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Holiday Treat Plan: An Interview With Joel Marion
I met Joel Marion for the first time in New York City last November, about this time, for my 29th Birthday.
My first impression of Joel: what a goomba.
Joel is very tall,has a slight side-to-side shuffle, and has one of those laughs that make you laugh even if whatever you’re talking about is not funny. When we went to Las Vegas back in April, I believed we laughed for 5 days straight.
Back in NYC, I think he he introduced himself as, “Hey, I’m Joel Marion, 2001 Body-for-Life Grand Champion for ages 18-25.”
Maybe he didn’t say the ages 18-25 part but he did introduce himself as “I know something that you don’t know” energy about him.
My second impression of Joel: this guy is pretty cocky.
Pretty ignorant and shallow of me eh?
Over the course of the next few hours I came to realize that Joel was anything but an “ordinary guy” — and certainly not cocky but still a bit of a goomba. Over the last few months he quickly became one my best friends and respected colleague with whom I’d exchange ideas daily.
In the months that followed, I watched as Joel became a online fitness celebrity, famous for developing a fat loss system that’s been introduced in his book, Cheat Your Way Thin. Joel has tirelessly researched and experimented with various theories in hopes of turning “good” into “optimal” and there’s no better example of this than his dedication to helping you succeed a better way.
Joel is helping me get my book published and more recently has helped me with my diet the past three weeks since visiting him at his home in Tampa, Florida.
Joel and I in Tampa on October 29th
More accurately, Joel has helped me incorporate overfeed days/cheat days/treat days or whatever you want to call them into my diet (every 5 days for my upcoming goals).
The results? I’ve gone from 203 pounds to 197 pounds – three weeks to the day and I’ve gained two pounds of muscle according to my body fat pincher. Overall, I look bigger than three weeks ago.\
In my girlfriends words when I revealed the goods, “Holy!” (Jaw dropped at the same time).
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A Double Dose Of Metabolism Protection: Strategic Carbohydrate Cycling
Back with another update on on the upcoming new program, Cheat Your Way Thin, and today we’ll be talking about carbohydrate cycling and how you can use this in your nutrition program to keep the hormone leptin (which we discussed yesterday) from dropping too low (resulting in fat storage).
By preventing leptin levels from dropping too low you’ll keep your metabolism soaring which means you’ll be burning fat all day long. Have a close read over the valuable information below because it will show you what “dieting” should really be all about.
NOTE: Please read the comments from the blog post yesterday because the man-of-the-hour, Joel Marion in the flesh took the time to read your questions and give extremely detailed responses. Do not read any further below until you understand how this important hormone – leptin – works. I promise it will be worth your time extremely helpful for your fat loss goals. If you need clarification on anything mentioned don’t hesitate to post below.
Click HERE to read the most important hormone you never heard of. (page opens in new window)
Below in another article from Joel that I have posted with his permission.
A Double Dose Of Metabolism Protection: Strategic Carbohydrate Cycling
Without a doubt the most important thing you can do while attempting to drop body fat is to maintain high levels of leptin day in and day out.
With Cheat Your Way Thin, we accomplish this via two different means:
First, every so often we use strategically timed periods of overfeeding or “cheating” to restore leptin levels to baseline. These full-blown cheat sessions are almost magical when it comes to interrupting the starvation feedback loop, preventing your body from “turning against” your dietary efforts and putting the kibosh on fat loss.
In addition to strategic cheating, we also use strategic carbohydrate cycling throughout the week in order to safeguard against falls in leptin and other fat burning hormones even on “diet” days.
If you paid close attention to yesterday’s article, you remember that leptin and carbohydrate have VERY strong ties. I even shared a study in which leptin levels were maintained during an all out fast (no food whatsoever) by simply maintaining blood glucose and insulin via an IV drip. Wow.
I’ll clean that entire plate on my cheat, I prefer to call “treat” days
When It Comes To Leptin, Carbohydrates Are KING
But, just like with cheating, you can’t just eat a boatload of carbs every day and expect fat to magically melt away. It’s all about strategy.
So here’s how we do it.
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The Most Impotant Hormone You’ve Never Heard Of
Today’s info is really going to be a game-changer for you because we’re discussing a hormone that nobody knows about or talks about yet it’s the number one hormone you need to control if you’re going to be successful at losing body fat and getting into your leanest condition ever.
Next week I’m going to telling you about the number one nutrition program this year called Cheat Your Way Thin (Holiday Edition) which will be released next week by fitness author Joel Marion. It’s absolutely necessary that you read this article because it’s critical information that you understand the principle behind the Cheat Your Way Thin program.
I got to hang out with Joel for four days while I was in Tampa Florida visiting him and one of the hot topics of our conversation was accelerating my fat loss goals to get me shredded for my photo shoot next weekend in the Dominican Republic. After a bit of arm-twisting I agreed that I would try out his nutrition program instead of my own.
After you see the pictures next week you can decide for yourself if it works.
For now, with Joel’s permission, I’ve posted a recent article I would like you to read and then post your questions for Joel and I to respond to – I’m sure there will be a lot so we’ll do our best to answer them all.
Lepti-what?!
It’s name is Leptin (derived from the Greek word leptos, meaning “thin”), and it’s without a doubt the most important hormone you probably never heard of.
You see, leptin was only first discovered just over 10 years ago, and as far as weight loss is concerned, that’s extremely recent.
A leptin molecule looks a lot like a mangled telephone cord.
Leptin’s function? To communicate your nutritional status to your body and brain.
Leptin levels are mediated by two things. One is your level of body fat. All else being equal, people with higher levels of body fat will have higher leptin levels than those with lower levels of body fat and vice versa.
Because leptin is secreted by fat cells, it makes sense that under normal conditions there is a direct correlation between leptin levels and the amount of fat you are carrying.
Unfortunately, when you’re attempting to lose fat and begin to restrict calories, conditions are anything but “normal” and the body responds accordingly by lowering leptin levels.
This is because the second mediator of blood leptin levels is your calorie intake. Lower your calorie intake and leptin will fall, independent of body fat.
So, yes, you can be overweight and still suffer from low leptin levels – just go on a diet.
So what happens when leptin levels fall and why the heck does it matter?
Again, under normal conditions leptin levels are normal and the brain gets the signal loud and clear that nutrition intake is adequate. Metabolism is high and the internal environment of the body is one very conducive to fat burning.
A body that knows a little something about fat burning.
Until you start dieting.
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The Diet Solution Plan
Yesterday morning I was cooling down for 20 minutes on the bike after a brutal leg workout and started flipping 
through the TV stations instead of listening to my iPod and I was reminded of how much weight loss has become a North American obsession!
You don’t have to flip many stations to get bombarded by new gadgets, pills, diets, books and programs endorsed by celebrities and it only takes three easy payments to fix your problem.
Perhaps you have tried one of these methods that gladly take your money and you still have nothing (or little) show for it.
Sure, anything works in the short term but I am interested in sharing solutions that work for the long term.
Aren’t you?
This reminded me of one of the most popular interviews I did last year with Isabel De Los Rios and I wanted to give you a chance to see why I consider her to be one of the most knowledgeable nutrition experts I’ve come across over the years.
Vince Del Monte V.S. Isabel De Los Rios Interview
Vince: Why did you decide to write The Diet Solution Plan when there is more than enough nutrition info out there?
Isabel: I decided to write the Diet Solution for that exact reason. People are being bombarded with nutrition information and either one of two things is happening: They are either being grossly misinformed with information that is the complete opposite of what is the truth or they are so overwhelmed with all of the good information and they just don’t know where to start.
What I did with The Diet Solution was take all of the BEST information out on the market today and compiled it
in an easy to understand, easy to read and easy to implement program. Basically, took the best of the best and saved my readers hundreds of hours and hundreds of dollars in research and trial and error.
Vince: You clearly state that soy is NOT a health food. Does this go for my friends who want to build muscle and lose fat?
Isabel: This goes for absolutely everyone, but especially for those who want to build muscle. I would even say the effects of eating soy will contribute to the exact OPPOSITE hormonal changes in your body that you want if building muscle is your goal.
This is because most soy products on the market today contain phytoestrogens. These phytoestrogens mimic the effects of estrogen in the body and have been shown to decrease the testosterone levels of rats, monkeys and other animals, including humans. It has been known for quite some time that soy lowers testosterone to the point that there is an old Japanese wives’ tale that says women punish straying husbands by feeding them a lot of tofu. Now what do you think that means?
If building muscle is your goal, definitely stay away from any protein powder or protein bar that contains soy or soy protein isolate. Make sure to read labels carefully as it is in more products than you think.
Vince: When choosing a protein powder, should I really be concerned about artificial sweeteners harming my body?
Isabel: Artificial sweeteners have been found to be one of the most toxic substances we can put inside our bodies. Besides the fact that it causes brain and metabolism dysfunction, they clog up your liver to a point where it can not fully function.
Why is your liver so important? Your liver is not only responsible for eliminating toxins from your body but it is also responsible for metabolizing fat. If it is so busy processing through artificial sweeteners (a harmful toxin), it will not spend a sufficient amount of time processing through the unwanted fat you are trying to lose.
Believe it or not, I have had clients give up Diet Coke and lose up to 10 lbs in 2 weeks!
Vince: In your program, you talk about good dairy and bad dairy. Any tip you can provide before I buy any more dairy?
Isabel: Dairy is one of the leading reasons most people can not lose weight or, worse yet, are constantly gaining weight. The shocking truth about dairy is that it is only healthy in its raw form. All of the pasteurized dairy in the supermarkets today are really keeping people fat and making them fatter.
Besides the countless amount of research that has been done showing us how healthy raw dairy is, the proof is really in the thousands of people and children that are overweight or obese and drinking several glasses of pasteurized milk each day.
Vince: Eating organic food is really expensive. Is it worth the extra cost or completely over rated? Will it really make a difference in building muscle faster and losing fat quicker?
Isabel: The answer to this question takes us back to the function of the liver. The pesticides, antibiotics and hormones that are being added to most foods are clogging up our livers. Again, a clogged up liver can not burn fat.
And worse yet, will continue to store fat. Yes, organic food may be a bit more expensive. But most of my clients notice their grocery bill is the same once they eliminate the expensive cereals and “so called” expensive diet foods they were eating before.
Vince: The last thing I want to share with my friends is another “diet program.” How is your nutrition program different and who would be a perfect candidate for your nutrition program?
Isabel: My nutrition program is the best way and the only way most people should be eating. It is not some crazy fad diet, nor is it some extreme crash diet. It is how everyone should be eating on a daily basis, as mother-nature intended. What most people don’t realize is, if we ate they way our ancestors ate centuries ago, we would all be lean and healthy. It is the over-commercialized and toxic processed foods in our
countries that are keeping everyone so overweight and unhealthy.
Does it really seem healthy to sign up for a diet program that makes you buy their food and only their food? Or to nourish your body with fake powders and bars? That’s really not how are bodies were designed.
What I teach in http://www.AntiDietPlan.com is exactly what your body needs to maintain a lean and healthy body for a lifetime.
What is the biggest benefit of following your nutrition program and does it come with meal recipes and meal plans?
The biggest benefit of my nutrition program is that it is made up of all real food. It also recommends that you eat good healthy portions of food and that you should NEVER be hungry. If you are walking around hungry, you are doing something wrong. You are most likely starving your body of the nutrients and whole foods it needs.
I have done all the hard work for you. I have put together all of the healthy principles into easy to follow meal plans, no matter what your starting point is. I have also included 61 of my favorite meal recipes so that you can always keep your nutrition program delicious.
Vince: How important is it to eat based on your metabolism and eat the right foods for your metabolism? Do you touch on this in your program?
Isabel: Eating the right foods for your metabolism is so important, that it is the difference between losing weight and not losing weight. We are all individual and so are our metabolisms. In order to pinpoint exactly which meal plan will work best, I have included a Metabolic Typing Test so my readers can determine exactly how they metabolize food and which foods are “fat burning” foods and which foods are “fat storing” foods. The results of this test have been a true “AHA” moment for thousands of people, finally, maybe for the first time, finding why they have not been able to shed their unwanted fat before.
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END OF INTERVIEW
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If you want to eat the healthiest diet possible for your specific body and learn to stay lean for life, make sure to read through Isabel De Los Rios’ program…
Download a copy of her program today:
–> http://AntiDietPlan.com
In my strong opinion, this is MUST-READ resource if you care about your health and your family and want to really optimize your muscle building and six pack quest.
I learned more in this program than I did during my nutrition classes at University!
Your friend and coach,
Vince Del Monte
Does Cheap Organic Food Exist?
Before we address the question: “Does cheap organic food exist?” I would like to clarify what organic food really is because you can’t go anywhere without seeing someone selling “organic this” and “organic that.”
Like me, you’re probably wondering if these foods and products are worth your time and money?
Organic food means the food or product has been grown the way mother nature intended: without the use of chemicals, pesticides, herbicides and fungicides. In other words, naturally!
Now it’s time to bring Isabel De Los Rios back on the hot seat to answer the question, “Does cheap organic food really exist?” This article will help you understand exactly why organic food is all the rave these days and what you can do to make organic living easy, simple and cheaper.
Is there such a thing as Cheap Organic Food?
by Isabel De Los Rios Author, The Diet Solution Plan
Are Organic foods really worth their, sometimes, high prices? Is there any way to make organic eating affordable?
Many times people’s biggest resistance to buying organic is the higher price. But there are ways to make organic eating cheaper and much more affordable for you and your family.
What exactly is Organic Food?
Organic food is food grown or raised without the use of synthetic (chemically formulated) pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, or fertilizers. This method of farming allows foods to grown in nature as they were intended. Consider that conventional farmers in the United States spray 2 billion pounds of pesticides a year on crops to compensate for poor farming practices. Do you know where those pesticides end up? In our food supply!
Aside from pesticide contamination, conventional produce tends to have fewer nutrients than organic produce. On average, conventional produce has only 83 percent of the nutrients of organic produce. Studies have found significantly higher levels of nutrients such as vitamin C, iron, magnesium and phosphorus, and significantly less nitrates (a toxin) in organic crops.
When I first discovered that organic foods might be the missing link to my weight loss and health efforts (read Isabel’s story by clicking here), I had just graduated from college and was living in a miniature apartment in New York City which was quite pricey, that I could barely afford.
How in the world was I going to spend the big bucks on organic food?
Here is how I mastered the art of “going organic on a budget”:
I stopped buying crappy “non foods” (and, yes, crappy is a scientific term). Most protein shakes, “health” bars, and processed foods are actually pretty expensive and when you completely eliminate them from your grocery list, you will save hundreds of dollars.
Take a good look at the price of sugar cereals, packaged cookies and cakes, and frozen TV dinners. You will see how the prices of these foods quickly add up. That same amount of money can be better spent on a week’s worth of organic produce.
1. When I started eating reasonable portions, the food was not that expensive. When I really took a look at how much I was eating and how much I was supposed to be eating, I clearly had mistaken myself for a 200 lb sumo wrestler. I had portion distortion to say the least and eating less meant spending less
2. I sought out the local farmer’s markets. The prices were so much better and I always got fresh food in season. And, honestly, if the price of cherries was the equivalent of diamond earrings, I would choose a different fruit. Go for the apples, pears, or bananas. Variety is good anyway so choose the fruits and veggies without the diamond prices.
3. I transitioned my kitchen and my whole house slowly. I probably did not have a complete organic kitchen until 3 years later. Not the ideal, but I did the best I could. Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither was my organic palace. Do the best you can, start with a few items and then go from there.
4. Buy organic foods “selectively”. The following foods have been shown to have the highest levels of pesticide residue, so they should really always be purchased organic. 
Fruits:
- Peaches
- Apples
- Strawberries
- Nectarines
- Pears
- Cherries
- Red Raspberries
- Imported Grapes
Vegetables:
- Spinach
- Bell Peppers
- Celery
- Potatoes
- Hot Peppers
Animal products
*Always look for animal products (meats, poultry, and dairy) that have no added antibiotics and growth hormones. Ingesting meats that have been injected with these harmful substances is equivalent to eating the hormones and antibiotics themselves. Very dangerous!
These foods tend to be lower in pesticide levels so can be purchased conventional if necessary:
Fruits:
- Pineapples
- Plantains
- Mangoes
- Bananas
- Watermelon
- Plums
- Kiwi Fruit
- Blueberries
- Papaya
- Grapefruit
- Avocado
Vegetables:
- Cauliflower
- Brussels Sprouts
- Asparagus
- Radishes
- Broccoli
- Onions
- Okra
- Cabbage
- Eggplant
END OF ARTICLE
There’s no material item that comes close to matching “feeling good” about yourself. Take a look at where you’re spending your money now and figure out how to fit organic foods into your budget (even if it’s a slow transition). I promise that if it was doable for me, it’s doable for you too!
Learn how to incorporate organic living into your muscle building or fat loss program by reading Isabel’s Diet Solution Plan at:
Vince
P.S. Between now and Thursday at midnight I’m giving away my exclusive “What To Eat For Maximum Muscle Growth Video Series with Isabel De Los Rios.” (Retail Value – $97) to anyone who purchases Isabel’s program as a personal Bonus Gift because I really believe in Isabel’s nutritional info for YOU.
here is what’s in the FREE bonus videos:
Just email your Clickbank receipt to vincedelmonte@yahoo.ca with the subject line, “Add Bonus…” to help us get your digital videos ASAP.
You can not purchase these digital videos ANYWHERE because they are only available when you join Isabel’s Diet Solution Plan as my way of applauding you for investing in this life-changing nutrition resource.
http://www.AntiDietPlan.com <- click here to read more on her book and get your f.r.e.e. bonuses.
How To Eat Healthy While You Travel
Let’s face it.
Maintaining a healthy diet while traveling can be a pain and very frustrating.
At least that’s what I thought and the excuse I dished out until I chatted with my friend Isabel De Los Rios, author of The Diet Solution Plan and probably the smartest nutritionist I know.
I am no stranger to traveling myself.
Since I have a mobile business and travel a few times a month I can relate to my readers asking me all the time:
“Vince, I am always on the go. How can I stick to my healthy eating plan and still live my life?”
I asked my friend Isabel if I could post an excellent article she recently wrote on this topic. I love Isabel’s info because it’s so practical and easy to implement as you’ll see below.
So if your days really have you running around from work, to parties, to picking up kids all over the neighborhood, here are a few strategies that really do work compliments of Isabel De Los Rios from The Diet Solution Plan:
1. Make your trunk your refrigerator.
Ok, not literally, but I have known many people (including myself) to keep a small cooler in their trunk at all times. They fill it with healthy goodies at the beginning of the day (raw nuts, fresh fruits and veggies, even hard boiled eggs) along with some ice packs and extra tupperware (just in case) and they’re off for the day.
At the end of the day, they empty whatever is left and the ice packs go back in the freezer for the next day. This is also a great way to keep your water bottles nice and cold and not warm from the car heat.
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7 Secrets To Gain Weight Fast Without Getting Fat
We all can agree that to gain weight you have to eat, right?
I hope so or else you’re on the wrong website.
If you’re training drug free you won’t be able to gain weight or add an impressive amount of muscle mass if you’re not consuming enough clean calories to promote hypertrophy i.e. muscle growth.
On the contrary, if you don’t eat enough, chances are that you’ll lose muscle no matter how hard you train.
Sherlock Holmes would be the first to acknowledge a ’see food diet’ as the logical answer to gain weight and mass because the more you eat, the more you grow, correct?
Not exactly.
It is very true that you’ll be putting the breaks on gaining weight if you’re nutrition intake is impaired. However, there is a clear difference in getting bigger and getting more muscular. We’re talking about gaining weight without getting fat which will make you more muscular, not just bigger.
Which leads me to my pet peeve…
Guys who justify eating too much junk food to gain weight and accept an excessive amount of fat gain (more than I endorse in my book) in hope of stimulating extra muscle growth.
It does not work that way.
Your body has a limited capacity to gain muscle. Unfortunately it does not have a limited capacity to how much weight we can gain (we would be a much more attractive society).
Each person has a different ability to manufacture muscle based on how much protein their body can synthesize which is based on your Testosterone levels, your Testosterone to cortisol levels, your insulin sensitivity, your genetic muscle fiber make up and many other variables.
Lets look at 7 secrets to help you eat more food so you can gain weight that does not turn into body fat.
1. Double It Up.
This is the easiest and fastest route to go. Turn one chicken breast into two. Down a second slice of bread instead of just one. Inhale a second handful of nuts. Drop in two scoops of protein powder. Most likely you are only a few dozen meals short of filling out your underdeveloped body parts so take advantage of already having the food out. You body will have no other option but to surrender and start gaining weight if you double it up.
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Top 10 Comments On The Vegetarian Lifestyle
In the list below you’ll DISCOVER some powerful reasons why the veggie meal plans are a wise decision to add to your nutrition library whether your a vegetarian or not:
Top 10 Comments On The Vegetarian
Lifestyle (from recent conversation with Dr. John Berardi)
1. Proper vegans find some very creative and interesting ways to consume all their fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds which are foods the are most easy to become deficient on. Most omnivores, like myself, lack ideas on how to prepare them so I can take a lesson from checking out their delicious recipes.
2. Vegan cookbooks are some of the best books for showing you how to prepare and consume your vegetables in a tasty way.
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6 MORE Vegetarian Foods Not To Eat
Today I have six more vegetarian foods NOT to eat, especially if you wish to lose weight. Whether you’re a vegetarian or vegan or whether you’re looking for steel-solid muscle mass or to lose stubborn fat, the nutrition info below will dramatically transform your healthy, energy, complexion and physique.
I have attached (soon-t0-be-famous) Kardena Pauza’s next six foods not to eat and want to get at least another 100 comments below. Please tell me which food you plan on not putting into your grocery cart next time.
Kardena and I in Orange County, California a few weeks ago
5. 100 Calorie Snack Packs
If you are trying to lose weight, I’m sure you want to feel great and have energy along your journey to a healthy leaner energized you! What you eat has a direct effect on how you feel. Snacking on high nutrient foods helps you sustain higher energy throughout the day, unlike these 100 calorie snack packs. 
Food corporations have been marketing 100 calorie snacks hard in the last couple of years. But remember: ingredients are very important, not just their calorie count!
Just because a food is low in calories does not mean it is healthier for you or makes it ok to eat since it’s a smaller portion.
If calories were all that mattered, what would happen if all your calories came from sugar? Your body would break down, get sick, and basically stop functioning.
Many of these 100 calorie snacks have zero-to-no nutrition value, no fiber, very little protein or vitamins, and lots of high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, refined flour, sugar, sodium, carbohydrates and artificial flavor.
And be careful, because recent studies have shown that the package barrier is not enough to stop people from eating 2, 3, or 4 packages in a sitting!
You may be satisfying an immediate craving but your body is paying for it. You pay way too much for these little snacks to get zero nutrition. And if you want to be money conscience, beware! These pre packaged treats are typically 3-4 times more expensive than buying the regular size box.
Avoid
Hostess, Nabisco, Kettle, Nestle, and Breyers snack packs. Heck, even Girl Scouts have 100 calorie snack products available; cookies, crackers, ice cream bites, candy bars, popcorn, pudding, fruit snacks, brownie bites, etc.
That being said, there are some healthy 100 calorie snack packs available like: raw almonds, roasted peanuts, and applesauce, or you can make your own baggie of healthy tasty goodies!
6. Frozen Dinners
Want to lose 5 lbs. in less than a week? Cut out high sodium foods, especially high sodium frozen dinners.
Frozen dinners have become synonymous with high-sodium meals. In my opinion, they put tons of salt in the meals to kick up the bland taste of the frozen foods.
I grew up eating froze
n burritos and frozen kids meals and they tasted pretty good. I would have a burrito as my afternoon snack with some more high sodium salsa and I was a happy camper. I didn’t know this was contributing to me looking bloated and gaining weight until I was in my twenties and I figured it out.
Eating a vegetarian diet for weight loss can be challenging because many of the prepared meals on the market predominantly load up the meal with carbohydrates like rice, pasta, or potatoes. Carbohydrates from grains are so dense in calories that we only need to eat a small amount to have enough energy for the next 3-4 hours of your day.
Remember, you only need enough energy for 3-4 hours then it’s time to have another snack. Reading the nutrition label, some meals contain up to 55 grams of carbohydrates. This is too high for anyone who wants to trim down. Aim for an estimated 25-30 grams for women and around an estimated 30-40 grams for men.
Reading the nutrition label is important because the amount of sodium in frozen foods ranges from 350mg of sodium to 900mg! Now, to put this in perspective, a healthy amount of sodium a person should have in a day is 1500mg.
The average American consumes about 4,000mg per day! For example the average Chinese food dish is 1,100mg.
That’s in ONE dish!
Let’s average out how much sodium is acceptable in a meal. Divide 1,500-2,000 mg by 4 meals and you get approximately 375-500 mg per meal. If you are exceeding an average of 1,500-2,000mg of sodium per day, your body responds by retaining water, causing high blood pressure, and a host of other health issues.
Another helpful tip, look for products that use sea salt instead of iodized salt. The body can process sea salt better and won’t cause as many health problems.
Look for meals with no more than 300-500 calories, keep your carbohydrate intake low and add more veggies or a salad to boost nutrients and to fill you up instead of going back to the carbs as fillers.
Watch out for:
- Amy’s Kitchen (some are high in carbs and sodium but they have a couple of acceptable options)
- Lean Cuisines
- Kashi (some are acceptable but read the label first)
• Pretty much most frozen entrees
7. Veggie Patties with Bun/Bread
Next, I am going to pick on veggie patties, specifically Boca Burger, Garden Burger, and Morningstar. These are pretty good substitutes for a sandwich or burger, but the problem is the total carbohydrates and sodium content.
Looking at the Boca Burgers and Morningstar patties, the total carbohydrates for 1 patty is around 10 grams, which is pretty good; however, the sodium content is between 300-500mg per serving. The sodium gets pretty high so you have to be careful not to exceed your total sodium for the day if you eat one of these patties.
For all the women-do not eat two slices of bread with the patty, only one slice to stay within your total carbs for that meal. Add a nice big salad with your veggie patty to give you a more balanced meal.
For guys-two slices of bread is ok with this particular patty. Remember, given the amount of sodium and carbs in one patty, one patty probably won’t satisfy your hunger, but eating two patties will bring your sodium intake sky high! You will balloon up after this meal! Add a nice big salad with your veggie patty to give you a more balanced meal.
Most of the Garden Burgers have a higher amount of carbohydrates per patty so be careful when eating ONE with bread. One of the main ingredients along with soy is rice, that’s why there are more carbs.
Making your own patties at home is a better option that would taste great (hopefully), would be healthier for you, and save you money. Make a big batch of your favorite patties and store some in the freezer for when you are short on time.
I know everyone has busy lives so making your own patties seems like a daunting task, but if you take some time to make them it will take less time overall.
This way there’s no rushing to go out to lunch, drive to a restaurant, fight for parking, stand inline, buy food, eat, and rush back to work. Makes me tired just thinking about it!
Instead, you get to sit outside in the sunshine or on the grass and enjoy your hour of peace. You will actually have extra time and you will have to find something to do on your lunch break! Call a friend you haven’t talked to in a while and say hello.
8. So called Healthy Wheat Bread
You already know that white bread should not even be an option when you are grocery shopping, right? After all, in the process of making white bread, more than 30 vitamins, minerals, and nutrients are eliminated, including vitamin E, vitamin B, protein, and fiber, and only 5 nutrients are fortified back in to the final product.
Most folks know that white bread should be avoided, but don’t know the truth about so-called, “Healthy Wheat Bread”.
Many of my clients tell me proudly that they eat wheat bread. However, after asking them several questions about their bread, I often discover that they are basically eating white bread that has been colored brown. Here are the questions I ask them:
1. “Does your bread have chunks of grains in it? Not just on the top crust but throughout the bread?” Usually the answer is no.
2. “Is it doughy? Can you take it and wad it into a ball?” Answer is yes.
3. “If you put water on the bread does it turn into a big blob of dough?” Answer is yes.
The answers usually tell me that they bought white bread “pretending” to be wheat bread.
What do I mean by “brown white bread”?
Wheat bread (brown white bread) means that bread companies use wheat grains to make the flour for the bread. Bread can be made from lots of different flours, including rye, barley, millet, oat, etc. So just because it’s made with wheat flour doesn’t mean much.
Nowadays, most of the breads on the market are made from wheat and after they strip the germ and fiber from the starch of the grain, they combine only the starchy flour with some minor 5 fortified vitamins which they just stripped out of the bread in the refining process, then they add brown food coloring.
The refining process takes out the healthy oils so the bread can sit on the store shelves longer. Food coloring could be from caramel or molasses to make light colored bread look brown.
The problem here is that once the fiber is stripped away, it becomes a high glycemic food meaning the body breaks down the flour to blood sugar very quickly giving you a shot of sugar which your body will store as fat by way of several processes!
There are a couple of ingredients to watch out for in bread.
And these 2 ingredients have been repetitive throughout my special report and those are hydrogenated oil and high fructose corn syrup. At least 90% of the breads at conventional grocery stores contain both of these ingredients. Do NOT buy them.
If you are going to eat bread, choose whole grain chunky chewy bread. Don’t believe the front packaging so read the ingredients list to give you the down and dirty real answers you need to make your decision.
The best way to know is when you look at a slice of the bread, make sure it’s completely chunky, and not smooth fine flour. This type of bread digests slower because of the germ shell and fiber content so it is a time released energy source. This means it is a low glycemic food-this is what you want!
Helpful Tip: Put your bread in the refrigerator or freezer to keep longer since it doesn’t have the highly processed preservatives.
9. Sugary Smoothies
Let’s talk about tasty smoothies and discover the truth about Juice it Up, Jamba Juice, Smoothie King, or whatever your local smoothie shop is called.
Smoothie shops are another out-of-control calorie and sugar crazed vegetarian food. So many people go to their local smoothie shop to get a “healthy” breakfast or lunch, but if you buy a 32oz fruit smoothie of any kind, it will have the same amount of sugar as if you ate 3-4 snickers bars in one sitting!
You’re looking at roughly 100 grams of sugar-this is staggering to your belly!
The sugar in smoothies is NOT all fruit sugar, but also high-fructose corn syrup in sorbets and sherbets and fruit juices enriched with sugar.
Along with the high sugar content, some of the fruit used in the smoothies is shipped to the store as pulp which means it has gone through some processing and has begun to oxidize, diminishing the nutrient value.
What would you add to your nutritious smoothie in the morning if you were to make it yourself? Would you add sorbet to your shake? Isn’t sorbet a dessert we eat once in a while after a well balanced meal? Well, that’s what 90% of these smoothie shops use in their drinks. You have to read all the ingredients before ordering.
And now let’s talk about your smoothie order at Jamba Juice. Most people go for at least the 24oz smoothie. (Let’s face it, who orders a small 16oz smoothie?) The 24oz gives you approximately 50-80 grams of sugar!
The craziest smoothie they have is the Cold Buster. A Cold Buster smoothie implies it will help you get over a cold, but it contains an outrageous 94 grams of sugar! I can tell you this should be called the Cold and Fat Feeder not Cold Buster!
Only knowledge gives you the ability to make better choices and to be more responsible for your health, so ask questions before ordering at these places so you can make healthier choices for yourself. Remember, they want your business so they are usually willing to modify a smoothie for you.
Healthy Tip: Make a smoothie with only protein powder, frozen fruit, a little juice and ice. That’s it! No added sorbet…your modified smoothie will have a more natural flavor and won’t taste like you’re sucking down straight sugar syrup.
10. Frightful Facts about your Favorite Fruit Juices!
Buyer beware! Just because there’s a nutrition-oriented statement on a package (like “contains whole grain,” “excellent source of calcium,” “fat-free,” “100% juice” or “25% less sugar”) doesn’t mean it doesn’t contain a shocking amount of sugar.
So there you have it. Thanks a lot Kardena!
Now it’s your turn to share what food you plan to eliminate from your grocery cart next time you shop to take a positive action towards more energy, better complexion, a cleaner body and sexier physique.
I’ll go first… (comments section below)
Vince DelMonte
P.S. Remember, next week on MondayJuly 27th, Kardena is releasing her “Done-For-You” Veggie Meal Plans at http://www.NoNonsenseVeggieMealPlans.com so be sure to check that out.
4 Vegetarian Foods NOT To Eat
Today we have a guest post from my friend (and soon to be famous) fitness nutrition coach, Kardena Pauza (pic of her and I below). I had the chance to hang out with Kardena, who was awarded and crowned Ms. America Fitness 2006-2007 a few weeks ago while in Orange County, California.
With her permission, I asked if I could share a recent article of hers for you. I will have Kardena reply to any of your comments below so make sure you post your comments and questions.
4 Vegetarian Foods NOT To Eat On A Weight Loss Diet
By: Kardena Pauza, CPT (NASM), FNC (Fitness Nutrition Coach)
When most folks think of vegetarian foods, they think of naturally healthy meals and men and women with vibrant energy. But did you know that there are dozens of so-called “health foods” that vegetarians eat that are downright unhealthy – and can even cause you to gain fat fast?
I’ve been a vegetarian for 5 years now, and I learned a lot of lessons about these “healthy” foods the hard way – so that you don’t have to make the same mistakes I made.
Here’s my list of the first 5 vegetarian foods you MUST avoid if you want to lose fat, boost your energy, improve your complexion, and dramatically increase your health.
Click here to continue reading
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A world famous fitness coach and author, Vince DelMonte is known as the top "Skinny Guy" expert and has helped more skinny guys and girls defeat their muscle unfriendly genes without drugs and supplements.
