You know that nutrition is the most important part of changing your body and creating a lean, defined physique. You don’t need alot of fancy supplements or weight loss pills to get in great shape, you just need good quality food!

The only problem is that, sometimes, it can be boring to eat the same healthy, muscle promoting, fat burning foods! We all stumble, at times, when it comes to preparing our meals or get stumped for new recipe ideas.

I recently came across a great reference and guide book full of recipes and helpful food information for those who want a leaner body. As you know, I don’t often recommend other products. However, this is a great resource for ClubFit members! Since I am no chef, there’s no way I could ever bring you this information by myself!

This is actually a series of ebooks geared to fitness enthusiasts who want to lose fat and preserve muscle, while not being bored with their food!
The books include:

1. Anabolic Cooking: The Cookbook And Complete Nutrition Guide For Bodybuilding & Fitness (packed with more than 200 recipes!)
2. The Complete Nutrition & Cooking Quickstart Guide
3. Anabolic Cooking Meal Plans For Lean Muscle Mass Gains
4. Anabolic Cooking Meal Plans For Optimum Fat Loss (you’ve heard me tell you to “eat to lose!”)
5. Optimum Maximizer Advanced Calorie Calculator (remember, multiple calculations averaged will always give you a more accurate idea of your caloric needs. you can use this along with the ClubFit calculators to fine tune your diet!)

Plus Bonus ebooks

1. Anabolicious Post Workout Shakes
2. The Ugly Truth About Supplements (more supplement info in a future article!)
3. Anabolic Cooking Training And Food Log (you know how I feel about keeping logs!!!)

I really feel that these books cover more than I would be able to put on a single site or podcast!
It’s worth your time to check it out!
Click Here For more information!

Recently, I came across an interesting book called, Eat This Not That! Supermarket Survival Guide: The No-Diet Weight Loss Solution by David Zinczenko. It is certainly worth picking up if you want help deciphering supermarket foods! I’ll be sharing a few of the interesting findings here, but there are so many fascinating and eye-opening comparisons, that you may want to get the book too!

Yogurt usually seems like a healthy choice as a snack or dessert. You must beware of the sugars! Some yogurts have way too much! For example, according to the book, Eat This Not That! Supermarket Survival Guide: The No-Diet Weight Loss Solution, some of the biggest offenders of sugar laden yogurts (each is 1 container (170grams) are:
1. Yoplait Original 99% fat free, cherry. Sure, it’s just 170 calories, but the 27 grams of sugar translates into 108 of the total calories! The fruit in the yogurt is not the culprit, the second ingredient is sugar!

2. Dannon All Natural low-fat vanilla may seem like an easy healthy choice with 150 calories. But again, with 25 grams sugar (25*4=100 cals from sugar), you’re eating as much sugar as a Kit Kat! Sorry, I’d rather have the Kit kat

3. Breyers Fruit on the Bottom Smart! Peach says it is “smart” and leads you to think it would be a great choice. At 160 calories and 28 grams sugar, it has as much sugar as a 5-oz cotton candy ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery. Honestly, which would you rather have?

Don’t worry, there are some good choices out there.

1. Breyers-YoCrunch light with oreo pieces makes a great dessert or chocolate munchie treat, without a ton of sugar!
At 120 calories, and 11 grams sugar, you’d be wise to stock this one!

2. Dannon Light and Fit Peach redeems Dannon’s good name in the yogurt category. At 80 calories, and 11 grams of sugar, it doesn’t beat out the Breyers, but it is light and good suurce of calcuim and vitamin-D.

Here’s the link to the book:
Eat This Not That! Supermarket Survival Guide: The No-Diet Weight Loss Solution

Tired of the same old breakfast? Here’s a recipe that is sure to please!
An awesome way to make egg whites into a filling power breakfast!

Egg-White Omelet With Vegetable-Cheddar Filling
3 large egg whites
1 teaspoon water
2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill (optional)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup loosely packed thinly sliced fresh spinach
1 plum tomato, chopped
2 tablespoons shredded nonfat cheddar cheese
Vegetable cooking spray

1. Whisk egg whites, water, dill (if using), salt, and pepper together in a medium bowl until soft peaks form. Toss spinach, tomato, and cheddar together in a small bowl.

2. Lightly coat an omelet pan or small skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat 1 minute. Pour egg mixture into pan and cook until eggs begin to set on bottom.

3. Spread filling over half of omelet, leaving a 1/2-inch border and reserving 1 tablespoon mixture for garnish. Lift
up omelet at edge nearest handle and fold in half, slightly off-center, so filling peeks out. Cook 2 minutes. Slide omelet onto a serving plate and garnish with reserved filling.

Serves: 1
(yummy, yummy, all for you!)

Members: look for more recipes in the nutrition section!

Personal Trainers know that changing your body is 20-30% what you do and 70-80% what you eat! Nutrition and food intake play a major role in the speed of your results. You can maximize weight loss, energy and burn fat all by what you eat and when you eat it!

Diet doesn’t mean restriction! We refer to it as what you eat, good or “bad”. See also Nutrition 101 for information on meals, foods and timing for fat loss!

If you are wondering the “best” foods to melt fat, here are a few:

Sample Protein Choices
EGG WHITES
EGG BEATERS
CHICKEN BREAST
COTTAGE CHEESE, LOW FAT
TURKEY BREAST
TUNA IN WATER
T-BONE STEAK
CHOICE BEEF SIRLOIN

Sample Fibrous carb Choices
GREEN VEGETABLES
APPLE
CANTELOPUE
ORANGE

Sample Starchy Carb Choices
BROWN RICE
CORN TORTILLA
PASTA
OATMEAL
POTATO
SWEET POTATO

Sample Fat Choices
ALMONDS
VEGETABLE OIL
SUNFLOWER SEEDS
BUTTER

Of course, there are many more foods that could be on these lists. This just gives you an idea of each category.  Baked broiled , grilled or lightly sauteed is usually the best way to prepare foods when looking to get lean!  Green and cruciferous vegetables can be eaten in almost any quantity! Just be aware of any topping or dressings you may be tempted to use!!

Silver and Gold Members, click here to download a Sample Nutrient List with additional information on servings and nutrients.

Cinnamon has been found helpful in controlling blood sugar levels. Adding Cinnamon to your oatmeal, coffee or toast will make them taste better and enhance the natural sweetness of foods. This can help you satisfy your sweet tooth without the sweets or added calories!

Nutmeg contains compounds that boost mood! A good mood will make your exercise easier and your food selections better too! Just like Cinnamon, you can sprinkle nutmeg on most food items and use it in smoothies or other drinks.

Always keep Cinnamon & Nutmeg close by to take advantage of these diet helping, fat burning benefits! Listen to Podcast #91 & 92 for all the info!