We all know how important metabolism is when on the quest to lose weight. While changing what, how much, and when you eat is vital to losing weight there is a right way and a wrong way to make these changes. However, all too often the measures taken are metabolism mistakes.
- Restricting Calories – Cutting down on the amount of calories taken in is the cornerstone of weight loss. It is vital to restrict calories; however, restricting too much is counterproductive to the metabolism. When calories are restricted too severely the body believes that it is being starved and slows the metabolism down in order to preserve energy stores. This causes your body to stop burning fat and to even try to store more energy as fat.
- Widening Focus – Metabolism is a very complex aspect of and weight loss. A few of the different variables which factor into metabolism are nutrition, fitness, sleep, stress management, and general health. It is important to focus on all aspects of metabolism and not just the nutritional aspect.
- Diet Pills – Possibly the most dangerous mistake when it comes to metabolism. Diet pills can help to boost the metabolism in the short term but the true danger comes after you start taking them. Often times the metabolism is ruined and cannot find a balance after taking diet pills.
We all live busy lives and yet we still want to be healthy and look good. Sometimes we look at others who seem to have incredibly hectic schedules and wonder how they do it all. Here are a few of their secrets to living a healthy life.
- Make specific goals. Specific goals help you to achieve what you desire much more effectively than general goals.
- Don’t underestimate volunteering. Many volunteer opportunities are active. This is a great way to get two things accomplished at one time.
- Make over your kitchen. Exchange the unhealthy foods you have in your house for healthier options. If the junk isn’t there then you can’t eat it.
- Healthy snacking. Plan on healthy snacks throughout the day to help keep you feeling full and satisfied. Combine protein and carbohydrates in your snacks to help keep energy levels up.
- Sneak in exercise. You can sneak in exercise at the office or the grocery store and most people will not even realize it. Change out your office chair for a stability ball at work for a full body all day workout. Use a basket instead of a cart at the grocery store for a quick boost of strength training.
- Schedule exercise. You schedule everything else into your day so why not make a dedicated time for exercise too. Make you a priority.
As many of you may already know, wheatgrass products have been popping up rather frequently over the past couple of years. Research keeps revealing more and more health benefits from drinking fresh wheatgrass juice.
Wheatgrass itself is extremely fibrous and indigestible from the human stomach, which is why we need to juice it before we consume it. Its exceptionally high content of 70% chlorophyll makes it known as a “superfood.” There are plenty of other things which make it super. Starting with the lengthy amount of amino acids (roughly 17), followed through by excellent sources of vitamin C, K, E, and B. Minerals such as calcium, cobalt, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, protein, sodium, and zinc to name a bunch.
Read more…
Even if you are eating a wide array of healthy foods it is still possible that you might not be getting enough of a few key nutrients. Recent research has shown that even when eating a healthy diet it might be beneficial to supplement with calcium, vitamins E and D, and magnesium.
Calcium is important in building and maintaining healthy bones and teeth as well as aiding in blood pressure regulation and muscle contraction. The RDA for calcium is 1,000 mg and even more for women over the age of 50. Foods which are high in calcium are milk, yogurt, spinach, tofu and almonds.
Read more…
Bacteria are everywhere- in your food, on your skin, and in your digestive system. Probiotics are a special group of live bacteria. Don’t let that scare you though – Probiotics are the good types of bacteria. I am sure you have seen the commercials for the “healthy bowel yogurts” well those yogurts have probiotics in them. The two bacteria found most often in probiotic products are Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidus. Probiotics can help with boosting the immune system; and with managing the symptoms of IBS, chronic stomach infections, and diarrhea to name a few conditions. There is a never ending battle going on in your digestive system that you probably never knew about – the good bacteria vs. the bad bacteria. Sometimes the good bacteria need a little help in winning the battle. For instance did you know that many of the antibiotics taken to help fight off infections also kill off the good bacteria in your digestive system? Supplementation is how you can help to tip the scales back in favor of the good bacteria. There are many ways to supplement with probiotics. Probiotics are available in pill and powder forms and in some foods such as yogurt and probiotic drinks.
Read more…
Sushi this and sushi that, it’s all over the place these days. With tons of odd things crammed into a little bite size roll, do we all really know what we’re shoving in? Some love it and some cringe at the thought but does it offer any health benefits? Peel your eyes open and lets take a look.
Sushi is of course, highly popular in Japan and goes back straight to the 7th century. It managed to wiggle its way over to North America and over the last decade has become very popular. The main ingredients in sushi are rice, fish, and usually veggies. Wasabi, ginger, and soya sauce are common condiments (not a spec of ketchup here folks).It is usually rolled in seaweed which is packed with vitamin C, B, and A. The fish gives you that lean source of protein which is low in sat fat and cholesterol and high in omega 3’s. That being a perfect recipe for a heart healthy meal. The rice is generally low in sodium and fat, but gives you a good source of carbs to round out that roll.
Read more…
Is emotional eating sabotaging your efforts to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight? Emotional eating is when you turn to food whether it be consciously or unconsciously to find comfort. Triggers for emotional eating include stress, fatigue, health problems, relationship problems, major life events, and fear. Other emotional eaters find that they unconsciously eat just to have something to do to keep occupied.
Here are a few tips for controlling emotional eating. Read more…
Juicing for health is another hot topic in nutrition. The benefits of juicing are many and diverse. Juicing can be a wonderful addition to your healthy lifestyle.
Let’s look at some top reasons and tips for juicing to help improve your health.
- Organic produce is best when juicing.
- Drink your juice as soon as you juice it to gain maximum vitamins and minerals.
- Juice is high in antioxidants as well as vitamins and minerals.
- Juice because it is made from raw fruits and vegetables provides otherwise missing enzymes to the diet.
- Juicing can help you eat the recommended number of daily servings of fruits and vegetables.
- Vegetable juice is a low calorie and low fat snack.
- The body is better able to absorb the nutrients from juice than whole vegetables.
- Fresh juice contains phytochemicals which help to remove carcinogens from the body.
- Juicing is a great way to hide the flavors of vegetables that you don’t enjoy by mixing them with fruits.
- Many times the highest concentration of nutrients is just under the skin. Only peel those fruits and vegetables that absolutely must be.
Summer is a great time to gather in backyards and parks to enjoy friends, family and BBQ. Foods off the grill do not have to be unhealthy and calorie budget breaking. Here are some great healthy options when grilling this summer.
- Grilled Veggies – Corn, tomatoes, onions, peppers, eggplant, and zucchini are great options. Whether in packets or on skewers veggies are a great way to add bulk to your meal without adding a lot of calories. Be sure to use low fat marinades on your vegetables when grilling.
- Sides and Salads – Forget the mayonnaise when making your traditional summer sides and salads. Instead use fat free yogurt in creamy things and punch up the flavor with fresh herbs. Reduce the amount of oil in your sides and salads by using broth for part of the oil called for in the recipe.
- Grilled Burgers – Swap out fatty ground beef with lean ground turkey for flavorful juicy burgers that are healthy too. Or consider throwing veggie burgers on the grill.
- Grilled Fish – Salmon and Tuna are two summertime grilling favorites. Flavorful low fat marinades and toppings make summertime fish sizzle.
- Grilled Chicken – Choose boneless skinless chicken breast. Citrus and herbs make a great low fat full flavor marinade.
- Grilled Pork – Choose a lean cut of pork such as tenderloin or center cut chops.
- Grilled Fruit – Grilling fruit adds an unexpected twist to a low fat low calorie dessert.
Ever have a warm protein shake? One that you left in the car after a heat wave while your in the gym dreaming about how good it’s going to taste. You go outside salivating over that PROMASIL blend, ready to repair your aching muscles. Come to find out the shake is hotter than the hinges in hell.
Here’s a way to avoid all that. Find a silicone ice cube tray, mix up water and Protein powder, and freeze. Next time your headed to the gym pop some of these cubes into your bottle; top it up with almond milk. It’s perfect if you don’t want an overly watery drink (ice cubes). Try it out, you won’t be disappointed.
