Time to Place Whey by the Wayside

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If you’ve ever even thought of lifting weights or undergoing any sort of weight training regimen, you have probably thought about purchasing the most fundamental supplement to ever grace the vitamin industry, whey protein. Known for its incredible popularity and its supposed ability to foster a more rapid development of stronger, more resilient muscle fibers, its negative associations often, all-too-often, in fact, slip under the radar.

So, in light of these aforementioned negative associations, I would like to elaborate. There are, in reality, two major hindrances to whey protein as a product:

Whey Protein Absorption: According to a study published in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, the rate of protein absorption is eight grams every hour. While there are certainly a variety of factors that contribute to this, the single largest influencing factor is undoubtedly the fact that the whey is not broken down into small enough peptides by our body’s natural enzymes in order to be absorbed in time, and if the protein is not absorbed in time, then it essentially useless.

Whey protein can only be absorbed efficiently over the course of 1.5 hours, so even if a particular protein has 60g in a single serving, only about 12-20g of that 60 will be put to good use. That means the vast majority of the rest of that whey protein is bound to be excreted, nutritious value and all. It’s wasted.

Insulin Release Associated with Whey: Let’s play a game. If I presented you with a serving size of generic white Wonder bread, and a serving size of standard whey protein isolate, and asked which if these causes a greater spike in insulin, what you say? Would you choose the well-touted, known to be terrible for you, nutritionally devoid white bread, or the muscle and nutritional supplement, whey protein? Remarkably, the answer is…you guessed it! Whey protein.

As outrageous as it seems, whey protein actually causes a greater spike in insulin than white bread. According to a study published in Nutrition & Metabolism as of 2012, the specific amino acids in whey protein actually emulate beta cells to such a degree that they secrete more insulin than a similar serving of carbs from white bread.

Of course, I am only referring to insulin release in this scenario. Obviously, when taking into account nutritional value as a whole, white bread is no match for whey protein. Yet, that said, there really is no ignoring the fact that your fat-burning capability is noticeably afflicted when there is a presence of excess insulin; so ideally, choosing foods with a lower insulin response is preferable.

The fact is that whey protein is by no means the best supplement around despite whatever its incredible popularity might suggest. The next time you’re shopping around for strength training supplements, I’d recommend you check out time-released proteins where your body is able to absorb the nutritious value of whatever you’re consuming over an extended period of time, and then you will be able to gain the most out of what you buy.

The Breathing Exercise that Eats Belly Fat

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In the swirling chaos of our daily lives, stress often rises to the surface and influences our mood, our attitude, and our hormones. When we try to compartmentalize this mental duress, it soon becomes physically apparent, whether we like it not. In fact, it can incite inflammation, accelerated aging, poor judgment, bad decisions, and impaired slumber. Put frankly, stress makes you fat, sick, dumb, and weak.

For example, scientists at the University of California at San Francisco have found a proven association between cortisol (the stress hormone) and belly fat content. Yet, despite this terrible news being proven (we all knew it was true anyway), there is something we can do to take control of our lives and our own fitness. We are not subject to the whim of inevitable stress.

Essentially, you can combat stress and relax through something called “deep belly breathing.” When engaging in “deep belly breathing,” you are able to overcome your body’s stress response, decrease your cortisol production, and bolster your melatonin creation (the sleep hormone that also protects against aging). Alright, alright, now here’s how you do it:

  1. Sit or lie down in a dark and quiet room. Place the palm of your hand on your stomach.
  2. Take a deep, slow breath through your nose and pay particular attention to how your stomach rises and falls underneath your hand.
  3. Exhale. Slowly, and for as long and steadily as possible (like, for at least five seconds). Breathe out until your lungs are entirely devoid of air.

And that’s it! Just repeat steps one through three every night for at least a week and I promise you will not only feel better and more energized, but you’ll even notice your waistline shrinking! Yet, that’s not all. There’s actually another trick that has been proven to burn 400% more fat when used, and it takes less than a minute!

Another study published in the Journal of International Medical Research illustrated that people who used the same aforementioned trick actually managed to lose 20% of their body fat in only 12 weeks. If you want to burn 400% more fat than you would otherwise by dedicating a simple minute, check out this neat and easy to understand video.

Sodium Linked To Obesity

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Sodium is a natural element that the body needs to function. It’ s important for water balance, nerve function, and countless other physiological functions. However you really only need a small amount per day. About 500 mg is plenty. That’s the amount you’d get just snacking on chips, crackers, various cheeses, salted nuts or eating canned food items like soups and canned veggies. The total daily recommended limit of sodium consumption is around 2,300 milligrams.

However, most Americans are eating too much sodium. WAY too much sodium. On average, 4,000 to 6,500 mg a day. It’s not only hurting their health, it’s expanding their waistlines. In fact, the American Medical Association is campaigning for the FDA to withdraw salts designation as a “safe” food additive. They’re pushing for Americans to cut their intake in half.

This isn’t too surprising. Food manufacturers have known for a long time that salt is an addictive substance. That’s why they pack it into more and more processed foods. People will eat more, and then food companies will make more money. A clinical research has shown that salt shares characteristics with addictive substances (like morphine, cocaine, and heroin) which release dopamine (feel-good brain chemicals) when we eat it. That’s why salt addictions are so common and why people have such a hard time cutting down. Often people who don’t even know they’re addicted to salt will experience withdrawal symptoms when trying to cut back.

A 2006 Finnish study published in Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases found a link between increased salt intake and obesity. From the 1980s to the mid 1990s, the salt intake in the United States increased by more than 50% as Americans started eating more and more processed foods. In the same time frame, obesity has gone up steadily. Also keep in mind that when people eat more salt, they will naturally have the desire to drink more fluids to maintain water balance in their bodies.

Unsurprisingly, between 1977 and 2001 the U.S. caloric intake from sweetened beverages like fruit juice, soft drinks and energy drinks increased by 135%. It’s pretty easy to see that as food companies make foods more salty, people will drink more and more super-sized sugary drinks to wash it down.

High sodium diets also are the leading cause of high blood pressure, which can lead to heart disease and stroke. These diseases also go hand in hand with obesity. To alleviate the high blood pressure caused by salt intake, your body will dump extra water into your blood vessels which causes the overall pressure to increase as blood vessels expand. African Americans, Hispanics, and obese men and women have a higher sensitivity to sodium and are more prone to high blood pressure as a result. If you fall into one of these at-risk categories, you should try to limit your salt intake to less than 1,500 mg a day.

For regular salt use, I recommend using Celtic Sea Salt or pure Himalayan Pink Salt, because these have 84 minerals whereas regular table salt has only 2. They also don’t go through an unhealthy refining process like regular table salt does.

Also try to stay away from fast food, as many items at these restaurants will put you over your daily allowance really quickly. A McDonald’s double cheeseburger with small fries, for example, contains 1,310 mg of sodium. If you’re trying to be healthy at a fast food restaurant, good luck. The mesquite chicken salad at Chili’s has 2,710 mg of sodium. That’s more than most adults should eat in an entire day.

You can limit your salt intake by eating less processed food, getting frozen or fresh veggies instead of canned, buying fresh meats, choosing low-sodium options of canned soups and snacks, and asking for unsalted entrees at restaurants.

USDA Awards Grants for Nutrition and Obesity Prevention Research

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The United States Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) awarded $2 million in grants today to support research on nutrition education and obesity prevention for disadvantaged children and families at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and Utah State University. The funding will help create two new Regional Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention Centers of Excellence (RNECE), which have been established through the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) andSupplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. (SNAP)

National Institute of Food and Agriculture director Sonny Ramaswamy was quoted as saying “While we are beginning to see promising signs of progress with the epidemic leveling off in children, these grants will help evaluate and strengthen existing nutrition education and obesity prevention efforts to help ensure this progress continues.”

The University of Tennessee at Knoxville will receive $1 million to strengthen their existing Snap and EFNEP education programs for low-income families in particular. They will focus on reducing obesity by working to identify facilitators and barriers as well as training and evaluation needs.

In Utah, the State University in Logan will receive $1 million to look at EFNEP and SNAP-ed program participants and non-participants across many different ethnic and racial backgrounds in five states. The research will improve the USDA’s ability to create and maintine effective nutrition education programs and will, ideally, result in participants’ healthier food choices and increased physical activity. Improved health will reduce the incidents of disease and disability thus reducing the overall costs to individuals and the nation’s healthcare system.

“With one-third of our nation’s children overweight or obese, this issue stands out as one of the greatest health challenges facing our country,” said Audrey Rowe, the USDA Food and Nutrition Service Administrator. “As we invest in our nation’s health it is important we leverage partners and innovative strategies to help children from low-income families grow and develop into healthy adults.”

The RNECE were established in 2014 with one institution in each of NIFA’s administrative regions and one National Coordination Center, the result of a partnership between the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service, NIFA and several participating universities. They exist primarily to research and develop best practices that address issues related to obesity among poor and underrepresented groups.

SNAP-ed, initiated in 1992 exists in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam and the Virgin Islands. Nearly 100 agencies deliver the program including public health departments, food banks, non-profit organizations and others.

NIFA invests in agricultural research, education and extension and works every day to make discoveries that solve challenges in society. To learn more about NIFA, visit http://nifa.usda.gov/impacts

 

The Best Snack for Satisfying Cravings

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AlmondsWe have all been there. It’s 3:30 in the afternoon, and you’ve long since forgotten about what you ate for lunch. You’re feeling a little lethargic, your stomach is starting to grumble, and you want to reach for something quick to satisfy your craving and get you through to the end of the work day.

Everyone gets cravings, and every now and then, we all give into them. You’re human! I’m not here to guilt trip you. But one of the best defenses again succumbing to your daydreams of chocolate chip cookies and oily potato chips is to have a few smarter (i.e. healthier) snacks at your disposal.

One of my favorite, guilt-free snack foods is inexpensive, requires no prep, and is easy to take on the go. So what’s this amazing mystery food?

Almonds!

Whether it’s the slight grumble of your tummy or just because you’re in need of something salty, almonds are a great go-to snack. Unfortunately, our cravings often leave us reaching for the closest bag of potato chips or pretzels, which aren’t exactly helping you achieve your weight loss goals. They’re also not going to fill you up for very long, and you’ll likely end up snacking on something else before the day is through.

Almonds are loaded with healthy fats and protein that will satisfy your hunger pangs, keep you feeling full for hours, and help you scratch that salty craving itch, without undoing all the hard work you’ve been putting into your diet and exercise routine lately.

Pro tip: separate out your servings ahead of time, so you have a pre-portioned snacks ready to go. While almonds are great, it’s easy to overeat any food you’re grabbing straight out of the container. Research has shown that people will eat two to three times more of a food when eating out of the container compared to eating pre-portioned food out of a bowl or ziplock bag.

At the beginning of the week, separate out 5 bags of almonds for yourself and bring one with you each day. You’ll feel better knowing you have a snack at your disposal that you don’t need to feel guilty about digging into.

One ounce is the perfect amount to set aside for a great fat-burning snack that will satisfy your cravings while holding you over until your next real meal.

Perks of Being a Carbohydrate

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  • Carbohydrates are energy-providing nutrients.

  • The human body receives 4 calories per 1 gram of carbohydrates consumed.  Carbohydrates are separated into sugar, fiber and starch. Carbohydrates are also separated into groups based on the how high and how quickly blood glucose levels change after eating them. Side-note: The higher the Glycemic Index, the higher the rise in blood sugar and the longer it takes to return to normal.

  • For a healthy diet, it is best to focus on foods with a low Glycemic Index (e.g., whole grains, oats, and whole wheat pasta).  Foods with a high Glycemic Index have been linked to elevated risks of heart disease and diabetes.

Well here’s thing, contrary to popular belief, we need carbs! Not just for energy… but also because our brains function off of carbohydrates.

“When we are carb-deprived, our body starts to burn fat to use for energy — the whole basis for the anti-carb Atkins diet — but our brain doesn’t run on fat. It requires some type of glucose or sugar to function.”

Cut out carbs huh? You cant, you need them! Well, unless your mantra is, vegetables all day every day! I am sure most of us are familiar with the main carb players: cereal, bread, and pasta, but also fruits, veggies, and even milk, candy, and sweets. The difference between whole foods and the packaged versions is “you get more of a nutritional bang with the whole versions”.

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Example: A banana has about 1/2 gram of fiber and 60 calories, compared to a cup of berries has about 8 grams of fiber and only 65 calories. Essentially, both have the same amount of carbs per serving, meaning either is better than say, a loaf of bread, which offers noting in terms of vitamins, minerals, or fiber.  bloodstream.” It’s this steady sugar drip (compared to a skyrocketing surge) that can make — or break — what you see on the scale. “It’s the quick spike, followed by a crash, that causes you to reach for more sugar for an instant energy boost,” says Shapiro.

assortment of berriesExample B: Think about what happens when you down a pack of sour straws: “They give you fast energy because they are simple carbs”.  Well Simple carbs are bad carbs. Simple carbs = higher insulin levels, which causes you to store and keep fat more easily.

The bottom line: I know we wish there was a blanket statement that could tell us whether carbs are here for good or bad, sadly enough it’s a bit more complicated than that.  The perks of being a carbohydrate, cant live with them… cant live without them!

Public Enemies

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Don’t you think it is absolutely insane that we take natural things such as sugar cane, or vegetables like corn or beets (which are full of fiber and various vitamins and minerals in their natural state), and completely wipe away their healthy properties? What’s left of it now is a fast-digesting, highly addictive, nutritionally dead food that leads to malnutrition and sickness.imgres

Contrary to popular belief, these “stripped carbohydrates” like sugar, flour, enriched white flour, white flour, enriched bleached flour, enriched wheat flour, wheat flour, semolina flour, white rice, maltodextrin, glucose, fructose, malt syrup, corn starch, dextrose, and levulose are some of the world’s most dangerous obesity additives. But ironically enough, “fat-free” foods are loaded with the same ingredients!

The average American eats about 140pounds of sugar per year and about 173 grams per day. This is such a horrible but yet acceptable sugar addiction. It is imperative to know the sugar is an enabler and will continue to induce hunger and cravings. The thing is the sugar demons continue to wreak havoc on our bodies and blood sugar levels, causing them to rise, then fall. When you eat sugar you experience a surge of insulin releasing into your digestive track. Insulin holds on to sugar as tight as it can and stores it as energy. The bad part is, the excess sugar is then stored in your fat cells increasing fat in dreaded areas such as your belly. As a result to this dreadful process, your blood sugar levels drop, causing more hunger and cravings. Now, I am in no way trying to scare you away from sweets! But… numerous studies have shown that sugar causes inflammation—inflammation is the root of most disease. Sugar weakens the immune system and can cause depression. According to a study published in the British Journal of Dermatology, it also accelerates aging and causes wrinkles.

 

Lets take a look at exhibit A: 12-ounce soft drink has around 140 calories—all of which come from sugar—and the typical American has at least three of these drinks a day. This equates to about 4 pounds of fat stored in your belly, thighs, hips, face and arms. Yes, ingesting fructose-sweetened soft drinks increases belly fat in overweight subjects. There is also a direct relation  between an increase in sugary soft drink consumption and type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular risk factors. Are you terrified yet? You should be. I hope you are starting to see why these sugar-filled “Demons” are NOT the right choice, and that those extra pounds on your belly are there not only because of what you eat, but because of what you drink.

 

Check Out Josh Bezoni’s 15Foods that Kill Belly Fat, Fast!

The information provided on this site is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional or any information contained on or in any product label or packaging. You should not use the information on this site for diagnosis or treatment of any health problem or for prescription of any medication or other treatment. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem. You should not stop taking any medication without first consulting your physician.