The Program

[SGTPerkins]

As "The Program" explains, this was created over time through various opinions, research, and testing.  I'm looking for people to try this out, follow it to a "T", and get back to me with the results.  Also, questions and suggestions.  Here ya go, my rough draft:

THE PROGRAM

Foreword

            As a former member of a multiply deployed Army SAPPER Unit, cage fighter, and just being overly self-conscience, I have had to go above and beyond in controlling my weight.  As you can garner from the first words, it wasn’t just for vanity, but I had to be in the best physical shape possible as a job and way of life.  Contrary to popular belief, the Army does get you in to shape, while in boot camp, however, maintaining that shape is on you.  The soldiers shoulder the responsibility to keep themselves in shape.  This is often tested via a semi-annual Physical Fitness Test, also known as the PFT.  The PFT consists of doing as many push-ups as you can in two minutes, doing as many sit-ups as you can in two minutes, and finally running 2 miles as fast as you can.  Knowing these three events and doing them, does not give you the highest level of physical fitness knowledge in the world.

            While in boot camp I had been on a “diet plan”, which the Army even spells out for the soon to be soldiers via the “smart book”, as being one quarter of the plate starches, one quarter protein, and half fruits/vegetables every meal.  This “diet plan” was also in combination with multiple and continual intense daily training.  I was never in control of this training, and eating was easy when someone else was always making the food, let alone telling you when to eat.  This was the extent of my “diet plan knowledge” leading into the next stage of my life.

            While home from deployments, I became interested in cage fighting after attending several Muy Thai and Ju Jitsu classes at my gym.  With no intensions of making a career out of fighting, I simply wanted to see what I could do in 10 fights.  Even without having higher aspirations of becoming a professional fighter, I did need to fall into a weight class.  In cage fighting, just as in wrestling and boxing, no one fights at what they actually weigh.  They actually walk around at one weight, but fight at a much lower weight, losing weight quickly and for a short period of time, as to weigh in.  Once they have weighed in, they start to climb back up to what they weighed originally.  This can be EXTREMELY dangerous, and is purely meant for a short term weight loss.

            For example, I normally walk around and train for a fight weighing 200lbs every day.  About a month or month and a half before the fight, I will start to “cut weight” in a very intense work out and diet plan.  I have been able to lose 30 pounds in 20 days before, as I need to weigh in at no more than 170 pounds to qualify for the weight class I fought in.  Once I have “made weight”, to a point of even spending hours in a sauna just prior, I immediately binge on highly condensed caloric food: pasta, pastries, etc.  This rehydrates my body and starts getting me back up around 185-190 in the 24 hours between weighing in and fighting.  The first couple of fights didn’t really matter, as we didn’t really weigh in, but as I continued to win, I continued to go to bigger shows and fights requiring that I do so.  Just prior to my first serious need to weigh in to get paid fight, I collapsed on my apt floor shaking, and thinking, “This can’t be good”.

            At the time, I would eat no more than 500 calories a day, go to work (very physically active job), and then at night run on a treadmill until I had worked off 500 calories.  I thought eating very little while working very hard would help me to get ripped and lose weight.  After putting myself through hell for 4-5 weeks, seeing NO RESULTS, and making myself very sick collapsing at the gym, I finally hired a nutritionist to speak with.  This nutritionist could not believe what I was going, even saying it was “impossible” to do what I had been doing for the past month.  My girlfriend at the time reassured him that I was not making it up as she had witnessed the entire thing, to which he said, “Wow, you are doing it completely wrong.  I’ll bet you are very moody and literally act very stupid at times.”  My girlfriend quickly agreed with him on all counts.

            Over the years, that first conversation developed into meeting and speaking with more and more nutritionists.  The idea of what I thought I should be doing, versus what I should actually be doing became a slight obsession.  As I started to collect different approaches and doing my own research, I was seeing my body more as a machine than as myself.  Knowing that I am the type of person with absolute discipline to stick to a program, try different things to see if they actually work (see above), I started developing my own routine from the kaleidoscope of different sourced information.  As you would expect, some of it worked, and some of it did not, but through it all, my progress had valid documented research.  In the end, I came up with “The Program”.

            While reading different work out programs and approaches for weight management, I quickly noticed that different authors of books and blogs would often say “do this” or “do not do that”, but never explain WHY or never went into what I considered enough detail as to why.  I felt it was as though different authors wanted to keep you in the dark as much as possible, so that you can buy their crap to “solve the mystery”, after all, they were selling their solutions.  I am the type of person that I need to know why I am doing what I am doing, how it affects me, and what results to expect.  If you lack this information, how can you honestly judge if it is working?  So, for one, I don’t sell “The Program”, I give it out freely to anyone that wants it.  Two, I explain each part of what you are doing and everything you need to do, then go into detail as to why.  For example, do you know how many different types of fats there are to choose from?  Do you know that not all fats are bad for you?  Do you know you SHOULD eat particular fats?  We will get to that below, but if I do not go into enough detail as to why or how to do something, just email me, and ask.  I have no problems talking about how to make “The Program”, or more importantly, YOU, better.

            The second issue I had when asking how to get into better shape or lose weight was hearing the response, “well, you just need to eat better.” but then NO DIRECTION on how to do that.  So as you read below, I will guide you through “The Program”, then I have also attached some information about foods you may want to eat more of, work into your meals, snack on, and why they are a great choice.  They are not the only foods, just some of the foods I have read up on and researched.  I am constantly adding more, so let me know if you want more info later on or if you have a question about a food you are curious about.  Also, I like to stay in contact with my users.  I want you to stay motivated and on course, so I will often email out motivation, interesting food/snack ideas, or little tips.

            Finally, I added on some Dieting Myths at the end.  We have all heard great “tips” before.  Some of these may surprise you from what is fact and what is fiction.

            I want you to do the very best you can and I am confident if you follow “The Program” you will see results almost immediately.  Don’t worry though, this is the EASIEST diet plan you could EVER be on.  I’m sure you have seen that headline at the checkout line magazine rack before, but let me start by explaining the basic principles of “The Program”, and you will quickly agree with me, this CAN be done easily.

Let's Get Started

            DO NOT RIDE THE SCALE:  My one bit of advice before you even start: DO NOT RIDE THE SCALE.  In that I mean, each time you go into the bathroom, do NOT jump on the scale and see what you weigh.  A scale creates anxiety just in being there, during a diet program, it is as if you are “watching water boil”.  Watching your weight go up and down throughout the day is not going to help you in any way.  Start with day one, record your weight on the morning of day one, right after waking up.  THAT is your start weight, because at that time you weigh the least you will weigh all day.  After that, store that information away, and go about your business.

            Side Note For Women:  We all know your body is greatly affected by your hormones.  This means that during some weeks of the month, you will retain more or less water in your body.  There is nothing you can do about this, but account for it happening, as it is obviously going to play into your weight.  This is another reason I suggest NOT “riding the scale”, as you may see a week of slight weight gain because of water retention.  Seeing this happen, can increase anxiety, doubt, and destroy will power to continue on.  I cannot stress this enough, DO NOT RIDE THE SCALE!!!  Weigh yourself on day one, and have a goal of doing it again on week 4, 8, 12, or whatever.

You HAVE to eat: You can't just stop eating.  A LOT of people make the mistake of thinking, “I'll just eat less and I'll lose weight”.  Start starving yourself and your body will go into starvation mode causing it to just hold onto any food you DO eat.   The body needs to be reassured that whatever it uses, it can do so without worry of it being replaced.  If you stop eating, the body will “believe” that it will not be getting more, so it will literally hold almost everything you eat.  Constipation is common sign you have entered starvation mode. 

Not only is starvation counterproductive for what you want to achieve, it's freaking HARD.  Purposely starving yourself makes you want to eat and focus on food more.  Your will power will not be able to hold forever.  Also, when you DO eat, you will go all "angry feeding".  You know, late night runs to Taco Bell, salsa packets everywhere, etc.

Again, think of your body as a machine.  Just as your car’s engine needs fuel to function, you do as well.  Giving it 87 octane fuel, and it will run fine, right?  Give it higher octane fuel and it runs even better.  Put a supercharger on it, which forces more oxygen into the engine with high octane fuel, and you’ll be a dragster.  Good foods equal good fuel, which equals good results.

You HAVE to eat breakfast:  Metabolism is key.  The “secret” to “The Program” is speeding up your metabolism.  Doing this is what helps the body to lose weight and how “The Program” process works.  To increase your metabolism, you simply have to trick the body.  Surely you have heard of the saying "breakfast is the most important meal of the day.”  That saying isn’t just a catchy sales pitch, it’s actually 100% correct.  Eating something for breakfast will start your metabolism.  Once started, your body’s digestive system starts to work.  No matter how pressed for time, you HAVE to eat something for breakfast.  Again, using the engine example once you are awake, your body’s metabolism is still laying dormant from the night before.  If you do not eat something, your metabolism will not start.  When you get into the pattern of eating breakfast, you will immediately start your metabolism for the day.  Your daily metabolism, or your body’s ability to start breaking down food will not properly start until you eat.  An Egg, bowl of cereal, some toast, it doesn’t matter, but you need to eat something to “start your engine”.

You have to eat EVERY two hours:  ON THE DOT or as close to it as possible.  I set up alarms on my phone so that I am alerted every two hours as to when I need to eat.  If you forget or miss, not that big of deal, but you have to eat and stay on that schedule as much as possible.  One really good thing about this, it doesn't matter when you get up.  It just matters that you eat breakfast right when you get up, or as close to it as possible, THEN from that point, whatever it is, you have to eat EVERY two hours.  Here’s an example:  During the week, I get up at 5:30am, eat at 6am, then for the rest of the day my schedule is 8am, 10am, noon, 2pm, 4pm, and 6pm.  On the weekends, I may sleep in till 7-8am, eating breakfast at 830, 1030, 1230, 230, 430, 630pm. 

Example Meals For A Day

6am – Oatmeal or Toast (I like cinnamon raise bread and butter)

8am – Some form of granola bar

10am – nuts, granola, or granola bar

Noon – Chicken Breast and steamed vegetables

2pm – Greek Yogurt

4pm – protein shake

6pm – light dinner (the rest of the family can have carbs, not me)

More on that later. 

What are you going to eat, EVERY two hours?  You are going to eat ANYTHING that is around 200-300 calories or a combination of items that equal 200-300 calories per serving.  A little over, a little under, it's ok.  But right around 200-300 calories.  That doesn't seem like much, but once you get to day two, you will feel like you are over eating.  Eating is as much feeding the body as it is tricking the brain.  By eating less more often, your brain will try to tell your body, “WHOA, we are eating WAY too much” even though you are eating less.  This will trigger the body’s reaction to “feel full”.  DO NOT SKIP FEEDINGS.  Make yourself do it, cause by day 3 and 4 your body will have adapted.  After the end of week one, you'll even notice that you don't need the alarm all that much cause your body’s metabolism will be starting to ramp up, falling into a  schedule.  

Now, the beauty is that you DO NOT have to look at Sodium, Trans Fats, etc., but obviously, the better food you are eating for your meals, the better the results.  For example, sure, a bag of potato chips, is probably 200 calories, but so is a Nature Valley “sweet and salty nut” bar.  

Finally, once you have that last meal/200-300 calories of the day, THAT IS IT.  You are done for the day.  Also, don't try to be sneaky, don't think, well, I'll skip this 200 calorie meal at 10am and combine it with the next meal so I can eat this 400 calorie item at lunch.  200 calories, every two hours, 6-7 times a day.  And that's that.

That seems like a lot:  All in all, you are going to be eating 1400-2100 calories per day.  Your body needs 3400 calories just to operate (breathing, heart, digestion, etc.).  Ironically, a pound of fat is made up of 3400 calories.   You should quickly see the math here.  If it takes 3400 calories to run the body, and you are only taking in roughly half of those calories (1700 calories), you should be losing half a pound a day without doing a thing?  YES!  “This can’t be right.” is going to be your first thought.  A half pound is key to the entire Program.  Why?  A half pound a day, on average, equates to 3.5 pounds a week.  The 3-5lb window is CRUCIAL.  If you lose less than 3lbs a week, you will not see results, and you will quit.  If you lose MORE than 5lbs a week, it is unhealthy.  Setting a goal of 3-5lbs a week is a nice and gentle body goal.  Also, this allows for the weekends.  These times of the week are the hardest for even me.  Kids, Friends, Events, Etc., and it makes the every 2 hours pretty hard.  So, unless you are going full discipline on this, expect to fluctuate up and down, on the weekends.

There HAS to be a “CATCH”:  And you are correct, but unlike any other diet that makes you do crazy and unhealthy practices, this one is EASY.  So you have the 6-7 times a day meal plan set up, eating 2-300 calories each time.  Easy enough, right?  Now, here’s the “catch”.  After your midday meal, let’s say meal 3, STOP eating carbs.  You will continue to eat every 2 hours, but have to NOT eat carbs in the afternoon meals.

Carbohydrates are NOT the enemy, like most people would have you believe.  Carbs control your brain function and mood, cutting them out of your diet completely is going to essentially make you an angry dummy.  Carbohydrates are what the body takes in, and then turns into fat, as to have a reserve for energy when needed.  Your body NEEDS carbs.  I cannot stress this enough.  However, how can we still take them in, if the body uses them to create fat stores?  We can do this by only eating them up until half way through the day. 

Look at the average American family day.  Get up, work, come home, family/sports/etc. and then have a BIG carbohydrate dinner, settle in to relax for the night (watch TV) and then go to bed.  This is actually the cause of the American obesity problem.  There is little to ZERO activity after that last big carbohydrate filled dinner in the evening.  So, the body is digesting it all as you are watching TV.  The body knows it may need emergency energy at any given time, so what it doesn’t use, it is storing as fat, while you sit and watch TV.

By halting the intake of Carbs at lunch, you are still active for the rest of the day.  Since you are still active and using energy, the body needs to find energy sources from some other place.  By not feeding the body Carbohydrate “fuel”, it starts to switch to its reserves, which is the fat on the body.

Other quick “tips”:

• Drink lots of water:7L (15 cups/120oz) for men and 2.7L (11 cups/88oz) for women.  Not only does water help you digest your food better, help clean out your blood system, but it is what your body needs most of.  Oddly enough, it's proven that 9 times out of 10, when you think your body is telling you that you’re hungry, you are actually thirsty. If you find trouble times of hunger, drink a bottle of water
• Get Sleep:Of all the steps in “The Program”, I would say there are 3 core things you have to do.  Eat small portions 6-7 times a day, cut carbs after lunch, and SLEEP.  Sleep is when your body repairs itself, ALL of itself.  Mind, body, "soul", if you don't get sleep, you aren't going to be able to do much.  You need to get at LEAST 7 hours of sleep a night.  Cutting back on carbs, not being able to go "booz'n", and then if you add some sort of exercise, and you will want to sleep more than any time you used too any way. lol
• Exercise:Oddly enough, exercise is NOT required for “The Program” to work, however choosing to do so will not hurt your efforts.  It doesn't have to be a 3 mile run at 4am every morning, or anything really big, just something that gets a little sweat or heart rate going at least 3 times a week.  It's just like the type of food you are eating.  The better you do, the better the results.  So the more and better work outs you do, the better the results.  Simply pick times, places, exercises that YOU like.  The majority of failed exercise routines and memberships failed because of picking a time, place, or frequency the user couldn’t easily maintain.
• Have a “cheat day”: If you are going full discipline, bless your heart and you are going to see some serious results quickly.  If you have slightly less discipline than a Tibetan Monk, it’s ok.  Give yourself a day to “live a little” each week.  If you are doing “The Program” through the winter, it can be a little easier to stay on course.  However, if this is the summer time, pool parties, back yard BBQ, and holidays may make you stumble some.  That is ok as well.  If you don’t have rock solid discipline, give yourself one day a week, to cheat.  If you do not do allow for this, your resolve may falter, and you may just quit.  As time goes on, you’ll see that your desire to have a cheat day will grow less and less, as your cheats become less and less as your results improve.

Do I need to cut anything out of my day? 

• Caffeine: This one is kind of up to you.  You don't have to cut it out of your life completely, but rather here and there (I shoot for one caffeinated beverage, once a day, IE: coffee). Caffeine is the new eggs of the work out world.  No one seems to agree if it is good or bad for you.  I look at it and say “if it IS bad, why are so many diet pills and work out supplements filled with it?”  Caffeine can control one’s emotions.  By drastically changing our daily diet, I also found it was causing me headaches.  Results and effects will vary, but try to limit your caffeine intake mostly because of the other ingredients we put IN the coffee/tea.  Coffee and Tea actually have had scientific studies showing they have health benefits, but if you are like me, you need about 1lb of sugar and creamer to make the cup of coffee just right.  That’s why I limit myself to one a day 😄

• Alcohol: This may be the hardest of them all, but this program is just to get you down to what you want or feel comfortable with, so it's not like you have to give it up for life, just the duration of “The Program”, so breathe easily as I say this, ok?  You have to give up Alcohol.  Yes, I know, you are not happy about that.  Alcohol AND carbonation.  There's good news though, even though weight loss and alcohol are enemies, you CAN have one (MAYBE TWO) a week.  Two is the MAX though.  Why no alcohol? 
  • Alcohol has ZERO nutritional value
  • Is empty calories
  • When mixed with food, alcohol essentially shuts off the function of your liver and changes it to producing fats.  Part of why you rarely see slim and fit alcoholics.
  • Alcohol lowers inhibitions.  No, not the going home with anyone kind of way, but in that, you will lose will power to hold your diet and eat when you shouldn't.  Especially at the worst time, late at night.
  • Alcohol can increase the amount of acid that your stomach produces, causing your stomach lining to become inflamed. Over time, excessive alcohol use can lead to serious health problems, including stomach ulcers, liver disease, and heart troubles. 
  • Drinking might help induce sleep, but the sleep you get isn't very deep. Ultimately, as a result, you get less rest and less recovery
  • If you are going to consume Alcohol, try to make it Red Wine. A glass of wine has actually been found to improve weight loss and heart health in some recent studies.  Wine is also a well-documented blood thinner.  You aren’t going to drink yourself thin, BUT you are going to reduce the negative affect on your progress through “The Program”

            THAT’S IT!!!  Yes, you are not missing pages, or steps.  It’s REALLY that easy.  Simply work on eating 6-7 times a day around 2-300 calories each time, and cutout carbs after lunch.  It’s that simple.  Add in a small work out program 3 times a week and you will see even greater results.  Keep me posted as to your progress and any questions you may have.  Below are some food tips that I have gathered from different things I have read over the years.  Then below that are some Dieting Myths.  You don’t have to follow any of the below, but information is power and the more you know the better you will be. 

            Again, Good Luck, stick to it, and let me know how you do. 

[SGTPerkins]

FOOD TIPS:

Yogurt:  Mmmm. This creamy, tangy snack is loaded with calcium -- and studies show that calcium may curtail weight gain by hindering the absorption of fat in the small intestine.  

Benefits of Calcium
Calcium is essential for strong bones and teeth, and it helps prevent arthritis. But that's not all this mineral is good for. Calcium helps your brain communicate with your nerves and regulates blood pressure, and it may reduce the symptoms of PMS and the risk of colon cancer.

Eggs:  Turn breakfast into a fat-burning morning boost by skipping the stack of pancakes and feasting on a couple of eggs instead. According to a study, huevos beat out carbs when it came to helping folks feel full longer and helping them beat back snack attacks later in the day

Yep. Be they poached, scrambled, or sunny-side up, eggs may be a real friend to dieters. Here's why.

• Eggs Beat Bagels: In a study, people on a low-calorie weight loss plan who ate two scrambled eggs and unbuttered toast (with jelly!) for breakfast lost 65 percent more weight than dieters who had a bagel with cream cheese for their morning meal. How do eggs help? They may simply keep people feeling satisfied longer than carbs do -- and eating less later on.
• Remember the Big Picture
  Keep in mind that this study included a low-calorie diet. That means eating eggs for breakfast helps only if you're watching what and how much you eat the rest of the day, too. 

Pistachios:  Nuts may be high in fat, but it's the healthful unsaturated kind of fat found in pistachios. And like all nuts, pistachios offer lots of hunger-curbing protein and fiber. All of these qualities together explain why adding pistachios to the diet helped dieters in a study curb their appetites and lose more weight. 

You might think a low-fat selection like pretzels makes more sense. But a recent study proved otherwise. In the study, obese dieters who snacked on protein-rich pistachios every day made greater improvements in their BMIs than the group of dieters who snacked on pretzels.

Pistachios provide more than 30 different vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and are one of the lowest fat, highest fiber nuts. With 49 pistachios per serving (about 170 calories), you get more nuts when snacking on pistachios as compared to almonds (23 nuts per serving) or walnuts (14 halves per serving). Plus, pistachios provide a visual cue to help you eat less and are the preferred snack nut for men. 

• Snack Wars: The study participants followed similar low-calorie diets for 12 weeks and had similarly portioned snacks as well -- either 240 calories worth of pistachios or 220 calories worth of pretzels daily. Both groups dropped pounds, but the pistachio eaters lost more weight and had better improvements in their body mass indexes -- a height–weight measurement that estimates body fat. Not only that, but the nut eaters experienced bigger drops in their triglyceride and cholesterol levels, too.
• What's in a Nut? Researchers think the pistachio eaters scored extra weight loss and health benefits thanks to the nutrition profile of nuts. They're full of good-for-you things that help control appetite -- such as fiber, protein, and unsaturated fats -- and heart-healthy antioxidants, too. And it makes sense that a whole food like nuts would stand head-and-shoulders above a refined-grain snack like pretzels.

Grapefruit:  Of all the foods rumored to boost weight loss, grapefruit is likely the most famous. And research confirms that this fruit's get-slim celebrity status is for real. One study in particular revealed that eating half a grapefruit before each meal helped dieters shed more pounds than people who skipped the tart appetizer.

Avocado:  This green goddess of heavenly, creamy taste can help you whittle your waist. It's true! Researchers suspect that the unsaturated fat in avocados may ratchet up body levels of the hunger-halting hormone called leptin -- a hormone that lets your brain know that you're full, so you stop eating.

Mushrooms:  If you want to try an easy and tasty calorie-cutting trick, then replace the meat in your favorite recipes with mushrooms. You'll automatically cut about 420 calories out of a meal, partly because you'll skip all the belly-padding saturated fat contained in meat.

Olive Oil:  This rich-tasting oil found in salad dressings and marinades contains a hunger-busting monounsaturated fat called oleic acid -- which triggers a complicated process in the gut that ultimately tells your brain you're full and makes you want to stop eating. 

Whole Grains:  Ready to trade your belly bulge for a flat tummy? Then toss your refined grains into the garbage, and eat more whole grains instead. Research shows this one move can help whittle your middle. We're talking brown rice, quinoa, steel-cut oats, whole-grain cereal, and 100% whole-wheat bread and pasta.

Ditching belly fat may be a simple matter of choosing the right rice or bread. And the choice to make? Whole grains.

You probably already love whole grains for their heart-healthy, disease-defying superpowers. So new research on their belly-fat-busting abilities should vault whole grains to the top of your grocery list.

• A One-Grain Guy
  In fact, the more whole grains you add to your diet in place of refined grains, the better off your waistline will be. In a new study where scientists reviewed the diets of close to 3,000 men and women, they found a strong correlation between belly fat and grain choice. The whole-grain lovers tended to have less belly fat than refined-grain buyers -- and had smaller waists, too. But eating more whole grains had a fat-curbing effect only when it was combined with a low intake of refined grains. So eating that whole-grain cereal at breakfast doesn't mean you can slack off and have the white-bread sandwich at lunchtime.
• The Magic Number
  Just how many whole-grain servings do you need to stay slim? Researchers think at least three servings daily is a good goal. That can be achieved with half a cup of steel-cut oatmeal in the morning and a couple of slices of whole-grain bread for your sandwich at lunch. But not just any whole-grain bread. Find a loaf that's high in fiber. Researchers suspect the waist-friendly qualities of whole-grain products come, in part, from the appetite-steadying fiber found inside. Whole grains also have lots of magnesium, which is good for improving insulin sensitivity.

Red Pepper:  Add some heat to your meals and you'll boost not only the taste but also the effectiveness of your weight loss diet. A dash of cayenne pepper or some diced jalapeno or red peppers will do the trick. They all contain capsaicin -- the heat-inducing compound in red peppers that, according to research, tamps down appetite and curbs food intake later in the day.

Wouldn't it be great if you could just sprinkle something on your food to help you lose weight? Research suggests these fiery flakes might fit the bill: crushed red pepper.

A small batch of studies has shown that a key ingredient in hot peppers -- capsaicin -- may help curb appetite and hinder the storage of fat.

• Slim and Spicy: If you're serious about losing weight, red pepper flakes alone aren't going to move the dial much. But they could be a useful addition to a legitimate weight loss plan. Researchers in one study concluded that capsaicin may boost sympathetic nervous system activity in a way that dampens hunger and calorie intake later in the day. And related research found that capsiate -- a capsaicin-like compound from sweet peppers -- hindered fat storage and boosted weight loss.
• Fiery-Hot Weight Loss: Besides possibly helping you lose more weight, adding heat to low-calorie meals will boost flavor and interest as well -- whether you choose capsaicin-rich cayenne pepper, diced jalapenos, or any variety of hot chili peppers.

Fava Beans:  Creamy and hearty, fava beans are a lean protein source bursting with flavonoids. And in a 14-year study, these special antioxidants were shown to help hinder the accumulation of extra belly fat. 

Rice with Veggies:  Adding some high-fiber vegetables like broccoli, carrots, and kale to your rice will obviously help lower the calorie count. But not only that. Adding veggies to rice at lunchtime appears to slow stomach emptying, according to research. The end result? You feel full longer. In fact, people in a study ate much less at dinner when they added veggies to their rice at lunch.

Shrink your appetite, your calorie intake, and your pants size with just one little addition to your rice: vegetables.

In a recent study of normal-weight people, mixing vegetables into a plain rice dish at lunch helped people feel fuller for the rest of the day. So much so that they ate way fewer calories at dinner than the folks who had their rice straight up.

• Less Is More: Mixing veggies with the rice also lowered the calorie density of the lunch dish, shaving off a solid 100+ calories from the meal. So whether you opt for brown, basmati, or long-grain, adding things like broccoli, carrots, peppers, and onions to your rice can help cut calories from your day twice. And that's twice as nice for your waist! 
• Weight Loss Weapon: It's not entirely clear why the lower-calorie veggies-and-rice dish produced a better effect on all-day hunger compared with the rice-only dish, but researchers suspect the high water content of produce may have been part of the key. High water content makes vegetables bulky, creating the visual illusion that the rice-plus-veggie serving was extra generous and hearty, and therefore more filling. Plus, eating high-fiber veggies helps slow stomach emptying. Whatever the hunger-quelling mechanism, it's simple to toss a few of your favorite vegetables into not only rice but just about any meal. 

FATS:  That fatty bacon cheeseburger may be loaded with calories, but at least it stomps out your hunger. Right?

Not necessarily. Compared to low-fat meals with the same number of calories, meals that are basically fat fiestas do an odd thing: The saturated fats in them make your body release less leptin, a hormone designed to turn off appetite. Saturated fats are the belly-bulgers and artery-agers found in fats that come from four-legged sources: high-fat red meats, butter, full-fat cheeses, and other whole-milk products. (Trans fats are just as bad, by the way.) Sat fats are rarely found in plant foods, with two vital exceptions: palm and coconut oils.

To help your body release leptin -- which is stored in fat cells (see? you knew they were good for something) -- you need to eat healthful unsaturated fats. Find them in nuts (especially walnuts), seeds, olives, avocados, most vegetable oils (especially canola), many fish, and even algae (or DHA omega-3 supplements made from algae). You don't want to avoid fat altogether: You need it to maintain your energy, absorb certain nutrients, and repair tissue. And moderate amounts of healthy fat are associated with a decreased risk of heart disease.

You also want to help leptin do its #1 job: telling you, "You're not hungry anymore." So in addition to avoiding sat fat, adopt these waist protectors:

• Watch your alcohol intake. It inhibits leptin, even as it disinhibits dancing on the table or phoning your ex.
• Walk 30 minutes every day, and build a little muscle. Sometimes, leptin doesn't work the way it's supposed to, and your cells stop responding to its messages. When you trim down, your cells become more sensitive to leptin again.

Mangoes:  Rich in antioxidants and a premier source of vitamins C and A. They contain more than 20 different vitamins and minerals. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that promotes healthy immune function; vitamin A supports vision and bone health.

Berries: are rich in antioxidants, fiber and vitamin C. Research shows berries may help boost memory, protect your heart, fight cancer and enhance eyesight. Blueberries in particular have received a lot of attention because they are one of the best food sources of flavonoids. In fact, a British study revealed that eating plenty of blueberries can enhance spatial memory and learning—don’t forget it!

Beans:  are not only low in fat but also help burn it, since they are rich in fiber and protein. The best fat-burning beans are kidney beans, lima beans, navy beans and white beans. They help clean out your system by promoting digestive health.

Broccoli:  is rich in natural cancer-fighting chemicals and loaded with heart-healthy, immunity-building nutrients such as vitamins A, C and folate — a B vitamin found to protect against heart disease.

10 Dieting Myths

With so many people offering advice on weight loss, it can be hard to separate fact from fiction. All too often I’ve overheard a hardworking gym-goer sharing a well-meaning but ill-informed tip with another exerciser. And I’m not the only one who’s heard fitness folklore being swapped on the training room floor. I spoke to top experts in the field to find out the common fitness myths they hear from clients. From the pseudo miracles of the “fat-burning” zone to the misguided magic of working out on an empty stomach, here are the fitness falsehoods you should never follow.

Myth #1: The best way to lose weight is to drastically cut calories

“Our bodies are smarter than we think,” said Jari Love, star of the Get Extremely Ripped: 1000 Hardcore DVD. “When we eat too little, our body believes that it’s starving so our metabolism slows down and holds onto fat as a potential energy source.” A much better approach: Eat more often, but eat less food at one time—and focus on these 7 Foods Not to Ditch When You Diet. For the fastest weight loss, break up your total daily calorie allotment—don’t eat fewer than 1,200 calories if you’re a woman or fewer than 1,800 calories if you’re a man—into five to six small meals to keep your metabolism humming.

Myth #2: Heavy weights will bulk you up

“This just isn’t possible for most women,” said personal trainer and Prevention contributing editor Chris Freytag. “Ladies have too much estrogen in their hormone makeup. Yes, heavier weights build muscle and strength, but most of us women aren’t lifting anything so heavy that we are at risk for building man muscles.” Plus, muscle is the secret to a revved up metabolism, as it burns more calories than more fat, even when you’re sitting on the couch or at your desk.

Myth #3: Keep your heart rate in the fat-burning zone

If you’ve been exercising at 60 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate in order to shed flab faster, you could be slowing your slimdown. “The fat-burning zone is a complete myth,” said Wayne Westcott, Prevention advisory board member and fitness research director at Quincy College. “While it’s true that you burn a higher percentage of fat calories when exercising at a moderate pace, you burn fewer calories overall.” For instance, if you get on a treadmill and walk at a 3.5 MPH pace for 30 minutes, you might burn 250 calories. If you raise the speed to 7 miles per hour, you’d burn 500. Bottom line? “It’s much better to go at the faster speed.”

Myth #4: Boosting cardio is the best way to bypass a plateau

“The most effective way to lose weight is to include both cardio and weights in your routine,” said Love. “One study found that when individuals cycled for 30 minutes a day, they lost three pounds of fat and gained a half pound of muscle in eight weeks. But individuals who cycled for 15 minutes and weight trained for 15 minutes a day lost 10 pounds of fat and gained two pounds of calorie-burning muscle.”

Myth #5: Ab exercises are the fastest way to a flat belly

“Doing abdominal exercises can strengthen the different ab muscles, but it won't burn body fat and reveal the ‘6-pack look,’” said Aaron Swan, Private Trainer at the Sports Club/LA-Boston. “Abs are made in the kitchen—not from doing crunches.” A proper diet low in refined carbohydrates and full of lean proteins, healthy fats, and lots of low-glycemic fruits and vegetables will bring you closer to the flat belly you’re after. Still, you should work your tummy!

Myth #6: Doing squats will make your butt big

“This one cracks me up,” said Freytag. “We all know what makes your butt big and it isn’t squats. All of us who sit in front of a computer, at desk, or in a car seat all day are at risk for developing weak glutes unless we actively do something about it.” One of the best fixes: Squats! “Science shows that this move will help to lift, firm, and strengthen your buns,” said Freytag. “Just be sure to focus on good form. Keep your knees above your shoe laces and sit back into an imaginary chair; squeeze through your glutes as you return to standing.”

For more great exercise ideas, check out the Free Feel-Your-Best Fitness Newsletter from Prevention.

Myth #7: It can take only a few weeks to reach a weight loss plateau

“Recently, a woman told me she had been training for one month and the scale had already stopped moving,” said Love. “She insisted she had been sticking to her diet and that she was in a plateau, but that likely wasn’t the case.” Why not? A study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that it takes 6 months for an individual to reach a weight loss plateau. “If you are only a couple weeks into your program and weight loss has halted, you probably need to watch your diet,” says Love.

Myth #8: I can slim down by switching to diet soda

There may be zero calories, but chugging those cans of chemicals could be plumping your paunch. “A study at Purdue University found that rats given artificial sweeteners ate more calories and gained more weight than rats given sugar,” said Love. “A better option is to drink water that is naturally flavored with lemon or cucumber slices to keep calories low and hydration high.”

Myth #9: An empty stomach means more fat burn

You’ve probably heard that working out sans food forces your body to tap into fat reserves to work, but this is far from true, according to Freytag. “Science has shown you need to have some glucose in your system in order to ignite your fat-burning furnaces. If you run out of stored glucose, your flame goes out and you start burning up muscle.” Having a little pre-workout snack 30 to 60 minutes before your workout gives you the energy to go longer and harder, which boosts your burn.

Myth #10: You can target trouble spots

It would be nice to be able to choose where our bodies store fat (bigger cup size and thinner thigh, please!) but that just isn’t possible. “The scientific truth is that your body decides where to burn fat  based on genetics, regardless of the body part you are exercising,” said Samantha Clayton, personal trainer and co-star of YouTube’s Be Fit In 90.  Instead of focusing on one area, spend your time doing full-body workouts that blast calories, like running or body-weight circuits, for all-over slimming.

[SGTPerkins]

As "The Program" explains, this was created over time through various opinions, research, and testing.  I'm looking for people to try this out, follow it to a "T", and get back to me with the results.  Also, questions and suggestions.  Here ya go, my rough draft:

THE PROGRAM

Foreword

            As a former member of a multiply deployed Army SAPPER Unit, cage fighter, and just being overly self-conscience, I have had to go above and beyond in controlling my weight.  As you can garner from the first words, it wasn’t just for vanity, but I had to be in the best physical shape possible as a job and way of life.  Contrary to popular belief, the Army does get you in to shape, while in boot camp, however, maintaining that shape is on you.  The soldiers shoulder the responsibility to keep themselves in shape.  This is often tested via a semi-annual Physical Fitness Test, also known as the PFT.  The PFT consists of doing as many push-ups as you can in two minutes, doing as many sit-ups as you can in two minutes, and finally running 2 miles as fast as you can.  Knowing these three events and doing them, does not give you the highest level of physical fitness knowledge in the world.

            While in boot camp I had been on a “diet plan”, which the Army even spells out for the soon to be soldiers via the “smart book”, as being one quarter of the plate starches, one quarter protein, and half fruits/vegetables every meal.  This “diet plan” was also in combination with multiple and continual intense daily training.  I was never in control of this training, and eating was easy when someone else was always making the food, let alone telling you when to eat.  This was the extent of my “diet plan knowledge” leading into the next stage of my life.

            While home from deployments, I became interested in cage fighting after attending several Muy Thai and Ju Jitsu classes at my gym.  With no intensions of making a career out of fighting, I simply wanted to see what I could do in 10 fights.  Even without having higher aspirations of becoming a professional fighter, I did need to fall into a weight class.  In cage fighting, just as in wrestling and boxing, no one fights at what they actually weigh.  They actually walk around at one weight, but fight at a much lower weight, losing weight quickly and for a short period of time, as to weigh in.  Once they have weighed in, they start to climb back up to what they weighed originally.  This can be EXTREMELY dangerous, and is purely meant for a short term weight loss.

            For example, I normally walk around and train for a fight weighing 200lbs every day.  About a month or month and a half before the fight, I will start to “cut weight” in a very intense work out and diet plan.  I have been able to lose 30 pounds in 20 days before, as I need to weigh in at no more than 170 pounds to qualify for the weight class I fought in.  Once I have “made weight”, to a point of even spending hours in a sauna just prior, I immediately binge on highly condensed caloric food: pasta, pastries, etc.  This rehydrates my body and starts getting me back up around 185-190 in the 24 hours between weighing in and fighting.  The first couple of fights didn’t really matter, as we didn’t really weigh in, but as I continued to win, I continued to go to bigger shows and fights requiring that I do so.  Just prior to my first serious need to weigh in to get paid fight, I collapsed on my apt floor shaking, and thinking, “This can’t be good”.

            At the time, I would eat no more than 500 calories a day, go to work (very physically active job), and then at night run on a treadmill until I had worked off 500 calories.  I thought eating very little while working very hard would help me to get ripped and lose weight.  After putting myself through hell for 4-5 weeks, seeing NO RESULTS, and making myself very sick collapsing at the gym, I finally hired a nutritionist to speak with.  This nutritionist could not believe what I was going, even saying it was “impossible” to do what I had been doing for the past month.  My girlfriend at the time reassured him that I was not making it up as she had witnessed the entire thing, to which he said, “Wow, you are doing it completely wrong.  I’ll bet you are very moody and literally act very stupid at times.”  My girlfriend quickly agreed with him on all counts.

            Over the years, that first conversation developed into meeting and speaking with more and more nutritionists.  The idea of what I thought I should be doing, versus what I should actually be doing became a slight obsession.  As I started to collect different approaches and doing my own research, I was seeing my body more as a machine than as myself.  Knowing that I am the type of person with absolute discipline to stick to a program, try different things to see if they actually work (see above), I started developing my own routine from the kaleidoscope of different sourced information.  As you would expect, some of it worked, and some of it did not, but through it all, my progress had valid documented research.  In the end, I came up with “The Program”.

            While reading different work out programs and approaches for weight management, I quickly noticed that different authors of books and blogs would often say “do this” or “do not do that”, but never explain WHY or never went into what I considered enough detail as to why.  I felt it was as though different authors wanted to keep you in the dark as much as possible, so that you can buy their crap to “solve the mystery”, after all, they were selling their solutions.  I am the type of person that I need to know why I am doing what I am doing, how it affects me, and what results to expect.  If you lack this information, how can you honestly judge if it is working?  So, for one, I don’t sell “The Program”, I give it out freely to anyone that wants it.  Two, I explain each part of what you are doing and everything you need to do, then go into detail as to why.  For example, do you know how many different types of fats there are to choose from?  Do you know that not all fats are bad for you?  Do you know you SHOULD eat particular fats?  We will get to that below, but if I do not go into enough detail as to why or how to do something, just email me, and ask.  I have no problems talking about how to make “The Program”, or more importantly, YOU, better.

            The second issue I had when asking how to get into better shape or lose weight was hearing the response, “well, you just need to eat better.” but then NO DIRECTION on how to do that.  So as you read below, I will guide you through “The Program”, then I have also attached some information about foods you may want to eat more of, work into your meals, snack on, and why they are a great choice.  They are not the only foods, just some of the foods I have read up on and researched.  I am constantly adding more, so let me know if you want more info later on or if you have a question about a food you are curious about.  Also, I like to stay in contact with my users.  I want you to stay motivated and on course, so I will often email out motivation, interesting food/snack ideas, or little tips.

            Finally, I added on some Dieting Myths at the end.  We have all heard great “tips” before.  Some of these may surprise you from what is fact and what is fiction.

            I want you to do the very best you can and I am confident if you follow “The Program” you will see results almost immediately.  Don’t worry though, this is the EASIEST diet plan you could EVER be on.  I’m sure you have seen that headline at the checkout line magazine rack before, but let me start by explaining the basic principles of “The Program”, and you will quickly agree with me, this CAN be done easily.

Let's Get Started

            DO NOT RIDE THE SCALE:  My one bit of advice before you even start: DO NOT RIDE THE SCALE.  In that I mean, each time you go into the bathroom, do NOT jump on the scale and see what you weigh.  A scale creates anxiety just in being there, during a diet program, it is as if you are “watching water boil”.  Watching your weight go up and down throughout the day is not going to help you in any way.  Start with day one, record your weight on the morning of day one, right after waking up.  THAT is your start weight, because at that time you weigh the least you will weigh all day.  After that, store that information away, and go about your business.

            Side Note For Women:  We all know your body is greatly affected by your hormones.  This means that during some weeks of the month, you will retain more or less water in your body.  There is nothing you can do about this, but account for it happening, as it is obviously going to play into your weight.  This is another reason I suggest NOT “riding the scale”, as you may see a week of slight weight gain because of water retention.  Seeing this happen, can increase anxiety, doubt, and destroy will power to continue on.  I cannot stress this enough, DONOT RIDE THE SCALE!!!  Weigh yourself on day one, and have a goal of doing it again on week 4, 8, 12, or whatever.

You HAVE to eat: You can't just stop eating.  A LOT of people make the mistake of thinking, “I'll just eat less and I'll lose weight”.  Start starving yourself and your body will go into starvation mode causing it to just hold onto any food you DO eat.   The body needs to be reassured that whatever it uses, it can do so without worry of it being replaced.  If you stop eating, the body will “believe” that it will not be getting more, so it will literally hold almost everything you eat.  Constipation is common sign you have entered starvation mode. 

Not only is starvation counterproductive for what you want to achieve, it's freaking HARD.  Purposely starving yourself makes you want to eat and focus on food more.  Your will power will not be able to hold forever.  Also, when you DO eat, you will go all "angry feeding".  You know, late night runs to Taco Bell, salsa packets everywhere, etc.

Again, think of your body as a machine.  Just as your car’s engine needs fuel to function, you do as well.  Giving it 87 octane fuel, and it will run fine, right?  Give it higher octane fuel and it runs even better.  Put a supercharger on it, which forces more oxygen into the engine with high octane fuel, and you’ll be a dragster.  Good foods equal good fuel, which equals good results.

You HAVE to eat breakfast:  Metabolism is key.  The “secret” to “The Program” is speeding up your metabolism.  Doing this is what helps the body to lose weight and how “The Program” process works.  To increase your metabolism, you simply have to trick the body.  Surely you have heard of the saying "breakfast is the most important meal of the day.”  That saying isn’t just a catchy sales pitch, it’s actually 100% correct.  Eating something for breakfast will start your metabolism.  Once started, your body’s digestive system starts to work.  No matter how pressed for time, you HAVE to eat something for breakfast.  Again, using the engine example once you are awake, your body’s metabolism is still laying dormant from the night before.  If you do not eat something, your metabolism will not start.  When you get into the pattern of eating breakfast, you will immediately start your metabolism for the day.  Your daily metabolism, or your body’s ability to start breaking down food will not properly start until you eat.  An Egg, bowl of cereal, some toast, it doesn’t matter, but you need to eat something to “start your engine”.

You have to eat EVERY two hours:  ON THE DOT or as close to it as possible.  I set up alarms on my phone so that I am alerted every two hours as to when I need to eat.  If you forget or miss, not that big of deal, but you have to eat and stay on that schedule as much as possible.  One really good thing about this, it doesn't matter when you get up.  It just matters that you eat breakfast right when you get up, or as close to it as possible, THEN from that point, whatever it is, you have to eat EVERY two hours.  Here’s an example:  During the week, I get up at 5:30am, eat at 6am, then for the rest of the day my schedule is 8am, 10am, noon, 2pm, 4pm, and 6pm.  On the weekends, I may sleep in till 7-8am, eating breakfast at 830, 1030, 1230, 230, 430, 630pm. 

Example Meals For A Day

6am – Oatmeal or Toast (I like cinnamon raise bread and butter)

8am – Some form of granola bar

10am – nuts, granola, or granola bar

Noon – Chicken Breast and steamed vegetables

2pm – Greek Yogurt

4pm – protein shake

6pm – light dinner (the rest of the family can have carbs, not me)

More on that later. 

What are you going to eat, EVERY two hours?  You are going to eat ANYTHING that is around 200-300 calories or a combination of items that equal 200-300 calories per serving.  A little over, a little under, it's ok.  But right around 200-300 calories.  That doesn't seem like much, but once you get to day two, you will feel like you are over eating.  Eating is as much feeding the body as it is tricking the brain.  By eating less more often, your brain will try to tell your body, “WHOA, we are eating WAY too much” even though you are eating less.  This will trigger the body’s reaction to “feel full”.  DO NOT SKIP FEEDINGS.  Make yourself do it, cause by day 3 and 4 your body will have adapted.  After the end of week one, you'll even notice that you don't need the alarm all that much cause your body’s metabolism will be starting to ramp up, falling into a  schedule.  

Now, the beauty is that you DO NOT have to look at Sodium, Trans Fats, etc., but obviously, the better food you are eating for your meals, the better the results.  For example, sure, a bag of potato chips, is probably 200 calories, but so is a Nature Valley “sweet and salty nut” bar.  

Finally, once you have that last meal/200-300 calories of the day, THAT IS IT.  You are done for the day.  Also, don't try to be sneaky, don't think, well, I'll skip this 200 calorie meal at 10am and combine it with the next meal so I can eat this 400 calorie item at lunch.  200 calories, every two hours, 6-7 times a day.  And that's that.

That seems like a lot:  All in all, you are going to be eating 1400-2100 calories per day.  Your body needs 3400 calories just to operate (breathing, heart, digestion, etc.).  Ironically, a pound of fat is made up of 3400 calories.   You should quickly see the math here.  If it takes 3400 calories to run the body, and you are only taking in roughly half of those calories (1700 calories), you should be losing half a pound a day without doing a thing?  YES!  “This can’t be right.” is going to be your first thought.  A half pound is key to the entire Program.  Why?  A half pound a day, on average, equates to 3.5 pounds a week.  The 3-5lb window is CRUCIAL.  If you lose less than 3lbs a week, you will not see results, and you will quit.  If you lose MORE than 5lbs a week, it is unhealthy.  Setting a goal of 3-5lbs a week is a nice and gentle body goal.  Also, this allows for the weekends.  These times of the week are the hardest for even me.  Kids, Friends, Events, Etc., and it makes the every 2 hours pretty hard.  So, unless you are going full discipline on this, expect to fluctuate up and down, on the weekends.

There HAS to be a “CATCH”:  And you are correct, but unlike any other diet that makes you do crazy and unhealthy practices, this one is EASY.  So you have the 6-7 times a day meal plan set up, eating 2-300 calories each time.  Easy enough, right?  Now, here’s the “catch”.  After your midday meal, let’s say meal 3, STOP eating carbs.  You will continue to eat every 2 hours, but have to NOT eat carbs in the afternoon meals.

Carbohydrates are NOT the enemy, like most people would have you believe.  Carbs control your brain function and mood, cutting them out of your diet completely is going to essentially make you an angry dummy.  Carbohydrates are what the body takes in, and then turns into fat, as to have a reserve for energy when needed.  Your body NEEDS carbs.  I cannot stress this enough.  However, how can we still take them in, if the body uses them to create fat stores?  We can do this by only eating them up until half way through the day. 

Look at the average American family day.  Get up, work, come home, family/sports/etc. and then have a BIG carbohydrate dinner, settle in to relax for the night (watch TV) and then go to bed.  This is actually the cause of the American obesity problem.  There is little to ZERO activity after that last big carbohydrate filled dinner in the evening.  So, the body is digesting it all as you are watching TV.  The body knows it may need emergency energy at any given time, so what it doesn’t use, it is storing as fat, while you sit and watch TV.

By halting the intake of Carbs at lunch, you are still active for the rest of the day.  Since you are still active and using energy, the body needs to find energy sources from some other place.  By not feeding the body Carbohydrate “fuel”, it starts to switch to its reserves, which is the fat on the body.

Other quick “tips”:

• Drink lots of water:7L (15 cups/120oz) for men and 2.7L (11 cups/88oz) for women.  Not only does water help you digest your food better, help clean out your blood system, but it is what your body needs most of.  Oddly enough, it's proven that 9 times out of 10, when you think your body is telling you that you’re hungry, you are actually thirsty. If you find trouble times of hunger, drink a bottle of water
• Get Sleep:Of all the steps in “The Program”, I would say there are 3 core things you have to do.  Eat small portions 6-7 times a day, cut carbs after lunch, and SLEEP.  Sleep is when your body repairs itself, ALL of itself.  Mind, body, "soul", if you don't get sleep, you aren't going to be able to do much.  You need to get at LEAST 7 hours of sleep a night.  Cutting back on carbs, not being able to go "booz'n", and then if you add some sort of exercise, and you will want to sleep more than any time you used too any way. lol
• Exercise:Oddly enough, exercise is NOT required for “The Program” to work, however choosing to do so will not hurt your efforts.  It doesn't have to be a 3 mile run at 4am every morning, or anything really big, just something that gets a little sweat or heart rate going at least 3 times a week.  It's just like the type of food you are eating.  The better you do, the better the results.  So the more and better work outs you do, the better the results.  Simply pick times, places, exercises that YOU like.  The majority of failed exercise routines and memberships failed because of picking a time, place, or frequency the user couldn’t easily maintain.
• Have a “cheat day”: If you are going full discipline, bless your heart and you are going to see some serious results quickly.  If you have slightly less discipline than a Tibetan Monk, it’s ok.  Give yourself a day to “live a little” each week.  If you are doing “The Program” through the winter, it can be a little easier to stay on course.  However, if this is the summer time, pool parties, back yard BBQ, and holidays may make you stumble some.  That is ok as well.  If you don’t have rock solid discipline, give yourself one day a week, to cheat.  If you do not do allow for this, your resolve may falter, and you may just quit.  As time goes on, you’ll see that your desire to have a cheat day will grow less and less, as your cheats become less and less as your results improve.

Do I need to cut anything out of my day? 

• Caffeine: This one is kind of up to you.  You don't have to cut it out of your life completely, but rather here and there (I shoot for one caffeinated beverage, once a day, IE: coffee). Caffeine is the new eggs of the work out world.  No one seems to agree if it is good or bad for you.  I look at it and say “if it IS bad, why are so many diet pills and work out supplements filled with it?”  Caffeine can control one’s emotions.  By drastically changing our daily diet, I also found it was causing me headaches.  Results and effects will vary, but try to limit your caffeine intake mostly because of the other ingredients we put IN the coffee/tea.  Coffee and Tea actually have had scientific studies showing they have health benefits, but if you are like me, you need about 1lb of sugar and creamer to make the cup of coffee just right.  That’s why I limit myself to one a day

• Alcohol: This may be the hardest of them all, but this program is just to get you down to what you want or feel comfortable with, so it's not like you have to give it up for life, just the duration of “The Program”, so breathe easily as I say this, ok?  You have to give up Alcohol.  Yes, I know, you are not happy about that.  Alcohol AND carbonation.  There's good news though, even though weight loss and alcohol are enemies, you CAN have one (MAYBE TWO) a week.  Two is the MAX though.  Why no alcohol? 
  • Alcohol has ZERO nutritional value
  • Is empty calories
  • When mixed with food, alcohol essentially shuts off the function of your liver and changes it to producing fats.  Part of why you rarely see slim and fit alcoholics.
  • Alcohol lowers inhibitions.  No, not the going home with anyone kind of way, but in that, you will lose will power to hold your diet and eat when you shouldn't.  Especially at the worst time, late at night.
  • Alcohol can increase the amount of acid that your stomach produces, causing your stomach lining to become inflamed. Over time, excessive alcohol use can lead to serious health problems, including stomach ulcers, liver disease, and heart troubles. 
  • Drinking might help induce sleep, but the sleep you get isn't very deep. Ultimately, as a result, you get less rest and less recovery
  • If you are going to consume Alcohol, try to make it Red Wine. A glass of wine has actually been found to improve weight loss and heart health in some recent studies.  Wine is also a well-documented blood thinner.  You aren’t going to drink yourself thin, BUT you are going to reduce the negative affect on your progress through “The Program”

            THAT’S IT!!!  Yes, you are not missing pages, or steps.  It’s REALLY that easy.  Simply work on eating 6-7 times a day around 2-300 calories each time, and cutout carbs after lunch.  It’s that simple.  Add in a small work out program 3 times a week and you will see even greater results.  Keep me posted as to your progress and any questions you may have.  Below are some food tips that I have gathered from different things I have read over the years.  Then below that are some Dieting Myths.  You don’t have to follow any of the below, but information is power and the more you know the better you will be. 

            Again, Good Luck, stick to it, and let me know how you do. 

[SGTPerkins]

FOOD TIPS:

Yogurt:  Mmmm. This creamy, tangy snack is loaded with calcium -- and studies show that calcium may curtail weight gain by hindering the absorption of fat in the small intestine.  

Benefits of Calcium
Calcium is essential for strong bones and teeth, and it helps prevent arthritis. But that's not all this mineral is good for. Calcium helps your brain communicate with your nerves and regulates blood pressure, and it may reduce the symptoms of PMS and the risk of colon cancer.

Eggs:  Turn breakfast into a fat-burning morning boost by skipping the stack of pancakes and feasting on a couple of eggs instead. According to a study, huevos beat out carbs when it came to helping folks feel full longer and helping them beat back snack attacks later in the day

Yep. Be they poached, scrambled, or sunny-side up, eggs may be a real friend to dieters. Here's why.

• Eggs Beat Bagels: In a study, people on a low-calorie weight loss plan who ate two scrambled eggs and unbuttered toast (with jelly!) for breakfast lost 65 percent more weight than dieters who had a bagel with cream cheese for their morning meal. How do eggs help? They may simply keep people feeling satisfied longer than carbs do -- and eating less later on.
• Remember the Big Picture
  Keep in mind that this study included a low-calorie diet. That means eating eggs for breakfast helps only if you're watching what and how much you eat the rest of the day, too. 

Pistachios:  Nuts may be high in fat, but it's the healthful unsaturated kind of fat found in pistachios. And like all nuts, pistachios offer lots of hunger-curbing protein and fiber. All of these qualities together explain why adding pistachios to the diet helped dieters in a study curb their appetites and lose more weight. 

You might think a low-fat selection like pretzels makes more sense. But a recent study proved otherwise. In the study, obese dieters who snacked on protein-rich pistachios every day made greater improvements in their BMIs than the group of dieters who snacked on pretzels.

Pistachios provide more than 30 different vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and are one of the lowest fat, highest fiber nuts. With 49 pistachios per serving (about 170 calories), you get more nuts when snacking on pistachios as compared to almonds (23 nuts per serving) or walnuts (14 halves per serving). Plus, pistachios provide a visual cue to help you eat less and are the preferred snack nut for men. 

• Snack Wars: The study participants followed similar low-calorie diets for 12 weeks and had similarly portioned snacks as well -- either 240 calories worth of pistachios or 220 calories worth of pretzels daily. Both groups dropped pounds, but the pistachio eaters lost more weight and had better improvements in their body mass indexes -- a height–weight measurement that estimates body fat. Not only that, but the nut eaters experienced bigger drops in their triglyceride and cholesterol levels, too.
• What's in a Nut? Researchers think the pistachio eaters scored extra weight loss and health benefits thanks to the nutrition profile of nuts. They're full of good-for-you things that help control appetite -- such as fiber, protein, and unsaturated fats -- and heart-healthy antioxidants, too. And it makes sense that a whole food like nuts would stand head-and-shoulders above a refined-grain snack like pretzels.

Grapefruit:  Of all the foods rumored to boost weight loss, grapefruit is likely the most famous. And research confirms that this fruit's get-slim celebrity status is for real. One study in particular revealed that eating half a grapefruit before each meal helped dieters shed more pounds than people who skipped the tart appetizer.

Avocado:  This green goddess of heavenly, creamy taste can help you whittle your waist. It's true! Researchers suspect that the unsaturated fat in avocados may ratchet up body levels of the hunger-halting hormone called leptin -- a hormone that lets your brain know that you're full, so you stop eating.

Mushrooms:  If you want to try an easy and tasty calorie-cutting trick, then replace the meat in your favorite recipes with mushrooms. You'll automatically cut about 420 calories out of a meal, partly because you'll skip all the belly-padding saturated fat contained in meat.

Olive Oil:  This rich-tasting oil found in salad dressings and marinades contains a hunger-busting monounsaturated fat called oleic acid -- which triggers a complicated process in the gut that ultimately tells your brain you're full and makes you want to stop eating. 

Whole Grains:  Ready to trade your belly bulge for a flat tummy? Then toss your refined grains into the garbage, and eat more whole grains instead. Research shows this one move can help whittle your middle. We're talking brown rice, quinoa, steel-cut oats, whole-grain cereal, and 100% whole-wheat bread and pasta.

Ditching belly fat may be a simple matter of choosing the right rice or bread. And the choice to make? Whole grains.

You probably already love whole grains for their heart-healthy, disease-defying superpowers. So new research on their belly-fat-busting abilities should vault whole grains to the top of your grocery list.

• A One-Grain Guy
  In fact, the more whole grains you add to your diet in place of refined grains, the better off your waistline will be. In a new study where scientists reviewed the diets of close to 3,000 men and women, they found a strong correlation between belly fat and grain choice. The whole-grain lovers tended to have less belly fat than refined-grain buyers -- and had smaller waists, too. But eating more whole grains had a fat-curbing effect only when it was combined with a low intake of refined grains. So eating that whole-grain cereal at breakfast doesn't mean you can slack off and have the white-bread sandwich at lunchtime.
• The Magic Number
  Just how many whole-grain servings do you need to stay slim? Researchers think at least three servings daily is a good goal. That can be achieved with half a cup of steel-cut oatmeal in the morning and a couple of slices of whole-grain bread for your sandwich at lunch. But not just any whole-grain bread. Find a loaf that's high in fiber. Researchers suspect the waist-friendly qualities of whole-grain products come, in part, from the appetite-steadying fiber found inside. Whole grains also have lots of magnesium, which is good for improving insulin sensitivity.

Red Pepper:  Add some heat to your meals and you'll boost not only the taste but also the effectiveness of your weight loss diet. A dash of cayenne pepper or some diced jalapeno or red peppers will do the trick. They all contain capsaicin -- the heat-inducing compound in red peppers that, according to research, tamps down appetite and curbs food intake later in the day.

Wouldn't it be great if you could just sprinkle something on your food to help you lose weight? Research suggests these fiery flakes might fit the bill: crushed red pepper.

A small batch of studies has shown that a key ingredient in hot peppers -- capsaicin -- may help curb appetite and hinder the storage of fat.

• Slim and Spicy: If you're serious about losing weight, red pepper flakes alone aren't going to move the dial much. But they could be a useful addition to a legitimate weight loss plan. Researchers in one study concluded that capsaicin may boost sympathetic nervous system activity in a way that dampens hunger and calorie intake later in the day. And related research found that capsiate -- a capsaicin-like compound from sweet peppers -- hindered fat storage and boosted weight loss.
• Fiery-Hot Weight Loss: Besides possibly helping you lose more weight, adding heat to low-calorie meals will boost flavor and interest as well -- whether you choose capsaicin-rich cayenne pepper, diced jalapenos, or any variety of hot chili peppers.

Fava Beans:  Creamy and hearty, fava beans are a lean protein source bursting with flavonoids. And in a 14-year study, these special antioxidants were shown to help hinder the accumulation of extra belly fat. 

Rice with Veggies:  Adding some high-fiber vegetables like broccoli, carrots, and kale to your rice will obviously help lower the calorie count. But not only that. Adding veggies to rice at lunchtime appears to slow stomach emptying, according to research. The end result? You feel full longer. In fact, people in a study ate much less at dinner when they added veggies to their rice at lunch.

Shrink your appetite, your calorie intake, and your pants size with just one little addition to your rice: vegetables.

In a recent study of normal-weight people, mixing vegetables into a plain rice dish at lunch helped people feel fuller for the rest of the day. So much so that they ate way fewer calories at dinner than the folks who had their rice straight up.

• Less Is More: Mixing veggies with the rice also lowered the calorie density of the lunch dish, shaving off a solid 100+ calories from the meal. So whether you opt for brown, basmati, or long-grain, adding things like broccoli, carrots, peppers, and onions to your rice can help cut calories from your day twice. And that's twice as nice for your waist! 
• Weight Loss Weapon: It's not entirely clear why the lower-calorie veggies-and-rice dish produced a better effect on all-day hunger compared with the rice-only dish, but researchers suspect the high water content of produce may have been part of the key. High water content makes vegetables bulky, creating the visual illusion that the rice-plus-veggie serving was extra generous and hearty, and therefore more filling. Plus, eating high-fiber veggies helps slow stomach emptying. Whatever the hunger-quelling mechanism, it's simple to toss a few of your favorite vegetables into not only rice but just about any meal. 

FATS:  That fatty bacon cheeseburger may be loaded with calories, but at least it stomps out your hunger. Right?

Not necessarily. Compared to low-fat meals with the same number of calories, meals that are basically fat fiestas do an odd thing: The saturated fats in them make your body release less leptin, a hormone designed to turn off appetite. Saturated fats are the belly-bulgers and artery-agers found in fats that come from four-legged sources: high-fat red meats, butter, full-fat cheeses, and other whole-milk products. (Trans fats are just as bad, by the way.) Sat fats are rarely found in plant foods, with two vital exceptions: palm and coconut oils.

To help your body release leptin -- which is stored in fat cells (see? you knew they were good for something) -- you need to eat healthful unsaturated fats. Find them in nuts (especially walnuts), seeds, olives, avocados, most vegetable oils (especially canola), many fish, and even algae (or DHA omega-3 supplements made from algae). You don't want to avoid fat altogether: You need it to maintain your energy, absorb certain nutrients, and repair tissue. And moderate amounts of healthy fat are associated with a decreased risk of heart disease.

You also want to help leptin do its #1 job: telling you, "You're not hungry anymore." So in addition to avoiding sat fat, adopt these waist protectors:

• Watch your alcohol intake. It inhibits leptin, even as it disinhibits dancing on the table or phoning your ex.
• Walk 30 minutes every day, and build a little muscle. Sometimes, leptin doesn't work the way it's supposed to, and your cells stop responding to its messages. When you trim down, your cells become more sensitive to leptin again.

Mangoes:  Rich in antioxidants and a premier source of vitamins C and A. They contain more than 20 different vitamins and minerals. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that promotes healthy immune function; vitamin A supports vision and bone health.

Berries: are rich in antioxidants, fiber and vitamin C. Research shows berries may help boost memory, protect your heart, fight cancer and enhance eyesight. Blueberries in particular have received a lot of attention because they are one of the best food sources of flavonoids. In fact, a British study revealed that eating plenty of blueberries can enhance spatial memory and learning—don’t forget it!

Beans:  are not only low in fat but also help burn it, since they are rich in fiber and protein. The best fat-burning beans are kidney beans, lima beans, navy beans and white beans. They help clean out your system by promoting digestive health.

Broccoli:  is rich in natural cancer-fighting chemicals and loaded with heart-healthy, immunity-building nutrients such as vitamins A, C and folate — a B vitamin found to protect against heart disease.

10 Dieting Myths

With so many people offering advice on weight loss, it can be hard to separate fact from fiction. All too often I’ve overheard a hardworking gym-goer sharing a well-meaning but ill-informed tip with another exerciser. And I’m not the only one who’s heard fitness folklore being swapped on the training room floor. I spoke to top experts in the field to find out the common fitness myths they hear from clients. From the pseudo miracles of the “fat-burning” zone to the misguided magic of working out on an empty stomach, here are the fitness falsehoods you should never follow.

Myth #1: The best way to lose weight is to drastically cut calories

“Our bodies are smarter than we think,” said Jari Love, star of the Get Extremely Ripped: 1000 Hardcore DVD. “When we eat too little, our body believes that it’s starving so our metabolism slows down and holds onto fat as a potential energy source.” A much better approach: Eat more often, but eat less food at one time—and focus on these 7 Foods Not to Ditch When You Diet. For the fastest weight loss, break up your total daily calorie allotment—don’t eat fewer than 1,200 calories if you’re a woman or fewer than 1,800 calories if you’re a man—into five to six small meals to keep your metabolism humming.

Myth #2: Heavy weights will bulk you up

“This just isn’t possible for most women,” said personal trainer and Prevention contributing editor Chris Freytag. “Ladies have too much estrogen in their hormone makeup. Yes, heavier weights build muscle and strength, but most of us women aren’t lifting anything so heavy that we are at risk for building man muscles.” Plus, muscle is the secret to a revved up metabolism, as it burns more calories than more fat, even when you’re sitting on the couch or at your desk.

Myth #3: Keep your heart rate in the fat-burning zone

If you’ve been exercising at 60 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate in order to shed flab faster, you could be slowing your slimdown. “The fat-burning zone is a complete myth,” said Wayne Westcott, Prevention advisory board member and fitness research director at Quincy College. “While it’s true that you burn a higher percentage of fat calories when exercising at a moderate pace, you burn fewer calories overall.” For instance, if you get on a treadmill and walk at a 3.5 MPH pace for 30 minutes, you might burn 250 calories. If you raise the speed to 7 miles per hour, you’d burn 500. Bottom line? “It’s much better to go at the faster speed.”

Myth #4: Boosting cardio is the best way to bypass a plateau

“The most effective way to lose weight is to include both cardio and weights in your routine,” said Love. “One study found that when individuals cycled for 30 minutes a day, they lost three pounds of fat and gained a half pound of muscle in eight weeks. But individuals who cycled for 15 minutes and weight trained for 15 minutes a day lost 10 pounds of fat and gained two pounds of calorie-burning muscle.”

Myth #5: Ab exercises are the fastest way to a flat belly

“Doing abdominal exercises can strengthen the different ab muscles, but it won't burn body fat and reveal the ‘6-pack look,’” said Aaron Swan, Private Trainer at the Sports Club/LA-Boston. “Abs are made in the kitchen—not from doing crunches.” A proper diet low in refined carbohydrates and full of lean proteins, healthy fats, and lots of low-glycemic fruits and vegetables will bring you closer to the flat belly you’re after. Still, you should work your tummy!

Myth #6: Doing squats will make your butt big

“This one cracks me up,” said Freytag. “We all know what makes your butt big and it isn’t squats. All of us who sit in front of a computer, at desk, or in a car seat all day are at risk for developing weak glutes unless we actively do something about it.” One of the best fixes: Squats! “Science shows that this move will help to lift, firm, and strengthen your buns,” said Freytag. “Just be sure to focus on good form. Keep your knees above your shoe laces and sit back into an imaginary chair; squeeze through your glutes as you return to standing.”

For more great exercise ideas, check out the Free Feel-Your-Best Fitness Newsletter from Prevention.

Myth #7: It can take only a few weeks to reach a weight loss plateau

“Recently, a woman told me she had been training for one month and the scale had already stopped moving,” said Love. “She insisted she had been sticking to her diet and that she was in a plateau, but that likely wasn’t the case.” Why not? A study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that it takes 6 months for an individual to reach a weight loss plateau. “If you are only a couple weeks into your program and weight loss has halted, you probably need to watch your diet,” says Love.

Myth #8: I can slim down by switching to diet soda

There may be zero calories, but chugging those cans of chemicals could be plumping your paunch. “A study at Purdue University found that rats given artificial sweeteners ate more calories and gained more weight than rats given sugar,” said Love. “A better option is to drink water that is naturally flavored with lemon or cucumber slices to keep calories low and hydration high.”

Myth #9: An empty stomach means more fat burn

You’ve probably heard that working out sans food forces your body to tap into fat reserves to work, but this is far from true, according to Freytag. “Science has shown you need to have some glucose in your system in order to ignite your fat-burning furnaces. If you run out of stored glucose, your flame goes out and you start burning up muscle.” Having a little pre-workout snack 30 to 60 minutes before your workout gives you the energy to go longer and harder, which boosts your burn.

Myth #10: You can target trouble spots

It would be nice to be able to choose where our bodies store fat (bigger cup size and thinner thigh, please!) but that just isn’t possible. “The scientific truth is that your body decides where to burn fat  based on genetics, regardless of the body part you are exercising,” said Samantha Clayton, personal trainer and co-star of YouTube’s Be Fit In 90.  Instead of focusing on one area, spend your time doing full-body workouts that blast calories, like running or body-weight circuits, for all-over slimming.

[Dominique]

@SGTPerkins: the long list of food tips you posted can be found verbatim in this old (2011) forum post, as well as in many other sources all over the net, whereas the 10 dieting myths can be found in this blog post. It’s OK to point to interesting pieces of information found on the internet, but there’s no need to copy/paste entire articles/posts word for word in the community’s forum, implying they’re your own writing: just include a link pointing to them, explaining briefly why you think it’s interesting. Community members can then choose to visit these links, if they feel like it.

[SGTPerkins]

@Dominique thank  you for your reply.  Yes, the list of food and the myths need to be sourced because as stated, I have ATTACHED THEM, I have not written them.  I didn't create links for them, because one of the problems I was facing and point out in the above section was that I could never find what I needed all in one place.  I thought I had them sourced, but apparently I do not.  I will make that correction.
I don't feel that I am "littering" the community by bringing previous information up.  

Do you have other comments for the actual post of this thread which is my writing?

[Dominique]

---

@SGTPerkins wrote:

I don't feel that I am "littering" the community by bringing previous information up.  

Do you have other comments for the actual post of this thread which is my writing?

---

I didn’t say you were "littering". However, given than most people have a short attention span and only so much time on their hands, it is in your own interest to keep your posts short if you want people to read them and interact with them.

I can see how a "military" approach to dieting may appeal to some people, but maybe these are the people who would register for weight loss bootcamps. For most people, it’s impossible to change everything at once: the type of foods they eat, the amount of activity they do, the amount of sleep they get, their level of stress etc. Therefore, if a plan (or "The Program") contains too many items, a long list of dos and don’ts, they will not be able to follow it for more than a few weeks. I personally believe successful weight management is about making small, incremental changes, one at a time, but making them stick.

Regarding the content of The Program, there are items I personally disagree with. For instance, there’s no need to eat every two hours. Whether your aim is to lose, maintain or gain weight, your weight is determined by energy balance over the course of the day/week/month, not by how you spread your intake within any given day. If you need to eat 2100 calories in order to reach your goal, you can spread it evenly between 7 meals/snacks of 300 calories from 6am to 6pm as per your program, but you could just as well have three meals of 700 calories each, or a light breakfast (400 calories), lunch (800 calories) and dinner (900 calories), or any other combination. It’s not like your body’s saying "OMG, I haven’t been fed for three hours, food must be scarce, let’s activate starvation mode".

[SGTPerkins]

OH, I see, ok, I thought there was some research, science, or facts you were going to point out that I was missing.  This just isn't your style, thus, why you don't agree with it.  Ok.  I understand where you are coming from now.  Once you said "I personally believe", I understood your comments have nothing to do with what I said, but purely what YOU believe, as though I had stepped on some "I've been in the FitBit community since 2013, so you better respect me" toes.  From your statements and points you reference, which show more that you didn't read a thing in the post, it's very apparent one of your exercise routines is trolling.

To your point on the every 2 hours, yes, there is a reason for it, that reason, as mentioned in the above, is to increase one's metabolism rate.  Stretching the meals out over longer periods will also do this, but the meto rate will not be as high, thus why it is suggested.

"Making too many changes at once" versus "small incremental changes".  You also stated it is "IMPOSSIBLE to ..."  For one, there are a lot of people that want change, not slowly, but quickly, as slowly has done nothing but show them little to poor results.  The Diet Pill market is a great example of how many people want or hope for quick changes.  Using IMPOSSIBLE in any plan or as an argument is ridiculous.  Nothing is impossible.

Your starvation analogy is way off base, which is also explained above.  

I'm not going to argue, as I have at least put forth an idea.  Like it or not, I'm ok with it, and I will take your critics with a grain of salt having now understood where you stand.  

I hope you have a great day, and thanks.

[Esya]

@SGTPerkins

I don't understand why you reply with such a defensive stance and personal attack? Nowhere do I read that @Dominique attacks you and he is actually trying to help you to get attention to your post and discussing his opinions and experiences on some of the topics. These are discussion forums after all. He is not trying to argue, but to discuss.

[liveinnlove]

Thank you for taking the time to put all this info into one page. I do not have a short attention span if it is something I am interested in. I appreciate it. Thanks again.