Losing weight is simple.  I get so frustrated with all the ads for gimmicks and tools and diets and fads that tell you they have a magical weight loss secret.  Do you want to know the secret?  Because I know what it is…

...Losing weight simply comes down to adherence. 
 
You need to find a diet that you are able to stick to… that’s the big WEIGHT LOSS SECRET!!!
 
Not much of a secret is it?!
 
Which diet you choose is really up to you.  I have my personal preferences, but in the end every diet comes down to eating less calories than you are burning, so they can all work providing you stick with it. 
 
How do I know this is the case?  It's simple to prove… go look up any diet.  Any of them.  Of the people who swear to have followed the diet there are people who have succeeded and people who have failed.  How can this be?  It's true we are all different but we're not THAT different, biologically speaking we're actually all pretty similar. 
 
The only logical reason for people succeeding and failing on the same diet is adherence… and thus ensuring they did not overeat.  Regardless of food choice, if you eat too much you will gain weight.
 
You should feel liberated!
 
Now you know that you have control.  I know "they" like to make you feel like you need their product but you don't.  You only need to take control of your own daily actions.



_MZ

 
One of the most difficult aspects of dieting can be getting past the moments of overwhelming hunger. When it comes to dieting no one does it better than bodybuilders! It's not a look most people strive for but the results speak for themselves. Being somewhat in touch with this world I can let you in on a few of the not so well known tricks for dealing with extreme hunger while on an aggressive diet.
 
Let the listing commence!
 
Chew Gum
Chewing gum is one of the best ways of holding off hunger.  It feels like you're eating with out all that swallowing nonsense that comes after the chewing.  Plus sugar free gum has little to no calories!
 
Drink Coffee
Coffee bean is a natural appetite suppressant.  It's low calorie and has an added metabolic boost thanks to the caffeine.  Just don’t add in a bunch of high calorie creams or sugars.
 
Slam Water
It's said that the signals for hunger and thrist are very similar and it's easy for your brain to mistake one for the other. When you feel hunger coming on try slamming a glass of water and see if that helps put the hunger at bay.  As an alternative you could try drinking some diet soda, the carbonation seems to help me feel full (consider that a free tip!).
 
Brush Your Teeth
There's something about brushing your teeth that staves off hunger.  I'm not sure why this works but it does.  And everyone loves clean white teeth so there's that as well!
 
Sugar Free and Low Calorie Foods
When I put someone on a diet one of the concessions I grant them is "eat as many green veggies as you want."  The chances of you over eating on such low calorie foods are not likely, and they tend to have a ton of micro nutrients which is a bonus.  I also eat a lot of sugar free gelatin, I consider this my dessert at most meals.  They are so low calorie you could probably eat them all day, non stop and still not gain weight (but please don't try lol).
 
Distract yourself
This seems obvious but it's worth mentioning.  My family knows that when I start dieting it means my video gaming will increase.  For you it might be reading, yard work or any number of hobbies.  The point is to try and find something that you enjoy and keeps your mind on something other than food.
 
Eat Protein
Saving the best for last.  It isn't exactly a secret that eating more protein is ideal. Protein keeps you feeling full longer and is better for fat loss due to the digestion processes required. I won't bore you with science but feel free to look it up if you're interested.
 
There you go!  7 tricks to suppress your appetite so you can look and feel your best!  Let me know how these work for you or if you have other ways to suppress appetite.


_MZ

You lose weight, then gain it all back plus some… Why is keeping fat off so effing hard?!?!?! 
 
I'm going to keep this really brief.  It'll be like pulling off a Band-Aid… it's not going to be fun but you need to hear it…
 
Why is it so hard to lose fat and so easy to gain it back.  It's pretty simple actually… you have fat cells that essentially store your body fat.  When you diet you are emptying those cells but not destroying them.  So when you go off your diet all your body needs to do is simply refill the cells, which is very easy to do.  To make matters worse it is also very easy to create more new fat cells.  So basically this is a huge kick in the balls (or ovaries for you females).
 
Will these fat cells ever disappear?  Yes, but it takes about 10 years for your body to decide it no longer needs them and then destroys them.  So you need to hold those bastards empty for a long time in order for the cells to die.
 
But that shouldn't be your concern for now… finding a diet that you can work with, and getting better at dieting should be your top priorities.  Once you master your diet and get your weight to where you want you can start rebuilding your metabolism so that it's easier to hold those cells empty. 
 
The point is you are in control.  The path is there for you to follow and it can be done.

I have tried a number of diets over the years… Eventually the same thing always happens; I fall off the diet-wagon... HARD! 
 
Recently I discovered a way to not only minimize the effects of a huge cheat day, but I found a way to make it work within my diet!
 
Meaning I continue to BURN FAT!
 
(Done reading already?  Fine, watch this video instead!)

I call this "Dietary Super Compensation"... This is a dieting strategy that I use often, and is especially useful during the holidays when you know high calorie days are inevitable.  It allows me to have absolutely massive calorie intake while still managing my body fat levels.
 
Before I get into the protocol I want to say a couple things about it. First, you need to have a certain level of short term discipline (or stubbornness) if not, then this diet may not be for you. Second, it's possible that this diet further enforces binge eating, or can trigger potential eating disorders… again, if this is you then it might not be the best option.  Third, this seems to work for me if implemented once per week, I can't imagine it working if done more often than that (but feel free to be your own guinea pig.. at your own risk of course).  That said, it can be a lot of fun and you can continue to lose body fat while following this protocol.
 
The diet is pretty simple.  It's a 2 step process; eat, then don't.
 
You have one huge gluttonous day where you eat what ever you want in whatever quantities you want. This is my cheat day for the week. I eat most of the "naughty" foods I'd been tempted to eat throughout the week.  On this day I will find myself eating even when I'm not hungry… that's probably not the best strategy here but sometimes you have to experiment a little and see what happens. (Plus, I don't like to do things half-way!)
 
The next 24 hours is all liquids. I pretty much constantly sip on a protein shake throughout the day. I also make sure some of the shakes have greens powder mixed in so I am still getting some micro-nutrients and fiber.  The trick to this day is to keep yourself distracted, as long as you keep busy you are less likely to realize you're hungry. 
 
This plan allows you to get away with a huge a cheat day and still burn fat.
 
I find it's easier than you would expect since the first day tends to be so over the top that I'm not all that hungry the next day anyway. What's the science behind this? Honestly, I don’t know. I only have my own anecdotal evidence that it works… and that if you look at it from an overall energy intake/output perspective it makes sense that this works. There is a lot of evidence that shows your body doesn't work simply on a 24 hour caloric system, weekly intake can also have an impact on your goals.
 
Another benefit is that an occasional surge in calorie intake can be good for your metabolism and your body's hormone production.  If you've been dieting, having an occasional cheat is also go psychologically.  Don't do it too often… but don't beat yourself up over it either!
 
 
I would like to credit Nate Green at biggersmallerbigger.com, and TC Louma at T-Nation.  Both of these guys somewhat inspired me to try a liquid fast, and it has worked beautifully.
 
So there it is. A simple way to have an epic cheat day and still burn fat.
 
_MZ

The problem: you've reached your fat loss goal, now you want to eat like a real human again.  The solution: reverse your diet back to a maintenance level you can live with.
 
After working with many people and hearing the common theme of yo-yo dieting and rebounding weight gain, I've started to wonder; "Why are so few people considering an exit strategy when dieting?"
 
There is a strategy to all but guarantee you do not put weight back on after you have reached you fat loss goals… reverse your diet!
 
Reverse dieting is a strategy that is gaining a lot of momentum in the competitive bodybuilding world as competitors struggle to manage body fat levels after they have reached their stage goals. 
 
In reality, anyone can benefit from this strategy, the concept is simple even if the process requires further discipline.
 
The process:  once you've reached your weight loss goal you will slowly begin to raise your calorie intake. This may be as little as 50 to 100 calories per week. You may put back on a little bit of weight doing this but it should be minimal and in the end it will be worth it. If any week you feel like you put on too much weight you should re-adjust back down, give yourself another week or so and try again.  Eventually you will hit a ceiling, this is your new maintenance level!  All you need to do now is keep your intake within that general area and you should be able to maintain your weight/body fat for as long as you'd like.
 
This process may increase the length of your diet… just when you think you're done you have to diet some more.  But if you really want to keep the weight off long term, the extra effort is worth it. 
 
Add in a flexible diet protocol and you'll find the process even more comfortable.
 
TL:DR - Plan for an exit strategy on your next diet, one that assist you in finding your new calorie maintenance.  When you find this limit you will have found the key to long term weight loss.
 
_MZ
 
 

1 Dimensional dieting is a term I coined that refers to foods that contain all (or mostly) one macronutrient.  These foods are only carbohydrates, only protein, or only fat.  By default these 1 dimensional foods are obviously less calorie dense.   The reason I find thins useful is that when eating this way it allows you to eat more volume, which is very helpful when you are forced to limit calorie intake for weight loss.  Instead of eating 1 piece of food that has some carbs and some protein, you eat two separate items that contain only those items.  Eat more, feel less deprived. 
 
Some examples of 1 dimensional foods:
Protein:

• Chicken
• Fish
• Whey Protein

 
Carbohydrates:

• Rice
• Oatmeal
• Vegetables/Fruit
• Cereal
• Low fat pretzels

 
Fats:

• Oils

 
This is not a groundbreaking theory, it is basically finding food that is lower in fat and thus lower in calories.  I don't usually look for 1 dimensional fats since fats will come with most foods anyway.
 
Beyond the 1 dimensional foods I also look for very low calorie foods that you can eat a lot of when you are dieting (again, more volume helps you feel full).  Some of my favorites are sugar free gelatin, sugar free jelly, and diet sodas.  I know they have "chemicals" but these have never effected my diets, and they might not effect yours… you won't know until you try.  Plus, food quality IS important but it is not MOST important.  Check out my Hierarchy of Dieting for more info on that. 
 
Hit me up if you have questions.

_MZ