I'm sitting here writing this blog after some tough hill sprints earlier today and I just wanted to share with you an awesome article that Dr.Joseph Mercola shared with me on his facebook page.
Now, You're probably going to read a ton of diet information over the next few weeks on how to shape up after the festive season but I'm telling you now, take a quick look at this and you won't need to read another diet plan EVER again.
It will only take a few minutes and I feel as your fat loss coach it's important that you do: (When you finished reading the article make sure you come back here and read the rest of this blog: )
I was quite shocked when I first read this. Another reason to eat organic (what I've been saying all along!) and I will be keeping this in mind for 2010.
You should too.
Anyway, have a killer new years eve whatever you decide to do.
I'm going to a fancy dress party with my girl friend. I'm REALLY looking forward to it. The fancy dress theme is "Uniforms" and I'm going as a soldier. I'll put the pictures up on my facebook page for you to have a giggle at.
Oh, and if you haven't friended me on facebook yet, then make sure you do. : )
Here's to a successful 2010,
Sam
PS - here's the link to the article again. Make sure you read it if you value your health for 2010.
PPS - If you over indulged over the festive season and are looking to detoxify your system whilst losing some body fat then my FREE e-book "9 Powerful Secrets To Losing Bodyfat" is just the thing. It has a diet plan, home workouts and recipes that you can follow for 60 days to help you transform your body.
Just click on the link below and download it with my compliments. (It's all FREE!)
Today I want to share an interesting discussion I had with one of my friends only the other night. We were eating out in a swanky Thai restaurant that I’d been meaning to check out for a while so I thought I’d invite my friend along and make a night of it.
Towards the end of the night, our conversation turned to food and weight loss as it usually does when I’m out with friends. Now normally, I try to avoid beating my friends over the head with the “diet stick” when I’m out, however on this occasion my friend made a remark that I simply couldn’t let lie.
Here’s how it went:
After we had finished our meal (and yes it was healthy by the way!), my friend turned to me and said “God I really need to lose weight, I want to lose a stone.” I had heard this comment form her many times before so it was no surprise when I heard it again. “You don’t need to lose weight.” I replied. I got a puzzled look from my friend. Without sounding disrespectful, she won’t mind me saying that she’s a fairly big girl and we’ve had plenty of chats about her starting a course of healthy eating in the past and she’d be the first to admit that she DOES need to lose weight, so she was a little perplexed from my comment.
“What are you talking about?” She remarked, “Of course I need to lose weight, just look at me!” I could she was getting a little animated from my comment so I thought I’d best explain myself a little better. “You don’t need to lose weight.” I repeated, “you need to lose bodyfat.” “Is there a difference?” She said, thinking I was being funny with her.
“Yes…..a massive difference.” I replied deadly serious.
Let me explain the difference:
You see, losing Weight can be easy. All you have to do is stop eating, or reduce your calorie intake, lets say for a month and your weight on the scales will plummet.
Easy right?
You don’t even have to start an exercise program and you don’t really need to watch what you eat, just as long as you restrict those calories everything will be fine won’t it! After all, you want to lose weight right?
30 days pass and hey presto you’re half a stone lighter on the scales but you still have that bodyfat around your thighs that just doesn’t seem to shift and you’re still not happy with that wobbly area around your arms.
Hmm, bit of a problem right?
The problem with this method, (as some of you may already know) is that you’re heading for one big results plateau and it doesn’t take a genius to work out that this isn’t the most healthiest way to achieve your ideal bodyshape either. The weight lost isn’t all bodyfat (more of a water loss actually) and you may have lost more muscle tissue than bodyfat during this process especially if you weren’t consuming the right calories .
The exact opposite of what you should be doing when it comes to fatloss.
Let me put this another way…
By eating in this way you would have obtained what I call, a “damaged metabolism”, meaning your metabolism would have dropped like a stone making it even harder to burn bodyfat in the long run.
So in just under a month, you would have damaged your metabolism, you would have lost vital muscle tissue and your health would also take a bit of a battering too. Not only that but the weight that you lost will gradually creep back on aswell.
Great! What a complete waste of time!
Infact, you’d actually be in a worse position than when you started your nutrition journey. Not bad for a months work huh?
Ok, I’m being sarcastic here but you see what I’m getting at right?
I’ve been helping people with their weight, bodyfat , fitness and health for well over 10 years now yet so many people that I’ve come across during this time seem to be obsessed with weightloss and how much they weigh on the scales, whether they’ve lost a pound this week or put on another the following.
Here’s what we need to do:
Ditch the scales!
Scales are not the answer to fatloss.
The first thing I tell my clients in their first session is to stop weighing themselves every 5 minutes and use alternative ways of monitoring their results like body measurements, clothing sizes and how they generally feel as these methods tend to be far more accurate.
Take a look at THIS weekly weigh in and then carry on reading!
(If you don’t mind some bad language that is)
Ok, I’m using this “fun” video to label my point about the use of scales, but I firmly believe that weekly weigh ins or scale use are NOT the answer for monitoring fatloss success.
You see, scales don’t give you the full picture when it comes to fatloss. Infact they give you anything BUT the full picture!
Lets say you’ve lost bodyfat but gained some muscle tissue over a 4 week period which is a good thing because having more muscle tissue on your body frame will help you burn calories at a quicker rate. You hop on the scales and it looks like you haven’t lost anything when infact you have.
You’ve lost bodyfat and gained muscle but your weight on the scales has remained the same. This is then usually followed by a knee-jerk reaction with people thinking that they need to lose weight again so they begin to reduce their calories again and then the metabolism drops causing another fatloss plateau.
Anyway, where were we?
Back to the subject of weight loss versus fatloss. Losing Bodyfat (and bodyfat alone) is so much harder than losing weight although is so much more effective.
Losing bodyfat (not bodyweight) is what everyone should be focusing on if they’re serious about their fatloss success instead of constantly turning to the scales to monitor their improvements.
Boosting our metabolism is what we should be concentrating on rather than excessive use of the scales and calorie restricted diets that don’t do anyone any favors for the long run.
Losing bodyfat requires discipline & commitment.
It requires organisation & lifestyle changes.
It requires workouts that are going to kickstart your metabolism.
It requires good, clean wholesome nutrition free from additives, preservatives, stabilisers, pesticides etc.
It requires the right sleep at the right time.
Sounds a lot to do right, however if you can implement all these things whilst maintaining a positive can-do attitude throughout then I guarantee that you’ll start to see some great results.
I don’t need to say that fatloss ALWAYS wins over weightloss.
And if you’re still wondering why you haven’t achieved the body of your dreams yet or you’re still holding that excess bodyfat then do yourself a favour and get the ball in motion.
Start working on fatloss rather than weightloss.
Do it today!
My friend is definitely going to make the change (after I bent her ear for near enough half an hour although she does now know the difference between weightloss and fatloss).
I hope you do too now?
If you want some more advice on fatloss strategies that work then My free fatloss report “9 Powerful Secrets To Losing Bodyfat” is a major step in the right direction. No calorie counting, no meal restrictions, no weighing and measuring or any other nonsense, just good, clean, healthy and wholesome foods that focuses on boosting your metabolism for the long run.
Well, it’s the start of week three and I can genuinely say that I’m feeling much better than I did on week one.
Any “detox-nasties” that were still left in my system seem to have disappeared and I’m feeling fresh, revitalised and ready to attack week three now so beware! : )
I myself have lost a couple of pounds (although this wasn’t the main reason why I’m doing the diet, I’m doing it for the health benefits) and I’m looking leaner and more defined than I have done in a while.
I’m working hard with my exercise (although not becoming obsessed with it!) making sure I get in 3 workouts per week whether it be at my local gym or in my garden. My stomach muscles are starting to come through again (yay!). I didn’t have much excess bodyfat in the first place if I’m being honest, although I am starting to notice some changes now, which is good.
I’m drinking plenty of fresh clean water (although not filtered water). As I’ve been saying for quite some time now using a high powered “super-duper” water filter can not be as great as we might think!
Why?
Well as well as sucking out all the bad bacteria, it also takes the good bacteria with it too so I’ve been opting for Evian bottled water.
So anyway whilst I’ve got you here, I just wanted to take some time out to talk to you about the 2 diet techniques that I refer to in my report and that’s Metabolic Typing and calorie zigzagging.
I’ve had 3 of the same question hitting my mailbox this week and the question was “when to start eating according to your metabolic type” and “when to start zig-zagging calories?”
Good questions these but you can relax!
These 2 diet techniques are implemented on day 50 (Week 8) of the Diet Challenge so you’ve got a while yet although it won’t hurt to find out what metabolic type you are now! You can go here to fill out the questionnaire and find out more info on it if you like (if you haven’t done so already).
So for now, keep going as you are (Remember this is a 60 day commitment so don’t stop here), and here are three more fat burning tips to help you stay on course this week
Cut out the alcohol
Having a drink whilst on this detox will not only seriously reduce your strength and recovery after your workouts but will also put a “screaming halt” on your fatloss goals.
I mentioned the affects of “acetate” in my report but incase it didn’t go in the first time, let me refresh your memory : )
Alcohol is converted into a substance called acetate and this stuff is bad news if you wan to burn that stubborn bodyfat.
You see, acetate stays in your system for a very long time. A car engine typically uses only the one source of fuel, however your body on the other hand draws from a number of energy sources such as protein, carbohydrates and fats.
The choice of fuel (for your body) is dictated by its availability. In other words, your body will use whatever you feed it! So when acetate levels rise, your body simply burns more acetate (for fuel) and LESS FAT!
The exact opposite of what you want to achieve!
So in essence, acetate pushes FAT to the back of the cue.
Need I say more? Do yourself a favour and cut it out completely for the next few weeks.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying “don’t ever drink alcohol ever again” that would be both foolish and unrealistic but what I am saying is that you do need to stay off the source for the next few weeks if you want to see some great results by Day 60.
And if you want some more reasons to stay sober for the rest of this challenge then check this out : )
Classic eh? Although some of those guys must have been seriously intoxicated to do some of the stuff they were doing : (
Ok, midway through week 2 and I'm still receiving amazing reports of people losing on average between 6-9 pounds and thats just in the first few weeks!
And from the reports I've been receiving from alot of you, the "detox nasties" seem to be well and truly over and the increase in energy, mental clarity and general wellbeing is huge!
This is great news. keep it up guys, we've only just begun!
The next 2 weeks you can expect to further enhance your fatloss, excess fluid loss and increase muscle tone, further reduce your parasite population (if they were high!) and your energy levels will continue to rise too. Mine have noticeably started to get better, I actually feel like I have a spring in my step again and I've had some of my best workouts this week!
So things are looking good for you at the moment!
Hang in there!
So anyway, I wanted to blog my meal plan for today that I promised you from my last message and if you remember, all the ingredients were bought from my local farmers market at the start of the week so the chicken is fresh and the fuit and veg is all organic.
I actually find this way of shopping, coincidentally, MUCH cheaper than shopping "all organic" in the big chain supermarkets so before you start shouting me down saying "hey, organic is too expensive" then think again.
Ive said it once and I'll say it again. We don't have to break the bank to eat healthily! And if you want another reason to eat organically, then read my article "How Toxic Are You?" in the main forums area of my new community I'm building.
Oh and by the way, if I can make time to go down to my local farmers market once a week then I'm sure YOU can too so there really is no excuse NOT to eat organically whilst following this diet.
OK, mini rant over : )
I love you all really!
Here's my meal plan for the next couple of days
Breakfast Organic muesli with rice milk mixed seeds and raisons sprinkled on top.
Mid Morning Organic peanut butter with Celery sticks
Lunch Grilled chicken with Green leafy Salad
Mid Afternoon Half a handful of Mixed nuts with plain natural live yoghurt
Dinner Chicken Both (leftovers for tomorrow) See Recipe uploaded.
Remember to eat a varied diet to avoid cravings guys!
Well, its week two and by all accounts from the emails I’ve been receiving today and over the weekend, people are doing really well.
Most people so far on average have lost between 5 and 9 pounds. Some losing more and some less but on the whole though some good results right?
(Remember there are no “rules” as to how much you’ll lose and at what rate you’ll lose it.)
I myself have dropped 4 pounds so far (I must have been REALLY toxic over the Christmas period!) but after having some minor headaches over the weekend I feel much more energised now.
So look, here’s a bunch of tips for you all this week to fast track your fatloss even further : )
Eat little and often throughout the day.
This will help to keep your energy levels steady so that you don’t feel tired at any point during the day
Eat protein with every meal.
Base each meal around some protein (either meat, fish, chicken or half a handful of nuts if you’re snacking) as this will help hunger stay locked up for a lot longer and will stop you from snacking on sugar.
Drink plenty of fresh, clean water.
Water will help flush out the toxins and by-products you’ve been consuming over the festive season. A general rule of thumb is to try and drink a litre of water for every 50 pounds you weigh. So, if you weigh 10 stone, you should be drinking just under 3 litres of plain, clean water every day.
Eat plenty of fruit and veg (but don’t go mad!)
Eat 5 portions of fruit and veg a day. Make sure it’s fresh and steer clear of anything tinned, canned or frozen as these have been processed to a certain degree.
Stay off the caffeine!
All caffeine beverages are out (that includes coffee and decaf). Decaffeinated coffee (incidentally) is actually VERY processed because of the chemicals used to remove the caffeine so steer clear of this too : )
There you go! 4 more detox diet speed up tips
OK, I’m off to my local farmers market tomorrow to get my fresh fruit and vegetables for the week. I’m also going to stop in on my local butchers to stock up on some fresh meat and chicken.
I’ll keep you posted on what recipes I did with these purchases later this week to give you some more ideas on what to eat.
Well it’s the end of the first week of my Diet Challenge (only 7 weeks to go, yay!) and already I’m starting to receive early success stories from you. : )
Now if you’re anything like me, you maybe starting to feel the affects from eliminating your banned foods.
Everyone is different when it comes to side affects. Most people following my diet will experience these symptoms for a few days, provided they’re not cheating! For others, they will linger for a little longer and for many, they may not kick in until week 2.
Some won’t experience hardly ANY symptoms at all!(hey that’s not fair!)
The thing is, symptoms can vary from person to person.
YOU may experience one symptom more than say, your best friend (for instance if you drink a lot of caffeine, such as coffee, tea, coke or any other caffeine beverage then it’s pretty common to get headaches or migraines).
If you eat a lot of sugar (or processed food) you may get some kind of sugar craving.
Whatever category you fall into, you can rest assured that there’s no right or wrong so relax.
Everyone is unique.
My advice is hang in there, these affects won’t last for long, provided you stick to all my guidelines. Drink plenty of water as this will help flush out all the toxins(that are causing your symptoms) a little quicker and take some hot baths as this will speed up the toxin release too : )
Now you maybe thinking "Oh, it's ok, I'll just have a bit of chocolate or a quick coffee...surely that won't hurt?"
Well let me tell you that it WILL hurt, and it WILL make a difference.
Here's why...
You know I said that these symptoms usually only last for a few days? well guess what, if you add MORE toxins into your system whilst your trying to expel all the old ones, then these symptoms will last alot longer than a few days!
Now if you're anything like me, I'd prefer to get them over and done with in just a few days rather than have them drag on for longer wouldn't you?
So look, it’s plain and simple, be determined that you WILL complete these 60 days and refuse to stop.
I know you can do it!
In the mean time here’s a workout you can do if you want to speed up your results : )
Enjoy your weekend and I’ll catch up with you on Monday
Well, Day 3 and I'm getting into the swing of things now.
Still no sign of any withdrawal symptoms yet although I'm NOT counting my chickens too soon. From previous times of following my report I personally have a tendancy to get sweet cravings and mild headaches from eliminating sugar but it might be different thi times round (We'll see!). No major side effects (such as bloating, gas etc) as yet, although I'm aware of it so I'm looking forward to maybe experiencing some of those at some point....hmmm not!
Have had a VERY busy morning today and I have a busy afternoon and evening ahead of me so I'm just chilling for a bit after my garden workout. It was only 20 minutes but hey, it's better than nothing and I put a big effort in for those 20 minutes.
Gotta dash,
Speak with you tomorrow and in the mean time, here's a fun video that you should watch before your next workout and another reason why you don't need to be a member of a health club or a gym to to get the fatloss results you're after : )
Watch this now and don't forget to turn your speakers up! : )
Sam Winkworth
ps - don't forget to leave me a message here to see how you're getting on ok?
pps - Feeling brave?
Tell me what you weigh and some of your measurements so that we can track your progress over the 30 days.
Feeling braver?
Submit a photograph or start your very own diet blog and chronicle your own journey.
