There is an incredible thing that happens when you lose weight and finally get your health in order (I’m not talking about buying a new bikini)…Everyone wants to know how you did it. Am I right?

This is exactly what has happened to my mom. Last year she lost 40 pounds and was able to stop taking her blood pressure and cholesterol medications just by using the principles in The Diet Solution (I haven’t asked her about the bikini).

Now, even a year later, all of her friends are constantly calling her to ask their nutrition and health questions. Funny thing, they never want to talk to me, they only want to talk to her!

Last week my mom called me and needed a bit of help. “Isabel, I tried to tell one of the ladies at the YMCA where I exercise that she should use coconut oil to cook and she nearly fell off the exercise machine. I think she thought I was trying to kill her. She said her doctor told her to stop eating all saturated fat and that oils like coconut oil are fattening. How do I explain to her that it’s actually good for her?”

This same scenario happens to me all the time. People have a really hard time believing that coconut oil is not “fattening” or “dangerous”. We have all been falsely led to believe that fat, especially saturated fat, is the cause of our weight gain and health problems. This is only true half true. Some fats like hydrogenated oils and vegetable oils do contribute to heart disease and weight gain but good fats like coconut oil, butter and olive oil are actually great fats for our bodies. Think about how much healthier people were in the late 1800’s and very early 1900’s. Heart disease was almost unheard of back then.

Let’s put some of these MYTHS about coconut oil to rest right now.

Myth #1 – Coconut Oil contains a lot of fat so it must be fattening.

Truth – Not all fat makes you fat (I want to get this tattooed on my forehead). Certain fats do cause weight gain but other good fats will actually burn unwanted fat off your body and accelerate your metabolism. I explain this in much more detail in my video “Does Fat make you Fat?”. You can watch it here:

Myth #2 – Coconut Oil contains almost all saturated fat so it must be bad for you.

Truth – Saturated Fat is not the cause of heart disease, weight gain and high cholesterol. Saturated Fat has been falsely accused and it is SUGAR that is Enemy Numero Uno (It is worse than the Joker in Bat Man). I have explained this very thoroughly in my video “The Truth About Saturated Fat”. If you haven’t watched it already, you can watch it here:

Myth #3 – Coconut Oil should be avoided by those who are at risk for heart disease

Truth – The fat in coconut oil is one of the healthiest oils you can consume (yes, even for those with heart disease). It is rich in lauric acid, which is known for its antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal properties and contains no trans fat. The saturated fat in coconut oil is different than many other oils in that it is of the medium-chain fatty acid (MCFA) variety. The body digests MCFAs more easily and sends these fats directly to the liver where they are immediately converted into energy. Now isn’t that great? A fat that is used to make energy instead of storing it on our bodies. We can all use some of that.

I highly recommend everyone use unrefined, organic coconut oil for all of their cooking needs. 1 – 2 tsps for most cooking is more than enough. You can even use it raw if you like as I think, it tastes OH SO DELICIOUS! I usually have about 2-3 total TBSPs per day which is a perfect amount for a fat burning eating plan. While it’s really good for you, there’s no need to go overboard.

If you have a hard time finding coconut oil in your local supermarket, I buy mine here:

http://nutiva.net

Now go right ahead and enjoy your coconut oil.

In health and happiness,

Isabel De Los Rios

www.TheDietSolutionProgram.com

  

Today in Jersey we are experiencing a bit of a snow storm. With the weather man freaking out telling us we will all be locked in for days (they are such drama queens, aren’t they?), me and just about half of my town were all at the local grocery store yesterday getting our “emergency” food items. I just needed some extra fruits and vegetables and some organic eggs but it seems that my fellow shoppers thought that the world was coming to an end and had to purchase several gallons of milk, loads of bread, and boxes upon boxes of cereal (I must have missed the memo).

Here I am waiting in the checkout line and I hear an announcement over the loud speaker :

“Hi Shop Rite Customers. Make sure to pick up your freshly baked bread at the bakery department. There would be nothing worse than getting stranded inside in a snow storm without enough bread.”

Geez, people should be so lucky. They should get stranded on a deserted island where there is no bread for miles and then maybe many people would finally reach their health and weight loss goals.

That’s right. I am not a big fan of bread or bread type products. Actually, I think most people could feel a thousand times better if they stopped eating so much bread every single day. Toast for breakfast, sandwich for lunch, bread basket at dinner…we could feed a small village with the amount of bread I see some people consuming in one day (or several villages depending on who you’re talking about).

No, I am not saying to never have bread ever again (Hey, its life, you gotta enjoy it, right?). What I am saying is that 4-5 servings of some kind of bread type product every day is making thousands of people gain weight, preventing them from losing their unwanted weight and worst of all, bringing about diseases like Type 2 Diabetes and Heart Disease.

I don’t eat very much bread at all and I really don’t even miss it. I guess I have just come to enjoy all the other delicious food I eat each day that I don’t even feel bread is missing from my meal plans.

Here are my “bread free” strategies and exactly how you can lower your own bread intake each day:

1. When you think of breakfast, don’t automatically think toast, bagels, or a roll. A couple of hard boiled eggs over sliced tomatoes is delicious. You can also make a quick batch of oatmeal and add walnuts and berries. How about cottage cheese and pineapple? The breakfast options are endless.

2. Pack snack foods and take them with you to work. In less than 2 minutes, I can throw natural peanut butter, raw almonds, dried fruit (no sugar added), an apple or banana and baby carrots all in a bag and be out the door. Taking these food items to work with you will help you stay away from the employee room bagels or donuts. (Don’t even get me started on how evil donuts are). Slap some peanut butter on an apple and munch away at that, all while making fun of the people eating donuts (Just Kidding, that’s not nice.)

3. Don’t depend on sandwiches as lunch every day. How about some salmon, broccoli and brown rice? Leftover chicken from last night and a sweet potato? Imagine that lunch is another version of dinner and not just a mid day sandwich inhaling contest.

4. Make “the bread basket” a once-in-while experience. You really do not need to be serving a bread basket for dinner at home if you are offering healthy carbohydrate choices like salad, cooked vegetables, brown rice, millet, or quinoa.

5. Oh, and how could I forget? Don’t think that eating “100% Whole Wheat” is any better. It is still refined flour (maybe just not bleached) and a huge contributor to weight gain. I could go on and on about this but I have covered all the details about how detrimental wheat products are to your weight loss efforts in Chapter 9 of The Diet Solution Program.

Start to think outside the “bread box” today for healthy alternatives to your daily bread intake. What one thing can you do today to get started? I look forward to reading your comments below.

In health and happiness,

Isabel De Los Rios
www.TheDietSolutionProgram.com

There is a word in the English language that induces more fear in people than the words Monday morning, Taxes and Shark combined.

What is this terrifying word? CARBS! (I know. You nearly ran in the opposite direction screaming.)

Your fears may have some merit (but no need to scream) as many carbs in our supermarkets today are really just doing us more harm than good. Most breads, pastas, cereals, cookies and crackers are overloaded with refined flour and happen to be one of the leading causes our country’s obesity rate is on the rise.

Here’s the dilemma. You really do need carbs to function properly. Your brain can not function without carbs (hmmm…does this explain anything about some people you may know?) and you will lack energy and be unmotivated to do anything (even fun things) without them.

Where is the happy balance? How can we get enough carbs for a healthy body and prevent weight gain? Or even better, lose weight?

Do carbs make you fat and how can you incorporate them into a healthy meal plan? The answer is here:

In health and happiness,

Isabel De Los Rios
www.thedietsolutionprogram.com

  

Ever wake up in the morning and wish you could sleep just a bit more? (This girl is kidding me right?)

I hear ya. I’m totally sleep deprived today, and I know you can relate.

This past weekend I was in Wichita Kansas at a friend’s wedding. If you have ever attended an “out of town” wedding you know it’s jam packed with events: lunches, dinners, late night celebrations. Don’t get me wrong, I had a great time but I am SO tired and SO sleep deprived and it actually hurts. It really hurts.

The worst part of all, is after just 1 day of sleep deprivation I started reaching for chocolate and sweets for a quick pick me up. (Oh yeah, now you can relate.)

How does sleep (or sleep deprivation) affect your weight loss efforts? Believe it or not, the impact is huge!

Here are just a few reasons why sleeping may be the missing link to your weight loss efforts:

1. When you’re tired, it is so much harder to make healthy choices.
I’m not sure if this is more about psychology or physiology or a
combination of both. However, I know I have experienced it
firsthand. When I get a good night’s sleep, sticking to my regular
exercise and healthy eating routine is a cinch. But when I’m sleep
deprived, I somehow think that chocolate and sugar will make me
feel better. The truth is, it never does! It actually makes me feel
worse. Much worse, because the blood sugar highs and lows makes me
more tired and cranky than before I ate the sweets. (Nothing is
worse than a cranky Isabel. Well, maybe cranky {!firstname} is
worse, but who am I to say?).

2. Now for some science. Researchers from several separate studies
have found a link between sleep and the hormones that influence our
eating behavior. Two specific hormones are involved. Ghrelin is
responsible for feelings of hunger. Leptin tells the brain when
it’s time to stop. When you’re sleep deprived, your ghrelin levels
increase at the same time that your leptin levels decrease. The
result is an increased craving for food and not feeling full (a
hormone disaster as far as staying on track with a healthy eating
plan). Nothing is worse than craving food and being hungry at the
same time.

3. Many people don’t know this, but your body adjusts itself based
on your circadian rhythms and the amount of sunlight outside.
Without getting too deep into the science, these rhythms and light
tell your body to physically recover approximately between the
hours of 10pm-2am and to mentally recover approximately between
2am-6am. If you aren’t getting to bed until 12am, you are missing
out on 2 crucial hours of physical repair. This can result in all
sorts of aches and pains that do not get better, no matter what you
try. I have seen clients relieve bad backs and aching joints by
just getting to bed by 10pm. I have even seen people get smarter by
sleeping til 6am (ok, I made this last statement up but wouldn’t
that be great?). All kidding aside, I have seen people act
consistently sharper when they are well rested.

How are you going to get a good night’s sleep to ensure you are not
sabotaging your weight loss efforts?

Here are a few tips for getting a good night’s sleep:

1. Don’t watch TV before bed. You may not realize how fired up the
news or your favorite TV show gets you before bed time. Instead
grab a book or your favorite magazine and read in bed. This works
wonders, especially a good fiction book that will help you forget
the day’s events.

2. Cut your caffeine intake early in the day. An afternoon coffee
or tea can still be racing through your blood stream at 10pm. Cut
out your last caffeinated beverage by noon. This includes all
coffee and teas (except herbal teas). Once you catch up on your
sleep, you won’t be so dependent on your afternoon java kick.

3. Avoid Sugar before bed. (You were avoiding sugar anyway right?)
Consuming sugar right before bed leads to a blood sugar roller
coaster ride, potentially waking you up in the middle of the night
due to a blood sugar low.

4. Put your work away before bed. There is nothing worse than a
racing mind before bed. Crunching numbers and reading work
documents right before bed may lead to dreams about work (or
nightmares). End all work at least 2 hours before bed. If this is
not possible for you, you may need to reassess your work schedule a
bit.

Whatever the adjustments are for you, remember, sleep may just be
the missing link in your nutrition, exercise and health regimen.
Stick to your Diet Solution Meal Plans and tuck yourself in at 10pm
each night.

Night, night!

In health and happiness,

Isabel De Los Rios
www.TheDietSolutionProgram.com

  

What? Isabel drinks coffee?

Not only does Isabel drink coffee. She LOVES coffee.

Yes, I must confess. I drink organic coffee every morning (sweetened with stevia and cinnamon) and I love every minute of it.

Now, I’m not here to tell you that coffee is good for you. If I did, I would be telling only the good side of the story and I’m no politician. I am here to give you the good and the bad and tell you how you can incorporate your favorite coffee or tea into your healthy meal plan.

The Ugly Side of Caffeine

Most coffee and tea contains a lot of caffeine. This is usually the
primary reason people make coffee their drink of choice in the
morning. Caffeine is a drug like any other and comes with a long
list of side effects. Have you ever tried not having your coffee in
the morning? Yeah, pass the Excedrin, right? The headache that
comes on when you try and kick this habit can be brutal (just like
with other drugs) and creating a dependency and addiction like this
is harmful to the body.

Second, coffee is extremely acidic. Our bodies function at optimum
levels when they are slightly more alkaline (the opposite of
acidic). It is best for us to greatly reduce any foods that will
drive our body’s pH to be more acidic and eat more foods that are
alkaline (like fruits and veggies). An acidic body pH is like a
magnet for all kinds of illnesses. Also, an alkaline body has a much
stronger immune system, making illness much less likely.

Last but not least, the caffeine in coffee and tea is abuse to your
adrenal glands. Your adrenals release your “fight or flight”
hormones basically giving you a nice “boost” when needed.
Unfortunately, people who drink coffee all day long are
consistently beating on their adrenals. This is the equivalent of
whipping a tired horse even when he is exhausted. Eventually he
will not move at all.

The Pretty Side of Caffeine

Coffee tastes oh so yummy and makes me feel great in the morning.
(What? Is that not a good enough reason to drink it?)

Many studies have shown that coffee can help in the prevention and
treatment of diseases and illnesses as varied as Alzheimer’s
disease, diabetes, liver disease, skin cancer, Parkinsons’s disease
and more. Although, I don’t believe coffee would be the cure all to
any of these diseases, many ancient cultures did rely on the coffee
bean to cure a long list of ailments. Not to mention, small doses
of caffeine can increase performance and mental focus.

Green tea is also a great drink to include with a long list of
benefits. If nothing else, green tea is a wonderful source of
antioxidants which are important in cancer prevention. Green tea
has even been found to raise metabolism and aid in fat burning.
Before you go take a green tea bath, its effects are really minor
when compared to the effects of sound nutrition and exercise plans.
Now that I’ve said that, don’t think you can eat junk food and just
wash it down with green tea!

What is a coffee and tea drinker to do?

1. Limit your coffee and tea intake to 2 – 8 oz cups per day. No,
not 2 of each, 2 total. Any more than that is considered as a heavy
addict. (I know. I’ve been there).

2. If you are currently dependent on a lot of caffeine each day,
replace 1 or 2 cups of coffee with green tea instead. Green tea has
much less caffeine than coffee and will help combat the ugly detox
symptoms.

3. Do not jack up your coffee with sugar, milk, syrup and whip
cream (So I guess that means no Starbucks, huh?). Use stevia or
xylitol to sweeten and avoid all the empty, harmful calories. A
teaspoon of half and half won’t hurt either. Please oh please, do
not use any of those flavored creamers. They are closer to
someone’s chemistry experiment than they are to real food.

4. Make sure to make your food choices healthy. Avoiding other
acidic foods like sugar, artificial sweeteners and processed foods
will lighten the acid load on the body.

5. Make sure the coffee you drink is organic. Conventional coffee
is filled with pesticides and chemicals and should be avoided at
all costs.

Am I going to give up my coffee? Probably not (well, maybe someday
when I decide to have a few little ones) but for now I keep it in
moderation and enjoy my morning Java.

In health and happiness,

Isabel De Los Rios
www.TheDietSolutionProgram.com

Do you remember Tio?

Some weeks ago, I told you all about my uncle and how the extra 60 pounds he was carrying around was killing his knees. (If you missed it, you can read it below: BBQ Hot Dogs and Knee Pain).

I gave him 3 basic guidelines to follow which I thought were pretty easy. But after just 4 days, I got a phone call from frustrated Tio: “Isabel, I have so many questions. I’m so confused about so many foods, and I just don’t know what to eat. Forget this whole thing. I give up!”(Are you kidding me Tio?)

Have you ever just wanted somebody to tell you exactly what to do without all the explanations behind it? Kind of like…Just give it to me straight and save the details for another time.
This is how a lot of people feel about every weight loss plan and diet out on the market today. This doctor said this, that nutritionist said that, the TV commercial told me microwavable cardboard was the new hot ticket to health?!?!?!

Do you know what Tio wanted (and maybe what you want too)?

“Don’t give me all the scientific mumbo jumbo behind the meal plan. Just tell me exactly what to put in my mouth, exactly when and I will follow it word for word… And it better work!!!!!”

I have to be honest. I used to frown upon this way of “dieting” because I felt that my clients were not learning anything about nutrition and how to create their own weight loss plans. How else were they realistically going to be able to maintain their great results for the long term?

But you know what? WRONGO!

What really happened? After one of my clients followed a detailed meal plan word for word for 21 days, it subconsciously became a habit. It became such a habit that they just naturally maintained their new way of eating. Let’s not forget that they are now walking around in their new hot body getting compliments left and right. Who wants to mess with that?

Here’s what I did for Tio and I highly recommend you do the same if you are having a hard time reaching your own weight loss goals: I handed him a copy of The Diet Solution Program Quick Start Guide and told him to follow it to the letter for exactly 6 weeks. I don’t want to hear excuses, whining, or all the reasons why you can’t do it. I want you to reach your goals and finally feel absolutely INCREDIBLE every day!

I wrote out a plan that has yet to fail for anyone (who has followed it of course). It is not some unhealthy crash diet that’s going to jeopardize your health. It may actually transform your health to a level you never thought was possible.

If you have already gone full force into the Diet Solution Program and have created and followed your own great new meal plans: Good for You! Keep it going!

Well, what are you waiting for? If Tio can follow the Quick Start Guide (remember he was the one chowing down on hot dogs and soda), I know you can too!

P.S. – Stay tuned for a bonus newsletter this week, with Stewart’s Kick in the Butt experience. You are not going to believe the transformation he’s made in his workouts in the past 2 weeks.

In health and happiness,

Isabel De Los Rios
www.TheDietSolutionProgram.com

  

“But my momma told me to drink my milk!?”

One of the most controversial events that happens in my office all the time is the reduction or complete elimination of all dairy products from my client’s meal plans (and yes this includes children as well).

Something just like this happened last week but almost started a minor welterweight boxing event in my office. This particular mother could not understand why I was telling her to get her children to stop drinking so much milk when everyone else (including other health professionals) was telling her just the opposite.

So I did what any good nutritionist would do, rolled up my sleeves, put up my dukes (just kidding, I didn’t). I came back with the following statements:

1. Americans drink the most milk of any other country, yet we still have the highest rate of osteoporosis.

2. Pasteurization kills off all the necessary digestive enzymes in the milk (This is why so many people are now suffering from lactose intolerance).

3. Pasteurization also makes the major part of the calcium contained in milk insoluble, in other words making 50% of milk’s calcium unusable by the body (This contributing to the high rate of osteoporosis).

4. Milk sugar (lactose) converts into sugar your body uses very quickly, leading to blood sugar highs and lows and an up and down energy rollercoaster ride for you.

How could this all be true? Isn’t milk supposed to do a body good?
Well, yes it does, but milk was really only intended to be consumed
in its natural state (unpasteurized). Sound scary? Many states in
the US and most organic farmers will ONLY drink milk if it’s
unpasteurized and they are extremely healthy.

My father is a great example. When he came to this country from
Peru, he claimed that the milk tasted funny, so he didn’t drink it.
When we finally located an organic farmer who could provide us with
raw (unpasteurized) milk, he went back to drinking it. (Note: My
dad is 71, is in tip top shape, and has never been on any
medications in his life. Isn’t that incredible?).

Back to milk. The other fact we need to consider is that most cows
are being given an excess of growth hormone just to keep them
producing massive amounts of milk. This, in turn, makes them sick,
at which time they are given antibiotics. The growth hormone and
antibiotics get into their blood stream and then into the milk they
produce. Who drinks this chemical laden milk? We do! (Actually, I
don’t and maybe you’re starting to consider whether you do).

The next big concern is “How will I get enough Calcium?” As
mentioned above, most of the Calcium in milk is not absorbed by the
body. More calcium is absorbed from foods such as green leafy
vegetables, broccoli, sardines (with bones preferably) and salmon.
This makes sense that more calcium come from greens since cows
preferably eat grass and they have a lot of calcium inside their
bodies (Please don’t eat grass. This really only works for cows).

If reducing your risk for Osteoporosis is your goal, do the #1
activity that prevents this debilitating disease: Exercise! Weight
bearing exercise has been shown to be the #1 way to prevent
osteoporosis. Putting small stresses on your bones via strength
training helps to re-build them stronger. No one, and I mean no
one, should be neglecting some exercise into their life.

So what options did I give this particular mother and every parent
and client that comes into my office?

1. If you consume dairy on a regular basis, try to find raw
(unpasteurized) milk. www.realmilk.com is a great resource for this.

2. If the thought of raw milk scares you, purchase the next best
thing: certified organic milk products. They will be free of
antibiotics and hormones.

3. Since most of milk’s calcium is not absorbed by the body, make
sure to get your calcium from these other sources: leafy green
veggies, broccoli, sardines (with bones) and salmon.

4. Commit to a strength training routine on a consistent basis. Not
just for your muscles and for the way you look in the mirror
(although this does help) but for your bone’s sake.

Hmmm…I don’t know about you but this makes me rethink the milk
mustache.

In health and happiness,

Isabel De Los Rios
www.TheDietSolutionProgram.com

  

Just a few months ago I had a “kick butt” conversation with someone near and dear to me. This is a conversation I usually need to have with many clients, but this time it was directed to my boyfriend Stewart.

Let me explain.

Stewart has always been a pretty good eater and fitness enthusiast but in the last few months “life” just kept getting in the way of his health and fitness goals (can anyone relate to that?). Now, how could anyone dating the author of The Diet Solution Program struggle with their nutrition and their workouts? I’ll let Stewart
explain for himself. I promised him he could say anything he wanted and I wouldn’t get mad. (Yeah right. Watch it sweetie.)

Does anyone know what it’s like dating the author of The Diet
Solution Program? I know what you’re thinking. It must be filled
with instantly prepared healthy meals and constant motivation to
work out.

So how did I get my motivation back? Isabel handed me a copy of her
friend Vince Delmonte’s www.YourSixPackQuestforABS.com. (Actually, it’s more like she made me read it.)

Ok, thanks Stewart. I’m taking over the mic.

Some of you may not know this but I also know a thing or two about
exercise. Actually I have a degree in Exercise Science, and have
owned my own personal training studio for the past 5 years. That’s
why I put such an emphasis on exercise in conjunction with a solid
nutrition program. So much so that I have included some of the best
programs out there by some of the best trainers as bonuses along
with my program. I’ve spent a lot of time researching these
programs and have met the authors personally. As you may know by
now, I don’t just put my name behind anything.

Here are my “MUST HAVES” of any workout program:

- It doesn’t just tell me to do hours of cardio (Bah, I hate
cardio) so any program that tells me that’s all I should do is a
waste of my time.

- It tells me exactly what workouts to do, exactly which exercises,
on exactly which days (Who else besides a personal trainer wants to
write their workout in this much detail? I know you don’t.)

- It has proven results.

So when a new program like Vince’s www.YourSixPackQuestforABS.com
comes out on the market, and it has passed the “rigorous” Isabel
test with flying colors, I feel compelled to let you know about it.
Have you seen Vince? He looks great! Not to mention his clients
look great too. So the program works. No doubt.

But back to Stewart’s little problema.

The reason why I chose to hand him Vince’s
www.YourSixPackQuestforABS.com and not some of the other great
programs I have at my fingertips, is the motivation chapter in
Vince’s is PRICELESS. I mean the first 43 pages alone are worth the
price of this e-book. Not to say the actual program itself isn’t
also great, but if you’re looking for a swift kick in the butt to
finally get yourself started on your health and fitness goals, read
the first 2 chapters of his program. I would not steer you wrong.

You can download a copy of Vince’s program today at:

www.YourSixPackQuestforABS.com

And get the good swift kick in the butt you need!

In health and happiness,

Isabel De Los Rios
www.TheDietSolutionProgram.com

  

Better smelling? Better tasting? Better for you? There are so many ways to ask this question and so many ways to answer it.

No matter how you ask it, which one do you think most people would honestly prefer? You guessed it. Unless you are some sort of alien, I think you would agree that chocolate tastes better than broccoli. Yes, I am human, so I would have to agree too. I could probably dip my dirty gym sock in chocolate and enjoy its chocolaty goodness!

I bet that if I gave you a nutrition test right now, you would most likely score a B+. Did you really not know that broccoli was good for you? So, if we all know what the right answers are, the question really is: why are so many people still overweight?

The challenge is when you have to make the decision between chocolate and broccoli (I suppose you could just dip your veggies in chocolate and resolve the whole problem, as seen above). All kidding aside, how about you stop making your nutrition choices an EITHER/OR experience and stop telling yourself there are things you CAN’T
eat? How about knowing that you can eat just about everything! (Except McDonald’s. I can’t make peace with that).

Here’s the honest truth. I eat chocolate and I drink wine. I love
them both (I know what you are thinking… even chocolate?) and there
is no reason I should give them up forever. However, I will tell
you how I pull this off and still stay lean year round and feeling
great. Most of my meals are made with healthy delicious foods and
we all know there are plenty to choose from. Then, when the time is
right I can have things like freshly baked peach cobbler with
vanilla ice-cream (as I did on Saturday night).

I am now at my ideal weight and I stay this way through smart meal
planning, an effective workout program and periodic indulgences.

I know you want to look and feel great and also treat yourself to
the foods you love without “giving” anything up. The following
steps are exactly how you can get to your ideal weight and keep it
off permanently:

1. Follow the meal plans in The Diet Solution Program to a T for
the first 6 weeks. Really get your metabolic engine going and feed
yourself the foods that are going to burn unwanted fat off your
body.

2. During these 6 weeks, establish an exercise program that is
realistic for you. Realistic does not mean “wimpy”. Come on, push
yourself beyond your limits and really show yourself (and everyone
else) what you’re made of. Follow any one of the exercise bonuses
included in your Diet Solution Package. They will all prove great
results.

3. Once you get yourself into a consistent routine of healthy
eating and “non-wimpy” exercise, (usually around the 6 week mark)
start to include 1-2 of your favorite foods each week. Once your
metabolism has been cranked up by healthy eating and exercise, a
piece of chocolate or dessert won’t make or break you. You know
what else? You’ll feel so great, you probably won’t even care about
certain foods that you once thought you “couldn’t live without”.

So the next time someone gives you the choice between chocolate and
broccoli, tell them you’ll have both, just not together. …Now that
I think of it, that’s kind of gross.

In health and happiness,

Isabel De Los Rios
www.TheDietSolutionProgram.com

  

Just a few months ago, 2 good friends of mine called me with quite the concern:

“Isabel. Our daughter has just been diagnosed with high cholesterol. She’s only 10. We stay away from whole eggs and she doesn’t eat much red meat. How is that possible? ”

Wow, 10 and high cholesterol already. That’s pretty scary. Remember when the term “high cholesterol” was only used to describe your grandma and other old folk? (No offense granny). Well not anymore. Kids are being diagnosed with all sorts of things we once only considered “adult” conditions including high cholesterol, high
triglycerides and diabetes.

So, first things first. How does anyone get high cholesterol? And how was I going to explain this to a 10 year old? Follow my little analogy….

Imagine we lived in a high crime city where criminals could be
found on every street corner. In order to resolve the problem, the
mayor decides to put a police officer on every street corner. Now,
imagine that your friend comes to visit your city and says “Oh, I
know why there is so much crime here. It is because there are
police officers on each corner.” Silly right? The reason why the
officers were put there was because of the criminals, not the other
way around!

Well, here is the mass cholesterol confusion.

The criminals are sugar and processed foods. The police officers
are cholesterol.

If you eliminate the officers (cholesterol), the criminals (sugar
and processed foods) continue to create damage, in this case, they
are damaging your arteries. Cholesterol (police officer) is only
there to help. It is coming to the rescue. So isn’t it silly that
people who need cholesterol to save them from more harm to their
arteries are being put on cholesterol lowering drugs?

I know this is a lot to take in. So read the little story again if
it still does not seem clear. The truth is, you need to wipe out
the criminals, not reduce the police officers!

So now the question is, how can you keep the criminals at bay?

Stop eating an excessive amount of sugar and processed foods and
adopt a healthy eating regimen that includes natural foods.

1. Include organic eggs, natural meat and poultry, veggies, fruits,
raw nuts, coconut oil and olive oil into your daily eating regimen.
Natural, natural, natural is the name of the game.

2. Reduce sugar drinks and drink water, water, water. Amazing
things will happen once your body is hydrated (including regulating
cholesterol).

3. Move it or lose it. Or in this case, move it to lose it.
Exercise is one of the best ways to regulate your cholesterol
levels. Even if it didn’t affect your cholesterol, would there be
anything to lose by trying? Oh yeah, FAT, I forgot.

4. For those of you that have Shane’s bonus already (included in
your Diet Solution Program), he goes into the nitty gritty: Good
vs. Bad, High vs. Low, and Meds vs. Vitamins.

Commit today to taking one step towards taking control of your
cholesterol, your weight or your health and finally shoot down the
criminals once and for all!

In health and happiness,

Isabel De Los Rios
www.TheDietSolutionProgram.com