Want to have a delicious, guilt free desert?  Try fat free, sugar free high protein pudding.   This has all the pudding flavor with the added bonus of protein you can’t taste.

This is a delicious way to ensure that you are getting enough protein in during the day or a great treat for the kids.  My children and grandchildren love my pudding even though it is good for them.  I personally like butterscotch but you can use any flavor you like.  Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Follow these simple steps for a dessert that you’ll love!

Things You’ll Need:

1. Jello Instant Pudding mix, Fat Free, Sugar Free
2. Fat Free Milk
3. Protein Powder
4. Fat Free, Sugar Free, Whipped Cream

Instructions

1. Place 2 cups of fat free milk in a bowl or blender.
2. Add package of Fat Free, Sugar Free, JELLO instant pudding
3. Add 2 or more scoops of your favorite protein powder. The amount is up to you, I usually want 100 grams of protein in mine but it is up to you.

1. Mix with a whisk or blend in your blender until creamy.
2. Pour into bowl and refrigerate for about 5-10 minutes to thicken.

You now have a desert that is tasty and good for you!

How much protein?  Here is a simple chart to help.

The rule of thumb is at least 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. For example, a 100 pound person would take at least 100 grams of protein. This is a unisex rule. It doesn’t matter if you are a man or a woman. It is still 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. You are going to use your current weight, not your goal weight! It’s that simple. Don’t worry. I will give you an easy way to measure your protein out in a minute.

If you are trying to add muscle and/or lose fat, you need more protein. Let me explain. One gram of protein per pound of body weight is the bare minimum. I suggest that most people start off with this amount for the first month or two and then increase it from there. If, however, you are trying to put on muscle or burn fat, you’ll need to up it to 1.25 – 1.5 grams. Once you are doing this for a while, you’ll begin to “know” your body. You’ll know how much you need and can adjust up or down to meet your goals.

A 100 pound person would need at least 5 portions of protein during the day. 100 pounds = 100 grams of protein, divided by 20 grams of protein = 5 portions. Now just divide these serving among the meals you are eating. This 100 lb person would have one serving of protein with every meal if she was eating 5 meals a day and you should be eating a minimum of 5 meals a day.

Below is a simple chart that will help you. You don’t need to go crazy counting your protein intake, just use this as a guide and do the best you can. Making this easy for you will allow you to focus more time on the passions that God has put in your life.

The above portions are based on your current body-weight.

Let me know if this was useful!

How much protein?
The rule of thumb is at least 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. For example, a 100 pound person would take at least 100 grams of protein. This is a unisex rule. It doesn’t matter if you are a man or a woman. It is still 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. You are going to use your current weight, not your goal weight! It’s that simple. Don’t worry. I will give you an easy way to measure your protein out in a minute.

If you are trying to add muscle and/or lose fat, you need more protein. Let me explain. One gram of protein per pound of body weight is the bare minimum. I suggest that most people start off with this amount for the first month or two and then increase it from there. If, however, you are trying to put on muscle or burn fat, you’ll need to up it to 1.25 – 1.5 grams. Once you are doing this for a while, you’ll begin to “know” your body. You’ll know how much you need and can adjust up or down to meet your goals.

Okay I can hear you now. I don’t know how nor do I want to go around measuring my protein every time I eat. Don’t worry, you don’t have to be meticulously exact. It is very easy, in fact I will show you an old bodybuilding trick and give you a chart to make it simple. 20 grams of protein is a serving. A 20 gram serving of meat is approximately the size of a deck of cards. Usually one scoop of protein powder will be approximately 20 grams of protein, but read the label. You can get that information from the protein container. In fact I use a good bit of protein powder to supplement my protein intake and I am a big fan of Labrada Nutrition.  I have known Lee for years and he has a deep commitment to supplying the best products on the market.  In addition I make sure I always have Chobani Greek Yogurt in the house which is very high in protein & probiotics.  We will get into some tips on how to make eating interesting in a future blog.

So let’s go back to our examples. A 100 pound person would need at least 5 portions of protein during the day. 100 pounds = 100 grams of protein, divided by 20 grams of protein = 5 portions. Now just divide these serving among the meals you are eating. This 100 lb person would have one serving of protein with every meal if she was eating 5 meals a day.

Below is a simple chart that will help you. You don’t need to go crazy counting your protein intake, just use this as a guide and do the best you can. Making this easy for you will allow you to focus more time on the passions that God has put in your life.

The above portions are based on body-weight. For many years, I told people to throw their scales away because body weight is not an accurate portrayal of your fitness level. Since muscle is heavier than fat, you could be getting in better shape, but be heavier. Now, I tell them to get out their scales but to use it as a tool. A scale is necessary to help figure out your protein requirements and to help in the measuring of progress.

I hope this clears up the confusion on how much protein you need and has given you a simply way to figure it out how much protein you are eating.  Let me know if this was useful!

Eating while traveling doesn’t have to short circuit your fitness goals!

Here’s what you need to do:

• Bring food with you
• Bring protein drinks with you
• Eat at the airport or on the road just eat smart
• Bring your vitamins and supplements with you
• Drink plenty of water
• Be prepared

I was at a luncheon with Donald Trump yesterday in New York. We had Filet Mignon and it was fantastic! I flew in for the day and should have been home for dinner but it snowed.  I got delayed at Kennedy Airport for a few unexpected hours.  I was hungry and I know the longer I wait to eat the worse I will eat.  Here are a few keys to eating on the road.

• You can bring pre-made protein shots with you that are less then 3 oz so you can bring on the plane.  Several companies now make them.
• If you have to eat fast food, get the burger, chicken, etc but toss the bun.  Better yet tell them to leave the bun off this way you are not tempted.
• Bring protein cookies with you.  I make my own buy you can buy as well.  This will ease your sweet tooth and keep you satisfied.
• Traveling can make you forget to eat.  Set the timer on your phone to go off every two or three hours to remind you to eat.

Remember you have to eat and eat often to be fit, lean and vibrant.  Now you have some tips to help you to eat well while traveling.

This is a partial reprint or an article by Dr. Mauro Di Pasquale who is my friend and mentor and also the author of many books including the Metabolic Diet.

Vitamin D is More Than Just for Strong Bones
Not too many years ago vitamin D wasn’t considered all that vital beyond helping calcium challenged people, especially women who were or had a tendency toward osteoporosis, and of course to prevent rickets, something rarely seen in industrialize countries since even minimal amounts of vitamin D prevents severe deficiency.

As such, when most people hear about vitamin D they think of sunshine and bones. That’s because it’s common knowledge that exposure to the sun results in the formation of vitamin D and that vitamin D is important, along with calcium, for strong bones.

While that aspect of vitamin D is important, there’s a lot more to the vitamin D story.

Vitamin D is really a group of fat soluble prohormones called secosteroids. Thus, unlike most other vitamins, vitamin D is really a steroid hormone that the body uses to manufacture calcitrol (1,25-Dihydroxycholecalciferol), which is the active form of vitamin D in our bodies.

The two major forms of the vitamin obtained from sun exposure, food, and supplements are vitamin D2 (or ergocalciferol) and vitamin D3 (or cholecalciferol). Cholecalciferol is the vitamin D produced in humans by exposure to the sun, and is felt to be more effective than ergocalciferol for enhancing calcitrol levels in our bodies.

Recent research however, show that vitamin D is crucial for many functions in the body, and is crucial for many internal cellular processes, insulin production, the immune system, depression, heart disease, pregnancy problems, birth defects, skin and other cancers, and other diseases, including inflammation in the body from various sources, including aging.

For example recent studies have found that low serum vitamin D levels were associated with all-cause mortality, cancer, and cardiovascular disease mortality.

As a measure of just how important it is, it’s felt that possibly up to 2,000 different genes, which represents about one-sixth of the human genome, are affected by vitamin D.

Ok I am back!  Now that you have all “D” facts on vitamin D.  (a little NY humor on “D” facts)  You should send  Dr. Mauro Di Pasquale’s an email @ mauro@metabolicdiet.com  to get his newsletter.

Dr. Di Pasquale is one of my mentors and has had an incredible influence on my eating philosophy.  I am proud that he is a good friend and mentor and I will be posting some of his information here.  But you should subscribe to his email so you stay on the cutting edge just like I do!

Thanks for letting me post this Mauro!

Here we go again! Its new years resolution time, peoples expectations are soaring, they want to make 2010 their best year yet and finally take control of their bodies and lives once and for all.  I am here to tell you that you can and will do it!  You don’t need to be another new years resolution statistic!
It’s no secret that the number one resolution for most people is to get into shape.  And yes round may be a shape but that isn’t what I am talking about.  Lets face it, an overwhelming majority of those who join in the coming months will never use it.  In fact if everyone who joined a gym during the holidays used it, most gyms wouldn’t have enough parking or equipment to accommodate their members.
The sad truth is, gym owners are betting on you failing, in fact it is part of their business plan!  Lets throw a monkey wrench into the business plan of gym owners across the country by actually doing what we are planning on doing!
Do you really want to be fit or do you just like talking about it?  If you are serious just realize that the hardest part is just getting started but once you get started and make it part of your life, it will transform not only your body but your life.  Yes your life and every area of it even your financial health will be transformed as you change your body, we see this every day at AIHF Wellness.  Remember that energy is our universal currency and the more energy you have the better your ability to make money, which may be another one of your resolutions…. but we will save that for another time.
These simple New Years Resolution (NYR) steps will stop you from being a statistic and put you on the path to a lifetime of health and fitness.  In fact you can use these steps to transform every area of your life.

NYR Achievement Step 1: Define Your Passions.
Remember energy is the fuel to ignite passion and passion is the engine of success.  If you want to succeed attach a passion to your goal and this will super charge your efforts and ultimate outcome!  Just make a list starting like this,  I am living the life of my dreams when I am… (Begin each with a verb relating to being, doing or having)  (Example: Inspiring people to live the life of their dreams.)

NYR Achievement Step 2: Find your top 5 passions.
Take the above list and take one at a time and compare them to the other passions you listed and narrow it down to your top 5 passions. Then take this top 5 and write it down on a 3X5 card and carry it with you and read it all the time to remind you of your passions in life.  Passion will put a fire in your belly!

NYR Achievement Step 3: The power of why.
Write down your “why” next to the top 5 things on your list and write a paragraph why you are committed to achieving it.  “Why” is very powerful.

NYR Achievement Step 4:  Your action list.
For your top 5 passions put together an action list of things you would need to do to achieve them in your life.  These are your goals.  It is easier to set goals once you know what your passions are.  Goals are the rungs in the ladder of success!

NYR Achievement Step  5:  Refine your goals
For the above goals, divide them into three categories:  Short range (1 month or less), Mid range (1 month to 1 year) and Long range (1 year or more) goals.

Action Step 6:  Start today
For each of your top 5 passions, write down one action you can do today to get started on your goals. The most important thing is to take action and start today then adjust your goals as needed.

Action Step 7. The power of habits.
For each of your top 5 passions, write down one or more habits you will need to develop to support your ultimate outcome.  Imagine if you exchanged 2 limiting habits for 2 empowering habits every year.  In five years, that would be 10 empowering habits that you do without effort.    That is with only 2 a year.  What if you did 6 a year?  In five years, you would have thirty empowering habits.  Do you think your life would be different with 30 empowering habits?

Master your habits or they WILL master you!

Find your passions, put an action plan together to fulfill your passions and then form habits that will support your goals.  Put these simple steps to work in your life and you will live the life you where destined to!

Please let me know if this helps.  Please ask questions because if you have a question someone else probably has the same one.  This will help everyone to make 2010 the best year yet!

The “No Exceptions Rule” is one that I learned the hard way.  I have read in books to take an off-day and to cheat on my diet.  I know myself well, so I never do that.  A few years ago, I had just lost 20 lbs. of fat and I looked great.  We went to visit my sister-in-law in Alabama for Thanksgiving.  I was very careful with my diet for the first day or so there, and then it happened.  My niece made a cheese cake.  To say it didn’t look right would be an understatement.  She was upset and all the other kids where having fun teasing her.  I wanted to ease her pain, so I made a fuss over how good it looked, and then she said do you want some Uncle John?  Did I mention before that I can handle anything, except temptation?  Now, I am a good guy, so I took a small piece of the cheese cake so my niece would feel good.  I made the exception and it tasted so good.  Well, to make a long story longer, I ate that whole cake, part of another and did not stop eating for a year.  I put on the 20 lbs that I lost and an additional 10 lbs.  I never should have made that exception during that part of my life, because I knew myself.  Back then, for some reason, I would make the “exception” day by day and promise myself I would start eating properly the next day, unfortunately, the next day didn’t come for a whole year.   Now I can indulge, occasionally.

Keep in mind that we don’t get fat, go broke or ruin relationships by the things we do once in a while. It is what we do consistently that counts.  Failure part of success, you are not a failure but maybe something you tried didn’t work.  But failures add up; the failure to not make the call, the failure to not eat properly, the failure to not say, “I love you” to your spouse and children, the failure to not go the gym.  These failures stack up on top of each other and over time they become overwhelming.  If you have a drinking problem, don’t ever take the first drink.  The exceptions will become the rule, not the exception.  So on the things that you know are difficult for you, don’t make the exception.

I wrote this article a few weeks ago and it has been published all over the world.  I thought I would share it with you!

Are you after the elusive 6-pack or just looking to tighten up your tummy?  There are three key areas you need to focus on to achieve the results you are after.  Read on for a terrific tummy!

1. Proper Cardiovascular Exercise
You can have the best abs in the world, but if they’re covered by fat, you won’t see them.  You must burn off the body fat through proper cardio so you can see your abs.
Cardio needs to be consistent and hard enough to get your heart into the fat burning zone.  At AIHF Wellness, we teach everyone to start right where they are!  Walking for 20 minutes is a good start and then work your way up to at least three to four sessions a week of fast walking, running, the stair master, the elliptical, swimming or biking.  The key is to find something you will do on a consistent basis.  You need to burn more calories then you are consuming so you can get rid of the fat that covers your abs.

2. Proper Resistance Training
The abdominal muscles are a muscle just like your biceps and they need to be worked.  Some great exercises are crunches, leg raises and twists.  Once you get more advanced you can get fancy but for now work on those core exercises and they will strengthen your abs.  This will result in better posture, help elevate back pain and give you nice ab development once you strip away the body fat.

They key to doing any exercise properly is to make sure you are using the desired muscles.  This is even more important when doing abs.  If you rock, sway and use bad form you could injure your lower back.  Make sure you are concentrating on the muscle and not just going through the motion.

3. Proper Nutrition
I am putting this last so you remember it!  Do not sabotage your results in the gym by pigging out at the table.  80% of getting rid of unwanted body-fat is done through proper nutrition.  You can do all the cardio in the world and eat poorly and never see the results you are after.  If you consume more calories than you have expended, you add body fat. Period!
Eat five to six small, well-balanced meals every three hours or so, dividing your protein, carbohydrates and fats among them.  The key to fat loss, is to find the amount of carbohydrates that your body operates best on and don’t exceed that “carbohydrate threshold” by eating too many carbohydrates.
Drink at least a gallon of water each day as well. It will help in nutrient absorption and digestion and with flushing toxins from the body.

Bottom line, make sure you are supplying your body with well-balanced, healthy food every three to four hours, exercise consistently and you will get the terrific tummy you are after!