Truth About Calories

Calories are a unit of energy.  From the Law of Conservation of Energy we know energy can not be created not destroyed.

Applied to the human body if you eat a surplus of calories over the calories you spend you will gain weight.

Eat a caloric deficit relative to the calories you spend you will lose weight.

Energy balance means that which comes in has to go somewhere.

It does not matter when the calories are consumed.  What matters is how many calories are consumed and how many are spent.  This is the TRUTH in Calories.

orry Intermittent fasting folks but you are not rewriting the laws of physics.  Plus if you do not eat between 9:00 PM and 6:30 AM is that not fasting?

Once caloric energy balance is managed a discussion about where in terms of macros...carbs, protein and fat calories come from can be had.

But how many calories are consumed and how many are spent comes first.

• This is KING for fat loss or fat gain.
• This is KING for weight loss or weight gain.
• There is NO skipping this.

So whether you are following Keto, Macros, IIFYM, intermittent fasting,Eat by Color, IM or any other approach to nutrition contrary to what you may think it is as simple as calories in equal calories out.  A surplus will be stored as fat and deficit will come from fat.

Ray Binkowski is the former owner of a hybrid training gym, author (all of his titles are on Amazon), and trainer. He has lost over 60 pounds and kept it off for over 15 years. He has worked with thousands including professional athletes, police/fire/military, physique competitors, even corporations like 3M, and most often people looking to make a long term change in health, wellness, and weightloss.

#fitdad #fitover40 #fitmom #instafit #instafood #eatbycolor @eatbycolor #theprojectstrong @theprojectstrong

Getting out of the diet box, cheat meals, and eating clean. What is balanced nutrition anyways?

After losing over 60 pounds I took a job in sales and was scared to death I would gain the weight back.  Here are my secrets to maintaining my lifestyle and with it my weight while on the road traveling.

4 Secrets to Traveling and Eating Right

1. Breakfast. If the hotel offers a free continental breakfast

grab a piece of fruit and a yogurt or a couple of hard-boiled eggs with

whole grain toast.   Pack your shaker cup and a few baggies of protein before you leave.  This is your plan B.   Have a shake on the way out of the hotel.

2. Snacks. Gas stations are great for snacks. They all have jerky, protein bars and mixed nuts.Grab one or the other and a bottle of water or diet beverage and get

back on the road.

Note: When you top off the tank of the rental car enroute back to the airport, gas stations are a great place to get a snack. They are also a third of the price of food at the airport.

3. Lunch. Grilled chicken breast salad.

4. Dinner.Largest piece of red meat on the menu, salad and a side of vegetables.  Ask that they hold the bread basket.  Funny, but when you order the 8 oz filet medium rare, the salad and vegetables no one is aware you are watching what you are eating.

4 Secrets to Traveling and Training

1. Get your workouts in before you travel. Plan your off

days for your travel days. If you are going on vacation and will be gone

for an extended period of time, plan a week or so off from exercise. You

will return full of renewed enthusiasm to be back training in the gym.

2. Most hotels have some type of equipment. Call ahead or check online if your hotel has an exercise facility onsite. If there is cardio equipment, start your day with 20 minutes of High Intensity Interval Training.  If they have machines do a circuit.  Three sets of ten repetitions of each exercise on each machine, rest 30-60 seconds between sets.

3. Call the hotel and ask about local health clubs. Sometimes

they are even able to secure a free gym passes to local facilities.

4. Hit the road. Some vacation destinations are great places to put a few

miles on your walking or running shoes while seeing the local sites. Just make sure

your route is safe. In fact, some communities have running tours, so

you go for a run and see the sites. Grand Rapids, Michigan is one such

locale.

#EatbyColor @EatbyColor EatbyColor.com

Ray Binkowski is the former owner of a hybrid training gym, author (all of his titles are on Amazon), and trainer. He has lost over 60 pounds and kept it off for over 15 years. He has worked with thousands including professional athletes, police/fire/military, physique competitors, even corporations like 3M, and most often people looking to make a long term change in health, wellness, and weightloss.

#fitdad #fitover40 #fitmom #instafit #instafood #eatbycolor @eatbycolor #theprojectstrong @theprojectstrong

Secret to Wanting to Eat Your Vegetables!

These are vegetables. When was the last time you had some? Not out of a bag, but that started out looking like this fresh in the produce section?

 

You should eat your vegetables…. You can eat quite a bit of them for not many calories. I really realized this while doing the nutrition calculations for my new book Healthy Simple & Tasty, Recipes for Living Well. Vegetables also keep you regular, are loaded with water and vitamins/minerals.

 

I know who picks fresh vegetables over chips…. Get creative and you might start picking the vegetables. Creative is using infused oils and vinegars like Renee’s from Driftless Glen Distillerygreat on salads and more.

 

Chicken Ginger Lime Asparagus Page 84

 

Or on a great summer side like

 

Caprese Tomato Mozzarella Page 117

 

We have been making a weekly vegetable tray and using dips like in the new Healthy Simple & Tasty book…. Even some new recipes like Taco Ranch. Seriously get the vegetable tray out that typically only sees daylight on holiday. Wash and slice a ton of vegetables and make some dip. The whole family will end up snacking on vegetables from the tray for the better part of the week. Add some of the great dips like below.

 

Dipping Sweet Peppers and Ranch Page 193

High Protein Ranch Dip Page 202

 

 

Interested in some great recipes…

Ray Binkowski has lost over 60 pounds and kept if off for over 20 years! He is the Former Owner of a 15,000 squat foot, 24 hour hybrid fitness training center, author of several fitness and health books and the producer and host of the OCB Midwest States bodybuilding and fitness competition. Most importantly to us, he is an expert on functional fitness that has consulted military, law enforcement, tactical entities, professional athletes and people from all walks of life to optimizing their physical readiness and capabilities. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Northern Illinois University and various fitness certifications. He is also a husband, father and loyal dog owner who does not appreciate clowns.

Cake, Cookies, Ice Cream and the Rest of Your Forbidden Favorite Foods...

First no foods are off limits.***

Second if you really want it have it.

Better back to school eating.  No matter the age or school the same tips apply.

Breakfast

Avoid the sugary cereals, fat free or 2% milks, pastries and pancakes.

The better options are eggs, whole grain toast, oatmeal, overnight oats, or even make your own protein pancakes or waffles.  See EatbyColor.comfor recipes.  Hard boiled eggs and fruit are portable and available in most dorms and can easily be made at home.

Lunch/Dinner

Avoid the fried foods, highly processed carbs and high fat foods.   Hit the salad bar and load up on a variety of fresh vegetables first.  Favor the lean protein like grilled or baked chicken, fish, beef or turkey.  Pair with vegetables as a side and some complex carb.   There is nothing wrong with sandwiches just pick a higher fiber bread or go with a wrap like flat outs or fold its.

FitWorkzis the largest 24 hour training facility in DeKalb.  FitWorkzoffers 15,000 of exercise equipment and space.  There is never a wait for equipment and plenty of parking.  Being open 24 hours 7 days a week allows members to train when their time allows.

FitWorkz is a hybrid training gym offering cardio, machines, and free weights including 4 sets of dumbells, squat racks and more! Plus there is over 3,000 square feet of functional training space offering bumper plates, Rogue rack, tires, kettlebells, TRX and MORE!

Eat by Colornutrition is not a diet and teaches interested members how to make better food choices.  There is no counting calories, points, macros or anything else with Eat by Color.  Get your copy of Eat by Color on Amazon Today!

Get access to training and coaching for as little as $8 a workout or less.  Many training membership options are available.

Subscribe to this channeland take advantage of the more than 1,500 videos on nutrition, exercise, motivation and more!

#FitWorkzDeKalb#EatbyColor FitWorkz.comEatbyColor.com

Most Asked Nutrition Questions, Diet Myths, and Secretsof the Best Trainers and Coaches

As a trainer, gym owner, and author I have spent the last 17 years I have worked with thousands of people on nutrition, training, lifestyle. 

You have to eat 6 small meals per day.

There is no truth to this.  We have had clients successful eating 3 meals per day.  In some cases work and life commitment make it impossible to eat this often.  If you can only eat 4 times per day you are not dead in the water.  Make better food choices those 4 meals and move on.

You can’t eat carbs. (Applies to the Atkins and younger generation of Keto folks)

Most people are over eating carbs and not enough protein. Increasing protein and cutting back on carbs is often a step in the right direction.  Eliminating carbs completely is not necessary and cannot be done indefinitely long term.  When it comes to nutrition your success is in a long-term approach.  If I had a dollar for every time I heard “ I lost weight on Atkins”… and that weight would have never found its way back if you could stick with Atkins.  Same for Keto.

Cheat Days, Cheat Meals, and Dieting Always.

If you really want something have it.   You do not need a day of the week or meal of the week to do it. Cheat days, I used to plan to drop anchor at a buffet on Saturdays as this was my cheat day.  What happens if a special event (wedding/anniversary/graduation/birthday/promotion/you get the idea) happens on a Wednesday but your cheat day is Saturday?  Are you really going to miss the special event because it falls on the wrong day of the week?  This makes no sense. 

Here is what I know.  If you have six days a week of better food choices one day a week, regardless of what day of the week it is, is not going to stop progress.  On a monthly basis this will be 25-28 good days of eating and on an annual basis over 300 days.  Not too bad and enough to lead you to progress.

Always being strict with food and dieting means life will pass you by.  Friends, family and loved ones will not be here forever.  Enjoy those special events.  Don’t let life pass you by.

Eating after 6:00 PM, 7:00 PM, or Later

It does not matter what time the calories come in. What matters if calories are not consumed in excess.  Plenty of our clients eat before bed and have not issues losing pounds and inches.  The bigger picture is making sure you eat enough calories but not too many. 

Detoxes and Cleanses

Contrary to what the multi-level marketing people say on the internet, a detox and cleanse are not necessary for weight loss and long term weight maintenance.  Plenty have lost pounds and inches and kept them off long term with out doing either. 

Forever Cutting Calories

Initially cutting calories gets the scale moving down. There is a point where cutting calories will not keep the scale moving down and a plateau will happen.  In some cases if calories go too low the scale might actually go up.  Cutting calories is not always the answer and we see people make great progress by actually increasing their calories.   Read that again.  We see most people that lose weight and keep it off for the long term actually having to eat MORE not Less!

FitWorkzis the largest 24 hour training facility in DeKalb.  FitWorkzoffers 15,000 of exercise equipment and space.  There is never a wait for equipment and plenty of parking.  Being open 24 hours 7 days a week allows members to train when their time allows. 

FitWorkz is a hybrid training gym offering cardio, machines, and free weights including 4 sets of dumbells, squat racks and more!  Plus there is over 3,000 square feet of functional training space offering bumper plates, Rogue rack, tires, kettlebells, TRX and MORE!

Eat by Colornutrition is not a diet and teaches interested members how to make better food choices.  There is no counting calories, points, macros or anything else with Eat by Color.  Get your copy of Eat by Color on Amazon Today!

Get access to training and coaching for as little as $8 a workout or less.  Many training membership options are available.

Subscribe to this channeland take advantage of the more than 1,500 videos on nutrition, exercise, motivation and more!

#FitWorkzDeKalb#EatbyColor  FitWorkz.comEatbyColor.com

Must Have In Your Kitchen If You Plan to Lose Weight

I remember buying my first weight loss cook book.   I was excited to get it home only to find out there were two problems. First I did not have the majority of the ingredients for any of the recipes in the book. Second, as a bachelor I did not have most of the utensils or kitchen equipment needed to make the food in the book. The new weight loss book was loaded with food and meals I lacked the tools and ingredients to make.  Your kitchen needs to have the tools for you to make the right foods to reach your goals.  Recipes need to have only a few common ingredients or you are never going to make them OR will only make the on special occasions.  Even if there are few ingredients in the recipe if you do not have them you can make the food. 

Here is a list of tools you will need to have in your kitchen to make better food and drop pounds and inches.

Equipment and Tools

Oven/Stove

Microwave

Grill

Large Frying Pan with Lid

Spatula

Oven and Microwave Safe Dishware

Pack of Portable Plastic Food Storage Set (hit your local box store)

Crock Pot or Slow Cooker

Blender

Ingredients

Garlic Powder

Oregano

Basil

Olive Oil

Balsamic Vinegar

Salt and Pepper

Vegetable Oil

Butter

Non-Stick Cooking Spray

Mayonnaise

Ranch Dressing

Ranch Dressing Packet

Taco Seasoning

Salsa

Hot Sauce

FitWorkzis the largest 24 hour training facility in DeKalb.  FitWorkzoffers 15,000 of exercise equipment and space.  There is never a wait for equipment and plenty of parking.  Being open 24 hours 7 days a week allows members to train when their time allows. 

FitWorkz is a hybrid training gym offering cardio, machines, and free weights including 4 sets of dumbells, squat racks and more! Plus there is over 3,000 square feet of functional training space offering bumper plates, Rogue rack, tires, kettlebells, TRX and MORE!

Eat by Colornutrition is not a diet and teaches interested members how to make better food choices.  There is no counting calories, points, macros or anything else with Eat by Color.  Get your copy of Eat by Color on Amazon Today!

Get access to training and coaching for as little as $8 a workout or less.  Many training membership options are available.

Subscribe to this channeland take advantage of the more than 1,500 videos on nutrition, exercise, motivation and more!

High Fiber Italian Chicken Panini Recipe

Ingredients:

High Fiber Wrap

Left Over Grilled or Baked Chicken Breast

Mozzarella Cheese

Spaghetti Sauce

Butter

Slice or shred the chicken breast. Put 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet or frying pan. Once the butter has melted add the wrap. Let the wrap heat then flip. Add shredded chicken, mozzarella and sauce. Now add sauce and cheese to your liking and in line with your goals.

FitWorkz is a hybrid training gym offering cardio, machines, and free weights including 4 sets of dumbells, squat racks and more! Plus there is over 3,000 square feet of functional training space offering bumper plates, Rogue rack, tires, kettlebells, TRX and MORE!

Eat by Color nutritional is not a diet and teaches interested members how to make better food choices. There is no counting calories, points, macros or anything else with Eat by Color.

Get access to training and coaching for as little as $8 a workout or less. Many training membership options are available.

Subscribe to this channel and take advantage of the more than 1,500 videos on nutrition, exercise, motivation and more!

@EatbyColor @FitWorkzDeKalb @TheProjectSTRONG #FitWorkzDeKalb #EatbyColor