To Dairy or Not To Dairy?

As someone who is into nutrition and has battled being lactose intolerant, I wanted to share this insightful information and feedback from the respected Doctor Angela Culveyhouse in Lake Worth, Florida.

The big debate!!!!  I am a huge advocate for The Biggest Loser TV Show.  I think it is amazing how the show helps people change their own lives.  It is a lifelong decision to be healthy and take care of yourself.  Numerous people want a quick fix and unfortunately those are the people that unless they make lifelong decisions on habits they will continue a yo-yo weight problem.  We all know these people that for the last 10 years have been on a diet and never really changed too much or too long with their weight.  With that in mind, The Biggest Loser, really does a fabulous job with educating people to how they can take control & make a change in their own lives.  It truly is an inspirational show and I will admit that I cry at least half the time I watch the show. 

With my love of the show said, as I was watching the Thanksgiving special, there was a dietician making healthy meals for thanksgiving dinner.  One of these dishes was a low-cal pumpkin pie.  The dietician said use coconut milk instead of regular milk because it makes the dish non-dairy.  I'm not sure why there is such negativity with anything "Dairy" these days.  Obviously if someone is eating ice cream and drinking heavy cream every day, yes it is bad, but that does not mean ALL dairy is bad.  So since I love Thai & Ethnic food and love cooking, I have some Coconut Milk in the pantry, which is actually "lite" coconut milk.  After watching this show I felt the need to compare the Lite Coconut Milk with the Skim Milk in the fridge.  My results...

Lite Coconut Milk- 

Serving size 1 cup

Calories 150

Total Fat 13.5g

Saturated Fat 12g

Protein 3g

Lactaid Skim Milk

Serving size 1 cup

Calories 90

Total Fat 0g

Saturated Fat 0g

Protein 8g

As much as things sound so much better in theory being "non-diary" I suggest just read the labels.  It takes a little more time & effort to read labels & compare but in the end it pays off.  Don't be afraid of dairy just because you think it is more fattening, it might surprise you!  If you are lactose intolerant then choose the Lactaid Milk like I use.  Dairy is full of protein and calcium.  Some of the low-cal, low-fat dairy dishes I like are cottage cheese, yogurt, cheese, milk, greek yogurt, frozen yogurt, quiche and smoothies (keep in mind I always buy fat free or low fat). 

"To keep the body in good health is a duty, otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear."  Buddha

For more information about Dr Angela Culveyhouse, please log onto: http://www.pbchirocenter.com/

Do You Consider What You Put In Your Body?

When considering performance in not only sports but also in one's everyday life, the focus often is primarily on fitness and training. While your performance and fitness levels are greatly impacted by how you train, there is often not enough emphasis placed on your nutrition. While considering the direction of this article, I reflected on my own experience with regards to training for sports performance, health reasons and even just vanity. It was amusing to think of all of the times which I have felt like I was in better shape than at others and it was not so much my training regimen that made the difference as much as my eating habits. 

I'd like to share an analogy that most of clients get to hear at some point in my interaction with them. It is about our bodies and comparing them to race cars. I like to ask my clients what they think would happen if they had an actual Nascar type race car and they decided to drive it down the street to Shell or QuickTrip or some gas station nearby to gas up. Their answers varied from "it wouldn't run", to "it would not run as fast" to even "gas is gas." Well I like to compare the race car to our bodies and how we fuel them. (our bodies not the cars, LOL) When we put junk into our bodies, which we have all done at some point, our bodies do not perform at an optimal level. So similar to race cars needing "performance" gasoline, our bodies need to be fueled in the same manner. I can go on and on about the benefits of eating right but that is not the reason for this article. The purpose is to encourage you to fuel your body correctly for not only the health benefit and how it can impact your appearance but also for you perform in life in general. While the terms diet and nutrition can mean different things for different people, I'd like to inform you that it is what you make of it and eating right can be enjoyable and taste good. One of my favorite sayings is, "If your body breaks down, where will you live?" It's easy to change a flat tire or replace your breaks but when your body starts to break down, you better pay attention to how you care for it.

This leads to a product developed by my good friend and fitness expert Alicia Leombruni which I'd like to feature and endorse as one I have not only tried but enjoyed as well. but (The health benefits are also something to pay attention to and consider) I am referring to Ali's All Natural Products which are Sugar Free, low calorie and low carbohydrate pancake syrups.  Ali's All Natural offers all natural products which are delicious alternatives free from toxic chemical sweeteners, artificial flavors and ingredients. Rest assured, all of Ali's products are sweetened with the natural extracts from the Stevia plant which are low on the glycemic index and a great way to satisfy your sweet tooth without adding any extra calories. It is also a great alternative for diabetics who need to consider their sugar intake.

www.alisallnatural.com

Alicia has been featured in fitness calendars, online, ads, books, commercials, and fitness videos. She is also a certified personal trainer who provides nutritional/workout consultations online and locally. She is also available for photo shoots, promotions, fitness/bikini/fashion related jobs of all sorts.

Alicia believes in living a very healthy life and making the most out of the talents that you are given. As the old saying goes-when you look good, you feel good! She believes in maintaining the same shape all year round, that way when something comes up whether it's a job opportunity, a casting call, or whatever it may be-you're ready.   She thanks God everyday for the blessings he has given her and the ability to be healthy and do what she does. Alicia believes anyone can achieve the look they desire if they are truly dedicated and determined!!
Her philosophy in life is "You get out of life what you put into it! I always give 100% in everything I do and I know that anything I want in life can be achieved but it is up to me to get it!!  Always be happy and do what you love to do! I believe the greatest gift of all is helping people reach their goals, watching their faces and seeing all their excitement at the end. That alone to me is priceless knowing that I was able to be a part of that process. I always keep my chin up, never give up & truly believe what does not kill me will always make me stronger!" 


 For additional information, fitness tips and even recipes, log onto

www.alicialeombruni.blogspot.com/