Tag: diets

The Diet and Supplement World of Illusions

Wallace Bishop I.N.H.C, C.N.C.Leave a comment

illusionsWelcome to my world. I have been deeply immersed in the diet, lifestyle, supplement and fitness industry for many years.

I develop nutritional products and have programs designed to go with them. I write articles on health and fitness and have also written books on these subjects. I teach weekly nutrition classes and corporate wellness programs. I am writing this blog from a unique perspective, as an industry insider. My intention is to give you additional knowledge so your next choice regarding diets, supplements and diet and fitness programs is the last one. I want your results to be lasting and permanent.

This blog is going to get some people very angry with me and that’s fine because the truth sometimes hurts. This blog certainly does not apply to everyone though. There are many very dedicated people with great plans, programs and products that have your best interest in mind. They want you to succeed. With that said, there are also those that don’t have the experience or education required to lead you and educate you on a path that will lead to permanent health gains and weight loss. Most of the time their interest is in your pocket book not your waist or health.  Sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference.

Every year as I gain additional experience in the health and wellness business the illusions of the diet, fitness and supplement business become much more transparent to me. Frankly, many of the players in this industry know some of you are desperate for change and they also know you want the quickest fix possible. They use this knowledge and then frame their marketing around your triggers, your weakness, to suck you into that quick fix, the quick weight loss, the small waist etc. They prey on you. You are vulnerable because you lack the knowledge to make a crucial judgment about what they are marketing, saying and selling. It’s not your fault, its just a fact.

I can speak from experience because many years ago I too was once in the pond with you looking for that next hook to reel me out poor health and obesity. I tried every promise that came my way. I wanted to be healthy but most importantly I wanted to lose the weight that had held me prisoner of my own body for over 2 decades. I didn’t have a life and I wanted one. I was like many that needed to believe in the next great promise. The promises of a pill, a drink, wraps and creams, shots with hormones from a horse, diets that restrict this and that, and hours of different exercises. I really believed the next great thing was going to be IT! IT become years of frustration.

This is the news you don’t want hear. There is no magic pill, potion, shot, diet or program that will give you permanent healthy results without addressing your lifestyle behavior. None, nada, not one! You see, it has to do with how you are living. How you are living encompasses what you eat 80% of the time, your activity level 80% of the time, your stress level 80% of the time, your rest and relaxation 80% of the time and your exposure to toxic chemicals 80% of the time.

Let’s get something very clear, nutritional products if they are high quality ones, plans and programs if they are from qualified sources can super charge your health when provided with the necessary education to live a health lifestyle. However, if they don’t include a blueprint for changing your current daily routines (lifestyle) into healthy ones your results will be short lived.

You Cannot Supplement Your Way Out of an Unhealthy Diet and Lifestyle!

Here is what you need to know.

Is the product, program or plan designed as part of an ongoing healthy routine you can incorporate in your life and do forever comfortably? If not, it’s not going to deliver long lasting results. Sure you may lose some weight but only 5% of people keep it off with this approach.

If there are big promises of quick weight loss please don’t take the bait.  For the weight to stay off it needs to come off slowly, no more than 2 pounds per week as an average.

A healthy weight loss product should always have a plan or program to educate you on what a healthy lifestyle is. Not just instructions on how to take the product. Most nutritional products are just that, products with instructions for using it. Some products may offer plans but are the plans part of a lifestyle or are they something you do for a few weeks or months and then terminate?

The plan or program must provide a road map to get you from where you are today to sustaining a healthy and robust lifestyle. Does the person giving you the details of the product, plan or program have the education and background to be qualified to guide you and educate you? Don’t be afraid to ask questions of those wanting to sell you products, plan or programs for weight loss, health and fitness. Take charge you are the customer. Don’t settle for inferior products or information from unqualified sources.

In my opinion, I would not consume products that contain any of the following ingredients:

  • artificial sweeteners (sucralose, aspartame, acesulfame potassium also know as acesulfame k, saccharine, neotame)
  • high fructose corn syrup
  • fructose (if consumed to much, fructose can cause a problem with insulin metabolism),
  • soy (most soy in the US is a GMO crop)
  • food colorings or dyes
  • preservatives
  • corn starch
  • maltodextrin derived from corn
  • cyancobalamin (look for product using methylcobalamin) Research has shown that methylcobalamin remains in the body for a longer period of time and at higher levels than cyanocobalamin, which means that your body is supplied with vitamin B12 for longer if you use methylcobalamin than if you use cyanocobalamin. Methylcobalamin may well also improve visual accommodation, but there is no evidence to suggest that the cyano- compound has the same effect) Methylcobalamin is in the form your body can use. Cyanocobalamin must be converted into methylcobalamin first by the body before it can be used. Cyan means that the cobalamin (B12) is attached to a group of cyanide molecules.
  • Dl-alpha tocopherol (artificial form of Vitamin E) look for a product that provides mixed tocopherols and d-alpha tocopherol succinate (the natural form of Vitamin E)
  • Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol)  look for products that contains Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) studies indicate that ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) is much less potent and has a shorter duration of action than Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol)

I would look for nutritional products that are whole food based. (organic if possible)

These products are made from foods (you see listed foods like spinach, carrots, apples, beets, kale, broccoli etc) and that also have additional added nutrients such as additional vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, adaptogens, probiotics and enzymes. The body absorbs nutrients from foods much better than from any other source.

If you want to opt-out of the Illusions of the Diet and Supplement World and have permanent health results;

Understand there is no product that alone is going to set you free and keep you healthy without you making a lifestyle shift forever. It’s all about living a healthy lifestyle. Incorporate a lifestyle change with a great nutritional product and you may supercharge your health and wellness and even continue to improve, forever.

Your nutritional products should be made from real foods. Your diet should be from real foods you can prepare at home.  Drive through restaurants, processed foods and refined foods are lacking adequate nutrition required to build a healthy and fit body. Manage your stress and move more. It’s really that simple. Remember the 80% I referred to earlier? Focus on living a healthy lifestyle 80% of the time and you will begin to build a healthy body.

Nothing is ever going to replace a healthy diet and lifestyle. This is the most important part of your health; nothing is more influential to your health.

If you have a NutriBullet or similar device to make great smoothies you have a big advantage on those that don’t. Make smoothies everyday with lots of different brightly colored foods of every color palette. These foods will flood your body with health building and body nurturing nutrients.

I wish you the very best in health and wellness,

Wally Bishop C.N.C.

WebND

The contents of this blog are not and should not be considered medical advice. This blog is for informational purposes only. Always consult with your doctor before making any dietary or lifestyle changes. Never quit taking prescription medications unless advised to do so by your doctor.

Secrets to Jump Starting Your Weight Loss

Wallace Bishop I.N.H.C, C.N.C.1 Comment

It Isn't a DietThe truth is, most of us make losing weight too complicated. It doesn’t need to be. Let’s remove the walls and get you on your way to success. Listed below are the pitfalls most people make when trying to lose weight.

Doing anything temporally will give you temporary results! You have to get this, dieting is a temporary act and therefore it doesn’t provide long-term weight loss.

  1. Change your diet gradually. Many people jump right in and totally change their diet to the extreme. They go from the typical American diet rich in processed foods to a very restrictive diet. Any time you make sudden change in your diet and lifestyle you highly increase your risk of failure. Make the change slowly. Instead of taking foods away try adding healthy foods to your diet. You will begin to crowd out the harmful foods with healthy foods.  You can do this by adding an additional vegetable to your daily diet for 1 week.  The next week, add another one and then on week 3 add an extra fruit. On week 4 add another vegetable to your daily diet. By week 4 you have increased your vegetable intake by 3 servings per day and fruit intake by 1 serving per day. Can you see, we haven’t asked you to remove any foods, only to add healthy foods? This really works if you apply it. The aim is to slowly replace processed and refined foods with healthy vegetables, fruits, beans, lentils, nuts and seeds and a small amount of whole grains daily.
  2. Stop Stressing about life and losing the weight.  Because we make it so complicated we get overly stressed. Chronic stress causes our bodies to release higher amounts of cortisol everyday, which is a fat building hormone. There is an association between stress and the appetite increasing hormone ghrelin. If you have stress from work or home you need to manage it or remove the source. Stress will make it almost impossible to lose much weight. In addition stress kills by increasing the risk of heart disease, cardiovascular disease, hormonal imbalances and gastric diseases.
  3. Eat enough calories. Many people begin by drastically cutting food intake thus calories too much. If you go below 1200 calories for more than a few days your body senses a famine has arrived, it lowers your metabolic rate to conserve energy. You can even gain weight if you cut calories too much. If you stay in a severe calorie reduction under (800 calories or less, like anorexia) you body shifts to the catabolic effect of starvation and your body will begin to consume muscle and organs for its nutrition needs. The fact is, if you eat a mostly plant-based diet you would never need to worry about eating to many calories.
  4. Do Not Skip Meals! You need to eat at least 5 times per day. It keeps blood sugar balanced and energy available. It also keeps the metabolism boosted. A healthy meal replacement shake is an option and can serve your body well. I recommend Vive, it was created for weight loss and energy and is packed with an abundance of nutrition!
  5. Keep a Food Journal. Studies show us that people keeping a food journal for at least 3 months tend to lose weight and keep it off. It keeps you aware of what you are eating, when and how much. It’s easy to do and there are several online resources with good free food journal systems. Try these, www.myfitnesspal.com  www.fatsecret.com and http://www.myfooddiary.com
  6. Drink plenty of water. Many people will not drink enough water. It takes water to release and burn fat for energy. Water is so important for your health! You need at least 1/2 your body weight in fluid ounces daily. If you sweat a lot you need even more.
  7. Exercise. If you are overweight or obese you can lose weight for a short time by just cutting calories, however that will eventually slow and then stop. You must move more. Exercise does many wonderful things for our body. One benefit is that it speeds up our metabolic rate causing us to burn more calories through out the day! It builds muscles, improves balance, and improves immune function and much more. Just walking is a great exercise. Increase your speed and time as your fitness and health improves. I am an advocate of exercising multiple times per day. As an example; I would walk for 30 minutes in the morning, 30 minutes in the afternoon and 30 minutes before or after dinner. You can split it up however you wish, just do it. To loss weight most of your exercise should be a form of cardio exercise like walking or cycling. You should also do weight bearing exercises to build more muscle. Muscles burn more fat. For good results you need to exercise at least 1 hour per day, 5 days per week. Before beginning any exercise program please consult with your doctor for their approval. Walk twice per day to speed up the weight loss!
  8. Stop weighing everyday! Your weight can change, up or down five or more pounds in any given day. You will set your self up for disappointment by weighing everyday. Weigh your self every two weeks. Do it first thing in the morning immediately after waking up and after your first pee.
  9. Stop beating your self up! No body is perfect. Treats are allowed, even unscheduled ones. If you have a treat, the next time you eat make a healthy choice. Bashing yourself will make you eat more.
  10. DO NOT DIET!  It is our mindset to use the word diet and when we do we automatically set up in our mind that we will change our diet and lifestyle for a period of time and then come back home to that addictive food that got us fat to begin with. Plus, because you have starved your body (both calories and nutrients) in the past, your body senses this and begins to subconsciously increase your desire for fatty and sugary foods. Sure, you can lose 30 pounds and then you gain 50 back. Dieting will only make you fatter one diet at a time! Think lifestyle change!
  11. Sleep is Critical! If you are like most Americans you get less than 7 hours of sleep nightly. This can disrupt hormonal balances, reduce immune function, and reduce your energy levels, lower mental concentration and much more. When you sleep, your body is busy repairing tissues, making hormones, enzymes, red blood cells, white blood cells, antibodies, cellular antioxidants like Coenzyme -Q10 which is very important for energy production in the cell and heart health, Glutathione peroxidase and Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) which are your cells most powerful defenders from internal and foreign invaders and other neurotransmitters necessary for good mental and emotional health.
  12. Nutrition Nutrition Nutrition!!!!  When your body is getting loads of nutrients it begins to clean and detox the body at the cellular level getting rid of toxic materials you have stored for years. Your body does not like to let go of stored fat unless it can detox adequately because your body stores many toxins in your fat. When depleted nutrient stores in your body get filled up and topped off by a nutrient rich diet, the bodies systems begin to come back into harmony with one another. Blood sugar begins to balance, cravings begin to disappear, energy improves, thinking improves, your hair and skin begins to glow and you sleep better. With great nutrition your body starts regenerating itself cell by cell into a new healthy and vibrant body.

The bottom line is that weight loss and health do not come from a “diet” they come from living a healthy lifestyle. That’s it. Adopt a healthy lifestyle and watch your body change!

Healthy Wishes.

Wally Bishop C.N.C.

Integrative Nutrition Health Coach

www.wellnesswithwally.com

The contents of this blog are not and should not be considered medical advice. This blog is for informational purposes only. Always consult with your doctor before making any dietary or lifestyle changes. Never quit taking prescription medications unless advised to do so by your doctor.

Busting That New Years Resolution

Wallace Bishop I.N.H.C, C.N.C.Leave a comment
Live it! Don't Make it a Resolution
Live it! Don’t Make it a Resolution

It’s that time of year again, yes, New Years Resolutions. If you are like most Americans you will be repeating some of the same resolutions as last year.

It’s time to self assess, why do you need to repeat your resolution again? What stopped you from achieving  your goal?

If your resolution is health related, its time to stop repeating it.

About 95% of Americans have weight loss or better health as one of their health goals. I am sure that’s not surprising to you.

Almost everyone has some form of health improvement on their list. Losing weight tops the list, shocking right? Why?  Because almost 70% of Americans are overweight. Additionally, more than 50% of Americans are suffering from a preventable chronic health condition.

If you are not motivated enough and serious enough about your goal the chances of achieving your goal are slim.

It’s seems around the beginning of March something happens. The wellness warrior becomes the wellness whiner.  I notice that the gym has fewer people, the number of people attending my class get smaller and clients and friends begin to avoid me because they don’t want me to know they are off of the new plan.  I am glad they feel a sense of accountability to someone. I promise it doesn’t have to be this way.

stick to itThis year as part of your New Years Resolution make this declaration“ I am sticking to the goals I have set, I will not quit”.  If it’s important enough to have it as a goal, its important enough to finish it? Really, doesn’t this make sense? Why put all of this effort into your goals for two or three months and then give up.

I am going to tell you how to keep your weight loss goal going forever. I want you to have what I have. I want you to lose all the extra weight you have gained and keep it off forever.

Most goals are never reached because the goal is not important enough, the goal is unrealistic and there was not enough planning.

The Formula for Success, Reaching Your Health Resolutions

Forget the word “DIET”. Remember the new phrase “LIFE STYLE CHANGE”.

1)  Set your date to begin your change, begin the change.

  • Circle your date on the calendar.
  • Develop positive affirmations to affirm your future success. Place them in your house, car and office. Don’t just read them, you must say them.
  • Do a pantry makeover! Get rid of bad foods in your house. Buy healthy foods for meals and snacks. Get rid of the white bread, white rice, cookies, crackers, pastries and cereals. Put some real food in the house.
  • If possible, enroll in a nutrition program like my Fat to Fit 12 week program.

2)  Tell your friends and family what you are doing. This sets up a level of accountability for you. Ask your friends to support you or even join you in this new lifestyle.

3)  Be realistic about your diet and weight loss goals. Set goals for weight loss in 10 pound increments. The first goal is 10 pounds, the second is 10 pounds. Do you get it? This makes the goal very achievable and builds confidence.

4)  Calories. If you eat healthy 80% of the time you do not need to count calories. However, this means the majority of your diet is going to be real foods like vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts and seeds. If most of your diet is coming from a box or package or made for you at a restaurant you are not eating healthy. The amount of chemicals, fats and sugars in these foods will cause your body to store fat even if you exercise like crazy! However, the only time you need to be aware of calories is to never eat less than 1200 calories per day.  Eating less than 1200 calories per day consistently, will cause your metabolism to stall, you will not lose weight and it can cause hormonal imbalances.

5)  Understand that to lose weight you must exercise.  If you have not exercised in a long time start slowly and consult with your doctor. If you can only walk for 10 minutes, then walk for 10 minutes and work your way up to at least 1 hour.  You can even break up the walking and exercising into 20 or 30-minute sections and do them multiple times per day. This actually keeps your metabolism burning fat at a higher rate for more hours in the day.  This translates to faster weight loss.

6)  Never deprive yourself of any food. If you must have that brownie eat just 1 and be happy. The next time you eat, it should be healthy. If you eat healthy 80% of the time it will allow you to indulge or splurge 20% of the time. This will keep you happy and help you lose weight by not binging.

7)  Never beat yourself up for having an unscheduled indulgence. Look at it as a treat because you have done so well. The next time you eat, make healthy choices.

8)  Eat a lot of plant foods like vegetables, fruits, lentils, beans and nuts and seeds. Most plant foods are very low in calories and very high in nutrient content. Plant foods also have a plenty of fiber, which is satiating and filling. However, limit your fruits to 3 servings per day. They have a lot of sugar in the form of fructose that can interfere with your weight loss if you eat to much. The best fruits for you are berries, apples, peaches, pears and plums.

9) Every week increase your servings of vegetables. You should set your goal for 7 to 9 servings of vegetables daily, 3 servings of fruits, 3 servings of whole grains (only those listed below), 2 ounces of nuts and seeds, 1 cup of beans or lentils. If eating animal foods in place of beans or lentils you can have 4 ounces of free range organic poultry or 6 ounces of wild caught cold water fish (the best are salmon, cod, halibut, Alaskan whiting, trout, steel head and sardines). Try to buy organic when possible.

10)  Limit your grains to whole grains and then even limit those to no more than 4 servings per day. Grains cause cravings and can raise blood sugar levels. The grains being grown today are not the same as they were 100 or more years ago. They have been hybridized to a point that most are highly inflammatory. The best grains to eat are real wild rice or black rice, steel cut oats, buckwheat (it’s not related to wheat) and quinoa. As with all foods choose organic when you can.

Grains that have been ground into a flour are no better for us than table sugar. Think of flour from grains as table sugar. Flour and sugar are a starch and have the same blood sugar effect. Use almond flour and coconut flour in place of grain flours. They have a much lower blood sugar impact and are actually anti-inflammatory!

11) Make sure you drink plenty of water. Water is necessary to breakdown fat and create cellular energy. The general rule is to consume ½ your weight in fluid ounces of water per day.  If you weight 150 pounds you would need 75 ounces of fluid per day. If you exercise, are ill or sweat a lot you may need more fluid.

There are two items I use everyday that make this easy for me. First is a product called Vive (rhymes with give) it is a whole food drink mix that I use twice per day. It is the best tasting shake mix out there and is highly nutritious. The next is my NutriBullet blender. Vive is formulated to make the nutrients easier to absorb from the blended foods. Vive makes great smoothies. One of my favorite meal replacement smoothie recipes is:strawberry spinach smoothie

  • 8 ounces unsweetened almond milk
  • 4 ounces spring water
  • 2 scoops Vive Energy Spice
  • 1 large handful organic spinach or broccoli florets
  • 1 cup strawberries or blueberries
  • handful (about 1/4 cup) raw pumpkin seeds or walnuts
  • 1/2 tsp Ceylon cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (you may like less if you are heat sensitive)
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder

I want you to have great success and I do not want weight loss to be on your list next year. So, please start planning, get excited about the new body you are going to have, the new health you are going to enjoy, the new clothes you get to buy!

It’s simple; plan, execute, do it, lose it, and keep it off by continuing to live a lifestyle of wellness and health.

Healthy Wishes for a new year!

Wally Bishop C.N.C.

WebND

The contents of this blog is not and should not be considered medical advice. This blog is for informational purposes only. Always consult with your doctor before making any dietary or lifestyle changes. Never quit taking prescription medications unless advised to do so by your doctor.

Breaking the Diet Syndrome!

Wallace Bishop I.N.H.C, C.N.C.Leave a comment
Stop Dieting
Stop Dieting 

It’s amazing how fast the New Year approaches each year and each year a little faster as we age. With the coming of the New Year, at least 70% of Americans are thinking about their New Years Resolutions, one of which will be to lose weight or get in better shape. This is the typical mindset that the diet industry depends on for its yearly financial windfall!

Nothing about obesity has improved in the past 3 decades. America is still the fattest and sickest of all modern industrialized nations. It’s getting worse. According to the CDC, obesity has increased by 13% since 2010.

Even with all of the awareness and education being provided. Stop! Oops, my mistake, very little education about the cause of obesity and how to reverse it is happening from the mainstream medical community! There are plenty of people talking about the epidemic of obesity and it’s related diseases and illness such as heart disease and diabetes. However, few are providing education that will make a long-term difference.

Please don’t misunderstand; there are a number of great Doctors dedicating their time to educating the public. Most of them do not get the support of the traditional medical community in their efforts.  They put themselves at risk to teach you how to be healthy without the need for drugs! Thank you Dr. Hyman, Dr. Fuhrman, Dr. Mercola, Dr. Greger and Dr. Katz and many others for your dedication to educating the public about living healthy lifestyles.

According to the CDC an Increase of 13% in Obesity since 2010.
According to the CDC an Increase of 13% in Obesity since 2010.

There are a gazillion diets and diet programs on the Internet hoping to snare you for hundreds and maybe even thousands of dollars. Some of these programs are very expensive. Sadly, most of them teach you little about keeping the weight off or how to prevent weight gain in the first place. They count on you becoming a repeat customer.

To prevent and reverse obesity takes knowledge not a diet.

It’s seems around the beginning of March something happens. The wellness warrior becomes the wellness whiner.  I notice that the gym has fewer people, my classes get thinner and clients and friends begin to avoid me because they don’t want me to know they are off of the new plan.  I am glad they feel a sense of accountability to someone.

This year make part of your New Years Resolution resolve “ I am sticking to the goals I have set”.  Really, doesn’t this make sense? Why put all of this effort into your goals for two or three months and then give up.

I am going to tell you how to keep your weight loss goal going forever. I want you to have what I have. I want you to lose all the extra weight you have gained and keep it off forever.

Most goals are never reached because the goal is not important enough, the goal is unrealistic and there was not enough planning.

1)  Set your date to begin your change. Get rid of bad foods in your house. Buy healthy foods for meals and snacks.

2)  Tell your friends and family what you are doing. This sets up a level of accountability for you. Ask your friends to urge you or even join you in this new lifestyle.

3)  Be realistic about your diet and weight loss goals. Set goals for weight loss in 10 pound increments. The first goals is 10 pounds, the second is 10 pounds. Do you get it? This makes the goal very achievable and builds confidence.

4) Lean to read food labels and the ingredient list on foods you buy. Be very particular about what you put in your body.  Healthy foods have very few ingredients. Avoid foods with added sugars, hydrogenated oils, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, preservatives, artificial sweeteners and food colorings.

5) You must understand your energy requirements. If you eat to many calories or under consume your calories you will not lose weight.  Try to eat 500 to 1000 calories less than you actually need. However never eat less than 1200 calories per day. Eating less than 1200 calories per day on a consistent basis will lower your metabolic engine greatly resulting in weight gain. I highly recommend using an online food journal system. They help you monitor your calorie, sugar, carbohydrate, fat and protein intake every day. People that keep food journals keep the weight off. I recommend these online food journal systems, www.myfitnesspal.com  Error! Hyperlink reference not valid. www.nutritiondata.com.  There are many others that are also very easy to use.

6)  Understand that to lose weight you must exercise.  If you have not exercised in a long time start slowly and consult with your doctor. If you can only walk for 10 minutes, then walk for 10 minutes and work your way up to at least 1 hour.  You can even break up the walking and exercising into 20 or 30-minute sections and do them multiple times per day. This actually keeps your metabolism burning fat at a higher rate for more hours in the day.  This translates to faster weight loss.

7)  Never deprive yourself of any food. If you must have that brownie eat just 1 and be happy. The next time you eat, it should be healthy. If you eat healthy 80% of the time it will allow you to indulge or splurge 20% of the time. This will keep you happy and help you lose weight by not binging.

8)  Never beat yourself up for having an unscheduled indulgence. Look at it as a treat because you have done so well. The next time you eat make healthy choices. Turn a cheat into a treat!

8)  Eat a lot of plant foods like vegetables, fruits, beans and nuts and seeds. Make your plate at least 80% plant based! Most plant foods are very low in calories and very high in nutrient content. They also have a lot of fiber, which is satiating and filling. However limit your fruits to 2 servings per day. They have a lot of sugar in the form of fructose that can interfere with your weight loss. Avoid refined and processed foods. They are full of unhealthy ingredients, low in nutrition and very high in calories.

9)  Avoid grains or Limit your grains to whole grains and then even limit those to no more than 2 to 4 servings per day. Grains cause cravings and can raise blood sugar levels. The best are wild rice, amaranth, buckwheat, quinoa, and oats. The grains you see today are not like the grains from 100 or more years ago. They have been hybridized to a highly inflammatory species of plants. Check out Dr. David Perlmutter’s book “Brain Grain”.

10) Make sure you drink plenty of water. Water is necessary to breakdown fat and create cellular energy. The general rule is to consume ½ your weight in fluid ounces of water per day.  If you weigh 150 pounds you would need 75 ounces of fluid per day. If you exercise, are ill or sweat a lot you may need more fluid.

There are two items I use everyday that make this easy for me. First is a product called Vive (rhymes with liv) it is a whole food drink mix that I use twice per day. It is the best tasting shake mix out there and is highly nutritious. The next is my NutriBullet blender. It is engineered to make the nutrients easier to absorb from the blended foods. It makes great smoothies when using the Vive shake mix.

If you want to have great success and do not want weight loss to be on next years list, start planning now. Get excited about the new body you are going to have, the new health you are going to enjoy, the new clothes you get to buy!

It’s simple; plan, execute, do it, lose it, and keep it off by continuing to live a lifestyle of wellness and health.

Healthy Wishes for a new year!

Wally Bishop C.N.C.

Viveshake

The contents of this blog is not and should not be considered medical advice. This blog is for informational purposes only. Always consult with your doctor before making any dietary or lifestyle changes. Never quit taking prescription medications unless advised to do so by your doctor.

 

 

 

Frustrated With Weight Loss?

Wallace Bishop I.N.H.C, C.N.C.1 Comment
Wally's Before and After Profile Pic
What Healthy Living Did for Me!

Let’s face the truth! Most people make losing weight much too complicated. It doesn’t need to be. Listed below are the pitfalls most people make when trying to lose weight.

Doing anything temporally will give you temporary results! You have to get this, a diet is temporary.

  • Change your diet gradually– Many people jump right in and and totally change their diet to the extreme. They go from the typical American diet rich in processed foods to a very restrictive diet. Any time you make sudden change in your diet and lifestyle you highly increase your risk of failure. Make the change slowly. Instead of taking foods away try adding healthy foods to your diet. You will begin to crowd out the harmful foods with healthy foods. Replacing breakfast with a nutritious balanced meal replacement drink like Vive is a great way to begin the change.
  • Stop Stressing about life and losing the weight.  Because we make it so complicated we get overly stressed. If you have stress from work or home you need to manage it or remove the source. Stress will make it almost impossible to lose much weight. In addition stress kills!
  • Eat enough calories– Many people begin by drastically cutting food intake thus calories too much. If you go below 1200 calories for more than a couple of days your body senses a famine has arrived and it lowers your metabolic rate to conserve energy. You can even gain weight if you cut calories to much. If you stay in a severe calorie reduction under (800 calories or less, like anorexia) you body shifts to the catabolic effect of starvation and your body will begin to consume muscle and organs for its nutrition needs.
  • Do Not Skip Meals! You need to eat at least 5 times per day. It keeps blood sugar balanced and energy available. It also keeps the metabolism boosted. A healthy meal replacement shake is an option and can serve your body well. I recommend Vive, it was created for weight loss and energy and is packed with an abundance of nutrition!
  • Drink plenty of water– Many will not drink enough water. It takes water to release and burn fat for energy. Water is so important for your health!
  • Exercise– If you are obese you can lose weight for a short time by just cutting calories, however that will eventually slow and then stop. You must move more. Exercise does many wonderful things for our body. One benefit is that it speeds up our metabolic rate causing us to burn more calories through out the day! Just walking is a great exercise. Increase your speed and time as your fitness and health improves. Before beginning any exercise program please consult with your doctor for their approval. Walk twice per day to speed up the weight loss!
  • Stop weighing everyday! You weight can change up or down five or more pounds in any given day. You will set your self up for disappointment by weighing all of the. Weigh your self every two weeks. Do it first thing in the morning immediately after waking up and after your first urination.
  • Stop beating your self up! No body is perfect. Treats are allowed, even unscheduled ones. The next time you eat make a healthy choice. Bashing your self, will make you eat more.
  • DO NOT DIET!  It is our mindset to use the word diet and when we do we automatically set up in our mind that we will change our diet and lifestyle for a period of time and then come back home to that awesome food that got us fat to begin with. Plus because you have starved your body (both calories and nutrients) before, your body senses this and begins to subconsciously increase your desire for fatty and sugary foods. Sure you lose 30 pounds and then you gain 50 back. Dieting will only make you fatter one diet at a time! Think lifestyle change!
  • Nutrition Nutrition Nutrition!!!!  When you body is getting loads of nutrients it begins to clean and detox getting rid of toxic materials you have stored for years. Your body does not like to let go of fat unless it can detox adequately. Your body stores toxins in your fat. Depleted nutrient stores in your body get filled up and topped off. Then the bodies systems begin to come back into harmony with one another. Blood sugar begins to balance,cravings begin to disappear, energy improves, thinking improves, your hair and skin begins to glow. Your body starts regenerating itself to a new healthy one.

The bottom line is that weight loss and health do not come from a “diet” they comes from living a healthy lifestyle. That’s it. Adopt a healthy way of living and watch your body change!

Healthy Wishes.

Wally Bishop C.N.C.

The contents of this blog is not and should not be  considered medical advice. This blog is for informational purposes only. Always consult with your doctor before making any dietary or lifestyle changes. Never quit taking prescription medications unless advised to do so by your doctor.

Fruits, Can We Eat Too Many?

Wallace Bishop I.N.H.C, C.N.C.Leave a comment
Beautiful Superfoods!
Beautiful Superfoods!

I love fruits and know they can be incredibly healthy. They are rich of antioxidants, vitamins (except B12 and Vitamin D) and minerals. In addition they contain very healthy and important phytonutrients like antioxidants, malic acid in apples and coumarins in citrus fruits. Fruits help prevent aging, and may help prevent many different illnesses and diseases. Plus they taste great!

However in this part of the veggie world too much of a good thing can happen.  Although sugars have fructose, which doesn’t cause blood sugar spikes, they still contain plenty of sucrose and glucose (like table sugar), which do quickly raise blood sugar levels. Too much sugar can cause hormonal imbalances making it difficult to lose or maintain weight.  Sugars, particularly removed from their natural fibers (in the foods) can cause a rapid rise in blood sugar levels, then a rapid decline in blood sugar causing more cravings.

In my opinion, berries offer the lowest sugar and biggest nutritional bang for your calorie. Goji berries, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries etc. are super good for us. If you are eating bananas make sure they are green on they tips and bright yellow with no spots. Slightly green bananas have about half the sugar a ripe banana has.  Granny smith apples have less sugar than other apples have. Avocados, limes, lemons, grapefruit, papaya, peaches, plums, and berries are the lowest in sugar. While dates, cherries, apples, bananas, pineapple, grapes and mangos are some of the highest.

Dried fruits are extremely rich in sugars and should be avoided if you are trying to lose weight.

For anyone wanting to lose weight I recommend you consume no more than three (3) servings of fruit per day. And truthfully, I would prefer you only do two (2) servings a day until major progress is made in the weight loss.  Of course I do not recommend any fruit juice, it’s just way too much sugar.

A serving is one medium fruit (think apple, pear, peach, plum) or 1 cup of smaller fruits like berries.

Aim for 3 times more vegetables than fruit in your diet and you will be great.

Healthy wishes

Wally Bishop C.N.C.

WebND

The contents of this blog is not and should not be  considered medical advice. This blog is for informational purposes only. Always consult with your doctor before making any dietary or lifestyle changes. Never quit taking prescription medications unless advised to do so by your doctor.

Weight Loss, Why Is It So Difficult?

Wallace Bishop I.N.H.C, C.N.C.5 Comments
Lose Weight and Build Health at the Same Time!!

This question has been asked and will continue to be asked for ever, I think.  So, how do we honestly answer such a broad question. Let’s face the facts, not many people lose a significant amount of weight and keep it off.

The weight loss market is a multi-billion dollar industry and although there are many people and companies developing great products and methods that really care about helping us get the weight off and keep it off many more just want your hard-earned money. But, this is a much more complex situation than the products and systems available to us and if we use them or not.

Everyone wants the magic pill or solution so they do not have to change their diet or lifestyle. Sorry, it just isn’t going to happen. Even people who undergo gastric bypass will sometimes gain it back because they have not fixed the problem causing the weight gain.  Change is a result from an action you do. You must make changes.

The Truth

Losing weight is the easy part, yes it is. Your weight is controlled by the number of calories you consume over time. You can lose weight eating cheese burgers as long as you do not over consume calories. However cheese burgers will not be a healthy way to lose weight. If you eat more than you body burns (needs) then the excess calories will turn to fat. However there are many parts of the equation that can throw the wrench in the mix. The realty is much different!

Energy Balance

Most people do not know how many calories their body requires.  There is formula, however, I highly suggest your read my earlier blog about calories and energy balance. Click here.  How can you manage your calories if you do not know how many you need?

Behavior

Here is where part of the complexity comes in, your body’s calorie needs can be very low if you are eating a nutrient poor diet, not moving (exercising) enough, have been yo-yo dieting and have been under consuming calories.  Also, certain medications and illnesses can cause a drop in your metabolism that will make it more difficult to lose weight.  These illness and need for medications are most often caused by poor diet and a lack of exercise and sometimes genetics. However genetics can be overcome most of the time. By having a low-calorie need for your metabolism the foods you eat turn to fat stores when you eat more than you need.

Stress

Stress is a big hormonal disruptor and increases the bodies output of cortisol and ghrelin. These build waist and hip fat and drive your appetite to eat more. You must find ways to lower your stress. Exercise is a great way to reduce stress. Other examples are Ti Chi, Yoga, walking, bicycling and swimming. Get outside and get some fresh air.

Sabotage by Food Manufacturers and regulatory agencies

Hopefully you know that when I say food manufacturing, the FOOD I am discussing is processed or refined. That is what food manufacturing does. You end up with a food like product that may have only a little real food and little if any nutritional and health benefit and foods that may be in their natural form like white rice but has lost most of its nutritional content.  Most food manufacturers are more concerned with profits than your health. It’s obvious, they will use any FDA approved ingredient in the food manufacturing process regardless of what non-biased health experts say about the health impact of the ingredient.  Refined and processed foods are a major cause of illness in our country. Just remember the longer a foods shelf life, the shorter it can make your life.

Sugar

Sugar is the evil food. It is addicting, seductive, taste great and causes complete havoc to your hormonal, neurological and immune systems. If you don’t avoid and limit simple and refined sugar out of your diet it will slowly bring about disease and ultimately death.  Sugar comes in many forms and names, beware the food manufacturers like to hide it.

All of the conditions or situations I just mentioned cause things to happen in your body that make it more difficult to lose weight. They are all stressors on the body creating chronic inflammation which causes hormonal imbalances.   These specific  hormonal imbalances cause cravings, a drop in metabolism and a build up of fat around the middle of our body. This situation becomes a self-perpetuating condition. The fat build up of fat around the midsection disrupts hunger regulation by interfering with three primary hormones that help us regulate the need to eat. These hormones are ghrelin (increases appetite), leptin (signals the brain the body does not need food, its satisfied) and insulin which controls blood sugar levels. To much insulin circulating and your hunger increases.  If you do not burn sugar (glucose) for energy the body has to store it as fat.

If we add these together we get a formula that keeps people from keeping weight off forever.  People do not balance calories, they eat unhealthy foods, the do not manage their stress, they eat way too much sugar, they do not move or exercise enough.

What is the solution?

If you will integrate as many of these keys of health into your life, you will not only lose weight, you will gain in health. And you can keep both forever because this isn’t a diet, it’s a lifestyle.

Of utmost importance is developing a passion for a better and healthier life. The passion will get you through the difficult times.

10 Keys to Wellness

  1. Eat from Mother Nature as often as possible, avoiding refined and processed foods and simple sugars. Your diet should be primarily vegetables then fruits, legumes, nuts, seeds and sprouted grains. Raw vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds are even healthier.  Beans must be cooked.
  2. Reduce and learn to manage stress. Stress is the biggest influence to our health.
  3. Eliminate or limit the intake of animal foods (they are very acidic to the body).
  4. Avoid stimulants such as caffeine as much as possible. They are body stressors.
  5. Avoid or limit your alcohol intake.
  6. Avoid cigarettes and second hand smoke.
  7. Stay hydrated; drink plenty of fresh pure water daily.
  8. Get adequate time outside. Sunshine provides the best source of Vitamin D. Even when under cloud cover the ultraviolet rays penetrate and nourish our bodies. Always remember more is not always better. Just 15 to 20 minutes under the daylight sky 3 times per week will provide a lot of Vitamin D.
  9. Our body requires activity to be healthy. Exercise is vitally important.
  10.  Balance your life with spiritual and societal involvement.

Four Principles of Wellness

  1. 1.     Nutrition is king, king, king! Nutrition is 300 to 400% more important than exercise is to your state of wellness.  You can’t handle stress or get the benefits of exercise without great nutrition.
  2. 2.     Stress is a killer and will undermine all attempts to reach a state of MAXIMUM LIFE.
  3. 3.     Physical activity is critical to reach a place of wellness. You cannot have a MAXIMUM LIFE without exercise in some form.
  4. 4.     Spiritual and social fulfillment is critical for a state of wellness, happiness and having a MAXIMUM LIFE.

Be passionate about your health and do not let anyone undermine your success.

Healthy Wishes

Wally Bishop C.N.C.

WebND

The contents of this blog is not and should not be  considered medical advice. This blog is for informational purposes only. Always consult with your doctor before making any dietary or lifestyle changes. Never quit taking prescription medications unless advised to do so by your doctor.

Frustrated With Your Weight Loss? Try These Tips!

Wallace Bishop I.N.H.C, C.N.C.Leave a comment

Do you dread getting on the scale?  It will become the enemy when you visit it too often. Your weight is not the problem. Your problem is a diet and lifestyle that promotes weight gain. Change the behavior and the weight will change.  Quit weighing every day and only weigh once every two weeks. What you eat or do for one day reflects little on any part of your health. What you do consistently for weeks and months is what effects your health and weight loss  Your weight can shift multiple pounds from one day to the next, weighing everyday is not a good way to measure your weight loss success. Eventually it is going to show no loss or weight gain and you will be disappointed, frustrated and question your ability to lose the weight.

At some point in your weight loss journey you will hit a wall and the weight loss you have been enjoying stops.  This happens to anyone that diets.  So why does this happen you ask?  There are several reasons, lets explore them. Dieting; diets do not work. If you want permanent weight loss, change your life style and dietary habits forever. If you don’t, you will go back to the old behavior that made you fat.

  1. Skipping meals.  When you skip meals it leads to overeating later due to increased hunger. In addition it can cause craving due to a drop in blood sugar levels. Aim for 3 snacks and 3 meals per day.  DO NOT SKIP BREAKFAST!
  2. Lack of enough sound sleep.  Most people never realize how important to your overall health including weight loss.  With out adequate sleep your hormonal system is out of balance, you are under stress and releasing fat building hormones.  Your need 7 to 8 hours of sound sleep every night.
  3. Lack of water.  Without enough water (body fluids) your metabolism is lowered and you do not burn as many calories. You just can’t make as much energy without the water.
  4. Doing the same exercise routine. You body will figure out how to do your routine very efficiently and you will burn fewer calories.  Change your routine and include strength training and interval training.  Keep your body guessing.
  5. Eating the same foods every day. This is very common. Many of us like certain foods and we like the same ones for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The problem is again our body gets to comfortable because it now has learned how many calories and what nutrients to expect.  Vary your calories from day to day.  If your calorie budget is 2000 calories shoot for 1800 one day, 2200 one day, 2000 one day and even 1600 one day. The important part is averaging 2000 calories over several days.  One day at 2400 calories is not going to effect your weight however a week of 2400 calorie days will.
  6. Under consuming calories. Everyone thinks that if you eat less you will lose more weight. Wrong!  For most people if you consume less than 1200 calories per day your body is going to think it is starving. As a result it will lower your metabolism drastically and will even want to turn what you eat into fat for later energy when there is no food available.   You must eat enough to cover your Basil Metabolic Rate (BMR).
  7. Nutrient deficiency.  You should complement your diet with super nutrition. Even eating health is not enough with today’s foods. Your body can’t make energy, build muscle, make enzymes, red blood cells,  hemoglobin etc… without an abundance of nutrients.  Your mitochondria ( cellular power plants) are highly dependent on nutrients to burn carbohydrates and stored fats.
  8. Consuming too many calories.  Everyone has a calorie budget. If you exceed it consistently you will gain weight. It is important to know yours.  Eat 500 calories less per day that your burn and you will lose 1 pound per week of  hydrolyzed fat.  Never attempt to lose more than 2 pounds per week.  Eat less calories ( however not to few) and exercise more to increase your weight loss rate.
  9. Forgetting to adjust calorie intake when weight is being lost.  As the pounds come off you have to adjust your calorie intake.  If you continue eating the same calories that you did 20 pounds ago the weight loss is going to stop.
  10. Stress!  Stress releases hormones that build abdominal fat.  Find ways to add relaxation into your life. Make life fun!
  11. Lack of exercise. Everyone needs to exercise.  Exercise not only burns fat, it also detoxes the body, forces the body to repair itself and make more energy producing compounds and tissues. If you are morbidly obese you may lose weight for a while without exercising. However at some point the weight loss will stop if you do not include some form of exercise.
  12. Lack of real commitment. Are you so tired of being over weight that absolutely nothing is going to stop you. If you aren’t willing to tell your friends or even ask them to support you in your efforts then I question if you are really committed to your weight loss.  It is important to let friends and family know so they can help reinforce good behavior and not tempt you will fattening foods. Your friends will want to help and not sabotage your efforts.

Hopefully these suggestions will help you get over the hump when you hit the weight loss wall.  Change your foods regularly, change your calories daily and vary your exercise routine.  In some cases, if you have exercised regularly, you may need a week off.  If you have given your body a break you may want to increase your intensity to jump-start the metabolic engine again.

Healthy Wishes

Wally Bishop C.N.C.

WebND

The contents of this blog is not and should not be  considered medical advice. This blog is for informational purposes only. Always consult with your doctor before making any dietary or lifestyle changes. Never quit taking prescription medications unless advised to do so by your doctor.

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