Four GOOD Carbs

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Four Good Carbs

Nowadays, you start a diet and the first thing people tell you is, “stay away from bad carbs!” This means no white bread, no sugar, no desserts, no nothing, right? Well, not exactly. There are still carbs you can keep in your diet. In fact, the carbs I’m talking about can leave you feeling full and satisfied and can actually help you burn fat fast. Don’t believe me? Check these awesome carbs out:

1. Who said you can’t have bread?

Perhaps it’s best you stay away from white bread, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy sprouted grain bread. One of the most popular brands you can choose from is called Ezekial 4:9 bread, and it’s amazing. It’s organic, sprouted, and 100% whole grain flourless bread. Two slices contain 8 grams of complete protein and 6 grams. It’s the best way for you to incorporate bread into your diet without having to deal with the dietary issues associated with white breads and whole wheat breads.

2. Who said you can’t have dessert?

Make a dessert bowl with berries (think blueberries, raspberries, blackberries) and cherries and indulge in some good carbs. These kinds of fruit are packed with antioxidants, they’re high in fiber, and they score low on the glycemic index. So don’t deprive yourself from dessert. Any good meal deserves to be finished off the right way, just make sure you choose the right kind of dessert!

3. Who said you can’t have rice?

Okay, maybe you shouldn’t have rice. But there’s something better than rice – quinoa! Quinoa is better than brown rice because it’s a gluten-free grain that just so happens to have double the protein of brown rice. It also has more fiber and lower glycemic levels. Now what makes quinoa even more amazing is that it’s the only grain that contains complete protein and the full spectrum of amino acids. So whether you’re craving a rice bowl or an oatmeal bowl, substitute it with quinoa and you’ll make sure to stay on a healthy, fat-burning dietary track.

4. Who said you can’t have beans?

You should actually consume beans, lentils, and other legumes. They’re all healthy carbs, packed with tons of fiber and protein. The best thing about these is their variety. You can keep your diet fun and exciting with black beans, red beans, white beans, chickpeas, black eyed peas – the possibilities are endless! Because they’re so versatile, you can make sure you include at least one kind of legume into at least one of your daily meals.

Now that we’ve debunked this terrible rumor about carbs, go ahead and treat yourself to a complete meal today. Just keep in mind – choose good carbs and stay way from bad carbs.

 

Counting Calories Won’t Get Results

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If your goal is a flat stomach, you shouldn’t just be adding up the numbers on food labels. It may make you feel better by giving you some structure, but you won’t see those belly-shrinking results. The truth is, the number of calories in the food you eat is not as important as the type of food you’re eating. A 3 Musketeers bar has a little over 200 calories. That’s not an obscene number for a snack, but those 200 calories won’t be giving you much nutrition.

So, what should you be looking out for instead?

Don’t worry, you won’t have to give up counting. All you have to do is count something different. Namely, use the 1-100-½ method. What does this stand for? Basically, it all has comes down to how much you weigh. The 1 means you should consume one gram of protein for every one of your pounds. The 100 is the maximum amount of carbs you should eat in a day. Finally, the ½ indicates that you should only consume half a gram of fat for every pound of bodyweight you have.

What you’re doing with this method is counting out the nutrients in your food, rather than its overall calorie content. It is a much more accurate way to measure whether or not you should be putting a certain type of food in your body.

You may be wondering why this method is more effective for getting rid of belly fat than just counting calories. For one, it takes into account your body weight. Instead of ingesting a certain amount of calories as an estimate of what you should be eating, the 1-100-½ method caters specifically to you. Secondly, nutrition is key in changing your body. Protein helps boost your metabolism, so you need more of that than anything else. Carbohydrates are difficult to moderate if you’re not careful, and healthy fats are necessary to help your body heal. Overall, this plan looks out for everything you need.

Also, don’t be worried that you will be eating too many calories on this plan. You no longer need to calorie count, because the 1-100-½ method moderates your calorie intake automatically. So, you’re eating a moderate amount of calories and optimizing your intake to ensure your body is getting the nutrients it needs to slim down.

I encourage you to give this method a shot. I guarantee you’ll be seeing a change in no time!

5 Foods To Eat After Your Workout

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What do you do after an intense sweat session? Post-workout, athletes tend to shower, change, then grab a bite to eat. This is a good thing, since it is beneficial to eat 30-60 minutes after a workout in order to efficiently recover. However, not every food optimizes recovery. Grabbing a candy bar after a lifting session, for example, will not do much to help your body.

So what should you be eating after a workout? The fact is, recovery all comes down to protein and carbohydrates. Both give your body helpful nutrients to absorb, and replace all that was broken down during exercise. Here are five examples of food you should be eating as post-workout snacks:

Pineapple

Pineapple

I know what you’re thinking. Pineapple? Really? The truth is, we do not normally think of fruit as being loaded with carbohydrates but they are carbohydrate-packed. They also have specific enzymes that help the body transfer nutrients from food to muscles. Pineapple in particular is a good post-workout snack because it has all the benefits of fruit with the addition of anti-inflammatory effects to help your muscles recover more quickly.

Eggs

eggs

This may go without saying, but eggs are packed with protein. Hard-boiled or in omelette or scrambled form, they are a perfect way to help your muscles recover. If you want to go the extra mile for your body, consider eating the eggs with vegetables. You will not only get a necessary protein kick, you’ll also introduce extra vitamins into your recovering body.

Greek Yogurt

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Greek yogurt is a perfect post-workout snack because it has both protein and carbohydrates. It is superior to regular yogurt in that it contains twice the protein that your muscles need. For some extra nutrients, and a taste kick, add some fruit to your yogurt for a double-whammy recovery snack.

Whole Grain Cereal

bowlcereal

Can you say carbohydrates? Whole grain cereal and milk after a workout will give you a little bit of protein and a lot of necessary carbohydrates. Try to eat a type of cereal without a lot of sugar, because the sugar will delay your progress. Your muscles will thank you.

Quinoa

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A more unconventional grain, quinoa contains a ton of vitamins and nutrients, and also a fair amount of protein. It will give you the carbohydrate and protein kick your body needs, and only takes a few minutes to prepare. Remember to add in some vegetables for extra vitamins!

What You Should Be Counting Instead of Calories

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calorie-countingWhile counting calories in, calories out can be a great way to help manage your meal choices, the results you achieve are much more related to the types of foods you choose than the calories alone. To this end, I’ve developed a better “counting” method for accurately determining the amount of food you should eat each day to support your body transformation goals.

It’s called the 1-100-1/2 method:

 

  • 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight
  • Less than 100 grams of carbs per day (less than 60 grams for women)
  • 1/2 gram of fat per pound of body weight

 

This is a much simpler and alarmingly more effective way of keeping track of your day to day food intake, and it’s a heck of a lot easier than writing down and adding up every ingredient you eat in a day and subtracting calories burned. This is called macronutrient counting, and it works for just about anyone looking to lose weight.

Why is it so effective? Because it’s relative to your body size, it ensures that you’re getting enough metabolism-boosting protein each day, it keeps your carbohydrate intake moderate, and it doesn’t discount healthy fats (which actually promote weight loss and muscle gain.)

By using this method, you’ll end up controlling your calorie intake simultaneously, but with a more balanced, nutrient-rich diet. A calorie from a Philly cheesesteak and a calorie from a greek salad are measured the same when you’re counting calories alone, but you’re getting very different nutritional make ups from these two meals, so you’re not getting the full picture. When you look at calories alone, your diet can actually end up really imbalanced.

If you’re looking at this and thinking.. but I’ll miss my carbs too much! Don’t worry. I still advocate a “cheat” day where you can lax on the counting for a day after you’ve put in your weeks worth of hard work, just make sure not to go overboard. Everything in moderation, including moderation.

4 Foods You Can Eat Before Bed

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late_night_snackMost people have heard that eating before bed isn’t a great idea if you’re looking to lose weight. This fact has broken a few hearts, especially for those of us who love a tasty late night snack. Well, here’s some good news: hope is not lost.

Not every food that you eat past 7 PM will go straight to your hips. In fact, there are certain foods when eaten late at night that can actually help you lose weight. So what are these magical tasty treats, and how exactly does all this work?

First, let’s talk about what you shouldn’t eat. And that’s carbs. Carbohydrate consumption causes a significant rise in insulin (i.e. the storage hormone), which stops fat burning. In the late evening hours your metabolism is winding down, so an insulin spike is the last thing your body needs if you are looking to lose weight.

So what should you reach for instead? Slow-digesting, high-quality protein.

Slow-digesting proteins don’t cause an insulin spike, plus they provide your body with a steady flow of amino acids as they breakdown slowly throughout the night. Amino acids help you recover from exercise and maintain your calorie-burning lean muscle as you lose fat.

Now, ready for some prime snack options?

1. White Meat Protein (not red meat) – Chicken and turkey are great pre-bed meal choices because they digest slowly and have a very low insulin release. They also promote the release of another hormone, glucagon, that helps the body break down carbs and fat to be burned for energy. DO NOT have red meat. Red meat has a significantly higher insulin response.

2. Cottage Cheese – Cottage cheese is slow digesting and stimulates glucagon release. Just make sure you’re eating plain cottage cheese. Flavored varieties come with a lot of added sugars, which aren’t what you want at any time, but especially before bed.

3. Green Vegetables – Technically not a protein, but they contain virtually no calories, are high in fiber, and very filling. You can’t go wrong with a nice plate of fresh veggies.

4. A Protein Shake – Protein in a pretty pure form. If you’re having this before bed, make sure it’s slow-digesting protein and low in carbs. Many people even make having one of these before bed a nightly ritual. Just make sure you’re not having whey protein. Research has shown that it causes more of an insulin release than even white bread! Opt instead for a a time-released blend that includes a blend of slow-digesting, high-quality proteins.

Anyone else hungry, now?

The Five Best Carbs for a Flat Belly

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  1. Berries and Cherries: All sorts of berries such as blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and more provide a number of health benefits and are an important component for any diet. Not only do these berries provide lots of nutrients, they satisfy both one’s need for dessert, as they are sweet in flavor, and one’s hunger as they contain high fiber and water levels. Academic research has demonstrated that that the nutrients present, with their polyphenol content, even help limit the effects of aging. Furthermore, a study from Texas Women’s University discovered that the nutrients in blueberries can actually help combat obesity.
  2. Mixed Beans: Beans are amongst the best sources for protein. Some types offer as much as twelve grams of fiber for each single cup serving. Research has time and again proven that both fiber and protein are correlated with fullness. A study was released that showed that when participants added garbanzo beans to their daily diet, they consumed less snack foods and decreased their daily calorie intake.
  3. Quinoa makes the list for top five best carbs for a flat belly.

    Quinoa makes the list for top five best carbs for a flat belly.

    Quinoa: Often referred to as the “ancient grain,” Quinoa contains the entire spectrum of amino acid. In this manner, Quino is a uniquely complete protein. Both antioxidants and phytonutrients are abundant in Quinoa. In 2013, the FAO announced that it was the international year of Quinoa given its impressive nutritional traits.

  4. Sprouted Grain Bread: It is common knowledge in today’s age that foods created from processed flours are not particularly healthy. However, some may be surprised to find out that the “whole wheat, options are just marginally healthier than their “white” alternatives. You should be opting for breads and other foods made from sprouted grains. Sprouted Grains boast a variety of benefits including, but not limited to, boosting digestibility and the ability to absorb minerals.
  5. Vegetables: Unsurprisingly, veggies make the list of the five best type of carbs. Vegetables are chock full of minerals, fiber, vitamins, and phytonutrients. Furthermore, vegetables can, amongst other benefits, help reduce blood pressure, lower the risk for bone loss and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.