Myth Photo from Sam and Giant

Soy is touted as a wonder food, and it’s in just about everything these days.  So what’s my beef, you ask?  Well, I have lots of issues with your “wonder food”, and I wanted to let you know some of the facts!

Myth Versus Fact

Tofu Photo from The Daily Telegraph

Myth: Asian people have eaten soy for thousands of years, and that they have lower instances of breast, prostate, and uterine cancer because of it.

Fact: Soy has only been cultivated for about eight hundred years.  Of course that’s a long time.  However, only in times of extreme famine was it eaten as a staple.

Asians in general DO have lower rates of the cancers listed above.  However, they have higher rates esophageal, pancreatic, liver, and stomach cancers.  In lab animals, soy causes these conditions.

Myth: Soy is a staple of the Asian diet.

Fact:  The average consumption of soy is as a condiment.  As such, most Asian people eat about 2 teaspoons of it per day.

Think about your average vegetarian.  I was a veghead for thirteen years, and I can tell you that I ate usually at least one veggie burger per day, which has a couple of ounces of soy.  “For the protein“, I was told by health care professionals.

Makes me want to spit nails, now.  Add to that the fact that soy is added to almost all packaged foods, and you’ll see that the amount we consume is far higher than Asians would ever have chosen to eat until there was an extreme food shortage.

Soy Estrogen Headache Photo From Telegraph.co.uk

Myth:  Soy estrogens are a good hormone replacement method for menopausal women.

Fact: Soy isoflavones are phyto-endocrine disrupters.  They can prevent ovulation and stimulate the growth of cancer cells.

They also damage the thyroid, therefore decreasing metabolism and potentially causing many more thyroid problems.

Myth: Soy is brain food.

Fact: Overconsumption (more than 4 teaspoons per day) of soy foods is known to contribute to mental decline.  It can mimic the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease in otherwise healthy people.
Soy will NOT make you more mentally sharp, it will only cause the brain to age.

DuPont Factory Photo by Christ Dorst

Myth: Soy is Earth-friendly.

Fact:  Big corporations are behind the soy push for one reason: money.  If there weren’t amazing amounts of cash to be made in this industry, DuPont and Dow Chemical wouldn’t be in bed, no doubt about it.

Most soy in the United States is genetically modified (unless it’s got an organic label you trust).  Almost every soy product sold in the US is fractionated.

If you’re a whole foods sort of person, the only soy that’s really acceptable for you is edamame and perhaps natto.  I’d skip the edamame, due largely to the fact that soy interferes with iron absorption and all the other reasons I’ve already given.

Natto isn’t a terrible food, so long as it’s made the traditional Asian way.  That is, soaked and then boiled all to heck.  Asian people knew that soy was full of toxins, and fermenting is one way of getting them out.

What toxins am I referring to?  So glad you asked.  Soy contains protease inhibitors, phytates, and HUGE amounts of manganese.

Protease inhibitors limit the release of enzymes which break down proteins in the body.

Phytates bind metals.  This doesn’t sound like a problem until you realize that you NEED some of these metals, like iron and zinc.  Vegetarians, especially female vegetarians, need to watch how much they consume in the area of phytates.

Manganese is a necessary nutrient, but soy absorbs so much from the soil that it becomes dangerous.  Infants can’t properly metabolize mega doses of manganese, and it becomes stored in the organs, including the brain.

This can show up in adolescence as behavioral problems, since the storage area is near dopamine-bearing neurons which kick into high gear during puberty.

Myth: Soy infant formula is safe for babies.

Fact:  This one makes me more angry than all of the others.  I can deal with the educated masses being duped for failure to research.

However, inflicting this sort of damage on an innocent baby is more than my mama heart can bear.

We all know that breastfeeding is the best option for babies.  If you can’t breastfeed, and there are  few legitimate reasons that a woman couldn’t, then formula has to be considered.

If there is a true allergy to cow’s milk, then consider goat’s milk formula.  I’ve actually found recipes for homemade baby formula (just Google it if you’re interested) that are free of cow’s milk and still don’t contain soy.

Of course, as I am not a doctor, consult yours and then make an informed decision.  The LAST thing I’m interested in is babies getting hurt because a mom “followed my advice” and just gave their infant goat’s milk.

Sally Fallon (author of Nourishing Traditions) and Dr. Mary Enig wrote a great piece that summarizes why no one should consume soy, so go check it out when you have a few minutes.

Where Can I Find Soy?

In the meantime,  I challenge you to go to your pantry and look at the labels on everything you own.   If foods contain ingredients with the names below, you’re eating soy and probably didn’t even know it:

Spyglass Photo from GlassViewNews

Edamame

Soy lecithin

miso

natto

nama shoyu

soy albumin, soy fiber, soy flour, soy grits, soy milk, soy nuts, soy sprouts

soy protein (concentrate, isolate)

tamari

tempeh

textured vegetable protein (TVP)

tofu

There are a few other instances where you might find soy, such as vegetable oil and broths.  Be aware that soy is one of the top eight allergies in the US, so by law the label is reuired to state its presence.  This is good for everyone, not just the truly allergic.

If you’re not convinced of the danger, I dare you to ruthlessly cut out every protein bar, “soy protein isolate” shake, processed food and known soy food out of your diet for a week.  Afterward, come let me know how you feel.
To your soy-free health!

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Reality Check Photo by SRComBlog

It’s no secret that I’m not exactly on the same side of the health fence as Big Pharma.  It shouldn’t come as any surprise, then, that I’m not a fan of your everyday supplements.  If your average one-a-day multivitamin is bad, what’s good?

The Good

The Best Vitamins Photo by GreenSmoothieGirl

My favorite raw foods blog is Kristen’s Raw. Kristen explains in great detail which supplements she uses and why.

So you’re not a raw vegan, but not sure you’re getting everything you need?  I totally understand.  I’m a busy mom with three kids, so I know what it’s like to try to balance good nutrition with time-saving measures.

Sometimes I worry that I’m not getting enough of what I need.  Right now, because I’m expecting another baby, I’m not 100% confident that my diet is supplying everything my body and baby require.

For that reason, I think supplementing with a daily multi and a couple of other products is perfectly fine.  Vitamin Code makes a raw vegan prenatal.

Beware of “whole foods” vitamins.  Sometimes the foods they use as a source are heated past 115 degrees, and therefore the vitamins become denatured.  Then they blast them full of synthetics to make up for the lost nutrition and slap a “natural” label on them.

That really burns my buttons, so just be careful.  Your best bets for whole foods vitamins are the Vitamin Code I mentioned above, or Dr. Mercola’s Whole Foods Multivitamin.

Other products that are whole foods based but do NOT claim to be raw are Juice Plus and Green and Purple Pops.  While these products may be great, I’m leery of spending that much money on something that’s not explicitly raw.  Why pay for dead enzymes?

For the rest of the population, here are a few supplements you may consider:

1. DHA.  Whether or not you’re a vegan, you might decide to skip the fish oil and go with the Omega 3s in flax seed instead.  Why?

First, the mercury content in fish is increasing, and that will be in your supplement.  Second, no fish burps.  Seriously.   Third, if the fish used is farmed, the balance of Omega 3s and 6s will be off.

2. Vitamineral Green.  I know that I’ve talked about it before, but I really think it’s important, especially if you don’t eat enough leafy greens and sea vegetables.  I have a hard time with kelp, dulse, and nori, so Vitamineral Green is really a life saver.

3. Vitamin D.  If you don’t get enough vitamin D from the sun, you should supplement.  Milk is often fortified with D2, which is fine for non-vegans.  However, if you want a natural source, I’d go with D3.  It’s a little more expensive, but I think that synthetics are worrisome enough

Homemade Kefir Photo by Elequity.com

to pass by.

4.  Probiotics.  If you eat kefir (coconut, cow’s milk, goat’s milk, or water varieties) or yogurt or drink kombucha, you’re probably fine here.  I like kombucha because it’s tasty (though it does smell a bit like vinegar) and fizzy, so it settles my stomach.

Kefir is my next choice because it has not only beneficial bacteria, but also natural yeasts to aid in digestion.

Yogurt is third, but only because it’s been so pimped out by the dairy industry that I highly doubt the efficacy of mass-market brands.

If you’re a vegan Mormon (or someone who doesn’t eat soy, dairy, or trace amounts of alcohol), a supplement is the way to go.  I’d recommend Ejuva’s Moflora.

Of course each person’s diet is different, and if you want a complete set of vitamin and mineral guidelines, please speak with your health care provider.

The Bad

Synthetic Vitamins Photo from Independent.co.uk

I think synthetic vitamins are just bad.  Why?  Well, because at best, they’re ineffective in people who aren’t severely malnourished.

The body doesn’t recognize most of the chemical compounds these things are made from, and therefore works hard to flush them out.

I read a great report a year or so ago that spells out the dangers, and it’s worth a read.  It does a great job teaching you how to read labels so you know what’s natural and what isn’t.

Another recent article I mostly agree with is here.  It says that the $25 billion dollar a year vitamin industry is bunk.  Since 98% of the vitamins on the market are synthetic, I believe that.  Even those labeled “whole foods”, as we saw above, are mostly full of junk masquerading as health.

However, I DO believe that there is benefit in consuming the powdered, raw form of fruits, veggies, and sea veggies when your diet is lacking.

Most water-soluble synthetics are flushed out of the body with relative ease.  Not that you want to pay for a vitamin that’s just peed out instead of being absorbed, but at least it’s not going to kill you.

The Downright Dangerous

Danger Photo from SpeedySigns.com

1.  Synthetic Vitamin C.  A study using synthetic C was begun with 22,000 pregnant women.  The study was halted because birth defects increased 400% according to the New England Journal of Medicine, 1995.

I’ve  also read research that it can contribute to the thickening of the arterial walls of the heart by as much as 2.5 times.  I’d say that’s dangerous!

2.  Synthetic Vitamin A.  This may contribute to lung cancer (especially in smokers), birth defects, and loss of sight.  Weston A Price has a great article on why plant foods are labeled as having Vitamin A but are ineffective in converting it to usable forms.

Want natural A?  Cod liver oil.  Simple as that.

3.  Synthetic Vitamin D.  This sucker is seriously dangerous in large quantities.  It can lead to kidney stones, high blood pressure and high cholesterol in adults.

Suite 101 says, “For children, it can cause diarrhea, nausea, frequent urination, loss of appetite, dizziness, weakness, calcium deposits in kidneys and excessive calcium in the blood”.

Want natural D?  Start with the sun.  If that’s not enough, that same cod liver oil will work wonders!

Mixed Nuts Photo From Feeltaste.com

4.  Synthetic Vitamin E.  Want fatigue, hypertension, immune system suppression and excessive bleeding?  Go ahead and load up on Synthetic Vitamin E.

Want natural E?  Easy as (pecan) pie.  Nuts and seeds, whole grains, paprika, and lots of leafy greens will take care of your needs.

I don’t want you to be afraid of supplements.  As a general rule, I think they’re best used sparingly, only to supplement a diet high in whole, organic foods.   If you decide to take them, please stay away from synthetic formulations.

Read the links I’ve provided for more education, and see for yourself if getting what you need from fresh food isn’t the best course of action!

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Orthorexia–ever heard of it?  I came upon this term about 18 months ago when someone accused me of being orthorexic.  The person didn’t know me, but thought I had the condition when  I had the audacity to suggest (upon being asked) that organic fruits and veggies are better for her health than so-called Healthy Choice meals.  The nerve of me.

The “Condition”

For the record, orthorexia means “fixation on righteous eating”.  What’s so wrong with that?  I’m starting to think that the fixation that’s the problem is other people focusing on my healthy eating.

Another aspect of this “disorder” that is troubling is that anyone could have it if they’re particular about their diets.

It doesn’t have to be raw veganism (which I personally think is a great diet for people who feel amazing doing it).  If you become convinced that fast food is the ONLY healthy food, you, too, could be orthorexic!

The final thing that bothers me greatly is that people confuse “orthorexia nervosa” with anorexia nervosa.  Anorexia is a real disease, and people die from it.

It feels like the creator, Dr. Steven Bratman, wants to give credence to his idea by his choice of name.  I feel like he’s trying to pull the wool over people’s eyes and give weight to his idea by linking it so closely to such a dreaded disorder.

People are buying it, too.  Just Google images of orthorexia.  What you’ll see is bony models and painfully this actresses like Lara Flynn Boyle and Victoria Beckham.  I refuse to speculate on the health of these women, but I think it’s terribly unfair that they’re being labeled yet AGAIN by an overzealous doctor without a credit in the DSM.

The final insult in his choice of name is the one that is being most overlooked.  Bratman isn’t calling it an eating disorder, but rather a form of OCD.  So why the name, sir?

I think that far too few people focus on eating well, and those of us that give a crap about what goes into our mouths and bodies are weird.

I can accept that, I don’t mind being different because we don’t eat refined sugar or grains, or chemical “foods”.  However, just because we think differently doesn’t mean you get to slap a label on me.

This so-called disorder is not recognized by the DSM-IV, and it’s not going to be included in the DSM-V.  The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders is the handbook that tells us what mental illnesses exist and their criteria for diagnosis.

Orthorexia being excluded comes as no surprise to me.  My bachelor’s degree is in psychology, and I struggled with a diagnosable eating disorder for a number of years.

Believe you me, eating whole, organic foods with a focus on raw plant food is a much different thing than puking up your second DQ Blizzard of the day.   Been there, done that.

Supposed Characteristics

Here are some traits of the “disorder”:

1. Spending considerable time–often 3 or more hours per day–thinking about healthful foods and planning what to eat.

I guarantee you I don’t think about food three or more hours per day.  Now.  But when I was first learning about food and nutrition, of course I did.  It’s called a learning curve.  Anything worth doing takes some time, and I’m glad I invested it when I did, because my family reaps the benefit of excellent health now.

2. Experiencing guilt, fear or self-loathing when straying from this diet.

Notice that it doesn’t say “false guilt”.  Know why?  Because there’s a legitimate reason to fear for your health and well being when you stray from a solid, balanced diet.

If anyone should feel guilty, it’s this label-pushing quack who says that I shouldn’t feel guilty for eating a diet full of junk.

I won’t apologize for trying to prevent cancer, heart disease, and diabetes with my family’s diet.

Essentially, the medical community is trying to tell me that because I take seriously the belief that food is medicine and reject their pill-pushing propaganda, I’m the one with the disorder.

That’s right, medical community.  I’m hoping you never have to see much of me.  If  I’m ever seriously ill, I’ll use your services in treating REAL diseases.  Until then, I’ll kindly keep to myself, thank you very much.

3. Placing the virtue of the food above the pleasure of eating it.

OK, I confess that I do this.  I don’t really like brussels sprouts, but I eat them.  Mom told me that veggies were good for me, and I believed her.  Guess it’s mom’s fault that I have orthorexia.  It’s always the mother!

4. Sacrificing relationships and once-enjoyed activities in order to eat the “right” foods.

Wait, I do this too.  I won’t go to certain places with friends because they only offer fried and cheese-laden bar food (I do live in the South, remember).

I don’t drink like I once did, either.  I sure enjoyed that.  Oh, wait, that’s because drinking several nights a week might be bad for my health.  Hmm.

Heaven forbid that I do go out with my friends who are having a pint and choose to abstain from the “food” and drink.  Then I spend the whole night hearing about what a party pooper I am so they can feel better about their own bad choices.

Who’s the crappy friend now?  As one of my favorite bloggers, Kristen, said recently, “Every bite of food is a chance to make my body and baby stronger and healthier… or not. I choose stronger and healthier”.

But here’s a question: why is it ok to avoid these things at certain times in life, like during pregnancy or while battling cancer, and not others?  Is it really so terrible that I’d rather avoid the bad stuff altogether?

When women are pregnant, they’re praised for eating well and being disciplined.   When people have cancer, their physicians often give dietary advice.  Why is it that pregnancy and major illness are acceptable times for healthy foods to take their rightful, visible places in our diets?

5. Gaining self-esteem and a sense of control from eating healthy foods.

For the love of Pete.  So where is it ok to garner self-esteem?  Is it ok to feel better about myself because I exercise?  If so, why not about healthy eating?  This keeps getting more and more absurd.

6. Looking down on others who don’t eat the same way.

I think this is a problem of perception.  Ask anyone who has experienced life change, they all want to share it with others. Don’t confuse zeal for trying to guilt another person.

True, there are people who will take offense when you decline their advice.  I get that.  However, most people are genuinely interested in helping you feel as good as they do.

So the next time I offer you a green smoothie instead of your Lean Cuisine, feel free to say “no”.  Just know that I do it because I genuinely care about your health and wellness, not because I feel superior.

If you hear that little whisper inside of you that says “there is another way”, I’d love it if you’d follow it down the rabbit hole. But careful, you might be labeled with a made-up psychological disorder, too.

Dunce photo from Gibbs Magazine

Frenemy photo from Elle

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Discovering new ways to boost my health is sometimes an adventure, especially when I try new foods. Recently, I took a look at adding Japanese staples to my diet. I found that Asian food is tasty, unique, healthy and kind of fun to eat. 

Nori 

Nori is traditionally dark green sheets. But can be found brown or red. It is also referred to as seaweed.

Nori has been a common food in Japan and China for centuries. It used to be called norinorinori. 

A friend of my daughter’s loves to eat nori plain. She considers it a great snack and munchies on the sheets throughout the day.

People in the west are familiar with the edible seaweed as a wrap for sushi or added to soups. 

The sheets have a distinct salty and grassy taste. You can eat it dried or toasted. It is an excellent source of calcium, zinc and iodine. 

Nori can also be shredded and scattered on rice and stir fried dishes.  Some people simply enjoy eating nori by dipping it in soy sauce. 

Soba Noodles 

Soba noodles are traditional Japanese noodles. They are thin noodles made of 30% buckwheat and regular wheat flour.  

They kind of look like spaghetti noodles but have a distinct light brown color. Most Japanese dishes use soba noodles.  The buckwheat makes them a very healthy food.

Buckwheat helps the body by decreasing cholesterol, lowering blood pressure, reducing fat accumulation and promoting healthy bowel movements.

The best way to eat soba is as a stir-fry with vegetables or served plain with soy, shallot or horseradish sauce. 

Pickled Ginger

I love the sweet taste of pickled ginger. Ginger is wonderful on the digestive system and has long been favored for its anti-nausea effects. 

Studies also show that ginger helps boost circulation and reduce blood pressure.  Pickled ginger is served with sushi, added to salads and placed in sandwiches.

Teriyaki Sauce 

Teriyaki sauce is one of my favorite barbeque sauces. The flavorful mixture is low in fat.  I marinade salmon, chicken with the sweet dressing.  Beef lovers use teriyaki sauce as well. 

My daughter loves adding teriyaki sauce to her steamed brown rice as a side dish. She dips the fork of rice into the dressing and slurps it into her mouth.  

I’ll even see her dunking her vegetables from her salad and eating them that way. 

Tofu 

As a traditional food of Asia for 2,000 years, tofu is popular for its exceptional nutritional benefits. Known as a soya curd, the cheese-like food is versatile. 

Tofu is bland but can easily absorb flavors from sauces and herbs. I like tofu by itself with a dab of soy or tamari sauce. It does wonders to my brown rice and stir-fries or even salads. 

Tofu is a vegetable protein that is easily digested. It is low in fat and reduces cholesterol. Some women report that it relieves symptoms of menopause.

Like any grain product, make sure you purchase tofu that has not been genetically modified. 

Enjoying new foods that are tasty and healthy can make cooking and eating a pleasurable experience.  I recommend giving these foods a try.

You can start gradual, take it from there and get really creative.  

 

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So you think you’re hardcore, eh?  You might drink raw eggs. You might eat pounds of boiled chicken breast without salt when you’re leaning out.   Do you drink greens?

If not, you need to start right away!  Greens contain minerals such as iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium.

They have vitamins, including vitamins K, C, E, and many of the B vitamins.

They also provide a variety of phytonutrients including beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin.  They’re almost carb-free, so you can eat just about as many of them as you want.  And don’t even get me started on their fiber content.

Basic Smoothie

There are several ways to get this accomplished, and some of them taste pretty great.  If you’re just getting started, here’s my smoothie recipe:

Heather’s Basic Green Smoothie

1 apple, peach, or pear, sliced

1 orange cut into quarters

2 ripe bananas

3-4 large handfuls baby spinach

1 cup strawberries

1/2 c. blueberries

1 c. water/ice

2 scoops protein powder of your choice

Blend the water and spinach on high for 1 minute.  Add fruit and protein powder and blend until smooth.  This recipe make 5-6 cups, which should fill your basic blender.

A quart per day is sufficient for most people, though I often drink 6 cups myself and make a pint for each of the kids (they like the smoothies more than I do).

If you want to use frozen fruit and  you don’t have a superblender, I suggest you let it thaw for half an hour at room temperature, or move it from fridge to freezer the night before.

Lower Sugar Smoothie

You prefer a savory recipe?  Need to keep your sugars down?  No problem.  This smoothie nourishes you like no other, triples most people’s daily intake of veggies, and tastes pretty darn good too.  Think Bloody Mary.

2 leaves kale, stems removed

1 bunch basil or cilantro

2 large tomatoes

1 stalks celery

1 red bell pepper

1 medium avocado (1/2 if limiting fat, optional)

1 lime, juiced

1 cup water

dash hot sauce or cayenne pepper, optional

2 scoops plain protein powder (egg preferably)

Blend kale and water for 1 minute.  Add veggies and lime juice, blend on high 2-3 minutes.  Pour and enjoy.

Savory smoothies are nice for lunch.  Often I have a fruit green smoothie for breakfast, then a savory one with a handful of raw almonds for lunch and am plenty full until dinner time.

Now, lest you think I’m some sort of raw vegan nut, I’m actually not.  I just really prefer to consume my veggies in smoothie form.  They say that we assimilate about 40% of the nutrients in food when we chew, but around 90% from blended food.  Know why?  Because we don’t chew very well.

Easiest Smoothie Ever

Still not convinced?  Need something easy that takes literally one minute to make?   OK, I’ve got you covered.

1 banana

1 handful spinach

1 cup water/ice

1 scoop protein powder of your choice

Toss in blender, blend ’til smooth.  Pour into a glass, and enjoy instant refreshment.

It’ll look green, but taste like banana.  How’s that for cool?  I defy you to find something simpler!

The Quick and Dirty

So if you know you need more greens in your diet but can’t find the time to make a smoothie, I’ve got one last suggestion for you.  Vitamineral Green or another dehydrated greens powder.

Yes, it’s expensive, but you can’t get any faster than tossing a couple of teaspoons into your water or juice (or your regular protein smoothie).

Remember, greens are, calorie for calorie, one of the healthiest foods on the planet.  We talk about exotic “superfoods”, but greens are cheap, accessible, and tasty when you use them this way.

I’d call them pretty super, especially once you get to know what you like in a smoothie.

Getting Fancy

So you’ve tried my basic smoothie, then you experimented with it.  Now you’ve got your own everyday smoothie recipe.  Fantastic!

Are you ready to move up a nutritional level or two?  Start by varying your greens.  Kale, Swiss chard, and lettuces are great additions.  I like to rotate my greens for the most nutritional punch.

Feeling SUPER brave?  Go out to an empty field and pick some morning glory.  Or dandelion greens.  Or lambsquarter.  There are lots of edible weeds that just go to waste, but they’re amazing for your body, and free.

In the future we’ll talk about the benefits of different kinds of greens, but for now baby spinach is your best choice stateside.  This time of year you should see an abundance of greens.  One word of warning: collard, turnip and mustard greens are pretty bitter, so use them sparingly if at all!

Smoothie Tips

1. Getting bored?  Switch up your fruits.  In season, I like to use cantaloupe, watermelon, kiwi, 1/4 of a juiced lemon, pineapple, fresh figs, you name it.

Grapes are great if your smoothie tastes a little earthy one day.  Half a pomegranate makes me swoon.

2. Start small, 10 to 20% greens.  The ultimate goal will be to work up to 60% fruit and 40% greens.  Some of the most hardcore people I know (like Green Smoothie Girl) suggest the opposite, but that isn’t palatable for everyone.

I’d rather have a higher ratio of fruit to greens than use agave nectar or Stevia to sweeten them.  Do what tastes good, and gradually cut back until you’re where you want to be.

3.  Low on greens?  You can make green smoothie with cucumbers, celery, and herbs.  Parsley and cilantro are the most popular.

4. Spinach getting wilty?  Toss it in the freezer!  Going out of town and have some left?  Toss it in the freezer!  Most of the nutrients will remain intact, and wasting money isn’t cool.

5. Short on time in the morning?  Prepare bags with your fruit and greens in the evening and stick everything in the fridge overnight.  The frozen fruit will have time to thaw, the fresh fruit and greens will stay cool, and all you have to do is toss it in the blender and go.  Easy peasy!

6. If you don’t have a high-powered blender, work slowly and carefully.  You might consider saving your pennies to get one, because they’re really worth it in my opinion.

Yes, they’re expensive.  I got mine two years ago and paid about $400 for it, but I use it literally every day.  We make smoothie, nut butters, salad dressing, blended soup, “ice cream”, and more in ours.  You can actually grind grain in the BlendTec, too!

Leave me a comment and let me know how you like your smoothie creation!

Vitamineral Green photo by Sara Janssen

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Massage is an important part of the training process for many purposeful athletes who want to achieve swift recovery after extensive training or competition. Massage also plays an important role in injury prevention due to overuse or overstraining the body and in the rehabilitation process after injury. 

Every athlete has experienced heighten muscle tension from training and competing. The usual signs of such side-effects are limited performance, reduce flexibility and increase risk of injury not to mention pain. Pain is the result of unbalanced muscles becoming inflamed because they were not handled properly over a long period of time, which can lead to discomfort in the neck, shoulders, arms back, pelvis, groin, knee and so forth.

Heightened muscle tension also places more stress on muscles and tendons; particularly where they attach themselves at various connections. As a result, an athlete can experience physiological and motivational problems with his training.  The immune and neurological system is damaged, which can be a huge setback for any athlete.  Missing a competition because of being ill or injured is no fun to say the least. 

But the flip side to all these problems is basic massage therapy where the door can be opened to a holistic approach to recovery. Many athletes claim the following benefits to massage techniques:

• Reduction of sensations of fatigue  
• More physically calm, mentally relaxed with better sleeping habits  
• Less muscle spasm and better muscle tone 
• Faster recovery, more agile and effective training
• Breaking down and massaging out adhesions or “muscle spurs” and reducing risk of injury 
• Increasing range of motion and fluid movement of the body
• Decrease in scar tissue after injury, which leads to more flexibility
• Identifying potential trouble spots before developing into symptoms. A trained massage therapist can easily detect soft tissue under stress, which is below the athlete’s awareness, and then can be corrected before problems actually surface while training or competing.

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There is simply no excuse not to work out because exercise can be performed anywhere. Motivation is what many people need, so training with a partner or listening to cool music will certainly help. What if you do not have a gym membership but want to get fit for the New Year. It would be great, would it not, to lose weight on your own without having to join a gym and then unleash the ‘new svelte you’ before your mate in a couple of months time. Serious weight loss does not take long to accomplish with deep effort, and when you gradually start to see the pounds shifting, it will spur you on.

All you need is motivation, your own body weight to use as resistance, and a friend to spur you on, if you choose to. The hardest thing for someone who has not undertaken any exercise in a long time is the feeling of breathlessness. Exercise pushes the heart to pump round more blood and, in an unfit person, this will show as a side effect of fatigue and breathlessness. It is important to go slow and not push yourself too hard in the early stages. Exercise of any kind is always more beneficial than none.

Obviously, the heavier you weigh the harder it will be to perform bodyweight training such as press-ups, sit-ups, burpees, squat thrusts, jumping jacks, skipping, one-legged squats, dead lifts etc but this will cause your body to shed a lot of excess fat as well as build lean muscle tissue which increases the natural resting metabolism.

If you have a partner to work with, great, if you do not, place that funky CD in the machine and state in your mind that you are ready to make a change. You do not need to buy or use any items of equipment with body weight training because your body supplies the resistance. The heavier you are the more calories you will burn because your body has to perform the exercises against more weight. The pounds will start to fall off but you should aim to burn off around 7000 excess calories per week or 2lb of fat. This is only 1000 calories per day so with exercise and a calorie deficit, this can be easily done. The more exercise is done the more calories will be burnt. If more than two pounds is shown as weight loss on the scales, it will more than likely be water loss and will return when fluid is consumed.

As well as working your heart and burning fat, exercise will also change your total outlook on your diet. Exercise will curb cravings for junk food and, as you continue, you will start to make positive dietary changes.

So how does one start out training alone. Firstly, if you have never undertaken any exercise, consult your doctor for their advice. State that you will not be exerting yourself too much but you want to lose weight naturally through diet and exercise. I would advise that you keep your sessions to a minimum in the beginning, especially if you have never performed this type of exercise before, so aim to train for a minimum of ten minutes.

• Try to perform a minimum of five press-ups, (pull in abdominals, and keep back straight. If these are tough, get on your knees and perform the same number of press-ups)

• Ten sit-ups (without straining the neck and continue to look up at ceiling. You should feel a pull in your abdominal area. Try to perform them slowly to build that fat burning muscle.

• Aim for twenty seconds of squat thrusts or alternate squat thrusts (where either the left or right leg jumps out and the other leg jumps back in to train alternate muscles on either side).

• Burpees may be too tough for a beginner but I will explain exactly what you must do here. There are various varieties of burpees, some that include a press-up or others which are started in a press-up position but jump your legs in and then perform a high jump. That is one rep. Try to perform up to five and keep working at these fantastic body toning moves. This exercise works your arms, legs, buttocks, and abdominals, plus builds lean muscle tissue.

• Jumping jacks are a fantastic workout for the heart. Try to work up to thirty seconds but always listen to your body if the pain gets too much.

• One-legged squats are one of the best exercises to tone the buttock muscles. Very similar to a normal squat where the bottom is pushed back as far as possible, back is straight, and the thighs are parallel with the feet. One-legged squats are tough. If you need to hold onto something for support to get used to the kind of balance you require, use that help. Hold one leg in front of you or behind and squat down on one leg as far down as you can go so you are able to return up to the starting position without causing strain. Try to perform at least two on each leg.

• Dead lifts usually use weights but tins or bottles of water can be used. Stand tall and pick up the weight from the ground and pull it toward the hip area so you stand upright but lean back to lengthen your back in a deep stretch. Keep the back straight and bend the knees slightly. That is one rep. Try to perform up to ten dead lifts.

This may not seem like a lot of exercise, but to a novice some of these exercises will be tough. This will help to build your fitness and burn fat. In the next article, I will talk about how cardiovascular exercise is important for weight loss and in others I will talk about intermediate and advanced methods of training at home.

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Weight training, bodybuilding, or body weight training is difficult in itself. A positive mindset is required to help to push through the pain. Whether you work on pyramid or reverse pyramid sets, plyometric training, or simple lifting of weights, it is important to know your own mind to achieve your aims.

Many people may hit a plateau stage in weight training and need something to push them toward the next stage. A great method to help with this is short, sharp one-minute drill sessions in skipping, sprinting, high jumps, or other exercise of your choice. As long as it works the heart and pushes you to your limits in a short space of this, it will improve your fitness tremendously over a few sessions.

Both aerobic (skipping, running, cycling etc) and anaerobic exercise (plyometrics, weight training, bodyweight training) work well together and help to burn off excess fat in the body. In order for lean muscle tissue to be visible, the body fat percentage must be low. Weight training alone will not burn off fat. Cardiovascular exercise is also required to burn off excess fat. Anaerobic exercise is effective to build lean muscle tissue and give an increase in the basal metabolic rate (BMR) but aerobic will burn off fat and expose the lean, sexy body underneath.

A perfect intensive training plan would be to perform a set of your weight training exercises and then skip or perform squat thrusts for one minute to keep the heart rate high. This will torch calories and more than likely boost the metabolism for several hours afterward. Put together with aerobic exercise, which helps to burn fat for up to forty-eight hours, these short sharp minute drills will invigorate your body and work your heart and muscles to the max.

That last thing you want to do when you desire to build a stronger body is to reach a plateau stage where your fitness cannot improve or you struggle to push through the pain barrier. Short intensive one-minute aerobic sessions will get the blood pumping, strengthen the heart, and burn off stored fat.

Running and skipping are also weight-bearing exercises that strengthen the skeletal system and prevent age degenerative diseases like osteoporosis. What is also important when linking both aerobic and anaerobic exercise together is eating a protein rich diet with complex carbohydrates.

A perfect snack to have before hitting the gym would be wholemeal bread with peanut butter and sliced banana. The bread contains complex carbohydrates that fuel the muscles for energy, the peanut butter contains a useful amount of protein, which keeps the body fuller for longer and helps to repair the microscopic tears to the muscles when weight training is performed. Bananas are an instant energy food and are low on the glycaemic index. It fuels the muscles. Together, this quick snack gives sufficient energy to complete an intensive workout. Try to stick to foods low on the GI scale. Fibre rich products are wonderful foods that sustain energy and so too are fruits and vegetables.

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Getting a body massage is a great way to help relieve stress naturally.  We all know that stress causes illness. The things that are known to cause stress are children, job, money, relationships, and time – you name it – even extended family. 

One can manage stress to a certain degree. Some people do better than others. The key is to find relief naturally through massage therapy.  Because the nerves in the body are interconnected, a pressure point blocking a nerve in one area in the body can block the function of another part of the body. Through massages the blocked nerve can be relieved and the nerves function better and the body becomes healthier. 

For example, if a person has a pressure point in the upper back it can block a nerve going to the lungs. This is because the nerves branch out from one another. If, in this example, the nerves are blocked to the lungs, what kind of problems do you think this person can have? That’s right lung congestion, bronchitis, or even pneumonia or asthma.   

The basic idea, then, in massage therapy is to find the areas of pressure points and treat them to open up nerve pathways again.

Because of the anatomy of the body, it is easy to associate certain pressure points with different problems in the body.  For example, nerves that extend from the back area between the shoulder blades control the stomach. If there are pressure points between the shoulders that are blocking this nerve flow to the stomach, this could result in an upset stomach.

By treating these points with massage therapy, the nerve flow once again opens up and the stomach ache resolves. 

The person experiencing the stomachache may or may not have pain between the shoulders. But when these points are treated, it is often noticed that they are tender. The same goes for headaches, back pain and other conditions. Massage therapy is not a cure-all. It is simply a very effective technique that works more times than it doesn’t. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand it, and almost anyone can apply it on themselves and others. 

The problem we are facing with our health care system is that there are too many rocket scientists out there. The ways some doctors view our bodies and mismanage them with unnecessary treatment are tainting our view and patience with the current medical profession.

Some studies report that 80 percent of all surgeries are unnecessary and that a large percentage of all emergency room admissions, up to 50 percent, are due to a reaction of a prescription drug. Perhaps, taking a view of an alternative or preventive way, like massage therapy, to treat the body naturally may make sense. 

Massage is not a substitute for the medical profession. It is just a rudimentary part of taking care of the body. The idea here is that if you apply massage therapy and other prudent healthy life activities, you will be in the category of health, not sickness.

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We are all under pressure. Pressure is another word for stress. When a person thinks of stress, they think of the things that cause the stress: job, children, relationships, money, and time – you name it. 

One can cope with stress to a degree. Some people do better than others. Everyone has his or her own ’stress threshold.’ If one stays inside this threshold the body functions normally But when the pressures of the world go beyond this point, the stress infiltrates (goes into) the body, and a person feels ’stressed out.’ Most diseases in the body can be traced to stress or pressure, to one degree or another. 

Pressure Point Therapy could have been called ‘Stress’ Point Therapy or massage therapy. But it’s best for you to differentiate between stress (which most people consider mental) and pressure, which is a physical thing not a emotional thing. But does affect your emotions. This pressure actually exists and it is wreaking havoc with your body. A professional Massage Therapist should understand the concept of these pressure points and it’s therapy. 

Your body stores ’stress’ in areas called Pressure Points. Pressure Points are small painful pockets of energy that are located on or along a nerve or nerve pathway in the body. Pressure Points will block the nerve energy from flowing through your body.

As you may know, nerves run the entire body. Your nerves control all functions in your body. The nerves run your heart, digestive system, muscles, immune system, senses such as sight, taste, hearing, etc. If a nerve is blocked by a Pressure Point, the messages that flow through the nerve also become stopped. For example, you have a nerve that is responsible for your digestive tract. If it is blocked by a Pressure Point, you may end up with indigestion, constipation or even diarrhea. Pressure Points blocking the nerves going into the head can result in headaches, neck pain or even vision disturbances. 

Most of the Pressure Points we are addressing are located within the muscles of your body. The nerves run directly through the muscles. This is especially true in your back. As you may know, your back contains the spinal column, which houses 80 percent of all the nerves in your body. 

When your body gets stressed out, your muscles tighten up. Many of you regularly feel this in your neck and shoulder areas. These tight muscles can put pressure on the nerves that run through the muscle. When this occurs, the nerve sends an “emergency” signal back to your brain, which, in turn, further tightens up the muscle. This pattern results in the small areas of extreme tightness that we call Pressure Points. 

A professional Massage Therapist should be able to work these pressure points, so you have a healthier body, stress free.

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Chiropractic care deals with manipulating the back to help the nerves flow throughout the body. A patient experiences great relief when a chiropractor treats his back. Finding the chiropractor that works best for you plays a part in getting the most out of your chiropractic treatments.  

Decide what type of chiropractor technique you like best. Familiarity with chiropractic care helps you know which technique you like the most.  Some chiropractors use their hands to manipulate the spine, whereas others use an instrument. Some apply deeper, joint-popping adjustment and others apply low force adjusting. 

Ask your friends, family members, co-workers if they could recommend a chiropractor based on what technique you like best. 

Check with your primary care physician for recommendations. 

Try to get multiple recommendations for one particular chiropractor. Odds are in your favor that the chiropractor is trustworthy and helpful.

Call the chiropractor from your recommendations and set an appointment to meet the doctor. Most chiropractors offer free consultations.  

Prepare for the meeting by writing down a list of questions you want to know about the doctor. You can ask about his techniques or if he uses nutritional counseling, rehabilitation, strength training, massage therapy and bio physics. 

Go to the appointment and get a free consult. Get your questions answered and feel comfortable to ask more. Find out what treatment plan she recommends to handle your back problem.

If you do not understand the treatment program, make sure you ask questions. 

Find out if the chiropractor does everything in his capacity, within a few treatments as possible, to get you feeling better, and can he offer advice on applying exercise techniques (like bio physics) to prevent back problems in the future, working more toward a self-help approach outside the chiropractor clinic.

Bodybuilders and exercise enthusiasts experience great relief with chiropractic care. Locating a chiropractor that works best for you plays an important part in getting the most out of your chiropractic treatments.  So, take the time to find the right chiropractor for you.

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Bodybuilding for women is an excellent way for women to keep fit while focusing on limiting their weight gain of fat and building their muscles.  Women can then feel better and look healthier. 

Women’s bodies never build like men’s bodies because the testosterone is just not there in their bodies.  Clearly it would take artificial substance to build bulk like men do. Yet, bodybuilding for a woman’s body is different than a man’s body and rules should apply. 

Some rules can apply for both men and women like diet. Eat five to six small meals a day, drink lots and lots of water and get plenty of rest. The workouts are similar, though some women might limit their reps at the start of the program until they build strength. 

One way to try and lose weight is to avoid eating a snack before bed. Eating carbohydrates as a snack with simple sugars is definitely a no win situation. Sleeping isn’t for burning calories; it’s for resting the body. Make sure you stay away from the bad carbohydrates before going to bed. Simple don’t eat before going to bed. 

Eating throughout the day keeps your body from starving. When you allow the body to starve between meals or snacks, you body craves processed food, which your body doesn’t need. As you try to build muscles on your body you need to eat six small meals during the day. This works much better than three large meals a day.  An added benefit is small meals keep your energy flowing and your body doesn’t slow down. Plus, the food will digest better.  

In general, women need to adhere to bodybuilding as a woman not as a man because of the subtleties in the differences of their bodies.  

The list of bodybuilding workouts available are as vast as the amount of competitions available to compete in each year.  Starting out as a bodybuilder means knowing your subject cold without learning everything at once. The key to success is the beginner’s commitment to the program.  Once you make the commitment the program starts to take shape.  Working out on a set regime gets you the results you desire.  The more and more you perform each exercise and push your body the more results you’ll clearly see. But keep in mind, you will get sore often but recover easier than a veteran because your muscle damage is not as brutal.

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Cardio – You want to build muscle, so you need your calories. For that reason, keep your cardio training down to a smallest amount of our workout as possible. If you perform too much cardio in your workout, you will burn too many calories, and that doesn’t build muscle. Regulate your cardio workout and keep it separate from your muscle building workout.

Hydrate Your Body – Water is very important if you body build. You need to drink more than 8 glasses a day to keep your body hydrated. You will flush out toxins and increase the body’s circulation. Water also helps the muscles look fuller and healthier.

Watch Your Food Intake – Bodybuilders need energy from excellent sources of food like rice, oatmeal, potatoes, bananas and apples. These foods are high in carbohydrates and are very healthy. They give your body energy and need to be taken daily to maintain your energy level for intense workouts.

Foods such as chicken and fish are lean and help build muscle on the body. Tuna is wonderful as a low cost, high protein food that contains practically no fat or carbohydrates. Try not to eat too much tuna because reportedly the fish is high in mercury from polluted waters.

Body Build by Alternate Days – Alternate your bodybuilding days by working on your upper body one day, and then your lower body the next day. Plan your workouts on a calendar by assigning days to focus on specific areas of the body.  You can work on arms and shoulders one day, and then legs the next, giving each muscle time to recover for maximum bodybuilding capability.

Sleep – Not enough can be stressed on the importance of getting enough rest and sleep so your muscles can recover and regain their strength before embarking on another intense workout. Most bodybuilding experts recommend 8 to 10 hours of sleep a night. Having a great looking body can lead to all sorts of social activities that could break your bodybuilding routine such as staying up late with “friends” or meeting someone special for the night.  Keep to your own lifestyle and make wise choices that will highlight your future.

These are basic principles that most bodybuilders can adhere to and already know.  But it’s worth learning and re-learning because when bodybuilding principles are followed bodybuilders can glorify in the success while preventing injury and setbacks.

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All fats contain more calories per gram than both protein and carbohydrates. Fats contain 9kcal per gram of fat and protein and carbohydrates just 4kcal per gram. Fat, therefore, keeps the body fuller for longer if the right fats are consumed. Try to stick to essential fatty acids like those contained in nuts, seeds, and oils. These contain essential fatty acids that help to prevent disease, regulate the appetite, burn off fat, improve skin health, and cushion the internal organs. They also work to improve the good HDL cholesterol levels in the blood and lower LDL (unhealthy) cholesterols.

What are the healthy fats?

• Coconut oil
• Butter
• Pumpkin seeds
• Chocolate
• Salmon
• Pine nuts
• Walnuts
• Soya
• Avocado
• Olive Oil
• Almonds
• Flaxseed Oil

How good are these fats?

• Coconut oil – Although coconut oil is mostly saturated fat, it transfers to the liver automatically due to its medium chain fatty acid component and converts into immediate energy so it is not stored around the stomach. This energy is utilised immediately.

• Butter – Unbelievably, butter contains omega 3 essential fatty acids, a perfect oil to help the body to get rid of belly fat, regulates the blood sugar levels, and helps to build muscle.

• Pumpkin seeds – Contain zinc which regulates blood sugar levels and controls the appetite. They also contain omega 3 and 6 to boost the metabolism.

• Chocolate - Plain or dark chocolate contains important nutrients – serotonin, dopamine, and tryptophan. These work on suppressing the appetite and stop food cravings. They also heighten the metabolism and reduce triglyceride (stored fat) levels.

• Salmon – wonderfully rich in omega 3 essential fatty acids, salmon helps to shrink fat cells in the abdomen as studies have shown. They also prevent pre-fat cells from being stored as permanent fat cells.

• Pine nuts – As a member of the seed family, they are the seed with the highest source of protein, 31g per 100g. They are the only seed to contain pinolenic acid. These fuel the hormones as well as keeping the fat levels in the body down.

• Walnuts – A very healthy nut and contains the most omega 3 out of the nut family. Omega 3 helps to reduce fat in the body and helps to burn off fats too. They are widely available during the year.

• Soya – they help fat to shed rather than muscle. They contain phytonutrients that help to prevent disease and fat busting omega 3.

• Avocado – They contain a lot of healthy fats and boost satiety from their oleic acid. This converts into oleoylethanolamide (OEA), an essential fatty acid, which gets rid of hunger pangs and sends a clear message to the brain of its satiety.

• Olive Oil – A wonderful source of mono-saturated oil and helps to break down stored fat in the body. It can also promote a reaction of fullness.

• Almonds – They contain magnesium, an essential nutrient that helps the body to produce energy. Those who seek to weight loss see nuts as a bad food but they can help to fire up weight loss.

• Flaxseeds – This wonderful oil or seeds help the body to feel fuller for longer. They contain essential fatty acids and the stomach retains food for longer. Flaxseeds also contain fiber and raise the blood sugar levels slowly.

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Women come in an array of shapes and sizes, some are curvy and only need to look at a piece of cake to put weight on, and others eat loads but are unable to add sexy muscle mass. Are you aware that the exercises you perform may either help or conflict with your body type. Some women head to the gym with hope that they will slim down to a perfect ten, fit into their skinny jeans, and succeed. Others perform the wrong exercises and end up bulkier because they are performing the wrong kind of exercise. This is where personal trainers come into force. They know their business and can guide you to build the body of your dreams.

The best thing to do to work out if an exercise is effective or not is to perform it for thirty days. If your favourite gym class is the 9.00 am spin and after thirty days, you do not see any change to your body type, it may be more than likely that the exercise is not the right one for your body type. Of course, spinning is a fantastic exercise to build leg strength and improve the cardiovascular system but if your aim was to shrink that belly, tone the buttocks, and slim the thighs and it hasn’t worked, try a new exercise to see it those changes can be made.

There are pretty much four body types:

Most people believe that if their parents are a certain body shape they will become the same. If you exercise regularly and eat a nutritious diet full of protein, carbohydrates, fibre, avoid sugar and salt and drink plenty of water; your body will feel full of energy and crave healthy foods. Genetics may come into play with body shape but at the end of the day, the current shape of your body is part genetics, part lifestyle.

I have always been an hourglass shape. I have athletic legs and will never have supermodel long luscious legs. That would be nice but I have accepted my body shape. Whereas some of my friends have slimmer legs and a little more weight on the top half, I have an enviously small waist but struggle to keep my thighs and buttock in shape. Luckily, I love skipping and am very good at it. Every body shape is different. The right exercises can make a substantial difference. Try to change your exercise every six weeks so that the body does not become accustomed to it. The body does likes a challenge.

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Bodybuilders are aware of the fact that with the purpose of building muscles, they have to train regularly and eat foods that benefit their physic.  With all the information available, it might be hard to discern the right food choices in order to eat properly for muscle growth.  I have listed some common foods bodybuilders can eat to train their muscles to grow.  

White chicken meat — Chicken breast is loaded with protein that your body needs to repair its damaged muscles after a workout session. Go for the breast portion. Roasting or baking the chicken breast is the best for taste and preserving its integrity.  Add fresh broccoli, carrots or green beans and you’ll have a wonderfully healthy meal.

Eggs whites — Eggs are full of all the vital amino acids needed for fast recovery from muscle building session.  With the purpose of completely utilizing the benefits of egg whites, cook them by the book to disengage eggs full amino acid range. If you are bold enough to eat them raw like Rocky, you place yourself in jeopardy by contacting Salmonella. Yet, overcooking egg whites will change the quality of proteins and render them ineffective.  A rule of thumb to go by is to keep the cooking temperature below 150F pr 65C.

Salmon fish – What an excellent source of protein! Not only does it stimulate the body’s metabolism, salmon is unconditionally the best food for filling up your stomach. Then, your intake of calories is less and your body burns more.  Another added benefit is the fish is rich in omega-3 fats. Studies show that omega-3 fats fight inflammation, normalize insulin levels and even lower the risk of heart diseases.

Milk – Milk protein is made up of about 80 percent whey and 20 percent casein. Whey breaks down quickly into amino acids, thus is an excellent drink after a workout. Casein takes longer to digest, but provides a constant supply of protein to feed the body over a long period of time.

Water – If you are a serious bodybuilder most likely you carry around a gallon jug of fresh water.  70% of the body is composed of water and that includes muscles! Water has many benefits, but for bodybuilders water makes muscles look fuller and more toned.  Other benefits of water include the transport minerals and nutrients throughout the body, flushing toxins from the body, speeding up the muscle-building process and keeping the body in optimal health.

Slow-burning carbo foods -These foods include rice, sweet potatoes and pasta. If you exercise regularly carbohydrates get stored inside your muscles and become the main source of energy.  When your body’s energy level becomes low, it will start to draw energy from your muscles.  If you do not consume enough carbohydrates the muscles on you body will no longer look full.

Training and eating properly builds muscle for the body. Look over this list, again, and make a concerted effort to add these foods to your diet. You will feel better and look better, too.

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Only cardio burns fat, right?

Wrong. Cardiovascular exercise is effective at torching calories and the larger the muscles worked, the better, but nothing is more effective at building that all important metabolic rate than weight training. Start light and increase as your body grows stronger. Weight training adds muscle bulk to the body and helps to burn fat for up to 48 hours afterward. Seriously.

Why do I need cardio if I want to tone up?

Both weight training and cardio are important and help to build a sexy, lean, muscular body. In order to get muscle definition, it is important to push the body to its limits through weight training. The heavier the weight the more the muscles will gain in strength and grow back stronger. A six-pack is sexy, would you agree?

What about if I get too bulky?

This is a massive myth. Women who lift weights will grow big and bulky. Well if you tried it, you would see that the body only grows lean and sexy. Weight training is a very efficient way to increase the calorie burn at rest. A higher metabolic rate burns more calories and can burn off the old fat in the body to reveal lean muscle tissue. It is also important to watch what you eat. Try to eat healthy 80% of the time and have one cheat day where you eat what you love. Many women complain about bingo wings or trouble with their stomachs and the underlying fat. The best way to target that nasty fat is to weight train.

Does it put strain on the bones?

Unbelievably weight training is one of the best ways to strengthen the bones. Skipping and running also work to strengthen bone tissue but weight training causes both the muscles and tendons to pull on bone tissue, therefore making it stronger.

Am I too old to start lifting weights?

No! As we get older, muscle mass decreases so weight lifting is an important way to keep those muscles in peak condition. When muscle mass decreases the metabolic rate also slows down. No matter what your age, weight train and you’ll keep your metabolic rate high. Regular exercise keeps the skin youthful because of the excess blood-pumping round.

Is bodyweight training enough?

Of course, bodyweight training is very tough but once the fat had been shed and the body has less resistance to work against, this is when weight training can kick in and build incredible strength. No doubt, you have heard that the body gets used to exercises after a while, same with bodyweight training. To start with, you were possibly heavier but now with weight loss the body has become accustomed to the same workouts. If you are adamant you do not want to use weights, try plyometric training. Plyometrics is also an effective way to build muscle bulk without using weights.

Will it cause an injury?

Yes, weight training may cause injury if correct form is not maintained throughout. This is where personal trainers and weight training machines come into play. Personal trainers will teach you good form, especially with free weight training, as this has a greater risk of injury. Weight training machines still use the muscles but not as much as free weight training would challenge them. These machines usually have a picture to show you which muscle groups are being targeted and support the core muscles. Weight training machines usually cause less of an injury.

I perform regular exercise so why do I need to weight train too.

Cardio exercise such as running or cycling is a very efficient way to build a strong heart and improve the blood flow to the muscles but cardio does not build stability or strength. Even elite athletes have to work on their muscles, build their strength and complete their sport at best, incredibly strong.

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What are some of the foods you must absolutely stay away from as a Bodybuilder?  I am sure if you took a moment or two you I am sure your mind can think of some foods that you know you should not consume at all. To help keep your mind from working overtime, I have listed some foods to avoid below and see if you don’t agree. If you can think of any others, please let me know and add them. 

French-Fries – I listed this one first because French fries are so popular today. Yet, they are deep-fried in oil that adds carcinogen acrylamide (promotes cancer) into potatoes and most chips. A huge serving of fries can contain over 300 times the allowable limit set by other countries such as Sweden.

Processed Breakfast Cereals – I used to eat these as a kid because it was convenient for a quick breakfast.  Now, there are health breakfast cereals that you can find at health food or natural food stores.  You need to avoid those cereals which use genetically modified grains (may create proteins that can trigger allergies or promote disease) in that they are jam-packed with refined sugar with very little protein.
Diet Soda – on a road trip a friend of mine told me that diet soda contains aspartame, which has no nutritional value. I said “So?” Then, she told me aspartame is metabolized into a formaldehyde compound. When you drink that diet soda you are actually embalming your body.  I immediately through the diet soda away and haven’t had one since. Consuming aspartame can lead to problems. Plus, evidence shows that artificial sweeteners stimulate the desire for sweet food.

Soda Pop - Now that I tell you not to drink diet soda doesn’t mean it is okay to drink soda pop. The popular drink is jam-packed with refined sugar and has no nutritional value, but high school students use it as a foremost source of hydration. Taken in large amounts have the potential to de-mineralize bones.
Decaffeinated Coffee - You might as well drink coffee because some of the decaffeination processes employ a filtration that imparts active chlorine into the coffee. It’s bad enough we swim in it. Studies report that women who drink decaffeinated coffee have a higher incidence of rheumatoid arthritis.

White Bread – While flour is stripped of all its nutrients, which includes vitamins, fiber, protein and minerals. Plus, even refined liquid sugar is included in the batch. White bread was originally designed for extended storage life of the bread. With the nutrients and fiber removed the flour of the bread, it is no longer a food that can rot on the shelf of a store.

Commercial Pizza - Don’t get me wrong. I am a pizza lover; I do know that most pizzas have lots of protein. But commercial pizzas are high in sodium, carbohydrates and fats, pizza is heated at over 350F, destroying an enormous amount of the nutrients. I suggest, baking our own, by using wholesome flours, vegetables and cheese.
Low Fat Ice Cream - Don’t let the “low fat” fool you. Most low fat ice cream is made from genetically modified soy.  Plus, removing the fat out of the ice creams spikes the sugar index. If you are going to indulge, then indulge and enjoy it.
Donuts — Donuts are deep fried white bread coated with sugar. Do I need to say more?

Fruit Drinks – Juice drinks are glorified colored sugar water. Read the label and see for yourself that sugar is one of the first three ingredients. Don’t let the labeling fool you because they can be misleading with cane juice and concentrated grape juice.

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Each of us has a six-pack. The only way the actual six-pack can be seen is if the fat percentage of the body is reduced. The stronger the abdominals are the stronger the internal muscles and back. The abdominals are used for almost every move. The core muscles, including the abdominals are required for strength and can also help to develop power in particular sports such as football. Whenever weight training is performed, the core muscles contract to stabilise the body. A stability ball is a great way to strengthen the core muscles because retaining posture on the stability ball whether performing push-ups, sit-ups or tricep dips, engages the core muscles and builds strength.

No amount of sit-ups, even into the thousands, can give you a six-pack. Regular fat burning exercise like spinning or running incorporated with weight training will strip off the fat to reveal the lean muscle. A six-pack is very attractive to the opposite sex and shows off good health. Crunches or sit-ups are effective to increase the size of the muscle but it is important to strip the underlying fat. A medicine ball or dumbbell provides extra resistance and can help to build muscle strength faster. Here are some tips to help you build that sexy six-pack.

Never skip breakfast – It may seem like the best thing to do when a calorie deficit is required in order to reduce fat in the body, but breakfast is the most important meal of the day. During sleep, the body is in fasting mode. The best way to break the fast and get the metabolism going again is to eat breakfast. Toast with peanut butter is a good option or grilled bacon and poached egg. Both these meals contain protein to provide the body with energy.

Drink water – dehydration lowers the metabolism. To heighten the metabolism try to drink two litres of water per day. A sign of hunger may just be thirst so have a glass of water if you feel hungry and see if the pangs vanish.

Be a devil – it is fantastic to eat 80% of the time or six out of seven days, but being too strict on your favourite foods may cause the body to crave more of it. Have a cheat day once a week but try not to go too overboard.

Eat your greens – fruits and vegetables are packed with fibre, water, natural sugars, carbohydrates, and vitamins/minerals. They are filling and low in calories. Bananas provide energy during, before, or after a workout.

Cut out booze – alcohol contains sugar and, therefore, empty calories. Alcohol is converted to energy, as it cannot be stored in the body. If the energy from the alcohol is not burnt off those excess calories will turn to fat and do nothing to build a six-pack.

Eat regularly – Try to eat every three hours or six times per day. Breaking up meals encourages dietary thermogenesis – a process that takes place in the body and burns calories to digest foods. Regular meals also keep the blood sugar levels normal.

Take a B complex – This wonder vitamin helps to reduce cravings for sugar, keeps the nervous system in optimum condition, and converts glucose from the body’s cells into energy.

Refuel after a workout – Consume carbohydrates that offer instant energy like a banana or plain rice cakes after a workout to build up the glycogen levels.

Eat foods low on the GI scale – the lower the food is on the glycaemic index (GI), the more energy it will give throughout the day. The higher the glycaemic index the faster it is absorbed into the body but can also destabilise blood sugar levels and cause unhealthy cravings. Most vegetables are low on the GI index, as is brown rice, wholemeal bread, and yoghurt.

Eat healthy snacks – Steer clear of junk food and opt for healthy snacks like yoghurt, fruit, oatcakes, rice cakes, nuts/seeds. Eventually the taste buds will get used to the taste of healthy foods and avoid nasty junk food.

Know your portion sizes – If you opt to eat regularly or up to six times per day, the portion sizes must reduce. Fruits and vegetables should cover over half a plate, protein should be on average the size of a pack of cards, fats used should be measured and ideally no more than a tablespoon should be used, and carbohydrates should be the same size as your rolled fist.

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The medicine ball works well with keeping the back in top working condition. This is helpful to the overall body because the muscles of the back maintain the spine, which controls the entire body.  The front muscles of the spine (flexor) allow the back to bend forward. The back muscles of the spine (extensor) allow the body to stand upright. The side muscles called the oblique muscles allow the back to rotate and support the body’s posture. The objective of exercising the back muscles with a medicine ball is to sustain your back in top working state. Start with a two-point ball and progressively increase the size over a 5 to 6 week period.

An excellent exercise for the back with the medicine ball is holding the medicine ball with both hands and lunge while pivoting on the foot sideways to the left as you extended your arms outward away from the body holding the ball. Your knee stays in alignment with the toe while your pivoting foot balances on the ground. You will feel a stretch occur in the right hip flexors, obliques and lats with the lower back, abdominal and gluts to support your body while you extend your reach with the ball. Carry out this exercise on the right side of the body as well. Achieve 12 to 15 repetitions on both sides of the body.

Another effective medicine ball exercise starts by holding the medicine ball near your chest. Then, execute an exploding motion forward, extending your legs and arm and throw the ball out in front of your body at an angle–45 degrees. Keep your momentum of falling outward as you catch your body after you place the knee in front. You need to concentrate on land with all the weight of the body on the front knee and foot with both of your hands. Keep the knee should length outward while making sure your knee does not crossover the toes. Raise the body as fast as possible and spirit toward the medicine ball to overcome and catch it as it rolls. Your goal is to keep the momentum of the body forward throughout each step of the medicine ball exercise without ever stopping. It takes practice but well worth the effort. Return to where you started by walking back with the ball. Perform this exercise 5 to 10 times with two sets per routine.

As a final exercise, you get to do figure eights with the medicine ball. The figure eights with the ball completely works the whole body and it really works the back.  Start by standing with feet shoulder width apart and hold the medicine ball while you extend the arms above the right shoulder.  As a continuous motion, take the ball toward the front of your body as if chopping a log with the ball ending near the left of your foot. Go back to the standing position, raising the medicine ball up above your left shoulder, and take the ball down near the right of the foot. In order to make the movement successful you need to bend the knees for a complete figure eight. Perform 5 to 10 times on each side.

Working with the medicine ball is a great way to keep the back strong. The back is very important for the whole body to function properly. Once you start working with the medicine ball you will gradually increase the strength of back while at the same time increasing the size of your medicine ball. Then, when your back is strong, all you have to do is maintain its strength with the medicine ball exercises.

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