Clients are always asking me advice about their diet. But more than anything, I get asked about the popular diet programs that are out there. Do they actually work? Are they actually healthy for you? Can you lose weight if you do them? In this article I will show you the advantages and disadvantages of the four most popular fad diets.

The Atkins Diet
Probably more than any other, the Atkins Diet has held a position of controversy. I mean, who would follow a weight loss diet that told you to eat fat and cut carbs. Well, tons of people! So let’s look at it more closely.

Pros — The diet has proven that people who follow it do in fact lose weight and improve their blood lipid profile(HDL LDL cholesterol and triglycerides). And if you love to eat meat and dairy and fats in large quantities this is surely diet heaven for you. However, you are steered away from eating carbohydrates, which is difficult for many people. That means that pasta, rice, potatoes, bread and whole grains and even fruits are off limits. Yet the diet claims that once you successfully cleanse these from your system by eating nothing but proteins and fats, their cravings disappear.

Cons – Since this diet is based on a no-carb regime, it begins losing its traction and benefits when even “low-carb” items are eaten. Atkins essentially eliminates an entire macronutrient all together. In terms of non-weight health issues, this diet does place a lot of stress on the body, forcing it into a state of relative ketosis, or the “I am sick” state. This creates marked energy loss, tiredness, and lack of energy available for exercise. If you’re going to stay active and exercise regularly, your body needs some carbohydrates from healthy food sources.

Conclusion — Making yourself ill to lose weight does not seem as important as being robust and healthy with the drive and energy for all life has to offer. In short, Atkins is an unhealthy way to lose weight.

South Beach Diet
Like Atkins, South Beach is a low-carb diet, but somehow managed to be structured in a way that didn’t bring on controversy.

Pros – The biggest pros of this diet is that it does bring with its weight loss aspect other positive health results, including reduction in triglycerides, blood sugar and blood pressure while raising good HDL cholesterol. The diet provides a simple form to follow, as it does not require people to track caloric intake with too much detail. It conveniently places foods in various lists to choose from. It also offer a tiered system designed to work back in more of the foods you would like to eat.  Thus making it a more sensible approach but with a definite shock factor to kickstart it initially.

Cons – The biggest complaint from dieters is the difficulty of the first phase of South Beach due to its tight food restrictions. In fact, they are so restrictive that even the author doesn’t recommend people stay there more than a few weeks. This makes it even more difficult for its followers to transition into the second phase of the diet where they are allowed to slowly re-introduce carbohydrates. There are no true guidelines to the quantities that are allowed in this phase and most followers report that the urge to carb load becomes extremely overwhelming.

Conclusion — For the most part this is not a terrible diet. It begins with a no-carb, low saturated fat phase then slowly brings you back into a more balanced eating approach. However, the diet is a bit “dated” in that it emphasizes the glycemic index of foods. This causes the diet to recommend quite a few foods that have a high glycemic load, as this concept was not really understood until after the book was written.

The Zone Diet
The Zone Diet isn’t a low carb diet but it follows a pie chart of macronutrients: 30% of the calories derived from protein, 30% from fat, and 40% from carbohydrate. And it is the strict balance of this equation that leads to the success or failure on the plan.

Pros – According to Dr. Sears, the founder of The Zone, if you are able to maintain a 30/30/40 balance of protein/fat/carbs then you will successfully maintain steady blood sugar levels. When insulin production is at the correct levels your body is able to effectively burn fat. The best part of this diet is that its proponents claim to have elevated energy and mental alertness and many athletes subscribe to it for this very reason. What’s more, with stable blood sugar comes a decrease in cravings for simple carbs and sugar laden foods, so weight is easier to keep off.

Cons – You have to follow a strict guideline of portion control, even when hungry in the initial stages. Also people say the rules are difficult to follow and the structure requires quite a bit of time to plan out meals and stick with its restrictions. If you don’t pre-plan your meals or portion them out in advance, it is extremely difficult to stay within the guidelines.

Conclusion – It is true that athletes say the diet gives them more energy. Yet many sports nutritionists and trainers are now saying their athletes are bottoming out during practice and games after long bouts of Zone dieting. This, they claim, is due to the lack of complex carbohydrate intake. Though, this is still avoidable within the Zone standards.

The Low Fat Diet
Pros – Eating low fat can be an effective way to eliminate harmful substances from your diet, including trans fats, hydrogenated oils and excessive amounts of animal fats. These, as we know, have been linked to several serious health issues including heart disease and various types of cancer.

Cons- Eating low fat substantially decreases your intake of an entire macronutrient that is critical to your overall health. As I’ve pointed out in other articles, there are definite benefits from eating the right fats, including the infamous saturated fats. Eating the right fats supports heart health and a healthy metabolism, and therefore is a critical tool for weight management.

Conclusion – Your body needs a steady, consistent intake of fat to properly dispose of stored fat, so why would you drastically restrict fat if you’re trying to burn it off? “Low fat” has also become synonymous with “high sugar” in most foods, so eating a low fat diet simply is not an effective weight loss tool.

The Bottom Line
All of these diets bring both positive and negative aspects to the table. So what’s the best approach to take? The best advice I can give is not to follow any fad diet. Rather, you must educate yourself in the pros and cons of all aspects of nutrition and focus on eating clean, quality calories.

When all is said and done, a healthy diet must contain a balanced combination of protein, complex carbohydrates, fiber, fruit, vegetables and plenty of water. This will ensure that you’re eating to support  ANY of your fitness and wellness goals.

So if you’re considering jumping on one of these diets in 2010 to meet your weight loss goals, you might want to reconsider. We are still offering a more effective way to achieve your fitness goals this year. Until the end of January, we are giving away 3 FREE Personal Training sessions when you purchase a package of 12 sessions or more. Don’t miss your opportunity to pursue your goals the right way this year. Call Mike at 888-872-7961 ext.1 to get set up for your free trial with one of the area’s best personal trainers!

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Whether you’re a serious gym rat or a sometimes fitness buff, you are trying to lose weight and strengthen the body. Funny yet how so many people are hesitant to join a gym, eat well or even hire a personal trainer at first to help get them going.

There’s something about overcoming inertia… once you get going, moving is easy. In other articles I‘ve written about the motivation “to do it.” In this article I want to share something different with you.

The other side of the coin is that once people get into the nuts and bolts of their own training and nutrition… they just love it! They feel good. They see results. They can’t imagine not doing it, or even skipping a day. And they want more and more. But there are only so many hours in a day to train… or are there?

Almost every day I have clients asking me for simple ways they can stoke their metabolism, keep their energy levels up, stretch their muscles, burn calories and get strong throughout their day. They’re addicted to the fitness lifestyle, and crave more of it. I love when I hear this and have compiled a list of daily activities you can do that keep you in fitness mode all day. Keep in mind that none of these are replacements for a sound, steady fitness program, rather supplemental things you can do everyday to improve your overall health. Here they are, by topic.

1. Avoid Driving Whenever Possible
In today’s day and age we’ve become extremely dependent on the automobile. Think of how many things you actually walk to from home or work? Walking is so great because it boosts the metabolism, strengthens the legs and keeps the hip flexors supple. And a mere 20-minute walk can burn 100 calories. To increase all of these good things, make it a brisk walk and be sure to swing your arms!

No time for a special walk, no problem. Here are some of my favorite ways to fit it in:
A) Park at the far end of your work lot and walk into the office(this avoids the stress of parking, door dings and forces you to walk)

B) Skip the elevator and always take the stairs(10 flights at a brisk pace will burn 50 calories, get your heart and lungs working hard and improve circulation which is severely diminished sitting in a chair all day. Ever notice how your feet get cold when you sit for too long)

C) Forget driving to your local market or store and walk instead. Carrying a few bags in each hand will add to the exertion and accelerate calories burned. You can also walk to lunch or go for a walk after lunch if you brought your lunch to work.

D)For a quick shot of energy and rejuvenation, instead of a cup of coffee to get you through your afternoon, drop to the floor and do as many pushups as you can. This will give your body a good quick shock and you’ll avoid the 350 calorie Caramel Macchiato.

E)How about riding your bicycle to work? This would extremely healthy not only to you but to the environment. You’d be reducing the stress of rush hour traffic and helping the environment by reducing your carbon footprint. Of course, if you have a 20 mile commute each way, that might not work for you, but you get the idea.

2. Housework
When you are home, forget sofa time and instead get busy with straightening up the house or cleaning. While it may seem mundane, doing your chores offers an instant metabolic boost. And the flexibility/strengthening effects of all the pushing, pulling, reaching and lifting add to your fit day.

Not sure what to do, well 20 minutes of these simple activities burns 100 calories each. Combine three things and your will burn 300 calories, elevate your heart rate, tone your arms and keep the blood moving. Try these three:
A) Vacuum the entire house, room by room.
B) Fold a few loads of clean clothes while standing
C) Clean the windows, mirrors, sinks and tubs.

3. Just for Fun
We all know the many health benefits of being outside. We draw fresh air into the lungs, get plenty of Vitamin D, tend to move about more, and walk, run, bike or play. But you can have fun inside, too, while living the fit life.

For the working adult with or without kids, fun is often limited to the weekends. Not to worry, there are things you can do during your normal week that will also keep the metabolism stoked, burn calories, tone the muscles and keep the blood moving. Here are some examples:
A) Jog or Run to get your mail from the box instead of walking

B) Walk/play with your dog or the neighbor’s dog, and let them lead you at a quick pace. Animals are a great way to get you to move about more
C) make a lunch or after work appointment with a friend and go for a power walk, a run or enjoy a quick game of tennis
D) Turn on the radio and dance yourself crazy for a song or two—talk about a stress buster! (If you’re a bad dancer, just don’t let anyone see you
E) Interactive video games like the Wii Fit is a fun indoor calorie burner and a great way to play and bond with the kids.

The best part about all of these tips is that they get you up off your seat, keep you active throughout the day, reduce muscle stiffness and slowing of the metabolism, increase weight loss capability, and help maintain a healthy, strong and supple body that feels alive and refreshed all day!

So give these little things a try and see the difference they make when they all add up at the end of your day and your week. I know you will be surprised!

Also, don’t forget that our rate increase for personal training will be effective as of November 1st. Don’t miss your opportunity to get grandfathered in at our current below market rates AND get 2 additional FREE sessions when you sign up by October 31st. Because of the overwhelming response we’ve had to this promotion so far, we may have to limit the total number of people who can take advantage of it. So call Mike now at 888-872-7961 ext.1 to get set up!

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Weight loss supplementation is a billion-dollar industry. Every supplement known to man has come and gone, from laxatives, to metabolic boosters, to fat trappers. Some work and others only drain the wallet. The new kid on the block is Açaí berry, and Oprah and Rachel Ray are its biggest fans.

The açaí “berry” is actually a fruit. Its shape, size and color remind people of grapes. But unlike grapes, it doesn’t contain very much pulp. And similar to the pit of a plumb, açaí contains a single large seed. The fruit grows on trees, with approx. 800 units per panicle (which is something like a branch). Açaí are harvested and are a staple food in under-developed regions of the world. In fact, in a 1999 study of three ethnic groups in the Brazilian Amazon, açaí palm was found to be such a major part of their diet, that more than 40% of their meals contained this fruit.

Acai juice, extract and pulp are consumed in various blended drinks, smoothies, ice cream, liqueurs and even in sodas. In the south of Brazil it is consumed in a bowl mixed with granola. Aside from the popular talk show hosts named above, physicians such as Dr. Perricone have publicly called it one of the Earth’s Superfoods. But why?

Theoretically, if one eats less, has more energy, is not bloated, has regular bowel movements, proper digestion and their liver and kidneys are working properly… they should lose weight. But does taking açaí supplements or enhanced juices actually lead to weight loss?

To be honest, it doesn’t seem this is true. As of today, there have been no controlled studies carried out to support all these claims—let alone the weight-loss miracle claim! Even Dr. Oz is rethinking his stance on the issue and digging deeper into the facts to determine if açaí is truly the new weight-loss giant that marketing firms keep telling us it is.

However, research has found (in varying degrees) that açaí contains very high levels of antioxidants. It is touted and marketed in the United States as being able to simultaneously decrease appetite, increase energy, remove excess waste from the body, cure constipation, decrease bloating and water retention, relieve muscle cramps, aches and pain, lower cholesterol, reverse diabetes, improve heart and digestive health while cleansing the system. Wow!

So if açaí can’t shed those pounds like the natural miracle berry we have been told it is, at least consuming it can help you remain healthy and strong. And while the researchers prove the weight loss aspect true or false, get to the gym and burn those calories… and leave the bacon behind.

The lesson learned here is this: Let’s not wait around to discover if research can prove that acai is the new weight loss miracle. Let’s face it – quick fix weight loss products have never proven to be effective. Get back to the basics and take control of your health the natural way!

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The election is just around the corner.   By this time next week, we are going to know who our next president is going to be.

I just received my sample ballot in the mail.   Among our choice of voting for a new president, there are also many other offices, judicial positions and legislature that we are supposed to vote for.

It’s overwhelming, really.  Those other votes are important but they really require you to do some research on your own
to learn more about those candidates since the presidential race trumps them in size and magnitude.

We are living in an interesting time.   In the middle of a global economic crisis.   These things happen about every 20 years or so and we always bounce back from them.   We did so in the 30′s, 50′s, 80′s, and will today.   This one is no different and it too will pass.

Financial and government leaders are doing what they can to resuscitate it.  The market will adjust and correct itself back to normal.   You and I have no control over it.  The only thing we can control is how we let it affect us.   We must continue to be consumers and not rattle the system by being fearful and losing confidence in it.

So who am I voting for?

ME!

Me, Myself, and I.  Me, Me, Me, Me, Me!

No, this is not some arrogant ploy to say I could do things better.  No way!  Those guys are warriors.  They go into office for 4 years but come out looking 10 years older.  No thanks!

I’m voting to concern myself with improving the things I can control.

Last time I checked, those were my health, my fitness, my mindset and my education.

Watching the financial news takes me on a roller coaster ride that makes me feel helpless.  Therefore, I’ve limited my exposure to it.  I won’t give the news media the satisfaction of letting myself fear and worry.   I will not be their puppet.

Therefore, I’m investing in me – because that’s all any of us ever really ‘have’.

Your health is our wealth.

Put it first.

I’m sure you’ve heard the quote…

“You spend your health acquiring your wealth, only to spend your wealth later in life in an attempt to re-acquire your health”

One thing is true: No matter what happens this November, I’ll still have my mind and body to deal with – so that’s where I’m putting all my focus.

What about you?

Are you voting for everyone else but forgetting yourself?  If so, there’s still time to adjust your vote so that you include YOURSELF in the process.

‘write in’ and check off YOURSELF today.

Take control of your body, mind and soul.  Stay sharp, stay focused, stay healthy.

Please, do not let the MOST precious thing you own slide under the crisis bandwagon of the financial times.  You may not have much control over these trying times, but you have a ton of control over how you regard yourself.  Your health. Your mind. Your internal peace. Your state of gratitude.

Use this time to take control of you.  And be thankful for the health you have.  It’s your real treasure here on earth.  The other stuff just makes it that much more fun to be healthy.

If you’ve been voting for others before voting for yourself, let us match you up with one of our personal trainers to re-align your focus on the things you can control and get you back on track.  Being fit and being healthy is extremely gratifying.

We live in a beautiful country with lots of freedoms and you have the freedom to put yourself first.  Exercise that freedom.

Be true to yourself,

Dennys Passeto, CPT
Achieve Fitness Personal Training, LLC
www.achieve-fitness.com
1-888-872-7961

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