Dieting

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dietThe following article is a small excerpt from one of my books.  I hope you’ll want to learn more and let me help you to get into the best shape of your life.

On any given day, millions of people are on a diet and counting calories in one way or another.

This Person was extremely overweight, so she went to her doctor who put her on a diet.
I want you to eat regularly for 2 days, then skip a day, eat regularly for 2 days, then skip a day and repeat this procedure for 2 weeks the doctor said.” The next time I see you, you’ll have lost at least 5 pounds.”
When she returned, she shocked the doctor. She had lost nearly 20 pounds.
Why, that’s amazing!” the doctor said. “Did you follow my instructions?”
She nodded. “Ill tell you though, I thought I was going to drop dead that 3rd day.”
“From hunger, you mean?” asked the doctor.
No, from all that skipping!”

If losing weight and getting into shape was so easy why are so many people (and especially for anyone older than 30 years old), weight gain seems to be a fact of life? It’s because your body is way too efficient! It just does not take that much energy to maintain your body at rest; and when exercising, your body is amazingly frugal when it comes to turning food into motion.

At rest for example, while sitting and watching television, your body burns only about 12 calories per pound of body weight per day (26 calories per kilogram). That means that if you weigh 150 pounds (68 kg), your body uses only about: 150 X 12 = 1,800 calories per day. More accurate calculations can be found in my book ‘Get Fit Stay Fit’.   These 1,800 calories are used to do everything you need to stay alive:

In motion, your body also uses energy very efficiently. For example, a person running a marathon (26 miles or 42 km) burns only about 2,600 calories. In other words, you burn only about 100 calories per mile (about 62 calories per km) when you are running.

You can see just how efficient your body is if you compare your body to a car. A typical car gets between 15 and 30 miles per gallon of gasoline (6 to 12 km/L). A gallon of gas contains about 31,000 calories that means that if you could drink gasoline instead of eating hamburgers to take in calories, you could run 26 miles on about one-twelfth of a gallon of gas (0.3 L). In other words, you would be getting more than 300 miles per gallon (120 km/L)! If you put yourself on a bicycle to increase the efficiency, you could get well over 1,000 miles per gallon (more than 500 km/L)!

This level of efficiency is the main reason why it is so easy to gain weight.

The 1,800 calories that a typical person at rest needs per day is just not that many. When you track and see how much you actually do eat in a day, you can see how the number of calories coming in can easily reach 3,000, 4,000 or 5,000 per day without any effort at all. That’s the problem.

Your body is extremely efficient at capturing and storing excess calories. Whenever your body finds that it has excess calories on hand, it converts them to fat and saves them for a rainy day. It only takes 3,500 excess calories to create 1 pound of new fat on your body. If you are taking in just 500 extra calories per day, then you are gaining a pound of fat per week (500 calories x 7 days in a week = 3,500 calories/week). Since it is easy to get 500 calories from just one ice cream cone or a few cookies, you can see that weight gain is completely effortless in today’s society. Food is just too easy to find.
Let’s imagine that you are overweight and you would like to lose several excess pounds. To lose 1 pound of fat, what you have to do is burn off 3,500 calories. That is, over a period of time, you have to consume 3,500 calories less than your body needs. There are several ways you can create that deficit. If you assume that you weigh 150 pounds and that your body at rest needs 1,800 calories per day (150 * 12 = 1,800) to live, here are several examples (some realistic, some not):

  • You could lie in bed and starve yourself. Since you are lying in bed, you are consuming 1,800 calories per     day. Since you are starving yourself, you are taking in no calories. That means that, every day, you create a deficit of 1,800 calories and approximately every two days, you will lose 1 pound.
  • You could consume fewer calories than your body needs. You might choose to consume 1,500 calories per day rather than the required 1,800 by controlling what you eat. That creates a 300-calorie deficit every day. That means that approximately every 12 days, you will lose 1 pound. (12 days x 300 calories = 3,600 calories).
  • You could consume 1,800 calories per day and then choose to jog 2 miles (3.2 km) every day. The jogging would burn about 200 calories per day, and over the course of 18 days you would burn about 1 pound. (18 days x 200 calories = 3,600 calories).
  • You could consume 2,500 calories per day and run 10 miles per day. You will burn 1,800 calories per day at rest and then 1,000 calories per day running, for a total of 2,800 calories. You are consuming 300 calories fewer than you need, so you would lose a pound every 12 days or so (300 calories x 12 days = 3,600 calories).

As you can see from these examples, the only way to lose fat is to consume fewer calories per day than your body needs. For every 3,500 calories that you body takes from its fat reserves, you lose 1 pound (0.45 kg) of body fat. You can create the deficit either by monitoring and restricting your intake of calories, or by exercising or both.

The idea behind most diets is simply to help you lower the number of calories that you consume each day. That’s all they do.

The reason why most diets tend not to work for very long is because they are not sustainable. You gain weight because you consume more calories per day than needed. The diet creates a temporary deficit. When the diet ends, you go back to normal eating and the weight comes back.

On a daily basis your body is taking in, and therefore storing, 50 calories more than it needs. So every 70 days (3,500 calories in a pound / 50 calories each day = 70 days) you gain 1 pound (0.45 kg). If this 50 extra calories per day trend continues, then over the course of a year you would gain 5 pounds. This, by the way, is the pattern for a big portion of the population. If you over-consume by just a few calories per day, over time you will gain weight. Keep in mind that just one Oreo-type cookie contains 50 calories, so over-consuming is incredibly easy.

This is why diets don’t work for most people. You do lose weight, but then go off the diet and gain it back. What is needed instead is a sustainable diet, a food consumption and exercise plan , that lets you live a normal life and eat normal foods in a normal way.

Building a sustainable diet and exercise plan is the key to maintaining a consistent weight. This is not easy for many people.

The first step is to start counting the calories that you consume on a day so that you become conscious of how many calories it is you are actually eating.

The second step is to figure out how many calories you need in a day. (Formulas are found in my book ‘Get Fit Stay Fit’)

Pick your ideal weight, and then calculate how many calories a day you can consume to maintain that weight.

Step Three is to compare the two numbers.  You may be startled by the difference between the number of calories you need and the number of calories that you take in, in a day. This is where the extra pounds are coming from.

The fourth step is to figure out how to bring the two numbers in line. What you will soon realize is that 1,600 or 1,800 or 2,000 calories per day just isn’t that many. You have to watch and counteverything you eat and drink every day and stick to your daily limit.

The fifth step is to add exercise to the mix so that you can raise the number of calories you can consume per day. My Online calculators will show you how many calories different forms of exercise can burn. Burning 250 or 500 calories per day through exercise can make a big difference.

If you follow some of the strategies in my book ‘Get Fit Stay Fit’, you will lose fat and maintain a consistent weight.

Exercise is one tool you have to control your weight because exercise is a way to increase the number of calories that you burn in a day.

Try to find some type of exercise that you enjoy (or at least can tolerate) and do it every day for 30 minutes, 60 minutes or more. It might be walking, riding an exercise bike while watching TV, or working out in a gym at lunch.

Instead of taking the elevator, take the stairs, park farther away from stores when you go shopping. These little things can add up.

Find an exercise partner. Exercise, for some people, is a lot easier if there is someone to talk to. A partner will also help make exercise a routine.

Try to exercise every day. It is easier to remember to do something if you do it every day.

There are dozens of weight-loss myths out there that try to confuse and distract you. Here is a list of some of the most common so you can try to avoid them:

  • The myth that some kinds of calories are different from others.  A calorie is a calorie. If you consume 4,000 calories by eating 1,000 grams of white sugar or 4,000 calories by eating 444 grams of fat, it is still 4,000 calories.
  • The myth that low-fat foods are okay or that you can eat as much as you want if it is low-fat . A product can have 0 grams of fat but still have lots of calories. Many fat-free foods replace the fat with sugar and contain just as many or more calories as a fat-containing product.
  • The myth that any passive device, acupressure rings and bracelets or soaps or whatever, can help – There is no way to burn calories but to burn them.
  • The myth that you can lose 54 pounds in 6 weeks – Despite what the ads say (I LOST 54 POUNDS IN 6 WEEKS WITHOUT DIETS OR EXERCISE!!! or LOSE 10 POUNDS THIS WEEKEND!), you cannot lose a pound of fat unless you burn off 3,500 calories. To lose 54 pounds in 6 weeks, you would need to lose 9 pounds in 7 days, or 1.3 pounds per day. That 1.3 pounds of fat is equal to 4,500 calories, so you would have to burn off 4,500 calories per day. The only way to do that would be to eat nothing AND run a marathon every day for 42 days. That’s impossible. The only way to lose that much weight that quickly is either through dehydration or amputation.

What is true is that you have to eat fewer calories than you burn in a day if you want to lose weight. You can do that by eating fewer calories than you need, or by exercising more, or both .

I know you want to get in shape and look great.  Whatever your fitness goal…to slim down…gain muscle…tone your arms or flatten your tummy…I’m here to help you accomplish your goals and to improve your fitness level. If you have enjoyed this article and the many other free features on my site, and would like some more comprehensive information such as fitness books and CD’s to aid you in achieving your health and fitness goals, please visit my ONLINE STORE where you will find innovative natural health and beauty products to help you become the BEST YOU CAN BE !

Fat

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fatThe following article is a small excerpt from one of my books. I hope you’ll want to learn more and let me help you to get into the best shape of your life.

Many Americans exercise and go on diets to reduce their amount of body fat, yet over half of the adults in the United States are overweight…That’s 97 million people who have too much fat.

Fat, or adipose tissue, is found in several places in your body.  Generally, fat is found underneath your skin (subcutaneous fat). There’s also some on top of each of your kidneys. Other locations depend upon whether you are a man or woman:

An adult man tends to carry body fat in his chest, abdomen and buttocks.

An adult woman tends to carry fat in her breasts, hips, waist and buttocks.

The difference in fat location comes from the sex hormones estrogen and testosterone. Your body contains two types of fat tissue:

  • White fat, which is important in energy metabolism, heat insulation and mechanical cushioning.
  • Brown fat, which is found mostly in newborn babies, between the shoulders; important for thermogenesis (making heat).

Fat tissue is made up of fat cells.  Fat cells are a unique type of cell. You can think of a fat cell as a tiny plastic bag that holds a drop of fat:

  • White fat cells are large cells that have very little cytoplasm, only 15 percent cell volume, a small nucleus and one large fat droplet that makes up 85 percent of cell volume.
  • Brown fat cells are somewhat smaller, are loaded with mitochondria and are composed of several smaller fat droplets. The mitochondria are able to generate heat.

Fat cells are formed in the developing fetus during the third trimester of pregnancy, and later at the onset of puberty, when the sex hormones kick in.  It is during puberty that the differences in fat distribution between men and women begin to take form.

One amazing fact is that fat cells do not multiply after puberty. As your body stores more fat, the number of fat cells remains the same; each fat cell simply gets bigger.

When you eat food that contains fat, it goes through your stomach and intestines. In the intestines, the following happens:

  • Large fat droplets get mixed with bile salts from your gall bladder in a process called emulsification. The mixture breaks up the large droplets into several smaller droplets called micelles, increasing the fat’s surface area.
  • The pancreas secretes enzymes called lipases that attack the surface of each micelle and break the fats down into their parts, glycerol and fatty acids.
  • These parts get absorbed into the cells lining your intestine.
  • In the intestinal cell, the parts are reassembled into packages of fat molecules (triglycerides) with a protein coating called chylomicrons. The protein coating makes the fat dissolve more easily in water.
  • The chylomicrons are released into the lymphatic system — they do not go directly into your bloodstream because they are too big to pass through the wall of the capillary.

The lymphatic system eventually merges with the veins, at which point the chylomicrons pass into the bloodstream.

Chylomicrons do not last long in your bloodstream — only about eight minutes — because enzymes called lipoprotein lipases break the fats into fatty acids. Lipoprotein lipases are found in the walls of blood vessels in fat tissue, muscle tissue and heart muscle. The activity of lipoprotein lipases depends upon the levels of insulin in your body. If insulin is high, then the lipases are highly active; if insulin is low, the lipases are inactive.

When you eat a candy bar or a meal, the presence of glucose, amino acids or fatty acids n the intestine stimulates the pancreas to secrete a hormone called insulin. Insulin acts on many cells in your body, especially those in the liver, muscle and fat tissue. Insulin tells the cells to do the following: Absorb glucose, fatty acids and amino acids

Stop breaking down:

  • Glucose, fatty acids and amino acids
  • Glycogen into glucose
  • Fats into fatty acids and glycerol
  • Proteins into amino acids

Start building:

  • Glycogen from glucose
  • Fats (triglycerides) from glycerol and fatty acids
  • Proteins from amino acids

The fatty acids are then absorbed from the blood into fat cells, muscle cells and liver cells. In these cells, under stimulation by insulin, fatty acids are made into fat molecules and stored as fat droplets.

It is also possible for fat cells to take up glucose and amino acids, which have been absorbed into the bloodstream after a meal, and convert those into fat molecules. The conversion of carbohydrates or protein into fat is 10 times less efficient than simply storing fat in a fat cell, but the body can do it.  If you have 100 extra calories in fat floating in your bloodstream, fat cells can store it using only 2.5 calories of energy. On the other hand, if you have 100 extra calories in glucose floating in your bloodstream, it takes 23 calories of energy to convert the glucose into fat and then store it. Given a choice, a fat cell will grab the fat and store it rather than the carbohydrates because fat is so much easier to store.

When you are not eating, your body is not absorbing food. If your body is not absorbing food, there is little insulin in the blood. However, your body is always using energy; and if you’re not absorbing food, this energy must come from internal stores of complex carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Under these conditions, various organs in your body secrete hormones:

  • Pancreas – glucagon
  • Pituitary gland – growth hormone
  • Pituitary gland – ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone)
  • Adrenal gland – epinephrine (adrenaline)
  • Thyroid gland – thyroid hormone

These hormones act on cells of the liver, muscle and fat tissue, and have the opposite effects of insulin.

When you are not eating, or exercising your body must draw on its internal energy stores of complex carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Your body’s prime source of energy is glucose. In fact, some cells in your body, such as brain cells, can get energy only from glucose.

The first line of defence in maintaining energy is to break down carbohydrates, or glycogen, into simple glucose molecules.  This process is called glycogenolysis. Next, your body breaks down fats into glycerol and fatty acids in the process of lipolysis. The fatty acids can then be broken down directly to get energy, or can be used to make glucose through a multi-step process called gluconeogenesis. In gluconeogenesis, amino acids can also be used to make glucose.

In the fat cell, other types of lipases work to break down fats into fatty acids and glycerol. These lipases are activated by various hormones, such as glucagon, epinephrine and growth hormone. The resulting glycerol and fatty acids are released into your blood, and travel to your liver through the bloodstream. Once in your liver, the glycerol and fatty acids can be either further broken down or used to make glucose.

We see pure fats in three places at the grocery store:

In the vegetable oil aisle you see oils created from different seeds and nuts. There is corn oil, safflower oil, peanut oil, canola oil, and olive oil.   All seeds and nuts contain some amount of oil, because oil is a very good way to store energy. By the way, the only difference between oil and fat is whether or not it is a solid at room temperature.

In the meat aisle, you can look at different cuts of meat and see them outlined by a layer of white, solid fat created by the animal to store energy.

In the dairy aisle you see butter and margarine, which are fats made from cream or vegetable oils, respectively.

The rest of the grocery store is of course, filled with fats and oils, although they are less obvious. Potato chips and French fries are cooked in oil, cookies and cakes contain fats and oils, and so on. This is how we eat the fat we need every day. And we do need fat to survive.

Most of what you hear about right now points to mono-unsaturated fats as the good fats. Olive oil and canola oil are both mono-unsaturated. Mono-unsaturated fats are thought to lower cholesterol.

The fats to steer clear of are the saturated fats. Saturated fats are bad because they clog your arteries. Partially hydrogenated vegetable oils (which are artificially saturated fats) are now considered totally evil, both because of the saturation and a side effect of hydrogenation called trans fatty acids.

There is a class of fatty acids called essential fatty acids that your body cannot manufacture. Because your body cannot manufacture these, they must come in from the food you eat.

Essential fatty acids fall into two groups: omega-3 and omega-6. All essential fatty acids are polyunsaturated.   Omega-6 fatty acids are everywhere: corn oil, sunflower oil and soybean oil. Omega-3 fatty acids are harder to find. Things like flax seeds, pumpkin seeds and walnuts are high in omega-3 fatty acids, as are salmon, trout and tuna. The current thinking is that these two fats need to be balanced in the diet at a ratio like 1-to-1 or 2-to-1, rather than the normal 20-to-1 ratio seen in most Western diets. And the only way to do that is to supplement your diet with omega-3 vegetable oils or to start eating fish in a big way (meaning two or three times a week).

Limit your fat intake to between 25 and 30 percent of the total calories you consume. Do not try to cut fat intake altogether, because you do need the essential fatty acids. When consuming fat, try to focus on mono-unsaturated fats like olive oil and canola oil, or on essential fatty acids.   When consuming essential fatty acids, try to balance your intake of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. Do that by consuming tuna/salmon/trout or omega-3 oils like flax seed oil.

Your weight is determined by the rate at which you store energy from the food that you eat, and the rate at which you use that energy, and the best way to maintain a healthy weight is; to eat a balanced diet, do not eat excessively and to exercise regularly.

I know you want to get in shape and look great.  Whatever your fitness goal…to slim down…gain muscle…tone your arms or flatten your tummy…I’m here to help you accomplish your goals and to improve your fitness level. If you have enjoyed this article and the many other free features on my site, and would like some more comprehensive information such as fitness books and CD’s to aid you in achieving your health and fitness goals, please visit my ONLINE STORE where you will find innovative natural health and beauty products to help you become the BEST YOU CAN BE !

Nutrients

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hm00489_The following article is a small excerpt from one of my books.  I hope you’ll want to learn more and let me help you to get into the best shape of your life.

There are three basic ingredients in your daily food intake…(this is not to mention all the vitamins and mineral requirements)

PROTEIN…CARBOHYDRATES AND FAT.
You need all three in your diet. But in what ratio? Let’s first take a look at each group.

PROTEIN (1 GRAM – 4 KCAL)
Proteins are the body’s building blocks.  You need them for muscle and connective tissue growth.  Proteins do not stimulate your body’s insulin production and therefore your blood sugar doesn’t drop and you do not feel hungry later.

Proteins also take a while to digest, so they make you feel fuller longer.  Proteins do not supply much fiber, which is necessary to keep your digestive track in order so you must remember to get fiber from another source.

The basic building blocks of all proteins are amino acids.  There are 20 amino acids, nine of which are considered essential because your body cannot make them so they must be supplied in your diet.  The other eleven are known as non essential because your body has the ability to manufacture them.

Proteins are found in both animal and plant foods.  For a food to be able to support growth and life it must contain all nine essential amino acids and is therefore known as a complete protein.  Foods that have a deficiency of one or more of the nine essential amino acids are known as incomplete proteins.

Animal products are considered higher quality proteins than plant products because animal proteins are complete proteins, containing all nine essential amino acids and in large amounts. While most plant proteins are considered incomplete, they may be combined and when eaten in proper combinations they do provide complete proteins.  The only plant protein that is an exception to this is the soybean. Soybeans are considered a complete protein and are comparable to animal protein.

If your diet does not contain enough carbohydrates to supply your body with the needed glucose, protein can be used as an energy source and will synthesize glucose.  This process is called gluconeogenesis and is a costly state to be in because it robs from the your muscles as if you were in a state of starvation.

So how much protein do you need to consume?  Some studies recommend as much as four grams of protein per kilogram of body weight while others suggest as little as 0.8 grams per kilogram are required.

It is recommended that endurance athletes consume approximately 1.5 grams per kilogram of body weight per day for the first few months of training.  After a few months the amount can be reduced to 1.2 to 1.4 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day.

For strength and power athletes, it is recommended that you consume between 1.4 and 2.4 grams of proteins per kilogram of bodyweight per day with an average of about 1.7.  It is also important to note two things.  First one pound of muscle (.45 kg.) contains about 100 grams of protein.  So in order to gain one pound of muscle mass per week, you need to consume approximately 14.3 grams of extra protein per day. (as well as other calories)

Secondly, there is no evidence to support intakes of 2.4 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day more, will improve muscle mass during heavy weight training.  Although the higher protein levels won’t harm you, excessive levels may bring along higher levels of saturated fat and cholesterol.

You should try to consume protein in small portions throughout the day and limit the amount you do eat to about 30 grams per meal.
High Protein foods include, red meat, fish, poultry, eggs, milk and cheese.  However, be careful to eat protein foods that are low in fat and cholesterol.  So try to select lean meats, non fat milk and low fat cheeses.

CARBOHYDRATES (1GRAM =4KCAL)
The primary function of carbohydrates is to provide an economical energy supply for your body.  Carbohydrates also furnish important vitamins and minerals and flavor to foods and beverages. Carbohydrates can be found in your food supply as starches, sugars and fibers.  Carbohydrates can be broken down into two groups, Simple and Complex.

Simple carbohydrates are your basic sugars, and can be turned into a quick energy source.  The complex carbohydrates are a longer burning energy source and are found in bread, potatoes, starch vegetables, pasta and rice.
Approximately 50 to 60 percent of your daily calorie intake should come from carbohydrate rich foods.

Insulin levels can play a major role in fat storage.  Insulin a protein hormone is released by the beta cells of the pancreas in response to sugar and amino acids in the bloodstream.  Insulin aids in the transport of carbohydrates and amino acids into muscles, promoting synthesis of muscle glycogen and protein.  A problem arises when too many carbohydrate calories are consumed.  Although you will gain more energy, size and strength from the increase of insulin, it also effects fat storage.  Insulin release stimulates the enzyme lipoprotein lipase that plays a key role in fat synthesis while inhibiting the enzyme hormone sensitive lipase which encourages fat breakdown and metabolism.

Carbohydrates can be converted and stored as fat and the faster a carbohydrate breaks down the more insulin is produced, and the easier it is that fat can be deposited.  It’s also a good idea to limit your carbohydrate intake for at least three hours before you go to sleep.

FAT (1GRAM – 9KCAL)
Gram for gram, fats provide more than twice the energy or calories as either carbohydrates or proteins.  It’s a shame fats are so terrible because they do add a richness and creaminess to food.

Fats also make up part of the structure of cells and provide an essential fatty acid (linoleic).  Scientists now believe that fat is incorporated into your ‘fat’ more easily than other types of foods.

Fat also increases the viscosity (stickiness) of blood, and sticky blood clumps together and attaches to the walls of blood vessels.  This causes more clumping, interfering with blood flow and impairs cell breathing.  You can see how a high fat diet can increase your risk of a stroke or heart attack.  High fat diets have been implicated in certain types of cancers, particularly that of the bowl and breast.

So how much fat is too much?  Well…The daily consumption of dietary fat in most diets is over 40 percent to total calories. The Fat in your diet should be in the 15% range however some suggest the fat intake can be as high as 30% of your total daily calories.  Ideally it should be no more than 67 grams.

One of the most popular forms of fat is called saturated fat.  Saturated fat is any fat that is solid at room temperature, like fat obtained from animal products, palm oil, coconut oil, hydrogenated vegetable oil. Foods containing saturated fat include meat, fish, poultry, milk products, eggs, lard, butter, shortening, margarine, non dairy creamers, dessert toppings, chocolate bars, cookies and crackers.

I’ve briefly talked about fats, but what are the differences?  Well first fats are made up of fatty acids.  When three fatty acids attach to a glycerol molecule it forms what is called a triglyceride, which is the most common fat found in your bloodstream and the foods you eat. Each carbon atom has the ability of bonding with two hydrogen atoms.  When every carbon atom on the chain has bonded with two hydrogen atoms the fatty acid is called saturated.  The more saturated a fat is the more harmful it is.  If some carbon atoms have not bonded with the hydrogen, the fatty acid is unsaturated and generally healthier for you.

Unsaturated fat is found in two forms, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated.  When a link exists between adjacent carbon atoms, it forms what is called a double bond.  When only one double bond exists it’s called monounsaturated and when more than one double bond exists it’s called polyunsaturated.

It sounds confusing I know but from bat to better it’s saturated fad (lard), polyunsaturated (corn oil) and monounsaturated (olive oil)

I know you want to get in shape and look great.  Whatever your fitness goal…to slim down…gain muscle…tone your arms or flatten your tummy…I’m here to help you accomplish your goals and to improve your fitness level. If you have enjoyed this article and the many other free features on my site, and would like some more comprehensive information such as fitness books and CD’s to aid you in achieving your health and fitness goals, please visit my ONLINE STORE where you will find innovative natural health and beauty products to help you become the BEST YOU CAN BE !

Calories

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Untitled-1_copyThe following article is a small excerpt from one of my books.  I hope you’ll want to learn more and let me help you to get into the best shape of your life.

You are counting them and cutting them, and you would be hard-pressed to find something at your supermarket that does not list its calories per serving somewhere on the package. But what is a calorie is?

A calorie is a unit of energy. We tend to associate calories with food, but they apply to anything containing energy. A gallon (4 liters) of gasoline contains about 31,000,000 calories.

A calorie is the amount of energy, or heat, it takes to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) of water 1 degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit). One calorie is equal to 4.184 joules, a common unit of energy used in the physical sciences.

Most of us think of calories in relation to food. It turns out that the calories on a food package are actually kilocalories (1,000 calories = 1 kilocalorie). The word is sometimes capitalized to show the difference, but usually not. A food calorie contains 4,184 joules. A can of soda containing 200 food calories contains 200,000 regular calories, or 200 kilocalories. A gallon of gasoline contains 31,000 kilocalories.

The same applies to exercise.  When a fitness chart says you burn about 100 calories for every mile you jog, it means 100 kilocalories. So when I say calorie, what I really mean to say is kilocalorie.

We all need energy to survive. The number of calories in a food is a measure of how much potential energy that food possesses. A gram of carbohydrates has 4 calories, a gram of protein has 4 calories, and a gram of fat has 9 calories. Foods are a compilation of these three building blocks, so if you know how many carbohydrates, fats and proteins are in any given food, you know how many calories, or how much energy, that food contains.

If you look at the nutritional label on the back of a package and it says160 calories, this means that if we were to pour this into a dish, set it on fire and get it to burn completely, the reaction would produce 160 kilocalories (food calories are kilocalories) or enough energy to raise the temperature of 160 kilograms of water 1 degree Celsius.

Your body burns these calories through metabolic processes, by which enzymes break the carbohydrates into glucose and other sugars, the fats into glycerol and fatty acids and the proteins into amino acids. These molecules are then transported through your bloodstream to your cells, where they are either absorbed for immediate use or sent on to the final stage of metabolism in which they react with oxygen to release their stored energy.

So just how many calories do your cells need to function?  Well it differs for everyone.  You may notice on the nutritional labels of the foods you buy that the percent daily values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, but your body might need more or less than 2,000 calories. Height, weight, gender, age and activity level all affect your caloric needs.

There are three main factors involved in calculating how many calories your body needs per day, Basal metabolic rate, Physical activity and thermic effect of food.

Your basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the amount of energy your body needs to function at rest. This accounts for about 60 to 70 percent of calories burned in a day and includes the energy required to keep your heart beating, your lungs breathing, your kidneys functioning and your body temperature stabilized. In general, men have a higher BMR than women. One of the most accurate methods of estimating your basal metabolic rate is the Harris-Benedict formula which is explained in my book‘Get fit Stay Fit’

The second factor physical activity, consumes the next highest number of calories. Physical activity includes everything from making your bed to jogging. Walking, lifting, bending, and just generally moving around burns calories, but the number of calories you burn in any given activity depends on your body weight. Check out my fitness calculators on my site…or the formulas in my book so that you can personalize your calories burned per activity.

The final number of calories your body burns is the thermic effect of food.  This is the amount of energy your body uses to digest the food you eat.  It takes energy to break food down to its basic elements in order to be used by your body. To calculate the number of calories you expend in this process, multiply the total number of calories you eat in a day by 0.10, or 10 percent.

The total number of calories your body needs in a day is the sum of these three calculations.

So if you take in more or fewer calories than your body burns, you either gain or lose fat. And for every extra 3,500 calories stored by your body you gain 1 pound of fat. If you burn 3,500 more calories than you eat, whether by exercising or eating less, your body converts 1 pound of its stored fat into energy to make up for the deficit.

One thing about exercise is that it raises your metabolic rate not only while you’re huffing and puffing on the treadmill, it continues to function at a higher level, burning an increased number of calories, for about two hours after you’ve stopped exercising.

So does it matter where your calories come from?  If you eat exactly the number of calories that you burn and you are only talking about your weight, the answer is no. A calorie is a calorie. A protein calorie is no different from a fat calorie. They are simply units of energy.  If you burn what you eat, you will maintain your weight, and if you burn more than you eat, you will lose weight.

But if you do not burn all of the calories you eat and you’re not trying to gain weight, you would probably want your extra calories to come from carbohydrates or proteins instead of fats. Fats are easier to store as fat.  Your body expends more energy on the chemical processes that convert carbohydrates and proteins into fats, meaning that some calories are actually burned in the storing process.

If your talking about nutrition, it definitely matters where your calories come from. Carbohydrates and proteins are healthier sources of calories than fats. Although your body does need a certain amount of fat to function properly, like to absorb the vitamins you ingest, an excess of fat can have serious health consequences. A maximum of 30 percent of our daily calories should come from fat. So, if you eat 2,000 calories a day, that’s a maximum of 600 calories from fat, or 67 grams of fat, per day. However, if you strive to get 25 percent of your daily calories from fat it is better. That’s 56 grams of fat per day (500 calories) for a 2,000 calorie diet.

I know you want to get in shape and look great.  Whatever your fitness goal…to slim down…gain muscle…tone your arms or flatten your tummy…I’m here to help you accomplish your goals and to improve your fitness level. If you have enjoyed this article and the many other free features on my site, and would like some more comprehensive information such as fitness books and CD’s to aid you in achieving your health and fitness goals, please visit my ONLINE STORE where you will find innovative natural health and beauty products to help you become the BEST YOU CAN BE !

So What Can I Eat?

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j01125241The following article is a small excerpt from one of my books.  I hope you’ll want to learn more and let me help you to get into the best shape of your life.

We’ve all been told what not to eat and each time we think we got it figured out there’s new research to tell us  different.  So what do we eat is a question that I’m asked more and more.  Especially with all the conflicting reports and studies that are being done.  Well basically you should try to eat a diet that is low in fat and try to get as much variety as possible.

Food is the most powerful drug you will ever take, so you should try to give yourself the best you can.  Good food choices are your key to healthy eating.  You should choose food that reflects a good variety and provides you with a well balanced diet.  You should try to choose foods that are fresh and try to avoid fast foods, junk foods and over processed foods.  You should try to aim for a diet that is high in fiber, low in fat, low in salt and low in cholesterol.  And avoid sugar!!!  You may look great on the outside but if you want to live a long and healthy life you should start taking care of what you put into your body.

I’ve enclosed two charts that hopefully will help you in choosing an approach that is healthy and addresses both issues of trying to keep a low fat, low cholesterol diet and choosing a diet that has a good variety and ensuring your body the proper nutrients it needs.  First lets start with the Low fat, low cholesterol approach.

FOODS                   FOODS TO USE            FOODS TO AVOID
Meats, Fish  and Poultry Choose lean meats and poultry (chicken, turkey, beef, veal, lamb, pork, ham)  Trim excess fat and remember that one serving is equal to 3 oz.  Also fresh, frozen or canned fish and shellfish except for shrimp.  Meats, poultry and fish should be broiled (pan or oven) or baked. Bacon, sausage, fatty fowl (duck & goose) skin and fat of turkey and chicken processed meats, regular luncheon meats (salami, bologna) hot dogs, regular hamburgers, organ meats (kidneys, liver) shrimp, squid and caviar.
Eggs Egg whites and commercial egg substitutes that are low in cholesterol and saturated fats. Limit your intake of egg yolks to two per week (including those used in cooking)
Fruit Eat three servings of fresh fruit per day (1 serving = 1/2 cup).  You can use frozen or canned fruit provided there has been no sugar added. Coconuts
Vegetables Use 3 to 5 servings of vegetables per day.  Try to include yellow, green or green leafy vegetables.  Vegetables may be broiled, steamed, or stir fried using recommended fats and oils from the list below. You should avoid vegetables that are cooked with butter or a creamy cheese sauce.
Milk Products Drink skim or 1% milk, cheese with less than 8% m.f., yogurt containing less than 1% m.f., powdered skim milk, low fat cottage cheese. Whole or 2% milk and whole-milk packaged goods, cream, ice cream, whole milk puddings, yogurt or cheeses, non dairy cream substitutes containing coconut or palm oil.
Breads and Grains Whole grain or enriched bread, rolls, bagels, low fat crackers and cookies such as soda crackers, melba toast, graham wafers, arrowroots and gingersnaps, spaghetti, potatoes, rice or noodles may be used as a bread substitute.  In preparing these foods do not use butter or shortening, use only soft margarine or oil. Rich  baked goods with eggs, shortening and or sugar, commercial mixes with dried eggs and whole milk.  Avoid sweet rolls, doughnuts, and breakfast pastries like Danishes and croissants.
Desserts and snacks Limit to 2 servings a day, fruit ice, pudding prepared with skim or 1% milk, egg while soufflés, unbuttered popcorn.  Homemade baked goods prepared with egg whites, and using recommended fats and oils with reduced amounts of sugar. Fried snack foods, chocolate, whole milk puddings, ice cream and milk sherbets.  Commercial pies, cakes and high fat cookies. If your also trying to loose weight you should avoid candies, jams, jellies and syrups.
Beans Dried peas or beans (1 cup) may be used as a meat substitute. Commercial baked beans with sugar and or pork
Nuts Pecans, walnuts, sunflower seeds, cashews, almonds, pistachios and peanuts may be used sparingly.  A tablespoon or less per serving. Nuts roasted in coconut oil or palm oil and all nuts that are chocolate coated.
Cereals Use hot or cold cereal without added coconut or coconut oil.
Fats and Oils Polyunsaturated or monounsaturated vegetable oils such as safflower, soybean, sunflower, corn, canola or olive oils. Soft margarine, peanut butter, mayonnaise and salad dressings made with the recommended oils. Butter, saturated fats (palm, cocoa butter, coconut oil, lard and beef tallow) solid margarine, gravies, bacon drippings, cream sauces and avocado.
Beverages Fresh fruit juices (limit to 8 oz. per day), black coffee, plain or herbal tea, soft drinks with sugar substitutes, club soda, cocoa made with skim or 1% milk or nonfat dried mild and water, clear broth.  Try to limit alcohol consumption to two servings per day Cocoa made with whole or 2% milk and or sugar.  If you are trying to lose weight, then try to avoid sugar juices, soft drinks and alcohol.
Miscellaneous Feel free to use the following; vinegar, spices, herbs, nonfat bouillon, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, flavoring essence.

 

I know it may be difficult at first but by eliminating foods that you should be avoiding like sugar and butter gradually, you will soon be on your way to not only looking great on the outside, but feeling great on the inside too.

Now to address the next element of what should you eat and that is food variety.  Food Variety is an important element in a healthy diet.  Now this next chart contains a list of foods and during the next 7 days if you eat a food from that group give yourself one point.  At the end of the week, add up your points and see how you did by comparing it to the score chart.

FOOD SCORE FOOD SCORE
      1.Eggs _______ 28. Milk, ice cream and cheese _______
2. Yogurt _______ 29. Fatty fish  like tuna, anchovies, salmon, sardines, herring mackerel, kipper _______
3. Saltwater fish _______ 30. Freshwater fish _______
4. Caviar salad _______ 31. Shellfish like mussels, oysters, squid _______
5. Prawns, shrimp and lobster _______ 32. Meat…lamb, beef, veal _______
6. Meat… pork, ham, bacon _______ 33. Poultry… chicken, duck turkey _______
7. Game… quail, wild duck _______ 34. Liver _______
8. All other organ meats _______ 35. Peas (fresh, dried, split) chickpeas, beans (haricot, kidney, lima and broad0 Lentils (red, brown and green) soy products (tofu and milk) _______
9. Wheat (bread, pasta, ready to eat cereals) _______ 36. Corn based cereals _______
10. barley based cereals _______ 37. Oat based cereal and bread _______
11. Rye based cereals and bread _______ 38. Rice based cereals and bread _______
12. Other grains like millet and linseed _______ 39. Oils _______
13. hard and soft spreads (butter, margarine) _______ 40.Water _______
14. Tea, coffee, herbal teas, wine beer and liquor _______ 41. Miso, tempeh and soy sauce _______
15. Sauerkraut _______ 42. Soft drinks _______
16. Vegetables… potato, carrot, sweet potato, beets, parsnip, bamboo shoot, ginger, radish and water chestnut. _______ 43. Vegetables… broccoli, cauliflower _______
17. Vegetables…  celery asparagus _______ 44. Vegetables… onions (spring, garlic and leeks _______
18. Tomatoes and okra _______ 45. Beans… green, and snow peas _______
19. Leafy greens, spinach silverbeet, endive, kale, chicory, parsley, lettuce _______ 46. Peppers ( capsicum, chilies) _______
21. Zucchini, squash, cucumber, turnip, eggplant, swede and pumpkin _______ 47. Mushrooms _______
22. Herbs and spices _______ 48. Nuts… almonds, cashew, chestnut, coconut, hazelnut, peanuts, peanut butter, pistachio, pumpkin seed, sesame seed, tahini, walnut _______
23. Fruit…peaches, cherry, plums, apricot, avocado, olive, prune _______ 49. Apples _______
24. Pears _______ 50. Berries like strawberries, blueberries raspberries _______
25. Grapes and raisins _______ 51. Bananas _______
26. Citrus fruits like oranges and lemons and grapefruits _______ 52. Melons… honeydew, watermelon _______
27. Kiwi, dates, passion fruit _______ 53. Tropical fruits like mango and pineapple _______

VARIETY FOOD SCORE CHART

Total variety of foods eaten
30 plus foods very good
25 – 29 good
20 – 24 fair
10 – 19 poor
0 – 9 very poor

So how did you do??  Think you have room for improvement.  Remember that these charts are just guides to help you to make informed and better choices about what to eat.   If you have any major concerns about your health and weight you should consult your doctor or a registered dietician to help better tune your eating habits, and adjust your lifestyle.  And remember that old saying…You are what you eat…so try to eat healthy, exercise and  try to enjoy life.

I know you want to get in shape and look great.  Whatever your fitness goal…to slim down…gain muscle…tone your arms or flatten your tummy…I’m here to help you accomplish your goals and to improve your fitness level. If you have enjoyed this article and the many other free features on my site, and would like some more comprehensive information such as fitness books and CD’s to aid you in achieving your health and fitness goals, please visit my ONLINE STORE where you will find innovative natural health and beauty products to help you become the BEST YOU CAN BE !

A Good Nights Sleep

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hh01231_The following article is a small excerpt from one of my books. I hope you’ll want to learn more and let me help you to get into the best shape of your life.

Everyone needs sleep. In fact a good nights sleep can be an athletes secret weapon. Without enough quality sleep, everything suffers; your mood, concentration, training and overall enjoyment of life.

After the common cold, sleep disorders may be the most common health complaint. There are over 50 sleep disorders, some of which include; nightmares, sleep terrors, sleep walking, sleep eating, sleep paralysis, sleep apnea and other breathing disorders. It is estimated that more than 70 million North Americans suffer or experience some of these problems and often experience daytime sleepiness, fatigue, headaches, reduced concentration and impaired memory. Most of these people are unaware of the type or severity of their disorder (or that they suffer from a sleep disorder) and how much it can affect their lives. While some people can live on four hours of sleep a night, others need upwards of eight to ten hours of sleep per day to function normally.

So what is sleep? Sleep has five stages, each of which can be characterized by different appearances of brain waves, eye movements and muscle activity. These stages are 1..2..3..4..and REM for Rapid Eye Movement.

Stage one is basically just drowsiness. Stage two is known as spindle sleep, because of the way the brain waves appear on the electroencephalogram (EEG). Stage three and four are often grouped together and called slow wave sleep because the EEG activity slows down, suggesting that during these two stages is where you get your most peaceful sleep. It’s also during these two stages that your body secretes Growth Hormone, and is often thought of as the most important stages especially when it comes to rest and restoration. Stage four usually ends when you shift your posture during sleep.

REM sleep is a unique state characterized by essentially no muscle tone at all. Your blood pressure, cardiac output, heart rate and respiration become heightened and irregular. It is here in REM sleep that you dream, and your brain waves during REM sleep closely resemble your awake state.

During a normal night sleep you will cycle from stages one to REM, with each cycle lasting about 90 minutes. This cycle will repeat itself about four to six times a night.

The disruptions of REM sleep can often leave you feeling groggy, so if you like to nap you should try to wake up 30 or 40 minutes into your nap and stop yourself from entering the REM stage of sleep. You could however nap for an hour and a half but this could disrupt your normal night time sleeping pattern.

So how much sleep do you actually need? Well for starters, sleeping patterns vary greatly with age. A newborn spends two-thirds of their time sleeping with half of that time in REM sleep. From the age of two on, approximately only 10-20 percent of your sleep time is spent in REM sleep. Elderly people tend to fall asleep earlier and wake up earlier.

Sleep requirements not only change with age but also with the amount of stress in your life.

Researchers say that only 10 percent of the population needs less than eight hours of sleep a night, yet the average adult receives only between seven and eight hours of sleep a night. This sleep deprivation results in increased daytime sleepiness and that leads to impaired performance. In fact, lack of sleep can be attributed to more than 200,000 vehicle accidents per year. Also a recent study suggests that the change to daylight-saving time (losing just one hour of sleep) results in increased traffic accidents.

Partial sleep deprivation has been proven to cause a decrease in maximum weightlifting performance, yet there is no noticeable difference in the performance of endurance athletes.

High levels of physical fitness, as well as saunas, steam baths, jacuzzis, hot tubs and tanning beds, can increase the amount of slow wave sleep. (stages three and four)

Sleep habits and requirements vary from person to person. Also, the consumption of some foods and caffeinated beverages too close to your sleep time may effect to quality of your sleep.

If you find yourself becoming fatigued, stressed or even having difficulty sleeping, you should try to keep a sleep log. In this log, write down any changes in your sleep quality and quantity. With this log also write down any lifestyle change that you’ve made and think that may have some effect on your sleep. Perhaps your eating a certain food orcaffeinated beverage too close to sleep or perhaps you’re just simply working out too close to bed time and need to adjust your workout schedule. With this log you will quickly get to the source of your sleeping problems and return to a peaceful sleep. However if your sleep problems persist and you can’t reach any conclusions you should consult your family doctor.

I know you want to get in shape and look great.  Whatever your fitness goal…to slim down…gain muscle…tone your arms or flatten your tummy…I’m here to help you accomplish your goals and to improve your fitness level. If you have enjoyed this article and the many other free features on my site, and would like some more comprehensive information such as fitness books and CD’s to aid you in achieving your health and fitness goals, please visit my ONLINE STORE where you will find innovative natural health and beauty products to help you become the BEST YOU CAN BE !

CAFFEINE

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coffeeThe following article is a small excerpt from one of my books.  I hope you’ll want to learn more and let me help you to get into the best shape of your life.

90% of Americans consume caffeine in one form or another every day. More than half of all American adults consume more than 300 milligrams (mg.) of caffeine every day, making it the most popular drug by far. The caffeine comes in from things like coffee, tea, cola, chocolate, etc.

Caffeine is known as trimethylxanthine.  When isolated in pure form, caffeine is a white crystalline powder that tastes very bitter. The chief source of pure caffeine is the process of decaffeinating coffee and tea.

Medically, caffeine is useful as a cardiac stimulant and also as a mild diuretic (it increases urine production). Recreationally, it is used to provide a “boost of energy” or a feeling of heightened alertness. It’s often used to stay awake longer.  College students and drivers use it to stay awake late into the night. Many people feel as though they cannot function in the morning without a cup of coffee to provide caffeine and the boost it gives them.

Caffeine is an addictive drug. It operates using the same mechanisms that the amphetamines, cocaine and heroin use to stimulate your brain. Caffeine’s effects are milder than amphetamines, cocaine and heroin, but it is manipulating the same channels and that is what gives caffeine its addictive qualities. If you feel like you cannot function without it and must consume it every day, then you are addicted to caffeine.

Caffeine occurs naturally in many plants, including coffee beans, tea leaves and cocoa nuts. It is therefore found in a wide range of food products. Caffeine is added artificially to many others, including a variety of beverages.

  • Typical drip-brewed coffee contains 100 mg per 6-ounce cup. Typical brewed tea contains 70 mg per 6-ounce cup.
  • Typical colas (Coke, Pepsi, Mountain Dew, etc.) contain 50 mg per 12-ounce can. Things like Jolt contain 70 mg per 12-ounce can.
  • Typical milk chocolate contains 6 mg per ounce.
  • Anacin contains 32 mg per tablet. No-doz contains 100 mg per tablet. Vivarin and Dexatrim contain 200 mg per tablet.

If you sit down and calculate your caffeine consumption during a typical day, you may be surprised! You may consume a gram or more every single day and don’t even realize it.

As adenosine is created in the brain, it binds to adenosine receptors. The binding of adenosine causes drowsiness by slowing down nerve cell activity. In the brain, adenosine binding also causes blood vessels to dilate (presumably to let more oxygen in during sleep).

To a nerve cell, caffeine looks like adenosine. Caffeine therefore binds to the adenosine receptor. However, it doesn’t slow down the cell’s activity like adenosine would. So the cell cannot see adenosine anymore because caffeine is taking up all the receptors adenosine binds to. So instead of slowing down because of the adenosine level, the cells speed up. You can see that caffeine also causes the brain’s blood vessels to constrict, because it blocks adenosine’s ability to open them up. This effect is why some headache medicines like Anacin contain caffeine.  If you have a vascular headache, the caffeine will close down the blood vessels and relieve it.

So now you have increased neuron firing in the brain. The pituitary gland sees all of the activity and thinks some sort of emergency must be occurring, so it releases hormones that tell the adrenal glands to produce adrenaline (epinephrine). Adrenaline is, the fight or flight hormone and it has a number of effects on your body:

  • Your pupils dilate
  • Your breathing tubes open up (this is why people suffering from. severe asthma attacks are sometimes injected with epinephrine)
  • Your heart beats faster
  • Blood vessels on the surface constrict to slow blood flow from cuts and also to increase blood flow to muscles. Blood pressure rises.
  • Blood flow to the stomach slows
  • The liver releases sugar into the bloodstream for extra energy
  • Muscles tighten up ready for action

This explains why, after drinking a big cup of coffee, your hands get cold, your muscles tense up, you feel excited and you can feel your heart beat increasing.

Caffeine also increases dopamine levels in the same way amphetamines do. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that, in certain parts of your brain, activates the pleasure center. Obviously caffeine’s effect is much lower than heroin’s, but it is the same mechanism. It is suspected that the dopamine connection contributes to caffeine addiction.

So you can see why your body might like caffeine in the short term, especially if you are low on sleep and need to remain active. Caffeine blocks adenosine reception so you feel alert. It injects adrenaline into the system to give you a boost. And it manipulates dopamine production to make you feel good.

The problem with caffeine is the longer-term effects, which tend to spiral. Once the adrenaline wears off you face fatigue and depression. So what are you going to do? You take more caffeine to get the adrenaline going again. As you might imagine, having your body in a state of emergency all day long isn’t very healthy, and it also makes you jumpy and irritable.

The most important long-term problem is the effect that caffeine has on sleep. Adenosine reception is important to sleep, and especially to deep sleep. The half-life of caffeine in your body is about 6 hours. That means that if you consume a big cup of coffee with 200 mg of caffeine in it at 3:00 PM, then by 9:00 PM about 100 mg of that caffeine is still in your system. You may be able to fall asleep, but your body probably will miss out on the benefits of deep sleep. That deficit adds up fast. The next day you feel worse, so you need caffeine as soon as you get out of bed. The cycle continues day after day.

This is why 90% of Americans consume caffeine every day. Once you get in the cycle, you have to keep taking the drug. Even worse, if you try to stop taking caffeine, you get very tired and depressed and you get a terrible, splitting headache as blood vessels in your brain dilate. These negative effects force you to run back to caffeine even if you want to stop.

I know you want to get in shape and look great.  Whatever your fitness goal…to slim down…gain muscle…tone your arms or flatten your tummy…I’m here to help you accomplish your goals and to improve your fitness level. If you have enjoyed this article and the many other free features on my site, and would like some more comprehensive information such as fitness books and CD’s to aid you in achieving your health and fitness goals, please visit my ONLINE STORE where you will find innovative natural health and beauty products to help you become the BEST YOU CAN BE !

Water

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j0129751The following article is a small excerpt from one of my books.  I hope you’ll want to learn more and let me help you to get into the best shape of your life.

One of the most important elements in your diet and often thought of as the ultimate weight loss weapon is water. You may be able to go months and sometimes even years with a deficiency in almost any nutrient, but you can only survive a few days without water.

In a healthy person, water contributes 50 to 60 percent of your body’s weight and comprises over 75% of your muscles. Muscles need to be properly hydrated to work and properly working muscles contribute to your bodies metabolic rate. A higher metabolic rate means you will burn more calories.

Water also regulates your body thermostat and therefore your temperature. A great deal of heat is required to change water from a liquid state to a gas form. Water evaporates into sweat and carries off large quantities of body heat.

Another valuable water characteristic is that water molecules cannot be compressed together so water actually helps to cushion your joints and protects your vital organs from shock and damage.

Water also helps to dissolve nutrients, amino acids, glucose, minerals and other substances, so that healthy cells can function properly. Water also helps to flush waste products and toxins produced by cells, out of the body and perhaps more important helps to flush fat out of the body as well.

Now that we know the importance of water, we should also know we are constantly losing water through perspiration, respiration and urination, so you have to be careful to replenish your bodies supply. Besides basic needs, the more calories you burn, the more water you need. Research suggests that a person needs one tablespoon of water for every calorie burned. Since the average person burns about 2,000 kcals. a day, you should drink about eight, eight ounce glasses of water a day to maintain a healthy balance.

Another formula to use would be to take your bodyweight and multiply by .66 to get the number of ounces of water you need to drink per day. If your weight is 190 lbs. you would need… 190 x .66 = 125 ounces of water. Since there are 128 ounces in one gallon, you would need to drink one gallon of water per day to maintain a healthy balance.

This may seem like a lot of water but it really isn’t. You will quickly get used to drinking this amount and feel better for it. You should however be careful not to drink all the water at once, as this many cause your stomach to get upset.

People who exercise regularly also need to consume even more water. You need to replenish between 8 to 16 ounces of water for every pound that you lose while working out. ( replenish every 250 kcal. burned or about every 20 minutes of exercise…more in hot, humid weather)

And you should not wait until you’re thirsty to drink. By the time you feel thirsty you are already one to two percent dehydrated. A loss of 2 to 5 % of body water can induce fatigue, dizziness, headaches and slurred speech.

If your not sure whether you’re properly hydrated a good gauge is your urine. If your urine is pale and odourless you are probably properly hydrated. The more dehydrated you are the darker your urine becomes.

If you drink a lot of soft drinks and coffee, although they may quench your thirst and do contain water, they should not be considered as part of your daily water intake. In fact they actually rob your body of liquid because the sugar and caffeine act as a diuretic, cancelling the good effects of the water those drinks contain. You should also try to avoid fruit juices, electrolyte replacement drinks and carbohydrate drinks that contain fructose and other sugars. However Crystal light and sugar free Kool Aid can be used in moderation and can count as part of your daily water intake.

By now you should be getting the point that water should be an essential part of your diet. In fact water is a dieters’ best friend. The reason for this is water acts like a natural appetite suppressant. Research suggests that the thirst centre lies near the hunger centre in your brain, and when you think you are hungry, you are actually just thirsty and often a drink of water will satisfy your desire to eat.

Water also helps your body to metabolize stored body fat. This is how it works. Your kidneys need water to work efficiently. When your kidneys don’t get enough water, they slow down and when they slow down, your liver picks up the slack and helps to get rid of your body’s waste. One of your livers primary function is to metabolize stored fat into energy, but how can it do this efficiently when your liver is doing the work for your kidneys. The result is your liver doesn’t do the 100 percent job it was meant to do and therefore more fat remains stored in your body.

But You should be careful, drinking too much water on a daily bases and over time can be very harmful to your health.

Correct timing to drink water, will maximize its effectiveness on the YOUR body.

  • Two (02) glass of water – After waking up –  Helps activate internal organs
  • One (01) glasses of water  – 30 minutes before meal – Help digestion
  • One (01) glass of water – Before taking a bath – Helps lower blood pressure
  • One (01) glass of water – Before sleep  – To avoid stroke or heart attack

water 1

So if your goal is to lose fat, make sure you use your ultimate weight lose weapon and make sure you drink plenty of water.

I know you want to get in shape and look great.  Whatever your fitness goal…to slim down…gain muscle…tone your arms or flatten your tummy…I’m here to help you accomplish your goals and to improve your fitness level. If you have enjoyed this article and the many other free features on my site, and would like some more comprehensive information such as fitness books and CD’s to aid you in achieving your health and fitness goals, please visit my ONLINE STORE where you will find innovative natural health and beauty products to help you become the BEST YOU CAN BE !

VITAMINS

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j0256769The following article is a small excerpt from one of my books.  I hope you’ll want to learn more and let me help you to get into the best shape of your life.

Vitamins perform many functions in your body.  First and foremost they help you to convert food into energy and play a vital role in the manufacturing of blood cells, hormones and the chemicals of your nervous system.

Vitamins can be divided into two categories, water soluble and fat soluble.  The four fat soluble Vitamins are A, D, E, and K, and are absorbed into your body fat and can be used later.  It’s important not to take too much of these Fat soluble vitamins or mega dose on these Vitamins because they can build up and become toxic.

Vitamin C and the eight B Vitamins are all water soluble which means, they dissolve easily and any excess is eliminated through your sweat and urine.  You should also be careful if you take large doses of these Vitamins. Although for the most part it’s O.K., large doses of B6 for example can be toxic and can cause severe nerve damage.  You may want to consult your family doctor or Pharmacist if you have any questions.

If you decide to take daily Vitamins or individual supplement, the best time to take them is after you eat.  This is because it’s easier for the Vitamins to be absorbed into your bloodstream.  Also remember, water soluble Vitamins are eliminated fairly quickly, so they stand a better chance to do what they where meant to do, if they can interact with foods and minerals.

RECOMMENDED DAILY ALLOWANCES:

  • A– 800 TO 1,OOO micrograms (ug.)
  • B1– 1 to 1.5 milligrams (mg.)
  • B2– 1.2 to 1.7 milligrams (mg.)
  • B3– 13 to 19 milligrams (mg.)
  • B6– 2 to 2.2 milligrams (mg.)
  • B12– 3 micrograms (ug.)
  • C– 60 milligrams (mg.)
  • D– 5 to 10 micrograms (ug.)
  • E– 8 to 10 (IU.)
  • K– 70 to 140 micrograms (ug.)
  • FOLIC ACID– 400 micrograms (ug.)

When Vitamins and minerals are taken in mega doses, which are amounts significantly higher then the recommended daily allowances, they begin to take on different properties and should be viewed as medication, rather then a nutritional boost.

High doses of Vitamins and minerals can often cause many health problems.  Unfortunately there is no official definition of mega dose, however it is believed to be five to ten times the recommended daily allowance.  But you can’t say five to ten times the RDA is bad for all nutrients.  Each one is different.

The bottom line when it comes to supplements is that, if you choose to take them, you should select a balanced formula that provides the proper recommended daily allowance.  You should also never use vitamins that have expired and you should never use supplements to replace good nutrition.

I know you want to get in shape and look great.  Whatever your fitness goal…to slim down…gain muscle…tone your arms or flatten your tummy…I’m here to help you accomplish your goals and to improve your fitness level. If you have enjoyed this article and the many other free features on my site, and would like some more comprehensive information such as fitness books and CD’s to aid you in achieving your health and fitness goals, please visit my ONLINE STORE where you will find innovative natural health and beauty products to help you become the BEST YOU CAN BE !

Vitamin B3 (niacin), Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), Vitamin B6

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Untitled-1_copyThe following article is a small excerpt from one of my books.  I hope you’ll want to learn more and let me help you to get into the best shape of your life.

The B vitamins are a group of eight individual vitamins, often referred to as the B-complex vitamins.
Polish chemist Casimir Funk In 1912 conceived the word vitamin. Funk also isolated vitamin B1 (thiamine1) from rice. This was determined to be one of the vitamins that prevented beriberi, a deficiency disease marked by inflammatory or degenerative changes of your nerves, digestive system and heart.

Vitamins are organic (carbon containing) molecules that mainly function as catalysts for reactions within your body. A catalyst is a substance that allows a chemical reaction to occur using less energy and less time than it would take under normal conditions. If these catalysts are missing, as in a vitamin deficiency, normal body functions can break down and make you susceptible to disease.

Your body requires vitamins in tiny amounts (hundredths of a gram in many cases). We get vitamins from these three primary sources:

  • Foods
  • Beverages
  • Your body  (Vitamin K and some of the B vitamins are produced by bacteria within your intestines, and vitamin D is formed with the help of ultraviolet radiation, or sunshine, on the skin.)

Vitamins are either fat-soluble or water-soluble. The fat-soluble vitamins are A, D, E and K. These vitamins accumulate within the fat stores of your body and within your liver. Fat-soluble vitamins, when taken in large amounts, can become toxic. Water-soluble vitamins include vitamin C, and the B vitamins. Water-soluble vitamins taken in excess are excreted in the urine but are sometimes associated with toxicity. Both the B and C vitamins are also stored in your liver.

The B-complex vitamins are actually a group of eight vitamins, which include thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pyridoxine (B6), folic acid (B9), cyanocobalamin (B12), pantothenic acid and biotin.

These 8 B vitamins are essential for:

  • The breakdown of carbohydrates into glucose thus providing energy for your body
  • The breakdown of fats and proteins which helps the normal functioning of your nervous system
  • Muscle tone in the stomach and intestinal tract
  • Skin
  • Hair
  • Eyes
  • Mouth
  • Liver

The best way to get your B vitamins is naturally — through the foods you eat!  The B-complex vitamins are found in brewer’s yeast, liver, whole-grain cereals, rice, nuts, milk, eggs, meats, fish, fruits, leafy green vegetables and many other foods.

B vitamins are essential for an astonishing array of life functions and most of us will get all of the B vitamins we need by eating a well-balanced diet..  Some people swear by a B-complex supplement every day, but based on the wide variety of foods containing these vitamins, its not always necessary. For a more detailed list of all the B vitamins check out my book ‘Get Fit Stay Fit’

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