In my last few posts I have been discussing fibre, the benefits of getting enough, the potential disadvantages of getting too much and how to make sure you are getting enough. Today, I'm going to explain why I think fibre is the perfect gym food and why you should consider making it part of your pre-workout meal. Personally, I never was one of the those people who enjoyed drinking high sugar sports drinks before working out. I don't particularly like the taste and I didn't notice a significant energy boost after drinking them. On top of this they're not cheap and can actually be quite … [Read more...]
The Disadvantages Of Consuming Too Much Fibre
In my last few articles I have been bigging up fibre. However, this article series wouldn't be complete without providing a balanced view of the topic. That's why today I am going to be discussing the disadvantages of a fibre rich diet. 1) WIND:- Wind is commonly listed as the main problem with a high fibre diet. I never had this problem when increasing my daily fibre intake but according to Weight Loss Resources a diet that is high in fibre can lead to the production of methane, hydrogen and carbon dioxide. This can then lead to you feeling bloated and frequently passing wind. … [Read more...]
How To Make Sure You Are Getting Enough Fibre
In my last couple of articles I have discussed the different types of fibre and the associated benefits. The British Nutrition Foundation recommend that we get around 18g of fibre per day. Personally, I do not think that this amount of fibre consumption is difficult to achieve BUT I understand that some people may struggle. That is why today I have decided to write about how I manage to consume enough fibre each day. In this article I will be discussing (with examples) the foods I eat to get my daily fibre requirements and the times that I eat them. 1) BREAKFAST (6AM-7AM):- On weekdays I … [Read more...]
The Benefits Of Fibre
In my last article I explained exactly what fibre is and identified that there are two main types; Insoluble and Soluble. Insoluble fibre's main function is to help the body move waste material from the digestive tract more quickly whereas soluble fibre's main function is to help the body absorb nutrients from the food. In this article I will be discussing the benefits of fibre in greater detail. GENERAL BENEFITS: 1) WEIGHT LOSS:- Fibre contains no calories which means that fibre rich foods generally contain less calories than low fibre foods. Although the difference in calories is not … [Read more...]
What Is Fibre?
In my latest articles on cancer and diabetes I touched upon the benefits of fibre. In these articles I mentioned that fibre could help control blood sugar levels in diabetics and also help prevent certain types of cancer. However, I haven't really done any articles which elaborate and go into greater detail concerning fibre so I thought now would be a great opportunity to do so. My next few articles will be concentrating on fibre and I will begin with this article; 'What is Fibre?' I hear fibre mentioned a lot and see it on most food's nutritional value labels. However, all I really knew … [Read more...]
Spice Up Your Protein Shakes
Supplementing your daily diet with protein shakes is an effective way to lose weight. Indeed protein has been linked with a temporary boost in metabolism and a suppressed appetite suppressed appetite. Protein shakes are also great for bulking up or toning your existing muscle. However, having the same shake every day can get boring quite quickly. In this article I outline how you can make your protein supplements a little more interesting and provide a couple of quick recipes. A great way to spice up your protein shakes is to add fruits such as apples, oranges and mango juice. Milk is … [Read more...]
Controlling Your Hunger With Protein Shakes
A key factor in any effective diet is controlling hunger pangs. Once you can control your hunger you have mastered the difficult part. The remainder of the diet should become relatively easy to tolerate. But how do you go about controlling hunger? There are a number of ways but in this article I will focus on how protein shakes can be used to reduce hunger cravings. Protein shakes are not just rich in protein but most also have a high nutritional value. Studies show that protein can boost your metabolism temporarily and can suppress your appetite. Therefore, by drinking protein shakes you … [Read more...]
Protein Supplements
For many of us the protein we consume in our diets is sufficient for our day to day activities. However, those of us who are trying to gain muscle mass place additional strain on our muscles through regular weight training and therefore require an increased amount of protein to make our muscles grow. Protein supplements are a quick, convenient source of protein and an effective way to build muscle mass. In this article I discuss the various types of protein supplements available and the key considerations that should be made before purchasing. Many believe that carbohydrates are the most … [Read more...]
The Importance Of Protein
Proteins are required for the normal functioning of cells in your body. You should be consuming solid protein as part of your daily diet and perhaps protein shakes too. In this article I discuss the importance of protein in greater detail. Protein is created when amino acids are joined together by peptide bonds. The way the amino acids are sequenced is decided by your genetic code. Proteins are essential for a number of functions in your body such as; metabolism, cell signalling, the immune system, cell adhesion and cell cycle. When proteins enter the body they are broken down into amino … [Read more...]
Eating Protein To Boost Your Metabolism
Since writing this article I have revisited the topic of eating and metabolism. At the time of writing I thought that eating more frequently could boost your metabolism. However, after further reading I have realised that my initial assumption was wrong. For the full details you can read my up to date article on how eating affects your metabolism. ----- As I have discussed in previous articles you can boost your metabolism by making simple changes to your diet. Increasing your consumption of lean proteins is one of the ways you can fire up that metabolism. Lean proteins can be … [Read more...]