Strength Train To Live Longer - North Vancouver Boot Camp

Tweet

Perform a strength training program to live longer and lower your risk of disease. Numerous studies have linked physical activity levels with less risk of developing a serious disease. A new study in the International Journal of Epidemiology found that intense physical activity such as strength training can help us live longer because it has protective effects on body.

The study was a meta-analysis of all previous studies on the connection between physical activity and mortality rates as classified by cause of death and age at death. The analysis included more than 1.3 million individuals and identified a very strong relationship between performing regular intense vigorous exercise for a duration greater than 150 minutes a week and longevity.

The study came to a clear finding on longevity, intensity, and frequency of exercise. People live longer if they train hard four or five days a week. They appear to live longest and be healthiest if they train for at least 300 minutes a week at an intense level.

The study classified physical activity in multiple ways. For example, researchers looked at death rates in relation to how much “daily living and occupational activity” people did and found a very small health benefit from activities people did in their jobs or around the house such as gardening or cleaning. The benefit of performing daily living physical activity was greatest for women, but showed no benefit for men. Scientists don’t hypothesize why women benefited from cleaning the house and gardening, but it may be due to a lack of data on men who performed this sort of physical activity.

Moderate physical activity for at least 150 minutes a week resulted in a lower mortality risk of 10 percent over not exercising at all, while intense exercise produced a 22 percent drop in death rate. When people exercised hard for the longest time (300 minutes a week) they lived the healthiest longest lives and had a 39 percent lower risk of morality than those who did not exercise.

The takeaway from this study is that more exercise at a higher intensity is better. Be aware that “intense” or “vigorous” exercise as classified by this study as greater than 6 METs (some of the studies classified it as much higher but 6 METs was the cutoff), which is not a level that most serious strength trainees or athletes would consider very intense. For best results, perform a periodized strength training program that speaks to your goals and helps your body adapt. Training more than four days a week for at least 50 minutes is a good goal to shoot for that will provide longevity benefits.

Strength training is preferred over steady-state aerobic training (very important) because it will build muscle, may strengthen bones and connective tissue, and fights inflammation that is linked to greater disease risk. Everyone should strength train (side note: I even got my mom into it :) and in only a short time she already notices she's stronger and her left hip doesn't bother her...maybe she'll be at boot camp one day ;), but performing exercise you enjoy and will continue to do is the priority. If you prefer vigorous walking, running, cycling, swimming, or some other physical activity, do that, and you’ll live longer.


Charles Poliquin is one of the most accomplished strength coaches in the world. He has designed workouts for Olympic medalists in 17 different sports, world record holders in 10 different sports, and professional athletes in the NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB, and UK Premier League. He has lectured or consulted for a variety of high-profile organizations such as the US Secret Service, Walt Disney Corporation and the World Swimming Congress. More info visit his website at http://www.charlespoliquin.com.

Reference:
Samitz, G., Egger, M., et al. Domains of Physical Activity and All-Cause Mortality: Systematic Review and Dose—Response Meta-Analysis of Cohort Studies.  International Journal of Epidemiology. 2011. 40, 1382-1390.

Tweet This

North Vancouver Boot Camp Shares 50 Fat Loss Tips

Tweet

1.    Train using the most “bang for your buck,” multi-joint lifts like squats, deadlifts, bench press, chin-ups, and Olympic lifts as we do at our bootcamp in north vancouver called The Maker's Body Boot Camp.

2.    Use very short rest periods (10 to 60 seconds) to trigger the greatest growth hormone response (another strategy we implement at boot camp). See point below why increasing growth hormone is so important for fat loss.

3.     Vary the tempo of lifting phases and rest periods to provide new stimulus for the body to adapt.

4.    To get lean fast, use a rep range between 8 to 12 reps over multiple sets/cycles with a load that limits you to between 8 to 12 reps maximum.

5.    Train to create an anabolic response. Increasing growth hormone is the priority because of its significant lipolytic (fat burning) effects.

6.    Perform circuit training with little rest between sets for maximal growth hormone response.

7.    For gradual fat loss over a longer period, include strength cycles that favor testosterone release with heavier loads (up to 95 percent 1RM), slightly longer rest (2 to 3 minutes), and lots of sets.

8.    Work harder. If you’re not getting results, you’re not working hard enough. I knew you would love that one ;)

9.    Give priority to training the anaerobic energy system over the aerobic system when strength training and conditioning. This is the metabolic conditioning workouts we do in our north vancouver boot camp where we combine strength, cardio and core training all in one workout for the ultimate 3-in-1 workout.

10.    Do high-intensity sprint intervals for conditioning, i.e. Peak 8 sprints. Peak 8 sprints are where you go all-out for 30 seconds either on a stationary bike, elliptical machine, rower, treadmill or outdoors on a hill and then rest 90 seconds, then repeat. Start with two sprints and add one sprint per week until you reach 8. I encourage clients to perform these on off boot camp days.

11.    Be as active as possible in daily life. Move more: Take regular brisk walks during the day, always take the stairs, park far away in any parking lot, or do your own yard work.

12.    Do relaxing physical activity instead of sitting in front of a screen: stretching, foam rolling, martial arts, or walking.

13.    Eliminate all processed foods from your diet—don’t eat them ever.

14.    Eliminate all trans-fats from your diet such as margarine and shortening—they MUST be removed from the diet.

15.    Don’t avoid fat. Research shows that people with diets with 30 to 50 percent coming from smart fats have higher androgens (fat burning hormones) and lower body fat. Yes you read that right: fats are good to help you lose fat :). See list below.

Good Fats (only use these in your diet)
Fish Oil/Krill Oil
Avocadoes
Extra-virgin olive oil (excellent oil but DO NOT use for cooking, use it raw on salads and after a meal is cooked)
Virgin coconut oil (also use for cooking and frying)
Butter (also use for cooking and frying, preferably organic and raw if you can find it)
Nuts (and nut butters) and seeds (except peanuts)
Egg yolks (from organic, free-range, omega-3 eggs)
Cream (preferably from organic, grass-fed sources)

Bad Fats (avoid all these in your diet)
All vegetable oils (corn, canola, safflower, sunflower, soy, etc.)
All trans fat

16.     Eat smart fat, favoring the omega-3 fats that come from fish, krill oil and wild meats.

17.    Take fish oil to boost omega-3 fat intake and ensure your omega-3 to omega-6 fat intake is balanced.

18.    Eat a diet with high-quality protein—organic meats will provide the largest “bang for your buck” protein. For high-quality, undenatured whey protein made from grass-fed cows without hormones, antibiotics or pesticides use Isagenix supplements such as: IsaPro (vanilla protein powder), IsaLean Shakes and/or Bars (meal replacement shakes and bars) and IsaLean Pro (meal replacement shake similar to the IsaLean Shake but with more protein).

Good Proteins (only use these in your diet)
Beef (ground or steak)
Bison (Buffalo)
Cheese (cottage cheese, cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, etc.)
Deer/Venison
Egg (fresh organic, free-range, omega-3, DO NOT use processed, dried egg powders)
Beef Jerky (read the label as some contain high carbs and preservatives such as nitrites and nitrates)
Pork Tenderloin
Fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel, shrimp, tuna, halibut, cod, sea bass, flounder, lobster, crab)
Protein Powder (preferably from a source where the cows have been grass-fed and where no pesticides, herbicides or hormones have been used as in Isagenix IsaPro)
Chicken Breast or Thigh
Turkey Breast or Thigh
Yogurt (preferably organic and non-homogenized)
Tofu (important: must be from fermented soybeans)

19. Be consistent each and every week. Don't do the "flash in the pan" approach to weight loss. Find the right program and be committed and stick with it.

20. Have someone coach/monitor you and your progress. Just like in sports, business, school, etc. we have coaches, mentors and teachers to help us along in reaching our goals, its the same with weight loss and your health and fitness goals.

21.    Eliminate wheat and avoid grains in favor of vegetables. See list below.

Good Starches/Carbs (only use these in your diet)
White rice
Quinoa
Tubers: white and sweet potatoes, yams

Starches/Carbs to Avoid (avoid all these in your diet)
All grains including wheat and wheat based products (i.e. bread, wheat flour, pastries, pies, biscuits, pasta, etc.), oats, spelt, kamut, granola, etc.
Beans and legumes

22.    Raise resting metabolic rate (the amount of calories the body burns at rest) by eating a higher protein diet with 15 to 25 percent of the diet coming from high-quality protein.

23.    Eliminate all high-glycemic carbs and eat only low-glycemic vegetables and berries.

24.    Eat an antioxidant-rich diet to prevent inflammation, which leads to fat gain. Try kale, broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy, berries, pomegranates, and cherries.

25.    Non-green veggies that help you lose fat are colored peppers, eggplant, garlic, onions, mushrooms, hearts of palm, spaghetti squash, and water chestnuts.

26.    Drink a lot of water (at LEAST 3 liters a day) to stay hydrated and help detox the body. Recommended water to drink is Kangen Water (8.5-9.5 pH). This is the water we use at boot camp. This water is ionized, alkalized and high in antioxidants for optimal health and wellness. If you would like a free 2 week supply to try it out to see the difference it makes in your body compared to regular acidic, chlorinated tap, filtered or bottled water, don't hesitate to let me know but please do let me know first, don't just take it. Important note: Cancer and disease thrive in an acidic environment so drinking high-quality Kangen alkalized water will optimize your health and help your body become more alkaline and an unsuitable environment for disease. For more info email me or call me at 604.626.2342.

27.    Avoid alcohol, juice, soda, and sports drinks. Stick to water, tea, and coffee.

28.    For a radical approach, eliminate all alcohol. If alcohol can’t be eliminated, Sardinian and Spanish red wines are the best worst option.

29.    Try acupuncture—studies have shown it can aid in treating obesity.

30.    Make sure your vitamin D level is over 40 ng/ml. Take vitamin D if not. Recommended dose is 8000 IU per day.

31.    Take a probiotic (Genestra Brand's HMF Intensive or Forte) to improve your gut health and your overall health for that matter. Also, add fermented foods to your diet as it's key for digestive and gut health. Have 2-3 servings per day. Ex. kefir, yogurt, sauerkraut (unpasteurized), kvass, kombucha tea, kimchi, miso, natto, tempeh, pickles, olives, etc. (these are important for improved digestion, gut health and a strong immune system). Start small (1-2 tsp. per day) and increase in amount as well as number of times per day over a few days/weeks as the good probiotic bacteria in fermented food will be killing off the pathegenic bacteria and yeasts but we want to do it slowly as if you kill them too fast you can experience the "die off" effect where you will feel worse as the bad bacteria and yeasts release toxins into your bloodstream when they die.

32.    Make sure your magnesium level is up to par. Scientists suggest 500 mg of magnesium a day.

33.    Take a liquid zinc test to see if you can taste zinc. If not, you are deficient and should take zinc to speed fat loss.

34.    Don’t buy cheap, poor quality supplements because they will do more harm than good if they are tainted with heavy metals or pollutants. For high-quality supplements free of artifical sweeteners, stimulants, etc. choose Isagenix. For more info click here: Isagenix.

35.    Take B vitamins, especially if you eat a high-protein diet or take BCAAs because the extra amino acids take away from the pool of available B vitamins needed for detox.

36.    Drink coffee or take caffeine before workouts to increase fat burning and work capacity—research shows we will self-select heavier loads if we take caffeine before training.

37.    Drink organic green tea to elevate fat burning and aid in detoxifying the body.

38.    Take carnitine to help the body use fat for fuel and increase time to exhaustion when training hard.

39.    Take the amino acid taurine because it lowers the stress hormone cortisol and helps the body digest fat.

40.    Take R-form alpha lipoic acid because it supports detox and recovery from training.

41.    Use the herb fenugreek with meals to improve insulin sensitivity and energy use.

43.    Limit fructose (especially high fructose corn syrup) in the diet because it gets in the way of losing belly fat.

44.    Never eat fructose before workouts because it blunts fat burning and lowers metabolic rate.

45.    Avoid milk before workouts because it is very “insulinotropic,” meaning it causes persistently high insulin levels that make you burn less energy.

46.    Don’t drink caffeine after workouts because it may raise cortisol at the point where you need to clear it for the best fat-burning and recovery effect.

47.    Eat high-quality protein for breakfast. Avoid cereal and all processed foods.

48.    Eliminate all sugar from your diet. It’s way more trouble than it’s worth if you want to lose fat.

49.    Make an effort to get enough sleep. An early-to-bed, early-to-rise sleep pattern has been shown to improve body composition.

50.    Know that you have complete control over what you put in your mouth. No one ever ate anything by accident.

Below is the interview with Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride. Please listen to it and if you can, I HIGHLY recommend implementing what she teaches. 

I hope that helped.

Tyron

PS. Thanks to fellow fitness professional below for what was shared in this blog.

Charles Poliquin is one of the most accomplished strength coaches in the world. He has designed workouts for Olympic medalists in 17 different sports, world record holders in 10 different sports, and professional athletes in the NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB, and UK Premier League. He has lectured or consulted for a variety of high-profile organizations such as the US Secret Service, Walt Disney Corporation and the World Swimming Congress. More info about him and the info shared in this blog post visit his website at http://www.charlespoliquin.com/Blog/tabid/130/EntryId/1174/Fifty-Fat-Loss-Tips.aspx.

Tweet This

Boot Camp in North Vancouver Shares a Fat Loss Cardio Tip

Tweet

Give that a try in your training program and you'll see much faster weight loss. For those in our boot camp or personal training programs, you would want to do this in between your sessions, i.e. if you are doing boot camp Monday, Wednesday and Friday or Saturday then you'd want to do this Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday or Sunday for a total of 6 workouts per week.

If you have any questions don't hesitate to let me know by emailing me or leaving a comment below.

Helping you get physically and financally fit,

Tyron

PS. If you live in North or West Vancouver, BC and want to experience the boot camp in North Vancouver that GUARANTEES you'll lose at least a clothing size in 28 days or your money back AND will help you get fast results like this girl in the video below who no longer has to take diabetes medication as her diabetes is gone and on top of that has so far lost 10 pounds, 3% body fat, 1-2 clothing sizes and 4 inches, then click the link below:

===>North Vancouver Boot Camp

===>Here's the video:

Tweet This

How to Get Six-Pack Abs

Tweet

The fitness industry is a crazy business, especially when it comes to abs. For example, if you want to reveal your six-pack, you generally have two product choices.

1. The too-easy-to-work method.

You know this better as "5-minute abs!" or some such hype. But if this approach were really effective, even Chris Christie would have a washboard.

2. The so-hard-it-has-to-work method.

Think 60 to 90 minutes of exercise, 6 days a week. Now if you have the time and energy for this kind of regimen, we commend you. But plenty of people are missing one or the other. And that's just reality, not a cop-out.

So we wondered: Could there be an ab-sculpting program that actually works and is doable for most people? For the answer, we turned to Mike Wunsch, C.S.C.S., and Craig Rasmussen, C.S.C.S., creators of Men's Health's newest fat-loss plan, 24-Hour Abs! The answer: "Absolutely," says Wunsch, who teams up with Rasmussen to design the workout programs at Results Fitness in Santa Clarita, California. "That's exactly how we make our living."

One important fact about Results Fitness: Even in a recession, this Southern California gym has expanded. Twice. Why? Because its trainers have developed a fat-loss formula tailored specifically for busy people. (Read: mostly everyone.) The requirements are simple: 30 to 40 minutes a day, 3 days a week. So how do these trainers do it when so many others have failed? They threw out the old guidelines. The new ones they've created are based on 21st-century science and the methods that work best with their clients. Now you can benefit, too.

Don't target your abs to lose fat

Or you might end up frustrated like this!

Back in 2002, we reported that it would take 250,000 crunches to burn a pound of fat, according to estimates from University of Virginia scientists. We're pretty sure those researchers published that statistic to make a point. But after almost a decade, the point still may not have hit home. "I'm amazed at the number of people who think that simply doing ab exercises will make their belly disappear," says Rasmussen. "That is probably the least efficient way to reveal a six-pack."

Do work every single muscle

Ok maybe not to this extreme but you get the point

"Muscle is your body's primary fat burner," says Rasmussen. Your muscles require energy to contract, which is why you burn calories when you exercise. But resistance training, unlike running or cycling, also causes a significant amount of damage to your muscle fibers. And that's a good thing. "Your body has to expend energy to repair and upgrade those fibers after your workout," says Rasmussen. "And a single total-body weight-training session can boost your metabolism for up to 2 days."

So you shouldn't neglect a single inch of your body. That goes double for the legs, a body part that plenty of men either train just once a week or simply ignore. Case in point: Syracuse University researchers determined that people burned more calories the day after a lower-body resistance session than the day after they worked their upper bodies. [you're welcome The Maker's Body clients for all those leg exercises we give you...they're a reason for the pain...good pain that is :)] Why? Because your lower half houses more muscle. The upshot: "A busy guy's smartest approach is to train his entire body every other day," says Rasmussen. "That allows you to elevate your metabolism maximally all week long, even though you're working out only 3 or 4 days a week."

Don't start your workout with crunches

"You can do lots of crunches and situps and still have a weak core," says Wunsch. "We see that all the time." The reason: Classic ab moves like crunches and situps work the muscles that allow you to flex (that is, round) your lower spine. (In fact, there's new evidence out there that shows the crunch might be The Most Useless Exercise Ever.) True core exercises, on the other hand, train the muscles that prevent your spine from rounding. They also allow you to transfer force from your lower body to your upper body (in a golf swing, for example), and vice versa. Core exercises target the same muscles that crunches do, but they also include your hip and lower-back muscles. So what's a true core exercise? One that trains you to keep your spine stable and in its natural alignment. Besides the plank (more on that in a minute), scores of exercises qualify, including the side plank, mountain climber, and even the pushup.

Do start with core exercises

Stability Ball Rollout

"We test everything in our gym," says Wunsch. "And we've seen that people achieve far better results when they do core exercises at the beginning of their workout instead of at the end." The reason: By training your core when your muscles are fresh, you achieve the fastest gains in strength, says Wunsch.

That's important for the average guy, Wunsch and his colleagues have found, because the core is the limiting factor in almost every exercise. "A weak core is what keeps most men from lifting more weight in the squat and deadlift and just about everything else," says Wunsch. "If we focus on strengthening their core first, they'll ultimately be able to lift heavier weights, which allows them to work more muscle and burn more calories. We're thinking about long-term success."

Don't spend hours on your core

While 5 minutes of exercise a day isn't enough to reveal your abs, it is about the right amount of time to dedicate to targeted core training. "We've found that just 2 to 4 sets of one or two core exercises is quite effective," Rasmussen says. "Our goal is to make you stronger, not more tired." A 5-minute core routine prior to weight training has a side benefit, too. "It revs up your core muscles so they fire better as you do other exercises," Rasmussen says.

Do master the plank

Ok not that kind of plank...

this kind

Flip through any issue of Men's Health and you'll probably find some version of the plank. This exercise may appear boring and easy—after all, you look like you're simply holding a pushup position but with your weight supported on your forearms instead of your hands. "The plank is easy only if you're doing it incorrectly or don't know how to make it more challenging," says Wunsch. What's more, he adds, the plank is key because it teaches you to make your core stiff. "That's a skill you need for almost every exercise."

So how do you perfect this exercise? Start by assuming a plank position, and then have a friend place a broomstick along your back. It should touch your head, upper back, and butt; this indicates that your spine is in proper alignment. If the stick doesn't make contact at all three points, simply adjust your posture until it does. That's the position you need to hold. Now to learn all the secrets to the perfect plank, watch this video.

Don't waste a second on the treadmill

"If you have only 30 to 40 minutes to devote to a workout, then every second has to count," says Rasmussen. "In those cases, our clients do zero running." His contention is that you can achieve faster fat loss with resistance training. How so? First, drop the assumption that running burns more calories than lifting does. A University of Southern Maine study found that a single set of a weight-training exercise torches as many calories as running at a 6-minute-mile pace for the same amount of time. So for every second you spend lifting weights, your body is expending high amounts of energy.

There's also the metabolism boost of weight training. "Resistance training has a much larger metabolic impact than long-distance running does," says Rasmussen. "Plus, your body is being given a stimulus to gain strength and build new lean tissue." One last efficiency benefit: Lifting weights through a full range of motion can improve your flexibility as well or even better than static stretching does, according to a University of North Dakota study.

Do keep your body moving

"Our goal is to pack as much physical work as possible into whatever time our clients have," says Wunsch. To that end, he and Rasmussen frequently implement supersets and circuits—strategies that save time without sacrificing results. To understand why, you'll need a few quick definitions.

Straight sets: This is a traditional weight-training routine, in which you complete all the sets of a given exercise before moving on to the next.

Alternating sets: These involve alternating between exercises that train your body using two noncompeting movements. For example, you pair an upper-body exercise that works the muscles on your front side—a pushup or bench press, say—with a lower-body exercise that emphasizes the muscles on your back side--the deadlift, for example. The idea is that you work a group of muscles with one exercise, but instead of sitting around for a full 2 or 3 minutes while that muscle group recovers, you perform an exercise that doesn't heavily engage those same muscles. As a result, you can cut your rest time in half or eliminate it completely.

To perform the deadlift with perfect form click here.

Circuits: These are similar to alternating sets, except that they involve three or more exercises. You can rest after each exercise in the circuit, or only after the last exercise.

How much time can these techniques save? A 2011 Spanish study found that men who trained with circuits achieved the same gains as those who trained with straight sets—yet their workouts were 42 percent shorter. But that's not to suggest you should hit the showers early. No, it means circuits and alternating sets can help you squeeze more total sets into the same sweat session.

Your friend,

Tyron

PS. If you live in North or West Vancouver, BC and want to experience the boot camp in North Vancouver that GUARANTEES you'll lose at least a clothing size in 30 days or your money back AND will help you get fast results like this girl in the video below who lost 20 pounds, 6.5 inches off her waist and 4 inches off her hips, then click the link below to get your free workout and $50 off any one of our programs:

===>North Vancouver Boot Camp

  
===>Here's the video:
 

Craig Rasmussen 

Craig has relocated back to Southern California after spending several years in Indianapolis, Indiana working as a fitness coach at a private training facility, and a strength coach at the high school level. Prior to that, Craig worked as a full-time Physical Education teacher at the middle school level in Santa Monica, California. Craig also received his BA in Physical Education from CSU Chico. He grew up in Ventura attending Buena High School with basketball being his sport of choice.

Craig became passionate about weight training following his freshman year in college when his Junior College basketball coach listed that two of his weaknesses were his strength and size. This proved to be a great motivation for him and he now is a competitive powerlifter and is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Find out more about Craig at http://www.results-fitness.com/trainers.php?page=4&action=9.

Tweet This

Get More Sleep To Lose Body Fat

Tweet

You'll see what I mean by bad news at the end.

Everybody knows that if you want to lose body fat you need to pay attention to diet and exercise. However, there's another factor that hardly anybody talks about...sleep. As a culture, Westerners get much less sleep today than their ancestors did. You can blame a lot of that on the blessing of electricity. What happens when you go to bed too late and what is "too late"? I'm guilty of this so don't think I'm perfect. I need to work on this. 

Is this you?

Any competitive athlete will tell you that they can feel the difference between 8 hours of sleep that starts at 9pm compared with 10pm compared with 11pm. When you push your body hard, you recover much better if you get to bed early. Why is this? Eve Van Cauter PhD is a world authority on the endocrine system and circadian rhythms. Put her name into Google or PubMed and you'll find dozens of her studies clearly showing the unpleasant influences that sleep deprivation has on hormones and other physiological parameters. Side note: hormones play a critical role in how much muscle you build and how much fat you lose. I repeat: the better your hormone profile (affected through sleep, diet, training, stress, etc.), the more fat you will lose. 

A colleague of mine in California, Chris Maund, spent over 3 years gathering information on this topic before writing a review of literature entitled "Sleep, Biological Rhythms and Electromagnetic Fields". His conclusion after spending all those months reviewing literature? Very simple...if you wish to get lean and feel physically recovered from day to day you need at least 8 hours sleep and you'd better be asleep by 10pm at the latest. This is partly because getting to bed later than this adversely affects your natural secretion of growth hormone. You only get one pulsed secretion of growth hormone every 24 hours....if you're not in bed early that pulse is significantly diminished in size.

WHY WHOLE GRAINS MAY NOT BE GOOD FOR YOU

You are probably aware that most people feel better and lose body fat when they cut gluten from their diet. What you might not realize is that all grains are problematic for most people...not just the classic gluten containing grains. 

Why is this? Partly it's because there is a lot of confusion over which grains contain gluten and which ones do not. Many "gluten free" people continue to eat oats and quinoa because they have been told these two are gluten free. There are two major problems with this logic.

Oats

Quinoa

The first problem is that most people feel better, have more energy and less body fat, when they eliminate ALL grains INCLUDING oats and quinoa. Chris and his wife Janet have seen many clients over the years who were unable to get rid of their symptoms (and body fat) until they cut oats and quinoa from their diet. This is partly because oats and quinoa do contain a form of gliadin which does cause significant health problem in many people. Gliadin is the relevant offending sub fraction of gluten.When someone says "I'm gluten intolerant" it's more accurate to say "I'm gliadin intolerant". 

The second problem is that all grains - even rice and corn, which are truly gluten/gliadin free - are simply delivery vehicles for huge amounts of carbohydrate. Most people do not do anywhere enough exercise to burn off the carbohydrates that they get from their daily grain consumption. Unless you are doing at least 60 mins of HARD exercise every day, you should cut ALL grains from your diet and get your carbohydrates from vegetables.

So the bad news is you might need to go to bed earlier (myself included ;) and you might need to eliminate, or at least cut back, grains from your diet. But the good news is you'll feel better, become healthier and lose more body fat...I know you like hearing that :)

Your friend,

Tyron

PS. We're considering opening up more North Vancouver boot camp class times. Currently we have M, W, F at 5:45 am, 11:30 am, 5 pm, 6 pm, 7 pm and Saturdays at 10 am. Would you be interested in a 7:00 am, 9:30 am and/or 12:30 pm (noontime) class?


PPS. Make sure you give these people a big high 5 next time you see
them as they each referred their friends to our program and because
of our referral incentive program got some serious rewards:

Allison - referred 1 friend - gets $100 off next month of training
Mich - referred 2 friends  - gets $200 off next month of training
Aly – referred 1 friend – gets $100 off next month of trainingTania – gets half off program
Rob and Sonja –  gets half off program
Kristen H. - gets half off program

Thanks for bringing your friends out! And this is not all of them
either.

Hey by the way, so that you can get on this list and get free
training and save like these did, encourage your friends, family
and coworkers to come out for their first session at no cost to try
it out and if they choose to sign up, they’ll get $50 off whichever
program they choose and I will totally hook you up with our referral
bonuses of giving you 50% (half) off for EACH person you refer
that joins. Not bad if you ask me.

Janet Alexander

A 25-year veteran of the Health and Fitness Industry and commited endurance athlete, Janet draws her experience from a varied career base, including teaching, sales and marketing, advertising and design as well as working with clients requiring sports performance and orthopedic rehabilitation. Janet is one of the Senior Faculty at the C.H.E.K Institute, co-owner of The CHEK Studio, Inc. in Encinitas, CA where she works predominantly with golfing athletes and their coaches including PGA and LPGA professionals. https://www.chekconnect.com/Page/ConnectProfile?member=janetalexander1

Chris Maund

Chris Maund is a member of the C.H.E.K Faculty and has been teaching for the C.H.E.K Institute since 1998. Chris has a bachelor's degree in Physical Education and Sports Science from Loughborough University in England. He has written a thesis to satisfy part of the requirements for C.H.E.K Practitioner Program entitled "Sleep, Biological Rhythms and Electromagnetic Fields". Chris is a strong believer in the value of massage therapy and studied Paul St John's Neuro Muscular Therapy program. An experienced triathlete, he was a member of the British National Squad from 1989-1992 before emigrating to New Zealand in 1993. Chris has a wealth of experience working in a wide variety of rehabilitation and sports conditioning scenarios. https://www.chekconnect.com/Page/ConnectProfile?member=chrismaund

Tweet This

Your Primary Fat Loss Enemy: The Definitive Guide to Sugar

Tweet

As mentioned in a previous post that insulin is the primary hormone we need to control if we're going to have any sort of success when it comes to lose weight, keeping it off and looking and feeling the way we want. Well I've finished reading that great book that one of my trainers lent me (thanks James!) that I mentioned to you before called The Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson (MarksDailyApple.com) and I wanted to share with you what he says to say about sugar, its different types and the impact it how on insulin (there's that hormone again) and weight gain.

When it comes to weight/fat loss it's all about INSULIN (if you haven't read that one I highly recommend you do so you gain a greater understanding of it)! And when it comes to controlling insulin and its impact on weight gain, its all about SUGAR! If you've been struggling to lose weight this WILL really help in understanding what's going on. Let's delve into this a little deeper.

Buckle up. [Again as mentioned last post, if I harp on any particular food you enjoy; there's no need to worry as I won't say you can never eat that food again (sounds like a mild form of torture) as you can enjoy ALL your favourite foods on your Cheat Day once per week as outlined in my Unstoppable Fat Loss Nutrition System. (For those who don't know the premise behind a Cheat Day its part of my nutrition program and its necessary to keeping your metabolism elevated and your body in fat burning mode as strange as it sounds...it works!)]

Your Primary Fat Loss Enemy: The Definitive Guide to Sugar


You’d think this post would come with a blaring alarm, flashing strobe light or at least an ominous gong. Sugar, after all, gets little welcome around these parts. It’s on one hand a dastardly devil, shameless snare for many a man, woman and child. Beyond this luring, ignoble reputation, however, you’ll find (as is so often the case in life and biology) the story is a bit more complicated – and compelling – than the proverbial black hat. Sugar comes in many forms of course, and each of these leaves a certain amount of damage and destruction in its path. Yet, what do we do when sugar naturally accompanies some of the healthiest fare out there? Do we forgo it altogether when a touch ties an otherwise good Primal recipe together? Are the typical substitutions any better when we choose to use a sweetener? We’ve covered the artificial options in the past, but today I’ll give several natural varieties of sugar their due – the obligatory facts, the practical details and a final Primal analysis.

Why Avoid Sugar?

How could I possibly talk sugar without the warning? If you’ve spent any time around MDA, you likely know the drill. Despite its beloved place (not to mention omnipresence) in our culinary culture, sugar offers the following gifts that keep on giving:

* Sugar stimulates a physiological stressor-reaction cascade that provokes adrenaline and cortisol release and thickens the blood.
* Sugar effectively disables your immune system by impairing white blood cells’ functioning.
* Sugar decreases your body’s production of leptin, a hormone critical for appetite regulation.
* Sugar induces significant oxidative stress in the body.
* Sugar appears to fuel cancer cells. (Check out Free the Animal for much more on the cancer connection.)
* Sugar promotes fat storage and weight gain.
* Sugar disrupts the effective transfer of amino acids to muscle tissue.
* Sugar intake over time spurs insulin resistance, subsequent Type II diabetes and the entire host of related health issues like nerve damage and cardiovascular disease.

Yes, sugar is one insanely powerful drug. Addictive, to boot.

Different Types of Sugar

Public service message aside, let’s get into the nitty-gritty now. Chemically speaking, there are different kinds of sugar. The natural sweeteners and sugary foods we eat contain varying proportions of these. Let’s look at a few of the most common forms.

Glucose

Glucose is the cornerstone of most carbohydrates. It’s a monosaccharide that often combines with and creates other forms of sugar (e.g. sucrose, lactose). In plants, glucose is formed through photosynthesis and stored as starch. In our own bodies, glucose is a precursor for (and product of) glycogen. It’s the common currency of carb-based fuels. In fact, our bodies manufacture glucose (through gluconeogenesis) when our blood levels get too low. Dextrose, a common isomer (same formula, different structure) of glucose, is also referred to as dextroglucose or glucose. Insulin directs glucose processing in the body when blood glucose is already sufficient or high. Glucose supply can be routed to cells throughout the body (e.g. brain cells, red blood cells, etc.) and used right away for energy, or it can be condensed and stored in both the liver and muscle as glycogen for later use. Maltose is a disaccharide joining two glucose molecules. Although it is significantly less sweet (about half of glucose’s sweetness), it is metabolized in the same way glucose is.

Fructose

Then there’s fructose, which is an isomer of glucose. It’s also called crystalline fructose, laevulose/levulose, or fruit sugar. (Crystalline fructose isn’t the same as the manufactured concoction called high fructose corn syrup. We’ll get to that one shortly.)

Some people have a harder time digesting fructose than others. Fructose (in the form of certain fruits, corn syrup, etc.) can cause everything from bloating to diarrhea in these folks. Some experts argue that fructose is a better choice for those with diabetes/insulin resistance because it’s more densely sweet, which encourages people to use less. It also has a lower glycemic value than glucose or sucrose. Indeed, fructose raises insulin less than glucose; however, fructose results in higher ghrelin levels, which boost rather than suppress appetite like insulin does. It also appears to throw off mineral levels (PDF) in the body. Finally, fructose is processed almost solely by the liver. There is some evidence that this concentrated burden on the liver over time can contribute to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. The liver’s metabolism of fructose also produces uric acid, a predictor of cardiovascular disease. Fructose appears to be some pretty nasty stuff. For more information on fructose see Dr. Lustig’s video presentation, Sugar: The Bitter Truth, and then follow it up with a counter-perspective from Don Matesz: Paleo Basics: Fact vs. Fiction.

Sucrose

Sucrose is a disaccharide sugar comprised of fructose and glucose in a 1:1 ratio. It’s perhaps the most familiar of the sugars, since sucrose is also known as table sugar. Although it’s found in fruit and other plants (often with varying amounts of free fructose), sugar cane and sugar beets are the most popular sources for commercial production. Given that sucrose contains a large amount of fructose, it shows similar metabolic patterns to the monosaccharide fructose and particularly to high fructose corn syrup, which is commonly blended to an approximate 55% fructose: 45% glucose mixture.

Common Sugar Sweeteners

Now that we’ve covered the basics on the most common sugars, there’s the question of how all this plays out in our everyday choices. Clearly, we want to avoid sugar as a whole, but few of us achieve full sugar abstinence 100% of the time. Consider this run-through a quick and dirty snapshot of common sweeteners that can inform your decision-making.

Glucose Syrup/Corn Syrup

Glucose syrup in this country is usually made from corn, but it can be produced from other starches like potatoes and rice. Chemically speaking, true glucose syrup/corn syrup consists mainly of glucose sugar; however, some companies like Karo add fructose to their products. It’s commonly used as a sweetener plus emulsifier for food items that require a smooth texture like hard candy. Although glucose itself rates a 100 on the glycemic scale, corn syrup generally falls around 75.
HFCS

Like corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is produced from corn starch; however, the manufacturing process deliberately converts a certain percentage of initial glucose into fructose. The two most common HFCS mixtures are HFCS-55 (containing 55% fructose) and HFCS-42, the former typically added to sodas and the latter added to other processed foods. The presence of fructose in HFCS appears to be key behind its myriad of negative health effects. Fructose content not only contributes to liver disease but lowers HDL levels while increasing small, dense (and more dangerous) LDL particles. As mentioned earlier, fructose also doesn’t flip the hormonal satiation switch as glucose does. Finally, the HFCS industry has been haunted by evidence of mercury contamination related to its production techniques.

Table Sugar/Sucrose

As mentioned, table sugar is actually a 1:1 combination of glucose and fructose and is metabolized in much the same way as HFCS. It’s GI measures around 64. One potential advantage of table sugar over HFCS is the absence of risk for mercury contamination.

Fruit Sugar

Even if you’ve sworn off adding sweetener of any kind to any food ever, there’s the question of fruit. Although the PB advises moderation and selectivity for most nutritional bang for the sugar buck, the best Primal fruits offer some of the highest ORAC values you can get from anything. Is it really necessary to swear off even nutritional powerhouses like berries and cherries to avoid their natural sugar content? The picture gets further complicated by the fact that “fruit sugar” doesn’t exist as a consistent chemical formula. Different fruits contain varying ratios of fructose, glucose and sucrose. Higher fructose-containing fruits include apples and pears, mangos and papaya, while relatively lower fructose fruits include cherries, figs, plums, kiwi, fresh and dried apricots, dried prunes and bananas. Keep in mind, however, that lower fructose ratio fruits can be higher in total sugar.

Raw Honey

Honey consists of dextrose and fructose (broken down from sucrose through honey bee’s digestion) in a nearly 1:1 ratio (with other components such as water, wax, nutrients, etc.). Raw honey has a glycemic index of about 30, but processed honey clocks in around 75. Those who have a harder time digesting fructose can often tolerate honey. Although conventional processing destroys much of honey’s natural benefits, raw honey serves up a (many claim therapeutic) dose of antioxidants, minerals, vitamins, amino acids, and enzymes.

Maple Syrup

Maple syrup is boiled and refined sap from maple trees. It has a GI of 54 and is low in free fructose but high in the fructose-glucose disaccharide sucrose. Nutritionally speaking, it contains manganese, iron and calcium.

Molasses

Although molasses has a fairly equal fructose-glucose ratio (half in free fructose/free glucose and half in disaccharide sucrose), it offers the nutrients extracted in table sugar production: iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, copper and zinc.

Agave Nectar

The last few year have marked agave nectar’s time in the sun, so to speak. The sweetener has enjoyed growing popularity for some time, but experts are beginning to question whether agave nectar lives up to its reputation. Agave nectar is often heralded as low on the glycemic index (15), however, processing techniques result in a 75% or more fructose content. Given the increasing strikes against fructose, it’s harder to justify use of a higher fructose sweetener without significant nutritional benefit.

Palm Sugar/Coconut Sugar

An up and coming (in this country) sweetener is coconut sugar. The sugar is actually made from a variety of palm sources, but the palm and coconut labels are used (albeit mistakenly) interchangeably. It’s largely sucrose-based and registers in the 30s/40s on the GI. The taste is relatively light from what I understand, and the nutritional profile is worth noting.

There you go, folks. Information is power when it comes to your health, and I hope this list offered good food for thought. Here’s my analysis. When you are choosing whether/how to include sugars in your Primal diet, I’d suggest paying closest attention to the total sugar content first, then to any nutritional benefits, and finally to the fructose content. Blueberries might have a relatively equal fructose/glucose ratio, but they offer huge antioxidant benefit. On the other hand, dried apricots have a lower fructose ratio, but their overall sugar content dwarfs many fruits ounce for ounce. Raw honey and coconut sugar likewise offer solid nutritional benefit for their sugar content compared to other sweeteners. Of course, any sugar should be used in strict moderation, but it’s clear not all sweeteners are Primally equal.

Now it’s your turn, my friends. I’ll look forward to reading your thoughts! Thanks for joining me today.

PS. Stay tuned for our next 45 Day Transformation Weight Loss Cleanse Challenge packed with prizes for all participants and a grand prize for the winner and the one who refers the most people to the Challenge. We'll most likely starting the next 45 Day Cleanse Challenge Saturday August 21, 2010. Just recently a client of ours on the cleanse lost between 20-23 pounds in only 30 days!

PPS. If you live in Vancouver, BC and want to experience some of the best rapid weight loss personal training that GUARANTEES you results or your money back, click the link below:

==> North Vancouver Personal Training


PPPS. Or if you live in North or West Vancouver, BC and want more of a group setting at a cheaper price than 1-on-1 personal training but still want to experience one of the best rapid weight loss fitness boot camps that'll help you get results fast and get you lean and strong then please click the link below:

==> North Vancouver Boot Camp Tweet This

Want to Kill Cancer with Simple Things in Your Kitchen? Use These Power Foods Daily

Tweet

I hope you are doing great and enjoying this beautiful weather we're having here (for those who live in Vancouver. If you don't live here you gotta come out and visit! If you do come visit me at the training facility at #103-38 Fell Ave.)

We all have cancer cells forming (and dying thank you God) everyday in our bodies so what I want to share with you today is some simple things you can do nutritionally that will help kill those suckers off and nip them in the bud before they grow into a mass or tumor and potentially becoming a malignant cancer.

Thank God for all these wonderful things He's given us nutritionally to combat these suckers and most of it is right under our noses (or most accurately, goes in right under our noses hah!) I hope you enjoy.

I was recently reading an article in the May 2010 issue of Alive (Alive.com) about foods that combat cancer and a number of them I've already been implementing so I thought you'd like to hear about them as well. It's an article by Matthew Kadey, MSc, RD, an Ontario-based dietitian and food writer. Visit him at WellFedMan.com.

Cancer Busters: 10 Nutritional Heroes

*Note: Always choose organic when stocking up on your cancer-busting foods. Not only are certified organic products better for the environment, free from chemical sprays and genetically modified organisms, they also contain higher levels of nutrients and antioxidants.

There’s good news from a batch of recent studies. Findings suggest what we put in our grocery carts and on our dinner plates can slash the risk of several kinds of cancer

The following all-star foods can help protect you, head to toe, against cancer.

Cranberries



[Note: for those following my weight loss nutrition system, please limit these and other fruits to your Low GI and Higher GI days.]

Target:
Colon cancer, the second leading cause of male and female cancer-related deaths in Canada.

The Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture reports antioxidant-loaded cranberries may prevent colon cancer by decreasing inflammation.

Try This:
In a medium saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups (350 mL) fresh or frozen cranberries, 3 pears or apples, peeled and diced, 1/2 cup (125 mL) sugar, 1/2 cup (125 mL) dried cherries, and 1/2 cup (125 mL) water. Bring to a boil over medium heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Serve over yogourt.


Kale



Target:
Uterine cancer, the most common cancer of the female reproductive organs.

Researchers at the Cancer Institute of New Jersey reported that increased intake of beta carotene and vitamin C, two potent antioxidants, may reduce uterine cancer risk in women. Kale is well endowed with both.

Try This:
Tear leaves off the stems of 1 bunch kale and cut into bite-size pieces. Spread pieces on a baking sheet. Toss with 2 tsp (10 mL) oil and sea salt to taste; bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until just crisp. Enjoy as a healthy snack.

Eggs



Target:
Breast cancer. According to the Canadian Cancer Society, one in nine Canadian women will develop breast cancer.

A 2008 study from Mount Sinai School of Medicine found the risk of developing breast cancer was 24 percent lower among women who had the highest intake of choline, a nutrient needed for normal cell function. One egg, specifically the yolk, contains roughly one-quarter the recommended daily intake.

Try This:
Place whole eggs directly on the barbecue grill over medium heat. Cook for about 10 minutes or until shell is golden brown all over. Peel and chop over a green salad.

Brazil nuts



Target:
Skin cancer. The rate of this disease continues to increase among Canadians.

Higher blood levels of antioxidant selenium may reduce skin cancer risk by about 60 percent, according to a 2009 study in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. Brazil nuts are nature’s richest source of selenium.

Try This:
Place Brazil nuts in a heavy-bottom skillet and cook over medium heat, constantly stirring for 5 minutes or until the nuts are golden brown. Enjoy as a light snack.

Quinoa



[Note: for those following my weight loss nutrition system, please limit these and other grains and carbs to your Higher GI days.]

Target:
Pancreatic cancer, which has one of the lowest survival rates of all cancers.

A recent study in the American Journal of Epidemiology suggests people who consume two or more daily servings of fibre and whole grains such as quinoa have a lower risk of pancreatic cancer than those who consume one or fewer servings.

Try This:
In a saucepan, combine 1 cup (250 mL) apple cider or juice, 1/2 cup (125 mL) quinoa, and 1/2 tsp (2 mL) cinnamon. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until liquid is absorbed, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve as a side dish with meals.

Edamame



Target:
Prostate cancer, the most common cancer in Canadian men.

Edamame are young green soybeans endowed with genistein and daidzein. According to a 2009 study in the journal Nutrition and Cancer, these plant-based compounds mimic estrogen, reducing the risk of prostate cancer by up to 30 percent.

Try This:
Prepare 1 cup (250 mL) shelled edamame according to the package directions. Add to blender with 1/4 cup (60 mL) each plain yogourt and tahini, 2 garlic cloves, juice of 1/2 lemon, 1/2 tsp (2 mL) cumin, 1/4 tsp (1 mL) cayenne, salt and pepper to taste. Blend until smooth. Serve with whole grain crackers or crudités.

Green tea



Target:
Lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer death in Canada.

A 2009 analysis conducted by Chinese scientists found two cups of green tea daily reduced the risk of lung cancer by 18 percent. This ancient beverage contains, among others, a mighty cancer-fighting antioxidant, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG).

Try This:
Allow your green tea to steep for about 5 minutes, so more EGCG ends up in your mug. Sip and enjoy!

Sunflower seeds



Target:
Bladder cancer. Smoking is the number one risk factor for this cancer since cancer-causing chemicals collect in the bladder.

A 2010 Australian study reported higher intake of vitamin E (at least 193 mg per day) may reduce the risk of bladder cancer by about 35 percent. Sunflower seeds, along with nuts and vegetable oils, are an excellent source.

Try This:
Add a generous helping of sunflower seeds to oatmeal, coleslaw, salads, baked
goods, and yogourt.

Sockeye salmon



Target:
Cancer of the esophagus, more common in men, is particularly deadly. Major risk factors include smoking, acid reflux, and drinking very hot beverages.

Scientists at the International Epidemiology Institute in Maryland discovered individuals who consumed the most vitamin D were less likely to develop esophageal and oral cancers. Sockeye salmon is brimming with the sunshine vitamin as well as omega-3 fat, another tumour tamer.

Try This:
In a large bowl, flake 1 can of sockeye salmon. Add 2 grated carrots. Mix in 2 chopped shallots, 1/2 cup (125 mL) oats, 1 Tbsp (15 mL) Dijon mustard, 2 tsp (10 mL) curry powder, 1 beaten egg, and salt and pepper to taste. Form into 6 equal-sized burger patties. Grill or pan-fry until hot, and serve on whole grain buns.

Broccoli sprouts



Target:
Stomach cancer. A diet high in salty and smoked foods boosts stomach cancer risk.

Broccoli sprouts are a stellar source of sulforaphane. This powerful antioxidant can fight Helicobacter pylori stomach infection, a significant risk factor for stomach cancer, says a 2009 study in the journal Cancer Prevention Research.

Try This:
For a peppery kick, add broccoli sprouts to sandwiches, salads, and soups.

Spices

If you've known me for any length of time or are one of my clients you probably know how much I enjoy adding spices and herbs to all my meals. I'll fill you in on more spices and herbs and the benefits they can offer you soon as they are SO powerful and a GREAT addition to your plate and wonderful for your palate! Until then enjoy these 4! Consume these and other spices and herbs liberally!



The spice rack can pack serious cancer-fighting punch

* Black pepper contains piperine, which may reduce the risk of breast cancer.
* Cayenne or chili powder contains capsaicin, which appears to prevent the growth of pancreatic cancer cells.
* Ginger contains 6-shogaol, which prevents the proliferation of cancerous lung cells.
* Turmeric contains curcumin, found to attack and kill esophageal cancer cells.

Have any foods you enjoy that are powerful cancer busters that are not listed above? Please share them with us as I'd like to implement them in my diet as well. Thanks for reading. Please post your comments and powerful cancer busters below in the comment section.

PS. Stay tuned for our next 30 Day Transformation Weight Loss Challenge packed with prizes for all participants and a grand prize for the winner and the one who refers the most people to the Challenge.

PPS. If you live in Vancouver, BC and want to experience some of the best rapid weight loss personal training that GUARANTEES you results or your money back, click the link below:

==> North Vancouver Personal Training


PPPS. Or if you live in North or West Vancouver, BC and want more of a group setting at a cheaper price than 1-on-1 personal training but still want to experience one of the best rapid weight loss fitness boot camps that'll help you get results fast and get you lean and strong like the ladies in the video below (check out the video if you haven't already it's hilarious), then please click the link below:

==> North Vancouver Boot Camp

==> Here's the video:

Tweet This

"Do These 'Genes' Make Me Look Fat?"...It's All About Insulin

Tweet

I hope you are doing awesome and having a great day.

It's been TOO long since I've sent one of my newsletters out and for that I apologize. Things at The Maker's Body have been BUSY to say the least as business has been great and clients are melting away the body fat. In fact, one client just recently reported to me that she's down 15 pounds since she started despite being super busy with work! Keep up the good MB!

But really that's no excuse as everyone's busy. So for that expect some top notched tips and strategies over the next few weeks that are going to help you achieve your weight and health goals! But remember you got to put them into practice for it to work :) (if only we could get results just KNOWING the stuff...boy that'd be nice. I would have probably achieved all my goals by now.) Enough of a side track lets get to the stuff that will change the way you look and feel.

Lately I've been reading this great book that one of my trainers lent me (thanks James!) called The Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson (MarksDailyApple.com) and I wanted to share with you what he says to say about weight loss and how it can become SO SIMPLE when we understand one simple thing: controlling insulin.

When it comes to weight/fat loss it's all about INSULIN! Let me explain. If you've been struggling to lose weight this WILL really help in understanding what's going on.

Buckle up. [If I harp on any particular food you enjoy; there's no need to worry as I won't say you can never eat that food again (sounds like a mild form of torture) as you can enjoy ALL your favourite foods on your Cheat Day once per week. (For those who don't know the premise behind a Cheat Day its part of my Cheat Your Way Thin nutrition program and its necessary to keeping your metabolism elevated and your body in fat burning mode as strange as it sounds...it works!)]

Natural Weight Management: Since plants AND animals are much more nutritionally dense than processed carbohydrates you will meet your nutritional needs in fewer calories than the typical SAD (Standard American Diet). Secondly, when you eat an ample amount of protein and fat it has been shown by food scientists to provide deeper and longer lasting satisfaction levels (satiety) than you get from a high carb diet. Finally, and the real kicker, when you consume fewer carbohydrates and, as a result, produce less insulin!, your hunger and cravings (caused by insulin removing glucose from the bloodstream after high-carb meals or snacks) [yup those can be a thing of the past if you want] will subside and you'll intuitively moderate your caloric intake.

"Essentially 80% of your ability to reduce excess body fat is determined by how you eat, with the other 20% depending on proper exercise, other healthy lifestyle factors and genetic factors."

When you trigger your genes to stop storing body fat and start burning it, as well as increase lean muscle tissue, you can lose one to two pounds per week. Mostly, your success depends on how aggressive you are in keeping dietary insulin levels moderated, thereby extracting more of your caloric needs from fat stores.

Unfortunately when we produce too much insulin over time, as happens when our modern diet is high processed carbs, several things go wrong. First, muscle and liver cells aren't able to store a whole lot of glycogen (stored form of glucose) so its easy to exceed storage capacity with a typical moderate-to-high-card modern diet. When your liver and muscles become filled with glycogen, any glucose remaining in the bloodstream that isn't used in "real time" by your brain or muscles gets converted into triglycerides in the liver and sent to fat cells for storage.

When blood insulin levels are high, those same fat cells store not only the excess glucose but the fat you ate at your last meal. Also, high insulin signals the fat cells to hold on to the fat and not release it for energy. If the pattern of high insulin-generating meals continues, fat cells swell up and we gain weight. Eventually, especially among people who don't exercise much, muscle and liver cells start to become insulin resistant (not good!), their receptors become desensitized to insulin's storage signals. Because inactive people are unpracticed at burning and inefficient at restocking energy from dietary nutrients, insulin takes ingested carbs and fats on a train, passing right through the liver, to their ultimate destination in fat cells!

Continuing this process can lead to severe obesity. Eventually even fat cells become resistant to further storage because we only have a fixed amount of fat cells. At that point, the body's last line of defense against glucose has maxed out. As a result, blood glucose toxicity and insulin damage occur - leading to even greater risk for diabetes, heart attack, blindness, the need for limb amputation and other disasters.

It really does come down to insulin and how we control it by the way we eat. In the next week I'll share more in this vein and what things YOU can do to help you get off the path leading to disaster. If you are one of my clients and are following my Nutrition System, you are controlling insulin and in fact using it to your advantage around workouts with your Prograde Workout drink and with your Cheat Day once day per week for the entire day.

On that note, I want to leave you with this recipe to try on either your Cheat Day or Higher GI Day (also part of the Nutrition System). It's a beauty!

Do you like pancakes on the weekend?

If so, I've got great news for you. You can have your cake and eat it too with this high protein Pumpkin Pancake recipe.

Thanks to Jay Hunter from Prograde Nutrition.

High Protein Pumpkin Pancakes



Ingredients

1 cup pumpkin puree (pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg
1 scoop of Prograde Protein (the Vanilla flavored, Stevia sweetened protein powder)
1/2 cup of whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons of baking powder

Instructions

Combine the pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg, and protein powder in a small bowl. In another bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. Fold the pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture. If the mixture is too thick, thin with a little water.

Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat (use a little butter or coconut oil). Spoon the batter into the skillet. Cook until bubbles appear on the top and the edges look dry. Flip and cook until the second side is golden brown. Top with all-natural maple syrup if desired.

Super easy. Super tasty. Super healthy. And just in time for the weekend :)

Want 197 other delicious, fat-burning recipes for a whopping $4.95?

==> http://ProgradeNutritionals.com/prograderecipebook.html

As an act of good will our friends at Prograde have put together a kick-butt fat-burning recipe book, and you can get all 197 of them for under 5 bucks. That’s a whole 2.5 cents per recipe.

It’s a one time payment and there is NO “catch”. 197 healthy and delicious (and EASY) recipes for under $5. That’s all there is to it.

==> http://ProgradeNutritionals.com/prograderecipebook.html

PS. Stay tuned for our next 30 Day Cleanse Transformation Challenge packed with prizes for all participants and a grand prize for the winner and the one who refers the most to the Challenge.

PPS. If you live in Vancouver, BC and want to experience some of the best rapid weight loss personal training that GUARANTEES you results or your money back, click the link below:

North Vancouver Personal Training


PPPS. Or if you live in North or West Vancouver, BC and want to experience one of the best rapid weight loss group fitness boot camps that'll help you get results like MB above and get you lean and strong like the ladies in the video below (check out the video if you haven't already it's hilarious), then please click the link below:


North Vancouver Boot Camp

==> Here's the video:

Tweet This