Hey everyone, hope your having a great weekend.
Here is another nutrition article by Mike Roussell over at
Your Naked Nutrition Guide . Like I said the other day, I highly recommend his product. I have it and it is clearly written and takes a lot of the guess work out of nutrition. I plan on writing a bit more about it in the near future. Here is Mikes article:
Six “Pillars” of An Effective Nutrition Plan
We all want results. Whether it is more muscle, less fat, or both. We want results. You can lift all the weights you want and grind out session after session of interval training but if you aren’t paying attention to what you are eating then all this effort is a waste. The #1 most important part of any fat loss or muscle growth program is nutrition.
Nutrition is confusing though right?
There are new “discoveries” being reported by the media almost every day. It is a full time job keeping up with all this information. Fortunately you can get that body you want…. you can achieve that lean, muscular body that you’ve been coveting by consistently applying relatively simple nutritional guidelines.
I call these guidelines the 6 Pillars of Nutrition. Here they are:
1. Eat five to six times a day.
2. Limit your consumption of sugars and processed foods.
3. Eat fruits and vegetables throughout the day.
4. Drink more water and cut out calorie-containing beverages (beer, soda, etc.).
5. Focus on consuming lean proteins throughout the day.
6. Save starch containing foods until after a workout or for breakfast.
These rules are the key to unlocking your best body. As you can see by looking over the list, the 6 Pillars of Nutrition are not based on fads or diet crazes. No, instead they are the results of the distillation of piles of nutritional information into the most effective strategies described in a practical manner so that you can apply them to your life today.
The first question I get about the 6 Pillars of Nutrition when my clients are initially exposed to them is “Don’t I have to count calories?” No. No calories counting. I have recently had a client lose just under 50lbs of fat in 3 months by following these principles. No calorie counting, no measuring food. Why make it more complicated than it has to be?
We all live busy lives right? Nutrition can’t be a focus during the week. It needs to be automatic. That’s what makes these principles so powerful. They make nutrition a no-brainer. If you are obsessing over calories, macronutrients, and grams of insoluble fiber please stop. Outline an eating strategy that falls in line with the 6 Pillars of Nutrition. You will spend less time fussing over what to eat and the changes in your body will astound you.
If you still insist on most closely monitoring your food intake I still don’t recommend that you count calories or grams. I always say no one eat 14 grams of fat, they eat 1 TBSP of olive oil. It only makes sense to track and monitor actual amounts of food right? This is why I created the Naked Nutrition Serving system where I outline when and what type of foods to eat and you just pick the foods you like - not calories, not grams, but actual amounts. This approach is practical and it delivers results.
Go to Your Naked Nutrition Guide . to find out more.
I hope you have a great day. Stay strong.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
My Son's Birthday, part 2
Ok, so we had a great day yesterday celebrating my sons birthday.
and I may have indulged a bit more than I had wanted...... so shoot me already!
I had some pizza, some cake, some ice cream....
But I did get my workouts in which minimized the damage. Jack still takes an afternoon nap so while he was sleeping, I did a bodyweight workout that lasted about 17 minutes. Afterwards, I was sweating pretty good and feeling ok about the mornings indulgences.
Here is what I did
chin ups x max
bulgarian split squats x 10 each leg
close grip push ups x 20
box jumps x 15
I did the circuit 4 times with about a minute rest between each.
The workout helped to decrease the damage I did calorie wise. I felt alot better after the pizza and ice cream and was ready to hit the pool in the afternoon.
In the end though, the day was about Jacks birthday and not how bad I screwed up with my eating plan. Your only 3 once and we wanted to make his day special. We accomplished that and I didn't skip anything because it wasn't ' healthy'.
Hey, we all need to live a little right!?
and I may have indulged a bit more than I had wanted...... so shoot me already!
I had some pizza, some cake, some ice cream....
But I did get my workouts in which minimized the damage. Jack still takes an afternoon nap so while he was sleeping, I did a bodyweight workout that lasted about 17 minutes. Afterwards, I was sweating pretty good and feeling ok about the mornings indulgences.
Here is what I did
chin ups x max
bulgarian split squats x 10 each leg
close grip push ups x 20
box jumps x 15
I did the circuit 4 times with about a minute rest between each.
The workout helped to decrease the damage I did calorie wise. I felt alot better after the pizza and ice cream and was ready to hit the pool in the afternoon.
In the end though, the day was about Jacks birthday and not how bad I screwed up with my eating plan. Your only 3 once and we wanted to make his day special. We accomplished that and I didn't skip anything because it wasn't ' healthy'.
Hey, we all need to live a little right!?
Saturday, August 16, 2008
My Sons Birthday Bash!
Today, my son, Jack is three!
We have tried our best to make today very special for him. He got his favorite breakfast, french toast ( we used high fiber bread which he loves!) and later today we are going to one of those kids places where you eat pizza and play games. Should be fun.
Yes today is a day to loosen up a bit. I had some french toast but I paired it with eggs and vegetables.
I am going to have some pizza, but probably only two slices.
This morning I did some interval cardio outside doing hill sprints. Took me about 20 minutes to warm up, do 5 sprints up the hill and cool down and stretch.
This evening, we are going to the pool, and while I won't workout there, is providing me with some great outdoors time with my family. This evening, I plan on doing a fast body weight circuit to cap off the day.
It is ok to have a fun day with your kids and not be super strict with your eating. Planning your day to include exercise that burn calories and keep your metabolism ramped up, help to minimize the damage.
It is also important to know that most days following a few simple eating rules will help to keep the fat off and the right exercises can help strip the fat off and keep it off.
What ever happens today, I know it is going to be fun! Kids birthdays are great. I wish I was a kid again!
Check out www.busyguyfatloss.com for more info on fat loss eating and workouts.
We have tried our best to make today very special for him. He got his favorite breakfast, french toast ( we used high fiber bread which he loves!) and later today we are going to one of those kids places where you eat pizza and play games. Should be fun.
Yes today is a day to loosen up a bit. I had some french toast but I paired it with eggs and vegetables.
I am going to have some pizza, but probably only two slices.
This morning I did some interval cardio outside doing hill sprints. Took me about 20 minutes to warm up, do 5 sprints up the hill and cool down and stretch.
This evening, we are going to the pool, and while I won't workout there, is providing me with some great outdoors time with my family. This evening, I plan on doing a fast body weight circuit to cap off the day.
It is ok to have a fun day with your kids and not be super strict with your eating. Planning your day to include exercise that burn calories and keep your metabolism ramped up, help to minimize the damage.
It is also important to know that most days following a few simple eating rules will help to keep the fat off and the right exercises can help strip the fat off and keep it off.
What ever happens today, I know it is going to be fun! Kids birthdays are great. I wish I was a kid again!
Check out www.busyguyfatloss.com for more info on fat loss eating and workouts.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Fat Loss Nutrition
I am not an expert on nutrition, I just know what works for me and for anyone that I have shared my tips with. Nutrition is not rocket science, we just make it out to be that way. I came across this article by nutritionist MIke Rossell. I have His book, Your Naked Nutrition Guide, and I found it to the point. It is no fluff and simple common sense type approach to eating that pretty much anyone can follow. Check out his article.
Why Diets Fail and How to Prevent it.
Mike Roussell
Losing weight is easy. Anyone can lose weight. Everyone at one point in their lives has lost weight. Keeping the weight off isn't easy. Most people can't keep the weight off. Everyone at one point in their lives has put weight back on. Scientific studies have shown time and time again that diets and dieting don’t work. That’s right “scientifically proven” not to work. Now that is a headline you won’t see very often.
Recently a group of scientists looked at the outcomes of 14 different long term weight loss studies. The initial weight loss in these studies, like most, was great with the participants losing an average of 31 pounds. However at the end of a 4 year follow up period the participants had gained back an average of 24lbs! 7 of these 14 studies actually showed that the participants gain back MORE weight then they had lost. This example, unfortunately, is not the exception but the norm. Countless long term weight loss studies yield disappointing results upon their conclusion.
What is the problem here?
Part of the problem lies in how scientific studies are set up. Randomized clinical trials are seen by many as the gold standard of scientific research. In a randomized clinical trial a participant is randomly assigned to a treatment group, meaning that they are randomly given a diet to follow.
This is the problem. If you are randomized to a low carb diet but you hate red meat then you are set up for failure; because as soon as you can get off the diet you will. Weight loss studies also don’t allow for a “break-in” period. With my clients it can take 2-6 weeks before they are fully following the Naked Nutrition Plan. When you can ease into nutritional changes they are more likely to “stick” over the long term. In weight loss studies people are given a diet and they need to follow it exactly starting from day 1. As a result people rely purely on will power to get then through. This never results in the formation of long term habits and the weight eventually gets put back on.
While many scientific studies have failed to elicit long term weight loss there is one on-going study that has set the standard for successful long term weight loss – The National Weight Control Registry. The National Weight Control Registry, established in 1994, was determined to figure out what are the keys to long term weight loss. There are currently over 5,000 members that report back regularly answering questions about their weight, diet, and behaviors. As I mentioned yesterday the average weight loss over a 5.5 year period is 66lbs! Not many people are able to keep that much weight off for that long. Here are some interesting statistics about the National Weight Loss Registry participants.
* 78% eat breakfast every day.
* 75% weigh them self at least once a week.
* 62% watch less than 10 hours of TV per week.
* 90% exercise, on average, about 1 hour per day.
How many of the above items do you do? I hope all of them. These are all simple but extremely effective practices. World renown speaker Brian Tracy says the key to success is finding what successful people do and copy it. Copy these people.
Another interesting fact about the participants of the National Weight Loss Registry is that 98% of the people say that they needed to modify their food intake in some way to lose weight. This speaks to the great importance that needs to be placed on nutrition. Successful weight loss plans do not just include exercise. The key is diet and exercise.
Here are some more tips for long term weight loss.
• You need to find a diet plan that works for you. If you love meat, don’t try to become a vegetarian because you think it will help you lose weight.
• Don’t try to be perfect right away. Make gradual changes to your nutritional plan as not to shock your system. Gradual changes seem more natural to your body, making it less likely that you are going to relapse.
• Choose a nutritional plan that is rich in fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and a variety of fats. Don’t pick a crazy fad diet – gimmicks don’t last.
Now you know why diets fail and how to make them successful. Look at your own nutritional plan, where does it fit? Is you plan setting you up for long term success? If not reread this article and make the necessary changes so that you can keep the weight off permanently.
Mike Roussell is a nationally renown sports nutritionist studying to receive his doctoral in nutrition at Penn State University. Mike coaches people from a variety of background (athletes, business professionals, house wive, etc) in achieving the body of their dreams. Mike has distilled down his extremely effective approach to nutrition in the manual Your Naked Nutrition Guide. Go to www.NakedNutritionGuide.com to find out more.
Why Diets Fail and How to Prevent it.
Mike Roussell
Losing weight is easy. Anyone can lose weight. Everyone at one point in their lives has lost weight. Keeping the weight off isn't easy. Most people can't keep the weight off. Everyone at one point in their lives has put weight back on. Scientific studies have shown time and time again that diets and dieting don’t work. That’s right “scientifically proven” not to work. Now that is a headline you won’t see very often.
Recently a group of scientists looked at the outcomes of 14 different long term weight loss studies. The initial weight loss in these studies, like most, was great with the participants losing an average of 31 pounds. However at the end of a 4 year follow up period the participants had gained back an average of 24lbs! 7 of these 14 studies actually showed that the participants gain back MORE weight then they had lost. This example, unfortunately, is not the exception but the norm. Countless long term weight loss studies yield disappointing results upon their conclusion.
What is the problem here?
Part of the problem lies in how scientific studies are set up. Randomized clinical trials are seen by many as the gold standard of scientific research. In a randomized clinical trial a participant is randomly assigned to a treatment group, meaning that they are randomly given a diet to follow.
This is the problem. If you are randomized to a low carb diet but you hate red meat then you are set up for failure; because as soon as you can get off the diet you will. Weight loss studies also don’t allow for a “break-in” period. With my clients it can take 2-6 weeks before they are fully following the Naked Nutrition Plan. When you can ease into nutritional changes they are more likely to “stick” over the long term. In weight loss studies people are given a diet and they need to follow it exactly starting from day 1. As a result people rely purely on will power to get then through. This never results in the formation of long term habits and the weight eventually gets put back on.
While many scientific studies have failed to elicit long term weight loss there is one on-going study that has set the standard for successful long term weight loss – The National Weight Control Registry. The National Weight Control Registry, established in 1994, was determined to figure out what are the keys to long term weight loss. There are currently over 5,000 members that report back regularly answering questions about their weight, diet, and behaviors. As I mentioned yesterday the average weight loss over a 5.5 year period is 66lbs! Not many people are able to keep that much weight off for that long. Here are some interesting statistics about the National Weight Loss Registry participants.
* 78% eat breakfast every day.
* 75% weigh them self at least once a week.
* 62% watch less than 10 hours of TV per week.
* 90% exercise, on average, about 1 hour per day.
How many of the above items do you do? I hope all of them. These are all simple but extremely effective practices. World renown speaker Brian Tracy says the key to success is finding what successful people do and copy it. Copy these people.
Another interesting fact about the participants of the National Weight Loss Registry is that 98% of the people say that they needed to modify their food intake in some way to lose weight. This speaks to the great importance that needs to be placed on nutrition. Successful weight loss plans do not just include exercise. The key is diet and exercise.
Here are some more tips for long term weight loss.
• You need to find a diet plan that works for you. If you love meat, don’t try to become a vegetarian because you think it will help you lose weight.
• Don’t try to be perfect right away. Make gradual changes to your nutritional plan as not to shock your system. Gradual changes seem more natural to your body, making it less likely that you are going to relapse.
• Choose a nutritional plan that is rich in fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and a variety of fats. Don’t pick a crazy fad diet – gimmicks don’t last.
Now you know why diets fail and how to make them successful. Look at your own nutritional plan, where does it fit? Is you plan setting you up for long term success? If not reread this article and make the necessary changes so that you can keep the weight off permanently.
Mike Roussell is a nationally renown sports nutritionist studying to receive his doctoral in nutrition at Penn State University. Mike coaches people from a variety of background (athletes, business professionals, house wive, etc) in achieving the body of their dreams. Mike has distilled down his extremely effective approach to nutrition in the manual Your Naked Nutrition Guide. Go to www.NakedNutritionGuide.com to find out more.
Unrealistic Expectations
Every January 1, millions of people all over the world decide that this will be the year they finall get in shape.
By February 1, most have forgotten about fitness and health and are back to the same sad habits that got them fat in the first place.
Why does this happen? Well, for starters, they have unrealistic expectations. They think that they should begin to see results almost immediately. When, after a week, they still can't see their abs, they get frustrated or give up. Then they go back to doing all the bad habits they did before. It is a yearly cycle, and they can't break free.
Know that fat loss is going to be tough. It is going to take some work, in fact, a lot of work. Set short term and long term goals. Do something every day that moves you closer to your goal.
Instead of saying, " this won't hurt my fat loss efforts too much.", say this, " does this help me move closer to my goal or move me away?" Be honest with yourself and slowly you will gain momentum and the fat will begin to come off.
It will not happen in a week, though you should see some improvements pretty quickly. Every day try and get better than the day before. Fat loss is hard and knowing this will make it easier.
Sounds strange, but it is true.
By February 1, most have forgotten about fitness and health and are back to the same sad habits that got them fat in the first place.
Why does this happen? Well, for starters, they have unrealistic expectations. They think that they should begin to see results almost immediately. When, after a week, they still can't see their abs, they get frustrated or give up. Then they go back to doing all the bad habits they did before. It is a yearly cycle, and they can't break free.
Know that fat loss is going to be tough. It is going to take some work, in fact, a lot of work. Set short term and long term goals. Do something every day that moves you closer to your goal.
Instead of saying, " this won't hurt my fat loss efforts too much.", say this, " does this help me move closer to my goal or move me away?" Be honest with yourself and slowly you will gain momentum and the fat will begin to come off.
It will not happen in a week, though you should see some improvements pretty quickly. Every day try and get better than the day before. Fat loss is hard and knowing this will make it easier.
Sounds strange, but it is true.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Todays Fast Workout
Today I was pretty busy, as I am most days. Heck, a wife, two kids, both under 3, and a full time job, it is a wonder I have any time at all to workout!
My secret is short, fast, effective workouts. I utilize compound moves that work large amounts of muscle so I don't have to spend a half hour working my back by doing worthless exercises.
Today I used my homemade sandbag and chin up bar. I also threw in some bodyweight moves as well. Here is what I did:
sand bag lunges 2 x 5 each side
mixed grip chin ups 2 x as many as possible
30 reps of the following exercises done in circuit fashion:
bw squats
pushups
jumping jacks
mountain climbers
hip bridge
2 x through this circuit.
That was it. It took about 15 minutes to get through everything, and I was tired, not wiped out, but tired.
You don't need long workouts to get fit. Check out www.busyguyfatloss.com for more great workouts that get you lean without taking a lot of time.
My secret is short, fast, effective workouts. I utilize compound moves that work large amounts of muscle so I don't have to spend a half hour working my back by doing worthless exercises.
Today I used my homemade sandbag and chin up bar. I also threw in some bodyweight moves as well. Here is what I did:
sand bag lunges 2 x 5 each side
mixed grip chin ups 2 x as many as possible
30 reps of the following exercises done in circuit fashion:
bw squats
pushups
jumping jacks
mountain climbers
hip bridge
2 x through this circuit.
That was it. It took about 15 minutes to get through everything, and I was tired, not wiped out, but tired.
You don't need long workouts to get fit. Check out www.busyguyfatloss.com for more great workouts that get you lean without taking a lot of time.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Beach Bound
I am heading for the beach for the weekend with my family. We are going to be staying with some friends of ours, it should be a fun trip.
It is always tough when you go away because you get out of your fitness routine. Nothing wrong with that but it can be easy to totally let loose and eat whatever you want and do no exercise.
Letting loose can be ok too sometimes. This weekend though, I want to try and stick to my regular eating habits and training routines as much as possible. Will it be easy?
No. It will take some preparation. Here are some things I am doing to make sure I don't fall off track.
1. pack plenty of nuts, fruit and some protein bars for the trip. Many people don't eat more than two or three times a day so I need some snacks.
2. Focus on body weight training. I do this alot anyway so it is not tough for me. Body weight training can pretty much be done anywhere so I plan to do double sessions Saturday and Sunday, a few minutes each in the morning and afternoon. This will help keep my metabolism ramped up and minimize the damage of some of the less than optimal food I may eat.
There you go. I am excited about the weekend and plan on having a lot of fun making sand castles with my kids. I won't obsess about food or exercise. I have a plan and I am prepared.
Have a great weekend.
It is always tough when you go away because you get out of your fitness routine. Nothing wrong with that but it can be easy to totally let loose and eat whatever you want and do no exercise.
Letting loose can be ok too sometimes. This weekend though, I want to try and stick to my regular eating habits and training routines as much as possible. Will it be easy?
No. It will take some preparation. Here are some things I am doing to make sure I don't fall off track.
1. pack plenty of nuts, fruit and some protein bars for the trip. Many people don't eat more than two or three times a day so I need some snacks.
2. Focus on body weight training. I do this alot anyway so it is not tough for me. Body weight training can pretty much be done anywhere so I plan to do double sessions Saturday and Sunday, a few minutes each in the morning and afternoon. This will help keep my metabolism ramped up and minimize the damage of some of the less than optimal food I may eat.
There you go. I am excited about the weekend and plan on having a lot of fun making sand castles with my kids. I won't obsess about food or exercise. I have a plan and I am prepared.
Have a great weekend.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
