Why is soy bad for you?

While soy does carry with it some health benefits, if you read the research on soy and soy products you'll see that the risks outweigh any benefits it could offer. Even if you generally avoid soy products (you don't eat soybeans or drink soy milk) you are still most likely exposing yourself to a lot more soy than you think. Soybean oil is used in most processed foods and soy meal is fed to livestock (if it's not organic).  Why should you care? Prepare to become a soy expert!

Soy production in america...

90% of soybeans are genetically modified, and research is increasingly linking consumption of GMOs to serious health problems.

They are also sprayed with pesticides that act as neurotoxins, which slowly damage the brain and the nervous system.

The soybean itself.

Soybeans contain isoflavones, which are a natural plant hormone that mimics estrogen your body and can throw off your body's hormone balance. And, animal studies show that they cause breast cancer.

The fatty acids in soybeans are the omega 6's (and too many omega 6's cause chronic inflammation, which is at the heart of most major chronic diseases.) source

Soybeans also contain goitrogens, a substance that slows the production/release of thyroid hormones and is dangerous for those with hypothyroidism.  source

How we use our GMO soybeans...

Soybean oil is in almost anything that's processed. Breads, cookies, salad dressings, crackers, cereals, potato chips, frozen meals, lunchmeat, energy bars, canned soups, canned tuna and more.

The process of extracting soybean oil from soybeans involves this chemical called hexane; Hexane is also used as an touch-screen cleaner in China, and in 2010 137 iPhone manufacturers required treatment for hexane poisoning around the same time. Several women (interviewed by ABC) were hospitalized for 6 months. One person died from hexane poisoning. source While hexane's no longer being used as iPhone cleaner, it's still being used to produce soybean oil. 

Soybean meal is everything that's left after the oil is extracted using the hexane. The leftover meal is used to feed livestock, so now your chicken contains soy and about three times as much hexane. source


Soy or soy products can go by all of these names

• hydrolyzed soy protein
• miso
• shoyo sauce
• soy flour
• soy grits
• soy nuts
• soy milk
• soy sprouts
• soy protein concentrate
• soy protein isolate
• tempeh
• textured vegetable protein (TVP)
• tofu

Even sneakier.... 

• flavorings
• vitamin E contains soy bean oil
• hydrolyzed plant protein
• hydrolyzed vegetable protein
• natural flavoring
• vegetable broth
• vegetable gum
• vegetable starch

If you're anything like I used to be, you might read these potential side effects and think, "ehh, it won't happen to me, I'll be fine, I don't eat that much of it".... which is exactly what I was doing about a year ago. I spent months waking up in the middle of the night drenched in a puddle of sweat (seriously, to the point of having to change my clothes) until my doctor ran some test and attributed my excessive night sweats to soy (it messes with your hormones, remember?) So, after cutting out soy completely for a few days, I was back to normal.

So, gone are the days of soy mocha lattes. Sad, I know. If you're lactose intolerant like I am, try almond milk. And pay attention to your ingredients! You shouldn't be eating processed foods anyway, but remembering that sneaky soybean oil can hide in your bread, salad dressings, and more can save you from a whole host of health problems. And keep in mind that even if you aren't having crazy night sweats like I am, the stuff is still getting into your system. Even though you don't have symptoms doesn't mean it's not harming you.

Knowledge is power!! And now you're a soybean know-it-all. :)

Why is bottled salad dressing bad for you?

You probably know that drenching your salad in dressing is a no-no, but do you know exactly why? And did you know that even "light" and "fat free" dressings are bad?

The calories and fat

Not good for your waistline, bottled salad dressings can instantly turn a healthy salad into a meal that's equivalent to a Big Mac in calories and fat. The serving size of salad dressing is usually 2 tablespoons, which, if you've ever measured it out, doesn't amount to much.

 The oil.

 Usually salad dressings contain soybean or canola oil, both of which are genetically engineered and grown with pesticides (unless you buy organic), which often end up in the food. The oil is the source of fat in the dressing, and although your diet should be around 30% fats, soybean and canola oils are not ideal candidates for being "healthy fats." Olive oil is a much better option, and is rarely found in bottled salad dressings.

High fructose corn syrup.

 You've likely heard that HFCS is basically like poison in your body. When used in moderation, it causes obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, dementia, liver failure, tooth decay, body-wide inflammation, and more. (Click here to read more about HFCS.)

The additives & preservatives.

-MSG: added to processed foods so manufacturers can save money, MSG is a synthetic amino acid that helps intensify the flavor of foods and is also linked to nerve cell damage in the brain, migraines, fibromyalgia, fatigue, muscle tightness, and ADHD.

-Titanium dioxide: a chemical ingredient in paint to make it brighter which is also often contaminated with lead. Sometimes labels will say "titanium dioxide", and sometimes they fall under the vague "colors added" terms. Titanium dioxide is linked to inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn's disease.

-Artificial colors: the most-used ones contain cancer-causing chemicals, can screw with your metabolism, and cause allergic reactions that range from minor to life-threatening.

Of course, not everyone will experience these symptoms; some might not experience any symptoms at all (that we don't know yet). Science has proven links between these dangerous ingredients and our health, but there is still a long way to go in terms of research. We don't yet know the extent of how harmful these things are to us, but what we do know is horrifying. Scientists can't exactly test all of these additives on humans, so we've been playing the "wait and see" game which has proven to be damaging to our health and our waistlines. Your best bet is not to take a chance on any of this stuff and either buy organic, which won't contain any of these dangerous ingredients, or make your own salad dressing!

Healthy, real salad dressing recipes.

There are TONS out there, but I've made quite a few off this list and have never been disappointed. Get creative! Pinterest is also a great resource for salad dressing recipes. 

Sources: BruceBradley.com, Nutritionfacts.org, Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills, NaturalNews.com

fitness motivation.

Only compete with yourself. Eat cleaner, workout harder, be more disciplined. You are the only thing standing in your way. 

Why crossfit sucks.

Ok, I'm about to get real on you guys for a sec. Excuse the excessive 'tude, this Crossfit talk really gets me going!!

The other day I had another student in class who was rehabbing (painfully attempting light-weight controlled lifts) a Crossfit injury.  I've been asked more than a handful of times recently about why I don't do Crossfit. If you're part of the Crossfit cult  community you should probably stop reading.

Let's start here: If you're a crossfitter, this is a pull-up:

Before I rip into this pull-up, lets give Crossfit a chance to explain who they are.

From Crossfit.com

CrossFit begins with a belief in fitness. The aim of CrossFit is to forge a broad, general and inclusive fitness. We have sought to build a program that will best prepare trainees for any physical contingency — not only for the unknown, but for the unknowable. After looking at all sport and physical tasks collectively, we asked what physical skills and adaptations would most universally lend themselves to performance advantage. Capacity culled from the intersection of all sports demands would quite logically lend itself well to all sport. In sum, our specialty is not specializing

Training for all movements, functional and specified, so your body is in all-around good shape. It's constantly varied, high intensity functional movement, I dig it.  Cross training can help prevent plateau, its not mundane, and it's challenging. Crossfit didn't invent cross-training, but their claim to fame is taking cross-training a step further by including "any physical contingency", "the unknown" and "the unknowable." I like your style, Crossfit, I do.

CrossFit itself is defined as that which optimizes fitness (constantly varied functional movements performed at relatively high intensity). CrossFit is also the community that spontaneously arises when people do these workouts together. In fact, the communal aspect of CrossFit is a key component of why it’s so effective. 

Oh yeah, and it's a cult community.

If you're not a trainer or you're not educated in proper biomechanics then you get a free pass on this whole crossfit thing. On the outside, Crossfit looks badass. You feel strong as hell doing 200lb deadlifts, and any time a tire is involved it feels like the army. So I get it. Doing badass things with badass people is fun, but a lot of these crossfit exercises are either incredibly intricate and complicated, or they're just being taught and performed totally wrong and dangerously by people who's bodies aren't able to perform them correctly.

So, alright, the pull-up.

If you have the previously established functional strength to be able to carry out this complicated movement perfectly, then awesome, but Crossfit coaches push you to perform these movements as fast as you can, at maximum effort, and then do several different exercises of equal complexity right after that, so if you're not an expert at the proper mechanics of each one (and strong enough to do them right) then good luck.

"Proper form" is all over their website, but take a Crossfit class and you're lucky if proper form is mentioned let alone practiced by the majority.

functional strength

Web definitions

1. The ability of the neuromusculoskeletal system to efficiently and effectively produce force, reduce force, and dynamically stabilize the entire human movement system during human movement.

Stabilize. Efficiently. Effectively.Crossfit is pretty much none of these things.

Any kind of training without attention to proper biomechanics is dangerous. Especially training with random, sporadic, fast, repetitive, complicated, heavy-weight lifts in preparation for the unknown. 

lol.

Taken from postgradproblems.com (A NY Times Bestseller)

Any trainer will tell you that working out with improper form is incredibly unsafe. For this reason, proper form is stressed to no end in a CrossFit gym. This is because you’re doing an absurd amount of different lifts and motions on a totally sporadic basis.

The problem is, nobody actually uses proper f*cking form. People were dropping like flies in there. Once a week, which was exactly how many times I actually showed up, someone would stroll into the gym with a heating pad wrapped around a part of their body, and sit in the corner with a massive rubber band, rehabbing their injured muscle.

Most of these people will have zero cartilage left in their body by the age of fifty.

Read more at http://postgradproblems.com/stopcrossfit/#tLfyMuiZIAMFT7w9.99

It gets worse.

Have you heard of the Crossfit disease? No really. The Huffington post put out an article last month called Crossfit's Dirty Little Secret that explains the disease called Rhabdomyolysis, which shuts down and destroys your muscles, and the protein and tissue (which are toxic to the kidneys) are released into the blood stream and then to the kidneys. This can ruin your body and even kill you. Rhabdomyolysis occurs in people who were in an earthquake or a bombing. And some who do Crossfit.

Crossfit acknowledges that "Rhabdo" is a common occurrence among Crossfitters. (here's their cartoon newsletter "warning you" about your risk. 

I'm not saying crossfit won't make you ripped, it will. It will also undoubtedly injure you at some point, to some unknowable degree. My bottom line with Crossfit is that in an effort to be extreme, these workouts are poorly executed, and the elitist attitude of the Crossfit community rubs me the wrong way.

And, I don't want my muscles to shut down, disintegrate, or kill me.

Do some cardio, hire a personal trainer even for just a few sessions to establish proper form and discuss your goals and the best way to reach them. If it's the community you're looking for, join a fitness studio.

Disclaimer: Please don't respond with reasons why Crossfit doesn't suck. I don't care.

:)
xoxo

Happy Halloween!!!!

Happy: www.nerdydaytrips.com

Hungry: I'm sick, I know, but it's HALLOWEEN. Broken Glass Cupcakes. *I used the recipe for broken glass shards and put them, and some homemade peanut butter frosting, on top of these Pumpkin Egg Muffins.   Still decadent, less empty calories.

Fit: "Fooducate.com - eat a bit better." This site aims to eliminate nutrition label confusion and grades grocery store foods A+ through F. They review the top snack bars, yogurts, milks, spaghettis, and more. This is an essential resource for anyone making a lifestyle change in the food department.

The best whole wheat bread (from Walmart!)

Carbs and protein make a happy couple with this double protein bread. If you don't live close to a Trader Joes or  a Whole foods (which offer some really great bread options) try Brownberry's Double Protein bread. This is the best wheat-containing option I have found at Giant Eagle / Walmart / Marcs. Brownberry carries a few good breads, but as always, check your nutrition label to see what the ingredients are.

Let's check the Brownberry Double Protein label:

NUTRITION FACTS

Serving size 1 slice
	Value
Calories	110 Kcal
Calories from Fat	18 Kcal
Total Fat	2 g
Saturated Fat	0 g
Trans Fat	0 g
Cholesterol	0 mg
Sodium	200 mg
Total Carbohydrate	18 g
Dietary Fiber	3 g
Sugars	2 g
Protein	7 g
Vitamin A	0 IU
Vitamin C	0 mg
Calcium	60 mg
Iron	1.08 mg

WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR, WATER, SUGAR, WHEAT GLUTEN, WHEAT PROTEIN ISOLATE, OATS, YEAST, CRACKED WHEAT, INULIN (CHICKORY ROOT FIBER), SOYBEAN OIL, SUNFLOWER SEEDS, RICE PROTEIN, SALT, BARLEY FLAKES, TRITICALE, WHEAT FLAKES, RAISIN JUICE CONCENTRATE, GRAIN VINEGAR, RYE, AMARANTH, FLAXSEED, MONOGLYCERIDES, WHEAT GERM, CORNMEAL, CALCIUM PROPIONATE (PRESERVATIVE), DATEM, CALCIUM SULFATE, CITRIC ACID, SOY LECITHIN, CALCIUM CARBONATE, WHEY, NONFAT MILK

A few reasons I love this bread

-First ingredient is whole wheat flour, followed by water.

-This has less sugars than I think every bread you'll find at Giant Eagle, Walmart or Marcs.

-7 grams of protein a SLICE?! Believe it! (To determine your daily protein intake, click here.)

-Doesn't get its protein from soy.

-It's only $2.78

Oh yeah, and it's soft enough for a pb&j (so B has approved it!)

My favorite way to eat this bread is as french toast --- Click here for the recipe for French Toast w/ 25g of protein!

What's your favorite bread? Will you be trying this one?? :)

Protein PACKED french toast!

25g protein, 289 calories

Need I say more?? It's DELICIOUS and the perfect way to start your day (protein and carbs!)

If you are a regular exerciser, you need more protein than you probably think you do. Being a carb-addict like me, I have to get pretty creative in the ways I meet my daily protein requirement. (To calculate yours, read this.)

This french toast has taken the place of our Oat Pancakes because while it still satisfies your sweet tooth, it's FULL of protein. I almost can't believe how much is in here.

Protein Packed French Toast Recipe:

2 slices of Brownberry Double Protein Whole Grain Bread.
3 large egg whites
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

beat the eggs, cinnamon and vanilla.
drench your bread in the egg mixture.
place the uncooked french toast on a preheated skillet (medium/high heat) and cook for 2 minutes each side.

It's a toughie, I know.

If you need a little syrup (as I always do) use Raw Agave Nectar or a little real maple syrup. If you're super worried about the extra sugar, the cinnamon in the french toast actually lowers your glycemic index, so you won't get a super huge blood sugar spike if you use a little syrup, but stay away from the fake syrups that contain high fructose corn syrup!

Do you have a favorite protein-packed breakfast??

Too much high intensity cardio?

When you do your cardio, do you find yourself completely breathless at some point during your workout?

If you've ever taken a Spinning class you've heard all about heart rate zones. If you're anything like I used to be you probably ignored it and worked as hard as you could during that class because the harder you work, the more calories you burn, right? Yes, but.

High Intensity Cardio

High intensity cardio is any activity that gets your heart rate above 75% of your maximum heart rate. (Calculate yours here.) If your idea of cardio is an all-out run as hard as you can for as long as you can endure it, you're probably doing high intensity cardio.

HiiT (High Intensity Interval Training) is cardio exercise that brings your heart both above and below that 75% mark in specifically timed intervals. HiiT drills are done using only your bodyweight; jumping jacks, sprints, burpees, mountain climbers and anything else that uses major muscle groups to raise your heart rate above 75%. HiiT is very challenging and taxing on the body, and in small doses can greatly improve your health and burn fat.

High intensity (HiiT) vs. Low intensity (endurance)

Your weekly cardio plan should include a mix of both high and low intensity cardio days. We'll talk about exactly how much in a little bit.

Low/moderate level aerobic exercise (below 75%) boosts your metabolism, burns fat, reduces your risk of disease and health problems, strengthens your heart, keeps your arteries clear, cholesterol low, and even boosts your mood.

I refer to cardio at a level lower than 75% of your maximum heart rate as "endurance cardio". It's the kind of cardio that you can sustain for at least 20 minutes and doesn't cause you to be completely breathless. While you need 150 mins of endurance cardio a week, thats not all you should be doing. If all of your cardio is below or hovers around that 75% mark, you're not getting the most out of your cardio program and you're going to plateau if you haven't already.

HiiT is efficient, since you're not required to do it for long periods of time.  It's challenging, it boosts your metabolism and your aerobic capacity, lowers insulin resistance, and you burn more calories both during and after a HiiT session than you do during a low intensity cardio session, thanks to something called EPOC (your excess post-exercise oxygen consumption).You don't need any equipment to do HiiT, it causes you to build muscle and lose fat, and you can do it basically anywhere.

HiiT drills can be structured however you choose. 

examples:

20 seconds: Work interval (burpees)

10 seconds: Recovery interval (marches)

or

4 minutes: 75%+ max heart rate run

2 minutes: recovery slow jog below 75% max heart rate

Too much high intensity?

The most important part of this post!

I don't have to tell you too much of any good thing can be bad.

Just like you don't want all of your cardio to be low intensity, you don't want it all to be high intensity either.

Exercising for extended periods of time at a heart rate above 75% of your maximum heart rate causes your body to burn glycogen rather than fat. This isn't a bad thing, but too much High Intensity cardio will cause your body to crave carbs and sugar to replenish its lost glycogen stores, which will cause a cycle of glycoogen-burning and glycogen-replenishing within your body that prevents fat loss, been though you're exercising super hard. Too much HiiT also causes burnout, overtraining syndrome (inability to make strength and fitness gains, fatigue), weight gain and muscle loss. Even worse, it causes your body to release more cortisol, which is the stress hormone that causes belly fat, a weakened immune system, and decreased insulin sensitivity, which puts you at a higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes (source). If you do cardio on most days (as you should) but you're reaching or exceeding 75% of your maximum each time, you're probably getting too much.

How much of each?

High intensity cardio should always be a part of your fitness regimen, and it should always be kept under control. Depending on your current fitness level I suggest doing HiiT 1-3 times a week for 15-30 minutes each time. You'll find a ton of different opinions out in the internet world regarding heart rate zone training and HiiT, but this is what I suggest to my clients and it's in compliance with what's recommended by the American Council on Exercise, and they know their stuff. You seriously don't need any more than that, and if you think you do, maybe you're trying to out-train a bad diet? (Not possible!)

Train Smart!

Do you guys do HiiT drills?? What are your favorites??

 Cited
photo courtesy of mensfitness.com

Smile, Eat, & Sweat.

Happy: The best halloween costumes that take advantage of having children. 

Hungry: This, because hot chocolate is one of my favorite things on the planet. Instead of Nutella and milk I'd use Justin's and almond milk.

Fit The US Navy Seal Workout! Want to feel like a badass and sweat buckets? Do this. It's bodyweight only, complete with your rep range workout plan and how and when to progress.

Do you guys have any links that fit in the Happy Hungry or Fit category? Email me and send me your ideas! (Contact form is on the right ----> )

Baked Apples Recipe!

It's FALL!

I know, it's been fall for a little while, I haven't properly celebrated until last night when I made these baked apples. Ohhhhh, my, god, you will love these.


Embrace healthy desserts.

Serve with frozen yogurt if you're feelin' saucy! :)