Don't Get Swept Away by Deceptivce Weight Loss Claims

This is that time of the year you get hit by a sea of advertisements for weight loss programs and products. The weight loss industry is big business with annual revenues of over $20 billion, with lots of players trying to get a hold of your cash.  You'll hear about products and services ranging from prepackaged meals to things you can sprinkle on you food to help you loss weight.  Here are some things you should know to make sure you don't get swept away by deceptive programs and products promising dramatic results in only days.

Diets don't work for long-term weight loss.  At any one time there are over 100 million people in the U.S. on a diet.  Most people lose 5 to 10 percent of their starting weight within the first 6 months on a diet, however over 90 percent of them regain their weight within 1 to 5 years.

The reason why so many people fail on a diet is because they don't make the necessary lifestyle changes to lose the weight and keep it off.  Making healthy lifestyle choices that you can stick to for the long-term is key to losing weight and keeping it off.  Any diet that places severe restrictions on what you can and cannot eat is going to fail because it is nearly impossible to adhere to for very long.

There are no magic pills or dust that's going to make you lose weight, or at least not in a healthy way.  I'm a personal trainer with over 20 years of experience in the health and fitness industry and I have never seen a single pill or product that will miraculously cause you to lose weight in a healthy manner.  Weight loss has always and will always be a result of taking in less calories than you expend.

Put little belief in the celebrity hype.  Most of the major weight loss products and services have celebrities who endorse them who are paid $500,000 to $3 million to do so.  So think twice the next time you hear some celebrity talk about how they lost weight on some fantastic product or service.

Always remember that healthy eating and  regular exercise is the best combination for losing weight and keeping it off.  Not only will you look better, you will also feel better.

Are You Getting the Maximum Results From Your Strength Training Program?

I've worked in the health and fitness industry for over 21 years now as a personal trainer.  During which I have exalted strength training also called weight lifting, and resistance training as the best way to combat the effects of aging.  Scientific research has now proven that strength training is indeed the most beneficial way to maintain your muscle mass, and strength as you age.

Now, I'm beginning to see more people in their 40s and over get off the bikes, and treadmills and start to lift weights.  However, most of them are not using the kind of resistance to reap the most benefit from their weight lifting efforts.  I see them using very little resistance for countless repetitions of each exercise they perform.  To reap the most benefit from your strength training routine you have to use enough resistance to stimulate muscle repair and growth.

A proper strength training routine produces microscopic tears in your muscles and your body responds by repairing your muscles, increasing muscle size, and consequently increasing muscle strength.  Using a resistance that you can easily do for more than 10 repetitions does not cause the microscopic tears in your muscles, nor an increase in muscle size and strength.

Scientific research has proven that working out with a resistance between 60 to 100 percent of the maximum weight you can lift for 1 repetition with proper form is the most beneficial in producing gains in muscle strength.  In layman's terms, use a resistance for each exercise with which it is difficult to complete 8 to 10 repetitions with proper form if you want to get the best results from your strength training program.

If you want to start strength training I suggest you find a nationally certified health and fitness professional to design a program for you and to show you the proper lifting techniques.  It is well worth the time and money to know you are getting the maximum benefit from your exercise program.

If You Build Muscle, You Will Burn Fat

English: Fitness Model posing with dumbell. Photo by Glenn Francis of www.PacificProDigital.com (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Remember the line from the movie Field of Dreams, "If you build it they will come".  Well, here's a line to remember if you want to lose body fat, "If you build muscle, you will burn fat".

A significant gain in weight and body fat results from an energy imbalance over a prolonged period of time, which means that energy intake exceeds energy expenditure.  In other words, weight gain and body fat accumulation results from a prolonged period of eating more calories than you burn.  Thus, you didn't go to bed one night fit and trim and wake-up the next morning fat and over-weight.

Consequently, you can change your energy balance by either altering the amount of calories you consume or increasing your energy expenditure.  Your total daily energy expenditure is the sum total of the following: your resting energy expenditure + the thermogenic effect of the foods you consume + the energy expenditure related to your daily activity.  Consequently, if your total daily caloric intake exceeds your total daily energy expenditure, you gain weight in the form of body fat.

Under most circumstances the largest component of your total daily energy requirement is your resting energy expenditure (also referred to as REE).  Your REE is composed of the metabolic requirements of your organs, and muscle mass.  The energy requirements of your organs remain fairly constant under most circumstances therefore, the energy expenditure related to muscle metabolism is the only part of your REE that varies considerably.

Muscle is the active component of your body that burns the most calories at rest.  It is estimated that a pound of muscle burns approximately 6 calories daily at rest. So, for each pound of muscle you gain you also increase your energy expenditure by 6 calories each day.  While that may sound like a small number, it makes a big difference over time.  For example, let's say you gain 5 pounds of lean muscle in the course of a year.  That equates to an additional 30 calories in your daily energy expenditure.   Over the course of a year that equates to nearly a 11,000 calorie increase in your REE.

The synthesis and breakdown of muscle protein is principally responsible for the energy expenditures of resting muscle.  The energy to provide for this process of muscle protein turnover is derived mainly from the oxidation of fat.  Yes, body fat is the preferred fuel of resting muscle, and it is also the preferred fuel for your muscles during low to moderate intensity activities.

Now, let's look at the above example of a 5 pound muscle gain in a different light.  It takes a 3500 calorie deficient to lose 1 pound of body fat.  So, the 11,000 calorie increase in your REE due to a 5 pound gain in muscle equates to a 3 pound loss of body fat over the course of a year.  Now, do you see why it's important to build and maintain your muscle mass if you want to get lean? Thus, I remind you again, "Build the muscle and you will burn the fat".

A Beginners Guide to Strength Training Over 50

My newest ebook, A Beginners Guide to Strength Training Over 50.  Strength training is one of the most important things you can do if you want to remain healthy and fit over the age of 50.  In this guide I show you a beginners strength training routine I do with my clients over 50.

Muscle Plays a Major Role in Your Health

I've been in the health and fitness industry for over 21 years now and I've always emphasized the importance of building and maintaining healthy muscle, especially as you age. I've always known that muscle plays a major role in your overall health and fitness and current research has now proven this as so.

The importance of muscle mass, strength, and metabolic function in the performance of exercise, as well as the activities of daily living has never been questioned. However, the role your muscles play in whole-body protein metabolism is less recognized.

Your muscle plays a central role in your whole-body protein metabolism by serving as the principle reservoir for amino acids to maintain protein synthesis (growth & regeneration) in vital tissues and organs in the absence of consuming enough protein in your diet.  In other words, if you don't get enough protein in your diet, your body breaks down your muscle mass in order to make the necessary amino acids you need to survive.

Additionally, new research points to a key role that muscle metabolism plays in the prevention of many pathologic conditions and chronic diseases.  Loss of muscle has been associated with weakness, fatigue, insulin resistance, fractures, and frailty. Thus, many of the degenerative conditions that are associated with aging are caused by poor muscle health.

Thus, building and maintaining your muscle mass is one of the most important things you can do for your overall health.  In my next series of post I will show you the most effective ways to accomplish this.

Low Protein Plus Little Strength Training Equals Accelerated Aging

Lots of people seem to think that once they reach the age of 40 they start to become weaker, less toned, and less fit.  They blame these conditions on aging.  In my line of business I hear all about the aches and pains of getting older.  Most people think there is very little they can do to avoid the physical degeneration that is associate with aging. Contrary to this belief there are 2 things that have been proven to combat the aging process, and they are increased protein in your daily diet, and regular strength training.

Most of the physical decline in your body  you associate with aging is caused by muscle loss.  Muscle loss associated with aging is called sacopenia and it can begin as early as your 30s and it accelerates with time if you don't do anything about it.  Fortunately increasing the amount of protein you consume daily combined with a regular strength training program has been proven to be the best approach to curbing and even reversing the effects of sacopenia.

Protein is a necessary part of every living cell in your body. Next to water, protein comprises up the greatest portion of your body weight. Protein substances make up your muscles, ligaments, tendons, organs, glands, nails, hair, and many vital body fluids.  It is essential for the growth, repair, and healing of your bones, tissues, and cells.  Additionally, the the enzymes and hormones that catalyze and regulate your body processes are comprised of protein.  So, you see protein is greatly involved in many vital activities in your body. 

All proteins are made up of building blocks called amino acids. As you age your body becomes less efficient at processing protein and if you don't get the proper amount in your diet your body starts to break-down lean muscle in order get the amino acids it needs to keep your body functioning.  Thus, the protein you consume will be used for purposes other than building and maintain muscle which leads to muscle loss.

As you age the goal of protein consumption should be to optimize lean muscle mass.  Studies now show that consuming 25 to 30 grams of high quality protein at each meal is necessary for maximal muscle growth, repair and maintenance.  Thus, eating this way signals your body that it has enough protein to start a process called protein synthesis (growth and repair).

Strength training or weight lifting has been demonstrated to increase muscle size and strength.  Your muscles grow and increase in strength in order to meet the increased resistance you are lifting.  2 to 3 strength training sessions weekly are recommended to increase muscle size and strength.

Now you see that when you combine proper protein consumption with regular strength training you maximize muscle growth and strength, and thus you minimize the effect of muscle loss associated with aging.  This combination of increased protein intake and strength training is what I do to build and maintain my muscle mass and strength as I age.  I'm in my 50s and I am stronger and more fit than I was in my 20s.  I'm living proof that this strategy works to combat the effects of aging.

Please checkout my strength training publications by clicking on this link: My Publications, and also checkout one of the highest quality protein supplements on the market by clicking on this link: Protein My Whey.

Is Sacopenia Causing You to Get Fatter?

Sacopenia is the progressive loss of muscle mass, function, quality, and strength related to the aging process.  When the word aging comes mind most people think of 65 plus, however you can start to lose muscle mass in your 30s.  As a matter of fact, between the ages of 30 to 60, the average adult will gain 1 lb of weight and lose 1/2 lb of muscle yearly.  That's a gain of 30 lbs of fat and a loss of 15 lbs of muscle over a 30 year period.

How does this happen?  Beginning in their mid-30s most people start to lead a more sedentary lifestyle.  They have careers, get married, have children, and lead less physically active lives.  Your body is designed to be physically active, and the old saying "use it or lose it" is the truth when it comes to your body, especially your muscle mass.

Why do you gain body fat and lose muscle? Muscle is the component of your body that is active and burns the most calories.  Muscle mass burns calories while you are at rest just to maintain itself, even when you are asleep.  A pound of muscle burns approximately 6 calories per day even if you are doing nothing but resting and it burns more if you are active.  Your muscles favorite fuel during times of rest and moderate activity is body fat.

On the other hand, body fat is designed to be used by your body in times of famish.  It is encoded in your body to store body fat just in case you had to go without food for several days.  Consequently body fat only burns about 1 calorie per day to maintain itself.  So, you can see over time as you lose your muscle mass you lose your capacity to burn the calories you consume at the highest level.  Other words, your metabolism drops in relation to your muscle loss.

What can be done to prevent sacopenia?  Research shows the two most important things your can do to prevent muscle loss as you age is regular strength training (also known as weight lifting), and consuming the proper amount of protein high quality protein at each meal.

2 to 3 strength training sessions each week elicits an anabolic response in your muscles (repair and growth) causing your body to adapt to the increased demand to the resistance you are lifting.  And getting enough protein at breakfast, lunch, and dinner signals the body that it is okay to use the protein to rebuild and repair your muscles thus, maintaining your muscle mass.  Experts now agree that 25 to 30 grams of high quality protein at each meal is enough to maximize muscle growth and repair.

I'm in my 50s and I have more muscle mass than I had in my 20s.  I strength train 3 to 4 times each week and I supplement my protein requirements with a whey based smoothie every morning and I have done so for years.  Whey is a dairy derived protein and is one of the highest quality and most digestible proteins that you can consume.  Recently I teamed with a company called Vitalabs to produce one of the best whey protein supplements on the market.  Check it out by clicking on this link and let me know what you think. Protein My Whey.

Who Says You Get Weaker With Age?

People seem to think that once they reach the age of forty, their bodies start to deteriorate, slipping down the slope into old age. They blame their lack of energy, their pudgy appearance, and their aches and pains on “getting old”. Most of these symptoms are however the result of years of negative thinking, lack of exercise, and poor dietary choices. The key to keeping your body fit and firm as you age is making healthy lifestyle choices on a daily basis.

It’s a proven fact that people who make healthy lifestyle choices live longer and have a better quality of life than those who adopt unhealthy habits. So, deciding to incorporate healthy habits into your life is the first step to getting and staying fit and firm with age. The next step is choosing those activities that are the most beneficial in your quest to stay fit and firm.

Those, including myself, who stay fit and firm as the years pass find that a positive state of mind, and a proper mix of strength training, cardiovascular exercise, and balanced nutrition is fundamental to getting and staying healthy as you mature. People, such as Al Beckles, and the late Jack LaLanne are examples of the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle.

Al Beckles is a legend in the bodybuilding world. At the age of 55, Al placed second in the Mr. Olympia competition. The Mr. Olympia Competition is the premier bodybuilding event which thousands of competitors from across the world dream of winning each year. Al Beckles competed into his sixties because his physique was still phenomenal and better than competitors more than half his age

Jack LaLanne was a living icon to the benefits of healthy thinking, eating, and exercise. Over the years he performed amazing feats of strength and conditioning on his birthday. Jack worked out well into his 90s devoting one and a half hours each day to strength training. This is a true testament to the value of strength training as you mature.

While I don’t place myself in the same class with Jack LaLanne and Al Beckles I can tell you the value that healthy lifestyle habits have in my life. I am in my fifties and I keep my body fat at 10 percent or less. My fitness program consists of four strength training sessions each week followed by 20 minutes of cardio. I can chest press 100 pound dumbbells for 10 repetitions and leg press more than 1200 pounds neither of which I could do in my twenties.

Watch the following video if you want to see the results of making healthy lifestyle choices in your life. I've heard it said that you get weaker with age. I don't think so.

New Personal Best on The Leg Press

I just had a fantastic workout today.  I had my all-time personal best on the leg press.  1250 lbs for 5 reps, not bad for age 55.

Pre-workout and post-workout meals are very important if you are going to have a good day at the gym.  You need to properly fuel your body about 30 to 60 minutes before you workout to have the energy to exercise at your highest level of intensity.  Then you need to properly refuel your body within 30 minutes after your workout for maximum recovery of your muscles.

My pre-workout meal consist of a shake made with Protein My Whey, 8 ounces of almond milk, one-half cup of frozen blueberries, and one-half cup of crushed ice.  I combine all these ingredients in a blender for a delicious pre-workout meal that contains: 247 calories, 3 grams of fat, 30 grams of carbs, and 28 grams of high quality protein.

The moment you finish your workout your body wants to start its recovery process.  So having a post-workout meal as soon as possible is very important.  Properly fueled your muscles will recover quickly and go into an anabolic state (growth).  My post-workout meal for recovery consist of shake made with Protein My Whey, 8 ounces of almond milk, one medium size banana, 2 tablespoons of reduced fat peanut butter, and one-half cup of crushed ice.  Again, I combine all these ingredients in a blender for a great post-workout recovery meal that contains: 463 calories, 15 grams of fat, 49 grams of carbs, and 35 grams of high quality protein.

Protein My Whey is one of the highest quality protein supplements on the market.  Check it out by following this link: Protein My Whey.


And if you don't believe that I leg pressed over 1200 lbs, check out the video here. 

Are the Carbs You're Eating Causing Your Cravings?

 Controlling the insulin level in your blood is very important in your effort to control your weight.  Most food cravings and hunger pains originate from quick rises in your blood sugar level and consequently, spikes in your insulin level.  What causes this rise and fall in your blood sugar level ?  The answer is, your body digesting the carbohydrates in your diet.

Carbohydrates are essential nutrients that are excellent sources of energy (measured as calories) for your body; they are the preferred fuel for your brain and nervous system.  Most carbohydrates come from plant sources and are in the form of sugars, starches, and fibers. Sugars, also called simple carbohydrates, include fruit sugar (fructose), corn or grape sugar (dextrose or glucose), and table sugar (sucrose). Starches, also known as complex carbohydrates, include everything made of three or more linked sugars. Starches include foods such as breads, cereals, grains, pasta, rice, and flour. Fibers are technically classified as a starch because they are complex carbohydrates that your body cannot breakdown into sugar molecules. Fibers are more abundant in whole grains, legumes, and vegetables.


 Carbohydrates are an important part of your diet.  The problem is that most people get the majority of their carbohydrates form easily digested sources such as white bread, white rice, pastries, sugared sodas, and other highly processed foods.  These kind of foods are quickly converted into blood sugar, thus causing a rapid rise in your insulin level.  Insulin takes the blood sugar and stores it in your muscles for fuel and the remainder of it is stored as fat in your body.  This rapid rise and fall of insulin in your blood stream also causes energy highs and lows and food cravings.

Muscle is Key to Long-Term Weight Loss

I believe, as you age strength training is the best thing you can do to improve your health and fitness level. Strength training is important because around age 40 you start to experience muscle loss. “If you don’t do anything to replace the lean muscle you lose, you’ll increase the percentage of fat in your body,” says Dr. Edward Laskowski, a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Left unabated, you can lose up to 10 pounds of muscle each decade starting at age 40.

Loosing muscle is detrimental to your fitness because muscle is the component of your body that burns the majority of the calories you consume each day. Therefore, when you lose muscle your body requires less calories to function. Consequently, those extra calories you consume are stored as fat around your waist, hips, and other places.

Your body constantly burn calories, even when you’re doing nothing. This resting metabolic rate is much higher in people with more muscle. Every pound of muscle uses about six calories a day to sustain itself, while each pound of fat burns only two calories daily. This small difference can add up over time. In addition, after a bout of resistance training, muscles are activated all over your body, increasing your average daily metabolic rate.

Fortunately, strength training and the proper amount of protein in your diet can mitigate, and even reverse the loss of muscle at any age. Thus, increasing the amount of calories needed to function. That’s why you hear some people say that their appetites increase after they have been strength training for awhile. This is a sign that they are starting to build muscle.

It's been proven that consuming 25 to 30 grams of high quality protein within 30 minutes of completing a strength training session is the most effective way to stimulate muscle growth and recovery.  Thus, I use Protein My Whey for my recovery immediately after my workouts.  Protein My Whey contains 26 grams of muscle building whey protein isolates, one of the highest quality protein sources available.  In addition Protein My Whey is:

• Fat Free
• Cholesterol Free
• Only contains 1 gram of carbohydrates
• Sugar Free
• Lactose Free
• Sweetened with Stevia

I highly recommend Protein My Whey.  Find out more by clicking on this link: Protein My Whey
.

Complete and Incomplete Protein Sources

Protein is a necessary part of every living cell in your body.  Next to water, protein comprises up the greatest portion of your body weight.  Protein substances make up your muscles, ligaments, tendons, organs, glands, nails, hair, and many vital body fluids.  It is essential for the growth, repair, and healing of your bones, tissues, and cells.  In addition, the enzymes and hormones that catalyze and regulate your body processes are comprised of protein.  So, you see the proper amount of protein in your diet is vital for your health and well being.

Protein is composed of building-block chemicals called amino acids.  There are approximately 28 commonly known amino acids that your body uses to create all the various combinations of proteins needed for survival. These 28 commonly known amino acids are further classified as essential and nonessential amino acids.  Nonessential amino acids can be produced in your body, while essential amino acids cannot be produced in your body and must be obtained from the foods you eat.

The sources of protein in your diet are classified as complete or incomplete.  Complete proteins contain all the essential amino acids and are mostly from animal sources such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and dairy products.  Incomplete proteins lack one or more essential amino acids that your body cannot make itself.  Incomplete proteins usually come from plant- based sources such as fruits, vegetables, grains, and nuts.  You must eat incomplete sources of protein in a combination that contains all the essential amino acids in order for your body to use them.

As mentioned, you must get your essential amino acids from your diet because your body cannot make them itself.  Some of the best animal sources of protein are fish, poultry, lean cuts of meat, and low-fat dairy products.  Some of the best vegetable sources are beans, nuts, and whole grains.

Check out Protein My Whey.  One of the most complete and highly digestible sources of protein that I've seen in my 20 plus years in the health and fitness industry.  Each serving of Protein My Whey contains:

• 26 grams of muscle building whey protein
• 1 gram of carbohydrates
• Fat Free
• Cholesterol Free
• Lactose Free
• Sweetened with Stevia

          Find out more about this wonderful protein supplement by clicking on this link: Protein My Whey.

Protein Quality is Very Important

You've probable seen an advertisement something like this " our product contains 12 grams of muscle building protein."  But, is 12 grams of protein enough to build and maintain your muscle mass?

Truth is the quantity and quality of protein in your meal is very important in building and repairing your muscles.  Let's talk quantity first.  The goal of protein consumption and lean muscle mass is to optimize muscle protein synthesis (the biological process by which muscle cells are regenerated).  Studies show that consuming 25 to 30 grams of high quality protein at each meal is necessary to stimulate protein synthesis. Consequently, any meal in which you don't get a least 25 grams of protein does not start the rebuilding and repairing of your muscles.

Let's talk quality next.  While plant based sources of protein are good, the best and highest quality of protein comes from dairy, meat, poultry, and fish. To better assess the quality of protein in various foods, analysts often use the protein efficiency ratio, or PER, a measure of a specific protein’s ability to promote growth.

Whey, the watery residue from milk after the formation of curds in the cheese-making process, ranks among the highest quality proteins based on PER calculations, according to “NSCA’s Guide to Sport and Exercise Nutrition.” Used widely in protein supplements, whey has a PER rating of 3 to 3.2 and digests rapidly, which paves the way for rapid uptake of the amino acids it contains by your muscles to begin protein synthesis.

That's why after over 20 years in the health and fitness industry, I'm proud to introduce my new brand of whey protein to you.  It's called Protein My Whey.  Each serving of Protein My Whey contains:

• 26 grams of muscle building whey protein
• No fat
• No cholesterol
• No sugar
• 1 gram of carbohydrates
• Lactose free
• Sweetened with Stevia

You can find out more and purchase this great product by clicking on this link: Protein My Whey.

Combat Muscle Loss With Protein

Getting enough protein in your diet is crucial for building and maintaining muscle mass especially as you age.  Age related muscle loss known as sacopenia can begin in your 30s and it accelerates with age if left unabated.  Sacopenia can lead to muscle weakness, fatigue, insulin resistance, and injury.

Increased protein consumption, and strength training are two of the most effective ways to combat muscle loss.  0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (0.36 grams per pound) has been the normal recommendation for daily protein intake for years.  However, new studies show that 1 to 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (0.45 to 0.68 grams per pound) may be more beneficial in building, maintaining and reducing muscle loss.

I have branded a great nutritional supplement to help you meet your daily protein needs.  It's called Protein My Whey.  Each serving of Protein My Whey has:

• 26 grams of whey protein isolate (one of the highest quality and most digestible sources)
• Only 1 gram of carbohydrates
• No fat
• No cholesterol
• No sugar
• Sweetened with Stevia
• Lactose free

Check out this wonderful new product by clicking on this link: Protein My Whey.

Protein is Important for Your Overall Health

Protein is a necessary part of every living cell in your body.  Next to water, protein comprises up the greatest portion of your body weight.  Protein substances make up your muscles, ligaments, tendons, organs, glands, nails, hair, and many vital body fluids.  It is essential for the growth, repair, and healing of your bones, tissues, and cells.  In addition, the enzymes and hormones that catalyze and regulate your body processes are comprised of protein.  So, you see the proper amount of protein in your diet is vital for your health and well being.

The problem is most people eat too many carbohydrates in their diets and not enough protein.  This is a major contributing factor to the obesity epidemic and it's associated health problems.  New research shows that you need 25 to 30 grams of high quality protein at each meal to be most beneficial for your body.  This is especially true at breakfast.

In my 20 plus years in the health and fitness industry I have observed that most people start their day with a breakfast that is very high in carbohydrates (fruit, cereals, juices, and bread) and low in protein.  Eating this way starts your day in fat storage mode because all those carbohydrates are converted to sugar and are mostly stored as body fat.  Then you crave more foods high in sugar.

If you begin your day by eating a breakfast with 25 to 30 grams of protein balanced by no more than 25 to 30 grams of carbohydrates you activate your muscles and start your day in fat burning mode.  You will find that you are energized until your next meal without the cravings for more sugary foods.

One of the easiest ways to start your day with the proper balance of protein and carbohydrates is by drinking a protein smoothie.  I get my day started with a protein smoothie 5 to 6 days each week and I have done so for many years. 

Thus, I am pleased to announce the launch of my first customized nutritional product called Protein My Whey.  Each serving of Protein My Whey contains:

• 26 grams of protein isolate (one of the highest quality most digestible protein sources)
• 1 gram of carbohydrates
• 0 fat grams
• No Cholesterol
• No sugar
• Sweetened with Stevia
• And is lactose free

Here is one of my favorite breakfast smoothies I drink to get my day started in a fat burning and energized mode.

• 1 cup of frozen blueberries
• 1 cup of plain almond milk
• 1 packet of Protein My Whey

Mix in a blender and this smoothie yields: 246 calories, 3 grams of fat, 29 grams of carbohydrates, 28 grams of protein.

Check out this wonder product by clicking on this link: Protein My Whey

Heart Disease by the Numbers: Facts, Statistics, and You

Healthline recently put together an infograph showcasing heart disease statistics and facts to help someone understand their risk for a heart attack or other heart-related issues.  You can see this very informative and powerful information at Healthline • The Power of Intelligent Health 

Please help by sharing this very important information with you family, friends, and loved ones.

Prevent Muscle Loss With Strength Training

I believe strength training is the best thing you can do to improve your health and fitness level as you age. Strength training is so important because around age 40 you start to experience muscle loss. “If you don’t do anything to replace the lean muscle you lose, you’ll increase the percentage of fat in your body, “says Dr. Edward Laskowski, a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Left unabated you can lose up to 10 lbs of muscle each decade starting at age 40.

The reason that loosing muscle is so detrimental to your fitness is because muscle is the component of your body that burns the majority of the calories you consume each day. Therefore, when you lose muscle your body requires less calories to function and consequently those extra calories you consume are stored as fat around your waist ,hips, and other places.

Your body constantly burn calories, even when we’re doing nothing. This resting metabolic rate is much higher in people with more muscle. Every pound of muscle uses about 6 calories a day just to sustain itself, while each pound of fat burns only 2 calories daily. That small difference can add up over time. In addition, after a bout of resistance training, muscles are activated all over your body, increasing your average daily metabolic rate.

Fortunately strength training can mitigate and even reverse the loss of muscle at any age. Thus, increasing the amount of calories you need to function. That’s why you hear some people say that after they have been strength training for awhile their appetites increase. This is a sign that they are starting to build muscle.


I recommend that you build your fitness program around strength training by doing 3 weight lifting sessions each week in which you target all your major muscle groups. Always allow at least one day of recovery between sessions to prevent injuries and over-training.  If you are new to weight lifting, find a qualified fitness professional to help you design your program and to show you the proper lifting techniques.  Also, click on the My Publications link above where you can find my personally designed strength training programs that you can download.

Practice Balance for Long-term Weight Loss

I have to be honest and tell you that more than 75 percent of the exercise required for long-term weight loss involves your fork and knife. No amount of exercise can compensate for poor dietary habits. A successful weight loss plan is one that you can integrate into your lifestyle and live with for the long-term.

Fad diets don’t work because they are too restrictive for most people to follow and to incorporate into their daily lives. How many times have you seen someone lose a lot of weight in a short period and hear people say, “Have you seen so-and-so, since she’s been on that new diet? She looks so good.” Then you see that person a year or so later, and she is heavier than ever. That’s the typical outcome of a fad diet because sooner or later you will start to feel deprived and then you will return to your old eating habits.

The key to eating healthy and maintaining your weight loss over the long-term is balance and moderation in the foods you consume daily. You can eat any food you desire as long as it is in moderation and balanced with the rest of the foods you consume. For example, I love brownies, so when I have a brownie for dessert I only have one. I also balance the carbohydrates and sugar in the brownie by not having bread with my meal.

The first step in learning balance and moderation in your diet is knowing how to classify foods into their basic sources of protein, carbohydrates, and fats as well as how they are used in your body. The second step is mastering portion. Knowing how many calories you consume from each food source and what your serving sizes are enables you to balance your meals. Eating this way can be easily incorporated into your lifestyle - it’s a plan you can stick with for the long-term.

Eating Some Fat is Part of a Healthy Diet

Fat has taken a bad rap over the years but, it is very essential to your health and well being.  “Eat a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet” has been the mantra for healthy eating for decades now. Touted as a way to lose weight and prevent heart disease and other chronic conditions, millions of people have followed this advice. Seeing a tremendous marketing opportunity, food companies re-engineered thousands of foods to be lower in fat or fat free. The low-fat approach to eating may have made a difference for the occasional individual, but as a nation it has not helped us control our weight or become healthier. In the 1960s, fats and oils supplied Americans with about 45 percent of their calories and about 13 percent of the population was obese and less than 1 percent had type 2 diabetes. Today Americans take in less fat, getting about 33 percent of calories from fats and oils, yet 34 percent of the population is obese and 8 percent has diabetes (mostly type 2).

Your body packages fat and cholesterol into tiny protein-covered particles called lipoprotein in order to get them into your blood stream. Some of these lipoproteins are big and fluffy, and others are small and dense. However, the most important ones to remember for your health and well-being are low-density lipoproteins, high-density lipoproteins, and triglycerides as explained below.

Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) carry cholesterol form your liver to the rest of your body. Your cells latch onto these particles and extract fat and cholesterol from them. When there is too much LDL cholesterol in your blood, these particles can form deposits in the walls of your coronary arties and other arties throughout your body. These deposits, called plaque can cause your arties to narrow and limit blood flow resulting in a heart attack or stroke. Thus LDL cholesterol is called your bad cholesterol.

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) scavenge cholesterol from your bloodstream, from your LDL, and from your artery walls and ferry it back to your liver for disposal. Thus HDL cholesterol is referred to as your good cholesterol.

Triglycerides make up most of the fat that you eat and that travels through your bloodstream. Triglycerides are your body’s main vehicle for transporting fats to your cells and thus, are very important for your good health. However, an excess of triglycerides can be unhealthy.

The type of fat your diet determines to a large extent the amount of total and LDL cholesterol in your bloodstream. Cholesterol in food matters too, but not nearly as much. You can basically break the fats in your diet into three categories; good, bad, and very bad.

Good Fats

Unsaturated fats are called good fats because they can improve blood cholesterol levels, ease inflammation, stabilize heart rhythms, and play a number of other beneficial roles. Unsaturated fats are predominantly found in foods from plants, such as vegetable oils, nuts, and seeds. They are liquid at room temperature.

Further, there are two types of unsaturated fats. First monounsaturated fats which are found in high concentrations in canola, peanut, and olive oils; avocados; nuts such as almonds, hazelnuts, and pecans; and seeds such as pumpkin and sesame seeds. Secondly, polyunsaturated fats which are found in high concentrations in sunflower, corn, soybean, and flaxseed oils, and also in foods such as walnuts, flax seeds and fish.

Research has shown that replacing carbohydrates in your diet with good fats reduces harmful levels of LDL and increases protective HDL in your bloodstream. A randomized trail known as the Optimal Macronutrient Intake Trial for Heart Health showed that replacing a carbohydrate-rich diet with one rich in unsaturated fat, predominantly monounsaturated fats lowers blood pressure, improves lipid levels, and reduces the estimated cardiovascular risk.

Bad Fats

Saturated fats are called bad fats because they increase your total cholesterol level by elevating your harmful LDL. Your body can make all the saturated fat that it needs, so you don’t need to get any in your diet. In the US and other developed countries saturated fats come mainly from meat, seafood, poultry with skin, and whole-milk dairy products. A few plant sources are also high in saturated fats, such as coconuts and coconut oil, palm oil, and palm kernel oil.

As general rule it’s a good idea to keep your intake of saturated fats as low as possible. Saturated fats are a part of many foods, including vegetable oils that are mainly unsaturated fats, so you can’t totally eliminate them from your diet. Red meat and dairy fats are the main sources of saturated fats in most people’s diets, so minimizing them in your diet is the primary way to reduce your intake of saturated fat.

Very Bad Fats

Trans fatty acids, more commonly known as trans fats are made by heating liquid vegetable oils in the presence of hydrogen gas, a process called hydrogenation. Partially hydrogenating vegetable oils make them more stable and less likely to spoil. It also converts the oil into a solid which makes transportation easier. Partially hydrogenated oils can also withstand repeated heating without breaking down, which makes them ideal for frying fast foods. This is why partially hydrogenated oils have been a mainstay of restaurants and the food industry.

Trans fats are worse for cholesterol levels than saturated fats because they raise bad LDL and lower good HDL. They also increase inflammation, an over-activity of the immune system that has been implicated in heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and other chronic conditions. Even small amounts of trans fats in diet can have harmful health effects. For every extra 2 percent of calories from trans fat daily (the amount in a medium order of fast food French fries) the risk of coronary heart disease increases by 23 percent. It is estimated that eliminating trans fats from the US food supply would prevent between 6 and 19 percent of heart attacks and related deaths (more than 200,000) each year.

 Dr. Donal Layman, professor of nutrition at the University of Illinois has developed the most balanced dietary plan that I have seen in my 20 years in the health and fitness industry.  It's a system called Metaboliq manufactured by a company called Qivana.  I follow this system everyday in my diet.  Please send me an email at darvis@fit-to-be.com if wish to receive more information about this amazing weight management system.