Got Food? Eat Healthy Food In A Flash

How much time do people waste just figuring out what they are going to eat, a lot! If your training hard in the gym and looking to build muscle, lose body fat, or all of the above; you realize how important it is to feed your body the right healthy food at the right times.

Then people say, “I don’t have time to cook 4-6 times a day!” Well, with the right amount of planning, you won’t have to. Having your kitchen stocked with the proper foods is essential to preparing healthy meals in minutes.

For your protein needs have your freezer well stocked with chicken breasts, lean cuts of beef, pork, and fish. Have lots of skim milk, and lean deli cuts of turkey, chicken, and roast beef in your refrigerator for additional protein. Combine this with a couple protein shakes and meal replacements, and your protein needs should get met.

As for sources of carbohydrates. Keep your kitchen well stocked with oatmeal, whole wheat breads, (multigrain if possible), different types of rice, white and sweet potatoes, as well as fruit and fruit juices for that post workout insulin spike to top of your energy supplies. Don’t forget to have lots of fresh and frozen veggies on hand for most of your daily carb intake.

With a well-stocked kitchen, even if you’re rushed, you can make a quick and tasty meal in no time. Try different recipe combinations by taking one of the above protein sources, frying it up in a skillet or on a grill, throwing in some frozen stir-fry vegetables (they come in many flavors), and add a complex carb source on the side.

Learn the "The Truth On Fat Loss, How To Finally Lose That Beer Belly" in this FREE report from Sean Barker at http://dadfitness.rxsportz.com. Sean is a Certified Personal Trainer and a proud and busy Dad. Sean has been involved in the health and fitness industry for over 15 years and have appeared in High Performance Muscle Magazine, been on health and fitness radio shows and was selected as a sponsored athlete by one of the top supplement nutrition companies in the world. His popular Dad Fitness fat loss workouts have helped thousands of Dads around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 3 hours per week. For more information on the Dad Fitness workouts that will help you burn fat without spending hours in the gym, visit http://dadfitness.rxsportz.com

Stop Cravings and Stop Binge Eating: Advice from a Pizza Man

By Tom Venuto
Burn The Fat

In a surprising comment made during a popular UK radio show, the founder of one of the largest Pizza chains in the United States and United Kingdom told listeners not to eat too much pizza!

In an interview with host Adam Shaw on BBC’s Radio Four program, John Schnatter, the founder of Papa John’s pizza, was asked whether he was concerned about the British government’s recent actions in the fast food restaurant business to help put the brakes on obesity.

Schnatter said, “Pizza is actually healthy for you if you don’t eat too much of it. You can’t eat five or six slices but if you eat one or two slices it’s very nutritious.”

Laughing, Shaw replied, “I’m not sure your investors would want to hear you tell people, ‘don’t eat too much of our pizzas!”’

Across the web, bloggers and tweeters have been putting in their two cents. Some say he was a little TOO honest. Others say this was either the worst PR screw up ever… or the best PR move ever (you know what they say about “bad” publicity).

Although I wouldn’t call pizza health food, I think his advice to eat pizza, but only in moderation was the responsible thing for a fast food owner to do at a time where obesity is reaching epidemic proportions, not just in the United States but in the U.K. and other countries as well.

Moreover, it was just plain good diet advice! One reason people are failing to control their weight is because of all-or-none thinking, i.e, “I can’t eat ANY pizza EVER again!” or, “I have to follow my diet 100% or not at all.”

In my experience, all or none thinking is one of the biggest causes of diet failure. It’s far better from a psychological perspective to eat your pizza; simply enjoy it infrequently and in small quantities.

Think of you on a diet like a pressure cooker on a burner. The longer you keep that pot on the heat, the more the steam pressure builds up inside. If there’s no outlet or release valve on that thing, eventually the pressure builds up so much that even if it’s made of steel and the lid is bolted down, she’s gonna blow, sooner or later.

Well, in the beginning, you might think your willpower is made of steel and that you’re bolted tigher than a submarine hatch, but the longer you’re on a diet with no relief, the greater the pressure builds up until YOU blow your top… and that means massive binge eating.

But if you let off a little steam in the form of a “free meal” (or two) and enjoy that slice of pizza (or whatever is your favorite ‘poison’) on occasion, that relieves the pressure. Alas, you never even feel the urge to binge… because you HAD your pizza and the urge was satisfied. Since the meal was planned and you kept the calories under control, it had little or no effect on your fat loss results.

This topic of conversation was prompted on the BBC radio show during a discussion about how the Pizza business was doing during the recession and about efforts to stem the growing obesity crisis in the UK.

Earlier last month, The Food Standards Agency in the UK started negotiating with UK food, pub and sandwich chains to display calories on their menus to try to provide education about healthier options for consumers who eat out frequently.

The move is similar to one made in New York City last year, where restaurant chains that have more than 15 locations must print calories on the menus. According to an article in the British Medical Journal, this has resulted in an average reduction of 50-100 calories for each food order. Not much, but at least it’s something.

In the case of pizza, a 2.2 ounce thin-crusted slice of cheese pizza could have as little as 190 calories. One slice of “meat lover’s” pizza, on the other hand, could set you back almost 500 calories! If you knew the difference, would it change what kind and how much you ate?

I’m totally in favor of posting calories on menus, despite the critics who say it won’t make a difference. I think anything that raises calorie awareness is going to affect behavior in a positive way and help make for better food decisions. Whether it should be mandatory by law is debatable. I say, let the restaurants decide and then let the marketplace sort itself out.

I would be more likely to recommend or support the restaurants who opted to post calories, increase their range of healthy choices… and on that rare occasion, have a CEO who actually says, “Eat my food, but not too much!!”

Now, if we can only get those McDonalds's execs to say the same thing!

Train hard and expect success,

Tom Venuto
Fat Loss Coach
BurnTheFat.com

P.S. No relation to Venuto's Pizza, hahaha

About the Author:

Tom Venuto is a fat loss expert, lifetime natural (steroid-free) bodybuilder, independent nutrition researcher, freelance writer, and author of the #1 best selling diet e-book, Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle: Fat-Burning Secrets of The World’s Best Bodybuilders & Fitness Models (e-book) which teaches you how to get lean without drugs or supplements using secrets of the world's best bodybuilders and fitness models. Learn how to get rid of stubborn fat and increase your metabolism by visiting: http://burnthefat.rxsportz.com

Meal Planning: Save Time, Reduce Stress, Eat Healthy & Enjoy Your Family

The children are running around the kitchen. The dog is barking it at the door and dinner should have been on the table thirty minutes ago. It’s a common scenario in many households come dinner time.

The reason that most meal times don’t always go smoothly may because dinner the last thing on your mind and when it’s time to get food on the table, everything else goes haywire in your house.

We have all been there, but with a little bit of meal-planning, you can be serving up delicious meals the family will be glad to gather around the table for.

Meal planning can make it easy to get dinner on the table in no time on a busy night. Not only do you save time, but it’s economical too. You buy only what you need, avoid the drive-through line up and you can concentrate on using fresh ingredients – instead of prepackaged items from the grocery store. Every mother (or dad) should have a set way to plan all of their meals in advance for the week…it’s a true life-saver.

The first step to successful meal planning is to sit down before you head out to the grocery store for the week (or sign up for the affordable Dine Without Whine Menu Planning Service & they’ll make that plan for you) .

It is best to plan what food you will need to have on had before you head to the grocery store when planning the week’s meals. Meal planning will make good use of a well stocked pantry and will only need a regular amount of grocery shopping. By having your meals for the week planned out, you will be able to write a grocery list that you can stick to (Dine Without Whine actually puts your grocery list together for you too). This will help you to save money by keeping you from not buying extra food that you will not use.

As you plan your week’s meals, make sure that you think about ways you can cook once and make two meals out of it. It’s easy to do a lot of cooking on the weekends so that you can do minimum cooking on busy week days. You can grill up chicken breasts on Sunday and use them in pasta on one night and then in fajitas another night. There are many ways that you can reuse the cooking from one night to make the next meal that much easier.

Meal planning can also help to cut down on your prep time in the kitchen when you are cooking. By knowing the meals that you are going to cook in advance, you can wash and cut vegetables when you bring them home from the grocery store. The simple act of pre-measuring the vegetables that you would need for a meal will cut out a lot of additional cooking time.

To be successful with your meal planning, you will want to take into account a lot of factors when you plan your meals for the week. One of the most important things to keep in mind is your weekly schedule of evening activities. The nights when your family has many activities planned are not the evenings to make meals that take along time to prepare. It will be those nights that you will want to use the meals that use the food that you already prepared on the weekends.

Meal planning is a skill that will take some getting used to. The first couple of times that you attempt to plan out your meals for the week, you will have some missteps along the way. After awhile it will become second nature to plan all of your meals in advance and you will wonder why you did not start to do it sooner.

To make your meal planning a whole lot easier, sign up for you 1 ¢ no-risk trial at Dine Without Whine. You and your hungry family will be glad you did.

National News - No joy in this cooking _ recipes can make you fat

National News - No joy in this cooking _ recipes can make you fat

Get Your Antioxidants - Eat a Salad

You’ve probably heard a lot about antioxidants in recent years.  Don’t let this sudden interest fool you into thinking they’re just a fad or not important.  Antioxidants are a vital part of staying young and healthy.  Why?

First of all, we need to know what an antioxidant is.  During normal body processes, molecules called free radicals are produced in the body.  These are basically unstable atoms or molecules that desperately want to become stable.  They do this by stealing electrons from healthy cells, making them unstable and less healthy.  Antioxidants reverse this reaction, helping to keep the cells of our body healthy and functioning properly.

One of the most talked about effects of antioxidants is their anti aging properties.  As we age, we constantly copy our cells to replace them when they die.  Errors in copying occur and build up to form the aging process.  Free radicals can also interfere and have been shown to promote wrinkles, memory problems, weakness of the immune system, and reduced elasticity of tissue; all of which are associated with the aging process.  We can’t completely stop aging, but proper amounts of antioxidants can slow the process considerably.

Damage caused by these free radicals is also considered to be a cause of certain cancers.  Getting more antioxidants can reduce our risk for certain types of cancer, including cancer of the: stomach, prostate, colon, breast, bladder esophagus, pancreas, and possibly many more.  Besides cancer, antioxidants have been shown to help prevent other serious problems, such as: cardiovascular diseases, stroke, rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and vision problems. It is likely that antioxidants can help prevent other diseases and disorders, but their full effects simply haven’t been studied yet.

Antioxidants prevent the oxidation of bad cholesterol. When this type of cholesterol oxidizes, it can attach to the walls of blood vessels causing heart disease.  This increases the risk for heart attack and stroke.  Oxidized cholesterol also contributes to the hardening of blood vessel walls increasing the risk of high blood pressure.  Antioxidants can help keep your heart and the rest of your circulatory system healthy.

Another great benefit of antioxidants is that they help boost the immune system.  If you get sufficient levels of antioxidants, you’re not only less likely to get sick; it’s also easier for you to fight off diseases you may get.  Along these lines, antioxidants can also help you heal faster when you have an injury; large or small.

So what are you waiting for?  Today is the best day to start eating more fruits and veggies to get your antioxidants. Make it easy and simple with: http://myshortlinks.com/365salads

5 Foods Men Should Be Eating

By Sean Barker

These 5 foods will make sure you are on your way to living a long and healthy life so you can be the strong dad you need to be to keep up with your family.

1. Tomatoes - This plump red FRUIT provides a powerful punch for men especially. Yes, it is a fruit, not a vegetable. If it has seeds, its considered a fruit. You might of heard of the powerful nutrient in tomatoes called lycopene. Lycopene has been show to be beneficial in preventing prostate cancer in men. To absorb this wonderful nutrient the tomatoes need to be broken down such as tomato sauce and tomato juice.

2. Oysters - Don't pass on these slimy sea mollusks just yet. Oysters are a high quality protein source which is great for building lean muscle. They also provide heart healthy omega 3's as well as another prized nutrient that every man should have in their diet. Oysters have been known for centuries as a libido enhancer. This is mainly from the high concentration of Zinc. Most men today are shown to be deficient in this vital nutrient. It aids in testosterone production which gives us men strength and energy in the gym as well as in the bedroom.

3. Brazil Nuts - Nuts are a great nutrient dense snack full of fiber, healthy fats and even protein. Brazil nuts especially are high in selenium. Brazil nuts may contain as much as 544 micrograms of selenium per ounce. Just one Brazil nut will give you your recommended daily allowance of the selenium. This mineral is crucial in antioxidant production in your body to fight off disease.

4. Broccoli - We all hear how good this green cruciferous vegetables is for us. But most men don't really know how beneficial broccoli really is for our health and longevity. More and more evidence is mounting showing the anti-cancer benefits in this super food. Look at broccoli as "nature's brooms" as they are high in fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that clean your arteries and keep your cells strong and healthy throughout your body.

5. Flaxseed - This little seed is loaded with nutrients. A lot of people know flaxseeds are a good source of healthy fats and fiber. But the mistake they make is eating the seeds whole. For your body to absorb the fats, flaxseeds need to be ground before they are eaten. A coffee grinder is great for this or you can buy organic milled flaxseed. Ground flaxseed is great to add to cereal, oatmeal, burgers, meatballs, shakes and stews. Store ground flaxseeds in the fridge to prevent oxidation of the healthy fats. With all the talk on plastics in our environment and the phytoestrogens they mimic, lignans in flaxseeds help the body get rid of these toxic compounds.

There you have it, The Top 5 Foods For Men that you may not be eating but should...

Learn the "The Truth On Fat Loss, How To Finally Lose That Beer Belly" in this FREE report from Sean Barker at www.dadfitness.com. Sean is a Certified Personal Trainer and a proud and busy Dad. Sean has been involved in the health and fitness industry for over 15 years and have appeared in High Performance Muscle Magazine, been on health and fitness radio shows and was selected as a sponsored athlete by one of the top supplement nutrition companies in the world. His popular Dad Fitness fat loss workouts have helped thousands of Dads around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 3 hours per week. For more information on the Dad Fitness workouts that will help you burn fat without spending hours in the gym, visit http://dadfitness.rxsportz.com

Health Benefits of A High Fiber Diet

A diet high in fiber can benefit your health in many ways.  Fiber keeps your digestive system working smoothly, helps move elimination and waste from the body and fiber is rich in vitamins and nutrients. An increased amount of fiber can also help you feel fuller longer, which is important if you’re watching your weight.

A study conducted at the Harvard School of Medicine found that men who consumed 12 grams of fiber a day were twice as likely to develop precancerous colon changes as men whose daily fiber intake was 30 grams or higher.  Scientist are not exactly sure why fiber can help reduce the risks of colon cancer but it is thought that insoluble fiber adds bulk to stools, which helps speed their transit through the intestines, leaving less time for carcinogenic changes.

Other studies have shown that adequate levels of fiber can also help against breast cancer, heart disease, digestive disorders, diabetes and obesity.  If you suffer from constipation, increasing your fiber content should help.  It also helps to drink adequate amounts of water daily to help the fiber through your system.

An easy way to start the day with an adequate amount of fiber is to have a fiber-rich breakfast cereal and some fruit.  Vegetables, beans and fruits are high in fiber and also many other important nutrients. Eating lots of fruit, vegetable and whole grain based salads will give you the fiber you need.

Now that you know all the benefits of adding fiber to your diet, here is an easy way to help you increase your fiber intake: Salad Cookbook

Cutting Calories Out Of Everyday Dinners

If you’ve made the resolution to eat better, lose weight or just get healthier, dinners are going to have to change. So, what can you do to cut some calories out of everyday dinners and make meals a little healthier? Honestly, there are a lot of things you can do it that don’t even take that much time.

Eating Lighter

If you’d rather not change your other eating habits all that greatly, there are some fast, healthy dinner ideas that most families will enjoy. Some of the best include:

* Salads - This won’t bowl over the kids necessarily, but a main dish light salad is an excellent dinner choice for adults. Click here for main dish salad recipes.

* Soups - Create a big pot of soup over the weekend and heat it up on nights when time is crunched and appetites aren’t huge. If the right soup is made, it can be very calorie friendly, healthy and quite filling, too.

* Pita sandwiches and fruit - Whole grain pita bread, tuna or chicken salad and fruit all work wonders for fast meals that are healthy and calorie light.

Eating Smarter

If you’ve decided to eat smarter during the day so you can enjoy a bigger meal during the evenings, good for you. Now, you just need to make sure you don’t wreck the good work when you and your family sit down at the table. Some excellent meal ideas for keeping calories under control include:

* Baked entrees with lighter sides - Go for baked chicken, fish, white pork and beef instead of frying. Pick thin-sliced meats to speed up the cooking process. Select vegetables and whole grain rice or beans as the sides instead of potatoes.

* Grilling is great - If the weather will cooperate, consider taking your entire meal to the grill. Grilled meats and vegetables are incredibly tasty and offer an excellent alternative to standing in the kitchen.

Cutting calories out of dinners is not a difficult undertaking. With a little planning and smarter selections at the grocery store, you can enjoy dinners in no time at all that do not involve Styrofoam boxes.

Love salad? Get 365 salad recipes - one for each day of the year!

Healthful Cooking Tips for Busy Moms

Quite often, women feel they must be superwoman or supermom, regardless how difficult that may be to pull off.  One area where women struggle trying to do everything is cooking healthy meals.  Try these cooking tips for busy moms and give yourself a break!

Truth be told, everyone prefers to eat a good, home cooked meal.  But you may not have the energy to cook from scratch.  You can create great meals that don’t take a long time; here’s how:

  • Make a plan before going grocery shopping.  Creating a meal plan for at least a week at a time will solve two problems. Firstly, you’ll know what you’re going to eat for dinner all week so you won’t be racking your brain at 5 p.m. trying to figure out what to cook.  Secondly, you’ll be able to better control how much you spend because you’ll only buy ingredients you need.

  • After you’ve done your shopping, wash all the vegetables and cut them up into the sizes you’ll need for each meal.  This may take a bit of time on the front end, but will save you a lot of time when you’re preparing each meal later.  Plus you'll be more likely to reach for a healthy snack of fresh fruit or veggies instead of the cookie jar. Don’t forget to ask for help from your kids that are old enough to use a sharp knife. 

  • Make your crock pot your best friend.  This one cooking tool can make your life so much easier, and your family much more satisfied with the meal.  Put your ingredients into the crock pot, turn it on, and leave it alone.  By the time you return home, you’ll have the makings for a great home-cooked meal!

  • When you plan a family favorite, prepare more than one meal’s worth.  You can double, triple, or quadruple the amount that you make.  Freeze the separate meals for later use.  Then all you have to do is add a fresh salad to complete the meal.

  • If you don’t want to spend an entire day cooking extra meals, plan on cooking enough for one extra meal that you can use as a planned leftover one night.  If you’re using making chili one night, make a little extra that you can add to baked potatoes on another night.

  • Stretch your home-made meal with a tossed or pasta salad.  Salads are quick, easy, and nutritious.  They’re also good to add when you’re having leftovers.  They’ll stretch the meal quite nicely.

Speaking of salad, this cool cookbook has only salad recipes. Make healthy eating a little easier with 365 salad recipes  - one for each day of the year!

What Keeps a Salad from Being Healthy?

Almost everyone loves a salad. All that lettuce and those favored toppings, makes your mouth water just thinking about it doesn't it? Yet many of us ask ourselves if the salads we’re eating really are as healthy as we think.

First you have the lettuce. Lettuce is healthy but doesn't have much of a taste. Therefore we add all those wonderful extras to give our salad the taste we savor. Things such as vegetables, seeds and even fruit give us taste and still benefit the healthy factor of our salad.

So what makes a salad not so healthy? Ever take a close look at a salad bar? What a mouthwatering experience. Yet many of the items on the bar are not so healthy. No one would blame you for adding these delectable little treats. If you want to keep that salad a healthy part of your diet you need to look at some of those tasty items a little closer though. 

Fruits and vegetables are a healthy part of a salad. Things such as bacon bits and croutons can be the downfall. Real bacon bits add fat to a salad. Eat them sparingly and you will be fine but add too many and those unhealthy calories will start to add up.

Dressings can also be unhealthy when it comes to a salad. When measuring salad dressing we look at a 2 tablespoon serving. Many of the full salad dressings when measured this way have as much as 11 grams of fat. This is a lot when you really think about it.

Unfortunately we love our salad dressing and the more there is the happier we are. So how do you cut back on those unwanted fat calories? Try using a fat free or low calorie salad dressing. Many of our favorite flavors now come in these healthier versions. 

Yes many of the low calorie dressing just don't taste the same as our high fat favorites. If you find yourself shying away from the dressings that are better for you because of the taste try this. Instead of covering that salad with the dressing, put it in a small cup. When you take a bite of your salad dip it into the dressing cup before eating it. This will help to control the amount of dressing you consume. 

Remember, if you want a healthy salad you must pay attention to the ingredients you place in it. With a watchful eye and a little self control you can have a healthy salad that tastes great too.

365 Salad Recipes!

Are Your Kids Getting Enough Greens

As people strive to get away from the Standard American Diet (SAD) for a more natural and healthy existence, many of them are realizing the remarkable benefits of a diet heavy in greens. We are parents, we worry. We want to do what is right by our kids.

Plant proteins from leafy greens are an essential part of a healthy diet. The problem we often have is that we can get our kids to eat enough to benefit from all the protein, vitamins, and fiber found in those rich greens. According to national surveys, less than 5% of people on a “healthy diet” eat sufficient quantities of green leafy vegetables (greens). Do you belong to this category? Do your kids?

Dark green leafy vegetables are, calorie for calorie, perhaps the most concentrated source of nutrition in any food. They are a rich source of minerals (including iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium) and vitamins, including vitamins K, C, E, and many of the B vitamins. They are also great sources of fiber. The darker the leaves, the more nutritious the vegetable is. Dark green leaves even contain small amounts of Omega-3 fats.

In addition to being rich in vitamins and minerals green veggies also contain a variety of carotenoids, flavonoids and other powerful antioxidants that have cancer-protective properties. A higher consumption of green leafy vegetables has been shown to significantly decrease the risk of breast cancer and skin cancer. And green vegetables are also a major source of iron and calcium for any diet.

Dark leafy greens often have a very strong earthy or bitter flavor. This often means a struggle getting kids to eat them. We have already established that ADULTS are having a hard time eating them! Kids though are still going through and important development process, and now is not the time to skimp on nutrition. So what can you do?

Green smoothies have solved this issue for many people, including children. You don’t have to be deficient in your daily consumption of green veggies. Just get creative. By combining greens and fresh fruit, and other nutritious ingredients we can create a meal or drinkable snack that children love. Using green smoothies to get those 3 to 5 servings of greens a day is no longer such a daunting task.

If you want to give green smoothies a try then check out the Green Smoothie Recipes for Kids book. It has dozens of delicious, kid tested, recipes that incorporate those all important leafy greens in a delicious smoothie. Even picky adults can benefit from this book, so give it a try!

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Download Free PDF eBook
Breakfast Smoothies Recipes

Maximize Your Ability to Exercise and Stay Fit with Tart Cherries

Tart cherries contain the nutrients you need to optimize your fitness level. They provide the support your body needs before, during and after a workout so that you can maximize your productivity while maintaining your stamina. Therefore, your workout routine can be more effective. Clinical studies have shown that consumption of tart cherries over long periods of time can help the body prepare for and recover from intense workouts and muscle strain. Research suggests that consumption of tart cherries can also reduce your risk of developing chronic diseases.

Tart cherries are best consumed whole and fresh because that is the best way to guarantee the intake of all the nutrients they offer. However, it isn’t always convenient to consume them whole and fresh. Harder and less convenient than finding them would be trying to work them into your “on the go” lifestyle. Eating them whole and fresh might not be tasty enough for many people to stomach, especially first thing in the morning or right after a tiring workout. Many people prefer to get their nutrition in liquid form so they can drink it when they want to.

CherryPharm took this into account when they decided to scientifically produce a healthy tart cherry juice drink. The name of the drink is simply their company name; CherryPharm. It is not for medicinal purposes. Instead, it is more or less an easy way to get your daily intake of fresh fruit that research suggests is vital to good health. The advantage of drinking tart cherry juice (that differs from other juices) lies within the nutrients. There is a combination of more than 30 bio-active compounds found in natural tart cherries that provide benefits that orange, grape, pomegranate, blueberry, none and acai berry juice don’t provide. The unique juice extraction process that CherryPharm uses, combined with the clinical studies they performed, prove the effects of their tart cherry juice and make it one of the most valuable natural fruit juice drinks you can add to your daily nutrition.

CherryPharm juice extraction process was developed in the labs at Cornell University. It retains the maximum amount of nutrients from the whole tart cherries so that the drink is as beneficial to your health as possible. These nutrients include 7 types of anthocyanins, 3 types of flavANols, 10 types of flavONols, 6 types of phenolic acids, 4 types of vitamins and minerals, a hormone and a terpene. When combined, the research and clinical studies suggest that they help open biological pathways to allow blood to flow freely to a greater number of areas of the body. A greater number of muscles are worked while blood pressure decreases and brain health increases. This theoretically increases the effectiveness of the workout.

Research also suggests that the nutrients in tart cherries can help regulate physiological functions and slow their natural deterioration which occurs over time. This can help the ability of your muscles to respond and perform everyday tasks long into the future. Clinical studies show that consumption of tart cherries may aid in “precovery”. That means that they work to protect the body from soreness, muscle damage, inflammation and tumor growth. This suggests that the likeliness of suffering an injury is reduced, while recovery time decreases in the event that an injury is sustained. That’s not all. Consuming tart cherries is also linked to improved sleep habits so that you rest well and are able to prepare your body to be more productive the following day.

Finally, tart cherries contain very powerful antioxidants. Consumption of antioxidants balances out the level of oxidants in your body, thus reducing your chance of suffering from oxidative stress. Oxidative stress can lead to the development of chronic disease. Therefore, research suggests that consuming antioxidants can help prevent the development of chronic disease.

In conclusion, tart cherries contain the nutrients valuable to your health. Drinking tart cherry juice should become as common as drinking orange juice. CherryPharm cherry juice is a health drink made from all natural whole tart cherries. It comes in three varieties. Natural Health (100% tart cherry juice from approximately 50 whole tart cherries with a splash of apple juice concentrate for flavor) and Natural Recovery (Similar to Natural Health but has protein) can be used in combination with one another to maximize the effects of your workout routine while Natural Fruit (100% tart cherry juice from approximately 35 whole tart cherries with a splash of apple juice and grape juice concentrate for ultimate flavor) can be consumed by anyone of any age at any time of the day.

CherryPharm is loaded with antioxidants and clinically proven to reduce strength loss, protect muscles, lessen pain, speed recovery, improve sleep habits, and increase wellness.  CherryPharm has been featured on the CNBC TV show "Mike on America", in Oprah magazine, the New York Post, Newsweek, In Touch, Escape, Vogue and many others. For more information, please follow the links above or visit CherryPharm.com.

Written by Matt Kerwin for CherryPharm

Supercharged Nutrition: Ten Foods you must have

By Ben Warstler, The Former Fat Kid
http://theformerfatkid.com

Not all foods are created equal.  By now you know that.  But what are the foods that are above and beyond the best for your body?  We’ve narrowed down to ten foods that you must have in your nutrition plan for overall balance and for your body’s well being.  From Antioxidants to foods packed with fat burning and nutrient satisfying qualities, this list can easily be considered the Holy Grail of nutrition.

Mother Nature’s perfect foods are the best sources of antioxidants and major contributors of fiber; fight disease and feel satisfied on fewer calories.  Even if you were to choose supplements over whole foods, you cannot make up for the thousands of phytochemicals found in fresh produce.  Concentrating on eating foods that have a lot of nutrients and phytochemicals will set you up for a leaner body and a healthier lifestyle.  Below is a list of the ten super foods that you will want to eat plenty of for success.

1. Fruits- From apples to berries, these foods are high in antioxidants and reduce the risk of some cancers, diabetes, asthma and heart disease.  Some of the best choices are blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, apples.

2. Nuts- High in fiber and protein, and antioxidants, nuts can reduce the risk of diabetes and may prevent certain cancers.  Nuts also have anti inflammatory properties as well as providing a source of healthy fats which can prevent the accumulation of bad fats in the artery walls, and contain Omega 3 fatty acids which help the brain and heart. Some of the best choices are walnuts, almonds and flaxseeds.

3. Tomatoes- Antioxidant rich (lycopene) may help prevent prostate cancer and might also help prevent breast cancer.  That in itself is enough for me.

4. Fish- Certain fish contain high levels of Omega 3 fatty acids.  The brain needs these to maintain many complex functions.  The body also requires a certain amount of these specific fatty acids to take care of the heart and protect against stroke.  Omega 3’s also help the body store less body fat, and the fat you do store is more readily available to be used for energy and will be burned during activity.  Omega 3’s also help your body produce testosterone, the hormone responsible for building new muscle.  Some of the best sources are salmon, mackerel, and bluefish.

5. Whole Grains- Many provide healthy stores of Vitamin B and tons of fiber.  Be sure your whole grains are whole grains and not processed grains.  Processed grains can be detrimental to fat loss and to a healthy lifestyle.  Fiber has a ton of benefits including: keeping you regular, slows digestion of carbohydrates, lowers cholesterol, and reduces risk of obesity.  Some of the best sources of whole grains are couscous, quinoa, bulgur wheat and wheat berries.

6. Vegetables- Many vegetables contain cancer fighting compounds.  Dark leafy green veggies have a pigment that enhances the body’s immune response.  The same dark leafy veggies are rich in Vitamin A and are antioxidants.  Their anti inflammatory powers will also help block pain.  Some of the best choices are broccoli, spinach, kale, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, and cabbage.

7. Olive Oil- A great source of healthy fat and powerful plan nutrients, this oil also has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and decreases bad forms of cholesterol while boosting good cholesterol.

8. Beans and Lentils- These are very high in protein and fiber and contain powerful levels of antioxidants.  These nutrient dense foods help burn body fat and stabilize blood sugar.

9. Yogurt- Rich in Vitamin A, calcium and probiotics (good bacteria to help keep gastrointestinal tract in balance), yogurt is a must.  80% of your body’s immune system is in the gastrointestinal tract, so probiotics can be your first line of defense against sickness.  Calcium forces fat out of cells and into the bloodstream where it is more quickly burned off.  If your body doesn’t get enough calcium, the fat stores are retained and grow steadily. 

10. Green Tea- Green tea has high anti-viral and anti-bacterial effects and its benefits keep expanding.  It is good for the heart and immune system, improves blood flow, is high in antioxidants that fight inflammation, has mood-elevating properties and prevents the absorption of fat.

These ten foods, when put into your nutrition plan, will yield amazing results not just on the outside, but will have you feeling healthy on the inside as well.  If these foods aren’t in your plan, get them as soon as you can and begin to feel the benefits from just eating better.

Ben Warstler is the creator of The Former Fat Kid Fat Loss System and the owner of Groundbreaking Fitness, LLC.  For over 10 years Ben has helped hundreds of clients reach their fat loss goals while training less than an hour three times per week.  For more information on The Former Fat Kid Fat Loss System and how it can help you burn unwanted body fat with minimal equipment and without long boring training sessions, visit http://theformerfatkid.com

Antioxidants And Free Radicals: Are You Getting Enough?

Antioxidants are molecules which can safely interact with free radicals and terminate the chain reaction before vital molecules are damaged.

Although there are several enzyme systems within the body that scavenge free radicals, the principle micronutrient (vitamin) antioxidants are vitamin E, beta-carotene, and vitamin C. Additionally, selenium, a trace metal that is required for proper function of one of the body's antioxidant enzyme systems, is sometimes included in this category. The body cannot manufacture these micronutrients so they must be supplied in the diet.

Free radicals are atoms or groups of atoms with an odd (unpaired) number of electrons and can be formed when oxygen interacts with certain molecules. Once formed these highly reactive radicals can start a chain reaction, like dominoes. Their chief danger comes from the damage they can do when they react with important cellular components such as DNA, or the cell membrane. Cells may function poorly or die if this occurs. To prevent free radical damage the body has a defense system of antioxidants.

Vitamin E : d-alpha tocopherol. A fat soluble vitamin present in nuts, seeds, vegetable and fish oils, whole grains (esp. wheat germ), fortified cereals, and apricots. Current recommended daily allowance (RDA) is 15 IU per day for men and 12 IU per day for women.

Vitamin C : Ascorbic acid is a water soluble vitamin present in citrus fruits and juices, green peppers, cabbage, spinach, broccoli, kale, cantaloupe, kiwi, and strawberries. The RDA is 60 mg per day. Intake above 2000 mg may be associated with adverse side effects in some individuals.

Beta-carotene is a precursor to vitamin A (retinol) and is present in liver, egg yolk, milk, butter, spinach, carrots, squash, broccoli, yams, tomato, cantaloupe, peaches, and grains. Because beta-carotene is converted to vitamin A by the body there is no set requirement. Instead the RDA is expressed as retinol equivalents (RE), to clarify the relationship. (NOTE: Vitamin A has no antioxidant properties and can be quite toxic when taken in excess.)

These nutrients are also thought to have a role in slowing the aging process and preventing heart disease and strokes, but the data is still inconclusive. Therefore from a public health perspective it is premature to make recommendations regarding supplements and disease prevention. New data from ongoing studies will be available in the next few years and will shed more light on this constantly evolving area. Perhaps the best advice, which comes from several authorities in cancer prevention, is to eat 5 servings of fruit or vegetables per day.

Endurance exercise can increase oxygen utilization from 10 to 20 times over the resting state. This greatly increases the generation of free radicals, prompting concern about enhanced damage to muscles and other tissues. The question that arises is, how effectively can athletes defend against the increased free radicals resulting from exercise? Do athletes need to take extra vitamins?

Recommendations

* Follow a balanced training program that emphasizes regular exercise and eat 5 servings of fruit or vegetables per day. This will ensure that you are developing your inherent antioxidant systems and that your diet is providing the necessary components.

* Weekend warriors should strongly consider a more balanced approach to exercise. Failing that, consider supplementation.

* For extremely demanding races (such as an ultradistance event), or when adapting to high altitude, consider taking a vitamin E supplement (100 to 200 IU, approximately 10 times the RDA) per day for several weeks up to and following the race.

* Look for upcoming FDA recommendations, but be wary of advertising and media hype.

* Do not oversupplement.

Learn the "The Truth On Fat Loss, How To Finally Lose That Beer Belly" in this FREE report from Sean Barker at www.dadfitness.com. Sean is a Certified Personal Trainer and a proud and busy Dad. Sean has been involved in the health and fitness industry for over 15 years and have appeared in High Performance Muscle Magazine, been on health and fitness radio shows and was selected as a sponsored athlete by one of the top supplement nutrition companies in the world. His popular Dad Fitness fat loss workouts have helped thousands of Dads around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 3 hours per week. For more information on the Dad Fitness workouts that will help you burn fat without spending hours in the gym, visit www.dadfitness.com