Friday, October 31, 2008

Halloween Health




Nutrition and Halloween aren’t two words that are normally seen together, but it is possible to promote healthy eating habits during the Halloween season.

Here are some tips:

Fill kids’ bellies with a nutritious meal before they head out for trick-or-treating. This way, they are less likely to fill up on empty calorie foods. Giving kids healthy foods first will reduce the chances of overindulgence.
Pass out non-food treats such as those found at children’s birthday parties: pencils, note pads, bubbles, noisemakers, etc. If you have leftovers, these treats can easily be stored for use the following year. Just be sure not to pass out choking hazards to young children (coins, rings, etc).
Granola bars, pretzels, cheese and cracker packs, sugar free gum, packets of instant hot chocolate, raisins, and nuts are some healthy alternatives. (Note that raisins and nuts are choking hazard for young children).
If you must pass out candy bars, get the smaller fun sized ones. And only give one or two — not a handful — to your trick-or-treaters. Some candy bars have less fat and calories than others- read the labels before you buy.
Ration the loot: Total restriction of candy isn’t healthy- anything that is restricted or denied tends to take on greater appeal. On the other hand, allowing your child to devour an entire bag of candy is a sure bet for a stomachache. Stick to small servings by only allowing your child one or two pieces of candy per sitting as a dessert after a healthy meal. A few days after Halloween, put the candy out of sight and out of mind You can ration out the treats later.
Buy your Halloween candy at the last minute to avoid tempting yourself and other family members. Buy less than you think you will need.
Beware of cavities: Halloween candy, as well as any sticky, sugary food, can easily promote tooth decay. Make sure children brush their teeth well after a candy snack and before going to bed.
Keeping in mind common sense, a little forethought and moderation, Halloween can remain good, scary, delicious fun for children and adults alike!

http://www.palmettohealth.org/body.cfm?id=777


From Jared to You! Have a great Halloween everyone.

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Dairy Foods Help Burn Fat, Speed Weight Loss

Dairy Products Beat Calcium for Weight Loss

In the study, researchers compared the effects of three different calorie-restricted diets on weight loss in 32 obese adults. Each of the participants reduced their daily calorie intake by about 500 calories per day for 24 weeks and were divided into three groups:

  • High-dairy. Total calcium intake of 1,200-1,300 milligrams per day from three to four servings of dairy foods, specifically milk, hard cheese, and yogurt.
  • High-calcium supplemented/low-dairy. Total calcium intake of 1,200-1,300 milligrams per day made up of no more than one serving of dairy per day plus an 800-milligram calcium supplement.
  • Low-calcium/low-dairy. Total calcium intake of 400-500 milligrams per day with no more than one serving of dairy per day and a placebo supplement.

Researchers say participants were free to choose from fat-free, low-fat, and regular milk, cheese, and yogurt. They typically picked fat-free and low-fat milk and yogurt and regular cheeses, while keeping their overall fat intake the same.

Serving sizes were 8 ounces or a cup for milk and yogurt and 1.5 ounces of hard cheese (about the size of six dice) or 2 ounces of processed cheese, such as two slices of American cheese.

The study showed that all of the groups lost weight, but those who ate the dairy-rich diet lost the most with an average of 24 pounds compared with 19 pounds in the calcium supplement group and 15 pounds in the low-calcium/low-dairy group.

Dairy Products Beat Calcium for Weight Loss continued...

That translates to a loss of an average of 11% of total body weight for those in the high-dairy group versus 6% in the low-calcium/low-dairy group.

"What that means is that if you're including three to four servings of dairy in your diet, you can make a modest degree of calorie restriction as effective as a severe degree of calorie restriction," Zemel tells WebMD.

In addition, researchers found the high-dairy group lost significantly more body fat than those in the other groups, particularly from the midsection. Excess fat in the abdominal area has been linked to a higher risk of heart attack and other health problems.

Dairy's Role in Weight Loss

Previous studies have shown that calcium can boost weight loss by increasing fat breakdown in fat cells. But experts say this study suggests that taking in calcium from dairy products may actually improve on those effects.

"Dairy for some reason, yet unexplained, has a greater effect on fat loss and specifically trunk fat loss than does calcium alone," says Rachel Novotny, PhD, RD, professor and chair of the department of human nutrition, food, and animal sciences at the University of Hawaii in Manoa.

Although the bulk of dairy's weight-loss enhancing effects is caused by its calcium content, researchers say there are a variety of potential mechanisms that may explain those additional benefits and merit further research.

For example, Novotny says that some of the minerals in dairy products, such as phosphorous and magnesium, may enhance calcium's beneficial effects on fat breakdown within the cells. In addition, the proteins in dairy products may help preserve muscle and increase metabolism.

But Novotny and Zemel are careful to point out that the results shouldn't be interpreted as license to indulge in dairy products in hopes of spurring weight loss. They caution that the bottom line of successful weight loss is still burning more calories than you take in.

"The question is whether within those calories are there choices you can make that will enhance the results," says Novotny. "I think the findings suggest that dairy products and calcium can be helpful in preserving muscle, losing fat from the upper body, and actually enhancing the weight loss process."

http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20040416/dairy-foods-fat-weight-loss


Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Top 6 Benefits of Glutamine to Build Muscle and Burn Fat



Glutamine (also called l-glutamine) is one of the most abundant non-essential amino acids found in the human body. It is found circulating in the bloodstream and stored in the skeletal muscles. In fact, more than 55% of the free-form amino acids in skeletal muscle is l-glutamine.

However, there is evidence that l-glutamine becomes a conditionally essential amino acid with strenuous exercise, such as intense weight training or aerobic/cardio exercises. Up to 50% of your body's glutamine can be depleted during intense weight training for muscle building or burning fat. As a result, the benefits of glutamine are numerous for people who want to build muscle and burn fat.

In its supplement form, l-glutamine generally comes in a flavorless, odorless white powder, in capsules, or mixed into your protein powders and shakes. In addition to glutamine supplements, this amino acid can be found from many dietary sources such as beef, chicken, dairy products, eggs, and several vegetable sources such as beets, beans and spinach.

Benefits of L-Glutamine

  1. One of the most important benefits of L-Glutamine, particularly for those who want to build muscle, is its ability to slow the rate of muscle breakdown.

    This results in increased strength and endurance during intense exercise, meaning that you can lift heavier weights, longer, and train more often. This anti-catabolic effect is one of the most important glutamine benefits.

  2. By preserving muscle tissue, glutamine also enhances your ability to burn fat. Your metabolism is directly related to the amount lean body mass. The more lean body mass (muscle, skeleton, etc.) that you carry, the faster your metabolism burns, and the easier it becomes to burn fat.

    However, when losing weight, we often lose muscle as well. The ability to slow this muscle loss is another of the glutamine benefits.

  3. Another fat burning benefit of l-glutamine is that it may act to suppress appetite. There is some evidence in animal studies that glutamine supplementation may help control appetite.
  4. Another of the benefits of l-glutamine is its effects on the immune system. Intense training puts stress not only on your muscles, but also on your immune system as well. Glutamine helps your body to recover more efficiently after a workout, which benefits your immune system as well as your muscles.
  5. Also on the list of glutamine benefits is its ability to enhance growth hormone levels. This obviously has implications to those wanting to build muscle. There have been studies suggesting that 2 grams of L-Glutamine supplementation may increase growth hormone levels by up to 400%.
  6. L-glutamine is made up of approximately 20% nitrogen. This makes it one of the best suppliers of nitrogen to your muscles. As a result, a popular muscle building/preserving supplement stack is l-glutamine with l-arginine.

Not only is this amino acid important for people looking to build muscle, but its muscle building and preserving effects are exactly the reasons that it is important for people who want to burn fat as well.

If you want to build muscle and burn fat, then you cannot overlook the many benefits of glutamine.

http://www.build-muscle-and-burn-fat.com/benefits-of-glutamine.html

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Awesome Results



Megan finished up her program several weeks ago. What is cool is that she lives in Idaho. We did her whole program over the phone and online. Great job!!! Megan Lost 14.4 lbs on the scale and 4.3% body fat. You motivate us all.

Thursday, October 2, 2008

AMAZING Salmon Recipe


Here is an amazing recipe you have to try. Even if you are not a fish fan, this will knock your socks off.

All you need is 5 ingredients. The salmon, of course. Fennel seeds, corriander, and grey sea salt. All of these can be found in the spices section of the grocery store. The last one is some fresh salsa, like pico de galo or home made. Grind the spices into a powder and use it as a breading. You can bake it or grill it on a piece of tin foil. Put the salsa on top and enjoy. Its AWESOME.