There are some foods that are sure to sabotage your results if they aren't regulated. The main food to avoid as much as possible is sugar. Sugar isn't officially off-limits for this program, as long as you stick to your fiber and calorie goals. On the other hand, eating sugar will make it very difficult to reach your goals. Sugar and desserts can cause unstable blood sugar. This causes the "rollercoaster effect" of cravings, binging, and feeling down. If you really want to try a sugary dessert, try to eat a bite or two and stop. The key to doing this is to not allow feelings of guilt to take over. Remind yourself that you aren't breaking your meal plan if you have a taste and record the calories. On the other hand, sometimes it's best for some people to never take a taste at all. You know if you're one of those people. In either case, try to learn to enjoy natural sweet flavors, like those in your favorite fruits. As you eat less cake, mandarins will taste more and more sweet to you.
Another food to try to avoid as much as possible is unhealthy fat. The unhealthy fats are saturated and trans fats. Both damage your body and reduce the power of your "fat-burning machine." Trans fats are especially bad for you. These are mostly found in margarines and snack foods. Luckily, the FDA is now requiring food labels to list trans fats, and companies are using less of them for that reason. One good way to avoid added sugar and bad fats is to try not to eat anything that wasn't around before the year 1900.
Should I try to avoid eating past 7 pm?
No. I think the reason this rule appeared was because studies showed that people tended to binge the most at night. This is when people would eat the junkiest food, and show no abandon. While it is a good idea to avoid junky food at night (or any other time, for that matter,) it's not a good habit to quit eating at a certain time. A much better idea is to plan out your nighttime snacks ahead of time. Try to eat real food after 7 pm- things like vegetables, whole grains, or beans. Keep nighttime meals smaller, so that the food won't keep you awake.
The more often you eat, the better your fat-loss results will be. This is because your fat-burning machine needs fuel to function. Whenever it gets the idea that it won't be fed in awhile, it starts saving fat for future use.
Is it true that I should eat several smaller meals per day?
Yes. Just as working out causes you to burn more calories, so does eating! Whenever you eat, it signals your body that all is well, and your body burns calories. Whenever you go too long without eating, your body saves up fat in case there is famine. Your body is designed to eat much more often than three times a day. If you only eat three times a day, it will be storing fat during those times between meals. A better idea is to keep feeding it. Think of it as feeding a fire. Just keep stoking that fat-burning fire with more fuel every hour or two and it will burn more fat than ever. Just make sure that your calories still stay within your goal. No matter how often you eat if you eat an excess of calories you'll gain fat.
Are carbs bad?
No. Actually, carbs (carbohydrates) are a very important nutrient. You need more of them than protein or fat. The carbs that have gotten a bad rap lately in the media are "bad carbs," or simple carbs. These are sugar, white flour, white rice, and desserts. They really aren't good for you. They are low-quality fuel that only confuses and messes up your fat-burning machine. They make your blood sugar levels skyrocket and then plummet. They cause your body to store more fat.
So how do you know which carbs are good carbs? You simply check for fiber grams. In most cases, the healthiest carbs have high fiber content. Whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and beans have high fiber. The foods with high fiber content also tend to have more protein, which helps your muscles rebuild. Any of these foods are very good for you. They are loaded with healthy vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals.
Is a low-fat diet healthier? Why don't I have to count fat grams?
Generally, it is healthier to have a relatively low-fat diet. This would mean keeping the fat down to 20-30 % of your calories. This is actually quite easy to do when you stick to high-fiber, high-quality food. Most excess fat is found in fast food, desserts, and candy bars. These foods are full of the less healthy fat: saturated fat. The healthier fats are actually needed for good health. These are the fats with Omega 3, 6, and 9 fatty acids. These are found in oils, fish, avocados, and nuts.
If you stick to the kinds of foods recommended on this site, you will not have a problem with excess fat intake. You will also tend to get more of the necessary Omega fatty acids.
Should I try to drink 8 glasses of water per day?
Yes. You need 8 glasses of water per day as an absolute minimum. Just because this is a minimum recommendation doesn't mean your results won't improve if you drink more. Try to get in the habit of drinking plain water. Many of my clients tell me that they don't like water. It grows on you. Just set a goal to drink more of it each day. Despite what you may have read or heard elsewhere, water is what you need. Try not to count fruit juice, milk, or soda pop as your water intake.
Drinking enough water will significantly increase your fat loss. This is for several reasons. For one, your muscles need water to cushion their cells. When they are dehydrated, they shrivel up and are more prone to injury. They don't heal as well, meaning they burn less fat.
Another reason to drink more water is that thirst can be confused for hunger. Studies have shown that people often eat to quench their thirst! Drink enough water, and this won't happen to you.
Lastly, water keeps your stomach feeling full. As long as your body thinks it has a full stomach, it will continue burning fat. Keep hydrated so that your body will be fooled into burning more fat!
Is all sugar bad? Is brown sugar better?
Sugar is generally not great for you. Table sugar should be avoided like the plague, as should all desserts and candies made of it. I call it "poison" because of the damage it does to your body. It actually significantly reduces your immune system's ability to fight disease! It also quickly converts to fat in your body.
Even though the brown versions of most foods are healthier (think of whole grain breads vs. white breads,) brown sugar is no better than white. They're both trouble.
You'll hear me talk a lot about listening to your body, and letting your "inner wisdom" tell you what to eat. So you may be wondering what you're supposed to do if your body tells you it needs sugar. This may surprise you, but here's my answer:
Listen! If your body is telling you it needs sugar, what it means to say is that your blood sugar has dropped to a low level. It wants to correct this problem, so it's calling for sugar. Now here's the trick: answer it like a caveperson. If you were a caveperson and craved sugar, you couldn't have a pack of Skittles, right? You'd probably go pick some berries. Because berries have sugar, they'd help you quickly correct your low blood sugar problem. Because they also have fiber, they wouldn't cause the spike in blood sugar, followed by an even lower drop. Fiber slows digestion and regulates blood sugar. This is why fruit is okay to eat for weight loss, but candy is not.
What does my fitness trainer think about NutraSweet and Splenda?
There hasn't been enough research to definitively answer the debate about artificial sweeteners. Some of my clients have had very bad reactions to them, while others have had no problem. My personal opinion is that it's best to avoid them. I think a good rule of thumb is to try not to eat anything that didn't exist before the 1900's. However, eating NutraSweet and Splenda will not hurt your fat-loss results on this program.
There are some recipes included on the site that use Splenda. These are for those of my clients who seem to have no adverse reactions to artificial sweeteners. Even then, you should use them sparingly.
Why do I need to count fiber grams? What is so special about fiber?
Wow. I could spend days answering this question. I'll try to be concise. First of all, fiber slows digestion, causing the body to store fewer calories as fat. This is because when the body digests food, it stores whatever it doesn't need at the moment. When you digest your food more slowly, it has time to use more of the calories instead of storing them. This also helps your blood sugar stay even, which keeps you from craving junk foods and sugar.
Also, the foods that tend to have more fiber are naturally some of the healthiest foods. Because fiber can't be digested, it has no effective calories. It's everyone's dream come true: a non-caloric food! This means that foods with a lot of fiber are equally or more filling, while having much fewer calories. Remember that when your body thinks it's full, it burns more fat. Fiber helps you constantly fool your body into burning more fat.
Try to pick foods that naturally have high fiber content. These foods also tend to have plenty of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that keep your body healthy. When your body is in peak condition, so is your fat-burning machine!
What are hydrogenated fats, or trans fats?
Hydrogenated, or trans fats, are trouble! Scientist created hydrogenated fats in an attempt to help Americans eat healthier. They knew unsaturated fats (oils) were more healthy than saturated fats (butters, hard fats.) Most Americans preferred butter to oil, so the scientists created a butter-like substance that would have no saturated fat. They did this by artificially adding hydrogen atoms to the molecular structure of oil. Margarine was created. These artificial, hydrogenated fats were also very useful for the snack industry, because they didn't spoil as quickly. Soon, almost any chip or cookie had hydrogenated fats. Unfortunately, as often happens when mankind messes with nature, we eventually discovered that we'd invented something even worse than saturated fat. Hydrogenated fat is more dangerous than saturated fat when it comes to elevated cholesterol and heart disease! Luckily, in the year 2006 all product labels will be required to list trans fats. Try to avoid them. The healthiest fats are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated.
Which foods have fiber?
Fiber is only found in foods that come from plant sources. There is no fiber in meat or fat. Man-made and processed foods tend to have less fiber. The best sources of fiber are legumes (lentils, garbanzos, black beans, lima beans, etc,) vegetables, whole grains, and fruits. To get some ideas for good high-fiber foods, go to the food list and click on the button to sort the foods in order of highest fiber count.
Which is more effective for weight loss: exercise or diet?
If you had to choose one or another, you'd lose weight more quickly with diet. You'd keep it off better with exercise. By far the fastest and most permanent way to lose weight is to exercise and eat right all at once!
Why doesn't it always work to eat less to lose weight?
This is a tough question to explain, because it's hard to believe the answer. In fact, even my own dad didn't believe me. Not everyone who is overweight is eating too much. In fact, even if you're gaining weight you may not be overeating. I have worked with several clients who had to up their caloric intake in order to lose weight. This is because their fat-burning machines had all but turned off. They were getting no exercise, eating too little fuel, and storing fat. Remember that the body stores fat when it can't predict the timing of its next meal. Too much dieting or under-eating can actually shut down your fat-burning machine and reduce your results. Some people get fatter while severely under-eating.
This is why training with myfitnesstrainer.com is so much more effective than dieting. There will be no more guessing at the amount of food your fat-burning machine needs. You will be able to eat just the right number of calories for maximum fat loss.
Why are there so many diets out there? Why do some work for some people, and others for others? Why do none of them work for me?
There are hundreds of diets, but they all have one common theme: eat fewer calories than you burn. They all have different gimmicks to accomplish the same goal. Most of them work temporarily, because they cause you to eat fewer calories than your body is used to, so it burns fat for fuel. Unfortunately, this only works for so long. As soon as your body figures out that it's going hungry, it switches to a more fuel-efficient level. Your energy goes down, you stop losing fat and start saving it for emergency. This is why most diets are temporary.
Also, they often reduce the calories by too much. This causes muscle loss. Muscle loss looks good on the scale, but is actually very harmful. Muscle burns fat, so when you lose muscle, you burn less fat. This is why diets that cause fast weight loss (more than two pounds per week) tend to be associated with large amounts of rebound weight. Most people who lose muscle mass by over-dieting end up gaining the weight back, but this time double.
Most diets tell everyone to eat the same number of calories. For example, they may tell women to eat 1,200 calories, and men to eat 1,400. If your personal caloric needs are 1,500 calories but you're eating 1,200, you will lose weight. However, you will lose muscle along with the fat. This muscle loss means that you will soon need fewer and fewer calories until even 1,200 is too many. Eventually you will tire of starving yourself, and will gain the weight back along with an extra 20 lbs. The only people who will really benefit from this are those that happen to actually need 1,200 calories per day.
You will be much more successful on this program because it will be tailored to your needs. You will be told the right number of calories for your fat-burning machine to run at a peak level. Your goal calories may change as you go through the program. We will adjust your calorie goal up or down according to your body's changing needs.
Can I ever eat sweets on this program?
Of course I can't stop you. : Actually, the answer is yes. The trick is to not go to extremes. Stick to one cookie, not a plateful. Try to learn to enjoy fruit for your sweets fix.
If you really want a cookie, try this: First, eat a well-balanced high-fiber meal. Drink a full glass of water. Figure out the calories and fiber content of the cookie. If you decide the cookie is worth it to you at that point, enter the calorie and fiber information in your food journal. Then sit down and savor the cookie. Don't watch TV while you eat it. Just enjoy the cookie and think about how it tastes and feels in your mouth. Then don't feel guilty, but promise yourself that you will continue to stay on track with your meal plan.
Remember to try to avoid sweets as much as possible, though. Sugar weakens the immune system and can bring on feelings of depression or discouragement. These effects are weakened when a high-fiber meal is eaten first.
Why does my fitness trainer recommend balance and not diet extremes?
Simply, the diet extremes don't work. A non-fat diet deprives you of important Omega 3, 6, and 9 fatty acids. A low-carb diet is damaging and tough on the liver, kidneys, and bowels. It also diminishes mental clarity. Other diets only allow certain foods, outlawing foods that offer many different necessary minerals, vitamins and phytochemicals.
Balanced diets allow the body all of the nutrients that it needs to function well. This allows the fat-burning machine to run at top capacity. You burn more fat, while enjoying all different kinds of food. Obviously, a diet that doesn't restrict foods is much easier to stick to.
I've heard that weight loss is as simple as calories in vs. calories out. Is that right?
It's true that weight loss occurs when fewer calories go into your body than are burned off. However, it's not as simple as you'd imagine. For example, depending on what type of foods you eat, your body burns more or fewer calories. When you eat 400 calories worth of cake, your body becomes sluggish and tired, and it stores most of the energy. When you eat 400 calories worth of whole-wheat spaghetti and vegetables, your body becomes energetic and burns a lot of the calories off. So in this case, the "calories in vs. calories out" concept is true, but not all calories are created equal.
The 400 calories worth of cake (one small slice) would make you feel full for 10 minutes, if at all. The whole-wheat spaghetti and vegetables would keep you feeling satisfied for 2 hours or more. Because you felt good, you'd more likely go outside to play tennis with your daughter, or go for a swim. The cake, on the other hand, would encourage a long nap.
As you can see, "calories in vs. calories out" is true, but that doesn't mean that all calories are the same.
Am I eating enough protein?
It's important for anyone who is strength-training to be sure their protein intake is adequate. Try to eat a little bit of fish, chicken, lean beef, eggs, tofu or beans every day. Beans (legumes) and tofu are especially great, because they supply protein and fiber! (Remember that foods that come from animal sources don't have fiber.)
What are "good carbs" and "bad carbs?"
These terms have become especially popular lately, with the low-carb diet trend. Good carbs are those that are in whole foods, like vegetables, whole grains, beans, and fruits. Bad carbs are those found in processed foods and foods with sugar added, like desserts, cookies, candy and soda pop. You'll be doing your body a big favor if you avoid bad carbs and stick to the whole foods. One of my clients told me about a great way to think of it: don't eat anything that wasn't around before 1900.
Can I have alcohol on this program?
Officially, yes. I'd recommend that you really keep it to a minimum, though.
I know what you're thinking- "what about those studies that show that red wine is good for me?" I'm here to say that the good is outweighed by the bad. Alcohol has 7 calories per gram, as opposed to the mere 4 calories per gram that carbs have. Carbs supply useful nutrition, but alcohol doesn't. Why is it carbs that have gotten such a bad rap, then, and not alcohol? For the same reason that you, and everyone else, has heard about the studies supporting wine drinking: people don't want to hear that alcohol is bad for them!
So, that said, I won't talk too much about why alcohol is bad for you. I won't list the health risks of drinking. Instead, I'll just point out that the calories in drinks count toward your goal calories for the day. Alcohol doesn't provide any fiber, so it won't get you closer to your fiber goal.
Should I be taking green tea or other supplements?
You don't need green tea nor any other supplements, except for a multivitamin. Green tea has been shown to aid in weight loss, but the caffeine it contains may compromise your fat-burning machine in the long run. If you like drinking tea, try herbal teas. No other supplements are necessary, and some may even damage your fat-burning machine.
Are there any diet pills that you can recommend for me?
I always tell my clients that the best weight loss pill is the multivitamin. When your body has all of the micronutrients that it needs it will function at a higher level, burning more calories. Also, you will be less susceptible to illness, so you'll be able to stick with your workouts.
Most weight loss supplements contain caffeine, which I believe does more harm than good. Many of them cause water loss, which appears to be quick weight loss. Unfortunately, this type of weight loss is temporary and unhealthy. Your body will not function well if you're dehydrated. Your workouts will suffer and your body will burn less fat.
Overall, I suggest avoiding the latest weight loss pill.
Does caffeine help speed weight loss? Should I drink caffeinated beverages?
Some studies have shown that caffeine can aid in weight loss. In my opinion, it should still be avoided because it compromises your fat burning machine. Try quitting your daily coffee or cola- you'll see just how addicting caffeine is. If you're able to give it up or cut back, your body will appreciate it.
How does my program adjust to my calorie needs?
Your calorie needs are determined according to the number of calories your body needed on the average day last week. Your body shows you how many calories it needed. If you ate more calories than it needed, it stored fat. If you ate less than it needed, it burned fat. Because we know how many calories are in a pound of fat (3,500) and a pound of muscle (600) we can tell how many too many or too few calories you ate each week. Because the technique is scientific in nature, it is important that you keep track of how many calories you eat each day. This information is compared with what your body did with the calories, and your new goal is created.
Which are the best choices at fast food restaurants?
Although it's generally best to avoid fast food restaurants, there are times when they come in handy. It's best to avoid eating more than 300 calories at a time, especially with fast foods, which are generally lower quality. Good choices tend to include salads, soups, and grilled chicken sandwiches. Fast foods rarely have significant amounts of fiber, so if you eat fast food it is best to try to up your fiber intake the rest of the day. Always get a "nutritional info" pamphlet at a fast food restaurant before ordering. You may be unpleasantly surprised by the calorie content of some apparently healthy foods. Here is a list of a few common fast food restaurants, and some good choices. The boldened items are the better choices, and I listed a food or two per restaurant (underlined) that you should definitely avoid. To see the list,click here.
