Is it really that hard?

Oh my... Here we are again America... "Come on America!!!"


Almost every person in the U.S. has at one time or another struggled with maintaining a healthy weight.  I have personally had a history of yo-yo diets and constant low self-esteem due to the lack of knowledge on how to get fit.


But Ryan, "I just have a slow metabolism."


Dude enough.  Don't give me that.  Out of all of the people in the U.S. you're the only one who can't get fit because your metabolism is slower than almost every other person's?  No, you have slowed it down with the eating habits you have developed!  I'm not trying to be rude to those who read this with their "diarrhea of the brain" telling them there is nothing they can do because they were born this way, I'm simply addressing an issue of misunderstanding in todays society of what and how eating right looks.

• "Come to Golden Corrale where all the meat is fresh and its only 10 Dollars for all you can eat!!!"

"WOW!!! 10 dollars!! what a deal!!"

• "For a limited time only, now at Burger King, buy one Whopper (with an emphasis on pronouncing the H before the W) get a free large fry!!!

"I love Whoppers!! I need to take advantage of this awesome deal!!"

You see what I'm getting at here?  Our society has taken one of the 7 deadly sins (Gluttony, for those who don't know) and made millions even perhaps billions of dollars, off of selling the idea that "you're not satisfied until you're full."  Now, I understand there are people out there who have realized the horribleness (yes I made up another word) of fast food's effects on our bodies, but eating 4 hamburgers at home doesn't make your situation better just because YOU made the burgers.

But Ryan, "I eat healthy all of the time, I make all of my food and especially at dinner I eat as much healthy food as possible!"

uh............... really though?

But Ryan, "I have been dieting all of my life and I fail every time... How do you know which diets work and which don't?"

Alright people, if anyone here hasn't noticed the workings of our society yet, then you aren't alive.  Check your pulse, seriously.  Our society, or even better, the "Big Name" companies that sell all of these diet pills and diet drinks (Lipofuse, clinicallix, Lipobasics, SLIM FAST!!) make their money on the failure of the diets they promote!  How much money would a mega corporation make off of a pill that made you fit and lean and helped you stay there?  Not much, because once you had lost the weight, you would no longer need the pill, thus the reason for the failure of the "diet" pills.


What's funny is if you read the labels on these bottles, they even tell you they are not meant to be taken without a proper nutrition plan!!


So again the question arises, "How do you know which diets work and which don't?"


Simple answer?  No "diet" works.  The very idea of a diet implies failure upon the beginning of it!  The first thing that jumps into everyone's mind when they here the word diet, is continuous hunger.  Is that really the healthy way we are supposed to live?  No!  Our bodies are very complex and amazing machines, yet so simple to understand!  Not giving our bodies the proper nutrition is the key to the failure of all "diets" on the market.  The phrase "I have a slow metabolism" is overused, misused and abused in every overweight American's life.  It has a resounding aura of helplessness attached to it that hinders our ability to confront ourselves and change the way we think.  Therefore the idea of a "diet" needs to be pushed to the side, and the reality of a HABIT CHANGE needs to be implemented.


Okay Ryan, "You've said a lot of mumbo jumbo (yes, i did just used that phrase) about a lot of stuff, but i'm still lost!" 

Alrighty then (Jim Carrey voice from Ace Ventura) I'm going to make this as simple to understand as possible.


Your body is fueled by three main molecules; Carbohydrates (breads, sugars, starches), Proteins (Fast digesting proteins; whey proteins, white meats. Slow digesting proteins; red meats and milk, or casein proteins) and Fats (mono and poly unsaturated, or "good", fats, and saturated and trans, or "bad" fats,)

Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats supply 90% of the dry weight of the diet and 100% of its energy.  All three provide energy (measured in calories).  These nutrients also differ in how quickly they supply energy. Carbohydrates are the quickest, and fats are the slowest.  Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats are digested in the intestine, where they are broken down into their basic units: carbohydrates into sugars, proteins into amino acids, and fats into fatty acids and glycerol. The body uses these basic units to build substances it needs for growth, maintenance, and activity (including other carbohydrates, proteins, and fats)

• Proteins are essentially the building blocks of our bodies.  Our muscles require BCAA's (branch chain amino acids) to repair the broken down tissue within our muscles, which we get after intense workouts.
• Carbohydrates are the "fuel" for our muscles that we require in order to function.
• Fats are the "regulators" of the fuel (Carbohydrates; A.K.A Glycogen) within our bloodstream.

Each of these fuels has a caloric value, Protein: 4 calories, Carbohydrate: 4 calories, Fat: 9 calories.  Each of these, when digested,  areas i said before: 

• Metabolized (broken down) then absorbed by your bloodstream. 
• Then distributed throughout your body.  

The importance of these three nutrients when dealing with weight loss are because of the following:

• Calories are what our body "burns", or is a measure of energy, especially heat energy, and if you are feeding your body more calories then its "burning" then "weight", or fat, is stored for energy usage at a later time.  
• Proteins, carbohydrates and fats all have a caloric value, therefore it becomes imperative that one who wishes to lose weight must track their intake of each of these nutrients daily.
• If you consume the proper amount of each nutrient, and the proper amount of calories each day, along with exercising (walking, jogging, circuit training, P90-X!!!!!) then it is impossible to consume more calories than you are burning, therefore weight loss is automatic.

Okay Ryan, "But how do I know how much of each nutrient to take in, and how many calories to consume?"

Well, I could sit here and tell you everything you need to know about how to lose fat, but the problem is everyone wants everything handed to them on a "slightly tarnished silver platter" with their name written on it.  The one thing i have learned over the past few years is that you can't expect people to do anything, let alone everything, for you.  You must take the steps of action to set goals, do research, and apply what you learn to your life.  So what am I getting at?  I will give you the "tools" you need to get started, but YOU have to research them. 

But Ryan, ":'( I don't have time and i don't understand it :'( (sob, sniffle, sob, sob)

Neither did I when I started!  But with great passion comes great understanding (corny at all??).  So, if you want to know what to do, and how to do it, just learn about these following terms:

• BMI (body mass index).
• BMR (basal metabolic rate).
• What a "calorie" is.
• The average daily caloric intake.
• Body fat percentage, and how to calculate it.

Once you have found these then I will be willing to assist you in calculating your caloric needs in order to lose weight, but you first have to do some goal setting and find out the info for yourself!!

You can contact me at ryan.carlock@yahoo.com and visit my website at fit4urself.myshaklee.com for info on supplements to help you achieve a better workout, recover better from your workout, and some weight loss meal replacement bars and shakes to help you cure your craving for food, and because of the 100% all-natural ingredients, this is the healthiest way to replace meals if your an "on-the-go" type of person!  I'm excited for those who are interested in getting fit and lean, and I am looking forward to answering any questions you may have!  It is a great feeling to have accomplished something knowing that YOU are the one doing the work, so stop sitting there thinking up excuses, and start doing the research to better your life today!