Friday, November 5, 2010

5 Things to Cut Out of your Diet




IF YOU WANT TO GET MAJOR RESULTS OUT OF YOUR WORKOUT, YOU HAVE TO CUT OUT WHAT I CALL "FOOD PORN"-FOOD THAT'S DOING NOTHING TO FUEL YOUR BODY, AND IN SOME CASES IS ACTUALLY DOING MORE HARM THAN GOOD. TO KEEP THINGS SIMPLE, I TELL THEM THERE ARE 5 THINGS THAT THEY ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY, MUST STOP EATING & DRINKING IF THEY WANT TO ACHIEVE THEIR FITNESS GOALS.


1. Processed sugars. I'm talking about white sugar, high fructose corn syrup, sucrose, or pretty much any kind of sugar that came from a factory instead of a piece of fruit. Processed sugar negatively affects your metabolism, your insulin response, even your mood-and all for totally empty calories. Cutting sugar out of your diet means your going to half to read some labels, because it is by far the most common food additive in the U.S.


2. Alcohol. Calories that are as empty as sugar, and at 7 calories a gram, booze can really pack it on. Alcohol also dehydrates your body, which compromises muscle growth. Plus it slows your metabolism, so you burn fewer calories. In short, drinking gives you less muscle and more fat- your just undoing everything your trying to achieve with your workout.


3. Caffeine. I know there are a lot of people out there who say caffeine can give your workout a little extra "oomph". Obviously it can give you some extra energy to make you push harder but the cost is that it increases cortisol levels in your body, which inhibits lean muscle growth only if exceeding 2 cups per day. Plus it can negatively affect your sleep patterns, and your better off working out when your rested than when your juiced.


4. Animals treated with hormones, antibiotics and/or chemicals. You need to check meat labels to see if it states it has not been treated with hormones, antibiotics and/or chemicals. Or there are plenty of excellent vegetarian protein sources, like beans, tofu & nuts. So you can eat clean while you get lean!




5. Gluten. Gluten is a grain-derived protein found in lots of different foods, mostly wheat, rye and barley products. The name comes from the Latin word for glue. You don't need to eat glue. Even if your not one of the millions who are sensitive or allergic to gluten, you'll be operating a much cleaner machine if you cut it out of your diet. There are plenty of other healthier gluten free alternatives, like millet, amaranth, quinoa, and oats.


By eliminating these empty or "foods" from your diet, you can start turning your body into the well oiled machine nature intended it to be, by eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains, you can give yourself a premium fuel to get into the best shape of your life!