Diet Advice: Top 10 Secrets of the Super Fit (by Jack Richards)

Note: This is an article written by a guest author – enjoy!

Diet Advice: Top 10 Secrets of the Super Fit (by Jack Richards)

1. Never allow yourself to be hungry.

Eating several small meals a day prevents you from ever being hungry. It’s dangerous to get overly hungry. It’s those times you are most likely to cheat on your diet and eat things you shouldn’t.

2. Pre-plan what you eat, and DON’T CHEAT!

Many people have heard other diet gurus tell them it’s okay to cheat on your diet once a week. In fact, many advocate doing it. This may be fine if you have already achieved the body of your dreams and all you are doing is trying to maintain. However, if you have a lot of weight to lose, or if you are working to shed that last 10 lbs, you’d better not cheat. You can’t afford to. For every day you cheat, you erase 2-3 days of being on your diet and working hard at the gym. That’s a lot of wasted time for one meal of pleasure. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, try to eat more fruit that day. If you are craving a big bowel of pasta, try to eat more legumes. Usually strong cravings are your body’s way of trying to get the nutrients it feels its lacking, so if you eat healthier versions of the things you crave you can provide your body with what it needs, while at the same time sticking to your diet.

3. Which foods will keep you full and satisfied when you dream of cake.

What we are talking about here is really satiation level. There is strong evidence to show that the stomach is like a second brain. In fact, scientists have found that the gut uses neurotransmitters just as much as the brain. So it’s no wonder that when we crave things it affects us on more than a taste or fullness level, but hits us on an emotional and psychological level as well. There are foods that you can eat that can help get rid of those cravings. For instance, if you are ever absolutely craving chocolate, drink a chocolate protein shake. You’ll get all the satisfaction of the cocoa in the shake, but without all the bad carbs and fats. If you are starving and nothing sounds good, eat a tablespoon of organic whole peanut butter. Its high fat content will sooth your cravings and make you feel full again. One of my favorites is to eat peanut butter on a banana. It’s so good you think it’s bad for you. Really, it’s one of the best things you can eat. When you crave something sweet, try eating an apple or a peach. When you start eating whole natural foods like this, you are eating the way your body intended and breaking the cycle of sugar addiction.

4. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables and stay away from the grains.

Grains have only been in the human diet for the past 10,000 years. Before that, humans were hunter-gatherers who ate what was on the land. Our genetics have only changed .01% over the past 10,000 years, so it makes sense that when we eat grains our bodies don’t know what to do with them. Our bodies hold water weight when we eat grains, and store fat more easily. If you want to have the lean muscular body of your dreams, eating grains is not the way to go about it. Fruits and vegetables, on the other hand, have always existed and have been the cornerstone of the human diet through our entire evolution. When we eat the way our bodies are suppose to eat, then we will function and look exactly the way we are suppose to look. If we continue to eat based on a diet that does not work with our own genetics then we are doomed to continue to put on the pounds.

5. Beans — it doesn’t get better than this.

While many people have an aversion to beans due to their notorious correlation with flatulence, beans are actually one of the most nutritious foods we can eat. Not only are beans nutritious, but they provide a very important sense of well being and satiation when we eat them. One of the toughest parts about being on a diet is the feeling that you are being deprived. So it’s important to eat foods like beans and other legumes which will make you feel satisfied. One of my favorite foods is mushy peas instead of mashed potatoes. When it’s been a hard day and it seems like the world is against you, and all you want is something comforting, mushy peas will come to the rescue. Just take one can of green peas and drain all the liquid out. Then take another can of White Northern Beans and be sure to rinse them clean of all the liquid that is in the can. Take a non-stick pan, DO NOT use any oil, and put both the peas and the beans in the pan. Turn it up to high heat, add a bit of garlic salt for flavor and stir vigorously to avoid burning on the bottom. Keep stirring until the peas and the beans begin to break down into a lovely green colored mashed potato texture. It has all the comfort of the potato, without any of the guilt.

6. Which fats you can’t live without, and why.

Certain fats are good for you, and you should eat them on a daily basis. This is why 10% of your diet should consist of fat. However, you need to be sure you’re eating the right kinds of fats in order to stay lean and healthy. All fats are lipids. The difference between animal fat and vegetable oils is the consistency and molecular shape. Animal fats, also known as lard, have a solid texture. Those are what are known as saturated fats. Oils have a more liquid texture and vary in range of viscosity (the thickness of the oil). Good lipids come mostly from vegetable oils. They contain the essential fat soluble vitamins, A, D, E, and K. Omega-3 fatty acids have also been shown to be the fat-loss fats. They aid in the metabolism of excess adipose tissue. They have also been shown to improve mental function. Omega-3 fatty acids are generally found in fish, and you can also take Omega-3 supplements.

7. Get plenty of sleep and never eat before bed.

Getting enough sleep is just as important as the time you spend in the gym. It is during this time that your body repairs itself from the work you’ve done in the gym and builds the lean muscles you need to increase your metabolism and shed the excess fat. Now, I’m not saying sleep 14 hours a day and lose fat. Just be sure to get a full 7-8 hours of sleep every night.

It’s also important not to eat anything that will cause a spike in insulin levels before bed. One of the benefits of sleeping is that during the night the pituitary gland releases HGH (human growth hormone); this is used to repair our bodies and promotes fat removal. Insulin prevents the release of sufficient amounts of HGH during the night. This is one of the reasons that it is suggested you not eat carbs after, say, 5 o’clock at night. This ensures that you don’t have any unnecessary glucose or insulin in your blood before you go to bed.

8. Drink LOTS of water if you want to burn fat and lose excess water weight.

It is important to drink lots of water throughout the day. Try to drink eight 16-ounce glasses of water every day. When your body senses that you don’t have enough water in your system it tries to hold onto as much water as it can to prevent dehydration. This can allow you to retain water weight and cause you to look like you are carrying more weight than you really are. Drinking lots of water throughout the day helps to clear the body of toxins through excretion through the kidneys. It aids the liver in proper metabolism of fat. The way you know that you’ve had enough water is, your urine will be a pale yellow color. If your urine is a dark color, you don’t have enough water and are on the verge of being dehydrated.

9. Break the sugar addiction and you’ll lose the fat.

Sugar is the bane of anyone wanting to get rid of the layer of fat they have sitting on their body. The problem is, that sugar is just as addictive as alcohol, cigarettes, even hard drugs. Breaking the sugar addiction is like any other substance abuse issue. You’ve got to be strong, have will power, and get through day by day. The cravings will always be there, but if you prepare yourself and realize that you have the power to overcome them by eating what you know you should, then you will be successful. It takes 21 days to make a habit. Those are the worst days when breaking the sugar addiction. Slowly, over time, you’ll be able to get through and not crave these things as much as you used to.

10. Pre-plan your workouts, and STICK TO IT!

Set up a schedule. Mark it on your calendar. If you commit yourself to a particular date and time with a set regimen of exercises you must accomplish in a day then you will be more likely to succeed on an exercise plan. Commit yourself, and write it down on paper. Visualize each exercise you are going to do before you do it. Know in your head what you need to accomplish first, then go for it. The only person who is accountable is you, and your ability to stick with your program. Your success or failure will depend on what you put into your exercise program. If you cheat or skip days, the only person who will pay is you, and you are the only one to blame. So stick with it, keep moving forward, and plan, plan, plan. Keep an exercise journal so you can compare what you planned to accomplish and what you actually did. This will help you make a realistic assessment of your workout program and make any necessary adjustments you see fit.