Top Eating Tip for Weight Management

There is one weight management eating tip that you need to do every day. Eat protein with every meal.

At any meal, get full on protein foods first. It will help you eat less of the condiments, desserts and other high-fat foods. Nuts, ham, eggs, turkey, low-fat dairy, chicken, fish, etc. are great foods to eat for protein. Eating protein also helps control your blood sugar if you happen to eat carbohydrates.

It takes your body longer to digest protein, so you will fill fuller for a longer period of time by eating more foods rich in protein (this should help you eat fewer calories during the day).

Protein is also used by your body to repair and rebuild damaged tissues as a result of a tough workout (especially weight training). Quickly digesting protein shakes work well after a workout.

Other daytime and nighttime meals could be comprised of slowly digesting protein (such as lean meats) that will give a constant release of amino acids into your system during the day and overnight.

How much protein do you need each day? The following is a good guide to follow:

Daily protein targets (grams per pound of body weight) are:

--Recreational exerciser, adult 0.5-0.8
--Competitive athlete, adult 0.8-1.0
--Growing teenage athlete 0.7-0.9
--Adult building muscle mass 0.8-1.0

Your body will excrete excess protein intake.

For example, if you weigh 140 pounds and want a high protein intake (1.0 gms/lb), you'll need 140 grams of protein per day.

So, when used right, protein will help you build a lean body and help your weight loss/fat loss efforts.

Subscribe to my FREE Fat Blaster eNewsletter and get FREE eBooks: "10 Must Know Fat Loss Tips," Free Fat Loss Meals and Free Fat Loss Workouts!

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women! Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

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Top 10 Fitness and Weight Loss Tips

You never need to try a quick weight loss program. You will end up regaining more pounds than you lose. Focus on improving your health and fitness. This includes burning fat and losing weight. Take a long-term approach to your health and fitness.

Here are my Top 10 Fitness and Weight Loss Tips:

1. Improve Health and Prevent Injuries - The main goals of any exercise program should be to improve health and prevent injuries. Infomercials will try to convince you that weight loss is the most important thing in life. Don't settle for those lies!

Because people are living longer, quality of life becomes a big issue. If you take care of your body throughout your life, your body will reward you.

2. Fitness and Nutrition Assessment - If you've never had a fitness and nutrition assessment done by a fitness professional, you should have it done. Among other things, it will tell you how much body fat you have. Belly fat is particularly dangerous to your health.

The assessment may also show that you need a full physical exam. For instance, trainers need your doctor's release if you have high blood pressure.

3. Postural Assessment - Many injuries happen because your posture has dysfunctions that need to be corrected. These postural deficiencies are identified during your fitness assessment.

Many times, low back pain, shoulder pain, neck pain and hip pain can be traced to long-standing postural problems.

4. Flexibility - Muscle imbalances (including tight and lengthened muscles) also cause many injuries. Your fitness assessment will tell you where your muscles are tight, weak or lengthened.

5. Core Strength - The core is much more than your 6-pack abs! Most people have inadequate core strength. All movement begins with the core so you should strengthen it first.

6. Balance - Balance is important to prevent injuries, especially later in life. Your exercise routine needs to include balance exercises on a regular basis. For example, one-legged exercises will improve your balance.

7. Body Composition - Fat loss is more important than weight loss! Resist the urge to lose pounds as fast as you can and concentrate on changing your body's composition. Build muscle mass to speed up your metabolism and keep the fat and weight off for good. It takes longer, but the results are lasting (if you continue to train).

8. Resistance Training - Full body strength training is necessary to increase your muscle mass and change your body to lean and toned. Full body strength training also corrects your muscle imbalances.

9. Cardio Training - Twenty minutes of intense cardio is enough to burn body fat and give you superior heart health. Interval cardio (such as speed intervals) will give you even better results.

10. Planes of Motion - Workout more with dumbbells, medicine balls and bodyweight and less on machines. Among other things, machines limit your natural movement patterns and work you in only 1 plane (sagittal) of motion.

You turn, twist, rotate and bend your body many times a day. So, you need to train your body in the transverse and frontal planes of motion as well.

Side lunges, medicine ball lunges with rotation and medicine ball rotational throws are some examples of training in these planes of motion.

Train your body for the life you need to live.

Subscribe to my FREE Fat Blaster eNewsletter and get FREE eBooks: "10 Must Know Fat Loss Tips," Free Fat Loss Meals and Free Fat Loss Workouts!

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women! Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

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Weight Loss, Health And Wellness Fit Together

Credible personal trainers teach that fat loss, weight loss, health and wellness fit together. You can't really have one without the others. A balanced life is definitely your best chance for a quality life.

That is why quick weight loss programs, severe calorie-restricted diets and all other weight loss gimmicks are no-nos for the fit lifestyle. These tactics are short-sighted and lead to damaged health and self image.

At a minimum, you need to make a commitment to a lifetime of fitness. This commitment trumps all other fitness commitments. Without it, you will always fall prey to the inevitable obstacles and pitfalls along the way.

Included in this commitment is a willingness to change to healthy eating habits and to change your body's composition to more muscle mass and less fat mass. This commitment takes time and hard work.

At My Fitness Hut, we want to introduce you to a friend, Evita Ochel. She is the author and editor of Evolving Wellness. She is a Certified Holistic Nutritionist, a Registered Nutritional Counsellor and a Certified Natural Health Practitioner.

More importantly, she is one of the nicest people I've ever met. We met at a Nutrilite Health Bloggers Event in 2009. She is a writer, speaker and researcher dedicated to helping people achieve optimal health and wellness. Listen to her, she's smart!

Visit her site, Evolving Wellness and sign up for her free e-book, "Healing and Prevention Through Nutrition." I have downloaded the book for myself and its worth your time.

Invest in your health!

Mark Dilworth at My Fitness Hut

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The Twinkie Diet? Forget About It!

You can try the "Twinkie Diet" or any other diet you want. One fact remains unchanged: A caloric surplus (consume more calories than you burn) will cause you to gain weight! Doing the opposite will cause you to lose weight. There's no controversy about this.

Professor Mark Haub, a nutrition professor from Kansas State University, lost 27 pounds in 10 weeks on a "Twinkie Diet." He basically ate junk food (with some veggies, protein drinks and vitamins thrown in) to prove a point. He lost weight because he created a caloric deficit by eating 1800 calories a day.

His health markers, like cholesterol and triglycerides, improved. For short-term results, this is not that surprising to me. What about long-term results? Would you be healthier eating this way in the long-term? Of course not!

I wonder what his body fat percentage was? Hmmm.........

It does matter What You Eat and How Much You Eat! I have repeatedly said that fat loss is more important than weight loss. Changing your body's composition (less fat, more muscle mass) is critical for your health and permanent weight loss (and lean body).

Your goal should be to be a fat loser. Losing huge amounts of weight can be gained back quickly if you don't build muscle mass. Build muscle, burn fat, speed up your metabolism and lose weight (and keep it off)!

Look, I realize that people will ultimately do what they want to do....we all know that a junk food diet is not the way to go for health and fitness. Make the right choices for yourself.

1 + 1 always equals 2.

Eating quality calories and controlling your calorie intake always improves your health and fitness.

If you need to know how to lose weight the right way, get My Fitness Hut's 7-Day Weight Loss And Fat Loss e-Course! The e-Course is FREE!

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women! Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

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Losing Weight The Healthy Way

Losing weight the healthy way is the only way! Health is more important than weight loss. Don't lose your health and self respect trying quick weight loss tactics. Check out this video about a former Biggest Loser television show contestant who experienced major weight loss (and disappointment):



Your goal should be to be the biggest fat loser. Losing huge amounts of weight can be gained back quickly if you don't build muscle mass. Build muscle, burn fat, speed up your metabolism and lose weight (and keep it off)!

So, here are some tips to help you achieve your best health and fitness:

1. Make a commitment TODAY to a lifestyle of health and fitness! Without this commitment, you will eventually go back to short-term solutions like quick weight loss!

2. Make the needed changes to your eating habits! Severely limit foods like sugars, processed foods, fast foods, fat-filled packaged foods, etc. Eat more foods like fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean meats.

Get help with your meal plan if needed! Get your nutrition mainly from food! Add in supplements like multivitamins and fish oil to support your meal plan and improve your health.

3. Commit to regular exercise and an active lifestyle! Walk as much as you can everyday!

4. Get enough rest! If you don't sleep enough, your body won't function as well as it could--that means about 7-8 hours of sleep every night for most people.

5. Schedule that doctor's appointment to see where your health stands! High blood pressure, high cholesterol, etc. can be controlled, if needed.

If you want to lose weight the right way, get My Fitness Hut's 7-Day Weight Loss And Fat Loss e-Course! The e-Course is FREE!

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

Read more »

20 Day Weight Loss Only Goals Fail

A “20-day weight loss only” goal is a short-term fix for your weight problem and will not ultimately help you attain your goals! Establish eating and exercise habits that will help you burn fat and lose weight for a lifetime.

The type of food you eat and timing of what you eat is very important for your metabolism to work properly. Your body needs adequate amounts of the macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, fats) to function properly.

Increasing muscle mass is critical to permanently speed up your metabolism. Your body has to work harder to maintain muscle mass. And, increasing muscle mass will burn the fat off of your body. So, start doing your regular weight training workouts 2-3 days a week.

Protein's main role in your body is to repair and rebuild body tissues (especially so after an intense weight training workout). When your body doesn't get enough protein, it will take protein from other sources--mainly your muscles! Obviously, you don't want that to happen. Including foods with protein in every meal will help you eat less during the day. This happens because it takes your body longer to digest protein.

Carbohydrates, in the form of glycogen, are your body's preferred source of energy. Glycogen is stored in your liver and muscles and it is broken down into glucose. Glucose is then used by your body to make energy.

As a result, when your glycogen stores are low, your body's performance will suffer. When your body doesn't have enough carbohydrates, it uses energy mainly from proteins. As stated above, protein has another primary role in the body. And, again, your muscle mass will take the hit. Carb cycling can be useful in some situations, but don’t start with this method. Establish your eating foundation first.

Fat is important for your diet because it helps you feel full for longer periods of time and keeps skin, hair and nails healthy (among other things). You should limit your intake of saturated fats (usually solid at room temperature, such as butter) and trans fats ( partially hydrogenated fats found in packaged foods and fast foods).

Instead, increase your intake of heart-healthy unsaturated fats (they are usually liquid at room temperature, such as olive, canola oil, fish, nuts, seeds and avocados). Fats should not exceed 30% (closer to 20%) of your total caloric intake. Again, fats should not be used as your primary energy source.

Your body needs the macronutrients at all times to function properly. When your body functions properly, your metabolism will also function properly. That's why you should eat every 3-4 hours to give your body what it needs and to protect your vital muscle mass. If you are a person who skips breakfast, stop doing that! You are sabotaging your fat loss and weight loss efforts and throwing your metabolism out of wack!

Eat for health, fat loss and weight loss. You should not ever try a “20-day weight loss only” program to reach your long-term goals.

If you need to know how to lose weight the right way, get My Fitness Hut's 7-Day Weight Loss And Fat Loss e-Course! The e-Course is FREE!

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women! Her Fitness Hut has also been named in the Top 50 Personal Training Blogs by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

Read more »

Exercise Improves Quality of Life

No one can dispute that REGULAR EXERCISE improves your QUALITY OF LIFE. Regular exercise doesn't cost you much money, just quality time. If you have 20 minutes to exercise, that's enough time to get in a quality workout. Twenty minutes to improve the quality of your life. Get started already!

Some fitness infomercials make it seem as though "losing 30 pounds in 30 days" is the most important thing in life.....well, its not! Adopting a lifestyle of health and fitness is important and will definitely "IMPROVE YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE!" Losing body fat and permanently shedding the pounds should be your goal.....that takes hard, smart work on your part. And, that will give you the best chance to live longer and healthier.....start making attitude changes about fitness and it will improve your:

1. self image
2. attitude
3. health and well-being
4. appearance

Plus, others will follow your example and you won't regret your decision.

And, the quality of your life will improve.

Get My Fitness Hut's 7-Day Weight Loss And Fat Loss e-Course! The e-Course is FREE!

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

Read more »

Quick Weight Loss vs. Optimal Health, Part 2

Quick weight loss implies that it's something that probably won't last! Health should be stressed before weight loss and beauty! It does you no good to look great if your body is a total wreck and unhealthy!

Optimal health involves making lifestyle changes to improve your:

1. health
2. fitness
3. energy levels
4. quality of life

We are living longer on this earth so quality of life is important!

The "quick weight loss lifestyle" is narrow minded when you compare it to the "optimal health lifestyle!"

Quick weight loss leads to slowed metabolism, a weaker immune system, hormonal imbalances, loss of lean mass, increased body fat, decreased energy levels, disrupted sleep patterns, short-term results and yo-yo dieting!

I'll take the optimal health option any day over quick weight loss!

So, here are some tips to help you achieve your best health and fitness:

1. Make a commitment TODAY to a lifestyle of health and fitness! Without this commitment, you will eventually go back to short-term solutions like quick weight loss!

2. Make the needed changes to your eating habits! Severely limit foods like sugars, processed foods, fast foods, fat-filled packaged foods, etc. Eat more foods like fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean meats. Get help with your meal plan if needed! Get your nutrition mainly from food! Add in supplements like multivitamins and fish oil to support your meal plan and improve your health.

3. Commit to regular exercise and an active lifestyle! Walk as much as you can everyday!

4. Get enough rest! If you don't sleep enough, your body won't function as well as it could--that means about 7-8 hours of sleep every night for most people.

5. Schedule that doctor's appointment to see where your health stands! High blood pressure, high cholesterol, etc. can be controlled, if needed.

Get My Fitness Hut's 7-Day Weight Loss And Fat Loss e-Course! The e-Course is FREE!

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

Read more »

Quick Weight Loss vs. Optimal Health, Part 1

The hazzards of the quick weight loss lifestyle and the benefits of the optimal health lifestyle were on full display this past weekend at Nutrilite Health Institute!

Nutrilite has been in existence for 75 years and is the only company that organically grows all its own plants which are used to produce their own nutritional products for optimal health! If you're looking for quick weight loss products, Nutrilite can't help you! Nutrilite researches, grows and produces its own scientifically healthy products!



My Fitness Hut and 8 other health bloggers (pictured above) were privileged to be invited to Nutrilite Health Institute in Buena Park, California! I was already familiar with some of Nutrilite's great products but not fully enlightened about what they are trying to accomplish.

Before I continue, let me state that I DO NOT SELL NUTRILITE PRODUCTS, so there is no profit motive for me to write about them!

But, you know that I have always stressed health before weight loss and beauty! I have constantly stressed that it does you no good to look great if your body is a total wreck and unhealthy!

So what is Nutrilite all about? They want you to achieve optimal health! Optimal health is defined by Dr. Duke Johnson, the author of the book, The Optimal Health Revolution.

Dr. Johnson (a great speaker) defines optimal health as:

"Optimal Health is the best health you are capable of, given your past and your genetic heritage."

Nutrilite's goal is to help you achieve optimal health. The following quote is on the wall at the Nutrilite Health Institute:



My Fitness Hut could not say it any better! Stay tuned this week and learn more about a great company!

Get My Fitness Hut's 7-Day Weight Loss And Fat Loss e-Course! The e-Course is FREE!

"Exercise is not my life.....exercise makes my life better!"

Check out my other great blogs:

Her Fitness Hut Blog Her Fitness Hut is featured on EmpowHER, a great health issues website for women!

Sports Fitness Hut Blog has been recognized by Stanford University Wellsphere as the #1 Sports Fitness Blog and NursingDegree.net as one of the Best 100 Health and Nutrition Blogs for Athletes! The blog has also been named as one of the "50 Best Sports Medicine Blogs by Masters In Healthcare! It is an honor to be recognized by those in the health and academic fields! Afterall, health is number one for everybody---including athletes!

Read more »