Are There Over 20 Nasty Chemicals in Your Burgers?

The "bionic burger" that won't decompose even after 18 years?  Even mould and bacteria refuse to eat this...
by Mike Geary - Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Nutrition Specialist
Author of best-sellers:  The Fat Burning Kitchen & The Top 101 Foods that FIGHT Aging

The story below may be a bit embellished to make the video more dramatic, and it's an actor in the video, but it's based on a real story of a man that kept fast food burgers in his basement to study them for breakdown.   I think we all know that there are some major issues with the sources of food in popular fast food chains, and the amount of pesticide residues, hormones, antibiotics, preservatives, and other nasty chemicals in typical fast food meals.  Check this story out, and feel free to send this page to your friends too:

Now I know that the story in that video may sound a bit embellished, and it is on purpose to get their point across, but it is based on a true story...I've also seen news stories of dozens of these types of informal experiments that random people have done over the years with popular fast food burgers that won't decompose even after years in their basement.
Seriously, if even mould refuses to consume these burgers and buns, is this really something that we (and our children) should be putting in our bodies?  What chemicals, preservatives, etc are in this fast food that is preventing even mould and bacteria from being able to consume this "food"?
And can we really consider this to be real "food" at all?
Here's another example of these types of experiments below... about half way through this video, you see some shocking examples that this woman kept from her own experiments:

I hope this gives you something to think about in terms of what we are putting inside our bodies if we choose to consume fast food.  Don't we deserve better?  Don't our children deserve better food?
I personally have not eaten a meal at any of the major fast food chains in years.  I will eat burgers sometimes, but only from restaurants that use higher quality ingredients.  And at home, I choose to only use grass-fed organic beef, as we've discussed the superior nutrition of grass-fed beef dozens of times in this newsletter previously.

Please share this article with your friends and family to help them avoid the nutritional disaster lurking in fast-food.

Read More

One of The World's Greatest Snacks -- A Healthy Treat for a Lean Body

Why pistachios not only taste delicious, but are also jam-packed with nutrition for your lean healthy body
by Cat Ebeling, RN, BSN & Mike Geary, Certified Nutrition Specialistco-authors of the
Fat Burning Kitchen program


Some people mistakenly think that pistachios are a "fattening" food... but despite having loads of healthy fats, these yummy little snacks can actually HELP you to burn off stomach fat.  Let's see why...
Do you remember eating pistachios when they used to be dyed a deep pinkish/red? They were always so delicious, but after eating a bunch of those bright "red" nuts, your fingers and hands would be stained red.
Pistachios, as we now know, do not grow as magenta-colored nuts but come in a nice natural tan colored shell with a mild-tasting, crunchy, green and yellow interior. Nuts have risen in popularity lately, but did you know that pistachios are probably one of the most nutritious of all nuts?
It's hard to compare anything to the nutritional benefit of nuts like almonds, walnuts, and pecans... but pistachios give them a run for the money!
Just a one-ounce serving of pistachios will give you over 30 vitamins, minerals and other super nutrients.
One of the best things about nuts in general, is that they are full of minerals that are VITAL to our body's proper functioning. And if you have paid much attention to nutrition news lately, you may be aware that minerals are getting harder and harder to obtain from our diet, and many people are mineral-deficient in one way or another.
So what are these great nutrients in pistachios?
Well for starters, pistachios are full of copper, phosphorus, and manganese (different from magnesium).
Copper is made up of multiple enzymes that help to create many of the necessary biochemical reactions in your body and also forms connective tissue. Manganese also helps form connective and skeletal tissue, and is instrumental in growth, reproduction and (this is good!) carbohydrate and fat metabolism. Phosphorus is very important for strong bones and teeth and works with calcium to prevent osteoporosis.
Other important minerals are magnesium -- necessary for more than 300 different important biochemical reactions in your body, and good for your heart and blood pressure; potassium --an electrolyte that keeps the body in the correct acid/base balance and also helps in forming proteins, metabolizing carbohydrates and building muscle.
And there is more to this nutritional powerhouse...

Pistachios are a rich source of B vitamins. B vitamins are essential for good nerve transmission, muscle building, a good mood, lots of energy, and infection-fighting power. They are also one of the highest protein nuts (as well as healthy fats), so they make a great satisfying snack that keeps your blood sugar and insulin at a good steady level.
In one study on pistachios and antioxidants, pistachios ranked up in the group with the highest amount of antioxidant activity above over 100 other foods. Antioxidants help to prevent free radical damage, which saves your cells and prevents aging and disease among other things.
We hear a lot about eye health and nutrients for the eyes lately, and guess what-- pistachios contain generous amount of lutein and zeaxanthin which prevent macular degeneration and other eye diseases related to aging.
Fiber
Last but not least, pistachios are full of appetite satisfying fiber -- as much as a serving of oatmeal.
Nuts in general are a great source of fiber, which is valuable for fighting cancer, controlling blood sugar, and aids in a feeling of fullness. Most people only get about half the recommended amount of fiber they need in their diets, so eating pistachios will help add to your dietary intake.
Healthy Fats
While eating extremely large quantities of pistachios would be a LOT of calories... the good news is that the protein, good fats and fiber in them are nutritious and satisfy so much of the nutrient needs of your body, it's VERY difficult to overeat them.
Even when only eating small servings of these nuts, they have been proven to provide a high rate of satiety. Besides, having to shell all those pistachios actually ends up making you eat them a little more slowly, so the message to your brain that you are full happens on less nuts than if you were eating something already out of its shell.
Try to go for the all-natural or organic pistachios with no salt of low salt. Some brands of pistachios are a bit heavy on the salt.
If you haven't read our new Fat Burning Kitchen program, make sure to see the dozens of foods that help you burn fat, and surprising "health foods" that make you fat.
Eat well and stay lean!

Did you like this article?  Feel free to share with your friends and family:

Read More

Kale -- The Superfood Nutrition Status... it's not just a garnish!

by Catherine Ebeling - RN, BSN & Mike Geary - Certified Nutrition Specialist

co-authors - The Fat Burning Kitchen program
Ever wonder what those mystery greens are adorning your plate and the salad bar? Those dark blue-green curly edged greens are the superfood kale. Yes, many people don't realize it, but kale is edible. And not only is it edible, it is very tasty if used right and one of the most nutrition-packed vegetables that you can eat!
Why is Kale a Nutrition Superfood? Well...
Kale belongs to the same plant family as the sulphur-containing vegetables broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, and collard greens. Kale is great for protecting your health, providing you with a rich source of vitamins and minerals, and preventing cancer.
The ten to fifteen organosulphur compounds these superfood vegetables contain have been proven to be highly effective against many cancers, including stomach cancer, colon cancer, breast cancer and ovarian cancer.
When these vegetables are chopped or chewed, enzymes in the liver are triggered to produce enzymes that disable cancer-causing agents in the body.  Studies have shown that animals that ate these sulphuric compounds found in brussels sprouts, cabbage, and collard greens had tumors that shrunk in size.
In addition to the powerful organosulphurs that help to safeguard against cancer, kale also protects the eyes with the carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin. These phytochemicals help protect the eyes against damage from the sun and ultraviolet light and prevent cataracts. One study actually showed that people who had a diet rich in carotenoids had up to a 50% less risk for cataracts.
Kale also ranks really high up there for its large amounts of vitamin A, vitamin C, B6, manganese, calcium, copper, and potassium!
While one cup of kale only has 36 calories, it provides 192% of the daily value of vitamin A, and since this is a plant source of vitamin A, you cannot overdose on it.
That same cup of kale also provides almost 90% of your daily value of vitamin C. Vitamin C is a top free-radical scavenger, preventing damage inside and outside of the cells. Vitamin C helps to reduce damage from inflammation (one of the primary causes of heart disease and autoimmune diseases), help to oxidize cholesterol, fight infections, and strengthen and renew collagen in our skin for a healthy youthful appearance.
Manganese is a trace mineral that is important for the synthesis of fatty acids necessary for sex hormones and the nervous system.  It also helps to metabolize and utilize energy from protein and carbohydrates, making it the perfect fat-burning element.
The calcium in kale when combined with the vitamin A and the vitamin K2 in grass fed butter is highly utilized by the body and works to reverse osteoporosis and strengthen bones. It is one of the best ways to keep your bones and teeth strong and also keep your blood vessels clean.
Did you know that three servings of dark green leafy vegetables a day can slow mental decline that comes with age? Kale and other green leafy vegetables can slow this decline by a whopping 40%! This decrease has been compared to reversing age by about 5 years.  A great vegetable that makes you function as if you are 5 years younger-what could be better!
And there’s even more that kale is good for... kale contains a phytochemical called indole-3-carbinol (I3C), that actually lowers the liver’s  secretion of a chemical that normally transports LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) to tissues and blood vessels.  I3C has also been shown in studies to help fight the effects of xenoestrogens that make belly fat stubborn. Other cruciferous veggies can help fight abdominal fat too.
Kale is a dark, bluish-green leafy vegetable with curly leaves and firm stalks. Look for kale that is not limp or wilted.  For best taste, choose the kale with smaller leaves, since they have a milder taste.
Kale can be chopped up raw and added to salads in small amounts or sautéed lightly with olive oil, grass fed butter and a squeeze of lemon and garlic. Or try braising chopped kale with chopped tart apples. Drizzle with a little balsamic vinegar and serve with walnuts sprinkled on top.
Kale is simply a nutrition-packed powerhouse vegetable that you cannot pass up, so the next time you see it adorning your plate as a garnish, eat it — its probably one of the most nutritious things on your plate!
Learn all about surprising foods that are making you fat vs fat burning foods in our brand new Fat Burning Kitchen program.
 

Enjoy!
Cat Ebeling & Mike Geary
co-authors - The Fat Burning Kitchen

Read More

1 Day of My Fat Burning Meal Plans (and my hot dog bender confession)

by Mike Geary - Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Nutrition Specialist
Author - The Truth about Six-Pack Abs

Although I always try to do my best with nutrition (probably 95% compliance), I've admitted before that I'm not perfect. Heck, nobody's perfect.
And last week was an example...
I went on vacation with about 10 of my buddies last week... a nice little tropical party vacation!  So obviously, there was a good deal of drinking and eating just about anything and everything going on during the entire vacation.
I gained 8 lbs in 1 week!  Yes, us fitness pros are not always "fitness robots"... we are human.
I honestly don't think I've eaten a single hot dog in about 5 or 6 years... but one night after a long night out with the guys, we came back and I threw down 3 hot dogs in one sitting.  In retrospect, that was nasty... but at 3am, with nothing else in our vacation house for food, I gave in, and found myself stuffing my face with something I usually view as disgusting food.
But I knew this all would happen... as a matter of fact, I don't stress about going on vacations like that and knowing that I'm going to gain weight, because I know that I have 100% control over my body and can lose it again in a snap.
And true to form, in just 7 days since returning from vacation, I've already lost the 8 lbs that I gained on vacation.  But I've done this for years now, and have learned how to fully be in control of my weight at any time.  I know that once I return home and return to my extremely healthy nutrition and hardcore training program, I'll be back in top shape within a week or two.
That's a great example of how if you eat 95% of the time like we teach in our Fat Burning Kitchen program -- that you end up getting total control over your cravings, appetite, and ability to stay as lean as you want at any given time.
So now that I'm back to my normal healthy nutrition ways, I'm going to show you some of my typical meals below.
Being in the position I'm in as a nutrition author and fitness professional, almost everywhere I go I get questions about nutrition, and most of the time, people want to hear ACTUAL examples of what I eat on a daily basis to stay super lean.
So instead of talking about more theory, here's an example of exactly what I ate yesterday (keep in mind this is not a prescription, because everyone has different food intolerances and allergies, but it's just my personal example of how I keep it healthy).
As you look at my typical daily meals, take notice that I do eat some carbs, but I don't eat any breads or pasta at all (except maybe on cheat days). Essentially, I get almost all of my carbs from fruits, lots of veggies, and the little bit of raw honey that I use in my daily teas.

Breakfast today - 9am:
3 whole eggs (yes, including the super-healthy egg yolks) scrambled with TONS of veggies (onions, mushrooms, peppers, diced squash, and chopped spinach)
1 large chicken sausage (organic free range chicken with NO nitrates, nitrites, or preservatives... only chicken and spices)
Half of a red grapefruit
1 large cup of yerba mate/green/mint tea (this is my new favorite tea I found at Whole Foods... it's a mix of yerba mate, green tea, and mint tea, and it's freakin amazing!)

Lunch - noon:
1 cup greek yogurt (the Fage brand is the highest protein yogurt I've ever seen) mixed with 1/2 cup cottage cheese combined with pecans, almonds, hemp seeds, frozen goji berries, and frozen blueberries. A little bit of stevia and cinnamon for sweetness and extra flavor.

Mid afternoon snack - 3pm:
1 large organic apple sliced up with almond butter on each slice.

Super high intensity weight training workout from 5-6pm

Post workout shake/meal - 6:15pm:
my typical blender mix of raw grass-fed milk, a chopped up frozen banana, some frozen pitted cherries, a tablespoon or so of real maple syrup, and 2 heaping tablespoons of organic cocoa powder. Plus I throw a scoop of raw grass-fed whey protein (the highest quality whey that I've found) into the blender too.

Dinner - 9pm:
My "Italian blend" recipe -- This is basically a spaghetti and meatsauce meal but without the spaghetti, and tons of veggies instead.
I use grass-fed bison sausages (again, no nitrates, nitrites, or preservatives of any kind...just grass-fed bison and spices) -- fyi - you can find good quality grass-fed meats and sausages at this site
...and then I use a huge cooking dish on the stove to mix in any and every type of vegetable I can find in my fridge (zucchini, onions, garlic, mushrooms, snow peas, peppers, asparagus...and whatever else I have laying around).
I mix the grass-fed bison sausage and sauteed veggies with a tomato sauce and some extra virgin olive oil.  Sometimes I also mix in a container of organic ricotta cheese (grass fed if possible) into the whole mix, which makes the whole dish taste more like lasagna...delicious!
Top the whole thing with some fresh grated parmesan cheese and you've got a super-nutritious dinner with high nutrient density and no pasta (which would just pack on the pounds).
I also had a delicious side-salad of arugula, diced yellow peppers, and half of a small avocado.

Late night snack - midnight:
A handful of pistachio nuts and a cup of chamomile tea

So that is just 1 example of how a typical day might look for me. I mix it up and eat a variety of other things as well, but these are some pretty frequent meals that I use to stay super lean, but maintain muscle.

 Til next newsletter,
Don't be lazy... be lean.
Mike Geary
Certified Nutrition Specialist
Certified Personal Trainer
Author - The Truth about Six Pack Abs

Read More

Can you drink alcohol and still stay lean?

7 Tips to Still Enjoy Social Drinking and Stay Lean at the Same Time
 
by Mike Geary, Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Nutrition Specialist
Author of best-sellers:  The Fat Burning Kitchen & The Top 101 Foods that FIGHT Aging

This topic seems to be a common struggle I hear from a lot of people... They want to get lean, but they don't want to give up drinking alcohol.
Now, I'm not talking about alcoholic type of drinking (THAT is obviously a problem)... we're just talking moderate social drinking here.
First, although some people may willingly choose to give up alcohol entirely, I still think most of us can drink in moderation, and still stay perfectly healthy and lean.  But there are a few tricks that can help you to not pack on the pounds... and I'll mention those in a little bit.
As for myself, it comes down to choosing what I'm going to be strict about to maintain my fitness lifestyle and what I'm not going to be strict about.
For example, I'm pretty strict about never eating anything deep fried or made with trans fats, never eating white bread, and never drinking sodas or sweetened soft drinks of any kind... but I'll admit that one thing I've chosen to not be strict about is drinking alcohol.  What... a fitness pro admits that he drinks and is not a fitness "robot" 24/7... No way!
Well yes, it's true... I'm 38 now and I certainly don't drink as frequently as I did back in my crazy college days (man those college days were fun!), but I'll certainly enjoy some cold ones when hanging out with friends, going to a barbeque or dinner party, or during a night out at the bars with friends. And I love having a glass or two of red wine along with a nice dinner!
It's all about balance in your life, and not every aspect has to be "perfect" in order for you to still get the body and health that you want. You'll drive yourself crazy if you're trying to be perfect.
Of course, if you have no problem abstaining from alcohol and willingly make that decision, then that can certainly be the best thing for your health if you're the type that has a hard time controlling portions.
However, for the rest of us, that actually do like to partake in some social drinking, here are a few tips that have helped me to stay single-digit bodyfat lean, while still drinking alcohol occasionally.
TIP 1. Obviously alcohol gives you extra empty calories on the days that you choose to drink. Alcohol has 7 calories per gram, compared to 4 calories per gram for carbs and protein, and 9 calories per gram for fats.
However unlike ingesting carbs, protein, or healthy fats from a healthy food source, drinking alcohol gives you LOTS of calories with very little micronutrients (the exception to this is red wine and dark beers, both of which do have reasonable levels of micronutrients).
On nights that I know are going to involve some drinking, it helps to make sure that dinner is based only around protein and vegetables. You're going to take in a lot of empty calories with the alcohol, so eating a good portion of appetite-satisfying protein along with nutrient-rich vegetables can help to control your appetite and give your body the nutrients it needs.
Plus, most importantly, there's just no room for loads of carbohydrate-rich foods if you're also going to be consuming alcohol. Carbs + alcohol is a perfect recipe for growing a beer belly!  Try to keep that evening meal a fairly low-carb meal to save yourself from extra empty calories.
TIP 2. If you want to save your body from adding layers of ugly fat, by all means stay away from syrupy, fruity drinks that are loaded with sugar... this is a double whammy for your gut as you're not only getting all of the empty alcohol calories, but also loads of empty sugar calories. Big fruity drinks such as a big syrupy margarita, or other tropical fruity drinks can sometimes have as much as 500-600 calories per serving and 70-100 grams of sugar!
Quick tip on margaritas:  I don't know about you, but I love margaritas.  However, most margaritas have loads of sugar from the sour mix. If you want to get a super low sugar and lower calorie margarita, what you need to do is ask the bartender to make your margarita with ONLY tequila and fresh squeezed lime juice, and NO sour mix (which is usually made from corn syrup).  I think it tastes better anyway than a normal sugary margarita. 
Next point... and I don't think this even needs to be mentioned, but if you care about your body, any drink that uses soda pop as the mixer is going to be loaded with sugar (usually high fructose corn syrup) and calories.
Instead, your best bet is to stick with a clear alcohol mixed with club soda (NOT tonic) and a squeeze of lime or lemon (hey, at least you get a little vitamin C and antioxidants with the squeeze of lemon and lime!).  Vodka with club soda and extra lemon and/or lime squeeze is my drink of choice if I'm not drinking red wine.
Stay away from tonic water mixers! Some people don't realize this, but tonic water is loaded with almost as much sugar as regular soda pop... on the other hand, club soda has no calories at all. It's clearly the lowest calorie way to drink.
TIP 3. If you're going to drink beer, you're better off choosing just 1 or 2 dark beers rather than 5 or 6 light beers.  Sure, dark beers have more calories than light beers, but dark beers also have more B vitamins and antioxidants than light beers, so you actually get more nutrition from the dark beer.  As long as you keep it to just 1 or 2 dark beers, you may still stay within 150-300 calories.
Generally, it also takes a little longer to drink a good dark beer compared to a watery light beer too.
TIP 4.  Try to get in a high intensity full body workout before your night out of drinking. If you do this, at least you've revved up your metabolism and have your body processing calories a little faster.
Also, trying to get in some sort of exercise the morning after your night out can also help to get your body back to a good state of health. This may not be your best workouts in terms of energy, but it can help to just get your body moving and break a sweat, and get back to a good homeostasis.
TIP 5. Avoid the late-night munchies after a night of drinking! This is where most people do the biggest damage to their waistlines.
Instead, make sure to have some lean protein and vegetables quickly available at home (perhaps some pre-cooked chicken breasts, grass-fed steaks, or even tuna fish and some veggie sticks) so that you can satisfy your late night post-party appetite with lean protein instead of carbohydrates.  Veggies and protein is the key here.
The worst thing for your body is loading up on pizza, ice cream, and other carb-rich junk after a night out of drinking.
TIP 6. If you drink multiple drinks socially, try to keep drinking alcohol to only 1-2 days/week maximum if you want to stay lean. On the other hand, if you never drink more than 1-2 drinks per day, I think having 1-2 drinks daily with a meal can still be part of a healthy lifestyle. As long as those calories are accounted for and you still stay within your daily caloric maintenance.
TIP 7. Wine is one of the healthier drink choices... if you must have a drink, you might as well choose wine so you at least get a good dose of antioxidants as well. Red wine is known for it's antioxidant content, however even white wines contain some antioxidants as well... white wines just aren't quite as high in antioxidants as red wines.
Hey, if you can get a little resveratrol while enjoying your company, why not!
What about hangovers?
Ok, so you went a little overboard and drank too much.  Now you might be facing a hangover the next morning.  Well, I can't personally verify whether this works or not, but I have 2 friends in particular that swear by taking this whole-foods based vitamin, VGF25+ (this stands for 25+ veggies, greens, and fruits) before they go to bed, and they claim that it almost always prevents a hangover the next morning if they remember to take it before going to bed.
And finally, like I mentioned before, drinking alcohol just adds one more thing to your list that you have to work against in getting the body you want.
Abstaining may always be the best choice, BUT we also need to be realistic and know that social drinking is not something that most people are willing to give up entirely.
For that reason, this list of tips to help manage social drinking in a healthier way can really help you to stay leaner and healthier and still balance a little bit of social drinking into your life.
Lastly, check out this delicious resource for healthy drinks that are low in calories!
**Feel free to share this article with your friends and family that may be interested in finding a way to stay leaner and still enjoy a few drinks.  Easy sharing options below:

If you're not already on my fitness tips email newsletter - Lean Body Secrets Ezine... make sure to sign up below... it is FREE and you'll get all of my unique fat-burning recipes, crazy workouts, motivation, and more:

Mike Geary Certified Nutrition Specialist Certified Personal Trainer Author - The Truth about Six Pack Abs  &  The Fat Burning Kitchen

Read More

Junk Foods vs Healthy Food... Does Eating Junk Food = "Living a Little"?

By Mike Geary - Certified Nutrition Specialist 
Author of best-sellers: The Fat Burning Kitchen & The Top 101 Foods that FIGHT Aging


Whenever I happen to be over someone's house for a party or get-together of some sort, the subject at some point will inadvertently turn to someone asking me about my  fitness book which then leads us into other discussions about food or fitness.  With approx 70% of the population overweight or obese these days, it's not hard to find someone interested in eating healthier and getting in better shape.
The interesting thing that I have noticed over the years is that almost every single person that has told me that they are "trying" to lose weight, almost always has their house filled with tons of junk foods instead of whole unprocessed natural healthy foods.
It's not uncommon for people to tell me that they're trying really hard to lose weight, but I'll notice boxes of frosted flakes and fruit loops on their counter, cookies, crackers, and donuts in their cupboard, and soda or syrup-filled juices in their fridge.
So the question that always boggles my mind is that if all of these people really want to get in shape and lose weight so bad, why on earth does everybody still have their house filled with junk food instead of healthy foods?
I always tread lightly in these situations because if people don't ask for my advice, I certainly don't want to go spreading my fitness advice around without them wanting to hear my advice... but if they do ask for my help, then I'll ask about why they buy junk foods if they want to improve their body...
Interestingly, the answer usually is that they don't want to give up their favorite foods because they think that eating these junk foods allows them to "live a little" (more like "die a little" with each bite!).
In my opinion, eating junk food has nothing at all to do with enjoying life...actually, when you give up junk food you actually enjoy living more because you FEEL better all the time and have more energy every day...plus getting into better shape by NOT eating junk food gives you more confidence because you actually look better in addition to feeling better, thereby enjoying life more once again.
One thing that many people don't realize is that eating healthy DOESN'T mean eating bland and boring food.  Rather, when you learn to enjoy natural unprocessed foods and start exploring all of the varieties of natural healthy foods this planet has to offer, you discover that you enjoy the natural flavors of real food better than overly processed aggressive tastes so common with excessively salty and sweet junk foods.
An example of this is that the other day I was at a golf course and wanted an unsweetened iced tea, but all they had available was these bottles of heavily sweetened tea. Well, I haven't bought a fully sweetened tea in probably a couple years now... I've actually gotten used to drinking unsweetened tea and have learned to appreciate the natural taste of tea without needing sugar or dangerous artificial sweeteners.
I swear I almost gagged when I drank this bottle of iced tea... it was so syrupy sweet that it was just plain disgusting. 
Same thing for coffee... I used to need a lot of sugar in coffee, but after a while of slowly using less and less sugar, I can actually drink black coffee now and enjoy the natural flavor of it without needing sugar (although I prefer coffee with a tiny bit of stevia and also some grass-fed cream, which is actually quite healthy) ...
These are just examples of how once you start appreciating the natural flavors of real foods, you find that you no longer need the overly aggressive sugary, salty, or artificial flavors that have been ingrained in us by food manufacturers and all of the junk they push on us.

Anyway, I believe everyone should actually enjoy what you eat, but do it without eating overly processed foods... people are often surprised to hear that a lot of the foods that they think are junk foods, I actually consider healthy foods, but only because I put a healthy spin on traditional junk food...
For example:

• Junk food:  a cheap fast-food burger on a crappy refined white bun
• My healthy alternative:  A grass-fed burger (with higher omega-3's and CLA) with raw grass-fed cheese on a sprouted grain roll topped with avocado slices
   
• Junk food:  Deep fried and breaded chicken fingers with french fries (tons of nasty trannies)
• My healthy alternative:  grilled chicken breast strips with peanut dipping sauce and vegetables
   
• Junk food:  a piece of chocolate cupcake, chocolate donut, or chocolate candy bar
• My healthy alternative:  a couple squares of super-dark chocolate (greater than 70% cocoa content only)... higher in fiber and much less sugar

Now that's how to enjoy food while eating healthier at the same time!  I hope this gives you ideas on how to get a new perspective on what really constitutes junk food or healthy foods.

If you liked this article about healthy vs junk food, please feel free to share it with your friends and family:

Read More