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Weird Foods You Should Actually Be Eating

Weird Foods You Should Actually Be Eating

What you might think of as weird foods are considered daily fare by others. Modern transportation and packaging have allowed some local treasures to become international. Eating some of these foods can add valuable nutrients to your diet. Others may only add calories. Some will become instant favorites, while others may be an acquired taste. Marmite, a British spread, or its similar Australian counterpart Vegemite, is made from brewers’ yeast. It’s a great option for vegetarians because of its high protein and vitamin B12 content. B12 is a vitamin that’s often missing from a vegan diet. Both Marmite and Vegemite are acquired tastes. You either love them or hate them, there’s no in-between.

Organ meats are nutrient dense.

Organ meats come from pigs, chickens, lambs, cows, goats, and ducks. They’re also called offal. It means leftovers or waste products. Yes, the word offal is pronounced just like the American word awful, but don’t let that stop you. These nutrient-packed selections are a great addition to any diet. They have a high vitamin content and are high in iron and protein. The most common organ meats are liver, heart, gizzards, tongue, kidneys, brain, tripe, sweetbreads, Rocky Mountain oysters, and chitterlings. Many of these are inexpensive and a good source of protein.

Kohlrabi looks like a turnip with a few spiked hairs.

Kohlrabi is often called a German turnip, although it’s from the same family as cabbages, cauliflower, and broccoli, not turnips. If you love the mild taste of broccoli stems, you’ll love the taste of kohlrabi. Like broccoli, you can eat it raw or cooked. It is high in vitamins C and B6, potassium, and fiber. It’s beneficial to the gut since it has both soluble and insoluble fiber, promotes heart health, and improves the immune system. You can eat both the leaves and the bulb.

Try the alternative to dairy, hemp milk.

For many people, dairy of any kind can promote a very uncomfortable reaction in their body. Milk alternatives like oat, almond, and hemp milk are blessings. It’s made from ground, soaked hemp seeds. Even though hemp and marijuana are from the same species, cannabis, there’s no THC, the psychoactive component of marijuana, in hemp. The seeds are high in protein, omega-3 fatty acids, phosphorous, calcium, magnesium, and iron. It’s more nutritious than other milk alternatives and is carb-free if there are no additives.

  • Those tiny seeds amongst the black sunflower seeds in bird feed are millet. You can use it in place of rice. This gluten-free seed is high in magnesium, protein, iron, folate, and fiber.
  • Kimchi and sauerkraut are two nutrient-dense fermented foods with different flavors. Depending on your locality, either one could be considered weird. Both support a healthy digestive system and reduce inflammation.
  • Pickled herring is common to many cuisines, but it’s not a traditional dish in America. It has all the nutrients you get from fatty fish, including omega-3 fatty acids. Surströmming or fermented herring also has those benefits and the benefit of probiotics.
  • Europeans brought dandelion seeds to America to grow food. They fared far too well. If you and your neighbors don’t use chemicals on your lawn, use the young dandelion leaves for salads.

For more information, contact us today at Body Sculptors Personal Training


Healthy Meal Ideas For Those On A Budget

Healthy Meal Ideas For Those On A Budget

Eating healthier meals doesn’t have to be expensive. The cost of fast food and junk food is rising faster than nutritious food and often more expensive. You can have delicious meals that are good for you without spending a fortune. If you’re looking for some healthy meal ideas that won’t break your budget try meal planning. There’s no waste with meal planning. You use all the ingredients for several dishes. You can even get the family to help, leaving more time for fun outings.

Meal planning saves time and money.

Making a list helps you avoid duplicates that go bad. Shopping for the whole week saves time and money. Cooking everything at once allows you to put several dishes in the oven to save on utilities and time. Use leftovers for several meals. Buy a whole chicken. It can be used for baked chicken breast, chicken salad, in a Buddha bowl, or casserole. Use small pieces of chicken and bones for bone broth or other soup.

Keep an eye on bargain protein options.

Protein is often the most expensive part of any meal. If you keep that price low, you automatically cut the cost of lunch and dinner. Some less expensive quality protein options include canned tuna, ground turkey, eggs, chicken, beans, quinoa, and cheese. Choose frozen fruits and vegetables to save money. Farmers pick them at peak freshness and freeze them immediately. There’s no transport time or time spent in the produce section. Canned foods are slightly less nutritious but still excellent.

Make breakfast, lunch, and dinner for several days for the cost of one meal.

You can have a baked chicken, garden salad, broccoli, and fruit medley for supper and use the fresh veggies and some of the baked chicken for a wrap for lunch the next day. Another meal idea using the chicken is in a Buddha bowl. Bean soup is inexpensive and you can reserve some of the rehydrated beans for a bean salad or burrito. Beans and rice are also a good way to weave those extra beans into your diet. Eggs can be good for breakfast but make a delightful quiche or scramble with veggies for a delicious dinner.

  • You can add more omega-3 to your diet at a minimal cost. Salmon and tuna are high in omega-3 fatty acids. The canned options are inexpensive. Add walnuts to a garden salad for more omega 3. Top it off with red grapes for resveratrol.
  • If you buy fresh fruit and veggies, prepare them immediately when you get home from the grocery. Cut melons into bite-size servings and prepare veggies for snacks and dipping. You can use them for meals when you cook, but they’re ready for snacking until then.
  • Grilled veggies are delightful tossed into a salad. Plan one salad using leftover veggies, quinoa, chicken, or beans. You’ll be amazed at how delicious new food combinations are.
  • Choose seasonal veggies for meals. Double recipes and freeze the extra for weeks when you know you’ll be too busy to cook. To save even more money, buy whole poultry and cut it yourself.

For more information, contact us today at Body Sculptors Personal Training


Is It Possible To Stay Healthy During The Holidays?

Is It Possible To Stay Healthy During The Holidays?

The holidays in Louisville, KY, can be quite hectic, making it difficult to stay healthy. What are the keys to maintaining good health? A good diet, regular exercise, plenty of sleep, and adequate hydration are a start. Keeping your stress level lower is also important. That seems so simple to do on paper, but difficult to do in real life. The best way is to develop a plan of action and leave wiggle room for unexpected events.

Start by prioritizing your day.

You may have five hours of things to do and only four hours available. That’s when you have to start prioritizing and delegating tasks. At the top of the list is your and your family’s well-being, which includes your job to pay your bills. Start meal planning so you have food ready in the refrigerator to heat and eat it. It’s faster than waiting in the drive-through line for carryout and healthier than having delivery food. Start early and build up a few extra meals in your freezer for those packed weekends when you don’t have any time to cook.

Get adequate sleep.

Even if your day is packed, don’t burn the candle at both ends. You need sleep to function at your best. Adequate sleep can help boost your immune system. Sleep is when your body does repairs. Lack of sleep can make you eat more and gain weight. It causes your body to produce more ghrelin, the hunger hormone, and less leptin, the hormone that tells your brain your stomach is full.

Plan to exercise every day.

Daily exercise can be as simple as walking or as demanding as an hour in the gym. If you don’t have an entire hour or half hour, break up your exercise into manageable ten to fifteen-minute sessions you do throughout the day. Exercise helps relieve stress and can be your saving grace during hectic times. It can burn off stress hormones and leave you feeling good again. It also stimulates circulation, so more oxygen and nutrient-laden blood goes throughout the body, including the brain.

  • Take time out for yourself. Carve out fifteen minutes to a half hour each day just for yourself. Find a quiet time, like in the morning before everyone else gets up. Develop an attitude of gratitude.
  • Hydrate regularly. It’s harder to remember to hydrate during the winter months. Carry a bottle of water with you and sip on it throughout the day. If you’re trying to lose weight, drink a glass of water before your meal and you’ll eat less.
  • Permit yourself to indulge in your favorite foods occasionally. Just keep portion control in mind and don’t do it often. If you only get to have Aunt Dolly’s special bundt cake once a year, enjoy a slice with the family—but not half the cake.
  • Turn tasks into family time. Start a tradition of making cookies, decorating the tree, or making gifts for others together. Delegate some of your responsibilities to other family members and skip some tasks that aren’t high on the priority list.

For more information, contact us today at Body Sculptors Personal Training


Is Diet Soda Better Than Regular Soda?

Is Diet Soda Better Than Regular Soda?

If you switched to diet soda from regular soda to save calories and protect your health, you may have only done one of the two. Diet soda is lower in calories, but as for being healthier, it has its issues. It doesn’t have any sugar, which is a plus, but it offers artificial sweeteners that might make you gain even more weight. The weight doesn’t come from calories, since many of these soft drinks contain no calories. It comes from the trick the sweeteners play on the brain.

You’ll have a bigger waistline and gain more weight with diet soda.

When you drink soda sweetened with artificial sweeteners, it tricks your brain into thinking you consumed sugar, but the body disagrees. That leads to more cravings for a natural source of sugar. It leaves your body unsatisfied, so you may eat or drink even more. Artificial sweeteners can also disrupt the gut microbiome, which can cause weight gain and other problems. One large long-term study also found that people who drank diet soda had a large waist circumference compared to those who never or seldom drank it.

You already know the sugar in soda is bad for you.

Soda may not contain a huge amount of calories compared to a Krispy Kreme Mocha Dream Chiller or a Starbucks Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino Blended Beverage, but it doesn’t mean it won’t pack on the pounds. Many people think that drinking soda, instead of no-calorie alternatives like water or black coffee, is part of the cause of the obesity epidemic. One can of cola a day for a year can pack on almost 15 pounds.

Both diet sodas and regular sodas increase the risk for health issues.

One study of 2,465 people lasted nine years. It found that people consuming diet sodas were 48% more likely to have a stroke or heart attack when compared to those who didn’t drink it. That doesn’t mean you should switch back to regular soda. Various studies have found it affected other parts of the body. In a 2002 study, it was associated with diets high in sugar, which reduced the production of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) that improves learning and memory. Another study found it increased the risk of heart attack by 20% which increases the more a person drinks.

  • Which one is better for you? Neither. Consider switching to water or infused water if you want more flavor. It has no calories and can help relieve joint pain and hydrate your skin to make you look younger.
  • The study that found diet soda increased people’s waistline found those who drank no diet soda increased their waist by 0.8 inches. The occasional drinkers’ waists increased by 1.83 inches, while the daily drinkers increased their waist by 3.16 inches.
  • Drinking diet soda may not prevent weight gain or serious conditions, but it doesn’t contribute to tooth decay. Bacteria need sugar to grow. However, the acid in both diet and regular soda compromised the enamel.
  • Even though regular soft drinks are higher in sugar, they aren’t as high in sugar as most fruit juices. An 8-ox serving of apple juice contains 125 calories, while 8 ounces of cola contains only 90.

For more information, contact us today at Body Sculptors Personal Training


Machines Vs Free Weights

Machines Vs Free Weights

You get the benefits of using both machines and free weights at Body Sculptors. Both provide the benefits of building strength that benefits your body in many ways, including building stronger bones and attaining a healthy weight. If you’re choosing just one, here are some pros and cons for each. For most people, using both to achieve your goals is beneficial. A lot depends on your goals and your fitness level. For beginners, machines make it easier to have proper form. That reduces the potential for injury. For those more advanced, free weights provide more variety and allow you to work muscles on several planes.

You work some more muscle groups with free weights.

You can target a specific muscle group with both machines and free weights. However, because you use them differently, with free weights, you’ll work additional muscle groups. For instance, both free weights and a shoulder press machine do the trick to build shoulder muscles. However, free weights also work the triceps, core, and trapezoids to help keep the body stabilized.

Free weights provide the same type of benefits.

You have to go lighter and slower initially when you use free weights to ensure you have the proper form. With the machines, the correct form is almost built into it and difficult not to achieve. The machine is fixed, so you don’t have to stabilize your body. That allows you to lift more weight using the machine. Free weights turn your workout into a full-body workout. You’ll work some muscles you wouldn’t on a machine.

Use both free weights and machines.

You can pinpoint muscles with laser accuracy when you use machines. Every ounce of effort goes into building a specific muscle group. It’s easy to do so beginners can start to lift heavier weights quicker. Machines can also help you move more easily to free weights. You’ll learn the body’s correct position and form, making the transition a breeze.

  • Using machines and free weights together makes the most sense. Since you work several muscle groups with free weights, you can isolate a specific muscle without overworking it when you use machines.
  • Machines are helpful as a supplement for those who are more advanced. On the other hand, free weights can be a good supplement for beginners who primarily use machines.
  • To be effective, you have to make sure you adjust the machine to fit you properly. Not everyone is the same height, has the same grip width, or requires the same amount of weight. Take the time to adjust the machine for your needs.
  • One big difference between free weights and machines is the need to be more careful about how much weight you lift with free weights. The machine has a backup if you go too heavy, which free weights don’t offer.

For more information, contact us today at Body Sculptors Personal Training


Are Carbs Bad For Your Health?

Are Carbs Bad For Your Health?

There is a lot of buzz in Louisville, KY, about giving up carbs to lose weight and be healthier. The truth is that carbs are necessary for your health. They provide many nutrients and help fuel the body. It’s not about whether you should eat carbs, but the type of carbs you should eat. Just like fire, some carbs help the body and some destroy it. Beneficial carbohydrates play a vital role in overall health. They’re the source of fiber your body requires. It’s one of the categories of carbohydrates, with the others being sugar and starch.

Good carbs take longer to enter the bloodstream.

One group of carbs, simple sugars, enter the bloodstream with a rush. They spike blood sugar levels, which triggers the release of insulin that immediately drops blood sugar to levels that are often too low. That can start a chain reaction that triggers insulin resistance, weight gain, and serious health issues. Another type of carb, fiber, can slow the rise of glucose. Limiting food with simple sugar, like highly processed food, sweets, food with added sugar, or white rice and white bread, can make you healthier.

Carbohydrates include vegetables and fruit.

Fruits and vegetables are good carbohydrates. They contain fiber, vitamins, phytonutrients, and minerals. The fiber not only slows the entrance of glucose into the bloodstream, but it also feeds the beneficial bacteria in the gut and fills you up so you don’t eat as much. For your digestive tract to work properly, you need fiber. Whole grains, legumes, fruit, and vegetables fit that description. Many are lower in calories, but higher in nutrition.

It’s all about choosing the right type of carbohydrates.

Carbs provide quick energy, but to be your healthiest, be selective. If it’s in its natural form with no additives and little processing, it’s likely a healthy carb. Fresh vegetables are good carbs, while fruit in a thick sugary syrup doesn’t fit that description. Minimally processed fruits and vegetables, like those frozen or canned, can be healthy. Whole grains are healthy, while their highly processed counterparts aren’t. It’s all about the added extras and the nutrition removed.

  • The risk of serious conditions such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, and heart disease increase when you consume sugar and unhealthy carbs. Many obese individuals are also malnourished.
  • Keeping your gut microbiome healthy is vital. The microbes in your gut affect all parts of the body, including your brain. They also affect your mood. Fiber, a type of carb, helps increase the population of beneficial microbes.
  • Instead of quitting all carbs, just quit carbs with added sugar. It will be hard at first, but you’ll notice your sense of taste improving the longer you do it. Eventually, besides getting healthier, you’ll appreciate how sweet fruit is.
  • The body needs all three macronutrients: protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Eat a healthy diet that consists primarily of whole food.

For more information, contact us today at Body Sculptors Personal Training


Natural Remedies For Sleeping Better

Natural Remedies For Sleeping Better

If you listen to pharmaceutical commercials, you probably think there’s a pill for everything. At the end of every commercial, the announcer speaks rapidly in a soft, unemotional voice about all the side effects of the drug, many of which are far worse than the ailment it’s supposed to cure. Many people in Louisville, KY, look for natural remedies to help them sleep that don’t require disclosures. Lack of quality sleep causes many physical issues, yet millions of Americans suffer from it. Many people may be in bed for 8 hours but still don’t go through all stages of sleep to be healthy.

Should you eat before bedtime or not eat?

Almost everyone has heard you shouldn’t eat before bed, but that isn’t always true. The type of food you eat and the amount you eat is the key. Don’t overload your stomach with fatty foods, food high in sugar, or junk. It can cause digestive issues if you do or if you eat too much. However, if you can’t sleep, the problem may be hunger. Man is hardwired to stay awake and hunt for food if he’s hungry for survival. If you can’t fall asleep, try eating a small amount of protein with tryptophan, like beef, poultry, or seafood, combined with a healthy carb.

Get plenty of exercise.

A consistent program of exercise can help you sleep better. It doesn’t matter what type of exercise, walking, running, calisthenics, or just dancing. If you have a chronic problem with sleep, getting 30 minutes of exercise daily can help. Don’t overdo it, especially at first. It can cause aching muscles that will keep you awake all night. Not only will exercising regularly help you fall asleep, but it will also improve your quality of sleep, too.

Avoid alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine before bedtime.

People drink coffee to stay awake, so it seems like a no-brainer. However, most people don’t consider the caffeine in colas, chocolate, and energy drinks. Drinking or consuming caffeine-containing substances late in the day can keep you awake. Alcohol may help relax you, but if you drink it before bed, you won’t get the quality of sleep. You’ll wake up throughout the night or miss several stages of quality sleep.

  • Get out in the sun and eat food higher in omega-3. Both vitamin D and omega-3 are necessary to produce serotonin which plays a vital role in how quickly you fall asleep and the quality of your sleep.
  • Eating almonds or almond butter on toast can also help. Almonds contain magnesium that can calm your mind and help you sleep. A magnesium deficiency can cause insomnia.
  • Make sure you turn off all electrical appliances that emit light, such as the computer or TV. Sleep in a dark room that’s a bit on the cool side. You may think the TV helps you fall asleep, but it interferes with the quality of sleep.
  • Make a sleep schedule and stick with it, even on the weekends. Falling asleep at a specific time becomes a habit and helps you go to sleep quickly.

For more information, contact us today at Body Sculptors Personal Training


How To Lose Body Fat And Preserve Muscle Mass

How To Lose Body Fat And Preserve Muscle Mass

It’s possible to lose body fat and preserve muscle mass. To lose weight, you have to eat fewer calories than you burn. The body doesn’t differentiate where it gets those calories, whether it’s from burning fat or muscle for them. Bodybuilders tend to focus most on this since getting ripped requires reducing fat, allowing muscles to show. To achieve body recomposition, reducing body fat and maintaining or increasing muscle tissue, focus on the best diet and exercise program.

It starts with your diet.

There’s a reason we include nutrition in our fitness programs, especially when you want to focus on losing fat and not muscle. Reducing your caloric intake too much can result in losing muscle mass. While many weight loss diets reduce calories by more than 500 a day, it can cause a loss of muscle mass. Rather than lowering calories, increasing activity levels is the way bodybuilders achieve that goal. They maintain the calorie intake for their weight and exercise more, increasing intensity and activity.

Some exercises are better for body recomposition.

Maintaining your caloric intake while boosting your exercise regimen is the key if you just want to burn fat and build or maintain muscle tissue. If you have a particularly intense workout, like intense strength training or HIIT—high intensity interval training—-you can even minimally increase your caloric intake to provide the energy you need. On days away from the gym or doing moderate to mild exercise, you can cut your calories by a small amount, such as 200 to 300.

Full-body workouts, interval training, and HIIT workouts are a few options.

A personal trainer can develop the perfect plan to help you, but if you don’t have a trainer, aim for full-body workouts, such as kettlebells that burn the most calories. Constant aerobic workouts won’t give you the results you want. They burn both fat and muscle. Strength-building workouts build or maintain muscle tissue and burn mostly body fat. Make your workouts shorter but work at a more intense pace, taking fewer breaks between sets or exercises. When you’re doing strength training, increase the weight you lift. You can also set a time and focus on increasing the number of lifts you do in the allotted time.

  • Increasing protein intake can help protect your muscles is important. Protein is necessary for building muscle tissue and can help burn fat. Cutting out processed food and food with added sugar is also necessary.
  • If weight loss and maintaining muscle mass is your goal, you have to adjust your diet slightly. Maintaining the same or slightly lower calorie intake on your days working out and cutting it by 300-400 calories on your days off works well.
  • Never underestimate the power of a good night’s sleep. Getting adequate sleep can boost your energy so you burn more calories. It also keeps your appetite in check.
  • Drink more water and stay hydrated. Water makes you feel full, so you don’t overeat. It also boosts your energy level. Don’t forget to include protein and carbs after working out. It helps with recovery by providing the necessary raw materials.

For more information, contact us today at Body Sculptors Personal Training


How Many Calories Are Burned During Each Workout?

How Many Calories Are Burned During Each Workout?

Predicting the number of calories burned during a workout isn’t easy. Each person is different. The calories they burn doing the same exercises as someone else will vary by age, weight, gender, percentage of muscle tissue, length and intensity of the workout, and other factors. Even though you may be doing the same workout, the calories you burn at each will also vary. You can approximate the calories you burn, which for most people is adequate.

Your weight, gender, age, and body composition make a difference.

If you weigh more, moving around takes more energy, and you’ll burn more calories. Gender and body composition are linked. Men tend to have more muscle mass than women. People with more muscle mass burn more calories working out. The older you get, the harder it is to reach the intensity required to burn the maximum calories. You might think that fit people will burn more calories, but that’s not necessarily true. Their body is more efficient, so they burn fewer calories.

The area temperature, the amount of sleep, and your intensity affect the calories burned.

It makes sense that someone running at peak speed will burn more calories than someone walking slower, so intensity counts. If the room is warm, your body temperature will be higher, burning more calories. Getting adequate sleep the night before makes a difference. It can cause fatigue so you won’t work as hard. It also slows your metabolism.

Sometimes, just estimating the number of calories is enough.

Many charts will show the number of calories burned. Some even add weight to the mix. For instance, a 125-pound person will burn 165 calories doing 30 minutes of low-impact aerobic exercise, while a 155-pound person will burn 108. High-impact exercises burn more. That same 125-pound person will burn 210 calories, while the 155-pound person will burn 252. Knowing approximately how many calories you’ll burn based on the activity is often enough. Staying more focused on consistency and being active is more important.

  • While lifting weights doesn’t necessarily burn the most calories, they do create afterburn that increases your metabolism for hours. They also build muscle tissue that boosts metabolism.
  • Eating a small snack before you exercise can help keep you working your hardest, burning more calories in the process. The snack should contain a carb and some protein.
  • HIIT—high intensity interval training—torches calories. It’s not a type of exercise but a way of modifying any workout, alternating between peak intensity and a recovery pace.
  • A personal trainer will create a program designed to help you maximize the calories you burn, while also focusing on all types of fitness, strength, endurance, balance, and flexibility.

For more information, contact us today at Body Sculptors Personal Training