Rachel Ray referred to her friend, Adam Perry Lang as being “the greatest BBQ chef to grace the planet.” His book is “Serious Barbecue.” And, yes, this is an affiliate link to Amazon. If you buy it through my link, it won’t make me wealthy. I’ll get a measly .92 cents.

I have to say, that this was the longest cooking process I have ever gone through. The amount of time the ribs were cooking on the grill were 4 hours and 20 minutes. That doesn’t even include preparation time. However, those ribs were absolutely fantastic. The title says it all. They were the best ribs I ever ate. And I’m not saying that because I was the one cooking them either.

After eating them, my son wanted to know when I’ll be making them again. Even my wife, who doesn’t really care for ribs wanted to know the same thing. So I guess they enjoyed them as well. I’ll probably make them again next month as I don’t usually eat those type of meals too often and certainly don’t encourage my family to eat that way on a regular basis.

On my next post, (hopefully tomorrow), I’ll list the recipe with some photos to get you to try the best ribs you’ll ever eat.

Motivation Monday: What you should or shouldn’t eat before workouts

Reprinted from the Kare11.com website

Your fuel tank may be the most important part of your ability to perform so let me share some information with you!

Working out on an empty stomach is not the best way to burn fat. The best way to burn fat is to fuel your body with adequate carbohydrates so you can work hard, burn a lot of calories, and eventually lose body fat as a result.

Working out on an empty stomach can not only keep you from increasing intensity but if you run out of stored carbohydrate, you start burning up muscle not fat!!!

Likewise, after a workout is the best time to refuel with protein to help repair and rebuild your muscles.

To prove my point scientifically, I recently spent three days in Miami with Gatorade, who in conjunction with the Super Bowl, was conducting Athletic Performance testing on several NFL players, fitness trainers and bloggers from all over the country.

My experience began at the remote Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI). This spring, Gatorade will be introducing a new line of products (the G SERIES) providing nutrients to fitness enthusiasts and athletes. As a guest of Gatorade, we were integrating their product line into our testing. However, the lesson learned was how to properly fuel for successful workouts.

They were testing my personal fluid needs during exercise: the type of fuel use during exercise and the rate I burned calories based on heart rate. They measured my salvia, carbon dioxide expenditure, heart rate and fluid loss. The test basically validated what I already know and gave me some new advanced science to share with the clients, readers and athletes that I work with.

SERIES OF EVENTS:

When I arrived at the new age looking testing center, scientists Kim, Melissa and Amy took over. I first peed in a cup which would tell if I was dehydrated to start. (I was given an A in hydration!) Next, I took a pre test weigh-in (nude I must mention) and a body composition test in the egg shaped BOD POD. I have always wanted to try this so despite the fact that you have to wear an ugly red swim cap (hair displaces the air and can give an inaccurate reading), the BOD POD was painless.

PRINCIPAL #1: It is important to have adequate carbohydrate stores to “start your engine.” Eat something small prior to a workout that can deliver carbohydrates quickly to your system -like a piece of fruit.

At the testing site, I was given G Series Step 1 called “Prime” – a little 4 oz. pouch filled with a sweet but concentrated liquid (not gooey) that is the pre-workout fuel. Its 100 calories with a few carbs and electrolytes to basically “prime your pump.”

PRINCIPAL #2: Stay hydrated during your workouts. Drinking water is fine for workouts under an hour. Anything longer than an hour or in extreme conditions may require electrolyte replacement.

Then, I hopped on a Life Cycle bike and they hooked me up to head gear and a mask. Before securing the mask, I was offered a quick slug of G Series Step 2, “Perform” – either regular Gatorade or G2 – a little lighter in calories. Both deliver a small amount of carbohydrate and electrolyte replacement. (I usually hydrate on and off throughout my workouts but the mask was going to put that on hold this time.) Scientist Kim instructed me to bite down on the Star Wars looking mask, bringing back memories of my last root canal (ok – not really that bad). The hard part was having my nose pinched shut so I could only breath through my mouth… a little freaky at first.

The test lasted for 20 minutes. They kept increasing the tension on my bike every five minutes. My heart rate went up slowly and I could see the computerized machine graphing my feedback. I actually had the urge to go harder but scientist Melissa kept telling me to keep a steady pace for the best results.

As soon as I was done, I took a post test weigh-out (nude and it’s hard to get off sweaty clothes) to measure my sweat rate during exercise. My sweat rate was declared average and they recommended 4-6 oz. of fluid for every 15 minutes of exercise.

PRINCIPAL #3: Recover with protein (and some carbs) ultimately within 45 minutes of your workout for adequate muscle recovery. Good sources of protein can be protein powder, nuts, eggs, meats or dairy.

Last, it was time for G Series Step 3: “Recover” – a protein drink that is also a thirst quencher. I constantly preach to my clients that they need to get protein and carbs into their bodies post workout and hopefully within 45 minutes for best repair and recovery of muscles. I get lots of complaints from clients who dislike the chalky tasting protein drinks on the market and aren’t in the mood for a burger so soon after a workout. This “Recover” drink was a good answer to immediately delivering 16 grams of protein into my system for only 130 calories.

RECAP:

After all this, I got the chance to sit down with the Gatorade scientist and go over my results. I found out what I already know but reassured myself that I am doing the right thing with my own workouts and as important, sharing good advice with all of you! The whole craze of “how do I burn the most body fat?” has really caused confusion among fitness enthusiasts. There are two kinds of fuel our bodies use throughout the day – fat and converted carbohydrates. The media has bombarded us with the thought that you need to work out at a low intensity to burn body fat. This is true (when my heart rate was around 110 bpm which is low for me, I was burning equal amounts of fat and carbs as fuel.) But to lose weight, you just need to BURN UP CALORIES. The higher the intensity, the more calories burned in a shorter amount of time, the faster your body fat loss (weight loss) if that is your goal. (When my heart rate was 140 bpm and above, I was burning almost all carbohydrate which is just fine. My caloric burn rate was twice as high.)

SO MY MESSAGE IS ONCE AGAIN – The key to any exercise routine is setting your body up for SUCCESS.

Remember this FACT – Carbohydrate is absolutely necessary for effective exercise sessions. If you fail to “prime your pump,” your body may run out of carbs and you won’t magically burn fat instead, you sadly break down muscle tissue.

During your workout, I always remind you to drink water! And for optimal muscle repair and recovery you need to refuel with protein optimally within 45 minutes and no more than 2 hours after.

For you walkers, runners, and bikers, your exercise nutrition is a big part of your success. Therefore use this rule of thumb:

1. Pre workout – a small source of carbohydrate to prime your pump.
2. During workout- hydrate with water or replenish with a sports drink depending on intensity and duration.
3. Post workout – a quick and easy protein source mixed with carbohydrate.

(Copyright 2010 by KARE. All Rights Reserved.)

This article was originally posted on the Kare11.com website

Originally posted by Mehdi from the http://stronglifts.com/ blog

Wake up early. Image credit: enrapture.

Most successful people are early risers. Think of Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Edison. One reason why waking up early is correlated with success is that you get more work done in the morning. That’s one benefit of waking up early.

But how do you build the habit of waking up early without feeling like a mess in the morning? Especially if you’re a night owl? This post will give you 12 simple tips. Here’s How to Wake Up Early: The Definitive Guide.

1. Wake Up At The Same Time Daily. You’ll become an early riser by waking up at the exact same time for 30 days on. You’ll be less likely to sleep in and might even wake up right before your alarm goes off. Here’s how to get started:

• Wake Up At The Same Time. If you have problems catching sleep, lying awake at night while feeling tired, start by waking up at the same time daily. Even if it’s late. This will stabilize your circadian rhythm.
• Wake Up Earlier. I recommend at least 2 hours before leaving for work. I wake up at 6am to start working at 8am. Many early risers wake up at 5am or even 4am. Nap for 30mins around noon if you’re tired.
• Don’t Gradually Wake Up Earlier. You’re body gets used to waking up early fast. Don’t wake up 15mins earlier every couple of days until you wake up when you want to. Go directly for your goal wake up time.

2. Set Your Alarm. Use something loud, but not annoying. I use the alarm on my cellular phone (off at night) because I don’t like music, a radio or a buzzer. Use whatever works for you.

Put your alarm out of arm reach so you can’t hit the snooze to sleep in. You must have to get out of bed to stop your alarm.

3. Jump Out of Bed When Your Alarm Goes Off. The longer it takes you to get up, the more likely you’ll try to sleep in. And hitting the snooze to lay in your bed longer only makes it harder. Get up the first time your alarm goes off.

• Stop Rationalizing. Don’t lay in bed thinking of reasons to sleep longer. Get out of bed even if you feel tired. You need consistency to build the habit of waking up early. Don’t make exceptions.
• Stop Snoozing. Sleeping in for 10mins leads to another 10mins. Before you know it you’ve slept 2h more. And because you broke your sleep any extras are low quality and can make you even more tired.
• Leave The Room. Have a warm sweater or a bathrobe ready if it’s cold season. Then leave the room and don’t come back. Ignore the voice in your head that tells you to go back to sleep in.

4. Get Light Exposure. Light stimulates dopamine production which increases energy, motivation & productivity. Lack of light causes winter blues & tiredness. Unfortunately home/office lights aren’t bright enough. You need sunlight.

• Open Window Blinds. This gets you sunlight exposure when you wake up and during the day. If you work in an office: open the window blinds and place your desk so your eyes get sunlight exposure.
• Walk Outside. A 30 min walk in the morning sunlight will stimulate the production of dopamine. Do not wear sunglasses: UV is low at sunset. Your eyes will be safe unless you look directly into the sun.
• Use a Sun Box. If your place doesn’t have big windows to let sunlight in or if it’s winter/cloudy or if you can’t get outside in the morning, then use a light box like this one for 30mins after you wake up.

5. Have a Reason To Wake Up Early. Use your extra time in the morning to do things that matter. Not for surfing the Internet or doing other tasks that won’t make a difference in the long-term. Here’s what I recommend:

• Eat Breakfast. Key to building healthy eating habits: you’ll be less likely to eat junk food the rest of the day if you eat a healthy breakfast. Read the benefits of breakfast and build the habit of eating on waking up.
• Cook Food. Preparing your own meals gives you total control over their ingredients and thus over your results. Prepare breakfast and your food for the day on waking up. This takes about 1 hour.
• Exercise. You won’t miss workouts if you train in the morning: whatever comes up, you’ve already trained. Wait 1hour before lifting weights. This gives your spine time to dehydrate and lowers risks of lower back injury.

6. Write Your Goals Daily. Most people don’t have goals. And those who set some forget about them within weeks. By writing down your goals daily, you’ll never forget them and they’ll be your reason for waking up early.

• Set Goals. If you don’t know what you want: start with what you don’t want. Your goal is the opposite. Aim high, choose 1 goal and be specific. Example: “I don’t want to be fat” “I choose to have 10% body fat”.
• Know Why You Want It. Avoiding pain/frustration is the best motivator. Compare the pain of waking up early to staying fat/skinny, experiencing humiliation as a result and dying young because of your unhealthy diet.
• Write Your Goals 2x/Day. On waking up and before going to bed. Use them as affirmations (read Beyond Positive Thinking): “I choose to easily wake up at 6am”, “I choose to eat breakfast and exercise each morning”.

7. Build a Morning Ritual. This daily routine will get you strong for your day by setting the right context (read Power of Full Engagement) and is your reason to wake up early. Mix tips 1 to 6 and do them daily in the same order. Example:

• Wake up at 6am. Drink water. Open window blinds & windows.
• Eat breakfast and cook your food for day.
• Review your goals and write them down.
• Go the gym, come back, eat, shower, get ready for work.

8. Commit For 30 Days. It takes about 30 days to build a new habit. Commit yourself to wake up at the exact same time for at least 30 days — weekends included. Consistency is the only way to build a habit.

• Use Willpower. You’ll meet lots of internal resistance during the first 10 days. Use willpower to get through these. It gets easier once you begin experiencing the benefits, which is after about 20 days.
• Focus on 1 Habit. Changing many things at once usually leads nowhere. Start with waking up early, eating breakfast and exercising. Once you do this consistently for +30 days, you can build another habit.
• Be Consistent. Self-discipline isn’t something you’re born with. You build it. Waking up early will build self-discipline which you’ll be able to use to build other habits. It starts here. Don’t skip a day. No matter what.

9. Go To Bed When You’re Sleepy. How much sleep you need depends on your activity levels, sleep quality, diet, … But you’ll most likely need 8h sleep/night on average. Which means some days 6h, some days 9h.

That’s why going to bed at the same time each day won’t work. Focus on wake up time, not bedtime. Listen to your body and go to bed when you feel sleepy. Avoid anything that prevents you to feel tiredness. Tips:

• Get Downtime Pre-bed. Stop working, internet surfing & watching TV 1h before you go to bed. Read a book and go to sleep when you can’t read without losing concentration. Or do meditations and breathing exercises. If you think a lot in bed: write it all down so it gets out of your head.
• Set Bedtime Deadline. Staying up late makes it hard to wake up early. You’ll usually end up sleeping in and quit. Set a bedtime deadline and go to bed at that time even if you’re not tired yet. No matter what.
• Stop Trying to Sleep If You Can’t. If it takes you longer than 10mins to fall asleep, you’re not tired enough. Stop trying and keep yourself busy. Read a book or do some meditations. Don’t stress about it.

10. Get Quality Sleep. Deep sleep & REM are quality sleep. You’ll wake up more easily, need less sleep and have more energy if you have uninterrupted, quality sleep. Tips to improve your sleep quality:

• Stop Stimulants. Coffee, alcohol & nicotine mess with your sleep. Drink green tea instead of coffee, water instead of alcohol. Stop smoking.
• Avoid Big Meals Pre-bed. They’ll stress your digestive system and lower your sleep quality. Have a small pre-bed snack. Don’t wake up at night to eat: you won’t lose muscle, starvation mode is a myth.
• Avoid Drinking Pre-bed. Waking up to go to the toilet interrupts your sleep and lowers its quality. Stop drinking water 2h prior bedtime.
• Avoid Exercise Pre-bed. Exercising less than 3 hours prior bedtime can keep you awake. Schedule your workout earlier.
• Set Right Conditions. Good mattrass & pillow. Cool, dark & silent room (wear ear plugs & a sleeping mask if you have to). No electronics.

Check the Power Sleep Program for a definitive guide on how to improve your sleep quality so you feel more energized & productive while sleeping less.

11. Make Yourself Accountable. “If people commit orally or in writing, they’ll be more likely to honor that commitment. Even if motivation is removed after they’ve agreed, they’ll continue to honor the agreement.” – Robert Cialdini, Influence.

This is because you tend to care about other people’s opinion and don’t want to be embarassed for failing. Although I advise to stop caring about what people think, here’s where it can be useful.

• Tell family or close friends you’re going to wake up early for 30 days.
• Make a deal that if you don’t wake up early each day for 30 days you’ll do something you don’t want to do (like writing them a 1000$ check).
• Report to them daily for 30 days: call, text or email them. And if you skip once, stick to the deal you’ve agreed on.

If you’re thinking: “I’d never do that”, that’s because you know that making this kind of commitment will force you to follow through. Proof this works.

12. Stop Believing The Myths. I always thought I was an evening person. As a student I woke up past noon unless it was school. Then I started to wake up earlier to go the gym, but anything before 8AM was still killing me.

About a year ago I built the habit of waking up at 6AM because I realized that you get more done if you wake up early. I’ve been waking up consistently at 6AM since. And now I see that the whole “morning person” thing is a myth.

There’s nothing like a “morning” or “night person”. Human bodies can adapt to anything. You just have to be consistent to get used to waking up early.

Start tomorrow. Don’t deviate. You’ll become an early riser within 30 days.

Originally posted by Brianna from the Live Naturally Healthy blog

First, avoid the alcohol. Cocktails and beer are usually served at holiday parties, but they can be full of calories. When you drink, you also have a decreased will power when it comes to saying no to other holiday foods and your appetite will be stimulate, so you’ll eat even more than you normally would eat at a party. Having one drink on a special occasion may be fine, but don’t overdo it every time you head out to celebrate the season.

Another great tip to stick to your plan during the holiday season is to show up fashionably late after you’ve already eaten a meal. If you do this, you won’t feel pressured to eat an entire meal of junk foods or snack on cookie or hot chocolate. Of course, showing up late may be insulting at smaller parties, so make sure you are not rude to the party host.

Use the holidays to get outside as well. You can play in the snow if the weather allows, which actually burns tons of calories. Walking up the hill to sled and having a snowball fight are great ways to get your heart pumping as well as work off those candy canes.

If the weather isn’t cold or snowy, use your time to head to the mall. When gift shopping, make a number of laps around the mall and take the stairs instead of the escalator. Keep this in mind at parties as well—get up and move around as much as possible. Christmas caroling is also a great way to stay off of your rear. This will allow you to do some walking while spreading the holiday cheer.

Lastly, avoid gifts of food. Of course, you can’t tell people what to buy for you, but if you find yourself with a bunch of brownies or boxes or chocolates, why not share the love? You can take these products into work or even donate unopened items to your local food bank. These tips keep you staying slim, as you’re surrounded by goodies.

Before my knee surgery (back in July), I was running 3-5 miles per day, 3-4 days per week. Not bad for a 49 year old, I think. However, I can’t fathom running 100 miles.

Well, during my recovery time, I started reading about these extreme runners and focused on one guy, a New Jersey photographer. It turns out, he also had a knee injury and then hired a running coach to help him run this 100 mile trek after his recovery.

Before you decide to read his story below, I found out he just moved in to my town, on my street, about ten houses away. How ironic is that?

I think the story is very cool and tip my hat to Tom Sperduto for running this great distance and completing this incredible feat.

Running the Oil Creek 100 Mile Trail Run – A Journey to Define Me

100 mile “before and after” self portraits.

I have told many people who have asked me why I chose to run 100 miles that everyone once in their lives should have their very own ROCKY story. I knew the Oil Creek 100 mile trail run would be mine. I had no idea just how close it would come to that. This was my first 100-mile ultra marathon. It was my impossible dream. I now know nothing is impossible.

Preparing for this adventure was four months of the most intense training of my life. I lost close to 40 pounds since June and I owe everything to my amazing running coach, Lisa Smith Batchen, who trained me to complete the race. I could not have done it without her. I followed her coaching and guidance to the letter and I will never forget what she has done for me.

I had traveled to beautiful Oil Creek State Park during my training for a 30-mile run. I knew how tough the course would be. It had 35,570-feet of elevation change. Race day brought new challenges that I did not expect -ankle deep mud, wet and slippery ground and dense fog that made it extremely difficult to see while running at night. There were also unexpected joys. The aid station volunteers were like family. I truly felt love for them. Soup had never tasted so good and encouraging smiles never felt so warm.

Photo courtesy of Charlie Houpt

During the race I always knew that my wife Jen and our friends Andrea, Shane and JT would be waiting for me at aid stations. The thought of seeing them kept me going. While running, I listened to my iPod when I needed to and kept coming back to the same voice. My 4-year-old daughter Emily encouraging me. “You can do it Daddy, I can believe in you, I know you can run 100 miles.” Her voice would drive me to an emotional edge. I knew I would not quit. I would not end without running one hundred miles, even if that meant having to finish the race on my own. It almost came to that. I arrived at one aid station at 85.3 miles with six minutes to spare before I was pulled from the race. I told my wife “This is probably not going to happen. Whatever happens, I am running 100 miles. I am not stopping.” My wife and crew never stopped believing in me but they were putting plans in motion for how and where I could complete my dream past the 32-hour cut off time. To complete the race I would need to run faster. I think it was around mile 87 I simply let everything go. I ran as hard and fast as I could and I was screaming, crying on the trail. I was happy. The happiest place and time of my life. God was with me on the trail, nothing would ever again sway my belief. Nothing would ever be the same. “Trust Me.” A voice beating in my heart and my head mixing in with the sweet sound of my daughter. I was whooping and hollering and screaming with joy and laughter.

I’ll take you back to the beginning. I decided to run 100 miles with one purpose. It was my desire to seek God and know Him again. Every training run, every mile was a step for me back into the relationship I let slip away. Those who know me best know that the most powerful words I have ever read are Jeremiah 29:13 “If you seek Me with all your heart and all your soul, then you will find Me.” Everything was about this … every moment, every step was a desire to live those words.

I crossed the finish line with 13.5 minutes left before the cut off time. Everyone made a tunnel for me and I ran through it into my wife’s arms. Crying uncontrollably, I said the words to her I promised myself I would say four months before when my training for the race began. “Where’s your hat?” It’s what ROCKY said to Adrian after he went the distance. Somebody said, “The greatest display of heart and courage I have ever seen” while I was sobbing in my wife’s arms. Tom Jennings, the man who made the race and my dream possible handed me my 100-miler finisher buckle. It will hang on my wall in my “Last Wildcatter to Leave Pithole” award plaque for being the last place winner of the first Oil Creek 100 mile trail race. I will look on it often and I will always remember – I chose to seek God and he found me on the trails.

This post was originally posted on Tom Speduto’s blog

Do you have cravings for those sweets that make you feel guilty after you eat them? Well, you can kill those craving with a healthy alternative.

When you get those cravings for chocolate, cookies or cake, try some of these alternatives.

• Apples
• Oranges
• Nectarines
• Peaches
• Natural dried prunes or raisins.
• Pineapple
• Blueberries
• Cranberries
• Cherries
• Grapes
• Plain old sugarless candies

Although, fruit has a lot of sugar, they are much healthier than the cake and cookies you may consume.

As long as you keep plenty of the healthy stuff in your house and discard the junk, your sweet tooth will be satisfied.

We live in an incredible time.  More research has been done on diet and nutrition and more is known about diet and nutrition than ever before in human history.  Why is it then that most people don’t have a clue what is healthy to eat and what is not?Here’s the answer – It’s because most people believe that when a company tells us that a certain food is healthy to eat, they believe it without question.

Most people today live under the delusion that the food industry has their best interest at heart.  The food industry is not your friend.  They are not your buddy.  Their only reason for existence is to make a profit.  And if it’s at the expense of your health, so be it.

Don’t believe me?  Take a look at any food label and tell yourself you know exactly what the ingredients are.  Most processed food is full of ingredients that no one has a clue as to what they are, or even how to pronounce them.

I am going to list several products that the food companies have spent billions of dollars telling us they are healthy.  These products are not only not healthy, they are anything but safe.

If they are not safe, why does the Food and Drug Administration allow them to be on the market?  Because the Food and Drug Administration is not your friend and is not out for your best interest.  They are a bureaucratic institution that is more interested in their own existence than they are your health.

Don’t believe me?  Think Peanut Butter in all the junk food.  The food and Drug Administration has known about the problems with the company that distributed the tainted peanut butter for several years but did nothing about it.  In the words of one senator to a high ranking FDA official “You are the meaning of ineptitude”.  That official has recently stepped down to pursue her carrier in the private sector.

Still not convinced?  Think the latest findings on Mercury in High Fructose Corn Syrup.  Again, the FDA has known for years that Mercury is used in the production of High Fructose Corn Syrup.  And they have done nothing to stop it.

Enough about how our government can’t find it’s way out of a paper bag.  Let’s talk specifics.  Here are some of the products (notice I don’t call them foods) that the food industry spends billions on to convince us that we are actually eating healthy:

1:  Yoplait yogurt – contains High Fructose Corn Syrup.  I know, you love your Yoplait yogurt.  How can you not love it.  It says right on the product that it’s healthy.  HFCS is a major contributor to obesity and mercury is not something I would ever suggest in a healthy diet.

2:  Soy Milk – I bet you are hating me now.   There’s NOTHING even remotely healthy about soy milk, despite the billions of dollars of marketing they have behind it to try to scam you into thinking processed soy is a health food.

Beyond the possible thyroid problems that soy can create for many people, soy has many anti-nutrients such as phytates, lectins, oxalates, and protease inhibitors that can be detrimental if over consumed.

Soy can also contain high levels of certain heavy metals, is one of the most allergenic foods on earth, has one of the highest levels of pesticide residues of any food, and also can create a hormonal mess if over consumed in the bodies of both men and women due to excess estrogenic compounds.

Want more belly fat? Well, go ahead and drink daily soy milk and I can bet you’ll gain lots more belly fat!

3:  Any food that claims to have no trans fats but list partially hydrogenated oil as an ingredient.  Guess what, partially hydrogenated oil is a trans fat.

How do the food companies get away with this?  Because of total ineptitude in the FDA and indifference in the general public as to what is being consumed.

4:  Breakfast cereals that are loaded with sugars. I’m amazed everyday not that cereal companies advertise their junk foods and good for you, but that people actually believe it.

5:  Diet sodas. Research has shown that people who drink diet sodas are generally more overweight than those who drink regular sodas.  Don’t believe me?  Look at all the people you know who drink diet sodas.  Are they in shape?  Or, are they overweight?

Research on why people who drink diet sodas tend to be more overweight than those who drink regular sodas suggest that when we drink a diet soda it triggers a desire to eat more simple carbs.  Your body refuses to be fooled into thinking you are giving it something that has any nutritional value.

People who drink diet sodas tend to eat a higher amount of simple carbs which elevates blood sugars and causes fat to be stored.

Okay, so what can you eat?  My suggestion is to eat lots of whole foods.  Lots of fresh or frozen vegetables and fruits.  Grass fed beef is great.  Cage free eggs are also a good alternative to regular eggs.

If you can afford to go organic, do it.  If not try to incorporate some organic foods into your diet when you can.

Here are a couple of ways that I use to determine if a food is good for me.

If it was something a caveman would eat, it’s probably healthy.

If my grandmother could not recognize the ingredients of a food product, it probably is not healthy.

If a food company is spending millions of dollars to tell me that their product is healthy, it probably is not.

If a food is healthy then I should not have to be convinced of that.

If you want to eat and be healthy you have to be your own FDA.  You cannot allow the ineptitude on people that are only out for profit to destroy your health.

Reprinted from Fitness Connection Nation
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There is a way to lose weight 5 lbs in 7 days. Include negative calorie foods in your daily diet. So what are negative calorie foods? Negative calorie foods are so called such because their calorie level is very low that it requires more energy to eat and digest them than how much calorie it has. Negative calorie foods are also known as fat fighting foods or fat burning foods.Celery is an example of a fat burning food. It takes energy from the body for digestion, because it does not contain enough calories to burn it. Cold water has a negative calorie. In fact, water has no calories at all but when you drink cold water, the body takes more energy to bring it up to body temperature. Everytime we drink a glass of cold water we burn up a little more calories and lose a little weight. But foods like this should be used wisely and should be taken in moderation.

Anorexics are usually attracted to negative calorie foods. If used inappropriately, a negative calorie diet would result in starvation and nutritional deficiencies. The calories used to burn negative calorie foods will be taken from the body’s muscle mass, and in effect will be really harmful to your health.

You can use a negative calorie diet in a healthy way by fasting or detox. You might even want to start a detox diet after big holidays such as Christmas, New Year or Thanksgiving when you have eaten so many fatty foods. A negative calorie diet is a great way to clean out your body’s system, and you can do it for three days or so. However, be sure to get your doctor’s approval before proceeding with this type of detox diet.

Do remember the following pointers once you decide on a negative calorie detox diet:

1. Do not eat one type of food in huge quantities, most particularly fruits. There are fruits that contain bad substances for your body, so you should not eat them in excess. Such examples are grapefruit and pineapple which can cause damaging effect to your stomach lining. Other foods will cause diarrhea or burden your liver. You should eat different foods in small amounts.

Some examples of fat burning fruits are: Apples, Blueberries, Cantaloupes, Cranberries, Grapefruit, Papayas, Pineapples, Prunes, Raspberries, Strawberries and Tangerines.

2. Do not spend all your day eating. You will become bloated and feel sick. Make at least four or five salad meals every day, and let your digestive system rest in between.

3. Do eat more slowly and chew your food very well. You will burn more calories that way.

Some examples of negative calorie vegetables are: Asparagus, Beets, Broccoli, Carrot, Cauliflower, Celery stalk, Celery root, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Endives, Garden cress, Green beans, Green cabbage, Lamb’s lettuce, Lettuce, Radishes, Spinach, Tomatoes, Turnips and Zucchini.

4. Any kind of detox diet and fasting can may cause some uncomfortable symptoms like headaches, tiredness, depression and irritability. If the symptoms become worse, stop the detox diet and see your doctor right away.

5. Return to a normal diet gradually when you are near the end of your negative calorie detox diet.

Garlic and onions are also examples of fat fighting foods. But, unless you want to drop 20 lbs in 28 days, there is a diet called Warp Speed Fat Loss which will provide you with all 24 Fat Smashing Workouts and 28 days of Weight Reducing and Body Fat Melting Meal Plans. Visit their website now and find out how to lose weight in warp speed!

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Do you know that you can easily lose your baby fat from pregnancy? I highly recommend the Fit Yummy Mummy weight loss program for moms like you. Just visit the site for more details. By the way, be sure to also check out the latest weight loss pills online.

Two days ago (February 12th) we had 50mph+ winds whipping through New Jersey for over 24 hours. It was actually very scary to see and hear how much damage the wind can cause at 50mph. I can’t even imagine hurricane winds at over 100mph after seeing the effect the other day.

We have an above ground pool, (you can view it here) that was covered and gave me a lot of concern. I thought for sure the wind would get underneath the cover and either pull it off or tear it into shreds. I went out and tied it down (even more than it already was) and fortunately it survived the storm.

However, the house didn’t fare off as well. It wasn’t horrible, but we did manage to lose some of the flashing near the roof (photo here).

Well, lo and behold, I go to my mailbox today only to find a business card from a siding/roofing contractor from a nearby town advertising siding and roofing damage. I thought that was brilliant. He must have simply drove around different neighborhoods looking for damaged homes and left his card in their mailbox. Great idea.

Unfortunately for him, I’ll be replacing the flashing myself. The flashing was lying in my front yard, in good shape. So, there’ll be no need to purchase and bend a new piece. It will fit perfectly and I’ll even hammer in a bunch more nails to prevent any future damage.

Do you measure yourself? Have those numbers increased, also?

Bought new clothes? Let me guess, the old ones’ don’t fit anymore, right?

If you’re reading this, you probably do some sort of exercise or are looking to start.

So, what plans or goals are you using or setting in order to drop that weight and inches?

Are you going into the gym or on your home treadmill and running for 30 minutes at a time?

Current recommended guidelines for exercise call for 150 minutes per week or 30 minutes per day for five days.

Unfortunately, that’s not enough.

A study  published in the “Archives of Internal Medicine,” showed that 201 overweight and obese women were broken up into two groups doing the same exercises. One group burning 1000 calories per week versus 2000 calories per week for the second group.

What they found was after six months was that they all lost 8-10% of their original weight. However, the group exercising for only 30 minutes per day, burning 1000 calories per week, gained back some and only lost 5% of their starting weight.

The group that worked out for 275 minutes per week and burned 2000 calories, were able to keep that weight off with a total loss of 10%, or more, of their starting weight.

If you’re already doing 30 minutes of exercise daily, why not increase it gradually by 5 minutes per week until you get to almost one hour for five days?

As you age, your metabolism slows, making it harder to lose those extra holiday cookies you ate.

Increase that exercise duration and it will help with your longevity.