Avocados are one of the best flab-fighting fats, but it's unlikely that you'll eat an entire avocado in one sitting.  So how do you keep that leftover avocado from turning brown?

Well, first let's talk about why avocados turn brown.  Like apples or potatoes, they oxidize when exposed to air.  Once you cut into an avocado, you'll never be able to completely stop the oxidation process, but you can dramatically slow it with a few quick tips and tricks:

1. Cut the avocado with a ceramic or plastic knife.  Metal actually accelerates the oxidation process.

2. Try lemon or lime juice. Citric acid is a powerful antioxidant; rub a little juice around the exposed flesh and you'll significantly delay the browning effect.

3. No lemon or lime? Use oil. Oil is another great buffer to oxygen. Use in place of lemon or lime juice when you don't have any handy.

4. Store as air-tight as possible. Again, avocados turn brown due to oxidation and exposure to air, so storing in an air-tight container only makes sense.

5. Water. Huh? That's right! This one works exceptionally well for guacamole. Place your leftover guac in a plastic container and press down to remove any air pockets. Add a half inch of water on top and seal with an air-tight lid. The water creates a barrier between the avocado and the air, keeping your guacamole fresh and 100% green for 24 hours or more!  When ready to eat some more, just drain the excess water and enjoy.  Works like a charm!

From the subject of this email you may think that I'm going to tell you to REDUCE your carb intake which is actually the exact opposite of what this blog is about. In fact, many people will find that they can actually eat more carbs and lose more fat when they follow this simple advice.

You see, the typical American diet is full of processed, sugar-laden carbs that contain very little if any fiber. High-sugar/low-fiber carbs are what I refer to as "fat-storing" carbs...they're definitely the type of carbs you'll want to avoid if your goal is to obtain a flat stomach and a trim waistline.

But carbs alone aren't the enemy. Instead, if you "reverse" the typical American trend and begin consuming carbs that contain LESS sugar and MORE fiber, you can actually begin enjoying more carbs in your diet while dropping more of those troublesome pounds.

The other benefit to these carb sources are that low-sugar, high-fiber carbs are generally minimally processed (if at all) by nature.

Some examples of my favorite high-fiber, lower-sugar carbs are:

-Beans (i.e. kidney beans, black beans, black-eyed peas, chickpeas, pinto beans, lentils, etc.)

-Most Fruit (apples, oranges, apricots, peaches, pears, kiwi, mango, melon, plums, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, cherries).

-All green vegetables

-Oatmeal

-Sprouted grain bread (such as Ezekial Bread)

-Sweet potatoes

-Wild rice, brown rice

-Couscous

Remember, low-sugar and high fiber is the way to go!

I just realized that I wrote the wrong name of the person who came to my bakery.  It wasn't Jim Bohnsack, it was Bob Kaseda.  So sorry Bob.

Well, today I had a pleasant surprise... my fellow lighten-up competitor Bob Kaseda stopped by my bakery, Cakes By Maria and Joe, in Eastlake.

It's probably been 3 months since I have seen him at a weigh in, and I must say he looks great!!!!

We had a wonderful chat. We talked about how we were doing and or philosophies on how to lose weight.  The best thing he said to me, is that he found an exercise program that he does with his daughter.  I thought that was awesome.  What a great way to bond.

Well, I tried my hardest to corrupt him.  I offered him pizza bagels, pepperoni bread, cupcakes and even "Bakies".  He turned me down:(

He did say, though, that it must be incredibly hard to work at my bakery and not be tempted by all the fresh goodies that I make.

I said it was, and like all diets, it takes some will power.  So I congratulate Bob, given my best efforts to corrupt him, with his great ability to not indulge in any of my sweets and stay the course.

Good luck Bob!!! 

Let me ask you this: If every day you stepped on the scale and saw a lower number, and every week you looked in the mirror to see visually noticeable results, would you continue doing what you are doing?

Let me answer that for you. YES, you would.

It doesn't matter how "hard" what you're doing is, you'd still continue to do it.

In fact, you'd probably work out even more and tighten up your diet even more as a result of the RESULTS you're experiencing.

Results are motivating. If fact, there's absolutely nothing more motivating.

Nothing.

And here's another reality: If you're NOT experiencing results, you will never continue to put in the hard work and effort necessary to change your body.

Unfortunately, hard work and effort don't necessarily equate to results. In fact, there are a ton of people out there working hard, and getting nowhere.

Why? Because there's a ton of information out there that simply does NOT work for fatloss, while still requiring a ton of hard work and sacrifice.

For example, you could "diet" and choose the wrong foods and watch your weight stand at a standstill.

You could perform hours of slow-go cardio every week only to watch the scale read the same number week after week.

You could starve yourself, royally screw your metabolism, and even GAIN weight over time as a result.

And then what happens? You quit, that's what.

And I don't BLAME you. Why would you ever continue to sacrifice without being rewarded?

I wouldn't, and you shouldn't.

So take a good hard look at what you're doing and think about this: What's fueling your workouts? What's fueling your desire to eat healthy and consume fewer calories?

If results aren't your fuel, you're going to give up and quit...sooner rather than later. Proof? Let your car run out of fuel and see what happens.

That's right, it doesn't go.

Went to the store today for some groceries.

While there I stopped in the salad dressing aisle, not for salad dressing, but for an Italian seasoning packet that we mix with extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar. 

Makes for a perfect, tasty, all natural salad dressing with wholesome ingredients, much unlike the typical salad dressings that line grocery store shelves.

Dig in !!!

I know many of us are eating a lot of salads in effort to loose some weight.

I came across the best advise ever and I want to share it with you.

NEVER buy bottled dressings.  Ever.  They're horrible for you, and for the most part the "all natural" versions are as well.

Here are just some of the reasons why:

1. Pick up any salad dressing bottle and you'll likely see canola oil, soybean oil, and/or vegetable oil as the main ingredients.  These oils are extremely processed, rich in inflammation-promoting Omega-6 fatty acids, and often times contain trans fats that aren't disclosed on the label due to how processed they are.

"All-natural" salad dressing found in the refrigerated section aren't much different.  You'll still see these oils as the base of nearly all of those brands as well.  Why?  They're cheap!

Also, don't be fooled by labels that claim "Made with Extra Virgin Olive Oil".  Sure, they'll point that out on the front of the label because it sounds good and leads you to believe that it's an extra virgin olive oil based dressing.  Instead, that only means that there is at least a drop of extra virgin olive oil in the bottle, and often times that's all it has.  Flip the label over and you'll see the same vegetable oils listed first and extra virgin olive oil way down on the list of ingredients.  Unethical? Yes.  Healthy? No.

2. More often than not, in addition to cheap, potentially harmful oils, store bought salad dressing is also loaded with sugar to boot.  Even worse, it often comes in the form of high fructose corn syrup (the absolute worst form of sugar available).  Just check the label.

3.  To round of the trifecta of horrid ingredients contained in traditional salad dressings they have a long list of artificial additives and preservatives that often plague these products.  If you're looking to avoid artificial chemicals in your food, simply put, you won't have much luck with store bought salad dressing.

That's why I recommend you do what I do.  Grab a seasoning packet from the store, mix with REAL extra virgin olive and vinegar, and enjoy your dressing the healthy and still very convenient way.

Well, today I had a pleasant surprise... my fellow lighten-up competitor Jim Bohnsack stopped by my bakery, Cakes By Maria and Joe, in Eastlake.

It's probably been 3 months since I have seen him at a weigh in, and I must say he looks great!!!!

We had a wonderful chat. We talked about how we were doing and or philosophies on how to lose weight.  The best thing he said to me, is that he found an exercise program that he does with his daughter.  I thought that was awesome.  What a great way to bond.

Well, I tried my hardest to corrupt him.  I offered him pizza bagels, pepperoni bread, cupcakes and even "Bakies".  He turned me down:(

He did say, though, that it must be incredibly hard to work at my bakery and not be tempted by all the fresh goodies that I make.

I said it was, and like all diets, it takes some will power.  So I congratulate Jim, given my best efforts to corrupt him, with his great ability to not indulge in any of my sweets and stay the course.

Good luck Jim!!!