Posts Tagged ‘yogurt’

The only bootcamp programs in Spokane that will whip your body into shape - Part 3

Sunday, November 23rd, 2008

There are many bootcamp programs in Spokane out there that pull you out of your day-to-day life to teach you how to lose weight. While these programs do work while you are there, once you are thrust back into the real world, keeping the weight off might not be so easy. Here are some tips to keeping the weight off!

Obstacle #7 Ever since the recent headlines, you’ve been popping M&Ms like they’re Advil

What’s wrong with that? You’ve heard the news: Cocoa can lower blood pressure; reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, diabetes, and dementia; and possibly even prevent cancer. But the research isn’t as delicious as it seems. The cocoa-bean products used in the studies are a far cry from the highly processed chocolate candy you find on the shelves of your local store. Milk chocolate contains about 150 calories and 10 grams of fat per ounce.

Detour

The key here is small doses. Dark chocolate, which retains more of the bean during processing, generally has slightly less fat and fewer calories than milk chocolate-plus, it’s richer, so less goes a longer way. We like CocoaVia’s Crispy Chocolate Bar (90 calories, 5 g fat) or Hershey’s Special Dark Chocolate Stick (60 calories, 3.5 g fat). If dark doesn’t do it for you, opt for low-cal choices.

Obstacle #8 You think “water-rich diet” means more trips to the cooler

What’s wrong with that? Water in your glass is great, but water in your food can have serious slimming power. In a new American Journal of Clinical Nutrition study, obese women ages 20 to 60 were told to either reduce their fat intake or increase their intake of water-rich foods, such as fruits and veggies. Although they ate more, women in the water-rich group chose foods that were more filling-yet had fewer calories-so they still lost 33 percent more weight in the first 6 months than the women in the reduced-fat group.

Detour

Fill up on food that’s high in H2O. Some good choices in addition to fruits and veggies: broth-based, low-sodium soups; oatmeal and other whole grains; and beans.

Obstacle #9 You give up junk food today but put off joining a gym until January

What’s wrong with that? Tackling one goal at a time is supposed to help you succeed. But new research published in the Archives of Internal Medicine bucks that conventional wisdom. In a study of more than 200 people who smoked, had high blood pressure, and weren’t extremely active, one group was asked to quit the butts, cut back on dietary sodium, and increase physical activity all at once. Another group addressed one bad habit at a time. The group that tackled all their problems simultaneously had the higher success rate after 18 months.

Detour

Combining your goals may work for the same reason job negotiations do: When you ask for everything, you’re more likely to get something. Put this thinking to the test by creating a healthy eating and exercise plan and throwing all your energy into following both. Zach Hunt with Physzique Personal Fitness can help you reach your goals.

Obstacle #10 You never think about potassium

What’s wrong with that? A recent Canadian study concluded that getting more potassium might help lower your weight and blood pressure. Levels measured in study participants were proportional to their diet and weight. The richest sources of potassium are beans, vegetables, and fruit, so the person with high potassium levels is consuming a lot of these foods, which are low in calories and are the most filling.

Detour

You should aim for 4,700 milligrams of potassium each day. Spokane super supplements may help you hit that target, but doctors don’t recommend them for everyone. Try filling up on white beans (1 cup: 1,000 mg potassium), winter squash (1 cup: 494 mg), spinach (1 cup: 840 mg), baked potato with skin (926 mg), yogurt (1 cup: 600 mg), halibut (4 ounces: 566 mg), and OJ (1 cup: 473 mg).

Even with all of these great ideas, many people can’t find success on their own. Zach Hunt with Physzque Personal Fitness can help you get in the best shape of your life!

Spokane food: Greek yoghurt Vs. American yoghurt

Sunday, October 26th, 2008

You may have recently heard about a “new” Spokane food Greek Yoghurt and wondered what all the fuss is about. Is it better for you? How does it taste? What is so special about Greek yoghurt? Let’s take a look at this Spokane food and compare it to American yoghurt.

Spokane food: Yogurt basics.

spokane foodYoghurt, a common Spokane food, is a dairy product produced by bacterial fermentation of milk. Fermentation of the milk sugar (lactose) produces lactic acid, which acts on milk protein to give yoghurt its texture and its characteristic tang and It is nutritionally rich in protein, calcium, riboflavin, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12.

Yoghurt has nutritional benefits beyond those of milk: people who are moderately lactose-intolerant can enjoy yoghurt without ill effects, because the lactose in the milk precursor is converted to lactic acid by the bacterial culture. The reduction of lactose bypasses the affected individuals’ need to process the milk sugar themselves.

Yoghurt also has medical uses, in particular for a variety of gastrointestinal conditions, and in preventing antibiotic-associated diarrhea. One study suggests that eating yoghurt containing L. acidophilus helps prevent vulvovaginal candidiasis, though the evidence is not conclusive. Yoghurt is believed to promote good gum health, possibly because of the probiotic effect of lactic acids present in yoghurt.

Spokane Food: Greek yoghurt

Spokane food greek yoghurtGreek yoghurt is a Spokane food which has been strained in a cloth or paper bag or filter, traditionally made of muslin, to remove the whey, giving a consistency between that of yoghurt and cheese, while preserving yoghurt’s distinctive sour taste. Like many yoghurts, strained yoghurt is often made from milk which has been enriched by boiling off some of the water content, or by adding extra butterfat and powdered milk. “Greek-style” yoghurts are similar to Greek strained yoghurt, but may be thickened with thickening agents. Or if made the traditional way, are based on domestic (rather than Greek) milk. Greek yoghurt’s live and active culture content is much higher than that of regular yoghurt. However it should be noted that liquid whey contains cystine, and amino acid that boosts your body’s level s of the Cancer-fighting compound glutathione.

Spokane food: What are probiotics and what good are they?

Spokane food greek yoghurtYoghurt, a great Spokane food contains probiotics. Probiotics are dietary supplements containing potentially beneficial bacteria or yeasts. According to the currently adopted definition by FAO/WHO, probiotics are: ‘Live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host.’

Probiotic bacterial cultures are intended to assist the body’s naturally occurring gut flora, an ecology of microbes, to re-establish themselves. They are sometimes recommended by doctors, and, more frequently, by nutritionists, after a course of antibiotics, or as part of the treatment for gut related candidiasis. Claims are made that probiotics strengthen the immune system to combat allergies, excessive alcohol intake, stress, exposure to toxic substances, and other diseases. In these cases, the bacteria that work well with our bodies may decrease in number, an event which allows harmful competitors to thrive, to the detriment of our health.

Spokane food: So which is better, America yoghurt or Greek Yoghurt?

When it comes down to a choice between these great Spokane foods, both standard American yoghurt and Greek yoghurt are great for you, just in different ways. Greek yoghurt is, for the most part, more concentrated than American yoghurt, so it contains about twice as much protein as American yoghurt. But the each contain high amounts of probiotics (although Greek yoghurt contains more simply because it is so much more concentraited), so really, you don’t have to choose. Eat them both daily and you will benefit more than if you each just one of the two. And remember, a healthy diet alone won’t help you keep your weight and health in check. So contact Zach Hunt with Physzique personal fitness today!



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