Posts Tagged ‘weight loss’

Killing ANTS To Lose Weight

Posted: November 15, 2011 by williampower in Behavior Modification
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(A)utomatic (N)egative (T)houghts (ANT’S) are negative thoughts that can affect our progress toward any goal we may strive for. At some point in all our lives we’ve experienced at least one of these poor ways of thinking. However, some of us have found ways to quell these detrimental trains of thought. For those who haven’t, the best way to do this is to recognize these trains of thought and then derail them. Below are the 10 most common derogatory thoughts that lead to failure:

1. All or nothing. Ex: “I just ate a doughnut, I might as well give up on my diet.” Stop it. We’ve all fallen off the bandwagon at some point on a journey to get to some goal. The trick is, when u fall off, don’t dwell on it, don’t excuse it but don’t dwell on it either. Recognize your mistake and realize what led you to make that mistake. Train yourself to avoid making that same mistake then hop right back on the wagon where you fell off.

2. “Always” thinking a.k.a. overgeneralizing. Ex: “I have always been fat and that won’t change no matter what I do.” Stop it. Remember, often times it’s not who you are that holds you back, it’s who you think you’re not.

3. Thinking with your feelings. Ex: “I feel like a loser so I must be one.” Wow…wait for it…wait for it…yea…STOP IT! There’s an old adage that goes, “hell would be you, right after death, meeting the person you could have become if only you had believed in yourself.” Enough said.

4. Focusing on the negative. Ex: I lost 10lbs but I was aiming for 15. I’m a complete failure.” Really though? Stop it…stop it now! It has been scientifically proven that often times positive attitudes breed positive outcomes.

5. Guilt beating. Ex: “I don’t go to the gym enough. I’m a lazy bum.” If you really feel that way then do something about it. You’re probably going to say “that’s easier said than done” and you’d be right. But then again…isn’t everything easier said than actually done?! At this point, there’s nothing left to do but to take whatever steps necessary to get to where you know you need to be. Rest assured, if you don’t care about your ass…no one else will…(pun intended).

6. Labeling. Ex: “I’m a slob.” “Labeling” a problem is as effective as telling a cut to stop bleeding. Good luck with that…

7. Fortune telling. Ex: “This might work for a few months but it wont work in the long run.” Frankly put, if you could tell the future you would have never gained the weight you are trying to lose in the 1st place! Need I say more?

8. Mind reading. Ex. “other people think I’m stupid”. It would be stupid to assume you always know what other people are thinking about you.

9. Blame game. Ex: “its your fault I gained weight because you’re the one who exposed me to all this food.” Unless that sentence ends in, ” and you threatened to kill (insert family member name here) if I didn’t eat it!” then stop it. Accept responsibility for your choices and actions and work on making better choices and more auspicious actions.

10. Denial. Ex: “I only eat bad when I’m stressed, not everyday. I’m not that bad.” That’s like saying, “I only steal when I’m bored, I’m not that bad, you act like I’m a thief!” (O_o)

Research shows that managing these negative thoughts can have a significant impact on weight loss. In order to get your body right you have to mind right. Just food for thought…let’s see how long it takes to process…

10 Myths about Strength Training

Posted: November 13, 2011 by williampower in Behavior Modification, Exercise, Myth Busting
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A lot of people are afraid of strength training because of the influx of misconceptions that are so abundant in the world on non avid workout enthusiasts. The fact of the matter is strength training benefits everyone no matter what age or gender. So to make it less of a fear invoking past time, I’m going to dispel a few misconceptions that plague the minds of those who aren’t in the know.

Crap Fact #1: Strength training will bulk you up, and women who strength train will lose their feminine appearance if they do it. This is probably the most traduce statement about strength training. Saying strength training will bulk you up is like saying studying physics will make you Einstein. Yeeeaaaaa…doubt it.
Real Fact: Strength training will make you stronger. It doesn’t give you bulky, masculine-looking muscles unless you have a lot of testosterone circulating in your blood. The amount of time, food and discipline it takes to get huge from weights is almost a full-time job (trust me) and sometimes it’s influenced by illegal substances. Unless a woman is using anabolic steroids, she will not develop bulky muscles; she will develop strong muscles.

Crap Fact #2: “No pain, no gain”
Real Fact: Some localized muscular soreness that dissipates over a couple days can indicate that you worked hard. However, in the grand scheme of things, a sign of a good workout is results, not soreness. Therefore, your goal should be results, not post exercise pain.

Crap Fact #3: Strength training doesn’t help with weight loss.
Real Fact: Although strength training doesn’t burn fat like aerobic exercise does, it certainly does help with weight loss. As your muscles get stronger, denser and work more efficiently, your resting metabolic rate increases. Which means that you burn more fat, even when you’re not exercising #winning

Crap Fact #4: Kids can’t do strength training because it will stunt their growth.
Real Fact: Age-appropriate strength training is recommended for kids to help them develop strong muscles and bones and avoid obesity, which is so prevalent among so many children now a days. It does not stunt their growth.

Crap Fact #5: Old people shouldn’t strength train.
Real Fact: Strength training helps older people maintain muscle strength and bone density as well as helping them maintain balance, and preventing falls.

Crap Fact #6: Working out on an empty stomach burns the most calories.
Real Fact: No it doesn’t. Stop it.

Crap Fact #7: If I want to look like my favorite celebrity than I should mimic their workout.
Real Fact: Trying to look like someone else is futile unless you are his or her identical twin. Put your energy into perfecting YOUR body and its mechanics. Envy will do nothing for you but produce negative energy. However, inspiration is clutch for motivation. So it’s not a problem using athletes and celebs as fuel, just make sure your goals are personal.

Crap Fact #8: Master Cleansers are healthy.
Real Fact: No! They aren’t! Science and history has shown us time and time again that our liver and kidneys are more than sufficient enough to detoxify our body of any toxins or pollutants that we may have ingested. In my experience, people who do master cleanses typically end up worse of than they started. Leave the short cuts alone. Stay consistent, stay true and work hard and you will see that hard work pays off.

Crap Fact #9: Cutting carbs will make me lean.
Real Fact: No, it will make you mean, weak and irritable. Carbs are the body’s most efficient energy provider and without it your body is merely compensating to survive. Eventually the sacrifices of that compensation are going to catch up to you and it wont be pretty. Consume more fruits, veggies and legumes and weight gain from carbs will be a minimal issue.

Crap Fact #10: I have to train for hours on end to get results.
Real Fact: No you don’t, not at all. It depends on the intensity of the exercise you are doing. If (hypothetically speaking) running for 20 mins burns 200 cals and walking for 50 min burns 200 cals and I’m on a timetable…which choice is the best choice? Need I say more? Step your game up…

More Weight Loss Tips #NODIET

Posted: October 5, 2011 by williampower in Behavior Modification, Nutrition
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Typically, when people find themselves hard-pressed to lose weight, they automatically turn to dieting as their first step toward redemption. However, for people who are trying to lose weight, dieting isn’t always the best answer. Honestly, lifestyle changes are the best answers for anyone trying to trim down or become healthier, lifestyle changes that yes, often require dietary changes. But, for those who want to try other things before they delve into the arduous task of complete dietary overhaul, there are numerous things you can do to either cut some calories or burn some extra. Things like:

• Exercising and increasing physical activity (see “Tips For Increasing Physical Activity”)

• Eating Breakfast. When we sleep, our body is essentially fasting for the duration of time we spend counting sheep. Fasting for hours on end slows our metabolism and can eventually lead to fat retention and muscle breakdown. To break that fast (hence the name “breakfast”), you need to eat as soon as possible upon waking. This will rejuvenate your metabolism and replenish all the energy stores your body used up to power itself while you slept.

• Relax on those midnight “pleasure food” snacks and refrigerator raids. If you get hungry over night, eat a vegetable based snack, drink some water and go to bed!

• Eat more lean proteins. Diets with abundant protein intake have been shown to reduce overall appetite.

• Be cognizant of liquid calories. Don’t drink your calories. Unless it’s a meal replacement and is used correctly, DON’T DRINK YOUR CALORIES. It’s that simple.

• Eat smaller, and more often. Avoid insulin spikes that lead to fat storage by consuming smaller meals with less fat, less sugar and less calories. Avoiding excessive insulin spikes will improve your energy levels, prevent unnecessary fat storage and spike your metabolism (that’s a good thing).

• Drink more water. You’ve been hearing the benefits of drinking water since grade school. You don’t need another list of reasons why you should. You + 8-12 glasses of water a day = #winning

• When possible, cook your own food. That way you know what goes in it and have control over it. The more control your have over what you eat the better.

Whether dieting, not dieting, on the borderline of maybe kinda sorta thinking about dieting, try these tip out, follow them consistently and as your lifestyle changes so will you waistline → #fact

The Alcoholic Truth about Exercise

Posted: September 14, 2011 by williampower in Behavior Modification, Nutrition
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by: Will Power

Alcohol is the most readily used and abused drug in the United States today. In some circles, alcohol is referred to as a food and a drug because of its calorically dense nature. Alcohol has 7 calories per gram, almost twice that of both carbohydrates and protein. Alcoholic calories are considered “empty” calories because they only contain negligible amount of vitamins and nutrients. In fact, alcohol is considered and anti-nutrient because of its interference in the absorption of vitamins and minerals in the body. This interference causes a disruption in the metabolism of both carbohydrates and fat in the body. Alcohol inhibits the production of the enzyme that helps break down fat in the body thereby ceasing your fat burning process for a significant period of time. Note that often times when consuming alcohol, you also consume fatty foods that deliver fat to the body that now, post alcohol intake, will not be broken down. If fat cant be broken down and used directly after ingestion, it is automatically stored until it can be used. In addition to that, this excess storage of fat can stress the liver causing the body to over use and deplete its glycogen (sugar) levels. Over time with chronic drinking, the body will develop a strong tendency to store body fat at all times in an adaptation to the alcohol’s stress the liver. This is a big contraindicator for anyone looking to trim down or lean up.

In terms of alcoholic beverages, I managed to narrow down a list of some of the top alcohols guaranteed to make you fat over time. Ill start with one of the top dogs, “The Devil’s Advocate” as I call it:

Long Island Iced Tea (9oz) (on average 543 cals) – a mix of 5 different alcohols, Sweet and Sour Mix and Coke. It may look like tea but mind you a long island iced tea made the right way can have as many calories in one glass a McDonald’s Big Mac. That’s right every time you suck down a Long Island you are consuming calories close to that of one of the fattiest fast foods in America…so yea…bottoms up buddy. Through the teeth, over the gums, watch out waistline, here it comes!

Mai Tai (9oz) (620 cals) – a mix of Light Rum, Dark Rum, Crème de Almond, Sweet and Sour Mix and Pineapple Juice. This little guy right here will run you the same caloric overdose as a Wendy’s Double Cheeseburger.

Mud Slide (6oz) (560 cals) – Vodka, Kahlua, Baily’s Irish Cream, Half and Half. That’s two slices of Pizza right there…per glass…Im just saying…PER…GLASS…

Piña Colada (12oz) (590 cals) – Rum, Coconut Cream, Pineapple Juice. This is about 100 cals MORE than a McDonald’s large fries.

Mararita (10oz) (550 cals) – Tequila, Margarita/Sour Mix, Triple Sec, Lime Juice, 1tbsp Sugar. Equivalent to a Taco Bell Chicken Quesadilla. Enough said.

*Side Note – Just to add further perspective, the average 150 pound person would have to jog for about 30 minutes to burn about 300 cals.

Frankly, for all of you who have weight loss goals but like to “indulge a little” (usually meaning a lot) while enjoying the night life, just understand what you are doing and just how much of your hard work you’re throwing away. These are just a few drinks out of thousands of alcoholic beverages that do a great job of pushing people farther and farther away from their weight loss goals. Please understand, this article is not intended to make anyone stop drinking, that’s a personal battle everyone has to take up with themselves. This post is merely to help those who don’t know to realize exactly what they’re doing to their bodies and their goals when they drink.

For those who feel that cutting out alcohol is simply out of the question, there are a few ways you can lessen the effects alcohol has on you and your long term weight loss goals. First off be cognizant of what and how much you are drinking. Research the calorie content of your favorite drinks. This alone my convince you to find substitutions for higher calorie drinks. Secondly, having water between drinks can help prevent you from drinking too much, can help prolong drunkenness and can keep you hydrated which can help avoid that next day hangover. Thirdly, know your own weaknesses. If you know you overdrink in certain situations, be prepared. At least eat a healthy snack before hand to avoid drinking on an empty stomach (which expedites intoxication). Fourthly, keep your goals in mind. Think about how much work you will have to do to burn off the cals in that refill. Is one more drink worth a 30 min jog?! Lastly, avoid high calorie drinks. Typically, drinks that include mixers like Sweet and Sour Mix, juice or club soda will have more calories.

The key is to remember that alcohol, like everything else, should be consumed in moderation. Moderation is the key when, or should I say if, it comes to enjoying cocktails while watching your weight. Treat alcohol the same way you treat other things in your diet – as something you can enjoy from time to time without going overboard.