May 27, 2010

Chipotle Burrito Bowl – a great weight loss meal!

First I’d like to point Chipotle fans to www.chipotlefan.com. You want to know what Chipotle has to offer and how it will fit into your diet? This is the place to go.

On to the point… I’m sitting here eating a Chipotle burrito bowl with these ingredients:

black beans

guacamole

sour cream

steak

lettuce

cheese

tomato salsa

According to Chipotlefan.com, this burrito bowl breaks down like this:

Nutrition Facts
Amount Per Serving
Calories 705 Cal from Fat 360
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 39g 60%
Saturated Fat 16g 80%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 135mg 45%
Sodium 1440mg 60%
Total Carbs 39g 13%
Dietary Fiber 17g 68%
Sugars 9g
Protein 50g
Vitamin A 0% Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 0% Iron 0%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
INGREDIENTS: Tomato Salsa,Black Beans,Cheese,Sour Cream,Guacamole (4oz),Lettuce,Steak (4oz)

For many of you, this would count as two meals. Cut this in half and you’ve got about 11 net grams of carbohydrates (total minus fiber). This is also a near perfect breakdown of protein/carbohydrate/fat ratio for a S.P.E.E.D. plan:

Fat: 50%

Carbohydrates: 22%

Protein 28%

This is a perfect example of the fact that you don’t have to eat boring, bland food to lose weight. This is a great-tasting meal and it’s perfect for weight loss.

-Matt

P.S. – we have no affiliation with Chipotle, we just think they’re a pretty cool business that is doing some great things. Support them.

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Filed under: diet, weight loss — Tags: , , — Matt Schoeneberger M.S. @ 12:49 pm



May 21, 2010

Eat fat! Really it’s okay.

If you are following a low carb diet then you should be eating a high amount of fat, relative to the other two macronutrients. Fat should make up 40-60% of your calories. The amount will vary depending on the carb intake you are shooting for. Here is an example;

  • Total calorie intake 1,500
  • Carbs @ 20% = 75 grams
  • Protein @ 30% = 112 grams
  • Fats @ 50%, which is the balanced left over = 83 grams

I think the following helps to visualize the relative macronutrient intakes. Protein should stay about the same while the carbs and fats vary. In fact, you should figure out your protein needs first. A protein intake of about 1.5g/kg (.7g/lb) is a good place to start.  As carbs or fats go up the other one should go down.

Here is a low carb view

Here is a high carb view

If you are eating a low carb diet make sure you are eating some good fats, such as whole eggs, dark meats, nuts, seeds, avocados, coconut, and olives. You still need to be aware of the amounts, but these foods should be part of  your regular diet. These foods not only have some good fats and taste good but are also loaded with many health promoting nutrients. Bon appetit.

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Filed under: Uncategorized, diet, weight loss — Jeff Thiboutot M.S. @ 2:43 pm



May 13, 2010

Our interview by Jimmy Moore

Recently Jimmy Moore of livinlavidalowcarb.com interviewed Matt and I for one of his weekly podcasts. It is now available. Click below to listen.

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Filed under: Uncategorized, weight loss — Tags: — Jeff Thiboutot M.S. @ 9:26 am



May 4, 2010

Losing body fat and getting toned

Just a little more about what it means to “get toned” and what that really means – losing body fat

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Filed under: weight loss — Tags: , , — Matt Schoeneberger M.S. @ 9:07 am



April 26, 2010

How to get a toned midsection

We don’t like using the word toned, and I explain why in the video above. Let’s all try to avoid this word and say more specifically what we mean.

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Filed under: Uncategorized, weight loss — Tags: — Matt Schoeneberger M.S. @ 9:27 am



April 15, 2010

Do I use my HR monitor or the elliptical to tell how many calories I’m burning?

We received this question from one of our readers:

So today I have been on the Elliptical machine for 30 minutes and according to the machine, I burnt 310 calories. According to my HRM, I burnt 384 calories.

Which one is the most accurate?

Is the HRM alone more accurate because it takes into account sitting Heart Rate?

Is the Heart Rate Monitor with the HRM ready cardio machine more accurate because it takes into account your Heart Rate plus actual speeds and levels worked?

Working out on LifeStride Ellipticals.

Good question. I’m assuming your goal is weight loss, since you’re counting calories, so I’ll answer the question from a weight loss perspective.

The difference between the two different readings you have is 74 calories, about as much as one of those little yogurts that are supposedly great for weight loss (they’re not). The difference is pretty much negligible and here’s why:

Let’s say you’re burning 350 calories in a workout like this and let’s assume you need to burn 3500 calories to lose 1 pound of fat. It would take you ten workouts like this to burn 1 pound of fat, all other things being equal. If you use the numbers you provided, it would take you about 11 and 9 workouts to burn 3500 calories for the 310 and 384 calorie workouts, respectively.

“But Matt, that’s not negligible at all! I’d need to do 2 extra workouts to lose 1 pound of fat!”

True, but you must keep in mind that those 74 calories can be blasted by a few extra nuts, one more bite of steak, a tablespoon more cream in your coffee… you get the idea. The amount of calories you burn during exercise is not something that is worth focusing on as an absolute measurement. However, I do feel that if you pick one method of measurement and use that as a tool of progress, it may be productive. In other words, if you choose the HRM and you burned 384 today, try to burn 400 tomorrow, and 415 the day after, and so on, regardless of what the absolute number is.

Overall, I think the HRM compatible machine will probably give you a more accurate number, but caloric estimations are not all that accurate even in tightly controlled settings. It’s a great question and sometimes these number games are fun to focus on because they increase motivation. Unfortunately, the calories in/calories out equation is so complex, I don’t feel a 74 calorie difference is worth sweating over. Remember, exercise to maintain muscle while dieting and then to reap the overall health benefits. If weight loss is your goal, focus on counting the calories that are going in… they’re far more important.

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Filed under: Exercise, weight loss — Tags: , , — Matt Schoeneberger M.S. @ 10:27 am



April 14, 2010

Dr. Mercola’s Muscle Metabolism Mistake

Dr. Mercola recently published this article on his site. He starts by discussing new research regarding meal frequency and metabolism. The general sentiment of his article is that eating more often does not increase metabolism, but eating more frequently might help some people control hunger and, in turn, lead to weight loss.

Great! I agree.

Here’s where we part ways. Dr. Mercola goes on to state that exercise has been proven to raise metabolic rate and he continues by saying each pound of muscle burns 50-70 calories/day while fat burns nothing!

We discuss the science regarding his latter claim in our previous post
, Muscle Metabolism Myth

As for exercise raising the metabolism, Stiegler and Cunliffe wrote…

On combined aerobic and resistance training:

“However, considerable controversy remains about the degree of the influence of exercise on RMR [resting metabolic rate].”

On aerobic training alone:

“The impact of exercise intensity on FFM [fat free mass] and RMR [resting metabolic rate] warrants further evaluation.”

On exercise in general:

“Nonetheless, with regard to RMR [resting metabolic rate], the literature to date is still inconclusive, as exercise training has also been associated with reductions in RMR [resting metabolic rate].”

This hardly supports Dr. Mercola’s view that exercise raises the metabolism. Intensity and duration of exercise seem to be tied to its ability to affect metabolism, and most common exercisers are probably not reaching a level of either that would elicit a noticeable metabolism boost. When you take into consideration the other effects being studied, like an adaptive decrease in thermogenesis due to caloric restriction (metabolism slowing down when you eat less) and a reduction in spontaneous physical activity after exercise, the picture becomes less clear.

Our understanding of the calories in calories out equation is minimal, except for the basics. We know that if we’re not losing weight, then our calories in equal our calories out, plain and simple. Many things, it seems, can affect the ‘calories out’ side of the equation but people overlook the most obvious and most easily controllable variables in pursuit of other, less impactful ones.

Focus on what we do know. Eat a calorie-restricted, nutrient-dense diet. Use resistance training to maintain muscle. Perform other enjoyable forms of exercise for overall health.

-Matt

References:

Stiegler P, Cunliffe A. The role of diet and exercise for the maintenance of fat-free mass and resting metabolic rate during weight loss. Sports Medicine 2006; 36(3):239-262.

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Filed under: Exercise, Research, Uncategorized, weight loss — Tags: , , — Matt Schoeneberger M.S. @ 9:37 am



April 13, 2010

A compelling vision for weight loss goals

Having a compelling vision is vital to success in any endeavor. Spend time with your vision by deciding what you really want to become and visualizing that in great detail.
Don’t be mistaken, this is not “The Secret” or some law of attraction mumbo-jumbo. Actually achieving what you see in your vision is going to take hard work and follow-through. Having a vision and using it often is just one more way to keep yourself motivated and on the right track.

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Filed under: weight loss — Tags: , , — Matt Schoeneberger M.S. @ 10:39 am



April 7, 2010

Lies, lies, lies

Sometimes, a little white lie is good for everybody!

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Filed under: diet, weight loss — Tags: , — Matt Schoeneberger M.S. @ 11:19 am



March 30, 2010

Personal Accountability: unimaginably powerful for weight loss

I’m a weight loss coach.  My job is to help people understand what they need to do to lose weight and help motivate them to do it. Over the years I’ve learned that different techniques work with different people and I’ve become increasingly aware of the psychological component of any weight loss endeavor.

At some point, however, personal accountability comes into play. Most clients meet with me for 30 minutes or less, a few times/week. Some less often or for less time. That leaves them a whole lot of time to be left to their own devices and during that time they have to hold themselves accountable for their actions.

Let’s turn this discussion on you. You’re trying to lose weight. I may be able to help you. I may be able to educate you. I may be able to motivate you. I may be able to hold you accountable every so often. But you are the only one with you 24/7.

Stop making excuses. Stop asking for help when you haven’t even applied what you already know. Stop looking for an easy way out. Either you want it or you don’t and no amount of effort on the part of me or anyone else is going to get you there. It’s all about you.

Figure out what your goals are. This should take a while because it’s something you want to get right. After all, you should be consumed with achieving them if they are truly important to you. Decide why you want to lose weight and make sure the reasons are good enough to make you put the fork down when you’re supposed to. Make sure the reasons will be good enough to make you make the right decision every time.

Once you’ve written them down, devise a way to make them available to you at all times. Put them on index cards and carry them with you. Have one set in your bedroom, one in your kitchen, one in your car, one at work, and one wherever you know you’ll need to be reminded of them.

Then, hold yourself accountable to them, because no one else can.

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Filed under: Quick Thoughts, weight loss — Tags: , — Matt Schoeneberger M.S. @ 5:53 pm