Last updated: 7/2009

Diet, Meal Timing, Planning, Snacks
Let¡¯s evaluate 2 snacks for coffee break.
I¡¯m going to follow the Achieve Diet and have a yogurt cup and a fresh apple, and you can follow your old and boring diet of 2 chocolate chip cookies and a coffee with 2 cream and sugar.
My Achieve Diet
1 apple 80 calories and 0g of fat
1 low fat yogurt cup 35 calories and 0.3g of fat
My total 105 calories and 0.3g o fat
Your Regular Diet
2 chocolate chip cookies 269calories and 13g of fat
1 cup coffee with 2 cream and sugar 106 calories and 4g of fat
Your total 375 calories and 17g of fat
I don¡¯t mean to be the head of the Department of Redundancy Department, but I think you understand my point. Achieve Diet is the easier choice. Simply.
Comment now ? Read more August 24th, 2007

How about Creatine?
Published by Andy Tachuk on Tagged Advice, Allergies, Diet, Vitamins, Planning, Exercise, Personal, Snacks
Sounds great right? I hear lots of kids in the gym talking about how much muscle they are gaining by taking creatine. Well, lets debunk some myths.
Most weight gain is water
It true, it is impossible for your body to synthesize a huge amount of muscle in a short period of time, so weight gain is due strictly to water retention.
Creatine naturally occurs in the body, and its role is to allow your muscle to replenish its instant energy stores quickly and efficiently. The theory here is that if you take in more creatine, you will be able to replenish more energy in between sets of exercises while weight training.
Great Idea
In theory, yes. But here is the problem with the great theory. Creatine is a relatively new product on the market (under 20 years old) and so therefore there have been no LONG TERM studies on creatine and it¡¯s potentially harmful effects on the body.
So take caution. Quit looking for a quick fix. Look for a life long fix. Follow the Achieve Diet lifestyle.
Comment now ? Read more August 23rd, 2007

Why Protein? Part III
Published by Andy Tachuk on Tagged Advice, Eggs, Nuts, Diet, Vitamins, Planning, Exercise, Personal
Why the buzz on protein?
Its almost like every major magazine has awarded it the miracle food. There is no miracle food.
So many diets cut out fat, and they work. So many diets cut out carbohydrates, and they work. And there are just as many diets that cut out protein, and they too, work.
But they only work temporarily, the weight will always come back!
The Achieve Diet keeps each major macro-nutrient (fat, protein, carbs) in balance, so that the body isn¡¯t missing any one component, and having to over compensate with another component.
Did you know that the protein you eat is almost 100% NOT USED AS ENERGY?
Protein¡¯s major function is to repair torn or damaged muscle tissue, although the amino acids as a whole contribute to all of our over-all health. So here is the rub. Too little protein will result in not enough muscle tissue being repaired. Too much protein will result in enough muscle tissue being repaired, but it creates too much stress on the kidneys.
Again, just listen to what your body needs, and stay in balance. If you don¡¯t know, order the diet, it¡¯ll be the best money you ever spend on yourself
Comment now ? Read more August 22nd, 2007

Protein, Part II
Published by Andy Tachuk on Tagged Advice, Allergies, Eggs, Nuts, Diet, Vitamins, Planning, Exercise, Personal, Snacks
What kind is best?
Now that astronauts have visited the moon and regularly make flights into orbit, we too can dine on the very same gourmet flavored food that they eat! Ech!
There are all sorts of protein sources. I am going to make this one quick and to the point.
Naturally occuring protein (meat sources, eggs, dairy) are all very easy for the body to digest. Our bodies were meant to metabolize with the naturally occuring digestive enzymes in our stomachs and digestive tracts. This, ladies and gentlemen, is good.
Manufactured protein sources like protein shakes, powders, and bars are synthetically designed amino acids to replicate natural sources. Here is my take on the whole issue. We have enough gastro-intestinal problems in our medical clinics and hospitals, why do we have to compound the problem by intentionally eating synthetic space food. Space food, ladies and gentlemen, is bad.
Why are we so tempted to try a protein bar or protein shake?
Advertising. Millions and millions of dollars goes into designing these products to make you believe their claims. When was the last time you saw a fitness magazine advertising plain eggs?
Just remember, what you put in your body will be a direct reflexion of what you get out of your body. And you only have one body, treat it nicely.
Comment now ? Read more August 21st, 2007

Protein¡­the real ¡°scoop¡± (Part 1)
Published by Andy Tachuk on Tagged Advice, Allergies, Eggs, Nuts, Diet, Vitamins, Planning, Exercise, Personal, Snacks
So I get a lot of questions regarding protein. How much? What type? Why? Too much? The list goes on and on, so I wanted to address these issues today.
How much?
This is all dependent upon the size of the person, the proportion of muscle mass to fat mass, and the goals of the person.
We all need varying amounts of protein, dependent upon what we do with our bodies. If someone has an office job, it is pretty safe to say that their muscle is not being broken down on a daily basis, and therefore there is a minimal need for high amounts of protein. However, if the person is a construction worker, and spends a good part of the day lifting heavy loads, there is a good chance that extra protein will be needed to repair that damaged muscle tissue.
Again Andy, how much?
Your body is the best gauge. Seriously. Ever get a craving for peanuts, peanut butter, steak, burgers? If so, there is a really good chance that you are needing extra protein in your diet. Do you want to build more muscle mass? Well, more protein will be needed. But I have some seriously important advice for you advocates for high protein consumption. Eating too much protein can be quite hazardous to the health of your kidneys. The best advice I have, is have one serving of protein at every meal, and only one serving. I say this because protein (broken down) is a chain of amino acids. Guess what? Amino acids are in almost every food we eat (yes fruits and veggies too!). So eating a balanced diet (like the Achieve Diet) will ensure that every one of these amino acids will be consumed in proper amounts.
Long story short, don¡¯t just read a label on a package of food and take the protein info for face value. There are a lot more amino acids in that food than just the amount of measurable whole chain amino acid proteins.
Comment now ? Read more August 19th, 2007

Why the veggie?
Published by Andy Tachuk on Tagged Advice, Allergies, Diet, Vitamins, Personal
We hear it all the time, but why exactly are vegetables so good for us?
Okay, obviously vegetables are full of vitamins and minerals and anti oxidants, but why do they work so well to help lose weight?
Well it¡¯s not the dip!
Like salad dressings, veggie dip is full of fat and chemicals that hamper our ability to burn fat. But the real bonus in eating vegetables, is that they are relatively calorie free and full of precious water which means that we have to eat a lot of them to fill up our tanks, but no matter how many brightly colored vegetables you eat, you can never over-eat.
As well, vegetables are jam-packed with fiber, which means your digestive tract will thank you in the morning!
What¡¯s better than eating a (fresh from the garden) vegetable stir-fry that is absolutely guilt-free!
Comment now ? Read more August 14th, 2007

Almost murder!
Published by Andy Tachuk on Tagged Advice, Diet, Planning, Exercise, Personal
Well, it might as well be anyways. I¡¯m talking about our wonderful and trustworthy food and drug administrations and governing bodies. They are doing their best to kill us. Great, now I sound like I have my own conspiracy theory.
Have you ever read a label?
My God man, I can¡¯t even pronounce what a lot of the chemicals are in the food we eat, and that our government says is ¡°healthy¡±. It seems that every year we stray further and further from naturally good food. Manufacturers put more filler, more preservatives, and more flavor enhancers in the food we eat, and we keep eating it. And yet, gastro-intestinal disorders and diseases are at an all time high. Stress related? Sure, stress accounts for some of the blame, but are our internal digestive processes really designed to break down poly-phospho-deca-hydranate? (by the way, I made that word up, but check a label next week, you¡¯ll probably see it there).
It¡¯s your choice, I just want you to think about it, and remember that you HAVE A CHOICE.
We wonder why eating low fat doesn¡¯t help us lose weight. Let me tell you. Because there way too many chemicals reeking havoc with our cells. Our natural processes of burning fat and maintaining proper health are no longer effective.
Never mind exercise for now, you¡¯d probably be shocked at what just eating a proper diet can do for your figure. Can it hurt your health and your figure anymore to stop how you¡¯re eating and try the Achieve Diet?
Comment now ? Read more August 13th, 2007

BMI Calculator
Published by Andy Tachuk on Tagged Advice, Diet, Planning, Exercise, Personal
How does this work?
Well, a while ago some really thoughtful people put their heads together and decided that they could come up with an equation that could tell you whether your body was the appropriate weight for your height. So I included here
BMI = ( Weight in Pounds / ( Height in inches ) x ( Height in inches ) ) x 703
Great, thanks, and how does this relate to the price of rice in China?
Well, here is the problem. Each body is built differently. We all have different shaped and weighted bones, varying amounts of muscle versus fat, etc. So, it is a given that you could have 5 healthy adults standing in front of you, all with the same BMI, and each one of them would look different.
Then what is the best gauge?
In my studio, I don¡¯t even use a scale. I don¡¯t care, and I hope my clients don¡¯t care. What I do care about, is a change in how their clothes fit, or a change in how much energy they have, or maybe a co-worker has noticed that you¡¯ve lost weight. Like I said before, I can make you lose 18lbs in 4 days, but cutting off your arm doesn¡¯t mean that you have lost any weight.
So before you compare yourself to other people, decide what success means to you. Your goals are the only important ones, so listen to yourself and go after your goals.
Oh, and if you need a hand, I¡¯d love to help.
Comment now ? Read more August 10th, 2007

¡°flax-on, flax-off¡± Great quotes from the Karate Kid
Published by Andy Tachuk on Tagged Advice, Nuts, Diet, Vitamins, Planning, Personal
Flax seed oil, amazing!
I need to start off by saying that I¡¯ve been investigating and inquiring all about flax seed oil. Here is some private information about Andy. I have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). And I make a few trips to the hospital each year with severe abdomen pain, and I hear the same thing from the doctors each time. Eat plenty of fiber, drink lots of water, and you should be fine. I am a Professional Trainer, I¡¯m pretty sure that I know these things.
Well I haven¡¯t been fine, until now!
I saw a new doctor. I decided that my condition needed to be seen through new eyes. He suggested drinking 2 tablespoons of flax seed oil every morning in orange juice.
I can honestly say that this small change in my diet has settled my stomach down over the past few months, and I don¡¯t experience any problems anymore. And since then I¡¯ve learned a number of other benefits of flax seed oil that include;
-boosting your metabolism
-clearing up skin blemishes
-joint health and mobility
-improving liver health and function.
Just don¡¯t put this oil in your car to boost its metabolism, it won¡¯t work!
Comment now ? Read more August 9th, 2007

Why don¡¯t diets work?
Published by Andy Tachuk on Tagged Advice, Diet, Planning, Personal
I guess I should clarify my statement.
Why don¡¯t most diets work?
Well, diets are not unlike any other mental fixation we have. Its the same thing as when you decide that you need to buy a new car, and now all of a sudden you see every car advertisement printed, when before, you didn¡¯t see these things.
It just depends where you focus your energy. Fixating and focusing on your diet can be an easy way to sabotage your goals. Pretty soon every thought you have revolves around what you ate earlier, what you are eating now, and what you are going to eat later. Did I burn enough calories today? Did I take in too many calories? Is this food going to be turned to fat, or help my metabolism? What else can I take to speed up this process? Should I take diet pills? Thermogenics? What else can I do?
Stop. Right now.
Stop this rolling mass of destruction in your brain. This is the whole reason why I developed a new way of eating, and it isn¡¯t even that new at all. It is a way of eating that fuels our bodies, and maintains a healthy immune system. But the real reason why the Achieve Diet works (and works for everyone, because it is tailored to the individual) is because it maps out each meal for you for every day, and every week. It is simple, which is the secret for success. Don¡¯t crowd your thoughts with extra thoughts about your diet. Let me worry about your diet, you worry about you.
Comment now ? Read more August 8th, 2007

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About

Andy has spent 10 years evaluating what works and what doesn¡¯t, making him the most effective professional fitness trainer in the health and fitness industry.
Recent Posts
2 Snacks, 2 comparisons posted on Aug.24
How about Creatine? posted on Aug.23
Why Protein? Part III posted on Aug.22
Protein, Part II posted on Aug.21
Protein¡­the real ¡°scoop¡± (Part 1) posted on Aug.19
Why the veggie? posted on Aug.14
Almost murder! posted on Aug.13
BMI Calculator posted on Aug.10
¡°flax-on, flax-off¡± Great quotes from the Karate Kid posted