Fiber

Okay Fiber is a tough nut for me to crack.

When I think about it, I just think... keps me regular! But there is really so much more to it.

In essence, not only does it help keep you regular and helps your digestion, it also helps your heart by reducing bad cholesterol, helps prevent diabetes by regulating blood sugar levels, and in a way helps you to lose weight by helpin gyou feel full.

A simple is recommendation for men and women: Think men >30 and women >20 grams a day... but be careful to not add TOO MUCH because then it will actually CAUSE digestive problems.

Places you can find fiber are in certain fruits and vegetables, whole grains/brown grains, legumes and nuts/seeds.

Now take a look at tips from the experts:

(http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fiber/NU00033/NSECTIONGROUP=2)

Tips for fitting in fiber
Need ideas for high-fiber meals and snacks? Try these suggestions:

*Start your day with a high-fiber breakfast cereal — 5 or more grams of fiber per serving. Opt for cereals with "bran" or "fiber" in the name. Or add a few tablespoons of unprocessed wheat bran to your favorite cereal.

*Add crushed bran cereal or unprocessed wheat bran to baked products such as meatloaf, breads, muffins, casseroles, cakes and cookies. You can also use bran products as a crunchy topping for casseroles, salads or cooked vegetables.
Switch to whole-grain breads. These breads list whole wheat, whole-wheat flour or another whole grain as the first ingredient on the label. Look for a brand with at least 2 grams of dietary fiber per serving.

*Substitute whole-grain flour for half or all of the white flour when baking bread. Whole-grain flour is heavier than white flour. In yeast breads, use a bit more yeast or let the dough rise longer. When using baking powder, increase it by 1 teaspoon for every 3 cups of whole-grain flour.

*Eat more whole grains and whole-grain products. Experiment with brown rice, barley, whole-wheat pasta and bulgur.

*Take advantage of ready-to-use vegetables. Mix chopped frozen broccoli into prepared spaghetti sauce. Snack on baby carrots.

*Eat more beans, peas and lentils. Add kidney beans to canned soup or a green salad. Or make nachos with refried black beans, baked tortilla chips and salsa.

*Eat fruit at every meal. Apples, bananas, oranges, pears and berries are good sources of fiber.

*Make snacks count. Fresh and dried fruit, raw vegetables, and low-fat popcorn and whole-grain crackers are all good choices.

**High-fiber foods are good for your health. But adding too much fiber too quickly can cause intestinal gas, abdominal bloating and cramping. Increase fiber in your diet gradually over a period of a few weeks. This allows the natural bacteria in your digestive system to adjust to the change. Also, drink plenty of water. Fiber works best when it absorbs water, making your stool soft and bulky. Without the added water, you could become constipated.




(http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/high-fiber-foods/nu00582)
High Fiber Foods
Fruits Serving size Total fiber (grams)*
Raspberries 1 cup 8.0
Pear, with skin 1 medium 5.1
Apple, with skin 1 medium 4.4
Figs, dried 2 medium 3.7
Blueberries 1 cup 3.5
Strawberries 1 cup 3.3
Banana 1 medium 3.1
Orange 1 medium 3.1
Raisins 1.5-ounce box 1.6

Grains, cereal & pasta Serving size Total fiber (grams)*
Spaghetti, whole-wheat, cooked 1 cup 6.3
Barley, pearled, cooked 1 cup 6.0
Oat bran muffin 1 medium 5.2
Bran flakes 3/4 cup 5.1
Oatmeal, quick, regular or instant, cooked 1 cup 4.0
Popcorn, air-popped 3 cups 3.6
Brown rice, cooked 1 cup 3.5
Bread, rye 1 slice 1.9
Bread, whole-wheat or multigrain 1 slice 1.9

Legumes, nuts & seeds Serving size Total fiber (grams)*
Split peas, cooked 1 cup 16.3
Lentils, cooked 1 cup 15.6
Black beans, cooked 1 cup 15.0
Lima beans, cooked 1 cup 13.2
Baked beans, vegetarian, canned, cooked 1 cup 10.4
Sunflower seeds, hulled 1/4 cup 3.6
Almonds 1 ounce (22 nuts) 3.3
Pistachio nuts 1 ounce (49 nuts) 2.9
Pecans 1 ounce (19 halves) 2.7

Vegetables Serving size Total fiber (grams)*
Artichoke, cooked 1 medium 10.3
Peas, cooked 1 cup 8.8
Broccoli, boiled 1 cup 5.1
Turnip greens, boiled 1 cup 5.0
Sweet corn, cooked 1 cup 4.6
Brussels sprouts, cooked 1 cup 4.1
Potato, with skin, baked 1 medium 4.0
Tomato paste 1/4 cup 2.7
Carrot, raw 1 medium 1.7

Watch my 90 day Challenge and Journey on the BeachBody Message Boards

http://forums.teambeachbody.com/groupee/forums/a/tpc/f/3932969366/m/6291067271

Follow my message board on teambeachbody.com
Sign up first for a free BeachBody account on my page: www.beachbodycoach.com/virtuefit

So when I began BeachBody, I mainly led a group of women at my work through BeachBody DVD workouts in our company gym 4 times a week.

Most of it was P90X (We did all the dvds several times and ab ripper was our favorite! WE based our nutrition off of P90X and other great resources), we had a smattering of Slim in 6, Hip Hop Abs, Turbo Jam and some of my own workouts I created with my Kung Fu background and a different 90 day program.

This will be my first time devoting 90 days solely to the P90X program, so, for all intents and purposes, this is my first round of P90X, although I am familiar with the workouts and nutrition.

I am encouraging a group of people from all parts of my life, old high school friends, co-workers, family members, new beachbody pals, family friends, and YOU to take this 90 day fitness challenge with me. We are of all fitness levels and doing a variety of BeachBody programs.

To prepare for this and to lead well, I stopped exercising and eating well for about 2 weeks. I let myself eat pizza, fried foods, lots of ice cream, soda, tons of white bread, butters, cheeses, and no portion control or regular meals throughout the day. WHY? Because I wanted to go into the challenge coming from a place where starting is a challenge. I want to relate to those who are starting off brand new to fitness. They will need my motivation most.

It's amazing how this little 'expirement' went. Kind of like a mini-"SuperSize Me". For those of you who are not familiar with it, "SuperSize Me" is a documentary where one man ate McDonalds for breakfast, lunch and dinner for one month. In essence, doctors urged him to quit two weeks into it saying his cholesterol and blood pressure were getting to dnagerous levels... it took him 9 months of doctor and nutritionist aided exercise and nutrition to get back to where he was before.

My expirement was less extreme and less controlled, but I feel bloated, I have gained back a slight belly hang, and there isn't much sign of definition left on my body...

SO! I am soooooo excited to start on Monday! To MOVE and to take in some clean food, at proper portions and times of the day!

Food intake is soo important. If you do not do that part well, you will feel it and it will effect your workouts and of course, your results.

"Fitness is a lifelong journey, not a destination."

I'm so ready! Are you?

Sodium

Okay, so I am one of those people who is aware that too much sodium is bad for you and I even check the nutrition labels for how much sodium is in a product... but I admit, I never actually KNEW how much was too much and why too much was too much!

So, I looked it up.

Sodium is good for you. We NEED it for proper fluid balances in our body and aiding in nerves impulses and muscle contractions and relaxation.

How much is too much?
Keep your intake between 1,500 and 2,400 milligrams (mg) a day


Why is too much bad for you? If you are taking too much, sodium can cause you to retain water and feel bloated, but not only that, it is related to high blood pressure. If sodium accumulates in your blood, it will attract and retain water, thus increasing your blood vloume and blood pressure.

So if you are an 'average healthy adult' help keep your system healthy and avoid the water retention and bloated feeling, by keeping your sodium intake between 1,500 and 2,499 a day.

Exercising When Sick

So it's been in the news for a couple of weeks now. Dare I mention it again? Okay, I will say it. Swine Flu.

Okay I said it! Now, with that in mind, I thought I would share a quick answer to the age old question: "Should I exercise when I am sick?"

When I was taking lessons in Choy Li Fut Kung Fu, my instructor Mr. Richman told me two simple rules:

1) If it's above the neck, say a runny nose or sore throat, go ahead and exercise! It might even make you feel better. It might make you have more energy and relieve some of the congestions. For me personally, I have found that that is most often the case. But of course, listen to your body, if it's telling you that you shouldn't go on, get some rest. Make sure that it's your body telling you though and not just your mind.

2)If it's below the neck, say a cough that originates from your lungs or you have naseau in your stomach, take a rest. I also read recently that exercising with a fever is not recommended; there have been links to inflamation of the heart.

Two easy rules to continuing to exercise or not when you are ill.

Again, I hope that was helpful!