These tricky snack packs are irresistible at times, and with the label which makes them seem healthy can fool any one, but in the long run are doing more harm than good to your body. 

1. A 100-calorie snack isn’t big enough to fill you up or provide even the slightest sense of satisfaction. Having one pack of a 100-calorie snack pack is like having a bite of a sandwich, it will not fill you up, leading you to eat more. Eating more of these, can very easily lead to overeating, and from what we have learned thus far, that is not the goal we are going for.

2. These packs are made up of pure junk. They serve no nutritional value, they are just packaged as 100-calorie packets. They are just as unhealthy as a normal package of cookies or crackers, just in a smaller portion size, which many people do not follow.

The pure junk that goes into these snack packs is something you should avoid at all costs. Instead of these snacks, it is important to pick up fruits, vegetables, or anything else which has proteins which can boost the immune system, rather then worsening it.

The information provided on this site is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional or any information contained on or in any product label or packaging. You should not use the information on this site for diagnosis or treatment of any health problem or for prescription of any medication or other treatment. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem. You should not stop taking any medication without first consulting your physician.

Chia seeds are getting a lot of press lately, but then again so is the man who lost flab eating only Taco Bell (which is NOT a good idea). As with any of the latest food trends, it is important that you approach chia seeds with a skeptical eye. What the heck are they? And are chia seeds really worth the hype? They are native to Mexico and Guatemala and were cultivated by the Aztecs.

Chia seeds lack any strong flavors, and they form a cool gel-like substance when soaked in liquid. In fact, one of my favorite Kambucha teas (Synergy’s Cherry Chia). While you can currently find chia seeds in the health food section of most major grocery stores, I predict they will become a staple item on most mainstream grocery store shelves in no time because of their beneficial properties.

According to the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, about two teaspoons of chia seeds provide 1.7 g of ALA, 3.6 g of fiber, and 60 mg of calcium.  To give you a real life comparison, two teaspoons of chia seeds meets the daily recommended intake of ALA, provides the same amount of fiber as a packet of instant oatmeal and the same amount of calcium as about ¼ cup milk.

Chia seeds are a rich source of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), fiber, potassium and calcium.  (ALA is a type of omega-3 fatty acid found in plants that can be converted to the inflammation-fighting and chronic disease-preventing EPA and DHA typically found in fish.)

In short, chia seeds have not yet proven to be a magic flat-belly aid (and I don’t think they will).  They are, however, very nutritious and would be a welcome addition to any healthy diet.  What’s more, excluding rare food allergies, there have been no credibly reported adverse effects or reactions from eating chia seeds. The more natural, nutrient dense foods you use to replace less healthy, processed ones, the closer you will get to your flat-belly goal.

The information provided on this site is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional or any information contained on or in any product label or packaging. You should not use the information on this site for diagnosis or treatment of any health problem or for prescription of any medication or other treatment. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem. You should not stop taking any medication without first consulting your physician.

Your body produces a hormone called cortisol in response to chronic stress. This hormone is associated with causing excess belly flab; the more cortisol you have, the more belly fat you typically gain.

This cortisol-blunting effect occurred in just 14 days. So if you want to take control of your body’s cortisol levels, simply start eating a small mini-meal every three hours to reduce. Cortisol up to 17 percent on your own. Those are just a few of the benefits to eating five mini-meals a day, spaced three hours apart. (Example: Eat a meal 7 am, 10am, 1pm, 4pm, and 7 pm.)

Now get this: The New England Journal of Medicine published a study showing that individuals who consumed mini-meals spaced three hours apart each day actually decreased their cortisol levels by 17 percent compared to those who ate the same amount of food in only three meals per day.

Now when I say, “mini-meal” I’m only talking about 300 or so calories per meal. (400 calories for active folks over 220 lbs). And those calories should be coming fromnatural sources (lean meats, eggs, dairy, fruits, nuts, vegetables and whole grains). Skip the processed junk. Now I have to admit, I’ve found that when my readers begin eating this way it feels very unnatural to them in the beginning. You see, as Americans, most of us have stretched our stomachs out to the point where we just don’t feel satisfied unless we’re gorging on a huge calorie-laden meal two or three times a day.

So when you begin eating a mini-meal every three hours you may not feel completely full after each meal. But that will quickly change. You see, after just a few days of eating five mini-meals, your stomach will naturally begin to shrink in size, and the small mini-meals will leave you feeling full, satisfied, light, and energetic.

Make no mistake, if you do nothing else but consistently eat balanced mini-meals, spaced three hours apart throughout the day, you are going to make a great change in your body.

The information provided on this site is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional or any information contained on or in any product label or packaging. You should not use the information on this site for diagnosis or treatment of any health problem or for prescription of any medication or other treatment. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem. You should not stop taking any medication without first consulting your physician.

Oils and butters are necessary to any diet, but digesting the wrong or too much of anything especially butter can be detrimental to one’s health. Surveys have showed that digestion and cholesterol issues can change dramatically based on which oil and butter is being used. After a study conducted by Bezoni, woman were told to use either coconut oil or soybean oil. After the 12 week study, women who were using the coconut oil had lowered bad cholesterol, increased good cholesterol and reduced stomach fat and circumference.

There are better oils which are made by grass fed cows and can be beneficial in the long run. Soybean oil is one of the oils which can have an adversely negative effect on the body. For example, according to Bezoni, “The soybean oil group basically had the exact OPPOSITE results on their cholesterol levels and they didn’t lose any stomach fat.” Without evidence, people can very easily consume too much of the wrong one and in turn hurt their bodies without knowing it.
It is important to take note of the butter or oils facts and location of origin. Little steps like this go a long way in living a healthy life.

The information provided on this site is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional or any information contained on or in any product label or packaging. You should not use the information on this site for diagnosis or treatment of any health problem or for prescription of any medication or other treatment. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem. You should not stop taking any medication without first consulting your physician.

Everyone’s favorite day is when they can stuff their mouths with their favorite foods without feeling guilty until the next day or so. There are ways to bounce back from indulging at the weekend barbecue. To start, the day following the cheat day it is important to get proteins back into your body. An easy and effective way to achieve this is to make protein shakes throughout the day. Josh advises drinking up to four shakes a day, high volume of protein with minimum preservatives or sweeteners. The reason these shakes work well after a cheat day is because shakes provide a filling substitute to a full meal and keep you from overeating. Bulking up on good proteins is key after a cheat day, it also helps burn fat.

Another important step to eating healthy after a cheat day is to focus on eating good proteins, and plenty of vegetables as well. Chicken, fish, and turkey accompanied with green vegetables to cleanse the body with high fiber and bloating. These healthy foods also provide good fats which help with digestion and are a great natural way to clear the body of any toxins.

The final step of the three day cheat day rotation is to splurge! This is usually everyone’s favorite step since you are allowed to eat anything you desire. But there is a catch which is to not fill up completely. Also, to never have this meal as the last of the day since sleeping on a full stomach and cause issues and store fats in the wrong place.
While on the cycle, taking the right supplements to work with the diet is a great way to get a head start on weight loss. Controlling blood sugar levels is key as well, supplements can help stabilize the levels and create a smooth diet cycle.

The information provided on this site is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional or any information contained on or in any product label or packaging. You should not use the information on this site for diagnosis or treatment of any health problem or for prescription of any medication or other treatment. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem. You should not stop taking any medication without first consulting your physician.