expensive, long-term programs. Programs should be reasonably priced and run on a pay-as-you-go basis.
8. They fail to inform clients of the risks associated with weight loss in general or the specific program being promoted. They should provide information about dropout rates, the long-term success of their clients, and possible side-effects.
9. They promote unproven or spurious weight-loss aids such as human chorionic gonadotropin hormone (HCG), starch blockers, diuretics, sauna belts, body wraps, passive exercise, ear stapling, acupuncture, electric muscle-stimulating (EMS) devices, spirulina, amino acid supplements (e.g. arginine, ornithine), glucomannan, methylcellulose (a “bulking agent”), “unique” ingredients, and so forth.
10. They fail to provide for weight maintenance after the program ends.

Keep Motivated - Read quotes!!

I'm a huge fan of quotes! I love them! Especially ones that inspire and motivate people. When I write any goals, whether they be personal goals, career goals, or fitness goals, I like to use quotes to keep me focused on what I need to do to reach my goals.

Funny enough, I received a aluminum water bottle from Lululemon, with some of the best quotes I've ever read printed on the bottle!! I bring it with me to the gym, and you wouldn't believe how helpful it is in getting me through my workouts.

So...I thought I'd share some of them with you:

- "Successful people replace the words 'wish', 'should', and 'try' with 'I WILL."
- "Life is full of setbacks. Success is determined by how you handle setbacks."
- "Do it now, do it now, do it, NOW!" (I like this one when I'm about ready to quit on my last sets)
- "Stress is related to 99% of all illness." (BTW, this is scientifically proven!)
- "Jealousy works the opposite way you want it to." (Exercise for yourself, not to make others jealous)
- "The conscious brain can only hold one thought at a time. Choose a postive thought." (I love this one!!)
- "Drink fresh water and as much water as you can. Water flushes unwanted toxins from your body and keeps your brain sharp." (Great health tip, and is key for anyone trying to burn fat!)
- "Your outlook on life is a direct reflection of how much you like yourself." (Please like yourself enough to know that you deserve the healthiest you possible!)
- "Take various vitamins. You never know what small mineral can eliminate the bottleneck to everlasting health." (Another great health tip)
- "That which matters the most should never give to that which matters the least." (Something to REALLY think about.)
- "Do one thing a day that scares you." (I try...but it's definitely a tough one to do)
- "Sweat once a day to regenerate your skin." (How come my skin isn't flawless then?? LOL)
- " Write down your short and long term goals 4 times a year. Two personal, two business, and two health goals for the next 1, 5, and 10 years. Goal setting triggers your subconscious computer." (Soooo important!!! If you're not doing this....DO IT!! It works!)

This water bottle is awsome! Buy one if you can, and read one every time you take a sip of water. It's a great way to stay motivated, I'm telling you!

One quote that's been on my mind lately is one that I just thought of myself - or at least, I've never heard it before. Unless someone else claims it, I'm going take credit for it. Here it is:

"It's not enough to go through motions, you have to feel it, otherwise it's not worth it" - Ray O.

I think this can apply to EVERYTHING in life! Everything, such as, school, relationships, daily activities, and especially exercise! Pretty much, my philosophy behind the quote is that everything you do in life should be done with a purpose. Life is too short to do things that are not meaningful to you. A lot of times, you have to feel pain to feel better in the long run. In terms of exercise, it's not enough to go through the 'motions' of the exercise. You have to FEEL IT!! Feel your muscles moving, burning, fatiguing.....otherwise it's not worth it! What's the point??? You're wasting time. So make each rep, set, and exercise count. Each exercise should be done with a purpose! And for this blog, the purpose should be FAT LOSS! Is exercise sometimes painful? Do you get sore? ABSOLUTELY! BUT! I guarantee, you'll always feel better at the end of it. And your body will thank you in the long run=)

If any of you use my quote, quote me ok...and feel free to send me the royalty cheque too ;P

STAY MOTIVATED, STAY FOCUSED!!

Save Your Back, Shovel Safe - Pain Free Snow Shoveling

Here we are again, another snow filled winter in Toronto! And with the snow, comes A LOT of unnecessary back injuries as a result of shoveling snow. I’ve been doing this personal training thing for a long time now, and I cannot tell you how many clients I’ve had tweak their back in their zealous attempts to keep a clear driveway.

Shovel smart! It’s not worth risking a back injury. Today I am going to reveal my top safe shoveling secrets. For those of you who do not live in Toronto like I do, read this anyways. Why? Because with the global epidemic that is climate change you really never know when snow is coming your way. It snowed in Las Vegas last month! It snowed in the desert?!?!?!

Anyways, here it is….my top 5 shoveling tips:

1) Warm-up 5 mins. before shoveling

Shoveling is hard, physical labor. Your body needs to be prepared before it takes on the upcoming workout. So, just as very few people properly warm-up before intense exercise, so do many people fail to get their bodies ready for the rigors of shoveling snow. Let’s face it, snow, especially when it’s wet, is a real beast to move around. And if your body is tight and cold then you will dramatically increase your chances of short or long-term injury.

I have designed a great shoveling specific five-minute warm-up to get your body ready to scoop and toss. There is a special emphasis on opening up the hips and chest to save your back and shoulders, which are the two most commonly injured areas when shoveling.

Perform each exercise in the following warm-up circuit at a slow, controlled tempo for 50 seconds with a 10 second rest and transition between exercises. Do this warm-up indoors to better increase core temperature and total body blood flow:

Exercise#1- Run on the spot, and get those knees high
Exercise#2- Jumping Claps (modified jumping jacks with arms moving across chest level, palms facing)
Exercise#3- Alternating Forward Lunge, Overhead Reach, and Twist
Exercise#4- Alternating Lateral Lunge with Opposite Hand to Toe Touch
Exercise#5- Prisoner Squats (hands behind head with finger interlocked)

2) Keep a wide, split stance when shoveling

Back pain is probably the biggest complaint for shovelers. In most cases, a sore or tight back stems from restriction at the hips (see the warm-up above to take care of this). More specifically, using a parallel stance puts your lower back at a greater risk of injury due to the greater likelihood of excessive flexion of the lumbar spine that often leads to back spasms in the short run and herniated discs in the long run. However, the simple switch to shoveling with a split stance, where one leg is forward and the other leg is back, will not only help prevent this hyper flexion while bending over and moving snow, but will also actively stretch and open up those tight hips at the same time. Be sure to keep things in balance by doing an even number of shovel strokes with both legs forward by alternating every 10 reps or so.

3) Point Your Toes In Same Direction of Shoveling This is a continuation of the last tip. Even when you split your stance, you can be susceptible to injury whenever you perform a rotating back extension (e.g. a shovel toss to your rear). So, to further bolster your body, be sure to always shovel snow in the direction that your toes point to minimize excessive spinal rotation that can literally wrench your back.

4) Shovel EQUALLY to BOTH Sides This is a further continuation on the last two tips. Another big mistake people make is that they always shovel to their strong sides causing further strength and flexibility imbalances that can put your body at greater risk for injury. So, we now know you want to split your stance and shovel in the direction your toes are pointing, but you should also be sure do an equal amount of shovel tosses to your left AND right. Do 10 shovel tosses to your left with your left leg forward and then do 10 shovel tosses to your right with your right leg forward. Repeat until your driveway or sidewalk is crystal clear.

5) Buy a snow-plow machine

Seriously!!! Better yet, buy a condo!!!
;)

HAPPY WINTER EVERYONE!!!

Get Real Results With Your New Year's Resolutions

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

Over the last several years, I have helped countless people maximize their overall health, performance, and body composition faster than ever before. To be completely honest, I know how to help people lose ugly, unwanted body fat faster than most people can fathom. Now, make no mistake about it, a big reason for this is because our integrated rapid fat loss training and nutrition system is second to none. I have put it countless hours of research, trial and error and I have had hundreds of people as real world case studies to prove that our system flat out works. But, today I am going to share something more powerful; something that must be set in place before you can even start to think about following a fitness program.

So, let’s just get right to it. What do you think is the real secret behind my track record of successful clients? Well, if your answer was my aforementioned training and nutrition system, then the answer is no. Yes, it’s a spectacular exercise program, but unfortunately it’s useless if someone is unwilling to start it AND stick to it, right? So, it appears that the most important component of changing your body is finding the motivation to achieve your goals, and that’s the main focus of this article today. I am going to literally walk you through the initial consult and three step goal setting process that each one of my clients undergoes before they start working with us. This is so important to weight loss success that I now require it for any new client to be considered for joining our program.

Before I get into this goal setting process, I just need to get something off of my chest. I know a lot of people think goal setting is a complete waste of time. Unfortunately, these people just don’t get it and frankly if you are one of those people, please do us both a favor and stop reading this article and go buy another useless weight loss book or pill because I simply cannot do anything for you. I can only help people who want to learn. I simply cannot help people who already think they know it all and think they are too good to take some time to figure out what the hell it is that they actually want to accomplish. The bottom line is that the most successful people out there, and I mean not just weight loss success, I am talking business, lifestyle, etc., are shamelessly goal driven. They know exactly why they want to do something and harness that super motivation to figure out what and by when they want to go about accomplishing that. Furthermore, they plan and prepare for every possible roadblock they will encounter in their path to success. This is what I want to teach you how to do today, so let’s get to it!

Step 1 - The Why: Why do you want to do this?

This is where it’s time to get real. In almost every initial consult I do, when I ask why they have contacted me today, here is the typical blanket response that I first hear:

“Well, I just want to get healthy and lose weight I guess.”

Nope, I don’t buy it. Sure, I know they want to lose weight and be healthy, I mean who doesn’t, but really WHY do they want to do this? I mean, what is it that’s going to get them up at 5 am to get their morning workouts in or take a couple of hours on Sunday to plan and prepare their meals for the upcoming week? It sure isn’t “being healthy” because for some reason this just isn’t a very powerful motivator for most people (though it should be).

Let’s face it: everybody, including YOU, wants to look better naked. Stop giggling, you know it’s true and frankly that’s okay because the desire to improve one’s appearance is the most powerful motivator there is. This shouldn’t be such a big surprise since the main life mission of humans, or any species for that matter, is to procreate. This is instinctual. And obviously, looking better makes this more of a reality.

So, after a little digging, I find out the real reason why they want to do this; I find their past or pain and then establish their current and future ambitions. Some people want to be able to mow the lawn in the summer with their shirt off and not feel self-conscious. Others want to get back into their favorite pair of pants that they haven’t been able to get one leg into for the last five years. Then there are those who want to look and feel more attractive to ignite some passion back into their relationships and/or put for their best image at work. And of course, my personal favorite is preparing for big events that have built in deadlines. Wanting to get as lean and tight as possible to rock that dream bathing suit in Hawaii, or get off the plane in Florida when visiting family you haven’t seen in two years to blow them away with your new body, or being a classic beauty in your wedding dress on the big day, it all works! This is the stuff that gets people jacked up and ready to commit to making some real changes. How do I know? Well, I just shared with you verbatim the exact “WHY’S” of some of my own clients.

So, the first thing you have to figure out is your personal WHY. To make this even simpler for you, just answer this question: what are your physical dreams? Once you establish this, everything else is easy baby.

Step 2- The What and When: What do you want to accomplish and when do you want to accomplish it by?

So we already figured out the obvious: you want to look better and maximize your sexy! So, now we need to establish what objective goal(s) need to be accomplished in order to realize this subjective dream.

Well, from a logistics standpoint and keeping things as cost effective as possible, there are three major ways I track “look better” progress with my clients, in order of importance from least to most important:

1) Scale Weight: This is by far the least important goal, but it gives a number that’s worth tracking. Though body fat percentage would be a much better method of tracking progress, it is simply too inaccurate on a small scale and too costly on a large scale. The key is to taking your initial weight before you start and then not weighing more than every 2 weeks. I have found most people to do better with tracking their weight every month. There are simply too many variables for controlling your body weight and the natural fluctuations based on diet (and for women, their menstrual cycle), means the less frequently you do this the better. If the scale is just too de-motivating for you in general, then just skip this one altogether if you must, because the next two markers are far more important.

2) Pant or Dress Size: This is probably the most simple and effective unused method of tracking whether or not you look better. I think it’s safe to say that if you are dropping dress and/or pant sizes that you will be looking better, right? Your best bet is to also select one dress or one pair of pants that you really want to get into since that is the true end goal in mind. I tell my clients to assess how they are fitting in their preferred dress/pant size tracker on a weekly or bi-weekly basis since our clients that follow our program exactly as outlined typically lose a dress and/or pant size every month (until they get to their ideal dimensions). For those of you would want to argue that every outfitter has different sizes, well that’s a mute point if you use the same pant or dress size to track. There’s nothing more powerful than being to literally being able to feel yourself comfortably get into clothes that use almost rip when you put on.

3) Pictures: Pictures don’t lie, that’s the bottom line. If you want to look better, what better way is there to assess this than pictures? I cannot begin to tell you how important this is. Taking a before picture is essentially you telling the whole world that you are ready to change and that you are ready to do whatever it takes to make those changes. They key is take pictures wearing exactly what you want to look your best in. Now, don’t be sending me nude pictures of yourself, LOL (though you can keep these for yourself to track if you’d like). Maybe it’s taking pictures of you in the dress or pair of pants that you are using to track your dress or pant size. Or maybe it’s a sleeveless shirt and tank top that you want to wear during the summer. And if you want to see your abs, then you best believe that you need to take pictures of your abs to track how much more definition you get. Take a front, side, and rear view picture and be sure to note the exact conditions in which the picture was taken (lighting, distance from camera, time of day/week, etc.) to be as accurate as possible in your assessment. The clients whom I’ve transformed that failed to take before pictures in the past have nothing but regret about it. Your before pictures will become your trophy and they are an absolute must if you really are serious about getting results that count. We tell our clients to take new pictures either bi-weekly or monthly until they reach their goal(s).

Step 3 - Plan and Prepare for Roadblocks: What big obstacles will prevent you from having the success you want? What’s contributed most to your past failures?

Now that we know what you want to accomplish, it’s time to plan and prepare for any obstacles that might get in your way of getting the job done based on your own personal schedule.

In general, the number one thing I hear is that people are too busy and tired and don’t have enough time to get their workouts in or make their meals. Well, I don’t care how busy you think you are, there is always hidden time throughout the day and week that can be freed up if your re-prioritize. Again, think back to why you wanted to do this in the first place and then examine what’s most important to you. Make your workouts and your meal times just like work appointments. Either you make the appointment or you don’t. And if you want to keep your job (or get your dream body) then you better make that appointment.

Another big obstacle is alcohol. People like to drink and unfortunately alcohol is about as detrimental to burning fat as it gets. Again, what’s more important to you, looking sexy or getting hammered. The choice is yours. Remember, once you achieve your goal(s), alcohol can be added back in with moderation. But know this, lean people just don’t get wasted unless they are genetic freaks. Low to zero alcohol consumption is needed if you want to look your best year round and that’s a fact.

Lastly, many people deal with boredom eating or emotional eating. Boredom eating means just that, eating to fill up dead time when you have nothing better to do. The best way to deal with this is, you guessed it, to do something! Find an active hobby to keep your mind off of eating when boredom strikes and you can beat this trend. Emotional eating describes the use of food to cope with stress or to reward for accomplishment. Food is not unlike drugs or alcohol in this regard, it can be very addictive. There is no quick fix for emotional eating other than avoiding trigger situations (bars, parties, etc.) and trigger foods (starches, sugars, fast food, etc.) in the short term to break bad habits.

At the end of the day, whether your roadblocks are very individual or if they fall in line with the general roadblocks our clients encounter on a regular basis, the key is to be honest about them and to plan and prepare for them. And that’s where social support and accountability come into play. The clients who have had the most success with us have undergone their transformation with the support of other friends or family members. This is so critical, especially since most of the poor food and drinking choices that sabotage one’s progress occur on the weekend, when most people hang out with their friend and family. If they are committed with you and your goal to get fit and look better, you can put yourself in a much better position to realize the success your desire and deserve. The last thing anybody needs is sabotage or peer pressure from those closest to you, so get them on board and get them on board early.