I came across this article, which is actually the first article in the Nutrition 911 series, and thought it should join the group with the others.  There are actually 11 so far in this series, we will be posting them here as they come available.  Enjoy!

Nutrition 911: Here’s the straight 411, so you can avoid a dietary 911

By Steve Edwards

We hear a lot about nutrition on TV these days. Carbs, net carbs, impact carbs, trans fats, and essential fats . . . and on and on. Yet studies show that this information goes way over most people’s heads. In fact, it seems like most people have forgotten what they learned back in eighth grade nutrition class—at least those who had a nutrition class. Nowadays, most people get through school having taken no nutrition class at all. With world obesity rates at an all-time high, we’re obviously on the wrong track. After all, what good is hearing that a food contains “healthy omegas” when you don’t know what fatty acids are?

But we’ve all got to eat, so someone needs to teach us. Let’s forget about Nutrition 101. There’s no time for math. Let’s break it down even simpler than that. Maybe we’ll call it Nutrition 1. All we want to do is get you out of the supermarket with some idea of what you just bought. With society headed in its current direction, this 411 on nutrition is more of a 911, so let’s call it that—a bit more impactful than Nutrition 1 and maybe not as patronizing. It’s like traffic school but for nutrition. You don’t need to win the Indy 500. You just need to get yourself around town safely. You’ve been cited for poor eating habits. You can pay the fine and endure a chronic disease, or you can take Nutrition 911 and get your health back. Are you ready for class?

Hello, class. I’m Professor Edwards, but you can call me Steve. Forget hierarchal labels; this is no dull SAT preparedness course. We’re sticking to just the things you’ll want to know to keep you healthy—hey, you, in the back. Stop shooting spitballs at Mr. Kroc! Give me that thing. What’s your name, son? Okay, Carl, one more slipup and you’re back on the bypass waiting list. It seems like the situation is direr than I thought, so let’s get straight to it.

Food

We’re here to talk about food. This is the stuff we eat that enables us to live. You in the clown suit with the big red wig, stop laughing. This is a lot more important than it sounds! If we understood food, we wouldn’t be here. You see, we also eat a lot of stuff that’s not food but that comes with our food. Some of it we’re supposed to eat, things like fiber in plants. But many companies also add things to food that aren’t food at all, stuff like color, flavors, and things to make the food last longer while it sits on a shelf waiting for you to buy it. These added ingredients have no nutritional value. We also eat other additives that are sort of food. These are altered from their natural state to change the way food tastes and to make food more addictive. Stuff such as HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) falls into this category. And more often than not, these things are bad for you—yes?

Why do they do this, you ask? That’s a very good question, Michael, but we can’t answer that here. This is Nutrition 911. Politics 911 is in the other room. And, please, turn off that camera. Learning to distinguish foods that have additives, or may have them (as it’s not always clear), will help you make better choices when deciding what you should and shouldn’t eat.

Nutrient values are based on the parts of food that your body can use. In packaged foods, these values can be found on the food label. They break down what you are eating into various components. These various components are vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats, and carbs. Nutrients have something called calories. Most of us know what these are because we blame them for making us fat, but, in fact, they are just a measurement for the energy in food that our bodies can then turn into energy.

If you’ve ever glanced at the package of something you’re eating you know this, but you may not know how to make sense out of it. That is the goal of this class. When we’re finished, you’ll be able to understand how to decipher a food label and a supplement label, and how to navigate a grocery store and not feel overwhelmed. We’ll also cover how to eat in restaurants and how to best avoid the insidious ingredients referenced above. So let’s take a look at how this class will be structured.

The syllabus

Today is just an introduction to explain why we’re in this class. We’re going to look at the very basics of nutrition—the very basics, real “duh” kind of stuff that I hope most of you know. Words like food, water, vitamins, and supplements are a normal part of our language. We hear about these things every day and consume them to live, but most of us lack a big-picture understanding of how the entire process is supposed to work.

Next, we’ll take a look at the things you hear on TV and see at the market. We’ll analyze slogans like “organic,” “low carb,” “omega rich,” and so forth and discuss just why we need to know this, or whether we’d be better off ignoring it.

Then we’ll take a closer look at food labels. These are less difficult to understand than you probably think. If they seem confusing, it’s because they’re designed that way. But when we’re finished, you’ll be able to scan a label and tell whether or not you should buy something in 15 seconds or less.

We’ll follow this with a simple yet thorough analysis of just what you should eat. You’ll see that once you know how to wade through the marketing jargon, it’s not as difficult as it seems.

Subsequent classes will cover subjects such as sweeteners, desserts, alcohol, caffeine, and water; the best and worst foods in the world; how to navigate a supermarket; and how to order in restaurants. When we’re finished, you’ll have a simple yet thorough understanding of the eating process. It’s not rocket science. It is, however, science. But don’t worry. Once you learn to weed out all the fancy words, it’s not all that complicated. We’ve been eating, well, forever. Science has actually made it more difficult for us to understand. Therefore, the aim of this class is to help you wade through all that pesky science—especially the research that’s been skewed by marketers—and to get back to basics.

Lesson #1: What we consume

If you ask someone what they eat, they’ll probably answer, “Food.” As we discussed above, that answer would be incomplete. We also eat water—okay, drink, but whatever. In fact, let’s use the word consume because we don’t have a preconceived notion about it. Everything we put into our mouths makes up who we are, whether it’s food, water, beer, drugs, vitamins, dirt, or whatever. Don’t discount dirt because it’s actually healthier than a lot of things we eat. It’s even healthier than many things we call food. In fact, a recent study concluded that kids who ate dirt were healthier than those who weren’t allowed to eat dirt.* Soil is organic, meaning it contains living matter (or once-living matter). In the study, kids eating dirt developed stronger immune systems. While this makes sense, I think this study shows more than anything else just how bad our diets have become. But hey, look at me, I’m rambling. The point of this lesson isn’t to discuss eating dirt. It’s to discuss food. So let’s get back on track.

We’ve briefly discussed food, so let’s touch on water. It’s the most important thing we consume, yet all that most of us think about it is whether or not it’s polluted. We need to drink a lot of it, as it makes up around 70 percent of our body weight. But we also get water from things that aren’t water, like foods, beer, wine, sodas, coffee, and tea, so it’s hard to know how much we need. “They” ubiquitously tout that we need 6 to 8 glasses a day, but that varies depending on what we are doing and what else we’ve consumed. When we don’t drink enough water we can become dehydrated, which is a serious condition in its latter stages, but even in its early stages, it inhibits bodily functions and can make us hungrier than we should be. We need to drink some amount of plain water because drinking our calories can become a dangerous habit, which we’ll cover in depth at a later date.

Our society has become increasingly dependent on something else we consume: drugs. These also need to be considered as a part of our diets. Some drugs are helpful, some are necessary, and some can be lifesaving. But drugs alter our bodily processes and should only be taken when absolutely necessary. Ah, apparently the little butterfly hovering over Jack is arguing that drugs are good because they help us sleep, wake up, feel good all the time, and have fun. True, we like our drugs; I’m just saying that we should be careful about how we use them. It’s possible we’re not supposed to feel that good all of the time, but that should be discussed in sociology class. Here, we’re only interested in how they affect your diet. And wake Jack up, would you? I don’t think he needed your help after eating that Big Cheeseburger for lunch, which is the point I was trying to make in the first place.

I mentioned drugs because people often confuse them with supplements. This is probably because they both come in pill form. But they are very different. Supplements are technically called food supplements, meaning that they are made from food (or at least come from something that naturally occurs in food). Supplements are, essentially, condensed nutrients. So a supplement will only work in your body’s natural pathways the same way foods work. The upside to this is that it means that supplements are very safe. The downside is that a supplement cannot work the same way as a drug, no matter what it claims.

Does that mean supplements are worthless? Not at all. By supplementing your diet with the proper nutrients, you can enhance your health. But there should always be some reason behind your supplement regimentation. A good example of this rationale is taking a vitamin supplement when you’re dieting. Less calories means less nutrients, so adding basic nutrition in this case makes a lot of sense. There are many examples, which we’ll cover later.

Then there’s alcohol. Is alcohol a drug or is it a food? It’s sort of both, so we’ll look at it in depth later. Alcohol comes from a reaction of food when it’s rotting. This natural process creates something that behaves as a drug. The difference between alcohol and pharmaceutical drugs is that alcohol has calories—a lot of them. And other than its drug effect, it has no nutrient value. So it’s easy to see how it could interfere with you keeping your diet balanced (whatever that means—again, you’ll learn it later). Alcohol often comes in food products, such as wine and beer, and food products do have a nutrient value. But because of its high caloric value and low nutrient value, the amount of alcohol in your diet should be limited.

In conclusion

I hope most of you know everything we’ve gone over today. With the obesity epidemic like it is, one can never be too sure of anything. We have become a nation of terrible eaters, and we’re paying the price. To recap, everything we put in our mouths counts toward our diets, whether it’s food, beer, mouthwash, a One A Day vitamin, Paxil, or a Twinkie. If we want to be healthy, most of what we consume should be water. Next should be foods that consist of mainly carbohydrates, proteins, and fats from as close to nature as we can get them. We should limit the number of calories that we drink. We should take supplements to make up for nutrient deficiencies, which can be caused by dieting, exercising, or eating bad foods. We should limit our drug intake, as these, too, are part of our diets. This is the “duh” stuff, which I hope you all understand. I know it’s too basic to help you change your diet much, but trust me, we’ll get there. Things should be more interesting as we build on this foundation.

There’s the bell. That’s all the time we have today. Next time, we’ll get the 911 on how marketers can trick us into eating the wrong things.

Related Articles:

Nutrition 911, Part VIII: Pop Goes the Diet—The Worst Food in the World
Nutrition 911, Part VII: Sugar vs. Fat: Which Is Worse?
Nutrition 911, Part VI: Sweeteners
Nutrition 911, Part V: 5 Quick Steps to Mastering Food Labels
Nutrition 911, Part IV: What ‘Fat Free’ and ‘Low Carb’ Really Mean
Nutrition 911, Part III: Deciphering Marketing Jargon
Nutrition 911, Part II: When and What to Eat
Nutrition 911, Part 1: The Basics

P90X Retails for $119.95.

In the coming weeks, I will be completing a complete and comprehensive overview and review of the P90X program. Each DVD will be reviewed separately, and labeled accordingly. Please be sure to check back often, or alternatively, subscribe to my fitness blog to catch these P90X Reviews in your email. For now, please enjoy the overall program overview. And if you have yet to try P90X, it’s a life changing experience!

P90X Reviews: The basic P90X program comes included with the following:

“How to Bring It” DVD. This DVD is a short instructional/introduction to the P90X workout. Explaining briefly the program, what is needed, and what to expect.

Chest & Back. This DVD, depending on which rotation you follow, will depend on when you perform. In the most popular rotation the “Classic”. You workout with this DVD in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd week, and then again in the 9th and 11th week. The program also has a “Lean” and a “Doubles” rotation. All of the rotations are explained in the fitness guide. This review is based on the “Classic” (the most popular) rotation.

Plyometrics. An extreme cardio routine, “jump training”. This workout is done every week, except on “recovery weeks”. Make no mistake, the recovery week, is not a time where you sit on the couch and eat potato chips. it’s a tough week in it’s own right, Just different than the typical weeks where you lift weights.

Shoulders & Arms. This DVD goes right along with the Chest & Back, and used during the same weeks.

Yoga X. This is a Yoga/Stretch DVD. This workout is done every week, and on the recovery weeks, it’s often done twice per week.

Legs & Back. This DVD is used in every week of P90X, with the exception of the recovery weeks.

Kenpo X. Kenpo X is a cardio kickboxing type routine. This cardio routine is used in every week of P90X.

X-Stretch. A stretch routine which is performed every week in P90X. It’s not a requirement, and is done on your 7th day, if you choose to use it.

Core Synergistics. A total body workout. Used with lighter weights, and is mixed with cardio moves as well.

Chest, Shoulders, & Triceps. This workout is used in the Classic rotation on the 5th, 6th, and 7th week, and then again in the 10th and 12th week.

Back & Biceps. This workout program is used in the same weeks as Chest, Shoulders, Triceps.

Ab Ripper X. This ab routine is brutal, and is used in every week of P90X, with the exception of the recovery weeks. It is usually performed on the same days as the resistance/weight workouts, or 3 times per week.

Cardio X. This DVD is not used in the Classic rotation, however, it does have its place in the other rotations. It can also be a substitute for Plyometrics if you are not “ready” for Plyo yet.

Also included with P90X is a Fitness and Nutritional guidebook.

P90X Reviews: Equipment needed for P90X:

Resistance bands or dumbbells. The program demonstrates the use of both, and you can get a great workout using either. It’s personal preference which you decide on. I personally enjoy both, and use the bands when traveling, and weights while at home. If you are looking for a alternative to dumbbells, and want an “all in one” dumbbell setup, you might consider PowerBlocks as an option. A chin up bar, or a place to do pull ups. As an alternative, you can use the resistance bands to simulate pull ups. You only need a door attachment for this option.

P90X Reviews: Program Highlights:

• Led by one of the best fitness trainers at Beachbody, Tony Horton.  Tony both motivates and inspires you throughout the program.
• Program utilizes Muscle Failure and Muscle Confusion. I have linked both of these terms to articles I have written, explaining what this is.
• Program offers variety in the program, by changing the workouts to prevent boredom, and again, to promote Muscle Confusion.
• Program has a detailed fitness guidebook. An invaluable tool throughout the program.
• Program utilizes weights/resistance bands and cardio has the basis of the program.
• Program provides a Nutritional guidebook, which includes recipes and nutritional information to assist you in your nutrition throughout the program. The guidebook provides details on what to eat and when. Your diet, will change along with the program, for the best results. Let’s face it, your success in either program is going to be a direct result in both the exercise AND diet. Having a detailed guide, like the one included this program is a definite benefit!

P90X Reviews: Additional Information:

P90X workouts last about 60 minutes on average, with the longest workout lasting 92 minutes (Yoga X). The ab workout is about 16 minutes.

P90X is best suited for advanced fitness levels, however, I have seen beginners start with P90X and achieve excellent results! As a beginner, you can optionally modify the P90X program and start with it. Complete as much as you can on each workout, or alternatively, you can do half of the weight routines, and take breaks on cardio and abs.  As a beginner, don’t necessarily try to keep up with the DVD.  If weight loss is your first fitness goal, you may want to start with something like Power 90 first, then P90X after.  i did this, and not only did I lose 30+ lbs in 90 days with Power 90, but it gave me a head start with P90X!  I can also personally recommend Chalean Extreme as a pre-P90X program.  You have options, no matter what you decide.

P90X focuses on one muscle group at a time. With the exception of Core Synergistics, P90X focuses on working one muscle group at a time. For example, while using the Chest & Back DVD, you will perform a chest exercise, followed by a back exercise.

P90X emphasizes controlled exercises. Each rep and exercise is done with an emphasis on control. Perfect form and when the form starts to diminish, you should stop the exercise. The movement itself is a normal average speed.

P90X Reviews: Summary

Some of the statements I made in my above review are my personal opinion. I have completed P90X (several times) and believe that P90X is a solid program. I would without a doubt say that you will be happy with P90X!  Both are complete in every way from nutrition to exercise, to providing the exercise rotation etc.  P90X is full of intensity,  it’s not an easy program by a long shot, but if it was, you wouldn’t get the results people all over the world are getting with P90X!  If you have seen the infomercial on television, or seen before and after photos of P90X graduates on the internet, you will see that the program works.  These are real people, just like you and me!  You can have the same results with time, dedication, and discipline!  Results that will transform your life!  P90X is a program you can use over and over again.  As of this writing, I am on my 9th round of P90X!  You can easily modify and make a hybrid routine, after you complete a P90X round, email me and I will be happy to send you a modified version that I have done.  I recommend doing the first round of P90X “as written”.
In my final words , I strongly encourage you to pick one of these programs, P90X, Power 90, Chalean Extreme, etc. you can’t go wrong in getting started in a fitness program, and either one of these can take you to your fitness goals. Even Tony Horton (fitness instructor in P90X) will tell you, that variety is the spice of life.  So try them all!  Build a fitness library, change it up, spice it up, keep your fitness moving forwards and break through the plateaus of doing the same old cardio and weight routines. I sincerely hope that you have found this review beneficial.  Please feel free to send me an email. Good luck on your journey, and I’m here if you need some help along the way!  I’m a Team Beachbody Coach and more than happy to assist you with questions, robert@extremely-fit.com. Don’t for get to take a look at my ChaLEAN Extreme Reviews. And stay tuned here for more P90X Reviews as well.

I’m baaaack….it’s been several days since I’ve been around, so I thought I’d get back on track with another tasty article from Steve Edwards over at BeachBody.  You, I’ve talked about the pitfalls surrounding grocery shopping.  And, with food words, it just gets worse.  These days, I find myself buying more and more things that are labeled “organic.”  I’d like to think that it’s a healthier choice for my family, but is it truly worth the extra money spent for the organic alternatives?

Nutrition 911, Part III: Deciphering Marketing Jargon
By Steve Edwards

Welcome to Part III of our oh-so-basic nutrition class designed to give you an overview of basic nutrition and make healthy eating much simpler. First, we had an introduction, which was followed by a very simple analysis of what you should eat. Today, we delve into the tricky world of marketing.

These days, the topic of what’s in food is probably less important than what you’re likely to hear about food. People can go for years without discussing their diets, but it’s practically impossible to go a day without hearing terms like organic, omega, or carb. Upon hearing one of these terms, you’ve found evidence that advertisers have used their market research tools and, thus, determined that they need to shove these words down your throat, especially since you probably have no idea what they mean. You see, as long as you don’t know what they mean, they can spin them however they like. Spin: it’s not just for politicians anymore. But these terms do have meaning. And once you understand them, they can help you make smarter food choices.

Foods without labels

Some foods don’t require a label, which makes them harder to spin. These are mainly very fresh and haven’t been tampered with so, in general, they are your healthy alternatives. The spin doctors here play both sides of the fence. When it comes to non-labeled foods, the important issue is how these foods were raised.

When it became clear that the reason certain companies could offer lower-priced goods was because they used inferior raising methods, those who didn’t use inferior methods began using terms to help distinguish themselves. When this affected the business of the former, they jumped into the fray and the spin games began. But that’s getting ahead of our topic. Let’s begin by defining which foods don’t require labels.

First are foods like apples, oranges, broccoli, and many other things that you can buy in the state that they come from the earth. Known as fruits, vegetables, and herbs, they’re entirely different than that soda you just bought with “real fruit flavor.” These foods have parts that aren’t really foods, either. Called fiber, it’s the indigestible part of a plant. It has no nutrient value, but it’s still an ultra-important part of your diet because it does all kinds of things, including cleaning out our digestive tract and soaking up excess cholesterol. It’s very important that our diets feature plants. They are loaded with nutrients and fiber and have no man-made ingredients (okay, some have pesticides, which we’ll get to in a minute). When we do things like cook or make juice from these items, they lose their nutrients and fiber, and get a label.

Next are grains and legumes. Things like rice and beans—also plants—these foods have more protein and calories than fruits and veggies. They are less easily found in their natural state. Rice, for example, often has its shell stripped, so it’s white. Grains get turned into breads and crackers, often at the expense of their healthiest ingredients. Beans get smashed and have things added to them. As a rule, the closer you can get a legume or grain to its original state, the better it is for you.

Finally, we have meats and dairy products. Nowadays, unless you live on a farm, you probably have to buy these with labels. That’s mainly due to suspect growing and harvesting practices. This topic is mainly one for Politics class, but we’re going to look at the consumer end of it next.

Hey! What are you rolling your eyes at? Yes, you, the guy in the white suit taking up two seats. What are you dressed like that for? Going to the Kentucky Derby after class? Well, pal. I believe that this subject concerns you more than anyone, so pay attention.

These animal products are loaded with protein, vitamins, and sometimes carbs and healthy fats. But we need to be careful with them because meats (other than fish) and dairy products have a lot of saturated fat. You can buy all of these products with much of this fat removed. For the most part, this is recommended, which we’ll cover in the “fat-free” portion of the lecture later on.

Organic and other terms for natural foods

Now it’s time to get to some good jargon. You’ve heard all of these terms, probably while you’ve been considering buying any of the aforementioned food items. But just what do they mean?

Organic. Organic means living, so organic foods are supposed to be alive or, at least, recently alive. Originally, “organic” meant produce that hadn’t been sprayed with inorganic things, like pesticides. But now you’ll see “organic ingredients” in boxed, jarred, and canned foods, which can be confusing. Organic was once a term used only by the folks who showed up at your weekly farmers’ market. Then, word started to get out about large-scale farmers spraying nasty pesticides on their crops, pesticides that would still be on those crops when we bought them. Most people are pretty sure they don’t want to eat something made to kill animals, so when the little “organic” guys’ businesses started to feel the impact, the big guys just started slapping an “organic” label on anything, until the government had to step in.

Now we have an imperfect system. Organic rules can be fudged to some degree, but it seems to be getting better and not worse. It’s made the large growers a bit more cognizant about what they add to or spray on their crops. Organic has also trickled up. So now packaged foods using “organic ingredients” are labeled as such. But be prudent because the fine print will tell you how much is organic. Lobbyists haggle over how much organic stuff needs to be in a product for the word “organic” to appear on the label, and the amount has changed and will continue to change. So you can see a product with a big “organic” on its label with very little organic inside.

Also, many farmers claim that organic growing remains behind the times. They argue that their products don’t seem to grow as healthily using organic standards because the classification needs reworking. This is no doubt true, as we’ll probably never be able to create a perfect system.

Bottom line: “Organic” on a label is probably better, but you should read the fine print. The more concerned the farmer or rancher, the more information they want to provide. A company that spends a lot of effort to list its practices is probably better than one that won’t go to the trouble. As a general rule, those going out of their way to meet organic standards probably care more. It’s not perfect, but buying “organic” still stacks the odds in your favor.

Grass fed. Cattle were once all grass fed. They lived on prairies and ate grass, ’cause that’s all there was to eat. On the prairie, that grass is nutrient rich because of the soil. Cattle that ate it grew big and strong, and when we ate them, we grew big and strong. Then, some guy figured out that cattle, if they had to, would eat grain. This meant he could build houses and strip malls on the prairie, put the cattle into little fenced areas and feed them grain, and make a lot more money. The downside was that grain didn’t have the same nutrient value (like eating Krispy Kreme doughnuts instead of broccoli), so the cows weren’t so big and strong. To make them look like they once did, he started shooting them with things like steroids, so that the cattle started looking like Jose Conseco, and all was good in the world. Except that when we ate the cattle, they didn’t have the same nutrient value. This meant we ate the same calories with less nutrient value. When this happened, we got fat.

For a while, we were none the wiser. Then, people started getting sick and dying because some genius, low on grain, started feeding cows parts of other cows mixed with the grain to make more money. Cows aren’t carnivorous, like animals with sharp teeth, so this didn’t work well and bad stuff like E. coli started showing up in meat. Anyway, feeding cows other cows is now against the law, but lobbyists were also able to make a deal in which it’s nearly impossible for meat companies to be sued, so who knows what they’re actually up to.

Bottom line: Even though meat lobbyists have been hammering away at the “grass fed” requirements, it still means that the meat is likely to be much better in quality.

Free range. Cattle weren’t the only animals out on the prairie. Birds were there, too. In fact, birds were all over the place because they have wings and can, you know, fly. This became problematic when folks decided they wanted to raise them on farms. You listening, Colonel?

Figuring that if birds couldn’t fly and, well, they would then need no space at all, “farmers” started loading them all together in tiny little pens. Irritated—naturally—the birds would peck at each other and cause general turmoil, so good ol’ Foster the farmer put them in little cages wherein they couldn’t get at each other—for their entire lives!

Since this isn’t Animal Cruelty class, let’s just talk about how healthy these birds are when they grow up and we eat them. When you get out and exercise, how does that help you? Hmm, since some of you can’t answer this, I’ll tell you. You get healthier. Your body systems work better and you get more muscle. Muscle is meat, like the part of a chicken that we want to eat. If you sit in a small room for a long time, how do you tend to look or feel? Answer: You get fat. You get sick. You die young.

Take two chickens. Let one run around and eat stuff it finds growing out of the ground. Put the other in a 2-foot-square box and feed it junk food. Which one do you want to eat?

Bottom line: Only eat free-range fowl, which is harder than ever to find now that new grades of distinction have surfaced. Again, to stay on top of it, you’ll need to stay educated. To reiterate, the more concerned the company, the more likely they will want to educate you.

Farm raised. This term has to do with fish. For those of you who are confused, that is natural. Fish live in water. We live on land. How the heck do we farm them?

The obvious answer is to put them in big aquariums, but that would be too expensive. Instead, they raise fish in fenced-off areas and treat them a bit like the birds mentioned above. This tends to cause a lot of damage for the ecosystem in general, but this isn’t Environment class. We don’t offer environment classes because they don’t help your standardized testing. Anyway, the effect on the fish depends a lot on the type of fish. Some, like catfish that naturally live in sluggish conditions, do okay, while others, like salmon, do terribly. In fact, salmon are migratory and swim for most of their lives. Keeping them in a “tank” wreaks havoc on their lifestyle. Farm-raised salmon don’t even have red meat, like they do naturally, and are dyed red for market. Do you really want to eat fish that’s been dyed red?

Bottom line: Avoid farm-raised fish when possible. Always avoid farm-raised salmon.

Local. Some of you are no doubt wondering why this rather boring-sounding label is taking up more shelf space lately. After all, isn’t the gourmand taught to eat from exotic and far-off lands? Who, with ample means, wouldn’t always opt for Maine lobster, Norwegian caviar, and water from New Zealand?

One concerned for the health of the planet might be the obvious answer. You don’t have to be Al Gore to deduce that using 500,000 gallons of gas so that you can sip from a melting glacier near Christchurch might create a ripple effect with negative implications for the planet. But, hey, this isn’t Earth First 911; it’s Nutrition 911, so let’s stay focused. Buying locally allows us to play watchdog. It’s easy to check out your local dairy. Just ask around. You don’t even need to research. Good businesses tend to get talked about in the community. And if you suspect that a local business is wielding a bit too much power and influence over your neighbors, that’s probably all the information you need. But your local Chambers of Commerce, Better Business Bureaus, and independent news organizations are keen to help out should your scuttlebutt network not be broad enough.

Bottom line: Local companies should always be considered first.

Ah, there’s the bell. I hope you’ll feel a bit better next time you walk into your local market. But we’re not finished. Fat and carbs, two words known far better for their colloquial rather than literal meanings, will be covered next time. Also keep in mind, with good nutrition AND exercise, you will see your fitness goals reached a lot faster. I’m personally loving Chalean Extreme, and think you would too!

Related Articles:

Nutrition 911, Part VIII: Pop Goes the Diet—The Worst Food in the World
Nutrition 911, Part VII: Sugar vs. Fat: Which Is Worse?
Nutrition 911, Part VI: Sweeteners
Nutrition 911, Part V: 5 Quick Steps to Mastering Food Labels
Nutrition 911, Part IV: What ‘Fat Free’ and ‘Low Carb’ Really Mean
Nutrition 911, Part III: Deciphering Marketing Jargon
Nutrition 911, Part II: When and What to Eat
Nutrition 911, Part 1: The Basics

I’m about 3 weeks into my Shakeology experience, and so far, I must say…. I like it.  Being a fitness coach with Beachbody, I feel like it is my responsibility to tell you about Beachbody products.  To try them, use them, tell you what I think of them, and give you some insight.  So after 3 weeks, I can say, I do like them, I like the health benefit of getting veggies each day.  It can easily be a low calorie meal replacement, or you can add some ingredients (natural peanut butter) and give it a boost.  But if you get Shakeology, and simply throw a scoop into a shaker and add water, you might be slightly disappointed.  The only one I can drink with water in a shaker is Greenberry.  But strangely enough, chocolate started off being my favorite, in just water.  But I have now grown to like mixing up my Shakeology.  I’m going to post some recipes below.  But if you are a simple person, as I am, let me give you my quickest recipe for Greenberry.  1 scoop Greenberry, 1 scoop vanilla protein, 8 oz lowfat soy milk, some water.  TASTY.  But everyone has there own tastes.  So here are some ideas to get you started.  If you have a favorite recipe, email it to me. 

I took these recipes from the Beachbody forums, and Chalene Johnson’s blog. (Chalean Extreme fitness trainer.)

Also, check out the benefits of Almond milk. Super low in cal, and you can find it in the powdered milk section of your grocery, in the non dairy section, not the cold milk area.  Enjoy, and you should definitely try this stuff!

Shakeology Recipes

Orange Julius
1 scoop GreenBerry
1 cup of water
1/2 cup almond milk
1 packet Crystal light Sugar free “Classic Orange” or “Sunrise”
Ice (I put in like 2 cups of ice)

CARL DAIKELER SPECIAL
1.5 scoop Chocolate Shakeology powder
1 banana
1 Tbsp almond or peanut butter (or to taste)
ice to taste
8oz water

SUNRISE – Antioxidant Special
¼ cup fresh orange juice
1 scoop Berry Shakeology powder
3/4 cup water
Ice to taste

Most people have been able to kick their am coffee habit completely with Shakeology. I have to agree that after 2 weeks I could not believe how strong I felt even 50 minutes into my workouts! Wow! Coffee always just makes me crash later. But I do love the taste of it! I really do, so I understand why people would want to mix instant coffee with their Shakeology. Just remember that it needs to be added cold so as not to disrupt the delicate balance of nutrients in this masterful mix.

Mocha Madness
1 cup water
1/2 almond milk
1 cup of water with 1 tbsp instant coffee disovled – pour over ice after it disolves!
then add 1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology powder
Ice to taste
Sweeten if desired

STRAWBERRY PEACH SURPRISE
1/2 cup frozen strawberries
½ cup frozen peaches
1 scoop Berry Shakeology powder
3/4 cup water
Ice to taste

Chocolate covered bananas
1/2 banana
1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology powder
1/2 cup water
¼ cup non-fat soy, rice or almond milk
Ice to taste

Yogo Berry Blast
8- oz water
1- scoop of greenberry shakeology
1- cup of frozen mixed berries
1- 4 oz container of Dannon Light & Fit yogurt vanillia

Reeses PB Cup
1 Tbsp natural almond or peanut butter
1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology powder
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup Almond Milk
Ice to taste

CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRIES
1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology powder
1 cup water
1/2 almond milk
1/2 cup frozen strawberries
Ice to taste

BLUES BUSTER
½ cup combined frozen blueberries and blackberries
1 tsp fresh orange juice
1 Tbsp non-fat blueberry yogurt
1 scoop Berry Shakeology powder
3/4 cup of water
Ice

Cap’n Crunch O’ GreenBerry
1 scoop Greenberry
2 cups of Cap’ n’ Crunch Ceral
1/2 heavy whipping cream
1 cup Vanilla Haagen Dazs Icecream
1/2 cup of granulated sugar
1/2 cup strawberry cornsyrup
ice to taste
Top with Whip Cream
(just kidding!! You’ve been jammed! Simply trying to keep you on your toes! )

CREAMY BERRY FUSION
¼ cup sliced strawberries
¼ cup GreenBerry Shakeology powder
¼ cup non-fat soy, rice or almond milk
½ cup water
Ice to taste

Tropical Banana Berry
1 Scoop Greenberry
1/2 cup Unsweetened almond milk
1/2 banana
2oz of 100% Pineapple juice
ice

Strawberry, Choco PB Banana
1 Scoop of Chocolate
8 oz water
1/2 banana
1 tbsp of peanut butter
ice
Frozen strawberries

Some Fun things to add to your Shakeology:

To switch up your flavor experiences, and boost your smoothie benefits, you can add:
1 scant tsp fresh orange juice will add a bright flavor punch!
1 Squeeze fresh lemon or lime is a very happy addition to the berry smoothies!
1Tbsp of organic nut butter peanut, cashew, almond, hazelnut are great)
Cinnamon is noted to suppress appetite and level out glycemic levels after meals.
1 Tbsp non-fat yogurt adds satisfying body to the smoothie.

Fruits that taste great in your shake:
Apple
Bananas
Blackberries
Blueberries
Boysenberries
Kiwi
Papaya
Peach
Pears, Asian Pears, Korean Pears
Pineapple
Plums
Mango
Nectarine
Melon
Raspberries
Starfruit
Strawberries
Tangerine

Kids and Shakeology (from Chalene Johnson):
I don’t know that Beachbody has officially listed their position on serving Shakeology to children and the appropriate dosages, servings and frequency. I can only speak for myself and say that it’s far better than the zero GREEN my 12 year old son was eating before Shakeology came along. The only veggie we could get him to consume without gagging and running for the bathroom was corn and come on…is corn really a vegetable? Cierra loves her fruits and veggies. Brock HATES ‘em! This kid wont even eat an apple. So this has been a God -send. However, parents, this takes some STRATEGIC PLANNING on your part. If you have a “picky eater”,don’t think for a second you’re going to be able to add ice and water to the mix and your kid is going to beg for more! Be smart! Baby steps! Remember when you weened them off of baby food to “real food”. Same thing! Ween them on to it. The first shake I served to Brock was anything but low cal! It was very much so a delicious desert… by design…but he still got his veggies in! I added some the tastiest of ingredients I could find… just to get him to love it AND to agree to have one every day. After that first shake I slowly started cutting back on the “yum yum stuff” but in small doses so he didn’t notice. Now he’s drinking a pretty healthy version and still loving it! Baby Steps!

I call this technique the “Bait and Switch”

Okay…so what was in that first “bait and switch” shake? Fat free vanilla yogurt, a big ‘ol scoop of peanut butter, sugar free chocolate sauce, almond milk, half of a banana and honey for added sweetness! For real! Shut up! Save it! I don’t want to hear it, because it worked and the next time I made him one it was much healthier and far less calorie dense, but with picky eaters, that first taste is critical!!! I had to win him at the first sip. You have to win over your picky eaters or your dead in the water! (Right Moms?) So the next one I just cut back on all the yummy ingredients and added more ice. Slowly, over the course of the month I got him to the point that I’m just putting a 1/2 cup of Fat Free Fro Yo, Almond milk and 1/4 banana and tsp of Peanut butter. It’s magical! He’s totally asking for them by name and talking all of his friends into drinking it! He’ll make an awesome coach one day!

I just posted an article that talks about the top 10 reasons you should be drinking water.  Well, I ran across this article by Joe Wilkes at BeachBody that is kind of a little pop quiz which has some very interesting facts and figures.  I think these things will surprise you.  Take a look.  

Test Your Water IQ!
Joe Wilkes

True or False?

• True: The average human body contains 37 liters of water. The human body is about 65 percent water, explaining why dehydration is so bad. The average person should consume at least two liters of water every day to maintain proper hydration (refer to Steve’s article above for more on how much water to consume). The brain is 75 percent water, which is why headaches are often the first symptom when we’re a quart low. Blood is 83 percent water and bones are 25 percent water.

• False: Five percent of the earth’s water is OK to drink. Only one percent of the earth’s water is safe to drink. And by safe, we mean it’s not saltwater (97 percent of the earth’s water) or frozen (two percent of the earth’s water). The freshwater supply has become increasingly contaminated since the middle of the 20th century, coinciding with the increased use of chemicals in manufacturing.

• False: It takes two gallons of water to produce one chicken egg. It takes an average of 120 gallons of water to produce just one egg. But that’s better than a car, which requires almost 40,000 gallons of water for its production.

• True: The average individual uses 100 gallons of water every day. And almost two-thirds of this water usage is in the bathroom. We use about two gallons of water to brush our teeth, about five gallons to flush the toilet, and 20 gallons for a 5-minute shower. Americans hold up the high end of the average, using five times more water than Europeans.

• False: Ten million people in the world are without safe drinking water. Over two BILLION people in the world, a third of the world’s population, are without safe drinking water, due to drought and pollution. Every day, it is estimated that 10,000 children under the age of five die due to illnesses related to unsafe-water consumption. There are currently over 70,000 known water pollutants, most associated with chemicals.

The way I see it, sugar and fat are 2 things that make food taste great.  It’s true.  If you think about it, all the foods you love and I love to munch on are probably 9 out of 10 times really,really bad for us.  Eggs and bacon, pizza and beer, cheeseburger and fries, chocolate and peanut butter…..I could easily fill the page with naughty foods I love.      So, sugar or fat…..fat or sugar?  Which one is more wicked than the other?  I found another great article by Steve Edwards at BeachBody weighing these two against each other.  This is what Steve found.

Nutrition 911, Part VII: Sugar vs. Fat: Which Is Worse?
By Steve Edwards

Ladies and gentlemen, tonight we bring you The Thriller in Vanilla, the long-awaited fight to crown the World Obesity Federation’s heavyweight champion. It’s the battle to decide, once and for all, which contender is most responsible for making us fat. In one corner, we have our long-reigning champion, The Heartbreak Hammer, Fat! In the other corner, we have the up-and-coming challenger everyone’s been talking about, The Soda Pop Kid, Sugar!

As the undisputed nutrient kings of our fast food world, this is the bout that everyone’s been waiting for. Fat has been the people’s champion for a long time. Sugar, on the other hand, has only been around as long as humans have been altering foods from natural sources. Lately, a lot of money and science have changed our challenger’s traditional fighting style, leading to a string of TKOs (technical knockouts) en route to its shot at the title. Going into tonight’s fight, however, the experts still favor The Champion by 2-to-1 odds.

The tale of the tape

Sugar—Weighing in at 4 calories per gram, the challenger is slight in stature compared to our champion and will look to speed to gain an advantage. Sugar is a carbohydrate, but the form we consume it in is much different than how we find it in nature, where’s it’s surrounded by a fruit, grain, or other plants. The Soda Pop Kid is synthetic crystalline sugar—the kind that goes into soda, candy, and many convenience foods. Its main weapon is the speed with which it rushes into your system.

Fat—At 9 calories per gram, Fat outweighs its challenger by more than double. Unlike Sugar, Fat is its own food group and an essential part of our diets, just like carbohydrates and protein. It’s easily found in nature in many forms and doesn’t need to be processed. This, of course, doesn’t mean we don’t process it when it’s convenient or cost-effective. As opposed to Sugar, Fat moves into your system slowly. Then it remains there for as long as it can. In abundance, it clogs things up. Its main weapon being bulk, its goal is to wear you down.

As you can see, we’ve got a classic tortoise-vs.-hare matchup between these two heavyweights.

A brief history

Sugar—Since all carbohydrates are broken down into sugars in our blood, it’s always been a part of our diets. However, when eaten as a complex carbohydrate or encased in fiber (as in fruit), it affects our bodies differently than it does as processed sugar.

Bees were the first sugar producers, and humans have been eating honey for about as long as bees have been making it. However, it didn’t become a major part of our diets until thousands of years later. Westerners began the production of sugar around 1500 BC. Originally made from sugarcane and sugar beets, it’s now manufactured from other crops, like corn and wheat, which makes up the bulk of the sugar consumed in the U.S.

Modern technology has enabled us to tamper further with natural sugar. Traditional sugar, like honey, had a much lower glycemic index (GI) than many modern variations. Since the higher the GI number, the quicker the sugar rushes into your system, we are now essentially able to have sugars affect the body like a drug, creating exaggerated hormonal responses, particularly the hormone insulin. You may have heard of insulin because, when we have trouble producing it, we have a disease called diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is the result of eating poorly. It’s also the fastest-growing disease in the world, which, in Sugar’s camp, means they think it’s time for a shot at the title.

Fat—Like we stated earlier, fat is dense—it has a lot of calories for its size. It’s also an essential nutrient and helps us feel satiated or full. Therefore, when we’re hungry, we tend to crave it. And since we don’t really need much of it, it’s very easy to overeat.

When we eat more food than we can put to good use, our bodies store it in adipose tissue. We call this tissue fat, or fat tissue. But it’s not really fat, as in the kind we eat. It’s something else. Well, it’s adipose tissue, but we’ve always called it fat. Anyway, the point is that we call it fat whether we get it from eating too much fat, too much protein, too much sugar, or too many carbs, or by drinking too much alcohol. And because of this, Fat gets a worse rap than it deserves.

But make no mistake, fat is formidable. We like fat. We like it a lot. Many fat-laden foods are considered delicacies. And we like fat so much that we’ve found ways to consume just the bad parts of fat that serve little to no dietary purpose. Stuff like butter, margarine, lard, and trans fats are completely unnecessary for our survival. Yet, somehow, our culture has taught us to crave such things. And these cravings have led to heart disease becoming the planet’s most popular way to kill people. Fat has been the undisputed champion of the obesity world for a long, long time. It’s not going to relinquish this title easily.

So let’s get ready to rumble!

Round 1

Smaller but faster, Sugar comes out in a rush and pummels Fat mercilessly. Because of The Kid’s smaller stature, Sugar’s punches seem to have little effect on The Champ. But Fat hardly lands a punch himself and is looking old and slow. Could The Hammer’s reign be over?

Round 2

The Sugar rush comes to a quick crash. The Champ, in no rush himself, seizes control of the pace and takes the round.

Round 3

All of our sponsors are major lobbyists on the side of Sugar. The Kid replenishes with some Gatorade and responds in another flurry of activity. The Champ is back on his heels, waiting for The Kid’s next inevitable crash.

Round 4

The Kid jabs, moves, and controls the pace, but The Champ seems unfazed. Fat knows that Sugar is only an effective nutrient during and immediately after activity, when blood sugar is being used up. So Sugar must keep moving, otherwise it has no nutrient value. The Hammer, being experienced, is willing to bide his time and wait for an opening.

Round 5

Sugar bobs and weaves, employing a psychological game that confounds The Champ. Complex carbohydrates and the simple carbs in fruit break down slowly and provide sustained energy during performance. This gives Sugar an advantage of public misconception because the junk food sugar can be lumped together with healthy carbohydrates. This underhanded attack is clearly something Fat hadn’t counted on. It seems to anger The Hammer.

Round 6

The Champ counters, big time. Two can play the public misconception card, and Fat uses its adipose tissue to absorb all of The Kid’s body blows. The statement that size matters seems to be holding true. In spite of nearly unending corporate support, Sugar seems to be tiring and its punches are growing less and less effective.

Round 7

Fat is now clearly in control of the bout and uses a cholesterol combo to further weaken The Kid. The Hammer’s corner men, Meat and Dairy, are loaded with it, and too much cholesterol is a major cause of heart disease. Could this spell the end for the gallant challenger?

Round 8

A savvy move saves The Kid, who notes that cholesterol is a necessary part of a healthy diet, and that with a proper ratio of fiber and complex carbs, it will have little negative effect. It’s a beautiful defensive move, but how long can it work? The Hammer just seems to be warming up his arsenal.

Round 9

Offended by The Kid’s trickery, Fat comes out smokin’ and unloads an entire 7-Eleven of chips, whipped cream, hot dogs, margarine, and even “vegetable” oils at The Kid. Since they all lead to heart disease, now the leading cause of death in the world, Sugar’s only defense is the rope-a-dope. He’s clearly in serious trouble.

Round 10

Down goes Sugar! The Champ plants a trans fat to the head and levels the challenger. This could be it, folks. The Kid staggers to his feet, but the referee has stepped in. He seems to be holding up a can of Crisco to see if Sugar can identify what hit him. If not, he’s going to stop it.

Oh, but wait a minute! The Kid seems to be okay, and even looks to be smiling. The ref flashes a thumbs-up and the fight continues. Sugar dances away from a series of haymakers. The Hammer obviously wants to end the contest right now. But he can’t connect. The Kid survives! In his corner, he’s given a Coke.

Round 11

His face is bloodied, but The Kid is back at work. The Champ’s attack has been slowed with the news that the Food and Drug Administration has required that trans fat be listed on the side of every food label, while sugar, sugar alcohols, artificial sweeteners, and glucose syrups can be used with virtually no regulation. This tactic has clearly befuddled The Hammer, whose punches are beginning to miss more often than they connect.

Round 12

Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve got a new fight! Left for dead just a few rounds ago, Sugar is now controlling the pace. Still a long way behind on points, the challenger is using an intriguing combination that’s hurting The Champion. But The Champ fights back. The Champ first points out that many fats—the type in nuts, olives, seeds, avocados, fish, and many other foods—are essential for optimal health and then notes that nothing in sugar is needed for human survival; he then combines that with the fact that a “no fat” label can be on a food containing 100 percent sugar. Then he uses the fact that sugar alters the body’s pH levels, a clear example that an all-sugar food is far worse than a no-fat food. That’s gotta hurt.

Round 13

The credit probably goes to The Hammer’s corner men, all major corporate CEOs, but Sugar has got to be one of the craftiest fighters in history. He comes after Fat with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and fibromyalgia, an offensive that clearly caught The Champ off guard. Apparently, they’re illnesses attributed in part to excessive sugar in one’s diet leading to insulin-resistance problems. The Hammer may have amassed enough points to win a decision but is now clearly on the defensive and reeling. Who knows what The Kid’s got up his sleeve at this point?

Round 14

With only one round to go, Sugar swings wildly with a combination of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and soda pop. This is one of the most lethal offensive combinations in the history of obesity! HFCS is the cheapest and lowest-quality sugar produced, and is now added to many items that aren’t even sweet—things like salad dressings and peanut butters, items once clearly in Fat’s corner. And soda, a substance with no nutritional value whatsoever, has become the singularly most consumed item on the planet. I don’t see how The Champ can survive this. He’s staggering around the ring, basically out on his feet! Somehow, and it must be experience, The Hammer avoids going down.

Round 15

It all comes down to this: one round to crown the World Champion of Obesity. Fat, the longtime champ, is clearly in trouble but still has enough points to win thanks to his mid-fight dominance. But Sugar has owned the latter rounds thanks to heavy lobbying, effective marketing, deregulation, and public misconception. The Champ was barely on his feet at the end of round 14, and his corner is working furiously to limit the damage. The question is, does Sugar’s corner have one last trick up its sleeve?

And here we go . . .

The Champ still manages to show some swagger, and comes out flashing heart disease as the number one killer, recently eclipsing lung disease and cigarettes—no slouch in the death department.

But Sugar barely flinches and counters with type 2 diabetes, the fastest-growing illness in the world, that’s almost single-handedly controlled by Sugar. It’s like Ali’s “anchor punch” against Liston. And it sends The Champ sprawling.

Down goes Fat! Down goes Fat!

And I don’t think the Champ will be rising from this one. Nope. Fat is out cold. The Hammer’s reign is over. There’s a new kid in town. Sugar is elated, dancing around the ring and pointing at the crowd, screaming, “I want YOU! I want YOU!”

Ladies and gentlemen, introducing the NEW heavyweight champion of the obesity world: SUGAR!

I really try to drink more water.  I really, really do.  But, it’s water.  It’s so dull and so boring.  I know it’s good for me, so I am making a concerted effort to increase my intake.  I almost always order ice water when I go out to eat.  I have found a good way to make water a little more tolerable is to add fresh squeezed lemon or lime.  I keep some of each cut up in little ziploc baggies in my fridge.  I also add to my artificially sweetened iced tea.  Anyway, Steve Edwards over at BeachBody has a new article out about our old buddy water and why we should drink it.  Take a look.  

Nutrition 911, Part IX: 10 Reasons to Drink Water
By Steve Edwards
This week, we’re going to address why we should drink water. You know, water, “like in the toilet.” This line, borrowed from the film Idiocracy, isn’t so far from the way many people think about drinking plain water. In the comedy, the world’s drinking water is replaced by Brawndo, a Gatorade-like electrolyte drink. We will deconstruct Gatorade at a later date, but today, I want you to understand why this is not an option. You can hydrate yourself with other liquids, but every time you do, you’re chipping away at the chances of following a nutritional diet.

It’s likely that the only reason you think you need to drink water is to stay “hydrated,” but you might not truly understand what this means. Let’s delve into the meaning behind hydration and just why you need to drink so much plain, “boring” water.

1. Your body is made up primarily of water. When you’re properly hydrated, about two-thirds of your body is water—muscle tissue is even higher, at around 70 percent, while fat is less. Muscle powers your body and fat protects it. Put two and two together, and you may infer that water is vital to the things that make your body do stuff. When you don’t drink enough water, your body declines into a state we call dehydration. Get too dehydrated, and your body will not function properly, which isn’t too surprising when your body’s low on such a vital nutrient. (Your body can be as much as up to 65 percent water!)
2. You don’t need to drink 65 percent of your weight in water each day. This is because, one, if you lost all the water in your body, you’d be dead, and two, that water makes up most of all the living things on our planet. Since we eat living—or recently alive—things, we get some water from the things we eat. When we cook things, they lose their water. This means that the more raw whole foods you eat, the less water you need to drink. Fruits and veggies lead the group of water-rich foods and contain around 95 percent water. If you eat a lot of plants, you can drink less water. But if you don’t . . .
3. There is more to hydration than just your water levels. Chemicals in your body react with water so that you can function. We lose water in the form of sweat, and sweat is made up of water and body “salts,” which are mainly sodium, chloride, and potassium, but they also include magnesium, calcium, and so on. These are called electrolytes and, basically, are the reason that salt is such a vital component in your diet. Salt is a mixture of sodium and chloride, but generally, we use the term “salts” in reference to electrolytes. Too much salt is bad and too little is bad. Both can kill you. This is why, like water, the amount you consume should be directly related to the workload your body is put under. More P90X® or ChaLEAN Extreme® equals more sweat, meaning that you need more water and more salt.
4. What about water weight? Some people are afraid to drink a lot of water because they’re afraid of gaining “water weight.” This is the opposite of what you should do. Water weight is a term for your body holding on to excess water because it’s not getting enough. The best way to get rid of water weight is to drink more water. It works two ways. If you don’t drink enough water or if you eat too much salt in your diet, your body hoards water. This water/salt relationship is referred to as your electrolyte balance.  Generally, there’s an easy way to tell if you need more water or salt; because most people drink too little water and eat far too much salt—especially those who eat in restaurants. So when you aren’t exercising, you almost never need more salt. When you are exercising, getting enough salt becomes an issue. Endurance athletes are ever aware of the need to have enough salt to avoid a condition called hyponatremia, a condition that results when you’ve had too much water and not enough salt, basically just dehydration from a different angle. Those who don’t exercise outdoors excessively almost never have to worry about this condition.
5. So what does water do for you? You’ll often hear claims that water helps chemical reactions, regulates your body temperature, and lubricates your joints, eyes, and spinal cord. Sure, it does all of this stuff. In fact, since you’re mostly made up of water, a case can be made that it does almost everything. So why split hairs? Your body doesn’t work, at all, without being fed a lot of water. You can live days, weeks, and, sometimes, even months without food. But you can’t live even a few days without water.
6. Itchy skin. Dry skin. Constipation. Sneezing. Dry cough, headaches, nosebleeds, and acne. These are common ailments related to drinking too little water. Since water regulates your body’s functions, it makes sense that minor glitches in bodily functions may be related to not drinking enough water. And this is just a partial list of common ailments. Many symptoms blamed on allergies are probably due to living in a dehydrated state. When you are properly hydrated, your body can better defend itself.
7. The above symptoms may be worse in the winter. Water is required just to breathe, and you lose water through your mouth and lungs. During winter, when the air is dry, more water is required. Add forced heat in the air—like from home heating systems and fires—and the situation is exacerbated. This means that you need to drink extra water in the winter when it’s cold, even though you are probably less thirsty.
8. Water and your immune system. During winter, lack of water will dry out the mucous membranes of your lungs, gut, and sinus passages and lessen your resistance to disease. These barriers protect your body against bacteria, viruses, and pollutants when you’re fully hydrated and intact. Allowing them to dry out could be the leading cause of the common cold and allergic symptoms, not to mention things like constipation, sinusitis, irritable bowel syndrome, and long-term diseases like hemorrhoids and colon cancer.
9. Water and fat loss. We haven’t yet discussed the importance of fat mobilization for energy and its relation to weight loss and effective exercise because, well, this is Nutrition 911 and that sounds complicated. Anyway, water is the main component of this action. A well-hydrated body has higher levels of oxygen in the bloodstream, translating into an increased ability to burn fat as fuel. The more efficiently you burn fat as fuel, the more effectively you exercise, leading to a better overall body composition.
10. How much water? It’s said you need about 8 glasses of water a day. However, this will vary due to your activity level and environmental conditions. As a general rule, add a couple of glasses during the hot days of summer and the dry, cold nights of winter. During exercise, you may lose a quart an hour or more. While all liquids provide water, sugar, diuretics (caffeine, etc.), and carbonation reduce the hydration effect. Combining all three, as in soda, can reduce the hydration efficiency of the liquid to almost nil.

The Chalean Extreme workout retails for $119.95.	The P90X workout retails for $119.95.
The basic kit (not the deluxe kit) comes included with the following: Burn Basics and Band Basics. This is an instructional DVD that guides you through the basics of how to lift the weight or use the bands. Burn Circuit. The Burn Circuit has three workouts. Circuit 1, 2 and 3. Typically you will perform each circuit once each week, for a total of 4 weeks, if you are following the program guide. Push Circuit. The Push Circuit also has three workouts. Circuit 1, 2,and 3. Again, performing each one, once a week, for a total of 4 weeks. Lean Circuit. Just like the first two circuits, three circuits, performing each one, once per week for 4 weeks. Burn Intervals. Burn Intervals is a weight/cardio workout, performed during each week of the program. Burn It Off. Also a cardio workout but with no weights. Shorter, and somewhat easier than the Burn Intervals. Performed each week during the program. Recharge. Recharge is a stretch/yoga routine, performed each week of the program. Performed each week during the program. Two Ab workouts. Extreme Abs and Ab Burner. Bodyfat calipers and guide to measure your badyfat throughout the program. A thigh toner band, used throughout the program for additional resistance during the circuits and the cardio routines. A Motivational audio CD and a “Healthy Eats” and Kitchen Makeover DVD. Also included with Chalean Extreme is a Fitness and Nutritional guidebook.	The basic kit (not including P90X+) comes included with the following: “How to Bring It” DVD. This DVD is a short instructional/introduction to the P90X workout. Explaining briefly the program, what is needed, and what to expect. Chest & Back. This DVD, depending on which rotation you follow, will depend on when you perform. In the most popular rotation the “Classic”. You workout with this DVD in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd week, and then again in the 9th and 11th week. Plyometrics. An extreme cardio routine, “jump training”. This workout is done every week, except on “recovery weeks”. Make no mistake, the recovery week, is not a time where you sit on the couch and eat potato chips. it’s a tough week in it’s own right, Just different than the typical weeks where you lift weights. Shoulders & Arms. This DVD goes right along with the Chest & Back, and used during the same weeks. Yoga X. This is a Yoga/Stretch DVD. This workout is done every week, and on the recovery weeks, it’s often done twice per week. Legs & Back. This DVD is used in every week of P90X, with the exception of the recovery weeks. Kenpo X. Kenpo X is a cardio kickboxing type routine. This cardio routine is used in every week of P90X. X-Stretch. A stretch routine which is performed every week in P90X. It’s not a requirement, and is done on your 7th day, if you choose to use it. Core Synergistics. A total body workout. Used with lighter weights, and is mixed with cardio moves as well. Chest, Shoulders, & Triceps. This workout is used in the Classic rotation on the 5th, 6th, and 7th week, and then again in the 10th and 12th week. Back & Biceps. This workout program is used in the same weeks as Chest, Shoulders, & Triceps. Ab Ripper X. This ab routine is brutal, and is used in every week of P90X, with the exception of the recovery weeks. It is usually performed on the same days as the resistance/weight workouts, or 3 times per week. Cardio X. This DVD is not used in the Classic rotation, however, it does have its place in the other rotations. It can also be a substitute for Plyometrics if you are not “ready” for Plyo yet. Also included with P90X is a Fitness and Nutritional guidebook.
Equipment needed for Chalean Extreme: Resistance bands or dumbbells. The program demonstrates the use of both, and you can get a great workout using either. It’s personal preference which you decide on. I personally enjoy both, and use the bands when traveling, and weights while at home. If you are looking for a alternative to dumbbells, and want an “all in one” dumbbell setup, you might consider PowerBlocks as an option.	Equipment needed for P90X: Resistance bands or dumbbells. The program demonstrates the use of both, and you can get a great workout using either. It’s personal preference which you decide on. I personally enjoy both, and use the bands when traveling, and weights while at home. If you are looking for a alternative to dumbbells, and want an “all in one” dumbbell setup, you might consider PowerBlocks as an option. A chin up bar, or a place to do pull ups. As an alternative, you can use the resistance bands to simulate pull ups. You only need a door attachment for this option.

Chalean Extreme vs P90X, Similarities:

• Both programs are led by two of the best fitness trainers at Beachbody, they both motivate and inspire you throughout the program.
• Both programs utilize Muscle Failure and Muscle Confusion. I have linked both of these terms to articles I have written, explaining what this is.
• Both programs offer variety in the program, by changing the workouts to prevent boredom, and again, to promote Muscle Confusion.
• Both programs have a detailed fitness guidebook. An invaluable tool throughout the program.
• Both programs utilize weights/resistance bands and cardio has the basis of each program.
• Each program provides a Nutritional guidebook, which includes recipes and nutritional information to assist you in your nutrition throughout the program. Each guidebook provides details on what to eat and when. Your diet, will change along with the program, for the best results. Let’s face it, your success in either program is going to be a direct result in both the exercise AND diet. Having a detailed guide, like both of these program is a definite benefit!

Chalean Extreme vs P90X: Summary

Some of the statements I made in my above review are my personal opinion. I have completed both P90X (several times) and Chalean Extreme (once). I completed Chalean Extreme after P90X. I believe that both programs are solid. Each one has it’s advantages and disadvantages, and it really comes down to personal preference. I would without a doubt say that you will be happy with either. Both are complete in every way from nutrition to exercise, to providing the exercise rotation etc.

Having said that, I personally feel that if you have completed P90X already, and like that level of intensity, then Chalean Extreme will be a step down. If you have not completed P90X, and want a solid program to stay fit and healthy, and don’t necessarily want the extra added intenisty of P90X, I think you will love Chalean Extreme. Taking it another step forwards, if you are wanting to do a round of P90X, then I think Chalean Extreme is the perfect program to get you ready.

When I did my complete round of Chalean Extreme, it was with the goal of staying or maintaining my current level of fitness that I had previously achieved with P90X. After 12 weeks, (with the exception of getting weaker in chin ups), I don’t believe I took a step backward by doing Chalean Extreme. Of course, I can’t do as many chin ups as I once could, but I will quickly get back to speed in no time.

If you have done a round of P90X and would like to maintain your results and not lose the results you have achieved, and are looking for a nice change, I think Chalean Extreme will work nicely for you.

I am basing my reviews on the base programs of each. You can easily modify and make a hybrid routine of either program. For example. I am used to working out 6 days a week from P90X. So when I noticed Chalean was only 5 days, I simply added in an extra cardio day. If I wanted more ab workouts than Chalean Extreme has in the base program, simply add them. These programs are completely customizable to best suit the individual. Likewise, if you want to try P90X, without doing an entry program first, you can. You may start and decide to do the entire program, or you may start and decide to do the best you can on each workout, that may or may not be the entire workout.

I do not regret doing Chalean at all! I had previously completed 8 rounds of P90X and was looking forward to changing up my routine. If I do another round of Chalean, I will likely throw in some chin ups, and be perfectly content.

In my final words about Chalean Extreme vs P90X, I’m going to go out on a limb. I like the intensity of P90X, it’s harder than Chalean (as a base program). I don’t believe someone with weight loss as their primary goal should do P90X as a starter program. However, I believe Chalean Extreme would be an excellent choice for weight loss and a starter program. I also think that Chalean Extreme is a great program for those of you that have completed a starter program. So depending on where you are at in your fitness level, would really determine which to choose, and then of course, your personal preference.

Chalean Extreme has some of the best cardio I have ever done. I love Burn Intervals, Get Lean Intervals and Fat Burn Challenge. Excellent. I thoroughly enjoy these cardio workouts! To get the Get Lean Intervals and Fat Burn Challenge, you will need to get the Deluxe version of Chalean Extreme, or get the regular Chalean and upgrade to the Deluxe DVD later. Either way, you want these extra cardio workouts!

People all over the world, are getting incredible results with both programs! Some are doing them as written in the guides, others are making hybrid routines to satisfy their personal preferences. Either way, I strongly encourage you to pick one of these programs, you can’t go wrong in getting started in a fitness program, and either one of these can take you to your fitness goals. Even Tony Horton (fitness instructor in P90X) will tell you, that variety is the spice of life. So do both, build a fitness library, change it up, spice it up, keep your fitness moving forwards and break through the plateaus of doing the same old cardio and weight routines. I sincerely hope that you have found this review beneficial, as I have spent 3 days working on it off and on, I wanted to be as complete as possible, to help you in your decision. If I missed something you feel is important in the “Similarities or Differences” feel free to send me an email. Good luck on your journey, and I’m here if you need some help along the way! robert@extremely-fit.com

Don’t for get to take a look at my ChaLEAN Extreme Reviews. You may also review my P90X Reviews as well.

So, you’re at the grocery store and your trying to shop healthy.  Well, believe it or not, that is a fine art.  Ok, maybe not a fine art, but it is something you must learn.   You cant just buy something based on what the package looks like or what you think is in it.  Oh no, it isn’t in the same zipcode as easy.  You have to read the nutrition labels.  The dreaded nutrition labels.  If you haven’t a clue about what you are looking at, it’s downright terrifying.  My husband is a master at this.  I am getting there, but it takes time.  I really don’t want to learn how….because I know that when I do learn what is in some of our families favorite foods….I’ll be sad, scared, and dissapointed all at once.  Anyway, back to the point, I ran across this article by BeachBody’s Steve Edwards about easy steps to follow when reading food labels.  Super helpful, and not so scary.

Nutrition 911, Part V: 5 Quick Steps to Mastering Food Labels

By Steve Edwards

Welcome to part V of our oh-so basic nutrition class. So far, we’ve discussed marketing slogans and how they can affect your eating habits, and the basics of what we should eat. If we’ve made one conclusion, it’s that we need to understand food labels to get out of the supermarket without a bunch of garbage masquerading as food. Since we probably won’t scrutinize each item we toss into our shopping carts, let’s take the CliffsNotes approach.

Today’s lesson: How to judge a food in 15 seconds or less!

You should learn how to read a label in depth because, sometimes, that’s the only way to tell what you’re really eating.

When in a rush, however, you can still benefit greatly from a cursory glance at a label. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve decided to “just make sure” an item was as healthy as it appeared, only to find out it had an appalling amount of something I had no interest in eating. Here is my quickie checklist. These five steps will barely take enough time to slow the movement of the product from the shelf to your cart and will more than make up for it by extending your life on the back end.

1. Trans and saturated fats. In the U.S., all packaged foods come with a nutrition facts label. The first place my eyes go is to the fat content. I draw my personal line in the sand at trans fat. We don’t need it, and there is always another food option without it. Trans fat is man-made fat that comes from dubious preparation processes. If an item has any, it goes back on the shelf. Next, I look at saturated fat. We don’t need much of it, and if we eat meat or dairy products, then we have probably met our requirements without it needing to be in our other foods. Next to the number of grams, you’ll see the percentage of your daily requirement that the food contains, eliminating the need for math. If that number is high, be wary. Of course, you must evaluate what you’re buying. Olive oil, for example, is a fat, so it’s going to have a high number. However, you don’t use much. Potato chips, on the other hand, would have a lower number, but you might eat the entire bag, so you should consider that. But that’s obvious stuff, right?
   
2. Sugar. The grams of sugar are listed right below “carbohydrates,” near the top of the label. Get instantly suspicious if this number is high. Sports foods are supposed to have sugar because you want to quickly replace blood glycogen lost during exercise. All other foods don’t need it. If you’re buying a dessert item, you’ll expect a high ratio of sugar, but for anything else, you’re probably getting a cheap product that’s poorly produced. Remember that many “low-fat” foods have a lot of sugar—it’s not technically fat. It just makes you fat.
3. Sodium. Prepared foods are usually laden with sodium, and you’ll find the amount in plain sight high on the label. Oftentimes, you can find an “organic, nonfat, low-carb,” purely healthy sounding food item that has over 1,000 milligrams of sodium, which is around half of your “recommended daily allowance” (RDA). What you’re generally looking for from these three “s” ingredients (saturated fat, sugar, and sodium) is a low number, and it only takes a few seconds to figure it out.
4. Fat, protein, and carbs ratio. Here’s your first math test, but it’s a simple one. When choosing a food, you probably already know a few things about it. If it’s butter, you’ll expect all fat; candy will be high in sugar; and things that sit on a shelf may have a lot of sodium. For meals, however, you’ll want to take a quick notation of the amount of fat, protein, and carbs. If you’re on a strict diet, this ratio is very important, but if you’re not, you just want some balance. A nice round number is 40 percent carbs, 30 percent protein, and 30 percent fat. You can then assume that your prepared “meals” would be better if they reflect a similar balance. Proteins and carbs have 4 calories per gram, and fats have 9. So you want the number of fat grams to be less than the other two. A quick method is to use a 1:2:3 ratio, with fat being 1, protein 2, and carbs 3. Let’s visualize for a sPick up a pack of frozen low-fat chicken burritos, flip it over, and eye the nutrition facts:Total Fat: 2 g

   Saturated Fat: 0.5 g

   Trans Fat: 0 g

   Sodium: 500 mg

   Total Carbohydrates: 20 g

   Sugars: (Look under “Carbohydrates” and see nothing. This means there is no sugar.)

   Protein: 12 g

   Now let’s analyze. Since we’re shopping for a meal that’s low in fat, it’s probably because we know that we get enough fat somewhere else in the day. Most of us have no problem getting fat in our diets, so this would be normal. A quick glance at the fat and sugar contents leads to a big thumbs up. Notice that I’ve skipped looking at calories. That’s because it’s calories per serving. We may not know what a serving is, and remember, we want to do as little math as possible. We can just assume we’ll eat in servings, so that’s what we’re analyzing. You will want to check what a serving is later, but for now, we’re trying to buy healthy foods and not determine how much of them to eat. Next is sodium, which we expect to be a bit high because it’s a prepackaged food. As one of five meals in a day, 500 milligrams is 20 percent of the RDA (they do the math for you), which is fine. Finally, the burrito doesn’t follow the 1:2:3 scale, but we were already expecting this to be off because it’s “low fat.” The protein-to-carbs ratio of 12 to 20 seems pretty close to 2 to 3, so check it off. How close is “close”? There is no rule, but if the numbers were, say, 10 and 60, we might look for something else, unless this was to be served with a pure protein dish. Total time investment, so far: about 10 seconds.

5. Length of ingredients list. Now just take a quick glance at where it says Ingredients. If it’s under about 10 items, I won’t even look at it. If it’s so long that I don’t want to spend the time reading it, I put the item back because I know this will mean a long list of things I can’t pronounce, and I don’t want to eat things I can’t say. If it’s somewhere in the middle, I may take a closer look and exceed my 15 seconds, but, in general, I keep this act simple. There are a few “evil offender” ingredients that people tend to look for, but we’ve covered them. By checking off the trans fat, sugar, and sodium listed above, we’re assured there won’t be any MSG, high fructose corn syrup, or hydrogenated oils in this section.

By adding a mere 15 seconds per item, you may not have the perfect diet, but you can certainly make sure it’s not terrible. This is not an exact science, but your diet doesn’t have to be, either. Eat better and get more exercise. Beyond this, we’re nitpicking. Sure, we’re talking CliffsNotes fitness only. Unfortunately, that’s often all we have time for. Fortunately, it’s more than half the battle.

And speaking of time, that’s it for today. Next time, we’ll talk about your sweet tooth and how to deal with it, and take a look at how artificial sweeteners affect your diet.

Related Articles:

Nutrition 911, Part VIII: Pop Goes the Diet—The Worst Food in the World
Nutrition 911, Part VII: Sugar vs. Fat: Which Is Worse?
Nutrition 911, Part VI: Sweeteners
Nutrition 911, Part V: 5 Quick Steps to Mastering Food Labels
Nutrition 911, Part IV: What ‘Fat Free’ and ‘Low Carb’ Really Mean
Nutrition 911, Part III: Deciphering Marketing Jargon
Nutrition 911, Part II: When and What to Eat
Nutrition 911, Part 1: The Basics

Who doesn’t have a sweet tooth? I love sweets as much as the next guy, but I do everything I can to stay away from sweets. Don’t get me wrong, I have the occasional sweet, but I try my best to eat healthy and stay healthy. I always try to ask myself, “If I eat this sweet (or cheat meal), is it bringing me closer to my fitness goals, or further away?” So what helps me? Here are a few tips by fitness expert Steve Edwards. Enjoy.

So what’s a dessert-loving health seeker to do? Here are my five favorite ways to cut your sugar consumption without ruining all of your fun:

Portion control. I recently saw a sign in a Denny’s window saying, “Remember, an apple a day.” The sign was of an apple surrounded by about 2,000 calories of sugar and fat. Our society has gone crazy for “bigger is better.” After dinner, your body is not hungry. You don’t need 2,000 extra calories. You don’t need 200! If you savor a square of chocolate or a tablespoon of Ben & Jerry’s slowly, it will curb your cravings without a noticeable effect on your diet.

Don’t snack on artificial sweeteners. Gum is probably the worst snack because it creates a stimulus-response action that causes you to crave sweet stuff constantly.

Add some fruit to your sugar or artificial sweetener. Fruit is both sweet and good for you. However, I realize an apple might not be enough all by itself to satiate your sweet tooth. But you can dress up fruit with a very small amount of a “real” dessert and make it pretty darn decadent.

Make sure you have some complex carbs in your diet. This sounds boring, but complex carbs, like whole grains, sweet potatoes, rice, beans, ‘n’ stuff, all slowly break down into blood sugar. If your blood sugar is steady, you won’t crave sugar. You might still habitually crave it, but that’s a ton better than a sugar-crash craving, which will likely lead to bingeing.

The protein powder trick. Most protein powders have a small amount of sugar and a touch of artificial sweetener, and are 90 percent protein. If you can find one you like (our Whey Protein Powder is fantastic, ahem, ahem), you might be able to curb your cravings with a high-protein snack. Chalene Johnson, the creator of Turbo Jam®, uses chocolate protein powder as a base for pudding, and Beachbody® advice staff member, Denis Faye, sprinkles it on cereal. If you get creative, the possibilities may be endless.