Fact: There is no magic pill, special food or fat melting workout when it comes to fat loss and achieving the toned and sculpted body you desire.

There is one way to achieve permanent results; follow a complete and integrated fitness program that focuses on a change in body composition (body fat vs. lean muscle) rather than weight. It is lean muscle that plays the key role in any type of fitness program. Whether you’re interested in fat loss or muscle gain, lean muscle requires certain conditions in order to allow a positive change in body composition.

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What are omega-3 fats and what is the science behind the claims relating to foods high in omega-3 fats?

Omega-3 fats are polyunsaturated fats that are found in significant quantities in several plants and plant oils (eg. canola, linseed, soy and walnut) and in even greater quantities in many varieties of seafood.

The evidence is now quite strong that omega-3 fats are beneficial in at least three areas of human health: heart disease, inflammatory disease, and development of vision and brain function in babies. With respect to heart disease, several risk factors are reduced in response to increased consumption of omega-3 fats, including a reduction in the level of blood triglycerides (TG).

In fact, omega-3 is used to treat people with elevated TG and who suffer from pancreatic disease that does not respond to drugs. Omega-3 fats also reduce blood clotting and so may lower the risk that a heart attack will occur, or if it does, reduce the likelihood that it will lead to fatal obstruction of a coronary artery.

Eating fish regularly is associated with a reduced risk of heart disease. Surprisingly, there does not seem to be a dose-response to eating fish. That is, eating fish once a week has the same beneficial effect as eating it three or four times weekly.

Rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory diseases (eg psoriasis) generally respond positively to increased consumption of foods containing omega-3 fats. This promotes the formation of molecules called ‘cytokines’, enhancing the production of less reactive compounds.

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I have seen ‘whey protein’ advertised in health food stores as the source of food protein with the highest nutritional value. Is this correct, and, if so, should I be eating it to ensure that I get enough protein???

The nutritional value of a food’s protein is determined by the mix of amino acids that it contains. Amino acids are the ‘building blocks’ of protein.

Only some amino acids are essential in the adult human diet - that is, they must be obtained from food because they cannot be manufactured in the body. So the nutritional value of protein in a food is determined by the quantities of the essential amino acids in that food.

Apart from human flesh (and there are ethical considerations that generally preclude obtaining protein from this particular source!), the food with the protein of highest nutritional value is usually taken to be the humble egg (although for infants, breast milk is probably the most appropriate ‘gold standard’).

Therefore, one way of rating a food as a protein source is to give the egg the maximum rating and to compare all other foods against this according to their levels of essential amino acids. Whey is the fluid that remains after the curd has formed (largely from the fat component of milk) in the process of cheesemaking. Whey contains not only protein, but also lactose (milk sugar).

The protein in whey (’lactalbumin’) is good quality protein and does make a useful protein supplement. However, it is not correct to state (as some practitioners of alternative nutrition do) that whey is the ‘best source of protein’; it is simply another good source.

Protein is derived from a huge range of everyday foods. Many of the foods that are good sources of protein (meat, fish, eggs, milk/milk products, cereal foods, vegetables such as beans and other legumes) are also major sources of other essential nutrients.

This means that it is better to eat a wide variety of nutritious foods rather than try to derive most of your protein needs from one source (eg from whey).

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Fitness Tip: Is it true that you should not eat protein and carbohydrate foods at the same time? - This belief dates back at least 100 years and its popularity was recently revived with various publications. In fact, the human digestive system is magnificently designed to cope with an ‘omnivorous’ diet.

That is, we have the enzymes and acidic conditions in our stomach to digest a huge range of foods, whether eaten individually or together. If we were to follow this advice, milk, yogurt, bread, rice, pasta, potatoes and legumes would have to be taken off the menu. These foods are all good sources of both protein and carbohydrate which occur naturally together.

Following this advice would also mean that babies could not drink their mothers’ milk. Human breast milk is similar to cow’s milk (although specifically designed for human babies) as it also contains significant quantities of protein, carbohydrate and fat all of which are essential for growth and development.

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Fitness Tip: Eating Nothing But Fruit Before Midday - This is a misguided practice which takes little account of how the body, and the digestive processes, work. Overnight, the body’s blood glucose level drops because you are in a ‘fasting’ state.

The first meal (literally ‘breakfast’) should provide plenty of carbohydrate for energy. This is just as important for people who have sedentary jobs as it is for laborers, athletes, soldiers, or anyone else who is physically active.

Unless you are in a state of semi-starvation your brain has only one source of energy - glucose, and it is also the preferred fuel for active muscles. Unfortunately, most fruits are not very good sources of carbohydrate (they are much better sources of vitamins and fiber).

Cereal foods such as bread, muffins and breakfast cereals are much better sources of carbohydrate than fruit. A breakfast of cereal, milk, and toast, or muffins with fruit juice, will provide you with the carbohydrate, protein, vitamins and minerals you need for that early morning ‘kickstart’.

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Fitness Tip: The Role Of Genetics In Weight Loss - Genetics play a part in a person’s metabolic rate and thyroid function which both impact on the body’s ability to burn fat efficiently. However, having overweight parents does not mean you are destined to a lifetime of obesity and disease.

This just means you have a little bit more work to do to train your body to burn fat more effectively. This means you can’t get away with cheat meals and skipping exercise as much as others can. It means you have to be more disciplined to get results.

At the end of the day, it comes down to making a conscious decision to adopt a health enhancing lifestyle, and you will soon enjoy the benefits.

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Fitness Tip: High Protein Diets Can Be Bad For Your Kidneys - A typical high protein diet, which is usually very high in saturated fats as well, causes you to lose weight by forcing your body into ketosis. When your body is in this state you lose a lot of water (causing dehydration) and you lose lean body mass (it breaks down your muscles, bones and organs).

This is a highly toxic state that is very bad for your kidneys and overall health. The main problem when it comes to kidney-related disorders is dehydration. A diet high in protein and saturated fats like Atkins is very dehydrating, and will eventually lead to disease and potentially death.

However, where you have a healthy balance of lean high quality protein, unprocessed carbohydrates and raw fats/oils, and drink plenty of pure water your kidney function will be enhanced and will have only positive effects on your health.

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Fitness Tip: Losing Weight And Keeping It Off - Despite decades of research, we still don’t fully understand why some people gain weight more easily than others, and also have greater trouble losing excess weight.

It is known that body fat levels are increasing in America, along with the rest of the developed world (and increasingly in the developing world too). For example, in 1990 fewer than 10% of Australian adults were obese, while in 2001 the corresponding figure was more than 16%. In 2003 the Worldwatch Institute reported that, possibly for the first time in human history, the number of overweight individuals worldwide rivals the number of underweight.

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Fitness Tip: Meat Is Not The Only Good Source Of Protein - While meat is a good source of protein, egg whites, cheese and seafood also contain this nutrient. Protein is present in plant foods, too, although in incomplete form meaning they are missing one or more essential amino acids.

However, if you pair legumes and grain (beans and rice, peanut butter on whole-wheat bread), grains or nuts with dairy products (macaroni and cheese, pizza, cereal and milk), you can make a complete protein.

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“The folks at PROGRADE may have the perfect muscle repair formula with WORKOUT - a post workout drink that contains what is widely believed to be the ideal ration of carbs to protein for optimal recovery: 2-to-1. Stocked with maltodextrin (instead of processed sugars) and quality whey protein, the drink makes our team”…..Mens Fitness Magazine Review

Fitness Tip: Why Most Diets Are Nutrient Deficient - First, remember that as a society, our dietary habits have changed over the past couple of generations. A healthy diet consists of plenty of fruits and vegetables and whole grains.

Recent studies indicate that the majority of meals in the US are eaten in restaurants rather than in the home. Restaurant food tends to be too high in fat and sugar. Additionally, convenience foods now make up a much higher percentage of the average diet than in the past.

In some people well over 60% of their food is from so-called “empty” calorie foods (candy, sweets, chips, or other highly processed foods that contain very little real nutritional value other than calories).Another factor is the high stresses found in today’s fast-paced and busy life. The greater the external stresses, the higher the nutritional demands on the body.

Eating a poor-quality diet robs you of the nutritional factors necessary to help you stay healthy.Lastly, many people are simply unaware of how to shop for healthy foods. Convenience and taste become the major criteria for food selection, while nutritional value is given little attention, if any at all.

Many nutritional researchers point to the rising problems of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and other diseases of modern society as evidence of the deteriorating quality of the diet most people consume.

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