3 Diet Mistakes in the Ballantyne House

After 10 days on the road I decided to head home to my parent’s place for a few days and get out of the big city. I also wanted to hang out with some high school buddies, and check out a few houses because I’m pretty sure I’m going to move out of Toronto soon.

The #1 reason? Cigarette smoke. Everywhere I go in Toronto someone is smoking and I’m getting smoke in my face. I just can’t escape it. It drives me nuts…but that’s another story for another email.

Today, I want to share the 3 diet mistakes I found in my mom’s fridge when I visited on the weekend…

Now before I list those, I’ve got to give credit where credit is due.

My mom has made HUGE improvements in her nutrition and overall healthy lifestyle in the last few years. But there are still some major issues…and you might be making the same mistakes.

Mistake #1 – Too much junk in the house.

Like many shoppers, my mom LOVES a good bargain. So when a case of soda goes on sale, she just has to buy it. Now it doesn’t matter that there are already 3 cases of soda in the basement…what matters is that she got a good deal.

Sound familiar? I’m sure you know “someone” in your family who just can’t resist a deal on junk food.

But as you know, the #1 diet mistake that we all make – including myself – is having junk in the house in the first place.

Listen, if it’s in your house, you’re going to eat it. I know it, because if there is any Halloween candy in my mom’s house the next time I visit, it will only be a few minutes before I’m cramming mini-snickers down my throat.

Junk in the house = Us eating the junk. Period. (And YES, that includes ME.)

So get it out of the house.

By the way, it is called “junk food” for a reason…because it belongs in the garbage.

Don’t feel bad for tossing it…because it doesn’t belong in your body.

Mistake #2 – Not stopping sneaky sugar & refined flour attacks

So I went through everything in the fridge and the cupboards, and I found that her tomato sauce and peanut butter had added sugar, AND that her cupboards were loaded with pretzels (my downfall!), white pasta, refined bread, and crackers.

Sugar = increased calories
Sugar = makes you want to eat more than you need
Sugar = makes you feel tired and hungry even though you should be full

Three strikes and you’re out, Mr. Sugar. I don’t care how sweet you are, you’re no good for anyone who wants to lose belly fat.

Listen, read the labels on the food you buy. If it lists sugar, or any of the crazy sugar variations (like high-fructose corn syrup or even “organic cane juice”), do NOT buy these items.

Mistake #3 – Risking your health big-time with processed meats

Scientific fact: Eating processed meats is associated with an increased risk of colon cancer.

There’s nothing redeeming about processed sausage, hot dogs, and other low-quality meats. Get them out of your house.

You want to have a hot dog at a family BBQ, that’s fine. Once or twice a summer…but these foods do not belong in your weekly dinner rotation. Go meatless a few nights per week or cut back on the amount of meat each night and only buy the best meat you can afford.

Now, on the BRIGHT SIDE…

As I mentioned, my mom is doing a lot of things right.

1) She drinks her Green tea (not magical for fat loss, but it’s good for her health).

2) She cooks oatmeal from scratch (and adds fruit) or has hard boiled eggs for breakfast every morning.

3) She snacks on an ounce of almonds per day (shown to help with fat loss and improving cholesterol levels).

4) She grows her own vegetables (always has, of course) and so she has farm-fresh vegetables every night at dinner. (Although I’m trying to get her to eat more fruits and vegetables at lunch, and less bread and cheese.)

5) She picks massive amounts of fruit every summer, so in the winter she has bags of strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries. Plus, she always has apples and bananas on the counter, and plums, peaches, and melon in-season.

Of course, having all those fruits and vegetables is no good if she doesn’t eat them…but like I said, she’s eating more and more every time I go home.

In fact, she recently started making her own blender drinks, just like I do here at TT Headquarters.

So listen…

…if she can do it, YOU can do it.

I believe in you. My MOM believes in you.

And we look forward to reading your Transformation story.

Please keep us up to date on your success,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training