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Nutrition Articles
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-- Healthy Desserts --
When most people think of the word dessert, they think about really rich, sweet, and fattening foods. We tend to think its okay to have something a little bit on the sweet and fattening side after a meal because one, we deserve it because we ate all are vegetables; and two, how badly could it hurt having a super small portion of something rich and fattening. You'd be surprised at some of the desserts that exist out there today. Fancy little individually wrapped chocolates from special chocolate making companies are the prime suspects I'm talking about here. Some of these treats manage to make hundreds of calories into the smallest pieces of chocolate. Some of which are usually just one bite!
Now it doesn't really matter if you ate all your greens that day because if you spoil it all with a fancy little piece of chocolate with only 10 to 20 seconds of gratification, then what's the point? I think that most never even consider the possibility of healthy alternatives in the realm of desserts. How can that be possible? That pretty much defeats the purpose in it of itself. Well at least that's what most would say or gravitate toward thinking. I think dessert shouldn't be some tradition in most cultures to represent an excuse of some sort at all. It should be a rewarding after meal treat that can still stay within the confines of what is generally considered healthy.
How about some examples? There are many perfectly harmless low calorie desserts including fruit pies, yogurts, frozen kefir, low fat/calorie ice creams, strawberry parfaits, rhubarb bread pudding, oat cookies, frozen yogurts, caramel apples, frozen raspberry pie, fruit smoothies, chocolate strawberry's, and the list goes on. So as you can see many desserts can be very flavorful and satisfying for those of you that have an undeniable sweet spot that needs to be acknowledged every now and then. I really wouldn't advise having any type of food recognized under the dessert category everyday though. If you constantly crave sweet deliciously flavor packed goodness, then maybe something like every other day. But be careful as to what it is that you're constantly consuming so you know for sure that it's okay to have almost regularly. Some healthy desserts do tack on more calories than others. Maybe it would be a good idea to find a few that you really like. You not only know how, but have become accustomed to making and buying and know that they aren't that bad for you. Once you have that sorted out, stick to those desserts for as long as you can. Eventually if you do become tired of the same old after dinner treats, then try mixing it up again.
Now given my examples up top I hope you've recognized a certain trend or an ongoing theme with desserts. That's right you guessed it, fruit! Nature's candy is better than factory candy anyway. There's more to love, more juice, and just as much flavor. Anyway factory candy today can be costly only focusing on quantity, not quality. I don't know if you guys have noticed this but I have. Candy today has dramatically shrunk to then what it used to be. Also, not only have they gotten smaller, but the packaging or wrapping has also gotten bigger which contributes to the smaller size of the candy. Now I'm sure none of you that are trying to watch your weight are eating candy anyway, just trying to make a point to make natures candy look better. Overall, desserts today can be anywhere from naughty to nice. It's up to you to choose which category you place them under for your own personal indulgence.
About the Author - Dan Petraglia runs a weight loss and fitness information Blog. Unique exercise, dieting, and nutrition information, products, programs, and services are provided. For more information, please visit http://fitnessandweightlosscentral.com/
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Exercise Articles
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How many calories are you you burning during your workout? The number of calories that you burn varies with the activity, duration and intensity of the workout. The table below is from the American Council on Exercise. Calories are gien for one minute of activity. This is just an estimate of how many calories your body burns during these activities below.
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Activity and calories/minute
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120 pounds
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140 pounds
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160 pounds
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180 pounds
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200 pounds
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220 pounds
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Aerobics class
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7.4 |
8.6 |
9.8 |
11.1 |
13.3 |
15.2 |
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Basketball
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7.5 |
8.8 |
10 |
11.3 |
13.5 |
15.7 |
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Cycling (10
mph)
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5.5 |
6.4 |
7.3 |
8.2 |
9.1 |
10.2 |
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Golf (carry
clubs)
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4.6 |
5.4 |
6.2 |
7.0 |
7.8 |
8.6 |
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Golf (power
cart)
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2.1 |
2.5 |
2.8 |
3.2 |
3.6 |
4.0 |
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Hiking
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4.5 |
5.2 |
6.0 |
6.7 |
7.4 |
8.1 |
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Jogging
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9.3 |
10.8 |
12.4 |
13.9 |
14.3 |
15.8 |
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Running
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11.4 |
13.2 |
15.1 |
17.0 |
18.9 |
20.8 |
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Skating
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5.9 |
6.9 |
7.9 |
8.8 |
9.7 |
10.6 |
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Skiing (crosscountry)
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7.5 |
8.8 |
10.0 |
11.3 |
13.6 |
15.9 |
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Skiing (downhill
and water)
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5.7 |
6.6 |
7.6 |
8.5 |
9.4 |
10.3 |
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Swimming
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7.8 |
9.0 |
10.3 |
11.6 |
12.9 |
13.2 |
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Tennis
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6.0 |
6.9 |
7.9 |
8.9 |
9.9 |
10.9 |
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Walking
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6.5 |
7.6 |
8.7 |
9.7 |
10.7 |
11.7 |
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Weight Training
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6.6 |
7.6 |
8.7 |
9.8 |
10.9 |
12.0 |
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Injury Prevention and Treatment
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Rice treatment is an easy formula to remember for overuse injury treatment. Any extreme or prolonged pain or swelling should be evaluated by qualified medical personnel.
R.I.C.E Treatment
1. Rest-Rest is necessary for proper healing to occur. Recommendations for rest depend upon the severity of the injury and vary from modifications of the exercise program to complete cessation.
2. Ice-Icing the injured area for about 20 minutes daily will help reduce the inflammation. Icing should stop when the skin begins to turn pink. Check with a physician or thletic trainer for proper use.
3. Compression-A firmly paced Ace bandage will also help reduce as swelling. Again,, check with the physician or thletic trainer for proper use.
4. Elevation-Keep the limb elevated above the heart to help reduce swelling and speed up recovery time.
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Injury Prevention and Treatment
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You had a great workout on Monday and feeling great. Wendesday morning you wake up and feel like you've been in a fight. Why are your muscles so sore after a good workout? The reason is called delayed-onset muscle soreness, and here are some things you can do to avoid it.
3 Ways to Avoid Sore Muscles After a Workout
1. Gradually increase the intensity of your workouts.
For example: Lower your rest time between sets by 5 seconds a week.
2. Gradually increase the weight
Just add a pound or two each week to your routine to increase your strength.
3. Gradually increase duration
For Example: Add 5 minutes to your workout routine per week.
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Healthy Living Tips
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Excuses to avoid exercise will only hurt your progress in the long run. Although some excuses are valid, most are just a reason to not exercise. Here are some common excuses people make that are complete B.S.
Excuses not to Exercise
Excuse: I don't have the time to exercise
If you plan your schedule, you can find 30-40 minutes a day to exercise. If you don't have time to go to the gym, exercise at home. In general, people find time to do things they really want to do.
Excuse: I don't have the money
Last time I checked, jogging outside is free. So are many other exercises that you can do without spending money. Some gym memberships are as low as 10 bucks a month to join. If you can afford an I Phone you can afford a gym membership.
Excuse: I am too old
You are too old to continue to make excuses. You are never too old to exercise. Moderate activity can decrease and prevent age-associated conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and bone loss.
Excuse: I don't exercise because I am out of shape
Yes that is right! So gradually exercise and eventually you will be in shape. Start by walking one block, then 5 blocks, if you stick with it your will start to be in shape.
Excuse: I am too tired to exercise
If you exercise more, you will have more energy. A walk, game of basketball or a bike ride can relieve stress and energize your body.
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Nutrition Articles
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People spends billions of dollars on supplements a year only to be dissapointed in most cases. Whether they claim to build muscle, or shread fat, most supplements are a gimmick and will do more harm than good. The dangers of using supplements are when you think you are magically going to get results without hard work.
Over doses and going over the 100 percent U.S. RDA.
The excess is excreted or stored which may lead to other health problems.
Thinking supplements can make up for bad eating habits
No supplement can reverse the effects of fatty unhealthy foods.
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Exercise Articles
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It is important to set long-term fitness goals so you can have an idea of the body you want to achieve. Long-term results would be anywhere from three months to a year. When making your goals, make sure they are realistic. Don't set silly goals of 50 pounds in one month to attend a reunion. Here are some example of long-term fitness goals you can set.
Examples of Long-term fitness goals
- Losing 30 pounds in 4 months
- Jog 2 miles straight outside in 3 months
- Workout for an hour doing cardio and weight lifting exercises
- Ride the elliptical machine at 125 strides per minute at level 8
- Fit into a dress you have not worn since college
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Exercise Articles
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In order to keep yourself motivated, it is important to set short terms fitness goals. You fitness goals for be for a few week up to a few months. Here are some example of short-term fitness goals.
- Go to the gym at least 3 times a week
- Jog on the treadmill for 5 minutes straight
- Increase the amount of reps you can do with the same weight
- Workout at least 30 minutes during a workout session
- Start working out with weights
- Doing a different machine than you are use too
- Ride stationary bicycle at a higher rpm than a week before
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Nutrition Articles
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Even though you don't eat meat, you can still find many foods that are high in protein. Here are some foods that provide the best source of protein.
1. Beans, lentils, and peas
These foods have almost no saturated fat and has lots of minerals.
2. Soy Foods
There has been many improvements on the taste of soy foods such as vegetarian burgers and tempeh.
3. Nuts and seeds
These foods make a great high protein snack food.
4. Eggs
Eggs are great and high in protein. Since they are also high in cholesterol, try to stick with an egg a day.
5.Dairy foods
Choosing low-fat or fat-free products with give you high protein with little saturated fat.
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Fitness Articles: Weight loss and diet articles
