Fat Man UnleashedA Weight Loss Blog with Fitness, Health, and Diet Tips

Fiji Bottled Water Rap47 lbs LOSTso farMarch 30, 2008 by Israel Lagares | 4 comments

A few weeks ago I finally tasted Fiji Water for the first time. It did not blow me away to say the least. I was bored after recording the video blog and decided to let loose. The following video is a result of that. RSS readers click here for the video.

Disclaimer: This video is simply a comical sketch. No Fiji Water or Fiji Water Employees were harmed in the making of it or will be harmed after the making of it.

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The 5 Best Protein Sources for Building Muscle47 lbs LOSTso farMarch 27, 2008 by Dr. Kal | 36 comments

Weight Loss Experts continuously debate over which diets are best: “low carb” or “low fat”. I am not sure which side is currently winning and frankly I don’t care. In my opinion, the macronutrients that are most important to weight loss are proteins.

Benefits of Protein

Protein benefits weight loss in many ways:

• Building muscle
• Boosting metabolism
• Slowing digestion
• Decreasing hunger

The most important of these is building muscle.

How to Build Muscle

To build muscle you basically have to accomplish three things:

• Strength train to break down old muscle fibers and encourage your body to replace the old muscle fibers with even more new muscle fibers.
• Eat enough calories to discourage your body from using your muscle fibers for energy.
• Eat enough protein to provide your body with the building blocks it needs to repair old muscle fibers and build new muscle fibers.

Protein Sources

The best protein sources are:

Whey – Whey protein is one the two major proteins found in the milk of humans and other mammals, such as cows. This means that nature selected it as one of the best proteins to help babies grow, and babies grow very fast. Whey is digested and used quickly, making it the perfect post-workout protein. It has all the amino acids you need, tastes okay, and is still fairly inexpensive.

Casein – Casein protein is the other milk protein. So, nature also chose casein to aid in the growth of newborns. However, casein is digested and used slowly, making it a decent post workout protein, but an excellent before bed protein. It has all the amino acids your body needs, and also tastes okay.

Egg Whites – Egg yolks are good for the body in moderation, but egg whites are far better. Egg whites have all the amino acids you need and can be fairly inexpensive if you buy whole eggs and separate them yourself. Another, benefit is you can cook them, adding your own flavor and other ingredients. Boiled egg whites are also very portable.

Soy – Soy protein is the ideal choice for vegetarians. Soy is the only plant that has all of the amino acids your body needs. Soy also has many health benefits include protection against heart disease and many cancers.

Skinless Chicken Breast – For those of you who just want meat, skinless chicken breast should be ideal for you. Skinless chicken breasts are extremely lean especially if you remove all visible fat. They can be very inexpensive if you get them on sale or at a warehouse type store, such as Costco’s. They are muscles themselves, so they obviously have the amino acids you need to build muscle. Skinless chicken breasts also taste great when they are well prepared. I like my chicken breast, well seasoned, grilled, with hot sauce on the side.

To lose weight and keep it off, you must eat an adequate amount of protein. When choosing protein sources, start with whey, casein, soy, egg whites, and skinless chicken breast.

Here are some more resources for protein rich foods: Wellsphere: List of High Protein Foods

Dr. Kalvin Chinyere is a weight-loss expert and ex-fat man. He is also the creator of the Don’t Go Broke Weight Loss Plan and the main contributor at Dr. Kal’s Blog

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Chinese Buffets and Fat Men Don’t Mix47 lbs LOSTso farMarch 23, 2008 by Israel Lagares | 22 comments

Photo Courtesy of MidtownLunch

Buffets were created by the devil! Not literally, but it sure does feel like it sometimes. I have a history with buffets. In high school I would go to the same buffet every week. It was a ritual that some of us “bigger” guys on the football team partook in. After high school I would still go about 2 to 3 times a month to a Chinese buffet with friends. It was something we would do when we were bored. Nothing to do on a Saturday afternoon, head out to the China Wok buffet. All you can eat for about $8.

Now in my adult years I haven’t been to as many buffets as I am accustomed to, but I have still made it to some. The craziest ones are on cruise ships: Mounds and mounds of food, all you can eat, all day! Bad mix for a fat guy. Especially if you are still mentally too weak to fight it off. Now a buffet every now and then is okay, but don’t make it a habit. Some, if not all of the foods, are not the healthiest. I know there are fruits, veggies, and healthy meats, but more often than not the food at buffets isn’t prepared with the most care.

So what am I getting at you ask? I met up with a couple of friends recently. I really wanted to see them since it had been a while. Unfortunately, they wanted to meet up at the local Chinese buffet. I immediately knew that it was a disaster waiting to happen. Israel at a buffet? BAD IDEA. I usually go for 4 rounds. That’s a minimum. And doesn’t include the dessert plate. Reluctantly I headed out to meet them.

Side note: Have you noticed that there are so many fat, overweight, usually morbidly obese people eating at buffets and fast food restaurants? I know I have seen it and it’s alarming. When will these folks realize enough is enough?

I must say that I did very well. I only had 3 plates of food. Now hear me out, it wasn’t really that bad. The first plate had some greasy chicken, some rice, and an egg roll. The second was just 4 pieces of sushi. The last was 2 servings of chocolate covered marshmallows with graham crackers, of which I am proud to say I only ate one. That isn’t that bad is it?

Photo Courtesy of Jaymosch

I knew I would give in to the temptation. The trick was to accept it and move on. How do you combat the weaknesses associated with buffets? Don’t put yourself in a position to fail. Don’t act like you wont cave in. Accept it. Eat until you are full, then stop. Also, I learned that getting up several times is sort of embarrassing, especially if you’re a fat person. So I made sure to only get up a few times. It’s a good idea to select something healthy to go along with whatever else you choose to eat. That way there’s somewhat of a “balance.” I would suggest to not let your friends influence you. If they know that you are on a mission to get in shape, lose weight, and lose fat they would probably be less likely to want to go to an all you can eat buffet.

But the best advice I can give from my personal experience regarding Chinese buffets is…

DON’T EAT AT CHINESE BUFFETS!

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10 Ways to Lose Weight Watching the NCAA Tournament47 lbs LOSTso farMarch 20, 2008 by Dr. Kal | 5 comments

The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament started today. I am sure you all have your brackets ready. This year I am very excited because my beloved University of Miami Hurricanes are in the tournament. Now, I do not have the ‘Canes winning the tournament in my brackets, but I have them winning it in my heart.

I am going to spend a lot of time watching basketball games, so I decided to come up with some calorie burning exercises to perform during the games.

March Madness Weight Loss Strategies

1. Burpees. At the start of each quarter do 10 Burpees. These are great full body exercises. How To Video

2. Water. At the end of each half, drink a glass of water. Water is good for weight loss and overall health.

3. Walk. During half-time, take a 10 minute or half-a-mile walk. You can burn many calories walking at a brisk pace.

4. Squats. Do 10 Body Squats every other commercial. A great exercise for the lower body. How To Video

5. Lunges. Do 10 Body Lunges on with each leg during the commercial that you do not do squats. Another great exercise for the lower body. How To Video

6. Jumping Jacks. Do 20 Jumping Jacks every time someone hits a three-pointer. Jumping Jacks are not as good as Burpees, but they are a good total body exercise. How To Video

7. Push-Ups. Do 10 Push-Ups every time someone misses a three-pointer. Push-Ups are a good exercise for your chest and triceps. How To Video

8. Crunches. Do 20 Crunches every time someone dunks the ball. You don’t want to neglect your core. How To Video

9. Chair Dips. Do 10 Chair Dips every time a mascot does something stupid or annoying, such as breathing. Chair Dips are good triceps builders. How To Video

10. Shoulder Bridge. Do 20 slow Shoulder Bridges every time the announcer says something such as: “If they could simply stop the other team from scoring, they would have a chance”. Shoulder Bridges really work the Glutes. How To Video

Dr. Kalvin Chinyere is a weight-loss expert and ex-fat man. He is also the creator of the Don’t Go Broke Weight Loss Plan and the main contributor at Dr. Kal’s Blog

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Appealing to the Women with Divine Caroline47 lbs LOSTso farMarch 19, 2008 by Israel Lagares | One comment

I came across Divine Caroline a while back. I have always felt it was a great source of information for health, fitness, and everyday life. But the one thing that sort of turned me off was that it was primarily set up to appeal to women. Now there is nothing wrong with that. Not at all. The people I love most in this world are women: my daughter, my mom, my wife, and my grandma. I’m pro-woman. At that time I was just setting up this site and didn’t feel it was what I was looking for as a constant source to assist me in my goals.

That all ends NOW! As of right now Fat Man Unleashed is invading Divine Caroline with his own brand of kick your butt, funny, engaging health writing. I have my own Divine Caroline author page that I plan to populate with some of my best stuff. I think it’s time they saw some more guy stuff over there, not that the guys over there aren’t doing enough. I just feel like I can bring something else to the table for them as far as expanding their male audience.

I also plan on using them to expand the female audience here at Fat Man Unleashed. I want to break out of the male dominated audience mold and get some new female readers. Maybe it’s predominantly male because I’m a man’s man. Or so I think. Oh well. Who cares.

Here’s their “official” blurb. I will give you my take on it after.

Share some words. Find an answer. Add your twist.

There’s a new place where real voices rule. Where people can write and publish stories about anything that matters to them. It’s called DivineCaroline and it’s full of words and wisdom just the way you like them – dripping with honesty. What do we talk about? That’s up to you. One channel we think you’ll appreciate is Body & Soul where we’re taking on prevention, emotional well-being, sexy health and much more.

There are 8 other channels too – covering everything from Career & Money to Travel. You can submit a story if you want or just see what everyone else has to say. So when you get a minute, please come and explore our stories, reviews and forums. Everyone’s welcome to browse and read and when you’re ready to participate, it’ll take just a few seconds to register. Yes, it’s free! Hope to see you soon at DivineCaroline.com.

In other words, just head over to Divine Caroline and explore all of the great resources they have set up. They have just about everything for everyone. And with me contributing now, you’re definitely not going to be dissappointed.

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Stay Informed and Motivated with Health Magazines47 lbs LOSTso farMarch 17, 2008 by Israel Lagares | 14 comments

We all know getting into the workout groove is half the battle. Whether it’s from lack of motivation or not knowing where to begin, a health and fitness magazine subscription is a good way to stay on track and to keep you positive.

I like Men’s Fitness because it is a great source for fitness, diet, and health advice. Each issue has articles on exercise routines, nutritional plans, and weight loss. There is always at least one article on “how to lose 5 pounds in 2 weeks” or “how to lose 10 pounds by Easter.” They provide a day-to-day workout and diet breakdown with just enough scientific explanation for the average person to understand.

Many of my teen years included me reading a wide assortment of bodybuilding magazines. I learned a lot of information from them. Personally I changed the way I eat and workout from reading some of the articles. Some articles even tell you which foods to avoid, eat, and why. They’ll even throw in recipes for delicious healthy food.

I like to look for discounts when I order subscriptions. I usually buy them at the local Wal-Mart, but always think to myself that it’s cheaper to just subscribe yearly for the cost of a few magazines that you would buy individually. I came across a site is offering magazine subscriptions for a good discount. Discount Mags has a large library of health and fitness magazines, I already put in my order for Men’s Fitness, Muscle & Fitness, and Shape (for the misses).

It’s always good to add to your health knowledge arsenal. Which health magazines do you read or subscribe to?

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The Fiji Bottled Water Taste Test47 lbs LOSTso farMarch 15, 2008 by Israel Lagares | 16 comments

I finally decided to record a live taste testing of the much acclaimed Fiji bottled water brand. Before this water tasting, I have never tasted Fiji water. I still think that Fiji bottled water is extremely over priced. It’s all recorded for your viewing pleasure, plus my verdict. Watch the video below. Enjoy.

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Sleep Better For Faster Weight Loss47 lbs LOSTso farMarch 13, 2008 by Dr. Kal | 21 comments

Fatigue can kill your weight loss progress. Being tired makes you hungry and stressed. This causes you to eat more calories. Being tired also decreases your energy. This makes you workout with less intensity and decreases the amount of calories you will burn. If you want to lose weight and keep it off, you must sleep at least 7 – 9 hours EVERY night. To get a better night sleep:

• Schedule your sleep. Planning is the key to permanent weight loss. This includes planning sleep. If you decide that you are going to sleep from 11 pm to 7 am every night, do that. No excuses. This includes the weekend.

• Do not oversleep. 7 am is 7 am, even on Sunday morning. Oversleeping can throw off your sleeping pattern as much as under-sleeping. One extra hour will not kill you, but please don’t wake up at noon.

• Beds are for sleep. Don’t do anything in your bed other than sleep. Don’t watch television or even read. You want your brain to associate your bed with sleep and only sleep. Actually, there is one other activity you can consider doing in the bed. However, some people consider that exercise, so it’s okay.

• Exercise regularly. Exercise will help you burn extra calories and it will also improve the quality of your sleep. This includes strength training and aerobic activities. However, try not to exercise within an hour or two before your scheduled bedtime.

• Limit caffeine. Caffeine is great in moderation. It can boost your energy, improving your mood or your workouts. However, try not to consume caffeine within six hours before your scheduled bedtime.

• Lights and sounds out. Eliminate all unnecessary lights and sounds in your sleeping environment. This will create a more tranquil sleeping environment and lead to better sleep.

A good night’s sleep is essential to permanent weight loss. Use these strategies to help improve your sleep.

Dr. Kalvin Chinyere is a weight-loss expert and ex-fat man. He is also the creator of the Don’t Go Broke Weight Loss Plan and the main contributor at Dr. Kal’s Blog

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Help Spread the Health, Health Ranker Update47 lbs LOSTso farMarch 11, 2008 by Israel Lagares | 17 comments

I just wanted to give an update on some of the latest happenings at Health Ranker, the social media/news health site I launched a few weeks back. Most of you may or may not know, but Health Ranker is not the first social media health news site, but it is shaping out to the best. I bet that you haven’t heard of any of the others. That’s because they SUCK! There aren’t many health news dedicated social media news and voting sites. So to be honest, I think Health Ranker is in a league of it’s own. Don’t get me wrong, it has a long way to go. But the amount of traffic, users, and all around positive feedback has been very encouraging to say the least. Thanks to those that have visited, used, submitted and written about the site. Although, I’m not going to lie, I’m a little disappointed with some folks that haven’t shown any love. I’m hoping they come around soon.

Aside from setting up partnerships with health related sites, I have been working on developing the site into not only a health bloggers resource, but a mainstream health news site as well. Speaking of which, if you are interested in setting up a partnership or cross promotion, or any thing for that matter, just shoot me an email using the contact form with your ideas and proposals. You will find that I am pretty much open to anything, so don’t hesitate to contact me. I have some ideas in the works for the site, but will most likely save those for another post. It’s too early to implement them anyway. I get ideas for my blog posts from the site, no more worrying about what to write about for me.

There are some cool tools in place to help spread the health news love. Some include adding a Rank it! button to your site, adding a Health Ranker Widget to Your Site (displaying the top 5 health news submissions), and inviting friends. I made sure to make the Rank it! button slimmer and less intrusive than it’s original version. The top 5 widget is simply amazing! Once you place the code on your site, it uses the CSS of your site and fits right into place. You can see some examples using the link above, or just take a look to your right. I am using the widget code and didn’t need to modify anything. The friend invite tool is pretty cool too. It let’s you import your contacts and send them an invite to the site. And no, it doesn’t store any data or emails. It uses a temporary solution to send out the email invites, then erases it’s memory (so to speak).

There have also been some social blog plugins that Health Ranker has been added to: Sociable Plugin by Joost de Valk and Socialmarker. I have been trying to get added to some other popular social bookmarking tools and will update you as it happens. Maybe with the help of some of you great readers, we can get added to even more tools. I won’t sit here and pretend to know all of the tools that exist, so if you know of any, please do let me know. Better yet, ask the specific tool developer to add Health Ranker to it.

I made this awesome banner with this awesome slogan, “Putting a Band-aid on Social Media.” What do you think? Some other slogans I plan on using include: “Help Spread the Health,” “Social Media Just Got Healthy,” and “No Health, No Glory!”

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6 Steps for Losing Weight at a Convention47 lbs LOSTso farMarch 9, 2008 by Israel Lagares | 19 comments

I picked up some ideas on how to continue on my weight loss journey.

The Proper Weight Loss Mindset47 lbs LOSTso farMarch 6, 2008 by Dr. Kal | 7 comments

Obesity is the physical sign of a bad mindset. In order to lose weight and keep it off, you must adopt the proper mindset. Most of you believe that losing weight involves having willpower and being perfect. This is the wrong mindset to have. Permanent weight loss involves planning and persevering.

Willpower

Willpower is your brains attempt to overcome your natural tendencies and desires. The brain is powerful, but so is nature. You will never be able to consistently defeat your yearn to overeat or eat bad foods. If you depend on willpower to lose weight you will fail. You will fail miserably. This failure will cause you to give up, become depressed, and overeat.

Perfection

You believe that if you are perfect you will lose weight. If you follow your nutrition and activity plan perfectly, you will lose weight and lose it quickly. If you believe that, you are right. The only problem is that you cannot be perfect. You are human and you will “slip up”. You will fail. The bad habits that caused you to gain weight are deeply ingrained, and you will not eliminate them overnight. If you expect to be perfect, you will fail. This failure will simply cause weight gain in the future.

Planning

You do not need willpower to lose weight. However, you do need to plan. Planning your life properly will eliminate the need for willpower. Here are some examples of proper weight loss planning:

• Take your lunch with you to work. This eliminates the willpower necessary to buy a salad in the cafeteria instead of the burger.
• Make Tuesday night’s dinner on Monday night. This eliminates the willpower necessary to not stop at McDonald’s on your way home from work.
• Join a gym in between your job and your home. Then put your gym bag in your car the night before you plan to work out. This eliminates the willpower necessary to not drive straight home after work.

Perseverance

Perfection is overrated. Long term pound losers are not perfect. Actually, they failed often during their journeys. The key is perseverance. Expect failure. Embrace it. Every failure is a learning experience. Just do not give up. If you learn from your failures and stay the course you will succeed.

Depending on willpower and perfection will lead to weight loss failure. If you want to lose the pounds and keep them off, depend on planning and perseverance.

Dr. Kalvin Chinyere is a weight-loss expert and ex-fat man. He is also the creator of the Don’t Go Broke Weight Loss Plan and the main contributor at Dr. Kal’s Blog.

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