Good nutrition is vital to a strong and healthy mind and body. It's true what they say - you are what you eat.
This statement points out very effectively that if you feed your body with low nutritional and sugary garbage, your body has nothing to work with and you'll end up eventually feeling like garbage.
On the other hand, if you nourish your body with food that is packed with nutrients such as vitamins, fiber, healthy fats, whole grains and omega-3's, you'll notice a huge difference in how you look and feel...especially if you make this type of food a dietary habit.
Right now we're at a crossroad - we know we should be eating better, but there are so many restaurants available offering "bad" food and it's making the obesity rate skyrocket. Even restaurants that offer fish platters and other health-conscious meals end up not so well because of the amount of calories you ingest between the bread, large portions and dessert.
You have two options:
1. Stay away from fast rood restaurants - and when you eat out at restaurants, be strict about what you eat. Stay away from the bread and don't finish everything on your plate...bring the rest home for a meal you can eat the next day.
2. Make a meal at home yourself using ingredients you buy at the grocery store, not frozen entrees.
The focus of this article is on number two because by making your own meal, you can control exactly what goes into it. The end result is a meal that you know is nutritious and NOT packed with health-deteriorating ingredients.
Here's an example of the perfect meal you can make at home. It has everything you need for better health.
What you'll need is:
1 9-10 ounce bag of baby spinach
1 can of wild Alaskan pink salmon
1-2 teaspoons of olive oil
1-2 teaspoons of balsamic vinegar
1/2-3/4 cup of brown rice
Here's a breakdown of each food's health benefits:
Spinach - this green leaf is packed with phytonutrients, vitamins and fiber - and it's low in calories.
Wild Alaskan Pink Salmon - yes, canned! It tastes better than you think. The reason this is recommended is because the food is a powerhouse of good fats, protein and omega-3's and is low in calories and carbohydrates. The salmon you would normally buy is potentially high in mercury, which is bad. This Wild Alaskan form is free of mercury...and it's inexpensive.
In case you're wondering, Omega-3's are vital for healthy weight loss, brain health and a healthy cardiovascular system.
Olive Oil - full of good fat which your body does need. When you buy olive oil, make sure it's 100% authentic. Some brands are now mixing olive oil with refined oils...the end result is olive oil, but not really.
Balsamic Vinegar - vinegar reportedly controls your blood sugar level when eating which is important for overall health. Furthermore, it gives the meal more taste.
Brown Rice - whole grains are full of vitamins and fiber. Check out Uncle Ben's instant brown rice...it's pretty good and quick to make.
Making the meal is easy. You simply lay the spinach out on a platter- you can more or less use however much you want- and drizzle 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil and balsamic vinegar over the spinach.
Let this sit for 10 minutes or so- this gives the spinach a chance to soak up the oil and vinegar. While this is sitting, cook the brown rice and open up the can of salmon.
When ready, simply spread the salmon over the spinach and put the brown rice either on the side or in a separate bowl.
And now the best part of all - ENJOY!
This meal will take you 15 minutes max to make and each bite will nourish your body from the inside out. And once you get used to eating healthy, you'll find yourself experimenting with all types of different meals.
This article shared with you one example of a perfect meal, but there are many many more!
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Make those Abs look Great
Everybody wants a tight, firm midsection. You can tone your abs and get rid of that pot belly but there is one important point you first need to understand.
You cannot spot reduce anywhere on your body. You can spot tone your muscles in the area you are targeting, but you cannot spot reduce.
Here's an example. Look at your belly in a relaxed mode. Now suck in your stomach muscles.
Your pot belly is pretty much gone. Did you suddenly lose weight in that area?
Of course not! The same thing happens when you begin to properly exercise your ab muscles. The muscles become stronger and pull in the unsightly girth. Your abs look tighter and you look better, but unless you have actually lost weight overall, you have not actually lost any fat in that area.
To lose fat in the abs, you must lose weight overall. To make your abs look slimmer and sexier, you must develop the ab muscles.
One of the best pieces of exercise equipment you can purchase is an exercise ball, also called a swiss ball. Every time you do exercises on this ball, your ab muscles come into play. The abs are working to keep the ball steady and to keep you from falling off.
You can easily do two of the following exercises on the ball and increase the effectiveness.
1. The Bicycle
This has been proven to be one of the most effective ab exercises you can do. You cannot do this one on the ball.
Lie on your back with your hands behind your head. Lift your legs off the ground and raise your shoulders a couple inches off the floor.
Do not pull your neck with your hands. Push your lower back tight to the floor. Bring your left leg towards your chest while rotating your right elbow to touch your left knee.
Don't strain. As you return to the starting position, begin bringing your right knee in and rotate your left elbow to touch your right knee.
Work up to twenty repetitions each leg. Do them slowly.
2. Crunch
You are probably familiar with this one. Lay on your back with either your hands behind your head or on your chest. Legs are in a V-shape with your feet flat on the floor.
Once again push your lower back tight to the floor. Begin to raise your head and shoulders off the floor, tightening your ab muscles. Do not pull on your neck. You are only raising your shoulders a few inches off the ground.
At the top of the movement, hold for about one second, then return and repeat. Work to twenty repetitions. This is excellent on the exercise ball!
3. The Plank
Lie on your stomach. Feet are straight and close together. Push off the floor, raising up on your toes and your elbows. Keep your back straight and tighten your ab muscles. Hold for thirty seconds. Return and repeat for three to five repetitions.
Again, this exercise is excellent on the exercise ball.
Do these three exercises at least five days a week and the ab muscles will tighten up and you will look and feel great.
You cannot spot reduce anywhere on your body. You can spot tone your muscles in the area you are targeting, but you cannot spot reduce.
Here's an example. Look at your belly in a relaxed mode. Now suck in your stomach muscles.
Your pot belly is pretty much gone. Did you suddenly lose weight in that area?
Of course not! The same thing happens when you begin to properly exercise your ab muscles. The muscles become stronger and pull in the unsightly girth. Your abs look tighter and you look better, but unless you have actually lost weight overall, you have not actually lost any fat in that area.
To lose fat in the abs, you must lose weight overall. To make your abs look slimmer and sexier, you must develop the ab muscles.
One of the best pieces of exercise equipment you can purchase is an exercise ball, also called a swiss ball. Every time you do exercises on this ball, your ab muscles come into play. The abs are working to keep the ball steady and to keep you from falling off.
You can easily do two of the following exercises on the ball and increase the effectiveness.
1. The Bicycle
This has been proven to be one of the most effective ab exercises you can do. You cannot do this one on the ball.
Lie on your back with your hands behind your head. Lift your legs off the ground and raise your shoulders a couple inches off the floor.
Do not pull your neck with your hands. Push your lower back tight to the floor. Bring your left leg towards your chest while rotating your right elbow to touch your left knee.
Don't strain. As you return to the starting position, begin bringing your right knee in and rotate your left elbow to touch your right knee.
Work up to twenty repetitions each leg. Do them slowly.
2. Crunch
You are probably familiar with this one. Lay on your back with either your hands behind your head or on your chest. Legs are in a V-shape with your feet flat on the floor.
Once again push your lower back tight to the floor. Begin to raise your head and shoulders off the floor, tightening your ab muscles. Do not pull on your neck. You are only raising your shoulders a few inches off the ground.
At the top of the movement, hold for about one second, then return and repeat. Work to twenty repetitions. This is excellent on the exercise ball!
3. The Plank
Lie on your stomach. Feet are straight and close together. Push off the floor, raising up on your toes and your elbows. Keep your back straight and tighten your ab muscles. Hold for thirty seconds. Return and repeat for three to five repetitions.
Again, this exercise is excellent on the exercise ball.
Do these three exercises at least five days a week and the ab muscles will tighten up and you will look and feel great.
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