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Nutrition is the key to making weight loss permanent.  Fad diets are not a great alternative to a well balanced diet. When nutrition is sacrificed the body doesn't function properly, and this can lead to health problems as well as putting even more weight back on.

     A fad diet is only a short term solution.  Once the weight loss has ended, the dieter returns to the eating lifestyle that made them fat in the first place.  Like I mentioned earlier, you can gain it all back plus more.  Let me explain.  As mentioned before the amount of calories that you burn in a day depends on your Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR).  The RMR depends on the amount of lean muscle mass that you have in your body.  The more muscle mass you have the higher your RMR will be, and the less lean muscle the lower your RMR will be.  When you diet this way, the nutritional deficits that you put your body through cause your body to react in a way that is not healthy.

     When the body is lacking nutrients, it takes them from the only source it can. YOU!!  Tapping into the bodies own nutrient stores to make up for the deficit.  This means muscle and bone, not stored fat.  Now you will lose lean muscle mass, and that will cause a drop in your RMR.  The result is an unhealthy body from lack of proper nutrition, and lower muscle mass and bone density.

     So what is the proper way?

     Change your lifestyle.

     No, you don't have to change everything you eat, but those who do will achieve the greatest benefits.  Just by making sure your body is getting the proper nutrition, and then cutting back on calories, you will not only lose weight but also be a healthier person.
     Most people have cravings when they diet.  These cravings are the body telling you that it doesn't have the nutrients it needs to function properly.  Change some of the foods you eat.  When you eat more nutritionally packed foods, the cravings will lesson and could stop altogether. This makes the weight loss more successful.  Don't forget to exercise though.

So, what kinds of foods are the most nutritionally packed?  Here is a list of some foods that are really healthy.

 Raw Milk - non-pasteurized, non-homogenized, from grass fed cows. (This means not from your local grocer.)
 Grass Fed Beef - meat from cattle, that eat only grass in their diets, no grain feeds. High in Omega-3 fats.
 Farm fresh eggs - from chickens that eat a natural diet. (Dark yellow yolks are more nutrient dense than light colored yolks.
 Fruits - any fresh fruits, NOT CANNED.
 Whole Raw Nuts - unshelled nuts; peanuts, pecans, walnuts, pistachios, sunflower seeds, etc... (unflavored)
 Natural Oils - Coconut, Peanut, and Palm Oils are actually good for you, because of the high Omega-3's.
Avocado - Full of vitamins, minerals, micronutrients, antioxidants, and mono-unsaturated fats.
Wild caught fish - High in Omega-3 fatty acids. Stay away from farm raised fish.

These are just a few, more will come later.

The best rule to follow is to look at the ingredients. Foods with the least amount of additives will be in their most natural state.

Foods to avoid at all costs.

 Margarine - real butter is by far better
 Processed Cheeses - Velveeta, Cheese Whiz, you get the idea
 All vegetable Oils including Canola or anything fried in vegetable oils.
 Grain Fed Meats - hard for you body to digest, and cause the production of fat storing hormones in your body.
 High Fructose Corn Syrup - found in Ketchup, Soda, Fruit Jelly, some Cereals, Pancake syrups, energy drinks, sports drinks, canned fruit, etc...
 All Artificial Sweeteners - same as grain fed meat.
All Foods containing grains - grains are not as important to your health as the "Experts" say. In fact they are not important at all. The worst of these grains are wheat and corn. This includes the grain fed meats mentioned above.
So called "Diet Foods - Weight Watchers, Lean Cuisine, Heath Choice, and Kid Cuisine for example.
Cool Whip - Just hydrogenated oil in a bowl.
Anything that says "Low Fat", Sugar Free", "Fat Free", or "Diet".
Rice Cakes
Instant Breakfasts
Cereal Bars
Any Soy products
Any Pasteurized dairy product

These are just a few, but are important to avoid.

Everyone is always looking to lose a little weight.  You hear it all the time, people saying that they are on going on diet. Dieting is really not the answer, it is unhealthy and will only work in the short term for losing weight.  Although losing weight is needed for most people, losing weight should not be your ultimate goal. Your ultimate goal should be to lose body fat and add lean muscle.  Most Americans have extremely high body fat percentages, and this will be our main focus.  Lowering your body fat%.

     First off lets start with becoming a more fit and healthy person.  I am going to show you exercises that will boost your Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR).  Warn you against foods that actually make you fat, and slow your RMR.  I will also give you some of the truths about "Fad" diets.  These things alone will start you on your way to being a more fit person.

     Every time you hear Doctors or trainers talking about weight loss, they always mention diet and exercise.  The two go hand in hand.  You can't get rid of the fat with out changing your diet and putting in the time of exercise.  You can lose weight by doing fad diets and lowering your caloric intake.  The problem with this is what happens later on down the road.  While you are losing lots of body fat you are also depriving your body of needed nutrients.  To make up for this loss of  nutrients your body starts to tap into its own nutrient stores, your muscle, causing you to lose muscle mass.  Losing muscle mass will cause you to gain back the weight you have lost plus more.  The reason is this: muscle is what determines your RMR, the more muscle you have the higher your RMR, lesser amounts of muscle lower your RMR.  Your RMR is responsible for about 90% of the calories you burn during the day. That is why diet will only get you so far, for so long.     After you have achieved your goal weight or body fat %, you cannot revert back to your old lifestyle.  In order for weight loss to be permanent you must continue the lifestyle you have adopted.  Resuming your old eating habits, and stopping the exercise will cause you to eventually gain weight again.  Wellness is a lifelong lifestyle change that deals with physical health, nutritional health, and mental health.  Each one will benefit the other in some way.  Total wellness will increase your self-image, give you more energy, and even strengthen your immune system.  It all starts with creating new eating habits, and  workout habits to keep your body lean, fit, and healthy.
 

What foods will make you fat and what foods will make you lean?  The answer is simple just follow the Top 20 Food Rules to Eating Healthy.

3 Major Fat Loss Mistakes

Is High Fructose Corn Syrup really that bad. Find out HERE

TIP OF THE WEEK:

Try to avoid grains for 2 weeks and you will see a tremendous improvement your weight loss and mental state. This means all flours, pasta, cereals and chips. (It won't be easy but it will be worth it.)

Maintain a stable level of insulin. High levels of insulin cause you crave more carbohydrates and your body to store fat. Low levels cause you to have cravings which lead to eating, which leads to high insulin production. So keep your insulin regulated in fat burning levels

Eggs are a great source of nutrition, and help burn belly fat.  Boiled, scrambled, or fried. (As long as you use a healthy cooking oil, such as virgin coconut oil, or peanut oil.)

Choose foods with only 1 ingredient, or made of only single ingredients.

Weight lifting raises your metabolism for longer periods of time (up to 2 days), than any other types of exercise.

Chili peppers and Cinnamon are great spices that actually raise your metabolism.

Set aside one day a week to overeat by 1000 calories (No junk foods, continue to eat healthy).  Doing this will keep your body from thinking that is starving.  This will help you avoid the body's starvation mode, in which the body stores fat instead of burning it.

When lowering your caloric intake women should never go below 1200 calories per day and men should never drop below 1500 calories per day.  A caloric intake lower than that will cause the body to go into starvation mode and will store more fat, instead of burning what is already stored.

Too much Cardio training can burn away muscle as well as fat.  Leading to a lower RMR, and subsequently causing you to store more fat.

When eating carbohydrates, make sure that there is at least 15%-20% or more of fiber per serving. This will slow down the digestion of the carbohydrates and make you feel full for longer periods of time.

Avoid any drinks or foods that contain High Fructose Corn Syrup.  This is one of the main additives that have led to the growing problem of obesity in our society.  You will be surprised where you find it.

You may access the Snyder Public Schools wellness Policy HERE.