Number 1 Diet Mistake by Dr. Oz

I was at the gym watching Dr. Oz while on the treadmill. He was discussing the number 1 diet mistake and I can tell you that I've been guilty of this one a lot in the past. The number 1 diet mistake according to Dr. Oz is not eating enough while on your diet. Here are some of the problems with not eating enough and some tips to improve the results of your weight loss program:

1. Dr. Oz: When you don't eat enough, your metabolism slows and your body senses deprivation and starts an emergency storage of the calories you do consume.  

Me: When my body is getting all the nutrients that it needs, cravings go and I don't feel hungry. So I've found eating enough is beneficial to weight loss.
2. Dr. Oz: Your metabolic rate can be lowered by 40% by not eating breakfast.
Me: I went for years without eating breakfast and I can tell you that I also battled my weight constantly during that time. Since I've adopted eating a big breakfast I find I am not as hungry during the day and losing weight is a lot easier.
3. Dr. Oz: Eat every 3-4 hours: healthy whole foods, lean meats and fruits and vegetables
Me:  I eat 3 meals a day starting with a big breakfast and my meals get smaller during the day. If I find I'm hungry I will eat a healthy snack.
4. Dr. Oz: Snack through out the day on fruits, nuts and yogurt.
Me: That is exactly what I snack on.


So "Bon Appetit" as the french would say but be sure you are eating real, nutritious foods. Check out Dr. Oz's info on Diet Mistake #1 .

rawvolution

There is a movement in the health world today called Raw Foods. People who are a part of this movement believe that there are many health benefits to eating food raw as opposed to cooked. Raw foodists eat mostly plant and nut based foods, but there is steak tartare or raw fish like sashimi that can be a part of their diet depending on how strict a person is. Many celebrities explain that raw foods is the reason for their youthful and slim appearance. Here are some of the basic beliefs:

1. That heating food above 105 degrees destroys enzymes that aid in digestion, such as amylases, proteases, and lipases.
2. That raw foods have good bacteria that the gut needs to have a healthy flora and that it is killed off when cooked past 105 degrees.
3. Raw foods have a higher nutrient value than cooked or processed foods.
4. That raw foods help promote weight loss, healthy glowing skin and great vitality.

So, I decided I am upping my raw foods to 75% of each meal for the next 21 days starting yesterday to see if I feel that big difference. I'm sorry I'm not quite ready for the 100% raw foods yet or EV-ER. For lunch I had a huge green salad with raw vegetables, 1/2 a pear, 1/2 a plum and 4 oz. ground beef patty and yes it's cooked, see the pic above. I am going to explore a ton of recipes with my Matthew Kenny, Oklahoma City's own chef of 105degrees , book "Entertaining in the Raw" so I can eat more than just salad. I'll let you know how it goes.

To buy organic or not to buy organic, that is the question

I often am asked if it's really that important to buy organic fruits and vegetables. First of all I tell them what we call "organic food" my grandparents called "food".  Times have changed in the way mass vegetables and fruit are produced and so has Americans physical health. There are many reasons why we are now a nation that is 2/3's overweight with a soaring rise in type II diabetes and an upsurge in degenerative diseases. One way an individual can start taking responsibility for their health is by choosing organic foods. There are some non-organic foods that are safer to buy while some really should be organic.

I really enjoy reading Dr. Don Colbert M.D.'s books such as Toxic Relief and Get Healthy Through Detox and Fasting. He gives some reasons on why organic is important and some options you can buy non organic:

He says organic produce is best because it is grown without pesticides and herbicides. Growers are allowed to use up to 400 pesticides on crops. Each year in the United States, two billion pounds of these products are sprayed on the food we eat. A study of government-collected information found residue on almost 75% o conventionally grown produce.

Here are the highest with pesticide residues. Buy these organic when possible:

Apples

Bell Peppers

Celery

Cherries

Grapes (imported)

Nectarines

Peaches

Pears

Potatoes

Red Raspberries

Spinach

Strawberries

When buying commercial go for thicker peels: Bananas, Oranges, Tangerines, Lemons, Grapefruits, and Watermelons.

If you still can't afford organic try to buy domestic fruits and veggies that will bring down the pesticide residue some.