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Nuts happen to be high in both fat and calories, which has given them a bad wrap for some time. But the truth is, nuts are a healthy addition to your diet (if you aren’t allergic) and even have their place for those trying to lose weight. Although nuts are high in calories, they are also very high in beneficial nutrients and have been found to be a heart healthy food. The key is moderation and replacing an unhealthy snack (bag of potato chips, candy bar) with a handful of nuts.

Heart healthy

Nuts are high in omega-6 fatty acids and walnuts contain omega-3 fatty acids, making them very heart healthy. Nuts improve cardiovascular health because they reduce LDL (bad cholesterol) levels. A research study showed that participants who ate nuts at least twice weekly were over 30% less likely to gain weight, compared to the other participants who never ate nuts. So, don’t worry that nuts contain fat because it’s the healthy fat. It’s important to avoid unhealthy fats that lead to weight gain, found in some packaged foods (hydrogenated oils, saturated fats and trans-fats).

Vitamins

Nuts (particularly walnuts, almonds and pecans) contain hefty doses of beneficial antioxidants. These compounds help to combat the effects of stress on the body and fight free radical damage. Nuts also contain essential vitamins and minerals, including B vitamins, calcium and magnesium. Selenium and Vitamin E, both potent antioxidants, are found especially in almonds and brazil nuts.

How many nuts should you eat?

It’s best to eat unsalted nuts, so you aren’t raising your sodium levels. Don’t limit yourself just to unsalted nuts, but try to eat salted nuts only in moderation. You can eat up to 5 servings of nuts per week, or more according to your calorie needs. You can also eat more nuts by simply replacing an otherwise unhealthy snack with nuts. You can include nuts in your diet by eating them as a trail mix, which often includes healthy dried fruits like raisins and apricots. Instead of buying a pre-made trailmix, you can also mix your own with your favorite nuts and dried fruit. For a treat, throw in some dark chocolate chips (also high in antioxidants). Nuts can definitely be your friend, but with anything you should exercise moderation. The key to a healthy diet is variety, being sure to consume a broad range of vegetables, fruits, legumes and nuts.

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Exercise is important, as most of us know. It is so important, in fact, that research has shown that daily exercise can add up to 4 years to your life. But nutrition is also important and goes hand-in-hand with exercise. In order to be able to exercise, you need fuel to keep your body going. Proper nutrition helps to build muscle and maintain a healthy weight. Below, we’ll explain a bit more about which foods (and what ratios) are best for improving your workout routine.

What to eat

Many fitness experts recommend consuming carbohydrates in a 3 to 1 ratio. Further more, if you include a healthy fat in your meal (coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil) it will help you absorb the nutrients from your meal. Be sure just to include a small amount of healthy fat (say, one teaspoon). Before your workout, have a small meal and allow time to digest. Stay away from high starchy foods before your workout (like breads and bagels) because your body will be working on digesting that heavy starch rather than giving all available energy to your workout routine. Instead, you need a usable food that will quickly turn into energy to provide you with stamina. For example, dates are a highglycemic food and are great before a workout. They have a quick release for instant energy, rather than a sustained one.

What to drink

It is important to consume plenty of water because you’ll be sweating throughout your workout. As you sweat, you lose sodium and water. Because of this, it is important to drink water plus electrolytes. A great way to get electrolytes is through consuming coconut water, which is quickly being recognized as an athlete-friendly beverage. It is important to replenish electrolytes and you can also buy a powdered mix of electrolytes to add to your water. Before your workout or throughout the day, you can also consider drinking a natural energy drink. It can give you a quick dose of energy while also boosting your immune system. But that’s only the case if you choose the right energy drink, as some are very high in mostly just sugar and caffeine – leading to a quick buzz but then a huge drop in energy when it wears off. Consider a natural energy drink like MonaVie-EMV, which is packed with antioxidants from green tea and acai. It also contains yerba mate and other herbal compounds.

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When opting to eat a healthier diet, one thing that may concern you is whether or not that hunger pain you are feeling is just that or something else entirely. Cravings can be mistaken for hunger, so it is important to know which is which. A true sign of hunger needs to be acknowledged, since food is a source of nutrition and energy. If you ignore your hunger, it could even lead to a dangerous drop in blood sugar levels. This is especially true for those suffering from hypoglycemia. If you aren’t sure whether or not your desire to eat is out of a craving or out of true phsyical hunger, read below on tips to distinguish between the two.

Signs of true physical hunger may include:

• rumbling stomach
• headache
• irritability
• difficulty concentrating
• dizziness

Is it a craving?

A craving, on the other hand, is something that can easily go away if you become distracted by something (a phone call, a visitor, etc). Cravings can occur for a variety of reasons, maybe you’re feeling more stressed then usual, lack of sleep or even just simple boredom. People often mistake cravings for hunger and then overeat, promoting unhealthy weight gain. One suggestion to counteract cravings is to do something else that you enjoy, like a hobby (read a book, sew, knit, play a video game). If your craving isn’t gone after about 30 minutes, then it may be that you really are hungry and should have a light snack. When you crave something, think about eating an apple. If you can’t bring yourself to eat an apple, then chances are you actually aren’t hungry. You’re just craving a slice of cake or a cookie. Instead of giving in to your sweet tooth, wait until you are actually hungry to eat. That way, you won’t be getting any unnecessary calories or packing your stomach when it’s already full. Remember, a craving is usually for something specific (a brownie, a bag of chips) but it doesn’t always mean that you are actually hungry and in need of sustenance.

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In cities across the United States, more and more people are putting their feet to the peddles. New bicycle paths are also popping up around the country, due to the demand. Many people aren’t just riding for recreation, but also bike riding for transportation. Biking to work is a green way to get to and from your job, all while burning calories and saving cash. But besides that, it helps to tone your body and even promotes a healthy cardiovascular system.

Protect your heart

For those with high blood pressure and high cholesterol, it’s even more important to take action to protect your heart and prevent heart disease. Fitness experts recommend riding at a moderate to fast pace for at least 30 minutes straight. Research has shown that women who practiced this for at least 30 minutes, three times a week, found that after one year they had significantly reduced their blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Tone your body

Biking has been found to tone your overall body, from the torsao to your legs. It boosts energy levels and leaves you feeling energized and strong. It’s also easier on your joints, especially your knees – than running is. You can mix it up and even ride while standing. This will engage your triceps and your core. So biking may tone your legs, but it also tones nearly every other muscle too. It’s a great way to tone, shape and energize you body.

A survey from the National Household Transportation showed that half of the working population (in the U.S.) actually live within 5 miles of their place of work. That means that biking about 20 minutes each way is not only easy to do but can burn up to 3,000 extra calories each month. The first thing to do, though, is start out slow if you aren’t already familiar with biking for long periods of time. Pace yourself, bring water and even bring a friend if you can. You’ll be able to work up to riding for longer distances – and up hills. Set goals and keep track of your progress to help you stay on the right track.

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Why is protein important and how much do you need? Well, if you’ve ever wondered that, then we’ll explain it for you. The fact is that protein is the building blocks of our body, they build and maintain muscle. Protein is in our hair, skin, etc. So no doubt protein is important and essential to our body, but just how much protein do we need to consume? The RDA for protein in the United States is 0.8 grams per kilogram of weight (2.2 lbs).

How to calculate your protein needs

It is important to calculate your protein needs, based on your weight and activity level. Those who are pregnant may require more protein than those who are not. Take these easy steps listed below to find our how many grams of protein you should be consuming per day.

1) Take your weight in pounds, divided by 2.2 (which is weight in kg)
2) Take the weight in kg times 0.8gm (or 1.5 gm if you are pregnant or involved in intense exercise or training)

Example: a 105 lb female, in regular health and regular activity level
1) 105 divided by 2.2 = 47.72
2) 47.72 kg multiplied by 0.8 = 38 grams of protein per day

Where to get protein

It is best to vary protein sources so that you get a full variety of amino acids. There are many different ways to consume protein, for both those who consume meat products and for those who don’t. If you are a vegetarian, for example, then you would simply focus on plant sources of protein. Protein can be found in beans, lentils, other legumes as well as nuts and seeds. Below, we’ll list some of the popular sources of healthy protein (both animal sources and non-animal sources). Just remember to vary your diet and include lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, too.

Meat and fish: Chicken breast, turkey, salmon
Dairy: Yogurt, cottage cheese
Nuts: Almonds, walnuts, cashews, pistachios
Seeds: Sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds
Legumes: Black beans, red beans, pinto beans

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