Diet Mistakes You Might be Making

We all know people who are on a diet.  Usually some fad diet that they can�t stay on for a life time.  How often do we hear, �I am off my diet.�   �I am back on my diet.�   What are some diet mistakes that can sabotage your weight loss goals?  WebMD has a great article, 10 Diet Mistakes and How to Avoid Them.

1. Crash diets � Many of us want to lose weight but not slow and steady, we want to lose it now.  So crash diets sound appealing.  When you lose weight that fast you not only lose water and fat but also muscle tissue.   Eating under 1200 calories a day can slow your metabolism and slow your chances of losing weight.  Go off this crash diet and the weight comes back as you haven�t changed your lifestyle and eating habits. 
2.  Skipping Breakfast � seems like an easy way to cut back on calories.  I was doing a diet recall on a friend who said they never ate breakfast.  Yet, when they got to work they went to the snack machine and got a donut, a candy bar or other high calorie �snack�.  Skipping the most important meal of the day lead to hunger mid-morning and snacking on unhealthy, high calorie foods.  Or, the person overeats at lunch because they are starving and then they pack even more calories.  Choose a breakfast high in protein and high in fiber to fill you up and stave off the hunger pains.
3. Snacks � who doesn�t love snacks?  Many people eat normally at meals but then nibble all day on snacks.  If you are counting calories, the snacks count too.  Use Apps on your Smartphone like LoseIt! to track your meals and snacks.  Or choose healthy snacks like fruit, vegetables.   Or, find those 100 calorie snack packs.
4. Avoiding snacks � snacking can be a good thing as those who eat 3 smaller meals a day plus snacks have a better chance of controlling their hunger.  Focusing on protein-rich snacks can rev up your metabolism.  A handful of nuts are a good protein snack.
5. Low fat � cutting back on high fat foods is a good choice.  Limiting fried foods like cutting back on French fries, fried chips, fried chicken will cut back on calories.  But carefully choose low fat products as many are loaded with sugar.  I tried a low fat mayonnaise in and egg salad only to have the egg salad taste sweet like I had added sugar.  Looking at the label, they had taken out fat but added sugar and added calories.  Better to have a smaller portion of a regular fat food than all that added sugar.
6. Calories in your Beverages � cutting back on beverages high in added sugar is always a good idea.  In the South sugared iced tea is popular but loaded with calories.  Most restaurants offer unsweetened tea.  If you are trying to cut back, fill up the glass with mostly unsweetened and top off with some sweetened or just add one pack of sugar to your unsweetened tea.  Sugared soft drinks, many sports drinks are loaded with sugar and a good way to cut some calories.  Drink water instead.
7. Water � fill up on water.  Drink some water when you get up, before meals, any time you feel thirsty.  Dehydration slows you metabolism so keep hydrated.
8. Avoiding Dairy is Not a Good Idea � many fad diets cut back on dairy and thus cut back on the important nutrients dairy provides like calcium and vitamin D.  Not to mention the protein in dairy is a very high quality protein.  WebMD notes:  Some research suggests the body burns more fat when it gets enough calcium and produces more fat when it�s calcium-deprived.  So choose low-fat dairy, low fat yogurt, 1% or fat free milk, low fat cheeses.
9. Avoid the Drive-Through � Fast foods are loaded with calories.  Sure you could order the salad or other healthier choices but going to a fast food place just offers a lot of temptation for the milk shake, fries or other unhealthy options.  WebMD notes:  People who ate fast food more than twice a week gained 10 more pounds than those who had it less than once a week.    
10. Unrealistic Goals � Many people want to lose a lot of weight and lose it fast.  But the most successful are those who chose realistic goals like 1-2 pounds a week, focus on an eating pattern they can maintain for life and adding in exercise so they don�t have to cut back on food so much. 

Sources:  10 Diet Mistakes and How to Avoid Them,  Image Source: Stop Dieting

Proof That Bodybuilding Supplements Can Deliver Positive Results

There is certainly some confusion as to no matter if supplements deliver positive benefits or no matter if it is enough just to eat a balanced diet plan. Research shows that if you are just looking for very good well being, are an athlete or into bodybuilding supplements can have numerous benefits not constantly met by diet alone.

In its purest and freshest form, food offers all of the crucial nutrients for a wholesome life, but processing and transportation often reduces numerous essential qualities ahead of reaching the plate. Quality supplements can go a long approach to ensuring that all the needed nutrients are available to the body, especially if option sources are inadequate for the needs of athletes.

Protein is an all crucial nutrient required for growth and development, repair and recovery. It truly is one of the major building blocks of muscles and is an vital ingredient in bodybuilding supplements. Whey protein powder tends to be one of the most popular form utilized due to the fact it contains all critical amino acids and in certain is an outstanding source of cysteine which isn't so readily readily available elsewhere. Whey protein powder gives athletes having a high quality protein in an easy to make use of form.

Among the important areas of athletic efficiency is reducing body fat and growing muscle bulk. Though physical exercise may be the most significant aspect of this method, bodybuilding supplements aid the procedure. Working with whey protein assists within the development of muscles, working towards achieving lean muscle mass. Adding fat burners promotes increased physique temperature and greater metabolism, which outcomes in a lot more fat being made use of up. The two supplements in combination encourage lean muscle.

When muscles are being used so extensively during intense workouts, harm to the fibres will happen and it truly is crucial to rest for optimal recovery. Nonetheless, a different benefit of supplements is to lower the recovery time and allow for shorter rest periods and longer training sessions. Greater training builds muscle mass and taking whey protein powder ahead of exercise prepares the muscles for work out. Ingesting immediately after exercise supplies key nutrients to permit the muscles to recover rapidly.

All athletes function out difficult and long and this needs increased energy. Even though diet is definitely a important element for elevated power, the best supplements may also be of benefit. In certain will be the supplement creatine, which is naturally found within the physique and works by absorbing extra water into cells and increasing their size. By adding extra creatine, this approach is further exaggerated and additional power is formed. It is actually among the main substances employed by physique builders.

It truly is not just athletes who see the rewards of supplementation. Common superior wellness might be increased with the ideal supplements and especially well documented are fish oils and multivitamins. The crucial fatty acids found in fish oils have been verified to assist with the beneficial well being of the cardiac and circulatory systems, keeping the heart healthy and aiding within the battle against cancer. Immunity is improved and they have a beneficial impact on joints, too as helping to burn extra fat inside the body.

Multivitamins and minerals are applied everyday by a wide assortment of individual, all concerned with enhancing their common wellness. An sufficient supply is necessary for optimal cellular functioning, resulting in all the systems working well and elevated feeling of great health and an capacity to carry out better. The greatest benefit of all is an improved good quality of life.