Archive for the tag - weight loss

How To Lose Weight Fast: Don’t.

July 13, 2015 By

men-male-diet-tummy-tuck-weight-lossIt seems like everyone is concerned with losing weight fast.

I get it. Immediate gratification is tempting. But this is your health. Rather than quick weight loss, let’s pursue a sustainable and lasting transformation. Let’s pursue a strategy that doesn’t involve losing 10 pounds in 10 days, and then gaining 15 pounds next month. Let’s be in it for the long haul.

F*ck fast. Let’s talk about effective.

As it turns out, fast and effective don’t go hand in hand; quick fixes and yo-yo diets don’t produce lasting results. In fact, through excessive calorie deprivation, they almost always slow down your metabolism and hinder further fat loss down the road. It creates a vicious cycle that does nothing to prioritize your health or fitness goals.

So what does work?

If you want a sustainable plan for losing fat and feeling great, there are three parts.

The first is rebuilding and repairing the relationship with your body. Again, this isn’t something that happens fast. It’s an ongoing process that sometimes requires the help of a trained professional. A lot of us have strained and abusive relationships with our bodies, so it takes time and energy (and sometimes guidance) to learn to love ourselves again.

The second is moving more. Increasing calories burned is a big part of losing weight. Beyond walking, running or other cardiovascular exercise, it also means using our muscles to strength train. By strength training, we maximize fat loss and minimize weight loss.

The third part is about nutrition. If you want to drop excess fat, it means consuming fewer calories than you burn. But this isn’t a death sentence. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. As you make wiser food choices, you’ll be delighted by the way your body feels. For most people, cutting just a few hundred calories per day can create lasting results. To make wiser food choices and to consume fewer calories, eat whole fruits instead of sugary snacks or beverages. Opt for complex carbs. Eat lots of vegetables; they’re delicious and filling. Eat real food, and not crap that comes frozen in bags. Eat only when you’re actually hungry. Minimize alcohol. And be patient.

Losing excess fat isn’t about extreme dieting or quick fixes. In fact, I don’t think about it as a diet at all. It’s more about changing your lifestyle. It’s about making adjustments so that your actions are in alignment with your goals. And it’s about making decisions that honor your body and your life.

Or you can lose five pounds in five days and gain it all back (and then some) next week. The choice is yours.

P.S. If you’re looking for a step-by-step guide, I recommend Davey Wavey’s Weight Loss Program. Because it’s effective and sustainable, it’s the last weight loss program you’ll ever need.

Filed Under: Weight Loss Tips Tagged With: , ,

It’s Not What You’re Eating; It’s What’s Eating You.

April 28, 2015 By

Hello Davey,

The reason I’m reaching out to you is because I’ve hit that point in my life where I am ready to make some major changes. Right now, I am 20 (I’ll be 21 on Apr. 26th), I weigh 259 and I’m about 6ft. I’ve always been the big kid that everyone bullied, and I always used that as an excuse to justify my over eating. Now, I’m tired of justifying my excuse, and I’m ready to change it. What advice do you have for someone who is just starting out in the gym and starting to eat well?

Thanks,
Jayden

Change is possible!

A dramatic before and after: Change is possible!

Hey Jayden,

Thank you for your email and congratulations on taking the first step.

When we increase our food intake as a way to cope with negative emotions, it’s called emotional eating. For a lot of people, food can become a distraction from painful feelings, and overeating results. As such, I once heard someone ask: Are you unhappy because you’re overweight… or are you overweight because you’re unhappy?

In other words, sometimes it’s not what you’re eating; it’s what’s eating you.

As I’ve said so often before, losing weight isn’t as simple as moving more and eating smarter. Yes, both diet and exercise are important. But we must also examine the relationships in our lives - and, perhaps most importantly - the relationship we have with our body. As such, the best advice that I can give is to seek out professional help by finding a psychotherapist in your area. There’s no reason for you to do this alone.

Whatever diet and exercise plan you choose to follow (of course, I recommend The Davey Wavey Weight Loss Program), you’ll be encouraged to increase physical activity and decrease your calorie consumption through a healthier, proportioned nutrition plan. My advice is to lean into whatever changes you’d like to make; don’t make big changes too quickly. We are creatures of habit, and big changes are rarely sustainable. This means going to the gym once or twice a week (at least, at first) rather than six times a week. It might mean 30 minutes of exercise per day instead of 90 minutes. As these changes slowly become habits, you can gradually increase your commitments.

Someone bullying or hurting you isn’t a reason to further hurt yourself. Overeating and weight gain are preventing you from living the healthy, vibrant life that all of us deserve. Congratulations on taking your life back.

Love,
Davey

P.S. If you’d like to get started with The Davey Wavey Weight Loss Program, use discount code “YouTube” to save 25% during checkout.

Filed Under: Weight Loss Tips Tagged With: ,

Does Skipping Meals Help Lose Weight?

March 2, 2015 By

tumblr_n05ae7mBOU1qmbokso1_1280There are many tricks and strategies that can help you achieve your fat loss goals, but is skipping meals one of them?

At face value, it seems to make sense. After all, we know that a calorie deficit is required for weight loss. That means consuming fewer calories than your body burns. For healthy and sustainable weight loss, most experts recommend consuming 250 - 500 fewer calories than your body burns. By skipping a meal, we can easily create that calorie deficit. Right?

It’s not that simple. Skipping a meal has other consequences.

For one, researchers have found that meal skippers tend to overeat on their next meal due to their extreme hunger. In total, they still tend to eat the same amount of calories. According to researchers, this cycle of starvation and then overindulgence can result in some potentially risky metabolic changes that, over time, could even result in diabetes.

Beyond the metabolic impact and intense hunger pangs, skipping meals and is also absolutely miserable. If you’ve ever spent time fasting, you’ve likely experienced difficulty focusing, moodiness, drops in productivity, sluggishness and so on. And if you’re lacking energy and focus, it becomes much harder to power through a workout; thus, it can put your results at risk.

Rather than skipping meals, cut calories by making your existing meals smarter and healthier. Trim down your portions and opt for more vegetables, lean meats and healthy cooking methods.

P.S. To look and feel great through the foods you eat, download Davey Wavey’s Insanely Easy Guide to Eating Smarter.

Filed Under: Nutrition Tagged With: , , ,

Study: Obesity Takes 8 Years Off Your Life.

December 15, 2014 By

weight_loss_diet_male1With just a few weeks left in the calendar, many of us are looking to the new year to make life changes and resolutions.

The most common resolution is to losing weight (getting fit and eating healthier foods are numbers 7 and 8 on the list, respectively). This as a new report by United Health Foundation found that the obesity rate ballooned to 29.5% last year - up from 27.5% a year before. Nearly a quarter of the people surveyed said they hadn’t done any exercise in the last 30 days.

As such, it seems particularly timely that McGill University Health Centre released a study finding that obese individuals have the potential to decrease life expectancy by up to 8 years. In a world where all of us complain that life is passing by too quickly, cutting 8 years from the end of our life is massive. It’s nearly 3,000 days. More than 70,000 hours. I don’t have 8 extra years to spare. Do you?

According Dr. Steven Grover, the study’s lead author:

The pattern is clear - the more an individual weighs and the younger their age, the greater the effect on their health. In terms of life-expectancy, we feel being overweight is as bad as cigarette smoking.

Moreover, the study found that obese individuals can develop diabetes or cardiovascular disease earlier in life; the excess weight can rob obese individuals of nearly two decades of healthy life. It’s an alarming statistic.

Though it’s often used as such, I don’t like using fear as a motivator. Sure, it’s effective. But it’s also negative.

Rather than being motivated to lose weight, eat healthier and move more by a fear of dying, I’d encourage everyone - regardless of their shape or size - to exercise because they love life. The flip side of this study is that fit people live longer, healthier, more productive lives. And that’s a beautiful thing.

Whatever motivates you, get started. The near year holiday is just around the corner - and today is the perfect day to get a jump start on your resolution.

P.S. To ensure success as you shed excess fat, download Davey Wavey’s Weight Loss Program. From nutrition and exercise to rebuilding a healthier relationship with your body, this comprehensive program was developed with a team of experts - myself included. Use discount code “youtube” to save 25% during checkout. You’ll also receive 3, 15-minute workout videos as a free gift.

 

 

Filed Under: Weight Loss Tips Tagged With: ,

Do Spicy Foods Burn More Calories?

December 10, 2014 By

Dear Davey,

I recently read that eating spicy foods can help burn extra calories. I’ve been incorporating more spicy foods into my diet, but haven’t really noticed a difference. Am I doing something wrong?

From,
Beth

59800-Sexy-ChefHey Beth,

As I’ve mentioned before, there is actually some evidence that spicy foods can burn extra calories.

In a study from Purdue University, researchers added red pepper to dishes and measured the impact on the participants’ appetite and metabolic rate. The study concluded that spicy foods can affect metabolic rate and even decrease overall food intake. It’s possible that spicy foods make us feel fuller, or that they simply cause us to eat slower. That’s pretty exciting.

However, the impact of spicy foods diminishes as individuals become desensitized to the spiciness.

Moreover, the metabolic boost is temporary. The metabolism is quick to return to its baseline.

In other words, eating spicy foods is not a complete strategy in and of itself. Putting hot sauce on fried chicken and macaroni and cheese, for example, doesn’t negate the unhealthy qualities of those foods.

Ultimately, we are able to shed excess fat by decreasing calories in and increasing calories out so that we create a calorie deficit. This is achieved through a healthier diet and both strength and cardiovascular training.

Use spicy foods as a tool, but keep your focus where it counts.

Love,
Davey

 

Filed Under: Nutrition Tagged With: , ,

Weight Loss Vs. Fat Loss.

September 29, 2014 By

Dear Davey,

I’ve been reading your fitness blog for a few years now, and I’ve noticed that you don’t use the terms “weight loss” and “fat loss” interchangeably. Why not? What’s the difference?

From,
Austin

Hey Austin,

Todd-McCullough-Bro-Yoga-Shirtless-Red-Bathing-Suit-05132014-01Thanks for being a loyal reader - and for such a great question.

Weight loss and fat loss mean very different things. Weight loss is a reduction in body weight. It’s the result of decreased energy intake and/or increased energy expenditure. That is, fewer calories come in than go out. But it’s worth noting that the weight can be pretty much anything. If you lose body fat, you’ve lost weight. But if you lose muscle or body fluids, you’ve also lost weight. Every time you pee, you lose weight. Someone could chop off your arm and you’d lose weight.

While weight loss is very general, fat loss is very specific. And when people typically talk about weight loss, they really mean fat loss. Fat loss, by definition, is a reduction in body fat. This is a much wiser and worthwhile goal than just losing weight; after all, who wants to give up their hard-earned muscle mass?

When you create a calorie deficit by decreasing calories going into your body and increasing the calories going out of your body, you’ll definitely lose weight. It’s science. But to ensure that you’re losing primarily body fat and not muscle, it’s important to continue with a challenging strength training program. By engaging in a strength training program (lifting weights, doing push-ups, etc.), you signal to your body that it still needs muscle. As a result, less muscle and more fat will be lost.

Not only will that extra muscle keep you strong and look good, but it also helps keep your metabolism up. Muscle takes a lot of energy to maintain; by keeping muscle mass on your body, you’ll actually be helping your fat loss goals.

Love,
Davey

P.S. If you’re looking to shed excess fat, download Davey Wavey’s Weight Loss Program and get started today!

Filed Under: Weight Loss Tips Tagged With: , ,

Whey Protein BEFORE Working Out Burns Fat?

September 25, 2014 By

Dear Davey,

A friend of mine mentioned that eating protein before you workout is a smart idea because it burns more fat. Is there really any truth to this?

From,
Sean

Bryce Thompson by Rick Day 16Hey Sean,

Your friend is likely referring to an often-cited Michigan State University study that was published in 2009.

When we talk about protein, it’s often about the role it plays in muscle growth - and the emphasis is often on post-workout protein consumption. For example, we know that consuming whey protein after a heavy strength training workout can help improve results.

But for the aforementioned study, researchers examined the role of pre-workout protein consumption on something called resting energy expenditure (REE). REE is the amount of energy, usually expressed in food calories, required for a 24-hour period by the body during resting conditions. For many of us, this measure is especially important because it can account for 60% - 75% of your total energy expenditure. If you increase REE, you burn more total calories - and, in theory, store fewer calories as fat.

In Michigan State’s study, experienced lifters were given either a whey protein supplement or carbohydrate supplement 20 minutes before working out. After 24 and 48 hours, REE was measured and compared to the baseline. While both supplements increased REE 24 and 48 hours after the strength training session, the whey protein supplement resulted in a much higher REE at the 24-hour mark compared to either the carbohydrate supplement or the baseline.

Keep in mind, increasing REE isn’t the same as burning fat. To make a very long story short, weight loss is achieved when you consume fewer calories than you burn. REE increases calories out, but that’s only one side of the equation. And weight loss isn’t the same as fat loss. What we call weight loss is really a combination of fat and muscle loss; to minimize muscle loss, continue with a challenging strength training program.

In other words, it’s a bit more complicated than your friend implied. But there is truth to his statement. If you want to incorporate the findings of this study, consume whey protein before working out. Keep in mind, post-workout whey protein and carbohydrates are also recommended for maximized results.

Love,
Davey

P.S. For everything you need to know about losing weight, download The Davey Wavey Weight Loss Program and get started today!

Filed Under: Ask Davey, Weight Loss Tips Tagged With: , , ,

Exit The Weight Loss Pity Party.

September 9, 2014 By

pity-partyToday’s guest post is by Davey Wavey’s good friend and spiritual weight release coach, Diane Petrella.

“I look so fat in this dress!”
“It’s so hard to lose weight.”
“I’m a hopeless case.” ?

Sound familiar?

While we all need to vent our feelings, staying stuck in negativity isn’t venting at all. Rather than releasing emotions, it stirs up your frustration and poisons your mind and body. Your weight-loss journey becomes harder than it needs to be when you weigh yourself down with pessimism and join in negative conversations with friends. But when you make the decision to end the complaining, your journey—and your body—become lighter.

See For Yourself

Every word you think and speak produces a physiological reaction in your body. Try this simple exercise and notice what happens:

Get yourself comfortable and take a few deep breaths to settle yourself. Now, with your eyes closed, repeat the following phrases silently to yourself while noticing the sensations in your body:

“I hate my body.”
“I feel disgusting.”
“I’m a loser.”  

Now, bring your attention back to your breathing to clear those thoughts from your mind.   Close your eyes again, and repeat the following while noticing the sensations in your body:

“I am gentle with myself.”?
“I am kind to my body.”?
“I am strong.”  

Open your eyes. Most people notice some tension in their body when they say the first set of phrases and a relaxing sensation with the second. What about you?

A diet of toxic words and self-abusive insults harms your body and dampens your spirit. But when you make a conscious decision to feed yourself loving words, your spirit lightens and your body relaxes. You stop fighting with yourself and open the way for a peaceful—and more successful—weight loss journey.

Word Power?

To release weight with less effort, be mindful of how you speak. Stop repeating unkind, disrespectful words to yourself and replace them with encouraging and kind words. I know… this may feel hard to do at first because you are so used to talking to yourself in a negative way. Changing any habit takes time. The important thing is to make the commitment to speak to yourself with compassion and then make it a practice that you develop. For example, if you catch yourself speaking disrespectfully to your body as you look in the mirror first thing in the morning or try on outfits for a special occasion, apologize to it by saying:

“I’m sorry. Please forgive me for speaking to you that way.”    

An apology to your body reminds you of your commitment to speak to yourself with kindness. Then, give your body a supportive message such as, “I intend to take good care of you” or, if this feels natural, “I love you” or “I want to love you.” You can also gently say the following words as a kind of mantra to infuse your body with calming energy: peace, love, ease, relax. Think of these phrases and words as anchors to help you stop, shift your focus and regain your confidence and strength.

Exit the Pity-Party

I know… we can all fall into complaining sessions with friends. And to a point, venting helps. But beyond the initial bonding through shared experiences or just needing a friendly ear to release frustration, complaining with others serves no useful purpose. If anything, these conversations weaken you. They taunt you to the cookie jar by justifying the limiting belief that, “Everyone agrees with me that it’s hard to lose weight, so what’s the point?”

But remember this: YOU are the point. Your health, your future, your dreams.

And when you join in toxic complaint sessions with friends and co-workers about how hard is to lose weight, how difficult it is to avoid sweets, or how impossible it is to find the time to exercise, you lose the point of you and your health. Reclaim your power and commit to no longer participate in negative conversations, in your head and with others. When you find yourself with people eager to jump on the complaint bandwagon, practice this: Say nothing, change the subject or, when possible, leave.

As you release the habit of complaining and speak supportive, encouraging words, you lighten your mind and heart. And when your mind and heart feel lighter, your weight loss journey becomes more peaceful… helping your body become lighter as well.

____

P.S. If weight loss is one of your goals, download The Davey Wavey Weight Loss Program, co-written by Diane Petrella. By building a stronger relationship with your body and through proper nutrition and a strategic exercise program, you’ll create lasting and sustainable weight loss with ease.

Filed Under: Inspiration, Weight Loss Tips Tagged With: , ,

How To Lose Your Stomach Pooch!

September 3, 2014 By

Dear Davey Wavey,

I’ve started bulking at the gym to build muscle. I’m consuming 2,900 calories a day and I’ve made great advancements. But there is one problem. There’s a little pouch around my navel and I’m not a fan. I do your HIIT sprints once or twice a week and I’ve been eating well. I’m skinny by nature but this thing has always been there. Do you have any tips for getting rid of it?

Thanks,
Danny

best-way-to-lose-belly-fat-for-menHey Danny,

Ah - yes, that pesky pooch! It’s actually a very common problem and something about which I get tons of emails.

First things first, if a small pouch on your lower abdomen is your biggest problem, you’re doing really great. In fact, you’re leaps and bounds ahead of most people, especially considering that two thirds of Americans overweight.

Second, it’s going to be hard to lose the pouch while you’re bulking. Increasing your mass requires consuming more calories. Losing excess body weight means cutting calories to create a calorie deficit. In other words, building muscle and cutting fat are difficult to achieve simultaneously (unless you’re a beginner). Once you reach your desired musculature, my suggestion would be entering a “cutting” phase by reducing your calorie intake. You won’t be adding additional muscle mass during a cutting phase, but you can reduce the amount of fat on your body.

To cut that last five pounds from your midsection, follow these steps:

  1. Take a hard look at your diet. Because you only have five pounds to lose, your diet may already be pretty clean. But look for some areas where you can cut calories - including sugary drinks or fried, buttered or battered foods. Also be aware of your portion size. Reducing the portion is an easy way to cut calories and create the needed calorie deficit.
  2. Try HIIT sprints. If you can, perform HIIT sprints three times per week. I do 15 minutes of alternating between 1 minute balls-to-the wall uphill sprints and then 1 minute jogs. This gut-busting exercise will boost your metabolism and incinerate extra fat while minimizing muscle loss.
  3. Continue strength training. Many people looking to lose fat stop lifting weights. This is a huge mistake. By lifting weights, you show your body that you still need your muscle mass. This will ensure your body breaks down fat for energy and not hard-earned muscle.
  4. Be real. Everyone has a little bit of a pouch - even the models you see in magazines. In their case, it just gets photoshopped off. For some people, the pouch is the result of stretched skin from weight loss. It can be the result of pregnancy or sagging skin. For others, it’s largely genetic. Sure, do what you can to lose that last five pounds from your midsection - but also be realistic!

For many men, the lower abdomen is the very first place to gain weight and the very last place to lose it. Though you can reduce the pooch through diet and exercise, you might also find that it’s not worth the time, energy and effort to accomplish this cosmetic result.

I hope that helps!

Love,
Davey

P.S. If you’re looking to improve the way you look and feel through the foods you eat, I recommend downloading Davey Wavey’s Insanely Easy Guide to Eating Smarter.

Filed Under: Weight Loss Tips Tagged With: , , ,

10 Commandments of Weight Loss.

August 27, 2014 By

JESS3_Twinkies_hostess-moses-twinkiesThough we all have different bodies and different metabolisms, there are some constants when it comes to achieving effective, sustainable and lasting fat loss.

  1. Thou shalt not starve. Believe it or not, starving yourself is the least effective way to lose weight long term. That’s because it dramatically slows down your metabolism as the body tries to conserve calories. Once you do resume eating, the pounds will pack right back on.
  2. Thou shalt eat smarter and move more. If fat loss could be summed up in one simple commandment, it would be this. By eating smarter, fewer calories go into your body. By moving more, increased calories are burned by your body. This combination of healthy eating and exercise creates the calorie deficit needed for weight to be lost.
  3. Thou shalt not fall for fad diets. When it comes to weight loss, there are no shortage of marketing gimmicks promising quick fixes. Don’t rely on marketing; rely on science. And though the science of weight loss isn’t as sexy as popping a pill or eating only cabbage for a month, it’s effective and sustainable.
  4. Thou shalt eat carbohydrates. Though they get a bad rap, carbohydrates are used by our bodies for energy - and can help you power through a difficult workout. No carbs means no energy, and that’s a recipe for disaster. Instead of cutting carbs altogether, move from simple carbs to complex carbs.
  5. Thou shalt strength train. Don’t fall into the “I only do cardio” trap. By including strength training in your workout routine, you’ll ensure that you lose mostly fat - and not a combination of fat and muscle. Retaining your hard-earned muscle doesn’t just look good; muscle keeps your metabolism cranking.
  6. Thou shalt not have endless cardio workouts. Cardio is an important component of any routine, but people looking to lose weight often spend endless workouts on the treadmill or elliptical. Long cardio workouts can actually result in muscle loss and belly fat.
  7. Thou shalt understand the difference between hunger and appetite. Hunger is your body’s need for food, while your appetite is really more about cravings. To help determine hunger levels, score hunger and fullness using this scale.
  8. Thou shalt eat lots of fiber. Most of us don’t get enough fiber, but this is especially true for dieters. Fiber takes a long time to digest. As a result, it helps you feel fuller for a longer period of time.
  9. Thou shalt read nutritional information. Ignore the subjective marketing hype of product packaging; instead, go directly to the objective nutrition information and ingredients. Pay special attention to the serving size, calories, sugar and saturated/trans fat.
  10. Thou shalt stay hydrated and well-rested. Your body needs water - and drinking enough of it can help lessen hunger. Nine cups per day are recommended for women and 13 for men. And last but not least, getting plenty of rest is an important ingredient for weight loss. It keeps cortisol levels down and gives your body plenty of time to rebuild and recover from workouts.

Do you have anymore commandments of weight loss to add? Share them in the comments below! And to lose stubborn body fat once and for all, download the Davey Wavey Weight Loss Program.

Filed Under: Tips, Weight Loss Tips Tagged With: , ,
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