Losing weight is not easy. You will never hear me say that it is. It takes dedication, motivation and hard work. But by making a few easy changes you can get the ball rolling on losing weight.
If you're serious about changing your lifestyle, these steps help get you there. The key is to dedicate yourself to these changes and do them consistently.
No, losing weight isn't a walk in the park. But by following these steps ... you may find it's a little easier than you think!
CHANGE ONE: WHAT YOU EAT
First up, let's take a look at some simple ways to make significant improvements in your diet.
1. ELIMINATE OR SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE RED MEAT
If foods like burgers are basic to your current diet, cutting out red meat can go a long way in helping you make healthier meal choices and losing weight.
By building your meals around fish and poultry, you can more easily keep temptation at bay by eliminating many poor fast food and restaurant choices, which are over-sized and high in fat.
To keep your shellfish, fish, chicken, and turkey diet-friendly, be sure to choose the right preparation method (see #2). Be wary of creamy, high-cal condiments that come with entrees, like tartar sauce or special sauce on grilled chicken sandwiches.
2. CUT OUT FRIED FOODS
Keep your healthier choices truly healthy by grilling, baking, roasting, broiling or boiling them.
* Keep things interesting by adding low-cal condiments to your usual fare. A tangy barbecue sauce will give boiled chicken a kick. Lemon-herb dressing will complement broiled fish deliciously.
* Make sure your spice rack is always stocked with plenty of herbs and spices so you can doctor up your favorite dishes to your own taste without adding any additional fat or calories. Plant an herb garden and you'll never run out!
* If you often eat fast food, forget that "value meals" and "combos" even exist; they seem like a better deal, but they're just not worth the extra calories! Stick to a grilled chicken sandwich or a child's hamburger and a side salad (watch the dressing!) when you're on the run.
3. START WITH SOUP OR SALAD.
Having a salad or cup of soup for starters can be an at-home habit that pays off in pounds-lost. They can curb your hunger, prevent over-eating, and help you stay in control of portions, all of which are crucial to losing weight.
* Choose a broth- or tomato-based soup like minestrone (rather than a cream- or milk-based choice). Vegetable soup made with broth, stock, or tomato soup is ideal, because the veggies will help fill you up and give you a fiber and nutrition boost.
* Top your salad with low-cal dressing or balsamic vinegar. An added plus of having a salad before every meal is getting more fiber, something many of our diets are short on, which will also help you feel fuller sooner. Be sure to include lots of veggies and dark mixed greens like spinach in your salads.
4. FINISH WITH FRUIT.
Instead of reaching for the cookie jar or helping yourself to dessert after meals, make a point to finish off with naturally-sweet fruit instead of sinfully-sweet treats.
Not only will you save fat and calories, you will also have the added benefit of extra vitamins, minerals and fiber. Few of us eat as much fruit as recommended.
In time, you will become accustomed to foregoing sweets and you'll look forward to your healthier treat just as much.
By Jennifer R. Scott, About.com
Jumat, 22 Mei 2009
Selasa, 19 Mei 2009
The Milk Diet -- Is it Your Solution for Losing Weight?
For sometime now, you've been hearing about the Milk Diet and it's benefit in helping you lose weight. I recently searched on Google for this diet and could only find vague references to milk as a supplement to help you lose weight.
To date, there is no actual Milk Diet. Instead, supporters of milk as a supplement to losing weight suggest adding milk to any diet. They claim the amount of weight loss will increase simply by adding more whole milk to your diet. So, does milk help to increase the amount of weight loss? If so, how does it work?
Professionals know that fad diets just don't work. You may see initial results, but the risk to your health is high, and the chances of keeping the weight off are low.
You want to lose weight and keep it off, right? You will NEVER achieve that by pulling out your credit card to pay homage to the next diet guru or program with a celebrity's name attached to it. These fad diets promise to give you what you want through the latest secret revealed or truth now discovered.
Healthy weight loss
Losing the weight you need to lose and keeping it off is about modifying your eating habits to have overall good nutrition. It's not about focusing on one nutrient or food group. In fact, weight loss professionals would consider as suspect any diet program, which radically reduces or increases just one component of a balanced diet. That's not a good way to lose weight.
To illustrate what I'm trying to say, take a look at the relationship between weight loss and milk. Milk contains nine essential nutrients, making it one of the most nutrient-rich drinks you can enjoy. Just one eight-ounce glass of milk puts you well on your way to meeting the Daily Value for calcium and other key nutrients. Calcium, as most know, helps maintain strong bones and teeth. It also plays a role in nerve function.You probably also know by now, thanks to the recent Milk Diet fad, that milk can play a significant role in helping you reach your weight loss goals. In fact, here's part of what the American Dietetic Association has to say about milk and weight loss:
”A calcium-rich eating plan, especially one that includes at least three servings of milk a day, seems to provide the nutritional support you need for healthy effective weight loss. In fact, research suggests that milk may help promote the loss of body fat while maintaining more muscle, which is important when dieting. Dropping dairy foods as a calorie-cutting tactic is not only bad for bones, it could make it even harder to lose weight.”
Now the money-focused marketers and entrepreneurs have brought milk to the forefront to promote weight loss through the so-called milk diet. And I would bet that there are those who probably went to the grocer and bought milk after reading an article or hearing on television about the miracles of milk and its effect on weight loss.
But instead of drinking the suggested 24oz each day (only three 8-ounce glasses), several of the more zealous increased their intake of milk by another glass or two to speed up the process. After all, everyone knows that if a little of something is good, then a lot must be great, right? WRONG! As good for you as milk can be, it can also be detrimental to your health if you drink too much according to recent studies. And this is why the milk diet is unhealthy.
Milk has always been milk. It can benefit our overall health. More specific, milk, along with other essential elements, can help promote weight loss. However too much milk, like in the milk diet, can be harmful.
But at the end of the day, healthy weight loss is, and will always be first and foremost, about Diet Basics--eating right, exercising, and having a lifestyle, which promotes good health and nutrition. That's what will lead you to weight loss success.
TOP WEIGHT LOSS RECOMMENDATION
There is no easy way to lose weight. Fad diets like hoodia, berries, shakes, cookies and teas don’t work. You might initially lose some weight, but you will gain it all back, and probably more.
The only way to lose weight and keep it off is through proper nutrition and a balanced diet. Losing weight fast never lasts. But losing weight the healthy way will lead to long-term successful weight loss.
An excellent ebook that will teach you to lose weight the healthy way is called The Diet Solution. This book will show you how eating the right foods will “enhance” your metabolism, which causes you to burn more fat. We really believe in this book, and so does the author. They promise an unconditional 60-day money back guarantee if you don’t get the results you want. How many diet books or products give a guarantee like that? You can follow this link to learn about The Diet Solution, and see if it’s right for you.
To date, there is no actual Milk Diet. Instead, supporters of milk as a supplement to losing weight suggest adding milk to any diet. They claim the amount of weight loss will increase simply by adding more whole milk to your diet. So, does milk help to increase the amount of weight loss? If so, how does it work?
Professionals know that fad diets just don't work. You may see initial results, but the risk to your health is high, and the chances of keeping the weight off are low.
You want to lose weight and keep it off, right? You will NEVER achieve that by pulling out your credit card to pay homage to the next diet guru or program with a celebrity's name attached to it. These fad diets promise to give you what you want through the latest secret revealed or truth now discovered.
Healthy weight loss
Losing the weight you need to lose and keeping it off is about modifying your eating habits to have overall good nutrition. It's not about focusing on one nutrient or food group. In fact, weight loss professionals would consider as suspect any diet program, which radically reduces or increases just one component of a balanced diet. That's not a good way to lose weight.
To illustrate what I'm trying to say, take a look at the relationship between weight loss and milk. Milk contains nine essential nutrients, making it one of the most nutrient-rich drinks you can enjoy. Just one eight-ounce glass of milk puts you well on your way to meeting the Daily Value for calcium and other key nutrients. Calcium, as most know, helps maintain strong bones and teeth. It also plays a role in nerve function.You probably also know by now, thanks to the recent Milk Diet fad, that milk can play a significant role in helping you reach your weight loss goals. In fact, here's part of what the American Dietetic Association has to say about milk and weight loss:
”A calcium-rich eating plan, especially one that includes at least three servings of milk a day, seems to provide the nutritional support you need for healthy effective weight loss. In fact, research suggests that milk may help promote the loss of body fat while maintaining more muscle, which is important when dieting. Dropping dairy foods as a calorie-cutting tactic is not only bad for bones, it could make it even harder to lose weight.”
Now the money-focused marketers and entrepreneurs have brought milk to the forefront to promote weight loss through the so-called milk diet. And I would bet that there are those who probably went to the grocer and bought milk after reading an article or hearing on television about the miracles of milk and its effect on weight loss.
But instead of drinking the suggested 24oz each day (only three 8-ounce glasses), several of the more zealous increased their intake of milk by another glass or two to speed up the process. After all, everyone knows that if a little of something is good, then a lot must be great, right? WRONG! As good for you as milk can be, it can also be detrimental to your health if you drink too much according to recent studies. And this is why the milk diet is unhealthy.
Milk has always been milk. It can benefit our overall health. More specific, milk, along with other essential elements, can help promote weight loss. However too much milk, like in the milk diet, can be harmful.
But at the end of the day, healthy weight loss is, and will always be first and foremost, about Diet Basics--eating right, exercising, and having a lifestyle, which promotes good health and nutrition. That's what will lead you to weight loss success.
TOP WEIGHT LOSS RECOMMENDATION
There is no easy way to lose weight. Fad diets like hoodia, berries, shakes, cookies and teas don’t work. You might initially lose some weight, but you will gain it all back, and probably more.
The only way to lose weight and keep it off is through proper nutrition and a balanced diet. Losing weight fast never lasts. But losing weight the healthy way will lead to long-term successful weight loss.
An excellent ebook that will teach you to lose weight the healthy way is called The Diet Solution. This book will show you how eating the right foods will “enhance” your metabolism, which causes you to burn more fat. We really believe in this book, and so does the author. They promise an unconditional 60-day money back guarantee if you don’t get the results you want. How many diet books or products give a guarantee like that? You can follow this link to learn about The Diet Solution, and see if it’s right for you.
Sabtu, 16 Mei 2009
Does milk really do a body good?
A nutritionist investigates the claims about the beverage
Image: Milk
Milk is good for building muscle — and may even lower your risk of both heart attack and stroke.
By Alan Aragon, M.S.
“Milk is a deadly poison," according to the Dairy Education Board. In fact, if you peruse this special interest group's Web site, notmilk.com, you'll find dozens of articles about the purported evils of this popular beverage. One claim, for example, is that milk from cows contains cancer-causing hormones and dairy industry dollars have kept that fact bottled up. All of which may leave you second-guessing your next sip.
However, as a nutritionist, I've found that most people thrive on milk, whether their goal is to lose fat or build muscle. So to be sure it's safe, I've investigated all the anti-milk claims, sifting through the research while also turning a critical eye to pro-milk propaganda. After all, the only agenda I have is my clients' health. The result: all your milk questions, answered.
Is milk really a fat-burning food?
Maybe. In a 6-month study, University of Tennessee researchers found that overweight people who downed three servings a day of calcium-rich dairy lost more belly fat than those who followed a similar diet minus two or more of the dairy servings. In addition, the researchers discovered that calcium supplements didn't work as well as milk. Why? They believe that while calcium may increase the rate at which your body burns fat, other active compounds in dairy (such as milk proteins) provide an additional fat-burning effect. Of course, the key to success is following a weight-loss diet to begin with. After all, downing your dairy with a box of doughnuts is no way to torch your gut.
Does it build muscle?
Absolutely. In fact, milk is one of the best muscle foods on the planet. You see, the protein in milk is about 80 percent whey and 20 percent casein. Both are high-quality proteins, but whey is known as a "fast protein" because it's quickly broken down into amino acids and absorbed into the bloodstream. That makes it a very good protein to consume after your workout. Casein, on the other hand, is digested more slowly. So it's ideal for providing your body with a steady supply of smaller amounts of protein for a longer period of time — like between meals or while you sleep. Since milk provides both, one big glass gives your body an ideal combination of muscle-building proteins.
Cows are given hormones. Doesn't that make their milk unhealthy?
Not unless you're injecting the milk. Here's the full story: In 1993 the FDA approved the use of recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH) in cattle. This practice resulted in greater milk production at less cost to the dairy farmer, a savings that has been passed on to you at your local supermarket. But it has also sparked much controversy, because rBGH boosts milk's concentration of insulin-like growth factor (IGF), a hormone that's been linked to cancer.
Unlike steroid hormones, which can be taken orally, rBGH and IGF must be injected to have any effect. That's because the process of digestion destroys these "protein" hormones. So drinking milk from hormone-treated cows doesn't transfer the active form of these chemicals to your body. However, there is one ethical downside to consider: It's not good for the cows. Canadian researchers discovered that cows given hormones are more likely to contract an udder infection called mastitis.
What about antibiotics?
No one really knows. Some scientists argue that milk from cows given antibiotics leads to antibiotic resistance in humans, making these types of drugs less effective when you take them for an infection. But this finding has never been proved.
If you're uneasy, you can purchase antibiotic-free (and typically hormone-free, as well) milk from specialty grocers, such as Trader Joe's or Whole Foods, or select USDA-certified organic milk, which is available at most supermarkets.
MORE STORIES FROM MEN'S HEALTH
What is in the water?
The best drinks for you
93 tech products you need
Skim or whole?
It depends on your taste. While you've probably always been told to drink reduced-fat milk, the majority of scientific studies show that drinking whole milk actually improves cholesterol levels, just not as much as drinking skim does. One recent exception: Danish researchers found that men who consumed a diet rich in whole milk experienced a slight increase in LDL cholesterol (six points). However, it's worth noting that these men drank six 8-ounce glasses a day, an unusually high amount. Even so, their triglycerides — another marker of heart-disease risk — decreased by 22 percent.
The bottom line: Drinking two to three glasses of milk a day, whether it's skim, 2 percent, or whole, lowers the likelihood of both heart attack and stroke — a finding confirmed by British scientists.
If you're dieting, the lower-fat option is an easy way to save a few calories. When it comes to building muscle, though, whole milk may be your best choice: Scientists at the University of Texas medical branch in Galveston found that drinking whole milk after lifting weights boosted muscle protein synthesis — an indicator of muscle growth — 2.8 times more than drinking skim did.
Image: Milk
Milk is good for building muscle — and may even lower your risk of both heart attack and stroke.
By Alan Aragon, M.S.
“Milk is a deadly poison," according to the Dairy Education Board. In fact, if you peruse this special interest group's Web site, notmilk.com, you'll find dozens of articles about the purported evils of this popular beverage. One claim, for example, is that milk from cows contains cancer-causing hormones and dairy industry dollars have kept that fact bottled up. All of which may leave you second-guessing your next sip.
However, as a nutritionist, I've found that most people thrive on milk, whether their goal is to lose fat or build muscle. So to be sure it's safe, I've investigated all the anti-milk claims, sifting through the research while also turning a critical eye to pro-milk propaganda. After all, the only agenda I have is my clients' health. The result: all your milk questions, answered.
Is milk really a fat-burning food?
Maybe. In a 6-month study, University of Tennessee researchers found that overweight people who downed three servings a day of calcium-rich dairy lost more belly fat than those who followed a similar diet minus two or more of the dairy servings. In addition, the researchers discovered that calcium supplements didn't work as well as milk. Why? They believe that while calcium may increase the rate at which your body burns fat, other active compounds in dairy (such as milk proteins) provide an additional fat-burning effect. Of course, the key to success is following a weight-loss diet to begin with. After all, downing your dairy with a box of doughnuts is no way to torch your gut.
Does it build muscle?
Absolutely. In fact, milk is one of the best muscle foods on the planet. You see, the protein in milk is about 80 percent whey and 20 percent casein. Both are high-quality proteins, but whey is known as a "fast protein" because it's quickly broken down into amino acids and absorbed into the bloodstream. That makes it a very good protein to consume after your workout. Casein, on the other hand, is digested more slowly. So it's ideal for providing your body with a steady supply of smaller amounts of protein for a longer period of time — like between meals or while you sleep. Since milk provides both, one big glass gives your body an ideal combination of muscle-building proteins.
Cows are given hormones. Doesn't that make their milk unhealthy?
Not unless you're injecting the milk. Here's the full story: In 1993 the FDA approved the use of recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH) in cattle. This practice resulted in greater milk production at less cost to the dairy farmer, a savings that has been passed on to you at your local supermarket. But it has also sparked much controversy, because rBGH boosts milk's concentration of insulin-like growth factor (IGF), a hormone that's been linked to cancer.
Unlike steroid hormones, which can be taken orally, rBGH and IGF must be injected to have any effect. That's because the process of digestion destroys these "protein" hormones. So drinking milk from hormone-treated cows doesn't transfer the active form of these chemicals to your body. However, there is one ethical downside to consider: It's not good for the cows. Canadian researchers discovered that cows given hormones are more likely to contract an udder infection called mastitis.
What about antibiotics?
No one really knows. Some scientists argue that milk from cows given antibiotics leads to antibiotic resistance in humans, making these types of drugs less effective when you take them for an infection. But this finding has never been proved.
If you're uneasy, you can purchase antibiotic-free (and typically hormone-free, as well) milk from specialty grocers, such as Trader Joe's or Whole Foods, or select USDA-certified organic milk, which is available at most supermarkets.
MORE STORIES FROM MEN'S HEALTH
What is in the water?
The best drinks for you
93 tech products you need
Skim or whole?
It depends on your taste. While you've probably always been told to drink reduced-fat milk, the majority of scientific studies show that drinking whole milk actually improves cholesterol levels, just not as much as drinking skim does. One recent exception: Danish researchers found that men who consumed a diet rich in whole milk experienced a slight increase in LDL cholesterol (six points). However, it's worth noting that these men drank six 8-ounce glasses a day, an unusually high amount. Even so, their triglycerides — another marker of heart-disease risk — decreased by 22 percent.
The bottom line: Drinking two to three glasses of milk a day, whether it's skim, 2 percent, or whole, lowers the likelihood of both heart attack and stroke — a finding confirmed by British scientists.
If you're dieting, the lower-fat option is an easy way to save a few calories. When it comes to building muscle, though, whole milk may be your best choice: Scientists at the University of Texas medical branch in Galveston found that drinking whole milk after lifting weights boosted muscle protein synthesis — an indicator of muscle growth — 2.8 times more than drinking skim did.
Minggu, 03 Mei 2009
A guide to sport nutrition for optimum health
Truth on diet supplements and advanced sport nutrition. Building a better body
“Trust me, I am an athlete”
In the world of sport nutrition nothing is more annoying, cynical or downright wrong than a well known athlete endorsing and promoting a poor quality product.
Tri-athletes and “Iron men” promoting sugar-laden breakfast cereals; sprinters and long distance runners promoting low grade vitamin supplements, football players associating their success with fast food franchises – the list is endless.
Turn on the TV, listen to the radio, look at billboards and there is some athlete with tanned muscles and a cheesy grin confusing you and your children about the extraordinary health benefits of something close to junk food.
The likelihood is the athlete would probably never touch the product they are promoting as part of their sport nutrition programme but the lure of advertising dollars is just too appealing.
The problem compounded
You need to avoid the confusion of the marketing spin when sorting sport nutrition facts from sport nutrition nonsense. Even the health establishment, who you expect to trust with your health, continues to unknowingly provide us with information that is questionable. The general public should be made aware of this – for a serious sports person or athlete understanding the facts of sport nutrition is an absolute priority.
One of the major hurdles to overcome when dealing with sport nutrition for athletes is the misunderstanding and disinformation associated with Recommended Daily Allowance – RDA. The misunderstandings are compounded by doctors, some nutritionists, and the current health paradigm. RDA’s were not designed for people to reach their optimal levels of health and they are certainly not designed to help an athlete keep his or her body operating at peak potential.
Getting good H2O
Sticking to the basics is not as easy as it used to be. Three square meals a day and a few glasses of tap water 60 years ago may have given you all the sustenance needed. Today there are additional challenges in watering and feeding our bodies. These challenges are magnified when the advanced requirements of an athlete’s body are considered.
Your muscles are 75% water. Your blood is more than 80% water. Even your bones are 25% water. It is critical that you drink clean and pure water. That is a greater challenge than you might think.
It is generally too expensive for water authorities to clean water to its purest state. The water that comes out of your tap or faucet can still contain traces of industrial chemicals, pesticides and chlorine. The traces are small and they will not kill the average person but it can affect the performance of a highly tuned athlete’s body.
The bottled water business is largely unregulated. The water is still not guaranteed free of contaminants. The purest form of water is distilled water. Steam distillation removes the contaminants.
Next time you are out shopping for water look for the several brands of distilled water available. Your body will thank you for it.
Getting good nutrition
How can it be that over the last 60 years with an increase in agricultural production the greatest challenge has been getting good nutrition? This is largely due to the degradation of our soils and food supply. Modern farming, storage and distribution methods have degraded the food we eat which in turn degrades our bodies. This is further exaggerated in athletes where the process of oxidative stress is sped up.
As an athlete, in order to get the nutrition your body needs, vegetables, fruits and whole grains should form the basis of your diet. Eat only certified organic produce and supplement your diet with only high quality nutritional supplements. Cut out the bad fats and get the right amount of essential fatty acids including omega 3 fish oil.
Fighting fit or fighting fat!
Athletes and sportspeople in the Western world still need to fight the temptations that cause excess fat and eventually lead to obesity. It is important to understand that fat is dependent upon diet and lifestyle and is rarely genetic.
Popular dieting systems do not work. Regardless of all the hype, advertising and testimonials and pictures of before and after – they are short term. Diet companies rely on the two human traits of laziness and wanting something for nothing. Real, lasting fat loss needs to be a long term endeavour. Long term is a minimum of one year. Your body operates on a cellular level takes time to alter its tissues and cells to suit your new levels of fat. Any sudden change will cause your body to store fat as a biological defense.
Sounds simple but the most important way of reducing fat levels in your body is to avoid fat! That is the saturated fat in predominantly found in meat and dairy food.
Building a better body
More than 90% of the molecules in the human body are replaced each year. “You are what you eat” is truer than many people really believe.
Vitamins and minerals are the most basic building blocks for any body. If you want to build a supreme athletic body you need to take special note. As with the long term approach to weight and fat loss so to should the approach to vitamin and mineral intake be long term – life long!
As previously stated, the basis of your diet should be vegetables, fruits and whole grains, preferably organic produce. Supplement your diet with only high quality nutritional supplements. Cut out the bad fats and get the right amount of essential fatty acids including omega 3 fish oil.
One of the important factors in choosing quality nutritional supplements is so that you can guarantee the safety of those supplements.
Getting serious about nutrition
This website only touches on the detailed subject of sport nutrition. I don’t often recommend a single source of material for further research. For an excellent, concise, honest, ruthlessly researched and easy to read book I would highly recommend Optimum Sports Nutrition by Doctor Michael Colgan. (Reference 26)
“Trust me, I am an athlete”
In the world of sport nutrition nothing is more annoying, cynical or downright wrong than a well known athlete endorsing and promoting a poor quality product.
Tri-athletes and “Iron men” promoting sugar-laden breakfast cereals; sprinters and long distance runners promoting low grade vitamin supplements, football players associating their success with fast food franchises – the list is endless.
Turn on the TV, listen to the radio, look at billboards and there is some athlete with tanned muscles and a cheesy grin confusing you and your children about the extraordinary health benefits of something close to junk food.
The likelihood is the athlete would probably never touch the product they are promoting as part of their sport nutrition programme but the lure of advertising dollars is just too appealing.
The problem compounded
You need to avoid the confusion of the marketing spin when sorting sport nutrition facts from sport nutrition nonsense. Even the health establishment, who you expect to trust with your health, continues to unknowingly provide us with information that is questionable. The general public should be made aware of this – for a serious sports person or athlete understanding the facts of sport nutrition is an absolute priority.
One of the major hurdles to overcome when dealing with sport nutrition for athletes is the misunderstanding and disinformation associated with Recommended Daily Allowance – RDA. The misunderstandings are compounded by doctors, some nutritionists, and the current health paradigm. RDA’s were not designed for people to reach their optimal levels of health and they are certainly not designed to help an athlete keep his or her body operating at peak potential.
Getting good H2O
Sticking to the basics is not as easy as it used to be. Three square meals a day and a few glasses of tap water 60 years ago may have given you all the sustenance needed. Today there are additional challenges in watering and feeding our bodies. These challenges are magnified when the advanced requirements of an athlete’s body are considered.
Your muscles are 75% water. Your blood is more than 80% water. Even your bones are 25% water. It is critical that you drink clean and pure water. That is a greater challenge than you might think.
It is generally too expensive for water authorities to clean water to its purest state. The water that comes out of your tap or faucet can still contain traces of industrial chemicals, pesticides and chlorine. The traces are small and they will not kill the average person but it can affect the performance of a highly tuned athlete’s body.
The bottled water business is largely unregulated. The water is still not guaranteed free of contaminants. The purest form of water is distilled water. Steam distillation removes the contaminants.
Next time you are out shopping for water look for the several brands of distilled water available. Your body will thank you for it.
Getting good nutrition
How can it be that over the last 60 years with an increase in agricultural production the greatest challenge has been getting good nutrition? This is largely due to the degradation of our soils and food supply. Modern farming, storage and distribution methods have degraded the food we eat which in turn degrades our bodies. This is further exaggerated in athletes where the process of oxidative stress is sped up.
As an athlete, in order to get the nutrition your body needs, vegetables, fruits and whole grains should form the basis of your diet. Eat only certified organic produce and supplement your diet with only high quality nutritional supplements. Cut out the bad fats and get the right amount of essential fatty acids including omega 3 fish oil.
Fighting fit or fighting fat!
Athletes and sportspeople in the Western world still need to fight the temptations that cause excess fat and eventually lead to obesity. It is important to understand that fat is dependent upon diet and lifestyle and is rarely genetic.
Popular dieting systems do not work. Regardless of all the hype, advertising and testimonials and pictures of before and after – they are short term. Diet companies rely on the two human traits of laziness and wanting something for nothing. Real, lasting fat loss needs to be a long term endeavour. Long term is a minimum of one year. Your body operates on a cellular level takes time to alter its tissues and cells to suit your new levels of fat. Any sudden change will cause your body to store fat as a biological defense.
Sounds simple but the most important way of reducing fat levels in your body is to avoid fat! That is the saturated fat in predominantly found in meat and dairy food.
Building a better body
More than 90% of the molecules in the human body are replaced each year. “You are what you eat” is truer than many people really believe.
Vitamins and minerals are the most basic building blocks for any body. If you want to build a supreme athletic body you need to take special note. As with the long term approach to weight and fat loss so to should the approach to vitamin and mineral intake be long term – life long!
As previously stated, the basis of your diet should be vegetables, fruits and whole grains, preferably organic produce. Supplement your diet with only high quality nutritional supplements. Cut out the bad fats and get the right amount of essential fatty acids including omega 3 fish oil.
One of the important factors in choosing quality nutritional supplements is so that you can guarantee the safety of those supplements.
Getting serious about nutrition
This website only touches on the detailed subject of sport nutrition. I don’t often recommend a single source of material for further research. For an excellent, concise, honest, ruthlessly researched and easy to read book I would highly recommend Optimum Sports Nutrition by Doctor Michael Colgan. (Reference 26)
Langganan:
Postingan (Atom)
