Greetings world, for some time now I've been getting a lot of questions about my "personal" workout / diet, as far as what I do "specifically" in the gym and what I "consistently" eat during the weeks and months I'm training. I often stress the importance of setting a foundation (physically speaking) before taking on new workouts / supplements/ etc, often times I am able to create a workout plan and diet that suites the individual based on their lifestyle, eating habbits, goals etc BUT there still are the select few who REALLY want to go the extra step in their fitness and physique, and for those people..this is for you !
** The Ultimate Diet to Getting Ripped While Maintaining Muscle Mass **
This is MY PERSONAL Diet for 8 weeks. No CHEAT days, None. 56 days Straight. If you can't deal with it, then this isn't for you. If you can hang, The results will be Phenomenal..!
*This is a Diet for someone who is in shape, but just needs to lose those LAST few pounds of Stubborn fat.
*This diet will work ESPECIALLY for those with excess fat in the lower abs, thighs, lower back area.
Diet Guidelines:
Avoid All starches, You don't need them if your goal is to get down to 4-7 Percent body fat.
(1) Eat Tons of Green Veggies (Fiber)
(2) Eat Lots of Healthy fats ex. Steak, Flax Oil, E.V. Olive Oil, Salmon, Fish Oils, etc. (Energy)
(3) Eat TONS of Protein (Preserve Muscles).
(4) DRINK 1-1.5 gallons of H20 a day AT LEAST.
Avoid ALL fruit drinks, Juices, rice, breads.
Eat carb's ONLY after a grueling Glycogen depleting workout. (High intensity)
You will have tons of energy from the healthy fats, good digestion from the fiber, and great muscle hardness and protection from the protein.
**Healthy Fats = Energy Protein = Muscle Hardness, Muscle Protection Fiber = Digestion, and various other health benefits.**
*Basically :Healthy Fats, Lots of Fiber, And TONS of Protein. That's the key.*
Not only will you DROP bodyfat while maintaing muscle, but you will ALSO have an abundance of energy and your skin (complexion) will be looking great as well.
**This example is right out of my food log**
Meals for January 16, 2010:
(1) 3 servings of Whey/ 1 tablespoon of Flax Oil
(2) 8-10 OZ London Broil Steak (Extra Lean)/ 1-2 cups Green Veggies.
(3) Grilled Salmon/ 1-2 cups Green Veggies.
(4) 3 servings of Whey/ 1 tablespoon of Flax Oil
(5) 2 Cans of Tuna/ Chopped Onions/Celery/ 1 tablespoon of Safflower Mayonnaise.
(6) (Post Workout) MRP or 2 servings of Whey/10 OZ Orange Juice.
(7) 8-10oz Extra Lean Steak/ 2 cups Veggies.
Breaks Down to About:
Protein 1.5 - 2 grams per lb of bodyweight Fat .5 -.75grams per pound of bodyweight carbs (only post workout) 30-50 grams fiber in the form of green veggies - As much as possible.
Supplements:
Do NOT take ANY FAT BURNERS...Why? They will Suppress your appetite TOO much, You need to eat every 2 hours. If you take a fat burner you won't be up to it.
1 Multivitamin Extra Zinc 30 - "50mgs Fish Oil Caps Flax Oil Liquid 200mcg Selenium 800mgs Folic Acid 800iu Vitamin E 2 grams Vitamin C." This is a Standard Multi - v.
WORKOUTS:
Staying ACTIVE!! is the KEY. ALWAYSSSS stay Active.
Lift four times a Week. Alternate Between Heavy Low Rep workouts, and high repetition moderate weight workouts.
Cardio, 4-7 days a week, Alernate Between 20 min High Intensity (Jump Ropes, Sprints) and Low intensity for 45min - 1hour (Such as walking, light jogging)
This DIET is NOT easy by any means. It takes proper planning a day ahead of time (you have to have the steaks / veggies / chicken / salmon, etc, thawed out before cooking them, put stuff in plastic ware containers...you just have to be prepared). Be prepared to Go through at LEAST one pound of lean steak a day, and 10 servings of whey protein powder a day and TONS of green veggies a day. Be prepared to be going grocery shopping at least twice a week.
Like I said this diet is not easy, But oh well, No one said this game is easy.
But remember if you can stick through it for 8 grueling weeks, you'll be amazed at the end with your results.
Good Luck, Keep me posted for those that give it a try.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Monday, June 7, 2010
"The Importance of Breakfast"
The American Dietetic Association says breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
Eating breakfast not only aids in weight management, it fuels the body to help provide energy, better concentration and problem-solving ability throughout the day, according to the food and nutrition experts at the American Dietetic Association.
There are plenty of reasons why individuals do this, be it that they are too busy to prepare something, think that saving the calories from this meal will help them with weight loss or simply just do not like breakfast foods.
"The Benefits Of Breakfast"
Despite the healthful benefits, breakfast may be the meal that is most often neglected or skipped, this is unfortunate because not eating in the morning is going to cause you to become ravenous later on in the day, making it that much harder to control your hunger and food selection. When you are out at work or running errands, you might find that your selection of foods to choose from is much more limited to vending machine fair and that is not something that is going to do your diet justice.
It is generally seen that individuals who do consume up to a 1/3 of their daily calories in the morning meal will eat less later on that day. When you don't, your body tends to want to play catch-up with the calories and often surpasses what you would have eaten otherwise.
Additionally, without having some fuel in your system, you simply will not have the same concentration levels that you otherwise would and your work or school performance is going to suffer. You wouldn't try and drive an empty car to work would you? So why drive an empty body?
Breakfast doesn't have to always be traditional breakfast food. It is perfectly fine to have last night's leftovers the next day if you simply cannot stomach typical cereal or toast. You might even find that dinner type food is more easily transportable to take to the office so if you are in a rush you can just eat at your desk. We all know that milk and cereal wouldn't quite hold out in this circumstance.
Another option for those who have issues with solids in the morning is to simply create a breakfast shake. There are a multitude of recipes out there that will work with any taste bud preferences. The important thing is to try and get some protein and carbs in with the shake as well as preferably some fat. This will provide some sustaining energy that will power you through the morning.
"Beware Of Carb Only Meals"
Whatever you do, just do NOT eat a carbohydrate only breakfast. This will cause a drastic increase in blood sugar levels, particularly if they are refined carbohydrates, and then a significant drop, which will have you turning to any edible product around. Examples of what not to eat would be a single donut, a plain bagel, one apple, etc. Rather have (if you must) a donut with some yogurt, a bagel with peanut butter, and apple with a small piece of low fat cheese and so on. This will help to give you a complete meal, one in which your body will appreciate much more.
There are many different cereal bars that are out on the market today and I would caution you against grabbing one of these for breakfast. Typically they are simply just carbs and only about 100-200 calories. This is not substantial enough to pass for a meal and the fact it is just simple carbohydrates again will leave you with the problem presented above.
So tomorrow morning set your alarm 10 minutes earlier to give yourself a chance to have a morning meal. Your body and mind will thank you later on in the day
Here is what I PERSONALLY eat for breakfast during a regular working week:
"Simple to Fix Breakfasts"
1.Sunday Breakfast: Veggie omelet (two eggs, diced red or green peppers, diced onions, halved cherry or grape tomatoes, salt, pepper, turmeric)
2.Monday Breakfast: Protein energy bar ( Muscle Milk Bars, lactose free )
3.Tuesday Breakfast: Oatmeal with walnuts and blueberries
4.Wednesday Breakfast: Fresh banana along with handful of almonds or granola mix.
5.Thursday Breakfast: Yogurt and fruit smoothie
6.Friday Breakfast: Whole wheat toast spread with peanut butter, fresh apple or pear
7.Saturday Breakfast: Cottage cheese, mandarin oranges, rye crackers
Eating breakfast not only aids in weight management, it fuels the body to help provide energy, better concentration and problem-solving ability throughout the day, according to the food and nutrition experts at the American Dietetic Association.
There are plenty of reasons why individuals do this, be it that they are too busy to prepare something, think that saving the calories from this meal will help them with weight loss or simply just do not like breakfast foods.
"The Benefits Of Breakfast"
Despite the healthful benefits, breakfast may be the meal that is most often neglected or skipped, this is unfortunate because not eating in the morning is going to cause you to become ravenous later on in the day, making it that much harder to control your hunger and food selection. When you are out at work or running errands, you might find that your selection of foods to choose from is much more limited to vending machine fair and that is not something that is going to do your diet justice.
It is generally seen that individuals who do consume up to a 1/3 of their daily calories in the morning meal will eat less later on that day. When you don't, your body tends to want to play catch-up with the calories and often surpasses what you would have eaten otherwise.
Additionally, without having some fuel in your system, you simply will not have the same concentration levels that you otherwise would and your work or school performance is going to suffer. You wouldn't try and drive an empty car to work would you? So why drive an empty body?
Breakfast doesn't have to always be traditional breakfast food. It is perfectly fine to have last night's leftovers the next day if you simply cannot stomach typical cereal or toast. You might even find that dinner type food is more easily transportable to take to the office so if you are in a rush you can just eat at your desk. We all know that milk and cereal wouldn't quite hold out in this circumstance.
Another option for those who have issues with solids in the morning is to simply create a breakfast shake. There are a multitude of recipes out there that will work with any taste bud preferences. The important thing is to try and get some protein and carbs in with the shake as well as preferably some fat. This will provide some sustaining energy that will power you through the morning.
"Beware Of Carb Only Meals"
Whatever you do, just do NOT eat a carbohydrate only breakfast. This will cause a drastic increase in blood sugar levels, particularly if they are refined carbohydrates, and then a significant drop, which will have you turning to any edible product around. Examples of what not to eat would be a single donut, a plain bagel, one apple, etc. Rather have (if you must) a donut with some yogurt, a bagel with peanut butter, and apple with a small piece of low fat cheese and so on. This will help to give you a complete meal, one in which your body will appreciate much more.
There are many different cereal bars that are out on the market today and I would caution you against grabbing one of these for breakfast. Typically they are simply just carbs and only about 100-200 calories. This is not substantial enough to pass for a meal and the fact it is just simple carbohydrates again will leave you with the problem presented above.
So tomorrow morning set your alarm 10 minutes earlier to give yourself a chance to have a morning meal. Your body and mind will thank you later on in the day
Here is what I PERSONALLY eat for breakfast during a regular working week:
"Simple to Fix Breakfasts"
1.Sunday Breakfast: Veggie omelet (two eggs, diced red or green peppers, diced onions, halved cherry or grape tomatoes, salt, pepper, turmeric)
2.Monday Breakfast: Protein energy bar ( Muscle Milk Bars, lactose free )
3.Tuesday Breakfast: Oatmeal with walnuts and blueberries
4.Wednesday Breakfast: Fresh banana along with handful of almonds or granola mix.
5.Thursday Breakfast: Yogurt and fruit smoothie
6.Friday Breakfast: Whole wheat toast spread with peanut butter, fresh apple or pear
7.Saturday Breakfast: Cottage cheese, mandarin oranges, rye crackers
Sunday, June 6, 2010
The Best Diet Advice? Don't Diet!
Dear Corey,
I'm struggling to lose weight and keep it off. I've tried so many diets, but I'm very determined and refuse to give up. i usually do great at first but end up putting the weight back on. what diet will work best to help me lose weight and not gain it back?
-Irma Rucker, Nashville, TN
Dear Irma,
Despite the way it feels, losing weight isn't a mysterious process. It's a simple matter of burning more calories than you eat. But, if it were really that simple, none of us would have a weight problem, would we? Weight loss can be such a struggle that we start thinking we have to do something drastic to see results -- diets, pills or those weird fitness gadgets on infomercials that promise instant success. The true secret to weight loss is this: Make small changes each and every day and you'll slowly (but surely) lose those extra pounds. The key is to forget about instant results and settle in for the long run.
Today we will discuss the following...
•Healthy eating
•Why choose a healthy diet?
•The Food Pyramid-putting together a healthy diet
Having a healthy diet is sometimes easier said than done. It is tempting to turn to less healthy food choices because they might be easy to get or prepare, or they satisfy a craving. Between family and work or school, you are probably balancing a hundred things at once. Taking time to buy the ingredients for and cooking a healthy meal sometimes falls last on your list. But you should know that it isn't hard to make simple changes to improve your diet. And you can make sense of the mounds of nutrition information out there. A little learning and planning can help you find a diet to fit your lifestyle, and maybe you can have some fun in the process!
Why Choose a Healthy Diet?
Obesity in women is on the rise. Overall, about one third of all women are obese. But some groups of women suffer more. Half of African American women and 40 percent of Mexican American women are obese. Native Hawaiian and Samoan women are among the most obese in the world. Obesity is measured with a body mass index (BMI), which shows the relationship of weight to height. As a woman's body mass increases, so does her risk for serious health problems. Some of these problems include heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and some cancers. A woman's weight is affected by how much physical activity she does, her diet, and her genes. So having a healthy diet is one of the most important things you can do to help your overall health. If you burn as many calories as you take in, your weight remains the same. If you take in fewer calories than you burn, you will lose weight. So make sure the foods you eat are healthy ones that will work hard for your body.
The Food Pyramid-Putting Together a Healthy Diet
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) release Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The Food Guide Pyramid shows how different food groups can come together to form your total diet. Eating is one of life's greatest pleasures. Because there are many foods and many ways to build a healthy diet, there is lots of room for smart, healthy choices. You can use the pyramid as a starting point. Choose the recommended number of daily servings from each of the five major food groups.
You might have seen some of the other food pyramids by other groups of health care providers, or pyramids for different ethnic groups, like the Puerto Rican, "Soul Food," Vegetarian style, or Latin American style pyramids. You could use any one of them for healthy eating, depending on what kinds of food are available to you and your culture's traditions. For more, please read the "2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans: Key Recommendations for the General Population" article.
*Here is some basic knowledge and tips for "Healthy Eating"*
Instead of being overly concerned with counting calories or measuring portion sizes, think of your diet in terms of color, variety and freshness—then it should be easier to make healthy choices. Focus on finding foods you love and easy recipes that incorporate a few fresh ingredients. Gradually, your diet will become healthier and more delicious.
Start slow and make changes to your eating habits over time. Trying to make your diet healthy overnight isn’t realistic or smart. Changing everything at once usually leads to cheating or giving up on your new eating plan. Make small steps, like adding a salad (full of different color vegetables) to your diet once a day or switching from butter to olive oil when cooking. As your small changes become habit, you can continue to add more healthy choices to your diet.
Every change you make to improve your diet matters. You don’t have to be perfect and you don’t have to completely eliminate foods you enjoy to have a healthy diet. The long term goal is to feel good, have more energy and reduce the risk of cancer and disease. Don’t let your missteps derail you—every healthy food choice you make counts.
Try not to think of certain foods as “off limits.” When you ban certain foods or food groups, it is natural to want those foods more, and then feel like a failure if you give in to temptation. If you are drawn towards sweet, salty or unhealthy foods, start by reducing portion sizes and not eating them as often. Later you may find yourself craving them less or thinking of them as only occasional indulgences.
Think smaller portions. Serving sizes have ballooned recently, particularly in restaurants. When dining out, choose a starter instead of an entrée, split a dish with a friend, and don’t order supersized anything. At home, use smaller plates, think about serving sizes in realistic terms and start small. Visual cues can help with portion sizes—your serving of meat, fish or chicken should be the size of a deck of cards. A teaspoon of oil or salad dressing is about the size of a matchbook and your slice of bread should be the size of a CD case.
Eat with others whenever possible. Eating with other people has numerous social and emotional benefits—particularly for children—and allows you to model healthy eating habits. Eating in front of the TV or computer often leads to mindless overeating.
Take time to chew your food and enjoy mealtimes. Chew your food slowly, savoring every bite. We tend to rush though our meals, forgetting to actually taste the flavors and feel the textures of what is in our mouths. Reconnect with the joy of eating.
Listen to your body. Ask yourself if you are really hungry, or have a glass of water to see if you are thirsty instead of hungry. During a meal, stop eating before you feel full. It actually takes a few minutes for your brain to tell your body that it has had enough food, so eat slowly.
Eat breakfast, and eat smaller meals throughout the day. A healthy breakfast can jumpstart your metabolism, and eating small, healthy meals throughout the day (rather than the standard three large meals) keeps your energy up and your metabolism going.
Greens: Greens are packed with calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, zinc, vitamins A, C, E and K, and they help strengthen the blood and respiratory systems. Be adventurous with your greens and branch out beyond bright and dark green lettuce—kale, mustard greens, broccoli, Chinese cabbage are just a few of the options.
Sweet vegetables: Naturally sweet vegetables add healthy sweetness to your meals and reduce your cravings for other sweets. Some examples of sweet vegetables are corn, carrots, beets, sweet potatoes or yams, winter squash, and onions.
Fruit: A wide variety of fruit is also vital to a healthy diet. Fruit provides fiber, vitamins and antioxidants. Berries are cancer-fighting, apples provide fiber, oranges and mangos offer vitamin C, and so on.
Try different types of protein. Whether or not you are a vegetarian, trying different protein sources—such as beans, nuts, seeds, peas, tofu and soy products—will open up new options for healthy mealtimes.
*Beans: Black beans, navy beans, garbanzos, and lentils are good options.
*Nuts: Almonds, walnuts, pistachios and pecans are great choices.
*Soy products: Try tofu, soy milk, tempeh and veggie burgers for a change.
*Avoid salted or sugary nuts and refried beans.
These tips look at ways you can use your mind to out-smart your stomach!
I'm struggling to lose weight and keep it off. I've tried so many diets, but I'm very determined and refuse to give up. i usually do great at first but end up putting the weight back on. what diet will work best to help me lose weight and not gain it back?
-Irma Rucker, Nashville, TN
Dear Irma,
Despite the way it feels, losing weight isn't a mysterious process. It's a simple matter of burning more calories than you eat. But, if it were really that simple, none of us would have a weight problem, would we? Weight loss can be such a struggle that we start thinking we have to do something drastic to see results -- diets, pills or those weird fitness gadgets on infomercials that promise instant success. The true secret to weight loss is this: Make small changes each and every day and you'll slowly (but surely) lose those extra pounds. The key is to forget about instant results and settle in for the long run.
Today we will discuss the following...
•Healthy eating
•Why choose a healthy diet?
•The Food Pyramid-putting together a healthy diet
Having a healthy diet is sometimes easier said than done. It is tempting to turn to less healthy food choices because they might be easy to get or prepare, or they satisfy a craving. Between family and work or school, you are probably balancing a hundred things at once. Taking time to buy the ingredients for and cooking a healthy meal sometimes falls last on your list. But you should know that it isn't hard to make simple changes to improve your diet. And you can make sense of the mounds of nutrition information out there. A little learning and planning can help you find a diet to fit your lifestyle, and maybe you can have some fun in the process!
Why Choose a Healthy Diet?
Obesity in women is on the rise. Overall, about one third of all women are obese. But some groups of women suffer more. Half of African American women and 40 percent of Mexican American women are obese. Native Hawaiian and Samoan women are among the most obese in the world. Obesity is measured with a body mass index (BMI), which shows the relationship of weight to height. As a woman's body mass increases, so does her risk for serious health problems. Some of these problems include heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and some cancers. A woman's weight is affected by how much physical activity she does, her diet, and her genes. So having a healthy diet is one of the most important things you can do to help your overall health. If you burn as many calories as you take in, your weight remains the same. If you take in fewer calories than you burn, you will lose weight. So make sure the foods you eat are healthy ones that will work hard for your body.
The Food Pyramid-Putting Together a Healthy Diet
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) release Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The Food Guide Pyramid shows how different food groups can come together to form your total diet. Eating is one of life's greatest pleasures. Because there are many foods and many ways to build a healthy diet, there is lots of room for smart, healthy choices. You can use the pyramid as a starting point. Choose the recommended number of daily servings from each of the five major food groups.
You might have seen some of the other food pyramids by other groups of health care providers, or pyramids for different ethnic groups, like the Puerto Rican, "Soul Food," Vegetarian style, or Latin American style pyramids. You could use any one of them for healthy eating, depending on what kinds of food are available to you and your culture's traditions. For more, please read the "2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans: Key Recommendations for the General Population" article.
*Here is some basic knowledge and tips for "Healthy Eating"*
Instead of being overly concerned with counting calories or measuring portion sizes, think of your diet in terms of color, variety and freshness—then it should be easier to make healthy choices. Focus on finding foods you love and easy recipes that incorporate a few fresh ingredients. Gradually, your diet will become healthier and more delicious.
Start slow and make changes to your eating habits over time. Trying to make your diet healthy overnight isn’t realistic or smart. Changing everything at once usually leads to cheating or giving up on your new eating plan. Make small steps, like adding a salad (full of different color vegetables) to your diet once a day or switching from butter to olive oil when cooking. As your small changes become habit, you can continue to add more healthy choices to your diet.
Every change you make to improve your diet matters. You don’t have to be perfect and you don’t have to completely eliminate foods you enjoy to have a healthy diet. The long term goal is to feel good, have more energy and reduce the risk of cancer and disease. Don’t let your missteps derail you—every healthy food choice you make counts.
Try not to think of certain foods as “off limits.” When you ban certain foods or food groups, it is natural to want those foods more, and then feel like a failure if you give in to temptation. If you are drawn towards sweet, salty or unhealthy foods, start by reducing portion sizes and not eating them as often. Later you may find yourself craving them less or thinking of them as only occasional indulgences.
Think smaller portions. Serving sizes have ballooned recently, particularly in restaurants. When dining out, choose a starter instead of an entrée, split a dish with a friend, and don’t order supersized anything. At home, use smaller plates, think about serving sizes in realistic terms and start small. Visual cues can help with portion sizes—your serving of meat, fish or chicken should be the size of a deck of cards. A teaspoon of oil or salad dressing is about the size of a matchbook and your slice of bread should be the size of a CD case.
Eat with others whenever possible. Eating with other people has numerous social and emotional benefits—particularly for children—and allows you to model healthy eating habits. Eating in front of the TV or computer often leads to mindless overeating.
Take time to chew your food and enjoy mealtimes. Chew your food slowly, savoring every bite. We tend to rush though our meals, forgetting to actually taste the flavors and feel the textures of what is in our mouths. Reconnect with the joy of eating.
Listen to your body. Ask yourself if you are really hungry, or have a glass of water to see if you are thirsty instead of hungry. During a meal, stop eating before you feel full. It actually takes a few minutes for your brain to tell your body that it has had enough food, so eat slowly.
Eat breakfast, and eat smaller meals throughout the day. A healthy breakfast can jumpstart your metabolism, and eating small, healthy meals throughout the day (rather than the standard three large meals) keeps your energy up and your metabolism going.
Greens: Greens are packed with calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, zinc, vitamins A, C, E and K, and they help strengthen the blood and respiratory systems. Be adventurous with your greens and branch out beyond bright and dark green lettuce—kale, mustard greens, broccoli, Chinese cabbage are just a few of the options.
Sweet vegetables: Naturally sweet vegetables add healthy sweetness to your meals and reduce your cravings for other sweets. Some examples of sweet vegetables are corn, carrots, beets, sweet potatoes or yams, winter squash, and onions.
Fruit: A wide variety of fruit is also vital to a healthy diet. Fruit provides fiber, vitamins and antioxidants. Berries are cancer-fighting, apples provide fiber, oranges and mangos offer vitamin C, and so on.
Try different types of protein. Whether or not you are a vegetarian, trying different protein sources—such as beans, nuts, seeds, peas, tofu and soy products—will open up new options for healthy mealtimes.
*Beans: Black beans, navy beans, garbanzos, and lentils are good options.
*Nuts: Almonds, walnuts, pistachios and pecans are great choices.
*Soy products: Try tofu, soy milk, tempeh and veggie burgers for a change.
*Avoid salted or sugary nuts and refried beans.
These tips look at ways you can use your mind to out-smart your stomach!
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