These 5 Signs of Nutrient Deficiencies are Written All over Your Face!

Doing a number of blood tests, which can be quite expensive, is the usual way to check if you have any vitamin deficiency. Any insufficient amounts of any nutrient will be revealed in this way.

Fortunately, there is a simpler and easier way to discover if you have any vitamin deficiency. And guess what? -- It is completely free!

You should know that your face is able to reveal a lot more than you think. We recommend you to pay close attention and see if you have experienced the following signs that indicate a certain vitamin deficiency.

5 Signs of Nutrient Deficiencies

Pale Complexion

You have a lack of vitamin B12 if your face gets paler day by day. Another symptom of being deficient in this vitamin is having a completely smooth tongue.

That is why you need to check your tongue before making a conclusion. Memory problems and fatigue are also some of the symptoms.

Consume more grass-fed meats, wild-caught fish and organic poultry if you want to improve your condition.

Bad Hair

You might have a vitamin B7 (biotin) deficiency if your hair has seen many bad days being dry, brittle and full of dandruff.

People who take a lot of antibiotics usually experience vitamin B7 deficiency. That happens because antibiotics destroy the intestinal bacteria that synthesize biotin.

Consume more biotin-rich foods like mushrooms, egg yolks and cauliflower if you want to improve your condition.

Puffy Eyes

Some of the symptoms of iodine deficiency are having bloated legs and puffy eyes. Dry skin, weight gain and brittle nails are some of the other signs that indicate an iodine deficiency.

It is time to change your diet if you consume a lot of low-salt foods. If you want to improve your condition, you will have to consume more salty foods.

Even though the main source of iodine for many people is table salt, you should know that you can also use seaweed, sea vegetables and saltwater fish in order to improve your iodine levels.

Pale Lips

Symptoms that indicate a lack of iron are having pale lips and gums. Iron deficiency is more common in women than men. If you start to fill like you want to eat ice, clay or dirt, you should know that your body wants to tell you that you have
a lack of iron.

The consumption of spinach, dried beans, red meat and fish will improve your condition.

Tender or Bleeding Gum

You know that you have a vitamin C deficiency if you have bleeding and acing gums accompanied by teeth which are not in good shape.

Serious health problems, including muscle ache and even scurvy, may occur if you have insufficient amounts of one of the most essential vitamins.

Scurvy is a disease which can result in falling out of teeth if it is not treated on time.

Consume a lot of vitamin C-rich foods like citrus fruits, berries, cantaloupe, mango, kiwi, papaya, red peppers and watermelon if you want to improve your condition.

http://www.goodmorningcenter.com/5-signs-nutrient-deficiencies-written-face/

Diet Mistakes Wrecking Your Fat Loss Results Part 2

Dieting Mistake #4: You’re Too Worried About Your Actual Weight

Unfortunately, too many people are concerned more so with their actual weight, rather than changes in body composition or fat loss – which is the goal 99% of the time, right?

The truth is, apart from your initial weigh in, the actual amount you weigh is fairly meaningless if you use advanced workout techniques such as those in the 90 Day Bikini plan.

Of course decreasing your actual weight can be a measure of progress if you weigh 200 or 250lb and have a large amount of excess body fat, but if you just have 10-20lb to lose it can often deceive you into believing that your diet isn’t successful.

For example, muscle is much more dense than fat, meaning it weighs more. If you’re just beginning an exercise plan, there is a distinct possibility you are increasing muscle mass, while decreasing fat mass, all while giving you the perception that your weight isn’t changing much or is even increasing.

As you can see, focusing on the weight would give you the perception that your diet and exercise is doing the opposite of what you hoped. For example, losing 10lb of fat and adding 10lb of muscle would show as no weight loss on the scales, but you would look visually very different.

Additionally for females, hormonal changes and the menstrual cycle fluctuations can lead to water retention at the worst times, giving you the perception of weight gain, when it’s really just water.

Rather than specifically focusing on your scale weight alone, take bi-weekly photos and tape measurements as we teach people in our transformation plans.

Dieting Mistake #5: You’re Consuming The Wrong Foods

While the amount of calories you are consuming is the number one factor determining your diet success, the types of food you are consuming can make or break your attempts.

Simply eating the amount of calories you need won’t cut it if doing so means you feel miserable and hungry all the time.

Additionally, consuming beverages such as fruit juice and peanut butter can significantly thwart your weight loss attempts as they are extremely calorie dense.

Unfortunately, mainstream media has often confused people into thinking that these foods are healthy, but really they are easy ways to accidentally consume far too many calories with little actual benefit. Fruit juice for example, is often touted as healthy but the truth is fruit juices provide all of the sugar, with none of the beneficial fiber.

While consuming fructose from fruit isn’t inherently bad, it can contribute to a large amount of calories, without affecting your appetite, leaving you hungry and dissatisfied, despite a large calorie intake.

As a result, you’re consuming an incomplete protein source with a very high calorie density, in a food source that is very easy to over consume. Foods like this are a recipe for a failed diet.

I suggest ensuring that you are consuming whole, natural and nutrient dense foods such as protein and vegetables while avoiding or limiting intake of highly processed, calorie dense foods that provide little benefit.

Dieting Mistake #6: You’re Avoiding Healthy Fatty Foods

Fat has been demonized for years and is also the most calorie dense of the three macronutrients. Unfortunately, this has led many people to believe that it is the reason behind obesity and so it is often avoided altogether.

This results in people opting for low fat, carbohydrate and specially sugar-laden foods, which inadvertently increase the amount of calories that are being consumed.

By consuming low fat foods, it’s very likely that you’re consuming far more processed carbohydrates than your body requires, which can lead excess calorie consumption and, of course, weight gain.

Additionally, studies have shown that increasing your fat intake, while maintaining a caloric deficit can be quite beneficial due to hormonal optimization, reduced hunger and increased calories burned from fat.

Additionally, research indicates that for women, specifically, consuming a diet high in fat may be more beneficial than other types (6, 7, 8). This is why so many females shred body fat quickly on my higher fat, lower carb Metabolic Advantage Diet

I suggest that rather than fearing fat intake, consider increasing the amount of fat you consume, while maintaining a caloric deficit to optimize hormones and continue losing body fat.

There Are Your 6 Common Dieting Mistakes

If you feel like you’re making the right strides to weight loss but aren’t seeing results, there is a good chance there is something diet-related sabotaging your results.

Remember, the key points are always:

– Total daily calorie intake

– Focusing on healthy but also LOW calorie dense foods

– Remove or closely monitor healthy but HIGH calorie dense foods such as nuts, fatty meats, butter, oils etc.

– Focus on body fat loss, photos and measurements and NOT the scale weight alone

– Being consistent over the long term

By using the above tips and tricks, it’s possible that you can rapidly increase fat loss progress and overcome any plateaus.

 References

1. Spiegelman, B. M., & Flier, J. S. (2001). Obesity and the regulation of energy balance. Cell, 104(4), 531-543.
2. Veldhorst, M., Smeets, A. J. P. G., Soenen, S., Hochstenbach-Waelen, A., Hursel, R., Diepvens, K., … & Westerterp-Plantenga, M. (2008). Protein-induced satiety: effects and mechanisms of different proteins. Physiology & behavior, 94(2), 300-307.
3. Westerterp, K. R. (2004). Diet induced thermogenesis. Nutrition & metabolism, 1(1), 5.
4. Cho, S. S., Case, I. L., & Nishi, S. (2009). Fiber and Satiety. Weight Control and Slimming Ingredients in Food Technology, 227.
5. Lefranc-Millot, C., Macioce, V., Guérin-Deremaux, L., Lee, A. W., & Cho, S. S. (2012). Fiber and Satiety. Dietary Fiber and Health, 83.
6. Venables, M. C., Achten, J., & Jeukendrup, A. E. (2005). Determinants of fat oxidation during exercise in healthy men and women: a cross-sectional study. Journal of applied physiology, 98(1), 160-167.
7. Phelain, J. F., Reinke, E., Harris, M. A., & Melby, C. L. (1997). Postexercise energy expenditure and substrate oxidation in young women resulting from exercise bouts of different intensity. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 16(2), 140-146.
8. Tarnopolsky, M. A., Atkinson, S. A., Phillips, S. M., & MacDougall, J. D. (1995). Carbohydrate loading and metabolism during exercise in men and women. Journal of applied Physiology, 78(4), 1360-1368.

https://www.rudymawer.com/blog/6-common-diet-mistakes-wrecking-fat-loss-results/

Diet Mistakes Wrecking Your Fat Loss Results Part 1

Common Diet Mistakes Wrecking Your Fat Loss Results

Have you spent the last few months diligently watching what you eat, yet you’re not seeing amazing results?

If this describes your weight loss attempt, you’re not alone and I’m here to help by providing 6 common dieting mistakes

Here’s a review of 6 Common Diet Mistakes Wrecking Your Fat Loss Results (and how to fix them!).

Dieting Mistake #1: You’re Not
Effectively Reducing Calories
Consistently

 Without a doubt, the number one way to begin losing weight is to reduce calories.

The reason for this is the idea of energy balance. This theory postulates that in order for you to lose weight, you’ll need to expend more calories than you consume, creating a negative energy balance (1).

 If you end up eating more calories than you expend via daily metabolism and exercise, it’s extremely likely that you’ll actually gain weight.

In order to begin having a negative energy balance, you’ll need to first find your maintenance calorie intake, or the amount of calories you can consume to neither lose nor gain weight.

In order to do this, you’ll need to track your food intake for a couple days. If after the couple days of tracking, you haven’t gained or lost weight, you can average the total amount of calories and assume that’s your maintenance.

Afterwards, you can have a strong idea of how much or how little food you’ll need to consume in order to effectively lose weight.

The big problem is a yo-yo calorie intake. So, you may get it right Monday-Friday, or even for a few weeks but, a few days off or a few blowout weekends can mess up your progress.

There are 2 key points you need to action: the first one is you need to accurately monitor and assess calories, the next is you need to stay in a calorie deficit consistently for weeks and months, not a few days…

Dieting Mistake #2: You’re Not Eating Enough Protein

Despite all the benefits of protein being well known these days, many people still fail to reach the optimal amount on a daily basis.

Protein is unique in that it not only helps you maintain and build muscle but it also provides an appetite suppression effect and boosts fat loss even when calories are matched (2).

Interestingly, the way that proteins are structured actually makes them quite difficult to digest. In order for them to actually increase muscle, they need to be broken down into individual amino acids, which can take some time to accomplish.

Additionally, research has indicated that because of this difficulty in breaking them down, consuming large amounts of protein actually directly increases the amount of calories you are expending (3).

Since breaking down protein requires energy, having larger amounts of protein will increase the amount of energy needed.

If you find yourself in the situation of not consuming enough protein, I suggest attempting to add it into each meal and even consider using a supplement such as whey protein in between meals. Aim for 30-40g of protein per meal from sources such as meat, fish, eggs etc.

If you track your daily intake, aim for around 1g of protein per 1 pound bodyweight. For example, 120LB individual would consume 120g or more per day, split into 3-5 meals.

Dieting Mistake #3: You’re Not Eating Enough Vegetables

Do you get your 5 a day in? Truth is you probably don’t on a consistent basis and, if you are trying to shred body fat, you definitely need to eat more.

Vegetables are one of the best foods that you can eat as they are basically ‘free food’. They also offer some unique properties that many other foods do not:

1. They have a very large volume to calorie ratio
2. They have a lot of fiber
3. They are very high in water, further filling you up
4. Extremely high in antioxidants and micronutrients

Remember, for weight loss fiber is really important because it slows down the digestion of food and can significantly decrease feelings of hunger (4, 5).

Aim for 2-3 portions of vegetables per meal when dieting, as this will reduce hunger and keep you satiated between meals.

https://www.rudymawer.com/blog/6-common-diet-mistakes-wrecking-fat-loss-results/

How To Reduce Water Retention, Backed By Science

Although you may see lots of fad diets and supplements online, there are only a few ways to reduce water retention naturally, backed by science.

Often, especially when attempting to lose weight, water retention can result in the perception that weight loss is not occurring and make you look bloated, hiding your hard work!

Additionally, water retention can cause discomfort and dissatisfaction with how your body looks and feels, along with digestive issues and stomach ache.

In this article, I’ll describe some scientific techniques you can use to help reduce water retention and allow you to look and feel great, along with looking about 4 weeks leaner in just a few days!

Drink More Water To Reduce Water Retention

Interestingly, one of the best things you can do to reduce water retention is to actually drink more water – sounds odd, right?

Well, the human body is amazing and can adapt to just about any situation. Being dehydrated is no different.

When you restrict the amount of water you are consuming, a hormone called antidiuretic hormone is released from the pituitary gland in response to the amount of water available in the body (1).

When hydration levels are low, this hormone is released, reducing the amount of water that is excreted through urine, making it very concentrated with sodium and other waste products. This actually causes bloating!

When you ensure that you are hydrated, this hormone is restricted from being released, in order to excrete more water which is less concentrated, so you therefore retain less water.

In short, the body needs to maintain a balance of water and sodium; when one is higher in the body than the other, more of it needs to be removed from the body to maintain this balance.

Additionally, when hydration levels are low, the body can react by retaining the water you do happen to consume, in an attempt to balance this ratio. By ensuring that you consume enough water throughout the day, you can optimize this balance between sodium and water and reduce water retention.

Eat Less Salt to Reduce Water Retention

Despite the fact that sodium is essential for survival, having too much of it in your diet can create an imbalance, causing water retention.

As mentioned in the last section, having far too much salt in your diet can offset the balance between sodium and water.

When salt levels in the body rise, antidiuretic hormone is released in order to excrete less water yet more sodium. In doing so, the body will retain water in order to fix the imbalance (1).

Unsurprisingly, multiple studies have indicated that when sodium intake is increased, water retention begins to rise which can lead to unsightly bloat and discomfort (2, 3, 4).

In order to avoid water retention as a result of overconsumption of salt, monitor your intake and attempt to avoid heavily processed foods, which may have high amounts of sodium. As sodium and water work together and maintain a healthy balance, if you consume more sodium you should naturally consume more water to maintain an equilibrium.

Use a Natural Diuretic to Reduce Water Retention

Fortunately, when water retention gets too high, you can turn to natural supplements that have been scientifically shown to have diuretic properties.

Dandelion seems to be one of the most promising supplements for acting as a diuretic. In fact, one study indicated that when subjects ingested a supplement containing dandelion, frequency of urination increased significantly in relation to a placebo group (5).

Astragalus is a traditional Chinese medicine that has been used for years due to its natural diuretic properties.

One study showed that supplementing with Astragalus might, in fact, increase frequency of urination. Additionally, another revealed that supplementation of the herb may aid kidney function (6).

Lastly, caffeine and a popular testosterone-boosting supplement called Tribulus may also have diuretic properties to reduce water retention. A study on the supplement revealed that, when taken regularly, subjects increased the volume of water being excreted through urine, indicating a potential flushing effect of excess water aiding the issue of water retention (7).

Based on the evidence, use of these supplements might promote a diuretic effect, allowing you to excrete excess water and reduce water retention naturally.

Try Restricting Carbs to Reduce Water Retention

Did you know that carbohydrates increase the amount of water stored in your body?

When you consume carbohydrates, they are broken down into something called glucose, which is basically sugar in your blood. When blood glucose rises, it has a couple of different potential fates.

Firstly, this glucose can be immediately used for energy. Alternatively, this glucose can be stored in the muscle in a form called glycogen.

Interestingly, when glucose is transported into the muscle and stored as glycogen, this glycogen also brings water with it.

In fact, one study revealed that for every gram of glycogen stored, roughly 3 grams of water were stored in the muscle with it. If you’re consuming a large amount of carbs, that can equate to a large amount of water being stored (8).

It must, however, be noted that storing glycogen in the muscle along with water is not necessarily a bad thing. Having glycogen and water allows for a usable energy source along with proper hydration, but this can often lead to unsightly bloat and discomfort.

If other methods of dropping water retention fail to help, slightly restricting carbohydrates may help reduce the amount of water that your body is hanging on to.

How To Eliminate Water Retention Naturally

Water retention, while sometimes necessary, can often lead to discomfort and hide your hard work in the kitchen and gym!

Luckily there are a few techniques you can use to reduce the amount of water your body is retaining, as discussed above.

When water intake is low and sodium levels are high, antidiuretic hormone is released, which can cause retention of water to help balance out hydration and sodium levels in the body. Ensuring adequate water intake can help avoid the resultant water retention.

And lastly, using natural diuretic supplements such as dandelion or hibiscus and then restricting carbohydrate intake may be the best combination for you to reduce the amount of water your body is retaining.

References

1. Fressinaud, P., Rohmer, V., Galland, F., Marcais, J., Bigorne, J. C., & Fressinaud, L. (1979, December). Effects of low, normal and high sodium diet on antidiuretic hormone and prolactin (author’s transl). In Annales d’endocrinologie (Vol. 41, No. 1, pp. 63-64).
2. Kojima, S., Inoue, I., Hirata, Y., Saito, F., Yoshida, K., Abe, H., … & Yokouchi, M. (1987). Effects of changes in dietary sodium intake and saline infusion on plasma atrial natriuretic peptide in hypertensive patients. Clinical and Experimental Hypertension. Part A: Theory and Practice, 9(7), 1243-1258.
3. Luft, F. C., Rankin, L. I., Bloch, R., Willis, L. R., Fineberq, N. S., & Weinberger, M. H. (1983). The effects of rapid saline infusion on sodium excretion, renal function, and blood pressure at different sodium intakes in man. American Journal of Kidney Diseases, 2(4), 464-470.
4. Sagnella, G. A., Markandu, N. D., Buckley, M. G., Miller, M. A., Singer, D. R., & MacGregor, G. A. (1989). Hormonal responses to gradual changes in dietary sodium intake in humans. American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, 256(6), R1171-R1175.
5. Clare, B. A., Conroy, R. S., & Spelman, K. (2009). The diuretic effect in human subjects of an extract of Taraxacum officinale folium over a single day. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 15(8), 929-934.
6. Ai, P., Yong, G., Dingkun, G., Qiuyu, Z., Kaiyuan, Z., & Shanyan, L. (2008). Aqueous extract of Astragali Radix induces human natriuresis through enhancement of renal response to atrial natriuretic peptide. Journal of ethnopharmacology, 116(3), 413-421.
7. Murthy, A. R., Dubey, S. D., & Tripathi, K. (2000). Anti-hypertensive effect of Gokshura (Tribulus terrestris Linn.)-A clinical study. Ancient science of life, 19(3-4), 139.
8. Fernández-Elías, V. E., Ortega, J. F., Nelson, R. K., & Mora-Rodriguez, R. (2015). Relationship between muscle water and glycogen recovery after prolonged exercise in the heat in humans. European journal of applied physiology, 115(9), 1919-1926.

https://www.rudymawer.com/blog/reduce-water-retention-backed-science/

Diet Beverages & Artificial Sweeteners

Diet Beverages & Artificial Sweeteners – The Scientific Truth (It May Surprise You)

There’s a hot debate whether diet beverages or soda and artificial sweeteners are healthy or dangerous.

It’s no wonder that so many people are confused (including myself) with some authorities recommending their intake over the high sugar versions, while a lot of other gurus state they are extremely unhealthy and a chemical storm that will wreck your health and cause disease.

As always, there isn’t one clear-cut answer and the issue is often debated based on ‘opinions’ or the latest meme that goes viral on FB rather than hard, honest well-designed research studies or controlled science.

In this article, I’ll dive into the honest research regarding diet soda and artificial sweeteners and whether or not they play a role (both positive and negative) in obesity and even health.

I guarantee some of the answers may surprise you. Here’s the bittersweet truth…

Diet Soda & Artificial Sweeteners – Good, Bad or the Devil?

Artificial sweeteners come in many different forms but the most popular typically include aspartame (Equal), sucralose (Splenda) and saccharin (Sweet’N Low).

The use of these sweeteners actually dates all the way back to the 1800s when saccharin was accidentally synthesized (1).

These artificial sweeteners have become a staple in our diets due to the attempt to reduce excess sugar intake and the fact they are far sweeter than actual sugar, while contributing very few or even no calories.

Despite the fact they can reduce sugar intake and lower total calorie intake, aiding in weight loss, many people still see them as unhealthy.

This is partly due to the belief that consuming them induces similar hormonal and brain responses to that of sugar, in addition to potentially being associated with increased risk of disease states such as cancer. But, what does the actual science say?

‘Negative’ Research on Diet Soda & Artificial Sweeteners

Anything is dangerous in the right dose, even water. Yep, that’s right … Here are two examples:

• Firstly, a 28 year old woman in the USA died after drinking six liters of water in a 3 hour period for a contest, dying later that day from water intoxication.
• In 2005 a study published by the New England Journal of Medicine found that around 16% of marathon runners developed some level of dangerous hyponatremia, or dilution of the blood caused by drinking too much water.

So, before we continue, my question to you is, just because water can kill you in high doses, does that mean that a normal intake, i.e. 2-4 liters per day is also unhealthy?

Clearly the answer is no, it’s basic logic. However, this EXACT principle applies to diet soda and sweeteners (see the example below), although most people (especially the ones who dislike it) tend to ignore this fact.

When it comes to the limited research regarding human subjects and artificial sweeteners, there is some correlative data (i.e. weak data that draws conclusions over years) indicating that consuming artificial sweeteners may increase the risk of developing metabolic syndromes, leading to increased risk of diabetes and obesity (2, 3).

Unfortunately as with any research, the devil is in the details. Along with artificial sweeteners, the study also found associations with typical western diet staples such as meat (which we know is healthy) and fried foods.

To conclude that artificial sweeteners are a reason for obesity based on this study is speculative at best, since there are so many other factors that may be contributing.

In essence, there is in fact research associating artificial sweeteners with an increased risk of obesity, but it’s not a direct relationship. It’s a relationship confounded by many other factors that certainly contribute to obesity and negative health, rather than simply consuming artificial sweeteners.

In the world of research and science, these types of studies are often ignored and not classed as ‘real, controlled research’.

Additionally, there is some negative research regarding artificially sweetened beverages and cancer. Although there is one catch. The studies are done using rats (but again, all the people who hate diet soda or sweeteners tend to ignore this fact).

Of course, the big issue with these studies is that they simply point us in the right direction from a biological standpoint, but not direct cause and effect; more often than not, what happens in a rat does not translate to humans.

Often the effects of substances vary widely when given to humans compared to rats. Artificial sweeteners are one of these cases.

Despite the fact that some research has indicated that artificial sweeteners like aspartame are linked to cancer in mice, the doses which would be required to do so in humans would be astronomical.

For instance, the FDA has set safe daily consumption of substances like aspartame to 50 milligrams per kilogram of body weight (4, 5).

For a 90 kg (200 lb) individual that would be the equivalent of consuming 25 cans of artificially sweetened soda per day and would still be considered within a safe range.

Diet Soda & Artificial Sweeteners Cause Weight Gain – False Science?

At its most fundamental level, it’s impossible for artificial sweeteners to directly contribute to weight gain; it’s basic science and the laws of thermodynamics.

In fact, artificial sweeteners are often used in order to reduce calorie intake and thus help reduce body weight. However, many people still insist that artificial sweeteners induce an insulin response, similar to what happens when you consume sugar in one form or another.

As a result of this insulin spike, it is theorized this leads to a metabolic disorder called insulin resistance, which means that insulin isn’t able to do its job of removing glucose from the blood and storing it in various tissues of the body.

In theory, when this occurs, it can lead to further disease states such as type 2 diabetes and obesity.

Unfortunately for proponents of this incorrect theory, research has determined that artificial sweeteners such as aspartame don’t induce an insulin spike, despite claims.

Even if they did, a small insulin spike would not match that of an insulin spike from regular sugar, soda, ice cream, pizza etc. It’s these foods consumed over years which cause weight gain and insulin resistance, not sweetener or diet soda (6, 7, 8, 9).

Additionally, in a groundbreaking study on evaluating the use of artificial sweeteners versus just water when attempting to lose weight, the researchers revealed that consumption of artificial sweeteners was actually associated with greater weight loss and a greater ability to keep the weight off after the diet (10).

It’s very likely that consuming artificially sweetened beverages such as diet soda may satisfy sweet cravings without providing the additional calories, leading to weight loss.

Does this mean that diet soda is better than water? No, but it doesn’t appear to be worse in sensible moderation (just like water). Because it has no calories, it simply can’t cause weight gain, it’s physically and biologically impossible.

So What’s The Conclusion About Diet Soda & Artificial Sweeteners?

As it turns out, there probably isn’t any issue with consuming artificially sweetened beverages such as diet soda on a regular basis in moderation.

Research that has shown negative effects is fairly weak, most of it being done in rats not humans and even that has many other factors affecting the outcome, making it impossible to blame artificial sweeteners (2).

Furthermore, other research showing associations with artificial sweeteners and cancer is carried out on rats and still very early. Next, these findings are done at crazy doses that equate to say 200 cans of diet soda per day, so they are far from realistic or unbiased (4).

Lastly, research on artificial sweeteners for weight loss actually indicates a beneficial effect overall, such as reduced body weight, rather than the commonly held misbelief that they lead to weight gain. If you know even the basics of fat loss and metabolism you will clearly understand how it’s physically impossible for a zero calorie product to cause weight gain.

Despite outlandish claims from people with unbiased agendas or the ‘clean eating gurus’, artificially sweetened diet sodas are safe for you to consume and even advised if your goal is to reduce calories and body weight.

Take Home Key Points on Diet Soda & Artificial Sweeteners

Firstly, the key point is to understand that there’s not any real, strong research in a controlled setting to show ill health from a sensible dose of artificial sweeteners in humans.

Sadly, like many aspects of nutrition, it’s very easy for people with hidden agendas to twist the research or churn out random ‘facts’ that have no real evidence at all. Of course, any new meme or video always goes viral, but it doesn’t mean it’s true.

Now, am I advising you to consume artificial sweeteners or diet soda? No, but equally, should you not consume it and avoid it, if you do enjoy it? No, absolutely not.

Like everything, it depends on you. If you love it, then go ahead, it probably will help you consume fewer calories, it may reduce cravings and may actually aid in hydration (remember it’s around 98% water).

If you think that diet soda or artificial sweeteners are bad or unhealthy because they’re not natural, then you should maybe spend some time reading the science to become less biased. Of course, I will be the first to say we should focus on natural whole foods 80% of the time, but drinking the odd diet soda or using a normal intake of artificial sweeteners is also perfectly fine.

In summary, diet soda or artificial sweeteners are perfectly ok in a moderate dose, just like water. If you still want to say it’s unhealthy because rats got ill from taking in the equivalent of 200 servings per day, well you should probably not drink water either because 200 servings of water would have killed the rats far quicker than the artificial sweetener.

As with everything, remember to actually check the research and don’t trust the internet fitness/health gurus who don’t understand or even know how to read a research study…

References

1. The Pursuit of Sweet. (2017, March 06). Retrieved June 14, 2017, from https://www.chemheritage.org/distillations/magazine/the-pursuit-of-sweet
2. Lutsey, P. L., Steffen, L. M., & Stevens, J. (2008). Dietary intake and the development of the metabolic syndrome. Circulation, 117(6), 754-761.
3. Nettleton, J. A., Lutsey, P. L., Wang, Y., Lima, J. A., Michos, E. D., & Jacobs, D. R. (2009). Diet soda intake and risk of incident metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). Diabetes care, 32(4), 688-694.
4. National Toxicology Program. (2005). NTP report on the toxicology studies of aspartame (CAS No. 22839-47-0) in genetically modified (FVB Tg. AC hemizygous) and B6. 129-Cdkn2atm1Rdp (N2) deficient mice and carcinogenicity studies of aspartame in genetically modified [B6. 129-Trp53tm1Brd (N5) haploinsufficient] mice (feed studies). National Toxicology Program genetically modified model report, (1), 1.
5. Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. (n.d.). Food Additives & Ingredients – Additional Information about High-Intensity Sweeteners Permitted for use in Food in the United States. Retrieved June 14, 2017, from https://www.fda.gov/food/ingredientspackaginglabeling/foodadditivesingredients/ucm397725.htm
6. Møller, S. E. (1991). Effect of Aspartame and Protein, Administered in Phenylalanine‐Equivalent Doses, on Plasma Neutral Amino Acids, Aspartate, Insulin and Glucose in Man. Basic & Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology, 68(5), 408-412.
7. Wolf-Novak, L. C., Stagink, L. D., Brummel, M. C., Persoon, T. J., Filer, L. J., Bell, E. F., … & Krause, W. L. (1990). Aspartame ingestion with and without carbohydrate in phenylketonuric and normal subjects: effect on plasma concentrations of amino acids, glucose, and insulin. Metabolism, 39(4), 391-396.
8. Horwitz, D. L., McLane, M., & Kobe, P. (1988). Response to single dose of aspartame or saccharin by NIDDM patients. Diabetes care, 11(3), 230-234.
9. Teff, K. L., Devine, J., & Engelman, K. (1995). Sweet taste: effect on cephalic phase insulin release in men. Physiology & Behavior, 57(6), 1089-1095.
10. Peters, J. C., Beck, J., Cardel, M., Wyatt, H. R., Foster, G. D., Pan, Z., … Hill, J. O. (2016). The effects of water and non-nutritive sweetened beverages on weight loss and weight maintenance: A randomized clinical trial. Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.), 24(2), 297–304. http://doi.org/10.1002/oby.21327

https://www.rudymawer.com/blog/diet-beverages-scientific-truth-may-surprise/

What To Do When You Eat Healthy But Can’t Lose Weight

“Help! I can’t lose weight even though I eat real food. Most of my meals include lean protein and lots of veggies. The other foods I eat are fruits, low fat dairy, nuts, beans, and whole grains. I rarely eat sugar or junk food. Why can’t I lose weight?”

That’s an email from a reader of this website, and I’ve received countless ones like it. Many clients make a similar statement at the beginning of our working relationship about eating right but not being able to lose weight. The first course of action I tell them to take: “For the next week record everything you eat and drink; nibbles, tastes, and sips count. You don’t need to record the calories, just what you eat. For example: chicken breast, mixed veggies, a handful of M&Ms, and a cup of green tea, or whatever the case may be. Record every item.”

A week of this practice leaves many flabbergasted. Turns out they in fact do not eat the way they proclaimed in the initial email/conversation. A sleeve of Girl Scout cookies snuck its way onto the list, several slices of pizza, daily trips to the candy bowl at work, a bottle of wine on Friday night followed by a pint of ice cream, and the occasional 20-ounce soda appeared on the food log.

Sometimes people forget, or simply omit, certain foods and drinks from memory. By recording everything for a week, they see their food and beverage consumption in black and white, so there’s no denying what’s really going on.

This is why one of the first steps I recommend for someone who claims to have trouble losing weight is to record their food and drink intake for a week to get an idea of their average consumption (this works for building  muscle and improving overall health, too). This hard data provides a framework going forward. How do you know what to correct if you don’t know where you need the most improvement? The food log provides this answer.

This exercise is not meant to conjure feelings of guilt for the foods you eat. Using the example from above the woman was quick to declare, “I feel terrible about myself and how much I failed” when sharing the food log with me. The purpose of the food log is to make you aware of what’s going on. This is a judgement-free exercise. We see what’s really happening (via the food log) and decide on the simplest changes to implement first.

My response when she declared to have “failed” was: “No, you didn’t fail and you shouldn’t feel bad. We have data and know what’s going on. Now we can make simple changes so you can get the results you want.”

Here’s what we do.

Having Trouble Losing Fat? Try This.

If you’ve tried counting calories and other typical diets, you may want to try this simple approach. More often than not, it works.

Step 1: Track everything you eat and drink for the next week. Do this during a typical week; for example, don’t do this if you happen to be traveling or on vacation. You want a picture of an average week of eating.

Step 2a: Using the results from the food log, identify the simplest changes to make that will lead you in the right direction (e.g., fat loss). Perhaps you realize you eat processed foods and snacks at lunch during the week. A simple change would be to take a real food lunch to work each day, and bring healthy snacks (e.g., nuts and fruit, Greek yogurt, etc.) to keep on hand too.

Convenience oftentimes (i.e., most of the time) wins over what’s “best,” so set yourself up for success and have good stuff within easy reach.

Step 2b: Get enough protein. Build your meals and snacks around a good source of protein, and aim for .7 to 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight each day. (If you’re obese use that guideline for a lower bodyweight you’re trying to attain. E.g.: if you weigh 230 pounds and want to get to 180, use 180 to calculate the .7-1 gram guideline.) You’ll have to track and count this at first, but after a couple weeks you’ll know how much protein the foods you eat most often have and it’ll be much easier.

Step 3: Implement the changes from Steps 2a and 2b, and keep another food log for a week or two. This way, once again, you know exactly what’s going on. Ideally you’ll have successfully practiced the simple change from 2a and increased protein intake every day of the week.

Helpful tip: I’m not suggesting you should avoid your favorite not-super-healthy foods (I despise labels like “cheat” or “dirty” — there’s just food) because that oftentimes leads to binge eating or disordered eating habits (and I know from years of personal experience with both). You can still enjoy things like pizza or ice cream or whatever you enjoy most. Either enjoy those foods less frequently and/or control the portions.

For example, I used to order a small pizza and eat the entire thing. Now, I split a small pizza and have a salad on the side. This way I’m still enjoying a favorite food, but not in the unnecessarily large quantity I used to. It’s not about depriving yourself and trying to be super disciplined and avoiding certain foods — just be smart and keep things simple by limiting the frequency you eat them, or decrease the portions.

Are you the kind of person who wants something sweet every day? Find ways to indulge your sweet tooth by either a) limiting the portion size as discussed above or b) choose lower calorie substitutes. Pay attention to the term “lower calorie substitute” and notice I didn’t say “healthy.” A lot of “healthy” dessert recipes still have the same number of calories (sometimes more) than the “unhealthy” foods they replace.

Some argue the Justin’s option is “better for you,” but the calories are the same. Don’t let marketing or nutrition gurus fool you into believing the “healthier” version will help you lose fat and improve your health. Even though you may be eating better-for-you foods with the “healthier” options, calories matter when weight loss is the goal.

An example for lower calorie substitutes: swap out ice cream for a pudding cup or a few squares of chocolate, or whatever the hell your taste buds prefer. Drink your favorite diet soda to appease your sweet tooth. Lately I’ve been wanting to chow down on cookies and ice cream; while I enjoy these foods once or twice a week, I don’t want to get in the habit of eating them every day. I’ve been drinking a calorie-free soda a few times per week and that tames my current sweet tooth. (Diet soda may increase the craving for sweets for some people, but for others, like me, it’s nice when I want something sweet.)

Nutrition can be simple, if we allow it to be. It doesn’t have to be a stressful all (eat “perfectly” all the time) or nothing (slip up and then continue to make poor choices because you “screwed up anyway”) mentality.

The goal with nutrition should be to develop long-lasting, sustainable behaviors. The changes you make today need to be changes you can continue to practice a year from now. This way the improved body composition and health results you achieve next month will be maintained next year. You can count calories or macros or use traditional dieting methods if you prefer, but if you’ve tried those methods to no avail or want to try something simpler, give the alternative above a try for a few months and see what happens.

Note: want more detailed nutrition information than I provide here? Go to those who know their stuff: Precision Nutrition, Alan Aragon, Leigh Peele, Georgie Fear.

Related Article: 5 Health and Fitness Principles That Don’t Suck

What About People Who do Eat Healthy And Can’t Lose Weight?

Rarely, in my experience, has someone actually eaten nothing but meat, veggies and fruits, whole grains, and other real foods as shown via a food log and claimed they couldn’t lose weight. If this did happen it was usually because they were eating larger-than-realized quantities of calorie-dense foods like nuts, nut butters, and things like coconut oil (there’s this current obsession with coconut oil being deemed a “superfood” and some women are convinced they need to put it on, and in, everything).

If this is the case — someone is eating mostly real food but can’t lose weight* — I look for the simplest solution, and this one seems to work well: reduce the amount of fat-dense foods (put a serving size of nuts in a bowl instead of eating from the container, for example); omit fat-dense foods (stop putting coconut oil on everything, for goodness’ sake); swap a fat-dense food for a protein-rich food (Greek yogurt instead of full-fat cheese). These are simple ways to reduce calories, thereby allowing weight loss to begin.

And if by some chance you’ve been convinced to put butter and coconut oil in your coffee — stop doing that. Boom. You just eliminated hundreds of calories from your daily intake. (And avoid such health and fitness bullshit going forward.)

*Note: if you have unexplained weight gain, weight loss, or reducing calories isn’t producing weight loss, go see your doctor. Get blood work and see if there’s an underlying issue that needs to be addressed.

Another Option: Stop Focusing on Weight Loss

Guess what: you don’t have to focus on losing fat. You can focus on something else like, oh, I don’t know, getting stronger and eating things that make you feel great. Instead of thinking about all the foods you “shouldn’t” eat focus on the abundant variety of awesome foods you can eat. Instead of looking at exercise as a means to just burn calories it can be something you do to feel awesome and unleash your body’s potential.

Believe it or not, fitness doesn’t have to be about getting abs, a rounder butt, torching fat, or fixing flaws. I’m not saying those goals are bad — you should do whatever the hell you want with your body — but those things can be a means to an end instead of an end themselves. In other words: make getting stronger in the gym a priority and eating more of the things that are great for you the focus in the kitchen. Allow weight loss to be a side-effect.

http://www.niashanks.com/eat-healthy-cant-lose-weight/