Here’s a recap of the best health and fitness articles I’ve read over the past week.
Protein & The Reboot – Setting The Record Straight
Can you get enough protein while on a juice “feast?” Of course you can and it’s pretty easy! If you’re mostly sedentary, you only need 0.36 grams of protein per pound of weight and if you’re active you should get 0.55 grams per pound. If you’re weight training or doing intensive exercise, you’ll need about 0.68 grams per pound, but you probably shouldn’t be doing much exercise at all while on a juice fast.
Healthy Recipes: Natalie Hodson’s Death By Garlic Roasted Asparagus
I’m not really a big fan of asparagus, but I know a lot of people like it a lot. This recipe is so simple that it would make a great quick snack. I’m thinking about making these for my fiance, because she absolutely loves asparagus. Baking these in the toaster oven would probably be much easier than using the full-size oven.
Coconut oil is definitely one of the latest fad “super-foods” and I admit that I’ve been pulled in too. I’ve been using coconut oil regularly for probably about six months or so. I use it every morning in my oatmeal and if I cook with oils, I use coconut oil. This article explains quite a bit about coconut oil if you want to learn more.
Ask The Macro Manager: Should I Drink Protein Before Or After A Workout?
I found this article interesting because I was just thinking about starting to use a pre-workout shake. The recommendations seem to be protein and carbs or just taking BCAA’s alone 15-30 minutes before working out. I’ll probably do BCAA’s and dextrose.
The basics of foam rolling and myofascial release
I’m still a beginner when it comes to foam rolling so the tips here are new to me. For example, I didn’t know that I should roll firmly towards the heart and then lighter on the way down. I also didn’t know that I shouldn’t roll over injured areas for a minimum of 72 hours. Good stuff to know for sure.
I particularly like the point made right in the first paragraph. You should only be taking a break long enough to accomplish whatever needs to be done, such as soft tissue work or recovering energy. You don’t need to stick to rest periods as they are laid out in a workout plan if you don’t need to. Their are some good ideas here for some things you can do to stay productive during rest periods too, such as posing. I’ve never tried that, but I will now.
This looks really cool! The whole workout plan is laid out for you – 16 minute workouts, 3 days a week for 12 weeks. Each day has its own page which as a video timer for you to follow along with and descriptions of the exercises you need to complete. There are also fields where you can track your results and then post to Facebook to keep yourself motivated. There’s an iPhone app too.
Eating Gross Food Because It’s Good For You
I thought this one was funny because the foods she mentions are just a regular part of my diet. I’ve been eating these things so long that I don’t even remember being afraid to try them. Well actually I do remember sorta being nervous about juicing. While on the topic of scary/strange foods, just a couple of weeks ago I tried natto and durian fruit. Those are scary, lol. They weren’t delicious, but they weren’t all that bad either. I might eat them again 😉
Finished my 2 month juice fast! A photo comparison of before and after
If you think you have what it takes to consume only juices for 2 months, these are the kind of results you can expect. If I was overweight, I’d definitely try it.
New findings break tanning misconceptions: There is no such thing as a safe tan
Skin melanoma is the most lethal of skin cancers and now this study shows that you risk getting it no matter what method of tanning you do. Looks like you need to use tanning sprays or creams instead. That is if those aren’t toxic too. Ha!
Solving the mystery of how cigarette smoking weakens bones
I actually didn’t know that cigarette smoking weakened bones. I’m glad I quit smoking a couple years ago. It was the one thing really holding me back from being as healthy as I wanted to be.
Bulletproof video: Get stable energy & perform better by avoiding these
Here’s an excellent video all about how molds and toxins affect your body, what foods they are commonly found in, and how you can remove them from your body.
Foam Rolling Exercises for a Better Body: Your Foam Roller Guide
I agree with Srdjan when he says adding foam rolling into your routine is a game changer. It really is. I’ve been doing it for a couple weeks now and it’s having a huge impact on my recovery and I do it before I workout, so it gets my muscles ready to whatever exercises I have planned. There’s a good video here with lots of examples. I already do all of the leg examples shown, but I learned some new upper body moves. I usually use tennis balls on my chest and back. I would really like to get a rumble roller at some point. That’s definitely gonna hurt. 😉
Fish Isn’t The Best Source Of Long Chain Omega-3’s
Now this is an in-depth look at omega 3’s – what they are, where they come from and how they work. Take some time out of your day to read this and the two prior omega 3 articles in the series.
The Ultimate 30 Min MMA Conditioning Workout (Advanced Only)
I’m pretty sure that I can’t do this workout. It looks tough. There’s a 30 min. YouTube you can watch to follow along if you want to try. I’ll probably give it a shot, but I’m nowhere near as flexible or conditioned as this guy.
Substitute Avocado for Butter to Cut the Fat from Baked Goods
I hope I can remember this tip the next time I bake something that calls for butter. I’d much rather use avocado instead of butter replacement (I’m vegan, remember?). Avocado is interesting. I’ve used it various types of mixtures and you can never taste it. I’m sure it’s the same when baking with it.