A Diet for a Healthy Heart

Today, many do not have enough time to eat all of their meals at home together. Some may eat meals at work or at school or restaurants. There are many food options available to us but now a days what ever is most convenient (example fast foods) are what many are turning too. The result is that many are trying to maintain their weight or are overweight.

SO WHAT SHOULD YOU BE EATING?

Well, a healthy diet contains 6 essential substances which are:

PROTEINS:

Needed for the repair, replacement, growth and function of the body. (Example: Meat, fish, cheese and eggs)
WATER:
The body is made up of about 65-70% of water. When you sweat or urinate, the water must be replaced. 6 to 8 glasses of water every day are suggested.

CARBOHYDRATES:

These are the chemicals that contain carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. They are our main source of energy. Some examples are pasta, bread, potatoes and cereals.

FIBER:

It helps the large intestine efficiently carry away body wastes. Proteins can also prevent diseases throughout the body.

FATS:

Are found in plant foods (ex peanuts) and animal products. Fats provide energy but excess fat is stored in the body as a fatty tissue. Each form of fat contains the same number of calories (135).

VITAMINS:

The body can make small amounts of vitamins. Eating fresh fruit and veggies as well as fish and meat can give you vitamins.
MINERALS:

You need at least 20 minerals in your diet. Adding salt to some of your recipes is known to increase the risk of heart disease so try to avoid a great deal of salt.

AND NOW...LETS LOOK AT DAILY EATING HABITS:

Breakfast - It is the most important meal of the day, so do not skip it. This is an important meal that provides energy for starting your day. Instead of fatty high-cholesterol foods such as bacon, hash browns and sausage, switch to healthy fruits (ex grapefruit) and whole-grain breads and cereals.

Common Option .....Healthy Option

LUNCH- Try NOT to eat in a hurry. Many people eat high-fat foods like hamburgers and fries. Instead, try a more nutritious meal like a salad, whole-grain bread sandwich and fresh fruit and veggies.

From this.... To this....

DINNER- For most people, dinner is the main meal of the day. Large portions of red meat (ew) should be replaced by LEAN red meat, fish, chicken and don't forget the veggies! If you really want dessert, my ULTIMATE FAVORITE is LOW-FAT FROZEN YOGURT which tastes like ice cream, but it's so much healthier.

OH! AND SNACKS! (It's good to eat every 4 hours)

Popcorn, fruit and bagels are my suggestions!

Ciao for now!

Christina

Season 4 of.....

THE BIGGEST LOSER!


Oh how I love this show!

For those of you that love reality shows, this is the show to watch!
Ever since the first season, The Biggest Loser has become the most popular reality television show for weight loss. People having weight problems are helped with the goal of becoming a more healthier and fit.

When I watched the show for the first time, I thought the title was inappropriate as the word "loser" was included, but as I became a regular viewer, I began to unfold why the title was the way it was. The title is not poking fun at the individuals but personally, I see it as a way for them (the individuals) to poke fun at themselves.

This season, there are some changes which makes me want to watch even more! I'm really glad that the female trainer Jillian, has returned! Jillian was replaced by a beautiful blond girl, Kim, last season which I thought was a BAD MOVE because Jillian was loved by the viewers. No one's really sure as to where Jillian had gone to, but its great to see her back in action.
As opposed to "Miss Perfect" (Kim), Jillian had struggled with her own weight which I think is great because she proves to be an inspiration for others! She went through her weight battle and is now helping others. I believe that someone who has been through the same situations as some one they are helping, proves to be more effective. Jillian really motivated her team and gave them positive words encouraging them to do better and in my opinion she does a great job. On the other hand, Kim has always been in shape her entire life. She was involved in bodybuilding competitions and modeled for fitness magazines. To be honest, she really reminds me of one of those girls in high school that is "pretty and popular" and thinks is the greatest. Notice on show how she interacts with the females? Okay, we know your beautiful, CALM DOWN.
There is also a male trainer, Bob who is proves to be great in every episode and every season. He also writes books on how to achieve a great body and incorporates his techniques from his books into the shows.
Also, what else is new to the show is the host--Allison Sweeney (from my favorite Soap Opera, Days of Our Lives). Watching her on television for many years now, I have seen the person she has developed into because when she first started out, you could tell she was really struggling with her weight. She would go down sizes and then she had a child (in real life) which caused her to gain more weight. I admire her now because she is not one of those size 0 models in a Soap Opera, but a beautiful normal person who is proud of who she is and likes that she is not "perfect". May I say that she can really act too! WOW!
Also, the contestants will be in teams of three instead of only the two teams the show normally consists of. Two teams will not only be playing for themselves, but looking out for a co-worker or sibling as well. Those teams will know one another so it's not just about the individual but the team work too.

The Biggest Loser sends a great message, opposed to other reality shows such as The Real World or Survivor or Big Brother really don't have a "message" at all. They are just there for entertainment purposes. The trainers each week even motivate me by the encouragement they give to the contestants. Someone who perhaps is overweight and watching the show could maybe be inspired to go and maybe join a gym or talk to a physician.

Also, now that I have been really involved in the blog phenomenon, I have actually went onto the main site for the show and found that past contestants as well the host and three trainers all have their own blogs. So if you have a favorite trainer or past contestant you really wanted to follow up on after the show, you can see their blogs.

Can't wait until The Biggest Loser is on tonight!

You can watch it every Tuesday night at 8:00 p.m on NBC.

Ciao for now!

-Christina

Hydroxi-CUT? The Advertising of Diet Pills.

Why "Nutritional Supplements" should be cut!

As I was finishing up this blurb on diet-pills and why they are extremely ineffective and harmful for one's health, I noticed a comment on my first blog written which I thought was great because they mentioned what I thought on the issue of diet pills and how so many people think that weeks after taking "Nutritional Supplements", the perfect physique will be achieved.

Well, what I think is that those types of pills will only cause more health dysfunctions. How can one tiny pill help someone get "super" toned and fit? It's a load of crap.

You cannot turn on the television or flip through a magazine without seeing a diet pill product/weight loss miracles advertised. Most commonly, a "before" and "after" photograph of a "normal" individual whose life has changed is included in the advertisement scheme as well. These photographs basically show that the product will have excellent results in a short amount of time.

There are way to many diet pills around these days that when I even searched the word "diet pill" , there were so many names and uses for each. Some descriptions were really funny promising users "the perfect workout" in a pill. They go on and on about a particular pill but never once mention any continents in the pill.

On a recent Inside Edition show, however, a great segment discussed how one of the most popular and supposedly "effective" diet pills, HydroxiCut, had false advertising and was being sued by many for it. SHOCKING!

It turns out, the before pictures were altered and the after pictures were paid models who took pictures, but did not know what they were representing.

Blogger Sal Marinello wrote on BlogCritics about HydroxiCut and the issues surrounding it's advertising tactics as well. It's interesting that he mentions one of the spokespeople for HydroxiCut is a model who's has a background as a bodybuilder. She supposedly states that her bodybuilder figure is due to HyrdoxiCut, but looking into her background, it is said that her before picture was taken just right after giving birth to her first child. Exaggerating? I think so.

So basically, do you want to take harmful products or would you rather achieve losing weight/getting toned by eating healthy and exercising?

You tell me.

- C

"Sexy" Work Out Videos?

Are They Effective?


As I was in line at a local retail store, I overheard two girls talking about their purchases and why they wanted to try it. I saw them carrying 3 "work out" videos each and when I caught a glimpse of one, I saw a very familiar face. It was popular celebrity Carmen Electra.
With titles including, "Fit to Strip", "The Lap Dance and Hip Hop", and "Advanced Aerobic Striptease", Carmen Electra gives seductive demonstrations in her series of fitness videos. Creative titles eh? But is it really "aerobic" videos?
I decided to put them to the test after hearing from the girls in front of me that the video was an ultimate "must-have" and also my curious side wanting to try the new phenomenon of the "new" workout videos.

Performing all modern exercises, Carmen puts a modern twist to them while incorporating workout techniques. It is a great idea for those who want to get "creative" but I really don't think that anyone will get a desired work out. To me, the "routines" are short and Carmen and her backup "strippers" techniques are poor. "Advanced Aerobics" was the title? Hm. Then I thought about how men are not really going to try these workouts (maybe, but I hope not) but I'm sure they would have no objection to their partner wanting to try it.

While looking into "newer" types of exercise videos, I saw that striptease exercise videos and belly dancing are making a comeback. Getting down and shedding pounds have become a major phenomenon I guess! Then I thought to myself, "Wow, what an endorsement on Carmen Electra's part!". I won't argue, however that she was the perfect candidate for the job due to her well-known sexy personality.

I found a clip of Carmen discussing ( and showing) how to be sexy and get a proper "work out". Sure it was neat to try, but I certainly felt out of place. You be the judge :)


http://video.aol.com/video-detail/carmen-electra-strip-tease-workout/2484502305

Starting your Fitness Goals

Some people worry about their body image due to the various sources (ex. celebrities) surrounding our culture today. A lot of thought on " Am I Fat?" or "Am I in Shape" are because of the media and what they have concluded the perfect body really is.

Think realistically though, take the makeup off women, the computerized features and even plastic surgeries of both men and women away and you will have a so-called "normal" person.

The best thing I can really suggest to feel better about yourself is to exercise. Whether any shape or size, working out and feeling better about yourself can happen.

It takes commitment to make exercise a daily habit. People staying committed is the most difficult part. When something more stressful (ex school, work) comes along, it is tempting to forget about exercise. To prevent this lack of continuing a great exercising routine...

Choose activities that you enjoy. You will stick to something that you like, rather than something you are forced to do when you have no ambition to do it.

Change your activities. You want to ensure you will stick to various routines, so different activities can be planned per week, year or month.

Keep results. Recording your progress is a must. You want to know the changes and it is good to see where or with what activities you have (ex, weight lost, places toned, activities not enjoyed). Recording how many pounds and inches you have lost will give you a great deal of encouragement and ambition to continue with your goal.

Work out with a partner. Working out with someone, I believe, is a MUST. You don't have to, but really, I think the other person can encourage you and vise-versa. What my sister and I usually do is set a record for each other and while we are on the treadmill or doing weights we give each other encouragement phrases to keep each other going. It's good to have someone to work out especially when you don't want to. They keep you going at it.

Get a Personal Trainer. Even though they are very costly, I even recommend only 2 sessions. That way, they can train you on various cardio and weight equipment so you know what to get into when you want to work out solo.

Here is something to think about. The brand Dove shocked the world with its new advertising campaign. It provides a new, fresh idea on the idea of body image and I believe this is what advertising viwers should know about. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBs_xYq4X7A

Interesting?