Archives for Nutrition Tips category
Posted on Jul 17, 2009 under Nutrition Tips |
A million and one people will try to tell you how to get a 6 pack, but these 6 items are essential for building a nice, defined stomach. Small changes to our daily routines can bring about big results, so don’t be afraid to keep these 6 practical items on you at all times.
1. The 6 Pack
At all times, you should have a pack on you. Whether it is your purse, backpack, trunk of your car, or gym bag. The next 5 items need to be stored somewhere and think of this as your 6 pack. Because without it, your stomach will just be a storage shed.
2. Water
With our muscles consisting of over 75% water, you’ll need plenty of this if you plan to have any sort of abs showing. Fill as much of your pack up with water as possible and try to keep in mind how far away the closest resupply is. Without water we are… well.. fat.
3. The MRP
The Meal Replacement Protein Shake or Bar. This is an emergency meal you keep on you at all times in case you forget a meal. We need to eat at least once every three hours and getting stuck in traffic or stranded at the office isn’t a valid excuse. You can research MRPs to find great options. I prefer the Zero Impact Bar found here.
4. Vitamins & Supplements
If you aren’t taking vitamins, then it’s time to jump on the wagon. Our body can only absorb so many nutrients at a time and it’s crucial to be able to resupply midway through the day. You should have a few Omega 3 pills on you as well as your evening supply of your daily multivitamin.
5. Snack
We are already carrying around an MRP, but go above and beyond. Sometimes you’re stranded for more than a few hours, and for most this 6 pack is going to go with you to the office in the morning and you won’t be home until late at night. So take a snack with you as well when your body craves some “real food” and you don’t want to hit up the vending machine. Some grapes & cheese or nuts & berries usually do the trick.
6. Money & ID
Ok, so most of you already do this one, but let it be known this is all that should be in the 6pack. No lipgloss is needed – simply stay hydrated. No compact or swiss army knife either. If you need to reaffirm that you’re cool, just lift your shirt and feel those washboard abs you’re now forming since you’re carrying around a new 6 pack! Don’t weigh your pack down with unneeded items or you’ll start to forget the imporance of what is in there & the purpose it serves.
Posted on Jul 15, 2009 under Nutrition Tips |
I put cinnamon in almost everything. From my chocolate milk to cottage cheese to my peanut butter and banana sandwiches. Along with its versatility and incredible flavor it’s also really good for you. I mean really good.
In addition to its unique essential oils, cinnamon is an excellent source of manganese as well as a very good source of dietary fiber, iron and calcium. The combination of calcium and fiber in cinnamon is important and can be helpful for the prevention of several different conditions. By aiding in the elimination of waste, it reduces the risk of colon cancer. When fiber removes waste, the body breaks down cholesterol in order to make new waste. In turn, this helps lower high cholesterol levels, which can prevent heart disease.
Not only does consuming cinnamon improve the body’s ability to eliminate toxins, it also assists the body in utilizing blood sugar, and it increases brain activity- just by smelling it!
The health benefits of cinnamon goes on and on. Overall it’s one of the best foods for you. To put this into perspective, the ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) unit, ORAC value/score is a way of measuring the antioxidant capacity of different foods and supplements.
Ground cloves are the best with a score of 314, 446. Coming in second is raw bran with a score of 312, 400, and rounding the top 3 is ground cinnamon, with a score of 267, 536. The numbers vary with different serving sizes.
Now there’s something to think about the next time you reach for your spice rack.
Posted on Jun 05, 2008 under Nutrition Tips |
Here is a 1500 (actually 1212) calorie protein shake for you hard gainers out there. This protein shake is packed with:
1 scoop NOW Dutch Chocolate Whey Protein Powder 0 6 0
1 scoop NOW Carbo Gain 6.5 0 0
1 Frozen Banana 2.5 0 0
5 Tbsp Trader Joes Unsalted Peanut Butter 1 3 8
Carbs Proteins Fats Total
Exchanges 10 9 8 10 9 8
Grams 150 63 40 253
Calories 600 252 360 1212
Percentage 50% 21% 30% 100%
Posted on Apr 20, 2008 under Nutrition Tips, Training Tips |
You would never believe some of our recommendations for better health. Too often do I see people trying to fix symptoms, not the problem itself. For example. Let’s look at how to whiten your teeth. Most people would think brushing their teeth, avoiding coffees and dark sodas, and even using bleach is the best answer. Wrong!
Believe it or not, taking care of your overall health fixes so many problems such as bad breath, aching bones, and yes – even discolored teeth. This can be applied to many symptoms you may be experiencing and the overall idea is to improve your foundation instead of tackling each problem individually.
Let’s analyze your discolored teeth in a little more detail. Your teeth are made of calcium and are essentially bones. Not only that, but they are living bones. Too often, people believe their teeth are doomed to stay however they are unless painted or bleached back to perfection. However, by taking care of your health, you can increase the strength, density, and color of your bones. This is important when trying to achieve that perfect smile. Here are just a few outside the box ideas to get them white again:
Get Sunlight – When you are out in the sun, your body absorbs Vitamin D. Sufficient levels of vitamin D are determinant for calcium absorption. Thus, if you are drinking plenty of milk but not getting sunlight – the milk will not help!
Lift Weights – I know, it sounds ludicrous, but what did we mention before? Your teeth are bones. In order to strengthen a bone, we must work it out, right? This can apply to your entire body. If you work out your legs – your heart will benefit, your bones will benefit everywhere and this includes your teeth. The increase in calcium absorption won’t happen in one spot. Heavy resistance training will trigger calcium to be absorbed everywhere. So if you want to prevent cavities, simply do heavy resistance training to build strong bones everywhere.
Eat Superfoods - Dark colas, coffee, and teas are common drinks that will stain your teeth. If you think of your teeth as a filter for everything that goes in your body, then wouldn’t you want to treat the filter as best as possible? This means the more sweets and junk you put in your system, the worst off your filter will be. Digestion actually starts in the mouth and the teeth are a vital part of this process. So stick to the superfoods: brocolli, almonds, acai, blueberries, and more. Even though foods such as blueberries are very colored, they will aid in fortifiying your teeth to help keep them nice & white.
Don’t Worry – If you grind your teeth when you sleep, you could be wearing away your beautiful pearls! Sleep grinders are due to stress. Learn to let go and be happy. Everyone has problems. Learn to handle anything that comes your way with a smile – NOT by biting the bullet. You can cause stress to your teeth that will cause wear & tear over time just by thinking negative thoughts.
So believe it or not, teeth whitening is about the last thing on the list when it comes to having pretty pearls. Think about your overall health and many problems will disappear that you never knew you actually had complete control of.
Besides having white teeth, you’ll find that changing your overall health will fix numerous problems & prevent future problems from coming up. It’s no coincidence that worry free people who get adequate sunlight, exercise regularly and have a healthy diet are also the same people with beautiful long hair, great nails, and great teeth. Have fun this summer and think of those teeth when you are sunbathing!
Posted on Apr 13, 2008 under Nutrition Tips |
#1 Right Source
The most important aspect of your protein shake is where the protein originates and how it gets blended into the shake. Most shake shops use the cheapest form of protein: soy. I’m not a fan and believe we should use whey. While this is known by most, it is unknown that there are different types of 
whey. When creating a shake yourself, make sure to get 100% Whey Protein Isolate that has been filtered using some form of unchemical and unaltered molecules. The best in is Croff Flow Microfiltration (CFM). If the package doesn’t say, then it most likely is NOT CFM. As of date published, our favorite pick is NOW Whey Protein & it has been for years.
#2 Bad Sweeteners
As crazy as it sounds, most protein shakes are cancerous! Yes, aspartame found as the last ingredient or those sneaky companies who write “Natural & Artificial Flavorings” can cause cancer! It is much healthier to just add fruit to make your shake sweet. If you really must add sugar, add pure honey. It is easy to burn off these carbs, but it’s mindblowing that you’d rather take cancer over a few extra calories.
#3 Wrong Ratios
So a protein shake is great if you are trying to supplement protein to a meal, but it isn’t suggested you drink this by itself. A meal replacement protein shake means that it is an entire meal. Most of us are using protein shakes as entire meals, so why not drink an MRP instead? It is unknown to most that you actually need carbohydrates to help protein get absorbed. Also, our bodies can’t absorb much more than 40g of protein at a time. With this in mind, I recommend taking a protein shake with 20g of carbohydrates, 40g of protein, and 5g of fat. Or a shake with an Exchange of 1 6 1
#4 When to take what
There are three different types of protein shakes to take in my opinion. The Protein shake, the MRP, and the Bedtime Shake. The protein shake should be taken during competition or immediately prior to working out. It’s main purpose is to raise get amino acids back into your system immediately without causing any digestion to happen. This is great when working out since we don’t want our body to cramp up. The MRP is just what it says – a Meal Replacement Protein shake. Use this when you want a protein shake instead of a meal. It should have the 1 6 1 ratio mentioned in Rule #3. The Bedtime Protein Shake should have calcium caseinate in it. It actually isn’t very beneficial to have a whey protein shake before bed. So pay attention to when you’re having your shake and use the correct tool for the job at hand.
#5 Get your Fiber
It isn’t very beneficial to have the protein shake by itself as it will just pass through your system. We mentioned having carbs, but we didn’t mention fiber. This is so important it deserves it’s own line in the rulebook. Without getting fiber, protein will pass through your system and can lead to diabetes. It will help make you feel full, and help in digestion. Fiber also slows down the absorption rate and curbs your blood sugar level. So make sure to look for fiber when choosing a shake. If your shake doesn’t have any, or if you’re making your own, do one of these two things. Add wheat germ – the best part of bread that is usually left out. It can be picked up at your local grocery store. Or blend in some oats. They grind smoothly into the blender, especially if you let them soak in some water first. If you’re really adventurous, throw in the peeling to your fruits. The peeling holds the most amount of fiber.
Posted on Nov 28, 2007 under Nutrition Tips, Training Tips |
This Meal Plan was designed for a college student who was already in pretty good shape, but wanted to drop her bodyfat by about 3%. Going from 23% bodyfat to 20% will change your physique from a slight muffin top to an athlete. It will carve your abs, tone your butt, and give you nice lines on your arms without gaining any weight whatsoever. So we bring the meal plan to you. This is just a glance of one week. We highly advise meeting with us before proceeding on a meal plan all on your own!
Exchanges: Our meal plans are best understood when you know what Exchanges are. Please listen to our audio files on Exchanges before reading our meal plans. This will give you an understanding as to what a 1/0/2 or a 3/4/1 is and other variations.
Monday
8:00- wake up
8:05- 1/5/1 – protein shake: w/ milk or water w/ ¼ banana, or juice, or water and 2 strawberries
9:30- 1/0/0 – ¼ banana or 3 strawberries
10:00- workout
11:00- 1/2/1 – piece of bread, 2 egg whites, 5 almonds
12:15- 1/3/.5 – piece of bread, chicken, avocado, tomato, onion, cheese
2:45- 1/1/2 – ½ apple w/ PB
4:45- 1/3/1.5 – piece of bread, chicken, avocado, tomato, onion, cheese
6:45- .5/3/1 – protein shake w/ water and flaxseed oil and ¼ banana
7:00- workout
8:45- 1/2/0 – ¼ banana, ½ scoop protein
10:30- 1/2/2 – 1 cup yogurt w/ protein mix, granola and wheat germ
|
Carb |
Protein |
Fat |
Total |
| Exchange |
8.5 |
21 |
9 |
38.5 |
| Grams |
127.5 |
147 |
45 |
319.5 |
| Calories |
510 |
588 |
405 |
1503 |
| Percentage |
33.93% |
39.12% |
26.95% |
|
Tuesday
6:45- wake up
7:00- 2/1/1 – milk, cereal, 1 egg white9:00- 0/1/2 – trail mix11:00- 0/1/2 – trail mix12:45- 2/3/1 – spaghetti…more pasta
1:45- workout..upper body resistance
2:45- 1/1/2 – 1/3 zero impact bar
4:30- 1/3/1 – spaghetti…less pasta
6:55- 1/1/2 – 1/3 zero impact bar
8:25- 1/1/2 – 1/3 zero impact bar
10:30- 1/3/1 – protein shake
|
Carb |
Protein |
Fat |
Total |
| Exchange |
9 |
15 |
14 |
38 |
| Grams |
135 |
105 |
70 |
310 |
| Calories |
540 |
420 |
630 |
1590 |
| Percentage |
33.96% |
26.42% |
39.62% |
|
Wednesday
8:00- wake up
8:05- 2/0/0 – half banana and water
8:30- 8:50- HIIT training
9:00- 1/4/1 – protein shake
10:00- workout
11:30- 1.5/1/0 – protein shake
12:15- grocery shopping
1:00- 1/3/1 – salad w/ lots of eggs
2:00- run
4:00- 0/1/2 – trail mix
6:50- 1/3/1 – spaghetti or salad again or chicken sandwich
9:30- 1/2/2.5 – glass of milk and 1/3 zero impact bar
11:00- 0/3/1 – protein shake
|
Carb |
Protein |
Fat |
Total |
| Exchange |
6.5 |
15 |
6 |
27.5 |
| Grams |
97.5 |
105 |
30 |
232.5 |
| Calories |
390 |
420 |
270 |
1080 |
| Percentage |
36.11% |
38.89% |
25.00% |
|
Thursday
6:45- wake up
7:00- 2/1/1 – milk, cereal, one egg white
9:00- 0/1/2 – trail mix
11:00- 0/1/2 – trail mix
12:45- 1/4/2 – salmon with broccoli
2:00- workout…upper body
2:30- 1/4/1 – protein shake
4:30- 1/3/1.5 – chicken sandwich
6:55- .5/2/1.5 – 1/3 zero impact bar
9:15- 1/1/2 – PB and bread
11:00- 132 – protein shake
|
Carb |
Protein |
Fat |
Total |
| Exchange |
7.5 |
20 |
15 |
42.5 |
| Grams |
112.5 |
140 |
75 |
327.5 |
| Calories |
450 |
560 |
675 |
1685 |
| Percentage |
26.71% |
33.23% |
40.06% |
|
Friday
9:00- wake up
9:05- 2/4/1 – 2/3 cup yogurt, ¼ cup granola, protein mix
9:40- 3 mile run10:15- 1/2/0 – protein shake w/ ¼ banana
12:15- 1/3/1 – taco
3:00- 1/3/2 – fruit(1 exchange) w/ cheese(12 cubes or 3 oz), 3 walnuts
5:30- .5/2/1.5 – 1/3 zero impact bar
7:00- 1/2/1 – 12 pretzel sticks w/ 3 egg whites and 5 walnuts
9:15- 001 – 5 walnuts
10:15- 1/3/2 – protein shake
|
Carb |
Protein |
Fat |
Total |
| Exchange |
7 |
19 |
9 |
35 |
| Grams |
105 |
133 |
45 |
283 |
| Calories |
420 |
532 |
405 |
1357 |
| Percentage |
30.95% |
39.20% |
29.85% |
|
Saturday
9:00- wake up
9:05- 2/3/1 – protein smoothie
10:00- workout11:15- 1/2/1 – yogurt, berries and almonds, wheat germ
12:30- 2/1/1 – broccoli and cheese soup
3:00- 1/3/1.5 – toast, 3 egg whites, avocado and cheese
5:45- 0/1/2 – trail mix
7:00- 2/3/2 -lasagna
9:45- 1.5/0/1 – sorbet, 2 strawberries, dark cocoa, almonds, wheat germ
11:30- 1/0/2 – glass of milk with 5 walnuts
|
Carb |
Protein |
Fat |
Total |
| Exchange |
10.5 |
13 |
11 |
34.5 |
| Grams |
157.5 |
91 |
55 |
303.5 |
| Calories |
630 |
364 |
495 |
1489 |
| Percentage |
42.31% |
24.45% |
33.24% |
|
Sunday
9:00- wake up
9:30- 0/1/2 – trail mix
12:00- 0/1/2 – celery and PB
3:30- 1/3/1 – protein shake
6:30- .5/4/1 – steak and egg omelet w/ avocado
10:00- 1/4/2 – PB smoothie- ¼ banana, 2 berries, I Tbsp PB, wheat germ, 1 scoop protein mix, water
|
Carb |
Protein |
Fat |
Total |
| Exchange |
2.5 |
13 |
8 |
23.5 |
| Grams |
37.5 |
91 |
40 |
168.5 |
| Calories |
150 |
364 |
360 |
874 |
| Percentage |
17.16% |
41.65% |
41.19% |
|
Weekly Total:
|
Carb |
Protein |
Fat |
Total |
| Exchange |
51.5 |
116 |
72 |
239.5 |
| Grams |
772.5 |
812 |
360 |
1944.5 |
| Calories |
3090 |
3248 |
3240 |
9578 |
| Percentage |
32.26% |
33.91% |
33.83% |
|
Daily Average:
|
Carb |
Protein |
Fat |
Total |
| Exchange |
7.35 |
16.57 |
10.29 |
34.21 |
| Grams |
110.25 |
115.99 |
51.45 |
277.69 |
| Calories |
441 |
463.96 |
463.05 |
1368.01 |
| Percentage |
32.24% |
33.91% |
33.85% |
|
Posted on Nov 10, 2007 under Nutrition Tips |
Meals are color coded based on what they are:
Green = Carb
Blue= Protein
Brown = Fat
Combo = Combination of Carbs, Protein, and Fat
Breakfast:
Bagel
Peanut Butter
___________________
Apple
Peanut Butter
___________________
Granola cereal w/ almonds
SunMilk
___________________
Piece of toast w/ Promise Butter
Egg whites
Toasted walnuts
___________________
Protein Shake
Flax Oil
___________________
Old Fashioned Oatmeal
Raisins
Unflavored Protein Powder
Toasted Walnuts
___________________
Lunch
One Piece Whole Wheat Bread
Lettuce
Tomato
Onion
Chicken, Turkey, or Tuna
Avocado
___________________
Baby Spinach
Mandarin Oranges
Peppers
Onions
Croutons
Grilled Chicken
Cheese
Toasted Almonds
___________________
Dinner
Salmon
Steamed Broccoli
Brown Rice
___________________
Whole Wheat Spaghetti
Meat
Olive Oil
___________________
Whole Wheat Tortilla
Chicken
Brown Rice
Peppers
Cheese
___________________
Steak
Mashed Potatoes
Green Beans
Red Wine
___________________
Snacks
Bread
Peanut Butter
Jelly
___________________
Crackers
Cheese
Grapes
___________________
Yogurt
Strawberries
Granola w/ nuts
___________________
Dry Cereal
Cheese
Walnuts
___________________
Apple
Cheese
___________________
Half Banana
Walnuts
___________________That’s all for now. I’ll edit this and add in some dinners & other options. If you have any healthy meals you think I should add, please post them below!Remember, eat Carbs, Protein, and Fat at EVERY meal!
I hope this helps!
Posted on Nov 10, 2007 under Nutrition Tips |
Above you can see a nutrition label. Click on the Label or here for a bigger version.
I find that many people read these labels and look at how much fat and try to keep this to 0. They also try to keep sugars low and carbs overall low… I hope this will give you new ideas to think about when reading a label.
Our Priorities should be:
- Get 5 grams of fat in at EVERY meal. This will help curb your blood sugar, control sugar cravings, and give you a feeling of satiety upon completing your meal. Too often do I see people who try to cut back on fat entirely. Especially you round facers out there! Your fat should come from unsaturated fats like those found in nuts, oils, and avocado.
- Cut back on Sodium! Sodium causes bloating, retention of water, and makes you look fatter than you really are. Frankly, cut out as much as you can. Unless you’re a bodybuilder, I highly doubt you need to supplement salt in your diet. One Hot Pocket or Lean Cuisine has enough sodium to fight off an army of 1000 slugs.
- Eat more Protein. Why do I say more? I doubt you’re getting 40% protein in your diet. Try to get 20g of protein in your meal. Most nutrition labels have 1-4 grams which is extremely low. So supplement your meal with protein powder, eggs, meat, etc.
- Cut back on Sugars! No more than 15g of sugar per meal. Watch out for tricky labels that claim they only have 10 grams of sugar, but then there are 8 servings in a dime size portion. Eat the whole package and you’ll have 80 grams!
- Limit Your Carbs: Try to get no more than 45 grams of carbs at one meal. For those of you who understand Exchanges, this is 3 Exchanges of Carbs. Rarely do you see a package with over 45, but make sure you stick to only 1 serving. Don’t couple this serving with another carb serving either – a common mistake.
Posted on Oct 03, 2007 under Nutrition Tips |
So you think I’m joking, right? How hard can it be to boil some eggs. Put the
m on the stove, wait until they’re cooked, and voila!
Well, when you’re eating a dozen eggs a day, you become a master at this.
There are a few tips you should take to make the perfect hard boiled eggs in as little time as possible. When you are in a rush, the last thing you want to do is worry about waiting on these 
suckers to boil.
So, early morning, put your eggs in a pan of water about 2mm above the highest egg. Put your stove on medium setting & let them cook. For soft eggs, take them out as soon as the pot boils. Medium eggs, let them boil for 1-3 minutes. Hard eggs, let them boil 4-5 minutes.
Ok, so here’s the interesting information:
You can prevent the yolk from turning green a few different ways. With the nifty little machine I have pictured here, it comes with a needle that pokes a hole in the egg. This lets the sulfur out & no more green yolks! These machines are nice since they take all the guesswork out for you.
If you don’t want to poke a hole in your egg or don’t have one of these machines, you can simply run cold water over the eggs immediately after taking them off the stove. This will keep the yolk nice & yellow, but more importantly it will help separate the membrane
The Membrane:
The hardest part about stupid eggs is getting that shell off! The fresher the egg, the stronger the cellular structure is going to be. So follow these steps:
Let’s assume you’re going to have 2 eggs every morning. That an average of about a dozen a week. So let’s buy 2 dozen eggs & sit them in the fridge until they’re about a week from “expiring”. The older the egg, the easier it will be to separate the membrane from the egg white.
Now that the egg is aged, go ahead and boil it as mentioned above & dump out the hot water & replace with ice cold water.
Next, let’s hold one egg over a trash can or your sink and give it a good whack on the bigger/bottom side of the shell with one knuckle. If you’re a wimp, use a spoon to give it a good whack. This will easily crack the shell right around the area where you’ll find a nice air pocket to get your fingers in.
Slowly pry the shell down towards the rest of the shell in the opening you made. If done correctly, the entire shell should come off in one or 2 pieces.
This will save you from crunching on little bits of shell. Now discard that yolk & enjoy!
