"A Biblical Approach to Weight Management"

The subject of God is something many of us have probably not thought of much in terms of weight management. But apparently that idea is catching on in mainstream America. Jordan Rubin author of The Maker's Diet "thinks that many people will rely on their faith with God to be disciplined." His diet plan consists mainly of very simple unprocessed foods, certainly not a bad idea and something I certainly encourage everyone to embrace.

What is going on now is a "biblical approach to weight management," managing the notions of weight, willpower and the empty spiritual hole inside of us which I classify as emotional eating.

What are my thoughts? Twelve step programs have been around for years using a spiritual approach for alcoholism, food, and various other addictions. (Remember spiritual is different than religion.) For many it can and does work. Other spiritual groups may be effective too if people are willing to really confront their emotional based issues instead of "stuffing" their feelings with food.

Modify Your Recipes for Weight Loss

Roast Chicken Breasts with Garbanzo Beans, Tomatoes and Paprika is a delicious recipe. For dinner or lunch it will be a crowd pleaser, but it may not be pleasing for your weight-loss efforts. This recipe calls for chicken on the bone with the skin. This is why, per serving, this recipe has 405 calories and 24 grams of fat; a nutritional profile of this recipe is available.

To make this recipe weight-loss friendly use chicken breast without the skin. Per serving this meal will now be 385 calories and 18 grams of fat. When reading a recipe always look at the way that you can make it work for you. Ingredients can be replaced or reduced to fit into your daily plan, so you can continue to eat delicious food, without ruining the hard work you've put into losing weight.

Photo by: Lisa Hubbard

Grrrl Power!

Watch out guys; Girls are taking over when it comes to dominating the workout scene.

In the last few years there has been a steady increase in women not only joining gyms, but moving into areas that were once only reserved for men. Athletic activities like, boxing, kickboxing, martial arts, powerlifting, and high intensity workouts are now shared by guys and girls alike.

Everyday in my studio I get to see women competing with the men on every conceivable exercise – even pull-ups!

The playing field has definitely been leveled and I hope we see a continuing "Grrrl Power" trend in the fitness industry. There's no reason why girls can't have some fun and kickbox, sprint, and workout as intensely as the guys in and outside the gym.

If you've been questioning whether or not you can push yourself to the next level, stop second guessing yourself and dive in. Start with the fundamentals and keep progressing from there.

Need a little motivation? I'll tell you a little secret from my weight loss studio... We have one girl who can outperform every male client in one of our hardest ab exercises. No guy even comes close!

Watch out guys!

Do Meal Replacements Work for Weight Loss? - 2

Yesterday I started discussing liquid diets and the challenges of being on such a plan. Today I'll go into that a bit more.

• Liquid diets do not teach a person how to eat for health. These plans frequently limit fruit, vegetables, and whole grain intake which are essential for health including nutrients, phytonutrients, antioxidants, and fiber.
• Shakes would not teach a person about balancing meals adequately. Food balance is especially important considering that diabetes is epidemic right now. It is crucial for blood sugar regulation and controlling food cravings.
• Liquid meal replacements tend to consist of soy and/or milk, two foods that many people are sensitive to and should not be consuming regularly.
• Many liquid diets have synthetic vitamins which are not absorbed well by the body.
• Using shakes for meals would make the transition into maintenance more difficult.

I would utilize meal replacements if you need a jump start to weight loss and will only be using it for a short time. And even though I generally believe in whole foods for meals, a healthier shake might work as an occasional quick breakfast or lunch.  This would still be better than skipping a meal entirely.

Poaching for Low-Fat Meals

Poaching is a way to cook food by simmering it in water, wine or broth. This way of cooking helps keep food moist and helps prevent it from falling apart. This way of cooking also helps in preparing low-fat meals that will help you stick to your weight loss plan.

Poached Scrod with Herbed Vinaigrette is an easy to prepare dish that can fit into all meal plans. Per serving there are 318 calories, 15 grams of fat and 3 grams of carbs. A  nutritional profile of this recipe is available. Each serving of the dish serves 8 ounces of fish. You can reduce the amount of fish to fit into your plan and will cut down on the calories.

You can substitute halibut, flounder or tilapia for the cod in this dish. Don't forget to save this recipe to your Nutrition Data Pantry.

Do Meal Replacement Drinks Work for Weight Loss? - 1

Many diets flood the market claiming to help you lose weight. Still popular are meal replacement drinks or liquid diets in the form of shakes.  They may work (at least temporarily) because they automatically cut excess calories out. In other words, much of the guesswork of calorie restriction with food intake has been taken out of the dieter's hands. (This is a relevant issue, as I've said repeatedly in my blogs, many people are in denial about how many calories they are actually consuming regularly, then complain about not losing weight!)

Even though shakes can help people lose weight quickly there are some drawbacks I want to point out:

• Many meal replacements are just too low in calories for most people. They are typically about 250 calories each. Adding a moderate dinner meal brings the calorie range to 1000 or 1200. For older people, middle aged women, and those who cannot exercise much, this calorie range may work effectively, but for the rest of the population it probably would not be enough food.
• Consuming just a shake at breakfast and lunch may make a person overly hungry resulting in over eating at dinner.
• Meal replacements can be boring. They lack variety and many complain they don’t get to "chew."  They really aren’t for the long term (I would say no more than 2-3 months).

Tomorrow I'll go into a few of the other challenges of these diet plans.

7-Ingredient, Lo-Carb Meal

Poached Scrod with Herbed Vinaigrette is easy to prepare. With only 7 ingredients you will be at ease in getting the meal ready for you friends or family. If you can not find scrod, or prefer a different type of fish, you can prepare this recipe with sole, flounder or talapia as well.

With 318 calories and 3 grams of carbs per serving this can fit into any weight loss plan. To add fiber to this meal, to help keep you satisfied, you can add a side of grilled vegetables or a serving of brown or wild rice. A nutritional profile of this recipe is available. Don't forget to save this recipe to your Nutrition Data Pantry.

Execute and Evaluate Your Plan

Truly successful people do this everyday in their work, so why wouldn't you apply it to your weight loss goals?

First Step: Execute Your Plan

Commit yourself to a diet and exercise program and then give it an honest try. Stick with the program and get the most of it by following the nutrition and exercise prescriptions. You'll need to complete weekly progress reports, weigh-ins, and other assessments to keep track of in your journal.

Second Step: Evaluate Your Plan

This is the step that you may be missing. It's crucial to actually look back over your data and see how you've improved over the past 2, 4, or 8 weeks. After you’ve been dieting and exercising for a while, your progress reports will allow you to evaluate how a particular program worked for you. The results will also let you see how well you were able to comply with what was asked of you.

No one is asking you to rearrange your life, but you will need to make some compromises if you truly want to achieve a healthy body weight and lifestyle. Having a plan, executing it, and then evaluating your results is how the pros do it… and so should you.

Weight Loss Nutrition Friend

I call fiber the misunderstood carbohydrate because usually it is just touted for, well, constipation issues. But I'm here to set the record straight. It goes so far beyond that.

Understand that fiber is basically the non-digestible part of a plant.  It is the cell wall of a plant, whether it is from broccoli or the skin on a potato.  What's important, is what it actually does while going through your digestive tract.

If you are losing weight remember that fiber "fills."  From a hunger perspective it satisfies hunger and can slow down digestion releasing glucose more evenly.  This helps stabilize blood sugar levels more effectively, which in turn curbs appetite, cravings, and may even promote a better mood.  If you consistently consume highly refined white flour and sugar products (void of both fiber and nutrients) they are quickly absorbed into the blood stream and cause blood sugar highs and lows.

And I'm not done yet. Fiber also dilutes, inactivates, and binds cholesterol, bile acids, potential carcinogens, and other toxic substances in the bowel. (Note: when you are losing weight there are more toxins being eliminated by the body.) The action of fiber helps inhibit the absorption of these toxins into the bloodstream, and reduces their contact time with the bowel wall. This could explain why people on high fiber diets have less colon cancer, heart disease, cholesterol problems and gallstones.

So remember fiber is your friend for both weight loss and health.

 

 

A High Protein, Satisfying Soup

Soup is usually a filling dish, but may not always keep you feeling satisfied. Umbrian Fish Soup (tegamaccio) though, definitely will. With 33 grams of protein per serving you will feel satisfied and this will help you stay on track with weight loss. Per serving there are also 422 calories and 13 grams of carbs so if you are following a low-carb lifestyle you can fit this into your meal plan. A nutritional profile of this recipe is available. Analysis does not include toasts.

If you would like to reduce the amount of fat in this dish you can decrease the amount of oil to 1/4 cup. Don't forget to save this recipe to your Nutrition Data Pantry.

photo by: Romulo Yanes

Instant Results?

I guess the answer depends on your opinion and what you were expecting to happen when you began exercising.

The truth is that you can expect to see instant results when you begin exercising. The right program can help you feel better the very first day after breaking a sweat. It's also not uncommon to lose weight your first week in to a diet and exercise program. After all, you are dedicating yourself to living a healthier lifestyle and with that pledge comes some sacrifice. It means having to cut out some of your favorite treats that you know are holding you back from losing weight. It also means increasing your activity level and expending more calories than you take in.

So, although your long-term results come from the cumulative effect of dieting and training, it's nice to know that you can lose weight and feel great your very first week.

Medications that May Intefere with Weight loss

Some medications can cause you to gain weight, or keep you from losing it, says Ken Fujioka, MD, medical director of the Scripps Clinic Nutrition and Metabolism Research Center in San Diego. The following specific medications may cause some real challenges with losing weight:

• Some medications used to treat type 2 diabetes 
• Antipsychotic or schizophrenia medications
• Beta-blockers (prescribed for high blood pressure, and some heart conditions)
• Antidepressants
• Hormone replacement therapy
• Birth control pills
• Corticosteroids 
• Antiepileptics taken to control seizures

You may have one of the above conditions but don't just abruptly decide to go off any medication on your own. Openly talk to your doctor first and discuss alternatives and impress upon him/her your desire to lose weight. In fact if you are trying to lose weight discuss this when you are first diagnosed with a condition before he/she prescribes the medication. Another option is to check with a pharmacist who knows medications.

Also make sure you are following your current diet to the letter before you decide it is actually the medication that may be interfering with your weight loss efforts. Use ND's Daily Needs Calculator to determine the amount of calories you should be consuming to lose weight. Then weigh and measure your food intake so it is truly accurate. Check my blog from April 30 to ensure you are following your plan adequately with the other weight loss essentials. You can't blame the medicines for not losing weight if you are not really following your plan.

Chinese Broccoli Makes a Great Low-Cal Side-Dish

Chinese Broccoli is an easy to make side dish that goes great with chicken, fish or meat. It can also be a vegetarian main dish if you add additional nuts or some tofu. If you can't find Chinese broccoli you can use Broccolini.

Not only is this dish low in calories, but is low in carbs and high in fiber as well. Additionally there are 6 grams of protein per serving which is equivalent to 1 ounce of animal protein. Per serving this dish has 159 calories, 10 grams of carbs and 4 grams of fiber. A nutritional profile of this recipe is available. Don't forget to save this recipe to your Nutrition Data Pantry.

Photo by: Marcus Nilsson

Core-Training: Diffuse Lower Back Pain

Have you ever wondered what the difference is between those with a healthy back and others who are  constantly suffering from back pain?

Core strength and proper alignment!

Since most every daily activity engages the muscles of the core, it is essential that they be in proper working order. This corset of muscles is meant to stabilize, accelerate, and decelerate the body while it is active.

That's why even the smallest movement is enough to drop a 250lb man to his knees in excruciating back pain if he is experiencing any type of nerve impingement or misalignment of his spine.

Many back problems can be cured with proper postural alignment and core strengthening. By realigning the spine and activating the deep muscles of the core, you can now move through life pain free and without worry of becoming reinjured.

Mistakes Happen

I hope you all got through the challenges of Mother's Day. My accolades to those of you that did! I know how taunting food can be in any social event.

For those of you that were not so successful please don't berate yourself. Just remember one of the most important things is how you react to a mistake.  I'm a firm believer that we should use any deviation as a learning experience.

If you continue to dwell on how bad the mistake is, does that make you feel any better? Of course it doesn’t. But if you use it as something that you can learn from it puts things in a perspective. Think of  slips as "dress rehearsals" for maintenance.

Do you have another event coming up soon? What were your mistakes this past weekend? Figure out exactly what they are and how they happened. Now determine how can you get through the next event without causing a lot of harm to your current eating plan. What can you do differently?

Readers, please share with us how you get through social events successfully.

Low-Carb Chicken Stir Fry

Preparation for Spicy Stir Fried Chicken and Greens with Peanuts can start in the morning with marinading the chicken. When you return home, from your day at work, all you have to do is get your skillet hot and get cooking. In 20 minutes you will have this meal on your table.

Per serving there are 379 calories, 10 grams of carbs, and 4 grams of fiber. A nutritional profile of this recipe is available. To decrease the amount of fat in this dish you can reduce the amount of oil or you can use nuts that were not roasted. Don't forget to save this recipe to your Nutrition Data Pantry.

Mother's Day Express Workout

Today's post is dedicated to all those busy moms out there.

I know you put your children and your family first and that's why I want you to take 20 minutes a day to focus on yourself. So in between picking the kids up from school, sports practice, music lessons, or preparing dinner I want you to sneak in a quick workout.

This workout will boost your energy levels and leave you feeling great about the work you just put into keeping your body the way you want it to look.

Here's a quick and easy body weight workout you can do right at home:

Warm-up: Jumping Jacks
Complete 3 sets of 30 jumping jacks before moving on to your exercises.

Exercise #1: Couch Push-ups
Place both hands slightly wider than shoulder width apart on the edge of the couch. Lower your body down slowly to right before your chest touches, then push back up to the starting push-up position. Repeat as many repetitions as you can with good form.

Exercise #2: Prisoner Squats
This exercise is great because it forces you to work on your posture as you burn calories. Begin this exercise standing in front of a chair. Clasp both hands behind your head. Slowly squat backwards with your hips as you sit down towards the chair. Work to keep your elbows back and your head and chest up as you squat. As you feel your hips touch the chair, push back up to a standing position. Repeat 15-20x.

Try to complete exercises #1 and #2 without any rest in between sets. After you complete both, rest 1 minute and then repeat 1-2 additional rounds.

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day

As a mother you probably put your children first in many areas of your life. But please remember this, don’t do it at the expense of your own health, weight, and personal happiness.

You know when you are flying in a plane and the flight attendant gives a demo of what to do if the plane will crash? If you have a child with you they tell you to give the oxygen mask first to yourself and then to the child. Why? If something happens to you what will happen to your child?

The same should hold true in life. If you give too much to your children at the expense of your health, weight and own happiness you will have your own kind of "crash." Your health goes downhill, you look older than your years, and you have become overweight and unhappy about how you look, feel, and think. You may even become resentful. What kind of a mother are you then?

It's all about balance. Remember the kids will grow up one day and you will only have yourself (and your husband). When your whole life is about just the kids, what will you have left after they are gone? Older moms share this wisdom with your daughters and sons.

Your children are important but you are as important as your children, so take care of yourself too!

Happy Mother's Day to mothers everywhere! Whatever you are doing today I hope it is filled with love and happiness and that you are fondly remembering the day you first became a mother.

A Delicious Mother's Day Dinner

Celebrate Mother''s Day with a fantastic, low-carb dinner that everyone will enjoy. Steak with Olives, will be ready, from start to finish, in 30 minutes.

Depending on the meal plan you are following you can add a variety of sides to this dish: a mixed green salad, steamed or roasted vegetables, sweet potatoes or wild rice. As to not ruin your weight loss efforts have fresh fruit or sorbet ready for dessert.

A  nutritional profile of this recipe is available. Don't forget to save this recipe to your Nutrition Data Pantry.

Photo by Romulo Yanes

Mother's Day Eating Challenges

Are you going out for Mother's Day brunch or is family making you a special meal?
Here are some suggestions to get you through the day. These strategies can work for brunch, dinner, or just about anywhere.

• Moms, this day is supposed to be about what you want. Be lovingly assertive about your needs.

• Have a plan. Which restaurant will give you the best healthy, but enjoyable choices? (Go online and check out some menu options.) Ask for what you really need from family members.  How will you manage portion control? Etc.
• Think: How do you want to feel at the end of the day? Watch for the holiday mentality of, "Well it's my day I'll eat whatever I want..." or "I'll get back on track on Monday."
• Prior to the main event consume a light snack without fats and carbs. You will get plenty of those later. By eating light before the big meal you won't be starving and tempted to overeat.
• Choose to balance your food choices from all the food groups rather than just  consuming all the heavy carb and fatty items. Or take tiny amounts of the things you only enjoy and make that your meal. Make a commitment to write down everything you have eaten to keep yourself accountable.
• When you are hungry later in the day, figure out what food groups you haven’t had and make that your meal.  When out, most people do not load up on lean protein, vegetables, yogurt, milk, or even fruit. Those should be the choices for a meal later.
  

Check my old blogs from December for additional ideas around holiday eating.

Some Good Rules to Eat By

Michael Pollan is the author of In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto. In this book Pollan writes about how food is now created by science as opposed to being only created by nature.  Besides eating what Pollan calls "edible food-like substances" he addresses that we not really eating, as we consume food in front of the TV, in the car and more often, alone.

In Defense of Food gives you ways to come back to eating real food and returning real, sit down and enjoy your meal times. These basic ideals are easy ways to help you reach your healthy weight. Follow Pollan's rules to eat by to help you start off on a weight loss plan or to make some basic changes to a healthier way of living.

The Feel Good Workout

Everyone has their own definition of what a feel good workout is. For some it's going for a walk and for others it might be completing really strenuous weight lifting exercises.

Luckily, we are all entitled to choose what works best for us and most of us feel like we know what feels right for our bodies. The problem arises though, when you've become accustomed to relaxing a little too much and sitting for the majority of our day. After working in front of a computer or desk for 8 or more hours you can imagine how sluggish your body can become.

At this point your body may feel tired, but not from exerting too much energy. Actually, it's just the opposite. Since you've spent so much time in a stressful, yet stationary position your body starts to become deconditioned and any extra effort than is typically expended becomes a chore.

Keep this in mind when you're completing your workouts. If you're a true beginner you can start by walking, but then gradually ask your body to step it up to the next level. Keep pushing your limits with gradual incremental increases. If you do, you will start to see a transformation take place where you feel more energetic and full of life.

Remember that your "feel good" workout may not feel like so much fun as you're pushing yourself to recreate your ideal body, but after you finish your last set or end your cardio you'll feel great!

"I Can't Lose Weight!"

You are following a sensible diet. You are even working with a qualified nutritionist  who validates everything you are doing. Yet, the scale refuses to budge. So where do you go from here?

Occasionally there are real medical issues as to why some people do not lose weight.  According to Peter LePort MD, here are a few conditions that may prevent weight loss:

• Cushing's syndrome is when the adrenal glands produce too much cortisol. Signs are usually when there is a fat build up in the face, upper back and abdomen.
• Hypothyroid or low thyroid is when your metabolism is just plain slow. Many hypothyroid individuals go undetected even when blood results show low to normal levels. This can occur even when a person is on thyroid medication.
• Polycystic ovary syndrome is hormone imbalance characterized by irregular bleeding, acne, excessive facial hair, thinning hair, infertility issues, and weight gain not caused by over eating.
• Insulin resistance or hyperinsulinemia (high insulin) is when insulin is not getting into the cells for energy.
• Many women struggle with weight at specific times in their lives when there is a hormonal shift going on in their bodies. Typical times include puberty, during pregnancy and menopause.

Just make sure you are honest with yourself and that you are in fact doing all the right things to lose weight before putting yourself through any expensive testing.

Introduce new and exotic fruits to your diet for an antioxidant boost

We all know that fruits are good for us. They are low in calories and high in fiber which can help you with your weight loss. Fruits are also full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Spring and summer months are a great time to try some fantastic fruits.

Prevention.com shared some exotic fruits for their readers along with the amazing health benefits each one provides. So instead of eating one more banana or apple try fresh figs, lychees, guavas, Asian pears, and papayas.

Here are some recipes from Epicurious.com to help you add these new foods to your diet:
Fresh Summer Fruit in Ginger Wine Syrup
Asian Fruit Salad with Papaya-Mint Sauce

Cut the Cravings with the Right Food Choices - 2

Yesterday I started discussing cravings and how to deal with them by making the correct food choices and combining them properly. Today I am going to finish up with more ways to control cravings.

3. Examine what sweets are currently in your diet.  Are you having a lot of artificial sweeteners? What about that hidden sugar hiding in the Coffeemate, or mochas/syrups in your coffee?  Examine where you may be getting extra sugars and start eliminating them from your diet. Both sugar and artificial sweeteners in these items and the coffee may all contribute to a spike in blood sugar and the cravings that come with it.

4. Consume a healthy breakfast from the food groups suggested in "number one" on yesterday's blog. Make your carbohydrate choice a whole grain and high fiber (at least three to five grams of fiber). Many people make the mistake of consuming just carbohydrates (cereal and fruit juice) for breakfast which is a big mistake for most. Or worse, they skip breakfast entirely and just have coffee drinks. Skipping this first meal of the day may play havoc with blood sugar.

5. Eat three balanced meals a day (again, refer to "number one" from yesterday) and a few healthy snacks in between meals.

What helps you with your food cravings?

Figuring Out the Farmers' Market

Recently I was at the Farmers' Market in Union Square in New York City. It is a beautiful market and as the weather gets warmer the variety of produce, breads, and cheeses are abundant. It was a bit overwhelming  walking through the market with so much variety and trying to understand what was different about each farmer's product, but it was a fun experience as well.

After this trip to the market I came across a post on Mark's Daily Apple with tips on how to shop a farmers' market. There are some great tips, which I will use on my next trip to the market, along with a brief video giving more of an explanation of how to have a great farmers' market experience.

Alternating High & Low Repetitions for Best Results

In my last post you got to see which was a more powerful method of toning your muscles - higher or lower repetition sets.

Today we're going to put it all together in one easy-to-use and understand workout program. This routine is going to be simple to follow and it will take you less than 30 minutes to complete 3 days per week. And, you're only going to have to remember 3 exercises for the whole week!

Here's the muscle toning and defining program:

Day 1: Monday
Dumbbell ball chest presses x 2-3 sets x 15 reps
Dumbbell 1 arm row x 2-3 sets x 15 reps each side
Dumbbell Romanian deadlifts (straight legs) x 2-3 sets x 15 reps

Day 2: Wednesday
Dumbbell ball chest presses x 4 sets x 6 reps
Dumbbell 1 arm row x 4 sets x 6 reps each side
Dumbbell Romanian deadlifts (straight legs) x 4 sets x 6 reps

Day 3: Friday
Dumbbell ball chest presses x 3 sets x 10 reps
Dumbbell 1 arm row x 3 sets x 10 reps each side
Dumbbell Romanian deadlifts (straight legs) x 3 sets x 10 reps

Just remember to adjust your weighs according to your rep range. On the lower rep days you will need to increase your resistance to make up for the limited number of repetitions.

Good luck and if you need to see what these exercises look like in action check out their descriptions in previous posts under the exercise part of my blog.

Cut the Cravings with the Right Food Choices - 1

Many people discuss cravings as things they absolutely can't control.  But guess what, you can control them if you start by choosing the right foods in your normal diet. Keep in mind though, if you are dealing with emotional cravings they have to be dealt with as well because food alone is still only one part of dealing with cravings.

Today I want to discuss cravings that occur because of how we might eat.

1. Many food yearnings have to do with stabilizing your blood sugar levels. Lean protein, small amounts of healthy fat, and fiber all contribute to healthy blood sugar balance.  Including these food groups in the right balance at every meal can prevent your insulin levels from climbing too high.  Frequently when blood sugar levels spike and then fall rapidly it causes us to crave things or be hungry when we've really had enough.

2. Always include high-fiber, nutrient dense (but low-calorie) foods such as fiber-rich vegetables, fruits, and whole grains to help you to feel fuller longer. Your body is less likely to crave things when it has the proper nutrients. Eliminate or moderate the high sugar, white flour, low nutrient, and low fiber foods in your diet.

Tomorrow I'll finish up with other tips to cut the cravings.

A Low-Cal Side Dish

Sometimes food can get boring when you are trying to lose weight. Adding a new food to your menu helps add some excitement back to meal-time. Sauteed Dandelion Greens is definitely a tasty and nutritious addition that will become a regular part of your meal plan.

Per serving there are 198 calories, 16 grams of carbs and 6 grams of fiber. A nutritional profile of this recipe is available. To reduce the amount of fat in the dish you can cut the oil down to 1/4 cup. This side goes great with chicken, meat or fish and can also be a vegetarian main dish by adding beans or tofu. Don't forget to save this recipe to your Nutrition Data Pantry.

Getting Lean & Tone: More or Less Repetitions?

Some people find that they enjoy lifting heavier weights for fewer repetitions, while others prefer lifting slightly lighter weights for more repetitions.

Let's classify that higher rep sets means performing an exercise for more than 12 repetitions. We'll consider rep ranges between 6-12 to be lower rep sets.

The key to changing your physique and developing lean and defined muscles is to lift challenging weights when going through your workouts.

So what exactly is a "challenging weight?"

It means trading in your dumbbells or other resistance for a weight that you take to momentary muscular failure. Of course, you don't want to look like one of those guys in the gym swinging the weights around like a bucking bronco, so make sure to keep an eye on your form. This will force you to concentrate on the muscles that are working and really develop the mind-muscle connection.

In terms of choosing lower or higher reps for better results, you should plan to incorporate both. This isn't a wishy-washy answer either… you actually get better results when you work in all repetition ranges.

Tomorrow, I'll show you how to design a program using just 3 exercises while working in high, medium, and low rep ranges. 

Disordered Eating or Eating Disorder?

Most of last week I discussed "disordered eating" from Self magazine. I spent so much time on this because these forms of eating are largely ignored by many dieters.  It seems minimized when it is so serious among such a large population. (And the men were not even included, although I am sure they also struggle with these same issues.)

As I have mentioned previously I think the last few categories are actually real eating disorders and in my 25 year experienced opinion, these unhealthy patterns should not be sugar coated simply as a form of "disordered eating." Frequently they can and do lead to more serious painful patterns of physical and emotional harm to the person.

Keep in mind dieters frequently don’t fit into just one category. Even Self magazine states, "Many disordered eaters piece together a painful mix of destructive habits over the years,... ricocheting from restricting to binging to purging, etc." The initial goal for Self readers was simple awareness of the behaviors. It is a good starting point for sure. From awareness it is up to the person to decide if she is really ready for help and support in this area of disordered eating. This takes an enormous amount of courage to acknowledge if you have this problem. I applaud anyone that can take this step to reach out. It's so easy to think, "I can do this by myself."

Readers please share your experiences with us on this serious and neglected subject.

Low-Carb Stir-Fry

Beef and Napa Cabbage Stir-Fry is an easy to prepare meal. From start to finish you can have this ready and on your table in 30 minutes. As a time saving tip you can buy shredded cabbage so it's all ready to go when it's time to start cooking.

Per serving there are 309 calories and 10 grams of carbs. A nutritional profile of this recipe is available. If your daily plan allows for it you can add 1/2 cup of brown rice, soba or rice noodles to this dish. Chicken breast is also a great alternative to the beef and will cut down on the calories and fat. Don't forget to save this recipe to your Nutrition Data Pantry.

Better Weight Loss Method: Diet or Exercise?

After meeting with a client today, they told me they had read that one of these methods was superior to the other in terms of weight loss.

They didn't know what to believe and have seen so many contradicting articles supporting one or the other.

Well, I'm here to tell you there is no one superior way to lose weight. While I agree that it may be easier at times to cut out 500 calories by eating less, I don't feel that severe calorie restricting diets lead to long-term weight loss. That's really the key point here… long term results. Pretty much any hardcore diet or exercise program will work for a few weeks, but then what? You can't maintain a super strict program forever.

Keep in mind that it's also very difficult to limit your physical activity and still hope to eat the amount of food that satisfies you. If you use less energy, you simply can't eat as many calories which leads to lower levels of compliance and as a result, less results.

Don't try to decide on what would be a better way for you to lose weight this spring. Instead, start creating a new healthier lifestyle that involves both proper nutrition and exercise. Increase your activity level and begin to eat healthier meals and snacks.

Every little bit counts and it's really the sum of the whole that gets you to your end goal.

If you're new to the NutritionData.com blog make sure to check back daily for cutting edge and useful tips on how to lose weight.

Categories of Emotional Eating - 3

Today I will finish up on the last categories of Self's categories of "disordered eating" patterns.

Category 5: "Food addicts eat to soothe stress, deal with anger, even celebrate a happy event; they think about food nearly all the time."

My comment: Many times this individual will say, "I just enjoy food." It's frequently a lot more than that. If a person is that "addicted" to food and eats all the time it can also be a response to emotions that the person is not dealing with. I call it "stuffing feelings."

Category 6: "Extreme exercisers work out despite illness, injury or exhaustion and solely for weight loss; they are devastated if they miss a session."

My comment: In addition to the general public, professional actors, dancers and sports advocates/athletes can find themselves caught up in this serious disorder affecting physical/emotional health, all in the name of their "sport" or activity.

Tomorrow I will discuss my final comments on this subject.

Adding more beans to your diet

Earlier this week I wrote about the Mediterranean diet and how grains and legumes are the body of the diet. Beans, which are part of the legume family, are low in calories and fat and high in fiber beans pack a huge nutritional punch. At HealthCastle.com they shared some key nutritional benefits, as well as, some easy ways to add beans into your diet.

Here are some bean recipes from Epicurious.com to try:
Pinto Beans with Chiles
Tuscan White Bean Salad with Spinach Olives and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Curried Lentil and