The first step towards recovery is admitting that you have a problem.  What you have been doing isn’t working.  You are overweight, but that is not the problem.  Being overweight is the result of the problem, not the cause.  Finding what has caused the excessive pounds to pile on is Step 2.  Admitting that a problem does, in fact, exist is Step 1.

After you admit that something you’ve been doing is causing this unfavorable result, the next step is identifying the problem.  This is not always easy, and the answer is typically multifaceted.  Most people will over-simplify the problem as being that they overeat, eat the wrong things, and don’t exercise.  This acknowledgment is a step in the right direction, but to set up a successful action plan, you have to delve deeper into the “why.”  Why do you overeat?  What qualifies “overeating?” What are the wrong things, and why are they wrong?  What causes you to refrain from exercise?  THESE answers may reveal the real problems.  If you don’t know the answers, you’re missing pieces to the puzzle.  You should find them before trying to put it together.

Maybe you overeat because you simply don’t know how much fuel your body needs each day.  By finding your basal metabolic rate and adding calories based on your activity level, you can learn how many calories your body needs to sustain the weight that you are at.  Consuming anything less than that would mean weight loss.  That deficit could be created by upping your physical activity, eating less, or a combination of these things.  You have to know what your body needs to sustain itself to understand the arithmetic of weight loss.  If you create a deficit of 500 calories per day, you should lose approximately 1-pound of body fat in one week.

The solution above would work if the problem of overeating is that you overeat because you don’t know the quantity of food you ought to be eating.  That may or may not be why you overeat.  Logical solutions don’t solve emotional problems.  You are setting yourself up for disappointment if you lay out framework for changing your meals and calories without addressing the emotional relationship you may have created between yourself and food.  Many people turn to food as a comforter when things in life are going bad; or a celebration when things in life are going good; or a refuge when things in life are intolerable.  These “things in life” need the emotional energy that you’ve been redirecting to food.  If emotional eating is triggering you to overeat, before pulling out the Weight Watchers point calculator, you must pull out the emotional baggage that you have hidden in your heart.  If you’ve tried to drown it with food, it will be a refreshing feeling to finally fight fire with fire.  Professional help from a licensed professional may help you learn how to feel your feelings, especially if you have been feeding them for a long time.  This, to you (feeling, not feeding your emotions), may allow you to put a fork in overeating.

Yet another root reason for overeating may be that you have impulsive tendencies.  This behavior may be (and probably is) pervasive in other areas of your life, besides eating.  When you go window shopping, do you have a very difficult time not buying things that you see and like?  When somebody sends an email that rubs you the wrong way, do you draft and send an ugly response before thinking it through?  Do you, unintentionally, spend every dime in your pocket when you hit the casinos for a little gambling entertainment?  If you have a pattern of doing these things, it wouldn’t be surprising if you also have a problem with impulsive eating.  For impulsive people, a clear candy jar sitting on the coffee table, filled with peanut M&Ms is nearly impossible to resist.  They may think they can just eat a small handful, but that usually turns in to more and more.  Before long, the jar is empty.  Likewise, for impulsive people, the food sitting on kitchen counters, at the front of the fridge, and at eye-level in the pantry are the foods they’ll typically eat.  It’s what they see first, so it’s what they’ll grab and eat.  We all have a certain amount of impulsiveness, but some people are vastly more impulsive than the average person.  There are some foods that would be considered bland and uninteresting, such as Saltine crackers or rice cakes, but left sitting on the kitchen counter in plain sight, will be eaten by impulsive eaters in no time.  If stocked in the back of the pantry, they’d probably stale before the box is emptied.  Impulsive eaters don’t like to acknowledge their lack of control over the strength of their impulses.  They may cook their favorite food, say brownies, convinced that they just want one and will only eat one.  Once the brownies are done, one turns in to two which turns in to three, which quickly becomes the whole batch.  Their failure to resist eating the whole batch may cause a post-binge deep depression.  You can see how impulsive tendencies and emotional eating can be a tag-team problem that some people face together.  It takes humility for impulsive people to admit their problem, but by recognizing it, the power that they have given food can be revoked.  By recognizing their weakness, they know there won’t be a clear candy jar in their house- they get rid of it. They go to the bakery and buy a single brownie when the craving strikes, because they know if they cook the full batch at home, they won’t be able to stop themselves from eating too many.  They purge their pantries, tossing out any food that may be a stumbling block for them.  They stock the refrigerator with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.  True, most fruits and veggies are best kept in the crisper, but the crisper is hard to see.  For impulsive people, it’s better to put these items at the front of the fridge where they will be seen instantly, regardless of the fact that the temperature is more suitable in the crisper.

Plenty of people say that they eat a lot of junk, but have trouble identifying what parts of their diet are junky and how they will change.  Any food can be junk.  Spinach and artichokes are very healthy, but spinach and artichoke dip is very unhealthy.  Garden vegetables are very healthy, but garden vegetable-flavored crackers are just a bunch of salty junk.  A breakfast muffin from a bakery may have more calories than a cupcake.  Butter isn’t the healthiest choice in the world, but it does provide some calcium and a little bit of real butter is much healthier than the chemical nightmare that is calorie-free spray artificial butter.  It can be difficult to distinguish what is good for you, versus what it junk.  Two slices of pan crust pizza from Pizza Hut may have over 900 calories.  Made at home with a little pizza sauce and reduced fat, part skim mozzarella cheese broiled on a brown rice tortilla with spinach and mushrooms, you’re looking at under 300 calories for the whole pizza, and it’s a good source of fiber, iron, and antioxidants.  Food can be manipulated to be unhealthy, but you can find ways to enjoy the things you like by making modifications, such as with the pizza example above.  If you really love the “real deal,” there’s no harm in indulging once in a while and cutting your serving size down so that you do not consume more calories than your body needs from that meal.  When eating in this way, you can sometimes eat some food items that you would have categorized as “junk” at one point in your life, and still lose weight.

If your lifestyle doesn’t currently include regular physical activity, explore the reasons why not and what may make you change that.  Do you like the way your body feels after exercise?  Most people do.  Is that benefit not worth the misery you feel the entire time you’re exercising?  Maybe you are starting out your program too intensely.   Your heart is a muscle, and just like any muscle, it gets stronger with time and training, so it’s a good idea to start out with something light, like half an hour of walking or swimming with a kick board.  Do you not exercise because you don’t have time?  You have 24-hours in the day, just like everyone else.  Is exercise boring to you?  Join a group fitness workout.  With great music, an entertaining instructor, and a room full of energy from all of the other people in it with you, you’ll be too stimulated to be bored.  Do you not know what to do for exercise?  There are a plethora of free downloadable safe and effective workouts that you can load straight to your iPod at www.cardiopump.com/virtual-workouts.  You may think of other explanations for why you don’t exercise, but if getting healthier and losing weight is your goal, you must explore all things that are holding you back and devise a plan to counter them.

Comparison is the root of discontentment.

You motivate yourself to go on a jog, but as you get to the track, you notice other people… in sports bras or shirtless with washboard abs, jogging faster than you could dream of jogging on your best day, and doing so effortlessly.  Do you, A. Proceed with the jog you intended, or B. Get discouraged, mope back to the car, and go home?

You believe that it’s time to join a gym in order to have the resources you need to quickly and easily get workouts in, and possibly utilize the professional assistance of a personal trainer.  While touring the facility, you notice that most people are dressed in form-fitting Lululemon spandex; they appear to know how to use all of the equipment; they are different ages, but still seem to look the same, as if they’re all “gym-type” folks.  You look down at your own wardrobe, catch a glimpse in one of the many gym mirrors of your own physique, glance around the place and wonder what these machines are and how or why they work, and then tune back in to the salesman who has apparently been talking to you.  Do you, A. Mention your confusion about how to use the equipment you see and join with the agreement that someone will help you learn to operate it, or B. Decide this paraphernalia is too complicated for you to understand, you’re too fat to be a member here, and people would laugh and talk about you if you tried?

You notice that your friend has lost a lot of weight.  You are envious and ask her how she did it.  She tells you she gave up gluten.  (Many times when people have lost a noticeable amount of weight, they give brief answers about how they did it.  Probably because it’s a repetitive question they receive).  Without going in to details about how she replaced bread, pizza, and pasta with root and green leafy veggies, and, in doing so, replaced hi-cal foods with lo-cal, vitamin-rich alternatives, she simply gives you the short answer: “gluten-free.”  You think you understand and decide that you, too, will eliminate all wheat products from your diet.  Your thinking is that by doing so, you will soon look like your friend- maybe better.  There is no evidence that gluten-free diets render weight loss results!*  By naively trying to copycat your friend, you may be setting yourself up for yet another failed weight-loss attempt and a blow to your already low self-esteem.

If you selected B to either of the top scenarios, or found yourself nodding that you have tried weight-loss strategies spouted off by friends with no more credibility than simply getting thin, themselves, you may benefit from #2 on our 101 Legit Ways to Lose Weight countdown: Stay In Your Own Lane.  You seem to be captivated by the perceptions and success/failure of other people.

When Michael Phelps swims, he doesn’t look to his right or left.  He doesn’t gauge the performance of his competition.  He stays in his own lane and swims the best race of his own ability.  Phelps has won more Olympic metals (22) than anyone else in history.  Similarly, those who achieve greatest results with weight loss are not those who constantly measure themselves against other people.  Those who achieve greatest long-term, sustainable, results stay focused on eating clean, exercising regularly, getting plenty of rest.  They get leaner, healthier, stronger, and fitter with each passing day.  They are unaffected by the weight loss/gain of their Facebook friends.  They don’t have pictures on their refrigerators of supermodels.  They don’t waste a care with ogling other people at the gym.  They stay in their own lane and make weight-loss a personal mission that holds no measuring stick to anyone but themselves.

One of the many great pieces of advice from the song Everybody’s Free to Wear Sunscreen by SunTan: “Do not read beauty magazines.  They will only make you feel ugly.”

*Weight loss from gluten-free diets depends on how you replace those wheat-containing foods and the calorie-content of the replacements.  It also depends on how sensitive your body was to the protein gluten.  Every body is different and before assuming gluten-free is right for you, you ought to visit with your dietitian or physician.  Your doctor may do a blood test to check for celiacs disease.  Even if you test negative for celiacs, you may be more sensitive to gluten than the average person.  Everyone has some sensitivity to gluten, but just how much varies greatly.  Only your healthcare professional and you can determine if gluten affects your health enough to attempt a gluten-free diet.  Your dietitian can then help you learn what alternatives to eat in replacement of wheat products which may allow you to lose weight, if that’s your goal.

Bariatric surgery is the most drastic of all weight loss solutions.  After other weight loss options have been explored, and a person’s body mass index (BMI) is still very high (40+), bariatric surgery may be a last resort to end the chronic disease of obesity.

Body mass index is found by calculating weight in relation to height, using this formula: [weight (in pounds) divided by height (in inches squared)] multiplied by [703].

Medical professionals currently only recommended bariatric surgery for obese people with a body mass index over 40 or for people with BMI over 35 with at least one serious coexisting medical condition related to their obesity, such as coronary heart disease or type 2 diabetes.

Weight loss through bariatric surgery is achieved one of three ways.  1. Reducing the size of the stomach with a gastric band, 2. Removing a portion of the stomach, or 3. Re-routing the small intestines to a small stomach pouch (this method is referred to as gastric bypass surgery).  The results of these methods for weight (body fat) loss are overwhelmingly effective.

Because the results of bariatric surgery are overwhelmingly effective, the procedure probably seems appealing to anyone with excess body fat.  It behooves medical professionals to emphasize that this is a drastic measure and there are serious risks involved.

Complications from weight loss surgery are frequent. A study of insurance claims of 2522 who had undergone bariatric surgery showed 21.9% complications during the initial hospital stay and a total of 40% risk of complications in the subsequent six months. This was more common in those over 40 and led to an increased health care expenditure. Common problems were gastric dumping syndrome in about 20% (bloating and diarrhea after eating, necessitating small meals or medication), leaks at the surgical site (12%),incisional hernia (7%), infections (6%) and pneumonia (4%). Mortality was 0.2%.

Encinosa WE, Bernard DM, Chen CC, Steiner CA (2006). “Healthcare utilization and outcomes after bariatric surgery”. Medical care 44 (8): 706–12

The number of bariatric surgeries performed in the United States increased 804% from 1998-2004.  With the change, perceptions about undergoing the knife for weight loss and health have also changed.  It used to be that those who succumbed to bariatric surgery were perceived by the American public as being lazy/weak/lacking willpower.  Insurance company claims reviewers used to routinely deny coverage for the surgery.  These things have changed.  Both the public and the healthcare community recognize bariatric surgery as a solution for poor health and premature death.  It is regarded as a treatment for a chronic disease.

Bariatric surgery will initiate weight loss.  Going forward, patients should commit to lifestyles that will support continued health.  The most successful bariatric surgeries, in the long run, are those where people commit to regular physical activity, healthy and small meals, and lifestyles that promote a better quality of life.

Lean and healthy cooking methods include:

• “in parchment,” which commonly goes by the French translation “en papillote,” or occasionally “al cartoccio” in Italian.  This is a method where food is folded into parchment paper or aluminum foil then baked.  The moisture trapped in the pouch may be from the food, itself, or added moisture from water, wine, or chicken/vegetable stock.
• “under vacuum,” which commonly goes by the French translation “Sous-vide.”  This is a method of cooking in which food is sealed in an airtight plastic bag in a water bath for longer than normal cooking times (sometimes exceeding 3 days), at a regulated temperature much lower than other cooking methods (130-140 degrees for most meats; slightly higher for most veggies).  This method cooks food evenly, inside and out, and retains the natural juiciness of the meat/veggie without adding extra moisture.
• “poached,” which means gently simmering a delicate food in milk (fat-free is fine), water, chicken/vegetable stock, or wine.  Poaching is an ideal way to cook fish or eggs, as these are delicate items that can dry out or fall apart easily.  Heat should be low and cooking time is kept to a minimum.

Before I studied nutrition, one of the biggest mistakes I made at restaurants was ordering a hi-fat cooking method, thinking it was lean.  I thought “blackened” just meant that meat was grilled so long that it charred the outside.  I thought “steamed” meant that the vegetables had only been treated with water.  I thought that “sauteed” meant that the vegetables were stirred over high heat with a little oil and water.  Not only is this not always the case, but it’s not often the case.  Blackened, for instance, is among the fattiest cooking methods.  ”Blackened” typically means that the meat is coated in white flour and cooked in a hefty amount of butter or oil in a hot skillet.

When restaurant chefs develop their dishes, they care about one thing: taste.  Since butter, oil, cream, salt, and sugar are pleasing to the palate, these ingredients are used in abundance in cooking.  It’s not that chefs are devilishly conspiring to plump you up, but they’re trying to satisfy you, hook you, and keep you returning.  Hitting all 3 points on the taste compass accomplishes this.  It’s business.  Lucky for you, business is also about customer service.  If the customer requests certain ingredients be omitted or alternative cooking methods used, most restaurants are happy to deliver.  (The ongoing joke about them spitting in your food is highly unlikely, but if you’re concerned, think of it this way- saliva has germs but no calories… you’re still better off).  Here are some healthier suggestions when dining out:

• Order your food cooked “dry,” which means that it is cooked on a skillet or grill without butter or oil added.
• Request that starchy vegetables (such as potatoes or rice) be replaced with non-starchy vegetables (such as broccoli or carrots) and ask that the vegetables be steamed with no butter or salt added.  If you end up needing to add a little for flavor, you’ll be able to control just how liberal you are with the butter/salt after the food is delivered to you- you’ll likely be much more sparing than the chef would have been.
• Request one of the healthy cooking methods in place of the listed method.  For instance, ask that the catfish be poached instead of fried.
• Request that sauteed, grilled, or fried meats or vegetables be steamed, instead, and served “dry.”
• Ask if cream is used in the dish.  If so, request that non-fat milk replace the cream.
• Try topping your “dry” veggies or meat with the juice from a fresh lemon, lime, or orange.
• Request that your waiter bring a list of the full prep ingredients.  Most places are sensitive to food allergies and intolerances, and can provide you with a detailed list of everything that goes into a dish.  If you don’t like something you see, request a substitution or pick something else.

Most of us use recipes as our guides for cooking homemade snacks and meals.  If a recipe calls for a lot of hi-fat, highly caloric ingredients, we wince, but toss it in, anyway.  You can achieve weigh loss results simply by substituting healthy alternatives in place of fatty ingredients while cooking and baking.  Here are some examples of healthier substitutions:

1. OAT FLOUR instead of WHITE FLOUR

Oat flour has much more fiber than refined white flour, and is a heart-healthy alternative.  If your grocery store doesn’t sell oat flour, you can grind regular oats in a food processor.

2.  GREEK YOGURT instead of SOUR CREAM

Greek yogurt has far less saturated fat (in fact, you can use 0% Greek yogurt, which has no fat at all), half the calories, and more protein, while giving a similar consistency to sour cream.  For some recipes, you won’t even be able to taste a difference!

3.  RIPE BANANA + 1t. CANOLA OIL instead of BUTTER

A large, very ripe (yellow peel has changed to brown) banana plus a teaspoon of canola oil can substitute for 1/4c. (half a stick) of unsalted butter.  This cuts fat and calories and adds some healthy carbs.

4.  APPLESAUCE instead of VEGETABLE OIL

For some baked goods, such as cakes and brownies, applesauce can be substituted for vegetable oil, replacing exact ratios.  However, the texture of the baked goods may be chewier with a complete substitution.  To save on some fat and calories, but keep the texture the same, use half of the vegetable oil and substitute the other half for applesauce.

5.  STEVIA instead of SUGAR

Stevia is the natural sweetener that I endorse as a sugar replacement.  I do not advocate the use of artificial sweeteners.  Stevia is available in packets, powder, and liquid form.  Stevia is much sweeter than sugar.  1 cup of sugar is equivalent to 18 Sweetleaf Stevia Packets, 1.5T. Sweetleaf Sweetener Powder, 1t. SteviaClear Liquid Stevia, 1/3t. Stevia Extract Powder, 1T. Stevia Concentrate Dark Liquid, or 1.5T. Honeyleaf Stevia Leaf Powder.  Adjust to taste.  Too much Stevia may taste bitter, so I provided the low end of approximate Stevia for sugar (brown or white) substitutions.

6.  EVAPORATED MILK instead of HEAVY CREAM

Fat-free Evaporated Milk can substitute for hi-fat, hi-cal cream (whipping cream, heavy whipping cream) in many soups and casseroles. Unlike cream, which can cook without needing much stirring, you will likely need to stir more frequently with evaporated milk, and reduce the heat.

7.  2% MILK + LEMON instead of BUTTERMILK

One of the best and healthiest alternatives to buttermilk is 2% milk with lemon.  2% milk still has some saturated fat, but nowhere near as much as buttermilk.  Simply mix an equal amount of 2% milk as the amount of buttermilk that the recipe calls for with 1T. of fresh lemon juice.  Completely incorporate the lemon juice with the milk before using the liquid in the recipe.  Taste will be very similar, in fact, most people won’t be able to taste a difference!

8.  COTTAGE CHEESE instead of RICOTTA CHEESE

If you don’t like the texture of cottage cheese, blend it in a food processor until smooth.  Replace the ricotta cheese with nonfat or 1% cottage cheese in your next lasagna, and you’ll actually improve the flavor (in my opinion)!  You’ll also save on calories and fat.  Cottage and ricotta cheese have the same protein content.

9.  TOASTED NUTS instead of NUTS

Since toasting brings out the flavor in nuts, toast the nuts before adding them to your dish.  Doing so will allow you to cut the quantity needed in half (use 1/2 cup toasted nuts in place of 1 cup nuts).  Nuts are high in calories and fat.  Reducing the portion of nuts in your recipe will drastically change the calorie content of your meal.

10.  BLACK BEANS instead of FLOUR

Swapping (drained and rinsed) black beans in place of flour in brownies is a great way to remove gluten and to add substantially more protein and fiber to the treats.

Some more well-known exchange examples: are whole wheat pasta instead of enriched pasta noodles; brown rice instead of white rice; lowfat or nonfat milk instead of whole milk/half-and-half; lowfat cheeses instead of full-fat; fresh or frozen vegetables instead of canned; sparkling water instead of soda/diet soda; frozen yogurt instead of ice cream; real frozen fruit instead of artifically-flavored popsicles; puffed brown rice instead of granola; juice from juicing real fruit in a juicer instead of store-bought fruit juice; kale chips instead of potato chips; and mashed cauliflower instead of mashed potatoes

Is there a problem with the goal of losing 12-pounds in 3-weeks?  Yes.  Possible, yes, but problematic- absolutely!  Any goal more lofty than 0.5 pounds to 2.0 pounds per week is a “quick fix.”  It’s like whipping out duck tape to fix the hole in your garden hose.  It may work for a while, but inevitably, the problem will return.  Temporary solutions do not solve chronic problems.  Often, dieters try to rigidly restrict eating by, for example, skipping meals, only eating certain foods (cantaloupe, lettuce, celery, cabbage soup, etc), refusing to eat carbohydrates, refusing to eat fat, and plenty of other tactics.  Experts believe that rigid diets play a strong role in the development of binge-eating disorders- the most under-reported of all eating disorders.  Similar to the fact that you can only hold your breath for so long before gasping for air, you can only diet restrictively for so long before losing your stronghold and binging.  The pendulum can only swing so far in one direction before it comes back the other way.  A binge, sooner or later, is nearly inevitable if you have strictly cut calories. Binges trigger depression, feelings of failure, and often result in quitting the diet and eating more… the individual often ends up weighing more than they did prior to starting a diet.  Out of desperation to quickly lose the weight again, what will people do?  The only thing they know: diet.  The same cycle begins again.  Not only are there health consequences with “yo-yo” dieting, but there are psychological ramifications.  A person feels empowered and “in control” when they’re eating restrictively, then they feel weak and despicable when they fall off the bandwagon.  Using weight and appearance as a measure of self-worth and happiness can be extremely destructive.  Often, people who begin restrictive diets put off living in the present because they are fixated on the fantasy of what life will be like once they lose weight.  Food doesn’t have to control your emotional state or be the central focus of your life.  Making small, sustainable changes over a longer period of time makes it much more likely that a year from now, your weight will be less than it is today.  Be kind to your body; it’s the greatest tool you’ll ever own.  Give it the nourishment it needs by eating a variety of foods, including carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fat.  Restrictive diets rob your body of the nourishment it needs to preserve your health and vitality- including depleting your bones of calcium, reducing iron absorption (possibly resulting in anemia), disrupting hormone balance, and deficiencies in vitamins and trace minerals.  Make your last restrictive diet the last one- ever.

CrossFit, Bootcamp, and Tabata Fanatics alike agree on one thing: high intensity interval training is a hot trend right now, gaining popularity at an astonishing rate.  High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) simply means periods of very strenuous work followed by periods of rest and recovery.  The length of the high intervals/low intervals varies greatly, depending on just how “high” the high intensity periods are- highly conditioned athletes are able to tap in to immediate energy sources and sustain maximal work for about 10-seconds.  They would follow that burst by a recovery greater than or equal to 3x the length of the high interval (30-seconds or longer).  Neuromuscular adaptations of an athlete are very different than the general population.  For most people, even if they wanted to go “all out” for 10-seconds, their bodies won’t allow them to truly push themselves to quite that level.  For most people, they’ll need to extend the high interval longer- approximately 1-3 minutes of very hard work… it won’t be maximal, but it will be very hard.  By the end of that high interval, they would feel completely “spent,” and the body would then require a rest period in order to replenish anaerobic energy and flush out lactic acid.  This type of training is called anaerobic, or “without oxygen.”  It is a very challenging way to work and will burn lots of calories, as it takes lots of energy to sustain those really hard intervals.  For weight loss purposes, anaerobic (1-3 minute) intervals are superior to ATP-CP (10-second) intervals, anyway!  What’s even better?  Mixing up your anaerobic interval workouts with some high level aerobic interval workouts, which also burn tons of calories.  High level aerobic interval workouts means that the high interval would last longer than 3-minutes… maybe 5-8 minutes.  Aerobic conditioning means “with oxygen.”  Aerobic intervals will be hard, but not quite as hard as anaerobic (1-3 minute) intervals.  Glucose can be completely broken down with aerobic metabolism.  Marathons are almost completely aerobic.  The difference in a marathon and a high level aerobic interval workout is the intensity of the aerobic work.  A marathon runner has to sustain energy for 2-hours (if you’re a world record-setter) or 4+ hours (if you’re an average joe).  Since you’re only going for 5-8 minutes with HIIT aerobic intervals, you should be able to work much harder than you would if you were sustaining the aerobic energy throughout a marathon.

Here is a good example of a high level aerobic interval that is “doable” for most people: 1-minute of jumping jacks, 1-minute of Burpees, 1-minute of jogging in place, 1-minute of mountain climbers, 1-minute of squat jumps (=5 minutes of high interval).   Follow with 2-minutes of rest and recovery (low interval).  REPEAT these high/low intervals 4X for a 35-minute workout (7*5=35)

Here is a good example of an anaerobic interval that is “doable” for most people: 2-minutes of sprinting (fastest run you can sustain for 2-minutes).  Follow with 1-minute of rest and recovery (low interval).  REPEAT these high/low intervals 9X for a 30-minute workout (10*3=30)

For weight loss, both aerobic high intensity interval workouts (like the top sample) and anaerobic interval workouts (like the bottom sample) are advantageous.  Try two of each type of HIIT workout, twice a week, plus one or two sustained lower intensity aerobic workouts (e.g. 40-minute steady state jog) for a great 5-6d/wk weekly workout plan for weight loss!

Vitamin B12 deficiency cannot directly be blamed for your battle with the bulge, but indirectly, it can.  B12 helps convert methoinine (an amino acid) to metabolize carbohydrates and lower cholesterol and liver fat.  Deficiencies can cause anemia and decreased bone mineral density.  Many adults only require 2.5 micrograms of B12 daily.  The problem is that even if you consume 2.5+ micrograms of B12 from food or oral supplements, it may not be absorbed.  Your body does not absorb everything you ingest.  In fact, with age, B12 absorption decreases.  Cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption decrease B12 absorption.  Also, stomach acid reduces acid absorption.  90% of everything you eat is absorbed in the small intestine; B12 is no exception.  The more alkaline the environment (PH 7+), the more the vitamin is absorbed; the more acidic (PH 7-), the more the less the vitamin is absorbed.

You may have seen advertisements where B12 is touted as an “energy maker.”  Indeed, adequate B12 doses in the system will improve carbohydrate metabolism, therefore giving you more energy.  However, energy, itself, does not make you lose weight.  It’s what you do with that extra energy that counts.  Assuming you convert that potential energy to kinetic energy, you should lose weight.  That is assuming all other factors are unchanged.  For instance, if the boost in B12 gives you energy, you use that energy to add a 40-minute jog every day to your routine, you would be expected to lose approximately 1-pound per week (approximately 500 calories per jog * 7 days= 3,500 kcal expended.  3,500 kcal= 1-pound of body fat).  Conversely, if the boost in B12 gives you energy, you use that energy to add a 40-minute jog every day to your routine, you eat an extra approx. 500-calories/day when you’re hungry after that jog, you will not lose any weight.  Most of you read that, and say “duh,” but it isn’t as simple as you’d think.  It’s difficult for anybody to how many calories they typically net each day without keeping a diet journal.  Most of us just follow our gut, and eat when we’re hungry.  A great website and phone app for tracking calories is myfitnesspal.com.  When adding physical activity to your routine, you will likely feel a little hungrier.  With a journal, you’ll be able to clearly see if you are compensating for energy expenditure by increasing your caloric intake.  If you do not eat any extra food but increase your physical activity for a sustained period of time and moderate intensity daily, your net calories will decrease and weight should drop.  If it does not, you should consult your physician as some metabolic tests may be necessary.

B12 injections may be more beneficial than food or tablets for seniors, smokers, heavy drinkers, and those with high levels of stomach acid, due to the enhanced absorption of intramuscular injections over oral consumption.  If a blood test reveals a deficiency in B12, and you are not in one of these categories, it may be advantageous for you to consider injections, too.  Side effects may include: mild diarrhea, upset stomach, headaches, nausea, joint pain, lightheadedness, and chest pain and/or heart palpitations (although the last one is quite rare).  It’s a good idea to have a blood test before getting B12 injections.  Injection appointments often start with a few thousand micrograms in your first appointment, then gradually reduce each appointment thereafter.  It is uncommon to “overdose” on B12.  If you do get B12 injections and notice a boost in your energy, get out there and use that energy for exercise to realize a weight loss benefit from the procedure!

The health benefits of a plant-based diet are not limited to weight-loss, but that is typically one of the results.  Because the volume of food that it takes to reach your caloric needs to maintain weight are so high, many people do lose weight when converting to a vegetarian way of life.  That is, assuming the base of your diet is non-starchy vegetables.  Obviously, if you exchange meat for platefuls of pasta, rice, and potatoes, you will not lose weight.  Not only is a plant-based diet beneficial for weight management, but it also the best-known diet for disease prevention and treatment.  There are different classifications of vegetarians.  Ovo-Vegetarians eat eggs, but not dairy or meat.  Lacto-Vegetarians eat dairy, but not eggs or meat.  Ovo-Lacto-Vegetarian eat dairy and eggs, but not meat.  Vegans eat only food from plant sources.  Eggs are beneficial because they are a complete source of protein, meaning that they provide all essential and non-essential amino acids, and the protein in eggs is nearly 100% absorbable.  There are plenty of food sources of protein, but not all are fully and easily absorbable by the human body.  For that reason, I advocate an Ovo or Ovo-Lacto Vegetarian diet.  Internal health benefits of embracing a plant-based diet include: reduced cholesterol, hypertension, blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, heart rate, and risk of prostate and colon cancers.  Plant-based diets are high in fiber, low in saturated fat, high in antioxidants, high in phytochemicals, high in magnesium and potassium (electrolytes), and low in cholesterol (there is zero cholesterol in a vegan diet).

Some of the most respected minds in the industry (Dr. Dean Ornish, Dr. Walter Willet, Dr. Neal Bernard, Dr. Michael Grey, Dr. Doug Graham, and Dr. Josh McDougall) participated in research for the “China Study.”  The China Study began in 1983, and it examined how a typical Chinese plant-based diet benefits the population.  The crucial findings were: disease and cancer were almost nonexistent in areas consuming mostly plant foods.  The Far East have significantly less obesity rates than the USA.  The Far East eat 6-24% fat in their diets; Americans eat 30-46% fat.  Higher iron level in meat encouraged free radical damages.  The experts predict that animal protein will be known as a toxic nutrient.  The book, “The China Study” by T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D., is a must-read.  It documents the benefits of a plant-based diet on long-term health.

When considering switching to a plant-based diet, you may worry that you will struggle to get an adequate amount of protein.  It’s actually easier than you think.  Did you know that 1 cup of broccoli contains 5.8 grams of protein.  There are only 52 calories in 1 c broccoli, making protein 45% of the calorie content!  1 cup of spinach contains 5.4 grams of protein.  With only 42 calories, total, protein represents 51% of the calories in a cup of spinach!  Spinach, broccoli, peas, sprouted grain brown rice, lentils, and tofu are good plant sources of protein.

There are some vitamins that may need to be supplemented if you convert to a plant-based diet.  These include calcium, Vitamin D, iron, and vitamin B12.  Kelp, kale, and almonds are good sources of calcium, but if you aren’t getting 1000-12oomg daily, you may need supplementation.  Calcium citrate is an absorbable form of calcium supplement.  Vitamin D works with calcium.  Plant foods have low absorption and potency of Vitamin D2.  Vitamin D3 comes from animal foods, supplementation, and the sun.  A small amount of vitamin D supplement is recommended for vegans.  There are no plant sources that contain B12.  B12 helps enhance carbohydrate metabolism, enhance energy, and reduce cholesterol and liver fat.  Deficiencies in B12 can cause anemia (B12 works with iron) and decrease bone mineral density.  Vegetarians should supplement B12 to get 2.5 micrograms of the vitamin per day.

A plant-based diet does not mean just the absence of meat.  Plant-based diet means that most of the food you consume each day come from the earth.  There should be a limited amount of processing from the plant to your plate.  A raw foods diet is extremely beneficial.  Nutrients are lost as a food is cooked or altered from its original state.  So, a plant-based diet means that most of your food fuels oxygen-rich nutrients into your body.  The food gets oxygen from the plant it came from and that means that it enters your body and kills free radicals (toxins).  This is why a plant-based diet helps prevent, treat, and reverse disease.

Here are a few ideas for a balanced vegetarian breakfast:

• Fruit salad with nuts and flaxseed.
• Steel cut oatmeal with blueberries and a tablespoon of flax or hempseed.
• Green Smoothie: 2 c. kale, spinach, and cucumber, 2 T. flax & hempseed, 1 c. green grapes, 1 small green apple (or replace grapes and apple with 2c. frozen fruit), 2 cups rice milk, water, or juice.

Here are a few balanced vegetarian lunch ideas:

• Vegetable soup with a 100% whole grain roll and a salad.
• Grilled vegetables on a 100% whole wheat hamburger bun with avocado spread and a fruit salad.
• Rice paper veggie wrap with portabella mushrooms, cabbage, tomato, carrots, and tamari vinaigrette

Here are a few balanced vegetarian dinner options:

• Vegetable chili with curried vegetables and brown rice.
• Teriyaki quinoa, chickpeas and steamed kale with a salad.
• Indonesian black rice (also known as “purple rice”) and lentils baked with tomato sauce, rosemary, basil & oregano with a salad.