Archives for April 2018

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Few diets have divided the health and fitness community quite as much as the ketogenic diet. Labelled by some as a fad and others as a weight loss miracle, this diet is a high-fat, low-carb diet that is actually prescribed by doctors to help reduce epileptic seizures in children.

But what is the keto diet, what are the principles and are the diet’s detractors right, or is this truly an effective, fat-burning diet?

We know that programs like 7 Day Detox and HIITMAX have proven to be effective, natural ways of losing a lot of weight, but what about the keto diet?

How Does the Ketogenic Diet Work?

The ketogenic diet works by depriving the body of glucose, a primary energy source and one that we mainly get from carbohydrates. When there is not a sufficient amount of glucose to fuel the body, the liver produces something known as “ketones”, which then provides the fuel.

Ketones are synthesized from fat and the more of this the body has, the more will be produced. Once insulin levels drop the body enters a stage known as “ketosis” in which it switches to using fat as a primary energy source. And because the body is wrapped in insulating layers of fat, the weight loss begins.

Contrary to what you might think, the ketogenic diet should not leave you feeling tired and rundown all day as your body still has an energy source. It is also effective in reducing hunger.

The body also produces ketones when you fast and when you drastically reduce your calorie intake. The ketogenic diet is simply a way to trigger this process without starving yourself of essential nutrients.

Is the Ketogenic Diet Right for me?

It’s not recommended for everyone and there are some situations in which you will need to first consult with your doctor or to get some additional support. These include times when:

• You are breastfeeding

• You are on medication

• You are taking insulin to control diabetes

• You have a preexisting illness

Foods to Eat on the Keto Diet

The ketogenic diet is not an excuse to eat foods rich in saturated fats, nor is it a ticket to eating all you want without worrying about weight gain. You still need to focus on healthy eating, but you can take a few more liberties than when you’re trying to eat a healthy, balanced diet.

Most keto diets recommend that you consume fewer than 50 grams of carbs a day, with some recommending no more than 20. Foods that are very low in carbs include:

• Fish/Seafood

• Eggs

• Meat

• Cheese

• Non-Starchy Vegetables (usually anything grown above ground)

Foods to Avoid on the Keto Diet

The reality of this diet can be a shock to anyone who goes into it thinking that they can eat what they want and enjoy the dieting process, because many of the comfort foods we like to binge on are rich in carbs and are therefore out of the question.

The following foods will likely push you well above your daily dose of carbs in one sitting:

• Pizza

• Pasta

• Bread

• Rice

• Wheat

• Pancakes

• Waffles

• Root Vegetables (key to the Sweet Potato Diet)

• Fruits

• Cereals

You will also need to keep an eye on the sugar that you consume as it’s often used to improve the taste of many processed foods, as well as being added to coffees, teas and many other things we consume on a daily basis. And don’t think you can just substitute it for honey, because as far as the keto diet is concerned, it’s just as bad.

Finding an effective sugar substitute that doesn’t pile on the carbs can be one of the trickiest aspects of the ketogenic diet for anyone used to a high-sugar diet.

What to Drink on a Keto Diet

Coffee and tea made with carb-free, all-natural sweeteners like stevia can satisfy your need for caffeine on the keto diet, but water is usually the best choice. Juices, smoothies and soda will send you over your carbohydrate limit and are best avoided.

Try our all-organic GRIND COFFEE BLEND for the best and healthiest coffee.

Alcohol on a Ketogenic Diet

Alcohol is never a good idea if you want to lose weight, but there are better choices if you can’t say no to an occasional tipple.

Beer and cocktails are probably the worst things you can drink on a ketogenic diet, but red wine will give you the alcohol you need without all those extra carbs. Sprits are even better, but remember that all alcohol is calorific and will therefore only slow you down on your weight loss journey.

Which Celebrities Use the Keto Diet?

Halle Berry is one of the most famous names that has been linked to the ketogenic diet, and she has been quite vocal in her support of it. She claims that it helps with her diabetes and also allows her to eat healthy fats all day long.

Gwyneth Paltrow, who seems to have been linked with every diet going, is also a proponent of the keto diet. Just like Halle Berry, she’s an ageless beauty who manages to remain elegant and trim despite having children and despite the tides of time working against her, but she also started a lifestyle company that endorses vaginal steaming, so maybe we should take what she says with a pinch of salt.

It’s not just actresses either. Former world champion heavyweight boxer Tyson Fury is currently said to be using this diet in order to get back into shape. The diet was recommended by a nutritionist that the Fury team drafted in to help cut the British boxer down to size. His calorie intake was said to be 3,500, so it’s likely a lot more than the average dieter, but the principles of the diet were the same.

The Ketogenic Diet and Epilepsy

In the UK and the US, this diet is widely prescribed for children who don’t respond well to other treatments. In the UK, the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence, which oversees the National Health Service (NHS) for the Department of Health, recommends that it be prescribed for children only. That’s not to say that it’s somehow dangerous when utilized by adults for weight loss purposes, but that it’s not as effective in adults with non-responsive epilepsy.

Are Raspberry Ketone Pills a Scam?

Yes, pretty much. Your body can enter a ketogenic state simply by following the guidelines mentioned above and there is no proof that these pills will assist with that process. What’s more, ketone pills operate on the boundaries of the supplement industry. They are unregulated, not produced by well-known and reputable companies, and don’t always contain what’s on the label.

And just like the acai berry cleanse craze, these pills are often used to trap buyers into subscriptions that they can’t get out of. They make unsubstantiated claims, they use labels like “Endorsed by [Insert name of celebrity]” and “Backed by medical experts” to get you to part with your money, even though a simple Google search will tell you that none of that is true.

These pills are one of the biggest reasons why the ketogenic diet has a bad name in many circles, because when people hear the name “keto” they automatically think of the raspberry ketone scams, as opposed to the clinically proven diet.

Even if there is the tinniest slither of truth to the claims that raspberry ketones are effective, it’s not a product you should be buying into until those scams disappear.

Chocolate Sunflower Butter Cups

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Coconut Vanilla Cold Brew

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Banana Coffee Chocolate Chip Muffins

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One of the biggest mistakes that people make when trying to lose weight is to focus on the scales. If you get a good set then they will give you an accurate reading of your total body mass, but it doesn’t quite paint a complete picture.

That’s because total body mass also factors in the lean mass of your muscles. When you’re trying to lose weight you will also be building muscle, whether because the basic bodyweight and aerobic exercises you’re doing are stimulating growth, or because you’ve been advised (as you should) to lift weights. If you lose fat and gain muscle then you’ve taken a huge leap towards your goals, but because your mass likely won’t change much, this won’t reflect on the scales.

It can work the other way as well. How many times have you started a diet, watched as those scales have plummeted in the first week or two and then lost your motivation when you have failed to maintain that weight loss? That’s because a lot of that early weight loss was water, not fat. When you overeat and consume unhealthy foods your body is flooded with sodium, which retains excess water in your body, bloating you. When you start to eat healthily, as you would on a Custom Meal Plan and cut that sodium down, that excess water floods out, meaning you will weigh less and be less bloated, but won’t necessarily have any less fat.

Forget about the scales and stop concerning yourself with how much you weigh. Focus on your body fat percentage—this is what will give you an accurate representation of how well you are doing and how fit you are becoming.

How to Measure Body Fat at Home

There are a few ways that you can measure your body fat without opting for the full water displacement services used by the professionals. However, not all of these methods are effective and some will give you a reading that is nowhere near as accurate as you need it to be.

• BMI Indexes: These indexes are great if you fall into the “average” spectrum and don’t lift weights (they can’t differentiate muscle from fat). But you’d be better off using a pair of scales, which tells you just how useless these indexes are.

• BIA Scales: Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis is effective when used on a large scale, but not when implemented in scales designed for home use. They send electrical signals through your body and these can effectively measure fat content, but if the scales are for standing on then it will only give an accurate reading based on your legs and if they are handheld the reading will only be accurate for your arms. Your body retains fat differently throughout, so this is not an accurate measurement tool.

• Calipers: The cheapest and best method for measuring body fat at home. There is no one-click solution and you will need to learn a technique, which is why this method is not as preferred as the “quick-fix” options above. But it is the best way to understand your body fat.

How to Use Calipers

There are two kinds of calipers: basic and electronic. The former often come bundled with a tape measure and will cost you less than $5. The latter will set you back several hundred dollars. The electronic option is better as the reading is more accurate, can be stored and is instant. But the cheap plastic calipers will suffice.

To use the calipers you just need to pinch your skin to the muscle using the finger and thumb of one hand, pull it up so that you can be sure you have only fat and not muscle, and then pinch the calipers into the fat fold to get a measurement.

You need to take three measurements:

1. Halfway between the crease of your right arm and your right nipple.
2. One inch to the side of your navel on the right side.
3. Halfway between your knee and hip on your right leg.

You can use this free body fat calculator to get an accurate reading based on these measurements. Just select the “Skinfold” option and punch in your measurements.

What is the Ideal Body Fat Percentage for Men?

A man’s body has and needs less fat than a woman’s body. On average, young men will have a body fat percentage of between 20% and 25%, and this average gradually climbs as you go through the age groups, arriving at just over 30% in those over the age of 60.

The “overweight” level is 23%, while “obese” is classified as anything over 30%. The ideal body fat range for men is:

• Athletic: 7% to 13%
• Lean: 14% to 17%
• Normal: 18% to 22%

What is the ideal Body Fat Percentage for Women?

The average body fat percentage for young women is over 30% and gradually climbs to more than 40% in those twilight years.

However, according to official body fat guidelines, women with 40% or more body fat percentage are “obese”, while anywhere from 32% to 39% is classified as “overweight”. If you are in the following percentile then you are in an ideal range:

• Athletic: 14% to 20%
• Lean: 21% to 25%
• Normal 26% to 31%

Body Fat Percentage for a Six-Pack 

A six-pack has become a status of athleticism and optimum health, even if that isn’t the whole truth. If you have strong abs, a low body fat percentage, and good genetics then your six-pack should show, but it takes a lot of work to get to that point.

Men and women in the “normal” category will not see any signs of a six-pack and even the majority of those in the “lean” category won’t see much. Women need to drop their body-fat to around 20% on average, while men need to reduce it to around 9%. You will start to see the beginnings of a visible six-pack before this, of course, but for those washboard abs, you need to reduce that body fat further. You will also need to be doing the right exercises, as shown in the guide Six Pack Finishers. 

The problem with reducing your body fat like this is that it is possible to go too low. Your body needs that fat, which is why it fights hard to keep it. It helps to regulate body temperature and plays an essential role in vitamin absorption. If you are a man, your body will need at least 3% (maybe more) to perform these basic roles. If you are a woman then this number climbs to 13%. If you go below this amount then you’ve hopped, skipped and jumped over the “healthy” line and are in very dangerous, potentially fatal, territory.

It’s not worth sacrificing your health or your life for visible abs, so don’t push yourself beyond—or even anywhere near to—those limits.