Eating too much in one sitting or taking in too many calories throughout the day are common habits that can be hard to break.

Over time, eating too much food can lead to weight gain and put you at risk of chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease.

Plus, it can hold you back from reaching your health and wellness goals and may negatively impact your emotional well-being.

Although breaking the cycle of overeating can be challenging, there are ways to kick this unhealthy habit for good.

Here are 23 effective ways to stop overeating.

1. Get Rid of Distractions
Effective Ways to Stop Overeating
Whether it’s working through lunch in front of the computer or noshing on chips while you catch up on your favorite television show, eating while distracted is a common occurrence for most people.

While this habit might seem harmless, it may be causing you to overeat.

A review of 24 studies found that being distracted during a meal led people to consume more calories at that meal. It also caused them to eat more food later in the day compared to people who paid attention to their food while eating (1).

SUMMARY
Make an effort to turn off or put away potential distractions like phones, computers and magazines so you can concentrate on your meal. It will help you eat less and prevent overeating.

2. Know Your Weaknesses

Pinpointing which foods you have a particularly hard time limiting can help you decrease your chances of overeating.

For example, if you have a habit of eating a large bowl of ice cream every night, stop keeping ice cream in your freezer.

Preparing healthy options like a sliced apple with peanut butter, hummus and veggies, or homemade trail mix can help you make better choices when you are hankering for a treat.

Another helpful tip is to keep unhealthy snack foods like chips, candy and cookies out of sight so that you aren’t tempted to grab a handful every time you walk past.

SUMMARY
Identify the unhealthy foods you can’t resist. Keep them out of your home or far out of sight, and make healthy options easily accessible instead.

3. Don’t Ban All Your Favorite Foods
Restrictive eating patterns that cut out many of your favorite foods may cause you to feel deprived and drive you to binge on forbidden treats.

Diets that concentrate on whole, unprocessed foods are always best, but making room for an occasional treat is perfectly healthy.

Swearing that you will never have a scoop of ice cream, slice of pizza or piece of chocolate again is not realistic for most people.

Instead, focus on providing your body with mostly healthy, nutritious food while also giving yourself the freedom to truly enjoy a treat here and there.

SUMMARY
Eating patterns that are too restrictive may drive you to binge. The key to a sustainable, healthy diet is to concentrate on eating whole, unprocessed foods most of the time, while allowing yourself a treat here and there.

4. Give Volumetrics a Try

Volumetrics is a way of eating that focuses on filling up with low-calorie, high-fiber foods like non-starchy vegetables.

Consuming foods that are low in calories and high in fiber and water before meals can help you feel full so that you aren’t tempted to overeat.

Examples of volumetrics-friendly foods include grapefruit, salad greens, broccoli, beans, tomatoes and low-sodium broth.

Eating a large salad or a bowl of low-sodium, broth-based soup before lunch and dinner may be an effective way to prevent overeating.

SUMMARY
Use the volumetrics method of eating — fill up on healthy, low-calorie, high-fiber foods to help you feel full. You’ll be less likely to overindulge on unhealthy foods.

5. Avoid Eating From Containers

Eating chips out of the bag, ice cream out of the carton or takeout straight from the box can lead you to consume more food than you need.

Instead, portion out a single serving size on a plate or in a bowl to help control the number of calories you are consuming.

To train your eye, try measuring out serving sizes for a week or two until you know what a normal portion should look like.

SUMMARY
Instead of eating food straight from the package, portion it into a dish. Try measuring out appropriate serving sizes to help train your eye to identify how much food is right for you.

6. Reduce Stress

Stress can lead to overeating, so it’s important to find ways to reduce the amount of stress in your life.

Chronic stress drives up levels of cortisol, a hormone that increases appetite. Studies have shown that being stressed can lead to overeating, increased hunger, binge eating and weight gain (2).

There are many simple ways to reduce your everyday stress levels. Consider using yoga, listening to music, gardening, meditation, exercise and breathing techniques.

SUMMARY

Stress can lead to overeating, so reducing the stress in your everyday life is one important step you can take to stop this downward spiral.

7. Practice Mindful Eating

Adopting mindful eating techniques is one of the best ways to prevent overeating.

The practice of mindful eating stresses the importance of focusing on the present moment and being aware of your thoughts, emotions and senses while consuming food.

Many studies have shown that mindful eating is an effective way to reduce binge eating behaviors, overeating and emotional eating (3).

Eating more slowly, taking small bites, chewing thoroughly, being aware of your senses and appreciating your food are all simple mindfulness practices you can incorporate into your daily routine.

SUMMARY

The practice of mindful eating has been shown to help reduce binge eating behaviors. Mindful eating focuses on being aware of your thoughts and senses while eating.

8. Eat Fiber-Rich Foods

Choosing foods that are rich in fiber like beans, vegetables, oats and fruit can help keep you feeling satisfied longer and reduce the urge to overeat.

For example, one study found that people who ate fiber-rich oatmeal for breakfast felt fuller and ate less at lunch than those who consumed cornflakes for breakfast (4).

Snacking on nuts, adding beans to your salad and eating vegetables at every meal may help reduce the amount of food you consume.

SUMMARY

Add fiber-rich foods to your diet to keep yourself feeling satisfied for longer. Studies show this may help reduce the urge to overeat.

9. Eat Regular Meals

When attempting to lose weight, many people cut out meals in the hope that it will decrease the number of calories they take in.

While this may work in some instances, such as intermittent fasting, restricting meals may cause you to eat more later in the day.

Studies have demonstrated that eating more frequently throughout the day may decrease hunger and overall food intake (5).

For example, some people may skip lunch to restrict calories, only to find themselves overeating at dinner. However, eating a balanced lunch may actually help reduce the chances of eating too much later in the day (6).

SUMMARY
Skipping meals may cause you to eat more later in the day. Instead, focus on keeping yourself feeling satisfied by eating balanced meals made with whole foods.

10. Keep a Food Journal

Keeping track of what you eat in a food diary or mobile app may help reduce overeating.

Many studies have shown that using self-monitoring techniques like keeping a food diary may help with weight loss (7).

Plus, using a food journal can make you more aware of situations where you are most likely to overeat and foods that you tend to binge on.

SUMMARY

Studies have shown that tracking your food intake may help you lose weight. It will also help you become more aware of your habits.

11. Dine With Like-Minded Friends

The food choices of your dining companions may have more impact on your food intake than you realize.

Numerous studies have found that people’s food choices are heavily influenced by the people they eat with.

You may tend to eat similar amounts as those around you, so dining out with friends who overeat may cause you to overeat as well (8).

Plus, studies have shown that a person is more inclined to order unhealthy options if their dining partner does (9).

Choosing to eat with family and friends who have similar health goals can help you stay on track and reduce your chances of overeating.

SUMMARY

Who you eat with may majorly impact your food choices. Try to dine with people who also want to eat healthy meals in moderate portions.

12. Fill up on Protein

Protein helps keep you full throughout the day and can decrease the desire to overeat.

For example, eating a high-protein breakfast has been shown to reduce hunger and snacking later in the day (10).

Choosing a protein-rich breakfast like eggs tends to lower levels of ghrelin, a hormone that stimulates hunger (11).

Adding higher-protein snacks such as Greek yogurt to your routine can also help you eat less throughout the day and keep hunger under control (12).

SUMMARY
Eating protein-rich foods may help you stave off hunger and cravings. Starting the day with a high-protein breakfast can also help fight hunger later in the day.

13. Stabilize Your Blood Sugar Levels

Eating white bread, cookies, candy and other carbohydrates with high glycemic indexes will likely cause your blood sugar levels to spike, then fall quickly.

This rapid blood sugar fluctuation has been shown to promote hunger and can lead to overeating (13).

Choosing foods with lower glycemic indexes will help prevent blood sugar spikes and may reduce overeating. Beans, oats and brown rice are all great options.

SUMMARY

Eat foods that help keep your blood sugar levels constant. High-glycemic foods like candy and white bread can make your blood sugar spike then drop, which may lead to overeating. Instead, choose foods like beans, oats and brown rice.

14. Slow Down

Eating too quickly may cause you to overeat and can lead to weight gain over time.

Slower paced eating is associated with increased fullness and decreased hunger, and can serve as a useful tool for controlling overeating (14).

Taking the time to thoroughly chew food has also been shown to reduce overall food intake and increase feelings of fullness (15).

SUMMARY

Focusing on eating more slowly and chewing your food thoroughly may help you recognize signs of fullness and may reduce overeating.

15. Watch Your Alcohol Intake

Drinking alcohol may cause you to overeat by lowering your inhibitions and stimulating your appetite (16, 17).

While having a drink or two with a meal won’t have a huge effect, having several drinks in one sitting may lead to increased levels of hunger.

One study found that college students who drank four to five drinks at a time more than once a week were more likely to overeat after drinking compared to students who drank one to two drinks at a time (18).

Cutting back on the amount of alcohol you drink may be a good way to minimize overeating.

SUMMARY
Studies show that drinking several drinks in one sitting may lead you to overeat. Instead, stick to just one or two drinks, or forgo drinking alcohol entirely.

16. Plan Ahead

If you’re not prepared when hunger strikes, you’re more likely to make poor food choices that can lead you to overeat.

If you’re forced to purchase meals and snacks at the last minute from restaurants or delis, you’re more likely to make unhealthy choices and eat more than you should.

Instead, keep healthy snacks on hand, pack home-cooked lunches and stock your fridge with healthy options so you can prepare dinner at home.

These strategies will help you decrease overeating. Plus, making more meals at home can save you money and time.

SUMMARY
The more prepared you are to eat healthily, the less likely you are to overeat. Keep your fridge and pantry stocked with healthy, filling foods.

17. Replace Sugary Beverages With Water

Drinking sugary beverages like soda and juice could lead to weight gain and increase your risk of certain diseases like diabetes (19).

Studies have shown that consuming sweetened drinks with meals may be linked to overeating as well.

A review of 17 studies found that adults who drank sugar-sweetened beverages with meals consumed 7.8% more food than adults who consumed water with meals (20).

Choosing water or unsweetened seltzer over sweetened beverages may help reduce overeating.

SUMMARY
Avoid sugary beverages. They’ve been linked to an increased risk of diabetes and other diseases, and may also be linked to overeating. Drink water instead.

18. Check in With Yourself
Do you find yourself heading to the kitchen and checking the fridge a little too often?

If you overeat even when you are not hungry, it may be a good idea to take a minute and check in with yourself to understand why you have the urge to eat.

Depression and boredom are two common issues that have been linked to the urge to overeat (21, 22).

Luckily, there are actions you can take to break the cycle. For example, try taking on a new activity you enjoy. It may help prevent boredom and distract you from the urge to nibble.

If you believe depression may be driving your overeating, seek out a mental health professional for guidance. They can help you get back on track.

SUMMARY
Ask yourself why you’re overeating and address the issues behind the behavior. Depression and boredom are two common reasons. If you think you’re experiencing depression, seek out a mental health professional for guidance.

19. Ditch the Diet Mentality

Fad diets probably won’t help you stop overeating in the long run. Short-term, restrictive diets may lead to rapid weight loss, but are often unsustainable and can set you up for failure.

Instead, make long-term lifestyle changes that promote health and wellness. It’s the best way to create a balanced relationship with food and prevent habits like overeating.

SUMMARY

Instead of going on fad diets to curb your overeating, find a sustainable way of eating that nourishes your body and helps you reach optimal health.

20. Break Old Habits

Habits can be hard to break, especially when they involve food.

Many people get into comfortable routines, like eating dinner in front of the TV or having a bowl of ice cream every night.

It may take time to identify unhealthy behaviors that lead you to overeat and replace them with new, healthy habits, but it’s well worth the effort.

For example, make it a point to eat at the dinner table instead of in front of the TV, or replace your nightly bowl of ice cream with a hot cup of tea. These replacements will become healthy habits over time.

SUMMARY
Identify your unhealthy habits and gradually replace them with new, more positive behaviors.

21. Eat Healthy Fats
Although high-fat foods are often associated with weight gain and overeating, choosing foods rich in healthy fats can actually help you eat less.

Several studies have shown that adults who consume high-fat, low-carb diets are less hungry three to four hours after meals and lose more weight over time than people who consume diets high in carbs and low in fat (23, 24).

Adding healthy fats like avocados, nuts, seeds, nut butter and olive oil to your diet may help you feel more satisfied after meals and reduce overeating.

22. Negative People or Crap

Be honest Call yourself on your own bullshit and own it. If you’re allowing a negative someone in your life and there stressing you, that’s on you! Crap from others or from a love interest this should not be tolerated. We are all adults. If a person is not looking out for you or uplifting you (((((SHUT THAT SHIT DOWN)))) BAD ENERGY WILL RUIN YOU.
DO NOT BE A ESCAPE FOR SOMEONE BS.

In Conclusion:

Many people struggle with overeating.

Fortunately, there are many ways to take back control of your eating habits.

For example, try adding more protein to your meals, implementing mindful eating techniques and reducing your stress levels at work, home, love or life.

Healthcare professionals like psychologists, doctors or registered dietitians can also provide counseling and guidance to help you get back on track.

Overeating can be a hard habit to break, but you can do it. It take 21 days to create a new habit. Use these tips to help yourself establish a new, healthy routine, and make sure to seek professional help if you need it.

But all of this is just advise. You can do whatever the f**k you wanna do!

Your friend and coach,

Crystal aka Barbell_Barbie.NY
N.A.S.M C.P.T
N.A.S.M Nutrition
N.A.S.M M.M.A

References:

https://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=56586

The post 22 Simple Things You Can Do to Stop Overeating appeared first on .

I’ve got a confession to make: I’m fine with post-workout selfies, but I’m tired of seeing the same old ab and chest shots. Beach-muscle photos abound on social media, but there seems to be a serious lack of well-developed backs out there. I’m talking about dense lats, three-dimensional traps, a wide V-taper, capped rear delts, and lower-back musculature that makes foothills on either side of the spine.

It’s extremely tough work to build that kind of back, so it’s no wonder so many folks only take pics from the front. But if you want to stand out from the crowd, you’re in the right spot; the four techniques in this article are proven winners for unparalleled back development! Use them to take your back size, strength, and symmetry to new heights. Soon enough, you’ll be snapping selfies of your better side. ###Cobra Back ##Back Attack. So lets kick some back and take some names! Here goes!

1 DEADLIFT

Deadlifting forces you to use virtually every muscle in your body as you take the bar from the floor and transition to an upright position. In the chain of muscles involved in this process, nothing is left behind, and everything is forced to contribute.

It all starts with your lower back. Nothing will build your spinal erectors like the repetitive action of heavy deadlifting for reps. The deadlift is more than a lower-back exercise, though. As you move through the full range of motion and transition from the lower part of the lift to the lockout phase, your grip, lats, traps, and other upper-back muscles take over.

When you lock out the weight, you’re holding a very heavy weight in a dead-hang position, which places anabolic-spiking pressure on your traps, creating a synergistic combination that builds thickness in your upper back and shoulders.

TRAINING TIPS
To more effectively target your back, use a conventional hip-width stance when deadlifting. Furthermore, because the range of motion is greater than in a sumo deadlift, more mechanical work is done, and the muscles are under greater tension for a longer amount of time. Sumo deadlifts can maximize leverage for powerlifting, but aren’t great for building size, whereas conventional deadlifts serve as the gateway to hypertrophy heaven. When growth is the objective, you want to keep reps in a variety of ranges, working both low and high.
Everything in training operates on the risk-to-benefit ratio. When using good form, the risk is relatively low on this continuum, and the benefit is high. Stop deadlifting for the day before your form starts to breaks down. Otherwise, you’ll lose the desired training effect and potentially win the local chiropractor or orthopedic surgeon a new patient.
If you’re unsure of how wide to place your feet, use the same stance you’d do with a standing vertical jump. From here, you can adapt your stance to your personal preferences.

2 SINGLE-ARM DUMBBELL ROW
This movement is a tried-and-true bodybuilding basic, but I’m putting a unique spin on how you complete each set. Instead of following a vanilla formula of 3 sets of 10, let’s instead do as many reps as possible for a given amount of time! Your goal is to go for 30 seconds. For a 30-second set (each side), you’ll want to use a weight at which you can perform about 10 reps.

You’ll likely reach failure (at 2 seconds per rep), so you’ll continue with partial reps until you hit 30 seconds. Don’t stop your set when you reach failure! Start with your weaker side, and match the number of reps on your stronger side.

TRAINING TIPS
Start with your first set as your heaviest. On each subsequent set, reduce the weight by approximately 20 percent. So, if you’re using a 100-pound dumbbell for your first set, the second set would be with 80 pounds, and the third set with 65.
Doing the rowing movement unilaterally allows you to better concentrate on each rep, and then take the set beyond failure. Ultimately, this results in your backside muscles spending more time under maximal tension and enduring greater amounts of metabolic stress, two keys for hypertrophy.
This is about building a big back, so don’t let your grip be a limiting factor! By all means, throw on straps as needed.

3 STRAIGHT-ARM PULL-DOWN
Here’s one you’d never expect to make a list of big-back moves, because it’s a single-joint exercise, but it was a favorite of powerlifting bench-press world-record-holder Doug Young, a man who was built like a bodybuilder and even became a training advisor to a younger Arnold Schwarzenegger. In every upper-body workout—not just on back day—Young included 6 sets of straight-arm pull-downs.

In some pulling movements, the biceps are the limiting factor. But when you do a single-joint movement like this one, the biceps are taken out, which allows you to better isolate your lats. And this exercise does that especially well.

Straight-arm pull-downs can be performed with a lat bar or rope attachment on a cable lat station. Knock them out for one minute straight—don’t worry about reps—with a weight around your 20-rep max. Go at a controlled pace, focus on range of motion, work the muscle, and control the negative.

TRAINING TIPS
Some movements aren’t ruined by cheating and may even be enhanced, but this is not one of those movements. Keep it strict!
At the top of the movement, focus on stretching your lats; on the way down, focus on tightening them, keeping your arms extended throughout. By keeping your torso slightly inclined, you’ll more effectively target your lats.
Keep the negative portion of the rep under control at all times, taking up to five seconds to reach the top position before starting your next rep.
If you have trouble feeling your lats during the movement, do a lat-spread bodybuilding pose for six seconds prior to performing the exercise, and slow down the negative to a full five seconds.

4. Neutural Grip Pull Ups

Most of us are familiar with the overhand-grip pull-up; a neutral grip simply means your palms face each other. Here, you want them about shoulder-width apart. This movement is much more friendly on the wrists, elbows, and shoulders than either the overhand or underhand (chin-up) version.

The primary function of the lats is to pull the humerus (upper arm) down and into the body, but they also have a synergistic role in extension and lateral flexion of the spine. Both of those functions take place with the neutral-grip pull-up, which is why many bodybuilders feel it is the king of lat-building movements.

Start the pull-up from an arms-extended position, and hold the bar keeping tension in your lats and shoulders while squeezing your glutes. Pull your chin over the bar by driving your elbows down; lower your body under control to the starting position.

TRAINING TIPS
Why be normal? Do these pull-ups in cluster sets so you can sneak more volume into a minimal amount of time. Do 3 reps, rest 15 seconds, and repeat this sequence for four minutes.
If this is too easy—which is highly unlikely, because you won’t know until toward the end—by all means, add weight. If this is too difficult, do these band-assisted, or use an assisted pull-up machine.
To increase intensity, do these with a five-second eccentric; once you can no longer maintain that tempo, switch to a traditional tempo.

But all of this is just advice. You can do whatever the fudge you wanna do!!

Keep Punching, Lifting and growing Strong,

Crystal aka Barbell Barbie NY

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It’s the trend that just won’t die. Have a few conversations at a few parties, and you’ll get an earful about how consuming carbs will inevitably lead to obesity, type 2 diabetes, double chins, double bellys and, ultimately, death. Carb phobia is even more pervasive among active women. Men say I cant eat carbs. I blow up. Women say I cant eat carbs I gain weight. I cant eat, I do cardio for hours and hours and still don’t loose weight!!!!

This is a shame, because in my experience, active women and men have the least to gain by going low-carb—and the most to lose. Carbs also provide many benefits, particularly to those who train with intensity. Like me

The key is to know the difference between different types of carbs and when to consume them. Here are six reasons you shouldn’t fear carbs, and my personal tips on what you should do to get the most from this maligned macronutrient. So sip on those BCAAs and enjoy the following tips.

1 CARBS CAN FUEL INTENSE TRAINING

Intense training leads to immense gains. But you can’t have a dance party without any dancers—and carbs are, without a doubt, the partiers of your body. They provide most of the energy you need to really dial it up, and without them, intensity quickly becomes misery. Cutting carbs too severely can leave you feeling lethargic, perhaps even miserable.

INTENSE TRAINING LEADS TO IMMENSE GAINS. BUT YOU CAN’T HAVE A DANCE PARTY WITHOUT ANY DANCERS—AND CARBS ARE, WITHOUT A DOUBT, THE PARTIERS OF YOUR BODY.

To have enough fuel to light up your workouts, I recommend drinking a shake with protein and powdered carbohydrates before or during your workouts. Another tried-and-true approach is to eat a small meal of carbs such as potatoes or yams an hour or so before training.

However you get them, consuming carbs during this window will help power you to better workouts.

2 CARBS HELP SPARE PROTEIN FOR BUILDING MUSCLE

One thing you may not know about protein is that it can be converted into blood glucose. I said “can be,” not “should be.” In fact, the last thing you want is for valuable protein to undergo this conversion because there aren’t adequate carbs around. Sure, you might lose some weight, but much of it will be from a loss of muscle. You need to have a lot of muscle mass to make a long-term, low-carb diet worth the effort.

The best way to prevent this from happening is to consume an adequate amount of carbohydrates each day. I recommend about 2 grams per pound of body weight when the goal is to maintain body weight or add muscle, and closer to 1 gram per pound when dieting.

I usually eat the majority of my carbs at two times: around workouts and when I’m really hungry. When I’m hungry, I eat fibrous veggies in big servings.

So unless you have a very good reason to do it, think twice.

3 VEGGIES PROVIDE YOUR BODY WITH CRUCIAL MICRONUTRIENTS
I have a rule about diet plans: If it recommends you cut out all carbs, including vegetables, don’t follow it—ever!

While most versions of what people call the paleo diet includes fibrous vegetables, other diets recommend cutting even highly nutritious carbohydrates. Even if you’re not cutting them out entirely, you’re often limiting them or weighing them out using complicated ratios.

Limiting fibrous veggies is for the birds! Aside from being filling, these are among the best sources of many vitamins and minerals. Your body needs these micronutrients to fight free radicals, the damaging chemicals caused by stressors such as intense training.

I HAVE A RULE ABOUT DIET PLANS: IF IT RECOMMENDS YOU CUT OUT ALL CARBS, INCLUDING VEGETABLES, DON’T FOLLOW IT—EVER!
Your sweat carries away vital minerals such as calcium, magnesium, zinc, and potassium when you work out, all of which are needed for growth, recovery, exercise performance, and overall health.

4 CARBS PROVIDE FIBER FOR ENHANCED HEALTH AND FITNESS
Regardless of whether your current goal is building muscle mass or losing fat, you need fiber—and plenty of it.

Fiber not only helps improve overall health, it also fills your stomach (and your toilet) and provides satiety between meals. It’s crucial for building and maintaining a healthy environment in your gut, as well—all of those healthy microbes eat fiber, too!

While you can take fiber supplements, they’re not a suitable replacement for the fiber you get from whole foods. In addition to fruits and vegetables, eat enough root vegetables, beans and legumes, and nuts and seeds. This is non-negotiable!

5 CARBS BOOST POST-WORKOUT RECOVERY
So you consumed enough carbs that you felt great going into your workout. Long story short, you crushed it—and now you feel crushed!

This is when more carbs can help you. Insulin gets a bad rap these days, but the truth is that at certain times, it definitely has its uses. For instance, post-workout, the insulin that gets released in response to the carbs you eat acts as an anabolic hormone, helping to drive protein to muscle tissue for better growth and faster recovery. This is why bodybuilders often consume sugar after they work out.

You don’t have to go that far, but you should definitely refill your carb tank with glycogen—the form of sugar your body stores up for energy—after depleting it through hard training. After all, you still have to make it through the rest of your day and to your next workout!

6 CARBS ARE DELICIOUS

This is news to nobody! Aside from what they do for us, carbs are popular because we all love to eat them. Women who train intensely often underestimate this aspect of carb consumption. We often cut carbs too drastically because we love being disciplined in our approach, but we end up feeling awful. Our bodies need to feel good to maximize growth and performance. This isn’t about being miserable!

Of course we’ve all experienced that tasty, regretful evening with Ben, Jerry, and all of their delicious mixed-in friends. Have they helped expand waistlines across the world? Of course! But newsflash: This isn’t the only way to get your carbs.

Consume enough carbs every day to feel good and fuel your body to smash your goals, and it’ll be easier to resist the lure of the freezer case! That’s a win any way you slice it.

But all of this is just advise. You can do whatever the fudge you wanna do!

Keep Punching and growing strong,

Crystal aka Barbell Barbie NY

The post CARBS FOR THE ATHLETE IN US ALL appeared first on .

You may have heard some variation of this statement before: Your commitment to improved nutrition has to be a total, sustainable lifestyle change. WRONG!!!!

When people say this, they’re often doing it with the best of intentions. They’re trying to make eating better seem easier and more approachable. But what comes across is often the opposite. After all, there are an infinite number of nutrition-related variables you could change, and they would all impact your enjoyment, progress, and willingness to continue.

So let’s break it down and focus on doing fewer things better. Here are four techniques you can use to make real progress without getting overwhelmed.

1 DON’T MICROMANAGE YOUR MACROS

Repeat after me: protein, vegetables, water. If you forget everything else after reading this article, at least remember these three words. They’re the nutritional foundation of fat loss.

Don’t get me wrong—fat has its place, and it’s an important one. But if your goal is to lose weight, eating more protein and vegetables and drinking more water are the priorities. Focus on getting more of all three, and you can solve a lot of problems.

IF YOUR GOAL IS TO LOSE WEIGHT, EATING MORE PROTEIN AND VEGETABLES AND DRINKING MORE WATER ARE THE PRIORITIES. FOCUS ON GETTING MORE OF ALL THREE, AND YOU CAN SOLVE A LOT OF PROBLEMS.

Why u might ask Dear Watson? Let me break it down to you one at a time.

Protein: Aside from its ability to help you add muscle—which, in turn, helps to burn more fat—protein has several other benefits. It is slow to digest, which can help keep you feeling full throughout the day. It also has a high thermic effect, which means your body actually has to burn energy to digest and absorb protein. Yes, you understood that correctly: Protein can help keep you feeling fuller while eating less. To keep calories in check and encourage muscle-building at its highest, I recommend using lean animal proteins a majority of the time.

Veggies: After you’re finished pummeling your protein, it’s time to feast on veggies! Aside from the nutrient density and abundant antioxidants most vegetables have to offer, they also help to promote fullness due to their high water content. Fresh, frozen, or canned, each offers few calories per serving, which leads to larger portions and more fullness without the caloric overload or guilt trip.

Water: With all of the hoopla around macronutrients, it’s easy to forget that water is an essential nutrient, too. After all, we’re at least 70 percent water, which means we’re more water than protein! Aside from the cognitive and performance benefits associated with proper hydration, it’s crucial to drink water consistently throughout the day to further promote fullness, prevent dehydration, and boost recovery from exercise. Of course, this calorie-free fluid also takes up ample space in your stomach, preventing you from trying to fill it with candy and cookies.

These priorities can even extend to the order in which you eat things on your plate. Try filling up on proteins and veggies first, with ample sips of water throughout the meal. If you still have room afterward, that’s when to eat your carbs and fats.

2 FIX ONE MEAL AT A TIME

Look at some fitness-related Instagram feeds, and you might get the impression that you have to prep every meal every day to get results. You don’t.

Identify the one meal that is the most troublesome for you each day. Maybe you often skip lunch because you’re overloaded with meetings and projects all day, or you frequent the fast-food drive-thru for dinner on the reg. Maybe you still eat the breakfast of an overactive 6-year-old, and your wavering energy level throughout the day shows it. Tackle whatever meal gives you the most difficulty in consistently making sound nutritional choices.

First, make a plan. Plot out what you will eat for that specific meal each day of the week. Not just today, or tomorrow—every day of the week. If it’s lunch or dinner, iron out your lean protein and vegetables (and carbohydrates, depending on the meal,) and decide which ones you will include in that meal. Maybe it’s salmon and broccoli tomorrow, and grilled chicken with green beans the next.

Once you’ve got your foods picked, make the meal happen! Carve out the time to cook, portion, and pack the ingredients for this meal for the next few days. I’m not asking you to pack a week’s worth of food, or even a day’s worth—just one single meal per day.

ONCE YOU’VE GOT YOUR FOODS PICKED, MAKE THE MEAL HAPPEN! CARVE OUT THE TIME TO COOK, PORTION, AND PACK THE INGREDIENTS FOR THIS MEAL FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS.
If you can replace a few fast-food or vending-machine meals each week with some quality protein, vegetables, and water, that’s a big step. You’ll eliminate plenty of excess calories, improve your overall nutrition, and start building the habits that will lead to long-term progress.

3 LOOK FOR SIMPLE SWAPS

Steps 1 and 2 can be game-changers on their own, so by all means start there. Then, turn to the other caloric black holes that might be hiding in your life.

These don’t always have to be attacked with the wholesale “replace a meal with a different meal” approach. Often, a simple ingredient swap can boost your intake of healthful nutrients while slashing fat and calories in half. You’d be surprised how effortlessly you can cut calories throughout your day. Here are a few places to start:

USUAL FOOD CHOICE SIMPLE SWAP POSITIVE CHANGE IN NUTRITION
1/2 cup sour cream 1/2 cup low-fat Greek yogurt -160 calories, +10 grams protein
1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/2 cup low-fat Greek yogurt -395 calories, +10 grams protein
Soda Diet soda -200-300 calories
Coffee creamer Low-fat milk -35 calories, +4 grams protein
Sugar Artificial sweetener -50 calories
Regular Potato Chips Baked Potato Chips -7 grams of fat

4 DON’T START TOO FAST

The biggest diet mistake is cutting calories too rapidly. This is because your metabolism is dynamic. It adapts to your current level of food intake and exercise, and it will respond to dramatic changes by trying to slow them down.

If you begin including regular exercise as well as reducing caloric intake by 1,000 or more calories per day, you will place your body in a rather large negative caloric balance. You’re undoubtedly going to lose weight, and lose it fast. Initially, you may lose 2-5 pounds per week. However, this won’t last.

YOU’RE UNDOUBTEDLY GOING TO LOSE WEIGHT, AND LOSE IT FAST. INITIALLY, YOU MAY LOSE 2-5 POUNDS PER WEEK. HOWEVER, THIS WON’T LAST.
Soon, your weight will plateau, and the next logical step is to further increase your treadmill time or to further reduce calories. But do this, and you’ll only end up losing muscle and messing with your hunger-related hormones, both of which will do more harm than good to your results in the long term. It can also set you up for rapid weight gain when—not if—the hunger wins and you engage in an epic caloric splurge.

Losing 50 pounds isn’t going to happen overnight, or in the next week, or even the next couple of months, and that’s a good thing. That rate of loss wouldn’t be sustainable, nor would it likely be healthy.

Here’s what is healthy and sustainable: 1-2 pounds a week. Some weeks it will be more, some less. It probably won’t be linear. But it’s the rate to aim for, and it’s how lasting change is achieved.

But all of this is just advise. You can do whatever the fudge you wanna do.

Keep punching and growing stronger,

Crystal aka Barbell Barbie. NY

REFERENCES
Casa, D.J., Armstrong, L.E., Hillman, S.K., Montain, S.J., Reiff, R.V., Rich, B.S.E., Roberts, W.O. & Stone, J.A. (2000). National Athletic Trainer’s Association Position Statement: Fluid Replacement for Athletes. Journal for Athletic Training, 35(2), 212-224.
Casa, D.J. & Clarkson, P.M. (2005). American College of Sports Medicine Roundtable on Hydration and Physical Activity: Consensus Statements. Current Sports Medicine Reports, 4, 115-127.

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Sleep is essential for the production of growth hormone, which is a muscle-building hormone released during your deepest sleep. The less sleep you get, the less growth hormone released. Late-night YouTube binging could be why your six-pack is a few cans short.

And if you want to lose weight, skimping on sleep may make it harder to eat healthy. A study out of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition determined that sleep restriction works to heighten your response to food, making it much harder to turn down the golden arches on your drive home.3 Plus, lack of sleep may increase the circulation of endocannabinoid in the blood, which works to increase your desire to eat by heightening the pleasure you receive from food.

Thankfully, a better night’s rest could be as simple as a trip to the supermarket. Use these edibles to build a sleep-friendly diet and get ready to feel energized like never before. I know I will be meal prepping after this blog! So lets get on with it!

1 SALMON
Reeling in salmon more often for dinner may help you net better zzz’s. A study in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine discovered that people who consumed salmon three times a week for a six-month period reached deep sleep more quickly compared to subjects who got more of their protein from chicken, beef or pork.

Researchers found that the group who ate more salmon had less variation in their heart-beat intervals and higher levels of vitamin D, both of which may have a positive impact on sleep patterns.5 Plus, it appears that vitamin-D deficiency—which is fairly common—negatively influences sleep quality and quantity.6,7 Good thing salmon provides between 600-1,000 IU per 3-ounce serving!

Need to know: For the most flavorful and sustainable catch of the day, cast your line for salmon labeled “wild” at the fishmonger. And don’t overlook canned salmon, which offers a cost-effective and convenient source of sleep-inducing nutrition. Mackerel, sardines, herring, and sablefish are other fatty fish that may also help knock you out.

2 BEANS

Here’s a good reason to spill the beans more often: A 2016 study from Columbia Medical School determined that consuming a high-fiber diet can help you spend more time in slow-wave sleep, a stage of deep sleep that is particularly restorative to the body.9 Beans are an excellent source of fiber—a half-cup has 15 grams!

Researchers found that adding high-fiber options to a diet normally laden in saturated fat and sugar had a powerful impact on sleep quality. A greater sugar intake is associated with more arousals from sleep, which could leave you feeling less than peppy on the gym floor.9 Perhaps improvements in blood glucose control brought about by a diet rich in fiber and low in processed sugars helps encourage improved sleep quality.

Need to know: It’s hard to go wrong with any bean choice, as they are all packed with fiber, so look for ways to work them into your diet more often. Toss them onto salads, add them to soups and tacos, or even mix them into a breakfast scramble.

3 TART CHERRY JUICE
George Washington must have not given a damn about his sleep, or he would have never chopped down his father’s cherry tree. Research suggests that sipping tart cherry juice can bring about improved sleep quality and duration.

The naturally occurring melatonin present in the lip-puckering fruit may work to give it insomnia-busting powers. Melatonin is a hormone that may help support sound sleep habits.

Need to know: When shopping for tart cherry juice, look for brands that are made with 100 percent cherry juice. Skip products diluted with cheap fillers like apple juice. Or, better yet, turn to tart cherry concentrate, which is a syrupy, highly concentrated version of regular tart cherry juice that can be mixed with water.

If you’re having sleeping difficulties, mix 2 tablespoons tart cherry concentrate with a cup of water and drink it an hour or two before you hit the hay.

4 SOY NUTS
These crunchy nuggets are made from soaked whole soybeans that are roasted until crispy. Due to their high isoflavone content, they may just hold the secret weapon to a restful night’s snooze. A study out of the Nutrition Journal discovered that a higher isoflavone intake was associated with improved sleep duration and quality among 1,076 adults.

Isoflavones have a mild estrogenic effect, and since estrogen plays a role in sleep regulation, it makes sense that greater intakes could help you score better shut-eye. Soy nuts happen to contain a large amount of isoflavones, which may be why they work great as a nutty nightcap.

Need to know: Look for dry roasted soy nuts to sidestep the poor-quality vegetable oils often used in oil-roasted versions. Tofu, tempeh, miso, soy milk, and flax are other ways to add some isoflavones into your diet to improve your sleep.

5 PISTACHIOS
Pistachios provide fiber, protein, and heart-healthy fats, and a couple handfuls each day could help you snooze better. The green nuts are a good source of vitamin B-6, a vitamin our bodies need to make slumber-inducing melatonin and the neurotransmitter serotonin.

Consider chopping them up and adding them to your dinner salad, or slather some pistachio butter on a few whole-grain crackers or apple slices as part of a bedtime snack.

Need to know: If you have trouble practicing portion control when it comes to such a delicious nut, purchase unshelled pistachios. Scientists at Eastern Illinois University found that snacking on unshelled pistachios can help control your intake.16 Having to shell the nuts slows down your eating.

So grap these goodies and get some zzz’s on me. But all of this is just advice, you can do whatever the fudge you wanna do!

Your friend and coach,

Crystal aka Barbell Barbie. NY

REFERENCES
Altevogt, B. M., & Colten, H. R. (Eds.). (2006). Sleep Disorders and Sleep Deprivation: An Unmet Public Health Problem. National Academies Press.
Takahashi, Y., Kipnis, D.M. & Daughaday, W.H. (1968). Growth Hormone Secretion During Sleep. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 47, 2079-2090.
St-Onge, M. P., McReynolds, A., Trivedi, Z. B., Roberts, A. L., Sy, M., & Hirsch, J. (2012). Sleep restriction leads to increased activation of brain regions sensitive to food stimuli. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 95(4), 818-824.
Hanlon, E. C., Tasali, E., Leproult, R., Stuhr, K. L., Doncheck, E., de Wit, H., … & Van Cauter, E. (2015). Sleep Restriction Enhances the Daily Rhythm of Circulating Levels of Endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol. Sleep, 39(3), 653-664.
Hansen, A. L., Dahl, L., Olson, G., Thornton, D., Graff, I. E., Frøyland, L., … & Pallesen, S. (2014). Fish consumption, sleep, daily functioning, and heart rate variability. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine: JCSM: Official Publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 10(5), 567.
Dahlquist, D. T., Dieter, B. P., & Koehle, M. S. (2015). Plausible ergogenic effects of vitamin D on athletic performance and recovery. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 12(1), 1-12.
Massa, J., Stone, K. L., Wei, E. K., Harrison, S. L., Barrett-Connor, E., Lane, N. E., … & Schernhammer, E. (2014). Vitamin D and actigraphic sleep outcomes in older community-dwelling men: the MrOS sleep study. Sleep, 38(2), 251-257.
Lu, Z., Chen, T. C., Zhang, A., Persons, K. S., Kohn, N., Berkowitz, R., … & Holick, M. F. (2007). An evaluation of the vitamin D 3 content in fish: is the vitamin D content adequate to satisfy the dietary requirement for vitamin D? The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 103(3), 642-644.
St-Onge, M. P., Roberts, A., Shechter, A., & Choudhury, A. R. (2015). Fiber and Saturated Fat Are Associated with Sleep Arousals and Slow Wave Sleep. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine: JCSM: Official Publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
Pigeon, W. R., Carr, M., Gorman, C., & Perlis, M. L. (2010). Effects of a tart cherry juice beverage on the sleep of older adults with insomnia: a pilot study. Journal of Medicinal Food, 13(3), 579-583.
Howatson, G., Bell, P. G., Tallent, J., Middleton, B., McHugh, M. P., & Ellis, J. (2012). Effect of tart cherry juice (Prunus cerasus) on melatonin levels and enhanced sleep quality. European Journal of Nutrition, 51(8), 909-916.
Garrido, M., González-Gómez, D., Lozano, M., Barriga, C., Paredes, S. D., & Moratinos, A. B. R. (2013). A Jerte Valley cherry product provides beneficial effects on sleep quality. Influence on aging. The Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging, 17(6), 553-560.
Cui, Y., Niu, K., Huang, C., Momma, H., Guan, L., Kobayashi, Y., … & Nagatomi, R. (2015). Relationship between daily isoflavone intake and sleep in Japanese adults: a cross-sectional study. Nutrition Journal, 14(1), 1.
Peuhkuri, K., Sihvola, N., & Korpela, R. (2012). Dietary factors and fluctuating levels of melatonin. Food & Nutrition Research, 56.
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine). November 2013. http://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/vitamin-b6/background/hrb-20058788.
Honselman, C. S., Painter, J. E., Kennedy-Hagan, K. J., Halvorson, A., Rhodes, K., Brooks, T. L., & Skwir, K. (2011). In-shell pistachio nuts reduce caloric intake compared to shelled nuts. Appetite, 57(2), 414-417.
RECOM

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No matter how driven you are, if you stay in this game long enough, you’ll eventually run into a period where you just aren’t as motivated to go to war with the iron as you used to be. It could be many factors that contribute to this such as illness of cancer, heartache of a breakup, bills, worry of life, school, work, family.This can be the result of outside influences. Perhaps your social circle. Ok, well you get the point!!!

Sometimes the reasons are internal. You’re frustrated with your lack of progress and seem to be getting injured constantly. Or maybe training is just starting to seem a little too much like work.

I’m sure when you first hit the weights your enthusiasm and desire were strong. I was no different. As long as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to be big and strong. I remember as a child seeing some hot looking model on a Muscle and Fitness Hers Magazine and immediately thinking, “That’s how I want to look!”

By the time I was 16 years old I was training regularly with makeshift weights and doing anything that I thought would help me achieve my goals. I trained hard all year round throughout adolescence and high school, regardless of the sport I was playing.

While in the ROTC I’d even train while we were in the field by doing chin-ups from tree branches or push-ups with a loaded pack on my back, and invented many other ways to keep training under less than optimal conditions.

Even when I was going to School, working countless hours and raising a family at the same time, my motivation to train and compete never wavered. Beyond the issues of family life, beyond the pain of living in the ghetto, I was free when I trained.

Despite being as driven as I was, I eventually reached a place where the hunger suddenly wasn’t there. My goals didn’t seem as vital as they’d once been. Surprisingly, it happened at the least logical time.

It was just over four years ago when I experienced my first real lack of motivation and what I later realized was essentially psychological burnout. Oddly enough, I was coming off some great finishes and things couldn’t have looked better for me.

Yet in spite of all these factors, for the first time in my life I suddenly lost that deep desire to go to war with the iron. Fortunately, I was able to rekindle my desire. Here are the key strategies I used to keep the fires of motivation burning within me.

Focus On Your Goals
maintain-motivation
My goals have always driven me. On days I come home from work feeling exhausted and stressed, instead of crawling into bed I think about my goals and how rewarding it will be to achieve them. I know that if I continue to work hard that it’s only a matter of time before they’re realized. You were not born to mediocre. You have greatness inside of you and its your right to show it to the world.

I thrive on winning, and there’s no bigger high for me than celebrating a victory at a big competition or achieving a goal that’s been a long time coming. I live for those moments, and I know the only way they’re going to happen is if I work harder than everyone else trying to beat me. You have one life, one chance, one body. Make it Count!

Remember Your Critics

Next to my goals, my critics motivate me more than anything. There are few things in life as rewarding as proving a naysayer wrong. I’ve been told all my life that I’d fail. I have always been told your a mistake, Your too short, your too tall. Your too skinny, your too fat. Your too much of this and not enough of that. Early on, many important people in my life, like my coaches, teachers, and my peers would dismiss my aspirations; even my own friends and family members have mocked me at times.

Sometimes I’d hear about it through others or overhear someone else’s conversation, but often it was said to my face, as if my dreams were ridiculous and completely impossible. As painful as this was, it stirred a resolve deep within me.

I developed the mentality that if someone told me that I couldn’t do something, I was immediately determined to prove them wrong. Even now while I’m training, in between sets I’ll think about those that have said that I’d never achieve anything and then visualize doing exactly what they said couldn’t be done.

Surround Yourself with Like-minded People

Good training partners are invaluable. I’ve been fortunate enough to train and with some of the strongest girls around and many of these individuals have become my closest friends. We’ve pushed each other further than we thought possible – at times maybe even a bit too far – but there’s no doubt that training with a group of guys or girls like this can increase your odds of success ten-fold.

No matter how bad of a day you may be having, with the right group of girls or guys it’s nearly impossible to not give 100% every time you set foot in the gym.

We’d feed off each other’s energy and competitiveness, which often led to challenges within the group. Usually it was only for pride or bragging rights, but sometimes money would be thrown down on the gym floor to try to get each other to push even harder, especially when one of us might not have been having our best day.

The key was having guys within the group that not only wanted to succeed themselves, but also wanted the others to succeed just as bad or even more. While none of us ever wanted to lose a challenge, there was never any jealousy or back stabbing. We all supported one another 100% and were elated over each other’s success.

If a new guy came into the group and exhibited selfishness or looked for his own success at the expense of another’s, he was quickly given the boot, and over the years that happened more than once.

Unfortunately, our lives have lead us to different places and today we’re spread all over the country, but we all stay in touch and continue to support and motivate each other.

When All Else Fails – Take a Break
Motivated
No matter how bad-ass or hardcore you might think you are, the possibility of burnout still exists. I learned this the hard way. While many top competitive lifters would schedule breaks after big meets, I was always the type of guy that was back in the gym a day or two after a competition, no matter how beat up I felt. I saw any amount of time off as a wasted opportunity for progress.

Yet despite that level of drive, I reached a point after more than two and a half decades of training and over ten years of frequent competitions where I suddenly experienced a lack of motivation. While there were a number of factors in play, I realize that my penchant for pushing myself at a relentless pace led to an inevitable psychological burnout.

I was in the middle of preparing for a big meet when this feeling of apathy began to creep up within me. It started slowly but grew steadily, and soon my training was uninspired and lacked the usual intensity.

Shockingly, my training cycle was still going well, so I decided to compete as planned, but with the lack of desire and focus, I was called high on all three squat attempts and I bombed out of the meet.

The worst part about failing to get a single lift was that afterward it didn’t even bother me. Instead of feeling immense disappointment and immediately resolving to do better, I experienced a sense of relief as if a great burden had been lifted from me.

Never having experienced this before, I saw it as a clear indication that it was time to walk away from the sport I’d been passionate about for so long. While my decision was rash and probably extreme given the situation, it seemed perfectly logical to me at the time.

I soon realized that all I really needed was a break. Along with my recent success had come an increased level of expectations and pressure. Without having allowed myself any type of break, it was only a matter of time before I started to feel overwhelmed and my desire faded. As simple as it sounds, it was a revelation for me.

However, it only took three weeks of not setting foot in a gym or picking up a weight. I woke up one morning and my desire for lifting had returned and in spades. I couldn’t wait to chalk up my hands and get back under a heavy bar. I immediately threw on my training clothes, ran to the gym, loaded up the bar and picked up right where I’d left off less than a month before.

Motivation, Discipline, Commitment, Strong Habits Get you to where you need to be.
The road to success is hard and lonely guys. You have one life, So make the rest of your life the best of your life.

Your friend and Coach,

Crystal aka Barbell Barbie. NY

References:
https://www.t-nation.com/training/how-to-stay-motivated
http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/after-work-gym-motivation
http://www.mensfitness.com/training/5-ways-to-get-motivated

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