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How Much Protein?

September 14th, 2008

The perfect diet, which can provide the right kind of nutrition, is composed of a diet with rite combination of carbohydrates, proteins, minerals, and vitamins. Among all these components protein has a different and very essential role to play to keep the body in shape and make it strong. The main function of protein is reviving the dead tissues and enabling the growth of cells. Another essential function performed by proteins in body is making of hormones in the body and other serums required by the body. Proteins from plants are as nutritious as animal proteins. The total calorie intake should comprise of 20 percent of it. Proteins are made of essential and non-essential amino acids.

Protein Intake

A normal diet should contain 15-20% of protein. The intake of protein shouldn’t be more than 20% as suggested by the new researches. Protein contributes 4 calories of every gram consumed by the body. The right combination of essential amino acids as per the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) 1989 is: Isoleucine (10 mg), Lysine (12mg), Leucine (14 mg), Phenylalanine (14 mg), Methionine (13 mg), Threonine (7mg), Valine (10 mg) and Tryptophan (3.5 mg). These are those amino acids, which the body needs but cannot make them and are thus only made available to the body from food intakes comprising of these amino acids. And the protein needed by an infant is Histidine (28 mg). These amounts of proteins are taken in accordance with the body weight, per kilogram of it per day, by the body.

Protein Requirement

Requirement of protein depends on different factors like weight of the body, sex, age and the physical condition of the body. A normal human need for protein varies from that of the needs of an athlete or a body builder, or a person who is sick and lacks essentials required for a fit body. The body intakes essential amino acids that further help in making other non-essential amino acids required by the body to replenish the complete protein requirement of the body. The protein requirement of a body-builder is different from that of a normal workingman; the protein required by them is whey protein. Proteins from plants and from animals are the only outer sources of protein; milk has all the 8 different amino acids that the body requires for building muscles, hardening of bones and repairing cells. Eggs also provide complete protein, especially the white part of the egg.

An individual should take proper amount of protein, because any lesser than that or more than that can affect the body functioning adversely, which may result in body discrepancies. The amount of proteins suggested by physicians all over the world and by Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) has been agreed universally as the right intake of proteins for individuals with normal physical needs. The right combination of protein should be the proper combination of proteins from vegetarian food and non-vegetarian food. Vegetarian people are advised to take some dairy foods along with vegetables to keep the protein level in body at par. Dairy foods have high and good quality of proteins in them.

Healthy Foods , , ,

Weight Loss Plan: The Goal to Go For

September 10th, 2008

Since excess weight puts you at risk for many health problems, you may need to set some weight loss plans to help avoid those risks and prevent disease.

But what should be your long-term goal? And what short-term goals should you set to help you get there? You have a better chance of attaining your goals if you make sure that the weight loss plans that you will use are sensible and reasonable right at the beginning.

Here are some guidelines from the experts in choosing weight loss plans and goals.

1. Be realistic

Most people’s long-term weight loss plans are more ambitious than they have to be. For example, if you weigh 170 pounds and your long-term plan is to weigh 120, even if you have not weighed 120 since you were 16 and now you are 45, that is not a realistic weight loss goal.

Your body mass index or BMI is a good indicator of whether or not you need to shed of pounds. The ideal BMI range, according to the national Institutes of Health, is between 19 and 24.9. If your BMI is between 25 and 29.9, you are considered overweight. Any number above 30 is in the obesity range.

From this point of view, you will need a sensible weight loss plan that will correspond to the required BMI based on your height, because this is the primary factor that will affect your BMI. Count your Body Mass Index(BMI) yourself.
2. Set appropriate objectives

Using a weight loss plan just for vanity’s sake is psychologically less helpful than losing weight to improve health.

You have made a big step forward if you decide to undergo a weight loss plan that includes exercise and eating right so that you will feel better and have more energy to do something positive in your life.

3. Focus on doing, not losing

Rather than saying that you are going to lose a pound this week, say how much you are going to exercise this week. This would definitely make up of a sensible weight loss plan.

Keep in mind that your weight within a span of a week is not completely in your control, but your behavior is.

4. Build bit by bit

Short-term weight loss plans should not be “pie-in-the-sky.” This means that when you have never exercised at all, your best weight loss plan for this week should be based on finding three different one-mile routes that you can walk next week.

5. Keep up the self-encouragement

An all-or-nothing attitude only sets you up to fail. Learn to evaluate your efforts fairly and objectively. If you fall short of some goals, just look ahead to next week. You do not need to have a perfect record. After all, self-encouragement should definitely be a part of your weight loss plans. Otherwise, you will just fail in the end.

6. Use measurable measures

Saying that you are going to be more positive this week or that you are going to really get serious this week is not a goal that you can measure and should not be a part of your weight loss plan. This is another reason why you should incorporate exercise on your weight loss plan and focus on it. You should be able to count up the minutes of exercise in order to be successful in your plan.

The bottom line is, people should make weight loss plans that will only remain as it is, just a plan. They have to put it into action by incorporating goals that will motivate them to succeed.

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Weight Loss , ,

Diet Recipe: Roast Beef Wrap

September 8th, 2008

What You’ll Need

3 slices lean roast beef
1 whole-wheat tortilla
3/4 c mixed greens
1/4 c chopped tomato
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp blue-cheese crumbles

How To Make It

Arrange beef slices down the center of the tortilla, then add the other ingredients. Fold the outer edges in, then roll. Makes 1 serving.

Per Wrap:  208 calories, 22 grams (g) protein, 26 g carbohydrates, 5 g fat (2.5 g saturated), 1,038 milligrams (mg) sodium, 3 g fiber

Side Kick:  Turbo Tomatoes

What You’ll Need

1 large beefsteak tomato
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper

How To Make It

Slice the tomato into 1/2″-thick rounds (about 3 to 4 slices total). Place them on a baking sheet, and drizzle with olive oil and vinegar. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Broil for 3 to 4 minutes. Makes 1 serving.

Per Tomato:  59 calories, 2 g protein, 7 g carbohydrates, 3 g fat (0 g saturated), 17 mg sodium, 2 g fiber

Recipes ,

How to Ask Someone Out on a Date

September 6th, 2008

No more hesitations, this is the moment you have been dreaming of and only you could push it to reality. But, how could you have that dream date? Of course, you have to start from the top. And, that is to ask the person you are interested out on a date. Well, how could you invite a person out? Do you need to be aggressive? Do you need to play safe? Tips to ask someone out would surely be a great help for you.

The following are simple but very essential tips you could lean on in times that you seem to find it hard asking a person for a date. For men, these tips are really great help for you invite that person in your mind.

•    Know the right reason or reasons for asking a person out. When you know your purpose, it would surely have the idea of how to express it in a medium that you are most comfortable with.

•    What if the person says no? Save that part of you and prepare to whatever the answer of the other person is. Do not take the “no” so heavily. Learn the beauty of grace in such times.

•    In order to say well the words you want to express, you may try to do some practicing in order for you to get conditioned of how to say such lines you needed to tell the person you want to be with.

•    Be sure that you have the most important details you have for the date in mind. The person might say “yes” and you just do not know where to go, that would be a real “turn off”. As much as possible, be ready with ideas.

•    See to it that you know how to answer whenever the person asks you why you are asking her out. You do not have to be a very huge flatterer but you have to make sure that you make the person feel good. This way of showing how much thoughtful you are.

•    Never pressure a person to go out with you. This is not healthy and it would even branch out to negative outcomes. Remember not to pressure a person to tell you why it is a “no”.

•    Do not stand people up. This means that when you ask a person out, you mean it and you do not leave her just expecting for nothing at all.

•    If the person says no, do not be bitter about it. You just have to move on and never treat the person unwell.

•    Having some beer just to boost your confidence is a no. It may just push you to worse situations. You have to be naturally confident.

•    The more, the merrier but not for a first date. When you are out to ask a person for a date, do not do it when she is with a circle of friends.

These are really useful dating tips and you have to take note of them, they would surely help you out in maximizing the time you spend with that special person.

Relationships , ,

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