Thursday 17 May 2012

PROGRESS MOTIVATION

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I've been doing really well lately with my workouts and diet and I can finally see some results. Although I do have cravings, I am pretty adament not to cave in to them. Have you noticed the only difference between crave and cave is the R. ;)

One thing I have changed in my eating though is the amount of fats I eat. I have upped it almost 100% and I can notice a big difference. Not only in my energy level but also on the way my weight is dropping. I've also upped my calories from around 1200 to about 15-1600. Protein level is still high but my carb count (and I eat A LOT of veggies) is around 30-35 gr per day. I train at least once a day and on my rest days (Friday and Sunday) I only take walks with the dog. So far I have dropped 3,3 kg in 2,5 weeks. Granted the first week it was mostly water weight, but damn it feels good anyway. The pounds have snuck their way in there again and I got comfortable with eating a little bit here and a little bit there. Nope. Not anymore! And no, it's not EASY to get up at 5:15 in the morning to go for a run and then do some strength workouts at home, all before going to work. And no it's not easy to say NO to those yummy afternoon snacks my colleagues or boss gets for all of us to munch on. And no it's not easy weighing and calculating EVERYTHING that passes my lips. But yes, I'm loving the reward. And the photo I've posted with this blog entry is now attached to my fridge because it keeps me focused. A healthy life is what I want. A fitter body is what i want. Sometimes it's a challenge, but if it wouldn't be, then it wouldn't change me. When you pray for strength, you get tested in order to show you've got the strength. Nothing comes for free. You've got to work for it. And the reward is so much sweeter in the end!

Wednesday 16 May 2012

WHEATGRASS: SUPER FOOD BENEFITS



Wheatgrass benefits: As its name suggests, Wheatgrass is a grass of little wheat plants. This is one of the most recommended health food supplements around, and is filled with enzymes, chlorophyll, minerals, and highly concentrated vitamins. Nutritionally, wheatgrass is a complete-package food. Wheatgrass juice and wheatgrass consuming in general, is a superb way to obtain dark green while eating. Wheatgrass is over twenty times thicker in nutrients than other vegetables choice. Since wheatgrass belongs to the grass stage, it’s still safer than white wheat consuming for people with wheat allergy. The juicing process allows to unlock extra nutrients from the wheatgrass, makes them much usable to the body cells and much more concentrated. One of the main wheatgrass benefits is chlorophyll, that has a chance to draw toxins in you body just like a magnet. Considered as the “blood of plants”, chlorophyll can heal and soothe inner tissues. The chlorophyll in wheatgrass has elevated levels of light energy and oxygen, which could supply the body tissues and the brain by having an optimal environment to function. The chlorophyll in wheatgrass also offers antibacterial property, which could stop the growth of parasites in your body.

Wheatgrass Builds Blood: Countless health experts have highlighted the chlorophyll molecule in wheatgrass as similare to  the hemoglobin molecule in the blood of humans. The single dissimilarity would be that the central aspect in hemoglobin is iron and in chlorophyll it is magnesium. For this inherent similarity, the body can certainly transform chlorophyll into hemoglobin enhancing the red blood cells count along with the blood’s ability to deliver oxygen along with other nutrients towards the body’s cells. Chlorophyll can stimulate the enzyme systems, promote higher metabolic process and release free oxygen, obliterate toxic carbon dioxide, normalize blood pressure level through dilating the blood pathways,and build red blood cells rapidly.

Wheatgrass Cleanses the Body: Wheatgrass juice and powder are very useful foods in terms of their cleansing capabilities. The powder and wheatgrass juice content are known to have around 100 separate elements, which for scientists name it a “complete food”. It is a good resource of carotene and vitamins B, C, E, that highly efficient in cleansing the body, eliminating free radicals and destroying it. It also has a high ability to cleanse the gastrointestinal tract, organs and the blood.

Wheatgrass Has High Amino Acid Content: Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, as you probably already know.  They are necessary to our cell regeneration and growth. The Amino acid that’s in the wheatgrass juice, is in a perfect form to be consumed by gym-goers, and some bodybuilders are integrating powdered or fresh wheatgrass juice into their diet as well. Wheatgrass juice contains a complete list of protein benefits such as valine, phenylalanine, tyrptophane, leucine, methionin, alanine, glycine, aspartic acid, lysine, absenisic, serine, and arginine.

Wheatgrass Fights and Protects against Illness: Consuming organic wheatgrass juices and powders is a very efficient way for boosting the immune system of the body, and recover from ailments and illnesses. Wheatgrass is also a good resource of 19 different amino acids and over 90 different minerals, contains vitamins C, E, H, and K and a large amount of vitamins B and beta carotene. It also contains many vigorous enzymes that play a main task in assisting hugely in weight loss, undertaking biological functions and breaking down fats.

 

Taken from MuscleSport Mag on Facebook.

Wednesday 2 May 2012

JUMPING JAX SMOOTHIE RECIPE

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I'm finally going to write down what my smoothie in the morning consists of. Don't be fooled by some of the ingredients, the smoothie tastes delish. You might have to experiment with how much of everything you want, but that's up to you. This is for your inspiration only. Use it as you please.

Water
Wheat bran
Pure lemon juice
Frozen berries
Whey protein powder
Raw cacao powder
Coconut oil or flakes
Ginger powder or raw root
Cinnamon
Turmeric
Spirulina
Wheatgrass
Mint

Mix it all in a blender and enjoy!

It's a lot of stuff, but my smoothie goes on autopilot now and I make sure I prep some of the dry ingredients all scooped into a cup the night before, that way I just dump it all into the blender in the morning. For the properties and benefits of these ingredients... well, let me just say it's all good for you! Unless you're wheat intolerant, but then u can add something else to substitute the fiber. And need I say most of it is organic. ;)

Let me know what you think.