Food Chart

Food chart

Best Protein Sources
Food	Portion	Calories	Protein	Carbohydrates	Sugar	Fat	Sodium	BV	GI
Chicken breast*	6 oz	180	36gr	0gr	0gr	5gr	60mg	84	LOW
Turkey breast*	6 oz	185	38gr	0gr	0gr	3gr	240mg		LOW
7%Lean beef	6 oz	267	42gr	0gr	0gr	11gr	119mg	78	LOW
Egg whites*	6 egg	102	21gr	2gr	0gr	0gr	330mg	104	LOW
Venison*	6oz	210	45gr	0gr	0gr	2gr	85mg	78	LOW
Low fat yogurt	1 cup	250	11gr	47gr	46gr	3gr	143mg	72	LOW
Whey Protein*	2.6 oz	174	40gr	0gr	0gr	0gr	220mg	130	LOW
Soy milk	1 cup	79	7gr	4gr	4gr	5gr	25mg	74	LOW
Milk non fat	2 cups	200	19gr	27gr	27gr	1gr	289mg	72	LOW
Fish (white)*	6 oz	238	45gr	0gr	0gr	5gr	70mg	75	LOW
Beans	1 cup	225	15gr	40gr	6gr	1gr	3mg	45	LOW
Nuts	1 cup	786	21gr	45gr	5gr	63gr	22mg	40	LOW
Best Carbohydrate Sources
Yams*	1cup	158	2gr	38gr	1gr	0gr	11mg		MED
Sweet Potatoes*	1cup	206	3gr	48gr	6gr	0gr	20mg		MED
Rice* (Brown)	1cup	242	4gr	53gr	0gr	0gr	0mg		MED
Oats*	1cup	266	9gr	59gr	16gr	2gr	2mg		LOW
Beans*	1 cup	225	15gr	40gr	6gr	1gr	3mg	45	LOW
Breads	1slc	80	2gr	15gr	1gr	1gr	160mg		HI
Bagel	1 bgl	157	6gr	304gr	1gr	1gr	305mg		HI
Cauliflower	1 cup	28	2gr	5gr	2gr	0gr	18mg		LOW
Corn tortillas	1	58	2gr	12gr	1gr	1gr	42mg		MED
Flour tortillas	1	106	2gr	20gr	2gr	2gr	45mg		HI
Fruits (Apple)	1	81	0gr	21gr	17gr	0gr	0mg		MED
Melon	1	180	0gr	45gr	42gr	0gr	0mg		LOW
Pasta	1 cup	197	7gr	40gr	1gr	0gr	1mg		MED
Best Fat Sources
Safflower oil*	1 tbsp	120	0gr	0gr	0gr	14gr			LOW
Sunflower oil*	1 tbsp	120	0gr	0gr	0gr	14gr			LOW
Olive oil*	1 tbsp	120	0gr	0gr	0gr	14gr			LOW
Canola oil*	1 tbsp	119	0gr	0gr	0gr	14gr			LOW
Peanut oil*	1 tbsp	120	0gr	0gr	0gr	14gr			LOW
Tahini oil*	2 tbsp	121	0gr	0gr	0gr	14gr			LOW
Soybean oil*	3 tbsp	122	0gr	0gr	0gr	14gr			LOW
Nuts*	1 cup	786	21gr	45gr	5gr	63gr	22mg	40	LOW
Nut butters*	1 oz	174	7gr	0gr	0gr	16gr			LOW
Avocado*	1	306	4gr	12gr	2gr	30gr	21mg		LOW
Olives*	1 tbsp	119	0gr	0gr	0gr	14gr	0gr		LOW
BV= Biological Value - GI= Glycemic Index - *= best

Let’s Get It Straight!

Does Strength Training Turn Me Into a Hulk?

For over fifty years people have been strength training to aid in their sporting performance or otherwise. Although women first began strength training for sports in the 1950s to enhance their performance in track and field, they have traditionally participated in strength training less than men. Unfortunately, misconceptions about weight training haven’t grown old with time. By and large, it is women that shy away from such a valuable exercise because they are afraid of bulking up or getting “manly.” Even some men are still thinking that weight training can transform them into a ‘Hulk”.

Such exercise has not been considered feminine, and a lack of research and information regarding the effects of such training on women has made it a predominantly male activity. Since then, women's sports participation has grown rapidly, and strength training has grown in popularity among active women.

Let’s get the facts straight:

· Women who practice the same well-designed strength training programs as men benefit from bone and soft-tissue modeling, increased lean body mass, decreased fat, and enhanced self-confidence.

· No one is going to bulk up, plain and simple.

· No, big muscles will not develop over time; in fact, bodybuilders you see on television or in magazines, typically train for several hours a day while consuming enormous amount of calories over the course of several years.

· Strength training is now helping in various diseases and is a way to combat stress. We just might all it need it these days.

Are Pilates and Yoga just as good as Strength Training?

In terms of measure, strength training is definitely the ultimate method for building muscular strength, promoting muscle ton and fat loss. While the benefits of Pilates and Yoga are wonderful and focus on very controlled movements, they should be considered as an enhancement rather than a replacement to strength training. In my experience of creating and managing fitness programs at Miraval for six years, guests were participating in equal ratios to Pilates, Yoga, Strength Training, Aerobics and Stretching classes, we also had a unique department for yoga and meditation. In fact an annual trend analysis is conducted by IDEA, the world largest fitness organization, on how often the activities were offered one or more times a week in major facilities in the US and here are the results:

· Strength Training 98%

· Low impact Aerobics 95%

· Stretching and Flexibility 95%

· Yoga 91%

· Personal Training 88%

· Pilates 76%

Eat slowly and stop when you are full

Another cause of overeating is mindless eating where we eat on autopilot. The problem with this type of eating is that we tend to keep eating until there is no food left, without any thought as to whether we had long since satisfied our hunger. The best counter to this is to eat mindfully - don't be distracted. .Eating food quickly is a guaranteed way to eat too much. A good way of slowing down your eating is to chew your food slowly and put your knife and fork down between mouthfuls

When you've got your chosen food in front of you, eat it slowly and put down your knife and fork between mouthfuls. Enjoy your food, take time to chew it, let it give you its full texture, test and pay attention to every sensation you are experiencing. When you pause between mouthfuls, ask yourself if you are still hungry. If you find you are full, stop eating - there is no need to clear your plate. It takes 20 minutes for the brain to signal the stomach that it is full, so eat slowly you will eat smartly. I know people who can finish a pizza in 20 minutes and know others who can barely finish a Caesar salad. Think about it!

Avoid the Top 5 Fitness Failures!

1. Don't neglect strength training just because you're a cardio buff. More lean muscle mass gained from weight lifting burns more calories.

2. Don't hold your breath when lifting weights. It could strain your heart. Inhale as you release weight and exhale as you push out.

3. Don't worry about bulking up. Women don't produce enough testosterone to bulk up. Weight training will simply sculpt your body and boost your metabolism.

4. Don't pig out just because you're exercising. Exercise can increase your appetite, but don't let it give you a false sense of being able to chow down.

5. Don't hesitate to hydrate. Proper hydration can both increase your energy and help reduce your appetite. Don't mistake thirst for hunger!

Avoid the Top 5 Fitness Failures!

1. Don't neglect strength training just because you're a cardio buff. More lean muscle mass gained from weight lifting burns more calories.

2. Don't hold your breath when lifting weights. It could strain your heart. Inhale as you release weight and exhale as you push out.

3. Don't worry about bulking up. Women don't produce enough testosterone to bulk up. Weight training will simply sculpt your body and boost your metabolism.

4. Don't pig out just because you're exercising. Exercise can increase your appetite, but don't let it give you a false sense of being able to chow down.

5. Don't hesitate to hydrate. Proper hydration can both increase your energy and help reduce your appetite. Don't mistake thirst for hunger!

Lose FAT Not Muscles

Your overall body image and the way you feel about yourself, will improve dramatically as you firm up and tone up. Certainly, if you have lost 20 pounds you will feel pretty good about yourself. But, how do you feel about yourself when you see your body in the mirror? Maybe not as good as you had hoped. That’s because your skin is loose, your muscles aren’t toned, and you don’t have the body you had dreamed of even if you achieved the weight you wanted. Working out and toning up is the only way to achieve that smooth skin and tight muscles you dream of.

Many people diet and then find out that they still have not achieved their goal image even upon losing the weight and then are discouraged when they have to start an exercise program. Avoid this situation all together and include a healthy diet and workout plan in your new lifestyle. You will lose weight and tone up simultaneously giving you the body you had hoped for. And remember that losing weight does not necessarily means losing fat. Unavoidably, dieting without exercising can lead to muscle loss and decreased overall metabolism, making it worst for you to look and feel better.

Tone-up Now!

Bulk-up Your Willpower Muscles

If you are struggling with New Year resolution don’t be too hard on yourself, according to neuroscientists having willpower is not a character flaw and it could all be down to the physical make up of the brain. Because the part of the brain called prefrontal cortex is the same part of the brain that records our working memory and is in charge of willpower, Researchers showed that when the brain is overwhelmed with tasks willpower is very weak. The solution is, as I mention in my book, Mind Over Body: The Key To Lasting Weight Loss Is All In Your Brain, is not hammering people with new habits but helping them bulk-up their willpower muscles by making them consciously aware of certain changes that need to take place before any physical habits are set in motion. For the past ten years I have taught this process based on my own experience as a professional athlete and the experience of thousands of my clients. I am glad that researchers finally are catching up to what I’ve stumbled upon years ago.

Get Your Copy Now!

Facts and Myths

Since the 1950’s women have been strength training to aid in their sporting performance. Yet, unfortunately, misconceptions about weight training haven’t grown old with the times. Typically, women shy away from such a valuable exercise because they are afraid of bulking up or getting “manly.” Well, let’s explore the truth below, and see what’s really going on, ladies!

Myth #1: “I’m going to get big and bulky like Hulk Hogan!”
Ladies, you will not bulk up, plain and simple. And no, big manly muscles will not develop over time; in fact, the female body builders you see on television typically train for four hours a day while consuming anabolic steroids over the course of several years. Hey, even men can’t bulk up unless they take supplements! The reality: You will gain a better body composition! That is, your ratio of fat mass to lean muscle mass will start favoring that muscle mass. For instance, one study of young women who were weight training an average 3 days per week over the course of eight weeks lost about 3.5 pounds of fat mass and gained around 1.75 pounds of lean, beautiful muscle.

Myth #2: “I’ll gain weight and look fat!”
Actually, muscle is denser than fat mass, so it’s going to take up less space in your body. While pound for pound it may “weigh” slightly more than fat, the reality is that you will not in the least bit look larger, fatter, or bigger. In fact, you will look leaner. Your pants size will decrease in inches as will other areas of your body. You see, weight is only a number, and you can’t count on that number as a true representation of what you will look like. More accurately, you should be looking at inches lost to represent body transformation. Weight lifting will certainly help with this. Moreover, muscle gain balances in ratio to fat loss.

Myth #3: “Pilates and Yoga are just as good as Strength Training.”
This isn’t quite accurate. While the benefits of yoga and strength training are great, strength training wins the prize. In terms of degree, weight training is definitely the supreme method for building muscular strength. Pilates and Yoga focus on very controlled movements that depend on body weight to build muscle. As well, they are wonderful exercises to aid in meditation and relaxation. However, incorporating them into your exercise routine instead of strength training isn’t a great idea. They should be considered an enhancement rather than a replacement.

Myth #4: “I will have to eat more protein when I weight train.”
The fact is the typical American eats far more protein in a day than they should. In fact, if you make a fist with your hand, you will be viewing a good size portion of meat. Yet, most restaurants serve around three times the size of that portion. Moreover, only power athletes really need to consume extra protein in a day, and this is a minimal increase at that.

Myth #5: “Weight training is too expensive and time consuming.”
First, if you have time to watch the O.C. or any popular weekly program, than you have time for a few weekly strength training sessions. It’s all about priorities, ladies. And in the long run, the benefits of a better body will outweigh some program you can’t even remember. Depending on the type of strength training you do on a typical day, you’ll only need 20 minutes to an hour out of your 24-hour day. Also, weight training can fit into any budget. Just check out your local sporting goods store for a variety of free weights at decent prices. Similarly, it may be a good idea to check out Google for better deals on free weights. Comparing prices is always consumer savvy, and you may be able to find some smashing closeouts on the ever popular ebay. Moreover, if you’re a student you should check out your gymnasium facilities because student gyms are often free or memberships are offered at next to nothing prices. As for joining a gym, make sure to ask for an initial trial, to see whether it suits your personal needs and goals. Another helpful tip is to try to find a deal depending on the time of year. For instance, during the holiday season gyms often offer wonderful rates or specials. And some even offer couples specials. So, you may want to motivate your partner to join in your plans.

Myth #6: “Women should avoid high-intensity training.”
You don’t have to avoid strength training machines ladies. And certainly don’t be too shy to add on weight just because you think it may look unfeminine. This merely correlates to our culture’s perceptions about femininity and delicacy, which is totally off and ridiculous. In fact, lifting solely dumbbells may not be enough resistance to gain the lean body you’d truly like. Moreover, you have more in you than you can imagine, ladies. You definitely have the capacity to strength train at higher intensities and volumes. Additionally, higher volumes and capacities are the means to creating adaptation in muscle, cartilage, bone, ligaments, and tendons. So, to reap the best of benefits, at least once per week perform a weight routine at the maximum repetition for all exercises.

Myth #7: “Abdomen machines work better than the crunch.”
Please, please, please don’t let another infomercial sway your gut instinct: They just aren’t any better in performance than the tried and true abdominal crunch! All of this high tech machinery needs to be put to the grave. Often, they are difficult to use and inaccurate performance becomes normal by participants. And what’s more is the expense! Well, the crunch is free, easily learned, and just plain better than any machine you could own.

You Lift, You Lose

Many other types of exercise are beneficial for fat loss, strength training is by far “the key” to losing fat in this plan. Not only you will lose body fat but you will also gain muscle tone. Even though you might not burn a great deal of calories during your strength training workout, you will ultimately burn a greater amount of fat. The addition of muscle tone on an individual will cause an increase in the number of calories that are burned at rest. So it is reassuring to know while one is exerting themselves through a high intensity workout that the hard work will result in a faster metabolism that continues to burn calories even after the workout. As I have mentioned in the Nutrition Part of the book Mind Over Body, for each pound of muscle you carry, you’ll burn an additional 50 calories. Think of it, how would you like to be burning extra calories even when sitting and having a nice conversation with friends? The extra consumption is on a constant basis, that means that if you gain a mere three pounds of muscles, you will be able to burn 1050 of extra calories per week, regardless or you working out or not, resulting in losing 15 pounds of fat in one year, providing that your nutritional plan is in accordance with your goals.. Strength training promotes greater post exercise oxygen consumption than cardio with effect lasting up to fifteen hour.

Here are some of the many benefits of strength training:

• Increases muscle tone.
• Decreases body fat.
• Raise metabolic rate.
• Strengthen your bones.
• Increased functional strength for daily activity.
• You look better.
• You feel better.
• Improves self esteem and confidence.
• You have more stamina.
• You are better able to deal with stress.
• You may even enjoy it.

Activities that improve your strength are:

• Free weights.
• Machines.
• Pilates (reformer or mat class).
• Power Yoga

Source:

Mind Over Body: The Key To Lasting Weight Loss Is All In Your Head! (Warner Books/Springboard Press)

3 Bad Habits That are Making You Fat, Sick and Unhappy - Without You Even Knowing it!

You wouldn't expect these habits to make you fat, sick and unhappy - but they do.

1. Skipping Breakfast

Many people skip breakfast thinking it will help them to lose weight.

"Fewer calories in - more fat burned."

The reality is that skipping breakfast actually lowers your metabolism so that at your next meal you'll tend to overeat.

To make it worse, the food you eat on a lowered metabolism is more likely to be stored as fat.

Avtar’s mindful tip: Never! Never! Never skip your breakfast. You need to BREAK (the) FAST by consuming high quality protein, carbohydrates and fat. Breakfast is the most important of all your meals.

2. Staying Up Late

The opposite would seem to make sense: If you stay up late, you burn more calories. Burn more calories, burn more fat.

Right?

Unfortunately, staying up late can set off a multi-pronged attack on your body composition.

First, sleep is vital for recovery. If you don't get enough sleep, your body won't build as much muscle mass - no matter how much time you spend in the gym. Less muscle mass = less fat burning power.

Next, if you are sleep-deprived, you increase levels of the stress hormone "cortisol." The connection between stress/cortisol and obesity is well established, but it gets worse.

A recent study (Epel, Yale) shows that cortisol related fat storage tends to be around the vital organs - the worst possible place to store fat in your body.

If that's not enough, lack of sleep is linked with glucose intolerance (diabetes), lower Growth Hormone levels, a weakened immune system, low energy, and more ...

Avtar’s mindful tip: This is NOT to be taken lightly! Get a full night's sleep (7 to 9 hours), but make sure your place of rest is peaceful and pitch dark. Your natural sleep hormone, melatonin, is suppressed when there is too much light.

3. Prescription Drugs

Many of the drugs you are prescribed increase appetite, cause edema, or slow our metabolism. That's a recipe for getting, and looking, fatter.

The most commonly used drugs that have these effects are oral contraceptives, many anti-depressants, and estrogen replacements.

Avtar’s mindful tip: Check with your doctor to see about finding suitable alternatives that won't make you fat.