Basic Fitness Info

Do you know how much food you are eating? Do you know how to read Nutritional Label?

Here’s a quick explanation:

Nutritional Facts

a - Serving Size: shows estimated size of portion by weight. In this particular label is one cup or 85 grams.
b - Servings per container 2.5 : this means based on all the number on the label it contains two and a half servings.
c - Calories: the total amount of calories (energy) per serving. Calories are made up of Fat, Carbohydrates and Protein.
d -

• Total Fat: shows the amount of fat in grams usually from saturated and unsaturated fats.
• Cholesterol: shows the amount of cholesterol in milligrams.
• Sodium: shows the amount of sodium in milligrams.
• Total Carbohydrates: quickest form of energy. Broken down into complex carbohydrates, sugars and fiber.
• Protein: total protein in grams

e - Vitamin & Minerals: shows a percentage based of this nutrients based on the Recommended Daily Value (DV).

f - Shows recommended calorie intake for diets of 2000 and 2500 calories a day.

water bottle

Water is very important for our bodies. It helps the body function properly, helps eliminate toxins, and helps

your skin look better. Our body is made up of 75% water, this is why it is so important for you to maintain your body hydrated through the day. When ever you feel your mouth dry, it is a signal from your body that you are dehydrating and need to replenish the fluids that it has lost. When you are in the gym always try to sip water through the workout. Try to make it a habit to drink water at least every hour.

If you drink coffee make sure you follow with a glass of water. Caffeine acts as a diuretic in your body, help to release fluids from your body.

Try this for a change. Every day when you wake up before you have breakfast, have a glass of water. You’ll thank me later. This water will kick start your bodies many function to work properly…remember we are made of around 75% water.

Drink at least half a gallon a day, if you are more active or are in hotter climate drink one gallon a day.

Don’t set your self up for failure. When you are trying to lose weight / burn fat always set realistic goals. You will be able to lose and maintain your weight off by taking it step by step. Remember, if you are trying to make a change on a short period of time, keep in mind that it has taken you years to be at the weight you are at this moment. Don’t say “I want to lose 15 pounds in one month.” Start by making small changes; If you made one change a day, by the end of the month you’ll have made around 30.

Sodium is needed by the human body to maintain the proper water balance and blood ph. But, excess sodium intake may result in edema, high blood pressure, potassium deficiency, and liver and kidney disease.

The Food and Nutrition Board recommended a sodium intake of less than 2,400 mg/day for adults. Keep an open eye when you buy food at the supermarket, many products especially canned and boxed are very high in sodium. For example a slice of bread might have 200mg, macaroni & cheese 580mg, tomato ketchup 190mg (per tablespoon), Ready Made Rice 500mg a serving. It might not seem as much at first glance, but when you start adding the total daily intake of sodium might pass the 2,400 mark.

For those of you who still eat fast foods, a happy meal combo might supply you around 1400mg of sodium on just that meal.

Sodium has an impact in weight loss. A higher sodium intake increases water gain, this will be more noticeable in women. Your body weight is compromise by three components water, fat, and lean weight. If you keep tabs on how much sodium you are consuming, you will notice a drop in body weight.

The answer is Yes.

Now it depends what type of fat you usually eat. If you are eating junk food, fast food and fried food then NO. These types of fat which are mainly Saturated Fats and can lead to many health problems including high blood pressure and heart disease. If you are serious about losing weight and burning fat, do your self a favor and stop eating junk food, you’ll live a healthier life style.

Ok, the fats that are good for you are Olive Oil, Flax Seed Oil, Omega-3 (fish), Nuts. These fats not only help you burn fat, but they are good for your skin, hair, nail, heart, cholesterol and other functions in your body. You see, if you are trying to lose weight / burn fat your body will try to hold on to what it has stored because it thinks it’s going to starve. By you eating the good fats, your body is able to burn the fat that it has stored. Good fats give you lasting energy.

Some Suggestion:

• Add olive oil to your salads
• Eat nuts (peanuts, walnuts, cashew, etc…) as snack twice a day.
• Buy Flax Seed or Omega-3 capsules… very convenient.
• Scoop of peanut butter with whole wheat bread. (Make sure you buy the peanut butter with the oil separation, you will see the oil on top).
• Add a table spoon of Flax Seed Oil to your favorite protein shake.

Did you know that increasing your fiber intake can help you lose weight and it can also benefit your overall health. Did you also know that the average American diet consist of about 15 grams of fiber, when the recommended daily intake is around 30 grams.

Here’s how fiber works…When fiber enters your digestive system it absorbs the available liquids, then as it goes through the body it almost has a sweeping or cleaning effect on the cells. When enough fiber is consumed the stool is large and soft because plant fiber attracts water. When too little fiber is consumed, the opposite occurs, the stool may be small and hard. The deficiency of fiber may lead to constipation which can cause health problems such as Diverticula and Hemorrhoids.

Fiber helps stabilize sugar levels, helps you feel fuller (avoid cravings) and helps to be regular in the bathroom. In order to better achieve your weight loss goals you want to keep your sugar levels balance through the day, this way you body is better able to utilize the calories that it is taking in.

High fiber can control your weight, by:

1. Reducing the caloric density of your diet.
2. Slow the rate at which calories are ingested.
3. Slightly decrease the speed by which dietary energy is absorbed.
4. It will also add volume to your diet, leaving you feeling fuller longer.

Foods that are high in fiber are oatmeal, hight fiber cereals, fiber bars, whole wheat bread, high fiber pasta, prunes, vegetables, etc…

Want to kick start your metabolism? Start eating more… Sounds confusing?

Eating smaller meals a day helps you speed up your metabolism. This happens because your body is able to more efficiently use the calories and not store them. If you eat less frequently and more quantity, your body can’t keep up with the excess supply of calories and has to store them as fat. By you also eating frequently it puts your body in an anabolic state (which means building muscle…burning fat), it also stabilizes your sugar levels and gives you constant energy.

Has this ever happen to you? You eat your average breakfast, by 10 am you start getting hungry. At mid-day you have a heavy lunch, around 1pm you start getting sleepy. 3pm you are hungry again. When you get home for dinner you eat another heavy meal, because you avoided eating earlier again. This is the way to gain weight and feel tired.

Now, what if you made some adjustments. Lets say, for breakfast you have (high fiber cereal, low fat milk, peanut butter), at 10 am a snack (yogurt or cottage cheese or protein shake or bar). For lunch (chicken breast, brown rice, vegetables), at 3 pm a second snack (yogurt or fruit or protein shake or bar) and finally dinner you have (a tuna salad). This way you speed up your metabolism, have stable energy, and burn more fat.

Life is about having balance and so should be your daily intake of food.

Knowledge is power, but only if that knowledge is applied to every day life. Nutritional Education is a subject that should be taught to all kids early in life. Kids that grow up to be over weight won’t know what hit them until it is too late. There is a time at a younger age if you get a taste of this knowledge that you can break free and take control of your health and your life. But many times because of society, junk food / fast food industry and the weak support from parents these kids will be chained with being overweight, leading them to taking numerous prescription drugs and developing medical conditions at an early age and even death. And basically this problem is due to the over consumption of the fuel source that is suppose to keep us alive, food.

This Nutritional Education is out there and free for anyone that wants it to take. It’s sad that some people try to help others, but they won’t accept this knowledge. You can only plant a seed and hope they are smart enough to water it and make it grow with strong roots.

For those that have there health under control, this article will only strengthen what they already know. For others that are looking for a way to be free, this might get them thinking. But they only way you can make a change, is if you applied part of this knowledge at this moment. Just knowing and hoping won’t be enough.