Aug
10
Smoothies To Soothe Thee
Filed Under Daily tips, Nutrition, fat burning | 1 Comment
Did you know that a fresh fruit smoothie has the power to boost your immune system? Fruit and veggies are musts in your daily diet, but if you find that a fast-paced life doesn’t have much room to munch on such produce, why not drink your fruits and veggies instead of masticating them in the conventional way? The smooth solution: smoothies!
Pureed fruit like strawberries, kiwi, bananas, and veggies like spinach have been proven to raise blood antioxidant levels by about 15%, as demonstrated by certain US studies. That’s a lot like taking 1250 mg of Vitamin C. Also, the natural ingredients guarantee your fiber needs are met. Since the fruit or veggies are diced or sliced before blending and do not require a pulpy mess for when you extract the juices for a normal drink, you’re getting all the goodness of a ripe and healthy produce in liquid form. Apples, bananas, avocados, tomatoes, berries…if it’s a fruit, it can be turned into a smoothie! Same goes for green leafy veggies as well as elongated ones like cuke, carrots, celery, etc.
A tip for weight-watchers, though: If you’re used to shake-like smoothie concoctions done with ice cream and then blended with fruit-flavored syrup, a fresh fruit smoothie is best for you. Flavor-wise, it isn’t compromised, and if you’re after a low kilojoule drink, the best way to go about it is to blend fresh and ripe fruit with low-fat yogurt or just crushed ice. Cut down on adding sugar or do away with it altogether. If the fruit is too sweet, you can add fresh lemon or lime juice to the mix. If it’s too tart, pour in some honey or unsweetened apple juice.
If you want a thicker concoction, freeze diced fruit on a baking tin for a couple of hours. Or get frozen berries. Frozen fruit are guaranteed to thicken up your smoothie and make them as tasty as if you’ve picked them fresh from the grocery aisle. Or tree.
Now that’s smooth!
Jun
24
Although an unorthodox way to lose weight at best, ballet is actually a very good example of resistance training. This is because a ballet dancer uses his or her own weight with every move on the barre or floor, or even during “airborne” moments. So if you’re considering an out-of-the-box way to get sinewy and graceful, and shed pounds at the same time, consider taking up ballet. Yes, even as an adult!
If you think your current weight is ideal for your height, then ballet is best to maintain that weight. Studies show that ballet dancers who dance and do barre exercises for roughly ninety minutes lose over 350 calories. Everything involved in a ballet class, from using your pointe shoes to stand on your tippy-toes, to doing a pirouette, to a plie, and just about everything in-between, is a great example of resistance training. So the next time you see a seemingly sylph-like ballet dancer doing those moves as if effortlessly….think again! It takes the strength of an industrious dock worker to make everything look seamless.
Also, the secret to those long, lithe, lissome bodies underneath the leotards and tights is a disciplined and balanced diet consisting of (yes) carbs, fat, protein, vitamins, and minerals. Fatty foods should be avoided before a session on the dance floor because you may get indigestion problems (not a flattering thing to have when you’re bent over and a partner is planning to lift you in the air…well, you get my drift). Carbs and protein are vital to obtaining glycogen, the stored glucose in a human body that translates into energy during exercise. An excess of such, of course, turns into fat. So moderation is always the key.
Now, back to ballet. Even if you’re in your late twenties or early thirties or any other “‘ties” for that matter, there are adult ballet classes you can enroll in. Beginners classes are encouraged for those without an iota of ballet experience, and a lot of dance schools offer a tailor-made program for certain age groups and fitness levels. Barre work comes after you learn the basic ballet steps, and this is where your serious toning up and flexibilty may occur. I say “may” because an hour of regular ballet classes usually spells turned out legs and strengthened arms and a torso, but everything may go to seed if you don’t warm up and do your ballet stretches regularly. As mentioned above, it’s discipline, discipline, and discipline all the way.
If you keep at it and make ballet a part of your daily habit (not necessarily in a dance studio, mind), you can fully expect great posture and grace, as well as a unique cardiovascular fitness scheme to cherish and be proud of.
Jun
9
Yes, You Can Eat As Much As You Want! (And Still Lose Weight)
Filed Under fat burning | Leave a Comment
But before you go and raid the fridge, let me warn you now that this is no fad diet. As with all things that should work properly, an ounce of discipline is needed. Otherwise, you can go all out on the eating and chewing if you so choose.
This is called the Scarsdale Medical 14-Day Diet. It allows the dieter to eat as much as he or she likes, unless otherwise indicated. It’s best for those who need to lose weight for a targeted period, such as if you need to attend a special occasion or plan to hit the beach in that new swimsuit. This is because the Scarsdale Diet is basically a low-carb and low-calorie weight loss diet system that is structured to be effective within two weeks.
So here’s the food schedule you can follow if you’re serious about shedding pounds in 14 days’ time:
BREAKFAST EVERY DAY:
One half grapefruit -if not available, use fruits in season. Fresh fruit is always recommended, but if there is none, frozen or canned can be used as long as they are packed in their own juices. NEVER go for those in syrup, not even “lite” syrup or it will defeat the whole purpose of dieting the Scarsdale way.
One slice of protein bread or wheat bread, toasted, no spread or cheese, please.
Coffee or tea (no sugar, cream or milk, no honey)
MONDAY
Lunch:
Assorted cold cuts but should be lean, and with all the fat trimmed off. That means no sausages, bologna, bacon, or salami. Chicken, turkey, fish, shellfish or veggie protein are encouraged substitutes.
Tomatoes - sliced, broiled, or stewed
Coffee/Tea/Diet Soda/Water
Dinner:
Fish or shellfish, any kind
Combination salad, any greens and vegetables as you wish
One slice protein bread toasted
Grapefruit - if not available, use fruits in season
Coffee/Tea/Diet Soda/Water
TUESDAY
Lunch:
Fruit salad, any combination of fruits
Coffee/Tea/Diet Soda/Water
Dinner:
Plenty of broiled, lean hamburger
Tomatoes, lettuce, celery, olives (limit 4), cucumbers
and/or Brussels Sprouts
Coffee/Tea/Diet Soda/Water
WEDNESDAY
Lunch:
Tuna fish or salmon salad (oil drained off)
with lemon and vinegar dressing
Grapefruit, or melon, or fruit in season
Coffee/Tea/Diet Soda/Water
Dinner:
Sliced roast lamb (again, can be substituted with lean turkey, chicken, etc.), all visible fat removed
Salad of lettuce,tomatoes,cucumbers,celery
Coffee/Tea/Diet Soda/Water
THURSDAY
Lunch:
Two eggs, any style (no fat used in cooking)
Low-fat cottage cheese
Zucchini, or string beans, or sliced/stewed tomatoes
One slice of protein bread, toasted
Coffee/Tea/Diet Soda/Water
Dinner:
Roast, broiled or barbequed chicken (skin and visible fat removed before eating)
Plenty of spinach, green peppers, string beans
Coffee/Tea/Diet Soda/Water
FRIDAY
Lunch:
Assorted cheese slices (preferably lowfat)
Spinach, all you want
One slice of protein bread, toasted
Coffee/Tea/Diet Soda/Water
Dinner:
Fish or shellfish
Combination salad (any fresh vegetables desired, raw or cooked)
One slice of protein bread, toasted
Coffee/Tea/Diet Soda/Water
SATURDAY
Lunch:
Fruit salad, any combination of fruits
[substitute lunch recommended]
Coffee/Tea/Diet Soda/Water
Dinner:
Roast turkey or chicken
Salad of tomatoes and lettuce
Grapefruit or fruit in season
Coffee/Tea/Diet Soda/Water
SUNDAY
Lunch:
Cold or hot turkey or chicken
Tomatoes, carrots, cooked cabbage, broccoli or cauliflower
Grapefruit, or fruit in season
Coffee/Tea/Diet Soda/Water
Dinner:
Plenty of broiled (grilled) steak, all visible fat removed before eating; any cut of steak you wish- sirloin, porterhouse, London broil, etc.
Salad of lettuce, cucumbers, celery, tomatoes (sliced or cooked)
Brussels Sprouts
Coffee/Tea/Diet Soda/Water
Repeat for second week and watch the pounds drop off.
Important things to know about this seemingly rigid diet:
1. Eat until you are satisfied, not stuffed.
2. You can use all the herb, spices, or seasoning you like when cooking, and all the grated onion or parsley you want.
3. Not all veggies are allowed in the Scarsdale Diet. No-nos are corn, peas, potatoes, lentils and beans (except green ones).
4. Snacks between meals are allowed, as long as they are carrots/celery sticks or low sodium veggie broth.
5. Projected calorie intake must not exceed 1000 daily.
Good luck and happy dieting!