When people are improving nutrition for long-term weight loss, there are two approaches they take: they either make a 180-degree turn and change everything, or they create one new habit at a time. Both can be effective. It just depends on your personality type.

If you’re in the change-a-little-bit-at-a-time group, I want to share with you the three changes to implement first.

#1 – Start a Nutrition Journal

If you’re trying to lose weight, I can’t overemphasize the importance of first understanding how you got where you are. Get a nutrition journal and start writing in it before you make any changes to your eating habits. Write for a week and answer these two questions for each meal:

1. What are you eating? (Track calories and macronutrient content, i.e. carbs, protein, and fat)
2. Why are you eating? (Are you bored, hurried, hungry, stressed, following tradition?)

Doing this will give you insight into your relationship with food and specific things that you’ll have to change along the way. Be honest and don’t judge your answers—at least not yet.

#2 – Focus on Creating Good Habits First

Start adding specific foods and good habits to your daily nutrition pattern. Early on, don’t worry about the unhealthy things you might need to cut out. Rather, focus on improving nutrition by getting the food your body needs to have more energy and feel better.

Pick a specific group of foods you should be eating more of: fruits, vegetables or lean meats are good places to start.  Having them accessible and finding easy ways to prepare them will boost your chance for success in the changes you make.

#3 – Keep It Simple by Having a Plan

Nutrition is simple if you stick to the basics. Make it easy on yourself by knowing what and when you’re going to eat, then making sure it’s available. The fast food industry has grown by leaps and bounds because they know that if they provide a quick and simple solution for your meals, you’ll end up at their window by default.

Life is insanely busy. That’s why improving nutrition is impossible if you don’t plan ahead. You’ll always be left with tough choices (and a pretty good chance of making the wrong ones). Make healthy food readily available and you won’t default at the drive-thru. If you know you’ll be out for long periods of time, take your food with you.

Maybe I should start a fast food restaurant called “All You Should Eat” and give people a healthy option to pick up food in the right proportions.

If there were a fast food restaurant called All You Should Eat, would you go?

Do you have other nutrition musts for us?

Leave your thought in the comments

More good reads:

• What Diet Are You On?
• Is “Food Rules” Worth Reading?
• At IdealShape: Boot Camp for Your Grocery List

Chocolate for longevity. I know, right? We’ve heard it before, and we always suspect that it’s someone’s guilty conscience — not medical expertise — inspiring them to promote the health benefits of our favorite treat.

But I came across something this week that spurred me to revisit the chocolate health benefits debate.

Never mind eating pure dark chocolate or drinking chocolate milk after a workout; straight up candy bars might be good for us too.

Here’s the story:

There’s a chocolate factory in Boise called the Idaho Candy Company where they’ve been making chocolate in an old brick building downtown since 1909. I was writing a magazine article on the history of the place when I learned about one of its earliest employees, Violet Brewer.

Violet began working at the factory in 1913 at just 13 years old. Over the years, she worked as hand chocolate dipper, weigher, and other posts, and ultimately retired in 1995.

82 years later.

At age 95.

Violet ate chocolate for 82 years straight and lived to be 101 years old. The concept of chocolate’s health benefits doesn’t seem so far-fetched now, hmm? I also chatted with the owner of Idaho Candy Company, Dave Wagers, who seemed suspiciously full of life (though it could’ve just been a sugar high).

So is there some mysterious ingredient unique to the Idaho Spud? Or could Violet Brewer be testimony to ALL chocolate’s longevity-promoting properties? Here’s some research behind the idea.

The Research

An article from Chocolate Space dishes on heart-healthy antioxidants found in the cocoa bean, specifically dark chocolate. And antioxidants, as we know, are a key player in longevity.

Important note: Violet’s Idaho Spud is made with dark chocolate. I think we’re onto something…

But Chocolate Space sells chocolate, so they might not be the most reliable source.

Next…

Ah, here we go: The New York Times. They found a study that shows chocolate eaters experiencing fewer cases of heart failure; perhaps by lowering blood sugar, or maybe because flavonoids in cocoa reduce inflammation.

The crux? They say ultimate health benefits come with eating chocolate in moderation.

Do you think Violet went light on the chocolate during her 82-year candy bar-making career? Ha.

Next…

Everyday Health’s longevity blog has some convincing information. Its author, Terry Grossman, MD, repeats that it is dark chocolate which delivers the most benefits, and he zeros in on two ingredients in chocolate: stearic acid and bioflavonoids. The first, stearic acid, has been shown to reduce the risk of blood clots. The second, bioflavonoids, are the antioxidant. Dark chocolate contains even more bioflavonoids than green tea and red wine, he says.

The Results

Now, I don’t know about you, but I don’t jump on the first tasty “findings” I come across. These are some pretty compelling case studies, but a chocolate fountain of youth? It’s just a little too good to be true — or at least, to be accepted at face value.

That’s why I’ve decided to conduct a 4-Hour Body-style experiment and investigate chocolate’s health benefits myself.

Would anyone care to join me?

The research starts here: Dark Chocolate-Dipped Strawberry Recipe

More news: Cheating on your diet once a week with chocolate may kickfire your starvation hormone leptin (the one responsible for your metabolism and hunger). For more info, read Cheat Your Way Thin.

Remember that time you started your quest to find THE premier weight loss plan?

I sure do.

At first I started out scouring the internet, or information superhighway as we called it back then, for diet plans that gave the quickest results with the least amount of work. Of course all of my “research” was done late at night while I snacked on Ding Dongs and grew increasingly frustrated by the fact that I never lost a pound. Go figure.

I found so many diets that promised quick results! I gave the majority of them a test drive. I remember doing the Atkins diet and loving it. All the red meat, chicken, and pork I could handle. Sign me up! And the bacon… ohhh… the sweet sweet bacon. I actually saw results pretty quickly. I’ll bet I lost 20 or 30 pounds in the course of a month. The best part was I didn’t even have to exercise! It was a match made in heaven.

Then one day I wanted pizza.

As good as that bacon was it couldn’t satisfy my craving for melted mozzarella, a thin crust, and fresh tomato sauce. One night of pizza turned into a week filled with carbs. Then a month. Then, well, you get the the picture. As much as I loved eating meat all the time, there was no way I was going to be able to live the T-Rex lifestylfe long term. I gained all my weight back, and then some.

Failing Atkins lead to failing South Beach, which lead to a short rendezvous with Slim-Fast, which ended like a train wreck.

The internet wasn’t helping me anymore. Everything the internet told me about weight loss turned into failed attempt after failed attempt. Having the internet lie to you is like having someone tell you that Santa Clause isn’t real, or that Larry King is still alive.

After the internet failed me I decided I needed to take a more personal approach with my weight loss. I started talking to people healthier that I was. My brother and sister-in-law knew all the ins and outs of how to be fit. Unfortunately, the relationship was a little too close. I didn’t want to be monitored and I didn’t want them feeling like they had to monitor my eating habits. However, one thing they quickly taught me was that being healthy wan’t about a quick fix. It was about making healthy food choices and controlling portions. Adding exercise on top of that would help the weight loss go even quicker.

Right after they shared those words of wisdom with me I found out that my best friend from high school (you may know him) was also the co-owner of IdealShape. Everything he was telling me about his program was right in line with everything my brother, who holds a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science, had told me. He didn’t have a quick weight loss solution. He had a way to completely change the way I thought about food and my body. He promised no quick fixes, just results if I were willing to work hard.

I was more than intrigued.

Then he added one more component. He wanted to know what my commitment level was. He wanted to know if I was mentally ready to start shedding the pounds.

I had to check myself. I had never really thought about weight loss as a mental battle before. I left our conversation with a lot to think about.

Was I really ready to lose weight?

Was I mentally strong enough to make a change?

Why would this time be different than all of the other times?

I had a good sleep and woke up the next morning confident that I could make a change if I put my mind to it. I knew that even if I wasn’t a mental powerhouse yet, I was willing to put in the work to become one.

It was funny to see how sticking to the exercise and nutrition plan made me feel great physically and also made me believe I could accomplish anything. Then while I worked on mastering my mind my confidence to achieve bigger fitness goals became evident.

It was a vicious cycle. And by vicious I mean awesome. Extremely awesome.

Now it’s your turn. Share with me the plan you’re using to get healthy. Don’t be shy! Sell me your program. Tell me why it works for you and why you believe it will work for others. What about the diet or exercise program caught your eye and made you decide it was right for you? I can’t wait to hear what you have to say about it!

The secret to weight loss is… grapes?

What is it about red wine that yields such great health benefits? The French seem to know the secret. According to CBS News, it was 18 years ago that 60 Minutes first made the connection between their high wine intake and low incidence of heart disease (in spite of the high-fat French diet). “Most researchers agreed that there was something in the wine that offered protection,” reported CBS. That ingredient is the phytochemical resveratrol. It is found in high concentrations in the skin of the grape, making red wine – along with grape juice and a handful of other foods – an excellent source of it.

Just as resveratrol shields the grape, it acts as an antioxidant in the human body. It can protect us from damaging free radicals and thus reduce our risk of certain types of cancer. Resveratrol also has anti-infective and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as the ability to lower and regulate blood sugar levels. These attributes help the body perform at an optimum level and minimize health risks, both of which are beneficial to weight loss.

The real secret ingredient: SIRT1

It is actually resveratrol’s ability to activate a potent gene called SIRT1 that makes it such a powerful weight loss aid. “A very simple explanation is that when you are in a food scarcity situation, SIRT1 is activated so as to help break down your stored fat to use as fuel,” writes Byron J. Richards of Wellness Resources, “as well as to boost up your energy so that you have enough energy to hunt for new food.” Resveratrol triggers the SIRT1 gene by mimicking a famine situation, and thus helps the body burn fat more effectively.

The SIRT1 gene often becomes inactive in the body due to leptin resistance, a condition that is common in the overweight. A consequence of frequent overeating, this leptin resistance causes the body to turn off the SIRT1 gene. “It is easy to predict that high levels of leptin in your blood (obesity-related leptin resistance) turn SIRT1 off as they would be signaling your liver that famine is over,” says Richards. Resveratrol repairs the damage of leptin resistance by turning the SIRT1 gene back on.

Other foods that contain resveratrol

Red wine and grape juice are rich in resveratrol, but there are other sources of the beneficial phytochemical. Grapes themselves are a great source of resveratrol, as are blueberries, cranberries and some nuts, including peanuts.

There has been debate about whether food containing resveratrol provides enough of the phytochemical to benefit the body. Research indicates that a resveratrol supplement is probably the best way to incorporate resveratrol into your diet. That way you’ll get enough of to reap benefits without needing to brave any of the consequences, such as the high triglycerides, increased risk of breast cancer and migraines that can come with red wine.

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Thirsty for more weight loss-boosters? Try green tea!

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For most people, there’s an instinctual aversion to seaweed. That gross, slimly stuff that washes up on shore isn’t something we want to touch, let alone eat. But many types of seaweed have proven very beneficial, especially when eaten. Kelp is one such seaweed.

Kelp is nothing like the stuff you see on the beach. It can form massive underwater forests of green throughout the shallows of the ocean. One strand of kelp (called a stipe) can grow nearly as long as a football field.

When eaten, as it has been for hundreds of years, kelp can help with a variety of health issues. Rich in vitamins and minerals – such as selenium, boron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron, and vitamins A, B1, B2, C, D, E and amino acids – it’s a great natural source of trace minerals. And due to its naturally salty taste, many people use it as a salt substitute.

Kelp is also rich in iodine, which is an essential element for body functions. Iodine specifically helps your thyroid – which controls metabolism, energy and growth – function properly. The thyroid absorbs iodide and releases hormones back into your body. If your body is deficient in iodine, it reduces your metabolism, slowing it down as much as 50 percent. This may be a major factor in being overweight or obese. Kelp helps supplement your iodine intake, which will increase thyroid function and thus metabolism. And the natural iodine found in kelp is safer and often more effective than chemical iodine.

Kelp’s high levels of iodine may also help combat free radicals, highly reactive atoms that damage cells, proteins and DNA. These radicals bombard our bodies daily – taking form in UV radiation, air pollution, tobacco smoke, infection, stress and more – by altering the chemical structure of our cells. Research has shown that we can combat these free radicals through regular intake of dietary supplements with kelp. They provide the body with antioxidant-rich vitamins and minerals, which counteract free radicals by “absorbing the damage of the free radicals upon themselves,” says holistic writer Victoria Anisman-Reiner, B.Sc., “so that our bodies and cellular membranes are not affected.” This helps detoxify the body and greatly assist in weight loss and overall health.

Rich in calcium, potassium and iron, Kelp can be highly beneficial to women, including those who are pregnant or nursing. Kelp’s health benefits don’t end here. It may also help with:

• Hair loss
• Regulation of body temperature
• Pancreas, prostate and liver health
• Digestion
• Goiter
• Water retention
• Arthritis
• Energy levels
• Controlling appetite
• Cholesterol levels
• Proper pH levels
• Mineral deficiencies
• Overall gland health
• Osteoporosis
• Impotence
• Anemia

All in all, Kelp has proven to be one of the most well-rounded foods available. It may even act as a natural antibiotic. Sounds like everyone could benefit from adding a dash of seaweed to their diet!

Discover more surprising antioxidants!

Ready to work out, but not sure where to start?

Blast belly fat with green tea

MSNBC Today recently praised green tea as one of the most effective ways to target trouble spots – those bulgy areas you can’t seem to discard, no matter how much you exercise and eat right. Of course, we already knew that it is a proven way to shed pounds. It’s particularly great because it comes with a slew of natural health benefits. In addition to whittling away the pounds, green tea is loaded with antioxidants – it kills bacteria and suppresses free radicals to keep your immune system strong. Research has even found it to help prevent heart disease and some types of cancer.

It isn’t just the caffeine in green tea that makes it effective for weight loss (and it actually contains less caffeine than coffee, black tea and Red Bull). While the little caffeine boost does play a role in speeding up metabolism and increasing your energy level, green tea also contains catechins which further break down the fat. Best of all, the results last: as long as you keep sipping, the excess pounds will stay off.

Some wonder if having their metabolism work at a faster rate will lead to feeling hungry sooner or eating more. But adding to its long list of benefits, green tea is an appetite suppressant!

Getting the Most from Green Tea

It doesn’t matter whether you drink a cup of green tea or take the extract in pill or powder form. But you will have to drink quite a few cups to get the same effect as one capsule or powder dose. So unless you really love the taste, a weight loss supplement with green tea extract might be the best option. Plus you’ll get all the other weight loss facilitating ingredients from the supplement. Just be sure to choose one with at least 300mg of a high quality green tea extract.

The Journal of Nutrition recently confirmed green tea’s weight loss potential. The results of their study: over a 12-week period, those who drank four cups (or its equivalent) of green tea every day saw eight times the weight loss results of those who drank other caffeinated beverages. Participants reported shedding pounds from their trouble spots especially.

But don’t think four daily cups of tea are your golden ticket to health and weight loss. Green tea performs best with (not in place of) a complete fitness program. The subjects of the above study were exercising regularly while consuming the beverage. In addition to adding green tea to your diet, your fitness plan should include a regular workout program and healthy eating habits.

Detoxifying and fat-blasting? It almost sounds too good to be true. But green tea has proved itself to be an effective tool for losing weight and staying healthy. So enjoy!

Eat & Exercise Right: A Crash Course

Find out about Kelp, another naturally beneficial weight loss aid

More Supplements to Accelerate Weight Loss

Q: Do I really need to take supplements? – Jake L.

A: Yes.

According to the National Institutes of Health, in 2004, approximately two-thirds of adults in the United States were overweight and almost one-third were obese. And today, those who are obese nearly outnumber the overweight—not because the number of overweight people has decreased, but because the weight of the average American is steadily increasing. The body mass index (BMI) determines who falls in the categories of overweight and obese. BMI is a standardized measurement of height to weight that is supposed to have a relationship to body fat and health risks. In other words, if you are in the overweight range, you have more health risks than someone in the average range.

Along with the obesity rate, the number of people diagnosed with cancer has steadily increased over the past decade, according to USA Today. And the number of people with heart disease—America’s number-one killer—is startling. The American Heart Association predicted that, in 2009, an American would have a coronary event every 25 seconds, and about every minute someone would die from one.

Why is our health slipping?

America is becoming progressively less healthy. But why are the American people getting so unhealthy? With modern medicine at our fingertips, we should be healthier than we were a century ago. But the benefits of advances in modern medicine and an industrialized world can’t counter the demise of nutritious content in the food we’re eating. Another danger is the belief that a miracle pill or a single food will heal everything. These two issues are contributing to a downward health spiral.

Should we simply sit back and watch these adverse effects make America—and ourselves—sicker? The answer is no. There is a means to an end when it comes to solving the health crisis in America. One part of the solution is dietary supplementation.

The protein shake

To fight the growing epidemic of obesity, we recommend a meal replacement shake or protein shake for individuals who are starting a healthy eating program to lose weight. The protein shake will allow you to get the energy you need to rebuild muscle after your workouts; it can also be a convenient meal when you’re on the run. Many of these meal replacement shakes have vitamins and minerals included. A supplement not often looked at to help people lose weight, but that is very effective and proven to help build lean muscle mass, is Creatine. Remember, when trying to lose or maintain weight, the more lean muscle you have, the higher your metabolism will be.

Antioxidants

Proper dietary supplementation also provides the body with key nutrients to help cells counteract harmful toxins, pollutants and free-radicals. For example, antioxidants help counteract free radicals by “absorbing the damage of the free radicals upon themselves, so that our bodies and our cellular membranes are not affected,” says holistic expert Victoria Anisman-Reiner. Antioxidants can be found in hundreds of foods and supplements.

Multi-vitamins

Whole food multi-vitamins also help counteract the vitamin deficiencies that result from a lack of nutrient content in our food. An important thing to be aware of, though: our bodies need to be able to break down and digest the supplements we take, vitamins especially. Antibiotics can be a roadblock to the digestive process because they don’t only kill bad bacteria they can kill good bacteria that is used in the digestive process.

According to Kathryn Senior, PhD, the bacteria in the large intestine are responsible for synthesizing vitamin K and some of the B vitamins. Vitamin K is necessary for normal blood clotting and synthesis of proteins found in plasma, bone and kidneys, while the B vitamins are vital for cell growth, energy metabolism and digestion. Deficiencies in these vitamins can lead to heart palpitations, chronic fatigue, indigestion, heavy bleeding, osteoporosis and liver cancer. Proper dietary supplementation supplies the body with the vitamins it needs to function properly and avoid these health risks.

If I eat healthy, do I still need supplements?

Many believe that if they eat a healthy diet, they don’t need a dietary supplement. But it is nearly physically impossible to get the amount of nutrients we need through food alone, says Doctor Nicholas Perricone (as seen on the Oprah Winfrey show). Dr. Perricone said:

You may be wondering if we can control oxidative stress by simply improving our diet and eating more fruits and vegetables. This is definitely a good start. By simply eating 7 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables each day you can decrease the risk of heart attack, stroke, Alzheimer’s dementia, and cancer, two to three fold. We certainly want to supplement a good diet—not a bad diet. However, even if you eat a great diet you can barely obtain the RDA level of all essential nutrients. Medical studies have shown that less than 1% of the American population accomplishes this on a consistent basis.

So, to achieve optimal health and wellness, we believe that supplements are essential. It’s a great weapon to have in our arsenal as we fight the war against obesity. Here’s a great article about choosing a supplement that meets your needs.

Antioxidants 101

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How does sugar cause weight gain?

Q: What is the big deal about antioxidants? Jamie T.

A: What exactly are antioxidants?  How can they improve my health? These are the questions we often generally get in regards to antioxidants.   The health and wellness industry is just starting to scratch the surface on the benefits.

What are antioxidants? They are substances that defend against (or mop up) the harmful effects of free radicals. Free radicals are highly reactive and unstable molecules that naturally occur from oxygen in the normal course of metabolism. They also occur from the effects of UV radiation, air pollution, tobacco smoke, infection and stress.  Antioxidants neutralize, stabilize and minimize the damage produced by free radicals.  Our bodies have a natural defense against free radicals, but as we age this defense becomes less effective.  That is why we must consume antioxidants in our diets to maintain optimal health and decrease the impact of aging.

How do free radicals damage the body? The free radical effects include damage to skin, cells, tissues and organs.  This consists of general inflammation, degenerative arthritis, aging and age related diseases, and disease in general.

Where can I find antioxidants? They are found in vitamins C and E, beta carotene, carotenoids that are converted to vitamin A, and minerals such as selenium.  Some hormones and amino acids are also forms of antioxidants.  Foods rich in these substances include barley, whole grain brown rice, mint leaves, leafy greens such as spinach, broccoli, tomatoes, beets, garlic, onions, carrots, grapes, citrus fruits, and berries.  The acai, pomegranate, and blueberries have extremely high levels.  Choose a variety of brightly colored fruits, vegetables and herbs for a rich antioxidant diet.

What are some of the benefits ? Getting a variety of antioxidant rich foods will slow down the aging process of the skin, cells, tissues and organs, strengthen your immune system, and reduce the chance of developing some forms of cancer. They also help decreases inflammation. They prevent artery clogging plaque from being deposited on coronary artery walls and reduce heart disease.

How much do I need? The American Heart Association says to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables choosing 5 or more servings per day because fruits and vegetables are the primary source of antioxidants.  But can you really eat too many?  We say load up on fruits and vegetables as well as supplements and drinks high in antioxidants which are a good way to get them in a potent, condensed form.  Have fun with colors, taste and health!

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A:  Almost every where you turn on the Internet you will find supplements promising amazing muscle gains if you take them.  Every product declaring it has the precise formula for muscle gain and increasing your performance in the weight room.  Some of the supplements have science behind them, some of the supplements don’t have any.  We recommend being conservative with what you put into your body and the dosage you put into your body.  We don’t recommend specific brands, but we do have some basic guidelines for those working out with us.

Supplements that are essential for a muscle building program: Protein, Creatine, and Branch Chain Amino Acids.  Remember any good workout program is going to require good nutrition to build lean muscle mass or maintain muscle mass.  Often times there is very little difference in the recommendations we give our clients whether they are trying to lose body body fat or gain muscle mass. It may be just a few calories difference.

Protein provides the nutrients your body needs to repair torn down muscle during and after a workout.  Protein can be taken before a workout in a 1:4 protein to carb mix.  The carbs will provide you the energy you need for the workout and the protein will be available to start repairing the muscle.  After the workout you should be doing 1:1 protein to carb mix.  After the workout the easily accessible energy from carbs is no longer needed and storing the protein will help in the recovery process.  Protein supplements should be included in your daily totals and it is recommended that you eat between .8 and 1 grams of protein for every pound of body weight.

Creatine is a great supplement for maximizing the performance in your workout.  Creatine is the building block to an anaerobic energy process that you use while lifting weights.  Maximizing storage of creatine should help improve your ability to do more during your workout and allow you to be more powerful.

BCAA are the building blocks to protein and some of them have been proven to be effective in building lean muscle mass.