Praise To Tim Horton's - Oatmeal

Who thought you could get a bowl of steamy hot oatmeal with your large black coffee?  It's true, pull into Timmy's and grab a bowl of oatmeal!!  Good serving size, maple or berry flavour, or plain.  Quick, easy and will help you keep your nutritional plan in check.

1 serving

160 calories
2.5g of fat
5g of protein
32g of complex carbs
4g fibre
4g sugar

While $2.00 is a bit steep for oatmeal, the conenience is well worth the price!!

What To Do With Leftover Chicken?

Delish.com has some great recipes including what to do with leftover chicken, check it out!  YUM

http://ca.delish.com/recipes/cooking-recipes/leftover-chicken-recipes

Protein!! Eat it!

"A Johns Hopkins University study found that a diet in which roughly a quarter of the calories (about 60 percent more than the recommended 10 to 15 percent) come from lean protein sources reduced blood pressure, LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels, and triglycerides better than a traditional higher-carb diet. Other research finds that diets rich in protein can help prevent obesity, osteoporosis, and diabetes."  MSN.ca

Post Workout Carbohydrates Are A Must

After an intense workout, what do you eat? Your body wants to replenish muscle glycogen first and fore most (stored energy). Glycogen is found in the muscles as well as the liver, and needs to be replaced. At the same time your blood sugar (glucose) levels are gone as well. This causes a sharp decline in insulin levels. With low blood sugar, your body produces more cortisol (a hormone that is catabolic) and starts to get energy from your muscle tissue, it has nowhere else to get the energy from. It takes those proteins and through various processes strips the nitrogen away to help form more ATP (what your body breaks blood sugar and muscle glycogen down into for energy - ATP is the only fuel source of the body, glucose and muscle glycogen is easy to break down, fat and protein is harder).

So, for someone looking to lose bodyfat and increase muscle to keep the fat burning, they DO NOT want this to happen, so we need to stop it as soon as possible. How do we do that? Eat carbs. Yes, we need to feed the big, bad, carb monster.

After an intense workout, stage 1 is to get some carbs into, the simpler the better. If you have glucose or dextrose from the healthfood store, that is perfect. Take 40-80grams of it with your creatine as soon as you can. If you do not have this, have a handfull of jelly beans or a low fat version of a chocolate bar.

This will get your blood sugar and muscle glycogen back to where is should be and now your body does not have to release so much cortisol and you can start to repair the muscle tissue you hurt while working out.

Now you should take in some quick digesting protein. 40g of whey protein isolate is an excellent choice, or 6-8 egg whites, or another protein shake that has about 40g of protein, but is low in carbohydrates (as you already have taken the sugar by way of the glucose, dextrose, candy, chocolate, white bread, white rice, raisins etc.). Then about an hour after that you will want to eat a regular meal, again low in the carb area.

Many of you will wonder why I would let you eat candy after working out? Well, there is no better way to get the body the sugar it needs. Then you also get your sweet tooth satisfied and probably will stick to your nutritional plan better.

The faster you get glucose back into your blood and muscles, the less protein is destroyed! You keep more muscle and not lose it. Remember, muscle is the energy powerhouse of the body. The more muscle you carry, the more calories you need during the day.

Now that you have worked out, taken in your post-workout meals, your body can focus on healing and recovering for the next workout. You'll keep muscle, burn fat and get to where you want to be faster!

Prostate Cancer And Walnuts

Nutrition Journal, Vol.7 (02 May 2008), 13.

What is the most common form of cancer among men? Yup, prostate cancer! Makes men cringe just at the first word! Because it lies in a private place, men think it is embarrassing to talk about. Get your prostate checked when the doctor says it is time! You've heard the commercials, "Don't die from embarrassment!"

The tocopherol compounds are high in walnuts which have lead researchers to study that when they gave men 75g/day over 8 weeks the ratio of free PSA and total PSA increased (PSA - Prostate specific antigens). Anything to reduce the risk of prostate cancer is worth it! So, eat your walnuts!

Definitions of tocopherol: vitamin E a fat-soluble vitamin that is essential for normal reproduction; an important antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals in the body.

Asian-Style Chicken Salad

From Diabeteshealth.com

Asian-Style Chicken Salad
Gerri French, MS/RD, CDE
April 2005

Ingredients & Methods

Makes 4 servings

Asian-Style Chicken Salad

12 ounces cooked skinless boneless chicken (breast and dark meat)
2 cups finely shredded Napa cabbage
1 cup slivered green and red bell peppers
1 cucumber, peeled and diced
1—2 tablespoons chopped green onions
¼ cup slivered, toasted almonds, for garnish

Dressing

½ cup plain low-fat yogurt*
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1 tablespoon peanut or canola oil
½ teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon “lite” soy sauce
½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger root

Nutrition at a Glance

Calories 270
Total fat 15g
Saturated fat 3g
Cholesterol 75mg
Sodium 260mg
Total carbohydrate 7g
Dietary fiber 2g
Protein 28g
Sugar 1g

Method:

1)Mix the dressing ingredients in a large bowl.
2)Add the chicken and vegetables.
3)Toss together well.
4)Top with the almonds and serve.

Serving Suggestion:

Mediterranean-Style Chicken Salad
Combine chicken, tomatoes, green beans, olives, red onions, feta cheese

Latin American-Style Chicken Salad
Combine chicken, onion, peppers, tomatoes, avocado, salsa, cilantro

Chicken salad can be quite versatile; the nutritional analyses will vary according to your portions and the salad dressing that you choose.

* When it comes to buying plain yogurt, you have three major choices: nonfat, low-fat and whole milk yogurt. Each brand of yogurt will contain different amounts of fat, protein and carbohydrate, depending upon the way it is made as well as the ingredients used. Some of the popular “Greek-style” yogurts have significantly more protein and less carbohydrate.

Looking For Protein Supplements That Taste Good.... FOR REAL?

Yes! There are actually protein supplements and meal replacement products that actually taste good. Not just... good.... but amazing. Let me help you find one that is right for you.

What is the protein supplement for?

Post-Workout: Whey protein isolate should be the only protein source in the product. It digests very quickly and gets to work right away.

1. Men: 40g following a workout to help increase your body's recovery ability. 60g simple carbs to stop muscle breakdown and restore blood sugar and muscle glycogen. An hour later, eat a good quality small meal.
2. Women: 20g following a workout, 40g simple carbs. Same reasons as above just in a smaller dose as typically women weigh less than men.

A good product to try is: Allmax Nutrition IsoFLEX (only whey protein isolate). Good flavour.

First Thing In The Morning: Find a product with whey protein isolate, whey protein concentrate and mix with milk. This will slow the digestion slightly to allow for a longer release of amino acids into your body and still has the whey protein isolate to get to work after a long nights fasting. Two scoops for men, one scoop for women in milk or soy milk.

A good product to try is: Dymatize Elite Whey (isolate and concentrate). Great flavour.

Rest Of The Day And Night Snacking: You want a long releasing protein that takes time to digest to keep blood sugar stable and stop you from snacking and being hungry. Add some fibre to help fill you up more.

A fantastic product to try is: BSN Lean Dessert and BSN Syntha 6. Amazing flavour.

You really do get what you pay for, so don't be afraid to try the expensive brands over the cheap brands. There is a huge difference in taste, but find a flavour you like and stick with it. If it does not taste good, you won't use it for long!

Have Your Oatmeal And Drink It Too!

Optimum Nutrition has just brought a new product to market. Natural Oats & Whey, available in vanilla or chocolate. 24g of protein, 4g of fiber, 1.5g of fat, 23g of carbs and a whopping 26 servings per container. Ranging from $23.99 in the US to $39.99 at Canadian retailers (yes we pay a LOT more due to the government making them register them and so our distributors pay a lot more per unit, so dig deep nothing much we can do but complain!).

No artificial flavours, colors or sweeteners! WOW! So if you are eating clean and want another breakfast alternative, toss a scoop into water, milk, rice milk, almond milk or soy milk and away you go!

For Bodybuilding.coms review click here. No I do not make money by you clicking here!

Brown Rice - Facts

1 cup of cooked brown rice has 218 calories, 5g protein, 46g carbs, 2g fat and 4g of fibre.

It is the king of the cupboard. Being a whole grain (the bran and germ are still attached) this makes it full of fibre that slows digestion and cleans your colon!! Eat before a workout to fuel your fire!!

A.J. McAlendin

Couscous - Facts

1 cup of couscous has 176 calories, 6g protein, 36g carbs, 0g fat and 2g fibre.

Don't be fooled! This product is made of the same semolina flour as pasta. It has no real vitamins or heath benefits other than being a quick source of energy. So, with that being said, use it after workouts to replenish muscle glycogen.

A.J. McAlendin

Chocolate! Good for you, in moderation!

Eating a small square of dark chocolate every day can protect your heart from inflammation and heart disease. Doing this lowers your C-reactive protein, which causes inflammation in the arteries!

Don't over do it! I said "ONE" small square a day!

A.J. McAlendin

(the study was conducted in Italy, published in the Journal of Nutrition)

Sweet Potatoe - Facts

1 medium sweet potatoe (yam) has 176 calories, 6g protein, 36g carbs, 0g fat and 2g of fibre (you can also spell it fiber, both are acceptable).

They are among the slowest digesting foods around which will give you a steady stream of carbs into the blood stream. This promotes a steady release of insulin and no quick sugar high and subsequent crash afterwards. Eat them any time of the day, but not after working out. You want quick carbs then. High in beta-carotene, an anti-oxidant that boosts immunity and aids in muscle growth and repair.

The Lee Haney brand of protein powders also have this included in it as well. This makes for a great shake anytime of the day.

A.J. McAlendin

Quick Protein Snack - Peanut Butter Protein Chewy Stuff

One scoop of protein, one tablespoon of natural peanut butter and a drizzle of water to mix if needed. Eat it off the spoon....yum!

A.J. McAlendin

Whole Wheat Pasta - Facts

1 cup of low fat, whole wheat pasta has 174 calories, 7g of protein, 34g of complex carbohydrates, 1g of fat and 4g of fibre.

Because it digests slowly, it is a good choice to eat about an hour before working out or before strenuous activity. For post workout, stick with regular pasta. Top with fresh tomatoe sauce for a good dose of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that will boost heart health and aids in muscle recovery.

A.J. McAlendin

White Potatoe - Facts

1 medium baked potatoe has 159 calories, 4g protein, 36g of carbs and 0.2g fat. With a good 4g of fibre, the potatoe is a great source of energy before or after a workout.

They have 2x the folate of sweet potatoes, folate is key to muscle growth, as well they have potassium for recovery as long as you eat the skin as well. White potatoes digest quickly, so eat them when you need a quick burst of energy and after a workout to replenish muscle glycogen!

A.J. McAlendin

New Product Alert: Nutrabolics Fighter's Food

It's not everyday a truly innovative product hits the market with enough merit to be worth mentioning. Nutrabolics has always produced great products and this one takes the cake. Again, remember that I get NO COMMISSION recommending any products, I just pass the word.

http://www.sndcanada.com/nutrabolics_fighters_food_-_acai_berry,_2.38_lb.html

The link is above so you can check out this product.

Protein, carbs, little fat and lots of freeze dried exracts from berries and vegetables. A very complete product that will help anyone's progress. The better the product, the better the result. The price is not that bad, but it could be better. I still would like to see it at about $39.99 for a regular everyday price.

If they are selling it for $44.99 with a MSRP of $72.99, they have room to move on the price. Sell a great product at a great price and the volume will take care of the profit margin.

Check it out, try it and let me know how you liked it! I always forward comments to the manufacturers and distributors of the products.

A.J. McAlendin

What The Food Industry Does Not Want You To Know!

There is so much information out there regarding health and nutrition! What do you want to read about? I try to pick only the stuff that will help to lead you along a path of better health and fitness. I try to avoid the fiction and bring you the science and truth.

Now, what does the food industry not want you to know? This article is great to read while you are getting ready for another busy week of meal planning and trying to put good food into yourself and your kids.

They spend millions and millions to make bad food look good to kids. How do we stop them? Stop buying it! Choose healthier alternatives and if there are 20 chemicals you cannot pronounce on your back of Cheetos, do not eat them!

Read the whole article and learn a little about what makes the companies out there so rich.

http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/2008/10/17/10-things-the-food-industry-doesnt-want-you-to-know.html

A.J. McAlendin

Yuck! Fast Food Reality! WHAT ARE YOU EATING?

I was reading an article on the CBC web site and had to share. They were studying to see what the animals were eating before they became fast food. Nasty. Anyway, what really made my hair stand on end was this quote.

"Burger King declined to comment on the study. A spokesman for Wendy's said the company has "very strict procedures in place" to protect animal welfare. McDonald's declined to comment."

So, Wendy's was the only one to at least make a comment. The other two are shaking in fear I guess.

Read the article, please, read it!! Put down the cheeseburger and read it, then you will toss the burger and make some real food.

http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2008/11/13/f-forbes-fastfood.html

A.J. McAlendin

Can I Eat Every Hour?

I was asked this question the other day, and I said...."Sure."

How? Well, instead of eating 400 calories every three hours, eat 120 or so every hour. This takes a great deal more planning and attention, but it does have benefits.

If you are leading up to a competition, you could do this type of meal planning for up to about a week before to help lean out. The more your body is fed what it needs it will stop use body fat for energy for short term energy.

Try it and see if this style helps your next event.

A.J. McAlendin

Preventing Muscle & Joint Soreness

Ease into your workouts. Don't forget to stretch or at least warm-up with easy, slow, basic movements. Your body is like a car in the winter, it will not perform to it's best unless you warm it up a little first.

Try simple things:

10 pushups on your knees
10 calf raises in the standing position
10 body weight squats
5 minutes on the exercise bike at a slow pace

Always incorporate a warm-up set when lifting weights to prepare for heavy lifts. Use proper form and don't forget your pre and post-workout nutrition.

Pre Workout: complex carbs and slow digesting protein
Post Workout: simple carbs and fast digesting protein

A.J. McAlendin