The White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity released a report called “Solving the Problem of Childhood Obesity Within a Generation.” In the report they list endocrine-disrupting chemicals as a possible reason for increased obesity in the country and describe how scientists have coined a new term for these chemicals — “obesogens” — because they “may promote weight gain and obesity.”

What does this mean for you? It means that weight gain is not just about calories-in versus calories-out.

No, America’s obesity crisis can’t entirely be blamed on too much fast food and too little exercise. We have to consider a third factor: the obesogens. They’re natural and synthetic compounds, and many of these chemicals work by mimicking estrogen — the very hormone that doctors DON’T want women taking anymore (as a large clinical trial linked hormone therapy to increased risk of heart disease, breast cancer, stroke, blood clots and abnormal mammograms).

Why traditional diets don’t work anymore

Because high school biology was likely a while back, here’s a quick refresher: The endocrine system is made up of all the glands and cells that produce the hormones that regulate our bodies. Growth and development, sexual function, reproductive processes, mood, sleep, hunger, stress, metabolism and the way our bodies use food — it’s all controlled by hormones. So whether you’re tall or short, lean or heavy — that’s all determined in a big way by your endocrine system.

But your endocrine system is a finely tuned instrument that can easily be thrown off-kilter. “Obesogens are thought to act by hijacking the regulatory systems that control body weight,” says Frederick vom Saal, Ph.D., curators’ professor of biological sciences at the University of Missouri. That’s why endocrine disruptors are so good at making us fat — and that’s why diet advice doesn’t always work — because even strictly following the smartest traditional advice won’t lower your obesogen exposure. See, an apple a day may have kept the doctor away 250 years ago when Benjamin Franklin included the phrase in his almanac. But if that apple comes loaded with obesity-promoting chemicals — nine of the ten most commonly used pesticides are obesogens, and apples are one of the most pesticide-laden foods out there — then Ben’s advice is way out of date.

The obesogen effect is the reason why traditional diet advice — choose chicken over beef, eat more fish, load up on fruits and vegetables — may not work anymore. This is why we’re calling for a New American Diet.

See, while digging up all of this research on obesogens we’ve discovered some good news: There’s no reason why all of our favorite foods — from steak to burgers, from pasta to ice cream — can’t be part of a reasonable weight-loss program. We just need to get rid of old thinking. We can reverse the obesogen effect if we simply adopt these four simple laws of leanness:

Leanness Law No. 1: Know When to Go Organic

The average American is exposed to 10 to 13 different pesticides through food, beverages and drinking water every day and nine of the ten most common pesticides are EDCs. But according to a recent study in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, eating an organic diet for just five days can reduce circulating pesticide EDCs to non-detectable or near non-detectable levels.

Of course, organic foods can be expensive. But not all organics are created equal—many foods have such low levels of pesticides that buying organic just isn’t worth it. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) calculated that you can reduce your pesticide exposure nearly 80 percent simply by choosing organic for the 12 fruits and vegetables shown in their tests to contain the highest levels of pesticides. They call them “The Dirty Dozen,” and (starting with the worst) they are celery, peaches, strawberries, apples, blueberries (domestic), nectarines, sweet bell peppers, spinach, kale/collard greens, cherries, potatoes and grapes (imported). And you can feel good about buying the following 15 conventionally grown fruits and vegetables that the EWG dubbed “The Clean Fifteen,” because they were shown to have little pesticide residue: onions, avocado, sweet corn (frozen), pineapples, mango, sweet peas (frozen), asparagus, kiwi fruit, cabbage, eggplant, cantaloupe (domestic), watermelon, grapefruit, sweet potatoes and honeydew melon.

Leanness Law No. 2: Don’t Eat Plastic

This ought to be a no-brainer. Indeed, you’re probably already thinking, Well, I don’t generally eat plastic. Ah, but you do. Chances are that you’re among the 93 percent of Americans with detectable levels of bisphenol-A (BPA) in their bodies, and that you’re also among the 75 percent of Americans with detectable levels of phthalates. Both are synthetic chemicals found in plastics that mimic estrogen — essentially, artificial female hormones. And like pesticides, these plastic-based chemicals trick our bodies into storing fat and not building or retaining muscle. Decreasing your exposure to plastic-based obesogens will maximize your chances both of losing unwanted flab and of building lean muscle mass. Here’s how: 1) Never heat food in plastic containers or put plastic items in the dishwasher, which can damage them and increase leaching. BPA leaches from polycarbonate sports bottles 55 times faster when exposed to boiling liquids as opposed to cold ones, according to a study in the journal Toxicology Letters. 2) Avoid buying fatty foods like meats that are packaged in plastic wrap because EDCs are stored in fatty tissue. The plastic wrap used at the supermarket is mostly PVC, whereas the plastic wrap you buy to wrap things at home is increasingly made from polyethylene. 3) Cut down on canned goods by choosing tuna in a pouch over canned tuna. And get any canned and jarred foods from Eden Organic, one of the only companies that doesn’t have BPA in its cans.

Leanness Law No. 3: Go Lean

Always choose pasture-raised meats, which, studies show, have less fat than their confined, grain-fed counterparts and none of the weight-promoting hormones. Plus, grass-fed beef contains 60 percent more omega-3s, 200 percent more vitamin E and two to three times more conjugated linoleic acid (CLA, a near-magic nutrient that helps ward off heart disease, cancer and diabetes, and can help you lose weight, according to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition) than conventional beef. If you must choose a conventional cut of beef, choose lean cuts top sirloin, 95 percent lean ground beef, bottom round roast, eye round roast, top round roast or sirloin tip steak. Bison burgers and veggie burgers are also great substitutes when grass-fed beef isn’t available. And select sustainable lean fish with low toxic loads (meaning low levels of toxins like mercury and PCBs). A study in the journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine found that even though the pesticide DDT was banned in 1973, the chemical and its breakdown product DDE can still be found today in fatty fish. Bigger fish eat smaller fish, and so carry a much higher toxic load.

Avoid ahi or bigeye tuna, tilefish, swordfish, shark, king mackerel, marlin and orange roughy — and focus on smaller fish like anchovies, Atlantic herring and mackerel, and wild-caught Alaskan salmon. Choose farmed rainbow trout, farmed mussels, anchovies, scallops (bay, farmed), Pacific cod, Pacific Halibut, Tuna (canned light) and mahimahi. Also, when you cook the fish, broil, poach, grill, boil or bake instead of pan-frying — this will allow contaminants from the fatty portions of fish to drain out.

Leanness Law No. 4: Filter Your Water

The best way to eliminate EDCs from your tap water is an activated carbon water filter. Available for faucets and pitchers, and as under-the-sink units, these filters remove most pesticides and industrial pollutants. Check the label to make sure the filter meets the NSF/American National Standards Institute’s standard 53, indicating that it treats water for both health and aesthetic concerns. Try The Brita Aqualux ($28, brita.com), Pur Horizontal faucet filter ($49, purwaterfilter.com) and Kenmore’s under-sink system ($60, kenmore.com). However, if you have perchlorate (a component of rocket fuel!) in your water (you can find out by asking your municipal water supplier for a copy of its most recent water-quality report) you’ll need a reverse osmosis filter. But for every five gallons of treated water they create per day, they discharge 40 to 90 gallons of wastewater, so make sure it’s necessary before purchasing one.

Thank you Yahoo for this article and Jolly for bringing it to our attention.

When most people hear the word diet they think of small amounts of unsatisfying food and the feeling of hunger. It’s time to change that perception to one of eating fresh, delicious food that gives you more energy, helps you feel and look fantastic, and reduces your risk for illness. Here are some easy guidelines to follow:

• Eat fresh fruits and vegetables as much as possible. Prepared, packaged, and processed foods contain chemicals, sodium, and other unwanted preservatives that can detrimentally affect you over the long term. The more fresh fruits and vegetables you can incorporate into your diet, the better.

• Reduce portion sizes. In recent years portion sizes have risen dramatically, especially in restaurants. When eating out resist the urge to eat everything on your plate just because it is there. When cooking at home, ensure that your portion sizes are as follows:

• Protein should be about the size of a deck of cards

• Serving sizes of sides should be about a cup each

• One serving of salad dressing is a tablespoon

• No Food is Forbidden. If you are craving a certain type of food, don’t forbid yourself to eat it, just make sure that you partake in any unhealthy foods in moderation.

• Eat regularly. By eating breakfast and small snacks between lunch and dinner you can actually increase your metabolism and it will keep you feeling energized.

Changing your eating habits may seem difficult at first, but remember it only takes 2 weeks to change any habit and then you will be on the road to a healthy lifestyle change. By coupling our exercise boot camps with nutritional tips such as these and the unlimited motivation provided by our certified personal trainers who will oversee your transformation, you can change the way you look and feel.

Sign up for the next Epic Boot Camp today!

1   -   Prepare meals in advance

Preparing what you have to eat the day before is a great way to make sure you don’t go off track with your nutrition program. Prepare the bulk of your meals the night before using plastic containers, and be ready to hit the ground running the very next day. You may be tempted by all the restaurants or fancy fast food places which may not be interested in providing the healthy food choices, but are more interested in providing foods that taste good and will only make your goal harder to reach. Don’t give in to what’s out there, bring your food with you and stay focused on what you are wanting to achieve.

2   -   Eat small but often

Eating meals every 3 hours has been proven to speed up your metabolism, burning fat at a more effective rate. Peaking or spiking your metabolism in this way is much like stoking a fire, keeping the fat burning revving along and not giving the fire a chance to die out. Each time you eat, your metabolism kicks into play, and begins to burn away at any fat stores. So as you can see, keeping your metabolism active is essential for dropping off the pounds and acquiring that lean look. Eating more frequently say 5-6 times a day means you will need to eat smaller meals with 3 hours between each.

3   -   Do not eat until you are full

If you eat too much in one sitting you will not be able to eat your next meal 3 hours later, so if you have eaten until you are full you have eaten too much. Eating too much may lead to some of that food being stored as fat and also you will not want to eat your next meal, so you will be back to square one.

4   -   Eat lean to become lean

With each meal you should try and incorporate lean protein as the main component. Include things like egg whites, chicken breast (lean meats), fish, fat-free dairy products like cottage cheese, etc. These food sources provide the lean protein you need to help keep you metabolism spiked, build muscle, and keep you feeling fuller during meals.

5   -   Eat natural foods

Eating natural foods rather than processed foods will be more beneficial to you. Natural foods provide the essential nutrients your body needs to make the changes you want, keeping your body in a healthy condition. So stay away from synthetic foods and go with the good old fashion foods and you can’t go wrong. You should eat things such as whole grain foods, fruits and vegetables, and lean meats, etc. For example, rather than drinking apple juice, why not eat an apple.

6   -   Cut out those beverage calories

Many people look at drinks/beverages and assume because they are not a bulky food source they do not have an effect on their diet, well this is false. Some drinks are packed with calories and are an underlying problem that people tend to ignore. Most of the juices we drink are loaded with fruit sugars which are not good for you. Avoid soda based drinks like coke and Pepsi. There are 139 calories in a can of Coke. Now imagine how much exercise you would have to do to burn off those empty calories. Well let’s put it this way, walking briskly for about 20 minutes (13 minutes if you’re walking uphill) burns about 100 calories. If people drink these high calorie drinks, and don’t do the equivalent exercise needed to burn the calories off, the end result is those calories will undoubtedly store as fat. Drink plenty of water or even green tea. Green tea has been shown to reduce the risk of certain cancers and also helps boost your metabolism.

7   -   Indulge in one cheat meal per week

If you are following a strict nutrition program the temptation to stray is so easy to do. Having cheat days during your program is a good incentive for all the hard work you may have done to get this far, letting you indulge in some of the foods that may not be good for you as a treat. Rather than have a cheat day, it may be better to have one cheat meal per week. This means you are still rewarding the hard work you have done, but will not offset the progress you have made so far during the week. Taking a whole cheat day may lead to a higher intake of calories than you had previously burnt off during that week. So limiting it to one cheat meal per week should overcome this problem, but at the same time reward you for all your hard work.

Sticking to these seven fundamental tips should hopefully set you on your way to achieving your goals and make a change to how you look. Remember, getting in shape is not all about how much work you put in at the gym, it’s also about what you eat. So follow these steps, keep focused, and good luck!

Read more health and exercise tips HERE.

With summer vacation quickly approaching, you’re probably planning your next getaway.

Whether you go on a cruise, an African safari or a low-key trip to the beach, warm summer days are the best time to get away from it all.

But wait – did you know that the average person gains almost a pound a day while on vacation?

Between missed workouts, extra large restaurant meals and indulgent snacks, lazy vacation days will quickly add inches to your waistline.

So before you pack your bags for your next adventure, read the following 6 Vacation Tips and come home fitter, not fatter.

Vacation Tip #1: Make a Decision

Before you leave home, make the decision that you will NOT gain weight while on your trip.

This is the easiest step to take to make sure that you avoid weight gain, but it is also the most overlooked. Instead of leaving things to chance, harness the power of creative visualization that has been proven time and time again by go-getters such as Michael Jordan, Einstein, Napoleon and Andrew Carnegie.

Visualize what it would be like to return home fitter than when you left. Take a moment to let yourself feel the excitement that you’d experience.

Remember what accomplishing your goal feels like – this will keep you motivated throughout your trip and will help pull you through the inevitable tempting situations that you’ll face.

Vacation Tip #2: Get Moving

It’s easy to spend vacation days sprawled out by the pool, but the inactivity will quickly add up to extra pounds.

Choose to be active and you’ll burn calories all day long while indulging in fewer unnecessary snacks. The following ideas will get you moving:

• Go on a brisk walk each day of your trip. You’ll see new sights while burning off excess calories.
• Always take the stairs rather than the elevator. Talk about bonus calorie burning!
• Go on a jog in the mornings before your daily activities, or jog in the evening after the day winds down.
• If your hotel has a pool, swim a few laps each day. Swimming is a fun way to get in a full body workout.
• If your trip takes you to a place of natural beauty then go on a hike. Even while hiking at a slow or moderate pace you’ll burn plenty of calories.
• Play some sports – beach volleyball, a game of hoops, Frisbee, or bike riding are all great ways to have fun while keeping fit.

Vacation Tip #3: Indulge with Portion Control

You have no choice but to eat out while on vacation. Whether you’re enjoying 5 star restaurants or fast food diners, you’ll be met with the same problem: huge portions.

While it is tempting to simply eat it all – you are on vacation after all – this will quickly lead to extra pounds. Use the following tips to keep your portions under control:

• When you order your meal ask for a to-go box. Take half of your meal and place it into the box before you even begin to eat. This will force you to eat a healthy portion.
• If you would rather not carry around a to-go box, ask that your entrée be made into a smaller portion. If it is dinnertime don’t be afraid to ask for the lunch-sized portion.
• Pay more, and eat less. Take quality of food over quantity.
• Eat meals. Cut out snacking, stick with structured meals.
• Eat slowly, and eat foods that have been prepared slowly – that means no fast food.

Vacation Tip #4: Eat Natural Sweets

One of your biggest enemies when it comes to vacation weight gain is…sugar.

The average modern person consumes 46 teaspoons of sugar every day. The average person on vacation consumes even more than that.

Even though sugary calories taste great, the sweet pleasure comes at a high price. Here’s what I mean:

• Sugar creates false hunger (as a result of the insulin rush and then ensuing plummet in blood sugar levels), which causes you overeat.
• Sugar promotes aging (due to the advanced glycation end products, or AGEs, that occur when insulin levels are consistently elevated as a result of eating too much sugar). Sugar has even been dubbed the negative fountain of youth!
• Sugar weakens your bones -making you vulnerable for osteoporosis, and weakens your teeth – making you vulnerable for cavities (both due to the calcium being pulled from your bones and teeth in order for your body to process sugar).
• Sugar in excess is stored as fat (after your liver has no more room to store it, sugar is converted to fat and deposited on your belly, thighs, hips and the backs of your arms).

So instead of eating that ice cream cone or chocolate éclair, satiate your sweet tooth with a piece of juicy fruit.

Vacation Tip #5: Don’t Eat Fried Foods

While fast food restaurants are definitely convenient, with their low prices and quick service, it’s really not worth the additional pounds brought on by chips and fries. As you enjoy your vacation keep this in mind: don’t eat fried foods. While this is always a good plan to follow, it is even more important to abide by while traveling.

A gram of fat contains 9 calories as compared to the 4 calories that proteins and carbohydrates carry – so you can see that consuming fried foods will drastically increase your caloric intake.

Take an average potato, bake it and you have 110 calories and 0 grams of fat. Take that same potato, turn it into French fries and you have 380 calories and 18 grams of fat.

Frying food is the easiest way to dramatically increase the calorie and fat content. And you know that extra calories and fat end up as extra body fat.

Other disasters that fried foods increase your risk for include:

• Heart Disease
• Diabetes
• Clogged Arteries
• High Blood Pressure
• Obesity
• Acne

If I still haven’t convinced you to pass on the curly fries, keep in mind that heartburn and indigestion are not fun…especially while on vacation. Need I say more?

Vacation Tip #6: Do this Hotel Room Workout

If your hotel doesn’t have a gym, or if you’d simply prefer the privacy of your room, do this hotel room workout:

• Body Weight Squats: Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Lower down into a squat position. Make sure that your knees do not go past 90 degrees. Exhale as you straighten your legs and return to the starting position. Complete 12-15 repetitions.
• Do Jumping Jacks, High knees, or jog in place for 30 seconds.
• Body Weight Lunges: Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Exhale as you lunge forward with your right leg. Make sure that your knee does not go past 90 degrees. Inhale as you return to the starting position and repeat on the other side. Complete 12-15 repetitions.
• Do Jumping Jacks, High knees, or jog in place for 30 seconds.
• Push Ups: Get into the push up position (depending on your fitness level choose to go off your knees, push off of the wall, or assume the traditional position). Inhale as you lower your chest down. Exhale as you return to the starting position. Complete 12-15 repetitions.
• Do Jumping Jacks, High knees, or jog in place for 30 seconds.
• V-Ups: Sit on the edge of a chair or bed and lean back. Exhale as you drive your knees in toward your chest, squeezing your abdominal muscles. Inhale as you lower your knees back down with control. Complete 15-20 repetitions.
• Do Jumping Jacks, High knees, or jog in place for 30 seconds.

Well, now you have 6 tips that will keep away the unwanted vacation pounds. You may even end up losing a pound or two while away.

But let’s be honest, you want to lose more than a pound or two. You want to lose all of those extra pounds.

You may feel that the secret to achieving weight loss is just that – a secret. A mystery. You try, and try, and try but your goals are never met. Your dream body continues to stay out of reach.

In my experience the people who are unable to lose weight aren’t failing due to laziness. In fact, those frustrated with their weight often put in a lot of effort – but on the wrong things. A fad diet. The latest exercise gizmo. An ineffective routine at the gym.

It’s not that you aren’t willing to put in the effort – you’re just doing the wrong thing.

Think about this for a moment…What if this was the summer that you took control of your body? The summer that you threw your fat clothes away…the summer that you were proud to put on a bathing suit…the summer that your doctor congratulated you on your improved health…the summer that your family and friends – and that special someone – showered you with compliments.

It’s possible. Even more possible than you think.

The thing is that you need to direct your effort in an effective way.

This is where I come in.

You see, for me weight loss isn’t a mystery. It’s my passion. I have a proven method that will dramatically transform your body into one that you are proud to be seen in.

However, I can’t promise that it will be easy. You’ll work hard, you’ll sweat and you’ll even feel sore. And before you know it you will be telling everyone you know about the amazing results you’ve achieved.

So as you plan your next vacation, why don’t you also give yourself the gift that you really want – a new body. A tighter body. A stronger body. A healthier body.

You deserve it.

1. Reach for the raw. Raw fruits and veggies are loaded with nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Stock up on these and aim to eat at least 2-3 throughout the day. Raw foods are great for a boost of energy, and can give you much more nutrition than processed foods any day!

2. Pick those greens. Leafy green vegetables are a great addition to your diet year round, but are much easier to find during spring and summer. Head to the farmer’s market for kale, fresh spinach, and even fresh lettuce (which are high in magnesium, a mineral that helps release stored energy) right from the farm. Just wash and dry the leaves at home, and even consider adding some to stir fry or steamed vegetable platters for variety.

3. Drink up! Water, water, water is still the mantra for healthy living, so make sure you’re getting at least 8-10 cups of water each day – and even more if you’re working out. Water itself can give you plenty of energy and keep those cells clean and clear of toxins.

4. Change Your Breakfast. Eating the same meal every morning can limit the range of nutrients you get. Try something new, like a whole-grain cereal with complex carbs and protein, such as Kashi GoLean. Scramble eggs and serve on sprouted-wheat bread, which is slightly higher in protein than regular whole wheat.

5. Drink Something New. Studies show that by changing the flavor of a beverage, you’ll be inclined to drink more. If you usually drink green tea, try white—it’s higher in catechins that may reduce heart-disease risk. Switch from orange juice to pomegranate-cranberry for antioxidants that reduce inflammation.

6. Stroll the Aisles. If you are going to stay in the grocery store, they often get new products daily, so budget 15 extra minutes for your next trip to find healthy options. Check out whole-grain pastas made with added fiber or flaxseed. Look for tasty frozen fruit blends in the freezer aisle. Stock up on convenient 100-calorie packs of healthy snacks, such as nuts and pretzels. Also, all that walking in the aisles is burning calories.

7. Tend a Garden. Studies show you’ll eat more vegetables on a daily basis if you grow your own. Pot a single tomato or herb plant in a container to keep on your patio; turn a small section of your backyard into a vegetable garden; or, if you want to plan a more substantial garden, consider enlisting the help of a neighbor so you can share the tasks of weeding and watering.

I want you to eat a serving of protein, a serving of carbs, a serving of healthy fats and a vegetable at every meal, every 3 hours, 5 – 6 times a day. Now, I know what everyone is thinking “Holy crap is he nuts? That is a ton of food!” The truth is if you stick to the portion sizes I will outline below then you WILL be in your calorie range of approximately 1200 – 1500 calories a day. This is the ideal amount for women trying to lose weight. You should never go below the 1200 mark as not eating enough is also a bad thing.

Your body goes into starvation mode and stores everything you eat in order to keep you alive. It needs a certain amount of calories(energy) to function on a daily basis. Here is the plan; Breakfast(meal 1): an omellette made with:

3 whole eggs

1 cup of veggies(any kind)

1 med piece of fruit(any kind)

water

snack(meal 2)

1/4 cup of nuts

1/2 cup of cottage cheese

1 cup of strawberries

water

lunch(meal 3)

4 oz grilled chicken breast

1 cup of steamed veggies(green preferabley but any)

1 med piece of fruit

1 tbs olive oil(sprinkle on veggies)

snack(meal 4)

yogurt

1/4 cup of nuts

dinner(meal 5)

4 oz of fish(any kind)

1 cup of steamed veggies

salad made with mixed greens and any vegetables(except carrots)

1 med piece of fruit

1 tbs each of olive oil and apple cider vinegar as a dressing

snack(meal 6)

1/2 cup of cottage cheese

1/4 cup of almonds

1 cup of strawberries

If you attend camp in the morning I would suggest an additional meal at  least 45 minutes before. What I usually recommend here is an apple with a tbps of natural peanut butter(no jiffy, skippy or peter pan).

A serving of protein is 4oz of chicken, fish, meat(on occassion), you can also get your protein from a serving of dairy(1/2 c od cottage, 1 cup(8oz)of milk(this counts as your carbs too)

a serving of carbs is a medium piece of fruit

a serving of fat is yolks in the eggs of 1/4 c of nuts(read the labels)

Never eat a cartb by itself. Always eat it with a protein. Do not combine carbs. For example, oatmeat with granola, yougurt with granola, fruit and rice at the same meal. Milk and fruit at the same meal. Also, if you want to have juice with your breakfast DO NOT have the piece of fruit.

Making sense. Eat only one carb per meal. I recommend staying away from ALL grains and getting all your carbs from fruits and vegetable. If you eat a fruit with every meal you will get plenty of carbs and sustain energy levels. You can eat all thevegetables you want with the exception of corn, peas, carrots and onions. You want to limit these as they are a higher starch. I am not saying do not eat them just in moderation. Stick more to the greener ones and you will be fine. But you can use them in salads and such. The reason I suggest staying away from grains is it is hard to find true 100% grains. Most are processed in some way. This is not a good thing. Unless you are going to chew on a piece of wheat you picked yourself from right in the field you cannot guarentee it has not been altered in someway.

Fruits and veggies are as natural as they come. You want to eat as many foods in their natural state as possible. If it does not grow, fly, swim, walk or crawl DO NOT EAT IT!!! You cannot go outside and find a bagel tree.

BAGELS ARE PROCESSED. Your best bet is to stay away from them. You will not even miss them. I never have cravings and never feel I “need” them. Yes, I am well aware of the no carb, low carb, low fat, no fat diets and they do not work. You body needs all the nutrients in order to function properly so you never want to elliminate anything. You just need to eat only what you need to function and that is eat.

You should eat when hungry and stop when full.It is that simple really. If your portion sizes are correct you should be hungry every three hours. If not then the meal before was too large and if  you are starving by the next meal then the previous meal was too small and you should adjust the next meal accordingly. Do not worry about counting anything(cals, protein, carbs, etc) it is not that complicated and should not be. Do not stress over it. Just eat.

One more thing, there are three supplements I feel everyone should take every day. They are a good multi vitamin, a joint  supplement(glucosamine/MSM) and fish oils.

Trust me ladies if you follow these rules you will lose weight. The proof is in the pudding

In our fast-paced society, eating is often done with little or no thought as to what exactly it is being ingested. Excess body fat is a direct outcome of this hurried, poor nutrition. Even if you have the best intentions with your diet, you are likely frustrated and fed up with extra pounds.

I don’t blame you for being confused about what you should eat. The media surely doesn’t help. One day the talking heads want you to give up all fats. The next day carbs are the culprit, and then acai berries become the holy grail of weight loss.

The food manufacturers increase confusion by printing misleading labels and bogus health claims.

Sometimes it seems like the whole system is set up to confuse and frustrate us into buying the latest and greatest packaged food.

The bottom line is that your physique is largely a result of what you eat, so the foods that you put into your body should be carefully selected.

It’s time to re-examine what you eat.

It all starts with reading nutritional labels. The nutritional content and ingredient list will give you everything you need to know about the quality of the food item.

I’ve outlined 5 ingredients that should raise a red flag when you turn over that package and find them listed:

Red Flagged Ingredient #1: High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
HFCS is a manmade sugar, derived predominantly from genetically modified corn. The sweet concoction has been shown to promote binges and hysterical hunger, and wrecks havoc on your blood sugar levels, promoting fat storage.

The introduction of HFCS into our food supply directly paralleled a 47% spike in Type 2 Diabetes cases as well as an 80% increase in obesity. Food manufacturers use HFCS in many mainstream products, including the following:

• Sauces (including ketchup)
• Yogurt
• Energy Bars
• Soft Drinks / Fruit Juices
• Processed baked goods
• Cereals
• Crackers
• Ice Cream
• Salad Dressing
• Most packaged snack foods

Red Flagged Ingredient #2: Hydrogenated Fat / Partially Hydrogenated Fat (Trans Fat)
Hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated fats have undergone such extensive processing that the chemical structure has changed from a “cis” shape, which the human body recognizes and utilizes, to a “trans” shape, which is foreign and destructive to human physiology.

Check each food label for the word ‘hydrogenated’ and avoid it diligently. Cutting out hydrogenated fats is a simple set towards looking and feeling your best.

Red Flagged Ingredient #3: Aspartame
Aspartame is an artificial sweetener that was denied 8 times by the FDA before being approved in 1973. Many scientists objected the approval, claiming that aspartame hadn’t been proven safe for use as a food additive.

MIT neuroscientist, Richard Wurtman, researched the effects of aspartame and concluded that it promotes cravings for foods high in calories and carbohydrates. Though aspartame is calorie-free it still causes insulin to be released, which job is to stow away sugar – when this sugar is not available, the result is often hypoglycemia and severe hunger. Not exactly a recipe for weight loss.

Red Flagged Ingredient #4: White Sugar
White sugar comes from the juice of a sugar cane plant that has undergone an intensive refining process. In this process all of the enzymes, fiber, vitamins and minerals are destroyed, rendering it nutritionally void. White sugar is also extremely high in calories, which your body loves to store away in fat cells.

Refined sugar has been linked to a weakened immune system, hyperactivity, ADD, mental and emotional disorders, dental cavities, hypoglycemia, enlargement of the liver and kidneys, and an imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain. All that and it leads to weight gain.

Red Flagged Ingredient #5: White Flour
White flour comes from natural whole wheat that has been stripped of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. This results in a nutritionally void product that is packed with calories that release quickly into your system, creating a spike in blood sugar. As you know, this promotes fat storage and leads to hysterical hunger and cravings. You don’t need that.

Once you cut these 5 items out of your diet, you’ll be pleased with the results. Expect to lose weight, to have more energy and to feel better than you have in a long time.

If you’re serious about looking and feeling your best through purifying your diet, then focus on eating real food items. Real foods include lean meats, vegetables, whole grains, fruits, nuts and seeds.

Would you like to expedite your fitness and weight loss results? Call or email today to get started on a fitness program that will quickly transform your body.

Remember, while nutrition is vitally important for weight loss, true results are achieved through a combination of both nutrition and challenging, progressive exercise.