The Diet Solution Program Blog

Are Bad Genetics Holding You Back?

2009-12-17T21:55:22Z

Today, in my video, I’ll be answering the question…

“Isabel, why can some people eat anything they want without gaining weight and I can’t?!”

I know how frustrating this can be. I have to make a constant effort to maintain my 30 pound weight loss and sometimes just can’t believe how other people can eat whatever they want without any ill effects. Or, are they affected in ways we just don’t see?

Watch my answer here:

(You’ll see my son is hanging out in today’s video and yes, he wears socks on his hands!)

http://SpecialForIsabel.GetPrograde.Net

Incredible benefits of Omega 3 Fish Oils

2009-12-15T10:36:10Z

I’m going to be absolutely modest right now and tell you that when I was pregnant with my first baby, I was looking pretty good the whole time. (Come on, if I can’t pat myself on the back, who will?)

I can remember specifically how much attention I got in the last few weeks, especially from complete strangers in the supermarket, book store…actually, just about everywhere.

Once I would tell people how far along I was (7-8 months), they always would say the same thing, “No way! Really? How did you stay so fit?” Besides mentioning the fact that I stayed consistent on my exercise regimen, I always told them the number 1 reason I was able to ward off the usual excessive pregnancy weight gain…by watching what I put into my mouth!

Is this really any different than what I would normally do even when not pregnant? Not really. Healthy principles are healthy principles. What’s good and healthy for someone not pregnant (men included) is just as healthy for the preggers girl (with a few exceptions, of course).

I will tell you that I did put a special emphasis on one specific food and ingredient through the whole duration of my pregnancy and that is Omega 3 Fats, especially from fish oils. Before I got pregnant, I always included Omega 3’s into my everyday meal plans for their fat burning and anti-inflammatory effects. But during pregnancy, I included them for the healthy development of my baby’s brain and spinal cord. The benefits of Omega 3’s are so far reaching, I don’t think anybody should be without them.

Here are some to just name a few:

1. Relief and prevention of pain and inflammation. Omega 3 fish oil fatty acids, particularly EPA, have a very positive effect on your inflammatory response. Through several mechanisms, they regulate your body’s inflammation cycle, which prevents and relieves painful conditions like arthritis, prostatitis, cystitis and anything else ending in “itis.”

2. Better brain function and higher intelligence. Pregnant and nursing mothers can have a great impact on the intelligence and happiness of their babies by eating foods high in Omega 3’s and supplementing with omega 3 fish oil (Everybody wants a smart baby, right?). For adults, fish oil improves memory, recall, reasoning and focus. You’ll swear you’re getting younger and smarter (Wouldn’t that be nice!)

3. Uplift mood and prevent depression. Making you smarter is not all that fish oil does for your brain. Psychiatry department researchers at the University of Sheffield UK, along with many other research studies, found that fish oil supplements “alleviated” the symptoms of depression, bipolar and psychosis (and they even help to alleviate PMS which sometimes brings on the same symptoms of depression and psychosis).

4. Superior cardiovascular health. Fish oil’s DHA, EPA and DPA have also been proven to work wonders for your heart and the miles and miles of arteries and veins that make up your cardiovascular system. They help lower cholesterol, tryglicerides, LDLs and blood pressure, while at the same time increasing good HDL cholesterol. This adds years to your life expectancy.

5. Burn unwanted Body Fat. Omega-3 fats help you burn fat by helping your body respond better to a hormone called Leptin. Leptin tells your body (your brain) to suppress your appetite making you eat less so you can maintain or lose weight. Leptin also increases your metabolism by increasing your thyroid output and causes your body to burn fat for energy. A better response to Leptin will decrease your hunger and increase your burning metabolism. Omega 3’s also help control hunger by stabilizing your blood sugar levels. Less hungry equals portion control equals increased fat loss.

You can easily increase your intake of Omega 3’s on a daily basis by eating several servings a week of wild salmon, tuna, herring, sardines, flaxseeds, pecans, walnuts, hazelnut, butternut, mackerel, and anchovies (I love anchovies!)

If you find yourself not able to get these foods in on a regular basis, you can easily get in your daily Omega 3 intake by taking a high quality supplement. Many of you know there are very few supplements I will recommend or even promote. Prograde’s EFA ICON is one that I proudly stand behind and use myself.

You can read more about EFA ICON right here on Prograde’s site and take advantage of the special 15 % Off Sale ONLY for my DSP readers:

http://SpecialForIsabel.GetPrograde.Net

Like I mentioned, I would not go without it and neither should you.

http://SpecialForIsabel.GetPrograde.Net

Do your brain, your joints, your mood, and your heart a huge favor and increase your Omega 3 intake right now. Your body will thank you (and I know my baby will thank me one day too!)

Eating Healthy while Traveling? Is that even possible?

2009-12-11T18:27:17Z

Wow, its so good to be home! Last week I took a little road trip with my parents and my son to Atlanta, Georgia and we had a great time.

But traveling is most definitely not an excuse to abandon my healthy eating regimen (and no excuse for you either.)

Here’s a short video of exactly how I survived one week away from home and still managed to stay on my DSP approved meal plans.

Take a look at exactly what my mom packed inside our cooler (I think you’ll be pretty impressed. My mom is a die hard DSP follower!)

Enjoy the video and have a wonderful weekend!

Best Post-Workout Nutrition

2009-12-03T08:42:39Z

I received so many great emails from readers telling me the first video, “Best Pre Workout Nutrition” really cleared up a lot of confusion they had around exactly what to eat before their workout. I know many people have the same confusion when it comes to post workout nutrition and I know this video will give you some great answers.

Actually, I think the whole nutrition topic is very confusing for many people, especially when they are trying to coordinate their eating plan along with their workouts for maximum results. That’s why I decided that a 4 part video series would be perfect to go along with Vince DelMonte’s “No Nonsense Muscle Building and Six Pack” DVD’s. If you haven’t seen exactly what’s in my videos and Vince’s DVD’s, you can read about both here:

http://vinceturns30.thedsp.info

Pre and Post Workout Nutrition is just one of the many topics I cover in Vince’s videos, but I wanted to at least share a little piece of them with you.

Ok, now on to today’s video:

Best Pre-Workout Nutrition

2009-12-03T08:42:11Z

Hope you had a great weekend!

If you live in the states, you’re probably still recovering from your Thanksgiving meal or maybe just getting done with your leftovers. There’s only so many ways to have leftover turkey and I think my family and I exhausted every option.

I did have to fit in a little bit of time to work this weekend. Actually, it wasn’t really work. It was a little gift I put together for my good friend and fitness author Vince DelMonte. He’s celebrating his 30^th birthday this week by re-launching his “No Nonsense Muscle Building and Six Pack DVD Series” and I put together a little something for him to go along with his birthday celebration.

Just so you have the inside scoop though, here’s a video that will not only tell you exactly what I put together for Vince, but I answer the very popular question, “What should I eat before my workout?”

Find out exactly what I was up to in my latest video here:

If you’re wondering what foods are best to eat before your workout, watch as I give you the answer here:

Take a look at how Vince DelMonte’s celebrating his 30th birthday this year:

http://VinceTurns30.thedsp.info

Easy Weight Loss by Cheating?

2009-11-25T11:59:48Z

You may be one of the hundreds of people who have contacted me wondering…

“What’s the best way to cheat on my fat loss plan?”

The heightened interest in the topic of cheating has come with the launch of Joel’s Marion’s
Cheat Your Way Thin – Holiday Edition.

Well, just to be sure that I answer everyone’s questions, I recorded a video giving you all the information you need to implement the best cheating strategies into your meal plans.

The latest breaking news is that Joel is adding in a BRAND NEW bonus to the “Holiday” package — the official Cheat Your Way Thin Restaurant Guide!

Awesome..another tool for your easy weight loss tool box.

But you know what? I’ve got a surprise for you that’s even better!

I’ve included a special surprise bonus (yes, on top of the motivational audios I’m already giving away), available only to MY readers and subscribers (be sure to watch the whole video so you don’t miss out).

I know this add on is going to make implementing and enjoying your cheat day that much easier and that much better.

Be sure to watch the whole video here:

***IMPORTANT – Joel’s less than half price offer is coming down Thursday, November 26th, at exactly midnight (I know I put the wrong date in your email, Ooopps! It’s Thursday at midnight, not Wednesday)

So don’t wait to check out what Joel has in store for you right here:

http://holidayfatloss.thedsp.info

Inside Isabel’s Healthy Kitchen

2009-11-20T16:12:07Z

Here is a guided tour through exactly what I keep in my kitchen. (Brace yourself. It’s not all good).

Take a look at the foods I keep stocked in my refrigerator, freezer, pantry and cabinets and how I maintain a lean and healthy body with these foods.

I’ve broken the videos down for easier viewing, but make sure to watch all 6 videos. And don’t forget to comment below and let me know what you would like to see next!

Best Protein Supplement

2009-12-15T10:43:06Z

If you’ve ever gotten even 10 feet near any health food store, pharmacy or even supermarket, you know firsthand there is no shortage of available protein powders on the market today. And, in an effort to increase your daily protein intake in an easy way, you’ve probably been tempted to buy one or more of these (or maybe you already have) and make them a part of your fat burning meal plans.

But here’s the problem…

Up until now, there has not been a protein powder that I felt confident recommending or even taking myself (Ok, there may be 1 or 2 on the market, but they’re either ridiculously expensive or taste downright awful).

First and foremost, most protein powders are sweetened with artificial sweeteners. If your protein powder lists aspartame or sucralose as the sweetener…throw it out! I’m not kidding. These sweeteners are downright dangerous and toxic to your body and seriously hinder your fat burning efforts. Instead of helping you burn fat by increasing your protein intake, these artificially sweetened protein powders prevent you from losing fat by overwhelming your body with toxins. Dump it!

Second, most protein powders are not only using a low quality source of whey, they are processing it in high temperatures. The problem with this is that high heat processing completely denatures the protein and decreases the protein value (making it kind of pointless and a waste to take at that point). Unfortunately, it is extremely difficult to find out exactly how your protein powder has been processed as the owners of most protein powder companies are big corporations and difficult to get a hold of.

Well Prograde Nutrition has finally done it. They have finally formulated a Protein Powder that is not only delicious, but one that is sweetened with Stevia (a completely natural sweetener) and have only used the highest quality, cold processed whey.

The best thing about the guys over at Prograde is that they listen! Myself and many other fitness authors that I truly respect were downright honest with them and told them frankly we would not recommend any protein powder with artificial sweeteners in it! You know what happened? They listened and spent months and months formulating this new product. (Honestly, I probably drove their head nutritionist, Jayson Hunter, downright crazy with all the questions and comments I sent him. But he never stopped acknowledging or sending me the answers I needed.)

This is as much great news for me as it is for you. I’m just like you, if I have a protein option that’s going to be easier than scrambling eggs in the morning or making a full post workout meal, I’ll take it! With this new protein powder, I’m going to be able to maintain my current protein intake in a much easier way.

Here’s the special link to take advantage of Prograde’s 15% off sale of Prograde Protein for DSP readers only right now:

http://SpecialForIsabel.GetPrograde.Net

Here are a few of my favorite Protein Powder Recipes that I will be making regularly with my new batch of Prograde Protein:

Pina Colada Protein Shake

Ingredients

8 oz. water

4 oz coconut milk

4 ice cubes

3 scoops vanilla protein powder

1/3 cup Pineapple chunks

Mix all ingredients in the blender and enjoy!

The ideas and recipes for protein shakes are endless. I use either water or coconut milk but you can also use almond milk or rice milk if you’d like. Get creative and add in a variety of fruits, raw nuts and nut butters for a delicious breakfast or meal replacement any time of the day.

Easy Protein Oatmeal

Ingredients

1/3 cup oatmeal (dry)

1 cup water

1 scoop protein powder

Cook 1/3 cup dry oatmeal in 1 cup of water. Mix 1 scoop of protein powder with just a little bit of water, in a separate bowl, until it becomes thick. Add the powder and water mixture to the oatmeal. Top with fresh fruit or raw nuts and enjoy!

This is a super easy way to get in a high protein, high fiber and very filling breakfast.

For time saving purposing, I make several servings of oatmeal at once and keep it in the refrigerator for the next few days. In the morning, I scoop out 1 serving (1 heaping cup full) and heat it up on the stove top. Saves me a few minutes in the morning (every second counts, right?)

Protein Pancakes

Ingredients

1/2 cup oats

1/2 cup Cottage Cheese (if you’re not intolerant to dairy)

4-5 egg whites (I don’t like to throw away quality yokes, so I save them for other recipes or to add to my next meal somehow. I tried to make this recipe with whole eggs and it doesn’t work as well.)

1 scoop protein powder (vanilla)

Blend all ingredients until batter consistency. Then pour into a frying pan like normal pancakes. I use butter to cook these.

You can add your own items for flavoring… for example

Mix in 1/2 cup blueberries after blending(Blueberry pancakes). Or try adding a half a bannana before blending for banana flavored pancakes. I also like to top mine with applesauce, cinnamon and a dab of honey.

These are really easy to make up ahead of time too so you can have a nice protein heavy breakfast without a lot of morning prep. (They are alright for snacks too)

To take advantage of the special 15% off Sale ONLY for DSP readers visit:

http://SpecialForIsabel.GetPrograde.Net

But the sale ends this Thursday at midnight EST so be sure to go there now.

http://SpecialForIsabel.GetPrograde.Net

And don’t forget to let me know how you like the recipes above on the blog here.

NEW Quick and Easy Healthy Recipes

2009-11-24T13:33:27Z

This week I will be sharing with you a series of easy and delicious Diet Solution friendly recipes.

I have realized more so than ever, over the past several months, that almost every person on the planet has one thing in common…we all wish we had more time each day!

Whether it’s a demanding career, a family and kids, or maybe even school, many times our health efforts are pushed to the wayside because everything else seems to come first. Of course, I would love for everyone to make a healthy lifestyle their #1 priority, but this can happen while still focusing on the other very important activities in your life.

Because I, myself, have had to become more efficient and effective in all areas of my life recently, I have done quite a bit of meal and recipe research in order to keep my meals super healthy and easy.

These first 2 are just some of my favorite Crockpot recipes. For anyone who is limited for time when it comes to cooking, I highly recommend purchasing and using a Crockpot. I owned my Crockpot for 2 years before I started making good use of it. Now, I can’t live without it! You can even purchase a used one on sites like Ebay and Craigslist (Oh yes, I’m not only a nutritionist, I am the master of saving money and staying on a budget).

Here are two of my new easy healthy recipes:

Chicken & Sweet Potato Stew

Lentil Rice Soup

What I usually do with all of these recipes (and others) is start the “chopping” and prepping part the night before or even 2 nights before, this way all I have to do in the morning is literally throw everything right into the pot. I have even at times put most of it in the pot and put it in the refrigerator the night before so all I have to do in the morning is add the liquid component and press the ON button.

Let me know if you enjoy these recipes as much as I do.

Do you have a favorite “time saving” recipe that’s delicious and easy? I’d love to hear it. Share it with the rest of us in the comments section here.

The Diet Solution Program Blog

Are Bad Genetics Holding You Back?

Incredible benefits of Omega 3 Fish Oils

Eating Healthy while Traveling? Is that even possible?

Best Post-Workout Nutrition

Best Pre-Workout Nutrition

Easy Weight Loss by Cheating?

Inside Isabel’s Healthy Kitchen

More Videos of Isabel

Best Protein Supplement

NEW Quick and Easy Healthy Recipes