And yes this recipe contains (gasp!) honey.  But it’s a relatively small amount spread across 4 servings, so I don’t think that’s a bad thing for cooking purposes.  But if you want to skip it, that’s entirely up to you.  Same goes for the tamari (gluten free soy sauce).  If you want to absolutely avoid any and all soy products you’ll get no argument from me.  But I personally have never had using a touch of tamari or soy sauce hinder my weight loss efforts.

With all of that said, here is the easy and delicious grilled honey lime chicken recipe:

Ingredients

2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, halved.

2 tbs lime juice.

1 tbs apple cider vinegar.

1 tbs honey.

1 tsp tamari sauce.

1 clove of garlic, minced.

1/2 tsp onion powder.

1/4 tsp black pepper.

Cooking

Place all of the ingredients into a small sauce pan except for the chicken.  Stir over low heat until all ingredients are blended well.  I found that using low heat made it easy to mix the honey, but that may not be necessary (I’m sure a blender or food processor would work just fine).  Allow the mixture to cool.

Place the chicken in a large zip lock plastic bag.  Pour the marinade over the chicken, seal the bag, and then move the chicken around the bag so it is coated well.  Place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, “mixing” the bag occasionally.

Heat your grill and then cook the chicken until done.  Serve immediately with a side of vegetables or store in the refrigerator to be used as a protein source with salads.  Enjoy!

What would you add or subtract from this recipe?  What would you serve along with it?  Let me know in the comments below.

Train Hard!

~ Vic

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Hey there, Vic here and I’m about to engage in one of my favorite past times on this blog. . . bashing McDonald’s.  I’ve slammed their oatmeal, lambasted their Happy Meal, and ranted about a recent partnering with Weight Watchers.  But today I’m talking about their admittance to having used a chemical in their hamburger that is also used in fertilizers, household cleaners, and even homemade explosives.

Yahoo News reports that McDonald’s stopped using ammonium hydroxide in the production of its hamburgers as of August 2011.  But what about before then?  How many YEARS where they including a substance also used in cleaners as part of the meat they served to “billions” as their signs so boldly claim?  I suppose we’ll never know how many years it was part of their process, but we all should know not to eat the crap that comes from McDonald’s.  Ever.

But the other interesting thing about the Yahoo article, is that it also listed 6 other chemicals found in common food items:

1.  Propylene glycol. This chemical is very similar to ethylene glycol, a dangerous anti-freeze. This less-toxic cousin prevents products from becoming too solid and is present in some ice creams.

2.  Carmine.  This chemical comes from crushed cochineal (small red beetles). Husks of the beetle are ground up and form the basis for red coloring found in foods ranging from cranberry juice to M&Ms.

3.  Shellac. Yes, this chemical used to finish wood products also gives some candies their sheen.

4.  L-cycsteine. This common dough enhancer comes from hair, feathers, hooves, and bristles.

5.  Lanolin.  The goopiness of chewing gum comes from lanolin – oils from sheep’s wool.

6.  Silicon dioxide. Silicon dioxide is SAND.  It’s used as an anti-caking agent is found in many foods including shredded cheese and fast food chili.

But here is the real kicker and why I say these chemicals are “hidden”. . . these chemicals are considered part of the “component in a production procedure” by the USDA, and consumers may not know when the chemical is in their food.  In other words, you will not find them on the ingredient label.

So what do you do?  I think you already know the answer to that question. . . Avoid fast food and other processed junk and stick to fresh vegetables, fruits, meats, and nuts.  And yes I know that even with the fresh food there will be pesticides with produce and possible growth hormones with the meat.  But you have to do the best you can with the available resources.  And McDonald’s and other processed foods are never the best you can do.

What do you think about the chemical additives in food?  Let me know in the comments below.

Train Hard!

~ Vic

Men Click Here for a FREE presentation with unique tips for losing your belly fat and getting ripped six pack abs.

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I’ve been experimenting with a few different fasting protocols over the past two weeks or so and plan on continuing tweaking my experiment over the next 5 or 6 weeks.  I’ll let you in on one of the big purposes of this experiment - I’m trying to find a fat loss eating and fasting cycle that includes a cheat day each week that I can 100% fully endorse.

You see I hate cheat days.  And it’s not that they can’t work, it’s that in my experience they often don’t work due to the psychological implications as opposed to the physiological response.  It too often creates a slippery slope mindset for people. . . “Well if I can eat what ever I want on Saturday, then a bite or two that strays from my plan on Wednesday won’t make a difference.”  And that is why for the most part I do not endorse cheat days, especially for your first 31 Days.

That being said, I know that people want a cheat day.  And I know that there are other good fat loss programs that incorporate cheat days.  And let’s face it, the fact is that I get some weird satisfaction with treating myself like a lab rat and testing various training and diet methods and reporting the results.

Right now, it’s too soon to report any conclusive results (although I did drop just over 7 lbs the first week).  But I thought I’d share some of what I’ve been up to in case you feel like experimenting yourself:

Fasted training and delaying the post workout meal.  After I wake up, I walk and feed Coda and then make some coffee.  I drink one or two cups of black coffee and then hit the gym around 10:00am.  I come home take a shower, meditate for a few minutes, and then have my first meal of the day at around 11:00am.

I know this flies in the face of what is commonly believed for post-workout nutrition.  But studies have shown that there is an increase in Human Growth Hormone immediately post workout.  I have also read (although I can’t find a study at the time of this writing) that insulin will suppress HGH.  And anytime you eat, there will be insulin. So that’s why I’m holding off that first meal for an hour after training.

Limit feeding to an 8 hour window.  This is one of the methods that Roman mentioned in a recent article on his site.  For me that means that on most days I eat between the hours of 11:00am and 7:00pm.  That usually includes two meals and two snacks.  I also often drink a cup or two of chamomile tea after 7:00pm (helps me sleep).

Cheat day followed by 24+ hour fast.  On Saturdays I do my normal coffee, training, eat an hour later routine.  But I eat what I want from that first Saturday meal all the way until breakfast on Sunday (damn I do love homefried potatoes).  After Sunday breakfast (usually around 9:30am), I do not eat again until Monday after training (usually 11:00am).  So this “feast and fast” cycle has me going just a tad over 24 hours without eating.  I don’t do any heavy training on the fast day, but have been taking a leisurely 2 hour walk.

So that’s what I’m playing around with these days.  I had good weight loss the first week, my training numbers are all looking good, and my overall energy levels feel great.  I have had a few nights of disrupted sleep where I’ll fall asleep around 9:30pm, wake up around 2:00am, and then fall back asleep until around 5:30am.  That’s happened twice so far but I can’t say whether or not it’s related to the fasting protocols or other factors.

My overall belief about intermittent fasting, based on my current experiment and previous experience over the past few years, is that it is worth trying.  Any “fears” about trying it are unfounded – your life preserver is always as close as the refrigerator if you feel that you must eat something.

And since this seems to be a “hot topic” right now, I’m happy to report that I’ll have a TON of really cool videos and articles over the next week from Roman about IF.

What intermittent fasting methods have you tried?  24 hour fast?  Limiting food intake to certain hours?  Something else?  Let me know in the comments below.

Train Hard!

~ Vic

Men Click Here for a FREE presentation with unique tips for losing your belly fat and getting ripped six pack abs.

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Hey there, Vic here and today I have a guest post from John “Roman” Romaniello.  Roman is a New York City based personal trainer who has been featured in Men’s Health, Shape, and Good Morning America.  One of his specialties is stubborn fat loss through hormone optimization and one of his favorite tactics for getting those hormones in-line is intermittent fasting.

I’ve experimented with intermittent fasting myself with good results.  But my expertise on this subject is no where near the level of Roman’s.  And with that, I’ll let Roman take it away. . .

INTERMITTENT FASTING may well be the most discussed dietary concept on the Internet right now.

Like many other “breakout” diets, intermittent fasting (IF) is growing by leaps and bounds; however, unlike most of the other diets, IF is gaining ground despite that the practice challenges many long-help assumptions about nutrition.

In fact, practicing IF forces you to eat in direct opposition to those assumptions, and that—along with the results—it what’s generating all the buzz.

Before we get into the why and the how, let’s first discuss the basics of the what.

What is Intermittent Fasting?

The most accurate definition is the simplest one: IF is merely alternating intervals of not eating (fasting) with times where you are allowed to eat.

Or, to use IF parlance, you alternate a fasting period with a feeding window.  How long each will be varies depending on which “type” of IF programming you select—and there are several.

The differences come from expanding the fasting window.  The fasting period on specific plans can range from 16 hours all the way up to 36 hours (with several stops in between), and each of those specific plans will have benefits.

It’s also important to note that every one of us does some form of fasting, whether you realize it or not.  The least technical-while-still-being-accurate definition of fasting is simply “not eating,” so anytime you’re not eating, you’re fasting.

Most of us aren’t on a structured timetable of meals where the window of fasting is constant, so rather than fasting intermittently, we’re fasting haphazardly—and there’s no benefit there.

The exception for most people is sleep.  When you’re sleeping, you’re fasting; therefore most of us have a fairly rigid fasting period of 6-8 hours per night, until we eat in the morning.  It is for this reason, by the way, that our morning meal is called “breakfast,” as you are literally breaking your overnight fast.

Which brings me to my next point. . .

The Most Important Meal of the Day? Intermittent Fasting Science Tackles the Insidious Scourge of Breakfast!

Breakfast is sort of a hot topic in the IF world, and in fact seems to be the first point of contention for people looking in on intermittent fasting from the outside.  Don’t we need breakfast?

Intermittent Fasting proponents tend to say no…which flies in the face of much of the dietary advice coming from every authority from Registered Dietitians to MDs.  But the IF proponents… these dudes hate breakfast.

Here’s why: for years, we’ve been told that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  In fact, many people are often scolded by their physicians for skipping breakfast—particularly people who are embarking on a plan to lose weight.

There is some credence here, by the way: a study conducted in 2008 showed that participants who ate a calorically dense breakfast lost more weight than those that didn’t.  The espoused theory for the results was that the higher caloric intake early in the day led people to snack less often and lowered caloric intake overall.

The value of that study has been questioned for many reasons, not the least of which is that despite the fact that roughly 90% of Americans eat breakfast, close to 50% of Americans are overweight.  If eating breakfast is the first step to weight loss, then something else is going wrong.

More evidence seems to support the breakfast idea, though. There are some epidemiological studies that show a connection between skipping breakfast and higher body weight.

However, the crux of the breakfast study is ultimately that a larger breakfast leads to lower overall caloric intake. That is, the argument for a larger breakfast ultimately boils down to energy balance; if that study is reliant on the position that weight loss comes down of calories in versus calories out, then the make up of the food shouldn’t matter.  But clearly, something else is going on.

The only real argument that the breakfast crowd has is insulin sensitivity.  As a very basic note on what this is and why this matters the more sensitive your body is to insulin, the more likely you are to lose fat and gain muscle.  Increasing insulin sensitivity almost always leads to more efficient dieting.

Getting back to it, supporters of eating breakfast declare that as insulin sensitivity is higher in the morning, eating a carbohydrate rich breakfast is going to have the greatest balance of taking in a large amount of energy without the danger of weight gain.

This brings us back to IF.  You see, insulin sensitivity isn’t higher “in the morning”; it’s higher after the 8-10 hour fasting periods you experience if you sleep.  Or more specifically, insulin sensitivity is higher when glycogen levels are depleted; as liver glycogen will be somewhat depleted from your sleeping fast.

Intermittent fasting takes that a step further: it seems that extending the fasting period beyond that 8-10 hours by skipping breakfast (and therefore further depleting glycogen) will increase insulin even further.

Insulin sensitivity is also increased post-exercise (due to further glycogen depletion in addition to other mechanisms), and so I feel it makes to most sense to compound benefits by training in a fasted state and then having your first meal after training.

Ultimately, this all means that there’s nothing special about breakfast and no need to eat first thing in the morning—the first meal you eat to break your fast will be exposed to the benefits of increased insulin sensitivity.

On the other hand, there’s nothing inherently evil about breakfast, either; that is, even if you practice some form of fasting, you can still eat breakfast.  Remember, the more important part is the length of the fast, not the time of the fast.  Skipping breakfast just happens to be the easiest way to implement a fast.

A discussion that mentions skipping breakfast—or any meal, really—will invariably lead into a discussion of meal frequency, which leads me to my next point.

On Frequency: Intermittent Fasting Crusaders Battle the Myth of Six Meals

And now we come to what seems that over the past 15-20 years, hundreds of diet books have been printed, and no two were identical.  In fact, some of them have been in direct opposition to one another.

Calorie-restrictive plans like Weight Watchers certainly don’t agree with plans like the Atkins diet, the first iteration of which allowed dieters to at all they want, as long as they kept carbs low.

Similarly, carb conscious plans generally call for products like yogurt or cottage cheese to be used as portable sources of protein, but many plans to reject dairy products altogether.

Despite the incredibly disparate natures of so many of these diets, the one thing that has been consistently suggested in most books published over the past 20 years is the frequency of meals.

If you’ve read a diet book, seen a nutritionist or hired a personal trainer at any point during that time, you’ve probably been told that in order to lose weight, you need to eat 5-6 small meals per day.  (Note: this suggestion is sometimes phrased as “3 meals and 2 snacks.”)

This style of eating, commonly referred to as the frequent feeding model, is popular with everyone from dieticians to bodybuilders, and has been repeated so often for so long that it’s generally taken as fact.

Which it isn’t.

In fact, the reputed benefits of eating small meals more often have never been scientifically validated.

The first and most commonly cited of these is that eating frequently “stokes the metabolic fire.”  Put less colloquially, the theory suggests that since eating increases your metabolic rate, the more often you eat, the more your metabolic rate will be elevated.  That’s true, but it doesn’t lead to more fat loss—in fact, it’s been scientifically borne out that there won’t be a difference at all.

When you eat, your metabolic rate increased because of the energy required to break down the food you’ve taken in.  This is called the Thermic Effect of Food, or TEF.  So, while you’re be experiencing energy expenditure due to TEF every time you eat, the net effect is no different regardless of how many times you eat, as long as the total amount of food is the same.

You see, TEF is directly proportional to caloric intake, and if caloric intake is the same, at the end of the day, there will be no metabolic difference between eating 5-6 meals or 2-3.  In fact, as long as the total calories are the same, you can eat ten meals or one meal, and you’ll still get the same metabolic effect.

Further, one study has shown that eating more frequently is less beneficial from the perspective of satiety, or feeling “full.”  Which means that the more often you eat, the more likely you are to be hungry—leading to higher caloric intake and eventual weight gain.

Intermittent Fasting guru Martin Berkhan has summarized this study, it’s meaning, and the effects of such things quite well, but suffice it to say that it seems people who eat larger meals less frequently take in fewer calories and are more satisfied doing so.

A smaller number of meals obviously fits well into fasting protocols—if you are condensing the amount of time you’re “allowed” to eat into a small window of 4-8 hours, having more than 2-3 meals becomes impractical at best and impossible at worst.

Calories, Hormones, and Eternal Life (Okay, Not Really): The Benefits of Intermittent Fasting

Obviously, above and beyond the debunking of long-believed myths, there are numerous benefits to Intermittent Fasting that make it so popular.

Firstly, as we’ve established thus far, people who practice IF eat less frequently.  In addition to feeling hungry less often, and more full when they do eat, these people benefit in terms of practicality and logistics.

After all, eating fewer meals means fewer meals and/or buying fewer meals.  In addition to saving you time (and, probably, money), this also means that you exposed to flavors less often, and are therefore less likely to get bored and eat something you shouldn’t.

We’ve also mentioned that eating less frequently tends to result in eating fewer calories overall, but that’s a pretty important point so it bears repeating: eating less frequently tends to result in eating few calories overall.

And speaking of caloric restriction: that brings us to another benefit.  IF plans that require full day fasting drastically reduce your calorie intake, so if you are using a style of IF which requires you to fast for 24 hours twice per week, you’re reducing your food intake by about 30%.  It’s not hard to see how that would lead to weight loss.

Going a little further, by restricting calories, you’re forcing the body to look elsewhere than the gut for energy, which can encourage cellular repair. That is, a cell will turn to its own damaged proteins for energy.  While that cycle would be bad in the long term, keep in mind you’re only fasting for “brief” periods; when you eat again the cell will use the new cell-stuff replace the old cell-stuff that’s been consumed.  All told, this phenomenon—which, again, stems from caloric restriction—can generally help prevent both disease and age.

For something more specific: one study out of the University of Utah showed that people who fasted just one day per month were 40% less likely to suffer from clogged arteries.

While there’s certainly a lot to be said for caloric restriction, it’s important to keep in mind that intermittent fasting isn’t just about eating fewer calories—there are also hormonal benefits that lead to improved body composition.

For starters, there’s the improved insulin sensitivity that comes with fasting, especially when paired with exercises, as we’ve covered; however, fasting has other hormonal benefits, including (but not limited to) an increase in the secretion of growth hormone (GH).

Growth Hormone has a myriad benefits—a discussion of which in full is beyond the scope of this writing—but for our purposes it’s enough to say that the more GH your produce, the faster you can lose fat and gain muscle.  Additionally, GH tends to offset the effects of cortisol, which is (in part) related to belly fat storage; so it seems likely that fasting can help you lose belly fat, at least indirectly.

Still not satisfied?  Well, if you need another benefit, fasting reduces inflammation as well, which can have implications for improved immunity as well as increased fat loss.

Wrapping Up: 

The most important thing to remember about Intermittent Fasting is that it isn’t a “diet” —it’s a way of eating, a nutritional lifestyle that will allow you to reach your goals in an efficient and convenient manner, and then hold onto your physique once you achieve them.

And while IF isn’t for everyone, nor is it a perfect plan, it’s certainly an effective way to lose weight.

In addition to the hormonal benefits inherent in the practice, you’ll also feel more satisfied with your food, feel hungry less often, and probably save some money on food!

Moreover, you may live longer…if, you know, you’re into that.

So, even if you never try IF, you can at least appreciate that it’s forced the fat loss industry at large to re-evaluate the “truths” we tend to cling to.

Perhaps it’s for this reason that Intermittent Fasting seems to be generally received with appreciation and acceptance, while low carb diets, Paleo eating and absurdities like the “Twinkie diet” all have people on both sides of the line either praising or lambasting them.

That is, Intermittent Fasting is well received once people see the research.  And there’s a simple reason for that: it works.

_________________

Thanks, Roman!  Over the course of the past few years I’ve often used a 20 – 24 hour fast once per week to aid fat loss.  Currently I’m experimenting with training in a fasted state and limiting my overall “feeding window” to eight hours each day.  From my own experience, I know that intermittent fasting can be an effective fat loss tactic.

Have you tried intermittent fasting?  What were your results?  Let me know in the comments below.

Train Hard!

~ Vic

Men Click Here for a FREE presentation with unique tips for losing your belly fat and getting ripped six pack abs.

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Hey there, Vic here and I just had a small snack of 8 almonds and half of a grapefruit.  Almonds are a great source of healthy fat and I eat a few nearly every day.  Some other good sources of healthy fat are grass fed beef, free range eggs, naturally raised lamb, salmon, tuna, walnuts, macadamia nuts, avocado, extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil and an essential fatty acid supplement.

Unfortunately the old advice of eating a “low fat diet” still gets passed around and people are skeptical when I say that you not only can, but should, include healthy fats in your weight loss nutrition plan.  Below are 6 reasons to include healthy fat in your diet:

1.  You feel full.  Including some healthy fat in your meals slows down absorption and will make you feel full for longer.  If you’ve experienced eating a plain salad and then being hungry 30 minutes later, be sure to include some healthy fats with your salad.  I love grilled steak with my salad (also a great protein source) and I’m a big fan of homemade salad dressing using extra virgin olive oil as the main ingredient.  Slivered almonds, crushed walnuts, and chopped avocado also make great additions to salad.

2.  Vitamin use.  Dietary fat is needed for your body to use Vitamins A, D, E, and K.  That’s why they are known as “fat soluble vitamins”.

3.  Help lower cholesterol.  Monounsaturated fats, such as those found in extra virgin olive oil, can help lower “bad” LDL cholesterol.

4.  Reduce inflammation.  Inflammation can be caused by a poor Omega-3/Omega-6 essential fatty acid balance (with the Omega-6 typically being way too high).  Good sources of Omega-3 fatty acids include the “fatty” fish such as salmon and tuna.  Personally, I hate to cook fish because I don’t like the smell in my tiny apartment.  That’s why I take Prograde’s EFA Icon supplement daily (no fish burps with the krill oil!).

5.  Heart health.  Once again, the Omega-3/Omega-6 essential fatty acid balance is important for cardiovascular health.  Eat your fish or consider a supplement.

6.  Brain health.  Hey, the Omega-3 thing is coming up again and I wasn’t even trying to make this an article specifically about them. . .  Anyway, Psychology Today reports that Omega-3 fatty acids are good for your brain going as far as saying that if your diet provides the essential, good fats, your brain cells can manufacture higher-quality nerve cell membranes and influence positively your nerve cells’ ability to function at their peak capacity.

7.  Better vision.  And lets do one more for that superstar Omega-3!  The National Eye Institute reports that Omega-3 fatty acids may halt vision-robbing blood vessel growth in the retina.

Without a doubt, healthy fat is an important part of your diet.  And yes, even if you are trying to lose weight.  The next time your hear someone talk about a “low-fat” diet, remember the many important ways the body benefits from dietary fat.

Do you still focus on eating a “low fat” diet?  Do you make it a point to get Omega-3 fatty acids in your diet?  Let me know in the comments below.

Train Hard!

~ Vic

P.S. – If you’re taking a fish oil supplement, or you’re thinking about taking one, you MUST read this FREE report from my friends over at Prograde Nutrition about fish oil. Check it out here…

But there is no need to jump completely off of the fat loss path when planning gets neglected.  Here are some ideas of snacks or meals to eat when you fail to plan. . .

First, commit that if at all possible you will go to the grocery store for your emergency food source.  With express check out lines (10 items or less!) and now even self-serve checkout lines, there is no excuse to favor a drive-thru window for the sake of speed.  And if you hit the grocery store and the express lanes are backed up, it’s probably a safe bet that the drive-thrus are also backed up.

When you get to the grocery store, consider these quick and healthy choices:

Tuna and carrots.  Grab a can of tuna with the pull-ring top or one of the newer style vacuum packed bags of tuna.  Next pick up a bag of the pre-cut and peeled baby carrots.  Sure carrots are a bit higher on the glycemic index than other vegetable choices, but in an emergency situation they are a much better choice than anything at a fast food restaurant.  And it’s not like I’m suggesting that you eat the whole bag – just eat about a handful and save the rest for later.  Also, be sure to pick up a plastic fork from the paper products section or the salad bar area if you’re eating on the go.  Speaking of the salad bar area. . .

Salad bar.  Many (if not most) grocery stores now have a salad bar in the produce section.  Often they even have the option of spinach or mixed greens instead of bland and boring iceberg.  Load up on the veggies, go easy on the protein source unless you know they were prepared fresh at the grocery store (sometimes grilled chicken will be available), and skip any dressing other than vinegar.

Nuts.  You can often find raw nuts in the produce section.  But another good place to check is the baking section – the bags of almonds or walnuts will likely be smaller than what you will find in the produce section.  And sometimes (if you’re lucky) you can even find raw almonds or cashews at convenience stores or gas stations.  Just do your best to avoid nuts with added sugar, salt, or oils.

Apples.  Always available in the produce section of the grocery store (and often available in convenience stores), apples are perfect for a quick snack on the go.  No peeling or other preparation needed and reasonably sturdy when compared to other fruits for travel purposes, apples are great if you catch yourself needing a snack when you haven’t planned ahead.

When you find yourself in that “emergency” situation when you are hungry enough to make bad food choices but you haven’t planned ahead, get to the closest grocery store and hit the express lane with tuna and carrots, the salad bar, nuts, or an apple.

What do you eat when you’re on the go and you’ve failed to plan ahead?  Let me know in the comments below.

Train Hard!

~ Vic

Men Click Here for a FREE presentation with unique tips for losing your belly fat and getting ripped six pack abs.

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Hey there, Vic here and I’m very excited to bring you a great success story!  Chris Denson is someone who truly “gets it” when it comes to diet and training (look at those pics!).  He’s a 45 year old father of five and grandfather of three who has totally transformed his body.  Chris dropped 45 lbs, going from 214 lbs to 169 lbs over the course of 6 months, and was gracious enough to share his story and answer a few questions about his transformation.  Check it out. . .

What motivated you to lose weight? Was there a “final straw” event like a doctor telling you to lose weight or seeing an old picture of yourself?

For quite a few years now, I have been pretty consistent at working out in the gym and participating in Martial Arts.  It seemed I was always active yet had been steadily gaining weight and my overall health declining.  The frustration of continuing to gain weight and seemingly hours in the gym that showed no significant changes caused me to question what was wrong.  Years back, one of my good friends (who competed as a natural bodybuilder) had tried to help me realize the error in my eating ways, but I just ignored his advice using the rationalization that he just had better genes and the eating habits he recommended really didn’t make that big of a difference.

After having to add yet another med (Asthma inhaler) to my daily regiment of High Blood Pressure, GERD (acid reflux disease), and Heart Meds, I knew it was time find help.  Of course I was too full of pride to call my old friend, so I hit the internet highway to research eating & exercise programs.  I ran across the 31 Day Fat Loss Cure during that process and after reading quite a few articles and testimonials it peaked my interest.  So, I decided to give it a shot and do whatever it called for for 31 days.

What kept you motivated along the way? You’ve been on the weight loss journey for several months now. What keeps you motivated to stay on track?

On July 11th at a bodyweight of 214, I started the Beginner (Gym) Program with my 14 year old son.  The hardest thing to actually do was to have my son take a picture of me that morning without my shirt on before we started the program.  Holy Cow, I could not believe how bad out of shape that fella in the picture was!

 At 5 feet 7 inches tall that weight put me into the obese category and that just didn’t sit well.  So, I followed Vic’s advice to write down everything I ate, & my exercise stats. Additionally, I decided to document my daily weight and blood pressure.  Each day either my weight or blood pressure was changing.   Believe it or not, seeing the changes on paper really kept me motivated because it meant my health was actually improving. At the end of the first 31 days, I lost 16lbs and my Blood Pressure had dropped from 128-134/88-92 to a consistent 115-120/65-70.  My doctor took me off the Medicine and as a side note off the GERD meds as well.  After 12+ years of taking these medicines everyday, they were simply not needed anymore!  

It is now a little over 5 months later and those health changes still motivate me to stay the course.  Also, having my son take a pic every other week has been pretty motiviational as well.  Why? Because seeing yourself in a picture is about as real as it gets (good or bad).

Any tips or tricks that you use to maintain the diet? Do you eat the same thing every day? Have a favorite healthy snack? Anything regarding your new eating habits would be great.

Maintaining the “Caveman” eating has not been an easy transition, because it does take the effort to choose whole foods over processed.  I have found that taking the time to buy and prepare most of the meals ahead of time, takes the guess work out and reduces the temptations.  I will admit that I really enjoy stir frying my vegetables in Extra Virgin Olive Oil.  Truth is I constantly mix various veggies together and use various peppers to keep the flavor wheels turning.  

One of the ways that I keep the meat eating interesting is to marinate all the meats (cut up into strips) with various spices in blends of homemade sauces for a day or so before cooking them.  By doing so, it doesn’t seem like the same old thing.  Taking the time to plan and prepare the meals ahead of time on a weekend afternoon really does save time during the week. We even cut up all of our veggies in advance so they are ready to go at a moments notice. 

If there is a special occasion that I know I would like to eat something off the grid, I prepare by determining ahead of time how much of that “cheat item or items” I’m going to eat.  For example, over Thanksgiving setting a one helping limit on the dressing and 1 piece of Cake limit kept me from over indulging. I used the same process for Christmas & New Years gatherings that included all those belly busting items.  In fact, the weight continued to shed over these holidays by following this simple predetermined process.

Describe your training regimen. It seems to me that your training has evolved to include a little more of the “hard core”. What was your training like when you first started?

As previously mentioned, I started with the Beginner Gym Program and it was tough.  All those single muscle exercises of the past did not prepare me for the heart pounding, heavy breathing and sweat pooling that occured while doing burpees!  Truth is the first 31 Days were not easy, but each day I felt more determined to get better at these exercises that seemed so difficult.  By having my son with me to keep me accountable, there was no option to quit.  To keep on course we scheduled every workout ahead of time and I also scheduled the “On Your Own” days too.  By doing so, it was a bit easier to stay on track.

Jogging (whether outside or on a treadmill), riding a stationary bike, & jumping on a eliptical had always been something that I hated but felt was a necessity for good cardio health. It seems that so many in the “health” industry seem to push those things as the “right” type of cardio exercises. However, I have never had the kind of cardio improvements that doing 10-15 uphill sprints or flipping big tractor tires has provided.  I must confess sprinting up a hill or even down my driveway was not something that came easy.  In fact, I felt a little silly at first running up and down the driveway (not to mention the funny looks from neighbors); but over time, these exercises have actually become a fun challenge.

In what ways has your life changed after losing the weight?

It seems like there’s not a day that goes by without someone either commenting about the weight loss or asking me what I did.  That is truly a humbling thing for me.  I always get excitied to try and share with someone the common sense approach that I have come to embrace through this journey.

As a father of 5 children and grandfather of 3 children, it is awesome to be an example for them to follow.  My two teenage sons have been so supportive, even complimentary to me throughout the days, weeks, & months.  The best part is we now workout together and I get to be a positive influence in their future health!  Just doesn’t get any better than that for this man!

Any final tip or words of motivation for those looking to start their weight loss journey – especially for anyone looking to lose a significant amount of weight?

There is no time like today to begin changing your health and your overall life.  I’ve been so guilty of saying “Monday I’m going to start” or “Beginnning of the Month I’m going to start” and never actually getting started.  Truth is no exercise program, no piece of special equipment, no trainer, no gym, no pill, no diet drink, no shake will ever help me or you to lose and keep the weight off until we DECIDE to make changes PERMANENTLY to what we eat.  I love the idea that I do not have to count calories or figure out complicated eating systems to actually lose weight.  

So there you have it!  Another amazing success story.  What is your success story?  I love to hear about the journey of weight loss success and appreciate you sending me YOUR story at help{at}31dayfatlosscure{dot}com!

Train Hard!

~ Vic

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Hey there, Vic here and I’m doing my damnedest to hold my tongue (or keyboard as the case may be) and not go into an f-bomb laced tirade here.  It seems that my favorite target McDonald’s is back in the news and this time they’ve partnered with an organization I previously had some respect for.

Even though I’m not a fan of their point-counting method, I do believe their community aspect and group support meetings can be beneficial to weight loss success.  And I’ve had personal training clients in the past who experienced some weight loss success using their methods (although these same clients often experienced a weight loss plateau which how they ended up requesting my services).  The organization I’m speaking of is Weight Watchers, and a recent article revealed that they have partnered with McDonald’s and will be promoting the Fillet-O-Fish, Chilli Seared Chicken Wrap, and Chicken McNuggets as “healthy options” in New Zealand and Australia.

What the #@*&?

Let’s start this with taking a look at the ingredients of Chicken McNuggets:

White boneless chicken, water, food starch-modified, salt, seasoning [autolyzed yeast extract, salt, wheat starch, natural flavoring (botanical source), safflower oil, dextrose, citric acid], sodium phosphates, natural flavor (botanical source).  Battered and breaded with: water, enriched flour (bleached wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), yellow corn flour, bleached wheat flour,  food starch-modified, salt, leavening (baking soda, sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium aluminum phosphate, monocalcium phosphate, calcium lactate), spices, wheat starch, dextrose, corn starch. CONTAINS: WHEAT. Prepared in vegetable oil (Canola oil, corn oil, soybean oil, hydrogenated soybean oil with TBHQ and citric acid added to preserve freshness).  Dimethylpolysiloxane added as an antifoaming agent.

Take a look at that last sentence again. . . Antifoaming agent?  And I challenge anyone without a degree in chemistry or a national spelling-bee championship under their belt to pronounce dimethylpolysiloxane.  Obviously there are several other ingredients that go against what I personally consider healthy (wheat flour, dextrose, corn flour, vegetable oil), but let’s take my predilection for sticking to lots of vegetables, some meat and fruit, and a small amount of nuts out of the equation for now and just focus on some good old “common knowledge”. . .

“Healthy Options” are NOT deep fried.

“Healthy Options” are NOT breaded.

“Healthty Options” do NOT challenge the pronunciation skills of the highly literate with their ingredient lists.

The bottom line is this – healthy options do not come from a drive-thru window.  Healthy options usually don’t have any packaging (let alone ingredient lists).  And healthy options can be just as fast as fast-food with a little pre-planning.

On general principal alone, no reputable weight loss organization should ever align itself with the fast food industry.  I’m shocked at this move by Weight Watchers, and saddened when I think of how many of the uninformed will now believe Chicken McNuggets are “healthy”.

What are your thoughts on the pairing of Weight Watchers with McDonald’s?  Let me know in the comments below.

Train Hard!

~ Vic

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Ingredients

1/2 lb. ground turkey.

2 large bell peppers (any color you like is fine).

1/2 yellow onion, chopped.

2 large celery sticks, chopped.

1 jalapeno pepper, chopped.

1 clove garlic, minced.

1 16 oz can chopped or diced tomatoes.

1 8 oz can tomato sauce.

1 tbs Worcestershire sauce.

1/2 tbs Italian seasoning.

1/2 tbs chili powder.

1 tsp paprika.

1 tsp cayenne pepper.

Cooking

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees.  Cut the tops of off the peppers, and remove the core, seeds, and membrane.  Brown the ground turkey with the onion, garlic, celery, and jalapeno.  Once the ground turkey is browned, add the Worcestershire sauce, chopped tomatoes, and all other seasonings.  Cook for a few more minutes, draining off any excess liquid and ensuring a “thick” consistency.

Spoon the turkey mixture into the peppers and place the peppers in a baking dish.  Pour the tomato sauce over top of the peppers.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour.  Enjoy!

Have you made stuffed peppers before?  Usually rice is combined with the meat mixture when they are made. . . How do you like this recipe without the rice?  What else would you add to this recipe?  Let me know in the comments below.

Train Hard!

~ Vic
Men Click Here for a FREE presentation with unique tips for losing your belly fat and getting ripped six pack abs.

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Hey there, Vic here and I just got back from running sprints in the park.  Although the summer heat was brutal here in Texas, I am enjoying taking my training outside in the mild winter temperatures (60 degrees and sunny!).

When I’m running sprints or doing burpees and I feel that burning in my lungs and my heart pounding like it’s about to burst from my chest, I sometimes think back to my first Army workout.  It was my first day of “real” Basic Training – meaning it was after myself and the other new soldiers had spent a few weeks at a processing station getting our inoculation shots and receiving our military clothes and gear.  We were all packed on a “cattle truck” with our gear in duffel bags waiting for the truck to stop in front of the barracks that would be our new home for the duration of Basic Training.

When the truck stopped and the doors flung open – all hell broke loose.  There was a cadre of Drill Sergeants waiting for us barking orders and obscenities as we tried to scurry as fast as we could up the hill from the truck to the barracks.

One Drill Sergeant would scream, “Get you ass up my hill!” and then another would scream, “I didn’t tell you to stop doing push ups, drop and push Georgia until I say stop!”  They intentionally contradicted each other so we were confused and we never got to move more than a couple of feet without one of the Drill Sergeants getting in our face and ordering us to do a different exercise.  The new soldiers affectionately referred to this welcome as “The Shark Attack”.

After what felt like an hour but was only about 10 minutes, we all arrived at the top of the hill in front of the barracks.  We were all sweating and gasping for breath, and I distinctly remember the burning in my lungs and my heart thumping in my chest.  Just like it does today when I do burpees or sprints.

But what does my “shark attack” experience have to do with fat loss?

I didn’t realize it at that moment, but that shark attack experience was the spark that started my fire for high intensity short duration exercise training.  Through countless other exercise sessions during my military service, I realized that not only did the short high-intensity sessions wear me out more than the long slow sessions, they also made me more fit.

It wasn’t the long slow 3 and 5 mile jogs that were tough, it was the “shoot, move, communicate” drills where we had to sprint from one piece of cover to the next while wearing full gear and carrying a rifle that were brutal.  When I left the Army and started working as a personal trainer, I made sure to incorporate short high-intensity training with all of my fat loss clients.

When training for fat loss keep these tips in mind:

Focus on intensity.  Intensity will be different for everyone.  No, you do not need to sprint up a hill with a duffel bag full of gear while a cadre of Drill Sergeants scream at you.  But you do need to challenge yourself and always try to do more.  If your sessions last much more than 20 minutes, then you probably aren’t pushing hard enough.

You don’t need any equipment.  Bodyweight training has been getting soldiers in shape for centuries.  Push ups, pull ups, squats, lunges, sprints, and burpees are really all you need.

Get outside!  I know it’s not always possible due to weather or other circumstances, but try to get outside at least once per week for your training.   You’ll even get a little Vitamin D from the sun.

Make no mistake, diet is the key to weight loss success.  But when it comes to effective fat loss training, keep your sessions short and intense, use those bodyweight exercises, and get outside when you can.

How do you up the intensity with your workouts?  What can you do to make things more challenging?  Let me know in the comments below.

Train Hard!

~ Vic

 
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