The 'No No' List

Every diet seems doomed to fail as the dieter will eventually give in to temptation. Unfortunately, the things we should avoid are almost universally the things we prefer. But one helpful way to avoid making these 'falling off the wagon' moments less damaging is to channel your moments of weakness to better alternatives.

I personally allow myself a total of 5 no no's per week. For me, a nono must still maintain a certain level of healthy attributes, but at the same time helps give me the fix I'm after. For me it's usually salt. Here is my list.

1. Dark Chocolate

Dark choc is full of antioxidants and has been shown to curb appetite as well diminish cravings for junkier alternatives.



2. Chips and Salsa

SALTY

3. Popcorn

More salty. Easy on the butter. As anyone who really knows me will tell you, I will eat an entire bucket of movie theater popcorn.


4. Kashi 'Go Lean Crunch' Cereal with almond milk and fruit

Super high in protein and fiber. And the almond milk is superior to regular milk in terms of protein, sugar, and fats. All without the bloating effect of dairy. Try Kashi go lean with pomegranate seeds and almond milk. It tastes like dessert.



5. Breakfast burrito

Because I'm a fat kid at heart. And there is a place in my town called 'La Tiendita' which makes the most addicting, satisfying, and inexpensive breakfast burrito in the world. The only downside is the tortilla and beans. Opt for the more mexican version without the sloppy home fries or hashbrowns crammed in.

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Smoked Salmon Salad

1/2 bag of spinach
+
1/2 lb smoked salmon
+
1/2 sliced avocado
+
1/4 sliced red onion
+
1 cherry tomato
+
balsamic vinaigrette

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3 Dieting Tricks

1. Drink cold tea as soon as you wake up. The caffeine in tea is a stimulant that will boost your metabolism and amp your workout's intensity. Research continues to show that a steady caffeine dose is good for fitness as well as brain health.

The chilled drink will have its own benefit.  The cold liquid will affect your body's core temp and require some burn to remain at stable temperature. A cold bottle of water will burn around 20 calories, admittedly not much in isolation. But have 8 cold drinks (ice water/tea) throughout the day and your talking about 160 calories. Imagine that 160 calories x week x month x year. I brew big bottles of green tea and keep them in the fridge.

2. Work out in the morning. And if you can't make the gym, at least knock out 100 reps of core exercises.  I know that it's tough, but the caffeine should help you spring out of bed. People who workout in the AM have healthier sleep patterns versus those who workout in the PM. Sufficient sleep is a huge part of building lean mass and losing weight.

Why is the morning better? Its pretty simple. If you lift in the morning, your body will be in a higher metabolic state and will burn throughout the day as it rebuilds the tissue  from your lift. You'll be able to recover properly with diet and by the end of the day you will be tired enough to get your necessary sleep. Conversely, the 9 pm workout will leave feeling wired at midnight. The result is a bodily conflict where you want to shut down, but your body wants to sustain the burn.

3. Eat lots of apples. The apple is a bulky fiber food which fills your gut. 1000 calories worth of apples is a lot more food than four 2.5 oz bags of Skittles.  Plus the natural sugars in apples won't make your blood sugar soar then subsequently crash so they offer much better workout fuel. Then there are the claims that apples suppress appetite. The evidence is mixed, but either way apples offer a convenient, filling food that may in fact suppress excessive hunger.

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Epic Meal Time

Stir fry chicken (1.2 lb), onions, and tomatoes in sesame oil and topped with sriracha chile sauce. Sliced cucumber and carrots topped with ginger.

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Protein Pizza

6 eggs (2 yolks removed) fried hard
+
grilled onion
ground sausage
pepperoni

Obviously you can't pick up a slice dripping with cheese, but the meats' flavor certainly helps to fill that pizza void.

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Eat and drink only the food types shown in the picture. Fruit, meat, nuts, limited veg. And eat until you are full. Don’t worry, no one has ever gotten fat from chicken breast and apples. The caffeine from tea and coffee will provide a little boost.

Your body is evolved to run on this stuff. While bread, granola, dairy, are all recent intrusions on the human diet. These foods pack high nutrient efficiency, and that was the purpose of agriculture, but they are not optimal for people who want to stay lean.  Think of it this way, if you had a pet tiger, you would feed it meat because its evolved to eat meat. Treat your diet the same way.

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