March 1, 2007 - Craig Ballantyne Interview

This week the tables have turned on me; Craig Ballantyne, of the very successful Turbulence Training Fat Loss Program sat down with me for some Q & A

CB: Chris, what nutrition changes work best for sedentary, overweight individuals?

CM: I always like to tell people to focus on what they can increase vs. what they have to eliminate. With that said, focus on loads of vegetables (at least one with each meal) and fruit, fiber, lean protein, and healthy fats. With that said, here are a few specifics: any vegetable or fruit is OK in my book, oats, beans, whole sweet potatoes, quinoa, barley, any grilled, baked, or broiled fish, nuts, flax seed/flax seed oil, fish oil, avocado, etc.

CB: What are your personal experiences with client compliance? Are most people "lying to themselves" about how well they eat?

CM: Unfortunately yes. Our goal should be to increase compliance as much as possible with tools such as self monitoring diaries, increased contact (either in person, telephone, and/or email), and positive feedback. People often try to hide behind their “lies”, which is a problem because they aren’t fooling anyone but themselves. The scale doesn’t lie—if someone starts a weight loss program at 250 pounds and the needle never moves – don’t try to tell me you’re “replacing” fat with muscle. I’d like to see a 250 over fat man or woman suddenly become a lean, 250 lbs. C’mon, let’s be honest here.

CB: What is your opinion on when a client should focus on building muscle versus losing fat? Let's say a guy is 5'8", 160pounds, and 15% bodyfat. What should he focus on first, if his goal is 10% fat and ripped abs?

CM: I think in a case like this he should definitely try to build some muscle. He can lift hard, he can lift heavy, and he can follow training protocols such as those outline in TT. In any case of trying to build muscle or lose fat, there are almost always positive dietary changes that can be made as well, like those listed above. As good as TT is, for example, it’s not going to do much if you then stop at McDonald’s on your way home for a Big Mac and fries…and then do the same several more times throughout the day and week.

CB: Are there any negatives to consuming dairy products?

CM: There are some folks who do believe there are, but I don’t believe so. With that said, they are a source of calories so they need to be included as part of an entire lifestyle program. First and foremost, your fluid intake should come from water and unsweetened tea, but have a couple glass of fat free milk, which is a great source of protein and calcium, or plain, nonfat yogurt, is healthy. When it becomes negative is when you are consuming only whole fat dairy products. They are loaded with calories and saturated fat.

CB: What is the latest research on coffee? Is it safe, is it healthy?

CM: Black coffee does appear to actually have some powerful antioxidants. In fact, a recent study from the University of Scranton showed that coffee is the #1 source of antioxidants in the American diet—likely because we drink so much, but still, there are antioxidants in there. The problem is when black coffee becomes a Venti latte or something similar, which is made with about 2 cups of whole milk, loads of whip cream, and a lot of syrup and sweeteners. So the once fairly healthy coffee becomes nearly a 1000 calorie beverage. I personally am a bigger fan of tea—black, green, or white, all have a million benefits.

CB: Is it unhealthy to eat nuts roasted in oil?

CM: Ideally you should focus on raw nuts—almonds, walnuts, peanuts, etc. Why do you need to add oil to a very healthy product? Raw almonds and walnuts should be a regular part of your nutrition protocol—they are great for an on the go snack, a healthy snack if traveling, or just a great way to pack in some healthy fat, protein, and calories.

CB: And is it possible to eat too much fiber?

CM: Your body gets used to it, as long as you don’t decide one day to “turn things around” and go from 10 grams a day to 100 grams a day. You’re surely lose a lot of friends or co workers because you’ll instead be spending your day in the bathroom. The average intake for American’s is around 10 grams each day; the recommended intake is 20-35 grams, so most people have a way to go.

Thanks, Craig. Visit www.MohrResults.com for more information.

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