musclebeauty

Calcium, potassium and sodium are all essential and familiar nutrients, typically entering our bodies in the form of milk, bananas, and salt. The larger group of nutrients that includes all three of these is called electrolytes - a buzzword in health and exercise circles, but not necessarily a well-understood term beyond some sports drink branding. So, what are they, who needs them and what's the best way to get them? Who Needs Electrolytes? When electrolytes first broke onto the mainstream sports and fitness scene, they were regarded as something primarily for athletes. It became common practice to replenish electrolytes after a hard workout or intense game. In reality, every human requires electrolytes to function, not just professional competitors. While it's true that those who exert themselves strenuously need to pay extra attention to ensure they are meeting their body’s needs, everyone must have basic levels of electrolytes in order to survive. What Are Electrolytes? Scientifically, electrolytes are ions, or particles that carry a charge - hence the “electro-” part of their name. These minerals dissolve in water and keep the body in balance. Electrical pulses run through your nerves, instructing your body to trigger muscle contractions. Often when we think of muscle contractions, we picture someone running or lifting weights, and electrolytes are absolutely required to perform these tasks. But every heartbeat is also a muscle contraction. In addition, to keeping your heart beating, electrolytes also help to maintain your body temperature, aid digestion, assist your memory, and interpret data you gather with your senses, in addition to many other essential bodily functions. Even if you don’t exercise or play sports, electrolytes are a highly important part of your diet. How Do You Get Electrolytes? Fortunately, you don’t need to chug Gatorade to keep your heart beating. Since "electrolytes" is just the name for a category of minerals, you can break it down into more easily accessible nutrients. The main electrolytes are sodium, chloride, potassium, magnesium and calcium - you’ve likely heard of all of them, and chances are you're already consuming them in good quantities. Sodium and chloride together make NaCl, which is the chemical notation for table salt. Many people have too much salt in their diet, which can lead to hypertension. Salt causes the body to retain water, which elevates blood pressure. However, there is a minimum amount of salt required to function, so eliminating it entirely from your diet would result in a severe electrolyte imbalance. Potassium, like all electrolytes, helps to regulate the heartbeat and muscles. Bananas are a widely-known source of potassium, although a cup of yogurt or three ounces of halibut each contain more potassium than the fruit. Other sources of potassium include baked sweet potatoes, winter squash, white beans, broccoli, orange juice pistachios, and cantaloupe. Magnesium is found in the highest quantities in green, leafy vegetables. A cup of spinach provides almost half of your daily requirement. After you eat the spinach, treat yourself to a square of dark chocolate for another quarter of your magnesium intake. You can also turn to almonds, pumpkin seeds or yogurt to increase your magnesium levels. Calcium is housed in dairy products, with some of the highest percentages found in milk and yogurt. What may surprise you, however, is that a cup of cooked kale contains similar amounts of calcium, as do sardines. Even if you follow a dairy-free diet, it is more than possible to meet your calcium needs. Your daily intake of these five minerals, as well as other trace minerals needed in tiny quantities, will supply your body with the electrolytes you need for optimal function and wellness. But if they can all be found in your diet, why do sports drinks even exist? Are Sports Drinks Necessary? The simple answer is, yes and no. Humans survived for millions of years before the invention of Gatorade, so strictly speaking, it isn’t necessary. However, electrolyte-replenishing drinks provide a quick and convenient way to restore your body's levels when they are depleted due to exertion, illness or alcohol. When you are dehydrated from sweating, diarrhea, vomiting or any other reason, your body loses electrolytes. Most people aren’t keen on polishing off a spinach salad when they’re down with the flu. Instead, they can opt for a drink that will speed up the recovery process. Gatorade and Powerade are two of the most widely available sports drinks, although there are many varieties. Children are often given Pedialyte when they are sick. It is worth noting, though, that many of the drinks on the market contain high quantities of sugar and artificial dyes. If you are trying to avoid these additives but still want the benefits of an electrolyte boost, you can easily make a homemade electrolyte drink. Use water, natural juice or coconut water as the base, and add a bit of sea salt, lemon juice and raw honey. You can find recipes online and customize as you like - add some lime or orange juice, put in some herbal tea or use real maple syrup instead of honey. Electrolytes are critical for maintaining your body’s functions, but unless you’re an elite endurance athlete, your regular eating should provide plenty. They are found in many different foods and can be easily incorporated into a healthy diet. For the times when your body is depleted of electrolytes, there are both commercial and homemade options for quickly replenishing them to help get your muscles performing at their best.

Interesting read, QUESTION: I see a lot of companies now including different geranium oil extracts in their fat burners. What’s the deal with geranium, and how does it affect fat loss? ANSWER: There are more than 40 constituents of geranium oil, but the one that’s currently found in bodybuilding and sports supplements is usually referred to by its trademarked name Geranium. There are several different names for Geranamine that are currently being used on supplement labels, but they all mean the same thing. Some of the other names are: 1,3-dimethylamylamine dimethylamylamine (DMAA) methylhexaneamine, 4-methyl-2-hexanamine 4-methyl-2-hexylamine 2-amino-4-methylhexane 1,3-dimethylpentylamine Floradrene GERANIUM 20 (pictured above) If you can believe it, this compound was actually first researched and discovered back in the early 1940s! Pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly filed for a patent on methylhexaneamine in 1944 and intended to use it as a nasal decongestant because of its bronchodilating properties. Now fast-forward about 60 years later to the year 2005. This is when a good friend of mine named Patrick Arnold, who is best known for discovering prohormones and being front and center in the BALCO steroid scandal, rediscovered this unique compound after reviewing the old patent. Patrick, who founded the supplement company Ergopharm, is a genius when it comes to rediscovering old drugs that never made it to market and figuring out how they can be classified as dietary supplements under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA). You see, although Geranium is technically not FDA approved, it can still be used in supplements because it’s a component of geranium oil, which is approved for use in foods. This is just one of the many loop holes that Patrick has figured out, and that’s why he was the first to include his trademarked version of Geranium he named "Geranamine" in the original version of his AMP fat burner formula back in 2006. All right, so enough of this history lesson. Now let me explain how Geranamium can enhance fat loss. First off, it affects the central nervous system (CNS) by acting as a norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor and a norepinephrine-releasing agent. This allows the body to secrete more norepinephrine and epinephrine, which are the body’s most powerful fat-burning hormones. Geranium also has a synergistic effect with caffeine, which can amplify fat burning and to a much greater degree than when either of these stimulants is used on its own. Supplements Containing Geranium Geranium oil derivatives can now be found in several fat burners on the market, including F10 By Advanced Genetics , GERANIUM 20 (which is a straight pharmaceutical-grade geranium supplement), Clear Shot Nutrex’s Lipo-6 Black Hers, S.A.N.’s Tight Extreme, and CRXCUT by Dorian Yates Nutrition. It’s also creeping into preworkout powders, such as Jack3D, BPI’s 1.M.R. and several others. Although there’s somewhat limited research available on Geranium, user feedback over the past couple of years has been very positive, so it’s definitely worth giving it a try to boost in fat burning and mental focus.

If you haven’t caught onto the overnight oats “thing” yet, don’t worry. By the time you finish this article, you’ll be craving overnight oats for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Let’s see what’s so great about these oats. What are Overnight Oats? Overnight oats are simply oats that are soaked in some form of liquid overnight in the refrigerator. Any kind of liquid? Theoretically, yes! Any old liquid, juice, soft drink, or even ready-to-drink pre-workout could be used, but there’s no guarantee it’ll taste good, or have much nutritional value. So while you could get away with any type of liquid, there are some more “ideal” options that you’d want to use (i.e. milk, yogurt, rice milk, almond milk, etc.). How to Make Overnight Oats Crafting your very first serving of overnight oats could be any simpler. The typical ratio that yields the best results for most people is combining equal parts raw rolled oats and milk (or yogurt). From there, put the mixture in the fridge (covered or uncovered, your choice) and let them meld for overnight (or a minimum 5-6 hours) in order for the oats to absorb the liquid. The long chill allows the oats to become soft and creamy without getting overly mushy, but you must give it time for this to happen. Pulling your oat mixture out too soon will result in some rather unappealing results. That’s it! In the morning, open the fridge and you have your overnight oats ready to go. What's the Big Deal With Overnight Oats? Ok, so you’re not impressed by some cold oats soaked in milk. But, that’s just the bare bones, easy-does-it version. The real appeal (and zest) of overnight oats are the endless possibilities of add-ins, mix-ins, toppings, and sprinklings you can add to your overnight oats to take things over the top. Toppings can be added the night before or in the morning, whatever works for you. A word of warning on the toppings though, your mix-ins/toppings will get soggy if left overnight, so don’t add anything to your overnight oats you don’t mind getting a bit mushy. Benefits of Overnight Oats NO cooking required Easy to prepare Extremely portable Cost effective for those on a budget Oats remain intact and creamy, not mushy like cooked oats Packed with nutrition Incredibly versatile Enjoyable for all ages and tastes Endless options Can be savory or sweet Overnight Oats Tips Here are a few key tips to ensuring your overnight oats are the best they can possibly be: Tip #1 - Use rolled (old-fashioned) oats Any kind will due, but make sure to avoid the instant type of oats. These have been refined too much and won’t thicken up properly to yield satisfying results. Tip #2 - Include yogurt as part of your liquid Using any kind of milk (dairy, almond, soy, etc.) will due, but to get your oats super creamy and delicious, use yogurt. If you don’t want to use all yogurt for your liquid base, then use a 2:1 ratio of yogurt to milk. For example, if you’re using one cup of liquid, use ? cup yogurt and ? cup milk. As for Greek yogurt vs regular yogurt, that’s up to you. Greek yogurt is a good bit thicker than regular yogurt and contains substantially more protein per serving. Using Greek yogurt will make your overnight oats supremely rich and creamy too. Also, you can use plain or flavored yogurt. If you go with flavored yogurt, you’ll probably need to add less sweetener to the mixture since the flavored yogurt already contains some form of sweetener. Remember that flavored yogurt also contains more calories than unflavored yogurt, which is important for those tracking macros. You are tracking your macros… Right? Tip #3 - Sweeteners The vast majority of overnight oat enthusiasts (“purists”) out there use 100% real maple syrup as their de facto sweetener. But if you’re not a maple syrup lover, or looking for a lower calorie option, any old sweetener will do. Brown sugar, regular sugar, Splenda, Equal, stevia, and zero-calorie, sugar-free syrups are all on the table. If you’re going the savory overnight oat route, then you may not want or need any stinking sweetener at all. Tip #4 - The Secret Trick is Chia Seeds Chia seeds are one of the healthiest foods on the planet. The word chia means “strength” and was used by Aztec warriors as their daily energy booster, enabling them to survive the pitfalls of rural living. They’re packed with heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and protein. And they’re your “secret weapon” for insanely delicious and creamy overnight oats. Add in one tablespoon of chia seeds into oat and liquid mixture and allow it to sit overnight in the fridge. In the morning, you’ll be rewarded with the thickest, creamiest overnight oats imaginable. Tip #5 - “Tweak” in the morning After a long slumber in the fridge, your oats will be ready for immediate consumption in the morning, but, they can be “enhanced” a bit to suit your preferences for texture and thickness. If they’re thickened up a bit too much for your liking, simply add a few tablespoons of liquid and stir until you achieve the desired consistency. And from there, it’s onto everyone’s favorite part – mix-ins and toppings. Tip #6 - Storage Just about any non-perforated container will work. Food bloggers and overnight oat snobs prefer to display their oats in some form of mason jar, so as to make a photo worthy addition to their website. But a mason jar is by no means required. You could just as easily use a bowl, tupperware, or an empty pre-workout or protein tub. As long as it has no holes, and you don’t mind eating out of it, any vessel will do. Tip #7 - Protein Powder If you’re a fitness savvy individual looking to use overnight oats as your breakfast to power a gains-filled workout, you’ll most certainly want to add some protein powder to your overnight oats. Do everything the same as was outlined above and just toss in a scoop of your favorite protein powder to the mix. In the morning, if it’s too thick, simply add a splash of liquid to slacken the mixture. Best Overnight Oat Recipes Excited by the prospect and freedom of overnight oats, but a bit overwhelmed by all the possibilities? That’s OK, there are endless options after all. We’ve got a few ideas ahead that represent guaranteed home runs for your first overnight oat outings. Use these whether you’re first starting to come up with your own overnight oat creations or trying to get out of a rut. Peanut Butter Cup ½ cup rolled oats ¼ cup yogurt ¼ cup milk 1 scoop chocolate protein powder 2 tablespoons peanut butter ¼ tsp vanilla extract Sweetener to taste ½-1 tablespoon cocoa powder (optional) Blueberry Muffin ½ cup rolled oats ¼ cup yogurt ½ cup milk 1 tablespoon chia seeds ¼ cup mashed blueberries ½ teaspoon vanilla extract 1 scoop blueberry muffin flavored protein powder (or vanilla) Almond Joy-inspired ½ cup rolled oats ? cup yogurt ½ cup milk ¼ cup coconut flakes ½-1 tablespoon cocoa powder 1 tablespoon chia seeds ? tsp salt ½ tsp vanilla extract 1 scoop chocolate protein powder Chocolate chips (optional) Takeaway Overnight oats offer a quick, delicious, and nutrition option for breakfast that can reignite your love for the first meal of the day. Use it if you hate cooking or need something in a hurry on your way out the door. Whatever the case, if you haven’t caught onto the overnight oat trend yet, you’re missing out in more way than one. Use the tips and recipes here to get started and after your first bowl, you’ll wonder why you didn’t start eating overnight oats more often.

Well, we’re here to tell you carbohydrates are not the enemy - if fact, they can be your greatest ally when it comes to maximizing performance and maintaining your sanity while dieting. And even before you ask, yes, you can still eat carbohydrates and lose weight. Let’s take a realistic look at this much beleaguered macronutrient and see how it enhances health, wellness, and performance. Complete Carbohydrate Guide Carb Basics As you know, carbohydrates are one of the three main macronutrients, along with fat and protein. Carbohydrates are found almost exclusively in plants and yield four calories per gram. Following consumption, all carbs (simple and complex) basically end up the same, as glucose. After passing through the liver, carbohydrates are converted to glucose and delivered to the bloodstream for immediate use or converted to glycogen and stored for later use. Now, let’s take a deeper look at the difference between blood glucose and glycogen. Blood Glucose vs Glycogen The words glucose and glycogen are frequently used interchangeably when discussing carbohydrates and their role in athletic performance, but the two are very different. Blood glucose (sugar) is sugar that doesn’t remain in the liver and is transported into the bloodstream, where it’s used as an energy source by all the cells of your body. King among these sugar-powered cells are those of the nervous system, including the brain and nerves that regulate skeletal muscle function. While your body can synthesize the required glucose it needs to power your brain from protein and fats (a la ketogenic diets), it’s much more efficient to use glucose. Turning our attention to glycogen, it is storage form of glucose in the body. When blood glucose is absorbed by muscle cells, it’s used to fuel muscular activity and repair. But, the vast majority of glucose that enters the muscle is stored as glycogen, which is a much more efficient, easily accessible form of energy, particularly during intense physical exercise. Using glycogen, allows your body to perform at much higher levels, but the “catch” is that there’s a limited amount of glycogen your muscles can store. When your glycogen stores become depleted, your ability to sustain a high level of performance falls off dramatically. Athletes usually describe this feeling as “hitting the wall.” To sum things up, during exercise, glycogen serves as the primary energy substrate. Following training, your glycogen stores are depleted, and your body uses blood glucose to replenish those glycogen stores to allow you to subsequently perform at a high level. If, however, your muscle glycogen reserves are topped off, and you still have excess blood glucose surging, your body stores those carbs as adipose tissue, a.k.a. body fat. [1] Carbs = Fuel Sports science has pretty conclusively shown that glycogen is essential to performance. When your glycogen stores are gone, so is your performance. This is due to the fact that glycogen is vital to ATP resynthesis during intense physical activity, so it stands to reason that the more glycogen you have stored in your muscles, the longer you’ll be able to sustain athletic performance. [2][3] Here’s reason #1 why it makes absolutely zerosense for high level athletes to ditch carbohydrates. Essentially, if you’re restricting carbohydrate intake you’re cutting your legs out from under you before the competition even starts. Carbohydrates are to your body what jet fuel is to an F-16, it’s higher performance fuel for a higher performance machine. Eating the right amount of carbohydrates, based on your training needs, and you’ll top off your glycogen stores, setting the stage for maximum performance and little fat storage. And here’s where people get into trouble...eating more carbs than they need. You see, every individual has a different carbohydrate need based on their training and lifestyle. An ultra-marathoner’s has a very different carb requirement than the bro lifting a few times per week or the office worker who does nothing but sit behind a computer all day long. Performance Benefits of Carbs Better performance Greater endurance Enhanced intra-set recovery Faster recovery between workouts Prevents muscle breakdown (catabolism) Increases training capacity (volume of work you can handle) How Many Carbs do I Need? Unfortunately, there’s not a set in stone answer. It’s more of a “moving” target based on your training schedule and lifestyle. If you are training frequently and have a job requiring lots of movement (i.e. waitress, construction worker, etc.) your carb needs will be greater than someone working a desk job. To further complicate the issue, researchers haven’t invested nearly as much time into determining optimal carb intake like they have for protein, but, don’t worry, we’ve compiled a list of “recommendations” to help you determine how many carbs you need on a daily basis based on your training style and job requirements. Low training volume & sedentary job. Your training is low rep and low volume (i.e. powerlifting / strength-based training) and you work a sedentary job (desk job). Carb intake: 0-1g/lb bodyweight. Moderate-high training volume & moderately active job. Your training is hypertrophy (bodybuilder) training, moderately active job (waitress, personal trainer, etc.), walking or cycling commuter. Carb intake: 1-2g/lb bodyweight. High volume training & physically demanding job. 2-3g/lb: You’re training twice per day or your training sessions last for over two hours each day. Your job is extremely demanding (group fitness instructor, construction worker, furniture mover, or you do a lot of extra walking or cycling outside of commuting. Carb intake: 2-3g/lb bodyweight. Endurance training. Long bouts of strenuous exercise 2-3 times per day. Most of you reading this aren’t at this training level and will not need a carb intake this high. Carb intake: 3+g/lb bodyweight. Carb Timing The issue of carb timing is a hotly contested on, but in reality, precisely timing your carb intake isn’t necessary unless you’re an competitive endurance athlete or training multiple times in the same day. If you’re just training one time each day, the most important thing is to focus on the total number of carbs you need each day and make sure you’re getting them all in. This will help replenish glycogen stores so that you’re ready and raring to go come the next training session. That being said, there are some minor perks to timing your carbs, especially if you’re looking for an edge. Pre-Workout. If you’re headed for a high volume day of resistance training, eating carbs pre workout can increase your performance and give you some pretty sick pumps too. Intra-Workout. Intra-workout carbs are really only needed for physical activity lasting over one hour (swimming, biking, running, etc.). Consuming some type of quick-digesting carb source can prevent muscle breakdown and sustain performance. Note: There is a limit to the number of carbs you can use while training. Studies show that the maximum carbohydrate oxidation rate (rate at which your body processes carbohydrates) is 1-1.1 g/min.[4,5] What this means is that endurance athletes should consume 0.5-1g of carbohydrate per minute (or 30-60g of carbs per hour) while training. Taking in more than this can lead to GI distress and thus, reduced performance. Post-Workout. Research indicates that consuming some carbohydrates in the 4-6 hours following intense exercise and enhance glycogen replenishment and reduce soreness. This becomes more important if you’re training multiple times per day. References 1) Jensen J, Rustad PI, Kolnes AJ, Lai Y-C. The Role of Skeletal Muscle Glycogen Breakdown for Regulation of Insulin Sensitivity by Exercise. Frontiers in Physiology. 2011;2:112. doi:10.3389/fphys.2011.00112. 2) Knuiman P, Hopman MTE, Mensink M. Glycogen availability and skeletal muscle adaptations with endurance and resistance exercise. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2015;12(1):59. doi:10.1186/s12986-015-0055-9. 3) Ivy JL. Muscle glycogen synthesis before and after exercise. Sports Med. 1991;11(1):6-19.

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Our mini peanut butter protein donuts will leave you wanting more all while still getting your protein intake. High Protein Donut Ingredients Donut: 75g Oat Flour (Can be purchased or made from old-fashioned Oats) 25g MTS Peanut Butter Fluff whey protein 100g (Approximately one small container of Apple Sauce) ¼ teaspoon of Baking Powder 1 Whole Egg Topping (Optional): 24g PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter Reese?s Puff cereal as desired Cooking Directions Donuts: Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees F. Mix together your donut ingredients (e.g. Oat flour, MTS Peanut Butter fluff, apple sauce, baking powder, and egg) until they form a solid consistency. Take out a donut baking sheet (Note: I used a mini donut baking sheet, but normal sized donut baking sheets can be used as well. However, if making larger sized donuts, increase the cooking time accordingly). Spray your donut baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Scoop your mixture into the baking sheet. Cook for approximately 6-7 minutes (Note: Your cooking times may vary depending upon your individual oven). Take out your donuts and let them cool off for a couple of minutes. Topping: Pour two servings of PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter into a bowl (24g). Add in a small bit of water as necessary. Mix together until a solid peanut butter consistency is formed. Top donuts with PB2 spread and some Reese?s Puff cereal (if desired). Nutrition Facts, Including Topping (Makes 9 Mini Donuts) Calories - 390 Fat - 9g Carbohydrates - 35g Protein - 38g These protein-packed donuts are filled with all the post workout carbohydrates and protein necessary for your next post-workout meal. They are quick, convenient, and easy to transport and make for a great tasting macro friendly snack.

Ingredients: 2 cups pitted and packed soft, sticky Medjool dates 2 tbsp natural peanut butter ½ tsp pure vanilla extract ¼ tsp fine sea salt 1 scoop chocolate Kaged Muscle Kasein protein powder ¼ cup cacao nibs Chocolate Coating: 1 cup unsweetened dark chocolate, finely chopped 1 ½ tbsp organic extra virgin coconut oil Peanut Butter Drizzle: 3 tbsp natural peanut butter 1 tbsp organic extra virgin coconut oil ½ tbsp pure maple syrup Directions: Place dates in food processor and process until smooth and creamy. Add peanut butter, vanilla extract, chocolate Kasein protein powder and sea salt, and process for another 30 seconds. Next, add the cacao nibs and pulse to distribute. Transfer mixture to freezer and allow 30 minutes to set. Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove mixture from freezer. Scoop heaping tablespoons of mixture and roll tight into 1-inch balls, and place on baking sheet. Transfer the sheet to the freezer and allow balls to set for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, combine dark chocolate and coconut oil in a double boiler and whisk until smooth. Set aside.* Remove baking sheet from freezer. Spoon a tablespoon of the chocolate mixture over each ball. Transfer baking sheet back to freezer and allow 15 minutes to set. In a double broiler, whisking together the peanut butter, coconut oil, and maple syrup over a double broiler until smooth. Lightly drizzle balls with mixture. Serve. Nutrition Facts (per ball; 16 balls per recipe): 125 calories, 4g protein, 5.5g carbs, 9.8g fat. *A double boiler is a set of two fitted saucepans that are stacked together with space between them. If you don't have a double broiler, you can substitute by using a large saucepan filled with 2 inches of water and a steel-mixing bowl placed inside of it. Bring the water to a simmer before placing the mixing bowl with the ingredients in the pan.

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Ever since diabetes became as common as the common cold, and Donald Trump using the term fake news, scientists have been trying to replicate the sweetness of sugar. The goal has been to produce a sweet alternative without the harmful side effects of blood sugar spikes, loads of calories, and dental cavities. We had many honorable mentions along the way such as Aspartame and Acesulfame K, but some negative press and flawed studies (not the scope of this article, but I had to say it), knocked them dead in their tracks. Then came this wonderful breakthrough that “tastes like sugar because it came from sugar.” Sucralose, or the brand name Splenda®, was born into the world… And bland oatmeal would never be the same again. Sucralose is produced by the chlorination of sucrose yet is 320 to 1,000 times sweeter than its parent material. [1] It is stable under heat so it maintains its flavor in cooking. Basically, it is the most delicious and potent calorie-free sweetener we have. So why all the fuss? You’ll see people claim cancer effects and more, but let’s look at data. The FDA reviewed over 110 studies and found no evidence of carcinogenic, neurological or reproductive effects. [2] What about gut health? One of the major claims is that sucralose “contributes to obesity, destroys ‘good’ intestinal bacteria and prevents prescription drugs from being absorbed.” But read beyond the BS. This study was done in rats, not humans, and was funded by The Sugar Association. [3] This flawed and biased study was subsequently refuted by Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology and said it was deficient in many critical areas. Thus, the whackjob people trying to sell you holistic garbage online are either sharing crap studies or failing to follow up on continuing research. Moreover, the claims that sucralose can lead to overeating can be true in that bland food will taste better, and you will eat more of it. But if you count your calories and have self-control, it will not lead to any weight gain. It is simple… The main determinant of weight gain or loss is calories in versus calories out. Take in fewer calories than you burn, you will lose fat. Take in more calories than you burn, you will gain weight. To determine your calorie needs, see our TDEE calculator here. For a great fat loss diet read the Drop Factor Book. As for Splenda® itself or those “little yellow packets,” those DO contain calories. There are MILLIGRAMS of sucralose in the packet and one of these bad boys is a gram in weight - that means the rest is cut with the cheap, calorie-packed and insulin-promoting carbs called maltodextrin and dextrose. Dextrose is very simple - it is the body’s ACTUAL fuel source – it is GLUCOSE!). Maltodextrin, while a complex carbohydrate, is devoid of any micronutrients. I don’t know about you, but I would rather get my carbs from yummy food! See my video on that here. When you see “sucralose” on a supplement label, this is not Splenda, this is the actual sucralose with no added dextrose of maltodextrin. Thus, this is NOT sugar, is calorie-free and will lead to, in the case of MTS Nutrition Machine Whey, an amazing tasting shake! Please be aware of the difference! There you have it! While the people SELLING natural remedies and using scare tactics to get you to buy their stuff, sucralose has been proven safe, has GRAS Status (Generally Recognized as Safe), and is delicious! In my opinion, it can help you cut many extra sugar calories from your diet without sacrificing taste, can alleviate blood sugar spikes and crashes, and can be a part of your daily diet… Safely! As for how much you can take per day, sucralose's ADI (acceptable daily intake) per the NHS (National Health Services) in the UK is 15 milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day. So a 165-pound person could (in theory) safely snack on 93 packets of Splenda per day. This would equal, as an example, over 20 scoops of MTS Nutrition Machine Whey per day. And even then, we have no data on anything serious happening over this amount. So pick up that shaker bottle of Machine Fuel and enjoy every sip, and savor the calorie-free sweetness of this deliciously safe sweetener! References 1) Michael A. Friedman, Lead Deputy Commissioner for the FDA, Food Additives Permitted for Direct Addition to Food for Human Consumption; Sucralose Federal Register: 21 CFR Part 172, Docket No. 87F-0086, April 3, 1998 2) "Sucralose - FDA Final Rule - Food Additives Permitted for Direct Addition to Food for Human Consumption" (PDF). United States: Food and Drug Administration. 3) "Splenda Alters Gut Microflora and Increases Intestinal P-Glycoprotein and Cytochrome P-450 in Male Rats." Taylor & Francis, 18 Sept. 2008, www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15287390802328630

Between prepackaged highly-processed convenience meals and cheap fast food, it's hard to justify "spending so much" on healthy foods... Right? So why don't we eat enough fruits and veggies? Is it because you don't know how to prepare them? Maybe you don't know how to tell if they are ripe enough. Whatever the excuse, I can help you get more fruits and veggies into your diet. The Great Debate: Fresh vs. Frozen Traditional wisdom says that fresh is always going to win vs its frozen counterpart, right? As the process of blanching and flash freezing fruits and vegetables improves, popular recommendations are changing as more studies show no significant difference in nutrition between fresh and frozen. I've always liked to cook, but I never really threw down in the kitchen until I started buying frozen fruits and veggies along with some fresh. For me, choosing the right foods can be broken down into four categories. They are unconventional, but it works for me. Buying The first thing I ask myself is: "Do I know what to look for to find the best produce?" For me, bananas are the easiest to tell. There are different stages in a banana's life, and you can see them pretty easily. For other fruits and veggies, there are many caveats; the stiffness of the produce, the colors, the shapes, etc. If I'm unsure if I can pick out the best (or good enough) fresh produce, I may buy the flash frozen version. Preparation Before you cook them, what does the preparation look like? If you need to cut, dice, or julienne your veggies, do you have the proper cutlery? What about the knife skills? I take all of this into account before I buy. If I don't have enough time to try my hand at knife skills, I am more than happy to buy the frozen counterpart. Cooking Do you know how to cook your veggies? Buying fresh veggies and turning them into a tasty dish can be pretty straightforward, however, there may be some things that you are unfamiliar with cooking. If you are not feeling adventurous enough, sometimes buying some frozen corn or mixed veggies to heat up in the microwave works better. Storing How long does your food last? Fresh veggies have a shelf life, so if you aren't planning on consuming them within a reasonable amount of time, you may want to buy frozen. Is Fresh or Frozen More Nutritious? In order to get the most nutritious "bang for your buck," you gotta buy fresh, right? Varying from food to food, one study showed higher levels of lutein, which is a carotenoid that prevents macular degeneration and eye problems, in uncooked spinach versus its cooked counterpart. Vitamins can degrade in fresh produce over time, but many nutrients are hardier than most people would assume. Iron is practically bulletproof, while fiber doesn't care if it's heated or frozen. Ali Bouzari runs studies comparing fresh and frozen produce and runs a culinary research and development company out in Sonoma County, California. Dr. Bouzari has been noted saying "the differences in nutrient levels between fresh and frozen are so minor that they would be unlikely to have an impact on overall health, and dieticians generally encourage people to eat as many fruits and veggies as they can, in whatever form they enjoy." Fresh vs. Frozen Cheat Sheet Foods with high amounts of vitamin B and C are best fresh due to the fact these vitamins are water-soluble. Processing these foods will leach nutrients out of them. Veggies in the brassica family like cabbage, kale, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower are typically better fresh than frozen since they retain their phytochemicals and antioxidants. Foods high in fat-soluble nutrients like vitamin A, carotenoids, and vitamin E are more stable during food processing and storage. Wrapping It Up Getting a variety of fruits and vegetables into your diet should be priority number one. Spend time finding recipes or creating your own recipes that will give you a wide variety of colors and flavors. If that means you need to buy frozen Mirepoix for your soup instead of standing there cutting up fresh produce, go for it. If you like eating fresh fruits but frozen veggies, that's okay. There is minimal impact on nutrients in fresh versus frozen produce. Choosing what works best for YOU is important. Buy yourself a cookbook and start creating some tasty, healthy dishes.

As avocados ripen, they turn a dark green to black. They vary in size and the majority of avocados in the store are medium-sized. The suggested serving is about 1/5th of a medium-sized avocado. Nutritional Facts of an Avocado 1 medium avocado has 250 calories and 23 grams of nutritious fats. 1 serving size of avocado is about 50 calories and 4.5 grams fat. The fats found in avocados are high, but it's not the same saturated fats that you find in red meat, most junk food, and full-fat dairy products. A 2011 meta-analysis found no connection between saturated fats and heart disease and strokes. It may actually be the trans fats that are found in partially hydrogenated oils like margarine plays a much larger role. With all of this being said, the American Heart Association stands by its current guidelines. Fortunately, there are only trace amounts of saturated fat in an avocado. Most of the fat in avocados is monounsaturated fatty acids. They are thought to lower your total cholesterol - decreasing LDL and increasing HDL. Avocados Have Plenty of Vitamins and Minerals Saturated fats, found in red meat, promote inflammation in your body. Inflammation is another risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Avocados have been shown to help reduce inflammation in your body. A 2012 study found eating half of a Hass avocado with a burger instead of just the burger alone reduced the production of substances that promote inflammation in the body. Avocados are cholesterol-free, sodium-free, and are low in sugar. They have been shown to absorb specific nutrients from other foods and they are an abundant source of vitamins and minerals. That includes: Vitamin A Vitamin K Vitamin C Vitamin E Iron Potassium Zinc Manganese B Vitamins (except B-12) Choline Betaine Calcium Magnesium Phosphorus Copper Folate Other Benefits of Avocados Even if you were to eat more avocado than you should, your body is going to thank you. Avocados are high in fat, but not the saturated kind. Instead, the healthy dose of monounsaturated fats is considered "good" fat. Monounsaturated fats come from plant sources and have shown to lower LDL cholesterol. Avocados Are Full of Fiber Eating foods high in fiber help you stay fuller for longer. Dieticians encourage eating foods high in fiber to help them eat less and provide a calorie deficit that doesn't make you feel hungry. Avocados Have Been Linked to Cancer Prevention The phytochemicals in avocados may prevent the grown and cause of the cell death in precancerous and cancerous cell lines. Your Blood Sugar Levels Will Remain Stable Longer The fiber and fat in avocados will keep your blood sugar levels steady. A study has shown that eating half of a Hass avocado at lunch made individuals feel full for three to five hours longer than those who did not eat any avocado. Easily Incorporate Avocados Into Your Diet Adding in avocados into your diet isn't that hard; you don't have to eat it by the spoonful. Learning how to get avocado out will take a couple of tries before you master it, but it's not too bad. How to Cut and Peel an Avocado Grab a sharp knife and start at the top of the avocado. Slice it lengthwise in the middle from top to bottom. Work your knife around so that you've cut the skin and flesh down to the seed. Twist the avocado in each hand and pull the two halves apart. You can take a knife or spoon and remove the seed - this part can be tricky and slippery, so be careful. Once you have two halves of avocado with no seed, take your knife and slice the flesh of each half into quarters. The skin is very tough, while the flesh is like butter - it doesn't take much oomph. You're not trying to cut the skin. Now that each half is cubed into quarters, you can use a spoon and slide it against the tough skin to get a piece. You can completely remove the skin and store in a container, or leave them in the flesh until you are ready to eat. One quartered cube of avocado is a little bit more than a serving size. Breakfast Spread some smashed avocado on your toast instead of butter. Try topping your scrambled eggs with some diced avocado. Crack an egg into the seed hole and bake with the skin on at 425 degrees for 20 minutes. Lunch/Dinner Add some avocado on top of a chicken or tuna salad. Smash up and put on top of a baked potato instead of sour cream. Put avocado slices on your favorite burger instead of mayo. Create a Healthy Lifestyle Nutritious fats need to be a part of your daily diet. They help promote healthy hormone regulation, satiety when eating, and keep your brain functioning properly. Despite their nutrition profile, avocados are relatively calorie-dense due to the fats. While you should enjoy these as part of a healthy diet, replacing unhealthy foods like a sandwich spread with avocados is a huge start. Did you know? If you're allergic to latex, talk to your doctor first before eating an avocado. About 50% of the people who are allergic to latex show a cross-sensitivity to some fruits such as avocados, bananas, and kiwis. Whole, nutritious foods always trump highly-processed crap. Making reasonable food choices and enjoying foods in moderation is the key to a healthy lifestyle. Get up and moving, lift some weights, and enjoy life.

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How Many Calories in an Egg? We all know that eggs are good for us, but how good are they? Eggs are extremely versatile and can be prepared in countless ways. Found in your baked goods, sandwiches, ice creams, soups, casseroles, and sauces, you are getting more egg in your diet than you give yourself credit for. With the whole "fats are bad" movement that came along, eggs don't have as good of a rap as they used to. Whole Eggs Are Okay While most of the calories, minerals, and vitamins are in the yolk, many consume just the egg whites. While it's true whole eggs are high in dietary cholesterol, they are also low in saturated fat - the stuff that raises your blood cholesterol levels. Nutritional Facts of a Large Egg The size of eggs varies from small to extra large. With size varying, a good rule of thumb is 70 to 75 calories per large egg. With those 75 calories, you get 6 grams of protein, 5 grams of fat - only 1.5 grams are saturated, 2 grams is mono-unsaturated. A large egg is full of vitamins and minerals: Vitamin D - 1mcg Calcium - 28mg Iron - 1mg Potassium - 69mg Riboflavin - 0.2mg Vitamin B12 - 0.4mcg Biotin - 10mcg Pantothenic Acid - 1mg Iodine - 27mcg Zinc - 1mg Selenium - 15mcg Molybdenum - 8mcg Choline - 147mg Eggs are a high-quality protein source and are super cheap. More than half of its protein is in the egg white; along with vitamin B2 and. The yolks contain most of the calories and fat and they are the source of your healthy cholesterol, and many fat-soluble vitamins including A, D, E, and K. Quick Fact: Did you know a study in the Paediatrics magazine suggested that giving young children one egg a day for six months, alongside a reduce sugar-sweetened food diet will help them achieve a healthy weight without stunting growth. Eggs have caught a bad rap because before more solid research, many people were advised against eating eggs due to their higher cholesterol and fat count. As research has continued, researchers are finding that the cholesterol in foods have much less of an effect on your cholesterol levels than the number of saturated fats we eat. Eggs are full of several nutrients that promote a healthy heart such as betaine and choline. A study of nearly a half of a million people in China suggests that eating one egg a day may actually reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke. The caveat here is that in addition to eating at least one egg per day, you need to practice a healthy lifestyle. That means you need to exercise and you need to make better food choices. Eggs are a great source of vitamin D. Vitamin D helps protect your bones, prevent osteoporosis, and rickets. The method of production of the eggs you buy matter. Free range, organic, and indoor raised all have different vitamin content. If you can get your hands on pastured or Omega-3 enriched eggs, you will have more Omega-3s and a much higher amount of vitamin A, and E. Since eggs are full of nutritious fats, they keep you feeling satisfied. This is very important to those who need to cut back on calories. 5 Benefits of Eating Eggs There are countless benefits to eating eggs. Here are five that you may not have heard before. 1.) Eggs Raise Your HDL Cholesterol HDL stands for High-Density Lipoprotein. It's your "good" cholesterol. Individuals with a higher HDL level usually have a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, and other various health problems. One study shows that 2 eggs per day for 6 weeks increased HDL levels by 10%. 2.) Eggs Change LDL Cholesterol and are Linked to Reduced Risk of Heart Disease LDL is your "bad" cholesterol. The subtypes of LDL have to do with the size that the particles are. There are small and dense LDL particles, and there are larger LDL particles. Many studies show that people who have predominantly small and dense LDL particles have a higher risk of heart disease than those with the mostly large LDL particles. Studies have shown that eggs can change small and dense LDL into the larger kind. This helps reduce your risk of heart disease. 3.) Choline Studies show about 90% of the people in the U.S. are getting less than the recommended amount of choline. Choline helps build cell membranes and also has a role in producing molecules in the brain, along with many other functions. Choline is very important and is often grouped with the B vitamins. Eggs are an excellent source of choline, where one egg contains more than 100mg. Adults should aim for 425-550mg per day. 4.) Eggs Help Your Eyes Eggs contain Lutein and Zeaxanthin, two important antioxidants that help with eye health. We all know as we age that our eyesight declines. There are several different nutrients that can help slow down the degenerative processes that can occur in our eyes. Studies show that getting adequate amounts of these nutrients significantly reduces the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration - two very common eye disorders. Eggs are full of vitamin A. An often overlooked vitamin, a vitamin A deficiency is the most common cause of blindness in the world. One controlled trial concluded that eating 1.3 egg yolks per day for 4.5 weeks increased your Lutein blood levels by 28-50% and Zeaxanthin by 114-142%. 5.) Eggs Are Perfect Like I said, eggs cause a bad rap when the "fats are bad" movement came out. Eggs have been and always will be very good for your health; especially when accompanied by a moderately healthy lifestyle. Eggs are incredibly nutritious and contain large amounts of nutrients for how many calories they have and they are inexpensive. They can take on any flavor you give them and they are easy to cook. Eggs are pretty much a "perfect food" and give us everything we need. Eat up.

Great info.... Trying to calculate how many calories in a chicken breast because of so many choices in a store. There are, however, some general guidelines you can follow. Nutritional Facts of a Chicken Breast Chicken breasts are so versatile and full of nutrition, it is no wonder it is a popular choice in the fitness industry. Single Serving Size of Chicken Breast - 3 Ounces Three ounces of chicken breast is a serving size - about the size of your palm. Most chicken breasts will be much larger, so be sure to buy a food scale and weigh out how much you are going to eat. Let's go over the nutritional facts of a serving size of grilled boneless skinless chicken breast: 128 Calories 2.7 Grams of Fat (4% of your daily value) 0.8 Grams of Saturated Fat (4% of your daily value) 88 mg Cholesterol (29% of your daily value) 26 G Protein (52% of your daily value) .983 mg B6 (49% of your daily value) .38 mg Iron (2% of your daily value) 28.9 mg Magnesium (7% of your daily value) 219.3 mg Phosphorus (22% of your daily value) 332.35 mg Potassium (7% of your daily value) 0.77 mg Zinc (5% of your daily value) If you didn't know, chickens have more than juicy breasts. They have some tasty thighs, legs that never disappoint, and don't even ask about that chicken neck. Here's their nutritional value: Legs - Skin On Calories - 161 Protein - 19.3g Fat - 8.7g Saturated Fat - 2.4g Cholesterol - 81g Sodium - 83g Iron - 1g Thighs - Skin On Calories - 211 Protein -17.3g Fat -15.3g Saturated Fat - 4.3g Cholesterol - 84g Sodium - 76g Iron - 1g Wings - Skin On Calories - 222 Protein - 18.3g Fat - 16g Saturated Fat - 4.5g Cholesterol - 77g Sodium - 73g Iron - 0.9g 10 Health Benefits of Chicken Breast There's obviously more than just 10 benefits of eating chicken breast, but here's 10 you should know. 1.) It Helps With Psychological Health Studies show that vitamin B is necessary to maintain psychological health. There's plenty in chicken. If you can consume enough vitamin B daily, it helps prevent stress, anxiety, and memory-loss syndrome. Nutritionists state that consuming chicken in moderation can help delay age-related psychological diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. 2.) It Helps Treat Anemia Anemia shouldn't be taken lightly. You can treat your anemia by consuming foods that are rich in iron - mostly found in the chicken's liver. Foods with a high content of vitamin A, E, and K contribute to producing red blood cells. Chicken livers are a great source. When your body has the tools (iron and vitamins), your body will start producing and balancing red blood cells; dealing with the anemia. 3.) It Helps Your Cells and Tissues Let's face it, if you don't consume any fresh or flash frozen foods daily... you are probably vitamin and mineral deficient. These deficiencies lead to cell and tissue damage in your body. Have you ever noticed swollen lips, peeling and cracking of the skin, or even dry patches on your skin? You're deficient in some vitamins and minerals. So, if you eat chicken regularly, you are helping promote the growth of damaged cells and tissue. Chicken breast and liver has a high content of riboflavin. 4.) It Also Keeps Your Eyes Healthy Chicken contains lycopene, alpha, and beta-carotene. Regularly consuming chicken helps with cataracts and macular degeneration. 5.) It Boosts Your Immune System Your immune system loves when you have adequate levels of protein, iron, magnesium, and potassium. Eating chicken helps strengthen the cells in your immune system. This helps ward off toxins, free radicals, and cancerous cells. 6.) It Helps Balance Stress Hormones Cortisol, or the stress hormone, needs to be balanced. When you stress, your cortisol rises. Most of your bodily cells have cortisol receptors. Cortisol controls quite a few different functions in the body. When your cortisol is not balanced, your adrenal gland is improperly functioning. Cortisol helps control blood sugar levels, regulates your metabolism, helps reduce inflammation, and it also helps with memory formulation. In women, cortisol supports the developing fetus during pregnancy. 7.) It Is Heart Healthy Chicken helps alleviate elevated blood pressure and cholesterol levels. These all contribute to cardiovascular problems such as a stroke or heart attack. The magnesium and phosphorus found in chicken help you maintain a healthy heart. 8.) It Helps with Oral Health Phosphorus also helps with our teeth and gum health. Eating enough phosphorus can alleviate weakened teeth and help prevent your gums from bleeding. 9.) It Helps Your Nail Health, Too All of these vitamin and mineral deficiencies that many of us suffer from weakens our nails. Nutritionists have determined that a lack of essential nutrients in your body cause various nail problems. Chicken is full of iron, potassium, and a spread of other vitamins. 10.) It's a Staple in a Successful Weight Loss Diet Chicken is satiating and full of protein... you get a good bang for your buck with a chicken breast. Chop up some chicken and put on a salad, grill it, bake it, stir-fry it. Chicken is easy to prepare and takes on any flavor. Eat up.

Weight management always comes down to how many calories you eat versus how many you burn. Fad diets all promise removing every carbohydrate you avoid and replacing it with a grapefruit means you just torch fat away. It's simply not right. For a long time, we assumed 3,500 calories makes up a pound. Since we are all different, some researchers are saying that this is no longer the case. But it's worked so well in the past. Let's go over what losing body fat entails, what a calorie actually is, and if you can really lose weight by cutting 500 calories out of our daily intake. What is Body Fat? In 1958, a scientist named Max Wishnofsky held some research in his lab. He concluded that one pound of body fat lost or gained contained 3,500 calories. At the time, the scientific evidence available was what he had to work with. As the decades pass, technology has gotten better. Now people are questioning whether or not 3,500 calories is accurate. It's basically common-knowledge that 3,500 calories equal a pound, right? Well, there are a few researchers out there debunking this myth. In general, we can assume this about a pound of fat: There are 454 grams in one pound. Pure fat contains 8.7 to 9.5 calories per gram. Body fat tissue varies but is around 87% fat. If we go off of above, we can conclude that a pound of fat is around 3,436 to 3,752 calories. Body fat consists of fat cells called adipocytes which contain some fluids and proteins in addition to fat. This is why scientists are starting to re-think the 3,500 calorie calculation. Amby Burfoot over at Runner's world explains why she thinks we should ditch the old calculation and embrace a new one: “The biggest flaw with the 500-calorie-rule is that it assumes weight loss will continue in a linear fashion over time,” says [mathematician Kevin] Hall. “That’s not the way the body responds. The body is a very dynamic system, and a change in one part of the system always produces changes in other parts.” What’s realistic? According to Hall, in the first year of a new weight-loss program, most overweight people will lose about half the weight that the 3,500-calories rule predicts. In other words, over 12 months, the new rule is 7,000 calories = one pound. The math changes slightly over shorter and longer periods of time, with few managing to lose weight beyond 12 months. Losing Body Fat If you and your buddy have ever tried losing weight and one of you is more overweight than the other, you've seen that the heavier person has lost more weight. It's not necessarily that you did something wrong, it's just that heavier people take more energy to fuel their body. This is why it is harder to lose weight as you get closer to your "ideal weight." It simply doesn't take as many calories to lug around a 180-pound person than it does a 300-pound person. Weight Loss Versus Fat Loss While losing fat makes you lose weight, weight loss and fat loss are two different things. Unfortunately, not all weight loss is pure fat. In fact, one unwelcome side-effect of losing weight is losing precious muscle. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to mitigate muscle loss. That includes lifting weights. Studies show that resistance training is incredibly helpful in preventing muscle breakdown while losing weight. In fact, it's so helpful that for the more part, overweight people can build muscle and lose fat at the same time. Eating plenty of protein is the second part of maintaining muscle mass during a diet. A high protein intake makes your body less likely to break down muscle for energy. Both of these strategies are effective, although doing both will keep your metabolism going and helps maintain an aesthetic appearance. You don't want to be skinny-fat. The 500-Calorie Myth If you don't know what the 500-calorie "myth" is - Eating 500 fewer calories each day equates to 3,500 calories per week. So, one pound per week, 52 pounds per year. So now that you have heard about the new calculation, is it safe to assume maintaining a 500-calorie deficit will still make you lose 1 pound per week? For moderate weight loss and obese people, this holds up fairly solid. What this doesn't account for is how your body responds to your diet and new body composition. Reducing calorie intake eventually makes you burn fewer calories. This is due to your body being more efficient. The same amount of work doesn't burn the same amount of calories as your heavier self. Wrapping It Up Losing weight isn't linear. In fact, it gets harder to lose weight as you get closer to your "ideal weight," so don't get discouraged when things slow down. Consistency and accuracy are two important things when you are trying to lose weight. You want to eat the proper nutrition, you have to get up and move, and you should lift weights. If you do this consistently, watch your progress, and consistently strive to do better... there is no reason why you won't lose weight. In Order to Start Losing Weight Today, This Is What You Need to Do: Start Eating more fruits and vegetables Drinking more water Choose more fresh foods Being more conscious about what you are eating Walking more - a few steps add up Lifting weights - you'll burn calories and build muscle Putting your knowledge to use Stop Drinking your calories Eating as much processed food Using food for comfort (this one is hard, trust me) Write Down How much you eat - measure, weight, etc Keep a journal and write out how you feel - use this instead of food for comfort Keep track of your exercise All of this done consistently will lead to weight loss. You can slowly make better food choices by recreating your favorites that your normally eat out. You'll be able to up the flavor and nutrition while perfecting your cooking. Weight loss is all about making mostly healthy choices and moving. It's not hard unless you don't stick with it. Just because you kicked butt in the gym doesn't mean you should eat some cake. Trust me, rewarding yourself with food for trying to lose weight isn't the best.

Egg Whites - The Vitamins, Minerals and Gains When it comes to micronutrients, whole eggs drop a people?s elbow on egg white nutrition. Here are the numbers: Whole eggs have 4% of your daily value (DV) of iron while egg whites have 0%. Whole eggs have 8% of your DV of phosphorus while egg whites have 0.5%. Phosphorus is essential for bone health and also helps transport cellular energy with ATP (adenosine triphosphate). Yes, the same ATP that creatine helps with. Whole eggs have 3% of your DV of zinc while egg whites have 0%. Zinc is essential for immune health and testosterone support. Whole eggs have 5% of your DV of folate while egg whites have 0%. Folate is essential in blood cell formation. Folate helps convert carbohydrate into energy. Whole eggs have 4% vitamin A versus 0% in egg whites. This is vital for healthy vision. Whole eggs have 8% vitamin D while egg whites have 0%. Whole eggs have 26% choline and 191mg lutein and zeaxanthin. There is no doubt about the health benefits from micronutrients. But what about macronutrients? Both have less than one gram of carbs. Whole eggs have around 5g fat versus 0g in egg whites. Protein is 6-7g in whole eggs versus 3 grams in a white. Pastured whole eggs have around 280mg cholesterol versus 0 in egg whites. (I will explain the different eggs later on) The Differences Between Egg Whites and Whole Eggs If going for overall wellness and macronutrient count is not a concern, whole eggs reign supreme. But for body composition, macros are king. This is why the fat in whole eggs forces those dieting with a lower fat diet to use egg whites. Trust me, as a bodybuilder, I prefer the taste of whole eggs and I am sure most of my brethren do as well. BUT one still needs some fat in the diet and the fat and nutrients from whole eggs is a great thing to have, or is it? While regular, inexpensive eggs are okay, they are not great. We try to get ?pastured? eggs, but if needed settle for ?omega 3 enriched? eggs. What is the difference? Commercial Eggs: Chickens raised in packed coups, fed low-quality, grain-based food. Omega-3 Eggs: Feed is supplemented with flax seeds and they may have some access to outside. Pastured Eggs: Chickens are allowed to roam free and eat plants and insects - their NATURAL diet. Always opt for pastured eggs. When those are not available, get omega-3 eggs. When those are not available, as an absolute last option, use commercial eggs. The Take Home When watching macronutrient intake, I recommend you keep at least one egg in your daily intake of food. For example, if I needed 42 grams of protein but wanted to keep fat to around 10 grams for my meal, I would have: 2 whole eggs: 12g Protein 10 egg whites: 30g Protein If you are just a person trying to eat whole, healthy meals and not counting macros, a good breakfast would be: 2 whole eggs 2 Slices Ezekiel bread Grapefruit The Whole Story If you were wondering about egg white nutrition and if egg whites were better than whole eggs, I hope this cleared up all of the confusion you had over what is best for you. Because eating whole eggs for better health and eating egg whites for a sexy body?That's not a game!

The nutrition industry is chalk full of myth and hyperbole. Why? Probably because people was notoriety and to sell books. let's face it, rationale, clear headed thinking doesn't get a lot of hype and generate 6 figure book deals. Currently there are a lot of myths floating around about high carbohydrate foods. Most of which are the result of small truths that have been twisted into big lies. It is time to recover the truth and bury some of those myths. Myth #1: High Carbohydrate Foods Make You Fat Carbohydrates have gotten a ?bad rap? because they elicit an insulin response. And as everyone knows, insulin causes us to become fat (or does it?). Unfortunately, when we look closer at the science this idea doesn't quite hold up. Insulin is an endocrine hormone, meaning it affects multiple tissues in the body. Specific to our focus is muscle and fat. When skeletal muscle is ?exposed? to insulin signals the muscle cell to shift to carbohydrate-based metabolism. Interestingly, the overall energy status of the cell plays a role in exactly what happens in the muscle cell. Meaning, if the muscle cell is low on glucose and/or muscle glycogen the insulin signal will instruct the cell to utilize the incoming glucose for fuel and to begin creating muscle glycogen from any spare glucose that is coming in. Additionally, insulin will cause an uptake of fat into the muscle. If the muscle cell is already full of glucose and glycogen and topped off with intramuscular triglycerides then insulin signaling will do all of the things it does in a low energy state but will also turn excess glucose into fat through de novo lipogenesis (a point we will get to later in the article. Insulin also acts on our fat tissue. Insulin does in fact decrease the rate of lipolysis (fat breakdown) in adipose tissue and also it does stimulate fatty acid and triacylglycerol synthesis (fat creation). The science is crystal clear on this. Now it would indeed appear that insulin promotes fat storage? well unfortunately that is the wrong wording for it. Insulin is ?fat-sparing?, not fat promoting. Yes, insulin does reduce fat oxidation and promote a lipogenic environment. However, for insulin to have a profound effect on body fatness and fat gain, it has to occur in the presence of excess calories. Put simply, our bodies default metabolic state is one of fat oxidation and insulin is the switch that turns it to carbohydrate metabolism. The net effect of insulin is simply a switch in substrate metabolism, it does not produce a large ?obesegenic affect? due to dietary composition alone. We should also point to one critical piece of evidence: protein also elicits an insulin response. In fact, some high-protein foods elicit a greater insulin response than high-carbohydrate foods (has your brain exploded yet? I know mine did when I first read this article). Why is this important? Well one of the most consistent finding from nutritional research is that diets higher in protein are effective in reducing body-fatness. So if insulin were the main culprit in body-fatness than consuming protein would also encourage fat accumulation and not fat loss. Myth #2: don't Eat High Carbohydrate Foods At Breakfast There is a lot of talk about how you should avoid high carbohydrate foods at breakfast because it elevates insulin and stops your body from burning fat. There is also a lot of discussion about how carbs at breakfast won't make you feel full. Well, we just killed the carb-insulin-fat hypothesis in the first myth so we should already be skeptical, but there is even more evidence that eating carbs at breakfast doesn't make you fat and that higher-carb breakfasts can actually make your more full. Studies in normal and obese males and females have shown that high-carb breakfasts can indeed be highly satiating and are not ?fat promoting?, nor do they lead to bad regulation of blood sugar. This is also really interesting, it turns out that if you skip carbs at breakfast you are more likely to choose carbs at lunch, it is almost like your body wants some balance Now let's be clear, this is not to say you have to, or should, eat high carb at breakfast. It simply means that avoiding carbs at breakfast unwarranted. Myth #3: Excess Carbohydrates Turn into Fat we've all heard that when you eat more carbohydrates than you need your body turns them into fat. Well, that is technically true, but in real-world scenarios it would be pretty difficult to actually achieve this. When you consume carbohydrates your body will store a lot of them as glycogen in your muscles and liver. Now if you consume enough to fully top of the glycogen storage most of the excess actually gets burned off, your body simply switches from fat oxidation to glucose oxidation. It is only when you consume carbohydrates above your energy need (i.e. consuming more calories than you are burning) that they are stored as fat. Also, it looks like for the average person you can consume about 500 grams of carbs before you start turning it into fat. Now I don't know about you, but 500 grams in a day is about my ?unbutton? the pants limit. Doing this on a daily basis is probably not realistic so I wouldn't worry about de novo lipogenesis too much. Myth #4: Skipping Carbs (or Fasting in General) Before Training is Better for Fat Loss Ancient fitness lore tells us that skipping pre-workout carbs/ training fasted increases your fat loss because your body will be using more fat for fuel during the workout. For decades poor souls have been enduring training sessions on an empty stomach in hopes of getting shredded. Well, the ancient lore can go to the burial ground. It turns out training fasted is no better for fat loss than training in a fed state. In fact, it may be more beneficial to train fed! A 2014 study by some super smart dudes (Brad Schoenfeld, Alan Aragon, and James Krieger) explicitly showed no difference in fat loss between training fasted versus training with carbs on board (and some protein and fat). Now this is really interesting because there is a ton of research showing that consuming carbs before a workout can increase your training capacity, so it would stand to reason that if you can train harder you will get better performance and fat loss. Thus, consuming carbs before training might actually be better for fat loss in the long run. The Wrap Up Clearly high carbohydrate foods are not the monster that lore has portrayed them to be: they don't make you fat, you can eat them at breakfast, a high carb meal won't instantly turn to fat, and you can eat them before you train.

Not all of us are made of money:: Dead broke? Have no fear. I'm going to show you how to build muscle using a puny wallet. I've been there, done that. My college years were lean. I learned a lot during this time. You might think it's impossible to pack in calories and protein while being a poor son of a gun, but I'm going to show you otherwise. First, we'll put together a shopping list. You'll need about $200 to $210 per month (USD). If you can't scrounge up this much cash, don't fear. I'm going to list the cost per 100 calories for each carb and fat source. For protein, I will list cost for 30 gram serving. By using the cheapest foods you might lose out on variety, but you will still be able to hit your macros and make gains. So let's roll (that grocery cart) and get to eatin'. Building Cheap Bodybuilding Meals Alright...so there are 3 macronutrients. They are: Protein - 4 calories per gram of protein Carbohydrates - 4 calories per gram of carbohydrate Fats - 9 calories per gram of fat The average male will need 180 to 220 grams of protein per day. The average female will need 100 to 120 grams. The rest of your calories will come from fats and carbohydrates. Now remember our focus...building muscle on a budget. I don't care what percentage of carbohydrates or fats you are eating as long as at least 20% of your daily calories come from fats. Understand that this is a minimum. 30% average fat intake is a better goal for most of you. Don't fear quality fats. Your body needs this macronutrient for organ health, brain health, skin health...well, for everything. The only fats you'll really want to avoid are trans fat. Abstain from using these health-destroyers at all costs, even if they are cheap and tasty. When it comes to carbohydrates, you might be tempted to rely on foods that contain a lot of sugar and flour. While this is great for the wallet, it's not the best option for health and muscle building. I'm going to provide you with better options. Budget Protein Food Choices Listed cost is per 30 gram serving. Men will need 6 to 7 servings per day, and women about 3.5 to 4 servings. When and how you eat your protein doesn't matter much. Just get it in. Protein is the fuel that helps your muscle tissue to repair and recover. Chicken Legs, Bone In - $0.524 per 30 grams of protein. [5] Peanut Butter (Generic brand) - $0.535 per 30 grams of protein. [3] ** Eggs - $0.593 per 30 grams of protein. [1] Black Beans (Generic brand) - $0.765 per 30 grams of protein. [4] *** Whole Milk - $0.789 per 30 grams of protein. [6] Cottage Cheese - $0.833 per 30 grams or protein. Tuna (Generic brand) - $0.927 per 30 grams of protein. [2] MTS Whey Protein - $0.985 per 30 grams of protein. Muscle and Brawn Huge Gainer - $1.00 per 30 grams or protein. ** * Peanut butter also contains a quality number of carbohydrates and fats per serving, making it a must-have pantry item. ** Huge Gainer provides 90 grams of carbohydrates per 30 gram serving of protein, making it a wallet-friendly grand slam. *** Black beans are packed with carbohydrates. [imagemap id="17282"] Budget Carbohydrate Choices Listed cost is per 100 calories. Men on a 3,000 calorie diet that is comprised of approximately 30% fat intake will require about 1,380 calories from carbohydrates. Women on a 2,000 calorie diet that is comprised of approximately 30% fat intake will require about 960 calories from carbohydrates. Rice (Generic, 20lb bag) - $0.031 per 100 calories of carbs. [7] Oats (Generic) - $0.077 per 100 calories of carbs. [8] Ramen Noodles (Maruchan) - $0.08 per 100 calories of carbs. [9] * Spaghetti Noodles (Generic) - $0.087 per 100 calories of carbs. [12] Instant Mashed Potatoes (Generic) - $0.31 per 100 calories of carbs. [11] Cream of Wheat - $0.382 per 100 calories of carbs. [10] * Each pack of Ramen noodles also contains 8 grams of protein and 14 grams of fat. Budget Fat Choices Listed cost is per 100 calories. Men on a 3,000 calorie diet that is comprised of approximately 30% fat intake will require about 900 calories from fats. Women on a 2,000 calorie diet that is comprised of approximately 30% fat intake will require about 600 calories from fat. Olive Oil (Generic) - $0.07 per 100 calories of fats. [13] Butter (Generic) - $0.098 per 100 calories of fats. [14] Heavy Cream - $0.183 per 100 calories of fats. Almonds - $0.451 per 100 calories of fats. [15] You can also look for deals and coupons on sour cream and cheese. Cheap cheese is a budget shopper's dream, as it is rich in protein, fat and good nutrition. Fruits and Veggies Machine Greens allows you to drink your fruits, veggies and vitamins all in one convenient shake There is more to nutrition and an eating plan than just macronutrients and calories. A well-balanced diet must also include a wide variety of micronutrients. While fat, carb and protein sources provide some micronutrient diversity, it's good to add fruits and veggies into your meal plan to cover all your bases. Here are some quality choices. Cost is not listed, but per-serving cost is relatively low. I strongly recommend purchasing frozen bags of these items. They will last longer, reducing waste. Broccoli Cauliflower Strawberries Spinach Mixed Veggies Carrots Peas Corn Mixed Berries Budget Bodybuilding Meal Plan What follows is a sample meal plan. It serves one purpose: To show you what can be done on $7 a day, or less. It is obvious that if a man can eat 3,000 plus calories per day for only $7, a women can eat 1,800 to 2,000 per day on less. Men - 3,170 Calories for $6.28 a Day Meal 1 - Oats (15 ounces), 4 eggs cooked in one pat of butter. Nutrition: 646 calories, 36g protein, 53g carbs, 31.7g fats. Cost = $0.764. Meal 2 - 1 scoop of MTS Peanut Butter Fluff whey in 12 ounces of water blended with 1 ounce of peanut butter. Nutrition: 315 calories, 32.1g protein, 10.5g carbs, 18.3g fats. Cost = $0.948. Meal 3 - 5 ounces of canned tuna mixed in with one pack of Ramen noodles. Nutrition: 540 calories, 46.1g protein, 51.4g carbs, 15.0g fats. Cost = $1.419. Meal 4 - (Immediately Post-Workout) 1 scoop of Huge Gainer. Nutrition: 470 calories, 25g protein, 75g carbs, 9g fats. Cost = $0.833. Meal 5 - 6 ounces of chicken legs with 10 ounces of cooked rice and one cup of black beans. Nutrition: 800 calories, 56.1g protein, 121.9g carbs, 8g fats. Cost = $1.099. Meal 6 - 1 scoop of MTS whey in 8 ounces of whole milk and one ounce of heavy cream. Nutrition: 399 calories, 33.4g protein, 18.6g carbs, 22.9g fats. Cost = $1.214. The total cost investment for this meal plan is $6.28. This leaves you extra pocket change to spend on fruits and veggies, which can be added to any meal as needed. The nutritional breakdown of this eating plan without the addition of fruits and veggies is as follows: Calories = 3,170 Protein = 228.7g (28.9%) Carbohydrates = 330.3g (41.7%) Fats = 104.9g (29.4%) Women can simply scale back portions and ounces by 40%. This would cost about $3.77 per day (sans fruits and veggies), and provide the following calorie and macronutrient breakdown: Calories = 1,902 Protein = 137.2g Carbohydrates = 198.1g Fats = 62.9g References 1) "U.S. Egg Prices to Hit Record High Due to Bird Flu: USDA."Reuters. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 July 2015. 2) "Great Value Light Tuna Chunk In Water, 5 Oz." Walmart.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 July 2015. 3) "Great Value Peanut Butter Creamy, 40 Oz." Walmart.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 July 2015. 4) "Great Value Black Beans, 15.25 Oz, (Pack of 4)."Walmart.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 July 2015.

Today just getting ready to go to the gym to do my hour of cardio...i am starting to darken up already with BT's MT2 tanning peptide and just started sibutramine the appetite suppressant got a bit of a headrush feeling from it as well as kindof a sickly feeling so we shall see how it goes....took a pic prior to getting into a tanning bed...

A great little article Here's how you can have your cake AND six pack abs, and why I think the concept of cheat meals must die. Some time ago, I made the decision that I was done with cheat meals. The gorging felt good for a moment, but I'd always walk away feeling disgusted. I felt out of control when it came time to "cheat." Looking back, I see why. Having tuna straight out of the can dabbled with some hot sauce and a few cups of steamed broccoli gets old really fast. The more I tried to "eat clean" and restrict myself of any kind of pleasure, the worse the cheat meals became. Polishing off whole cartons of ice cream. Jamming down the last few slices of pizza to finish the entire pie. Mowing through several rows of Oreo's. I'm not claiming that eating well and meeting all of your nutritional needs aren't important. I am claiming that an overly-restrictive diet isn't necessary. It took me a while to break from the cycle of clean eating, but once I did, I realized that there was something wrong with cheat meals. Cheat meals identified that there was something missing from my diet. And by the intensity of my cheat meals, there was a lot missing. If my clean eating diet was so great, then why did I have such an uncontrollable desire to gorge when it came time to cheat? Cheat meals almost ruined my relationship with food The word cheat brings along a negative connotation with it regardless of how it's used. If you engage in any kind of cheating behavior, guilt follows close behind. When you apply this word to food in a cheat meal, you then create an invisible wall between "good" foods and "bad" foods. This then creates abnormal food behavior. For a while, I used to think that carbs of any kind in any amount would me make fat. So I deemed them as a "bad" food. But you and I both know, if you're strength athlete of any kind, carbs are essential to performance, cognitive function, and body composition. But the clean eating mentality and severe restriction had influenced me otherwise. The "good" food versus the "bad" food thought process can be debilitating. Over time if the pattern isn't disrupted you start to see foods that you are allowed to eat and foods you are off limits from. Then, when you have a cheat meal and enjoy some of those comfort foods that you've been wanting for months, you feel guilty for having them. When the cheat is over, you return to the foods that you have to plug your nose to eat. The cycle continues and your relationship with food is miserable. Yes, whole food sources from high quality protein, fruits and veggies are better than junk food. You already know that. But that's not the point I'm making. What I am saying is that there shouldn't be such a divide between good and bad foods that cause destructive eating patterns. Why? Because pleasure matters Pleasure matters: Clean eating influences deprivation The key to eating well is to not relentlessly resist pleasure. That means indulging in the comfort foods you love as part of your regular diet, but in portions that are intentionally modest. The reason why the success rate of most diets are so poor is because they are built on the foundation of deprivation; avoiding the most desirable foods. Modest weight loss occurs in the first few weeks and the results keep your motivation levels high enough to keep grinding. After several weeks of investing tons of energy into resisting certain foods, you finally give in. Much of the initial weight loss was water due to the severe carbohydrate restriction, so when you dive into the foods you've been resisting for too long which are usually carb heavy, the weight comes back. As I've learned, you cannot make lasting change by resisting temptation. By focusing on what you can't have, eventually pushes you to want it more. Feeling deprived increases the craving, which then turns into an indulgence and often times leads to abandonment of any kind of moderation. Your willpower is a finite resource. If you're saying "no" to food that you want every day for multiple times a day, at some point the anxiousness, the tension and the restraint will become too great. If your diet leaves you hungry, unhappy and driven by cravings, you won't last long. By knowing your needs based on your goals, indulging in a few slices of pizza or a cup of ice cream when the desire hits won't wreck your diet. By regularly allowing yourself to have your comfort foods as part of the plan, you take deprivation off the table. And, cheat meals are no longer necessary. This allows for long-term success, without the abusive relationship with food. Plan your meal spree Don't be that person who won't eat their own birthday cake. There will be times when you are faced to go big. Special occasions like a birthday, holiday parties, your wedding, your anniversary, a reunion or simply just a night out in the town. The point of these occasions is to have fun and spend time with the people you're with, not obsess over how many carbs in are in the garlic bread served at the table. This is why I came up with the idea of a "meal spree." A meal spree is different from a cheat meal because you're choosing to indulge in food out of pleasure rather than craving. By incorporating comfort foods regularly in your diet, it keeps you from letting the wheels fall off with a meal spree. You won't act like a savage when they put the food in front of you. It'll allow you to enjoy the pleasure of food with a mindful approach. With your recurring expenses, like your house payment, phone bill, and utilities you allocate a certain amount of resources to meet these responsibilities. In your diet, you have recurring needs to meet with your macro nutrients. These are ongoing, non-negotiable investments that need to happen consistently. With shopping sprees, you've allocated a certain amount of money toward something that isn't a recurring expense; a video game console, a new laptop, or a new camera. These purchase items are planned. You know in advanced that you're going to purchase them because you've spent the last months saving up for it. The key to a sound shopping spree is that you're not spending money you don't have. You're still operating under parameters (a budget) that moves you closer to your financial goals. But with a little strategic planning by putting some money aside, you allow yourself some flexibility to have some fun. You go big on a new purchase. This is how you plan your meal sprees. You know it advance when a special occasion is coming up, so plan for it. Here are four tips on how to meal spree without feeling guilty. 4 Tips to have an awesome meal spree 1. Turn up the volume One way to defend yourself against the holiday surge of comfort food is to bump up your training volume a few days prior to the dinner (or event). By increasing your volume and intensity (more sets and reps with less rest) you recruit glycogen for fuel, and increase fat oxidation. By depleting more glycogen than you typically do with your increased volume, you'll create some space for the incoming carbs like the sweet potato casserole, pizza or ice cream. Training also suppresses appetite. 2. Eat sauerkraut Compromise a little bit and have some sauerkraut. This fermented food is a natural probiotic. The friendly bacteria will help optimize your digestion by aiding intestinal bacteria in performing their tasks more efficiently. Your meal sprees will probably take place outside of your home at a restaurant. Before you take down that bowl of fettuccine alfredo, help your stomach out and give it some re-reinforcement to assists in digestion with some sauerkraut. Decaf coffee can help to decrease hunger. 3. Decaf coffee Meal sprees often are going to be carb-heavy. Carb-heavy meals at restaurants are also laced with more fat than you think from cooking oils. To plan for this, pull back on your carb and fat intake with your meals prior leading up to the meal spree. Inevitably, you'll face some mild hunger. This is where decaf coffee comes in. I know, for some of you the only place decaf coffee should make an appearance is in the trash can. I like my dark roast to. But studies show that decaf coffee may have a greater impact on reducing hunger than regular coffee, due to the higher plasma levels of the hormone PYY. PYY lowers appetite and food intake. 4. Know your needs What you don't measure you can't manage. Knowing what your needs are is the foundation to making this work. As a general guideline, a 40/40/20/ ratio of macro nutrients is where I recommend strength athletes to start. Using this baseline for someone who needs 2,400 calories per day to support their goals, the break down would look like this: Protein 240g Carbs 240g Fat 53g By utilizing the three tips above and planning for a meal spree, you can easily manipulate your intake during the day by eating mostly protein and allocating most of your carb and fat intake for later on in the day. Diet doesn't mean denial I'm done with clean eating. This doesn't mean it doesn't work, but it does come at a very high cost. One that I'm not willing to pay if another method is just as effective. Food shouldn't make you miserable, unhappy and bored. Food is nourishment. Food is fuel. I've been on the dark side of the clean eating-which is an eating disorder few in the fitness industry will talk about. It's time for it to be brought to the light. The shame, the guilt and the vicious cycle that takes hold of your life is a lonely road. If you know what I'm talking about, I want you to know it doesn't have to be that way. Diet doesn't mean denial. A few cookies here, a slice of pizza there won't de-rail weeks of training and dieting. Build flexibility into your diet so cheat meals are no longer necessary. When you want to go big for a special event, plan your meal spree. I need you to be willing to deal with this directly. Even if you hide it well in public, you know if you have a problem with food. It's time to face it. Shakespeare said, "Take arms against a sea of troubles, and in doing so, end them." I know it can be a worrisome concept to abandon your clean eating approach. But worry is the cousin of fear and worry rarely portrays reality. In this case, worrying about flexibility in your diet resulting in failure simply isn't true. With some planning you can have your cake and have your abs show to. 1) Schwartz, Tony, Jean Gomes, Catherine McCarthy, and Tony Schwartz. Be Excellent at Anything: The Four Keys to Transforming the Way We Work and Live. New York: Free Press, 2011. Print. 2) "High-intensity Intermittent Exercise Attenuates Ad-libitum Energy I... - PubMed - NCBI." National Center for Biotechnology Information. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2015. 3) "Coffee and Appetite: Does Coffee Make You More or Less Hungry?" Precision Nutrition. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2015. 4) "McFlurry with OREO ® Cookies :: McDonalds.com." Home :: McDonalds.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2015. 5) "Chipotle: Nutrition Calculator." Chipotle Mexican Grill: Gourmet Burritos and Tacos. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2015.

Fat is often mislabeled and treated as the ugly stepchild of the macronutrient family. For years people have had the misconception that foods with a higher fat content are inherently unhealthy. However, in recent times we have come to the conclusion that dietary fats do not necessarily lead to high cholesterol and heart disease if consumed in strict moderation. Instead, a prolonged calorie surplus is a more deadly concern, leading to weight gain over a long period of time. Forget about what you may have heard or were told to believe growing up. Fatty foods do not necessarily make you fat. Omega-3 fatty acidsfound in food are different than subcutaneous fat that may be found around your waistline. Although there are some forms of fat that can be harmful in high quantities, such as saturated fat, we must still have fat as a regular part of our diet to help regulate hormones and provide satiety. That's the reason why some people may feel fuller on higher fat diets even if their caloric level is kept constant. don't get me wrong, processed foods and beverages that are high in fat are considered unhealthy and should be consumed in moderation. However, there are several naturally fatty foods that should belong in our diets. Foods contain different forms of fat, mainly omega-3 or omega-6, depending upon the food. Omega-3 fatty acids have several health benefits including the following: Natural anti-inflammatories Lower levels of depression Visual and neurological function Reduced symptoms from asthma, ADHD, and even Alzheimer's Improved heart health There are mainly three types of omega-3 fatty acids including EPA and DHA. Fish contain a higher concentration of EPA and DHA omega-3's while plant based sources contain a higher concentration of ALA omega-3's. Fish oil supplements are a great way to receive the benefits of these fatty acids if you are unable to consume them as a regular part of your diet. Foods Rich in Omega 3 Fatty Acids Fish: Most types of commonly consumed fish contain omega-3 fatty acids and provide quite possibly the best source of natural omega-3 fatty acids. Look for fish such as halibut, herring, mackerel, oysters, salmon, sardines, trout, and tuna in your neighborhood grocery store. Eggs: Eggs contain a high amount of omega-3's making them a staple in every person's diet. Be sure to eat that yolk because it's a nutrient-rich form of fat for your diet. Milk: Most of the milk found in grocery store chains will be fortified with omega-3's. Juice: Check the cartons of those containers of orange juice because there is a strong likelihood omega-3's have been added. Yogurt: Much the same as milk, yogurt may have omega-3's added as well. Some vegetables containing omega-3 fatty acids include Brussels sprouts, kale, mint, parsley, and spinach. These vegetables also contain a wealth of other micronutrients. Omega-3 fatty acids help ensure that your heart stays healthy and your brain stays functioning optimally throughout your life. Other good sources of fat: Avocados: Often times called nature's butter, avocados are known for their positive heart effects and help in prevention of osteoarthritis. Seeds: Sunflower seeds and sesame seeds are good sources of fat that can also help lower cholesterol if consumed as part of your regular diet. Olive oil: If you need to use oil while cooking or simply need a fast salad dressing olive oil is quite possibly the best choice around. Beans: Beans are a great source of omega-3's in addition to the fiber rich benefits they provide. The average person should consume 65+ grams of fat daily to maintain optimal health. Forget about the stigma that has been associated with fatty foods for decades and be sure to add plenty of fats to your diet. Consuming fatty foods that are high in omega-3's will provide you numerous health benefits and since they assist in hormone regulation they will help build muscle as a secondary byproduct.

Melanotan 2 or MT2 Protocol Low Melanotan 2 dose: 250 mcg Typical Melanotan 2 dosage: 500 mcg Large Melanotan 2 dose: 1mg Add 200 units (2ml) of water to the vial. 2ml/200 units will minimize the volume that you have to inject and will simplify the arithmetic in your MT-2 experiment. Dosing measurements are often mentioned in both milligram (mg) and microgram (mcg). Example: .5mg = 500mcg Needles and syringe you will need http://www.medisave.co.uk/catalog/product/view/id/5109/s/100-x-terumo-1ml-insulin-syringe-needle-25g-x-16mm-p-100774/category/151/ 1ml syringe (U100), 2ml BW to reconstitute Calculations for a desired dose: Step 1= 10mg vial MT-II Step 2= 2ml bac water Step 3= 500mcg dose 5 ticks on your insulin pin http://peptidecalculator.com/calculator.html to work things out further if you want to change the volume of Bac water Starting dose: Your first injection should be a very small dose, for example .25mg (250mcg). See how you react. Goal should be to feel nothing. Dose after dinner, before bed. Any dosing chart stating that you should take a high dose (according to your weight) is outdated and potentially dangerous. Loading dose: Load with 0.5-1mg once a day. People who have used doses in this range generally report getting excellent results. Don’t worry if you miss occasional days. It will not make much difference, focus on the cumulative effects. Maintenance dose: Maintenance is taking doses less frequently than daily to avoid becoming darker than you want. Yes, that will happen. With enough UVR, you will get much darker than you have even been before. A maintenance dose can help prolong super-physiological photo-protection MT-2 delivers. Storage: Store unmixed in the fridge and mixed in the freezer don't freeze the reconstructed vial How to mix http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpQSxbf4ZM8&feature=player_embedded So to simplify things 10mg vial add 2ml of bac water first starting dose 250mcg draw to tick mark 3 or 5iu i do this before bed in case i get flushing and sick feeling.. If you feel you get the sicky feeling with MT2 get some travel sickness tablets from Boots and take one 30 min before the jab this will ease it a bit .. Now you know your ok with that dose start the loading phase 500mcg tick mark 5 or 10iu pre bed unless you want to suppress your appetite then inject in the morning ..Now run it at this dose till you reach the colour you want ..Dont forget to tan twice a week to get nice and brown ..10 min is max start on 5 this might sound low but you will be susceptible to burning till you have built up a tolerance . Run this till you reach your desired colour Maintenance dose i find 500mcg once a week with a tan of 10min every 7 days will keep my tan topped up nicely Storage ..draw the MT2 from the vial and load up about 40ish syringes normally then put in a tub and freeze ..when you need to do your jab remove one syringe leave on the side for a few minutes or hold in the palm of your hand ,, How Often to Tan on Melanotan II The tanning activity of Melanotan II without the need for UV exposure has been proven by clinical trial; however, the majority of users report that results are achieved much quicker, and that the tan is a more natural color, when Melanotan II is combined with a small amount of UV exposure. Loading: Tanning should start after the third injection and occur 2-3 times per week if you wish to see tanning results quickly; otherwise one tanning session per week is sufficient to gradually build your tan.Maintenance: Skin types 1 & 2 usually need one tanning session per week to maintain their tan. Skin types 3 & 4 often find they can maintain their tan with Melanotan II injections only, however, if you find your color fading then you should go tanning once per week.Things to remember: If you are not seeing results then you need to increase the frequency of your outdoor or indoor UV exposure (especially if you are skin types 1 or 2). Never increase your recommended Melanotan II dose. Tanning sessions should be short, 5-10 minutes in a sun bed or 30-40 minutes in the sun on a warm day is sufficient each time. DO NOT overexpose yourself to UV rays. When starting, always use 30+ sunscreen on sensitive areas such as the face and neck. Because these areas are frequently exposed to UV rays they are more responsive to the melanin producing effects of Melanotan II and therefore will become darker quicker than the rest of the body. Covering these areas initially will allow other parts of the body to tan first, ensuring you achieve a well balanced tan. Melanotan II and UV exposure complement each other, so if you spend a lot of time tanning you will need less frequent injections of Melanotan II to obtain and maintain your tan. If you don't spend much time in the sun or sun beds then you will need more frequent dosages of Melanotan II to develop and keep your tan. Skin Types The frequency of Melanotan II injections will depend largely on your skin type to begin with, therefore you should identify with which Fitzpatrick skin type you are: Type 1: Pale skin, many freckles, blue/green eyes, red hair, never tans, always burns Type 2: Fair skin, few freckles, blue/hazel eyes, blonde/sandy hair, tans poorly, usually burns Type 3: Darker white skin, brown hair/eyes, usually tans, rarely burns Type 4: Light brown skin, darker brown hair/eyes, tans easily, burns minimally Dosing chart for your weight that is now out dated (just for reference) Weight Melanotan II dosage Amount to inject (ml) Injections per vial 50kg or less 0.5mg 0.05ml (“5” on syringe) 20 doses 50-60kg 0.6mg 0.06ml (“6” on syringe) 16 doses 60-70kg 0.7mg 0.07ml (“7” on syringe) 14 doses 70-80kg 0.8mg 0.08ml (“8” on syringe) 12 doses 80-90kg 0.9mg 0.09ml (“9” on syringe) 11 doses 100kg or more 1mg 0.10ml (“10” on syringe) 10 doses Using MT2 to treat sleep disorders http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22171046