Social Support | TheFitDadSays.com

Archive for social support

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

Comments

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

Comments

Q&A – How To Make Weight Loss Stick and Workout Videos

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

Saturday, January 7th, 2012

It’s Saturday and you know what that means?

Oh, you don’t? Well in my house it means…it’s Saturday.

I know I’m a boring dude, but we have a 5-year old and 10-month old and it’s January in Nebraska. Not exactly conducive to living an exciting life!

I kid. I love my life and wouldn’t change it for anything and the fact that Nolan is getting closer to walking everyday scares the bejesus out of me because I know I’ll have to somehow make eyes grow all around my head, or do some crazy flexibility work on my neck to be able to turn it 360 degrees like an owl to keep an eye on that little daredevil.

At least he has his sister to keep an eye on him…although that could be worse!

Anywho, I received some great emails over the last couple weeks (most specifically about weight loss) and I want to share a couple of them with you today in the form of a little Q&A.

So without further ado, let’s get this Weight Loss Q&A party started!

1. “You mentioned in a post earlier this week you don’t like commercial snack or protein bars, but never said why. So why don’t you like ‘em smarty pants? I need to lose weight and rely heavily on the things.” – Jane

The main reason I don’t like most snack or protein bars is because many are glorified candy bars and don’t do much in the way of weight loss.

They use sub-standard ingredients, pass it off as “healthy” and lead you to believe you can lose weight by snacking on the thing 1 or 2 times per day.

About 5 years ago, the most popular protein bar on the market, that you could purchase everywhere from gas stations to health clubs to giant warehouse stores, boasted that it tasted like a Snickers bar and it really, truthfully did taste like a candy bar and people loved it.

It flew off the shelf like crazy because it tasted so good and it was assumed to be healthy because it was a “protein bar.”

You know what? A company that independently tests supplements ran a test and found the reason it tasted so good was because it really was a candy bar. They flat out lied on the label about how much protein and sugar were in the bar.

It tasted like a Snickers bar because it was virtually the same thing, except it was more expensive and had MORE calories.

Holy cow!!

It’s incredibly difficult to make a good tasting, and truly healthy, snack bar or protein bar and produce it on a huge level. Corners usually need to be cut, or if they’re not, and it truly is a decent bar, it’s usually a bit on the expensive side, but because the weight loss market is so HUGE, unscrupulous business people get involved.

Having said that, I do enjoy a Cliff bar from time-to-time and they seem to be one of the good guys.

So you can find good snack bars, but you have to pay attention – NEVER trust the front label, always flip it around and read the ingredients and calorie breakdown and do a bit of research, otherwise you’ll find yourself eating a glorified candy bar and wondering why you’re gaining weight rather than losing.

2. “I’ve tried diets in the past and had mixed results with my weight loss (lots of yo-yo). Why is it that every New Year’s I make resolutions, try a diet or workout program and maybe see some results, but then fall into the same rut? Why can’t I make anything stick?” – Jennifer

I don’t know why. If I knew the answer to that I’d be in the fitness/ weight loss business…

…Oh yeah! I am! Woo-hoo!

The answer varies from person-to-person and can be as simple as choosing programs that are set-up to make you fail. I seriously think there are programs out there that are designed to make you fail so that they can turn around and try to sell you something “new” 6 or 12 months down the road. It’s truly all about marketing and it drives me crazy.

For instance, right now on the radio I am hearing commercials for the “most effective fat burner,” and it makes me crazy because just a few months ago this same company advertised essentially the same thing, but with a different “twist.”

So that could be one reason, but I knew the person who sent this email and the answer she needed wasn’t determined by whiz-bang supplements, rather it was more mental and most who struggle to find a “happy zone” with weight loss fall into this category and the answer is two-fold.

One, there’s not a strong enough “reason why,” and their reason for eating is wrong.

If you truly want to make a change and lose weight, you have to find an incredibly strong “Reason Why” and it can’t be wimpy.

It can’t be something like “I want to lose 10 pounds in a month” because that won’t cut it. If you’re trying to make a positive change that lasts a lifetime, a change that won’t leave you in the same position in the next 6 months or a year, you have to dig down deep and find out what makes you tick…

…This “Reason Why” has to be strong.

For instance, the person who wrote that email loves her kids more than anything and has a bad family history of heart ailments and cancer and she needs to lose about 30 pounds – intelligently – otherwise she may fall prey to the same issues.

That is her Reason Why, but for most, including her, the health issues aren’t strong enough because they’re not really visible – especially if there’s no issue right now. So I told her that her kids had to be her Reason Why and I also knew she loved to hang by the pool in the summer, so I used the next 4 months as her guide.

I told her to focus on her kids as her big Reason Why (being a good role model and having the energy to keep up), but also to think about fitting into a smaller swimsuit so she doesn’t feel self-conscious at the pool.

Is that vain? Sure, but who cares. It’s important to HER, and will help her lose weight, and it’s important to a lot of us and there is absolutely nothing wrong with a little vanity, although it can NOT be the BIG Reason Why because it usually leads to unhealthy decisions and habits that won’t “stick.

I told her to be active with her kids – get out and run around with them, play games, play sports AND to be a positive eating role model so her kids won’t struggle as they age with health issues or weight concerns.

As parents, it’s our responsibility to be the lead role models when it comes to eating meals and snack and it’s not enough to tell our kids to “eat this…” while we eat and drink crap.

They follow our lead and they’re smart enough to realize that they don’t have to do something YOU won’t do yourself.

Obviously that’s just the beginning of my answer to her and I had some other things to share as well, including workouts and nutrition information, but that’s a secret (unless you’re a member of my super-secret club!).

3. “Any workouts to share with me workout dude?” – Sam

Yes, the workout dude does have some workout stuff. I’m still tinkering with this whole Fusion Conditioning thing and in case you missed it, you should really check out the workout video I gave you a couple weeks ago.

To check it out, head to –> Fusion Conditioning Fat Loss Workout Video

Click here –> weight loss for another workout video…and it’s a 10-minute workout video (of course!!).

It’s an awesome example of what I’ve been working on lately and it’s incredibly effective. It’s bananas.

That’s all I have for you today. I’ll be back next week with more good stuff to help with your weight loss goals and workout programs!

Same Bat-Time…Same Bat-Channel!

Later,

P.S. – don’t hesitate to ask if you have any questions. I’m here to help and will do whatever I can to help you reach your goals!

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

Comments

3 Great Evening Snacks For Weight Loss

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

Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012

Finding healthy evening snacks for weight loss can be a tricky thing.

For years there was no shortage of experts and gurus instructing you not to east past a certain magical hour lest your body hoard those calories and instantly increase the size of your waist by 800 inches, but, thankfully, the times have changed (for most folks anyway).

Eating a snack in the evening, after dinner, can be done and you can still lose weight…

…BUT you have to know what to eat and you have to understand there is a limit to the amount of calories you consume, no matter what the food is.

That may seem overly simplistic and a bit too obvious, but you can get into dangerous territory with evening snacking because it’s late in the day and you’ve already had a full day of eating and activity (or lack thereof) which can throw a wrench into your weight loss efforts.

So if you’ve already consumed a lot of calories for the day, snacking in the evening isn’t the best idea.

If you’ve “cheated” today and splurged on a meal or two, then having a snack after dinner isn’t the great idea.

However, if you ate well, and have a craving for a bit more food, and want to eat something healthy (that also satisfies the sweet cravings), read on and give these snacks a try AND still lose weight!

3 Great Evening Snacks For Weight Loss Read More→

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

Comments

Simple Weight Loss Solutions

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

Wednesday, September 14th, 2011

Hey!

I hope your day is going awesome. We’re going to dive into the mental woo-woo stuff for a minute…

I want to present you with a situation that may sound pretty familiar.

Simple Weight Loss Solutions …that aren’t necessarily diet or workout related.

You’re fed up with the way you look and want to make a change. You hate the way your clothes fit, your lack of energy, and you want to be better.

Maybe you’ve figured out what your next move is and you’re excited and ready, but your brain keeps going back to the Negatives.

It keeps pushing you back to the bad feelings – how bad you look in your clothes, how your lack of energy makes it difficult to focus on your workouts, etc.

Sound familiar?

When we have a problem, whether it be weight loss, or whatever, we tend to put all of our focus on the problem (Negative) and not the Solution (positive).

Don’t be “problem oriented,” instead focus on Solutions.

In the situation I presented earlier, the person should have focused on the addition of the good stuff and how good it made him/her feel, not the Negative of the current situation because the current situation is being changed every day and is not permanent …you’re making a positive change. Read More→

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

Comments

Are Branched Chain Amino Acids Effective?

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

Tuesday, September 13th, 2011

Are Branched Chain Amino Acids Effective?

Are they worth the expense (cause they’re sure as hell not cheap)?

This is what everyone looks like while taking BCAA's

A question I’ve received a lot lately is about Branched Chain Amino Acids and whether they’re worth the cost. BCAA’s are nothing new. I took them about 10 years ago, but evidently they’re becoming more popular.

Some herald them as a “wonder supplement” everyone should be taking, while others poo-poo them as money wasted.

I’m somewhere in the middle, but lean more toward the positive than the negative.

Are Branched chain amino acids effective and beneficial?

Yep.

Are they necessary?

Nope!

Should you take BCAA’s?

Maybe.

How’s that for straddling the fence every which way under the sun!

Let me explain my wishy-washiness and shed some light on the picture.

The reason some say they are supplement’s best kept secret is that they can help prevent muscle loss in times of caloric deficit – like when you’re exercising and eating less with the goal to lose weight.

I believe Branched Chain Amino Acids can help tremendously if you’re actively trying to lose weight, especially the closer you get to your goal physique and trying to lose those final 5-10 pounds and have ramped the intensity up a bit.

That’s when I recommend them.

What I don’t believe is that everyone should be taking them. It’s not that Branched Chain Amino Acids aren’t effective, they’re just not worth it unless you have your nutrition and workout dialed in and know how to eat properly.

For instance, if you have just started to get your nutrition in order and are still trying to replace some bad habits with good ones and haven’t yet set your workout habits in stone, don’t purchase BCAA’s because they won’t do you much good.

Shoving your face with BCAA’s by the bottle when you’re still in the beginning stages of a weight loss plan, is like putting $5,000 rims on a $1,000 car (which I see all the time!)…it’s just plain silly.

Are Branched Chain Amino Acids are effective? Here’s where they are…

If you’ve been actively trying to lose weight, and have seen some success and have hit a plateau, then maybe adding some BCAA’s can help.

If you’re nearing your weight loss goal and want to keep dropping the fat, but are worried about maintaining your muscle mass, then adding BCAA’s could benefit you.

If you’re very active and have trouble maintaining the muscle you have, then you also could benefit from adding BCAA’s.

But, like I said earlier, if you are just starting out and are figuring out how to remove the bad habits on a consistent basis, while also adding the healthy habits (smart nutrition) and sticking to a workout program, don’t do it. Get the rest of your house in order and then, and only then, think about adding them to your supplement cabinet.

If you’ve never heard of BCAA’s or are wondering whether or not you fit the bill about adding them to your supplement regimen, my buddies over at Prograde Nutrition, specifically Jayson Hunter, wrote a killer article explaining a little bit more about the science of them.

To give it a read, head to –> http://elswellness.getprograde.com/bcaa-weight-loss-research.html

Hopefully that article is eye-opening for you and you discover a little more about whether Branched Chain Amino Acids are worth the cost and whether you should be taking BCAA’s – I should, but I’m not…but I probably will be in the near future

And in the art of full disclosure (and per FTC rules), if you end up purchasing BCAA’s from Prograde, via that link above, I make a couple bucks because I’m an affiliate. But I’m only affiliates for people I know and trust and I trust those dudes over at Prograde…but the truckloads of cash and pills they send to my house helps a lot (kidding…I don’t make much and the big reason I recommend them is because I trust them).

Have an awesome day!

P.S. – Way back in the day when I was part of a supplement company (I was selling them), one of the few supplements I saw benefit from in people who were close to their goal was BCAA’s. I saw people try ephedrine, and all sorts of other stimulants, with little-to-no effect. I saw folks trying all sorts of new and fancy “performance” supplements and they didn’t work either. But the folks who had their nutrition in check, their workouts on point and added BCAA’s saw a tremendous benefit.

Hopefully I answered your question of “Are branched chain amino acids effective.” Like I said – I straddle the fence on the issue. I think they can be effective and worth the expense, but only in certain instances.

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

Comments