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Through bodyweight exercises, weight lifting , and some hard work I can help you get the body you want and have imagined.

Send you contact info to weightworkout@yahoo.ca to get the help you deserve.

Atlanta Personal Training For Fat Loss of the THIGHS, HIPS, and STOMACH

Nutrition tip of the Week

Mood Eating

Most people eat based on their mood and/or some subjective feelings of hunger. They don't eat based on what their bodies need. Think of it this way: you're about to take a long drive on a stretch of highway with no gas station. Do you fail to stop for gas before you hit the road because you're 'not in the mood?' Of course not. Think of eating in the same way. Eating fuels your metabolic engine. So it's time to start feeling like eating so that you can stop feeling like you're scrawny. by Dr. John Berardi

SEE ALSO: This tip is sponsored by Precision Nutrition - our pick for the best nutrition and supplement resource currently available. Containing system manuals, gourmet cookbook, digital audio/video library, online membership, and more, Precision Nutrition will teach you everything you need to know to get the body you want -- guaranteed.

Saturday, September 27, 2008

What You Should Know About Tea

by Ryan Andrews
Nowadays, pretty much everyone has accepted that tea (especially the green kind) confers some tremendous health benefits.

Indeed, as recent as two years ago, you could hardly find green tea in most grocery stories, convenience stores, or restaurants.

Now, the stuff is ubiquitous. Anywhere you turn, if you want a green tea, you can find it. You can even find it in some fast food restaurants.

So in this newsletter, we'd like to talk about tea - what it is, why it's good for you, and what benefits it offers.

What is tea?
Tea is a beverage made by steeping leaves, twigs, or buds of Camellia sinensis, the common tea plant, in hot water for 1 to 5 minutes.


The fermentation of a tea determines its color. White tea is the least fermented form. Black tea is the most fermented form.

Interestingly, when the tea is fully dried, fermentation stops, and that's how tea leaves retain their color (white, green, black) once dried.

So how does a tea leaf go from its natural state to your tea cup? Well, the leaves undergo fermentation, and are then heated and dried. During this process, flavor enhancers such as herbs, spices, fruits and flowers can also be added.
Note: when the label describes the tea as “herbal tea,” it’s referring to a beverage that contains only fruits and/or herbs with no actual tea leaves. So don't get duped. Most "herbal teas" contain no actual tea.
Tea contains no calories and is a rich source of phytochemicals as well as a specific group of chemicals called methylxanthines (e.g., theophylline, caffeine, etc - although the methylxanthine content is much lower than in coffee and other caffeinated beverages).

How tea works in the body
Tea offers a host of health benefits, which will be outlined shortly. Many of the beneficial effects of tea are due to the flavonoids it contains.

Flavonoids belong to a grouping of chemicals that have strong antioxidant properties and can reduce free radical damage (free radicals produce what we call "oxidative stress" and can contribute to chronic disease).

When thinking flavonoids, think of catechins, specifically EGCG. The catechins are one type of powerful flavoniods that occur naturally in tea. And many believe it's these flavonoids that contribute most of the benefits associated with tea.

In addition to the flavonoids, as mentioned above, tea contains methylxanthines (caffeine is a methylxanthine). The caffeine content in tea is lower than that of coffee and does not have an abrupt effect. Prospective jitters and withdrawal symptoms are unlikely.

How Milk May Ruin Tea
Interestingly, milk has long been added to tea to neutralize tannins (which are the most bitter components of tea) and reduce their acidity - leading to a smoother taste.

However, research has indicated that casein in milk will negate many of the beneficial components of tea. So don't ruin your tea by adding milk. Order it straight up. And if you don't like the flavor, mix your regular tea with a mint or herbal tea.




JB's favorite is a mixture of loose green tea leaves and a bag of mint or pear flavored green tea.

Loose Tea vs. Bags
Tea is commonly packaged in “tea bags” for convenience. Among tea experts, this tea is known as “dust,” due to its poor quality.

The tea in bags is considered a waste product left over from sorting the higher quality loose leaf teas. Furthermore, tea in bags may be prone to oxidation and not steep as well due to the restricted form of the bag.

Now, if you enjoy tea that comes in bags – don’t stress – it can still offer similar benefits. However, we encourage you to try loose tea (or some combination of loose and bagged) to see how you like it.

If you're new to loose tea, check out these infusers below or even a tea press. They'll help you avoid picking leaves out of your teeth!


Tea Infuser B



Tea Infuser C

Tea Press


The shelf life of tea varies based on the degree of processing. Black tea has a longer shelf life than green tea. The shelf life of herbal tea is usually the shortest.
To prevent oxidation, tea should be stored in an air-tight container and placed in a dry, cool and dark location.

Tea Temperature
Recommended water temperatures for steeping tea are as follows:
White tea: 140-165 degrees
Green tea: 170-180 degrees
Oolong tea: 190-205 degrees
Black tea: Above 200 degrees
Don’t get stressed if you don’t feel like breaking out the thermometer every morning. Bring water just short of boiling. That will usually do the trick.
Note: The more fermented teas require higher water temperatures. When water temperatures are too low, the leaves can be devoid of oxygen and the taste can be bland and flat.
Supplements and Extracts
While we're not against using green tea supplements, we want to make sure you don't go getting too happy with green tea extract consumption.
Case reports have been published indicating that a very high consumption of these extracts can induce liver damage. This has yet to be validated in well-controlled studies but it's worth thinking about.
Here's some additional info on this:
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/me...ead.php?t=6771
The Benefits of Regular Tea Consumption

Now, let’s outline some of the benefits attributed to regular tea consumption.
Note: These benefits were outlined at the 2007 "Tea and Health" symposium, a conference in which tea researchers world-wide got together and provided some definitive answers on what tea does and what it doesn't do - at least, according to what we know today.
We'll list these benefits by category...
Tea and body composition
  • Green tea increased 24-hour energy expenditure and fat oxidation
  • 3-months of tea consumption decreased waist circumference by 4.5%
Tea and cardiovascular health
  • Tea increased lipid oxidation
  • Tea improved blood vessel function
  • Those who consumed 3 or more cups of black tea per day had a reduced risk of heart disease and stroke
  • Drinking 6 or more cups of black tea per day was associated with decreased serum cholesterol and triglycerides
  • Those who drank a cup or more of black tea daily had a 44% reduction in the risk of heart attack compared to non-tea drinkers
  • Those who consumed tea during the year prior to a heart attack were up to 44% more likely to survive following the cardiac event
  • Japanese men and women who consumed just over 2 cups of green tea per day reduced their risk of death from cardiovascular disease by 22 - 33%
  • 5 cups of black tea per day reduced LDL cholesterol by 11% and total cholesterol by 6.5% compared to placebo beverages
  • Those who consumed 4 cups of tea per day had a 69% lower risk of atherosclerosis
  • Tea restored blood vessel function in those with coronary artery disease
  • Tea helped to prevent atherosclerosis
  • Tea enhanced dilation of blood vessels
  • Regular tea drinkers had a 65% reduced risk of developing high blood pressure
Tea and cancer
  • Tea inhibited oxidative damage
  • Tea decreased the growth of abnormal cells and inhibited uncontrolled cell growth
  • Drinking tea combated free radical damage
  • Tea boosted the immune system
  • Tea helped prevent prostate cancer
  • Those who drank tea had a reduced risk of skin cancer
  • Tea assisted in the regression of oral cancer
  • Tea drinkers had decreased ovarian cancer risk
Tea and immune function
  • Tea boosted natural resistance to microbial infection
Tea and oral health
  • Tea inhibited the plaque forming ability of oral bacteria
Tea and bone health
  • Although caffeine intake has been suggested to be a risk factor for reduced bone mineral density, research indicated that drinking tea does not negatively affect bone mineral density
  • Older women who drank tea had a higher bone mineral density than those who did not drink tea
Tea and kidney stones
  • Those who drank tea had a lower risk of developing kidney stones
Tea and neurological decline
  • Drinking tea resulted in a reduced risk of Parkinsons disease
Tea and spouse selection
  • Those who drank 5 cups of green tea each day had a more attractive spouse (are you still paying attention to my article? This one has yet to be confirmed by research - but you never know).
Tea Recipes
When talking to folks who don't consume enough tea, their excuse is usually that they don't like the taste. However, this excuse is fairly lame.


Just like with other healthy meals and drinks, you've gotta be a little creative. To this end, here are a few recipes that can make including tea in your diet a delicious proposition:
Mint Chocolate Shake
Ingredients:
1/2 cup strongly brewed green tea with mint
1 cup ice
2 scoops chocolate whey protein
1 cup low-fat plain yogurt
1 tbsp flaxseed oil or vanilla flavored fish oil
1 tbsp semi-sweet chocolate chips or cocoa nibs
Instructions:
Prepare green tea by steeping for 5 minutes or using tea press/infuser. Allow to cool.
Pour tea in the blender and add 1 cup of ice.
Add to the blender, protein, yogurt, oil, and chocolate.
Blend on high until mixture is smooth and creamy.
Nutrition Information:
Makes 1 large 593kcal shake (22fat, 36carb, 61 protein) or 2 small 296kcal shakes (11fat, 18carb, 30 protein).
Blueberry Oatmeal
Ingredients:
1/2 cup strongly brewed green tea with berry flavor
1 cup of water
1/2 cup Old fashioned large flake oats
2 tbsp ground flax seeds
1 tbsp pure honey
1/4 cup low fat milk or soy milk
1 scoop vanilla protein
1/4 cup frozen berries
Instructions:
Prepare green tea by steeping for 5 minutes or using tea press/infuser. Allow to cool.
Pour tea and 1 cup water into a pot.
Bring pot to a boil on high heat and add the oats.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until liquid is absorbed (approx 7-10 mins).
Remove from heat and stir in flax and honey.
Combine milk and protein in a blender and pour over oatmeal.
Add frozen berries.
Nutrition Information:
Makes 1 large 472kcal serving (10fat, 60carb, 35 protein) or 2 small 236kcal servings (5fat, 30carb, 15 protein).
------------------------------------------------------
Note: for 120 delicious, physique-friendly recipes like these, pick up a copy of our new Gourmet Nutrition - The Cookbook for the Fit Food Lover.
www.gourmetnutrition.com
Also note that if you purchase a copy of our highly acclaimed Gourmet Nutrition cookbook anytime between
today and the end of this month, 10% of the proceeds will go directly to the Healthy Food Bank.
Now you can eat delicious food yourself while helping feed
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------------------------------------------------------
Final thoughts
Most benefits are seen with around 3 – 4 cups of green or black tea per day. So make sure you start there there.

In the research, regularly steeped tea was used in most trials. To this end, be careful with pre-bottled teas as they may have excessive amounts of added sweeteners and degraded beneficial compounds. Therefore they may not offer the same benefits as regularly stepped tea.

For more great training and nutrition wisdom, check out Precision Nutrition. Containing system manuals, Gourmet Nutrition, digital audio/video library, online membership, and more, Precision Nutrition will teach you everything you need to know to get the body you want -- guaranteed.


Sunday, September 14, 2008

Great fat loss and nutrition recipe

For more Nutrition Tips:
This tip is sponsored by Precision Nutrition - our pick for the best nutrition and supplement resource currently available. Containing system manuals, gourmet cookbook, digital audio/video library, online membership, and more, Precision Nutrition will teach you everything you need to know to get the body you want -- guaranteed.

Pan-Seared Salmon with a Citrus Mint Sauce

There are limitless possibilities for cooking and flavoring salmon. Here is an out of the ordinary twist that combines citrus and mint to compliment that ever-gratifying crispiness of seared salmon. For this recipe, prepare the sauce first so that you can serve the salmon when it's hot and crisp. And don't forget to add a nice helping of veggies to this dish. Try some grilled asparagus for an extra special treat. Now on with the show . . .

Part 1: Citrus-Mint Sauce

2 tablespoons grapefruit juice squeezed from ½ fresh pink grapefruit

½ pink grapefruit, cut into sections for serving
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 medium shallot, minced (about 3 tbsp)
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp chopped fresh mint leaves
Salt & pepper, to taste
Dash of Splenda (equivalent to 1 tsp sugar)

Make sure to remove all of the membrane from the grapefruit sections. Combine the grapefruit juice, lime juice, shallot, and Splenda in a medium bowl. Mix well, and then gradually stir-in the olive oil, mint, and chives. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside while cooking the fish.

Part 2: Pan-Seared Salmon

Two 8-ounce salmon fillets, without skin
1 tbsp Smart Balance butter spread or coconut oil
Salt & fresh ground pepper, to taste

Pat the salmon fillet dry with a paper towel, and then season both sides of each fillet with salt and a generous amount of pepper.

Heat the butter or oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add fillets to the skillet and cook until edges are opaque and bottoms are golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes for 1-inch thick fillets. Gently flip the fillets with a spatula and cook another 2 to 3 minutes, until it is firm yet tender and moist, and the flesh has become opaque with a slight translucence.

Before serving, whisk the citrus mint sauce to recombine, and drizzle it over the fish fillets. Serve immediately garnished with grapefruit sections.

Serves two.

Nutritional information


Per Serving
Total Calories 529 k/cal
Protein 46 g
Total Carbohydrates 12 g
Fiber 0.13 g
Sugars 8 g
Total Fat 33 g
Saturated 5.3 g
Monounsaturated 16 g
Polyunsaturated 9 g
Omega-3 4.2 g
Omega-6 3.2 g

Tip: When is salmon cooked just right?

Cooking your salmon until it's 'flaky', as commonly suggested, can result in overcooking. Here's how to cook it just right: use a paring knife to peek inside the middle of the fillet. If the flesh is translucent, it is undercooked. If it is opaque and slightly flaky but still juicy, it is ready to serve. It is overcooked when the flesh falls apart and looks dry.

Food Fact: Are all omega-3's created equal?

Plants provide a form of omega-3's called alpha-Linolenic acid (ALA). Flax seeds are one of the best sources of ALA. But it's becoming clear that some of the best health benefits come from docosahexaenoic acids (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), which are found in fatty marine fish, like salmon and mackerel. DHA is particularly beneficial, and contributes to better body composition, brain health, stress relief, and has even shown potential in preventing dementia. Granted, some ALA can be converted into EPA and DHA, but the conversion rate is low, particularly in men.

What's the lesson? Go ahead and eat your flax, but don't skip the fish!

Want more great tasting recipes designed to get you real results?

If you want to build the body you never thought you could have, start eating the meals you never thought you could eat! Get over 100 recipes and a no-nonsense nutrition plan that will show you how to make it work in the new ebook written by Dr. Berardi and Dr. Williams, Gourmet Nutrition.


Tuesday, September 2, 2008

The 1000 Calorie Diet Tip

Training and Looking for a Personal Fitness Coach In Atlanta

If you eat at restaurants, it's easy to eat over 1500 or 2000 calories per meal.

Yikes! That's a full day's worth of calories in
one dinner...

Pre-dinner bread & butter -> 200 calories
Pre-dinner cocktail -> 150 calories

Appetizer -> This could be a 500-1500 calorie bomb on it's own!

Steak -> 300-500 calories
Potato -> 150-300 calories
Vegetable -> 100 calories
Dinner Drink -> 150 calories

Dessert - 300-750 calories
After Dinner Drink - 150

And that's only if you CONTROL yourself. If you go on a rampage,
you could be looking at 2500 or even 3000 calories in one sitting.
Those numbers are scary.

Fortunately, there are ways to avoid this dietary nightmare while
dining out. Here are 5 rules to cut 1000 calories from your
dining-out diet...

1) Plan ahead and avoid restaurants that offer huge portions.

2) Skip the bread. It won't stop you from eating your full meal
anyways, so just send it back.

3) No booze or liquid calories of any type.

4) No potatoes. Stick to your protein and your vegetables.

5) Reward yourself with only the tiniest bit of dessert, if at all.

It's all about taking responsibility for your choices. And yes,
choosing between the "Pain of discipline or pain of regret". What's
your choice?


Atlanta area personal fitness coach that comes to you.
Weight Loss In the Atlanta area?
Contact me here
jason@inthegym.info