Eric Serrano's Top 12 dietary tips - Awesome read

Young Gun

1. Do not drink fruit Juices.

A healthy glass of OJ each morning my ass, it is poison in my book. Fresh squeezed orange juice including the fiber from the pulp would be my preference. The glycemic index rating for oranges is moderate while orange juice is sky high partially due to added sugars put in juices. Remember the glycemic index determines blood sugar and insulin levels. This is the first thing I pull out of any diet especially if there are juvenile behavior problems.

2. Do not use bars of any kind as meal replacements when trying to maximize fat loss.

Bars have come a long way when it comes to taste, but they are nothing more than high protein candy bars. A great tool for gaining weight or every once in a while when you are in a pinch. Otherwise do not use them, be aware that this net impact carbs and other labeling tricks are a scam. Companies have replaced sugar with other sweeteners which do not count as carbs on the label. As a result you end up with a bar low in carbs but sky high in sweeteners that will cause more havoc with insulin levels than real sugar. I have yet to find a bar high enough in fiber and low in sweeteners to allow people to lose body fat when eaten regularly.

3. Do not replace solid food meals with shakes and never consume a shake as your first meal of the day.

I understand people are very busy in the mornings, but a real food meal first in the day is vital. The body has been starving overnight and must have real food which provides a basis of nutrients and fiber. Without fiber your blood sugar will go haywire. Furthermore do not rely on shakes for every meal. I am amazed to see people in my office eating one food meal and 5 shakes per day. I make money on a few different protein shakes as I have designed them to supplement food meals, not the other way around.

People wonder why they cannot lose body fat, their blood sugars are out of control! Consume at least three solid food meals per day. Mixed nuts are a great protein shake alternative as they are high in good fats, proteins and have a good fiber content. Aim to get raw or organic nuts which will have the most nutrients available, peanuts are not a good choice in comparison to mixed nuts.

4. Always use fiber with meal replacements shakes.

A couple scoops of fiber helps tremendously between meals, you will increase your protein utilization rates, slow digestion (good between meals) and supplement your fiber intake which is becoming dangerously low in this society. Try fiberSmart- the additional probiotics help with gut health and the taste does not impact the shake while adding some texture.

5. Rotate foods to avoid food allergies- especially protein shakes.

Food allergy testing is one of the greatest advancements in my office over the last 5 years. I am able to identify specific foods that cause allergies which produce the following symptoms: stomach upset, excessive body fat, poor energy, trouble concentrating and many more. Most people consider a food allergy lactose intolerance or an immediate allergic reaction to peanuts. I am speaking of allergies you develop from constantly consuming the same foods. Some of my clients have eaten enough chicken to grow feathers before they came to me. Right after consumption of certain protein sources people feel sick and could not figure out why. Well here is your answer, rotate your foods or you will pay a price. Take items that you have consumed for months on end out of the diet for at least 4 weeks and you will see a huge difference. The most common culprits are eggs, chicken and turkey.

Experiment with different sources, I eat steak for breakfast all of the time when I rotate off eggs and nothing makes me feel better in the morning. Try something new for once, fish, seafood, buffalo, lamb. There is more to life than turkey, chicken and eggs.

You must rotate your protein shakes by switching from brand to brand every two weeks. There are elements within the manufacturing process that create allergic reactions which are similar to the symptoms listed in the paragraph above. A great alternative to protein shakes between meals is the combination of 100 % MR and Muscle Synthesis as it provides excellent building blocks for new muscle without any ingredients that can cause allergies. Furthermore Muscle Synthesis will absorb quickly and muscles will utilize an unbelievable amount of amino acids which are 100% anabolic on arrival.

Amino loading with 100% MR and Muscle Synthesis force the body to use more stored fat as fuel which is one of the primary mechanisms of the Zero Tolerance Fat Loss Program which has been extremely successful for my patients over the last 18 months. the large influx of aminos makes the brain believe a great deal of food has come in and as a result metabolic rate is increased, but there is nothing to burn except stored body fat as the aminos have no caloric value.

6 .Do not under eat or diet endlessly.

Calories are not the only significant factor determining rates of fat loss. Starving to lose body fat is not the answer, you must fuel your human engine with quality food sources and combinations at the right time. Calories are secondary to food choices. Eat 2000 calories of lucky charms and 2000 calories of high quality protein, healthy fats and fiberous green vegetables. See what happens, not the same after all.

Never diet for more than 16 weeks, by that time the body is going to hold on to every bit of fat it can and chop away at muscle. You must rotate your emphasis and use phases to restore metabolism for future fat loss efforts by overfeeding to produce quality muscle which will burn more calories 24x7

7.Elevate green vegetable intake for the numerous health promoting and fat loss benefits.

Green vegetables help to keep you full and increase absorption rates of protein. A lack of green vegetable fiber to replace other fiber sources during a low carbohydrate is a problem for many people. Numerous vitamins and minerals are within green vegetables; the most popular include broccoli, asparagus, green beans etc. Notice I recommend green vegetables which does not include potatoes, tomatoes, corn or peas! Focus on the greens, the sicker you are the more you need! Aim for at least one serving of green vegetables with each food meal. Flavor with extra virgin olive oil as a large salad, but use less lettuce and more solid greens. Lastly green vegetables do not count as carbs in my book when it comes to low carb dieting calculations. They are mostly fiber and water and will not put you over carb allowances.

8. Consume the "right" fats!

Dietary fat is not the enemy, low fat diets do not work and can lead to many health problems. I have found a correlation between very low cholesterol levels and depression. good dietary fats are a key component to good health. the best choices are extra virgin olive oil, avocados, mixed nuts, fats from organic meats, and the like. the most important supplemental fat source is omega 3 fatty acids which you have all heard of lately due to the recent research. You must get a filtrated fish oil which is toxin free, I can vouch for my brand Alpha Omega since I see the lab tests. An un filtrated oil can lead to metal toxicity and other health problems you do not want to deal with. Back to Omega 3s, a key to reducing body fat is controlling the release of insulin as it is a fat storage hormone. the Alpha Omega was specifically designed to optimize your blood sugar levels following meals to give you the best chance to use food as fuel instead of being stored as fat. Obviously the food choices you make will play a large roll in this as well.

9. Do not abuse alcohol.

I am not sure how drinking became so popular amongst people wanting to reduce body fat. Let me break it to you, drinking is probably one of the worse things you can do, it will set you back for weeks depending how much you consume. I have dozens of patients paying the price now for drinking done years ago. As certain fat deposit sites were developed directly from alcohol side affects and take three times as long to burn off. One of those nice sugar laden tropical drinks is the obesity markets best friend. No better way to pack on the pounds.

In addition to what has been obvious to me from a metabolic standpoint. I link drinking binges to junk food binges. A fat storing environment is cultivated when drinking, and I have found clients make bad food choices when they are drunk for lack of a better term.

Do not expect to be mentally sharper or perform well during workouts if you have consumed alcohol in recent days. No better way to zap the nervous system and lower testosterone levels.

10.Drink .6 x your body weight in pounds to determine the number of ounces you need per day.

Cold water forces the body to expend energy to heat it up to body temp. I consider water to be an essential nutrient. You must drink water with and between meals to optimize health especially during times of increases physical activity and heat. Do not wait until you are thirsty, be pro active. Even a 2 % decrease in bodily water content can trigger many health problems. This is perhaps the easiest thing people can do to improve their well being.

In addition to all of the health benefits, water will keep muscles full and prepared for action. Lastly when I say water I mean water, not diet pop or other drinks. I hate to break it to you, but diet soda is not so great. Excessive intake will negatively impact blood sugar levels due to the sweeteners. One or so a day is ok, but more than that can get in the way of your goals. Coffee is fine, but use regular milk or real cream instead of sugar and the like. Remember that coffee will dehydrate you to a degree so you must drink ample water to replace what is lost.

11. Never used breakfast as a cheat meal.

I do advocate periodic cheat meals, but never for the first meal of the day. Research proves that breakfast is the most important meal of the day when it comes to setting the pace for blood sugar levels. I want my clients to satisfy cravings, but at the same time I want to minimize the damage and prevent body fat accumulation. Take alpha omega before and after any cheat meal and you will keep blood sugar levels under control which will minimize body fat accumulation. It is not a fat blocker as that concept is a scam, but the concept is somewhat similar.

12. Exercise-- OFTEN!

As a population we are not exercising enough, especially kids which is scary. I have kids who tell me that they play sports all of the time, but they are referring to video games, that does not count! yes weight training is excellent for fat loss and that would be the area of focus I would suggest for anyone aiming to lose body fat. Yes weight training is far better than cardio, ten times better in my book. Weight training elevates your metabolism for longer periods of time and activates a fat burning hormonal reaction. When you get a chance, be active!

Help yourself with these easy tips for rapid fat loss. Remember knowledge is only powerful if properly applied. Make a commitment to applying new things every day and as time passes you will be thankful for these productive habits.

razg

Good stuff, not sure I agree with it all, but definately some good points.

Young Gun

Which parts do you disagree with buddy.

5. Rotate foods to avoid food allergies- especially protein shakes. To me is impratical but still makes sense.

crazycal1

good post agree on all points :shock:

FierceFrets

Nice one YG, a very interesting read

:twisted: Fierce

Young Gun

Well as technically its not my own views it doesn't count completely

Noticed brawn is stedily being referenced more again . Sorry to hear about your back by the way. Would have posted but injuries is something I'm not particularly educated on. Still hope it gets better must be such a ****ing nightmare

Darren

intresting reading there

razg

I disagree with the following:
Insulin is pretty simple. A set amount of insulin acts on a set amount of carbs, and thus reduces blood sugar by a set amount. Consequently, a false insulin response could result in extremely low (you are now hypoglycemic), or negative (you are now dead) blood sugar level.

Nitrox from AM summed this up pretty nicely:
Secondly:
Lets take for example take nick's favorite shake: protein, banana(s), peanut butter, oats, egg whites, milk. I don't see this as any different to having porridge (milk, oats, banana(s)), a protein shake, and a couple of boiled eggs. Generalizing on the basis that it's blended is bull - that's what your digestive system would do to it anyway.

Thirdly:
In the case of a long cut, where someone may need to drop an amount of weight that exceeds 16 weeks worth of dieting, things like refeeds can prolong the diet period indefinately. For more info on that, check out this article from Avant Labs:

http://www.avantlabs.com/magmain.php...425&issueID=35

I agree with YG that the point regarding allergies is potentially more hassle than it is worth, but other than my previous statements, I guess I agree with most of it.

Young Gun

I am uncertain as to whether the blending point holds water to be honest, I have read a few times particularly in raw egg debates opposing sides. But I wouldn't outright dismiss it off hand because I have not researched it enough. Also the refeed point makes it a slightly different matter but other than that I agree certainly with the point on insulin but his general point about protein bars holds.