Carb Cycling: A Beginners Guide

Nutrition trends come and go in waves. First, we were scared of eating too much fat. Then the conversation started to shift, and we started demonizing carbs.

In a way, our fear of carbs makes sense. Carbohydrates make up a large portion of your daily calories, and eating too much of the not-so-great kind, like sugary drinks, white bread, and cookies, can be problematic if you’re looking to lose weight or just get healthier.

So you might choose to cut out carbs altogether, but that type of restriction isn’t entirely necessary. Eating the right kind of carbs, like oats and brown rice, provides your body with the fuel you need to not only get through your workouts, but also your day in general. That’s why some people opt for a strategy called carb cycling, meaning they alternate between high carb days and low carb days.

“Carb cycling is a way to help dieters periodically feel like they’re not dieting and in some cases actually indulging,“ says nutrition advisor Alan Aragon, M.S.. This doesn't mean you'll get a special fat-burning effect by going low carb, but it might help you stick with your diet in the long run, he adds.

 Related: Could taking Breaks While Dieting Be The Key To Losing Weight

But does this approach do anything for your weight for the long haul? Even more importantly, is it any better than simply cutting calories overall? Here’s your beginner’s guide to carb cycling and how to figure out if it’s a fit for you.

Negative Self Talk? How it is Hijacking Your Weight Loss Plan.

This started for me when I was 13 years old. I remember standing on a scale, seeing "110" staring back at me, and thinking, "I'm so fat. I need to lose 10 pounds." For some reason I had this number in my mind: 100. And until I reached it, I wouldn't be happy. 

This internal pressure hit me at such a young age, like most girls, because of the perfectly photo-shopped bodies in magazines and on TV, but I also heard comments from my parents. "I can't believe so-and-so gained so much weight!" I knew being fat was a bad thing, so I devoted my entire life to becoming thin. I was constantly comparing myself to others and pinching and prodding at myself in the mirror, saying hurtful things.

Now at 40 years old, I realised that this trash-talk to myself hasn't stopped. If anything, it's gotten worse. While talking to my CrossFit coach before class one day, she said she too was obsessed with reaching a certain number on the scale. And she was constantly saying things to herself that she wouldn't say to her best friend. Things like:

"I feel so fat."
"I'm disgusting."
"I look horrible."
"I need to lose weight."
"My bum is too big."
"I shouldn't have eaten that."
"I need to exercise more."
"I wish my stomach was flatter."

Related: Common Things We Hear Or Say That Hijack Our Weight Loss Success

Or even things that don't have to do with weight, but about your abilities, like when you're in a fitness class:

"I suck at this."
"Everyone is better than me."

My Fitness Journey | How I lost the weight

      

Check out video about weight loss journey. Some of the experiences may relate. 

 Let me know what you think?

Drinking Black Tea May Help You Lose Weight.

You've already heard that green tea may help you shed pounds. But now, University of California, Los Angeles researchers have found that black tea might help promote weight loss, too.

For the study, which was recently published in the European Journal of Nutrition, the researchers fed four groups of mice different diets for one month:

·         Low-fat and high-sugar

·         High-fat and high-sugar

·         High-fat and high sugar with green tea extract

·         High-fat and high sugar with black tea extract

After measuring the rodents’ fat, gut bacteria, and liver tissues, they found that both of the tea groups on a high-fat diet lost a similar amount of weight compared to the mice eating less fat, or fewer calories overall.

 Related: This Tea  May Help You Lose Weight. Not Green Tea

That’s because green and black teas are abundant in polyphenols, a type of antioxidant that has been shown to improve your heart healthand play a role in weight loss. But the way these antioxidants travel through your body differs in black tea compared to green tea, the study authors note.

Tracking Your Food - How Accurate Do You Need To Be?

If you're serious about dropping some pounds (and keeping them off!), it's important to take note of what you eat. You may even consider tracking what you're eating either by counting calories or macronutrients, or keeping a food log of some sort. As you do this, you inevitably start to wonder: how accurate do you need to be to see results?

The reality is, when you want to lose weight, tracking your food helps to ensure that you're not unknowingly sneaking in extra calories, which could happen, even if you think you're following the serving size on the nutrition label to a T.

Cupboard-raiders should especially pay attention. "Being accurate is important because if you're a habitual snacker, you could easily be overeating on a daily basis and have no real awareness around it," JC Deen, a fitness coach who helps clients lose weight.

Let's say you wanted to eat a plain bagel (about 250 calories) with some peanut butter (standard serving is 190 calories). If you eyeball the serving size, it's easy to overdo it without measuring it on a kitchen scale. Since peanut butter is so calorically dense, going over a little bit every time means extra calories that add up over the long run and could stall your progress.


Related: What Are Macros? And Should You Count Them For Weight Loss

Thus, a certain level of consistent accuracy is important.

Here Is What Happens If You Lose Weight Too Fast.

Going on a diet is tough work and requires lots of motivation and effort. That being said, it's important to be careful with how much you're losing each week and what actions you're taking to get results. If you embark on an extreme diet plan, you may be putting your body at a disservice. It may even drive you to quit early, thereby gaining back whatever you lost. (And maybe more.)

Good news — we had Christopher Hollingsworth, MD, from NYC Surgical Associates explain what can happen if you see the scale dip too low, too quickly. He also provided us with a few tips for losing weight the right way — as well as keeping it off.

What's A Good Amount To Lose?

Instead of thinking about weight loss in pounds, Dr. Hollingsworth recommends looking at the percent of bodyweight lost. A safe metric to aim for is a loss of five to 10 percent of your bodyweight over a three-month period. Anything more than that puts you at "risk for having some problems associated with weight loss," he says. "Once you have lost more than 10 percent of your bodyweight within three months, you are most likely going to have significant issues."

Related: How Many Calories Should You Eat In A Day

Dr. Hollingsworth's approach is different than the popular opinion of losing up to two pounds per week. He says it's important to keep in mind that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to determine the specific number of pounds since everyone is different. For instance, when keeping bodyweight percentage in mind, the healthy weight loss range will be larger for an overweight individual than someone who is not considered overweight.

How Losing Weight Can Save You Money.

                    

Well according to this losing weight will save you money. Now what to do with some extra cash 😉.

Let me know what you think?

The Two Types of Body Fat

The Two Types of Body Fat

Just as all bodies are not created equal, not all body fats are equal, either. Pears, apples, and other shapes aside, the color and location of your body fat is probably just as important as the amount you’re packing when it comes to your health.

You’ll be pleased to know not all body fat is bad. Let’s take a closer look at the different types of body fat:

White Fat

White fat makes up the majority of fat in your body. Its primary purpose is energy storage, but white fat also pads and insulates the body, helping to protect vital organs and maintain body temperature. It also produces a form of estrogen and several appetite-regulating hormones.

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, healthy body-fat percentages range from 20 to 32 percent for women and 10 to 22 percent for men.

While body-fat percentage can provide information regarding overall health and disease risk, getting an accurate reading typically requires expensive, hard-to-find equipment.

The good news is that body-mass index (BMI) and waist circumference correlate well with fat mass percentage in large populations.

5 Tips To Get Over Food Guilt.

5 Tips for Getting Over Food Guilt

Food should fuel your body and bring you pleasure. Here are few strategies to help you have a guilt-free relationship with food:

1. Don’t food-shame yourself

Stop mid-sentence when your inner critic says, “That cupcake is going to go straight to my [insert body part].” Take the cupcake or leave it, but avoid being judgmental. Watch your words or else they may tinge your buttercream frosting with regret.


Related: What To Do After A Binge To Get You Back On Track. Part 1

2. Commit to enjoying your food

Once you decide to eat a food that otherwise would make you feel guilty, start focusing on the positive. That means giving your full attention to what makes those fries so crave-worthy! Relish in the crunch of each bite. Savor your food slowly as you engage all the senses related to food (think: taste, smell, texture, color).

Food Guilt? What Is It?

What do you think of when you hear the phrase “chocolate cake?” Do the terms “bad,” “decadent,” or “sinful” come to mind? If so, you’re like the countless Americans who link this sweet treat with guilt.

A hard truth I learned as a dietitian is that knowing more about my food doesn’t mean I won’t crave (and eat) my fair share of chocolate cake. Knowledge also doesn’t spare your guilty conscience.

It’s important for us to learn how to manage our attitude toward food because it can work against our weight-loss goals.

Consider this: A study in the journal Appetite found that people who felt guilt-ridden by chocolate cake were less successful at losing weight compared to those who associated chocolate cake with celebration.


Related: 5 Easy Tricks To Outsmart Cravings

But enough about chocolate cake. Let’s dig into the guilt part so we can help you understand why having a guilt-free relationship with food can help you hit your weight-loss goals.

What is Food Guilt?

Feeling guilty about what you just ate, right? Duh! Not so fast. Feeling guilty is a symptom of a bigger root cause.

Food guilt is grounded in your beliefs of which foods you should or shouldn’t eat. Many of these beliefs take the form of “food rules.” These rules are subconsciously planted in your mind by your culture, those around you, and that very fit friend you have.

Khloe Kardashian's 5 Flat Belly Foods.

                               

Check these foods out to give you a flat belly and let me know your thoughts?

Ever Wondered Where All The Fat Goes When You Lose Weight?

“What’s the best diet for weight loss?”

“How do I lose fat, not muscle?”

“What is water weight?”

With more than two in three adults in the U.S. overweight or obese — and about 50 percent of those folks actively trying to lose weight — it’s more important than ever to make sure you’re getting the most accurate information about weight loss.

The foundation, of course, is a healthy, balanced diet with consistent, challenging workouts.

But have you ever wondered where all that fat that you’re working so hard to lose actually goes?

 Related: Golden Rules Of Fat Loss Explained By An Expert

Where Does Fat Go When You Lose Weight?

While burning more energy than you take in is the root of weight loss, when fat is burned, the vast majority of it is exhaled as carbon dioxide into thin air. (mind=blown).

According to Australian researcher and physicist Ruben Meerman, Ph.D. and colleagues, 84 percent, or 8.4 of every 10 pounds of fat burned, is exhaled as carbon dioxide.

The remaining 16 percent leaves the body as water through urine, sweat, tears, breath, and other bodily fluids. And no, before you ask, you can’t lose weight simply by breathing more.

How Many Calories Should You Eat In A Day

If you asked 10 people how many calories you should eat in a day, you would probably get 10 different responses (and be even more confused than when you started). It's not an easy question, yet everyone seems to think they know the answer. Instead of turning to an online macro calculator or fitspo Instagrammer, I took this question straight to an expert, Dr. Preeya Alexander.

Dr. Alexander, also known as The Wholesome Doctor, is an Australia-based general practitioner who is passionate about prevention and enjoys a glass of wine with her healthy meals every once in a while. She gave me the lowdown on how to really figure out how many calories you need in a day, and her answers may surprise you.

Is There Really a Baseline For Daily Calorie Intake?

If you've ever picked up a fitness magazine, you've probably seen headlines like "Eat 1,200 Calories a Day to Lose Weight Quick!" or "1,200 Calorie Jump-Start Diet." According to Dr. Alexander, however, there is no certain calorie intake that is right for everyone; how many calories you need varies based on a number of factors (so please don't fall for those lose-weight-quick starvation diets).

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In medicine, energy is often measured in kilojoules (as opposed to calories), and 8,700 kJ per day is a common baseline. This is roughly the equivalent of 2,000 calories per day, a higher number than you might expect. The mistake so many of us make, though, is thinking of food intake only in terms of weight loss or weight gain.

Why Men Lose Weight Faster Than Women. (We Know Its Unfair)

Calling all couples! Y’all cook, eat, and exercise together, and maybe you even try to lose weight together, too.

If so, you’ve probably experienced this incredibly annoying scenario: one of you loses weight much faster than the other. (We’re looking at you, guys.)

A common complaint from women in relationships is that their men slim down quicker than they do.

It’s not your imagination. Men really do lose weight faster than women, despite the fact that men weigh more than women. (Seriously, why is it easier for guys to get abs? And why do females gain weight faster than males? These are some of life’s great mysteries.)

Instead of dwelling on the unfairness of it all, let’s get to know the reasons why:

1. Men Have More Muscle Than Women

The American College of Sports Medicine — a trusted source in the fitness community — recommends 10 to 22 percent body fat for men, and 20 to 32 percent for women in good health.

Pound for pound, men carry more of their weight as muscle than women do. Thanks to their higher testosterone levels, men have an easier time building muscle as well.

Building bigger muscles can give your metabolic rate a boost. Studies show you can realistically build up to 4.5 pounds of muscle in a year, which helps you torch 50 calories more daily.

It doesn’t sound like much, but this adds up, saving you 18,250 calories per year. (FYI: That doesn’t include the extra calories you burn from lifting weights in the first place.)

Could Taking Breaks While Dieting Be the Key to Losing Weight?

               

I'm all for taking a break occasionally. What do you think?

4 'Unhealthy Snacks' Approved By A Nutritionist

Going on a diet can be confusing and often leaves you with the same empty feeling as you search for healthy snacks. We've all heard experts tell us that we shouldn't be eating junk food, but the thought of another rice cake is going to collectively drive us all insane. So what do the experts actually eat? They can't all just live on kale and sunshine, right?

Culinary nutritionist Keisha Luke, gave us her secret list of foods she's eating that you'd probably love to eat as well. It's important to note that these are not her cheat meals. These foods that you've been craving ever since you bought that new water bottle and those yoga bottoms are actually part of her healthy diet — and they should be part of yours, too!

Chocolate

That's right — chocolate can be part of a healthy diet. According to Luke, "Chocolate has many healthy benefits, including it being high in magnesium and some amazing anti-inflammatory properties." But not all chocolate is created equally. Luke cautions that you limit your chocolate fix to "raw chocolate like cocoa nibs or powder that is without additives and preservatives." So go ahead and make some brownies, chocolate fudge cakes, or even a pudding.

6 Different Body Fat Types. Here Is The Lowdown.

Despite what fad diets and catchy headlines would lead you to believe, fat is not all the same. And you need to stop treating it that way. So if you operate by a “fat is fat and fat is bad” sort of mentality, it’s worth taking a few minutes to get to know your fat.

Here, experts (including a fat researcher!) share what you really need to know about fat on your frame—especially if you’re trying to lose weight, get healthy, or live longer:

1.Essential Fat

What It Is: The fat you need to live. “Essential fats help regulate body temperature, vitamin absorption, cell structure, and hormones such as fertility hormones,” explains Naureen Sajwani, R.D., a clinical dietitian at Weiss Memorial Hospital in Chicago. “Essential fat is found in many parts of the body including nerve membranes, bone marrow, and membranes protecting body organs. Essential fat is neither subcutaneous nor visceral." (Don't worry, we’ll dive into subcutaneous and visceral fat later on.)

What You Need To Know If You’re Trying To Lose Weight: You cannot lose essential fat without compromising your health—and in a big way. For good health, women need 10 to 13 percent of their total weight to come from this essential fat, according to the National Academy of Sports Medicine.

Unfortunately, many women often strive for and achieve even lower body fat percentages through extreme dieting and exercising, putting their health at risk. That’s why many female figure competitors (who cut their body fat percentages to as low as 6 to 10 percent for competitions), often experience extreme hormonal dips and lose their periods. J. Mark Brown, Ph.D., a lipid (a.k.a. fat) researcher with the Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute, also notes that too-low levels may also throw off the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar. In animal studies, mice with excessively low levels of body fat display symptoms of prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes, he says.

The 5 Biggest Myths About Eating Fat.

People are confused about fats, and it’s pretty understandable on some level. After all, a few years ago, they were seen as the worst thing ever, and now we’re told that fats are an important part of a healthy diet. 

At some point, you’ve probably heard some myths and misconceptions about fats, and they may have stuck with you. (Again, understandable.) That’s why we connected with several top dietitians to help clear up misunderstandings about fats. Here are the biggest you’ve probably heard—and the actual truth. 

Eating Any Amount Of Fat Will Make You Gain Weight

Sure, if you eat a lot of high-fat foods all the time, you’re probably going to see the number creep up on the scale. But if you watch your fat intake, you should be just fine. “Because fat has nine calories per gram (compared to four calories per gram of protein or fat), it's true that a little goes a long way,” says says New York-based R.D. Jessica Cording. “To prevent weight gain, make sure you're consuming it in an amount that fits within the context of your daily calorie needs.” According to the USDA, you should consume less than 10 percent of calories per day from saturated fats. In general, experts say you should aim to get about 20 percent of your calories per day from healthy fats. 

5 Weird Ways to Burn Calories Without Exercising

       

Burn calories without exercise.  Worth a try.  What do you think?

Can Mushrooms Help You Lose Weight?

As far as vegetables go, mushrooms might seem inconsequential in the healthy stakes because we usually associate them with indulgent fry-up breakfasts, pizza toppings and buttery side dishes, but this misunderstood vegetable is on it's way to being crowned the latest must-eat, weight-loss food.

 According to findings published in the journal Appetite, enriching your menu with mushrooms gives you the benefit of consuming a filling, plant-based protein without the sodium and saturated fat you get from eating the same amount of meat.


Related: Eggs - Should You Include It As Part Of Your Weight Loss Plan?


The most recent study to contribute to the mushroom mania compared how full 17 men and 15 women felt after eating two servings of either minced beef or mushrooms. The 10-day study, which matched the protein content in 226 grams of mushrooms and 28 grams of minced beef, found that people who had the mushrooms option at breakfast were significantly less hungry, felt more satisfied, and didn't snack as much after.

We all know that high-protein breakfasts are great for supporting weight loss because they fill you up for longer and feed your muslces, which in turn fuel your metabolism, but, this study suggests the source of your breakfast protein plays a significant role in how well the nutrient performs in your body. If your goal is to lose weight, then cutting down on your fat intake by consuming fewer animal products and eating more plant-based protein sources may be the best way to start your day.

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How Your Taste Perceptions Can Lead To Weight Gain

Wonder why your numbers on the scale keep climbing? It might be due to a surprising source: As you gain weight, your perception of certain tastes tend to diminish, a new study in the Journal of Nutrition found. And that may prompt you to eat more junk.

In the study, researchers recruited 93 college students, and tested their taste perception three times over the course of the school year. They recorded their weight each time, too.

The researchers discovered that the guys gained an average of about four pounds over that eight-month period, equating to about a 2.6 percent increase in weight. And for those who did put on the pounds, the more weight they gained, the less intensely they were able to determine salty and sweet tastes. That means they judged salty foods as less salty than before, and sweet foods as less sweet than before.

In fact, for every one percent increase in body weight, the men’s perception of sweetness dropped by 11 percent, and salty tastes declined by eight percent. Weight gain didn’t significantly change how they tasted other flavors, like umami, sour, or bitter.

 Related: Love Snacking? Try These 3 Tips

Vegan Diet? 6 Things To Know Beforehand.

Vegans tend to get a bad rap, and for the average person who could never imagine parting with steak forever, it may seem like a lifestyle with too many rules and very little reward.

While there are lots of solid reasons someone might decide to go vegan, such as concern for the environment or animals, you might also be interested in what a plant-based diet can do for your health.

It definitely has its upsides if you want to give it a shot: Research finds that people who eat a vegan diet may have an easier time losing weight and reduce their risk of chronic diseases.

That said, the best diet you can possibly follow is the one that works for you. So if you want to take a crack at going vegan and see if it aligns with your personal goals, there are a few things you should know first. If you’re used to chowing down on cheeseburgers, it's probably going to be a big switch. But once you’ve decided to say goodbye to meat, milk, and eggs for good, keep the following tips in mind.

YOU’LL NEED TO RETHINK YOUR PROTEIN

The first question you probably have about going vegan: But how will I get enough protein? It’s a worthy concern. Protein keeps you full and helps repair the tiny tears that strength training creates in your muscles, helping them grow bigger.

The good news is, getting enough protein when you have a plant-based diet is not impossible. You just have to be a little creative about it.

Good sources of plant protein include beans, lentils, legumes, nuts, seeds, tofu, tempeh, and pea protein, says Vandana Sheth, R.D.N., C.D.E., spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 

6 Things You Must Know About Going Vegan

                            


If you ever thought about going vegan here are 6 things you should know. Let me know what you think?