Learning to heal with compassion and self love (A PTSD survivor's story)

Over the last few years, I've been on a journey.  Let my flow take me to the new discoveries I've needed at the time.  Over the last few months however, I've been putting a lot more effort into discovering tools and learning techniques in dealing with every day life.

I enrolled in yoga teacher training, and began seeking help from a therapist.  I knew there were things I was dealing with on a daily basis; I felt like I had a few roadblocks in the way of living a truly fulfilling life.  Before this I really had no way to identify a need inside of me.  I was typically a large jumble of emotions, never feeling like anything I did or anyone else did would be enough.  I felt unloveable.  I had an insatiable appetite for more.   More life, more breath, more chinese food, more anything that I could get my hands on.  I was always waiting for what was coming next, what was around the corner.  I had two coping mechanisms that had helped me get through some major life trials:  suppression and numbing.  My brain had gotten stuck on using these coping skills in almost every light stressor.  I realized that I wanted to branch out to learn different coping techniques.  And can say "thank you" to the coping mechanisms I've had in the past, because they helped me get through many many trials.  But as other survivors of trauma with PTSD can attest, I'm seeking ways to find other coping mechanisms.

I feel like I've spent a lot of time building bricks and foundation.   So far, I've been learning little things here and there.  Things like; yoga is my grounding balance.  Harry Potter can always distract from reality.  Best friends will always be a phone call away.  It's okay to reach out to others.  Chinese food is a coping mechanism.  Puppies are a coping mechanism.  Bubble Baths can be refilled over and over once hot water replenishes.  Sunshine is happy.  I am surrounded by love.  I am a powerful sorcerous.  The water will always call my name.  Going real fast on a road or dirt makes me feel alive.  Puppies love to lick tears.  A good cry feels AMAZING.  Getting a tattoo or my hair done makes me feel fresh.  Sometimes sleeping pills are necessary.  Buffy the Vampire Slayer always makes me feel empowered.  Protein drinks are powerful for when you have no appetite.  Purple and blue are my favorite nail colors.  I like to clean naked.  I lose myself in service.

All of these bricks and foundation are starting to find their home in the path that I'm building.  I'm starting to know when I need certain things.  Starting to pave that path with these valuable bricks I've been spending years making.

The greatest lesson that I've learned from a few months of therapy has been to stop judging everything I do.  I'm learning I don't have to try to validate or justify my own feelings and emotions.  They're my feelings and emotions.   I'm starting to be able to identify a need when it comes up, and I have some pretty awesome tools to use when that happens.  When I'm confronted with something negative, instead of hiding or shutting down (as was a way of coping in the past), here's the new gameplan (that will take a LOT of work).  (with strategies taught by Thich Nhat Hanh with an added "Amanda Grace" twist)
1) Say hello to this need and emotion.  Get REALLY curious, and honor that emotion.  (and realize that now might be a time to step away from a conversation until I can get my emotions back to a rational realm.  "Oh hello, abandonment button, let me take a moment to get really comfortable with you.")
2) Get to know the thought or emotion-- is it anxiety about the future, self-judging, bad memories?  Become very clear on the specific upset by identifying the exact thought that's adding discomfort.
3) After getting to know the thought, figure out the exact emotions that come up when I think of that.  What do they feel like?  Is my chest tightening?  Is my stomach turning?  Where is my breathing?
4) Once clearly identified, close my eyes (if appropriate) and put a picture to those thoughts.  Do they create colors, shapes, figures?  Are they abstract or clear?  It's important to let the thoughts and emotions create this imagery while I become aware of what they are.
5)BREATH (it's so much easier to suppress or distract myself from these emotions- or just think of something super positive)
6) VERY IMPORTANT.  Once I have the mental image in my thoughts and I can see what they look like (even if there's no image at all) picture myself holding the image (or lack thereof) in the way a mother holds a newborn baby.  Picture the image of my painful thought and emotion wrapped in a warm blanket, being held with very loving care closely to my heart, and extend these feelings and thoughts my very sincerest of compassions from my heart center.
7) Mentally, (or verbally) I'll say to the image that I know it's there and I promise to care for and hold it with compassion until it's ready to go, said from a very sincere place in my heart.

Through bringing our attention to the image of our painful thoughts and emotions, and tending to it with an open heart, we're doing the most natural thing we can -- -expressing LOVE.  Instead of ostracizing our uncomfortable thoughts and emotions and their unpleasant effects, we show them pure love, complete and inclusive love.  It's a love they've never known before.

After taking this process to recognize my feelings and needs, it's then time to show myself a little bit of self love, by using one of the bricks of strength I've been building.  Hop in the bathtub, cuddle some puppies, call on a friend, ask for something that I need from another person, do a few yoga poses, or just drink some water.  Choose to do something that is purely out of self love that will help shift my focus in a new direction.

I have 28 years of past needs that weren't met that have a tendency to pop up with the mention of a word, a sight, even a smell.  Instead of feeling bombarded and begging those around me to fulfill those needs, I have some beautiful tools to look into that needs face and really figure out what's going on.  This is a process that I know won't be easy.  It's a path that I know I'll be slow on, and fall off at times.  It's a path that feels has been brought into my life when I'm ready and needing a new way to cope and heal.

Five years ...

In 2009, at 22 years old, I weighed 205 lbs.  (As reference, I'm 5'6").  I was a size 18 (ish).  I was in a very unhealthy abusive relationship.  I was in a brand new city with absolutely no friends close by.  I was completely stuck.  There was no such thing as progression in my life.  It felt like every day was just another step, on a very autopilot destination to "somewhere else" though I had no idea where that somewhere else was.
On July 31st, I wrote a blog about a new "fad diet" my coworker was doing, that I decided "well why the hell not".  The diet was called HCG, and basically consisted of a mind blowingly low caloric intake (500 calories a day.... a DAY!).  It was a tough battle, but of course being on that restriction made it so I lost weight.  Drastic weight.  In about 51 days of that diet, I was transformed to 155 lbs.  (Might it also be noted that I weighed 193 when I started, as I'd managed to drop about 10 lbs on my own just by not eating out for a few months previous when I was buying my house.)  I was a size 10.  I hadn't been a size 10 even in high school.  This was the "smallest" I'd ever been since most likely junior high or even elementary school.
Five years later, I'm finding I'm still healing my body along with my soul.  I've had a very poor body image my entire life, and I've been putting a lot of work into reversing that over the past five years.  Today I hoover around 140 lbs (though honestly I try to not weigh myself as I go off of how fit I am, and how my body feels) and a size 6.  I do a lot of yoga.  All of the hobbies I've adopted are pretty physical in nature (try seeing how hungry you get after an entire day of snowboarding, or after biking for 30 miles).  I am living my life so colorfully.  I don't have to say no to trips climbing or kayaking because my body just isn't capable.  I'm able to say yes to so much "living".  It completely blows my mind when I look back on where I was, and can appreciate where I am today.  If I was able to turn my life around when I was in a place of such darkness, it makes me stoked to see what I can accomplish when I'm in such a healthier spot.
Five years ago I decided to take a shot at taking my life in a new direction.  Five years ago, my life was changed completely.

Life Trials

Some things in life simply don't make any sense.  They're just not fair.  Whether they be something that's impacted us that another person has done, health issues, or something you may have done yourself without fully thinking about the consequences.  We're human.  There are some things we just have absolutely no control over.  What separates us?  How we handle our lives when we are going through those trials.  Recognizing that you are the only one who controls your feelings, emotions, stress levels, happiness, etc etc is when you can set yourself free from the "control cycle". 
"Falling out of a posture means you are human; getting back into the posture means you are a yogi." - Bikram Choudhury

The Road Home

The Road Home

Hydration (it really is key)

Last Friday night I decided to do bikram, followed by an hour bouldering (like rock climbing, just on smaller walls, with no ropes and slightly harder in my opinion). Pretty intense work outs alone, but together it wasn't as exhausting as I had thought. Well I made a mistake. A big mistake. (Yes I'm human). I didn't properly hydrate between, during, before, or after these activities. I know better than this, however for some reason I didn't drink near enough water. Needless to say, my arms hurt more than they ever have. It took FOUR days for me to recover and be able to continue work on my arms and climb again. I knew it had to be the whole not enough hydration thing. So last night I did the same regime. Bikram at 4:30, downed a bottle of water during and right after, had a premier protein shake, and went climbing, drank another bottle of water throughout climbing. When I got home, oh there was another bottle of water downed (I drink from 24 oz water bottles). I forgot to mention that while at work, I consumed 3 full water bottles as well. (144 oz total that day). Ya know what? I'm not sore today. Well, my back is slightly sore, but that's because I climbed a 5.10 last night (the highest difficulty I've done yet).
Moral of the story: HYDRATE!!!!!
PS, it is difficult at first to get used to drinking that much water, and frequent bathroom breaks become annoying. My trick is I keep a water bottle with me wherever I go. I also try to eat foods that are high in water content (watermelon is a whopping 92% water!)
Here's the "science" behind it:
Two-thirds of the human body is made up of water. Although it is possible to go for a long time without food, people cannot live without water for more than a few days. Every cell and organ depends on water to perform essential functions. The water in your body performs the following functions:
Removes waste and toxins
Transports nutrients and oxygen
Controls heart rate and blood pressure
Regulates body temperature
Lubricates joints
Protects organs and tissue, including the eyes, ears, and heart
Creates saliva
Why it's important to athletes (I consider myself pretty athletic)
Hydration is essential to peak athletic performance. When you do not consume enough liquid or fresh fruits and vegetables to stay properly hydrated, you end up thirsty and light headed. Insufficient hydration fatigues your muscles, reduces your coordination and causes muscle cramps. While working out or playing sports, dehydration compromises the body's ability to cool itself through sweating. This leads to heat exhaustion and in extreme cases a potentially life-threatening condition called heat stroke.
Why it's important for weight loss:
Consume part of the water required for proper daily hydration before your meals to control your appetite according to a study by researchers from Virginia Tech and reported at the 2010 National Meeting of the American Chemical Society. Drinking 16 oz. of water before meals three times a day over a 12-week period increased average weight loss by about 5 lbs., compared with those who did not increase water intake. Researchers could not definitively say what caused the additional weight loss but speculate it fills up the stomach making you feel fuller.

Sexy underwear creates confidence

This one is dedicated to my sister Lara

According to research, when women wear the right underwear, they are more confident about their bodies and about their overall appearance.
Underwear comprises the most intimate part of our clothing but still has great social importance. It can stimulate different feelings on different occasions. Underwear can make you feel more womanly and they generate sensations and feelings of confidence.
So underwear, bras, camisoles and so on do become a tool of expression and a carrier of feelings. Feelings regarding your personal view of your body and sexuality. This has a lot to do with the fitting and the size of the lingerie. The key to what really makes lingerie look sexy is choosing the right size. If you don't you can feel miserable all day and it will even affect your confidence level througout the day.
Underwear can really add to you feeling good or bad. So when choosing you "women's intimates"; making sure that the fabric is soft and elegant is not the only factor, but also make sure you have the right size to make you feel sexy and self confident all day long.
At the end of the day if you felt confident that would have glowed off you, making other people interact more positively toward you as well. So choose your lingerie wisely!

Vegetarian Chili

Made this last night.... oh my heavens it's so yummy. The only modifications I made were adding lots more veggies, I added carrots, brocolli, green beans, cauliflower, mushrooms, more corn, more garlic, and peas. (Could make it even easier by adding frozen veggies) I also added just a tiny amount of water to make it a little less thick since I added so many more veggies. I'm so stoked for the left overs too!


Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 2 Hours
Ready In: 2 Hours 10 Minutes
Servings: 8
Nutritional Information
Amount Per Serving Calories: 260 Total Fat: 2g Cholesterol: < 1mg
"Grab your slow cooker and the ingredients for this wonderful chili and you have a party in the making. Everything goes into the cooker and emerges two hours later as vegetarian chili."
Ingredients:
1 (19 ounce) can black bean soup
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed
and drained
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, rinsed
and drained
1 (16 ounce) can vegetarian baked
beans
1 (14.5 ounce) can chopped tomatoes in
puree
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn,
drained
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder, or to taste
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried basil
Directions:
1.
In a slow cooker, combine black bean soup, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, baked beans, tomatoes, corn, onion, bell pepper and celery. Season with garlic, chili powder, parsley, oregano and basil. Cook for at least two hours on High

Why do you exercise?

Really, ask yourself this question. Is it because you want to lose weight? So you can eat whatever you want? So you don't feel bad about eating something? Because that's what you were told to do? If you answered yes to any of these questions (and I'm in the "yes" boat), I think these may not be the best motivators. I've lately been trying to change my mindset on why I do certain things. Why I eat healthy. Why I sleep. Why I spend time at the gym. Why I pick up new hobbies. Quite honestly the motivator behind most of these has been "to lose weight". Sure there are other motivators like it makes me feel good, but the main one has ALWAYS been "to lose weight". Well I'm stopping that cycle. Stopping it right in it's tracks. I'm going to yoga tonight to make myself feel better, to help with my knee, and try to flush out the cold I've had. I'm going to spend time with my good friend Brooke, to meet more people, and to see if I can push myself to hold that last pose longer. I'm going to my other gym before yoga because I wanna see how strong I can get my arms. I want to be able to climb outside and go on some awesome camping trips this summer. I'm working my legs so that they can stay strong for two days of snowboarding straight. These will be my motivators of why I'm active. Toning my body up is just a consequence- an awesome consequence. I'm sick of my weight controlling EVERYTHING in my life. I want to be fit so that I can enjoy everything this life has to offer-- and to keep up.

How to lose weight the Sparkly Self Love way…through glittery platforms, burlesque and good champagne!

You MUST go here to see this article. Such beautiful truths :)

Recipe to get over a cold.

It always seems as if there will be some slight road block in the way to fitness. This week's culprit? A stinkin cold.... After two days straight of snowboarding (and some sore legs) I fell asleep before trying to go to yoga-- woke up with my body saying "not so fast". Well here's the deal. I find if you LET yourself feel sick, you're going to feel sick. If you acknowledge that you're body isn't feeling the greatest, and start to take care of it, and yet basically IGNORE the fact you're sick, you can still get many things accomplished. I'm not letting this cold get in my way of doing what I love, staying active, however I'm also not going to let my active lifestyle make this cold stay longer than it should. Here's my tips on taking care of yourself with a cold.
1. VITAMIN C, I take 1,000mg every day, but when I have a cold, I double that (plus what's found in my other multi-vitamins I take.)
2. Echinacea, as soon as I start feeling those symptoms, I add a pill of echinacea to my daily vitamins, and make sure to sip echinacea tea as my bed-time ritual.
3. Orange juice! Except I drink Tropicana 50, less calories and sugar. I get hydration, AND vitamin C, and yummy yummy juice.
4. Hydrate! I always am sipping liquids when I start getting sick, I try to avoid coffee, and stick to herbal tea. My main hydration is soup, OJ, water, and herbal tea.
5. REST. This means I try to get around 9 hours of sleep a night when I'm sick, gotta let that body recover.
6. Harry Potter..... yep, I always watch Harry Potter when I'm sick, and it ALWAYS helps :)
7. If my symptoms are too bad (sinus pressure) I'll take Tylenol cold and sinus, I swear by that stuff!
8. Finally I try to not let my silly cold get in the way too much of my life. I still go to the gym, however I lesson my work outs intensely. I'll cut out cardio completely and focus on a lighter regime. I like to also do more yoga when I'm sick, I'm excited to see how Bikram helps me feel better.
I find if you focus on the fact you're sick, you're going to feel sick. Go about your life, get stuff done, and make sure you're taking care of your body at the same time! When you get better, make sure you acknowledge the hard work your body has done at fighting off that crap, and show your appreciation.
That's my recipe for getting over a cold :)

Women, running into trouble

By
John KieferPublished: November 7, 2011

Women: Running into Trouble


When I look at the fat guy in the gym wasting his time on forearm curls to lose weight, I don’t feel sympathy. The big tough guy getting stapled to the bench by 365 pounds, when just a second ago he couldn’t even handle 315 pounds — nope, no sympathy there either. The girl who spends thirty minutes bouncing between the yes-no machines (abductor and adductor machines), who is going to have trouble walking the next day — I can’t muster even an iota of pathos. Nobody told them to do these things. But then I watch my friend, Jessica, running on the treadmill, day after day, year after year, running like a madwoman and going nowhere. Her body seems to get softer with every mile and the softer she gets the more she runs. I do feel pity for her because everybody, everywhere has convinced her that running is the way to stay slim and toned.
There’s a Jessica in every gym and spotting one is easy. The woman that runs for an hour or more every day on the treadmill, who every month or so sets a new distance or time goal. Maybe the goal encompasses the treadmill workouts; maybe it will be her fifth fund-raising marathon; or maybe she’s competing with runners in Finland via Nike®. The goal doesn’t matter, because years of seeing her on the treadmill exposes the results: she’s still — I’m not going to sugar coat this — fat. Or worse, she’s fatter.
I tried to rescue my Jessica from the clutches of the cardio contingent, but to no avail until a month ago when she called to tell me that a blood test had confirmed her doctor’s suspicion: she had hypothyroidism — her body no longer made enough thyroid hormone. Her metabolism slowed to a snail’s pace and the fat was accumulating. Now she had a culprit to blame, it wasn’t the cardio causing her problems, it was her body rebelling. When Jessica asked my advice, I told her to do two things: schedule a second test for two weeks later and until then, stop all the goddamn running.
Don’t assume I’m picking on women or making fun. There are men out there who do the same, thinking cardio wipes away the gut resulting from regular weekend beer binges, but they are, in comparison, rare. I am targeting women for three very good reasons:
They are often intensely recruited for fund-raisers like Team-In-Training, lured by the promise of slim, trim health resulting from the month of cardio training leading to a marathon in addition to helping the charity in question
Some physique coaches prescribe 20-plus hours per week of pre-contest cardio for women (that’s a part-time job)
Steady-state endurance activities like this devastate a woman’s metabolism. It will devastate a man’s too, but in different ways.
There’s not much I hate in the fitness world — well, that’s not true, I hate most things about its present state, but at the top of the list is over-prescribed cardio. I’m not talking about walking or even appropriate HIIT cardio, but the running, cycling, stair climbing or elliptical variety done for hours at or above 65 percent of max heart rate, actually anaerobic threshold is a better measure, but not practical for day-to-day use.
Trashing steady-state cardio is nothing new and the better of the physique gurus figured this out a long time ago, but even then, they only apply the no-steady-state-cardio rule to contest preparation. The non-cardio coaches fail to state the most detrimental effect, one that applies specifically to women and is a primary reason many first-time or second-time figure and bikini competitors explode in weight when returning to their normal diet. It’s the same reason the Jessicas of the world run for hours per week with negative results. Studies demonstrate beyond any doubt that in women, cardio chronically shuts down the production of the thyroid hormone, T3.1-11
T3 is the body’s preeminent regulator of metabolism by throttling the efficiency of cells.12-19 T3 acts in various ways to increase heat production.20-21 As I pointed out, in Logic Does Not Apply: A Calorie Is A Calorie, this is one reason using static equations to perform calorie-in, calorie-out weight loss calculations doesn’t work—well, that’s why it’s stupid, actually. When T3 levels are normal, the body burns enough energy to stay warm and muscles function at moderate efficiency. Too much thyroid hormone (hyperthyroidism) and the body becomes inefficient making weight gain almost impossible. Too little T3 (hypothyroidism) and the body accumulates body fat with ease, almost regardless of physical activity level.
Women unknowingly put themselves into the hypothyroid condition because they perform so much steady-state cardio. In the quest to lose body fat, T3 levels can grant success or a miserable failure because of how it influences other fat-regulating hormones.22-31 In addition, women get all the other negative effects, which I’ll get to. Don’t be surprised or aghast. It’s a simple, sensible adaption of the body, especially a body equipped to bear the full brunt of reproducing.
Think about it this way: the body is a responsive, adaptive machine evolved for survival. If running on a regular basis, the body senses excessive energy expenditure and adjusts to compensate. Remember, no matter what dreamy nonsense we invent about how we hope the body works, its endgame is always survival. Start wasting energy running and the body reacts by slowing the metabolism to conserve energy. Decreasing energy output is biologically savvy for the body: survive longer while doing this stressful, useless activity — as the body views it. Decreasing T3 production, increases efficiency and adjusts metabolism to preserves energy quickly.
Nothing exemplifies this increasing efficiency better than how the body starts burning fuel. Training at a consistently plus-65 percent heart rate adapts the body to save as much body fat as possible. That’s right, after regular training, fat cells stop releasing fat during moderate-intensity activities like they once did.32-33 Energy from body fat stores decreases by a whopping 30 percent. 34-35 To this end, the body even sets into motion a series of reactions that make it difficult for muscle to burn fat at all.36-41 Instead of burning body fat, the body is taking extraordinary measures to hold on to it. Still believe cardio is the fast track to fat loss?
But wait. By acting now, you too can lose muscle mass. That’s right. No more muscle because too much steady-state cardio triggers the loss of muscle.42-45 This seems to be a two-fold mechanism, with heightened and sustained cortisol levels triggering muscle loss,46-56 which upregulates myostatin, a potent destroyer of muscle tissue.57 Oh yeah — say good bye to bone density too — it declines with the muscle mass and strength.58-64 And long-term health? Out the window as well. The percentage of muscle mass is an independent indicator of health.65 Lose muscle, lose bone, lose health—all in this nifty little package.
When sewn together, these phenomena coordinate a symphony of fat gain for most female competitors post-figure contest. After a month—or three—of cardio surpassing the 20 hours-per-week mark, fat-burning is at an astonishing low, and fat cells await an onslaught of calories to store.66-72 The worst thing imaginable in this state would be to eat whatever you wanted as much as you wanted. The combination of elevated insulin and cortisol would not only make you fat, but creates new fat cells so that you can become fatter than ever.73-80
I won’t name names, but I have seen amazing displays of gluttony from the smallest, trimmest women. Entire pizzas disappear leaving only the flotsam of toppings that fell during the feeding frenzy; appetizer, meal, cocktails, dessert—a paltry 4000 calories at The Cheesecake Factory vanish as the wait staff delivers each. A clean plate for each return to the buffet — hell with that, the only thing they’re taking to the food bar is a spoon and they’re not coming back. There are no leftovers; there are no crumbs. Some women catch it in time and stop the devastation, but others quickly swell and realize that the supposed off-season look has become their every-season look. And guess what they do to fix it: cardio for an hour every morning and another in the evening to hasten things…
The “cardio craze” — and it is a form of insanity — is on my hit list and I’m determined to kill it. I don’t know what else I can say. There are better ways to lose fat, be sexy and skinny for life, better ways to prepare for the stage. Women, you need to get off the damn treadmill; I don’t care what you’re preparing for. Stop thinking a bikini-body is at the end of the next marathon or on the other side of that stage. It’s not if you use steady-state cardio to get there — quite the opposite. The show may be over, the finish line might be crossed, but the damage to your metabolism is just starting.
Don’t want to stop running, fine. At the very least stop complaining about how the fat won’t come off the hips and thighs or the ass. You’re keeping it there.
What about Jessica, my friend who’s dilemma spawned this article? Luckily she took my suggestion and cut the cardio. Two weeks later, her T3 count was normal. Who would have guessed?
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Cabbage Fat-Burning Soup

I've heard of several forms of this "diet" where all you do is eat this soup..... well I'm not feelin up to a diet of just soup, however this soup does look like it'd be quite tasty. Add beans or chick peas or lean meat for protein. Can be made vegetarian by exchanging beef broth for veggie broth (make sure your onion soup is vegetarian as well, if not, leave it out and add a few extra spices of your choice!)

"A package of onion soup mix flavors the tomato broth in which six different vegetables are combined with shredded cabbage in this fat free, low-calorie soup."

Ingredients:
5 carrots, chopped
3 onions, chopped
2 (16 ounce) cans whole peeled
tomatoes, with liquid
1 large head cabbage, chopped
1 (1 ounce) envelope dry onion soup mix
1 (15 ounce) can cut green beans,
drained
2 quarts tomato juice
2 green bell peppers, diced
10 stalks celery, chopped
1 (14 ounce) can beef broth

Directions:
1.
Place carrots, onions, tomatoes, cabbage, green beans, peppers, and celery in a large pot. Add onion soup mix, tomato juice, beef broth, and enough water to cover vegetables. Simmer until vegetables are tender. May be stored in the refrigerator for several days

White Chili with Ground Turkey

White Chili with Ground Turkey

Amount Per Serving Calories: 396 Total Fat: 17.3g Cholesterol: 92mg (recipe as listed, including cheese)

Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 30 Minutes
Ready In: 45 Minutes
Servings: 8

"Browned ground turkey and cannellini beans are combined with green chilies, onion and garlic in this chicken stock based soup seasoned with cumin, oregano and cinnamon. Serve with grated jack cheese."

Ingredients:
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
2 (4 ounce) cans canned green chile
peppers, chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
ground cayenne pepper to taste
ground white pepper to taste
3 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans
5 cups chicken broth (reduce for less sodium and less "soupy" texture)
2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese (optional)

Directions:
1.
In a large pot over medium heat, combine the onion, garlic and ground turkey and saute for 10 minutes, or until turkey is well browned. Add the chile peppers, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, cayenne pepper to taste and white pepper to taste and saute for 5 more minutes.
2.
Add two cans of the beans and the chicken broth to the pot. Take the third can of beans and puree them in a blender or food processor. Add this to the pot along with the cheese. Stir well and simmer for 10 minutes, allowing the cheese to melt. (serve cheese on side if eating with others to add to their own bowls)

Bikram Yoga

As a yoga enthusiast, I've tried quite a few different forms of yoga, but my newest adventure has been with BIKRAM YOGA in particular. I've had a pretty wicked (alright, maybe I'm just a baby) knee injury from snowboarding, and have been itching to get into something that will help my injury heal. A local bikram studio offers a new studen special of just $39.00 a month for unlimited classes. This is exactly what my knee needs right now. I've done my first session and have already seen great results, was able to achieve more than I thought, and have a revised sense of "wellness". I still will continue to work upper body, but can now engage some muscles I haven't been able to use for the last two weeks and see about getting my body back on track to continue training. Before I began Bikram, I did my normal research of something I'm unfamiliar in, here's what I found:
Wikipedia says:
Bikram Yoga's goal is general health and Bikram Choudhury says that the heated studio helps deeper stretching and injury prevention, while reducing stress and tension. Bikram claims that his system stimulates and restores health to every muscle, joint, and organ of the body. Bikram's Yoga claims to increase circulation to all organs in the body, and that this helps in the prevention of heart disease and organ failure. According to Choudhury, many people only use up to 50 percent of their lung capacity and thus the lungs must be stretched in order to withstand holding more oxygen. In a 2007 interview, Choudhury stated that when one is practicing pranayama she or he will eventually be able to enhance oxygen conversion and absorption, as well as improve blood circulation, as in many other forms of cardiovascular activity.
Choudhury claims that blood circulation is affected immensely during Bikram Yoga because of two processes called extension and compression. These two dynamics are said to work together to deliver fresh blood to every joint, muscle, and organ within the body. While performing a specific asana (pose), the practitioner stretches or compresses a certain part of the body, thus cutting off circulation temporarily. This restriction of circulation is believed to cause the heart to pump more blood in reaction to the shortage. The pumping of excess, fresh blood is called extension. Once the asana is complete and the individual comes out of the posture, it is claimed that the new oxygenated blood is able to rejuvenate the arteries that were being compressed. Many of the postures massage the lymphatic system and aid in lymphatic drainage, assisting to eliminate infection, bacteria, and toxins. Other styles of yoga also promote this theory (cf: B.K.S. Iyengar's "squeeze and soak" analogy regarding the effects of deep twists on the internal organs).
Benefits
Weight loss: the amount of calories burned per session varies from person to person, but estimates range between 500 and 1250 depending upon intensity of practice and other factors.

This seems a little bare on the benefits right?! Right. Hooray for calories burned, but I really care about what other benefits I'm getting, here's more of what I found.
BENEFITS:
Reshapes your body
Restores flexibility
Tones, strengthens, and lengthens your muscles
Strengthens your spine
Improves circulation
Reduces risk of sports injury
Achieves relief from pain
Reduces your weight – lose pounds by balancing your metabolism
Raises energy level
Diminishes the effects of stress
Increases balance, coordination, focus and discipline
Clears your mind
Calms your soul
Ensures healthy and balanced functioning of the skeletal, muscular, circulatory, nervous, digestive, elimination, respiratory, endocrine, and mental systems of the body
BENEFITS OF THE HEAT:
Warms the muscles for greater flexibility
Helps achieve a deeper stretch
Flushes toxins from the body
Improves efficiency of the immune system
Creates a cardiovascular workout
Burns calories
Builds endurance

Yep, pretty sure I need all of this in my life. On a personal note, I'll be doing about 5 bikram sessions a week for the next four weeks, and I'll continue to work on my goal of climbing, and training for the Spartan. (which means before bikram I'll be at the gym, and when I'm not at bikram, I'll be snowboarding) I've decided that my social life may become a little bare, however the benefits my BODY, MIND, AND SOUL will be gaining far outweigh the late nights out and feeling less than 100%.

How to Counter The Many Negatives of Aerobic Training

Came across this article the other day, thought I'd share, to my own person regime I'll be adding creatine, anti-oxidents and Omega-3's to my diet, and making sure to focus more on anaerobic training. I have six months to train for the Spartan Race, and to get ready for outdoors climbing!

How to Counter The Many Negatives of Aerobic Training

original article can be found here
by Charles Poliquin11/8/2011 4:35:40 PM

Aerobic training has many negative health effects, and being as more than 45,000 people ran the New York City Marathon on Sunday, this topic is more important than ever. Aerobic training stresses the adrenals, chronically raises cortisol, may lower testosterone, may hinder reproduction, can shrink reproductive organs, causes oxidative stress, and results in persistent inflammation. It lowers peak power output, makes you slower, and leads to a catabolic state in the body if you perform it regularly without any resistance training.
Research scientists and athletic coaches have begun to express concern about the negative health effects of aerobic training, particularly for aerobic endurance athletes who put themselves under high daily physiological stress for prolonged periods. In fact, they’ve started to look for strategies to minimize the many negatives of aerobic training, and luckily there are some things that work! Adding strength training to an aerobic program, practicing martial arts, and supplementing with specific antioxidants and nutrients can actually do wonders to counteract the negatives of aerobic exercise. Of course, it would be easier to just stop the aerobic exercise and substitute it with strength and anaerobic system training for better results and fewer negative health effects. But, since doctors and health professionals continue to recommend aerobic exercise, and even Apolo Ohno has taken up endurance running and competed in the New York City Marathon, this trend towards aerobic exercise doesn’t seem to be diminishing. And there are still some common misconceptions about aerobic exercise, as you can see by reading the comments to my recent article, The (Many) Negative Effects of Aerobic Training, about why aerobic training is bad.
In this article, I will address the confusing aspects of the negatives of aerobic training, and provide some simple things aerobic endurance trainees can do to minimize the negative health effects and improve performance. Coaches and trainers who work with elite aerobic athletes should take note because these are research-proven ways to better performance and wellness for your athletes.
Short Review of the Bad News About Aerobic TrainingLong-term aerobic training, both at an elite level and at a recreational intensity, has been shown to lead to chronic inflammation and elevated cortisol. Chronic inflammation is bad because it results in premature aging of tissues and has been linked to heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. For the recreational population that may perform anywhere from 20 to 45 minutes of aerobic training a few days a week, aerobic training typically leads to elevated cortisol, lower androgen hormones, increased inflammation, and does little to help with fat or weight loss. “The effect of regular aerobic exercise on body fat is negligible,” writes researcher Stephen H. Boutcher in his article “High-Intensity Intermittent Exercise and Fat Loss.” ?
Aerobic training doesn’t help with fat loss because it creates a hormonal environment that degrades muscle, spikes cortisol, and even though you’re burning calories, the deficit is rarely enough to offset the catabolic hormonal environment. Plus, if you’re doing aerobic training on exercise machines, you may suffer from lower insulin sensitivity from exposure to “dirty electricity” or the electromagnetic frequency bands that are generated by cardio machines and other forms of electrical power. The situation is slightly different for elite or long distance aerobic endurance athletes. Research shows they suffer from an even greater catabolic hormonal state with significantly high cortisol levels from the intense physiological stress of training. They also have lower testosterone and androgens. High cortisol and exposure to inflammatory biomarkers has researchers and coaches concerned about the residual health effects for endurance athletes and they have started to look for ways to counter the negatives. Body Fat and Elite Aerobic AthletesElite aerobic athletes do tend to have lower body fat compared to the rest of the population, but research shows that anaerobic athletes such as sprinters have even lower body fat than long distance runners. This is because they have more muscle, which helps burn fat, and because they do sprints that also burn fat. Also, studies show endurance athletes who perform strength training as part of the program have lower body fat than those who don’t. Benefits of Aerobic Training for Sedentary PeopleThere are some benefits of aerobic exercise for sedentary people and specific populations, but there are also negatives that can be avoided if you just choose a different mode of exercise—strength and anaerobic system training. The key here is that it is better to do aerobic training than to do absolutely nothing and be sedentary. So, if you only have two options, of being sedentary and not moving, or doing 30 minutes of aerobic training, by all means, do the aerobic training. But, you’ll get better results if you do strength training instead, or in addition to the aerobic training.To review, the bad news about aerobic training is that it doesn’t help the everyday person lose fat; it elevates cortisol, lowers androgens, degrades muscle, lowers power, and increases inflammation if done for a prolonged period. Now for the good news! Take Antioxidants to Reduce Inflammation and Oxidative StressGet as many antioxidants in your diet as possible to fight inflammation and oxidative stress. Oxidative stress occurs when the body produces free radicals in response to the oxygen-rich environment created by increased respiration that goes with aerobic training. The free radicals need to be neutralized; otherwise, they damage cells and cause premature aging, which leads to chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation has been termed “the silent killer” and is caused by a lot of “unhealthy” behaviors, such as having a diet high in trans fats or gluten, and being sedentary. People are often surprised to hear that a “healthy” behavior such as aerobic exercise can cause chronic inflammation, but it does. Research performed on rats has shown that the negative effects of intense aerobic training can be mitigated by taking antioxidants, specifically vitamin E, selenium, and zinc. A study in the journal Free Radical Research found that vitamin E has a protective effect against oxidative stress in rats that performed intense aerobic swimming. In contrast, the control group rats that did not receive the vitamin E supplement had decreased size of the reproductive organs (testes and accessory sex organs), lower testosterone and related androgen markers, and inflammation and dysfunction of the reproductive organs. Researchers suggest that vitamin E elevates scavenger enzyme activity and gets rid of free radicals, effectively detoxifying the reproductive system of oxidative chemicals. Take note that the rats performed intense amounts of aerobic swimming—three hours a day, five days a week for four weeks, which is in line with what someone might perform running-wise to prepare for a marathon. And, elite aerobic athletes do this quantity of exercise regularly for many years. A second study using zinc and selenium for the antioxidants supports these findings. The same intense aerobic exercise protocol was used and the rats who received no supplement had the same harmful effects on their reproductive systems, and they were also found to be significantly less fertile due to the low testosterone and fewer fertile sperm. Their cortisol was also very high. Researchers suggest the antioxidants had a strong stimulatory effect on production of sperm and the androgen hormones, supporting fertility. Zinc and selenium also fought the free radical attack, effectively lowering the inflammatory response. A 2001 Sports Medicine review of antioxidant use to counter oxidative stress from aerobic training supports the use of antioxidants, of which vitamin E is most commonly tested and most effective. Antioxidant mixtures of beta carotene and the vitamins C and E also appear to be protective. Results from human studies haven’t been as conclusive as those performed on rats because with animal studies the experiment can be more closely controlled and the animals are forced to complete very intense long duration aerobic exercise, whereas with humans there are more unknown factors. Also, diet, genetic disposition, and exercise history can result in a significant variation in the inflammatory effects of aerobic exercise. For aerobic athletes, the potential for protection from antioxidant supplementation is “tremendous” and “consumption of a diet rich in different antioxidants is a prudent course of action,” conclude researchers from the 2001 Sports Medicine review. In addition to the nutrients already mentioned, it is possible magnesium, probiotics, gotu kola, and vitamin D will also help counter oxidative stress from training. Eating fruits high in antioxidants, such as berries, particularly raspberries, strawberries, and tart cherries is recommended because they have been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects in athletes. Perform Strength Training Everybody should perform strength training. Naturally, the type and protocol of the training will vary according to goals, age, and health complications, but everyone will benefit from exercises that improve strength, especially endurance athletes and aerobic devotees. Researchers have suggested that because strength training lowers chronic inflammation and provides protection against oxidative stress, it is an ideal solution for coaches and athletes who are concerned about free radical-mediated damage from exercise. This means that simply adding strength training to an aerobic exercise program may counter many of the negatives of aerobicsOne recent study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research compared the inflammatory response of two resistance training protocols after six weeks. Both a hypertrophy and strength protocol were effective at reducing oxidative stress and lowering inflammatory biomarkers over pre-training levels. Researchers found that both protocols resulted in lower inflammation, and they suggest that endurance athletes perform resistance training rather than supplement with antioxidants to decrease oxidative stress.Aerobic Athletes Will Lose Body Fat & Improve Performance by Strength TrainingAnother new study in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports shows how adding a strength protocol into aerobic training programs will improve performance and lead to a better body composition for elite aerobic athletes. The study didn’t directly test for oxidative stress or cortisol but it measured body fat, muscle cross sectional area, and short- and long-term endurance capacity in two groups of elite aerobic cyclists: an aerobic-only group that just performed their normal training and an aerobic/strength group that performed normal training with a strength program for 16 weeks. Researchers found that the aerobic/strength group decreased body fat significantly by an average of two percent from 12 to 10 percent, while body fat remained unchanged in the aerobic-only group. Other significant improvements in the aerobics/strength group that weren’t seen in the aerobics-only group were increased quadriceps strengths by 12 percent, better performance in a 45-minute time trial, and slightly better performance in a 5-minute time trial. There were no negative effects of strength training for the aerobic/strength group, such as increased body weight or hypertrophy—both common concerns because elite aerobic athletes mistakenly believe that gaining strength will make them slower. A study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research provides potent evidence for never doing aerobic training without also performing strength training. The article is a review of all previously published evidence on the effects of combining aerobic and strength training. The study found that adding strength training to aerobic programs increased performance, strength, and power. In contrast, the main negative was that aerobic training alone compromised power output. It’s especially critical that athletes in sports such as basketball, football, tennis, ice hockey, and volleyball be able to produce peak power, meaning they should never do aerobic training. Rather, interval sprints are ideal for conditioning and will produce less oxidative stress and a better hormonal response. Sprints have been shown to raise growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor-1, and produce a favorable testosterone to cortisol ratio. Obviously, if you plan to run 26 miles in a marathon, sprint training alone will not be effective. Instead, add strength training to your regular aerobic training and you’ll have a better hormonal response, and less body fat, according to the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research review mentioned above. Aerobic athletes who added strength training to their programs lost body fat, while aerobic training alone did not lead to fat loss. Practice Judo or Martial ArtsStart practicing judo or a similar martial art to increase antioxidant capacity and decrease oxidative stress. A study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that practicing judo can increase resting antioxidant levels that counteract the oxidative stress produced during strenuous exercise. Researchers compared the effects of a mixed exercise protocol that included an all-out sprint Wingate test followed by 30 minutes of aerobic exercise at 60 percent of maximal aerobic power in judokas and sedentary subjects. Both groups had similarly elevated free radical levels after the exercise test, but the judokas had much greater total antioxidant status at all time points before and after the test than the sedentary group. The judokas’ elevated antioxidant levels indicate a protective effect against the oxidative stress of aerobic exercise. This is the same positive health effect that strength training provides for aerobic trainees, and it’s likely that yoga or other martial arts, such as tae kwon do, will also elevate antioxidants to counteract the many negatives of aerobic training. Such practices may also lower cortisol if they have a calming effect on the body Take Creatine to Lower Inflammation and Oxidative Stress Take creatine to lower inflammatory biomarkers and oxidative stress from aerobic training. There are all kinds of benefits from supplementing with creatine because it is the first energy source called on by the body—it’s been shown to increase work capacity and power, elevate protein synthesis after strength training, improve skill execution when tired, and lower oxidative stress from aerobic training. Recent research shows creatine can inhibit oxidative stress markers following acute aerobic exercise in rats. A study in Amino Acids found that giving creatine to rats that performed moderate aerobic exercise raised antioxidant levels in the blood, which resulted in lower oxidative stress and less lipid peroxidation than a control group that got no creatine. A second study in the European Journal of Applied Physiology tested different inflammatory biomarkers and found similarly protective effects from creatine supplementation after aerobic exercise. In both cases, researchers think that creatine increased antioxidant capacity that was able to scavenge the free radicals. Although these studies showed creatine to be effective to counter the inflammatory response of acute training, it is applicable to the longer term negative effects of aerobic training as well. Evidence into the role of creatine on chronic inflammation without aerobic training supports this. One study in the British Journal of Nutrition showed that adding creatine to the diet of rats resulted in greater blood antioxidant content and lower inflammatory biomarkers than a control group that did not consume additional creatine. Supplement With Omega-3s to Reduce Inflammation Omega-3s are a well accepted supplement to fight inflammation from many sources, and they have been shown to significantly lower oxidative stress markers from aerobic endurance exercise. There are at least 40 studies in the last two years supporting the protective effect of omega-3s on oxidative stress. In fact, the New York City Marathon organizers should give all runners a bottle of omega-3s to combat the damage they are doing to their bodies by running 26 miles. A 2009 study in Lipids in Health and Disease measured the effect of omega-3 supplementation on inflammatory biomarkers in men with a history of performing aerobic training. Researchers note that the oxidative stress caused by training can overwhelm the body’s available antioxidant defenses and damage tissues—especially reproductive organs. The subjects in this study were males who exercised at least three days a week for 30 minutes. They were given a total of 4000 mg of omega-3s daily for six weeks, while continuing to perform their regular aerobic exercise. The group that took the omega-3s had lower resting levels of inflammation after six weeks than a control group that did not supplement. Researchers suggest the protective effects of the omega-3s may have been greater if participants had regularly done more intense aerobic training—in this study their training wasn’t monitored, it just had to be three days a week for thirty minutes.
Top Five Ways To Protect Yourself From the Negatives of Aerobic Training1) Do strength and anaerobic training instead. 2) Do strength training in addition to your aerobic training. 3) Get lots of antioxidants: vitamin E, selenium, zinc, red raspberries, tart cherries, etc. 4) Take creatine.5) Take omega-3s.References:Sen, Chandan. Antioxidants in Exercise Nutrition. Sports Medicine. 2001. 31(13), 891-908. Michigan, A., Johnson, T., et al. Review of the Relationship between C-Reactive Protein and Exercise. Molecular Diagnosis and Therapy. October 2011. 15(5), 265-275.
Manna, I., Jana, K., Samanta, P. Intensive Swimming Exercise-Induced Oxidative Stress and Reproductive Dysfunction in Male Wistar Rats: Protective Role of Alpha-Tocopherol Succinate. Canadian Journal of Applied Physiology. April 2004. 29(2), 172-185.
Cakir-Atabek, H., Demir, S., Pinarbassili, R., Bunduz, N. Effects of Different Resistance Training Intensity on Indices of Oxidative Stress. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. September 2010. 24(9), 2491-2498.
Walsh, N., Gleeson, M., et al. Position Statement. Part One: Immune Function and Exercise. Exercise Immunology Review. 2011. 17, 6-63
Wilson, J., Marin, P., et al. Concurrent Training: A Meta Analysis Examining Interference of Aerobic and Resistance Exercise. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. October 2011. Published Ahead of Print.
Boutcher, Stephen H. High-Intensity Intermittent Exercise and Fat Loss. Journal of Obesity. 2011. http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jobes/2011/868305/
Shojaei, E., Farajoy, A., et al. Effect of Moderate Aerobic Cycling on Some Systemic Inflammatory Markers in Healthy Active Collegiate Men. International Journal of General Medicine. January 2011. 24(2), 79-84.
Jana, K., Samanta, P., Manna, I., Ghosh, P., Singh, N., Khetan, R., Ray, B. Protective Effect of Sodium Selenite and Zinc Sulfate on Intensive Swimming-Induced Testicular Gamatogenic and Steroidogenic Disorders in Mature Male Rats. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism. October 2008. 33(5), 903-914.
Marzatico, F., Pansarasa, O., et al. Blood Free Radical Antioxidant Enzymes and Lipid Peroxides Following Long-Distance and Lactacidemic Performances in Highly Trained and Aerobic and Sprint athletes. Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness. 1997. 37, 235-239.
Packer, L. Oxidants, Antioxidant Nutrients, and the Athlete. Journal of Sports Science. June 1997. 15(3), 353-363.
Martarelli, D., Verdenelli, M., et al. Effect of a Probiotic Intake on Oxidant and Antioxidant Parameters in Plasma of Athletes During Intense Exercise Training. Current Microbiology. June 2011. 62(6), 1689-1696.
Skoluda, N., Dettenborn, L., et al. Elevated Hair Cortisol Concentrations in Endurance Athletes. Psychoneuroendocrinology. September 2011. Published Ahead of Print.
Gleeson, Michael. Immune Function in Sport and Exercise. Journal of Applied Physiology. February 2007. 103(2), 693-699.
Bloomer, R., Larson, D., et al. Effect of Eicosapentaenoic and Docosahexaenoic Acid on Resting and Exercise-Induced Inflammatory and Oxidative Stress Biomarkers: A Randomized, Placebo Controlled, Cross-Over Study. Lipids in Health and Disease. August 2009. 8(36).
Oostenbrug, G., Mensink, R., et al. Exercise Performance, Red Blood Cell Deformability, and Lipid Peroxidation: Effects of Fish Oil and Vitamin E. Journal of Applied Physiology. 1997. 83(3), 746-752.
Deminice, R., Portari, V., et al. Effects of Creatine Supplementation on Homocysteine Levels and Lipid Peroxidation in Rats. The British Journal of Nutrition. 2009. 102, 110-116.
Deminice, R., Vannucchi, H., et al. Creatine Supplementation Reduces Increased Homocysteine Concentration Induced by Acute Exercise in Rats. European Journal of Applied Physiology. 2011. 111, 2663-2670.
Deminice, R., Jordao, A. Creatine Supplementation Reduces Oxidative Stress Biomarkers After Acute Exercise in Rats. Amino Acids. October 2011. Published ahead of Print.
Abed, K., Rebai, H., Bloomer, R., Trabelsi, K., Masmoudi, L., Zbidi, A., Sahnoun, Z., Hakim, A., Tabka, Z. Antioxidant Status and Oxidative Stress at Rest and in Response to Acute Exercise in Judokas and Sedentary Men. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. August 2011. 25(9), 2400-2409.
Taixeira, V., Valente, H., Casal, S., Marques, F., Moreira, P. Antioxidant Status, Oxidative Stress and Damage in Elite Trained Kayakers and Canoeists and Sedentary Controls. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. October 2009. 19(5), 443-456. Ghosh, D., Das, U., et al. Protective Effect of Provitamin D in Cyclophosphamide Induced Testicular Gametogenic and Steroidogenic Disorders: a Correlative Approach to Oxidative Stress. Free Radical Research. 2002. 36(11), 1209-1218. Aagaard, P., Andersen, J., et al. Effects of Resistance Training on Endurance Capacity and Muscle Fiber Composition in Young Top-Level Cyclists. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports. March 2011. Published Ahead of Print.
Martarelli, D., Verdenelli, M., et al. Effect of a Probiotic Intake on Oxidant and Antioxidant Parameters in Plasma of Athletes During Intense Exercise Training. Current Microbiology. June 2011. 62(
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Metabolism Myths

Google the word metabolism and you'll find nearly 45 million results on how to "speed up," "ignite," "kick start," and "boost" your body's fat burning capacity. The truth is, there are probably more myths about metabolism than there are about the Loch Ness Monster and Bigfoot. The reality is your body burns between 2 to 5% fewer calories with each decade after you turn 40, and women tend to put on about a pound a year as a result. Simple tweaks to your daily routine can help you keep up your calorie burn and compensate for the deficit, keeping you from succumbing to age related weight gain. Here are some of the most common Myths.

1.Your body burns more calories digesting ice cold beverages and foods.

True. Before you give yourself an ice cream headache, the small difference in calories won't make a significant dent in your diet. On the bright side, five or six ice cold glasses of water could help you burn about 10 extra calories a day equaling about 1 pound of nearly effortless weight loss each year.
Tip Although the metabolism boosting effects are small, it can't hurt to pour no calorie drinks like water, tea, coffee over ice to maximize your body's calorie burning potential.

2.Drinking the right amount of water can help you burn more calories.

True. All of your body's chemical reactions, including your metabolism, depend on water. If you are dehydrated, you may be burning up to 2% fewer calories. People who drink either eight or twelve 8 ounce glasses of water a day have a higher metabolic rate than those who drink only four.
Tip If your urine is darker than light straw in color, you may not be drinking enough fluid. Try sipping one glass before each meal and snack to stay hydrated.

3.Dieting drops your resting metabolic rate, making it harder to keep weight off.

True. For every pound you lose, your resting metabolism drops by about 2 to 10 calories a day. Lose 10 pounds, and you now have to eat 20 to 100 fewer calories to maintain your trimmer physique, not factoring in exercise. However, you can prevent your metabolic rate from slipping while you get slim. One way is to lose fat but maintain muscle. You can do this by reducing calories and increasing aerobic and weight training exercises. Crash diets that have you eating fewer than 1,000 calories a day, may result in a higher percentage of muscle loss.
Tip Lose weight by cutting 250 calories a day and burning 250 calories per day through exercise. That will help you retain or even gain muscle while you lose a greater percentage of body fat.

4.Hot foods will fire up metabolism.

True. Capsaicin, the bioactive compound that makes Chile peppers exude heat, and can turn up your metabolism a notch and helps to reduce hunger. Eating about 1 tablespoon of chopped red or green Chile peppers is equal to 30 mg of capsaicin which can temporary boost your metabolism 23%. 0.9 g of red pepper was given in capsule form or naturally in tomato juice before each meal. This reduced the total calorie intake by 10 to 16% and continued for 2 days after.
Tip Sprinkle red pepper flakes onto pasta dishes and into chilies and stews. Fresh Chile peppers work well in salsas and add flavor to many other dishes.

5. Eating more protein will rev up your metabolism.

True. Protein provides a metabolic advantage compared with fat or carbohydrates because your body uses more energy to process it. This is known as the Thermic effect of food. You may burn up to twice as many calories digesting protein as carbohydrates. In a typical diet, 14% of calories come from protein. Double that and reduce carbohydrates to make up for the extra calories, and you can burn an additional 150 to 200 calories a day.
Tip To get the best of protein's rewards, strive for between 10 and 20 g at each of your meals. Try an 8 ounce cup of low fat plain yogurt with breakfast (about 13 g), a 1/2 cup serving of hummus with lunch (about 10 g), and a 3 ounce salmon fillet for dinner (about 17 g).

6. Eating a grapefruit before every meal speeds metabolism.

False. Grapefruit won't work miracles for your metabolism, but it can help you lose weight. Half a grapefruit before meals may help to lose about 4 pounds in 12 weeks. The reason: Its fiber and water fill you up on fewer calories, so you eat less at your next meal.
Tip Instead of soup or salad, try a half a grapefruit, or a tangerine before your main course.

7. Lifting weights boosts your metabolism more than a cardio workout.

True. When you strength train using weights, enough to add 3 pounds of muscle, you increase your calorie burn by 6 to 8% meaning that you burn about 100 extra calories every day. Aerobic exercise, on the other hand, doesn't significantly increase your body's lean muscle mass. "
Tip You want to focus on exercises that recruit the largest muscles and use two part movements, because they will help you build more lean mass. These exercises include squats, push ups, and any exercise that combines upper and lower body movements.

8. Celery is a "negative calorie food" because digesting it uses up more calories than it provides.

False. The thermic effect of food does cause your body to burn up calories as it processes meals, snacks, and beverages. But this process accounts for anywhere from 0 to 30% of the calories you eat (protein, for example, takes more calories to digest than fat or carbohydrates) A medium size piece of celery has only about 6 calories; and its thermic effect is approximately half a calorie. In reality, negative calorie foods are nothing more than wishful thinking.
Tip Include celery as a low calorie but filling addition to salads, stir fries, and soups. You may not be able to depend on it to magically melt away your trouble spots but it is healthy because it has phthalides, compounds that can help reduce your blood pressure.

9. Tea revs your natural calorie burn.

True. Catechins found in green and oolong teas can boost your body's fat burning fire. Just one large cup of oolong tea may increase calorie burning by up to 10%, a boost that peaked 1 1/2 hours later. Green tea raises metabolism by 4% for 1 1/2 hours. Drinking two to four cups of green or oolong daily may translate into an extra 50 calories burned each day about 5 pounds' worth in a year.
Tip Try a cup of green or oolong tea in place of your morning coffee for a dose of caffeine that will wake up your metabolism as well. Instead of milk or sweetener, add a squeeze of lemon, which may help your body absorb more catechins.

10. PMS cravings are related to the boost in metabolism before your period.

True. If there is a silver lining to PMS, it's that your resting metabolic rate may increase the day after ovulation to the first day of your period. The metabolic boost you get from being "hormonal" can equal as much as 300 calories a day which is why your appetite increases during this phase.
Tip Keep a journal of what you eat the week before and the weeks after your period. Try to maintain your eating pattern over the course of the month so that you can take advantage of this hormone driven calorie burn. If you give in to cravings, make sure that you keep portions in check.

11. If you have limited time, exercise at a higher intensity for a metabolic after burn.

True. When you exercise at very high intensity you experience a post exercise boost in resting metabolic rate that is larger and lasts longer compared with those who work out at a low or moderate level. Up the effort of your workout and you can expect to burn at least 10% of the total calories used during the workout in the hour or so after exercising. So, if you do a combo of walking and jogging for 4 miles (about 400 calories) instead of just walking, you may burn an extra 40 calories in the next few hours.
Tip Infuse your workout with bursts of speed. Gradually work your way up to 2 minute intervals, 3 days a week.

I know you want to get in shape and look great. Whatever your fitness goal…to slim down…gain muscle…tone your arms or flatten your tummy…I’m here to help you accomplish your goals and to improve your fitness level. You will learn how to select and combine your diet with exercise, so that you can be the best you can be.

Coconut Curry Tofu Yum :)

Coconut Curry Tofu

Rated: Submitted By: KATHYCOLLINS Photo By: CVG Prep Time: 25 Minutes Cook Time: 15 Minutes Ready In: 40 Minutes Servings: 6

"This exotic dish is easy to make, and blends the exciting flavors of ginger and chile paste with fresh vegetables in a creamy coconut milk base. "

Ingredients:

2 bunches green onions 1 (14 ounce) can light coconut milk 1/4 cup soy sauce, divided 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger 2 teaspoons chile paste

1 pound firm tofu, cut into 3/4 inch cubes 4 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced 4 ounces fresh mushrooms, chopped 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil 4 cups chopped bok choy salt to taste

Directions:

1.	Remove white parts of green onions, and finely chop. Chop greens into 2 inch pieces.
2.	In a large heavy skillet over medium heat, mix coconut milk, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, brown sugar, curry powder, ginger, and chile paste. Bring to a boil.
3.	Stir tofu, tomatoes, yellow pepper, mushrooms, and finely chopped green onions into the skillet. Cover, and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mix in basil and bok choy. Season with salt and remaining soy sauce. Continue cooking 5 minutes, or until vegetables are tender but crisp. Garnish with remaining green onion.

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