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?

Most would agree: excess fat is not healthy.

But, would you believe that losing weight could potentially be bad for your health too?

Believe it.

Why?

The body fat stores on your thighs, abdominals, and glutes contain more than just energy reserves.

So what IS body fat and why is it dangerous?

We can all agree on this: body-fat is extra storage.

This storage has been responsible for the continuation of our species. Through war and famine, body-fat’s dense per/gram source of energy has kept our ancestors alive.

But the average American is not in war or in famine.

How Body-fat is Toxic

Pause and consider the cycle of obesity.

1. Sweet, processed foods are cheap, convenient, and easy sources of calories.
2. A snickers bar is easier to consume than raw broccoli.
3. Young boy discovers snickers
4. Then he rediscovers snickers everyday thereafter.
5. Since candy and sweets are high-sugar and lacking nutrients, his genes are expressed poorly.
6. The cells in his body are inefficient and unable to detoxify chemicals, pollution, and oxidation.
7. Too many toxins in the system,
8. Never enough nutrients for cellular protection.
9. Body fat storage increases in order to push toxins away from lean mass.
10. There are now lots of toxins stored up in his body-fat.

Understand that body-fat accumulation is due to nutrient deficiency. Excess body-fat is almost always caused by a lack of essential nutrients.

Since the body cannot run effectively on a bad diet, the stresses of the body are transfered into body-fat tissue to be dealt with later. Which means if that you want to actually burn fat, you need to consider the toxic effect of weight loss.

How to Lose Weight and NOT make your body worse:

For most of us, we need to focus less on calories and more on nutrients. Then, the pesky calories part takes care of itself.

In other words, Focus on Nutrients.

Since most people are deficient in multiple nutrients, here are some common solutions:

• Aim for 30 grams of fiber per day, ultimate colon, digestive, and immune system booster.
• 1-2 servings of red vegetables for Lycopene, a powerful antioxidant to ward off disease.
• 1-2 servings of broccoli/kale/cauliflower, lightly steamed, for Indole-3-Carbinol the cancer-fighter. (Add points for the fiber content)
• 1-2 servings of orange vegetables for Beta-Carotene, another powerful antioxidant that can also be converted into Vitamin A.
• 2-4 eggs per day for high quality protein, high quality dietary fat, antioxidants like lutein, and the egg is also a great source of the B family vitamin known as Choline. We need choline for cell membrane integrity, also very important for Pregnant Women (alongside Folic Acid)
• 1 serving of fish or wild meat. Aside from the high quality protein found in fish and game meat, there will also be high levels of Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids. This is a common nutrient most people lack, and because most people don’t get enough omega-3, cardiovascular death is rampant. Omega-3’s protect the body from inflammation, and since body fat is inflammatory, Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids promote healthy weight loss.
• 1 serving of olive oil for antioxidants and heart-healthy monounsaturated fat. Have you noticed that olive oil is soothing on your skin? Just imagine how the cells inside your body benefit from olive oil.
• 1 serving of onions for potent bioflavanoids that boost the immune system and regulate blood sugar levels.
• 1 serving of Avocado for healthy unsaturated fats, dietary fiber, and cancer-fighting nutrients.
• 1 serving of traditional Korean Kimchi for high levels of Vitamin C, Live Enzymes, and Beneficial Probiotic Bacteria. Moreover, Kimchi boosts the immune system with red pepper and garlic.
• 2 servings of whole grains, brown rice, or pseudo-cereals like Quinoa. Great source of slow burning energy, fill you up-fiber, bulk of your diet, vitamins and minerals. Easy to mix with vegetables.

That may seem overwhelming, but my intention is to stimulate some creativity all around. I wouldn’t expect anyone to be able to eat all of this food starting tomorrow, but it is important to be aware of all the nutrients you could be lacking.

The more nutrient deficient you are, the more difficult it will be to get the body OR the health that you want.

Make losing-weight GOOD on you.

Healthy food can detoxify the fat and burn it into oblivion.

Imagine your fat melting off and revealing lean, toned muscle underneath.

It’s entirely possible.

Let your genes flourish and display positively. Seek nutrients first, and fat-loss will come.