Fat Loss Power of Food

A timely message, with tomorrow being Thanksgiving for about 50% of the TT readers...

(To those in the US and A: Enjoy your meal, but then get back on track. Stay active, have fun, and have a great Thanksgiving. See you back on the TT lifestyle Friday. Not next Monday, this Friday!)

Now, back to the Fat Loss Power of Food...

I know that the average gym-goer thinks fat loss is all about exercise, but they need to know good nutrition is just as important for fat loss results.

Making the correct food choices is your secret weapon in helping keep the pounds off over the holidays, sticking to New Year's Resolutions, or in the rush to get the best body for summer.

Eating right will help you lose fat and increase your energy dramatically, so that you'll have plenty of stamina in your workouts, at work, and in your social life.

When I start working with clients, I have everyone enter their food intake on a nutrition tracking website to allow both of us to evaluate their nutrition. Some of the common problems that I see are:

1. Too many treats per day. As one client said, ''I still have one treat per day such as chips, a chocolate bar, a donut, or a rib sub each day, and sometimes I skip breakfast. But other than that, I think it is pretty good.''

If that's the case, and you are trying to lose fat, then you will have a difficult time. You just can't eat that many treats (read: garbage) and expect to get lean (unless you are 16 years old).

2. Skipping breakfast.

3. Not eating enough fiber.

4. Not eating enough lean protein and low-glycemic, low-fat carbohydrate sources.

5. Not eating much during the day and then eating a huge dinner.

Solutions:

1. Set the tone with the first meal of the day by consuming a lean protein source and high-fiber, low-glycemic carbohydrates. Fiber at this meal will help control blood sugar over the morning and can help modify appetite at subsequent meals.

2. Consume mini-meals to prevent starvation-induced meal binges and energy slumps.

3. Choose snacks that contain protein and fiber, such as almonds.

4. Keep your dinner moderate, and avoid high-calorie feasts.

5. Consume calorie-free beverages, preferably Green Tea or water.

6. Consume at least the recommended amount of fiber through vegetables, fruits, almonds, etc. But start adding fiber to your diet slowly and drink more water.

7. Try to improve your nutrition each day. This will help get you into healthy eating habits. Be consistent with your training and nutrition, and you'll get results.

The 2 best online nutrition experts are:

Dr. John Bernardi's Precision Nutrition

Dr. Chris Mohr's TT Fat Loss Nutrition Guidelines

If you are struggling with your nutrition, get help from these experts. They make nutritious, delicious.

So here is your challenge. Start now and eliminate all of the processed foods from your nutrition plan. I want you to go one full day without foods containing added sugar, hydrogenated oils, or high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS).

If you do it, you'll feel amazing and energized. You will probably have your best workout of the year and you'll probably get more done at work as well.

Replace the junk with lean protein sources, fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains (such as oat-based products), water, and green tea. Make sure to log your food intake on fitday.com and compare it to your regular eating. You'll notice that it is very hard to overeat when you eat only healthy foods. And then next week, try going two days without processed foods.

Keep focusing on one improvement each day and soon you'll have better nutrition habits and fast fat loss to go along with it...not to mention a new body!

I admit it! Nutrition is more important than training,

CB

P.S. You need a little "something" for tomorrow...
To do in those hours between your family's arrival and the big meal? You know, when you'd otherwise be sitting around eating empty calorie snacks and watching the sad-sack Detroit Lions get whipped like mashed potatoes?

2 words: Bodyweight Training.

1 challenge.

Remember how fit Cousin Bill thinks he is, or Uncle Ted? What about that 10k runner, Aunt Lisa? Challenge him or her to some bodyweight circuits or spiderman pushups. Show them how fit you are! Show them what real fitness and fat loss is.

Check out some more bodyweight exercises here.