My Number One Fat Burning Tip

This one might hit you with a bang!

It might hit you with a thud.

Or you may think there’s nothing new here.

However, even if you have heard this before, are you doing it?

I don’t know exactly where I read it but the other day I saw a quote that said

“An ounce of ACTION, is worth a tonne of KNOWLEDGE”

I couldn’t agree more. There’s no point knowing what to do if you aren’t putting it into action.

Recognise when you are knowing more than you are doing, and make the next step an active one not a learning one.

Alright, enough of the preaching, let’s have this fat burning tip.

Well here in sunny Tasmania, we have fantastic produce. High quality meat, fruit, veggies, berries etc. And when they are in season there seems to be a massive oversupply. I can only assume this because, for instance, we can currently buy local strawberries for between $2-$3 per kilo. Now to me that is a massive bargain, as well as an environmentally sound one as well (when compared to buying interstate or internationally sourced berries).  Even frozen imported ones are at least double, if not 3-4 times the cost.

Blueberries, $10-$15 a kilo, fresh, local, organic.

Bananas, up to $2 a kilo, fresh, local, (not sure on the organic for this one)

So what does this have to do with fat loss…….

Well when I saw how cheap these were and that I could get local goods for less than their imported buddies, I thought now is the time to stock up. But there is a problem, our freezer sits underneath the fridge and is good for about two weeks of storage, no where near enough space to stock up for the winter. So I decided to go shopping for freezers, long story short, I am going to use the unused half of my parents one!

Now these fruits and berries are very nutritious but they also freeze well. Even better, they are great in shakes when you prepare then frozen. So what I have done is buy up on all the available, inseason, cheap berries and bananas and set them to freeze. Some I have left in the bulk bags (~1kg) and others I have put into 1/2 cup, 3/4 cup and 1 cup serves. With the banana, remove the skin and cut into small slices so you don’t kill your blender!

So now I have ready to go, already prepared, serves of highly nutritious ingredients for my shakes, desserts or just as a snack by themselves. You only have to do it once in a blue moon, and you will be saving yourself both time and money into the future.

There you go, my number one fat burning tip for today is to buy a freezer (or at least use one!) Turn your frozen section into a fat burning dream, not a fat burning nightmare like the frozen section at the supermarket!

Not necessarily a revolutionary idea, but definitely one that many people won’t be utilising….until now of course.

Let me know what you think, your ideas, or any way this idea can be improved.

46 Foods To Stock Your Kitchen With

We all know what it’s like. If you have some chocolate in the cupboard it will be calling your name, again and again, until it is eaten. If it’s not chocolate then it will be whatever vice you have. Chips, cookies, crackers whatever it is – the list goes on. If it is in your cupboard then chances are you will, at some stage, eat it. It takes a whole lot of self will, power and mind control to say no. It is a whole lot easier to not have it in there at all, and this list will give you a pretty good idea of what you should be replacing these foods with.

• Almonds
• Cashews
• Walnuts
• Pistachios
• Pecans
• Macadamias
• Broccoli
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Spinach
• Tomatos
• Beans
• Asparagus
• Snow Peas
• Peas
• Real Peanut Butter
• Blueberries
• Raspberries
• Strawberries
• Protein Powder
• Chicken
• Lean Red Meat
• Tuna
• Salmon
• Spices
• Herbs
• Salt
• Pepper
• Teas
• Eggs
• Cabbage
• Onions
• Mushrooms
• Peanut Oil
• Avocado Oil
• Sesame Oil
• Olive Oils
• Coconut Oil
• Butter
• Cacao Nibs
• Garlic
• Soy Sauce
• Oyster Sauce
• Worcestershire Sauce
• Apples
• Balsamic Vinegar
  

That’s what i’m packin’!

Keep these foods handy, and you’ll keep the belly fat at bay. There are so many options using only these foods. Change one ingredient and you can change a meal.

What have I left off the list? What is a staple that’s in your kitchen that I’m missing? Leave a comment below to let me know.

My Top Ten Fat Burning Super Foods

So you slug it out in the gym day after day. But you don’t seem to be getting anywhere. That extra bit of stomach fat won’t budge no matter how much extra effort you put in.

I have developed a checklist that can help to problem solve this, um, problem.

1. It’s your diet. Consider adjusting what you eat.

If you are training at a genuine intensity, regularly, and you don’t think its your diet then try number two.

2. It’s your diet. Consider adjusting what you eat.

Plain and simple. You can’t out train a bad diet. I see it time and time again. People working harder and harder with no plan or thought given to their diet. If you train hard and eat poorly you will get mediocre results at best. You might boost your fitness but getting fitter doesn’t help you fit into that pair of jeans you love.

If you train hard and follow it up with a solid, nutrient rich, healthy eating plan then your results will be simply amazing.

The following is my list of 10 foods you should be eating regularly if you want that lean, athletic look.

1.Blueberries
Packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. Frozen or fresh you will still get the amazing health benefits of this fruit.

2. Salmon
Omega 3s, quality protein. Enough said. Eat more salmon.

3. Spinach
Pound for pound, spinach is the champion. A great source of vitamins and minerals this leafy green should be the base for every salad you make. Say goodbye to iceberg lettuce today.

4. Broccoli
Broccoli will make just about every top 10 list involving food. It is the king of the vegetables. Protein, fibre, potassium, calcium, vitamin C, folate, magnesium, the list goes on. Add a cup of this to any meal and you will be getting more nutrition than half the population do in a day.

5. Avocado
Don’t be afraid of eating fat. Especially if you are trying to lose some body fat. Your body needs it to function and if you don’t give it some through your diet, it will hold onto what is already has. Avocados have the good fats that your body wants, plus some fibre. Don’t go overboard though, two or three mashed tablespoons will do.

6. Walnuts
Good fats, good proteins and good fibre means that this filling snack will give you a swag of your daily essential nutrients in just a handful of nuts.

7. Tomatoes
Fruit, vegetable or berry. Who cares!! This wonder food can be eaten in so many ways (think sauce, juice, raw, sliced, diced, steamed) that there is no reason to miss out.

8. Onions
Just like the tomato, you can get onions into just about any meal. Quickly fry them to decrease the intensity of the flavour, or just dice them up and add to your salad. Remember to brush your teeth or get some sugar free gum afterwards.

9. Eggs
Forget the hype or choose your belief. Free range, caged, organic there are lots of arguments going around the benefits and problems associated with all of them. The fact remains that eggs provide us with one of the best protein sources available on the planet. Also loaded with vitamins, minerals and choline (which is essential for optimal cardiovascular function). And when ‘they’ say eggs are bad for you consider what the Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating had to say “No research has ever shown that people who eat more eggs have more heart attacks that people who eat few eggs”.

10. Low Fat Cottage Cheese
The trick with cottage cheese is to never eat it by itself. Otherwise persistent gagging or vomiting may be a problem! But if you want to get this protein rich, low carb, low fat, body friendly food to stay in your stomach simply blend it with an equal portion of your favourite berry and half a dozen walnuts. Great tasting, good protein, good fats, good fibre, perfect for the lean body.

These foods all feature in my ‘Eating Made Simple‘ series. Make sure you check it out.

What are your favourite fat burning foods? Did I miss something off the list? Leave a comment below to let me know.

The Seasoned Chef

I have said it before and I will say it again. Number one on the list, Food has to taste great.

There is no point eating something you don’t like regardless of how good it is for you.

I have tried the lot. Raw eggs, ghastly protein powders, plain chicken breast, tuna in springwater the list goes on.

But there is no need for these plain or horrible foods to pass your lips. You can tick off great tasting along with great nutrition for every meal with these easy to use tips.

For breakfast and snacks look no further than berries. You can add them to natural plain yoghurt, blend them up with some cottage cheese or protein shake. Throw in some walnuts to round out the good fats and you have a nutritionally complete, great tasting meal in minutes.

My top three are blueberries, strawberries and raspberries. Grab them fresh in season and have a bag of frozen as a backup.

When it comes to adding flavour to meat skip the high sugar or high fat sauces and marinades and go straight for the herbs and spices. For the best flavour you want freshly ground. The most convenient way to do this is to grab a premixed seasoning grinder like this or putting your favorite mix into a small pepper mill.

Currently I am using a mix of sea salt, red bell peppers, garlic, black peppercorns, oregano and parsley.  Apply liberally to both sides of your chicken or steak immediately before cooking. For tuna mix in with a teaspoon or two of mayonnaise.

Follow these simple steps and you will go from bland and boring to brilliant, gourmet healthy meals. You will never have to complain that you have to eat healthy!

Kitchen here we come.

James