[I'm going to talk about ways to limiting your exposure to xenoestrogens...as well as foods to eat that counteract the xenoestrogens you do get exposed to. None of this will involve wearing a freaky suit, like pictured above!]

Excess Estrogen May be "Softening" Up Your Body

The body is meant to balance estrogen with other hormones in the body…progesterone in women and testosterone in men. Before the widespread use of chemicals, the body did a great job of regulating hormones. Today, the body is out of whack! The onslaught of estrogen mimicking compounds is so large, that it takes an active approach to maintain hormonal balance. If you don't take precautions, there is a good chance that you will accumulate stubborn body fat that is hard to get rid of.

Stubborn Body Fat – Short Description?

A lot of people misuse the term stubborn body fat. If you have 20+ pounds to lose you have a "calorie deficit" problem, not a "stubborn body fat" problem. My definition of stubborn body fat is the last 5-10 pounds that are really hard to shake. I'm not going to get technical and talk about alpha-2 receptors vs beta-2 receptors. Let's just say that certain areas of the body are resistant to fat loss. For men it is the midsection and women it is the lower body.

Ice Cold Butt Syndrome or…ICBS

I was trying to create the acronym ICBM (Intercontinental Ballistic Missile), because then it would make sense to include this video…

I know this video is old and I put it up on my site a couple of years back, but it is funny stuff. Anyway, women are particularly affected by stubborn body fat on their lower bodies. One of the indications of true stubborn body fat is if it is cold to the touch. Stubborn fat cells have less blood flow, which is one of the reasons why this fat is tough to lose. You will notice the parts of your body that tend to get lean easy are warm to the touch…and the particularly stubborn areas are a bit cooler.

Excess Estrogen = More of These Stubborn Fat Cells

So it makes sense that we want to keep our estrogen levels in check. If you are a man this is especially true, because all sort of nasty things can happen to your body (man boobs, extra body fat on hips and butt, crying during "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants", or watching any movie with "Sisterhood" as part of the title, etc). Beyond body composition, it is simply unhealthy to have excess estrogen.

Sorry, but I am having flashes of good movie scenes…

"It's a Mad House…A MAD House!"

[My good friend Gerry loves Planet of the Apes. He used to use this "Madhouse" line from the movie and I didn't know what the heck, he was talking about. After knowing Gerry for over 20 years, I recently watched the movie..and must say...pretty impressive Charlton Heston impression!]

How to Balance Out Estrogen Levels

So What Substances Increase Estrogen?

There are many things that increase estrogen…pesticides and herbicides in fruits and vegetables, soy products, hormones in meat and dairy, plastic in packaged foods and bottled water, excessive consumption of omega 6 rich oils (soy, corn, canola, and safflower oils). The more processed, the stronger the negative effect. Whenever possible, try to eat organic fruit, milk, yogurt, beef, etc.

Organic Food – Cheaper in the Long Run

[My girlfriend has always eaten organic food. I grew up on Doritos and frozen Banquet Chicken. I am slowly getting converted to buying mainly organic foods.]

More Foods That Balance Out Estrogen Levels

Here are some of the things that inhibit estrogen to a certain extent…omega 3 (from fish oils, flaxseed and hempseeds), citrus fruits, onions, broccoli, cauliflower, and garlic. From the research that I've done, it is the phytonutrients in these plants that fight estrogen…and most vitamins can't replace eating vegetables. If you do take vitamins stick to the ones that are made from whole vegetables…not synthetic made vitamins. Even if you do take whole food based vitamins, do your best to include plenty of organic vegetables in your diet.

A Calorie Deficit Still Comes First

To lose body fat you still need to create a calorie deficit with diet and exercise…this just insures that you will be successful losing those last 5-10 pounds. There is nothing worse than working hard for months and not seeing progress.

Note: Those last 5-10 pounds can be tough even without the xenoestrogens. This is just one more tweak to turn your fat loss goals into a reality. Hope this helps!

[I honestly believe that successful fat loss is "all in your head" to a certain extent. While jamming a key in your ear isn't recommended, take some time to read this post and see if you are victim of any of these tricks that the mind plays.]

"I Don't Have Time to Get In Shape."

I'm hesitant to put this excuse first for fear that this post might look like a generic fitness article. This is talked about all the time on fitness sites. I'm not going to give you the typical response about how "you have to make time", or that you may have to watch less TV, etc. What I will say is that see if you can get in at least 1 intense exercise sessions per week…and make sure your diet is dialed in to the max. My buddy Martin Berkhan over at Lean Gains is one of the most ripped guys I know. He does brief and infrequent intense workouts…but has mastered his diet to get amazing results. Clarence Bass is another guy who trains just 1-2 times per week and is in better shape than 99.9% of the humans on earth.

"I Should Skip My Workout Today So I Don't Over-Train."

This is true to a certain extent, but happens much less than what people would have you believe. John Barban believes that this happens in high level athletes much more than the average gym-goer. Many people mistaken being under-conditioned as being overtrained. If you are training 5 days per week or less, this really shouldn't be an issue. Don't take this as an exact figure…it depends upon how intense your workouts are, how long, etc. The main thing is to not use this as an excuse simply because you feel tired. Here is the link to a podcast John recorded recently on the subject of over training: Are You Overtraining?

"I Need to Eat More Protein to Repair My Sore Muscles."

Many people believe that if their muscles are sore, they can get away with eating more food. The thought process is that the extra protein and extra calories will go towards repairing the muscles and won't impact body fat levels. This is a false assumption! Don't ever base your food intake on being sore or lack of being sore. This is a fat loss head game for sure. I have been fooled by this one on more than one occasion. This is a bad one, because it "almost" seems logical. If you can defeat this particular head game, you will have a much easier time getting lean.

"I Should Rest and Take A Nap to Insure My Muscles Grow."

Don't take it easy the rest of the day, just because you had a good workout. This kind of defeats the purpose of training. One of the benefits of a training is to burn calories "above and beyond" what you normally burn throughout the day. If you compensate by being less active than normal, you won't get ahead very quickly. I have actually seen people go backwards in their fat loss efforts by resting much more than normal outside of the gym. Go about your day "as if" you didn't have a tough workout for best results.

"I Need to Eat Every Few Hours to Insure A High Metabolism."

Meal frequency doesn't matter…it is all about calories. I like eating 1-2 times per day a lot of the time, my girlfriend likes to eat a little more often. We both stay lean because it is all about calories and not meal frequency. If you like to eat often, that is cool. If you like to eat less often, that is cool as well. The only problem is when people feel compelled to eat 6 times per day, because they think it is what they are suppose to do. If you eat every few hours you have to be extremely careful about portion size. Just one big meal mixed in with 5 other feedings will halt fat loss. If you are good at eating small portions then this will work. If you like bigger meals, lower your meal frequency accordingly. Note: There are some dieters who use the "6 meal per day" rule as a way to eat non-stop throughout the day and "appear" as if they are dieting. The biggest woman at my last job was a prime example of this.

"If I Feel Hungry When Dieting, Something Must Be Wrong."

There is a stigma attached to allowing yourself to get hungry while dieting. I'm going to make a bold statement—> if you want to get lean, you will be hungry from time to time. Here's another bold statement—> sometimes you will have low energy when dieting. Losing weight isn't a miserable experience the entire time, but you do have to go through the occasional uncomfortable period. The best approach is to find a way to get into a calorie deficit that minimizes the discomfort. When you get hungry, remind yourself that you can't avoid the discomfort 100% if you want to get lean.

"I Can Eat As Much XXXX As I Want on This Diet."

The idea that you can eat as much of any food item as you want, is simply a bad strategy. If you eat to get stuffed, even if the food is low-cal like salad, you are teaching the body that you must be full to be satisfied. My belief is that you should train the habit of stopping before you are full on every meal. Training the habit of getting stuffed when eating means that your splurge meals become mega-calorie events. This has been something that I have tried to work on the past 6 months and it has been tough. I have no problem eating 8+ pieces of pizza, so stopping at 3-4 takes some strong mental discipline. What has helped is eating smaller salads, soups, etc. I just try to never get stuffed anymore, even if it close to zero calorie food like lettuce.

"I Look Lean in the Gym, So I Must Be Losing Body Fat."

When you lift weights your muscles temporarily look larger than normal (even with low reps you will get a slight "pump"). Since your muscles are pumped a bit and your body fat levels stay the same, you will appear to be at a lower body fat percentage. This throws a lot of people off. When summer hits and they go to the beach they don't look as lean as they thought they were when in the gym. Don't ever judge your progress by what you look like in the mirror at the gym…during your workout or after your workout. Wait about 24 hours if you want a realistic view of your progress.

"I'm Losing Weight, But Look Flabbier. Something is Wrong!"

This is a bad fat loss "head game". There are times when you diet where you will appear flabbier than normal. It will look like you are gaining fat instead of losing it. Here is what is happening: Your muscles are pumped up with less glycogen than normal when under a calorie deficit. This causes the muscles to shrink in size. This is a temporary state and they will quickly regain volume with enough calories. When your muscles are flattened out from dieting hard, it can appear as if you have gained body fat. Continue what you are doing and you will work through this awkward stage of getting lean.

So What Are Some Fat Loss Head Games You Have Observed?

I know I'm missing a bunch of fat loss mental blocks. I am hoping to get a large list in the comment section so people can realize that most of us go though the same mental struggles when trying to get lean. I've been guilty of almost all of these…and probably countless others. The best way to combat these excuses for eating more or skipping exercise is to identify them. Once you realize that your mind is playing tricks on you, you will be more able to ignore the thought and make positive progress.

Note: I don't want to go all "Positive Mental Attitude" on you guys, but identifying head games for what they are helps with any goal you are trying to hit.

How Can a Low Fat Diet be Considered High in Fat?

Well…that is what sucked me in to one of Richard's articles. I was interested to hear what he had to say. I had a suspicion of what the article would talk about (and I was right), but it was very well written. What he is saying is that all diets are high fat diets, because your body releases its own body fat into the bloodstream as you lose weight.

This Article on His Site Has Changed My Outlook a Bit

Losing Weight is Pretty Much Like Eating Lard <---This article makes you think! Richard talks about how your own body fat has a similar composition to lard. Losing body fat involves having fatty acids released into the bloodstream, similar to the effect of eating lard has on the human body. I have never looked at losing body fat in that way. It is certainly a paradigm shift for me.

Losing 2 Pounds of Body Fat Per Week?

A common suggested weight loss goal for many people is to lose 2 pounds of fat per week. Well, that is the equivalent of 7,000 calories per week of fat…and much of that fat is saturated fat (270 grams in this case). Kind of crazy to think about. I honestly never looked at it this way before. Makes you question people who attack eating fats in the diet.

Are You Confused About What Fats to Eat?

This whole thing is confusing as heck at times. You hear so many different pieces of advice. As far as fats go, my friend Scott Kustes of Fitness Spotlight did an excellent guest post on the subject on this site: The Four Types Of Fat – Sorting Out the Confusion of Dietary Fats. This is a great article to tell you what to look for in the grocery store. I have been a big fan of coconut oil since Scott wrote this guest article. Great stuff for stir fry!

What I've Learned Over the Past Two Years

One thing I have learned is that hardcore processed foods are the thing to minimize. More than anything else it is these processed "altered" foods that are causing much of the health problems in modern society. If 75% of what you eat are whole foods, then you can be pretty certain that you are eating in a way that promotes good health. It isn't so much about how much fat or how many carbs, but what the fat and carb sources are. Like I said in "Visual Impact"…your grandma is right when it comes to healthy eating. Just make sure you know when to stop and you will be good.

Check Out Your Local Farmer's Market

These past few Sundays, me and my girlfriend have made a point to walk down to our local farmer's market and buy fresh food. It is about a 2-3 mile walk round-trip, so it is a good way to get healthy exercise as well. The one we go to is in a hip and artsy part of our city so we get live music, entertainment, etc. It simply feels good to get food close to the source. Most cities have several of these farmers markets and my hope is that they grow in number. It is fun to interact with people who live in your community…we have become so disconnected with technology that this feels good.

A Quick Video Explaining the Paleo Diet

When you guys head over to Richard's site, Free the Animal, you will hear him talk about the Paleo way of eating. People who are new to this could be slightly confused. Here is the best video on the subject. Created by Methuselah at Pay Now Live Later.

Watch this…it is actually pretty darn entertaining!

[I don't follow these principles all the way, because I like a bit more carbs than what this diet recommends...but I do love the idea to limit processed foods. Instead of going all the way paleo, I find that I will mix in paleo meals many times per week. This works well and gives me more flexibility than eating paleo all the time.]

Note: Free the Animal is a great site, because Richard talks about his experience with the Paleo diet and even discusses challenges with that way of eating. This post created a major buzz and massive discussion a few weeks ago —> Paleo Diet Problems

Your Body is Primed for an Aggressive Diet After the Holidays

When you diet for prolonged periods of time your Leptin levels drop as does your thyroid hormone concentrations. Leptin drops to preserve your body fat when calories dip too low for extended periods of time…it is part of the survival mechanism in the human body. When Leptin is low you can still lose body fat, but it can make things tough.

High Leptin Levels = Easy Fat Loss

After a period of higher calorie eating…Leptin levels are high. I am guessing a lot of people have high Leptin levels after the holiday. In addition to that, I am also guessing that very few people are over-trained in late December. To me, this creates the perfect condition for an aggressive diet to work wonders. The body can handle a week or two of low calorie dieting.

A Diet Burst of 7-10 Days Can Work Wonders

I want to give credit where credit is due. Lyle McDonald wrote a book about scientific crash dieting called "The Rapid Fat Loss Handbook"…and this is where I learned about the idea of short bursts of low calorie dieting. You can get your calories down to a low level with great results as long as you don't do this for long periods of time…7-10 days (14 days max). I only recommend doing this 1-2 times per year.

So What is Does an Aggressive Diet Look Like?

Remember this is only to be done for 7-10 days…so keep this in mind when reading this.

1) A Low Calorie Protein Source
2) Green Vegetables (Lettuce, Broccoli, etc.)
3) A Multi-Vitamin
4) Plenty of water

The key is to get just enough protein to insure no muscle loss and green veggies that don't really add calories. Aim for a daily intake of roughly 1.5 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass. Go a little higher if you are exceptionally active. The goal is to keep these calories as low as possible while meeting your protein requirements and adding in green vegetables to fill the stomach a bit. It is possible to lose 10-20 pounds in 10 days as well as 5-6 pound of body fat.

10 Days of Nothing but Chicken Salad & Chicken Soup

I have done this crash diet on a few occasions and I have lived on a 10 day diet of nothing but 3-4 chicken breasts per day either cut up into a salad or in chicken broth with veggies as a soup. I used rice vinegar as my salad dressing. This is really a bland approach and you can add more variety, but I like to keep it as simple as possible.

You Can't Train Hard During These 10 Days

A word of warning: This diet works best if you drop your cardio and just focus on a few resistance workouts during this 10 day period. Believe me, you will not have the energy to do cardio with this level of calorie deficit. Even if you are tough enough to hit cardio during this 10 day period, resist the urge…it is counterproductive to the way the diet works.

This Type of Diet is Tough and Makes You Crabby!

Makes no mistake about it…this is a brutally tough diet and will make you grumpy. I am a calm and nice person most of the time, but tend to lose patience towards the end of this diet.

You Can Be A Little Less Aggressive and Push This to 14 Days

An alternative to Lyle McDonald's approach is to add in a few more calories each day and extending the diet by a few days. This will work, but probably not at the same level as the more aggressive approach.

Note: Lyle McDonald is the master of this type of dieting. This is a VERY brief overview of how this diet works. I wanted to post this, because I believe that right after the holidays is when this diet will work best. For more info…just go over to his site: www.BodyRecomposition.com

One Last Thing: You can use the principles outlined here to come up with your own strategic approach. Maybe you are slightly aggressive with your diet, but nothing this extreme. There are many variations using this same idea that work very well.

Understanding BMR Is Going to Help You Get Lean Quickly

The total calories you burn in a day are a sum of your BMR plus any calories burned through activity. The biggest number in this equation is your basal metabolic rate…the amount of calories you burn in addition to this is much smaller in comparison. A common mistake I see made on a regular basis is that people simply overestimate how many calories they burn through activity. Also…many people believe the regular rules don't apply to them.

Most People Think They are the "Exception to the Rule"

Many people by nature think that the rules apply to everyone except for them…and that is probably in every area of life. I realize that metabolisms do vary, but we aren't as different as people might expect. Over the years I have worked alongside hundreds of people and probably at least 75% were overweight. Almost every single last one of those people claimed to have a slow metabolism and believed they couldn't drop that weight no matter what. The problem was that many of these people ate a day's worth of calories by lunch time.

People Overestimate How Many Calories They Burn In a Day

Many of the fitness publications and personal trainers greatly overestimate how many calories a person burns in a day.

Total Calories Burned = BMR + Calories Burned from Activity

The BMR is somewhat constant. It goes down a bit as you lose weight, but for the most part it is a constant that is based on age, weight, and height (those are the variables used to predict BMR and they are somewhat accurate). The part of the equation that people exaggerate is the "Calories Burned from Activity". It has been my experience that people grossly overestimate how many additional calories they burn in a day.

Muscle Does Not Contribute Much to Calories Burned per Day

I have said this for years…gaining muscle is a poor strategy if you want to lose body fat. It helps a little, but is greatly exaggerated by the mainstream fitness magazines. Many fitness magazines claim that muscle burns an extra 50 calories per day per pound of muscle. This is false! It is closer to the 5-10 calorie per pound range. So if you gain an extra 10 pounds of pure muscle, then you will burn 50-100 calories per day (depending upon which scientific literature you are citing). It will help long term, but you shouldn't consider it in your short term fat loss equation.

False Belief that Big Muscular People Need to Eat a Lot More

Many muscular guys and girls believe they have to eat quite a few more calories than a smaller person of the same height, which is why so many bigger guys and girls have a tough time getting lean. There will be a slight difference, but not to the extent that many people believe.

An Online Recording That Will Create a Paradigm Shift

John Barban is a low key guy who isn't as well-known as many of the fitness experts…but he just might be one of the most knowledgeable. Let me rephrase that…he is one of the most knowledgeable! He just finished a free recording talking about BMR and Weight Loss. This recording is going to stir up some debate!

How Many Calories Do You Need to Lose Weight

[I HIGHLY suggest that you head on over to his site and listen while you surf the Internet.]

Some Highlights…

1. People should aim to eat 400-500 below their BMR when losing weight.
2. Since BMR accounts for 80% of calories burned, use that as your baseline.
3. Consider calories burned from activity as a bonus.
4. Very few men need to eat over 2,000 calories per day even maintaining (will shock many people and he explains why).
5. He is 217 pounds, is eating 1,200-1,500 calories per day to lose 2 pounds per week.
6. Bottom line…people have been mislead when it comes to how many calories to eat per day.

John Barban is a low key guy who is also the scientific editor behind a few well-known health and fitness information products. I read and listen to everything this guy publishes. In the past he didn't put out too much free info, but that is changing. Seriously…listen to this recording while you are online tonight (two thumbs up, five stars, 9.5 out of 10, etc.)

How Many Calories Do You Need to Lose Weight

Note: I would love to hear what you guys think of that recording. It is controversial…which is why it will make for a great discussion and debate. Love these types of posts!

A Brief Overview of the Article in Time Magazine

Why Exercise Won't Make You Thin <---click here to read the full article (opens in a new window). In this article, the author John Cloud complains about how he has been stuck at the same weight his entire life. He claims that no matter how hard he exercises he just can't get rid of the gut that hangs over his belt. He believes exercising "makes" him overeat and does the same for just about anyone who exercises. The rest of the article shows studies that try to prove his point.

Some of the Problems With the Article and Studies He Cites

It is a pretty well written article and could sway someone who doesn't know better, which is why I felt compelled to address it on my blog. The biggest flaw in the article is his notion that exercise gives you no choice but to over-eat. There are certain types of exercise that increase cravings and I talk about them in this post (Cardio Compensation), but how you act upon those cravings is entirely up to you. This reminds me of a study that claims that diet soda makes you fat (because people who drink diet soda tend to eat bigger portions of food)…another misleading study. It is the food that makes you fat, not the diet soda or exercise!

"Could exercise actually be keeping me from losing weight?"

This is a quote from the article and John explains that he typically eats more on exercise days than on days where he doesn't exercise. He then goes on to show that exercise stimulates hunger. He also quotes Steven Gortmaker, who heads Harvard's Prevention Research Center on Nutrition and Physical Activity…"If you're more physically active, you're going to get hungry and eat more." Unfortunately people will just take Gortmaker's word as gospel because the guy is at Harvard…so he must be correct…right? This is complete non-sense if you ask me.

…But I Do Agree That Exercise Won't Make You Thin

Like I recently stated in Vacation Body Blueprint and several times on this site…it is mainly diet that dictates your ability to lose fat. You can create a much stronger calorie deficit with diet than you can with exercise. Exercise only "works its magic" when someone is dieting properly. Once you create the perfect storm with diet…then exercise can help in a major way.

Common Mistakes When It Comes to Exercise and Fat Loss

Many people reward themselves after working out. They figure that since they workout they can "get away" with eating more. Other people will exercise more to "make up" for eating too much. Brad Pilon calls this Fighting More With More over on his blog…and like he says…it doesn't work! Other big mistakes…eating more "to repair damaged muscles"…eating more to get enough protein to build muscle…eating more to insure that you get the post-workout meal…eating more to have energy for the workout, etc. You get the idea. It never pays to "eat more" if you want to lose fat!

Diet 'As If' You Aren't Going to Exercise

The quickest way to lose weight quickly is to diet as if you weren't going to exercise at all…but then make sure and exercise! Don't compensate or change you diet at all, even if the workouts get tough…even if you are sore. Your mind will play tricks and justify this extra food…"since my muscle are sore they 'need' extra nutrition to heal"…don't let your mind justify eating more food. If you increase your calories as you increase your activity level, you are just spinning your wheels.

Note: If you don't get the chance to read that post called "Cardio Compensation" I will summarize it in a couple of sentences. Studies have shown that prolonged steady state cardio is what increases food cravings. Recent studies have shown that Interval Training actually reduces the appetite. So stick with the intense intervals most of the time (bodyweight circuits, HIIT, kettlebell circuits, etc.)…mixed with low intensity activities like walking.

Cardio Compensation – Eating More Calories Than You Burned

Some people have a tendency to crave more food after a cardio workout and "compensate" for their calories burned. They may burn 300 calories each and every cardio workout, but increase their daily calorie intake to make up for those calories burned. This is why a large percentage of people doing cardio workouts, get stuck at the same weight for long periods of time. Note: Studies have shown that longer, steady state cardio workouts are the type of workouts shown to increase craving for food (in some people).

Willpower Plays a Role, By Why Torture Yourself?

It takes a certain amount of willpower and discipline to lose weight, but why make this harder than necessary. What if there was a way to burn a lot of calories in your workout without having stronger-than-normal food cravings? There is!

Interval Training Has Been Shown to Reduce the Appetite

I'm a big fan of interval training for fat loss. Things like HIIT and body weight circuits are an extremely efficient way to jack up your metabolism and drop body fat quickly…they can also reduce your appetite! Australian Professor Steve Boucher has shown in research that interval training increases hormones called catecholamines. These hormones actually reduce your appetite. So instead of compensating with calories, you eat less than normal.

Reminder…You Can Lose Fat Without Cardio

To be honest, if you were on a strict diet you could get as lean as you wanted without cardio or any type of interval work. Believe it or not, it doesn't require typical "fat burning exercise" to lose body fat. I recommend intervals as a way to stay healthy while getting lean and to experience quicker results, but it really isn't mandatory. If you were crunched for time, you could 2-3 resistance training workouts each week and diet hard and get pretty darn lean. The resistance training would insure that you maintain muscle while on a low calorie diet.

Intervals and Cardio Should Just Speed Along the Process

I like to look at intervals and cardio workouts as a way to accelerate fat loss results that are already happening. My outlook is that my diet is already getting the job done, but the intervals and cardio are going to help me reach my goals much quicker than diet alone…plus I like being "in shape". I think this is different than how a lot of people view exercise when it comes to fat loss.

Your Workouts Should Not Cause You to Crave More Food

If your workouts are causing you to crave much more food than normal, you may want to consider changing things up. Another thing that happens is that many people use exercise as an excuse to eat more calories. If you do this, then you will always have a tough time getting lean. My suggestion is to eat "as if" you weren't going to do intervals and cardio…but add in intervals and cardio to turbo-charge your fat loss results.

A Way to Do Steady State Cardio Without The Food Cravings

People who have read my blog for a while know that I recommend 15 minutes of Interval Training followed by 15-20 minutes of steady state cardio. I've outlined this approach in a few pages in this online mini-course. Besides the add fat burning this combo provides, the intervals insure the release of catecholamines…which should reduce your appetite.

Note: Some people have the ability to do long cardio workouts without craving extra food. This post is just geared towards people who have an increased appetite from exercising. Also, I'm a big fan of intervals, HIIT, and cardio…done strategically with the proper diet is the best way to quickly and easily get lean.

[Brad Pilon's ideas challenge much of the mainstream fitness info you see published in magazines, books, and online. Slowly, but surely, his ideas are going to go mainstream. Right now, anyone who studies his materials will be WAY "ahead of the curve".]

The Evolution of Weight Loss – By Brad Pilon

Well, evolution is probably the wrong word. It’s catchy, but it implies that weight loss has somehow improved or become better. This would be a fallacy because it’s simply not true.

The truth is your body has known how to burn fat since the very day you were born.

In fact, if you want to get technical about it, you were burning fat while you were still in the womb.

So evolution isn’t the right word. It may be sexy, but it’s not correct, so let’s change the title of this guest post to “The Flexibility of Weight Loss”.

And here’s a perfect example to illustrate my point:

In the late 1990’s (1999 to be exact) I first entered the supplement industry working in Research in Development.

Because I was working for a supplement company helping to design fat-burning pills and various other weight loss supplements, people tended to think I knew a lot about dieting and came to me for dieting advice.

Back then I was against low-carb diets. I thought they caused you to lose muscle (don’t ask me why). So when asked I advocated moderate protein, high-carb, low fat diets.

In 2000-2001 Leptin became a big deal in the supplement industry. I spent countless days locked in my office reading about leptin. It became an obsession in the industry and like everybody else, I started recommending adding a ‘cheat day’ to peoples diet plan.

Then, around 2002 I began reading about low-carb diets. Sure enough the information I read was so convincing that I began advocated high-protein, low carb, moderate fat diets.

In around 2004, I had given up on low-carb diets and switched to diets that concentrated on low glycemic carbs, these diets were moderate protein, moderate carbohydrates and moderate fats.

In around 2005, people were talking about cycling carbohydrates, so naturally, I jumped on the bandwagon.

In 2007 I took a radical shift in my life, left the supplement industry and went back to school to complete my Master’s degree in Nutrition.

After completing my masters (concentrating on the metabolic effects of short term fasting in humans) I started recommending 1 or 2 24-hour fasts per week combined with simple, responsible eating (and weight training). I even wrote a book on the topic (Eat Stop Eat).

So the lesson learned was that just about any diet will help you lose weight as long as it puts you in a calorie deficit. High protein, Low-carb, high carb, not eating for 24 hour periods, as long as you eat less calories than you are burning you will lose weight.

The other important lesson (probably the most important), is that you DO NOT have to be in a calorie deficit every single day.

What really matters is the trend. You need to be in a calorie deficit on AVERAGE over time. With carb cycling and "Eat Stop Eat" style fasting, you spend a couple days a week where you are not in calorie deficit. But on average over the course of the week, or even a month you are in a calorie deficit and this is why people lose weight.

This story proves two things.

First – All the posturing and positioning in the diet industry about which diet is better is laughable – All diets will work, some are easier than others, but as long as they create a chronic calorie deficit you will lose weight.

Second – This calorie deficit doesn’t have to occur every single day, but it does need to be an average over time.

So in keeping with the new title of this article, this is a perfect example of the amazing flexibility of weight loss and fat loss.

The bottom line is this – The diet that will allow you the best weight loss success is the one that you find to be the easiest to follow and most comfortable way to create an ongoing calorie deficit over time.

Ignore all of the metabolism-science-geek talk and concentrate on what really matters – finding a sustainable way that you can eat less while still enjoying the foods that you eat.

<---------------End of Article--------------->

Comments from Rusty: <----(I'm not trying to refer to myself in 3rd person...I'm not that cool). It is funny how it mainly comes down to calorie deficit. Even though calorie deficit is where 80-90% of your results come from, fasting every now and then has an added edge over typical diets.

In less than 3 minutes, this video explains why I am a big fan of the "Eat Stop Eat" style of eating…makes staying lean easy!

[One more thing...I have been advocating working out in a fasted state for years. Brad mentions this at the very end of the video.]

If you like this article, here is where to find more great stuff…

Brad Pilon's Blog: http://bradpilon.com/
Brad Pilon's Twitter Profile: http://twitter.com/bradpilon
Brad Pilon's Weight Loss Course: http://www.eatstopeat.com

[I can't wait for summer BBQ's and dinner parties! Nothing better than coming home from the beach or boating, taking a shower, putting on clean clothes and heading over to a friend's house to be greeted by the smell of bbq and a cooler full of ice cold beer.]

Getting Lean Before Summer – How I Used to Do It

I used to have a pretty harsh approach to getting lean. I would drink a protein shake in the morning, one for lunch, had a chicken breast salad with rice vinegar dressing, and a Fuji apple about 2 hours before bed. This approach worked well and it still does, but it is kind of harsh. If you don't mind being irritable and hungry all the time, this is a quick way to drop weight. The problem is that it isn't healthy or realistic.

What I Have Done the Past 3 Years

These last few years I have relied more and more on "real food" and less on shakes. In fact, I do have a few packets of shakes on top of my fridge that I haven't touched for about 3 months. Ever since I read Lyle McDonald's Rapid Fat Loss Handbook (4 years ago), I have come to the conclusion that you can actually get leaner with real food than you can on protein shakes. Note: Lyle McDonald's approach is pretty extreme as well, but he admits that his diet plan is just to be used if someone is running out of time and needs to drop body fat quickly. For people who stay lean year round like I recommend, no need to go that extreme.

This Spring Will Be Paleo With a Touch of Eat Stop Eat

My game plan the remainder of this spring is to go low carb and eat a diet based around protein, healthy fats, fruits, and vegetables. I will also do Eat Stop Eat style intermittent fasting (twice per week I will fast until dinner time). I won't be 100% paleo, since I will include a limited amount of dairy in my diet as well.

Only One Happy Hour Per Week for 6 Weeks

Both me and my girlfriend enjoy going to the bars of expensive restaurants downtown for their "happy hour". Typically between 4pm-6pm, you can get great deals for a fraction of the regular price. This is a way to get quality high-end food and cold beer for the price of a cheaper meal. Although I love happy hour, I am going to try and limit it to once per week. We have been going about 2 times per week this past month, but need to back off temporarily.

Limit Eating 2-3 Hours Before Bed Time

Most of the year, I don't worry about going to bed right after eating…but to get extra-lean it helps to go to bed on an empty stomach. I won't torture myself either. If my stomach is growling and I'm hungry I have no problem eating a Fuji apple or a small cup of yogurt.

A Typical Non-Fasting Day

I will get up sometime between 6:30-8:00 and drink 2 cups of black coffee. About one hour later I will head to the gym. I wait about an hour after working out and then eat an omelette. It will be a veggie omelette and I typically add salsa and a tiny bit of sour cream. On some days I will eat a bowl of fruit and yogurt instead of the omelette. In the mid day, I will have some type of soup or salad. Dinner is a typical paleo salad, soup, grilled meat and veggies, or stir fry of some sort. If I'm still hungry I will eat some fruit later.

What I Eat When I'm Fasting Until Dinner

To get best results using an Eat Stop Eat style fast, it is best to eat a normal sized meal. So most of the time, my dinner will be the exact same size and proportion as the dinners I eat on the non-fasting days. A big mistake I used to make was to eat a big dinner after fasting for the day. This is the Warrior Diet way of doing intermittent fasting and it doesn't work as well as Eat Stop Eat.

No Need to Make Your Diet Plan Too Complex

I know that many people are probably disappointed that my diet plan isn't very complex. It is basically just a temporary low calorie plan based around limiting carbs. Twice a week I will fast until dinner. The majority of my meals will be paleo-style (meat, fats, veggies, fruit, and very few grains). The calories will be pretty low for 6 weeks, but I'm not going to be calorie counting.

A Source of Easy-to-Make Healthy Low Carb Recipes

There are a lot of really great blogs out there that have amazing Paleo recipes, but one of my favorites is Feel Good Eating.

There are about a dozen blogs I visit for recipes (I'm betting they will comment…hint, hint), but I really like the dishes that Marc outlines.

Warning!!!! Don't visit Marc's site if you easily get jealous. He lives in an amazing part of Naples, Florida.

He occasionally puts up photos like this, in mid-winter to show us the incredible weather he deals with in Naples year-round.

About Your Diet Plan – Bottom Line…

Dieting should be just a temporary thing. Ideally you should eat well enough to look lean year-round. It is never a bad idea to "lean out" a tiny bit more before summer or a special trip, but it is best to stay within striking distance of your top condition.

[A brilliant picture of two surfers in Puerto Vallarta continuing to catch waves as the sun goes down. Surfers go hours and hours without food after periods of tough effort, breaking the "fitness rules" while maintaining outstanding physiques.]

Here is the Traditional Advice to Post Workout Nutrition

Ingest whey protein and 60-70 grams of simple carbs within 30-45 minutes of finishing your workout. What happens is that your muscles are "hungry" to replenish the glycogen stores and basically "soak up" the sugars and protein. It enhances recovery time and helps build lean mass.

So Why Am I Suggesting for You to Wait a Bit?

Drinking a post workout shake leads to an insulin spike. Any time you spike your insulin, you are shutting down HGH output. So a lot of the benefit derived from your intense workout is cut short. The negatives caused by the insulin spike outweigh the positives. You are adding a lot of unnecessary calories and shutting down a bit of fat burning activity.

Insulin is Antagonistic to HGH

When you are trying to lose body fat, you want to avoid insulin spikes. When your insulin level is high, you will stop your body's ability to burn body fat. Although I'm not a fan of the Atkins diet, it works because it ensures that insulin levels are kept low at all times. Again, maintaining low levels of insulin is a big key to getting ultra-lean. I like keeping insulin levels low by eating protein, healthy fats, and vegetables together.

What to do Instead?

I recommend waiting an hour after working out before eating. If you are really serious about weight loss, then eat a balanced meal with protein, fat and a lot of vegetables. I used to allow myself to eat "loose" after working out, but this small adjustment to a clean meal has made fat loss easier than ever. Another benefit that whole food has over shakes is the added thermogenic effect of food.

Note: I realize this post is shorter than normal, but the resulting fat loss you get by following this advice is big.

So What is The 5 Pound Rule?

It is simply this…never allow yourself to get over 5 pounds over your "ideal weight". When I talk about ideal weight, I'm not talking about the weight you are at when you have busted butt in the gym for 3 months straight and have dropped every last ounce of fat (this is more of a "event weight" which I will talk about later). Your ideal weight is a realistic weight where you look great in and out of clothes. You aren't chubby – you lean and toned, but maybe not a ripped as many movie stars get for their special roles.

Your Ideal Weight Depends Upon a Few Factors

To be honest, your ideal weight is defined by you. What weight does it take for you to be comfortable in a swimsuit? What is the weight where clothes fit really well? What weight does your face take on an attractive appearance? There isn't a "weight calculator" or formula that will figure out this number for you. For me, my ideal weight is 190…someone else my same height my look better at 200. You may have to experiment a bit to find out your ideal weight.

Find Out Your Ideal Weight and Stay Within 5 Pounds

Do what it takes to stay within 5 pounds of that weight year round. Once you are 5 pounds over that ideal weight mark, tighten up your diet and do what it takes to work back down to your ideal weight. As long as you follow this rule you will look great year round. It is as simple as it gets.

This Allows a Lot of Flexibility to Eating and Exercise

This is a way of life for me. I can eat those bar nachos and drink beer on occasion and easily stay within that 5 pound zone. If for some reason I go from 190, up to 195 then I tighten up my diet and increase my activity levels…until I get close to 190 again. I know that people like to get really complex with measuring body fat percentage, but once you know the weight that you feel is the best or you…then you don't really need to complicate things.

"Event Weight" is Typically 5 Pounds Less Than Ideal Weight

Certainly 5 pounds is just a bit of an estimate, but if you go about 5 pounds lower than your ideal weight…you will reach what I call "event weight". I called this event weight, because this is the weight to reach for vacations, weddings, photo shoots, etc. I wouldn't call it ideal, because it isn't a realistic condition to hold year round. It is fun to push your body to the limits now and then, but attempting to do this year round is bordering on obsession.

Eating Healthy is The Goal the Majority of the Time

Even if you could stay lean on a junk food diet, that isn't the goal. Ideally you want to eat a diet that is largely based on vegetables and healthy whole foods. If 75% of your meals are healthy and full of great nutrients, then you are on the right track.

If You Have More Than 10 Pounds to Lose…

If you have a lot of weight to lose, I would recommend that you work hard and allow yourself to be a bit "imbalanced" for a short period of time. Seriously, just do what it takes to get down to your ideal weight and then make the point of never having to lose a lot of weight again. Once you reach your ideal weight, then use this more balanced approach and live a little.

Note: I was compelled to write this post, because I don't want people to get too obsessed with fitness. As long as you stay within a 5 pound range and not let things get out of hand, you can live a well balanced life and stay extremely fit for the rest of your life.

[Want to go to an amazing tropical beach, but are tired of the Cancun party scene? Costa Rica is right up your alley! Imagine dense jungles right up to beautiful white sand beaches. This is supposedly one of the most amazing places on the planet. I will give you a detailed report once me and my girlfriend get back. We plan on going soon. Can't wait!]

A Quick Background of the Low Calorie Diet Study

This was a study done published in The American College of Nutrition in 1999. The study has a seriously lengthy name: Effects of Resistance vs. Aerobic Training Combined With an 800 Calorie Liquid Diet on Lean Body Mass and Resting Metabolic Rate. The study took 20 people and put them on 800 calories per day for 12 weeks. 10 people did the low calorie diet and resistance training & 10 people did the low calorie diet with cardio.

 Results for the Dieters Who Did Cardio Only

The cardio only group lost most overall weight than the resistance only group, but unfortunately lost a significant amount of lean body mass.  They also experienced a decrease in resting metabolic rate. So, obviously if someone is dieting hard they need to more than just cardio to maintain their lean muscle mass.

Results for the Dieters Who Did Resistance Training

This group didn't lose any muscle mass whatsoever. In fact they lost more body fat than the cardio only group. Also, you have probably heard that "the metabolism slows down if calories are kept too low". Well…this group actually had a higher resting metabolic rate than when they started. So resistance training is key when you are dieting.

I Don't Want Everyone to Take This The Wrong Way

The last thing I want is for people to go overboard and begin starving themselves. These people were under close supervision and it was for a 12 week period of time. I'm sure the long term effects of eating so few calories would have a negative effect.

Want to Give "Props" to Brad Pilon and Alwyn Cosgrove

I'm not the only one who is "in the know" when it comes to maintaining your muscle mass on a low calorie diet. Brad Pilon, author of Eat Stop Eat, talks about this in his ebook (this is the way I've been eating for over a year now thanks to Brad…a great way to stay lean year round).  More recently, I read about this study in Alwyn Cosgrove's mega-course Warp Speed Fat Loss (this course is geared for people who want to drop 20-25 pounds in just 4 weeks! It costs a little more than some of the other courses…but is 400+ page monster). I have interviews coming up with both of these guys. Two of the best minds in the Industry.

Bottom Line…If You Are Struggling to Lose Weight

If you are at a sticking point, mix in short periods of time (2-4 weeks) where you eat quite a bit less calories than normal (10 calories per pound of your target weight is a good starting point). You will most likely have to cut these calories from the carb side of the equation. You will want to make sure you get adequate protein. Also, it wouldn't hurt to take a multivitamin during these periods of eating low calories. When you are eating lower calories than normal, remember to do resistance training to insure you don't lose muscle and that your resting metabolism stays high.

A Common Mistake Many Women Make

A lot of women diet hard and then live on cardio machines. The result is a lower resting metabolism over time and loss of lean body mass. They will get much better results if they add a little resistance training of some sort into the equation.

First of All, I Want to Thank and Applaud Mike Geary

Mike Geary is the author of the number one selling 6 pack ab course, The Truth About Abs. I have never met Mike or spoke with him on the phone, but I really liked the fact that he called out these scammers in his newsletter. You see, Mike is successful because he doesn't engage in deceptive advertising. He is an example of a good guy who is winning. He easily has one of the most successful online downloadable courses, because his product actually works and delivers on its claims(imagine that). Anyway…I just hope this message gets to him, because I applaud what he said in his newsletter.

Let's Talk About The "Fake Blog" Scam

I'm not going to list any URL's or websites, but several Internet Marketers are creating fake blogs and advertising them on the Google Content Network. These are the Google Ads you see when you are on a various website (aka Google "Adsense" ads). The typical ad isn't mentioning Acai Berry in the Ad. Instead, you see an ad that has this title or something very similar…"1 Rule to a Flat Stomach", or "2 Rules to a Flat Stomach". The URL will be listed as the name of a woman, followed by the term "weight-loss-blog.com". There will be "before and after" pictures of the "blogger", a fake testimonial and fake comments.

The Acai Berry and Colon Cleanse Combo

This is what is being advertised on these blogs most of the time. I'm actually not going to knock this combo, because it sounds like a good way to detox the body. There will probably be a bit of weight loss from removing the gunk from the colon (as long as it is a reputable colon cleans product). Since Acai Berry was mentioned on Oprah, the advertisers use that as credibility. Oprah was promoting as a health product, not as a weight loss product. They are sort of twisting her message. Google is also taking measures to try and eliminate these sites from advertising on the Google Content Network.

I'm Not Trying to Knock the Honest Acai Berry Distributors

Again…after doing a bit more research, it looks like an exciting supplement. I will probably give it a try for a month or two. There are tons of people making decent money promoting this the proper way. I'll give a quick summary of Acai Berry, so people have an idea of what this product does.

A Powerful Antioxidant (like a blueberry), With Insulin Stabilizing Effects.

Blueberries, pound for pound have more healthy antioxidants than any food known to man. Think along the lines of 10 to 30 times more antoxidants than red wine or grapes.

Acai Berry has TWICE the antioxidant power as blueberries, but with insulin stabilizing "healthy" fats. Since insulin is stabilized throughout the day.

Stabilizing Insulin – The Right Condition to Lose Bodyfat

Keeping your insulin levels in check insures your body will be able to burn body fat. Basically insulin is a storage hormone. When you eat and blood sugar rises too much, you body releases a high level of insulin to bring that blood sugar back down. Without going into too much detail, high insulin = high level of fat storage. For a more detailed explanation read my post on this subject: Insulin and Fat Loss. A Simple Explanation.

Big Announcement About A Free Report I'm Going to Release

Several readers have been asking me about various supplements. I went out and contacted two guys who ran the R&D Departments and competing supplement companies. They designed formulas, designed patents, headed clinical trials, you name it…these are the guy who know the supplement business. They are going to give out "insider info" about how supplement companies operate…which products are good…what to look for in a product…which products suck. These guys are friends, but from what I understand they don't agree on everything when it comes to taking supplements.

Note: These are big names in the fitness industry and haven't really talked much about this stuff. I'm going to do my best to make it a "juicy" report. It will be in PDF format, so you can save it on your hard drive or print it out. This is going to answer a lot of questions!

[I was overdue for a picture of a fit woman in a swimsuit. I know it is borderline tacky, but it just makes the article more fun to read!]

Eating Less Is the Simplest Route to Losing Weight

As Brad puts it, the politically correct answer to give when someone asks about losing weight is by "eating healthy"…but "eating less" is the scientifically correct answer. You can eat a lot of healthy foods, but if you eat more than you burn…you are NOT going to lose weight.

A Proper Diet is the Foundation to Weight Loss

You can't "out exercise" a bad diet. What you eat is a huge indicator of how lean you will become. I didn't really believe this until this past summer. Due to a full-time job, girlfriend, running a couple of sites, etc…I didn't have much time for exercising. In fact, I have averaged 2 times per week the past 3 months. I figured I wouldn't look as lean only getting to the gym 2 times per week. What was the answer?

 Luckily, I Knew About Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent Fasting is a way to put your body in a 'fasted state' for a while alternated with a period of  eating. In the past I tried a version of this called the Warrior Diet. The Warrior Diet was good, but slightly unrealistic. It is based upon eating once per day. Eat Stop Eat is a scientific version of Intermittent Fasting that I like best. Brad based this book upon his graduate paper "The Metabolic Effects of Short Periods of Fasting in Humans and its Potential Application in Weight Loss".

So I Now Go Low Calorie a Couple of Times A Week

A blog post won't due Brad's book justice,  but basically I fast twice per week in a strategic way. I eat normal food the rest of the time and even eat higher calorie food on certain days. People who hang out with me on my fasting days are quick to criticize my "weird" way of eating. The funny thing is that it is backed up with strong scientific research and works amazingly well.

Won't the Weight Loss Come from Muscle?

A common misconception about fasting is that you will waste away and lose hard earned muscle mass. Brad points out a scientific study in his book that indicates that you will retain all your hard earned muscle by just strength training twice per week! This means if you want the weight loss to come from fat, you only need to hit the gym twice per week. I think you will look your best if you can go around 4-5 times per week, but that really isn't necessary if you just want to lose body fat.

People Are Quick to Call a Low Calorie Diet an Eating Disorder

True…there are people with eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia, but for every one of those people…there are over 100 people who eat too much! If you are overweight it is simply because you eat more than you need to. It is politically incorrect to tell people that they are eating too much, but everyone joins in when they see someone skipping a few meals.

Fasting Makes Your Digestive System Feel Better

The two biggest things I notice on low calorie days is an energy surge and how good my digestive system feels. When you give your body a break from food and just drink a lot of water it really cleans out your system. It is amazing how much better food digests once you get back to eating. I really believe that our bodies weren't meant to digest food around the clock.

To Lose Weight, Find a Simple Way to Reduce the Amount of Calories You Eat

You certainly don't need to do Intermittent Fasting to lose weight, it just leaves you with a larger margin of error (plus you can get away with eating high calorie stuff every now and then). You could be strict on a daily basis and reduce your portions and eat lower calorie foods. The bottom line is that you do need to eat lower calories than you are now. Find some way that works for you and you will see results!

Note:  I am a big fan of Eat Stop Eat, but realize than many people are tight on money. It isn't too expensive, but don't get it if you can't afford it. Instead, just go to Brad's site and opt-in to his free newsletter. You will learn lot from reading his e-mails. Certainly one of the best newsletters on the Internet.

A Simple Explanation of Insulin

Insulin is an important hormone in your body. It is at a higher level after you eat and a lower level when you are fasting. The simplest explanation…insulin helps store the nutrients from the foods you eat.

A High Level of Insulin = A High Level of Storage

Want to gain a lot of body fat? Then you will want to keep your insulin levels high all day long! Eat lots of food all day long and you will insure high insulin levels. Another way to insure high insulin levels is to eat foods like candy and simple carbs. This increases your blood sugar level quickly and as a response, you body releases a large volume of insulin. Then it is time to store that food as body fat.

A Lower Insulin Level = The Ability to Lose Body Fat

Your body cannot burn body fat if your insulin levels are too high. You can exercise and do everything else right, but if your insulin levels are high…you will not burn body fat. The best way to insure low insulin levels is either by eating foods with a low Glycemic Index or fasting…not eating food at all for a period of time.

Note: I just wanted to make this post short and simple. I have a more detailed post on insulin and low GI foods here —-> High Insulin Levels Stop Fat Loss and Cause Weight Gain

Just a Bit More Info About Fasting

I've been communicating with Brad Pilon a bit about his brilliant book, Eat Stop Eat. He has done an excellent job laying out a really simple plan on fasting just twice per week to lose body fat consistently. It uses a strategy to keep insulin levels low for 24 hours at a time. This diet is a lot more realistic and doable than the Warrior Diet. Go over to his site and opt-in to his free newsletter. If you like that, you will really enjoy his book.

[Chocolate does a body good! This picture has absolutely nothing to do with this article...Just a pretty girl eating chocolate.]

Mike O'Donnell, the Man Behind IF Life

Mike has been a certified personal trainer for about a decade. I met him because he is a guy who has recently been writing solid insightful comments on this blog. I did a bit of research and found out that he has been a moderator on a forum I have visited from time to time. He has posted over 2,000 replies to questions on this forum…and many of them have been on the subject of Intermittent Fasting. He recently started an outstanding blog called "If Life". Set a couple hours aside…you guys are going to love his site!

The Internet Is Lacking a Bit When It Comes To Focused Sites

The problem with most fitness sites, is that they "try to be everything to everyone". Fitness Black Book is really just focused on helping people get a lean and slim "Hollywood Bod". Mike's site, IF Life, is just focused on Intermittent Fasting. Obviously he includes solid workout strategies, but his main focus is intermittent fasting. Because of this, he is quickly becoming the authority on this subject. The great thing about Mike is that he provides a staggering amount of free info. As a blogger, I know just how much work is involved in writing unique content and answering questions. It is hard work…and he does a fantastic job at this!

My Favorite Posts Over at IF Life

1) Here is a massive resource list of scientific studies on IF (Scroll about 1/3 down the page): Intermittent Fasting (IF)/Calorie Restriction (CR) Studies Below

2) At the age of 36, Mike gives a solid list of fitness advice in a bullet point list. I agree with just about everything he writes here: Trainer Tells All: What I Have Learned About Health and Fitness

3) Do you want to know how to implement Intermittent Fasting to lose weight? Read this post on getting started: Intermittent Fasting 101 – How to start, Part I

Those of You Following "The Warrior Diet" Will Enjoy His Site

The Warrior Diet is just one version of Intermittent Fasting. There are quite a few ways to benefit from this way of eating without going as extreme as just eating one meal per day like the Warrior Diet recommends. I really didn't even know the term "Intermittent Fasting" until about about two years ago. Without even realizing it, I've been eating this way for years. Believe me, it works well and it is why I still eat this way today.

Who Should Consider IF as A Lifestyle?

Please understand…I am not telling everyone that they should adopt to this way of eating all of the time. It is not an "all or nothing" deal. Some days I will only eat 1-2 times per day and other days I eat 3-4 times a day. If I'm dying for food or feeling fatigued…I eat. This way of eating isn't about starving yourself. Please don't eat this way until you have a deep understanding of the diet. My suggestion is to go to Mike's site and do some research to see if it makes sense to you. If it does, give it a try…if it looks impossible for you then continue to eat the way you have been eating. Intermittent Fasting works extremely well for a lot of people and has documented health benefits if done properly.

[A sexy brunette hanging out on the rooftop downtown.]

Getting Hungry While Dieting? Good!

This topic came to my mind because I am dieting for a trip to Puerto Vallarta with my girlfriend. I am already lean, but I wanted to drop that last tiny bit of 3-4 pounds to get extra sharp abs. I got hungry last night and ate an apple and a bit of cheese right before bed. Yes…I screw up too! Anyway…I just need to remind myself that it is okay to get hungry from time to time.

Getting Hungry is the "Old School" Dieting Approach

I grew up in the 70's. Back in those days, people would actually get hungry while dieting! Imagine that! At some point in the 80's, the "eat 6 meals per day" approach became the norm. The idea was that "eating every few hours" keeps your metabolism high. In theory it looked like a great strategy, but it isn't working for most people.

Is Eating Every Few Hours Working For You?

I have NEVER been able to get lean by eating 6 meals per day. The problem with eating all the time is that you always have "food energy" circulating in your system. When you do any activities or exercise, your body always has an abundant supply of energy from the food you eat. Why would it need to access your stored energy source (aka BODY FAT)? The answer is that your body will not burn body fat with excessive food energy in your system.

Remember How Hungry You Got When You Were a Kid?

I was lucky enough to grow up a block from Dashpoint Beach. It is actually considered as one of the premier Flatland Skimboard beaches (I'll put up a video, since it is hard to describe skimboarding).

[I grew up a block from this beach. I basically spent my entire summer doing what you see here. I should have picked a sport like basketball or baseball. Skimboarding doesn't pay a lot!]

Okay, back to the story…when I was a kid, I would often times meet my friends at the beach and spend 8-9 hours skimboarding. I would be so busy having fun that I didn't eat anything the entire day. Once it began to get dark I would head home and I was starving! I remember being super hungry! Obviously…my friends were in the same position. Each and every one of us looked great.

"…But Children Have A Higher Metabolism"

For the most part, kids don't eat as often as adults…especially the ones who do outdoor activities. The children who do eat all the time are the ones with the weight problems. Think about it…a lot of the younger kids and teens these days play video games and surf the Internet. They are indoor near food. If these children get hungry, food is just a few steps away. Adults at work are near food all the time as well and share the exact same problem!

"Allowing Yourself to Get Hungry" is Key to Getting Lean

I don't believe our bodies were meant to have a never ending supply of constant food. I am not suggesting that you stay hungry all the time, but don't be so quick to grab food the second you feel hungry. This is your chance to get rid of some of that excessive body fat. Want to really lose some weight quickly? Let yourself get hungry on purpose before doing cardio. This is when you will see visible results quickly.

Note: I realize that many dietitians and personal trainers will give you conflicting advice when it comes to the subject of hunger and meal frequency. They will throw out the "slowing metabolism" argument.

There is an amazing new eBook on this subject, called Eat Stop Eat. It was written by a top nutritionist who did his graduate research on this topic. His study was called

"The Metabolic Effects of Short Periods of Fasting in Humans and its Potential Application in Weight Loss"

It will change the way you think of eating. Even if you don't decide to buy the book, you should opt-in to the free newsletter.

[I would highly recommend you avoid anything made with white flower while dieting down. It is okay once you hit your target weight, but try to avoid it to make quick progress.]

I Used to Think a Calorie Deficit Was Enough

A while back I used to think that as long as you burned more calories than what you ingested, you would lose weight. This is true to a point…you should lose weight under a calorie deficit. The problem lies in the fact that if you eat a high G.I. carb, you may shut down the body's ability to burn fat for several hours. Even if you do wind up losing weight, you aren't following the quickest route to your goal.

A Quick Overview of Insulin

You probably know what insulin is, but if you don't here is a quick summary: Insulin is a hormone that causes most of the body's cells to take up glucose from the blood (including liver, muscle, and fat tissue cells), storing it as glycogen in the liver and muscle, and stops use of fat as an energy source. When insulin is absent (or low), glucose is not taken up by most body cells and the body begins to use fat as an energy source.

Insulin and Carbs With a High (GI) Glycemic Index

The "Glycemic Index" ranks carbohydrates according to their effect on our blood glucose levels. The rating used to go from 0 to 100…sugar being the highest GI carbohydrate. Now it goes from 0 to over 100…anything with a rating over 55 is consider a high GI. Carbs with a high GI raise blood glucose levels, which raise the release of Insulin. It is best to avoid high GI carbs when you are trying to burn body fat. If you want to learn more about the glycemic index, go to… http://www.glycemicindex.com/

Examples of Foods That Cause High Levels of Insulin

White Rice (130)…Corn Muffin (102)…Cliff Bar (101)…Baked Potato (94)…Boiled Carrots (92)…Rice Crackers (91)…Gatorade (89)…Microwave Popcorn (89)…Rice Cakes (87)…Cornflakes (86)…Pretzels (83)…Power Bar (83)…Pizza (80)…Boiled Potato (78)…Cake Donuts (76)…Cream of Wheat (74)

Examples of Foods that Keep Insulin Levels Stable

Apple (28)…Orange (33)…Barley (25)…Grapefruit (25)…Peach (28)…Cherries (22)…Plum (24)…Most Beans (20's)…Lentils (26)…Pure-proteinâ„¢ Bar (22)…Peanuts (13)…Raw Carrots (16)…Hummus (6)…Tortilla With Beans (28)…Slim-Fast® Chocolate Meal Replacement Bar (27)…Light Yogurt (20's)…Cashews (25)…Dove® Dark Chocolate (28)

Most Vegetables Have a Zero GI Rating

For the most part, vegetables have a zero impact on blood sugar levels. The same goes with meat. One of the reasons I'm a big fan of salad made with chicken breasts is that I know it will keep my insulin levels stable. If you want to lose weight rapidly, try replacing a lot of the high GI carbs you eat with vegetables. Eating lean meat with green vegetables is a simple approach to a lean body.

Now On to the Advanced Stuff About Insulin!

We got the basics out of the way. Here is the stuff that very few people know about high levels of insulin. If you have been skimming you way through this article, this is where you may want to slow down. But First a Video Intermission

[I'm kind of hooked on "Flight of the Conchords". This video is hillarious. I can't talk technical too long without "mixing it up" with random stuff like this. This song starts getting really funny (disturbing) at the one minute mark.]

Large Spikes in Insulin Can Cause Muscle Loss!

So insulin turns OFF the fat burning switch and turns ON the fat storage switch. This is bad enough, but it can also cause you to lose lean muscle. Here is how…when insulin brings down the blood sugar levels often times it "over-corrects" by causing low blood sugar. The body normally combats low blood sugar by releasing energy from stored fat, but the high level of insulin will not allow this to happen. The only source of energy in this circumstance is protein. Your body will break down muscle protein when faced with this dilemma. It is a bad situation…gaining fat while at the same time losing lean muscle. Not a good deal at all!

Women Are Even More Sensitive to The Effects of Insulin

Stubborn lower body fat reacts a bit differently than the rest of a fat on a woman's body. Many women have very lean upper bodies compared to their lower body. One of the reasons for this is that the fat on the lower part of the body is actually much more sensitive to insulin spikes than the upper body. Even the smallest increase in insulin will shut down a woman's ability to burn fat on her lower body…What is crazy is that she still may be able to burn fat on her upper body. The best way to combat this phenomenon is to keep insulin levels as stable as possible. This has HUGE implications if you are a woman trying to burn off lower body fat!

A Strategy I Use To Limit Insulin's Negative Effect

Are you ever tired mid-morning or mid-day? This is a major sign that the food you ate caused a an insulin spike that "over-corrected"…causing low blood sugar (time to gain fat and possible lose muscle…not good). Here is what I do…I eat small low GI meals for breakfast and lunch…and I eat the majority of my carbs after my afternoon workout. After a workout, your body can handle a large spike in blood sugar since your muscles are starved to a certain extent. This is a great way to eat tasty carbs without the negative side effects.

Note: I have reached very low body fat levels by having a protein shake for breakfast, one for lunch, and eating a moderately high GI meal after my afternoon workout. I typically do this for 3-4 weeks straight whenever I want to get extra lean. I believe it works so well, because I don't allow insulin to turn on the "Fat Storage" switch.

More Resources from "Around the Net" About Insulin…

Type Of Fat Eaten Affects Insulin Levels – SFA fared worse than MUFA. (MUFA raised lipoprotein (a) though). And fish oil had no benefit in either group, as regards insulin at least. (I'm more interested in insulin levels and insulin sensitivity at the moment.) Findings: … Is The Grapefruit Diet Just A Fad? – The food design was observed to not exclusive aid in pressure set-back, but can also lower insulin levels and help forbid diabetes. This is because of the certain plant compounds found in grapefruit that decreases the body's insulin … The Dynamic Duo – The hormone in your body that is responsible for the storage of amino acids is our buddy insulin. Mr. Insulin has taken many an Insult over that past couple of decades, and all of the research linking high insulin levels to just about … Improve Your Health and Wellbeing With Wu Long Tea-Benefits of … – Wu long tea eliminates the fattening effects of carbohydrates: Eating too many carbohydrates causes weight gain by increasing insulin levels. Wu long Tea can suppress lipid metabolism which has the effect of suppressing fatty …

The Harsh Reality About Fat Cells

Once you gain a fat cell, you can never get rid of it. It is one of the harsh realities about weight loss. You can shrink the cells with diet, but you can't lose the actual fat cell itself. The great news is that you can get just as lean as someone with less fat cells, but there is bad news. The bad news is that it is easier to gain weight back if you have a large number of fat cells…compared to someone with fewer fat cells.

Staying Lean Can Be A Challenge With More Fat Cells

An extremely obese person has up to three times as many fat cells as someone who has been slim all of their life. The obese person can slim down, but will have to work a bit harder to maintain that slimmer size than someone who has never put on a lot of excess body fat. The good news is that it can be done, but there just isn't as large of a margin for error.

The Best Strategy is to Never Put on That Fat in the 1st Place

The number one reason I'm against the common practice of "bulking up" is that people are basically increasing their number of fat cells on purpose! They can certainly get as lean as people who didn't bulk up, but they will put back on a lot of that excess fat if they slip up even a little. It isn't uncommon for bodybuilders to gain 40-50 pounds within just 2-3 months after a contest. The best approach is to stay lean while gaining muscle (if gaining muscle is your goal)…it will be a slower process, but will make staying in maintenance mode an easier deal for you.

If You Have Been Overweight, Don't Get Down on Yourself

You will have a tougher time maintaining a lower weight, but it certainly isn't impossible. If you are following my recommendations and making "cardio workouts on an empty stomach" a way of life…this won't be a big deal at all. You can use the excuse that it is too tough to stay lean, but then you won't be lean. Do what it takes…you will feel and look better because of it.

If You Never Put on Excess Fat, Staying Lean Will Be Easy

This recommendation is aimed at the younger readers. Try your best to never put on excess fat and you will have an easier route to staying lean. People will accuse you of having an amazing metabolism, but just ask them how many hours they worked out last week…usually the answer is they didn't workout last week or last month, etc. Just monitor yourself and never let yourself get more that 10 pounds out of top shape if possible.

"If I'm Losing Weight, Why Do I Still Look Flabby?"

The best way (and only way) to lose weight is to create a calorie deficit. This means you are burning more calories per day than what you consume. When you are in a strong deficit, your muscles are typically depleted of glycogen (the carb energy stored in your muscles). When your muscles are full of glycogen, they are full looking. When your muscles are depleted of glycogen, they look a bit flat. When your muscles flatten out a bit due to dieting, it can actually appear that you have less muscle in proportion to your body fat…you will actually look like you have gained a bit of fat.

Your Muscles Will Lose Glycogen Faster Than You Lose Fat

Have you ever heard of someone who lost 10 pounds in their first week or two of dieting? Many people claim that this is just a loss of "water weight". What happens is that glycogen binds to water molecules and the more glycogen in your muscle means more water gets stored in your muscle cells as well. When people go low carb or create a strong calorie deficit, they lose a lot of the glycogen in their muscles as well as the water that was binded to that glycogen. Their muscles lose a lot of volume. In contrast, they may only lose 2-4 pounds of fat in that same time period, so it "appears" that they had a fat gain even though the scale shows that they are 10-15 pounds lighter.

The Weight You Lose From Glycogen Loss is Limited

Your muscles can only store up a limited amount of glycogen, so once your muscles flatten out you will cease losing water weight. This will happen quickly, depending upon how strong your deficit is…it happens even quicker on a low carb diet. Don't worry about the "apparent loss" in muscle mass as glycogen loss is just a temporary cosmetic thing. You will gain back all of this muscle volume once you go into maintenance mode.

Here is the Point When You Will Look Visibly Leaner…

When your loss in body fat equals your loss in water weight, you will begin to look leaner from that point forward. I like to tell people to not worry too much about what they see in the mirror their first month of dieting. Although they are making progress in losing body fat, the mirror will not show that progress yet. Once they reach a certain fat loss level, that is when things get exciting and dieting becomes very rewarding. It is fun to get visible feedback when you are working hard to get lean!

This Illusion of Being Flabby is Even More Drastic In the Gym

When you lift weights in a dieted state, your muscles will look flatter than normal. If you are used to getting a big pump, then this will be a big change for you. The problem with getting a pump, it that it actually hides a lot of body fat. The body fat stays at the same level while the muscles temporarily increase in volume. A "pumped up" person is tricked into believing they are in better condition than they really are. A person in a dieted down state achieves very little pump, so won't appear to be in as good of condition as someone who is carbed up. This typically happens the first month of a strict fat loss program, and from that point forward your body will increase in definition each and every workout…you will have a tough time not staring at your remarkable transformation in the mirror.

So What Happens After You Reach Your Fat Loss Goal?

My suggestion is to keep dieting hard until your body looks really sharp in a glycogen depleted state. Remember…you still don't have the benefit of having full looking muscles. Once you go back to eating at a maintenance level, your muscles will go back to their normal state and you will look even sharper and more lean than you did when you were dieting hard! You muscles will still look hard and defined, just slightly bigger, hiding any bit of body fat left on your body.

Note: This is a strategy I use before going on vacation. I am going to write a short e-book or report on how to prep for a vacation and look outstanding the entire time. I keep putting it off, but I promise I'll get around to it soon.