Diet
Fruits or Fruit Juice?
People say eating fruits are essential to keep a healthy body. However, some find it troublesome with the need to cut it up, or dispose it right after eating. Buying a cup of fruit juice is much more convenient. To them, they find it all the same. They are consuming fruits in liquid form.
These are some points you might not know. Read them, and probably you might want to start consuming whole fruits from now on.
1) Loss of fiber and nutrients during juice processing
Before you put your fruits into the blender or juice machine, you would usually remove the skin and cut it out nicely. Now, the removal of it is actually removing healthy fiber and nutrients that are essential for your body.
2) Juice it will get Higher Calorie Intake
Imagine this, you wish to grab a cup or orange juice. How many oranges are needed to obtain one? Definitely more than one orange is needed. Comparing to eating it, one orange is probably all you need.
In addition, juice is much more calorie dense as compared to the fruit itself. Drinking in a juice state will indirectly increase your calorie intake. Not a good sign if you are trying to lose fat.
3) Juice are sweeter
For commercialized packaged juices, they often will add sugar or sweetener. That makes the drink sweeter and less healthy as compared to eating the fruit alone.
The increased in sugar level will increase the chance of getting your sugar level to shoot up, which will produce more insulin and thus increase the likelihood of fat storage.
Next time, choose whole fruit instead of fruit juice. Of course, if the scenario is that a person likes to drink soda and is going a transition period of switching to a healthier choice. Perhaps a juice would be a good step up for him before he progresses on to eat the whole fruit itself.
These are some points you might not know. Read them, and probably you might want to start consuming whole fruits from now on.
1) Loss of fiber and nutrients during juice processing
Before you put your fruits into the blender or juice machine, you would usually remove the skin and cut it out nicely. Now, the removal of it is actually removing healthy fiber and nutrients that are essential for your body.
2) Juice it will get Higher Calorie Intake
Imagine this, you wish to grab a cup or orange juice. How many oranges are needed to obtain one? Definitely more than one orange is needed. Comparing to eating it, one orange is probably all you need.
In addition, juice is much more calorie dense as compared to the fruit itself. Drinking in a juice state will indirectly increase your calorie intake. Not a good sign if you are trying to lose fat.
3) Juice are sweeter
For commercialized packaged juices, they often will add sugar or sweetener. That makes the drink sweeter and less healthy as compared to eating the fruit alone.
The increased in sugar level will increase the chance of getting your sugar level to shoot up, which will produce more insulin and thus increase the likelihood of fat storage.
Next time, choose whole fruit instead of fruit juice. Of course, if the scenario is that a person likes to drink soda and is going a transition period of switching to a healthier choice. Perhaps a juice would be a good step up for him before he progresses on to eat the whole fruit itself.
Servings Size in Food Labels
![Picture](/uploads/6/1/3/2/6132247/2008855.jpg?226)
This is one mistake that some people (including myself) have made in the past in regarding to reading the nutrients in food labels.
Referring to the picture above, there is a tendency that an individual, after picking it up from the shelf will look immediately at the numbers of calories, total fat content, dietary fiber, and maybe protein.
A possible reaction from it might be “oh ok, 93 calories from fat does seem acceptable. I can probably go for a run later to compensate that!”
However, what one may often neglect is the serving size that is in the bag. It is very common for anyone to finish whatever it is in the bag. Rarely, would anyone eat it partially while keeping the rest for another day.
Looking carefully at the top row, it stated “servings in bag 4”. What this means is that the bag is meant to be served in 4 separate parts. At each time, only 1 part is to be consumed. The figures like calories, total fat content, dietary fat, and protein stated are the figures for each serving. Based on this scenario, if one were to eat the whole bag, what would the numbers be instead?
1 Serving = 93 calories from fat
4 servings = 93 x 4 = 372 calories from fat
Now, this time it is different, 372 calories from fat! It is a much nasty scenario to face now.
Referring to the picture above, there is a tendency that an individual, after picking it up from the shelf will look immediately at the numbers of calories, total fat content, dietary fiber, and maybe protein.
A possible reaction from it might be “oh ok, 93 calories from fat does seem acceptable. I can probably go for a run later to compensate that!”
However, what one may often neglect is the serving size that is in the bag. It is very common for anyone to finish whatever it is in the bag. Rarely, would anyone eat it partially while keeping the rest for another day.
Looking carefully at the top row, it stated “servings in bag 4”. What this means is that the bag is meant to be served in 4 separate parts. At each time, only 1 part is to be consumed. The figures like calories, total fat content, dietary fat, and protein stated are the figures for each serving. Based on this scenario, if one were to eat the whole bag, what would the numbers be instead?
1 Serving = 93 calories from fat
4 servings = 93 x 4 = 372 calories from fat
Now, this time it is different, 372 calories from fat! It is a much nasty scenario to face now.
Deadly Ingredients to AVOID!
How many of you do read the ingredients labels before you purchase your food? Do you know what is exactly inside your food? Often, we might just look on the external packaging and sees “Less Sugar!” and we assume, it is supposed to be healthier. While I am still on the learning process myself on the various ingredients labeling, what I want to discuss today is 2 ingredients that everyone ought to avoid.
1) Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
First is hydrogenated vegetable oil. Years ago, manufacturers of food products needed a source where they are able to produce food that has a longer shelf life and able to keep their food taste consistent. Hydrogenated Vegetable oil then came about.
It is a process where vegetable oil is being heated and hydrogen is being forced in it. The end results is semi-solid oil (resembles butter) which gives consistent taste, high shelf life for food and it’s a lot cheaper than butter!
If so, why do we want to avoid it as much as possible? Referring to my previous article on Trans Fat, I did state that trans fat is a nasty fat that we all should avoid. During the hydrogenation process, the oil is being transformed into Trans Fat! In essence, when you see the word, “hydrogenated vegetable oil”, please remember “trans fat”!
2) High Fructose Corn Syrup
Next up is High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS). Many people have a sweet tooth. They liked sweet stuffs but knew that effects of having too much of it increases the risk of obesity and illness like diabetes.
HFCS is often a substitute for sugar in the manufacturing side. It is cheaper. It mixes well with food and can store longer (sounds familiar like the above?). It is inside almost every other food that we have out there. From cookies, biscuits, beverages, it is widely used by manufacturers. HFCS is found to have a huge effect on obesity and health.
Check out the article I have found where experiments were carried out, “Article on HFCS”.
Drinking sodas with HFCS in it, you will find it extremely sweet in taste and what’s more. After gulping the whole cup/can, you find that you are still thirsty!
Enough said, for the 2 ingredients above, please avoid them as much as possible. In order to do so, you can start by taking a look at your nutrients labels before you purchase your products. Make a smarter choice not by just looking fancy food packaging that says “Healthier Choice”, do it by reading and knowing what’s exactly in your food :D
1) Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
First is hydrogenated vegetable oil. Years ago, manufacturers of food products needed a source where they are able to produce food that has a longer shelf life and able to keep their food taste consistent. Hydrogenated Vegetable oil then came about.
It is a process where vegetable oil is being heated and hydrogen is being forced in it. The end results is semi-solid oil (resembles butter) which gives consistent taste, high shelf life for food and it’s a lot cheaper than butter!
If so, why do we want to avoid it as much as possible? Referring to my previous article on Trans Fat, I did state that trans fat is a nasty fat that we all should avoid. During the hydrogenation process, the oil is being transformed into Trans Fat! In essence, when you see the word, “hydrogenated vegetable oil”, please remember “trans fat”!
2) High Fructose Corn Syrup
Next up is High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS). Many people have a sweet tooth. They liked sweet stuffs but knew that effects of having too much of it increases the risk of obesity and illness like diabetes.
HFCS is often a substitute for sugar in the manufacturing side. It is cheaper. It mixes well with food and can store longer (sounds familiar like the above?). It is inside almost every other food that we have out there. From cookies, biscuits, beverages, it is widely used by manufacturers. HFCS is found to have a huge effect on obesity and health.
Check out the article I have found where experiments were carried out, “Article on HFCS”.
Drinking sodas with HFCS in it, you will find it extremely sweet in taste and what’s more. After gulping the whole cup/can, you find that you are still thirsty!
Enough said, for the 2 ingredients above, please avoid them as much as possible. In order to do so, you can start by taking a look at your nutrients labels before you purchase your products. Make a smarter choice not by just looking fancy food packaging that says “Healthier Choice”, do it by reading and knowing what’s exactly in your food :D
Thirst - Don't wait for it
![Picture](/uploads/6/1/3/2/6132247/6608124.jpg?308)
Thirst is the craving for fluids, resulting in the basic instinct of animals to drink. It is an essential mechanism involved in fluid balance. It arises from a lack of fluids and/or an increase in the concentration of certain osmolites, such as salt. If the water volume of the body falls below a certain threshold or the osmolite concentration becomes too high, the brain signals thirst.
We have all heard of the saying of “Each of us must drink at a minimum of 6-8 cups of water every day.” However, when do we actually drink? In my previous article, I encouraged a lot of drinking your first cup the first thing you wake up every day (even before you brush teeth yes).
Now, thirst is by definition the craving for fluids. This is resulted when the volume in our body falls below a limit and the brain will signal to our body and we feel thirsty. Do you drink water when you thirsty? YES of course! Your brain and body is already shouting out “EMERGENCY!” However, is it the right time to drink only when you feel thirsty?
NOPE! Do not wait till you felt thirst in your throat. The general guideline is to drink BEFORE you even feel thirsty. What will happen to me when I start to feel thirsty and not drink water? First, I will feel dry to my throat. Next, my head will react on me. It will feel heavy and if delayed long enough, headache will come along with it. By this time, productivity would have already dropped. I will not be able to concentrate what I am doing at that moment. So you can see, it is a slippery slope if YOU don’t drink up enough and timely.
The general guideline is “Drink up BEFORE you feel Thirst”
We have all heard of the saying of “Each of us must drink at a minimum of 6-8 cups of water every day.” However, when do we actually drink? In my previous article, I encouraged a lot of drinking your first cup the first thing you wake up every day (even before you brush teeth yes).
Now, thirst is by definition the craving for fluids. This is resulted when the volume in our body falls below a limit and the brain will signal to our body and we feel thirsty. Do you drink water when you thirsty? YES of course! Your brain and body is already shouting out “EMERGENCY!” However, is it the right time to drink only when you feel thirsty?
NOPE! Do not wait till you felt thirst in your throat. The general guideline is to drink BEFORE you even feel thirsty. What will happen to me when I start to feel thirsty and not drink water? First, I will feel dry to my throat. Next, my head will react on me. It will feel heavy and if delayed long enough, headache will come along with it. By this time, productivity would have already dropped. I will not be able to concentrate what I am doing at that moment. So you can see, it is a slippery slope if YOU don’t drink up enough and timely.
The general guideline is “Drink up BEFORE you feel Thirst”
Do you eat after exercise?
![Picture](/uploads/6/1/3/2/6132247/1947750.jpg?250)
I have a friend who commented this before, "I do not eat after my exercise. If not, what I have done before that is wasted!". My question will then be, "If you do not eat, then where or how do you replenish your lost energy?"
The following information lies true for those who have a decent, intensive workout that is relative to each individual's level of fitness. During exercise, you had a great total body workout. You exhaust all of energy and felt great. After exercise, there is a crucial time period when it is BEST to have you meal. An acceptable range would be 45 mins to 1 hour after your workout.
During this period, your muscles are fatigue. They are crying and shouting for replacement. It is when your body are in the conditions to better absorb nutrients! 3 things that are important to consume after your workout:
1) Water: Hydrate yourself well. Your body needs water to replace those that you have lost during the exercise.
2) Protein: Protein is needed to help repair your muscles (which are tired after your workout). Examples are chicken, fish, egg.
3) Carbohydrates: It is being used up during the exercise, thus it is natural for you to replace it straight after the workout. However, complex carbohydrates would be a better option. Examples are whole grain bread, brown rice, spaghetti etc.
Consume the above for a better after-workout recovery. Of course, if you want to lose weight, do not overeat! But nonetheless you have to eat alright.
Please do not say that you have no appetite after your workout, or not your body will suffer and lose your weight loss effect.
The following information lies true for those who have a decent, intensive workout that is relative to each individual's level of fitness. During exercise, you had a great total body workout. You exhaust all of energy and felt great. After exercise, there is a crucial time period when it is BEST to have you meal. An acceptable range would be 45 mins to 1 hour after your workout.
During this period, your muscles are fatigue. They are crying and shouting for replacement. It is when your body are in the conditions to better absorb nutrients! 3 things that are important to consume after your workout:
1) Water: Hydrate yourself well. Your body needs water to replace those that you have lost during the exercise.
2) Protein: Protein is needed to help repair your muscles (which are tired after your workout). Examples are chicken, fish, egg.
3) Carbohydrates: It is being used up during the exercise, thus it is natural for you to replace it straight after the workout. However, complex carbohydrates would be a better option. Examples are whole grain bread, brown rice, spaghetti etc.
Consume the above for a better after-workout recovery. Of course, if you want to lose weight, do not overeat! But nonetheless you have to eat alright.
Please do not say that you have no appetite after your workout, or not your body will suffer and lose your weight loss effect.
Drink Water, but with Lemon
I have been practicing this for a period of time and I find
it very beneficial to my body. I could feel it effects and now I am
recommending to you as well. Drinking water is a necessity that if often spoke
of by people or media around you. However, drinking water will an added squeeze
of lemon is something you can think about more from now on.
Lemon is a very cheap to purchase. Buying a couple of them could last you for a few days, but more importantly, the good value and benefits that come with it. Below are a few encouraging factors for you to try it out today!
1) Aids in DIGESTION of food in your body and PURIFY your liver
2) Clean and clear out the TOXINS in your body
3) Improve your SKIN complexion (since the toxins are cleared out from your body)
4) Aids in WEIGHT LOSS
5) Rich in Vitamin C
6) Clear/Soothes your throat (good for me from all the shouting needed in my coaching)
7) Many many other benefits… …
How to add lemon to my water? There are 2 ways you could do…
1) Squeeze half a lemon to a glass of water (if you are below 70 kg in weight)
Squeeze a full lemon to a glass of water (if you are above 70 kg in weight)
2) Cut 1 or 2 slice of lemon into your water
Try it out and do share with me of the effects it had on you
Lemon is a very cheap to purchase. Buying a couple of them could last you for a few days, but more importantly, the good value and benefits that come with it. Below are a few encouraging factors for you to try it out today!
1) Aids in DIGESTION of food in your body and PURIFY your liver
2) Clean and clear out the TOXINS in your body
3) Improve your SKIN complexion (since the toxins are cleared out from your body)
4) Aids in WEIGHT LOSS
5) Rich in Vitamin C
6) Clear/Soothes your throat (good for me from all the shouting needed in my coaching)
7) Many many other benefits… …
How to add lemon to my water? There are 2 ways you could do…
1) Squeeze half a lemon to a glass of water (if you are below 70 kg in weight)
Squeeze a full lemon to a glass of water (if you are above 70 kg in weight)
2) Cut 1 or 2 slice of lemon into your water
Try it out and do share with me of the effects it had on you
Carbonated Drinks
and its “Diet” Version
![Picture](/uploads/6/1/3/2/6132247/1895258.jpg?329)
One of the main causes of obesity around us is the sugar
intake that we take in from the food and drinks we consumed from day-to-day. I
wonder if anyone has experienced this. In the past, whenever I was at a coffee
shop having my lunch, the auntie will approach me and ask, “Ah Boy ah, drink
what?” In my mind, all it appears was this soft drink, C*ke. Thus, my instant
reply was “Eh Auntie, C*ke!”
Little did I realized how much sugar I was consuming over the years. At one time, one of uncles had to remind me to drink lesser carbonated soft drinks. He warned me not to follow his footsteps. He had diabetics because of all his past drinking of these soft drinks.
The sugar content in these carbonated drinks is very high. A 12-ounce (330ml) can of carbonated drink contains about 40g of sugar. 40g! Can you imagine directly eating 40g of plain sugar?!
As the businesses developed and grew, diet versions are created. It promotes that normal carbonated drink has a lot of calories. The diet version contains low or even none calories, thus the healthier version of it. However, people ignore the sugar content as well. Many of these diet versions contain Aspartame. This ingredient is a lot more times sweeter than the normal carbonated drinks! And what’s more, it has other adverse effects on your health as well! (Click on the word link to understand more about Aspartame, http://aspartame.mercola.com/)
Ever since I made a conscious effort to be exercise and eat healthy, I have reduced my intake of carbonated drinks. Now, when auntie comes and ask the same question, thankfully neither C*ke nor Pe*si is at the top of my mind.
Little did I realized how much sugar I was consuming over the years. At one time, one of uncles had to remind me to drink lesser carbonated soft drinks. He warned me not to follow his footsteps. He had diabetics because of all his past drinking of these soft drinks.
The sugar content in these carbonated drinks is very high. A 12-ounce (330ml) can of carbonated drink contains about 40g of sugar. 40g! Can you imagine directly eating 40g of plain sugar?!
As the businesses developed and grew, diet versions are created. It promotes that normal carbonated drink has a lot of calories. The diet version contains low or even none calories, thus the healthier version of it. However, people ignore the sugar content as well. Many of these diet versions contain Aspartame. This ingredient is a lot more times sweeter than the normal carbonated drinks! And what’s more, it has other adverse effects on your health as well! (Click on the word link to understand more about Aspartame, http://aspartame.mercola.com/)
Ever since I made a conscious effort to be exercise and eat healthy, I have reduced my intake of carbonated drinks. Now, when auntie comes and ask the same question, thankfully neither C*ke nor Pe*si is at the top of my mind.
Why Diet =/= No Eating
There is a common misunderstanding among the mass crowd
(including myself previously) when they hear the word “diet”. Often people
associate diet to No Eating. Wrong!
Definitions of Diet:
1) http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/diet
2) http://www.thefreedictionary.com/diet
3) http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/diet
Diet is a Plan. It is an eating habit that one practices. For a simple example, a person who goes on a vegetarian diet does not consume meat in his/her meals. It is an eating habit that avoids meat.
We, as humans have to eat. It is our basic survival behavior. If you have in any point decides to go on a “No Eating” diet plan, please throw the idea out of the window. Not only is it ineffective (in the long run), you will get adverse results instead.
Instead, to give yourself a healthier body, make a conscious effort to know about the different dieting plans. Change your diet for the better. Not stop eating! Lesser fried food, lesser sweet drinks and more Water!
Definitions of Diet:
1) http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/diet
2) http://www.thefreedictionary.com/diet
3) http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/diet
Diet is a Plan. It is an eating habit that one practices. For a simple example, a person who goes on a vegetarian diet does not consume meat in his/her meals. It is an eating habit that avoids meat.
We, as humans have to eat. It is our basic survival behavior. If you have in any point decides to go on a “No Eating” diet plan, please throw the idea out of the window. Not only is it ineffective (in the long run), you will get adverse results instead.
Instead, to give yourself a healthier body, make a conscious effort to know about the different dieting plans. Change your diet for the better. Not stop eating! Lesser fried food, lesser sweet drinks and more Water!