The Ultimate Tilapia Sandwich

A foodguru802 original recipe!  This sandwich is extremely healthy in almost every way, and it will not only taste remarkably delicious, but will help support lean muscle mass, as well as fit into your daily caloric intake quite effortlessly.  You can also make it as spicy as you'd like (as I show you)  Check out the video!

Remember, this sandwich has over 40 grams of protein, and less than 320 calories!  It also has great complex carbohydrates that will keep you energized all day.

I mean seriously, what else could you ask for?

"Naturally More" Peanut Butter *Review*

I couldn't resist, I just had to review another peanut butter.  And before you go clicking away to some other online place, let me tell you this:  This peanut butter might just be the healthiest peanut butter out there on the market today, combining everything necessary to build muscle and stay lean and fit?  Would that grab your interest?  What if I told you that this miraculous peanut butter also had some of the best taste and texture I've ever experienced in any sort of nut butter EVER?  Well if you're wondering what the heck I'm talking about, let me at last relieve your curiosity.

The peanut butter of which I speak is called "Naturally More," and it proudly boasts the slogan "The way Peanut Butter Should Be."  After trying this stuff the very first time, I tend to agree.  This stuff IS the way peanut butter should be.  It's a formula of perfection, at least in my opinion.

What makes this stuff so great?  Well, they started with a natural peanut butter base (good start, healthy monounsaturated fats and nutrient dense), and added everything that PB tended to lack in terms of health factors.  Peanut butter in general isn't a very good protein source, as it's not very protein dense AND most of the protein in peanuts is incomplete (unusable by the body for muscle repair) in its natural form.  Naturally More peanut butter fixed this, and added egg whites to the butter itself.  This bumps up the protein to 10g per serving, a good 30-40% MORE protein than just plain peanut butter!  And you can bet that the protein in Naturally More is a lot more bioavailable to the body, having a more complete nature.

But Naturally More didn't stop there.  They also noticed that while peanut butter itself had a remarkable amount of monounsaturated healthy fats, great for heart health and cholesterol, it was lacking what your body really needs, which are essential fatty acids (EFA's) like omega-3 and omega-6.  They easily solved this dilemma by adding both flax seed and flax oil, two substances extremely rich in EFA's.  But they didn't stop there.  Peanut oil itself has a good amount of omega-6 in it already, and most people consume PLENTY of omega-6 already, therefore Naturally More didn't only add flax oil, they removed most of the peanut oil in favor of a more beneficial omega-3 to omega-6 EFA ratio.  This ratio is very crucial to maintaining health (and a trim figure), and it's another reason why this peanut butter RULES!

Oh, and because it's a natural peanut butter, it has no hydrogenated oils that would produce trans fat.  NO TRANS FAT!!!

Naturally More still wasn't quite done though, and realized that the final category that good ol' natural peanut butter was lacking in, was the fiber department.  Traditionally peanut butter usually has about 1 gram or less of fiber per serving.  Naturally More decided that this wasn't enough, and added wheat germ to their product to increase the fiber count to 2 grams per serving.  Now I know that doesn't sound like a huge jump, but one more gram of fiber can definitely make a difference.  The wheat germ also adds a little more protein, making the overall protein profile more varied.  Nice!

Finally, Naturally More added a little bit of honey in there to replace a good amount of added sugar with natural sugars.  As such, Naturally More only has 3 grams of sugar per serving, a very low overall simple carb count.  There is a slight bit of processed sugar added, which is my only beef with this amazing peanut butter.  At only a few grams though, I don't expect it to ruin anyone's diet.

Here are the nutritional facts for Naturally More Peanut Butter:

Now, for the taste.  I personally think this peanut butter is some of the best I've ever tasted, EVER.  It's rich, creamy, soft, powerful, aromatic, and completely satiating.  I take a tablespoon for breakfast after my whey loaded oatmeal, and always have to just sit back for a minute and just enjoy the amazing flavors coursing through my mouth.  It tastes like a cheat meal, but it's very far from that.  It's hard to believe something so good can be so healthy.

But does it taste like peanut butter?  Well, actually, not exclusively.  Don't get me wrong, the peanut taste is there (in force!) but it's strongly complimented by other flavors, especially that of the flax seed oil, with a slight crunch from the flax seed itself.  I can also taste the wheat germ to a slight degree.  Now I personally LOVE these tastes, and in my opinion they only make the stuff more enjoyable.  But I won't be surprised if this is one of those "love it or hate it" foods.  Some people would die to have another spoonful, others would rather die before forcing it in their mouths.  But that's absolutely NO reason not to try it.  I bet if you try, you'll love it.  I hope you believe me when I say that this stuff is like heaven in a jar, that for once is actually good for you.

What would I rate this peanut butter?

Taste: 9.5/10 


Nutritional profile 9.999/10 (if only there wasn't that tiny bit of added sugar)

Cost value 8/10 (this stuff is pretty cheap, but there are cheaper varieties)

All in all I would definitely, definitely, DEFINITELY recommend trying some Naturally More.  It's got all the right ingredients, an incredible fresh taste, and huge potential to keep you healthy and strong for a long time.  Give it a try!

Seriously, flax-oil, egg whites, and peanut butter?  That seems too good to be true.  GOOD LUCK!

Start Packing

I'm currently on a short break from training due to a family trip down to NYC.  That's right, the Big Apple!  And sitting here on the good ol' Amtrak really has caused me to remember a simple yet extremely crucial activity that any dieter needs to become quite good at if they wish to succeed in their weight/muscle related journey.  What is this simple skill that is so often overlooked?

Why, PACKING FOOD of course!

Think about it.  No matter how strict or successful your diet is, it can become unsuccessful quite quickly once the choice of food is no longer in your control.  Sure, you can always modify decently healthy menu items (which I will eventually discuss in a later article), but wouldn't it be nice to know exactly the number of calories, nutrients, and all that other important nutritional information of your food?  Why not count it all out beforehand?  Make sure you won't get stuck with a greasy burger and diet soda just because that's all the menu has!

First things first, if it's a long trip, pack things that'll keep for a while.  Certain fruits and veggies will keep for days unrefrigerated, including apples, oranges, clementines, carrots, peppers, onions, celery, lettuce, bananas, tomatoes, need I go further?

Now I'm perfectly content to eat this things undressed, but maybe you're not quite at that level yet.  So work around it!  Pack some little containers of healthy sauces/toppings.  Mustard, salsa, pepper, balsamic vinegar, heck, whatever you feel like you need to make those veggies palatable.  You and I both know they're a crucial part of any sort of healthy diet.

What about protein?  Well, the first thing that immediately pops into my mind (and hopefully yours as well) is a good, cheap whey protein supplement.  Save the good stuff for your gym days, and run out and purchase a 15 dollar pack of the Walmart brand.  Sure it may not taste amazing, but hey, I think you'll be all right.  It mixes easily in water, and is easy to bag up and pack into even the tightest suitcases.  Just make sure those bags are sealed!

Another great source of protein is vacuum packaged fish, like tuna and salmon!  They sell them in almost any grocery store, and generally you'll get between 15-20 grams of protein for less than 100 calories!  I can almost guarantee it will be quite satisfying too, as lean protein generally is good at filling you up quick.  The salmon by itself is delicious in my opinion, and I don't think it'll require much (if any) additives to chew it up and chug it down.  The tuna on the other hand, while again, one of my personal favorites even plain, might need a little spicing up for you to enjoy it.  Cayenne pepper goes a long way, as does a good bean salsa.

If the trip is shorter, you have pretty much all the freedom in the world to bring whatever you need.  And you should bring something, because remember to keep that metabolism up in general it's a good idea to eat at least 5 times throughout the day.

Some of my favorite packaged meals include:

Oats and whey:  Just what it sounds like!  1/2 cup of rolled oats, one scoop of chocolate whey protein.  Add a little water until it's a yummy mush, and eat up all those tasty complex carbs and rich source of protein.  Around 300 calories and nearly the PERFECT muscle building food.  If you're looking to pack on a little more size, add a tablespoon or two of natural peanut butter and get some healthy fats in there!

Vegetable Medley:  This can be whatever you want.  I love mixing together corn, chickpeas, black beans, diced tomatoes, diced peppers, diced onions, peas, the works!  You'll create an extremely yummy bean salad that's packed with healthy grains and complex carbs.  Need a little more flavor?  I'll say it again, spice it up!  Add some salsa!  Salsa is only 10-15 calories for two tablespoons, so if you can handle 3 servings you can have a pretty tasty meal at only a few hundred calories, not to mention an extremely healthy one!

Mixed Nuts:  I suggest bringing all sorts of these little guys, but in pre-measured packages!  Don't bring the whole can, because most likely you'll eat the whole can.  Look at the serving sizes and measure out the amounts accordingly, matching your desired caloric/ macro-nutrient amount.

Sandwiches:  Now I know they serve sandwiches most places, but believe me you don't want many of those  if you're on a strict diet.  I suggest using 100 calorie wheat flat-breads, which can be found at any grocery store.  Pile on some tuna, turkey, or chicken, some veggies (pack it full to make it satiating), use mustard instead of mayo, and if you really want some cheese opt for a more healthy option than the nasty old kraft American singles (as easy as they are to add to a sandwich).  I STRONGLY recommend adding a tomato slice or two, as they can make a HUGE difference in taste and density of a sandwich.

Leftovers:  Imagine your options, chicken breast with peas and spinach, turkey with corn and brown rice, tuna steak with asparagus and cauliflower, it's unlimited!  See what you've got in that fridge/freezer.  Measure it out and stick it in some tupperware, you can even label it if you wish.  You could pack meals for days.

Other things to bring?  Well, I've already mentioned raw fruits and veggies, but I'd also suggest hard-boiled eggs, low sugar/plain greek yogurt, and a good supply of water (or milk if you wish, though make sure it doesn't spoil.)

A trip or vacation, whether long or short, doesn't have to spoil a diet.  Just plan ahead.  Take meals with you!  It'll keep you on track and feeling great.  Don't be afraid to enjoy a little of the "native food," but pick your timing and your menu item carefully, and make great choices, because after all, you'll be the one living with them.

Pack smart, travel safely, and as always, good luck!

Get Big, The Right Way

Sometimes, if you want something done, you just have to man up and do it.  I'm sorry ladies, but I don't believe this article will too strongly apply to you (there's always the occasional exception, but I'm speaking to the majority here).  I know a ton of guys out there wanting to get all big and strong, burly and beefy.  It's a common goal, one that many males wish to accomplish as soon as they possibly can.  Unfortunately, getting big isn't so simple, and there are thousands out there doing it wrong, or not doing it at all, day in and day out.  Getting big the right way takes work and commitment.  It takes sacrifice and determination.  And above all else, it requires a lot of food, and, as Ronnie Coleman (7 time Mr. Olympia) so famously put it, "lifting heavy ass weight."

So where do you start?  How do you jump on that muscle building train?  First of all, you have to realize that a good mass building regiment will require a change in diet and exercise routine.  Let's talk diet first.  A lot of people just think that to get big, you have to eat big.  OK, I can follow that train of thought, and to a certain point I will agree.  When it comes down to it, IF YOU WANT TO GET BIG, YOU NEED TO EAT BIG.  

What does eating big really mean though?

Well, in most general bulking terms, eating big means eating around 500 calories OVER your maintenance calories, or the caloric value at which you can maintain your weight.   There's a lot of room for little nuances here and there, but this is the most general formula.  And most of the time, it will relate to about a one pound increase in body weight per week.  Later, I'll describe what else you need to be doing to make the most of those extra calories, and ensure to a certain degree that you're putting on as much muscle as you can.

Where should these extra calories come from?

Well, the uneducated meat-head would most likely scream out...PROTEIN!!!  While there's value in that statement, and while you should consume more protein, the calories should really be a mix of nutrients that fit into your macros (remember macros? If not, here's my article about these wondrously useful little things: http://foodguru802.blogspot.com/2011/10/macros-what-they-are-and-how-to-use.html ).  I would suggest starting with macros that are pretty close to around 55/25/20 (55% of daily calories come from carbs, 25% of daily calories come from protein, 20% of daily calories come from fat).  You'll need to determine the actual amounts yourself, depending on the calories you calculate you'll need to take in.  Here's a free calculator that can help determine your daily caloric needs:

http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm

Here's the deal.  Bulking requires experimentation to determine what your body responds to best.  If you go a few weeks on a new diet and find you aren't gaining weight, YOU HAVE TO CHANGE SOMETHING!!!!  You won't gain weight if you don't find the right diet.  Either eat more, or change around your macros.  Sometimes something as simple as a few more daily carbs can kick start the weight gain.

If you gain for a while on a certain diet, then stop, most likely you need to increase your calories.  Go slowly, add another 100 or 200 every day and see what happens after a week or two.  Also, keep your macro ratios consistent.  They were working...right?  Don't bulk too fast, or you'll end up putting on unwanted bodyfat.  Though that's another point I should probably cover.  DON'T BE AFRAID TO PUT ON A LITTLE FAT.  To get big and strong, sometimes you need to sacrifice that perfect six pack.  If you're depressed about this, remember that if you're as skinny as a pole, abs don't count anyway.  You can always cut fat later, and with a higher muscle density, it will be much easier in the long run if you ever do decide to lean out.  If you're eating big, a little fat will inevitably show up.  Keep an eye on the mirror as well as the scale, and if you feel like you're putting on too much, either change your caloric intake, or your macros.

What are the best bulking foods?  Well, I like clean, slow bulks.  That's what I've been on for a few months now.  I'm not looking to pile on the weight, I just want a slow, steady gain.  So I eat big, but I eat as clean as I can.  My favorite bulking foods are:

Sweet Potatoes:  A great complex carb source, and without a doubt will help to put on quality mass.

Peanut Butter:  If you want to put on weight, peanut butter is your best friend.  It's easy to eat, and very dense in calories.  Get the natural stuff, and you'll get a whole heaping of healthy fats and proteins as well as a bunch of quality calories.  Quality calories=quality mass.

Mixed Nuts:  Same deal here, lots of calories for not that many pieces.  Easy to eat, and will help the weight come on nice and steadily.

Oatmeal with Whey Protein:  My favorite breakfast food.  Lots of complex carbs with a whole heaping of protein, will fuel those muscles and help them grow quite quickly.

Chocolate Milk:  Packed with calories, simple carbs, and an awesome blend of whey and casein protein that will feed your muscles for long after a workout.  Drink a glass with lunch, or more optimally, after a heavy workout.  You can even add some whey in there.  If you have a blender, you can add some peanut butter too.  Get creative!

What about meats?  Well I still eat very lean meats, like fish, chicken and turkey, but you can throw a few more caloric meats in there if you want.  Enjoy some steak, or pork every now and then, especially after a tough workout.  It'll really add mass quickly due to the high caloric value and protein density.  Not to mention it's amazingly delicious.

To finish off the diet section, I just want to say one more thing about clean bulking.  It's a great idea, and a noble one, but for some, it just doesn't work.  Honestly, if you're a hard gainer (gain weight extremely slowly if at all, no matter how much you seem to eat), you may need to throw a few "questionable" foods in your diet.  Enjoy a heaping plate of pasta with meat sauce a few nights a week, chow down on that burger or pazo, and have a big glass of chocolate milk a few times a day.  And keep spooning that peanut butter down your piehole.  There isn't a person on earth that can't eat enough to gain weight, so stop complaining that you can't put it on.

I will suggest clean bulking every day of my life, but "dirty-bulking" has its place, and has been known to work wonders for the impossibly skinny.  My advice? Stay as clean as you can, but don't be afraid of a big, greasy, meat packed burger once in a while.  You're trying to pack it on...right?

EXERCISE ROUTINE:

Now I don't want to make this section quite as long, however it has the potential to go on forever.  Let me start by saying this:  If you want a serious mass building routine, head over to bodybuilding.com, or look at some of Mark Rippetoe's stuff, or...well basically you HAVE TO DO YOUR RESEARCH.  I don't have the perfect routine for you.  Chances are no one does, you'll have to improvise, and see what works best.  But I'll give you the general gist of things.

THE BEST MASS BUILDING EXERCISES ARE COMPOUND MOVEMENTS

What does this mean?  It means squats, deadlifts, standing presses, bench presses, and more squats.  You want to use every muscle in your body in every single rep, with heavy weight.  The mass building rep range is generally 5-8 reps, though I've seen people recommend as little as 1-3 (though this is more strength training territory.)  Load up the weights, and push yourself with every set.  This is the only way to ensure that all those calories you're consuming go to where you want them to:  your muscles.

Why are compound movements the best?  First of all, they use a TON of muscles.  Second, they activate your biggest muscles (leg and back muscles) which in turn release testosterone which encourages maximum muscle growth.  Keep those weights heavy, and the intensity high.

Anatoly Pisarenko squatting as deep as possible

Franco Columbo completing a deadlift with textbook perfect form

If you're a hard gainer, and are having an extremely hard time putting on mass, here's what I suggest.  Cut your workouts a little short.  Do a couple fewer sets (but make the ones that you do count for double), so that you burn a few less calories, and those calories can in turn go toward rebuilding a bigger and stronger you.  It's that simple really.  Oh, and one more thing.  CUT CARDIO.  If you are already a hard gainer, cardio won't help.  If you really want to keep that treadmill in your workout, make sure you're eating like a horse.  I mean it.  A bull even, or an elephant.  Scarf those calories.

So there you have it.  The most basic ideas behind getting big.  As you may have seen they're not even close to one-size-fits-all, but like anything, it's a start.  Head over to bodybuilding.com if you want some real great mass building tips, and DO YOUR RESEARCH.  Like I said, getting big takes commitment.

Eat big, lift big, be the beast.  Good Luck!

To Shake or not to Shake?

Whether you're new to the fitness scene, or a seasoned veteran in the gym, chances are you drink a protein shake at some point during your day (usually around your workout, though I've known some who decide to chug one any old time.)  If you've got a good brand of protein, I bet you love the shake, and I bet it feels great to give your body what it needs right after a tough workout.  You may have even seen some pretty good gains off of the stuff, both in the strength and looks department.  There's no doubt protein shakes are great fitness tools, and it's easy to see why so many are sold on them for daily usage.

But why stop at one?  I've known many people who decide they'd like to get bigger and stronger, and decide in order to do so they'll just stick another protein shake in their diet at some random point in their day.  And so now, they chug one protein shake after their workout, and one whenever they feel like it.  If they feel like they'd REALLYYY like some more muscle, they may even stick a third in there somewhere.  Heck, I've known some people to drink as many as 5-6 shakes a day, all in hopes to gain lean muscle mass quickly.  I don't care who you are, 5-6 shakes a day is a LOT of whey protein.  But still, what's the big deal, it'll work...right?

Eh...not so much.  Listen for a second.

What many people in the fitness world fail to realize is that whole food (actual meals, chicken, corn, beans, rice...etc...) still drastically outranks any protein shake in the nutritional department.  To start removing all those fantastic nutrients from your diet in exchange for a shake is a very bad idea, because you will start to leave yourself starved of most of the good stuff.  Your body wants whole food, and trust me it'll go a lot farther than a liquefied shake.  

Shakes just don't have the same kind of nutritional value as whole food.  Sure they've got a ton of protein, but they're lacking many essential nutrients to regular bodily function.  And you know what?  It may be confusing to hear, but in the muscle building department, protein ISN'T EVERYTHING.  You can overload your body with as much protein as you want, and your body will still only use a fraction of it.  Most of it will go right in and right out of your system, doing nothing but wasting your time and money.  Your body needs a very specific environment in order to build a lot of muscle as quickly as possible (which isn't very quick no matter what, mind you), and guess what's the easiest way to ensure you're providing this ideal bodily atmosphere?  EAT FOOD.  You need carbs, you need fat, you need natural, non-synthesized nutrients in order to help your body use all that extra protein you're giving it to its fullest potential.  I'll repeat again, if you're just drinking a ton of protein shakes, more than likely they're going in and washing right out.  

Food also has a thermic effect on the body.  This means that it requires energy to digest, where as shakes are predigested and absorb much more quickly into your system.  After a workout, this is great, because you get nutrients as fast as possible, but any other time of the day this isn't needed and is NOT an ideal scenario.  You need to work your digestive tract, and you'll burn more calories doing so anyway.  

There's also speculation about what excess protein supplementation can do to your kidneys.  Believe it or not your kidneys have to work pretty hard to filter all that junk out of the water it's dissolved in, and the more protein you take in, the more work they have to end up doing.  Will it cause kidney problems?  Probably not, especially if you're drinking enough water.  In fact I truly doubt you'll ever see any negative effects of protein shakes as long as you're not going overboard.  But ya know what?  It's something to think about, and in order to keep your kidneys healthy, and be safe rather than sorry, I'd suggest limiting your protein shake intake and increasing your water intake.  

And finally, DON'T BE AFRAID TO EAT.  It all comes down to the most effective meal (nutritionally) for the calories you're consuming.  Guess what, if you're trying to get a few more quality calories in, protein shakes are NOT the answer.  Sure they'll give you a ton of protein, but again, that protein will do diddly squat without other nutrients to support it.  Enjoy real food.  Try new recipes every day.  Give your body what it really needs.  Protein supplements are just that...SUPPLEMENTS...meant to be taken only when it is more convenient to do so (like right after a workout at the gym, where I doubt you have an entire kitchen setup to make a nice healthy meal right after that last set.)  Would I replace my post-workout shake with a real meal if I could?  You bet your bottom I would!  It'd probably do me a lot more good than some shake, no matter how delicious that shake is.  In fact, let me put this is bold:

TO SEE MUSCLE GAINS, YOU DO NOT NEED PROTEIN SHAKES.  YOU CAN GET BETTER GAINS OFF OF REAL FOOD THAN YOU COULD WITH ANY SHAKE ON THE MARKET.  

Here's my recommendation:  Drink 1-2 shakes a day, max.  Drink one after your workout, as this is the time your body needs it most.  If you leave your body starved after working it to the breaking point, you're completely screwing yourself over for any sort of gain.  The second shake you can drink when you want, but I'd suggest it in the morning, when your body is crying for food after not eating all night.  I have whey protein powder in my oatmeal, but hey, close enough.  Those two times are generally the most effective for protein absorption   If you can have a real meal instead though, do it.  Just make sure you're getting all your required nutrients.

Shakes are meant for convenience.  They are not an excuse to be lazy nutritionally.  Cook your food, plan your meals, design them to fit your caloric and macro nutrient needs.  Put some work into it!  You'll see better results in the long run, I guarantee.  

Keep eating, love those whole foods, and as always, good luck!

Sleep Tight, and Feel Better

We've all probably heard at some point or another that getting good sleep in crucial to health and well-being.  It's probably your parents who ended up unplugging the nintendo, or stepping into your room and turning off the light, or pulling the phone cord from the wall, saying under their breath "GO TO BED," in the harshest whisper you would've ever thought possible.  God was that frustrating.  Why is sleep so important anyway?  There's only so many hours in a day, you're just trying to make use of them, that's all.

Well it turns out, sleep is more important for your body than you could ever fathom.  A deep sleep represents a time for your body to repair and rebuild, recover and refresh.  Those who get more sleep get sick less often, recover from sickness faster, and are healthier in general.  But why? Why does a deep, restful sleep do so much for your body?  What's going on when you're out like a light?

In reality, sleep isn't just one, constant state. Your body actually goes through five distinct stages as you drift off, each one with different body and brain wave characteristics.

Stage 1:  This stage of sleep is very light, and you may not even think you're really "sleeping" yet.  Your brain produces high amplitude theta waves, which travel very slowly and basically relate to a slowed processing ability.  This stage of sleep most commonly lasts for about 10 minutes.

Stage 2:  The body really begins to shut down in stage 2, and your brain starts to slip into "sleep mode", releasing rapid patterns of rhythmic activity named "sleep spindles."  These spindles are just bursts of brain activity that are measured to be 12-14hz waves.  This stage of sleep lasts for about 20 minutes.

Stage 3:  Here, the brain begins to produce what are called delta waves.  Delta waves are even slower than the previous brain waves mentioned, with a frequency of only 1-4 hz.  These delta waves are present throughout the rest of the deep sleep process.  This stage is only transitional, and really represents when you lose all consciousness.

Stage 4:  This stage of sleep produces more delta waves, and lasts for around 30 minutes.  This stage is directly before REM sleep, and is sometimes called either delta sleep or NREM sleep.  It is the deepest stage of sleep, and is when your body produces HGH (Human Growth Hormone) to repair muscles and assist in fighting off disease.  It's very difficult to be woken from stage 4 sleep, as you generally have very little connection to outside stimulus at this point.

Stage 5:  REM sleep is the final stop your body makes on its journey into restful oblivion.  In this stage, the brain is somewhat active, and is trying to convert short term memory into long term memory.  This is why we often dream during this cycle of sleep, and can remember the images that flashed through our head.  Voluntary muscles (the big ones you use on a daily basis) become paralyzed or frozen.

An EEG scan showing the difference between "normal" sleep and REM sleep

OK, so now we know what our body is doing when we conk out for the night.  But it's still hard to believe that six hours of sleep wouldn't be just as good as the full eight hours (recommended sleep time for ALL ages).  I mean the first four stages take less than two hours, why would you need much more than that?  Turns out there are more reasons for an eight hour sleep than I can easily count.  But I'll mention some of the biggest, most easily noticeable benefits to a better night's sleep.

Muscle Recovery:  We all know that rest=recovery.  That's no secret.  But what you might not have known is that the HGH in your body takes about two hours of restful, uninterrupted sleep to be produced (in stage 4), and another six to do it's work.  This is really the only time when your body can use this powerful hormone.  And I'll let you in on a secret.  If you think you're getting pumped up in the gym, you're wrong.  You grow when you sleep, not when you lift.  Rest more and see greater muscle gains faster, and if you want to pack on some lean mass then hit the hay with plenty of time to get that eight hour rest.

Stress relief:  Sleep deprivation causes your body to produce more cortisol, a stress response hormone that causes anger, anxiety, nervousness, and a whole host of other stress-related feelings that you hate so much.  Get a better night's sleep and help your body to maintain low levels of cortisol, and I guarantee you'll feel much better the next day.  Again, aim for eight hours.  You need EVERY SINGLE ONE of them.

Metabolism:  A good night's sleep has been shown to increase your metabolism and keep your bodily chemicals perfectly in balance so you can more effectively use the energy in your food and burn through unwanted fat.  Start dropping hours of sleep and you'll STOP dropping weight, and more than likely feel like crap because of it.  Who wants to droop around all day, when they just as easily be happy, chipper, and full of natural food energy?

Heart Health:  It's been shown that the less you sleep, the more chance you have for increased blood pressure and other heart conditions such as irregular heartbeat.  Your muscles need to rest, and your heart is no exception.  Get eight hours a night and you may do more benefit for your heart than you can imagine.

Memory:  That's right, you'll have a better, more youthful memory if you get a full night's sleep every night.  As previously described, REM sleep is when your body commits information to long term memory.  The more quality sleep you get, the more likely you'll be to remember crucial information about your day.

Sickness:  Your body fights all sorts of diseases as you rest, and it's been proven time and time again that those who get a better night's sleep don't get sick as often, and recover from sickness much more quickly.  There are even studies out there that suggest that sleep may help to prevent cancer later in life, especially good habits of consistently restful sleep.

Now, the real question arises.  How should you go about trying to get more sleep?  Well after a bunch of research, I didn't find anything revolutionary.  It's all the classic "make it a ritual' and "get as comfortable as possible."  We know all this already probably, so I'll insert my own little nugget of knowledge in the quest for zzzz's.

I'm in college, and here, sleep is crucial.  Almost every night, if I must awake to use the bathroom (from all that water I drink) I almost always see someone out in the hall, romping around, generally causing some sort of ruckus.  This is usually at around 2-4 in the morning.  This is an absolutely ridiculous thing to be doing.  I don't care how much of a night owl you are.  If you are playing around at 2 o clock, something is bound to go wrong in your body.  And honestly, if you're on that kind of sleep cycle, something already has.  Here's my advice.  If you have 8-o-clock work (or class), get to bed at 10pm, and even if you don't fall asleep immediately, give it time.  You have to force yourself into a good sleep cycle.  As soon as you get out of it, it's very hard to get it back.  Sleep during the night, not between classes.  It's that simple.

Time it so every night you can get at least 8 hours.  A little more is fine, and if you don't quite get enough, I would strongly suggest a half hour nap midday.  DON'T OVERDO THIS NAP THOUGH.  You want a short nap.  That will reinvigorate you.  More than an hour and a half and you'll just feel worse than before, because your body will be trying to slip into a deep sleep by the time you need to get up.

Still think that sleep isn't as crucial as I make it out to be?  Here's the deal.  If you don't get enough sleep, or are on a poor sleep cycle, you will:

-Feel like crap

-Look like crap

-Be unable to focus at work or in class

-Be unable to perform even mundane physical tasks efficiently

-Feel Weak

-Get sick

-Be Irritable, frustrated, and stressed

-Gain weight

It's that simple.  If I don't get enough sleep, I can feel it, and I know you can too.

Bottom line:  Sleep is extremely important.  Keep a good sleep cycle as best you can, and make adjustments so that day in and day out you can rack up 8 hours under the covers.  Sound good?  Good.

Curl up, conk out, sleep tight, and as always, good luck!

Macros: What They Are, And How To Use Them

Aren't calories the bottom line?  I mean, the number of calories you eat during the day must be surpassed by the amount you burn in order to lose weight.  That's what you've always heard, and seems to be the most popular knowledge floating around weight loss classes/forums today.  And I'm not here to disagree with it, because bottom line, that is the truth.  For the most part.

But I'm going to pose a little example to you, which might change your thinking just a little bit.  Imagine your weight loss calorie goal was 1800 per day.  So one day, you eat 1800 calories, with most of those calories coming from protein.  The next day, you also eat 1800 calories, but this time 90% of those calories come from carbs.  Now imagine you have a carb sensitivity (your body doesn't like to burn through carbs as quickly as you'd like, and therefore you're more prone to gain weight off of them).  While you still may have eaten your daily goal, you won't have the tendency to lose much fat, because your body will maintain the fat you have if you don't use all the carbs (and an entire days worth of carbs is pretty hard to completely use up.)  

You can think of the body as a house.  Carbs are bricks, protein is cement, and fat is wood.  You can't build a good house with just one of those things.  You need a bit of everything.  Better yet, you need certain RATIOS of those things (I wouldn't want quite as much cement as I would want bricks).  These ratios are referred to by the fitness community as "macros", which is shorthand for macro nutrients (carbs, protein, and fat).  A typical macro ratio looks like this:

40/40/20

So if you see this while perusing the fitness forums and don't know what it means, be confused no longer!  What that simple shorthand basically stands for is the percentage of your calories from each macro nutrient you should be getting in your diet.  The first number refers to the percentage of carbs .  The next, protein, and the final, fat.  40% of daily calories come from protein, 40% come from carbs, and 20% from fat.  

OK, so now you know what it means, but it still sounds like a pretty daunting task to calculate these.  And I used to think so too.  But in reality, it just takes a little trial and error, and usually you can figure out the rest of the percentages if you already have one.  

So what's the easiest one to calculate?  Protein!  A person trying to maintain lean muscle mass should be trying to take in 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight.  So try that in your diet, and calculate the calories coming from those foods you've chosen.  Because only 20% should come from fat, calculate how many calories would come from the amount of fatty foods you'd put in your diet.  How many grams?  Well 20 is half of 40, and if 40 grams of protein represents 1 gram per bodyweight, you should eat about half that many grams of healthy fats.  Simple enough, right?  

Carbs represent the fillers.  Any left over calories in your diet should come from good, complex carbs.  And don't hold too much stock in "low carb" diets.  Sure there's a time and place for those diets, but unless you're really aggressively looking to drop the last few pounds, I would try to maintain a decent amount of carbs, at least initially.  Low carbs=low energy= ABSOLUTELY MISERABLE all day.  That's why a lot of people drop low carb diets quite quickly.

This above statement will be very controversial among keto diet followers, and I know there have been claims/individual proof of giant fat loss/energy boosting from ketogenic diets.  I'm just speaking for the general, average dieter here looking to get into a better habit of eating.  I wouldn't have them hop right into a ketogenic diet.

So this is all well and good, but how do you figure out the best ratio for you and your daily habits/genetics?  Unfortunately, it requires experimentation.  But in this article I can at least give you a good place to start, by listing a few common macro ratios that are used for specific goals.

40/40/20- This diet represents a muscle maintaining/building diet.  It's a very common macro set, and is used throughout the fitness community.  It's not optimal for weight loss, but everyone will respond differently to macros and it's not to say you can't lose weight on these percentages.  Just adjust your daily calories within the ratio.  

55/30/15- This diet is more for bulking.  The large carb percentage will make your body want to store that excess energy as body mass, and therefore you'll grow more easily on this macro set than you would on a lower carb one.  Carbs are especially important for hard-gainers (skinny people who want to build muscle but just can't put the weight on), and you need to eat significant amounts of them to ensure your body can grow.  Again, adjust your overall calorie intake as needed.

25/40/35- This is a common ratio for fat loss.  You're getting around 25% of your daily calories from carbs, and 40% from protein to maintain whatever muscle mass you have.  This will encourage your body to run off the fat you have instead of the carbs you're consuming, and therefore you should burn an extra few pounds.  Unfortunately the body can stop responding to low carb diets rather quickly, and if your fat loss suddenly grinds to a halt I would suggest getting some more carbs back in your diet.

10/40/40- This ratio is called the ketogenic, or "keto" diet.  It's EXTREMELY low carb, and the basic idea is to get your body into a ketogenic state where it is burning only your body fat for energy.  Followers of the keto diet claim increased energy and extremely accelerated fatloss, but there has been a lot of skepticism about the actual merit held by such a low carb diet plan.  The Ketogenic diet will definitely come up in a later article of mine.

So that's about it.  Experiment with your own diet.  Take your daily calorie goal and try to split up those calories by the percentages stated in your chosen macro diet.  Do this by the grams of each macro nutrient you consume (grams of protein, carbs, and fats).  Sure it requires a little math, but hey, gotta keep that brain sharp.  

Count carefully, experiment, and as always, good luck!

Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

This one's a must try.  Butternut squash is one of the overall best vegetables out there, at least in my opinion.  If you love potatoes, but don't want something quite as dense, give butternut squash an honest chance. It tastes GREAT with spices, and is absolutely loaded with delicious flavor and nutrients.  It's also very low calorie, and much lower in overall calorie density than potatoes or sweet potatoes.

You can mash them, grill them, BBQ them, and my personal favorite, make soup out of them!  Here's a recipe for probably the greatest soup I've ever had.  My mom used to make it all the time, and I still miss it day in and day out.  It's only 90 calories a cup, and has none of that horribly high sodium content you'll find in other canned soups.

Here you go:

Butternut squash soup-Serves 8

Ingredients-

-2.5lbs butternut squash, skin and seeds removed, roughly cut into 1/2 inch cubes
-1 tablespoon of canola oil
-2 medium-sized yellow onions, peeled and roughly cut
-1 stalk celery, roughly cut
-1.5 quarts of chicken stock
-1 bay leaf
-1/4 teaspoon thyme leaves
-2 teaspoons chopped chives
-salt and white pepper to taste

Instructions-

1.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

2.  Place the cut butternut squash in half lengthwise and place inside down on baking sheet in preheated oven     for 1 hour.

3. Heat the oil in a large 4 quart saucepan.  Add the onions and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.   Stir in roasted squash, celery, chicken stock, bay leaf and thyme.  Bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer for about 30 minutes.

4.  Remove from heat and discard the bay leaf.  Blend the soup with a regular household blender until smooth.  Season with salt and white pepper.

Simple, healthy, low calorie, and absolutely delicious.  SERVE AND ENJOY!!!