In my nutrition seminars I teach a simple order of importance for the different areas of nutrition.

They are:

1. WHAT you eat
2. WHEN you eat
3. HOW MUCH you eat

So, if you want to change how your body looks and feels, you need to focus on what kind of food you’re eating BEFORE you start counting calories.

(Of course, this is exactly the opposite of where most people start.  That’s why they’re fat.)

There are a bunch of simple one-line nutrition plans that trainers recommend.  And guess what?  They all focus on the first part of the nutrition hierarchy: What you eat.

Without further ado, here they are!

One Line Diet Plan Numero Uno: Meat, Leaves, and Berries

I first learned about the “Meat, Leaves, and Berries” diet from the legendary weightlifter and thrower Dan John.

It’s just like it sounds.  Here is Dan’s own description:

It’s a very simple idea. My wife and I had gone on the Atkins Diet and really saw some fantastic results. What I started to notice almost immediately, was a real improvement in “general” health, especially in my skin, basic nasal congestion issues, that kind of thing.

This is right after I invented the Internet, so I started surfing the web and discovered others who were “Paleo-dieting.” Well, to simplify it, we start calling it “meat and leaves.” Basically, meat is fish, beef, poultry and eggs. Leaves are uncooked vegetables, salad and salad bar items, basically. After a while, we tossed in berries for all the antioxidant help. Then we started considering “in season” fruit, apples in the fall, citrus in the winter, and the whole thing fell into place.

I know that I thrive on eating like this, but I fall off the wagon sometimes and get fat, bloated and red faced. It’s an attractive look on me.

You can check out Dan at: http://www.DanJohn.net

One Line Diet Plan Numero Dos: The Dental Floss Diet

Basically, everything that’s good for you sticks in your teeth and you have to floss after eating.

(Yes, I know caramel gets stuck in your teeth.  It’s not on this plan.  Sorry)

Ice cream, Big Macs, donuts, white bread, etc are so processed that there is nothing left for your teeth to do.

Broccoli, steak, almonds, and spinach, however, get stuck up in your grill and are great for you.

One Line Diet Plan Numero Tres: Green Faces

I first heard about this one from the one and only Rachel Cosgrove.

On it, you only eat green vegetables and things that have a face.

This is a GREAT plan because it takes all ambivalence out of your eating.  It’s a yes or no answer.

Can I have cheese?  Nope, no face.

Veal? Yep, cute face.

Pie? No face, not even if you cut one in the crust.

Salmon? Yes, weird looking face.

Since Green Faces takes out all of the guess work, you end up eating only things that are good for you.

One Line Diet Plan Numero Quatro: 3 Steps From The Farm

This diet comes from Lou Schuler, the best-selling fitness author.

I don’t like this one quite as much as the others, because it allows things like whole grains, but here’s the gist: Don’t eat anything you can’t trace back to the farm in 3 steps.

Steak? Yes: Farm, Butcher, Store

Cheese? Yes: Dairy, Aging House, Store

Bagel? No: Farm, Dairy, processor, bakery, store

Snickers? Hell no: Too many to list

One Line Diet Plan Numero Cinco: Nothing You Couldn’t Get In The Wilderness With A Sharp Stick

Another one-liner that focuses only on natural foods.

You can get meat, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and eggs with nothing but a sharp stick.

You can’t get anything that depends on agriculture: grains, beans, dairy, etc.

One Line Diet Plan Numero Seis: Eat Food. Not Too Much. Mostly Plants.

This comes from In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto by Michael Pollan.

Pretty good rules to fit in one line, right?

Eat Food: Only eat unprocessed foods that your body knows what to do with

Not Too Much: Self explanatory

Mostly Plants: Dr. Russel always recommends that at least half of your plate is covered with veggies.  Good idea.

What They Have In Common

All six of these nutritional one-liners focus on making GOOD FOOD CHOICES.

Cut out the crap and replace it with meat, leaves, and berries and your body will finally start changing!

When you get your nutrition program really dialed in, your training program will work like magic.

One of the habits you need to get into is eating every 2-3 hours.

Meals are pretty easy to visualize:

• Breakfast: Eggs, bacon, melon, sausage
• Lunch: Chicken, Roast beef, spinach salad, carrots, bell pepper
• Dinner: steak, salmon, broccoli, asparagus

But it’s harder to come up with good snack ideas. I mean, the time it takes to chew steak, spinach, and a bell pepper will use up a whole 15 minute break (and then you won’t even have a chance to pee!)

I was re-reading Primal Body-Primal Mind by Nora Gedgaudas and found a great list of primal snacks. Check them out, try a few, and leave a comment with your favorite healthy snacks!

• Raw nuts (that have preferably first been soaked overnight in salt water, drained, rinsed, and dried in a 150 degree oven to eliminate phytates and trypsin inhibitors) including: macadamia, almonds, pecans, hazelnuts, brazil nuts, pumpkin seeds, and walnuts
• Hard boiled or deviled eggs (organic, free-range)
• Sardines packed in olive oil (very rich in zinc and omega-3)
• Tuna packed in olive oil
• Tuna or chicken salad (w/o any macaroni)
• Sliced seasoned avocado

• Pate (no crackers or bread!)
• Grass-fed liverwurst or braunschweiger sausage
• Olives [note from Luke: Whole Foods in Reno has a great selection of olives!]
• Cream cheese balls, herbed or plain, with an olive center
• Coconut flakes
• Green drinks (no sugar!)
• Almond or other nut butter – NOT peanut or cashew (use celery sticks or a spoon)
• Organic, full-fat cheese slices (preferably raw milk based) or a slice of brie (goat and/or sheep milk)
• Homemade salmon jerky, beef jerky, or pemmican (see recipes in Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon) or a good homemade-style beef jerky sold at a natural foods-type meat counter
• Raw veggies and homemade avocado dip or guacamole
• Sliced turkey or roast beef rolled up with cheese or cream cheese
• Lox or smoked salmon – with or without cream cheese
• Shrimp cocktail with lemon

The secret: Fuel your body more often, not less. You don’t want to feel starved or deprived.

By fueling your body throughout the day you’ll keep your metabolism revving!

Maybe I’m just weird, but I don’t think Kim Kardashian is hot.

And she’s certainly not fit.

So when I caught this commercial where she endorses QuickTrim weight loss supplements, it made me sad.

The music makes me think of 70’s porn films (don’t ask me how I know that), as does the whispered voice over.

Then she shoves her chest at the camera and asks “How hot do you want to be?”

Quick note: QuicTrim didn’t give her those breasts.  Sorry.

But since I’m curious by nature, I decided to check out the ingredient list and see just exactly WHAT so many people are putting in their bodies.

You can read the product info at: http://www.quicktrim.net/supplement_facts.html

Ok, the “burn and cleanse” capsules contain 400mg of caffeine – which is equal to 4 or 5 cups of coffee.  They also contain black pepper and willow bark, both of which boost the potency of caffeine.

The caffeine in there is designed to raise your metabolism, but unless you burn a lot of calories while you jitter around, it won’t do much for your body.

There is also green tea extract, which might contain caffeine.  Green tea in its liquid form is good for you, concentrated forms are not.

And since it might contain caffeine, along with all of the other sources and boosters in the pills, if you wash this down with a cup of coffee you could overdose on caffeine and really mess up your heart.

The “IsoCleanse and Flush” pills have TWO kinds of laxatives:

• Bulk laxatives: oat fiber, prunes, dates, & fig extracts
• Stimulant laxatives: rhubarb, cascara, & senna

These pills are designed to speed up the movement of food through your intestines.  And unless you’re severely constipated, this is a BAD IDEA.

You’ll get dehydration and diarrhea (“How hot do you want to be?”), plus loss of nutrients.  On the bright side, you’ll weigh less.  Your body fat won’t have changed, but you’ll be nice and sick.

And even better, your system will become dependent on these pills for bowel movements, so you’ll become constipated if you ever stop supplementing.  You’ll also gain all the water weight back right away if you ever stop.

Bloated and constipated.  (“How hot do you want to be?”)

These pills also have a lot of diuretics in them, which will cause even more water loss and dehydration, without leading to any fat loss.

Added bonus: The ingredients juniper berry, uva ursi, and horsetail extract all become toxic over time.  Hooray!

Again, you’ll lose water weight, but not FAT weight.  And you’ll put every ounce of it back on.

While you’re dehydrated from these pills some of the side effects may be:

• extreme exhaustion
• severe muscle cramps
• memory loss
• coma
• kidney stones
• kidney failure
• bloating
• seizures

The rest of the supplements in this system are just more of the same: laxatives, stimulants, and diuretics.  Boooo.

Bottom line: These pills won’t help you lose weight, and they’ll do your body internal harm if you take them.

(Even flappers in the jazz age were taking weight loss pills.  Check out how fat Jane became slim Jane!)

Paleo eating is awesome.

I used to have a t-shirt that said “Eat Like A Caveman”, but it got destroyed during a brutal tire-flipping workout

What is a primal diet?  Basically, it is a way of eating that gives your body the foods it was designed to use, and gives you optimal health, fast fat loss, and tons of satisfaction.

I go deep into primal diets (and primal fat loss) in my nutrition seminars, too deep to cover here.  Take a look at the list below.

Do you:

• have any “diseases of civilization”? (diabetes, heart disease, obesity, etc)
• have trouble losing weight?
• get periods of low energy during the day?
• ever suffer from emotional troubles? (ADD, depression, anxiety)
• get acne, psoriasis, or other skin conditions?

If you answered yes to any of the questions above, you need to look into primal eating.

Check out this testimonial one of my personal trainer friends received on his website:

I’m 56 years old and have been a type 2 diabetic since I was 32. When diagnosed, I went on the American Diabetic Association exchange diet, which is 50%+ carbohydrates. Believe it or not, the diet worked for a while, because as high in carbs as it is, it was still fewer than I had been eating. Over the years I made an effort at taking care of myself, but medicines increased. At the first of this year I was injecting 10mcg of Byetta twice a day, 22 units of insulin at night, and taking 2 grams of metformin in the evenings. I was unable to predict what my body’s reaction to meals would be. I had frequent lows, because I was trying to maintain healthy blood sugars. I had been doing some studying – read Dr. Bernstein’s book, Taubes’ book, etc. Anyway on January 4th I began my first steps at becoming primal.

With my doctor’s consent, I discontinued the Byetta and began eating a low carb diet (he also agreed I could stop taking the statin I was on). Initially I was eating 90g of carbs or less a day. That soon dropped to 75g and now I am eating <50g a day. I had to start lowering my insulin dosage within two weeks and was off the insulin in 6 weeks. In 6 months I was off the Metformin, so I am now free of diabetes drugs, though I have not yet been able to get off some others. I have hope for the future. The only exercise I used to do was tai chi, which I enjoy a lot, but was not all I needed. I found out about burpees on this web site and began doing those as well. I also found out about grass-fed beef. I was able to locate a farmer about 75 miles from my home who raises and sells grass-fed beef and recently bought half a cow! I’m eating organic raw cheese. I have cut out artificial sweeteners with occasional lapses. I have cut out all grains and starchy vegetables. I do often have one square of a Lindt 85% cocoa bar – it is about 1.5 grams of sugar (never more than one in a day). Otherwise no sugar. No trans-fats. I find I am very sensitive to carbs so the only fruit I eat is berries, in small amounts. I have increased my fat intake in hopes of raising my HDLs, which historically have been < 30 most of the time. I have added coconut oil to my diet. My low testosterone had risen by 200+ points at my last check up. I hope for a further increase at the end of next week when I have another check up. If that happens, I can begin reducing the medicine I am on for that. I feel great and look forward to continued improvements in my health as time goes by. I wish I had known this 24 years ago.

After reading this, one of my clients asked me for a few resource recommendations for someone interested in learning more about the primal eating lifestyle.

The Vegetarian Myth

If, like me, people have tried to pound vegetarian arguments into your head, this book is a must read.

Lierre Keith was a hard-core vegetarian activist for 20 years, speaking at world conferences and being an advocate for vegetarianism however she could.  Until she started to notice all of the health problems that vegetarians have.

(Did you know that 100% of anorexic and bulimic teenage girls start as vegetarians?)

In The Vegetarian Myth Keith looks at vegetarianism from health, political, and environmental standpoints and offers an alternative view: That we are designed to eat animals.

She describes her lifestyle – which is very primal in nature – and how she managed to make the decision to live cruelty free while still eating a healthy (primal) diet.

But be forewarned – Keith is also a feminist and doesn’t care who knows it.  I really enjoyed the book, but it turned a few people I know off (both men and women).  It won’t impact your nutrition education, but I don’t want any more angry emails

Bottom line: I read this book twice through in 2 days and keep it on my desk.  If you’re interested in nutrition and health, get it.

Primal Body, Primal Mind

I’m going to be honest about this: I don’t understand this book’s subtitle.  Main title?  Easy.  “Primal Body, Primal Mind.”  Nora Gedgaudas is writing about having a healthy body and a healthy mind with primal nutrition.

It’s the subtitle that throws me: “Empower your total health the way evolution intended (…and didn’t)”

The “…and didn’t” is confusing.  Oh well.  That aside, this is a great book.

I use it as a reference manual more than anything.  Want to know about nutrition and ADD?  It’s there.

How magnesium and zinc support your total health?  Right in the index.

This is another book I use as a desk reference.

Paleo Diet

This is a good all-around introduction to primal eating.

It’s an easy read (where Primal Body, Primal Mind is more technical).

I don’t like the focus on low-fat in the diet, but other than that, this book is a solid read.

Paleo Diet For Athletes

By “athletes,” the author is referring to endurance athletes such as marathoners and triathletes.  The recommendations aren’t for strength and power sports like baseball, volleyball, or wrestling.

BUT, if you are involved in any endurance sports, this book is a goldmine.

The culture of endurance sports has lots and lots of high-carb supplements like powerbars and Clif bars that aren’t supporting health and optimal performance.

Here’s the deal: If you’re into distance biking or running, get this book. If you just want weight loss and health, you can skip it.

Neanderthin

This is the book most of my top trainer friends recommend for their clients.

For some reason, the info in this book is very easy to remember.

If you want to be a modern day hunter-gatherer, this book has all the goods.

The Primal Blueprint

Mark is THE MAN when it comes to a complete primal lifestyle. He can explain diet, exercise, and lifestyle without sounding like a froot loop. (Always a danger when writing about paleo diets!)

His ten primal commandments are excellent, and he lays down very clear guidelines, nothing vague.

If you only get one book off of this list, make it this one!

Good Calories, Bad Calories

This isn’t really a “primal” book per se, but it takes a very detached look at carbs and fat, and how they affect our health.

Taubes explains how the low fat, high carb diet came into the mainstream, as well as presenting a history of low carb diets that had info even I had never heard of!

It’s a little harder to read than other books on this page, but well well worth it.

Paleo Cookbooks

If you want to get started on Primal eating TODAY, these cookbooks are instant downloads.

They are what I use to try new recipes.

And guess what…. there’s COCOA!! That’s right, one of the add-ons is a book of primal dessert recipes.

Amazon doesn’t carry these, so you can check them out here: Paleo Cookbooks

That’s it for today! Pick one or all of these and get reading!

Lots of people ask me what I do to stay lean.  They don’t believe I eat lots and lots of fat, never do aerobics, and stay away from grains like the plague.

A big part of my success is having a healthy breakfast every day.

And every morning it is almost exactly the same thing.  My alarm goes off at four a.m., and by 4:15 I’m chopping vegetables for the day.

I call this monster the “Hyper-Veggie Scramble.”  Since you never know what your day will bring, I like to “front-load” and try to get as many vegetables as possible in early. (Now remember, I’m 225 pounds.  This is what I eat.  You’ll probably want to cut the portions down some.)

Without further ado, here’s step-by-step photos and directions of how to make your own Hyper-Veggie Scramble!

Luke’s Awesome Breakfast Step One: Take Stock

Here’s what I use: asparagus, bell pepper, green onions, baby spinach, swiss cheese, eggs, and pico de gallo.

Luke’s Awesome Breakfast Step Two: Chop The Pepper

I prefer to use red bell peppers when I cook, because I really like the flavor and they’re full of health benefits.

Here’s a full blog post (including recipes!) about the virtues of the red bell pepper: Fit Body Fuel

Luke’s Awesome Breakfast Step 3: Chop The Asparagus

I usually use six stalks of asparagus with breakfast.  The problem is, I grew up in Eastern Washington and used to be able to get super-fresh veggies that had just been cut.  It makes a big difference in flavor.

First, cut off the fibrous base of the asparagus.  Then chop it into tiny rounds.

Luke’s Awesome Breakfast Step 4: Chop The Onions

I get organic green onions at Raley’s or Whole Foods.  They don’t add a lot of vitamins, but they are full of flavor.

Chop off the scraggly root parts, and the top of the greens.  Then dice it all up!

Luke’s Awesome Breakfast Step 5: Start Cooking!

I put everything in a non-stick pan with high sides over medium-high heat.  It’s very important that you keep everything moving through the whole cooking process, too long in one place and the veggies will burn.

While the peppers, onions, and asparagus are cooking, I measure out four cups of either spinach or mixed spring greens.  If I use greens, I chop them first so they don’t make big lumps in the eggs.

Luke’s Awesome Breakfast Step 6: Add The Spinach

When the peppers are cooked through, toss in the spinach and stir it all up.  I flip everything over so that the spinach hits the hot pan.

It looks like a lot in the picture above, but check out the difference in volume once it cooks down:

Luke’s Awesome Breakfast Step 7: Eggs!

I eat five eggs with breakfast.  As to the eggs, I get local when I can.  Eggs from chickens running around a farm are a lot healthier than eggs for a chicken with no beak that was fed chemicals.  If there are no local eggs to be had, I get omega-3 eggs or at the very least, cage-free eggs.

Luke’s Awesome Breakfast Step 8: Yum, Cheese

The cheese is the only non-paleolithic food in this dish, but it is so delicious I make an exception.

Once the eggs are almost done, I tear up a slice of cheese and stir it in.  (Swiss goes great with the eggs and asparagus!)

Luke’s Awesome Breakfast Step 9: Toppings

Dump everything out on a plate (mine are black, everything looks more slimming in black and top with either pico de gallo or garlic salt.

Luke’s Awesome Breakfast Step 10: Eat!

Enjoy!  My little sister laughs that it only takes me 5 minutes to clear my plate, but it’s so delicious I can’t slow down!

Give this recipe a try when you want something quick, healthy, and tasty!

This morning I was stuffing a bell pepper with bacon, eggs, and a leek when I thought about how awesome bell peppers are.  (I found the recipe for bacon, egg, and leek pepper stuffing in my copy of the Paleo Cookbook)

A cup of chopped-up red bell peppers has only 40 Calories (2g protein, 9g carbs).  For such a low-cal food, they are packed with the vitamins you need to support your journey to a fit body.

Just one red bell pepper will give you about 20% of your daily Alpha-Tocopherol Vitamin E.  This is a kick-butt antioxidant that busts up the free radicals poisoning your bloodstream.

And guess what?  Red bell peppers have more Vitamin C than oranges!  (Red peppers have about twice as much vitamin C as green ones)

Beta-Carotene from bell peppers is what your body uses to make Vitamin A.  Letting your body make its own vitamin A is a much safer and more effective course than taking a vitamin A supplement.  I always think of A as the “good looks vitamin.”  Here are some of its benefits:

• Prevents and clears skin infections
• Helps fix dandruff, dry skin, and wrinkles
• Protects against sun damage
• Keeps skin elastic
• Protects the lining of mouth, nose, throat, and lungs
• Improves eyesight
• Destroys free radicals
• Supports immune system

You can also get plenty of Lycopene from bell peppers, which is one of the best things there is for reducing cancer risk.

I go through about a dozen red bell peppers a week, with a few yellow and orange ones thrown in for good measure.

Usually I chop one up and scramble it with my eggs in the morning and then slice one to eat along with lunch.

Here are a few easy ways to get more (from the Paleo Cookbook)

Bacon and Leek Sandwich

1 small leek, finely sliced
3 slices bacon
2 omega-3 eggs
1tbs olive oil
1 bell pepper half

Place bacon and oil in a frying pan on medium heat, stir consistently for 5-6min, or until bacon has lightly
browned. Remove any excess oil and add leek, stir consistently for 8-10 min or until leek has become soft and tender. Add eggs and stir consistently to scramble into the bacon and leek.

Fill pepper half with mixture.

Grilled Peppers

Cut pepper into strips and place on barbecue over open flame until soft.  (About 5-10 minutes)

When cool, peel off charred skin and use the cooked pepper strips in a salad or as a side.

Beef And Pepper Kebabs

Cut a pound of 1-inch thick boneless top sirloin steak into 1.5 inch pieces.

Toss meat with a mix of:

• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cloves minced garlic

Stab beef onto four 12inch metal skewers, alternating with slices of red bell pepper.

Grill until cooked and serve with a wild greens salad.

Final Note

If you’re serious about changing your body and you aren’t eating Paleo/Primal foods, it’s time to get on the ball.

If you want to get the results you truly want and need, remember the Wold Fitness Eating Hierarchy:

1. What You Eat
2. When You Eat
3. How Much You Eat

Eating Paleo is the key to the first and most important part of the hierarchy.  Check out the Paleo Cookbook (less than a personal training session and with a 3 month moneyback guarantee) by clicking here: Paleo Cookbook

Talk Soon,

~ Luke

PS – Deirdre Reid, one of my clients, is the person who pointed out the paleo cookbook to me.  Her picture is below.  Guess this stuff works, huh? 

A really cool thing about eating right is that almost all illnesses go away.

The more I learn about nutrition, the more I find out that almost all modern diseases come from our diet.

Obesity, cancer, diabetes, depression – all four come from a jacked up eating plan.

But today’s post isn’t about diseases.  Sometimes you get a little banged up and your body needs a little extra of this or that to speed up the healing process.

When I broke my ankle, the doc had me drinking extra milk so the calcium boost would plaster up the cracks and get me whole again quickly.

So if you want to get better and get back to your workouts as soon as possible – check out this list of healing foods:

To Fix: Shin Splints

You Need: Anthocyanins, omega-3 fats, and bromelain.

Foods To Eat: Tuna, Salmon, Cherries, and Pineapple

To Fix: A Wound

You Need: Protein (for skin cells), Vitamin C, Zinc, Iron, Omega-3 fats

Foods to Eat: Buffalo burgers, Kiwi fruit, Chia Seeds, Mackerel

To Fix: A Pulled Muscle

You Need: Protein, Potassium, Anthocyanins, Omega-3 fats

Foods To Eat: Wild Salmon, Cooked Broccoli, Greek Yogurt, Blueberries

To Fix: Muscle Cramps

You Need: Fluids, Sodium, Potassium, Chloride

Foods To Eat/Drink: Water, Watermelon, Bananas, Cantaloupe

To Fix: A Broken Bone

You Need: Calcium, Vitamin D, Magnesium, Phosphorous

Foods To Eat: Yogurt (full fat!), Almonds, Calcium and Vitamin D fortified orange juice

To Fix: A Bruise

You Need: Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Oleocanthal

Foods To Eat: Spinach, Strawberries, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Sunflower Seeds, Pine Nuts

Even very thin people can have a pooched-out belly.

Here’s the anorexic Lindsay Lohan with a bloated stomach:

Want to get rid of the belly bloat?  (And stop the gut cramps and digestive problems?)

Here’s your Two Week Wold Fitness Challenge:  Cut out all grains and alcohol for 14 days.

Simple, yeah?

See, bloated lower bellys are usually caused by GLUTEN.  Gluten is a very sticky, starchy substance found in grains.  In fact, gluten is Latin for “glue.”  That should tell you how sticky it is.

Well, gluten binds up everything in your belly, causing gas, cramps, and bloating.  (I wrote about reasons why grains suck in this article: Problems With Grains)

Cut out the gluten and you’ll get rid of the swelling in your lower belly.

And alcohol is also closely related to bloating.  Drink 3 beers and you’ll notice a definite bloat going on. 

So, for two weeks, here’s the deal:

• No wheat (not even “whole wheat”!)
• No crackers, cereal, tortillas, cookies, or any other garbage
• No booze, beer, or wine

Last time I issued this challenge one of my readers lost THIRTEEN POUNDS in fourteen days, mostly from releasing all the FUNK that alcohol and grains had stored in her body.

Your results might not be as dramatic, but I guarantee that in just two weeks your stomach will be flatter and your jeans will be looser.

Now get after it!

Back in the day I was drinking at least a gallon of soy milk every day.

I needed the extra calories to fuel my super-heavy powerlifting workouts, and I thought soy would be a healthier choice.

Lots of people told me that soy is an inferior protein, can mess with your hormones, can create food allergies, blah blah blah.

One morning I was chugging soy milk straight out of the carton after a tough squat workout and my chest started hurting.  I shrugged it off, figuring it was some sort of strain and would work itself out.

The next day my nipples were so sore it hurt to put on a shirt.  And it just got worse.  Every day it hurt more and more and there was starting to be some swelling.

Now, you don’t tell a bunch of hardcore powerlifters you think you’re growing breasts, so I couldn’t ask my training partners what they thought was going on.  Luckily, I was doing an internship as a strength and conditioning coach for the US Ski team right after they got back from Torino.

I called one of their trainers and told him what was happening.  He only asked me one question: “Do you eat a lot of soy?”

Well, yeah.

“Switch to goat milk and quit all soy foods and supplements.  You’ll get better.”

Really?

“Yes, really.”

I followed his advice and in a week the swelling was gone and in another few days the pain was gone too!  Yes!

After this little adventure I found out people had been right all along.  Soy is an inferior protein, can mess with your hormones, can create food allergies, blah blah blah.

For men and women alike, soy can really mess you up.  In The Vegetarian Myth: Food, Justice, and Sustainability by Lierre Keith, she talks first hand about her experiences with soy overdose.  And she tells the story of a friend of hers so jacked up by soy that she has all but lost her short-term memory.  (And for men, well, my story should scare you off of soy)

Here is the low-down on soy.  This info comes from my own notes (Here are some references: Survey Says… Soy Is Bad News!), Primal Body-Primal Mind: Empower Your Total Health The Way Evolution Intended by Nora Gedgaudas, and www.westonaprice.org.

For Everyone:

Soy has never been given the Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status by the FDA.  Yikes!

Soy contains hemagluttinins that cause your red blood cells to form clots.

Soy disrupts your thyroid and can cause obesity, dry skin, brittle hair, low blood pressure, slow pulse, depressed muscles, feeling cold all of the time, goiters, and generally slow down all of your body’s systems.

Despite what the commercials say, soy is NOT a complete protein.  It is missing lysine, an essential amino acid.

There are high levels of phytic acid in soy.  This keeps you from absorbing calcium, copper, magnesium, iron, and zinc.  This acid isn’t neutralized by sprouting, soaking, and slow cooking.  It also causes growth problems in kids.  Boooo soy!

Soy interferes with protein digestion (trypsin inhibitors, if you want to google it).  This may cause your pancreas to misfire and cause stunted growth of your pancreatic cells.

Soy disrupts your endocrine system and can cause infertility.

The phytoestrogens in soy damage your thyroid and will slow down your entire system.  (Hypothyroidism makes it EXTREMELY difficult to lose any body fat!)

Vitamin B12, which keeps your brain functioning, is not absorbed when you eat soy.  In fact, soy actually INCREASES your body’s need for B12!

Soy makes you need more Vitamin D, and you’re already not getting enough.

Processed soy protein is both toxic (lysinoalanine) and carcinogenic (nitrosamines)

During processing of soy Free Glutamic Acid is formed, which is a big-time neurotoxin.

Foods made with soy are high in ALUMINUM, which is toxic to your kidneys and nervous system.

Eating soy foods makes you more likely to have kidney stones.

For Parents:

If your baby drinks soy formula, it’s own body will be programmed to attack it’s thyroid for the rest of its life.

Babies fed soy infant formula have estradiol levels up to TWENTY-TWO THOUSAND TIMES higher than babies on milk formulas.  This is like feeding your infant at least five birth control pills a day.

The estrogens in soy pass through the placenta and will cause SEVERE malformations and a loss of functional ability that will last a lifetime.

Soy messes up the testosterone of male infants resulting in inhibited male characteristics and sex organs.

Soy messes up leutinizing hormones which will jack up brain and reproductive tract development in both males and females.

50% of girl infants who are exposed to soy foods end up with a malformed reproductive tract.

Soy speeds the rate of female maturation.  Girls enter puberty earlier than they should.  One percent start getting breasts and pubic hair before the age of 3.  14.7% of Caucasian and 50% of African Americans by the age of 8.  (They aren’t mentally ready for their body to start changing!)

For Women:

Eating soy increases your risk for estrogen-dependent cancers.  (Examples of estrogen-dependent cancers are breast cancer, colorectal cancer, endometrial cancer, and ovarian cancer)

More on cancer:  The National Center for Toxicological Research says that soy consumption is a very significant risk factor for breast cancer.

Cancer again: Women using soy protein supplements have increased epithelial hyperplasia – a precursor of… Cancer!

Consumption of soy isoflavones (what the soy marketers tell us are the best part of soy!) causes breast cells to enter into malignant cycles.

Soy will mess up your menstrual cycle.

For Men:

Soy causes decreased testosterone levels and suppressed libido.

Soy is decidedly linked to Alzheimer’s in men.

And guess what?  Soy can actually cause a man to start growing breasts!  Seriously.

I expect a few jokes, but that is what was starting to happen when I was on my soy diet.  I’m scared to think of what would have happened if the rest of my diet and exercise wasn’t on check.

The Bottom Line:

No matter what I say or do, soy is going to keep on being pimped as a super-healthy food and protein source.

Is is going to be added to many foods and supplements.

The only thing you can do is avoid it.  You should be reading food labels anyway, so just make sure you don’t see the word SOY anywhere in the ingredients.

Every morning I leave my Carson City Bootcamp and I see women making this mistake on the roads and paths around my gym…..

One Mistake All Women Make

By Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training

Following the cardio mentality and depending on the cardio
confessional is the biggest mistake that all women make when it
comes to fat loss. Let me explain…

On Saturday morning I was walking home from the gym when I passed
by a young women – about 28 years old – who was talking on her
iPhone.

And I heard her say, “I’m going for a walk now to get some exercise
because I’m going out for a bad dinner tonight.”

And I just wanted to yell, “No – no – no – no – no! That doesn’t
work. It never has, it never will!”

You can’t out-cardio a bad diet.

Every woman I’ve ever met has made this mistake and had that
“cardio confessional mindset” at one time or another – and it goes
for most of the guys I know, too.

Unfortunately, at best, this poor girl will probably burn an extra
300-500 calories during her walk – if it’s a really, really long
walk. But at dinner, she’s likely to eat 400-700 calories during
the appetizer or consume that in liquid calories alone!

(NOTE: By “bad dinner”, I’m guessing she meant a high-calorie meal,
and not a pity date with a deadbeat ex-boyfriend.)

The bottom line is that a single cardio session will not beat a bad
diet.

Now you might be thinking, “At least it’s better than nothing.”

But is it?

Remember, as I’ve mentioned in the past, one British study found
that some people OVEREAT in response to cardio exercise.

So when dinner comes around, this poor girl might think, “Oh, I did
that long walk today, so I can treat myself to a bigger dinner or
dessert.”

The only thing that comes close to beating a bad diet is interval
training and resistance training.

Back in 2007, an Australian research study on interval training was
getting a LOT of press for the surprising results. In the study,
women who did interval training were able to lose belly fat without
changing their diet.

In fact, one subject, named Louise, said this:

“My diet was pretty bad back then, with lots of sweets, lots of
junk food…doughnuts and sugar — it was awful.”

And yet by the end of this study, interval training helped Louise
burn 8kg of fat in just 15 weeks – WITHOUT changing her diet.

Perhaps it IS POSSIBLE for you to out-train a bad diet – but only
if you use interval training.

And that’s just another reason the best short, burst fat burning
workouts are based on this specific type of fat burning exercise.

So here’s what you need to do:

1) Give up the “Cardio Confessional Mentality” and understand that
you can’t “out-cardio a bad diet”.

2) Stick to your simple lifestyle nutrition plan 90% of the time
and then enjoy your 10% reward meals GUILT-FREE.

3) Use interval training to burn the fat and resistance training to
sculpt your body.

It’s that simple – a 3-step system for fat loss success that is
guaranteed to work every time.

Here’s the program that shows you EXACTLY what to do:

=> Check Out Turbulence Training

Enjoy guilt-free eating and fat loss with this mindset.