(ALL exercise is good, and we physiologically require a variety of motion. But, certain types of exercise are superior for fat loss.)

Here’s the link to the article:

http://EzineArticles.com/?id=3881498

Enjoy… and pass it along to someone you know who is trying to shed some fat and get back into better shape!

Man made fats, toxic fats and highly processed vegetable oils & fats are the real problem.

A new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition last month reiterates this point.

I talk about the importance of healthy fats in “The 7 Essential Keys to Shedding Toxic Fat & Unwanted Pounds”. No, “healthy fats” are not the commonly recommended processed and refined commercial vegetable fats we’re told to consume to “watch our weight” and “protect our heart health”! I’m talking about real fat from real food! THAT’S what builds health, therefore, that’s what will help you reach your optimal body composition.

http://www.LoseToxicFat.com

The following article is from a newsletter I receive from U.S. Wellness Meats. It’s an excellent resource – they consistently provide top-notch nutrition information and tips, plus, they are a fantastic source of CLEAN, extremely healthy meats.

Saturated Fats Are Healthy To Eat

Finally, more evidence that points to what we already knew…

Dietary intakes of saturated fats are not linked to cardiovascular disease, so says a meta-analysis from across the world.

The conclusion that dietary intake of saturated fat was not associated with an increase in coronary heart disease or cardiovascular disease was reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition this past February, 2010.

This study accumulated data from almost 350,000 subjects in twenty-one different studies. The data from these study subjects showed the development of approximately 11,000 cases of Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) or stroke. However, there was no link established between the subject’s saturated fat intake and the incidence of CHD, stroke, or Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), and this did not change when the researchers focused their research to consider age or sex, or the quality of the study.

“Our meta-analysis showed that there is insufficient evidence from prospective epidemiologic studies to conclude that dietary saturated fat is associated with an increased risk of CHD, stroke, or CVD,” wrote the researchers, led by Dr Ronald Krauss from the Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute in California.

“[However,] nutritional epidemiologic studies provide only one category of evidence for evaluating the relation of saturated fat intake to risk for CHD, stroke, and CVD. An overall assessment requires consideration of results of clinical trials as well as information regarding the effects of saturated fat on underlying disease mechanisms, as discussed elsewhere in this issue. Nonetheless, a summary evaluation of the epidemiologic evidence to date provides important information as to the basis for relating dietary saturated fat to CVD risk,” the researchers said.

The study, funded by the US National Dairy Council, Unilever, and the National Institutes of Health, challenges the mainstream majority thinking that saturated fats are detrimental to heart health.

The old “lipid hypothesis” tried to show a direct relationship between the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol in the diet and the incidence of coronary heart disease. This lipid hypothesis for heart disease received a huge amount of publicity and public favor, in spite of the fact that other studies showed this hypothesis to not be true many years ago.

In the last 50 years, big food processing companies jumped on the bandwagon and pushed the lipid hypothesis even further into the mainstream. Oddly enough though, prior to the 1920’s, coronary heart disease was very rare in America. Americans ate lots of lard, butter, beef and cheese, but heart attacks and strokes were uncommon.

While vegetable oils and hydrogenated fats were pushed as the “healthy choice” over saturated fats for the next forty years, the incidence of coronary heart disease actually increased dramatically, so much so that today, heart disease remains a primary cause of death in the U.S. With the advent of the revised food pyramid, grains and carbohydrates pushed those numbers up even higher.

If heart disease had any connection to saturated fats in the diet, how could it be that the use of saturated fats has gone down, while the use of processed vegetable oils like margarine, shortening, and trans fats-as well as sugar and grain-based processed foods have increased dramatically?

Clearly something has been amiss here.

Oils like canola, corn, soybean, and sunflower have been pushed as the healthy substitutes over saturated fats. It is these oils, though, that contribute to inflammation in the body, and upset the ratio of Omega 3 fatty acids and Omega 6 fatty acids.

Diets high in vegetable oils -especially hydrogenated vegetable oils, cause a variety of health problems, including inflammation. This inflammation leads to an increased tendency to form blood clots, which leads to heart attacks and strokes, now at higher than ever levels in the U.S.

Most of the fat in our bodies and in the food we eat comes in the form of triglycerides, which are made of three fatty-acid chains attached to a glycerol molecule. Elevated triglycerides in the blood are usually linked to a higher than average potential for heart disease, but triglycerides do not come directly from dietary fats. Triglycerides are made in the liver from sugars that have not been burned for energy. Excess sugars in the body are from starchy carbohydrates, particularly refined sugar and white flour. It appears that triglycerides and vegetable oils and excessive Omega 6 fatty acids are causing much of the problem.

So you see, saturated fats are not the villains they have been portrayed to be, nor are they the cause of today’s diseases; in fact quite the opposite is true.

Saturated fats play an important role in the body in several ways:

• Saturated fatty acids make up at least 50% of the cell membranes. They give cell walls their necessary stiffness and integrity.

• Saturated fats are extremely important for bone health. For calcium to be effectively utilized in our bones at least 50% of dietary fats should be saturated–so skim milk will not help your bones.

• Saturated fats are vital to the liver and help protect it from toxins such as alcohol and other drugs.

• Saturated fats strengthen the immune system.

• They are needed for the proper utilization of other essential fatty acids – Omega 3 fatty acids are better retained in the tissues and utilized by the body when the diet is rich in saturated fats as well.

• The fat around the heart muscle is actually highly saturated. The heart draws on this reserve of fat in times of physical stress.

• Saturated fats lower a substance in the blood called Lp(a), or Lipoprotein(a), that indicates a tendency towards heart disease.

• Short- and medium-chain saturated fatty acids have important antimicrobial properties. They protect us against harmful microorganisms in the digestive tract.

The scientific evidence is beginning to pile up and does not (and never did) support the assertion that saturated fats clog arteries and cause heart disease.

So while saturated fats have not yet been exonerated in the mainstream public, the tide is beginning to turn. You as an educated consumer, and your own health advocate know the truth about saturated fats vs. the evils of vegetable oils and refined foods. Enjoy your grass fed steaks, butter, cheese and lard and know you are doing your body good.

References:

Mary G. Enig, PhD, and Sally Fallon, “The Skinny on Fats”, Weston A. Price Foundation, Jan, 1999.

Stephen Daniells, “Saturated Fats Not Linked to Heart Disease: Meta Analysis”, Food Navigator.com, February 2010.

P.W. Siri-Tarino, Q. Sun, F.B. Hu, R.M. Krauss, “Meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies evaluating the association of saturated fat with cardiovascular disease”, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, February 2010.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Here’s another example of what interval training might look like… bursts of speed (or panic, depending on your perspective!) followed by short rest periods.

This is THE best type of exercise to incorporate in order to shed maximum fat and drop excess pounds.

I always say that when we let kids play like kids and provide them with healthy nutritional fuel (and a whole lotta’ love, support, joy and a spiritual foundation, of course), they can’t help but be lean, fit little dynamos!

Works for grown-ups, too! : )

Oops!

In my sheer glee from being on a real, live vacation with my family, I had what my kids would affectionately refer to as a
“brain toot”!

The other day I announced that my newest ebook and audio book, “The 7 Essential Keys to Shedding Toxic Fat & Unwanted Pounds”
has just been released.

You can check it out here:

http://www.LoseToxicFat.com

I had intended to offer a special introductory “Celebration Discount” for several reasons…

1) We’re on vacation in Hawaii!! Woo hoo! It’s long overdue and we are SO grateful for the opportunity that special friends of ours provided us by essentially ‘giving’ us this trip! I wanted to share our incredible blessings with you!

2) I celebrated my birthday last weekend… I’m happy to be here each and every day,  and I’m thankful for my health and my
ability to share what I know with others! It’s MY birthday present to YOU!

3) I certainly don’t mean for this to come across as overly obnoxious to many of you reading this… but I am Canadian! (Obnoxious is not allowed in the Canadian character traits anyhow! We’re too busy apologizing!!) Anyhow, I’m STILL buzzing about the Olympics! I’ve always been a huge fan of the Winter Olympics… and obviously this year was very special for Canadians. Originally, I was going to release the book right after the Olympics… particularly right after the final hockey game! It’s in my blood – I HAVE to celebrate that! My joy
over the Olympics is being passed along to you!

4) Finally, I’m excited! This is a fantastic book with highly successful strategies and tips that will transform lives. It’s jam-packed with extraordinarily valuable content that other fat loss/weight loss books and programs lack. I’m proud of it and can’t wait to help as many people as possible achieve their weight loss goals and get their health back!!

So, I’m offering a special Celebration Discount for the remainder of our vacation! As long as I’m on vacation, you’re gonna’ save
some big bucks!

We get back to sunny Michigan this coming Wednesday the 10th at 6 am. If you order “The 7 Essential Keys to Shedding Toxic Fat &
Unwanted Pounds” by 6 am Wednesday, you will receive an additional $10 OFF your order!!

Just type ALOHA in the coupon code box at check-out and receive an extra $10 off an already invaluable product!

http://www.LoseToxicFat.com

You’ve got to hurry though! This special pricing is only good until Wednesday morning at 6am

Click here to view the embedded video.

I always talk about the importance of moving your spine and all its surrounding tissues in order to fuel up your brain for health and happiness.

Sheesh! Just imagine how healthy and happy these young ladies must be! Lol!!

(Not to mention the nice abs, core strength and overall sleek physiques they have! Hula on, baby!)

Once you understand the key component of fat loss that I describe in the article, you will finally have a much better chance of achieving optimal body composition!

You can read the article by clicking this link:

http://EzineArticles.com/?id=3875982

If you like it, let me know… and please share it with someone who would like to shed some weight and achieve better health.

Some of you are aware that I’ve been working on this project for the last couple of months. I’m excited to announce that my latest ebook and audio book, “The 7 Essential Keys to Shedding Toxic Fat & Unwanted Pounds” is ready to roll!

This is THE last weight loss solution you’ll ever need!

You can check it out here: http://www.LoseToxicFat.com

Many people have asked me why I chose to write a book about weight loss, when my area of expertise is Wellness.

Well, that’s exactly why!

I feel that Wellness is the number one thing missing from the majority of weight loss products and programs.

We currently have more diet books,more celebrity diets and weight loss products,  more weight management programs, more low-fat & fat-free foods, more low-calorie foods, more sugar-free foods, more fitness ‘experts’, more gyms, more trainers, more exercise shows, more cooking shows, more diet pills and fat burners and more surgeries available to help suppress appetite and remove excess body fat.

BUT… the reality is that we still have a significantly more overweight and out-of-shape population with each passing year and
sky-rocketing rates of chronic illness and sickness.

Clearly, what we’ve been doing is NOT working! In fact, I find it pathetic that no one has stepped up sooner and done something about this.

I’ve witnessed this horrific trend in our Wellness practice for 15 years now. People are bouncing from diet to diet, fad to fad, gimmick to gimmick, surgery to surgery… and never getting or maintaining the results they desire.

Worse yet, I see people getting more and more sick as they make choices they think are going to help them get thin. No one is
telling them what’s missing. No one is pointing out the dangerous choices they’re making that are robbing them of a healthy future.

Enough is enough.

I wrote “The 7 Essential Keys to Shedding Toxic Fat & Unwanted Pounds” to serve as a practical, simple, scientific, wellness-oriented approach to creating a healthier body – inside and out, for life.

Healthier choices result in a healthier, leaner body. I know that in order to get results that last, you’ve got to have the right strategy based on a scientifically accurate paradigm. Then, from there, you need the right plan. I’ve got you covered! In this book, I lay it all out for you.

I wrote this book so that no matter where you are on this journey now, this WILL help. Whether you’ve got those last stubborn 5 lbs. to shed, or you need to shed hundreds of pounds in order to save your life. This WILL help.  No matter what you’ve tried before, this WILL help. No matter how many times you’ve been on this roller coaster and no matter how frustrated you may be feeling, this WILL help.

It’s simple. It’s science. It’s successful!

No gimmicks. No pseudo-science. No fads.

Just better health and a better body!

Check it out at http://www.LoseToxicFat.com

I didn’t realize until a few days into vacation that, back home, I don’t each much junk because I DON’T BUY much junk. If it’s not right there in front of me or easily accessible in my house, I’m not going to eat it! Duh. I keep my shopping list pretty simple and clean. Planning meals in advance of shopping trips has proven immensely valuable on many levels!

Vacation has proven that if someone makes tasty toxins easily and readily available to me, there’s a much higher likelihood that I’ll indulge! Duh #2.

I’m not too worried about it on vacation. We’re still getting what we need each day as far as nutrition is concerned… we’re just adding a few more things that we obviously DON’T need! Healthy choices are still winning by a landslide though!

Yesterday was a cheese and crackers day. Organic, yes. But, still not health-building as far as crackers are concerned. I was reminded why I will not buy crackers at home! Yours truly would secretly attempt to live on cheese, crackers, grapes and wine!!

I notice this ALL the time with our kids – I always say, “It’s funny what they’ll eat when that’s all they’ve got to choose from!” When they’re away from all the common snack foods they encounter in their social circles and in the media like chips and crackers and pretzels and cereal and bagels and pizza and so on, I see them happily munching on veggies and fruit and almonds and hard-boiled eggs. BAM! As soon as they’re back in the mix, seeing all the tasty toxins, they’re tempted… and whiney!! Lol!

Don’t buy it. You won’t have it. Your kids won’t have it.

That’s gotta’ be worth AT LEAST 5 lbs. and a few body fat percentage points in your journey to optimal body composition!

I’ve been taking mental notes of all things health-related since our arrival, which is pretty par for the course with me! I take it all in: healthy options on restaurant menus, healthier grocery store options, fitness rooms at hotels, people out exercising, etc.

This morning, I went out for a run along the beach walk. Rough, I know!

I was surprised to see the incredibly high number of less-than-fit bodies out walking. I was very glad to see so many people out moving… but I had a bad feeling that they may only be doing this because they’re on vacation in Maui!

I saw hundreds of people out today. BUT, I saw less than 50 who looked fit and trim. And, I only saw TWO who were really, really in fabulous condition.

I came upon this couple from behind… I spotted them from quite a distance. They were standing off to the side of the beach walk, in their minimal work out attire, on a large grassy area next to the beach. They stuck out like sore thumbs!  Gorgeous, lean, trim and fit bodies – not too muscle-bound… just lean and sleek. Ahhh… I love healthy bodies! They were easily the fittest bodies on the beach.

I had a feeling I knew exactly what type of a work out they were doing, based on how lean their bodies were.

I was right. As I came closer, they took off like lightening bolts, running at top speed along the grass! I looked back a couple times and saw that they were repeating these high-intensity interval bursts. Approximately 25-35 seconds of sprinting and then walking back to the starting point. I’m not sure how many times they repeated the intervals (’cuz I was a little busy finishing off a 5 mile run!), but it doesn’t really matter.

The point is, do intervals to burn the most fat!

That was a great visual reminder for me. I don’t see too many people in Michigan in the month of March out there running with as little clothing on as possible! This was fantastic reinforcement and motivation to continue including 2 or 3 of these types of running intervals in my weekly work out schedule!

Obviously it works!

Couple of goofballs!

Ok, Ok… so, I haven’t fully gotten back in the swing of things with posting here regularly. BUT, I have finished the fat loss book and I’ve recorded it!! It was a trade-off… hopefully, you understand!

(The book is called “The 7 Essential Keys to Shedding Toxic Fat and Unwanted Pounds”. It will be available VERY soon… hopefully by as early as tonight or tomorrow!)

Here’s the low-down on daily exercise for the past week or so…

Wednesday

The “cardiac attack” work out! I only had time for 30 minutes of high-intensity movement AND for full-out play with my kids before teaching a seminar that night, soooo… I rolled them into one ball of fun! I ran as hard as I could across our lake – yes, it’s frozen! – pulling the kids behind me on their sleds, through approximately 18 inches of snow! Funny how invigorating it feels when you’re certain that your chest is about to split open!! I ran them to the sledding the hill, then did sprints up the hill while they sledded, then ran back home while pulling them behind me again. Holy cow! Snow rocks!

Thursday

Resistance training intervals work out – 24 minutes.

45 walking lunges with 2 x 25 lb. dumbbells

20 each side, 1-arm rows with 50lb. Bowflex cable

25 2-foot bench jump-ups

25 dead lifts on bench, 2 x 35 lb. db’s

20 each side, isolated biceps curls with elbow on exercise ball – 15 lb. db

20 bent-over reverse flyes, 2 x 15 lb. db’s

20 overhead triceps press while supine on exercise ball, 15 lbs. each side

25 1-leg squats, (one foot up on bench), 2 x 35 lbs. on shoulders

20 chest presses with 80lbs. Bowflex cables, held #20 for 30 seconds

20 triceps kickbacks with 30 lb. BF cables

30 seconds straight arm plank

40 alternating biceps curls with 2 x 25 lb. db’s

60 seconds alternating front squat/side kicks

Friday

15 minutes of old-school calisthenics in the morning, along with spinal hygiene and stretches. Short walk with dog.

Saturday

High-intensity intervals resistance training work out. – 30 minutes

3 minutes of fast-paced cross-body punches and upper-cut combo’s

18 squats on flat side of Bosu ball with 2 x 35 lb. db’s on shoulders

1 minute squats/front kick combo

20 dead lifts on balance disc, 2 x 35 lb. db’s

18 chest presses on exercise ball, 2 x 25 lb. db’s

30 hamstring/glute curls with exercise ball

15 ea. isolated biceps curls on exercise ball – 15 lb (working through an exacerbated elbow injury, that’s why I’m doing more isolated moves and a lighter weight for biceps)

15 wide chest flyes with 2 x 15 lb. db’s on exercise ball

60 seconds of balancing on knees on exercise ball

100 lunges onto Bosu ball with medicine ball – half with a twist, half with ball held straight overhead

1 minute squats/side kick combo

16 each, 1-arm rows with 50 lb. Bowflex cable

15 lateral shoulder raises with 2 x 15 lb. db’s

25 squats on round side of Bosu ball with 35 lb. db’s held up in front

12 2-arm biceps curls with 35 lb. db, elbows on exercise ball

15 reverse-grip triceps kickbacks each side, 30 lb. Bowflex cable

16 triceps French press with 30 lb. BF cable

25 straddle bench jump-ups

25 each side, 1-leg hamstring/glute curls with exercise ball

25 triceps dips with feet on ball

25 abs “pass-overs” with exercise ball

25 jack knives on exercise ball

Sunday

55 minutes out in the nice, deep snow. Walked dog-breath for about 25, then began doing intervals of running. Did approx. 10 full-out sprints in the deep snow for 30-60 seconds each. Incredible work out!

Monday

Couldn’t help myself… broke the training and fat-burning rules and did more of the same! Took the kids out for a walk on the lake/in the snow, then did 8 – 10 full sprints, about 45 seconds each. Longer recovery periods in between some of them, though… had to tackle kids and throw snow at them!

Tuesday

Resistance training – 27 minutes.

25 squats on round Bosu 2 x 25 lbs on shoulders.

15 2-arm bent-over rows on Bosu ball with 2 x 25 lb db’s

12 overhead shoulder presses with 2 x 25 lb. db’s

24 alternating biceps curls with 2 x 25 lb. db’s

12 ea. triceps presses with 25 lb. db

20 1-foot decline push-ups, foot on bench, hands on ball

25 dead lifts, 2 x 35 lb db’s

other leg, 20 1-leg decline push-ups

25 squats on round Bosu, 2 x 25 lbs on shoulders

20 bent-over reverse flyes, 2 x 15 lb. db’s

1 minute squat jumps

15 each side triceps kickbacks 30 lb.s Bowflex cable

16 each side biceps curls 30 lb. BF cable

20 each side 1-leg drop down squat (on bench, squatting down – dropping one leg down toward floor)

60 walking lunges with 2 x 25 lb db’s

12 each biceps curls with 40 lbs. Bowflex cables

16 lateral shoulder raises with 2 x 15 lb db’s

1 minute of mountain climbers

I don’t know how those poor folks who don’t get snow can manage!! It makes for such a FANtastic work out!! (I’d be willing to suffer through a winter with no snow, though… someplace warm and tropical… I’m sure I could find a way to manage! lol!)

I’ve been spending most of my “Dr. Mom focused time” on a book I’m hoping to complete within the next week ~ “7 Essential Keys to Shedding Toxic Fat and Unwanted Pounds… The Wellness Way!”

(By the way, this highly inaccurate, delusional fantasy I had of having MORE time once the kids were in school is a JOKE!! Sheesh!)

I love this book! It’s not the huge, life transformation type of guide like my other project, “Life by Design… The Wellness Way” (due to go to print any day now! Woo hoo!) No, this fat loss book is a focused, concise, action-oriented guide to success that is rich with content I haven’t seen in any other “weight loss” book on the market.

When you approach any health topic from the perspective of the Wellness Paradigm and The Wellness Formula, everything’s different… everything makes FAR more sense… and everything works!!

When you follow these steps, you WILL shed excess pounds of toxic fat! Oh, and you’ll get healthier in the process… bonus!!

Once I’m finished with the final 3 chapters, I’ll be recording the entire book (and throwing in some ‘extras’) so that the package will include a CD to listen to as well.

Fast forward a few weeks: I’m so happy and confident with the content of this book that it is actually going to be transformed into an exclusive 6-month members-only club… complete with coaching/mentoring calls and lessons with me and LOTS of strategies and tools for success! I can’t wait!

2010 is going to be a breakthrough year for so many people!!

Anyhow… I’ll do my best to keep you posted on the exercise, nutrition and mindset news and happenings around here, but if you don’t hear from me quite so much in the next few days, you’ll know why!

The work out:

100 (quick) alternating squats/side kicks … my favorite “power” burst move these days!

30 alternating lunges onto Bosu ball with 2 x 35 lb. dumbbells

Abs – 40 pelvic lifts, lying on back and lifting lower body off floor with medicine ball between knees

30 hamstring/glute curls with exercise ball – held #30 for 30 seconds

16 zig-zag chin-ups

15 chest flyes with 60 lb. cables on Bowflex

18 biceps curls with 30 lb. (each arm) cables on Bowflex

15 triceps kickbacks with 30 lb. (each arm) cables on Bowflex

18 two-arm rows with 100 lb. cables on Bowflex

25 wide stance squats with 2 x 35 lb. db’s on shoulders – held #25 for 20 seconds

10 chest presses with 60 lb. cables on Bowflex

15 slow motion reverse grip triceps kickbacks with 30 lb. cables (each arm) on Bowflex

20 alternating biceps curls with 2 x 25 lb. db’s

30 decline push-ups with one foot on exercise ball (switched feet halfway)

20 one leg hamstring/glute curls with exercise ball on each leg

Total time: 22 minutes

Followed it up with a 20 minute walk in the tundra with dog breath.

In an instant, I decided to cut down the closest back road – protected by trees – and do a sprinting interval work out instead. Big weenie. That’s what I am!

The work out:

8 sprints, each about 40-45 seconds long, ranging from 75 – 95% full out effort… depending how far into the work out I was! The roads still have quite a bit of ice under a thin layer of packed snow, so it’s a tad dicey to go 100% full out just yet. (Entertaining, though!)

I sprinted one direction, then turned around and jogged halfway and walked halfway back. The recovery period between sprints was approximately 2 – 2.5 minutes each time.

Total time, including the 1/2 mile “jog” there and back, about 25-27 minutes.

That was two days ago and my quads are still feelin’ it!

These types of burst work outs (interval training) are excellent for burning fat… particularly the day after the work out, your body becomes a fat burning machine!

So, on to plan B.

I decided to do a cardio-based interval work out.

This is what I did:

100  alternating lunges onto Bosu ball (fast, but full range of motion)

20 decline push-ups, feet on couch

25 burpees

100 alternating squats/side kicks (fast pace)

200 punches – 25 ‘cross body’, full range of motion, 25 upper cuts, repeat sets of 25’s, fast-paced

100 alternating squats and front kicks

50 jumping jacks, quick, resistance in arms

50 “low jacks”

100 mountain climbers

50 jumping jacks onto Bosu ball – start with feet straddling ball, jump up onto ball, jump back down to sides in straddle position

10 each, one-leg jump-ups onto Bosu ball

50 butterfly abs crunches while lying on Bosu ball

Total time: 22 minutes

My focus was on high-intensity, quick sets, while maintaining good form and full range of motion (for ME, anyway!), and short rest/recovery periods between sets.

High intensity burst training (interval training) with appropriate rest periods is the most effective way to burn fat with your work outs.

This latest book (and its accompanying products) by one of my favorite Health Brainiacs, Mike Geary, has just launched!

You’ve heard me talk about Mike here before… I love what he has to say about nutrition, weight loss, fat burning foods, the truth about diets, fitness, exercise… love it! He’s a Certified Nutrition Specialist and a Certified Personal Trainer.

(Normally, those titles don’t mean a whole lot to me… just like it doesn’t matter much to me if you have M.D. behind your name! What matters to me is what your paradigm for wellness is, how truthful, scientific, current and unbiased your information is, and if you’re even remotely tied to the drug companies or the food industry!! lol!)

In Mike’s case, his certifications are nice… but I’m FAR more impressed with his knowledge, experience and integrity.

For his newest project, he teamed up with another nutritional powerhouse whose work I also admire ~ Catherine Ebeling, RN, BSN. She’s one smart cookie as well.

It’s SO refreshing to hear experts who actually speak the truth, based on scientific principles… not dogma, not marketing garbage, and not controlled by the food or pharmaceutical lobbyists!

Check out their fabulous book and products at www.The-Fat-Burning-Kitchen.com

Great stuff!

Yesterday was another “cardio day”. We were still at the hotel so I ended up in the hotel gym again before heading over to the seminar.

I did a 20-minute interval session on the treadmill: moderate-paced run for a couple of minutes, followed by running at levels 8 – 9 on the treadmill for a minute each time. I just kept on repeating this cycle for 18 minutes or so, then walked a couple minutes to finish.

It’s this type of interval, “anaerobic” training that is known to be the most successful for raising our resting metabolic rates and helping us burn fat and calories the most effectively. Obviously, this helps us shed excess pounds and maintain an optimal body weight and composition. Do you need to spring full-out? No. Find something that YOU like… then just rev it up! Add bursts of power, then slow it down. Rinse and repeat!

By the time I was done on the treadmill, the sun had just started shining… I heard it call my name! So before heading back to our room, I sneaked outside to finish off my work out. The hotel was adjacent to a big church with a BIG grassy field next to their parking lot. I heard it calling my name, too!

I did 3 sprint ‘there’/jog back intervals – approximately 125 yard sprints. The church-goers who were arriving for their Sunday services were wondering who on earth was chasing me! I could see it in their faces!

Funny way to start the day!

A family that flexes together stays together...?

This is going back a few days…

Thursday’s work out almost didn’t happen. I spent the first half of the day packing up everything but the kitchen sink for our weekend away at a seminar… with kids and pets in tow! By the time I finished the packing, the laundry and the basic cleaning up, I only had about 20 minutes to spare before I needed to jump in the shower and then hit the road.

I could have easily skipped the work out. Time wise, that is. Mentally, not so much. I knew that I’d feel SO much better if I squeezed in a “turbo power work out” before sitting in the car for three hours.

So, here’s what the 15 minute work out looked like:

50 walking lunges with 2 x 25 lb. db’s

12 one-arm rows with 35 lb. db’s (each side)

20 Romanian dead lifts with 2 x 35 lb. db’s

15 chest presses with 2 x 25 lb. db’s on exercise ball

30 wide squats with 2 x 35 lb. db’s

30 alternating biceps curls with 2 x 25 lb. db’s

20 reverse-grip triceps kickbacks with 30 lb. Bowflex cables (each side)

16 biceps curls (each side) with 30 lb. Bowflex cables

25 squats with one foot up on bench, holding 2 x 35 lb. db’s on shoulders

(same thing other side)

30 triceps dips with feet up on exercise ball

15 lateral shoulder raises with 2 x 15 lb. db’s

Remember, even in these faster work outs, I continue to focus on good, solid technique and full range of motion. The main reason I can cut down the time with this type of work out is that I’m only resting for a few seconds between sets (5 – 30 seconds, depending how far into the work out I am! OK, maybe a minute or so if one of the kids needs me for something!) Also, I’m only doing one set of each exercise.

Awesome, quick work out. I can’t really EVER get away with saying, “I don’t have enough time to work out” because I always DO!

A good friend had reminded me of a particular type of work out that is centered around 20 seconds of super high intensity exercise, followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated for a total of four minutes. So, essentially it’s 8 sets of exercise plus rest. The official name of the exercise is the Tabata work out. You can check it out online… lots of information out there about it. There are many other work outs based on a similar approach.

A four minute work out doesn’t sound like much, but it is when you do it this way. If it’s high intensity with ultra short rest periods, and centered around full body movements as the core exercises… whew!

(It’s recommended that the work out begins and ends with 5 minutes of running, cycling, jump rope, etc., making it 14 minutes total.)

I didn’t stick to the 20 seconds so much… some of the exercises took longer. Nor did I stick to doing only 8 exercises. But, I did stick to the very short rest periods and the very high intensity.

Yowza. Awesome!

Here’s what it looked like:

30 alternating lunges with 2 x 25 lb. db’s

20 chin-ups

25 squats with 2 x 35 lb. db’s

25 decline push-ups with feet up on the ball

20 dead lifts with 2 x 35 lb. db’s

8 biceps curls/shoulder press combination move with 2 x 25 lb. db’s (too heavy for my shoulder boo boo right now)

(At the end of this set, I was 5 minutes in to the work out. It was FAST, but I focused on maintaining good technique, good form and full range-of-motion.)

25 squats on the round side of Bosu ball with medicine ball held out in front

25 dips with feet up on exercise ball

25 squat jumps holding the medicine ball

Abs: 35 leg raises while sitting on edge of bench in recumbent/pike position

30 bench jump-ups

30 bench jump-overs

Total time: 15 minutes

Awesome! I’d highly recommend giving this type of serious fat-burning, calorie-burning work out a try some time… especially on those days when you think you “don’t have time for a work out!”

This one kicked my gluteus maximus!

Wellness experts agree that we should move like this every day – some form of continual movement, like walking, cycling, running, swimming, etc. We don’t need to do it for an HOUR or anything like that… just some form of regular movement every day.

Cardio or aerobic exercise isn’t your best choice for fat loss, weight loss or calorie burning in a 24/7 period. Resistance training is. BUT, both are important for overall HEALTH and optimal function! A natural by-product of health is a healthier body weight and body composition.

Exercise is for health… for life. NOT for short-term weight loss or to fit into your skinny jeans for an upcoming event!

Yesterday was a cardio day day for me.

I went out for a 5 mile relatively easy run… good pace, slightly faster on a few of the uphill portions.

Total time: 39 minutes.

How are YOU doing with your regular movement?

Just a couple of things I’d like to emphasize and/or clarify from the article:

Be sure that all dairy products are organic and raw/unpasteurized whenever possible. If you can’t find it raw, choose whole milk products – fat-free is virtually useless when it comes to dairy. The massive nutritional benefit is in the fat soluble vitamins.

Nutrition authorities, like Sally Fallon from The Weston A. Price Foundation, will assure you that not only is butter “acceptable” to be used sparingly, but it would benefit us to use it more. Again, this is for the fat soluble vitamin content. Real, grass-fed butter is the best (most practical and readily available) source of these critical nutrients in the American diet.

Peanut butter has aflatoxins. Limit it or get rid of it all together.

Make sure that your grain choices are organic, sprouted whole grains as often as possible.

Here’s Mike’s article – enjoy!

The Top 55 Lean Body Foods For Rock Hard Six Pack Abs

by Mike Geary, Certified Nutrition Specialist, Certified Personal Trainer.
www.TruthAboutAbs.com

In most of my Lean-Body Secrets Newsletters, I like to provide a healthy snack or meal recipe that not only is delicious, but also helps to get you closer to that hard-body appearance that everyone is looking for. In this article, I’d like to give you healthy food ideas in a different way. This time, I figured I’d just give you some ideas of what I stock my fridge and cabinets with.

Remember, if you don’t have junk around the house, you’re less likely to eat junk. If all you have is healthy food around the house, you’re forced to make smart choices. Basically, it all starts with making smart choices and avoiding temptations when you make your grocery store trip. Now these are just some of my personal preferences, but perhaps they will give you some good ideas that you’ll enjoy.

Alright, so let’s start with the fridge. Each week, I try to make sure I’m loaded up with lots of varieties of fresh vegetables. During the growing season, I only get local produce, but obviously in winter, I have to resort to the produce at the grocery store. Most of the time, I make sure I have plenty of vegetables like zucchini, onions, fresh mushrooms, spinach, broccoli, red peppers, etc. to use in my morning eggs. I also like to dice up some lean chicken or turkey sausage into the eggs, along with some swiss, jack, or goat cheeses.

By the way I’m talking about whole eggs, NOT egg whites. Always remember that the yolk is the most nutritious and nutrient dense part of the egg, so only eating egg whites is like throwing away the best part… and no, it’s NOT bad for you because of the cholesterol… eggs actually raise your GOOD cholesterol. Try to get free range organic eggs for the best quality.

Coconut milk is another staple in my fridge. I like to use it to mix in with smoothies, oatmeal, or yogurt for a rich, creamy taste. Not only does coconut milk add a rich, creamy taste to lots of dishes, but it’s also full of healthy saturated fats. Yeah, you heard me…I said healthy saturated fats! Healthy saturated fats like medium chain triglycerides, specifically an MCT called lauric acid.

Back to the fridge, some other staples:

* Cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, and yogurt – I like to mix cottage or ricotta cheese and yogurt together with chopped nuts and berries for a great mid-morning or mid-afternoon meal.
* Chopped walnuts, pecans, almonds – delicious and great sources of healthy fats.
* Whole flax seeds – I grind these in a mini coffee grinder and add to yogurt or salads. Always grind them fresh because the omega-3 polyunsaturated fats are highly unstable and prone to oxidation, creating high levels of free radicals in pre-ground flax.
* Whole eggs – one of natures richest sources of nutrients (and remember, they increase your GOOD cholesterol so stop fearing them).
* Nut butters – Plain old peanut butter has gotten a little old for me, so I get creative and mix together almond butter with sesame seed butter, or even cashew butter with macadamia butter…delicious and unbeatable nutrition!
* Salsa – I try to get creative and try some of the exotic varieties of salsas.
* Butter – don’t believe the naysayers; butter adds great flavor to anything and can be part of a healthy diet (just keep the quantity small because it is calorie dense…and NEVER use margarine, unless you want to assure yourself a heart attack).
* Avocados – love them…plus a great source of healthy fats, fiber, and other nutrients. Try adding them to wraps, salads, or sandwiches.
* Whole grain wraps and whole grain bread (look for wraps and bread with at least 3-4 grams of fiber per 20 grams of total carbs).
* Rice bran and wheat germ – these may sound way too healthy for some, but they actually add a nice little nutty, crunchy taste to yogurt or smoothies, or can be added when baking muffins or breads to add nutrients and fiber.
* Leaf lettuce and spinach along with shredded carrots – for salads with dinner.
* Home-made salad dressing – using balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, and Udo’s Choice oil blend. This is much better than store bought salad dressing which mostly use highly refined soybean oil (full of inflammation-causing free radicals).

Some of the staples in the freezer:

* Frozen fish – I like to try a couple different kinds of fish each week. There are so many varieties out there, you never have to get bored.
* Frozen berries – during the local growing season, I only get fresh berries, but during the other 10 months of the year, I always keep a supply of frozen blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, cherries, etc. to add to high fiber cereal, oatmeal, cottage cheese, yogurt, or smoothies
* Frozen veggies – again, when the growing season is over and I can no longer get local fresh produce, frozen veggies are the best option, since they often have higher nutrient contents compared to the fresh produce that has been shipped thousands of miles, sitting around for weeks before making it to your dinner table.
* Frozen chicken breasts – very convenient to nuke up for a quick addition to wraps or chicken sandwiches for quick meals.
* Frozen buffalo, ostrich, venison, and other “exotic” lean meats – Yeah, I know…I’m weird, but I can tell you that these are some of the healthiest meats around, and if you’re serious about a lean healthy body, these types of meats are much better for you than the mass produced, hormone-pumped beef and pork that’s sold at most grocery stores.
* Grass-fed steaks, burgers, and ground beef – Grassfed meats have been shown to have as high as, or even higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids than salmon (without the mercury). Also, grass-fed meats have much higher levels of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) compared to typical grain-fed beef.

Alright, now the staples in my cabinets:

* Oat bran and steel cut oats – higher fiber than those little packs of instant oats.
* Cans of coconut milk – to be transferred to a container in the fridge after opening.
* Various antioxidant rich teas – green, oolong, white, rooibos are some of the best.
* Stevia – a natural non-caloric sweetener, which is an excellent alternative to the nasty chemical-laden artificial sweeteners like aspartame, saccharine, and sucralose.
* Organic maple syrup – none of that high fructose corn syrup Aunt Jemima crap…only real maple syrup can be considered real food. The only time I really use this (because of the high sugar load) is added to my post-workout smoothies to sweeten things up and also elicit an insulin surge to push nutrients into your muscles.
* Raw honey – better than processed honey… higher quantities of beneficial nutrients and enzymes. Honey has even been proven in studies to improve glucose metabolism (how you process carbs). I use a teaspoon or so every morning in my teas. Yes, it is pure sugar, but at least it has some nutritional benefits… and let’s be real, a teaspoon of honey is only 5 grams of carbs… certainly nothing to worry about.
* Whole wheat or whole grain spelt pasta – much higher fiber than normal pastas
* Brown rice and other higher fiber rice – NEVER white rice
* Cans of black or kidney beans – I like to add a couple scoops to my Mexican wraps for the fiber and high nutrition content. Also, beans are surprisingly one of the best sources of youth promoting antioxidants!
* Tomato sauces – delicious, and as I’m sure you’ve heard a million times, they are a great source of lycopene. Just watch out for the brands that are loaded with nasty high fructose corn syrup.
* Dark chocolate (as dark as possible) – This is one of my treats that satisfies my sweet tooth, plus provides loads of antioxidants at the same time. It’s still calorie dense, so I keep it to just a couple squares; but that is enough to do the trick, so I don’t feel like I need to go out and get cake and ice cream to satisfy my dessert urges.
* Organic unsweetened cocoa powder – I like to mix this into my smoothies for an extra jolt of antioxidants or make my own low-sugar hot cocoa by mixing cocoa powder into hot milk with stevia and a couple melted dark chocolate chunks.

Lastly, another thing that’s hard to go wrong with is a good variety of fresh fruits and berries. The staples such as bananas, apples, oranges, pears, peaches are good, but I like to also be a little more adventurous and include things like yellow mangoes, pomegranates, star fruit, kumquats, pineapples, papaya, and others. Also, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and cherries are some of the most nutrient and antioxidant-dense fruits you can eat.

Well, I hope you enjoyed this special look into my favorite lean body meals and how I stock my cabinets and fridge. Your tastes are probably quite different than mine, but hopefully this gave you some good ideas you can use next time you’re at the grocery store looking to stock up a healthy and delicious pile of groceries.