Finally, after a month of hard work and I’m sure a few cuss words aimed in my direction, the ladies wrapped up their weight loss journey [here is PI, PII, and PIII]. I’m super proud of what they accomplished in ONLY 30 short days – it’s amazing what a few friends and determination can do together! See how far they went AND get an exclusive offer below!
These snack mix ingredients are a colorful combination of protein, good carbs, and healthy plant fats. Just the thing to keep your mind sharp and appetite settled. Try this savory snack mix today!
It’s time for another expert Featured Post. Once again this expert – Kusha Karvandi – has been seen on the site several times before but we wanted him back for a full-length article! This piece covers an interesting; nutrition topic – resistant starch – that we all probably need to learn a little more about! So sit back and enjoy this highly actionable and informative article!
This article covers some great diet tips that will help accelerate your results by combining your nutrition to complement your workout! That sounds like the best approach, right? Here are our top 5 diet tips.
Whether you’re working out to build muscle through strength training or lose fat through cardio, eating right is vital to achieving your health goals.
A smart diet will optimize your nutrition and regulate your calorie intake, to not just help you build a stronger, healthier body, but also do so in a fast and more sustainable manner, one which sits well with your cardiac health as well.
To complement your workouts with a diet that helps you achieve the level of fitness you are looking for, with these five tried-and-tested tips:
While drinking enough water at all times is important, keeping yourself well-hydrated becomes even more important while exercising.
Research shows that going into a workout dehydrated decreases muscle strength and slows down the transport of nutrients to the relevant muscles in your body.
On the other hand, athletes who drink water before and during workouts can exercise longer, and achieve better results.
So whether you’re a regular at the gym or just work out on the weekends, make sure you punctuate your workout by drinking 6-8 ounces of water every fifteen minutes during your workout, starting half an hour before exercise. (Source)
The controversy around carbohydrates has been around for a long time. While it’s true that the body converts unused carbohydrates into fats, never forget that carbs are also the body’s main source of fuel – according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, between 45-65% of your calories should come from carbohydrates.
If you exercise regularly, have one carb-based meal three to four hours before exercising, and another (albeit smaller) an hour before you hit your training equipment.
How does this help? Because carbs like oats and sweet potatoes raise up your blood sugar and glycogen levels, your body has time to digest some of the carbs so you can be geared up for working out.
It then burns a majority of the remainder during your workout (intensity and duration-dependent), so that they are not stored and converted to fat. (Source)
Broadly speaking, changes in your physique come from changes in the number of calories consumed and burned. Because of this, the kind of carbs you consume can affect the results you see. If you’re working out to lose weight, choose nutrient-dense carbs such as barley, peas, and oatmeal.
However, if you’re trying to bulk up or put on muscle mass, opt for complex carbs such as brown rice, sweet potatoes, and brown pasta. Being complex carbohydrates, these are harder for the body to break down, and help build up muscle. (Source)
Whether you are trying to gain weight, lose fat or tone your overall form, protein plays an essential role in keeping you in shape.
Over the years, the ideal recommended protein intake has been between 0.8-1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight. This means how much protein you consume, is a function of the weight you are at right now.
However, if you need to shed a lot of weight to get into shape, calculate your required protein intake by using your ideal or targeted weight. Protein-rich foods that are recommended for active people include chicken breast, lean-cut beef, and all kinds of fish.
Research has also shown that using whey protein before a workout, results in better results than does use other kinds of (or no) protein.
If you are dieting down, treat yourself to 10-15 grams of whey protein pre-workout, to help burn more fat.
Losing just 2% of your body weight in fluid can decrease your performance to 75%, and working out dramatically increases fluid loss through breathing and sweating.
On the other hand, helping yourself to a mix of healthy drinks throughout the way reduces cramps, speeds up muscle recovery, and helps tissues that wear and tear during exercise to heal faster.
Help yourself to juices, especially post-workout – for each pound you lose working out, drink 2-3 cups of fluid. You may also go for sports drinks, though fresh juices are the most highly recommended.
Welcome back for Part II of “The Key To Fitness After Age 40” (if you missed Part I check it out here). Michael Spitzer is back to help break down why fat loss starts in the kitchen and the 3 part weight control process – some amazing, actionable advice!
This soup is creamy but contains no dairy. Coconut milk is the secret ingredient that brings wild rice, mushrooms, and peas together in a hearty, early spring soup. Makes 4-6 servings of creamy wild rice mushroom soup with peas.
There isn’t a better way to kick-off our huge line-up of featured experts than with Michael Spitzer! He is the author the of book Fitness At 40, 50, 60 and Beyond and he has also been an expert on the site several times before, and each time he brings so much expertise and knowledge that it’s always a privilege! Well here he is again with some great tips for fitness after age 40 [or really at any point in life] – enjoy!
If you ever walk through a gym you will see shaker bottles everywhere – most likely full of whey protein.
Whey protein is literally everywhere because frankly, it’s a great, easy way to help build lean muscle and satiate your appetite. I recently tested out Summit Nutrition’s Pure Whey Protein Isolate and wanted to give you the low-down on this whey protein!
A more flavorful and healthier alternative to store-bought chips, these are best eaten right out of the oven. Root veggies are full of fiber, antioxidants, slow-burning carbs, and even some iron so munch away. Makes 6 root vegetable chip servings.
