I was doing some research online today and stumbled across a description of a book that made good sense to me: Mindless Eating. I haven't ordered the book yet, but I liked the parts that I've read so far. Food psychologist, Dr. Brian Wansink examines why we eat more than we should even when full. I'm the sort of person who can eat a full bag of chips, a bowl of candy, and basically anything placed in front of me. If it isn't near me I'm good, but if food is within reach for extended periods of time I will eat it all! Dr. Wansink has my eating-style nailed down to a "t"!

[If you put this plate of nachos in front of me, I will continue to devour it until the plate is empty! I don't care how big the plate is. My hand will continue to grab chips on autopilot until nothing is left. "My name is Rusty and yes, I am a mindless eater". The first step to recovery is admitting that you have a problem.]

Having Symptoms of Mindless Eating Without Realizing It
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"Is it okay to eat right before going to bed?" This is a question I have been asked quite a bit recently. The problem is that it really depends upon how much you eat before going to bed and what your goals are. The crazy thing about this question is that everyone will give you a slightly different answer. The problem is that there hasn't been any study (that I know of) that talks about eating right before bed when it comes to getting really lean. I am going to speak purely from my experiences and observations of what I do in regards to eating right before going to bed.

[I enjoy sleeping in a room with either huge windows or a door out to a deck. It is much easier to sleep with a lot of fresh air circulating around the room. The ultimate situation is being by the ocean in a room like this and going to sleep with the fresh ocean air coming in and hearing the sound of the crashing waves.]

How Much Can You Eat Immediately Before Going to Bed?
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Here is a quick outline on the paleo diet, or what some call the primal diet. Some of my favorite fitness blogs on the internet are big advocates of this way of eating and I just wanted to touch on some of the basics. The amazing thing about this way of eating is how wonderful it makes you feel. I certainly don't follow this 100%, but implement many of these ideas into my own diet. I still enjoy carbs a bit too much to be a true follower, but "go primal" when I can.

[I don't think I would enjoy cave exploration, especially back in the days of the caveman. I picture weird looking pale bald creatures with no eyes and sharp teeth running all over the place when you go too deep into a cave...and blood sucking mega-sized bats.]
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For the longest time, I couldn't understand why eating a sugary snack impacted me harder than most people. I thought there was something wrong with me. You see, when I eat during the day it needs to be light or very low-carb, otherwise I will yawn and feel groggy for hours after. How come some of my former co-workers can eat a burger and fries and feel fine and something like that would knock me out? They are full-blown junk food Rockstars, and I just can't hang with that type of partying!

[Although I know this stuff is just plain bad for you, I love gummy candy! Gummi Bears, Swedish Fish, Gummi Worms, etc. I recommend limiting candy and pure sugar snacks, because it will take a toll on your body if you eat too much of this stuff.]

Some People Can Eat Junk Food Like a Rockstar!
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If you wanted to find out the truth about supplements, who would you turn to? A fitness magazine that makes a large portion of revenue from supplement company advertising? What about a personal trainer who is instructed by his or her gym to push supplements? Could you even trust an "impartial"  fitness website that makes a large revenue from selling ad space to supplement advertisers? There is a "possibility" that you could get impartial advice from these sources, but I think your chances are slim.

[What if you had access to the supplement creators themselves? The scientists who actually create many of the top selling supplements. What questions would you ask them? Finding and interviewing these guys is exactly what I set out to do...]

Jackpot! Not Only Did I Find Two Scientists…
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After I lose weight, I fully expect to gain a portion of that weight back. I call this yo-yo weight loss and I believe this is the way our bodies naturally respond to dieting. If you don't expect a weight gain in your quest for a lean body, then you may feel bad when it happens. I hear about so many people who give up and feel like failures the minute they put on 2-3 pounds. It is unfortunate because this is based upon a faulty belief system. You can have weight loss success

[This picture reminded me of The Matrix and belief systems..."The Matrix is everywhere. It is all around us. Even now, in this very room. You can see it when you look out your window or when you turn on your television. You can feel it when you go to work... when you go to church... when you pay your taxes."]

Isn't Yo-Yo Dieting a Bad Thing?
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I've always been a fan of Asian food. Ever since I had my first taste of Chinese food I was hooked! I remember going to a family-style restaurant when I was little and sharing 6 dishes of wonderful vegetables and amazing tasting sauces. As I grew older I discovered a world far outside of the typical egg roll, sweet and sour, and teriyaki stuff that seems to be abundant everywhere. I became exposed to the amazing food of Southeast Asia. If you don't get to eat this on a regular basis, you are missing out!

[I took Japanese as a foreign language in high school. Our teacher issued us some fancy chopsticks and then instructed us to only use chopsticks for every meal for a month. I still use this important skill on a regular basis. Thank you Ms. Inoue!]

It All Started With 4-Star Chicken Pad Thai and a Cold Singha
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