Here’s more credible research to prove the Mediterranean Diet is one of the healthiest ways to eat.

A report published in the Journal of the American Diatetic Association studied 1,551 people (55 – 80 years old) who were at risk for diabetes or cardiovascular disease.  Participants were randomly assigned to a control group or to either of two Mediterranean diets.  Those who followed the diet also got personalized motivational sessions and group educational sessions on a quarterly basis during the 12-month study period. 

Participants in both Mediterranean diets increase their intake of healthy nutrients such as olive oil, nuts, vegetables, legumes and fruits.  Intake of fiber, monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat also increased in the Mediterranean-diet groups.

“A 12-month behavioral intervention promoting the Mediterranean diet can favorably modify an individual’s overall food pattern,” the researchers concluded.

Usually when I meet with a client for the first time they tell me they have a goal to lose a certain amount of pounds or to fit into a skinny pear of jeans.  I tell them to throw away their scale and think about something else more important.

I tell them they need to focus on another type of goal initially, then these other types of goals will kinda work out on their own automatically.

If you’re first starting out in a fitness program, it’s best to put the weight loss goal on hold and instead focus on learning how to fit consistent exercise into your life for at least 6 months.  This is a lifestyle change, and when a person does this, weightloss or whatever other goal they have, becomes effortless.

Think about it.  If you can’t exercise regularly for at least 4- 6 days per week, you won’t accomplish your fitness related goals no matter how good you created your goals.  On the other hand, if you exercise regularly 4 – 6 per week  following correct exercise principles and eat healthy, you can’t help but succeed.  It’s that simple, really.

After 6 months of exercising regularly and you’ve successfully incorporated exercise as a lifestyle, you can then create other specific types of goals, such as reducing your bodyfat percentage by 2% within 30 days, fitting into your favorite jeans within 3 weeks, lowering your Total Cholesterol to 180 by a specific date, winning a tennis tournament by the end of summer, etc.

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  I truly believe this.  Here’s the high energy breakfast I had today:

• Organic Whole Grain Cornmeal Pancakes (Red Mill Brand) with sugar free syrup
• Soy bacon (Morningstar Brand)
• Fresh-squeezed juice (orange, carot, apple, and pear)
• Cup of Colombian coffee with Stevia

Wow!  This was really great!

When life gets hectic and we’re crunched for time, it is more tempting than ever to skip a workout or two, or postpone our workouts for 1 – 2 weeks till things get back to normal.

Let me tell you, this is the worst thing you can do.

This is the time when self-care is most urgently needed to reduce feelings of stress, build emotional resilience, and replenish our good humor and good will.  Think again before skipping out on your next workouts and consider the following benefits of regular exercise:

• improvements in mood
• increased energy
• more self-confidence
• better health
• increased focus on friends and fun
• improvements in quality of life
• improved emotional resilience

You may accomplish more by completing that special project at work early by not working out for a while, but you will usually pay for it in other ways in the long run, such as having a weakened immune system from working rediculously long hours.  How many times have you come up with the flu and been stuck at home sick for a week or two? 

When clients ask me “how often should I exercise,?” I tell them “go for around 4 – 6 days a week, unless you really get busy and stressed out.  In that case, you need to exercise every day.”

How can you afford not to exercise during hectic times?

Many people I talk to complain they don’t feel rested enough when they get up in the morning, even though they went to bed early.

One reason could be, which many aren’t aware of, is that they are sensitive to the light in their bedrooms.  I don’t mean lamps, I mean the light sources that never go dark, like the alarm clock readout, the charging indicator on the cell phone or PDA, the monitor on the computer, the battery indicator on the cordless phone or answering machine, the stero system, etc. 

These little bits of light can interfere with your ability to fall asleep easily and may also prevent you from achieving a deep, restorative rest. 

What can you do?  Improve your environment by creating an electronic sundown at each night.  Around 10:00 p.m., shut down your computer, charge your cell in another room, turn off the TV and stereo, and other devices.  If you can’t live without these devices on at night, wear a sleep mask.

The period of darkness will reset your natural rythm and help you face your next day energized, and not empty.  Also, keep in mind that during sleep is when your body recovers most from your workouts and actually helps you get stronger and healthier.  A lack of quality sleep will slow your progress in the area of health and fitness.

There’s a lot variety when it comes to pizza crust because every restaurant makes there pizza differently.   It’s what makes a pizza unique, and what people remember .

Of all the popular pizza chains in America, I haven’t come across one yet that is actually healthy.  They all tend to use cheap ingredients and cheap oils.

It’s best to make your own pizza crust or buy one from a reputable market, such as Whole Foods Market.  Look for whole grain or corn meal crusts.  You will get the added benefit of fiber and nutrients, the other national chains won’t have.

However, if you are pressed to make a decision and buy pizza, consider these guidelines:

·         Choosing a thin crust pizza can save from 30 to 120 calories per slice compared to thicker hand-tossed crusts.

·         Deep-dish pizza crust can add up to 50 calories to each slice.

·         Pizza with a crust stuffed with extra cheese add up another 30 calories and 5 grams of fat.

*    Use soy cheese and lots of vegetables as toppings.

My answer to this question is “No.”

You see, weight control is not a matter of what time of day you consume calories, but rather on how the total  number of calories you eat throughout the day compares to the total number you burn.   As long as there’s a balance between calories taken in and expended, people who eat late in the evening do not gain weight.  

The key here is eating the right foods in the right amounts (fist-size portions) every 3 – 3 ½ hours throughout the day and, of course, being active.  If you do this,  you won’t  gain weight if you eat a meal late at night.  I’ve been doing this my whole life and have never had a weight problem.   In fact, I never eat my dinner before 9:00 p.m.  It’s more like 9:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

The problem occurs when people eat to the extreme for emotional reasons or while they are “drunk.” Consuming a ½ pizza with sausage and extra cheese, bag of chips, 6 beers, and 3 shots of Tequila, is just not good for you at all, even if its eaten at 1:00 p.m.

I took notice of this cultural difference when I visited Brazil and Colombia.  In these 2 countries,  dinner is served between 9:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. every single evening.  Additionally, it’s an occasion to enjoy quality time with family and friends, eat great food, and drink an occassional red wine or alcoholic drink.   It’s never a “rushed” event.  And being a guy, it’s not hard to notice the high number of beautiful and slim looking women in these 2 countries.

Eating late at night is also the way of eating in the Mediterranean Region, which happens to be one of the healthiest cultures of the world and has a very low incidence of obesity.   Ask a Spaniard to eat dinner at 6:00 p.m. like so many Americans do and he’ll think you’re crazy.

Dr. Stephen Covey

As we approach the New Year and start making plans for change, read this appropriate quote by the personal development master, Dr. Stephen Covey:

“If we want to change a situation, we first have to change ourselves. And to change ourselves effectively, we first have to change our perceptions. “

How to Feel Like the Incredible Hulk in 2009  (click here to view video)

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Above is an interesting video clip by Tim Ferris, author of the fascinating book, The 4-Hour Workweek, giving a presentation on how to overcome your fears.  Ferris details in his video how he learned to swim as an adult at age 31, learned how to speak Japanese as a teen, and how he learned to master the Tango Dance and eventually win a national competition in Argentina (the only American to ever do this).

Ferris says, “fear is your friend.  Sometimes it tells you what you shouldn’t do; but more often than not, it tells you what you should do.  My best results in life and experiences have come from asking 1 simple question:

What’s the worst that can happen?”

Watch this video and ask yourself the same question.  Then, figure out how to apply to your own big dreams.

I’ve been keeping track of the race by the cola multi-nationals to introduce a stevia-based drink in the United States.  Coca Cola and Pepsi have dumped a lot of research and development for the last several years in Paraguay to bring this type of product to America, but have been shy to release their marketing muscles to promote it since the FDA has not fully supported it (yet).

Stevia is a natural herb grown in Paraguay and South Brazil.  It has zero calories and zero carbohydrates and is very sweet, about 10 times sweeter than sugar.  But it’s a different kind of sweetness, in my opinion.  It’s tastes kind of like liccorice and takes a while to “grow on you.”

I’ve been using it for years ever since the first time I took a trip to Curitiba, which is located in South Brazil.  I use it on my coffee, oatmeal, green tea and cereal.  I like the idea it doesn’t make your metabolism “go crazy” like sugar does.  Stevia is legal in Brazil, Paraguay, Japan, and recently Peru approved it.

According to an article written in the Wall Street Journal, “Coke is expected to launch a drink this week containing stevia in its line of Odwalla Drinks.  Coke is pushing ahead even though the Food and Drug Administration as of Sunday hadn’t issued a formal blessing of the ingredient.”

I’m curious to see how these drinks are received by the American public.  If someone comes across one this week, write a reply on this post and provide some feedback.

Read more on this topic at the Wall Street Journal . . .