I wrote
this book in 1994 when I was working full time as a personal trainer in Los
Angeles.
The
topic of weight loss first grabbed my attention when, in my mid-twenties, I
found myself hovering between 20-25 pounds overweight from lack of
activity.After consulting with a
doctor, I put myself on a course to educate myself on nutrition and exercise.
You also should start an exercise and nutrition program - after consulting with
your doctor.
Soon after that conversation with
my doctor, I began to study nutrition and exercise.Eventually, I became certified as a professional in the
fitness industry and began to work full time as a personal trainer.It seemed that all of my clients had at
least one identical goal: they wanted to lose fat.Frankly, I became tired of repeating myself.So, I eventually wrote this booklet and
included all the research that I had studied and all the insights I had gained
from working with many personal training clients.My clients spanned every age and background... so these ideas
have been tested and proven over and over again to be helpful.
NOT A DIET, A WAY OF LIFE
Fitness and good nutrition is not
just about weight loss.Believe it
or not, its about laughter, happiness and a deep, overall feeling of
well-being.Real fitness is
peacefulness.In my observation,people that "feel fit" and "feel good" have a lot more going on in their life than just exercise.There is a direct correlation
between the body and the mind.I
see it every day in my work as a fitness professional. Both healthy food and
vigorous exercise have a direct effect on our immune system, energy levels and
mental / emotional / spiritual / internal health.
Which
ever is your goal, the important thing to keep in mind is: this is not a
diet, it is a way of life.If
you have a problem with food, you must change the way you relate to food
and think about food.I
admit, it is a problem to stay thin in this age of chocolate cream-filled
donuts!But, it can be done once
you are 1) educated to make better food choices and 2) when you are
disciplined.
BASICS
1.Breathing / Oxygen
i.Lack of oxygen in the
tissues is the fundamental cause of degenerative disease.
2.Water in the morning.
i.When hungry, drink at
least 12 ounces of water first
ii.Water is so important! The human body can last 60 days
with out food - but, only 3 days without water.
iii.8-12 glasses of water
per day is very good for the human body.
iv.Consider buying real
juice (not concentrate) and watering it down by at least two or three parts.
This will make the juice last longer and it will give your extra water intake
more taste. (Shopping hint: Buy one organic orange juice and one organic
pineapple juice. Mix them together and add two or three containers of water.
This will last a long time and give the water a great, healthy taste.)
3.Clean fuel = clean,
organic food.Choose food that is
pure.The more pure, the better
your health.Your body will be as
healthy as what you feed it. "Garbage in, garbage out".
i. There are only three ways to loose weight: 1) dehydration 2) Fat loss
and 3) losing lean muscle mass.Fat loss is the only acceptable way to loose weight, in most
situations.Dehydration and losing
lean muscle mass are usually counter productive to good health.Accordingly, fat loss can only be
accomplished three ways:1) with
aerobic exercise 2) through dietary manipulation 3) a combination of the two.
ii.Research supports the
theory that various kinds of cancer and heart disease are directly
related to bad food choices.Over
a long period of time you can nutritionally deplete vital organs to the point
where they start to degenerate on a cellular level. On the other hand, some
people claim that you can heal some diseases by proper nutrition.
iii.Almost all of my personal training clients had many years
of experience at dieting.They have feasted on protein and fasted on soup.Choked on supplements and "checked in" at the scale.From Italy to Scarsdale they’ve taken
advice and ridden the roller coaster of the newest and truest "diet". These
diets are not usually geared to overall health, but quick loss that usually
can't be maintained.These diet changes
are temporary because if you don't change your dietary lifestyle (which means
the kinds of foods you eat, the times you eat, the combinations
of foods you eat, and the amount of food you eat), you will absolutely
end up in the same (over weight) place you started.And, as a matter of fact, researchers say that when people "diet" 95% of them gain all of the weight back within 12 to 18 months and
usually gain an extra 5 pounds within 24 months. Going on a crash diet is as
effective as trying to get rich by going to Las Vegas!People very rarely win anything that
will last.
iv.The key for long-term health and a lean body is
consistent exercise and consistent good-food choices.And it’s as simple as grandmother used
to say: eat a balanced meal.For example, to assist you in consistently making "good" choices (as I
describe later in this booklet), I recommend bringing your own snacks on an
airplane (instead of eating their high fat, high flour, high sugar, high
calorie snacks).Get used to
traveling with your own food. For those who travel frequently, this sort of
attention to detail will be the only way to reach the high goals you have set
for yourself.In this booklet I've
tried to anticipate many types of situations people would encounter in trying
to change their eating habits.Not
everything will apply to you.Take
what is helpful and leave the rest.
v.Let's face it: if you
want to model underwear and you are 30 percent body fat, you are going to have
to sacrifice a lot more and make consistent, better food choices (more so than
if you just wanted to be 'fit'). So, the first thing to determine is: what are
your goals?How strict a diet do
you have to maintain to repair your health, ensure a next job (if you are a
model) or just feel better about your body?
FOOD JOURNAL
The
first thing I do for anyone who wants to lose fat is to have them keep a food
journal for four days.It is
important that this journal be an accurate representation of your eating
and drinking habits... 100% accurate - no cheating or forgetting. It does not
help if you are going to 'behave yourself' in order to have an impressive
journal.There are only two rules:
you must carry the journal with you 24 hours a day (a piece of paper in your
pocket is fine) and you must write down EVERYTHING that passes your lips for
four days.
Everyperson that has done this has been amazed at either the amount or the
lack-of-quality of the food that they eat.To be very thorough in this journal, I have developed a who,
what, where, when and how approach.In addition to what you eat, it is helpful to keep a chart of where
you eat, withwhom, and how you are feeling at the time
(angry, lonely, frustrated, stressed, worried, rushed, etc.)All this is done because it is helpful
to learn your emotional triggers to food.Your emotions are connected to this process.Become aware of how your emotions are linked to your
eating.Become aware so that food
will have less power over you.The
more you know about why you eat, the easier it will be to make changes
in your eating patterns and take more control of your life.
i.Clean eating is avoiding
fats and oils:
ii.What is fat?
WHAT IS FAT?
One
of the most important things you can do is understand some of the basics of
what fat actually is and how it works in your body.So, just for a minute, get out your "science mind" and we're
going to get a little technical (The management of this booklet apologizes for
the boring nature of this section.If you have no interest in the science behind fat, just jump to the next
section: "Fat Is Not A Bad Thing!").
Now,
let's go to school (by the way, there is a test at the end of this booklet -
Appendix C - if you want to test yourself and see how well you've retained the
information.What's "school" without a test?):
"Lipid" is the scientific name for fat.It
is the body's most efficient way of storing energy and it is stored in adipose
tissue.When you eventually get
marooned on a deserted island (and you will!It happened to Gilligan and the skipper, it could happen to
you!), your body will use the fat it has stored to give you the energy you need
to go fishing, climb coconut trees, fight off the native voodoo shaman, and
wrestle with mermaids.Fat is
stored energy.(As we may have
heard far too many times: back in the caveman days, this was the body's way of
making a meal last a long time.Who knows the next time you would be fortunate enough to kill a
deer?In those days it was feast
or famine and the body made a way for survival: Overeat, turn the unnecessary
food into fat, use the fat tomorrow cause you may not have anything to eat
then. The human body is fascinating!)
Fat
is composed primarily of fatty acids.Fatty acids are derived from both animal and plant sources and are the
major constituent of all cell membranes in the body (important
point!).By maintaining strong
cell membranes, fatty acids help protect against invading allergens, bacteria,
and viruses.The cell membranes
are the body's primary defense system.
Not
to get too technical, but it's important to understand that fatty acids are made
up of carbon and hydrogen atoms (further explained below).The reason that it's important is
because it relates to the four different types of fat which are classified by
the relationship between the carbon and hydrogen atoms.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF FAT
There
are four different types of fatty acids:
1) Saturated
2) Mono-unsaturated
3) Polyunsaturated
4) Super-unsaturated
They all differ in their behavior, their importance,
and their molecular structure.
SATURATED:There are natural forms of saturated
fat: red meat, butter, etc. and manufactured types: Crisco-type shortenings,
hydrogenated oils (also called "transfatty acids"), etc.These commercial, manufactured type
products use modified vegetable fat and are the ones that are most harmful to
our health.(That was
important, please read it again…)Hydrogenated oils are the most common fats found in
processed/grocery-shelf foods because they don't go rancid as quickly as
natural fats.But, they are far
less healthy than natural fats (and they are in 95% of processed - canned/boxed
- foods).
Where
is Saturated fat found?Remember, "Saturated" is not good (Very Evil Oil).Toomuch is not good at all!Saturated fats are found primarily in animal foods
(hamburgers, dairy products - i.e. cheese, milk, lard, butter, ice cream, egg
yolks - not egg whites).There are some fruits, nuts and vegetables that are full of saturated
fats: avocados, coconuts, soybeans, poppy seeds, etc.
They
are called "saturated" because there is not any room left to attach
hydrogen molecules.The hotel is full.No vacancy.Imagine carbon as a line of marbles (from 8 - 24 "marbles" in length) connected to each other by a string.It looks something like this:
Molecules
of hydrogen attach to each side of the carbon like balloons.Hence, they serve to keep the fat chain
stiff and more easily stack-able, like this:
This
being the case, the carbon is SATURATED with hydrogen (hence, the name
'saturated').When stored in the
body they stack neatly on top of each other and form a very tight, packed
substance --much like a child's
leggo set.This dense form of fat
resists change, even when subjected to stresses such as air, heat, or
light.Saturated fat will stay
hard at room temperature and this is bad news for the lining of your blood
vessels.Why?Because the lining of a blood vessel is
composed of fatty acids.If your
fat intake is primarily from saturated fat sources, your blood vessel walls
will become rigid which brings on an ailment called arteriosclerosis
(interpretation: hardening of the arteries.Not good!).
If,
on the other hand, you eat fats primarily from mono-unsaturated or
poly-unsaturated sources, your vessel walls will be more soft and
flexible.If there must be a bad
guy in this booklet -- too much saturated fat is the Evil One (every
good story has to have a villain).
MONO-UNSATURATED,
POLY-UNSATURATED and SUPER-UNSATURATED are flexible at one (mono) or more
(poly) points and take more space to store (examples of this would be Olive
oil, flax oil, walnut oil, and safflower oil).A poly-unsaturated would look something like this:
This lack of stackability makes them
more fluid and more reactive.They're “reactive” because the "open" sites on the chain where
no hydrogen is attached are vulnerable to attack from something called“free radicals.”This causes them to oxidize or turn
rancid.Also, this means that they
are more active and science has found that polyunsaturated fats, for example,
vibrate over one million times per second.On the other hand, saturated fats are slow and not as
reactive because they are so solid -- for example at room temperature, butter
stays solid.As you move down the
list from saturated to mono-unsaturated to poly-unsaturated to
super-unsaturated, the oils become more liquid in their appearance at each step
(super-unsaturated oils stay liquid even when refrigerated).
There
is more to say about mono, poly, and super... but most of it is even more
technical than this and not that interesting.If you are really, really interested in more detailed
information on oils, contact the Spectrum Natural Oil Company at 707-778-8900
or at their websitewww.spectrumnaturals.com.They have many free pamphlets and brochures that explain oils in great
detail (which oils are better for cooking at high temperatures, etc.Did you know that you can totally kill
the nutritional value of some oils by cooking them at high temperature?Spectrum will tell you all about
it).Tell them you are interested
in learning more about fats and oils.Ask them to send you everything they have from their research and
brochure department.They are a
great oil company with great employees (that was a non-paid commercial! I am
truly impressed with these people.).
FAT IS NOT A BAD THING!
There’s
too much fat phobia going around today!You need fat for many reasons:
1)
to assist the body in utilizing B vitamins;
2)
for maintenance of the lining of all blood vessels;
3)
for formation of hormones and enzymes;
4)
for improved digestion (by enhancing the absorption of other nutrients --
because fat slows the travel of food through the stomach);
5)
elevating calcium levels in the blood-stream and transporting it to the tissues
for strong bones;
6)
carrying and storing fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, E, and K for healthy
skin, reproduction and blood clotting; activating the flow of bile (a fat
digestant in the gall bladder);
7)
helping the body conserve protein to rebuild vital tissues;
8)
insulating and cushioning the vital organs, nerves, and muscles against shock,
heat, and cold.
Bottom line: we need some fat.But the right kind of fat!
"LOW-FAT" AND "NON-FAT" FOODS
First,
most of the "low fat" or "fat free" hype in stores is
exactly that: hype.99% of these
foods are processed and they are not healthy for the body for the following
reasons:
1.
"Low fat" foods are usually made with an overabundance of
hydrogenated oil (otherwise known as another Very Evil Oil.).Hydrogenated oils are worse than eating
cheese or red meat.Check for this
on the ingredient label and consider not eating anything that says "hydrogenated" on the ingredients.
2.
"Fat free" foods are almost always packed full of sugar (usually the
second or third ingredient.Hint:
Corn Syrup, in case you didn't know, is pure sugar in liquid form).This means that the foods will be
higher calories and low bulk.In
other words, you'll want to eat the whole box because your appetite will not be
satisfied... until the box is empty.Check the calorie count and the amount per serving.One box I recently read said that three
of it's small, "fat free" cookies were 200 calories!That meant when I used to eat the whole
box in one evening I consumed over 3,000 calories of fat free food... and
couldn't figure out why I couldn't lose that last 10 pounds!
3.
Check the ingredient listing for something called "mono and
diglycerides."On a molecular
level, fat is a “triglyceride.”In
the U.S., the FDA says that any food that does not have a
"triglyceride" may be labeled as fat free (and can sport a "fat
free" label).Technically,
it's true.So, companies have
found a way around this: break the triglyceride into two components (mono
[meaning one] and di [meaning two]).Once it's broken down, there are no bonded triglycerides present.But, some scientists are saying
that your body still processes the glycerides like fat... because there are
still three glycerides present in the food.Two plus one is three.A "monoglyceride" and a "diglyceride" make a
"triglyceride."It’s a
very technical point and right now, the labels are somewhat misleading and
health-scientists are not happy about it. And again, a triglyceride IS
fat.So, if it tastes like fat,
has the components of fat... do you think?Yes.It's
fat.At this printing, it is still
a loop hole in the FDA labeling law.
When
you eat excess calories, the storage of fat increases.The reason for this is a controversial
point in which some experts in the field of nutrition disagree.The most probable reason for this: all
the carbohydrates that you eat are converted to glycogen (sugar) and used for
energy ONLY.None of your
fat is used for energy at all... so the fat is ALL stored (as opposed to
a small meal in which all the food consumed -- fat, carbs and protein -- are
used together for the energy you need).
Again,
some experts say that excess calories are directly converted to saturated fat
in your body and stored away for a rainy day or for the deserted island.I’m sure that future scientists
will be able to tell for sure which is true.
Regardless
of the reasons that excess calories increase the storage of fat, one thing is
clear: You always have to watch how much you are eating.As in all things in life, balance
is the goal.
So,
where does this bring us?1)
Consistently eating large amounts of calories is bad.2) Eating too much saturated fat is deadly.
So,
for those starting a low-saturated-fat diet, know that complex
carbohydrates are a good replacement for saturated fat because you can eat more
food quantity while eating fewer calories.These foods include things like: fruits, long cooking
oatmeal, and vegetables (BUT PLEASE NOTE: many studies have shown that a low
fat diet is counterproductive if it is low in essential fatty acids --
you must eat fat... but the proper kind -- which you get from oils
listed in the "conclusions" section below).
Oh,
did I forget to mention cakes and chocolate bars (not on your life!)?The main ingredients in these foods are
known as simple carbohydrates.Eating a diet high in simple carbohydrates does not improve your
nutritional status or your health.Go easy on foods which include anything with sugar, refined flour and
syrup (which includes corn syrup... found in the majority of processed foods).
If
you were to replace all the foods you eat that are high in saturated fat (such
as beef or pizza), with processed foods (which always contain one or more of:
sugar, refined flour, syrup or hydrogenated oils) you would not be better
off... and you could potentially be worse off (depending on the amount and
kind).Your best bet: replace
saturated fat foods with fish, chicken breast, turkey breast, fruits and
vegetables.
a.all oils are pure fat
b.butter has fat
c.lard has fat
d.margarine has fat
e.cheese has fat
f.nuts have fat
g.seeds have fat
h.peanut butter has fat
i.avocados have fat
j.red meats have fat
k.whole eggs have fat
l.anything fried has fat
Why avoid these foods?More concentrated calories
1 gr protein is 4 calories
1 gram carbo 4 calories
1 gram of fat is 9
calories
Fitness hint: Get fat off your
body by not putting it into your mouth!
Fat blocks energy and causes us to
feel tired and sluggish.
CLEAN FOODS:
Eating "clean" means avoiding
sugars.
Avoid sugars in:
a.cakes
b.pies
c.cookies
d.ice cream
e.candy bars
f.donuts
g.non Fat frozen yogurt
h.alcohol
Hidden Sugar:
a.honey
b.corn syrup
c.maple syrup
d.fruit juice
Sugar is an unclean food. Sugar
disrupts our blood sugar.Insulin
helps carry the fat we eat to storage.
Complex carbohydrates are CLEAN
foods
a.Ideal foods
b.Truly low fat
c.No cholesterol
d.Best source of energy
There are FIVE groups of these
foods:
FruitVegiesYamswhole grainsLigumes
Breadbeans
Ricepeas
CerealLentils
All five are a good source of
fiber.Animal products (like meat
and cheese) contain no fiber. Lean protein is good for the human body. Lean
protein can be found in foods like:
Non Fat milk
Non Fat yogurt
Non Fat cream cheese
Non Fat sour cream
Healthy Choice – Non Fat Cheeses
Egg Whites
Egg beaters
Turkey white meat
Chicken
Water packed tuna
Lean protein helps to stabilize
our blood sugar (less insulin is released, fat storage is avoided) and helps to
suppress our appetite.(LATE NIGHT
SNACK TIP: So when you are hungry late at night, non fat yogurt with pineapple
slices in real pineapple juice… might be a delicious and full filling snack. The
yogurt has lean protein and the sweetness of natural pineapple will cure any
sweet tooth craving that comes at night.)
Protein is not energy food, it is
rebuilding food.A human does not
need too much, unless they are working out hard and trying to get bigger
muscles. In this case, a steady intake of milk, yogurt and other lean proteins
are essential.
EXERCISE:Three types of Exercise
A.
Strength
METABOLISM
It
is much easier to get rid of fat permanently by increasing your metabolic rate
(otherwise known as metabolism).This is the rate at which your body burns calories, food and stored fat
for energy.You increase your
metabolism by increasing your muscle mass and your activity level.It’s a simple concept: people with more
muscle mass have a higher metabolism.The conclusion you can draw from this is: strength training (working out
with weights) is one of the keys to burning fat.
I have not met anyone over 25
years old who can eat anything they want and still have 6 percent body
fat.The older you get, the slower
your metabolism... and hence, the more you have to be disciplined if you want
to lose fat.But be aware that
having lower body fat that appeals to this present ‘western commercial
society’ can also be very unhealthy if it’s too low. Having a fat level that is
too low is just as unhealthy as exceeding these percentages.Both extremes can lead to bad
health.It is best to stay within
the recommended ranges of health.
B. Flexibility exercise (like
stretching or pilates) are very good for the human body.
C. Aerobic exercise-- most important cause it brings
oxygen to the heart.It helps our
heart, lungs and circulatory system by delivering oxygen.
Exercise burns fat! It also
releases endorphins – so people usually "feel great" after a workout! Exercise
relieves stress. It’s a great energizer.
FITNESS TIP: Find a large hill in your neighborhood and walk it up
and down several times. Go out of your way to walk up hills. If you feel like
extra work: Walk up hills with weights in your hand / or rocks in your hands.
Use as many muscles as you can when you work out. Get a full body workout.
SLEEP is the final part of a healthy lifestyle.Improvement, recovery takes place when
you sleep. Get lots of sleep. Take naps, when you can. Generally speaking,
North Americans are over tired.
WARNING:Overtraining your muscles is not good. If you are sore all
the time, irritable, can’t relax or sleep deeply… this is not good.
Take naps.Sleep in now and then. If you do, you
will look better, be leaner, look younger, feel more energy.
KEY POINTS SO FAR:
Oxygen
Water
Clean fuel
Exercise
Sleep
Remember these five points and you
have the foundation for healthy living and a “fit” feeling of peacefulness.
A workout is one part inspiration
and 5 parts perspiration.
Take charge of your destiny.Prepare for life’s challenges.
As you start to see results, your
confidence will grow.
4.Fat loss:Aerobic exercise / Diet = working on
both for best results.
DIET:Good nutrition combats depression
Large percentage of people quit working out just before they start to
see results. HANG IN THERE and be 180% committed to the process for at least
eight months – at least 3 days a week.
AEROBIC:Condition yourself aerobically.Build yourself up to a few miles.
To purchase the entire E-book "TEN EASY WAYS TO LOSE WEIGHT AND FEEL GREAT" By Dillon Woods click here.