Tastes Better With Friends

Tyler bolted out of bed and pulled on his sweatpants and sweatshirt. He glanced at the clock before running down the stairs. It read 7:00 a.m., so there was no time for breakfast. The wrestling coach had warned him not to be late for practice again. Tyler grabbed a pack of gum from the counter and ran the four blocks to school. Panting, he lined up with his teammates for the first drill.

After practice, Tyler’s friend Matt asked, “Do you want to go for breakfast before class starts?”

Tyler lifted up the can of soda he had grabbed from the vending machine and shook his head. “Thanks, but I’ll stick with this. I have to study for the math test I have after lunch. I’ll probably even skip lunch today.”

“That’s too … Read the rest

 1 Pasta

MYTH: This fat-free carb food won’t make you fat.

FACT: Pasta is nearly fat-free, but at 40 grams of carbs per scant level cup, a small bowl can quickly push your carb intake to a level that might prevent you from getting as lean as possible. The solution: Mix fiber-rich vegetables such as broccoli, green beans, cauliflower and mushrooms into the pasta. A half-cup of low-cal veggies per half-cup pasta keeps the carb and calorie content under control while providing added vitamins, minerals and fiber.

2 Grapes

MYTH: Grapes are a great fruit when dieting.

FACT: Grapes, especially red ones, are nutritious, but you shouldn’t pop them nonstop into your mouth. To get the greatest bang for your buck, better choices of fruit are available. According to fitness pro Beth … Read the rest

When your long-awaited sleep is rudely shattered by the snoring of your partner sometimes it’s enough to consider sleeping on the couch for the rest of your life. We all know that if we are the ones who do not snore, we’re usually the ones on the couch. Unless you have a pull-out sofa chances are your couch is not as comfortable as your bed. We all want to remain in our beds and while those of us who do not snore wish desperately for an uninterrupted snooze, those who do snore wish for a night where they aren’t jarred awake from an elbow to the ribs.

There are a variety of reasons people suffer from snoring and there are also a multitude of products available that are designed to help curb the snoring habit. People can snore for health reasons such as being overweight, smoking or drinking heavily before bed time and taking sedatives before bed in order to get any sleep at all are some of the culprits that contribute to snoring. Unfortunately changing a lifestyle is not an easy or quick thing. That isn’t to say that it can’t be done, but you may need assistance while you are working on your lifestyle changes to help you stop snoring.

Many people snore because their tongue and the muscles in their mouths relax and the tongue can fall to the back of the mouth while a person sleeps and obstructs the airway. This is very common in people who are overweight, drink before bed or use sedatives to help them sleep. Because you are using a sedative or muscle relaxant your tongue is a target for that medication and it too will relax. Not many people are aware of what goes on in their own mouths while they sleep because they are, of course, sleeping!

If your snoring is caused by any of the reasons above the best anti-snoring device you could invest in would be a snoring mouthpiece. These seemingly unattractive hunks of plastic are designed to either force the lower jaw open to allow more oxygen into the airway and/or hold your tongue in place so that it doesn’t fall back in your mouth while you sleep. There are many different kinds of mouthpieces with varying prices and designs. Be mindful when you look into this option. You don’t want something just because it’s inexpensive. That can mean the product is flimsy Read more…

Old think Egg yolks, nature’s most concentrated source of artery-clogging cholesterol, should be eaten no more than three times a week.

New think Saturated fat is the main culprit in rising cholesterol levels, so eggs (which are moderate in saturated fat) are off the hook. Plus, the yolks contain a pigment that may help prevent vision loss in elderly people.

Bottom line Eggs are also an excellent source of protein, so an egg a day can be part of a healthy diet. But beware of the egg’s friends–butter, bacon, and sausage. They can send cholesterol levels soaring.

TEA

Old think The disease-fighting substances in green tea make it the top choice.

New think Green is good–but so are black and oolong. Antioxidants in these teas help the body maintain healthy cells and tissues. … Read the rest

Culinary skills comprise only a part of the talents needed by the manager of meals every day. Skills are needed in budgeting costs, not only in dollars but also in time and energy. A knowledge of nutritious foods lays the foundation for meal planning. Attention must be given to safe and sanitary practices in the handling of food. In the last analysis, the meals must be satisfying to the diners.

In order to control food costs, the family budget needs to include a line for food. The dollar amount should include food eaten at home as well as food eaten away from home. The government has determined that a person with an average income spends 18 percent of what they earn for food. Those with lower incomes spend a higher percentage on food, … Read the rest

Just add a piece of fruit and a glass of low-fat milk, and you have a great meal in minutes. Doesn’t fill you up? Pop another lean entree in the microwave, and you’ll still come out ahead of the pot pie. Hint: For great taste, Coleman recommends spicy pasta dishes and Mexican entries such as enchiladas and burritos.

BROWN BAG IT: Clearly, the sandwich is the sine qua non of the brown-bag lunch, and it should consist of three essentials: whole-grain bread; lean-meat filler, such as tuna, turkey, or chicken, or a protein-rich, vegetable-based filler such as tofu or peanut butter; and condiments, such as tomatoes, lettuce, and mustard for a meat filler, or nuts, seeds, or raisins for vegetarian sandwiches. Include a small bag of carrots, a snack pack or a piece … Read the rest

Why are so many sexually frustrated men opting for Viagra, the drug touted as the end-all-be-all for sexual prowess, when similar “enhancers” are nothing more than a supermarket trip away? While it’s anyone’s guess as to what exactly triggers the inability to perform between the sheets — hormonal factors, psychological issues and fatigue are among a variety of suspected causes — rest assured that the power of nutrition plays a huge role in your sex life. The adage ‘you are what you eat” just took on a whole new meaning, didn’t it?

Keep it Flowing

Erectile dysfunction, aka impotence, is often correlated with common systemic diseases in the body, including diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and heart disease. These maladies can create a state where blood flow to all parts of … Read the rest

Grocery deli counters fall in this category and could easily be a bodybuilder’s best friend — they’re readily available, provide an array of quick sources of essential nutrients and tend to cost considerably less than eating out. But be sure to know what you’re selecting. So-called “low-fat” turkey meatballs and “97% fat-free” deli meats, for example, may not be as ideal as you might think.

Cold Meats & Cheeses

Many grocery stores’ own brands are just as likely to be low in fat as some popular brands such as Butterball, Jennie-O and Sara Lee, which tend to make meats consistently low in fat. Brands such as Boar’s Head, Columbus and Dietz & Watson definitely have some healthy options, but be sure to ask to see any labels you’re unsure of.

Purchasing cold cuts … Read the rest

In both the three- and six-month plans, eat approximately 20-30% more calories per day than needed for baseline bodyweight management. At the same time, keep carbohydrates relatively low, but high enough to avoid feeling and looking depleted. To prevent bodyfat storage, vary the amount of carbohydrates you take in on a daily basis. We provide you with carbohydrate strategies for the three- and six-month plans, plus two others designed for specific purposes, as well as sample meal plans to put these strategies into practice.

WEEKLY CARBOHYDRATE STRATEGIES

The following weekly strategies create “metabolic confusion,” helping to prevent your body from storing excess calories as bodyfat. Altering carb intake from day to day encourages your body to burn calories and stored bodyfat, rather than increasing fat storage. Your total bodyweight should increase through the … Read the rest