Fast Food Restaurants & Nutrition Facts Compared....SCARY

Fast food is bad food. That's pretty much common knowledge these days. The majority of the foods served at fast food restaurants contain an insane amount of calories, tons of fat (including the very evil trans fat), and are high in pretty much everything else that you'd want your food to be low in. Long story short, it's the kind of food you want to avoid eating.

But, you probably know this already. The funny thing is, most of the world doesn't seem to care. The fast food restaurants continue to do just fine because people continue to eat their unhealthy food. So I figured, if you are still going to eat this junk, you might as well at least know which is the best of the worst, and which is the worst of the worst.

To show this, I've compared the nutrition facts of the most popular foods from over 20 popular fast food restaurants to see how each restaurant's version of the same food stacks up against the others. If this isn't enough to convince you to eat less (or none) of this stuff, it will at least give you the information you need to make the better choice and avoid making the worst one. Enjoy...

*NOTE #1* The tables below are sortable. Clicking a category (calories, fat, trans fat, etc.) will sort the data in that column from lowest to highest. Clicking it again will sort it from highest to lowest.

*NOTE #2* Any questions you may have about anything you see in this fast food comparison is most likely answered at the bottom of this very page or in the "Notes" of each comparison. Be sure to check it out for clarifications on anything that may seem unclear.

French Fries (Large) Compared

Fast Food Restaurant	Type	Serving Size (g)	Calories	Total Fat (g)	Saturated Fat (g)		Carbs (g)	Sodium (mg)
McDonald's	Regular	170	570	30	6		70	330
Burger King	Regular	160	500	28	6		57	820
Burger King	Salt Not Added	160	500	28	6		57	530
Wendy's	Regular	Unknown	540	26	4		69	550
Arby's	Homestyle	213	566	37	7		82	1029
Arby's	Curly	198	631	37	7		73	1476
Hardee's	Regular	193	610	28	6		78	370
Hardee's	Crispy Curls	153	480	23	6		60	1190
A&W	Regular	156	430	18	4.5		61	640
A&W	Chili	170	370	16	4.5		49	780
A&W	Cheese	170	380	19	5		50	870
A&W	Chili Cheese	198	400	19	5		51	990
In-N-Out Burger**	Regular**	125**	400**	18**	5**		54**	245**
Jack In The Box	Natural Cut	236	640	33	8		77	1180
Jack In The Box	Seasoned Curly	170	550	31	6		60	1200
White Castle	Regular	244	700	34	6		89	560
Sonic	Regular	98	280	11	2		42	135
Sonic	Cheese	125	380	19	7		44	600
Sonic	Chili/Cheese	186	450	25	9		48	610
Dairy Queen	Regular	280	730	33	6		100	1530
KFC*	Potato Wedges*	102*	260*	13*	2.5*		33*	740*
Carl's Jr.	Regular	198	620	29	6		80	380
Popeyes**	Regular**	88**	310**	17**	7**		35**	660**
Del Taco	Regular	198	490	32	5		47	380

* KFC does not have any "french fries." They do have "potato wedges" which is somewhat close, so I included this information above for comparison purposes. However, I did not take it into account when showing the best/worst since they are technically not "french fries."

** In-N-Out Burger and Popeyes had one item listed as just "French Fries." No actual size (large, small, etc.) was given. Therefore, they were also not taken into account when showing the best/worst french fries.

• Best: Sonic (regular)
  Sonic's basic french fries are my pick for the best of this comparison. It's not hard to see why either. Due to having the smallest serving size of all of the other fast food restaurants, their large fries ended up being the lowest in every single one of the compared nutrition facts. Not to mention, with 0 grams of trans fat, it was one of just two large french fries that contained 0 grams. The other? Another one from Sonic... this time their cheese fries.
• Worst: Dairy Queen (regular) & White Castle (regular)
  It was hard to pick an official worst choice here, as there was a lot of trans fat being thrown around. In the end, I went with Dairy Queen's basic fries for being the highest in calories (seriously, 730 calorie fries? Yikes.) and sodium. White Castle's basic fries were also picked here not so much for calories (although at 700, it was right up there in second place) but because of it containing more trans fat (11 evil grams) than any of the others. Of all of the items being compared in this entire comparison, french fries are easily one of the worst all around trans fat offenders.
• Notes: For this comparison, I tried to use each fast food restaurant's "Large" french fries. In two cases however, there was no "large" version. So, I instead used whatever that restaurant's largest size was. For White Castle it was "Sack," and for Del Taco it was "Medium."

This article I did not write myself, but it's almost what I was looking for. Last night I gave into temptation, and went for fast food.... :( I wanted to know how much "garbage" I was actually consuming, and after searching a few articles I stumbled across this one. Granted a few restaurants are exclusive to the United States in this article, but I feel it's my job to inform you about these popular restaurants, far and wide...no pun intended.

I hope the next time anyone goes to the states and thinks, "hey maybe i'll try a different restaurant" THINK TWICE PLEASE!

PLEASE LEAVE ME YOUR COMMENTS!!!!!

Motivation and insight to the un-educated individual contemplating the whole "fitness" thing.....

(If you know someone thinking about getting into shape, please guide them to this blog) thanks Jaemi & Mike





Contemplating a workout program but having a hard time getting going? Here are a few facts about exercise that may convince you to get started.

Exercise can accelerate fat burning. A study done back in the 1970s at Ball State University found that the leg muscle of distance runners were 7 times more capable of burning fat after marathon training than the leg muscle of untrained subjects. Just imagine what that kind of training can do for weight loss

Exercise can lower blood pressure. The number of capillaries surrounding each leg muscle fiber increases by 5-10% following endurance training. This not only makes exercise easier but also lowers blood pressure. Numerous studies support that exercise training does indeed lower blood pressure in hypertensive subjects.

Exercise improves heart function. When you start an endurance based exercise program, expect your resting heart rate to decrease by about 1 beat per minute every week during the initial weeks. This is an indication that your heart is becoming more efficient and pumping more blood each beat. Highly trained endurance athletes can have a resting heart rate as low as 40 beats per minute or even less.

Exercise can prevent muscle loss. Sedentary adults lose 6-10 percent of their muscle mass per decade after age 30, leading to a condition called sarcopenia. Regular strength training can delay or in some cases reverse this trend. When it comes to muscle, you must use it or you will lose it!

Exercise can help you live longer. Studies on large populations have discovered the highest death rates in those who are the least fit. Those who are the most fit have the lowest death rates.

Exercise can improve sex life. A study published by the Harvard School of Public Health found that men who exercised vigerously were half as likely to experience sexual dysfunction when compared to men who did no exercise.

Exercise can improve brain function. Research has discovered that the fittest kids generally score the highest on test scores. Older adults who are fit show less cognitive decline compared to their sedentary counterparts.

Exercise can speed up wound healing. A study out of Ohio State found that skin wounds healed an average of 10 days faster in the exercise group compared to the non exercise group.

Exercise can help the elderly. A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association reported gains in leg strength of 374 percent over baseline in men over 90 years of age who began strength training in as little as 8 weeks! Other research has found a reversal in normal age related characteristics in the muscle of seniors who took up weight lifting.

The evidence supporting the benefits of regular physical activity is overwhelmingly positive and seemingly endless. What are you waiting for?

HOW TO LIVE A LONG, HEALTHY LIFE.

We all know that certain foods are good for us, but why are those certain foods good? Also, how exactly do they help our health and our bodies? In other words, what are the "health benefits" of individual fruits, vegetables, meats, grains and dairy products?

These are the questions I am going to help answer through the nutrition articles I research, as well as through the articles I write.

Reading nutrition articles and "health articles" is incredibly informative. The facts displayed are usually backed by research, evidence and data. Don't ask me how they figured this stuff out. I am just going to report the information I can track down.

It's amazing that fruits and vegetables that get their nutrients from the dirt are great for the human body, while dirt itself is rather useless for consumption. Nature is truly astounding! Everything seems to work together in either subtle or obvious ways.

Ever wanted to know what the fruit you are eating are doing for you? Well, here is a list of some fruit facts!

• Almonds - Vitamins B1, B2, E + Magnesium + Manganese + Iron + Calcium + Protein + Potassium + Fiber + Tryptophan + Copper.
• Avocado - Vitamins A, D, E, + Potassium
  
• Apples - Vitamins A, B, B1, C, and K + Fiber + Folate + Choline + Calcium + Magnesium + Phosphorus + Potassium.
• Apricots - Vitamins A, B, and C + Calcium + Potassium + Protein + Fiber + Carotenes + Magnesium + Phosphorus.
• Banana - Vitamins A, C and K + Folate + Choline + Calcium + Magnesium + Phosphorus + Potassium + Omega 3 and Omega 6 Fatty Acids.
• Blackberry - Vitamins A, C, E and K + Folate + Choline + Calcium + Magnesium + Phosphorus + Potassium + Omega 3 and Omega 6 Fatty Acids.
• Blueberry - Vitamins A,C and K + Folate + Choline + Calcium + Magnesium + Phosphorus + Potassium + Omega 3 and 6 Fatty Acids + Fiber.
• Cantaloupe - Vitamin C + Potassium.
• Cashews - Vitamins A, B6, C and E + Calcium + Magnesium + Phosphorus +Potassium + Selenium.
• Cherries - Vitamins A and C + Potassium + Phosphorus + Flavonoids + Fiber.
• Chestnuts - Vitamins B1, B2, B3, A and C + Calcium + Magnesium + Potassium + Phosphorus.
• Coconut - Vitamins B and C + Calcium + Phosphorus + Potassium + Magnesium + Iron + Copper.
• Dates - Vitamins A and B + Protein + Phosphorus + Calcium + Iron.
• Figs - Vitamin B6 + Fiber
• Grapefruit - Vitamins A, B, and C + Fiber + Flavonoids + Pectin + Potassium + Calcium + Phosphorus.
• Grapes - Vitamins A, B6 and C + Manganese + Potassium + Thiamine + Flavonoids.
• Guava - Vitamins A and C + Potassium + Phosphorus + Fiber.
• Hazelnut - Vitamins A and E + Iron + Calcium + Protein.
• Honeydew Melon - Vitamins B, B6 and C + Potassium + Copper + Thiamine + Niacin + Pantothenic Acid.
• Kiwi - Vitamins A, C and E + Phosphorus + Potassium + Magnesium + Copper.
• Lemon - Vitamins B6 and C + Folic Acid + Potassium + Limonene + Flavonoids.
• Lime - Vitamins B6 and C + Folic Acid + Potassium + Limonene + Flavonoids.
• Mango - Vitamins B, C and E + Carotenes + Potassium + Cartenoids + Magnesium.
• Maqui berry - Vitamin C + Iron + Calcium + Polyphenols + HIGHEST level of antioxidants of any fruit known.
• Nectarines - Carotenes + Potassium + Flavonoids + Lycopene + Lutein.
• Oranges - Vitamins B1, B2, B6 and C + Folic Acid + Pantothenic Acid + Flavonoids + Carotenes + Pectin + Potassium + Fiber.
• Papaya - Vitamins A, C and E + Carotenes + Flavonoids + Papain + Potassium.
• Passion Fruit - Vitamins A, B, C and E + Iron + Phosphorus + Potassium.
• Peaches - Vitamins A and B + Manganese + Potassium + Lycopene + Lutein.
• Pears - Vitamins B2, C and E + Pectin + Potassium + Copper + Fiber.
• Pineapples - Vitamins B1, B6 and C + Manganese + Magnesium + Copper.
• Plums - Vitamins B1, B2, B6 and C + Phenolic Compounds + Fiber.
• Pomegranates - Vitamins A and B + Ellagic Acid (anticancer) + Flavonoids.
• Raspberries - Vitamins B2, B6 and C + Manganese + Flavonoids + Niacin + Folic Acid + Pantothenic Acid + Fiber.
• Strawberries - Vitamins B1, B6, C and K + Iodine + Manganese + Flavonoids + Pantothenic Acid + Folic Acid + Biotin.
• Tangerines - Vitamins B1, B2, B6 and C + Folic Acid + Flavonoids + Pantothenic Acid + Carotenes + Pectin + Potassium + Folic Acid.
• Watermelon - Vitamins B1, B6 and C + Biotin + Magnesium + Pantothenic Acid + Potassium + Fiber.

That should give you some idea as to what is so great about fruit. For the most part the best fruit to eat is fresh, organic fruit. Dried fruits are an awesome alternative because the nutrients aren't lost in the drying process. IN FACT dehydrating fruit concentrates the nutrients making them more nutrient dense! Also a great option if you happen to be in a traveling situation or have a storage space issues. Dehydration also makes it so you can keep the fruit edible for a VERY LONG TIME.

Canned fruit will do in a pinch, but isn't quite as nutritionally sound as fresh fruit is.

Lower blood pressure quickly

Beet juice lowers blood pressure

(NaturalNews) The vegetable known as the beetroot in Great Britain (and usually called the table beet, garden beet, red beet or just plain beet in the U.S.) has been studied in recent years for its health-building properties. For example, scientists have found it is rich in the nutrient betaine, which reduces the blood concentration of homocycsteine, a substance linked to heart disease and stroke. Now a study just published in the American Heart Association's Hypertension journal concludes drinking beet juice lowers high blood pressure quickly and effectively -- and could be a natural approach to helping prevent cardiovascular problems.

British scientists at the Queen Mary University of London found that drinking beet juice lowered blood pressure to healthy levels within 24 hours. In fact, it was just as effective as prescription nitrate tables in treating hypertension. In a previous study two years ago, the same research team had first observed that drinking beetroot juice lowered blood pressure -- now they've figured out exactly why.

It turns out that the organic form of nitrate found in beet juice is the key to its blood pressure lowering benefits. Study author Amrita Ahluwalia, Professor of Vascular Biology at Queen Mary's William Harvey Research Institute, said the investigators were able to prove the nitrate was the cause of beet juice's beneficial effects on cardiovascular health because they showed beet nitrate increased levels of the gas nitric oxide in the circulation. Nitric oxide is a type of biological messenger in the body. It signals smooth muscle tissue to relax, induces vasodilation and increases blood flow, leading to a lower blood pressure.

"We gave inorganic nitrate capsules or beetroot juice to healthy volunteers and compared their blood pressure responses and the biochemical changes occurring in the circulation," Professor Ahluwalia said in a statement to the press. "We showed that beetroot and nitrate capsules are equally effective in lowering blood pressure indicating that it is the nitrate content of beetroot juice that underlies its potential to reduce blood pressure. We also found that only a small amount of juice is needed -- just 250ml -- to have this effect, and that the higher the blood pressure at the start of the study the greater the decrease caused by the nitrate."

"The research will be welcome news to people with high blood pressure who might now be able to use a new 'natural' approach to reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease (including stroke and heart attacks) -- the world's biggest killer!

I don't care who you are, but this information is worth sharing. So please, either cut and paste this blog or email it to everyone you know. You dont even have to mention Intrafitt. We are not trying to promote the gym at all... The knowledge alone could save, or better someone's life. Actually I found this information on a site called www.musculardevelopment.com

Brain...Diet....Breakfast

BRAIN DIET SLEEP AND BREAKFAST

Breakfast Ideas to Jump-Start Your Day

It's amazing: It can help improve your memory, help you to concentrate, and help you to maintain a healthy weight - and it tastes good, too! So, what is it? Breakfast. Research has uncovered numerous benefits associated with the morning meal.

Feed your brain

Breakfast replenishes the fuel that your body uses up while you sleep - it is literally a break from an overnight fast. Because your brain does not have a storage place for fuel, it is particularly affected by the fast. If your brain's fuel source, glucose, isn't refilled after a night's sleep, your brain will not function at an optimal level. It would be like a car running on empty.

It's not just a theory. Studies have shown that breakfast helps your brain function at its best. According to one study, skipping breakfast has some effect on memory. Researchers reported that people who did not eat breakfast had a decreased ability to remember items from a word list or a story compared with people who did eat breakfast. While these may seem like minor tasks, the ability to remember is key to performing well at home, work, or school. Other important brain functions, such as the ability to pay attention and concentrate, have also been shown to improve with eating breakfast.

Maintain a healthy weight

Research has taught us that people who eat breakfast have a higher-quality diet and are better able to control their weight than people who skip the meal. In fact, 78% of the people listed in the Canadian National Weight Control Registry, a database of individuals who successfully lost at least 10% of their body weight and kept it off for at least one year, report eating breakfast every day. In addition, studies show that breakfast eaters are less likely to be obese than their meal-skipping counterparts.

Make it a habit

These tips can help you make breakfast a habit.

• Stock up. Be sure that you always have plenty of breakfast foods in the house.
• Plan ahead. Prepare your breakfast the night before to save yourself preparation time in the morning.
• Take it to go. Prepare commuter-friendly meals that you can grab on your way out the door.
• Don't force it. Don't make yourself eat foods you don't like. Try out different foods until you find something you enjoy.

Think outside the box

Whole grain cereal with low-fat milk is a great breakfast option. But go ahead and get creative: Try adding fruit or yogurt to your bowl or eating non-traditional morning foods for breakfast. It is important to choose from several different food groups such as high-fibre whole grains and low-fat dairy products and meats. Here are several options, or use your imagination to create your own morning meal that is both enjoyable and satisfying.

• Whole grain, high-fibre cereal with low-fat milk and a piece of fruit
• Whole grain, high-fibre bar and a cup of low-fat milk and a piece of fruit
• Toasted whole grain waffle with sliced fruit and yogurt
• All-natural peanut butter and jelly on whole wheat toast and a piece of fruit
• Whole grain crackers with low-fat cheese and a piece of fruit
• Reheated brown rice, a hard-boiled egg and a piece of fruit
• Grits with low-fat cheese and a piece of fruit
• Oatmeal with applesauce or raisins and a glass of milk
• Pita bread with low-fat yogurt and a piece of fruit
• Brown rice and beans with fruit
• Fruit smoothie blended with juice and yogurt and a whole grain muffin

I don't know about you,but I have not been consistant with my breakfast! You better believe i'm going to start...... (tomorrow)

I really hope these blogs are helping a lot of ppl.... I find them really informative myself,but again i'm posting this information to help YOU!

If you think this information could benefit someone you know, then feel free to send them to the site to check out the info :)

What to load up on......and what to lighten up on

Brewed beverages Coffee, black tea, green tea. Foods with quercetin, such as tea, may protect against lung cancer.

Dairy Lowfat and skim milk, lowfat and nonfat yogurt (preferably all-natural)

Fresh fruit Apples, apricots, berries (blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries), cantaloupes, cherries, clementines, cranberries, grapefruit, kiwifruit, lemons, limes, mangoes, melons, nectarines, oranges, papayas, peaches, pears, pineapples, plums, pomegranates, grapes, tangerines, tomatoes, watermelons

Fresh veggies Artichokes, arugula, asparagus, beets, bell peppers, bok choy, broccoli, broccoli sprouts, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, chiles, corn, kale, leeks, lettuce, mushrooms, mustard greens, onions, pumpkin, radishes, spinach, squash, sweet potatoes, Swiss chard, turnips, watercress

Herbs and spices Cilantro, cloves, garlic, ginger, mint, rosemary, sage, turmeric

Legumes Beans (black, kidney, lima, navy, pinto), chickpeas, lentils

Seafood Halibut, herring, wild salmon, tuna. In addition to omega-3s, the swimmers contain the antioxidant vitamin E.

Whole grains Breads, oatmeal, pastas, whole-grain and high-fiber cereals

Lighten up on...

Artificial sweeteners The jury is out on fake sugars and cancer; limit yourself to three servings or packets per day.

Barbecued meats Cooking meats at high temperatures (as well as charring them) creates cancer-causing chemicals.

Butter Spread this news: Butter may be linked to an increased risk for lung cancer.

Fast food Convenience chow contributes to weight gain, which raises cancer risk.

Red and processed meats Bacon, beef, cold cuts, ham, hamburger, hot dogs, lamb, liver, pork, pork sausage, salami, steak

Salt Pepper's partner (and salty foods in general) may contribute to stomach cancer.

Smoked foods In particular, smoked meats are linked to stomach cancer.

Some of the blogs are actual atricles,that I have researched, and found on the internet...I hope all of you are educating yourselves throught the internet also! The internet has more info than just FREE..."X-RATED" stuff....lol

This article cought my attention as I was surfing late lastnight.....I hope it helps a few people out!

Eating more may be beneficial!

Eating More Often May Benefit Your Health

If you struggle with high cholesterol, eating more often may benefit your health. According to a study published in the British Medical Journal that studied the relationship between eating frequency and blood lipid levels, people who ate more frequently had lower overall cholesterol levels and lower levels of LDL (low density lipoprotein - the 'bad' cholesterol). Almost 15,000 men and women from the United Kingdom completed questionnaires about how often they ate, the types of food they ate, and their lifestyle habits such as smoking and amount of physical activity. Their cholesterol levels, including levels of LDL and HDL (high density lipoprotein - the 'good' cholesterol that is protective against heart disease) were also measured as part of the study. The people who ate more frequently (about five or six times per day) had lower overall cholesterol and lower levels of LDL when compared to people who ate one or two large meals each day, and HDL levels were not affected. Even though the people who ate more frequently generally ate more calories, fat, carbohydrates and protein, they did not tend to have higher body weight or blood pressure. How does eating frequency affect health and cholesterol? The study authors theorize that people who eat frequently throughout the day may have a steadier metabolism than people who eat only one or two big meals. This constant metabolizing of food may, as a result, reduce cholesterol in the blood. If you increase your eating frequency to five or six small meals a day, be sure that your nutritional focus is on fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat protein sources. Adding extra calories from junk food to your diet may cause weight gain and other health problems. I can't take credit for this article....I was surfing last night, found it and thought it had valuable info....I hope you find it insightful!

A FRIENDLY THANK YOU!!!!!

A BIG THANK YOU

Here at Intrafitt we strive to bring out the best in everyone, through fitness, knowledge, and a healthy diet!

Through Ten years of training, four years of university, three years of professional volleyball, Mike Has been their and done it all.... from eating to gain weight, to dieting to lose it. Mike has taken that knowledge and transformed the industry of fitness with a more intense targeted approach to exercising, and dieting!

Now that's all good,but that's not what this "thank you blog" is all about....Mike is coming up on his "ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY" at this location...

Here's where the "Thank you" comes into play... without the loyal and motivated individuals like "YOU", Intrafitt would have fizzled away a long time ago!

Sometimes at the end of each bootcamp, the simple "thank you" is forgotten ....and we believe that everyone who walks through the door to bust their ass, is like family...and sometimes we take family for granted and forget to say "Thank you" or "Great job today"

Well this is a Personal THANK YOU to EVERYONE who is a part of the Intrafitt Family....We appreciate your faith in the knowledge we possess, to help you reach and achieve your goals of personal fitness!

So again if the word Thank you if forgotten once in a while, does not mean we dont appreciate you, not only for your business,but your friendship and faith :)

So keep striving for your goals in becoming physically fit, here with your family at Intrafitt......

Benefits of Having a GREAT BODY

1.....Feel Good
being physically fit and strong will significantly boost feelings of mental well being and
enhance your outlook on life. Having a great physique, and undertaking the training that
enables this, naturally leads itself to enhanced self-esteem and posative attitude resulting
from increased blood flow to the brain and throughout the body, and the release of
chemical substances called endorphins, which are released to offset physical pain to
create feelings of euphoria...( a profound sence of WELL BEING)


2.....Function Better
veloped physique with good muscle balance will enable one to work harder
physically, while serving to protect the body's joints and internal organs. Strong muscles
and low body fat levels, while being easy on the eye, also equate to better performance which
leads us nicely into point three.


3.....Attract the Opposite Sex
It could be argued that the number one reason guys start training with weights is to
attract the opposite sex. Indeed, a firm tight physique with adequate muscle size is
historically one of the most desired traits women look for in a men, as it signifies an ability to
protect and provide. Without size and strength our ancestors would not have stood a chance
in the cold hard world they inhabited. It's simple: Lean muscle and obvious strength are
attractive male attributes!


4.....Look Good In Clothing
Another popular reason for getting into shape is that you will look more attractive in
clothing, as it will fit better and will actually acceentuate your new physique. Nothing is more
impressive than a nice dress shirt capped off with a stylish pair of jeans and shoes.

Quirky-Fun DID YOU KNOW FACTS

DID YOU KNOW.....................???


01 A serving of approximately eight strawberries has a higher Vitamin C content than a
medium-sized orange.

02 A Rutabaga is a root vegetable that is thought to be a cross between a turnip and the
cabbage plant.

03 Often used in baking and for pickling foods, allspice produces a flavour that is a
combinationof three different spices; cinnemon,nutmeg and cloves.

04 A good source of B Vitamins and iron, Venison, also known as deer meat, is very high in
protein, while also being low in calories and saturated fats.

05 Sunflower seeds are high in omega-6 Linoleic Acid


06 High in Floate and a good source of dietary fiber, Navy beans are so named not because
of their colour,but because of the fact that they were a staple food item for the U.S. Navy
early in teh 20th century.

07 Thre reason a banana becomes sweeter as it ripens is because the starch it contains is
converted into three different types of sugar; sucrose,glucose and fructose

08 Pecans are chock full of more than 19 differrent vitamins and minerals.


09 Bok Choy is a chinese vegetable of the green leafy variety that is now commonly
grown and cultivated in Calgary, Alberta.

1o Sultanas are the name most often associated with golden-coloured raisins, which
actually originate from a special type of grape grown in the U.S. that does not contain any
seeds.

STRAWBERRIES ARE A SUPERFRUIT!

A study in the nutrition journal reveals that there is a cholesterol-lowering power in strawberries. Women were given 75 grams of freeze-dried strawberry powder and following the four-week testing period, total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol...(bad cholesterol) levels dropped an average of five and six percent. Strawberries are increasingly being recognized by modern medicine as a "SUPERFRUIT." Loaded aith anit-inflammatory and anti-cancer compounds, strawberries are among the most nutritionally-dense fruits available....Among their many attributes are their powerfully high antioxidant levels and their abundance of flavonoids, polyphenols, phytonutrients and fiber!

__________________________________________________________

If anyone would like to email me and let me know what you think about the "new blogs" that would be awesome

jfitzgerald@intrafitt.ca

Belly getting in the way??? take a read!

Hello guys and girls...this is Jaemi..mikey's sidekick....

Ok here we go..I have met most of you, but still have a hard time remembering everyone's

name...but I have been put in charge of the blogging from now on. So this is my first one...

if anyone has any "constructive critisism" please let me know...feedback is good...lol

Why It's So Hard to Lose Belly Fat

The majority of people who set out to lose belly fat never reach their goal, and those who do, only keep it off for a short amount of time.

If this describes you, let's explore the reasons why you are struggling with weight loss and/or flattening your stomach...

Lack of Understanding of How Your Body Works

A lot of people assume they can just do crunches or buy an ab machine to flatten their stomach.

When you have stomach flab, you actually have extra flab all over your body. It just may look worse in the mid section.

Or maybe you have the type of body frame that gains a disproportionate amount in your stomach area. So it's understandable why you may think you only need to exercise that one area to achieve results.

It's important you understand that you will never lose your stomach fat until you get your entire body into shape.

Our bodies don't know how to eliminate fat in one area so in order to burn the fat in the tummy, you have to burn it all over. Cardio exercises are the best way to accomplishing this.

Even if you love the rest of your body and you just want to lose your stomach fat, understand you will lose some weight in all areas of your body in order to achieve that flat stomach.

That's why you have to think about overall weight loss and not just flattening the stomach. It's important that you understand the two are directly related.

Unrealistic Expectations

If you have bad eating habits and you're not used to exercising, don't expect yourself to get on course just because you want to lose the weight so badly.

It takes time to get into a new rhythm, so make sure you set small goals and reward yourself for accomplishing them.

Instead of trying to cut all bad foods cold turkey, make a list of foods you will eliminate for the first couple of weeks and continue to add new items to your list as time goes on.

When you start to see results from your small goals, it will motivate you to set larger goals and give you a sense of accomplishment.

That's why so many people fail with weight loss. They set unrealistic expectations and when they fail, they give up or look for the next fad diet.

Don't be so hard on yourself. Realize this may be tough in the beginning so set goals you know you can reach.

Overeating Isn't The Issue. It's a Symptom.

I've talked about this with tons of people before, but they still think they can cure their weight problem if they can just stop overeating.....WRONG!!!!!!!

Sure, that sounds like a solution! but the issue is often much deeper than that.

So what you need to figure out is why you overeat. Are you depressed because of a situation in your life? Overeating is only a symptom of a larger problem.

So until you get to the root of that issue, overeating will continue to be your enemy and so will your weight.

No Strength Training

If you are looking for that perfectly toned belly, strength training is how you achieve that "cut look". Usually crunches aren't enough to accomplish this.

So in addition to your crunches and cardio exercise, make sure you do some abdominal strengthening exercises.

Pilates and Yoga are two great ways to do this. Not only do they focus on breathing and relaxation, but they focus on strengthening your core muscles (a.k.a. your belly!).