The First Health Blog Service

Foods that Burn Fat

Are there any foods that burn body fat? If yes, how is it possible? It should be possible to lose weight by simply eating such foods. What are these foods?

The fat burning foods are foods that burn more calories than the calorie content of the foods itself. There are certain foods which actually burn more fat than the calorie content of the food itself. These fat burning foods or so called negative calorie foods are natural plant foods.

Fruits rich in vitamin C like limes, lemons, oranges, grapefruit and tangerines have fat burning properties. Some of the other fat burning foods are asparagus, beet root, broccoli, cabbage, carrot, apple, blueberries, and watermelon. It you eat these fat burning foods and do some exercise, it will boost your metabolism and burn calories at a faster rate for several hours even after exercise.

A recent research reports that calcium in dairy products can boost weight loss by increasing fat breakdown in fat cells. If you compare a dairy-rich versus a dairy-poor diet you can nearly double the rate of weight and fat loss with the same level of calorie restriction.

Not eating enough will slow your metabolism and deteriorating your health. Note that in order to lose weight you have to burn more calories than you consume. This can be done by eating negative calorie foods. This will help your body burning up the excessive stored fat.

By P. Mehta

Add comment May 17th, 2006

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Salmon Filet, Chicken Corn Chowder, and more…

Salmon Filet with Mango Cilantro Salsa

4 6-ounce portions salmon filet

Mango Cilantro Salsa 1 ripe mango, peeled and ½-inch diced ¼ cup chopped scallion, green part only ¼ cup diced red bell pepper 1 tablespoon finely diced fresh jalapeno 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro 1 small clove garlic, minced 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice ¼ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

Bake salmon filet at 400ºF for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the salmon. For Mango Cilantro Salsa, lightly toss all ingredients in bowl. Chill in refrigerator for at least 1 hour for flavors to meld. Serve salsa as an accompaniment to salmon. Mango Cilantro Salsa also goes nicely with grilled meat or chicken.

Yield: 4 servings

Nutrition Information: 245 calories, 7 g fat, 35 g protein, 11 g carbohydrate, 2 g dietary fiber, 88 mg cholesterol, 251 mg sodium

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Chicken Corn Chowder

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces 1 tablespoon lime juice 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup diced yellow onion 1 cup chopped green onion 2 tablespoons pure olive oil or butter 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup diced celery 1 cup diced red bell pepper 1 or 2 jalapeños, seeded and chopped fine 1 16-ounce bag frozen corn kernels 1 4-ounce can green chilies, diced 1 quart chicken broth, preferably natural 1 cup cream ½ teaspoon ground black pepper 1 cup grated potato, preferably Yukon Gold, grated just before using 1 teaspoon cornstarch ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Marinate chicken in lime juice and ¼ teaspoon salt. Set aside. In soup pot, sauté yellow and green onions in olive oil over medium-high heat until soft, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté an additional minute. Add celery, bell pepper, jalapeño, corn, green chilies, chicken broth, remaining salt, cream, and black pepper. Bring soup to a simmer. As soon as soup starts to simmer, grate potato and add directly to pot. Mix cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water and add to pot. Continue to simmer for 20 minutes. Add chicken and juice to the pot and simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Stir in cilantro. Serve hot.

Yield: 6 servings

Nutrition Information: 358 calories, 16 g fat, 27 g protein, 31 g carbohydrate, 4 g dietary fiber, 70 mg cholesterol, 870 mg sodium

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Roasted Vegetables

6 cups 1-inch chunks small red potatoes and/or other vegetables (Parsnips, carrots, and squash work especially well.) ¼ cup pure olive oil Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (not necessary but helps stop burning and helps cleanup). Put vegetable chucks on pan, sprinkle with olive oil, and toss. Roast until tender; about 10 to 15 minutes. Insert fork or sharp knife to test for doneness. Add salt and pepper.

Yield: 6 servings

Nutrition Information: 155 calories, 9.22 g fat, 1.52 g protein, 18.8 g carbohydrate, 3.25 fiber, 0.0 mg cholesterol, 656 mg sodium

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White Bean and Kale Salad

1 cup great northern beans, soaked overnight in 1 quart water ½ medium sweet onion, cut into thin half-moon slices ¼ cup pure olive oil 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 6 cups coarsely chopped kale 2 tablespoons currants 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon crushed red chili pepper Ground black pepper to taste

Drain beans. Add 6 cups of water and cook over medium heat until tender, approximately 40 to 45 minutes. Sauté onion in large pan in 1 tablespoon olive oil until soft, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar and cook for an additional minute, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Sauté kale in large pan over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon olive oil until tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir while cooking to avoid sticking. Just before removing kale from pan add the remaining 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar. Set aside in a medium-sized bowl. When beans are tender, remove from heat, drain, and place in refrigerator to cool. Once beans have cooled for 10 minutes, toss them with kale, currants, lemon juice, salt, chili pepper, and sautéed onion. Add black pepper and additional salt to taste.

Yield: 4 servings

Nutrition Information: 345 calories, 15 g fat, 14 g protein, 44 g carbohydrate, 12 g dietary fiber, 0 mg cholesterol, 185 mg sodium

Copyright © 2006 Felicia Drury Kliment

Add comment May 16th, 2006

Bikram Yoga

Bikram Choudhry, the founder of Bikram Yoga, was born in Kolkatta in 1946. Who studied Yoga with Bishnu Ghosh, brother of Paramahansa Yogananda (Author of the most popular book on Yoga, The Autobiography of a Yogi, and founder of the Self-Realization Fellowship in Los Angeles). It is a series of 26 poses performed in a room heated from around 95-105 degrees Fahrenheit. Bikram started many training centers for yoga, on the direction of his master Bishnu Gosh. Later, he founded his own system of yoga known as Bikram Yoga.

Bikram practiced Yoga at least four to six hours every day at Ghosh’s College of Physical Education in Calcutta. At the age of thirteen, he won the National India Yoga Championship. He was undefeated for the following three years and retired as the undisputed All-India National Yoga Champion. Bikram teaches at the Yoga College of India in Mumbai and other locations around the world, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Paris and Tokyo.

Bikram has designed a sequence of 26 yoga postures (or asana) and two breathing exercises that are performed in a heated room. The postures are vigorous and demand a lot from the students. The heated room, typically around 95-105 °F (35-40 °C), makes muscles more pliant and encourages sweating which purportedly acts as a purifier. People of all levels, ages and body types practice together with a teacher acting as a guide, taking the class through the ninety-minute series.

Each Yoga Pose is usually performed twice and held for a certain period of time. Their Yoga Sessions start from Standing Postures, then the Backbends, Forward Bends, and Twists. The Poses are accompanied by Kapalabhati Breath or the “breath of fire”.

Heat is used in Bikram Yoga in order to allow you to go deeper and safer into a Yoga Pose. Your body becomes more flexible in the heat and since most poses used in Bikram are physically challenging, heat allows you to get into a pose that you never imagined you can do. It also eliminates the risk for injuries, promotes sweating and helps you release the toxins in your body. The poses not only work on your muscles but also your internal organs. Each pose stretches and strengthens your muscles, joints, and ligaments and, at the same time release the toxins and work on your internal organs like the Glands and the Nervous System.

Some people are often discouraged to Practice of Yoga by thinking that they are not flexible enough. Yoga is not about being flexible, but about strengthening your body and your spine in all directions with the goal of creating a union between the body, mind and spirit. All that matters is to try the right way without pushing yourself too far. In practicing, you may wear shorts or leotards or anything you feel comfortable sweating in.

Bikram Yoga is designed to “scientifically” warm and stretch muscles, ligaments and tendons in the order in which they should be stretched. Practice of this Style of Yoga promotes the cleansing of the body, release of toxins and utmost flexibility. It can also reduce stress and increase Blood Circulation. The practice of Bikram Yoga can also help you lose weight and develop toned and strong muscles.

Anyone can practice Bikram Yoga. In even people with chronic diseases such as Arthritis, Diabetes, and thyroid disorders may benefit in doing the Yoga Poses by reducing symptoms and is also one of the best ways to prevent any ailments by keeping the body healthy. In fact, it has helped its founder, Bikram, recover from a serious Knee injury he acquired in his training for weightlifting. He had been told by his doctors that he would never be able to walk again. After consulting with his Yoga teacher, he resumed his Yoga practice and his daily performance of the Asanas allowed him to rebuild his muscle and walk again. Hollywood celebrities, athletes and ordinary people also claimed that the practice of Bikram Yoga helped them in reaching high levels of performance, extend their careers, heal their bodies, achieve mental clarity and increased energy levels.

Bikram Yoga Classes uses the same routine every Class. Let your body tell you how often you should practice. Some may find this boring since they feel that they are starting over and over every time they come to class but you should remember to take satisfaction in the small accomplishments you have for repeatedly doing the poses.

Add comment May 13th, 2006

5 Resistance Training Tips

Trying to firm and tone? Looking for a bathing suit body? No problem!

If you’re resistance training program isn’t performing for you; there’s a solution. Get back to basics: give your routine a face lift by reviewing these 5 fitness canons.

Canon 1: Always Exhibit Proper Posture The most important thing to remember when resistance training: proper form will make all the difference. Forget sets and reps, if it’s results you’re looking for and your form isn’t solid, you are asking for injury (not to mention an inferior workout).

Guarantee a shape-shift by using this technique: Stand in front of the mirror with feet shoulder width apart, eyes facing forward. Tuck you hips under and engage your abdominals - this will protect your spine and lower back and place your body in the safety zone.

Use this technique when performing a lift from a sitting position, as well. Make a mental picture; train your mind to notice if you are out of alignment by recognizing how this protective, invisible girdle feels around your torso. Soon, you will find your body naturally conforming to this posture.

Canon 2: Always Be Aware of Your Breath When performing a lift, always be aware of your breathing. This is especially important if you have considerations with your heart and blood pressure. If you hold your breath during resistance training you could be placing a dangerous amount of pressure on your heart.

Here’s a technique to help you breathe properly during a lift: While engaging the lift: inhale through your nose. Continue to take in this long deep breath until you’ve reached capacity. Then, quickly exhale through the mouth on your exertion. Over time your breathing pattern will become rhythmic.

Canon 3: Know The Difference Between Precision and Momentum It’s often been said: 3 repetitions performed with precision will net greater results than 20 repetitions performed with momentum. This statement demonstrates the difference in the two: Yes, you’ll need to challenge yourself and push your body’s limits, but swinging weights and using momentum not only looks sloppy, but begets equal results. The answer: A proper lift with a sensible weight will create definition and a sleek beautiful body.

Canon 4: Be Aware of Lifting To Heavy Canon 4 is a natural extension of the previous principle. Remember: it’s important to make strength gains during resistance training (and this will happen naturally) however, if you are forcing the lift, you are using a weight that is too heavy.

Here’s the test: After a workout, you may experience some slight soreness in the muscle. However, if this soreness lasts beyond 48 hours, it may be a sign that you are lifting too heavy. As a rule: always aim to warm up and cool down, before and after your workout session.

Canon 5: Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate The body is made of 60% - 70% water, therefore, it is important to hydrate the body before, during and after exercise as the increased exertion accelerates the rate of water loss. A rule of thumb is to drink at least an 8oz glass of water before during and after you workout. This will keep the body hydrated. It will also prevent dehydration and undue stress on your kidneys.

The Secret Canon: Something else to keep in mind for a safe, effective workout: obtain proper footwear. This should not be taken lightly. Proper footwear will help protect your feet, back and joints from receiving the majority of impact. As a rule you should take a constant inventory of your feet, replacing your training shoes 2-3 times per year (depending on use). You will know when it’s time if they’ve broken down or feel loose and sloppy.

Above all: Listen to you body! Be aware of what is trying to tell you. It’s my guess, however, if you aim your awareness toward these canons of resistance training; your body will reward you with a strong, shapely, and injury free body - just in time for summer.

By Lara Turner

Add comment May 12th, 2006