Quiz: Rate Your Carbohydrates Intake

From HealthCentral.com

It isn't just how many carbohydrates you eat that counts in a healthy diet, it's what kind you choose. Nutritionally, carbs range from super-healthy to almost useless.

A balanced diet contains a proper mix of carbohydrates, fat and protein. Together, they give you energy and the building blocks for growth, maintenance and activity, which is why you need to eat significant quantities of each every day.

There are two basic kinds of carbs: complex - which include pasta, rice, breads, cereals, fruits and vegetables - and simple, which include cookies, candy, soft drinks and pastries.

The big health difference: Complex carbs tend to be rich in vitamins, minerals and often fiber, too. Simple ones tend to be sugary and low in nutrients -- but high in calories.

With a proper meal plan to guide you, eating the right kind, and correct amount, of carbohydrates is easy! I'm not a fan of counting calories or fat grams, etc. but if you want to get an idea of how much carbohydrate you should be consuming, take the test. My results showed the following:

Your daily carbohydrate requirement is: 248 grams. (A pound equals 454 grams.)

I took the "Would You Survive Bootcamp?" quiz on the Slice.ca website and wanted to share the results...



Take this quiz and others to see "What's Your Body Type?" and "Are You Good to Your Body?" It can be motivating and inspiring! Plus, it's a new month, a new quarter, and the start of a new season...the perfect time for a NEW YOU!

Nutrition is the HARDEST part!

I have to share with you this super insightful message from Lena G:

"The toughest part about diet and fitness is the nutrition part, let me tell you. Breaking bad habits (and many of them!) and learning to eat again is tough. I thought it would have been the fitness part for a couch potato like me but I've embraced that part. It's the food.

I watch The Last 10 Pounds Bootcamp for a reason. In addition to exercise tips I watch closely to see what you're throwing out of those cupboards and what's in the meal plans you give people. Knowledge is power in the weight loss journey."

Lena is SO right and the nutrition aspect is under-rated! We're bombarded with so many messages every day from big corporations that want to have us believe junk food can be healthy. We all know that fresh fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains are superior to anything that comes in a package - no matter what the fat content is!

With exercise we get the automatic sensation of elation as endorphins are automatically released. Eating right is not as quickly correlated with enjoyment for a couple of reasons:

1. If you've been eating like a trucker most of your life (greasy burgers, high fat foods, and limited fruit/veg) then your body may initially have a "negative" reaction to healthy foods.

A detox effect can sometimes result at first as the body adapts to a healthier, more nutrient rich diet. The worse your current habits are, the harder it will be for your body to accept change. Be confident though that it will get easier and you will feel better, usually right when you're about to give up :)

2. Eating right takes more time and effort than working out.

Starting a new diet regime often involves changing the frequency, portion size, and content of your meals - changes that require learning and self-restraint, so it's not a surprise that stress and general dissatisfaction can follow as a result.

You'll notice instant mental and physical improvements from exercising even just 90 minutes a week. Unfortunately the hardest part of changing your nutrition is making it through the first week or two. You need to tough it out, learn how to properly feed your body, and focus on the positives even when the effort seems to outweigh the payoff.

You should feel more energized, leaner, and healthier in general soon after loading your body up with necessary nutrients. Food is your fuel and is a key element in getting all essential vitamins and minerals the body requires to function. Change your mindset and expectations to set yourself up for success!

Five meal myths that need to be shelved

Some additional tips on my contribution to the article for how to make healthy pizza:

1. Control your ingredients by cooking at home.
2. Go vegetarian or opt for lean proteins like turkey or chicken instead of high fat, high calorie pepperoni, sausage and beef.
   
3. Go "lite" on the cheese (avoid varieties with over 30% MF) and remember that a portion is just 1oz.
   
4. Unprocessed foods are a healthier option as a general rule so avoid choosing processed (marbled, softer, pre-shredded) cheese and pick hard, smelly brands to top your pizza.
5. Load up on the veggies! Peppers (green, red, yellow, orange), mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes, and onions are all good options...and don't forget that spices are fat and calorie free!
   
6. Use low sodium tomato sauce to reduce your salt intake. 
7. Make your own whole grain dough from scratch or try cutting a whole wheat pita in half. The thinner the crust, the better.
   
8. If ordering out, (it's still OK once in awhile), Panago is a good option as they now offer a multigrain thin crust dough along with fresh salads. 
   
9. Always add salad whenever possible and choose greens over caesar. You can modify your caesar and cut out tons of fat and calories by trashing the croutons and subbing the creamy caesar dressing for a vinaigrette.
   
10. Remember that just because you've made some healthy substitutions doesn't mean you can eat an entire pizza. Overeating on ANYTHING will trigger fat storage in the body.

So there you go, it's pizza for dinner tonight :)

Nadeen & Tommy - Get You Wedding Fit in the latest Issue of Weddingbells.ca

Fit & Fabulous - you don't need to be on TV to get healthy and look amazing! Check out the latest article from WeddingBells.ca where Tommy and I share top tips on how you can start getting in shape and feeling great today. Nutrition and fitness should be part of everyone's routine, whether it be daily or just a few times each week, make it a priority to invest in yourself - after all, there's only one of you!!!

Stretching is Important

I've just posted 8 basic stretches to Flickr. Use these images and accompanying descriptions to ensure you're stretching properly and keeping your body long and lean. You should stretch frequently and most definitely after a workout. Aim to lengthen your muscles every day.

Exercise causes our muscles to contract and shorten. Without stretching our muscles out, we risk injury and hinder our ability to increase strength. Tight muscles pull on our joints and put the body out of alignment.

When you have the option to stretch lying down this is the ideal situation. Stretching while standing is substandard as your muscles aren't able to fully relax, a requirement for any effective stretch. Still, a standing stretch is better than no stretch at all.

It's very important to hold your stretches in place for a minimum of 30 seconds. Use a timer. If you guess you'll almost always fall short of the 30 second minimum.

Do not bounce. Your body may activate a sensory receptor meant to protect you from injury. If you over-stretch you risk automatically contracting the muscle you're trying to relax.

You should not be in pain during your stretch. On a scale from 1 to 10, where 10 feels like your tearing the muscle and you can't feel anything at 1, aim to be at about a 3 where you feel the stretch but are comfortable to hold it. Every 10 seconds you can increase the intensity of the stretch slightly as your body adapts.

Now go be taller!