My new article on LIVEstrong.com

Check out my new article on LIVEstrong.com! Nutritional benefits of soy protein! I recently joined the LIVEstrong team as a freelance writer. There will be more articles to come! Do you have anything specific you want me to write about? Let me know!

http://www.livestrong.com/article/256734-nutritional-benefits-of-soy-protein/

Calcium and Women's Health

Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the human body and a very important one. Calcium is required for muscle contraction, blood vessel expansion and contraction, secretion of hormones and enzymes, and transmitting impulses throughout the nervous system. It is also responsible for the development and health of teeth and bones and protects the body from bone loss as we age. As we get older, bone breakdown exceeds formation resulting in bone loss that increases the risk of osteoporosis over time. In women, the rate of bone loss speeds up after menopause when estrogen levels fall.

 Women are more prone to bone loss than men. That is why bone health should be addressed when girls are in the late teens. The U.S. Department of Agriculture states the Adequate Intake of Calcium for Girls ages 15-18 years should be 1,300mg. Women who are premenopausal need 1,000mg of calcium a day from food and supplements to maintain healthy bones. Dairy products are a great source of calcium. One cup of milk alone contains 315 mg! That is almost one third of the adequate intake! For vegetarians, vegans, or people with dairy allergies, Calcium can be obtained from non-dairy sources.

Good non-dairy Calcium sources:

• Spinach
• Broccoli
• Kale
• Turnip greens
• Mustard greens
• Soy milk
• Pink salmon
• Oysters
• Dried beans
• Peanuts

Calcium absorption can be maximized by taking a supplement that contains Vitamin D and Magnesium. Calcium absorption decreases as the Calcium content of a meal increases, so it is recommended that people consume only 500 mg or less per serving. It does not matter what time of day the supplement is taken but some people experience heart burn or upset stomach when taken at night.  

Here are some tips to maintain healthy bones:

·  Exercise. Include weightlifting and yoga in your workout regimen.

·  Eat a well-balanced diet with at least 1,000 mg of calcium a day.

·  Do not smoke. Smoking increases your risk of osteoporosis.

Forgo the End of Summer Blues!

 It is September and the end of summer is fast approaching! Don't let this get you down. You may be waving goodbye to summer but that does not mean you have to wave goodbye to fun outdoor activities! The beaches will be closing but there are still plenty of fun things to do outside to keep you and your family active! All you need to do is use your imagination and think outside the box!

Here is a list of some fun things to add to your to do list:

• Apple or Pumpkin picking -- it is fast becoming that time of year to visit your local orchards to pick apples, pumpkins and a variety of squash. The yummy fruits and vegetables can be used to cook up a wonderful dinner or healthy dessert!

• Most local newpapers list upcoming events. Check to see if there is a fair or walk/run for charity in the area. There are a lot of these types of events that take place in the fall. Also check out local museums and aquariums to see what interesting exhibits they have for the fall. It can be a great weekend activity to with the family or loved ones and get you all outside!
  

• Go for a scenic walk in the park  or local nature reserve. In September the temperature starts to cool down and makes it a little more comfortable to spend the day outside enjoying mother nature.

•  Wine tasting at a local vineyard is always a fun thing to do with friends or significant other. When wine tasting, you don't have to actually drink a lot of wine. You are given samples to taste and a sample is just enough to wet your palate. You don't have to worry about calories adding up. This is a great way to try something new and you might learn something new while you are at it! 

Get outside and have some fun. Do something that you have never done before. Don't be afraid to try something new. You never know until you try!

New Promo video

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Green Tea anyone?

Green Tea may seem like one of  those fad drinks but truth be told it sure is packed with all kinds of good stuff for your body! For centuries the Chinese have been using this tea for its health benefits.  

What makes this tea so powerful is the fact that it is rich in catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). I'll explain.... EGCG is a powerful anti-oxidant. It inhibits the growth of cancer cells and it kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. It has also been effective in lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, and inhibiting the abnormal formation of blood clots. This is very important because the formation of abnormal blood clots is the leading cause of heart attacks and stroke.

 This is a very mild tea with a slight grassy taste. It is great to drink on its own or you can add it to a smoothie or protein drink. Green tea does contain a small amount of caffeine, anywhere between 3 mg - 30 mg per cup depending on the type of tea and how it is prepared. Just so you know, regular drip coffee contains about 200mg of caffeine per cup. The small amount of caffeine does have an added benefit of speeding up the metabolism, which helps burn excess fat. 

Add a cup of green tea into your daily regime and see if you notice a difference in how you feel. I bet you will!

Quinoa - Quinowhat?

Quinoa is one of my favorite grains! First of all it is pronounced keen-wah. This is an ancient grain that the Inca's held to be sacred, calling it the "mother of all grains". Quinoa is so special because it is a complete protein, meaning that it contains adequate proportions of all 9 essential amino acids. These are amino acids you need to get form food because your body cannot create them on its own. To make things even better, it is a good source of protein, dietary fiber and phosphorous

Quinoa is very easy to prepare and it is gluten-free. It is a great choice for vegetarians for people with gluten allergies. It can easily be a substitute for white rice or couscous. Once cooked, it is light and fluffy with a slightly nutty flavor. Quinoa flour can also be used in wheat-based and gluten-free baking. A suggested mix is three parts Quinoa flour, three parts sorghum flour, two parts potato starch, and one part tapioca starch.

Get in the kitchen and experiment with this dish! The possibilities are endless with this grain. It can be used for breakfast lunch and dinner! I love to make pancakes or waffles with it myself!

Vitamin D

It is almost Spring and we are finally starting to see some much needed sunshine here in the Northeast! Sunshine is important for the production of vitamin D in our bodies. Most people do not produce enough on their own. 

The major role of the sunshine vitamin is to maintain normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorous. It also helps in the absorption of calcium (that is why your calcium supplement should also include vitamin D).

You can get your daily dose of vitamin D by going outside with face and arms exposed to sunlight for about 10-15 minutes. If you are going to be out longer than that, make sure you apply sunblock! The lighter your skin, the less sun exposure you will need.

Also you can get it from the following foods:

• eggs yolks
• fish
• fortified milk
• cod liver oil

It is recommended that you gets your Vitmain D from a combination of food, supplements and sun exposure. It is an important vitamin that does not get the attention it deserves!

Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!! I know it is a couple days away but I wanted to give everyone a few Valentine's day tips!! This is a holiday when most people receive a big box of chocolate ... seriously, who doesn't want chocolate??? Chocolate is a yummy treat that you can indulge in without going crazy! Try not to stuff your face this Valentine's Day, take everything in moderation. 

• If you get a huge box of chocolates, eat a few pieces and offer it to your friends and family as well.

• If you are going out to dinner and want that scrumptious dessert, split it with someone so you don't eat the whole thing by yourself.

• Place yourself with your alcohol intake! Sip on your glass of wine instead of gulping it down. There are a lot of calories in a serving of alcohol. This doesn't mean you can't enjoy it, you just have to be mindful of how much you drink.  

• Really take the time and enjoy every bit of food you eat. You will enjoy your food more and you won't overeat.

I hope everyone has a great Valentines Day! Enjoy yourselves but stay mindful of what you are eating! Indulge in all that good stuff without over doing it!

Water, Water and More Water!!!

From the title I am sure you can already guess that this entry is going to be about WATER ! Good ol' H2O. People always ask me what they can do to be healthier and the first thing I do is ask them how much water they drink.


The body is almost 70% water! Your blood alone is made up of about 70% water! H2o is vital to maintaining healthy skin, hair, nails and normal body function. It hydrates your skin, flushes toxins out of the body and carries nutrients to cells. It is so important yet many people forget to drink adequate amounts.


The amount of water you should drink a day depends on different factors but you can go by the 8x8 general rule. This is eight 8oz glasses a day. This equals about 2 liters or 64 oz. If you are a very active person then you should drink more! The general rule (as funny as it sounds) is that if your urine is clear or very light yellow then you are well hydrated.

To help you remember to drink your 64 oz of water a day, carry around a water bottle with you. I always have a water bottle with me where ever I go. This way you will always have water available to drink. DRINK UP EVERYONE!!!

You Tube Channel

Hey guys! I uploaded a new video to my youtube channel! Check it out! There is more to come so pleas subscribe!

http://www.youtube.com/user/fitwithannie

Staying with you Goals for the New Year

Its now February 1st. January has come and gone. This is when people start to lose focus on all the goals they made at the start of the New Year, especially if the goals are fitness or nutrition related.

The problem seems to be that when people are making their goals they only set long term goals. It is hard to stay focus when your goal is 6 months away! You also need to set some short term goals as well. Instead of setting a goal to lose 50 pounds in six months, set a goal of losing eight pounds a month or two pounds a week. You feel like you have accomplished something every week that you lose two pounds.

In order to make a lifestyle change that you stick with, you have to do things in baby steps. It is hard for people to completely change the way they eat and exercise and stay with it. That is why most people burn out and give up.
Tips to setting goals and achieving them:

• Make a list and stick it some place where you will see it everyday. (if you have to make a list for every room in your house!)
• Make realistic goals - Don't go into the gym assuming you will be able to do 50 one-arm push-ups or jump-rope for 30 straight if you haven't worked out before.
  

• Set short term and long term goals. Set goals 1-month, 3-months, 6moths and a year out
• Do not be afraid to re-work your goals if you need to. Stuff happens! It is OK to change a goal. Don't every feel like you are a failure if you have to re-structure your goals!