This post has been SOY long due! (Sorry, I had to go there!)  Soy has been a food that I once thought to be very healthy, in fact, I use to pride myself on trying to eat as much tofu as I could as a badge of honor.  The more I have studied soy, the farther I go to avoid it! I certainly am no expert on it, but there is lots of research to show that we really need to be careful with it.  There is also research to show some benefits to it as well, which makes it such a confusing topic!

I think many of the thyroid issues that are going on can be somewhat contributed to the increase in soy. Soy hasn’t been massed produced in America for all that long.  You might be wondering why we have been taught to believe that soy is so good for you.  The answer to that question is simple…  $$$$$$$$$$$ Our government, the media, and even some research is all run by how much money it can make.  Soy is a cash crop and a multibillion dollar industry. When so much money is at stake, of course there are going to be multimillion dollar campaigns to persuade American’s at just how great soy is… Do you remember this past year all those high fructose corn syrup commercials saying the HFCS is actually GOOD for you?? Man did that make me mad!

Since I am not the best person for this subject, I have asked my nutritional consultant that I work with and send my clients to, to write an article on it.  Tracie specializes in healing metabolism through natural foods and is awesome when it comes to weight loss.  She is having an 8 week seminar starting in mid July.  If you are in the Madison area I highly recommend you join.  It will be life-changing! More on Is Soy Making You Fat?

Today’s topic might hit a nerve with many people.  I want to first say, that I am not an eating disorder specialist in anyway, and I am not giving specific guidance.  I am just sharing my experience with you.

I received an article from one of my readers and Fit Fun Bootcampers, that really hit me hard.

Click here to read this article and watch video

Hollywoods portrayal of attractiveness!

Eating disorders can be devastating, and cause the person to battle it their whole life.  I have dealt with many clients who have had, or are still struggling with an eating disorder and just feel very overwhelmed and frustrated.  From a physiological side, metabolisms seem to get so messed up when people go from a healthy weight to a very unhealthy weight and back up again.  It seems like their bodies try to store as much fat as possible once they begin getting help and eating a healthier diet.

I am writing this not really because of the topic of eating disorders, but rather the example you are setting for your kids and friends.  I too have been guilty of this, especially with past female college friends.  I have made little comments here and there that have made them question their body image (even though I never realized it at the time).

The mom who sent me this article has two young girls and is concerned if she is sending the right messages to her daughters.

If you have been following this blog, and my views for any amount of time, you know how important family is to me, and the role it plays in the developmental process of a person.  So I want to ask you a question?  If you have kids, are your words and actions supporting a healthy behavior or hurting it? In your circle of friends, are you building your friends self image up or shooting it down?  Are you encouraging healthy behaviors of those around you?

So what does this all mean?  How can you lessen the chances your kids or friends will develop eating disorders or body image problems, or low self esteem related to their health/appearance.  Here are some of my suggestions. More on Are You Causing Your Kids Or Friends To Become Anorexic?

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“Hi Dustin! I’ve been doing your first dvd for the past 5 weeks. I’m seeing GREAT results. I’ve lost 11 pounds and I am feeling so much stronger. It’s really been amazing. Is your second dvd for sale yet? I’m totally excited to start it!”
-Alicia

PPS  I get asked if guys can do this program.  The answer is definitely yes!  Some of the husbands of the wives have been doing the workouts and loving them!  They are designed for maximum fat loss and toning.

I get many questions about pre and post workout nutrition.  Do I eat before I work out or should I workout on an empty stomach?  There are good arguments both ways, but I recommend eating at least a little something.  If you are working out with no food in your stomach (most times in the morning) your body is already at a low glucose state.  The increase exercise will soon cause you to break down muscle in order to provide the body with enough energy to make it through the workout.  It is generally ok to eat a regular meal 2.5 hours before a workout, but anything sooner and you might be asking for it to come back up!  I recommend eating a little something within 30 minutes of starting to exercise.  This will do a couple things: it will provide the body with some energy to get more out of the workout, it will prevent your body from eating its muscle, and it primes the body to recover and heal faster after the workout.

For after a workout your body gives you a 45 minute window where the muscle fibers are very receptive to protein, in fact, it is 400% more receptive to protein.  So it is important to get enough quick absorbing protein into the muscle cells as possible to aid in muscle recovery.  In order to more quickly and efficiently get this protein into the muscle, you need simple sugars to shuttle that in.  Think of the sugar as a high speed train, carrying the protein into the muscle.  Without the sugar it would be like a biker trying to bike the protein into the muscle, much slower and less efficient.  So the sugar you consume after a workout (assuming it isn’t too much) will be used to replenish glycogen stores in the liver and muscle, which means you don’t have to worry about it getting stored as fat.

In both the pre and the post workout meal, it is important to not eat fat, because fat slows the absorption rate down, making it more difficult for the protein to get shuttled into the muscle… think of the fat as rush hour traffic for the biker or train.

Well there you have it, the geeky and scientific part of pre and post workout meals.

Now here is my moms post and her suggestions!

Today’s topic is another good one that was requested. I have learned that I have been doing it wrong; typically, I’ll take a protein shake along to the “Y” and drink maybe a fourth of it before working out and save the rest for afterwards. This part is fine, Dustin says. However, I put all but the kitchen sink in this drink, including ground flaxseed-a big no-no! I have learned that this drink is ONLY simple carbs and protein, NO fats! And it should be in a ratio of about 2:1 or 3:1, carbs:protein, with 50-100 cals before and 2-300 cals after the workout, depending on your size. More on Pre and Post Workout Nutrition

I am going to keep it light and funny today!  I have seen some funny and crazy things happen on treadmills in the gym the past 10 years.  I don’t know what it is about watching someone fall on a treadmill that is so funny.

Here are some I have found!  Enjoy and remember to live life and laugh

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Zambia

I am very excited to be writing this post for you today.  We are talking about tea.  I really didn’t know much about tea until a couple years ago when I spent part of my summer in some of the most remote places in Africa doing missions work.  I was in South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Botswana.  It was an amazing experience all around, but one of the things that they did over there that was new to me was drink lots of tea!  I grew up with many different herbal teas, but I had no idea there were so many other kinds.  The most popular one was Rooisbos tea.  I began to learn about all the benefits that these teas had to offer.

About 5 months ago I met a woman named Maleah from Madison who began taking my MamaTone classes.  She was in love with tea and had started her own tea company called Cha Cha Tea and found exotic leaves from all over the world.  Each day she would bring in a different type of tea for everyone to try out!  It was amazing the different type of flavors there were and all natural!

She doesn’t use tea bag like I am use to, but rather tea leaves which are suppose to give a much fuller and strong flavor.  Green tea has been in the media a lot lately about its weight loss properties.  There definitely is some research to show that it will increase the metabolism a little bit.  It won’t cause a huge weight loss overnight, but is one small step in the right direction.  I think the biggest benefit tea has to offer though, is an alternative to all the calorie laden drinks out on the market.  Many people have a hard time just drinking water all the time.  All natural teas provide an alternative that is 100% natural and has 0-5 calories! Being able to substitute soda (even diet soda), fruit juices, and coffees for tea will cause the greatest fat loss results.

Green tea is just one of the many different kinds of teas out there to try!

If you are interested in getting some amazing teas be sure to check out Maleah’s website and support a local small business and get exotic teas that are hard to find anywhere else. I do receive a commission, so not only will you be helping Maleah out, but you will be helping me fund more projects to help more people!  So please check out Cha Cha Tea and mention that I sent you!

I asked Maleah to write an article about weight loss and tea, so here it is!

Who knew that drinking tea burns calories? Two to three cups of green tea per day can kick up your metabolism by 80 calories per day. It may not sound like a lot, but when you’re trying to lose weight, every calorie counts. Besides that, green tea contains other healthy compounds that provide all sorts of healthy benefits, including slowing the aging process.

As for the metabolism part, there is a plant chemical found mostly in green teas called EGCG (it stands for epicgallocatechin gallate). Studies have shown that consuming 300mg of EGCG a day can promote a mild metabolism boosting benefit.

But before you rush out to load up on bottles of green tea drinks from the market, check the labels carefully. Many are sweetened (adding lots of calories or artificial sweetener). In fact, I saw one bottled “green tea” drink in the market that touted its calorie-burning benefits, even though it contained only 55 mg of EGCG per 16 ounce bottle. That means you’d have to drink six of those 16-ounce bottles in one day to have the same benefit from three cups of brewed green tea. (Plus those six bottles would cost a lot more than 3 servings of loose green tea!).

Tea Leaves being picked in Kenya

Don’t worry too much about getting the jitters from drinking green tea. Though it does contain caffeine (50 mg vs. 137mg found in a cup of coffee), the caffeine in green tea is surrounded by plant chemicals (called tannic acid compounds). They slow the release of green tea’s caffeine into the bloodstream, thus resulting in fewer feelings of agitation or jitters which many people experience from drinking coffee or other caffeinated drinks.

Recent research has found that green tea is good for you because it helps protect the body’s levels of HDL cholesterol, or “good” cholesterol. Results have been equivocal regarding green tea and weight loss, with recent rigorous studies indicating there was no benefit and some older studies suggesting there is.

If you like green tea, by all means drink it because it contains a host of compounds like polyphenols that act as anti-oxidants and work to help prevent heart disease and some studies have indicated it may help with preventing some cancers. More studies have been conducted on green tea, but because all true tea: white, green, oolong and black come from the same species, Camellia Sinensis, they all have potentials for being equally healthful.

White, green, oolong, and black tea leaves, when made into a cup, also contain the “relaxing” amino acid called L-Theanine, which increases the alpha brain waves that make us feel calm but alert. These polyphenols don’t seem to be in herbal teas and it is unclear how much is retained in decaffeinated teas.

Tea, like wine, comes in hundreds of varieties so there is a tea for everyone. Loose teas provide more flavor, freshness and an authentic tea experience. Experiment and have fun with tea!

If you are interested in learning more about teas or would like to try some out, please check out Cha Cha Tea!

Today, my mom is taking on the topic of one of the most frequently asked questions we get… How To Survive The Restaurant. I must admit, I am awful when it comes to eating out. I have a huge appetite which can really get me in trouble. I have a rule that my girlfriend hates, but I try to stick to… only 1 night of eating out per week. (I think she would go every night) This not only saves money, but many calories. In this post my mom gives great practical advice.

Enjoy!

Last week’s blogging was phenomenal, not just the volume (with a little administrative incentive!), but the content was so very very useful and at times in-your-face.…who can forget the:

“what you eat today you wear tomorrow”

or

“a minute on the lips, forever on the hips”!!!!

Those little ditties will haunt us at all future sites of temptation. Needless to say, we are still in business and this week we get to share our tricks when eating out-a different scene from the potlucks and grad parties, etc.

Depending on the size of the servings, one of the easiest ways to do it smart at a restaurant is to split a meal with a companion; if that doesn’t work out, ask for a take-home container brought with your meal and immediately stash half of it. Our country has become famous for SUPERsizing meals; let’s sabotage it all by splitting meals and DOWNsizing ourselves!

I think you can’t go wrong choosing some kind of well prepared fish, with certain guidelines, like asking if the salmon is wild caught Alaskan vs. farm raised. I try to always stay away from any farm raised fish, but Angela (Dustin’s sister) had a chart from a college class that made some exceptions, so I will not try to be an expert here! If only the breaded version is available, simply peel off the coating. Walleye and tilapia are other good choices, asking for them to bake or broil it for you without any added fats or sauces and simply use some fresh lemon juice. Now what you eat with this healthy entrée is what will make or break this meal, as we all well know! Several sides of your less starchy vegetables, such as steamed asparagus, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, etc. will be your best choice; however, if it’s carb-loaded veggies you are making room for, a small baked potato with some light sour cream or a small serving of sweet potatoes will not bust you; always remember that size can be the killer even more than small “cheats”. It goes without saying that the dinner roll is best left covered up in the basket, or removed from the table if you are all of one mind. More on Healthy Eating While Eating Out!

I am excited to share with you today a video that I did this morning with one of my success stories, Becky.  You have seen Becky already a couple of times and I love sharing her story, because it is a story of overcoming obstacles to achieve an incredible body.  But with that new body has come a new life.  Things Becky use to do, she no longer does, and things Becky could not do before, she can now do with ease!

Click here to check out Becky’s transformation

Click here to check out a sample home workout

If you have been following me and this blog for sometime, you know I don’t believe in traditional cardio as a means for losing fat.  I am not saying it can’t help, but in most cases it just doesn’t work very well.  With Becky, not only could she not to any cardio, but she couldn’t work her legs at all either. This was concerning to me, since about 60% of a person’s muscle mass lies below the waist.  That means that I had 60% less muscle building, and fat burning potential that I was working with. But Becky never gave up and continues to work so hard.  A combination of a 1200-1500 calorie diet and 3 days of heavy weight training, has given Becky these incredible results.  Becky currently has up to 40 lb dumbells at her house and just this week asked if she should get 45 lbers, I have no doubt, that within a short time she will have them as well.

In this video I want to share with you 3 of the best total upper body fat burning and muscle building exercises. Each of these exercises is designed to maximize the load placed on the large muscle groups and increase the heart rate very high and very quickly.  The combination of the muscle building effects, and the after workout calorie burn, produces an elevated metabolism that will stay high much longer than most other types of training.

Enjoy!

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Please share with everyone what you thought of this story!

I am going to try a new thing out to encourage more people to comment in the posts.  This is a community and we need as much participation as possible.  So I am requiring at least 20 comments in this post for my mom to do her next post which is eating healthy when dining out.  So please read this article and click the comments box at the bottom of the page!

Based off of your requests, we are going to be talking about making it through a cookout or summer party.  This can be very challenging to do, and I have to admit many times I just let myself go and use it as my cheat meal or cheat day.  One trick I use is to never drink calories at a party, and always be drinking tons of water.  I will easily drink 4 cups an hour.  This makes it a little more difficult to overeat.  I would also recommend putting all the food you are going to eat on your plate and just eat that.  The most dangerous thing is to continually be picking up handfuls of food.  It is impossible to tell portion size at that point, and you are mindlessly eating, because you are talking with others, not even thinking about what the food tastes like!

Ok, here is my moms post!

Well, almost to the middle of June already!  I am trying to make a conscious effort to truly enjoy the sun and all the green surrounding me every day and to be aware of how much we have to be thankful for and not take for granted already what we Northerners anticipate all winter long!  And along with the sun comes BBQs for all sorts of occasions,  especially the graduation open houses right now.  Shelley wrote in asking for ideas for keeping on a healthy plan while attending so many “special occasions” that offer reasons/excuses to ditch all caution and have at it.  So that is what we will discuss today instead of featuring a recipe.

I got to practice this just yesterday at SOAR at your very own UW Madison; for those of you outside of Madison, 5000 More on Can You Eat Healthy At A Party?

I have been flying quite a bit the past couple years and have met so many interesting people on my flights.  Most ask what I do, and when I tell them I am a body transformation specialist, the fun begins.  If I am sitting next to someone who obviously could use my services I usually get what I call “confessional time” by the person.  You would think I was a priest and they were sharing all of their sins with me. I usually hear the traditional “I really want to be in better shape, but I just don’t seem to have the time for it,” or “I start to workout, but then I quit,” or “I have tried to exercise and eat better and I don’t lose weight.”

A couple weeks ago I flew out to Orange County and sat by this woman who was 74 years old.  She had more energy and zest for life than many people I meet in their 20’s and 30’s.  She obviously made health and fitness one of her top priorities.  Not only did she look amazing, but her mind was so sharp and quick.  She walked 5-7 miles a day to stay active (at the end of the conversation she said I had convinced her to also start back up with strength training).  As we talked for a couple hours I found out she had been a nutritional counselor for a large weight management company for many years.  Like me, she was so saddened by the current state of health in America and particularly in kids.

We talked a lot about food and how that is the biggest culprit in our society today, and the food we are eating isn’t really food, but a bunch of man made chemicals and highly processed grains and fats.

She made a very interesting comment that has stuck with me that I keep referring back to, which is the reason I am writing this to you.  She said that she has no problem paying extra for all natural, whole foods, fresh fruits, fresh veggies, because she knows the extra money she is spending in food, she is saving on all other types of things including, medication/drugs, not having to buy larger clothes, and sickness due to loss of work.  She said she has never taken any medication or drugs in her life and she hasn’t been sick or had a cold in over 20 years. More on What Are You Investing In