Soy is great, but it does contain two natural hormones that act as obesognes. The big problem is we now have soy in everything. It's in many baked goods and even fried foods. Another offender? Fructose derived from corn. Cutting that one ingredient can change your body mass, because you're eliminating a massive amount of sugar from your diet.
Well, it's better than frying, but if you're not careful, grilling may become unhealthy. Choose fish and leaner cuts of beef instead of burgers. For chicken, grill them with the skin to prevent dryness, but remove the skin before serving. For flavor, try rubs, which are combination of dried herbs and spices with brown sugar. Mix cumin, paprika, black pepper, and chili powder for a Tex-Mex rub, or five-spice, garlic, and ginger powders for Asian one. After putting the spices on the meat, drizzle with olive oil and lemon. It will lessen the cancer-causing chemicals from charring.
You don't have to pump actual iron to build sexy lean muscle. A study found that resistance workouts using elastic tubing are just as effective as those using free weights. Most tubing is color coded by resistance level, and the more the band is stretched, the higher the resistance.
1. MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE (MSG) Used in moderation as a flavor enhancer, MSG should not pose a problem. But when you consume much food containing MSG (like junk food, seasoning, and processed food) or hydrolyzed protein, this is absorbed and immediately released into the bloodstream, causing the glutamate level in the body to go up around 20 times the normal level. This elevation hyper-excites the nerves and the transmission of impulses goes haywire.
The effects can range anywhere from a simple headache to life-threatening arrhythmia, a condition where your heart beats fast irregularly and sometimes stops. Other problems include sleepiness, anxiety, mental confusion, insomnia, stomach cramps, shortness of breath, chest pain, and palpitations.
2. ASPARTAME This artificial sweetener is found in many popular products. When ingested, it is converted into methanol then into formaldehyde (a.k.a. formalin; the stuff you use to embalm and preserve dead people and objects with). While the amount of aspartame in a serving of an artificially sweetened drink is not enough to cause major damage, there is a cumulative effect because it is hard to clear formalin from the system. With repeated intake of aspartame, there is accumulation of formalin in the system to the point that the body cannot clear it effectively in time to repair the DNA damage before new damage arises.
Researchers at the University of Miami have linked aspartame to pediatric and adolescent migraines. The University of Kansas has linked contact dermatitis of the eyelids due to formaldehyde derived from aspartame.
3. TRANS FAT Trans fat is oil that’s chemically modified to make food more solid, less likely to spoil, and seem less greasy. Its used in commercial fried foods (french fries), donuts, cakes, and junk food. On food labels, they’re known as hydrogenated oil or partially hydrogenated oil.
Trans fats cannot be digested by the human body. Several studies have shown that they elevate bad cholesterol, lower good cholesterol, make the arteries more rigid, and cause major clogging of arteries, insulin resistance, or contribute to Type 2 diabetes.
4. ARTIFICIAL INGREDIENTS Artificial ingredients include food coloring, preservatives, flavors, and a lot of other chemicals food manufacturers are not legally bound to declare on their food packaging. They are found in most processed food and beverages. The human body is not designed to process and eliminate them properly. They just circulate aimlessly in the bloodstream and get deposited in the liver, kidneys and other tissues.
5. CONTAMINANTS These are synthetic chemicals found in the environment that also make its way into food and water. They include pesticides, industrial chemicals, chemical residues, antibiotics and hormones from farm animals, and heavy metal. They have direct effects on the human physiology and lead to illnesses. Like artificial ingredients, they cannot be fully cleared by the body.
The American Dietetic Association gives these tips for cutting down on caffeine:
* Mix decaffeinated coffee in with regular coffee * Drink a latte with more low-fat milk than coffee * Brew tea for less time * Pick soft drinks without caffeine
A healthy adult can probably safely sip one 16-ounce energy drink per workout, but downing more could lead to health risks. These concoctions are packed with ingredients that aren't regulated by the FDA and can cause high blood pressure, restlessness, and dehydration. The beverages are extra dicey if you have a heart condition or other chronic disease, so get your doctor's OK before popping the lid.
If you'd like a tighter tush, start your workout with booty moves. Turns out, exercise order does matter. Researchers had one group work their chest and upper back before their triceps and biceps, while another group did the opposite routine. After 12 weeks, each group saw the best results in the muscles they worked first. Why? You tire as your workout progresses, making it harder to do a consistent number of reps and keep good form. This strategy works for all major muscle groups, so whether your goal is trim thighs or toned abs, hit the area first to get the results you want.
Andy is a fitness professional who designs effective fat loss programs for time-crunched individuals. He also runs his own successful Weight Loss BootCamp on the Isle of Man.
