Well unfortunately I have come across some VERY interesting information regarding one of my biggest vices; yep you guessed it – Diet Pepsi! (or any diet soda for that matter).

Man I love this stuff = ) I don’t drink any of the full sugar sodas nor do I even rave it, just thinking about all the sugar they put in just one can makes me ill just thinking about it. Very rarely I might have a ginger ale or a diet root beer but that’s about it.

I switched to the diet soda years ago to get away from the huge sugar content that they put  in all of the sodas out on the market today. As a kid I had a lot of dental problems due to a combination of having soft teeth and loving all of the high sugar sodas and junk food that were at my disposal - hey and which kid doesn’t?

So to stay as far away from the dentist as I can possibly could get I figured I would due the best thing for me or so I thought at the time which was to switch to the diet kind, good idea right? Well maybe not so much:(

I have just come across an article that I discovered on the internet (bear in mind that this article is from the internet and I don’t personally know the person who wrote this article) but from the previous things that I’ve read and heard about diet soda heck I believe it. There has always been talk about the dangers of Aspartame I guess I have just shut my ears hoping that all they were saying about this lovely little sweetener wasn’t true. After reading this article it really opened up my eyes a bit and really made me think do I want to keep drinking this stuff? I’m really not so sure, yeah it will be the toughest thing for me to actually have to give it up, geezzz it seems that’s all we do is “give it up” whether it’s this or that it seems like a cruel game of take away doesn’t it?

I certainly want to give credit to this guy’s web site so you can check it out and read it for yourself so you can form your own opinion. I will give you a short exert here in this blog article to give you a little taste as to why I just may give it up OR at the very least make it a rare treat for myself.

Here’s a little taste of Dr. Mercola’s article,

“Aspartame is the most controversial food additive in history, and its approval for use in food was the most contested in FDA history. In the end, the artificial sweetener was approved, not on scientific grounds, but rather because of strong political and financial pressure. After all, aspartame was previously listed by the Pentagon as a biochemical warfare agent!”

I first cam across this website named workout mommy which has a blog about quitting diet pepsi that caught my eye, just click on this link to go to that article. http://workoutmommy.com/2010/07/08/i-am-breaking-up-with-diet-pepsi/

Within this article is really were the interesting meaty stuff is found, there is a link to the article which was written by a man named Dr. Mercola (I know the name fits the article to a T huh?) Clink on this link to go to that article. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mercola/americas-deadliest-sweete_b_630549.html

One of the biggest reasons that I am thinking about quitting drinking diet soda is due to the fact that I work hard at keeping myself fit week after week. I try every week to workout 5 to 6 days a week  and the one thing I read about the diet sodas is that the soda companies claim that it helps you to lose the weight due to the fact it doesn’t have the sugar content of a regular soda BUT with the Aspartame sweetener they use according to this article it can actually MAKE YOU GAIN WEIGHT !!%&*!@ What? are you kidding me? I’ve been busting my ass to strip away my gorgeous love handles and this stuff may be preventing or blocking me from doing that. I enjoy working out but man I’m not creating all this sweat for nothing, I think I’ll have to try an experiment to see if the diet soda was preventing me from getting rid of my love handles after all. Stay tuned…..

Till next time….

Take care of yourself (and ditch the diet sodas)

Kevin Pavilonis (aka: vinfit90)

Independent Team Beachbody Emerald Coach

Well thankfully it’s here (well I’m hoping where your located it showed up as well). Yup, summer has finally arrived here seemed like at times it would never get here.

You know it’s here for sure because everywhere you are no matter what your doing you can smell the aroma of the grills fired up and cooking all sorts of great foods:) aahhhh!! o.k. enough of that it’s making me hungry.

What I want to share with you in this post is some tips and ideas on how you can enjoy cooking outdoors through the best season of the year and without derailing your fitness gains and all of your hard work you have put into getting yourself in shape. I know I know it’s almost impossible to pass up that tasty hot dog in a toasted roll along with a nice icy cold beverage=) Like I’ve said many times before, its o.k. to splurge here and there as long as you keep it to that day and then you get yourself back into your workout/eating clean routine pronto.

A tip before you hit those family barbecues, try working out before you go to your cookout this will surely make you think twice before hitting the dessert table like it’s your last meal. Just the thought of doing that P90X Plyometric workout or that Insanity workout for nothing will certainly make you think twice. Just be sure to have your recovery drink after your workout or it could leave you very hungry going to your barbecue and turn you into a ravenous dog! At least that’s how I feel after a very strenuous Beachbody workout – what? you don’t use it? then you are missing out on a great product, want more information on it? just click here (you’ll be happy you did).

Along with that advice here a few more helpful hints that will help make your cookout enjoyable without guilt and without feeling your missing the fun boat.

• Burgers – if you’re craving to have that burger then try some of the leaner selections, I typically use the not less than 85% or 93% lean ground beef. It’s nice when grilling because you don’t get all the fat dripping off and causing those annoying flare-ups. Or better yet try having a turkey burger they are actually pretty good! Again just check the labels because some can contain ground up skin and other fatty pieces, look for the extra lean or ground turkey breast.
• For steak lovers, try sticking to the leaner cuts of meat such as loin or round. Other lean cuts include flank steak, skirt steak and london broil.   Due to the leanness and low fat of these steaks it’s best to marinate the meat for a couple hours before grilling, just be careful and read the labels – most store bought barbecue and teriyaki sauces are loaded with high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). If you care about your health this is one ingredient you want to stay a mile away from. As far as pork goes the leaner cuts you can get are the tenderloin and loin chops.
• Easy does it on the starches! Especially the potato and pasta salads, plus these type of salads are loaded with brutally fatty mayo. An alternative may be to have some sliced up tomatoes & cucumbers and mix them with some vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, onions or garlic. And don’t forget to use whole grain wheat buns, they are so much better for you than the “white buns”.
• Veggies - my favorite way to enjoy them is to have some onion with green and red peppers on a chicken kabob – yum! or of course a nice fresh garden salad with just a little bit of low fat dressing is always a good choice. 
• And to finish off my cookout survival list are the condiments. Try using low fat cheese (or none at all) and go easy on the ketchup which is loaded with corn syrup.

I’m not here to ruin your barbecues like a pack of hungry mosquitoes but just to give you some tips to make it enjoyable and healthy! It’s all the little things that can add up and destroy all of your hard work (especially as we get older – I HATE that word) and send you into the vicious tail spin, don’t let that happen to you.

So that’s it – flip the burgers and lets eat:)

Till next time……

Take care of yourself.

Kevin Pavilonis

Independent Beachbody Emerald Coach 

Hi everyone! I hope your all doing well and getting yourself on track to a new healthy you in 2010.

The information that I have decided to share with you in this post is an article straight from Beachbody on how to eat your way to great abs. The reason I want to share this information with you is to show you just one of the great benefits that Beachbody’s club membership offers.

They have many experts in all fields on their staff that know what their doing and talking about. Since I have joined up for the club membership I have learned so much, remember knowledge is power! Hope you enjoy this article.

Eat Your Way to Great Abs
By Ben Kallen

A few weeks ago, we gave you tips “on building great-looking abs (refer to “5 Ways to Speed Up Your Six-Pack” in the Related Articles section below). Now we’re going to focus on the other half of the equation: your diet. When it comes to creating incredible abs, even the most effective workout programs can only bring you so far. That’s because you can’t get a flat, hard midsection without losing body fat. Here’s how to eat your way to great abs.

No matter how much effort you put into creating a six-pack, no one’s going to see it if it’s covered by a layer of flab. (The good news? While it’s impossible to “spot-reduce,” abdominal fat is often the first to go when you start losing weight.)
If you’re following the dietary guidelines of a Beachbody® fitness program or a personalized meal plan from TeamBeachbody.com, you’ll automatically be eating the right foods to lose fat as you get in shape. But the following seven principles can give you an extra edge, and will help ensure that the effort you’re putting into your abs will bring you the results you want.

1. Get plenty of protein. Eating enough lean protein promotes fat loss and muscle gain, the two most important elements for developing great abs. It also helps keep you from getting hungry while you’re eating right. You don’t have to gobble down 12-ounce steaks—just eat a normal portion of lean meat, fish, low-fat dairy, or vegetarian protein with every meal, and make sure your snacks contain some protein, too. If you still have a hard time getting enough in your diet, a daily shake made with Whey Protein Powder or Shakeology® can be a perfect addition.

By the way, protein is especially important in the morning, when a lot of people don’t get as much as they should. A protein-rich breakfast will help keep your blood sugar steady for hours, preventing the dips that can lead to cravings later in the day. (Try some low-fat chicken sausage, or an omelet with one whole egg and three egg whites, along with fruit or whole-grain toast.)

2.Reconsider your carbs. Despite the popularity of low-carbohydrate diets, the average American meal is still too high in sugar and fast-burning starches to bring body fat down to ab-baring levels. It’s time to say goodbye to sweetened soda, ditch the Doritos®, and save the cake for your birthday. If your fitness plan calls for a sports drink before a long cardio workout, or a carb-and-protein recovery drink after resistance training, that’s fine. But the rest of the time, stick with foods that are on the low end of the glycemic index (refer to GlycemicIndex.com for more information)—these foods burn more slowly, so they won’t spike your blood sugar and insulin levels.

3. Have fun with fiber. Something about the word “fiber” just doesn’t sound appetizing. But high-fiber foods can actually be quite delicious: fresh berries and other fruits, salads loaded with colorful produce, your favorite steamed vegetables or vegetable soup, stews or chili made with beans, chewy whole-grain breads and cereals . . . You get the picture. (These foods just happen to be loaded with nutrients as well.) High-fiber foods keep you fuller with fewer calories, and they help keep your digestive system working at its best—a double-whammy for getting rid of belly bulge.

4. Enjoy some yogurt. Probiotics, the healthful bacteria found in yogurt and other fermented foods, have been proven to help reduce belly fat. In a recent study in Finland, new mothers who took probiotic supplements averaged smaller waist circumferences, and lower body fat in general, than those who didn’t take probiotic supplements. And while the topic is still controversial, studies have found that eating lots of calcium-rich dairy foods like yogurt may increase overall weight loss.
5. Don’t forget to eat. Tempted to lower your daily calorie count by skipping meals? Don’t. Going hungry can raise your levels of the stress-related hormone cortisol, which research has found can increase belly fat even in otherwise thin women. And eating too infrequently can lower your metabolism and energy levels, while increasing the chance that you’ll get too hungry and decide to chuck your meal plan entirely. If you’re eating the right foods, regular meals and snacks will keep your body fueled while you’re working toward that strong core.

6. Drink more fluids. Hydration is important when you’re on a fitness plan, but drinking plenty of water has particular benefits for your midsection. It helps keep your stomach full, so you don’t overeat, and it helps flush out excess sodium to prevent belly bloating. (Eating more potassium-rich foods, such as tomatoes and bananas, will also help in this area.)

Plain ol’ H20 can’t be beat, but you can also switch it up with flavored waters, iced tea, and anything else you like to drink that isn’t full of sweeteners. How much do you need? The old rule of 8 glasses a day is a good start, but everyone is different: drink more if you’re exercising or it’s hot out, and drink less if you’re running to the bathroom every 5 minutes

.
7. . . . With two exceptions. It’s time to cut down on those mood-altering substances, coffee and alcohol. Too much caffeine raises your cortisol levels and can impair your sleep, which can lower the production of fitness-promoting hormones. Meanwhile, the proverbial “beer belly” isn’t just the result of extra calories—alcohol actually makes it more difficult for your body to metabolize carbs and fat. Booze also stimulates your appetite and lowers your inhibitions, which can lead to bingeing. The best road to flat abs is no alcohol at all, but if you really like a drink now and then, just have one at a time (and no more than a few a week), and stay away from higher-calorie beers and sugary mixed drinks.

If you add these rules to your fitness plan, you’re sure to see faster improvements in your midsection. Of course, there’s an added bonus to eating this way: it’ll keep you healthier, too. That may not be as big an inducement as great abs, but we’re throwing it in for free.

I hope you have enjoyed this article and found it helpful! This article was written by Ben Kallen, one of the experts at Beachbody.

If you would like a ton more information similar to this then you need to get yourself on team Beachbody’s club membership ASAP! It’s VERY affordable and it gives you the ammunition you need to reshape your body forever!

At just $2.99 a week you can’t afford not to have it! You probably spend that on your daily coffee, do yourself a favor and take a look at the money your probably throwing away on needless things without even blinking a eye. Wouldn’t you rather invest your hard earned cash on something for you? Something that pays you dividends back?

Also if decide not to continue you can cancel anytime within the first 30 days for a full refund:)

Your health has no price tag:)  

Get yourself on the right path, just click the image below to get started – you’ll be glad you did.

Till next time……… take care of yourself!

Kevin Pavilonis
aka vinfit90
Independent Beachbody Coach