I hope you all found the opportunity to exercise even if you still had to finish Holiday shopping. Lets not forget the baking, laundry, and cooking meals. Oy!
For me I did both. I had to shop for food, go to the nutcracker with my mom, and went to 2 Holiday parties 2 nights in a row. Wowser! It's Christmas Eve my legs are little sore from exercising intensely 3 times this week.
Yep, I figure out how to do it. I just decided to plan my life around exercising, a win - win situation. It relieves Holiday Stress, and I still have enough energy to finish all my tasks.
I was flying around costco the other day, and my cart was full. It wasn't hard to push at all. I am so much stronger since I started my Elliptical Challenge. Next week level 13.
I had a busy week, I manage to still exercise, of course with the help of my in laws babysitting my daughter while I was at the gym. It made it easier knowing she was in good hands.
I just kept thinking Exercise and my Family comes first, then everything flows behind, and I don't feel guilty.
I will definitely try not to eat to many treats today for sure.
Happy Holidays!
A stay at home Mom trying to lose 100+ pounds Since 2012, losing 76 pounds then gaining it all back. I have 3 kids, come along me on my journey for a sustainable weight loss.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Monday, December 20, 2010
Fighting the Pajama blues..
I want to stay inside all day when I'm in PJ's I bet you all can understand that right?
Well the other day I woke up and I thought I don't want to go to the gym. I'm still groggy when this is happening then I think I don't have to decide now. I need to take care of my daughter and I need to eat breakfast, I'm not going to worry about it. Then everything is done. I'm sitting there I just wanting to sit around enjoying the sound of rain drops outside. I decided well I'm just going to get dressed. Then once I got dressed, and I have played with my daughter a little bit. I woke my husband up and said. I'm going to gym watch our daughter while I'm gone.
It's as if putting on clothes was magic. Once I put on clothes I'm more likely to do something, to walk outside, to clean the house. Instead of lounging around. It's amazing how getting dressed can cause such a psychological change.
So my suggestion, get out of those PJ's and put your clothes on.
I
Well the other day I woke up and I thought I don't want to go to the gym. I'm still groggy when this is happening then I think I don't have to decide now. I need to take care of my daughter and I need to eat breakfast, I'm not going to worry about it. Then everything is done. I'm sitting there I just wanting to sit around enjoying the sound of rain drops outside. I decided well I'm just going to get dressed. Then once I got dressed, and I have played with my daughter a little bit. I woke my husband up and said. I'm going to gym watch our daughter while I'm gone.
It's as if putting on clothes was magic. Once I put on clothes I'm more likely to do something, to walk outside, to clean the house. Instead of lounging around. It's amazing how getting dressed can cause such a psychological change.
So my suggestion, get out of those PJ's and put your clothes on.
I
Saturday, December 18, 2010
I can't wait until I look in the mirror
I'm at the gym just flying , moving on the elliptical enjoying myself, and in knowing how much strength I have, and enjoying the music I'm listening to while I'm exercising.
I look over to left of me to see how I look in the mirror. To see how good I look, because I feel so good.
Then I see a Fat woman on the elliptical machine to my disappointment, instead of me. I could have been upset, but I realized that I can't wait to look as good as I feel.
Because I do feel really good inside, I have a ton of energy, I'm accomplishing things I have never thought I would accomplish. I'm not being lazy anymore,and actually taking my daughter outside to play, instead of staying in my pajamas all day.
I'm heading somewhere, I'm breaking so many mental barriers that I didn't even realize were there in the first place. It has taken time to do so, a lot of time. I'm headed in the right direction and one day. I will look as good as I feel when I look in that mirror.
I look over to left of me to see how I look in the mirror. To see how good I look, because I feel so good.
Then I see a Fat woman on the elliptical machine to my disappointment, instead of me. I could have been upset, but I realized that I can't wait to look as good as I feel.
Because I do feel really good inside, I have a ton of energy, I'm accomplishing things I have never thought I would accomplish. I'm not being lazy anymore,and actually taking my daughter outside to play, instead of staying in my pajamas all day.
I'm heading somewhere, I'm breaking so many mental barriers that I didn't even realize were there in the first place. It has taken time to do so, a lot of time. I'm headed in the right direction and one day. I will look as good as I feel when I look in that mirror.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Peanut Butter Crispy Recipe
Give credit where credit is due, to www.biggestloser.com
Crispy Peanut Butter Squares
From the New Biggest Loser Dessert Cookbook!
By Chef Devin Alexander
Butter-flavored cooking spray
3 cups 100% whole grain crispy brown rice cereal (I used Erewhon brand)
¼ cup coconut sugar
¼ cup light agave nectar
¼ cup + 2 tablespoons unsweetened unsalted all-natural creamy peanut butter
Lightly coat an 8" x 8" baking dish with cooking spray. Place the cereal in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
Place a medium nonstick saucepan over medium heat. Add the sugar and agave and slowly bring the mixture to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Reduce the heat to low and add the peanut butter. Stir until the peanut butter is melted and the mixture is well combined.
Pour the peanut butter mixture into the bowl with the cereal. Using a rubber spatula, mix until the cereal is well incorporated. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and, using a piece of parchment or waxed paper, firmly press the cereal into the pan. Allow to cool completely. Cut into 16 squares. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Makes 16 servings
Per serving: 83 calories, 2 g protein, 13 g carbohydrates (7 g sugar), 3 g fat, trace saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, <1 g fiber, 41 mg sodium Adapted from The Biggest Loser Dessert Cookbook by Chef Devin Alexander (Rodale 2010)
Crispy Peanut Butter Squares
From the New Biggest Loser Dessert Cookbook!
By Chef Devin Alexander
Butter-flavored cooking spray
3 cups 100% whole grain crispy brown rice cereal (I used Erewhon brand)
¼ cup coconut sugar
¼ cup light agave nectar
¼ cup + 2 tablespoons unsweetened unsalted all-natural creamy peanut butter
Lightly coat an 8" x 8" baking dish with cooking spray. Place the cereal in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
Place a medium nonstick saucepan over medium heat. Add the sugar and agave and slowly bring the mixture to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Reduce the heat to low and add the peanut butter. Stir until the peanut butter is melted and the mixture is well combined.
Pour the peanut butter mixture into the bowl with the cereal. Using a rubber spatula, mix until the cereal is well incorporated. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and, using a piece of parchment or waxed paper, firmly press the cereal into the pan. Allow to cool completely. Cut into 16 squares. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Makes 16 servings
Per serving: 83 calories, 2 g protein, 13 g carbohydrates (7 g sugar), 3 g fat, trace saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, <1 g fiber, 41 mg sodium Adapted from The Biggest Loser Dessert Cookbook by Chef Devin Alexander (Rodale 2010)
My newest Challenge.....
My newest challenge my brother help me set up.
The idea came to me but I had to confirm it with him, he is honest with me, and he believes in me. I like that. Since I have started exercising at the gym during the winter I almost never go jogging. I do sometimes, but I spend more time in the gym the most I do is take walks with my daughter around the neighborhood
Anyhoo, I exercise on the elliptical for 45minutes 3 times a week.. I told my brother "hey, i'm using the elliptical for 45minutes at level 10 resistance. I want to get back to where I was when I was skinny, level 17. How do you think I should reach my goal?" Going up a level of resistance every week.
So guess what ladies and gentlemen. Even though I am fat still, but healthy on the inside I will be at level 17 in a month and a half. This week I'm level 11, next week level 12 so on and so on.
Hopefully my fat but will disappear soon. :)
The idea came to me but I had to confirm it with him, he is honest with me, and he believes in me. I like that. Since I have started exercising at the gym during the winter I almost never go jogging. I do sometimes, but I spend more time in the gym the most I do is take walks with my daughter around the neighborhood
Anyhoo, I exercise on the elliptical for 45minutes 3 times a week.. I told my brother "hey, i'm using the elliptical for 45minutes at level 10 resistance. I want to get back to where I was when I was skinny, level 17. How do you think I should reach my goal?" Going up a level of resistance every week.
So guess what ladies and gentlemen. Even though I am fat still, but healthy on the inside I will be at level 17 in a month and a half. This week I'm level 11, next week level 12 so on and so on.
Hopefully my fat but will disappear soon. :)
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
I'm having an off week
My hunger seems out of control this week big time, somethings that I rarely ever have, have been sneaking their way into my house. Like Donuts, and Ice Cream.
It's insane, I feel I like I've lost it and I have failed. But have I? I may have goofed, but how bad am I?
I was feeling sick this last weekend, barely ate. Is this the cause of what seems to be uncontrollable hunger, eating until I'm stuffed and wanting to eat more. Weird. I don't like this.
I'm thinking maybe I didn't have enough water, or enough fruits and vegetables. That could be it.
Is it just in my head...I hope soo. I haven't slept very well at all this entire week.I haven't been able to go to the gym this entire week. Oh my goodness, I'm being a very bad girl.
Maybe exercising will fix this problem. I can't go to the gym tomorrow, but I can go running. Must go running. Must go, I cannot fall backwards.
I'm also very afriad to weigh myself. Not good at all, and May is coming fast.
It's insane, I feel I like I've lost it and I have failed. But have I? I may have goofed, but how bad am I?
I was feeling sick this last weekend, barely ate. Is this the cause of what seems to be uncontrollable hunger, eating until I'm stuffed and wanting to eat more. Weird. I don't like this.
I'm thinking maybe I didn't have enough water, or enough fruits and vegetables. That could be it.
Is it just in my head...I hope soo. I haven't slept very well at all this entire week.I haven't been able to go to the gym this entire week. Oh my goodness, I'm being a very bad girl.
Maybe exercising will fix this problem. I can't go to the gym tomorrow, but I can go running. Must go running. Must go, I cannot fall backwards.
I'm also very afriad to weigh myself. Not good at all, and May is coming fast.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
New Balance Heart Rate Monitor
Ooooooh my goodness I wish I had posted this a lot sooner. I want to tell you about a gift I got for my Birthday.
My new New Balance Heart Rate Monitor.
I've wanted one so bad so I can know if I'm actually doing the right thing when I am exercising, making sure my heart rate is where it's suppose to be at.
Personally, I like it, it works well for me right now. I wish I had gotten it off of Amazon I would have gotten a better deal. But anyways, let's get back to the monitor.
I've discovered at my exercising heart rate which is like 160 for me, I'm burning 3 calories every 10 seconds. Nice to know!
It's also nice that this monitor can go on my wrist, like a watch, and all I have to do it touch the monitor for 8 Seconds it reads my heart rate.
This what I have to do periodically throughout my run to get accurate calories. I do have to admit this can be slightly annoying. I have to stop the calorie counter, then measure my Heart Rate, then start the calorie counter again. I have to repeat this step periodically throughout my workout in order to get an accurate calorie count. The slightly annoying part is I have to stop for 20 seconds to do it.
I've already decided that once this one breaks I will buy a Heart Rate monitor that checks my heart rate all the time without me stopping. There must be one out there. Until then this one will do.
I do like it. Don't get wrong, I LOVE KNOWING how many calories I'm actually burning. It works for me! :D
The Hear Rate Monitor I got is the New Balance Hrt Fit monitor. I wish I had gotten the Hrt Fit++ monitor, but it was 20dollars more than I was willing to use with my Birthday money. And the reason I want that one is because it takes weight into factor when counting calories, or monitoring my heart rate, which would give me an even more accurate reading. That is why I would rather have that one. Can you blame me seriously??
Nope you can't :)
The specs on the Monitor I got are.
Calorie Monitor, Heart Rate Monitor, Finger Touch Technology, time/date/alarm, 100hour chronograph, 50m water resistant.
I would suggest the one I wanted. Hrt Fit++.
But I do think the Heart Rate monitor I got is the best for me since I'm not a pro yet.
My new New Balance Heart Rate Monitor.
I've wanted one so bad so I can know if I'm actually doing the right thing when I am exercising, making sure my heart rate is where it's suppose to be at.
Personally, I like it, it works well for me right now. I wish I had gotten it off of Amazon I would have gotten a better deal. But anyways, let's get back to the monitor.
I've discovered at my exercising heart rate which is like 160 for me, I'm burning 3 calories every 10 seconds. Nice to know!
It's also nice that this monitor can go on my wrist, like a watch, and all I have to do it touch the monitor for 8 Seconds it reads my heart rate.
This what I have to do periodically throughout my run to get accurate calories. I do have to admit this can be slightly annoying. I have to stop the calorie counter, then measure my Heart Rate, then start the calorie counter again. I have to repeat this step periodically throughout my workout in order to get an accurate calorie count. The slightly annoying part is I have to stop for 20 seconds to do it.
I've already decided that once this one breaks I will buy a Heart Rate monitor that checks my heart rate all the time without me stopping. There must be one out there. Until then this one will do.
I do like it. Don't get wrong, I LOVE KNOWING how many calories I'm actually burning. It works for me! :D
The Hear Rate Monitor I got is the New Balance Hrt Fit monitor. I wish I had gotten the Hrt Fit++ monitor, but it was 20dollars more than I was willing to use with my Birthday money. And the reason I want that one is because it takes weight into factor when counting calories, or monitoring my heart rate, which would give me an even more accurate reading. That is why I would rather have that one. Can you blame me seriously??
Nope you can't :)
The specs on the Monitor I got are.
Calorie Monitor, Heart Rate Monitor, Finger Touch Technology, time/date/alarm, 100hour chronograph, 50m water resistant.
I would suggest the one I wanted. Hrt Fit++.
But I do think the Heart Rate monitor I got is the best for me since I'm not a pro yet.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Exercise Hibernation
I'm exercise hibernating...it's tooo cold to run outside, which is really weird, because I live in Arizona. We are definitely having some wacky weather here.
Okay well it's not total hibernation, I go jogging at around noon, when it is warmest sometimes.
But I recently started going to the gym, I haven't been in awhile. Mostly because I didn't have working MP3 player, luckily my husband lets me use his. I love having music when I'm exercising, I almost forget I'm exercising altogether sometimes.
Anyways I go to the gym now, it's like my vacation away from home, more enjoyable then when I tried to go 6 months ago. I go on the Elliptical my favorite machine in the whole wide world. I have it on my Christmas Wish List. I know I will never get it, but it doesn't hurt to try.
I go on the Elliptical for 45minutes doing the 2 mountain mode (I don't remember the name) at 10 resistance level. I think that is pretty good. Although I would like to be back at where I was when I was skinny. 17 resistance level. I think I can get there again by April ,I'm not giving up. Then after I get off the machine, then I head for the weight machines, I start with the Inner thigh machine, I do 30lbs then I realize that is too easy for me. I can do 50 pounds. Wow I am stronger than I thought. I go where ever I want to go in the gym, I really enjoying exercising. It's awesome.
Okay well it's not total hibernation, I go jogging at around noon, when it is warmest sometimes.
But I recently started going to the gym, I haven't been in awhile. Mostly because I didn't have working MP3 player, luckily my husband lets me use his. I love having music when I'm exercising, I almost forget I'm exercising altogether sometimes.
Anyways I go to the gym now, it's like my vacation away from home, more enjoyable then when I tried to go 6 months ago. I go on the Elliptical my favorite machine in the whole wide world. I have it on my Christmas Wish List. I know I will never get it, but it doesn't hurt to try.
I go on the Elliptical for 45minutes doing the 2 mountain mode (I don't remember the name) at 10 resistance level. I think that is pretty good. Although I would like to be back at where I was when I was skinny. 17 resistance level. I think I can get there again by April ,I'm not giving up. Then after I get off the machine, then I head for the weight machines, I start with the Inner thigh machine, I do 30lbs then I realize that is too easy for me. I can do 50 pounds. Wow I am stronger than I thought. I go where ever I want to go in the gym, I really enjoying exercising. It's awesome.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Fitness Magazine
Well first of all, I hope you all had a Fabulous Thanksgiving weekend!
On to the annoying stuff. Why I even bother getting Fitness magazine???? Seriously, It's filled with articles on make up, fashion, and almost no articles on diets, eating healthy, or tons of articles on exercising. WHAT!!!?!
Are you kidding me???? The Magazine is named Fitness for goodness sakes!!!
You want to hear an even funnier part to all of this! Woman's Day Magazine has more articles on losing weight, and eating healthy more than Fitness magazine does.
And it's not even a fitness magazine, does anyone see what is wrong with this picture!!
I do!
ugh!
I'm canceling my membership to Fitness Magazine.
And keeping Woman's day magazine .
On to the annoying stuff. Why I even bother getting Fitness magazine???? Seriously, It's filled with articles on make up, fashion, and almost no articles on diets, eating healthy, or tons of articles on exercising. WHAT!!!?!
Are you kidding me???? The Magazine is named Fitness for goodness sakes!!!
You want to hear an even funnier part to all of this! Woman's Day Magazine has more articles on losing weight, and eating healthy more than Fitness magazine does.
And it's not even a fitness magazine, does anyone see what is wrong with this picture!!
I do!
ugh!
I'm canceling my membership to Fitness Magazine.
And keeping Woman's day magazine .
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Happy Thanksgiving!!
I'm trying to be healthy today...portion control, portion control is key.
And that is what I told Bob Harper when he asked his Facebook followers to have a Sugar Free Thanksgiving, majority of us, said no. It's one day a year we get to goof off. So he decided to let us off the hook for Thanksgiving. He loves us. Works for me, I love trainers who care enough to understand.
I did tell Bob I am going to have Portion Control, and limit the sweets. I promised him that.
I already have it in my head thanksgiving dinner is at 2pm. When I get home if I'm hungry I will eat a salad. That is good enough. It works for me.
And that is what I told Bob Harper when he asked his Facebook followers to have a Sugar Free Thanksgiving, majority of us, said no. It's one day a year we get to goof off. So he decided to let us off the hook for Thanksgiving. He loves us. Works for me, I love trainers who care enough to understand.
I did tell Bob I am going to have Portion Control, and limit the sweets. I promised him that.
I already have it in my head thanksgiving dinner is at 2pm. When I get home if I'm hungry I will eat a salad. That is good enough. It works for me.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Planning Thanksgiving around my exercising....
I was just thinking of all the things I had to do. I still need to go jogging today, and I have a ton of things to do for the Thanksgiving season. Blah!
What to do, what to do?
I don't want to make the pies untill tomorrow, but I can make the crusts tonight. I can make the sweet potato mixee up tonight, add the Marshmallows tomorrow, and then bake. I can make the whole wheat roll mix it tonight, then bake the rolls tomorrow.
I 've got to plan around my exercising. If I go running before I start baking. I will be more relaxed. I hope, at least I know I can rest easy knowing I did the right thing.
I have noticed that exercise doesn't just benefit me in losing weight, but my back spazes and exercising helps stop that too, it reduces my stress.
Works for me!
I hope you will take the time to plan your Thanksgiving Holiday around your exercising. : )
What to do, what to do?
I don't want to make the pies untill tomorrow, but I can make the crusts tonight. I can make the sweet potato mixee up tonight, add the Marshmallows tomorrow, and then bake. I can make the whole wheat roll mix it tonight, then bake the rolls tomorrow.
I 've got to plan around my exercising. If I go running before I start baking. I will be more relaxed. I hope, at least I know I can rest easy knowing I did the right thing.
I have noticed that exercise doesn't just benefit me in losing weight, but my back spazes and exercising helps stop that too, it reduces my stress.
Works for me!
I hope you will take the time to plan your Thanksgiving Holiday around your exercising. : )
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
I want to have a Mini Turkey Trot...
I bet you are saying, why only a Mini Turkey Trot? Well I figure most people will need to get ready for their Thanksgiving and start cooking their Turkey. Or whatever they are doing, me I going to in laws for Thanksgiving. I don't have to do much except make 3 pies, sweet potato casserole, and whole wheat rolls! I think Mother In Law realized that my Thanksgiving isn't exactly the same as theirs. They have Glazed Carrots, or Sweet Potatoes with no Marshmallows.
I know! This is suppose to be a healthy blog. But no matter how Healthy I get, I will always have Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallows on them at Thanksgiving. Love them!!! : ) My mother in law said go ahead and make a side dish of something I like at Thanksgiving, YAY!
OH! Hopefully this Mini Turkey Trot, will help me goof off for the entire day with less guilt. LOL. I made it 1.75 mile walk/run. It's last minute so far no one has replied to my invites on my Personal Facebook page. My sister is willing to do it with me. I figure 1.75miles is great because it could be completed in 30 minutes, people can leave and go work on their Thanksgiving Feast.
Its funny, I was thinking about this a month ago, yet still I was late giving out invites to it. OOOPS! Oh well. The reason I wanted to do this other than being healthy forever. The Turkey Trot I wanted to go to. I couldn't afford the registration fees for my family, so why not create one myself? It works, next year I will either plan ahead, or join a real Turkey Trot.
Are you willing to start up a Turkey Trot? Even if its by yourself. It is worth doing, it will keep your goal in your head the whole day to become healthier. I hope it does for me, or a least it should. I know one thing I going to focus on is portion control.
Yeepppp Yeep Turkey Trot. For some reason I just want to keep talking about the food I will be making. Like Whole Wheat Rolls. My father in law hates Whole Wheat anything. It's like the thought of being Healthy kills him. I don't understand it. I want Whole Wheat rolls for Thanksgiving, I'm going to get them, even if I eat them by myself. LOL.
It's all good!
Turkey Trot, Turkey Trot! Must focus on that Turkey Trot!
I know! This is suppose to be a healthy blog. But no matter how Healthy I get, I will always have Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallows on them at Thanksgiving. Love them!!! : ) My mother in law said go ahead and make a side dish of something I like at Thanksgiving, YAY!
OH! Hopefully this Mini Turkey Trot, will help me goof off for the entire day with less guilt. LOL. I made it 1.75 mile walk/run. It's last minute so far no one has replied to my invites on my Personal Facebook page. My sister is willing to do it with me. I figure 1.75miles is great because it could be completed in 30 minutes, people can leave and go work on their Thanksgiving Feast.
Its funny, I was thinking about this a month ago, yet still I was late giving out invites to it. OOOPS! Oh well. The reason I wanted to do this other than being healthy forever. The Turkey Trot I wanted to go to. I couldn't afford the registration fees for my family, so why not create one myself? It works, next year I will either plan ahead, or join a real Turkey Trot.
Are you willing to start up a Turkey Trot? Even if its by yourself. It is worth doing, it will keep your goal in your head the whole day to become healthier. I hope it does for me, or a least it should. I know one thing I going to focus on is portion control.
Yeepppp Yeep Turkey Trot. For some reason I just want to keep talking about the food I will be making. Like Whole Wheat Rolls. My father in law hates Whole Wheat anything. It's like the thought of being Healthy kills him. I don't understand it. I want Whole Wheat rolls for Thanksgiving, I'm going to get them, even if I eat them by myself. LOL.
It's all good!
Turkey Trot, Turkey Trot! Must focus on that Turkey Trot!
Friday, November 19, 2010
Brooks Ariel Shoes
I get to claim that I'm expert with feet only because I have had foot surgery, and have been to a podiatrist several times. I will share what both podiatrist have told me over the past five years.
Having good shoes that last a longtime is important. Oh so very true.
The inward part of the bottom of the shoe tends to wear out faster than the rest of the shoe. Which throws of your balance and your arch tends to lead inward, which makes your legs crocked, places stress on your knees, hips, and back. And can also cause horrible pain in your feet. Ohh non fun at all.
That is why my doctor recommended Brooks Ariel Shoes for Women. Brooks also has a shoe called adrenaline which comes very highly recommended for men. Anyways the Grey part of the Brooks Ariel Shoe is suppose to Outlast the shoe. Giving great Arch support for a very longtime, which means the foot won't lean inward causing an imbalance and stress to the rest of the body. This intrigues me greatly.
I actually have a pair of Brooks Ariel Shoes that have lasted me 3 years. I've beaten the crap out of those shoes with all of the miles that I walked in them. The amazing part, is the bottom of the shoe is built with such stronger plastics, there is little wear and tear to after all that time. If it were one of my old Payless Shoes the bottoms of the shoes would have been stripped of any tread, and the inward arch would be off balance. The shoe would no longer lay flat.
But my 3 year old Brook Shoes Still Lay flat on ground. WoW They are some sturdy shoes.
But hard to find ZBsports.com and Rei.com sells them.
The lining of the shoe has definitely been beaten the crap out of, but the arch support remained comfy that was enough for me,the inside of the shoe didn't start wearing out until a year after I bought them. Which is great for any shoe.
Both pairs of my shoes still lay flat on the ground, not tilting one way or another, properly balanced.
My brand new shoes, I hope The Ariel Shoes will last me 3 years. As for the old pair I will recycling them at a participating Nike Shoes Stores that recycle Athletic Shoes and turn them into basketball courts for youth centers, and etc...
Having good shoes that last a longtime is important. Oh so very true.
The inward part of the bottom of the shoe tends to wear out faster than the rest of the shoe. Which throws of your balance and your arch tends to lead inward, which makes your legs crocked, places stress on your knees, hips, and back. And can also cause horrible pain in your feet. Ohh non fun at all.
That is why my doctor recommended Brooks Ariel Shoes for Women. Brooks also has a shoe called adrenaline which comes very highly recommended for men. Anyways the Grey part of the Brooks Ariel Shoe is suppose to Outlast the shoe. Giving great Arch support for a very longtime, which means the foot won't lean inward causing an imbalance and stress to the rest of the body. This intrigues me greatly.
I actually have a pair of Brooks Ariel Shoes that have lasted me 3 years. I've beaten the crap out of those shoes with all of the miles that I walked in them. The amazing part, is the bottom of the shoe is built with such stronger plastics, there is little wear and tear to after all that time. If it were one of my old Payless Shoes the bottoms of the shoes would have been stripped of any tread, and the inward arch would be off balance. The shoe would no longer lay flat.
But my 3 year old Brook Shoes Still Lay flat on ground. WoW They are some sturdy shoes.
But hard to find ZBsports.com and Rei.com sells them.
The lining of the shoe has definitely been beaten the crap out of, but the arch support remained comfy that was enough for me,the inside of the shoe didn't start wearing out until a year after I bought them. Which is great for any shoe.
Both pairs of my shoes still lay flat on the ground, not tilting one way or another, properly balanced.
My brand new shoes, I hope The Ariel Shoes will last me 3 years. As for the old pair I will recycling them at a participating Nike Shoes Stores that recycle Athletic Shoes and turn them into basketball courts for youth centers, and etc...
Thursday, November 18, 2010
The Phase I finally reached with eating...
"Oh really its dinner time, I almost forgot, I'm not really hungry" What you are thinking to yourself. Me personally I never thought I would reach that Phase ever again. After my pregnancy it felt like I was hungry all the time still, I thought it was a bad habit that would never be broken. Even with calories counting, and portion controlling, my brain had me thinking okay your mouth needs food in it. Not anymore, I don't have to keep my mouth as busy as I use to a month ago.
I think its because I am so busy taking care of my daughter, my home, and trying to work from home. I am so busy, so distracted I don't remember to eat.
I guess it helps to keep busy.
Stops me from bored eating which is very bad.
I think its because I am so busy taking care of my daughter, my home, and trying to work from home. I am so busy, so distracted I don't remember to eat.
I guess it helps to keep busy.
Stops me from bored eating which is very bad.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Mental Phases of exercise
Awww the many phases of exercising at least for me. I hope one of you can relate to this for sure.
Phase 1- I can do this, but this hurts!
Phase 2- I'm exercising 2 hours a day and I feel like I'm going nowhere fast.
Phase 3- I started walking this finally broke my plateau, especially when I started sprinting.
Phase 4- I can jog for 2 or 3 blocks at a time and not even realize I've done it. This is the Phase I am at now with exercising, mostly jogging, and the occasional strength exercises. I'm working my way up. Yay for me!!!
What phase in exercising are you at now?
Phase 1- I can do this, but this hurts!
Phase 2- I'm exercising 2 hours a day and I feel like I'm going nowhere fast.
Phase 3- I started walking this finally broke my plateau, especially when I started sprinting.
Phase 4- I can jog for 2 or 3 blocks at a time and not even realize I've done it. This is the Phase I am at now with exercising, mostly jogging, and the occasional strength exercises. I'm working my way up. Yay for me!!!
What phase in exercising are you at now?
Mental Changes over last 5 months about food
I think this post is to help remind me of what I've been through because once you have been in the skinny stage for so long you tend to forget what its like losing weight. Especially when the bad habits you have just committed yourself to quit were very recent.
I will go ahead and list the stages I'm going through and have been through. I bet some of you will relate, and realize you are not the only one.
Phase 1- Cold Turkey...no junk food in the house...means I 'm craving the restaurant foods. Not good. I was counting the calories so tight, I was stressed, and craving buttery popcorn every night.
Phase 2- after a month or so of being really good I start to break. Eating foods I normally don't eat, and my husband who doesn't gain weight all that fast is constantly tempting. SOOOO IRRITATING!!!!
Phase 3-I give rats pat tooty about food..I don't like it as much, I don't want it. If I'm dumb enough to eat a whole bunch of candy in one sitting then that is my meal, I will regret it later. Eating that much candy, talk about a crash, no nutritional value, and leaving me groggy. No excuses, still have to exercise, then I realize even more consequences to make action, I'm tired, dehydrated, and not performing as well I would if I ate a healthy meal. That will help stay clear of that candy, eating healthy foods is better fuel for my body for sure.
Phase 4- I occasionally goof, but that will be my meal, and I will have to pay for it. I'm training for a 5k, and realize eating crap won't help me run very well at all. Must be hydrated, must have good sleep, must eat healthy food. I also stopped counting calories period, but I'm still aware of how much calories should be in a meal so I average around that. I do portion control more than counting calories. 2/4vegtable, 1/4 meat, 1/4 grains. Oh yes, I'm so busy I'm never hungry, and I forget to eat. Nice! Hobbies keep me busy, and my toddler too. Less bored eating for sure. Although, I do remember to eat bigger meal for breakfast and lunch, so I am very less likely to pig out in the evening.
What phase are you at?
I will go ahead and list the stages I'm going through and have been through. I bet some of you will relate, and realize you are not the only one.
Phase 1- Cold Turkey...no junk food in the house...means I 'm craving the restaurant foods. Not good. I was counting the calories so tight, I was stressed, and craving buttery popcorn every night.
Phase 2- after a month or so of being really good I start to break. Eating foods I normally don't eat, and my husband who doesn't gain weight all that fast is constantly tempting. SOOOO IRRITATING!!!!
Phase 3-I give rats pat tooty about food..I don't like it as much, I don't want it. If I'm dumb enough to eat a whole bunch of candy in one sitting then that is my meal, I will regret it later. Eating that much candy, talk about a crash, no nutritional value, and leaving me groggy. No excuses, still have to exercise, then I realize even more consequences to make action, I'm tired, dehydrated, and not performing as well I would if I ate a healthy meal. That will help stay clear of that candy, eating healthy foods is better fuel for my body for sure.
Phase 4- I occasionally goof, but that will be my meal, and I will have to pay for it. I'm training for a 5k, and realize eating crap won't help me run very well at all. Must be hydrated, must have good sleep, must eat healthy food. I also stopped counting calories period, but I'm still aware of how much calories should be in a meal so I average around that. I do portion control more than counting calories. 2/4vegtable, 1/4 meat, 1/4 grains. Oh yes, I'm so busy I'm never hungry, and I forget to eat. Nice! Hobbies keep me busy, and my toddler too. Less bored eating for sure. Although, I do remember to eat bigger meal for breakfast and lunch, so I am very less likely to pig out in the evening.
What phase are you at?
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Dessert trick, with Gum???
Extra Dessert Delights: Mint Ice Cream, Strawberry Shortcake, Key Lime Pie
Nice! My husband got the big points for getting this! I have actually had these for couple of weeks before Biggest Loser did a Promo on this.
My husband got them for me after knowing I wanted them to curb my craving for a nice dessert in the evening. Oh they work to curb that sweet tooth of mine. And at only 5 calories a stick I'm doing fabulous!
Must try this!
They taste sooooo good!
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
How the Wii Scale can lie if you don't use it right...
I thought I lost 21 pounds in 3 weeks, total lie.
I felt so confident, so a live. But what I didn't know that taking the foot petals off would actually matter that much on the Wii fit. Well it does, my daughter has stolen one of the foot petals. I needed all four to weigh in, so I took the rest of them off. I thought my carpet was thin enough, it wouldn't make a difference. Well it does make a difference. The carpet cushions my weight, I have yet to figure out how. My weight kept dropping every time I weighed myself, which definitely didn't make any sense.
The thing that clued me in is when it said I lost 11 pounds in 2 days.
My husband and I searched for the foot petal, put them back onto the Wii scale. Then to figured out if the Wii scale was broken we weighed two fifteen pound weights, to measure exactly 30pounds with the feet on, with out the feet the weight fluctuated a little. I weighed myself with the feet on the Wii Scale. to discover that I didn't lose 21pounds by eating apples. I only lost 3 pounds. I cried all day long, I wass sooooo very sad.
Yes eating a lot apples did help me break my plateau, but not the amount of weight I thought I did. It broke my heart.
I'm over it I've dropped 9 pounds since then. So whatever...I'm moving on. Now that I know not to weigh myself without the Wii Scale feet attached to it.
I felt so confident, so a live. But what I didn't know that taking the foot petals off would actually matter that much on the Wii fit. Well it does, my daughter has stolen one of the foot petals. I needed all four to weigh in, so I took the rest of them off. I thought my carpet was thin enough, it wouldn't make a difference. Well it does make a difference. The carpet cushions my weight, I have yet to figure out how. My weight kept dropping every time I weighed myself, which definitely didn't make any sense.
The thing that clued me in is when it said I lost 11 pounds in 2 days.
My husband and I searched for the foot petal, put them back onto the Wii scale. Then to figured out if the Wii scale was broken we weighed two fifteen pound weights, to measure exactly 30pounds with the feet on, with out the feet the weight fluctuated a little. I weighed myself with the feet on the Wii Scale. to discover that I didn't lose 21pounds by eating apples. I only lost 3 pounds. I cried all day long, I wass sooooo very sad.
Yes eating a lot apples did help me break my plateau, but not the amount of weight I thought I did. It broke my heart.
I'm over it I've dropped 9 pounds since then. So whatever...I'm moving on. Now that I know not to weigh myself without the Wii Scale feet attached to it.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
6 Apples ?????
I was discouraged about continous weight plateaus, and I was complaining to my friend Mary. Then she told me that her Doctor said that eating 6 apples a day will boost your metabolism. Hey it works!! So don't even try to dispute it, seriously. I lost 21 pounds in 3weeks because of it, and I eat a regular healthy meals too. I also exercise a lot. This isn't a sit on your butt kind of lifestyle for me at least.
I have people telling me that Apples are high in sugar and I will gain weight! LIES! LIES! LIES! Have you ever heard of a person getting fat from eating raw fruits and vegetables?????????? NO! Did you read this? Let me say it again!! You can't get fat from eating fruits and vegetables. You can get fat from eating Junkfood, to much Meat, to much Oil, to much Sugar. Got it? The sugar in fruits and vegetables are good for you!
Apples have many benefits, including maintaining a healthy blood sugar level, and reason to believe it prevents type 2 diabetes.
Apples are a good source of dietary fiber and vitamin C. One medium sized apple has about 13% of the recommended daily value of dietary fiber and 11% of vitamin C. One apple can supply you with 72 calories, two of them being from fat. Other nutrients that the apple has are vitamin K, vitamin B6, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus and Potassium. Apples are 85% water.
(Theperfectshape.com)
So if I were to chose between Apples and Peice of candy, I'll pick the apple. MUCH HEALTHIER!
LOOK AT MY APPLES!! I LOVE THEM APPLES!! : )
Many of us forget that sometimes, the simplest answers are the best. Better health could be as easy as reaching for the fruit bowl for some apples next time you need a snack
Source : http://www.besthealthmag.ca/eat-well/nutrition/15-health-benefits-of-eating-apples
What makes apples so great?
In 2004, USDA scientists investigated over 100 foods to measure their antioxidant concentration per serving size. Two apples—Red Delicious and Granny Smith—ranked 12th and 13th respectively. Antioxidants are disease-fighting compounds. Scientists believe these compounds help prevent and repair oxidation damage that happens during normal cell activity. Apples are also full of a fibre called pectin—a medium-sized apple contains about 4 grams of fibre. Pectin is classed as a soluble, fermentable and viscous fibre, a combination that gives it a huge list of health benefits.
1. Get whiter, healthier teeth
An apple won’t replace your toothbrush, but biting and chewing an apple stimulates the production of saliva in your mouth, reducing tooth decay by lowering the levels of bacteria.
2. Avoid Alzheimer’s
A new study performed on mice shows that drinking apple juice could keep Alzheimer’s away and fight the effects of aging on the brain. Mice in the study that were fed an apple-enhanced diet showed higher levels of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine and did better in maze tests than those on a regular diet.
3. Protect against Parkinson’s
Research has shown that people who eat fruits and other high-fibre foods gain a certain amount of protection against Parkinson’s, a disease characterized by a breakdown of the brain’s dopamine-producing nerve cells. Scientists have linked this to the free radical-fighting power of the antioxidants contained therein.
4. Curb all sorts of cancers
Scientists from the American Association for Cancer Research, among others, agree that the consumption of flavonol-rich apples could help reduce your risk of developing pancreatic cancer by up to 23 per cent. Researchers at Cornell University have identified several compounds—triterpenoids—in apple peel that have potent anti-growth activities against cancer cells in the liver, colon and breast. Their earlier research found that extracts from whole apples can reduce the number and size of mammary tumours in rats. Meanwhile, the National Cancer Institute in the U.S. has recommended a high fibre intake to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer.
5. Decrease your risk of diabetes
Related Features
5 simple rules for your healthiest life
Our best healthy apple recipes
6 reasons to eat more apples
Women who eat at least one apple a day are 28 percent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those who don’t eat apples. Apples are loaded with soluble fibre, the key to blunting blood sugar swings.
6. Reduce cholesterol
The soluble fibre found in apples binds with fats in the intestine, which translates into lower cholesterol levels and a healthier you.
7. Get a healthier heart
An extensive body of research has linked high soluble fibre intake with a slower buildup of cholesterol-rich plaque in your arteries. The phenolic compound found in apple skins also prevents the cholesterol that gets into your system from solidifying on your artery walls. When plaque builds inside your arteries, it reduces blood flow to your heart, leading to coronary artery disease.
8. Prevent gallstones
Gallstones form when there’s too much cholesterol in your bile for it to remain as a liquid, so it solidifies. They are particularly prevalent in the obese. To prevent gallstones, doctors recommend a diet high in fibre to help you control your weight and cholesterol levels.
9. Beat diarrhea and constipation
Whether you can’t go to the bathroom or you just can’t stop, fibre found in apples can help. Fibre can either pull water out of your colon to keep things moving along when you’re backed up, or absorb excess water from your stool to slow your bowels down.
10. Neutralize irritable bowel syndrome
Irritable bowel syndrome is characterized by constipation, diarrhea, and abdominal pain and bloating. To control these symptoms doctors recommend staying away from dairy and fatty foods while including a high intake of fibre in your diet.
11. Avert hemorrhoids
Hemorrhoids are a swollen vein in the anal canal and while not life threatening, these veins can be very painful. They are caused by too much pressure in the pelvic and rectal areas. Part and parcel with controlling constipation, fibre can prevent you from straining too much when going to the bathroom and thereby help alleviate hemorrhoids.
12. Control your weight
Many health problems are associated with being overweight, among them heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and sleep apnea. To manage your weight and improve your overall health, doctors recommend a diet rich in fibre. Foods high in fibre will fill you up without costing you too many calories.
13. Detoxify your liver
We’re constantly consuming toxins, whether it is from drinks or food, and your liver is responsible for clearing these toxins out of your body. Many doctors are skeptical of fad detox diets, saying they have the potential to do more harm than good. Luckily, one of the best—and easiest—things you can eat to help detoxify your liver is fruits—like apples.
14. Boost your immune system
Red apples contain an antioxidant called quercetin. Recent studies have found that quercetin can help boost and fortify your immune system, especially when you're stressed out.
15. Prevent cataracts
Though past studies have been divided on the issue, recent long-term studies suggest that people who have a diet rich in fruits that contain antioxidants—like apples—are 10 to 15 per cent less likely to develop cataracts.
Don't miss out! Sign up for our free weekly newsletters and get nutritious recipes, healthy weight-loss tips, easy ways to stay in shape and all the health news you need, delivered straight to your inbox.
Web exclusive: September 2009
I have people telling me that Apples are high in sugar and I will gain weight! LIES! LIES! LIES! Have you ever heard of a person getting fat from eating raw fruits and vegetables?????????? NO! Did you read this? Let me say it again!! You can't get fat from eating fruits and vegetables. You can get fat from eating Junkfood, to much Meat, to much Oil, to much Sugar. Got it? The sugar in fruits and vegetables are good for you!
Apples have many benefits, including maintaining a healthy blood sugar level, and reason to believe it prevents type 2 diabetes.
Apples are a good source of dietary fiber and vitamin C. One medium sized apple has about 13% of the recommended daily value of dietary fiber and 11% of vitamin C. One apple can supply you with 72 calories, two of them being from fat. Other nutrients that the apple has are vitamin K, vitamin B6, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus and Potassium. Apples are 85% water.
(Theperfectshape.com)
So if I were to chose between Apples and Peice of candy, I'll pick the apple. MUCH HEALTHIER!
LOOK AT MY APPLES!! I LOVE THEM APPLES!! : )
It was grocery day, not everything got put away.
And yes I still have my cookies too!
Here is many more reasons eating Apple is way better than eating a peice of candy, including helping weight loss.
15 health benefits of eating apples
Many of us forget that sometimes, the simplest answers are the best. Better health could be as easy as reaching for the fruit bowl for some apples next time you need a snack
Source : http://www.besthealthmag.ca/eat-well/nutrition/15-health-benefits-of-eating-apples
What makes apples so great?
In 2004, USDA scientists investigated over 100 foods to measure their antioxidant concentration per serving size. Two apples—Red Delicious and Granny Smith—ranked 12th and 13th respectively. Antioxidants are disease-fighting compounds. Scientists believe these compounds help prevent and repair oxidation damage that happens during normal cell activity. Apples are also full of a fibre called pectin—a medium-sized apple contains about 4 grams of fibre. Pectin is classed as a soluble, fermentable and viscous fibre, a combination that gives it a huge list of health benefits.
1. Get whiter, healthier teeth
An apple won’t replace your toothbrush, but biting and chewing an apple stimulates the production of saliva in your mouth, reducing tooth decay by lowering the levels of bacteria.
2. Avoid Alzheimer’s
A new study performed on mice shows that drinking apple juice could keep Alzheimer’s away and fight the effects of aging on the brain. Mice in the study that were fed an apple-enhanced diet showed higher levels of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine and did better in maze tests than those on a regular diet.
3. Protect against Parkinson’s
Research has shown that people who eat fruits and other high-fibre foods gain a certain amount of protection against Parkinson’s, a disease characterized by a breakdown of the brain’s dopamine-producing nerve cells. Scientists have linked this to the free radical-fighting power of the antioxidants contained therein.
4. Curb all sorts of cancers
Scientists from the American Association for Cancer Research, among others, agree that the consumption of flavonol-rich apples could help reduce your risk of developing pancreatic cancer by up to 23 per cent. Researchers at Cornell University have identified several compounds—triterpenoids—in apple peel that have potent anti-growth activities against cancer cells in the liver, colon and breast. Their earlier research found that extracts from whole apples can reduce the number and size of mammary tumours in rats. Meanwhile, the National Cancer Institute in the U.S. has recommended a high fibre intake to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer.
5. Decrease your risk of diabetes
Related Features
5 simple rules for your healthiest life
Our best healthy apple recipes
6 reasons to eat more apples
Women who eat at least one apple a day are 28 percent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those who don’t eat apples. Apples are loaded with soluble fibre, the key to blunting blood sugar swings.
6. Reduce cholesterol
The soluble fibre found in apples binds with fats in the intestine, which translates into lower cholesterol levels and a healthier you.
7. Get a healthier heart
An extensive body of research has linked high soluble fibre intake with a slower buildup of cholesterol-rich plaque in your arteries. The phenolic compound found in apple skins also prevents the cholesterol that gets into your system from solidifying on your artery walls. When plaque builds inside your arteries, it reduces blood flow to your heart, leading to coronary artery disease.
8. Prevent gallstones
Gallstones form when there’s too much cholesterol in your bile for it to remain as a liquid, so it solidifies. They are particularly prevalent in the obese. To prevent gallstones, doctors recommend a diet high in fibre to help you control your weight and cholesterol levels.
9. Beat diarrhea and constipation
Whether you can’t go to the bathroom or you just can’t stop, fibre found in apples can help. Fibre can either pull water out of your colon to keep things moving along when you’re backed up, or absorb excess water from your stool to slow your bowels down.
10. Neutralize irritable bowel syndrome
Irritable bowel syndrome is characterized by constipation, diarrhea, and abdominal pain and bloating. To control these symptoms doctors recommend staying away from dairy and fatty foods while including a high intake of fibre in your diet.
11. Avert hemorrhoids
Hemorrhoids are a swollen vein in the anal canal and while not life threatening, these veins can be very painful. They are caused by too much pressure in the pelvic and rectal areas. Part and parcel with controlling constipation, fibre can prevent you from straining too much when going to the bathroom and thereby help alleviate hemorrhoids.
12. Control your weight
Many health problems are associated with being overweight, among them heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and sleep apnea. To manage your weight and improve your overall health, doctors recommend a diet rich in fibre. Foods high in fibre will fill you up without costing you too many calories.
13. Detoxify your liver
We’re constantly consuming toxins, whether it is from drinks or food, and your liver is responsible for clearing these toxins out of your body. Many doctors are skeptical of fad detox diets, saying they have the potential to do more harm than good. Luckily, one of the best—and easiest—things you can eat to help detoxify your liver is fruits—like apples.
14. Boost your immune system
Red apples contain an antioxidant called quercetin. Recent studies have found that quercetin can help boost and fortify your immune system, especially when you're stressed out.
15. Prevent cataracts
Though past studies have been divided on the issue, recent long-term studies suggest that people who have a diet rich in fruits that contain antioxidants—like apples—are 10 to 15 per cent less likely to develop cataracts.
Don't miss out! Sign up for our free weekly newsletters and get nutritious recipes, healthy weight-loss tips, easy ways to stay in shape and all the health news you need, delivered straight to your inbox.
Web exclusive: September 2009
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
How I survive the drive thru lane at a fast food joint?
Hey! I'm only one trying to lose weight in my house, yes my husband does eat what I make him, but I do occasionally get the fast food stuff from the drive thru at Mc Donald's, Wendy's, and Jack in the Box, even Taco Bell
I have had to learn to get Food al la carte from the Value Menu.
Taco Bell : Club Soda, 1 Fresco Chicken Soft Taco, and 1 Supreme Crunchy Taco
No super healthy, but way better than the Chalupas I would normally get.
McDonald's: Southeren McChicken Sandwhich minus 1 bun, Salad with Lite italian 1/2 the packet, Large Water, Yogurt Parfait for Dessert. or Large water, Quarter Pounder, half the fries(still not healthy, just a splurge) I give the rest to my husband.
Wendy's: Lite Lemonade, Ultimate Grilled Chicken, Salad 1/2 the packet dressing, and Mandarin Oranges.
Jack in the Box: Pita Chicken, Large Water
I have to survive in the real world. I need to make smart choices, and how I do that is I search for the healthiest stuff on the nutrition guide of McDonalds Website, and every other resturaunts website.
So my advice, do your research before you head out to eat, so your prepared ahead of time.
I have had to learn to get Food al la carte from the Value Menu.
Taco Bell : Club Soda, 1 Fresco Chicken Soft Taco, and 1 Supreme Crunchy Taco
No super healthy, but way better than the Chalupas I would normally get.
McDonald's: Southeren McChicken Sandwhich minus 1 bun, Salad with Lite italian 1/2 the packet, Large Water, Yogurt Parfait for Dessert. or Large water, Quarter Pounder, half the fries(still not healthy, just a splurge) I give the rest to my husband.
Wendy's: Lite Lemonade, Ultimate Grilled Chicken, Salad 1/2 the packet dressing, and Mandarin Oranges.
Jack in the Box: Pita Chicken, Large Water
I have to survive in the real world. I need to make smart choices, and how I do that is I search for the healthiest stuff on the nutrition guide of McDonalds Website, and every other resturaunts website.
So my advice, do your research before you head out to eat, so your prepared ahead of time.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Whole Grain?? Whole Wheat?? How do I know if its true?
Okay I will make this really simple, this how you know you are getting the real deal. Real Whole wheat pasta, or breads have 3 or more grams of Dietary Fiber per Slice of bread or Serving of Pasta. Anything less than that is a Fake, fake Whole Wheat has Molasses added to it to give color. Don't get fooled.
Also look for 100% Whole Grain, 100% Whole Wheat too, that's another thing to look for, when it comes to finding the real stuff.
These are things I like to buy.
Kirkland Brand Whole Wheat Bread 3g DF per slice
Mission Tortillas - Multi- Grain 5g DF per tortilla
Kirkland Brand Multi-Grain Bread 5g DF per slice
La Tortillas Good Choice Tortillas `98% fat free 100 calories per tortilla plus 8g DF per Tortilla
Barilla Whole Grain Pasta 6g DF per Serving
Eating Right For kids (Safeway Brand) Whole Wheat Pasta 6g DF per serving, nice way to trick kids in to eating healthy.
Another thing to look for, the recipe for it 1000 years old, and is the Healthiest Tortillas, and Bread you could ever get.
Ezekiel 4:9 Bread 6g DF per Slice
Ezekiel Tortillas
\
Also look for 100% Whole Grain, 100% Whole Wheat too, that's another thing to look for, when it comes to finding the real stuff.
These are things I like to buy.
Kirkland Brand Whole Wheat Bread 3g DF per slice
Mission Tortillas - Multi- Grain 5g DF per tortilla
Kirkland Brand Multi-Grain Bread 5g DF per slice
La Tortillas Good Choice Tortillas `98% fat free 100 calories per tortilla plus 8g DF per Tortilla
Barilla Whole Grain Pasta 6g DF per Serving
Eating Right For kids (Safeway Brand) Whole Wheat Pasta 6g DF per serving, nice way to trick kids in to eating healthy.
Another thing to look for, the recipe for it 1000 years old, and is the Healthiest Tortillas, and Bread you could ever get.
Ezekiel 4:9 Bread 6g DF per Slice
Ezekiel Tortillas
\
What I'm doing now, and how did I lose 15pounds in 2 weeks????
Yeppers I lost 15 pounds in about 2 1/2 weeks...I know, I even suprised myself. I thought when I got on the Wii fit scale it was going to tell me I had gained weight. I was in shock, and I knew what exactly broke my plateau. Eating 4- 6 apples a day. What??? you are probably thinking right about now, but that is exactly it. After hitting a Plateau I was telling my friend Mary about my problem, she told me that her doctor says that eating 6 apples a day will boost the metabolism. I figured why not try it? It's natural, it won't kill me. So I did. I started off by eating three apples a day, sometimes 6, it depends. I always did it before a meal, I felt fuller faster, nice. It is High in fiber, 5g of Fiber per medium apple. Nice I exceeding the daily recommended amount of fiber, but I'm also meeting Bob Harpers challenge of eating 40g of fiber a day with the apples and all of the whole grains and fruits and vegetables I eat. Please also realize I exercise a lot. too. I'm going to give you an idea of what I do and maybe it will inspire you to do it on your own.
Exercise:
3-5 a week I randomally sprint for 2.1 miles each day.
2 times a week Biggest Loser Powersculpting
3 times a week Cardio Max BL
1 day a week recovery workout (walking, swimming, yoga, pilates, dancing) Something fun and different.
Average day of eating:
Dietary Fiber-DF
Breakfast: 2 apples 10g DF, 1peice of multi-grain bread (5g DF) with peanut butter (3g DF), and watermelon 3g DF = 21g DF
Lunch: Turkey wrap, in a mutigrain tortilla,(5g DF), 2 apples (10g DF), Salad (2g DF) = 17g DF
Dinner: Whole Grain pasta, (6g DF), Sam's tomato sauce (3g DF), 2 Apples (10g DF) = 19g DF
I treated myself a couple of times to eating Cold Stone ice cream. Do you see why I was suprised I lost weight at all?? I'm thinking a High Fiber Diet will me rid of the fat, on top of exercising. I hope it does the same for you as well. Try it.
Exercise:
3-5 a week I randomally sprint for 2.1 miles each day.
2 times a week Biggest Loser Powersculpting
3 times a week Cardio Max BL
1 day a week recovery workout (walking, swimming, yoga, pilates, dancing) Something fun and different.
Average day of eating:
Dietary Fiber-DF
Breakfast: 2 apples 10g DF, 1peice of multi-grain bread (5g DF) with peanut butter (3g DF), and watermelon 3g DF = 21g DF
Lunch: Turkey wrap, in a mutigrain tortilla,(5g DF), 2 apples (10g DF), Salad (2g DF) = 17g DF
Dinner: Whole Grain pasta, (6g DF), Sam's tomato sauce (3g DF), 2 Apples (10g DF) = 19g DF
I treated myself a couple of times to eating Cold Stone ice cream. Do you see why I was suprised I lost weight at all?? I'm thinking a High Fiber Diet will me rid of the fat, on top of exercising. I hope it does the same for you as well. Try it.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Healthier version of Eggplant parmesan
This how I did it for my husband and I. I totally made it my own.
Recipe By Eileen Blakey Judd
This made enough for 2 people, no sides needed.
you will need:
8 egg whites
4-5 cups of Whole Wheat Flour
1 Large Eggplant
About 2 1/2 cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Marinara Sauce or Homemade Italian Sauce. I will post my husbands recipe soon, I just have to get from him.
Parmesan Cheese (Fresh)
Make sure to have the WWFlour in a long container, and the egg whites in a seperate container.Preferrably you should use a cast iron skillet for this, but if not make sure the skillet is deep enough. Pour the EVOO into the skillet until its a 1/4 of inch deep. ( you don't really need a lot for this). While it is heating up, cut the top of the Egg Plant, then slice the Eggplant lengthwise into 4 or pieces. Use tongs to first Dip the EggPlant in the flour, then dip into the Egg Whites, then dip into the flour again. Then place into the oil, heat one side until its golden brown, then flip it , and do the same on the other side. At the same time as doing this you will be wanting to heat up the sauce in a sauce pan on low- medium heat. After the Egg Plant is done place it on a plate, and repeat the process with the other Egg Plant slices. After being finished, places slicesof eggplant on to the Dinner plate sort of tlike they were Pancakes, pour marinara sauce on, sprinkle shredded parmesan on. Then Finished! And Serve.
Nice Crunchy yumminess you will be spreading marinara over every slice like its butter while you are eating.
If you're wondering why Egg Whites, its because they are only 20 calories each.
Recipe By Eileen Blakey Judd
This made enough for 2 people, no sides needed.
you will need:
8 egg whites
4-5 cups of Whole Wheat Flour
1 Large Eggplant
About 2 1/2 cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Marinara Sauce or Homemade Italian Sauce. I will post my husbands recipe soon, I just have to get from him.
Parmesan Cheese (Fresh)
Make sure to have the WWFlour in a long container, and the egg whites in a seperate container.Preferrably you should use a cast iron skillet for this, but if not make sure the skillet is deep enough. Pour the EVOO into the skillet until its a 1/4 of inch deep. ( you don't really need a lot for this). While it is heating up, cut the top of the Egg Plant, then slice the Eggplant lengthwise into 4 or pieces. Use tongs to first Dip the EggPlant in the flour, then dip into the Egg Whites, then dip into the flour again. Then place into the oil, heat one side until its golden brown, then flip it , and do the same on the other side. At the same time as doing this you will be wanting to heat up the sauce in a sauce pan on low- medium heat. After the Egg Plant is done place it on a plate, and repeat the process with the other Egg Plant slices. After being finished, places slicesof eggplant on to the Dinner plate sort of tlike they were Pancakes, pour marinara sauce on, sprinkle shredded parmesan on. Then Finished! And Serve.
Nice Crunchy yumminess you will be spreading marinara over every slice like its butter while you are eating.
If you're wondering why Egg Whites, its because they are only 20 calories each.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Trident Gum
It must be an OCD thing for me, but I have to keep my mouth busy, constantly chewing gum otherwise I'm overeating. I definitely don't want to sabotage myself. Unfortunately this only gum I can find that has flavors other then Mint at the Costco I go to. Yes I buy my gum in bulk, I chew a lot of it, my husband makes fun of me when I save it on the side of the plate for after my meal. Can you blame me? I don't want to burn through my gum too fast, I'm on a tight budget.
So yep, I chew gum to keep my mouth busy, but I do avoid things like bubblegum. I hope this works for my fellow Fit Mamas out there. :)
So yep, I chew gum to keep my mouth busy, but I do avoid things like bubblegum. I hope this works for my fellow Fit Mamas out there. :)
My refrigerator and freezer ....
I'm proud of my fridge this week, and rightfully so. 80% produce the rest, bread, meat, and dairy. Woo hoo!
I recently joined a produce co-op if you haven't noticed, I love it. Next time I'm getting 2 baskets for my family instead of 1.
I also addicted to Fresh and Easy grocery store, and their great low prices. Especially there clearance section for produce, I got a 2lb bag of peaches for 69 cents. Nice!
What I keep in my fridge is multi grain bread, 100% Whole Wheat Bread, Multi grain Tortillas, Eggs, Sandwich Meat, and as you can see packed with produce. Can't even see the stuff I leave out on the counter like potatoes, onions, and garlic.
I'm a health bug, and loving finding ways to keep it interesting. After all I can't eat the same meals over and over again.
What I put in my freezer? Hmmm...isn't it obvious certainly not ice cream. It's stuffed with frozen fruit, frozen vegetables, frozen meat, frozen bread, frozen homemade Italian sauce, frozen mashed avocado and frozen milk, still healthy. Yay!
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Healthy Fats
Resource Biggest Loser
When Fats Are Healthy
Research shows that fats are essential for optimal health and can actually help us lose weight. Make sure that you build your diet around healthy fats, as follows:
(1 serving = small handful of nuts, 1 tsp of oil, or 1/4 of avocado)
Nuts
Seeds
Avocado
Olives
Olive oil
Canola oil
Small amounts of quality coconut oil
And these long-chain omega 3 fats: (1 serving = 3.5 oz serving of fish, 2 eggs)
Oily fish (salmon, tuna steaks, sardines, trout)
Designer eggs sold in natural food stores (like Gold Circle Farms eggs – chickens are fed algae that are rich sources of DHA so that 4 eggs = amount of omega 3s found in a serving of salmon)
When Fats Are Healthy
Research shows that fats are essential for optimal health and can actually help us lose weight. Make sure that you build your diet around healthy fats, as follows:
(1 serving = small handful of nuts, 1 tsp of oil, or 1/4 of avocado)
Nuts
Seeds
Avocado
Olives
Olive oil
Canola oil
Small amounts of quality coconut oil
And these long-chain omega 3 fats: (1 serving = 3.5 oz serving of fish, 2 eggs)
Oily fish (salmon, tuna steaks, sardines, trout)
Designer eggs sold in natural food stores (like Gold Circle Farms eggs – chickens are fed algae that are rich sources of DHA so that 4 eggs = amount of omega 3s found in a serving of salmon)
Summer Fruit Salad
Resource Biggest Loser
Summer Fruit Salad
Berries and melon and mint, oh my!
This time of year is just full of luscious fruit to satisfy a sweet tooth in a healthy way. Biggest Loser contestants love fruit salad for dessert and here's a recipe they often make on the ranch.
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 pint strawberries, hulled and halved
1/2 pint raspberries
1/2 pint blueberries
2 oranges, sectioned
1 cup cantaloupe or honeydew melon balls
3 tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped
In a medium bowl, whisk the juice and honey. Add the strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, oranges, melon, and mint, and toss gently. Chill 1 hour.
Yield: 8 Servings
Calories: 76 ; Fat: 0 g; Carbohydrates: 19 g ; Protein: 1 g
Summer Fruit Salad
Berries and melon and mint, oh my!
This time of year is just full of luscious fruit to satisfy a sweet tooth in a healthy way. Biggest Loser contestants love fruit salad for dessert and here's a recipe they often make on the ranch.
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 pint strawberries, hulled and halved
1/2 pint raspberries
1/2 pint blueberries
2 oranges, sectioned
1 cup cantaloupe or honeydew melon balls
3 tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped
In a medium bowl, whisk the juice and honey. Add the strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, oranges, melon, and mint, and toss gently. Chill 1 hour.
Yield: 8 Servings
Calories: 76 ; Fat: 0 g; Carbohydrates: 19 g ; Protein: 1 g
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Chicken Salad in Celery
Seriously this is my dinner, 3 nights a week I have to eat dinner by myself, so I have to figure out fast meals to do by myself.
Yes I know this looks like an appetizer, but this what I call a clean meal (healthy for my body),
I decided to use some left over chicken to make a chicken salad, instead of putting it on bread, I put it on celery.
Sorry I only use Light Mayo, and Mustard to make my chicken salad. I just put the grapes on top to make it look pretty.
This meal filled me right up, all I needed was a ton of vegetables, and fruit and a little meat, yum! I have a meal.
It looks so pretty and colorful.
This dinner is less 400 calories! Nice!
Try it! :)
Yogurt breakfast
I know this inspired by Mc Donald's.
Well this breakfast is 335calories
Vanilla Lowfat Fresh and Easy 1 cup 210 calories
1/2 cup sliced strawberries 20 calories
1/4 cup blueberries 20 calories
1/4 cup raspberries 25 calories
2 TBSP Granola 60 calories
Fresh and Easy brand of yogurt has no High Fructose Corn Syrup.
I would suggest for protein to use Greek Yogurt, 1 cup can have up 20g of protein. The yogurt I used only has 7g of protein.
Running for the distance
I orginally said that I would do 10-20 second sprints and speed walk in between, but then that all changed when I realized that looking a stop watch would make me unhappy about running at all.
When I started speed walking I thought to myself, I will run until I reach that second mailbox, I will run until I reach that stop sign. I'm going for the distance instead of the time. It's easier for me to see my goal if I Can see it right in front of me.
Sometimes I run farther then the goal I made for myself, the I tell myself I'll keep running until I don't want to.
I have never liked running, and decided to start doing it once our gov't decided to charge us 5 dollars to park at the mountain to go hiking. I love hiking, but I'm to broke to be paying to go hiking, so annoying. Running is free, well not free for my joints or muscles, but I don't have to pay money to run around my neighborhood, and I like that.
Anyhoo, I'm actually starting to like running around the neighborhood, I'm starting to like getting out of the house again. I'm loving the outdoors. Yay!
When I started speed walking I thought to myself, I will run until I reach that second mailbox, I will run until I reach that stop sign. I'm going for the distance instead of the time. It's easier for me to see my goal if I Can see it right in front of me.
Sometimes I run farther then the goal I made for myself, the I tell myself I'll keep running until I don't want to.
I have never liked running, and decided to start doing it once our gov't decided to charge us 5 dollars to park at the mountain to go hiking. I love hiking, but I'm to broke to be paying to go hiking, so annoying. Running is free, well not free for my joints or muscles, but I don't have to pay money to run around my neighborhood, and I like that.
Anyhoo, I'm actually starting to like running around the neighborhood, I'm starting to like getting out of the house again. I'm loving the outdoors. Yay!
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Fruit Salads
I've had to get creative with fruit, because it was getting boring just eating it alone. I'm just hoping this can be inspiring for other who people that trying to be helathy.
I've recently been making simple fruit salads to keep my love of fruit. Sorry no mayonaisse or whip cream
here. Just plain old fruit.
These are the combinations I have come up with so far.
Nectarine Slices, and grapes
Banana and Grapes
Cantaloupe, and grapes
What kind of fruit combinations can you come up with for fruit salads?
True Lemon
Okay, as a person who has to count calories to loose weight, I don't always get to drink anything other than water, can get very boring after a while. Even if I put ice in it, it still can get boring.
That's where True Lemon comes in, this stuff can be found on the baking isle. I know, weird huh, I would think I would find it with the Kool-Aid packets but no it's on the baking isle. I've been to 2 different grocery stores, and that's where I find it, the baking isle.
True Lemon has 3 different flavors, True Lime, True Lemon, and True Orange. These are crystallized citrus, no added sweeteners, no sugar, and no calories. Awesome.
It's a treat for me to have Ice Cold water, and with True Lemon added. It's like paradise to a calorie counter like.
Added bonus, True Lemon can be used as a substitute for Lemon Juice, in Lemon pasta, Lemon Chicken, and many other recipes.
That's where True Lemon comes in, this stuff can be found on the baking isle. I know, weird huh, I would think I would find it with the Kool-Aid packets but no it's on the baking isle. I've been to 2 different grocery stores, and that's where I find it, the baking isle.
True Lemon has 3 different flavors, True Lime, True Lemon, and True Orange. These are crystallized citrus, no added sweeteners, no sugar, and no calories. Awesome.
It's a treat for me to have Ice Cold water, and with True Lemon added. It's like paradise to a calorie counter like.
Added bonus, True Lemon can be used as a substitute for Lemon Juice, in Lemon pasta, Lemon Chicken, and many other recipes.
The new design is more the like the TRUE LEMON box above
Friday, July 30, 2010
Negative Calories
My husband told me other day that he read somewhere that celery has negative calories, because it takes extra energy for our bodies to extract the calories from the celery, and to digest it. I believe it, especially since a cup of celery is only 19 calories, and it takes forever to chew and swallow.
I also knew that our body burns calories to digest food, but most the time the calories of the actual food, is still more than your body has burned to digest it. I learned from the TV show The Doctors, that when drink cold water, your body burns calories to warm it up, so it can digest it. It's not a lot of calories, when you are losing weight, every calorie you burn counts.
Then my cousin told me that Apples are zero calories too. Is an Apple really 0 calories, it is!
You have to realize what I'm about to show you, I only consider legit if the fruit or vegetable is eaten raw and fresh. If you butter it up, steam it, take the skin off, fry it, bake it, it's no longer Negative calories.
I got this INFORMATION at http://www.fatfreekitchen.com/negative-calorie-foods.html
So if you want to know more go to the link above.
Calorie is a unit of energy. The energy can be measured by many methods. The calories in foods depend on their composition and the calorie value of a food is not actually its measured values, but is the average energy of a large number of different samples of the food.
1 calorie = 4.184 joule
1 negative calorie = -4.184 joules
Commonly Calories refer to kilocalories.
1 kilocalorie (kcal) = 4.184 kilojoules (kJ)
Negative calorie foods are foods, which use more calories to digest than the calories food actually contains! Calories from these foods are much harder for the body to use. In other words, the body has to work hard in order to extract calories from these foods. Even though a food may contain equal amount of calories, much less of these calories can possibly turn into fat in negative calorie foods as fewer calories are actually available to the body. This gives these foods a tremendous natural fat-burning advantage.
Consider the facts:
A piece of dessert consisting of 400 Calories (actually 400 kilocalories) may only require 150 Calorie (actually 150 kilocalories) to digest by our body, resulting in a net gain of 250 calories which is added to our body fat !
On the other hand, a 5 calorie raw piece of celery will require much more calories to chew and digest, so resulting in a net loss of calories from our body fat !! It implies that the more you eat, the more you lose weight!!!
Therefore, these foods are said to be good for achieving weight loss naturally without starving.
How it works?
All foods have a nutrient (carbohydrate, fat, protein), caloric (calories) and vitamin & mineral content. Vitamins stimulate living tissues to produce enzymes that breakdown the caloric nutrients of that food.
The foods with negative calorie contain sufficient vitamins & minerals that produce enzymes in quantities sufficient to break down not only its own calories, but additional calories from boy in digestion as well. This is called "negative calorie effect".
THE FREE LIST OF NEGATIVE CALORIE FOODS
These foods will have maximum benefits when eaten without any empty calorie foods (junk foods). There are several foods such as vegetables and fruits that have negative calorie effect. Some of the foods that can be eaten in generous quantities are: Asparagus, Beets, Carrot, Zucchini, Papaya, Strawberry, Raspberry, etc. Look at the list below.
Free List of Negative calorie Foods
Negative Calorie Vegetables
Asparagus
Beet Root
Broccoli
Cabbage
Carrot
Cauliflower
Celery Chicory
Hot Chili
Cucumber
Garden cress
Garlic
Green Beans
Lettuce
Onion
Radish
Spinach
Turnip
Zucchini
Negative Calorie Fruits
Apple
Blueberries
Cantaloupe
Cranberry
Grapefruit Honeydew
Lemon/Lime
Mango
Orange
Papaya
Peach Pineapple
Raspberry
Strawberry
Tomato
Tangerine
Turnip
Watermelon
Negative Calorie Diet
This diet is based on the fact that in order to lose weight you have to burn more calories than you consume. The diet recommends to eat the foods from the above list. The negative calorie diet (some says it zero calorie diet) is very helpful in fast weight loss. You should know the complete list of the foods requiring your body to "burn" more calories processing them through your digestive system than the actual calorie content of the food itself. This results in your body burning up the excessive stored fat!
I also knew that our body burns calories to digest food, but most the time the calories of the actual food, is still more than your body has burned to digest it. I learned from the TV show The Doctors, that when drink cold water, your body burns calories to warm it up, so it can digest it. It's not a lot of calories, when you are losing weight, every calorie you burn counts.
Then my cousin told me that Apples are zero calories too. Is an Apple really 0 calories, it is!
You have to realize what I'm about to show you, I only consider legit if the fruit or vegetable is eaten raw and fresh. If you butter it up, steam it, take the skin off, fry it, bake it, it's no longer Negative calories.
I got this INFORMATION at http://www.fatfreekitchen.com/negative-calorie-foods.html
So if you want to know more go to the link above.
Calorie is a unit of energy. The energy can be measured by many methods. The calories in foods depend on their composition and the calorie value of a food is not actually its measured values, but is the average energy of a large number of different samples of the food.
1 calorie = 4.184 joule
1 negative calorie = -4.184 joules
Commonly Calories refer to kilocalories.
1 kilocalorie (kcal) = 4.184 kilojoules (kJ)
Negative calorie foods are foods, which use more calories to digest than the calories food actually contains! Calories from these foods are much harder for the body to use. In other words, the body has to work hard in order to extract calories from these foods. Even though a food may contain equal amount of calories, much less of these calories can possibly turn into fat in negative calorie foods as fewer calories are actually available to the body. This gives these foods a tremendous natural fat-burning advantage.
Consider the facts:
A piece of dessert consisting of 400 Calories (actually 400 kilocalories) may only require 150 Calorie (actually 150 kilocalories) to digest by our body, resulting in a net gain of 250 calories which is added to our body fat !
On the other hand, a 5 calorie raw piece of celery will require much more calories to chew and digest, so resulting in a net loss of calories from our body fat !! It implies that the more you eat, the more you lose weight!!!
Therefore, these foods are said to be good for achieving weight loss naturally without starving.
How it works?
All foods have a nutrient (carbohydrate, fat, protein), caloric (calories) and vitamin & mineral content. Vitamins stimulate living tissues to produce enzymes that breakdown the caloric nutrients of that food.
The foods with negative calorie contain sufficient vitamins & minerals that produce enzymes in quantities sufficient to break down not only its own calories, but additional calories from boy in digestion as well. This is called "negative calorie effect".
THE FREE LIST OF NEGATIVE CALORIE FOODS
These foods will have maximum benefits when eaten without any empty calorie foods (junk foods). There are several foods such as vegetables and fruits that have negative calorie effect. Some of the foods that can be eaten in generous quantities are: Asparagus, Beets, Carrot, Zucchini, Papaya, Strawberry, Raspberry, etc. Look at the list below.
Free List of Negative calorie Foods
Negative Calorie Vegetables
Asparagus
Beet Root
Broccoli
Cabbage
Carrot
Cauliflower
Celery Chicory
Hot Chili
Cucumber
Garden cress
Garlic
Green Beans
Lettuce
Onion
Radish
Spinach
Turnip
Zucchini
Negative Calorie Fruits
Apple
Blueberries
Cantaloupe
Cranberry
Grapefruit Honeydew
Lemon/Lime
Mango
Orange
Papaya
Peach Pineapple
Raspberry
Strawberry
Tomato
Tangerine
Turnip
Watermelon
Negative Calorie Diet
This diet is based on the fact that in order to lose weight you have to burn more calories than you consume. The diet recommends to eat the foods from the above list. The negative calorie diet (some says it zero calorie diet) is very helpful in fast weight loss. You should know the complete list of the foods requiring your body to "burn" more calories processing them through your digestive system than the actual calorie content of the food itself. This results in your body burning up the excessive stored fat!
Mind over Body
If you're thinking no I can't do this, or oh that looks hard. Well then you are the one stopping yourself from success, no one else is stopping you from doing something or even succeeding.
Before I got pregnant with my daughter I was trying to lose weight, and it was before I even knew how much I weighed. I went to the gym , did the elliptical like I normally would do when I was skinny, I was at 14 resistance level for 30minutes. My mom said I lost a lot of weight doing that. Then I bought a weight scale, and I weighed myself I was so disappointed in myself when I saw how much I weighed. You really have know we I lost 80 pounds 5 years before, doing hiking, going to the gym, watching what I ate. I practically had kept it off for that long, I flucuated a little bit maybe 0-30 pounds, but I did good. I only did level 7 resistance, for only 20 minutes, it's once I knew how much I weighed, I lost faith in myself.
When I got married to my sweet husband, I was in school, my sister in law was living with us in a small apartment, the whole thing was a horrible situation, I was stuck, I felt alone, and I was depressed. Instead of doing what I normally did, exercise and eat right to keep my depression away, I ate and I did nothing when I got home from work. You have to understand that the sametime this was going on, I was having serious sinus problems that benadryl couldn't even fix. I was groggy, my head felt like it weighed a ton. I was miserable, getting fat, and had no insurance. I gained 100hundred pounds in 6 months and didn't even know it. Of course I tried to lose the weight, I lost 30 pounds, and then found I was pregnant, so that put everything to a huge halt. Trust me when I say I re-losing those 30pounds
Until now so far losing 18.10 pounds. I relearning again to breakthrough mental barriers, as Jillian Michaels would say it's mind over body. I have push myself farther then I would actually let myself go. Just the other day I was walking with my daughter around the neighborhood, I was thinking oh maybe someday I could run. Well out of nowhere, I just started running, I thought "Oh wow I can do this." I ran and speed walked around the block twice, I was so proud of myself! Still am!
Trust me I have those days where I don't want to do anything, and I still drag myself to exercise. I keep doing it, I keep pushing myself to progress. Otherwise I couldn't break through my plateau. :)
So push yourself, break through your barriers and realize your goals!
Before I got pregnant with my daughter I was trying to lose weight, and it was before I even knew how much I weighed. I went to the gym , did the elliptical like I normally would do when I was skinny, I was at 14 resistance level for 30minutes. My mom said I lost a lot of weight doing that. Then I bought a weight scale, and I weighed myself I was so disappointed in myself when I saw how much I weighed. You really have know we I lost 80 pounds 5 years before, doing hiking, going to the gym, watching what I ate. I practically had kept it off for that long, I flucuated a little bit maybe 0-30 pounds, but I did good. I only did level 7 resistance, for only 20 minutes, it's once I knew how much I weighed, I lost faith in myself.
When I got married to my sweet husband, I was in school, my sister in law was living with us in a small apartment, the whole thing was a horrible situation, I was stuck, I felt alone, and I was depressed. Instead of doing what I normally did, exercise and eat right to keep my depression away, I ate and I did nothing when I got home from work. You have to understand that the sametime this was going on, I was having serious sinus problems that benadryl couldn't even fix. I was groggy, my head felt like it weighed a ton. I was miserable, getting fat, and had no insurance. I gained 100hundred pounds in 6 months and didn't even know it. Of course I tried to lose the weight, I lost 30 pounds, and then found I was pregnant, so that put everything to a huge halt. Trust me when I say I re-losing those 30pounds
Until now so far losing 18.10 pounds. I relearning again to breakthrough mental barriers, as Jillian Michaels would say it's mind over body. I have push myself farther then I would actually let myself go. Just the other day I was walking with my daughter around the neighborhood, I was thinking oh maybe someday I could run. Well out of nowhere, I just started running, I thought "Oh wow I can do this." I ran and speed walked around the block twice, I was so proud of myself! Still am!
Trust me I have those days where I don't want to do anything, and I still drag myself to exercise. I keep doing it, I keep pushing myself to progress. Otherwise I couldn't break through my plateau. :)
So push yourself, break through your barriers and realize your goals!
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Salads
I noticed my Salads were getting boring, you can only do certain things so long, and not get sick of them. Salads are not one them, I have been having the same type of Salad for more than 2 months. Ugh boring!
Iceberg lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and ranch dressing for 2 months.
Well...how did I remedy this? Romaine Lettuce, Red Onion, Cucumbers, and Tomatoes. Sometimes I add a few croutons to make it crunchy. Different dressing option were definitely needed. I always measure of 2 TBSP of dressing, and toss it. I don't need to drown my lettuce, I just need to add some flavor. I try to use Newman's dressing, because they are Jillian approved for being close to being the most natural when it comes to ingredients.
I have Italian Dressing, Catalina, and Light Ranch....I know but those are my favorites.
Iceberg lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and ranch dressing for 2 months.
Well...how did I remedy this? Romaine Lettuce, Red Onion, Cucumbers, and Tomatoes. Sometimes I add a few croutons to make it crunchy. Different dressing option were definitely needed. I always measure of 2 TBSP of dressing, and toss it. I don't need to drown my lettuce, I just need to add some flavor. I try to use Newman's dressing, because they are Jillian approved for being close to being the most natural when it comes to ingredients.
I have Italian Dressing, Catalina, and Light Ranch....I know but those are my favorites.
I love this because of all the color, although I wish I chopped the Onion to be a bit smaller.
There other things you can add to Salad, Bell pepper, Mandarin Oranges, Chopped Apples, and Craisins.
If Salad if going to be your main part of the meal trying adding lean meat to the salad, light canned tuna, or grilled chicken strips.
I might I add that eating vegetables and fruit before your main entree you will be fuller faster, and save on calories.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
LARABAR
I know there are tons of Protein bars out there, but majority of them are filled preservatives, added sugars, and chemicals. I'm trying to avoid those things, I'm trying to do my best be as natural with food as possible.
I was watching Biggest Loser, Jillian Michaels said these are the only Protein Bars she will eat because they are all natural.
So true, and they are so yummy!
There are many different flavors, including Lemon Pie, I still haven't got a hold of that flavor. Safeway only carries 4 flavors, 3 of which I've bought and tried out.
Cherry Pie
Peanut Butter Cookie
Apple Pie
I was watching Biggest Loser, Jillian Michaels said these are the only Protein Bars she will eat because they are all natural.
So true, and they are so yummy!
There are many different flavors, including Lemon Pie, I still haven't got a hold of that flavor. Safeway only carries 4 flavors, 3 of which I've bought and tried out.
Cherry Pie
Peanut Butter Cookie
Apple Pie
Apple Pie has 190 calories 15different vitamins, 4g Protein, 5g Fiber, Cholesterol Free, Low in Sodium, 1 full serving of fruit.
Peanut Butter Cookie 220 calories 14 different vitamins, 7g Protein, 4g Fiber, Cholesetrol Free, Low in Sodium, 1 full serving of fruit
Cherry Pie 200 calories 15 different vitamins, 5g Protein, 5g Fiber Cholesterol Free, Sodium Free, 1 full serving of fruit.
These soy free, gluten free, and kosher.
I love them because if I'm rushing out the door in the morning I can take it as a on the go breakfast, or it makes a great snack too.
Definitely not empty calories.
I'm hoping to find more at Fresh and Easy grocery store when I have money.
Where you do find your LARABARS??
Sunday, July 18, 2010
40 Age Erasing Superfoods
Jillian Michaels posted this link on her Facebook saying if you don't have the Master Metabolism Coobook yet, read this. (Source http://tollieschmidt.com/2010/06/09/40-best-age-erasing-superfoods/ )
Please go to the link to learn more. I mostly posted this paticular blog for me, and to inform others of course. -Fit Mama
By: Tollie Schmidt
Founder Tollie’s Out of the Darkness Project
CEO – Tollie International Inc. & International Speaker
“Empowering Greatness – Creating a Dream Infused Life”
The latest science on the muscle-building, brain-enhancing, wrinkle-erasing, heart-strengthening, bone-protecting, immunity-boosting, and inflammation-fighting foods you should be eating every day.
1. Almonds
These energy-rich snacks lower bad cholesterol, thanks to plant sterols, and benefit diabetics by lowering blood sugar. They’re also rich in amino acids, which bolster testosterone levels and muscle growth. Almonds are also stuffed with vitamin E, which helps defend against sun damage. In a study, volunteers who consumed 14 milligrams of the vitamin (about 20 almonds) per day and then were exposed to UV light burned less than those who took none. And because vitamin E is an antioxidant, it also works to keep your arteries free of dangerous free radicals. Low levels of vitamin E are also associated with poor memory performance and cognitive decline, says dietitian Sari Greaves of New York Presbyterian Hospital–Cornell.
2. Flaxseeds
Rich in protein and fiber, these little seeds offer a payload of omega-3 fatty acids, which erase spots and iron out fine lines in the skin. The British Journal of Nutrition reported that participants in one study who downed about half a teaspoon of omega-3s daily in 6 weeks experienced significantly less irritation and redness, along with better-hydrated skin. A recent study of people with high cholesterol (greater than 240 mg/dL) compared statin treatment with eating 20 grams of flaxseed a day. After 60 days, those eating flaxseed did just as well as those on statins. Try sprinkling ground flaxseed on oatmeal, yogurt, and salads.
3. Tomatoes
There are two things you need to know about tomatoes: red are the best, because they’re packed with more of the antioxidant lycopene; and processed tomatoes are just as potent as fresh ones, because it’s easier for the body to absorb the lycopene. Studies show that a diet rich in lycopene can decrease your risk of bladder, lung, prostate, skin, and stomach cancers, as well as reduce the risk of coronary artery disease, and help eliminate skin-aging free radicals caused by ultraviolet rays. “Cooked tomatoes and tomato paste work best,” says celebrity trainer Gunnar Petersen.
4. Sweet Potatoes
Often confused with yams, these tubers are one of the healthiest foods on the planet. In addition to countering the effects of secondhand smoke and preventing diabetes, sweet potatoes contain glutathione, an antioxidant that can enhance nutrient metabolism and immune-system health, as well as protect against Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, liver disease, cystic fibrosis, HIV, cancer, heart attack, and stroke. What’s more, they’re also loaded with vitamin C, which smoothes out wrinkles by stimulating the production of collagen. A recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that volunteers who consumed 4 milligrams of C (about half a small sweet potato) daily for 3 years decreased the appearance of wrinkles by 11 percent.
5. Spinach
It may be green and leafy, but spinach—a renowned muscle builder—is also the ultimate man food. The heart-health equivalent of a first-ballot Hall of Famer, spinach is replete with the essential minerals potassium and magnesium, and it’s one of the top sources of lutein, an antioxidant that may help prevent clogged arteries. Plus its vitamins and nutrients can bolster bone-mineral density, attack prostate cancer cells, reduce the risk of skin tumors, fight colon cancer, and, last but not least, increase blood flow to the penis. “Popeye was on to something,” says Susan Bowerman, assistant director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of California at Los Angeles.
6. Rosemary
The carnosic acid found in this spice has been shown to reduce stroke risk in mice by 40 percent, according to a study published in the Journal of Neurochemistry. Carnosic acid appears to set off a process that shields brain cells from free-radical damage, which can worsen the effects of a stroke. It can also protect against degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and the general effects of aging.
7. Wild Salmon
A 4-ounce serving of salmon has approximately 2,000 milligrams of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), omega-3 fatty acids that serve as oil for the brain’s hardware by helping nerve cells communicate with one another. Thirty-five percent of your brain consists of fatty acids like these, but they can decline as the years stack up. A 2008 University of Cincinnati study, for instance, found that the brain tissue of 65- to 80-year-olds contained 22 percent less DHA than the brain tissue of 29- to 35-year-olds. “If you want to keep your wits about you as you age, start consuming omega-3s now,” says William Harris, Ph.D., a nutrition researcher at the University of South Dakota. Why is wild so important? Because farmed fish, which are fattened with soy, can be as high in inflammatory omega-6 fats as a cheeseburger. If in doubt, opt for sockeye salmon, which can’t be farmed and is always wild. Aim for at least two servings a week, says dietitian Joan Salge Blake, author of Nutrition and You.
8. Blueberries
“This potent little fruit can help prevent a range of diseases from cancer to heart disease,” says Ryan Andrews, the director of research at Precision Nutrition, in Toronto, Canada. Think of blueberries as anti-rust for your gray matter, too. Besides being rich in fiber and vitamins A and C, they’re also packed with antioxidants—only açai, an Amazonian berry, contains more—that neutralize the free radicals that cause neuronal misfires. Eat a cup a day, and opt for wild blueberries whenever possible, as they contain 26 percent more antioxidants than cultivated varieties.
9. Green Tea
Green tea releases catechin, an antioxidant with proven anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties. Research found that drinking 2 to 6 cups a day not only helps prevent skin cancer but might also reverse the effects of sun damage by neutralizing the changes that appear in sun-exposed skin. Other studies show that green tea—infused with another antioxidant called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)—can boost your cardiovascular health and reduce the risk of most types of cancer.
10. Dark Chocolate
Flavonoids, a natural nutrient in cocoa, improve blood flow in the brain, which helps boost cognitive function. Plus dark chocolate contains a tannin called procyanidin, which is also found in red wine, that can keep your arteries flexible and your blood pressure low. It helps on the outside, too. In a study from the Journal of Nutrition, women who drank cocoa fortified with a chocolate bar’s worth of flavonols had better skin texture and stronger resistance to UV rays than those who drank significantly fewer flavonols. Indulge in 1 ounce a day to get all the benefits, says dietitian Sari Greaves of New York Presbyterian Hospital–Cornell.
11. Tuna
Your favorite deli sandwich has a little secret: Selenium. This nutrient helps preserve elastin, a protein that keeps your skin smooth and tight. The antioxidant is also believed to buffer against the sun (it stops free radicals created by UV exposure from damaging cells). Tuna is also a great source of protein, contains no trans fat, and a 3-ounce serving of chunk light contains 11 mg of heart-healthy niacin, which has been shown to help lower cholesterol and help your body process fat. University of Rochester researchers determined that niacin raises HDL cholesterol (the good kind) and lowers triglycerides more than most statins alone.
12. Carrots
Think of carrots as orange wonder wands—good for the eyeballs, and good for clearing up breakouts. No magic here, though, just plenty of vitamin A, which prevents overproduction of cells in the skin’s outer layer. That means fewer dead cells to combine with sebum and clog pores. They’re also spiked with carotenoids—fat-soluble compounds that are associated with a reduction in a wide range of cancers, as well as a reduced risk and severity of inflammatory conditions such as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis.
13. Dried Plums
Also known as prunes, these dark shrivelers are rich in copper and boron, both of which can help prevent osteoporosis. “They also contain a fiber called inulin, which, when broken down by intestinal bacteria, makes for a more acidic environment in the digestive tract,” says Bowerman. “That, in turn, facilitates calcium absorption.”
14. Whole Grains
Whole grains—oatmeal, wheat flour, barley, brown rice—are high in fiber, which calms inflamed tissues while keeping the heart strong, the colon healthy, and the brain fueled. Whole grains can be loaded with carbs, but the release of those sugars is slowed by the fiber, and because they can pack as much as 10 grams of protein per 1/2-cup serving, they also deliver steady muscle-building energy. But not all breads and crackers advertised as “whole grain” are the real deal. “Read the label,” says Lynn Grieger, an online health, food, and fitness coach. “Those that aren’t whole grain can be high in fat, which increases inflammation.”
15. Red Wine (Fit Mama NEVER DRINKS THIS STUFF!!!)
Swimming in resveratrol—a natural compound that lowers LDL, raises HDL, and prevents blood clots—red wine can truly be a lifesaver. A recent review in Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, for instance, suggests that resveratrol may prevent or delay the onset of chronic disease. But limit your intake to two drinks a day. According to a study of 6,000 patients in the Journal of the American Medical Association, you’re 97 percent more likely to reach your 85th birthday if you keep your daily alcohol consumption to fewer than three drinks. Vin rouge is also a rich source of flavonoids, antioxidants that help protect the lining of blood vessels in your heart, and may make you less likely to die of cardiovascular disease, according to Japanese researchers.
16. Yogurt
Various cultures claim yogurt as their own creation, but the 2,000-year-old food’s health benefits are not disputed: Fermentation spawns hundreds of millions of probiotic organisms that serve as reinforcements to the battalions of beneficial bacteria in your body, which keep your digestive tract healthy and your immune system in top form, and provide protection against cancer. Not all yogurts are probiotic, though, so make sure the label says “live and active cultures.”
17. Avocado
Chock full of monounsaturated fat, avocados deliver a double-barreled blast to LDL cholesterol (the bad kind). They are also rich in folate, a water-soluble B vitamin that helps lower the levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that can hinder the flow of blood through blood vessels. Eat a 1/4 cup twice a week, says Greaves.
18. Walnuts
Richer in heart-healthy omega-3s than salmon, loaded with more anti-inflammatory polyphenols than red wine, and packing half as much muscle-building protein as chicken, the walnut sounds like a Frankenfood, but it grows on trees. Other nuts combine only one or two of these features, not all three. A serving of walnuts—about 1 ounce, or seven nuts—is good anytime, but especially as a postworkout recovery snack.
19. Turmeric
Curcumin, the polyphenol that gives turmeric its tang and yellow hue, has anticancer properties, anti-inflammatory effects, and tumor-fighting activities known in nutrition-speak as anti-angiogenesis. Researchers at UCLA have also found that it helps deter the accumulation of amyloid plaques in the brain, tiny blockages that may cause Alzheimer’s disease. Turmeric’s prevalence in India, the researchers suggest, may help explain why so few of the country’s senior citizens have the disease, whereas the statistic is close to 13 percent in the United States, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. One tip: Pair it with pepper in curries. “Adding black pepper to turmeric or turmeric-spiced food enhances curcumin’s bioavailability by 1,000 times, due to black pepper’s hot property called piperine,” says nutritionist Stacy Kennedy of the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.
20. Black Beans
People who eat one 3-ounce serving of black beans a day decrease their risk of heart attack by 38 percent, according to a study in the Journal of Nutrition. And while other beans are also good for your heart, none can boost your brainpower like black beans. That’s because they’re full of anthocyanins, antioxidant compounds that have been shown to improve brain function. They’re also packed with superstar nutrients, including protein, healthy fats, folate, magnesium, B vitamins, potassium, and fiber.
21. Apples
An apple a day reduces swelling of all kinds, thanks to quercetin, a flavonoid also found in the skin of red onions. Quercetin reduces the risk of allergies, heart attack, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and prostate and lung cancers. If given the choice, opt for Red Delicious. They contain the most inflammation-fighting antioxidants.
22. Alaskan King Crab
High in protein and low in fat, the sweet flesh of the king crab is spiked with zinc—a whopping 7 milligrams per 3.5-ounce serving. “Zinc is an antioxidant, but more important, it helps support healthy bone mass and immune function,” says Bowerman.
23. Pomegranates
The juice from the biblical fruit of many seeds can reduce your risk of most cancers, thanks to polyphenols called ellagitannins, which give the fruit its color. In fact, a recent study at UCLA found that pomegranate juice slows the growth of prostate cancer cells by a factor of six.
24. Bok Choy
This crunchy cruciferous vegetable is more than the filler that goes with shrimp in brown sauce. “Bok choy is rich in bone-building calcium, as well as vitamins A and C, folic acid, iron, beta-carotene, and potassium,” says celebrity trainer Teddy Bass. Potassium keeps your muscles and nerves in check while lowering your blood pressure, and research suggests that beta-carotene can reduce the risk of both lung and bladder cancers, as well as macular degeneration.
25. Oysters
Shellfish, in general, is an excellent source of zinc, calcium, copper, iodine, iron, potassium, and selenium. “But the creamy flesh of oysters stands apart for its ability to elevate testosterone levels and protect against prostate cancer,” says Bass.
26. Broccoli
One cup of broccoli contains a hearty dose of calcium, as well as manganese, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and iron. And that’s in addition to its high concentration of vitamins—including A, C, and K—and the phytonutrient sulforaphane, which studies at Johns Hopkins University suggest has powerful anticancer properties.
27. Kiwis
Like bananas, this fuzzy fruit is high in bone-protecting potassium. “They’re also rich in vitamin C and lutein, a carotenoid that can help reduce the risk of heart disease,” says Bowerman. “I try to eat at least one or two a week after exercising.” Freeze them for a refreshing energy kick, but don’t peel the skin: It’s edible and packed with nutrients.
28. Olive Oil
The extra-virgin variety is rich in beneficial monounsaturated fats. “Its fatty acids and polyphenols reduce inflammation in cells and joints,” says Grieger. A study in the journal Nature found that it’s as effective as Advil at reducing inflammation. “Have 2 tablespoons a day,” says Bowerman.
29. Leeks
“Leeks can support sexual functioning and reduce the risk of prostate cancer,” says Michael Dansinger, M.D., an assistant professor of medicine and an obesity researcher at Tufts–New England Medical Center, in Boston. “Chop the green part of a medium leek into thin ribbons and add it to soups, sautés, and salads as often as possible.” These scallionlike cousins of garlic and onions are also packed with bone-bolstering thiamine, riboflavin, calcium, and potassium, and they’re also rich in folic acid, a B vitamin that studies have shown to lower levels of the artery-damaging amino acid homocystein in the blood.
30. Artichokes
Lauded for centuries as an aphrodisiac, this fiber-rich plant contains more bone-building magnesium and potassium than any other vegetable. Its leaves are also rich in flavonoids and polyphenols—antioxidants that can cut the risk of stroke—and vitamin C, which helps maintain the immune system. “Eat them as often as you can,” says Bowerman. Ripe ones feel heavy for their size and squeak when squeezed.
31. Chili Peppers
“Chilis stimulate the metabolism, act as a natural blood thinner, and help release endorphins,” says Petersen. Plus, they’re a great way to add flavor to food without increasing fat or calorie content. Chilis are also rich in beta-carotene, which turns into vitamin A in the blood and fights infections, as well as capsaicin, which inhibits neuropeptides (chemicals that cause inflammation). A recent study in the journal Cancer Research found that hot peppers even have anti-prostate-cancer properties. All this from half a chili pepper (or 1 tablespoon of chili flakes) every day.
32. Ginger
Contrary to popular belief, ginger—a piquant addition to so many Asian dishes—isn’t a root, it’s a stem, which means it contains living compounds that improve your health. Chief among them is gingerol, a cancer suppressor that studies have shown to be particularly effective against that of the colon. Chop ginger or grind it fresh and add it to soy-marinated fish or chicken as often as you can. The more you can handle, the better.
33. Cinnamon
Known for making desserts sweet and Indian food complex, cinnamon is rich in antioxidants that inhibit blood clotting and bacterial growth (including the bad-breath variety). “Studies also suggest that it may help stabilize blood sugar, reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes,” says dietitian Nancy Clark, author of Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook. “What’s more, it may help reduce bad cholesterol. Try half a teaspoon a day in yogurt or oatmeal.”
34. Eggs
Those who have eggs for breakfast lose 65 percent more weight than those who down a bagel breakfast with the same number of calories, according to a study in the International Journal of Obesity. Eat the yolk, too. Recent studies have proved that the fat in the yellow part is important to keep you satiated, and the benefits of its minerals and nutrients outweigh its cholesterol effect.
35. Figs
Packed with potassium, manganese, and antioxidants, this fruit also helps support proper pH levels in the body, making it more difficult for pathogens to invade, says Petersen. Plus, the fiber in figs can lower insulin and blood-sugar levels, reducing the risk of diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Select figs with dark skins (they contain more nutrients) and eat them alone or add them to trail mix.
36. Grass-Fed Beef
Nothing beats pure protein when it comes to building muscle. The problem with most store-bought beef, however, is that the majority of cattle are grain fed, which gives their meat a relatively high ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids. That, in turn, contributes to inflammation. The fatty acids in grass-fed beef, on the other hand, are skewed toward the omega-3 variety. Such beef also contains conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which studies have shown help reduce belly fat and build lean muscle.
37. Mushrooms
Delicious when added to brown rice, reiki, shiitake, and maitake mushrooms are rich in the antioxidant ergothioneine, which protects cells from abnormal growth and replication. “In short, they reduce the risk of cancer,” says Bowerman, who recommends half a cup once or twice a week. “Cooking them in red wine, which contains resveratrol, magnifies their immunity-boosting power.”
38. Pineapples
With its potent mix of vitamins, antioxidants, and enzymes—in particular, bromelain—pineapple is an all-body anti-inflammation cocktail. It also protects against colon cancer, arthritis, and macular degeneration, says Grieger. (If only the “colada” part of the equation were as healthy.) Have half a cup, two or three times a week.
39. Fruit or Vegetable Juice
Raise a glass of the good stuff. In a 2006 University of South Florida study, people who drank three or more 4-ounce glasses of fruit or vegetable juice each week were 76 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than those who drank less. The high levels of polyphenols—antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables—may protect brain cells from the damage that may be caused by the disease, says study author Amy Borenstein, Ph.D.
40. Bing Cherries
Research by the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows that eating about 35 bing cherries a day can lower the risk of tendinitis, bursitis, arthritis, and gout, says Bowerman. Studies also suggest that they reduce the risk of chronic diseases and metabolic syndrome.
Please go to the link to learn more. I mostly posted this paticular blog for me, and to inform others of course. -Fit Mama
By: Tollie Schmidt
Founder Tollie’s Out of the Darkness Project
CEO – Tollie International Inc. & International Speaker
“Empowering Greatness – Creating a Dream Infused Life”
The latest science on the muscle-building, brain-enhancing, wrinkle-erasing, heart-strengthening, bone-protecting, immunity-boosting, and inflammation-fighting foods you should be eating every day.
1. Almonds
These energy-rich snacks lower bad cholesterol, thanks to plant sterols, and benefit diabetics by lowering blood sugar. They’re also rich in amino acids, which bolster testosterone levels and muscle growth. Almonds are also stuffed with vitamin E, which helps defend against sun damage. In a study, volunteers who consumed 14 milligrams of the vitamin (about 20 almonds) per day and then were exposed to UV light burned less than those who took none. And because vitamin E is an antioxidant, it also works to keep your arteries free of dangerous free radicals. Low levels of vitamin E are also associated with poor memory performance and cognitive decline, says dietitian Sari Greaves of New York Presbyterian Hospital–Cornell.
2. Flaxseeds
Rich in protein and fiber, these little seeds offer a payload of omega-3 fatty acids, which erase spots and iron out fine lines in the skin. The British Journal of Nutrition reported that participants in one study who downed about half a teaspoon of omega-3s daily in 6 weeks experienced significantly less irritation and redness, along with better-hydrated skin. A recent study of people with high cholesterol (greater than 240 mg/dL) compared statin treatment with eating 20 grams of flaxseed a day. After 60 days, those eating flaxseed did just as well as those on statins. Try sprinkling ground flaxseed on oatmeal, yogurt, and salads.
3. Tomatoes
There are two things you need to know about tomatoes: red are the best, because they’re packed with more of the antioxidant lycopene; and processed tomatoes are just as potent as fresh ones, because it’s easier for the body to absorb the lycopene. Studies show that a diet rich in lycopene can decrease your risk of bladder, lung, prostate, skin, and stomach cancers, as well as reduce the risk of coronary artery disease, and help eliminate skin-aging free radicals caused by ultraviolet rays. “Cooked tomatoes and tomato paste work best,” says celebrity trainer Gunnar Petersen.
4. Sweet Potatoes
Often confused with yams, these tubers are one of the healthiest foods on the planet. In addition to countering the effects of secondhand smoke and preventing diabetes, sweet potatoes contain glutathione, an antioxidant that can enhance nutrient metabolism and immune-system health, as well as protect against Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, liver disease, cystic fibrosis, HIV, cancer, heart attack, and stroke. What’s more, they’re also loaded with vitamin C, which smoothes out wrinkles by stimulating the production of collagen. A recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that volunteers who consumed 4 milligrams of C (about half a small sweet potato) daily for 3 years decreased the appearance of wrinkles by 11 percent.
5. Spinach
It may be green and leafy, but spinach—a renowned muscle builder—is also the ultimate man food. The heart-health equivalent of a first-ballot Hall of Famer, spinach is replete with the essential minerals potassium and magnesium, and it’s one of the top sources of lutein, an antioxidant that may help prevent clogged arteries. Plus its vitamins and nutrients can bolster bone-mineral density, attack prostate cancer cells, reduce the risk of skin tumors, fight colon cancer, and, last but not least, increase blood flow to the penis. “Popeye was on to something,” says Susan Bowerman, assistant director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of California at Los Angeles.
6. Rosemary
The carnosic acid found in this spice has been shown to reduce stroke risk in mice by 40 percent, according to a study published in the Journal of Neurochemistry. Carnosic acid appears to set off a process that shields brain cells from free-radical damage, which can worsen the effects of a stroke. It can also protect against degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and the general effects of aging.
7. Wild Salmon
A 4-ounce serving of salmon has approximately 2,000 milligrams of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), omega-3 fatty acids that serve as oil for the brain’s hardware by helping nerve cells communicate with one another. Thirty-five percent of your brain consists of fatty acids like these, but they can decline as the years stack up. A 2008 University of Cincinnati study, for instance, found that the brain tissue of 65- to 80-year-olds contained 22 percent less DHA than the brain tissue of 29- to 35-year-olds. “If you want to keep your wits about you as you age, start consuming omega-3s now,” says William Harris, Ph.D., a nutrition researcher at the University of South Dakota. Why is wild so important? Because farmed fish, which are fattened with soy, can be as high in inflammatory omega-6 fats as a cheeseburger. If in doubt, opt for sockeye salmon, which can’t be farmed and is always wild. Aim for at least two servings a week, says dietitian Joan Salge Blake, author of Nutrition and You.
8. Blueberries
“This potent little fruit can help prevent a range of diseases from cancer to heart disease,” says Ryan Andrews, the director of research at Precision Nutrition, in Toronto, Canada. Think of blueberries as anti-rust for your gray matter, too. Besides being rich in fiber and vitamins A and C, they’re also packed with antioxidants—only açai, an Amazonian berry, contains more—that neutralize the free radicals that cause neuronal misfires. Eat a cup a day, and opt for wild blueberries whenever possible, as they contain 26 percent more antioxidants than cultivated varieties.
9. Green Tea
Green tea releases catechin, an antioxidant with proven anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties. Research found that drinking 2 to 6 cups a day not only helps prevent skin cancer but might also reverse the effects of sun damage by neutralizing the changes that appear in sun-exposed skin. Other studies show that green tea—infused with another antioxidant called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)—can boost your cardiovascular health and reduce the risk of most types of cancer.
10. Dark Chocolate
Flavonoids, a natural nutrient in cocoa, improve blood flow in the brain, which helps boost cognitive function. Plus dark chocolate contains a tannin called procyanidin, which is also found in red wine, that can keep your arteries flexible and your blood pressure low. It helps on the outside, too. In a study from the Journal of Nutrition, women who drank cocoa fortified with a chocolate bar’s worth of flavonols had better skin texture and stronger resistance to UV rays than those who drank significantly fewer flavonols. Indulge in 1 ounce a day to get all the benefits, says dietitian Sari Greaves of New York Presbyterian Hospital–Cornell.
11. Tuna
Your favorite deli sandwich has a little secret: Selenium. This nutrient helps preserve elastin, a protein that keeps your skin smooth and tight. The antioxidant is also believed to buffer against the sun (it stops free radicals created by UV exposure from damaging cells). Tuna is also a great source of protein, contains no trans fat, and a 3-ounce serving of chunk light contains 11 mg of heart-healthy niacin, which has been shown to help lower cholesterol and help your body process fat. University of Rochester researchers determined that niacin raises HDL cholesterol (the good kind) and lowers triglycerides more than most statins alone.
12. Carrots
Think of carrots as orange wonder wands—good for the eyeballs, and good for clearing up breakouts. No magic here, though, just plenty of vitamin A, which prevents overproduction of cells in the skin’s outer layer. That means fewer dead cells to combine with sebum and clog pores. They’re also spiked with carotenoids—fat-soluble compounds that are associated with a reduction in a wide range of cancers, as well as a reduced risk and severity of inflammatory conditions such as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis.
13. Dried Plums
Also known as prunes, these dark shrivelers are rich in copper and boron, both of which can help prevent osteoporosis. “They also contain a fiber called inulin, which, when broken down by intestinal bacteria, makes for a more acidic environment in the digestive tract,” says Bowerman. “That, in turn, facilitates calcium absorption.”
14. Whole Grains
Whole grains—oatmeal, wheat flour, barley, brown rice—are high in fiber, which calms inflamed tissues while keeping the heart strong, the colon healthy, and the brain fueled. Whole grains can be loaded with carbs, but the release of those sugars is slowed by the fiber, and because they can pack as much as 10 grams of protein per 1/2-cup serving, they also deliver steady muscle-building energy. But not all breads and crackers advertised as “whole grain” are the real deal. “Read the label,” says Lynn Grieger, an online health, food, and fitness coach. “Those that aren’t whole grain can be high in fat, which increases inflammation.”
15. Red Wine (Fit Mama NEVER DRINKS THIS STUFF!!!)
Swimming in resveratrol—a natural compound that lowers LDL, raises HDL, and prevents blood clots—red wine can truly be a lifesaver. A recent review in Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, for instance, suggests that resveratrol may prevent or delay the onset of chronic disease. But limit your intake to two drinks a day. According to a study of 6,000 patients in the Journal of the American Medical Association, you’re 97 percent more likely to reach your 85th birthday if you keep your daily alcohol consumption to fewer than three drinks. Vin rouge is also a rich source of flavonoids, antioxidants that help protect the lining of blood vessels in your heart, and may make you less likely to die of cardiovascular disease, according to Japanese researchers.
16. Yogurt
Various cultures claim yogurt as their own creation, but the 2,000-year-old food’s health benefits are not disputed: Fermentation spawns hundreds of millions of probiotic organisms that serve as reinforcements to the battalions of beneficial bacteria in your body, which keep your digestive tract healthy and your immune system in top form, and provide protection against cancer. Not all yogurts are probiotic, though, so make sure the label says “live and active cultures.”
17. Avocado
Chock full of monounsaturated fat, avocados deliver a double-barreled blast to LDL cholesterol (the bad kind). They are also rich in folate, a water-soluble B vitamin that helps lower the levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that can hinder the flow of blood through blood vessels. Eat a 1/4 cup twice a week, says Greaves.
18. Walnuts
Richer in heart-healthy omega-3s than salmon, loaded with more anti-inflammatory polyphenols than red wine, and packing half as much muscle-building protein as chicken, the walnut sounds like a Frankenfood, but it grows on trees. Other nuts combine only one or two of these features, not all three. A serving of walnuts—about 1 ounce, or seven nuts—is good anytime, but especially as a postworkout recovery snack.
19. Turmeric
Curcumin, the polyphenol that gives turmeric its tang and yellow hue, has anticancer properties, anti-inflammatory effects, and tumor-fighting activities known in nutrition-speak as anti-angiogenesis. Researchers at UCLA have also found that it helps deter the accumulation of amyloid plaques in the brain, tiny blockages that may cause Alzheimer’s disease. Turmeric’s prevalence in India, the researchers suggest, may help explain why so few of the country’s senior citizens have the disease, whereas the statistic is close to 13 percent in the United States, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. One tip: Pair it with pepper in curries. “Adding black pepper to turmeric or turmeric-spiced food enhances curcumin’s bioavailability by 1,000 times, due to black pepper’s hot property called piperine,” says nutritionist Stacy Kennedy of the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.
20. Black Beans
People who eat one 3-ounce serving of black beans a day decrease their risk of heart attack by 38 percent, according to a study in the Journal of Nutrition. And while other beans are also good for your heart, none can boost your brainpower like black beans. That’s because they’re full of anthocyanins, antioxidant compounds that have been shown to improve brain function. They’re also packed with superstar nutrients, including protein, healthy fats, folate, magnesium, B vitamins, potassium, and fiber.
21. Apples
An apple a day reduces swelling of all kinds, thanks to quercetin, a flavonoid also found in the skin of red onions. Quercetin reduces the risk of allergies, heart attack, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and prostate and lung cancers. If given the choice, opt for Red Delicious. They contain the most inflammation-fighting antioxidants.
22. Alaskan King Crab
High in protein and low in fat, the sweet flesh of the king crab is spiked with zinc—a whopping 7 milligrams per 3.5-ounce serving. “Zinc is an antioxidant, but more important, it helps support healthy bone mass and immune function,” says Bowerman.
23. Pomegranates
The juice from the biblical fruit of many seeds can reduce your risk of most cancers, thanks to polyphenols called ellagitannins, which give the fruit its color. In fact, a recent study at UCLA found that pomegranate juice slows the growth of prostate cancer cells by a factor of six.
24. Bok Choy
This crunchy cruciferous vegetable is more than the filler that goes with shrimp in brown sauce. “Bok choy is rich in bone-building calcium, as well as vitamins A and C, folic acid, iron, beta-carotene, and potassium,” says celebrity trainer Teddy Bass. Potassium keeps your muscles and nerves in check while lowering your blood pressure, and research suggests that beta-carotene can reduce the risk of both lung and bladder cancers, as well as macular degeneration.
25. Oysters
Shellfish, in general, is an excellent source of zinc, calcium, copper, iodine, iron, potassium, and selenium. “But the creamy flesh of oysters stands apart for its ability to elevate testosterone levels and protect against prostate cancer,” says Bass.
26. Broccoli
One cup of broccoli contains a hearty dose of calcium, as well as manganese, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and iron. And that’s in addition to its high concentration of vitamins—including A, C, and K—and the phytonutrient sulforaphane, which studies at Johns Hopkins University suggest has powerful anticancer properties.
27. Kiwis
Like bananas, this fuzzy fruit is high in bone-protecting potassium. “They’re also rich in vitamin C and lutein, a carotenoid that can help reduce the risk of heart disease,” says Bowerman. “I try to eat at least one or two a week after exercising.” Freeze them for a refreshing energy kick, but don’t peel the skin: It’s edible and packed with nutrients.
28. Olive Oil
The extra-virgin variety is rich in beneficial monounsaturated fats. “Its fatty acids and polyphenols reduce inflammation in cells and joints,” says Grieger. A study in the journal Nature found that it’s as effective as Advil at reducing inflammation. “Have 2 tablespoons a day,” says Bowerman.
29. Leeks
“Leeks can support sexual functioning and reduce the risk of prostate cancer,” says Michael Dansinger, M.D., an assistant professor of medicine and an obesity researcher at Tufts–New England Medical Center, in Boston. “Chop the green part of a medium leek into thin ribbons and add it to soups, sautés, and salads as often as possible.” These scallionlike cousins of garlic and onions are also packed with bone-bolstering thiamine, riboflavin, calcium, and potassium, and they’re also rich in folic acid, a B vitamin that studies have shown to lower levels of the artery-damaging amino acid homocystein in the blood.
30. Artichokes
Lauded for centuries as an aphrodisiac, this fiber-rich plant contains more bone-building magnesium and potassium than any other vegetable. Its leaves are also rich in flavonoids and polyphenols—antioxidants that can cut the risk of stroke—and vitamin C, which helps maintain the immune system. “Eat them as often as you can,” says Bowerman. Ripe ones feel heavy for their size and squeak when squeezed.
31. Chili Peppers
“Chilis stimulate the metabolism, act as a natural blood thinner, and help release endorphins,” says Petersen. Plus, they’re a great way to add flavor to food without increasing fat or calorie content. Chilis are also rich in beta-carotene, which turns into vitamin A in the blood and fights infections, as well as capsaicin, which inhibits neuropeptides (chemicals that cause inflammation). A recent study in the journal Cancer Research found that hot peppers even have anti-prostate-cancer properties. All this from half a chili pepper (or 1 tablespoon of chili flakes) every day.
32. Ginger
Contrary to popular belief, ginger—a piquant addition to so many Asian dishes—isn’t a root, it’s a stem, which means it contains living compounds that improve your health. Chief among them is gingerol, a cancer suppressor that studies have shown to be particularly effective against that of the colon. Chop ginger or grind it fresh and add it to soy-marinated fish or chicken as often as you can. The more you can handle, the better.
33. Cinnamon
Known for making desserts sweet and Indian food complex, cinnamon is rich in antioxidants that inhibit blood clotting and bacterial growth (including the bad-breath variety). “Studies also suggest that it may help stabilize blood sugar, reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes,” says dietitian Nancy Clark, author of Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook. “What’s more, it may help reduce bad cholesterol. Try half a teaspoon a day in yogurt or oatmeal.”
34. Eggs
Those who have eggs for breakfast lose 65 percent more weight than those who down a bagel breakfast with the same number of calories, according to a study in the International Journal of Obesity. Eat the yolk, too. Recent studies have proved that the fat in the yellow part is important to keep you satiated, and the benefits of its minerals and nutrients outweigh its cholesterol effect.
35. Figs
Packed with potassium, manganese, and antioxidants, this fruit also helps support proper pH levels in the body, making it more difficult for pathogens to invade, says Petersen. Plus, the fiber in figs can lower insulin and blood-sugar levels, reducing the risk of diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Select figs with dark skins (they contain more nutrients) and eat them alone or add them to trail mix.
36. Grass-Fed Beef
Nothing beats pure protein when it comes to building muscle. The problem with most store-bought beef, however, is that the majority of cattle are grain fed, which gives their meat a relatively high ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids. That, in turn, contributes to inflammation. The fatty acids in grass-fed beef, on the other hand, are skewed toward the omega-3 variety. Such beef also contains conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which studies have shown help reduce belly fat and build lean muscle.
37. Mushrooms
Delicious when added to brown rice, reiki, shiitake, and maitake mushrooms are rich in the antioxidant ergothioneine, which protects cells from abnormal growth and replication. “In short, they reduce the risk of cancer,” says Bowerman, who recommends half a cup once or twice a week. “Cooking them in red wine, which contains resveratrol, magnifies their immunity-boosting power.”
38. Pineapples
With its potent mix of vitamins, antioxidants, and enzymes—in particular, bromelain—pineapple is an all-body anti-inflammation cocktail. It also protects against colon cancer, arthritis, and macular degeneration, says Grieger. (If only the “colada” part of the equation were as healthy.) Have half a cup, two or three times a week.
39. Fruit or Vegetable Juice
Raise a glass of the good stuff. In a 2006 University of South Florida study, people who drank three or more 4-ounce glasses of fruit or vegetable juice each week were 76 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than those who drank less. The high levels of polyphenols—antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables—may protect brain cells from the damage that may be caused by the disease, says study author Amy Borenstein, Ph.D.
40. Bing Cherries
Research by the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows that eating about 35 bing cherries a day can lower the risk of tendinitis, bursitis, arthritis, and gout, says Bowerman. Studies also suggest that they reduce the risk of chronic diseases and metabolic syndrome.
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