Diet Rules To Lose Fat: Throw Out The Junk Food!

If you want to know how to lose stubborn belly fat, the first thing you should really focus on is proper nutrition. First things first… throw away the junk food. Get rid of things like chips, cookies, chocolates, candies and other sweets. Junk food and those foods with additives and sugar can be a huge source of flab around the midsection. Now don’t get me wrong – that’s not to say that you can’t allow a sweet dessert, however junk food should not be a staple within your diet… it should be a treat.

The reason that junk food is so bad for you is due to the fact that most foods that fall into this category are either high in sugar content or fat. Refined carbohydrates and sugars can raise blood sugar levels quickly which increases your urge to eat more while decreasing your ability to burn fat.

Carbohydrates and Losing Belly Fat

You can consume carbohydrates and still lose belly fat, however you need to understand the difference between good and bad carbs. Refined flours such as those you find in white bread, donuts, regular pasta, etc. Should be avoided. They are stripped of all the good nutrients and instead will leave you feeling bloated, lead to poor digestion, and the accumulation of fat.

So what are ‘good carbohydrates‘? Think of things such as fruits, vegetables, brown rice, whole wheat bread, oats, and others as things that are good for you to eat. A diet that consists of getting its carbohydrate sources from these good carbohydrates is much healthier in general, and will allow you to get leaner.

Consuming too much carbohydrate can again increase your sugar levels which will slow down your metabolism. The excess sugar from the carbohydrates will turn into stomach fat, so it’s important that you eat your carbohydrates in moderation. You should look at eating two portions of protein for one portion of carbohydrates that are from a grainy source like oats and brown rice. Eat another portion or two of green vegetables.

Avoid Late Night Snacks

Another thing you should keep in mind when you’re trying to get rid of belly fat is to avoid late night snacks. The problem with a late night snack, even a healthy one, is that there isn’t much activity after. Typically, people go to bed right after. Since no energy is spent, all that excess sugar from digestion just gets turned into fat.

A lot of people are looking at how to lose belly fat, yet what they don’t realize is that there is no simple solution. If you really want to get leaner and healthier, you will need to change your lifestyle. This includes the way you eat, getting rid of junk food and refined carbohydrates, and instead having vegetables, good carbohydrates and a lot of protein.

The Centers for Disease Control has identified iron deficiency as the most common type of nutritional deficiency around the world. Referring to the body’s lack of iron in the bloodstream, it is one of the most common reasons for the increased risk of acquiring various kinds of infections.

Among infants and children, it may cause impaired cognitive development and delayed motor functioning. Among adults, it can affect memory and physical performance. Those certain group of the population that are most at risk in developing this condition include babies, women who experience heavy menstrual bleeding, women who are pregnant or nursing, frequent blood donors, endurance athletes, and chronic dieters.

Iron Deficiency Symptoms

While the symptoms of iron deficiency can vary from one person to another, anyone who suffers from this condition is bound to experience at one or more of its most common indicators. These are fatigue, weakness, pale skin, shortness of breath, frequent infections, cold hands and feet, brittle nails, and tongue swelling or soreness.

Any person who is exhibiting the signs and symptoms that are associated with iron deficiency should immediately consult a physician. They should first be subjected to the necessary tests to determine iron levels. This is also a way to ensure that there are no other potentially harmful underlying medical conditions that could be causing the condition. Aside from recommending their patients to incorporate iron-rich food items in their diets, doctors many also prescribe iron deficiency sufferers to take in iron supplements as well.

Iron-Rich Food Sources

Anyone who is at risk for developing iron deficiency should start eating a healthy diet that is rich in iron. Iron basically comes in two forms. These are heme and non-heme. Heme iron is easily absorbed by the body. This form of iron is found in animal sources. Non-heme iron, on the other hand, is not the type of iron that is easily absorbed. Found in vegetable sources, this will have to be eaten with food items that are rich in vitamin C such as citrus fruits and green vegetables to increase its absorption. Non-heme may also be paired with heme iron to makes its absorption easier.

Food sources that are rich in heme iron are organ meats such as liver, heart, and liver, along with red meat, egg yolks, chicken, and oysters. While taking in these rich food sources are highly recommended for pregnant women, it is advised that they avoid eating liver as its high vitamin A content could potentially be harmful to unborn babies. Non-heme iron is found in whole grains, seeds, nuts, raisins, prunes, spinach, peas, and beans.

In order to address the big number of the world population that is suffering from iron deficiency, there are some food manufacturers that have added iron to their food products. Doing so is a very effective way to increase its nutritional value. Some of the most common food items include breakfast cereals, oatmeal, yogurt, and snack bars.

There are also iron supplements that are readily available over the counter. These pills ensure a full dose of iron if you are not able to supply your body with the recommended amount of iron intake with your diet all alone. Taking them can treat anyone to a variety of side effects so a doctor’s advice should be sought first before taking any.

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Amy C. is a health and nutrition enthusiast.  She enjoys discovering new information and studies that have a direct effect on an individual’s health and wellbeing.   During her spare time, she helps DMac Industries, a b deck and steel deck fabrication company, with office administration and blogging activities. Stay tuned for her next post to learn more about Amy’s health adventures.

1. Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey Gold Standard

Optimum Nutrition has a proven track record when it comes to being consistent with the quality of their products and their Whey Gold Standard is no exception, being very pleasing to consumers. If you’ve already used this protein powder, then you already know why it’s so great and can go down to number two on this list. If you’ve never used Optimum Nutrition’s 100% Whey Gold Standard than continue reading.

In my opinion, not only is this one of the best values when it comes to a protein powder, but as a supplement, you won’t find too many quality products that are at this price point. It’s one of the cheaper protein powders you can purchase when considering the quality.

The taste of this protein powder is pretty good too with no strange chemical aftertaste that you might experience with some other protein supplements. Very versatile and can really mix with anything, including putting a scoop in with your oatmeal, mixing it with other supplements, or just putting it into a cold glass of water.

The quality of this protein powder consists of a mix of whey protein concentrates and whey protein isolates.  It’s  protein content is pretty good, giving you about 24 grams of protein per serving so that you this supplement is basically 80% protein by weight.

“Optimum 100% Whey Protein won “”Supplement Of The Year”” and “”Protein Powder Of The Year”” award for 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008! Offering more counts of WPI the purest form of protein!”

Quality/Effectiveness: This protein can be used for any time, whether it’s post-workout, for breakfast when mixing it in your oatmeal, or as a recovery drink. It helps with recovery and with building lean muscle. Maybe not the best in any single category, this is the best protein powder overall when you consider effectiveness, taste, price, etc.

Taste: I actually don’t know if this is the best tasting protein powder on the list, but I can tell you that it does at least taste good.

Value: There’s a reason why this is a top selling supplement at many locations. For the quality that you get with this protein powder, it’s easy on the wallet.

2. MusclePharm Combat Powder

You’ll find that MusclePharm uses quality ingredients when it comes to making their supplements, and Combat Powder is no exception. This protein powder is meant to give an extended 8 hour release which is achieved due to its blend consisting of fast and slow digesting proteins. MusclePharm’s Combat Powder contains whey protein isolate, partially hydrolyzed whey protein, micellar casein, and whey protein concentrate. As this powder contains both whey and casein, you’ll find that it’s a perfect protein supplement to use before bed, for breakfast, or pre-workout and/or post-workout.

Another great advantage to this blend is the digestive enzymes that are used which will help your body digest the proteins fully for maximum utilization.

You’ll notice muscle mass increase as well as strength increases when using this supplement and it tastes pretty darn good though don’t expect it to mix too easily when using a spoon and cold water. You might also get a feeling of bloating or get gas when initially taking this protein supplement.

Quality/Effectiveness:  You will notice a feeling of improved muscle fullness (that muscle pump feeling after the gym), decent strength increases as well as good recovery with this protein powder making for a very effective supplement.

Taste: The taste can take some time getting used to and it doesn’t mix as well as some other protein powders.

Price: Affordable and good price for such a quality protein blend.

 3. BSN Syntha-6

BSN Syntha-6, created by Bio-Engineered Supplements and Nutrition, Inc. (BSN), is a protein powder supplement meant to provide an extended release, making it suitable for pre-workout as well as post-workout. It comes in a variety of flavors such as vanilla, strawberry, chocolate, mochaccino and cookies & cream.

Its protein matrix consists of ultra filtered whey protein concentrate and whey protein isolates making it a pretty good protein for building muscle mass. Syntha-6 also contains casein protein which is a slower digesting protein allowing your body to receive protein for a extended period of time. Each protein in Syntha-6 provides a unique and complementary profile of essential amino acids to the body. This combination helps build and nourish muscles at all times. Take it pre-workout, post-workout or before bed.

This protein powder might cause a feeling of bloating or gas for some people, or at least it did for me when I initially started using it.

Quality/Effectiveness: Great for building mass and recovery, however if you’re looking to lose body fat, you may want to look else where as this protein blend is high in calories when compared to other protein powders. Also may cause bloating or gas for some.

Taste: Probably one of the best tasting protein supplements out there.

Value: It’s a bit on the pricier side, but it is a good quality protein blend.

4. Nature’s Best Zero Carb Isopure

Nature’s Best Zero Carb Isopure is one of the top selling protein powders on the market and for good reason. This powder is one of the few quality protein powders that has zero carbs which makes it great for those who trying to cut down on body fat while increasing lean muscle. It also does not contain any dietary fat, which can provide multiple benefits for some people. The lack of fat keeps this protein supplement low in calories, making it appropriate for those who are on a diet. Another added benefit, as explained by sports nutritionist researcher Dr. John Berardi, is that you want to try and have a fat-free post-workout meal as fats can slow down the delivery of nutrients that are essential to for muscle growth and recovery after your workout.

Another advantage to this product is that it is Lactore Free. This protein powder will digest well, without causing any upset stomachs.

Each serving is packed with 50 grams per serving of protein or 25 grams per scoop. 100% of the protein in Isopure comes from the highest quality protein source out there: ion-exchange whey protein isolate. This means that your body will use much more of the protein in each serving. However, that does come at a cost as the high protein content comes with a loss of many subfractions that are unique to whey.

This protein supplement is fortified with essential micro-nutrients (except iron). It also has a good amount of potassium which is an essential electrolyte for post workout.

There are a few drawbacks to Isopure. First, on the price side, it can be a bit more expensive than some other quality protein powders, including the ones listed above. In my opinion, part of the price is justified as the process to remove lactose, fats, etc. from whey protein without losing its biological activity necessitates special care from the manufacturer. On the other hand, Isopure is also expensive because the company likes to push the concept of ion exchange, which has the highest protein levels of any isolate, however that doesn’t necessarily make it the best choice.

Another con, which is more subjective, is that while Isopure does come in a variety of flavors, including unique ones like Apple Melon and Alpine Punch, don’t expect this to be the tastiest protein powder you’ve tasted.

Quality/Effectiveness: This can go either way depending on what it is that you’re actually looking for in a protein powder. As mentioned above, while you are getting high protein levels, the actual protein that your body is getting is sub-par when compared to other protein supplements. On the other hand, this protein powder is lactose free and has zero carbs which might make it a very good choice for some.

Taste: Depends on the flavors you get. I tried vanilla, which to me tasted fairly chalky and was a bit hard to down when mixed with water. On the other hand, their chocolate flavor was decent, but in the end I’ve had better tasting protein supplements.

Price: Pretty expensive when compared to other protein supplements out there.  Again, it really depends on what you are looking for and need when it comes to a protein powder.

As mentioned in my prior article Cooking in the Kitchen: Build Muscle and Lose Weight with Proper Nutrition, building muscle starts in the kitchen and not at the gym. Nutrition is an essential component of fitness. I’d like to focus on what you should eat prior to working out and after.

Pre-Workout Nutrition

Before exercising, you need to power your body so that you can get the most out of your workout. It’s only then that you can adequately handle the physical stress that comes with a hard workout of lifting weights at the gym, running, or even playing a sport. Specifically, you’ll want your pre workout meal to be able to accomplish the following goals:

• Provide you with adequate energy
• Reduce muscle glycogen depletion
• Reduce muscle breakdown

As your body relies on glycogen stores to fuel you through your exercise, you’ll want to focus on carbohydrates (specifically low glycemic carbs) as your first choice of food to consume prior to exercising. You should focus on low glycemic carbohydrates, which will provide a steady stream of energy to your body, instead of high glycemic carbohydrates which are rapidly released into the bloodstream, causing a quick rise in energy, followed by a crash before you even get to the gym. Some examples of low GI foods include fruits, vegetables, whole-grain bread and oatmeal.

You’ll also want to include protein in the mix as these are the building blocks of muscle. You should focus on a slow digesting protein such as casein so that your body is adequately supplied with the amino acids that build muscle throughout the workout.

I would recommend about 60% – 70% of your calories coming from carbs and the rest coming from protein with a minimal amount coming from fat and to have this type of meal about 60 minutes up to 40 minutes prior to your workout. On the way to your workout, I would recommend having a piece of fruit (banana or apple) or other simple sugar which can reduce the amount of glycogen used during whatever exercise you perform.

Post-Workout Nutrition

Your post workout meal plays the more significant role when it comes to supplying your body with everything that is necessary to repair, replenish, recover and adapt to the training stimulus that has been provided during your workout.

Specifically, the goal of the POST workout meal is to accomplish the following:

• Replenish muscle glycogen
• Increase muscle synthesis
• Enhance overall recovery by reducing soreness and fatigue
• Reduce cortisol levels

After your workout you’ll want to try and consume protein and carbohydrates as soon as possible. The typical window that is given is up to an hour after your workout, however I suggest that you try to keep it within a window of 30 minutes, if you quicker. You’ll want to have a protein that is fast acting such as a whey protein shake as opposed to solid foods.

A whey protein shake gets digested more quickly than solid sources of protein due to the following:

1. Liquid meals digest faster than solid food meals
2. Whey protein is the fastest acting protein that gets digested by the body

By properly supplementing yourself with a healthy pre and post-workout meal, you’ll be able to attain your goal of building muscle mass or losing body fat and staying lean.

Nutrition is a vital component to building muscle and getting abs. It doesn’t matter how hard you work yourself at your gym if you don’t incorporate proper nutrition for your body. Contrary to what the majority of people believe, lifting weights doesn’t build muscle – it breaks muscle down!  The way that you build muscle tissue to be bigger and stronger than before is with proper nutrition which means the right combination of protein, carbohydrates and fat.

The number one tip to allow you to get the right combination of nutrients that you need is by learning how to cook. By preparing your food in the kitchen, you can control the ingredients that go into your meals and ultimately into your body. If you want to push your results up a notch, then here are a few easy ways for making tasty, nutrition food that will allow you to build muscle and lose body fat.

Lean Protein

You need protein to build muscle, maintain the muscle you already have by improving muscle recovery and aid with fat loss as protein as a highly thermic effect. You’ll find the recommendation is to have at least 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight per day, meaning that if you weight 160 pounds, you should be eating 160 grams of protein.  The problem is that while you need a lot of protein, it must be lean. Eating a ton of bugers will allow you meet your protein requirements, however you’ll end up consuming tons of fat in the process.

You should focus on eating foods such as skinless chicken breasts and lean red meat, however while these types of protein are great for the waistline, they may lack a bit of flavor due to the lack of fat. Here’s a few things you can do to add some flavor to make your lean proteins tasty while still keeping them healthy.

One option is to use a slow cooker. All it takes is a few minutes to chop up a few vegetables, use a bit of tomato sauce or broth and then your favorite meat. Cover it, turn it on low and xix to eight hours later, you’ve got a complete meal.

Grilling is another great way of adding a nice smoky flavor to your meats. You don’t even necessarily have to do this outdoors as grilling is really just a cooking method that utilizes  radiant heat from underneath the food, giving it crispy edges.

Marinades and spice rubs are yet another way to pack your meat with tons of flavor without adding the calories you find in heavy sauces. They also help to seal the moisture in your food making sure that you don’t end up with a dry burned piece of rubber tasting meat.

Carbohydrates

A common misconception for people who are looking to lose belly fat is that they should avoid carbohydrates all together. While it’s important to avoid refined grains such as those found in white bread or white rice, the fact is that you need carbs to help provide you with the necessary energy for the day and help fuel your workouts. Instead, you should look to eat whole grains, sweet potatoes, vegetables, and other complex carbohydrates .

Oatmeal which is great as it can provide you with massive sustained energy can be flavor enhanced by including a scoop of chocolate whey protein powder or adding some natural peanut butter. (Check here for some oatmeal recipe ideas)

You can also try other grains other than oats and rice. Bulgur, barley and quinoa are great alternatives.

Fat

Eating foods that are excessive in fat will cause you to take in too many calories, however your body does need a moderate amount of fat, specifically those that are labelled as essential fatty acids, which are linoleic acid (an Omega-6 fatty accid) and alpha0linolenic acid (an Omega-3 fatty acid). These fats, whichare precursors of important bio-molecules and hormones, are unable to be made in sufficient amounts by the body.The good news is that these fats, aside from giving you the muscle-building nutrition you need, can also add flavor to the foods you eat.

You can try cooking your foods by using a tablespoon of a cooking fat like macadamia nut oil or extra virgin olive oil which have plenty of healthy fatty acids and are rich in flavor.

Nuts such as walnuts or almonds are another great source for unsaturated fatty acids and other nutrients. They can be eaten alone or you can incorporate them into your favorite salad (check out this roasted salmon salad with honey mustard vinaigrette recipe which incorporates nuts and salmon for a healthy salad idea) or use them to flavor mild tasting proteins such as white fish.

Everyone’s tastes are different, so start with a few basic products and build your collection from there. For dried spices, stock up on cinnamon, cayenne, black pepper, paprika, and some kind of curry powder. For herbs, keep basil, thyme, and oregano on hand at all times. Last but far from least, use plenty of salt! It brings out all of the other flavors in your food, and it’s not bad for as long as you drink plenty of water.

For those of you who are looking at doing Insanity, check out the following interview with Shaun T or check out my Insanity workout review. The video at first might sound  a bit like a sales pitch but after a few minutes you’ll actually get into the program and what it’s all about. Honestly this is one of the best workout programs out there for those who want to lose weight without the need for any equipment.

As a follow up to my previous post about mistakes people make when trying to lose weight, today’s article will focus a bit more specifically on diet mistakes people make when trying to lose weight. Mistakes are common when it comes to making an attempt to lose weight, so if you’re not seeing the results you’re after, here are just a few possible reasons as to why.
 

Skipping Meals

There’s been enough research done that shows that people who skip meals, especially breakfast skippers, will weight more than their counterparts who don’t skip a meal. It’s a common diet misconception to believe that skipping a meal will help save calories. While in the very short term that might be true, the truth of the matter is that people who skip meals, end up consuming more calories through out the course of the day.

Strive for three main meals a day along with at least two snacks in between meals. This will allow you to consume less calories per meal, but ensure that your body is not in starvation mode, allowing you to avoid indulging in extra calories. Make sure that you start your day with a healthy breakfast, which should contain protein, carbohydrates and healthy fat (something that you should strive for in all your meals). Try making yourself a spinach (or any other vegetable – mushrooms, peppers, etc.) egg white omelet with a sprinkle of low-fat cheese in a whole wheat wrap.

Rethink Your Drink

While calories are not hidden when it comes to drinks, the fact is many people don’t realize just how many calories they are consuming when they have their favorite beverage.  A great example is orange juice which is loaded with vitamin C, however drinking a huge 16-ounce cup a day with your breakfast will cause you to take in an additional 214 calories! Your medium café latte (16 ounces) from your local coffee shop can contribute an additional 270 calories.
It’s not hard to see how a few beverages a day can pack on a lot of calories quick. When trying to lose weight, trying sticking to water and unsweetened tea. When consuming a drink with milk, try switching out whole milk with at least 2% and be mindful of sugary drinks like soda and energy drinks as well as alcohol.

Check out this great article from Men’s Health for a few ideas on Diet Friendly Beverages as part of their segment of Drink This, Not That.

You’re Overeating Healthy Foods

Natural peanut butter, avocados and nuts are healthy to eat and should be a part of your weight loss diet as they are high in healthy fats and can be full of other nutrients and vitamins that our bodies need. However, it’s important to remember that just because these foods are healthy, doesn’t mean that they are devoid of calories. The key with these foods is to exercise moderation, especially with high-calorie healthy foods.

Eating Too Much Of A Good Thing

The holiday season has recently passed and for some it may mean that their clothes are feeling a bit too tight or that nothing seems to fit quite right anymore. I’m sure some of us have made a resolution of getting into shape… of getting lean and ripped. If you feel like it’s time to do something, that’s fantastic, however there’s nothing worse than putting hard work into a goal and not getting the results you’re looking for. It’s depressing and might sink you even further into bad habits that will only make you put on more weight and get you more out of shape.

The 2005 Journal of the American Medical Association reported that only 3% of dieters were successful at losing weight and keeping it off…

In other words 97% of people FAIL on diets!

I’ve decided to compile a list of some mistakes people tend to make when attempting to lose weight. Hopefully, by avoiding some of these mistakes, you’ll be able to achieve your goals of losing weight and getting into shape.

Following the Crowd

Following the herd when it comes to weight loss is probably one of the worst things you can do… Since 97% of diets fail why in the world
would you follow their advice?

Here’s what the standard diet includes:

* Obsessing over food and calorie counting
* Mindlessly pounding away on the treadmill for 45 minutes to an hour a day
* Starving yourself aka “going hungry”
* Working out on your own and depending on “will & discipline”
* Turning your whole life upside down and being completely overwhelming
* Basing the diet on theory and not how real people live

Check out several diet mistakes being made when trying to lose weight.

Focusing on the “Calories Burned” meter on treadmills and cardio machines

I know a bunch of people who like to focus on the amount of calories burned via the meter of their favorite cardio machine. Don’t get me wrong… calories count, it’s just you aren’t getting the entire story from your treadmills counter. When you look at any calorie counter on your cardio machine it’s counting total calories burned which means that it’s including your bodies basic metabolism with it.

For example, let’s say that after a good half hour on the treadmill your total calories burned reads 500 calories.

Pretty good, right?

Well sort of… the thing is, your body burned 250 of those calories just staying alive and would have burned that no matter what you
did…And the work you did on the treadmill accounted for the other 250 calories.

It’s a little depressing when you consider that 1 pound of fat equals 3500 calories, meaning a whole lot of running you need to do in order to burn just 1 pound.

Lucky for us I’m going to show you a much better way of doing aerobic exercise.

When you’re doing long, slow types of cardio, as soon as you stop running your body stops burning any extra calories…That’s why so many people
consistently run, but they’re bodies stay the same year after year. Instead of slaving away for a hour or so, you’ll want to increase your intensity by speeding up your performance and utilizing intervals. There’s a lesson here and it’s that you can go hard or you can go long but it’s nearly impossible to do both. So if you want to change your body in a hurry you’ve got to speed it up. Here’s what happens when you start using HIIT (High Intersity Interval Training). You not only burn more calories in a shorter amount of time, you get a huge added benefit that researchers are just now starting to understand. It’s called EPOC (Excess Post-exercise oxygen consumption), which is our secret to getting lean in a hurry.

You see, interval and weight training work so well because not only do you burn a ton of calories when you’re training, but as soon as you stop and the EPOC kicks in your metabolism will keep running on overdrive for up to 24 hours after you stopped training. According to some studies it’s
been shown to burn fat 900% more than standard long and slow cardio.

Honestly, if your workout isn’t smashing you into the ground and you’re trying to lose weight, then it’s time to start using the HIIT principal (check out the Tabata Protocol – the unbelievable four minute cardio workout).

Working Out Alone

We are social creatures and when we try to make a change completely on our own, we are making it hard for ourselves.

I think we can all agree that working out on your own just sucks. It’s just to easy to quit and cheat when you’re all by yourself. When you surround yourself with others who have already achieved success in creating a ripped lean body or with people who are beginning their journey like you, the effort to lose weight becomes much easier. We want to be like other people, and without trying to, our body makes changes to fit in.

So if you want to make a big change, make sure you surround yourself with the people you want to be like  – motivated people who are all working
towards similar goals. Look to family members, friends or join a fitness group within your community.

You’re goals suck!

Weight loss is about doing something exciting. It’s about changing your body so that you can feel more confident about yourself.  You’re making the most of your life. The biggest mistake smart people make is going for goals that are either too small or too big.

People are so afraid of failure and being let down again that they set their goals so embarrassingly low that it barely registers or otherwise they are so eager to lose weight that they set their goals to the point that accomplishment is out of reach only setting them up for disappointment.

Perhaps, instead of specifically on just weight, you should look at setting goals that revolve around who you are and what excites you. For example, if you enjoy running, look at being able to run a mile faster or to run a longer distance race. If you like playing sports, maybe you can focus on eating healthier foods to give you more energy. Tying these goals to your weight loss will allow you to shed more pounds and become healthier.

Set a cool goal, and work backwards on how you are going to achieve it. Even if you fall short, you’ll have some exciting results to show for it.

Guest post from Tricia McCaullen.

“Insanity” comes from the same team that’s brought you P90X, Turbo Jam, and a bunch of other videos that are designed to help people get fit, healthy and transform your body into a physical specimen so ripped that you may end up being dissected in a government lab.

So, what’s so special about this program? Let me give you a brief Insanity workout review. This workout program takes getting into shape to a whole new level. You’ll be put through 60 days of nightmarish total body conditioning exercises that will give you results! You’ll burn off thousands of calories within just a few workouts. With that type of burn, you better believe that each workout will be intense and difficult, but if you want impressive results, you’ll have to put yourself through the torture.

Here’s the thing – I’m a P90X grad, but honestly after the first day of Insanity you would think that I had just ran for my life so that I could avoid having my brains eaten by a horde of zombies. I was gasping for air, drenched in my own sweat, and about two seconds away from puking. This isn’t kids play.

Insanity calls itself “Max Interval Training” and for good reason. Instead of doing short intervals of HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) combined with moderate intensity exercise, you’ll be aiming to do maximum intensity training with short periods of rest. These videos will have you working at over 85% of your heart rates maximum capacity allowing you to burn more calories and faster increases in fitness level. This is like doing Cardio on crack. On top of getting your heart thumping, you’ll combine pushups, lunges, squats, plyometrics and more to get a nice, full body burn.

Shaun T, the mastermind behind Insanity is one serious dude. This isn’t the same guy from Hip Hop Abs. Insanity is a much more mature, well rounded program. Shaun will offer you some words of motivation and encouragement, enough to keep you pumped but be forewarned: There’s little idle time (better use it to get a nice sip of water) and no playful chatter. Shaun is on a mission – be prepared to drown in your own sweat! Seriously, you’ll even catch a person here or there dropping out in the video (which is somehow comforting when you feel like you’re about to collapse).

Now that I’ve given you a brief overview of the program, my own review of Insanity, I must say that I’ve definitely noticed a difference. My abdominal muscles are really popping out to the point that I could probably grate some cheese on them if you’d like. I’ve also noticed that my endurance and cardiovascular stamina has improved drastically. I now run about 5 miles a day without much trouble which is incredible for me since I was barely doing 2 miles before I started.

Insanity is definitely worth it. The wonderful thing about it is that you don’t need any equipment so if you travel a lot or don’t have any fitness equipment, then it’s not a problem. No need to go out and get equipment! No need to have dumbbells, treadmills or any other fitness equipment. You just need something to play the DVDs and your body! I do recommend that you get yourself a heart rate monitor though as you will exceed the safe zone easily, even if you go at your own pace as opposed to the video’s. This program isn’t intense… it’s insane!

But don’t take my word for it. Check out some of these Insanity Workout Reviews!

The official Insanity workout program comes with the following:     

• Insanity Fitness guide
• Nutrition guide
• Calendar
• Fit Test Tracker allowing you to track your results
• 10 DVDs
  • Dig Deeper & Fit Test
  • Plyometric Cardio Circuit
  • Cardio Power & Resistance
  • Cardio Recovery/Max Recovery
  • Pure Cardio/Cardio Abs
  • Cardio Abs
  • Core Cardio & Balance
  • Max Interval Circuit
  • Max Interval Plyo
  • Max Cardio Conditioning/Cardio Abs

If you want your clothes to feel looser, want to get into better cardiovascular shape, get healthy, or ripped then you just have to give Insanity a shot!

Getting kids to eat healthy, nutritious food can be a real challenge. If you remember back to your youth, your favorite foods were probably chocolate bars and ice cream. That’s because they taste good. Unfortunately, foods that are nutritious and good for you are sometimes considered to be relatively un-tasty, especially when compared to candy and pizza. However, there are ways to convince your kids that there’s nothing wrong with eating healthy foods. Following are a few tips on how to teach your kids about good nutrition.

Don’t’ Force Them

Most experts agree that forcing kids to clean their plate can cause more problems than they solve. That’s because no one really likes to be ordered around, even little kids. Instead of having a power struggle over what they should eat but don’t want to, try a little creative parenting. Don’t serve large portions of any particular thing at mealtime. As an alternative, dole out relatively small portions of everything you’ve cooked. Tell the kids they don’t have to eat everything in front of them, but they won’t be able to have seconds of anything until they eat everything on their plate. Tell them they can have all they want of whatever they want after they finish what was originally served to them. In that way you will get them to eat at least some ‘healthy’ food.

Set a Good Example

Some people say picky eaters are not born that way, but learn from watching the eating habits of others, especially family members. In order to set a good example for your children, you should try to make sure you serve healthy, nutritious food, and eat what you serve. If you don’t eat properly, how can you expect your kids to? Don’t expect this method to yield immediate results, especially if your children have already developed picky eating habits. However, if you continue to serve healthy meals and set a good example in how you eat your children should eventually follow suit.

Take Your Kids Shopping

When you do the weekly marketing, it might help them develop healthy eating habits if you take them with you. Although young children can be distracting, and easily distracted, in a supermarket, having them pick out their own food can be beneficial. When you’re in the fruits and vegetables section involve them in the selection process. Later, when the item is being served you can point out that this is ‘their’ green beans, or ‘their’ broccoli. Of course, this method will work better with younger children, so you should begin this process early in their lives if you hope to reap benefits from it.

Cook With Your Children

Along the same lines as taking your kids shopping to pick out their own food, you can involve them in the preparation process, as well. Cooking with your children will not only provide them with instruction in the proper way to prepare food, and teach them safe kitchen etiquette, but will also serve to create a bond between them and their food. It may sound silly on the surface, but this type of activity can actually improve a child’s confidence by doing it themselves and make them feel like the meal is theirs. In doing so they may more quickly develop a taste for nutritious foods.

Reading Labels

Another way to get children interested in eating nutritious food is to teach them to read food labels. This will not only help develop their reading skills, but will also teach them the importance of finding out what ingredients their food choices contain. You are their primary instructor because you’re with them from the moment they’re born. Your teaching methods, and what you teach them, will stay with your children for the rest of their lives. By teaching them the importance of reading food labels and telling them why certain foods are good for them, they will hopefully develop healthy eating habits that can be passed on to their own children.

Guest post from Bailey Harris. Bailey writes about insurance quotes for InsuranceQuotes.org.