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If you are not sure what RSS and blogging is all about, click on the question mark on lower left screen. Once you start, you will be amazed at what RSS can do. Enjoy... this is fun! If you have a comment to add, hit the contact me button and let'er rip or give me a call at 1-866-270-3449 (toll free). I'd love to hear from you. Feb 23, 2010, Sometimes They Actually ListenLast week I was doing a presentation for my local business group and stated that many times I felt like no one was listening when I talked about being proactive when it came to protecting our health. Shortly after my remark Dan one of our members thanked me for some advice I had given on reading food labels on a previous occasion. He said that he and his wife had started removing foods with high fructose corn syrup from their diets due to my advice. I could have kissed him. You see, most times I feel like I am pissing in the wind so to speak with my health advice. When someone like Dan actually listens and becomes proactive it assures me that sometimes people actually do listen and more importantly act upon my advice. Last year a friend turned me on to what has become one of my favorite books called Zero Limits by Dr Joe Vitale and Dr. Hew Len, PhD. It is a self-help book about the ancient Hawaiian healing system called Hooponopono. Hooponopono teaches that we live our lives either through desperation or inspiration. Most of us live through desperation which prevents us from receiving moments of inspiration from the divine. Through inspiration we are able to accomplish great things with our lives. I see this desperation vs inspiration issue everyday when it comes to us taking care of our health. In fact most of my clients come to me out of desperation. They have received bad news from their doctor about their weight, cholesterol, blood pressure or are pressed by a family member to get in shape. Rarely do they come to me because they are inspired to make needed changes. One of my fellow trainers told me that he use to snicker behind my back when I talked about healthier eating practices. After being recently diagnosed with a diet related illness he has had to make some dietary changes. He had to put into practice some of the things I had suggested to him before his diagnosis. He admitted that he felt better now after those changes. Like I say, sometimes they listen and sometimes they do not. Now through desperation, he is making healthier changes and is feeling better for it. I am hoping that you will take my advice, feel inspired and start making those healthy changes that you have been putting off. Permalink -- click for full blog post "Sometimes They Actually Listen" Oct 15, 2009, Giant Guts And Big ButtsHey guys, I am back. I have been busy doing consulting work and have lapsed in my blogging. The thing is, I would much rather talk with you than at you. I love the interaction. I specialize in helping my clients lose weight safely and successfully with a strong emphasis on getting rid of dangerous, ugly belly fat. If we cannot meet in person and you have a question about exercise, nutrition or belly fat loss, email me at: zo@aflatbelly.com (add yourself to my white list which prevents me from getting spammed) or call me at 866-270-3449 for a free phone consultation. We seem to be a society smothered in giant guts and big butts. What the hell is going on?! We are spending billions of dollars on health potions and lotions, club memberships, exercise equipment and apparel, yet we are fatter than ever as a society. Obviously the all mighty dollar is not going to fix the problem alone. Today I was talking with one of my clients who is an urgent care doctor about kids coming into her hospital with the flu and high fevers. She usually gives them medicine to lower their fever. But, because kids today are so fat, she cannot give them doses based on their age any longer. She has to give them doses based on their weight. Some receive an amount which would normally be given to an adult! Even our children are suffering from the giant gut and big butt syndrome. Everyday I hear someone say they cannot lose weight no matter how hard they try. My reply is always, BS! Next they will ask how to do it. I tell them that they are asking the wrong question to begin with. The question they should be asking is-WHY do they want to lose weight. WHY you choose to do something is way more important than HOW you will do it. If your WHY is not strong enough, the HOW will not matter. The question of why and how applies to anything you set out to do. Dropping weight, losing belly fat and getting in better shape is not always fun. It involves making changes, something we do not usually like to do. If you do not have a really good reason why you are doing it, you will fail. Case closed. When I work with clients we stay focused on their WHY as we figure out how we are going to get the results they want. With this approach they can use their time and dollars wisely to create the healthy, fit and attractive body that they have always wanted. They are then able to say goodbye to their giant gut and big butt. Permalink -- click for full blog post "Giant Guts And Big Butts" Jun 28, 2009, Sometimes 50 Ain't So NiftyThere a lots of things that we men love about being 50 but honestly there are lots of things about being 50 and older that we're not real happy about. Here are just a few things that kind of chaps our butts about being older than 49. May 15, 2009, Teach Your Children WellFunny how things seem to pop up in your head at the oddest times. On the eve of my son graduating from the university and my daughter a week later from high school, I find myself in a very nostalgic mood. Maybe it was not so odd that the song, Teach Your Children by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young jumped into my brain while making breakfast this morning. As all good parents tries to do, my wife and I have attempted to teach our children principles and beliefs that are important to us. We hope that these principles and beliefs will give them the framework by which they build their lives as they grow older. One of those beliefs is that great health is a precious gift to be pursued, savored and nurtured. We chose breastfeeding over formula because it is healthier. When our kids wanted white bread like in the commercials we refused to buy it and told them because it was unhealthy. Things got a bit trickier during their teenage years when the influence of peers became important. Every kid wants to fit in right?! But, we taught them to make healthier choices even when choosing foods we did not approve of. And guess what, they made pretty healthy choices. Today, our children enjoy wonderful health. They are rarely sick, physically active, mentally alert and do not suffer from being overweight or obese. So yes, we have tried to teach our children well about their health. Great health is the foundation of great living. As parents we feel that there is not a lesson worth learning that is more important than this. May 5, 2009, Is Belly Fat Loss Worth Dying For?In previous posts I've written about the dangers of rapid fat loss and the products that promote this type of unhealthy hype. Trust me, the weight will come back on and you will be fatter than ever before. Just what you wanted, right?! As if this isn't bad enough, these products can mess up your body and in some instances, kill you. On May 1, 2009, the Food And Drug Administration (FDA), issued a warning to consumers about the popular "fat burning" supplement Hydroxycut produced by Lovate Health Sciences, Inc, of Oakville, Ontario. Some Hydroxycut products are associated with a host of liver injuries, seizures, cardiovascular disorders and muscle damage that can lead to kidney failure. There has been one reported death of a 19 year old man due to liver problems caused by his use of Hydroxycut products.
The FDA urges consumers to discontinue use of Hydroxycut products in order to avoid any undue risk. Hydroxycut products like many fat loss products are also sold as energy enhancers, for water loss and for low carb diets. Products like Hydroxycut rarely if ever live up to their hype and as you can see, are sometimes dangerous. It is possible to buy safe weight loss and belly fat loss supplements. You just gotta do your homework. Check out the company you're buying from. Check with the FDA or consumer groups to see if there are any complaints about the company and its products. Don't just grab for the pretty bottle on the shelf because it has a hot guy or girl with ripped abs on the label. You just might save your own life. Permalink -- click for full blog post "Is Belly Fat Loss Worth Dying For?" Apr 18, 2009, Hidden Sugar In Your Food Will Make It Impossible For You To Lose Belly FatYou're being a good camper right?! You're counting calories and watching your carbs, fats and proteins but you're still having trouble losing that ugly belly fat. Does this sound familiar? Did you know that hidden sugar in your food might be what is jacking up your belly size and making you look like a blimp? After refining, sugar has absolutely no nutritional value. You'll usually find refined sugar in foods packed with fat, cholesterol and useless calories. We know it's in stuff like soft drinks, cookies, pies, cakes and candy but it's also in things like bread, pasta, salsa, condiments, processed nuts and seeds, granola, sports drinks and sports bars. This is a real short list, believe me. Any sugar addict will tell you that refined sugar is highly addictive. Is it any wonder that you crave foods that contain it? Is it any wonder that food makers pump our foods full of this crap?! Normally sugar is converted to glucose which is used by the body for energy but since we stuff so much sugar down our throats, our poor bodies can't use it up fast enough. We end up with extra calories which staple themselves onto our butts, thighs and bellies in an ugly and often times dangerous mass of excess fat. Can you say adios...belly fat loss? Think again Einstein if you think that sugar substitutes are any better. High fructose corn syrup and chemical crap substitutes like aspartame, splenda, NutraSweet and Equal have been linked to a number of health problems like migraines, seizures, joint pain, Alzheimer's, diarrhea, food cravings and weight gain just to name a few. See 'em on a food label...toss the junk back. I think that the folks at the FDA who approved this crap should be made to scoot nude over hot coals. They've bedded down with the food lobbyists instead of protecting consumers from these supposed healthy sugar alternatives. If you need to add a taste of sweetness to your diet consider healthier substitutes such as Stevia, raw sugar, date sugar, maple syrup, blackstrap molasses, brown rice syrup, beet sugar or Turbinado sugar. At least these substitutes have some nutritional value left. Even though they're healthier, don't stuff yourself full of them everyday. You will get fatter and losing belly fat will be impossible. Mar 19, 2009, What's Your Major Ager?They have done it again. With their latest book YOU STAYING YOUNG, Dr. Michael Roizen and Dr. Mehmet Oz, continue to show why their books are read by millions and why they are frequent guests on the Oprah show. They tackle the subject of aging in an informative yet highly entertaining fashion. With humorous illustrations and easy to understand language, Drs. Roizen and Oz manage to turn a complex subject into something that anyone can understand. They explain that aging is the result of forces that happen to the outside of our bodies and forces that happen inside our bodies. They call these forces Major Agers. The cool thing is that we have a ton of control over these Major Agers which means that we have a ton of control over the rate at which we age. Major Agers include things like your genes, stem cells, bacteria and viruses, toxins, calorie consumption, UV radiation, muscle atrophy and the lack of sleep. They show us what we can do to avoid these Major Agers and live a much longer and much healthier life. It is amazing how much control we can have over these forces if we just put a few good habits to work for us. Drs. Roizen and Oz give you detailed programs that will help you live longer like an anger management plan, a quit smoking plan, deep sleep program, stress management plan, a vital vitamin and supplement plan as well as a list of medical test we all need to take. I was happy to hear them speak so favorably about resveratrol which is proving to be one our most powerful and natural allies in our battle against aging. This natural compound is starting to play and ever increasing role in the study of how we can slow down the effects of aging throughout our bodies. Weight loss is a reoccurring theme in this book because excessive weight is one of the biggest ways to age your body. So, if you are packing around a big old gut, let that sucker go. Belly fat loss is a must for longer not to mention healthier living. If you are looking for one book to buy this year, make it YOU STAYING YOUNG. This is one book you will want to refer back to time and time again. You will no longer accept the fact that aging is just something that happens to you. With their easy to use tips, Drs. Roizen and Oz will help you as they say-extend your warranty while living a happier, healthier and much more pleasurable life. Mar 6, 2009, Are You In Control?It turns out that we cannot totally blame our genes for us being fat and unhealthy. Science has proven that genetics account for only about 25 percent of our overall health. This is important to know because if you have a predisposition to certain diseases because of bad genes, it gives you some good ammo to use to hopefully ward off these suckers. Fortunately or unfortunately about 75 percent of our health is the result of what we do to ourselves or do not do for ourselves. Being in control of your health is about prevention not early diagnosis like taking a bunch of tests. Being in control of your health is about using your 75 percent controlling interest and making it work in your favor. Disease care is financially non-viable. We budget about 2.1 trillion dollars in our national budget for disease care. Around 75 percent of those dollars are being spent on preventable disease care. In other words, we are wasting a whole lot of bucks on things we can control and prevent. 80 percent of our healthcare dollars are spent on the BIG 5 causes of death in the US-heart disease, cancer, strokes, diabetes and believe it or not, prescription medication which kills over 25,000 people every year.
There are some simple things you can do to take control and help prevent the BIG 5. Here are a few ideas: Notice how important weight loss is. Being at a healthy weight is one of the most important things for good health. If you have a big old chuck of belly fat, get rid of it starting now. Excess belly fat loss gives you a head start in preventing a ton of diseases. Another easy thing you can do is take a multivitamin with minerals. This is a real cheap way to get micro and macronutrients. Multivitamins are recommended by the JAMA, AHA Council on CVD for Women, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Cancer Society, Linus Pauling Institute and Tufts University. You have a choice. You can be in control of your health of maybe the BIG 5. It is pretty much up to you. I hope you will make the right choice. Permalink -- click for full blog post "Are You In Control?" Feb 25, 2009, Still A Pile Of PoopLife does present some great teaching moments when you least expect it. Today my teenage daughter was eating a snack and offered me a taste. She proceeded to tell me how healthy it was because after all, the bag did say puffed wheat snacks. Adorned with festive colors, drawings of tasty looking limes and red chilies and a smiling face, the bag radiated nothing but goodness. In fact, the back of the bag spoke of quality, fun, authentic flavors and the smile that would be added to your day while eating this snack. To bolster her claim that this was a healthy snack, my daughter said that this snack contained protein. Now, product labels can offer you a wealth of information but unfortunately do not tell the whole story. I asked her to read from the list of ingredients. This is where the most important part of the story is told. I will not go through all of the ingredients, just touch on a few. Enriched flour (not whole wheat flour), partially hydrogenated oil, less than 2% of lime juice or chili pepper and artificial colors like yellow 6, yellow 6 lake, blue 1 and blue 2 lake and red 40 lake. Got to like lake colors in your food. I asked my daughter if she would eat a big pile of poop if they added ingredients like these to it, even protein. You can guess her answer. Food makers have taught us to concentrate primarily on the top part of food labels but not on the list of ingredients. This is a huge mistake on our part. After all, when you start with poop, you end up with poop no matter how you dress it up. The amount of nutrients like proteins, fats and carbohydrates in food does matter. They just do not tell the whole food story. The ingredients these nutrients come from are even more important. They tell the true health story behind smiling faces, festive colors and Madison Avenue hype. Permalink -- click for full blog post "Still A Pile Of Poop" Feb 9, 2009, Food Label LiesFortified, enriched, low fat, low calorie, blahblahblah. Man, we consumers love to read these words on food packages. We conjure up images of healthy, nutritious foods that we feel proud to sit on our dinner tables. Again, we have fallen victim to food labels lies. Most times these foods are as empty in nutritional content as these words are in significance. But, food makers know how to entice consumers to spend money. They know that food labels containing these types of words are good for business but not so for us consumers. Fortified or enriched just means that most of the good stuff like natural vitamins, minerals and micronutrients has been taken out and replaced with what food scientists feel is important to put back in. Not quite like nature intended. If being low fat or low calorie was so great, 65% of our population would not be overweight and America would not be swimming in deep pools of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol and diseases like high blood pressure. Knowing how to read food labels is an important first step in nutrition but only tells part of the food story. You can read more about food labels if you check out my full post on this subject. It is kind of funny that the best foods for us to eat like plants, nuts and fruits do not require food labels. When you pick up that box or bag of food and read the label here is a quick way to see if that food is any good for you. If you see hydrogenated fats (now called trans fats), high fructose corn syrup, sugar, enriched white flour or more than 20 grams of saturated fats, within the first five listed ingredients toss this package back. You are just wasting your hard earned money. No matter how attractive the package is, you are buying crap. As a matter of fact, the package itself is probably just as nutritious as its contents. In later blogs I will share with you information on a dangerous food movement called nutritionism which is destroying our relationship with food and eating. It is making us even bigger victims of label lies and is helping to destroy our health. You will not want to miss this info. If you have anything to add, hit the contact me button and throw in your two cents worth. Later. Permalink -- click for full blog post "Food Label Lies"
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