It’s been a big debate for a long time. Are eggs bad for your heart? Will eggs Raise LDL cholesterol? With recent studies it’s been shown that eggs are cholesterol healthy. These high cholesterol foods actually work towards lowering the ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol, and raising the ‘good’ HDL cholesterol – if they are in conjunction with a lower saturated fat diet. The test was an individual who ate 9 times the normal consumption of eggs (4 full eggs a day). If cholesterol went up that would mean that eggs are bad for you. So what were the results?

The participant started out at a cholesterol number of 3.8, which is a level just below the recommended by the Heart Foundation. After following the diet for two weeks the results were low. So low the machine didn’t even register a number! That is ridiculous.

Why Does It Lower Cholesterol?

Eggs are a food that are rich in nutrients, low in fat, and high in protein. Eggs lower cholesterol because they are high in cholesterol but low in saturated fats. Just because a food is high in cholesterol doesn’t mean that it will raise your cholesterol level. It’s the saturated fats from fatty meats, and a lot of the cream products that are the ones that raise the bad cholesterol.

Begin Taking The Right Steps To Lowering Cholesterol

It’s not that hard. All you really need to do is start eliminating those high saturated foods. Instead of eaitng red meat 3-4 times a week only have it once a week. Start eating foods that are a good source of omega fatty acids such as tuna and salmon. Like bacon and eggs in the morning? Cut out the bacon – it is VERY high in saturated fats. It’s the side meals that we have with eggs that are the bad part of the meal – the sausage and bacon. Choose to have eggs and oatmeal for breakfast instead. Drink skim milk instead of 2-4%.

Here are some suggestions on meals with eggs:

• Scrambled eggs
• Hard-boiled eggs
• Crustless Quiche
• Scrambled egg burritos w/ whole wheat tortillas
• Scrambled eggs with salmon
• Many and many types of Omellettes

Implementing these small changes will make a big difference in your cholesterol level. Let’s all make a small step to lowering cholesterol, and having a healthy lifestyle!

That wonderful fizzy sweet drink that everyone loves – soda. You see it all over the place in many forms: Coca Cola, Pepsi, Mountain Dew, 7 UP, Sprite, and many others. A lot of people drink pop on a daily basis – the unfortunate part is that it will slow down the chance of fat loss…or reverse it. The number one reason is because of the sugar content. That’s the main reason why it’s so tasty, because a can of soda can contain up to a dozen teaspoons of sugar. So what does this sugar do? It spikes insulin which stores more fat than you’d like, also it temporary impairs your immune system.

As I mentioned consuming sugar spikes your insulin. This is the major concern. Consuming all that sugar in one period (within 10 minutes usually) it raises blood sugars all at once. Overtime this weakens the pancreas, and eventually stops working effectively which may result in diabetes.

Another factor is the acid content in pop. We’ve all seen it – you know when the kids do the science fair with dissolving a steak or nails in a few days. This is horrible for your teeth. The acidic content in pop will start dissolving your teeth. Starting to reconsider drinking pop now? I know I would be.

Now you might be thinking, “Ok, I will switch to diet pop now”. The problem is that diet pop is just as worse for you. Diet pop contains fake sugars (aspartame and sucralose). Aspartame in diet pops has been causing many negative health conditions (birth defects and brain cancer to name a few). Once it enters your body is turns into a wood alcohol which is a deadly poison. Sucralose (Splenda) has been introduced as a ’safer’ alternative, but there has been no long term research on the product, and also has been questionable. It’s basically a chlorinated sugar that has had negative side effects in recent studies.

So what can you do to start stop drinking pop?

Lower Your Intake Slowly

Let’s say You are currently drinking 3 pops a day (which is about 450 extra calories a day) it would be ideal to drink two pops a day for the first week then to switch 1 pop a day for the next two weeks, and after the three weeks you should be down to zero pops a day. Also, for each pop that you have make sure to drink a full glass of water right after.

The reason why you don’t just jump into zero pops a day is because you will most likely have headaches caused by the withdrawal of caffeine. Slowly lowering your intake will give your body time to detox the toxins in your body (which cause the headaches)

Get Rid Of Your Cravings

This is why it’s so hard to stop drinking pop once you start. It’s because you always have a craving for the stuff. Here are a few things you need to consume to stop the cravings that will start to flush out the toxins:

• Drink Water – lots of it.
• Eat Whole lean proteins without preservatives – baked chicken, fish, beef
• Eat fresh veggies and fruits, not packaged (which contains extra sodium and added sugar)
• Get your fair share of healthy fats from sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds, and cashews
• Whey Protein

Find A Healthy Alternative

Tea is a great change (No – I’m not talking about the sugar filled Iced Tea). There are so many varieties of tea to try that there has to be one that will suit you. My favourite teas are Yerba Mate and Green Tea. Teas also contain powerful antioxidants that will boost fat loss (I have tested, and consuming tea has lowered my cravings and makes me feel full especially after a meal). Even though it has been debated, coffee may be another alternative. Caffeinated or Decaf coffee is a delicious drink that needs some getting used to, but once you are it’ll be one of your favourite drinks (Be careful to not consume too much caffeinated coffee because consuming too much has negative side effects).

Also mentioned earlier was to drink Whey Protein. Whey Protein does contain calories, but is loaded with nutrients and amino acids which are beneficial to your health unlike soda which is empty calories (sugar – which we know how that affects our health). A glass of whey protein can contain 24 grams of protein which will aid to help preserve and grow muscle tissue, and promotes fat loss. Now are you convinced?

A Final Note…

You have to remember, that no one is going to change you but you yourself. You have to take action to stop consuming the toxic sugars that is killing all of us slowly. Of course I’ll have the occasional soda (Maybe once a week. Sometimes I’ll go months without it), but once you stop drinking soda on a consistent basis you’ll notice that your fat loss will increase, you will get less headaches, and start feeling better with more energy.

CONFUSED by all those SUPPLEMENT INGREDIENTS? Get your Free Supps eBook at Bodybuilding.com. Start decoding them now!

Broccoli may reduce prostate cancer risk, study says

CONFUSED by all those SUPPLEMENT INGREDIENTS? Get your Free Supps eBook at Bodybuilding.com. Start decoding them now!

Here’s the list:

Fruits – There are many fruits that help lower cholesterol such as apples, oranges, cantaloupe, strawberries, and grapefruit

Nuts and seeds – Some nuts and seeds are a great source of omega 3 fatty acids such as walnuts, almonds, and flaxseeds.

Cold-water Fish - Another great source of omega 3 fatty acids are tuna and salmon.

Whole Grain Foods – Bread, cereal (we all know about cheerios and lowering cholesterol), and pasta.

Oatmeal – Oatmeal is high in fibre and iron, and cleans excess cholesterol.B

Vegetables – Broccoli, asparagus, onions, beets, artichokes, and some others I’ve never even tried before like jicama, rutabaga, daikon, and butternut squash.

Beans – High in soluble fibre, and helps with the digestion system.

Soy Protein – An ounce of tofu a day can lower LDL cholesterol as much as 10%

Despite garlic being claimed that it can lower LDL cholesterol a study last year concluded that it’s not as effective as they thought. The study suggests “You achieve good health through eating healthy food. There isn’t a pill or an herb you can take to counteract an unhealthy diet.” That means consuming foods described above in part of your diet.

Try to eliminate all trans fats in your diet. If you’re eating the foods above than you shouldn’t have to worry about trans fats. Minimizing sugars and white flour will also lower triglyceride levels, help weight loss, and lower LDL cholesterol levels. When having dairy products go for the lower fat solution. Instead of drinking 2% milk – drink skim milk. Instead of 2% cottage cheese, choose 1%. These subtle changes can make a huge difference.

I’m still at a young age so I’m not as much concerned about my cholesterol level. The thing is the foods above are foods that I eat every single day (besides soy protein – I’ve never even tried tofu), and I’m definately feeling the benefits of eating such foods

When I started a healthy lifestyle I never knew the difference between saturated, polyunsaturated, and monounsaturated were. I just knew fats were a bad thing. So I stood away from them. When I looked at the label I would just look at the part that said how much fat there was in the food I was eating. Soon I discovered through reading Bodybuilding.com that certain fats play a significant role in our bodies.

There are two families of Essential Fatty Acids – omega 3 and 6. They are found in sources such as fish, shellfish, soya oil, canola oil, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, leafy vegetables and flaxseed. Here are reasons why they should be part of your diet:

1. Low levels of EFAs in the body may be a factor of illnesses such as osteoporosis.
2. Preliminary evidence that omega 3 fatty acids might help in cases of depression and anxiety
3. Stimulates blood circulation, and increases the breakdown of fibrin.
4. Has been shown to reduce blood pressure….
5. Omega 3 fatty acids significantly reduces blood triglyceride levels
6. May reduce the risk of ischemic and thrombotic stroke.
7. Increases energy production
8. Has an anti-inflammatory effect
9. Relieves asthma
10. Decreases response to allergies
11. Strengthens your immune system
12. Produces a calming effect and regulates mood

Now how do I make sure that I’m getting my fair share of omega fatty acids I take 1 1000mg NOW Omega 3-6-9 softgel with 3 of my meals. Also I get it from natural sources such as pumpkin seeds, almonds, and meals that have fish (usually tuna).

Hugo Rivera recommends taking 14 grams of omega fatty acids per day. What are your thoughts about Omega Fatty Acids?

Eat one dark green vegetable daily

There are three macronutrients that you have to become familiar with:

• Carbohydrates
• Proteins; and
• Fats

These three macronutrients are what go into your body when you eat food. Each play a significant role in the body.

Carbohydrates

• Are the main source of energy (which is essential prior to a workout).
• Are stored in the muscles and liver for future use and could potentially be stored as fat.
• Grab proteins and puts them inside the muscle cells for repair and recovery (also known as protein synthesis).

There are two types of carbs – complex carbs and simple carbs. Complex carbs provide sustained energy while simple carbs provide an instant boost, but wear off quickly. The most valued are the complex carbs that have a low to medium Glycemic Index. The only time I have simple carbs are after my workout. Examples of Complex carbs are brown rice, vegetables (potatoes, beans, broccoli, etc.), and oatmeal. Examples of Simple Carbs are most fruits (strawberries, apples, etc.), and table sugar

Proteins

Protein is what makes up tissue in our bodies. Proteins are used to build muscle and burn fat. When you ingest protein it increases your metabolism and helps release carbohydrates more flulently. Examples of proteins are chicken breast, tuna, eggs, whey protein, and turkey.

Fats

Fats play a significant role in the body – they lubricate your joints and produce hormones. Without fats in your diet, and there will be little chance of success. It has been noted that a healthy diet should contain 20% fats. There are three types of fats – Saturated, polyunsatgurated, and monounsaturated. Saturated fats are found in meats, and oils in packaged foods (which is why you should avoid them). They are associated with heart disease and high cholesterol, and should be kept to a minimum. Polyunsaturated fats are found in most vegetable oils. A good example is flax seed oil which is an Essential Fatty Acid. Monounsaturated fats have a positive effect on good cholesterol. Sources of monounsaturated fats are olive oil, and peanut oil (natural peanut butter would be a better choice than normal peanut butter).

Now Let’s Talk Calories…

1g Protein=4 calories
1g Carb = 4 calories
1g Fat = 9 calories

Now there are many factors that go into how many calories you need to maintain, lose and gain weight. I use the CalorieKing Calculator to figure out what my maintenance level is then subtract 500 calories if I’m cutting (losing weight) or add 500 calories if I’m bulking (gaining mass). I just did the calculation, and to maintain my weight I would need to consume 2319 calories per day. Since I’m currently losing weight I eat around 1800-2000 calories a day. Any less than that and I would be sacrifice losing muscle mass.

How Many Times To Eat Per Day…

Most people are used to eating three round meals in a day. The problem with that is when you have only three meals usually spaced about 4-6 hours apart your body thinks you are starving so the body stores some of the food as fat for later use. Also, when you have three round meals per day you tend to eat until you are full instead of eating until you are content. Your body does a poor job of telling you when you are actually full or hungry. The ideal amound of times one should eat in a day is 4-6 times. The rule of thumb I follow is to eat every three hours. If I eat every three hours I won’t be tempted to snack.

In Which Proportions?

The diet I have always followed, and found most successful is the 40/40/20 diet. This means 40% carbohydrates, 40% proteins, and 20% fats. A good way to keep track of this is to use an online meal tracker. I use FitDay, and find it works very well.