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  Is 6 meals a day still the way to go?
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By Mike Geary
http://truthaboutabs.atozfitness.com

The topic of the "6 meals a day for fat loss" has been touted by bodybuilding circles and personal trainers for years now as the best way to eat for fat loss compared to the traditional "3 square meals a day".

But is this 6-meal per day frequency the ONLY way to do it?  And is it really the most effective?

Well, the answer can go both ways. Let me give you my opinion on this...

First, let's look at what the recommended 6 meals/day instead of 3 really breaks down to calorically... On 3 meals/day, let's take the example of a normal person that might be eating 3,000 calories per day, but eating those calories in three 1,000-calorie meals (or more likely, two 1500-calorie meals for someone that skips breakfast).

This same daily caloric intake spread out over 6 smaller meals would be six meals at 500 calories each.  Keep in mind that this example daily caloric intake is just an example, and would be WAY too much for some people depending on body size and composition, age, and activity level.

The theory has always been (with overall daily calories being the same in both cases) that by spreading the daily calories out over 6 smaller meals per day instead of 3 large meals per day, this essentially helps to promote more steady blood sugar levels throughout the day instead of large spikes and dips seen with larger meals spaced out over longer periods of time.

It's also been theorized that more frequent meals evens out your protein digestion and amino acid availability throughout the day, so that there's less muscle catabolism compared to longer periods of time between meals.

Now here's my take on this...

I do still recommend 5-7 small meals per day for beginners or people that are just finally trying to get control over their diet. A lot of people that are used to eating 2-3 meals per day typically eat WAY too many calories in one sitting, and by eating smaller meals every 3 hours or so throughout the day, it helps them to finally get control over eating excessively large meals.

Think about this scenario... the average person at the office that eats lunch at noon, and then doesn't eat dinner until they get home at about 7pm that night. And they were so busy at work that they forgot to eat any small meal or snack mid afternoon.

With 7 hours between meals, they're so ravenous when they get home that they INHALE 2,000 calories before they've even given their brain a chance to register that they've eaten this much.

End result - eating WAY more daily calories than their caloric maintenance.

I will say that for people that already eat extremely healthy and control their calories each day, I don't think there's any magic bullet with 6 meals/day vs 4 meals, or 3 meals and a couple snacks, etc.

From personal experience with lots of my clients over the years, I've seen many people that struggled with their diet finally get control of things by "grazing" more throughout the day and eating the 5-7 meals/day. The important thing is that EVERY meal is kept small.

Personally, I've changed my eating habits to be so healthy over the years, that I find I can eat in almost any meal frequency and my body always seems to self-regulate appetite because of the high nutrient density of my diet these last few years.

Different methods will work differently for each individual. 

I've actually found in recent years that I seem to operate best by eating a fairly large breakfast of around 800 to 1000 calories, and then just grazing on small 200 to 300 calorie snacks every couple hours throughout the day. And then I like to eat a larger dinner of around 800-1000 calories.

The reason I seem to operate best on this breakdown is because I'm very active throughout the middle of the day most days with exercise, so I tend to not want large meals at this time, just lighter snacks.  However, at night, I like to eat the larger meal once again to help my body recover from my high levels of activity during the days (skiing, hiking, biking, weight training, etc).

Years ago, I preferred to eat the 6 meals a day at 500 calories each approximately (since my caloric maintenance is about 3000 cals/day).  Now, I prefer something more along these lines:

Meal 1:  800-1000 calories
Meal 2:  250 calories
Meal 3:  250 calories
Meal 4:  250 calories
Meal 5:  250 calories
Meal 6:  800-1000 calories

Keep in mind that spreading the calories out more evenly through the day may work better for you if you're not extremely active and you have a job that involves sitting at a desk most of the day.

A good example:

I had a co-worker years ago at my former corporate job that lost 30 lbs in about 2 months by simply changing his meal frequency.  He had previously been eating a carbohydrate-based breakfast, which left him ravaged by lunch time and he would overeat at lunch.  Then he would go all afternoon without eating and be ravaged by dinner and overeat at dinner.

His change...

He took my advice and started eating at least 1 source of satisfying protein and healthy fat at breakfast each day and reduced the carbs.  Then, around mid-morning, he would eat a combo of yogurt and cottage cheese that he had packed with him for the day.

Since he ate the mid-morning yogurt/cottage cheese meal, he was less hungry at lunch, and he would only eat a half of a sandwich instead of a whole sandwich, and he'd save the other half of the sandwich for mid-afternoon.

Then, when he came home for dinner at night, he wasn't starving like usual, and he would eat a much smaller dinner.

In reality, what he really did was inadvertently reduce his daily caloric intake by eating more frequent smaller meals each day because this would save him from the "binge" attacks, where he would eat monstrous lunches and dinners without even knowing how many calories he ate.

I hope this newsletter helped to give you some ideas... Remember, you won't know what meal frequency and meal sizes work best for you until you try different things and see how your body reacts.

Please feel free to forward this articles to any of your friends or family that may enjoy it.

Sincerely,
Lewis & Sarah
Publisher - AtoZfitness Total Body Makeover

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 The Importance of a Training Journal

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Hi here is a special Health and Fitness Bulletin concerning fitness past the age of 40.

Enjoy...

------------------------------------------------------
Special Bonus Report Available
------------------------------------------------------

A reminder -- "Slow Poisoning", the eye-opening report by health journalist John Erb, is now available in the "Fit Over 40" members area.

Anyone who owns a copy of "Fit Over 40" now receives FIVE free bonus e-books/reports:

--- > "The Menopause Solution" by Jill Langham;
--- > "Why Grow Old" by Orison Swett Marden;
--- > "Natural Ways To Increase Your Testosterone" by Men's Health Journalist Christian Finn
--- > "The Bill Pearl Interview" by Rob Cooper

AND "The Slow Poisoning of Mankind" by John Erb. This incredible report is literally the report given to The World Health Organization on the toxic effects of one of the most common food
additives in America.

If you own "Fit Over 40", just visit the homepage and login to the member's downloads.

If you do not own "Fit Over 40", get it here --

http://fitover40.atozfitness.com

You can also pick up Frank Mangano's e-book, "The Silent Killer Exposed", for a limited time.

------------------------------------------------------
Poverty And Obesity: A New Study Finds
A Remarkable Connection
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While the rich and the affluent still face many of the problems that come with the "king's lifestyle", a new pattern is emerging in the United States and, predictions state, Europe.

A new study shows that the trend of ill-health and obesity is shifting rapidly to the poor and less educated portions of the country.

The reason this is important to us all, other than a concern for our nation's health as a whole, is the economic strain this will place on our already burdened health care system.

By the year 2012, if this trend increases, the middle and upper classes will be looking at massive increases in taxes to fund proposed government plans to address the problem.

This is a problem that flat-out does NOT need to exist. Everyone who can afford food at 'all' can easily eat healthy and exercise.

Part of the confusion is due to the fact that the billion dollar fitness industry has created a myth -- that expensive food supplements and organic foods are mandatory for good health.

While I believe in both, neither are mandatory.

It's the TYPE of food, and the COMBINATION of the foods that make all the difference -- that, and moderate calories, exercise, and proper mental disposition.

This is covered in detail in the best-selling e-book, "Fit Over 40", by Jon Benson and Tom Venuto, CSCS.

Get it here --

http://fitover40.atozfitness.com

In regards to the study, Dr. Janet Collins of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had this to say --

"Populations are no longer equal in terms of experiencing health problems. Low-income populations tend to experience all the health problems we worry about at greater rates."

The five states with the highest obesity rates in the 2005 consensus include Mississippi, Alabama, West Virginia, Louisiana and Kentucky.

These same five states have higher rates of poverty than the national norm.

Meanwhile, the five states with the lowest obesity have less poverty. They are Colorado, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Vermont.

Each of these states also have more college graduates and stronger education programs.

Education in health and fitness does not need to be expensive, and it certainly does not take a rocket scientist to figure it out.

However, many fitness professionals and nutrition 'gurus' lend that impression.

If you visit a gym today, especially in a larger city, you'll see a myriad of devices that, frankly, would give you a better workout
if you tried to pick them up and move them out to the garbage dump.

It can be daunting and confusing for anyone!
But, this doesn't have to be the case. In fact, as so many people report in "Fit Over 40", workouts can be done in your own home
that will more than satisfy the needs of most people.

The same goes for nutrition. While a few people require "high-tech", expensive foods (for medical reasons usually), the vast
majority of us can easily get the job done at the local grocery store.

The best way to inspire change is to create change in yourself. Start there, set the example, and the word will spread.

Anyone can be fit and healthy, and they can do it at ANY age, and at ANY income level above absolute poverty.

Envision yourself walking on the beach with your shirt off..

Having everyone looking at you in amazement?

Want the body of a 20 year old a the age of 40??

Now you can!! http://fitover40.atozfitness.comm

Yours in health,
Lewis & Sarah
Publisher - AtoZfitness Total Body Makeover

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 Burn More Bodfyat With Spices

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[ Editor's Note:  Fitness author Jon Benson shared this letter with me and gave me permission to share it with you. ]

It's the spice of life.

Food that is. Or opinions. I guess there is a lot of things that are officially "the spice of life."

I think spices are the spice of life.

I have a new-found love of spices since hanging around a killer healthy-food chef for the past week.

Wow oh wow... I had no idea.

And hey -- I'm helping her put her recipes into to a book that will be out soon.

I'll send you all a video of this woman doing her thing too in a week or so... prepare to be blown away.

Back to spices:

Not only can spices save an otherwise boring healthy meal.... turns to find out spices can help you burn more bodyfat.

The January 2006 issue of The Journal of Physiology and Behavior cited numerous studies on several spices that increased thermogenesis in the body.

Thermogenesis is simply heat -- and since a calorie is a unit of heat, guess what?

More thermogenesis = more calories burned = Less bodyfat.

Pretty cool stuff this thermogenesis.

In fact thermogenesis is the foundation of my upcoming handbook "The Radical Fatloss Blueprint." Out in late February.

I'm giving this book away for freee for 21 days to anyone who owns a copy of "The Every Other Day Diet."

The book comes out in late February... and it is... well, radical.

Up to 21 pounds in 21 days.

But you can only do it for 21 days. Fair deal, right?

If you want the book for freee, make sure you have "Every Other Day Diet" so I can send it to you the last week of February.

Get EODD here --

http://myeveryotherdaydiet.com  <--- more thermogenesis, less bodyfat

For now, here's the spices that work the best to help you burn bodyfat:

1. Capsaicin, the compound gives red chili pepper its heat, increased energy via heat expenditure by up to 23% after ingesting it at breakfast.

2. Black Pepper increases body heat (thermogenesis) by bonding to TRPV1 receptors in the brain.

3. Turmeric has both anti-cancer and pro-thermogenic support. Best of two worlds if you ask me.

Combine these three spices:  Red chili pepper, black pepper and turmeric, and use them liberally (as you can handle them) on your lunch and dinner meals.

Just be careful not to overdo the spices, otherwise you'll end up with more heartburn than fatburn.

I'll be including FAR more powerful ways to burn bodyfat radically in "The Radical Fatloss Blueprint" -- and you can get your copy free the last week of February if you own Every Other Day Diet.

Get it here --

http://myeveryotherdaydiet.com  <--- more thermogenesis, less bodyfat

Lewis & Sarah
Publisher - AtoZfitness Total Body Makeover

 

A Private Little Food Fight

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By Jon Benson
http://myeveryotherdaydiet.com 

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This was another great e-mail from my buddy Jon Benson. Just love the way he expresses himself. Posted it exactly as I received it from
Jon this morning.
Lewis

     Let's talk food Lewis.
    
     More than that, let's talk about the war
     going on right now in your local grocery
     store. The one right down the street.

     The place you went perhaps a few days
     ago for your family's groceries.
    
     Before I begin, you may not think this is
     that important.
    
     Believe me... it is.
    
     If you promise to read this with an open
     mind I will tell you at the end of this
     article exactly why its important to you,
     to your children, and to your pocketbook.
    
     Deal?
    
     There are three principle players in this
     food war:
    
     1. The government.
     2. The consumer.
     3. The store.
    
     The government has tons of cheap food left
     over after World War II's food production
     revolution. A good idea turned really bad.
    
     The consumer has been sold a bag of lies
     from the 1970s on -- the biggest being
     "food should be cheap and fast."
    
     The stores want to make as much money as
     possible and do not have the staff to
     support the small farmers and ranchers.

     They want one super-cheap supplier to
     deliver their apples... and they don't care
     where they come from as long as they can
     pass the criteria of...
    
     ... yep. The government agencies out to     

     more food more profitable.
    
     Billions in subsidizing dollars every year.
    
     Billions into the pockets of greedy
     politicians and massive agricultural
     production machines.
    
     Get this:
    
     Since 1975 there has been a steady decline
     in the percentage the average American
     spends on food. No joke. The food budget
     has decreased since 1975 by about 30%.
    
     At the same time... the exact same time,
     MEDICAL costs have increased by more
     than 30%.
    
     The graphs literally form an "X". One goes
     up -- medical costs -- as one goes down --
     the price we pay for food.
    
          Talk about getting what you pay for.
    
     We're fooled into believing that Play-
     Stations and new cars are more important     

     to our budgets than organically-grown
     vegetables and grass-fed beef. We're told
     we're "saving money" by purchasing
     ready-made food and imported vegetables.
    
          No way. You are losing money.
    
          And you are losing more than that.
    
          You are losing your health.... fast.
    
     Get this:
    
     The children born in the year 2000 and
     beyond will be the first children in
     recorded history to NOT outlive their
     parents. One in three will develop Type 2
     Diabetes before they turn 18. Over 50% of
     them will be obese... over 75% of them
     overweight. Imagine it.
    
     And they will never know what a real
     tomato, green pepper, or healthy piece of
     chicken tastes like.
    
     If you think this is extreme, think again.
    
     After you think again, go see a movie
     called Food Fight.
    
     Tonight we were treated to this documentary
     created by filmmaker Chris Taylor. In a tad
     over an hour and a half this film takes you
     on a tour of what it means to really EAT --
     to have "a community on a plate" by
     choosing to eat fresh veggies and meats
     rather than mass-produced foods.
    
     Most major cities offer these kinds of
     foods in places like Farmers Markets, Whole
     Foods and even online. And this is not an
     "elitist" thing. You do not have to spend
     more money on quality food. The stats
     completely support this fact.
    
     You will save big-bucks on medical costs
     for starters. You will feel better, look
     better, stop struggling with excess
     bodfyat, and help support your community
     in ways that will create lasting friendships.   

     Oh... and your food will taste a thousand
     times better. No joke.
    
     This weekend Sherry and I went to Farmers
     Market and Whole Foods here in Dallas. This
     is not a new thing for me, but tasting what
     can be done with veggies when a TRUE chef
     (who happens to be a nutritionist and knows
     how to cook for someone like me who is into
     building muscle and burning bodyfat) works
     her magic is a new and wonderful thing.
    
          WOW.
    
     I truly have never tasted any vegetable
     like these -- and it's not all about the
     chef, although she is spectacular. It's
     about the quality of the food.
    
     So, here's why this is important to you:
    
     1. You will naturally eat less when you eat
     organically-grown foods. Your body's
     natural appetite mechanisms will kick in as
     they are not suppressed by the hordes of
     chemicals found in grocery store foods.
    
     2. You will save big-time-bucks in trips to
     the doctor's office. Again these are stats
     that cannot be argued with.
    
     3. You will taste food, perhaps for the
     first time. Once you taste what "real"
     carrots taste like (or real broccoli... or
     real beef) you may never want to settle for
     less again. Food should taste fantastic!
    
     4. You will be helping to save the future
     of our children. We simply cannot survive
     as a nation at this pace -- the pace at
     which obesity is growing amongst our
     children and teen population, not to
     mention we adults.
    
     5. Finally, you will be helping to build a
     stronger bond-based community.
    
     I will be interviewing Chris Taylor in the
     coming days and helping him spread his
     movie out to the masses via the Internet.

     Food Fight is not an optional film: In
     fact, it should be required viewing for all
     school children and all parents.
    
     Now, here's the best part of it all:
    
          Taylor is like me:  He does not think
          you have to be "perfect."
    
     In fact, it's silly to think anyone will
     ever be perfect... that 'every' meal will
     contain organic veggies or grass-fed farm
     protein. No way.
    
     But just changing ONE meal... or two... will
     make a world of difference.
    
     He's also like me in the sense that he is
     not a vegetarian -- although that is, for
     some, a very healthy approach to eating. I
     am a carnivore and maintain superior health
     by selecting the right kinds of meat and
     consuming plenty of veggies. I'm just a lot
     more picky now that I've tasted true
     hormone-free beef and pesticide-free
     veggies. What a difference.
    
     In France, the demands on food are much
     higher than they are here in the U.S. All
     chicken is free-range, all beef grass-fed,
     and all veggies organic. I noticed a huge
     difference when I returned to the States
     after four months in France.
    
     And I swore I would never go back to eating
     inferior food. Ever.
    
     What about cost?  Well, it's a bit more
     expensive to eat this way... but not much.
     I naturally eat 'less', so it balances out.
     Plus I know I'll save in the long run with
     medical costs. I'm already saving in fact.
    
     Be looking for links to Food Fight in the
     coming days. Chris and I will be working
     together to see how we can get this movie
     into the hands of every concerned citizen.
    
     P.S.
    
     What about "fun food"?  Well more good
     news for you ---
    
     You don't have to give that up either. When
     I say "fun food" I mean pizza, burgers, and
     so-on. I had a burger tonight. I usually
     wait 4-5 days between my junk meals, but
     I'm entering into a serious "peaking" time
     this week so I cheated a bit.
    
     And that's FINE -- because it's on my plan.
    
     I follow the Extreme Plan from my book "The
     Every Other Day Diet."
    
     Chris would agree -- changing the way you
     eat just every other day would make a
     MASSIVE impact on your bodyfat levels and
     your health.
    
     Check the book out here:
    
http://myeveryotherdaydiet.com   <--- fun and healthy foods

 

 

Sincerely,
Lewis & Sarah
Publisher - AtoZfitness Total Body Makeover