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  Fat Chance

You’ve probably heard that many restaurants and food manufacturers have stopped using trans-fats. Don’t get too excited. While trans fats aren’t as bad as other fats, fried items are is still loaded with fat, calories, and sodium – all things that you want to avoid when trying to lose weight.

Before you eat a trans-fat-free item check the overall nutritional content. Does it contain saturated fat? What is the total fat and calorie count? What about sugar and sodium? Don’t let a trans-fat-free label distract you from the overall nutritional content of the food.

I am often asked how to lose weight quickly and easily.

Of course no one wants to listen to a lecture on the importance of healthy eating coupled with a solid exercise routine. That would preclude the quick and easy part.

So in a world where two thirds of all adults are overweight or obese, and some doctors predict that we will soon see a generation with a lower life expectancy than their parents due to obesity related diseases, I’ve come up with a solution that is both quick and easy. (Drum roll, please.)

Stop eating fried foods. (Gasp!)

Fried foods, despite having little to no nutritional value and being loaded with fat and calories, have become an accepted indulgence in our society. So accepted that many restaurants serve fries or chips alongside every meal.

It’s no wonder that fried foods are the number one thing that most people crave – they are salty, addictive and plentiful.

Are Fried Foods Really That Bad?

In a nutshell, yes, fried foods really are that bad for you.

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

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

Other disasters that fried foods put you at risk for include:

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

Fried foods have also been known to trigger Acid Reflux and IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome).

Need I say more?

Going Fried-Free

Giving up fried food may not be easy, though it will arguably be one of the best things you do for your health and appearance. You will lose weight and improve your health by eliminating fried food from your life.

Keep in mind that, like all habits, the first thirty days will be the toughest. Make things easier by staying away from situations that place you in front of a big basket of fries or plate of doughnuts.

New Foods to Love

Instead of fried foods, enjoy the following:

• Substitute a salad or fruit instead of fries
• Baked potato – but pass on the butter and sour cream
• Baked chicken instead of fried chicken
• Baked chips instead of fried chips
• Raw veggie pieces

You may be surprised how delicious these healthier options taste.

Help, I’m addicted!

If your diet has consistently included fried foods - multiple times a day or several times each week, then giving it up may take more work than simply trying healthier options.

You’ll need to use some mental strategies as well.

To do this focus on all the negative things about eating fried foods:

• Think of how bloated and heavy you feel afterward
• Remember the heart burn you’ve experienced
• Focus on the extra pounds you want to lose – imagine doughnuts and French fries sticking to your belly and thighs
• Look at your acne
• Feel the discomfort of being out of breath doing normal activities

You didn’t think I was really going to skip telling you how beneficial exercise is to achieving your health and weight loss goals did you?

The bottom line is that exercise plus healthy eating will give you the body that you want.

What are you waiting for? Drop that bag of chips and call me for a workout that will change your life!

This is one of those healthy foods that you’re missing out on! If the thought of Brussels Sprouts makes you queasy, then you’ve never had them prepared like this. Roasted with fresh garlic and light seasoning, these crunchy treats will tease your taste buds into thinking you’re eating potato chips. Servings: 2

Here’s what you need…

• 12 Brussels Sprouts
• 1 teaspoon Olive oil to drizzle
• Salt and pepper
• 2 fresh garlic cloves, minced

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut the stem off the Brussels Sprouts and cut them in half lengthwise. Drizzle with olive oil, coat evenly. Season with salt and fresh ground pepper.
3. Place the Brussels Sprouts cut side down on a baking sheet. Roast for 10 minutes.
4. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, using tongs coat the Brussels Sprouts with the garlic. Place the baking sheet back in the oven for an additional 5 minutes.
5. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, the cut side of the Brussels Sprouts should be browned and crispy.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 72 calories, 2g fat, 10g carbohydrate, 4g fiber, and 4g protein.

Need another boost of motivation? Anthony Robbins uses this Rocking Chair Test to propel his students to action.

• Imagine yourself at 90 years old, sitting in a rocking chair and looking back over your life.
• Imagine that you never accomplished the goals that are important to you. Feel the pain of loss and regret.
• Now imagine that you did accomplish these important goals. Feel the pleasure of success and accomplishment.

Which scenario do you want to experience when you are 90?

f you’ve ever wished that you were more motivated to experience life at your full potential then this is for you.

Most of us set goals and work hard only to find our motivation fizzle out after a couple of weeks. But there are little tricks that will help you harness the power of your mind and propel you toward achieving your goal.

The Two Motivators
When you boil it down, you’re motivated by two simple things:

1. To avoid pain (fear of failure)
2. To gain pleasure (promise of reward)

You are naturally geared toward one of these motivators. To figure out which, think of the last time you accomplished a task and then ask yourself the following: While doing the task were you thinking about what would happen if you failed to finish, or were you thinking about what you would gain when you finished?

Take note as to which motivator works for you - fear of failure, or promise of reward.

Set Your Goal: The first step towards unstoppable motivation is to determine your goal. You know you’re unhappy with your body, but what exactly do you want to change? Why is it important to you?

Perhaps you can relate to one of the following goals:

• You need to lose weight for your health. Your doctor scared you straight or maybe you’ve had a recent health problem that landed you in the hospital. Your goal is to move away from the pain of sickness.
• You want to look and feel incredible. You’ve always wanted to feel vibrant and attractive. The idea of having more energy really excites you. Your goal is to move toward the pleasure and reward of a fit body.
• You’re worried about your kids. They don’t eat enough vegetables, they drink more soda pop than water and they play video games constantly. You have decided to model a healthier lifestyle and to encourage your kids to participate. Your goal is to move away from the risks of a sedentary lifestyle and to propel your kids toward a healthy future.

Train Your Mind for Weight Loss:
With your clear and important goal in mind, let’s take a few minutes to train your mind to achieve it. You know that weight loss comes as a result of eating right and regular challenging exercise, so let’s use your mind to conquer both.

Eating Right: Use this exercise to distance yourself from the self-sabotaging foods you really wish you didn’t eat, and to naturally begin selecting healthy foods.

Take a moment to review your current eating habits. Identify the foods that you should stop eating (hint: sweets, anything fried, refined carbohydrates, sugary drinks). Identify the worst food that you eat regularly but know you shouldn’t.

Now imagine the healthy foods that you should eat (hint: vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean protein). Identify the healthiest food that you know you should eat regularly.

Now with the image of these two foods in mind, find a quiet place and do the following exercise (seriously this stuff works):

• Draw up the image of your unhealthy food item. This image will likely be quite vivid, with smell, taste and bright color. In your mind, fade this picture to black and white and distance the image until it is dull, fuzzy and remote.
• Draw up the image of your healthy food item. This image will likely be fuzzy and faded. In your mind, bring this picture to life with smell, taste, sound and bright color.

Regular Exercise: This technique can be applied in a way that encourages you to crave exercise rather than avoid it.

Take a moment to imagine how you feel after a great workout (notice the emphasis on the word after). Remember the physical satisfaction as well as the sweet feeling of accomplishment.

Now bring to your mind the aspects of exercise that you dislike. What is your biggest reason for avoiding exercise? Are you too tired? Do you not have enough time? Is physical exertion too much of a hassle? Pinpoint your greatest complaint about exercise.

Now with the image of these two aspects of exercise in mind, find a quiet place and do the following exercise:

• Draw up the image of your exercise complaint. The image is likely to be clear and accompanied by the sounds, smells and sensations. In your mind, fade this picture to black and white and distance the image until it is dull, fuzzy and remote.
• Draw up the image of the wonderful feeling you have after accomplishing a great workout. Magnify this image in your mind. Fixate on how you feel physically, mentally and emotionally. View the experience in bright colors and add a sound track of inspirational music.

Why It Works
If this was your first experience with training your mind (also called Neuro-Linguistic Programming, or NLP) it may have felt a little odd. Many of the world’s top achievers regularly use techniques like these to accomplish astounding goals.

The techniques above work because they train your mind to bring your behavior in line with your values. Think about it, you value health, you desire to be fit and attractive and you want to instill healthy habits in your kids.

These techniques encourage you to avoid self-sabotage and to make choices that line up with what you truly value.

Now that you are ready to accomplish your goals, call or email me today to start your fitness program that will greatly improve your life.

 

 

 

Researchers from the University of Sydney, Australia determined that patients with a sedentary lifestyle who engage in routine physical activities lower their risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The lower risk of problems associated with fatty liver was not contingent upon weight loss, but a direct result from the increased aerobic exercise.

 

Read the Entire Study Here

 

 

 

The risk of becoming obese is 2.5 times higher for those who have double copies of the best known risk gene for overweight and obesity. However, this is only true if the fat consumption is high. A low fat diet neutralizes the harmful effects of the gene.

 Click here to read the entire study.

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