Yes, that is right it is ask a stupid question day.  So my stupid question for the day is.

Why Are We So Fat?

I guess I will answer my own question as well.  For the sake of ranting. 

We are so fat because of many reasons. 

1.  We have decided that quantity of food is more important than quality.

2.  We eat more calories then we did 10 years ago due to processed foods and convenience foods such as fast food, etc. 

3.  We move less.  We have become the laziest nation due to who knows, but I know that we like to sit and watch tv, watch sports instead of participate, play games on computers, surf the internet, etc, etc. 

4.  We don't eat enough [tag]fruits[/tag] and [tag]vegetables[/tag]. Instead we eat refined products that don't contain nearly the same nutrients and are 3,4, 5 times the calories. 

5.  Eat too much junk food

6.  Don't eat enough [tag]fiber[/tag] rich foods

7.  I could go on and on, but it is Friday and you don't want to be reading forever.

Instead, starting this weekend try to eliminate the processed foods, eat more fruits and vegetables, get in a walk or exercise now that the weather is getting cooler in most parts of the country.  Spend less time at the computer, take the stairs at the mall. 

Pretty much watch what you eat and be more active so this time next year I don't have to ask the same Stupid Question again. 

Have a great weekend and enjoy your activities and healthier food choices.

Yours in Health

Jayson Hunter RD, CSCS

There is great news today released from the American Cancer Society:  Breast cancer death rates continue to decline.
 
And while that is terrific news, today I want to point out to you how dieting can cause nutritional deficiencies that might lead to [tag]cancer[/tag].
 
The typical American Diet, which is heavy on saturated fat, sugar and processed foods, and light on fruits and vegetables, is pretty well known to lead towards all sorts of health issues. Cancer included.
 
But what many women don't think of is how eating like a bird, so to speak, can cause a host of problems as well. When you're not eating you are robbing your body of critical nutrients it needs to not only maintain a fat-burning [tag]metabolism[/tag], but it also is left starving for cancer fighting agents such as anti-oxidants and phytonutrients.
 
I can almost guarantee most women aren't thinking of cancer when they start their diet hoping to make it into a bikini or their wedding dress. But everything adds up. You start to create bad habits when you go on starvation diets. And before you know it your regular diet isn't providing you with the types of [tag]whole foods[/tag] your body needs to help fend off health problems such as breast cancer.
 
Yes, bad things happen to good people. And even those with the best diet can have health problems. But more women need to know they can lose weight - lots of it - and look amazing and still eat an incredible array of delicious and nutritious foods.
 
Real quick here is a list of the top cancer fighting foods:

*  Carrots
*  Tomato
*  Spinach
*  Kale
*  Broccoli
*  Beets
*  Green Tea
*  Raspberries
*  Blueberries
*  Blackberries
 
 
By the way, VGF 25 + for Women - which is a whole foods based multi-nutritional complex contains 25 fruits, greens, and vegetables that are loaded with anti-oxidants which helps fight off cancer cells.  If you are not getting in the recommended 10 fruit and vegetable servings every day.  Yes, I am saying every day 365 days a year is the FDA recommendation then I suggest you supplement what you are eating with VGF 25+ for Women to make sure that you are consuming all the necessary vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants needed to protect your body and defend against future health problems. 
 
Yours in health,
 
Jayson Hunter, RD, CSCS
 
PS- Starting soon I'm going to be reviewing some of Rachel Ray's easy-to-prepare meals. I'll let you know the scoop on just how nutritious they are. And I'll fill you in on which are some of the best ones to help you burn fat fast.

by: Jayson Hunter

A study was just released that shows that increasing a childs intake of [tag]Omega 3 fatty acids[/tag] reduces their risk of [tag]diabetes[/tag] auto-immunity a precursor to Type 1 Diabetes.

This is pretty significant since we know that our average ratio of Omega 6 fatty acids to Omega 3 fatty acids is 20:1.  Our ratio should be almost 1:1.  Not only can Omega 3's decrease the risk of diabetes as well as other diseases it also plays an important role in weight loss. 

While there still isn’t a magic fat loss pill - sorry - fitness enthusiasts can take extreme comfort in knowing that recent studies have shown a well-known supplement is proving nothing short of miraculous.
 
The enormous health benefits of [tag]essential fatty acids[/tag] have been known for some time now, but what’s almost startling is the recent research citing [tag]weight loss[/tag] benefits as well.  In a May 2007 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition the test group which incorporated essential fatty acids into their weight-loss plan lost more body fat than all the other test groups combined.

While it is not known exactly why essential fatty acids termed essential because they cannot be produced by the body and must be consumed through diet improve weight loss efforts, I believe it can be due to several reasons.

*  DHA has been shown to prevent the conversion of pre-adipocytes(pre-fat cells) to adipocytes (fat cells) and mediate pre-adipocyte death (essentially kill 'em before they become fat cells).

*  Fish oil has the ability to increase the clearance of chylomicrons (certain type of fat cell) and fats following a meal. This potentially can have a positive effect on fat usage for energy.

*  Fish oil can "artificially" decrease heart rate thus increasing the level of exertion needed to reach desired intensity.  Essentially you burn more overall calories because you will be able to work out harder.

*  Fish oil upregulates mitochondrial machinery and increases oxidation of fats within fat cells. Which means your body burns more fat as energy instead of storing it. 

With the overwhelming clinical research pointing to the need for essential fatty acid supplementation, most fitness enthusiasts should be incorporating them into their nutritional plan. A great source of Omega 3's is EFA Icon.  It’s an extremely potent and pure source of these almost miraculous fats which will help you become thin. The benefits of this product are so outrageous it would be silly for me not to prescribe them to just about every one of my clients.  Not just for weight loss, but for the overall health benefits of consuming fish oil and getting your ratio closer to a 1:1 ratio.  There are well over 200 studies showing the great benefits of a high quality [tag]fish oil[/tag]. 

To read more about fish oil and its benefits Click Here!

by: Jayson Hunter RD, CSCS

You may, or may not, have heard that "[tag]Dancing with the Stars[/tag]" co-host [tag]Samantha Harris[/tag] had a baby girl Sunday morning.

And while Samantha Harris may or may not need help losing weight after delivering her baby girl, I'd like to offer you the Dramatic Dress Size Reduction Diet method for losing weight quickly and safely after you've had a child.

First don't start this diet if you are nursing your baby.  Your baby needs plenty of nutrients and calories as do you during this time so just eat sensibly and make sure you eat a variety of fruits and vegetables along with lean protein and fibrous carbohydrates. 

For those that are done with nursing or are not breastfeeding your child then the Dramatic Dress Size Reduction Diet is perfect to get back to your pre-pregnancy figure and then some.

It follows a simple yet safe and effective [tag]carb cycling[/tag] program.  The program is all laid out for you and it even includes a 30 day meal plan that is specific to this program.  You will follow a simple high carb, low  carb and no carb meal plan specifically designed to shed the bodyfat and keep your metabolism burning hotter than ever.  It takes the guesswork out of knowing what to eat. 

I am giving it away for free right now while I complete my new book.  Once my book is completed this will no longer be available for free as it will be a part of my complete book.  If you haven't already just sign up for the 5 simple steps to losing 20 pounds at the top right of this blog by entering your name and e-mail and you will also receive as a special bonus the Dramatic Dress Size Reduction Diet and 30 day meal plan. 

Stay tuned for the release of my book because it will include everything you need to not only look great, but maintain it for the rest of your life. 

by: Jayson Hunter RD, CSCS

If you believe this title then please read on because it couldn't be farther from the truth.   

Want to have lean legs without any of the bulk?

Of course you do what women doesn't want that.

One great way to do this is to peform your leg exercises in single leg fashion.  So instead of performing squats and deadlifts you will do lunges, single leg squats, step ups, and lateral lunges. 

Training with these types of movements will get your legs lean and tone without all the bulk.  Now you still need to work with moderately heavy weights, but you will be doing so in a circuit fashion so that you are moving the entire time with minimal rest. 

The reason for this is because in a circuit pattern while training one leg at a time you will get in more reps which burns more [tag]calories[/tag] in a shorter amount of time.  Here is an example of a leg circuit for lean shapely legs.

Lateral Lunge:  Step to your right side and lunge down to a chair or bench.  Repeat with the other leg to the other side.  Alternate this back and forth for 8 reps each leg.

Rest 30 seconds and then complete single-leg leg curls for 8 reps each leg.

Rest 30 seconds and perform alternating step ups to a bench for 8 reps each leg. 

Rest 1 minute and repeat this circuit 2 more times. 

Make sure to include some [tag]cardio interval training[/tag] into your workout routine as well to maximize your [tag]metabolic[/tag] furnace and burn mega calories. 

You can follow a 20 minute workout of elliptical, bike or treadmill in this fashion.  Sprint or peform max effort for 30 seconds and then peform a moderate pace for 60-90 seconds.  Then repeat 30 seconds max effort followed by 60-90 seconds moderate effort.  Complete this pattern for 20 minutes. 

The work you do in these 20 minutes will far surpass any work you do for 45 minutes on a cardio machine at a constant pace. 

If you want to burn mega calories when you are at the gym and have lean tone legs then follow this leg routine as well as perform all cardio in an interval type fashion.

Don't forget to continue to eat your lean [tag]protein[/tag], whole-grain starches and high fiber fruits and [tag]vegetables[/tag] to make sure you are not exercising this hard without [tag]fat loss[/tag].  Your nutrition and exercise go hand in hand if you want to reduce your waistline so also take in your Prograde post workout shake after every workout to maximize recovery and allow you to workout at 100% for your next workout.

by: Jayson Hunter RD, CSCS

You may have seen Jessica Alba has a new movie out called Good Luck Chuck. It also stars Dane Cook.

No, I'm not a movie reviewer. But I do know thay many women strive to have a body like Jessica Alba's. And I know some women do some pretty crazy things to try and get it.

The biggest issue is that women try to [tag]starve[/tag] themselves [tag]skinny[/tag], so to speak.  I can't imagine anything worse for your [tag]metabolism[/tag]. Not eating is just as bad as [tag]overeating[/tag]. Perhaps even worse!

Why?

Because starving yourself does such damage to your [tag]metabolism[/tag]. You can't live on salads and coffee. Your body craves food. And when it doesn't get it it lowers your metabolism. It's exactly why women who don't eat anything to lose a couple pounds end up gaining way more back when they start eating "normally."

In the book I'm in the process of writing, the Dramatic Dress Size Reduction Diet, I teach you to how to lose weight fast the right way. It is possible.  But it does require you to eat small, frequent meals.

So anyway, Jessica Alba's new movie reminded me to remind you that starving yourself is not the key to a great figure. While not everyone has the body of a Jessica Alba, you can look absolutely stunning and be 100% healthy if you're willing to do things the right way.

by Jayson Hunter RD, CSCS

There has been some research recently released that discusses how [tag]quick burning carbs[/tag] may cause a [tag]fatty liver[/tag].

Now we already know that diets that consist of too many [tag]sugary type foods[/tag] and not enough [tag]whole-grain[/tag], protein rich diet along with fruits and vegetables will expand your [tag]waistline[/tag]. 

Now researchers are finding that it may also cause a fatty liver which can lead to liver failure and death.  Now this study was conducted in mice and still needs to be confirmed in humans, but if confirmed it will explain why liver disease has risen just as fast as the obesity epidemic among Americans. 

It will show that this disease may be preventable if we change our dietary habits.  What is more alarming is that fatty liver is becoming more prevalent in children which we can't blame on alcohol like we can with some adults.  There are now 1 in 4 kids and 1 in 2 overweight kids estimated to have this condition. 

Ludwig, the author of "Ending the Food Fight:  Guide Your Child to a Healthy Weight in a Fast Food/Fake Food World" hypothesizes that obesity, sedentary lifestyles and increased consumption of refined carbohydrates are "synergistically" fueling a fatty liver epidemic in children. 

If this is happening with children then imagine what our livers look like after eating [tag]high glycemic[/tag] sugar filled foods are entire life.  Also, look at your waistline and you can get a good idea of what your liver may look like. 

This is a serious problem that we need to take note of and studies being conducted right now with humans are looking like the mice study is valid. 

So what can you do to prevent or reverse this?

Follow my principles I lay out in my special report on this blog and in these posts. 

You should be avoiding processed starches and instead eating whole-grain starches with 3gms of [tag]fiber[/tag] or more per serving.  Combine this with a [tag]lean protein[/tag] source and a fruit or vegetable at your feeding opportunities. 

If you follow these tips laid out in my special report you will not only lose weight and look great, but you will live a long life to enjoy your great body.  To get the free special report enter your name and e-mail on the top right of this blog where it says The Five Simple Steps for Losing Twenty Pounds Quickly and Safely.

by: Jayson Hunter RD, CSCS

I recieved these tips today from my friend and colleague Holly Rigsby and felt they not only apply to everyone, but to those looking for weight loss.  These are her Top 5 Shelf and Display Tactics that [tag]grocery stores[/tag] use to sell more product whether it is good for you or not.

One of the best ways to save money at the [tag]supermarket[/tag] and eat healthier is to be aware of marketing strategies used to encourage you to buy more and spend more. The following are some of the most common tactics:

1. The eye-level trick. A recent survey of shampoo products in Northern California supermarkets showed that in almost all of the 20 stores visited, the higher-priced shampoos were at eye level. This is true for other products throughout the supermarket. Especially the ones that will bring the supermarket the most profit.  It doesn't matter if the product is loaded with [tag]fat[/tag] and [tag]sugar[/tag].  If it is highly profitable for them they will have it at eye level. 

2. End-of-aisle displays. End-of-aisle displays don't mean the products are on sale. Check carefully; sometimes these products are near their freshness expiration dates.  They are also food items that are good impulse buys again regardless of fat and [tag]calories[/tag]. 

When you look at the end-of-aisle displays you normally see cookies, crackers, soda, etc.  All things that will sabotage your weight loss, but lead you to temptation as you pass aisle after aisle of bad choices. 

3. Kids' cereals. The most expensive and unhealthiest children's breakfast cereals are often placed at their eye level (not adults'). As you shop the aisle, you don't even realize what's causing your kids to want to put just about every cereal box imaginable in the cart.  If you look at those cereals what do they consist of? Double chocolate crunch, super sugar smacks, and not one cereal for kids at their eye level is healthy for them. 

4. Shelves change constantly. Marketers will often rearrange shelves, making shoppers search for their regular items and discover new products in the old, familiar shelve spaces.  Again this is a way to introduce a higher profit food item for the grocery store.  They want you to find the products that will make them the most money not make you the skinniest.

5. Specialty items grouped together. Items for special occasions (for example, chips, dips and sodas) are often grouped together to increase impulse sales.  I know in my grocery store the chips are on one side of the aisle and the soft drinks are on the other side.  The dips are also located towards the end of the chip side. 

Talk about one aisle to avoid all together if your goal is [tag]weight loss[/tag].  Make it a habit to not even enter that aisle because you are setting yourself up for disaster.  You will have a hard enough time avoiding these products on the end-of-aisle displays. 

Use these tips the next time you go grocery shopping and you will be amazed at how differently you will shop. 

Today I present a critique of how to avoid being scammed by [tag]nutritional supplement companies[/tag] by nutrition specialist Mike Geary and founder of TruthAboutAbs.com.  If you have never heard of Mike make sure to check him out at the end of this critique. 
Did you ever wonder if those [tag]vitamins[/tag] or supplements that you buy actually contain in the bottle what they say is in the bottle? You should! Because here's a shocker…

They don't have to put what they claim in the bottle! There's no regulation on [tag]supplements[/tag] to assure integrity or quality.

I'm sure you've noticed from many of my writings that in general, I tend to be anti-supplements. The supplement industry is loaded with fraudulent claims, bogus products that sometimes aren't even what they claim to be, and lots of ineffective products (even when they ARE what they claim to be).

Despite these problems, I've always contended that there are a handful of useful products out there, and certainly some honest companies mixed in with the abundant scam artists. One company I've found that is actually honest and sells only research-proven products is http://natural.getprograde.com/

This company has been in the making for about 3 years now, and was built by a group of fitness professionals whose main goal was to try to fight against the problems in the supplement industry and offer an honest solution without the hype and without the loads of products that have no research behind them and don't work.

If you choose the right products from a reputable company, there are certainly a few winners out there that can help you acheive a higher level of health and faster results with fat loss, muscle building, energy levels, etc.

Let me show you below some of the typical problems with supplements, and how to avoid them and choose the right products that will actually get you results.

Problem #1 with supplements:

Ever since the passing of the 1994 Dietary Supplement and Health Education Act (DSHEA) in the US, supplements have been excluded from federal regulation. One of the negative aspects of this is that certain unscrupulous companies could now pretty much get away with putting anything they wanted in the bottle because it did not have to undergo quality control testing to make it to market. Their label didn't even have to match what was in the bottle, since nobody is policing them.

The only way to catch these companies was for independent testing firms to run tests on their own dime to find out which companies are honest and which are fraudulent.

The founders of http://natural.getprograde.com/ solved this problem by requiring that all of their products go through High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) testing to guarantee what they say is in the bottle is TRULY in the bottle, and delivers the desired results.

Their manufacturing plant is also a GMP certified manufacturer - "A" rated facility to assure quality.

Problem #2 with supplements:

One of the other major problems I've had with the supplement industry are falsely hyped up claims about "miraculous" results with their products giving you the false hope that your body will turn into a fitness model's within a couple weeks of using their "miracle pill".

Well, we all know by now that most of these products do very little, if anything to actually create results in the body. Even if some of them have minor positive effects, it does not address the underlying cause of the problem in the first place, and results will never last in the long run without lifestyle changes to both your exercise and nutrition habits as a whole.

In response to this, the founders of http://natural.getprograde.com/ made sure there was absolutely no hype or ridiculous claims… only a very limited line of the most effective research-backed products without any BS or confusing "stacks".

Problem #3 with supplements:

Most people overlook this problem when buying vitamins and supplements. The fact is that your body does not properly absorb nutrients from artificial sources as is common with many supplements and vitamins.

Once again, I asked the founders of http://natural.getprograde.com/ to respond to this. I was happy to find that their products are actually extracted from [tag]whole-food sources[/tag] instead of artificial sources, meaning better absorption in your body.

They even purchased a 2500-acre farm in mineral rich soils in sunny Florida where all of their raw materials are grown. I must say…I'm impressed!

Problem #4 with supplements:

Another problem I have with typical supplements is this…

The normal scenario when someone buys supplements is that they may go to their local supplement/vitamin store and they are given advice by some high school kid making $7/hr who has no education whatsoever in nutrition.

Do you really want to put your health in the hands of some kid who is simply telling you that you need to get such and such supplement because he saw something about how great it was in a magazine advertisement?

Once again, the founders of http://natural.getprograde.com/ solved this problem by assuring that all of their products were designed by professionals in the industry — dieticians and nutritionists who carefully analyzed which products actually are beneficial and which are a waste of time and money. They then narrowed their line of products down to only a handful of the most effective.

They also have decided that their products will never be sold in stores because they don't want unqualified store clerks with no education in nutrition to recommend products for your health. That's why you can only obtain them from their website, so you know you're getting them from qualified professionals in the industry.

Problem #5 with supplements:

This problem is quite simply this… YOU DON'T NEED THEM for optimal health, IF you're eating right.

The fact is, you don't need supplements as long as you eat a well rounded diet full of unprocessed whole natural foods, lots of variety, high nutrient density… lots of fruits, veggies, whole unrefined grains, eggs, beans, nuts, seeds, organic meats, fish, etc, etc.

The problem is that most people don't have time or don't make enough of an effort to eat this type of optimal diet with proper balance and super-high nutrient density.

In this case, I concede that supplementation has many benefits for people who struggle to eat right all of time and may be missing many essential nutrients.

To solve this problem, the founders of http://natural.getprograde.com/ have actually formulated their men's and women's formulas with extracts of natural whole foods instead of synthetic sources. They even use whole food extracts from broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, wheat grass, alfalfa, artichoke, chorella, kale, collard greens, papaya, grapefruit, tomato, omega-3's, and dozens more.

Well, I think that's enough for today. Go to http://natural.getprograde.com/ right now and check out the 3 quick videos right in the center of the page. It should give you more info about the quality and simplicity of their line of products.

Also, be sure to check out their EFA Icon (essential fatty acid) which uses a unique Krill oil which has been measured as having 47 times more antioxidant value than standard fish oil. I've always been a big fan of fish oil, but when I found this krill oil, I had to make the switch based on the higher quality.

For everyone outside of the US and Canada, unfortunately they are not offering shipping yet outside of the US/Canada, but are currently working on getting shipping to all other countries in the near future. Please be patient and they should have it soon.

Stay lean and healthy,

Mike Geary
Certified Nutrition Specialist
Certified Personal Trainer
Founder - TruthAboutAbs.com

To learn more about Mike Geary Click Here!

You may have seen the news about Alicia Silverstone joining PETA to promote the vegan lifestyle. And while she does look great and I'm sure she's eating a lot healthier, being a [tag]vegetarian[/tag] doesn't automatically mean you are going to lose weight.

I'll leave the acting to Alicia Silverstone, but as a registered dietitian, I hope she'll leave the dieting advice to me.  Now I am not saying that following a vegetarian lifestyle is wrong.  It can be a healthy way to live your life. 

With that being said here are my top  3  reasons why it’s actually more difficult to [tag]lose weight[/tag] as a vegetarian: 

1.   Many vegetarians tend to eat too many simple carbs/processed carbs and don't incorporate enough fruits and vegetables into their diet that contain good high [tag]fiber[/tag] sources.

2.  It is harder to get high quality [tag]protein[/tag] items which is important in weight loss and revving up your [tag]metabolism[/tag].  Eating some type of protein at every meal helps speed up your metabolism due to the higher demand on calories used in digesting protein called the [tag]Thermic Effect[/tag].  Depending on what level of vegetarianism you follow this can be difficult or easy to accomplish. 

3.  Some vegetarians fall into a routine of the same foods over and over again because they haven't explored all the different combinations of foods that a vegetarian can eat.  This leads to boredom as well as not giving your body all the nutrients it may need to successfully lose weight.

Variety and nutrient balance are keys to being successful with losing weight.

Oh, and in case you are wondering, yes, I'm an animal lover, too. In fact, I have had pets most of my life. I've got two dogs right now. And I grew up in a farm town, so I've worked on farms with animals.

Here are my dogs cuddling!