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The Great Diet Debate

The only topic that’s debated more than the current presidential election is weight loss and workouts. It seems everyone has something to say on these topics. Despite there being a diet for every minute of the day and a new workout popping up by the second, Americans are gaining weight and becoming less fit. Have you ever wondered which diet provides the best weight loss, and do they all help you burn off fat?

Most of us get overwhelmed at the mere thought of which one to pick. From Paleo to Pilates, there is misleading information, all of which stops us from losing weight and getting into shape. All the while increasing our stress levels and sending us into a downward spiral, which is never productive when it comes to making the decision to improve our health. How are we supposed to sort through all of this misinformation so we can lose weight and get into shape?

Keep It Simple And Stick To Science

I've been where you are, so I know firsthand how depressing it feels to try every workout and diet you read about, only to end up gaining weight, leaving you feeling even more hopeless after starving yourself and practically living in the gym. I over-exercised, lived in the gym, drank vegan shakes non-stop, yet was 40 pounds overweight.  

My 360° turnaround occurred when I worked at the WWF (World Wrestling Federation) as an apprentice alongside Dr. Fred Hatfield. Dr. Hatfield was doing research to test bodybuilding programs that included diet, exercise, and supplements to see what did and didn't work.

The results were shocking. Most of what I was doing to try to lose weight was all wrong. I worked out way too hard ,and for too long (a CrossFit kind of workout) — yes, that’s possible, and I ate too much healthy food — yes, that's possible as well.

The Top Mistakes I Made

I drank the wrong kind of protein shakes (I used to drink vegan), and like any gym rat, I drank a lot of them. I didn't realize that it wasn’t the right kind of protein for losing weight and boosting my sluggish metabolism. Besides, they tasted disgusting.

Vegan shakes are not a complete protein, meaning they lack the essential amino acids to be called complete and therefore will not have the metabolic boosting benefits of a high-quality Complete Whey Protein.

I lived on cereal bars. Like most moms, I need portable good-for-you food that I can eat on-the-go. What I didn’t realize was how little protein these tiny little bars contained, or how many carbohydrates and sugars they were filled with. To make a long story short, my health habits were killing my weight loss.

Combined with working out too long and too hard, I was ravenously hungry which sent me straight to my health halo foods. They only served to jack-up my sugar and stop my weight loss. In the end, it was an all day struggle with food.

I had my aha moment of what I was doing and got where I was when I was 40 pounds overweight (that’s a lot on my little frame). I needed to start doing things differently if I wanted to transform my body. This was how the Metabolic Boosting Weight Loss System was created. I needed a simple system that helped me to lose weight and develop healthier habits.

Collaboration With Dr. Hatfield

Everything I thought I knew about weight loss was all wrong. As I mentioned earlier, I learned that while working alongside Dr. Hatfield. 

We tested all sorts of programs from the American Heart Association Diet and Exercise Plan to the program the WBF (a division of the WWF called World Body Building Federation) was about to launch that was then called thermogenics. We also tested all of them against each other. Did they cause weight loss the way they said they would?

One of the companies/programs we researched, and I learned a lot about, was called Cybergenics. They explained what to eat and why, and how much and how long to work out. They also provided education on the smart use of safe supplements that helped the bodybuilders muscle up. So I asked myself, "why don’t we have the same type of system to help make losing weight faster and easier?" 

With the aid of Dr. Hatfield, who helped bring these formulas to life with the purest ingredients from the highest quality sources, the LynFit Metabolic Boosting System was born.

Dr. Hatfield was meticulous about combining the right kind of diet, utilizing very specific foods such as lean proteins and fibrous carbohydrates (now called a thermogenic diet) with the smart use of safe supplements to help keep the body properly nourished. More specifically, to help teach the body to burn off stored fat for fuel and to help balance blood sugar levels so hunger cravings wouldn’t overtake the participants while they were trying to lose weight.

Combined with the thermogenic diet were very specific weight lifting circuits, three times weekly (now called metabolic boosting workouts). I was blown away by what I witnessed. In all of my years of working in the gym business, I had never before seen such dramatic results. These were not gym rats. These participants were not fit at all and had no gym or dieting experience. They transformed their bodies, and their lives, in less than a month!

It wasn’t the first time I had seen people achieve results using diet and exercise, but it was the first time I saw people transform their bodies so quickly without living in the gym or adhering to vegan or no-carb diets. And, they did it in less than a month.

While working with Dr. Hatfield, I had the opportunity to rub elbows with some pretty big names in the bodybuilding industry. I made sure I was around them as much as possible, so I could look, listen and learn from them. I can tell you this, the pros work very hard, but interestingly, they spend less time in the gym than amateurs I know who kill their bodies in the gym while paying the physical price of damaged joints and chronic injuries. In the end, they also damage their self-worth and relationships because of their addictive dedication.

I've learned that not all diets and workouts are created equal. It’s just not as simple as calories in and calories out, especially if you have belly fat or you've been overweight. You need to choose your diet based on your goal, not according to which plan allows you to keep eating what you want when you want.

Some workouts and diets work better for weight loss, and others are better for bulk. How do you know? Your results tell all. Success leaves evidence.

How All This Relates To You

Most of us are very emotional when it comes to losing weight and getting fit, and that’s where we fall.

We know that exercise is a must because it strengthens our body, and it’s the best way to reshape, tighten, and tone it. But, it’s your diet that plays the largest role in your weight loss. In fact, 90 percent of your weight loss success comes from what you eat. You can't simply exercise away a bad diet.

Now that we have exercise in proper perspective choose your method of exercise based on science vs. what you want to do for the fastest results.

The good news is that when you see your body transform in front of your eyes and feel the difference, you’ll be hooked immediately. This will make sticking to the plan much easier, and that’s the key to lasting results.

For flexibility — choose Pilates or yoga. or better yet, LynFit Recovery Stretch
For rapid relief from aches and pains — LynFit Recovery Stretch
For sports performance — CrossFit or LynFit Fat Blaster or Metabolic Boosting Workouts
For stubborn weight loss and transformation — When it comes to weight loss, lifting weights is must. But, it's important that you do it in a specific way to elicit metabolic changes vs. bulking up and gaining weight.

NOTE: Weight lifting and certain types of workouts have been proven to make you hungrier and cause stress levels to rise in the body, which makes losing weight impossible. If you're serious about losing weight before Christmas, you'll want to start doing three metabolic boosting workouts weekly. You'll need the right tools, so grab the LynFit Lose 1 Pound Per Day Kit.

Start Here

We all know that dieting stinks, so here is how to do it right. Just about every diet plan agrees with these three simple steps.

• Focus on the power of Complete Protein — Make it your priority
  Complete proteins contain all the essential amino acids your body needs. You also want to choose the complete proteins that have a high PER (protein efficiency ratio). When it comes to losing fat and boosting your metabolism, the kind of protein you choose matters most. Lean Protein will feed the lean muscle tissue and starve the fat, so it leaves. Lean proteins are the best way to build your metabolism and force your body to burn fat. For results you can count on, check out LynFit Complete Whey Protein Shakes and Lean Bars.
  
  
• Track the numbers that matter — Protein and Fibrous Carbs
  Aim for at least one gram per pound of lean body weight per day. Example: If you weigh 150 pounds, but you have 25 pounds of fat, your lean body weight would be 125 pounds. Your goal is to consume 125 grams of lean protein every day. However, you can’t eat it all at once if you’re trying to lose weight and melt fat. You should divide that 125 grams over the span of five meals so you're only consuming the amount of protein that your body can utilize vs. storing it as fat.
  
  Now that you know how much, here is the when. Space meals three hours apart. Begin at 7 a.m. and end at 7 p.m. You can find a complete guide in the Advanced Metabolic Boosting Meal Plan. The best choices when it comes to weight loss and melting fat are:
  
  Whey protein — It helps reduce abdominal fat better than any other kind of protein source.
  White fish — The lighter and whiter the fish, the better for your metabolism. Fish is lower in calories and fat and contains iodine that fuels thyroid function, which fuels your weight loss. White fish is the lowest in fat.
  *NOTE: Salmon is not white fish
  Turkey Breast — Turkey breast is lower in calories. When it comes to the nitty gritty of weight loss, every gram counts.
  
  NOTE: For more information on how much protein you need, and why fish is better, refer to "The Metabolism Solution".
  
  
• Fill up on Fibrous Carbohydrates
  Fibrous carbs are the only food that can be considered unlimited. They burn more calories than they contain. When it comes to losing weight, it can be next to impossible to find foods that can help keep you on track. There are a few miracle foods however that are purported to be negative in calories. These foods essentially contain more water than they do calories and require more calories to utilize them than they hold. Thus, making these foods essentially calorie-free.
  
  Approximately 75 percent of a celery stick is water. The other 25 percent is fiber and other roughage. As a result, this tasty vegetable provides you with far fewer calories than it will take for your body to digest it. In addition to burning more calories than it contains, celery is an excellent source of fiber that can help to keep you feeling fuller for longer, helping you to reduce the urge to snack.
  
  The health benefits of celery don’t end at weight loss. Celery is full of nutrients such as Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and Vitamin K. Further, celery has antioxidant properties that may be able to improve cardiovascular health, reducing your chances of developing hardened arteries (and related heart problems like heart attacks and cardiovascular disease). As a bonus, the fiber content promotes regular bowel movements as well as boosting digestive health more generally. There is even some evidence suggesting that a diet high in celery can improve the appearance of your skin.
  
  You can enjoy celery sticks on their own, or try lightly seasoning them with Mrs. Dash® salt-free instead of salt. You can also dip celery in hot sauce to make a spicy snack, or chop it up for a salad.

If you're truly serious about your weight loss, here is my personal Three-Step Plan to losing weight and developing healthier habits:

1. Be brutally honest with yourself and clearly identify your bad or not-so-healthy habits. Then, eliminate those as quickly as you can. Write them down now.
   Here's my example — I needed to stop working out compulsively and learn to feel my feelings instead of turn to food. There I said it; it's not so bad. In fact, it feels good to say it. I also needed to choose the right kinds of food that cause weight loss vs. weight gain.
   
   
2. Find replacements for your not-so-healthy habits and define your new healthier habits. Write them down now. Then, imagine how much better you'll feel. List all the benefits and rewards of adopting these habits to help inspire change.
   Here's my example — I needed a new doable workout that worked for weight loss that didn’t overwork me and jack up my appetite. I needed to grab and apple or a real protein bar that was lower in carbs and sugar instead of handfuls of trail mix or cereal bars that worked against me. I will feel better and learn to like myself more, and I won’t need to overwork in the gym because I’m eating better. 
   
   
3. Create your Weight Loss Action Plan, starting with just one habit (no more than three) that you really want to implement. Write them down now.
   Here's my example — I will work out on an empty stomach for 30 minutes every day before work. I will drink my shake without adding extra calories (no fruit or almond milk), and take my supplements after I work out. I will drink my coffee black from now on. This was simple and doable, and the rest is history!

If you're serious about transforming your body and your life, focus on these three steps and begin to put them into practice. And remember, nothing will change until you do!

We would love to hear your story. What will you be working on to transform your body and your life?

Beat Bloat With A Fiber-Full Diet

What happens when you combine the best kind of fiber for weight loss with a delicious flavor? You get people to up their fiber intake every day consistently.

I've been in this business for over 27 years. When I was studying to become a performance nutrition specialist and certified trainer, one of the first things I learned was if you can't get people to eat cleaner and better, then have them increase their fiber intake. While this sounds super simple, one of the reasons people are overweight to begin with is the fact that they don't eat enough fiber. Even the American Heart Association agree that we can all be healthier if we increase our fiber.

Here is what fiber can do for you:

• Keeps you feeling full which helps you eat less
• Improves health and metabolic issues, such as blood pressure, cholesterol, and even blood sugar

Researchers have proven that even people with pre-diabetes can greatly benefit simply by eating more fiber-rich foods, such as vegetables and some fruit to reach their quota of 30 grams daily. In today's busy lifestyle, that's almost impossible, but it's still necessary, and you should be paying attention to your fiber intake.

I find when it comes to losing weight, not consuming enough fiber is a huge issue, and researchers agree. Think what your dinner plate would look like if you had 3 ounces of chicken breast (think of a deck of cards). Since gluten isn't good for weight loss, that eliminates bread, pasta, and practically every grain you could buy. Your plate would be empty — unless you eat your vegetables.

I'm still amazed when I talk to grown ups who tell me, "I don't like vegetables." Well, neither did I. When I finally decided I wanted to lose weight I got sick of an empty plate. I began to try new vegetables until I found some (aim for 5) that I liked and was willing to eat. Now, 25 years later and 40 pounds lighter, vegetables are the first thing I reach for when I eat out (big salads). When I cook at home, my meals are 90 percent vegetables and 10 percent protein. Well, maybe not that severe, but you get my point. One thing that will never change is that we all need to eat a fiber-rich diet (30 grams daily). This is the secret to successful weight loss and keeping it off for life.

The issue is that very few people reach the 30-gram daily fiber goal. That's why I created LynFit Lean Bars and LynFit Chocolate Sauce. Using and eating these fiber-rich tools not only makes reaching your fiber quota easier, but they also keep you feeling fuller.

Fiber can help you lose weight, but it's important that you understand not all fiber is created equal. Not all fiber is good for losing weight and melting belly fat. Since fiber does contain carbohydrates, you'll want to choose the right kind — prebiotic — if you're trying to lose weight.

What makes this prebiotic fiber so special? It has carbohydrates that our bodies cannot digest. This makes them better for weight loss. Prebiotic fiber (found in LynFit Lean Bars and LynFit Chocolate Sauce) have a powerful effect on our health, as well as our metabolism.

Studies agree that this type of fiber can also help you lose body fat, but it must have certain properties. The prebiotic fiber found in LynFit Lean Bars and LynFit Chocolate Sauce contain specific fiber that feeds the friendly bacteria in our gut. These bacteria are called gut flora.  Thanks to the recent probiotic hype, most of us are aware that having bacteria in the gut is healthy. However, what you might not know could be slowing your weight loss. Different types of bacteria play different and important roles in various aspects in your weight management, such as blood sugar control, immunity, and even brain functioning. Bacteria also aid in keeping us regular. 

This is where the soluble fiber comes in. It passes through the digestive system practically unchanged, eventually reaching the friendly bacteria in the intestine, who end up digesting the fiber and turning it into energy (this is thermogenic). Nourishing these friendly bacteria in the intestine is known as the prebiotic effect. Just another way LynFit's program and products boost your metabolism.

The LynFit Lean Bar and LynFit Chocolate Sauce make losing weight faster and easier without having to think about it. The next time you grab a grocery store protein bar (they should be called lack protein bars) check out the label. You'll see why they only cost .50. They are primarily sugar and carbs. LynFit Lean Bars contain 10 grams of prebiotic fiber and the perfect amount of protein (19–20 grams). Yet LynFit Lean Bars have very few carbs and little to no sugar. That's why you can use them to replace a meal.

More information about thermogenic eating and a fiber-full diet can be found in The Metabolism Solution.