Archive for November, 2008
How To Manage Your Macronutrients
by Dr. John Berardi Are you more likely to be able to decipher ancient Greek texts than figure out how to construct a diet containing 30% protein, 50% carbohydrate, and 20% fat? Well then check out the following resources.
1- www.nal.usda.gov/fnic is the National Agriculture Library’s Food and Nutrition Information Center. Here you can find basic information on dietary supplements, an advanced food composition database, information about the food guide, and a listing of interesting resources about special needs, food allergies, etc.
2- www.nutritiondata.com is a fantastic resource and although it uses the food database above, may actually offer a better presentation of the food composition data. It doesn’t offer the other information, though.
3- www.fitday.com is another great food composition site that offers much more including online diet and fitness journals.
4- www.calorieking.com offers many of the same resources as fitday.com but has several excellent additional features such as an online ‘university’ (weekly education about the physiological and behavioral sides of nutrition). The extras cost money but are worth checking into.
SEE ALSO:
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The Problem with Weight Loss: Your Body Will Do The Opposite.
By Alwyn Cosgrove
GetFit Recommended Product: Warp Speed Fat Loss
Homeostasis is the property of a living organism, that regulates its internal environment so as to maintain a stable, constant condition.
When you don’t drink enough water in the short term — often the body retains water. It attempts to maintain homeostasis by counteracting the stresses we put on it.
When you drink a lot of extra water - your body excretes more water to maintain balance.
When we weight train — we actually break down muscle tissue. And the body responds by building new muscle. It attempts to maintain homeostasis by doing the reverse of the stimulus we placed on it.
When a male takes supplemental testosterone — the body shuts down its own production in a bid to maintain homeostasis.
When we immunize children against disease — we actually inject them with a small dose of that disease. The immune system recognizes the vaccine as foreign, destroys it, and ‘remembers’ it. When the virulent version of an agent comes along, the immune system is thus prepared to respond. In order to prepare the body to defend against a disease - we expose it to the disease - and it responds by doing the opposite - it destroys the disease.
In almost every situation I can think of, the body tries to maintain homeostasis by “doing the opposite” of the stimulus.
How does this apply to weight loss?
Now we know that while you are doing it — low intensity exercise burns primarily fat.
Higher intensity exercise actually burns more carb stores than fat.
But in every head to head comparison, high intensity exercise results in more fat loss than low intensity exercise - even though the more intense work may burn a lesser percentage of fat during the exercise session.
Burning glycogen results in a larger amount of fat lost than burning fat directly.
The body responds by “doing the opposite”…
Break down muscle to grow more muscle. Burn glycogen to lose more fat.
I designed Warp Speed Fat Loss training program to specifically take advantage of this ‘law’ of nature so that when your body “does the opposite” you’ll end up with faster and greater fat loss.
About the Author/More Info:
Warp Speed Fat Loss is a complete 28 day diet and training system crafted to help you lose 10,15, or 20lbs of body fat in just 28 day. To start losing weight fast visit http://www.getfit.lu/recommended/warpspeed/. Alwyn Cosgrove, M.S., C.S.C.S. is a nationally renown fat loss expert whose work has appeared in magazines such as Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, Muscle & Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Men’s Journal, Self, Oxygen, and Muscle & Fitness HERS. His Warp Speed Fat Loss system is a complete Done-for-You A-Z Fat Loss Blueprint that gives you exactly everything you need to eat and exactly what to do for exercise to lose weight in record time.
Are you on of those Super-Mums that does 100 things at the same time? You are up at dawn preparing snack boxes, lunch boxes, gym bags, swim bags, making Breakfast, getting kids ready for school, getting yourself ready for work, planning tonight’s dinner while at the last minute putting on a wash before slamming the door shut. Drive the kids to school, husband to work, getting your self into work where You are the Super Assistant. After running after the boss all day, it’s back in the car, pick kids up, drive your son to hockey, your daughter to ballet. Back home! Dinner time, home work, bathing, night time stories, kids to bed. Cleaning, Washing, ironing, planning the next day…It’s 23.00…..you are exhausted…and in about 7 hours it will start all over again!
The problem with most of us woman (and some men) are that we are very bad at putting ourselves first. But to be honest if We don’t take care of ourselves What use are we going to be to ourselves or our family or anybody else for that matter?As i read in an article You must take care of your own basics needs before you can take care of the needs of others. Quite simple really, right?
And to be honest being busy doesn’t necessarily mean that You are being very productive.
So what can You do? Some people find it very hard to put themselves first, it feels a little bit selfish, but You can at least treat yourself equally with those yo love.
Do you make sure the kids get enough sleep? Well, make sure You get enough sleep too…it doesn’t matter if there is a little bit of dust under the beds and the washing can wait another day.
Do you think it’s important that your kids meet their friends and have a fun social life? Well, You make sure you get to see Your friends sometime as well and make sure You have an existing Social life. It’s been proven that having a Social life decreases the chance of depressions!
Do you insist your kids do some exercise (which I really hope You do, it’s so important to health!) Well, same again, You make sure you go out there and do some Exercises too.By now you all know there is a lot of options for you Mums in Luxembourg:)
Seriously though, it doesn’t have to involve getting to a gym or a class, simply walk out that door and the Options are plenty. Go for a 20 minutes Interval session, Yes, that is the best way to boost the metabolism…Go for a swim, Run with the dog or the neighbour, organise a friendly soccer game or just go for a quick Walk. 20 minutes a day, that is all you need to really improve your health, your immune system, your mood, your pms-problems(if you have them:)) and your future. I have said it before and I am saying it again, Who doesn’t want to live a long life to be there for their family. Well, get out there and Move Your Butt!
But doing exercise is only one part of a healthier life. Getting enough sleep is important and what you eat is equally important to have the Energy you need to be a great super mum. You most likely have heard the saying:You are, What You eat! So true, it’s not even funny:) Eat clean, a lot of fruit and vegetable, good meat, fish and chicken and make sure you eat Every 3 hours minimum!!! And please, please, please don’t skip BREAKFAST!
So what else can you do to relax your life a bit. Well, have a laugh every now and again especially at yourself:) Surround yourself with people that make you happy and don’t drain you. And don’t be afraid to ask for help! If you need 30 min to just clear your thoughts I can most certainly guarantee that your Friend won’t say No, because you wouldn’t right, if they needed you.
Plan fun things, there is nothing better than having something fun to look forward to. And it’s as important to plan nice things to do as it is planning work.
Try to figure out the things or people that drain you and take energy away from you and that aren’t really that important, and get rid or at least minimize the time with that/them.
There is small word that a lot of people don’t use as much as they should…Take note and start using it more often: Learn to say NO! Your Yes should be valuable and only used on the things that are most Important to You.
Look at potential Problems from a different angle, sometimes a problem isn’t as bad as it looks straight on.
Now, don’t go out there and try a new Super Woman tactic and change everything in your life straight away. Most likely that will bring you down eventually. Try small changes and really try to make that a habit before changing the next. This way you are more likely to keep it and make it Your New Improved, Healthier Lifestyle.
Good Luck, Mums, and no matter what, We are still Super Mums but let’s be Healthy, Happy Super Mums instead:)
Jess
Listening To Your Body
12.11.08Well i have had an interesting time on the elimination diet. I was on this purely for 8 days until unfortunately my family and I all became ill and to be honest when i couldn’t taste anything and I wanted stodge I did give in, but boy oh boy did I have some unexpected and uncomfortable results after just 8 days on the elimination diet!
After eating some cereal and peanut butter wrap(not at the same time) I did feel uncomfortable and bloated. I actually woke up in the middle of the night and to put politely I had to go to the bathroom. I put it down to being ill at first, but then the next day i had a small amount of pasta, again i had the bloated uncomfortable feeling and about 2 hrs later had indigestion for the rest of the afternoon. I also found that I was more windy,embarrassing or what, can’t believe I’m writing this!!
I experimented with bread(it was brown bread and bio but it is still heavily processed)and and a peanut butter wrap again with the same results. I found that as i was bloated and uncomfortable I was certainly not hungry. I did not want my snacks in the afternoon which just goes to show how processed carbohydrates are artificially filling you up. I also did not feel as energized as I had before, everything seemed to be more of an effort.
So I have gone back on the elimination diet for 90-95% of the time which basically means 2 main meals and all snacks the majority of the time in the day are all conforming to the elimination diet rules, but I do allow one meal to have something slightly processed and maybe a tea every now and again and of course I am human so the odd treat now and again too. The result being that i have lost 2 1/2 kilos and 2% body fat.
Maybe the biggest thing that I have learned is how to really listen to the clues your body is giving you. Do not artificially fill yourself up with heavily processed carbohydrates and feel full for a long time.
Listen to your body if you are eating your 3 main meals and snacks spaced out over every 2-3 hours you will find that you are getting hungry and are ready for the next snack or meal. Do not be scared of this, your body is wanting you to give it it’s next instalment of nutrition. As long as you eat the right food you can actually eat allot spaced out during the day without having to worry about calories or fat intake.
So if you have been thinking about doing the elimination diet don’t hold back, go for it, experiment, learn about your body, you can have great results and feel so much better, who would not want that?!!
Good luck
Marie
Try the elimination diet by following the clicking here, and make sure you pick up the companion cookbook at the same time here…
One of the biggest aspects of ForestFit during this last 6 months has been the community that has built up around the training. Friendships have been made, networking has taken place and new relationships forged. In fact this whole aspect of the training has taken Jess and I by surprise.
We have seen many of our members take on a support role for others when time things have got tough, some have taken on roles as strong motivators and leaders, and the bonding between people has been quiet heartwarming.
Today, we have a number of ForestFit members taking on a challenge many thought would have been impossible just a few short months ago. Tonight’s FakelLaf 5km run starting from the Belle Etoile is the culmination of some solid training habits many of these guys and girls have developed. They’ll be running for their own personal goals, sense of achievement and every one of them has been an inspiration to have got to this point. I am sure the community spirit will continue tonight helping and supporting each other around the course.
Next week we start the final ForestFit group for 2008 and I am sure this will continue to strengthen the community that has developed around it.
Good luck to those taking part tonight, I’ll see you there.
Tim
..so i have finally got round to starting the elimination diet. I must admit that I had put it of a bit as it can sound a bit daunting, NO WHEAT( ie pasta bread etc) NO ALCOHOL, NO PROCESSED FOOD.
After Tim’s success and Leon starting it I thought it was about time I got on the band wagon too…..so what put me of to start with and how is it going so far?
My biggest concerns were what to eat for a start?? and time. As of now I am in day four. I started it over the weekend so that I had a bit more time to get the feel of it and to get a good idea of how much time it would take up. I am very quickly learning it is not time consuming at all!!
My biggest worry was what was i going to eat for breakfast?, normally I would have cereal, porridge or a type of muesli, as that is all processed that’s out of the window, which leaves you with EGGS for breakfast. Now i do like an omelet with veg in but not really my idea of a nice breakfast!!…. but a plain omelet with banana or strawberry’s and natural yog is actually really nice. I’m still getting a little bit of sweetness in my breakfast, it’s all natural, I get one of my fruit portions in at the start of the day and it takes just over 5 mins to do.
My other worry was tea. I love green tea!! and it does have good health benefits, but it is processed and it does still have caffeine in it, so that is out the window too. Now with winter clearly here the thought of plain water for a whole month is not exactly comforting. So I have been adding a squeeze of some fresh lemon in hot water, it allows some flavor and the comfort of a hot drink. I have found it a great substitute for a cup of tea.
It may only be 4 days but I’m finding it easier than I thought and I have already lost 1.5 kilos in just four days, I will keep you posted on my progress.
Bye for now Marie
Get The Elimination Diet Cookbook - the perfect companion to your Elimination Diet
Stop Golf Back Injuries.
05.11.08So many people play golf and often complain about injury. The most common injury is the back. Although around 75% of golfing injuries are attributed to bad swing techniques, a lot of these are connected to incorrect posture.
During a Drive, you will be expected to laterally rotate your hips and shoulders. The more the rotation and the faster the controlled lateral movement, the further the ball will go.
Always keep your spine as straight as possible before you start you swing.
To help the spine strengthen, you must train the core muscle and create mobility. One exercise to help achieve this is a reverse lunge with lateral flexion.
Simply step backward into a reverse lunge and then hold one hand upwards and the other downwards whilst you crunch your body. Try this 10 times on each leg. This will help create more stability for your legs, glutes and abdominals. This will also give you more mobility in your spine allowing you to practice longer and hit the ball further.
When Autumn is here, it’s always nice with a Warm Soup and with that We can get an extra boost of Iron!
4 Portions, 465 KCal, 10 g Fat, 20g protein, 71 g Carbs/Portion
Rinse 3 Cups dry Red lentils.
Chop 2 red onions, 3 garlic cloves and 1 red Peppar. Fry in olive oil (2 tablespoons). Try to use an Iron-frying pan for that extra boost of iron. Add 1 tablespoon freshly grated Ginger, 1 teaspoon Cumin, 2 tablespoons paprika powder, 1 1/4L water, 1 laurel, 1-2 teaspoon sea salt, 1 tin crushed tomatoes, 1 tablespoon vegetable stock, 1 tablespoon honey, the lentils and finely chopped fresh chilli. Boil on low heat 10-12 min under a lid.
Serve with 2 slices ciabatta divaded in 4, add hoummus, some germs and iron rich baby spinach and persil and top with sliced pear and strawberries.
Yammie:)
Jess
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