Revolutionary Ab Talk, with Brett Hoebel

By Steve Edwards

In the second part of our talk with RevAbs™ creator Brett Hoebel, we get down to the nitty gritty of how to create that coveted six-pack look that graces the cover of most fitness magazines. You may hear a lot about this in the media, but I think you'll find most of Brett's information will be new, if not downright revolutionary.

For example, even if you know that you can overtrain your abs, you probably aren't sure why or what leads to it. That's because discussing phasic muscles or angles of exercise doesn't make sexy copy. It's easier to show models crunching their ab muscles into oblivion because the concept is simple. But that's about as effective as training for the NBA by just slam-dunking a ball over and over. It's simply one aspect of a complex issue.

But don't let the complexity scare you. We handle that by creating programs so all you have to do is follow along. The goal of today's discussion is simply to enlighten you on the science behind RevAbs. Besides, as Hoebel tells us, "The most important thing to consider on achieving a six-pack (or even flat abs with lines down the side) is what you're willing to do for it."

"People think they can drink their way to a six-pack, or eat all the bread and pasta they want because they're training twice a week by running and doing crunches and using some nonsense ab machine or ab stimulator. They're just fooling themselves, and frankly, they know it."

Science aside, it still all comes down to one thing: desire. "You have to be realistic," says Hoebel. "Those 5-minute ab blast programs you see on TV, and all of those gimmicky machines, don't address the science; they are a cop-out. You have to be willing to change your diet and to train 4 to 5 times a week consistently. You have to do ab training, but you also need to do full-body strength training and cardio, because doing only one or two of them is not enough. Simply put, it all comes down to how bad you want it and what are you willing to endure."

That said, knowing the science behind the six-pack will help guide your training. This is where Hoebel excels. He's trained and studied with some of the biggest names in the business, such as Paul Chek and Charles Poliquin, and has years of trial-and-error experience in developing his reVamp® training method, which is the foundation for RevAbs. This unique background gives him insight you won't find with most trainers. For example, you'll rarely hear an explanation like this for achieving a six-pack:

"You have four abdominal muscles, but the rectus abdominis is divided into the six parts that most people think of as the "six-pack," he begins. "So building this muscle and its six divisions is key. But the other side of the coin is that you've got to burn the fat off the stomach. The best way to do that is to burn more calories by driving the heart rate up. And the key to this is your leg muscles, specifically the quads, hamstrings, and glutes. They are the biggest muscles in the body and can produce the most force and, hence, burn the most calories overall."

So training your legs is pivotal in seeking your six-pack. This is not exactly late-night TV copy, as those muscles aren't seeing a lot of use while reclining on the Ab Lounge®. Most ab programs we see advertised show a lot of midsection movements, mainly crunches. This led to my next line of questioning: Mainly, can you work your abs wrong and is more always better, as those shows would have us believe?

"You can work your abs wrong," he states. "And you can work them too much. In fact, overtraining them is the number one problem there is. People do too much of the same ab exercise/ab angle too often, and they also don't give their abs a chance to rest. They end up overtraining their abs, which usually results in their hip flexors and other muscles doing the majority of the work instead of their abs."

"The abs are like any other muscle group in that they need to rest," he states emphatically. "You can train your abs several days in a row, but you need to make sure and mix up the angles of training on the different days. If your abs are too tired from training, you’re in jeopardy of injuring yourself. They are major muscles in your core region and are involved in stabilizing many parts of the body during other movements. Oftentimes, injuries that happen during other exercises are a direct result of overtrained abs."

Then we get into the crunch mentality, where Hoebel blows the lid off what many of us are taught about ab movements. Traditionally, since most of your ab muscles have a higher percentage of red (or slow twitch) muscle fiber than other muscle groups, the common sentiment is that they are best trained with high volume and low intensity.

"More reps and sets are not always better," he says. "In fact, the rectus abdominis is considered a phasic muscle that should be fatigued in less than 60 seconds. It is strengthened mainly by heavy loads with longer rest periods. Doing hundreds of sit-ups with little to no rest for 10, 15, or 20 minutes would be opposite to this. You should stick to doing exercises that are hard enough, and loaded heavy enough, to fatigue your abs in 60 seconds or less for three to five sets. If you were to do, say, 12 reps for five sets it would be 60 reps total, not hundreds (like some of those programs advertise)."

This leads straight into the next common question about ab work: Should it be done daily?

"No," he states flatly! "The abs are like any other muscle and need to rest. As I said, you can effectively train them several days in a row, but only if you make sure and target different ab angles on the different days. If you are even able to train your abs every day it means that you are not training them hard enough, heavy enough, or correctly on the other days."

Finally, Hoebel sums up by simplifying the scientific process. "If you really want it, and if you’re willing to do the work and pay attention to what actually works, the rest will fall into place."

6 FOODS WITH HIDDEN SUGARS

By Joe Wilkes

The average American eats approximately 1,500 pounds of food every year. Of that, 160 pounds are primarily sugar. Of course, sugar is delicious, and I know I'm the happier for its existence, but of all the things we consume, it has the least nutritive value. In fact, except for the energy in its calories, there's not much to recommend about sugar. It's a prime source of empty calories. And for those of us who are trying to lose weight by committing to a healthy diet and an exercise program like 10-Minute Trainer® or Slim in 6®, sugar's the first thing we should start trimming from our diets. But here's the problem, despite our best intentions to remove excess sugar from our diets, the food industry has found more and more devious ways of slipping us the sweet stuff. Whether the food industry calls sugar by another name or adds it to foods we never thought would have needed it, our sweet teeth are constantly being bombarded. Fortunately, with stricter labeling laws, we have a fighting chance at cutting back on sugar.

Why does the food industry want us so full of sugar?

It's basically the same as any other industry. For the oil industry to make more money, it needs us to use more of its product by driving more miles. And the food industry needs us to use more of its products by eating more calories. The problem is that the American food industry is already producing around 3,900 calories per person per day, which is way more than we need. One solution to this surplus is to sell the food cheaply overseas, which the industry does. The other solution is for Americans to eat more calories. And sugar and its corn sweetener brethren are great calorie delivery systems—they pack a huge caloric punch, without causing much satiety or fullness. (Check out Steve Edwards' "Sugar vs. Fat" article, in Related Articles below, for more about why sugar is the world-champion fattener.) Most people would probably stop eating steak after they reached 1,000 calories, because they'd be stuffed, but after drinking 1,000 calories from their Big Gulp cups, they'd still have room for dinner. The other reason the industry pushes sugar so hard is that it's cheap to produce, and the cheaper the calorie, the larger the profit margin.

Sugar in labels—hiding in plain sight

One of the best ways to disguise the amount of sugar in a product is through something the government already requires—printing the information in grams. Most Americans only have the foggiest idea of how much a gram is, because Americans are unaccustomed to the metric system. So when we pick up a can of soda that contains 40 grams of sugar, we pretty much shrug our shoulders and pop the top. And that attitude is all right with the soda industry! But what if the label said that it contained over 10 teaspoons of sugar? If you saw someone ladling 10 teaspoons of sugar into his or her morning coffee, you'd think he or she was crazy, but that's how much people consume in a typical 12-ounce can of soda. In a 64-ounce fountain drink that you'd get at a movie theater or a convenience store, you get over 53 teaspoons of sugar—that's almost 2 cups! Naturally, people would probably think twice if the nutritional information on products were given in measurements that were meaningful to them. But until our heavily food-industry-subsidized government decides to change its policy, it's a metric world, and we just live in it. But we can take note that 4 grams equals 1 teaspoon. So when you check out a food label, divide the grams of sugar by four, and that's how many teaspoons you're consuming.

Sugar, by any other name, would taste just as sweet

Another strategy the sugar pushers use to get us to consume more calories is to rename the offending ingredient. We know to stay away from sugar, but how about molasses, honey, sorghum, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, glucose, fructose, lactose, dextrose, sucrose, galactose, maltose, or concentrated juices like grape or apple? Another profit path that the food industry has discovered is that instead of harvesting relatively more expensive sugar cane and beets, the industry produces sweeteners in a laboratory more cheaply and with just as many calories as beet and cane sugars. And with some sweeteners, especially the popular high fructose corn syrup, it is believed that your body will be less likely to reach satiety than with sugar, so you can consume more. Mo' calories, mo' money. Another advantage to these doses of "-oses" is that, aside from the fact that many people won't guess they're just different forms of sugar, they can be spread out in the ingredient list—under what the law requires—so that it won't be as obvious that what you're consuming is pretty much all sugar. When you look at a list of ingredients on a product, the manufacturer is required to list them in order of amount, from highest to lowest. So they can bury a 1/4 cup of fructose, a 1/4 cup of sucrose, a 1/4 cup of dextrose, and a 1/4 cup of corn syrup in the middle of the list. You won't be as likely to notice that when you add them all up, the main ingredient in the product is sugar.

Hide and seek. You're it.

So, if you're like me, you may have sworn off soda, except on special occasions, and turned the candy bowl into an unsalted-almond bowl. No more sugar, no more problems. Except for this problem: The food industry has cleverly snuck its sugars and corn syrups into products we never would have thought contained sugar. It's good for the manufacturer. It jacks up the calorie load, can enhance the product's appearance (high fructose corn syrup gives hamburger buns their golden glow), and can keep our sugar jones simmering at a low boil, in case we ever decide to go back to the real thing. Here are some types of products whose labels could bear more scrutiny.

1 - Spaghetti sauce. A 1/2 cup of store-bought sauce can contain as many as 3 teaspoons of corn syrup or sugar. While some of the naturally occurring sugar in tomatoes and other vegetables will show up on the nutrition label, most of the sugar is added. Look for brands that don't include sugar or its aliases, or make your own from fresh or canned tomatoes.

2 - Ketchup. Ketchup can be 20 percent sugar or more. Not to mention that you'll get 7 percent of your daily sodium allowance in 1 tablespoon. Look for low-salt, no-sugar brands, or make your own using pureed carrots to add flavor and texture to the tomatoes.

3 - Reduced-fat cookies. Most brands of cookies now offer reduced-fat versions of their regular products. Nabisco even offers its own line of low-fat treats, Snackwells. But while you're patting yourself on the back for choosing the low-fat option, check the label. The sneaky food manufacturers did take out the fat, but they replaced it with, you guessed it, sugar. Many times, the reduced-fat cookie is only slightly less caloric than the one you really want to eat. And because there's no fat to make you feel full, you'll be tempted to eat more "guilt-free" cookies. And just because there's less fat, it doesn't mean you'll be less fat. Fat doesn't make you fat. Calories make you fat.

4 - Low-fat salad dressing. Like the cookies, manufacturers have taken the fat out of the dressing, but they've added extra salt and sugar to make up for it. Check the label to make sure you're not replacing heart-healthy olive oil with diabetes-causing sugar—because that's not really a "healthy choice." Your best bet? Make your own vinaigrettes using a small amount of olive oil, a tasty gourmet vinegar or fresh lemon juice, and some fresh herbs.

5 - Bread. Most processed breads, especially white hamburger and hot dog buns, can contain a good bit of sugar or corn syrup. That's what gives them the golden-brown crust. As always, check the ingredient label, and consider getting your bread at a real bakery or a farmers' market—it's the best idea since, well, you know.

6 - Fast food. Needless to say, fast food is generally not good for you. But even if you're staying away from the sodas and the shakes, everything from the burgers to the fries to the salads is a potential place to hide sugar. Check out the ingredients carefully at your favorite restaurant. You may be getting more than you bargained for.

10 Healthy Snacks for Couch Time

By Joe Wilkes

Fall is upon us, which means that the new TV season has begun, baseball is heading into the postseason, and football is starting up. The weather's getting cooler, and the couch will soon call for you to lie down in it with a warm blanket. Now keep in mind, we're not encouraging any couch potato behavior. We'd prefer that you pop in a 10-Minute Trainer® video and use the couch as a towel rack. But we're all human, and it's almost impossible to resist the siren song of a playoff game or the return of Dancing with the Stars or Grey's Anatomy. Just because you're taking a couple of hours off to flatten your gluteal muscles and sofa cushions doesn't mean you have to stuff yourself with chips and cookies or other bagged diet killers. Here are 10 tasty and healthy snacks that are great for TV downtime.

1. Popcorn. It's not just for the movie theater anymore. In fact, you're better off skipping it at the movie theater. A bucket of oil-popped movie theater popcorn can contain as much fat as three to five double cheeseburgers. But air-popped popcorn is a pretty benign treat. Three cups of popcorn have just 93 calories and 1.5 grams of fat. Air-popped popcorn doesn't have much nutritive value outside of the energy you may get from the calories and some dietary fiber, but it can satisfy your munchies without getting you too far off the diet path. The best popcorn comes from your own hot-air popper—and with no additional fat or salt, unless you add it later. If you're going for microwave convenience, make sure you read the label carefully. Even some of the "healthy" brands contain a fair amount of fat and salt. And many microwave brands contain perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which has been linked to cancer. You might be better off making your own microwave popcorn. Just put 1/4 cup of popcorn into a brown lunch bag, fold the top over tightly, and microwave at your usual popcorn setting. Try to avoid salt and butter. Instead, enjoy your favorite herbs or a squeeze of lemon juice with some garlic powder or cayenne pepper.

2. Bean dip. Beans are a great source of protein and fiber, and they don't have tons of calories. One cup of canned pintos only has 206 calories; it also has 12 grams of protein and 11 grams of fiber—almost half of your recommended daily allowance. And beans are incredibly filling. Even prepackaged bean dips are pretty decent (of course, always check the label for the fat and sodium contents). You can make your own dips, hot or cold, by food-processing canned black or pinto beans (my favorites are the ones canned with jalapeños) and adding water to create your desired consistency. You can also use fat-free refried beans. You could add some chopped bell or jalapeño peppers, green onions, or canned corn to add a crunchy texture or some chopped tomatoes for a little extra flavor and vitamins. Instead of fatty tortilla chips, use baked chips or, better yet, some raw, crunchy veggies like carrots, celery, sliced bell peppers, broccoli, or cauliflower.

3. Salsa. This is the perfect mix of tomatoes, onions, and peppers—all members of the top tier of Michi's Ladder. And the great thing is that salsa is so low in calories and so high in fiber, you can basically eat it by the cupful and not gain weight. If you buy it at the store though, watch out for the salt content—that's the secret ingredient in most canned and jarred salsas. You're much better off making your own pico de gallo. Just dice tomatoes and onions and mix with as much minced jalapeño and/or garlic as you can stand. Add fresh cilantro, salt, and pepper to taste and toss the veggies in the juice of two limes. Let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving. You can eat it with baked chips or the crunchy veggies that also go great with the bean dip. The salsa and the bean dip also complement each other well, for the double dippers among us.

4. Crispbread crackers. These crunchy treats (including Wasa® and Rykrisp® brands) have around 30 calories a cracker (depending on the brand, flavor, and style) and a couple of grams of fiber in each one. For the Top Chef in you, they make great bases for some healthy ingredients from your refrigerator. Try a dollop of fat-free cottage cheese with a dash of hot sauce; a slice of turkey breast and roasted red pepper; a "schmear" of hummus and a couple of pitted olives; or a slice of tomato and a fresh basil leaf with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Even the pico de gallo recipe above with some shredded nonfat cheddar will make a tasty treat. By being creative with some wholesome ingredients, you'll forget all about the halcyon days of eating Ritz crackers washed down with aerosol cheese right from the can (sigh).

5. Pistachios. Pistachios are a great heart-healthy snack full of antioxidants, fiber, and unsaturated fats (the good kind). A 1/2-cup serving (with the shells, assuming you don't eat them) only has 170 calories, with 6 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber; however, that serving also has 14 grams of fat, so don't go nuts chowing down on a whole bag. Walnuts, peanuts, cashews, almonds, pecans, and other nuts all have their nutritional upsides, too, but the reason I think pistachios make great snacks are the shells. The shells are difficult to open, so rather than shoveling handfuls of pre-shelled nuts down your throat, eat shelled pistachios so that you're forced to slow down. Keep an eye on the sodium content when you buy the nuts. Either buy unsalted or low-salt versions. And forget those disgusting pink ones that taste like lipstick. Who needs to leave hot-pink fingerprints all over the couch? A lot of stores also sell flavored versions that aren't too salty. Chili-lime is one of my favorite flavors.

6. Edamame. The Japanese have one of the healthiest diets in the world, and soybeans are a great staple of that diet. Edamame, the steamed or boiled soybean pods, contain all the essential amino acids, many essential fatty acids, and soy isoflavones. And 1/2 cup of beans only contains 100 calories, 3 grams of fat, and 9 grams of carbs, with 8 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber. Truly one of nature's perfect foods. And like pistachios, you can serve them in their shells, which slows down your face stuffing, giving you time to feel full before you've overeaten.

7. Mini-pizzas. Forget the frozen food section. Anyone with a toaster oven or a broiler pan can be his or her own Mama Celeste or Chef Boy-ar-dee®. Just take half of a whole wheat English muffin (67 calories; 2 grams of fiber), add a little tomato sauce or low-sodium pizza or spaghetti sauce and a sprinkle of low-fat or nonfat mozzarella cheese, and voilà—tasty and healthy pizza! As with the crispbread crackers, your imagination's the only limit for toppings. Fresh herbs like basil and oregano are delicious. Peppers, mushrooms, and anchovies are popular and fairly healthy. Just stay away from processed meats like pepperoni, which are often loaded with saturated fat, carcinogenic nitrates, and sodium.

8. Pita chips and hummus. Now you can open a Greek taverna in your living room. While some stores sell pita chips now, you can easily make your own with very little fuss and muss (and usually with much less fat and salt). A large whole wheat pita has 170 calories, 5 grams of fiber, and less than 2 grams of fat. To make chips, cut around the edge of the pita with a small paring knife, so you have two discs. Then with a knife or pizza cutter, cut the discs into eighths or smaller chip-size pieces. Arrange the pieces on an aluminum-foil-covered cookie sheet, lightly spray with some olive oil cooking spray, and sprinkle with a little salt or low-fat Parmesan cheese or your favorite dried herbs. Cook in the oven or toaster oven until lightly browned and crispy, and serve with your favorite hummus or dip recipe.

9. Relish tray. Some of my favorite snacks are pickled or brined anything—cucumbers, cauliflower, peppers, artichoke hearts, carrots, okra, baby corn, cornichons, cocktail onions, olives, sauerkraut, kimchi . . . even herring and hard-boiled eggs! Extremely low in calories, a plate full of pickled veggies on the coffee table is great for snacking. But watch out for the sodium! Certain store brands have more than others. The more ambitious might try marinating their fresh veggies in vinegar and a little heart-healthy olive oil, to control the amount of salt involved. If you use salty brands, you might consider rinsing them to get rid of some of the salt or mixing them on a plate with some fresh, unpickled vegetables to mitigate the salt intake.

10. Deviled eggs. Eggs, having once been considered a scourge of the heart-healthy diet, are now getting a better rap. What's indisputable is the health value of the whites. If you take the yolks out of the equation, the egg whites can prove to be small, healthy, high-protein delivery systems suitable for all kinds of nutritious creamy fillings. Cut a bunch of hard-boiled eggs in half, lengthwise, and scoop out and discard the yolks. Try mixing some nonfat cottage cheese with your favorite mix of mustard, curry powder, garlic, paprika, pepper, salt, or other spices, and blending or food-processing it until it's creamy. Spoon or pipe the mixture into the egg whites where the yolks used to be, and you'll have a high-protein snack without the fat and cholesterol. You can also use the empty egg whites as scoops for your favorite healthy dip or salsa.

Of course, you can enjoy even more snack food if you can work some exercise into your TV watching. During playoff season, don't just save the stretching for the seventh inning. Try some exercises like Debbie Siebers' Slim in 6® Slim and Limber throughout the game. Or if you're settling in for a night in front of the tube, make a deal with yourself—you can veg out and watch The Office and 30 Rock if you turn off Jay Leno. If you watch a show like Heroes that motivates you to kick some butt, schedule some Turbo Jam® time immediately after the show while your adrenaline's still pumping. Or if, like me, you've become enslaved to your DVR or TiVo®, use it to your advantage and do a cooldown stretch to your favorite show as a reward for a well-done workout.

Your Scale Doesn't Tell the Whole Story

By Whitney Provost

When it comes to weight loss, the scale can be a good measure of progress, particularly if you have a lot of weight to lose. But if you place too much emphasis on your weight and not enough on your body composition (the ratio of fat to lean muscle), you're only getting half the story. Plus, dreading your weigh-in or obsessing over the number on the scale is unproductive and can lead to unhealthy behaviors such as bingeing or starving yourself. Losing pounds doesn't always mean losing fat. Here's why the scale can be misleading.

• The scale doesn't tell you how much fat you have. Your scale does exactly what it's supposed to—it tells you how much you weigh. But in addition to measuring your weight, the scale weighs bone, water, muscle, organs, and undigested food. When the number on the scale goes up or down, it doesn't represent only fat loss or muscle gain. It measures fluctuations in glycogen (stored carbohydrates) and water, and it even measures how much that breakfast you ate weighs.

  You may wonder about scales that claim to measure your body fat. These send small electrical currents up one leg, through your pelvis, and down the other leg to determine your body's density. Then a formula is used to estimate your body fat. The problem with these scales is that they're notoriously inaccurate. However, they are usually consistent in their readings, so they can be helpful as a measuring tool. Even though the body fat reading might be off by as much as 5 or 10 percent, if the number trends downward over time, you know you're on the right track.

• The scale can't tell if you've gained muscle. A pound of muscle is like a brick, small and compact. A pound of fat is like a fluffy feather pillow, bulky and lumpy. When you gain muscle and lose fat, your body gets smaller and tighter. Building muscle also makes it possible to drop clothing sizes without a big change in weight. Perhaps after a 90-day fitness program, the scale says you lost 7 pounds, which may not sound like much. But what if you actually lost 12 pounds of fat and gained 5 pounds of muscle? That's a remarkable improvement in your body composition, but you wouldn't know it if you only used your regular bathroom scale to track your progress.

• You didn't really gain 5 pounds of fat overnight. You may step on the scale one morning and shriek in disbelief because the number is five digits higher than it was the day before. Stop panicking. Unless you ate an extra 17,500 calories the previous day, you didn't gain fat (a pound of fat is equivalent to 3,500 calories). Your scale is registering water, stored carbohydrates, and food. Also, cheap bathroom scales may have measurement errors, giving slightly different readings even when you're at exactly the same weight.

• Your body's water levels are constantly changing. The scale can move up or down depending on how much water you drink, how much salt you consume, how much you sweat, and how many carbohydrates you eat. An average person can see a daily fluctuation in water weight of about 2 pounds, without any changes to diet or exercise habits. These fluctuations do not signify fat loss, and watching the scale move up and down every day can be frustrating for many dieters.

If you're trying to achieve a healthy weight and improve the way you look, you should focus less on what the scale says and more on developing the good habits that will produce results. To get lean and strong, with low body fat and nice muscle tone, there are three things you should do:

1. Cardio plus weight lifting (or other resistance training). Cardio workouts raise your heart rate to help you improve your fitness level, burn calories, and shed fat. Resistance training builds muscle, which boosts your metabolism and helps you burn even more calories. Fitness programs like P90X®, ChaLEAN Extreme®, and RevAbs™ all use cardio plus resistance training to improve muscle mass and burn fat.
2. Healthy diet. No matter how much you exercise, you'll never reach your fat-loss goals if you don't follow a healthy diet consisting of protein, vegetables, fruit, and whole grains. The right foods in controlled portions will fuel your body as it shrinks.
3. Track your progress. If you don't use the scale, you need to do something else to check your progress.
   • One of the best ways to keep track of your changing body is to use a tape measure. Record your chest, waist, hip, thigh, arm, and wrist measurements in a journal or the guidebook that comes with your workout program. Update the measurements every 30 days to see how your body changes.
   • Pictures are also good indicators of progress. Have someone take front, side, and back photos of you every 30 days and keep these with your body measurements.
   • Body fat testers can also be used regularly to track your fat loss. Monitoring your progress with tools other than the scale will give you a more realistic assessment of your weight loss success.
   • Hydrostatic (underwater) testing and DEXA (X-ray) scans use advanced technology to measure your body fat with a high degree of accuracy. An Internet search can help you find testing centers in your area.
   • Notice how your clothes fit. This is a foolproof way to prove that you're losing weight. If your clothes are getting looser, your body is shrinking, even if you don't see a big change in the mirror yet.

Too many people are slaves to the scale. They can't resist weighing themselves, only to feel guilty, angry, or demoralized when the numbers don't move down quickly enough. If you're one of those people whose weigh-ins lead to loss of motivation or a feeling of helplessness, then you need to reconsider using the scale for your progress checks. Success is more than just a number.

A Little Planning Can Lead to Big Weight Loss

By Whitney Provost

Here are five tips for planning your meals in advance to keep your energy up and your hunger at bay:

1. Cook in bulk. When you prepare meals, make double and freeze half in individual containers. Use the weekends (or any free time during the week) to plan your meals with your family. Decide what you're going to eat, then shop accordingly so healthy food is always on hand. As you prep for one meal, cook more vegetables and meat than you'll need, and use the leftovers in the next day's food plan. You can also chop extra vegetables and store them raw in the refrigerator for a quick salad later.

2. Portion food into single servings. Measure out cereal, nuts, Whey Protein Powder, vegetables, and fruit into bags or containers. When you're in a rush to leave the house, just toss what you need into your bag or car. You can also keep protein bars on hand for a convenient on-the-go snack.

3. Bring one container; eat twice. If you're going to be at work all day, bring one large container of food and eat half at lunch and the other half later in the day. It's one less meal to plan.

4. Keep it simple. You don't have to prepare a multicourse feast five times a day to eat well. When you're on the go, choose things that are portable and don't require a lot of fuss, like:

hard-boiled eggs and whole-grain toast
oatmeal with berries and nuts
grilled chicken and a salad
canned tuna or chicken and brown rice
sandwiches on whole-grain bread or wraps
nuts and dried fruit
string cheese and whole-grain crackers
yogurt and fruit
Whey Protein Powder
vegetables and hummus
Shakeology® (take one of the new single-serve packets or a scoopful in a plastic bag or your shaker cup)

5. Anticipate busy days. If you know your kids have soccer practice every Tuesday evening, then make that night's dinner quick and easy. Perhaps that becomes your cheat meal and you order pizza (better yet, have the ingredients on hand to make your own healthy version. The kids will love creating their own pizzas). Or you can simply defrost a meal you've frozen ahead of time, so it's ready to throw in the oven when you get home. Plan ahead so your busy schedule doesn't get in the way of your weight loss.

HOW TO RAPIDLY SPEED UP FAT LOSS

If you are carrying too much fat on your body and are starting an exercise program, then your daily nutrition is just as important as your training program when it comes to fat loss. If you don't eat right and give your body the right nutrients and proper amount of daily calories, you will not lose the extra fat no matter how good your training program is. If I've said it once, then I have said it a thousand times: You will never reach your fitness goals without proper nutrition.....proper nutrition and exercise HAVE to happen at the same time. YOU CANNOT SUBSTITUTE GOOD EXERCISE FOR POOR NUTRITION!

It is essential that you plan your daily meals in advance, and I highly suggest cooking and preparing food several days in advance....especially the meals that you eat in between breakfast and dinner. If your day suddenly gets hectic, then the more prepared your are the better. I personally like to pack a small cooler and put a meal or two in Tupperware and also take a piece of fruit or a healthy snack. Another great tip for being prepared when hunger strikes; put 1 oz servings of almonds in zip-lock bags and take them with you when you are on the go.

Here are a few more quick tips to speed up fat loss:

1. Forget doing slow cardio, if you want to lose fat fast, then do High Intense Interval Training (HIIT). HIIT is the king when it comes to burning calories. This is what I was able to do by adding just 30 days of HIIT training 3 times a week (20 minutes total) to my weekly training routine.

Please read my Ezine article to learn more details about HIIT Training.

2. Increase the weight you are using for each exercise, and decrease the amount of reps you do....8 to 12 reps per exercise is perfect. Choose the amount of weight that makes your muscles fatigued by the time you are in this range. Building muscle burns fat! Women are often afraid to get "bulky", and I have never seen a women get bulky while doing P90X...lean and ripped, yes...bulky, no!

3. Incorporate body weight workouts to your strength routines...these have great benefits for building muscle and gaining strength: Dips, Push-Ups (multiple variations), Pull-Ups, Abs (P90X Ab Ripper X is a great routine...follow this link, then scroll and click on the "12th DVD icon" to see a video preview).

4. Eat 5 small meals a day to build a healthy 'fat burning' metabolism and plan these meals in advance.

Commit to eating healthy and exercising daily, along with these few guidelines, and you will start losing fat a lot faster and be on your way to living a fit and lean life!

10 SIMPLE TIPS FOR EATING AND LIVING HEALTHY

1. Drink more water. I try to drink between .75 and 1 gallon of water a day.
2. Eliminate processed foods...eat more natural foods.
3. Drink less alcohol, and make better choices when you do. Choose red wine over beer and clear hard liquor over the dark...there is less sugar in clear alcohol.
4. Even out your calories and eat at least 5 meals a day. Divide your daily calories by 5 and then try to eat that amount all 5 meals. This is the secret to building a healthy 'fat burning' metabolism.
5. Eat a fruit or a vegetable with all 5 of your meals.
6. Make sure you are getting enough fiber in your diet. Men should get at least 35 grams/day and women should get at least 25 grams/day. Fibrous foods will help keep you satisfied with less craving in between meals.
7. Take a multi-vitamin supplement each day to fill in the nutrient gaps that your diet might be lacking.
8. Eat wild caught fish 1-2 times a week. Supplement Omega-3 if your don't eat enough fish.
9. Plan your meals in advance. Make extra food when you are cooking and refrigerate or freeze leftovers for later.
10. Have more veggies and less starchy carbohydrates after 5 pm.

HOW TO LOSE 10 POUNDS WITHOUT DIETING

Getting results with your nutrition and losing weight can come down to making very small changes that make a big impact over the course of weeks, months, and even a year. It takes 3,500 calories as a surplus or deficit to make a one pound change in your weight. If you cut out 100 calories a day for an entire year, that would equate to you losing 10 pounds!

100 cal/day X 365 days/year = 36,500 cal/year divided by 3,500 cal/lb = 10 lbs.

100 calories is what is found in a single small cookie, small french fries, cup of juice, 100 calorie snack pack, extra tablespoon of peanut butter, 2 slices of cheese, etc. Losing weight doesn't always have to include a strict diet, it simply could just be about making better choices and a greater awareness of how many calories you eat a day. Todays world is all about "Biggie" sizing everything, heck even the average size of a dinner plate is bigger than it used to be. I bet if people went back to using 10" dinner plates, over the course of a year they would lose several pounds without even thinking about it.

BLUEBERRY PROTEIN WAFFLES

My wife and I came up with this batter recipe about 10 years ago and I have been making either waffles or pancakes out of it ever since, but waffles turn out better and are easy to make in batches. This is a great variety of nutrients to get your day started off right and to this day, I am still not sick of it......you will be amazed at how good it tastes. I don't even eat cottage cheese by itself, but you would never know it's even there. Here is my "not so secret anymore" BLUEBERRY PROTEIN WAFFLES...try them, it is a great balance of everything, including blueberries which are a great form of antioxidant. This a well balanced slow released meal that provides lots of energy!

Tools:

I like to use a hand blender and a tall 32+ oz. cup that is wide enough at the bottom to let the blender get there...the hand blender is so much easier to clean up vs. a regular blender.

500 Calorie version:

Ingredients:

8 oz. Egg Whites (I buy them in a 32 oz carton)
1/2 cup of 2% Cottage Cheese (I buy the Breakstone Snack Packs, already portioned out or a big tub)
2/3 cup Old Fashioned Oatmeal (Rolled Oats)
1/2 Cup of Blueberries (I use frozen Organic that Costco sells)
1/3 cup of Sugar Free Cary's Syrup or Agave Nectar if you like natural sweetener.
Dash of Nutmeg spice

400 Calorie version:

Ingredients:

6 oz. Egg Whites (I buy them in a carton)
1/2 cup of 2% Cottage Cheese (I buy the Breakstone Snack Packs, already portioned out)
1/2 cup Old Fashioned Oatmeal (Rolled Oats)
1/2 cup of Blueberries (I use frozen Organic that Costco sells)
1/4 cup of Sugar Free Cary's Syrup or Agave Nectar if you like natural sweetener.
Dash of Nutmeg spice

250 Calorie version:

Ingredients:

4 oz. Egg Whites (I buy them in a carton)
1/4 cup of 2% Cottage Cheese (I buy the Breakstone Snack Packs, already portioned out)
1/3 cup Old Fashioned Oatmeal (Rolled Oats)
1/4 Cup of Blueberries (I use frozen Organic that Costco sells)
1/4 or less cup of Sugar Free Cary's Syrup or Agave Nectar if you like natural sweetener.
Dash of Nutmeg spice

Cooking:

I blend all these together into a batter, and yes they are purple until after they are cooked. I make 4-5 waffles in my Calphalon Waffle maker (I make the 500 calorie version). Once a week I mix 64 oz. of egg whites, 4 cups of Cottage Cheese, 6 cups of Oatmeal (Old fashioned Oats), and 4 cups of either Blueberries or Mixed Berries then blend it up. It takes about an hour and makes about 50 waffles (they come out to 100 calories per waffle), then in the morning all we have to do is pop them in the toaster and they are ready to eat.

Condiments:

I spray Smart Choice spray butter on them and then I use Cary's Sugar Free Syrup which only has 30 calories per 1/4 cup.

10 Fit Foods for Fall

By Joe Wilkes

We all know the benefits of eating fruits and vegetables. They contain vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other nutrients to keep our bodies running in peak condition. Study after study shows that people who consume the most fruits and veggies are less at risk for a host of illnesses, including heart disease and cancer. And so, farmers' markets have started cropping up all over and supermarkets have begun expanding their produce sections to accommodate the increased demand. In some places, fast-food restaurants are giving way to community garden plots. Even the White House lawn has been tilled and planted.

The best fruits and vegetables to eat are the ones grown locally and seasonally. Doing this saves money, protects the planet, and pleases your palate. Crops are more bountiful during their natural harvest times, and your pocketbook benefits from the surplus. Plus, if you buy locally, you won't incur the costs of the food being transported to your store, and the planet won't incur the costs of fossil fuels being burned to ship that food. But even if money were no object and global warming weren't an issue, the best reason to eat locally and seasonally is taste. The following 10 foods are reaching their seasonal peaks. They're grown and available in most regions of the United States.

1. Apples. An apple a day can keep the doctor away in more ways than one. Studies have shown that apples can help lower cholesterol, manage diabetes, and prevent several diseases, including cancer, Alzheimer's disease, osteoporosis, and asthma. Make sure you don't peel the apple. The peel contains quercetin, an antioxidant shown in a Finnish study to reduce heart disease and inhibit tumor growth. The skin also contains insoluble fiber; the flesh contains pectin, a soluble fiber. While apples are great on their own, they also make great crunchy additions to salads or tasty additions to baked dessert treats. Did you know apples were originally native to Kazakhstan? That makes Borat their second-best export.

2. Corn. Generally, our society eats way too much corn. It's in almost every food we eat, especially in its most nefarious form—high fructose corn syrup. It's easily America's number one crop. But fall is the time when we get the harvest of the tastiest sweet corn. Besides being delicious, in its unprocessed state, it's actually quite healthy. A food study at Cornell University showed that ferulic acid, an antioxidant produced when sweet corn is cooked, is another heart disease and cancer fighter. It's also a good source of vitamins B1, B5, and C, folate, and fiber. Besides eating it on the cob, try corn in salads or as a colorful, crunchy addition to a salsa.

3. Cucumbers. Normally, we don't see cucumbers until they've been pickled and sliced and added to two all-beef patties and a sesame seed bun. Cucumbers are very low in calories (just 4 calories per ounce), a natural diuretic, and thought to help prevent pancreatic, liver, and kidney diseases. They contain potassium, which helps regulate blood pressure. The skin contains silica, which helps strengthen connective tissue. And they're not just for eating. The juice makes a great skin lotion. Those spa ladies with cucumber slices on their eyes aren't doing it for nothing. The juice reduces swelling not just for eye bags but also for burns and skin disorders. A tasty way to eat cucumbers is my Russian grandmother's simple recipe of thinly sliced cucumbers, low-fat yogurt, thinly sliced onion, and chopped dill (she actually used sour cream too, but we won't go there).

4. Eggplant. Eggplants contain lots of vitamins, minerals, and fiber, and also high levels of antioxidants, including nasunin, which has been shown to protect cells from free radical damage. Eggplants also contain terpenes, which are believed to help lower cholesterol. Eggplant is a very versatile ingredient in all kinds of cooking, including Italian, Indian, and Chinese dishes. It can be baked, stewed, or sautéed, among other cooking methods. One thing to watch out for is that the flesh of the eggplant is highly absorptive, so if you fry it in oil, it will soak it all up. One cooking technique is to lightly salt sliced eggplant before cooking it; then let it sit for a half hour and rinse the salt off. This will cause the cell structure of the eggplant to contract, making it a little less "spongey." My mom's been dealing with a bumper crop of eggplant from her backyard garden and has been putting eggplant in everything. A recent success was replacing the pasta in her favorite lasagna recipe with thinly sliced eggplant. It absorbed the tomato sauce instead of the oil and made the dish richer and creamier.

5. Grapes. There's been much written about the benefits of wine, and the harvest for the 2009 vintages is beginning. But you don't have to get loaded to get the benefits of grapes. In their unfermented state, they're a great source of vitamins A, B6, and C, folate, potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, and fiber. Like apples, they contain the antioxidant quercitin. They also contain resveratrol, which has been shown to reduce blood clots and protect arteries from free radical damage. Generally speaking, the darker the grape, the higher the antioxidant levels. Grapes are great snacks and low in calories. They make great additions to salads, or you can freeze them for a warm-weather treat.

6. Okra. This may be the most intimidating ingredient on this list. Many people are put off by okra's bristly outside and somewhat slimy inside, but it has a lot of health benefits that should make you take a second look. It's full of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. And it has great gastrointestinal benefits. Its high mucilage content, which thickens stews and gumbos, also helps absorb cholesterol, toxins, and bile and has a gentle laxative effect. Its seeds also contain amino acids and protein. It is also believed to be good for the skin and hair. It has been said that Cleopatra ate okra as part of her beauty regimen. Okra is great in soups and stews or lightly sautéed as a side dish.

7. Pears. This is my favorite fall food. The biggest, juiciest pears start showing up in farmers' markets right about now. Besides being a great source of stains on my shirts, they have high levels of vitamins C and K, copper, and fiber. They contain even more of the soluble fiber pectin than apples, which can play an important part in digestive health and lowering cholesterol. Pears have also been shown to reduce kidney inflammation and colitis. Asian pears, which are crunchy like an apple, are also in season now and contain the health benefits of both fruits. Pears are great plain, broiled, or poached. Asian pears can be shredded as a healthy addition to a slaw.

8. Peppers. Whether you like them spicy or sweet, now is prime pepper-picking time. Fiber-rich peppers have high levels of vitamins A, C, and K, with red peppers containing the highest levels. Red peppers, like tomatoes, are also good sources of lycopene, which studies show may be linked to cancer prevention. Hot peppers contain capsaicin, which has been shown to help prevent ulcers and lower cholesterol. Plus, hot peppers can help ramp up your metabolism. I can't think of many dishes that couldn't be improved with a little peppery zip. Soups, stir-frys, salads . . . I even had some chocolate cayenne ice cream that was pretty good.

9. Raspberries. Raspberries are some of the healthiest, but priciest, berries out there. So now when they're in season is the most economical time to enjoy them. Raspberries contain several flavonoids called anthocyanins, believed to have antimicrobial properties, which can help prevent fungal and yeast infections and aid with irritable bowel syndrome. A Netherlands study recently showed that raspberries had 10 times as many antioxidants as tomatoes. Like apples and pears, they also contain high levels of pectin. While they're great as snacks and desserts, think about trying them in a salad.

10. Tomatoes. The big new star of the tomato nutritional profile is lycopene. This carotenoid has increasingly been shown to be a powerful antioxidant that may play a big role in preventing cancer and heart disease. They are also great sources of vitamin C. And for those of you who don't care for raw tomatoes (as George Carlin said, they look like they're in the larval stage), tomatoes lose very little of their nutritional value when cooked. So they can be enjoyed stewed, in sauce, and even as ketchup (although we recommend a ketchup free of high fructose corn syrup and low in sodium). This is a prime time to seek out tomatoes at the farmers' market. Especially exotic are the heirloom varieties that come in yellows, greens, purples, browns, and reds. They can make a beautiful multicolored and antioxidant-rich salad.

THE 4 KEYS TO GAINING LEAN MUSCLE WHILE LOSING FAT

Nothing burns fat faster than building lean muscle. For every extra pound of lean muscle you gain, your body will burn 35-50 extra calories for fuel. All things kept equal, gaining an extra 10 pounds of lean muscle will equate to your body burning an extra 350 to 500 calories a day. If you want to lose some weight and get lean and fit, forget the slow cardio and start pushing some weights! Here are the four keys to gaining lean muscle while you lose fat:

1. Break down as much muscle tissue as you can in your workout.

2. Break down your muscle tissue using the lowest amount of volume possible.

3. Allow the broken down muscle tissue time to recover.

4. Provide your body the proper nutrients it needs to allow for steps 1-3 to happen.

Losing fat at the same time you are building muscle will reveal the muscle that is being hidden under the fat. It takes a calorie deficit of 3,500 to lose each pound, so you should strive to have a daily deficit of 500 calories in order to lose weight at the rate of one pound per week. The best way to reach your 500 daily caloric deficit is by eating five small meals a day while exercising intensely. Intense exercise along with proper nutrition will increase the number of calories you burn, increase your endurance, and enable you to build a healthy 'fat burning' metabolism. Proper nutrition and exercise have to happen at the same time in order for you to get the best results and gain lean muscle while reducing the amount of fat your body has stored.

The best way to have all of the above happen, is to buy P90X and follow the program the way it was designed. It allows for all of this to happen in just 90 days and IT WORKS!

MY TOP TEN TIPS FOR NUTRITION SUCCESS

I hate using the word 'Diet' because it sounds temporary and like you are depriving yourself of something...instead I like to think of it as a 'Lifetime Nutrition Plan', one that can be sustained forever. You should eat foods that you enjoy eating, and you shouldn't be starving yourself. Our bodies need nutrients, and the more natural the foods we eat are the better. Here are my 'top ten tips' for nutrition success...

1. Eat small meals every 3 hours. This increases enzyme production in the digestive system and gets the body's metabolism in a Fat Burning Mode instead of a Fat Storing Mode.

2. Eat low Glycemic Index carbs for breakfast (oatmeal) for sustained energy and high fiber carbs with protein throughout the day to keep your appetite suppressed.

3. Drink 100% Whey Isolate Protein one to two times per day as a snack or a meal. Whey Isolate is low fat, low calorie, low carb and is one of the purest and best forms of protein to help you build quality muscle.

4. Take Multi-Vitamins and Supplements to fill in the gaps in your diet and to help you recover and get the most out of your workout. The Supplements that I take daily are a Multi Pack of Vitamins, Omega 3, 5g of L-Glutamine, 5g of Creatine Malate, and a Recovery Drink of a 4 to 1 ratio of carbs to protein. This helps restore and replenish my glycogen levels after my workout.

5. Avoid stress. Try to keep a relaxed and positive attitude. Stress increases acidity in the body which can lead to an increase in your body storing fat.

6. Prepare your food in advance. I cook large batches of food and then freeze it when it is already cooked, that way it is fast and easy to serve. I like to store it in individual containers or zip-locks, then I just defrost it in the microwave.

7. Schedule your meals ahead and take individual meals in a small cooler with you for your day.

8. Plan your nutrients and meals with a purpose in mind....eat carbs for energy, protein for building and repairing muscle tissue, and fat to store the energy your body needs and fat is also needed to help dissolve fat soluble vitamins like vitamin A,D,E and K.

9. Zigzag your calories regularly to keep your body from plateauing. Switch up your ratio of carbs to protein and/or your daily caloric intake...this will help keep your metabolism from adapting to your nutrition and in a constant Fat Burning Mode. One cheat meal per week is a good thing, it tricks the body and metabolism into thinking that it doesn't need to store fat and that it is not being deprived.

10. Drink more water... drink 3/4 to 1 full gallons of water a day. Most of us don’t have enough water and our bodies are constantly dehydrated. A dehydrated body has trouble releasing water. In order to lose fat you must be able to release water, because fat cells in your body are composed of mostly water. Also, if you are dehydrated, then your body cannot build and recover very well because the muscles need water for both to happen.

BOOST YOUR METABOLISM ALL DAY LONG

By Ben Kallen

When you want to create a lean, firm body, the best way to accomplish it is with an effective workout program and a healthy eating plan. But that's not the end of the story . . . . Because no matter how much you're putting into your exercise sessions, practicing a range of healthy habits the rest of the time can give your metabolism an even bigger kick. So here's a full day's worth of metabolism boosters. Any one of them may have a relatively minor effect, but when put together, they're bound to help your body burn fat more efficiently. Add these tips to your weight loss arsenal, and you'll get the results you want as quickly as possible.

Morning

1. Get some sun. A little outdoor time in the morning can help you slim down in three ways. First, bright light helps regulate your body clock, so you'll be more energetic during the day and sleep better at night. Second, during the winter months, sunshine helps ward off SAD (seasonal affective disorder), a condition that can lead to uncontrolled food cravings. And third, sunlight on your skin increases your levels of vitamin D, which are associated with a higher metabolism and a lower risk of obesity. (While sunscreen cuts down on your natural vitamin D production, experts warn that you shouldn't spend much time outside without it. You can also get more D by taking multivitamins, drinking fortified milk, and eating fatty fish.)

2. Eat a good breakfast. Research has shown that a filling breakfast, which includes both lean protein and complex carbohydrates, helps you burn fat all day (and keeps you satisfied longer, too). In a study presented to the Endocrine Society, dieters who ate hearty breakfasts stuck to their food plans and ended up losing more weight than those who didn't, despite the fact that their daily caloric intake was actually slightly higher.

3. Add some grapefruit. There's a reason grapefruit diets have never gone out of fashion. In a recent study in the journal Diabetes, mice on a high-fat diet that were given naringenin—a flavonoid chemical that gives grapefruit its slightly bitter taste—didn't gain weight, while others on the same diet did. And a study conducted at the Nutrition and Metabolic Research Center at Scripps Clinic found that half a grapefruit before each meal helped obese people drop more than 3 pounds over 12 weeks. (Consult your doctor if you're taking any medications—large amounts of grapefruit can change the way they're metabolized by your body.)

4. Have a hot beverage. As you've surely heard by now, regular consumption of green or oolong tea can raise your metabolism by as much as 5 percent. But plain old java gives your fat-burning ability a boost too. Green coffee beans have been found to boost your metabolism through the combination of caffeine and something called chlorogenic acid. While roasting lowers the amount of this chemical, according to the Coffee Science Information Centre, a light roast retains more than a dark roast. Whatever you drink, don't overdo it, and keep the additives to a minimum—the calories in cream and sugar, or a coffeehouse latte, can far outweigh any fat-burning benefits.

Midday

1. Take the stairs. Your daily workout will do more than anything else to burn fat and build lean muscle. But that doesn't mean you should be a slug the rest of the time. A highly publicized British study found that kids who were very active during physical education classes were that much less active throughout the day, which suggests that you may need to make a conscious effort to move your body when you're not working out, including taking such simple steps as walking everywhere you can and using stairs rather than elevators. Even relatively brief periods of exercise will help keep your metabolism revving at a higher level.

2. Snack on nuts. All nuts (including peanuts, which aren't technically nuts, but whatever) are fairly high in calories, but they're also full of nutrients, especially protein and healthful fats. In a study at Purdue University, when people added 500 calories of peanuts to their daily diets, they ate less during meals and increased their resting metabolic rates by 11 percent. You don't need to eat so many, though. Just an ounce at a time will go a long way toward boosting your metabolism and keeping you satisfied.

3. Shop in the outer aisles of the grocery store. Most supermarkets are laid out in similar ways: produce, meats, fish, dairy products, and other fresh, whole foods are along the outside edges, while processed, boxed, and canned foods are in the inner aisles. Shop on the perimeter first, and you'll end up with nutritious ingredients that will fuel your muscles while keeping you full—and because they're higher in fiber and protein and lower in starch, you can eat more of them and still lose weight.

4. Take time to relax. Stress can take a toll on your metabolism. When scientists at Georgetown University fed two groups of mice a high-fat, high-sugar diet, the ones under stress gained more than twice as much weight as the low-stress group. If your job (or any other part of your life) leaves you feeling like a mouse in a cage, try to find ways of cutting down on stress. At some point during the day, take a break for meditation, yoga, or just sitting in a peaceful place and thinking about something pleasant.

Nighttime

1. Watch your eating. If you're like most people, your activity level slows down at night, and so does your metabolism. And yet there's also a tendency to eat a lot at this time, either by having a big dinner or snacking in front of the TV, or both. If you're overeating due to stress or boredom, the evening is a good time to concentrate on healthful dietary habits.

2. Hold the hooch. Your body loves alcohol—so much so, in fact, that it'll burn its byproducts as fuel before anything else. That means that while you're processing alcohol, you're not burning fat. Of course, alcoholic beverages also have calories, virtually none of which are good for anything other than helping you gain weight.

3. Turn off your screens. At least 2 hours before bedtime, dim the lights, put away your computer, and turn off your video games. Bright lights, including those from computer screens, can interfere with your body's production of melatonin, an antioxidant hormone that builds up in the evening and helps you sleep. Research has shown that higher levels of melatonin are associated with lower levels of body fat.

4. Catch your z's. While you're asleep, your body is hard at work producing hormones responsible for weight loss, muscle gain, and glucose metabolism. Studies have found that consistently getting less than the optimal 8 or so hours per night leads to a lower metabolism and a higher body mass. If you find yourself getting sleepy during the day, going to bed just an hour earlier could make a significant difference in your waistline.

TURKEY CHILI RECIPE

3 lbs of 99% Fat Free Ground Turkey or Extra Lean Ground Beef
2 cans (16 oz) of Red Beans
1 can (16 oz) of Canenellini Beans
1 can of green chiles
24 oz bottle of Marinara
24 oz can of diced Tomatoes
4 tbsp of Chili Powder
2 tbsp Smoked Paprika
1 tbsp Garlic Powder or chopped garlic cloves to taste
1/4 tsp Hot Pepper Sauce (I use Daves Insanity Sauce)

Cook the ground meat over medium heat in an extra large pot and then drain. Add seasoning, Marina, beans, and diced tomatoes...mix all the ingredients together and keep over heat until it starts to bubble again. Reduce heat and then freeze or refrigerate. I divide into three equal portions and refrigerate one and then freeze the other two.