Skipping Meals And Weight Gain

You have most likely heard the importance of breakfast.  Despite this many people will skip meals either in hopes of losing more weight or just because they aren't hungry or in a rush.  I know that there are many that follow intermittent fasting methods, where they go extended periods of time without eating.  There is evidence that those practices can work, but that is part of a planned nutrition program.

When I am referring to skipping meals it is not due to fasting, but due to other things that come up.  I found a few different studies that will hopefully help you make sure you stop skipping meals.  It is not just important what you are eating, but when you are eating it.

Check out this brand new study.  This was published in the International Journal of Obesity.  Researchers followed over 400 participants and divided them into two groups.  The first group was late eaters (consumed their largest meal after 3pm) and the second group was early eaters (consumed largest meal before 3pm.  They were put on a weight loss program and followed for 20 weeks.  At the end of the study they found that the late eater group lost weight slower and lost less weight.  They also found that the late eaters had lower insulin sensitivity which is a risk factor of diabetes.

After reading this study I decided to do a quick search in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition archives to see if there were similar studies done.  Here are a few that I found:

The first study looked at skipping breakfast vs eating breakfast and the different effects it has.  They found that those who skipped breakfast ending up eating more calories throughout the day, increased total LDL levels, and impaired insulin sensitivity.

The next study followed 30,000 men in a cohort study starting in 1992.  There were 2000 cases of type 3 diabetes that were discovered through a follow up.  They found that men who skipped breakfast had a 21% increased chance of developing type 2 diabetes.  Also, there was a higher risk of diabetes with those who ate 1-2 times per day compared to 3 times per day.

So white some people might be able to get away with skipping meals as part as a planned fast, most people should include breakfast in their routine everyday.  It is also important to consume most of your calories earlier in the day.  Think of the day as a pyramid.  Breakfast will be the largest meal, lunch a bit smaller, and finally dinner will be the smallest meal of the day.

You Stay Healthy San Diego,

Mike Deibler MS, CSCS
San Diego Premier Training
My Workout Creator

Healthy Superbowl Recipes

I searched the web and found some delicious and nutritious recipes for you to try for this years Superbowl.

Guacamole (from www.mohrresults.com)

Avocado have numerous health benefits.  Just watch you serving size since they are high in fat and try and use vegetables for dipping instead of chips.

Instead, here’s a super simple guacamole recipe you can try for the game tonight:

Ingredients

2 fully ripened Avocados, halved, pitted and diced
1 tsp salt
1 TBS fresh lime juice
2 TBS, chopped cilantro
Dash cayenne pepper (optional if you want some added kick)

Directions:
In a bowl, combine all ingredients.  Cover and chill until ready to serve (NOTE: the avocado might get slightly brown in the fridge.  No problem, just stir it up.
Prep time: 5 minutes.  Yields 1 ½ cups

Pizza (from www.mohrresults.com)

It’s estimated that at least 58% of Americans order pizza on Game Day.

Save some money.  Save the hassle.  And save a ton of fat and calories by making your own – with a tortilla base rather than a thick, doughy, fiber free crust.

Try this super simple recipe.

Ingredients
Sprouted grain tortillas
Favorite tomato sauce
Mozzarella cheese
Favorite toppings (ideally choose veggies over meats)

Directions
Preheat your oven to 500 degrees
Top each tortilla with sauce, cheese, and your favorite topping
Place in oven for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese starts to brown.  Enjoy!

Lemon Drop Chicken Wings (from www.myrecipes.com)

Ingredients
1/2 cup vodka
3 tablespoons stevia
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 1/2 pounds chicken wings

Preparation

1. 1. In a large bowl or resealable plastic bag, combine vodka, lemon juice, sugar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Stir to dissolve sugar and salt. Add the chicken wings and mix to coat. Cover bowl or seal bag and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.
2. 2. Preheat oven to 400°. Line a 9- by 13-in. baking pan with two layers of foil. Arrange the chicken wings in a single layer in the pan, and pour the marinade evenly over all. Bake until meat is well browned and pulling away from the bone, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Serve hot or warm.

Pulled Pork Sandwich With Mustard Sauce (from www.myrecipes.com)

Ingredients

• 7 to 8 cups hickory wood chips
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon dry mustard
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon black pepper 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 (5-pound) boneless Boston Butt pork roast 
• 2 tablespoons olive oil 
• 3/4 cup finely chopped onion 
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 2/3 cup Dijon mustard2/3 cup cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup molasses
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce 
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 16 (1 1/2-ounce) whole-wheat hamburger buns
• 
  
• Preparation
• 1. Soak the wood chips in water at least 1 hour; drain.
• 2. Combine sugar and the next 4 ingredients (through 1 1/2 teaspoons salt) in a bowl. Pat pork dry, and rub with sugar mixture.
• 3. Remove grill rack, and set aside. Prepare the grill for indirect grilling, heating one side to high and leaving one side with no heat. Pierce bottom of a disposable aluminum foil pan several times with the tip of a knife. Place pan on heat element on heated side of grill; add 1 1/2 cups wood chips to pan. Place another disposable aluminum foil pan (do not pierce pan) on unheated side of grill. Pour 2 cups water in pan. Let chips stand for 15 minutes or until smoking; reduce heat to medium. Maintain temperature at 300°. Place grill rack on grill. Place pork on grill rack over unheated side. Close lid cook for 6 hours at 300° or until a meat thermometer registers 195°, covering pork loosely with foil after 5 hours. Drain and add 1 cup additional wood chips every 45 minutes. Refill water pan and add charcoal to fire as needed. Remove pork from grill; let stand 20 minutes. Unwrap pork; trim and discard fat. Shred pork.
• 4. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat; swirl to coat. Add onion; cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add 1/3 cup sugar and the next 5 ingredients (through 1/2 teaspoon salt); bring to a simmer. Cook 15 minutes or until thickened. Arrange about 3 ounces pork and 2 tablespoons sauce on each bun.

Butternut Squash Cincinnati-Style Chili (from www.familycircle.com)

Ingredients

• 1/2 of a large butternut squash, seeds removed, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large onions, peeled and chopped
• 2 large green bell peppers, cored, seeds removed, and chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 14 1/2 ounce cans no-salt-added diced tomatoes
• 1/4 cup chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 2 15 1/2 ounce cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 14 ounce box whole-wheat spaghetti, cooked following package directions
• 1 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
• 1 cup reduced-sodium oyster crackers
• 4 large scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Place squash in a large rimmed baking pan and toss with 1 tablespoon of the oil and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Bake at 400 degrees F. for 30 minutes. Set aside.

2. In a large pot, heat remaining tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add onions, peppers and garlic. Cook 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes, chili powder, cinnamon, sugar, allspice and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Simmer 15 minutes over medium-low heat, with lid ajar. Stir occasionally.

3. Stir in cooked squash and beans. Simmer 5 minutes.

4. Serve chili over cooked spaghetti. Scatter cheese, oyster crackers and scallions over the top.

How to set a New Years Resolution

Well it is that time again.  It is just amazing how fast this year has gone by.  With January just a few days away it is time to start thinking about setting some goals.  It is amazing how motivating January can be.  New beginnings for everyone.  This year is going to be different.  We say it every year.  But then what happens?  We stick to a new habit for a few weeks and then it dies out. 

I have shared my story before how I stuck with a New Year's resolution a few years ago and actually made it the entire year.  In fact it is a habit that I continue to do to this day.  While I can't say it is easy to stick with a goal for an entire year there are a few tricks to make you increase your chance of success. 

Here are a few tips to help you make this year's resolution really work:

1.  Start with smaller goals.

It is funny how long and how short a year is when you look at it.  When we look ahead a year seems like forever.  When we look back it passed by in the blink of an eye.  When looking towards next years goals start with a smaller duration.  You do not have to stick with a goal for 12 months for it to be a success.  Sometimes we can hit a goal in a month or two.  Then we reevaluate and set a new goal.  You probably have a few goals in mind for next year.  Keep it short and simple.  I heard a great tip recently.  Plan out your next three months and pick one specific goal to work on.  Just break the year up into smaller segments and go from there.   So if you goal is to eat more vegetables, then work on ways you can incorporate more veggies into your diet for three months and then set new goals after that. 
 
2.  Set process vs product orient goals.

While it is OK to have both we really want to stick with process goals.  This means we focus on habits that we can incorporate or change in our lives to get us to a specific outcome.  That specific outcome would be our product goal.  For example, most people want to lose weight.  Setting a goal of weight 150lbs would be a product goal.  It is our end result.  While that is a fine goal to have it doesn't mean a whole lot.  I can also set a goal that I want to make $1 million this year.  That would be great but if I don't set up the steps to reach that goal I will never succeed.  So regardless of what your goal is find specific habits you can do to reach your end result.  But focus on the process of getting there only.

3.  Use SMART goals.

You probably have heard this before, but a SMART goal is a great place to start.  If you have never heard of this it simply means when setting a goal it must be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely.  So instead of saying I want to lose 15lbs next year I would say, "I will perform 5 days of at least 30 minutes of exercise until April 1, 2013."  By having a specific end date, psychologically it will dramatically increase your adherence to that goal. 

4.  Write it down.

Most people will never do this, but it is such a simple thing that will help you reach your goal.  Simply write it down, read it, and keep it in a place where you will see it.  Write your goal down on a piece of paper and keep it next to your bed.  When you go to sleep make sure you read it and when you wake up read it again.  The more that it is on your mind the more likely you will do it.  You can also keep it on the fridge or in the mirror in the bathroom.  Any place where you will constantly see it.  Sometimes it also helps to write the goal down as if you have already succeeded.  So you can say something like, "Today is June 1st, 2013 and I am sitting out by the pool on our family vacation.  I finally fit into my old bathing suit that I haven't worn in 5 years.  I even see a few guys across the pool checking me out.  I can't believe how much younger, more energetic, and healthier I feel now"  You can write it anyway that would be significant for you. 

So let's see if you can stick to this goal for 2013.  It is much easier when you have a realistic game plan set in place.

You Stay Healthy San Diego,

Mike Deibler
San Diego Premier Training
My Workout Creator

14 Tricks To Help You Lose Weight Faster

I recently found this article from IDEA Health and Fitness Association.  There are a ton of "tricks" you can implement in your daily life to help you eat less and live a healthier lifestyle.  You may have heard of some of them before.  Here are 14 pretty cool tricks to help you loss more weight over this holiday season.

1.  Use a red plate.

I know this might sound weird, but a study in the journal Apetite found that people ate less when using a red plate over blue or white.  Just remember, red means stop.

2.  Use smaller plates and bowls.

You probably have seen this one before.  A study from the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior found that when given a larger bowl participants served themselves 77% more pasta then when given a smaller bowl.  Plates and bowls look empty when there is not food filling it up.  When we put more food on the plate you are more likely to eat it all.

3.  Understand serving sizes.

It is great when you find low calorie snacks at the store.  Something might promote that is is only 100 calories which is a great snack.  But don't forget to look at the label.  It is 100 calories per serving which is often much smaller than you think it is.  This is often true in drinks.  A serving might be 8 ounces even though it is served in 12 ounces.

4.  Eat breakfast.

If you train with me or have followed my blog for a while you have definitely heard this one before.  A study from the University of Missouri found that eating a 500 calorie breakfast led to less eating throughout the day.  They even saw in bran scans that there was less activity in the area of the brain that controls food motivation and reward.

5.  Snack between meals.

In a Yales study that also looked at brain scans, they found that when glucose levels drop it triggers the reward region of the brain to seek out sugary food.  The brain uses glucose for energy.  When it drop you are triggered to feel hungry and eat high calorie food.  Instead, prevent this from happen by constantly snacking so you are not letting your glucose level drop.

6.  Don't eat while watching TV.

A review of studies published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine discovered that TV viewing was more associated with calorie dense drinks and foods and less associated with fruits and veggies. 
The same is true while on the computer as well or playing video games.  When you are not focused on what you are eating you will have no idea how much you are consuming.

7.  Chew more.

It can be tough not to just swallow your meal whole sometimes when you are really hungry.  But a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that subjects consumed 12% less calories when they chewed their food more.  More chewing actually increased hormones like cholecystokinin (hormones that make you feel full) and decreased ghrelin (a hormone that increases your appetitie).

8.  Eat an appetizer.

I need to be careful when I say this.  I don't want you to head over to the Outback and get a Blooming Onion.  Instead, but having a light appetizer before a meal, you are more likely to eat less for your meal.  Two studies showed that by having a salad or piece of fruit 20 minutes prior to a meal can lower total calories by 11-15%.

9.  Cut your food up.

This is similar to eating what is on your plate.  If you give yourself smaller portions by cutting food up you will be less likely to overeat.  You might think that you will be hungrier if you ate less, but a study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found that this is not true.  They had subject eat pieces of candy in this study.  One group was given 6 pieces.  The other group was still given 6 pieces but they were all halves.  So they actually only had 3 full pieces.  They found that there was no substantial differences in hunger between the groups.

10.  Get more sleep.

Sleep does us a lot of good but it can actually help you lose weight better too.  One study found that subjects ate 300 calories more when they were sleep deprived versus well rested.  Another study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that lose who only slept 4 hours showed more brain activity in response to food stimuli than those who slept 9 hours.

11.  Eat more fiber.

We all know that fiber is part of a healthy nutrition program, but it also aid in weight loss by increasing satiety, slowing down digestion, and minimizing blood sugar fluctuations.  A study in the journal Appetite found that subjects felt fuller after consuming high fiber bread compared to poor fiber white bread.

12.  Keep extra food off the table.

This is a huge one that you really should incorporate if you don't already.  Just don't keep any food on the dinner table.  If you want to grab seconds you need to get up and grab it in the kitchen.  Or if you don't want to let yourself get anymore, then just serve your self and put everything away.  In fact another study from Cornell University found that people ate 20% fewer calories when they did this.

13.  Eat your calories.

I'm not saying you can never drink any calories, but the majority of your drinks really should be water.  Maybe some juice or a smoothie for breakfast and a post workout shake, but after that stick with water.  A study from the University of Kansas Medical Center showed that those who drink the same amount of calories as those who eat it in food are more hungry after the meal.  So you drink calories and then you are more likely to eat more and over consume.

14.  Avoid low fat/low carb foods.

They may sounds appealing and healthy but these types of foods or food products most likely won't help you lose weight and might actually lead to weight gain.  Often times in low fat foods, sugar is added to make it taste better.  A study published in the Journal of Marketing Research discovered that subjects at 28% more chocolate candy when it was portrayed as low fat than they did when it was described as regular.  Low fat/low sugar foods make us think we are eating less or better but it usually is not the case.  Also, they are usually full of artificial sweeteners.  Even if the calories are less it still increases your cravings for sugary foods.  So just stay away from them.

15.  BONUS TRICK:  Workout at SDPT

Ok just a shameless self promotion here but if you aren't working with a trainer it is a great way to boost your results.  Take the guess work out of your workouts and let someone who is trained to do it for you.  Remember we offer a Free Trial for our Group Training or Private Personal Training Program.

CLICK HERE TO RESERVE YOUR FREE WORKOUT.

You Stay Healthy San Diego,

Mike Deibler MS, CSCS

Carlsbad Personal Training

My Workout Creator

Are all calories the same?

I hope you are having a great and healthy day.  After Thanksgiving last week I think we are all trying to get back on track with our diet programs.  We are just about finished with all of our leftovers.  I cannot wait to get rid of all this food (although it is delicious).  I thought I would put up a quick nutrition post for you to read through.

For years we have been told weight loss is simple.  Calories in vs. Calories out.  Basically if you eat least and move more you will lose weight.  Now I believe this for the most part is true.  If you, in general, just eat less than you usually do and move more you will probably lose some weight.  This formula may not work forever though.  You might have started a diet and lost some weight but then saw a plateau.  While this formula is a great start, we should look at what type of calories and food we are consuming to help us lose weight faster and stay healthier.

I found three studies from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that look at this topic.  Are all calories created equally?  Here is what they found.

In the first study, they followed subject for 5 years to see the relationship between the types of calories we consume and waist circumference.  We already know that increased waist circumference leads to a number of health related problems.  After 5 years they found that those who consumed a high protein diet (especially animal protein) saw a decrease in waist circumference.  Also those who's carb consumption was mainly fruits and vegetables.  There was an increase in waist circumference with those who consumed more refined grains, potatoes, vegetable fat, and alcohol from spirits.

In the next study they compared four popular diet programs.  They used Atkins for a low carb diet, the LEARN program for low fat, high carb, and exercise, the Ornish diet for a low fat diet, and the Zone diet for balanced macro nutrients of 40% carbs, 30% protein, and 30% fat.  All diets allowed the same number of calories, just different ratios of macronutritients.  For all programs there was about a 500cal decrease in total calories for the day.  They found that all participants reduced fat over an 8 weeks period.  The interesting part of this study was that they found each program resulted in deficiencies in critical vitamins and minerals.  Below are the defeciencies for each plan:

Atkins- Thiamin, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Iron, and Magnesium
LEARN- Vitamin E, Thiamine, Magnesium
Ornish- Vitamin E, B-12, and Zinc
Zone- Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, and Vitamin C

So this brings up a completely different issue that changing what type of calories we eat leads to vitamin and mineral deficiencies.  If you know you have a problem with any of the above already you will want to avoid these specific diet plans.

And our final study, simply compared a high protein vs a high fat diet using the same overall calories.  In this study they found that the high protein diet resulted in greater fat loss, greater decrease in triglyceride levels, LDL, HDL, glucose levels, insulin, free fatty acids, and C-reactive proteins.  B-12 also increased while those following a high fat diet saw a decrease in B-12.  The high protein diet also resulted in better bone regeneration.

So what these studies show us that decreasing your calories overall will probably result in some weight loss, but we are not seeing the whole picture.  Manipulating the amount of fat, carbs, and proteins you are consuming will also make a huge difference in weight and overall health.  My main recommendations would be to consume a variety of whole foods, avoid refine grains, and increase Omega 3 consumption.

You Stay Healthy San Diego,

Mike Deibler MS, CSCS
San Diego Premier Training
My Workout Creator

3 Things to help with back pain

You may have heard a stat that went something like, "80% of all people suffer from at least one episode of back pain that will effect their daily activities for at least one week."  I'm actually not sure where this stat came from, but I wouldn't be surprised if it is an underestimate.  I don't know many people that have never had some sort of back issue at some point in their life. 

I'm no different.  While my back pain is pretty rare I have still had my share of issues occur.  Even if you are in great shape things can still happen.  When we look at our average day, we sit most of the time, at our desk, driving, watching tv....While in this seated position, we are putting our lumbar spine into a flexed or rounded position.  Upon standing it is likely that this position will stick.  Then we move around or exercise and get hurt because our backs were in a high risk position. 

So if you injured your back what should you do about it?  Honestly, the easiest answer is go to the doctor to see what is going on.  I know that is not the answer you are looking for, but don't worry I have some other things you can do (but still see a professional about it will save you a lot of time and pain). 

When back issues come up I will get the question, "what is the best stretch I can do for my back?"  Unfortunately there isn't a back stretch that will really help you out.  In fact, you don't want to do much low back stretching.  When we look at the lumbar spine as a joint, it's main responsibility is stability.  We do not want movement to occur at our lower backs, pretty much ever.  So if you stretch this area out, you are gaining more mobility there.  So while the stretch might feel good while you are doing it, afterwards you have increased range of motion at a place we really do not want it. 

So instead of giving you back stretches to help with your back pain or to help prevent it from occuring, here are three things you SHOULD do to help out that busted up lower back:

1.  Improve Hip Mobility

I mentioned that the lower back was a stability joint so we need it to be stable.  The hips, on the other hand, are very mobile.  Or at least they are suppose to be.  Many times when we lose hip mobility from sitting too much or lack of exercise, we make up for it by putting the back under higher strains and create movement where it should not occur.  So work on improving your hip mobility with a few stretches.  Below are a few videos of some of my favorites.

2.  Improve Thoracic Spine Mobility

This is for the same reason listed above for the hips.  The thoracic spine, or upper back, should be  a mobile joint.  Try some of these exercises below to help improve thoracic mobility.

3.  Improve Core Stability

So we improved our joints that need to be mobile, so now we need to improve strength and endurance at our stable joint of the lumber spine.  For these exercises we want to see the lumber spine neutral and no movement occur at the lower back.  Even if the arms and legs are moving we really have to focus on bracing the core and prevent ANY movement from taking place at the lower back.  Again here are some of my favorites for this.

So there you have it.  If you have back is or have had some in the past, try improving these three things instead of trying to stretch out your low back.

You Stay Healthy San Diego,

Mike Deibler MS, CSCS
San Diego Premier Training
My Workout Creator

Is Internal Inflamation Making You Gain Weight?

You may or may not realize that our activity levels and food we eat can cause internal inflammation in our body.  Weight gain is another cause of inflammation.  This can become a dangerous cycle.  We eat poorly which can lead to inflammation and disease, and this can lead to more weight gain. 

When we have inflammation occuring the body becomes resistant to certain hormones like insulin and leptin.  Leptin is a crucial hormone for weight loss.  This hormone controls our appetite and affects our metabolism by controlling energy expenditure.  Leptin becomes bound which makes it more difficult to pass through the blood brain barrier, so you don't know when you are actually full.   So basically if you are more resistant to this hormone you will not only be more hungry, you will also burn less calories. 

When we have more trouble using fat for fuel do to resistance to fat burning hormones we have extra fat in the body.  This fat has to go somewhere.  This extra fat will not typically be stored for later use however.  This fat will begin to go to our organs, such as the liver, which will cause inflammation.  My last post was about how you may have a fatty liver if you eat too much sugar.  This is a type of inflammation. 

Not only does inflammation lead to weight gain it also leads to serious disease.  The main disease we are concerned with here is heart disease.  Those that have inflammation are at a much higher risk for suffering from serous heart conditions. 

So what can be done?  First off it is a good idea to see your doctor and test for inflammation.  It is usually done by check you C Reactive Protein levels. 

I just found two studies that show how we can help reduce this problem.  First from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, a group of researchers looked at obese individuals who were not diabetic.  For 8 weeks they gave them about 3g of Omega 3 Fatty Acids (EPA, DHA).  After eight weeks all participants saw a significant decrease in inflammation of fatty tissue.  Here is a video explaining how these fatty acids can help reduce inflammation: 

www.mikedeibler.getprograde.com/essential-fatty-acid.html

Make sure you are staying away from Omega 6 Fatty Acids.  These are found all over the Western Diet. 

The second study from Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.  This study looked at resistance training and effect on inflammation.  Again a group of obese individuals were studied.  They performed 3 sets of 10 exercises for 8-12 reps three times per week.  They continued this exercise routine for 12 weeks.  After 12 weeks they found a 33% reduction in C reactive protein in the blood.  This is a huge improvement in reduced inflammation.

So two very simple things you can do to help reduce this issue.  First make sure you increase your Omega 3 fatty acid consumption while reducing Omega 6 fatty acids, and secondly perform resistance training 2-3 times per week.

You Stay Healthy San Diego,

Mike Deibler MS, CSCS
San Diego Premier Training
My Workout Creator