Protein - Are YOU getting enough ????

Protein: Your Secret Weight-Loss Weapon !

A high protein diet is your key to healthy weight loss. Here, the protein-rich foods you should be eating - (from Women's Health magazine).

You'd think that if the low-carb diet craze taught us anything, it's the importance of protein. But even if you haven't eaten a hamburger bun since the late '90s, it doesn't necessarily mean you're getting enough of what typically goes between the bread.

Recently, the diet pendulum has swung in favor of counting calories—an effective weight-loss tool, but not one that always prioritizes protein. "Many women perceive foods that are rich in protein as being high in calories or fattening," says Laura J. Kruskall, Ph.D., R.D., director of nutrition sciences at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas. This isn't the case, but diehard counters know that most proteins will cost you a few more calories than fruits and veggies will.

What's more, protein isn't as portable as other foods. The best sources—fish, meat, dairy, beans—aren't as quick or convenient as most carbs or even fruits and veggies. "Traditional protein sources aren't usually grab and go. And if they are, they're often fried or unhealthy," says nutrition expert Angela Ginn, R.D., a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.

That may help explain why up to a third of women between the ages of 20 and 40 don't get their RDA of protein, according to the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. And in light of the fact that a growing number of nutritionists believe that the current dietary guidelines for this mighty macronutrient are way too low, we're really missing out.

Consider this: A Johns Hopkins University study found that a diet in which roughly a quarter of the calories (about 60 percent more than the recommended 10 to 15 percent) come from lean protein sources reduced blood pressure, LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels, and triglycerides better than a traditional higher-carb diet. Other research finds that diets rich in protein can help prevent obesity, osteoporosis, and diabetes.

The Power of Protein
The moment it leaves your fork, protein starts winnowing your waistline. High-protein foods take more work to digest, metabolize, and use, which means you burn more calories processing them. They also take longer to leave your stomach, so you feel full sooner and for a longer amount of time. The cumulative effect has obvious benefits for anyone who is watching her weight.

In a study published in Nutrition Metabolism, dieters who increased their protein intake to 30 percent of their diet ate nearly 450 fewer calories a day and lost about 11 pounds over the 12-week study without employing any other dietary measures.

And if, like most successful dieters, you're burning calories as well as counting them, protein is doubly essential for making sure you lose fat, not muscle. Your body uses the amino acids in protein to build lean muscle, which not only makes you stronger and more toned but also fries calories even when you're not active—unlike lazy fat. Ultimately, this keeps your metabolism humming along at high speed so you can burn off the occasional cookie, no problem.

Pump It Up
Experts advise consuming between 0.5 grams and 1.0 grams of protein per pound of your body weight. That's 70 grams to 140 grams a day for a 140-pound woman. Skew on the high end if you're very active, and on the low end if you're trying to lose weight. If both apply, shoot for an amount somewhere in the middle—around 130 grams.

Even more important: Aim to get at least 30 of those grams at breakfast, says Donald Layman, Ph.D., a professor emeritus of nutrition at the University of Illinois. (That's roughly the amount you'll get from two eggs and a cup of cottage cheese.) After fasting all night, your body is running on empty and may start drawing on muscle tissue for fuel if you don't replenish its protein stores first thing in the a.m. Plus, studies have found that protein-rich breakfasts can help regulate your appetite all day.
But not all proteins are created equal, says Kruskall.  While nuts, whole grains, and veggies technically count, they don't contain all nine of the amino acids your body needs in order to build lean muscle. Those that do—known as complete proteins—are typically found in animal products. 

Your best flat-belly bets are skinless white chicken or turkey, seafood, low-fat dairy, pork tenderloin, and lean beef. All of these foods have just one to three grams of fat per 50-calorie serving. 
Vegetarians need to be a little more creative. Pairing incomplete proteins—peanut butter on whole-wheat bread, or brown rice and beans, for example—can pinch-hit for complete ones. Or nosh on complete proteins such as tofu, hemp seed, buckwheat, and quinoa.

 

The beauty of protein is that with so many tasty options, getting your daily dose is a simple pleasure.

An Apple a Day ! Here's Why ! Crowding Out ! ?

Here's the secret to weight loss: It's all about crowding out, not cutting out. Crowding out is a term used in nutritional circles to describe how to eat in a healthy way so that you never even have the chance to feel hungry.


You literally crowd out the junk you think you want to eat by choosing to eat key foods throughout the day so that you're always satisfied.  I am always teased about carrying around my "Fred Flinstone" lunch bag around all the time but hey !  I know the secret !!!!  
When you gradually add in nutrient-dense, fiber-rich foods, you simply stop feeling cravings. You run out of space in your belly for the old junk. Instead of craving, you feel full, fulfilled, and content.  You DON'T NEED expensive friggin' pills and fad powder diets !!! Just eat healthy and eat 6 - 7 times daily - small portions !
Here's how it works: All you have to do to get started is to add healthier choices to whatever else you're already eating.  Before you dig into whatever it is you really want to eat, have something with some natural fiber in it -- ideally, an apple -- because in all the medical literature, the one dietary component most associated with weight loss is fiber consumption. The reason fiber helps us control our weight is that it fills the belly yet yields few calories since fiber is, for the most part, not something that we can digest. It also slows down the digestion of food, so you get a slow and steady source of glucose sans the rollercoaster ride of blood sugar crazies and the cravings that follow.
Most of the population do not get enough fiber each day to meet their nutritional requirements. It's recommended that women get at least 25 grams of fiber per day on a 2,000 calorie diet -- or to be more precise, 14 grams of fiber per 1,000 calories consumed. Men are recommended to get 38 grams. However, the average person only gets about 15 grams daily.  Twenty-five grams is actually at the low end of what your optimal fiber intake, so there's no reason not to aim higher. We humans actually evolved eating more than 100 grams of fiber a day, largely from wild greens. So back to that apple: How does an apple measure up in terms of fiber? Eating just one apple a day (skin on) will give you an average of 4.4 grams of fiber, about one-fifth of your daily need.
And apples don't have just any old fiber, they are a rich source of a particularly powerful kind called pectin. It's what's used as a gelling agent to make jams and jellies, and in our stomach it can delay stomach emptying through a similar mechanism. Researchers at UCLA showed that by swapping in pectin for regular fiber, they could double the time it took subjects' stomachs to empty from about 1 hour to 2 hours, which meant subjects felt full that much longer.[1] And in another study published in the journal Nutrition, scientists found that instructing participants to eat an apple or a pear before meals resulted in significant weight loss.[2]
The participants were told, in effect, to eat more food, to add the fruit on top of their regular diets, and what happened is that the fruit crowded out less healthy choices, they ended up eating fewer calories overall, and they started shedding pounds.
While singing the praises of the humble apple, though, I would be remiss not to mention the extraordinary health benefits associated with eating them. It seems the old adage, "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" just may hold truer than we knew.
A major review published in 2008 out of the German Cancer Research Center found that indeed, compared with those who eat less than an apple a day, those who eat one or more had less risk of oral cancer, cancer of the voice box, breast cancer, and colon, kidney, and ovarian cancer as well.
This makes sense given new research from Cornell showing that apple peels have potent antioxidant and growth-blocking effects on human breast cancer cells examined in a petri dish, and the higher the apple concentration, the fewer the cancer cells. And apples seem to work best against estrogen-receptor-negative breast cancer, which is much harder to treat than the receptor-positive kind.
How do apples do what they do?
There are three stages of tumor formation. Carcinogens cause the initial DNA mutations (the initiation stage), and then oxidation, inflammation, and hormones cause it to grow (the promotion stage); finally, metastasis occurs, in which the cancer spreads throughout the body. Which steps have apples been found to block? All of them. Apples not only have antimutagenic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects, but they may even enhance our immune systems to help clear out any budding tumors before they get their start.
So if you're rooting around for something to eat, grab an apple while you're looking, and usually by the time you're finished eating it, your hunger will have been sidelined; it's crowding out at its best! Have it in the midmorning, in the afternoon, or before a meal; it's entirely up to you. But before the day's end, do eat an apple. Not apple juice or applesauce (and certainly not apple pie or an apple muffin!).
Just a good ol' whole apple. Any kind will do. You might just be pleasantly surprised at how the weight starts coming off and your health begins to soar!

"Inspire, Create, Motivate"

Protein Powders - What's the Right One for You ?

Most of you have heard about the benefits of Protein and why it's SO important to have at every meal !  But due to busy schedules, sometimes a Protein Shake may be your best option to make sure you get your daily protein allotment.
Several factors can determine what TYPE of protein is best for you:

1. Your Diet / Tolerance Level - i.e. - if you are lactose intolerant then you would want to steer away from Protein complex with Egg and Milk base (which many have) - a better choice would be Soy Protein Powder. If you don't have lactose issues then read on !

2. Your Activity Level - most protein powders are fine for everyday consumption.  However Casein Powder is a heavier blend and is normally used when training or to have at night before bedtime for "muscle recovery" / keep you satiated during sleep.  They also help with keeping your blood sugar stabilized throughout the day.

Mixing with milk slows digestion as well.

3. Rule of Thumb: Active individuals should consume 1 to 1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight daily. I always go with 1 - 2 scoops of Powder per Shake. Each scoop should have 25 - 30 grams of protein PER SCOOP !  This is why you should really take the time to read the labels !  Some powders like the ones in Wal Mart etc. are sold in bulk and often you have to use  scoops to get that much protein !   **Take a look at the Nutrition Label below and you will see what I mean...grms of protein per scoop AND no Sugar !) Be careful with sugar content when choosing Protein Powders.

Quality sources of protein other than protein powders include, fish, chicken breast, turkey breast, lean beef, eggs and low fat dairy.

4.Taste - there are so many different types / flavors that once you narrow down to a few good ones (which I will attempt to do!) then flavor is the next challenge !

I have Chocolate, Banana Creme and Vanilla always around because I like to change up the taste and get bored with the same one all the time.

5."Mix" - When you are making a shake you can use water, milk or juice as the base.  (I stay away from Juice because of the Sugar content and usually only have it once a week (Sat.) as a treat !   What I really LOVE is Almond Breeze Unsweetened Almond Milk.  It comes in Plain, Vanilla and Chocolate and I buy Chocolate and Vanilla (always Unsweetened) and use it as base as well as put it on Cereal.  I have got off Milk completely ( 1 cup of Skim Milk has 13 grms of Sugar !) You can buy it at most grocery stores now and is often found in the health food section. And it's cheap !

Now for the Protein.  I go to Popeye's in Ajax http://www.popeyescanada.com/  to buy my supplements as they have a wide variety of everything.

My go-to for Protein Powder is "4 Ever Fit - 4 Ever Whey Protein Powder" - http://www.popeyescanada.com/inf_4everfitWheyIsolate.php

Pics attached.   I can't say enough about this product ! (I should be a spokeswoman!) - A trainer recommended it to me and then I spoke to the rep at Popeye's in Ajax and he further explained the benefits - AND the other fact is that Protein Powders go by weight - ideally you want the Protein to be 75% + by weight of what you are buying. It's more "pure Protein" -  "4 Ever Fit" is by far the best price point for the size ! 4.4 lb container usually runs $39.99 which is a good price.

If I am training for something heavy like a Race then I sometimes go with MyoFusion by Gaspari.  http://www.popeyescanada.com/inf_gaspari_myofusion.php

It's more heavy duty complex mix. Little more expensive as well.

These are the optimal times of usage for the varying protein powders:

1. Postworkout- 30-50 grams whey protein isolate in a postworkout drink with 30-100 grams of carbs.  Do not mix with milk after training as this will slow digestion.
2. Bedtime- 25-40 grams.of a sustained release protein like casein. I only do this is I am late and can't get a decent meal into meal.   Sleep is when are body is repairing and recovering. Consuming protein before bed lessens the harmful effects of cortisol increases that can occur during sleep. Although whey is a good source of protein before bed, a sustained-release protein powder is better because the aminos will be released at more gradual rate over a period of 6-8 hours. You can buy casein but it's VERY thick ! Don't think you will need it anyway.
3. Morning- Immediately upon awakening. Your body has been fasting through the night and is in need of protein AND WATER !!  I always tell my clients as soon as they get out of bed - drink a half bottle of water !!!   Your body has just gone 6-8 hours without water !!  Would you do that during the day ??? NO !
4. If time restraints don't permit an egg white omelette, (I love the Simply Egg Whites liquid) I make scrambled eggs with Feta Cheese and Red Peppers.  You can also mix whey protein in a bowl of cooked oatmeal.
5. I also use Cinnamon as a sweetner.

You can find Protein Powders at the Health Food Stores -  they would sell diff brands and would be more expensive for less volume.   GNC is also a good place to find these types of products.

Next Up: Fat Burners: What are they and do you need them ?

Peace, Love and Fitness

"Inspire, Create, Motivate"

How to Cut Down Food Gradually to Maintain Your Sanity !!

Alot of people think that "deprivation" is the only way to lose weight. Not true ! It's the food "choices" you make that are the key to success.

Don’t deprive yourself—reward yourself by eating foods that keep you healthy, full and energized. These are a few of the easiest ways to stay on track:

Eat a breakfast that’s fit for a king.
Make a big bowl of oatmeal, fresh fruit and cinnamon, or egg whites, avocado and whole grain toast. Fill yourself up with nutritious food so you can focus on hundreds of emails and meetings throughout the day instead of your rumbling stomach.

Make time for tea.
Swap coffee and cream (or, that mocha frap/vanilla latte you’ve been treating yourself to) for flavored green tea. It tastes good, it’s loaded with antioxidants and Vitamin C, and it won’t leave you with the pain of caffeine withdrawals. (because even green tea has caffeine!) 

Toss the box.
Eliminate processed food all together. If the idea of calorie counting is too daunting, just get rid of everything processed. This includes Deli Meats !!  These are full of nitrates (why do you think they last so long ????)  Plus they are FULL of sodium.  THINK about what you are buying and READ the labels.

Eat when you’re hungry, but make sure you pick real foods like whole fruit, vegetables, hummus, or cottage cheese.

Start snacking.
Don’t ignore the afternoon snack slump (see above) or you’ll just end up binging. Embrace the fact that you’ll want something to nosh on around 3pm and plan ahead so you don’t hit the vending machine. I see people do this all the time at my work...Power Balls; healthy almonds and Nut Butter with Apples.....SOOO many great snacks so don't be lazy and plan ahead !!
I take alot of flack for my huge "Fred Flintstone" lunch bag I cart around daily, but it's always my "go-to" and I am never caught without something healthy in case my planned day goes off the rails ! Think about your schedule the day before and use Sunday as your weekly food planning day !

Make dinner an event.
For dinner, make a meat-free, hearty winter salad with ingredients like arugula, quinoa, butternut squash, pumpkin seeds, and Gorgonzola. Meals that feature root vegetables and grains as the ‘main event’ will fill you up without any guilt.

If you are counting calories, and you find yourself cheating by having bites of things that “don’t count,” you should estimate every bite of your colleague’s doughnut or your boyfriend’s burger to be about 50 calories. This is probably overestimating, but it will make you think twice about taking “just one bite.”  It DOES matter and every thing you eat can have its consequences later on !  

If you are working out regularly, then you can balance your meals and diet a little differently and taper/increase proteins/carbs for training requirements. (for example - you can fuel up for a marathon/race pre event). If you know you are going to do a long run then it might be OK to enjoy a creme brulle dessert the night before !

"Inspire, Create, Motivate"