Lose Weight by Eating More -- Food that is Virtually Impossible to Store as Body Fat

By Ahmed Hajouj.


Certain foods are extremely difficult for the human body to convert into body fat – not impossible but damned near impossible. By consuming calories derived from these foods, the anabolic margin of error is extended dramatically, which means it will be easier to lose fat and gain muscle, if you choose.

Lean protein, protein devoid of saturated fat, has been the staple, the bedrock nutrient of elite athletes for 50 years. Why? You can eat a mountain of lean protein and not get fat – assuming you train with intensity sufficient enough to trigger muscle growth. Lean protein is difficult for the body to break down and digest. As a direct result of this digestive difficulty, the body kicks the metabolic thermostat upward to break protein down into subcomponent amino acids.

The human body wants to preserve stored body fat as a last line of defense against starvation. If overworked and under-fed, the body will preferentially eat muscle tissue to save precious body fat.

Obese people that go on crash diets, precipitously slashing calories, might lose 100-pounds of body weight, yet still appear fat. Despite losing from say 350-pounds to 250-pounds, they still appear fat because they still are fat. The body has cannibalized muscle tissue and saved the fat. Though they might weigh 100-pounds less, they still possess 25-40% body fat percentile.

Lean protein is the bedrock nutrient in the physical renovation process because it supplies muscle tissue battered by a high intensity weight workout with the amino acids needed to heal, recover and construct new muscle tissue. Lean protein is a bedrock nutrient in the physical renovation process because it causes the basal metabolic rate (BMR) to elevate; the metabolic thermostat, the rate at which our body consumes calories, increases when digesting protein. Lean protein is a bedrock nutrient in the physical renovation process because it is damned near impossible for the body to convert it into body fat.

The other bedrock nutrient in the physical transformation process is fibrous carbohydrates: carrots, broccoli, green beans, bell peppers, spinach, cauliflower, onions, asparagus, cabbage, salad greens, Brussels sprouts and the like. Fibrous carbohydrates, like lean protein, are nearly impossible for the body to convert into body fat. Fibrous carbohydrates require almost as many calories to digest as they contain. A green bean or carrot might contain 10-calories yet is so dense and difficult to break down that the body has to expend nearly as many calories to break down that bean or carrot as the vegetable contains.

Fibrous carbohydrates have a wonderful "Roto-Rooter" effect on the internal plumbing: as they work their way though the digestive passageways they scrape mucus and gunk off intestinal walls and help keep sludge buildup to a minimum. For this reason fibrous carbohydrates are the perfect compliment to a lean protein diet. Too much protein can cause bile buildup: fiber is the Yin to protein’s Yang. The two nutrients should be eaten together.

Both protein and fiber have a beneficial dampening effect on insulin secretions. It is no accident that professional bodybuilders, the world’s best dieters, capable of reducing body fat percentiles to 5% while maintaining incredible muscle mass, construct their eating regimen around protein and fiber.

The best way to eat is to eat often. If you eat 3,000 calories a day the best way is in five 600-calorie feeding or six 500-calorie feedings instead of a breakfast containing 400-calories, a lunch of 1000-calories and a late dinner of 1,600-calories. Avoid calories easily converted into body fat.

Eat multiple small meals in the 400-600 calorie range comprised exclusively of foods near impossible for the body to convert into body fat. Plus, these foods cause the metabolism, the BMR, the body thermostat to elevate in order to digest them. Optimally you should eat every three hours: in about the time the nutrients from the previous meal have dwindled, been expended and exhausted, in about the time the elevated metabolism is ‘settling back down to normal,’ eat another small protein/fiber meal. This reestablishes anabolism, kicks the metabolism upward once again and gives the body more practice at assimilating and distributing quality nutrients.

They say practice makes perfect and by eating small, power-packed, tough to digest meals every three hours, the metabolism is kept elevated, anabolism is established and maintained and the individual never feels hungry. A person who is not hungry is far less inclined to binge on sweets and treats, junk and trash then the crash diet/calorie cutters who always feel hungry, deprived, listless and lacking energy.

The small meal/protein/fiber approach has been used successfully by elite athletes for decades and is not some untried dietary abstraction – rather it is the proven method of choice, one that has withstood the test of time, one that has been used for decades and been proven effective time after time.

If a person is able to establish a multiple meal schedule comprised primarily of lean protein and fiber eaten every three hours, then adds to this eating schedule some serious weight training and a cardiovascular regimen, physical transformation is a biological certainty.

Low Fat Diets - How Effective Is The Low Fat Diet Plan?

By Ahmed Hajouj.


Are low-fat diets effective? Personally, I would say no. While this still doesn’t give license for everyone to dust off the deep fryer, it simply means that fat doesn’t play quite so large of a role in harboring diseases as previously thought by researchers.

According to a 10 year long study of 49,000 postmenopausal women nationwide, low-fat diets had virtually no effect on the incidence of heart disease, colorectal cancer, stroke, or breast cancer as opposed to the higher fat content of a “more standard” American diet. This news has certainly come as a shock for many since the exact opposite was touted. If we, as a society, were to eat less fats then the occurrence of heart disease and various cancers would surely plummet.

What has also shocked many is that eating a high-carb, low-fat diet will not raise triglycerides, or elevate chances of developing diabetes. And even though fat has over double the calories per gram as protein or carbohydrates, eating a low-fat diet will not help those needing to lose weight.

One piece of evidence that does happen to coincide with past assertions is that this same study also illustrated the fact that diets high in saturated fat and trans-fat do greatly elevate cholesterol levels and raise one’s chances of getting heart disease. Thus, it is still my opinion that the healthiest way to eat is to find balance in your diet.

Next, it would be well advised not to eat more fats than are generally recommended by doctors and don’t eat less fats than is recommended. For active folks, a common estimate for one’s daily fat requirements should equal roughly 20% of one’s total calories.

For the heavier set, I wouldn’t cut any lower than 15%. So, if you were to eat a diet high in saturated fat, then you could potentially develop heart disease due to the elevated cholesterol levels. This is a fairly common occurrence for the strict adherents of the Atkins diet model. While they may lose some weight, they are often left with soaring blood cholesterol levels.

On the other hand, if one were to eat a strict low-fat diet then they could also be increasing their chances for heart disease due to their diet’s lack of essential fatty acids. So, it is indeed important that balance is achieved when nutrition and your health is at stake. If one becomes too lax or too restrictive, then you will be unintentionally sabotaging your heart amongst other things and that could eventually cost you your life.

How To Snack Without Getting Fat

By Ahmed Hajouj.


Did you know that when you are on a diet, if you eat something and no one sees you - it doesn’t contain any calories! Of course that's not true...but it is how many of us think!

Do you eat when you are bored, upset or angry? Do you find that every day requires a chocolate bar to get you through the afternoon? If you are trying to lose weight, you may feel guilty about snacks. As a weight loss coach, I find some folk (particularly women) laugh nervously when I ask them what happens to their food consumption around 4pm. This often is the time of the day when the “Snack Monster” takes control of them! Some berate themselves for being weak, out of control and without discipline. They either eventually give up on their diet altogether or develop counter thoughts so they don’t feel so bad. “It didn’t really matter - it is fat free”. Or, “if no one notices, the calories don’t count”.

The good news is that a healthy eating programme leading to weight does not have to be like this. You can lose weight without being hungry or guilty! It’s possible to take control of the “Snack Monster” and healthy snacking can lead you to weight loss success, not failure. So instead of being full of regret about snacking, choose your snacks wisely and have more energy and vitality, without the guilt.

The keys to healthy snacking are to select foods that:
* Can satisfy your hunger,
* Supply your body with energy, and
* Provide important nutrients

Look for foods that contain the following:

* Whole grains.< Whole-grain snacks are rich in complex carbohydrates and fibre, which give you immediate energy that has some staying power. Consider items such as low-fat whole-grain crackers and whole-grain crispbreads.

* Fruits and vegetables. Eating fruits and vegetables provides a feeling of fullness with no fat and only a small amount of calories. They also provide vitamins, minerals, fibre and other nutrients.

* Nuts and seeds. Nuts and seeds are a good source of protein, which helps keep you feeling fuller longer. Nuts and seeds are high in calories, however, so don't eat them in large quantities.

* Low-fat dairy products. Cheese, yogurt and other dairy products are good sources of calcium, protein, and other nutrients. Be sure to choose low fat versions.

Prepare for your week and have a range of healthy snacks on hand at home or in the office and snack on healthy choices with peace of mind.

Eat Fat - Lose Weight!! The Incredible Oils That Actually Aid Weight Loss!

Copyright 2006 Sylvia Riley

The notion of ‘healthy fats’ is becoming increasingly acknowledged. The idea that some fats may actually help you loose weight however, is a little further-fetched, and yet It appears this seeming paradox is indeed the case. As will be explored, both coconut oil and omega-3 oil can speed up metabolism and accelerate the burning of fats in the body.

Distinguishing between fats is imperative for optimum health and weight. Saturated animal fats are notoriously linked to obesity, heart disease and cancer. Hydrogenated fats as found in chocolates, baked products and margarines are even worse and contain trans fats, the most harmful fats of all. Refined cooking oils are also detrimental, with harsh processing methods altering oil molecules and creating toxins and free radicals.

Natural cold-pressed oils such as nut, seed, olive and fish oils, contain healthy essential fatty acids, monounsaturated fats, nutrients and phytochemicals that serve the body.

Coconut oil is also supremely healthy; a saturated fat structurally different from animal saturated fats containing medium-chain as opposed to long-chain fatty acids. These molecules are small enough to be absorbed directly into the liver and used as an immediate source of energy by the body. They place no strain on the digestive system and their availability for metabolism means they are not likely to be stored as fat (unlike high-calorie cholesterol-heavy long-chain animal fats).

Coconut oil has a plethora of noted health benefits. It houses lauric acid, an antimicrobial fatty acid that fights bacteria, viruses and fungi. Some more surprising benefits include an ability to lower cholesterol, reduce the risk of heart disease and actually stimulate weight loss. It has also been found to benefit conditions such as diabetes, chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia, digestive disorders and thyroid imbalances.

Dr. Weston A Price, the Darwin of nutrition writes: ‘Replacing the fats you now eat with coconut oil may be the wisest decision you can make to lose excess body fat…Yes, there is a dietary fat that can actually help you take off unwanted pounds. Coconut oil can quite literally be called a low-fat fat.’

In the 1940’s farmers discovered that attempts to fatten up their animals with coconut oil produced the opposite effect; they became leaner and more active. Ironically, with the demand for leaner meat today, they are now using coconut oil for this exact purpose.

Raymond Peat MD, author of Coconut Oil and Its Virtues concludes, ‘The anti-obesity effect of coconut oil is clear in all of the animal studies, and in my friends who eat it regularly.’

Omega-3 oil is another virtuous fat that can actually speed up the burning of fats in the body and hence aid weight loss. Omega-3 oil serves numerous bodily processes and is particularly beneficial to the immune system and heart as well as arthritis, skin conditions, pre-menstrual tension, mental function, improving memory and reducing depressive symptoms.

One of the main reasons omega 3 oil increases fat metabolism is because of its effects on insulin, significantly reducing it’s levels in the body. Insulin inhibits the enzyme lipase which breaks down fat for use as energy and activates an enzyme that converts carbohydrate into fat. Insulin promotes the use of fat for storage and reduces the use of fat for fuel, hence lower insulin levels mean a greater conversion of fat for energy rather than storage.

Omega-3 oil is found in cold-water fish such as sardines, salmon, herring and mackerel as well as plant sources such as flax seeds (the richest plant source), walnuts, pumpkin seeds, mustard seeds, green-leafed vegetables and spirulina.