VIDEO TIP: Foods To Avoid When Dieting

VIDEO TIP: 5 Diet and Nutrition Tips

Should I cut calories or carbohydrates to lose fat?

Cutting overall calories is the most effective. Cutting carbs is an illusion. It cuts calories (Because carbs have calories) and in addition, because your muscles need carbs, when your muscle loses carbs, it loses water as well.

Therefore, you lose lean mass. This creates what appears to begreater weight loss, but really isn't.

There is no need to restrict carbs, they're not magic. It is a very popular trend, but despite popular belief, it's not a new trend, either. There was a low carb craze in the Roman era and there was one at the turn of the century as well. Like all trends and fads, those came and went and the age old axiom of eating clean, whole, unprocessed foods in moderation combined with exercise still reigns supreme.

Should I go on a detox program?

Detox is a process that, in my opinion, works. I have tried several detoxes. I have even detoxed with a juice fast ... did one for 21 days.

There is not much scientific evidence for the detox. In fact, a lot of nutritionists and doctors will tell you it's a bunch of nonsense and not to waste your time.

For me, however, it was fantastic. I have had two people I worked with start with a detox program and it did wonders. It is not the weight loss that is the key - it is the way the body breaks away from the cycle of carbohydrate addiction and cravings.

One was a woman who had 120 pounds to lose and kept hitting a wall trying to "eat healthy" and another was a man who was 350 and had been working with me off and on for 4 years trying to transform his lifestyle. In both cases, doing a detox helped them get on the path so when it came time to eat healthy, they were ready to embrace it and move on rather than clinging to the junk foods and cravings they had.

Why Detox?
My own detoxing was for a number of reasons. The first time - juice fasting - was spiritual. I used it to drown out the "noise" from training and eating and just focus on me. I went through some intense spiritual changes - fortunately I kept a diary that I share a little bit of in my book. It was an amazing time and taught me much about myself.

The second time was after a period of stress I had gone through and just couldn't seem to get back into the swing of things. So I did the same 5-day detox I had those other two I was talking about and it really jump-started me ... I also lost inches from my waist, so I know it wasn't just lean mass, which was cool. So far the woman I worked with has lost over 40 pounds and the man over 50, so I'd say it was a good experience for them regardless of what the nutritionists or scientists may say.

AB workout and tips

1. Train your lower abs first

The lower abs are smaller, weaker and usually less developed than their upper counter-parts. It is for this reason that you need to train them first. If you train the upper abs first the lower abs will be too tired to perform at their peak when it comes time to train them and as such won’t develop as fast.

The best lower abs exercises are one that use the legs. Here is a good post on working the lower abs with the reverse crunch.

2. Constantly increase your intensity/work rate
When training the abs it is important not to do the same thing day in, day out for months at a time. At the gym I see scores of women doing the same abs workouts everytime they are there. Do they make progress? No. When you train your abs you should be constantly thinking of new ways to shock and push your abs muscles as well as your cardio which help you burn more fat. Add weight, change the speed, add a twist - anything to make it a little different.

3. Don’t over work the abs
If you workout your abs too often the muscles will have no chance to rebuild. Muscle growth only occurs when the abs are worked and then have time to rebuild. If you work them too often you are really only being counter-productive. Three times a week should be the max.

**Most IMPORTANT**
4. Diet, Diet, Diet
When I say diet I do NOT mean go on a crazy low carb, low fat, low food, low intelligence diet that lasts for a month and makes you really skinny and unwell. What I mean is that diet is the most important thing when it comes to getting a flatter tummy and firmer abs. You need to remove the layer of fat on the abs to let the muscles show through. The best way to control that fat is through your diet.