17 Simple,Healthy Breakfasts

“Kids literally fast overnight, and their ‘tanks’ are empty when they wake up,” says Sally Kuzemchak, MS, RD, a Nutrition consultant in Columbus, Ohio and creator of the Real Mom Nutrition web site. “They need food to get their day off to the right start.”

In addition to providing energy and nutrients, the morning meal also prevents hunger that saps a child’s energy to learn and play. Breakfast eaters may have an easier time with weight control, in childhood, and as adults.
But parents are pressed for time, and many kids clamor for sugar-filled cereal and toaster treats.

The American Dietetic Association's recent State of Family and Physical Activity Report shows that breakfast is the meal kids miss out on most often.

“This is particularly disturbing, given the strong connection between breakfast consumption and increased school attendance, concentration, problem-solving ability, and less disruptive classroom behavior,” says Katie Brown, EdD, RD, national education director for the American Dietetic Association Foundation.
Here’s how to feed your family healthy breakfast every day, without the hassles.

17 Simple, Healthy Breakfasts

Nutrition experts say the best breakfasts offer nutrient-rich foods from at least three food groups, and include adequate protein. Protein helps to keep kids fuller longer, and protein-packed foods -- such as milk, yogurt, and eggs -- also supply vitamins and minerals.

Breakfast, or any meal for that matter, doesn’t need to be elaborate to be satisfying and nutritious. A bowl of whole-grain cereal with milk and topped with fruit is a fine choice.

If your child doesn’t go for traditional breakfast foods, don’t worry. No healthy food is off-limits for the morning meal.

Here are some suggestions for what you can reasonably prepare in a few minutes on busy mornings:

Frozen whole-grain waffle sandwich with sunflower seed butter, peanut butter, or almond butter, California raisins, and low-fat yogurt  Ice cream cone parfait: Layer low-fat lemon or vanilla yogurt with sliced fresh or previously frozen mango and crunchy whole-grain cereal Hot cocoa (made with milk) or chocolate milk, slice of whole grain toast, fruit Breakfast berry parfait: Layer low-fat cottage cheese with whole grain cereal and fresh or frozen berries Hard-cooked egg (make 6 or so on the weekend), fruit, and ½ whole wheat English muffin with tub margarine  Banana smoothie: Blend 1 cup low-fat milk with a medium banana and teaspoon vanilla extract in blender or food processor. Serve with half a whole-wheat English muffin.  Slice of pizza, and orange juice with calcium and vitamin D Turkey or roast beef roll-up with cheese on a whole-wheat wrap Whole-grain crackers, string cheese, and dried figs Half of a sandwich, milk, and fruit Sliced cheddar cheese melted on top of whole-wheat tortilla, and low-sodium vegetable juice Whole-wheat graham crackers, hard-cooked egg, small banana Trail mix: whole-grain cereal, shelled pistachios or sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, and low-fat milk Mini pizza: Layer a small whole-wheat pita round with marinara sauce and grated reduced-fat cheddar cheese. Toast or broil. Whole-wheat bagel (mini for younger kids) spread with sunflower seed butter, almond butter, or peanut butter and drizzled with honey; orange juice with calcium and vitamin D Plain low-fat yogurt topped with chopped walnuts, California raisins, and molasses or honey  Microwave plain, 1-minute, or instant oatmeal with low-fat milk. Top with 1/4 cup dried fruit and 2 tablespoons chopped almonds

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The intensity of my workouts

The food portioning was effortless and, aside from one day in which I pushed lunch too late due to a meeting, I rarely felt super-hungry.This surprised me because the intensity of my Workouts has been turned up.

Admittedly I went over my allotted pasta servings this week, but mainly because I made a huge batch of ratatouille (yum!) and pasta complements that dish best.

One night I prepared a tofu stir-fry for dinner and it was delicious. My husband isn't keen on tofu but he happily returned for seconds. My toddler is still the hard-sell but I am becoming more adept at getting him to try things. Of course the real test will be my weigh-in this coming week.

And as I mentioned, Justo turned up the intensity of my workouts with a lot more interval training. I'm surprised by the level of coordination needed on a few of the exercises, and by how I can be sore the next day even though we didn't use any weights. Where I am struggling is with my outside cardio sessions. I've tried to focus on increasing my running endurance, but I am not making much progress. I realize that as time goes on, I'll need to add both time and distance, so Justo is helping me put together a running program. I would love to eventually be able to run a 10k and not be completely winded before I hit the finish line. This will take dedication and time on my part, though. I keep reminding myself to think about the tortoise and not worry about the hare.

The greatest motivation of all have been the comments I've been getting on my physical transformation—and this week I received several of them. Justo said that I was looking smaller, and at my son's playgroup several friends commented how great I was looking. And even though he sees me every day, my husband remarked on my svelter self. My clothes are beginning to be too big, which is great, but even more important to me is how much stronger I am feeling. I am more conscious of my muscles, my form and posture are better. and I can easily do 10 push-ups. I am beginning to feel glimmers of my former fit self, and with several months of the FGW program to go, I am happily looking forward to conquering many more physical milestones in the future.

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Challenging Work Week

Thanks to a particularly challenging work week, staying on track with my personal commitments to my Health proved most difficult—I was tugged and pulled into all sorts of situations that both interfered with my Workout schedule and eating routine, and upped my stress levels. But in a strange way, this all made me even more determined to stay centered on ME this week—despite what was going on around me. So you know I suffered.

I came to work on Monday loaded with my workout gear in anticipation of my 7:30 pm workout with Tehera. By 11:30 am, I knew I wasn't going to make that session. Why would I think my schedule would be manageable with my boss out on vacation? And this was again a week in which I had to put in double time at the gym to make up for the days I missed earlier in the month while traveling.

This was also the week in which I had our monthly photo shoot for this program and follow-up meeting with Marissa, the RD, to weigh in and discuss my past month's eating habits.

Well, l got it ALL done. Had to miss Monday's workout, but I made it into the gym every other day this week—I just made sure the sessions were before work. On to the photo shoot. Hair, makeup, being photographed—all the things a private person like me loves, right? Especially when I'm being photographed in clinging workout gear that emphasizes every lump, hump, and bulge. But hey, this is the process, right?

The best revenge will be when I can say goodbye to images of that "other" me for good. This inspires me even more to stay on the path of righteousness regarding this process—at least until the next temptation rears its ugly head.

My visits to Marissa are always informative and calm. She doesn't scold or lecture, and actually makes me feel as if I really can get a handle on this healthy eating lifestyle thing. The sense of optimism and possibility is infectious. I CAN do this. And the whole three pounds (!!) I lost is proof I'm doing something right. Not something to post on Facebook yet, but not bad, considering I've gotten a late start on my regimen.

Most surprising for me this week was that I dared to share some of what I'm doing with a few select people whom I know would never judge or harrass. And the support and encouragement I got from them was so heartwarming, so inspiring, that I'm glad I took the chance. Now I've got some sideline warriors helping me along on my journey, with encouraging texts, patient listening ,and even gentle prods to keep me on my path. I am so grateful for them—and so grateful for the opportunity to have a do-over regarding my weight. It's a nice note on which to end a taxing week.

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About dyes used in food

• Lab tests prove they’re harmless.
Each of the nine man-made dyes used in food went through 5 to 10 years of laboratory and animal testing before receiving Food and Drug Administration approval. There has never been a confirmed health issue related to food coloring in the United States, except for rare cases of allergic reactions.

• The amount used is small.
To determine how much dye is safe to use, toxicologists take the highest dose that did not cause any adverse effect in animal tests and divide it by 100. The resulting number is the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI)—the amount any human can ingest every day for a lifetime without experiencing problems. Most foods containing dyes have only a tiny fraction of the ADI.

• The FDA monitors food carefully.
If they get a complaint, they investigate. If they believe an ingredient is causing the problem, they may issue a recall and even ban it.

NO: They have known health risks.
Michael Jacobson, PhD, executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest

• Some may be linked to cancer.
Red 3 was shown to cause thyroid cancer in one animal study and has been banned from cosmetics and externally-applied drugs, but it is still permitted in food. Though there is no proof that the dye causes cancer in humans, there’s reason to avoid it.

• They may worsen ADHD symptoms.
That’s according to an analysis of 15 studies conducted at Columbia University and Harvard University. Two later studies commissioned by the British government found that children were more hyperactive when they ingested a drink containing food dyes equal to that in two to four 56-gram bags of candy (56 grams equals roughly 2 ounces).

• Europe is taking action.
Last July, the European Union passed a law requiring most foods containing dye to display a warning label stating that the additives "may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children."

The takeaway:
The strongest suggestion of harm is in kids with ADHD, so if your child has the disorder, talk to your doctor about whether your family should avoid dyes. Otherwise, there’s no solid proof that they’re unsafe—but it’s never a bad idea to cut back on processed foods.

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The upcoming missed time in the office

I already have a business trip planned toward week’s end that will take me into the weekend, which means that a lot is having to get done at work in a short period of time to make up for the upcoming missed time in the office. But I’ve become a pro at this, so I won’t even belabor the point. It is what it is—but I’ve learned to manage the speed and frequency of usage of the treadmill I’m on. Last week’s rest was good, and I’m determined to hold onto the healthier regimen that I’ve begun to adopt.

Despite the short week, I do manage to get in my workouts. I’ve come to rely on them as a part of my routine now, and I’m pleased about that. Now, I’ll do whatever I have to do to get those sessions in, because I can appreciate how much they matter. I can’t say workouts are easier, but whenever I think I can’t do a thing, I find that I actually can, where before, it might have been true that I really couldn’t. I’m battling some stiffness at the base of my spine that won’t go away, but Tehera and I are working on doing back rolls (though they hurt, they also help), stretches, and core exercises to make me strong in this area.

While away, I found that I was less than excited about one of the outfits I’d brought along for one of the events. So I decided to make a quick mall run to see if I could get something else. Now, getting bottoms on the fly is not an easy feat for me, since I’m more ample there than anywhere else. But…wait for it…I did find a pair of slacks, and they fit in a smaller size!!!! Two for two on the sizing front! To say I’m now pumped and pleased is an understatement. Hell, maybe I really am doing something right! And even the fact that I had the audacity to THINK I might try a smaller size speaks to the slightly improved self-confidence that I’m beginning to feel about this process. So of course, I had to buy those slacks too. Now I’m wondering what I’ll do when I have to buy ALL new clothes because nothing fits. Being the shopaholic that I am, I’m content—no, happy!—to tackle that bridge when I come to it!

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Home Meal Delivery

These days, there are many options for meal delivery, from Meals on Wheels to gourmet meal delivery. So whether you’re just too busy to cook, or a medical condition makes preparing meals too difficult, there’s a home delivery option that’s likely right for you.

We asked Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD, LD, director of nutrition at WebMD, about the different meal delivery services available for those over 60.Meals on Wheels: Nutrition Home Delivery
The Meals on Wheels Association of America (MOWAA) is the largest and oldest organization that provides meals to seniors. Although MOWAA is a national organization, it operates on a local level -- with about 5,000 senior nutrition programs across all 50 states. Each program, and the types of meals it offers, varies from area to area. But one thing remains consistent -- the level of nutrition the programs provide. Each meal served meets one-third of the daily dietary guidelines for seniors.

“The great thing about the Meals on Wheels program is that a nutritionist is making sure you’re getting the nutrition you need,” says Zelman. “So you can be assured of having at least one square meal a day.”

“Meals on Wheels is a nutrition program, not just a feeding program; that’s what sets us apart from other food programs,” says Margaret B. Ingraham, senior vice president for public policy at MOWAA. “We’re not just trying to feed people, but to provide at least one nutritious meal each day. Each meal contains an entrée, vegetable, a starch and fruit, as well as a beverage. And most of the meals are also low in sodium.”

Although the menus vary locally, some programs provide options for people who have special dietary needs, such as meals for those who are vegetarian or who have diabetes or chewing problems. Some locations also provide an ethnic meal option, depending on their local population.

Most of the programs serve one meal a day each weekday, though some serve lunch and dinner seven days a week. Depending on the program, meals may be delivered hot, cold, or frozen, ready for reheating. In some cases, MOWAA can even provide a microwave to make sure clients can reheat the meals.

All homebound adults aged 60 or older are eligible for Meals on Wheels, regardless of income. “Most programs request a small donation for meals, or offer a sliding scale, but no one is turned away if they can’t pay,” says Ingraham. To find a Meals on Wheels provider near you, visit www.mowaa.org or call the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116.

Online Meal Delivery Services: Gourmet Variety
If you’re just too busy to cook, or prefer not to cook, you’ll find a wide range of online companies willing to do the cooking for you. Among them: Bistro MD, DineWise, Magic Kitchen, Personal Chef To Go, and others. Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion, or want meals on a weekly basis, chances are you can find a company to provide you meals that will fit your taste and budget -- delivered right to your doorstep.

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HGH abuse is linked to use of steroids and other illicit drugs

In a study, published in the American Journal on Addictions,suggests that HGH abuse is linked to use of steroids and other illicit drugs, including cocaine.

In the study of 231 male weight lifters aged 18 to 40, 12% reported use of HGH or a similar supplement known as insulin-like growth factor-1. All of these men had also reported use of anabolic steroids and 56% percent had a current or past dependence on opioids, cocaine, and/or ecstasy.

“This is an epidemic that is rapidly increasing and is here to stay for the foreseeable future,” says study researcher Harrison G. Pope Jr., MD, professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School in Boston and director of Biological Psychiatry Laboratory of McLean Hospital in Belmont, Mass. “Doctors everywhere should be aware of this when they see young patients, especially young male patients.”

Produced by the pituitary gland, HGH spurs growth in children and adolescents; its supply dwindles with advancing age. As a result, HGH is pushed by some as an antiaging remedy as well as a performance enhancer.

HGH was once prohibitively expensive for most, but now pills, powders, and injections can be purchased at low cost on the Internet. “HGH has become much cheaper to manufacture with modern techniques, so it has gotten to the point where ordinary kids on the street can easily obtain it,” Pope says. “Twenty years ago it was extremely expensive and used only by elite athletes who could afford to spend the money.”

The full dangers of HGH abuse are not known, but it can have deleterious effects on the heart, especially when used in combination with steroids, Pope says. Abnormally elevated levels of HGH in the body have also been linked to other health problems, including diabetes and possibly cancer.

In the study, weight lifters who were taking HGH tended to be older, had lifted weights longer, and were more muscular than those who abstained from HGH use. All of the weight lifters who took HGH were already using steroids to boost performance when they began taking HGH. Just 19% of the weight lifters who used HGH graduated from college, the study shows.

“We see in this study that HGH users were already taking steroids when they added HGH, so this tells us that they may have been developing a tolerance and needed a turbo boost,” says Harold C. Urschel, MD, author of Healing the Addicted Brain.

Barry Sears, PhD, president of Zone Labs Inc. and the Inflammation Research Foundation in Marblehead, Mass., says the only approved use for HGH is to correct a documented deficiency in children or adults.
“Too high levels will promote diabetes and overproduction of bone tissue,” he says. “You can always tell which elite athletes are on HGH because their bones are growing at a faster rate and their faces look distorted.”

“Does it work? Yes it does,” he says. HGH can help bulk up and burn body fat, but it also has health risks attached to it, Sears says.

“Hormones are incredibly powerful drugs and anytime you buy them off the Internet, you are living in a fool’s world to think it is purified or legit,” he says.

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Improvements in PMS symptoms at six months

Of 120 women with PMS or the more severe premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), those who took 1- or 2-gram capsules of vitamin E and a combination of gamma linolenic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, and other polyunsaturated acids daily showed marked improvements in their PMS symptoms at six months, compared to women who received dummy pills.

The capsules were provided by the Brazilian supplement company Hebron Farmaceutica.

The women who received the higher 2-gram dose of the new supplement showed greater improvements in PMS symptoms than those who received the lower 1-gram dose, the study shows.

PMS symptoms were assessed over six menstrual cycles using the Prospective Record of the Impact and Severity of Menstruation (PRISM), a standardized tool that measures PMS symptoms and their intensity.

Precisely how these supplements combat the symptoms of PMS is not fully understood. But the researchers speculate that the essential fatty acids may affect production of chemicals called prostaglandins, which, in turn, reduce the effects of the hormone prolactin. Too much prolactin or an abnormal response to this hormone may cause PMS symptoms.

The physical and emotional symptoms of PMS symptoms can range from the mild to severe; they usually begin five to 12 days before menstruation and disappear once menstruation starts.

“The results of the current study present some evidence in support of the use of essential fatty acids in PMS patients,” conclude researchers who were led by Edilberto A. Rocha Filho, MD, of the Federal University of Pernambuci in Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil.

The new supplement was safe and the fatty acids did not raise women’s total cholesterol levels.

“A lot of women don’t like to talk about PMS because it is the brunt of bad jokes, but PMS symptoms are no joke and can range from the annoying, like acne and bloating, to serious mood and sleep disruptions,” says Donnica Moore, MD, president of Sapphire Women’s Health in Far Hills, N.J. “PMS is a serious medical problem that affects a majority of women to varying extents.”

“This PMS remedy in the new study can’t be interpreted as a cure, but it is very promising option for women with PMS,” she says. ”The only cure for PMS is menopause.”

Other PMS treatments include oral contraceptives which stop ovulation, exercise, antidepressants, calcium and vitamin D supplements, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, Moore says. “Some women respond to all of the above, and some don’t respond to any.”

More PMS treatments are needed, agrees Samantha Meltzer-Brody, MD, director of the perinatal psychiatry of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Center for Women's Mood Disorders.

“Currently available treatments only help half of women with PMS, which means that the other 50% continue to struggle. So anything that shows a promise, such as essential fatty acids, and has minimal side effects, would be a useful contribution,” she says.

Women who think they may have PMS should keep a daily mood-rating diary and follow their moods for two months consecutively, she says. “Really track how your mood fluctuates and correlate it with your menstrual cycle.”

The first step is to make lifestyle changes such as eating a healthy diet and taking a daily multivitamin, exercising, minimizing caffeine intake, and getting good sleep, she says.

These may help minimize PMS symptoms. Also, “Talk to doctor about available options, which would include oral contraceptives and antidepressants,” Meltzer-Brody says.

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The food diary

It doesn't help that I've been very stressed about the logistics of actually getting to the race, which is out of town, and about dealing with the vacation house I've rented with my friends for the weekend. In truth I've been surprised and impressed by how long my self-control has lasted.

But this week I took a big step back to some old habits. I baked a pan of shortbread and ate WAY too much of it, sneaking pieces with breakfast and while cooking dinner. I also roasted a chicken and ate WAY too much of it. (With skin-on, of course.) I had leftover pizza and instead of eating it for lunch with a salad, I ate it in bed with a book. I ate random spoonfuls of peanut butter, slices of cheese, Twizzlers at the office. A lot of these things did not get written down in the food diary.

What to do?? Do I need to become the kind of person who simply does not bake? Who does not roast chickens? The kind of girl who leaves her leftover pizza at the restaurant??!?! Surely not.

I've got to strengthen my discipline somehow. Right this second though, I'm giving myself a little break. I am going to do my very best for the next week. I am going to race in the triathlon, eat a cheeseburger, then have as healthy a vacation as I can manage, and when I come back next Monday, I'll make a plan of attack.

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Nasoya TofuPlus for a nutritious meal

I know my body craves a balanced meal and i still crave lots of flavor. Solution? Stir-fry this vitamin-packed tofu with fresh veggies and serve over brown rice for a nutritious meal you can season just the way you like!

The product: Nasoya TofuPlus ($2.99 for 14oz package; available at grocers nationwide)

The taste factor: You decide! Tofu’s spongy texture soaks in the flavor of the seasonings and sauces you cook it with. Marinate with your favorite drizzles before stir-frying or broiling to give it lots of taste. Pairs well with bold flavors like soy, miso, curry, lemon, and ginger—like in this zesty miso tofu, eggplant, and noodle dish.

The health factor: Like most tofu products, this one is high in protein and low in fat. Plus, it’s a great meat-alternative because TofuPlus is fortified with some of the key nutrients in meats and other protein sources, including vitamins B2, B6, B12, zinc, D2, and calcium.

Editor’s pick: Unlike some tofu that crumbles when cooking, the Extra-Firm variety withstood the heat of my skillet and didn’t taste soggy the next day. I mixed leftover rice with my lemon, soy, and basil stir-fry and ate it cold for a balanced, refreshing midday meal.

Why we love it: It’s a great source of protein that’s low in fat and packs 20 percent of some of your key vitamin requirements. Plus, you choose your favorite spices for a quick and simple meal that keeps your mouth happy.

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Food that burn belly fat

There is a lot of buzz surrounding foods that burn fat, but in actuality the concept has been melded into something rather misleading. There are only a handful of foods that eating them potentially increases the the immediate biochemical act of burning fat (hot peppers and green tea are two that come to mind). Most foods set you up to burn more fat if you eat them compared to if you ate something else.

Let’s take broccoli for example. Eating broccoli doesn’t stimulate the process stored fat being liberated and burned. But eating broccoli instead of bread or other high glycemic foods will result in a favorable biochemical response from your body leading to fat burning that wouldn’t have occurred with the high glycemic foods.
These are the kinds of effects that interest me. What are the changes going on in your body when you choose certain carbohydrates over others. Naked Nutrition Insiders that have watched this month’s online seminar, Glycemic Index: The Carbohydrate Solution that Works, know about the advantages to using a lower glycemic index diet approach for weight loss and health; but yesterday I came across new data showing how a low glycemic approach will allow you to keep you metabolism up almost 6% higher than your friend who is sucking on rice cakes and grape-nuts (two high glycemic foods) when trying to lose weight.

Examples Low Glycemic Foods (from Glycemic Index Online Seminar)
Researchers from Harvard (now the lead researcher is acutally at Tufts I believe) decided to look at the effects of eating a low glycemic diet on metabolic rate compared to a high glycemic index diet. They put together a small study (only 10 people) where the people were given instructions to eat a low calorie low glycemic index diet 9 days and then switch to a low calorie high glycemic index diet for 9 days (or visa versa).
Not surprising the resting energy expenditure (basically how many calories they would have burned if they laid around all day) of the participants decreased on both diets. This was expected as reducing the amount of calories you eat and not adding resistance/metabolic exercise is a sure fire way to decrease your metabolism. But, the interesting part is that the researchers reported that by the 6th day the…
resting energy expenditure declined by 10.5% during the high-GI diet but by only 4.6% during the low-GI diet.

They ate the same amount of calories. Both diets would be considered ‘healthy’ by man people (the High GI diet wasn’t loaded with sugar or anything). But the metabolic response was different. Isn’t that interesting!
What can we take home from this study?
Eating a low glycemic diet decreases the reductions in resting energy expenditure when dieting.Most foods aren’t going to instantly cause an increase in fat burning but choosing low glycemic foods over high glycemic foods will allow you to burn more fat and more calories over time.Eating a low glycemic diet usually means you will eat less carbs and more protein (the low GI diet had 24% less carbs and 12% more protein).
 
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Joe Dowdell advice on how to make the time to workout

Joe Dowdell does a lot of work with high profile movers and shakers (his gym was featured on VH1) who are very busy (aren’t we all though?) and have lots of excuses (like most of us) on why they don’t have time to workout or eat right. Here is Joe’s advice on how to make the time to workout.

Schedule your workouts like appointments. Put them right into your calendar like you would any other meeting. One of the things I hear most often is that people are too busy to make it to the gym, you pencil in a haircut in order to make that happen, right? Do the same with your workouts – even if you don’t have a trainer, schedule it in. Same goes for meals. Many of my patients simply get too busy and forget to eat.

Schedule in those 5 small meals per day – and your workout – so you are reminded to take care of yourself.
Are you scheduling your workouts and meals on your calendar? If so, are you honoring them like your would a meeting with your boss or colleagues? Take a minute to schedule in all your workouts for the rest of the month (d0 it now) and see how many more training sessions you do. I recent read a statistic from a Men’s Health survey that said you are 40% more likely to workout when it is scheduled. Schedule your workouts.
Here’s is the video I mentioned:


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The New Rules of Lifting for Abs

Today, one of the best sequels is being released – the latest installment to the New Rules of Lifting series – The New Rules of Lifting for Abs.

Now, in the spirit of full disclosure – I am good friends with the authors Alwyn Cosgrove and Lou Schuler. Alwyn and I created Warp Speed Fat Loss together and Lou and I are also working on a project together.

So as you can imagine I’m probably not going to say bad things about the book. However, I’m not the only one that thinks the book is awesome. As I write this, it is the #1 selling Abs book and #1 Weight Training book at Amazon.com (and it has only been for sale for 10 hours).

If you have read the previous books you may have the same questions that I did when I first heard about this project. Last February I had lunch with Lou and he was telling me about this book. My first questions was – “How many more new rules are there?” While I was being sarcastic, Lou answered extremely seriously
“Many.”

He then went on to talk all about the areas that the previous two books never touched on. I was surprised at the differences between the books and as Lou pointed out the first New Rules of Lifting book was written in the early part of the last decade (as there is a large lag between writing a book and getting it published).

Instead of recounting my conversation with Lou about the differences between the books and what this new one brings to the table I have a video for you. In this promo video Lou does a really good job of explaining what the New Rules of Lifting for Abs is all about. Lou is not a salesman and has pretty much told me that he hates selling and marketing and wishes that he could just write books. Despite his self professed great disdain for selling  – he really sell’s the heck out of the book in this video by showing the different types of movements and movement progressions that it includes.


The video doesn’t even come close to doing the exercise selection in this book justice. This book contains some of the craziest abs exercises I’ve ever seen like the Suspended Push-Up Hold with Feet Elevated + Leg Raise (page 51). Another favorite is the Front Plank & Row (page 71). One thing that I really like about the book is that while technically it is a ‘how to get abs’ book, at the same time it isn’t. Fitness training has evolved so much over the past several years and this book is the culmination of a lot of that evolution. Full body training is ab training. In the video above Lou shows why the crunch isn’t a good ab exercise and how the plank is a better alternative.  But training your abs isn’t limited to ‘ab specific movements. Another great example of how strength training movements are used as ab movements in the book is one of my favorites, two-point dumbbell row. You can see in the pictures below the difference between a two point row (two points refers to two point of contact – two feet) and a traditional dumbbell row with your leg on the bench. The two point row requires much greater stabilization and total body involvement compared to its traditional counterpart.

Two Point Dumbell Row Traditional Dumbbell Row

The New Rules of Lifting for Abs is full of these types of movement upgrades. The exercises and programs in this book outline how you should be training if you want to get the most out of your time spent exercising.

One final note. As you read The New Rules of Lifting for Abs you’ll definitely notice how well it is written. Lou has been writing books for a long time and it shows. The book is so polished and easily accessible to the reader (Side Note: with my conversations with Lou I am continually impress with how much Lou cares about the readers experience with his books – something the book industry is increasing lacking). While reading the nutrition sections, I stopped and thought to myself – ‘Lou explains this better than I do!”

It is just an awesome book. I know you will get so much out of it beyond just using the programs but changing how you look at your training. It is by far my favorite in the New Rules Series and it is waaay better than The Matrix Revolutions so pick up a copy and start training.

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The Best Diet Nutrition Posts

27 High Glycemic Foods – Check out the list and make sure you aren’t eating too many of these.
Organic Junk Food – The latest and greatest food marketing trick.

Fast Fat Burning Breakfast – Everyone like a good quick meal and this is one of my favorites
Under the Radar Cues That Make You Eat More – Make sure you are aware of these things that will unknowingly make you eat more.

Stage 4 Surges Part 1 & Part 2 – A two part article on what could me the most important nutrition and weight loss concept – are you putting this into action?

Body Transformation Roadmap – A fitting article for your weight loss related new years resolutions. Identification. Mindset. Diet. Intensity. Training.

Energy Drinks Exposed – One of the most popular posts of the year.
3 Foods To Always Have in Your Cupboard – Not to be a hypocrite but we don’t have #1 in our house at the moment.


4 Ways to Easily Reduce Stress – Dr. Bryan Walsh is always reminding me of the detrimental effects stress can have on weight loss. These are 4 simple tips to curb stress.

3 Ways that You Sabotage Your Weight Loss – Here are 3 common ways that people unknowingly put the breaks on their fat loss diet. Do you do any of these? #1 is what I’m most guilty of doing.

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Thyroid dysfunction

Thyroid dysfunction is practically epidemic in modern society with an estimated 27 million people suffering from low thyroid function.  But that doesn’t tell the whole story.  When you consider how many people may have a defect elsewhere in their thyroid hormone physiology, the number of people potentially suffering from low thyroid symptoms is likely to be double.
This means millions of people are suffering from fatigue, constipation, dry skin and hair, and are having a difficult time losing weight, and it may not be coming directly from the thyroid gland itself.

The thyroid gland is considered to be the primary metabolism gland in the body.  Its hormones act directly on the nucleus of every cell in our body to increase our metabolic rate.  If thyroid hormone cannot get into the cell, low thyroid symptoms will exist.  And therein lies the problem, and confusion, of thyroid function.

Low thyroid symptoms may have nothing to do with the thyroid gland itself.  Let’s use an analogy to illustrate.

Imagine a circle of people sitting next to one another.  The first person gets a message, who then whispers it to the second person, who whispers it to the third person, and so on.  When the message gets to the fifth person, she has to translate the message into another language before telling it to the next person, who then writes it on a piece of paper and must shoot the message like a basketball into a waste basket across the room.

How many possibilities exist for that message to somehow get distorted, or otherwise not make it into the waste basket at the end?  Multiple places, which represents a simplified, but accurate, picture of how thyroid hormone physiology works.

There are at least eight major defects that can occur with thyroid hormones, all resulting in the inability for thyroid hormone to get into the cell and therefore all causing low thyroid symptoms. Only one of these defects has to do with the thyroid gland itself, which is why so many thyroid issues are missed in conventional medicine – they simply don’t look for the other defects.

Getting back to the question of which diet will correct low thyroid symptoms, it should be pretty clear by now that no one single diet or food can fix all of these defects because in every case, there is a different cause for the defect.  For example, one person may not be able to convert their thyroid hormones, while another person might have too little free thyroid hormone available, each person having the same symptoms, but each requiring a different solution.

If you are experiencing low thyroid symptoms, it may or may not be related to your thyroid. But rather than spend your time trying to fix it with nutrition, you’d be better off trying to find out which defect it is first and then take the appropriate nutritional steps to correct the underlying cause.

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Stick with plain omega 3s and avoid the omega “3-6-9 supplements

While reading a blog by Margaret Furtado on Yahoo health I came across her list of key actions for an anti-inflammatory weight loss diet. Some where good and some were not. But the one that struck me as one that you should hear was as follows:

Make sure you’re ingesting a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, such as fatty fish, fish-oil supplements, and walnuts. (And by the way, stick with plain omega 3s and avoid the omega “3-6-9? supplements. It turns out that the omega-6s might actually be inflammatory, while omega-9 can be readily gotten from the foods you eat.)

Here’s my caveat.

While there is lots of false buzz about it, eating omega-6 fats as part of a Naked Nutrition approved diet won’t increase levels of inflammation (it will acutally help lower it). Check out my article about omega-6 fats and inflammation for more on that topic. That being said Margaret’s point about omega 3-6-9 supplements being a rip off is dead on. Omega-6 fats are readily availble in your diet if you are eating nuts and using oils (like canola or even olive oil) in your cooking. Omega-9 fats are just another word for monounsaturated fats like the ones found in olive oil, avocados, and macadamium nuts. There is NO need to be paying to supplement these in your diet.

One side point that I also wanted to make, as it is a big area of misconception, is that in her list Margaret also says:

Eat lean protein sources (e.g. skinless chicken) while decreasing your consumption of red meat and full-fat dairy products.

Read Met is a vague term that can describe foods ranging from spam to filet mingon. Eating lean beef (top round, flank steak, filet migon, 95% lean ground beef) will not increase your levels of inflammation. The science just doesn’t support this. I can tell you from my own PhD research that in some cases we had people eating upwards of 7oz of lean beef per day with zero changes in markers of inflammation. Processed and cured meats are a different story and should be limited. Don’t pass on flank steak and opt for chicken because you are worried about the negative health consequences of eating lean beef, they just aren’t there.

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The four simple rules dieting natural

I have cut from about 180 lbs. to 165 lbs., while adding about 10 lbs. of muscle, which means I’ve lost about 25 lbs. of fat. This is the only diet besides the rather extreme Cyclical Ketogenic Diet (CKD) that has produced veins across my abdomen, which is the last place I lose fat (damn you, Scandinavian genetics). Here are the four simple rules I followed…

Rule #1: Avoid “white” carbohydrates
Avoid any carbohydrate that is — or can be — white. The following foods are thus prohibited, except for within 1.5 hours of finishing a resistance-training workout of at least 20 minutes in length: bread, rice, cereal, potatoes, pasta, and fried food with breading. If you avoid eating anything white, you’ll be safe.

Rule #2: Eat the same few meals over and over again
The most successful dieters, regardless of whether their goal is muscle gain or fat loss, eat the same few meals over and over again. Mix and match, constructing each meal with one from each of the three following groups:

Proteins:
Egg whites with one whole egg for flavor
Chicken breast or thigh
Grass-fed organic beef
Pork
Legumes:
Lentils
Black beans
Pinto beans
Vegetables:
Spinach
Asparagus
Peas
Mixed vegetables

Eat as much as you like of the above food items. Just remember: keep it simple. Pick three or four meals and repeat them. Almost all restaurants can give you a salad or vegetables in place of french fries or potatoes.

Surprisingly, I have found Mexican food, swapping out rice for vegetables, to be one of the cuisines most conducive to the “slow carb” diet.

Most people who go on “low” carbohydrate diets complain of low energy and quit, not because such diets can’t work, but because they consume insufficient calories. A 1/2 cup of rice is 300 calories, whereas a 1/2 cup of spinach is 15 calories! Vegetables are not calorically dense, so it is critical that you add legumes for caloric load.

Some athletes eat 6-8x per day to break up caloric load and avoid fat gain. I think this is ridiculously inconvenient. I eat 4x per day:

10am – breakfast
1pm – lunch
5pm – smaller second lunch
7:30-9pm – sports training
10pm – dinner
12am – glass of wine and Discovery Channel before bed
Here are some of my meals that recur again and again:

Scrambled Eggology pourable egg whites with one whole egg, black beans, and microwaved mixed vegetables

Grass-fed organic beef, pinto beans, mixed vegetables, and extra guacamole (Mexican restaurant)

Grass-fed organic beef (from Trader Joe’s), lentils, and mixed vegetables

Post-workout pizza with extra chicken, cilantro, pineapple, garlic, sundried tomotoes, bell peppers, and red onions

Rule #3: Don’t drink calories
Drink massive quantities of water and as much unsweetened iced tea, tea, diet sodas, coffee (without white cream), or other no-calorie/low-calorie beverages as you like. Do not drink milk, normal soft drinks, or fruit juice. I’m a wine fanatic and have at least one glass of wine each evening, which I believe actually aids sports recovery and fat-loss. Recent research into resveratrol supports this.

Rule #4: Take one day off per week
I recommend Saturdays as your “Dieters Gone Wild” day. I am allowed to eat whatever I want on Saturdays, and I go out of my way to eat ice cream, Snickers, Take 5, and all of my other vices in excess. I make myself a little sick and don’t want to look at any of it for the rest of the week. Paradoxically, dramatically spiking caloric intake in this way once per week increases fat loss by ensuring that your metabolic rate (thyroid function, etc.) doesn’t downregulate from extended caloric restriction. That’s right: eating pure crap can help you lose fat. Welcome to Utopia.

Get the brand-new Expanded and Updated 4-Hour Workweek, which includes more than 50 new case studies of luxury lifestyle design, business building, reducing hours 80%+, and world travel.

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Rheumatoid Arthritis requires more than just managing the pain

A result of the body’s immune system attacking its own tissues, rheumatoid arthritis requires more than just managing the pain. Other symptoms that might even seem unrelated to the condition may pose a threat.
Joint Stiffness and Rheumatoid Arthritis 
Joint stiffness is a hallmark of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a chronic disease that affects 1.3 million adult Americans. Resulting from an abnormal response of the immune system, rheumatoid arthritis inflames the soft tissue that lines the surface of joints (called the synovium). It is a systemic disease that not only makes joints stiff and painful, but can also affect other parts of your body, such as internal organs. By noting symptoms such as joint stiffness and seeking early treatment, you can...

Read the Joint Stiffness and Rheumatoid Arthritis article > >


“This is a disease process, not just something that happens in the joints,” rheumatologist Joan Bathon, MD, tells WebMD. “It can be in all your tissues, causing problems wherever inflammation occurs,” says Bathon, who is chief of the rheumatology department at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center.

People with more severe rheumatoid arthritis are more likely to have other complications. But it can also happen in milder cases.

Here are the top 10 symptoms rheumatoid arthritis patients should never ignore.

Because rheumatoid arthritis can affect the blood vessels and muscle of the heart, people with the condition are at a greater risk for heart attacks and heart failure.

“Chest pains or shortness of breath are big red flags,” says rheumatologist Brian Mandell, MD, PhD, of Cleveland Clinic’s Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Center.

If you’re getting winded easily, you could also have a lung infection. Or you could have some form of interstitial lung disease, which causes lungs to become inflamed and scarred, Mandell says. Fluid might also be surrounding the lungs, which would require drugs and drainage to treat.

Seek medical attention immediately if you’re having these problems, even if you've never had heart or lung issues before.

Rheumatoid arthritis can cause connective tissues in the hand or foot to become inflamed and push up against a nerve causing numbness and tingling. As a result, you might experience weakness or clumsiness, or even nerve damage.

This type of swelling can happen in tissues throughout the body. But it most commonly occurs around the wrist area, causing carpal tunnel syndrome, Mandell says.

If you experience numbness or tingling, you need to be evaluated by your rheumatologist or another health care provider as soon as possible to determine the cause.

Compared to numbness or tingling, suddenly not being able to raise or move a hand or foot is a much more severe complication to result from rheumatoid arthritis.

It’s also a much more rare occurrence, involving damage to nerves that are connected to muscles.
“It’s like having a heart attack for the nerves,” Bathon tells WebMD.

Seek emergency treatment for this symptom. Bathon says not doing so could lead to permanent paralysis.

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Helpful tips for avoiding those enticing foods

That fiery sensation that grabs hold of your lower chest after you eat something you know you shouldn't have. What often follows is that sour or bitter taste of acid reflux in your throat and mouth that can last minutes (if you are lucky) or hours (if you are not).

Yes, millions of us are familiar with the discomfort of heartburn, a condition in which stomach acids back up into the esophagus. The good news is that heartburn is largely avoidable if you steer clear of the top 10 heartburn foods. It also helps to avoid certain classic heartburn-inviting situations.

From coffee and liquor to tomatoes and grapefruit, experts tell WebMD that certain foods are known heartburn triggers.

Here's what you need to know about the top 10 heartburn foods.

Oranges, grapefruits and orange juice are classic heartburn foods. "These are very acidic," says Robynne Chutkan, MD. Chutkan is the founder of the Digestive Center for Women in Chevy Chase, Md. and a gastroenterologist at Georgetown Hospital in Washington, D.C. "As a result of being so acidic," she says, "they are likely to cause heartburn, especially when consumed on an otherwise empty stomach."

While they might be chockfull of healthy nutrients like lycopene, Chutkan tells WebMD that tomatoes are also highly acidic and likely to cause heartburn in those who are prone to it.

The acid antidote may be a sour ball, according to Daniel Mausner, MD. Mausner is the section head of gastroenterology at Mercy Medical Center in Rockville Center, N.Y. "Things that promote saliva -- like sour balls -- are good for acid reflux," he says, "because saliva neutralizes the acid that comes up from your stomach."

Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA, RD, says, "Some people with heartburn do not do well with either garlic or onion." Taub-Dix, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, is a nutritionist in private practice in New York City and Woodmere, N.Y. "It's all very individual," she says. For avoiding heartburn, she offers the following suggestion: "Keep a food log to help you track the foods that are your heartburn offenders, and try to develop a list of safe foods." Foods like broiled chicken, baked sweet potatoes, toast, or cottage cheese, she says, are on the safe side of the heartburn food list.

Pepper, Mexican food, chili, and any other food that is loaded with pepper or other spices can trigger heartburn, says Deepa A. Vasudevan, MD. Vasudevan is an assistant professor of family medicine at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston. He tells WebMD that avoiding heartburn isn't necessarily a matter of all or nothing. "If spicy food triggers your heartburn, avoid it. Then slowly reintroduce milder versions of whatever you like."

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Make our Food Safe

At least 89 people in 15 states fell ill with salmonella infections after eating contaminated Alfalfa Sprouts and Spicy Sprouts from Tiny Greens Organic Farm of Urbana, Ill. Many of those who fell ill reported eating sandwiches at Jimmy John's restaurants.100 people became ill after eating pastries made by Rolf's Patisserie, a gourmet European bakery in Lincolnwood, Ill. Various desserts were shipped wholesale and repackaged by other retailers. Whole Foods has recalled gingerbread houses and a wide range of pastries, pot pies, and quiche originally made by Rolf's.

In the latest recall, J&D Produce of Edinburg, Texas, has recalled its Little Bear brand curly parsley and cilantro. Tests of the products in Quebec, Canada and in Detroit detected salmonella contamination.

The items were packed from Nov. 30 to Dec. 6. According to the Associated Press, the company is also recalling other produce that came through its production lines on these dates: arugula, leeks, collards, curly mustard, gold beets, kale, green Swiss chard, plain mustard, plain parsley, kohlrabi, rainbow Swiss chard, mint, methi leaf, beets, daikon, red Swiss chard, turnips, turnip greens, and dill.

No known illnesses have yet been associated with this recall. J&D promises a full refund of any affected product.

On Dec. 27, the FDA warned consumers not to eat Alfalfa Sprouts and Spicy Sprouts (a mix of alfalfa, radish, and clover sprouts) from Tiny Greens Organic Farm.

The preliminary results of a CDC/FDA investigation link many of the illnesses to sandwiches from Jimmy John's restaurant outlets. About half of the 89 cases reported as of Dec. 21 were in Illinois residents who ate at Jimmy John's. The restaurant has stopped putting sprouts on its sandwiches.

The sprouts were also distributed in 4-ounce and 5-pound containers to farmers markets, restaurants, and groceries in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, and possibly other states in the Midwest.

Illnesses from salmonella with the same DNA fingerprint as the outbreak strain have been identified in Connecticut, Washington D.C., Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

On Christmas Eve, the Lincolnwood, Ill., bakery Rolf's Patisserie recalled products made after Nov. 1, 2010.
The products include tiramisu, cakes, cobblers, decorated cookies, tarts, pastries, and pies (including pot pies). Because these foods are sold wholesale, they may be repackaged by retailers under various labels.

The foods contain toxins produced by Staphylococcus aureus. Poisoning occurs from ingesting these toxins, not from Staph infection. Illness onset is usually within one to six hours after eating the contaminated food.

Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, and diarrhea. Severe cases are rare but may include headache, muscle cramps, and changes in blood pressure and pulse rate.

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Adding ground spices to meat can help reduce the rate of fat

For centuries that we use spices to preserve meat and now science is starting to catch up showing that adding ground spices to meat can help reduce the rate of fat oxidation and keep your meat from going rancid a little while longer. In one study, researchers from UCLA added a mixture of ground cloves, cinnamon, oregano, rosemary, ginger, black pepper, paprika, and garlic powder to 95% lean ground beef and found that when people ate those burgers, compared to burgers without the spice mixture, there were reduced levels of oxidized lipids in their bodies. When spices were added to the meats, the researchers found that after cooking the burgers, the spices help prevent cooking induced oxidation of fats.

Another group of researchers tested the effects of  mixing 5 different spices – clove, ginger, oregano, rosemary, sage, and thyme – with meat and then storing it for 21 days. Rosemary had the greatest oxidized lipid fighting effects, while ginger and thyme had essentially no effect.

For maximum flavor and health, marinate the meats that you purchase with ground spices (especially oregano and rosemary) the day you buy them. Especially if you are going to eat some of this meat later in the week, adding spices right away will fight the formation of oxidized lipids and add intense calorie free flavor.

References:

Antioxidant-rich spice added to hamburger meat during cooking results in reduced meat, plasma, and urine malondialdehyde concentrations [American Journal of Clinical Nutrition]
Stabilization of Meat Lipids with Ground Spices [Journal of Food Lipids]

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The biggest challenge of all

I have a completely new set of challenges in store, all revolving around the fact that I started a new job. The first challenge was a brand new schedule that really impacted my workout routine. After a week or two of uncertainty, my trainer, Justo, was able to find new time slots for me, including one in the evening. Which. I. Hate. I've always been a morning-or-not-at-all workout person so heading to the gym after work feels strange. Like my day isn't over yet.

The second challenge is the fact that I have to get a much earlier start on my morning workouts—and nothing says "go back to bed" like looking out the window at an inky black sky. But I did got through it (and actually found I had more energy during the day), but by Friday I was beat. And Friday happens to be my morning session with Justo.

But the biggest challenge of all is the amount of food around me: My new office mate has a refillable candy dish prominently displayed on her desk, plus there are Friday bagel breakfasts. The delicious smell of fresh bagels being toasted assaulted me as I passed the kitchen. Ugh.

While I've somehow managed to bypass the candy dish on my own, I'm regularly reminded of it throughout the day by visitors stopping by for a "sugar fix." Very annoying, but somehow I haven't been tempted. I will admit to surveying the bagels at very close range but with minimal contemplation. I passed.

And with an earlier schedule that makes my day longer I am finding I am hungrier. Luckily I'm scheduled to check in with Marissa (the RD) this week so it's definitely on my discussion list. I've done really well with the snacks and cutting down on the bread, but by 8 or 9 p.m. I am want to eat again. And if I manage to skip a treat before bedtime, when I wake in the morning I am famished.

On the more positive side of things, I feel like I've had a good food week or two, my back seems back to normal, and I've been working out longer on my own. I feel thinner and notice a big difference in my clothes, but somehow my own scale hasn't reflected much of a change this past month. On the one hand I am seeing—and feeling—results I should be pleased with, but on the other hand I feel disappointed. I guess my inner competitive streak is getting the best of me, but I'm only half-way in the FGW program. Justo did warn me early on that the three-month mark is a big plateau marker and to not be frustrated when I reach it. This is typically about the time I go off the tracks, so I need to keep focused.

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All Natural Reduced Calorie Juice Smoothie

During a mid-afternoon nothing perks me up more like a crispy apple or a few slices of juicy grapefruit. But, all too often, time runs short for a fresh produce run, or that piece of citrus seems too messy to peel as I sort through the files on my desk at the office. Simple solution? Naked Juice's reduced-calorie smoothie, which packs three servings of fruit each and leaves out added sugars and sweeteners.

The product: Naked Juice All Natural Reduced Calorie Juice Smoothie ($3.29 for a 15.2-fluid-ounce bottle containing two servings; available at grocers nationwide)

The taste factor: These smoothies taste just like biting into a real piece of fruit. The juices get their tropical tang from real pineapple, mango, peach, and guava for a pure, not-too-sweet flavor.

The health factor: The smoothies use low-calorie, but flavor-filled coconut water to leave out added sugars, syrups, artificial flavors, and sweeteners, while keeping the calorie count per serving at 100.

Editors' pick: The Tropical Smoothie whisked me straight to the beach, thanks to real pineapple, mango, and coconut juices.

Why we love it: As easy to grab and drink as a bottle of soda, with all the vitamins (and about the same number of calories) in a serving and a half of fruit—sans added sugars and artificial flavors.

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Fried Fish may contribute to the higher rate of fatal strokes

A new study indicates that eating fried fish,more common in “stroke belt” states than other states,may contribute to the higher rate of fatal strokes in those states.

The omega-3 fatty acids in fish, especially fatty fish, have been associated with a reduction in the risk of stroke, studies have shown. However, research indicates that the process of frying fish causes a loss of these beneficial fatty acids.

The stroke belt states include North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Louisiana. People living in the stroke belt states are more like to have a stroke and to die from stroke than people living in other states, the researchers say.

The scientists also identified a region they called the “stroke buckle,” which includes the coastal plain region of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. People in the stroke buckle are even more likely than those in the stroke belt to have fatal strokes, the researchers say.

The study, published in Neurology, shows that along with a higher consumption of fried fish, people living in the stroke belt are less likely to have an adequate intake of non-fried fish, defined in the study as two or more servings of non-fried fish per week based on guidelines from the American Heart Association.

It also found that African-Americans are more likely to eat two or more servings of fried fish per week than whites. A serving is considered 3 ounces of fish.

“These differences in fish consumption may be one of the potential reasons for the racial and geographic differences in stroke incidence and mortality,” says Fadi Nahab, MD, of Emory University in Atlanta and lead author of the study.

Researchers examined data on 21,675 people participating in a study program called REGARDS, for Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke.

Of all the people whose records were examined, 21% were from the stroke buckle, 34% from the rest of the states in the stroke belt, and 44% were from other states.

Study participants were interviewed by telephone and then given an in-home physical examination. They also filled out a questionnaire asking how often they ate oysters, shellfish, tuna, fried fish, and non-fried fish.
Among the key findings:

Fewer than one in four of the people (23%) ate two or more servings of non-fried fish per week.People living in the stroke buckle were 11% less likely to eat two or more servings of non-fried fish than participants in the rest of the country.People in the rest of the stroke belt were 17% less likely to eat recommended servings of non-fried fish on a weekly basis.African-Americans were more than 3.5 times more likely to eat two or more servings of fried fish weekly than whites. African-Americans ate an average of 0.96 servings weekly of fried fish, compared to 0.47 servings for whites.People in the stroke belt were 30% more likely to eat two or more servings of fried fish than people in the rest of the country.

The researchers conclude that racial and geographic differences in fish consumption may be one of the reasons for differences in stroke incidence and death in various areas around the country.

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Lose Fat Diet new week

After my talk with Marissa (the nutritionist) about how lack of rest and sleep can interfere greatly with Lose Fat Diet,losing pounds and inches, I decided to pay attention. Accordingly, I was determined that my time off from the office would include some real downtime devoted to just being, not doing. I have to admit, though, that I felt guilty about this. After all, I'd planned to devote the week to visiting my parents in Nashville, de-cluttering the “storage” room in my apartment, and tripping the light fantastic with friends I haven’t been able to devote much time to lately. But I realized that it wasn’t likely that all those things would get done in a single week without pushing my tired body just as hard as I’ve been doing at work. So I did a reassessment.

I did end up taking a trip, but it was a road trip to a place only two hours from my home, and once there, I just relaxed with good friends for three days. On one of those days, I went to an outlet mall, tried on a jacket, and found that it fit IN A SIZE SMALLER than I’ve been wearing!!! Naturally, I bought that sucker as a reward for the achievement! It could be that the cut of the jacket was a bit more generous than most, but I’m taking it that something on my body got toned and tightened enough for me to make the change. That small milestone did wonders for my self esteem.

The lift to my spirits buoyed me for the rest of the week, I must say. While idle time for me has, in the past, tended to lead to snack time, I resisted this time around—and often found that there wasn’t even a craving or need to nosh. I even kept up with my workouts with Tehera, even though it meant trudging into Manhattan from Brooklyn. She was proud of me (and, I think, pleasantly surprised by me as well), although that didn’t lead her to show any mercy in terms of the workouts. Although I didn’t do much while on vacation, I actually did a lot when it came to my health and well being. This is a trend that I can get used to.

Visit:http://fatloss-diet-plan.blogspot.com/

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Lose Fat Diet

The questions are usually something like "How can I gain muscle and Lose Fat Diet at the same time?" or "I want to lose fat but gain muscle at the same time, how can I do it?" If you went into a gym and took a poll of what everyone's goal was, I can bet that most, if not all, would say to gain muscle and lose fat. I doubt there is anyone who just wants to lose fat, they want to gain muscle while they are at it, and visa-versa! So, is it? Is it possible to both lose fat and gain muscle at the same time? No, it is NOT possible, and I will not only tell you why its not possible, but I'll also tell you how you can do both, just not at the same time.

To lose fat, what do you have to do? You have to do lots of cardio, eat a low carb/low fat/lower calorie diet, and of course, lift weights. To gain muscle, what do you have to do? Do little or no cardio, eat a high calorie/higher carb/higher fat diet, and again, lift weights. Did you notice something there? Yup, they are complete opposites. Trying to gain muscle and lose fat at the same time would be like trying to sit and stand at the same time. It just can't be done. This is why most people who are trying to do both at the same time see no results and give up. So, then how can it be done? How can you lose fat and gain muscle if you can't do both at the same time? Simple, you don't do them at the same time. You do them in phases.

I call my muscle gaining, weight gaining, size and strength gaining phase the "bulking up phase." And I call my fat lose phase the "cutting up phase." The bulking up phase is the phase where my diet is high in calories, carbs, protein, and a little fat here and there (but only good fat of course, no fried food or potato chips or anything) and I do no cardio. This phase will usually go on during the winter. Why did I pick to do this phase during the winter? Because here in New York, USA, its cold during the winter, which would be the best time for me to put on a bit of fat. Don't get me wrong here, its not like I become overly fat with a big gut or anything even close to that, I just get bigger. I will usually do this phase from October until around March. During this phase my goal is to gain all of the strength, muscle and size that I possibly can before its time to change phases. But then.....

But then it comes time for the cutting phase, which for me usually lasts from March through the August, during the hotter, spring and summer months. During this phase, I lower my carb and calorie intake slightly, and keep my protein and fat (which only really comes from fish, fish oil supplements, nuts and olive oil) intake about the same. I may also start doing some cardio, about 30 mins a day on my non weight training days. Also, my weightlifting workout will stay exactly the same as it was during my bulking phase. My goal during this phase isn't to get stronger in the gym... it's to just maintain my current strength while I lower my bodyfat percentage and lose all of the fat that I gained during my bulking phase, and basically get those abs showing again.

See how it works? Lets say for example you are 150lbs now, during the bulking phase you may go all the way up to 175lbs, but then during the cutting phase you may go down to 163lbs. Now you are back to being lean again, except with 13 new pounds of muscle. So now your 163lbs, repeat the phases over again and you'll be maybe 170lbs at the end of the next cycle. See how it works now? Repeat the phases over and over again. For more specific information about losing weight and gaining weight, check out the weight loss or weight gain section of the site.

Now that you've learned the basics of how to do this, you may have another couple of questions on your mind. How do you ensure that you gain as much muscle as possible and as little fat as possible during the bulking phase, and how do you ensure that you lose as much fat as possible and maintain as much muscle as possible during the cutting phase? Well, the answer to those questions are simple... do everything perfectly. This of course leads to another question... how do you do it all "perfectly?" Well, that's a question that people have been emailing me about for years. And now, I've finally gotten around to providing a fully detailed 44 page answer.

Visit:http://fatloss-diet-plan.blogspot.com/

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Yes (Cookies are small files that a site or its service provider transfers to your computers hard drive through your Web browser (if you allow) that enables the sites or service providers systems to recognize your browser and capture and remember certain information.

Do we disclose any information to outside parties?

We do not sell, trade, or otherwise transfer to outside parties your personally identifiable information. This does not include trusted third parties who assist us in operating our website, conducting our business, or servicing you, so long as those parties agree to keep this information confidential. We may also release your information when we believe release is appropriate to comply with the law, enforce our site policies, or protect ours or others rights, property, or safety. However, non-personally identifiable visitor information may be provided to other parties for marketing, advertising, or other uses.

Third party links

Occasionally, at our discretion, we may include or offer third party products or services on our website. These third party sites have separate and independent privacy policies. We therefore have no responsibility or liability for the content and activities of these linked sites. Nonetheless, we seek to protect the integrity of our site and welcome any feedback about these sites.

Childrens Online Privacy Protection Act Compliance

We are in compliance with the requirements of COPPA (Childrens Online Privacy Protection Act), we do not collect any information from anyone under 13 years of age. Our website, products and services are all directed to people who are at least 13 years old or older.

Online Privacy Policy Only

This online privacy policy applies only to information collected through our website and not to information collected offline.

Your Consent

By using our site, you consent to our privacy policy.

Changes to our Privacy Policy

If we decide to change our privacy policy, we will update the Privacy Policy modification date below.

This policy was last modified on 09-04-2011

Contacting Us

If there are any questions regarding this privacy policy you may contact us using the information below.

blogspot2@sapo.pt

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