PHASES OF TRANSFORMATION

A BIG MISTAKE PEOPLE MAKE WHEN WANTING TO TRANSFORM THEIR BODIES IS TO THINK THAT IT CONSIST OF JUST ONE LONG PHASE OF "DIETING" AND TRAINING. THIS IS ALSO WHY MOST PEOPLE FAIL....

IT IS A LIFELONG PROCESS AND IT TAKES A FEW PHASES OF DIFFERENT NUTRITION REGIMES AND TRAINING METHODS TO REACH YOUR GOAL PHYSIQUE.

ONCE YOUR HAVE REACHED THAT GOAL YOU NEED TO REPEATEDLY GO THROUGH SOME OF THE PHASES TO MAINTAIN AND IMPROVE YOUR PHYSIQUE.

I MADE A BASIC SUMMARY OF THE STEPS TO TAKE AND THE PHASES YOU WILL NEED TO GO THROUGH.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

PHASE 1: (DEVELOP LIFESTYLE) 

NOT a 12 week process. It might take much longer

Goal  

Women:        Get Fat% down from 45% and higher to 25%

           

Men:             Get Fat% down from 35% and higher to 15%

When your fat level is 45% and higher for women and 35% and higher for men your main goal should be to get your it down to 25% for women and 15% for men.

Your secondary goal should be to stimulate your muscle to help with Insulin & Leptin Resistance. Building muscle or lean mass does not take priority during this phase.

METHODS TO REACH GOAL:

NUTRITION (with fully functional metabolism)

People whom have been over-eating and subsequently gaining weight or maintaining their weight normally has a fully functional metabolism.

In this instance cutting calories down to your required amount will result in fat loss.

NUTRITION (with a compromised metabolism) REVERSE DIETING

You know your metabolism is compromised when you are eating 10 or less calories per LEAN pound, training, but you are still unable to burn off fat. This normally happens because of repeated low calorie restrictive “dieting” in an attempt to lose weight.

You need to repair you metabolism before you will be able to burn off the unwanted fat permanently.

HOW to repair a compromised metabolism: You need to implement reverse dieting (slowly eating more calories until you have reached the required macros for your lean weight and body type. Reverse dieting is done in periods of increasing and decreasing calories.

Once you have repaired you metabolism you can start cutting back calories to the point where you are dropping no more than 500g of weight per week. This will ensure that you do not lose lean weight and your metabolism stays strong.

The most important thing regarding nutrition during this phase is to find a way of eating which is sustainable for a lifetime.

This phase can last quite some time and you cannot expect the amount of fat you have been accumulating and carrying for years to be lost in 12 weeks.

Having unrealistic expectations is the reason why 90% of overweight people never succeed in losing the fat.

False advertising, misleading “before and after” marketing schemes, people claiming to have lost huge amounts of weight using extreme methods and lying about keeping it off create these unrealistic expectations. People forget that it is not only about the weight on the scale but also about the condition of your body. ANY but ANY weight loss program which results in you losing more than 1.5-2 kg a week is compromising your lean mass (muscle) and subsequently your metabolism and in time you will gain more weight than you might have lost.

The best and most effective nutrition plan to burn off unwanted fat is a nutrition plan which can be sustained for a lifetime. The human body is constantly seeking homeostasis (balance)…

It would only make sense to follow a nutrition regime which is also balanced. 

Protein, carbohydrate and fat intake should be balanced to suit your Body Composition, Personal conditions and Training Schedule. The only “fine tuning” or selective eating there needs to be is finding the food which works for you taking allergies, medical conditions and other health issues into consideration. There is no need for an individual in full health to cut out any food group entirely. The only bad food would be calorie loaded food, like processed carbohydrates and processed protein and fat which should be kept minimal.

Find a professional to help you determine your macro (protein, carbohydrate and fat) needs to be able to burn fat.

TRAINING:

During the First Phase, with your main goal being burning fat, you should focus on the best fat burning training possible. That would be Short Duration High Intensity Interval Training. This type of training has an EPOC effect on the body (Exercise Post Oxygen Consumption) and what this means is that even after your session has stopped you are still burning calories. Steady-Stare Cardio does not have the same effect and burning stops when the session stops.

Steady State has its place though and if you cannot do PROPER HIIT cardio longer sessions of Steady Stare cardio will also work well for fat burning.

Weigh training during this phase should only be high rep training incorporated with High Intensity Cardio like circuit training. Stimulating muscle fibers to pull in nutrients, maintain and increase lean weight if needed, is the only important thing. Muscle growth (hypertrophy) is not really possible at this stage, you need to consume MORE calories than you are burning in order to do so. Heavy Isolation Weight training will therefore be of no real benefit at this point. Spend as much time possible burning off the excess fat, then focus on building muscle in the areas which you will then be able to identify visually since the lower fat% will allow you to successfully do so.

PHASE 2: (METABOLIC CHECK) 

4 – 12 week Phase depending on the condition of your body

Goal   

Women:        Lowering Fat% from 25% to 20%

           

Men:             Lowering Fat% from 15% to 12%

 

This phase starts once you have reached or already have a fat level of 25% and lower for women and 15% and lower for men. During this phase your will further lower your fat level while maintaining or gaining lean weight.

Once a fat level of 20% or lower for women and 12% and lower for men is reached your goal is to successfully maintain that level for at least 2 months before the Third and Last Phase is started.

NUTRITION

Your calories intake should be around 14 calories per lean pound while working on your goal.

The ratio of protein to carbs should constantly be adjusted to make sure that lean mass is maintained which will further help lowering your fat%. A maintenance plan will be followed for a period of time.

TRAINING

Isolation Weight training can be introduced and fat burning Cardio work should be used as a tool to lower the fat% further. Cardio should not exceed 3 sessions per week to assist in keeping fat levels stable.

The training should be designed around the amount of lean weight carried and whether it is needed to be increased or maintained according to personal goals.

This phase is also known as a growing or building phase in terms of lean mass.

PHASE 3: (NEXT LEVEL- MAINTAIN AN ATHLETIC LEAN LOOK) 

A Lifelong process

Goal: 

Women:  

Lowering Fat level from 20% to 15% and lower to make muscle more visible.

Recovering from lowering fat level & regaining the lean mass lost through lowering fat level.

Building lean mass to improve physique to the degree desired and also as far as genetically 

possible.

          

Men:            

Lowering Fat level from 12% to 8% and lower to make muscle more visible.

Recovering from lowering fat% & regaining the lean mass lost through lowering fat%.

Building lean mass to improve physique to the degree desired and also as far as genetically 

possible.

The third phase consists out of 3 separate phases.

Leaning Out (Cutting)

Recovery (Reverse dieting)

Building (Bulking)

It is during this phase where the biggest transformation in regards to muscle visibility and shape will take place. and this is also the Phase in which you remain for the rest of your life in order to maintain a lean looking physique.

LEANING OUT PHASE: (12 - 14 week period max)

This phase normally lasts 12 weeks depending on your body fat level. It is structured to lower your fat level to the point where muscle definition and separation is as visible as you desire.

NUTRITION

Your calorie intake is slowly cut down or your cardio increased on a 4 weekly basis or as needed.

This is done to “trick” the body into burning fat below the natural maintenance level. More drastic calorie drops to try and speed up the process will result in muscle loss and the subsequent compromising of your metabolism.

No more than 500g per week should be lost.

During this phase it is wise to allow your fat% to drop with only 5% in the 12 weeks.

TRAINING

Weight training need not be adjusted but can be slightly altered to become more intense and have a High Intensity Cardio effect. Short Stacking or Super or Giant setting is normally used.

Short Duration High Intensity Interval Cardio is also increased to 5 – 6 times per week to further assist fat loss.

RECOVERY CYCLE: 4 weeks

Once you have successfully lowered your fat level with 5% you need to go through a recovery cycle.

During this cycle you will increase your calorie and carbohydrate intake slightly for about 4 weeks. This is called reverse dieting. After recovery you will either MAINTAIN OR BUILD while not gaining more than 2%.  You fat level will now be 2 – 3% lower than before Leaning Out.

BUILDING CYCLE: (DEVELOP LIFESTYLE & INCREASE LEAN WEIGHT) 6 + months

The only way to change your shape, appearance and size and improve your physique is to build or increase your lean weight (muscle weight)

After your first Lean Out Cycle you will be able to see where you need improvement the most and would then follow a specific training program focused specifically to shape or improve those areas.

NUTRITION

During the building phase your nutrition should be much more flexible than before. You need to eat enough calories in order to grow. Your calorie intake should be slightly higher than your calories spent.

You should increase your fat and carb intake with small amounts every week monitoring your fat levels carefully to make sure that too much unwanted fat is not gained. If this does happen you simply cut back a little on fat and carbs for your body to utilize the gained fat again.

TRAINING

Isolation muscle specific weight training is used to build and shape muscle and increase lean mass during the building phase.

Cardio is not necessary during this phase but can be included twice a week just to help control your fat% and to lower it slightly if needed.

Once enough lean weight has been gained and you feel motivated to lean out or you have a specific reason in mind, you can attempt another leaning out phase. After each phase you should be able to maintain a lower fat level and have more lean mass to show.

INSULIN AND GOOD CARBS.... AN UNDESERVED BAD REPUTATION

THE MOST INTERESTING AND EDUCATIONAL THING I HAVE EVER READ!!!!

The reason why a lot of people are jumping onto the low carb/no carb high protein & fat diet ride is because of the whole "Carbohydrates cause an insulin spike and therefore stores fat" idea, right?I made it my mission to find something to show all of you that this is not true and that Insulin and especially Carbs like potatoes and rice do not deserve the bad reputation they have been given. 

MYTH:  Carbohydrate Drives Insulin, Which Drives Fat Storage 

FACT:  Your Body Can Synthesize and Store Fat Even When Insulin Is Low 

One of the biggest misconceptions regarding insulin is that it’s needed for fat storage.  It isn’t.  Your body has ways to store and retain fat even when insulin is low.  For example, there is an enzyme in your fat cells called hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL).  HSL helps break down fat.  Insulin suppresses the activity of HSL, and thus suppresses the breakdown of fat.  This has caused people to point fingers at carbohydrate for causing fat gain.

However, fat will also suppress HSL even when insulin levels are low.  This means you will be unable to lose fat even when carbohydrate intake is low, if you are overeating on calories.  If you ate no carbohydrate but 5,000 calories of fat, you would still be unable to lose fat even though insulin would not be elevated.  This would be because the high fat intake would suppress HSL.  This also means that, if you’re on a low carbohydrate diet, you still need to eat less calories than you expend to lose weight.

MYTH:  Carbohydrate Is Singularly Responsible for Driving Insulin

FACT:  Protein Is a Potent Stimulator of Insulin Too

This is probably the biggest misconception that is out there.  Carbohydrates get a bad rap because of their effect on insulin, but protein stimulates insulin secretion as well.  In fact, it can be just as potent of a stimulus for insulin as carbohydrate.  One recent study compared the effects of two different meals on insulin.

The fact is that protein is a potent stimulator of insulin secretion, and this insulin secretion is not related to changes in blood sugar or gluconeogenesis from the protein.  In fact, one study found beef to stimulate just as much insulin secretion as brown rice.  The blood sugar response of 38 different foods could only explain 23% of the variability in insulin secretion in this study.  Thus, there’s a lot more that’s behind insulin secretion than just carbohydrate.

So how can protein cause rapid rises in insulin, as shown in the whey protein study earlier?  Amino acids (the building blocks of protein) can directly stimulate your pancreas to produce insulin, without having to be converted to glucose first.  For example, the amino acid leucine directly stimulates pancreas cells to produce insulin, and there’s a direct dose-response relationship (i.e., the more leucine, the more insulin is produced).

Some might say, “Well, sure, protein causes insulin secretion, but this won’t suppress fat-burning because it also causes glucagon secretion, which counteracts insulin’s effects.”  I mentioned earlier how insulin will suppress lipolysis.  Well, some people think that glucagon increases lipolysis to cancel this out. 

The thought that glucagon increases lipolysis is based on 3 things:  the fact that human fat tissue has glucagon receptors, the fact that glucagon increases lipolysis in animals, and the fact that glucagon has been shown to increase lipolysis in human fat cells in vitro (in a cell culture).  However, what happens in vitro isn’t necessarily what happens in vivo (in your body).  We have a case here where newer data has overturned old thinking.  Research using modern techniques has shown that glucagon does not increase lipolysis in humans.  Other research using the same techniques has shown similar results.  I will also note that this research failed to find any lipolytic effect in vitro.

It should be remembered why glucagon is released in response to protein in the first place.  Since protein stimulates insulin secretion, it would cause a rapid drop in blood glucose if no carbohydrate is consumed with the protein.   Glucagon prevents this rapid drop in blood sugar by stimulating the liver to produce glucose.

See the results or the studies referred to and more detail on original article: Link below....

http://weightology.net/weightologyweekly/?page_id=319

Insulin:  Not Such a Villain After All

The fact is that insulin is not this terrible, fat-producing hormone that must be kept as low as possible.  It is an important hormone for appetite and blood sugar regulation.  In fact, if you truly wanted to keep insulin as low as possible, then you wouldn’t eat a high protein diet…you would eat a low protein, low carbohydrate, high fat diet.  However, I don’t see anybody recommending that.

I’m sure some are having some cognitive dissonance reading this article right now.  I know because I experienced the same disbelief years ago when I first discovered this paper and how protein caused large insulin responses.  At the time, I had the same belief that others have…that insulin had to be kept under control and as low as possible, and that spikes in insulin were a bad thing.  I had difficulty reconciling that study and my beliefs regarding insulin.  However, as time went on, and as I read more research, I learned that my beliefs regarding insulin were simply wrong.

Now, you may be wondering why refined carbohydrates can be a problem.  Many people think it’s due to the rapid spikes in insulin.  However, it’s obviously not the insulin, because protein can cause rapid spikes in insulin as well.  One problem with refined carbohydrate is a problem of energy density.  With refined carbohydrate, it is easier to pack a lot of calories into a small package.  Not only that, but foods with high energy density are often not as satiating as foods with low energy density.  In fact, when it comes to high-carbohydrate foods, energy density is a strong predictor of a food’s ability to create satiety (i.e., low-energy density foods create more satiety).  There are other issues with refined carbohydrate as well that are beyond the scope of this article.

The bottom line is that insulin doesn’t deserve the bad reputation it’s been given.  It’s one of the main reasons why protein helps reduce hunger.  You will get insulin spikes even on a low-carb, high-protein diet.  Rather than worrying about insulin, you should worry about whatever diet works the best for you in regards to satiety and sustainability.  As mentioned in last week’s issue of Weightology Weekly, individual responses to particular diets are highly variable and what works for one person will not necessarily work for another.

ADRENAL FATIGUE (BIG BROTHER OF METABOLIC DAMAGE)

A LOW CARB DIET AND PROLONGED HIGH INTENSITY TRAINING CAN SET OFF ADRENAL FATIGUE AND INHIBIT FAT LOSS.

This might just be the most important Blog I ever do so please take the time to read it properly and apply it.

A whole big shift in mindset occurred and everyone wanting to get into shape and lose fat went from a Low Fat High Carb to a High Fat Low Carb mindset.

There is no doubt that decreasing your carb intake is a very effective way to stabilize blood sugar level, improve insulin sensitivity and promote fat loss... it has been proven.
(At this point I would just also like to clear up the fact that all carbs are not bad. It is only the processed man-made simplex carbs which are bad and needs to be cut out of your nutrition completely. Rice and Potatoes are not processed carbs)

People find that a low-carb diet and hard exercise is very effective for fat loss…. AT LEAST for a while. What most people find is that they feel better, have plenty of energy and they can burn off fat or maintain their weight while staying low-carb and eating healthy.

Unfortunately there are several factors which will dictate how long they can stay low-carb and still see the same positive results.

If exercise is generally moderate, they are not overly stressed, get plenty of sleep they may be able to go with this low-carb diet routine indefinitely.

The thing is that the level of carb an individual needs to consume can change due to various reasons. One would be the changes in energy expenditure and physiological stress that accompany high intensity exercise.

A perfect example of this would be the large amount of people out there who set out to do CrossFit and follow a Paleo type diet. I have seen and hear it many many times on Facebook and in the gyms how these people do well for a while, but then get stuck, hit a plateau as they call it.

The reason for this, most often than not, is failing to adjust nutrition and training to accommodate a recovery phases to meet the increased energy demands and stress.

Here is the thing: 

If you are doing CrossFit or other HIIT type training 4-5 times a week you are going to have to start adding some starches like rice, potato or sweet potato to you diet.

If you don’t you WILL find out the hard way that a low-carb diet combined with excessive High Intensity Exercise can tax the adrenal glands and cause them to fatigue.

HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU ARE TAXING YOUR ADRENALS? 

You will experience the following:

- Difficulty with losing weight, hitting a plateau
- Experiencing weight gain, even with plenty of exercise and a low calorie diet
- Noticing a decrease in body temperature, feeling cold frequently
- Experiencing a lack of energy
- Difficulty going to sleep, or falling asleep but waking up several times during the night
- Noticeable increase in anxiety, nervousness, or generally feeling uneasy
- Wired and tired feeling

Okay, SO what is behind adrenal fatigue and all of the above symptoms???

It is a complex issue involving not just the adrenal glands but also the Thyroid and several other hormonal balances and the root of the problem more than likely is a down-regulated metabolism and decreased thyroid production.

This is what happens:

When carb intake is kept very low (under 50-60 grams per day) for extended periods of time in combination with excessive exercise blood sugar levels drop dramatically.

The adrenal glands then kick in to help the situation by secreting catecholamines (adrenaline and nor-adrenaline) 

This gives you an increased sense of alertness and more energy for a while BUT as is generally the case, you cannot stay in this state indefinitely before you will CRASH.

The increased in circulating adrenaline that accompanies a state of Ketosis is responsible for the initial loss of fat and this can work quite well for a SHORT window of time, but invariably you’ll need to switch things up.

There is a complex relation between Cortisol, the Thyroid, Adrenaline and Insulin.

Cortisol helps regulate blood sugar levels but is also the main stress response hormone. Any stress, be it psychological or physiological as with excessive high-intensity exercise, will call on more cortisol. 

When there it is not enough cortisol to cope with the chronic state of stress the adrenals will produce adrenaline to compensate. The adrenals become fatigued, they can simply not keep up, cortisol levels drop the body cannot convert thyroid hormone very well. The result is a stalled metabolic state.

The feeling of depression, anxiety and fluctuating sleep patterns that comes along with the symptoms is caused an ineffective function of serotonin. It is a neurotransmitter also associated in regulating mood and helps produce a feeling of well-being.

It is believed that serotonin induces sleep. Its precursor is tryptophan, which can be sourced out from carbohydrate based foods.

Tryptophan needs transport molecules to get through the blood-brain barrier (a separation between the circulating blood and the brain fluid) and amino acids can compete for these transport molecules. Insulin can clear out amino acids that compete with tryptophan for these transport molecules to the brain. In order for Tryptophan and Serotonin to do their work properly, you need effective functioning Insulin.

If Serotonin cannot function properly you will find yourself struggling to sleep well, suffering from anxiety and feelings of depression.

That is it for the technical part, which in depth also involves the pituitary, hypothalamus and other regulating glands, it is just too much to get into.

WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO IS THAT LOW-CARB DIETING CAN BACK-FIRE ON YOU, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE RESTRICTING CALORIES OR CREATING A HUGE DEFICIT BY DOING LOTS OF EXERCISING MAKING ENERGY EXPENDITURE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN ENERGY INTAKE.

Most of you would say, yes but I am eating a lot more calories from proteins and fats and I am getting plenty of carbs from my vegetables like butternut….. that does not always work so well and the fact is that carbs in vegetables are not the same as carbs in root vegetables and other starches.

If you have been going low-carb for very long and are stuck in a plateau and/or experiencing signs of adrenal weakness or metabolic damage you would want to think of doing the following:

INCREASE YOUR CONSUMPTION OF HEALTHY CARBS (RICE, QUINOA, SWEET POTATO, POTATO ETC.)

CUT BACK ON THE HIGH INTENSITY EXERCISE

ELIMINATE CAFFEINE AND ALL OTHER FAT BURNING STIMULANTS

The best way to ensure that you recover from metabolic damage is to have a professional “physique” nutritional guide/adviser assist you. You need to be monitored and your nutrition and training needs to be adjusted throughout the process.
(I am a professional Nutritional guide specializing in changing physiques and can assist you with this)

To prevent yourself from falling into the trap of adrenal fatigue you should structure workouts and nutrition using The Periodization method throughout the year.... 
But that is a whole other discussion which I will get into at a later stage.

For now, all you need to do is check for symptoms of adrenal fatigue and do what you need to do to get out of it. When your body temperature drops, your energy levels and sleeping patterns fluctuate, you get stuck in a plateau where you are not seeing any progress even if you train harder, etc. it is a sign that something is not right….

Trying to further restrict your calories, doing a “reboot” session, adding more HIIT to you workouts will only make things worse and will DEFINITELY not make it better…  THAT IS A SCIENTIFIC FACT!

HEART DISEASE IS CAUSED BY INFLAMMATION... NOT CHOLESTEROL!

Heart surgeon speaks out on what really causes heart disease

Dr. Dwight Lundell
PreventDisease
Thu, 01 Mar 2012 21:58 CST

We physicians with all our training, knowledge and authority often acquire a rather large ego that tends to make it difficult to admit we are wrong. So, here it is. I freely admit to being wrong. As a heart surgeon with 25 years experience, having performed over 5,000 open-heart surgeries, today is my day to right the wrong with medical and scientific fact.

I trained for many years with other prominent physicians labelled "opinion makers." Bombarded with scientific literature, continually attending education seminars, we opinion makers insisted heart disease resulted from the simple fact of elevated blood cholesterol.

The only accepted therapy was prescribing medications to lower cholesterol and a diet that severely restricted fat intake. The latter of course we insisted would lower cholesterol and heart disease. Deviations from these recommendations were considered heresy and could quite possibly result in malpractice.

It Is Not Working!

These recommendations are no longer scientifically or morally defensible. The discovery a few years ago that inflammation in the artery wall is the real cause of heart disease is slowly leading to a paradigm shift in how heart disease and other chronic ailments will be treated. 

The long-established dietary recommendations have created epidemics of obesity and diabetes, the consequences of which dwarf any historical plague in terms of mortality, human suffering and dire economic consequences. 

Despite the fact that 25% of the population takes expensive statin medications and despite the fact we have reduced the fat content of our diets, more Americans will die this year of heart disease than ever before. 

Statistics from the American Heart Association show that 75 million Americans currently suffer from heart disease, 20 million have diabetes and 57 million have pre-diabetes. These disorders are affecting younger and younger people in greater numbers every year. 

Simply stated, without inflammation being present in the body, there is no way that cholesterol would accumulate in the wall of the blood vessel and cause heart disease and strokes. Without inflammation, cholesterol would move freely throughout the body as nature intended. It is inflammation that causes cholesterol to become trapped. 

Inflammation is not complicated -- it is quite simply your body's natural defence to a foreign invader such as a bacteria, toxin or virus. The cycle of inflammation is perfect in how it protects your body from these bacterial and viral invaders. However, if we chronically expose the body to injury by toxins or foods the human body was never designed to process,a condition occurs called chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation is just as harmful as acute inflammation is beneficial. 

What thoughtful person would willfully expose himself repeatedly to foods or other substances that are known to cause injury to the body? Well, smokers perhaps, but at least they made that choice willfully. 

The rest of us have simply followed the recommended mainstream diet that is low in fat and high in polyunsaturated fats and processed carbohydrates, not knowing we were causing repeated injury to our blood vessels. This repeated injury creates chronic inflammation leading to heart disease, stroke, diabetes and obesity. 

Let me repeat that: The injury and inflammation in our blood vessels is caused by the low fat diet recommended for years by mainstream medicine. 

What are the biggest culprits of chronic inflammation? 

Quite simply, they are the overload of simple, highly processed carbohydrates (sugar, flour and all the products made from them) and the excess consumption of omega-6 vegetable oils like soybean, corn and sunflower that are found in many processed foods. 
Take a moment to visualize rubbing a stiff brush repeatedly over soft skin until it becomes quite red and nearly bleeding. you kept this up several times a day, every day for five years. If you could tolerate this painful brushing, you would have a bleeding, swollen infected area that became worse with each repeated injury. This is a good way to visualize the inflammatory process that could be going on in your body right now. 

Regardless of where the inflammatory process occurs, externally or internally, it is the same. I have peered inside thousands upon thousands of arteries. A diseased artery looks as if someone took a brush and scrubbed repeatedly against its wall. Several times a day, every day, the foods we eat create small injuries compounding into more injuries, causing the body to respond continuously and appropriately with inflammation. 

While we savor the tantalizing taste of a sweet roll, our bodies respond alarmingly as if a foreign invader arrived declaring war. Foods loaded with sugars and simple carbohydrates, or processed with omega-6 oils for long shelf life have been the mainstay of the American diet for six decades. These foods have been slowly poisoning everyone. 

How does eating a simple sweet roll create a cascade of inflammation to make you sick? 

Imagine spilling syrup on your keyboard and you have a visual of what occurs inside the cell. When we consume simple carbohydrates such as sugar, blood sugar rises rapidly. In response, your pancreas secretes insulin whose primary purpose is to drive sugar into each cell where it is stored for energy. If the cell is full and does not need glucose, it is rejected to avoid extra sugar gumming up the works. 

When your full cells reject the extra glucose, blood sugar rises producing more insulin and the glucose converts to stored fat. 

What does all this have to do with inflammation? Blood sugar is controlled in a very narrow range. Extra sugar molecules attach to a variety of proteins that in turn injure the blood vessel wall. This repeated injury to the blood vessel wall sets off inflammation. When you spike your blood sugar level several times a day, every day, it is exactly like taking sandpaper to the inside of your delicate blood vessels. 

While you may not be able to see it, rest assured it is there. I saw it in over 5,000 surgical patients spanning 25 years who all shared one common denominator -- inflammation in their arteries. 

Let's get back to the sweet roll. That innocent looking goody not only contains sugars, it is baked in one of many omega-6 oils such as soybean. Chips and fries are soaked in soybean oil; processed foods are manufactured with omega-6 oils for longer shelf life. While omega-6's are essential -they are part of every cell membrane controlling what goes in and out of the cell -- they must be in the correct balance with omega-3's. 

If the balance shifts by consuming excessive omega-6, the cell membrane produces chemicals called cytokines that directly cause inflammation. 
Today's mainstream American diet has produced an extreme imbalance of these two fats. The ratio of imbalance ranges from 15:1 to as high as 30:1 in favor of omega-6. That's a tremendous amount of cytokines causing inflammation. In today's food environment, a 3:1 ratio would be optimal and healthy. 

To make matters worse, the excess weight you are carrying from eating these foods creates overloaded fat cells that pour out large quantities of pro-inflammatory chemicals that add to the injury caused by having high blood sugar. The process that began with a sweet roll turns into a vicious cycle over time that creates heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and finally, Alzheimer's disease, as the inflammatory process continues unabated. 

There is no escaping the fact that the more we consume prepared and processed foods, the more we trip the inflammation switch little by little each day. The human body cannot process, nor was it designed to consume, foods packed with sugars and soaked in omega-6 oils. 

There is but one answer to quieting inflammation, and that is returning to foods closer to their natural state. To build muscle, eat more protein. Choose carbohydrates that are very complex such as colorful fruits and vegetables. Cut down on or eliminate inflammation- causing omega-6 fats like corn and soybean oil and the processed foods that are made from them. 

One tablespoon of corn oil contains 7,280 mg of omega-6; soybean contains 6,940 mg. Instead, use olive oil or butter from grass-fed beef. 

Animal fats contain less than 20% omega-6 and are much less likely to cause inflammation than the supposedly healthy oils labelled polyunsaturated. Forget the "science" that has been drummed into your head for decades. The science that saturated fat alone causes heart disease is non-existent. The science that saturated fat raises blood cholesterol is also very weak. Since we now know that cholesterol is not the cause of heart disease, the concern about saturated fat is even more absurd today. 

The cholesterol theory led to the no-fat, low-fat recommendations that in turn created the very foods now causing an epidemic of inflammation. Mainstream medicine made a terrible mistake when it advised people to avoid saturated fat in favor of foods high in omega-6 fats. We now have an epidemic of arterial inflammation leading to heart disease and other silent killers. 

What you can do is choose whole foods your grandmother served and not those your mom turned to as grocery store aisles filled with manufactured foods. By eliminating inflammatory foods and adding essential nutrients from fresh unprocessed food, you will reverse years of damage in your arteries and throughout your body from consuming the typical American diet

HCG Diet Dangers (a.k.a. Slender Wonder / Trim Shape)

Written by: EUGENE DAAMEN

OK so this HCG Diet is making it's way around again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The doctors who prescribe this VERY UNHEALTHY program to people are doing nothing but preying on their desperation to lose weight....below is my rant, and feel free to print it and give it to your doctor. I am not well loved in the medical community anyway, probably because I tell the truth about things, so what is a few more doctors pissed of at me about what I have to say...I hope you enjoy the read:

This is why I put together today's article for you, and ask that you pay close
attention if you know anyone even CONSIDERING this "diet".

This diet was fairly popular in the 1950's until it became clear that there was insufficient evidence to support using HCG for fatloss. As with most fad diets, the HCG Diet has resurfaced and makes some pretty outlandish claims. Many of the products declare that the diet will "reset your metabolism", change "abnormal eating patterns" and result with a "loss of 1-2 pounds per day."

HCG is a hormone produced in women by the placenta during pregnancy. HCG is sold as a prescription drug approved by the Food & Drug Administration for various medical conditions including the treatment of female infertility (but not weight-loss). The diet requires a daily injection of this hormone along with a scary obligation to eat a very low calorie diet of ONLY 500 CALORIES A DAY!

Why Do People Lose So Fast?

In short, people are actually losing twenty pounds and more per month because they are starving themselves! If you stop eating, you will likely drop weight quickly no matter what you are injecting into your body.

It's insane really... it will cost you hundreds of dollars a month and the real secret to this diet is... starvation. You don't have to pay for that... you can starve yourself free of charge.  (Which I don't recommend, unless you want to do serious, long-term damage to your metabolism.)

The HCG label actually states, there "is no substantial evidence that it increases weight-loss beyond that resulting from caloric restriction, that it causes a more attractive or 'normal' distribution of fat, or that it decreases the hunger and discomfort associated with calorie-restricted diets."

Is It Safe?

No matter your size, that level of calorie restriction is severe and does not lack consequences. These include, but are not limited to, gallstone formation, irregular heartbeat, vitamin & mineral deficiency and electrolyte imbalance. This means that the HCG diet is not only unhealthy, it's hazardous.

Keep in mind that following this diet will give you an increased risk of headaches, blood clots, restlessness and depression. In addition, the HCG can give you pregnancy-like symptoms, such as water retention, breast tenderness and swelling. And finally, HCG can also cause a condition called OHSS, or ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, which is potentially life-threatening.

In addition to the calorie restriction being unsafe, the HCG hormone is actually illegal for over the counter sale for any reason. In fact, it's not approved for weight-loss even as a prescription. The FDA is warning any consumer currently using HCG for fat-loss to stop taking it and to stop following the dieting instructions immediately. I recommend this too!

My suggestion? Stick to what we know works--eating natural, wholesome foods, healthy supplements and exercise--and don't be fooled, misled or tempted by fad starvation diets and short-term, DANGEROUS fixes that require you to inject hormones in your body!

As the doctor who wants to sell you this crap if he/she even know exactly what HCG Pregnyl is?
Do they even have ANY nutritional qualifications? How can they expect you to survive on no more than 500 calories per day? Tell them to stave themselves and piss off!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

People get this into your heads.....THERE NEVER WAS AND NEVER WILL BE A QUICK FIX!!!!

Every man and woman on this planet who looks damn good worked their asses of to look the way they do. If it was easy ,everyone would look good!!!

What is the point of losing 20kgs in a month and then gaining back 25kgs??????????????

You have just suffered and starved for a month...and for what???? SO YOU END UP FATTER THAN BEFORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FIBER (a very important part of your Macros, WHY?)

One of the most important Micro-Nutrients and one often not thought of is Fiber.

An amount of more or less 20g per day is recommended. It is important to remember that, just like with most things in life, more is not necessarily better and you can eat too much fiber which is NOT good for you.

It is recommended that you do not eat more than 40g a day. 

There are two types of fiber, Soluble and Insoluble fiber.

Soluble fiber dissolves in water. Insoluble fiber does not. To some degree these differences determine how each fiber functions in the body and benefits your health.

It is very important to eat enough soluble and insoluble fiber for various reasons. 

SOLUBLE FIBERS 

It attracts water and form a gel, which slows down digestion. Soluble fiber delays the emptying of your stomach and makes you feel full, which helps control weight. 

Slower stomach emptying may also affect blood sugar levels by decreasing the glycemic effect of a meal and have a beneficial effect on insulin sensitivity, which may help control diabetes. 

In the Colon the fiber types that are most amenable to fermentation are the soluble ones  and the colon needs them to maintain all the processes present in the colon: 

We literally could not stay alive if it wasn't for the bacteria in our digestive systems, where battles are fought, helpful substances are manufactured, and the immune system is bolstered: 

·         Vitamins are constructed (particularly Vitamin K and some B vitamins)

·         More minerals are absorbed into the bloodstream

·         Friendly bacteria crowd out the ones that cause disease, such as Salmonella

·         Friendly bacteria lower the levels of some toxins, such as ammonia

·         Special fats, called short-chain fatty acids, are manufactured, most of which are absorbed into the bloodstream, but some are used to feed the cells of the colon.

·         The health of colon cells, which turn over rapidly, is for the most part dependent upon the bacteria of "Colon World", which in turn is dependent upon the food we give these bacteria.

Besides reducing the glycemic effect of meals and contributing to colon health, there is evidence that fiber may benefit us in other ways. It seems to help lower cholesterol and triglycerides, and also may help to prevent:

·         Ulcers, particularly in the beginning of the small intestine (duodenal ulcers)

·         Diabetes

·         Heart Disease

·         Cancer

  

Sources of soluble fiber: oatmeal, lentils, apples, oranges, pears, oat bran, strawberries, nuts, flax seeds, beans, dried peas, blueberries, cucumbers, celery, and carrots.

 INSOLUBLE FIBERS 

They are considered gut-healthy fiber because they have a laxative effect and add bulk to the diet, helping prevent constipation.

These fibers do not dissolve in water, so they pass through the gastrointestinal tract relatively intact, and speed up the passage of food and waste through your gut.

Not only does it provide bulk in the stool, its tendency to "speed things along" means that the fermentation will take place all along the length of the colon, including the near the end, where the majority of colon cancer occurs.

Without insoluble fiber, most of the fermentation would take place in the top part of the colon, so the colon cells there would get most of the benefit.

Insoluble fibers are mainly found in whole grains and vegetables.

·         Sources of insoluble fiber are seeds, nuts, barley, couscous, brown rice, zucchini, celery, broccoli, cabbage, onions, tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, green beans, dark leafy vegetables, raisins, grapes, fruit, and root vegetable skins.

(People with IBS should avoid eating too much foods with a lot of INSOLUBLE fiber and should eat foods that are naturally high in soluble fiber include oatmeal, rice, potatoes and oat bran)

Soluble Fiber and Insoluble Fiber Foods List with Fiber Grams (g)

Fresh & Dried Fruits	Serving  Size	Soluble Fiber (g)	Insoluble  Fiber (g)	Total Fiber (g)
Apple, with skin	1 medium	4.2	1.5	5.7
Apricots, dried	4 medium	1.8	1.7	3.5
Banana	1 medium	2.1	.07	2.8
Blackberries	1/2 cup	3.1	.07	3.8
Blueberries	1 cup	1.7	2.5	4.2
Figs, dried	3 medium	3.0	2.3	5.3
Grapefruit	1/2 fruit	2.4	0.7	3.1
Kiwi fruit	1 large	2.4	0.8	3.2
Orange	1 medium	2.1	1.3	3.4
Pear	1 medium	0.8	3.2	4.0
Plums	2 medium	1.2	1.0	2.2
Prunes, dried	4 medium	1.3	1.8	3.1
Raspberries	1/2 cup	0.9	2.3	3.2
Strawberries	1 cup	1.8	2.6	4.4

Nuts, Seeds & Beans	Serving  Size	Soluble Fiber (g)	Insoluble  Fiber (g)	Total  Fiber(g)
Almonds, raw	1 ounce	0.7	3.5	4.2
Black beans, cooked	1/2 cup	3.8	3.1	6.9
Black-eyed peas, cooked	1/2 cup	2.2	1.9	4.1
Flaxseeds	2 tbsp.	2.7	2.1	4.8
Kidney beans, cooked	1/2 cup	2.9	2.9	5.8
Lentils, cooked	1/2 cup	2.8	3.8	6.6
Peanuts, dry roasted	1 ounce	1.1	1.2	2.3
Pinto beans, cooked	1/2 cup	5.5	1.9	7.4
Sesame seeds	1/4 cup	0.7	2.6	3.3
Split peas, cooked	1/2 cup	1.1	2.4	3.4
Sunflower seeds	1/4 cup	1.1	1.9	3.0
White beans, cooked	1/2 cup	3.8	0.4	4.2

Vegetables	Serving  Size	Soluble Fiber (g)	Insoluble  Fiber (g)	Total Fiber (g)
Artichoke, cooked	1 medium	4.7	1.8	6.5
Asparagus, cooked	1/2 cup	1.7	1.1	2.8
Broccoli, raw	1/2 cup	1.3	1.4	2.7
Brussels sprouts, cooked	1 cup	1.7	1.9	3.6
Carrot, raw	1 medium	1.1	1.5	2.6
Green peas, cooked	1/2 cup	3.2	1.2	4.4
Green Beans, cooked	1/2 cup	0.8	1.2	2.0
Kale, cooked	1 cup	2.1	5.1	7.2
Lima beans, cooked	1/2 cup	2.1	2.2	4.3
Potato with skin	1 medium	2.4	2.4	4.8
Soybeans (edamame)	1/2 cup	2.7	2.2	4.9
Squash, summer, cooked	1/2 cup	1.3	1.2	2.5
Squash, winter, cooked	1/2 cup	1.7	1.4	3.1
Sweet potato, peeled	1 medium	2.7	2.2	4.9
Tomato with skin	1 medium	0.3	1.0	1.3
Zucchini, cooked	1/2 cup	1.4	1.2	2.6

Whole Grains	Serving  Size	Soluble  Fiber (g)	Insoluble  Fiber (g)	Total  Fiber (g)
Brown rice, cooked	1/2 cup	1.3	0.1	1.4
Oat bran, cooked	3/4 cup	2.2	1.8	4.0
Oatmeal, dry	1/3 cup	1.4	1.3	2.7
Oatmeal, cooked	1 cup	2.4	1.6	4.0
Popcorn, air popped	3 cups	3.2	0.4	3.6
Quinoa (seeds), dry	1/4 cup	2.5	3.8	6.3
Quinoa, cooked	1/2 cup	1.7	2.5	4.2
Rye bread	1 slice	1.9	0.8	2.7
Wheat bran	1/2 cup	11.3	1.0	12.3
Wheat germ	3 tbsp.	3.2	0.7	3.9