Men's Health Lists

Mental Tricks to Fight Fat: your brain dictates what and how much you eat – not your stomach.
1. Loud music signals your brain to drink 30% faster.
2. Stop thinking about losing weight (this doesn't work for me). Know what snacks are healthy and eat them instead of something bad.
3. Mindset determines weight loss. Thinking you're fat makes you heavier. Research shows that when you think your weight and lifestyle are OK you lose weight, lower your blood pressure, BMI, and waist to hip ratio. Convince yourself that you are active.
4. Ditch your scale (doesn't work for me). Some studies do show that frequent weigh ins help dieters stay on track, though it may not be for everyone.
5. Stump your sense of smell. Just smelling food can slow the production of the chemical that relays the signal that you're full. Smell grapefruit essential oil or mint.
6. Time your antioxidants. They keep your brain's appetite center supplied with oxygen free radicals. Eat leafy greens, carrots, berries, and tomatoes to every meal. Eating them halfway through the meal revs up production of the hormone that tells you that you're stomach if is full. Eat your salad with your dinner – eating antioxidants on an empty stomach ramps up your appetite.
7. Let go of the perfect you. Raises the changes you'll binge eat. Instead focus on your small victories.
8. Fight brain fright. When you cut back calories your brain may go into fight or flight state because it's afraid of starvation. Instead eat 5-6 smaller meals instead of 2-3 big ones.

Mistakes that make you fat:
1. Skipping meals and snacks. Spread calories over three meals of 500 calories each and two snacks of 100-200 calories.
2. Speed eating. Take a deep breath between each bite.
3. Pigging out on weekends.
4. Gorging on salty snacks. On a salt free diet cravings go away after a couple of weeks. Try baby carrots instead.
4. Drinking alcohol. Not a problem for me.
5. Eating in front of the TV then dozing off.

Foods that pack on muscle:
Eggs: the perfect protein.
Almonds: muscle medicine, vitamin E.
Salmon: Omega 3's.
Yogurt.
Beef: carvable creatine.
Olive Oil: liquid energy.
Water bathes muscles, helping them to grow. Men who drink 5 or more 8 ounce glasses of water a day were 54% less likely to suffer a fatal heart attack then those who drank 2 or less.
Coffee: the caffeine helps keep energy up during workouts. Muscle burns more calories and increases metabolism.

How to Eliminate Food Cravings:
1. Chew Gum.
2. Brush your teeth. Minty flavors make food less desirable.
3. Sniff mint. A study showed mint sniffers throughout the day ate 3000 fewer calories per week.
4. Play games. Playing for 3 minutes reduces cravings 24%. When you're under pressure your body releases the stress hormone cortisol, which tells your brain to seek rewards – like food. Instead do something to make you feel good about yourself – like play games like Tetris.

Exercises: side plank hip-up. Burpees. Bridge-up: sit back on elbows then lift rear end into the air. Rest 30 seconds between exercises. Add sets every week.

Weight loss tips:
1. Snap a selfie. Taking a weekly full body shot could help motivate you to shed 2.6% of your body weight in four months.
2. Swap intervals for cardio. Prompts your body to continue burning extra calories long after the workout.
3. Snack then shop. Eating an apple before grocery shopping. Those who do bought 28% more produce and less junk food than consumers who snacked on cookies.
4. Track your progress. People who weight themselves regularly lose more weight than those who don't.
5. Take a 30 minute walk every day and lose 1.6 inches off your waist.
6. Snack on almonds. Much better than muffins.
7. Take a nap. Helps your brain produce chemicals telling you when you're full. Lake of sleep produces a chemical that makes you want to eat more. I'm convinced.

Foods that increase your metabolism: apples, almonds, broccoli, low-fat plain yogurt, canned tuna, boiled soybeans, cottage cheese, beef jerky, blueberries, asparagus, cheese, avocado, egg whites, water, spinach salad, whey protein, oatmeal, lean meat.