12 Days of Powerfoods - Day 8

*Peanut Butter*

Powers: Boosting testosterone, building muscle, burning fat
Weapons: Protein, monounsaturated fat, vitamin E, niacin, magnesium
Fights against: Obesity, muscle loss, wrinkles, cardiovascular disease
Sidekicks: Cashew and almond butters
Posers: Mass-produced sugary and trans fatty peanut butters

In one 18-month experiment,
people who integrated peanut
butter into their diet maintained
weight loss better than those
on low-fat plans.

The thing to remember about peanut butter is that it has a lot of calories, so you have to limit how much of it you eat per day (the article below suggests 3 tablespoons/day). Also, it's important to eat an all natural, sugar free peanut butter rather than the mass produced brands.

How I ate it today: I eat my fair share of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, but I'll admit the PB I use is neither all natural or sugar free. I'll keep an eye out for some on our next grocery trip.



Source: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/27054206/ns/today_health/?pg=9#TDY_MH_12PowerFoods

12 Days of Powerfoods - Day 7

*Turkey and Other Lean Meats*Powers: Building muscle, improving the immune system

Weapons: Protein, iron, zinc, creatine (beef), omega-3 fatty acids (fish), vitamins B6 (chicken and fish) and B12, phosphorus, potassium
Fight against: Obesity, mood disorders, memory loss, heart disease
Sidekicks: Shellfish, Canadian bacon, omega-3 rich flaxseed
Posers: Sausage, bacon, cured meats, ham, fatty cuts of steak like T-bone and rib eye

Researchers in Stockholm found
that men who ate no fish had three
times the risk of prostate cancer
of those who ate it regularly.

According to the article (linked below), Mayo Clinic researchers studying the diets of two African tribes found that the tribe that ate fish frequently had leptin levels nearly five times lower than the tribe that primarily ate vegetables. Leptin is a hormone that influences your bodies metabolism; the higher your leptin levels, the quicker your body burns fat.

How I ate it today: This is where I have my biggest problem. I don't eat meat much, except for the occasional burger and chicken. Most times I just don't eat it at all. I'm probably borderline vegetarian, but I love grilled chicken salads :). Anyway, the boo and I might hit up a salad bar tonight, but I usually can't make myself eat the chicken at salad bars. Maybe I'll see if we can go to Montana Mike's or something, cuz their chicken salads are the besssst!




Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27054206/ns/today-today_health/?pg=8#TDY_MH_12PowerFoods

12 Days of Powerfoods - Day 6

*Eggs*

Powers: Building muscle, burning fat
Weapons: Protein, vitamins A and B12
Fight against: Obesity
Sidekicks: Egg Beaters, which have fewer calories than eggs and no fat, but just as much of the core nutrients
Posers: None

It turns out that eggs have more
protein in them than beef or milk!

Eggs also contain vitamin B12, which is necessary for fat breakdown.

How I ate it today: A week or so ago I had a bad encounter with eggs :(.. I just think about what I'm eating too much. But I will try to eat some scrambled eggs tomorrow morning with breakfast. They'll need lotss of salsa & ketchup...



Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27054206/ns/today-today_health/?pg=7#TDY_MH_12PowerFoods

12 Days of Powerfoods - Day 5

*Instant Oatmeal*

Powers: Boosting energy and sex drive, reducing cholesterol, maintaining blood-sugar levels
Weapons: Complex carbohydrates and fiber
Fights against: Heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer, obesity
Sidekicks: High-fiber cereals like All-Bran and Fiber One
Posers: Sugary cereal

Preliminary studies indicate that
oatmeal raises the levels of free
testosterone in your body, enhancing
your body’s ability to build muscle
and burn fat and boosting your sex drive.

Oatmeal contains soluble fiber, meaning that it attracts fluid and stays in your stomach longer (keeping you fuller longer) than insoluble fiber, like vegetables. Soluble fiber is thought to reduce blood cholesterol by binding with digestive acids made from cholesterol and sending them out of your body.

Tip to try: Buy plain instant oatmeal, add a dash of cinnamon , milk, & some fresh blueberries or strawberries. Yummmm :).

How I ate it today: I didn't. We do have some oatmeal (the brown sugar kind I think) and as soon as I get some milk to cook it in I'll devour a bowl!!




Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27054206/ns/today-today_health/?pg=6#TDY_MH_12PowerFoods

12 Days of Powerfoods - Day 4

*Dairy*

Powers: Building strong bones, firing up weight loss
Weapons: Calcium, vitamins A and B12, riboflavin, phosphorus, potassium
Fight against: Osteoporosis, obesity, high blood pressure, cancer
Sidekicks: None
Posers: Whole milk, frozen yogurt

A University of Tennessee study found that dieters who consumed between 1,200 and 1,300 milligrams of calcium a day lost nearly twice as much weight as those taking in less calcium.

Like I posted in a previous BYT, calcium can play a pretty big role in weight loss. Researchers think the mineral probably prevents weight gain by increasing the breakdown of body fat and hampering its formation.

Foods to try: Fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt, cheese, cottage cheese.

How I ate it today: Had cheese on a sandwich & burritos



Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27054206/ns/today-today_health/?pg=5#TDY_MH_12PowerFoods

12 Days of Powerfoods - Day 3

*Spinach and Other Green Veggies*

Powers: Neutralizing molecules that accelerate the aging process
Weapons: Vitamins including A, C, and K; folate; beta-carotene; minerals including calcium and magnesium; fiber
Fight against: Cancer, heart disease, stroke, obesity, osteoporosis
Sidekicks: Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and brussels sprouts; green, yellow, red, and orange vegetables such as asparagus, peppers, and yellow beans
Posers: None, as long as you don't fry them or smother them in fatty cheese sauces (Example: Spinach pizza, my fave! Haha).

Broccoli is high in fiber and more
densely packed with vitamins and
minerals than almost any other food.

Tip to try: If you hate most vegetables like me, this site suggests "hiding" them: Puree them and add them to marinara sauce or chili. The more you chop, the less you taste, and the easier it is for your body to absorb nutrients. With broccoli, sauté it in garlic and olive oil, and douse it with hot sauce.

How I ate it today: I will ATTEMPT to eat some broccoli.. ha. I'm gonna trying chopping it up into some rice with onions and a bit of soy sauce.




Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27054206/ns/today-today_health/?pg=4#TDY_MH_12PowerFoods

12 Days of Powerfoods - Day 2

*Beans and Other Legumes*

Powers: Building muscle, helping burn fat, regulating digestion
Weapons: Fiber, protein, iron, folate
Fight against: Obesity, colon cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure
Sidekicks: Lentils, peas, bean dips, hummus, edamame
Posers: Refried beans, which are high in saturated fats; baked beans, which are high in sugar.

In fact, if you can replace a meat-heavy
dish with a bean-heavy dish a couple of times
a week, you'll be losing a lot of saturated fat
out of your diet and replacing it
with higher amounts of fiber.

Beans, including soybeans, chickpeas, pinto beans, navy beans, kidney beans and lima beans, are packed with protein, fiber, and iron. All three are essentials to lose weight & gain muscle.

How I ate it today: I'll be having beans with dinner tonight :) Ranch style...

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27054206/ns/today-today_health/?pg=3#TDY_MH_12PowerFoods

12 Days of Powerfoods - Day 1

*Almonds & Other Nuts*

Power: Builds muscle, helps to fight food cravings

Weapons: Protein, monounsaturated fats, vitamin E, folate (in peanuts), fiber, magnesium, phosphorus
Fight against: Obesity, heart disease, muscle loss, cancer
Sidekicks: Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, avocados
Posers: Salted or smoked nuts (high sodium spikes blood pressure).

Almonds are the best of the best,
but all nuts are high in protein
and can help you to feel full.

Tip to try: Spray 2 handfuls of almonds (skin intact) with nonstick cooking spray & bake at 400 degrees F for 5-10 minutes. Then sprinkle them with a brown sugar & cinnamon mix - yum!

How I ate it today: I put almonds in my trail mix (you can find the recipe by clicking the "Recipe" link at the top of the page) and had that for a snack :).



Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27054206/ns/today-today_health/?pg=2#TDY_MH_12PowerFoods