Wednesday, 11 March 2009

ABs Diet Plan

Avoid Fast Food

You should avoid fast-food burgers and fries at all costs. If you must eat fast food as part of your abs diet plan, opt for fresh sandwiches with lots of veggies on whole-grain bread or wraps, or bean burritos with salsa instead of dairy.

Reduce or Eliminate Red Meat

If you want to enjoy it occasionally in your abs diet plan, opt for organic or sources from your local small farms. They taste worlds better, are produced in a humane and sanitary manner, and aren’t loaded with hidden hormones and antibiotics that do insane things to your body.

Eat lean, high-quality protein with every meal as part of a sound abs diet plan. It speeds up your metabolism and helps you lose fat. How?
It takes more energy to digest protein compared to carbs and fats, which means more calories burned (Yes, you actually burn fat by eating protein!)!
By eating protein, you won't feel hungry all the time. That's because protein curbs your appetite leaving you feeling more “satisfied” and fuller for a longer period than carbs and fats would.
Combined with exercise, protein builds lean muscle tissue. Which makes it easier to burn fat, because the more muscle you have, the easier it is to burn fat!
Chicken and fish are leaner than red meat. Again, opt for organic or poultry sources from your local small farms. Limit your fish intake to no more than once per week to lower your ingestion of mercury, which can cause neurological impairment such as Alzheimer’s disease.
There are hundreds of ways to cook beans: chili, Cajun dishes, lentil soup--the list goes on and on.
Try vegetarian chicken, burgers, sausage and bacon. They’ve come a long way, and many of today’s products could fool the staunchest of carnivores!

Don’t Skip Breakfast
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and for good reason. Eating breakfast sets the tone for the rest of the day, and is a staple of your abs diet plan!
Not eating breakfast leaves your blood sugar unstable and causes you to overeat because you were so hungry from not eating anything in the morning. By the time mid-morning and mid-afternoon rolls around, you’ll eat anything! And, you end up making bad food choices. So always eat a breakfast high in fiber and protein, and your abs will thank you for it!
Eat Your Fruits and Veggies!
A smart, balanced abs diet plan includes eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day--eight servings is optimum. You’ll enjoy more nutrients--and less cooking--if you eat them fresh. Add fruit and vegetable juices to your meals and snacks to increase your servings. Fruit satisfies the sweet tooth.

Fat's Biggest Enemy, and Your Best Friend
Who could this be? It’s fiber!
There are two forms of fiber--soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber dissolves quickly in water and looks like gel. It’s found in fruits, oats, barley, and beans amongst others.
Insoluble fiber is found in cereal and whole grains, as well as fruits and vegetables. Why is fiber important to you in regards to losing fat?
Controls your appetite: While insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water. Fiber, in general, absorbs a lot of fluid on its way down through your digestive track. Which takes up room, making you feel “full” and curbing your appetite.
Moderates your insulin: Soluble fiber forms a protective coat in your stomach lining, controlling how much sugar gets into your bloodstream. Which reduces the insulin released by the pancreas. Since insulin promotes the storage of fat. The less you have of it, the better off your waistline will be.
Lowers your estrogen: Fiber decreases your body’s estrogen level--a fat storing hormone. Too much estrogen gives you a softer and undefined body, which explains why women have more body fat than men. But, even men carry a certain amount of estrogen. Fiber helps to filter it out. Which increases your testosterone to estrogen ratio, and results in an increase of lean muscle tissue, faster metabolism, and fat loss.
Fiber is not only important in regards to fat loss. But, it’s just plain healthy for you! The best part is it’s inexpensive and readily available through foods. So, include fiber in your abs diet plan today, and start enjoying the many benefits it brings!

Don’t Eliminate Carbohydrates from Your Abs Diet Plan!
You can reduce them, but don’t eliminate them from your abs diet plan. Your body needs carbs to survive.
Carbohydrates are one of three primary nutrients, besides protein and fats. Carbs are metabolized into blood glucose, which every single cell of the body uses as a primary energy source. Glucose is the brain’s only source of fuel!
But if carbs are eaten excessively, namely the nutrient-deficient products that line grocery store shelves, the body converts the excess glucose into extra fat. Rather, you need whole-grain carbs. Ditch the bagels and white bread for whole-grain wraps, seven-grain crackers and hearty multi-grain breads.

Eat a Low-Fat, but Not a No-Fat Diet
Eat more good fats by getting more omega 3’s in your abs diet plan from oily fish such as wild salmon. Choose wild instead of farm-raised salmon, which is filled with toxins. Other great sources of Omega 3’s includes:
halibut
walnuts
pumpkin seeds
flax seeds
fish oil
range-fed chicken eggs
grass-fed beef
even ostrich meat!

Eat, and Eat Often!
As strange as it may sound, to lose belly fat. You need to eat. Instead, of starving yourself!
Because, whether you’re sitting down watching TV, talking on the phone, or sleeping. Your body is constantly using up energy, and when you don’t replace it. Your body’s first natural reaction is to hold onto body fat in order to conserve energy, so it can keep you alive!
Don’t make the mistake of not eating or skipping meals in an attempt to lose weight or fat because by not eating over an extended period. You cause your body to hold onto fat, not lose it. You may think you’re losing it. But you’re only losing water weight.
Not to mention, as a result of starving yourself the entire day. You'll get so hungry, you'll eat any and everything! So again, you end up making bad food choices.
Also, you'll lose muscle tissue by starving yourself or skipping meals. Which means a slower metabolism and less calories burned!
Instead, “trick” your body’s metabolism by eating small meals spread throughout the day containing quality protein along with a good ratio of carbohydrates, some good fats, and lots of veggies. This will speed up your metabolism and replenish energy stores to burn fat, instead of holding onto them!

Reduce or Eliminate Dairy Products
Dairy products are nothing but fat. Besides, calves were designed to digest cow’s milk--not the human body. If you do continue eating dairy, opt for low-fat varieties, gourmet cheeses, faux products developed for the lactose-intolerant and vegans, and those produced organically or by small local farmers.
Drastically Reduce or Eliminate Junk Food
But if you’ve been craving potato chips for three weeks and you can’t get them out of your head. By all means, enjoy a fulfilling but reasonable portion alongside your veggie burger! Satisfying our cravings within reason prevents the mind games that instigate uncontrolled all-out eating frenzies.
Avoid High-Fructose Corn Syrup
Be a label reader. It’s everywhere! High-fructose corn syrup is engineered to contain 80 percent fructose and 20 percent glucose--almost twice the fructose of normal sugar. Natural fruit is 50-50, but fiber slows down the body’s fructose absorption rate.
But the fructose in high-fructose corn is absorbed very quickly. It's metabolized in the liver, unlike glucose, which is metabolized in all cells. This excess leads to obesity.
Reduce or Eliminate Alcohol
If you drink, limit yourself to two drinks per week. Alcohol inhibits fat burning--while the liver is busy metabolizing alcohol, it puts fat metabolism on hold. Beer contains the most calories, then wine, then mixed drinks.

Drink Lots of Water
Drink at least eight glasses of water every day--16 is optimum. Drinking eight glasses of water daily is necessary for basic hydration (more than 75 percent of Americans are chronically dehydrated).
Water flushes away excess fat and moves nutrients to every nook and cranny of your body. Water also removes toxins from your body, and the less toxins you have in your body, particularly in your stomach. The flatter your stomach will become!
Eliminate sugar-loaded soda, and reduce diet soda. Opt for more water instead! You and your abs will appreciate it. :-)

Slow down and Enjoy Your Food
Let me say that again--s l o w d o w n! This is more important than all the other abs diet recipe tips! Sit down and be with your food. Don’t drive, don’t watch TV, and don’t have a meeting. Savor every bite, and chew it thoroughly--50 times.
This allows your brain, stomach, taste buds and soul to register the nourishment of one of life’s most basic necessities and pleasures. This, in turn, prevents overeating.
Finally, stop eating when your stomach is full--don’t stuff yourself. Being full is not the same as being stuffed. The adult stomach comfortably holds approximately one quart of food and beverage--in other words, what would fit in your cupped hands.

Your Abs Diet Plan Includes Getting More Sleep
Along with making changes to what you eat. It’s important to make other lifestyle changes as well, such as getting more sleep every night. You burn fat during sleep. So, it doesn’t get easier than that!
But, many people don’t get enough sleep and studies show people who lack sleep hold onto more body fat. Studies also show a link between obesity and a lack of sleep.
The amount of sleep needed depends on you. The older we get, the more sleep we need, but research shows people require seven to nine hours of sleep a night.
If you have trouble sleeping taking magnesium supplements thirty minutes to an hour before bedtime can help and don’t be surprised if you start getting weird dreams. ;-) Look for organic forms such as orotate or glycinate. The inorganic forms like magnesium oxide are worthless.
Also, if you can’t get seven to nine hours of sleep each night then make it up by taking a power nap! A twenty-minute nap sometime during the day can do wonders for you.
It’s no wonder why some large corporations have made naps mandatory. As they know, a well-rested employee is a productive one. Therefore increasing their bottom line!

The Bottom Line on Creating a Successful Abs Diet Plan?
It’s not about how much you eat, but what you eat. It's also about controlling your appetite, and being able to control your appetite...
If your abs diet plan looks like this:
quality lean protein with every meal
fiber
whole grains
good fats
good carbs
drink lots of water
smaller meals spread throughout the day
adequate sleep each night
Then you combine these abs diet recipes with strength and interval training, and the best abs exercises to strengthen your ab muscles. You’ll get a sexy, toned stomach! :-)
But, if your abs diet plan goes something like this:
processed foods
fast foods
fried foods
sugary foods
bad fats
bad carbs
smoking
excessive drinking
lack of sleep
You then combine these abs diet recipes with strength and interval training, and the best ab exercises to sculpt your ab muscles. You will still get a flabby, fat stomach! :-(
Because that’s what it comes down to--80% what you eat and 20% everything else!

Sunday, 1 March 2009

20 Tips for Baking the Perfect Cake

Yesterday I had an opportunity to have freshly baked Choclate Muffins at a friend's place. This truly urges me to learn to bake desserts myself. I should get down to doing that soon for sure. But before that I thought to get the right mix, one must 1st keep some baking tips in mind. So here they are:

1. Preheat the oven. This ensures that your cake will be cooked evenly and at the right temperature as soon as it goes into the oven.


2. Always grease or line your baking pan or cake tin with greaseproof paper. This prevents the cake from sticking and burning.

3. Use good quality non-stick pans as they ensure even distribution of heat across the surface and require little preparation before filling with the cake mix. Loose-bottom tins are particularly useful.

4. Bring all cold ingredients such as butter and eggs to room temperature before use for best results.

5. Pour the prepared cake mix into the centre of the pan and spread the surface evenly with a knife or the back of a spoon. Gently knock the pan to remove any surface air bubbles.

6. Never fill a cake tin more than half full.

7. Place your cake tin in the centre of the oven as this will ensure good circulation of air around the tin during cooking.

8. Always allow at least half to ¾ of the cooking time to elapse before opening the oven door to check on your cake. Any earlier and the cake will sink.

9. As the temperature of oven makes varies, always check the cake up to 10 minutes before the time given in the recipe. Remove it from the oven if it is done, if not leave in for 2 to 5 minute intervals at a time, checking after each interval.

10. To check if a cake is cooked, insert a skewer or cocktail stick (or even a piece of raw spaghetti) into the centre. If it comes out clean, the cake is done, if it has food stuck to it, continue to cook the cake for a few minutes more and repeat the process.

11. Always cool your cake in the tin on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing from the tin.

12. To remove the cake easily from a loose-bottomed tin, place on a tin can or jar and press the side of the tin downwards. This allows easy removal of the base (and cake) from the sides of the tin.

13. To remove a cake from a solid tin, run a knife around the outside of the cake then place a plate over the tin and invert it. The cake should come out cleanly. If not, you can out it back into the oven for a couple of minutes to melt the grease and it should then be easier to release from the tin.

14. Always ensure the cake is completely cool before handling or decorating it to avoid crumbling, breakage or movement of the cake.

15. If your cake is particularly rounded or uneven, level it off with a sharp knife before decorating.

16. To prevent your cake sticking to the plate or board, dust the surface with icing sugar.

17. Use a clean pastry brush to clean away any crumbs from the top and sides of your cake before decorating to help ensure a clean surface.

18. When using two fillings such as jam and cream, spread each one on a different half of the cake and then sandwich together.

19. To cleanly cut through an iced cake, dip your knife in water to stop the icing and cake from sticking.

20. If you are not ready to decorate your cake, wrap in cling film and leave in the fridge overnight or place in the freezer until needed. Most cakes can be frozen for up to 3 months.


Wednesday, 18 February 2009

Health Foods - Oats

The Oat grain is very much like a kernel of wheat in structure. However, unlike wheat, the nutritious bran and germ are not removed in the normal processing because oats are not refined. Oats can often be eaten by those intolerant of wheat.

Very nutritious, they are full of protein and minerals - they contain high levels of calcium, phosphorus and iron. Oats also contain anitioxidants and high levels of the mood lifting amino acid tryptophan, which accounts for their tranqillizing uplifting effects.

Besides providing dietary bulk and improving the digestive process in general, the soluble fibre found in oats helps to lower cholestrol and boost cardiovascular health generally. In addition, because oats are digested slowly they help to maintain an even supply of energy to the brain by sustaining steady blood sugar levels. This is beneficial for diabetics and can help reduce mood swings, particularly those associated with PMS.