Buying local, fresh foods from Farmers’ markets, organic farms, or from your local grocer can go a long way for your budget and your health.  However, not everyone can benefit or wants to shop healthy.  Here are the top five foods to avoid or minimize in your diet for a longer, healthier life and a leaner waistline, followed by the top five foods that will give you amazing health benefits.

Food #1 Low-fat Foods

Food labeling can be very deceptive when it comes to food geared for weight loss.  Low-fat foods are one of the products to be careful about.  Just because the food says “low fat,” does not mean the food is low calorie.  Be sure to check the label and see how many calories are typically in the product.  Most people associate low-fat foods with lower calories, so they tend to eat more.  Do not be fooled by this deceptive labeling technique.

Food #2 Sugar-Free Foods

Sugar-free foods are geared to people with diabetes or at risk for developing diabetes.  Sugar-free foods have low calories and no sugar.

However, look at the label under sugars, and you will see something interesting.  Sugar-free foods tend to have sugar alcohols, which is an ingredient designed to give it sweetness.  Most of the time, sugar alcohol is made from sugar products, which can lead to increased calories.  Sugar alcohols carry between 1.5 and 4 calories per gram.  Not only do you get extra calories, but you also can get cramping, bloating, and other gastrointestinal problems if you ingest too much.

Food #3  Commercial Smoothies

Normally, smoothies are associated with healthy eating.  They have skim milk, fruit, and yogurt, so they are considered a great, healthy food.  Some commercial smoothies, however, have many hidden calories from extra sugar.  Some smoothies are also made with ice cream, so you end up ballooning sugar, fat, and calorie content.  Most of the time, the fruit in smoothies is blended up into fruit juice, or fruit juice is added.   This eliminates the fiber that is found in the skin of most fruits.  My advice:  Make your smoothies at home, and leave the commercial smoothies on the shelf.

Food #4 Commercial Yogurts

Yogurt, again, has been considered a natural health product containing calcium, probiotics, and other products that have been shown to be beneficial to our health.  Look at the label again, and you might see something surprising.   When looking at the label, some of the first few ingredients in yogurt are different forms of sugar.  All this extra sugar can lead to weight gain and stubborn, hard-to-lose body fat.  So again, read the label and see exactly what is in the product before you choose the yogurt of choice.

Food #5 Sugary energy drinks including items with added vitamins and minerals

Energy drinks have been advertised as giving you that extra pick-me-up during the day, and a way to increase the intensity of your workouts.  Energy drinks can contain high amounts of caffeine and sugar, which gives you that initial pick-me-up, but you end up crashing hard later.  Also, some drinks that have added vitamins and minerals, can have loads of sugar as well.  So stop and think before you drink and choose something lower in calories and sugar, maybe something like coffee or tea.

Next, I am going to share with you 5 foods that are beneficial to your health, and you might not even know it.

Food #1 Swiss Chard

Aging can create many different problems for people.  Wrinkles, lack of balance, and our eyesight can worsen, and are just some of the different things that happen with the aging process.  Swiss chard is considered a super food because of some of the amazing caroteniods that can be found in this leafy green vegetable.  Swiss chard contains high levels of lutein and zeaxanthin that have been shown to help with good eyesight.   These two caroteniods have been shown to build up in the eyes, which help with the way light rays enter our eyes and are absorbed.

Food #2 Pepper, Especially Capsaicin

So most of you are probably asking why pepper is on the list.  Pepper is a zero-calories food that can add a lot of flavor to your foods.  Not only does it pack a great punch to your foods, but capsaicin has been shown to have tremendous anti-inflammatory properties.  It has also been shown to be helpful in fighting some cancers because of its anti-cancer effects.
Food #3 Wheat Grass

There are plenty of juices out there that contain Wheat Grass which is chock full of vitamins and minerals that will keep you healthy.   Loaded with Vitamins, B, C, and E, this food can help to clean out your system and fight infections.   Not only does this food contain essential vitamins and minerals, but it also is a complete protein.  This food is full of the essential amino acids that our bodies require for building muscle.   The high concentration of vitamins helps protect the body from stress that our bodies are under daily.

Food #4 Tahini

Tahini is now found in most grocery stores as an excellent source of all the B vitamins as well as calcium.  B vitamins are essential in development of healthy cells in the body, especially red blood cells.   B vitamins can also help in raising metabolism, and help our immune system become stronger.  Tahini also holds a surprising amount of calcium, zinc, and copper.  The high levels of calcium can help keep bones strong and healthy, and might be responsible in fighting some cancers. Tahini also holds an abundance of fiber, specifically sesamin and sesomolin, which can have positive effects in lowering cholesterol.
Food #5 Avocado

This amazing fruit helps reduce inflammation through some of the carotenoids found in the green, fleshy part of the avocado. This vegetable also has a tremendous amount of fat, but the good fats that are beneficial to the body. The main source of fat is Oliec acid, which helps with fat absorption and also helps to lower the risk for developing heart disease. Avocados also have phytosterols, which keep inflammation in the body under control.

How To Instantly Remove Two Of Your Biggest Weight Loss Obstacles >>

Using lean meats, fresh fruits and vegetables, and low-fat food items is essential if you’re planning on having a healthy diet. But did you know the tools you’re using in the kitchen may also determine whether or not you’re going to eat healthy meals? Read on to learn what tools of the trade you should keep in your hands when you’re cooking.

All Day Cooker

Have a hard time finding time to cook dinner at night? Slow cooker to the rescue! Simply toss in whatever delicious vittles you have planned for dinner, set the cooker on low, and go about your daily life. After a hard day of work, cheering on your kids at the soccer field, and sitting for hours in bumper-to-bumper traffic, the sweet smells of your slow-cooked, home-cooked meal will make you glad to be at home. Not only does a slow cooker save time, it saves you money and calories by encouraging you to eat at home with the family and not at the steak restaurant down the street.

Rising Freshness

Want to make your house smell like heaven and your entire family drool? You can do both by investing in a bread machine and using it regularly. By baking your own bread, you’re the final word on what ingredients will be in each slice, making it possible to give your bread an added boost of fiber, wheat, bananas, or nuts. Of course, you can always bake bread in your oven, but a bread maker makes the process easy, which makes you more likely to keep fresh-baked bread around the house at all times.

Grill In

Want the flavors of the great outdoors without the open flame? It’s time to purchase an indoor grill. One of the best advertised is George Foreman’s Lean, Mean, Fat-Reducing Grilling Machine, but there are a number of other brands that offer many of the same benefits. On top of grilled flavor, indoor grills are easy to clean and like their outdoor counterparts, an indoor grill allows the fat from your meats to slide off the grill, making sure it never touches your mouth.

Slick, Nonstick Cookware

No matter what you’re cooking, you’ll have to add some oil or butter to keep it from sticking to the pan—unless you swap in your grandmother’s frying pan, skillet, and saucepan for nonstick cookware. By keeping slick, nonstick cookware in your kitchen, you immediately reduce the amount of fats that find their way into your food due to the necessary slathering of oil or butter. Thanks to their incredible popularity, you can pick up a set of nonstick cookware for relatively cheap at any store that sells kitchenware.

Oil of O’Spray

Cooking often requires oil to on the bottom surface of the pot or pan being used. Sometimes, even your nonstick cookware will need a little oiling. Instead of pouring oil, spray it. Don’t like the flavor of oils that come in spray cans? You can pick up an oil sprayer, fill it with your oil of choice, and spray just the right amount of oil on your cookware. This keeps you from using more oil than is necessary, saving you precious money and preventing you from getting extra oil-based fat.

A Juicy Snack

When you’re on the go and need a quick pick-me-up, you have a few options. You can grab an energy bar, a pack of peanut butter crackers, or a glass of juice.

If you prefer to get your nutrition in a glass, buying a high-quality juicer is a must. With a powerful juicer in your hands, you can blend whatever fruit or vegetable you can find for an instant, powerful jolt of energy and good health, courtesy of Mother Nature.

I’ve got two awesome updates for you today from my partners over at Prograde Nutrition.

First, you’ve got to check out these 5 Fat Fighting lunch recipes they just released. They will fill you up and fuel your body the right way:

http://jimmahan.getprograde.com/easy-lunch-ideas.html

Second, they are having a HUGE sale where all their products are 14% off for a limited time!

Just click the link below for your very own coupon code:

http://jimmahan.getprograde.com/specials.html

Thought it was good for me???

It has a funny name and is fairly rare. As a result, most people don’t understand Celiac disease. Want to be one of the educated folks who understand this difficult disease? Read on for a crash course.

Something Like an Allergy

When someone has Celiac disease, his or her body has a negative reaction to gluten. This negative reaction causes the small intestine to go crazy. More specifically, millions of villi (tiny hair-like substances that line the intestines and help the body absorb nutrients from foods) get damaged whenever gluten is ingested.

Since gluten is found in all sorts of foods, it is difficult for individuals with celiac to get well-rounded diets. Rye, barley, wheat, and grains that come from these foods all contain gluten. Since these foods have to be avoided by individuals with celiac disease, people living with celiac disease are at high risk for some other dangerous conditions.

To Complicate Matters

The most obvious complication that can arise as a result of celiac disease is malnutrition. After all, if you can’t eat a variety of important foods, you’re going to have a hard time staying nourished. This leads to dangerous weight loss, fatigue, and growing problems. But celiac disease’s complications don’t end there.

In addition to malnutrition, celiac disease increases your risk for type 1 diabetes, gastrointestinal cancers, and thyroid disease. As each of these conditions come with even more potential complications, recognizing and treating celiac disease properly is your best chance at living a normal, productive, and healthy life.

Find and Fix

Most of the time, individuals with celiac disease will suffer from some embarrassing symptoms. Diarrhea, weight loss, and abdominal pain and bloating are the most common symptoms, and these are often accompanied by depression or frequent bad moods. As these symptoms are often mistaken for indicating other conditions, it is important to undergo proper medical screening to ensure you receive a proper diagnosis. For an accurate diagnosis of celiac disease, you may have to undergo a physical examination, blood tests, and biopsies of the small intestine.

Once the condition is diagnosed, treatment is as simple as beginning a new diet that completely removes all gluten. Unfortunately, as easy as this new diet sounds on paper, it can be difficult in real life, as gluten sneaks its way into foods ranging from breads to sandwich meats. If you have celiac disease, you’ll also have to be on the prowl for foods that may have been contaminated with gluten products. Your favorite kind of ice cream may not contain gluten, but if it was made alongside a bread factory, you may have to find a new dessert of choice.

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Keep The Doctor Away With A Good Diet!

Reducing your waist size doesn’t take a miracle. It takes a lot of little steps. Wondering about the foods you should get rid of in order to transform your health and your weight through small dietary transformations? Keep reading.

Buttered Toast. It’s relatively light tasting and seems innocent, but buttered toast could be adding unnecessary calories to your diet. Wave goodbye to the buttered side of life and welcome in a little honey, jam, or jelly on a piece of whole-wheat toast. It’ll burst with flavor – not extra calories.

French Fries. Like most every other fried food, French fries are unhealthy by nature. If you’ve got a hankering for something potato-based, opt for mashed potatoes or a baked potato. To get that French fry flavor, squirt a little ketchup on your baked potato or mashed potatoes and enjoy.

Fried Chicken. It may be finger-licking good, but the grease on your fingers makes it clear that fried chicken doesn’t do the body good. Instead of frying your chicken, go for the grill or bake your chicken. Doing this will instantly cut down the amount of calories and fat you consume at dinnertime.

Fudge Sauce. Heated up and dripped on a brownie or a pile of ice cream, fudge sauce is the epitome of delectable dessert topping. Shave off some calories without losing that sought-after chocolate flavor by trading our your beloved fudge sauce for chocolate syrup.

Hamburgers or Cheeseburgers. Don’t worry – you don’t have to give up the magnificent flavor and savor of burgers. But you will need to change the kind of meat you use to make your burger. Instead of the traditional beef burger, go for a turkey burger or a veggie burger. The meat (or lack of meat) is leaner than beef and has just as much flavor!

Macaroni and Cheese. It tastes amazing, satisfied children of all ages and stages, and only takes a few minutes to make. Unfortunately, macaroni and cheese is not the healthiest option for you or your children. For an equally easy option, cook some pasta and add some light and healthy marinara sauce. You may never want macaroni and cheese again.

Potato Chips. One of the most commonly criticized snack foods, potato chips beg to be substituted with a healthy alternative. In comes popcorn. But not the buttery, fattening stuff you find in movie theaters. Instead, make it low-fat popcorn that is lightly salted. It tastes great and helps you avoid the long-term consequences of potato chips.

Traditional Desserts. For the most part, there is nothing wrong with a little cake or ice cream. However, the traditional view of dessert is that more is better. To ward off weight gain from taking this traditional view of dessert, swap out your extra large portion of chocolate cake for a cup of fresh fruit or half a serving of your favorite dessert. Either way, you’ll get the sweet you crave without going overboard on calories.

White Bread. No matter what is between the two pieces of bread, a sandwich will never be its healthiest with white bread. An easy way to boost your health on a regular basis is to toss out the white bread and go with healthy, whole-wheat bread. You can also trade out your regular pasta for wheat pasta to get another boost to your good health.

Whole Milk. It may be hard for you to drink any milk except whole milk, but going with low-fat, reduced-fat, or fat-free milk will instantly reduce the amount of fat you consume each day. So if you drink milk or use it in recipes, do your health a favor by swapping out whole milk with a healthier alternative.

To You All!

Missy and I wanted to take just a minute and thank all of you for an amazing year. We all have accomplished so much together. We have seen clients become friends and family. We have seen gym family members lose tons of pounds and many inches. We have seen children become adults and grow so much in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

It is amazing to watch on a daily basis.

As you know, we are moving into a better gym. With that transition comes new things. We promise not to change who we are, what the community feels like or make anything else different. What we do intend to do is become a more professional and focused facility dedicated to you, our family.

Here are some of the things that you will see in 2011:

• New, done – for – you nutrition and weight loss programs. Just follow the program!
  
• Complete health packages – fitness, weight loss, nutrition
• Metabolic weight loss programs
• Small group and semi private group training
  
• More Boot Camp and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu class times
• Nutritional supplements
• New, amazingly crazy Dr. Evil inspired workouts

All of this in our new 5000 square foot facility! And all thanks to you guys! Can wait to see you on the 3rd of January…

It’s gonna be awesome!

Everybody has a different plan for losing weight. But no matter what diet pro you ask, they’ll all agree on a few tips that will help you lose lots of weight without putting your health in jeopardy.

So if you’re ready to transform your body into the sleek and slim shape you’ve been dreaming about, start reading and prepare to change your life.
Get Medical Before, During, and After

Losing lots of weight shouldn’t be done alone. You’ll need the support of your physician as you’re on your journey. There are many reasons to stay in touch with your doctor throughout the weight-loss process. First, your physician can work with you to determine which weight-loss strategies will best meet your needs. Your doctor can also help you adjust to your new body.

If you’ve been living with lots of extra weight for a long time, the weight-loss process can be shocking to your body.

By keeping your doctor by your side, you’ll be able to make sense of any unexpected reaction your body may have to thinning down.

Cut Back on Your Meal Plan

Being overweight or obese comes about for a number of reasons. One of the most common is overeating. To battle this obstacle to your thinner future self, you’ll have to cut out some of the food you consume during the day. Start with a goal of reducing your caloric intake by 250 or 500 calories a day. If the thought of tracking calories is overwhelming, do something a little easier, like cutting out dessert after dinner. It may not add up to 250 calories, but it’s a start. And every bite you don’t take counts.

Listen to Your Body

Once you get used to eating fewer calories, you can begin to consider a more difficult step: listening to your stomach. While you may have grown accustomed to eating thousands of calories every day, your body doesn’t need that extra food to function. Actually, those extra calories do nothing but slow your body down and put your entire body in danger of bad health. Begin paying attention to your body’s signals and stop eating when your stomach says, “Full!”

Exercise with Fervor

In addition to cutting back on the amount of calories you eat, you’ll have to beef up your exercise regimen to shed pounds quickly. Not currently in any kind of exercise program? Then you’ll see dramatic results when you begin.

Regardless, you can expect to lose a lot of pounds in the blink of an eye if you have the time and dedication required. For the most rapid weight loss, get a personal trainer and spend a minimum of an hour every day working out intensely in the gym. For slower, more methodical weight loss, shoot for 30 minutes of moderate exercise five days a week.

If You Crash, You’ll Burn

Most overweight and obese individuals have tried multiple crash diets. Unfortunately, as you may know, crash diets usually have the same result: you get burned. When you’re serious about losing lots of weight, a crash diet may be appealing. But beware: Diets that sound too good to be true usually are. And if you find a diet that doesn’t require a lot of sacrifice on your part-careful watching over your calorie intake and plenty of exercise-it is, indeed, too good to be true.

Calorie Counting by the Pound

So you want to start counting calories, but you’re not sure what a good goal should be. A great way to have a ballpark estimate of your ideal caloric intake is to take your weight in pounds and multiple it by seven. This number is the amount of calories you should eat every day.

Once you know this number, you can work with your physician or a dietitian to determine the best way to spend these calories.

Categories: Desserts, Low Calorie, Low Sodium, Low Fat, Low Cholesterol, Dairy-Free, Vegetarian

• 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 12 egg whites
• 1 cup cake flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Be sure that your 10 inch tube pan is clean and dry.
3. Any amount of oil or residue could deflate the egg whites.
4. Sift together the flour, and 3/4 cup of the sugar, set aside.
5. In a large bowl, whip the egg whites along with the vanilla, cream of tartar and salt, to medium stiff peaks.
6. Gradually add the remaining sugar while continuing to whip to stiff peaks.
7. When the egg white mixture has reached its maximum volume, fold in the sifted ingredients gradually, one third at a time.
8. Do not overmix.
9. Put the batter into the tube pan.
10. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until the cake springs back when touched.
11. Balance the tube pan upside down on the top of a bottle, to prevent decompression while cooling.
12. When cool, run a knife around the edge of the pan and invert onto a plate.

Servings: 14, Calories: 136, Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 131mg, Carbohydrate: 29.9g, Protein: 3.9g