How to Get PERFECT Digestion (and lose fat faster)

Avoid the foods that HARM your digestive system and discover those that HEAL your digestion problems.

by Mike Geary, Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Nutrition Specialist
Author of best-sellers: The Truth About Six Pack Abs  &  The Top 101 Foods that FIGHT Aging


The feedback from most of my readers shows that digestion issues are one of the topics that most people want to learn more about.  Apparently, even on the Dr Oz show, any episode about "poop problems" or digestion end up being some of the most popular episodes.

So pay attention to this article if you have any bowel irregularity or digestion issues at all, whether it's constipation, diarrhea, indigestion, bloating, or just irregular bowel movements.

Over the last couple years, I've perfected a daily digestion-healing plan that's worked wonders for me, as well as some of my friends and clients.  Quite literally, I've had some friends that either had chronic "runny stools" or constipation, and this type of plan has totally fixed their issues.
A side effect of the digestion-healing meal plans below is that most people start to lose body fat faster by eating this way too!

Keep in mind that I'm not "prescribing" anything here as I'm not a doctor, and this is solely my observation on what's worked for me and several friends of mine that have tried my plan, which is based on science.

First step in healing digestion issues:

First, you need to identify if you have any food allergies, intolerances, or sensitivities and try to minimize or completely avoid those foods. For many people, wheat, soy, and conventional dairy are 3 issues that come up most frequently.

With that said, keep in mind that certain types of dairy, such as grass-fed Kefir can actually be a very strong healer of digestion issues due to the extremely powerful probiotics in kefir which help to fix harmful bacterial imbalances in your gut.  And kefir is also 99% lactose-free since the friendly bacteria pre-digest almost all of the lactose.  So kefir ends up being one of the most digestible forms of dairy.

Also, keep in mind that it's generally either the lactose in dairy or the proteins in dairy that some people can be sensitive to.  But many people don't realize that they can still reap the health benefits of dairy fat, including the CLA, vitamin K2, and omega-3's of grass-fed butter and cream without anything more than traces of lactose or dairy protein.

If you don't currently know if you have a sensitivity to gluten, one test that you can consider running on yourself is to completely avoid any wheat-based foods (that means no bread, muffins, pasta, cereals, crackers, etc) for 2-3 weeks and see if you notice a considerable improvement in your digestion and your bowel movements.
Many people are quite pleased to find that their digestion problems start to go away within the first 2 weeks of eliminating wheat from their diet, as the constant inflammation that can be caused by gluten (and other antinutrients found in wheat) in the digestive tract subsides once they stop eating so much bread and cereal.

This should be obvious, but to be clear, you also need to avoid junk foods that are loaded with sugar, trans fats, corn syrup, and chemical additives too, as these all can cause digestion problems and other health issues.

Ok, now that you've eliminated foods that might be causing inflammation and other digestion problems, you need to start HEALING your digestive system...

Second step - foods that HEAL the digestive system:

I've been amazed at the power of fermented foods (loaded with probiotics) and how dramatic the improvement to digestion and bowel movements can be, since many digestion and bowel issues are caused by either a harmful bacterial imbalance in the gut and/or too many foods that cause inflammation.

I've had at LEAST 6-8 friends of mine that started trying a similar food plan that I lay out below and their chronic constipation, runny stools, or indigestion completely cleared up within one week of starting this type of plan.

Keep in mind that the VARIETY of probiotic sources is what I consider to be most important, as each type of food or source has different strains of good bacteria that have different health benefits to your digestion or immune system.

Even though I've always eaten healthy at least for the last 15 or so years, I didn't focus more on probiotic intake, except intermittently, until the last year. Over the last 8-12 months, I've focused a LOT more on getting DAILY sources of probiotics instead of just occasional, and the results have been phenomenal to my digestive system!

In previous years, I would only occasionally eat fermented veggies like kimchi or other krauts, and I would occasionally drink kefir a couple times per month.  But that's changed, and my digestive system is LOVING my new plan.

My personal daily plan for PERFECT digestion:

Morning (first thing)

• 1 serving of this superfoods-cocktail mixed with unsweet iced tea (7 Billion probiotics + 76 superfood ingredients all in a delicious drink)
• Organic coffee with grass-fed real cream* (good source of the healthy fat CLA, and vitamin K2 for heart health)

*Organic Valley brand has a great pasture-raised cream that I've found at many grocery stores.

Late morning

• 3 eggs (over-easy is my favorite, plus slightly healthier than scrambled since scrambling can oxidize some of the cholesterol)
• Chicken, turkey, or bison sausage
• Half an avocado
• Fermented veggies* (a nice pile of them)
• tea (green, white, or oolong) with tiny bit of raw honey
• 1 serving of ProX10 microencapsulated probiotics (protects the probiotics through the stomach to the intestines -- the most powerful probiotic supplement I've found)

*The fermented veggies are also a particularly powerful source of probiotics with different strains from what you get in yogurt or kefir for different health benefits for your digestive system and immune system.  I rotate a different type of fermented veggies each week and have found some really tasty varieties at Whole Foods or at a local health food store... my favorites that I rotate are kimchi (Korean style), fermented carrots (carrot kraut), fermented beets (beet kraut), and one that I found called Jungle kraut, which seems to be purple cabbage, carrots, etc.

I've noticed that some people that don't like the taste of typical fermented cabbage dishes end up really liking the fermented carrots or beets instead.  TMI alert:  Several friends have told me that their years of poop problems completely cleared up after only 1 week or so of including fermented veggies each day with their meals as well as Kefir.

Afternoon snack

• 1 cup plain or greek full-fat Kefir (grass-fed) with added 1 tbsp chia seeds, 1-2 tsp of real maple syrup, and 1/2 tsp of vanilla (if you don't like the tangy taste of plain kefir, try it the way I make it here and I'm pretty sure you'll LOVE it!)

*Kefir is a super-healing food for the digestive system.  Remember that natives of the Caucasus mountains in eastern europe routinely live to over 100 years old and one of their favorite daily drinks is full-fat Kefir!  Kefir has quite a bit more probiotics than yogurt (2x-10x more), plus is generally 10 or more strains of probiotics vs only 3-4 strains in most yogurts.  Most types of kefir have anywhere from 7-50 Billion probiotics per cup depending on brand.
Note that according to their website, Lifeway brand kefir is made from 100% grass-fed dairy in all of their products even though they don't include "grass-fed" or "pasture-raised" on the label.

Dinner

• Some sort of meat - grass-fed steaks, chicken, or wild fish typically
• Some form of steamed veggies or vegetable side dish
• Fresh greens salad with real homemade olive oil dressing

I've found that one of best ways to get and stay very lean is to keep dinner based around a healthy type of meat, cooked veggies side dish, and a raw veggies salad.  It keeps the evening meal relatively low-carb with minimum impacts on insulin, but loaded with nutrition and hormone-balancing healthy fats.  It also keeps the meal gluten-free and fairly easy on the digestive system.

Late night snack

• Handful of nuts (pistachios, almonds, or pecans are my favorite, and loaded with nutrition) and a small square or two of extra dark chocolate
• 1 cup of caffeine-free tea such as chamomile, rooibos, mint, or tulsi tea (each have their own unique antioxidants)
• 2nd daily serving of ProX10 microencapsulated probiotics

Once or twice a week, I'll also grab a Kombucha tea (a fermented probiotic tea) if I'm out and about, which is another good source of probiotics, although not as powerful as the others I listed in the above plan.
There you have it!  Again, this is NOT a prescription for any health condition... this is solely my personal digestion-healing plan that I've used with great success and that many of my friends and clients have used to fully HEAL many of their digestion and bowel problems.
Please share this article with any of your friends and family to help them improve their health:

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Thank you for reading my blog.

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Fat Burning Kitchen Report

 Discover 23 HEALTH Foods that are causing weight gain (You've been fooled)
Also discover if your Kitchen contains fat-burning foods or fat- gaining foods


by Mike Geary - Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Nutrition Specialist
& Catherine Ebeling - RN, BSN
Please continue reading, because in this short article Catherine and I are going to share with you a few simple and easy tricks to turn your "fat gaining kitchen" into a "fat burning kitchen," while also showing you some deceptive "health" foods that are not only making it IMPOSSIBLE for you to lose fat, but also make you age FASTER.

In the next few minutes you're going to discover...

Eating for fat loss is simple, right?
Eat fewer calories than you expend in a certain time period and you lose weight... Eat more calories than you expend and you gain weight... right?
Not so fast!
While it's true that your overall caloric intake vs your caloric expenditure is one of the most important aspects in whether you gain weight or lose weight... there are a lot of factors involved that complicate this, such as:
1. Calorie counting NEVER works!
Almost nobody, and I mean nobody, counts calories accurately.  Controlled studies indicate that the majority of people (between 75-90%) consistently (and massively) under-report their calories consumed when they are asked to track their calories.
I'm going to show you why calorie-counting is completely obsolete (as long as you follow one of the main principles that I'm going to teach you).

2. Appetite control and cravings destroy the ability for most people to ever meet a calorie goal
If your appetite and cravings are out of control, how can you control hunger and actually stay in your goal calorie range for fat loss?  The problem is that most people can't!
There is a trick that you can master that will automatically control your appetite and cravings.
3. Hormone imbalances
If you're eating the wrong foods and don't even know it, this may be disrupting hormone balances in your body and leading you to overeat, decrease your metabolic rate, and other problems that can prevent you from burning off body fat effectively.
If you read below, you'll see how you can reverse these eating habits that are causing hormone imbalances, and turn your body into a fat-burning machine, like it was meant to be.
And don't get me started on the "Food Pyramid"...
The Food Pyramid is an absolute JOKE!
In fact, the food pyramid has mislead almost as many individuals down the depressing road of fat-gain as the crooked food companies and their deceptive food label claims.
So-Called "Health Foods" That Are Causing Your Body to Gain More Body Fat?
I can't tell you how many times I've walked into the kitchen of a client of mine that has hired me for nutritional counseling, and I'm shocked by what I see...
Almost every time, I see their kitchen cabinets and fridge LOADED with foods that they think are "healthy" (or have been deceived by clever food labels into believing are healthy), but in reality are fat-storing traps in disguise.
It's not uncommon to see foods such as:

• whole grain breads
• whole grain cereals
• whole grain crackers
• soymilk
• tofu or "veggie burgers"
• orange juice
• apple juice
• skim milk
• margarine
• pre-packaged "diet" dinners
• gator-ade or other sport drinks
• protein bars (aka - candy bars in disguise!)
• overly processed meal replacements (with more junk than healthy ingredients)
• rice cakes
• pasta
• diet ice cream or diet desserts
• so-called "energy" drinks
• low-fat foods
• low-carb foods
• soybean oil, corn oil, canola oil
• etc, etc

I see this trend over and over again with almost every client when I first inspect their cabinets and the foods that they were buying that they thought were healthy.
What they don't realize is that it's these exact foods that are sabotaging their fat loss efforts, increasing their cravings, throwing their hormones out of whack, and more.
The Simple Solution for Eating a Healthy Diet That Promotes Fat Loss (Permanently)
I'm going to show you that eating for permanent fat loss doesn't have to be complicated.
In fact, if you choose the right foods, and understand how these foods react with your body, this method is a way for you to automatically attain the right calorie level without the need to ever count calories again.
That's why I've teamed up with expert nutrition researcher, Catherine Ebeling, and we've co-authored this new program for you:
The Fat Burning Kitchen:  Your 24-Hour Diet Transformation to Make Your Body a Fat-Burning Machine
by Mike Geary - Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Nutrition Specialist
& Catherine Ebeling - RN, BSN

Inside this brand new program, you'll find:

• the true secret to making calorie-counting obsolete... this is the same principle that will automatically eliminate your cravings and control your appetite permanently (it's the same reason that I personally haven't had a real "craving" in at least 6 years) -- pg 1-2
• the truth about polyunsaturated fats (omega-6's and omega-3's) that most food companies don't want you to know -- pg.18
• which protein bars or energy bars are actually candy bars in disguise and which bars are actually good for you -- pg.50
• the real deal on saturated fat and cholesterol, and why they are essential in your diet -- pg.59
• the "whole grain" deception and why whole grain crackers, breads, and cereals could be packing on more bodyfat -- pg.9
• why that skim milk may not be so good for you after all -- pg.29
• the one time when tilapia and salmon are NOT health foods -- pg.36
• a healthy fat-burning burger option?  Yes -- pg.60
• why soymilk, tofu, and veggie burgers could be increasing your belly fat -- pg.41
• Are sports drinks stifling your fat-burning? -- pg.46
• The only truly healthy options for sweeteners... even non-caloric sweeteners -- pg.83
• A surprising healthy fat in some animal products that actually helps you burn fat and build muscle -- pg.60
• whole eggs or egg whites?  easy answer -- pg.65
• do diet sodas and other diet drinks hurt your fat loss efforts? -- pg.22
• Is whole milk actually better for you than skim milk?  there's more to the story -- pg.67
• A type of saturated fat that actually helps to stimulate your metablism -- pg. 112
• the one time when chocolate can even help to prevent your sweet tooth cravings -- pg.88
• does green tea or oolong tea really increase your metabolism and help fat loss?  the truth -- pg.90
• which fruits and veggies are okay to choose non-organic -- pg.94
• and TONS more secrets to help you permanently transform your diet to force your body to burn fat more effectively.

FREE Bonus:  6-Part Fat-Burning Nutrition Course - On Video!

(Value: $179, but FREE if you order Fat Burning Kitchen today)
By choosing to try out this program and take charge of your diet for life, I've put together a really cool FREE bonus for you.  I know you probably like to see things not only in written word, but also in video tutorials too.
So I've lined up a series of 6 killer video tutorials (by my favorite nutritionist, Isabel De Los Rios) which will help to clarify where you might be going wrong in your food choices, more tricks to eliminate cravings, and even clever time saving tips you can use to eat healthier automatically (without excessive time spent prepping meals).
She even goes through some great examples of food labels showing where the food manufacturers are trying to fool you into thinking their junk foods are "healthy".  This will help you choose healthier at the grocery store.
This video tutorial series are regularly valued at $179.00 separately, but are yours FREE for choosing this program today.

Try it first, and THEN decide 

Of course, as always, you have our Iron-Clad 8-week 100% money-back guarantee if you are not satisfied with the program for any reason.
So you can actually try out the program first and start transforming your diet habits and your body, and then decide if this was right for you.  If at any time in 8 weeks, you decide that this wasn't for you, you can simply email us for a prompt and courteous refund.

Let's get you started right away on solving your diet problems for life and creating a permanent fat-burning environment inside your body.

Special Bonus Section Added:
The Super-Advanced Nutritional Tactics That I Used to Go From 10.2% Body Fat to 6.9% Body Fat in Just Over 3 Weeks (23 days to be exact)
 That's right... although I usually stay in great shape year round, I ended up planning a photo shoot recently and needed to drop a couple % more body fat, and I only had just over 3 weeks to prepare for it.
When you're already fairly lean (I was right around 10% bodyfat at the time), that is when it's hardest to lose that last bit of "stubborn fat", so it takes some advanced strategies to get rid of the last bit of fat.
After studying advanced fat loss techniques for years, I knew exactly what I needed to do and it was just a matter of taking action on it.  So I put together all of my most advanced fat loss techniques I've learned over the years and got to work.

 

In this advanced nutritional fat-burning section, I give you all the dirty details about exactly how I went from 10.2% body fat to 6.9% body fat in only 23 days.  Don't worry, there's absolutely no "fluff" in this section with bland and boring generic advice like "eat lots of fruits and veggies"... Everybody knows that...
Instead, this is the real nitty gritty details of everything I ate, meal timing, carb/protein/fat ratios and the exact timing in relation to workouts to maximize fat burning... and the advanced methods I used for the specific types of exercises and workouts that were necessary to maximize fat loss and lean muscle maintenance for such a short time period.
I even give you the details for the really advanced tactics that involved specific foods, teas, nutrients, spices, etc that I used to get the fastest results during these 23 days.
The powerful thing is... if these techniques worked for me, for that hardest to lose "stubborn fat", then it will work even better for you if you have a little bit more fat to lose. 
 These methods should ONLY be used for 3-4 weeks and ONLY on occasion when you need to really drop body fat and get leaner FAST for perhaps an event that you're preparing for... maybe a wedding, or a beach vacation, or a cruise, or your own photo shoot... whenever you need that extra "burst" of fat loss in just 3-4 weeks time frame.
Grab your copy of The Fat Burning Kitchen today, because this Advanced Fat Burning section is so good and so detailed that we'll be selling it separately for $34.95 in the near future
You'll get the entire 23-Day Advanced Nutritional Fat Burning Blueprint Bonus Section for FREE if you order today.

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I'm confident that you'll LOVE the unique nutrition tips and ideas that you'll gain through this program... You can say goodbye to cravings forever and start eating the right way to turn your body into a fat-burning machine 24/7!
Sincerely,

Mike Geary
Certified Personal Trainer
Certified Nutrition Specialist
Author - Worldwide best seller: The Truth about Six Pack Abs (over 539,000 readers in 163 countries)

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7 Super-Effective Tips for Losing Stomach Fat & Getting Lean Six Pack Abs for Life

Lose Body Fat and Get a Lean Stomach for Good! 

Vince Delmonte interviews author Mike Geary, Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Nutrition Specialist

1.  Mike, what is the number one component to getting a six pack?
MG: Your training style, nutrition, and mindset are all extremely important if you want to stand a chance at getting a six pack... However, if I had to choose 1 component that is most important, it would probably have to be nutrition. Maybe you've heard the saying before that "abs are made in the kitchen".
It really is true, and that's where the majority of people go wrong in the goal to get super lean. Of course, this also ties into mindset, because you really have to get your mind in the right place in order to have the discipline to be able to eat consistently clean enough to get six pack abs.
There's a lot of confusion out there these days about calories, fat, protein, and carbohydrates... every "expert" disagrees with one another on proper ratios and types of diets.  I think people make this way too complicated... If you are just to focus on a good balance between fats, carbs, and proteins, and make sure to eat only natural unprocessed organic foods (as close to their natural state as possible) instead of packaged, processed foods, a lot of the problems that most people have with cravings, a sweet tooth, overeating, blood sugar swings, etc all take care of themselves.
We still can't lose sight of the fact that you can overeat on healthy foods and gain fat even while eating healthy. Therefore, your caloric intake needs to be controlled to a level that will promote fat loss if that's the goal.

2.  Excellent Mike!  Next question... What is one thing I might be doing, unknowningly, steering my quest for a six pack in the wrong direction?
MG:  I'll give 2 things that may be steering you in the wrong direction...
a. Too much cardio
Some people, in their efforts to try to get lean, focus way too much on hours and hours of cardio exercise. The problem is that this can backfire on you by making you lose lean muscle mass over time, which decreases your resting metabolic rate. Once this happens, it becomes easier to pack on body fat than ever before.  I've even seen many people that do too much cardio and end up getting that "skinny fat" appearance, where they have very little muscle tone, yet they have excess stomach fat (even a "gut" possibly).
Instead of excess cardio, focus more on high intensity weight training (yes, even during a "cutting" cycle, where heavier training is even MORE important). This will help maintain your lean muscle mass throughout your body, so that you don't experience the metabolic rate decrease. Maintaining as much lean muscle mass on your body at all times is one of the most important things for staying super-lean for life.
b. Not eating enough healthy fats
This is another area where I see people go in the wrong direction. They are trying to lose body fat and they end up going WAY too low on their fat intake. When you decrease your fat intake too much, you are basically messing up your fat burning and muscle building hormones. It's not uncommon to see people decrease their fat intake too low and end up reducing their testosterone levels significantly.
Try to get some sources of healthy fats with every meal to make sure you don't go too low... This could be avocados, any and all nuts (almonds, walnuts, pistachios, pecans, etc), seeds (pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds), nut butters (almond butter, natural peanut butter, etc), virgin coconut oil (good source of medium chain triglycerides), extra virgin olive oil, grass fed beef (good source of conjugated linoleic acid and omega-3s), whole eggs (yes, whole eggs...not egg whites), etc.

3. What is one unique way of boosting your metabolism, to finally burn fat, that I might be overlooking?
MG:  Incorporate any form of clean & presses into your routines twice per week. This could be barbell clean & presses or using kettlebells or dumbbells.  If I had to choose one exercise that burns the most calories and has the biggest impact on increasing your metabolic rate, I'd have to choose high intensity clean & presses (with squats and deadlifts being at the top of the pack also).  I like alternating the use of barbells for C&P's one workout and kettlebells for another.
If you want to learn more about how to train with kettlebells, see this article.

4. What is your number one plateau busting secret to lose the last 10 pounds?
MG:  When you get to the point that you're already fairly lean, but just need to lose that last 5 or 10 lbs of body fat that is covering up your abs, you really need to take your workouts to a whole new level of intensity.
Consider adding all-out wind sprints and/or hill sprints into your routine if you want to take it to the next level of intensity.
As for gym workouts, this also means no jibber-jabbering for 5 minutes in between sets at the gym... Instead, you need laser-focused intensity, and one of the best ways to keep high intensity is super-setting or alternating sets. This means while you're resting one area of your body, you're working another area of your body. I usually like to do this by alternating a really tough lower body exercise such as a squat, lunge, or deadlift, with a multi-joint upper body exercise such as a bench press, overhead press, bent over row, or pullup.
Think short rest periods, full body exercises, multi-joint exercises, lots of sweat, and your chest heaving for air... if that's what your workout is looking like, then you're on the right path.  If not, then you're not working hard enough.

5. What is your advice for me to deal with the social temptations of alcohol, eating out, and junk food?
MG: This is something many people struggle with, but if you set some limits, it can be easy to deal with and still stay lean. One thing I'd suggest is to make sure to not get in a habit of drinking alcohol excessively on a daily basis. If you're going to go out and have some fun with friends, try to limit the drinking to only 1 or 2 days max per week. Sometimes we need to remind ourselves that we can still go out and have fun with our friends without getting totally smashed.
You need to decide what is more important in your life... do you want to live healthy and have a strong lean body, or do you want to get full-blown drunk every night? There's a lot more to life than alcohol.  This article explains some tips for moderate drinkers to stay lean.
As for eating out... If you're serious about getting and staying lean, eating out should only be an occasional event. Cooking your own food on a daily basis is extremely important as it's very hard to know what is in all of the junk at restaurants and fast food joints. One of the tricks I use when eating out is to NEVER eat fries or sodas (in fact, I never eat fries or sodas AT ALL).
Instead, go ahead and order that burger, but substitute steamed veggies or a salad for the fries. Almost every restaurant will make that substitution for you. And water or unsweetened iced tea are the best beverage options to keep the calories under control when eating out.

6.  Why do I lose motivation when trying to get a six pack?
MG: Most people lose motivation because they simply aren't seeing the results fast enough. If that's why you lose motivation, go back to all of the tips and techniques we've been talking about in here and see where your nutrition or training programs are going wrong so you can get faster results.  Be patient and consistent and the results will come.
Also, you can really stay motivated by focusing on what has been successful so far. For example, maybe your fat loss hasn't been what you wanted so far, but maybe you've increased your pullups from 8 to 13 and your squat weight from 185 to 225 lbs for the same reps. Keep focusing on your successes rather than your failures, and keep going for more successes.
More motivation tips -- Train regularly with a partner. This will keep you both focused and will keep you accountable to someone other than yourself. You don't want to disappoint someone else that you've made a goal with.
Also, keep a picture up in your house or at work of someone's body that motivates you to strive for those results. Look at it every day and keep visualizing your own body improving. Set a realistic goal and a time frame to acheive that goal, such as "I will lose 15 lbs of body fat in the next 8 weeks". The important thing here is realistic goal... don't expect to lose 30 lbs in 30 days (despite those weight loss scam ads that you see everywhere claiming BS like this).

7. I understand you have the number one six pack abs program on the Internet -- Truth About Abs.  Why do you think it's so popular?
My Truth about Six Pack Abs program is so popular because it works!  It's REAL nutrition and REAL training programs instead of useless gimmicks and fads.  I give the TRUTH on what people really need to get lean sexy abs for life and why they DON'T NEED fad gimmicks like diets, ab infomercial gadgets, and bogus fat burning pills that people waste way too much money on.

8.  Who should order Truth About Abs and who is this program not for?
This program is for anyone that wants to truly live healthy and get super-lean for life. I have college students, parents, busy professionals, and even grandparents using this program successfully.
Who is this program NOT for?  Anyone who is lazy, or thinks that there is a "quick fix" out there.  There isn't! So stop looking for a quick fix, and learn the truth!
Plus, when you go to order, I'm actually allowing everyone reading this to "try it before you buy it", so that way you can try out the program, start seeing real results, and then decide if it's right for you.
Check out some of the tremendous results that other readers are getting with the Truth about Abs program

Also, you can view some of the most common questions and answers about Truth about Abs

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The TRUTH about Good Carbs, Bad Carbs, Low vs High Carbs, and all of the Carb Confusion

by Mike Geary - Certified Nutrition Specialist, Certified Personal Trainer

Best-Selling Author:  The Fat-Burning Kitchen & The Top 101 Foods that FIGHT Aging

With so much talk, confusion, and controversy in recent years about "carbs", I wanted to give you my take on good carbs vs bad carbs, low carb vs high-carb, and all the other "carb confusion" out there.  I'll also show you some of my favorite healthy carbohydrate choices, and exactly why they are better than other choices.
First of all, although I'm not a "low carb" extremist, I do believe that one of the main reasons so many people struggle to ever lose any body fat is that (regardless of complex vs simple carbs) they are over-consuming processed grain-based or sugary carbohydrates such as:

• cereals
• pasta
• rice
• bagels
• muffins
• breads (even whole grain varieties are not ideal if you're looking to lose body fat & prevent digestive system damage)
• sodas (loaded with sugar and/or high fructose corn syrup)
• juices (way too much fructose and total sugar without any of the fruit fiber)
• candies
• crackers

It is extremely hard to lose body fat if you're over consuming any of these types of carbohydrates (even if you workout very hard).  In addition to causing wild blood sugar swings and insulin surges which can promote body fat deposition and throw your hormonal balance out of whack, eating too many carbs also increases your appetite and cravings, leading you to eat MORE calories overall compared to if you ate a higher percentage of fat.
Note that I didn't include potatoes in the list of processed carbohydrates. Despite the trash talking they get from many fitness professionals, I think whole potatoes (not fries or chips!) are a nutrient-dense healthy food in general, although the skins of potatoes do contain mild amounts of toxins.
Even carbohydrate sources that most people think are "healthy" usually are just excess calories that don't really deliver a whole lot of nutrient density... and many types of breads and cereals pretend to be "whole grain" with clever marketing while in reality the first ingredient in them is refined flour, which is just going to shoot your blood sugar through the roof.
However, even "whole grain" products have been shown to have just as much of a massive blood sugar impact as refined grains in many cases, particularly when it comes to wheat products.  And unfortunately, whole grains are also bad because it's generally the bran portion of grains that contains the majority of gut-damaging antinutrients that can inflame your digestive system or prevent absorption of certain minerals by your body.

What does "low carb" vs "moderate carb" vs "high carb" even mean?
According to expert Nutrition author Chris Kresser, below are the differences between low, moderate, or high carb ratios compared to your total calories.  Keep in mind that the average person eating a modern western diet consumes a massive 50-60% of their calories from carbs.

• Very Low carb = lower than 10% of total calories (Good for therapeutic uses such as cancer treatment, Diabetes treatment, Alzheimers & other conditions)
• Low carb = 10-15% of total calories  (good for weight loss, blood sugar control, digestive improvement, and Diabetes control)
• Moderate carb = 15-30% of total calories (good range for the average person to maintain weight, balance energy, balance hormones, etc)
• High carb = greater than 30% of total calories  (Good for people that want to GAIN weight, gain muscle, or are high level athletes)

Personally, I tend to cycle between the low-carb group and the moderate-carb group depending on the day of the week, so I range between 10% to 30% of my daily calories from carbohydrates.  I've found this is where I feel best and perform best.  If I go "high-carb" like the average American, I pack on body fat VERY fast, and it's not fun.  I try to keep high-carb days to only 1 day per week, aka, my cheat day.
Note:  If you consume 2000 calories per day, then that means 200 calories, or approx 50 grams of carbs for the day would be 10% of your total calories.  For me, because of my height and high activity levels (I'm a big skier, mountain biker, hiker, swimmer, etc), my daily maintenance is more around 3000 calories, so that would mean 75 grams of carbs would represent 10% of my calories (75 x 4 = 300 calories from carbs).  On most days, I'd estimate that I get between 80-100 grams of carbs total, which is equivalent to 1 piece of fruit, 1 sweet potato, some various veggies throughout the day, along with a little bit of honey in my tea, and a little bit of coconut sugar in my coffee.
 
My take on it is that the majority of people struggling to lose body fat would do much better following these types of carb guidelines:

1. Reduce or eliminate your grain-based carb products in the diet (cereal, pasta, rice, crackers, etc) and focus more of your diet on healthy grass-fed and/or free-range meats and eggs, grass-fed raw dairy or fermented dairy (kefir and yogurt), nuts, and TONS of vegetables and fruits (for most people, keeping fruit to 1-2 pieces per day is best). 
I understand that it's very hard for most people to give up entirely their breads, cereals, and pastas.  But don't worry, just save the grain-based carbs for no more than a 1-day per week "cheat day", and most people can still do just fine if you're not gluten intolerant or Celiac.
2. Instead of the grains for most of your carbs, try getting most of your carbs from vegetables, sweet potatoes, and a variety of whole fruits and berries (NOT fruit juices, which remove the beneficial fiber as well as other essential parts of the fruit).
3.  If you're going to eat any grains at all, focus on sprouted grains if you can, or sourdough on the occasions that you absolutely need to have bread.  Since sourdough bread has been fermented, some of the antinutrients have been broken down, and even the gluten is thought to be at least slightly more digestible in a sourdough bread.
Note on wheat germ --  although wheat germ is a nutrient dense food (compared to the nutrient-poor starch portion of wheat), beware of the gluten in wheat if you have any intolerance.  Many people have wheat/gluten intolerances and don't even realize it.  It could be worth it to get tested to see how your body is handling wheat.
If you are choosing sprouted grain breads, make sure that it's 100% sprouted grain, and not regular flour as the main ingredient followed by a portion of sprouted grains.  Sprouted grains are healthier than "whole grains" because the sprouting process deactivates many of the antinutrients that can cause digestive problems and prevent certain minerals from being absorbed.
4. To replace the void if you're used to consuming lots of bread, pasta, cereals, and other carb sources... try filling that void with more healthy fats such as nuts, seeds, avocados, coconut oil, olive oil, olives, grass-fed butter and cream, aged cheeses, nut butters, as well as healthy proteins such as grass-fed dairy and meats, whole free-range organic eggs, etc.
Healthy fats and proteins go a long way to satisfying your appetite, controlling proper hormone and blood sugar levels, and helping you to make real progress on fat loss.  Consuming more healthy fats instead of carbs also helps to transition your metabolism into a "fat adapted metabolism" instead of being a "carb burner" like most people.  Having a "fat adapted metabolism" gives you more stable energy levels, stable blood sugar, balanced hormones, and more.  On the other hand, being a carb-burner gives you more energy spikes and dips, blood sugar swings, and cravings.
With all of that said, even when I'm eating a low-moderate carbohydrate diet, here's one of my favorite carb sources that is high in fiber as well as tons of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants:

Sweet potatoes or yams
I always choose the orange varieties instead of the white varieties of sweet potatoes for more carotenes. One of the problems with sweet potatoes is the time it takes to bake a sweet potato for 1 to 1.5 hrs.
I cook my sweet potatoes in a different way that only takes 5 minutes and they come out delicious... and no, I would NEVER use a microwave (We talk more about why never to use a microwave to cook your foods in this article).
The easiest and quickest way I've found to cook up a sweet potato is to slice it up into thin slivers and put it into a pan that you can cover with a lid.  I add a touch of butter, virgin coconut oil (beneficial medium chain triglycerides), and about 3-4 Tbsp of water and simmer with a covered lid for about 5 minutes. 
When the sweet potatoes are soft, then add a little cinnamon and maybe a touch (no more than a teaspoon) of real maple syrup (if you want a little more sweet flavor) and you're all set with a delicious healthy carb side dish to go with any meat dish.  Add a side salad and you've got the perfect lean-body meal plan.
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A Full Body Workout that Shreds Your Abs Without Ab Isolation Exercises

Try this workout below to get a killer full body workout at the same time that you indirectly work your abs hard.
by Zach Even-Esh, Certified Trainer, Founder - Underground Strength Gladiator Training

A lot of effort and thought is placed into ab exercises that isolate and work the abs. But, the good news is that there are many exercises that work your entire body AND your abs intensely at the same time.
This workout is perfect if you're busy as well as economical. I like to call this training economics: do only what works very effectively and gives you the most bang for your buck.
Check out some of my favorite exercises that will work your entire body AND your abs intensely. On the flip side, this does NOT mean to skip exercises that target your abs deeply.
All you need is 1 or 2 dumbbells for the exercises below. These exercises can be performed at the beginning of a workout or at the end.  You'll see at the bottom that we added a sample workout for how to incorporate these tough full body and ab training drills into a great workout.

Exercise 1:  1-Arm Overhead Dumbbell Walk:
Press 1 dumbbell overhead and lock out your arm. Keep your arm close to your ear, tighten your entire core, shoulder and back. This exercise is to be performed slowly and under complete control.
Walk for distance, anywhere from 100 – 200 feet with the dumbbell overhead. A heavier dumbbell will cut down on the distance you can walk and should be reserved for those who are experienced under heavy weights. Start light and be smart. Switch hands mid way through the walk to ensure equal work is done for each side.
Your arm should be perfectly vertical when carrying the dumbbell overhead. Often times people will allow the dumbbell to sway slightly forward which will NOT strain the abs intensely.
Try 2 sets for each arm, 100 – 200 feet for distance in total for each set.


Exercise 2:  Dumbbell Farmer Walks:
Stand in between two moderately heavy dumbbells and deadlift them up. Grip the dumbbells tightly, brace your abs and lower back and squeeze the weights all the way up. This intense squeezing forces the abs to contract intensely. Not only will your abs become very strong and tight from all this squeezing, but it also strengthens the back and reduces your chances of lower back injuries.
Once you have the dumbbells at your sides, make sure your posture is tall and your shoulders and tight. Speed walk the dumbbells 100 – 200 feet in distance, come to a complete stop and slowly deadlift the weights down.
You can carry the dumbbells in a straight line or in a zig zag fashion which can also strain the obliques very intensely.
2 sets of 100 – 200 feet per set is great. You can perform these exercises at the beginning or end of a workout. Or, begin your workout with 1 arm overhead dumbbell walks, then perform your regular workout, and finish the workout with 2 hard sets of dumbbell farmer walks.


Try this workout with the two exercises I just explained:
1) Arm Overhead Dumbbell carry 2 x 100 feet each hand
Superset all 3 below:
2A) Pull Ups 3 x max reps
2B) Walking Bodyweight Lunges 3 x 10 each Leg
2C) Push Ups w/Feet Elevated 3 x max reps
3) Dumbbell Farmer Walks 2 x 200 feet
Superset both exercises below:
4A) Plank 1 x 30 seconds
4B) side plank 1 x 30 seconds each Side
Enjoy the killer workout!
Zach Even–Esh is the owner of The Underground Strength Gym in Edison, NJ and the author of The REAL Man Muscle Building System.
Check out Zach's badass website here:
Underground Strength Gladiator Training  

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