There are a plethora of "fad diets" that you see so much of today ranging from the "low calorie", "low carb", "low fat", or even flat out starvation dieting! One of those fad diets I would like to talk about today is the low calorie fad diet.

In theory, you would think that in order to lose weight fast, one should simply just lower the amount of calories you consume every day. Although weight loss will happen by lowering your caloric intake, lowering it too much can reap some very unwanted results.

One of the most common repercussions of dramatically decreasing the calories you consume is a reduction in your metabolism....which leads to "yo-yo weight loss". When you lower your calories too low, this will cause your metabolism to go into "protection mode"....which means that your metabolism will then store calories as a way of protecting you....since it is sensing "starvation". Now, once you resume eating as normal, the pounds you've lost will then come right back once you're metabolism returns to normal!

So, in order to lose weight fast but without decreasing your metabolism is by doing the one thing that seems so unconventional nowadays but is actually the number one way to lose weight.....EAT!!!

Now, obviously what, when, and how you eat is of the utmost importance. I don't mean for you to scarf down a double cheeseburger and expect to lose weight! I'm talking about eating to keep your metabolism running consistent and strong. Here are a four ways to assure this will happen:

1. Eat More Frequently - By consuming meals more frequently (I recommend 4-6 meals), you will keep your digestive system active which will cause a boost in your metabolism. Also, you will get rid of those nagging hunger pains and cravings.

2. NEVER Skip Breakfast - Skipping breakfast will slow down your metabolism. Think about it: you haven't ate anything for 7-8 hours from when you went to bed the night before!

3. Fiber - Be sure to consume plenty of fiber daily as this will also keep your digestive system active and will help flush out toxins. I recommend apples, whole grains, and beans such as kidney beans or lentils. Those foods are very rich in fiber and other important nutrients.

4. Calorie Shift - The calorie shifting diet system from Fat Loss 4 Idiots is an incredible dieting system where you will be taught how to alternate the calories from the foods you eat daily so that you can confuse your metabolism into elevating to the highest point. This happens because our bodies are used to when and what we eat. By following the calorie shifting theory using the exact method in the diet program, this will force your metabolism to elevate since it doesn't have time to adapt to your eating patterns. Learn more about and try the calorie shifting diet here.

So, in summary, if you want to lose weight fast, avoid those low calorie diets as they will do the exact opposite of what your body needs to have working properly for fast weight loss.....they will SLOW down your metabolism! Focus more on keeping your metabolic rate as high as possible since that is the surest and most natural way to get fast weight loss. Also, if you are going to reduce calories, only do so by a small margin. I recommend no more than 300 calories below your daily maintenance. For example, I need 2200 calories to maintain my weight. So, if I am trying to lose weight, I would only reduce those calories down to around 1900. I explain more about calorie consumption and your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) in my other post here.

Can you still lose weight if you eat a cookie? What about a potato chip? Or even a scoop of ice cream? How about if you just LOOK at bad food?

My friend, eating a little bad food once in a blue moon does not mean you failed your diet or are going to fail!

When it comes to matters like this, what I recommend is if you are just starting out dieting, that is the time when you want to avoid bad foods completely for at least the first two weeks. The reason I say that is because during this time, you are more likely to shift back into your old poor eating habits. If you have a cheat snack or meal, that could cause you to lose your motivation.....especially if you feel bloated or if you end up seeing slight weight gain (even though that has to do with daily weight fluctuations).

After a couple of weeks of starting a diet, go ahead and treat yourself. BUT, still keep proportion control in mind! Don't go gangbusters on some Ben & Jerry ice cream or 2 slices of cheese cake.....with strawberry dressing! Get a nice small portion, enjoy, and get back on track. This way you'll satisfy that sweet tooth, and you won't end up jeopardizing your diet since you didn't get carried away.

Another thing I recommend is to try and keep bad foods out of your home to begin with. If there are no bad foods in the house, the temptation to have them will diminish quickly.

Now, I know this may be an issue if you have children or other folks who are not dieting living in the house. What I recommend for that is to get snacks and foods that you know won't weaken you and cause you to break down.

For example, if I see some Oreo cookies or soft pretzels laying around.......IT'S OVER!!!!!! LOL! Seriously though, what I do since I love those types of snacks and it will be hard to fight the temptation to have them (even after 5 years of living healthy), is get things for my children that I know I won't get too tempted to have (animal crackers, etc.). My wife typically doesn't eat junk or a lot of bad foods anyway, so that helps.

So, if you are trying to lose weight and are afraid that one little cookie is going to mess everything up, stop worrying and chow down on a whole pack!!! JUST KIDDING!! Go ahead and treat yourself every now and then, but just remember to control your portions and don't make it habit of eating bad foods too often.

• Click Here To Learn How To Shift The Calories From The Foods You Eat To Boost Your Metabolism And Lose Weight At An Accelerated Rate.

I don't know about you, but I don't think I can live without sandwiches!!! When I started dieting, there was no way I can do away with bread, even though bread is a big no-no when it comes to dieting due to the calorie and carb content. So, I asked myself the question you've probably asked when you began your diet or are about to begin: Is there a COMPLETELY healthy bread if you are trying to lose weight and drop fat?

I have tried a ton of different healthy breads and I believe I have come across the absolute most healthiest bread option out there. It's called Arnold Bakery Light 100% Whole Wheat bread.

I had Arnold's other wheat bread brands but I was a little concerned about the amount of calories and carbs in the bread. Then one day I was in good ol' Walmart picking up a few things and for some reason, something told me to see if they actually have a good healthy bread.....since they seem to have everything else....lol! I noticed that they carried the Arnold brand and that's when I came across the Bakery Light Wheat Bread.

Okay, are you sitting down? Well, check out the nutritional facts for this bread:


Calories - 80
Fat - 0.5 g
Cholesterol - 0%
Sodium - 170 mg
Total Carbs - 18 g (5 g of fiber and 2 g of sugar)
Protein - 5 g
Calcium - 4%
Iron - 4%
High Fructose Corn Syrup? - NOPE!

Is there really another bread out there that is healthier than that?!

If you are busting your rear end losing weight and burning fat and all you want is to enjoy a nice chicken sandwich, tuna (NO MAYO) sandwich, or some toast to go along with your oatmeal, you have got to try this bread!

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention.....it tastes great! It's kind of similar to white bread (as far as softness)...but obviously healthier.

Have you had this bread before? Do you know of other healthy breads? Share by commenting below.

==> Want To Lose 9 Pounds Every 11 Days Starting Today? Check Out This Powerful Online Diet Program That Had Me Lose 50 lbs. Of Fat Of In 8 Weeks! If You Want Fast & Permanent Results, I Highly Recommend This Program.

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results. If you have reached a fat loss or weight loss plateau, you have to change up your diet and/or exercise regimen to break the plateau.

When you start dieting and exercising, your body becomes accustomed to:

• The amount of calories you eat
• The types of foods you eat
• The times of day you eat
• The amount of calories you burn off via exercise, etc.

If you want to maintain an ALREADY healthy body, then it's perfectly okay to stick to a specific diet and exercise regimen. However, if you are trying to either lose weight, burn fat, and/or build muscle, you have to break your bodies comfort zone so that you can either prevent or break a fat loss and weight loss plateau.

As far as eating is concerned, there is a dieting system called calorie shifting from the Fat Loss 4 Idiots program. This system is designed to prevent you from reaching a fat loss plateau. What it does is it will show you how to "shift" the calories from the meals you eat each day. By shifting calories, you are preventing your body from getting accustomed to foods you eat. This whole process confuses your metabolism and causes it to increase dramatically. Check out the calorie shifting system from Fat Loss 4 Idiots here.

Now, as far as exercising is concerned, I recommend for you to increase the intensity of your workout every week. For example:

• Let's say you do cardio on a treadmill the first week at a speed of 3.0 and an incline of 5.0. The second week you should decrease the speed to 2.7 but increase the incline to 8.0 (trust me, it's pretty intense). The week after that switch to working out on an elliptical.
  
• You arm curl a 25 pound dumbbell the first week. The second week you increase to a 30 pound dumbbell. The following week switch to doing cable arm curls.
  
• Etc.

So, in summary, by increasing the intensity and changing up your exercise routine every week, you will stimulate muscle growth and fat loss which will keep you out of a plateau. Also, by "calorie shifting", you can break a fat loss plateau quickly due to the increase of your metabolism.

Is your mouth watering yet? Being on a diet busting your butt day in and day out staying 100% committed to your plan can take it's toll.........of course the reward is worth it (in better shape and better health), however, no one said that while on a diet you can't indulge in a treat that is not only satisfying for the ever-so-often "sweet tooth", but also actually healthy for you!

I came across an e-mail from Mike Geary of The Truth About Abs six pack ab program and he has a recipe for healthy peanut butter chocolate fudge:

3/4 cup organic coconut milk (NOT the watered down "light" version which just replaces some of the healthy coconut fat with water...use the real full-fat version)
1 bar (3-5 oz. bar works well) of quality extra dark chocolate (look for at least 70-75% cocoa content on the label to minimize sugar content)
4-5 tablespoons of peanut butter or your favorite nut butter (almond butter, cashew butter, macadamia butter, etc)
3/4 cup raisins or dried cranberries (optional)
1/2 cup whole raw almonds or other nuts (optional)
2 Tbsp raw wheat germ
2 Tbsp rice bran (usually only available at health food stores)
2 Tbsp whole oats or oat bran
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
A little stevia powder to sweeten

Note on coconut milk: don't be afraid of the fats in this... coconut fat is mostly medium chain triglycerides (MCTs) that are more readily used for energy and also contain a special fat called Lauric Acid, which is extremely healthy and supports the immune system.

Start by adding the coconut milk (cans of organic coconut milk are available at most health food stores and possibly even your grocery store) and vanilla extract to a small saucepan on VERY low heat. Break up the extra dark chocolate bar into chunks and add into pot. Add the nut butter and the stevia, and continuously stir until it all melts together into a smooth mixture.

Then add the raisins, almonds, wheat germ, oat bran, and rice bran and stir until fully blended. Spoon/pour the fudge mixture onto some waxed paper in a dish and place in the fridge until it cools and solidifies together. Place in a closed container or cover with foil in fridge to prevent it from drying out.

Enjoy small squares of this delicious healthy fudge for dessert and for small snacks throughout the day. This is about as good as it gets for a healthy yet delicious treat!

Even though this is a healthier dessert idea that's lower in sugar and higher in nutrition than most sweet treats, keep in mind that it is still calorie dense, so keep your portions reasonable.



Sounds delicious!! I can't wait to try it out, I'm going to be making it this upcoming week....just in time for my kids with their spring break (of course it's not a break for me!!!!!) lol!

Are you trying to get six pack abs? How many ab machines have you purchased to get those hot six pack abs? How many ab crunches and leg raises did you do today? Okay, now let's switch gears....how much carbs and fats did you have today? How many calories did you consume today? How much weight training and cardiovascular did you do today? Do you see where I'm going with this?

In order to get six pack abs, there are some important steps you have to follow in order to achieve this popular goal. Simply doing JUST ab exercises are not going to reveal those much desired six pack abs or a toned tummy. Ab machines and ab exercises tone the muscle UNDER belly fat. You have to remove the belly fat on top of those ab muscles in order for them to show.

Now, understand that you have to be around 10% body fat in order for your abdominal muscles to be revealed. So, without further ado, here is my 3 step formula to lose body fat and get those six pack abs:

Step 1: PROPER Nutrition: Proper nutrition is more than just WHAT it is you eat daily, it also comprises of when and how you eat daily. Eating several (I recommend 5-6) meals a day, you will elevate your metabolic rate so that your body will burn off fat more faster. Not only that, you will also be more fuller through out the day.

Also, be sure to eat your foods more slower. Slower consumption of foods will allow the foods to be digested properly and will also help in keeping you from being hungry.

What to eat? I recommend for you to consume plenty of protein, a moderate amount of carbohydrates, and a minimal amount of fats (healthy fats such as monounsaturated). Notice how I did not say avoid carbs and fats? That's right, you have to get those nutrients if you want to get six pack abs! By avoiding carbohydrates and fats, you will end up slowing down your metabolism, end up with catabolism (your body will burn muscle tissue since your body is depleted of carbohydrates and fats), and could end up with "yo-yo" weight loss (you lose weight...only to regain the weight back...and maybe even more)! The same theory applies to if you dramatically reduce your caloric intake. Slightly reduce your caloric intake to avoid slowing down your metabolism.

Also, be sure to get plenty of fiber (at least the daily recommended value), and of course, foods rich in vitamins and minerals such as fruits and veggies (be careful with fruits since majority of them are high in carbs).

To accelerate fat loss even more, and to learn how to "shift" the calories from the foods you eat so that you can elevate your metabolic rate to it's highest level, plus have a fat loss diet plan customized just for you based off of your current body, I recommend for you to check out the calorie shifting system from Fat Loss 4 Idiots. Thousands of people have used this program with tremendous results.

Step 2: Drink PLENTY Of Water: By drinking plenty of water daily, you will keep your metabolism active, flush toxins out of your system, ensure proper development of muscle tissue, and will get rid of excess water weight. To save a boat load of money, I highly recommend for you to get a home filtration system such as the PUR system (I have the one that attaches to the faucet). You will save a ton of money by not having to worry about buying spring water!

Step 3: Exercise: Your exercise regime should consist of both cardiovascular and resistance training to yield the best results. You need cardiovascular exercise to improve the functions of your heart, and to burn off stubborn fat. You need resistance training since the more muscle tissue you have on your body....the more your body will naturally burn off fat.

For cardio, I recommend for you to do some form of cardio for at least 20 minutes as soon as you awake in the morning. This will burn off stored fat. Doing cardio later in the day will simply burn off the carbohydrates and fats that you consumed up until that point. Now, don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with doing cardio later, I'm just recommending that you do it first thing in the morning if you have a lot of fat to burn off.

For resistance training, I recommend that you focus on doing more compound weight training to work the larger muscle groups (legs, chest, back). Doing those types of exercises will burn off the most calories.

Now, as far as ab exercises are concerned, if you want to get six pack abs quickly, here is my suggestion to ensure you develop your ab muscles properly.....slow, concentrated, low rep workouts will get better results.

For crunches: Lay down on your back in the typical abdominal crunch position. Place your hands behind your head near your ears (don't lock your fingers). Slowly elevate your upper body toward your knees and hold that position for 3 seconds and repeat for 30-50 repetitions. Trust me on this.....by the time you get to 15.....you're going to feel the burn! Doing a crap load of crunches does not guarantee six pack abs!

Other abdominal exercises I recommend are side crunches and leg raises. You can follow the same pointers above for these exercises.

So, there you have it. The bottom line is that if you want to get six pack abs, you have to place your primary emphasis on burning off stubborn fat and get your BF% down to around 10%. Always start with proper nutrition, and make sure you are doing both cardio and weight training exercises to get the quickest results!

One more thing, be sure to get plenty of sleep every night to ensure your body recuperates, burns fat, and builds lean muscle tissue.

Good luck!