One of the most common false dichotomies that physique athletes believe is they are “ either on their diet” or “off their diet”. Many believe they are being “good” or “bad” depending on their nutritional choices at any given meal during any time of year.
“Negative” Calorie Foods? By Steve Taylor, R.D.
For years, there have been not only claims, but entire diets based around the philosophy that certain foods such as: celery, cucumber, lettuce, citrus fruits, etc. result in a negative energy balance when consumed. The theory, is that eating enough of these foods will help one to “burn-fat”, [Read more…]
The Inclusive Vs Exclusive Mindset – Going Beyond IIFYM
If you’ve ever heard me discuss nutrition, you’ve heard me caution against a “clean and dirty/good and bad” outlook on food. You’ve heard me say there are no “bad” foods that measurably harm you or your goals if consumed, regardless of the frequency of their consumption, their dose consumed, or the composition of the rest of your diet. [Read more…]
Set-Up Strategies: What To Do Before Your Diet Starts
Let’s just say you know you’re going to compete in a year, which means you plan to “officially” begin contest prep in about 3 or 4 months.
Or maybe you’ve decided that you want to use your food and nutritional intake to look like a fitness model this year for a photo shoot, vacation or wedding.
What should you do in the meantime? [Read more…]
Should You Weigh Your Meat Cooked or Uncooked? By Steve Taylor, MS, RD
Out of all the nutrition questions/topics/debates out there within the fitness and health community, the question of when one should weigh their meat, before cooking it, or after, consistently finds it way to the top of forum boards, YouTube comments and Snapchat Q & A’s.
Are Raw Eggs Hurting Your Gains?? By Steve Taylor, MS, RD
We’ve all watched that famous scene of Rocky Balboa cracking copious amounts of raw eggs into a glass, and then slamming it down before stepping out the door to begin his run. [Read more…]
Protein Spiking: What is it? And How Can You Protect Yourself From it? By Steve Taylor, MS, RD
“Protein, who needs it.”…Said no bodybuilder ever. The truth of the matter is, regardless of our specific individual goals, if these goals have anything to do with building lean tissue, or preventing muscle wasting while dieting, we need protein. [Read more…]
How to Use Fiber When Dieting by Steve Taylor, MS, RD
“Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock…” We’ve all been here before: it’s 3 in the afternoon, you just finished eating lunch an hour ago, and you’re already starving. You stare at the clock, counting the minutes until you get to eat again, “Only 2 more hours and 53 minutes until dinner time.” What a terrible way to live, right?
Fat-loss is difficult, and there will inevitably be times during your diet where you find yourself in a similar situation to the one above, however minimizing the number of times we find ourselves here, and the length of time we spend here, is critical. Not only is this critical for maintaining your sanity, a productive work day, healthy relationships with family and friends, and overall well-being, but reducing the frequency of the above scenario also increases the likelihood that you will be successful in achieving your fat-loss goals.
High-Fructose Corn Syrup vs. Table Sugar, What’s the Deal? By Steve Taylor, MS, RD
“High-Fructose Corn Syrup will make you fat!” “High-Fructose Corn Syrup is the reason you can’t lose weight.” “High-Fructose Corn Syrup is worse for you than table sugar.” The list goes on and on of the various claims made about high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) throughout the dieting community and popular media headlines. And while these claims have become almost law to many who are trying to lose weight, is there actually any truth behind them? Is high-fructose corn syrup itself really to blame for the current obesity epidemic sweeping America?
Aspartame: Friend or Foe? By Jordan Day
There has been great debate amongst experts in the field of diet and nutrition over the last fifteen to twenty years regarding the safety of artificial sweeteners, primarily aspartame. Often times, certain influential public figures (with no dietary credentials whatsoever might I add) receive extraordinary exposure from the media on this subject, thus resulting in the skewed opinion and misrepresentation toward the public. Reporters capture this, and mislead the public and my job here is to inform you, not that sugar substitutes are good for you, but how they are all right in moderation and that if you drink a diet soda in the morning, you are not going to suddenly develop a cancerous tumor from it, rest assured.