FUNCTIONAL-MEDICINE-APPROACH-TO-WEIGHT-LOSS

FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE APPROACH TO WEIGHT LOSS Activating body, mind, and spirit with cutting-edge nutritional science..

About the Author Culinary Visionary Anass Sentissi is a fresh food enthusiast and Executive Chef, renowned for his flavorful Mediterranean cuisine and whole food cooking classes. He believes, as Hippocrates did, that "Let thy food be thy medicine, and thy medicine be thy food." Diverse Passions A true modern-day Renaissance Man, Anass's interests span music, art, and science. He is an accomplished percussionist, performing traditional Andalusian music and sharing his love for Moroccan culture. Holistic Health Expert As a Functional Medicine Practitioner, Functional Nutritionist, and Integrative Holistic Health Coach, Anass guides individuals on their healing journeys, demonstrating that all health goals are deliciously achievable through functional medicine and whole food cooking..

Introduction to Functional Medicine My name is Anass Sentissi, a certified Holistic Health Coach, Nutritionist, and Functional Medicine Practitioner, trained at Functional Medicine University. I created the Functional Medicine Weight Loss Program after my own wellness journey and extensive training in over a hundred dietary theories and lifestyle coaching methods at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Leveraging this knowledge and my expertise in Functional Medicine diagnostics, I help unique "Bio-Individuals" create personalized roadmaps for health and weight loss tailored to their body, lifestyle, preferences, and goals. What is FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE? Functional Medicine is a patient-centered, science-based approach that treats individuals by addressing bodily imbalances and dysfunctions, rather than isolated diseases. It seeks to uncover the underlying physiological dysfunctions that are the root cause of symptoms and conditions like Diabetes, Cancer, or Fibromyalgia. "The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease." ~Thomas Edison Functional Medicine diagnoses these imbalances at their source, providing proven protocols to restore bodily balance. For complex, multi-faceted diseases, we formulate and test hypotheses about system dysfunctions (e.g., Metabolic, Immune- Autoimmune, Nutritional, Genetic) using state-of-the-art diagnostic testing to uncover underlying causes..

A Word of Encouragement About This Program This program presents scientific information on health risks associated with being overweight or obese. This information is not meant to instill fear, which can prevent progress. Instead, this upfront knowledge empowers you to understand the negative changes in your body, providing tools to ignite positive change in your life! I'm pleased to share invaluable tools from Functional Medicine's science of nutrition, rooted in ancient wisdom. This knowledge is your right. As unique Bio-Individuals, this program and its diagnostic testing will help you understand your body and achieve the balance necessary for weight loss. Roadblocks to weight loss, especially with age, often stem from nutritional imbalances caused by toxicities, sensitivities, and deficiencies, hindering your body's systems. While weight loss is commonly thought to be harder with age, this is not true. It simply reflects accumulated imbalances..

Harmony and Healing Through Whole Foods Healing through a diet rich in Whole Foods is a big component of the Functional Medicine Weight Loss Program. You should also know that I am an Executive Chef who has a passion for healthy, tasty cuisine that I want to share with you& Part of what drives me in my Functional Medicine mission is having experienced my own amazing personal health transformation through food. Interestingly, I was very unhealthy at one point in my life. I was grossly overweight, with all sorts of health problems. Finally, I stumbled upon the golden principles of the Functional Medicine Approach to Weight Loss which I have outlined in this book, and after applying them, I lost the extra weight and my health problems evaporated. So yes, I firmly believe that you too can transform your life through whole food cooking without having to sacrifice the pleasure and enjoyment of really delicious food! My life has been a voyage of experiences. While the artistry of Food as Medicine is now my passion, my first love was actually that of Music, which expresses a majestic form of Harmony. As defined by musical tuning, or Musical Temperament, this concept directly applies from ancient medicine the dictum: "Health is a harmony of the humors" For instance, the process of Homeostasis, by which our bodies inherently establish and maintain balance and which is a natural, functional aspect of everyone's body. ho·me·o·sta·sis /ÎhMm�oÊst�s[s/ noun The tendency of the body to seek and maintain a condition of balance or equilibrium within its internal environment, even when faced with external changes. A simple example of homeostasis is the body's ability to maintain an internal temperature around 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, whatever the temperature outside the body may be. The three Fundamental Factors of Health and Disease as they pertain to Homeostasis are: pH, Temperature, and Oxygen Tension When these three fundamentals are balanced the whole body is in total health, and this is very similar to the analogy of tuning instruments in the orchestra when we perform - for without fine tunings, we cannot establish our Harmony!.

Mindful Eating, Primary Food & the Mind- Body-Spirit Connection Healing will happen effortlessly when your body's systems are brought back into balance by incorporating the fundamental principles of ancient and holistic healing approaches outlined in this book. That is the connection between the body, mind, and spirit - in correlation with the ancient practice of meditation - and incorporating these practices into a healthy way of eating that will support your new healthy lifestyle. Have you ever wondered why diets work for some people and are absolutely useless for some others? The honest answer is because we are all Bio-individuals. Also& What might you consider to be Primary Food? Well, Primary Food is the energy that we get from Meditation, Gratitude, and Love! The food that we eat is really actually Secondary Food. Consider the practice of meditation, during which we enter into a deep trance and "leave" ourselves; that is, we are detached from our ordinary state of mind, and are able to connect with our highest beliefs and intentions. Maintaining a state of mindfulness through meditation, gratitude, and love helps with the secretion of hormones and neurotransmitters that are necessary to produce balance in the body's systems, not to mention energy production at the cellular level and also a decisiveness about where that energy comes from. Our energy is the most significant source of nourishment of all! Even when we eat well, exercise, and follow the suggestions of our doctors or dietitians, we still do not feel well if we are not able to find some sort of balance through mindful eating and primary food. Without this, our secondary food alone won't work! Now, how simple is that? The connection between the mind and the body is akin to the connection between the brain and the gut. We now know that 95% of what nurtures the brain is made in the gut, and many nutrients made in the brain from the pineal gland are definitely responsible for the maintenance of a healthy gut. If we reclaim this divine synergy, we will all experience a profound healing of our minds, bodies, and spirits, while we also discover the deep connection we share with the universe around us. Nothing will change until we change ourselves, and if we change ourselves, the whole world will change as well. I am sure you will agree that any significant change requires patience; for it is impossible, in only minutes, to change behavior that has been acquired over many years. Our persistence is what makes change happen, as success is the direct result of the time, energy, and effort we have invested..

Intuition: Setting our Intentions and Trusting the Outcome Are you living in a Trust Consciousness, have you developed your intuition? You might say, for example, that your Intuition to buy this weight loss program is: "A state of positive consciousness that serves to develop your common sense brain energy coupled with your physical actions/reactions." Or, in other words, the physical act of purchasing this program demonstrates that your intention is set. Through this action, you are setting your intention towards the goal of reversing disease or losing weight (or both!) while trusting that the outcome of this act will be that your goals will indeed be reached by following the Functional Medicine Weight Loss Program. SET YOUR INTENTIONS BEFORE SETTING YOUR ACTIONS! Acting upon our intuitions requires a mindset of self- discipline, determination, consistency and a deeply felt sincerity of intention so that our actions, as a result of our intuitions, may bloom into Self-Trust. Continue to say it louder: "I am going to lose weight, look good, and feel great!" This mindset therapy will motivate your sincerity - repeat it again and again - anytime, anywhere, consistently boosting Self-Trust..

Overweight/Obesity and its Solution Introduction Overweight refers to a condition of having excess body weight as compared to set standards. The excess weight may come from muscle, bone, fat, and/or body water. It also pertains to an increase in the body weight greater than that required for normal function that is characterized by the accumulation of excessive fat. BMI Body mass index (BMI) is a simple index of weight-for-height that is commonly used to classify overweight and obesity in adults. It is defined as a person's weight in kilograms divided by the square of his height in meters (kg/m²). Adults For adults - overweight and obesity are defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as follows: OVERWEIGHT is a BMI greater than or equal to 25. OBESITY is a BMI greater than or equal to 30. Children Age must be considered when defining being overweight and obesity in children. For those under 5 years of age, overweight is weight-for-height greater than 2 standard deviations above WHO Child Growth Standards median. Obesity is weight-for- height greater than 3 standard deviations above the WHO Child Growth Standards median. Body Mass Index BMI is one way to tell whether you are at a normal weight, are overweight, or if you are obese. It measures your weight in relation to your height and provides a score to help place you in one of three categories: normal weight: BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 overweight: BMI of 25 to 29.9 obesity: BMI of 30 or higher Waist Size It is also important to know your waist size in inches. Having too much fat around your waist may increase health risks, even more than having fat in other parts of your body. Women and men with a waist size of more than 35 and 40 inches respectively may have higher chances of developing diseases related to obesity. In 2014, more than 1.9 billion adults aged 18 years and older were overweight. Of these, over 600 million were obese. Overall, about 13% of the world's adult population (11% of men and 15% of women) were obese in 2014, 39% of adults aged 18 years and older (38% of men and 40% of women) were overweight..

What Causes People to be Obese or Overweight? The fundamental cause of obesity and overweight is an energy imbalance between calories consumed and calories expended. Globally, there has been an increased intake of energy-dense foods that are high in fat; and a decrease in physical inactivity due to the increasingly sedentary nature of many forms of work, changing modes of transportation, and increasing urbanization. Changes in dietary and physical activity patterns are often the result of environmental and societal changes associated with development and lack of supportive policies in sectors such as health, agriculture, transport, urban planning, environment, food processing, distribution, marketing, and education. Weight Gain & Health Environment al Influences Lifestyle Changes Dietary Factors Energy Imbalance What are the Common Health Consequences of Being Overweight and Obese? Raised BMI is a major risk factor for non-communicable diseases such as: Cardiovascular Diseases Mainly heart disease and stroke, which were the leading cause of death in 2012 Diabetes Increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes with insulin resistance Musculoskeletal Disorders Especially osteoarthritis, a highly disabling degenerative disease of the joints Cancers Including endometrial, breast, ovarian, prostate, liver, gallbladder, kidney, and colon The risk for these non-communicable diseases increases with every increase in BMI. Childhood obesity is associated with a higher chance of obesity, premature death, and disability in adulthood. In addition to increased future risks, obese children experience: Breathing difficulties Increased risk of fractures Hypertension Early markers of cardiovascular disease Insulin resistance Psychological effects.

How Can Overweight and Obese People Shed Excess Weight? At the individual level, people can limit energy intake from total saturated fats and sugars; increase consumption of fruit and vegetables, as well as legumes, whole grains and nuts; and engage in regular physical activity (60 minutes a day for children and 150 minutes spread through the week for adults). Individual responsibility can only have its full effect when you have access to a healthy lifestyle. Therefore, at the societal level, it is important to support individuals in pursuing the recommendations above through sustained implementation of evidence-based and population-based policies that make regular physical activity and healthier dietary choices available, affordable, and easily accessible to everyone, particularly to the poorest individuals. An example of such a policy is a tax on sugar sweetened beverages. The food industry can play a significant role in promoting healthy diets by: Reducing the amount of saturated fats, sugar and salt content of processed foods Ensuring that healthy and nutritious choices are available and affordable to all consumers Restricting marketing of foods high in sugars, salt and fats, especially those foods aimed at children and teenagers Ensuring the availability of healthy food choices and supporting regular physical activity practice in the workplace WHO (World Health Organization) Response Adopted by the World Health Assembly in 2004, the "WHO Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health" describes the actions needed to support healthy diets and regular physical activity. The Strategy calls upon all stakeholders to take action at global, regional, and local levels to improve diets and physical activity patterns at the population level. The Political Declaration of the High-Level Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases of September 2011, recognizes the critical importance of reducing unhealthy diet and physical inactivity. The political declaration commits to advancing the implementation of the "WHO Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health", through the introduction of policies and actions aimed at promoting healthy diets and increasing physical activity across the entire population..

Health Issues Related to Being Overweight Type 2 Diabetes What is Type 2 diabetes? Type 2 Diabetes is a disease in which blood sugar levels are above normal. High blood sugar is a major cause of heart disease, kidney disease, stroke, amputation, and blindness. In 2009, diabetes was the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. Type 2 Diabetes is the most common type of diabetes. Family history and genes play a large role in Type 2 Diabetes. Other risk factors include low activity levels, poor diet, and excess body weight around the waist. Type 2 Diabetes is more common among blacks, Latinos, and American Indians than whites. How is Type 2 diabetes linked to being overweight? About 80 percent of people with Type 2 Diabetes are overweight or obese. It isn't clear why people who are overweight are more likely to develop this disease. It may be that being overweight causes cells to change, making them resistant to the hormone insulin. Insulin carries sugar from blood to the cells, where it is used to produce energy. When a person is insulin resistant, blood sugar cannot be taken up by the cells, resulting in high blood sugar. In addition, the cells that produce insulin must work extra hard to try to keep blood sugar normal. This may cause the cells to gradually fail. High Blood Pressure What is high blood pressure? Every time your heart beats, it pumps blood through the arteries to the rest of your body. Blood pressure is how hard your blood pushes against the walls of your arteries. High blood pressure (hypertension) usually has no symptoms, but may cause serious problems, such as heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure. Blood pressure of 120/80 mm Hg (often referred to as "120 over 80") is considered normal. If the top number (systolic blood pressure) is consistently 140 or higher or the bottom number (diastolic blood pressure) is 90 or higher, you are considered to have high blood pressure. How is high blood pressure linked to being overweight? High blood pressure is linked to being overweight and obesity in several ways. Having a large body size may increase blood pressure as your heart needs to pump harder to supply blood to all your cells. Excess fat may also damage your kidneys, which help regulate blood pressure. How can weight loss help? Weight loss that gets you close to the normal BMI range may greatly lower your blood pressure. Other helpful changes include quitting smoking, reducing salt, and getting engaged in regular physical activity. However, if lifestyle changes aren't enough, your doctor may prescribe drugs to help lower your blood pressure..

Heart Disease and Stroke Heart Disease What is heart disease? Heart disease is a term used to describe several problems that may affect your heart. The most common type of problem happens when a blood vessel that carries blood to the heart becomes hard and narrow. This may keep the heart from getting all the blood it needs. Other problems may affect how well the heart pumps. If you have heart disease, you may suffer from a heart attack, heart failure, sudden cardiac death, angina (chest pain), or abnormal heart rhythm. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. How is heart disease linked to overweight? People who are overweight or obese often have health problems that may increase the risk of heart disease. The health problems include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and high blood sugar. In addition, excess weight may cause changes to your heart making it work harder to send blood to all the cells in your body. How can weight loss help? Losing 5 to 10 percent of your weight may lower your chances of developing heart disease. If you weigh 200 pounds, this means losing as little as 10 pounds. Weight loss may improve blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and blood flow. Stroke What is a stroke? A stroke happens when the flow of blood to a part of your brain stops, causing brain cells to die. The most common type of stroke, called ischemic stroke, occurs when a blood clot blocks an artery that carries blood to the brain. Another type of stroke, called hemorrhagic stroke, happens when a blood vessel in the brain bursts. How are strokes linked to being overweight? Overweight and obesity are known to increase blood pressure. High blood pressure is the leading cause of strokes. Excess weight also increases your chances of developing other problems linked to strokes, including high cholesterol, high blood sugar, and heart disease. How can weight loss help? One of the most important things you can do to reduce the risk of stroke is to keep your blood pressure under control. Losing weight may help you lower your blood pressure. It may also improve your cholesterol and blood sugar, lowering your risk of suffering a stroke..

Cancers and Sleep Apnea Cancers What kinds of cancers are linked to being overweight? Being overweight increases the risk of developing certain cancers, including the following: breast (after menopause), colon and rectum, endometrium (lining of the uterus), gallbladder and kidney. What is cancer? Cancer occurs when cells in one part of the body, such as the colon, grow abnormally or out of control. The cancerous cells sometimes spread to other parts of the body, such as the liver. Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States. How is cancer linked to being overweight? Gaining weight, as an adult, increases the risk for several cancers, even if the weight gain doesn't result in being overweight or obese. It isn't known exactly how being overweight increases the cancer risk. Fat cells may release hormones that affect cell growth, leading to cancer. Also, eating habits or a decreased level of physical activity may also contribute to the cancer risk. Sleep Apnea What is sleep apnea? Sleep apnea is a condition in which a person has one or more pauses in breathing during sleep. A person who has sleep apnea may suffer from daytime sleepiness, difficulty focusing, and even heart failure. How is sleep apnea linked to being overweight? Obesity is the most notable risk factor for sleep apnea. A person who is overweight may have more fat stored around his or her neck. This may make the airway smaller. A smaller airway can make breathing difficult or loud (because of snoring), or breathing may stop altogether for short periods of time. In addition, fat stored in the neck and throughout the body may produce substances that cause inflammation. Inflammation in the neck is a risk factor for sleep apnea. How can weight loss help? Weight loss usually improves sleep apnea. Weight loss may help to decrease the neck size and lessen inflammation..

Osteoarthritis and Fatty Liver Disease 1 Osteoarthritis Osteoarthritis is a common health problem that causes pain and stiffness in the joints. Osteoarthritis is often related to aging or an injury, and most often affects joints in the hands, knees, hips, and lower back. Being overweight is one of the risk factors for osteoarthritis, along with joint injury, older age, and genetic factors. Extra weight may place extra pressure on joints and cartilage (the hard but slippery tissue that covers the ends of your bones at joints), causing them to wear. In addition, people with more body fat may have in their blood higher levels of substances that cause inflammation. Inflamed joints may increase the risk of osteoarthritis. For those who are overweight or obese, losing weight may help reduce the risk of developing osteoarthritis. Weight loss of at least 5 percent of your body weight may decrease stress on the knees, hips, and lower back and lessen inflammation in your body. 2 Fatty Liver Disease Fatty liver disease or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), occurs when fat builds up in the liver and causes injury. Fatty liver disease may lead to severe liver damage, cirrhosis (scar tissue), or even liver failure. Fatty liver disease usually produces mild or no symptoms. It is like alcoholic liver disease, but it isn't caused by alcohol and can affect people who drink little or no alcohol. The cause of fatty liver disease is still not known. The disease most often affects people who are middle- aged, overweight or obese, and/or diabetic. Fatty liver disease may also affect children. Although there is no specific treatment for fatty liver disease, patients are generally advised to lose weight, eat a healthy diet, increase physical activity, and avoid drinking alcohol. If you have fatty liver disease, lowering your body weight to a healthy range may improve liver tests and reverse the disease to some extent..

Kidney Disease and Pregnancy Problems Kidney Disease Your kidneys are two bean-shaped organs that filter blood, removing extra water and waste products, which becomes urine. Your kidneys also help control blood pressure so that your body stays healthy. Kidney disease means that the kidneys are damaged and can't filter blood like they should. This damage can cause wastes to build up in the body. It can also cause other problems that can harm your health. How is kidney disease linked to being overweight? Obesity increases the risk of diabetes and high blood pressure, the most common causes of chronic kidney disease. Recent studies suggest that even in the absence of these risks, obesity may promote chronic kidney disease and quicken its progress. How can weight loss help? If you are in the early stages of chronic kidney disease, losing weight may slow it down and keep your kidneys healthier for longer. Go for foods with less salt (sodium), keep your blood pressure under control, and keep your blood glucose in the desired range. Pregnancy Problems Being overweight and obese raises the risk of health problems for both mother and baby during the pregnancy. Pregnant women who are overweight or obese may have an increased risk for developing gestational diabetes (high blood sugar during pregnancy), having preeclampsia (high blood pressure during pregnancy that can cause severe problems for both mother and baby if left untreated) needing a C-section and, as a result, taking longer to recover after giving birth. Babies of overweight mothers have an increased risk of being born too soon, being stillborn (dead in the womb after 20 weeks of pregnancy), and having neural tube defects (defects of the brain and spinal cord). How are pregnancy problems linked to being overweight? Pregnant women who are overweight are more likely to develop insulin resistance, high blood sugar, and high blood pressure. It also increases the risks associated with surgery and anesthesia, and severe obesity increases surgery time and blood loss. Gaining too much weight during pregnancy can have long-term effects for both mother and child. The effects include the mother getting overweight or obese after childbirth. Another risk is that the baby may gain too much weight as a child or as an adult. How many pounds should I gain during pregnancy? Guidelines from the Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council, issued in 2009, recommend the following amount of weight gain during pregnancy: Pre-pregnancy Weight Amount to Gain Underweight (BMI < 18.5) 28-40 lbs. Normal Weight (BMI 18.5-24.9) 25-35 lbs. Overweight (BMI 25-29.9) 15-25 lbs. Obesity (BMI 30+) 11-20 lbs..

Does Your Weight Determine Your Mortality? Well, here's what the science says: Mortality rates increase with increasing degrees of overweight, as measured by BMI. This claim, central to arguments that a higher than average body mass amounts to major public health problems, is at best, weakly supported by the epidemiological literature. Except at true statistical extremes, high body mass is a very weak predictor of mortality, and may even be protective in older populations. In particular, the claim that 'overweight' (BMI 25329.9) increases mortality risk in any meaningful way is impossible to reconcile with numerous large-scale studies that have found no increase in relative risk among the so-called 'overweight' individuals, or a lower relative risk for premature mortality among this cohort than persons from the so-called 'normal' or 'ideal' weight group. Among the obese, little or no increase in relative risk for premature mortality is observed until one reaches BMIs in the upper 30s or higher. In other words, the vast majority of people labelled 'overweight' or 'obese', according to current definitions, do not, in fact, face any meaningful increased risk for early death. Indeed the most recent comprehensive analysis of this question within the context of the US population found more premature deaths associated with a BMI of < 25 than above that. This was largely due to the finding that lowest death rates fell within the BMI range of 25 - 29.9 - some 86,000 fewer 'excess' deaths than was observed in the reference group. With the so-called 'normal weight' BMI range of 18.5 - 24.9. Additional analyses that controlled for potential confounders such as length of follow-up, weight stability, weight loss caused by illness or smoking status did not change the results. For this nationally representative cohort of US adults - National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys I, II, and III - the 'ideal' weight for longevity was being 'overweight'. These most recent findings from the NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) data should come as no surprise. Data from NHANES published in 1998 revealed essentially the same thing - a U-shaped relationship between BMI and mortality, the resulting empirical findings from each of the four race/sex groups, which are representative of the US population, demonstrate a wide range of BMIs consistent with minimum mortality. Despite the controversy over mortality rates among the overweight and obese, clearly, the health issues associated with being overweight or obese go far beyond the ones we frequently hear about, such as heart disease and diabetes. Being overweight also affects an individual's breathing, mood, self-esteem, joints, sleep, and energy levels. Therefore, being obese affects an individual's complete quality of life..

Defining Obesity When people start eating more calories than they actually burn off, their bodies start storing those extra calories as fat. A couple of extra pounds of body fat do not pose a health risk for many people. However, when individuals follow a consistent pattern of eating more calories, more fat builds up in their bodies. Eventually, the body reaches a point where the amount of body fat accumulated leads to negative effects on an individual's health. Doctors or health care professionals use the terms "obese" or "overweight" to describe the condition wherein a person is at an increased risk of developing weight-related health issues. Nowadays, more and more people are obese than ever before. According to experts, we are facing an "obesity epidemic". This is one of the health issues affecting not only adults but young people as well. One-third of children between the ages of three and nineteen are obese or overweight. Therefore, youth today are developing more health-related problems sooner than in the past that primarily affected adults such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes. All of this was necessary from an evolutionary perspective, as our bodies adapted to stress factors related to everyday living. But today, these deep rooted survival mechanisms are the root of our diabetic and cardiovascular problems as it upsets the intricate hormonal balance within our body. The high incidence and virulence of obesity-related diseases are exacerbated by lack of preventive care and appropriate health screenings. If you tend to visit the doctor later as opposed to sooner, illnesses are less treatable and curable and the body is weakened. That's why whether it's talking to your physician or going to a free clinic, we must become more proactive about our own health..

Are We Genetically Programmed to Gain Weight? As seen in most of the cases, obesity is a hereditary disease or problem. Some people suffer from a genetic tendency to put on weight more easily than others because they burn calories slowly. Although genes sturdily influence body size and type, the environment also plays a major role. People today are gaining weight because of family habits like eating while watching television, instead of at the dining table, and unhealthy food choices such as fast food and processed foods. Popular low nutrient beverages and snacks, less active lifestyles, high calories, and big portions of food are some of the leading factors contributing to the obesity epidemic. So, in this way we each determine our own genetic expression - that is, the choices we make in regards to diet and lifestyle determine whether our inherited genes are turned on... or off! We don't have to look far today to see the exponentially increasing population of overweight and obese individuals... And new studies now confirm that excess body fat (especially around the mid section) is a direct cause of inflammation throughout the body. The common belief for many years was that fat was an inert cellular matrix within the body which was simply unsightly. We now understand that our fat is a living organism which sends cellular signals to your organs when in distress. We hear that signal loud and clear. Body fat has an amazing capacity to expand, an evolutionary design which has allowed our species to flourish for many generations. This same mechanism of survival may also be our downfall. Once fat tissues (adipocytes) have multiplied and expanded to maximum capacity, they release chemical messengers into the blood stream which cause systemic inflammation. Levels of homocysteine and C-reactive protein rise in the blood, which in turn causes excessive levels of inflammation in body tissues, as our immune system attempts to fight the never ending surge of inflammation-mediated byproducts..

How to Avoid a Lifetime of Misery from Diabetic Complications To begin, it is essential to eliminate high fructose corn syrup products from the diet. This is much easier said than done for most. It means the elimination of all refined and packaged foods including breads, pasta, cereals and any wheat or corn based items. Switch from soft drinks to natural drinks such as tea and water. Monitor your blood sugar by picking up an inexpensive meter at the local drug store. Your target goal is a fasting reading of 70 - 85 (72 is optimal), and never higher than 90. An even more important test is after meals. Test 1 and 2 hours after eating, and target a 1 hour reading of no more than 140, and a 2 hour reading no higher than 120. Adjust your food choices accordingly, as different people have different carbohydrate tolerance levels. New studies indicate that pancreatic beta cells begin to die off at blood glucose levels above 140. Once the beta cell population is depleted, you are an insulin-dependent diabetic, and have doubled your chance of developing cardiovascular disease. By following some simple dietary guidelines, you can dramatically reduce the chances of being afflicted with diabetes, and must work hard to protect your children from the ravages of this horrible disease. Warning Signs of Diabetes: Frequent urination Excessive thirst Unexplained weight loss Extreme hunger Sudden vision changes Tingling or numbness in hands or feet Feeling very tired much of the time Very dry skin Sores that are slow to heal More infections than usual.

Stress and Weight Gain When you're stressed you exercise less because you don't have the time. When you're stressed you eat more (and usually more junk food). When you're stressed you are constantly tired and yet can't get a good night's sleep, which has been proven to cause weight gain. Here is Some Science Behind the Facts When you are locked in a state of stress, your body is constantly producing the hormone Cortisol (also known as the 'death hormone'). Cortisol exposure leads to increased appetite and increased belly fat, as the body's natural mechanism to fight stress. The body begins storing reserves of the hormone as if preparing the body for a very long winter thousands of years ago. Fat cells even have an enzyme called HSD (11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-1). The HSD enzyme converts the inactive form of cortisol into the active, fat storing form called cortisol. HSD increases Cortisol levels within the cell as a way to encourage fat storage. That's how this problem begets more problems. Overproduction of Cortisol can even destroy brain cells! Visible Symptoms Common Signs Physiological Effects Internal Imbalances Metabolic Changes Elevated Cortisol levels, caused by constant stress, leave you with the following conditions: Increased appetite and food cravings Increased body fat Decreased muscle mass Decreased bone density Increased anxiety Increased depression Mood swings Reduced libido (sex drive) An impaired immune response Memory and learning impairment Increased symptoms of PMS (which also leads to an increased appetite) Increased menopausal side effects for women (hot flashes, nights sweats) Of course, the scary fact is that not only will stress and increased Cortisol levels cause weight gain, when you're stressed you are also more likely to have a heart attack, higher blood pressure, become depressed, have the flu more often, and have less sex. What a dismal picture! Stress and weight gain are clinically linked, and are at the root of all these issues. You can change your life in a very short time by addressing the correct root of these problems, so I encourage you to begin assessing how stressed you are, and begin making changes today. You won't regret it!.

Are You "Thin Fat"? What do nearly all people have in common? They do not train. Never. So starting in their thirties, they lose muscle mass and develop osteoporosis - over and above sunlight and vitamin D, strength training may actually increase bony mass (the body adjusts to accommodate a bigger mass than it actually does and bones get stronger). Being overweight puts stress on the bones and the estrogen secreted by the fat also helps. Being overweight is certainly somewhat protective for osteoporosis, but gives much less of a protection than resistance training. People who never train (nearly everyone) also lose cardiovascular function to the point where any task becomes a terrible challenge. For example, the average "thin" elderly constantly loses so much muscle mass that it gets to the point where he cannot get up from a bath or from a chair. So thin is actually frail. This does not have to happen! Elderly people who train regularly are as fit at 80 as an average 50 years old who do not train. Moreover: Except for the sick and emaciated people suffering from severe chronic disease (chronic pulmonary lung function, cancer, severe cardiovascular disease, liver or renal disease, etc.), "thin" elderly are what is commonly called "thin fat", They still have an increased cardiovascular risk because of the fact their fat is stored in their abdomen, where fat accumulation is associated with increased cardiovascular risk. And you certainly do not have to be elderly to be suffering from the damage excessive visceral fat is doing to your organs, cardiovascular and hormonal systems. One also has to take into account the fact that the survival of those overweight and obese people would not be that significant if it was not for modern medication. It is easy to close an eye on the significant morbidity associated with being overweight and simply look at crude comparative mortality ratios. The fact is, apart from osteoporosis, being overweight and obese is not protective against the very diseases these conditions cause: it is simply less problematic than being a "thin fat" individual or a frail "thin fat" elderly. The only significant protection is a real change in lifestyle with regular alternating resistance and cardiovascular training. Training has been demonstrated to improve survival, even in patients suffering from heart failure..

Essential Weight Loss Success Tips Drink Water Hunger is often confused with dehydration. The next time you feel like a snack, have a glass of water. Even mild dehydration can alter our body's metabolism, so aim to drink eight glasses a day and limit soda, caffeine, and alcohol. It is also agreed that drinking water before meals can help promote weight loss. Studies show people who drink two glasses of water before meals feel fuller and eat less. Eat Carbs3Real Carbs Replace refined carbohydrates like white bread, pasta, bagels, cereal, and pretzels with complex carbohydrates from fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes. Fruits and vegetables are high in fiber which slows digestion and promotes stable blood sugar levels. They're also packed with antioxidants which help reduce inflammation in the body. Whole grain carbohydrates should always be chosen over refined varieties. Choose Healthy Fats A common misconception is that fats should be completely eliminated. In reality, we could not live without fat. The body utilizes dietary fat for energy, health of hair, skin and nails, vitamin absorption, and normal everyday bodily functions. Good fats promote several health benefits such as protection against Heart Disease, Cancer, Alzheimer's, and Depression, as well as reduced blood pressure and lower Cholesterol. Choose sources such as nuts, seeds, fish, avocados, and extra virgin olive oil. Emphasize Lean Protein Our bodies require protein to continuously renew and replenish our cells, stabilize our blood sugar, and give us energy. Our bodies are literally made out of the amino acids that make up protein in our food. Many foods contain protein, but the richest sources include animal products like meat, dairy, eggs, and fish, as well as plant sources like beans, nuts, and seeds. When choosing animal protein sources, be conscious of the way the animal was raised and what it ate. Eat Breakfast By eating a hearty breakfast, you'll give your metabolism a jumpstart and be in better control of your cravings. When we miss our first fuel of the day, by mid-morning we are hungry and more likely to engage in mindless nibbling, snacking, overeating, and over compensating for any calories "saved" by skipping breakfast. Studies repeatedly show daily breakfast consumption is associated with maintaining a healthy weight. Eat More Frequently It's important to balance your food intake throughout the day to help maintain normal blood sugar and decrease the chances of ravenously binging when hunger strikes. Try to keep track of your meal choices and balance your caloric intake. Feeding your body on a regular basis lets it know food is available and it's okay to burn energy rather than conserve and store it as fat. Exercise Exercise has enormous benefits for your mind and body with research boasting decreased body weight, smaller waist circumference, lower resting heart rate and blood pressure. Strive to be active at least 30 minutes every day to help keep your body strong and lean. It doesn't have to be expensive - any movement is better than none, like taking the stairs instead of the elevator or going on nightly jogs or walks with your dog. Sleep More Research suggests that those who sleep five hours or less weigh five pounds more than those getting at least seven hours of shut eye per night. Over time, weight gain can increase more rapidly in those who get five hours of sleep when compared to those getting seven hours. Lack of sleep disrupts circadian rhythms and can lead to inefficient body regulation of energy balance, metabolism, and appetite..

More Essential Weight Loss Success Tips Learn To Cook Cooking meals at home allows you to control portion sizes and quality of ingredients, and it cuts your intake of sodium, fat, and Calories. Avoid frying foods by learning to roast or bake, and eat more raw foods to boost flavor and cut calories. Use herbs and spices to reduce salt intake. Check What You Eat Be a food detective, and investigate what you choose to put into your body. Check labels, and avoid ingredients such as sugar, trans fats, high fructose corn syrup, and long "chemical names" that are hard to pronounce. The healthiest foods are those found just as nature intended - whole and unprocessed. When was the last time you saw an ingredient list on a stalk of broccoli or a fresh fillet of salmon? Challenges to Weight Loss First of all, focusing on fitness rather than a dress size or a number on the scale takes the focus off the long held belief that reducing calories is the only vehicle to losing weight, and supports the more sensible method of increasing your metabolism to burn the calories we take in. Eating right and exercise benefits everyone, some may still not lose the fat weight they expected as there are many physiological (and psychological) mechanisms involved with weight gain and loss. There are other potential reasons for weight gain such as stress, allergies and hormonal issues so if you are not seeing the results you expect, further investigative diagnostics may be needed. By focusing solely on weight loss instead of improving our physiology and stepping up our metabolism we are commonly led into taking actions that are counter-productive to achieving our desired results. Unfortunately most people will go into a remote mode of doing things like missing meals, trying unsafe eating regimes, overtraining, diet pills, ephedra drinks and drastically restricting calories. This will result in a steady, gradual loss of WEIGHT that is not just fat, which usually includes a lot of fat burning muscle. Remember too, the weight was put on gradually, not overnight. Do not expect to lose the weight that you've accumulated over years in a matter of months, it can't be done safely. DIAGNOSTIC TESTING will help to determine why your body is not losing weight.

Why Calorie Counting Doesn't Work Calorie counting is a futile endeavor. Many factors besides calories affect your weight. If you fail to consider the other important factors, calorie counting will fail. Only consuming whole foods is a simpler approach - one that makes calorie tables and charts unnecessary. Reasons for Failure Calorie counting as a way of keeping weight down does not work. It is easy enough to count the calories, but counting calories is not the same as burning them. There are so many factors that modify the rate at which your body burns calories that simply regulating the number of calories we consume is ineffective. For example, 100 calories of broccoli are not metabolized and used by your body the same way 100 calories of chocolate are! In reality, your body burns some foods better than others, and there are individual differences in food burning ability, plus your metabolic rate differs from one person to another. Genes, hormones, nutritional requirements, type of exercise and your overall state of health affects your metabolic rate. Some people are born with high metabolic rates and never gain weight no matter how much they eat. How Do I Stimulate An Efficient Metabolism? Plenty of good food and the right kind of exercise! Being overweight almost never associated with over eating. In fact, most people who are overweight under eat. It's true! That, in fact, is one of the main reasons why a large percentage of people are overweight because their body goes into a defensive state, thinking it is suffering from starvation because it is so poorly nourished. Under such conditions, the body wants to grab every bit of food that is taken in and store it as fat as a defensive measure. In defensive mode, it also tends to slow its metabolism to conserve energy (calories). The slower the metabolism gets, it becomes increasingly more difficult to lose weight. Since being overweight is almost always caused by a slow metabolism. Increase Your Metabolic Rate To Lose Weight This is where the endless stream of popular diets and weight loss plans that have come and gone over the years break down completely. They do nothing to increase your metabolic rate, and very often actually slow your metabolism further. As you begin eating and exercising correctly for your unique body, your metabolism becomes more active and more efficient. You will not only get healthier, but you will steadily drop fat and increase lean muscle mass until you finally reach your ideal body weight..

Why We Gain Weight The main reason is because you are NOT burning the calories that you eat each day fast enough. Your metabolism is like an oven on "warm" attempting to cook an eight-ounce steak. If you don't increase your metabolic rate through consistent and proper diet and exercise, you will never achieve the increased metabolic rate that is needed to burn stored body fat. What Decreases Metabolic Action Rate? 1. Genetics There are many factors which have led to your depressed metabolism. One which we have no control over includes genetics (yes, you may have been born with an ultra-slow metabolism). 2. Muscle Mass Experts agree it doesn't just retard the aging process it may reverse it! Healthy muscle mass is essential, the more of it you have the greater your metabolic rate, which means you are less susceptible to fat gain. The more of it you have, means fewer problems with your blood sugars. Conditioned muscles strengthen our immune system and can keep us mobile and independent. I'm not talking about the excessive muscle you see on bodybuilders. You need to maintain the muscle you have making it more efficient. 3. Functional Physiology: Thyroid - Hormones - Allergies The thyroid produces both T4 and T3, but T3 is approximately three times more Dominant than T4 and is the active form of the hormone. In order to get more T3, a healthy body will convert roughly 60% of the circulating T4 into T3. This process occurs mostly in the liver by an enzyme called iodothyronine 5' deiodinase. The remaining T4 is converted to T3 in a healthy GI tract. If you have a healthy liver and GI tract, you'll be optimally converting T4 into T3. Common reasons the liver may not be converting T4-T3 Stress Alcohol Sugar Trans-fats Advanced glycation end products (AGES) High carbohydrate diet Leaky gut syndrome Mineral and vitamin deficiencies (selenium, zinc, iron, vitamin A, B-6, B12) Heavy metals (mercury, lead, etc..) Petrochemicals and other toxins Infections (Candida) Adrenal dysfunction Growth hormone deficiency Hemochromatosis (Iron overload).

More Factors That Decrease Metabolic Rate 4. Food Not eating enough of the right kind of foods slow down metabolism. We are the first generation that must take a good look at how processed foods, transfats and sugar (especially high fructose corn syrup), are affecting our metabolism due to the pervasiveness of them in our food supply. Eating food steps up your metabolism transforming your body. So, if the mere act of eating food steps up your metabolism, therefore, if you eat smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day, your metabolism will run more efficiently. Why? When you miss meals your body goes into storage mode rather than burning mode. The more you deprive yourself of food, the more your body panics and will begin slowing down to conserve energy. Most people know there are three food nutrients or Macronutrients: Protein Carbohydrates Fats Each of these nutrients are different chemically and structurally and have different functions and hormonal response. This means the kinds of calories you consume have a big impact on how much weight you gain, because different types of food are metabolized in different ways. Protein helps produce hormones that build muscle. The more muscle you have the more calories you burn 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. After eating carbohydrates, the body secretes insulin to shuttle sugars and protein into the cells, storing any extra sugars as fat. Eating fat has little influence on hormonal balance and recent studies have shown that high levels of good dietary fat do NOT promote weight gain and any weight loss from a low-fat diet is usually modest and temporary. Two other studies found that a low carbohydrate diet leads to more weight loss than a low fat diet. The amount and ratio of these nutrients ingested has a "compounding effect" over time. The muscle or body fat you build in response to this ratio of nutrients further affects your metabolism: Muscle stimulates testosterone and energy use 1. Fat stimulates estrogen and energy conservation 2. Did you know that all these nutrients have the potential to turn into fat if they are not used by your body for energy at the exact time it is absorbed through your Intestines? Late-night snacking or eating a meal before going to bed can sabotage your weight loss efforts. It is extremely beneficial to stop eating at least 3 hours before bedtime. It is also wise to consume most of your nutrients in the morning to the first half of the day so that you have the remainder of your day to metabolize what you have eaten..

Protein - Natural Fat Burner The more protein you eat the more fat you burn. The fact is, many are not getting enough protein in their diets to begin with and as your need for protein increases there is a proportional need for complex carbohydrates and fats. Contrary to what you may think, you will be astonished to find yourself slimming down despite eating more food and specifically an adequate amount of protein. How Much Protein? Be aware that the government recommendation of any nutrient whether they are a vitamin, mineral or trace minerals is only a minimum requirement for health and does not take in consideration the needs of very active or extreme athletes, or even the sickly for that matter. The fact is that, the more active you are, the greater your need for protein. More importantly, this need for protein is not out of proportion for the need of carbohydrates and fat. Stated another way, as your need for protein is increased due to an increase in activity (especially intense activity) your need for the nutrients that provide energy is also increased, which of course is carbohydrates and fat. Many athletes especially weightlifters and bodybuilders are under the false impression that increasing their protein intake and reducing carbohydrates will keep them leaner, when in fact the body will respond to a decrease in good carbohydrates in a very negative metabolic way. The body will turn to "gluconeogenesis" (the breaking down of muscle) to provide the steady supply of sugar to the brain and muscles that they need to survive and perform. This action decreases lean body mass and slows down the metabolism, not what anyone (especially athletes) want if they are trying to stay lean. One of the biggest considerations to a high protein to carbohydrate ratio diet is that it causes a decrease in testosterone output by as much as 15 to 20 percent (the last thing athletes need) while simultaneously increasing cortisol output. This just increases the breakdown of lean fat- burning muscle. Right Protein Proportion For Your Body? The rule of thumb for many years has been anywhere from 0.5 to 0.8 and even higher per pound of bodyweight for athletes. This is a protein to carbohydrate ratio that keeps hormones in balance which promotes muscle and lean body mass. The recommended amount of protein is meant to be spread out over 3 meals with 2 or 3 snacks which helps in assimilation. The average chicken breast has 40 grams of protein, so it is not very difficult to get one gram per pound of body weight eating good foods spread out over 3 meals and 2 or 3 snacks. Protein in Common Foods 7g Beef Per ounce 7g Poultry Per ounce 7g Fish Per ounce 7g Large Egg Per egg 8g Milk Per cup 7g Cheese Per ounce.

Fiber - Essential for Weight Loss Adding fiber to your meals by actually eating food with fiber creates a sensation of fullness, so you will feel more satisfied after eating (fat does this also). This is one of the most important dietary factors that has not been given enough attention to. Fiber or what used to be called roughage, wasn't given much value in the human diet until recently. Beyond its ability to keep us regular fiber is actually a powerful substance that can absorb fat and sugar in your stomach preventing some of that absorption. Fiber has the ability to help you lose weight, but also helps to lower your blood sugar and cholesterol. Fiber can help reduce your risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes and reduce inflammation. Fiber and weight loss Fiber slows down the transit of food through the digestive system keeping your stomach full for a longer period of time. Fiber also helps control blood sugar levels, decreasing insulin levels. An example of this would be the difference in eating an apple or drinking apple juice, they both supply the same nutrients and sugar, but the apple in its whole form requires much more energy and time to digest. The apple has a lower glycemic score due to the fiber. A high fiber diet will lower what is called the "glycemic load" of the whole meal by slowing the rate at which the sugars you are eating is digested. To reap these benefits, you must use real fiber from whole foods not fake fiber found in over the counter medications or processed foods. Real fiber can also lower cholesterol by first being fermented by bacteria in the colon to short chain fatty acids. These short chain fatty acids then turn down the action of the enzyme HMG COA reductase, thereby suppressing cholesterol synthesis in the body. You see, there are ways to safely lower cholesterol naturally! Fiber improves your metabolism! Add fiber slowly to your diet building up to 30 or 40 grams a day. Studies have shown that a high fiber breakfast makes you less hungry in the afternoon. Good sources of fiber include oatmeal, beans, whole grains, vegetables and fruit..

Carbohydrates or Good Sugar vs. Bad Sugar Carbohydrates are an energy source, glucose (sugar). Having low blood glucose may result in irritability, nervousness, headaches, sweating and confusion. Bad sugars are simple carbohydrates that are speedily absorbed such as honey, fruit sugar, and table sugar found in food such as candy, pastries, desserts, sodas etc. These sugars quickly overwhelm the body's ability to use them and easily get stored as fat. These refined sugars which are void of protein, vitamins, minerals and fiber are not utilized effectively by the body causing many other problems besides fat storage. This daily intake of sugar interferes with many functions of the body on a cellular basis and is the beginning of degenerative disease. Good sugars are usually considered complex carbohydrates such as: beans, yams, whole grains, rice, corn and oatmeal. These sugars take longer to digest, so there is a slower release of sugar into your bloodstream. These are then "sugars of choice" as they are released slowly thereby not overwhelming the body. This will then give your body a chance to use them for energy instead of storing them as fat. Elevated blood sugar sends signals to your brain that it's time to stop eating. We get into trouble when we eat foods with simple sugars (sodas, pastries, etc.) because less than two hours after eating them, that energy surge (which is your blood sugar levels elevated) drops fast. Your body senses this and tells the liver to excrete more sugar to bring it back to normal levels, but while the body takes the time to do this you feel hungry, tired and the need to eat something that will give you that same feeling again. The brain associates that candy bar you may have eaten with the pleasurable rush you had from it, leading you to get another quick sugar fix. This is how sugar hijacks your brain. Now you have sugar coming from two sources, your liver, and the sugary snack, causing a surge in your blood sugar, starting the vicious cycle of cravings and sugar consumption all over again. This rebound effect can put your body into biological turmoil, where you eat to feel better, but in reality, it is making you lethargic and fat& and sick. The sugar keeps disrupting our hormones and getting stored as fat. Our bodies are designed to store some fat but we've screwed up our metabolism by eating this way and turned our bodies into sugar-burning-fat-storing machines. On average, we eat about 180 pounds of sugar each year causing a greatly increased insulin production. This sugar abuse leads to insulin resistance which is a major contributor to weight gain, Type 2 Diabetes and rapid aging! Processed carbohydrates, especially starchy ones, will make you fat and diseased. You should get your carbs from unprocessed vegetables, fibrous fruits, beans and some whole grains..

Carbohydrates and Optimal Health Carbohydrates intake level is the key factor in your weight loss success or failure. Excessive consumption of simple carbohydrates is the most destructive behavior one can do to destroy their health and reduce their length of life. The following will serve as a general guide in understanding carbohydrate consumption and its impact on your health. As you include intense exercise, these numbers can be adjusted up slightly along with protein and fat: 0 to 50 grams per day Not recommended as a long term practice for most people, however, it is acceptable for occasional acceleration of aggressive weight loss. This level of carbohydrate consumption should be under the guidance of your physician. 50-100 grams per day This is commonly called the "sweet spot" for effortless weight loss and optimal health. The level of Carbohydrates consumption minimizes insulin production and accelerates fat metabolism. 100 to 150 grams per day This level of consumption may still provide a degree of weight loss but is most commonly used for maintaining your present weight. 150 to 300 grams per day This level of carb consumption prevents efficient fat metabolism and has been found to contribute to widespread of health problems. Contrary to what the media and well-meaning diet books teach, the continuous insulin stimulating effects of this level of Carbohydrates has been shown to be disastrous to one's health and well-being. 300 or more grams per day This level of consumption for the overweight, non- athlete is considered the "Danger Zone" and is the primary catalyst for obesity, type II diabetes, heart disease and a host of other debilitating diseases. High Fructose Corn Syrup There is one sugar that is a major player in the sweetener industry and maybe worse than any of the other sweeteners and additives put into the modern food supply. High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a sweetener found in many processed foods and when it was first introduced was thought to be a healthier sweetener due to the fact that when it is metabolized does not trigger as sharp a spike in insulin levels as table sugar does. We know that a diet high in sugar will elevate blood levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, insulin, cortisol and uric acid, but HFCS has been found to double those levels! Also, when we eat calories from healthy sources, they turn off your desire to eat, but HFCS isn't seen by our brain as a regular food therefore your body wants to keep eating. Because HFCS is such a rich source of calories it is a major contributor to weight gain..

Vitamin and Mineral Co-factors in Fat Metabolism The metabolism of fat cannot take place without help. The helpers in fat metabolism include enzymes and proteins made in the body along with minerals and vitamins (essential nutrients that must come from foods). Each step in every chemical reaction in fat metabolism requires the presence of a specific enzyme, mineral and vitamin. Without these important substances, the ability to lose fat is impossible. Vitamins are compounds that your body must have to be healthy. Vitamins are "essential" for proper function, which means that they are not made inside your body and must be consumed in the diet. The B-complex vitamins are necessary for many enzymes in your body to function properly. Your body uses enzymes to extract energy from food, to build new tissue, to remove toxins and to maintain the immune system. Vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5 and B6 Vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, and B6 are some of the most easily lost vitamins. All kinds of stressors, both emotional and physical, can increase losses of B vitamins. Vitamin B1, B2, B3, B5, and B6 are necessary for energy pathways of all of the cells in your body. As your food is broken down, specific compounds are formed in steps that require B vitamin assistance. Other Essential B Vitamins Folic acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 are also essential for proper functioning of your metabolism. Alpha-Lipoic acid (ALA) is involved in energy metabolism and insulin function. Antioxidant Vitamins Vitamins C, E and Coenzyme Q10 are grouped together because they are all involved in antioxidant protection. More importantly, each plays a crucial role in energy metabolism. Vitamin C is easily lost from the body and must be replaced frequently. Most experts agree that the average healthy person needs a minimum of 100- 200mgs of vitamin C per day to stay healthy. Vitamin E is a part of your protection from daily wear and tear and is necessary in preventing damage to your metabolism (from oxidative stress). Fats Fat is actually a very good nutrient, it is essential for many bodily functions and provides insulation. A diet high in fat is not bad, if it is the good quality fat. Healthy plant-based fats like nuts, seeds, and avocados are actually some of the cleanest fuels for our bodies. Fat soluble vitamins require fat in your diet to be utilized. Of course, having too much of this as with any nutrient leads to being overweight and has side effects such as lack of energy. While carrying more stored body fat will likely increase your risk for heart attacks, strokes and diabetes, the major problem with body fat has to do with what is taking place inside your body. More specifically, it is what fat does inside your blood and arteries that is of utmost importance. The bad fats that circulate in your blood are called triglycerides..

The Saturated Fat and Your Health Saturated fats, the kind Americans have been trying to avoid because the government says so, are not the cause of modern diseases. If they were, and if the saturated fat/cholesterol myth were true, none of us would be here because saturated fat was the primary energy source for most of our ancestors. The fact is, the World War II generation feasted on a breakfast of steak and eggs and yet obesity was prevalent in only about 10% of the population and diabetes was relatively uncommon. Here are The Facts on Saturated Fat Did you know that human milk is 54% high cholesterol, saturated fat? Did you know that human fat consist of 40% saturated fat, 52% monounsaturated fat, and 8% polyunsaturated fat, the latter being the fat most people are using to cook with everyday? It has been referred to as the healthier fat by the agricultural business. Since the early 1900s traditional animal fat in the American diet has declined from 83% to 62% and butter consumption dropped from eighteen pounds per person per year to four. During the past eighty years, dietary cholesterol intake has increased only 1%. During the same period, the percentage of dietary vegetables oils in the form of margarine, shortening, and refined oils increased about 400%!!! While the consumption of sugar and processed foods increased about 60%! Sugar and trans fats are killing us, they are toxic to the body, not saturated fats. Fat And Your Health Many processed foods, even some that are called healthy, are laden with trans-fatty acids (TFAs). Structurally, transfatty acids are closer to plastic than fat. Chemists learned that exposing cooking oils to extremely high temperatures of over 400° F and adding hydrogen to it will keep these oils from going rancid and will last much longer even without refrigeration. This chemical processing of the oils with high temperatures changes the oil molecule into a shape that damages the human body's chemistry. This damages the body's ability to properly metabolize cholesterol, therefore trans fats create high cholesterol. We have known about this for years, but the warnings of Harvard researchers had been continually ignored for years. TFA consumption has been linked to heart disease, cancer, creates weight gain, elevated cholesterol levels and blocks your metabolism. TFAs also impair the body's ability to process low-density cholesterol (LDL), increasing their rate of synthesis and eventually elevating levels of LDL levels in the blood. High levels of LDL's is of course considered to be unhealthy. Doctors often tell their patients with high LDL's to restrict butter, cheese, eggs, red meat and eat a low fat diet high in grains and vegetables, and to replace butter with margarine. This is absolutely the wrong solution which makes health problems worse! Margarine is a vegetable oil-based product designed to compete with butter. Margarine is notorious for high levels of TFAs along with crackers, cookies, pastry products, snack foods, frozen dinners, bread, some cereals, the oil used for deep-frying in fast-food restaurants among other foods. Avoid foods that list "hydrogenated' or "partially hydrogenated" vegetable shortening or oils among the ingredients, as these are ways the food industry cleverly conceals TFAs..

Understanding Different Types of Fats Fats to Avoid Trans fats (partially hydrogenated oils) Sources: margarine, shortening, fried foods, commercial baked goods Saturated Fats Sources: animal products, coconut and palm oil Monounsaturated Fats Sources: olive oil, almonds, pecans, cashews, coconut, and avocados Polyunsaturated Fats Sources: vegetable oils, nuts, seeds Essential Fatty Acids Sources: Animal products High-serum cholesterol levels often indicates that the body needs cholesterol to protect itself from high levels of altered free-radical-containing fats. The Pervasive myth that cholesterol is not ideal for your body may keep you from enjoying foods that are nutritious and good for your metabolism. Cholesterol is an essential substance in the diet. In fact, the liver produces about 2000 milligrams of cholesterol every day. Furthermore, cholesterol is an absolute necessity in many critical functions of the body. Many functions of your brain, nerves and every single cell membrane in your body are made of cholesterol. It is only when cholesterol becomes "oxidized" does it become a problem which is related to our inefficient antioxidant intake. Cholesterol is produced by the body as a response to stress and is needed to heal damaged cells. Your body uses cholesterol to make all your important sex and adrenal hormones. High cholesterol doesn't come from eating foods high in cholesterol; it comes from a metabolism that is not efficient at handling the cholesterol you need. The truth is that cholesterol in your blood is not even a primary risk factor for heart attacks and strokes! For decades it was assumed that because high cholesterol tends to occur in people with cardiovascular disease it was the cause of heart attacks and strokes. Studies have reported people with low cholesterol are three times as likely to have a stroke than the average person. And as far as heart attacks go, nearly 40% of all people who have heart attacks actually have low cholesterol..

Understanding Triglycerides and Cholesterol IMPORTANT! One of the primary risk factors for increasing your chance of having a heart attack or stroke is "triglycerides", the bad fat. The unhealthy diet that raises triglycerides has nothing to do with fat intake, it has to do with sugar intake. Triglycerides, and cholesterol as well, are elevated by eating sugar. In some cases polyunsaturated oils (vegetable oils) will raise cholesterol - and by the way - these are the ones that the conventional propaganda says will help prevent cardiovascular disease! Neither triglycerides nor cholesterol are elevated by eating saturated fat in general or high cholesterol foods in particular. That's right, you can start eating foods that are nutrient dense such as eggs again. Unadulterated eggs are in fact, not only an excellent source of protein; they're also a great source of dietary fats. Despite claims that eggs have too much fat or cholesterol, a healthy egg contains lecithin which emulsifies the fat in eggs. In fact, eating eggs could actually lower your cholesterol as eggs are a good source of a nutrient that the body cannot live without called phosphatidylcholine. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that there was absolutely no connection between eating eggs and the risk of heart disease or stroke in either men or women. I know this goes against everything you've been brainwashed with, but eating foods high in good saturated fat and cholesterol is actually a way to prevent heart attacks and strokes. They are essential to a long, healthy life and actually keep the blood levels of cholesterol down. When your body uses energy from sugar, your body holds on to fat, when you cut sugar from your diet, your body actually uses energy from fat. When you are able to switch from a "sugar-burner" metabolism to a "fat-burner" metabolism then you start to lose weight and feel great. Relating to exercise and fat intake, here is an interesting study, Elite male and female endurance athletes were placed alternately on a high fat diet and then a low fat diet. On the high saturated fat diet the athletes maintained low body fat, normal weight, normal blood pressure, normal resting heart rate, normal triglycerides and normal serum cholesterol levels. All their fitness and training parameters were maintained at the elite level. When put on a low fat (high complex carbohydrate) diet, however, it was found that the low fat diet negated many of the beneficial effects that exercise is expected to produce. The athletes experienced a measurable decline in athletic performance. What was really interesting was the fact that the athletes on the low fat diet suffered a significant drop in HDL cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol) along with higher triglycerides (both of which are significant Cardiovascular Disease risk factors). IMPORTANT! The ratio of triglycerides to HDL cholesterol is just one of the risk factors for CVD (CARDIO-VASCULAR DISEASE). Another study on Lipid Research, 2000; 4 1 (5):834-39), showed that eating vegetable oils in the form of either soy bean or margarine raised LDL (bad cholesterol) and lowered HDL (good cholesterol). But eating butter (one of those "forbidden foods" saturated with cholesterol) actually lowered LDL cholesterol and raised HDL cholesterol..

Coconut Oil and its benefit to your health Coconut has been misrepresented causing many people to miss out on the benefits of this powerful food. In fact, coconut has been a nutritious diet staple for many cultures for thousands of years and used in many American products since the early 1900's. Fifty percent of the fat content in coconut oil is a fat called lauric acid which many experts consider a "miracle" ingredient because of its unique health promoting properties. Lauric acid is converted by the body into monolaurin, which has anti-viral, anti-bacterial and even anti-fungal properties which can actually destroy viruses such as HIV, herpes, Measles, and Influenza as well as various pathogenic bacteria and more. Coconut oil contains what are called medium chain fatty acids, or medium chain triglycerides (MCTs for short). Researchers now know that weight loss associated with coconut oil is related to the length of the fatty acid chains contained in coconut oil. Coconut oil is nature's richest source of MCTs that increase metabolic rates and lead to weight loss. MCTs promote what is called thermogenesis. Thermogenesis increases the body's metabolism, producing energy. People in the animal feed business have confirmed this. If you feed animals vegetable oils, they put on weight and produce more fatty meat. If you feed them coconut oil, they will be very lean. There are many studies proving this concept of thermogenesis and MCTs in the scientific literature. In 1989 a study was done in the Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University, at Nashville TN. Ten male volunteers (ages 22 to 44) were overfed (150% of estimated energy requirement) liquid formula diets containing 40% of fat as either MCT or LCT. Each patient was studied for one week on each diet in a double-blind, crossover design. The Results "The results demonstrated that excess dietary energy as MCT stimulates thermogenesis to a greater degree than does excess energy as LCT. The right kind of fats can help you lose weight. Like lighter fluid added to a barbecue, adding the right kind of fats will increase the intensity and efficiency of your metabolism. We strongly recommend avoiding corn, soy, safflower, canola, cottonseed or products that contain these oils. If you are overweight, you already know some of the misleading information about weight loss. Even worse, if you restrict calories and begin an exercise program, you're almost guaranteed to lose muscle instead of fat! Why? Your body is being starved. Losing muscle will have a disastrous effect on your metabolism. You will end up a smaller version of your fat self..

Calculating How to Increase Your Metabolic Rate And the Safe Way to Lose Weight Using a simple rule of thumb of 10 calories per pound of bodyweight will give you an approximate number to use for your basic daily metabolic needs. If you weigh 150 pounds, you need 1500 calories minimum daily. If you weigh 200 pounds, you need 2000 calories daily. Now let's see how this rule of thumb compares to a formula using the Harris-Benedict principle: Dieticians use this principal to calculate a person's basal metabolic rate (BMR) which is the amount of energy your body needs to function while at rest. Calculate Your BMR: Women: 655 + (4.3 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years) Men: 66 + (6.3 x weight in pounds) + (12.9 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in years) Let's put our 150 pound women into the equation.. 655 + (4.3 x 150) + (4.7 x 64) - (4.7 x30) which equals 1459 3 close to the rule of thumb! This equation will be very accurate in all but the very muscular (it will underestimate caloric needs) and the very fat (will calculate to over - estimate calorie needs). Depending how active you are and how well your metabolism is functioning your additional need for calories could range from 200 calories a day for a bed ridden person, to 1000 calories a day or more for an athlete involved with intense exercise. You need to understand your basic caloric needs coupled with plenty of good quality calories. It needs to be understood that quality food will step up your metabolism; it will eventually lead to an awareness of what is sufficient without counting calories ever again! Remember, once your metabolism is stoked, you will be able to eat more food than you thought possible - as long as the majority of what you eat is not processed foods. The secret to starting and keeping the metabolism burning will be food, yes food, and a lot more than you are used to! You will actually be able to eat and lose weight. Food will become your friend. What most people interpret as something good is actually detrimental when it comes to losing weight..

Building Your Metabolism Through Proper Eating You are probably used to eating two or three meals a day. This is a sure way to gain weight and never lose a pound. Before, when you went on a diet and reduced the amount of food you ate, your body interpreted that you were starving and slowed your metabolism. The body sees a decrease in food as an emergency measure and does everything in its power to hang on to not only the fat you already have but to also begin to store all the calories you are consuming, which your body perceives as a deficit, as fat. What does it take to build your metabolism? You must eat to lose weight. The secret is to eat every two and a half to three hours. Eat three regular meals and two to three snacks. The phenomenal power of frequent eating (of all the different nutrition strategies) is the practice of eating small, frequent meals - one meal/snack approximately every three waking hours - this is by far the most effective way to speed up your metabolism. It's so effective contrary to what you have been told or read, it is the secret of top models and bodybuilders. After 8 to 12 weeks of dieting on super-clean, high quality protein foods and low glycemic carbohydrates eating five or six times a day, you will have your metabolism "spinning" so fast, that it will burn through huge quantities of food - even the occasional junk food. Your body becomes like a "human food incinerator", producing enormous amounts of heat and burning calories at an alarming rate. When frequent eating is combined with the right food choices and the correct exercise, your body will literally turn into a fat burning machine. One or two meals a day is a disaster as your metabolism is not functioning effectively at this point. If you haven't been eating at least three times a day, you are causing serious damage to your metabolism. If you want to get your metabolism back up to speed, remember: you must eat! Even eating 3 meals a day, which is properly balanced with the right nutritious foods, and working out hard will get results. A sedentary person whose metabolism has not been functioning well who adds 2-3 snacks a day will stimulate their metabolism which will keep them from wanting to binge. It will give them the energy needed to exercise twice a week if they are eating quality foods. Again, it's the frequency of your quality meals and snacks 3 when you miss even a single meal, you're causing metabolic damage. Two simple facts of physiology will explain why: It takes about three hours to digest each meal; and 1. Protein (amino acids) lasts about three hours in the bloodstream. If you sleep eight hours per night, that leaves 16 waking hours in the day. 2..

Optimal Meal Frequency and Timing Six meals over 16 hours equals one meal every 2.7 hours. If your goal is five meals, then your target is one meal every 3.2 hours. Average it up for simplicity, and that's where the guideline of one meal every three hours comes from. Five meals a day seems to be the optimal number for women and six meals is ideal for men and will keep your blood sugar levels constant. As your cravings for sugar and simple carbohydrates and excessive carbohydrates diminish and your metabolism becomes much more effective at producing energy without the sugars you've been consuming, you will be able to rely on 3-4 meals a day. Skipping meals (especially breakfast) is one of the detriments for fat burning nutrition. Skipping meals (or leaving long gaps between meals) is not good for fat burning and muscle-building nutrition. Missing meals slows down your metabolism and triggers your body's starvation responses. Make breakfast your most important meal (even if you don't like it). Make breakfast your largest meal and dinner your smallest. There's one small adjustment that can increase your fat loss even further: And it's called "calorie tapering." There's an old saying, "Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like prince and dinner like a pauper". This arrangement of meals from largest to smallest is a smart way to speed up your fat loss. Start eating early in the day and eat your last meal at least two, or preferably three, hours before bedtime. Talking about making changes in your eating habits and actually doing it requires a plan and a basic understanding of why the foods you are now eating are destroying your health. Many quality protein sources come from higher fat sources such as beef, eggs, and dairy. As fat is cut from the diet, so is protein. We are not suggesting eating all the fat you want, as a diet high in poor saturated fats can increase the risk of heart disease in some people. The solution is not to replace fat with refined carbohydrates. Remember these refined carbohydrates are damaging your metabolism by stimulating a release of too much insulin which will take all this sugar from the refined carbohydrate and store it as fat. This leads to insulin sensitivity then diabetes and cardiovascular problems. The fact that our carbohydrates are so refined today and that as a society we are not as physically challenged due to technology, means we are ingesting way more sugar than our body can process. Small Dinner Afternoon Snack Moderate Lunch Mid-Morning Snack Large Breakfast.

Carbohydrate Quality and Glycemic Index You should not be on a high carbohydrate or a low carbohydrate diet, but the correct amount of carbohydrates based on your energy needs. Your daily activities will determine the level of carbohydrates your body will need each day. The most important point is understanding your body's need for quality carbohydrates that provide energy without causing the damage that simple carbohydrates and excessive sugars do. Limiting processed carbohydrates, especially starchy ones (lasagna, bread, cookies, spaghetti, pizza, crackers, chips, and cereals) is crucial for your health. Carbohydrates vary in how high and fast they raise your blood sugar levels. Based on how high and how fast your blood sugar level rises after eating a specific carbohydrate determines a score given to that food called its glycemic index score. Different Carbohydrates can have wildly different effects on the body's blood sugar level. Carbohydrates are digested and are converted into glucose (blood sugar) and as your blood sugar levels rise, insulin is produced by the pancreas and signals the cells to absorb this blood sugar to be used for energy. The body immediately stores whatever sugar it cannot use in your muscles and liver. Unfortunately, these organs have a limited capacity and any overflow will lead to you becoming a fat storing machine dramatically expanding your waist line. High glycemic Carbohydrates such as processed starches and simple sugars not only cause an unnatural surge in blood sugar, they cause a prolonged surge, stimulating the circulating sugar which leads to circulating insulin and thereby blocking fat usage making sure you remain overweight for your entire life by essentially shutting your metabolism off. Low Glycemic Foods The lower the glycemic index, the less impact that food will have on your blood sugars. The glycemic index does not necessarily mean that a food that is sweet has a high glycemic score. For instance cherries and peaches have a low index, much lower than whole wheat bread! High Glycemic Foods The highest glycemic foods are products made from grains and tubers which grow below the ground, such as potatoes and peanuts. Two very starchy foods, potatoes and cornbread, have glycemic indexes greater than 100, meaning your blood sugar levels will spike higher than drinking an equal amount of sugar water. An important note is that foods with fat in them slow down the absorption of sugars giving these foods a lower glycemic score. Fiber does this as well and so does protein. Balanced meals that include fats, protein and fiber will bring down the glycemic score of the whole meal, limiting insulin excretion into the blood, meaning less fat storage, and more importantly, less disease..

Protein Needs The US the Department of Agriculture (USDA) sets the guidelines for nutrients like protein. For most people of average weight, the protein intake is set at less than 70 grams each day. The protein needs of weightlifters, bodybuilders, and other athletes needs are definitely increased over a sedentary person or even a reasonably active person but their protein need do not increase in proportion to the other components of their diet. This above statement is because it is the energy demands of building muscle, not the actual protein "needed", that is the major consideration. In fact, it takes a lot of energy (50,000 calories) to synthesize one pound of muscle. There is always the question of how much protein the body can assimilate from each meal as an indicator of how much to take. A consideration as to upper limits of protein intake can be related to how quickly amino acids (protein is made up of amino acids) get transported to the blood and how quickly they then get assimilated into muscle. Here are a few proteins and their absorption rates: Egg protein 1.3 grams/hour Casein isolate 6.1 grams/hour Whey isolate 8-10 grams/hour If an average protein absorption rate of about 7 grams/hour can be estimated by this research then theoretically the upper limit of absorption would be approximately 168 grams each day. (24 hours x 7) If this number is accurate, the high protein diets of many athletes don't make sense. So, is there a problem from eating too much protein? YES, for this reason, excess protein actually works against athletes because the high protein to carbohydrate ratio can lead to muscle breakdown for gluconeogenesis to supply sugar to the brain. This decreases lean body mass and slows the metabolism making it easier to gain weight. Perhaps the biggest concern for athletes is that a high protein to carbohydrate diet causes a decrease in testosterone output by as much as 15-20 percent and an increase in cortisol output. This decreases your anabolic capacity (body's ability to recover from exercise or to even build muscle)..

Protein and Carbohydrate Balance So, again, your protein needs to increase as the amount and intensity of your training does, but so does the need for carbohydrates and fat. Preparing each meal and snack in a mindful way, conscientiously ensuring that each includes a balance of protein, carbohydrate, and fat (and ideally, fiber too!) will be key in igniting your fat burning potential. PROTEIN FORMULA Divide your body weight by 15, this will give you the number of ounces of meat, fish, poultry, or cheese and the good saturated fat your body needs each day. Divide this quantity of protein among your meals and snacks. Example: A 160 pound women divides her body weight by 15, which equals 10.6 ounces of meat, fish, poultry, cheese or eggs daily. Divide this by 3 meals and you get approximately 4 ounces each meal. Athletes in training may increase protein intake to a maximum of 6-8 ounces per 150 lbs. per meal while still maintaining the Carbohydrate/Protein Ratio. Carbohydrate Formula The proper ratio of carbohydrates to protein is achieved by calculating the number of ounces of protein X 10. A little higher for underweight individuals (12), a little lower (9) for the very overweight. So our 160 pound women would need 10 x 11 ounces of protein = 110 grams of Carbohydrates for each day divided by 3 meals = 37 carbs per meal. Let's calculate an athlete's maximum protein requirement: 200 Pound Athlete: Protein 30 ounces of protein (based on 6-8 ounces per 150 lbs. or 2.5 ounces for every 50 pounds of body weight). Divided by meals 30 ounces of protein = 180 grams of protein (30 x 6 grams per ounce). Carbohydrates 360 grams of carbs (30 ounces of protein x 12 for an athlete wanting to gain = 360 carbs). Divided by meals 360 grams of Carbohydrates x 4 calories = 1440 calories 180 grams of Protein x 4 calories = 720 calories 160 grams of Fat x 9 calories = 1440 calories Total = 3600 calories Now, this is not an unusual amount of calories for an athlete and as you can see the percentage of protein to the overall calories is only 20% for people in good health, consuming 20 to 25 percent of calories from protein won't harm the kidneys. As you can figure fat intake is 40% and carb intake is also 40% of total calories. If the research is correct, and the amount of protein our hypothetical athlete is taking in is at the limit for assimilation by the body (absolute protein need), and keeping the ratio of proteins and carbs at the level proposed in our formula avoids hormonal swings, where do the extra calories come from for an athlete that needs even more calories? They must come from fat. Assuming they have no excess body fat to lose. The point here is that athletes thrive on a high- fat diet for energy and as you add more fat to the diet for energy their protein intake as a proportion of calories actually decrease. It is in this way that athletes need a "low protein" diet..

Protein Sources and Meal Planning One of the reasons I say this is the fact that a small percentage of the protein you eat is used up in the digestive processes. Also, not all of the protein you are eating will be processed by the digestive system for reasons such as being overcooked and not usable. Remember protein steps up your metabolism and should be included with every meal and snack. Chicken (antibiotic and hormone free preferred) Fish Lean meats (antibiotic and hormone free preferred) Eggs Cheese Beans Nuts Lean red meat (all excess fat should be trimmed). This should give you a clue as to why trying to eliminate good fats from your diet is harming you, causing you to store more fat. Why? By eliminating these foods you are automatically eating more refined carbohydrates and processed foods with sugar in them. By adding back in these good protein sources that have some fat along with fiber from fruits and vegetables, you will greatly enhance your ability to keep blood sugar levels constant. Breakfast is the most important meal for many reasons, The only way to get someone who is not used to eating breakfast to begin eating breakfast is to make it convenient and simple. There should be no reason for leaving the house in the morning without a breakfast. Take steps to make it convenient in the morning to eat breakfast. This is a good way to retrain your body to begin eating in the morning and get your metabolism burning. Remember always have some protein with your fruit as it will slow down the absorption of the sugars and the protein will step up your metabolism. Fast Food Avoid fast food prepared fried in polyunsaturated fats as these are destroying your metabolism! If you are "on the go" and absolutely have to drive-thru it, you can find a grilled chicken sandwich just about anywhere these days. Drink water and limit diet drinks. A quality burger (made with fresh ground beef, preferably organic) with lettuce, tomatoes, and other greens can be a reasonably nutritious meal, just skip the fries and perhaps eat only one bun or nix the bread entirely - maybe even order a side of steamed vegetables. Be careful when purchasing shakes and protein bars, do your observation. Check the ingredients. Examples include Rice Protein, Egg Protein, and Whey Protein. Many protein bars and meal replacement bars are at best a nutritional compromise and at worst, they are nothing more than candy in disguise. Read labels carefully before eating any bar - you're likely to find refined sugars and polyunsaturated oils, preservatives etc. Look for bars that have at least 30 to 50 percent protein by weight. If the bar weighs 100 grams, it should contain 30 to 50 grams of protein. Don't purchase any bar that lists sugar or high fructose corn syrup as one of the first three ingredients..

Meal Planning and Cravings Management Your product of choice should be a protein powder that you mix in water or another liquid (skim milk, juice, etc.). It's never a good idea to replace more than one third of your total calories with shakes, and only do so if it is absolutely necessary (that's a maximum of two out of six meals). Remember, these products are food supplements, not a substitute for good eating habits. Eating nutritional shakes and smoothies really should be considered as a way to get more of the "good stuff" in and that by doing so you are crowding the "bad stuff" out. The only benefit of powdered drink mixes is convenience. Supplements will give you the calories and nutrients you need, but they won't provide the metabolic boost that solid food does. Whole food is what really stimulates the metabolism. Plan, Schedule What You Eat Preparing your food ahead of time is extremely important. You don't want to be in a position where you have to figure out what to eat next. Plan your eating!!! Schedule your meals and snacks, I promise you will be amazed how easy it gets! How Do I Stop the Cravings? Well, the secret is in fueling your body before it gets hungry. The cravings will simply vanish once you begin feeding your body what it needs. We need to make sure we feed this body of ours before the "hunger/craving monster" comes out looking for a feast. If you find you are experiencing intense cravings for sugar and simple carbohydrate meals each day or even between meals, even though you are eating regularly, this happens because you are not eating the proper nutrition your body needs to do its job keeping you healthy - so in a sense, even though you are gaining weight or unable to lose weight, you are literally starving for nutrition! As you begin really feeding your body, the cravings will stop. Feed your body nutritious food on a schedule and you will find within a few days that the thought of food becomes more of a second thought. Think of all the things we can get accomplished when food is not the main thing on our minds! Think about it this way, you are feeding your body 5-6 times a day with food that will super-charge and rev-up your metabolism. Let's count 6 meals a day times 7 days equals 42 meals a week. With two "fun" meals a week, you are still eating over 90% of your diet comprised of "good and healthy" meals. This is the goal and the formula for increased metabolism and successful weight loss. Prepare your food ahead of time 1. Prepare your snacks ahead of time 2. Make sandwiches, cut them in half, and put them in baggies 3. Cook enough chicken and vegetables for the week and take it to work for lunches. 4. 5. Shop for the healthy meals and snacks you enjoy eating.

What is "Effective" Exercise? Physical exercise includes all activity that enhances or maintains physical fitness and health! Exercise plays an important role in our physical and mental fitness and contributes to maintaining a healthy bodyweight, muscle strength, joint integrity and mobility, bone density, strengthening the immune system, reducing the levels of cortisol, reducing stress, boosting mood and increasing energy, all while helping to prevent serious diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, depression, insomnia, etc. How does exercise do this? Challenging or intense muscular exercise is nothing more than a catabolic stressor to the body - catabolic meaning tearing down striated muscle and heart muscle, inflicting microscopic tears and ruptures in it. This catabolic stimulus, in turn, stimulates the anabolic phase or repair and buildup of muscle. This process can last hours or days. Aerobic or cardio training challenges the cardio-pulmonary system (heart and lungs) and respiration of the mitochondria at the cellular level. As these systems adapt, there is an increase its capacity for work and exercise. Challenging exercise also affects the nervous system, the pituitary, hypothalamus, and thyroid glands. Many hormonal systems are enhanced through the stimulus of exercise. Exercise is extremely beneficial if done properly. But exercise can be destructive in varying degrees based on how far we push ourselves beyond our physical limits. Exercise beyond the degree required to maintain health causes cumulative catabolic stress (more tissue damage than the body can repair before the next training session). The body is of course extremely efficient on a biological level and rebuilds and restores itself so that it is a little better than it was before the exercise if the proper nutrients are available and enough time between workouts is allowed to make this happen. So what is effective exercise? You see what may be considered effective exercise for those that are in shape trying to stay in shape... may not necessarily work for those that are out of shape trying to get in shape. Let me explain& All exercise burns calories, as does any activity such as washing the car, cutting the grass, taking a walk, bowling, golfing, etc., yet you probably would not consider these activities to be an effective way to lose weight. These activities are low intensity and undemanding on the musculature of the body. They also are not challenging any of the systems of the body such as the nervous, or endocrine systems. Now if you are already in shape these undemanding exercises may be enough to keep you there as you are using up all the calories you take in every day, effectively keeping you from gaining any weight..

Effective Exercise for Weight Loss But if you are overweight and out of shape it is usually the result of a slow, sluggish metabolism and just burning a few calories with these undemanding exercises will not make much difference. This may keep you from adding more weight (fat) which is a plus, but it will have you frustrated wondering why you are not reaping any more benefits from this type of energy expenditure. Most people, and trainers I might add, believe that the calories burned during the workout are the critical criteria to focus on when exercising. A more effective approach to consider is in the course of burning those calories during the workout you create a metabolic stimulus to the body that stimulates and promotes positive hormonal changes and protein synthesis. This process of protein synthesis is extremely expensive metabolically, requiring thousands of calories to accomplish. This process is how we maintain and build muscle. What this means is that the most effective and efficient way to achieve your weight loss goals with limited time is by building muscle. Building muscle guarantees a fat burning metabolism. The typical game plan of riding an exercise bike or walking on the treadmill 30-60 minutes a day along with a few "toning" exercises clipped out of a magazine, probably will not do the job, and if it does, it will do so at such a tremendous cost of time and energy that most will eventually give it up, gaining all the weight they lost back and then some. You are going to learn what high intensity, short duration exercise is and why it is more effective than low intensity, long duration type exercise for general health and fitness. Focusing on low intensity type workouts requires volume of training, meaning long drawn-out fatiguing workouts, 5-6 days a week to burn enough calories to see any results. Yes, you may see some results with this plan but not near what you get from high intensity short workouts that challenge the endocrine (hormone) system. Again, the best way to drop those extra pounds and keep them off is with a high-intensity muscle building exercise program. Let me explain why 4 measly pounds of muscle is so critical to fat loss. Muscle, that you will hardly notice, is very dense, 4 pounds of muscle can burn the caloric equivalent of a 2 mile run 365 days a year. But here is the real reason: The calories required to build the muscle in the first place are far more than you can imagine and can effectively draw down the fat reserves. You see, protein anabolism (the construction of molecules from smaller units) has an almost unbelievably high energy cost. Amazingly it takes approximately 45,000 calories to build a pound of muscle. Now I don't want to bore you with the details but the science is there. Do you see how exciting the prospect of building just 2-4 pounds of muscle can be for someone who wants to lose 20 pounds?.

Walking and Aerobics for Weight Loss Walking Walking has been the recommended exercise for anyone overweight or de-conditioned for years, and in the process, many people have ended up confused as to what is effective at addressing their fitness and health problems. Let me put walking into perspective. It can be true, that yes, there may be an initial shock to the system for someone who has been very inactive for a long period of time, when they all of a sudden create a metabolic stimulus through exercise to the hormonal system, but it is very short lived. Movement, activity and exercise all burn calories but do not necessarily address the fundamental reason for being overweight in the first place. Now don't get me wrong, we love to walk, it is a good activity. Walking can be very de-stressing, it is a good way to get the digestive processes going after a meal and if you are already in shape, all activity may help keep you there. But if you are over-fat and weak due to muscle loss, have a hard time getting out of a chair or climbing stairs, you will be very disappointed in the results from a walking program if your goal is to burn more fat. We have witnessed thousands over the years walking on treadmills and outdoors seeing very little (if any) real change in their body. The reason is because walking and other aerobic programs do not address the fundamental cause of being overweight and out of shape. The cause: Inefficient Metabolism. Having excess body fat always involves having an inefficient metabolism and must be addressed with specific kinds of exercise and using food effectively. To be an effective weight loss exercise (which walking is not), it must stimulate the body to pull fat out of storage and use it for energy and step up the metabolism at the cellular level 24 hours a day. In a typical walking or aerobic workout you will burn 50-300 calories. The calories burned are well within the amount that is available in the form of sugar or glycogen (sugar in the muscles). The fat reserves rarely need to be touched in this type of a workout. In order to get into those fat stores, you would have to run 2-3 miles or walk as long as 45 minutes to an hour. The after burn from these workouts is very short lived also meaning no long term benefit. Yes, walking and jogging will eventually get you into the fat burning zone, but results will be meager and short-lived. Aerobics Aerobics has come to be known as any continuous, rhythmic movement utilizing the larger muscles of the body for extended periods of time, generally lasting at least 20 minutes..

Aerobics and Resistance Training Aerobics is usually considered the best way to burn fat. Many still believe that only endurance exercise improves health and fitness and contributes to a longer life. This is one of the big "myths" perpetuated for years. This misinformation is causing countless hours of wasted time and energy on the treadmill, ellipticals, cycling, stair climbing etc. This low intensity, long duration kind of exercise actually stimulates the body to store fat because the body adapts to the kind of training or to the demands put on it. Resistance Training Programs "In an all-out exercise bout, the energy from the ATP-PC source, which is the primary source of energy for short-duration, high power events, will be exhausted in 30 seconds or less." According to Larson and Davies1970; Meyer and Terjung 1979, "During the recovery process, there will be a several minute period of rapid breathing. It is during this period that the oxygen taken into the body above the normal resting oxygen consumption is used to aerobically replace this ATP." This means during the recovery periods you are using a good percentage of fats to recover this energy source. One of the problems that side tracks results is the focus on calories burned while working out or exercising on the "cardio" equipment, which is prominently displayed on every machine, prodding you to continue on as if this was a meaningful number. The fact is, unless you are performing intervals, it may take 30 - 45 minutes before you begin to tap into the fat reserves. During this time you are depleting your blood sugar and glycogen stores, barely if at all tapping into those fat reserves. This kind of workout will only make you hungry due to low blood sugar and you will certainly consume these calories right back with the next meal - negating those burned while exercising. The calories burned during a workout are only relative if in the course of burning those calories we provide the body with a sufficient metabolic stimulus to tap into the fat stores. The calories you burn during a workout may keep you in shape if you're already there but if you're trying to lose fat by burning a few hundred extra calories a day, you're going to be disappointed. Those that like to believe in aerobics always point to the distance runners to justify their stand, and we counter with the fact that the sprinters are just as lean as the distance runners and they accomplish this with much less work. They usually have more muscle than the distance runners, looking healthier and vibrant not emaciated. And again yes if you have hours to spend every day to exercise with low intensity activities and aerobics you will eventually lose weight but it is not time effective and not what the average client or patient we are dealing with wants. Not to mention the consequences of overuse syndrome, muscle atrophy and overtraining. Distance runners are susceptible to severe coronary artery disease and in fact is the leading cause of death among marathon runners. Scientists have examined the blood of long distance runners and found that after a workout they experience an increase in both the blood levels of and oxidation of LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. Also, there was a disruption of the balance of blood thinners and thickeners, elevating clotting levels and inflammatory factors. These are not signs of a healthy heart but a heart that is in distress. This excess running (overtraining) actually stresses and weakens their hearts, pointing to the fact that too much exercise is detrimental in protecting you from heart disease. Another misunderstanding about aerobics is the false belief that it is required to protect the heart and cardiovascular system. This is due to the confusion of what "cardio" activity is..

Cardio and Aerobics Aerobics and cardio have been used interchangeably to mean the same thing, when in fact they should not be. Cardio should be considered any activity that challenges the heart and lungs. Try doing a set of squats for 10-15 reps with a challenging weight and tell me your heart and lungs aren't working hard or try performing a superset (two different exercises in a row) with no rest in between. All activity burns calories, but it is important to understand what kind of activity presents an effective stimulus to the muscles, nervous system and cardiovascular system to improve it and become more efficient, or in other words: The kind of activity that has the greatest influence on improving your physiology. The kind of activity that stimulates an improvement to our physiology is usually called exercise, but it must be challenging exercise. There have been studies concluding that men and women involved with hard manual labor, picking up heavy boxes, toiling in the fields etc. have stronger hearts and fewer chronic diseases. The problem is there are few jobs these days that require the type of hard work our forefathers did, so we have to rely on the right type of exercise to promote a strong, and healthy body. To step up your metabolism and improve your fitness and health the activity you are engaged in should stimulate a response by the body to: Increase muscle mass and strength. Increase your endurance. Protect your heart. Improve joint flexibility and integrity. Burn fat stores for energy. General activity can cover anything such as light yard work, cleaning house, picking up the groceries, bowling, golf, walking, climbing stairs etc., and yes you're burning calories with these activities, but the challenge to your physiology is not sufficient enough to stimulate the body to adapt and become more efficient and stronger. In other words, there is virtually no metabolic stimulus. The above lists of activities only metabolize foods that you have recently eaten in the form of sugars. In fact, they never get at the fat stores or promote fat usage. And you certainly don't build any muscle with these types of activities. Being overweight almost always has to do with an ineffective, slow, dysfunctional metabolism and the focus on how many calories you burn during a workout undermines what should be the real focus of an exercise program... The focus of an exercise program should be to create a metabolic stimulus that forces the metabolism to adapt, making the metabolism more effective. In order to stimulate your metabolism through muscle and strength gains, the loads of an exercise must be in the 60-70- 80% of 1 rep maximum range. This means without a certain level of intensity of an exercise, endocrine changes (hormone) are not stimulated enough to increase processes like protein synthesis. Protein synthesis (which requires huge amounts of energy) is the basis of our exercise strategy. This process is very effective at tapping into the fat stores for energy. On the other hand, if the stimulus is too great, many of the benefits of exercise are diminished or even negated. You see the inefficiency of overtraining has a heavy drain on the recuperative processes of the body. This negatively effects the hormonal system. In fact, all exercise beyond the body's ability to adapt is counterproductive..

The Warm-Up GENERAL BODY WARM-UP Start with a general body warm-up on the bicycle, treadmill, elliptical. Or, if at home, jumping jacks or a fast-paced walk. BEND-OVERS The BEND-OVER with a reach overhead will warm-up the hamstrings, lower back and shoulders. ROTATIONS These not only warm-up the obliques but also the abs. Use a medicine ball, cable or a Torso Rotation Machine. PUSH Push-ups or a bench press machine or any pushing machine at any angle (incline-decline). PULL A seated row, lat pull down or a dumbbell row will work to warm-up the back. SQUAT A leg press machine or a ball squat against the wall will do to warm-up the legs and glutes. PUSH OVERHEAD Shoulder press with dumbbells, a bar, or machine. PULL Another pulling movement that will warm-up upper body and abs. SUPERWOMAN OR MAN ON THE BALL To warm-up and stabilize the spinal erectors of the back. CRUNCHES ON THE BALL To strengthen abs and flexibility of the spine. Unfortunately, there are some major problems that must be addressed in order to lose fat via low- intensity aerobic exercise High levels of stored glycogen vary from one person to the next, unstable sugar control (commonly called dysglycemia) causes an "out-of control" surge of insulin and will shut down fat release. There are dietary and biochemical causes that must be considered. 1. In order to effectively tap into the fat storage, it is highly recommended not to eat a carbohydrate meal prior to exercise. Whenever possible it is best to do aerobic exercise first thing in the morning before eating. Again it is important to understand that carbohydrate foods will increase the release of insulin, which will stop the release of fat from the tissues. Studies show that it may take up to six hours before the body is in a position to be glycogen friendly and benefit from aerobic exercise. In addition, as was just mentioned, increased carbohydrates stored as glycogen must first be used before the body decides to switch to using fat as its primary energy source. Intensity below the point where lactic acid is overproduced (the burn), you are using primarily glycogen for energy. Once the glycogen is used up, then and only then will your body begin tapping into the fat storage. 2. For people who are running and doing high impact aerobic exercise, they are likely producing high amounts of lactic acid and using glycogen instead of fat. It would seem that the high impact would use up the glycogen faster than the low impact allowing the body to eventually begin using fat for energy, however, this is the not the case. The body will simply stop the conversion of carbohydrates to fat at this level of consistently high intensity..

What Can You Drink? The best beverage to drink is water (we recommend spring or filtered water). Sweetened sodas, fruit drinks and alcohol (even naturally sweetened) will adversely affect your metabolism (glucose/insulin ratio) and should be used sparingly. A few weight loss studies have indicated that for people who exercise and maintain a glycemically balanced diet, consuming large amounts of caffeine and other stimulants may slightly enhance weight loss. Green Tea is the best natural source of caffeine and is alkalizing in the body. Coffee, however, is acidic. Different people require different nutritional solutions everyone needs a nutritional solution that is tailored to his or her own biochemical individuality. Weight Gain and Thyroid Hormones Your thyroid hormones have a profound impact on your weight and metabolism similar to the way you regulate the speed of your car with a gas pedal - your thyroid regulates your metabolic rate by producing thyroid hormones. Basically, your thyroid hormones are in charge of how your body burns up carbohydrates and fats. This is important, because a sluggish metabolic rate has been documented to be a strong risk factor for weight gain and obesity. Like the thermostat in your home, the thyroid gland functions to maintain a constant level of heat throughout your body. This heat is the key that regulates your metabolism. With the proper setting, your thyroid hormones are able to provide consistent heat production, thereby allowing optimal metabolic function. However, a defect in your thyroid metabolism can slow down your body's thermostat (hypothyroidism) or speed it up (hyperthyroidism), producing unpleasant and health threatening effects. Since the thyroid regulates the burning of calories, weight tends to go up as your thyroid function goes down. Severe restriction of calories causes the body to assume it is in a state of starvation. This, in turn, will shut down your heat producing thyroid gland causing calories to be stored rather than burned. Although many people still associate thyroid dysfunction with the classic symptoms like goiters, obesity, and "bug eyes", there are many different symptoms of thyroid problems. When symptoms aren't severe or don't seem directly related to thyroid hormones, patients and their healthcare providers may dismiss them or blame them on some other condition..