1/2 – 1 diced onion (depends on how strong the onion is)
1 bunch of chopped cilantro
1-2 diced bell peppers
1/2 diced cucumber
2-3 diced jalapenos (or more if you like it spicy)
salt, pepper, and garlic salt/powder to flavor. (sometimes I added red
chili peppers, and once used lemon pepper instead of pepper – really
you can make it your own with different spices)
“While this was my base recipe, I played around with it a lot. I added
it to avocados to make guacamole (I left my avocados chunked but you
could mash them too). Or I would throw it on a salad to give it a
little spice (and then I didn’t need dressing). I would put it on my
meat as a nice little topper of flavor. Sometimes I wrapped it in
lettuce with meat to make a ‘burger’. Basically, you can use anyways
your imagination allows.”
AH! GREAT QUESTION!!!! Only log the number of minutes that you do SUPER INTENSE cardio and weight training. That is, if you’re not ready to die within 15 minutes, it doesn’t count! I’m posting details with video about how to do interval cardio and will show you how to integrate it with the interval cardio MP3.
I’m getting changes in my measurements (decreasing!!), but my weight on the scale has come to a standstill… I’m on diet only. Should I even worry about this or just focus on my measurements?
100% Valid Concern! The two things that you need to make sure you are doing to GUARANTEE fat loss every week are 1) 6+ hours of intense exercise, and 2) B+ or higher diet grade point average.
Exercise needs to be intense. Every minute that you count needs to be as close to the intensity as you achieve during class. Casual walking, for example doesn’t burn enough calories and create enough of a metabolic effect that will translate into 1-3 lbs of fat loss in a week. Riding a bike, is nothing more than sitting in a chair and pumping your lets once in a while. Although, if you are standing up and riding as fast as humanly possible, breathing extremely hard and dripping with sweat from exertion, then it counts. You must go VERY hard to make big changes in your body every week.
Hey Cindy! I checked out your log, and it’s definitely the number of hours of exercise that’s holding your inches back. Your diet grades have been Stellar. Just need to add about 4 more hours of hard intense exercise to the week, and you’ll see the inches fly off from week to week. But hey, you dropped some serious weight ALREADY and that’s only with barely over 2 hours of exercise in a week!
I have a question about protein in the diet. I know the best kind to eat is the meats listed on your diet sheet. But when comparing nutritional information between meat, 0% Greek- style yogurt, and some protein powders, I see that there data is similar.
I am wondering if you can explain the difference a little and why we should avoid these products? Also, is it okay to incorporate these items on a limited basis – maybe more in the maintenance stage?
This is an EXCELLENT question, I’m so glad you brought it up.
The simple answer – you don’t absorb most of the protein you consume in liquid form. Protein, in liquid form, FLIES through the proximal bowel. In order for protein to be absorbed, it must be broken down completely into its smallest components, amino acids.
The first place this occurs is in the stomach, where the gastric juices in it break the protein down like a VERY STRONG hydrochloric acid (1-3pH). But this just gets the protein broken down to something more manageable, but not to the point where it can be absorbed. Imagine trying to make peanut butter with raw peanuts and a hammer. That’s what protein in your stomach is like.
The next step involves the acidic protein pile moving from your stomach into the duodenum. This is the most crucial part of protein digestion, because the enzymes released here will break any protein it comes in contact with down to it’s smallest amino acid form that can be absorbed by your body. This is like putting your smashed peanuts into a VITAMIX blender. Now, you only have about 10-13 inches of duodenum, and it’s just a hollow tube. The slower you can get protein to move through your duodenum, the more you break down into amino acids, the better your absorption and utilization. Protein that isn’t broken down small enough just continues down your digestive track, rotting and creating stinky gas.
That is why protein in liquid form doesn’t count (yogurt, protein powder, etc.) If I stuffed a few bites of chewed up chicken breast down a garden hose, it’s going to sit there for a while. That’s what you want to happen in your duodenum. However, if I poured some yogurt or liquid protein shake down it, the only protein I’ll get to absorb is the little bit that ends up coating the first 10-13 inches of the inner lining.
Ever wonder why the research shows that muscle growth occurs with as little as 0.63 grams per pound of body weight, and all the protein supplements say you need 1-2 grams per pound of body weight? The sad truth is that consuming that much protein powder, because despite what’s written on the label they are loaded with sugar, gets their users really fat fast. Anyway, hope that helps, and keep em’ coming!
They’re not BAD, they’re just not on the eating plan, because you can’t have an UNLIMITED amount of them without it affecting your fat loss.
1 cup of cherry tomatoes can be added without any significant detriment to your fat loss efforts.
The calories that come from tomatoes are from the sugars fructose and glucose. It’s almost a 50/50 ratio (7:6). High fructose consumption has been linked to reduced fat loss and increased obesity. High glucose consumption has a direct affect on increasing insulin levels, leading to increased fat storage.
A+ ALI’S TOMATO-LESS SALSA RECIPE
1/2 – 1 diced onion (depends on how strong the onion is)
1 bunch of chopped cilantro
1-2 diced bell peppers
1/2 diced cucumber
2-3 diced jalapenos (or more if you like it spicy)
salt, pepper, and garlic salt/powder to flavor. (sometimes I added red
chili peppers, and once used lemon pepper instead of pepper – really
you can make it your own with different spices)
“While this was my base recipe, I played around with it a lot. I added
it to avocados to make guacamole (I left my avocados chunked but you
could mash them too). Or I would throw it on a salad to give it a
little spice (and then I didn’t need dressing). I would put it on my
meat as a nice little topper of flavor. Sometimes I wrapped it in
lettuce with meat to make a ‘burger’. Basically, you can use anyways
your imagination allows.”
I walk with a neighbor two times a week for an hour each time. It is medium paced – not high cardio. Should this be entered on the Daily log?
AH! GREAT QUESTION!!!! Only log the number of minutes that you do SUPER INTENSE cardio and weight training. That is, if you’re not ready to die within 15 minutes, it doesn’t count! I’m posting details with video about how to do interval cardio and will show you how to integrate it with the interval cardio MP3.
Keep the great questions coming!
I’m getting changes in my measurements (decreasing!!), but my weight on the scale has come to a standstill… I’m on diet only. Should I even worry about this or just focus on my measurements?
100% Valid Concern! The two things that you need to make sure you are doing to GUARANTEE fat loss every week are 1) 6+ hours of intense exercise, and 2) B+ or higher diet grade point average.
Exercise needs to be intense. Every minute that you count needs to be as close to the intensity as you achieve during class. Casual walking, for example doesn’t burn enough calories and create enough of a metabolic effect that will translate into 1-3 lbs of fat loss in a week. Riding a bike, is nothing more than sitting in a chair and pumping your lets once in a while. Although, if you are standing up and riding as fast as humanly possible, breathing extremely hard and dripping with sweat from exertion, then it counts. You must go VERY hard to make big changes in your body every week.
I’m losing weight but my measurements are changing fractionally. I’m diet only.
The only hard workout I’m getting is in class.
Hey Cindy! I checked out your log, and it’s definitely the number of hours of exercise that’s holding your inches back. Your diet grades have been Stellar. Just need to add about 4 more hours of hard intense exercise to the week, and you’ll see the inches fly off from week to week. But hey, you dropped some serious weight ALREADY and that’s only with barely over 2 hours of exercise in a week!
Thanks, Ali, for the recipe! I goofed the first week by eating salsa with tomatillas in it.
Tom,
I have a question about protein in the diet. I know the best kind to eat is the meats listed on your diet sheet. But when comparing nutritional information between meat, 0% Greek- style yogurt, and some protein powders, I see that there data is similar.
I am wondering if you can explain the difference a little and why we should avoid these products? Also, is it okay to incorporate these items on a limited basis – maybe more in the maintenance stage?
This is an EXCELLENT question, I’m so glad you brought it up.
The simple answer – you don’t absorb most of the protein you consume in liquid form. Protein, in liquid form, FLIES through the proximal bowel. In order for protein to be absorbed, it must be broken down completely into its smallest components, amino acids.
The first place this occurs is in the stomach, where the gastric juices in it break the protein down like a VERY STRONG hydrochloric acid (1-3pH). But this just gets the protein broken down to something more manageable, but not to the point where it can be absorbed. Imagine trying to make peanut butter with raw peanuts and a hammer. That’s what protein in your stomach is like.
The next step involves the acidic protein pile moving from your stomach into the duodenum. This is the most crucial part of protein digestion, because the enzymes released here will break any protein it comes in contact with down to it’s smallest amino acid form that can be absorbed by your body. This is like putting your smashed peanuts into a VITAMIX blender. Now, you only have about 10-13 inches of duodenum, and it’s just a hollow tube. The slower you can get protein to move through your duodenum, the more you break down into amino acids, the better your absorption and utilization. Protein that isn’t broken down small enough just continues down your digestive track, rotting and creating stinky gas.
That is why protein in liquid form doesn’t count (yogurt, protein powder, etc.) If I stuffed a few bites of chewed up chicken breast down a garden hose, it’s going to sit there for a while. That’s what you want to happen in your duodenum. However, if I poured some yogurt or liquid protein shake down it, the only protein I’ll get to absorb is the little bit that ends up coating the first 10-13 inches of the inner lining.
Ever wonder why the research shows that muscle growth occurs with as little as 0.63 grams per pound of body weight, and all the protein supplements say you need 1-2 grams per pound of body weight? The sad truth is that consuming that much protein powder, because despite what’s written on the label they are loaded with sugar, gets their users really fat fast. Anyway, hope that helps, and keep em’ coming!
True! I’m very pleased with my results–can’t wait for next week!
What’s wrong with tomatoes?
They’re not BAD, they’re just not on the eating plan, because you can’t have an UNLIMITED amount of them without it affecting your fat loss.
1 cup of cherry tomatoes can be added without any significant detriment to your fat loss efforts.
The calories that come from tomatoes are from the sugars fructose and glucose. It’s almost a 50/50 ratio (7:6). High fructose consumption has been linked to reduced fat loss and increased obesity. High glucose consumption has a direct affect on increasing insulin levels, leading to increased fat storage.