Pre-Workout Foods You Should Be Having

When you suddenly start off with a workout routine your body goes through lot of damage control. 

The excess fat in your body starts breaking down as a result of the new regime. Your eating habits need to change as your body needs more protein, calcium and water than what you normally would have consumed. What you eat before your workout is crucial as it will help you enhance your performance during the workout and boost your energy levels too. So what is it that you can eat before you work out? Read on to find out what are the pre-workout foods you should be having.

Banana

Banana contains carbohydrates that can be easily digested. Banana also contains potassium which improves the nerve functions. Potassium also helps you during your workout by keeping your muscles strong during your weight trainings. You can also eat any other fruit that contains natural sugar and will not add calories but at the same time provide you with enough energy to keep you going through your workout.

Yogurt

A bowl of low fat yogurt can be a perfect snack for you before you hit the gym. Yogurt contains magnesium which enhances your energy by releasing enzymes that break down the proteins and carbohydrates. Apart from this, it also gives you energy to lift weights by increasing your strength and stamina.

Oatmeal

Oats are fibrous and thus, easy to digest. The carbohydrates in it get released in the blood and thus boosts your energy. Vitamin B in oatmeal lowers stress and helps convert the carbohydrates into usable energy. Fix yourself a cup of oatmeal before you work-out. It can be a good breakfast optionfor those of you who prefer working out in the morning.

Almonds

Don’t misjudge them as fattening because the fats that almonds contain are monounsaturated fats. The kind of fats you should completely avoid before workout would include butter or cheese products as they will make you lazy and tired. Almonds also contain omega 3s that instantly energise your mind.

Lentils

Lentils contain Vitamin B, fibre, carbs, magnesium, zinc, potassium and calcium. Lentils contain all the contents that we told you individually in the above ingredients. Apart from this, it is very low on calories. Eat a small bowl of sprouted lentils and add a pinch of rock salt for taste. But don’t overdo it as you might end up getting an upset stomach.

Chocolate

When you need an instant energy boost, chocolates can come in really handy. Chocolates contain compounds that help you gain energy. But watch it and eat only a little, as a bar of chocolate abounds in sugar, fat and calories. Opt for dark chocolate as it contains lesser calories than all the other chocolates.

Eating right before you work out is a complete no no. Eat atleast half an hour to forty-five minutes before yo hit the gym. If your routine includes swimming, then do not eat anything for an hour before you take a dip. These foods in small proportions will help you work-out for a longer time and you won’t be forced to quit your workout midway to satisfy your hunger pangs.

The benefits of food on our health

In this article, we will look at the following:

• Foods to help the body cope with stress.
• Foods to help increase the body’s defense system.
• Foods to improve eyesight.
• Foods to relieve depression.
• Foods to help improve your skin.
• Foods to combat PMS.
• Foods to combat poor concentration and tiredness.
• Foods to improve your sleep.
• Foods to help improve your bones.

Foods to help the body cope with stress

B vitamins help the body to cope with stress, so including more foods that are rich sources of B vitamins could help. This group of vitamins are essential for the nervous system. Try to eat more wholemeal products such as bread, pitta bread, scones and wholegrain breakfast cereals such as branflakes, fruit and fiber, porridge, Weetabix, muesli and Shredded Wheat.

Other beneficial foods are fruit and vegetables, lean meat, poultry, eggs, low-fat dairy products and pulses (for example, peas, beans and lentils). Try to avoid drinks containing alcohol and caffeine. Alcohol acts as a depressant on the nervous system; excess caffeine can lead to palpitations, rapid breathing and disturbed sleep.

Foods to help increase the body’s defense system

The immune system helps protect the body from bacteria and viruses. Research has proven that a diet low in vitamin C, zinc and beta-carotene reduces the body’s ability to fight invasions from hostile organisms. Foods that are high in vitamin C are citrus fruit and berries. Foods that are a rich source of zinc include oysters, liver, pumpkin seeds, red meat and sardines. Beta-carotene rich foods include sweet potatoes, carrots, apricots and oranges.

Alcohol, when consumed in large amounts, increases the risk of long-term damage to health. Try to limit your intake of alcohol to 3 to 4 units per day (equivalent to two pints of beer) if you are a man, and 2 to 3 units per day (equivalent to two glasses of wine) if you are a woman. These guidelines are benchmarks and are not targets to drink up to. Benchmarks are a guide to how much alcohol can be taken without putting your health at risk.

Foods to improve eyesight

There have been links made between some antioxidant substances and a reduced risk of eye problems such as cataracts and glaucoma. Wholegrain foods and red meat contain B vitamins and may help to maintain the health of the optic nerve, an essential part of good vision. Green leafy vegetables and orange coloured fruit and vegetables are a good source of beta carotene which is needed by the eyes to allow them to adapt to darkness.

Vitamin C containing foods such as citrus fruits and berries may reduce the risk of raised pressure in the eye which is useful for people with glaucoma and those prone to cataracts.

Foods to relieve depression

Dietary changes prove to be most beneficial in people suffering from mild to moderate depression. Oats contain saponins, alkaloids, B vitamins and flavonoids, all known for their anti-depressant actions. Basil contains a substance called basil camphor which is thought to have an antidepressant action.

Eat more Brussels sprouts, beetroot, broccoli and asparagus as all are rich in folate; low levels of this B vitamin are linked to depression. Breakfast cereals and yeast extract are fortified with folic acid which acts in the same way as folate.

Vitamin B₆ is responsible for converting a substance called tryptophan into serotonin which raises mood. Good sources of vitamin B₆ are wholemeal products, cod, turkey, beef and bananas.

Foods to help improve your skin

Diet plays a large role in the maintenance of healthy skin. Vitamin E and monounsaturated fats help to maintain skin structure and help wounds to heal, try eating more avocados to provide you with Vitamin E. Zinc, protein and iron are contained in red meat; these nutrients may help to reduce inflammation, help the skin to renew itself and promote wound healing. Oily fish contains omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, which can decrease inflammation and improve the skin’s water resistance and can help in the treatment of psoriasis. Beta-carotene and vitamins A and C help the body to protect itself from sun damage, top foods to eat are citrus fruit and orange or dark green coloured vegetables.

Foods to combat PMS

Bloating is a symptom of premenstrual syndrome; foods that may be beneficial are fruit, vegetables and oats as they are all rich in soluble fiber which is easier for the digestive system to deal with than insoluble fiber. Avoid swede, cabbage and pulses as these foods can cause bloating. Cut back on salty foods as they can cause bloating associated with water retention. Sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds are rich sources of omega-6 fatty acids; it is possible that if you have PMS you may be deficient in these essential substances. Green vegetables, bread and pasta are good sources of magnesium and this is needed for normal hormone function. If you are deficient in magnesium it may contribute to muscle cramps and aches. Finally, evening primrose oil capsules taken daily have been shown to help reduce breast discomfort.

Foods to combat poor concentration and tiredness

If you are unable to concentrate and are generally feeling tired all the time you may have anemia. This is caused through poor iron intake and people who eat little or no meat (vegetarians and vegans) are particularly at risk. Another group of people who are at risk are women, including teenage girls. Women menstruate every month and this loss of blood increases women’s requirement for iron. Try eating red meat and, if you like it, liver is a really good source of iron.

Foods to improve your sleep

How well you sleep can depend on what you eat. Try having a small meal or snack no less than three hours before going to bed. Limit your intake of caffeine in an evening from tea, coffee and soft drinks. Another tip to improve your sleep is limiting your alcohol intake at night and try to drink a cup of warm milk before bed. While watching what you eat can help, don’t avoid food entirely at night. If you go to bed hungry, your body may wake you in the middle of the night. Regular physical activity will also help you sleep well; but, avoid exercising three hours before you go to bed because that, too, can keep you awake.

Foods to help improve your bones

As we get older the density of our bones lessens, increasing the risk of fractures. This is called osteoporosis. Foods that can help are dairy products such as semi-skimmed milk, low-fat yogurts and cheese. Try to have three portions per day. Oily fish such as mackerel, sardines, salmon and fresh tuna provide vitamin D which helps the body absorb calcium more efficiently. If you don’t like oily fish; eggs, butter and fortified margarine are also good sources of vitamin D.

Carbonated soft drinks, such as coca cola, are best avoided as they contain phosphoric acid that contributes to calcium losses and therefore increases the risk of osteoporosis. There are many different foods that can be therapeutic in varying conditions and life stages; calcium and vitamin D containing foods during the years when the bones are still forming, iron for those people who are tired, lethargic and possibly anaemic.

So whether you are suffering from pre-menstrual syndrome or sleepless nights, it is worth remembering that food has a part to play in helping these conditions.

Source: http://ph.she.yahoo.com/benefits-food-health-095229053.html

Lose weight, stay active: Six small changes can help keep off pounds

Fortunately, there is an alternative approach to the drastic diet and exercise revisions that Americans find so difficult to embark on and sustain. The idea is to start with smaller, easier changes that will, at the very least, halt the weight-creep and give encouraging results.

"We find that people who make small changes will often lose a few pounds," said James O. Hill, Ph.D., director of the Anschutz Health and Wellness Center at the University of Colorado at Denver. "Those who start with small changes often end up able to make more and bigger changes and lose more weight."

Here are a half-dozen small changes you can make right now:

1. Stop drinking calories

In the late 1970s the average American consumed about 70 calories a day in the form of sugar-sweetened beverages. By 2000 we were guzzling an average of 190 calories. Numerous studies have left little doubt about the connection between increased consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks and the soaring rates of weight gain and obesity that occurred during that same time period.

"When we consume energy in beverage form, we don't get the same fullness as when we consume solids," said Richard D. Mattes, Ph.D., professor of foods and nutrition at Purdue University. "Those calories tend to add to the diet rather than displacing another energy source."

Fruit juice is not a replacement for soda. It might have a few vitamins and minerals, but it's just as damaging to your waistline. "If you drink 300 calories of apple cider, you'll feel less full than if you ate 300 calories of apples," Mattes said. And you'd have a lot to eat: You'd get to chew about three 3-inch apples for 300 calories.

What about replacing your favorite full-sugar drink with an artificially sweetened version? The evidence is mixed. Some studies suggest that though diet sodas don't add calories, they still activate your sweet tooth. But other studies show no such effect. "It's very difficult for my patients to stop drinking soda," said Caroline Apovian, M.D., director of the Nutrition and Weight Management Center at Boston Medical Center. "I always tell them to switch to diet soda."

As for milk, Mattes thinks it fools our internal calorie-counting mechanism the same way soft drinks do. Other experts doubt that, but they all agree that milk provides some useful nutrients in exchange for its calories. Similarly, the health benefits of moderate alcohol consumption might justify the calorie penalty, but that form of liquid calories is unlikely to make you feel full.

2. Eat more protein

Remember when experts thought the high-protein, low-carb Atkins diet didn't work and was dangerous? It's been more than seven years since the first studies started overturning that idea. Low-carb, high-protein diets have proved surprisingly effective, especially in the short term. And it turns out that people who eat a higher proportion of their calories from protein end up consuming fewer calories overall.

"There's currently a fair amount of evidence that protein is a more satiating nutrient than others, at least in a solid food," Mattes said.

But don't expect miracles from that approach. "It's really difficult to manipulate your protein intake markedly while eating normal foods," Mattes said.

In a major clinical trial that looked at high-protein diets, published Feb. 26, 2009, in The New England Journal of Medicine, participants didn't get their protein intake to the target level of 25 percent of total calories. But they did increase it from a baseline of 18 percent to about 21 percent.

The bottom line is that it can't hurt to substitute a bit more lean protein for some of the fat and starches in your diet.

3. Eat more fiber

Fiber is the good guy of food. It may help protect against colon cancer and heart disease, and it is your weight-control friend. It slows digestion, helping you to feel fuller longer, and displaces other caloric foods. Best of all, it comes in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains that are loaded with beneficial vitamins and minerals.

But as with protein, don't set your expectations too high, Mattes cautioned.

"Most of the studies showing beneficial effects are based on very large intakes that just aren't realistic for the general population," he said. "The typical American consumes 10 to 14 grams a day. The recommendation is for 25 or more grams, which is a huge departure from one's customary intake."

You might not make it to that goal, but you can boost your fiber-rich vegetable intake fairly painlessly, said Barbara Rolls, Ph.D., professor of nutritional sciences at Pennsylvania State University.

"Grow the amount of vegetables on your plate and shrink everything else," Rolls said. "Toss them in oil and roast them in the oven. Add your favorite veggies to sandwiches, pizza toppings, stews, wherever you can."

4. Lead yourself not into temptation

Can't eat just one Dorito or chocolate kiss? That is no accident, as former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner David Kessler, M.D., documented in his book, "The End of Overeating" (Rodale, 2009). The food industry works hard to create high-calorie foods with the most addictive possible combination of intense flavor and "mouthfeel."

"A century ago, to consume 400 calories, you had to go buy the meat, vegetables, and rice, and come home and cook it," Apovian said. "Now you can consume the same amount of calories just by downing a bag of Cheetos."

You obviously can't avoid encountering those foods in your daily life and probably eating them on occasion. But never have them at home, Apovian advised.

5. Add 2,000 steps a day

That's 20 to 25 minutes of walking, covers about a mile, and will burn about 100 calories a day—enough, Hill said, to prevent gradual weight gain in most people.

"It doesn't matter how you get there," Hill said. "It can be all at once or spread out. Once you do get there, do more."

Some of Hill's suggestions for sneaking in extra steps: When you step outside to get your mail, walk around the block before going back inside; do some errands on foot; at work, park at the far end of the office lot and use a distant rest room.

6. Cut your screen time

"When we're sitting, we are burning almost as few calories as we do when we're sleeping," said Marc T. Hamilton, Ph.D., a professor at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, La. "Sitting too much is hazardous to your health in a different way than exercising too little."

Hamilton is a researcher in the new field of inactivity physiology, the study of what happens when we're, well, just sitting there. Research shows that the more you sit, the higher your risk of weight gain, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. That seems to be true even for people who get the prescribed 150 minutes a week of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.

"Standing upright washing dishes, getting dressed, or filing papers isn't exercise by anybody's standard," Hamilton said. "Yet these activities double your metabolic rate compared to sitting. If you can find 6 or 7 more hours a week to spend standing instead of sitting, you've done something good for yourself."

Sitting in front of a computer or television is one of the least active things most of us do. Research has shown that the more screen time we indulge in, the fatter we tend to be. And when we cut down our screen time, we tend to stand up and move around. A November 2010 Consumer Reports survey of 1,234 Americans found that those who spend 5 or more hours sitting during a typical weekday log less time in everyday activity.

So look for chances to stand up and move around in the course of your day. And see whether you can cut back your daily screen time.

Safe, effective long-term weight-loss pill remains elusive

The Food and Drug Administration turned down two applications for new anti-obesity drugs in recent months, in part because of safety concerns.

But on Dec. 7, 2010, an FDA advisory committee recommended approval of a new weight-loss drug. Called Contrave, it is a combination of two older medications: naltrexone, used to treat alcohol and drug addiction, and bupropion, an antidepressant. In a 56-week clinical trial, obese patients on Contrave lost an average of 5 to 6 percent of their starting weight, compared with a little more than 1 percent for patients on placebo. A significant number reported side effects from Contrave, including nausea, constipation, and dizziness. A final FDA decision on Contrave was expected in January 2011.

With the October 2010 removal of Meridia (sibutramine) from the market because of the risk of major cardiovascular side effects, there's only one prescription weight-loss medication currently approved for long-term use in the U.S. It's Xenical (orlistat), which blocks your body from absorbing 30 percent of the fat you ingest. Also available in a lower over-the-counter dose under the Alli brand name, Xenical has never achieved the widespread popularity once expected.

That might be because of intestinal side effects, caused by the undigested fat, that could result in oily spotting. And in clinical trials of orlistat, severely overweight patients on a reduced-calorie diet lost only about 7 pounds more after a year of treatment than subjects who took placebos.

Source: http://shopping.yahoo.com/articles/yshoppingarticles/494/lose-weight-stay-active-six-small-changes-can-help-keep-off-pounds/

Working out

Hindi madali ang magpapalaki ng katawan. It takes time it even take years para lang lumaki ang katawan. Disiplina ang main key para mas lumaki ang katawan. Eat food which is rich in protein and less in sodium para hindi ma-partially malagyan ng tubig ang timbang mo. Dapat rin magpahinga para mas matapalan ng protein ang muscle at mas lumaki pa. Dapat rin gumawa ng personal Schedule para sa sariling program mo na gagawin sa gym. Dapat 2 kinds of part or 3 na gagawin mo sa workout mo para makapahinga yung part na yun at ibang part naman ang gagamitin mo. For example day 1 you workout your bicep,shoulder and legs. Sa susunod naman you will workout your tricep, back and traps. Dapat kasi ganun para yung alternately the protein will fill your muscle part partially. Mas mainam kong may kasama kang nag wo-workout para naman hindi ka mabagot at atleast may tiga tingin sa mga ginagawa mo. Pero kong nag gy-gym ka for sure may makilala ka so working out won't be that boring ^_^

Cardiovascular Exercise

Ang Cardio ang best exercise na gagawin para mawalan ng taba. Personally i dont do jugging in early morning, they keep saying mas the best kong mag ju-jugging sa madaling araw. But personally mas nag wo-workout ako sa hapon or papuntang gabi na, dahil atleast pagkatapos ko malapit nang bedtime. Para sakin kasi useless yung nag ju-jugging sa madaling araw kong madami kang kakainin sa Lunch so parang useless rin, yung tinakbo mo isang plato lang ng kain ang katapat. So dapat kasi alamin mo muna kong paano ang magiging epekto sa gagawin mo at para naman it wont end up not doing it cause it didn't work. So losing fat takes time and must have patience to do any Cardio workouts. As far as i know there are 4 kinds of best Cardio. 1st Jugging/Walking 2nd Biking 3rd Swimming 4th Skip Rope. As for me i do 1-2-3, i dont do 4 cause i don't know how to swim, hehehehehe. I got a personal schedule on workouts, M-W-F is my Weight lifting day and T-TH-S-S ang Cardio day ko. I do it everyday para mas effective. They keep telling me i should rest but as the Dr. said sakin sa gym na if doing cardio must to do it everyday cause u eat everyday, you have to burn what you eat para hindi mag store at maging fat na naman. We got a Dr. physician sa gym so masaya talaga sa gym namin, and and mga pioneer members knows already what to do, what are the forms, what does do doing this at ako naman i got my own knowledge how to do lose fat. When i started working out i only last 2hours on working out. I Start at 6:00pm to 8:00pm everyday but now i do 3:30pm to 8-9:00pm cause my body is slowly improving but i don't work out non-stop with those hours. Humihinto rin ako, nagpapahinga minsan lumalabas pagkatapos ng pahinga ko saka ako babalik ulit doing my exercise. Be knowledgeable sa gagawin mo para mas epektibo para hindi ka mainis sa sarili mo sa dami ng ginawa mo pero hindi naman epektibo.

Junk Food

Ang mga Junk Foods ay nag lipana na sa mga kayle... Accessible at masarap kainin. Pero ito ay UNWANTED CALORIE. Also the most important thing on Losing Fat is avoid taking unnecessary calories cause it will make your agony more hard. Dapat kasi discipline lang at sakripisyo. Those are the key to lose fat, and as they all says... NO PAIN.... NO GAIN... Personally mataas taas narin ang na sakripisyo ko. Sa 5 months kong nag gy-gym 2 months akong kumakain ng rice just for starter, 2 hours everyday na workout. The other 3 months ay as much as possible NO MORE RICE. Impossible naman siguro kong hindi ako kakain ng kanin diba? Kumakain rin ako pero hindi na masyadong madami, like.... 1 table spoon or so, minsan naman pag hindi mapigilan ang gutom, kumakain ako ng kanin pero madalas ko lang gawin yun. At more than 3 months narin akong hindi naka kain ng Hamburger. Fastfood foods got lots of Calorie, ang bad part is hindi sapat ang isang pagkain sa fastfood para mabusog ka so it makes you want to order/eat more. You need to have a hard motivation bakit mo gagawin pag pagbabawas ng taba, for me personally ang main reason ko ay dahil ang mama ko, ang bloodline nya ay Highblood. Karamihan sa mga kamag-anak ng mama ko ay namatay dahil sa Highblood. Kaya ako personally if i don't w0rk my health i might have it so the only way i know to prevent it is being fit at alagaan ang kalusugan. Commonly suggested sa mga Doktor na magpapawis pag mataas ang sugar level kasi mga stored sugar nila sa katawan ay nag store sa katawan so isa sa mga solution ay magpapawis.

6 Pack Abs Guarantuee

Nangangarap kabang magkaroon ng 6pack abs? Naiinggit kaba sa mga macho at mga poging may 6pack abs? Nahuhumali kaba sa mga produkto na nag sasabing kaya ka nitong bigyan ng magandang abs in just few weeks? Leeche.... half true lang ang productong yun... SOS!!!! wag na kayung magwaldas ng limpak limpak na salapi kong bibili kayu ng mga productong iyon.

Alam nyo kasi... lahat ng tao may 6pack abs. kahit nga bagong silang may 6pack abs, di nga lang well developed. Di ba kayu nag tataka kong bakit workout lang kayu ng workout tapos wala paring nakikitang 6pack abs?

Kong naniniwala kayu sa mga produktong iyon ay napaka laki mong UTO-UTO. Alam nyo kasi, kahit anong gawin nyong ab workout dyan ehhhh di na ganun ka masyadong kaylangan kasi may 6pack abs naman kayu ehhh. Di nga lang nakikita kasi alam nyo kong bakit? Kasi..... ANG LAKI LAKI NG TABA MO SA TYAN!!!!! Kaya yan hindi nakikita kasi natatabunan ng massive amounts of fats and tsyan mo kaya hindi nakikita ang abdominal muscles mo. And the only way to do that is... BURN THEM ALL!!!! Kong wala na kayung pag asa at tsaga sa pag ma-manual working out. May operation naman para magka abs ka... pero ang ginagawa lang sa operation is bawasan ang fats sa tsyan so parang.... gumagasta kalang ng higit more than 10k kong matutunaw mo naman yun in just 2 months or so. Para matunaw ang taba mo sa tsyan... ay kalangan mong mag Cardio or Cardiovascular Exercise. Yung mga produktong nangangako ng Abs are just only half true. It does build you up your abdominal muscles but it didnt say it will show up in just 2 weeks like they always say in their products. May 2 dahilan akong alam kong bakit need dapat mag ab exercise. Una, para sa matataba, sumasakit ang likod nila kasi yung abdominal muscles nila ay hindi ganun ka firm. Abdominal muscles helps you hold or strengthen the strength the back bone and helps you hold your upper body. Pangalawa, sa larangan ng sports like boxing/baseball at iba pa ay kalangan ng abdominal muscle para mas mapalakas ang palo nila at magkaroon ng lakas ang palo nila, shempre kaylangan din ng lakas ng kamay dahil kamay ang gagamitin nila sa pag palo at hindi ang abs. And the only way to show that abdominal muscles is to burn that fat away.