The TRUTH about Potatoes, Glycemic Index, and "White Foods" - Friend or Foe for Fat Loss? by Mike Geary, Certified Nutrition Specialist, Certified Personal Trainer Author - The Truth about Six-Pack Abs

The TRUTH about Potatoes, Glycemic Index, and "White Foods" - Friend or Foe for Fat Loss?

by Mike Geary, Certified Nutrition Specialist, Certified Personal Trainer
Author - The Truth about Six-Pack Abs

I'd like to start a little discussion today about carbohydrates... and in particular, "white foods" as well as potatoes. One reason I wanted to mention this is because so many health and fitness professionals trash talk potatoes about being a bad carbohydrate choice because of the high glycemic index. Some even say such ridiculous things as "avoid any and all white carbohydrates".

Ok, now while I certainly agree that white bread and refined white sugar are two of the worst things we can be feeding our bodies, I definately don't agree with avoiding any and all "white carbohydrates". Now I know all of the buzz lately has been about colorful foods and the protective antioxidants that they contain. They tell you to focus on colors and stay away from white. 

"White Foods" aren't necessarily always the enemy

It's true that colorful foods are great, but it is a big mistake to specifically avoid white foods! There are plenty of white foods that have specific nutrients that are hard to find elsewhere. Let's look at a few examples...

Onions & Garlic

What about onions and garlic? They are both white and they are chock full of protective phytonutrients, vitamins, and trace minerals that aren't easy to find elsewhere in a normal diet... such nutrients as allicin, quercetin (an important flavonoid), chromium, and other unique anti-inflammatory nutrients.

In fact, onions are so powerful for our health, that one study of centenarians (people that live to over 100 years old) identified that a common thread of these amazingly healthy individuals was that they ate a lot of onions throughout their lives.   And we also know that garlic is one of the most powerful substances for a strong immune system, among other qualities.  

Cauliflower

Another example of something white that is great for you is cauliflower. Cauliflower is loaded with vitamin C, fiber, minerals, and special compounds such as glucosinolates and thiocyanates, which are specifically abundant in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage.  And a little-known fact is that some of the compounds in cruciferous vegetables help to combat other estrogenic compounds in our food supply and environment and can help prevent excess belly fat.  So eat up on that cauliflower!

Mushrooms

Not many people realize this, but surprisingly, even white mushrooms have high levels of unique nutrients and antioxidants. White mushrooms are high in a couple types of antioxidants called polyphenols and ergothioneine.  And some types of mushrooms, such as portobella mushrooms, are surprisingly good sources of Vitamin D.

Potatoes

Now that also leads us to another example - white potatoes (which by the way, can also be found in red, yellow, purple varieties, etc). Many health professionals claim that potatoes are a bad carbohydrate because they are thought to have a high glycemic index. First of all, if you've read my Truth about Six Pack Abs ebook, then you understand that glycemic index is not necessarily the most important factor in choosing your carbohydrates.

While a generalization can be made that most low glycemic index carbohydrate choices will help you lose body fat easier than high glycemic index choices, it is not all that it's cracked up to be. There are many other factors that determine how your body will react-to and process the carbohydrates you ingest, such as glycemic load and also how you combine the high GI food with other foods.

For example, using glycemic load as an example... it is known that watermelon has a high glycemic index. However, the glycemic load of a normal serving of watermelon is just way too low for your body to start packing on body fat just because you ate a high glycemic index fruit. You would have to eat such an enormous quantity of watermelon just to get enough grams of carbohydrates to have any negative glycemic effect, that it is just non-sensical.

Not to mention that watermelon is also a great source of vitamins, minerals, and lycopene. There's just no reason to avoid it simply because it has a high GI. My point is... candy bars, cupcakes, and donuts make you fat... NOT watermelons, carrots or potatoes... French fries excluded of course.

Also, as i mentioned, food combinations are important in how your body processes the carbohydrates and the associated blood sugar and insulin response you receive. For example, if you mix a high glycemic index carbohydrate with an extra source of fiber, healthy fats, or even certain proteins, many times the blood sugar and glycemic response will be slowed down considerably by the way you combined the food. Again, I talk in detail about this entire topic in my Truth about Six Pack Abs book

Alright, so back to my point that white potatoes are actually a healthy carbohydrate as long as you eat them in the right form... with the entire skin, and please don't ruin them by deep frying them into french fries either! French fries are one of the most evil things ever invented for your health, but only because we ruin them by soaking them in a scorching bath oftrans fats in the deep fryer from the hydrogenated oils that are typically used.

Keep in mind that potatoes contain so many vitamins and minerals that the list is way too long to even try. Also, as long as you eat the skins, you get a decent shot of fiber too.

Will 7-9 potatoes per day make you fatter?

On the topic of potatoes not being so bad after all, I don't remember where I saw this referenced, but I recently saw a particular study that had participants eat something like 7-9 whole potatoes per day for several weeks.

At the conclusion of the study, the potato eaters had actually consistently lost weight! I'd venture a guess that the reason the people lost weight is that they were probably so full from eating all of those damn potatoes, that they actually consumed less calories than normal! An average sized potato only has about 100-120 calories, and I can surely imagine you'd be full constantly from eating 7-9 potatoes each day. 

Of course, this does NOT mean that french fries are ok to eat!  Those will only make you fat, and the trans fat will lead to an early death.  Seriously... fries are one of the most deadly foods in our food supply.  Plus, deep fried potatoes build updangerous acrylamides from the frying oil reacting with the starch, and these compounds are carcinogenic. 

Anyway, back to the 7-9 whole potatoes per day... Now I would never recommend going to those extremes, but my point is that an occasional potato is not going to hurt your efforts to get lean, especially if you combine it with some other fibrous vegetables and maybe a healthy fat and some protein. On that note, I have one of my favorite recipes for you, using potatoes.

Geary's Lean-Body Potato Side Dish

• Desired quantity of baby potatoes (I like to use this mixture I found recently at a health food store... it is a mixture of white, red, yellow, and purple baby potatoes)
• 1 red pepper
• 1 green pepper
• 1 yellow pepper
• 1 or 2 onions
• a couple cloves of garlic, finely chopped (or mashed garlic from a jar, organic preferably)
• 1 or 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil and/or virgin coconut oil
• a little salt and pepper to taste (I like using a sea salt instead of normal commercial salt)

Cut the baby potatoes into slightly smaller pieces and place in a steamer until soft all the way through. Slice up the peppers and onions into strips and add with the chopped garlic into a pan with the olive oil. Cook the peppers, onions, and garlic until tender, and then add the steamed baby potatoes. Stir it all together and serve. This is a delicious and healthy side dish that goes great with chicken or red meat.

I hope you've enjoyed this little topic today about potatoes, healthy carbohydrates, glycemic index, and my killer healthy potato recipe idea!

If you enjoyed this article today, feel free to share this page with your friends and family.

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3 Veggies That Help to Burn Stomach Fat By Mike Geary

3 Veggies That Help to Burn Stomach Fat By Mike Geary

Specific vegetables that actually help to stimulate the burning of stomach fat?  Sounds crazy right?

Well, check this out below and you'll see why it's not so far fetched.

First, one fact that you may have not realized is that there are certain chemicals in our food supply and in our environment, such as pesticides, herbicides, and petrochemicals that have an estrogenic effect inside our bodies.  This problem can increase belly fat on both men and women, so pay attention.

These are called xenoestrogens, and exposure to them from these chemicals in our food supply, water supply, and the environment is one factor that can actually stimulate your body to hold onto belly fat.  The problem is that in today's world, even if you eat organic and live in a relatively low-pollution area, it is almost impossible to not get at least some degree of daily exposure to xenoestrogens.  They are even in household cleaners and cosmetics!

So how can you fight against these xenoestrogens so that they are not forcing your body to hold onto stomach fat?

Well, that's where these specific types of vegetables that I'm going to show you can help.

There are many classes of vegetables, teas, spices, etc that have compounds which can help to fight against the effects of xenoestrogens.  However, one of the most powerful classes are cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, kale, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, etc.

These types of cruciferous vegetables contain very unique compounds (phytonutrients) such as indole-3-carbinol (I3C) that can help to combat the effects of xenoestrogens in your body, and therefore, can help you to burn abdominal fat more effectively.

As if you needed another excuse to eat more broccoli and cauliflower... Now, you can add losing stomach fat to the list!

Now here's the cool thing...

On this link, I'm going to show you my program that explains specific teas, spices, and other sources of these unique compounds that help to fight against xenoestrogens and help you to Burn Belly Fat faster and more effectively.

Enjoy, and good luck with your fitness goals!

Mike Geary -
Certified Nutrition Specialist,
Author - The Truth about Six Pack Abs

FIND OUT MORE:

http://www.truthaboutabs.com/ab/?hop=w8loss4now

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Should We Ditch Meat For More Effective Weight Loss? By Mike Miller

For those of us who need to lose weight, whether or not, or how much, me we should eat is a very important question. There is no real black and white answer to whether or not meet should be consumed for effective weight loss, but we can look at the positives and negatives and make a determination for ourselves.

Whether you are vegetarian or vegan or a dedicated red meat lover, don't tune me out even though I am not writing from a vegetarian or vegan perspective. You may be surprised at what I have to say.

Let's look at the positives of eating meat first. For me, taste is at the top. Who doesn't like a delicious juicy steak once in a while? Aside from that, the big positive is that meat has the most complete type of protein for our bodies.

Now let's look at the negatives of eating meat. First, meat is very high in fat. In fact, meat has the highest amount of saturated fat of any food. This includes beef, chicken, and pork. Saturated fat puts us at risk for heart attacks and strokes.

Second, because meat and poultry are high in fat, one would have to eat less food to get the same amount of calories as if she ate food's lower in fat. The reason is that every gram of fat you eat has 9 calories. Eating meat is not great for losing body fat.

Also, lowering one's calories and eating foods higher in fat and lower in carbs lowers the amount of vitamins consumed. Therefore, it would be better to eat a moderate-carb low-fat meal.

I know some of us who lift weights need more protein, so here are some ideas on where to get your protein if you want to reduce or eliminate meat.

Though fish does have fat, it has more unsaturated fat, the kind that helps lower our triglycerides, so it would be a much healthier alternative. Try a delicious grilled salmon steak or some albacore tuna.

Another alternative is egg whites. There is very little fat no cholesterol in them, and each egg white has 4 grams of protein.

Weigh protein is another great alternative to meet. One scoop can give you 16 to 30 grams of protein and one can mix it with fat-free milk. These supplements can be used as a midmorning or midafternoon snack.

Finally, there are many soy products on the market. Soy chicken patties are a delicious alternative to fried chicken sandwiches. Soy crumbles can be substituted in spaghetti sauce or tacos.

Diet low in fat are healthier ways to lose weight than diets high in meat.I still eat chicken, pork, fish, and beef, but less often, and I eat smaller portions, and eat it less often. I respect vegetarians and vegans, but I just can't do it. So if you are like me, try cutting down on meat and using some alternatives, and see if it work for you.

Mike Miller began his quest to be at his ideal body weight in 2004. Since then, he has reached his goal and kept thin. He now has a website, http://www.fatloss411.net giving away his information. If you need to lose body fat Stop by and learn with him.

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The Importance of Drinking Water to Help You Burn Fat As a Part of Any Diet Plan By Joseph P. Landry

There is much more information about this ideal. It can be found at this site: http://ucanlosefat.com.

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The Importance of Drinking Water to Help You Burn Fat As a Part of Any Diet Plan By Joseph P. Landry

If you are an individual looking to burn fat and lose weight off of your frame, I want to first commend you for having this goal in mind. It is a sobering fact that too many people today are vastly overweight, a situation that seriously threatens their long-term health. Getting involved in both an exercise and legitimate diet plan is a step in the right direction. A crucial part of these plans is the importance of drinking water, (as well as water-based foods) to help you in burning bad fat from your body.

Consuming food from the right food sources, (fresh vegetables, lean chicken, fish and fresh fruit) helps to regulate an individual's metabolism in the fat burning, weight loss process. A program of regular exercise, (light weight lifting and calisthenics) performed ideally several days per week also helps the body burn fat as well as strengthen one's cardiovascular system. Along with these concepts regular water consumption daily replenishes fluids that the body loses while exercising, helps burn off bad fat and also helps vital organs in the body to function at their best.

The problem is that many people do not get the daily recommended levels of water as emphasized by the American Medical Association. Whereas it was long recommended that people drink 8 full (8 oz. minimum) glasses of water daily, it was recently revised upwards to 12 full glasses of water that should be consumed. Vital organs such as the liver and kidneys will become overtaxed if individuals were to consume levels of water well below the revised standards. Water also helps individuals to naturally get rid of toxins and waste from the body.

If you are have gotten involved in a legitimate diet plan, participate in an exercise regimen regularly, but still are not consuming water at the recommended level then you still are cheating yourself in trying to reach your weight loss goal. I will also go out on a limb and state bluntly that you also may be damaging your body too as you are not replenishing and nourishing your body with the needed amounts of water.

A legitimate diet plan should also educate you towards consuming from food sources that naturally contain high levels of water in their products. These products are naturally low fat, contain low levels of calories, help burn off bad fat and most importantly help to naturally hydrate your body. As your body benefits from consuming these food sources, (aiding the kidneys and liver) you will naturally burn fat and gain lean muscle. So, what are these high-water containing food sources? They are the following:

Watermelon - Composed mostly of water this fruit contains high levels of calcium, magnesium and potassium which help to regulate your metabolism.

Grapefruit - contain minerals to help detoxify the body.

Avocados - over 75% water based this food source contains high levels of monounsaturated fats, (good fats which helps lower one's cholesterol levels and regulates your metabolism.

Cantaloupe - low in calories, also regulates one's metabolism and also lowers the body's blood sugar levels.

Strawberries - low in calories and contains nutrients that provide high levels of anti-oxidants.

Additionally, some great and highly recommended vegetable sources that contain high levels of water would be cucumbers and broccoli. Please consider adding most of the above mentioned food sources to your diet plan. Your body will benefit in many ways, (receiving important minerals, vitamins and nutrients found in the foods) in addition to the fact that you will burn off bad fat and lose weight!

The daily consumption of high levels of water is essential in naturally hydrating and benefiting the body. It is also an essential step in helping one burn fat and lose weight in a diet, (as well as) exercise plan. 

Alkaline Diet - How Can Alkaline Diet Transform Your Health

Alkaline Diet - How Can Alkaline Diet Transform Your Health

The diet of our ancestors is completely different from what we are so accustomed to today. With the advancement of technology, the types of foods we consume are dragged along. A trip to the grocery store will shock you with many aisles of processed food items and animal products. You will not have a hard time finding fast food when eating out as practically every corner of the street has one.

Even fad diets are partly to blame, for introducing a whole new eating habit, such as high-protein diets. In recent years, consumption of animal products and refined food items has increased, as more and more people leave out the daily supply of fruits and vegetables in their diet.

It comes as no surprise why, these days, many are suffering from different types of allergies, bone diseases, heart problems and many others. Some health experts link these diseases to the type of foods we eat. There are certain types of food that disrupts a certain balance in our body that, during such instance, health problems arise. If only we could modify our eating habits.

The Importance of Alkaline

Our bodies need to maintain a healthy and steady alkaline to acid ratio, which is signified by the pH level of our body. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14, and anything lower than 7 is considered acidic. Processed food items, meat and meat products, sweets, and some beverages and condiments generally produce excessive amounts of acidity in the body.

Acidosis, abnormally high acidity level in the blood and other tissues of the body, is the one thing that several different diseases have one thing in common. And many health experts believe that acidosis is responsible for a lot of fatal diseases that many people are afflicted with these days.

Alkaline, on the other hand, naturally occurs in the body to neutralize excess acidity in the body, which is its main role. However, alkaline also becomes depleted at times – especially when there’s too much acid it needs to get rid of, and we do not consume foods that replenish our body’s alkalinity.

Maintaining a Healthy pH Level

As mentioned earlier, acidosis leads to many health-related problems. Dangerous levels of acid get to circulate in our body and break into tissues and organs when not properly neutralized. To prevent this, one must see to it that a healthy pH balance in the body is maintained. And to offset the excessive amounts of acid is to increase your body’s alkalinity.

Determining whether or not your pH levels are prevalently alkaline may be done with easy-to-use pH level strips which you can purchase in drug stores or medical supplies stores. There are pH level strips meant for testing using your saliva, and there are those for using your urine.

Basically, a saliva pH level strip will determine how much acid your body is producing; normally it’s between 6.5 and 7.5 throughout the day. While a urine pH level strip will tell how well you excrete excess amounts of acid; you should get between 6.0 and 6.5 in the morning and between 6.5 and 7.0 at night.

The Dangers of Excessive Acid

If you constantly experience exhaustion, headaches and having frequent colds and flu, then that could be it – you have high acid levels in your body. But the ill effects of acidosis in the body don’t stop there; you might be surprised at the wide-ranging types of diseases you could get with dangerous levels of acid in your body.

Depression, hyperacidity, ulcer, skin dryness, acne and obesity are some of those linked to excessive acid levels in the body. Then there are those that are more serious such as joint diseases, osteoporosis, bronchitis, frequent infections and heart diseases.

Even if you begin to take medications for these illnesses, the symptoms may be masked, but they will still continue to affect your health as you are not attacking them from their roots. No matter what medications you take – pills, anti-inflammatory and the like – your body will only become more acidic because of these medications.

Alkaline Diet Approach

To get to the roots of these health problems, the body’s pH level must be brought back to normal. There are alkaline foods that can help replenish the depleted alkaline levels in the body while neutralizing excess amounts of acid. Through an alkaline diet, sufficient amounts of alkaline are re-introduced into the body, thus bringing back the pH level to predominantly alkaline.

So how do you incorporate an alkaline diet into your eating habits? First, you can start by cutting down your intake of processed foods. These type of foods contain chemicals that only increase the acidity of your body ones they’re digested. Second, steer clear of meat and meat products, dairies and alcohol. Third, load up on fresh fruits and vegetables, as they naturally are high in alkalinity.

Even acidic fruits like oranges and lemons become alkaline after they have been digested and absorbed by the body. As a general rule, 75% of your daily food consumption should consist of alkalizing foods. The more alkaline foods we provide our bodies with, the more efficient the neutralization of excess acids will be.

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