Eat Out Without Straying From Your Diet

Most of us know that dining out perhaps isn’t the healthiest option around, but let’s face it – sometimes you just don’t have the time or energy to cook, dinner dates are fun, and you can’t exactly say no when your boss asks if you want to go out for lunch.  For those situations, follow these simple tricks to make sure you’re not straying too far from your diet when you eat out.

Check the Nutritional Info

I’ve noticed a promising trend lately – more and more restaurants are publishing calorie totals for each dish on their regular menus and many menus have whole sections devoted to options that have less than a certain number of calories.  This is a good place to start, but it would be even better to see a complete breakdown of where those calories are coming from.  Almost every major chain will have their nutritional information posted online, so choosing an option before you even get to the restaurant is a good way to ensure you’re not loading up on junk.  Restaurants are also required by law to have nutritional information available, so don’t feel weird asking the server.

 Ask for “It” on the Side

“It” includes a lot of things: salad dressing, butter for your potato, any “secret sauces” which are usually pretty high in fat, etc.  By default, restaurants will usually put a ton of any of these sauces or dressings on for you, but if you ask for them on the side, you can control the portion sizes and cut back on unnecessary calories.

Substitute the Fries

French fries are a favorite side dish for a variety of entrées, even at some higher class restaurants.  Unfortunately, they pack a bunch of extra calories and fat that can really throw off your weight loss plans (Still want something crunchy? Try this simple substitution).  Almost every restaurant will let you substitute the fries out for a different side (some may charge a small fee but it’s worth it when you think about how many calories you’ll save), so try a baked potato or cooked broccoli instead.

Bring Home Leftovers

Portion control is key to weight loss.  Don’t feel pressured to eat the whole meal – restaurants have to-go boxes for a reason!  You can even ask for a to-go box before you start to feel full so when you are full, you’re not tempted to keep eating. You’ll also save some money if you can make your meal last for two meals.

Order Water

Not only do you ultimately consume a bunch of sugar from ordering a soda or lemonade, but water is cheaper (usually free) and it will help you feel fuller faster to prevent you from over eating (learn how water helps you burn calories).  During your meal, make a conscious effort to sip water every so often – it’ll help your food digest and prevent overeating.

Surviving Starbucks and Coffee Shops

Although I do certainly enjoy an occasional Starbucks visit, I'm not one of their regulars that every worker knows by name as soon as they see me.  However, I'm sure a lot of you are known by your local Starbucks crew, so it's important that you know how to successfully navigate the menu here and at other coffee shops to avoid consuming 500+ calories every morning.

Skip the Whipped Cream

Did you know that the whipped cream on a Tall Starbucks Frappuccino adds 8 grams of fat and about 80 calories?  And that’s the small size - on a Grande it adds 12 grams of fat, coming to about 120 calories.  Considering there's really no difference between whipped cream among various coffee shops, you can assume those numbers will be approximately the same wherever you go.  In my experience, the whipped cream always melts into the drink to the point where it isn't noticeable anyway, so ask for your drink without the whipped cream and you'll save a handful of pointless calories and fat.

Skip the Sugar and Cream

Or at least cut back.  This one seems obvious, but if you truly don't think you can drink your favorite coffee beverage without sugar and/or cream, do your best to limit it.  Remember, even if you only cut a little bit, that small difference will contribute to your weight loss over a long period of time.

Order "Light" or "Skinny"

Starbucks actually makes it very easy for you to order a lower calorie option of your favorite drink. By ordering your drink "light," the workers will know to automatically hold the whipped cream and they'll use skim milk if applicable.  If you're at another coffee shop, simply ask if they can substitute skim or reduced fat milk for whole milk and you'll cut another 60-120 calories or so.  Your drink may lose some of its original thickness, but I've never had a problem with taste.

Be Careful of Tea

A lot of people have tried drinking green tea for its caffeine as a healthy alternative to coffee.  Green tea does have a host of amazing health benefits, including a good dose of Vitamin C.  If you can drink straight green tea, go for it.  However, most coffee houses, Starbucks included, will add a lot of sugar to their green tea beverages to make it taste better, and it’s difficult to tell what they’re sweetening it with and just how much sugar they’re adding.  My recommendation: drink green tea at home and sweeten with organic honey for a healthy alternative to coffee, but skip it at the coffee shops.

Practice Portion Control

This is true regardless of where you’re eating out: don’t ever get the biggest size of anything.  Trust me, you don’t need it and it won’t be friendly on your waistline.  Ideally, always order the smallest size or at a maximum the medium size – you’ll save money and pounds in the long run.

Do Your Homework

This is also true of any dining out experience.  Almost every restaurant has their nutritional information posted online, so you can check just how many calories and sugar you’ll be getting before you hit your favorite coffee house (you can always pull it up on your smartphone too if you forget).  Also, by law, restaurants are required to have nutritional information in the restaurant, so don’t be hesitant to ask if you’re not sure which option will be best for your diet.

Burn Calories Fast with Interval Training

Interval training is quickly becoming one of the most popular exercise techniques to burn fat. This is because performing intervals generally takes less time than more traditional cardiovascular exercise and it helps you to burn calories both while you are exercising and for hours after you have left the gym.

What is interval training?

Instead of exercising on a stationary bike, elliptical, treadmill, etc. at a relatively steady pace for a long period of time to get your heart rate somewhere between 60%-80% of your maximum (generally speaking), interval training requires you to exert enough physical energy to bring your heart rate between 80% and 90% of your maximum heart rate for a short period of time (this is your interval). The intervals are then followed by a period of significantly lower intensity exercise to bring your heart rate back down to around 60% of your maximum.

How does interval training affect your body?

During your short burst of intense activity, your body will need to pull on its energy sources: sugar in your bloodstream. This isn't the most scientific explanation available, but picture this: your body has a finite amount of sugar in your bloodstream at any given time. When you partake in intense physical activity like you do during interval training, your body will quickly use up all of the available energy in your bloodstream. Fortunately, this doesn't mean your body is just going to collapse in heap of energy-less skin and bones (though if you every feel light headed while exercising, stop) because your body has a back-up plan: fat. Think of fat as a bunch of stored energy, so when your body is starting to run low on energy, it'll pull from your reserves to supply your muscles with the energy they need. Thus, you're burning fat at a more accelerated rate than you would if you're only performing moderate physical activity.

Because of the intense nature of intervals and the toll it can take on your muscles, post-workout recovery will also take your body more energy (meaning you'll burn even more calories) than usual to repair and rebuild your muscles to a stronger, leaner state.

How should I do interval training?

This largely depends on your current cardiovascular shape. If you do some kind of moderate cardiovascular activity for at least 30 minutes 3 or more times a week, I'd say you're ready to implement intervals into your workout routine (If you're not at this point yet, either try to work your way up to it before doing an interval program or use gentle intervals to help you achieve your goals. For example, try alternating walking with a light jog.). Because it may result in muscle soreness, you should only replace one regular cardiovascular workout per week with interval training when you’re starting out. Always, regardless of your fitness level, begin with a 5 minute warm-up of light to moderate intensity and end with a 5 minute cool down going from moderate to light intensity. After your 5 minute warm-up, kick the intensity up for 30 seconds, and then bring the intensity back down for a minute and a half before beginning your next interval. Do 5 your first time, and build your way up from there. If you have a heart rate monitor, this is the easiest way to determine if your intensity level is appropriate. If not, they're not very expensive or you can try using the heart rate monitors installed on most cardio equipment (I find they're usually within 5bpm which is close enough). As you get better at interval training, gradually reduce your rest time until it is equal with the amount of time you spend doing your interval. You can also increase the amount of time that you are doing intense activity for and you can start doing intervals more than once a week if you so desire.

Interval training is also especially good for runners or bikers looking to increase their speed, and it can help you to prevent boredom from doing the same thing every time you go to the gym. Remember to start slow to prevent injuries and let me know how it goes!

How to Prevent a Binge: The 80/20 Rule

Even after reaching my target body weight through eating well and exercising often, I still have cravings for foods I know I shouldn't eat - and this is after I've seen first hand just how important watching my diet is! I especially tend to eat poorly when I visit family and friends - afterall, who could say no when someone places a huge piece of warm apple pie topped with vanilla ice cream in front of you? Here's the truth of the matter: no matter what your weight or how far along you are in your weight loss program, it's actually okay to occasionally eat foods that are high in fat and even sugar, so long as you're doing it in moderation.

The Problem

Unfortunately, there's one problem that we need to address before I completely turn you loose and tell you it's okay to cheat a little bit. When you deprave yourself of junk food for a long period of time, you actually get very good at no longer craving it. However, once you start to bite into that brownie that you've denied yourself for so long, it can be extremely difficult to tear yourself away and only eat one brownie instead of the entire pan. From personal experience, I've also noticed that once I eat that one piece of junk food, I tend to go for other foods that are high in fat and sugar a lot more than I usually would. Why does this happen? It's the basic idea behind a binge: once we start, it's extremely hard to stop.

About the 80/20 Rule

So what can you do? Preventing binges is where the 80/20 rule comes in. According to this rule, you should try to eat great 80% of the time, but you can live a little and eat what you want the other 20% of the time. I can't stress enough how important it is to still implement portion control when you're enjoying your 20% part of the equation, but I'm sure you'll find portion control to be a lot easier when you are deliberately and systematically planning when you are going to eat junk food. My recommendation: before you start eating, determine how much you're going to eat, put the rest away and take that amount of food somewhere other than the kitchen to eat it. Don't just keep reaching into a bag of chips or cookies - you'll quickly lose track of how much you've had and then you've defeated the purpose of the 80/20 rule.

Why it Works

There are several benefits to this rule. First, as I've mentioned, when you're systematically eating small amounts of junk food, you'll be less likely to binge because your body won't have been deprived for a long period of time and you'll be more used to eating in moderation. Also, occasionally eating high calorie meals can actually cause your metabolism to run a little faster (this is especially true if you're on a strict low calorie diet that may cause your metabolism to slow down). Finally, the 80/20 rule makes it a lot easier to stick to your diet because you don't have to completely give up the foods you love, you just learn to eat them in moderation.

Simple Substitution #4: Whole Wheat Crackers

Looking to fulfill your craving for something salty and crunchy while staying on track with your diet?  Try opting for whole wheat crackers like Wheat Thins or Triscuits (both have a variety of interesting flavors) instead of potato chips.  They're significantly lower in fat, and you'll even get some good wholesome fiber (learn about a smart-carb diet).  Try them with your favorite dip sometime and let me know how it goes!

Note: You can also try baked potato chips to eliminate a lot of the fat from regular potato chips, though you likely won't get very much fiber from those.

Simple Substitution #3: Greek Yogurt

Both Greek and regular yogurt are fat free (or extremely close), and if you're doing it right the sugar content shouldn't be too high (as a general rule, look for less than 10 grams of sugar per serving - add dried fruit and nuts for more flavor if need be).  The biggest difference is protein content - Greek yogurt has 2X the amount of protein as regular yogurt, making it a great addition to your breakfast or a good option for a quick snack.  To save money, try the store brand Greek yogurt - I've always thought it tastes just as good as the name brand stuff.

Simple Substitution #2: Dark Chocolate

Did you know a little bit of chocolate every day is actually good for you?  Dark chocolate especially has a host of antioxidants and will increase blood flow to your muscles and brain (especially good if you're working out).  Studies also show that dark chocolate can help lower blood pressure, controls blood sugar levels, and even prevents cavities by hardening tooth enamel.  So next time you're craving chocolate, opt for dark chocolate instead and you won't even be cheating on your diet!  Also try substituting it into your recipes this holiday season.

Simple Substitution #1: Lean Meat

High quality protein is essential to any weight loss or muscle building routine (Learn the truth about protein).  Although animal protein does almost always have the complete amino acid combination your body needs, you should be careful of the fat content.  Chicken breasts are always a good option, but just because you're on a diet doesn't mean you need to give up burgers.  Just opt for something that is at least 90% lean to cut fat and calories.  Grilling can also cook a lot of the fat out of meats.

The Easiest Way to Burn Calories

Drink water!  You can burn up to about 50 calories every day just by drinking enough water.  I know that may not sound like much, but picture this: you need to burn about 3500 calories to lose a pound.  If you burn 50 calories a day just by drinking more water, you'll burn 350 calories in a week, which is close to the number of calories you'll burn during a 30 minute cardio workout.  If you burn 50 calories a day for 10 weeks, you'll lose a pound.  If you do that for a whole year, you'll lose about 5 pounds with hardly any extra work on your part.  Remember, the small things add up.

Water can also help you feel fuller, it'll help your immune system keep you healthy, it'll help keep your muscles energized to prevent cramps, your skin will look better, and your even your kidneys will thank you.  The bottom line: drink more water!

Lift Weights to Lose Fat

Weight loss is a fairly simple formula to understand: a healthy diet + exercise = weight loss. For the scope of this article, let's break down the exercise half of the equation a little more to make sure we're maximizing our time at the gym. It's a common misconception that to burn calories and lose weight you should only hit the cardio machines and to gain muscle mass you should only be hitting the weights. In reality, people seeking to lose weight should be more dynamic with their workouts by utilizing both the benefits of sustained cardiovascular exercise and the benefits of weight lifting.

Metabolic Benefits

Lifting weights has some very beneficial effects on metabolic activity for people looking to drop some fat. When you lift weights, you're putting your muscles under stress, causing extremely small micro-tears which may result in muscle soreness for a day or two. By using protein in a process called protein synthesis, your body repairs these micro-tears, which makes your muscles ever so slightly bigger and stronger (it's like the common idea that after you break a bone it grows back stronger than before). Protein synthesis takes energy, which means that your body continues to burn calories even after you are finished exercising. In fact, protein synthesis occurs for up to 48 hours after lifting weights, which means that you're burning calories for a full two days after working out, even if you're idle during those days.

Another benefit to lifting weights as part of your weight loss routine is that when you build muscles, your metabolism actually works faster during all times of the day, even when you're not moving at all! This is especially true of your larger muscles because they simply take more energy to maintain.

How to Burn Calories with Weights

Weight lifting can torch off calories both during and after exercise just as well if not better than cardiovascular exercise, especially if you're doing it right. When you perform weight-bearing exercises, your biggest muscles require the most energy (makes sense, right?). The two largest muscles in your body are your glutes (your butt) and your quads (if you don't know, this is the area on each leg that you would sit on if someone told you to sit on their lap). Although it is advisable for you to work all of your muscles, if your goal is weight loss, you should spend the most time on your largest muscles, found mostly in your legs. In fact, the squat, which engages both your glutes and your quads, burns more calories per repetition than any other exercise - you'll know you're burning calories because your heart will be racing!

Spice it Up!

Finally, adding weight lifting as part of your regular gym routine may help to ward off the boredom people commonly suffer from spending long periods of time on cardio equipment. If fact, you might find that weight lifting can sometimes be a fun alternative to cardio (though you should continue to do both), and finding your motivation to go the gym regularly will be easier.

Demystifying Protein Supplements

Big tubs of protein supplements are becoming increasingly more prevalent - they're almost impossible to miss if you're at the gym, they're in all kinds of nutrition stores, and regular grocery stores are even starting to carry them. However, protein supplements are not for everyone, and even if they are for you, some supplements are better for reaching certain goals than others.

Some people, especially from older generations, are leery of protein powders because they don't look like regular food and, let's face it, GNC stores can be intimidating. The first thing you should know is that straight protein supplements that don't have creatine or other performance enhancers (check the label and ingredient list) are food. This has two implications: First, they aren't dangerous, they won't lead to strange growths, and they're not like force feeding chickens on a farm (Yes, I've heard this analogy). Second, because a protein powder is simply food, no one NEEDS a protein supplement because other more recognizable foods are also high in protein. However, protein supplements may still be beneficial depending on your health and fitness goals.

Gaining Muscle Mass

If your goal is to gain muscle mass, you should be consuming about as many grams of protein as your target body weight daily, so if I want to weigh 150 pounds, I should get about 150 grams of protein every day. Sound like a lot? It is. That's why people who are looking to put on muscle will be the most benefited by a protein supplement. Again, having a protein powder isn't an absolute necessity, but it is a quick, easy way to get the amount of protein you need to gain serious muscle mass.

Weight Loss

Eating lean, high quality protein is essential to any weight loss program. Unlike carbohydrates, fats or starches, your body doesn't store excess protein; so if you eat more than you need, it won't weigh you down. Even if you're counting calories, you should be aiming for at least 75-100 grams of protein every day (which is only 300-400 calories). Protein supplements are a good, convenient way to get lean protein, but lean protein can also be found in chicken breasts, ham, lean beef, low fat dairy products and more. If you think you can get enough protein without a supplement, go for it. If not, try adding a supplement to smoothies or even some baking recipes if you don't like it with water or milk.

Weight Maintenance/General Health

Even if you're perfectly happy with your body type, you should still be getting 75-125 grams of protein daily depending on your size. Try using nutritional labels to figure out how much protein you eat in a day (a rough estimate should be fine). If you're within this range without altering your regular eating habits, you can skip a protein supplement. However, if you're finding it difficult to reach that amount because you don't like eating a lot of meat, high quality sources of protein are expensive and difficult to store (this is especially true for me as a college student who lived in a dorm last year), or you're a carboholic, supplementing your diet with a protein shake may be beneficial. Remember, if you're just short of your goal, you don't necessarily have to use their recommended serving size - a half scoop is fine and will make the powder last longer.

What kind of supplement should I get?

There are three basic kinds of protein that almost every single protein powder will have one or a combination of: whey, casein, and soy. I'll explain each type, how they're made, what they're best for, and why you should avoid a soy protein supplement.

Whey Protein

Whey protein is the most popular kind of protein on the market today. It is derived from the protein found in milk after the casein protein has already been removed, usually to make cheese (about 20% of the protein found in milk is whey and the other 80% is casein protein). Whey protein is absorbed by the body very quickly, making it a favorite among weightlifters who take it both before and after lifting. In fact, traces of whey protein can be found in the bloodstream in as little as 20 minutes, though it generally doesn't last for much more than an hour. Because of its fast absorbing nature, I would recommend taking a whey protein supplement immediately before and/or after exercising to give you an energy boost during your workout and to give your muscles some much needed relief after a strenuous workout. However, whey protein may not be your best choice is you're looking for sustained energy or a supplement to your diet.

Casein Protein

Where whey protein may fail, casein protein picks up the slack. Casein protein, like was mentioned, is also derived from milk, but it differs from whey in that it can last in your bloodstream for up to 8 hours, providing your body with a sustained source of protein that is good for supplementing a low protein diet and warding off hunger. Some weightlifters also like casein protein, though taking it right after lifting like you would with whey protein won't yield stellar results. Instead, try taking it right before you go to bed. Remember, casein protein will stay in your bloodstream for up to 8 hours, so if you want your muscles to build all night long, a casein supplement before bed might be your answer.

Soy Protein

Soy protein, unlike whey or casein, is plant based. Without getting overly scientific, soy protein is generally considered a lower quality protein because it does not have a complete amino acid structure like whey, casein, or almost every animal based protein does. Some protein supplements still feature soy protein, though they're fading in number due to recent research that shows soy may mimic the hormone estrogen in the body. Men should take special note of this because males have less estrogen to begin with, so an increase could be more significant. My advice: stay away from any soy protein supplement - soy will be most dangerous if you're getting a lot of it on a consistent basis.

However, there really isn't a need to swear off all plant based proteins as some people might suggest. Beans and nuts, both of which have plant based protein, reap a number of nutritional benefits and it would really be a shame to scare people away from them. It's really only the soy based supplements that can have any significant negative impact on your body, so don't worry about the plant based protein you find naturally in foods.

Are all whey or casein protein supplements the same?

The short answer is no. When you're shopping for a protein supplement, take a look at the ingredients list. If it says something like "whey protein concentrate" or "caseinate" you might save some money, but know that this type of protein contains higher amounts of carbohydrates and fats and it's more difficult to mix by hand. However, it does the trick. The other most common one you'll see is "whey protein isolate." Isolates have less carbohydrates and fat than do concentrates and they're a little easier to mix by hand. You may also see something that says "hydroslate," which means it will be absorbed into your bloodstream even faster than usual. Only opt for this kind of protein if you plan on using your supplement right after working out. "Micellar casein" is the highest quality casein protein you can find because of how easily it will mix - you'll pay a little extra for it though. Finally, "milk protein" or anything with egg protein means they've simply added an ingredient that acts like milk or eggs in your body. Both are good.

Some Final Notes

If you're still unsure about which type of protein supplement to get, you can always try a blend of whey and casein protein. That way, you don't need to worry so much about when you take your supplement because you'll be getting the best of both worlds. Optimum Nutrition's Nitrocore24 and BSN's Syntha-6 are two good options. Also, consider buying your protein powder on Amazon or another online retailer. This will help you save money and choose the best product by reading through some online reviews. Just know that when it ships, the scoop will probably be buried and you may have to get creative to find it.

Build the Perfect Meal Plan with Snacks

Research suggests that having snacks throughout the day will keep your metabolism going stronger between meals and will help you to prevent binging during mealtime.  You should aim to eat about every three hours or so - so if you eat breakfast at 6 before work, eat a snack at 9, lunch at 12, another snack at 3, dinner at 6, and a high protein snack around 9 before bed.  It sounds like a lot, but ideally all of these eating times will have around the same low number of calories.  By breaking your calories up throughout the day, you stay full  without getting bloated, your metabolism continues to work at a fast rate, and you prevent binges.  Aim for somewhere between 300-600 calories for each meal/snack, depending on your size, activity level and fitness goals.  If you don't think you can realistically break up all of your calories evenly throughout the day, it's okay to eat more at meal times and cut your snacks down to 150-200 calories, but I would still recommend trying to eat about every 3 hours.

As always, you should look to have a balance of high quality protein, carbs and fat (learn about a Smart-Carb Diet).  A delicious snack might include an apple, which has up to 5 grams of fiber with the peel with peanut butter.  If you like the convenience of granola bars but are tired of the high price tags and strange ingredients you'll never be able to pronounce, try this recipe (you don't even have to bake them!):

In a large mixing bowl, combine the following ingredients:

• 2 cups of oatmeal (Quaker has whole grain oats available for pretty cheap)
• 1 cup of protein powder (I use chocolate but definitely feel free to experiment!)
• 1/3 cup of dried fruit (raisins, prunes, cranberries all work great - just make sure there's no sugar added on the ingredient list and you may want to cut the pieces smaller)
• 1/4 cup of sliced almonds (any nut would work but I would definitely recommend getting them sliced)
• 1/2 tbsp of cinnamon

Now, in a medium mixing bowl, combine the following ingredients:

• 1/4 cup of peanut butter
• 1/4 cup of honey (if you buy this locally at a Farmer's Market it may help with allergies)
• 1/4 cup of almond milk (you can use normal milk if you want, but if you're going to have them out of the fridge for a while, almond milk might be safer)
• 1/4 cup of apple sauce (get the stuff with no sugar added - it will probably be specially marked but you can always check out the ingredient list)
• 1/4 cup of dark chocolate (experiment with this - I recently got a holiday mix of mint chips and dark chocolate chips and it's been a HUGE upgrade)
• 1 tsp of vanilla (optional - this is a kind of expensive ingredient)

Microwave the wet ingredients for 30-35 seconds.  Then stir until it's a dark brown color and the texture is consistent.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ones and stir until all of the dry ingredients have been absorbed and the texture is consistent throughout.  Pour the mix into some kind of pan (I use a baking pan with decently high sides) and refrigerate for at least an hour to let the mix harden a little.  Since there aren't any raw eggs or anything, feel free to lick the bowl clean - it tastes great!  You can cut out as many bars as you like; I usually make 6.  Keep them refrigerated throughout the week until you pack them to go somewhere - I've never had any problems but I would try to eat it within 12 hours of taking it out of the fridge.  As always, feel free to comment if you have any questions or something to add!

The Truth about Protein

Understanding Amino Acids

Without making this post overly scientific, there are a few things you should know about the amino acid structure in proteins.  There are 20 different amino acids found in proteins, and the human body can only make 10 of those amino acids on its own - the other 10 must be attained through the food we eat.  Unlike fats or starch, the human body cannot store protein, so it's important that we get high quality protein in every meal.  Otherwise, we may face muscle degradation, which could ruin all the hard work we've gone through to get fitter.

Types of Protein

Most animal based protein, found of course in meat, eggs, and dairy products, is considered high quality protein.  In fact, the protein found in eggs is considered some of the best protein we can get because of its amino acid structure and the body's ability to digest it.  There is also plant based protein, found in things like beans and nuts.  This plant based protein does not have a complete amino acid sequence (there are a few exceptions like hemp seeds), and are better if they are used as a supplement to your already high protein diet instead of the flagship.

Protein supplements usually contain one of three types of protein: whey, casein, or soy protein.  Whey protein is derived from the high quality protein found in milk and is absorbed into your body quickly. Because it is absorbed in as little as 30 minutes, whey protein is a favorite among weightlifters as a pre or post workout supplement.  Casein protein is also derived from milk (if you just drink a class of milk, about 80% of the protein will be casein protein and the other 20% will be whey) but if differs from whey protein in that it is very slow absorbing.  In fact, casein protein can stay in your bloodstream for up to 8 hours, making it a good choice between meals or right before you go to bed so your body has a steady supply of protein all night long.  Soy protein is the last kind of protein you'll sometimes find in supplements, though it's become a lot less popular lately because of research findings that it may mimic the hormone estrogen in the body.  Men should take special note of this because males have less estrogen to begin with, so an increase could be more significant.  Soy protein also, because it's plant based, does not have a complete amino acid structure so it will be less effective than whey or casein protein.  I would avoid soy protein if you're looking for a protein supplement, and be careful of a lot of protein bars and cereals that feature soy protein because it's cheaper.  If you don't know what kind of protein these foods are using, take a look at the ingredient list, and steer clear if it says something like "soy protein isolate."

Is Soy Protein Always Bad?

As a final note, some people have become leery of all plant based proteins because of the findings about soy protein.  Soy protein only has the potential to be dangerous if you're consistently ingesting A LOT of it, like through a shake or soy protein bars.  I would be no means suggest that you stop eating beans or nuts as a supplement to your high protein diet.  In addition to the protein, beans have a lot of filling fiber, and nuts have omega-3 fatty acids.  Some nuts, particularly almonds, also have a good dose of Vitamin E, which is essential to protein absorption in your body.  As always, please feel free to leave comments if you have any questions or something to add!  

Build the Perfect Breakfast

Why eat breakfast?

Regardless of your health and fitness goals, eating breakfast within 30 minutes of waking up should be part of your plan.  When you eat breakfast, you are literally breaking the fast your body has endured for the past 8 hours or so while you were asleep.  Our bodies are extremely good at not allowing us to starve, so when it's depraved of food for a long period of time, like when you were sleeping, your metabolism slows down to conserve the food you still have.  If you skip breakfast, your metabolism will continue to slow until your next meal, which means you've lost hours of metabolic activity that can help you control your weight without any extra effort on your part!  People who eat breakfast also tend to feel less hungry during the day, so if you're counting calories, research shows that eating some of your calories at breakfast may help you save up to 250 throughout the day - that's a whole pound in two weeks!  Eating breakfast also helps you feel more energized, it can help your body fight off colds and other infections, and it significantly improves cognitive functioning.

What to eat?

It varies a little depending on what stage you're at in your health and fitness goals, but there are a few basic principles that are true for everyone.  You should try to get some high quality protein, complex carbohydrates (learn about a smart carb diet), high quality fats, and vitamins.

Protein

The amount of protein you need depends on your goals (learn The Truth about Protein).  If you're looking to gain significant muscle mass, your target amount will probably be in the 30-40 gram range, but even if you're just looking for a flatter stomach, protein should be part of your regular diet.  Try and avoid soy protein that's sometimes added to cereals because it has an incomplete amino acid blend (meaning your body can't use it very effectively) and it may mimic estrogen in your system.  Instead, go for a couple eggs, which are considered one of the best protein sources around (and they're cheap!).  If you're worried about the cholesterol and fat in eggs, you can always opt for egg whites - just know that this cuts the amount of protein approximately in half so you'll have to eat more.  You can also try Greek Yogurt, which packs anywhere from 12-18 grams of high quality protein.  Just watch the sugar content - you can try getting plain Greek Yogurt and adding dried fruit and/or honey to sweeten it, or you can opt for the "lite" versions that usually have less than 10 grams of sugar.  You can also get a good dose of protein from turkey bacon or sausage, a glass of milk, nuts, and any meats (try mixing some ham into an omelet for 25-30g of protein!)

Carbohydrates

You can get complex carbohydrates from eating fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.  For example, try spreading some peanut butter on a slice whole grain toast, eat an apple, and drink some 100% fruit juice to give you the carbs your body needs for energy, the fiber your stomach needs to stay feeling full, and the vitamins your immune system and other critical functions need to keep you healthy.

Fat

Eating eggs and peanut butter (or any nut) will give you some good omega-3 fats.  You can also get your fats from the turkey sausage or adding some cheese to your omelet.  Remember, fat isn't bad for you - in fact you need fat in your diet.

If you're new to breakfast, it's okay to start small.  Some breakfast is always better than nothing.  As always, feel free to leave comments!