POWER UP MEALS!!

Welcome back, I've missed you, I hope your new years resolutions (If you make them) are going well!

Today I'm going to discuss the single most important aspect of any life change, and that's nutrition.

Remember the phrase "You are what you eat" well I'm not suggesting there are burger shaped people walking around but what we eat is essentially what we really are!!

When you eat something it's in the stomach and all the nutrients good and bad are absorbed and eventually distributed around the body fueling vital jobs such as using proteins to repair ripped muscle tissue... we call it working out; what's left over is stored in various ways, such as fat.

Why is fat stored if it causes so many health risks down the line?

Well fat is stored because your body has not evolved to know when you are going to get your next meal, as far as your body is concerned fat is going to save your life if you can't hunt down any food soon.

Problem is we keep adding to the stored fat before it gets used keeping us alive.

THE BEST WAY TO THINK ABOUT FAT IS THIS:

Think of your body as a car, and calories as fuel, if you keep filling your car with fuel and hardly run it, what will happen? Yes, your tank will be full, your car heavier from the full tank and fuel will pour out over the floor.

The body is the same, if you put more in that you take out you fill up... with fat.

Ok so now where does nutrition come in? Well that's simple, just like car fuel in general (for vehicles) you get different types from diesel to petrol all the way up to rocket fuel, they all increase performance.

People are the same, with the right fuel you can increase your output from thinking to exercise!!

This is such a HUGE topic that I'm going to have to make new headers called "Power up meals" to talk about this, I just can't do it justice in one single post but I'll go over the general idea.

Chances are you've heard the term "Super foods" if not then that's fine as I'll explain now, Super foods are foods with unusually high contents of nutrition that also aid the body in other ways, for example Blueberrys help combat cancer, protect your heart and boost memory to name a few.

Something worth noting is the preparation of foods, while it might seem obvious that frying foods is not as nutritionally beneficial as steaming something to think about, food for thought even, is that overcooking foods is just as damaging to its nutritional value.

Take broccoli for example (My personal favorite green vegetable), if your steaming or boiling it make sure to not cook it to he point where it starts to lose colour and the water changes a green colour, if you do that then you're losing precious nutrients. That green colour in the water is basically the goodness leaving the food. a way to retain SOME of that is to use that water in soups, stocks and gravy. you will save some of it that way, but ideally learning to cook things right will save you a lot of nutrients.

How to cook broccoli:

Broccoli

look for: Sturdy, dark-green spears with tight buds, no yellowing and a high floret-to-stem ratio.

Prep: Cut off florets; cut stalks in half lengthwise and then into 1-inch-thick half-moons.

Microwave: Place stems and florets in a large glass baking dish. Cover tightly and microwave on High until tender, about 4 minutes.

Roast: Preheat oven to 500°F. Spread on a baking sheet or in a pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Coat with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil. Roast, turning once halfway through cooking, until tender and browned in places, about 10 minutes.

Steam: Place stems in a steamer basket over 2 inches of water (with 1 tablespoon lemon juice added to it) in a large pot set over high heat. Cover and steam for 2 minutes. Add florets; cover and continue steaming until tender, about 5 minutes more.

 (From Eatingwell.com)

Want to drink fruit juice?

Avoid drinks "from concentrate" and totally avoid carbonated drinks, ideally drink something similar to something I reviewed in a previous post:

Coldpress make fruit juices, this is as close to just eating a raw apple that you're going to get, its freshly squeezed and then pasteurized using only pressure alone, no high heats used so you're 100% certain you've got all the nutrients and they have not been cooked away. 

WHEN EATING FRUIT AND VEGETABLES:

Eat something that has had as little a processing as possible.

(Much like meats, or anything really, processing equates to chemical, heat and other treatments that often hinder the nutritional properties of food)

Eat organic, you've no idea what chemicals have treated your food and what their long term effects might be (better safe than sorry)

Don't overcook.

Overcooking can effectively ruin a foods value.

Enjoy eating well.

(Even if you don't like the idea)

If you can enjoy eating healthy foods then it makes the process of eating well even better for you!

While I appreciate you might not like vegetables (I didn't when I was younger) I  did however try hard to incorporate what I could.

For example, I hated the texture of broccoli, so I'd blend it into a soup, texture problem solved. 

I don't like the taste of Egg alone, so I season well and accompany egg with other items to remove and change that taste. 

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POWER UP MEAL  #1   MUSCLE MEAT SALAD!!

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( Taken from EatingWell.com as it's a FANTASTIC recipe)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup fresh blueberries, divided
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted (see Tips)
• 3 tablespoons fruity vinegar, such as raspberry vinegar
• 1 tablespoon minced shallot
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• 3 tablespoons walnut oil or canola oil
• 1 pound sirloin steak or strip steak (1-1 1/4 inches thick), trimmed
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 8 cups baby spinach
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

PREPARATION

1. Preheat grill to medium.
2. Pulse 1/4 cup blueberries, 1/4 cup walnuts, vinegar, shallot, sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a food processor to form a chunky paste. With the motor running, add oil until incorporated. Transfer the dressing to a large bowl.
3. Sprinkle steak with pepper and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Oil the grill rack (see Tips). Grill the steak about 5 minutes per side for medium-rare, 6 minutes per side for medium. Let rest on a clean cutting board for 5 minutes.
4. Add spinach to the bowl with the dressing; toss to coat. Divide the spinach among 4 plates. Thinly slice the steak crosswise. Top the spinach with the steak, feta and the remaining blueberries and walnuts.

TIPS & NOTES

• Tips: To toast chopped nuts, place in a small dry skillet and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.
• To oil a grill rack, oil a folded paper towel, hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Do not use cooking spray on a hot grill.)

NUTRITION

Per serving: 392 calories; 26 g fat ( 5 g sat , 7 g mono ); 68 mg cholesterol; 11 g carbohydrates; 1 g added sugars; 29 g protein; 3 g fiber; 494 mg sodium; 748 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (114% daily value), Zinc (36% dv), Vitamin C (35% dv), Folate (34% dv), Magnesium (26% dv), Iron & Potassium (21% dv)

Carbohydrate Servings: 1

Exchanges: 2 vegetable, 3 lean meat, 4 fat

Just look at this meal, steak, blueberries, walnuts and spinach!! This meal has it all!! taste, class and massive protein for low fat, almost 30 g of PROTEIN!! 

A good overview of superfoods and what they have to offer!!

Apples	Protects your heart	prevents constipation	Blocks diarrhea	Improves lung capacity	Cushions joints
Apricots	Combats cancer	Controls blood pressure	Saves your eyesight	Shields against Alzheimer's	Slows aging process
Artichokes	Aids digestion	Lowers cholesterol	Protects your heart	Stabilizes blood sugar	Guards against liver disease
Avocados	Battles diabetes	Lowers cholesterol	Helps stops strokes	Controls blood pressure	Smoothes skin
Bananas	Protects your heart	Quiets a cough	Strengthens bones	Controls blood pressure	Blocks diarrhea
Beans	Prevents constipation	Helps hemorrhoids	Lowers cholesterol	Combats cancer	Stabilizes blood sugar
Beets	Controls blood pressure	Combats cancer	Strengthens bones	Protects your heart	Aids weight loss
Blueberries	Combats cancer	Protects your heart	Stabilizes blood sugar	Boosts memory	Prevents constipation
Broccoli	Strengthens bones	Saves eyesight	Combats cancer	Protects your heart	Controls blood pressure
Cabbage	Combats cancer	Prevents constipation	Promotes weight loss	Protects your heart	Helps hemorrhoids
Cantaloupe	Saves eyesight	Controls blood pressure	Lowers cholesterol	Combats cancer	Supports immune system
Carrots	Saves eyesight	Protects your heart	Prevents constipation	Combats cancer	Promotes weight loss
Cauliflower	Protects against Prostate Cancer	Combats Breast Cancer	Strengthens bones	Banishes bruises	Guards against heart disease
Cherries	Protects your heart	Combats Cancer	Ends insomnia	Slows aging process	Shields against Alzheimer's
Chestnuts	Promotes weight loss	Protects your heart	Lowers cholesterol	Combats Cancer	Controls blood pressure
Chili peppers	Aids digestion	Soothes sore throat	Clears sinuses	Combats Cancer	Boosts immune system
Figs	Promotes weight loss	Helps stops strokes	Lowers cholesterol	Combats Cancer	Controls blood pressure
Fish	Protects your heart	Boosts memory	Protects your heart	Combats Cancer	Supports immune system
Flax	Aids digestion	Battles diabetes	Protects your heart	Improves mental health	Boosts immune system
Garlic	Lowers cholesterol	Controls blood pressure	Combats cancer	kills bacteria	Fights fungus
Grapefruit	Protects against heart attacks	Promotes Weight loss	Helps stops strokes	Combats Prostate Cancer	Lowers cholesterol
Grapes	saves eyesight	Conquers kidney stones	Combats cancer	Enhances blood flow	Protects your heart
Green tea	Combats cancer	Protects your heart	Helps stops strokes	Promotes Weight loss	Kills bacteria
Honey	Heals wounds	Aids digestion	Guards against ulcers	Increases energy	Fights allergies
Lemons	Combats cancer	Protects your heart	Controls blood pressure	Smoothes skin	Stops scurvy
Limes	Combats cancer	Protects your heart	Controls blood pressure	Smoothes skin	Stops scurvy
Mangoes	Combats cancer	Boosts memory	Regulates thyroid	aids digestion	Shields against Alzheimer's
Mushrooms	Controls blood pressure	Lowers cholesterol	Kills bacteria	Combats cancer	Strengthens bones
Oats	Lowers cholesterol	Combats cancer	Battles diabetes	prevents constipation	Smoothes skin
Olive oil	Protects your heart	Promotes Weight loss	Combats cancer	Battles diabetes	Smoothes skin
Onions	Reduce risk of heart attack	Combats cancer	Kills bacteria	Lowers cholesterol	Fights fungus
Oranges	Supports immune systems	Combats cancer	Protects your heart	Straightens respiration
Peaches	prevents constipation	Combats cancer	Helps stops strokes	aids digestion	Helps hemorrhoids
Peanuts	Protects against heart disease	Promotes Weight loss	Combats Prostate Cancer	Lowers cholesterol	Aggravates Diverticulitis
Pineapple	Strengthens bones	Relieves colds	Aids digestion	Dissolves warts	Blocks diarrhea
Prunes	Slows aging process	prevents constipation	boosts memory	Lowers cholesterol	Protects against heart disease
Rice	Protects your heart	Battles diabetes	Conquers kidney stones	Combats cancer	Helps stops strokes
Strawberries	Combats cancer	Protects your heart	boosts memory	Calms stress
Sweet potatoes	Saves your eyesight	Lifts mood	Combats cancer	Strengthens bones
Tomatoes	Protects prostate	Combats cancer	Lowers cholesterol	Protects your heart
Walnuts	Lowers cholesterol	Combats cancer	boosts memory	Lifts mood	Protects against heart disease
Water	Promotes Weight loss	Combats cancer	Conquers kidney stones	Smoothes skin
Watermelon	Protects prostate	Promotes Weight loss	Lowers cholesterol	Helps stops strokes	Controls blood pressure
Wheat germ	Combats Colon Cancer	prevents constipation	Lowers cholesterol	Helps stops strokes	improves digestion
Wheat bran	Combats Colon Cancer	prevents constipation	Lowers cholesterol	Helps stops strokes	improves digestion
Yogurt	Guards against ulcers	Strengthens bones	Lowers cholesterol	Supports immune systems	Aids digestion

An overview of good superfoods
(Shared from: http://www.thepowerhour.com/news2/healthy_food_chart.htm)

So you wan't to be a resolution master?

So you're thinking of, or setting a new years resolution. Since this is a (majority) a health blog, I'm going to go over a few things health related resolutions and how to approach them.

DON'T MAKE THESE RESOLUTIONS:

I want to give up bad foods.

I want to exercise more.

I would like to be X weight.

I'll try to give up smoking.

I want to be more successful.

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DO MAKE THESE RESOLUTIONS:

I will be more healthy by next new years.

I will fit in X item of clothing again.

I will quit smoking.

I will quit alcohol.

I will build the body I want.

I will achieve X goal.

*Notice the will , thisis because the words "Want" "Try" and "going to" are all approaching words not doing words. Telling yourself you WILL do something is more likley to result in positive subconscious approval over I'LL TRY, or I WANT.

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I want to be X weight by X date.

So you have an idea what weight you want to be, and while in most cases weighing less would indicate a healthy person this is not entirely true.

The real question isn't being X weight, it's rather "I want to be a lot more healthy by X date".
WARNING:
When setting any variables (dates, weight, size, anything that is reliant on a time frame) you HAVE to be realistic, most people fail this aspect I'll give an example:

"I want to lose 2 stones (28 lbs) in 2 months"

This is very unachievable without putting your health at serious risk, and since your health should come first. You will fail this goal, get disheartened and likely quit. However:

"I want to fit into X item of clothing again before summer."

This kind of goal is a lot better, even if to fit in said clothing you'd need to lose 2 stone (28 lbs), its not a giant number any more  its an item of clothing, something tangible. And also losing 2 stone within 6 months is doable at a healthy rate.

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SUMMERY:

Make resolutions:

• Precise and not vague.
• Achievable.
• Beneficial.
• Tangible (something real to you, something you can image how you'd feel if you achieved it)
• You would break your back (metaphorically speaking) to maintain, DO NOT even a little bit go back on what you set out to do.
• MOST IMPORTANTLY, because YOU want to do it, DO NOT do resolutions with friends under the illusion of support, the foundation has to be because you actually want to do this regardless of friends doing the same thing.

So you want to be healthy / lose weight / build muscle / tone / become fitter / become more attractive (yes).

Well the bad news is, no matter what you're goal is you can only BENEFIT a great deal by changing your diet.

Good news is that this is no where near as bad as people and the media make out, take it from me, I'm a hugely fussy eater.

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Little side note: while studies show the body only absorbs so much vitamin content from foods, you do still absorb an amount. I highly recommend taking Vitamin B12. It's a vitamin that increases serotonin output which is responsible for making us feel happy. Feeling happy is always a bonus when you do anything. 

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Do you suffer from heartburn or indigestion?

Well I used to, it's actually really easy to fix, eat less red meat (nobody is banning you, just limit your intake) and avoid meats that have been processed too much, more processing = more heartburn from the fatty stabilisers they add to processed foods (helps increase its shelf life).

My personal tip, always buy raw ingredients and cook from scratch, its not hard to learn a few recipes, if you buy batches of food and make large amounts to freeze and eat later or things that you can store in your fridge and eat over the space of a few days, you'll find yourself rapidly saving money.

AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE:

Processed ready meals.
Why:
They have high saturated fats and salt contents, the meat is heavily processed and the vegetables lacking in nutrition.

Low % pork sausages (I always aim for over 70% pork, you can look on the pack to see).
Why:
The rest of that % is the bad stuff, cartilage, tendons, guts, connective tissue, bits from the head and other parts of the pig. This stuff is lacking in nutrition and not great for you.

Non free range / organic chicken or eggs. (I know that it costs more for them)
Why:
Caged chickens have a terrible life, you must not ever forget to be thankful for the life you consume, and I just think if a chicken has to die for me it should at least have a life with dignity, not injected and modified and not feed altered food to make it grow abnormally fast. Chicken might be a great food source but it is also a living creature. Plus remember all the growth hormones and modifiers get absorbed by the animal and passed into the meat in one form or another.

Fast food:
Why:
Fast food has little nutritional value and is generally bad for you, sometimes its a nice treat but that is how it should be viewed, and if I'm honest, after having a prolonged period of not eating fast food or heavily carbonated drinks I actually realised just how disgusting and how unnatural they tasted.

Cheese:
Why:
This is a hard one for me, I love cheese and do have it now and then as treat. The problem is that it is mostly fat and a high percentage of it saturates, only one cheese is really good for you and that's cottage cheese, it has a high protein content and is great for people working out.

Carbonated (Fizzy) Drinks:
Why:
Carbonated drinks have a huge sugar content, this can help cause diabetes and will aid to terrible dental health. They offer very little actual hydration, and as for diet drinks, they have sweeteners in which are actually carcinogenic (indirect cancer causing chemicals).

HIGH SATURATED FAT FOODS:
Why:
High sat fat foods are very hard to digest, in my experiences you should't really eat anything that contains over 5grams of sat fat. Some foods will surprise you very much! I once bought a kids lunch box kit (came with cheese and ham slices and crackers) and it was over 10 grams of sat fat!! ALWAYS CHECK THE NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF FOODS YOU EAT!

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Next update I'm going to show you cost effective ways to buy raw ingredients and make healthy, good food that will help boost you in what you do.

I'm basically going to formulate recipes and foods that match the common goals people have!

On the next exciting episode of KIKOJUI EVOLUTION SAGA!!

"P o w e r  U p  M e a l s"
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Peace you beautiful, beautiful readers.

NEXT YEAR RUMBLE!!

So we rapidly approach new years, and I've not had a lot to say, however I have learned a LOT and since new years day is heading towards as at a fast pace, now more than ever people consider their health.
I'm going to push the blog into 5.0 and if you know ANYTHING about this blog then you'll realise that will bring a new feature or two, a new logo and a new feel. The reason this blogs face changes so often is to reflect the changes we make in ourselves. 5.0 is going to be awesome!!

Before I continue I feel I might refresh and go over a few VERY important things.

I'd like to go over something I find amusing, NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS.

While I personally approve of people wanting to make changes in their lives very few indeed ever make them (Myself included). This is down to many reasons but most importantly is the approach.

For example when I eventually quit smoking it wasn't the time I told myself "Today I'll quit" it was the day I thought to myself, I don't want to die before my time and at that moment threw a almost full pack of 20 into the bin. It sounds simple but you have to really want the changes if you expect them to last.

In the Gym, well in any Gym, just after Christmas the place gets packed with people unhappy with Christmas weight or just because it is their new years resolution. But this isn't your choice, not in the abstract.

You only thought about losing weight because on a specific day you're expected to make a resolution. This isn't your own thought, and since it's imposed onto you it feels more like a challenge than a option.

For you to make ANY changes in your life, be them giving up alcohol or losing weight, they all require some basic principals:

• You must WANT the change and not feel forced.
• You must ACCEPT that the changes will not happen quickly.
• You must DEVOTE yourself to the new cause, making sure to give it the attention it deserves.  
• You must LOVE the idea of actually accomplishing the goal.
• You must ENJOY doing the activity, I enjoyed every month I was smoke free, and I enjoy everytime I look in the mirror and see my changes.
• You must ACHIEVE a positive state of mind, don't look at a gym session as a hour and a half of pain, look at it as a hour and a half closer to being the person you wish to be.

Simple to remember really, WANT, ACCEPT, DEVOTE, LOVE, ENJOY, ACHIEVE.

AVOID THE PITFALLS OF FITNESS RIGHT HERE!!!

The single most important thing is that you DO NOT NEED A GYM.
Gym prices and deals are very attractive during the new year and there is a very good reason for it. The Gyms do NOT want guys like me that use the gym 3-5 times a week. They want the person who has made a new years resolution, go's for a week or two before quitting. Why? Well almost all Gyms require at least a 3 month contract, you'll be paying them for 3 months and only using the equipment for a week or so, the winners are the gym. Gyms will always have regulars like myself who sustain the buisness.

So let me weight up the advantages and disadvantages to a gym, and then I'll provide you with a very cost effective solution.

PROS:

1. A range of quality equipment and facilities.
2. A good atmosphere for exercising.

3. No space in your house required for the same equipment.

4. Expensive cardio machines like a treadmill.

5. On site professionals for advice.

CONS:

1. Costs an enormous amount of money in comparison to alternatives.

2. Queuing for equipment.

3. Witnessing bad form, and maybe thinking it's the right way to do an exercise.

4. Working out in front of other people is not easy for people who are unhappy with their body or shy.

5. Travel to the gym costs money unless you live close to one.

6. Meat heads who aren't always great to be around and the attitudes some people have to fitness.

SOLUTION:

If you have a lot of disposable income, do not care to waste your money and live close to a gym, then by all means use one. If not, do the following.

HOME SET UP!

• Buy two adjustable dumbbells (ones in which you can put different weights onto) and buy a good range of weights so that you can get around at max 40KG on a single dumbbell (should be the max amount you want to life on a dumbbell eventually, not what you can lift now)
• Buy a yoga mat, this will make a lot of exercises more comfortable and also yoga is fantastic for you anyway.
• Buy a Bar to do pull ups and dips on, you can get ones that fold and rest onto your door frame.
• Either buy a bench or just get a strong piece of wood to rest between two chairs as a bench, remove a chair for an incline bench, this will be used in a lot of exercises.
• For cardio, either use a bike or just run outside, no matter where you are this is always the best option for cardio unless you're prone to knee injury's, in which case I'd suggest buying a elliptical Cross trainer, low impact high cardiovascular, the cost of one would be about the same or less than a year at the gym anyway.
• If you have the space and a strong floor you could also get an olympic barbell, but this is optional.

Once you have these items you will be able to do everything most gyms can offer, free weights ALWAYS beat machines. Why? Because machines take out the balancing some of the smaller muscle groups provide when handling free weights.

Ok I've run out of time, I'm going to expand on this a lot more over the next few weeks, and go over how just how easily you can make those lasting changes and not just phase out after a week or so.

Best of luck readers, I've missed you!!

What do you want to do?

I saw this beautiful video and it struck a cord with me, it's something I've always thought about. People working in jobs they don't really like to sustain a life of doing jobs you don't really like.