U-Diet

Dieting , Heath and Time Management

2009-10-19T01:14:00.000-07:00

When it comes to dieting many of us find that the number one obstacle to our success is the lack of time to prepare good meals and snacks for our dietary needs. It is often much easier to throw something in the crock pot for the family rather than preparing the healthy and nutritious meal that we should eat.

There are things you can do however that will reduce the temptation to hit the drive through and keep you on track with your diet needs. The first of these is a process known as cooking once a week. With this method you cook enough meals for a week in one day. This means that for every night of the week you have a diet friendly meal ready to go. If your family is dieting or eating healthier with you, it works for this situation as well. Dieting and incorporating healthier eating habits in food for your entire family is a great way to set an example for your children and will keep you motivated and removing temptation.

With once a week cooking you freeze foods that are not immediately consumed and thaw it the morning. When you get home after work or decide it is time for your dinner you cook the food that has thawed. This process works well, no matter how many soccer games, practices of dance, and band recitals you have on your calendar for the week. You can manage to stick to your diet while having a good meal for your family every night of the week.

You must also ensure you have a supply of Nice and clean and cut fruits, vegetables and salad ingredients in your fridge to make these dishes readily assessable for quick lunches or snacks. Having these foods readily available will help you resist the temptation to snack foods high in calories than prepackaged, while also helping to ensure that you also have a supply of fruit and vegetables to help you get your 5 servings per day .

You should also keep some conveniently packaged yogurt on hand as a good product quick and easy dairy products. Sugar free dessert cups are another decent snack for those who need something quick and easy to have on hand. Preparation and planning are essential for successfully achieving your goals of weight loss. By preparing as much of the food as possible in advance, you never miss the same convenience of those high calorie pre packaged meals and snacks that so many of us survive on when not dieting.

Another time saver is to work your opportunities for fitness during the course of your day. Rather than making a long workout day, try to find methods of bringing an activity fitness little in the more mundane parts of the day, park far from the door of the supermarket and see if your mail has a walking trail is clearly marked. You'll be amazed at the hidden opportunities many of us for exercising during our busy days. The trick is often in discovering the activities rather than time.

When all is said and done, dieting should not be much time as you may think it is. There are all sorts of plans for pre-packaged diet However, if this is the choice you think is best for you. If you are going with Lean Cuisine meals, Weight Watchers frozen meals, Jenny Craig, or Slim Fast program there are all sorts of opportunities to work on diet and fitness into even the busiest schedules. When planning your dietary practices be sure to heed the advice and opinions mentioned above.

Diet Recipes

2009-01-28T11:15:00.000-08:00

No-bake protein oat bars - Body Building

You on a diet? Try this protein bar recipe!

2009-01-28T10:46:00.000-08:00

Most guys think they’re doing themselves a favor when they opt for a protein bar since now they have protein in combination with carbohydrates. However, manufactured protein bars are often nothing more than glorified candy bars and are going to do nothing in terms of enhancing your physique.

Why? If you look at the ingredient listing on your typical protein bar, one of the top ingredients is glucose-fructose syrup which will likely go right to your fat cells. Since the body has such limited fructose stores (approximately 50 grams a day), once you consume over and above this amount, the body will start quickly converting it to body fat.

Here is a great Protein bar recipe that has a great blend of carbohydrates, protein and dietary fat, helping to provide your body with the lasting energy and amino acids it needs to get through the day, while also repairing and building your muscle tissue.

No-bake protein oat bars

Ingredients:
2 cups dry oatmeal
4 scoops whey protein powder (vanilla or chocolate works best)
½ cup natural peanut butter
1/3 cup of water or milk

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl, and then press into a 9-by-9 inch pan lined with wax paper. Freeze for 40 minutes and cut into bars.

Since these bars have a good amount of healthy fat, they are best used when you’re not preparing to exercise or recovering from your session, when fat should be avoided.
Blueberry and banana bars
Ingredients:
1 cup raw oatmeal
5 scoops of banana-flavored protein powder
½ cup non-fat dry milk powder
¼ cup fat-free cream cheese
2 egg whites
1½ bananas, mashed
1 cup blueberries
¼ cup water
3 tsp canola oil

Directions:
First, preheat the oven to 325F. Combine oatmeal, protein powder and dry milk. Next, in another bowl, combine the cream cheese, egg whites, bananas, blueberries, water, and oil; beat this with an electric mixer until well blended. Pour this batter into a sprayed 9-by-9 inch square pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes.

Antioxidants

2009-01-21T18:19:00.001-08:00

Red and purple fruits and veggies are known to be high in antioxidants. The same holds true for acai berries, which are high in anthocyanins, an antioxidant that gives them their deep purple color. Anthocyanins help combat premature aging and also have cardiovascular benefits. They help prevent blood clots and improve circulation. What’s also great about the acai berry is the amount of antioxidants it possesses. Acai berries contain 10 times the antioxidants of grapes and twice the amount found in blueberries. Red wine is still great to sip with your lean cut of red meat, but acai berries have 10-30 times more anthocyanins than a glass of red wine. Vitamin E, also known for its antioxidant properties, is found in acai berries.

Canned Tuna Meals

2009-01-20T00:48:00.000-08:00

Soy-ginger tuna

This is a terrific recipe for those who are looking for a quick post-workout meal, as the rice will also be a fast-to-digest source of carbohydrates.

To prepare, bring a ½-cup of water, two tablespoons of soy sauce, a ½-teaspoon of garlic, and a pinch of ginger to a boil. Next, add in one cup of Minute Rice and any frozen vegetables you prefer, then cover the pot with a lid until it has finished cooking -- approximately five minutes. After letting the pot stand for another five minutes, stir in a can of tuna and serve. It's that simple.

Mustard dill tuna

While this canned tuna meal could be made using dill spice, using fresh dill will often taste much better and is recommended. To prepare this canned tuna meal, open one can of tuna into a bowl, then stir in one tablespoon of mustard, a ¼-cup of chopped celery, and one ounce of freshly chopped dill. This works great when served alongside a baked potato that’s been topped with low-fat sour cream or cottage cheese.

Southwest tuna

For a creamier-tasting canned tuna meal, southwest tuna will fit the bill perfectly.This recipe calls for one tablespoon of non-fat mayo mixed with one tablespoon of low-fat Thousand Island salad dressing, along with half of a finely chopped red pepper. Stir all of this together, then mix in one can of tuna.

All these Tuna recipies are great with pasta.

Low-carb diets

2009-01-15T22:01:00.000-08:00

When most people begin low-carb dieting, they’ll initially see a significant change on the scale. This really sparks some excitement in them since they think that they’ve finally found that “miracle cure” to shedding excess body fat. While this is a good thing for motivation and for program adherence, it’s important to realize that much of the initial weight loss of a low-carb diet is due to water being flushed out of the system.

As the muscle glycogen is depleted (since you’re taking in fewer carbs than you were previously), water will also be depleted. By understanding this process, you will then not get as discouraged when the rate of weight loss slows the following week. Recognize that while this new weight loss may be slower, it is more representative of true weight loss -- weight loss that is much more likely to stay off.

Likewise, with this same principle, realize that after you have obtained your goal with the diet, and should you decide to abandon it for a more moderate carbohydrate approach, you could see some temporary water weight come back as your body adjusts. Once again, give this a few days and things should normalize.

Build Muscle and Burn Fat - Explained

2009-01-13T21:42:00.000-08:00

Watch this video now to find out the real reason why some movie actors look so buff! Remember to choose 1 goa1, either you choose to lose fat or you choose to build muscle! This video will explain!

Building Muscle Basics

2009-01-12T09:26:00.000-08:00

Overload: To build muscle, you need to use more resistance than your muscles are used to. This is important because the more you do, the more your body is capable of doing, so you should increase your workload to avoid plateaus. In plain language, this means you should be lifting enough weight that you can ONLY complete the desired number of reps. You should be able to finish your last rep with difficulty but also with good form.

Progression: To avoid plateaus (or adaptation), you need to increase your intensity regularly. You can do this by increasing the amount of weight lifted, changing your sets/reps, changing the exercises and changing the type of resistance. You can make these changes on a weekly or monthly basis.

Specificity: This principle means you should train for your goal. That means, if you want to increase your strength, your program should be designed around that goal (e.g., train with heavier weights closer to your 1 RM (1 rep max)). To lose weight, choose a variety of rep ranges to target different muscle fibers.

Rest and Recovery: Rest days are just as important as workout days. It is during these rest periods that your muscles grow and change, so make sure you're not working the same muscle groups 2 days in a row.

Greg Plitt's Abs Workout!

2009-01-07T21:32:00.000-08:00

Greg Plitt brings the abs workout to a whole new level! Check out this ads workout video. Warning.. this one is not for beginners!

Setting up a base Diet

2008-12-31T18:13:00.000-08:00

One strategy you might want to consider using this holiday season is setting a base diet that consists of enough protein-rich foods to meet your needs, as well as enough carbs and proteins for right around the workout period. This way, you know you’ve got your bases covered and won’t miss out on what’s needed to maintain muscle mass. By doing this, you’ll also have a low enough calorie level that you’ll have plenty of calories to “spend” on holiday-related foods without seeing weight gain.

The typical 175-pound male requires between 175 grams and 200 grams of protein a day and about 2,400 to 2,600 calories to maintain his body weight. Assuming you eat 200 grams of protein and 50 grams of carbohydrates both before and after the workout, you’ll have around 1,200 to 1,400 “play calories” each day. Obviously you will want to try to consume as many unprocessed foods as possible for nutritional purposes, but this should demonstrate that -- as long as you practice moderation and balance diet and workouts -- you can still fit in many holiday foods without the consequential weight gain.

8 Minute Arms Training

2008-12-31T15:19:00.000-08:00

This is another awesome video to train the arms! Try it out now! Also watch this video for training of the buns!

EASY BREAKFAST IDEAS

2008-12-31T15:02:00.000-08:00

Try out these easy breakfast ideas for those extra calories!

⇒ Whip together 2 cups fruit juice, 1 cup fresh, frozen or canned fruit, 1 cup yogurt, 1/4 cup dried nonfat milk powder, and 1/4 cup wheat germ or oat bran for a high energy liquid meal to go.

⇒ Spread peanut butter, honey, or jam on large bagels, muffins, hearty whole
wheat bread/toast, graham crackers or stoned wheat crackers. Grab an extra
large banana and wash it down with a tall glass of milk

⇒ Fill a plastic bag with raisins and nuts (trail mix) or your favorite dry cereal.
Grab an 8 oz container of fruit yogurt and a couple cans/boxes of fruit juice.

⇒ Nontraditional ideas:
* Heat up leftover pizza, pasta, or Chinese food from last night’s dinner.
* Make a peanut butter and honey, grilled cheese, tuna, or turkey sandwich.
* Pop a baked potato in the microwave for 5-10 minutes; top with chopped veggies (frozen ones are quickest) and melted cheese, canned chili, or hearty bean soup.
* Wrap vegetarian refried beans, shredded low fat cheddar cheese, and tomato salsa in a couple of flour tortillas.

8 Minutes Buns Workout Video!

2008-12-30T17:11:00.001-08:00

This is a very intense exercise for the buns. It's perfect for those of you who wants to work out the buns and also trying to fit some exercise into your busy schedule. Also Check out this 8 Minutes abs videofor hard rocking abs!

Videos

2008-12-30T16:56:00.001-08:00

	8 Minutes abs Training Video! Do this Video Everyday for 8 minutes and get hard rocking abs!
	8 Minutes Buns Workout to help your buns get into shape!
	8 Minutes Arms Workout! Looking for the perfect exercise for the arms? Check out this video NOW!
	Greg Plitt's Abs Workout! A more advanced workout for those of you looking for a challenge!

More Quick Snack Ideas

2008-12-30T16:17:00.000-08:00

Try some of these quick snack ideas to help you gain weight!

Bagels: The bigger the better. Look for whole wheat, pumpernickel, rye, or ones with seeds to get the most nutrients. NOTE: Spread with peanut butter, honey, jam, or low fat cream cheese to boost the calories.

Fruits: Bananas, apples, oranges, grapes, or other fresh fruits. NOTE: Dried fruits (like raisins, apricots, and dates) are especially easy to pack and very calorie dense.

Nuts and seeds: Peanuts, pistachios, almonds, sunflower seeds and other nuts/seeds are high in calories and good sources of protein, healthy monounsaturated fats, vitamin E, and several other vitamins and minerals.

Sports bars, breakfast bars, and low fat granola bars: Prewrapped, very
portable, and very tasty.

8 Minute Abs Workout!

2008-12-27T20:20:00.000-08:00

Wanna Have Hard Packed Abs? Try this 8 minute Abs Workout! Remember to increase frequency between sessions as you get better at it! You will have hard abs in no time!　

Quick Snack Ideas

2008-12-26T00:38:00.000-08:00

These Quick Snack Ideas are perfect for Gaining Weight! Try them all out!

Dry cereal: Wheat, Shredded Wheat, Cheerios, Oat Squares, granola.
NOTE: Add raisins or other dried fruits to boost the calories and carbs.

Pretzels: Naturally fat free. Look for reduced salt or salt-free varieties if you
are watching your salt intake.

Crackers: Stoned wheat, sesame, bran, RyKrisp, or other low fat or fat free brands

NOTE: Spread with peanut butter or add slices of cheese to boost the calories and protein.

CARBOHYDRATE & PROTEIN ADDITIONS

2008-12-25T12:02:00.000-08:00

Fuel Your Weight Gaining Efforts by adding these high carbohydrate and protein foods to your meal.

• Add Carnation Instant Breakfast, Nestle’s Quick, Ovaltine, or malt powder to flavor low fat milk.
• Add dried fruit, sugar, or maple syrup to sweeten hot or cold cereals.
• Spread honey, jam, or jelly on breads, bagels, and crackers.
• Add wheat germ or oat bran to casseroles, hot cereal, or power shakes.
• Mix nonfat dry milk powder or soy protein powder into shakes, casseroles, mashed potatoes, soups, and hot cereal.

Always remember to eat enough calories!!

Need More Calories? Choose These!

2008-12-24T20:45:00.001-08:00

Here are some food ideas for those of you who are in need for more calories in your meal! Remember, you can gain weight by eating right!

• Breads
Choose hearty, dense breads such as whole wheat, oat bran, pumpernickel, or rye (as opposed to fluffy white breads). The bigger and more thickly sliced the better! Spread generously with peanut butter, jam, honey, hummus, or low fat cream cheese.
• Cereals
Choose dense cold cereals such as granola, muesli, Grape-Nuts, Cracklin Oat Bran, Shredded Wheat n Bran or Wheat Chex (instead of flaked or puffed cereals). When making oatmeal and other hot cereals, use low fat milk instead of water. Add extra nuts and dried fruits for flavor.
• Vegetables
Starchy vegetables such as potatoes, peas, corn, carrots, winter squash, and beets have more calories than watery veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, green beans, and cucumbers.
• Fruits
Bananas, pears, apples, pineapple, and all dried fruits (raisins, dates, dried apricots, etc.) have more calories than watery fruits such as oranges, peaches, plums, berries, and watermelon. Buy canned fruit packed in heavy syrup, instead of its own juice, for extra calories.
• Soups
Select hearty black bean, lentil, split pea, chili with beans, barley, or minestrone soups. These soups have more calories and carbohydrates than brothy chicken, beef, and vegetable types. NOTE: Creamed soups and chowders are also high-calorie choices, but they are very high in saturated fat and should be eaten in moderation.
• Salads
Rather than filling up on watery lettuce, pile on the garbanzo and kidney beans, green peas and corn, chopped vegetables, sunflower seeds and chopped walnuts, raisins, cottage cheese, lean meats, tuna fish, and croutons. Top with a liberal amount of vinegar and oil type dressing. NOTE: Creamy dressings are high in calories, but also high in saturated fat.
• Beverages
Quench your thirst with fruit juices and nectars, low fat milk, shakes, fruit smoothies, and regular soft drinks. Avoid filling your stomach up with non caloric beverages like water, coffee, tea, and diet soft drinks.

Gain Weight By Eating Right

2008-12-24T20:27:00.000-08:00

When it comes to gaining weight, you must always remember -> Gain Weight By Eating Right!

Before I start, there is something that I think everyone should know:

It cost 3500 calories to gain one pound, which means if you want to gain some weight, you must eat 500 extra calories per day! How to do it? Keep reading....

• Eat frequently! -- Make time for 3 large meals and 2 to 3 hefty snacks every day.
• Eat larger than normal portions at meals!
• Eat higher calorie foods! -- Choose dried fruit, starchy vegetables, dense whole grain breads and cereals, hearty bean soups, nuts...
• Add lots of “extras” to food! -- Don’t eat anything plain.
• Add healthy unsaturated fats: olive and canola oil, nuts, seeds, peanut butter, avocados.
• Add healthy carbs and protein: honey, jam, dried fruit, wheat germ, nonfat dried milk powder, soy protein powder.
• Make beverages count! -- Drink shakes, milk, juice, etc. instead of water, coffee, tea, and diet sodas.
• Do resistance exercises! -- Weight training helps convert the extra calories into muscle rather than flab. Aim for 2-3 times per week.