Margarine was originally manufactured to fatten turkeys. When it killed the turkeys, the people who had put all the money into the research wanted a payback so they put their heads together to figure out what to do with this product to get their money back.

It was a white substance with no food appeal so they added the yellow coloring and sold it to people to use in place of butter. How do you like it? They have come out with some clever new flavorings.

DO YOU KNOW.. The difference between margarine and butter?

Read on to the end…gets very interesting!

Both have the same number of calories.

Butter is slightly higher in saturated fats at 8 grams; compared to 5 grams for margarine.

Eating margarine can increase heart disease in women by 53% over eating the same amount of butter, according to a recent Harvard Medical Study.

Eating butter increases the absorption of many other nutrients in other foods.

Butter has many nutritional benefits where margarine has a few and only because they are added!

Butter tastes much better than margarine and it can enhance the flavors of other foods.

Butter has been around for centuries where margarine has been around for less than 100 years .

And now, for Margarine..

Very High in Trans fatty acids.

Triples risk of coronary heart disease.

Increases total cholesterol and LDL (the bad cholesterol) and lowers HDL cholesterol, (the good cholesterol)

Increases the risk of cancers up to five times.

Lowers quality of breast milk.

Decreases immune response.

Decreases insulin response.

And here’s the most disturbing fact…. HERE IS THE PART THAT IS VERY INTERESTING!

Margarine is but ONE MOLECULE away from being PLASTIC….. and shares 27 ingredients with PAINT!

These facts alone were enough to have me avoiding margarine for life and anything else that is hydrogenated (this means hydrogen is added, changing the molecular structure of the substance) .

You can try this yourself:

Purchase a tub of margarine and leave it open in your garage or shaded area. Within a couple of days you will notice a couple of things:

* no flies, not even those pesky fruit flies will go near it (that should tell you something)
* it does not rot or smell differently because it has no nutritional value ; nothing will grow on it. Even those teeny weensy microorganisms will not a find a home to grow. Why? Because it is nearly plastic . Would you melt your Tupperware and spread that on your toast?

Share This With Your Friends…..(If you want to butter them up’)!

Chinese Proverb:

When someone shares something of value with you and you benefit from it, you have a moral obligation to share it with others.

Pass the BUTTER PLEASE

So what I get out of the clean up week is a average daily intake of calories that I am eating.  I started using fitday again which I haven’t done in years.  So after logging my food into fitday last week I came up with my daily caloric intake.  My average caloric intake was 2600 calories on average for 5 days of logging. With that number my first step is to maintain that amount of food for 1-2 weeks.  I do not want to drop my calories from the start because I want to give my metabolism a chance to get adjusted to maintaining a set number of calories for a small period of time before I create a deficit.  This caloric average can actually be maintain for 6-10 weeks before creating deficits from it.

At this point my goal for the next 2 weeks is to log 2600 calories EVERYDAY and keep my workouts exactly as is which I will get to later or in another blog.  I will follow this for 2 weeks in which point I will make a small adjustment to either my caloric intake or my exercise volume.  Notice I said I will make a change to one OR the other and not both.  This is key to determining what method actually works best at that time for you.  If I decrease my calories and add more exercise all at the same time I will never truly know what is causing the change in my physique.  So in two weeks I will make an adjustment to my plan.  For now the goal at hand is to get my workouts in 4 times per week with intensity,  and break my daily caloric intake down into how much is needed in each meal in regards to protein, carbs and fats and stay on a steady path for 2 weeks.

Tip of the Day: Remember to make yourself small attainable goals in order to not overwhelm yourself with the bigger picture.  I will prepare each days meals and have my workouts written out for the week in order to stay focused.

Training clients last night made for some good conversation about meal planning and fat loss.  When your goal is fat loss and getting leaner you have to remember that it is a process that requires some planning.   From my experience, if my meals are not planned out accordingly prior to the day starting than I am not as successful in getting leaner than if I do have all meals planned out.

So what if your day is filled with meetings, car rides to clients, or super busy with the kids?

Well it still has to be planned out.  I get asked quite often what do I do if I am on the road or get stuck out and don’t have a meal with me , what do I eat and from where?  This is a very common situation and I will answer this shortly but first I must give you the first thing that comes to my mind when I hear this.  If you had planned all your meals the night before and packed them up in a cooler this would not be an issue.  I know, I know you weren’t expecting this situation to happen right?  Ok but if you plan your meals prior EVERY night and bring your foods with you ALL the time than it still doesn’t cause a problem.  And even if you just pack a meal replacement in your car with a shaker than all you really need is a bottled water and you are good to go.

You see in order to lose bodyfat and get leaner you must have a plan of attack and if you have a plan of attack than you shouldn’t get caught out there with no meals ready because any sound plan of attack in regards to nutrition is going to tell you to plan your meals ahead of time.

Okay Mike I get it but what if you are in a jam and have to stop to get something to eat out?  It really isn’t as hard as some may seem to get a healthy meal out whether it be chinese food, sandwich, salad bar at a food store, etc.  There are so many healthy options today that it is almost too easy.  Here are a few quick meals for on the road:

1.  Steamed Chicken, Brown Rice and Borccoli (Chinese Restaurant) – can’t have carbs in this meal?  Swap out the brown rice for some almonds or fish oils you should have stashed in your car.
2. Chicken Breast, 2 slices of Rye Bread, Tomato, Onions, Mustard, Apple – Carbless would be over salad no bread,  fruit or no fruit, add olive oil.
3.  Cottage Cheese, Fruit, Almonds – all can be bought at a grocery store which is located at every other street corner.
4. Protein Shake with fruit and/or almonds
5. Pouch of Tuna, Apple, Nuts

So you see you can stop at a subway and get a calorie packed junk meal or you can swing into a grocery store and jam out in 5 minutes with a healthy meal,  it really comes down to your choice and what you want out of your results.  It can be difficult and sometimes it is not easy however if you work for your goals than are worth more to you.

Wednesday Meals for Mike:

Protein:
1. 9 Egg Whites, 1 Whole Egg
2. 5 oz. Chx Breast
3. 5 oz. Chx Breast
4. 40 grams in Full Strength
5. 5 oz. Chx Breast
6. 4 oz. Steak

Carbs:
1. 1 cup Oats
2. 6 oz. Sweet Potato/Broccoli
3. 2 Slices Rye, Apple
4. 25 Grams in Full Strength
5. 6 oz. Sweet Potato/Broccoli
6. Broccoli

Fat:
1. 1 Yolk
2. Fish Oils
3. None
4. 5 grams in Full Strength
5. None
6. 1 Tbsp Olive Oil

Total Calories: 2600(290P, 175C, 79C)

So far my daily average intake for the past 3 days has been as follows:

Calories: 2615, Protein: 285, Carb: 195, Fat: 75

I will be trying out various ways to log for you to see what way I like showing you what I am eating:

Protein:
1. 9 Egg Whites, 1 Whole Egg
2. 5 oz. Chx Breast
3. 5 oz. Chx Breast
4. 40 grams in Full Strength
5. 5 oz. Chx Breast
6. 4 oz. Steak

Carbs:
1. 1 cup Oats
2. 2 Slices Rye, Apple
3. 6 oz. Sweet Potato/Broccoli
4. 25 Grams in Full Strength
5. 6 oz. Sweet Potato/Broccoli
6. None

Fat:
1. 1 Yolk
2. None
3. Fish Oils
4. 5 grams in Full Strength
5. Fish Oil
6. Peanut Butter

Total Calories: 2580 (278P, 207C, 69C)

Felt hungry throughout the day and I am happy about that.  This week i am basically getting a estimated average calorie intake from what I eat in the first four days and that will be my base caloric intake which i will manipulate accordingly as the weeks go on.

Meal 1:
9 whites (31.5P)
1 whole egg (6P, 4F)
1 cup Oats (10P,54C,6F)

Meal 2:
6oz. Chx Breast (39P,6C,3F)
2 slices Rye (6P,35C,0F)
Banana (26C)
2 Slices Tomato

Squat Workout
Week 1- 70%,80%,90%

1. Free Squat – 45×10, 135×5, 135×3, 185×3, 225×3, 280×3, 320×3, 360×4
(Based off 400)

2a. Barbell Step-Up
4 sets of 8-10 reps
2b. Bent Over DB Rows
4 sets of 8-10 reps

3a. Reverse Hypers
3 sets of 10-12 reps
3b. Turkish Get Up
3 sets of 6ea side

That’s it for today.  I have a bunch of things to get done and needed to put time into other things today.

Meal 3 – Post-Workout:
5oz. Chx Breast
1 cup Brown Rice (
1/2 cup Broccoli

Meal 4:
Full Strength MRP (40P,25C,5F)

Meal 5:
2 Scoops Whey (50P, 8C,6F)
2 TBSP Almond Butter (5P,7C,19F)

Meal 6:
4oz. Steak (34P,7F)
Asparagus

Daily Total: (285P, 202C, 78F) Calories = 2650

Do you want to get ready for the summer!

Have you ever looked beach ready before?

Do you want to?

Are you ready to get SHREDDED?

Well than follow me on my journey to my wedding date in June and join me in the Summer Shred Program!

I will be posting my training log as well as my food log on my blog regularly. You will leave your logs in the comment section and we will Get Shredded TOGETHER!

Tomorrow I will start posting my food intake and my training along with tons of videos on metabolic conditioning, intervals, meal prepping tips, among various motivation tools to keep us on the path of victory.

Here is your first motivational video to get you ready for the ride, you must have a sense of humor for this one. It is a great abdominal bracing exercise that will make you laugh.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Come on,  you have to laugh……life is short:)

Stayed tuned,  tomorrow it will be rocking over here at Hanley Strength.

My buddy Shelby Starnes sent me a copy of “The Troponin Nutrition Macro Nutrient Guidebook” last night.   Since I am waiting for my car to be fix and cannot leave the house I was able to read through it this morning.

This is one great book on how to completely plan out your days and meals with tons of useful tips on how to make it as painless and non-complicated as possible. I hear many clients talk about how they are too busy, too tired, too  this or that to make food or pack food in order to eat healthier and lose some unwanted fat.  Well this book takes away all of the excuses.  And if you follow the guidelines you will see some real results.

Shelby and Justin have been national level bodybuilders and powerlifters who have helped many pro & amatuer level athletes as well as your everyday men and women reach their best shape ever. They will guide you through the calorie breakdown, sample meals, food choices as well as a grocery list for you.

You can print this out and take it with you to the food store and sit it on the counter and plan out your meals for the week.  It is that simple.  Pick up your copy at http://www.flexcart.com/members/elitefts/default.asp?m=PD&cid=370&pid=2945

It’s a great book that will teach anyone the in’s & out’s of nutrient breakdown.  If you want to know how to get lean, lose fat, add muscle or get stronger through proper nutrition than order your copy today!

Now if you look at the size of what was called The Peanut Butter Bucket, and compare it to our beloved Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup you would be amazed. So what I decided to do to give our readers an example of how serving sizes play an integral role on your nutritional goals is to compare the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup to Newly Improved Juiced Out Peanut Butter BUCKET.

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup

1 Cup (26 g) – 1 oz

Total Calories – 130 cal

Total Fat – 7.5 g

Total Carbohydrate – 15 g

Sugar – 13 x 3.2 = 41.6g

Protein 3 g

The Peanut Butter Bucket

1 Cup(85g) – 3.2 oz

Total Calories – 130 x 3.2 = 416cal

Total Fat – 7.5 x 3.2 = 24 g

Total Carbohydrate – 15 x 3.2 = 48g

Fiber – 1 x 3.2 = 3.2g

Sugar – 13 x 3.2 = 41.6g

Protein – 3 x 3.2 = 9g

This Bucket as they call it is 3 x the amount of a regular cup and is a pure sugar bomb if you ask me. If you take a look at the bucket in the palm of the hand it is basically the same serving size as a piece of chicken or fish for some people trying to lose body fat. So the next time you are wondering why the hell you are not dropping any body fat, take a look at what you have been eating in the last few weeks. Is it a palm size serving of lean protein or is it a palm size serving of sugar?

2. Head straight for the fruit & vegetable aisle. Fresh fruits and vegetables are essential to a healthy diet. These are the things that should fill up your cart and have lots around when you are cooking or reaching for a snack on the go.

3. Learn how to read the labels. “Sugar-free” on the label refers to sucrose (table sugar). Other sugars to look out for are glucose, dextrose, fructose, maltose, lactose, com syrup solids, corn sweeteners and hydrolyzed cornstarch. Honey and fruit juice concentrates are also sugar. Also look for other ingredi­ents such as salt and fats – ingredients listed first are present in the largest amount. Some items have a nutrition information panel that lists the amount of calories, protein, carbohydrate and fat per serving. This helps you compare the nutrients between two similar products, for example, the fat content. Certain food items list fiber, sodium, sugar and other nutrient content, as well.

4. Choose lower fat meat and poultry … and consider fish for dinner too. Avoid meats that have a thick layer of fat on the outer edge or in between the muscle (known as marbling). If a layer of fat is present, remove as much as possible before cooking. Duck has more fat than chicken, so have it less often. Fish is low in fat and some contain Omega-3 fatty acids that offer benefits for a healthy heart.

5. Think about some alternatives to meat such as tofu, lentils, nuts and beans. Use these in place of meat a couple of times per week or add them to your meat dishes so that you use less meat.

6. “Reduced fat” doesn’t mean fat free. Many products have less fat than the original product but may still contain more fat than you want. Read the label and check grams of fat per serving.

7. When buying fruit juice, look for 100% unsweetened juice. Fruit drinks, herbal teas and other flavored drinks contain a lot of sugar and little nutrients. 100% juices are best value for your money in terms of nutrient content.

8. If you are buying tuna, be sure that it is packed in water. Avoid the fish canned in oil. The added fat contributes extra calories that you do not need. Look for tuna that is packaged in foil pouches instead of tin cans. (Suggestion: Try the Star Kist Albacore Tuna packed in water in a tear open pouch. It’s easy to open, no can opener needed and you avoid the aluminum can.)

9. Avoid food items in a box. It’s always best to buy fresh food instead of making meals out of a box. Generally, there are many hidden preservatives, sugar and calories in premixed meals.

10. Try something new. Buy a new kind of food every week as they add variety to your diet and provide you with different nutrients.