Tips for The Holidays

Avoid fat producing foods

By now you’ve had it drilled into your head many times that too much of anything
will get stored as fat and that calories are the most important factor in fat loss. However,
certain foods are more likely to be converted to fat than others - even at the same calorie
level. This is due to their thermic effect, the way they are metabolized in the body, or the
way they affect your hormones.

The three types of food that promote fat storage the most include:
(1) High fat foods (high calorie density; 9 calories per gram, low thermic effect)
(2) High sugar or refined carbohydrates (high calorie density, absorbed too quickly)
(3) Alcohol (high calorie density; 7 calories per gram. Suppresses fat-burning)

Avoid fat-producing food combinations

In addition to certain individual foods being more "fattening," certain food
combinations are doubly disastrous when you’re trying to lose body fat. The worst of all
possible food combinations is fat combined with sugar because it elevates your blood
levels of fat, sugar and insulin simultaneously.
Dallas Clouatre, author of "Anti-Fat Nutrients," explains, "When fat is eaten at the
same time as simple carbohydrates, both the fat and the carbohydrates are pushed into fat
storage. The 'bad' coupling of fats with carbohydrates slows down your metabolism and
causes you to gain weight."

The one food combination that you should never, ever eat if you want to get lean

Even though it’s a wise idea to allow yourself a cheat meal once a week, some
foods or food combinations should be avoided as much as possible. The fat and sugar
combination is undoubtedly the worst of all. It’s a sure-fire way to gain body fat so fast
you won’t even know what hit you. Low quality fats and refined sugars, eaten together,
are also contributing factors in the development of nearly every major disease. A few
obvious examples of the fat + processed carb combination include ice cream, doughnuts,
peanut butter cups, and fettuccini Alfredo.

The second worst combination is sugar and alcohol. Alcohol that is mixed in high
sugar drinks can contribute to literally thousands of calories over the course of an
evening. Alcohol inhibits fat burning. One night with a high-fat, high-carbohydrate
dinner followed by un-moderated drinking could set you back an entire week!

The top twelve worst junk foods that you should NEVER eat: "The Dirty Dozen"

Probably the best way to start learning how to pick the right foods and make fat
burning meals is to tell you what NOT to eat. If you know what not to eat, then through a
process of elimination, you’ll be much more likely to choose the right things. Make
sense?

The 12 worst fat-storing foods you should never eat
X Ice cream
X Fried foods
X Doughnuts and pastries
X Candy, chocolate & sweets
X Soda
X Fruit "drinks" and other sugar-sweetened beverages
X Potato chips
X Bacon, sausage
X White Bread
X Hot dogs, fast food burgers
X Cookies
X Sugary breakfast cereals