Guest post from Cole Millen Making the Right Food Choices During Your Getaway

 A big thanks to Mr. Cole Millen for sending in such an useful article for staying healthy and on the track with the diet during travel.   He has shared some useful links about restaurants that serve healthy foods options and also some other useful links.

Making the Right Food Choices During Your Getaway

For most people, vacations are a time to splurge and live it up. Unfortunately, it can be very easy to get carried away with your eating habits. If you want to maintain your figure during your time away from work, check out the following tips to prevent weight gain and other health problems.

Prepare meals ahead of time

If at all possible, you should pack your own food for the vacation. Bringing food allows you to consciously make healthy choices while leaving the bad stuff at home. Ideally, you would take along a cooler filled with nutritious foods like fruits, veggies, nuts, whole grains, lean proteins, and fresh produce smoothies. If you think about it, many healthy food choices are whole foods that do not require any prep at all. You just need pack some healthy snacks! If you dont mind cooking while on vacation, there are many quick and simple dishes that can be made with basic ingredients. Sandwiches, wraps, pastas, and dips are some common on-the-go favorites. You can even bring supplements such as multivitamins or fish oil if you fear it will be hard to eat nutritious food.

Spend your trip in a health-conscious locale 
The most important aspect of a vacation is to ensure that you are staying in a place that will allow you to maintain your healthyhttp://healthland.time.com/2012/10/01/guide-the-31-healthiest-foods-of-all-time-with-recipes/ lifestyle. Pick a destination where the people are nuts about nutrition and exercise, and "do as the locals do." The best way to locate a hotel in one of these areas is to do your research online. Many travel websites and blogs include plenty of information for those looking to eat healthy on vacation. On a recent trip to Sin City I found a great site that listed reviews for LasVegas hotels regarding their amenities and services as well as the restaurants in the surrounding area. This made it easier than ever to find the healthy places to go to eat nutritiously and deliciously on my vacation.

Dine out at restaurants that offer healthy dishes 
If packing is out of the question, consider dining out at restaurants that include healthy options on their menus. Look for keywords like "low-calorie" or "low-fat." Also strive to stick with foods that are fresh and vibrant in color. Anything comprised mainly of fruits and veggies should be a good choice unless it is covered in a rich sauce. You can eat meat as well, but go for lean cuts like chicken breast, duck breast, or sirloin steak. Fish is an excellent lean protein. Instead of ordering sandwiches with the bread or an extra side of rice or pasta, cut the carbs and go for lettuce as a vessel or a side of steamed yams. Some restaurants specialize in vegetarian cuisine, organic foods, or raw foods, so look out for these in the vicinity of your vacation spot. Try to avoid processed foods, sugary drinks, and rich desserts at all costs.

Eat less

In rare cases, you wont get much of a say about what to eat. Examples of this include going to a romantic bed and breakfast where a fixed menu is served or staying at a luxury resort where the included meals are served at an on-site restaurant. When you dont have the option to eat as healthy as youd like, the best alternative is to eat less of the less healthy stuff. Overeating is the number one cause of weight gain, and it is due to consuming an excess of calories. Since many restaurant foods are high in fat and calories, eating less would prevent you from gaining weight--even if the food isnt very good for you. Think about eating half of a plate and getting a doggy bag for the rest each time you dine out.

Stay away from alcohol 
Many people enjoy red wines, champagnes, cocktails, and beers on vacation, but these beverages are full of empty calories that do nothing but pack on body fat and weight. Avoid alcohol completely if you can. If you must drink, choose shots of straight liquor since they contain the fewest calories per serving.

The Science of losing weight and belly fat

Obesity, specially the belly fat is not good for health. Belly fat deposits in layers. The fat just behind the skin, called as Subcutaneous fat and the fat deep inside the abdomen is called Visceral fat. Evidence reveals the visceral or intra-abdominal fat, threatens our health more than subcutaneous fat. Visceral fat secretes hormones and other molecules that directly increase a persons risk of developing Blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, and other chronic conditions.

Why reducing belly fat is harder?

The daily habits that led to the excess pounds are hard to change since they include eating bad foods that taste good, drinking excess alcohol and developing the couch potato habit. similarly doing regular exercises need high level of commitment and staying motivated. Eighty percent of your ability to reduce excess body fat is determined by what you eat, with the other 20 percent related to exercise and other healthy lifestyle habits. Here are some reasons, why we get fatty and why it is hard to get rid off.
Age- Burning belly fat gets harder as you get older. This is due to hormonal changes and the aging process.

All fats are not alike- The extra calories we eat, gets deposited on different places—long-term storage depots beneath the skin (subcutaneous fat) or short-term bins deep in the abdomen (visceral fat).

Stress makes you fat- Stress is directly involved in making you fat. Stress hormone Cortisol, helps adding belly fat.

Type of fats consumed- Trans fatsand saturated fats has more tendency of deposition inside the arteries as well as abdominal wall than the unsaturated fats. Though all of them offer same amount of calories.

Muscle Memory- Muscle memory can best be described as a type of movement with which the muscles become familiar over time. Youve probably tried numerous exercises that target just your abs. Most exercises provide excellent results, while others dont. This may be due to muscle memory. Muscles are easily worked out, but after a while they stop building. 

Childbirth- Pregnancy and childbirth changes how your abdominal muscles look. Its possible to become toned and burn belly fat after giving birth by doing exercises as soon as you get approval from your doctor.

How to reduce belly fat?

Reducing belly fat is not so much difficult as much you think. Just you need to make a proper plan and follow it with commitment.

Make a plan

you need to make a plan for your weight loss. Losing belly fat takes some work, and you have to put together a realistic plan you can refer to once you start your weight loss program.

You divide your working plan in five parts:

• Part one- Enhance your metabolism
• Part two-Exercises for fat loss
• Part three- Diet plan for fat loss
• Part four- Measure your progress
• Part five- Stay motivated

Part one- Enhance your Metabolism

EatBreakfast

Studies show that eating breakfast within an hour of waking up keeps your insulin levels steadier and your LDL cholesterol levels lower. Eat breakfast around the same time each day. Include protein, high fibre, nutrients and antioxidants. Avoid sugary, fatty breakfast.

Avoid stress

Studies show that stress is correlated with an increase in belly fat. During stress our body secrets a hormone called Cortisol which contributes in belly fat. To avoid stress, first of all have a sound sleep of at least 7 hours. A little nap after lunch, be it of 15-30 minutes, is enough to make you fresh. Do not sleep more than 30 minutes in day time, if you have good sleep during night. Yoga and meditation or simply deep breathing is better for mental relaxation and avoiding stress.

Eat whole grains

Studies show, people who ate all whole grains (in addition to five servings of fruits and vegetables, three servings of low-fat dairy, and two servings of lentils/ beans or lean meat, fish, or poultry) lost more belly fat than who ate the same diet, but with all refined grains.

Drink enough water

Studies suggest that consistently drinking water throughout the day can lead to a more active metabolism, regardless of dieting.  Drinking more water also helps your body flush out waste/toxins and improves your overall health. Being hydrated you be a lot less likely to indulge in a sugar-laden soda or juice if you’re not thirsty!  This is a sure way to lose stomach fat fast, try it for a week and you’ll see what a difference it makes.

Walk and Climb

Walk to work and climb stairs. Studies show that less walking increases deposition of belly fat fast. Similarly use less car, lifts, use stairs. It will keep your metabolism up as well as burn more calories.

Part two- Dieting for fat loss

Reduce calorie consumption. Unless you restrict calorie intake, you wont lose belly fat. Try these tips:

How much calories you need?

Calculate Your BMI(Body Mass Index) and calculate your Energy requirements. Click here to know your Diet chart with calorie requirements to maintain the weight at which you are now.

Lose One Pound in a week: Plan to lose one pound in a week. To lose one pound in a week you need a combination of reducing and burning 500 calories per day. Plan accordingly. Cutting more than this is unhealthy. Beside the diet plans for the required calories, here are some tips to avoid extra calories:

Colour your Plate- Eat more colourful meals, the more healthful it’s likely to be. Think about carrots, peppers, spinach, tomatoes: they are all brilliant colours, and they are all very healthful choices. Keep your plate colourful and you’re well on your way to losing that belly fat.

Cut out fast food- Fast food is the worst culprit in the battle against stomach fat. It’s convenient, sure, but it’s loaded with calories and fat.

Cut out soda- A serving of soda contains more calories than a large banana, with none of the nutritional value. many of those calories come from high fructose corn syrup, which our bodies don’t really know how to process, and which often ends up turning into belly fat.

Don’t starve yourself- Starving yourself will not help you burn belly fat. Cut calories by reducing and burning upto the safe lavels only.

Drink a glass of water before you eat- If you’re thirsty, you’re going to eat more. Strange but true. So before you sit down to eat, drink a glass of cool water and wait a few minutes. Then eat your meal.

Eat 5 small meals a day- Rather than eating three large meals every day, switch to five smaller meals: a light breakfast, a mid-morning snack, a light lunch, a mid-afternoon snack, and a balanced dinner. Smaller portions more often will keep you from feeling hungry.

Read the labels (even on diet food)- Even the foods that are supposed to be designed for dieters can be loaded with nasty chemicals and even far more calories than we need. Always check the labels on the food and drinks you’re about to have — and again, make sure you know what a serving size is?

Keep a food diary. Most people tend to underestimate how much they eat. Get an honest assessment of your eating habits by writing down everything you consume for a week. 

We will discuss the remaining three parts- exercises for fat loss, measure your progress and staying motivated in the next article - "The science of losing weight and belly fat-2"

Testosterone the key to your health

                                                                                     

Low Testosterone affects all- Health, Mood, and Sex. Testosterone is the male sex hormone, it is also produced in females in little amount. It does play a large role in male sexuality and reproduction, impacting such factors as sexual and reproductive function, muscle mass, and hair growth, but also has some less flashy but equally important, roles like maintaining bone density, levels of red blood cells and a sense of well-being. So it is very important hormone for your sex drive, energy level, enthusiasm, to avoid obesity, diabetes, bone strength, muscular strength and overall health. Testosterone deficiency is connected to insulin resistance, obesity, and diabetes. Each of these problems increases cardiovascular risk. Men with diabetes and low testosterone also have higher rates of atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. A certain amount of testosterone may be necessary for healthy arteries because it’s converted into estrogen, which protects arteries from damage
If youre experiencing any of the following symptoms, especially if you are overweight and have type 2 diabetes, you may have low testosterone
• Sexual problems. Low testosterone can cause you to have a low sex drive and trouble maintaining an erection. According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), about 70 percent of men with low testosterone levels report erectile dysfunction and 63 percent report diminished sex drive.
• Energy problems. You may feel tired and find yourself falling asleep early in the evening.
• Strength problems. You may notice a decrease in your muscle mass, endurance, or performance at work or in sports.
• Emotional problems. Ask yourself if you feel abnormally sad or have lost interest in life.
If you recognize these symptoms, ask your doctor to check your testosterone level with a simple blood test.
How to boost your Testosterone level naturally?
1. Lose Weight
2. High-Intensity Exercise like Peak Fitness (Especially Combined with Intermittent Fasting)
Heres a summary of what a typical high-intensity Peak Fitness routine might look like:
• Warm up for three minutes
• Exercise as hard and fast as you can for 30 seconds. You should feel like you couldnt possibly go on another few seconds
• Recover at a slow to moderate pace for 90 seconds
• Repeat the high intensity exercise and recovery 7 more times
As you can see, the entire workout is only 20 minutes.
3. Consume Plenty of Zinc
Its estimated that up to 45 percent of adults over the age of 60 may have lower than recommended zinc intakes; even when dietary supplements were added in. It can be difficult to obtain enough dietary zinc, largely because of conventional farming methods that rely heavily on chemical fertilizers and pesticides. These chemicals deplete the soil of nutrients ... nutrients like zinc that must be absorbed by plants in order to be passed on to you.
If you decide to use a zinc supplement, stick to a dosage of less than 40 mg a day, as this is the recommended adult upper limit. Taking too much zinc can interfere with your bodys ability to absorb other minerals, especially copper, and may cause nausea as a side effect.
4. Strength Training
In addition to Peak Fitness, strength training is also known to boost testosterone levels, provided you are doing so intensely enough
5. Optimize Your Vitamin D Levels
Vitamin D, a steroid hormone, is essential for the healthy development of the nucleus of the sperm cell, and helps maintain semen quality and sperm count. Vitamin D also increases levels of testosterone, Vitamin D deficiency is currently at epidemic proportions largely because people do not spend enough time in the sun to facilitate this important process of vitamin D production.
A few years back, the recommended level was between 40 to 60 nanograms per milliliter (ng/ml), but more recently the optimal vitamin D level has been raised to 50-70 ng/ml.
6. Reduce Stress
When you’re under a lot of stress, your body releases high levels of the stress hormone cortisol. This hormone actuallyblocks the effects of testosterone,
7. Limit or Eliminate Sugar from Your Diet
Testosterone levels decrease after you eat sugar, which is likely because the sugar leads to a high insulin level, another factor leading to low testosterone.7
8. Eat Healthy Fats
By healthy, this means not only mon- and polyunsaturated fats, like that found in avocadoes and nuts, but also saturated, as these are essential for building testosterone. Research shows that a diet with less than 40 percent of energy as fat (and that mainly from animal sources, i.e. saturated) lead to a decrease in testosterone levels.
9. Boost Your Intake of Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAA) from Foods Like Whey Proteinyoull find the highest concentrations of BCAAs like leucine in dairy products – especially quality cheeses and whey protein.    

Dieting but still fat Whats in the food

There are many in United States, Australia and much of Europe dieting but still fat, there is a very good reason for this dilemma and it goes way beyond calorie counting. The food has changed in the Western hemisphere, much of the food today causes weight gain, this is due to dangerous food chemicals that have been approved for you to eat. If you are dieting but still fat you may want to know what they are putting in your food.

Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) Foods

GMO food look like the real thing and maybe even taste like the real thing but there is a problem, it is not the real thing. What some food makers have done is to change the genetics of the food to produce a larger supply, in other words we get more food than we normally would yield from the crop. A perfect example of this would be a larger yield of corn,fish,tomatoes etc. The GMO makers say, this is great, it means more food for everyone but the reality is clear that messing with nature brings dangerous results. If you are dieting and still fat GMO foods may be a part of the problem as these foods may alter your DNA.

What doctors reveal about fake food

The American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) called on “Physicians to educate their patients, the medical community, and the public to avoid GM (genetically modified) foods when possible and provide educational materials concerning GM foods and health risks

They conclude, “There is more than a casual association between GM foods and adverse health effects. There is causation,”as defined by recognized scientific criteria.“The strength of association and consistency between GM foods and disease is confirmed in several animal studies.”

The link to illness goes deeper than you could ever imagine because science has shown that GMO foods not only effects your DNA but the effects are passed to the offspring.

When male rats were fed GMO soy, their testicles changed from the normal pink to dark blue, the sperm quality was deeply effected as well, this was then transferred to their offspring. What we are seeing is that the children are effected when the parent ingest foods that have been genetically altered. Mice fed GM corn in an Austrian government study had fewer babies, which were also smaller than normal. The development of the offspring was altered in the womb.

How do they make this poison?

Genetic engineers began creating artificial gene combinations by splicing genetic material from bacteria, viruses, and other organisms and forcibly (unlike nature) injecting them into plant genomes to create GMO foods, the most famous was Frankenfish, the salmon that was “Created in a lab”. The food and drug administration has a job to protect you from dangerous medication but they rely on the food maker to show the food is safe. Th billions of dollars that the food makers want leads to hidden safety reports and altered safety result. They get rich and you are the test animal.

We don’t have to tell you :

To make matters worst the law says the food makers do not have to tell you the food is fake on the label.

Bill Freese, a science policy analyst with the Center for Food Safety, says it may be too late, the fake food is already mixed with the real food.

“The trouble is we dont have controls. We dont know what were eating because we dont have labeling, so its all just sort of a crap-shoot," says Freese. "The GM corn is mixed in with regular corn, and then it enters the food supply. Its really impossible to trace the impacts."

Spirit Happy is now in its 5^thyear of exposing the causes of diabetes and obesity. It is not about the calories as much as it is about the chemicals. The diabetes crisis and the reason people cannot lose weight are due to food chemicals. Low calories are not enough anymore, dieting and still fat is the result of a polluted food supply. Your diet must reverse the damage from food chemicals,then the weight comes off, the insulin resistance is reversed and you lose the weight.

* The number one insulin resistance diet in 17 countries related to Spirit Happy Diet