Holiday Weight Blues? Never again!

November 27, 2013 at 10:10 PM (Fit Food)

Can’t seem to help but have another helping?

Family tradition to cook with bags of butter and tubs of salt?

Does grandma top the pie with ice cream, the ice cream with whipped cream, and the whipped cream with candy?

Either way, the holidays are our time to gather as a family and GET FAT!!

Did you know that the average American gains roughly 5 pounds over the Holiday!?

fat vs muscle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So how the hell do I avoid this!?

By simply adding a supplement called CLA (conjugated linoleic acid)

What the fuck is that?

It’s a fatty acid that is commonly found in meat and dairy (don’t get excited meat eaters, you can’t intake enough for the benefits to work) as well as safflower oil. (yay for vegans!!)

So I’m eating fat to burn fat? How does that work?

It will be increasing the basal metabolic rate. Basically it’s going to help your body convert fat into energy, thus, maintaining your weight.

How much do I take?

3,400mg a day.

Where do I buy this?

CLA is getting pretty popular now, so watch out for bandwagon brands. ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS check out ingredients and other ingredients. Often companies throw in filler fats in “blends” of their own so the front of the bottle will read “100omg per serving” when really you may be getting an ineffective amount of the actual CLA. Tonalin has patented a mix that is 750mg per serving. They sell their own line as well as being used by The Vitamin Shoppe. 

Take the CLA with your three main courses: Two with your two higher fat meals and One with your lower fat meal.

Example: I personally eat a higher fat breakfast and dinner, so I take two CLAs with each of those and then my lunch is lighter in fat so I only take one.

So, push those blues aside, and enjoy your Holiday feasts!!! 

Remember: Portioning is Possible and Sit ups still love you!!

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Becoming Iron Strong

September 14, 2013 at 4:31 AM (Fit Food)
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Are you feeling fatigued, tire quickly, or perhaps mentally foggy? Do the bags under your eyes seem to get darker each day, or have you noticed your skin bruising  easily?

Before trashing your body with stimulants to wake up and clogging your pores with pricey creams, consider taking a gander at your daily iron intake and diet. No, the deficiency doesn’t just belong to those who don’t eat meat. In fact, iron deficiency anemia is the most common nutritional deficiency worldwide.

Did you know that eggs, milk, fiber, tea, coffee, and wine could be inhibiting the absorption of your iron? Surprising right? Pretty much the typical American breakfast fails.

So what should you eat? Easy: dark leafy greens, beans, chick peas, artichokes, dried fruits, and of course meats, but if you can’t do the kill don’t do the meal. Stick to fish, they are more reasonable to catch if you must!

Would you like to make the absorption rate higher? Add in foods containing Vitamin C: Broccoli, melons, oranges, peppers, leafy greens (double whammy!!), and tomatoes for just a few options.

Still unable to get the best of the iron world? There’s this awesome supplement I recently came across:

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It’s a chewable tablet that is honest with it’s taste of iron, but that is easily washed away during meal time. After just three days of taking this all my awkward ailments were clearing up, including the bags under my eyes, bruising, energy level, and digestive tract. People were commenting on my vibrant refreshed look. Freedom finally!

Tired, irritable, foggy, and perhaps looking the part? Take a few days to assess your iron intake, get a blood test even! Don’t forget to also check out your surrounding diet. Make sure you aren’t inhibiting your iron absorption. You are now equipped with the knowledge to become Iron Strong!

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The Right Protein Supplements

May 25, 2013 at 4:11 PM (Fit Food)
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Okay, so now that we’ve cleared the air on the negative affects of milk and the alternatives, let’s go into what protein supplements to use. Believe it or believe it, there is protein in plants!!!

Protein

Vega, Raw Protein, TEMPT, Hemp Protein, Warrior Blend, Rice Protein, and Plant Fusion are among many options.

Vega is a bit too costly, though it’s background is very raw and very clean. They also have a fun variety of flavours including my favourite, Vanilla Chai. mm mm. If money isn’t an issue, then by all means Vega it up!!!

Raw Protein is a personal favourite due to is sprout blend, digestive enzymes, probiotics, taste, and ability to mix in a shaker bottle. This is more the budget friendlyprotein, especially when you factor in that you’re also getting probiotics and enzymes which are roughly a $20 value.

Warrior Protein is a wonderful starter protein, especially for the guys out there. A very clean, lean plant protein. Quantity vs. price, you will definitely get a lot more from Warrior Protein, but it will ONLY be protein, no digestive enzymes or probiotics.

Hemp Protein contains a beautiful nutritional profile including fiber, magnesium, and potassium. This can be great for those whom are doing some hardcore training that have higher possibilities for sore muscles and fatigue. ie. martial arts, running, and weight lifting…

Rice Protein is both cost friendly and a large quantity, the only catch is that it isn’t a complete protein. What this means is that you will needs to make sure to complete the chain via your diet in order to obtain full benefits. Not difficult at all though. Just add a milk replacement in or even mix it with Hemp Protein.

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The Truth About Milk & the Alternatives

May 25, 2013 at 3:52 PM (Fit Food)
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In today’s world of supplements, protein is by far one of the most popular. It is used for anything from weight gain to weight loss. Crazy enough, they contain the same ingredient: Dairy. You’ll recognize it as Whey, Whey Isolate, and Casein. How can this one ingredient be so versatile when it’s true intentions were to put 80 pounds on a calf within it’s first year of life?

Milk is commonly consumed with the assumption that it is a great source of calcium and builds strong bones. This is wrong.

Why do we drink milk?

Healthy body and strong bones.

Known for calcium and protein.

Key Components –one cow can provide enough milk for a single family for a month.

How milk is unhealthy.

Wasn’t intended for humans.

Contains casein that breaks down to caso-morphine

Causes food cravings and morphine-like addictions

Linked to health conditions such as respiratory ailments, ear infections, skin disorders, digestion issues, osteoporosis.

Other options: Almond milk, hemp milk, and coconut milk. Easy to produce in larger quantities and have safer forms of protein and high contents of calcium.

Hemp milk contains not only more calcium than cow milk, it also contains essential fatty acids, magnesium, potassium, as well as other nutrients that can improve the bodies circulation and brain function. Hemp milk is made from the hemp plant seed, which is a crop that can be grown in vast fields making quantity no issue.

Tempt Milk

Almond milk contains just as much calcium as cow milk as well as being nutrient rich. These nutrients include vitamin D, which is great for bone health and vitamin A, which acts aids in immunity and health.

Almond Milk

Coconut milk, slightly less calcium rich as cow milk, but makes up for it with longer storage life as well being fortified with benefits: healthy skin and hair, immune health, antibacterial properties, and healthy fats in which can be linked to lowering risk of heart disease as well as aid in weight loss.

CoConut Milk

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