Top 10 Foods that Burn Fat
September 28, 2008
Foods That Burn Fat: The Top 10 Lists
By Tom Venuto, NSCA-CPT, CSCS
www.BurnTheFat.com
Anytime the topic of discussion in my blogs, articles or newsletters has turned to my own personal grocery shopping list, there has always been a spike in interest. It seems that many people are not only curious about what foods a natural bodybuilder eats to maintain single digit body fat, but they also want to be taken by the hand and told exactly what foods to eat themselves while on fat-burning or muscle building programs. That’s why I decided to put together four separate “top 10” lists of healthy foods that burn fat and build muscle.
Exact quantities and menus are not listed, just the individual foods, and of course my food intake does vary. I aim to get as many different varieties of fruits and vegetables as possible over the course of every week and there are a lot of substitutions made, so you are not seeing the full list of everything I eat, only what foods I eat most of the time.
I also want to point out that while I don’t believe that extreme low carbs are necessary or most effective when you look at the long term, research has shown that there are some definite advantages to a low to moderate carb and higher protein diet for fat loss purposes. These include reduced appetite, higher thermic effect of food and “automatic” calorie control.
Personally, I reduce my carb intake moderately and temporarily prior to bodybuilding competitions. Specifically, it’s the foods that are on the starchy carbs and grains list that go down during the brief pre-competition period when I’m working on that really “ripped” look. I keep the green and fibrous veggie intake very high however, along with large amounts of lean protein, small amounts of fruit, and adequate amounts of essential fats.
This list reflects my personal preferences, so this is not a prescription to all readers to eat as I do. It’s very important for compliance to choose foods you enjoy and to have the option for a wide variety of choices. In the past several years, nutrition and obesity research – in studying ALL types of diets – has continued to conclude that almost any hypocaloric diet that is not completely “moronic” can work, at least in the short term.
It’s not so much about the high carb – low carb argument or any other debate as much as it is about calorie control and compliance. The trouble is, restricted diets and staying in a calorie deficit is difficult, so most people can’t stick with any program and they fall off the wagon, whichever wagon that may be.
I believe that a lot of our attention needs to shift away from pointless debates (for example, low carb vs. high carb is getting really old… so like… get over it everyone, its a calorie deficit that makes you lose weight, not the amount of carbs).
Instead, our focus should shift towards these questions:
* How can we build an eating program that we can enjoy while still getting us leaner and healthier?
* How can we build an eating program that helps us control calories?
* How can we build an eating program that improves compliance?
Here’s one good answer: Eat a wide variety of high nutrient density, low calorie density foods that you enjoy which still fit within healthy, fat-burning, muscle-building guidelines!
Here are the lists of foods I choose to achieve these three outcomes. This eating plan is not difficult to stick with at all, by the way. I enjoy eating like this and it feels almost weird not to eat like this after doing it for so long.
Remember, habits work in both directions, and as motivational speaker Jim Rohn has said, “Bad habits are easy to form and hard to live with and good habits are hard to form but easy to live with.”
These are listed in the order I frequently consume them. So for example, if oatmeal is on the top of the list, it means that is the food I am most likely to eat every single day.
My 10 top natural starchy carb and whole grains
1. Oatmeal (old fashioned)
2. Yams
3. Brown rice (a favorite is basmati, a long grain aromatic rice)
4. Sweet potatoes (almost same as yams)
5. Multi grain hot cereal (mix or barley, oats, rye. titricale and a few others)
6. White potatoes
7. 100% whole wheat bread
8. 100% whole wheat pasta
9. Beans (great for healthy chili recipes)
10. Cream of rice hot cereal
My Top 10 top vegetables
1. Broccoli
2. Asparagus
3. Spinach
4. Salad greens
5. Tomatoes
6. Peppers (green, red or yellow)
7. Onions
8. Mushrooms
9. Cucumbers
10. Zucchini
My top 10 lean proteins
1. Egg whites (whole eggs in limited quantities)
2. Whey or Casein protein (protein powder supplements)
3. Chicken Breast
4. Salmon (wild Alaskan)
5. Turkey Breast
6. Top round steak (grass fed beef)
7. Flank Steak (grass fed beef)
8. Lean Ground Turkey
9. Bison/Buffalo
10. Trout
My top 10 fruits
1. Grapefruit
2. Apples
3. Blueberries
4. Canteloupe
5. Oranges
6. Bananas
7. Peaches
8. Grapes
9. Strawberries
10. Pineapple
Note: I DO include healthy fats as well, such as walnuts, almonds, extra virgin olive oil, flaxseeds, flaxseed oil (supplement – not to cook with), avocado and a few others.
Also, I do eat dairy products and have nothing against them, nor am I lactose intolerant. I simply don’t eat as much dairy as the rest of the stuff on my lists. When I eat dairy, its usually skim milk, low or non fat cottage cheese, low or non fat yogurt and low or non fat cheese (great for omelettes).
Last but not least, I usually follow a compliance rate of about 95%, which means I take two or three meals per week of whatever I want (stuff that is NOT on these lists – like pizza, sushi, big fatty restaurant steaks, etc)
I hope you found this helpful and interesting. Keep in mind, this is MY food list, and although you probably couldn’t go wrong to emulate it, you need to choose natural foods you enjoy in order to develop habits you can stick with long term. In the fruits and vegetables categories alone, there are hundreds of other choices out there, so enjoy them all!
About the Author:
Tom Venuto is a natural bodybuilder, certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS) and a certified personal trainer (CPT). Tom is the author of “Burn the Fat, Feed The Muscle,” which teaches you how to get lean without drugs or supplements using methods of the world’s best bodybuilders and fitness models. Learn how to get rid of stubborn fat and increase your metabolism by visiting: www.burnthefat.com
The Truth About Protein Bars: Performance Nutrition or Candy in Disguise?
September 28, 2008
Meal replacement (MRP) bars, protein bars and energy bars range in quality and nutritional value from fair to horrible. Some bars are a decent way to get 30 grams of quality protein when you’re in a hurry, while others are nothing more than candy bars in disguise. None of them are great because they are all processed foods.
As a general rule, you should always choose whole natural foods over shakes and bars when given a choice. The powdered (MRP) drink mixes (such as Met-RX, Myoplex, or Rx-fuel) are better than the bars because they are very low in fat and they are sweetened with Aspartame (no calories) instead of refined sugar (lots of empty calories).
MRP powders are also high in protein, with 37-50 grams per serving. If a bar is all you can manage because you are at work or on the run, then you should scrutinize the labels carefully and make the best choice possible.
There are a few things you should look out for in an MRP bar. First and foremost, check the sugar content. The problem with virtually all of the bars is that they can’t manufacture one that tastes good without using a lot of refined sugars. Don’t just look at the “Nutrition Facts” panel; the sugar listing can be deceiving.
The grams of sugar doesn’t distinguish between sugars that are naturally occurring and those that are refined. Looking at the ingredient list is more informative. FDA labeling laws require that all ingredients be listed in order of the quantity used. If refined sugars are the first or second ingredient, it is not a good choice.
The refined sugars, Sucrose, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, brown rice syrup and chocolate are frequently found high on the list. A typical bar might list protein powder (such as whey isolate) as the first ingredient and corn syrup as the second ingredient. Don’t be surprised if some so-called “nutrition bars” list sugar or corn syrup as the first ingredient. Many bars are nothing more than ordinary candy bars with protein powder added in. You might as well have a Snickers!
Another ingredient to be on the lookout for is saturated fat. Many bars have moderate amounts of fat, (4-8 grams per bar). The total fat grams, however, is not as important as the type of fat used. Some bars derive their fat from peanut butter, which is fine in small amounts.
Unfortunately, others use hydrogenated oils and tropical oils such as coconut oil or palm kernel oil. These are the “bad fats” that have been implicated in heart disease and cancer. Watch out for those 40-30-30 bars – they are notorious for this. There is nothing magical about the 40-30-30 ratios just because a best-selling book says so. One popular brand of 40-30-30 bars lists soy protein as the first ingredient, corn syrup as the second and fractionated palm kernel oil as the third.
These companies are really taking advantage of the public’s naivete by calling these “health food” or “nutrition bars.” If you think you’re eating some magical combination of nutrients, think again – what you’re really eating is empty sugar calories and saturated, artery-clogging fat!
When choosing a bar you should also look at the total calories and the carb to protein ratio. There are several different types of bars available, including energy bars, protein bars and meal replacement bars. The ratio of nutrients in each type can vary greatly. Your best bet is to choose one with a substantial amount of protein (30 grams of protein, preferably whey, is good for a bar).
A meal replacement bar is usually around 300 calories with a ratio of one part protein to two parts carbs. If you’re on a fat reducing program, then you may want to choose a protein bar with the opposite ratio: Two parts protein to one part carbs. Other bars are marketed as “energy bars” because they are primarily carbohydrates.
An example of a meal replacement bar is the original Met-Rx “Food bar.” They contain 320 calories, 48 grams of carbs and 27 grams of protein (a pretty good ratio for a meal replacement). But let’s examine where the carbs come from: On the ingredients list, Metamyosin (Met-Rx’s proprietary whey, milk and egg protein blend) is the first ingredient.
So far, so good. But look at the second ingredient: Corn syrup (sugar!) What’s the third ingredient? High fructose corn syrup (read: more sugar!) So the second and third ingredients are refined sugar. Not exactly diet food is it?
Protein bars such as “Pure Protein” by Worldwide Nutrition are immensely popular these days because so many people are on low carb or reduced carb diets. The bad thing about the “Pure Protein” bars is that most are coated with real chocolate (yes, the same stuff a Hershey’s bar is made of). Others are coated with Yogurt (a slight improvement.)
The good thing about “Pure Protein” is that with 280 calories, 31 grams of protein, 16 grams of carbs and 4 grams of fat, the calories and ratios of nutrients are good for a fat loss program. And the total carbs and sugars are low. Also, it’s a convenient way to get 31 grams of whey protein.
Power bars are energy bars that were designed with endurance athletes in mind. Power bars contain about 80% of the calories from carbs, 20% from protein and minimal fat. An endurance athlete’s diet is very high in carbs, as much as 60% or more of total calories. That makes the Power Bar a decent energy food for endurance athletes in intense training.
Unfortunately, the Power Bar has the same problem as many other bars – it’s mostly sugar. Maltodextrin, an excellent source of Complex carbohydrate, is the second ingredient, but the first ingredient is – you guessed it – high fructose corn syrup. You’ll probably burn all those carbs up if you’re extremely active, but these are not the greatest for a fat reducing program and they’re skimpy on the protein. If you need the carbs, why not just have a piece of fruit instead?
Some of the newest brands of MRP and protein bars have gotten around the refined sugar and saturated fat problem by using fake fats such as Salatrim and artificial sweeteners such as Acesulfame Potassium. When most of the refined sugars and saturated fats are removed, using fake fats and artificial sweeteners is the only way left to make the bars palatable.
There is an ongoing debate about the safety of artificial sweeteners and fake fats. The Center for Science in the Public Interest rates Acesulfame Potassium as one of the top ten worst food additives, because tests showed that it caused cancer in animals. It is important to note however, that these tests involved giving laboratory rats hundreds of times the amount that humans would normally ingest in a day.
Furthermore, the Food & Drug administration (FDA) categorizes it as generally recognized as safe (GRAS), a classification for all food additives that are considered harmless. The American Dietetic Association (ADA) also approves of fake fats and artificial sweeteners including Aspartame and Acesulfame K. The ADA’s position statement on “fake” fats says “Fat replacers may offer a safe, feasible and effective means to maintain the palatability of diets with controlled amounts of fat and/or energy.”
The ADA’s position statement on artificial sweeteners says, “It is the position of the ADA that consumers can safely enjoy a range of nutritive and non-nutritive sweeteners when consumed in moderation and within the context of a diet consistent with the Dietary guidelines for Americans.” Probably the best advice is to just do like the ADA (and your mother) told you and partake of all things, including artificial sweeteners, in moderation.
The new Met-Rx “Protein Plus” bar is one of the new breed of bars that uses artificial sweeteners and fake fats. Let’s take a look at what’s in them: The “Protein Plus” bar contains 300 calories and only 15 grams of carbs. The first ingredient is “Metamyosin” protein. With 32 grams, there’s probably no easier way to get a whole meal’s worth of high quality complete protein when you’re in a hurry.
The second ingredient is a “faux” chocolate coating that includes Maltitol, Salatrim, peanut butter and Acesulfame Potassium. Maltitol is a “sugar alcohol” that is used as a sweetener. It has half the caloric value of sucrose because it is not completely absorbed by the body.
The FDA classifies it as GRAS. Salatrim is a reduced calorie fat developed by Nabisco that has only 5 calories per gram as opposed to 9 calories in conventional fats. Salatrim is used in both solid and liquid forms in snacks, cookies, dairy products, (and now protein bars).
The third ingredient is Glycerine, a crystalline, viscous liquid formed when fat molecules split. It is half as sweet as sugar and is used to keep baked goods, jelly beans and marshmallows moist and to plasticize foods such as fudge, chewing gum, gelatin, cheese, etc. Glycerine is GRAS.
Additional ingredients in the bar include peanut flour, polydextrose (a bulking agent with only 1 calorie per gram), natural flavors, malt barley syrup and peanut butter. Clocking in with 8 grams of fat, or about 24% of the total calories, the Protein Plus bar is not exactly low fat, but the fat is not saturated and the total calories in the bar are not excessive.
Source One bars, also by Met-Rx, are similar, with the protein blend as the first ingredient, Salatrim the second, and cocoa the third. The only difference is the Source One Bar has only 190 calories with 30 grams of carbs and 15 grams of protein. That makes it a decent snack for people on a reduced calorie diet.
All things considered, if you are concerned with staying lean and muscular, then you’re better off with bars that use artificial sweeteners and fat replacers than ones loaded with corn sweetener (refined sugar) and palm kernel oil (saturated fat). No bars are “excellent” nutrition-wise, but some are definitely better than others.
My advice is to read the labels carefully and choose one that is low in calories and refined sugars, uses no saturated fats and has a good protein to carb ratio. Always stick with whole foods whenever possible and make the powdered MRP shakes your second choice. Don’t make it a habit to eat bars regularly – use them for convenience only. But remember, you have to eat something every 3 or 4 hours for a muscle-building or fat reducing diet to work, so if you have no other alternative, a bar might be the only way to get your fill of protein in a pinch.
References:
1. Position of the American Dietetic Association: Use of nutritive and nonnutritive sweeteners. Journal of the Americal Dietetic Association. 98: 580-587, 1998.
2. Position of the American Dietetic Association: Fat Replacers. Journal of the Americal Dietetic Association. 98: 463-468. 1998
3. Anderson, Jean, Deskins, Barbara. Nutrition Bible. William Morrow & Co, New York, 1995.
4. The Best of Nutrition Action Healthletter, “The Ten Worst Food Additives,” Center for Science in the Public Interest, 1996
Tom Venuto.
Check out his 330 page, the #1 best-selling ebook in Internet history “Burn The Fat Feed The Muscle”.
Six Minute Ab Workout
September 11, 2008
I hit the local YMCA for a leg and 6-minute abs workout on Sunday
morning. Six-minute abs is my latest mini-report and workout coming
out in October.
You’ll get a bunch of great beginner and advanced 6-minute ab
workouts that show you how to get six pack abs in less time than it
takes to watch all the commercials in a half-hour TV show. So some
of these workouts you can do right at home in front of the TV.
The one I did yesterday was an advanaced 6-minute workout, and it
requires a chin-up bar. Here’s how it went down…
1A) Hanging Knee Raises (10 reps)
1B) Spiderman Climbs (10 reps per side)
1C) Plank with Arms on Ball (20-30 seconds)
Go through that circuit as much as you can in 6 minutes with as
little rest as possible between exercieses. Don’t even rest once
you’ve completed the circuit, just start back again at the top.
It’s tough. But fun and effective and gets your workout done faster
than ever. And it was a far better use of workout time compared to
the people I watched doing 15 minutes of crunches. What a waste.
I’ll send you the bonus, “6-Minute Abs” workouts on October 1st, as
soon as it is ready!
You CAN train your abs in only 6-minutes!
More information on ab workouts
Neeed a little Motivation
September 11, 2008
Need a little motivation? If so, you have to check out
these inspirational videos at http://FATLOSSFASTTRACK.COM
Chad Tackett (creator of the very first online fitness program, Global
Health & Fitness) has teamed up with Kim Lyons (best-selling author and one
of the trainer’s from The Biggest Loser) to create an extremely effective,
very personalized fat loss program.
They recently asked 9 people to put the program to the test, and you’ll be
blown away by what they achieved in such a short amount of time. You really
have to see it to believe it. Click on the web address above to check ‘em
all out and vote for who you feel is the most improved!
The person with the most votes will win an all-expense paid vacation of a
lifetime with Chad and Kim … and then YOU too should sign up to be one
of their next 10 “testers” to achieve your dream body, and win a dream
vacation for you and a friend.
Also, when on http://FATLOSSFASTTRACK.COM
be sure to get the same fat loss tips, grocery list, and sample diet plan
that Kim gave her Biggest Loser clients – absolutely f’ree of charge!
Exciting stuff, enjoy!
Gregory
Letter From Your Belly Fat
September 10, 2008
How’s it goin’! This is a letter from your ol’ pal, Belly Fat. We had a great run this summer, didn’t we? Lots of good times, great food, and plain ol’ sitting around eating too much.
Well, I’m thinking about sticking around another year if you don’t mind. But you might need to get a bigger pair of pants, as I was thinking about expanding my place down here.
So do me a favor, avoid that interval training you were thinking of doing. The last time you did that stuff, I nearly had to look for a new place to live. I felt like the Wicked Witch of the West in the land of Oz. Did you hear me yelling, “Help me, I’m melting!”?
Instead, stick to that slow cardio stuff. Sure I get a little sweaty, and the ol’ brain up there thinks it’s doing “a real fat
burning workout”, but it’s never enough to melt me outta here.
Another thing, keep listening to those experts who say strength training doesn’t burn body fat. Since research shows they’re wrong, if you added strength training to your program, you’d practically need to throw me a going away party!
After each one of those superset workouts you tried last January it felt like someone lit a match under our collective butt. I was burning up down here!
But boy oh boy, I sure was glad you gave that up and went back to just lifting utensils and not dumbells. Otherwise we wouldn’t have been able to celebrate another summer together this year.
Sometimes I wonder, what did you ever do in college without me, your trusted belly fat? Back then, you were probably one of those people that couldn’t wait to get to the beach to show off your body, unlike these days.
Nope, stay in the shade and keep the cover-up clothes on, that’s the way to go now. Besides, its a lot closer to the cold beer and the BBQ when you’re sitting in the shade avoiding all the fun down on the beach.
Well, it sure was good catching up with you. I’m sure we’ll be in touch more often, as long as you stay away from that Turbulence Training workout routine.
Brings a tear to my eye whenever I even think about that workout program and all the belly fat it’s burned. Heck, it’s fried more fat than a short order cook at a roadside truckstop.
So again, if you want to keep your dear old belly around for another year and another summer, do NOT use Turbulence Training – otherwise, its all over pal, and you’ll never see me again.
Belly Fat says, “Don’t use this”
==> http://www.turbulencetraining.com
Your friend and spare tire,
Belly Fat
PS – Seriously!
Don’t go near that Turbulence Training program unless you want to see me, Thunder Thighs, Manboobs, Jigg Lee Arm Fat, and Luv Handles pack our bags and hit the highway.
It will be a sad farewell, and you’d be stuck with ripped abs, gorgeous glutes, and toned arms, and you know how much attention those guys get from the opposite sex. Who needs it, I say.
PPS – Don’t do what this guy and gal did.
They used Turbulence Training and look what happened to their belly fat. Now please go get me some more comfort food…
“Hi Craig – First, I LOVE your program. In just under two weeks, I have already started seeing definition – that has been my goal for as long as I have been working out (a LONG time). Keep up the GREAT work, and thanks!”
Susan Siceloff
“I lost 14 pounds this month and the weight is just falling off me. My wife says I now look like when we first met and I still have more to go. I can fit into my old jeans again which is a big deal for me. I just cut back on starches and bread and do your routine 2-3 times a week. I never thought in a million years that just 10-20 minutes of weight training followed by some cardio would get me such steady results. I even cheat a bit on the weekends.”
Billy Williams
==> http://www.turbulencetraining.com/
7 Weight Loss Transformation Secrets
September 9, 2008
www.TurbulenceTraining.com
Millions of men and women want to lose weight because they are sick of their
excess body fat and low energy levels. If that sounds like you, then you
need to join the Turbulence Training weight loss transformation contest.
There’s already been some powerful, emotional stories told in fitness
magazines, and folks from all over the world are helping one another to
finally change their bodies. Your weight loss transformation is going to be
an amazing 12 weeks. So I thought this would be the best time to give you my
Top 7 Transformation Tips to help you lose more weight in the next 12 weeks.
Here are my Top 7 Transformation Secrets that you can use to burn fat from
all over your body with Turbulence Training.
Tip #1) Clean out the pantry
One of the biggest pitfalls in a weight loss program is added sugar and
mindless snacking (especially between getting home from work and dinner).
Get rid of the junk. Toss it. Better the garbage can eats it than you do.
Tip #2) Stop doing slow boring cardio
Increase the intensity of your workouts and switch to interval training. And
yes, even beginners can do interval training when using the metabolism-
boosting short, burst workout system.
Tip # 3) Use professionally designed, structured workouts such as my
Turbulence Training Workouts that have been featured in Men’s Health magazine
You should be in and out of your short, burst workouts in less than 45
minutes, three times per week. On the other 4 days of the week, stay active,
getting at least a 30-minute walk in each day.
Tip #4) Set up home gym with ball, bench, and adjustable dumbells
That’s all you need. If you are feeling frisky, you can add a pull-up bar to
your home gym.
But to change your body, you only need a little bit of equipment at home.
You don’t need an expensive gym membership or one of those colossal home
gyms, or even a pricey bowflex.
Your body doesn’t discriminate on price. It simply responds to the
turbulence training you put on your body, and you can do that on the cheap.
Tip #5) Use short, burst Bodyweight Circuits at home instead of using cardio
machines.
Choose 3 lower body exercises and 3 upper body exercises. Alternate between
upper and lower body bodyweight exercises. Watch my youtube video on circuit
training for more details.
Tip #6) Plan, shop, and prepare your food
Finding the right nutrition program is CRITICAL to success, and so is
planning. You can’t out-train a bad diet, but you can out-plan bad habits.
So invest 2 hours on the weekend to prepare as many of your fat burning
meals as possible for the week ahead.
Tip #7) Get Social Support
This is the most important Weight Loss Secret that no one pays attention to.
But the bottom line is…you can’t do this on your own.
You need support from others to stick to your workouts, to make the right
diet choices day-in and day-out and to have someone prop you up when you are
feeling down and also to “call you out” when you are feeling like cutting
corners.
Get social support on your side today with help from Turbulence Training.
Put these 7 Secrets to use today and you can lose 14-30 pounds in 12 weeks
just like our past Transformation Contest Winners. And please refer your
friends to the contest. You’ll be supporting them and helping them change
their bodies & their lives.
I can’t wait to hear about your results in the Turbulence Training
transformation contest.
About the Author
Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit www.TurbulenceTraining.com
Fast Track Fat Loss
September 5, 2008
Check out the new Online Fat Loss Program that Chad Tackett recently developed with Kim Lyons (one of the trainers from The Biggest Loser and best-selling author):
This program is going to be even more personal and effective, targeted specifically to those that want to lose fat fast (and permanently), Read more
