Hope you are having a good and healthy day!
Today, we need to talk shop with you. We really need to get this off our gut...as most people are wrong in their way of thinking. They think that all fat is bad!
Though a lot of the fat out there is really bad for you, there are also some good types of fat. Fat that it is OK for you to eat!
Think about it. Everyone has fat on them, however there is a certain amount of safe fat, and then there is excess fat. We need a certain percentage of fat to be healthy. One thing that you should know though, is that over 100 million Americans alone have "too much" fat. This is because they are eating the naughty fats, not the good ones.
We are going to get a little technical on you here, so hold tight...
"Fat droplets inside most of our body's cells regulate excess proteins in our bodies. Even if too much fat has negative effects on our body and health, it seems that a certain amount of fat is necessary for preserving the function of cells."
"Fat droplets are microscopical fat spots present in almost all the cells in the body, and they play the role of warehouses or storage depots for a certain type of protein used by molecules to bind DNA. Besides storing the particular histone proteins needed by cells to bind and organize DNA in the nucleus, the fat droplets also serve as deposits for other proteins found in excessive amounts within our bodies. If these proteins were not gathered and stored somewhere in the body, they would become harmful for our health."
So, it is good to have fat. We need it to function! But what are the good fats and what are the bad fats?
***Good Fats = Polyunsaturated/Monounsaturated Fats
Ex. fish oil, sunflower oil, Omega 3, nuts, olive oil, avocado
***Bad Fats = Saturated/Trans Fats
Ex. Coconut oil, palm oil, meat, cheese, eggs, margarine, French fries, Cheetos
These are the basics of it. Having some fat in your diet is good, and ideally you want to make those fats good fats. Eating a bag of chips is NOT a good way to get your fat. Not only are you putting the wrong type of fat in your body, they are very bad for you!
We do have some good news for you.
Any fat that you have can be removed...as much or as little as you like.
Fat does weigh less than muscle, but the bad thing about fat is that it doesn't help burn calories, whereas muscle does. Therefore, you are better off weighing more by having more muscles, not fat, as your metabolism will burn much more calories in the long run if you have a higher muscle mass.
So, having the right type of fat in your diet is OK, but having over a certain amount of fat on your body can be unhealthy. Fat is stored when you burn less calories than you take in, so the goal is to burn more calories than you eat everyday.
That is all for today, your Fat 101!
Take care,
STF Diet Team
www.StripThatFat.com
Friday, April 17, 2009
Top 5 Fat Loss Tips
By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com
Men's Fitness magazine recently asked me for 3 of my best fat loss secrets. Since most times the magazines just don't have enough space to run my full tips, I thought I'd give you a more detailed explanation of my secrets here (plus a few extra bonus tips that I didn't send to the magazine).
Secret #1 - Focus on burning carbohydrate, not fat, during your
fat-loss workouts.
Sounds backwards, right? But not when you look at how I structure my workouts. Remember that Turbulence Training focuses on resistance training and interval training. Both of these use carbohydrate as the main source of energy. So it's obvious the workout is designed to burn carbohydrates during the training session.
I have no interest in you trying to train in your "target heart
rate zone" for fat burning (aka - the fat burning zone). The whole idea of a fat-burning zone is an over-simplified idea of how the body works during exercise.
Leave the inefficient fat burning zone to the mis-educated
trainers in the commercial gyms (that not surprisingly, also want to sell you a heart rate monitor so you can stay in your "fat
burning heart rate zone").
If you want to get the most results in the least amount of time,
focus on burning carbohydrates, not fat.
Why do my fat loss workouts focus on burning carbohydrate rather than fat? In order to burn more calories after the workout, that's why. When you exercise with intervals and heavy resistance training, your body uses more calories in the hours after exercise than it would if you did traditional cardio and lifted lighter weights.
Alwyn Cosgrove calls this 'afterburn', and I call it 'Turbulence'.
By any name it gives you the same results - maximum
improvements in your body composition (helping you lose fat while gaining muscle).
Secret #2 - Use a range of repetitions in your strength training
workouts.
In order to train more muscle fibers and burn more carbohydrates, I have clients use a range of repetitions within the same workout. My workouts now use 6, 8, and 12 reps per set in order to work the muscle the most effectively.
This will burn more carbohydrates and promote as much muscle growth as possible when you are keeping the calories low.
Secret #3 - Use the stationary cycle for interval training.
I choose the stationary bike for intervals whenever possible
because cycling against a resistance can help maintain muscle mass.
Cycling against a resistance also allows you to perform a large
amount of mechanical work, and that is a key determinant of the Turbulence in my training.
But please note: I don't use low-intensity, fast pedaling
'spinning' intervals as I'm convinced that the hard, resistance
based intervals are more effective for fat loss. My clients only
cycle against a strong resistance in their intervals.
I really like the bike, but there are many other ways to do
intervals. Use what works for you, but if you are at a plateau, try the bike.
Secret #4 - Increase meal frequency
Okay, so this isn't really a secret to anyone that has read about
fat loss. But a 2005 study from the American Journal of Clinical
Nutrition showed that eating 6 times per day was associated with eating fewer calories per day, lowering cholesterol levels, and lowering post-meal insulin levels.
Combine an increased meal frequency with an increased protein and fiber intake, and you'll see your body composition improve rapidly.
If you need more nutrition help, then you'll love the new
Turbulence Training Nutrition Guide for Men & Women - written by Dr. Chris Mohr, Ph.D.
See below for more details...
Secret #5 - My Synergistic Turbulence Training Workouts
My Turbulence Training Fat Loss workouts are fast becoming the most effective way to burn fat, build muscle, and get lean. The synergistic strength training-interval training workouts are
efficient and effective - getting you in and out of the gym in
under an hour.
Here are some tips that you can use for an advanced training phase
- use these tips for 2 weeks then return to your normal training
schedule:
a) Add 10 seconds to each interval but maintain the intensity
b) Add in some bodyweight circuits (10-20 minutes per day) done in the morning or evening (if you do your regular workout in the AM, do your bodyweight circuits after dinner; otherwise, do the bw circuits first thing in the AM, and then do your regular workout at lunch or later in the afternoon or evening)
If you are advanced, you can use squats, pushups, and bodyweight rows for your circuit.
If you are a beginner, you could use lying hip extensions, modified pushups, and stick-ups.
c) Add an extra set to each exercise in the first superset you do
in each workout.
Again, use these three tips for an advanced fat loss period of two
weeks, then return to a normal training schedule.
But always stick to the best fat loss nutrition plan possible.
If you have any other questions, just let me know.
Sincerely,
Craig Ballantyne
Author, Turbulence Training
P.S. Big Nutrition Announcement!
The Turbulence Training Nutrition Guide for Men & Women - written by Dr. Chris Mohr, Ph.D., is ready for you.
Here are just some of the things you'll learn from Dr. Mohr...
1) How to calculate your calorie needs (p. 6)
2) Calorie recommendations for obese individuals (p.7)
3) The 23 types of sugar (many hidden!) to avoid (p. 9)
4) The 20 whole-grain sources to fuel your fat loss program (p9)
5) Over 60 fruits and vegetables that should be added to your diet (p. 10)
6) The 16 protein sources you should select most often (p. 13)
7) Shocking trans-fat content of 18 common foods - find out which food is the deadliest in terms of fat content (p. 16)
8 ) The 9 Fat Sources you should select most often (p. 17)
9) Dr. Mohr's 12 Rules for Fat Loss (p. 18)
10) The TT Nutrition Plan for Men (p. 19)
11) The TT Nutrition Plan for Women (p. 23)
12) Bonus Supplement Report: The Truth About Fat Loss Pills (p. 27)
About the Author
Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit www.TurbulenceTraining.com
www.TurbulenceTraining.com
Men's Fitness magazine recently asked me for 3 of my best fat loss secrets. Since most times the magazines just don't have enough space to run my full tips, I thought I'd give you a more detailed explanation of my secrets here (plus a few extra bonus tips that I didn't send to the magazine).
Secret #1 - Focus on burning carbohydrate, not fat, during your
fat-loss workouts.
Sounds backwards, right? But not when you look at how I structure my workouts. Remember that Turbulence Training focuses on resistance training and interval training. Both of these use carbohydrate as the main source of energy. So it's obvious the workout is designed to burn carbohydrates during the training session.
I have no interest in you trying to train in your "target heart
rate zone" for fat burning (aka - the fat burning zone). The whole idea of a fat-burning zone is an over-simplified idea of how the body works during exercise.
Leave the inefficient fat burning zone to the mis-educated
trainers in the commercial gyms (that not surprisingly, also want to sell you a heart rate monitor so you can stay in your "fat
burning heart rate zone").
If you want to get the most results in the least amount of time,
focus on burning carbohydrates, not fat.
Why do my fat loss workouts focus on burning carbohydrate rather than fat? In order to burn more calories after the workout, that's why. When you exercise with intervals and heavy resistance training, your body uses more calories in the hours after exercise than it would if you did traditional cardio and lifted lighter weights.
Alwyn Cosgrove calls this 'afterburn', and I call it 'Turbulence'.
By any name it gives you the same results - maximum
improvements in your body composition (helping you lose fat while gaining muscle).
Secret #2 - Use a range of repetitions in your strength training
workouts.
In order to train more muscle fibers and burn more carbohydrates, I have clients use a range of repetitions within the same workout. My workouts now use 6, 8, and 12 reps per set in order to work the muscle the most effectively.
This will burn more carbohydrates and promote as much muscle growth as possible when you are keeping the calories low.
Secret #3 - Use the stationary cycle for interval training.
I choose the stationary bike for intervals whenever possible
because cycling against a resistance can help maintain muscle mass.
Cycling against a resistance also allows you to perform a large
amount of mechanical work, and that is a key determinant of the Turbulence in my training.
But please note: I don't use low-intensity, fast pedaling
'spinning' intervals as I'm convinced that the hard, resistance
based intervals are more effective for fat loss. My clients only
cycle against a strong resistance in their intervals.
I really like the bike, but there are many other ways to do
intervals. Use what works for you, but if you are at a plateau, try the bike.
Secret #4 - Increase meal frequency
Okay, so this isn't really a secret to anyone that has read about
fat loss. But a 2005 study from the American Journal of Clinical
Nutrition showed that eating 6 times per day was associated with eating fewer calories per day, lowering cholesterol levels, and lowering post-meal insulin levels.
Combine an increased meal frequency with an increased protein and fiber intake, and you'll see your body composition improve rapidly.
If you need more nutrition help, then you'll love the new
Turbulence Training Nutrition Guide for Men & Women - written by Dr. Chris Mohr, Ph.D.
See below for more details...
Secret #5 - My Synergistic Turbulence Training Workouts
My Turbulence Training Fat Loss workouts are fast becoming the most effective way to burn fat, build muscle, and get lean. The synergistic strength training-interval training workouts are
efficient and effective - getting you in and out of the gym in
under an hour.
Here are some tips that you can use for an advanced training phase
- use these tips for 2 weeks then return to your normal training
schedule:
a) Add 10 seconds to each interval but maintain the intensity
b) Add in some bodyweight circuits (10-20 minutes per day) done in the morning or evening (if you do your regular workout in the AM, do your bodyweight circuits after dinner; otherwise, do the bw circuits first thing in the AM, and then do your regular workout at lunch or later in the afternoon or evening)
If you are advanced, you can use squats, pushups, and bodyweight rows for your circuit.
If you are a beginner, you could use lying hip extensions, modified pushups, and stick-ups.
c) Add an extra set to each exercise in the first superset you do
in each workout.
Again, use these three tips for an advanced fat loss period of two
weeks, then return to a normal training schedule.
But always stick to the best fat loss nutrition plan possible.
If you have any other questions, just let me know.
Sincerely,
Craig Ballantyne
Author, Turbulence Training
P.S. Big Nutrition Announcement!
The Turbulence Training Nutrition Guide for Men & Women - written by Dr. Chris Mohr, Ph.D., is ready for you.
Here are just some of the things you'll learn from Dr. Mohr...
1) How to calculate your calorie needs (p. 6)
2) Calorie recommendations for obese individuals (p.7)
3) The 23 types of sugar (many hidden!) to avoid (p. 9)
4) The 20 whole-grain sources to fuel your fat loss program (p9)
5) Over 60 fruits and vegetables that should be added to your diet (p. 10)
6) The 16 protein sources you should select most often (p. 13)
7) Shocking trans-fat content of 18 common foods - find out which food is the deadliest in terms of fat content (p. 16)
8 ) The 9 Fat Sources you should select most often (p. 17)
9) Dr. Mohr's 12 Rules for Fat Loss (p. 18)
10) The TT Nutrition Plan for Men (p. 19)
11) The TT Nutrition Plan for Women (p. 23)
12) Bonus Supplement Report: The Truth About Fat Loss Pills (p. 27)
About the Author
Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit www.TurbulenceTraining.com
How To Get My Ex back If He Wants More Space
Almost everyone has experienced a powerful relationship in their life, when suddenly everything which seems so perfectly is broken off because your boyfriend wants space. There are a number of different reasons for why a boyfriend may suddenly need space, including family problems, insecurities, or a fear of commitment just to name a few. Here are some tips for answering the age old "how to get my ex back" question if your ex boyfriend needs more space.
- You are not going to want to lose your pride, or to allow him to get the best of you - But clearly you are still in love with him. It may be ideal to play a little bit hard to get at first, in order to show him that yes, it was his loss and not your own.
- If you are feeling like your ex boyfriend still has feelings for you, then it may be ideal for you to strike up a conversation with him. Keep communication to a minimum in order to keep the level of drama to a minimum. Short text messages, brief phone calls and online conversations in passing are all a great way to remind him how much he wants to be a part of your life without overwhelming him with your presence when he may actually want and need space.
- Eventually he will begin to show significant interest in you again if all goes well, and this will give you the chance to truly begin to reminisce with him. Keep in mind that you should focus primarily on all of the good memories associated with your relationship in the past. While rekindling a relationship with your ex boyfriend, you are going to want to stay away from the bad experiences and negative experiences in case they conjure bad feelings and undo your hard work.
- If your boyfriend is not responding to your slow and subtle advances, you need to take it for what it is. Either he just really is not interested in you right now, or he really does just need space and you should give it to him. But if on the other hand he seems to be interested in you more than before, or is slowly warming up to you again, then you should continue gradually advancing on him to rekindle the relationship.
- If your ex boyfriend is giving you the right signals, you can try to open your heart up to him. Let him know how you feel, but avoid looking desperate or needy in the process. If your ex is showing you that he is thinking about rekindling things, then it would be healthy to be open with him. But if his signals are pointing in the other direction, it may be wiser to step back and let things happen more naturally.
These are just the beginning steps in winning your Ex back. They are the initial steps I followed when I lost the love of my life. And frankly these aren't my original ideas. I turned to T 'Dub' Jackson when I had no idea of how to get my true love back.
T 'Dub' authored a simple, down to earth step by step plan called "The Magic Of Making Up". And you know, it worked like magic for us. Now we are more in love than ever.
www.MagicOfMakingUp.com
- You are not going to want to lose your pride, or to allow him to get the best of you - But clearly you are still in love with him. It may be ideal to play a little bit hard to get at first, in order to show him that yes, it was his loss and not your own.
- If you are feeling like your ex boyfriend still has feelings for you, then it may be ideal for you to strike up a conversation with him. Keep communication to a minimum in order to keep the level of drama to a minimum. Short text messages, brief phone calls and online conversations in passing are all a great way to remind him how much he wants to be a part of your life without overwhelming him with your presence when he may actually want and need space.
- Eventually he will begin to show significant interest in you again if all goes well, and this will give you the chance to truly begin to reminisce with him. Keep in mind that you should focus primarily on all of the good memories associated with your relationship in the past. While rekindling a relationship with your ex boyfriend, you are going to want to stay away from the bad experiences and negative experiences in case they conjure bad feelings and undo your hard work.
- If your boyfriend is not responding to your slow and subtle advances, you need to take it for what it is. Either he just really is not interested in you right now, or he really does just need space and you should give it to him. But if on the other hand he seems to be interested in you more than before, or is slowly warming up to you again, then you should continue gradually advancing on him to rekindle the relationship.
- If your ex boyfriend is giving you the right signals, you can try to open your heart up to him. Let him know how you feel, but avoid looking desperate or needy in the process. If your ex is showing you that he is thinking about rekindling things, then it would be healthy to be open with him. But if his signals are pointing in the other direction, it may be wiser to step back and let things happen more naturally.
These are just the beginning steps in winning your Ex back. They are the initial steps I followed when I lost the love of my life. And frankly these aren't my original ideas. I turned to T 'Dub' Jackson when I had no idea of how to get my true love back.
T 'Dub' authored a simple, down to earth step by step plan called "The Magic Of Making Up". And you know, it worked like magic for us. Now we are more in love than ever.
www.MagicOfMakingUp.com
Help With Autism - How Diet Helps
In the last Autism post we covered how diet can play an important role in moderating autism behaviors...
And how some parents have seen some significant differences for the
better when implementing a Gluten free Casein free (GFCF) diet.
However, exclusion diets aren't the only way that food can have an impact.
What you eat or supplement the diet with can have just as much an impact as what you leave out.
Find out more here:
www.Essential-Guide-to-Autism.com
Did you know...
The Southwest Autism Research Center studied 400 people with autism over thirty years ago. Of those people, 48% had chronic diarrhea or constipation - conditions that prevent the body from properly absorbing nutrients?
Or that Dr. Emar Vogelaar studied 20 children with autism in August of 2000 and found that over 50% of them were deficient in vitamins A, B1,B3, B5, biotin, selenium, zinc, and magnesium? They were also deficient in amino acids and essential fatty acids.
But when looking at supplements it is important that the information you receive is accurate, as shown by this study...
Dr. William Walsh studied 500 children with autism and found that over 99% of them had a higher Serum Cu:Plasma zinc ratio than was
normal.
What this means is that unless there is a known deficiency, people with autism should avoid taking supplements containing copper and should consider taking zinc to improve the immune system.
With all these different finding it can be confusing to know what to
do...
-------------------------
So, what should I do?
-------------------------
By far, the best route to ensure your child is receiving all the essential vitamins and minerals they need is through eating fresh, nutritious foods.
However, if your child is following a restricted diet, which limits items or has sensory problems with eating, certain food supplements may be beneficial.
Many parents all over the world with autistic children have reported their children's symptoms have improved, as has their general health, when certain vitamins and minerals were introduced.
-------------------------
What to do next
-------------------------
Before starting a restrictive diet or supplement program its important to speak to your child's doctor or qualified nutritionist.
In The Essential Guide To Autism there is more in-depth information on supplements that are beneficial to children with autism and why.
Also really useful up-to-date strategies and tips on starting up a successful supplement regime.
To find out more about supplementation and other Autism treatments:
www.Essential-Guide-to-Autism.com
See you next time, when I'll be covering the best behavioral-based autism treatment options available and what you should know about
them.
And how some parents have seen some significant differences for the
better when implementing a Gluten free Casein free (GFCF) diet.
However, exclusion diets aren't the only way that food can have an impact.
What you eat or supplement the diet with can have just as much an impact as what you leave out.
Find out more here:
www.Essential-Guide-to-Autism.com
Did you know...
The Southwest Autism Research Center studied 400 people with autism over thirty years ago. Of those people, 48% had chronic diarrhea or constipation - conditions that prevent the body from properly absorbing nutrients?
Or that Dr. Emar Vogelaar studied 20 children with autism in August of 2000 and found that over 50% of them were deficient in vitamins A, B1,B3, B5, biotin, selenium, zinc, and magnesium? They were also deficient in amino acids and essential fatty acids.
But when looking at supplements it is important that the information you receive is accurate, as shown by this study...
Dr. William Walsh studied 500 children with autism and found that over 99% of them had a higher Serum Cu:Plasma zinc ratio than was
normal.
What this means is that unless there is a known deficiency, people with autism should avoid taking supplements containing copper and should consider taking zinc to improve the immune system.
With all these different finding it can be confusing to know what to
do...
-------------------------
So, what should I do?
-------------------------
By far, the best route to ensure your child is receiving all the essential vitamins and minerals they need is through eating fresh, nutritious foods.
However, if your child is following a restricted diet, which limits items or has sensory problems with eating, certain food supplements may be beneficial.
Many parents all over the world with autistic children have reported their children's symptoms have improved, as has their general health, when certain vitamins and minerals were introduced.
-------------------------
What to do next
-------------------------
Before starting a restrictive diet or supplement program its important to speak to your child's doctor or qualified nutritionist.
In The Essential Guide To Autism there is more in-depth information on supplements that are beneficial to children with autism and why.
Also really useful up-to-date strategies and tips on starting up a successful supplement regime.
To find out more about supplementation and other Autism treatments:
www.Essential-Guide-to-Autism.com
See you next time, when I'll be covering the best behavioral-based autism treatment options available and what you should know about
them.
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