Ghiradelli Chocolate Pecan Frozen Greek Yogurt

A Summer Indulgence to REMEMBER, not REGRET!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Plain 0% Yogurt
1 scoop Iso-100 Whey Protein Chocolate
1 tbsp Agave Nectar
1 tbsp Natural Unsweetened Cocoa
1/8 cup - Chopped Pecans

Directions:
Blend first 4 ingredients then sprinkle pecans on top and freeze

Nutrition Facts:
Serving Size- Makes 3 Servings
Amount per Serving- Calories 119

Total Fat 4g
Saturated Fat 0.5g
Total Carbohydrate 8.83g
Sugars 6.67g
Protein 12.5g

Est. Percent of Calories from:
Fat- 29%
Carbs- 29%
Protein- 42%

*Recipe from Angela Sweet.

Are You Skinny-Fat?

Yesterday I came across what may possibly the BEST article I have read in a very long time… so naturally I wanted share. The article begins with some great low-tech ways to tell if you're "skinny-fat" and concludes with some tips to transform a skinny-fat body into one that is lean and tone, all in a matter of months. When you’re working towards your “dream body,” it’s important to remember that when it comes to health, looks can sometimes be deceiving. Skinny isn’t always best.

Check out the article below written by Jade Teta from Metabolic Effect.
http://metaboliceffect.wordpress.com/

Are You Skinny-Fat?
Jade Teta ND, CSCS

Skinny is a deceiving word. The last thing a person thinks of when they here the word skinny is fat, yet skinny-fat is very real and increasingly prevalent. The term skinny-fat refers to someone who appears skinny yet has a body that is excessively soft and flabby and lacks firmness or tone. The mushy feel of this type of physique is a dead give away the person avoids weight training and/or avoids adequate protein intake. For participants of the fat loss lifestyle, skinny-fat is every bit as worrisome and undesirable as traditional obesity. In medical terminology, skinny-fat is known as sarcopenic obesity. This is where despite a thin appearance, a person has a muscle to fat ratio that is undesirable. This is most often seen in elderly women, but is increasingly prevalent in younger women and some men as well. So how do you know if you are skinny-fat and how do you fix it if you are?
Indications of Skinny-Fat

There are several low tech, subjective ways to determine if you might be skinny-fat and one more scientific and objective way. Here are the 6 indications/signs you may be skinny-fat:

1. Flabby Arms: If the back of the arm is flabby and hangs down rather than stays tight, there is a good chance of sarcopenic obesity or low anabolic hormones. The back of the arm is what I call a testosterone and growth hormone point. The more of these hormones you have the more muscle you have, the less muscle you will lose, the tighter your skin will be, and the more firm your body will feel. Young men are leanest in their triceps (back of the arm) due to high amounts of testosterone and adequate muscle mass young women are less so. Over the years I have done countless skin caliper tests for body fat where I pinch parts of the body and take measurements. In addition, in my clinical practice I have run many hormone profiles. It has become apparent to me and other professionals in the field that lean triceps are a primary indication of healthy hormone balnce and lean muscle mass. Older women especially suffer from poor measures in this area of the body with young, physically inactive women and older men having equal difficulty.

2. The upside down gluteus muscle: The gluteus maximus is the biggest component of the butt muscles, while the gluteus medius is the smaller portion up near the top. A muscular, toned, rounded buttocks is a sure sign of adequate muscle mass regardless of its fat content. A healthy butt muscle has a very distinct shape and will be bulky at the top as well as rounded toward the sides and thickest towards the bottom. An upside down gluteus is where the gluteus maximus loses bulk and becomes flat while the gluteus medius develops too much bulk at its upper most portion. This leads to a butt muscle that is flat and saggy at the bottom. See the diagram below. The gluteus medius can be seen in the right side picture anterior, superior and lateral (above to the side and mostly covered by the gluteus maximus)

3. Middle fat storage: When the arms and legs stay thin yet the middle accumulates fat, this is a sure sign that the body has elevated stress hormones like cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenaline. These hormones act to break down muscle tissue and store fat in the middle. However, testosterone and growth hormone not only block fat storage around the middle but help maintain muscle mass and keep the body firm and toned. Many people who suffer from being skinny-fat have fat accumulation at the belly, love handles and saddle bags while remaining thin and soft in the arms and legs.

4. Weak muscles: Muscle strength is usually lacking in the skinny-fat syndrome. Research has shown that type II muscle fibers are responsible for keeping the muscles strong and powerful. These fibers are easily reduced during aging as well as long distance aerobic activities that are not substituted with resistance training and adequate protein. Weak muscles may be a consequence of low muscle mass and almost always are present with sarcopenia.

5. Low Bone density: The “pulling effect” muscle has on bone is the primary stimulus for the development of bone density. Osteoporosis is a major consequence of low muscle mass and sarcopenic obesity.

6. One more objective way to determine if you suffer from low muscle mass and high body fat is to have your body fat tested. Unlike body weight or body mass index (BMI), which are useless in determining the true composition of your body, body fat % is a much more meaningful measurement. Along with a thin appearance and lower than average weight, a body fat % of greater than 25% is suggestive sarcopenic obesity.

Who’s at risk?
Age, eating disorders, very low calorie diets, excessive aerobic exercise, lack of weight bearing activity, disease and prolonged vegetarian diets may all push the body to lose muscle and develop the thin flabby look that is a hall mark of the skinny-fat physique. Like traditional obesity, this condition has many risk factors associated with it.

Here are 5 steps to go from skinny-fat, to lean and tone in only a few months.
1. Workout with weights 3 to 5 days per week
2. Eat adequate protein from quality sources
3. Avoid excessive frequent aerobic exercise lasting over 60 minutes
4. Eat a calorically-adequate diet balanced in protein, carbohydrates and fat
5. Avoid empty calories, like sugar, fast-food, and regular/diet soda.

Our Brains

Psalm 139:14 declares, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

Our physical bodies are incredible. The human body is the most complex and unique organism in the world, and that complexity and uniqueness speaks volumes about the mind of its Creator. Every aspect of the body, down to the tiniest microscopic cell, reveals that it is fearfully and wonderfully made. This week I've been studying one unique aspect of our bodies: our brain.

The human brain is an amazing organ, fearfully and wonderfully made. It has the ability to learn, reason, and control so many automatic functions of the body such as heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing, and to maintain balance to walk, run, stand, and sit, all while concentrating on something else.

We like to compare the human brain to a computer, and often it is a useful analogy. A computer is made up of millions of circuits, just like our brains. But all of the connections within a computer are made before it is turned on for the first time. At best, computer circuits stay the same during the life of the computer; at worst, they become old and break down with use.

Unlike a computer’s circuits, the circuits in the brain are constantly undergoing change and renewal. Even though most of the nerve cells that make up the brain are present shortly after birth, the connections between those cells can change and become more complex throughout life. In fact, the act of using brain circuits actually strengthens them over time. Repeated firing of brain circuits causes the nerve cells to change the number of chemical receptors on their surface and to “fatten” the connections that link nerve cells together into complex circuitry webs.

*The more a brain circuit is used, the stronger it becomes.*

At the same time, brain circuits that do not get used become less effective over time. The phrase “use it or lose it,” applies particularly well to brain circuits. If repeatedly, day after day, the circuits that give rise to negative emotions are stimulated in a person's mind, that individual is more likely to be a negative, depressed person. These circuits tell the individual to be on guard for trouble, to avoid unpleasant experiences, to stop wasting energy on trying to make their lives better. For these negative thinkers, the repeated firing of negative emotional circuits strengthens them until their activation becomes routine. From then on, it is hard for them to escape having the experience of negative emotions. The circuits are so strong they fire almost continuously.... and the circuits designed to experience positive emotions, such as joy or attraction, anticipation or excitement, have been shut down for so long they rarely fire. Clearly, a state where negative emotional circuits are much stronger than positive emotional circuits can leave an individual feeling profoundly discouraged and unhappy with their life.

My prayer for us today is that we would carefully choose the way we use our brains. Instead of being discouraged and unhappy, let's be hopeful and optimistic. Instead of negative, defeating self-talk, let's speak life into our bodies, souls, and spirits. By choosing to use the brain circuits that produce positive thoughts, we are strengthening those positive circuits and in turn making it increasingly easier to have a positive outlook on our lives. Just as we develop habits of behavior that are not good for us, we can develop habits of thinking which are not good for us. Don't reinforce negative emotional circuits by making it a habit of thinking negatively.... choose today to start thinking *POSITIVE!*

Philippians 4:8: "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, *THINK* about these things."

FYI: Water

Water plays an essential role in our bodies:

•Water is essential for digesting food. It is also important for getting rid of various toxic elements from the body, in the form of urine, sweat and fecal matter.
•Water helps to cushion our joints and prevents shocks in them.
•Water present in blood is the carrier of oxygen and nutrients to all our body cells.
•Water present in lymph (a fluid that is part of our immune system) and helps the body to fight against various diseases.
•Water helps to regulate and maintain our body temperature.
•Water prevents dehydration and thus, helps to maintain proper metabolism in our body.

So how much water does the average, healthy adult need? In general, doctors recommend 8 or 9 cups. Here is a common way the Mayo Clinic suggests calculating that amount:

The average urine output for adults is about 1.5 liters (6.3 cups) a day. You lose close to an additional liter (about 4 cups) of water a day through breathing, sweating and bowel movements. Food usually accounts for 20 percent of your total fluid intake, so if you consume 2 liters of water a day (a little more than 8 cups) along with your normal diet, you will typically replace your lost fluids.

I’ve made it my goal this week to drink at least 2 liters of water daily… Whats your goal?

No Excuses- Control Your Mind

"Rule your mind or it will rule you."

Lately I’ve been realizing that when working towards health and fitness goals, one of the most over looked body parts is the brain. Your mind is where your motivation begins and ends, yet it is often the first part that gets overlooked. Getting up at 5am for a great workout- or –pressing the snooze button one too many times. Following your healthy eating plan- or –eating that midnight snack even when you know you’re not hungry. Controlling your mind is vital to getting the body that you want.

One aspect of controlling our minds involves setting aside excuses. Healthy lifestyle habits do not develop on their own- it takes persistence, dedication, and determination to create a healthy way of life. We must be determined make daily choices to do what is “right” for our bodies rather than simply what is “comfortable.” Going with the flow will not get us to our ultimate goal. We have to control our minds, stop making excuses, and start doing what it takes to get to where we want to be- spiritually, emotionally, and physically.

D.A. Carson said is perfectly, portraying the importance of setting aside excuses, when he wrote:

“People do not drift towards holiness. Apart from grace-driven effort, people do not gravitate towards godliness, prayer, obedience to Scripture, faith, and delight in the Lord. We drift toward compromise and call it tolerance; we drift toward disobedience and call it freedom; we drift toward superstition and call it faith. We cherish the indiscipline of lost self-control and call it relaxation; we slouch toward prayerlessness and delude ourselves into thinking we have escaped legalism; we slide towards godlessness and convince ourselves we have been liberated.”

You will not drift towards your goal weight or dream body- it takes dedication and sometimes, even restraint. Choose the apple when you want the cookie; get on a bike when you’d rather be on the couch; spend time in the gym even when you’d like those extra 30 minutes in your bed. The indiscipline of lost self-control is not relaxation, it is laziness, and it will not get you to where you want to be.

Getting the body that you want starts with controlling your mind.

No excuses.

FYI: Blueberries

On a recent a country road drive, Patrick and I stopped to pick some blueberries from a local blueberry farm. Not only was it a fun activity for a Sunday afternoon, but the *FRESH* blueberries were significantly cheaper than those found at the grocery store. 3.4lbs of Blueberries for just $3.00! In addition to being a fun way liven up a few of our favorite healthy recipes (the blueberry pancakes were heavenly), with just 80 delicious calories per cup and virtually no fat, they made a perfect summer snack all by themselves!

Blueberries offer us many important nutrition and health benefits, so consider adding some blue into your diet this week....

1) Blueberries are an excellent source of vitamin C.
In fact, a serving contains about 14 mg or almost 25% of daily requirement for Vitamin C. Vitamin C is needed for the formation of collagen and to maintain healthy gums and capillaries. It also aids in the absorption of iron and promotes a healthy immune system.

2) Blueberries are a good source of dietary fiber.
Government surveys tell us that there is not enough fiber in our diet. A diet high in fiber contributes to heart health, helping to keep cholesterol in check. Fiber also aids in digestions and helps maintain regularity.


3) Blueberries are an excellent source of manganese.
Manganese plays an important role in the development of bones and in the metabolism of protein, carbohydrate and fat.


4) Blueberries contain substances that have antioxidant properties. Antioxidants help neutralize free radicals which are unstable molecules linked to the development of a number of diseases including cancer, cardiovascular disease and other age-related conditions such as Alzheimer's. According to the USDA database of the antioxidant activity of selected foods (ORAC values), blueberries rank among the highest on a per serving basis. The antioxidant capacity of blueberries is 6,552 micromoles TE/100g.4 Substances in blueberries called polyphenols, specifically anthocyanins that give blueberries their blue hue, are the major contributors to the antioxidant activity of blueberries.

Healthy Eating Tips For Your 4th of July BBQ

Holidays are for celebrating and are meant to be enjoyed, but you don’t have to sacrifice your health or beach body every time you attend a BBQ. These 6 BBQ survival tips from "Summer Tomato" can save you hundreds of calories you won’t even miss, and keep your health and fitness goals on track....

1. Use small plates

Research clearly shows that people who choose smaller plates and utensils eat less without even noticing it. The difference can be as substantial as 50% fewer calories consumed, yet everyone reports the same level of fullness and satisfaction. Try borrowing a plate from the kids table or the dessert tray.

2. Eat slowly and mindfully

People who eat more slowly eat fewer calories over the course of a meal. BBQs are a perfect opportunity to pace yourself as you mix and mingle with friends and family. The more you’re chatting, the less you’re eating.

3. Eat healthiest foods first

If you are eating slowly and off small plates, you may as well fill up on the healthiest stuff first. Salads are a great place to start because watery vegetables slow digestion and have very few calories. Try to choose something with oil and protein as well, because these will help you feel full sooner.

4. Skip the chips, crackers and bread

Refined carbohydrates are the worst things you can eat because they offer little satisfaction, loads of calories and dangerous insulin spikes. BBQs are filled with wonderful food, so do yourself a favor and save your calories for the really good stuff.

You don’t have to eat your burger without a bun, but pass on the pointless chips and other snacks that lure you when you’re not thinking. If you’re feeling bored, grab a Frisbee instead.

5. Keep dessert small

The difference between a large slice of cake and a smaller slice of cake can literally be hundreds of calories. And to reiterate, sugar and refined carbohydrates are the most dangerous foods. You don’t have to pass on dessert completely, but keep your portion sizes in check for this course.

6. Think before you drink

There is a place for alcohol in a healthy lifestyle, but making smart choices can be the difference between losing or gaining weight (not to mention your self-control). One sugary margarita can have 600-800 calories. That means 3 margaritas is more food than you should be consuming in an entire day. Is that really worth it? Stick with wine or beer, drink plenty of water and remember to pace yourself.

Small tricks can save you hundreds and potentially thousands of wasted calories that you will never notice or miss. Why sacrifice a good time when you can make small changes that lead to a healthier- and still enjoyable- holiday?

Decadent Black Bean Brownies

Preheat Oven 350 degrees.

Add:
1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained;
2 tablespoons light olive oil;
1/2 cup thawed and squeezed dry frozen spinach;
1/4 cup applesauce;
2 eggs;
1 egg yolk;
3/4 cup coconut sugar;
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa;
1 1/2 tablespoons instant expresso powder

Process in a food processor; pulse for 1 minute or until smooth.

Microwave 3 ounces chopped bittersweet chocalocate and 2 tablespoons
unsalted butter in a glass bowl stirring every 30 seconds or until
smooth; cool for 5 minutes.

Add chocolate, 2 teaspoons pure vannilla extract, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to processor; pulse to blend.
Transfer to a bowl Stir in 1/2 cup flour and 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips.

Pour into an oiled 9x13-inch pan; top with 1/3 cup chopped pecans.

Bake for 25-30 minutes; cool for 15 minutes.

*This is a DELICIOUS healthy dessert- you would never know they have spinach AND black beans!

Sanctified Sacrifices

In Romans 12:1 Paul calls Christians to take action when he writes, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service." At the time it was written, the Romans were familiar with sacrifices. Both Jews and Gentiles offered sacrifices and it is probable that many of the Christians there had offered sacrifices in the past as well. Today, however, we are not as familiar with sacrifices.

*But ignorance is not an excuse for lack of action.*

Its time that we become “doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves,” James 1:22. How can we offer our bodies as living sacrifices that are holy and acceptable to God? If we first understand how to offer a sacrifice, we will then be able to offer our whole selves as sanctified sacrifices that are acceptable to the one who sacrificed His all.

When God called Abraham to sacrifice his son, He commanded: "Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you" (Gen. 22:2). This passage in Genesis 22 suggests four steps for Abraham to present his sacrifice:

*Receive the word of God
vs. 2 received the command and resolved to obey

*Prepare the sacrifice:
vs. 3 rose early in morning, saddled donkey, took two young men, split the wood, went to the place
vs. 4 traveled for three days
vs. 5-6 went to worship; leave lads behind
vs. 7-8 Abraham trusted God to provide the sacrifice
vs. 9 built alter, placed wood, bound Isaac, laid him on alter

*Kill the sacrifice:
vs. 10 stretched our hand to slay, but God provides a ram (vs. 11-13)

*Present (offer) the sacrifice:
vs. 13 ram, burnt offering to the Lord

Theses steps can be applied to our lives today as we present a sacrifice of ourselves to God.

In order to present ourselves as a healthy and whole sacrifice, we must first receive the Word of God and acknowledge that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirt and are to be sanctified, or set apart, for the Lord.

Next, we need to prepare the sacrifice. Unless the preparation is made, we do not have a holy body to offer. It took Abraham time, energy, and a lot of effort to prepare to sacrifice, and it takes the us the same amount of effort today.

In order to offer God the best possible sacrifice, we must commit ourselves to the call. It took perseverance and steadfastness for Abraham to travel three days to Moriah; likewise, a sacrifice does not become holy and perfect overnight. For us to present our whole beings as holy and acceptable to God, we must persist with all dedication. In order to have fully prepared the sacrifice, every area must be sanctified and holy. Sanctification, or setting ourselves apart for a higher calling, pertains to the whole being and not merely to any one part. I Thessalonians 5:23 says, “may the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

*It is our only reasonable service to present our bodies, an entirety of who we are both in mind and body and also in soul, as living sacrifices that are sanctified and acceptable to God.*

After receiving the Word and preparing the complete sacrifice, the sacrifice must be "killed." In my opinion, there are three respects in which a sacrifice is "killed" so that we may present their body holy and acceptable to God:

Jesus died as our propitiation (Romans 3:25).
We must die with Christ in baptism, thus putting to death the old man and raising in newness of life (Romans 6:3-6).
We must die daily (1 Corinthians 15:31).

Dying to our flesh and the desires that contradict what we know we must do to live a healthy life is no easy task. It must be done daily and with vengeance. The desire of the flesh is never satisfied with what it's given, it will always want more. Therefore, as temples of the Holy Spirit, we must daily bring these desires under submission and seek to live and make choices that lead to healthy and whole lives.

It is my prayer that this blog, as imperfect as it is, will serve as one of many tools to encourage your healthy living as we receive the word of God and subsequently engage in the process of sanctification- becoming healthy and whole- so that we can be found both holy and acceptable as we offer our minds, bodies, and souls to the Lord.... for this is truly is our only reasonable sacrifice.

Here's to the start of a great journey!