What Happens When You Mix Pepsi and a Hard Boiled Egg?

As my challenge continues to get some of you to STOP (or atleast decrease) your soda consumption…this just might do the trick;-)  This came across my desk and I have to share it…

This is a guest blog post by  Lisa Cain,  Ph.D

Most of the discussion on drinking soda has focused on high fructose corn syrup and its detrimental effects on blood sugar and weight.  But, what about your teeth?

Today, we are taking a page from a kindergarten teacher’s playbook.  This teacher uses a very visual experiment to help her class of 5 year olds understand what happens to teeth when you drink soda.

I have heard that if you immerse a baby tooth in Coke it will dissolve in 24 hours.  I checked into this myth and it isn’t true.  What IS true is that soda contains acid that will dissolve the enamel of teeth over time.

Our experiment is simple.  Take a hard boiled egg and immerse it in Pepsi or Coke for 24 hours and analyze your result.

My, what pretty teeth you have Red Riding Hood!

Well, look at that!  The obvious conclusion for the 5 year olds is that you need to brush your teeth.  They take toothbrushes and scrub all the color off the egg to mimic brushing their teeth.

But, what does this experiment mean for us grown ups?  Well, I found a study that concluded that prolonged exposure to soda can lead to significant tooth enamel loss.

From the article: The erosive potential of colas is 10 times that of fruit juices in just the first three minutes of drinking.

I doubt this is going to surprise anyone that the powerful combination of sugar, acid, and artificial color isn’t great for your teeth.  Back in my post on Monster Energy drinks, I reported that a kid had over 15 areas of decay on his teeth from drinking Monster.  The parents had a $6000 dental bill.  YIKES!

My suggestion is to treat soda like a treat.  Don’t drink it very often and when you do – brush your teeth soon after you drink it.

Please share this post with your soda drinking family, friends, and co-workers.  It might help them kick their habit.

Lisa Cain, Ph.D. writes about healthy snacks on Snack-Girl.com. She is a  published author, mother of two, and avid snacker.

Sugar Addiction – Are You Addicted to SUGAR?

With the average American diet coming from sugar (AKA corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, syrup solids, malt syrup, just name a few), sugar addiction is no joke.  It is a very real thing that is sending 20 year olds into diabetic shock, 30 years are having heart attacks, and just about everyone is plagued by extreme fatigue and body weight issues.  So where should we begin to tackle this topic so you do not become a victim…

SIGNS OF SUGAR ADDICTION

A few symptoms and health conditions that are associated with sugar addiction include chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, sleep problems, sinusitis, irritable bowel syndrome, high cholesterol, hypertension, heart disease, yeast infection, ADHD, depression, and anxiety.  For some of you, to hit it home the hardest, sugar triggers the release of excess insulin.  What does this mean to you? Increased insulin turns calories into fat.

WHAT TYPE OF SUGAR ADDICT ARE YOU?

TYPE 1: Hooked on “Energy Loan Shark” Drinks.

You are always exhausted and hooked on caffeine and sugar to get you going.  Good news is, sometimes all you need to kick this habit and get back to “normal” is improve nutrition, sleep, and exercise.  Who would have thought!

TYPE 2: Feed Me Now Or I Will Kill You.

Your adrenal glands are exhausted!  Life’s stress has got you irritable when hungry and you crash under stress. It is important to treat adrenal exhaustion and it’s a big topic.  For this, we need to focus on it individually.   Contact me now so we can begin getting you back to “normal,” get your metabolism working for you, and melt the fat off.

TYPE 3: The Happy Twinkie, Ice Cream, Donut, Hunter.

Cookies! Cookies! Cookies!

AKA “Sugar Cravings”   These sugar cravings are caused by an overgrowth of yeast/candida.  For those with chronic nasal congestion, sinusitis, spastic colon, irritable bowel syndrome, among others, treating yeast overgrowth is crucial.  Learn how to eat-clean and solve all these problems.

TYPE 4: Depressed and Craving Carbs.

Sugar cravings are caused by your period, menopause, andropause (male menopause). With hormones all over the place, this sends your body into “freak out” mode and hence the craving for carbs are sometimes impossible to withstand and the entire bag of Oreo’s goes into your belly in 10 minutes! It is important to understand WHY this happens so you can control it from happening.

Which type of sugar addict are you?

TAKE THE SUGAR ADDICTION QUIZ

I stole this quiz from Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, who wrote the book, “From Fatigue to Fantastic.”  I thought his simplistic and real approach was just want some of you needed…a reminder of what is holding you back from reaching fabulous goals!  Add up your points below in each category and see where you fall…

TYPE 1 SUGAR ADDICTS	POINTS
Do you feel tired much of the time?	20
Do you need coffee to get going in the morning?	10
What is the average number of OUNCES of caffeinated drinks you consume daily?	Add 2 points for each ounce
Do you repeatedly crave sweets or caffeine?	25
Are you gaining weight or having trouble losing it?	Score 1 point for every 2lbs gained over the past 3 years.
What is your total score for TYPE 1? 0-30: No problem! 31-50: You need to follow particular steps to help restore your energy production. Over 50: You are a sugar and caffeine junkie.

TYPE 2 SUGAR ADDICTS	POINTS
Are you very irritable when hungry?	35
Is life often a crisis to you? Be honest:)	15
Do you enjoy the rush of energy you feel in a crisis?	15
What is your total score for TYPE 2? 0-24: You are probably a Type B “low-key” personality with healthy adrenals. 25-34: You are most likely developing early stages of adrenal fatigue. Stay tuned for next week when we discuss adrenal fatigue and how to combat it. 35-65: This suggests moderate adrenal exhaustion.

TYPE 3 SUGAR ADDICTS	POINTS
Do you have chronic nasal congestion or sinusitis?	50
Do you have spastic colon or IBS?	50
have you taken antibiotics for more than 2 consecutive months, or more than 3 times in a 12-mo period?	20
Have you been treated for acne with antibiotics for more than 1-mo or longer?	50
Have you had a fungal infection that was difficult to treat?	20
Do you have postnasal drip or clear your throat often?	20
Do you have food allergies?	20
What is your total score for TYPE 3? If your total score is higher than 50 points, you are a likely candidate for having yeast/candida overgrowth.

TYPE 4 SUGAR ADDICTS	POINTS
Have you had a hysterectomy or ovarian surgery?	30
Do you have decreased vaginal lubrication?	25
Do you have a decreased sex drive?	15
In the week before and around your period (or in general if you no longer have periods),experience noticeably worse:Insomnia? Headaches? Fatigue?	15 point for each
In the week before and around your period (or in general if you no longer have periods), experience noticeably worse hot flashes or night sweats?	20
What is your total score for TYPE 4? If you scored 50 or higher, it could be the result of inadequate testosterone levels. Even if a blood test came back normal, press on and get checked.

Let me know your scores and we will work together on how to fix it!  In a weird kind of way, I can’t wait to hear what kind of SUGAR ADDICT you are;-) Email me now at jessica@trainwithjess.com!

ARM WORKOUT

After a nice 20 mile bike ride….here’s a simple ARM WORKOUT to complete before days-end…

Use CONCENTRATION CURLS in place of the preacher curl if you are not a fan.

BICEP warm up: alternate DB curl, 2×15

EZ bar bicep curl

DB preacher curl or concentration curl (see pic)

alternate hammer curl

TRICEP warm up: straight bar pressdown, 2×15

lying skullcrushers

Overhead rope extension

rope pressdown

Get some weight on there and feel the burn!

WORKOUT: Home Leg Routine

Someone just texted me that they need a HOME LEG ROUTINE for today…I figured I might as well share with everyone:)

YOU WILL NEED: Physioball (if you do not have one, you can do all these moves without a physioball or use your imagination – it will work)

After warming-up with alternating side squats (3 sets x 20 reps) complete the following:
1. 1-leg lunge (use your physioball, chair, or step) (see pic)

1-Leg Lunge – Keep your ‘zipper’ in and don’t arch your back!

 

 

2. Physioball 1-leg bridge
3. walking lunges 20x (go outside and make your neighboors jealous or go up and down your hallway)
4. Physioball reverse hypers (see pic)

Reverse Hyperextensions - NOT the best form but it will give you a visual of the exercise

5. Side plank leg lift supersetted with 20 center crunches

Complete 10 reps x 3 sets of each exercise unless otherwise noted.  You should be sweating up a storm and your glutes on fire by now! Enjoy!

~J

Send Your Metabolism Soaring

Make your body a fat-burning furnace!

I said it once and I am going to say it again…

Foods That Send Your Metabolism Soaring

Meals, tips, and recipes that power up your fat-burning engine with every bite!

Turn Up the Burn

A calorie is a calorie, and cutting them is the best way to lose weight, right? Not so fast. New research (well, it’s not new research, it just keeps coming up time and time again) shows that eating certain types of foods can rev your metabolism, curb your appetite, and help you drop more pounds than others. Do you want to eat 800 calories/day of chocolate cookies and feel like crap or 2000+ calories/day of amazing, eat-clean food and have a body like a champion!

When eating-clean, foods are broken down into four types of “active calories”—chewy foods, hearty foods, energizing foods, and warming foods. Here’s how each one encourages your body to burn more calories.

Chewy Foods

(lean meats, nuts, whole fruits and vegetables)

These calories make your body work right from the second you start chewing, literally!  To maximize the chew factor, choose food in its most “whole” state—apples instead of applesauce, for instance. High-protein foods really are your best ally as they take more work to chew, and longer to leave your stomach so you take more time eating—and have more time to register that you are full.

Hearty Foods

(fruits, vegetables, brown rice, whole grains and cereals)

In addition to being chewy, these foods are packed with fiber!  They take up more room in your stomach  (compared to other foods with the same number of calories), and leave less room for second helpings. Foods that take more work to chew make your mouth work harder (ramping calorie burn by 10%) and increasing the thermogenic effect of food, the calorie-burn we get from eating and digesting any given type of food.

Energizing Foods

(coffee, black and green tea, dark chocolate – yes, I threw that in for some of you!)

You can get metabolism-boosting caffeine in coffee and black tea; just be careful not to load them up with milk, cream, or sugar. Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant, so your daily coffee or black tea can boost your metabolism by 5 to 8%—about 80 to 128 calories a day.  Green tea doesn’t have much caffeine but it does contain catechins, an antioxidant that raises resting metabolism by 4% (about 80 calories a day). Dark chocolate contains both catechins and caffeine, but stick to 1 ounce per day to limit fat and calories.

Fat-Burning

Keep your calories to around 1,500 a day and you could lose up to 10 pounds and a few inches in just 4 weeks. But watch where those calories are coming from…you have to eat-clean if you want to start melting the fat away! And if you didn’t get to read the post “Foods That Aid In Digestion,” please read or re-read as the two topics, eating to burn fat and healthy digestion, go hand in hand!

ZUCCHINI OATMEAL COOKIES

PRINTABLE VERSION

3 TB greek yogurt (plain flavor)
3/4 c splenda or truvia
3 large egg whites
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 c oat flour (grind your own from oatmeal) or whole wheat flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
2 c zucchini, grated (variation: 2 c mashed bananas may be substituted for zucchini)
3 c oatmeal
1/2 c chocolate chips (sure, throw some chips in there!)
1 c nuts optional

Beat yogurt and egg whites together very well.  Then add splenda and vanilla to the yogurt and egg mixture. Add dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Stir in      zucchini, oatmeal, chocolate chips (if you are going there) and nuts. Drop onto Pam-sprayed cookie sheet. Bake at 350°F for about 10 minutes.

Things to Do with an Extra Hour of Daylight

I might be a little late on this one but I decided to write it anyway…

Turn off the TV, start an outdoor sport, and fire up the grill—Daylight Saving Time will help you jump-start your diet and fitness goals just in time for spring!

 

Spring Ahead

Don’t get grouchy when Daylight Saving Time steals an hour of your sleep this month. An extra 60 minutes of sunlight during your waking hours means more mood-lifting vitamin D, the return of outdoor exercise, and a kick off to the season of gardening, grilling, and kickball games. Make the most of longer evenings by devoting your extra hour to healthy eating and exercise. Here’s how.

Soak Up More Sunlight

Sun exposure increases the body’s natural production of vitamin D, which can strengthen bones, decrease your risk of cancer and autoimmune disease, and help keep your spirits high. In fact, women with low levels of vitamin D are twice as likely to suffer symptoms of depression, according to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. If you need one more thing to feel good about, research conducted at the University of Minnesota suggests that people with higher levels of vitamin D at the start of a low-calorie diet lose more fat, especially in the abdominal area. Gotta like that one:)

Fire Up the Grill

Olive oil may help lower cholesterol and fight heart disease and cancer, but 2 tablespoons add about 240 calories to your meal. Grilling is a lower-cal way to cook protein because it causes excess fat to drip off. To prevent food from sticking without the help of oil, grill on a clean surface or use a spritz of no-cal cooking spray. Try a 20-minute protein-packed dinner like bison burgers, salmon, shrimp kabobs, i could go on an one…

Plant a Garden

Or get muddy out in the woods on a hike w/Reece and I! Digging, weeding, and trail walking/hiking burns close to 300 calories per hour.  Start planning and get planting – plant your own fruits and veggies to save yourself trips to the store!  If you don’t have space for a garden, don’t forget to explore our local farmers’ market. Find one in your area by visiting localharvest.org.

Turn Off the TV

With winter ending, you no longer have an excuse to hibernate. Instead of slacking on the couch, venture outside.  In a study of more than 50,000 women ages 30 to 55, every 2 hours logged in front of the TV increased the odds of obesity by 23% and the risk of type 2 diabetes by 14%, according to research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. 23%, WOW!

I know of some other things to do with an extra hour of daylight but I will leave that for another channel;-)

Milk. Many Options. What to Sip.

Plenty of milk-alternatives to choose from!

Skim milk? Full-fat milk? Almond milk? Rice milk? Soy or not to soy?  So many options you can’t remember what’s what anymore….

Here is a brief rundown of the good, the bad, and the white stuff…

Cow’s milk is one of the best sources of calcium and also a great way to add protein and essential vitamins to your diet. But what if you don’t like the taste? What if you don’t want the extra sugars in your diet? There are plenty of milk alternatives on the market…

Milk-like beverages made from soy, rice, almonds, oats, and even hemp are available for people with lactose intolerance or for those who simply don’t drink milk but are looking for a similarly creamy beverage or a source of nutrients normally provided by milk.

When plant-based milk substitutes are fortified with vitamins and minerals, they mimic milk’s nutritional profile to some extent and contribute significant amounts of calcium, vitamins A and D, and some of the B vitamins found in cow’s milk. Nutritionally speaking, fortified soymilk is the best plant-based substitute for cow’s milk because it is the only common alternative that is also high in protein. Unlike cow’s milk, soymilk also contains fiber and an array of substances that may have health benefits for some people, such as plant hormones and disease-fighting antioxidants unique to the soybean plant. It is the most popular of all the cow’s milk alternatives. Soymilk is thick, creamy and comes in chocolate and vanilla flavors as well as plain – beware, the flavored versions do nothing but add sugar and calories.  I prefer to stick with the plain and unsweetened versions.  

Rice milk is sweetened, so you may like it with your cereal, or in a milkshake or smoothie, but it won’t work well in most dishes and when baking goods. It has a thin, watery texture compared to some of the creamier milk substitutes, a bit like skim milk in texture. Rice milk is very low in protein and much higher in carbohydrates than cow’s milk. Me personally, I just don’t go there.

Almond milk is available sweetened and unsweetened, and comes in chocolate and vanilla flavors. Again, stick with the unsweetened version.  It is one of the more palatable milk substitutes for drinking on its own and in coffee. Almond milk is dairy-free.

Other creamy, milk-like beverages that are becoming more popular and more widely available are made from oats and hemp seeds. While they are not good sources of protein, there are fortified varieties that offer some of the vitamins and minerals in cow’s milk and other milk-like beverages.

I cannot stress enough to READ THE INGREDIENTS carefully when choosing an alternative milk product, especially if you have any food allergies, sensitivities, or don’t want the added hidden sugars.

Soy and nut milks are obviously not for anyone with soy or nut allergies.

Substitutes for other dairy products that are becoming readily available include soy and rice cheeses, vegan sour cream, and soy yogurts, that contain no dairy at all, and soy, hemp, and rice-based ice creams. Get your spoons ready!:)

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References:
University of Illinois: McKinley Health Center: All About Soy - http://www.mckinley.illinois.edu/handouts/soy.html
Avoiding Milk Protein - http://www.avoidingmilkprotein.com/MilkAllergy.htm
WebMd.com, Understanding Lactose Intolerance - http://www.webmd.com/video/alternative-milk

Fitness: Increasing Core Stability

How strong is your core?

Every time we move, breathe, flex, and stretch, we depend on our musculature to hold us steady and other muscles to actually help move us.  Core stabilization is the general term for how the muscles of your trunk keep your spine and body stable. This helps you stay balanced when you move. If your core muscles are strong and they contract (activate) when they should, you will have amazing results…

∙ Your posture will be better (say goodbye to back pain)

∙ Your body will be more balanced (hence, decreasing risk for injury)

 ∙ Your movement will be efficient (hence, decreasing risk for injury – are you getting the point yet)

∙ You will be less likely to get injured!

Core stability benefits everyone both young and old (or should I say older)! Exercises for core stabilization can be part of every fitness program, along with flexibility, strength, and aerobic training. Core stabilization is helpful for many health conditions:

∙ Low Back Pain     ∙ Herniated Disc     ∙ High Blood Pressure and Cholesterol    

∙ Stress Reduction and Depression     ∙ Blood Sugar Levels and Diabetes     ∙ Sleep Issues

The list is endless!  If you could pop a pill for fitness and core strength, we could avoid many health conditions that people think they ‘just have to live with’ these days.  Not true!  Move a little bit, take a walk, increase your core stability and strength and watch how GREAT your body will feel! 

Do you think your core is strong?  Let’s test it out together!  Schedule a 30 minute workout with me this week and let’s reactivate your core musculature and get you stronger, leaner, and pain free!

Jessica@trainwithjess.com

Easy Fajita’s

I love the pepper-trio mix from Trader Joe’s (it’s red, green, and yellow bell peppers already cut and clean for you!) so much that I had to present this recipe…   get the PRINTABLE VERSION here

∙ 1 package of “Reduced Carb Whole Wheat Wraps” or “Soy and Flax Seed Whole Wheat Wraps” (yes, both are found at Trader Joe’s)

∙ Chicken or Steak strips cooked to your liking (cook extra for lunch tomorrow)

You can keep the recipe this simple and it will be THAT good or use your imagination and add ingredients such as:

∙ Mushrooms     ∙ Black beans     ∙ Spinach sautéed in garlic

∙ Salsa (without added sugar)     ∙ Chobani Yogurt (as your sour cream)

Ok, now that I am starving and drooling over the sound of this….lets chop up the chicken/ steak, sauté in pan w/seasonings to your liking, and cook thoroughly. I prefer chicken and add spicy paprika or Italian seasonings. Sometime I throw in chili powder. Other times I use Tabasco. Gotta love Tabasco!

At the same time, sauté, steam, or roast the bell peppers in a separate pan. I like to drain off the water as I cook the bell peppers. After the peppers are cooked through, add to the chicken/steak mixture.

Warm whole wheat wraps in the microwave. Throw all the ingredients on the table and be creative. Don’t forget to save some for tomorrow!