Spot Reduction? No, there is no such thing!

The Heta AkiraLeave a comment

spotreduction

You might not be familiar with the term “spot reduction,” but I’m sure plenty of people still believe it’s possible, even today. Maybe even you!

Spot reduction is a fitness myth claiming that exercising a specific area can reduce fat in just that part of the body. For example, if someone has belly fat, they might believe doing lots of crunches will target and burn fat in that area. This idea was hugely popular in the fitness industry during the 80s, so much so that many industry icons, built part of their fame by promoting the spot reduction myth.

tonylittle

Tony Little, remember him? The fitness celebrity who called himself “America’s Best Trainer” was famous for promoting spot reduction workouts. His program, “Target Training,” was a massive hit. I even had the tapes. What can I say… back in the 80s, the theory seemed perfectly logical.

You’re probably wondering two things: First, if spot reduction is a myth, why are crunches still recommended? And second, if spot reduction isn’t real, then how do you actually lose fat?

To answer the first and part of the second question, crunches are still a great exercise for building strong abs. If your goal is to have washboard abs in the future, you’ll need to strengthen your abdominal muscles and reduce body fat, so those muscles become visible. That’s why crunches remain a solid choice. Just remember, there’s a right and wrong way to do them, so be sure to research proper form to avoid injury.

For our second question, fat is reduced evenly across the body through a combination of exercise, a proper diet, and adequate rest. As simple and amazing as it may sound, that’s the winning formula. Here at TheHetaBlog, we’ll be talking about this a lot.

Now, please, pay attention (especially if you are very fat or obese):
DO NOT, let me say that again, DO NOT START A HEAVY WORKOUT TRAINING WITHOUT MEDICAL SUPERVISION. This is your life we are talking about.  Do the right thing and check your condition first and choose your training later.  If you are too out of shape, probably it will be something simple like walking, but let’s someone who understand the condition of your body do the call.

So, there you have it! You can’t lose fat in just one spot, just like you can’t lower the water level from only one corner of a pool by scooping water out there. The water level will drop across the whole pool, just like fat loss happens throughout your entire body.

Now that you know, the next time that you see someone talking about “spot reduction” or just saying something like “I got these exercises that will take away the fat from insert spot here“, do that person a favor and teach him.

Or better yet… Say to look for the answer here at     http://www.thehetablog.com        🙂

Meet the enemy of every weight loss plan! Don’t be deceived by its sweetness

The Heta AkiraLeave a comment

Every weight loss plan is built on its own set of rules and knowledge. Mine is no different, and I believe the Ketogenic Diet has shown enough evidence to prove it’s a solid step toward overcoming insulin resistance. As mentioned in our last post, insulin resistance is something we need to avoid at all costs, as it opens the door to many health problems.

Maybe you’re not following Keto and have your own plan that you trust will bring results. That’s totally fine! Here’s a bit of advice that can apply to any diet if you’re overweight or obese like I am.

CUT DOWN ON THE SUGARS!!!

Sugar is in almost everything we eat, and even if you don’t see “sugar” listed in the ingredients, it’s often hiding under other names like high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), dextrose, sucrose, fructose, lactose, and more.

Now, don’t get me wrong. It’s not that our bodies can’t handle a normal amount of sugar; it’s actually a primary source of energy. But you likely consume more sugar than you need, and certainly more often than necessary.

Another thing to consider is the type of sugar. I mentioned high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), and you’ll be doing yourself a big favor by avoiding it like the plague. Instead, get your daily dose from whole fruit (not juice), which comes with fiber to help prevent the glucose spikes we often get from liquid sugars like juices.

Try this experiment: write down everything you eat in a day, including snacks, and then use an app like “My Fitness Pal” to find out how many carbs, or what will be converted to sugar (glucose), you’re consuming. To do this, take the carbs value of each food, subtract the fiber, and you’ll get the Net Carbs. Then, add them up for your total for the day.

Let’s do an example:
A regular Peanut Butter Sandwich and a can of Coke.

Two slices of white bread:  25.3g – 1.2g = 24.1g
Two spoons of peanut butter = 7g
One can of Coca Cola = 39g

Our little snack means 70g of Carbs

This is about the maximum for any low-carb diet and roughly a third of a diet that doesn’t limit carb intake. My suggestion for this test? Skip the Coke and swap the white bread for a high-fiber option like German pumpernickel.

If you get into the habit of reading labels, you might realize you’re consuming more sugar than you think. Too much sugar can quickly lead to insulin resistance and, if left unchecked, type 2 diabetes. So, let’s get into minding the amount of carbs that we get into our body, as it is quite possible that you are having more than you need.

See you on our next post.

Insulin Resistance… You Got to Understand THIS!!

The Heta AkiraLeave a comment

Dear Reader:

I’m not sure how far off your regular weight you might be. But if it’s a significant amount, and you’re dealing with a large abdomen while struggling to lose weight, it’s possible you could be experiencing something known as Insulin Resistance.

Ok, let’s begin with the standard definition.

Insulin resistance (IR) is a pathological condition in which cells fail to respond normally to the hormone insulin.

The normal response of cells to insulin is quite simple: insulin allows cells to absorb glucose from the blood. In other words, insulin is the hormone that transports blood sugar, or glucose, from the bloodstream into the cells. Under normal conditions, the pancreas releases a specific amount of insulin, which helps deliver the glucose from your last meal to your cells—essentially feeding them.

In insulin resistance, the cells resist or reject the effects of insulin. This condition usually develops over many years due to excessive carbohydrate intake. To compensate, the pancreas produces more insulin to overcome the resistance, nourish the cells, and maintain normal blood sugar levels, which is a top priority for the body.

You might wonder: If my pancreas can handle insulin resistance, why should I be concerned about it?

This vicious cycle can’t continue indefinitely without leading to harmful consequences. Over time, your cells become more resistant, forcing your pancreas to produce more insulin to keep blood sugar levels normal. Eventually, your pancreas won’t be able to produce enough insulin to combat the resistance, and your blood sugar levels will begin to rise. At this point, maintaining normal blood sugar levels becomes much harder, and this condition is known as prediabetes.

You don’t need to be a genius to see where this is headed. Insulin resistance is essentially the precursor to Type 2 Diabetes. If you’ve ever wondered why the medical approach to treating Type 2 Diabetes often involves adding more insulin to your body (to support an overworked pancreas), now you know. Type 2 Diabetes is simply an advanced stage of insulin resistance.

Another important reason to avoid insulin resistance, especially if you’re trying to lose weight, is this: when insulin levels are high, the body won’t burn fat. Insulin is often referred to as “The Storage Hormone” for good reason. Glucose is either used by the body as fuel or stored as fat for future use.

In my recent blood test, my insulin levels were three times higher than the maximum normal range, but my blood glucose levels were normal. This happens because my pancreas is overworking, producing 300% more insulin to maintain normal blood sugar levels. If I don’t address this issue, I’ll likely end up with Type 2 Diabetes. Oh, and did I mention that losing fat is going to be incredibly difficult with my current insulin levels?

I’m confident you understand what insulin resistance is and the harm it can cause to your body. In the next post, we’ll discuss some steps you can take to address it.

Hint: Our diet helps combat this condition.

See you on the next post.

Ok, I screw up… Now what?

The Heta AkiraLeave a comment

Haagen-Dazs-Logo

I have to admit it, I was feeling low and gave in to temptation.    😦
Knowing that ice cream is packed with sugar, it’s a tough setback for a diet like the Ketogenic Diet, especially at the start.

The first question is, “What do you do?” and the answer is simple… YOU STOP! And don’t say it’s obvious, because for people like us, it’s not. It wasn’t logic that led you to break your diet, so why assume it will be logic that gets you back on track?

It’s pretty common to feel guilty after indulging in the forbidden fruit, uh, I mean, food. Just as common is the “What the hell, I’ll start again tomorrow” mindset. Avoid falling into that trap. When something goes wrong, don’t make it worse; learn from the experience and move forward.  If you notice your car has a flat tire before heading to the office, what do you do? You fix the tire and get on your way! You don’t pull out a knife, and slash the other three tires, right? But that’s essentially what you’re doing when you eat something you weren’t supposed to and decide to ruin the rest of the day.

Wait a minute! What about the learning part? Pay attention to the things that tripped you up. You were feeling a bit down (defenses low), and you walked right past that place selling your favorite “sin food.” Next thing you know, you’re stuffing your face. So, if I’m feeling down, I won’t go there, or I won’t go there alone. This is just a small example. You’ve got the key to your own control, use it!

Don’t feel bad for breaking your diet; feel good about the lesson you learned. However, in the case of Keto, breaking the diet with sugary foods can have significant consequences. The first is that you’ll fall out of Ketosis, and it might take a few days to get back on track.

That’s tough news, but I want to let you know that I have a plan to bounce back quickly. Stay tuned for more details in the next post!   🙂

Every Morning, This Should be FIRST!

The Heta AkiraLeave a comment

mwater

Clear and Simple, right after you wake up, the first thing that you should do is to reach for two 8 ounces glasses of water.

Here are some of the benefits of this old Japanese custom:

Rehydrates your body
Flushes out toxins and aids regular bowel movements
Alleviates Heartburn and Indigestion
Improves blood circulation

Is not common to get some many benefits out of one single change.

Wouldn’t be great if we could incorporate one healthy habit each month?
If you like the idea, this is a great place to start.

Monitoring Our Weight Loss Plan – PART III

The Heta AkiraLeave a comment

MonitorLevels

Alright, everyone, we’ve reached the final part of our three-post series, “Monitoring Our Weight Loss Plan,” and I’m confident that you’ll be somewhat familiar with the following monitoring options.

Let me start by saying that I find surprising how many personal trainers overlook the importance of tracking short-term progress. As someone who is obese, I understand the strong desire for results and how a small boost at the end of the first week can make all the difference between sticking with the program or giving up.

To understand and track short-term results effectively, close monitoring is essential. With that in mind, here are the three levels of monitoring I recommend:

LEVEL 1: This is the most basic level, assuming you already have a digital scale that measures weight and fat percentage (as recommended in previous posts). Simply step on your scale, record the readings along with the date in a notebook. The best time to do this is in the morning, right after waking up.

In summary:

  1. Wake up Monday (try to start at the beginning of a week) and take your weight and fat % readings and jot them down on a notebook or even a piece of paper.
  2. The next Monday morning, take again your weight and fat % and compare them to your last Monday readings.  CELEBRATE YOUR RESULTS!!

Note:  Remember than 1-2 pounds is perfectly normal as a weight loss rate.

LEVEL 2:  The second level of monitoring involves doing Level 1 plus using software that acts as a fitness diary. Level 2 requires discipline to fully utilize the software, as it often involves logging meals, measurements, and workout sessions. The reward is the wealth of information you gain, such as macro percentages, calorie data, reports, and graphs. I recommend the excellent “My Fitness Pal,” which boasts the largest meal database, extensive output information, and availability on all platforms. Checking out a few reviews, such as on YouTube, is always a good idea to understand the product and how to use it effectively.

LEVEL 3:  Level 3 monitoring is the highest level of commitment, combining the previous two levels with using a Smart Watch or Fitness Band to track personal fitness data. For example, if your daily goal is walking 10,000 steps (a goal that could merit its own discussion), these devices let you know whether you’ve hit your target and, if not, how much you fell short.

Keep in mind, Level 3 encompasses the earlier levels as well, so simply owning an Apple Watch or Fitbit doesn’t mean someone is fully committed to the regimen. For us, Level 3 signifies genuine dedication and consistency. The best part is that these devices can sync with MyFitnessPal, automatically transferring all your recorded steps to the workout section—a super convenient feature.

When it comes to choosing a device, it really depends on what you’re looking to get out of it. Do I need a $400 Apple Watch just to track my daily steps? Of course not! But I’m not ruling out the idea that you might want a device with a range of features, allowing you to explore and grow by using them one step at a time.

At the time of writing this, I recommend the following:

Fitness Bands (less expensive basic devices)

Xiaomi Smartband 9     4/5
Fitbit Inspire 3   3/5
Samsung Galaxy Fit 3   5/5

SmartWatchs (Full fledge advanced monitoring devices)

Samsung Galaxy Ultra (2025)     5/5
Apple Watch Series 11   5/5

AAs always, it’s your choice how to stay on top of your progress, make the decision and start following through. You can begin with Level 1, then move to Level 2 and stick with it until you’re comfortable, and only then advance to Level 3. Or, if you feel Level 1 is sufficient, that’s an option too. Just don’t overlook these powerful tools that can significantly boost the chances of your plan’s success.

Goodbye and good monitoring!

Monitoring Our Weight Loss Plan – PART II

The Heta AkiraLeave a comment

Yes, this post builds on the previous one, and while this type of monitoring might not be useful for other weight loss programs, we can’t deny that when following “Keto,” keeping track of our level of “Ketosis” is crucial.

I went with the “Keto Mojo Blood Monitor,” and as I mentioned earlier, it functions just like a standard glucose monitor. Simply load the device with the blue ketone reader strip, prick your finger, collect a small drop of blood on the tip of the strip, and wait for the results.

This was my result for last Friday. 

If your level is below 0.5, it means you’re not in “Nutritional Ketosis.” If that’s the case, don’t worry; just stick to the protocol. Get your carbs only from the list of approved vegetables, include your protein, and focus on consuming plenty of healthy fats.

Another thing to keep in mind is that the Keto Mojo comes with blood glucose strips, and when you measure both glucose and ketones, the device can provide a reading called the GKI. This index is gaining recognition as a more valuable metric to monitor since it factors in your blood glucose levels.

How often should you measure? Don’t do it too often, twice a week or even once a week is enough. Another good time to measure is if you think you’ve eaten something that might have knocked you out of ketosis. But remember, if you stick to the protocol, you’ll soon notice other signs of being in ketosis, with the lack of hunger being the easiest to recognize.

On our next post, we will continue with other steps in weight monitoring. 

See you there!

 

Monitoring Our Weight Loss Plan – PART I

The Heta AkiraLeave a comment

While many nutrition experts claim that a diet plan should come naturally without special monitoring, I have to disagree. Especially if you have a history of consuming unhealthy food for years and, like me, are obese. In the case of following the Keto Diet protocol, as we are, monitoring becomes even more crucial.

That’s why the next three posts will focus on the topic, “Monitoring Our Weight Plan.” 

How can you tell if you’re on the right track to achieving the benefits of the Ketogenic Diet?

The answer is: When you spend most of your time in nutritional ketosis. This metabolic state is quite fragile, especially in the early stages, which is why monitoring is crucial. 

What is Nutritional Ketosis?  This metabolic state happens when carbohydrate intake is sufficiently low, prompting the liver to convert fats into ketones, which are then used as a source of energy.

Given that definition, the goal of measuring is to determine whether we are in nutritional ketosis and to what extent.

The three most important methods for measuring our ketones are:

Urine Ketone Strips:  A cheap and easy way to check ketones, though less reliable, involves using urine test strips. You simply urinate on the strip, ensuring the test area comes into contact with your urine stream. Afterward, wait a few seconds and compare the strip’s color with a chart to determine the results. The issue with this method is that it measures ketones being excreted. While this works early on when your body isn’t using ketones heavily, the results may become less accurate as you start using more ketones as fuel.

Ketone Breath Analyzers:  If you’re familiar with the Alcohol Meter used by the police, then you already understand the science behind this Keto monitoring tool. It’s a more accurate method compared to “Keto Urine Strips” and is the least invasive of the three methods. However, the results can be influenced by a recent meal or your hydration level. To use the monitor, simply breathe into the mouthpiece, and it provides a result based on the acetone level (a byproduct of Keto) in your breath.

Ketone Blood Meters:  Think of this device as similar to a standard glucose meter, but instead of glucose-detecting strips, it uses ones designed to measure ketone bodies. This is widely considered the gold standard for keto measurement. A good device often doubles as a ketone and glucose monitor, and some even combine the two readings to calculate an index of ketone effectiveness. While a blood reader is typically less expensive than a quality breath analyzer, the cost of strips can add up to the solution cost over time.

My final recommendation for a measurement method is to skip the urine strips and opt directly for the blood meter or the breath analyzer.  

In my next post, I’ll share the results you can get with the Keto Mojo Reader.
Until the next time!    🙂

Coca-Cola (Diet) and other Bad Habits

The Heta AkiraLeave a comment

teaorcoke
I am sorry…
This post was supposed to start with a typical “XX years as a Coca Cola Drinker, and I am an addict”.  But to be honest, I really can’t remember for how long the product known as Coca-Cola Diet/Light/No Sugar had been such a “close friend” of mine. A good guess would be around 35 years.

The thing is, no matter how long you had it, you can get rid of bad habits. And while it’s not always easy, it’s doable.

Let me give you some information to ease the process.

I will stop 35 years of “Diet Cola Drinking Habit” and hopefully it will serve you as an example for your own fight. So, choose a bad habit and work along with me. If possible, choose a habit that is holding you back on our current goal. Maybe you are addicted to certain food at a specific time (like while watching TV) or maybe you fall into your bad habit when you are in a certain mood. It doesn’t matter the habit; these rules apply to all of them.

So, for starters what is a bad habit?  To put it simple, a bad habit is a negative behavior pattern. And according to MIT research, a bad habit follows a loop of three main components:   CUE, ROUTINE, REWARD.  If you are able to disrupt this loop long enough, you will be able to break the habit. There is a saying that a bad habit takes 21 days to be changed. It really will take a little more than that, especially if we are talking about years of doing what we want to stop doing.

The first thing that we want, is to concentrate on the ROUTINE. Try to isolate the bad habit while doing the action. A good way of doing this, is Imaging that you are someone else looking at you while we are doing our sinful act. In my case, I will think about someone following me everywhere and watching when I drink a Diet Coke, that someone will be shocked how often I do it and he (me) will pay close attention to details before and after the negative behavior. In summary, we will understand better the action of the habit that we want to change, and we will give it a correct label (Overeating, smoking, Fast Food eating).

 

Next let’s work with the REWARD system.
This is the hard part of the deal. You must make sure that you can create rewards that can replace the ones that you receive from the bad behavior. Let say that you want something sweet, but it doesn’t need to be Chocolate Cake, right?  Why not trying an Apple and complementing your good deed with some positive thinking. Think that you are closer to your weight goal because of this small step. In my case, I will replace the Cola drink with Green Tea (and the positive thinking is needed too LOL). This is in my opinion, a very easy approach because I am not changing anything about the process, just the element that I will be drinking in excess. It turns out that drinking a lot of green tea is GREAT for your health. However, because this part is not always easy, prepare for lots of trial error until you find the right GOOD reward for changing or killing your bad habit. Always aim for positive or healthy rewards, replacing one bad habit with another bad habit is not good for anyone.

 

Finally, we deal with the CUE.
You may not realize it yet, but your bad habit is not coming to you out of the blue, there is something that tells you to start rolling. A signal, a trigger, a CUE. And it could be as simple as being in a place or talking to someone or doing something specific that leads to the problematic behavior. Identifying our CUE is a must if you want to stop the habit. For now, instead of trying to fight the bad habit, pay close attention to the moment before you engage in the action:

Where am I when I do it?  Is the place important?
How am I feeling?  Happy? Sad? Bore?
Who am I with?  Alone? Friends?  Significant other?
How is my health?  Strong? Weak? Those days of the month (in case of girls)?
Write down anything that you think could somehow take you to the bad behavior. And be ready for the next time that the “Cue” repeats.

After knowing my cues, I can take action.  Let’s say that most of the time that I drink Diet-Coke, I am either bored or Watching TV. Well, the next time that you are in that state, be aware that it is an opportunity for change. Be alert and ready to identify the moment that you are getting the urge to engage into your bad habit.  At that time, interrupt your pattern with something else. If must be something that take you out of cue (pun intended).

Example: you are watching a movie on Netflix and you get a strong desire for Chocolate Cake. You decide to go to the kitchen and… Call your Mom to check how she is doing. Talk to her for a few minutes, tell her that you love her and make her feel special. By the time you hang up the phone, I feel confident that you will be happy and proud (Reward) and you won’t be thinking about chocolate cake. Good! go back and finish your movie. At the end of the movie, pad yourself on the back because you just avoided giving-in into your bad habit. You did GOOD!

 

A good strategy for CONSISTENCY

Ok, we kind of know what to do. Now how long do we keep doing it?  Until it WORKS! We are going to be using the Seinfeld Method (yes, the comedian Jerry Seinfeld). If you don’t know what I am talking about, let me just tell you that there is a good story about Jerry Seinfeld teaching his method to a new comedian during a Q&A session. Work on your skill (jokes) and mark every day that you do it on a big calendar. If you miss one day (break the streak) you must start all over. And believe me, after repeating that “starting over” a few times, you will be caring about your Seinfeld-Method-Streak. I am adding an ending point of 21 days to the cycle (for reward and accountability purposes).  So, you will be doing this cycle over and over again (21 days at a time) until you break your bad habit. Ah, and don’t forget to give yourself a big reward after finishing each 21 days cycle.

If you want to know why I am giving away Diet Coke, I promise to tell you, but in another post. 

 

Now go ahead, pick your habit and get ready to break it!!

Intermittent Fasting as a tool for losing weight

The Heta AkiraLeave a comment

iFasting

One of the things that I love about science is that is always renewing for the better.  There is no stubborn pride in keeping things being done a certain way when there is evidence that the old way was the wrong way or at least, not the best way.

And there is evidence to support that keeping your insulin levels high all day is far from healthy.  With that being said, many meals a day (including snacks) was considered a very healthy way to feed our body. Now we know that fewer meals are better and that the quality of those foods matter the most.

The super important hormone known as Insulin goes to work every time we eat, taking glucose from our blood stream to our cells. But keep eating constantly modern food and soon enough, your body will start resisting the work of insulin, so our pancreas creates more insulin to complete the job. If this cycle keeps repeating for enough number of years, and you might end up with “Insulin Resistance” also known as the first step to become a Type 2 Diabetic. With that being said, maybe the 5 or 6 small meals a day might not be the best after all. In fact, is just the opposite.  Reduce your meals and get them no so far apart and that will translate to benefits.

Here is what I mean…

Arrange an 8-hour window to eat!
After that? Water, Water and more Water.  This is called Intermittent Fasting 16/8.

Before you go into shock and feed your mind with all kinds of defeating thoughts, please believe that this is something that you can do.  And it will help you to lose weight and in overall it will help you be a healthier person.

This is my Plan recommendation:

No Breakfast, but you can have black coffee (black as in no cream, sugar of any kind)
Good Lunch (of course of allowed protocol food)
Light and Healthy Dinner (just before the end of the 8 hours eating window)

Example:
Breakfast –   None, just have black coffee.  And remember, not Splenda or other Artificial Sweeter.
Lunch – Salmon with a green salad and half avocado.
Dinner – As much salad as you want and you can complete your dinner with some Macadamias nuts.

This can be a little hard in the beginning, so here are some tips to follow:

  1. Water, as sometimes we might think that we are hungry and we are just thirsty.
  2. Avoid going out at night the first couple of weeks. Keep away temptations for now.
  3. Go to bed as early as possible.

AGAIN:  This is only hard at the beginning, resist and believe in yourself.

Last but not least, hop on the scale so you can monitor the results of your new tool.

Tomorrow, we start doing 16/8 Intermitting Fasting!