Egg yolks: Are they as bad as once thought?

Years ago eggs and especially egg yolks received a bad rap from nutritionists and the general public as being bad for us and all of us viewing fat as the enemy!!! (which is happening to carbs at the moment) We are slowly starting to understand that not all fats are bad and we need essential fatty acids which will assist in overall well being and fat loss.

Egg yolks are pack full of essential fatty acids which are really important to a balance healthy diet. A university of Connecticut study found that subjects consuming 640 mg of cholesterol from egg yolks for 30 days had no increase in LDL cholesterol, which is associated with cardiovascular disease. Eggs yolks on the other hand are a great source of vitamin D (promotes healthy bones and cell growth),  choline (for brain function and HDL cholesterol which helps protects the heart!

To finish off studies have found that people who eat egg yolks and weight train gained more strength and muscle than those who didn’t and those who eat eggs for breakfast lose more fat than those not consuming eggs for breakfast.

So don’t fear eggs they are great for you but again with everything it is in moderation and watch how much you consume as too much will lead to weight gain!

Snack Ideas

One thing all my clients will say is Im tough on their diets! As I know (and so do they I think :p) that this is the key to any weight loss / muscle building goal! However getting ideas for snacks are tough as I am not the most creative person. However I have been reading over some sites and here are some ideas to get you through the afternoon!

http://www.muscleandfitnesshers.com/nutrition/other/snack-time

http://au.askmen.com/sports/foodcourt_60/86_eating_well.html

http://fatlossschool.com/whey-protein-shake-recipes/

http://liftforlife.com/content/bodybuilding-fitness-diet-health-articles/diet-articles/727-protein-bar (some awesome ideas for your protein powder)

Hope this was helpful and I will see you in the gym very soon!

Meal timing for muscle and fat loss

After reading the below article I just thought I would post the link as I feel it is very simple to read and got some great information. The article talks about what the body does if it isnt receiving any food for over a 6 hour period and what it does to your body and your fat loss and muscle building! Also the article is from Muscle and fitness: Hers which is a great female fitness magazine which I would recommend to ALL female clients!

http://www.muscleandfitnesshers.com/nutrition/other/meal-timing-staying-ahead-curve

The heaviest Deadlift ever (for now)

Look how easy he does it! technique is perfect as well!

Training videos for motivation

Hey guys I came across these videos http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/2011-road-to-the-arnold.html on my travels around some of the fitness sites I go to.

With the Arnold on the 5th of march (the arnold classic is the second biggest body building event of the year)bodybuilding.com have release a video with Branch Warren and Johnnie Jackson (two of the top bodybuilders in the world right now) training for the Arnold. Now Im not posting this for technique or how to get big but more just for motivation watching two bulls in the body building world training together. Like you would watching pumping iron, watch this with a pinch of salt as I dont agree with with everything they talk about but use it as a bit of a motivator for your next workout!

Whats your favourite training day (muscle group) (Poll – Please vote)

Just thought I would post a fun post getting an idea what peoples favourite muscle to train!

Fat burning / muscle building snack!

 A few of clients have been discussing lately with me about boredom with their current eating. Unfortunately eating well can become boring/repetitive or drinking just protein shakes can be boring or not fill you up and craving can occur for sweets or fatty foods. I came across and idea for No Carb Protein Pancakes. The source for this was October 2010 muscle and fitness magazine and was from the monthly Q and A with Rosa-Maria Romero (picture below source http://tbcgym.com/rosa-maria-romero/).

Rosa-Maria Romero

 

Muscle and fitness is a fantastic magazine and I recommend that all clients should read this magazine for more tips and there is even a female version in most newsagents from the states which is fantastic as well. Rosa-Maria Romero is an IFBB professional figure competitor, and the top ranked Australian in that division. Her Q and A in muscle and fitness is always great for information so next time you are in a newsagent have a look but here is her No Carb protein pancakes:

Ingredients:

-2 egg whites

- 1 scoop protein powder

- 1 tsp baking powder

- Cinnamon and stevia to taste

 - 1 tsp flaxseeds

-  Water (approx 2 tbsp)

Directions:

Stir all the ingredients together or blend and either bake or pour into a pan sprayed with non-stick spray. Cook until golden brown, flip over and do the same on the other side until the pancake is cooked through.

So very simple and great tasting as well! Add honey or peanut butter if you want but this is a great idea to cook the night before and have the next day! For more ideas go to bodybuilding.com as well as they have some great low carb/fat cooking ideas but plan your meals for each day and try different things to keep your diet interesting!

Getting the perfect Butt

Just thought I would put up a quick post but a really important one for all female clients. Below is a link to 8 Moves To Get The Perfect Butt with figure competitor Pauline Nordin (source www.bodybuilding.com) in the article she talks about how she trains to get her awesome butt! Now once reading it please dont just go and try the movements as they can be dangerous if done incorrectly. Please see a trainer for further advice!

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/building-the-perfect-butt.html

from bodybuilding.com

Natural Fat Burners

Coming to the gym 99% of people have one thing that they want to do. Tone up and lose body fat. With this there are hundreds of fat burners on the market (gen tec have thermo fuel which is a great fat burner available at the gym). What a lot of people don’t know is that there are natural fat burners that people can just introduce to their diet which will help them burn body fat. Now remember no matter what fat burners you take if your diet is out of whack then nothing will make you drop weight so ensure you’re consistent with your diet! However here are some natural fat burners:
 
-          Cayenne (peppers)
Cayenne peppers are really hot peppers from South America. Inside cayenne there is a active plant compound capsaicin. This gives the heat to the pepper (burning sensation), this may increase the body’s metabolism and other health benefits.
-          Green tea
Most of us know that green tea is good for us to have and most of us know that it also can help burn body fat. With the antioxidants, and caffeine this may help the body increase it’s core temperature which can than increases the metabolism.
-          Flaxseeds
Flaxseed or flaxseed oil is a great source of essential fatty acids. Studies have shown that good fatty acids will burn more fat as it is a required fat in the body. It will also help with overall well being as well.
-          Water
Water is simple and easy but so many of us don’t drink enough. To start with water will keep you fuller and if you drink before a meal it will help reduce over eating. Also Im sure we have notice it but if you aren’t drinking a lot of anything when you get really thirsty you will reach for something sugary or something with artificial sugars, so drinking water will prevent this from happening. With a high protein diet and weight loss there is a lot of waste produced so it’s important to have regular water intake to keep your kidney’s functioning well. Be careful not to over do it as too much water can be bad.
 
So here are just a few natural fat burners, be careful not to over do it though as the fats in flaxseeds are still fat and can cause you to gain weight. Also as I said above too much water isn’t a good thing either. Also don’t expect this to be the be all and end all of fat burning as a good diet will always be the most important part of weight loss, however with a good diet all these things can help you burn a little more body fat.

Squats the best exercise for legs

Squats with 100 kg are heavier than leg presses with 200 kg. In a study Sports scientists at Arizona State University deduced that you can calculate how many kilograms you can use for squats if you know how many you can use on the leg press, and vice versa.

In summary they discovered that the following calculatio…ns apply when estimating your poundages: Novices: number of kilograms for squats = kg for the leg press x 0.21 plus 36kg. Advanced: number of kilograms for squats = kg for the leg press x 0.31 plus 19kg. Everyone: number of kilograms for squats = kg for the leg press x 0.35 plus 2kg.

In conclusion, that’s why squatting with 100 kg weights is heavier than doing leg presses with 200 kg.

Source: J Strength Cond Res. 2004 Aug; 18(3): 567-71.
Link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15320657