Avoid These UnHealthy Foods and Products

Avoid These Un-Healthy Foods and Products!

I am a full time Personal Trainer and have been for nearly 14 years.  My main business is Personal Training in-person and online.  My In-person Personal Training is One-On-One, Small Group and Virginia Bootcamp fitness.  I also am a speaker and writer on topics such as Weight Loss, Obesity, Motivational Techniques, Bodybuilding, Strength and Conditioning, Senior Fitness, Outdoor Fitness, Home Fitness, Nutritional Planning, Diets (fads that lie), and many other topics.  I write for some of the largest and top health and fitness magazines, websites, and supplement companies.  I have written two books/manuals – “How I Lost 100 Pounds!” and “The Healthiest Weight Loss Solution Personal Training Manual!”  My latest endeavor is producing exercise and nutritional DVD’s to help my clients and others.

I am giving you a quick resume of me only to say that in all these years and with the thousands of people I have assisted, help, trained, or advised and the millions who have read my articles I have never tried to mislead or lie to anyone.  Never have I written about a product, food, or exercise I have not personally tried or experienced myself or with a client.  I do not get paid to lie to my clients and customers.  If I did I would not be in business for as long as I have.

Please listen to me when I say to avoid the following foods if you are trying to eat healthy!

-          Most Doughnuts, Muffins, Non-Whole Wheat Crackers, Potato Chips, White Flour Tortillas, Cheese Crackers, Fat Free Crackers, Fat Free Chips, White Pastas, White Potatoes, White Pita Bread, White Sandwich Bread, White Rice Cakes, White Rice, Pre-Packaged Meals/Snacks made with white flours and processed junk or preservatives, Sugary Sweet Cereals, Popcorn, Fried Foods, Greasy Burgers, High-Fat Red Meat, heavily buttered vegetables, canned or dried fruit

-          Diet Sodas, Sodas, Sugar Free Juices, Juices, Expensive Sweet Coffees, Sugar Free Syrup filled Coffees or Teas, Sweet Tea, Sugary Sports Drinks, Sugar Free Sports Drinks, high fat milk, high fat cheeses, high fat cottage cheese, high fat/high sugar yogurts, margarine

-          Avoid high calorie creamy dressings and creamy sauces

You can however eat the following foods in moderation!

-          Oatmeal, Whole Grain Cereals, Rolled Oats, Whole Grain Breads, Whole Wheat Pastas, Veggie Pastas, Whole Wheat Crackers, Sweet Potatoes, Yams, Brown Rice, Wild Rice, Almonds (unsalted or raw), Walnuts (unsalted or raw), Peanuts (unsalted or raw), Pecans (unsalted or raw), Skim or Low Fat Milk, Low Fat Cheese, Low Fat Cottage Cheese, Low Sugar and Low Fat Yogurt, Eggs (preferably the whites), Chicken Breasts, Turkey Breasts, Turkey Burger, Chicken Burger, Salmon, Halibut, Flounder, Tuna, Shrimp, tofu, soy milk, quinoa, peanut butter, almond butter

-          Fruits: apples, pears, blueberries, strawberries, cherries, blackberries, apricots, papaya, mango, oranges, grapefruit (Not with Lipitor), tangerines, plums, bananas, kiwi

-          Vegetables: broccoli, asparagus, kale, turnip greens, spinach cold or cooked, romaine lettuce, lettuce, celery, black beans, green beans, kidney beans, soy beans, navy beans, black eye peas, lima beans, corn, lentils, radishes, tomatoes, olives

-          Water, coffee or black or green tea (preferably unsweetened), real fresh squeezed homemade orange or apple juice, other veggie or fruits juiced with a home juicer, skim or low fat milk

-          Dressings such as Olive Oil or Canola Oil and Balsamic or Apple Cider Vinegar and broth based no-cream sauces

The above is a quick punch list of foods to avoid and foods you can eat.  Please remember I am not perfect with my food all the time, but I try to be good during the week, then cheat a little on the weekends to help keep sanity and to sort of reward myself for being good during the week.  You will not be perfect, but if you try really hard to eat the healthy stuff and avoid the junk, you will lose weight, feel better about yourself, sleep better, have fewer illnesses, and function more appropriately.  Always check with your doctor before eating any of these foods if you are on any medications or are Diabetic or allergic to any of the foods mentioned.  Also eat in moderation and do not stuff yourself!

If you are really serious about getting into great shape and saving your life, then stay away from the above bad foods first mentioned!  Even if they are Fat Free or Sugar Free they may still be full of sodium, sugars, or fake Trans fats!  Your health is too important to eat this crap!  Would you rather eat some junk to satisfy an impulsive craving, only to get sick and die early in life?  Or can you resist the junk food urges to save your life and extend your years here on this earth to spend more time with your family and friends?  Junky Muffins and white flour Carbs are not nutritious!  They are sometimes better than a greasy cheeseburger, but they are still not helping you eat for better daily functioning and living.  You want to eat for a better quality of life, not just to eat low calorie and NON-Nutritious foods only to help you survive day-to-day!

Nutrition Tips:

1.       Always eat 3 meals each day (Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner) plus 2-3 snacks each day (Mid-Morning, Late Afternoon, and an Optional Late Evening Snack).

2.       Each Meal and Snack should consist of a Protein, Carbohydrate, and Water.

3.       Complex Carbs should be for Breakfast and Lunch, Fruits for Mid-Morning and Late Afternoon, then Veggies for Dinner and Late Evening Snack.

4.       Never miss meals and snacks because this will cause your metabolism to slow down and not burn as many calories or as much fat!

5.       Cut-out the JUNK (Except for maybe a reward meal or two each week) – Cut-out Cookies, Pastries, White Flour, Sugary Soft Drinks. High Sugar Juices, Sodas, Chips, Candy, Fried Foods, etc.

6.       You CAN EAT chicken, turkey, lean beef, deer meat, tofu, almonds, pecans, walnuts, peanut butter, almond butter, eggs, low fat milk, low fat cottage cheese, pork tenderloins, beans, brown rice, whole grain breads, whole wheat pasta, veggie pasta, whole grain bagels, sweet potatoes, yams, oatmeal, high fiber cereals, apples, pears, oranges, kiwi, plums, peaches, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, cranberries, cherries, nectarines, tangerines, grapefruits, broccoli, asparagus, green beans, spinach, lettuce, collard greens, turnip greens, mushrooms, tomatoes, radishes, corn, peas, peppers, onions, and other fresh fruits, meats, vegetables, and whole grains.

7.       Use moderation.  Do not eat until full, only satisfied for each meal and snack. Do not try to stuff yourself!

-Dave