More Pancakes

You can tell I love pancakes! Here is another recipe courtesy of Cathletics.com. They are basically paleo over there but since they train to be Olympic lifters they tend to have more carbs then those attempting to reverse diabetes. This recipe uses no grain or sugar at all and is relatively low in carbs. The real flavor comes in the toppings you decide to use. Enjoy!

Time: 10 minutes

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 C unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 C nut butter (not peanut butter! - almond/cashew/macadamia nut butter works well)
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• coconut oil

Mix all of the ingredients except the coconut oil in a bowl. Stir well, until you have a uniform batter. Next, use a bit of coconut oil to grease a non stick skillet. Spread some of the batter into the skillet to form a pancake, then cook over low/medium heat. Flip after 1 to 2 minutes, being careful not to burn them!

Once you've cooked all of your pancakes, you can serve them with a variety of toppings. A few that I like: chopped apples and cinnamon; heated blueberries; real maple syrup; and unsweetened applesauce.

Salt Blocks for Kitchen Use

We have discussed the importance of salt in other sections of this site. It is important for many bodily functions and is something the human body can not survive with out. The current low salt diet fad is actually terrible for the body and causes quite a bit of longer term health problems. I never advocate eating more table salt as this is what causes adverse health problems. Table salt is toxic garbage to the body, which will increase blood pressure and risk of heart disease, atherosclerosis, etc. Sea salt that is truly harvested naturally like Celtic sea salt and Himalayan sea salt is actually quite good for health, lowers blood pressure, reduces the risk of heart related issues and provides a plethora of other health benefits due to the 80-90 trace minerals it contains and the body desperately needs. Not only that but it puts taste back into your food! You weren't meant to go without salt in your diet. Its unnatural, its unhealthy, don't listen to anyone that says otherwise. Your body has one pound of salt in it and it needs to be replentished constantly.

Salt blocks are a great salt product to add to any kitchen. Not only do they provide really great taste to food but they help reduce some clutter in your kitchen. The Himalayan Salt block is literally a slab of pure salt that you can cook on, cut meat or veggies on, whatever. It has been tested at temps as low as 0-900 degrees F with no problems due to its low moisture content. It provides a mild taste so you can still dose your food with salt. The Meadow sells some of the better salt blocks, see below.

Look to toddlers for proper form

What does every one do when they want to get extremely fit but don't know that much about training? They go out and hire an expensive trainer. I like that, because I am an expensive trainer. What if I told you that exercises that will mold your body to exactly what you desire could be found in your own living room, simply by watching your own child?

Babies have an innate ability to simply do what feels right to their body. In doing so they happen to maintain perfect form that most adults lose and then spend years trying to get back to.

A perfect example of this is a toddler squatting. Any parent has seen their child do this a hundred times. When the baby is grabbing something off the floor they don't bend at the waist, they squat. Its a full squat, bringing their butts all the way to their ankles and they do it easily. This type of form is huge in terms of maintaining mobility and flexibility in your back, legs and hips. If you can't squat with your thighs running parralel to the ground then you are tight in the hips and low back. If you don't rectify this your training will suffer because you are not going through the full range of muscles needed to complete this move creating imbalances.

Try this stretch that has worked the best for all my clients.

1. place your legs slightly wider than shoulder width apart
2. actively push your hips back into the seated position as if you are going to do a squat.
3. when you are passing parralel have your hands clasped and run your elbows in between your knees.
4. actively use your elbows to help you increase your squat as far down as possible. Try to reach the squat postion a toddler can hit with your butt coming down to your ankles.
5. continue to use your elbows against your knees to help push you farther into that deep seated position. You can do this by slightly wiggling with your hips, rocking and sliding further down with the assistance of your elbows.
6. hold this position for 20-30 seconds and do 2-3 sets. If you have difficulty getting down into this deep seated position you can use a wall, railing or anything you can grab on to in order to help you reach as deep as possible. Simple push your way down into that position slowly.

Work on this before each work out and you will be surprised how your entire body responds. Remember to keep your chest open, like a blue jay sucking in air before belting out a tune. Opening up the chest will help keep that normal arch in your lower back. This will be hard for most people because we are so tight in the hips due to sitting most of the day. By doing this stretch before beginning any exercise you will be less prone to injury and actually feel better. Its a great way to take your fitness All the Way!

Get Organic food and products at a significantly reduced price.

So you want to eat Organic but you can't afford to survive off of the outrageous prices at your local grocer? I understand. Many companies have jumped at the chance to charge a significant premium on Organic products and this is unfair to the health concious consumer.

Enter The Green Polka Dot Box. This is a great idea and I don't know why a company didn't take advantage of this sooner. Becoming a GIANT "buying collective" by enrolling members across the country will provide this company with huge buying power. Smaller overhead will allow them to be able to offer Organic and Natural products at a significantly reduced price, they claim by up to 60%! This comany is brand new and is planning for a launch very soon. They are already working with hundreds of organic producers to be able to meet the demands of their members.

Visit their site and read up on their mission. They keep their overhead lower by charging annual memberships, just like Costco or Sams club. They are giving away free memberships currently to build their client base and buying power but that won't last long. Save yourself some money and try a new idea by going to their site and joining now. A free year of Organic food and health products at a 60% discount is a hell of a thing to pass up.

They are able to ship to any zip code in America and I assume this will be overnight deliverys based on requirements for food. It is not only food they carry though. Their category selections include food, personal care, household, baby, pet, supplements, homeopathic and garden products.

With a free year trial I don't see why anyone would pass up the chance to be involved with this new venture. The ability to complete Organic shopping from home with 60% savings could make 100% Organic living possible for those that can't currently afford it. Great idea!

A tasty soup with fatty meat to quench your taste buds.

This recipe is courtesy of ivillage. Although many people may have a problem with cured meats due to the level of nitrites and nitrates there are alternatives. Using an "uncured" product like Applegates Organic sausages allows you minimize your risk for nitrites. Applegate Farms products can be found at any WholeFoods and they use nitrites derived from celery juice and sea salt instead of synthetic nitrites. The chicken broth may be more of an issue for some but as long as you go Organic your risk is minimal. Look for a broth with the least amount of ingredients. With only 2 net carbs per serving you can eat away on this dish.

1 small spaghetti squash (about 3 pounds)
12 ounces sausage, casing removed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup dry white wine
1 medium white onion, cut into small dice
10 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 cloves garlic minced
6 ounces baby spinach washed
Salt and ground black pepper to taste


1. Using a sharp chef’s knife or cleaver, remove stem from squash. Peel tough outer skin and cut squash in half. Remove seeds and cut into large 2-inch-long pieces.

2. Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to brown. Add garlic and season with salt and pepper; cook about a minute more and then add sausage. Break sausage into small pieces and cook until browned, about 6 minutes.

3. Add squash, season again with salt and pepper, and cook until squash becomes soft around the edges, about 6 minutes. Add wine and scrape up any browned bits that have stuck to the bottom of the pot. Add broth and thyme and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until squash is soft, about 45 minutes.

4. Using the back of a spoon, press squash against the side of the pot to break it up into pasta-like strands. Remove thyme stems; season with more salt and pepper to taste. Stir in spinach leaves and serve.

Low carb, high fat. And you thought you needed whole grains, shame on you.

Hows this for motivation. All done on a low carb, high fat diet.

This is a repost from dietdoctor you can read here. All the guy did was dump the carbs. Although it says just a few vegetables I would hope that was a large staple of the diet because that is what will improve health. Just because you are skinny does not mean you are healthy. Otherwise every one with anorexia would be the staple of health. This guy looks a little worst for wear in my opinion but losing the weight was crucial for increased health gains. By the way, he at mostly "meat, butter, mayonnaise and some vegetables. He avoided almost all sugar and starch." The photos are seperated by two years but he could have reduced the weight faster with additional exercise. He should have followed this blog.

Is it only recipes?

I know, I am going a bit crazy on the recipes right now but people keep asking for them.

I am not a chef, nor do I claim to be. All of these recipes are coming from Gluten free cookbooks or the wheatbelly blog or some other wheat free, low carb, low sugar source. I will be certain to source any recipes used. If you know of any, feel free to send them to me for posting.

Almond Flour Pie Crust

Ingredients:

1 and 1/2 cups almond meal or almond flour
3 tablespoons melted butter
3 tablespoons sugar 18-27 drops liquid stevia extract or 3 pinches to one packet of stevia powder (you will have to work on the taste. I would start small and taste periodically as you add the stevia).

Preparation:

Heat oven to 350 F. Melt the butter (if the pie pan is microwave safe, melt the butter in it) and mix the ingredients up in the pan and pat into place with your fingertips.

Bake for about 10 minutes until the crust is beginning to brown. After 8 minutes, check every minute or so, because once it starts to brown it goes quickly.

Nutritional Information: The whole pie shell has 11 grams effective carbohydrate plus 17 grams fiber and 30 grams protein.

You can fill this crust with any flavor of sugar free pudding, by whipping together 1 cup heavy whipping cream with 1 cup of water then adding in pudding mix. Whip till creamy and pour into pie crust and refrigerate.

Carrot Flaxseed muffins

Courtesy of Wheatbellyblog.com

2 cups ground almond meal

2 tablespoons ground flaxseed

½ teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup chopped pecans
Sweetener equivalent to ½ cup sugar (e.g., 3 1/2 tablespoons Truvia)
1 cup shredded carrots
2 tablespoons orange zest

¼ cup sour cream
 or coconut milk
2 eggs
1/4 cup walnut, coconut, or extra-light olive oil
Optional: 1/2 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 325º F. Grease muffin tin with oil.
Mix almond meal, flaxseed, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, pecans, and sweetener in bowl and mix.
Mix in carrots, orange zest, sour cream or coconut milk, eggs, oil, optional raisins and blend ingredients thoroughly.
Spoon mixture into muffin pan (fill each about ½ full). Bake for 40 minutes or until toothpick emerges dry. Cool and remove. Makes 10-12 muffins.
Serve with cream cheese or as is.

Carrot Cake - Wheat Free

Courtesy of Wheatbellyblog.com



Ingredients:
Cake:
2 cups carrots, finely grated
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup coconut flour
1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons freshly grated orange peel
Sweetener equivalent to ½ cup sugar (e.g., 4 tablespoons Truvia)
½ teaspoon sea salt
4 eggs
1/2 cup butter or coconut oil, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup coconut milk
6 ounces sour cream
Icing:
8 ounces cream cheese or Neufchâtel cheese, softened
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon Truvía or 1/8 teaspoon stevia extract powder

Preheat oven to 325° degrees F. Grate carrots and set aside.
Combine coconut flour, flaxseed, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, orange peel, sweetener, and salt in large bowl and mix by hand.
Put eggs, butter or coconut oil, vanilla coconut milk, and sour cream in mixing bowl; mix by hand. Pour liquid mixture into dry pecan/coconut flour mixture and blend with power mixer until thoroughly mixed. Stir carrots and pecans in by hand with spoon. Pour mixture into greased 9- or 10-inch square cake pan.
Bake for 60 minutes or until toothpick withdraws dry. Allow to cool 30 minutes.
Place Neufchâtel cheese in bowl. Add lemon juice and sweetener and mix thoroughly. Spread on cake.

Dips: I love these. One of the greatest upper body builders. Daniel Craig did an insane amount of dips preparing for the bond movies. I see every one blow by this while on bayshore, dont! Hit this up for big gains. 

Todays photo of the bay. Jeters house is across the way if any haters want to know where its at. 

"Natural" label doesn't mean healthy foods. Whats really in them....?

Lots of people assume shopping for "Natural" foods means they are free of herbicides, pesticides and other contaminants like GMOs (genetically modified organisms). It appears that this assumption is way off. The Cornucopia Insititute (www.Cronucopia.org) is unleashing a new investigation that will shock many readers. Many of these "natural" brands contain high levels of GMOs and toxic chemical pesticides.

The Cornucopia Institute tested breakfast cereals and you can read their results here.

• Kashi brand cereals had "high levels" og GMOs. Naturalnews.com reported that 100% of the soy in tested boxes were genetically engineered soy.
• Mothers brand contained 28% GMO corn.
• Whole foods 365 brand Corn Flakes contained 50% GMO corn.
• Barbaras Bakery Puffins cereal contained 50% GMO corn.

Plus many more....

You can read the full expose in further detail by Naturalnews here.

Why is this imporant? With out going into a 10 page laundry list almost everyone now understands that GMO products disrupt the bodies natural homeostasis. Organs fail, degenerative health issues arise and overall health drops. The ingestion of toxic chemicals in these processed foods increases the likelyhood of cancer and other illnesses. Eat organic and look for products that are only organic and are certified non-GMO. Do this any you will be sure to avoid health pitfalls later in life. Vote with your dollars and buy organic.

Remember that if you fall off the wagon just start over

No one eats perfect all the time. Everyone slips up and has something they shouldn't. Everyone goes more then a few weeks at a time without exercising. What seperates those that remain healthy from those that don't is getting back on the wagon. As long as you know you will slip up sometimes it will make it easier to start again. Consistency is king when it comes to diet and healthy. Don't continue down a bad course because you feel you have blown your health streak.

Take this Dr for example. He goes real easy on life. I heard he lived to be 140 with out even trying, no joke.

Q: Doctor, I've heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life. Is this true?
A: Heart only good for so many beats, and that it...
Don't waste on exercise. Everything wear out eventually. Speeding up heart not make
you live longer; it like saying you extend life of car by driving faster. Want to live longer? Take nap.


Q: Should I reduce my alcohol intake?
A: Oh no. Wine made from fruit. Brandy distilled wine, that mean they take water
out of fruity bit so you get even more of goodness that way. Beer also made of grain.
Bottom up!

Q: How can I calculate my body/fat ratio?
A: Well, if you have body and you have fat, your ratio one to one.
If you have two body, your ratio two to one.

Q: What are some of the advantages of participating in a regular exercise program?
A: Can't think of single one, sorry. My philosophy: No pain...good!

Q: Aren't fried foods bad for you?
A: YOU NOT LISTENING! Food fried in vegetable oil.
How getting more vegetable be bad?

Q : Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the middle?
A: Oh no! When you exercise muscle, it get bigger. You should only be
doing sit-up if you want bigger stomach.

Q: Is chocolate bad for me?
A: You crazy?!? HEL-LO-O!! Cocoa bean! Another vegetable!
It best feel-good food around!

Q: Is swimming good for your figure?
A: If swimming good for figure, explain whale to me.

Q: Is getting in shape important for my lifestyle?
A: Hey! 'Round' is shape!

Well... I hope this has cleared up any misconceptions
you may have had about food and diets.

Lose the weight. An eating plan that works and you don't have to starve yourself

This eating plan is courtesy of Dr William Davis, cardiologist and author of Wheat Belly; lose the wheat, lose the weight, which you can purchase here.



This is the very same diet I advise for patients in my office that achieves spectacular reductions in small LDL particles (the #1 cause of heart disease in the U.S), as well as unraveling diabetic/pre-diabetic tendencies. The diet starts with the biggest step: elimination of wheat. But a healthy diet cannot end there, else you and I could eat no wheat but fill our calories with soft drinks and jelly beans. So the next step is to limit carbohydrates if your goal is to lose more weight and correct metabolic distortions like high blood sugar and small LDL particles.

Eliminate:
All wheat-based products (all breads, all breakfast cereals, noodles, pasta, bagels, muffins, pancakes, waffles, donuts, pretzels, crackers), oat products (oatmeal, oat bran), cornstarch-based products (sauces or gravies thickened with cornstarch, prepared or processed foods containing cornstarch, cornmeal products like chips, tacos, tortillas), sugary soft drinks, candies

Enjoy unlimited:
Vegetables─except potatoes; fresh or frozen, never canned
Raw nuts and seeds─raw almonds, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, pistachios, Brazil nuts, cashews; dry-roasted peanuts (not roasted in oil); pumpkin and sunflower seeds
Healthy oils (unheated)─olive, flaxseed, coconut, avocado, walnut
Meats─red meats, pork, fish, chicken, turkey, eggs. (Consider free-range, grass-fed and/or organic sources.)
Non-wheat grains─ground flaxseed, chia seeds
Teas, coffee, water, unsweetened almond milk, coconut milk or coconut water
Cheeses—real cultured cheeses only (not Velveeta or single-slice processed cheese)
Avocado or guacamole; hummus; unsweetened condiments, e.g., mayonnaise, mustard, oil-based salad dressings; ketchup without high-fructose corn syrup; pesto, tapenades; olives

Limited:
Fruit─No more than 2 servings a day (one serving is a level handful), preferably in this order (best first): berries of all varieties, citrus, apples, nectarines, peaches, melons. Minimize bananas, pineapples, mangoes, and grapes
Fruit juices─only real juices and in minimal quantities (no more than 2-4 oz)
Dairy products─No more than 1 serving per day of milk, cottage cheese or yogurt, unsweetened (Fat content does not matter.)
Legumes/beans; peas; sweet potatoes and yams; rice (white and brown); soy
Dark chocolates─70-85% cocoa or greater; no more than 40 grams (approximately 2 inches square) per day
Sugar-free foods─preferably stevia-containing, rather than aspartame

Never:
Fried foods
Fast foods
Hydrogenated “trans” fats
Cured meats─hot dogs, sausages, bacon, bologna, pepperoni
High-fructose corn syrup containing foods; honey; agave syrup; sucrose
Processed rice, rice flour or potato products─rice crackers, rice cereals, pretzels, white breads, breakfast cereals, potato chips
Fat-free or low-fat salad dressings
”Gluten-free” foods

Quick tips:
For healthy breakfast choices, consider ground flaxseed as a hot cereal (e.g., with soy milk, milk, or unsweetened almond milk; blueberries, strawberries, etc.). Also consider eggs; raw nuts; cheese; consider having “dinner for breakfast,” meaning transferring salads, cheese, chicken, and other “dinner” foods to breakfast.
Add 1 tsp or more of taste-compatible healthy oil to every meal. For example, mix in 1 tbsp flaxseed oil to ground flaxseed hot cereal. Or add 2 tbsp olive oil to eggs after scrambling. Adding oils will blunt appetite.
If you suspect you have a wheat “addiction,” use the first week to add healthy oils to every meal and reduce the amount of wheat by half. In the second week, aim for elimination of wheat while maintaining the oils.
Reach for raw nuts first as a convenient snack.

HOLY CRAP you have to be eating this

Holy Crap is a product I came across recently. This is great for any one that has issues with gluten or is trying to stay away from wheat in general. Holy Crap has some berries in it that makes for some natural sugar but overall its about as clean a food as you are going to get. There is also a skinny B version with no berries reducing the sugar to zero. I have not tried either but ordered my Holy Crap today. I will let you know what I think after I try it but with only 12 grams of carbs per 2 tablespoons servings and 6 grams of protein I have to give it a go. It also has a perfect ratio of Omega3 to Omega6 fats. Here is the nutritional profile:

Nutritional Facts
Per 2 Tablespoons (28g) Amount % Daily value
Calories 130
Fats 6 g 9%
Saturated 1 g 5%
Omega-6 2 g
Omega-3 2.5 g
Monounsaturated 0.7 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 0%
Carbohydrate 12 g 4%
Fibre 4 g 16%
Sugars 3 g
Protein 6 g
Vitamin A 0%
Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 6%
Iron 10%

At approximately $1.66 a serving its cheaper than an egg and toast breakfast. Holy Crap may not be your way to salvation but its definitely a way to a smaller waist and better health.

There's always some horse-toothed mountain-town equivalent of Laird Hamilton ready to kick your athletic pride through the dirt.

I have no reason to post this beyond the fact that I find it hilarious. Courtesy of Outside magazine it speaks volumes of what a healthy, adventurous society could and should be. Enjoy.

So you want to move to Boulder, Colorado, the perennial best town in America for (circle one or all depending upon your level of outsideness) roadies, rock jocks, organic consumers, backcountry skiers, mountain bikers, trail runners, ultrarunners, whitewater boaters, alpinists, credit-card environmentalists, New Agers, sellers of waterproof-breathable canine accessories, and those who support prairie dog emancipation at the expense of baseball fields. It's a great place to live, because everyone looks and thinks exactly like you.*

Except they're better than you. Get that straight and you'll fit in. But you'll matriculate quicker if you come with some attitude. Pose if you must. It's the best town in America, for Christ's/Buddha's/Ganesh's/Chris Carmichael's sake. Step up.

But what's it like to live here? Well, Boulder exudes a unique blend of over-the-top liberalism and extreme fitness. How to describe it . . . If Lance Armstrong and Amy Goodman had a love child, the prodigy would drive his Audi A4 to Boulder, buy a Maverick to decorate the roof rack, and then not ride the $5,000 bike because he didn't want to encroach upon mountain lion habitat. Are you feeling the zeitgeist? Some more Boulder color might help:

Accidents are just that. You never know....(video)

We here at All the Way Fitness always promote safety and safety equipment when doing any activity. Here is another great example of why to wear a helmet when biking. Everyone assumes the worst won't happen to them but the thing is you just never know...

Wheat Belly: Lose the Wheat, Lose the Weight

We love books. We especially love books about nutrition that expose aspects of health with broad sweeping consquences like Wheat Belly.



This is the story of wheats transformation from an edible grain to a genetic mutation unfit for human consumption.

Dr Davis is a cardiologist from Milwaukee who was searching for a better way to help his patients. He was uncomfortable giving diet advice while he himself looked like a beached whale. He dug deep and found disturbing information concerning wheat in todays culture and is astounding effect on human health.

This book will blow your mind on something that is working against your health on many fronts. Eating right but gaining weight? This could be part of your problem. Work out like crazy but still putting on the pounds? Wheat may be holding you back. Consuming handfuls of pharmaceuticals to address a myriad of "age related" diseases and autoimmune problems with no answers? Wheat may have broken your insides down.

We did a review on this book earlier that you can find here.

Glutathione: the Master Antioxidant

Glutathione (GSH) is considered a super antioxidant. Due to the toxicity of today’s world from heavy metals to environmental toxins we need assistance in eliminating these substances from our body. Certain man made chemicals (of which there are 10s of thousands now) are used in industry and agriculture every day and are known to be toxic to humans. The toxins increased the aging process and along with it debilitating diseases.

Glutathione has been coined with the term “master antioxidant”. It is found naturally in the body, produced within each cell but is constantly being depleted. These depletions occur in accelerated rates when toxins are in the body (which is always). Glutathione neutralizes free radicals and revives other antioxidants like Vitamin C and Vitamin E back to their active form. Glutathione also strengthens T cells, which are critical for the immune system. Glutathione is produced less as we age at an estimated rate of 8-12% per decade after the age of 20.

Designs for Health although expensive is an excellent product and in the world of supplements you get what you pay for. This brand is known and sold mostly to doctors offices.

Other benefits of Glutathione.
 It slows down the aging process
 It acts as a body detoxifier and improves liver function
 It is the body’s super antioxidant
 It’s an immune systems booster
 It reduces the chance of developing cancer
 It improves mental function
 It increases energy
 It improves heart and lung function, and
 It displays a positive benefit for over 69 different diseases

If only...

If only we could all be carved out of stone.

Im going to be honest here. I don't have a washboard 6 pack! These dang statues make it look so easy like every Roman was a ripped 10 foot tall hercules. I don't have a hard core 6 pack, nor do I try to have one. These look great on camera and every one is envious but I will tell you what most others won't. A 6 pack of this caliber is not obtained easily and no matter what someone with one has it comes at a cost. (I will exclued the 1% with the freak genes that really do somehow skate by with these abs, you can hate them all you want)

1. It takes more than a 20 minute session 2-3 times a week at the gym to sculpt this area. Men and women sporting abs like these are working tirelessly to maintain them. They are doing ab strengthening exercises constantly at the gym, at home in front of their TV, in between meals, in their sleep on their bed, its crazy!

2. The diet has to be tight! Your diet is going to determine 90% of your results as it is. If you want to have a washboard stomach like these then be prepared to starve yourself. You can't indulge on cake on friday night unless its just one bite. Everyone has abs, you just need to get below 8% body fat to see them like this and truth be told you are playing with some fire letting your body fat get to low. How low is too low? It depends who you ask but body fat is essential for many metabolic functions. No one can live at zero percent body fat (if thats even possible). Those men and women at bodybuilding shows didn't just get done eating a steak dinner to make those muscles pop. They spent the last 24 hours starving themselves of food and water. Then to add insult to injury they throw down mass amounts of potassium to suck the water out of the cells even further. Culture has you believing that is a picture of perfect health but that is far from accurate.

Being lean is great and attractive. Some like people plump, some like them juicy, some like them fat with a side of potatos, wait, what are we talking about? What I am trying to say is don't waste your entire life worrying if your 20% body fat would be better at 15%. Eat right, exercise daily and you will be at your correct weight and look good at the same time. Don't starve yourself because you think you will look better, its just stupid. Vanity is for the weak minded.

Believe me, it tastes good.

People often ask me how I eat like I do, like its some huge sacrifice. Yes, I avoid wheat products, sodas, most desserts, most pizzas, most fancy restaurants claiming the best foods, all fast food, most fried foods and many more that people eat ignorantly. I do this not so you can ask me why I would subject myself to this like its some life long obsession of survivor I have carried over into my life but because I feel better and I know its good for me. On top of it all once you free yourself from an over sugared diet and eat real whole foods a strange thing happens; you realize how damn good it tastes and wonder why you never like it before!

When others tell me they wake up feeling fatigued with brain fog, stomach pains, gas, constipation, nausea, depressed with all these feelings of malaise through out the entire day it baffles me that they simply assume this is normal. Most of them attempt to alleviate these feelings with toxic pharmaceuticals that only add to their problems. They are simply following the orders of their ignorant Drs who are only taught about pathogens and disease and what pills to give for them but know nothing about real health or preventitive medicine.

Do you know what else feels good? Heroin, alcohol, cigarettes and a laundry list of other illegal substances many of which have been proven to have terrible health effects that we all recognize as wasting the body and destroying ones self. So why do these same people who know these things about these drugs gorge themselves on foods that are barely food and contain chemical compounds with strikingly similar compounds as these terrible drugs?

The answer is because they don't care to know. Just like a heroin addict doesn't care what you think about his addiction these people eating an entire pizza with hot wings, garlic bread, 6 beers and a brownie with ice cream for every meal doen't care what you think. They are happy in their ignorance and simply assume these terribly daily feelings they have are part of life and a pill will resolve it.

Its sad but thats how it goes. People reading this blog and speaking the gospel are the minority in todays world. We have a duty to continue to make people aware of what is happening with their food because like a heroin addict they come to appreciate the effort when they do come around. Otherwise they end up the same place addicts do, 6 feet under. Just because the results aren't as immediate and you are being told otherwise by "authorities" doesn't mean the heart attack you have at 40 is normal. Seems like a pretty immediate result of your diet to me.

Eat right but still can't lose the weight? Your "Heart Healthy Grains" are probably to blame

You've been eating all the right foods, 5 servings of veggies, 3 of fruits, 6-8 of health grains but you still are putting on the belly, whats the deal? Turns out it might have to do with what you assume is healthy.

Whole grain wheats have come a long way since the early days of agriculture when wheat grew wild and we realized we could make some permanent settlements with the ability to reproduce this food staple. Unfortunately, in the last 100 years man has been tinkering with this food to the point that it can not even be considered the same in any way. Genetically it is different and visually it is different.

The result of eating this new wheat? Celiac disease is exploding and along with it intolerance to gluten (the protein in wheat). Many other health issues are becoming associated with wheat as well, too numerous to mention.

Dr William Davis is a cardiologist out of Milwaukee who has collected all the research concerning wheat and come to some startling conclusions. His title, "Wheat Belly: Lose the wheat, lose the weight" is appropriately named. Removing weight reduces cravings for more wheat and reduces the waistline. Any one who has adheared to a gluten free diet has lost some weight. The gluten group didn't go far enough though. The problem with the gluten free foods is they utilize starches that Dr Davis indicates have a higher GI (glycemic index) then wheat itself (72!) compared to table sugar (59), which is equated with fat gain in todays world. Sugar has a lower GI than wheat bread and gluten free substitutes. This is important because increased sugar causes the pancreas to release insulin, which drives sugar into the cells. Dr Davis shows that wheat and gluten free substitutes have higher glycemic indexes then candy bars, which lead to additional visceral (abdomen) fat!




The 3 major issues he addresses are:

The Gliadin (specific to wheat) in wheat protein - Gliadin is responsible for stimulating appetite and binding with opiate receptors in the brain making it an addictive substance, thats right, you are addicted to wheat. This is so true that a pharmaceutical company has filed for FDA approval of a drug called naltrexone, an opiate blocking drug that has shown an average of 22.4lbs lost in the first 6 months with no diet changes or exercise! Simpler and safter to cut the wheat? You bet.

Amylopectin A, a highly digestable carbohydrate unique to wheat - Amylopectin A increases the blood sugar beyond that of even table sugar, candies or cakes. This is what gives the "healthy" wheat bread the high GI. Its why after 2 hours on your glucose/insulin ride you are starving for more food, because your body is crashing from the glucose/insulin mix. So much for healthy grains.

Lectins - Lectins are undigestible wheat proteins that "unlock" normal intestinal barriers allowing any and all food particles direct access to the body. No food is supposed to enter the body in this fashion and this causes severe inflammation in the body hence autoimmune diseases such as fybromyalgia, crohn disease, IBS, etc.

What to do, what to do. It seems an impossible task and it can be tough for some because you can literally go through withdrawal symptoms from headaches to fatigue and irritability because gliadin specifically binds to opiate receptors. You have to be diligent, wheat is in everything. It can seem impossible at first but there are lots of healthy alternatives to wheat from coconut flour to almond flour and flax meal. The options that open to you also include the paleo diet. When you remove wheat you remove the hunger pangs and appetite stimulants literally freeing you. The average reduction in caloric intake is 400 calories a day. This means on average an overweight person will lose approximately a pound a week. Many have seen what they can only describe as body fat literally melting off in the first few weeks.

Point being? The health implications are huge from hormone issues like the effects of visceral fat on estrogen to the chronic inflammation of the body. Don't pass up this book because it is vital to optimal health. Don't be so worried about your organic lean meats and raw dairy or even your unprocessed sugars. Although you always need to eat sensibly this wheat understanding is a large portion of the puzzle that needed to be unlocked to explain why there are fat vegetarians. Answer: A large portion of their diet includes high glycemic grains and grain substitutes. Remove grain from your diet and watch the weight and health issues fall by the wayside.

Don't be a spineless, weak kneed, no good nincompoop; BE A MAN!

If Goofy can do it, so can you. These instructional videos by Goofy may be for laughs but I am more than certain it inspired the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger and other fitness gurus of today like Jillian Michaels. Do I have any info to back this up? Sure I do, you calling me a liar?!?!

Just like Goofy you have to start on day one and commit. You probably won't have to deal with crashing through your ceiling or wall unless you're a truly hard worker but you will have to take the first step and get started.

Check out the 3 Golden Rules page to learn how to start eating right. We will help you get there. Have a great weekend and what ever you decide to do remember to take it All the Way!

A new treat you can't beat. Eat this anytime for energy and health.

Everyone is looking for healthy snacks well I found you a good one. You can thank me later.



This stuff is truly amazing. Not only does it taste awesome but it comes packed with just about everything you could want in a health food. Let me run down the list of ingredients here for you (they are all organic):
dates, rolled oats, raisins, sessame seeds, sunflowerseeds, almonds, cashews, fiblerts/hazelnuts, pecans, walnuts, prunes, brown rice flour, brazil nuts, raspberry granules, grape seed oil, walnut oil, figs, salt, quinoa flour, beet powder, kidney beans amaranth, barley, flaxseed, millet, rye, banana powder, peas, pumpkin seeds, tangerine tart powder, blueberry powder, nutrional yeast, peach tart powder, guava tart powder, ginger cinnamon, aloe leaf dust powder, clove, freeze dried strawberries, coconut, lemon oil, orange oil, stevia leaf powder.

WOW! This is an organic product with 220 calories per 2oz serving, 2.5 grams of polyunsaturated fat, 2 grams of monounsaturated fat, 33 grams of carbs (the friendly kind), 4 grams of dietary fiber, 20 grams of (natural) sugar, and 5 grams of protein! You could very likely live off of this as it is combining over 40 different fruits, nuts and grains in a cookie dough consistency. Not only is it organic but its is also RAW! You are getting the best of both worlds here. Eat this any time of day, in smoothies, as snacks, in bed, whenever, you can't go wrong with this snack.

Green drinks can work wonders and they don't have to taste awful

Ok, I admit I have had some terrible green drinks in my day. I am not talking about the pre-made powders but making green drinks from scratch in my vitamix. I am not know for my ability to pick what tastes good together or what matches when I get dressed. I can whip your butt into shape though and green drinks can assist you greatly in attaining your goals.

WHY DO YOU NEED THEM

Everyone needs at minimum 5 servings of both fruits and veggies a day. The majority of Americans, even those that appear healthy, do not get anywhere near this amount. A green drink can provide this entire amount of fruits and veggies in one serving!

HOW DO I DO IT?

The Vitamix was invented for everyone that wanted to blend anything they could find into liquid. It will make anything from drinks to puddings to even bread. I mostly use it for smoothies but its many uses shows not only how well thought out it is but how powerful it is to be able to tackle all these jobs. While doing this some argue you can lose some of the nutrients due to the speed and heating of the liquid (it can get hot if on high for too long). While this is true it is better then not getting this many greens at all. You get 0% of the greens you don't eat after all.



Another great way are juicers. I own and love the Omega Vert. It takes a bit more time to use and clean then the Vitamix but it is the fastest on the market to use and clean. It is also the quietest and best yet; it uses an auger that rotates at less than 80RPM so you don't lose nutrients to fast speed and temperature. You do however lose fiber because the juicer produces just the juice from the foods and leaves the fibers.



Use both of these together to create some amazing drinks with health properties beyond what vitamins and supplements offer. Always use organic produce as studies have shown they do have a greater amount of antioxidants, vitamins and trace minerals.

WHY AGAIN DO I NEED THIS IF I ALREADY EAT SOME FRUIT AND VEGGIES?

You can never have too much. Fruits and veggies are a health staple and eating more of them will only provide your body with more of what it needs. Don't be someone that runs but hasn't had a bowel movement in 3 days, thats not healthy. Don't tell everyone not to drink soda but have fatigue yourself because you are lacking vitamins and minerals, thats not healthy. Don't yell at your Mom cause she still eats fast food and then go out and pound 10 beers, thats not healthy.

You constantly need to replentish your body with the nutrients it needs to function daily. In todays toxic world these nutrients are harder and harder to come by and we learn every day that the population is more deficient in vitamins and minerals. Adding green drinks to your reptoire will save you a lot of health woes and help create a lean, mean work out machine. Below is a great book on green drinks made easy for dummies who can't combine foods that taste good. Enjoy!

You need B vitamins stupid for energy plus other stuff

Feeling tired? Sick of seeing all those commercials for those silly B vitamin shots at your gas station? There are better ways to get that nutrient with additional minerals and needed protein without drinking whatever is in those little drinks.

Lets be honest, those things are likely bad in one way or another so what are your options?
1. you could eat a ton of dairy, beef and eggs but then you have to deal with all the added calories and we all know the argument concerning increased protein plus the issues with todays standard dairy products.
2. you could take a plethora of synthetic or even natural supplements and pills but then you are sucking down more pills every day along with all your shakes and current pills and it feels like your eating more pills every day then real food.
3. you could discover nutrional yeast and what it can really do for you.

What is nutrional yeast? Yeast has been used as far back as the Egyptians when its ability to create beer and bread was discovered. The species of yeast is known as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and although it is still used to create beer and breads nutrional yeast is cultivated differently creating an impressive nutritional profile.

Nutrional yeast is not a raw food unfortuantely. It has to be pasteurized and dried in order to bring out many of its beneficial properties but once this is completed it has a nutty/cheesy flavor making it great as a condiment for other foods. Throw it on your popcorn w/ some oil and you have cheesy popcorn. Throw it on your pasta for a change from parmesan. Its uses are endless. Best of all it has all the B-complex vitamins if you buy from a company like Bobs Red Mill that adds B12.




Why do you care about these B vitamins? Below are just a fraction of its benefits.

Supports and increase the rate of metabolism (lose more weight)
Maintains healthy skin, hair and muscle tone (look better)
Enhances immune and nervous system function (be healthier)
Promote cell growth and division, including that of the red blood cells that help prevent anemia (more health at the cellular level)
Reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer - one of the most lethal forms of cancer - when consumed in food, but not when ingested in vitamin tablet form. (reduces cancer and there are more studies indicating this is true for other cancers)

plus many, many more. The take away is that nurtitional yeast is very good for you and can increase energy and metabolism. It also contains 15 trace minerals including chromium plus 6 grams of protein per 1/4 cup and 3 grams of dietary fiber. It is low in fat and sodium so it is win win as an addition to your diet. It is gluten free and does not increase your risk of Candida Albicans. Only sugar feeds that form of yeast and additional yeast in the form of nutrional yeast will not create the problem of Candida nor exasperate it.

If you want to get serious about weight loss and exercise you have to clean up your diet and have the energy to actually exercise. Nutrional yeast is an easy condiment addition to any kitchen that has a nutritional profile that is as good as it tastes. Add this to your diet and exeriment with it in soups, pastas, pizzas and even smoothies and above all remember to take your work out All The Way.