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10 Principles of Fat-Loss and Fitness for Life

You can’t go anywhere without seeing an overweight person.

The prevalence of obesity is a concern for the entire country, but more so for the people most affected by it.

Most overweight people don’t choose to be overweight. It just happens — usually over the course of many years.

But then they wake up one day and find that the disconnect between how things are and how things should be is too great. Something needs to change.

The pressure to change is felt by everyone, and how we choose to respond to the pressure is as unique as our own thoughts.

For my entire adolescence, I was self conscious of my body. The movie stars made me hate my body and I tried dieting at least half a dozen times which ended up in complete failure.

1. Dieting is not the answer

Real dieting is a tool for a purpose. Whether or not dieting is healthy is dependent on the way certain people diet.

Dieting is what bodybuilders do before competition. Dieting is what actors do to lose weight for certain roles.

But for the average person, dieting is a way to make short term gains and feel better about yourself in the short term. However, dieting is inherently temporary.

Diets have a beginning and an end. What happens after the diet ends?

2. One size does NOT fit all

Just because the food I eat works for me doesn’t mean everyone has to follow my nutritional guidelines.

And just because my weightlifting builds my muscles and makes me feel good about myself doesn’t mean that the way I train is right for you.

But if you did happen to like what I do, or if you do happen to learn more about my nutritional habits, then I may be a good source of information for you.

The key is to seek out information that motivates you.

You are the most important part of your fitness.

3. Fitness is a balance between Life and Recovery

I hit the gym 3-4 times a week, so if I drink even two beers, it will negatively affect my recovery and make me worse off the next day.

Your fitness level is directly related to the stress of your life in correlation to your recovery.

Recovery is defined as all things and activities that nourish the body (e.g. 8 hours of sleep, stretching muscles, drinking water, fruits, vegetables, vitamins, minerals, proteins, antioxidants, dietary fats, omega-3 fatty acids, etc).

If you are having a difficulty recovering from everyday life, then it may not be the right time for you to begin a serious exercise program. However, light-to-moderate exercise may be more appropriate in order to decrease stress and maintain current fitness levels.

4. Nine out of ten people are nutrient deficient

You may say, “Hey, I feel fine, how can I be nutrient deficient?”

My idea of nutrient deficiency may be different than the doctor’s idea of a deficiency.

If you get sick or have colds, you are nutrient deficient. My rationale is that targeted nutrition does maintain a ROBUST immune system, which is linked to an optimal endocrine system, in addition to the central nervous system.

While a lot of people are deficient in the basic Vitamin C, most people may not be getting optimal levels of nutrients that they have never even heard of!

That makes sense, because how can people improve their nutrient status if they do not even understand the potential of nutrients at our disposal?

Examples of lesser known nutrients that will boost recovery, health:
-Phytonutrients from vegetables like Kale (indole-3-carbinol — preferably from raw), Beets (betacyanins), and Carrots (beta-carotene)
-Enzymes from raw foods or enzyme supplementation
-Beneficial bacteria from Kefir, Yogurt, Kimchi, Raw Sauerkraut, Raw Miso, Tempeh, Natto

5. Human fitness is determined by the health, functionality, and balance of every cell in the body

I am a firm believer that you are greater than the sum of your parts.

In order for you to function optimally in a physical, mental, and emotional regard, your cells must be nourished on a regular basis.

Cells REQUIRE oxygen, minerals, coenzymes, water, fatty acids, and more. People who do not nourish their bodies with proper nutrition every single day are not functioning at optimal performance. Therefore, the highest levels of fitness cannot be achieved.

6. People who eat like sh*t, but still have amazing bodies/health/happiness have really good genes

Lets face it.

Some people can have their cake AND eat it too.

But keep in mind that it eventually catches up to them. Soon their prematurely aged skin will tell tales of atherosclerosis and other chronic diseases.

7. You will be much more successful by changing ONE thing at a time

The main reason that dieting doesn’t work is because people try to do a complete 180 in their lifestyle. They go from eating junk to eating fresh fruits and salads. In other words, they change EVERYTHING.

Changing your entire life in a day is difficult. I’ve never been able to do that.

The best way to make long term success is by focusing on one important change at a time. Over time, you will have dozens of new healthy habits that slowly became second nature to you.

8. Set clear and realistic goals

Which goal is most effective?

a. “I want to lose 20 pounds”

OR

b. “Each day this week, I will consume one additional serving of leafy green vegetables in order to promote my weight loss goal of 20 pounds”

The first option is not even a goal. Whereas the second selection is not only achievable, but also effective.

If you chose Goal b. and consumed one additional serving of leafy greens everyday for a week, you would FEEL success. No, you would BE success.

But if you chose Goal a. you may feel like a failure after a few weeks and these negative feelings could lead to overeating and other dangerous behaviors.

9. Discover your own motivation

Don’t change yourself for somebody else.

Don’t change yourself because society wants you to be slim.

Look inside and discover what you really want with you.

Is who you are right now who you want to be in the future?

What steps can you take tomorrow to bring yourself closer to who you want to be in the future?

10. Become inspired, feel the rush of your own potential

My dad is my biggest inspiration. He is a runner, one of the best in his age group during events.

I am a strength and conditioning enthusiast. I train my body to achieve greater strength levels by busting plateau’s and trying to become the most badass dude in my gym.

Greater levels of Fitness are achievable by all.

When the focus is more about Wellness than low-body fat, the road to success becomes clearer.

Say no to disease.

Live life the way you want to.

What is it about who you are now that makes you want to be a better you?

Weightloss Now
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Get Ripped: Top 5 Benefits of the Squat!

The Squat is a powerful tool to achieve the Physique of your Dreams

Of all exercises known to man, the Barbell Squat is royalty in the kingdom of lean physiques.

Utilizing the Squat in your exercise routine will help you develop pure fitness.

Top 5 Benefits of Squatting

1. The Squat will obliterate Fat from your body.

This exercise uses most of the muscles on your body in a full body movement. In order for your body to recover from a squatting routine, nutrients will be spent nurturing the muscle tissue while stripping body fat.

Physique by: Squats

2. Hormone boosts following the Squat

People who squat can enjoy the benefits of a surge of testosterone following a squat session. When it comes to burning fat, testosterone is your friend.

Boosted testosterone levels (even temporary) increases fat metabolism and protein synthesis simultaneously. This is the ultimate combination for becoming LEAN.

3. Core strength and six-pack abs development

In order to support the weight of the bar on your shoulders, all of the core muscles are taxed. You are likely to gain both strength and size from your six-pack abs muscles — this helps protect your back and makes a more visible six-pack abs look.

She Squats for no one but herself!!

4. Proper Quadricep, Glute, and Hamstring development.

The musculature of your legs become more defined and fill in. The curves and lines start to become all in the right places. You get a nice ass. You can pick up heavy stuff. Your lower back doesn’t ache. Everyone is jealous of your physically appealing legs.

5. Improved stability around the joints of the lower body

Believe it or not, squatting can actually improve the health of your knee and hip joints. While squatting may be contraindicated for certain populations, the benefits are vast for healthy people.

With proper form, the muscles surrounding the knee joint will strengthen and protect.

Cues for Squat Form:

  • Before descending, take in a deep breathe and maintain a TIGHT core.
  • Keep arch or straight lower back at all times.
  • Knees “track” in the direction of your feet. Do NOT bow knees inward (if this happens, lower the weight)
  • When descending, “break” from both the knees and hips simultaneously
  • Go as deep as you can while maintaining good form. Deeper squat = greater benefit.
  • Push through the heels when coming up.
  • Glutes should be the main muscle used — quads are secondary.

Go forth and SQUAT.

Squats help you gain muscle in all the right places.

For men and for women. A finely tuned squat is a sight to see — we must constantly achieve proper form.

The best squatters have some of the best physiques!

Physical Fitness by Dre Weightloss Now
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For Fat-Loss Results, Focus 90% of effort on Nutrition

Physical fitness requires you to move.

You can work out, play sports, or any form of gyrating.

And doing it with friends is a great fitness activity for social bonding too.

My co-worker with a history in personal training asked me how often I go to the gym. The reality is that I’m only at the gym twice a week and that the majority of my fitness results come from eating well.

Focus 90% of your efforts on Nutrition for real Weight Loss

Cutting calories isn’t really the only answer.

Actually, caloric needs are different for everyone at any given moment. For example, after an intense workout, you may actually need 1,000 calories of pure nutrition. But before bed, you might only need 200 calories from lean proteins and greens.

The secret to eating healthy is to learn more about your food

Most people have no idea what their food is actually doing for them.

They don’t know the macro-nutrient ratios, vitamin, mineral, phytonutrient, or other micronutrient content in their foods.

It takes effort to learn this information, but it is freely available online and in other resources.

However, once you have a grasp on the truth behind your food, then eating healthy becomes easier.

You can mix and match superfoods to produce the ultimate in health, while still tasting delicious.

For example, my guacamole is an absolute powerhouse of nutrition

  • Avocado (healthy unsaturated fat, fiber, protein, fat-soluble vitamins, phytonutrients, and one of the body’s most preferred antioxidant called glutathione.)
  • Lemons (vitamin c, trace minerals, potassium, and pH balancing)
  • Onions (minerals, fiber, and the potent cancer-fighting bioflavanoid, quercetin)
  • Garlic (a pungent and delicious way to boost immunity)
  • Miso paste (live Probiotics to restore and maintain intestinal balance, healing properties)
  • Pico de Gallo (tomatoes containing the powerful phytonutrient called lycopene)
  • Sea salt (minerals)
  • Cayenne powder (phytonutrients and metabolism stimulator)
  • Olive oil (monounsaturated fat, and loaded with antioxidants)

In addition to those health properties, the guac is almost entirely made of Raw Foods. This is important because it preserves the enzymes and improves digestibility.

You can’t eat healthy if you don’t know what healthy is

If an obese person says, “I eat healthy” but they aren’t getting results, then they aren’t eating healthy.

Eating healthy means something different for everybody. Most people have underlying nutritional deficiencies that they are not even aware of.

It’s almost guaranteed that you have some sort of nutrient that is not at optimal levels. (could it be Selenium? Eat one brazil nut everyday)

You NEED to equip yourself with this information, otherwise you risk the standard American diseases like diabetes and heart disease.

Food companies are trying to make a huge profit by processing foods and making it easier to consume. The danger becomes real every time a food leeches more from our vitality than it provides.

Focus on nutrients for Real Results

I challenge you to learn about nutrients and consider which foods you are not eating enough of.

Focus on eating whole foods that contain these nutrients. Do it for a month.

Then see how much better you feel, and how much leaner you are.

It’s all about the nutrition.

Nutrition, Immunity, and Digestion
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Resilient Plants for a Healthy Society

The healthiest foods are the hardiest foods.

Think back to your days in P.E. class. There was a team game, and each captain was picking teams.

Who got picked first?

It was usually the strongest, fastest, most agile, and most socially popular student.

He is resilient, he is an asset, and his power contributes to your wellbeing.

Partnerships with resilient forms of life makes you stronger as a person.

Every day, we have the choice of what things we want on our team. In fact, our team is responsible for our entire livelihood.

Food is probably the second most important aspect of our humanity — the first is our genetics. Our genes encode the information that controls how our bodies respond to the stressors of life.

Wild Cabbage

Resilient plants, like Cabbage and Kale, have the ability to protect our DNA from damage.

Cabbage can handle all sorts of weather

Of course, the resiliency of cabbage in the real world seems to be directly related to how resilient cabbage makes us.

Is it any wonder that cabbage is one of the most widely consumed vegetables on the entire planet? Humans have cultivated cabbage before history — Greeks, Romans, Chinese, and everyone else who values a healthy colon!

Lets pause and compare cabbage to a less resilient food.

While cabbage has a plethora of healing properties, other foods like fast-food hamburgers do more damage than good.

Cabbage

  • Contains significant vitamins
  • Contains significant minerals
  • Live enzymes when raw
  • High in antioxidants that protect cells from free radicals and oxidation
  • Phytonutrients such as indoles that have proven cancer-protection
  • High fiber for colon health

Fast Food Hamburger

If they don't eat grass, they need chemicals in their grains to grow big.

  • Insignificant vitamins
  • Some minerals, such as iron
  • High in saturated fat, very low in the good polyunsaturated fats
  • Cooked in oxidized oils, therefore produces free radicals that may cause DNA damage (unless you ate a big serving of cabbage!)
  • Low fiber
  • The bun is full of carbohydrates, which cause an insulin spike
  • Starchy carbs + unhealthy fat will produce an even greater insulin spike, blood sugar at dangerous levels.
  • Uses body’s limited storage of enzymes for digestion

Fast Food Hamburgers are WEAK!

The cows are loaded with drugs like antibiotics, otherwise they probably wouldn’t even survive.

I don’t want to eat a weak food. Resilience is key.

Cabbage is the cure.

….And so are broccoli and oranges, kale and tomatoes, beans and brown rice, avocado and spices, herbs and lovin‘.

Partner up with the good, the strong, and the healing.

It will make you feel good, strong, and healthy.

Nutrition, Immunity, and Digestion