Here are a few tips from Naturally Savvy on some more ways to tweak your metabolism into high gear. Together all of these tips add up to becoming a fat burning furnace.
Top 5 natural metabolic boosters
by Dr. Joey Shulman
If you think back to your own personal health history, I am confident you can pinpoint a time in your life when the weight just started to “creep” up on you. Whether it was an emotional or stressful trigger that started the number on the scale to climb or the hectic pace of life which caused health to take a back burner position – one day you wake up and realize just do not feel like the vibrant, fit person you were meant to be.
The good news is, the body has an amazing forgiving and restorative nature – given the proper foods, nutrients and conditions, you can lose the weight and feel like your “best” self within a short time. What is metabolism? While studying and speaking to several people about the function of metabolism, I found a majority of people felt their metabolic rate was fixed. In other words, each individual has a “set point” of metabolic function that cannot be changed. While this is true for part of your metabolism, as you will see there is a certain amount of flexibility that can drive your metabolism up or down. The question that researchers and doctors have been investigating for years is if metabolism can be altered thru various lifestyle and dietary changes. If you have difficulty losing weight, it is thought that you are one of the unlucky ones that have a “slow” metabolism dooming you to a future of continued weight gain and weight loss struggles.
If you have a “fast” metabolism, you may be among one of those lucky few who can eat anything and everything they wish never gaining a pound. With great strength, science demonstrates that metabolism can indeed be increased with a variety of natural steps. The key is to strike a fine balance between caloric intake, proper food choices and exercise.
The top 5 way to boost metabolism naturally are;
Do not skip breakfast! Picture your metabolic rate shaped as an ice cream cone. In other words, starting at the top - it is at its highest in the morning and starts to decline on a gradual level as the day progresses. Unfortunately, most of us have a backwards approach to eating when it comes to weight loss and meals. We skip breakfast for a variety of reasons such as lack of hunger, a busy schedule or to save on calories. While this may seem to make sense from a pure “calories in, calories out” theory, research has demonstrated time and time again that this approach will result in weight gain. Whether it is a protein shake, a yogurt and granola parfait or slow cooking oatmeal – you need something to start your day off right.
Eat more protein! The hormone glucagon is released in response to dietary protein, such as egg whites, low fat cheese, lean meats, chicken, fish and protein powder. Glucagon signals fat cells to release fat into the blood, thereby promoting its use. In other words, more fat is burned and more weight is lost when you eat more protein.
Say good-bye to refined grains. Refined grains, such as breads, pastas, cookies and cakes, cause most people to over-secrete the hormone insulin. Insulin has the opposite effect of glucagon. Of its many functions, insulin is secreted from the pancreas to facilitate the uptake of glucose from the bloodstream into the cells. Glucose (a.k.a. blood sugar) is derived from carbohydrates and is the main source of fuel for the body. When too many of the wrong types of carbohydrates are consumed, such as refined white sugar and/or white flour, excess insulin is secreted to deal with the sugar. In short, excess insulin = excess fat.
Stick to low glycemic index carbohydrates such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains (breads and pastas) and beans. Do not be scared of eating bread! Research demonstrates very clearly that whole grains are beneficial for weight loss and the prevention of type II diabetes, colon cancer and constipation.
Go for green – Instead of your morning coffee – opt for some green tea. Green tea has many health benefits, from helping to fight diseases such as cancer and heart disease, to aiding in weight loss. Studies show that catechins, the antioxidants in green tea, help increase fat burning. Research also shows that green tea may lower blood sugars by inhibiting enzymes that allow the absorption of starches, and it may reduce the absorption of fat from the intestine. Typical dosage is three or four cups per day or a 300 to 400 mg capsule of green tea extract daily. Take home point
Your total metabolic rate is not fixed. In fact, there is a certain part of it that is elastic and when given the proper foods, hydration, exercise and supplements can rev up and help you slim down naturally. Good appetite!
End.
These are all good tips to live by. Give them a try one at at time.
Your friend in fitness,
Kelli
www.KelliCalabrese.com
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Curbing Your Carbohydrate Addiction
If you are in a vicious cycle of craving carbs, particularly after a balanced meal you may need to wean off of simple carbs - just as you would alcohol. The more you eat, the more you want and the sweater the carb has to be to take the edge off. Ultimately excess simple sugars are stored as excess fat. Replace simple carbs with whole grain carbs and do your best to eat balanced meals and then distract yourself until the craving passes. Do not try to trick yourself with low sugar pudding or jello or other treats that truly are simple carbs in disguise. Berries and other fruits make for a great substitute and will move you closer to being rid of the addiction once and for all.
Curbing Your Carbohydrate Addiction
By Christopher Guerriero, BS, CPT
Some experts consider carbohydrate craving and addiction as something more of the body than of the mind, meaning biological factors are generally considered to be the main trigger for carb cravings. These cravings are described as a compelling craving, or desire for carbohydrate-rich foods; an escalating, recurring need or drive for starches, snack foods, junk food, or sweets.This is where the cycle of carbohydrates and cravings start.
High-sugar, refined starch, convenience and comfort foods feed the addiction like a drug. This results in high blood sugar and insulin levels which results in more cravings. The situation also results in higher levels of serotonin - a brain chemical that acts like Prozac. People eat sweets to get the "sugar high."Another contributing factor to overeating and sweet craving is stress. When we are tense, the adrenal gland produces more of the hormone cortisol. Cortisol stimulates production of a brain chemical called "neuropeptide Y."This is kind of a carbohydrate craving switch.
Aside from this, neuropeptide Y also makes the body hang on to the new body fat we produce. In other words, tension not only triggers carbohydrate cravings, it also makes it more difficult to lose any additional weight. Cortisol also stimulates insulin, which leads to blood sugar dips and fat storage.It's a vicious cycle that feeds on itself, over and over.Food is not just a biological need; there is also an emotional element to it. Something in our emotional state, particularly a negative one evokes an urge for "comfort" food.
By dealing with the issue behind the cravings, it produces emotional relief that can reduce or even eliminate the urge to overeat.All in all, most experts agree that by eating enough wholesome foods at meals and by having a healthy afternoon snack, people can minimize their cravings for sweets.Here are recommendations to curb carb cravings.
1. Eat less but more often. Eat small meals or snacks containing some PROTEIN every few hours to keep blood-sugar levels steady.Skipping meals causes blood sugar levels to drop, which leaves you yearning for processed carbohydrates and sweets for energy.
2. Be selective about the carbohydrates you eat. Avoid nutrient-stripped foods made of white flour, white rice, refined sugar and highly concentrated sweeteners. Look for foods rich in fiber such as fresh vegetables and fruits, which level off blood sugar.
3. Don't skimp on protein to ?make room' for large amounts of carbohydrates. Protein gives the body extended energy, helps balance blood sugar and keeps cravings at bay.
4. Limit your intake of alcohol, fruit juice and caffeinated drinks. These cause abrupt blood-sugar highs followed by troublesome blood-sugar lows, leaving you starved for energy.
5. Eat small portions of seasonal goodies AFTER protein-containing meals or snacks, if at all. If you eat sweets on an empty stomach, you'll experience blood-sugar lows that trigger the desire for more sweets.
6. Avoid becoming famished during shopping trips and while traveling. Carry protein-rich snacks such as nuts, hard-boiled eggs, nutrient-balanced energy bars or "vegetable greens" like those listed. These high-power foods are great when you feel your energy drop.
7. Get enough sleep. When the body and mind are well-rested, cravings for carbohydrates often vanish.
Curbing Your Carbohydrate Addiction
By Christopher Guerriero, BS, CPT
Some experts consider carbohydrate craving and addiction as something more of the body than of the mind, meaning biological factors are generally considered to be the main trigger for carb cravings. These cravings are described as a compelling craving, or desire for carbohydrate-rich foods; an escalating, recurring need or drive for starches, snack foods, junk food, or sweets.This is where the cycle of carbohydrates and cravings start.
High-sugar, refined starch, convenience and comfort foods feed the addiction like a drug. This results in high blood sugar and insulin levels which results in more cravings. The situation also results in higher levels of serotonin - a brain chemical that acts like Prozac. People eat sweets to get the "sugar high."Another contributing factor to overeating and sweet craving is stress. When we are tense, the adrenal gland produces more of the hormone cortisol. Cortisol stimulates production of a brain chemical called "neuropeptide Y."This is kind of a carbohydrate craving switch.
Aside from this, neuropeptide Y also makes the body hang on to the new body fat we produce. In other words, tension not only triggers carbohydrate cravings, it also makes it more difficult to lose any additional weight. Cortisol also stimulates insulin, which leads to blood sugar dips and fat storage.It's a vicious cycle that feeds on itself, over and over.Food is not just a biological need; there is also an emotional element to it. Something in our emotional state, particularly a negative one evokes an urge for "comfort" food.
By dealing with the issue behind the cravings, it produces emotional relief that can reduce or even eliminate the urge to overeat.All in all, most experts agree that by eating enough wholesome foods at meals and by having a healthy afternoon snack, people can minimize their cravings for sweets.Here are recommendations to curb carb cravings.
1. Eat less but more often. Eat small meals or snacks containing some PROTEIN every few hours to keep blood-sugar levels steady.Skipping meals causes blood sugar levels to drop, which leaves you yearning for processed carbohydrates and sweets for energy.
2. Be selective about the carbohydrates you eat. Avoid nutrient-stripped foods made of white flour, white rice, refined sugar and highly concentrated sweeteners. Look for foods rich in fiber such as fresh vegetables and fruits, which level off blood sugar.
3. Don't skimp on protein to ?make room' for large amounts of carbohydrates. Protein gives the body extended energy, helps balance blood sugar and keeps cravings at bay.
4. Limit your intake of alcohol, fruit juice and caffeinated drinks. These cause abrupt blood-sugar highs followed by troublesome blood-sugar lows, leaving you starved for energy.
5. Eat small portions of seasonal goodies AFTER protein-containing meals or snacks, if at all. If you eat sweets on an empty stomach, you'll experience blood-sugar lows that trigger the desire for more sweets.
6. Avoid becoming famished during shopping trips and while traveling. Carry protein-rich snacks such as nuts, hard-boiled eggs, nutrient-balanced energy bars or "vegetable greens" like those listed. These high-power foods are great when you feel your energy drop.
7. Get enough sleep. When the body and mind are well-rested, cravings for carbohydrates often vanish.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Healthy Lifestyle Triggers Genetic Changes
This article excites me. I love the idea that we have the power to change our genetics and express our most positive genes - even when diagnosed with cancer! Too often I have heard people say I have bad genes. Now there IS proof that you can do something about it with healthy lifestyle changes.
Healthy lifestyle triggers genetic changes: study
Mon Jun 16, 2008 9:21pm EDT
By Will Dunham
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Comprehensive lifestyle changes including a better diet and more exercise can lead not only to a better physique, but also to swift and dramatic changes at the genetic level, U.S. researchers said on Monday.
In a small study, the researchers tracked 30 men with low-risk prostate cancer who decided against conventional medical treatment such as surgery and radiation or hormone therapy.
The men underwent three months of major lifestyle changes, including eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and soy products, moderate exercise such as walking for half an hour a day, and an hour of daily stress management methods such as meditation.
As expected, they lost weight, lowered their blood pressure and saw other health improvements. But the researchers found more profound changes when they compared prostate biopsies taken before and after the lifestyle changes.
After the three months, the men had changes in activity in about 500 genes -- including 48 that were turned on and 453 genes that were turned off.
The activity of disease-preventing genes increased while a number of disease-promoting genes, including those involved in prostate cancer and breast cancer, shut down, according to the study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The research was led by Dr. Dean Ornish, head of the Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, California, and a well-known author advocating lifestyle changes to improve health.
"It's an exciting finding because so often people say, 'Oh, it's all in my genes, what can I do?' Well, it turns out you may be able to do a lot," Ornish, who is also affiliated with the University of California, San Francisco, said in a telephone interview.
"'In just three months, I can change hundreds of my genes simply by changing what I eat and how I live?' That's pretty exciting," Ornish said. "The implications of our study are not limited to men with prostate cancer."
Ornish said the men avoided conventional medical treatment for prostate cancer for reasons separate from the study. But in making that decision, they allowed the researchers to look at biopsies in people with cancer before and after lifestyle changes.
"It gave us the opportunity to have an ethical reason for doing repeat biopsies in just a three-month period because they needed that anyway to look at their clinical changes (in their prostate cancer)," Ornish said.
(Editing by Julie Steenhuysen and Xavier Briand)
Healthy lifestyle triggers genetic changes: study
Mon Jun 16, 2008 9:21pm EDT
By Will Dunham
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Comprehensive lifestyle changes including a better diet and more exercise can lead not only to a better physique, but also to swift and dramatic changes at the genetic level, U.S. researchers said on Monday.
In a small study, the researchers tracked 30 men with low-risk prostate cancer who decided against conventional medical treatment such as surgery and radiation or hormone therapy.
The men underwent three months of major lifestyle changes, including eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and soy products, moderate exercise such as walking for half an hour a day, and an hour of daily stress management methods such as meditation.
As expected, they lost weight, lowered their blood pressure and saw other health improvements. But the researchers found more profound changes when they compared prostate biopsies taken before and after the lifestyle changes.
After the three months, the men had changes in activity in about 500 genes -- including 48 that were turned on and 453 genes that were turned off.
The activity of disease-preventing genes increased while a number of disease-promoting genes, including those involved in prostate cancer and breast cancer, shut down, according to the study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The research was led by Dr. Dean Ornish, head of the Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, California, and a well-known author advocating lifestyle changes to improve health.
"It's an exciting finding because so often people say, 'Oh, it's all in my genes, what can I do?' Well, it turns out you may be able to do a lot," Ornish, who is also affiliated with the University of California, San Francisco, said in a telephone interview.
"'In just three months, I can change hundreds of my genes simply by changing what I eat and how I live?' That's pretty exciting," Ornish said. "The implications of our study are not limited to men with prostate cancer."
Ornish said the men avoided conventional medical treatment for prostate cancer for reasons separate from the study. But in making that decision, they allowed the researchers to look at biopsies in people with cancer before and after lifestyle changes.
"It gave us the opportunity to have an ethical reason for doing repeat biopsies in just a three-month period because they needed that anyway to look at their clinical changes (in their prostate cancer)," Ornish said.
(Editing by Julie Steenhuysen and Xavier Briand)
12 Food Additives to Avoid
The issue of whether or not food additives such as artificial colors contribute to behavioral problems in children has been disputed for many years. I believe that food additives such as preservatives, sweeteners , nitrates, fillers and colorings should be avoided as much as possible, regardless of whether they have a marked effect or not as they clearly have no redeeming nutritional value, and can carry major long-term health risks.
Read this article from MNS Health for more details.
12 Food Additives to Avoid
Including something new in a food isn’t always a good idea, especially when it comes to your health. Here are 12 additives to subtract from your diet:(Please understand these are not my assessments, but those by MSN Health and Fitness. My comments and recommendations are in my comment below.)1. Sodium Nitrate (also called Sodium Nitrite)This is a preservative, coloring, and flavoring commonly added to bacon, ham, hot dogs, luncheon meats, smoked fish, and corned beef. Studies have linked eating it to various types of cancer.
2. BHA and BHT
Butylated hydroxyanisole and butylated hydrozyttoluene are used to preserve common household foods. They are found in cereals, chewing gum, potato chips, and vegetable oils. They are oxidants, which form potentially cancer-causing reactive compounds in your body.
3. Propyl Gallate
Another preservative, often used in conjunction with BHA and BHT. It is sometimes found in meat products, chicken soup base, and chewing gum. Animals studies have suggested that it could be linked to cancer.
4. Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
MSG is an amino acid used as a flavor enhancer in soups, salad dressings, chips, frozen entrees, and restaurant food. It can cause headaches and nausea, and animal studies link it to damaged nerve cells in the brains of infant mice.
5. Trans Fats
Trans fats are proven to cause heart disease. Restaurant food, especially fast food chains, often serve foods laden with trans fats.
6. Aspartame
Aspartame, also known by the brand names Nutrasweet and Equal, is a sweetener found in so-called diet foods such as low-calorie desserts, gelatins, drink mixes, and soft drinks. It may cause cancer or neurological problems, such as dizziness or hallucinations.
7. Acesulfame-K
This is a relatively new artificial sweetener found in baked goods, chewing gum, and gelatin desserts. There is a general concern that testing on this product has been scant, and some studies show the additive may cause cancer in rats.
8. Food Colorings: Blue 1, 2; Red 3; Green 3; Yellow 6
Five food colorings still on the market are linked with cancer in animal testing. Blue 1 and 2, found in beverages, candy, baked goods and pet food, have been linked to cancer in mice. Red 3, used to dye cherries, fruit cocktail, candy, and baked goods, has been shown to cause thyroid tumors in rats. Green 3, added to candy and beverages, has been linked to bladder cancer. The widely used yellow 6, added to beverages, sausage, gelatin, baked goods, and candy, has been linked to tumors of the adrenal gland and kidney.
9. Olestra
Olestra, a synthetic fat found in some potato chip brands, can cause severe diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and gas. Olestra also inhibits healthy vitamin absorption from fat-soluble carotenoids that are found in fruits and vegetables.
10. Potassium Bromate
Potassium bromate is used as an additive to increase volume in some white flour, breads, and rolls. It is known to cause cancer in animals, and even small amounts in bread can create a risk for humans.
11. White Sugar
Watch out for foods with added sugars, such as baked goods, cereals, crackers, sauces and many other processed foods. It is unsafe for your health, and promotes bad nutrition.
12. Sodium Chloride
A dash of sodium chloride, more commonly known as salt, can bring flavor to your meal. But too much salt can be dangerous for your health, leading to high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure.
Sources:
MSN Health and Fitness
Read this article from MNS Health for more details.
12 Food Additives to Avoid
Including something new in a food isn’t always a good idea, especially when it comes to your health. Here are 12 additives to subtract from your diet:(Please understand these are not my assessments, but those by MSN Health and Fitness. My comments and recommendations are in my comment below.)1. Sodium Nitrate (also called Sodium Nitrite)This is a preservative, coloring, and flavoring commonly added to bacon, ham, hot dogs, luncheon meats, smoked fish, and corned beef. Studies have linked eating it to various types of cancer.
2. BHA and BHT
Butylated hydroxyanisole and butylated hydrozyttoluene are used to preserve common household foods. They are found in cereals, chewing gum, potato chips, and vegetable oils. They are oxidants, which form potentially cancer-causing reactive compounds in your body.
3. Propyl Gallate
Another preservative, often used in conjunction with BHA and BHT. It is sometimes found in meat products, chicken soup base, and chewing gum. Animals studies have suggested that it could be linked to cancer.
4. Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
MSG is an amino acid used as a flavor enhancer in soups, salad dressings, chips, frozen entrees, and restaurant food. It can cause headaches and nausea, and animal studies link it to damaged nerve cells in the brains of infant mice.
5. Trans Fats
Trans fats are proven to cause heart disease. Restaurant food, especially fast food chains, often serve foods laden with trans fats.
6. Aspartame
Aspartame, also known by the brand names Nutrasweet and Equal, is a sweetener found in so-called diet foods such as low-calorie desserts, gelatins, drink mixes, and soft drinks. It may cause cancer or neurological problems, such as dizziness or hallucinations.
7. Acesulfame-K
This is a relatively new artificial sweetener found in baked goods, chewing gum, and gelatin desserts. There is a general concern that testing on this product has been scant, and some studies show the additive may cause cancer in rats.
8. Food Colorings: Blue 1, 2; Red 3; Green 3; Yellow 6
Five food colorings still on the market are linked with cancer in animal testing. Blue 1 and 2, found in beverages, candy, baked goods and pet food, have been linked to cancer in mice. Red 3, used to dye cherries, fruit cocktail, candy, and baked goods, has been shown to cause thyroid tumors in rats. Green 3, added to candy and beverages, has been linked to bladder cancer. The widely used yellow 6, added to beverages, sausage, gelatin, baked goods, and candy, has been linked to tumors of the adrenal gland and kidney.
9. Olestra
Olestra, a synthetic fat found in some potato chip brands, can cause severe diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and gas. Olestra also inhibits healthy vitamin absorption from fat-soluble carotenoids that are found in fruits and vegetables.
10. Potassium Bromate
Potassium bromate is used as an additive to increase volume in some white flour, breads, and rolls. It is known to cause cancer in animals, and even small amounts in bread can create a risk for humans.
11. White Sugar
Watch out for foods with added sugars, such as baked goods, cereals, crackers, sauces and many other processed foods. It is unsafe for your health, and promotes bad nutrition.
12. Sodium Chloride
A dash of sodium chloride, more commonly known as salt, can bring flavor to your meal. But too much salt can be dangerous for your health, leading to high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure.
Sources:
MSN Health and Fitness
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Why the Scale Lies
Your scale can tell you how much you weigh in total, but it just cannot tell you if you've lost body fat – unless you have a body fat scale like I use at camp. Expect to add some muscle to your body when you are doing the conditioning we are doing in boot camp. You will want and need it for your metabolism and for your beautiful shape.
The following will add to the reading your scale gives you and are ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY if you want a body that looks and feels great and functions at optimal capacity:
Connective tissue - specifically, tendons and ligaments. Connective tissue adapts through resistance training to allow you to function at higher levels, and it will not adversely affect your body's appearance in any way.
Muscle tissue - As you add lean muscle tissue to your body, you'll burn more calories and stored body fat during exercise as well as throughout the day doing normal activity. And the additional muscle tissue allows your body to look and feel firm and toned.
Glycogen - when you consume whole grain carbohydrates you're body will store glycogen (the reserve fuel that gets converted into glucose, the body's primary source of energy). And with each gram of additional glycogen, your body stores several grams of water along with it. This is a very beneficial process, but it will add to what your scale reads.
Blood Volume - as we become increasingly fit, we add blood volume.
In addition to these positive gains in weight, your scale can vary as much as 3-6% on any given day based on digestive contents and your hydration level.
Here's how you can determine real progress:
Answer the following questions: Do I have more energy? Are my clothes fitting more loosely? Have others commented that I'm "looking good"? Am I starting to like what I see in the mirror?
Measure your body composition - discover how much of you is made up of body fat versus lean body mass. All the methods of measuring body composition are subject to some error, but if you stick to the same method and tester, you'll find that change over time is reliable.
If you're up for it, take a picture of yourself before you start your fitness and fat loss program. You don't even have to look at the photo (yet). Save it for later. After a few months of exercise, take a look at the difference between the old and new you. I would be happy to take the pictures for you.
It's ironic that the increases in connective tissue, lean muscle tissue, glycogen and blood volume - the things that are crucial to improving how your body looks, feels and functions - can be the same things that initially make you think you're making no progress.
Why the Scale Lies
By Renee Cloe
We've been told over and over again that daily weighing is unnecessary, yet many of us can't resist peeking at that number every morning. If you just can't bring yourself to toss the scale in the trash, you should definitely familiarize yourself with the factors that influence its readings. From water retention to glycogen storage and changes in lean body mass, daily weight fluctuations are normal. They are not indicators of your success or failure. Once you understand how these mechanisms work, you can free yourself from the daily battle with the bathroom scale. Water makes up about 60% of total body mass. Normal fluctuations in the body's water content can send scale-watchers into a tailspin if they don't understand what's happening. Two factors influencing water retention are water consumption and salt intake. Strange as it sounds, the less water you drink, the more of it your body retains.
If you are even slightly dehydrated your body will hang onto its water supplies with a vengeance, possibly causing the number on the scale to inch upward. The solution is to drink plenty of water. Excess salt (sodium) can also play a big role in water retention. A single teaspoon of salt contains over 2,000 mg of sodium.
Generally, we should only eat between 1,000 and 3,000 mg of sodium a day, so it's easy to go overboard. Sodium is a sneaky substance. You would expect it to be most highly concentrated in salty chips, nuts, and crackers. However, a food doesn't have to taste salty to be loaded with sodium. A half cup of instant pudding actually contains nearly four times as much sodium as an ounce of salted nuts, 460 mg in the pudding versus 123 mg in the nuts. The more highly processed a food is, the more likely it is to have a high sodium content. That's why, when it comes to eating, it's wise to stick mainly to the basics: fruits, vegetables, lean meat, beans, and whole grains.
Be sure to read the labels on canned foods, boxed mixes, and frozen dinners. Women may also retain several pounds of water prior to menstruation. This is very common and the weight will likely disappear as quickly as it arrives. Pre-menstrual water-weight gain can be minimized by drinking plenty of water, maintaining an exercise program, and keeping high-sodium processed foods to a minimum. Another factor that can influence the scale is glycogen. Think of glycogen as a fuel tank full of stored carbohydrate. Some glycogen is stored in the liver and some is stored the muscles themselves. This energy reserve weighs more than a pound and its packaged with 3-4 pounds of water when it's stored. Your glycogen supply will shrink during the day if you fail to take in enough carbohydrates. As the glycogen supply shrinks you will experience a small imperceptible increase in appetite and your body will restore this fuel reserve along with its associated water. It's normal to experience glycogen and water weight shifts of up to 2 pounds per day even with no changes in your calorie intake or activity level. These fluctuations have nothing to do with fat loss, although they can make for some unnecessarily dramatic weigh-ins if youre prone to obsessing over the number on the scale.
Otherwise rational people also tend to forget about the actual weight of the food they eat. For this reason, it's wise to weigh yourself first thing in the morning before you've had anything to eat or drink. Swallowing a bunch of food before you step on the scale is no different than putting a bunch of rocks in your pocket. The 5 pounds that you gain right after a huge dinner is not fat. It's the actual weight of everything you've had to eat and drink. The added weight of the meal will be gone several hours later when you've finished digesting it.
Exercise physiologists tell us that in order to store one pound of fat, you need to eat 3,500 calories more than your body is able to burn. In other words, to actually store the above dinner as 5 pounds of fat, it would have to contain a whopping 17,500 calories. This is not likely, in fact it's not humanly possible. So when the scale goes up 3 or 4 pounds overnight, rest easy, its likely to be water, glycogen, and the weight of your dinner. Keep in mind that the 3,500 calorie rule works in reverse also. In order to lose one pound of fat you need to burn 3,500 calories more than you take in. Generally, it's only possible to lose 1-2 pounds of fat per week.
When you follow a very low calorie diet that causes your weight to drop 10 pounds in 7 days, it's physically impossible for all of that to be fat. What you're really losing is water, glycogen, and muscle. This brings us to the scale's sneakiest attribute. It doesn't just weigh fat. It weighs muscle, bone, water, internal organs and all. When you lose "weight," that doesn't necessarily mean that you've lost fat. In fact, the scale has no way of telling you what you've lost (or gained). Losing muscle is nothing to celebrate. Muscle is a metabolically active tissue. The more muscle you have the more calories your body burns, even when you're just sitting around. That's one reason why a fit, active person is able to eat considerably more food than the dieter who is unwittingly destroying muscle tissue.
Robin Landis, author of "Body Fueling," compares fat and muscles to feathers and gold. One pound of fat is like a big fluffy, lumpy bunch of feathers, and one pound of muscle is small and valuable like a piece of gold. Obviously, you want to lose the dumpy, bulky feathers and keep the sleek beautiful gold. The problem with the scale is that it doesn't differentiate between the two. It can't tell you how much of your total body weight is lean tissue and how much is fat.
There are several other measuring techniques that can accomplish this, although they vary in convenience, accuracy, and cost. Skin-fold calipers pinch and measure fat folds at various locations on the body, hydrostatic (or underwater) weighing involves exhaling all of the air from your lungs before being lowered into a tank of water, and bioelectrical impedance measures the degree to which your body fat impedes a mild electrical current. If the thought of being pinched, dunked, or gently zapped just doesn't appeal to you, don't worry.
The best measurement tool of all turns out to be your very own eyes. How do you look? How do you feel? How do your clothes fit? Are your rings looser? Do your muscles feel firmer? These are the true measurements of success. If you are exercising and eating right, don't be discouraged by a small gain on the scale. Fluctuations are perfectly normal. Expect them to happen and take them in stride. Its a matter of mind over scale.
The following will add to the reading your scale gives you and are ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY if you want a body that looks and feels great and functions at optimal capacity:
Connective tissue - specifically, tendons and ligaments. Connective tissue adapts through resistance training to allow you to function at higher levels, and it will not adversely affect your body's appearance in any way.
Muscle tissue - As you add lean muscle tissue to your body, you'll burn more calories and stored body fat during exercise as well as throughout the day doing normal activity. And the additional muscle tissue allows your body to look and feel firm and toned.
Glycogen - when you consume whole grain carbohydrates you're body will store glycogen (the reserve fuel that gets converted into glucose, the body's primary source of energy). And with each gram of additional glycogen, your body stores several grams of water along with it. This is a very beneficial process, but it will add to what your scale reads.
Blood Volume - as we become increasingly fit, we add blood volume.
In addition to these positive gains in weight, your scale can vary as much as 3-6% on any given day based on digestive contents and your hydration level.
Here's how you can determine real progress:
Answer the following questions: Do I have more energy? Are my clothes fitting more loosely? Have others commented that I'm "looking good"? Am I starting to like what I see in the mirror?
Measure your body composition - discover how much of you is made up of body fat versus lean body mass. All the methods of measuring body composition are subject to some error, but if you stick to the same method and tester, you'll find that change over time is reliable.
If you're up for it, take a picture of yourself before you start your fitness and fat loss program. You don't even have to look at the photo (yet). Save it for later. After a few months of exercise, take a look at the difference between the old and new you. I would be happy to take the pictures for you.
It's ironic that the increases in connective tissue, lean muscle tissue, glycogen and blood volume - the things that are crucial to improving how your body looks, feels and functions - can be the same things that initially make you think you're making no progress.
Why the Scale Lies
By Renee Cloe
We've been told over and over again that daily weighing is unnecessary, yet many of us can't resist peeking at that number every morning. If you just can't bring yourself to toss the scale in the trash, you should definitely familiarize yourself with the factors that influence its readings. From water retention to glycogen storage and changes in lean body mass, daily weight fluctuations are normal. They are not indicators of your success or failure. Once you understand how these mechanisms work, you can free yourself from the daily battle with the bathroom scale. Water makes up about 60% of total body mass. Normal fluctuations in the body's water content can send scale-watchers into a tailspin if they don't understand what's happening. Two factors influencing water retention are water consumption and salt intake. Strange as it sounds, the less water you drink, the more of it your body retains.
If you are even slightly dehydrated your body will hang onto its water supplies with a vengeance, possibly causing the number on the scale to inch upward. The solution is to drink plenty of water. Excess salt (sodium) can also play a big role in water retention. A single teaspoon of salt contains over 2,000 mg of sodium.
Generally, we should only eat between 1,000 and 3,000 mg of sodium a day, so it's easy to go overboard. Sodium is a sneaky substance. You would expect it to be most highly concentrated in salty chips, nuts, and crackers. However, a food doesn't have to taste salty to be loaded with sodium. A half cup of instant pudding actually contains nearly four times as much sodium as an ounce of salted nuts, 460 mg in the pudding versus 123 mg in the nuts. The more highly processed a food is, the more likely it is to have a high sodium content. That's why, when it comes to eating, it's wise to stick mainly to the basics: fruits, vegetables, lean meat, beans, and whole grains.
Be sure to read the labels on canned foods, boxed mixes, and frozen dinners. Women may also retain several pounds of water prior to menstruation. This is very common and the weight will likely disappear as quickly as it arrives. Pre-menstrual water-weight gain can be minimized by drinking plenty of water, maintaining an exercise program, and keeping high-sodium processed foods to a minimum. Another factor that can influence the scale is glycogen. Think of glycogen as a fuel tank full of stored carbohydrate. Some glycogen is stored in the liver and some is stored the muscles themselves. This energy reserve weighs more than a pound and its packaged with 3-4 pounds of water when it's stored. Your glycogen supply will shrink during the day if you fail to take in enough carbohydrates. As the glycogen supply shrinks you will experience a small imperceptible increase in appetite and your body will restore this fuel reserve along with its associated water. It's normal to experience glycogen and water weight shifts of up to 2 pounds per day even with no changes in your calorie intake or activity level. These fluctuations have nothing to do with fat loss, although they can make for some unnecessarily dramatic weigh-ins if youre prone to obsessing over the number on the scale.
Otherwise rational people also tend to forget about the actual weight of the food they eat. For this reason, it's wise to weigh yourself first thing in the morning before you've had anything to eat or drink. Swallowing a bunch of food before you step on the scale is no different than putting a bunch of rocks in your pocket. The 5 pounds that you gain right after a huge dinner is not fat. It's the actual weight of everything you've had to eat and drink. The added weight of the meal will be gone several hours later when you've finished digesting it.
Exercise physiologists tell us that in order to store one pound of fat, you need to eat 3,500 calories more than your body is able to burn. In other words, to actually store the above dinner as 5 pounds of fat, it would have to contain a whopping 17,500 calories. This is not likely, in fact it's not humanly possible. So when the scale goes up 3 or 4 pounds overnight, rest easy, its likely to be water, glycogen, and the weight of your dinner. Keep in mind that the 3,500 calorie rule works in reverse also. In order to lose one pound of fat you need to burn 3,500 calories more than you take in. Generally, it's only possible to lose 1-2 pounds of fat per week.
When you follow a very low calorie diet that causes your weight to drop 10 pounds in 7 days, it's physically impossible for all of that to be fat. What you're really losing is water, glycogen, and muscle. This brings us to the scale's sneakiest attribute. It doesn't just weigh fat. It weighs muscle, bone, water, internal organs and all. When you lose "weight," that doesn't necessarily mean that you've lost fat. In fact, the scale has no way of telling you what you've lost (or gained). Losing muscle is nothing to celebrate. Muscle is a metabolically active tissue. The more muscle you have the more calories your body burns, even when you're just sitting around. That's one reason why a fit, active person is able to eat considerably more food than the dieter who is unwittingly destroying muscle tissue.
Robin Landis, author of "Body Fueling," compares fat and muscles to feathers and gold. One pound of fat is like a big fluffy, lumpy bunch of feathers, and one pound of muscle is small and valuable like a piece of gold. Obviously, you want to lose the dumpy, bulky feathers and keep the sleek beautiful gold. The problem with the scale is that it doesn't differentiate between the two. It can't tell you how much of your total body weight is lean tissue and how much is fat.
There are several other measuring techniques that can accomplish this, although they vary in convenience, accuracy, and cost. Skin-fold calipers pinch and measure fat folds at various locations on the body, hydrostatic (or underwater) weighing involves exhaling all of the air from your lungs before being lowered into a tank of water, and bioelectrical impedance measures the degree to which your body fat impedes a mild electrical current. If the thought of being pinched, dunked, or gently zapped just doesn't appeal to you, don't worry.
The best measurement tool of all turns out to be your very own eyes. How do you look? How do you feel? How do your clothes fit? Are your rings looser? Do your muscles feel firmer? These are the true measurements of success. If you are exercising and eating right, don't be discouraged by a small gain on the scale. Fluctuations are perfectly normal. Expect them to happen and take them in stride. Its a matter of mind over scale.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Top 12 Organic Foods to Buy
You may be shocked to learn the chemicals found on foods we eat every day. If you look at the incidence of cancer you would have to stop and say we aer doing something dramatically wrong with our lifestyles and in our environment for one in 4 people to be diagnosed with cancer. One of the culprits may very well be the way our foods are grown and treated. Whether you are buying organic or not, be sure to wash your vegetables. I use grapefruit seed extract to was my fruits and vegetables.
The information below is from Naturally Savvy which is a wealth of information on organic living.
Top 12 Foods to Buy Organic
Pesticides are chemicals used to control agricultural pests that damage crops and livestock. The most commonly used pesticides include: insecticides to kill insects; herbicides to kill weeds; nematocides to kill worms; rodenticides to kill rodents; and fungicides to control fungi, mould, and mildew. Over 1 billion tons of pesticides are used on crops in the United States every year, however less than 1% actually reaches the targeted organism. The remainder contaminates our air, soil, and water in addition to other plants and animals.
Pesticides are lipid (fat) soluble and accumulate in our fatty tissues; hence they are a danger to human health. Many of these chemicals are known to cause cancer, immune system suppression, birth defects, damage to the nervous system, and disruption of hormones. Concentration of these chemicals increases at each step of our food chain. According to a report from the Pesticide Action Network of North America, U.S. consumers may experience up to 70 exposures daily to residues on food from persistent organic pollutants (POPs).
Testing by the U.S. Department of Agriculture reveals that, even after washing, some fruits and vegetables consistently carry much higher levels of pesticide residue than others.Pesticide exposure may be reduced up to 90% by avoiding the most contaminated fruits and vegetables. Based on over 43,000 tests for pesticides on produce, the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a research and advocacy organization, determined that eating the produce listed below exposes you to approximately 15 common pesticides. The EWG has labelled these fruits and vegetables as “the dirty dozen”.
Peaches – Peaches are at the top of the list with an average of three (and maximum of nine) pesticides found on a single sample. Over 96% of the samples tested showed traces of pesticides.
Apples – Thirty -six pesticides in total were found on 92% of the apples tested, most commonly Diphenylamine (DPA), Thiabendazole, and Azinphos methyl, all of which can damage the nervous system.
Sweet bell peppers – This food had the maximum number of pesticides on a single sample, eleven. In total, sixty-four different pesticides were found on over 81% of sampled bell peppers. Methamidophos, Acephate, and Endosulfans were repeatedly identified.
Celery – 94% of the samples tested contained pesticides, most notably Dicloran, Acephate, and Oxamyl.
Nectarines – Among fruits testing positive for pesticide residue, nectarines had the highest percentage (97% of samples tested. The three most frequently found were Iprodione, Phosmet, and Propargite.
Strawberries – Thirty-five dangerous pesticides in total were found on strawberries, the most common being Captan, Iprodione, and Methomyl, a known hormone disrupter.
Cherries – Twenty-five different pesticides were found on 91% of the cherries sampled. The most commonly found were Azinphos methyl, Myclobutanil, and Carbaryl, which has been shown to interfere with the immune system. It may cause behavioural and neurological disorders. Reproductive side effects include decreased sperm and fertility, higher fetal mortality and lower birth weights.
Pears - Thirty-two different pesticides were identified on the pears sampled, among them Azinphos methyl, Diphenylamine (DPA), and Thiabendazole, a pesticide known to damage the reproductive system.
Grapes (imported) - Thirty-five pesticides were found on imported grapes including Captan, Iprodione, and Dimethoate.
Spinach - The three pesticides found most often on spinach were Permethrin Total, DDT, and Dimethoate.
Lettuce – Forty-nine different pesticides were found on lettuce with up to nine on a single sample.
Potatoes – In terms of parts per million (ppm), potatoes had the highest score. An average of 1.655 ppm of all pesticides was identified on potatoes. The most common were Chlorpropham, Thiabendazole, and Endosulfans,.
To reduce your exposure to pesticides, try to buy organic varieties of these foods. Buying organic produce reduces health risks and respects our environment.
1.U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. “Pesticides – The EPA and Food Security.” EPA., 2004.
2. http://www.environmentalsciences.homestead.com/pesticides.html.
3. Pesticide Action Network North America. "Nowhere to Hide: Persistent Toxic Chemicals in the U.S. Food Supply." Kristin Schafer, 2000.
4. http://www.environmentalscienceshomestead.com.html.
The information below is from Naturally Savvy which is a wealth of information on organic living.
Top 12 Foods to Buy Organic
Pesticides are chemicals used to control agricultural pests that damage crops and livestock. The most commonly used pesticides include: insecticides to kill insects; herbicides to kill weeds; nematocides to kill worms; rodenticides to kill rodents; and fungicides to control fungi, mould, and mildew. Over 1 billion tons of pesticides are used on crops in the United States every year, however less than 1% actually reaches the targeted organism. The remainder contaminates our air, soil, and water in addition to other plants and animals.
Pesticides are lipid (fat) soluble and accumulate in our fatty tissues; hence they are a danger to human health. Many of these chemicals are known to cause cancer, immune system suppression, birth defects, damage to the nervous system, and disruption of hormones. Concentration of these chemicals increases at each step of our food chain. According to a report from the Pesticide Action Network of North America, U.S. consumers may experience up to 70 exposures daily to residues on food from persistent organic pollutants (POPs).
Testing by the U.S. Department of Agriculture reveals that, even after washing, some fruits and vegetables consistently carry much higher levels of pesticide residue than others.Pesticide exposure may be reduced up to 90% by avoiding the most contaminated fruits and vegetables. Based on over 43,000 tests for pesticides on produce, the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a research and advocacy organization, determined that eating the produce listed below exposes you to approximately 15 common pesticides. The EWG has labelled these fruits and vegetables as “the dirty dozen”.
Peaches – Peaches are at the top of the list with an average of three (and maximum of nine) pesticides found on a single sample. Over 96% of the samples tested showed traces of pesticides.
Apples – Thirty -six pesticides in total were found on 92% of the apples tested, most commonly Diphenylamine (DPA), Thiabendazole, and Azinphos methyl, all of which can damage the nervous system.
Sweet bell peppers – This food had the maximum number of pesticides on a single sample, eleven. In total, sixty-four different pesticides were found on over 81% of sampled bell peppers. Methamidophos, Acephate, and Endosulfans were repeatedly identified.
Celery – 94% of the samples tested contained pesticides, most notably Dicloran, Acephate, and Oxamyl.
Nectarines – Among fruits testing positive for pesticide residue, nectarines had the highest percentage (97% of samples tested. The three most frequently found were Iprodione, Phosmet, and Propargite.
Strawberries – Thirty-five dangerous pesticides in total were found on strawberries, the most common being Captan, Iprodione, and Methomyl, a known hormone disrupter.
Cherries – Twenty-five different pesticides were found on 91% of the cherries sampled. The most commonly found were Azinphos methyl, Myclobutanil, and Carbaryl, which has been shown to interfere with the immune system. It may cause behavioural and neurological disorders. Reproductive side effects include decreased sperm and fertility, higher fetal mortality and lower birth weights.
Pears - Thirty-two different pesticides were identified on the pears sampled, among them Azinphos methyl, Diphenylamine (DPA), and Thiabendazole, a pesticide known to damage the reproductive system.
Grapes (imported) - Thirty-five pesticides were found on imported grapes including Captan, Iprodione, and Dimethoate.
Spinach - The three pesticides found most often on spinach were Permethrin Total, DDT, and Dimethoate.
Lettuce – Forty-nine different pesticides were found on lettuce with up to nine on a single sample.
Potatoes – In terms of parts per million (ppm), potatoes had the highest score. An average of 1.655 ppm of all pesticides was identified on potatoes. The most common were Chlorpropham, Thiabendazole, and Endosulfans,.
To reduce your exposure to pesticides, try to buy organic varieties of these foods. Buying organic produce reduces health risks and respects our environment.
1.U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. “Pesticides – The EPA and Food Security.” EPA., 2004.
2. http://www.environmentalsciences.homestead.com/pesticides.html.
3. Pesticide Action Network North America. "Nowhere to Hide: Persistent Toxic Chemicals in the U.S. Food Supply." Kristin Schafer, 2000.
4. http://www.environmentalscienceshomestead.com.html.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Six Healthy Sounding Foods that Really Aren't
A great way to sabotage your health and any weight loss efforts is to fall for the fraudulent claims of “healthy” snack foods and drinks. Many will try to fool you into thinking they’re good for you simply because they taste like fruit, or contain a small portion of something healthy, even though other ingredients might counteract any health benefits completely – excess sugar or artificial sweeteners, being just a couple of the main culprits.
Below are Dr. Mercola's comments on Energy Bars and Yogurt. Keep in Mind that Dr.Mercola is a renegade when it comes to nutrition. He goes up against pharmacy and all of the food manufacturers for what he believes is right according to research and common sense. Here's his two cents followed by a list of 6 not so healthy snack foods.
The Low-Down on Energy Bars
You already know that candy bars are not good for you. Loaded with sugar and typically devoid of any healthy proteins or fat, they give your body a quick lift without providing any real nourishment. The lift soon gives way to a letdown and you feel hungrier than before. Many contain trans fat and a slew of artificial ingredients.
Enter the Energy Bar. They look and taste like candy bars, have the shelf life of candy bars, contain protein and fiber, and are loaded with vitamins and minerals. They are convenient and they taste good. And, thanks to an incredible amount of advertising hype, they can be consumed without the guilt of the candy bar.
Or… can they?
The original energy bars, such as the Power Bar and the Source Bar, were based on so-called “natural” sweeteners--high fructose corn syrup and juice concentrates--along with dried fruits and nuts, a combination that resulted in higher percentages of carbohydrates than your typical chocolate candy bar.
But the real boost for the bar business came with the advent of cheap that could be added to make a "high-protein" bar.
Unfortunately, most of today’s energy bars contain few desirable, health-promoting ingredients and quite a bit of junk. For example:
Soy Protein comes with an initial burden of phytic acid, enzyme inhibitors and isoflavones. More toxins are formed during high-temperature chemical processing, including nitrates, lysinalanine and MSG. Soy protein must therefore be processed at very high temperatures to reduce levels of phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors -- a process that over-denatures many of the proteins in soy, especially lysine, making them unavailable to your body.
High Fructose Corn Syrup (or concentrated fruit juices, which are high in fructose), has been shown to be more hazardous to your health and waistline than sugar.
Synthetic Vitamins are thrown in so the bars can be called "complete.” However, synthetic vitamins are useless at best and hazardous at worst, as your body cannot process synthetic vitamins the way it processes natural vitamins.
With the exception of most of the fats, most of the ingredients used in energy bars are actually waste products from other industries:
Soy protein isolate and most whey protein are the waste products of the soy oil and cheese industries respectively. Apple and lemon fiber, used to create a crunchy effect, are made from the pulp left over from squeezing the fruits for their juice.
Most of the sweeteners are made by highly industrialized processes and can cause significant rises in blood sugar and insulin levels. In short, most of the ingredients in energy bars are anything but natural. Of course, there are exceptions, but you really have to analyze the ingredients.
Naturally, you can’t compete with whole, unprocessed high-quality food, but if you occasionally need a healthy alternative, make sure you do your homework before you throw those commercial energy bars into your bag.
What’s Really in Your Yoghurt?
Yoghurt is another very common food that is misleadingly advertised as healthy.
Why?
Because nearly all commercially available yoghurt is pasteurized. Pasteurized cow's milk is the leading allergic food in the United States
It has been well documented as a cause in diarrhea, cramps, bloating, gas, gastrointestinal bleeding, iron-deficiency anemia, skin rashes, atherosclerosis, and acne
It is the primary cause of recurrent ear infections in children
It has also been linked to insulin dependent diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, infertility, and leukemia. Pasteurizing milk destroys enzymes, diminishes vitamins, denatures fragile milk proteins, destroys vitamin B12 and vitamin B6, kills beneficial bacteria and promotes pathogens.
And, the pasteurization aside, store-bought yoghurt can also contain high amounts of added sugar; high-sugar fruit jams; or worse, artificial sweeteners.
End Dr. Mercola's comments.
Six Healthy-Sounding Foods That Really Aren't
Many foods have been heavily promoted as being healthy. But not all of them are. Here are some foods which are far less “good for you” than most people believe.
Energy bars
Energy bars usually contain protein and fiber, but they may also be loaded with calories. That’s fine if you occasionally make one a meal, but most people eat them as snacks.
Granola
Granola sounds healthy. But it’s often high in fat, sugar and calories. Don’t be fooled by a seemingly low calorie count; the portion sizes on the label are usually tiny.
Salad Toppings
The pecans and Gorgonzola cheese on Panera Bread’s Fuji Apple Chicken Salad propel it into double-cheeseburger territory. Before ordering a salad, check its nutrition information.
Smoothies
Added sugars can make some smoothies the equivalent of drinking fruit pie filling. The smallest serving of Jamba Juice’s Orange Dream Machine has 340 calories and an astonishing 69 grams of sugars.
Sushi Rolls
Sushi rolls vary, and the fried bits and mayonnaise in some can really jack up the calories.
Yogurts
The “fruit” in yogurt is really jam (that is to say, mostly sugar).
Sources:
Shine from Yahoo May 22, 2008
End
When possible make fresh foods at home. It takes a little more work, but in the long run you are always better off.
Your friend in fitness,
Kelli Calabrese
www.KelliCalabrese.com
www.ArgyleBootCamp.com
Below are Dr. Mercola's comments on Energy Bars and Yogurt. Keep in Mind that Dr.Mercola is a renegade when it comes to nutrition. He goes up against pharmacy and all of the food manufacturers for what he believes is right according to research and common sense. Here's his two cents followed by a list of 6 not so healthy snack foods.
The Low-Down on Energy Bars
You already know that candy bars are not good for you. Loaded with sugar and typically devoid of any healthy proteins or fat, they give your body a quick lift without providing any real nourishment. The lift soon gives way to a letdown and you feel hungrier than before. Many contain trans fat and a slew of artificial ingredients.
Enter the Energy Bar. They look and taste like candy bars, have the shelf life of candy bars, contain protein and fiber, and are loaded with vitamins and minerals. They are convenient and they taste good. And, thanks to an incredible amount of advertising hype, they can be consumed without the guilt of the candy bar.
Or… can they?
The original energy bars, such as the Power Bar and the Source Bar, were based on so-called “natural” sweeteners--high fructose corn syrup and juice concentrates--along with dried fruits and nuts, a combination that resulted in higher percentages of carbohydrates than your typical chocolate candy bar.
But the real boost for the bar business came with the advent of cheap that could be added to make a "high-protein" bar.
Unfortunately, most of today’s energy bars contain few desirable, health-promoting ingredients and quite a bit of junk. For example:
Soy Protein comes with an initial burden of phytic acid, enzyme inhibitors and isoflavones. More toxins are formed during high-temperature chemical processing, including nitrates, lysinalanine and MSG. Soy protein must therefore be processed at very high temperatures to reduce levels of phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors -- a process that over-denatures many of the proteins in soy, especially lysine, making them unavailable to your body.
High Fructose Corn Syrup (or concentrated fruit juices, which are high in fructose), has been shown to be more hazardous to your health and waistline than sugar.
Synthetic Vitamins are thrown in so the bars can be called "complete.” However, synthetic vitamins are useless at best and hazardous at worst, as your body cannot process synthetic vitamins the way it processes natural vitamins.
With the exception of most of the fats, most of the ingredients used in energy bars are actually waste products from other industries:
Soy protein isolate and most whey protein are the waste products of the soy oil and cheese industries respectively. Apple and lemon fiber, used to create a crunchy effect, are made from the pulp left over from squeezing the fruits for their juice.
Most of the sweeteners are made by highly industrialized processes and can cause significant rises in blood sugar and insulin levels. In short, most of the ingredients in energy bars are anything but natural. Of course, there are exceptions, but you really have to analyze the ingredients.
Naturally, you can’t compete with whole, unprocessed high-quality food, but if you occasionally need a healthy alternative, make sure you do your homework before you throw those commercial energy bars into your bag.
What’s Really in Your Yoghurt?
Yoghurt is another very common food that is misleadingly advertised as healthy.
Why?
Because nearly all commercially available yoghurt is pasteurized. Pasteurized cow's milk is the leading allergic food in the United States
It has been well documented as a cause in diarrhea, cramps, bloating, gas, gastrointestinal bleeding, iron-deficiency anemia, skin rashes, atherosclerosis, and acne
It is the primary cause of recurrent ear infections in children
It has also been linked to insulin dependent diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, infertility, and leukemia. Pasteurizing milk destroys enzymes, diminishes vitamins, denatures fragile milk proteins, destroys vitamin B12 and vitamin B6, kills beneficial bacteria and promotes pathogens.
And, the pasteurization aside, store-bought yoghurt can also contain high amounts of added sugar; high-sugar fruit jams; or worse, artificial sweeteners.
End Dr. Mercola's comments.
Six Healthy-Sounding Foods That Really Aren't
Many foods have been heavily promoted as being healthy. But not all of them are. Here are some foods which are far less “good for you” than most people believe.
Energy bars
Energy bars usually contain protein and fiber, but they may also be loaded with calories. That’s fine if you occasionally make one a meal, but most people eat them as snacks.
Granola
Granola sounds healthy. But it’s often high in fat, sugar and calories. Don’t be fooled by a seemingly low calorie count; the portion sizes on the label are usually tiny.
Salad Toppings
The pecans and Gorgonzola cheese on Panera Bread’s Fuji Apple Chicken Salad propel it into double-cheeseburger territory. Before ordering a salad, check its nutrition information.
Smoothies
Added sugars can make some smoothies the equivalent of drinking fruit pie filling. The smallest serving of Jamba Juice’s Orange Dream Machine has 340 calories and an astonishing 69 grams of sugars.
Sushi Rolls
Sushi rolls vary, and the fried bits and mayonnaise in some can really jack up the calories.
Yogurts
The “fruit” in yogurt is really jam (that is to say, mostly sugar).
Sources:
Shine from Yahoo May 22, 2008
End
When possible make fresh foods at home. It takes a little more work, but in the long run you are always better off.
Your friend in fitness,
Kelli Calabrese
www.KelliCalabrese.com
www.ArgyleBootCamp.com
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