It's Never Too Late To Become Healthy

September 6, 2012

Saying that it’s never too late to become healthy sounds always really cool. It’s the kind of motivational saying that anyone wants to hear. But have you ever stop and wondered what really “too late” means? Are there really no age limits when it comes to making changes in your lifestyle?
Apparently so, as a recent published research has concluded that even seniors and elderly people, aged 75 years old or more can greatly improve their health by living a healthy lifestyle.
The results of switching habits can be pretty dramatic as it can add 5 years to women’s life and an astonishing 6 years to men’s.




Whole Wheat Quinoa Bread

September 2, 2012


Another recipe, more quinoa involved. Yes, we have to get ourselves ready for 2013 (UN’s International Year of Quinoa). There’s no slacking off, we must learn how to incorporate quinoa in all our meals.
What about making some bread with quinoa?
Bread, real bread, it’s not that complicated to make, but it does take time. Not so much in the preparation but it has to rise for several hours. This quinoa bread is no exception. You’ll need a good 4 to 5 hours. Good news is that while the dough rises you have plenty of time to do other things.
I, for instance, scheduled my training schedule accordingly. I knew I had to wait around 1 hour between each step so I went for my 6 miles run during the first ‘rise’, took a yoga class during the second ‘rise’, and watched two full episodes of “How I Met Your Mother” during the third and final ’rise’ (I know, this is not so much exercising but I was worn off and wanted to be a couch potato for once).

Let's Talk About Malnutrition

August 31, 2012

When we hear the word malnutrition, we immediately think about not getting enough food. However, that issue has another name: it’s called undernutrition.
Undernutrition happens when the human body doesn’t get enough calories in order to function properly.

For millennia mankind has struggled with undernutrition. Only during the last century or so, in the most affluent societies, this issue has been almost eradicated. Unfortunately, it still afflicts the poorest parts of the earth where, people still struggles to get food on their plates daily.
Malnutrition, is broader category, that includes undernutrition but is not limited to it.
In fact, malnutrition has been defined as the condition resulting from an unbalanced diet in which certain nutrients are lacking, are in excess or are in wrong proportion.
In other words, malnutrition includes undernutrition, overeating and nutrients deficiency.
The latter being the insufficient and/or unbalanced supply of nutrients that the body needs.
So, even in affluent societies, where undernutrition is no longer an issue, and where we have the luxury of throwing away more food than we actually consume, malnutrition is still an issue.
How come? Because the modern unhealthy diet makes us overfed and overweight, but may fail to provide for all the micronutrients that the body needs to maintain optimum health.
And it’s this latter issue that I would to focus on today.


Are you getting all the nutrients you need?

Don't Get Fooled: Multigrain Doesn't Mean Whole Grain

August 29, 2012

This is a mistake one might easily fall into: seeing a food labeled as “multigrain” (such as multigrain bread, crackers or cereals) and thinking that it’s a “whole grain” food.
But this is not always the case as the label multigrain just means that are two or more different types of grains have been used in a product. Not that the grains used were whole.



The Best Quinoa Patties

August 28, 2012

The Best Quinoa Patties


2013 is “The International Year of Quinoa” according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. An important recognition given to the Andean indigenous peoples, who have maintained, controlled, protected and preserved quinoa as food for present and future generations.
The international organization wants, in particular, to focus world's attention on the role that quinoa’s biodiversity and nutritional value plays in providing food security and nutrition.
Over the last decade quinoa has become a “global food” thanks to its high nutritional value and health benefits. Nowadays, you can find quinoa in almost every grocery store around the country. The price has also become much more "democratic".
Quinoa is one of the staple foods in my diet, and these patties are definitely one of my favorite recipe involving this wonder seed.

Frozen Meat 101

August 22, 2012

I don’t know about yours but as far as my freezer is concerned, besides some frozen fruits, it’s stocked with meat. It’s so convenient to have it there. When I arrive home late at night, I can always resort to my freezer for some chicken or turkey meat.
But I never cared that much about the freezing process of meat. I just threw it in the freezer in after buying
it and forget about it until time had come to eat it.
However, I recently discovered that there are several different methods of freezing and, moreover, that physical and chemical reactions can still occur in meat during storage in freezer.
The more I red about it, the more I realized how little I knew and that it was about time to fill this gap.




People Makes All Sorts Of Assumption On What's Good For You, But You Know Better

August 12, 2012

When it comes to fitness people are always ready to make all sort of assumption on what’s good for you, what’s bad for you, what you should do, what you shouldn’t do, etc.
They all seem to know better. But even though listening to suggestions it’s a good thing to do, in the end it’s really up to you to know what really works best for you.




Hitting Plateau In Losing Weight? Don't Give Up, Mix It Up!

August 6, 2012

This happens to everybody on a weight loss journey: you begin a diet, at first it works perfectly, pounds drop consistently, you can see and feel the changes in your body but then everything STOPS. You hit the wall, nothing happens anymore and that number on the scale just stays the same. And what’s the first reaction? Throwing the towel and giving up. 
You start believing that the diet just doesn’t work anymore and might start wondering if there’s any diet that is going to actually work for you. But stop right there, most of the times is not the diet that is not working, more likely it’s just your body that it’s getting used to it and causes what it is usually referred to as “plateau”.



Is There A Thing Such As Eating Too Much Healthy Food?

August 1, 2012

Here on TheIronYou we always stress out the importance of choosing to eat a lot of healthy food as a way to improve the quality of life. Generally speaking fruits and veggies are identified as being the core of healthy food and healthy eating regimens. In other words the more you eat of fruits and veggies the better you’re off. That’s the general consensus among nutritionist around the world.
BUT, sometime I wonder: is it possible to exceed on healthy food consumption? Is there such a thing as eating too many veggies and fruits? Can this harmful? Is portion size also relevant when it comes to healthy food?
According to a Loyola University Health System registered dietitian the answer to this question is yes. Portion size always matters!




High Protein White Smoothie

July 27, 2012



Sometime in life in order to move forward you have to take a leap of faith. Depending on the choices you’re facing it can be either a big one or a small one.

When it comes to food it’s rarely a big one. Even if it might take some courage to try a snake meat shred soup or monkey brains (yuk!) the worst that can happen is that you’ll spit it out or just get nauseated. No biggies.
So what I’m asking you today is to take a leap of faith and try this smoothie. It’s made with an unconventional ingredient: cannellini beans. But you’ll have to trust me when I say that you won’t taste them, and that this is an awesome smoothie.
A smoothie with the highest protein content ever. But that’s not all. The proteins come from all different sources: legumes, dairy, nuts, and protein powder. Also, since we’re not using fruits or juices it’s pretty low in sugars hence it can make a great alternative if you have friends and/or relatives that need to keep their blood sugar low.

How Often Should I Replace My Running Shoes?

July 26, 2012

I was talking to my friend Sam last week and he told me that lately he’s been experiencing some knee pain after his morning runs. I know from experience that knee pain should be taken very seriously and it's not something you wanna mess up with so I sat him down and started asking him all kind of questions. Turns out he’s been running on a pair of shoes that are at least 2 years old and that he’s also been using for walking, working out, shooting hoops and a number of other activities.
So I told him that before having his knee checked, he should try buy a brand new pair of running shoes and give it shot. He called me last night saying that he did as I told him and that he no longer experienced knees pain after running.
His story gives me the opportunity to talk about one of the most important things in running: replacing running shoes.

 

 

Wanna Lose Weight? Keep A Food Journal, Don't Skip Meals And Eat Out Less Frequently

July 14, 2012

Losing weight is not a simple task. Even the most fit people may struggle when it comes to shed a couple of pounds. For instance, my target weight is 175 pounds, but in the last two weeks for some reason I have reached 178. It’s no big deal but in a triathlon race, when I push myself to the extreme those 3 extra pounds might make a difference. Thus I need to lose them. Now, I might be able to do it in just a couple of days but even I will need to stay focus and not indulge if I want to do it properly.
And that’s precisely what a recently published study claims: losing weight is no joke, and does not happen overnight. It takes focus, dedication and perfect planning.
In particular, researchers from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle have discovered that the recipe for success is faithfully keeping a food journal, avoid skipping meals and eat less out, especially at lunch time.



The above food journal can be downloaded from www.theprojectgirl.com


Have You Had Your Blueberries Today?

July 12, 2012

Let’s make a bet. If I win you’ll promise to eat only healthy foods for the remainder of the month. If I lose, I’ll do the same. But also if I win I’ll do the same. And also if you win you should do the same. It’s basically a win-win-win-win situation.
Anyway, I’ll bet that if you look around on the internet (or on magazines) for articles on the healthiest foods around (so-called “powerfoods”), blueberries will make the cut 9 times out of 10.
There’s a reason for that: blueberries are a health wonder; packed with vitamins, antioxidants and other precious nutrients.




An Ode To Greek Yogurt (The Perfect IronYou Food!)

July 8, 2012

Sometimes I wonder: “What my life would be without Greek yogurt?
I’m one of the biggest consumer of Greek yogurt in the whole world. My fridge is constantly stacked with huge amounts of Greek yogurt: 0%, 2%, plain, you name it.
When I feel like having a snack there’s nothing else I’d rather have than Greek yogurt.
Funny thing is that I don’t like regular yogurt but I’m totally hooked on Greek yogurt.
With Greek yogurt the combination are endless: blueberries, raspberries, nuts, honey, etc..everything goes well with it. Plus, it is a great substitute for mayo in all the recipes that call for the latter ingredient (such as chicken salad).
Last, but not least, the fact that it’s low in fat and carbs and super high in protein makes it a perfect IronYou food. Are you convinced? If not keep reading...




Watermelon: A Perfect Weight Loss Food!

July 4, 2012

First question: who doesn’t love diving into a juicy, crisp, slice of watermelon when it’s toasty outside?
It’s probably the most refreshing fruit one can think of and a great friend when it comes to fight the heat. But watermelon does much more than that as it is one of the most recommended fruits when it comes to weight loss. To the point that some dietitians have created a “watermelon diet”.



Your Weight Is The End All, Be All! True or False?

June 22, 2012

When newbies hit the gym or start a new eating regimen they, most of the time, obsessively start to weigh themselves.
Day-after-day, if there’s no appreciable weight loss, they get easily frustrated.
This happens because there’s a common misconception on the importance of weight; as if skinny is healthy and fat is unhealthy.
In other words, becoming healthy is too often associated with weight loss.
But, weight has little to do with the fitness level. Or better, it’s just one of the factors that can help determine whether you’re an healthy person.




Carrot Orange Protein Smoothie

June 19, 2012

Carrot Orange Protein Smoothie


This is the quintessential summer smoothie. It's supercharged with vitamins A and ß-carotene (which converts into vitamin A in the body). As you probably already, know Vitamin A is not only essential for vision, it's THE nutrient for maintaining a healthy skin.
Carrot juice, orange juice and peaches. Three incredible sources of Vitamin A. What do you want more?

"Crowding Out" Instead Of "Cutting Out" When Dieting

June 18, 2012

When dieting, it’s pretty common to feel deprived (or hungry, at the least) as you parse out calories in order to lose weight.
It’s called “cutting out” and it’s the standard (and far too popular) approach to any form of dieting: cut your food intake, get into a calorie deficit and lose weight.
However, there’s an alternative way to just cut calories (and feeling miserable): it’s called “crowding out”, and it’s a different approach to the old “cutting out” method.
Crowding out involves adding more healthy food to your diet rather than cutting back on foods you enjoy.
Supporters of this method believe that over time, cravings for unhealthy foods are likely to disappear (or diminish), leaving you healthier and leaner.



Crowding Out


Drinking Ice Cold Water Burns Fat! True or False?

June 15, 2012

I was at the gym earlier today and I overheard two girls chatting about tricks to lose weight. One told the other one: “You know that when you drink ice cold water your system burns a massive amount of calories to bring it to the body’s temperature!”
I shook my head in disappointment (and I think they noticed) because, unfortunately, this is a myth deeply rooted in people’s mind and not exactly on point.




Quinoa, Zucchini & Sun-Dried Tomato Frittata

June 14, 2012

Quinoa, Zucchini & Sun-Dried Tomato Frittata
I went ahead and make you a perfect post-workout dinner for tonight.
Except I ate it. All. It was too good to resist.
So eventually if you could make your own post-workout dinner...I think that it would definitely be best.
I’ll tell you what to use, how to cook it and the reasons why you should do it. But I won’t go as far as cooking it. Because I will eat it and it would be same story all over again.
First off, we’re talking frittatas here. They fill your belly. If done the right way and with the right ingredients they’re nutritious and good for you.
Breakfast, lunch, dinner, it’s always the right time for a good frittata.
After a rad workout that’s when they are the best choice, as they provide all the nutrients necessary for a speedy recovery.
THIS FRITTATA is everything and all the above, in just one simple recipe.

Quinoa, Zucchini & Sun-Dried Tomato Frittata
Quinoa. Isn’t it THE PERFECT post-workout food? With zucchini. Very thinly sliced...AWESOME! Then some garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and fresh basil chopped. ARE YOU JOKING? Plus egg whites (or eggs). PURE BLISS.
This dish has all the qualities an athlete holds dear: proteins (quinoa and eggs: hello?), complex carbs, vitamins and all kinds of nutrients.
All in all THE PERFECT POST-WORKOUT FOOD. And if you think I’m overusing ALL CAPS, wait until you’ll cook this. I’m positive you’ll become an ALL CAPS kind of person too.

Quinoa, Zucchini & Sun-Dried Tomato Frittata
Quinoa, Zucchini and Sun-Dried Tomato Frittata                                        Print this recipe!

Ingredients

Serves 4

1 cup / 6.5 oz / 185 gr cooked quinoa (you’ll need around ½ cup uncooked quinoa)
10 egg whites (or 5 whole free-range eggs)
2 large zucchini (or 4 medium), very thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, chopped
¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
handful fresh basil, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions

Heat a large skillet (or saute pan) over medium to high heat and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add garlic and saute’ for 1 minute. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and saute’ for another minute. Add the zucchini, salt, pepper to taste and cook for 5 minutes. Turn the off heat and add the fresh basil.
In a medium bowl mix the eggs (or egg whites), the quinoa, the zucchini mixture and Parmesan cheese.
Deglaze the pan you used for the zucchini with 1/4 cup of water, scraping any brown bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon.
Drizzle the pan with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Now you have two options:
1) cook the frittata over medium heat for about 20 minutes. Turning the frittata upside-down halfway through with the aid of a lid.
2) Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Cover the skillet with foil and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. You want the eggs to cook but not to bake all the moist out of your frittata.
You can serve it warm, at room temperature or cold.

Nutrition facts

This frittata yields 500 calories, 18 grams of fat, 36,5 grams of carbs and almost 60 grams of protein.
Meaning that one serving has 120 calories, with 4.5 grams of fat, 9.1 grams of carbs, and 15 grams of protein.
However, if you’re using whole eggs instead of egg whites the whole thing has around 700 calories, with 36.5 grams of carbs, 49 grams of protein and 43 grams of fats.