Q & A with BroncoFit - Brown Rice

Q:   Is brown rice really better for you? Also, is instant rice or slow-cooked rice more nutritious?

A:  Brown rice is definitely more nutritious than white rice. White rice is processed so that the bran and germ layers are removed — this essentially robs the grain of its nutritional value because those layers are the ones that provide the most nutrients. Brown rice retains its outer bran layer, which provides six times the fiber of white rice. The bran also provides many vitamins and minerals that are lacking in white rice. Brown rice also has a nuttier flavor than white rice.

In terms of cooking, it doesn't make a huge difference which way you choose to make rice. Instant rice is cooked and then dried, which is why it cooks so fast. Although it's easier to use instant rice, the grain does lose some of its nutrition because of the double cooking. However, if you're short on time and need to use the instant, that's okay.

Tips so You Won't Overdo it This Holiday Season

Remember these tips as you fill your holiday plate:

 

Load up on fruits and vegetables. They have more fiber and fewer calories so you can fill your plate, eat healthy, and satisfy your appetite.

 

Move away from the buffet. Fill a small plate with no more than two food items at once and then mingle. Hang out with the talkers, not the eaters. Keep something in your hands, like a low-calorie drink, and avoid the temptation to grab appetizers as they pass by.

 

Don't deprive yourself completely. Allow yourself a few special holiday treats, but choose carefully. Think before you load your plate with holiday food. Bypass most of the buffet and save your calories for the foods you really enjoy.

 

Prolong the moment. The longer you linger before indulging in your holiday food choices, the less likely you’ll eat too much. Don't head straight to the front of the buffet line. If you're the first to eat, then you'll be finished before everyone else and more tempted to go back for seconds.

Here are four steps you can take to put a healthy holiday eating plan in place:

Don't face holiday eating on an empty stomach. Have a little satisfying protein like low-fat Greek yogurt or a handful of almonds before heading to a holiday event. Arriving hungry will quickly dissolve your ability to resist overeating high-calorie holiday food.

 

Bring your host a healthy holiday dish. If you’re asked to prepare a dish for a holiday gathering (or even if you’re not), whip up a health-conscious choice that you can fill up on. Then you can be sure that there’s at least one healthy option on the table.

 

Arrive with the right holiday attitude. Make holiday events more about spending time with family and friends and less about the food.. But for some people, holiday events with family members can stir up lots of emotions. If this happens to you, take time to calm yourself before seeking comfort in holiday foods.

 

Include setting limits on alcohol. Alcohol can increase your appetite and decrease your willpower, and that holiday cocktail is probably loaded with empty calories. Those liquid calories don’t curb your appetite as much as calories from solid food do. Stick to lighter beverages like a glass of wine or a mixed drink with club soda and only one shot of alcohol.

Homemade Soup

This roasted tomato soup is perfect — tomatoes are easy to find, and they're delicious and nutritious. They'll give you a helping of lycopene, a powerful cancer-fighting antioxidant. And just one cup of tomatoes provides almost 40 percent of your daily recommended vitamin C, and 30 percent of your vitamin A. Warm up on a cold day — and boost your health — with this tasty soup!

Roasted Tomato Soup

Ingredients

- 1 1/2 pounds large organic tomatoes, such as beefsteak, cut in half crosswise

- 1 medium sweet onion, such as Vidalia, peeled and cut in half crosswise

- 3 garlic cloves, unpeeled

- 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided into 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon

- 1/4 teaspoon salt

- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

- 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth, divided (go for broth in cardboard containers instead of cans)

- 1/4 cup organic tomato juice

- 1 teaspoon organic tomato paste

- 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

- 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

- 1 dash brown sugar (optional)

- 1/2 cup whole-kernel corn, fresh from 1 ear, or frozen and thawed

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Toss tomatoes, onion, and garlic in a mixing bowl with 1 tablespoon oil. Season with salt and pepper. Spread on the prepared baking sheet and roast until the vegetables are soft and caramelized, about 30 minutes. Let cool.

Peel and seed the tomatoes. Trim off the onion ends. Peel the garlic. Place the vegetables in a food processor or blender with 1 cup broth and the remaining 1 teaspoon oil. Pulse to desired thickness and texture.

Transfer the vegetable puree to a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven. Add the remaining 1 cup broth, tomato juice, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, basil, and brown sugar (if using). Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring often. Ladle into six soup bowls; garnish with corn and serve.

Makes 6 servings.

Prep Time: 35 mins
Total time: 45 mins

Nutrition Facts
Number of Servings: 6
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 95
Total Fat: 4 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Cholesterol: 1 mg
Sodium: 146 mg
Total Carbohydrate: 13 g
Dietary Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 3 g

BootCamp Exercises

Boot Camp is a hard program to perform. Trust me I've done the leg work. And they are still sore!
Try incorporating these exercises in your weekly routine as fun alternative to cardio machines, or if you find that your weight loss has plateaued.


Perform these as a circuit program. Five sets, two repetitions each set. 60 seconds spent on each movement, with a 10 second break in between each repetition. And 120 seconds in between each set.


Set #1
1) Plank
2) Jumping Jacks
3) Squats


Set #2
1A) Bicycle (abs)
2A) Two-Hop Cross (Make a cross shape with your feet. Two hop in, two hop out)
3A) Dumbbell Push up w/ Alternating Row


Set #3
1B) Oblique Twist
2B) Burpee
3B) Static Lunge w/ Tricep Extension


Set #4
1C) Lying Lower Back Extensions
2C) Football Quick Feet Drill
3C) Bicep Curls w/ Leg Raise


Set #5
1D) Crunches
2D) Jump Squats
3D) Shoulder Rotations

You'll need some space to perform this program, and a few pieces of basic equipment.
Equipment you should get:
- Yoga Mat, or regular gym mat
- Set of light, medium, and heavy dumbbells.  (3lbs, 5lbs, 12lbs)
*Use the heavier weights for your squats, and lunges. And save the lighter weights for your upper body moves.

Find a safe open space to get started. Like an empty fitness studio (at any gym, when a class is not in), basement, large living room, or even outdoors! (Weather permitting)
It also really helps to find a buddy to work out with. The extra motivation is always a good thing!

Have any questions? Leave a comment, and I'll get right back to you!

A Healthy, Hearty Bowl of Pasta

The perfect meal to follow a killer work out on a cold winter day? A healthy, warm pasta dish filled with flavor — and a ton of veggies too! This pasta primavera recipe is packed with green beans, zucchini, squash, carrots, and basil to fill your stomach, and re-fuel you. It's an easy recipe that works for lunch or dinner, so start cooking!

Pasta Primavera With Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Ingredients

- 8 ounces rotini twists or spiral pasta, whole-wheat if possible

- 1 tablespoon olive oil

- 2 cloves garlic, minced

- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

- 1 cup fresh green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces

- 2 small zucchini, sliced

- 2 small squash, sliced

- 1 cup organic carrots, thinly sliced

- 1 medium red onion, cut into eights

- 1/4 cup chicken broth (go for broth in cardboard containers instead of cans)

- 1/4 cup fresh basil, lightly packed, chopped

- 1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Preparation

Prepare pasta according to package directions; drain.

In medium skillet, heat oil and garlic. Stir in red pepper flakes. Add green beans, zucchini, squash, carrots, and onion and stir-fry until tender-crisp, about 5 minutes. Add chicken broth and simmer 1 minute. In a large serving bowl, toss together pasta, vegetables, basil and sun-dried tomatoes. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and parsley and serve.

Makes 4 servings

Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 25 mins
Total time: 30 mins

Nutrition Facts
Number of Servings: 4
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 300
Total Fat: 10.3 g
Cholesterol: 5 mg
Sodium: 265 mg
Total Carbohydrate: 44.3 g
Protein: 10.8 g

7 More Reasons to Eat FISH!

If the heart-health-boosting, waist-slimming properties weren’t reasons enough to eat more fish, here are seven more ways adding a dose of fish to your diet can improve your health.

1) Prevent Heart Disease: A Danish study of 49,000 women that was published Monday in Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart Association found that women who ate little to no fish had 50 percent more heart problems than those who ate fish at least once per week. Additionally, researchers found that women who rarely ate fish had a three-fold higher disease risk than those who ate it often. Other research has found that eating fish high in omega-3s can slash blood fat levels, which can contribute to a lower heart-disease risk.

2) Reduce Alzheimer’s Risk: Eating fish as little as once a week can help preserve gray-matter neurons — the part of the brain linked to memory and cognition — according to a new study presented last month at the Radiological Society of North America’s annual meeting. Researchers found that people who eat baked or broiled — but not fried — fish had larger brains and larger cells in the areas of the brain responsible for memory and learning. Scientists believe the larger brain volume can help lower the risk of cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease.

3) Improve Skin and Hair: One of the biggest drawbacks to a low-fat diet is you often deprive your skin and hair of the healthy fat it needs, leaving it dull and dry. The omega-3s in fish are exactly the type of healthy fat to eat to keep your skin looking nourished and your hair shiny. Research has also linked fish and omega-3 consumption to treatment of skin conditions such as psoriasis.

4) Ease Depression: Several studies have found that when taken along with prescription antidepressant medications, the omega-3s in fish are more effective at treating depression that just prescription medication alone. One study of 52 pregnant women found that taking a 300 mg capsule of omega-3s during pregnancy significantly reduced the women’s risk of postpartum depression.

5) Boost Brain Development: The EFA omega-3 found in salmon and other nutrient-rich fish are essential nutrients for children because they contribute to brain development. Some studies have even found that omega-3 consumption can help soothe symptoms of ADHD. Experts recommend, however, that parents ask their pediatrician before introducing supplements to a child’s diet.

6) Dose of Vitamin D: Saltwater fish is a sun-less source of vitamin D, which scientists say can help ward off disease, promote bone health, and with the help of the omega-3s in fish, ward off cognitive decline. Just one three-ounce serving of salmon contains 75 percent of your daily recommended amount of the vitamin.

7) Stronger Sperm: A recent study of 188 men found that those who ate more fresh fish — along with other healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains — had stronger swimmers than those who ate unhealthy diets. Researchers say that more study needs to be done, but preliminary data shows that the better the participant’s diet, the stronger the shape and mobility of the sperm he produced.

Top 10 Ways to Lose Your Gut - Part One: Nutrition

Okay, so, this is mostly common sense people! Lose your gut for the holidays. And then follow these steps after the holidays to re-lose your gut. Cuz ya'll know you're gonna gain it during Christmas anyhow!



1) Drink more water. Believe it or not, the more water you drink the quicker you will lose weight. When you're getting enough water, your body does not need to retain water. And you will lose water weight. Plus it flushed out toxins in your organs, like your liver, kidneys, and skin!


2) Lower your carbohydrate & sugar intake. Your body needs complex carbs for fuel but nowhere near the amount of simple carbs/sugars that the majority of us ingest on a daily basis. Your complex carbs should come from whole grain sources. Eat carbs in the morning, not for lunch or dinner. Cut back on bread.


3) Cut out the junk food. This is pretty darn obvious. You're not going to get a six pack eating cake, chips, heavy cream, muffins, chocolate bars, bread, caramel macchiatos, highly processed foods, and all other forms of refined sugars.

4) Humans don't need milk. We are the only mammal on earth that drinks another mammal's milk. Gross right? And we are the only mammal that drinks milk after infancy. There are enough vitamins and nutrients in fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, and meats that we do not need to, and should not be drinking cows milk.

5) No liquor or beer. They call it a beer gut for a reason. Cease the binge drinking! Now I wont say "NO" booze, but moderation is your friend...Not to mention cutting back on the booze will beef up your wallet.

6) Eat smaller meals more often. This rule still holds true. If you have more frequent small meals, you will be less likely to overeat AND it keeps your metabolism burning at a constant rate. An easy way to ensure you're doing this is snacking between meals. Have a mid morning snack, and a mid afternoon snack. Apples, veggies, nuts, and HB eggs are perfect healthy snacks.

7) Don't skip breakfast. You're mom is right. Listen to her! Don't skip breakfast, it's literally the most important meal of the day. If you miss it, you will be more likely to eat a fattening meal at lunch, and in the evening. Eating breakfast also gives you the opportunity to eat carbs! Yay! but only in the morning when you're body is burning it's metabolism at peak performance.

8) Coffee. Adding sugar and milk to your coffee on a daily basis (and more than once per day) can add upwards of 500 additional calories per day. Empty calories that you do not need. Learn to love it black. Or ditch the caffeine habit altogether.

9) Don't eat after dinner (or late): No eating after dinner, unless it's after a workout. Consuming calories before bed for the average person is not needed. You don't really burn many calories while sleeping, so if you eat before bed, the calories will be stored as fat. Not to mention make for a bad nights sleep.

10) Right Food: Learn the right foods to eat. White meat such as turkey, chicken and fish with plenty of veggies are the way to go for dinner. Salads and soups for lunch. For breakfast try oatmeal, fruit/berries, and eggs. Healthy fats keep you fuller longer too. Snack on almonds, other nuts, and avocado etc.
You'll feel better overall, and your tummy will be flatter.