Leg extension 108.75lb
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Monday, October 28, 2013
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Benefits to working out/making healthier choices:
- have better odds at a long life to watch my son grow up
- can keep up with my son
- more energy
- sharper brain/memory
- eat better
- sleep better
- clearer skin
- less bloating/cramps
- less gas
- less/no heartburn
- less anxiety
- better coping skills
- less isolated
- happier (endorphins)
- more time with the kiddo
- better immune system/healthier
- more money! Save!
- more motivation
- better role model
- regain confidence
- more time
"Live the life you love.
Love the life you live."
Lifting improvements
Starting # vs. max (several reps) now
Leg press 175lb, 205lb now
Bench 65lb, 85lb now
Quads leg lift 60lb, 98.5lb now
Squats 45lb, 75lb now
5 weeks of working out 5 days/week, as of tomorrow (10-10-13).
Sunday, October 6, 2013
13 comfort foods that burn fat
Hot chocolate
Cocoa is packed with antioxidants, which reduce your levels of cortisol, a stress hormone that causes your body to cling to belly fat. In fact, one Cornell University study found that the concentration of antioxidants in hot chocolate is up to five times greater than it is in black tea.
Hot chocolate's combination of carbs and protein can also help your muscles recover faster from a tough workout, according to research in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. Adding a dash of cinnamon boosts your treat's health benefits even more—it contains compounds that keep insulin out of the blood stream and from storing fat, says Gidus.
Collard greens
A single serving of this hearty veggie adds up to a mere 46 calories. A serving also packs more than your daily-recommended doses of vitamins A and K, which can strengthen your immune system for a healthy metabolism, says Jonny Bowden, PhD, a nutritionist and the author of The 150 Healthiest Comfort Foods on Earth.
Plus, a cup of collard greens contain 7.6 grams of belly-filling fiber. Research from the US Department of Agriculture shows that eating fiber-rich foods can lower your body's absorption of calories from carbs.
Chicken noodle soup
"People who eat a broth- or vegetable-based soup before their meal consume fewer calories overall," says Rania Batayneh, MPH, nutritionist and author of The One One One Diet. "The water in the soup helps fill you up and boosts satiety, and just the act of eating soup helps slow your eating down so that your body has time to notice feelings of fullness."
One Penn State study found that people who ate soup before digging into their entrees reduced their total calorie intake by 20%. Plus, chicken noodle varieties pack the protein, vitamins, and fiber you need to rev your metabolism even after your meal.
Coffee
Your old friend joe can boost more than your mood. It can also boost your metabolism, thanks to a healthy dose of the antioxidant chlorogenic acid (CGA), which increases your body's use of fat for energy, Bowden says.
Research has also shown that the chemical compound can slow the release of glucose into the bloodstream after a meal while lowering insulin resistance to prevent weight gain. Opt for the strong stuff: Several recent studies have found that caffeine in small doses before exercise can improve performance and help your muscles recover in record time.
Pot roast
The moment protein passes your lips, it starts fighting fat. Your body has to work harder to break down protein and use it for energy, which means you burn more calories as you digest it, Gidus says. It also takes more time to leave your stomach, literally keeping your belly fuller for longer.
In one study published in the journal Nutrition Metabolism, dieters who increased their protein intake to 30 percent of their total diet ate about 450 fewer calories a day. Over 12 weeks, that equals 11 pounds lost—without doing anything else!
Oatmeal
One cup of warm, gooey oatmeal contains 4 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein, a combination that slows the digestion of carbs, reduces your insulin response, and keeps you fuller for longer, says Batayneh. In fact, a study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition evaluated 38 common foods and found that oatmeal was the third most filling.
When possible, opt for steel-cut oatmeal, which goes through less processing than other varieties and as a result has a lower Glycemic Index score, a measurement of how much a food increases your blood sugar.
Roasted carrots
As a side or mixed in with your favorite meats, the high water and fiber content in carrots fills you up fast. Roast them for a better calorie burn: University of Arkansas researchers found that carrots roasted at 104 degrees contain three times as many antioxidants as raw carrots.
Red wine
In addition to being a heart helper, red wine may be a weapon against excess weight. A 2009 report from the University of Ulm in Germany suggests that resveratrol—the renowned antioxidant found in grape skins—inhibits the production of fat cells. What's more, a substance found naturally in red wine called calcium pyruvate helps fat cells burn more energy, says Gidus.
Meanwhile, in a 2011 study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, women who had one or two drinks a day were 30 percent less likely to gain weight than teetotalers. So drink up, but stick to just one glass—each 6-ounce serving contains about 150 calories.
Pumpkin
Don't let the pies fool you. One cup of this good-for-you gourd contains a mere 46 calories and 3 grams of fiber, according to the USDA. Plus, pumpkin is an excellent source of the antioxidant beta-carotene, which fights the oxidative stress and inflammation in the body that's linked to increased fat storage, Gidus says.
Chili
If soup is filling and protein builds muscle, then chili has all that and more. The combination of the fiber from the tomatoes and the protein from the beans and beef and prevents overeating. Plus, capsaicin, the compound that gives cayenne, chili peppers, and jalapeños their heat, can also torch fat, says weight-loss specialist and board-certified internist Dr. Sue Decotiis.
Spices trigger your sympathetic nervous system—which is responsible for both the fight-or-flight response and spice-induced sweating—to increase your daily calorie burn by about 50 calories, she says. That equals about 5 pounds lost over a single year.
Chickpeas
Whether you call them garbanzos or chickpeas, a half-cup serving of these hearty legumes provides about 40 percent of your daily protein needs and 70% of your daily fiber intake, helping to stabilize blood sugar, control cravings, and prevent overeating, Gidus says. They're also a great source healthy unsaturated fats that can whittle your waistline.
A 2009 study from the University of Newcastle in Australia found that participants who consumed the most unsaturated fats had lower body mass indexes and less belly fat than those who consumed the least.
Roasted potatoes
Spuds don't have a waist-friendly reputation, but they're actually full of nutrients, Gidus says.
"White foods contain the disease-fighting chemical allicin," she says. "This chemical, also present in garlic, has been shown to fight inflammation in the body, contributing to smaller waistlines."
Plus, research shows that calorie for calorie, white potatoes are more satisfying than any other tested food.
Mashed sweet potatoes
Eating sweet potatoes can prevent sugar from getting stored around your waistline as fat. How? Sweet potatoes are rich in carotenoids—the orange and yellow pigments in plants that help the body respond to insulin—as well as CGA (also found in coffee).
Carotenoids and CGA slow the body's release of glucose and insulin, says Bowden. Plus, sweet potatoes are filled with fiber, which slows digestion and prevents blood sugar from plummeting—and your hunger from spiking.
This article originally appeared on Health.com.
Supermarket Survival Guide
(Reference: abc.com)
Here's how to read the nutrition facts panel and the food label.
Start at the top
The first place to start when you look at the nutrition facts panel is the serving size and the number of servings in the container. In general, serving sizes are standardized in order to make it easier to compare similar foods; they are provided in familiar units, such as cups or pieces, followed by the metric amount, e.g., the number of grams. Be aware that the portion size suggested on the label may not coincide with the recommended serving size on health organization sites such as the USDA's MyPyramid site.
Overall, as you move down the nutrition facts panel, you'll notice that the nutrients toward the top are ones to limit (such as total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, etc.), and the nutrients towards the bottom (fiber, various vitamins) are the nutrients to focus on for better health.
Calories
The label will list the number of calories per serving (again, be sure to check out the serving size, and try measuring out the portion). In general, the following calorie ranges apply to foods:
• Low calorie foods: Fewer than 40 calories per serving • Moderate calorie foods: 100 calories per serving • High calorie foods: More than 400 calories per serving
Total fat
As an athlete, you need to consume some fat (really, there's no need to be afraid of fat), but you don't need to exist on fat alone. In general, approximately 25 percent of your calories comes from fat (the rest from carbohydrates and protein).
Aim for most of your fats to come from plants, as the fat they supply is generally heart-healthy. In general, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are the best choices.
Saturated fat
Design your diet so that less than 10 percent of your total calories comes from saturated fat. For optimal health, keep this number below 7 percent; the less saturated fat, the better!
Trans fat
Keep this unhealthy fat as low as possible. In general, less than 2 grams per day is recommended.
Polyunsaturated (PUFA) and monounsaturated (MUFA) fats
These heart-healthy fats are good choices and often come from vegetable oils. The majority of fats in your diet should be PUFA and MUFAs.
Some food labels list the amount of MUFAs and PUFAs in terms of grams. If the food label does not list the exact grams of PUFAs and MUFAs, you can determine the total by subtracting the grams of saturated fat and trans fat from the total fat content of the food.
Sodium
While athletes lose sodium in their sweat, an excessive intake of sodium is not recommended. The updated Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that individuals reduce their sodium intake to less than 2300mg per day.
In order to consume a diet that meets (and doesn't exceed) this guideline, avoid most processed foods, and aim for less than 200mg per serving. Low-sodium foods contain less than 140mg per serving.
Sugar
The grams of sugar listed on the label include natural sugar and added sugars. Remember to check the ingredients to check for added sugar.
Fiber
In general, kids (2-18 years old) should aim for a fiber intake of their age (in years) plus 5 grams. Adults should aim for 25-30 grams of fiber daily or 14 grams per each 1000 calories consumed.
Footnotes and daily values
At the bottom of the nutrition facts panel, there is often a footnote or a box that explains the daily value percentages in the product. This footnote is based on a 2000-calorie or 2500-calorie diet, so it isn't entirely applicable to everyone. However, the daily value percentages will indicate whether the food item is rich in a certain nutrient. For example, if a product contains 70 percent of the daily value for sodium, you know that no matter how many calories you require, this product is very high in sodium.
The amounts circled in red in the footnote above are the recommended daily intakes or daily values (DV) for each nutrient listed. DVs in the footnote are based on a 2,000 or 2,500 calorie diet. The DVs for some nutrients change with calorie needs, while others (for cholesterol and sodium) remain the same for both calorie amounts.
Ingredient list
Last but not least on the food label is the list of ingredients. Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight, so be sure to pay attention to the order of ingredients. If an ingredient is toward the beginning of the list, the product contains a large amount; whereas, if the ingredient is toward the end of the list, the product contains only a small amount. For example, cereal with sugar listed as the second ingredient contains a high amount of sugar and is probably not the best choice.
The ingredient list is also helpful if you are trying to avoid certain food items or allergens. Food labels are now required to clearly identify the eight most common allergenic foods. These are the foods that account for 90 percent of food allergic reactions. The eight allergens identified on the food label include (but may not be limited to): milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soybeans.
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