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Eat These 3 Healthy Weight Loss Foods Every Day (Diet Assignment)

Posted by: Ed Scow, aka 'The Fit Dad' | Comments

Thursday, January 26th, 2012

I have another assignment for you in the diet department and I’m going to ask you to add a few foods to your daily diet, rather than going negative and asking you to remove certain foods.

I have a general philosophy that it’s easier to succeed, not only in the short-term, but the long-term as well, if you switch your focus from removing negative foods and behaviors to adding good foods and behaviors.

By that I mean it’s better to focus on the addition of fiber-rich vegetables, rather than focusing on the removal of processed foods.

It’s more constructive to focus on the addition of weight loss foods with healthy fats like avocado or walnuts, rather than focusing on the removal of bad snack foods.

On the workout front, it’s better to focus on the addition of quick and intense workouts a few days per week (that you know you’ll do) rather than the removal of laziness OR the addition of unrealistic workout programs that don’t work with your busy lifestyle.

The result is often the same no matter your focus – removal of crap, addition of good – but the mindset shift is what’s important. It’s always better to keep your focus on the addition of positive, rather than the removal negative.

So going with that…

I want you to add the following 3 Healthy Weight Loss Foods to your daily diet this week.

Categories : Fat Fighting Foods, Fat Loss for Men, fat loss for women, fat loss nutrition, social support

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Quick Legs Exercise Trick and Lower Body Workout

Posted by: Ed Scow, aka 'The Fit Dad' | Comments

Tuesday, January 24th, 2012

A couple weeks ago I shared a video that had a legs exercise tip where you added a pulses IMMEDIATELY following a set of lunges, and because so many lower body workout and legs exercise folks liked that (as much as you can ‘like’ lunges, a lower body workout and/or burning legs) I decided to whip up another quick legs exercise video tip!

This one is a bit different because it adds a little tweak to the actual lunge itself.

The tip you’ll find in this video forces one leg to work a bit harder due to the lack of balance, as well as doing a bit more work. It’s also a bodyweight exercise, so you won’t have to worry about having extra equipment.

I’ll quit with the jibber-jabber and just share the video tip with you…

Quick Legs Exercise Trick and Lower Body Workout

Categories : Fat Loss for Men, fat loss for women, fat loss workouts, Spend A Minute With The Fit Dad, videos

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Is It Worth It To Buy Organic Food and Other Diet and Workout Questions

Posted by: Ed Scow, aka 'The Fit Dad' | Comments

Friday, January 20th, 2012

Another week and another round of email questions!

I have some good ones for you this week, so I’ll cut the chit-chat and get on with the show!

blueberries are a great healthy skin food

I also have to be honest…the one that asks “Is it worth it to buy organic food?” was actually phrased a bit more, shall we say, crass? I’m protecting the identity of my client that asked, but during our conversation she said she was freaked at the thought of her food “being covered in shit” and I had to assure her that her organic produce was not swimming in animal feces.

Okay, now on with the show!

Q: “You have mentioned a couple times over the past couple weeks about foods and skin quality. What does that mean?” – Kathy

A: I have mentioned that a couple times and I think it’s important to note.

Poor quality foods lead to bad skin.

Bad fats, processed junk and limited real foods lead to dry, flaky skin. It also leads to wrinkles, sleepy eyes and a pale complexion.

Sounds good, right?

On the flip side, if you limit the processed stuff and make sure to eat lots of produce, and specifically berries, broccoli and papaya, you’ll enjoy healthier, stronger and more toned skin.

Add healthy fats to the mix and you’ll moisturize your skin from the inside out. I actually make a conscious effort to increase my intake of healthy fats in the winter months because it’s so dang dry and my poor skin gets all dry and I hate it.

Thanks Kathy! Great question.

Q: “What do you think of suspension trainers?” – Tony

Categories : Fat Fighting Foods, Fat Loss for Men, fat loss for women, fat loss nutrition, videos

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2 Healthy Dessert Recipes and How To Eat Dessert AND Lose Weight

Posted by: Ed Scow, aka 'The Fit Dad' | Comments

Thursday, January 19th, 2012

You like dessert, right? healthy dessert recipes don't have to mean death!

Who doesn’t like dessert?

Okay, I know a few people who are adament they do not like dessert, but I think they’re crazy.

Personally I love a good piece of cheesecake or REAL ice cream.

My philosophy is that if you’re going to do dessert, then DO dessert. Get the good stuff that’s made from REAL food…don’t get the low-cal/no fat stuff in an effort to lessen the calorie blow.

I’ll share how to do that and get away with it at the end of this message, but first, let’s go over a couple simple and healthy dessert recipes.

First we have one of my absolute FAVORITES!

Categories : Fat Fighting Foods, Fat Loss for Men, fat loss for women, fat loss nutrition

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Fusion Conditioning Weight Loss Workout Video

Posted by: Ed Scow, aka 'The Fit Dad' | Comments

Monday, January 16th, 2012

Do you remember a couple weeks ago when I shared that Fusion Conditioning weight loss workout video with you?

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Quick note…if you want to watch that one, click here

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What do you mean no? I thought you stored and re-read every single message I sent!

For shame…

Anyway, if you don’t remember, I came up with a different “flavor” with the 10-minute workouts that boosts the overall intensity, but without increasing the intensity.

Is that confusing?

What I mean is that this style of workout increases the effectiveness (more calories burned and more fat lost), without making the demand on your body so high that you can’t function the rest of your day, or feel “wrecked.”

What I do is intelligently mix “metabolic” exercises with some regular resistance exercises to create a whirlwind of calorie burning.

This may not sound new, but the way workout is designed is pretty unique and effective.

I have another video demonstrating a sample Fusion Conditioning workout and I’d love for you to try it and then let me know what you think.

It’s pretty sweet and I know you’ll love it.

Fusion Conditioning Weight Loss Workout Video (Watch It…and then do it)

Categories : Ed's Workouts, Fat Loss for Men, fat loss for women, Spend A Minute With The Fit Dad, videos

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Quick Leg Exercise and Lower Body Workout Tip (Video)

Posted by: Ed Scow, aka 'The Fit Dad' | Comments

Saturday, January 14th, 2012

Do you like lunges, or leg exercises in general?

Not a good example of a lower body workout or leg exercise

Not too bright...

I have a love/hate relationship with lower body workouts (including the leg exercise we’re going to talk about), as do many of my clients, but I’m a mean and nasty trainer guy and make them do the nasty exercises anyway.

They’re too dang good, but I agree that they do hurt. They make your legs burn and shake, and if you do them enough, make it difficult to walk the next day and that’s a soreness that doesn’t really go away as your fitness increases.

Weird.

I hate them because of those reasons – burning, shaky legs…

…But I absolutely LOVE them because they have so many benefits and I’m not just talking about your legs.

A leg exercise like lunges cause a crazy amount of havoc on your body’s fat burning ability, which means you burn an awful lot of calories, and you will continue burning calories after your workout while your muscles repair themselves.

One of my favorite things to do when designing programs is to come up with new and different ways to do simple exercises to give you more benefit and more results, without having to purchase extra equipment, or even using anything besides your own bodyweight.

Take this Leg Exercise Video for Example…

Categories : Ed's Workouts, Fat Loss for Men, fat loss for women, fat loss workouts, Spend A Minute With The Fit Dad, videos

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Weird Diet and Nutrition Tip To Change Your Eating Habits

Posted by: Ed Scow, aka 'The Fit Dad' | Comments

Thursday, January 12th, 2012

I have a weird and goofy thing I want you to do this week. It’s a nutrition assignment, but that’s not the weird part. The goofy part is what I actually want you to do within the diet assignment.

Ready?

I want you to talk to your food – whether it responds is a matter for you and your therapist.

In all seriousness (and don’t be offended if you really do see your therapist because your food talks to you), I do want you to talk to the food you eat and the drinks you drink for the remainder of the week.

I want you to ask your food, “If I eat you, how will you make me feel?”

I want you to ask your drinks, “If I drink you, how will I feel in about 15 minutes?”

Then I want you to tell the Little White Rabbit to go away because you’re not going to Wonderland.

I’m not very far into this diet assignment and I’m already way off base, so let’s bring it back.

Categories : Fat Loss for Men, fat loss for women, fat loss nutrition, goal setting, Motivation, social support

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3 Healthy High Fat Foods To Eat Regularly?

Posted by: Ed Scow, aka 'The Fit Dad' | Comments

Tuesday, January 10th, 2012

Do you eat fat?

I know the common thought is to cut out fat if you want to lose fat (makes sense in the noggin), even in this day and age where more and more folks are telling you there are healthy high fat foods.

I want to make a distinction before we get into this whole high fat thing…

High fat does NOT necessarily mean high TOTAL calories.

Yes, high fat foods are higher in calories than foods rich in carbs or protein (9 cals per gram vs. 4), but that does NOT mean you need to eat more calories than your body needs.

Is that confusing?

The reason I mention that is because, due to more attention being placed on diet, the notion that high fat equals high total calories is a pretty commonly held belief, when it’s not necessarily true.

For instance, I currently eat a lot of fat in the form of peanut butter, almonds, cashews and seeds, and eat avocado whenever it fits the meal (I’m not eating slices of avocado as a snack!).

This does NOT mean I’m eating too many calories and sure as hell doesn’t mean I’m going to get fat.

Actually, the opposite is happening and will continue happening – I will lose fat.

No reason for this picture...

Not only will fat fall off the body, but my hair will look better (always important), my skin will be healthier and good things will happen on a hormonal level.

High fat does NOT necessarily mean unhealthy, either.

Too much saturated fat, especially in the form of commercially raised animal products, is bad as are Trans Fats.

Fats found from perverted foods are also bad. This means honey-roasted nuts are not “healthy.” Nor are olives found on a calorie-packed greasy deep-dish pizza.

Capiche?