My Arch Nemesis: Belly Fat

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Belly fat is stubborn, unsightly, and unwanted. We all want to be rid of it, but it’s always there, lurking, sagging, dragging us and our self-esteem down with it. Lucky for you, I have the knowledge, skills, and experience to eliminate your pouch and bring you out from beneath your belly fat’s shadow. Just take a look at these quick tips and be the person you always knew you could be:

Flaunt what you got!

One study suggests those who have a fruit bowl in their house weigh on average eight pounds less than those who don’t. While correlation may not mean causation, it does stand to reason those with more fruit on hand are more likely to snack on fruit as opposed to something unhealthy. Pro tip: keep two kinds of fruit on hand. That way, you don’t get sick of eating the same thing all the time!

Out of sight, out of mind.

The opposite of the above, hide unhealthy temptation. As they say, “out of sight, out of mind.” A separate study found individuals who had chips or cookies (junk food) immediately visible weighed about 10lbs more than those who didn’t. What’s even more surprising?

Those with cereal boxes visible generally weighed 21lbs more than those without such sugary snacks in eyesight. Soft drinks visible? Try 25lbs more!

Smaller plates.

Really, it’s honestly that simple. Use smaller plates and you’re bound to eat smaller portions, which means less food, and less food, as you can likely guess, means a smaller waistline. Clearly, food just being in front of us makes us far more likely to eat it. So with smaller plates, not only can we physically not serve larger portions, but we will be comfortable with the smaller meals in front of us.

9-10 inch plates are recommended. If you are currently using 12 inch plates, research suggests you will reduce portion size by an immense 22%. That’s nearly a quarter of your daily diet, just with plates! Take advantage.

Follow these tips and you’ll be strutting the along the sand in your newfound beach body in no time! Till next time!

Breaking Down Organic Foods

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Ever wonder what’s the real difference between organic foods and non-organic foods? With all the generic information thrown at you on a daily basis, and no one really providing a clear explanation, this can all get confusing. But don’t fret – Coach Josh is here to help you!

The first step is getting past the boring, yet important facts to note: let’s define organic. For foods to be certified as being organic, they need to meet a specific USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture) criteria. For example, for vegetables and fruits, organic produce must be grown without using pesticides, fertilizers made with synthetic components or sewage sludge, bioengineering, or ionizing radiation. Other kinds of foods like nuts, meat, poultry, etc. go by different criteria, but for now we’ll just focus on produce.

Eating organic foods, especially organic produce, can lead to great health benefits due to the fact these foods, grown under organic standards, have proven to have greater phytochemical, vitamin, and mineral content. However, as far as costs go, organic foods can be on the more expensive side IF you purchase it at your typical supermarket. But here’s a little known secret about purchasing organic produce – if you shop at the right place, and the right amount it can actually be even cheaper than non-organic produce.

There are three other places where you can shop for organic food: at your local farmer’s market, at a health food stores, and my personal favorite through CSA (community supported agriculture). With CSA, you basically buy a share of the season’s harvest at a local farm near you. Just go to localharvest.org and check out what local CSA farm is near you. This is a great way to get amazing organic produce per the season and for a reasonable and affordable price. If you decide to go with the local farmer’s market or a health food store nearby, lookout for whatever is in season and on sale – this will always be less expensive than other veggies in fruits that are no in season.

Another useful tip is to buy in bulk. Please keep in mind that whatever you get from your harvest share or the farmer’s market, you don’t have to eat right away. Organic produce can be frozen and eaten months later. Just take them out of the freezer whenever you’re ready to feast on them and thaw them out. So feel free to stock up on your favorite produce and enjoy consuming healthy food for the rest of the year!

Now go venture out and navigate through the awesome aisles of organic produce!

Take care of yourself,

Coach Josh

Three Foods You Are Eating ALL Wrong

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One of the most foundational truths about losing weight and improving your health is that you need more than just exercise – nutrition is key. Choosing the right kinds of foods to put into your body very heavily determines the quality of fuel on which you run and how your body composition will (or won’t) change for the better. Every person truly committed to living a fit lifestyle should understand the critical importance of consuming appropriately sized servings of healthy, whole foods. However, when it comes to food, what you eat is not the only crucial variable to consider – how you eat it can matter as well.

Obviously, deep frying all your vegetables or downing your salads in high-fat dressings are both extreme examples of how food preparation can transform a great meal into a diet disaster. However, there are also lesser-known realities that even the most vigilant cook might not be aware is trashing the nutritional value of their eating habits. Here are three things you should know about how to eat otherwise very healthy foods.

Image of whole strawberries

Do Not Slice Your Strawberries

When you pre-slice strawberries, you are unknowingly working against yourself. The fat-burning vitamin within the fruit is actually eroded by oxygen exposure. Essentially, the longer the fruit sits slice with its vitamin-rich interior exposed to air, the less healthy and able to torch fat that it becomes. The best way to eat a nice, juicy strawberry is to just bit into it whole. Otherwise, wait to slice them up until you are ready to eat them immediately afterwards. Just be sure you do not slice and then store them, eating the fruit slowly over time. That method is guaranteed to diminish the strawberry’s fat-burning ability.

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There Is Whey In Greek Yogurt Water

Greek yogurt has recently become a health food staple for conscious eaters all around the country. Renowned for its ability to marry the probiotic benefits of yogurt with an especially poignant punch of additional protein, Greek yogurt certainly brings a ton of nutritional value to the table. However, when most consumers peel back their yogurt lids and find the “water” that settles on top, they are liable to just presume this is excess moisture and dump it into the trash or down the sink. However, that “water” is so much more than just that – it is actually whey protein jam-packed with amino acids, calcium, and vitamins. Do not dump it! The right way to eat Greek yogurt means mixing that watery whey back into the yogurt beneath it and really reaping the benefits of Greek yogurt’s fat-burning prowess.

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Cooking Brings Out More Than The Tomato’s Flavor

In many cases, fruits and vegetables offer more nutritional value if they are eaten raw, as opposed to cooked. Cooking sometimes burns off some vitamin and mineral content. However, this is certainly not the case when it comes to tomatoes. Tomatoes are loaded with a phytonutrient called lycopene, which offers many positive health benefits. Cooking actually increases the concentration of lycopene in tomatoes, so go ahead and heat them up before enjoying your meal!