MINDSET FITNESS

Today, keeping with the “get out of your comfort zone” theme I am going to suggest 5 things to start doing right now! I am going to try and keep this focused on fitness and nutrition. You will find however you can apply some strategies into any aspect of your life. Have I perfected controlling my beliefs, fears, and limitations? NO WAY! Each day my goal is to grow in everything that I do…just a little bit!

There are 5 Science based Scenarios for the 2012 Doomsday I found while researching the 2012 prophecy. I am going to use the end of the world scenarios and spin them in a way, where you can use them for your fitness and nutrition choices.

5 Science-based Scenarios for the 2012 Doomsday.

The year 2012 has become a subject of much speculation due to the Mayan Calendar, new age predictions, and several upcoming Hollywood movies. Some expect that the 2012 prophecies will involve apocalyptic scenarios out of the bible, but here are a few that are within the realm of science, even though they are not likely to happen any time soon.

1.) False Vacuum Collapse. A very interesting theory in science contends that empty space is not as empty as it could be. Everything will be dissembled to the atomic level.

I am going to call this the False Productivity Fat Loss Collapse, where we think spending 45 minutes on a treadmill or elliptical is burning fat and boosting your metabolism.

The Truth: Cardio is overrated! Seriously, some people set of some time and dedicate themselves to training for a marathon. That is AWESOME! They have the time, dedication to eat healthy, train smart (hopefully), and are motivated by their GOAL. Can most of us commit to this time? NOPE. Get over the cardio and into the weight room to work your muscles, boost your calorie burn, and save some time. BE EFFICIENT!

2. Black Hole Collision. You can’t see a black hole, but you can see it coming. Earth would suddenly get dragged toward an infinitely small point in space with many times the sun’s gravity. If you somehow managed to keep warm in your basement while the sun went out, you would be pulled apart along with the rest of the planet as you got closer to the black hole.

Black Hole Crunches: This one refers to the evil crunch trap we find ourselves stuck in. Crunches and ab type exercises are great for strengthening the abs and for building some decent ab muscles. However, our abs and obliques are VERY SMALL muscles compared to your legs, back, shoulders, chest, etc…

The Truth: When you work bigger muscles you will have bigger results. The bigger muscle groups are thighs, upper back, shoulders, calves, and chest. Work these big ones and don’t get caught in a Black Hole of Weight Gain.
3. The Big Rip. Basically there is a force that is not only pushing the universe apart, but one that will also push atoms apart. Everything will pretty much dissolve into a cloud of particles, and then the particles will dissolve. If it speeds up again, you will have a few moments to feel like you’re getting larger (or maybe less dense, since everything else will be growing to scale) and then you get to fizzle into the rest of the cosmos.

The Big Ripped Muscle Myth- I want to talk about women and weightlifting…sounds catchy! Women need to lift weights, resistance train, and feel a BURN. You don’t have to lift super heavy, bodybuilder, vains popping out of your forehead weights. BUT, you need to lift heavier than you think you do. 2 or 3 pound weights for kickboxing or Tae-bo are OK, but for resistance training you can surprise yourself with how much you can lift and should be lifting.

The Truth: Lift weights to burn MORE fat and boost your metabolic rate. Boosting your metabolism will give you longer “all-day” calorie burn instead of an “only when I exercise” calorie burn.
4. Methane Hydrate Explosion. Vast quantities of frozen methane exist on the ocean floor. The right combination of volcanic, seismic, or man-made events (like an atom bomb) could release the hydrate into the atmosphere, where it would either explode, choke us to death, or heat up the earth beyond our ability to survive.

Hydrogen Hydration Explosion: If I recommended one thing everyday to everyone that I spoke with it would be to DRINK MORE WATER! Water is the fundamental unit for life in every process your body undergoes, especially every process that involves your metabolism. Another benefit to this is that drink a glass of cold water can instantly raise your metabolic rate. Dr. Batmanghelidj in his book “Your Bodies Many Cries For Water”, he says we are not only what we eat, we are what we drink. Water is pure, if you drink more of it, you will be more pure. Easy right?

“You’re not sick; you’re thirsty. Don’t treat thirst with medication.”
Dr. F. Batmanghelidj

The Truth: Your muscles that move your body are 75% water; your blood that transport nutrients is 82% water; your lungs that provide your oxygen are 90% water; your brain that is the control center of your body is 76% water; even your bones are 25% water. Plus waterbeds are pretty cool to.

5. Gamma Ray Burst – Gamma rays hit the earth all the time, but most of them are filtered out by the atmosphere. The energy in a gamma ray can be quite substantial, and many of the more high energy particles have the same force as a high-speed tennis ball. At the moment of collision or collapse, a burst of high energy Gamma Rays can be created, and it can be lethal to anything within a few light years. All life above ground on the unlucky side would be wiped out, and the ground would be sterilized, while anything flammable would suddenly ignite. The atmosphere would also be severely damaged, so the “lucky” people might not want to go out without some heavy sunblock.

Burst Fat Training: Burst training is a form of interval training that puts traditional exercise and cardio to shame. You have done some form of burst training during one of my personal training workouts and bootcamps. This type of high intensity, usually timed, burns fat like crazy, boosts your metabolic rate hours after your last workout, and is one of the best toning workouts you will ever do. Is it easy? NO. Can you do it? HECK YEAH!

The Truth: Try burst/interval training during a boot camp two-week trial or check out my post last week on interval training and try that workout to experience the fat-burning frenzy. Go sweat it out!

Whew! Five things to start thinking and taking action on right now. Don’t live thinking about when the world will end, live each day knowing that you are going to GROW, in this case, SHRINK!

Some of my analogies may be far-fetched, but I know you figured out where I was going with everything. I know where I will be on the supposed end of the world. Getting YOU into amazing shape and yes 2 years from now, we will be better, stronger, smarter, and better thinkers, because TODAY, we all decided to grow…just a little bit.

Here’s to thinking better about who you are and your potential for reaching your fitness and nutrition goals!

Nick Garcia

‘The Body Transformation Coach

P.S. Next week we are going to become kids again! Prepare your mind for innocence and excitement.

I know I have posted A LOT about eating during Halloween and how frightening the foods can be. I am NOT a Halloween hater by any means. I love watching the kiddos dress up and heck I even dress up on occasion, I was Tim McGraw last Halloween…

During Halloween, there are lots of fun treats!! Unfortunately they are high in fat, high in empty calories and unnecessary sugars!!

Halloween marks the beginning of a two-month season packed with parties and desserts.  Now that’s scary for your weight and desires of a flat tummy!

Halloween treats are big on calories. Look out for these high-cal Halloween treats.  Calories add on FAST!!

Pumpkin Flavored Baked Goods

Pumpkin itself is a healthful food. Plain pumpkin puree contains a high dose of vitamin A and fiber for a small amount of calories. But pair it with sugar, cream cheese frosting, shortening and butter and you’ve got a high-cal treat dressed in a healthy-looking orange outfit. Restaurants and coffee shops are the biggest villains, promoting their pumpkin scones, muffins, donuts and breads, which can contain up to 630 calories per serving.

TRICK: You can bake your own pumpkin treats using less sugar and fat, plus whole-grain goodness. Use a mini muffin tin to help with keep your portions in check and steer clear of these traditional seasonal baked goods!

Hot Seasonal Beverages

Sometimes there is nothing more enjoyable than sipping a hot drink on a crisp fall day. Many coffee joints offer special seasonal beverages during the holidays. While plain coffee is low-cal, seasonal lattes and drinks contain a lot of sugar, and most boast a heavy dose of cream, too. A grande pumpkin spice latte with milk is 410 calories at Starbucks, and its competitors don’t do much better. As liquid calories do not aid in fullness or satiety, these calories probably are not worth it!

TRICK: Order a small beverage (if you must) and lighten the load by requesting fat free milk and holding any whipped topping. Freshly brewed chai tea can be a great alternative that is virtually calorie-free, but look out for blended drinks that are ready to serve; they often contain cream, syrups and lots of added sugar. Many coffeehouses use a sugar syrup as the base for their chai; ask that yours be made with real tea and no added sugar. Request hot water and a teabag of chai tea (black tea with spices) with some low-fat milk on the side. Watch out for these high-cal hot beverages!

Caramel Apple…Not Fruit at all

Yes, it’s obvious. If you cover a healthy fruit with sugar, it becomes a less healthy choice. Simple caramel apples seem innocent, but they can pack 300 calories onto that little wooden stick. Pop extra sprinkles, candies or nuts onto the outside of the apple and it’ll amp the calorie level even further. It’s also good practice to avoid caramel apple desserts and baked goods from most restaurants. Most don’t even contain a single serving of fruit and more than their fair share of calories and fat (see chart below).

TRICK: Enjoy your apples by cutting them into wedges and dipping them into low fat caramel dip, fat free vanilla yogurt or peanut butter.

Chocolate Fun Size Anything

At an average of about 100 calories a pop, these popular fun-size treats can really add up! Sure they’re smaller than a full size bar and offer built-in portion control, but how often do you stop after just one? It’s far too easy to eat four of five “little” candies, thinking you’re not doing much damage, but that can easily add up to 400 or 500 calories in a matter of minutes. The bars that hide the most calories are those that contain peanut butter, coconut, chocolate, caramel, and nuts.

TRICK: Start reading fun-size labels before throwing out the package so that you’re not eating blindly; these calories do count. Figure out the best choice for you and stick with that particular treat. Fun-size peppermint patties and Runts have about half of the calories of the average chocolate bar but keep in mind these can still add up!

Please remember to think before you bite!!

It may look “healthful” because apple or pumpkin is in the name but monitor your intake of these tiny-size treats. It easily adds up to BIG numbers of calories and big changes on the scale. Think about what these seasonal treats are doing for your body and put your label reading skills to work and stay in control of your choices.

Thank you and if you enjoyed this blog please click here Facebook and become a Fan of Bryan/College Station Fitness and Nutrition!

Looking forward to bringing you more interesting info soon!

If there is a subject you are curious about let me know!

I am having a blast doing these blogs for you!!

• Fat Free
• Reduced Fat
• Low Fat
• Sugar Free
• No Added Sugar
• Diet [Insert Product Name Here]

We are supposed to believe that each of these categories makes a food healthier. In reality, this couldn’t be further from the spooky truth.
Here is what these phrases actually translate to:

• Fat free, but full of sugar and chemicals.
• Reduced fat, but increased carbohydrates.
• Low fat, but high glycemic index ( will increase you blood sugar)
• Sugar free, but artificial everything else.
• No added sugar… because the all natural version has enough sugar to give you type II diabetes anyway.
• “Diet” food, but it causes cancer in lab rats so don’t drink/eat too much of it.

These labels are not only frightful, but downright deceptive. Similar to Halloween, our food products are in disguise, wearing various masks. When you wear a mask, the last thing you want people to know is the real you. Well these products are the same way.

But, have no fear Nick “The Count” Garcia has uncovered the many masks of the food industry and will reveal the true identities of many food items.  MUHAHAHAHA!! That was my evil laugh.

Consider the logic that food manufactures would have us believe: fat-free is good for you; jelly beans, jolly ranchers, and cotton candy are fat-free; therefore all those sugary candies are good for you. Makes sense? Think about it. In fact, a study at John Hopkins University recently determined a link between high blood sugar and heart disease. This means high glycemic foods, such as the candy I just mentioned as well as many similar products, are inherently unhealthy.

Let’s examine some examples of the scary food that is supposed to be good for you, but will secretly kill you faster than Freddie Kruger.

1. Diet Soda

Treat? A sugar-free version of the popular carbonated beverage that you can drink on the go.

Trick? Soda is horrible for you, but take out the sugar and add in cancer causing Aspartame,  combined with the artificial flavors and colors that are in all sodas, and you have a recipe for Tumor in a Can. Then of course you’ve got the caffeine factor, which is linked to hyperactivity, high blood pressure, and can negatively affect your blood sugar.

Nick “The Count” Garcia says: Filtered water and the occasional glass of milk, think Casper. He was either clear or white!

2. Sushi made with white rice and imitation crab meat or vegetables

Treat? Seaweed contains essential nutrients such as selenium, calcium, iodine, and omega-3 fats. Sushi is nearly always wrapped in seaweed.

Trick? These mask-wearing imitators don’tdeserve to be called sushi. They are just small, compact, high glycemic, high calorie, carbohydrate nuggets. There’s not even much protein in these things. Eat 3-4 of them and you’ve had your serving for the day. Aside from that, imitation crab meat isn’t even good for you. It is mostly just a crab flavored tofu-like substance fortified with sugar, sugar, and more sugar.

Nick “The Count” Garcia says: In order to get some healthy carbs, some high-quality protein, and the benefits of omega-3 fats, choose real sushi made with salmon or tuna.  Order sashimi instead of white rice for an even healthier alternative.

3. Peanuts

Treat? Peanuts contain healthy fats that contribute to the reduction in triglycerides, which are known to promote cardiovascular disease. In addition to monosaturated fatty acids, peanuts also contain magnesium, vitamin E, arginine, fiber, copper and folate all of which help to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Trick? Aside from being high in fat and calories, peanuts also are loaded with omega-6 fats cause your body to NOT absord omega-3’s properly. The omega 3 to 6 ratio says that your intake of each omega fatty acid should be 1:1. The reasons why this ratio is recommended is a topic for a whole other article. All we need to know is that the American diet is typically from 20:1 to 50:1 in favor of omega-6, so any effort to reverse this trend is important for combating over 10 different common diseases including Alzheimer’s, rheumatoid arthritis, and diabetes. Peanuts are often contaminated with a carcinogenic mold called aflatoxin, and they are also one of the most pesticide-contaminated crops.

Nick “The Count” Garcia says: Almonds or all natural organic peanut butter, but pour off the top layer of oil and replace with olive oil if the resulting peanut brick is too stiff. Olive oil is very low in omega-6 fats.

4. Reduced-Fat Peanut Butter

Treat? All peanut butter provides a heart-healthy substantial quantity of monounsaturated fat.

Trick? Most commercial peanut butters are made with the same type of sugar that cake frosting is made with. Reducing the fat makes it even worse because even MORE nasty sugar is added and they contain less healthy fat. I’d rather just

Nick “The Count” Garcia says: As with peanuts, choose almonds or all natural organic peanut butter instead. Just remember to pour off the top layer of oil and replace it with olive oil if the resulting peanut brick is too stiff. Olive oil is very low in omega-6 fats. I personally switched to Sunflower Seed Butter and Almond Butter, which are tastier and less-fattening. I wonder if they make a Pumpkin Seed Butter?

5. Corn Oil

Treat? It contains omega-6 fatty acids, which are unsaturated fats that don’t raise cholesterol. Sounds corny to me…

Trick? In the true spirit of peanuts, corn oil has 60 times more omega-6s than omega-3s. Omega-6 fatty acids increase inflammation, which boosts your risk of cancer, arthritis, and obesity. This is why we prefer a balanced ratio of omega-3s, which are found in walnuts, fish, and flaxseed. And yes Omega-3s reduce inflammation, along with many other benefits.

Nick “The Count” Garcia says: Coconut or Olive oils, which have a far better ratio of omega-6s to omega-3s. In my ghastly opinion, cook with coconut oil and dose your salad with olive oil for the ultimate metabolism booster.

6. Fat-Free or Reduced Fat Salad Dressing

Treat? Less fat means less calories. Plus that salad dressing fat is lard just like mayo and Crisco. I smell a witchy spell coming on…

Trick? Firstly because when fat comes out, sugar goes in. Either that or artificial flavors and sweeteners. Secondly, since many vegetables are fat soluble, taking away the fat from the dressing means fewer of the salad nutrients will be absorbed into your body. This was confirmed by a study at Ohio State University wherein a higher fat salad dressing resulted in an increased uptake of the antioxidants lutein and beta-carotene.

Nick “The Count” Garcia says: A salad dressing made with olive oil with vinegar make for a scary surprisingly taste! Give it a try, you might like it.

7. Anything made with Soy

Treat? It’s not. But in the spirit of argument: vegetarians and vegans eat the stuff so they can get protein in their diets. Yay ::sarcasm:: Plus the stuff is apparently low in fat and an alternative to whey for the lactose intolerant. Did you know most lactose intolerant ghouls are also soy intolerant ghosts?

Trick? Straight up, soy is linked to lower testosterone and increased estrogen in males, and is also linked to increased breast cancer in women. Soy also promotes hypothyroidism, thyroid cancer, and infertility just to name a few additional disorders. Phytic acid, trypsin inhibitors, toxic lysinoalanine and highly carcinogenic nitrosamines are all highly present in soy products. Infants in particular can be adversely affected in many negative ways from exposure to soy, including premature development in girls, and underdevelopment in boys.

Nick “The Count” Garcia says: any high protein whole food such as brown rice, goats milk, coconut milk, almond milk, whole grains, nuts, seaweeds, seeds, beans, and lentils. If you must have a protein powder, choose any of a variety of protein powders available on the market today, including whey and egg protein. As a side note, goats milk is considered one of the healthiest foods on the planet today, so give it a try.

8. Yogurt cups, especially those with fruit at the bottom

Treat? Individually, fruit and yogurt are two of the healthiest food choices at the grocery store.

Trick? Manufacturers load these products up with corn syrup, which effectively doubles the amount of sugar. All the better to entice kids to ask you to buy this CRAP food.

Nick “The Count” Garcia: Horizon yogurt, which contains additional live active cultures to help your digestive system. Choose the light version if you wish. Activia is another alternative to Horizon, if you think Organic is hokey. It isn’t, its magically nutritious.

9-11. Fruit Juice, Dried Fruit, and Fruit Cocktail

Treat? Well because fruit is good for you. It has a ton of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants; not to mention fiber.

Trick? Fruit juice and fruit cocktail normally have sugar added. Some fruit cocktails come in a thick sugary syrup, and there’s more sugar in a glass of fruit juice than in a candy bar and as much as in a glass of soda (grape juice has about 40g of sugar in one serving). You get no fiber from fruit juice, and the stuff usually has preservatives added to it. Dried fruit is similarly bad because it is also loaded with sugar, although not with added sugar. Think of it this way: take any fruit, which is naturally loaded with sugar, remove all the moisture thus shrinking it down to a fraction of its normal size, then sell it by the bucket load to consumers who don’t understand that this little tiny piece of fruit still has nearly all the calories and sugar of the original fruit! Can anyone say “portion control”? What about “blood sugar coma”? Most dried fruits also contain sulfur dioxide, a preservative…that causes GAS. How bad do you want to keep the trick or treaters away?

Nick “The Count” Garcia says: Eat the whole fruit including the skin if possible, but limit it to one serving of fruit per meal/snack to avoid insulin spikes. If you must have fruit cocktail, choose one that comes packed in its own juices instead of syrup.

12. Smartfood (Cheesy Popcorn)

Treat? Because cheesy popcorn is oh so tasty.

Trick? Because you are really just eating the popcorn equivalent of potato chips. Seriously, compare total calories and you will find that you are not saving much on the calorie front by eating Smartfood instead of chips.

Nick “The Count” Garcia says : Get some spray butter, pop some plain popcorn, spray a light coat of spray butter on the popped corn, sprinkle various spices on the corn (but go easy on the salts), and shake it up in a bad. Now you have a low fat tasty treat. Smartfood isn’t as bad as a candy bar or a Twinkie though, so go ahead and splurge every so often.

13. Beans packed in sugary syrups such as Boston Baked Beans

Treat? Baked beans are good for you because these types of beans are loaded with fiber. Come on they are musical fruit…

Trick? The sugary syrup, just as much as in a can of soda, is just going to spike your blood sugar and insulin levels. This is never good for preventing heart disease or type II onset diabetes.

Nick “The Count” Garcia says : Red kidney and Black. These things are packed with protein and fiber, and can be mixed with any sort of salad or pasta. Sometimes I enjoy kidney beans straight out of the can; no cooking, just wash and chow. There are also several other kinds of high protein, high fiber beans, but they typically have to be cooked first. I say this because I tend to be lazy about cooking and I know you do too.

14-20. Granola, White Pasta, Pasta Salad, English Muffins, Bagels, Croutons, and Pretzels

Treat? Granola has some fiber, pasta salad has some vegetables, croutons make our salad crunchy, english muffins are one step up from bagels, and pretzels are a quick low-fat snack.

Trick? One word: carbohydrates. All of these foods are made with corn syrup and/or processed white flour. These foods will spike your blood sugar faster than Bruce Lee could have kicked you in the face. You also won’t get much nutrition in the way of protein, fiber, vitamins, or minerals from any of these foods. A lot of these foods have tons of Sodium and are starchy carbs, both a cocktail for a plump goblin!

Nick “The Count” Garcia says: 100% whole grain or whole wheat pasta and English muffins for increased fiber and protein. Egg salad because, like it or not, eggs are good for you and are high in protein. Almond slices are high in omega-3 fats and are crunchy like croutons. Substitute healthy nuts for white starches whenever you can and you too can receive a 30% less chance of heart disease.

Clearly there are many alternatives to sneaky consumer foods. Fruits and vegetables remain a key ingredient in a healthy diet, and now you can look for tricky catch phrases when purchasing ‘health foods’. Drink plenty of water, get plenty of sleep, and eat wholesome low-sugar, healthy-fat foods; I bet you will end up doing OK as a result.

Don’t let the masks fool you, learn to read food labels and see past the food manufacturers witchy spells!

Halloween is the beginning of a LONG holiday season of family gatherings, work parties, and marketing around every corner. Use this post and the rest of the reads on my blog as a reference guide to getting through the holiday season a better, healthier, more fit YOU.

2010 is approaching FAST, so don’t let the “manana trap” of “I’ll wait until the beginning of the year” to get your fitness on! Do it now! Take some action; put your thoughts and desires into motion.

Spook ya later!

Nick “The Count” Garcia

Saturated fats:

• Found in animal fats and tropical oils
• Do not normally go rancid, even when heated for cooking
• Made in our bodies from carbohydrates
• Constitute at least 50% of the cell membranes; they give cells stiffness and integrity
• Needed for calcium to be effectively incorporated into skeletal system
• Protect liver from alcohol and other toxins
• Enhance immune system
• Needed for proper use of EFAs

Sources: animal products, coconut and palm oil

Monounsaturated fats:

• Tend to be liquid at room temperature
• Do not go rancid easily and can be used in cooking at moderate temps

Sources: olive oil, almonds, pecans, cashews, peanuts, and avocado

Polyunsaturated fats:

• Contain linoleic acid ( omega-6) and linolenic acid (omega-3) –essential because our bodies cannot produce them
• Liquid, even when refrigerated
• Should never be heated

Sources: vegetable oils, fish oil, eggs and walnuts

Cholesterol:

• Gives cells stiffness and stability
• Precursor to steroid hormones and vitamin D
• Acts as an antioxidant
• Needed for proper function of serotonin receptor in brain
• Low cholesterol levels have been linked to aggressive and violent behavior, depression, and suicidal tendencies
• Role in maintaining health of intestinal wall
• High-serum cholesterol level often indicated that the body needs cholesterol to protect itseld from high levels of altered free-radical containing fats

Sources: animal products

In conclusion, the much hated saturated fats-which Americans are trying to avoid-are not the cause of modern diseases. If they were, and if the saturated fat or cholesterol myth were true, none of us would be alive today because saturated fat was the primary energy source for most of our ancestors.

Go out eat good quality fat and tell people that “My trainer told me to eat MORE fat”!

Nick Garcia

Give your little ghouls and goblins a memorable night without food worries…

While some monsters and witches on October 31st may be frightful, candy can be downright scary for the 25 million Americans with gluten intolerance. Although Gluten-free products have become somewhat of a marketing buzz-word for the food industry, it does have its place in many people’s diets.

Common products that contain gluten are wheat, rye, barley, cross-contaminated oats, and gluten lurks in the most common candies. For those that are intolerant or sensitive to gluten, eating gluten may results in digestive distress, fatigue, rashes, or any number of unrelated symptoms. Whether you are parent of a gluten-intolerant child or would simply like to be a good neighbor during Halloween, here are some helpful tips.

Some Gluten-Free natural candies for Halloween:

• Crispy Cat bars ( my personal favorite)
• YummyEarth organic lollipops
• GoNaturally organic hard candies
• Tropical Source chocolate bars

Being a gluten-free parent or child shouldn’t put a damper on you or your child’s fun night out. There are many alternatives to your common candies and treats. Careful not to be tricked into eating the wrong candy!

To a safe and gluten-free Halloween,

Nick Garcia

One thing about acai is that it tastes pretty darn good and I would really recommend giving it a try sometime but not for the reasons I’m about to talk about.

Acai exploded onto the American market when Oprah and her boy Dr. Oz said it was one of her favorite superfoods and discussed its health benefits on her show. Ever since there have been a crazy amount of marketing hype around the acai and its “miraculous” weight loss benefits.

It’s gotten so ridiculously over-hyped and marketed that nobody knows what to believe any more.

Marketers are claiming that acai provides increased energy levels, improved sexual performance, improved digestion, natural detoxification, improved skin appearance, improved sleep, improved heart health, and reduction of cholesterol levels. Sounds great, right?

Here’s the real truth about acai…

It actually has a fairly good amount of antioxidants which are great for killing off those free radical devils who wreak havoc on our bodies. But acai only ranks in the middle of the market for antioxidant fruits.

Pomegranate juice and blueberry juices both have more antioxidant density than that of the acai berries and there have been no verified claims of the marketers “benefits” of acai.

In fact, in March, Oprah had her million dollar lawyers go out and hunt down the people who were scamming people with their acai weight loss stuff while using her and Dr. Oz’s name.

There have been NO scientific studies to back up their claims and the FDA has not approved any of their crazy weight loss hype around the berry.

So…is the acai berry a hunk of crap?

I drink acai juice regularly because I like the taste and it does definitely provide some antioxidants for my body. I in no way take it for weight loss purposes and I don’t recommend it to any of my clients for those purposes.

Everyone’s thinking that the acai is the miracle pill for losing weight and feeling great, but it’s really just a bunch of marketing hype to get you to buy their product and get scammed. Save yourself the time and have great nutrition and work out hard consistently.

Where else can you use just 1% of your time to increase the quality of your life ten-fold.

The “lack of time” excuse is in the top 3 excuses as why people are not exercising.

If it isn’t lack of time, it’s I have a stressful job, I’m tired after work, my family needs me, the kids take up my time,

I don’t want to go to the gym, I don’t like to sweat, or any other obstacle you can imagine.

That’s all it is, an excuse. That excuse is a shield to hide yourself from the the real reason, a lack of commitment.

If you find yourself in this same excuse boat, stop your whining and get to work. I’m willing to bet that any excuse you have to workout can be overcome by committing to an actual exercise program.

“Most of our obstacles would melt away if, instead of cowering before them, we should make up our minds to walk boldly through them.” – Orison Swett Marden

So are you going to use your time to watch TV or are you going to use it to get in better health and physical shape?

I’m willing to bet you just need a specific plan of attack and a commitment to following through and some accountability to keep you on track.