Brad Pilon on 'The IF Life'

I just did a really fun interview for 'The IF Life'.

It was a joint round table discussion between the author of the IF Life, Martin Berkhan of LeanGains.com and yours truly.

We covered our basic philosophies on IF (Intermittent Fasting), the biggest mistake we see people making with IF (Can you guess what I said?), and our top advice for anybody wanting to try intermittent fasting for the first time.

You can read the interview here ==> Intermittent Fasting Round table

BP

Who has tried fasting?

I just read an interesting report from the Sunday Herald Newspaper (an Australian paper) that said that the practice of alternate day fasting is starting to become very popular.

Alternate day fasting (or traditional intermittent fasting) is where you fast every other day.

This a much stricter form of fasting than the flexible intermittent fasting that is used with the Eat Stop Eat lifestyle - where you fast once or twice per week.

I like alternate day fasting, but I still prefer flexible intermittent fasting because it's more flexible (I know, I know..that was obvious).

It's my opinion that flexibility is the key to a diet's longevity. And the longer you can stay on a diet, the better it will work for you.

Either way, it's good to see this eating style finally getting some media exposure.

Interestingly this article states that some Hollywood celebrities have followed versions of intermittent fasting, including Liv Tyler, Ben Affleck and model Christie Turlington.

If you know any Celeb's that are following Eat Stop Eat...please let me know ;)

BP

Before and After WINNER

My congratulations go out to Catherine who lost 5 inches off of her waist and 2.5 inches off of her thighs on her way to winning the 2008 Turbulence Training Transformation contest!

Through hard work, a responsible diet and a little help from Eat Stop Eat, Catherine made a dramatic transformation.

In fact, when I first saw her before and afters, I thought they were pics of a mother and daughter!

Catherine is living proof that if you want to finally hit your ultimate goal weight, then you need to train hard, eat responsibly and follow the Eat Stop Eat lifestyle.

BP

Get Ripped - Gymnast Style

The Olympics have come and gone, and along with some amazing record breaking performances we have also been witness to some truly outstanding physiques.

And the one example that always stands out during every summer is that of the male gymansts.

These guys are truly physical specimens, but before you start dreaming of being built like a gymnast there is something you need to know.

It takes an unbelievable amount of work to build a gymnasts body.

Most gymnasts train up to SIX days a week.

Not only do they train frequently, their volume is exceptionally high.

Some athletes train for as much as SIX TO SEVEN HOURS broken into two sessions (one in the morning and one in the evening).

So how do they manage such a high degree of volume and frequency with their workouts? Well, they do this by managing and altering the stress of these workouts..often called the intensity.

Much of their exercises are bodyweight exercises, mixed in with routine work, skill work and some weight training.

So if you want to be built like a gymnast, you need to manage a healthy balance between volume, frequency and stress, with the goal of slowly increasing the amount of work you can do in a week without becoming over-trained.

You can do this by mixing and matching as many different types of training as possible. Try using kettle bells, bodyweight exercises, weight training and cross training with different sports as a way to prevent overstraining while still training with a high amount of overall work.

Add a little more work each week, but always make sure you balance your high stress workouts (like heavy duty weight training) with lower stress workouts (like a moderately difficult bodyweight routine) to allow your body to adapt to this new workload.

It's important that you don't kill your muscles with each workout session and every workout session doesn't have to be long.

A 20 minute workout in the morning and a 40 minute workout in the evening, each with different intensities could be handled my most experienced lifters.

And of course, if you want to be lean like a gymnast you have to eat less calories then you are burning..and a good way to accomplish this is by following a nutrition plan like Eat Stop Eat.

BP

The 80/20 rule of Fasting

Do you every have someone totally surprise you by saying something completely unexpected?

Well this happened to me the other day.

I needed a break from a project I was working on. But since I was under some very tight time constraints, the best I could to was go for a quick change of scenery and take a trip to the Starbuck's down the road.

Now the Baristas at this particular Starbuck's know me pretty well, except for the fact that they all think I'm a college prof, (I guess that beats trying to explain to them what I really do for a living)

Anyways, this particular day, as my barista handed me my tall Americano, she happened to glance down at the paper I was reading then looked up at me and said, "Do you teach math?"

Confused I asked her "why would you ask that?"

She pointed to my paper and said, "your reading about the Pareto principle, the rule of the vital few"

I answer: "uh, yeah, I guess I am...it's for a paper I'm working on"

She just smiled and handed me my coffee.

Either way, it was a response I wasn't expecting, however it was an enjoyable change from the typical small talk you usually get during a customer-employee interaction.

Long story short, this conversation got me to thinking about the Pareto principle.

The Pareto principle basically states that for many things in life, 80% of the your results come from 20% of your actions. And the remaining 80% of your actions only get you're the other 20% of your results.

The Pareto principle teaches us to concentrate on those small actions that get us the biggest results.

So it was in a Starbucks that I realized Eat Stop Eat follows the pareto principle - funny how that works.

If you are fasting once every 5 or so days then you could say that 80% of your fat loss results come from the 20% of the time that you spend fasting.

So 80% of your weight loss results come as a result of your fasting.

The important thing to remember is this: Even though the other 80% of the time (when you are eating normally) only contributes 20%, it still does contributes.

And if you are you trying to get into TOP PHYSICAL condition then that 20% can make a BIG difference.

So while the Eat Stop Eat lifestyle makes weight loss very easy, and allows you A LOT of freedom when it comes to what you can eat on your eating days, for optimal weight loss, you should still try to eat responsibly.

Eat less and enjoy the foods you eat. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables, and lots of herbs and spices. And maybe most importantly, spend less time stressing over the types of food you are eating.

Combining this approach with the Eat Stop Eat philosophy of flexible intermittent fasting and weight training and you will be guaranteed impressive weight loss results.

BP

Transformation Contest Pics

The 2008 Turbulence Training Transformation contest has come to a
close and let me tell you the results have to be seen to be believed!

Be sure to visit www.TransformationContest.com to see the
pictures and read the essays.

BP

PS- You may notice that 3 of the finalists were following Eat
Stop Eat...I'm crossing my fingers for a repeat of last year when
an Eat Stop Eater won the whole show!

Abs, 6-Packs, and David Beckam's Flat Stomach.

Abs, Abs and more Abs.

People love abs, and people seem to really like Hollywood abs.

In fact, apparently even I like Hollywood abs as somehow I ended up clicking on a link titled "Beckam's Abs voted best in Hollywood" .

After watching the video, I must say that I am surprised that David Beckham abs were voted Hollywood's best abs.

Sure, he has a flat stomach, but it looks like the kind of stomach I would expect a runner to have, and while it is definitely a stomach to be proud of, I'm not sure that his abs are best that they could be.

In fact, I am 100% positive that if David followed a weight training program like turbulence training, he could chisel those babies out even more.

After all, that's what 51 year old Kerry did for his Transformation, and his abs are ridiculous!

And then there is Turbulence Training creator Craig Ballanynte..lots of weight training, lots of abs.

The bottom line is that if you want abs Like Beckam's, or a 6-pack like Kerry's or Craig's then you need to remember one simple rule - Abs are built in the gym and defined by the way you eat.

Please, please AVOID this one mistake - if you want abs...don't kill yourself running.

Running is great fun, but it's not the quickest way to a defined stomach..at least not on it's own.

Being skinny will give you a flat stomach, but not necessarily abs, and having strong abs doesn't mean they will be visible (especially if they are covered in a layer of fat)

From my experience the easiest way to get lean visible abs is by following the Eat Stop Eat lifestyle of flexible intermittent fasting and weight training.

BP

PS- Is it just me, or is it becoming increasingly hard to find a Hollywood celebrity who is not covered in tattoos?

Baby Boomers Waste Their money!

Here's an interesting piece of information I want to share with you:

According to Packaged Facts, The baby boomers and their strong interest in 'the preventive health benefits' of supplements (whatever that means) is what will protect the supplement industry during a negative economic climate.

In other words, the fact that baby boomers WASTE THEIR MONEY on false hopes in a bottle will keep the supplement industry alive even during a recession.

It's a big mistake to turn to supplements for anti-aging.

Anti-aging is becoming a BIG player in the health and supplement industry.

Aging can be scary, but the fountain of youth CANNOT be found in a pill (at least not yet).

Many people beleive that long term caloric restriction is the key to longevity, but others would argue that the toll that caloric restriction takes on appearances outweigh the potential benefits of longevity

(after all we don't just want to live forever, we want to LOOK GOOD while we do it!)

It is a well known fact that starved people look much older than their years. I'm not talking about people who are dieting, rather people who have suffered through true starvation.

The one exception to this would be the fitness industry, where self imposed diets are almost as bad as starvation...anyone who has seen a professional body builder or fitness model up close the day of a competition knows what I mean..they look OLD and DRAWN. This look goes away once these people start eating 'normally' again.

Research suggests rather strongly that chronic caloric restriction prolongs the natural life span, but we also know that chronic caloric restriction makes people look feel and even act prematurely old. This happens despite any changes in basal metabolism or in sexual function.

This creates a true paradox. Like I said earlier, we want to live longer, but LOOK GOOD while doing it.

luckily, the answer is a simple one (and it doesn't involve spending hundreds of dollars on supplements) - mix short periods of undereating (fasting) with periods of normal eating to get the benefits of caloric restriction without the possibly negative physical appearance effects that might come from long periods of caloric restriction.

By combining the practice of flexible intermittent fasting once or twice a week (creating a chronic 10-20% reduction in average calorie intake) with weight training (to prevent muscle loss and age related metabolism declines) and adequate rest and recovery
and you have a great recipe for longevity and looking great at any age.

You also have the precise formula for living the Eat Stop Eat lifestyle. ;)

Fasting, weight training, and a good nights sleep will keep your body looking good and working great long into your boomer years!

BP

(Brad Pilon, 2058)

The Eat Stop Eat Advanced Audio Files

Here's a sneak peak at the content in the Eat Stop Eat Advanced Audio files...

You can get the complete Eat Stop Eat Advanced package at www.EatStopEat.com

BP

GH for fat loss

My mother-in-law is a history buff.

If I ever want the answer to any sort of Canadian/Scottish/Irish history question, she is the first person I would turn to.

Whenever I ask her why she likes history so much she would always say, “you have to know where you were to know where you are going”.

To me, this was just another one of those standard cliché’s that you hear all the time…like ‘you gotta spend money to make money’, or ‘no pain, no gain’.

Turns out when it comes to history – I was wrong, she was right..(of course once she reads this I will NEVER hear the end of it).

Just like in life, in order to move forward in science we need to know where we were in order to know where we are going. This is why science is in desperate need of a history lesson.

Science – especially weight loss science - needs to take a good hard a look at it’s history.

Science is constantly disregarding known scientific facts for newer and ‘sexier’ explanations.
In my opinion this is mostly the media’s fault but nevertheless, science is letting it happen.

Take this example...

I took some time over my vacation to really dig backwards through the scientific literature on weight loss. I made it my mission to find the research that isn’t available on-line – the kind of research that takes a lot of pleading and begging to get access from the kind librarian at the university.

My mission was accomplished when I walked out of the library with a collection of papers dating from the late 1800’s and early 1900’s.

After reviewing some very impressive work that I will be touching on in a new audio file, I came across some rather shocking research that was published in 1936.

Back in 1936 two researchers by the names of Best and Campbell suggested that a protein like substance secreted from the pituitary acts on the adipose tissue causing it to release stored fat.

While this doesn’t seem overly impressive, remember that growth hormone is a protein like substance that is synthesized, stored, and secreted by the anterior pituitary.

So more than 7o YEARS AGO we had a pretty good idea that growth hormone plays a very important role in fat burning.

Yet somewhere in those 70 years we disregarded the potent fat burning effect of GH and instead started examining things like leptin and grehlin for the answers to our fat burning questions.

So now 70 years later we are finally realizing (for the second time) that growth hormone may be the driving force behind fat loss.

Interestingly, the 3 main things that cause GH secretion are fasting, exercise and sleep.

Sound familiar?

By following the Eat Stop Eat lifestyle of flexible intermittent fasting, weight training and proper recovery we take advantage of GH’s ability to cause our body to burn fat when we are in a caloric deficit (remember – EATING LESS is still ESSENTIAL for fat loss).

Imagine where we would be today if back in the 30’s people had the foresight to build on the findings of Best and Campbell and start recommending flexible intermittent fasting and weight training as a way to prevent body fat gain…

Instead of the never-ending search for the sexiest scientific answer to weight loss, we simply focused on helping people apply what we know works…I wonder..would we even have an obesity epidemic today?

The moral of the story is stick with what works.

These days it seems like everybody is ignoring what we already know about weight loss and instead is pushing their own super complicated explanation on how you should eat.

Find a way to eat less that you find enjoyable and that you can do long term, and stick with it.

BP

Learn the easiest way to reduce your calories by downloading Eat Stop Eat HERE

Things to do in Nova Scotia

I’ve just returned from a relaxing extended weekend in Nova Scotia, Canada.

One of the highlights of the trip was a 4 day jaunt through Cape Breton following the Cabbot trail, where not only was I exposed to some purely breath taking views, but was also forced to go 4 days without internet or cell phone access…YIKES!

(The view from the Cabbot trail)

(Baby and Mother Moose)

After the Cabbot Trail I spend a night at Canada’s only single malt whiskey distillery, and even managed to take my daughter on her first distillery tour! I also tried some very tasty bacon wrapped bison. If you haven’t had a chance to try bison yet, I highly recommend it.

(Daddy and Brier at the Glenora Distillery)

(Touring the Distillery)

(The Amazing view from the Chalets at the Glenora Distillery)

After this I returned to Halifax.

Now, I have traveled fairly extensively in my life and let me tell you, I think Halifax has the highest population of absolutely JACKED people I have ever seen.

It might be the military influence in the area, or the unbelievable activity level of this city, but whatever the case…being in Halifax made me want to hit the weights HARD.

Luckily my friends at Nubody Fitness were able to hook me up with a pass for a couple of days and I was able to get in some workouts with my brother.

I also managed to attend the annual Busker Festival (http://www.buskers.ca/) where I saw some truly amazing feats of strength as street performers effortlessly performed handstand push ups, back flips and various other acrobatic moves to the amusement of onlookers.

(Definitely NOT Ronnie Coleman, Flex Wheeler and Lee Priest)

It was these amazing acrobatic feats that reminded me that strength is a skill – it’s not all about big muscles. Believe it or not, there is something to be said about the mind-muscle connection – especially after witnessing a lean and shredded street performer perform strength moves that I am positive no professional body builder could EVER do.

Since my latest workout goal is to be able to do a standing barbell shoulder press with 225 pounds, these performers reminded me that not only do I have to have stronger shoulders and triceps to perform this task, I also need to Practice the skill of the standing shoulder pres.

Lastly, I was able to visit Cow’s Ice cream for some renowned east-coast ice cream. It was everything it is famous for…friendly people and great silky-smooth ice cream.

It was a great trip full of fantastic food and quality time with my family. The best part was, thanks to the Eat Stop Eat lifestyle I was able to experience Nova Scotian cuisine without having to worry about packing on the pounds. I simply fasted on both days that I was flying, and I fasted once during the ten day trip during a day I spent hiking with my family.

(Brier and her new friend Ozzie out for a hike)

BP

PS - The trip also allowed me to spend some time reading, and I've come across some very interesting data that I'll be sharing with you a little later..but as a sneak peak it involves some amazing weight loss research from the late 1800's and early 1900's..should be good.

Now I'm back into the swing of things, relaxed and energized.

Download your Copy of Eat Stop Eat Here

How to Make Eat Stop Eat work for YOU

I've had a busy last couple days spending some fairly long hours in my office working on a new Eat Stop Eat project (more on the project later).

You may have noticed I wrote 'office'

For last several months I've been working in a shared office for a couple of days per week.

With Brier now walking, I find my house somewhat distracting. It's not that she's getting into trouble, rather my self-discipline seems to go out the window whenever I hear here laughing (which she's doing about 90% of the time she's awake).

Let's see...analyze more research....or...play with Brier...easy decision ;)

So I am getting a lot more work done these days, but I also feel the pain of working in a shared office.

For instance, today someone brought in a 3 pound bag of trail mix...the kind with raisins, peanuts, cashews, almonds...AND M&M's!

The best part is, there are ONLY 3 OF US IN THE OFFICE!

So I had an open THREE POUND bag of trail mix within my line of vision for an entire day.

Stay strong Brad, stay strong.

Now you know that I'm a big fan of not stressing about what I eat, and I love my treats, but it has to be within reason.

After all, Eat Stop Eat works amazingly well, but I will be the first to admit that the way the Eat Stop Eat lifestyle works is by allowing you to maintain a caloric deficit in a very simple and easy fashion.

If you were to stuff yourself with something like Trail mix on a daily basis, to the point where you are no longer in a caloric deficit... well then, unfortunately it is no more weight loss for you!

Which brings me to the point of my email.

Have you ever wondered how much you should be eating when you are not fasting?

There's an easy way to figure this out.

Take two weeks off from fasting. During these two weeks, try to eat the way you would normally eat. Keep working out exactly the way you usually workout.

3 days after your last fast, weigh yourself. Five days later weigh yourself again. Five days after than weigh your self again. Then finally weigh yourself one last time. If you weight significantly
increased** during these two weeks, then you are eating too much.

**(Significant meaning more than the simply 2-3 pound fluctuation we all see on a daily basis)

If you weight stayed the same, you are eating perfectly.

If your weight continued to go down, then depending on yours goals you may be able to eat more on the days you are not fasting, and still lose weight.

The bottom line is that the Eat Stop Eat lifestyle is a simple and easy way to lose weight and maintain muscle, because it is a great way to eat less.

In my opinion it is this simplicity that makes the Eat Stop Eat lifestyle better than any other diet program.

However, there is no magic to fasting,you CAN undo the effects by eating too much.

Eat less, but enjoy the foods you eat. You don't have to stress about what you are eating, but while you are following the Eat Stop Eat lifestyle eating responsibly will always get you the best results.

BP

Eat Stop Eat Questions

A quick collection of some Eat Stop Eat questions that I have received lately:


E-Mail 1-

Brad, I wanted to ask you – I walk on my treadmill for an hour almost every day – Is it OK to do my treadmill work on the days that I am fasting or will it be too difficult?

Thank you,

Linda,

Hi Linda,

You should be fine to walk on your treadmill on the days that you fast. Fasting for 24 hours should not prevent you from enjoying your walks in anyway.

I hope this helps,

Brad

E-mail 2-

Hi Brad,

I’m new to Eat Stop Eat, and am wondering if I will still get results even if I don’t workout on your “stop” days? I do workout on my Eat Days, but due to my schedule I never seem to be able to workout on the days that I am fasting.

Debbie

Hi Debbie,

It is nice to hear from you.

You can definitely still get results even if you don't workout on your
Stop Days. As long as you are working out at least twice a week (but hopefully more), and as long as these workouts are challenging, you will get the full benefit of Eat Stop Eat. It doesn’t matter when you workout, as long as you consistently workout.

I hope this helps,

Brad

E-mail 3 -


Hi Brad,

I have been using your system for about 2 weeks and the changes in my "normal" body building physique have been crazy. I was dieting pretty hard with the *********** system but was getting tired of it at 8 weeks then read about your system.

My personal story is a lot like yours in regards the BodyBuilder style dieting etc and never getting the results I wanted without extreme measures.

When I tried my first fast while traveling I noticed so many things, the advertising bombardment, smells, questions and reminders to eat, all the advertising etc... and all the chronically over fed people everywhere I looked!

Although I didn't train I noted that my energy levels seemed good and I was very awake... Biggest thing was the quick physique changes in the mirror...

I like the quick results and it makes me want to fast every 3rd day... is that alright? Or is that a no-no? Can you tell me how you eat on your non-fasting days?

Thanks,

Kevin

Hi Kevin,

Thanks for the email.

I have found that every third day is quite easy to manage. During the summer my daily eating is all over the place due to bbq's, family events and traveling, so I currently follow an every 3rd day routine (generally I fast Sunday-Monday and Thursday-Friday).

When my eating is a little more controlled I drop back to every 5 days. The key is to let your eating guide your fasting.

I can't really tell you about my eating, because I don't really track it. I eat in moderation, and try to enjoy a variety of foods. I eat seasonally and locally when I can, but I don't stress out about it.

I hope this helps,

Brad

E-mail 4-


Hi Brad,

I have to say I am amazed that during my eat stop eat lifestyle, which I have been following for a month my strength has actually gone up. Who would have thought you could increase strength during a fast? My deadlift has gone up to 370 for 2x 3 at a weight of 183.

Jimmy

Hi Jimmy,

This is great to hear! Congrats and keep up the great work.

Brad

You can learn more about Eat Stop Eat and the Eat Stop Eat Lifestyle by visiting www.EatStopEat.com

BP

My BIG workout mistake

I did something on Wedensday that I thought I would never do.

I finally broke down and ordered a set of kettlebells from dragondoor.com

This wouldn't seem like a big deal except for the fact that two years ago I wrote an article for grrlAthlete.com stating that I didn't see why Kettlebells were becoming so popular.

Truth be told, I had picked a pair up, played around with them a bit, developed the opinion that while they were fun, they were expensive and most of the exercises you can do with a kettlebell
you could also do with a dumbbell.

So I boldly stated that I thought they were overrated.

Then one day I met coach Adam Steer. He was in Toronto for some seminars so we hooked up for some coffee and to chat about the fitness business.

Adam was a good guy who I considered to be very bright...while we were chatting and drinking coffee he mentioned that he really likes using Kettlebells...I thought to myself, "Kettlebells? Well, they're still not for me"

Then while at a series of meetings in Florida I met Chris Lopez of fitandbusydad.com

After some discussion I realized that Chris was also a big fan of kettlebells.

Now both Adam and Chris are very bright people, and I consider both of these individuals to be the type of people who don't just jump on an exercise fad simply because it is popular.

So I thought to myself, maybe kettlebells could be useful, but still, how much different could they be from dumbbells?

It was during my summer vacation that I finally changed my mind.

I was up at my cottage relaxing with my family and taking a week off from work. It was a week of sunny weather and great times.

It just so happened that Craig Ballantyne was renting my in-laws cottage (which was just down the road from where I was) during that same week.

One day during my vacation I called Craig to see what he was doing (Alright, I was looking for someone to go get ice cream with me...I know, I know...I have issues)

When I asked Craig what he was dong he said "Kettlebell workout" To which I responded, "You're doing a Kettlebell workout INSIDE the cottage"

"Yep" is what Craig said.

I could only imagine the look on my mother in-law's face if she found out Craig was swinging around a 70 pound kettlebell in her cottage, so after some discussion I convinced him to bring over his Kettlebells so I could give them a try (and get him out of the cottage).

About 5 minutes later a black lab came bounding onto my dock, quickly followed by Craig, who was carrying a big black kettlebell. I took it into the water and heaved it around a bit, did some kettlebell swings, some snatches and some shot-put style throws.

And you know what? I was having a TON OF FUN. And it was a very challenging workout too.

Yes many of these exercises could have been done with dumbbells, but it is DEFINITELY not the same. The handle is different and the feel is different.

So, I am not afraid to admit when I am wrong, and in the case of kettlebells I was WRONG.

They are fun, extremely sturdy, versatile and portable, which makes them a perfect tool for a demanding and intense workout.

So today I took the plunge and ordered the set of 3 kettle bells. Yes, they were expensive, but I bought them from DragonDoor.com, so I know they are high quality, and I know they are going to last me a LIFETIME.

My plan is to incorporate a couple of kettlebell workouts into my weekly routine.

It will be a great way to keep things fresh and new, and will allow me to get in some extra workouts at home or at my office when things get a little too busy for me to make it to the gym.

And remember, it is my opinion that the best fat burning workout is one that forces your body to maintain or build muscle, and kettlebell training will definitely do this for you.

BP

PS- When I met Chris Lopez back in Florida I agreed to do an audio interview for his site fitandbusydad.com. As a thank you, Chris sent me his program. All I can say is WOW. I really like Chris's approach (and if you haven't noticed this is something I RARELY say about workout programs).

This is a great workout that can be done at home that incorporates Kettlebells and my favorite piece of exercise equipment - Blast Straps.

If you are looking for an effective fat burning resistance training workout, then you need to check out Chris's Fit and busy dad workout.

Chris's philosophy is that as a parent you need an effective workout that doesn't take up a lot of time. My opinion is that even if you aren't a parent, this program will obviously work amazingly well for anyone who needs a workout that can be done quickly and
done almost anywhere.

BP

Super Muffins

Here is another one of my favorite recipes that involved turning a whole bunch of fruits and vegetables into something a little more portable.

You are going to need:

• 1/2 package Quaker instant oatmeal muffin mix
• 1 egg
• cinnamon
• vanilla extract
• 1/2 banana
• 1/2 sweet potato
• 1/2 pepper squash
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
• couple mango slivers
• 1 steamed zucchini
• Muffin tray
• Oven
  

What you need to do:


1. preheat your oven

2. take the zucchini, squash, sweet potato, mango, applesauce and banana and stick them all together in a blender.

3. Puree the heck out of them until they are one even consistency (think baby food)

4. Pour the muffin mix into a BIG mixing bowl, add one egg, and flavor with vanilla and cinnamon to taste.

5. Add your puree to the Muffin mix, substituting it for the water, stir like crazy.

6. (Optional step) I like to add quaker one minute oats to oatmeal my muffins up a bit...oh yeah, and a whole package of chocolate chips doesn't hurt either!

7. Pour your mix into the muffin trays and bake for 18-20 minutes.

8. (Another optional step) Let the muffins cool for 5-10 minutes before eating...or skip directly to step 9.

9. Eat the muffins.

I hope you enjoy!

BP

What's Missing from Fast Food

I'm going to start this week off by giving out a million dollar idea..and I'm going to do it for free.

So here it goes..if you are in new product development at a fast food restaurant...pay attention.

One of the major things that is missing from fast food are herbs and spices. Almost every fast food place I've ever visited has relied almost exclusively on salt, sugar and sauces to flavor their food (which consequently is why most of their food is actually devoid of flavor).

It's time to switch it up....Imagine being at your local sub shop and being able to garnish your sub with not only the typical lettuce, onions and tomatoes, but with some actual herbs as well...

"Let's see, I'll have some green peppers, onions, black olives, some fresh basil leaves, sliced tomatoes, some parsley, some cucumbers and, oh what the heck, I'll try some cilantro"

This would be a refreshing change from the otherwise boring monotony that is fast food.

I might have exaggerated with the whole 'million dollar idea thing', but you never know, cutting edge customer service like this would definitely make me a repeat customer.

BP

PS- I'm getting great feedback about the Eat Stop Eat Advanced Audio files. If you are the type of person who needs to know the hardcore science behind a theory, then the audio files are perfect for you..you can check them out at www.eatstopeat.com/advanced

Is fasting one day per week good for your health?

I received an email the other day that asked me to comment on a recent article about fasting and toxin removal.

Toxins and toxin removal are a fairly hot topic right now, and they are also something that I admittedly know very little about.

Truth be told, I would never consider myself an expert on the toxin removal side of fasting.

However, this particular article was attempting to use some scientific principles to prove that fasting for only one day is not beneficial, and that you need to fast for long periods of time to get a 'cleansing effect'.

So while I really don't understand the idea of "cleansing", I would like to comment on the scientific rational in this particular article.

Here are the basic arguments of this article:

1. Your body begins to eliminate large quantities of toxins only after it begins to burn your fat reserves at a rapid rate.

• My Comment - We'll accept this is a fact for the purpose of this article. Keep in mind that I really do not know what toxins are, or if this statement is actually correct, but in order for me to comment on the actual science, we will accept this as true.
  

2. Your body only starts burning fat after the 2nd or 3rd day of a water-only fast.

• My Comment - This is factually incorrect. Not only does your body start burning significantly more fat in the beginning hours of a fast, but the greatest change in fat burning happen during the first 18-24 hours of a fast.

• Take this excerpt from a paper published in 1993 by Klein et al:

3. Therefore your body does not experience significant detoxification during the first 12-24 hors of a water-only fast.

• My Comment- So Based on the previous rational this statement is also incorrect.

The bottom line is if the detoxification effects of fasting only happen when your fat burning is increased, then this definitely happens in the first 24 hours of a fast.

BP

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