Kathy Kaehler, Fitness Expert

Dennis: Kathy you are renowned for being a proponent of simplicity… I like to call it effective simplicity, in your view what SIMPLE choices can someone make to get the ball rolling towards wellness? Is there a rule or theory that can be implemented to guide someone trying to achieve a better fitness level?

Kathy: Yes Dennis, because of all the options available and various diets that exist presently confusion is the ultimate result. To streamline things I simply say MOVE YOUR BODY! As long has you continue the routine of movement your regimen will be effective.

Incorporating my 90/10 rule adds simplicity to your Lifestyle change.

90% of the time you are active and adhering to a healthy foods menu and the other 10% is LIFE. Coffee and a slice of cake with friends once a month, a power lunch at your city’s top restaurant with a client or the dinner party that pops up. All these events are LIFE and you can’t and shouldn’t avoid any of them.

Not to mention they keep us sane and are as vital as the other lifestyle changes that incorporate health.

Hey and if you are gonna indulge Dennis and live that 10% to the fullest no better way to do it than with a great new product by Breyers Ice Cream, it’s called Smooth and Dreamy. These treats are incredible because the bars and ice cream options are within the 120-160 calorie range. An unbeatable and awesome way to be devilish if you have to be.

Dennis: In my view mothers are the super heroes of our modern age. Multitask is the word that most comes to mind when I think Mom know a days. MULTITASK is our nations new buzz word or term, can you give BUSY or overwhelmed moms specifically two immediate day one CHANGES that they can incorporate to jump start new eating habits and a exercise routine?

Kathy: I have a great story for you Dennis, I’ll never forget Michelle Pfeiffer’s spirit. I trained her for the blockbuster movie Batman Returns. She was cast in the dynamic role of Catwoman.

She had a grueling schedule; call time was 5:00am for the entirety of that movie. She had the option of sleeping until right before 5:00, then showing up on set or waking up even earlier and fitting a 4:00am workout with me. She chose to take on the challenge of getting that workout in. This can be related to moms who lead hectic and demanding lives in a specific way. Just follow the principle that as soon as your foot hits the ground get that workout in! Endorphins are magical and can carry you throughout the day with that extra focus and you got that workout in early to boot.

Dennis: Wow Kathy you are so right! That simple real life principle takes the daunting feeling of “oh I have to get my workout in at the end of the day or at a lunch break” out of the equation. And I agree endorphins are a magical formula for success.

To segway utilizing the theme of endorphins what is your take on exercise during times of crisis or stress in one’s life?

Kathy: Exercise does provide a certain degree of focus that can be invaluable during hard times in a person’s life. It can help settle your thoughts and thus sharpen your decision making.

Dennis: What is something that you find most individuals FORGET to incorporate into their new wellness plan or exercise routine?

Kathy: People need to remember this tip; “FIND SOMETHING YOU LIKE AND DO IT!

Get active doing something that you enjoy, is healthy, involves movement, makes you feel positive and stick to that DO IT!

Dennis: Give us a food that you can’t live without.

Kathy: Foods that are one step away from being at the original state.

Dennis: I like that concept!

Kathy: I feel out of sync when I go a period of time away from my more natural foods. I find that my performance is heightened when my body is fueled by the right food, raw or one step away from their natural state. Try it and be empowered.

Dennis: What is your most exotic food indulgence?

Kathy: Chocolate, the fresher the better..awww chocolate. Breyers is making that indulgence of mine all the more guilt free…Ice cream dipped in chocolate and low calorie is a winning combination within my 90/10 approach. I tell you Dennis Breyers Ice Cream has hit it out of the ball park on this one , Smooth and Dreamy is just that absolutely delicious and a wiser choice. I personally love the Chocolate covered strawberry bars, TRY THEM.

Dennis: If you can disclose which trainee over the years has impressed you with their toughness?

Kathy: KIM BASINGER MOST DEFINITELY.

Dennis: Your favorite fruit?

Kathy: Honey Crisp Apples when they are available. They are grown in Minnesota I think.

Dennis: Your favorite Veggie?

Kathy: KALE, you have to try my recipe KATHY’S KALE.

Dennis: I heard you were a Kale fanatic, my dad is a Swiss Chard lover so I can relate, sort off.

Kathy: I am a proponent of the nutrition powerhouse that is Kale and it is important in the diet of my children.

Dennis: Final Question Kathy, if you led a double life what would be you secret profession?

Kathy: I would be right here in New York City on Broadway! Theatre! Always Moving Dennis!

Be Sure to check out the following websites:

KathyKaehlerFitness.com

Breyers.com

Breyers Smooth and Dreamy

This is an article from FatManUnleashed.com's Healthy Weight Loss and Fitness Blog.

The First Lady of Fitness

Dr. Sheila Dean is a registered dietician who received her doctorate in nutritional genomics and pharmacology from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. She received her Doctorate of Science from Hawthorn University.

Question: Tell me how you got started in this field.

Answer: In a nutshell, I always found health science fascinating. I didn’t want to be a doctor but I was really interested in how science applied to health. I thought it was very interesting.

Q: What has this knowledge and particular career choice allowed you to do or achieve?

A: It is a real shift in thinking. I would say my role is to ask, ‘why is this happening,’ not ‘how can we mask this.’ My job allows me to put everything together and understand a story, not a symptom. My approach is to understand the root issues and why they are happening to the body. You don’t have the dumbed-down protocols, like, what medicine can I prescribe to fix this. It really requires integrating the story to get the big picture.

Q: Out of all the patients you see who want to lose weight and live a healthier lifestyle, would you say there are any common traits that exist?

A: I have definitely seen a common way of thinking in patients who have had gastric bypass surgery. This is generally speaking, but the mentality is, ‘once I have the surgery everything is taken care of,’ but that is not the case. I see depression a lot in these patients as a result of this. Also, people who come to me have a commonality of leaving nutrition as the last resort. Nine out of 10 people have exhausted their resources but have not changed the way they eat. I have heard so many stories of people who have been through so much without having been advised on their diets. If people could learn to start with natural medicines rather than pharmacology, we’d also save on health care costs.

Q: Tell me some of the differences between how men lose weight and how women lose weight. Are there major differences in metabolisms? Do hormones play a big role?

A: Because men in general have more muscle mass than women and muscle is really metabolically active, and there are powerhouses in muscles that burn calories, a man’s metabolism is generally higher than a woman’s. This is why it is so important for women to lift weights.

Since I am not a medical doctor, it is not my territory to tell a person to take a medicine or not take a medicine. But, for a woman, the more hormones you pump into her body, the harder it is for her to lose weight. Being estrogen dominant can thwart your weight loss. This even includes birth control and dairy and meat products that are filled with hormones. If you eat a ton of nonorganic dairy and lots of steak it’s going to be tough for you to lose weight. Think of it like an in-out model. Control what is coming in by eating right so the liver can detoxify. Some good foods to help with this are cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower and brussel sprouts. Also, onions and garlic are powerful liver detoxifiers.

Q: Would you recommend any power foods for men and women who want to reach a weight loss goal?

A: It’s not really that simple but there are things that can help. Green tea is something that can help boost your metabolism. But you can’t eat a gallon of ice cream and think drinking a cup of green tea will help. Food in general doesn’t have a natural metabolism boosting qualify, but some foods have been proven to have anti-inflammatory qualities such as omega-3 fish oils, turmeric, pomegranates, walnuts, avocados and tart cherry juice. When you eat these foods along with a healthy diet it can make a huge difference.

Q: There are a lot of workout plans out there and finding the right one can be overwhelming. What advice do you have for people when it comes to finding a workout plan that is right for each individual person?

A: First, ask yourself what you like to do. If you hate to swim, don’t. If you love dancing, try finding a Zumba class. It really depends on your circumstances and immediate needs. Second, if you can’t answer the question of what you like to do, go buy a pedometer and a decent pair of sneakers and just start walking. Walk the first day as much as you normally do. Find your baseline and add a thousand steps the next day. Then and 2000 and keep working your way up.

Q: Losing weight is one thing but keeping it off is another. What would you say is the key factor in maintaining weight loss?

A: The bottom line is you need to change it up. If you get good at something, you’re going to plateau. You want to constantly challenge and confuse your muscles around every 6 weeks. This can be as simple as changing the mode of your workout or even the time of your workout.

Q: If you could offer one bit of advice when it comes to healthy living, what would it be?

A: I would say to focus on health, not diets you go on and eventually go off of. Make this a lifestyle change. I am a real believer in a whole foods diet. I can’t stand processed foods. Avoid artificially colored, flavored stuff. You’ve got to get it out.

For more information on Dr. Sheila Dean and her services, visit Integrative Nutrition Solutions.

This is an article from FatManUnleashed.com's Healthy Weight Loss and Fitness Blog.

A Nutritious Conversation with Dr. Sheila Dean

She did not have a lot of time to chat, but was able to answer some of my most important questions. Her answers were short, to the point, and in many ways insightful. I left this interview with a renewed sense of what exercise is. Let me know what you think about what she said. Does exercise make you sweaty? Tired? Is it good for you? Or is it bad?

What do you think? Were her arguments compelling enough to make you think exercise is bad for you?

This is an article from FatManUnleashed.com's Healthy Weight Loss and Fitness Blog.

Exercise Is Bad for You, Says Expert in Video Interview

ZocDoc is a website that focuses on providing its visitors with the ability to find a dentist or doctor and then scheduling an appointment online for free.

ZocDoc Interview
1. What is ZocDoc?
If you’ve ever needed a doctor and didn’t know how to find one, or couldn’t find a good one, or couldn’t find one who would see you right away, then you already know why we created ZocDoc. We created it for you.

2. How can it help people with their health?
ZocDoc provides an online way for you to find and book appointments with doctors and dentists instantly. You can come to our website and with a few simple clicks, find a practitioner who accepts your insurance, and is in your neighborhood. You can also read reviews from previous ZocDoc patients and book appointments – for free!

3. What was the inspiration for the idea?
Our Cofounder and CEO Cyrus Massoumi thought of the idea for ZocDoc after rupturing his eardrum during a flight. He tried to find an ENT specialist, but outdated insurance websites and full schedules made him live in pain for 4 days before he could finally see a doctor. He knew there were available appointments, however he just couldn’t find them. So he came up with the idea for ZocDoc to make it easier for patients to access the care they need, when they need it.

4. What makes it stand out amongst similar sites/products?
Think about it: How do you find a doctor right now? Insurance website directories are a shot in the dark. There’s no way to know which doctors are good, or if office addresses and phone numbers are even accurate. Other online doctor directories don’t allow you to book appointments, and reviews on these sites can be entered by anyone, giving you no sense of trust.

5. What are you plans for the future?
ZocDoc fills a need that has been too great for too long. We provide accurate information on each practitioner, reviews from ZocDoc patients only, and the opportunity to book appointments, all in one place. Quick, convenient, and trustworthy, our first priority is always you.

More On ZocDoc
You can search for many dentists and doctors specialized in various fields of expertise. The searching process makes it convenient and relatively fast to find a doctor or dentist within a few minutes. The site states you can find just about any doctor or dentist within the New York area but you can search in other cities and states. They plan on expanding into more territories as demand dictates.

If there are no doctors in your area ZocDoc will encourage you to inform them of where they aren’t supported. This will cause ZocDoc to begin providing their services in your area in the future. Be sure to fill out the simple form that pops up when there is no doctors or dentists in your area. Doing so you will be opted in to be notified once they are supporting your area. In due time this site will support the United States nation wide. Right now they focus on New York, here are specific listings for Brooklyn Dentists. Do keep in mind however that ZocDoc is still currently in BETA stage, meaning it is still in testing. It functions perfectly for the most part so it performs a lot better than other usual beta sites.

Once a doctor or dentist is found in your area a list of them is displayed. Each professional has detailed information such as address, specialties, practice name, and insurances accepted listed. There is also a rating system so if the ratings are low then it is recommended that you do not deal with that person. Some new people will not have a rating.

Each doctor/dentist has a professional statement which gives you some idea about the person. They even show you the person’s educational background displaying the college and specialized institutions they graduated from. They also display the languages they can speak so if you have someone that only speaks Spanish you can refer them to a doctor or dentist who can speak Spanish making this detail convenient to people who’s first language is not English. This section also showcases certifications that have been achieved and professional memberships of specific associations. You can view patient reviews of each dentist or doctor on ZocDoc. If you’ve been a patient of any of these doctors or dentists you can post a review of them yourself to help others decide who would be best for them.

Convenience is key with ZocDoc so after you’ve found the perfect doctor or dentist that suits your needs you can then select your reason for visiting and the schedule will automatically change to the date times that are opened for that particular reason. Simply click on the time you wish to book an appointment and you will then be transferred to the verify details page. Just reconfirm everything such as the specialty, reason, and insurance details. If you are logged in you will then be booked. If not then you will need to either login or sign up for a new account. This process is free of charge so no worries of needing to pay to use these services.

Simply put, ZocDoc fills a need. It’s convenient and free. You can’t beat that. Visit ZocDoc.com today and let me know what you tihnk about it.

This is an article from FatManUnleashed.com's Healthy Weight Loss and Fitness Blog.

ZocDoc Interview, Online Dentist and Doctor Appointment Booking

How important is the mental aspect to your training and nutritional program?


How you think, and more importantly, what you think is possible is more important than the training or nutrition side of the equation. You get out of any program what you put into it, and if you don’t think it’s possible, or think it’s going to take forever, then you’re right. You have to believe that you can do it and then put your full attention on it.

Pro basketball players are so good at what they do because that’s all they do. They sleep it, they dream it, then imagine it, the practice it, they sacrifice their time on other things to commit to their game. Same with sprinters, golfers, artists, musicians or programmers. The people who are the best at what they do are the best because it’s what they love; it’s what they’re passionate about. They take the time to learn, and more importantly, learn from their mistakes. They’re constantly striving to be better, even by 1%, which makes them the masters of their game / art / discipline.

Yes, you can learn about nutrition and fitness as a hobby.

Yes, you can begin by doing 30 minutes of exercise three times a week and yes, you SHOULD begin.

Take that step. Then take another step and improve it just a little bit each day. Then improve a little more each week, each month.

Increase the intensity when you can, try new things, don’t hold one single thing as gospel.

Then change it up to keep the body guessing. Change your nutritional program, change the calories day to day, change your fitness routine every six weeks – whatever it takes so it’s not routine.

Challenge your beliefs. Consider the fact that what you believe might not be the truth, or there may be other options that you’re not considering because of what you’ve been brought up to know as true, like the dairy thing. Test it out – eliminate dairy for a month and pay attention to what happens – how you feel etc. Challenge the belief of needing meat protein every day – go vegetarian for a week or a month and see how you feel and what results you get.

Most importantly, find a role model that has gone where you’ve gone and knows what they’re talking about. Someone who’s been there and done that and can offer suggestions or that you can simply duplicate what they’ve done. Know that it is possible to lose an enormous amount of weight and get fit, or to even get back in shape if you let yourself go. Know that it’s possible and begin taking steps in the direction you know you should take.

Do you have any favorite sayings? Quotes? Anything that inspires you to be better, train harder or be more diligent with your eating?


My personal quote is “… anything is possible and nothing happens by accident…”

Basically, if you hold the vision in your mind, your body will begin to move towards that vision and you must take action on the steps to get there.

“an object in motion tends to stay in motion, while an object at rest tends to stay at rest”

Knowing this allows me to understand why it’s so hard to get moving, to resist taking the steps, but also that once I begin – the doors begin to open for me and the ball keeps rolling, picking up speed. Once you begin the habit of going to the gym three times a week, it gets easier and easier. Same with nutrition, once you begin learning about new ways of eating, healthier ways of eating, it gets easier and easier while the results come pouring in.

What happens when things don’t go your way?



I either take a break, realizing I need more rest or I kick things up a notch. Over the past 20 years of me doing this, I’ve come to understand that a plateau of me means one of two things – either take a break and recover or kick things up a notch.

Recovery for me means to rest for a week or two and double my nutritional intake. I use Sunrider whole foods exclusively – no whey, no supplements, no commercial products. I use far-infrared sauna therapy, massage, yoga and chiropractor. I have not gone to a doctor in the last 20 years with the exception of a pulmonary embolism I had after a weight training injury. I believe doctors are poorly educated in the ways of nutrition and simply prescribe pharmaceuticals recommended by the pharmaceutical reps. I take care of myself with food, thank you very much. Doctors, in my opinion, are excellent at trauma or fixing broken body parts and that’s when I would use them. PS, I have three medical doctors in my family including my sister.

I believe that everything is exactly right the way it is and I simply have to figure out the lesson. I weighed 475 pounds for a reason. I lost 300 pounds for a reason. I gained over 50 pounds of muscle for a reason. I am where I’m at right now for a reason and it’s absolutely perfect the way it is.

My thing is finding the lesson in it all. What am I supposed to learn from it all? Can I share what I’ve learned with others so that they may benefit or do I experience the lesson over and over until I finally get it and I can move on with my life in a new direction? Who knows? That’s the question isn’t it.

I’m also a big believer in non attachment (that’s a joke by the way – some times I have to explain them). A big believer in non attachment – I crack myself up.

But I digress…

If you’re attached to the outcome, you’ll never get it. The universe doesn’t work that way. I am very clear about what I want – and if I get it, awesome. If I don’t – that’s ok too, as I’ll enjoy the journey.

If things don’t go my way – that’s ok – it is what it is.



How do you deal with boredom in your program?



I change the program. Simple. I never do the same thing more than 4 weeks in a row and I’ll even change methodologies a few times a year – a few months of interval training, a few months of body building, a month of doubles (2x a day in the gym), then two weeks of training but no cardio. Then throw in a bootcamp or two.

I train in the gym,

I train outdoors in the park,

I walk, I stair climb, I run stairs, I use the Expresso Cardio bike, I row,

I do various sorts of bodybuilding techniques always changing things.

I have a personal trainer who develops training programs for me which takes the “development portion” of the program off my shoulders. She creates the programs and then I follow them.

In Ayurveda, my body type is referred to as Kapha-Pita. I’m a two dosha body type and I need stimulation on a daily basis. I can get bored quite easily and I know this, so I have to mix things up a lot to keep interested. The pita part of me is “fire” which generates my drive, so once I get moving, I keep moving.

For my diet – yes I can get bored with it as well. I don’t have a traditional diet by any means. I’m part vegetarian but I eat meat. I like meat and I eat the best quality meat when I do. You’ve heard the saying that “life is too short for bad wine” and It’s a major part of my philosophy. I like the best when it comes to anything that goes in my body. It’s the same reason I choose Sunrider foods. It’s the same reason I search out grass bed bison and only eat grass fed, open air chicken and eggs. I only drink distilled water and I only drink imported beer and the best wines.

Saying I’m “part vegetarian” does not honor vegetarians so I always use a disclaimer when I talk about it. I eat primarily a plant based diet for days or weeks at a time and then have meat for a few days – with the plants, then return to a plant based diet.

Having so much variety in my diet keeps my interest as well, so I don’t get bored. My Girlfriend is an excellent match for me. She’s a fabulous whole foods cook and we create some amazing recipes each week. A new recipe is featured each week on my blog, so if you like whole foods or are looking for something new to try, check it out.

The question is about dealing with boredom and the answer is as easy as saying “I change the program” but I felt it needed a bit more explanation.

How does missing a workout affect you?



I work a “missed” workout into my week. No worries. I train pretty hard, so an extra day of recovery time is fine. It’s also different which keeps the body off guard. A missed workout works to my advantage. Now, that said, I don’t plan to miss workouts, but I most certainly do not stress about it as that would be worse than missing the workout.

What do you do about it?



If I miss a workout, I just get back to it when I can. In the long run, thinking one year, five years or twenty years down the line, a single missed workout is of no consequence. Like I said earlier, it is what it is, so I consider it a positive thing.

How important is a reward meal or a cheat meal from a mental perspective?



A reward meal is critical, for many reasons. Mostly mental of course, where you get to simply indulge and just release any tension you’ve been keeping about it, but also physical, resetting your hormones.

I work a re-feed “weekend” into my program as well as reward meals.

I eat pretty clean as part of my day to day routine, and I enjoy it, so I don’t think of them as cheats. I drink wine on a pretty regular basis, but I know the difference between a “clean training week” or two weeks, then a relax week.

When I focus on something, I can go at it for weeks, then take a break and coast. I recover during the coasting.

There are four ways I look at training / nutrition:

1. Weight loss
2. Maintenance
3. Weight gain – bodybuilding / mass gain
4. Endurance sports

Each one has different methodologies when it comes to training and eating. It’s pretty hard to be in any two at the same time, so I believe that you have to pick one and stick with it for months at a time. I’ll do weight loss for a few months, then switch to weight gain for a month, then go back to weight loss. Then I might maintain for a week while traveling or doing some other project.

Reward meals / cheat meals fit into each of those systems in different ways.

I also plan around cheat meals or evenings out. If I know I have a meal out with friends / girlfriend, I make every effort to train right before so that the meal supports me. I work it into my schedule as it were.

I think the best way to summarize the question about cheat meals is to answer from the “stress” point of view.

Too much stress brings any nutritional or training program to a halt. Training stress stimulates muscle growth, but too much has our bodies eating itself. I once wrote an article about the benefits of simply letting go of all the “rules” around eating and training and it goes something like this:

Eat to live.

Enjoy your food, enjoy your life.

Have your goal clearly in place and take the action steps towards them – food / nutrition being one of them, but then allow room for some fun. The fun you allow yourself supports your goals. Know this – live this.

Eat well 80 to 90% of the time and you’ll get exactly what you want. You always get exactly what you want.

–

For the latest on Rob make sure to visit his site, FormerFatGuy.com and read more on his natural weight loss blog.

This is an article from FatManUnleashed.com's Healthy Weight Loss and Fitness Blog.

Former Fat Guy Rob Cooper On Mental Mindset

The following is the second of a three part interview.

Picking up on last week’s fitness goal, describe the diet you’re following to achieve your goal.


I’m following a 90% vegetarian diet, 10% meat. So, not vegetarian per say, but more or less plant based. It’s the opposite of a cave man diet, yet similar. I go 9, 10 or 14 days eating a whole food, plant based diet, then have 2 or 3 days of meat along with the plants.

I LOVE food (that’s how I got to be almost 500 pounds in the first place, remember?), and I find that the better I eat, and the more I train, the more I get to eat!

My program is also about longevity. I want to be climbing mountains and jumping out of planes when I’m 80 years old. My plan is to go past 100 years old too, so I’m not even near middle age yet

I got interested in natural health back when I first started my weight loss journey, and it fascinated me. There’s so much that doctors don’t tell us (because they don’t know), so I became my own doctor. I learned how the body works, how it processes food, how it digests, how it assimilates nutrients, etc. and I’ve never looked back.

My philosophy is about natural health and natural weight loss, living lean from a healthy perspective with longevity in mind.

What is the main focus of the diet? (ie: cutting calories? cutting fat? eating natural?)


Whole foods – eating natural, low fat, high nutrient density food sources, predominantly a vegetarian diet with minimal amounts of the best possible sources meat – grass fed bison, chicken and grass fed chicken eggs.

Primary focus is high fiber, nutrient dense foods.

How many meals a day are you eating?



Four to 5 a day, with a goal of 6.



Does the rest of your family / household eat the same way?



Yes, thankfully. My girlfriend is the best. She was vegan when I met her, having dropped 30 pounds herself (for her 5’ tall frame). It’s wonderful having someone eat the same way, the same restaurants and the same beliefs about food, food sources, food quality. She’s no longer strictly vegan by any means as she incorporates some animal protein as well now, but to a much lesser extent than me. She’s just relaxed about her eating now that she’s reached her goal, yet conscious about the health consequences of eating too much protein.

Do you allow for a reward meal (cheat meal)?



Yes – I like great red wine and that’s my reward. I absolutely love the food I eat, so great wine and the odd great imported beer are my treats. My goal is to be able to have some wine or beer every two weeks, and allow for the next day to be an off day of some sort, because doing cardio after a night of drinking just doesn’t feel right. One should be allowed to sleep in, lol.

Other than that, I find that for a 10% body fat goal, training twice a day, 6 weeks in a row allows for a little more freedom. I don’t count calories, and don’t weigh anything. We eat out twice a week or so, and it’s usually thai. I make sure I’ve either just finished training or I’m about to train after I eat. That allows me to use the food as fuel.

Which if any supplements do you add to your diet?



I’ve been eating Sunrider food supplements since I found out about them in 1991. They changed my life and I’ve never been without them since. I used to use creatine and glutamine and whey. Now I don’t. I used creatine for 15 years but stopped. I’ve used whey off and on for about 7 years, but no longer feel the need to waste money on it when I can get better nutrition from whole foods and Sunrider.

Coffee or green tea?



Green tea. I drink Sunrider Calli tea and Fortune Delight exclusively.



Water or calorie free beverage?



Water and Sunrider Fortune Delight (a 3 calorie whole food beverage that supports my health).


How much do you spend on food in a given week / month?



My girlfriend and I actually track this month to month – how much we spend on groceries and how much we spend eating out. We average about $800 a month on groceries of which I’m eating 60%.

Are there any foods you outright avoid and DO NOT eat?



Dairy. Absolutely NO dairy goes anywhere near my lips. The biggest lie ever told to the public is about milk and dairy being good for you – what a joke. Tell the lie long enough and loud enough and people believe it.

Cola of any sort – nope, nada. I haven’t bought pop [soda] since 1992 in any variety.

Sugar – I haven’t bought sugar – ever.

List your top 3 supplements?



Water, Sunrider foods, dark leafy green vegetables.



Please describe 3 of your best eating or dieting tips for the reader.

1. Focus on improving your health first and foremost. A healthy body will not store fat and is free of aches and pains. When you focus on natural principles, you get the all the benefits of a healthy body – stress management, better sleep, clear skin, mental acuity, quick recovery time, natural HGH etc.

2. Fruit is meant to be eaten on an empty stomach and eaten alone. Very few people realize this. Fruit is also the best post workout recovery food. It provides natural sugar, carbohydrates, water and fiber.

3. The only beverages that pass over your lips during your weight loss phase should be water and green tea. Anything else is not supporting you or your health. No protein shakes, no milk, no beer, no wine, no Gatorade, no pop, no coffee – nothing but water. Once you’ve reached your goal weight and want to move to maintenance or muscle building, then re-evaluate your fluids. Until then, stick with water. You be surprised at the results you can get in one week by simply switching to pure distilled water.

Next week we will cover Rob’s mental health and mindset. For the latest on Rob make sure to visit his site, FormerFatGuy.com and read more on his natural weight loss blog.

This is an article from FatManUnleashed.com's Healthy Weight Loss and Fitness Blog.

Former Fat Guy Rob Cooper On Diet and Nutrition

I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Rob Cooper, the Former Fat Guy, about his natural weight loss experience. We covered his fitness, nutrition, and mental health. He is an inspiration to all, he once weighed nearly 500 lbs. 500 POUNDS! It took him only two and half years to drop 300 lbs.

Residing in Canada, Rob is now healthy, muscular, and follows a healthy eating plan and exercise routine. FormerFatGuy.com has been online since 1995 and is full of tons of information on weight loss, diet, and physical fitness. Rob clearly knows what he’s talking about when it comes to getting and STAYING in shape.

The first of a three part interview, the following covers Rob’s current fitness regimen. I love learning and reading about health and fitness and hope you do too. I was surprised to see that Rob and I have a few things in common.

So, Rob, let’s get this started. What is your current fitness or exercise goal?



My current goal is to get to 240 pounds at 10% body fat. Then take a few weeks break, then push on to 6%, do a photo shoot that sort of says “been there, done that” and then relax back up to 8%.

What methods are you using to achieve your goal?



I do cardio every morning, 7 days a week and do weight training every other day, allowing for a full 48 hours of rest between strength training sessions.


Describe the exercise program you’re following to achieve your goal.



I do morning cardio for about 45 minutes, mostly HIIT, followed with about 15 minutes of interval training or one single body part training. Then in the afternoon, I’ll go back and do my normal training session. I do supersets with all my exercises and focus on upper body one day, lower body the next. I train for no more than 45 minutes at any one time because I believe that any more than that is counter productive. If you can train more than 45 minutes, you’re not training hard enough!

Supersets allow me to get more work done in a 45 minute session. I mix it up a lot, never doing the same thing one workout to the next. They’re mostly the same, but I mix up combinations of exercises, do them in different orders, compound pushing with pulling one day, then two exercises pulling, two exercises pushing the next session. I might do the same thing for a week at most, then switch it up again.

My goal is keep my heart rate up, and stimulate as much muscle fiber per session as possible for maximum after burn

I’m also a very big believer in core training and most of my training sessions are core based. What does that mean? Glad you asked. I use the stability ball for flyes and DB press. I use the ball for seated db curls and I kneel on it for doing shoulder laterals for instance. I use the bosu trainer as well for doing squats, lunges, pushups and one arm chest press.

By having to keep my core engaged each training session, I work more muscle fiber than if I was laying on a bench or sitting on a seat of some sort. Besides, a stronger core allows for much heavier traditional lifts.

I’m also an avid backpacker / mountain climber, so having a stronger core allows me to carry heavier packs and be a little nimbler on the rocks. I’m all about real world fitness. When I’m outside the gym, I want functional muscle, not just good looking muscle.

Is this a year round exercise program?



Partially I guess. I don’t do daily HIIT for more than 6 weeks at a time. Too much of anything is bad and excessive HIIT without decent recovery time (2 weeks to a month or more) can lead to severe overtraining, depression, stunted growth, muscle wasting and erectile dysfunction. After a 6 week “blast”, as I call it, I take a full 2 weeks off from cardio and only do light weight training – just to keep my muscle. Then I do 2 weeks at every other day cardio while upping my strength training again, slowly working my way back to heavier weights.

As soon as I feel any sort of low energy coming on, or the slight sign of a sniffle, I stop all training and allow for proper recovery. Overtraining sucks.

To answer your question, no, this is not year round training schedule. This has purpose, to get to 10% body fat at 240 pounds. Then it’s about maintenance – which is a completely different program.

I’m going to modify my 6 week blast to a 4 week blast. I’m feeling that my energy peaks at about 3 weeks and begins to taper off at the end of 4, so I’m going to listen to that and take my recovery weeks earlier.

What was your exercise program like prior to setting this current goal?



I had taken almost two years off from the gym. I was traveling with a personal development company called Peak Potentials, facilitating courses and camps all over North America. I worked from 6 am till midnight or 2 am five days a week. It was very intense and when the weekends came, I just wanted down time.

After loosing the 300 pounds initially, and keeping it off for 16 years, I gained more than 50 pounds of fat and I’m currently on a 6 month program to get rid of it.

Prior to that however, my training program was like most – 3 days a week doing cardio and 5 or 6 days a week doing strength training. I’m 40 years old and have been training since 1992, so I’ve gone through all sorts of training “systems”. Hard to narrow it down to just one. Maybe I’ll do a post describing all the different types of training systems I’ve followed here soon.

What results are you expecting from this exercise program?



I expect to drop 3 pounds of fat a week, keep my muscle and or gain some muscle. I expect to drop body fat, but not too much weight – exchanging fat for muscle and dropping inches.

When do you expect to reach your goal?



July 1st, 2008 – Canada Day!



Do you have a reward for reaching your goal? What is it?



Lol, I can’t really say – kinda personal. My girlfriend has agreed to doing something special when I get to 10%.


Which is more important – Weight training or cardiovascular training in a weight loss / fat loss program?


Both. Primarily weight training as its muscle that makes cardio more effective. Cardio makes muscle more effective at burning fat, so we need the muscle to burn fat. Cardio is just the catalyst.

How often do you change your exercise program?



Every 6 weeks at the outside, 4 weeks normally, and right now I’m changing it almost day to day. I go by intuition – what feels right. I know what I want to work when I’m in the gym, I go in with a plan and then choose the exercises to fit that plan – then improvise within those exercises (from experience). Might be a superset, might be a triple set, might be a 20 minute interval training set. Depends on my energy and day’s goal.

Do you allow for down time at all? Recovery time?



HOLY SHIT YES! I listen to my body, if I’m not up for training, or not fully recovered from the last one, I wait another day and re-fuel my body. I’m also very aware of doing heavy HIIT training for lower body and then training legs again the same day. As I said before, I only do “6 week blasts” before taking 2 weeks off to fully recover. During the recovery time, my focus is on nutrition and rest. I will get a couple of massages, do some far-infrared sauna, and yoga to detox, refuel and repair.

What do you do if you simply do not want to go to the gym on a given day?

I talk myself into it.

Just as I can talk myself out of it, I can just as easily talk myself into it. I KNOW that I feel better once I’m warmed up, so as long as I can get to the gym, get changed and get onto the floor, I’m good. Then 2 sets in, I’m warm enough to go heavier and from there it’s a piece of cake. Of my top 10 all time workouts, I’d say 4 of them were ones I had to talk myself into.

On the days I don’t want to be there, I commit to just 30 minutes. Once I’m warm, I just go heavier, knowing I have to do as much work in 30 minutes as possible. After 30 minutes, I’m usually quite interested in doing 15 minutes more.

Well, thanks for the opportunity to learn more about what fuels your fitness. I look forward to reading more about your success.

Next week we will cover Rob’s nutrition. For the latest on Rob make sure to visit his site, FormerFatGuy.com and read more on his weight loss blog.

This is an article from FatManUnleashed.com's Healthy Weight Loss and Fitness Blog.

Former Fat Guy Rob Cooper On Fitness