Eating Super Foods Can Help You Lose Weight
Looking to drop an extra tent pounds? Believe it or not, it is possible to eat your way to thinner you, if you work scientifically proven super foods into your diet.
According to Self’s new book, “The Drop Ten Diet”, eating these super foods can help you loose weight.
Foods like wild salmon, with the Omega-3 Fatty acids, or a fiber-rich apple.
Quinoa is loaded with protein and amino acids.
Lentils are another great choice, for their resistant starch.
Olive oil has positive weight loss benefits for its monounsaturated fats.
Breakfast lovers will love to hear that eggs also made the list, for the fat blocking compound called choline.
Rounding out the top 10 super foods – yogurt, sweet potatoes, kiwi, and edamame.
That wraps up this edition of EmpowHER’s “HER Daily Dose”. I’m Michelle King Robson.
Make sure to join us right here, everyday, for the latest news in women’s health.
Biking nutrition tips
Today is Bike to Work Day in many cities and towns across the Ocean State, and even the country.
Officials are encouraging and supporting bicycling for local, short distance travel, in hopes of making our communities more bicycle friendly.
Bonnie Frechette, Marketing Team Leader at Whole Foods, University Heights, joined Mary Larsen in downtown Providence to share some nutritional biking tips.
It’s important to prepare the body for bike riding. This includes eating a high carb diet for several days in advance so that the body can properly store glycogen in the muscles to draw from.
An example of breakfast for the day of a ride could include hard boiled eggs, oatmeal or bagels. Be sure to have breakfast two to three hours in advance of ride.
Packing healthy snacks for the ride is also key to keeping your energy up. Homemade trail mix is a great snack to pack for a bike ride.
Tips to eating healthy while dining out
In a world constantly on the move eating healthy can sometimes be thrown to the wayside for convenience and cost. At least, that’s what a few new studies with alarming statistics are suggesting.
Earlier this month the United States Department of Agriculture released that as many as half of all American adults are eating at restaurants three or more times a week.
The same study also attributed one-third of all calories consumed in the United States to restaurant food.
And then in the past week, a health journal, Public Health Nutrition, released the results of an 18-month study conducted by Rand Corp. which concluded that 96% of main restaurant entrees at nearly 250 chain restaurants exceeded USDA suggested daily limits for calories, sodium, fat and saturated fat.
All of this information comes on the heels of a study conducted by Duke University which points to a rapidly rising obesity rate in the United States.
The study, which used statistics from the Center of Disease Control, estimated that by the year 2030, 48% of the American population will be considered obese.
Tips for gluten-free eating
One out of 133 Americans has celiac disease, according to the University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center, and as many as 41 percent of adults and 60 percent of children who have it are without symptoms. Celiac is an inherited auto-immune disorder that affects the lining of the small intestine. When a person with celiac disease eats gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley, the immune system attacks it and interferes with absorption of nutrients, causing many different health problems, including anemia and osteoporosis.
Avoiding gluten is the best way to prevent further damage, but in our society, gluten is found in everything, from bread to condiments to multivitamins. Although other starches can be substituted for wheat, rye and barley (such as foods made with buckwheat, quinoa, sweet potatoes, corn, beans, brown rice and nut flours), many foods are “contaminated” with gluten, making them unsuitable. Even a tiny amount of gluten can cause intestinal damage, and that is why it is so important that people with celiac not only read food labels carefully, but also have their own condiments, toaster, etc. to avoid cross-contamination.
Five Exercises You Can Do On The Treadmill To Stay In Shape
1. Fitness Walking
Fitness walking is a healthy energetic walking pace. If you don’t like running, but you want to enjoy the benefits of aerobic activities, this is a very good replacement. While you do the fitness walk, you activate most of the upper body muscles, such as the upper back, shoulders and the abs, but you also workout the thighs, hips, and buttocks. For this exercise, the average speed is 3-3.5 mph.
2. Incline Walking
I’m sure you’ve noticed too that walking up the hill can be exhausting and (literally) breathtaking. However, it is also a powerful method to do cardio exercise, without running. An advantage of treadmills is that they can support incline, thus simulate hills. Most treadmills have up to 12% incline, and you can alternate the incline value for equal time segments for 30 minutes, at your own walking pace. Incline trainers can support up to 40% incline.
I recommend choosing preset Hill/Mountains workouts that are usually integrated in the treadmills’ consoles. They automatically change the incline of each segment, and you control your speed.
3. Jogging
For those of you who like running, but not that exhausting, long-distance kind, choose to jog. Jogging can be done at a moderate speed—a little higher than fitness walking—and in sessions of 30 minutes for four days a week. Each person has his or her own jogging speed, so it’s up to you to choose the speed intensity value where you feel comfortable. Remember that, while jogging, you should be able to have a conversation with a partner next to you and not feel that you’re losing your breath.
4. Running
If you enjoy running, but you don’t have the endurance to keep up a fast pace for a long time, you can split those 30 minutes in two running sessions a day: 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes in the evening. The speed for each session depends on you only. There is no minimum or maximum speed, although, as reference, running one mile in 9-10 minutes is more than enough to keep you fit.
5. Interval Training
If you don’t like jogging because it’s too monotonous, try doing intervals on the treadmill. Intervals alternate high and low speeds and are wonderful for the body. You not only build speed, endurance and strengthen the main muscle groups, but you also do efficient cardio exercise.
Intervals are one of the preset workouts available on almost all treadmills. Choose one of the preset workouts from the console to train. The preset workouts automatically control the speed for each segment, and you get to choose from different levels of intensity.
Heidi Klum’s Bikini Body Workout Tips
Heidi Klum is one of those women who just seems to look better with age; it’s easy to forget the supermodel is 38 years old, not to mention has had four children! So, who better than the ‘The Body’ to turn to for tips on getting in shape for bikini season!?
The star revealed how she gets ready for bikini season and more in an interview with Elle magazine. Here are a few highlights!
Her tips for getting in shape for bikini season:
“I actually exercise more in the summer, when I’m in New York, because my kids don’t have to go to school. When we’re in Los Angeles it’s harder to sneak away for an hour in the morning because I have to get them ready and feed them breakfast, and drive them to school. And then, after they go to school, I go to work. In the summer, though, I have an extra hour to myself. I usually run between 7 and 8 a.m.
Eating healthy helps too. For me, it’s definitely more about food than exercising because I don’t have enough to time to exercise—or maybe that’s just an excuse, I don’t know! If you don’t have a lot of time to exercise you have to be stricter about your diet. That’s what I do. I cut out a lot of carbs—you know, muffins, cakes, breads, toast, and spaghetti—and try to eat more vegetables, lean meats, and fish.”
The supermodel’s favorite healthy meal:
“I like crispy baked chicken, fennel salad, kale salad—it’s yummy. I also like chicken vegetable soup. I eat that a lot, but without noodles. I’ll cook the noodles separately and add them to the kids’ bowls, but I’ll only eat the soup.”
What she keeps in her purse for red carpet events:
“When I go to an event, I’ll take a little container of loose powder and blotting papers. I usually take blotting papers by Victoria’s Secret or Johnson & Johnson—they don’t have to be fancy ones. There are some out there with gold pieces in them and all this kind of stuff, but you really just need something to reduce shine. After I take the sweat and oil off my face with blotting paper, I’ll use this tiny Shu Uemura brush to apply powder. Oh, and I also bring snacks! Snacks are very important because sometimes you’ll sit somewhere at an awards show for hours. Chewing on a Power Bar can be good.”
Workout Tips for Senior Citizens
• Don’t be so pushy: “How many times do you see people leaning on a grocery cart at Publix? God forbid, it gets away from them, and they take a bad fall head-first on the floor.”
It’s the same as people getting on a treadmill, jacking up the speed and then grabbing onto the headboard for balance. “They hang on for dear life, and it’s running away with them, dragging their spine. It would be better if they slowed the treadmill down and put a pinkie up for balance.”
• Left leg, right arm: Another bad habit Parrot has observed even in 50- and 60-year-olds is leading with the arm and leg on the same side.
“We lose the natural rhythm, especially women. We put our purses on our shoulders, which immediately takes our arms out of engagement, and carry something on the other arm — a baby or groceries — and before long we’re not moving the right arm with the opposite left leg.” This can throw you off balance and lead to a fall, especially going up steps. When Parrot sees people moving that way in her classes, she has them touch their hands to the opposite knee to reestablish right way. “It doesn’t take long to trigger the brain to do that.”
• Look out behind: A common development with age is a weakening in the lower limbs, which leads to difficulty getting in and out of cars and maintaining balance.This results from neglecting the posterior chain of muscles.
“We tend to work what we see in the mirror — all the pushing muscles: the abdominals, the quadriceps, the chest and shoulder. We’re a pushing society.
We push grocery carts, we push and lean on the steering wheel of our car. We need to do more pulling. I try to get people to do two exercises for the back of their bodies for every one exercise for the front.”
Top 3 Fitness Facts
1. Exercise Boosts Brainpower
Not only does exercise improve your body, it helps your mental function, says certified trainer David Atkinson.
“Exercise increases energy levels and increases serotonin in the brain, which leads to improved mental clarity,” says Atkinson, director of program development for Cooper Ventures, a division of the Cooper Aerobics Center in Dallas.
All that makes for a more productive day.
“It is clear that those who are active and who exercise are much more productive at work,” says Todd A. Astorino, assistant professor of kinesiology at California State University-San Marcos.
Improved productivity not only makes you a better worker, it makes things better for everyone in the workplace. Companies with less wasted work hours and less sick time end up with lower health care costs — and an improved bottom line, Astorino says.
2. Movement Melts Away Stress
As much as it may stress you out just to think about exercising, once you actually start working out, you’ll experience less stress in every part of your life.
“Exercise produces a relaxation response that serves as a positive distraction,” says Cedric Bryant, chief exercise physiologist for the American Council on Exercise. He says it also helps elevate your mood and keep depression at bay.
You’re not the only person who will benefit from more happiness and less stress in your life. When you’re less stressed, you’re less irritable, Atkinson says — and that could improve relationships with your partner, kids, and co-workers.
3. Exercise Gives You Energy
You might be surprised at how, say, popping in a workout tape for 30 minutes in the morning can change your whole day. When endorphins are released into your bloodstream during exercise, says Astorino, “you feel much more energized the rest of the day.”
And when you improve your strength and stamina, it’s easier to accomplish everyday tasks like carrying groceries and climbing stairs. This also helps you feel more energetic over the course of the day.
A common excuse among Atkinson’s clients is that they’re too tired to exercise, he says. While exercise may make you feel more tired at first, he says, that won’t last long.
The physical tiredness you feel after working out isn’t the same as everyday fatigue, he says. Besides, once your body adjusts to exercise, you’ll have more energy than ever.
Diabetes Nutrition Tips, 6 foods that could save your life
1. Fish
One of the best choices for diabetics is fish. This food choice contains plenty of protein without the high fat content found in meat and poultry. Furthermore, fish contain a significant amount of omega 3 fatty acids, which are excellent for keeping triglyceride levels low and your heart healthy. Individuals with diabetes should try to eat fish at least twice a week. Almost any type of fish is a great choice, including cod, halibut, salmon, herring, mackerel and tuna. The only fish to avoid are any type of fried fish or fish that have high mercury levels, like swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish.
2. Vegetables
Veggies are obviously a good choice for anyone who wants to stay healthy, but they offer special advantages for people with diabetes. First of all, they contain high levels of fiber, which helps you to feel full while also helping to control blood sugar levels and prevent heart disease. Vegetables are also low in calories, so they can help diabetics to avoid excessive weight gain as well. Any vegetable is a good choice, but don’t overdo it on the starchy vegetables like potatoes, peas and corn since these have more calories than other veggies. Try to focus onvegetables like spinach, broccoli or carrots. Ideally, people with diabetes should eat four or five servings of vegetables a day.
3. Fruit
Like vegetables, fruits are also considered a healthy food choicebecause of their nutritional benefits. For diabetics, however, fruit is something that can’t be eaten in large quantities because of the natural sugar content. That doesn’t mean fruit is a bad food choice, by any means. Rather, fruit has the high fiber and low calorie content that offer many of the same benefits as vegetables. Plus, fruits contain antioxidants, like grapefruit, which can protect the heart, nerves andeyes. The best fruits for diabetics to eat are fresh produce rather than juice since the fiber in the skin, flesh and seeds are lost in the juicing process. Diabetics should try to eat no more than three or four servings of fruit per day to keep their blood sugar levels at a health level.
4. Legumes
As mentioned before, fiber has a host of great health benefits that are particularly great for diabetics. And since legumes like beans and peas are one of the very best sources of dietary fiber, it’s no surprise that they are recommended for diabetics. Legumes are known to help you feel full because of this high fiber content, but there’s also another hidden benefit in this food: the fiber also slows digestion, which is perfect for keeping blood sugar levels from spiking right after eating. Instead, eating legumes may even help lower blood sugar levels. Whether canned or fresh, beans are a great addition to any meal for a diabetic. Some of the best choices in this category include black beans, peas and lentils.
5. Nuts
Although they should be consumed in moderation, nuts are an excellent snack option for diabetics. They contain “good fats” which reduce insulin resistance, make blood sugar easier to regulate and even protect your heart by lowering cholesterol levels. Additionally, nuts contain fiber,magnesium and vitamin E, which acts as an antioxidant in the body. They do contain a lot of calories, however, so they should be eaten in smaller amounts. A few options in this category include pecans, walnuts and almonds.
6. Whole Grains
Because carbohydrates have such a significant effect on blood sugar levels, it’s very important for people with diabetes to be careful to restrict their carbohydrate intake to whole grains whenever possible. Like many of the other foods on this list, whole grains have more fiber and fewer calories. Look for whole grains in cereals, breads, brown rice, flour and tortillas.
VIDEO : ETX trainer offers women workout tips for weight loss
As it turns out, one of the hardest parts about working out for just about everyone is finding the motivation to go do it.
I spent a little time with a personal trainer yesterday, and she tells every client she sees the same thing when they first start working out and working on their weight.
“You just have to start somewhere. Just that first initial step is the biggest goal. I mean, most people, or most women, don’t feel like they’ll ever reach their goals,” said Samantha Ivy, a personal trainer at Premier Fitness in Tyler. “Once you see that you can do it, or you start seeing some type of results, it pushes you even further.”
Ivy recommends women start with a mild interval training workout that lasts only 20 to 30 minutes at a time.
“You can do interval training with walks, jogging, jump rope, anything, just to where you’re raising your heart rate for, let’s say for instance, 30 seconds, and walking for a minute. Speed walk for 30 seconds, walk for a minute,” Ivy said.
Ivy says interval training has one specific benefit.
“You’re going to lose weight a whole lot faster. Your endurance is going to build a lot quicker versus just walking for a steady 30 minutes to an hour,” she said.
