Why can I not lose weight? If losing weight were easy, no one would be overweight. Unfortunately, a lot of the foods that are not so great for our waistline are actually taste so damm good…can anyone really not like pizza?

So what I thought I would do is put together a list of the top 20 habits that are ruining your weight loss efforts and a solution for you to implement.

Below is Part 1, which has 10 problem habits (and solutions), Part 2 will be out next week with another 10 Habits that are ruining your weight loss efforts. Hope you enjoy the read and it helps you answers the question “Why can I not lose weight?”

A recent study found that people who snack while using the computer or watching TV consumed on average about one extra meal per day.

Stop eating when you watch TV or you’re on your laptop. Move your TV or laptop away from the kitchen. Eat at a table, without TV..you never know it might even encourage a bit of family conversation.

According to research, just seeing tempting (read guilt-inducing empty calories!) food will make you feel hungrier. It also sparks the release of dopamine, a brain chemical that produces a feel-good sensation and could even intensify cravings.

Move those foods into opaque containers and store out of reach of your prying eyes and rumbling stomach! Creating obstacles to get to that tempting treat buys you time, which means you’ll have the chance to pause and reconsider whether you really need it.

Resist setting out foods buffet style, instead serve your meals from the kitchen. A study in the journal Obesity found that when food is served from the dinner table, people consume 35 percent more over the course of the meal.

Serve your meal in the Kitchen and leave the serving dishes there. When an additional serve requires leaving the table, people hesitate to go back for more.

Typically, they save you only a few calories and, in doing so, they replace harmless fats with low-performing carbohydrates that digest quickly—causing a sugar rush and, immediately afterward, rebound hunger. Researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham found that meals that limited carbohydrates to 43 percent were more filling and had a milder effect on blood sugar than meals with 55 percent carbohydrates. That means you’ll store less body fat and be less likely to eat more later.

It sounds crazy, but stop buying foods marketed as low-fat or fat-free.

People who eat while standing gobble up to 50 per cent more by the time they get to their next meal than those who eat whilst sitting at a table. Standing makes a meal feel more like a snack, which people consider less satisfying say researchers.

Sit down and eat at a proper place setting, even if you’re just munching on hummus and carrot sticks. You’ll feel more satisfied with the food you eat – plus you’ll savour the break

When Canadian researchers sent diet and exercise advice to more than 1,000 people, they found that the recipients began eating smarter and working more physical activity into their daily routines. Not surprisingly, the habits of the non-recipients didn’t budge.

Good news here: By reading this, you’re already forming habits that can help you shed pounds. Follow me on Twitter or Facebook for the fat-melting weight loss tips I share every day.

Aside from being a carcinogenic chemical shit storm, artificial sweeteners have actually failed in their main mission to help people enjoy sweets without gaining weight. If anything, people have been getting heavier since the introduction of sugar substitutes, says dietitian Christina Stark. One study revealed that people who used artificial sweeteners were, on average, about 1kg heavier than people who steered clear.

Switch to a natural sweetener such as Stevia or Xylitol, both of these are derived from plants and contain no chemicals.

Don’t get me wrong I love popcorn at the movies, but movie snacks will hit both your wallet and waistline hard. Be aware of the differences in calories between your favourite cinema snacks so you can make healthier choices.

To start with don’t go to the movie hungry, the smells, sights and sounds at the movies are all strong triggers. If you turn up to the movies hungry it’s going to be harder to resist the temptation. Opt for the small popcorn instead of large (even if the bigger size guarantees you a free drink) or share your popcorn with someone. Take some healthy snacks with you or make plans to eat out after the movie.

According to Wake Forest researchers, people who sleep five hours or less put on 2½ times more belly fat, while those who sleep more than eight hours pack on only slightly less than that. Shoot for an average of seven hours of sleep per night—the optimal amount for weight control.

Make a point of hitting the sack earlier and you could see the difference in your waistline within a week. A great excuse for an early night…as if you need one

A recent US study showed that keeping a food diary was a better predictor of weight loss than exercise! Most people also under estimate how many calories they are actually consuming each day,

Try keeping a food diary. Tracking your food will teach you about which foods to avoid or limit, portion sizes and how many calories you are actually consuming everyday or you could keep a ‘reverse’ food diary: plan out your menu ahead of time and try to stick to it.

Hopefully you can identify with a couple of these problems and work towards trying to eliminate these habits from your everyday life. Stay tuned for Part 2 next week with another 10 Habits that are ruining your weight loss efforts.

If you are struggling on your weight loss journey, you should consider taking a look at my recommended nutrition plan <— Link to Website. Once your nutrition is in order I recommend you have a look at my recommended training program for women <— Link to Website or my recommended training plan for men <— Link to Website.

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Our resident Nutritionist Stephanie McElhaney was so fed up with all the poor information about healthy food out there, that she decided to write a 2 Part series to de-bunk the myths. Last week we published Part 1, here now is Part 2, hope you enjoy the read as much as we did:

• Thyroid problems
• Issues within the intestinal tract
• Obstruction of absorption of essential minerals like iron and calcium in the intestines
• Obstruction of absorption of zinc which is essential for developing brain function, for the reproductive system, and for the prevention of diabetes
• Aggravation of tumors in cancer patients

Fermented soy, the reported good kind, includes things like natto, miso, tempeh, soy sauce, fermented tofu, and fermented soy milk (must be labeled “fermented”). Unfermented soy, the reported bad kind, are soy-based cheeses, milk (when they’re not labled “fermented”), ice cream, and meat products.

Because there’s no conclusive evidence either way, some well respected health organizations won’t weigh in too heavily. The American Heart Association has claimed that there is no evidence to suggest that eating soy can decrease your chance for heart disease (as some sources claim) but they also won’t take a stance against the claim. Same with the Mayo Clinic. My advice; don’t count on it for its benefits and be aware of its possible drawbacks.

Food labels were originally created to help us identify what we’re eating but the better consumers get at reading them, the more creative manufacturers get at manipulating them. You can find over 10 different names for sugar on a food label. Same goes for salt and soy. Then you find things like “other natural flavors” and who knows what that means.

Another way manufacturers try to trick us is in the fat content. By USDA standards, companies can round down to the nearest whole number on food labels. That means 3.8 grams of fat gets rounded down to 3. What’s worse, 0.9 gets rounded down to 0. Let’s say a serving of a particular diet snack food is 1/2 cup and contains 1.9 fat grams. To market the product as “Fat Free,” the company will bump the serving size down to 1/4 cup because the fat grams will then be below 1 and they can legally print “0 grams” as the fat content on the label. You buy the product and since there’s no fat in it, you eat 3/4 cup and unknowingly consume almost 4 grams of fat. Now multiply that over all the diet foods you consume and it adds up quickly. The best option? Eat foods without labels. It’s hard to sneak fat and calories into a banana.

A study at Cornell University shows our bodies absorb more vitamin C from eating a small apple than from 1500mg of vitamin C supplements. The average apple contains nowhere near 1500mg of vitamin C so the study’s aim is at showing just how little nutrients our bodies absorb from artificial supplements. And since apples contain more nutritional benefits than just calcium, eating an apple is a far better nutritional decision than popping some vitamins.

The answer to better overall health is not to increase the amount of supplements you take… overdosing on supplements can be more hazardous to your health than not consuming enough. The answer is to eat a more rounded diet. There’s a ton of great information out there that can tell you what vitamins and anti-oxidants you can find in each food but that gets overwhelming and hard to apply. The best advice I can give you is to eat all the natural colors you can; eat more green than anything and add some red, purple, orange, yellow, and blue. You can’t go wrong sticking to fruits and vegetables with lots of color.

There you have it, make sure you drop a comment below and let us know if you agree or disagree with any of Stephanie’s myths. Again if you missed Part 1, simply click here.

If you are struggling on your weight loss journey, you should consider taking a look at my recommended nutrition plan <— Link to Website. Once your nutrition is in order I recommend you have a look at my recommended training program for women <— Link to Website or my recommended training plan for men <— Link to Website.

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Our resident Nutritionist Stephanie McElhaney was so fed up with all the poor information about healthy food out there, that she decided to write a 2 Part series to de-bunk the myths. Here is Part 1, hope you enjoy the read as much as we did:

It’s been said over and over again that when companies “remove” fat and calories from food, they’re adding other things we shouldn’t be eating, like excess salt and unnatural sweeteners. It’s definitely true but there are other reasons to stay away from low calorie diet foods.

People who replace “normal” food with the low calorie version often think they can indulge more because they can eat more of the diet stuff and still consume fewer calories. They continue to eat large portions of their diet food and over time, they condition their brain to larger portion sizes. That works for a while but rarely do people stay on a low calorie diet. Eventually, we all migrate back toward our old eating habits and since we’ve redefined our idea of portion sizes, we eat larger portions than we did before the diet. Before long we’ve gained back all the weight we lost. And then some. Hence yo-yo dieting.

Instead of focusing on diet and low calorie food, find ways to reduce your caloric intake while still eating the foods you love. For some, adding less sugar to their favorite recipes as a great option. As a chef, I can’t bring myself to compromise the quality of a good, classic recipe so instead of changing the recipe, I change my portion. I’m much happier eating 1/3 cup of a rich bread pudding than I am a full cup of low-sugar angel food cake. It takes more discipline but not more than we’re capable of. Explore your options and do whatever gives you the greatest chance at success.

Let me start by saying that there aren’t enough nutritional benefits to highly processed grains for me to endorse them so I’m not necessarily pro-flour. But the idea that gluten is at the root of obesity and poor health has been growing in popularity for years and it’s just not true. For me, there was no better proof than visiting Europe. The French eat bread like it’s their job and at a healthy BMI, I felt obese next to the Parisiennes on the Metro.

It’s estimated that less than 10% of the population has a gluten intolerance and only 1% have celiac disease yet the market shelves are flooded with “gluten free” products. It’s great for a former co-worker of mine who was diagnosed with celiac disease long before it was trendy… he has way more food options now than he ever had before. But for the other 90% of us, gluten is not the problem. The problem is our lifestyle.

Eat the foods you love (in moderation, of course) and find ways to increase your activity levels. I said “no” to drive-thru anythings quite a while ago in an effort to increase my activity and it has helped. Wash your car at home instead of driving through a car wash. Mow your own lawn instead of paying someone to do it (let’s be honest, you were just watching TV or surfing the web anyway). At the very least, commit to walking or jogging. Start small and slowly increase your distance. Every little bit is a step in the right direction.

This is far from the truth. It can seem true to people who eat out more than they cook but that’s because they have barren cabinets. When they want to cook a meal at home, they usually have to purchase everything they need for that one dish. People who cook often and have a well stocked pantry use one product for several different meals so they stretch their purchases farther.

To save money on nutritious foods, stay away from trendy, over-priced markets. Eating organic food is fine but it can be costly. An apple, even one that’s not organic, is always a much better option and less expensive than a bag of artificially coated nacho cheese tortilla chips. Stick to your favorite run-of-the-mill grocery store or farmer’s market and watch for sales on meat and produce. It’s the best way to eat well without breaking the bank.

I’m not sure where this myth started but it has gained popularity over time. It seemed a little sketchy to me when I heard it a few years ago so I did some research.

At first, I read that coconut oil is lower in fat and calories than other types of oil but since it’s almost completely saturated fat, it’s worse for your overall health. That was enough for me to confidently tell people to avoid it. I did some additional research in preparation for this article and upon digging further, I found that coconut oil has the exact same amount of calories by volume as olive oil and has 0.5g fat less per tablespoon. Only coconut oil is 94% saturated fat versus olive oil which comes in at 14% saturated fat.

Olive Oil is a Great Source of Essential Fats

Our bodies need fat for a multitude of reasons and topping the list is for energy and vitamin absorption but not all fats are created equally. Saturated and Trans fats raise our LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) which increases our chances for heart disease and diabetes. Unsaturated fats lower overall blood cholesterol and decrease chances for heart disease and diabetes.

Those of us who consume meat and dairy products get our fair share of saturated fats and need unsaturated fats to balance the effects. The best sources for unsaturated fats is plant-based oils (like canola and olive), avocado, nuts, and fatty fish (tuna and salmon). If you replace canola or olive oil, one of your top sources for unsaturated fat, with coconut oil, you tip the scales in the wrong direction.

There you have it, make sure you drop a comment below and let us know if you agree or disagree with any of Stephanie’s myths. Stay tuned for Part 2 which will be out shortly.

If you are struggling on your weight loss journey, you should consider taking a look at my recommended nutrition plan <— Link to Website. Once your nutrition is in order I recommend you have a look at my recommended training program for women <— Link to Website or my recommended training plan for men <— Link to Website.

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The post Information About Healthy Food: 7 Myths De-Bunked – Part 1 appeared first on No Excuse Fitness.

Have you made any fitness or nutrition new year resolutions yet? Have you already broken them? Don’t give up, the year has only just begun.

Making a new year resolution is easy, keeping it is the hard part. All you might need is a bit of guidance to harness your motivation and enthusiasm.

For a better chance of achieving your fitness and nutritional goals follow my best new year resolutions tips…

You must identify the reason you want to change. If you embark on a new fitness regime or healthy eating plan without a reason, then you will fail. How do I know you will fail? Because you don’t know why you are trying to make a change. Identifying your reason for change will allow you set your goals.

Make you resolution quantifiable. Don’t make a resolution such as ‘I am going to lose weight’, your resolution should be to lose a certain amount of weight. Making your resolution quantifiable will enable you to set your goals and identify your finish line, giving you something to strive for.

Don’t make too many resolutions and make sure the ones you do make are something you really want to achieve. By this I mean don’t make a resolution based on the suggestion of a partner or friend.

We can all use a little help now and then!

Once you have thought of your resolutions, document them and record your progress. Write down your resolutions and put them somewhere you will see several times a day. Some ideal places are on the fridge at home, on a wall in your bedroom, in your purse or wallet, even save them in your phone or computer. It doesn’t matter where you put them, you just want to reinforce them to yourself several times a day. In addition keep a track of any progress you have made in a diary or notebook.

Give your resolution a deadline. A resolution without a deadline is a dream. If your resolution does not have an end date then it is not measurable. When giving your resolution a deadline, be sure to break your main resolution into smaller milestones with a deadline of their own. For example, if you are trying to lose 10kg, break it down into 10 mini milestones ie: 1kg within a certain time frame.

Achieving your new year resolutions can be difficult, but not impossible. Like everything in life, you will need to commit to it, work hard and attack it with intensity and consistency. Even the best new years resolution tips won’t help you if you are not committed to achieving your goals.

Millions of people around the world have spent their hard earned money on fitness fads and gadgets only to be disappointed when they don’t achieve the body of their dreams. Remember there are no quick fixes when it comes to your health. Make this year the year you overhaul your lifestyle by committing to getting active and eating better.

Once the festive season is over, it’s time to get back on track. If you are struggling on your weight loss journey, you should consider taking a look at my recommended nutrition plan <— Link to Website. Once your nutrition is in order I recommend you have a look at my recommended training program for women <— Link to Website or my recommended training plan for men <— Link to Website

If you have any questions or want any more help with achieving your new year resolution, simply drop a comment below or message me through the contact me section.

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The post 5 of the Best New Year Resolutions Tips appeared first on No Excuse Fitness.

Like most people you are probably a bit worried about the impact of Christmas on your waistline, so what I thought I would do is give you all 10 quick tips to help you get through the festive season, and avoid Christmas weight loss guilt:

Always carry some healthy snacks with you whilst you are out.  If you suddenly realize that you haven’t eaten for ages, which can happen around Christmas time with so much else going on, then you don’t have to rush to the closest fast food outlet to satisfy your hunger. Good options are raw nuts, a low-calorie bar or a piece of fruit.

My advice is (unless there is a medical reason to do so) don’t aim to lose weight during the festive season.  This can leave you feeling deprived and may even lead you to binge eating on the very foods that they have been trying to avoid.  Focus more on not gaining weight rather than losing it. If you do lose any weight during this time, look at it as a bonus.

As is the tradition in my family, this time of year involves a large amount of food. When faced large amounts of festive food, fill up on the healthier options and have only a small amount (or none) of the others. You can often find healthy foods at Christmas parties, you just need to be selective!

Look at the food on offer & make smart choices before filling your plate.  Only pick the foods you really want, this will ensure that you won’t overeat.

Be Choosy!

Remember that fresh, whole foods are always better than processed ones.  The same goes for homemade foods over shop-bought ones.

Make sure you eat regularly throughout the day, rather than saving yourself for one massive meal.  Also eat a small protein rich snack before going out for a meal, as it will prevent you from over-eating later.

This sounds like a no-brainer, but we have all eaten to we are uncomfortable (I know I have…can anyone say all you can eat).  Make sure you only eat until you are satisfied, not totally over-full, if you get hungry later, you can always snack on any healthy leftovers.

Not only are alcoholic drinks full of ‘empty’ calories, they can impair judgement.  So if you overindulge, you are likely to eat more of the very foods that you are trying to limit.

Keep exercising! Get some family activities going, play with the kids and their new toys or if your in Australia organize a game of backyard cricket.

Don’t suffer through this period, after all it is the holiday season! Especially on Christmas day, it is only one day of the year….enjoy yourself.

Once the festive season is over, it’s time to get back on track. If you are struggling on your weight loss journey, you should consider taking a look at my recommended nutrition plan <— Link to Website. Once your nutrition is in order I recommend you have a look at my recommended training program for women <— Link to Website or my recommended training plan for men <— Link to Website

Drop a comment below if you have any other tips that you use to get through the festive season!

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