Making Healthier Food Choices

Sometimes you have to think smart when it comes to making healthier food choices. Here are some examples:

Having Chocolate Milk instead of Coca-Cola.

Ordering a Hamburger without the Cheese and Bacon.

Having Red Wine instead of Beer.

Packing a healthy lunch instead of eating out for lunch (most fast food places that cater to the 9-5 crowd don't serve healthy food as its often deep fried).

Having juice instead of a high-sugar energy drink.

Ideally what you want is to pick foods higher in fibre / protein / nutrients / minerals and lower in sugar.

While it is true that to lose weight, a dieter will want to eat less than he or she is burning through exercise and daily activities, it's important to make quality food choices so you are getting more of the good stuff and less of the bad stuff. On the most basic level, a calorie is a calorie regardless of the source, and that yes, you could eat 1000 calories a day in pizza, fill up on water, and lose drastic amounts of weight - getting all your fibre / protein / nutrients / minerals from pizza isn't really a healthy way to do it.

 

There are much healthier ways to lose weight and still take in 1600 to 2000 calories per day.

Weight loss is about more than just keeping the calorie count lowered. Eating healthy is a lifestyle change that will take work, by figuring out how to make every calorie burn efficiently in your body.

 

Take the pizza as an example. It has refined sugar in the white flour crust, saturated fat in the greasy cheese, and any meaty topping is sure to be high in sodium and fat. These foods are not helping your body for a long term slow releasing energy burn, digestive help, or assisting with lowering blood pressure and preventing illness and disease.

A slice of plain cheese pizza from a walk-in shop is roughly 600 calories. 600 calories is a lot when you are making every calorie count. And if you are only eating 2 slices per day (and that is your entire diet) then you will end feeling very hungry.

Instead of having the slice you could have:

-A bowl of mixed bean salad (1 cup) 200 cal

-With a side of 1% cottage cheese (1/2 cup) with 1 Tbsp of ground flax seed 200 cal

-Steamed vegetables (1/2 cup) 50 cal

-5 Brazil nuts 100 cal

-A small apple 50 cal

 

That way you would be getting a larger amount of food, not feel hungry all the time, and still have a lowered amount of calories. Eating foods with lots of fibre, nutrients and so forth help you to feel full without starving yourself.

Note that the amount of food mentioned above could actually be two meals! It contains much leaner proteins, complex carbohydrates, fruits, vegetables, dairy and healthy fats. Your body will be able to use this much more effectively than a slice of pizza ever could!

It just goes to show that while calories should be reduced to lose weight, healthy choices are still very much a part of making healthier choices.

 

Of course sometimes you still want to treat yourself, and that is where things like chocolate milk come in. Yes, its a treat, but its high in calcium and protein.

How to Curb the Munchies

Suppressing your appetite doesn't actually work. You will just end up binging on food later, especially anything high in carbs or sugar.

 

The best solution to curb the munchies... is to munch!

 

But you do so by packing healthy snacks that you love and then eating those whenever you feel hungry.

 

Apples, fruits, low-fat granola bars, nuts, berries, yogurt.

 

You can eat healthy and still snack if you know what to eat.

Why do we crave junk food or large portions of food?

1. We are bored
2. We waited too long to eat and now the hunger is insatiable
3. We like to watch TV or be on the computer when snacking
4. We like to eat with friends
5. Junk food just tastes too good.

The common reasons seem to come down to these five. Let's match them up with solutions:

1. Boredom. Don't laugh when I suggest this, but exercise. I'm absolutely serious. Not only is it good for you and a productive way to spend your time but after working your butt off you may just be motivated to reach for almonds instead of chips, or make a healthy meal instead of hitting up the closest fast food joint.
2. Waiting too long to eat. Simple solution, don't get to this point! Remember to eat a hearty breakfast and lunch. Even if you don't feel like it. Your body will adapt to earlier eating and by the evening, you won't even be that hungry! Don't be afraid to have a snack too as that tiny snack will prevent you from overeating later.
3. Do NOT watch TV and eat! I know it's really hard not to but try something else instead, like having a conversation. If you're on your own just eat and listen to music instead of watching TV because at least with music its only 3 to 4 minutes to the next track, whereas with TV you feel compelled to go get more food during commercials and watch the rest of the show. Think, scheme, or just look into the bowl and focus on the meal. It may seem weird at first but when you're doing something else and eating, it's almost as though you haven't had anything to eat at all. You eventually look down onto the plate, and the food is gone! It's seconds waiting to happen!
4. Social eating can be a real problem. Every time you go out with friends it won't take long until someone pops into the convenience store, or heads out to grab a slice of pizza. Remind yourself that hanging out with friends is social, and that's what you're going to focus on. Spending time with people you care about is fun and enjoyable, and by the time you get home, you'll be ready for your healthy dinner.
5. The best solution to avoid irresistible junk food is to not have it in the house. Just put it back on the shelf and don't buy the stuff. Eat junk food sparingly when you're out or once in a while but if it's always in the cupboard, a handful here and there will easily turn into a daily habit.

Drinking tea or water will also fill you up until you can get home, to avoid unhealthy snacking, and junk food alternatives like dried fruit and nuts. In the end you will have to learn to exercise your willpower to break junk and fast food habits... but the tips above will make finding that willpower easier.

Become a Fat Burning Furnace

Losing weight is actually just math: Burn more calories than you eat.

Of course, it is never as easy as it sounds! To burn those calories you will need a lot of hard work, a lot of sweat and maybe even a few tears.

There are also factors that contribute to not losing weight, whether its a slower metabolism, or having a body that stubbornly will not keep the pounds off due to hormones - But the good news is that it is possible to speed up your metabolism and its also possible to change your hormonal balance. ie. Weight lifting increases your testosterone levels AND boosts your metabolism at the same time.

To help speed results along, here are 5 handy tips to rev weight loss results as safely and quickly as possible.

Five Fast Weight Loss Tips

1. Drink a lot of water

You have probably heard this one before but health experts cannot stress how important it is. Water will: Speed up metabolism, decrease water retention (it sounds backwards, but its true), lubricates joints (less injuries so you can keep exercising!), curbs appetite, and being hydrated keeps energy and attention levels at their peak.

 

For best results drink cold water. Cold water is actually calories negative. (Likewise cold showers burn calories at a rate of 700 to 900 calories per hour, depending on the coldness of the water and your body type.)

2. Eat Soup

Weird suggestion, but you will see why soon. When you are trying to eat light, salads just do not cut it. You can't eat like a bird every day. You will be hungry again in an hour! Soups are hydrating, low calorie, filled with veggies and can even be frozen and saved, to minimize cooking time and trying to figure out your next healthy meal.

3. Cardio = Weight Loss, Weight Lifting = Muscle Gain

Don't confuse cardio with weight lifting. Yes it is good to both, but cardio is more effective at burning fat whereas studies have shown that weight lifting is not effective at burning fat and really only builds muscle.

 

Make sure you are doing both cardio and weights, but try to do 70% cardio and 30% weight lifting if your goal is weight loss. Cardio will boost metabolism short term, quickly burn through stored carbohydrates and fat and its heart healthy. Weights will boost metabolism long term by building muscle. Strength training also prevents injuries and tones the body, so you look good when you do lose weight. 

 

Weight lifting also prevents sagging skin and and adds muscle definition!

4. Lower your Carbs

Cut back on the bread and pasta. Eat smaller portions or eliminate from your diet entirely.

 

When you are trying to lose weight, go lighter on carbohydrates, and try eating most of them earlier in the day. Protein keeps you full, does not store as fat, and helps to repair damaged muscle tissue, which is perfect after weight training. Carbohydrates give you energy and is absolutely essential, you just don't want to eat more than you burn. A great breakfast is a low fat protein like cottage cheese or yogurt with a healthy carb like fruit or oats. At lunch have a sandwich and for dinner have a protein with vegetables. Snack on 100 calories of something healthy 2-3 times in between those meals, and you're set with a perfect weight loss diet plan.

5. Schedule your workouts

This one is really important!

 

If you "book yourself" in for a workout, you are more likely going to do it. Many people will forget or pass it up for something that seems more pressing. Put it on your to-do list and then DO IT!

Three Exercise and Dietary Myths

Time to do some Myth Busting!

There are quite a few common misconceptions in the health and fitness industry. Here are three common fitness / diet myths that need to be debunked.

1. Eat a lot of protein to gain muscle = Myth

Protein is the muscle's building block, but its not the only thing muscles need. Protein helps to repair torn muscle tissue. You also need vitamins and nutrients from eating a balanced diet. Too much protein in a diet can cause dehydration, overwhelm the kidneys and stress the heart. Plus a high meat diet will make you feel plain crappy due to all the bacteria in meat, and won't give you the energy required for intense lifting sessions. Instead, aim for a balance of all healthy food groups.

2. Sweating means you are working out harder = Myth

Not true. Sweat is a mechanism used to cool the body, it doesn't burn much calories. The amount of work you can do DECREASES when your body is using some of your energy to produce sweat. Furthermore, energy is lost by sweating because it causes the blood supply to rush toward the skin and away from the muscles - resulting in more muscle fatigue. The heart responds by pumping harder, to replace the blood from the muscles. Too much sweating can also cause dehydration, heat stroke or collapse. Don't induce sweat. It really makes no contribution to fitness.

3. Eating food at night is more fattening = Myth

Your body doesn't tell the time. It doesn't care if you eat after 9 PM. This common myth comes from the idea that you won't have time to burn off food before bed. However, recent studies show that it's not the time you eat but how much is consumed in a 24 hour period. If you're eating within your caloric range, typically 1,800 to 2,000, then you are fine! Skipping meals and binging before you sleep leads to weight gain but if you can't eat a good meal until after work, it won't make you store any more fat than the people who eat their biggest meal for lunch. Besides, we burn fat all of the time, even when we sleep.

Sleeping burns 69 calories per hour. It is not a lot, but its handy to know.

Sitting and doing a minor task is approx 60 calories per hour.

Walking at 2 mph is 175 calories per hour.

Sleeping for 8 hours = 552 calories burned.
Sitting for 12 hours = 720 calories burned.
Walking for 4 hours = 700 calories burned.

Total 1,972

Note: All calorie estimates based on someone who weighs 155 lbs.

Thus it is possible that if you eat healthy and just walk 4 hours every day as part of your routine that you can maintain your weight. However many people don't actually walk for 4 hours per day unless its part of their job. Many people in North America walk less than 2 hours per day and spend most of their time sitting behind a desk, in front of a TV or computer, or behind the wheel of a car.

And if they're binging on food then their waistline will be ever expanding.

Just a single hour of intense exercising, only 4% of your day, however can make a huge difference. An hour long swim for example will burn approx. 450 calories alone.

Feeling Anxious? Rethink Your Diet

Anxiety is a natural reaction to stress but too much anxiety can become a debilitating condition and paralyze your ability to make rational decisions. As such certain food factors can exacerbate anxiety levels and have a negative impact on day to day living. Aside from yoga, meditation and exercise, there are several key dietary factors that could be helping or hindering symptoms of anxiety.

Dietary Changes for Anxiety

1. Switch to Decaf

Caffeine stimulates the nervous system, and too much of it can be overwhelming to your brain. It can cause nervousness and panic attacks. Caffeine is in coffee, tea, pop, and even chocolate. Reducing the amount of caffeine you are eating will show almost instant improvements for anxiety related restlessness and irritability.

In some cases some people may also have a caffeine addiction, which is itself the cause of the feelings of anxiety.

2. Cut Back on Alcohol

When people feel stressed they sometimes reach for a drink to "Calm their nerves." Unfortunately booze causes dehydration, insomnia and too much will just give you a hangover. Alcohol sometimes acts as a depressant that will bring out negative emotions in some people. The source of their anxiety could end up feeling even more exaggerated and ultimately, they wind up feeling even more upset both mentally and physically.

3. Eat Complex Carbs

When we're upset or anxious turning to comfort food is fairly common. Ice cream is a popular one if the comic strip Cathy is to be believed. Other xamples include chocolate, candy, potato chips, cookies, etc. The problem with simple sugars, aside from being having no nutritional value, is that they don't keep you full for very long, and cause a constant craving for more sugar. Complex carbohydrates such as whole grain breads, beans and legumes take longer to digest.So i nstead of picking up chips when you're feeling anxious prepare some veggies and hummus or even air popped popcorn instead.

I personally like carrot sticks and Jell-O in such situations.

Eating healthy and avoiding anxiety inducing things like caffeine and alcohol is the first steps toward minimizing anxiety. Or if you do consume those things also drink a lot of water to help minimize fatigue, headaches and stress, all caused by dehydration.

How to Ween Yourself Off Sugar in 30 Days

Sugar addiction is very common amongst people who are overweight and obese. Even fit people have difficulty with their sweet tooth and sugar cravings.

But what can you do about it? Well one solution is to ween yourself off sugar slowly, over a 30 day period.

Days 1 to 6

Make a list of high-sugar foods that are on the "do not eat" list. Avoid those foods and fast-food places that offer tempting high-sugar foods. Inform friends and family that you are trying to avoid sugar. Ask them to encourage you and to avoid tempting you with sugary treats. (Avoid hanging out with people who ignore this request. They're not helping you by deliberately providing temptation.)

Days 7 to 12

Clear your home of any high-sugar foods. Keep only healthy foods in the home. Get rid of high-sugar cereals, desserts, ice cream and other sugar-laden treats. Inform the family or others in the home that high-sugar foods are now banned and that they should not bring them into the home. Locate a suitable place where you can donate all those high sugar foods.

Days 13 to 18

When shopping avoid aisles in the grocery store filled with junk food and sugary treats. At home keep the place stocked with healthy snacks such as chopped-up vegetables and fruits. When purchasing canned fruits, go with those with natural juices, no sugar added. Air-popped popcorn is another easy-to-make snack to replace sugary treats.

Days 19 to 24

To quell sugar urges, go for a walk when the urge to nibble on sweets arises. Build healthy habits such as exercising while watching TV instead of sitting around snacking on unhealthy, sugary treats. When in doubt walking helps soothe and calm the mind.

Days 25 to 30

When eating out, avoid desserts and other high-sugar items. Portions in restaurants are often over-sized. If temptation arises, split a dessert with someone. Do not consume an immense amount of sugar in one dessert.

Tips and Warnings

Focus on the positive goals for a healthier life. Give yourself rewards (not food) for lessening the amount of sugar consumed.

Talk to your doctor before making any modifications to the diet such as decreasing sugar intake. Start any new health program gradually and give the body time to adjust.

Naturally weaning off sugar will provide many health benefits for the body. The American Diabetes Association cautions that type 2 diabetes is on the upswing in America, even among youngsters. A focus on natural foods such as grains, fruits and vegetables will help the body maintain health. Since high-sugar commercial foods can cause the blood sugar to spike, if you can wean yourself off sugar, you'll be improving your chances of a long, healthy life.

50 Snacks that are Under 50 Calories

Did you know that snacking reduces cravings and is actually healthy for you? 

Studies of primates (apes, chimpanzees, etc) have determined that they eat 6 to 8 times per day, and much of that eating is best described as snacking. The same is true of humans. We are supposed to be snacking multiple times per day and we're not meant to gorge ourselves on 3 large meals every day.

If you divide up your daily 2,000 calories into six meals instead of 3 you are looking at approx. 333 calories per meal. However since most people are used to eating 3 meals per day making the transition is more difficult.

That is where snacking comes in. A mid-morning snack, an afternoon snack and an evening snack so your daily diet should look something like this:

Breakfast 550 calories

Mid-Morning Snack 100 calories

Lunch 550 calories

Afternoon Snack 100 calories

Dinner 600 calories

Evening Snack 100 calories

TOTAL 2,000 calories

You may discover however that once you get adjusted to snacking that you don't need 2,000 calories per day. In which case, depending on your body type, you might drop to 1,800 calories per day, but you really should not go below that because it isn't healthy. Likewise going above 2,000 is really only recommended for athletes and people who exercise a lot as part of their occupation (eg. construction workers, arctic explorers, deep sea divers, firefighters, etc).

In which case how do you decide what to snack on 3 times per day? Well in the list below are 50 Snacks that are Under 50 Calories, so you can pick a choose, double up on 2 or more snacks (not that some of them below are only 10 calories or even zero calories) and no shortage of variety. If you read labels in stores you can find more things to add to this list.

Satisfy your sweet tooth

1. 1⁄2 medium apple, baked, topped with 1 Tbsp lowfat yogurt sprinkled with cinnamon (45 calories)

2. 1⁄2 small banana, frozen (45 calories)

3. 4 oz unsweetened applesauce sprinkled with cinnamon (49 calories)

4. 1 miniature box of raisins (45 calories)

5. 2 sugar-free ice pops (30 calories)

6. 1 sugar-free fudge ice pop (35 calories)

7. 12 cherries (48 calories)

8. 1 individual serving sugar-free gelatin with 3 Tbsp light whipped topping (40 calories)

9. 1⁄2 cup strawberries with 21⁄2 Tbsp nonfat yogurt (47 calories)

10. 14 seedless red grapes, frozen (48 calories)

Indulge a salt craving

11. 11⁄2 cups salted air-popped popcorn (46 calories)
12. 1⁄4 cup shelled edamame with sea salt (37 calories) 
13. 8 oz miso soup (36 calories)
14. 1 pretzel rod (37 calories) 
15. 1⁄4 small bag of Glenny's lightly salted soy crisps (35 calories) 
16. 1 medium sliced cucumber mixed with 1⁄4 cup sliced onion, 1⁄2 cup chopped celery, 4 Tbsp vinegar and salt to taste (45 calories)
17. 6 oz eight-vegetable juice (39 calories)
18. 1 kosher dill pickle (10 calories)

Crunch and munch

19. 1⁄2 cup jicama with 4 oz salsa (49.5 calories) 
20. 11⁄2 cups sugar snap peas (40 calories)
21. Small celery stalk smeared with 1⁄2 Tbsp natural peanut butter (49 calories)*
22. 1⁄2 small apple with 1 tsp soy butter (46 calories) 
23. 1 brown rice cake with 1 Tbsp sugar-free jam (44 calories)

* NOTE:  Celery by itself has almost no calories. Its the peanut butter that adds the calories. Some people argue that celery is actually calorie negative because it takes more energy to digest it than it actually contains.

Smooth and creamy

24. 1 Laughing Cow Light Garlic & Herb wedge spread on cucumber slices (35 calories)
25. 1 tsp almond butter (34 calories)
26. 1⁄2 cup fat-free Greek yogurt with 1 tsp sugar-free strawberry jam (43 calories)
27. 1 oz avocado (about 1⁄8 of an avocado) squirted with lime (45 calories)
28. 8 grape tomatoes dipped in 1 Tbsp light cream cheese (46 calories)

Cheesy whizzes

29. 6 pieces of endive filled with 1⁄2 oz reduced-fat feta cheese (49 calories)
30. 1 slice fat-free American cheese (30 calories)
31. 1 large tomato, sliced, topped with 1 Tbsp Parmesan, broiled (44 calories)
32. 1 oz fat-free cottage cheese on 1 slice caraway Finn Crisp Crispbread (38 calories)
33. 1 oz fat-free mozzarella dipped in 1 tsp marinara sauce (46 calories)

Power up on protein

34. Turkey rollups: 2 slices white meat turkey rolled in 2 lettuce leaves (46 calories)
35. 1 oz smoked salmon (about 1 slice) on 2 Wheat Thins crackers (Multi-Grain) (48 calories)
36. 1 tofu dog with 1 Tbsp sauerkraut (48 calories)
37. 1⁄2 cup plain fat-free yogurt sprinkled with 1 tsp sunflower seeds (49.6 calories)
38. 1.3 oz water-packed tuna with 1 tsp Dijon mustard (48 calories)
39. 2 large hard-cooked egg whites with 1 cup sliced cucumber (48 calories)
40. 1 slice Wasa Fibre Crispbread with 2 tsp hummus (45 calories)
41. 1 medium water-packed sardine with slice of red onion (35 calories)

Solid standbys

42. 1⁄2 cup melon with 2 Tbsp 1% cottage cheese (47 calories) 
43. 1⁄2 small grapefruit (32 calories)
44. 1⁄3 cup blueberries with 1 Tbsp light sour cream (47 calories) 
45. 1⁄2 cup carrots with 1 Tbsp light ranch dressing (45 calories)

Thirst quenchers

46. 1⁄2 cup nonfat milk with 1 Tbsp Walden Farms calorie-free chocolate syrup (40 calories)
47. 1 packet of sugar-free hot chocolate made with 1⁄4 cup skim milk and 3⁄4 cup hot water (47 calories)
48. 3⁄4 cup almond milk (45 calories)
49. 3⁄4 cup seltzer with 1⁄4 cup cranberry juice and a lime wedge (33 calories)
50. Homemade iced green tea (with artificial sweetener if desired) (0 calories)

13 Diet and Exercise Resolutions for 2013

#1. Focus on Healthy Fats / Omega-3

Cookies, processed meats, white bread and similar foods are high in Saturated Fat / Trans Fat which goes to your waistline very easily. Focus on healthy fats found in nuts, olive oil, avocados, egg yolks and fish.

The simple act of eating more fish and less red meat will help you shed fat and get more "healthy fats".

Switching from white bread to whole grain also makes a big difference, or cut back on your bread consumption entirely.

Eggs are good for you. Especially the yolk which has healthy Omega-3 fatty acids in it. Those acids cause your body to burn sugar more efficiently, making you faster, stronger, smarter, etc.

#2. Dark Chocolate

A little bit of dark chocolate is good for you. Avoid any chocolate that is mostly sugar (eg. "white chocolate" doesn't even have cocoa in it).

#3. Eat More Yogurt

Cut out cheese and ice cream and eat more yogurt. It is waaaaaaaaay healthier for you and you get more calcium, whereas cheese is too fatty and ice cream actually is not a good source of calcium. Milk itself is not a good source of calcium either because the protein in the milk absorbs the calcium and you don't really get the benefit of it.

#4. Diet Now, Not Later

Don't delay. As you get older it becomes more and more difficult to lose weight. If you're going to get in shape the time to do it is NOW.

#5. Healthy Diet is Only HALF the Struggle

Remember that you have to exercise at the same time as maintaining a healthy balanced diet. Eating healthy is only half the struggle.

#6. Fidget

Fidgeting burns calories. Spontaneous physical activity (SPA) like fidgeting, bending, brushing your hair, doing dishes, etc. can burn 350 or more calories a day or 1 lb of fat every 10 days. Regular fidgeting can burn 36.5 lbs per year.

#7. Try Interval Training

Interval Training is more effective than long cardio sessions for burning calories. Try it for a month and discover the benefits.

#8. Eat Smaller Portions

Snacks are good for you, especially when combined with smaller portion meals. You eat less, store less and need less. Don't pig out just because the giant chocolate bar is there. Take 1 piece and save the rest for later.

#9. Only Eat When Hungry

Don't eat just because its "supper time". Eat when you are hungry and in small portions.

#10. Watch more Comedies

Laughter burns calories. And laughter while exercising, jogging in place burns even more. Laughter also reduces stress and stress causes your body to save fat for later, so less stress = less fat being stored.

#11. Avoid Foods with Sucrose and Glucose

Learn to read labels. Aim for more natural sugars found in fruit (fructose).

#12. Sleep and Naps

Take naps on the weekend. Whenever possible try to sleep 5 to 6 hours at night and get a 1 hour nap during the day. Siestas are good for you. Even primates (chimps, apes, etc) sleep 5 hours at night and nap for an hour in the afternoon. Its healthier and what we are meant to do.

#13. Cut Down on Toxins

Your body absorbs toxins in the air (including second hand smoke) and then stores those toxins inside fat cells like little prisons. Want to lose weight? Tell those smokers in your family to butt out, buy a good quality air filter and avoid anything toxic that you could be inhaling or eating.

Christmas Diet Tips

#1. Try to eat a variety of everything, especially the veggies.

#2. Turkey is good for you. Its packed with protein, just don't eat the skin and fat. If you’re going to use the meat juices to make the gravy, drain off any fat first.

#3. Make your own Egg Nog - Store bought eggnog is mostly water and sugar. Don't believe me? Read the label.

#4. When mixing alcoholic drinks aim for low calorie versions or healthy choices. eg. My favourite is Peach Schnapps and Cranberry Juice.

#5. Avoid beer and cider - they're full of calories. Aim for red wines for the anti-oxidants.

#6. Enjoy a nibble of chocolate every so often - don't eat the whole plate of cookies all at once.

#7. Try to balance the more sugary foods with healthier alternatives. Citrus fruits and melons are awesome!

#8. Watermelon baby, watermelon! Who doesn't love watermelon?

#9. On Christmas morning make whole wheat pancakes - goes great with peanut butter and raspberry jam.

#10. Avoid breads when you can, especially white bread. Aim for healthier whole grain choices.

#11. When you have leftover turkey make your sandwiches using whole grain bread. Tis healthier!

#12. Don't feel guilty about eating more during the holiday season. Your New Years Resolutions are just around the corner... Bookmark Cardio Trek and come back on January 1st to see our New Years Resolutions advice.

The Vegan / Vegetarian Diet

I am "Veggie Curious".

Which is really a fancy way of saying I still eat meat, but I hang out with a lot of Vegans and Vegetarians. I believe in eating a healthy balance which includes lots of veggies of different colours (so I am getting a wide variety of nutrients and vitamins), nuts and berries, whole grains / whole wheat flour bread, muffins, pancakes, milk and cheese, and when it comes to protein I eat a lot of eggs (sometimes raw eggs), small to medium-sized portions of meat, green lentils (high in protein). I also supplement my protein intake on weightlifting days with whey protein.

And I do regularly stop to enjoy a sugary snack when offered one by a friend or family member. And I do so without feeling guilty because I know I exercise daily and my diet is pretty balanced that I can "take the hit" from cookies / doughtnuts on the rare occasions.

Lastly I also take a multi-vitamin twice per day, Vitamin D on a regular basis, and lots of water.

However my diet isn't for everyone. My diet is based on a very active lifestyle and varying degrees of self control and guilt-free treats. Not everyone can manage that level of self control.

Which leads us into the topic of Vegetarianism and Veganism - Two diets which require a lot of self-control if you love eating meat and are loath to give it up.

It would be one thing I suppose to be raised Vegan and thus never know what you are giving up, and a totally different thing to be raised in a "meat and potatoes" environment wherein bacon is the pinnacle of tasty delights.

However there are huge health and dietary benefits to going Vegan (or at least Vegetarian) if someone chooses to do so. And these benefits are difficult to ignore.

1. Avoids a lot of fried and fatty food

Meat-based foods tend to have a lot more fat on them and depending on preparation will be fried in grease. Pile on some cheese or butter or both and it will be tasty, but wholly unhealthy and fattening. By going Vegan you guarantee yourself that you won't be eating such fatty foods any more (unless you are stir-frying all your veggies constantly).

1st Note: Avocados are fattening. There are a lot of Veggie-eaters out there who get hooked on avocados and later discover they are fattening.

2nd Note: Some veggie eaters also end up filling up on bread, which means lots of carbs... and that is also fattening. So ideally you need to cut out bread and limit your carb intake to whole grains and small portions.

2. Less Option

Sine when is less options a good thing? Well when picking restaurants it really limits your options. You basically just look for the veggie items on the menu (sometimes marked with something green) and you're done making your decision while your omnivore friends are taking forever to decide.

3. Reduces Health Issues and Cancer Risks

The average human gets cancer approx. 40 times in their lifetime, but our immune system fights most of it off. As we get older our immune system becomes weaker and if we ate a lot of junk when we were younger we will have a build up of toxins and carcinogens in our system which will cause cancer tumours to become more serious.

4. Snacks are Easy

Just pack a few fruit when you go out and your snacks are all taken care of.

5. Increased Energy and Rarely Ill

If you cease eating meat for a month, just as a test, most people discover they feel more energetic. This is because their body isn't bogged down with all the negative things (fat, bacteria, etc) that come with eating meat. Meat is laced with bacteria and often when people get ill its due to a bacteria infection they ate. By cutting out this large source of bacteria your immune system doesn't have to work so hard and your body is ultimately rewarded with more energy.

Note: If you want to boost your energy levels even more you can take a daily Creatine supplement.

Conclusions

While it is true that humans are biologically meant to be omnivores, we should point out that when you look at our teeth most of our teeth are for eating veggies and its only the canines that are meant for ripping meat. Ultimately this means our diet is supposed to be 90% fruits, veggies, berries, etc and meat is supposed to be a rare treat.

So yes, you could stay an omnivore and embrace a healthier balance with more veggies in your diet, or you could go fully vegetarian or vegan and see if that lifestyle suits you.

Personal Note

Speaking for myself the vegan friends I like hanging out with the most are the ones who aren't trying to convert me. They recognize that I am an intelligent person who can make his own decisions and they're not pushing me into doing something. If asked, they will still talk about the benefits of their diet, but they aren't trying to ram it down my throat against my will.

Oh and vegan pancakes rock. :)

All About Vitamins - What do they do?

Vitamins are important to your healthy diet, but what do they actually do?

Here is a handy chart which not only shows why various vitamins are useful, but also where you can find them.

When looking to buy a multivitamin its recommended that you find one that pick one that has all the vitamins in it, and if you have a very active lifestyle pick one with higher dosages. So remember to read the label instead of just buying the one which is on sale.

Although if its on sale AND turns out to have all the vitamins you are looking for, absolutely, buy it.

Vitamin	What the vitamin does	Significant food sources
B1 (thiamin)	Supports energy metabolism and nerve function	spinach, green peas, tomato juice, watermelon, sunflower seeds, lean ham, lean pork chops, soy milk
B2 (riboflavin)	Supports energy metabolism, normal vision and skin health	spinach, broccoli, mushrooms, eggs, milk, liver, oysters, clams
B3 (niacin)	Supports energy metabolism, skin health, nervous system and digestive system	spinach, potatoes, tomato juice, lean ground beef, chicken breast, tuna (canned in water), liver, shrimp
Biotin	Energy metabolism, fat synthesis, amino acid metabolism, glycogen synthesis	widespread in foods
Pantothenic Acid	Supports energy metabolism	widespread in foods
B6 (pyridoxine)	Amino acid and fatty acid metabolism, red blood cell production	bananas, watermelon, tomato juice, broccoli, spinach, acorn squash, potatoes, white rice, chicken breast
Folate	Supports DNA synthesis and new cell formation	tomato juice, green beans, broccoli, spinach, asparagus, okra, black-eyed peas, lentils, navy, pinto and garbanzo beans
B12	Used in new cell synthesis, helps break down fatty acids and amino acids, supports nerve cell maintenance	meats, poultry, fish, shellfish, milk, eggs
C (ascorbic acid)	Collagen synthesis, amino acid metabolism, helps iron absorption, immunity, antioxidant	spinach, broccoli, red bell peppers, snow peas, tomato juice, kiwi, mango, orange, grapefruit juice, strawberries
A (retinol)	Supports vision, skin, bone and tooth growth, immunity and reproduction	mango, broccoli, butternut squash, carrots, tomato juice, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, beef liver
D	Promotes bone mineralization	self-synthesis via sunlight, fortified milk, egg yolk, liver, fatty fish
E	Antioxidant, regulation of oxidation reactions, supports cell membrane stabilization	polyunsaturated plant oils (soybean, corn and canola oils), wheat germ, sunflower seeds, tofu, avocado, sweet potatoes, shrimp, cod
K	Synthesis of blood-clotting proteins, regulates blood calcium	Brussels sprouts, leafy green vegetables, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, liver

All About Minerals - What do they do?

Earlier today I was in a Shoppers Drug Mart on Yonge Street in Toronto and I was buying vitamin pills because I was starting to run low.

The pills I purchased had higher dosages of various vitamins, which is a good thing because I lead a pretty active lifestyle. But it also had a long list of minerals in it too.

Now most people know what calcium does (stronger bones) and perhaps also knows what iron does (increases cardiovascular circulation), but a lot of the other minerals I can bet most people don't know what they do.

So as you can see below I've gone ahead and added little explanations for what the various minerals actually do for your body.

Calcium - Strong bones and teeth, nerve function, muscle contraction, blood clotting.

Chromium - Associated with insulin and is required for the release of energy from glucose (converting sugar into energy).

Copper - Necessary for the absorption and utilization of iron, supports formation of hemoglobin and several enzymes.

Iodine - Helps regulate growth, development and metabolic rate.

Iron - Red blood cells and muscle function, white blood cells and the immune system.

Magnesium - Converting energy from food, cell repair, building strong bones, teeth and muscles and regulating body temperature.

Manganese - Facilitates many cell processes.

Molybdenum - Facilitates many cell processes.

Potassium - Maintains fluid and electrolyte balance, cell integrity, muscle contractions and nerve impulse transmission

Selenium - Antioxidant. Works with vitamin E to protect body from oxidation

Sodium - Maintains fluid and electrolyte balance, supports muscle contraction and nerve impulse transmissions

Vanadium - Used for treating diabetes and anemia and is great for improving performance in weight training; and helps prevent cancer.

Zinc - Immune system, the breakdown of protein, fat and carbohydrate, important part of enzymes.

So as you can see they're all pretty important. Thus having a shortage of several minerals in your diet can be a problem for your health and will harm your efforts to lose fat / gain muscle. When in doubt, best to make sure you have enough of everything you need.

Nutritional Success = Healthy Balance

Fitness is like a cart with two wheels. If you only focus on the exercise wheel and forget the nutrition wheel you will become stuck and never reach your goals.

Nutrition plays a huge part of fitness goals, even more so than exercise. The food (vitamins, carbs, proteins, calcium, etc) that is consumed is our fuel for activity, both physical and mental, and is also the building blocks of new blood, new muscle tissue, and reinforcing our bone structure. The quality of nutrition plays a huge role in how your body is using that food.

The end result is that for every nutrient, protein or calorie you consume your body will automatically try to make the most of it (either by using it or storing it).

How to Eat for Success by Making the Most of your Diet

1. Eat Healthy Food Most of the Time

Aim to eat healthy food 90% to 95% of the time. Every calorie should be going toward a function within the body. Healthy fats from nuts, fish and avocado contribute to healthy hair, skin and nails. A shortage of fats, due to anorexia for example, can cause your hair to fall out. Healthy fats also help the body to absorb nutrients. Vegetables should be a variety of colours and fruits should be high in fiber (apples, pears, etc). Carbohydrates should come from whole grain sources. Aim for a variety and balance and to counteract any deficiencies. eg. If you are low on potassium eat more bananas, spinach, mushrooms, etc.

2. Eat When you are Hungry / Don't Eat when you are Not Hungry

Listen to your body and when you feel hungry. Eat when you are hungry. This prevents over eating. Don't be afraid of snacking, but aim for healthy snacks.

 

When the body thinks it's starving it holds onto fat and this makes it even harder to lose it. On the flip side, if you're feeling satiated, don't eat! Stop eating when you are not hungry anymore. Save the other half of your meal for lunch the next day - or as a snack for later!

3. Don't Drink Calories

If you are drinking soda pop every day the first thing you need to do is cut that out. Its basically just flavoured sugar water, and its not helping you.

 

Calories in liquid form really hurts your daily calorie requirements and soda pop offers nothing nutritionally. Just cutting out sugary drinks during a weight loss diet will help shed a few pounds really quickly. Drink tea, water, skim milk and juices.

4. Track Your Calories

People who track their calories in a journal or on a SmartPhone App are 3 times more likely to succeed at attaining their desired weight. Knowing how much you are consuming daily, learning how to break it up into meals and snacks is an essential key to weight loss and finding a healthy balance. Below is a sample caloric breakdown for a weight loss diet.

 

 Breakfast - 400-500 calories

Mid Morning Snack - 100 calories

Lunch - 500-600 calories

Afternoon Snack - 100 calories

Supper - 500-600 calories

Evening Snack - 100 calories

5. Carry Healthy Snacks on You

If you're one of those people who carries a backpack, purse or briefcase with you wherever you go pack some healthy snacks in there for later.

 

My favourite? Peanut butter granola bars (the kind with no chocolate  in them), although they do have some honey to help it stick together.

 

How To Make

 

Ingredients
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup margarine or butter
3 cups granola

Equipment
Spatula
Glass bowl
Medium sauce pan
Flat non-stick pan

Step 1      
Measure out ingredients and prepare containers. You can buy 12-oz. packages that measure out to exactly 3 cups.

Step 2

Combine peanut butter, honey and butter in a medium sauce pan. Heat to a simmer and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes. It helps to dice the butter into smaller cubes before tossing in.

Step 3      
Turn off the stove and pour the hot mix into a glass bowl. Pour in the 3 cups of plain granola and stir until well mixed.

Step 4      
Spoon into a flat pan that is 8 x 8 inches or similar size, such as 6 x 10 inches, then flatten with a spatula. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

Step 5      
Use a sharp knife to cut the chilled peanut butter granola layer into 2 x 4-inch sections, approximately. This should yield 8 to 9 peanut butter granola bars.

The Hunter / Gatherer Diet

THE FIVE PILLARS OF THE CAVEMAN DIET

#1. Nuts, berries, seeds, fruits and vegetables.

#2. Meat that has been recently slain and then cooked over a fire. Eggs are also okay, either raw, fried or cooked.

#3. Lots of water, but also juices from fruits and tea made from local plants for its medicinal benefits. eg. Birch bark tea contains aspirin.

#4. No sugary / fatty / processed factory made foods filled with corn syrup and other horrible things.

#5. No bread or grains. This means no flour, no cake, no rice, no spaghetti, nothing filled with carbs.

Now you might be thinking, what about milk? Well that is a tricky one. You see cavemen also sucked the marrow from bones, but trying to do that in our modern era just isn't practical. Eating nuts, berries, fruits, vegetables, meat, juice and water is certainly easily doable and practical. Sucking marrow from bones is not.

And there is also no proof that cavemen didn't use the milk from the animals they killed. It is widely understood that they used everything... the skins, the meat, the bones... even the intestines. So if they killed a milk-bearing female animal, its quite likely they did drink the milk too. It is certainly a matter of "what ifs" to be debated, so I leave that one to personal preference.

So in short the Paleolithic diet is really just a diet centred around eating the basics. Its very low in carbs, low in fat, its high in veggies, and you are still eating meat 2 or maybe 3 times per week, depending on the quality of the hunting.

Thus the diet of Cavemen and Cavewomen is pretty similar to what our modern athletes eat, with the exception of the protein shakes and protein bars... but that can be compensated with healthy doses of nuts and berries.


Thus the Caveman or Hunter / Gatherer Diet offers something that is easy to follow and is guaranteed to provide a stable, balanced and healthy diet - one that is sure to reduce someone's weight.


Which will people will no doubt break when they're left in charge of a box of doughnuts. Carbs and sugar in combination are difficult to resist, but if a person has the willpower they can just set the box down and forget its there.

Everyone is blessed/cursed with one particular caveman gene, and that is the gene that causes people to store fat for the winter. Whenever someone gorges themselves on fatty food, that fat is then stored on their body unless they have a remarkably high metabolism. As Winter approaches cavemen find themselves eating less fruits and berries and more meat. Combined with less sunlight and they are taking in less Vitamin D, which kickstarts a fat-storing process for the Winter. Thanks to the extra meat they will eating more fat, and if the food is plentiful they should have fat tummies by the time winter arrives and food becomes more scarce.

The reverse happens in the Spring when increased sunlight and more fruits/veggies increases Vitamin D intake and people start losing weight and feeling more energetic. So if your goal is weight loss the modern man does have an advantage: We can keep eating fruits/veggies in the colder months and maintain our Vitamin D levels so we don't store up fat like cavemen do.






The good news about the Hunter / Gatherer Diet is that its very easy to maintain. The food tastes good, you still get to eat meat and dairy, but you're avoiding carbs, sugars and fats - things which have been proven to be bad for us health wise.

Giving up our beloved sandwiches and pizzas and cakes can be tricky. But it can be done if you have the willpower and eventually you reach a point where you don't really miss the carbs because you've kicked the habit.

It also promotes the concept of buying freshly butchered meat as opposed to processed meats which have sugar, salt and other things added to them.

You can still have things like bacon, but you still shouldn't be eating bacon on a constant basis.



Seeds and nuts are a great source of healthy fats and protein. Chocolate covered almonds still make a good treat on rare occasions. You can still expect the once in awhile craving for sugar or chocolate, and you shouldn't be afraid to treat yourself - but you have to discipline yourself at the same time and remember that its all about maintaining a healthy balance.

Ultimately, it's up to the individual to figure out how they want their diet to work. Some people might choose that they don't want to give up ice cream - but as a balancing factor they aim for the low fat ice cream and they sprinkle or combine the ice cream with nuts and berries.

Deprivation diets don't work - but understanding the need for balance in a healthy diet does work.

Six Pack Abs - The Final 5 Lbs

Lets say for a moment that you used to be obese. You've lost 100 lbs since then, and its been a long process of exercise, maintaining your diet, and you may have even fallen off the horse a couple times on your quest to have Six Pack Abs, but now you're almost there.

You can FEEL your ab muscles underneath a tiny layer of fat and skin. You are so close you can literally feel the muscles, but try as you might you cannot seem to shed that last 5 lbs and attain the Six Pack Abs you've been dreaming of.

After succeeding at a long term weight loss program many people like Jim find that they can't firm up the final few few pounds around their midsection. It is a common problem, but there is a solution.

Here are four techniques to try (possibly in combination):

1. Stress Management

On the wellness side of things, stress makes it difficult to shed fat. Especially if you are too stressed to eat properly or keep to your exercise routine. Stress makes you do two things: #1. It makes you want to relax, pig out and let yourself go. #2. Stress releases hormones that will make your body try to store fat - starting with your midsection.

Thus when you are feeling stressed here is what you need to do: Take a nap, do yoga and/or meditation. Sleep and time to think will do wonders for your stress levels and you won't feel the need to relax and binge on food.

2. Focus on Diet

Nutritionists always tell people that if they are exercising to their full potential, and not seeing the results that they want to achieve, then they need to be looking at their diet. The last few pounds around the waistline is notoriously toned with a cleaner diet. This should include eating plenty of vegetables, raising protein and lowering carbs. It also helps to drink plenty of water and avoid sugar.

A more extreme version might be to try a lemonade detox diet for 10 days. Or at very least cutting out carbs for 1 month (no bread, no pasta, no potatoes, etc) until you've lost those last 5 lbs.

3. Core Training

Sometimes putting on extra muscle helps to firm up the skin that is covering the abdominal. In addition to isolated abs training, focusing strength sessions on compound exercises (using more than one muscle at a time) and exercise that combines balance, plyometrics and stretching. Yes, stretching helps to develop muscle!

4. Marathon Training

Or at least a 5 km run. If you aren't doing it already, try training for a long run like a marathon or half marathon. Start jogging/running every day for 1 hour.

A 125-lb. person burns 283 calories running 4 mph for one hour. Increasing to a 5-mph pace burns an additional 227 calories per hour.

A 150-lb. person burns 340 calories running 4 mph for one hour. Increasing to a 5 mph pace burns an additional 272 calories per hour.

A 175-lb. person burns 397 calories running 4 mph for one hour. Increasing to a 5-mph pace burns an additional 317 calories per hour.

Over a period of a month such a regimen will burn approx. 4 to 10 lbs depending on your size and speed. You may discover it will work faster than that thanks to the After Burn Effect - calories being burned after doing high intensity exercise due to your cell's energy being replenished and muscle tissue being repaired  / new tissue created.

Long distance running also produces "Runner's High" - a cocktail of addictive hormones in your system - which will lower your stress, but beware of the dangers of addiction because some runners become so addicted they lose friends and family because they're outside running 100 km+ per week.

Combined these four tips will help to achieve a lean and hard midsection and get you those Six Pack Abs you've been dreaming of.