General Motors: Weight Loss Diet Program

Have you ever heard of General Motors Weight Loss Diet Program?

The following diet and health program was developed for employees and dependents of General Motors, Inc. and is intended for their exclusive use. This program was developed in conjunction with a grant from U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration. It was field tested at the Johns Hopkins Research Centre and was approved for distribution by the Board of Directors, General Motors Corp. at a general meeting on August 15, 1985. General Motors Corp. wholly endorses this program and is making it available to all employees and families. This program will be available at all General Motors Food Service Facilities. It is management's intention to facilitate a wellness and fitness program for everyone.

This program is designed for a target weight loss of 10-17 lbs per week. It will also improve your attitudes and emotions because of its cleansing systematic effects.

The effectiveness of this seven day plan is that the food eaten burn more calories than they give to the body in caloric value.

This plan can be used as often as you like without any fear of complications. It is designed to flush your system of impurities and give you a feeling of well being. After seven days you will begin to feel lighter because you will be lighter by at least 10 lbs. You will have an abundance of energy and an improved disposition.

During the first seven days you must abstain from all alcohol 
You must drink 10 glasses of water each day

Day One All fruits except bananas. Your first day will consist of all the fruits you want. It is strongly suggested that you consume lots of melons the first day. Especially watermelon and a loupe. If you limit your fruit consumption to melons, your chances of losing three lbs. on first day are very good.

Day Two All vegetables. You are encouraged to eat until you are stuffed with all the raw or cooked vegetables of your choice. There is no limit on the amount or type. For your complex carbohydrate, you will start day two with a large baked potato for breakfast. You may top the potato with one pat of butter.

Day Three A mixture of fruits and vegetables of your choice. Any amount, any quantity. No bananas yet. No potatoes today.

Day Four Bananas and milk. Today you will eat as many as eight bananas and drink three glasses of milk. This will be combined with the special soup which may be eaten in limited quantities.

Day Five Today is feast day. You will eat beef and tomatoes. Eat two 10 oz. portions of lean beef. Hamburger is OK. Combine this with six whole tomatoes. On day five you must increase your water intake by one quart. This is to cleanse your system of the uric acid you will be producing.

Day Six Beef and vegetables. Today you may eat an unlimited amount of beef and vegetables. Eat to your hearts content.

Day Seven Today your food intake will consist of brown rice, fruit juices and all the vegetables you care to consume.

Tomorrow morning you will be 10-17 lbs. lighter than one week ago. If you desire further weight loss, repeat the program again. You may repeat this program as often as you like, however, it is suggested that you are allowed two glasses of white wine in addition to the instructions on the program. You may substitute champagne for white wine. Under no circumstances are you to drink any other alcoholic beverages with the exception of beer which is allowed. Any liquor (bourbon,vodka, rum) is forbidden. Cream drinks are especially forbidden. You may have an occasional cordial such as creme de menthe or schnapps, but you must always limit yourself to two drinks. If you wine, drink only wine that day. If you have beer, drink only beer that day, etc. Alcohol adds empty calories to your diet. However, after the first week it will help your digestion and settle your stomach.

G.M.'S Wonder Soup

The following soup is intended as a supplement to your diet. It can be eaten any time of the day in virtually unlimited quantities. You are encouraged to consume large quantities of this soup.

28 oz, Water, 6 Large Onions, 2 Green Peppers, Whole Tomatoes (fresh or canned), 1 Head Cabbage, 1 Bunch Celery, 4 Envelopes Lipton Onion Soup Mix, Herbs and Flavouring as desired.

Additional Comments

Vegetables as may be taken in the form of a salad if desired. No dressing except malt, white or wine vinegar, squeezed lemon, garlic, herbs. No more than one tea spoon of oil.

You have been given a recipe for the WONDER SOUP which can be eaten in unlimited quantities. This soup is a supplement while you are on the program and it should be a pleasure to eat. Not everyone likes cabbage, green peppers, calory etc. This recipe is not inflexible. You may substitute vegetables according to your taste. You may add any vegetables you like: asparagus, peas, corn, turnips, green beans, cauliflower, etc. Try to stay away from beans (lima, pinto, kidney, etc.), however, because they tend to be high in calories even though they are very good for you.

Beverages you may consume while on the program :

   1. Water (flavoured with lemon/lime if desired).
   2. Club Soda is OK.
   3. Black Coffee. No cream or cream substitute. No sugar or sweetness.
   4. Black Tea = Herb or Leaf.
   5. Absolutely nothing else except the fruit juices which are part of day seven. No fruit juices before day seven.

How and Why It Works

Day One you are preparing your system for the upcoming programme. Your only source of nutrition is fresh or canned fruits. Fruits are nature's perfect food. They provide everything you could possibly want to sustain life except total balance and variety.

Day Two starts with a fix of complex carbo-hydrates coupled with an oil dose. This is taken in the morning for energy and balance. The rest of day two consists of vegetables which are virtually calorie free and provide essential nutrients and fibre.

Day Three eliminates the potato because you get your carbohydrates from the fruits. You system is now prepared to start burning excess pounds. You will still have cravings which should start to diminish by day four.

Day Four, bananas, milk and soup sound the strangest and least desirable. You're in for a surprise. You probably will not eat all the bananas allowed. But they are there for the potassium you have lost and the sodium you may have missed the past three days. You will notice a definite loss of desire for sweets. You will be surprised how easy this day will go.

Day Five, Beef and tomatoes. The beef is for iron and proteins, the tomatoes are for digestion and fibre. Lots and lots of water purifies your system. You should notice colourless urine today. Your allowance calls for the equivalent of five "quarter ponders". Do not feel you have to eat all this beef. You must eat the six tomatoes.

Day Six is similar to day five, Iron and proteins from beef, Vitamins and fibre from vegetables. By now your system is in a total weight loss inclination. There should be a noticeable difference in the way you look today, compared to day one.

Day Seven finished off the program like a good cigar used to finish off Victorian meals, except much healthier. You have your system under control and it should thank you for the flushing and cleaning you just gave it.

Of all weight loss programs, which one do you prefer?

Learn a Secret Celebrity Weight Loss Trick to Try at Home

Weight loss by walking alone? 

Ever notice those celebrities with the tight derrieres, sleek profiles, and great posture and wish you knew their secrets?  Here's one of the best, and you can even do it within your own happy home: walk! 

You probably have seen photos in gossip magazines of celebrities walking briskly in Beverly Hills, striding along a beach, or hiking in Aspen.  They know that fast walking is one of the best ways to lose weight and keep it off. 
 

Walking is great for your health, easy to fit into the busiest day...and it's free!
 

Celebrity fitness pro Leslie Sansone has created an easy-to-follow, energizing video designed to guide you through a brisk five-mile walk in your living room. A free preview is available on the Exercise TV site
 

An ExerciseTV trainer, Leslie developed her In-Home Walking programs as a way to give everyone (not just celebrities!) a method for getting fit, losing and managing weight, and becoming healthier.
 

After all, not all of us live in an area that's safe for walking.  In addition, concerns such as bad weather or a sick child can tamper with even the best intentions for an outside walking program.  That's where the idea of walking at home comes into play.  And it literally feels like play, thanks to Leslie's cheerful spirit and variety on the video.
 

"Staying fit shouldn't be intimidating or expensive." That's Leslie Sansone's philosophy and I believe in her!

Source: Joanne Eglash

Atkins diet blamed for one man's chest pain and artery blockage

Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) -- doctors and laypersons working together for compassionate and effective medical practice, research, and health promotion -- report this case study:
 

Case Study Shows Risks with Atkins Diet
In an article published in today’s Journal of the American Dietetic Association, PCRM researchers present a case study of a previously healthy 51-year-old man who developed high cholesterol, atherosclerosis, and erectile dysfunction after going on the Atkins Diet, which avoids carbohydrate and emphasizes fatty foods. Within one month, his LDL (“bad”) cholesterol had risen from 85 mg/dl to 154 mg/dl. Eventually, he ended up in an emergency room with chest pain caused by a near total blockage of a coronary artery. Two months after discontinuing the low-carbohydrate diet, his health problems were resolved. The case is remarkable because the individual had a heart scan showing no cardiac disease shortly before beginning the diet.
 

Barnett TD, Barnard ND, Radak TL. Development of symptomatic cardiovascular disease after self-reported adherence to the Atkins Diet. J Am Diet Assoc. 2009;109:1263-1265.

Is it not logical that fat that goes into to mouth has the extreme likelihood of winding up as fat in the arteries? How much data will we need to wipe the Atkins diet books off the book store and library shelves?
 

We need to take into consideration the above article, remember preventive is better than cure.

Source: Peggy Kraus

Ground Breaking New Doctor Designed Weight Loss Plan Unveiled

This article has been contributed by an Alternative Health Journal community member. It reflects the views of the author and only the author. The Alternative Health Journal makes no claims to the accuracy of the information contained within.

Internationally acclaimed diet doctor, Dr. John Salerno, and award winning cookbook author, Linda West Eckhardt, introduce The Silver Cloud Diet  e-book, a 180 page guide to a diet made up of wholesome, whole unprocessed foods with plenty of saturated fats that will reduce your weight, improve your cholestrol levels and lower your blood sugars. 


Building on the good work of Dr. Robert Atkins,  proves you can lose weight, feel better, and live longer without "diet" food or starvation. Dr. Salerno's many patients in New York, Florida, Japan, and Brazil prove that the old ways are the best ways.  Eat Real Food. That's the mantra of the Silver Cloud.
 

THE TOP TEN QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SILVER CLOUD DIET
 

Excerpt from The Silver Cloud Diet e-book, available at www.silverclouddiet.com
 

1. How is this diet different from Atkins?
When Dr. Atkins developed his protocols some 30 years ago, the food supply was less degraded than it is now.
 

Unfortunately, due to the increase in processed foods, junk foods, and our degraded farm land, the Atkins protocols just won’t work any more. 
You have to take a more proactive stand to preserve your health and weight.  I find with my patients, that their body needs a period of rest from the assaults of the Western Diet and so a short period,  say 2 weeks, of complete relief from carbohydrates of all types will make it possible to change your life, reset your body clock, and put you on the road to health and long life.
 

2. What can I eat in a restaurant?
This is the good news.  Even in the Detox phase of the diet, you can eat out.  Take the burger out of the bread, skip the vegetables and enjoy it.  Eat grilled fish, roast chicken, pot roast, tenderloin of pork, shrimp, scallops, pates, any of these work fine in a restaurant at any phase of the diet.
 

3. Road food office food, eating on the run?
Plan ahead.  Hard boil eggs and keep them on hand for car trips, office snacks,  lunches on the run.  Lay in a supply of jerky, canned salmon,  nuts of any kind, string cheese.  Any of these nutrient dense foods will keep you satisfied and on track.
 

4. I’m worried about not eating vegetables in the detox phase.
The notion that we have to eat vegetables every day is new.  Even as recently as a hundred years ago, mankind only had vegetables during the growing season.  To go for a short period with no vegetables is natural and healthy and actually rests your body. 
 

5. Where can I find appropriate food?
Man has been on this earth for thousands of years.  We’ve only eaten the same foods 12 months a year for about 100.  Don’t worry. Give your body a rest.  The Detox will take 5 to 15 pounds off, reduce your waist size, and more importantly rest your body.
 

6. Will I ever be able to eat a piece of cake?
We recommend buying food as “close to the ground” as possible.  In the grocery store, choose organic produce, eggs, and dairy.  At the farmer’s market, ask the vendors how they grow their crops.  Find a local provider for meats and fish if possible. As your health becomes more vigorous, and you lose eight, and increase your activities, beginning with your 10,000 steps a day, yes, you will be able to eat more carbohydrates.
 

7. I don’t want to prepare a separate meal for myself.  What about my partner?  My children?
Please don’t prepare a special meal for yourself.  Everyone in the family should be eating a broad and varied diet of unprocessed foods.  Your partner and children may kick about it, but if you retain a positive attitude, they will come on board and every one of you will be healthier.
 

8. How much weight can I expect to lose?
I have patients who are thrilled to lose 20 pounds.  I have patients who have lost upwards of 200 pounds with no pills and no pain, just learning to love a broad and varied diet of unprocessed foods.
 

9. When do I go off the diet?
You are making decisions to take care of your body by eating great food for the rest of your life.  And if you ever feel your weight creeping back up, give yourself a week of the Silver Cloud Detox Full Fat Fast and you’ll reset your clock and be back on target in no time. And remember that saturated fat is the most nutrient dense food there is.  It is the lubricant of your joints, and the element that makes your brain work best.  It keeps your hair shiny and your skin unwrinkled. 
 

10. Why should I eat saturated fat?
Once you remove the unhealthy processed carbohydrates from your diet, you don’t need to worry about saturated fat. And perhaps the best part of eating plenty of saturated fat is that it is nature’s appetite suppressant. Pay attention to your body and your body will take care of you. Cutting edge science by Mary Enig, PhD. And Sally Fallon reveals the hard facts about saturated fats and their health benefits.  Turn to the back of the book and read their ground-breaking study. We heartily recommend their book, Nourishing Traditions, a veritable encyclopedia of great food and food information. 

Thought for today: Love a broad and varied diet of unprocessed foods and pay attention to your body and your body will take care of you!
 

About the authors:
•    Dr. John Salerno, Chief Medical Officer, Board Certified Family Practic, Complementary Medicine
•    Linda Eckhardt, James Beard Award winning Cookbook Author

Dr. Salerno is an internationally renowned complementary medicine practitioner with satellite practices in Florida, Japan, Brazil, and Dubai.  He graduated summa cum laude from NY School of Osteopathic Medicine, then served a three year proctorship at Yale School of Medicine. Following, he was affiliated with Dr. Robert Atkins, and upon his death, inherited Dr. Atkins patients, many of whom remain his patients, well up into their nineties.
 

Linda West Eckhardt, James Beard and Julia Child award winning author of more than 20 cookbooks, 250 magazine pieces, and columns in newspapers and magazines.  Ms. Eckhardt holds a B.A. Foods and Nutrition, U. Texas, and an MA in Creative Writing, San Francisco State.  Graduated with honors.

Top 10 diet and exercise myths

Here is a list of explanations and solutions to help debunk and uncover the reality of some of the most common diet and exercise myths that have recently emerged.

10) Sweating means you’re losing weight

People think, “I’m sweating, therefore I'm burning a ton of calories.” Sweating means losing water, or water weight. Although a spin class followed by the sauna may shed a few pounds immediately, those pounds are not real body weight, or fat, and will come back on as soon as water or food is consumed. This is not an excuse to not drink water and/or not eat after a workout. Water should be consumed shortly after or during aerobic activity to regenerate water balance in the body. However, when sweating, the body is releasing toxins and mal substances from the body, which does help to improve the metabolism, and eventually to lose weight.

Instead of judging intensity by how much you sweat, use a heart-rate monitor or a pedometer. Monitor your heart rate during spinning, cardio, or yoga classes, or whatever activity you’re using for exercise. You might be surprised to find out that you're not working as hard as you thought you were, because you were sweating so much, and therefore not burning as many calories as you thought. You should maintain a heart rate of 60-75 percent of your maximum, with bursts up to 85 percent, depending on your goals and fitness level. To find your body’s ideal heart rate for burning calories and losing weight, checkout heartzones.com. 145-pound woman in a typical 40-minute Spinning class burns about 300-460 calories.

9) Eating late night will make you gain weight

There are no magic hours to eat or not to eat. We associate late-night eating with weight gain because we usually consume more calories at night, and shortly after, go to bed and are sedentary for up to 8 hours. We do this because we usually deprive our bodies of adequate calories the first half of the day, and naturally are hungry later at night, and tend to continue eating throughout the evening.

To curb large dinner portions and late night snacking, start the day out with a decent sized breakfast that includes protein, carbohydrates, and a small amount of fat. (2 eggs and a piece of toast with 1tbsp peanut butter and a banana) Eat every 3-4 hours throughout the day. Keep lunch the same size as dinner, and you will be less likely to over-indulge at night, yet you can enjoy a small late-night snack without the fear of it sticking to your middle while you’re dreaming.

8) Smoothies are good for you

Although the combination of fruit, yogurt, milk, nuts, etc. can be a great source of vitamins and antioxidants, calcium and nutrients, it can also pack as many calories as a full meal, and sometimes more. This would be okay if the drinks were used as a meal replacement, but in most cases, a smoothie is a mid afternoon snack, or used as a drink to accompany a meal. For example, a 24oz Razzmatazz smoothie from Jamba Juice packs 440 calories, a 16oz (small) Peanut Butter Moo’d Smoothie has 530 calories and a 16oz small Acai Cup (supposedly the wonder fruit) contains 620 calories, which is definitely more than enough for a meal. When ordering at a chain juice store, always look for the options that include the word “light,” which usually means they are in the 100-200 calorie range, which is much better for a quick, energizing snack.

Also, making them at home, and knowing exactly what’s in them is even better. For a quick and tasty smoothie, combine 1 banana, ½ cup blueberries, ½ cup raspberries, about 5 strawberries, 1 tbsp non fat yogurt any flavor, a half cup (eye ball it) of almond, soy, or non fat cow’s milk, with a tbsp of peanut butter and ice. This will give you an antioxidant, calcium and protein packed treat, for under 200 calories.

7) You have to eat animal protein to develop and maintain muscle

Of the three major nutrients, protein, carbohydrate and fat, protein is the least efficient energy source. Carbohydrates are the best source of muscle energy followed by fat. The body tries to spare protein for tissue maintenance and repair functions.

Building muscle mass involves two things: Using enough weight to challenge muscles beyond their normal levels of resistance and eating more calories than you burn. With all the hype about high protein diets lately, it's easy to believe that protein is the best fuel for building muscle and burning fat, but, according to the American Dietetic Association, muscles work on calories, so you need all three types of nutrients - carbohydrates, protein and fat.

If you consume too much protein, you run the risk of creating a nutrient imbalance, kidney strain, or dehydration. Plus, excess protein results in extra calories that are either burned or stored. (A.K.A eating a large amount of protein without working out to compensate for it will result in weight gain) For muscle mass, you should incorporate a healthy eating plan, as well as a workout that combines cardio exercise as well as consistent weight training.

6) Gaining weight with age is inevitable

This excuse is too easy and used too often. Yes, growing older does mean weakening of body systems, tissues and muscles, but it does not mean the body quits working all together just because it’s aging. Scientific research has shown that with exercise, especially aerobic exercise, weight training and a low-fat diet, you can increase lean body mass and decrease fat mass, no matter what stage of life you’re in. Even at age 90, people can experience renewed strength, increased mobility, stronger bones and greater flexibility just by exercising and avoiding McDonalds.

5) I can eat anything I want, as much as I want, as long as I work out

Even if you exercise regularly, you should still keep track of calories, portions and the types of foods you’re eating. A typical hour long workout burns about 300-500 calories, which is usually replaced right after or soon after that workout. Add this to the other meals of the day, plus drinks and other snacks that you’re consuming because you’re hungrier from your workout. Eating 3,000 calories in one day seems hard to do, but when portions and food choices are not considered, it’s easier than you think, and that 500 calories you burned earlier in the day is being counter acted.

Regular exercise and good nutritional habits go hand-in-hand. Without one, the other has a limited effect.

4) As long as I eat healthy foods, I can eat as much as I want

A calorie is a calorie. Although oatmeal is healthy, if you eat four cups of oatmeal, the calories add up. Healthy or otherwise, you still must be aware of portion sizes. Losing weight is a simple equation that has been so blurred by fad diets, diet pills, teas, “miracle foods”, cleansing products, and ridiculous treatments and surgeries, all because people want an easy way out. Losing weight is simply burning more calories than consumed. That’s it, and the only miracle that will help you to do this, is you.

3) If you don’t eat carbohydrates you’ll lose weight

This is the same concept discussed before. Whenever you eat more calories than you burn, you’ll gain weight. Whenever you eat less calories than you burn, you’ll lose weight. Yes, bread, pasta, cereal, rice etc. are heavier in calories (again, portion sizes), but so are bacon, steak, beef, and cheese, which according to the Atkins style diets, are your way to a thinner, healthy you, only with a few clogged arteries, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, liver damage, and sky rocketing sodium levels.

Carbohydrates eaten carelessly will absolutely add on pounds (just because the whole bag of pretzels has no fat, doesn’t mean that eating the whole bag of pretzels will not make you fat), but eating complex carbohydrates, like brown rice, whole wheat bread and pasta, couscous, quinoa, and fruit, provides essential vitamins, nutrients and the right amount of carbohydrates to keep you energized and feeling good.

What differentiates complex (good) carbohydrates from simple (bad) carbohydrates that make them better for us? Complex carbohydrates are simply sugars bonded together to form a chain. Digestive enzymes have to work much harder to access the bonds to break the chain into individual sugars for absorption through the intestines. Digestion of complex carbohydrates takes longer. The slow absorption of sugars provides us with a steady supply of energy and limits the amount of sugar converted into fat and stored.

2) All fat is bad

Contrary to popular belief, there are plenty of “good fats” out there that are essential for good health and aid in disease prevention. They are the ones that occur naturally in foods like avocados, nuts, olives, and fish, as opposed to those that are manufactured. Including small amounts of these foods at meal times and snacks can help you to feel full longer and therefore eat less.

1) I bought it at Whole Foods, so it must be healthy

Whole Foods is great. Organic and natural products are great. They taste great, and in most cases are an amazing and healthy alternative to processed, manufactured or chemically altered or tainted food. Yet, a calorie is still a calorie, and Whole Foods, Safeway, or home made, chemicals or not, an 800 calorie slice of cherry pie is still an 800 calorie slice of cherry pie.

Ready set go! Eat healthy foods and combine it with good regular exercise!

Source: Lindsey Bowman (examiner.com )

 

Weight loss: Secrets to success

“Calories consumed” must be less than “calories burned”, this is the simple equation that is essential to reach your weight loss goals.  Oftentimes, the simple concepts (like this one) are the ones we struggle with the most.  Your trainer or the fitness guru on TV makes it seem so simple “just stop eating the junk food”, “get to the gym”, “make the commitment”.  Oh, if it could be so easy……


The fact is that weight loss is hard because there are a variety of different variables that often stand in our way.  One of the major causes for our demise is our environment and how we respond to it.

1. Our surroundings…. On every corner chances are that there is a fast food joint or tasty restaurant that is calling your name.  This restaurant will often carry your favorite guilty pleasure (i.e. french fries, cakes, cookies and the list goes on). So when you’re hungry for a quick breakfast or afternoon snack before you go home your primal urges kick in (especially if you haven’t eaten in the past 4-5 hours).

Solution: Keep yourself stocked with tasty (and healthy snacks) and eat small meals every 2 hours.  This way you can control those primal urges since you would’ve already had your fill of nutritious foods.

2. Our relationships…. Most would agree that when your “love boat” starts to sink, ice cream and chocolate are great flotation devices.  Drowning a broken heart in chocolate and cookies seems like a good idea at the time but what sense does it make to lose your man and lose your waistline at the same time?

Solution: Don’t sulk in the kitchen, go out and enjoy yourself.  Burn off the stress with a night of dancing on the town!

3. Our expectations…. When we make the decision to change our lifestyle we don’t consider “the spectrum”.  The spectrum of eating healthy consists of eating super clean (think physique competitor/fitness model) and eating really bad (think “junk food junkie”). As a result, we try to eat perfectly and end up falling off the wagon.

Solution: We must cut ourselves some slack and not expect to make a “180” in 2 days. Small steps result in large gains, because small steps are feasible building blocks that lead to long-term changes that last.

Always take note that weight loss’ secret to success: Calories consumed must be less than calories burned!

By: Ozzie Jacobs
LA Personal Training Examiner

THE NASH DIET

I am late with the latest craze in “Nash Diet”!

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis or NASH is a common, often “silent” liver disease. But wait I am not referring to this NASH, what I mean to say is Steve NASH’s Diet. 
 

Let me introduce him first  - Stephen John Nash,  is a Canadian professional basketball player who plays point guard for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nash, who was born in South Africa but grew up in Canada, enjoyed a successful high-school basketball career, and he was eventually given a scholarship by Santa Clara University. In his four seasons with the Broncos, the team made three NCAA Tournament appearances, and Nash was twice named the West Coast Conference Player of the Year.

Steve Nash posted below in his Facebook dated 14 April 2009 at 12:28.
Apparently my diet has gotten some attention recently since Shaq told the world he is on the 'Nash' diet. Some of my teammates including Shaq have asked me what I eat and it's turned into a big point of conversation in the locker room, on the team bus and on the plane. It's now to the point that guys are policing each other's caloric intake and food choices. Jared Dudley, the most interested player who has lost over 10lbs, initially asked Grant Hill and I what our diets were like to keep in shape after all these years (a backhanded complement but we let it slide because of his genuine interest.).

I never thought of what I eat as a particular diet or thought to name it like most diets today. It's really just a natural evolution of my interest in being the best athlete I can be and being a healthful person who prevents injury and illness and can perform at my highest level. I realized sometime in college that I couldn't eat everything I wanted anymore and stay skinny. Not that I had terrible habits but the liberation of an all you can eat buffet known as a college cafeteria was a big step backwards and a learning experience from the thoughtful home cooked meal plan my Mom had me on for the 18 years prior to college. My Mom always made sure we had balanced meals or at least a balance week of meals and almost always had the house free of cookies, cakes, donuts and sodas. We'd have ice cream after dinner but even when there were cookies in the house they'd usually be hidden. This was probably also driven by financial reasons. Why buy a bunch of crap that's not good for you when we really can't afford it anyways?

Since I was a junior in college I started to watch what I eat more carefully and listen and learn what I could from the world around me. What I knew then is much different that what I know now and hopefully I'll continue to learn more about diet and nutrition for the rest of my life. I feel there are two areas of life that are greatly overlooked, misunderstood or not credited with their importance in our ability to reach our optimal levels of performance and also our greatest quality of everyday life. Diet and sleep. Maybe some other time I'll write about sleep.

Fortunately, for me I've always loved fruits and vegetables. Actually, I've always liked everything and could at least cut out the bad stuff and resort to things I loved: fruits, vegetables and grilled fish and chicken. I used to eat Lots of pasta and rice but now I only eat brown rice or pasta made from a natural food source on occasion. Basically what I've tried to do is cut out all the bad sugars, fats and processed foods from my diet.

Just to make my life more difficult, my wife urged me to see her naturopath and have a blood test to find my food sensitivities. Unfortunately, I'm sensitive to wheat, gluten, dairy and even two of my favorite vegetables - tomatoes and onions (there goes salsa, one of my favorites and maybe the healthiest part of my beloved Mexican food.). Our naturopath will also give me regular IV's of vitamins and trace minerals that may be low due to training, competing, traveling and stress.

I believe that eating six smaller meals a day is more healthful than eating three larger meals a day but that can be difficult with our schedule. So much of our time is spent training, playing, traveling and sleeping that I just do what I can. It always helps to plan ahead especially when you're traveling and eating out all the time. I generally eat three good-sized meals a day and supplement them with good snack foods. When we're traveling the snack foods can be extremely important to take with because you often will get stuck at a restaurant or hotel without good options.

Here's how my day usually looks.

Breakfast. It is the most important meal of the day.... along with lunch and dinner. I feel if your diet is consistent and well balanced (think long term rather than short term) it isn't so important what you eat right before you play or the night before because your energy levels and recovery will be on target from the quality of your previous three to seven days of meals.

-Gluten and wheat free cereal, sliced almonds and almond or rice milk. (If you don't have the sensitivities I have look for a high fiber cereal. At least 4 grams of fiber.)
I will also have a whole fruit smoothie or an apple, banana or orange.
Green tea.

Lunch. A salad with grilled chicken or fish, vegetables, raw nuts and dried fruit.
I will also have fruit afterwards.

Dinner. Grilled or baked fish or chicken with vegetables. Sometimes I'll have brown rice.

Again, plan ahead. If you get hungry between meals have a plan as to what foods you'll turn to and make sure you have plenty of them so your only options aren't will power or ice cream. My snack foods are, dried fruit, whole almonds or whole cashews. All natural, raw foods energy bars. Raw vegetables like carrots and celery. Whole fruit or whole fruit smoothies. It goes without saying drink water throughout the day to stay hydrated. If you feel like you need electrolytes coconut water has the highest concentration of electrolytes but if your diet is good you should have plenty of electrolytes.

If this diet sounds boring it can be if you don't like fruits, vegetables and grilled, steamed or baked chicken or fish. On the other hand there's so many healthful ways to prepare your food and there's tons of fruits and vegetables that offer you slightly different nutritional values and tastes. It may take a lot of discipline and time to train yourself to eat well but it's incredibly worthwhile for your short term and long term goals.

Bottom line, well follow a balance healthy diet and always see to it to have a good and complete sleep.

Vegan diets build healthy bones

Vegans and bone health: It’s a controversy that isn’t going to go away any time soon. Studies on the topic have been conflicting and the sample sizes have been small, making it difficult to draw firm conclusions.

So, to get a better idea about the effects of vegetarian and vegan diets on bone health, researchers from Vietnam and Australia combined the results from existing studies into a meta-analysis. (A meta-analysis is kind of like a big statistical study of all the individual studies, and is stronger than a simple review.)

They found that vegans had slightly lower bone density than meat-eaters. How much lower? Well, not enough to matter according the researchers. While news outlets reported that “vegetarian diets weaken bones,” that’s not at all what the researchers said.

 

What the research really showed

First, all of the studies included in the analysis were observational—the type of study that shows which factors occur together, but doesn’t show cause and effect. In fact, the researchers noted that “no cause-and-effect relation between vegetarian diets and bone mineral density can be drawn from the findings.”

Second, they concluded that the magnitude of the difference was too small to have clinical relevance. That is, vegans were no more likely to experience bone fractures than anyone else. Overall, the press was a whole lot more excited about these findings than the researchers themselves were!

Vegans and calcium

Other studies have found that when bone density among vegans is lower, it is simply due to lower calcium intake. That means that some vegans don’t pay enough attention to good calcium choices. It doesn’t mean that vegans can’t get enough calcium. Boosting calcium intake on a vegan diet is easy. And plant sources of calcium have some additional benefits for bone health.

Based on the available evidence, there is no reason to believe that vegans who eat a well-balanced diet are at greater risk for osteoporosis than anyone else.

To all our Vegans, you can have the best fruit and vegetable sources of calcium such as follows:

• Cooked collards contain 168 mg per 1/2 cup
• Cooked kale contains 103 mg per 1/2 cup
• Cooked spinach contains 84 mg per 1/2 cup
• Cooked broccoli contains 68 mg per 1/2 cup
• 1 medium raw carrot contains 27 mg
• 1 medium orange contains 60 mg
• 1/2 cup of chopped dates contains 26 mg
• 1/2 cup of raisins contains 22 mg

Another tip orange is a great source of calcium, and so with raisins!

Source: Virginia Messina, MPH, RD

 

Credit crunch 'ruining diets

News24.com

Geneva - The head of the World Health Organisation, Margaret Chan, said Monday that the global economic crisis was causing people to ditch healthy foods and that this would lead to health problems.

"When money is tight, the first thing that drop out of the diets are the healthy foods," said Chan, adding that these are "almost always more expensive" than processed items.

This was particularly true in the developing world, where chronic diet related diseases were on the rise, she noted.

Chan also warned about the welfare of the world's poorest who were most vulnerable to the slightest shifts in the global economy.

"One billion are living on the margins of survival - it does not take much to push them over the brink," she said.

The swine flu pandemic which is spreading around the world could also have a "devastating impact" on the poorer economies, where health care systems are weaker.

She called for "fairness" in restructured global financial and economic systems. Furthermore, government budgets should put a greater focus on developing their health systems.

"The price of failure keeps getting bigger and bigger," she said about the lack of development for medical infrastructure and services.

Truly, it’s difficult to have a good weight loss diet plan if you don’t have enough funds for it, but you can use an alternative method by eating the right healthy foods which are not expensive combined with a good regular exercise.

New York Weight Loss Experts Launch ZERONA™ Non-Surgical, Painless Laser Liposuction at Amari Medical Weight Loss & Body Sculpting Clinic

Amari Medical Weight Loss & Body Sculpting Clinic launches ZERONA™ in Westchester County, New York. ZERONA offers the fastest growing fat reduction program that rivals liposuction without the surgery, incisions, pain or recovery.

Scarsdale, NY, (Vocus/PRWEB ) July 7, 2009 – Dr. J. Shah, weight loss expert and Medical Director at Amari Medical Weight Loss & Body Sculpting Clinic announced today that they are launching the Zerona program, a new body-sculpting procedure designed to remove fat and contour the body without invasive surgery.
 
ZERONA, unlike other procedures, allows the patient to continue their daily activities without interruptions from surgery, pain, or wounds. ZERONA works by utilizing the Erchonia LipoLASER (FDA market cleared for laser assisted liposuction) to emulsify adipose tissue which then releases into the interstitial space. The excess fat is passed through the body during its normal course of detoxification.
 
The ZERONA procedure was proven through a double blind, randomized, multi-site, and placebo controlled study in which patients averaged a loss of 3.5 inches, and some lost up to as much as 9 inches compared to the placebo group that lost only half an inch. “The excellent thing about Zerona is that it is completely noninvasive,” states Dr. Shah, “Our patients have been falling asleep during this 40 minute cold laser treatment. And because Zerona dissolves those stubborn areas of fat that diet and exercise can’t; this makes it a perfect complement to our very successful Medically Supervised Weight Loss program.”
 
My dear weight loss followers, this one is an excellent and fast remedy!! But then how much money do we need to save for this one?

Amari will be holding a free ZERONA informational seminar on Tuesday, August 4th at 6 pm. Guests will have an opportunity to learn more about the ZERONA body contouring treatment, see a live demonstration and participate in a Q & A session with Dr.Shah. To RSVP call (914) 722-3000; seating is limited to 25. Call for more information or visit: www.amariclinic.com
 
About Amari Medical Weight Loss & Body Sculpting Clinic
Amari specializes in proven non-surgical Physician Supervised Weight Loss and Body Contouring treatments for both males and females. With over 30 years of expertise in world class medicine and patient care, Medical Director and Board Certified Bariatric Physician, J. Shah, M.D., supervises an experienced medical staff and aesthetic technicians.