5 Simple Exercises For Maximum Fat Loss

I have to start with a saying that I use often

It's now as much WHAT you do, but more HOW you do it.

This is relevant to this post in that any exercise can be used as a fat loss movement. How that exercise is performed is a more important component (which I will save for another post).

Of course there are movements(the what) that can and should be prioritized for maximum fat loss in the shortest possible time.  By testing and incorporating

3 Reasons Diets DON'T WORK

Dieting- the deliberate selection of food to control body weight or nutrient intake. (wikipedia)

Note* I am not referring to your diet, which is the food you consume normally on a regular basis* This is about diet-ING for body weight control (not natural).

We have all done them. We have all put our hopes into their outcomes. We have all failed with them. So why do we keep doing them?

Here is my list for why dieting is NOT effective in the long run:

1) Dieting is too restrictive:

Elimination diets - (which are pretty much ALL diets I have seen) do not work- period. "But I lost so much weight on it and felt so good." Then why aren't you still doing it? Why is the weight back?

Solution: We are meant to eat REAL food. That being said, we should also be flexible enough to handle processed or

non-real food from time to time as well. Have you taken time off from being active to go back and have soreness, pain and injury the next day, or for multiple days? Eliminating certain food groups has a similar process. If you cut out distinct areas of a normal food diet (fat, carbs, sugar) then the body actually becomes less flexible at handling these things. You have now made the situation worse. The key is to find the minimal effective amounts (mEA) of foods that are not real and focus on REAL food a majority of the time.

2) Dieting is hard:

When you go on a diet, isn't it difficult? From this we can make some associations- You are now learning weight loss is hard and takes effort. You are now learning that certain foods are associated with dieting and feel guilty when consuming. This leads to a series of associations that do not make the process any easier. Unlearning is one of the hardest things to do.

Solution: Remember, we are always learning. If you eat REAL food and incorporate things you like, then weight/fat loss becomes a natural byproduct and is easy. There should be NO effort if you are listening to your body.

3) Dieting never lasts:

See reason #1. Everything in our world is subject to change. Yin and yang... peace and war... diet and binge. Catch my point? If you 'force' change, you will be forced to change... it's as simple as that.

Solution: Build a healthy relationship with food. Don't restrict foods and do eat in moderation. Remember, there is no 'bad' food, only food outside of your limits. We are ALL familiar with moderation of all things. Being that we are all biochemically different, we need different things. Find what works for your body and keep it REAL.

If you would like more info on fat loss or nutrition contact me @

brian@brian-speaks.com

peace-

Week of 6/27/2011
 

MISO OATS

1 cup organic whole oats

2 cups water

2 tablespoons sweet yellow miso (or light variety)

Cook oats until water is absorbed. Allow to cool and mix in miso. Cover and leave at room temperature overnight. This acts to help breakdown the phytic acid in the oats. In the morning, gently reheat and enjoy. As a snack, I enjoy mine cold from the fridge.

Good Concept? Or Wishful Thinking?

I absolutely LOVE this concept. I think it will take some time for this concept to catch on but they could not have picked a better place for it. Would love to hear YOUR thoughts!

Zero-Packaging Grocery Store to Open in Austin, Texas

• Zak Stone
  Editorial Assistant

Austin, Texas is already home to Whole Foods, but that won't stop a group of entrepreneurs from founding a new grocery store right in the natural food behemoth's backyard. While the new store In.gredients will also specialize in local and organic ingredients, there's one major difference between this venture and its hometown competion: In.gredients promises to be the country's first ever "package-free, zero waste grocery store."
The idea is so simple, it's surprising that no one in the United States has implemented it yet. (The United Kingdom, on the other hand, got the bulk food-only Unpackaged in London last year). Just like many people bring tote bags to the grocery store, shoppers at In.gredients will be encouraged to bring their own containers to pack up items like grains, oils, and dairy. If a shopper doesn't have his own containers, the store will provide compostable ones. It's as if the specialty bulk food section rebelled and took over the rest of a traditional grocery store. In.gredients will replace unhealthy, overpackaged junk with local, organic, and natural foods, and moonlight as a community center with cooking classes, gardening workshops, and art shows on the side.
“Truth be told, what’s normal in the grocery business isn’t healthy for consumers or the  environment," In.gredients co-founder Christian Lane said in a press release. Americans add 570 million pounds of food packaging to their landfills each day, while pre-packaged foods force consumers to buy more than they need, stuffing their bellies and their trash bins: 27 percent of food brought into U.S. kitchens ends up getting tossed out.
In.gredients's founders hope to open the grocery store's doors in East Austin this fall, provided that the funding goes through.

Shhh... Dont' Tell!

Don't tell my wife that I stole her new birthday present for a bit. I just couldn't resist! Grown up parallettes! Thought I would give you a peek into my frequented workout space... THE BACKYARD! Time to perfect my handstands and L-sits.

While you're here check out my latest project The Balanced Body Online Coaching Program. More details coming soon but I thought I would give an inside peek.

Check it out HERE! 

Enjoy your Thursday!

bj

Whole Grain Phood?

 I used to fall into the 'whole grains' marketing trap (who doesn't love cereal?). According to what we 'should' eat, they were supposed to be better for me, giving my daily dose of fiber, B vitamins and complex carbohydrates. They did make things 'complex' just not in the way of carbs. You see, it has taken quite a bit of unlearning through experience and research to realize they are not what they claim to be. Let's take a closer look at whole grains and why they might not be as wholesome as you think.

The old USDA food pyramid with it's heavy reliance on grains- (hmm... I wonder why?)

I am not anti-grain or carbohydrate (or government) just as much as I am not anti-protein or fat, but such a heavy reliance on these foods (as shown here in the food pyramid) is only setting us up for poor results. From my personal studies and experience, it's over consumption of poor quality whole grains that can be traced back to many different degenerative diseases like obesity, heart disease, diabetes, auto immune disorders and more. With such

Recipe Of The Week

Week of 6/20/2011

Roasted Carrot Spears with Scallion-Ginger Glaze

 

I've been feeling my veggies lately, and with that comes new and fun ways to spice them up. I absolutely love carrots and ginger so this was a hit around my house. Feel free to tweak it yourself and send in your comments.

1 lb. carrots (you can slice your own, or use baby carrots)

4 tablespoons oil (I like the expeller-pressed coconut oil that we carry at the ROOTS co-op) 

2 tablespoons minced ginger

1/4 cup chopped scallions (also called green onion)

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Heat oven to 400F. Toss carrots with 2 tablespoons of oil and roast in pan stirring occasionally until brown and tender, about 30 minutes. 

While the carrots are cooking mix the ginger, scallions, garlic and salt together in a heatproof bowl. Put 2 remaining tablespoons oil in a pan and heat. Pour hot oil over ginger-scallion mixture and mix well.

Remove carrots from the over and toss with mixture.

Serves 4-6

Adapted from Food Matters by Mark Bittman

Enjoy 

How to: Eating Mindfully

In my short post, Mindful Eating, we ventured into what it means to be a mindful eater. Awareness is the key to sustainable change, but what are the appropriate questions to ask to be a mindful eater?

STEP 1 -LISTENING AND ASKING APPROPRIATE QUESTIONS -

-Am I hungry?
-Is it food that my body is truly asking for?
-What sounds best?
-How would I feel after eating this?
-How much do I 'need'?
-Do I need more? Less?

These are very basic questions that can at least start the process. They will allow you to fine tune your feedback and prune as you move along.

Now, what about food? What about macro

It's Getting Real In The Whole Foods Parking Lot

I got a good laugh out of this and wanted to share...

 

-enjoy

Not By Force

It wasn't too long ago that I was competing as a natural bodybuilder, following very few of the principles I now teach. I think it took that process and some wise people to help me realize what I was doing wasn't healthy or working. Here is a look into my lifestyle then.

-I ate low fat, low sugar, sugar free and very high protein
-I worked out to excess tension and beyond my limits
-I obsessed 24/7 as to whether I was dropping fat or building muscle
-I ate every 2-3 hours to 'keep my metabolism up'
-I often trained 7 days a week for 60-90 minutes a pop
-I took synthetic supplements (creatine, glutamine and others) possibly to the detriment of my body
-What was best for me was often determined by what I saw or read, never through testing
-I rarely hung out with friends (and I was in college) burning some meaningful relationships in the process.

In short, I slept, ate, slept, worked out, ate, slept, ate.... seriously. Looking back it was no way to live. On the plus side, it got me where I am