Healthy Eating Tips: Cooking Your Food
October 5, 2010
Healthy Eating Tips
While most of us are in a rush and often putting together the most healthy meals possible there are definitely some things that we do and don’t realize the impact it has on our overall nutrition.
I wanted to provide a healthy eating tip when it comes to how we cook our food based on some new research that was revealed. It discusses the nutrition value of food when comparing heating styles – for instance boiling vs steaming vs barbecuing vs frying vs baking.
You probably already know that steaming vegetables is one of the best ways to cook your food because it keeps the nutrients in. But what about the other methods?
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Super Foods for Athletes
September 29, 2010
Super Foods for Athletes
Lately I’ve been highlighting a ton of articles on nutrition and even supplementation because when it comes down to it, diet is such a critical component of the results we get when our focus is on reducing abdominal fat and increasing lean muscle mass.
When training at high levels our diet really becomes even more important simply because our muscles grow through the action of micro-tears and rebuilding with stronger more dense muscle fiber. If we were to only go for a limited diet with very low calories then there is no way that we can provide all the essential nutrients our body deserves.
With all this in mind you may want to re-evaluate the foods you consume and in this case maybe make sure to include some super-foods.
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Low Fat Diet Shopping List
September 21, 2010
Low Fat Diet Shopping List
Ok so now you have your high protein diet shopping list and your low carb diet shopping list so to round it off we’re going to look at the good fats that you need to make sure you include in your diet.
Although we all know that we want to control the fat content of our foods, the good healthy fats are essential to the functioning of our brain and all our organs. When we say healthy fats we means fats that contain essential fatty acids like Omega 3′s as well as those fats which include vitamins we can’t get much of anywhere else.
Lots of health nuts forget the fact that our brain is mostly composed of fat and uses fat as a primary source of energy so cutting down on all fat actually also limits your brain function and memory.
We’ll also look at bad fats that you want to avoid particularly trans fats which have been linked to heart disease, diabetes, obesity and Alzheimer’s disease.
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Low Carb Diet Shopping List
September 20, 2010
Low Carb Diet Shopping List
In succession to the series for staples foods you should include in your diet list (see last time’s article: High Protein Diet Shopping List), this list includes the best quality carbohydrates to allow you to eliminate excess carbs which have little to no nutritional value.
The important thing to note is that we all need carbohydrates in order to have maximal energy during our workouts. Carbs relate directly to the amount of sugar that we have in our blood which acts as the primary source of immediate energy when our muscles demand it. Although it is possible to break down fat and proteins as a source of energy these forms are not as quickly broken down.
So when is the best time to have carbohydrates and what kind of carbohydrates are best to include in one’s diet?
In terms of keeping body fat down the best time to eat carbs include the morning and shortly before and after your workouts. You will know when your carb intake it not sufficient enough particularly when you see that your feel your energy level drop and get tired during the day even though your previous nights sleep was adequate.
Let’s look at the low carb diet shopping list…
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High Protein Diet Shopping List
September 16, 2010
High Protein Diet Shopping List
I think you’re going to like this article series, and hopefully you’ll like it enough to save it because I’m going to go into staple foods that you should try and include in your shopping list when your focus is to get better, stronger, leaner and keep that all good healthy feeling going.
This series is split into 3 since we want to look at the 3 main categories of foods – proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Your body can’t run optimally without all three and you shouldn’t even consider trying to cut one out completely because take it from me, it will not be sustainable and can lead to serious health problems.
I’m going to start with what you probably consider to be the most important just as I do – high quality protein sources. To take it further I’ll also include a short list of unhealthy protein sources you should also stay away from.
Let’s jump right in…
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Diet Meal Plan
August 16, 2010
Diet Meal Plan
Lately I’ve been asked a lot about writing a diet meal plan that is not only healthy but full of the nutrients that our bodies need when it comes to defining and toning muscle.
In this diet meal plan I will be focusing strictly on fat loss and getting a nicely carved midsection. In order to keep it basic it will be just one day of a diet meal plan, but if you guys provide enough feedback in the comments section below I will make sure to make this a series of articles which will include many other options for other days of the week.
Remember one thing when looking at this diet meal plan, portions will vary depending on your height, weight, age, metabolism and overall health. Instead of me giving out portions and calories which I find steers my clients in the wrong direction, you will be the judge for yourself. Test these recipes and then play with portion size to see how your body responds.
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3 Foods You Should Eat After a Workout
August 2, 2010
3 Foods You Should Eat After a Workout
You may have had some problems where you are working out like crazy and not seeing the best results even though you keep trying different variations with your exercises and even your diet. This article is aimed at providing you with 3 foods you should eat after a workout so you get the most out of your workouts.
The science behind this article is based on re-supplying your muscles with the nutrients and energy they need to recover and grow. With many of you who don’t eat for sometimes an hour after your workout this is a pretty big mistake which you may not have really paid attention to in the past.
A lot of the times the problem is timing and being in a hurry to get somewhere after your workout or simply needing to shower and attend do chores, etc. With this in mind I’m going to include easy to prepare or raw foods to take as minimal time as possible.
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Weekend Cheat Food: Protein Peanut Butter Balls
May 14, 2010
Weekend Cheat Food: Protein Peanut Butter Balls
This has got to be one of the best weekend cheat foods on the planet! Protein peanut butter balls are quick and easy to make, extremely nutritious and will pack on muscle power like almost nothing else!
Just think, melted peanut butter with whey and oats in the oven and the yummy smell perforating throughout your home….seriously….
Need I say more?
Protein Peanut Butter Balls Recipe:
Read more…
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Weekend Cheat Food: Fruit-Melon Sorbet Blast
April 30, 2010
Weekend Cheat Food: Fruit-Melon Sorbet Blast
This article series is blasting away any notions that healthy food can’t taste good, and you’re definitely going to want to bookmark these ones! The last weekend cheat food created quite a stir, cause it was so freakin yummy…if you didn’t get to read it check it out here – Strawberry-Vanilla Hazelnut Banana Split.
If you’re tired of the same old fruit, day in and day out then this Fruit-Melon Sorbet Blast is going to shake it up for you, and remember you can’t really go wrong with fruit! Sure it has fructose sugar, but it also is packed with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, fiber and everything else that will keep you looking and feeling young and energetic.
Check this out…
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Weekend Cheat Food: Strawberry-Vanilla Hazelnut Banana Split
April 16, 2010
Weekend Cheat Food: Strawberry-Vanilla Hazelnut Banana Split
As I was getting ready for bed last night I had a great idea for an article series on the Fridays before the weekend – healthy weekend cheat foods. It’s funny because I’ve noticed most people tend to not think about being healthy on Friday or Saturday, they simply want a break and that’s not a bad idea actually!
My philosophy for healthy eating and working out is a little bit different than most health nuts. I like to relax on my weekends too, and you know what? I’ve found it to work really well for me and my clients. I love food, and really enjoying being creative with meals even though I honestly have little time to make them. If it’s gong to take longer than 30 minutes to prepare I generally don’t do it! Nevertheless, cut yourself some slack and think creatively too and you may find that you will be able to live a healthy lifestyle for life and it won’t be such a battle anymore.
