FIGHT THE HOLIDAY CRAVINGS

I have to say that with the Holidays that have been upon us I find it difficult at times to restrain myself from all the delicious goodies that keep looking at me and saying "EAT ME"! Its been hard. Even though a piece here and there is not bad for you, but if you are like me, eating just that one piece can all of a sudden lead to 5 or 6 pieces..lol..But the one thing that i have found that helps tremendously is eating fruit! YES; Eating fruit. It helps with the cravings of sweets. Fruit has a natural sugar and not all the processed sugars that you often find in candies and baked goods. The natural sugars send a different signal to your brain that will tell you that you are satisfied as to where sugars that have been processed will tell you to eat more and you want more and that is partly due to the elevations in blood sugar levels. So aside from the anatomy and science of it I suggest eating lots of fruit. You will be amazed as to what it can do to help ward off cravings for the bad stuff. When i want a piece of cake or pie or candy i reach for the fruit bowel and i end up alot happier from not feeling the guilt and its alot healthier..Also dont forget the exercise which helps with our psychological health. It wards of depression and anxieties that many face during this time of year. So my suggestions are go for the fruit bowel next time you want something not so healthy and to get some exercise to help feel better emotionally and physically.. :)

HOW MUCH PROTEIN IS RIGHT FOR YOU?

The debate has always been that too much protein can be bad for you and that it can be downright dangerous and if you consume to much your kidneys might explode. But i have to say that I totally disagree. This debate still rages today. Fitness buffs often will recommend high doses of protein. On the other hand, the medical doctors say that most of us take in more protein than we need. Meanwhile the U.S. Department of Agriculture has an (RDA) of 0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight. So if you weigh 160 pounds, your RDA for protein is 58 grams. Eat a 12-ounce sirloin steak, and bam, you’ve met your goal for the day. The problem with both of these estimates is that neither really describes a realistic need. A bodybuilder may need this much protein if your wanting to look like Arnold Shwarznegger. Although no one needs anywhere as much as three to four grams per pound of bodyweight. For the rest of us, it is a bit much. And basically, it’s enough to make sure you won’t die.
So now suppose you want to lose weight.That means you should probably follow some simple rules like eating less sugar, no fast food, processed foods and high sodium and baked goods. But research also indicates that eating more protein can help you towards this goal. You need more protein during a weight-loss program, both to lose fat and to preserve your muscle. But wait, protein naysayers will say. “Won’t eating all of that protein jeopardize your cardiovascular system? It’s bound to clog your arteries. To put that worry to the test, researchers had formed a group of people with high blood pressure and higher then normal cholesterol and tested adding more protein to their diets. (The OmniHeart study) No one was allowed to gain or lose weight during the test, so any changes couldn’t be chalked up to the benefits of dropping a few pounds. Some people ate a diet with 18 percent of their total calories coming from protein, which is pretty close to the USDA’s recommended amount. A second group upped their protein intake to 28 percent. So what happened? The higher-protein group showed better health. The people in that group had greater decreases in blood pressure, LDL the bad cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. What’s more, their estimated 10-year risk of heart disease decreased compared to those on the lower protein diet. Had these people been allowed to lose weight, the results may have been even more dramatic. So what is good for you? If you go by science, about 30 percent of your calories should come from protein. At that level, you won’t have to worry about being deficient, and you will know you are getting enough of the nutrient to lose fat while also improving your heart health. Have some protein at each of your meals and snacks, and you’ll hit the target with ease.
So now lets talk about protein and energy. Your blood sugar When you eat a meal, your body breaks down carbohydrates and dumps them into your bloodstream. It doesn’t matter if those carbs come from broccoli or biscuits. Your body needs energy, and this is how it’s produced. The result is an increase in your blood-sugar levels. When you eat a big meal, your blood sugar increases a lot. This makes your body freak out and your pancreas responds by releasing the hormone insulin. Insulin’s job in this case is very simple..Get the excess sugar out of your blood. It does this by going throughout your body getting into the muscle and fat cells to see if they will open up and take in some sugar until blood levels return to normal. If your body overreacts, your pancreas will release too much insulin. That insulin will pull too much sugar out of your blood. Now you have a new problem called hypoglycemia. You will soon start to feel tired, or hungry, or perhaps both. You get tired because your body’s energy source, the sugar in your blood, is suddenly depleted. You want to eat because low blood sugar is one of your body’s most powerful hunger signals. Your body will crave carb rich foods to get your blood sugar back up again, even if you just ate. So here is how protein plays its part. Protein can help displace those carbs. The amino acids that form the building blocks of protein provoke a much lower insulin response than the one triggered by a high carb meal. So taking in more protein will have a less affect on your blood sugar. Protein also triggers the release of a hormone called glucagon. While insulin takes sugar from your blood and pushes it into muscle and fat cells, glucagon gets your fat cells to release stored fat into your bloodstream, where it provides fuel for your muscles, brain, and everything else that uses energy. Of all the types of food you can eat, protein is the most efficient for your body: It controls insulin and helps burn fat. Eating more protein means your body is burning more calories during the digestion process. In some cases doubling your protein intake will raise the number of calories you burn throughout the day. That’s one reason why protein, all by itself, helps you lose weight.
I recommend consuming lean protein throughout the day. Here are some quick and easy ways to work this nutrient into every meal....

BREAKFAST: eggs, egg whites, lean breakfast meats, Greek yogurt, smoothies with protein powder such as a VI Shake.

LUNCH OR DINNER: Salmon, chicken breasts, extra-lean ground turkey, extra-lean ground beef, turkey or chicken sausage, lean beef top round, shoulder roast, skirt steak, tuna, cod, tilapia, shrimp, temphe..

SNACKS: Nuts and seeds, beans, VI Shake, and Cottage Cheese..

GETTING OF TO A GOOD START

OK..Today is another new day. What shall we accomplish today? First start off with eating a well balanced breakfast. Today i had Kashi cinnamon squares and a banana with a full glass of water. It is important to drink a glass of water in the morning because it will help to keep all the organs functioning properly. So my meals for the rest of today will consist of protein, and moderate carbs and lots of fruit and veggies. Also my Vi shakes for post workout protein. So today stay focused on your goals. Will be back later.. :)

IM BAAAAACK!!! :)

HELLO EVERYONE! :)

It has been awhile but I am BACK! Now for the long haul! lol Just signed up for my New 90 Day Challenge and have been at it for a week now. Doing awesome and have my support in place. I will be posting a before picture and soon will be posting pics of my progress. Whoo Hoo! So Excited! Going into the New Year with a new attitude and a new beginning. Im looking forward to all the changes that are going to take place this coming year. If you are at all interested in getting involved in the 90 day challenge to become healthier, lose weight and just for a new transformation I strongly encourage you to visit my website. So keep coming back and checking in on the progress and also to recieve tips on a healthier lifestyle..so stay tuned! :)

Extra Income

Looking to make extra income? Want to get healthy and/or lose weight? If you answered yes to any of the questions mentioned then please contact me at nutritionlifestyle@yahoo.com

Went to the regional event in Chicago. It was awesome and I learned a lot and it really helped to motivate me! So looking forward to the future. I really would like to share this amazing opportunity with you. The possibilities are just endless! You can make all your dreams come true. But Always remember this, You must be motivated to want those dreams, to pursue them and to reach the goals that you set for yourself, second, Stay away from negativity! Surround yourself with positive people, people that are reaching for their dreams and that want the same things out of life that you do. Dont be around people that are discouraging, negative, self-centered, selfish and the list goes on but I think you get the idea! lol and thirdly, Must be able to stay focused! Stay focused on what it is that you want in life. Never settle for less. The sky is the limit and if you really want to reach the stars they are out there waiting for you to grab hold and run with them! :)

UPDATE: MAY 31, 2012

I just want to say that it is true that CANNED/PROCESSED Foods make you sick! I have had to resort to what I call "THE LAST RESORT"! this past week. It was either eat or go hungry and I was not about to go hungry so yes, I ate canned goods there with shame i said it! lol but the effect that it is having on my body is horrible, headaches, muscle pain, tummy aches, and other things, tired and lethargic. Tomorrow I am going shopping for my fresh and frozen veggies, never again will i eat canned processed food! I will just go hungry! So today i havent felt good at all! All I wanted to do was sleep all day. Not to mention the horrible headaches and muscle pain I have been feeling.

Well tomorrow i go back to eating my fresh and frozen veggies. I may do a cleanse to get all the bad stuff out of my system. So On that note I need to go to bed. Hoping I wake up to a good day. Goodnite all..

Update

Well today is Memorial Day and I am off to a good start. Had me a VI shake with blueberries for breakfast and some raisins for a snack. Getting ready to have another shake for lunch. Cooking out this evening on Hardwood Charcoal (The healthier alternative charcoal) And planning to go for a walk/jog. Tomorrow morning is the weigh in so I am excited to see what my weight is and how many more pounds I have dropped in the last week. Been off schedule for quite awhile but getting back on schedule and feeling pretty pumped. My weaknesses have been my emotions. I tend to go by how I feel and that is something I really need to work on considering its not about how i feel but how I know things need to be done. And chocolate has been a huge problem with me. I am finding that if I just have one peice when i am craving it seems to satisfy me. I also am learning to not deprive myself. We have to have that extra treat every now and then or we simply will drive ourselves in sane and eventually just give up. So whatever diet you follow always allow your self that extra splurg every now and then. It does not hurt you nor will it set you back unless you are doing it everyday..So Tomorrow I will give my weight results and then just keep moving forward till i reach my goal. Hopeing to post pics soon so see my transformation..Rock On!! :-)