Are Carbohydrates Bad?

Are Carbohydrates Bad? They make you fat right? Come on it must be true, you read articles about it all the time. So they must make you fat…right?

Here is the deal. There is one small problem, carbohydrates are very important. In fact, carbohydrates (especially the right kind) are essential to your body. They aid in muscle growth, providing energy, as well as providing your body many other benefits. So, Are Carbohydrates Bad? The answer is NO!

Now let’s be real. Lumping all carbs together into one category is like saying all quarterbacks who play in the NFL will be just like Joe Montana. It would be absurd to call all carbs bad when vegetables and fruits are also carbohydrates. With that said, I would have a hard time believing that you would think that a nutrition plan attempting to completely purge carbohydrates would be a good idea. I have a feeling you are a pretty smart cookie (oh, that would be a bad carb). So to suggest that all carbs are evil, is just plain nonsense.

Let’s take a step back and take a hard look at reality, compared to personal preference. I need to ask you a question. Are you willing to wipe the slate clean and start fresh with the truth about carbohydrates? I am going to assume you said yes, either way I am going to give you the facts.

Are Carbohydrates Bad?

Are Carbohydrates Bad? Will bread and grains make you fat? Uh, NO! Blanket statements just don’t work. The “don’t eat carbs” or “Carbohydrates are Bad” statements are just that, Blanket Statements. Statements like these just confuse the general public. The reason people get confused, is that most don’t have a nutrition background or truly understand what qualifies as a carbohydrate. 95% of us look at food as simply that, FOOD. All blanket statements have done is cause people to adjust their diets in a way that keeps their bodies from functioning properly. This is why many people have been going out of their way to avoid certain foods, like bread, rice or potatoes. When in fact, these foods can have a place in a balanced nutrition plan and can play a role in helping you lose weight or gain lean muscle.

Now you know that carbs as a whole are not bad, BUT there are certain types of carbs that are not good for your body. Generally, these types of carbs will make you feel bloated and tired. These types of carbs often contain processed sugars, corn syrup, or are white flour based foods, and the list can go one with all the other processed crap available. If you cannot grow it, or it doesn’t come from minimally processed whole grains, it is not good. Yep, simple as that.

It comes down to the food manufactures like to confuse people. If they can get the general public to buy into what they are saying about a particular food, macronutrient, or diet, they make money and lots of it.

So back to the question at hand… Are Carbohydrates Bad?

NO, but all of us could gain a better understanding to guide our eating habits. Eating vegetables and fruit, as well as high quality, high fiber grains are an important part of healthy nutrition. If you truly want a balanced healthy nutrition plan that will aid in weight loss or muscle gains you really need to have at least 100 to 200 grams per day depending on your daily level of physical activity and exercise.

The overall message is, you cannot consume bucket-loads of refined low quality carbohydrates and chase them down with and extra-large soda and say, “well they said carbs aren’t bad”. I know you are smarter than the average bear and understand that you need to choose your carbohydrates wisely to have a healthy nutrition plan. It is about eating more good foods such as lean proteins, colorful vegetables, a variety of fruits, high-fiber grains, healthy fats, and cutting out the highly processed garbage such as candy, soda, sugar-loaded foods, poor quality breads, and boatloads of pasta.

Another important factor is choosing the correct portions of the carbs you consume. This can be as important as the kind of carbs you choose to eat. Grain and fruit carbohydrates should be smaller portions than vegetable carbs. If you need assistance with nutrition, portion sizes, and proper balance of carbs, proteins, and fats you may want to check out the 21 Day Fix onBeachbody On Demand. It has an amazing nutrition plan that creates the perfect balance of nutrients and portions. If you struggle with cutting out the crap, you definitely want to take a look at adding a total nutrition shake like Shakeology.

When it’s all said and done, if you are eating healthy and choosing wisely 85-90 percent of the time your body will be happy, you will have energy, and you will lose weight, gain muscle or maintain depending on your goals. You now know the truth to the question “Are Carbohydrates Bad?”

Daily Protein Requirements for Men and Women

What are the Daily Protein Requirements for Men and Women? The average man in the United States consumes about 100 grams of protein per day, while the average woman takes in approximately 70 grams, according to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The amount of protein you need daily really is dependent on your gender and activity level, as well as your goals because this determines your total caloric intake which has an effect on the amount of protein you need to consume.

Daily Protein Requirements for Men and Woman

The Institute of Health and Nutrition find that for general health, men should get around 56 grams of protein per day and that women should get around 46 grams. It is also important to know that the human body cannot properly utilize more than 20 grams of protein in one consumption. Therefore the grams should be spread out throughout the day in smaller doses. When consuming protein it needs to be of higher quality to ensure that you are getting the nine essential amino acids that are needed but your body cannot produce on its own. Meat, fish and poultry provide all of the amino acids, but if you are a vegetarian, you can combine foods, such as rice and beans, or whole-grain bread and peanut butter, to get a complete array of amino acids. Shakeologywhich is a total nutrition shake, will also provide all the nutrients you need from the protein to the amino acids. Including this shake in your daily nutrition will help you reach your protein needs without overloading the body with hard to digest animal proteins.

It is also recommend that 10 to 30 percent of your total calories comes from protein. This guideline is general and is dependent on goals. Example: 1,800 calories per day, 180 to 540 of those calories should be from protein. Each gram of protein is 4 calories. This would put your consumption at 45 to 135 grams of protein. This proves why it is dependent on gender, activity level, and personal goals.

Most People Get Too Much Protein

To avoid weight gain, water retention and extra wear and tear on your digestive system, do not take in more protein than recommended. Your body will only use the protein it needs and can process at one time. If you are consuming more than your body needs, you will store it as excess fat, as well as eliminate it out. Therefore consuming to much at one time is bad for your body, and a waste of money. Eating large amounts of meat and animal protein each day can be especially unhealthy and hard on the body. Animal products should be eaten in moderation. Plant-based proteins, such as beans, whole grains and legumes are choices that keep the protein levels where you want them and provide a lot of other nutrients. Of course eating a variety of protein sources ensures your body balanced nutrition, all of the essential amino acids, and from being bogged down when there is too much of one food item.

Best Result with Your Protein Consumption

Most people don’t realize this, but the muscle gains and recovery do not come from just protein. You need to have a balanced proportion of proteins with complex carbohydrates for your body to actually assimilate the protein for muscle gains and recovery. Therefore you need to consume it in small amounts keeping the total grams in one sitting to 20, and couple that with carbohydrates that will allow for the proteins to be utilize. This is why we mention plant based protein sources, as it give you both the protein and the carbohydrates.

If you are looking at supplements for help on getting good protein and carbohydrates you want to use something that is natural and does not have additives, artificial sugars, and ingredients. Some of the best, is the Super Food Shake Shakeology, or Beachbody’s Recharge and Recover Protein from their Performance Nutrition Line. These products are clean high quality protein sources that are perfectly balanced with carbohydrates for optimal assimilation of the protein and super nutrient dense carbohydrates to aid in the process of muscle gains, and recovery.

When you are providing your body the proper Macronutrient quantities, you will get the greatest results. Too much or too little will keep you from having the gains and results you are looking to obtain.

With the knowledge of protein requirements, and overall balanced nutrition, great things will happen for you.

Health Effects of Caffeine

Caffeine has its perks, but it can pose problems as well. The best thing you can do is to find out how much is too much for you, as well as the overall health effects of caffeine. Once you know the health effects of caffeine you can properly determine whether you need to curb your consumption.

Do you rely on caffeine to wake you up and keep you going? Well you aren’t alone. Caffeine is used by millions of people every day to increase wakefulness, alleviate fatigue, and improve concentration and focus. This can be a problem.

Health Effects of Caffeine

Caffeine is a powerful stimulant, and it can be used to improve physical strength and endurance if used properly, but it can also have some very bad side effects on your health if over used and over consumed.

Where can caffeine be found and is there a difference?

 Caffeine is found in Coffee, Green Teas, Energy Drinks, soda, and in a pill form. Caffeine that you find in soda, pill form, or in the majority of energy drinks are synthetic versions of caffeine which is not a form of caffeine you want to be consuming. Then add the sugar levels that are in soda and most energy drinks, and you are on the road to weight gain and an unhealthy body. If you are going to consume caffeine it should only come from coffee, green tea, or if you are using an energy drink you need to verify that it is coming from green tea or other natural herbs that have been found safe for consumption. The cleanest most natural energy drink on the market isEnergize by Beachbody. This product can found in their top selling Performance Nutrition Line.

How much is too much and what are the health effects of caffeine?

Some science says that up to 400 milligrams (mg) of caffeine a day appears to be safe for most healthy adults. The key word here is “Appears”. The newest science has shown that low doses of caffeine may have beneficial effects on the body, where high doses can hinder how the body operates.

Caffeine dosages really should be tailored to each individual. If you are new to caffeine or supplements that contain caffeine, keeping consumption at 100 mg or lower per dose would be a good idea. Typically, 200 mg or less of caffeine has shown to have fat-burning and performance improvement properties. Heavy caffeine use can cause unpleasant side effects, and caffeine may not be a good choice for people who are highly sensitive to its effects or who take certain medications.

Heavy daily caffeine use that is more than 400 mg a day may cause side effects such as: Insomnia, Nervousness, Restlessness, Irritability, Digestion issues and Bloating, Fast Heart Rate, Muscle Tremors, and Weight gain just to name a few.

High doses have been found to not improve performance or aid in fat burning because it causes sedation and relaxation effects by triggering those receptors in the brain. It also creates an inhibition of serotonin levels, acetylcholine, and your adrenaline system. When this happens to these systems you will see slowing in performance, and fat burning abilities.

Of course you only want the health effects of caffeine that are good. So you may need to take a look at your consumption and see how you can curb your caffeine habit to bring your consumption to the levels that will have a positive benefit.

Depending on your consumption, cutting back on caffeine can be challenging. An abrupt decrease in caffeine may cause withdrawal symptoms, such as headaches, fatigue, irritability and nervousness. Fortunately, these symptoms are usually mild and resolve after a few days.

To have health effects of caffeine that will benefit you, try these tips to get your consumption in line:

• Keep tabs. Start paying attention to how much caffeine you’re getting from foods and beverages. It may be more than you think. Read labels carefully. Even then, your estimate may be a little low because not all foods or drinks list caffeine.
• Cut back. Remember to do it gradually. Decrease the amount by a few ounces each day. Avoid drinking caffeinated beverages late in the day. This will help your body get used to the lower levels of caffeine and lessen potential withdrawal effects.
• Go decaf. Most decaffeinated beverages look and taste the same as their caffeinated counterparts.
• Shorten the brew time or go herbal. When making tea, brew it for less time. This cuts down on its caffeine content. Choose herbal teas that don’t have caffeine.
• Check the bottle. Some over-the-counter pain relievers contain caffeine, and can be as much as 130 mg of caffeine in one dose. Look for caffeine-free pain relievers instead.

The bottom line is that caffeine can be a part of your daily routine if consumed at doses that benefit your health versus hinder it. When done this way, most of the time it doesn’t pose a health problem. Be mindful of those situations in which you need to curtail your caffeine habit. If you plan on using nutritional supplements that have caffeine make sure that is a high quality product that uses naturally low doses of caffeine, such as the Energize from the Beachbody Performance Line. Also keep in mind that when consuming these products you may have to keep your other caffeine beverages to lower levels.

When taking these things into consideration it will provide you the positive health effects of caffeine versus negative effects.

The Best Workout Programs for Busy Women

Let’s face it…  Trying to figure out the best workout programs for busy women can be a HUGE challenge!  You have an active schedule and we know that you often have a busy life that keeps you dashing from place to place all day long. With a hectic schedule it is hard to fit in a visit to the gym. Plus the truth is, a lot of days you most likely don’t have the self-motivation get there. Waking up in the morning over an hour early just to cram in thirty minutes at the gym, doesn’t appeal to most. Heading to the gym on your lunch break, how does that sound? We all know that only works if the gym is close enough to your office to make that realistic. Then you have the stay-at-home moms who try to fit their workouts in between nap times, snacks, and all the responsibilities that come with being the parent home with the children all day. We get it! Sometimes it feels like you’re never going to find the time to get back in the shape you desire.

Let’s get real! You need a workout that will fit into your schedule and allow you to tone your body, trim your waistline, and get in shape from the privacy of your own home. There’s no need to go to the gym and waste 30-60 minutes of your time round trip to sort of get a workout. So how do you get the best workout? Beachbody On-Demand!

The Best Workout Programs for Busy Women

It offers the best videos for women and men, all gathered in one place. You have easy access 24/7, and all you have to do is choose the routine that works best for you (or design your own routine based around a selection of several different videos). Beachbody On-Demand offers plenty of workouts that are easy to incorporate into any schedule. Your biggest decision is to choose the time that works best for you! You can pull up any of a selection of videos and get your workout in whenever and wherever you want. Yes that is what I said…You can work out anywhere. Beachbody On-Demand can be streamed on your smart phone, tablet, or laptop. Simply log-in and access the library of programs.

You can choose from some of the most popular programs like P90X®, P90X2®, P90X3®, INSANITY®, TurboFire®, ChaLEAN Extreme®, Brazil Butt Lift®, 10-Minute Trainer®, and Hip Hop Abs®. All of them are available in the library for you to stream at your convenience. Another great feature is you get insider sneak peeks. With these sneak peeks you get access to try programs like PiYo®, 21 Day Fix®, Body Beast®, or FOCUS T25®. Plus, new titles are added to the library each month, so you’ll never run out of fun, exciting new workout routines that will help you get results. You get all of this for one low monthly fee.

It is time to stop feeling like you will never find a workout program that works for you. It is time to stop wasting money on gym membership. It is time to stop wasting time driving to and from the gym. Beachbody and the Beachbody Challenge is what you need to get results and save you time and money. Beachbody programs allow you to work out from home (saving time and money), get access to nutrition and meal planning membership benefits, and provides you with a FREE health, fitness, and nutrition coach. Tell me what gym membership ever gave you a FREE Coach?

What is a Balanced Diet?

Everyone knows that you and your kids are supposed to be eating a “healthy balanced diet”. That’s great, but “What Is A Balanced Diet?” How exactly is a healthy balanced diet different from what most people eat? While you ultimately have to decide what the best nutrition is for you based on your lifestyle, goals, and choices, but there are several things that hold true.

A healthy balanced diet is filled with as many “real foods” as possible. That means foods that haven’t been filled with chemicals, including artificial colors and flavorings. If it comes in a box, no matter how “all natural” it is, you’re probably better off not buying it.

What Is a Balanced Diet? Here’s Your Sign!

Choosing the path of a healthy balanced diet is a lifestyle change, and can take some practice. Here are some great suggestions to get you started on your path to a healthy balanced diet.

A good way to start is to slowly eliminate packaged food to foods and meals that you create. There are a number of recipes available that will allow you to make your own foods and meals that only take few minutes up front. Another idea to keep in mind is “mason jar” recipes. These recipes allow you to prepare your meals ahead for maximum convenience while still staying on your healthy balanced diet. These recipes include salads, oatmeal’s, and more. There are plenty of other options that will allow you to put together your favorite foods once and enjoy them for up to a week without any further effort.

Never deprive yourself of any food group. This doesn’t mean that you should be chowing down on unhealthy snacks and high-fat foods. It does mean that you shouldn’t limit yourself to fruits, vegetables, and lean meats all the time, either. It is okay to have a splurge item every once in a while. Rule of thumb eat balanced 90% of the time and you will be on the right track. Focus on eating a wide variety of foods so your body gets all of the nutrients it needs and that you are not depriving yourself of something that you really need in order to function at your optimal level.

Foods that you should be limiting are refined grains and added sugar. Added sugar, in particular, can be hard to catch! Many foods that you buy prepackaged or at restaurants contain added sugar content to help them taste better or to cover up the taste of other additives, which is one of the reasons why it’s often better to cook your own when possible. Refined grains process through your body very quickly and are turned into sugar. Whole grains, on the other hand, will keep the nutritional content of the wheat intact.

Eat the rainbow. No, not that popular candy that comes complete with a week’s supply of sugar and enough artificial colors to take you to the moon and back. Rather, eat a “rainbow” of fruits and vegetables. Different colors tend to indicate that the fruits or vegetables have similar nutrients in them. That means that you should fill your plate with all sorts of different tones. Not only is it pretty (which, according to research, will make you enjoy eating it even more), it also contains a variety of different nutrients.

Control your portion sizes. A good rule of thumb is to start by dividing the portion you would normally eat in half. To help control your portions, pay attention when you’re eating. Don’t plop down in front of your television or computer screen; instead, concentrate on the process of eating. Enjoy the flavor and texture of your foods instead of mindlessly shoveling your meal down before going back for more. Also, use this old trick: use a smaller plate to help your portions seem larger.

Try not to drink your calories with soda and other similar drinks. You often don’t realize how many calories there really are in your favorite coffee drink or that soda that you drink by the bottle, but it can pack on the pounds fast. When possible, drink water–and lots of it! Staying hydrated is one of the most important things you can do for your body. The only caloric drink that would be highly recommended is a total nutrition shake. These can be used for a healthy snack or meal replacement when used with a recipe.

Implement these suggestions and you will be on your way to creating a healthy balanced diet that fits your lifestyle.

How To Eat Healthy While Traveling

Eating healthy while traveling can be intimidating. Potential weight gain and feeling sluggish doesn’t have to be a part of your travel plans. As we all know, eating healthy on the road can be a challenge. It is easy to load up on the food that is easily accessible, and most of your meals will come from restaurants. Which all can lead to potential weight gain, sluggishness, and detriment to our bodies. So ultimately it will take a bit of pre-travel preparation on your part to make things a bit easier, which is absolutely worth it.

Here are a few suggestions. It truly starts with planning! If you are prepared you won’t be at the mercy of airplane meals or roadside food services. Packing a variety of snacks that easily transport can be as easy as packing all of your other belongings.

1. Handmade individual trail mixes. You can custom make trail mix blends based on what nutrients your body needs.
2. Pre-packaged trail mixes (choose clean, whole organic ingredients).
3. Nuts and Dried fruits
4. Healthy Meal Replacement Shake
5. Raw food bars or good nutritious bars with clean ingredients
6. Bananas, oranges, nectarines, and fruits that have an outer layer that protects the inner food.

Check out and download our book with other tips for eating healthy while traveling.

SOME ADDITIONAL TIPS:

1. It is always good to eat a healthy filling meal like a salad with lots of vegetables and some protein, or a vegetable burrito prior to your travel, so it can carry you for a bit longer of time frame.
2. When eating at restaurants be sure to look for a health conscious salads and other grilled meats and vegetable options at mealtimes.
3. Be sure to drink plenty of clean water while traveling. Your body needs the additional fluids to stay hydrated and properly digest the foods when it is out of your ordinary nutrition consumption.

How to Eat Healthy While Traveling

Even with all of these preparations, eating healthy on the road while traveling can be difficult. You may find that eating less while traveling is helpful, in fact you can use traveling time as opportunity to fast a bit, and/or eat a vegetarian diet. It is a good way to give your digestive system a break for a few days. Though it can be challenging to find healthy foods outside of the home, do not be discouraged. There certainly are a number of products that can carry you through your travels.

Need help finding your way? How about an on-line meal planner, nutrition guide, health and nutrition coach, and 150 of Beachbody’s Top Rated Fitness Programs Streaming to your cell phone, pad device, or laptop for $2.99 per week, and you’re first month is FREE!

Strength Training Exercises: Without a Gym Membership

With your busy schedule, you don’t always have time to get to the gym. Whether you’re working full time outside the home, working from home, or a stay-at-home spouse or parent, your schedule is packed with things that you need to get done. That is understandable but that shouldn’t prevent you from being healthy and having the body you’ve always wanted. Strength Training Exercises can be accomplished right in your living room, or any other room in your house. No fancy gym equipment needed, and Without a Gym Membership!

Simply pick a Beachbody On-Demand program that works for you. With Beachbody On-Demand you can fit your workout in no matter what time of day it is, and you can do it anywhere. One of the best things about the Beachbody On-Demand programs, is there is something for every fitness level. Each program as a modifier for each exercise and will show you how to perform the exercises correctly to avoid injury. No matter what your fitness level, beginner to super experienced there is a Beachbody On-Demand program that will work for you.

Strength Training Exercises: Without a Gym Membership

Ideally, you want a program that will challenge you without pushing you too hard. Most of the at-home strength training programs progress at the level that is needed to give you that push. Of course you can always use the modifier if necessary to fit your current activity level. You can choose body weight exercises, or try a workout that uses weights, bands, or other basic tools that you might already have sitting in your home. Of course if you are just getting started and don’t want to commit to buying equipment you can always use canned food or water bottles for hand weights.

If it’s been a while since you last engaged in regular exercise, it’s probably unrealistic to expect yourself to dive in to exercising five or more days per week. If this is the case it would be suggested to start with a basic exercise program that allows you to get in some strength training two or three days per week. It is would also be recommended that you follow the calendar for the program to help keep you on track. Be sure to give yourself small rewards for staying on track. Maybe there’s a movie that you’ve been desperate to see or a book that you’ve been waiting to read. Promise yourself that if you stay on track with your strength training program for an entire week, you’ll allow yourself that treat.

Mix it up! With the huge library offered by Beachbody On-Demand, you can easily access different programs and workouts that will keep your routine fresh and interesting. Having a steady regimen for 3-4 weeks and then changing it up is always a good thing. This can help create greater results.

Workouts and strength training through Beachbody On-Demand is an easy way to get in shape from the comfort of your own home. You don’t have to go anywhere and it will save you some money by not having a gym membership or driving to the gym. All you need is a television, tablet, or computer and a commitment to getting in better shape. What more could you ask for?