Are you guilty of these 5 food mistakes?
Are You Over Fruting
Squeezing too much fruit into your diet may do more harm than good.
According to the principles of seasonal eating, our bodies begin to crave cleansing, hydrating foods in the warmer seasons. After months of hearty soups and stews, a diet that prioritizes fresh fruit is a refreshing change, quite literally. And while it’s not exactly a damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don’t situation, you can get too much of a good thing, even when it comes to something as health-promoting as fruit. Though it comes bundled with fiber and other nutrients, “the fructose in fruit is still sugar, and when we overdo it, that sugar is warmly welcomed into our fat cells. Here’s how to keep a healthy habit from turning harmful.
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SCALE BACK ON THE SWEETEST STUFF.
No fruit is off-limits, but bananas and grapes aren’t exactly weight-loss weapons, says Brown. Better bets: Asian pears, strawberries, raspberries, watermelon, and papaya, all of which have a low glycemic load, a measure of how strongly a food impacts your blood sugar.
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PASS UP THE SUPERSIZE PRODUCE.
Like chicken breasts and bagels, bananas and apples have doubled in size over the years, says Brown. Shop somewhere that charges by the pound, not the piece, and choose the smallest size available.
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STOP AT TWO.
“You can drive yourself crazy trying to count grams of naturally-occurring sugar,” warns Brown. Instead, limit yourself to two pieces or cups of fruit a day.
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TAKE SMOOTHIES INTO ACCOUNT.
Even the green kind can contain up to four servings of fruit and 90 grams of sugar. If nutritional information is available, choose a smoothie with 30 or fewer grams of sugar and make that your only fruit for the day. If not, pick one made with no more than two varieties of fruit.
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PAIR WITH PROTEIN.
The fiber in fruit helps regulate your body’s absorption of the sugar so your energy levels don’t spike and crash, but adding some fat and/or protein slows it down even more. Pair your fruit with nuts, seeds, sliced turkey or jerky.
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Are you guilty of these 5 food mistakes?
1. You Use Bee Pollen To Cure Allergies
BEE POLLEN ISN’T A SUPER FOOD
The supplement won’t boost your performance in the gym and it could trigger allergies.
THE FOOD / NUTRITION
July 11th, 2017
Hailed as a superfood, bee pollen is the substance that collects on the animals’ bodies as they fly from flower to flower. It contains some nectar and bee saliva and can be bought in powder or granule form. It’s said to be rich in proteins, energizing B vitamins, and antioxidants that benefit your immune system and reduce inflammation (theoretically helping you recover faster from a workout). That’s why fit folks have been blending it in their smoothies, using it as a toast topper, or sprinkling it on oatmeal. But bee pollen isn’t necessarily the miracle food it’s touted to be.
According to The Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, people take bee pollen in hopes of getting a boost in athletic performance, but research suggests their efforts are in vain. In terms of macronutrients, one teaspoon of the powder contains 15 calories, three grams of carbs, one gram of fiber, two grams of sugar, and one gram of protein. Thus, consuming such a small serving hardly makes a dent in your overall quota for the day. And despite being rich in amino acids, bee pollen doesn’t hold a candle to more nutritious foods, such as salmon and spinach, says Christine Gerbstadt, M.D., R.D., an internist and nutritionist based in Bethesda, Maryland.
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What should your post workout meal consist of?
The Post Workout plate recommendations are for those who perform intense exercise. Eat a Post Workout meal soon after your intense exercise sessions only.
This plate helps us take advantage of the body’s metabolic response to exercise. It includes starchy carbohydrates and protein, which are great during times of increased glucose tolerance (during the post-exercise period). We also advise a mix of vegetables and fruits.
You’ll notice there isn’t much fat here. A higher fat meal post-workout slows the digestion and the assimilation of protein and carbohydrate. So we recommend getting most dietary fat during Anytime meals and most dietary carbohydrates during PW meals. Keep in mind we’re not suggesting you avoid fat. Just minimize added fat.
Notice that the Post Workout portion is slightly larger, as we add a small side dish of starchy carbohydrates on top of a full plate of protein and fruits/veggies. Of course, one should use smaller or larger plates based on body size.
In terms of food selection, the Post Workout plate is still based on whole, unprocessed foods, with local and organic selections when possible.
Precision Nutrition Coaching is a body transformation program that guides you through important—yet sustainable—changes in your eating and lifestyle with help from a certified expert coach.
Happy Healthy Eating!
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3 MOVES FOR BETTER POSTURE
Posture is an oft-overlooked aspect of fitness that affects how you feel, how you look, and even your performance in the gym. When it’s poor (which can be brought about by anything from prolonged sitting to texting) it can lead muscles and tendons to grow dehydrated and stiff, limiting range of motion and putting athletes at risk for injury.
While not overly taxing, the moves in this posture workout provide hydration, blood, and oxygen to muscles and tendons—in turn, preserving range of motion and combating the effects of aging and technology. Work through the moves one after the next. Repeat two to three times. Do it three to four times a week for best results.
Prone Breathing
Why you need it: “The position of the rib cage can affect body mechanics and have a negative impact on our posture. When there is faulty breathing, this can reduce space around the shoulder joint leading to impingement and pain.”
How to do it: Lie face down. Place hands underneath forehead and take a deep breath in, focusing on pushing belly button into the ground. Limit the chest from expanding and focus on the abdominal area. Exhale slowly through lips. Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, breathe out for 7 seconds. Repeat 5 times.
Why you need it: “This is one of the most effective exercises for promoting mobility and stability of the shoulders and spine. With the addition of a load to this position it not only forces you to stabilize, it ensures that the joint is properly aligned, allowing for movements that are often compromised as a result of sitting or overuse in sports.”
How to do it: Start laying face-up on the ground and press the kettlebell straight up with your right hand. Bring your left hand overhead vertically and press your right foot into the ground in order to roll your body over until your right knee lands on the ground. If this position is easy, you can straighten out your bent leg, emphasizing more rotation in the trunk. Rotate the kettlebell back and forth in the air 10 times. Repeat on the other side.
Why you need it: “We have connective tissue that runs all the way from the foot to the back of the neck. This stretches and increases range of motion through the hip, thoracic spine, and shoulder.”
How to do it: Stand with right foot forward and left leg back. Slowly lower body, getting the left knee close to the ground, while simultaneously reaching up toward the ceiling and across body, having left arm come up and across the head. Repeat 10 times.