encompass nutrients exercise healthcare natural ingredients Nutrition wellness

By Adnan Akramz

There are many things that can help you get a great body and keep it along with making sure that you're nutritionally healthy as well. However, one of the key things that you have to do is exercise, and even though you need to exercise there is another thing that you need to think about as well that goes along with it too is the fact that you need to have good nutrition as well. It's integral to keeping a healthy body and also a healthy mind and there are some major reasons why you should look into it. In this article you will find out why nutrition is important with exercise and what it can really do to help you get the healthiest body too.

Why Is Nutrition Important With Exercise?

First is the obvious. You're going to be working out your body and burning a whole lot of calories as well. These calories and fat get burned up fast, and although you are doing great, a lot of people make a big mistake when they work out. 

The big mistake is they don't put nutrition with their exercise, and one of the major reasons why nutrition is important with exercise is because if you're feeding your body solely carbs and sugars after they work out, it's only going to hurt them because that's what's rebuilding the body after you work out.

 You're not going to really have a great body, and sometimes it can end up being counterproductive because instead of losing weight and toning up you're going to look big and bulky. It's not fun to have at all and frankly you should be wary of the carbs in food. You should eat foods high in fat so that you can burn it off and have more energy. Carbs are only going to give you temporary energy and aren't a real fix. That's why nutrition is important with exercise.

The second reason why is you burn off a ton of the key vitamins and minerals when you exercise. A lot of vitamins can really get eaten up especially the water-soluble ones like vitamin C. If you don't have any of those vitamins in your body you would be dead. You need it to have a healthy immune system, nervous system, and even heart health is affected by this. 

A good nutritious diet puts that back in the body while getting rid of the fats and burning calories. When you create muscle as well you're burning off a whole lot of calories as well, making you into a fat-burning machine. You need to have a good diet to help with that, and now you will know why nutrition is important with exercise.

exercise golds gym gym Gym exercise gyms Nutrition pure gym the gym the gym group

By Greg Crawford 

When exercising, you will need to make sure that you have the right diet. Nutrition when exercising in the gym is extremely important for many reasons. This involves choosing the right foods and drinks and getting the portion sizes just right. Here are some of the ways that you will benefit by focusing on your diet.

Importance Of Nutrition While Exercising In The Gym

Have the Energy to Complete a Workout.

The main reason why you need to look into your nutrition is to help you have the energy to complete your workout. While burgers and fries will give you the calories that you need throughout the day, they will not give you the right type of energy. You need a mixture of carbohydrates and protein to have enough energy to complete a workout at the gym - the level of those two food groups will depend on the type of workouts that you are doing. Sometimes, a lack of energy may be due to a low iron count. Iron is needed to help the red blood cells pass oxygen around the body, which helps all organs to function at the optimum levels. To improve the levels of iron in the body, eat red meats and dark leafy greens.

Lower the Risk of Health Problems.

While exercise is important to lower the risk of health problems, such as cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, the diet also plays a major role. Poor nutrition will mean that all the hard work in the gym is not worth as much. You will not cut out the reason for many health problems, including heart attacks and strokes.

Improve the Strength of Your Bones.

Bone strength is very important, whether you are doing weight training or a cardio workout. Weak bones will lead to osteoporosis and increase the risk of injuries, such as fractures, while exercising. Nutrition is important to help improve the strength of your bones. You will need to have the right amount of calcium in the diet, which is gained from milk and other dairy products.

Build and Tone Muscle.

Exercise is not just about losing weight or being healthier for everyone. For some, it is about getting a better figure, whether it means toning or building muscle. The right nutrients will encourage the building of muscle, especially proteins.

Feel Better Overall.

Nutrition is not just about the body but about the brain, too. The brain releases chemicals during a workout to make you feel happier and healthier. The right nutrition will mean that your brain works fully since it will receive more oxygen and general improve with healthy fatty oils like Omega-3. You will be happier in your everyday life and be able to perform your exercises better. Following a healthy and balanced diet is extremely important when doing exercise in the gym. You will have more energy to be able to complete your workouts and will be able to function more, which means that you get more out of even the simplest of workouts.

build muscle Building Muscle Diet healthy nutrition lifting weights muscles Nutrition nutrition for lifting weights nutrition tips weight lifting diet

By D. Champigny

Lifting weights is great for building muscles, but it's really only 1/3 of the task - and you won't build much muscle from lifting weights if you don't cover the other two areas too. Just as important are your nutrition and getting sufficient rest between workouts.

Nutrition For Lifting Weights

Ask even the newest weightlifter and they can probably tell you all about lifting weights, what reps & sets mix to use and what every piece of equipment in the gym is for - but very few can give you informed information about nutrition and what they should be eating to grow those big muscles they're so fervently working towards.

In the 1960's and 1970's bodybuilders would eat a healthy, nutritious diet in preparation for, and during, their contest season and then 'bulk up' during the off-season. The idea was to ensure you ate as much as you could, regardless of the quality of food, in the hope that their body would have all the nutrients it needed at any given time to build maximum muscle. So they would put on 30 - 50 pounds of bodyweight, only to then diet off the extra 20 - 40 pounds of fat included in their extra mass.

Nowadays, though, it's understood that one can build maximum muscle mass while staying fairly lean, with little extra bodyfat to burn off at competition time. No longer do they consume massive amounts of pasta and white potatoes, but instead they've reduced their carbohydrate intake, upped their protein intake and replaced the simple carbohydrates they were eating with complex carbs like steel-cut oats, sweet potatoes (yams), brown rice, etc.

So what should your nutrition look like for lifting weights? First you need to know the total number of calories you'll need, and that varies from person to person, even if you're lifting weights together. The calories you need are based on your metabolism more than your gym sessions, so start with what you're currently eating - after all, your current caloric intake got you to your current weight and is maintaining it, right?

Start by dropping soda and alcohol from your routine and replace those calories with protein sources. Carbs and protein each contain 4 calories per gram, so it's a straight swap. Replace your remaining simple carbs with complex carbs - most of your carbohydrates should come from sources like the steel-cut oats, brown rice and yams mentioned above plus vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes and apples.

Do not try to lower your intake of fats, just make sure they come from healthy choices like fish oil, krill oil, eggs and nuts. It's especially important to make sure you're getting enough Omega-3 and Omega-6 from your fats, on a ratio of 2:1 or 3:1 - getting your fats from the sources mentioned will go a long way towards meeting those goals, but you might want to consider an Omega-3 supplement as well.

At this point you're getting your carbs and fats from healthy sources, and that just leaves your protein. The are a great number of protein sources readily available. Some of the best are milk, eggs (especially egg whites), salmon, tuna & other fish, chicken, lean red meat, etc. Fortunately there is enough variety that you can easily vary your diet to keep it interesting while staying compliant with good nutrition practices.

You won't need to count calories and be very vigilant for long - repetition week after week will make eating this way a habit before long and you'll be able to maintain your eating habits automatically then. But make sure you DO stick to your new eating patterns long enough for it to become habit before you ease up at all.

From that point on, your nutrition for lifting weights depends on your personal goals. If you want to maintain lean muscle mass while burning off bodyfat, lower your daily carb intake by 10%. If you want to build more lean muscle, up your daily protein intake by 10%. In either case, note the effect it has and adjust your levels accordingly. Continue adjusting your nutrition as you go along, keeping the changes small and noting the effects. Healthy nutrition for lifting weights really is that simple, so there's no reason to let poor nutritional habits sabotage your efforts in the gym!

# comfort food FODMAPs Good Recipe meatballs Nutrition pasta turkey

By Meet Karina 

Free Turkey Meatballs Recipe with Lime, Mint and Ginger on a bed of Asian Style Noodles, Baby Spinach and Fresh Herbs

I whipped up an easy Asian stir-fry sauce without soy. But you could easily substitute my molasses and balsamic blend with gluten-free wheat-free tamari sauce. These turkey meatballs are also egg-free.

Ingredients:

2 pounds free range organic ground turkey- we use Heidi's Hens® Certified Organic Turkey
1 1/2 cups gluten-free bread crumbs
1 large spring onion or scallion (or 2 small), diced fine
1 medium large carrot, processed or diced very fine
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger 
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
2 tablespoons fresh chopped mint leaves
2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro leaves
Juice from 1 fresh medium lime
1 tablespoon molasses or wheat-free tamari sauce 
1 tablespoon raw agave nectar or real maple syrup
Sea salt and ground pepper, to taste (use less salt if you use tamari sauce)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with a reusable Exopat or Silpat. Or double up baking sheets and line the upper pan with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, break apart and blend the ground organic free-range turkey with the gluten-free bread crumbs, using a sturdy metal spoon. Add in the diced spring onion, processed carrot, minced garlic, grated ginger, and fresh herbs. Mix just until blended. Add in the fresh lime juice, molasses (or wheat-free tamari), agave. Mix lightly. Season with salt and pepper as you go- but don't add too much salt- especially if you use tamari sauce, which is already salty.

Form 28 meatballs using the palms of your hands to roll and round spoonfuls of the mixture. They should be roughly the size of a golf ball. Place the turkey meatballs on the lined baking sheet as you roll them. Wash your hands in hot soapy water- you know this, right?

Bake the meatballs in the center of a pre-heated oven for about 20 to 30 minutes until no longer pink inside. Place the baking sheet on a cooling rack and brush them with a little olive oil.

Serve immediately with Asian style noodles, recipe follows.

Good Recipe - Turkey Meatballs with Asian Style Noodles

Quick and Easy Asian Style Noodle Recipe

As mentioned, I don't use soy, but a wheat-free tamari sauce would be delicious in this quick stir-fry sauce. Sub the molasses with the gluten-free tamari sauce. Or just add in some gluten-free tamari, to taste. 

Note: I don't add extra sauce on the meatballs when I serve them like this- but if you prefer your meatballs saucy, make extra stir-fry sauce.

Ingredients:

1 package gluten-free noodles or spaghetti
Vegetable oil, as needed
2-3 spring onions or scallions, sliced (white and light green sections)
2 cloves garlic, minced 
1 fresh diced chile, or hot pepper flakes, to taste
1-2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger- or to taste
3-4 carrots sliced into matchsticks
3 tablespoons molasses or gluten-free Tamari
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Sea salt, to taste
1 12-oz. bag of baby spinach leaves
2 tablespoons each of fresh chopped parsley, mint and cilantro

Instructions:

Bring a pasta pot of water to a rapid boil. Add a dab of vegetable oil. Add the noodles and stir. Cook the quinoa noodles until they are al dente- firm to the bite- not mushy! 4 to 6 minutes. Don't overcook. I mean it.

Meanwhile, heat a tablespoon of coconut oil in a large wok style pan or skillet over medium-high heat and add in the spring onions, garlic, chile, ginger, and carrots. Stir-fry until the carrots are tender-crisp. They should be done roughly in 4-5 minutes.

Add in the molasses and balsamic vinegar (or if using tamari sauce, use that in place of molasses) and stir to coat. Taste test to see if the carrots need a little salt.

Drain the al dente noodles and quickly add them into the wok/skillet mixture, tossing lightly to coat the strands. Add or adjust seasonings to taste.

Add in the baby spinach and toss again- just to heat through to barely wilting- not even a minute. 

Add in half the chopped fresh herbs and toss a bit.

Plate the noodles immediately. Add the turkey meatballs.

Sprinkle with the remaining fresh herbs.

The noodle recipe serves 4, with leftover meatballs.

Notes:

Freeze leftover meatballs for an easy weeknight supper.

For FODMAPs friendly, omit onions and agave as necessary.

Bacon Wrapped Breadsticks foods Nutrition

By Sheri Wetherell

Looking for tasty appetizer recipes for your game day party? You'll definitely get cheers from your crowd if you serve these yummy Bacon Wrapped Breadsticks from My Last Bite. She adds cayenne pepper for a kick of spice and says she sometimes uses cheese-flavored breadsticks "for that extra punch" of flavor. Her easy recipe can even be made a day ahead.

# diet Chicken Sausage and Sweet Potato kale Kale Soup Nutrition soup

By Meet Karina 

Kicked up kale soup with spicy chicken
sausages and sweet potatoes.

March is not exactly behaving like a lamb. It has snowed twice recently, book-ending our road trip to Cape Cod last week with blustery, leonine winds and sloppy sideways snow. Lucky for us our veteran Suburu Outback gripped the roads like a champ and brought us there and back safe and sound.

We were visiting our favorite peninsula to celebrate the long-pined for Spring Equinox and a certain husband's return to the visual arts (after a six year hiatus "fueled by caffeine, over-exposure to earth metals, and extensive dream analysis"). He was asked to give an oil painting demo at the Creative Arts Center in Chatham. How could we refuse? 

# comfort food Nutrition slow cooker soup stew

By Meet Karina 

Slow Cooker Stew Recipe with Buffalo Sausage

This is a robust and rowdy recipe perfect for a crowd to slurp during half time or whatever time you happen to crave something hot, slightly spicy, and just plain winter day delicious. And there's not a bean in sight. Not one.  

Need it meat-free? That's easy, Babycakes. Just use gluten-free vegan sausage. Or beans. Boom. Team Vegan.

# bread bread rolls breakfast FODMAPs Free Recipe Dinner Rolls Nutrition

By Meet Karina 

We've been slurping lots of soup this Spring while the temperatures hover well below my chilly bones preference of 72 degrees. I hate to complain about 52 degrees, but, honestly. I'm shivering like a kitten in a Steve Martin movie. This is L.A. not New Hampshire. Where is my sunshine and technicolor blue sky?

Hiding its good humor behind wrinkled duvets of fuzzy gray clouds, that's where.

# cornbread muffins Nutrition Recipe muffins

By Meet Karina 

Come Together

Free Corn Muffins

My heart is often tugged in multiple directions. Yanked this way, and pulled that way. Like one long, drunken walk of contradiction. Opposing strategies, assumptions, and intentions collide and churn and grip my emotional little pump like a fist- far more often than I care to admit. For all kinds of reasons. If I was a believer in astrology I would now confess my Gemini imprint. Which allegedly explains my dual nature and divergent tendencies. I have always pursued two paths at once, and wrangled opposites like the celestial twins I supposedly embody. But the only current subscription card I carry is not to the stars above in any connect-the-dot sense, but to the Big Kahuna. The Mother of All. That's right.

Free Banana Corn Muffins Recipe

# banana FODMAPs muffins Muffins Recipe Nutrition

By Meet Karina 

Free Banana Corn Muffins Recipe

I love using banana puree in vegan baking. The mashed sweet fruit gives egg-free muffins a pull-apart tenderness. Not to mention- the combo of cornmeal and banana? Delicious.

# casserole comfort food FODMAPs Nutrition pasta Penne Pasta vegan

By Meet Karina 

Creamy Gluten-Free Penne Pasta Bake Recipe with Zucchini

This fresh as a breeze Spring pasta bake is light and easy, vegan and gluten-free. The creamy non-dairy sauce is kid-friendly and mild. If your kids like a deeper, orange colored sauce, add half a teaspoon of paprika to the sauce and stir until blended.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Lightly oil the bottom of a large gratin dish or casserole and set aside. 

# chocolate chip cookies cookies dessert Nutrition

By Meet Karina 

Updated for 2014...} I know what you're thinking. Not another cookie recipe. Please. I've had it with melty chocolate chips and crunchy, chewy sweetness. Where are the rutabaga recipes, dagnabbit? And what about beets? Or parsnips? I've got a hankering for kale the size of Wyoming. I yearn for jicama. Cook me up some kohlrabi, already.

Sorry, Darling.
Not today.
You'll have to be patient.
There are cookies to bake.
And these are gluten-free.
And dairy-free.
And vegan.
But I'll be honest.

# comfort food FODMAPs mac n cheese Nutrition pasta vegan

By Meet Karina 

The Best Vegan Baked Mac
 & Cheese Recipe 

Some folks do it up fancy for V-day. Lobster. Steak. Chocolate-dipped strawberries. Not us. This morning when I asked my husband what he wanted me to make for our Valentine's Day meal, he didn't hesitate.

Mac and cheese. You? he asked.

Mac and cheese, I answered.

True love is groovin' on the same wave length. The comfort food wave length. And yes, there are already several gluten-free versions of mac 'n cheese on this blog (I can't ever stop tweaking; it's in my nature, let's face it) and hell yeah, they are all, each and every one of 'em, darn tasty recipes.

# bread Free Pizza Flatbread Nutrition pizza

By Meet Karina 

Free Pizza Flatbread with Roasted Vegetables

I've been offering up picnic food recipes this week because we're eating easy picnic style here in the final countdown phase of leaving for our summer adventure in Los Angeles. Only four remaining stacks of books to box, a tilting fence of wet paintings to frame, and the all important decision of which t-shirts, pots and kitchen power tools to pack stand in the way of our coffee fueled departure early next week.

# FODMAPs Nutrition potato salad salad side dish vegan vegetarian

By Meet Karina 

Easy Vegan Bliss

For those of you looking for a mayo-free potato salad recipe, here's an easy, tasty picnic style salad seasoned with Champagne vinegar and tarragon. I plan on making potato salad several times this week. Picnic food- that's perfect for packing. Sorry for the alliteration. I blame excitement. Life is getting interesting again. We're living sans furniture now- except for a bed, desk and rug. The casita feels empty in a good way. Clean and spacious.

# bread Free Goddess Style Free Pizza Crust Nutrition pizza

By Meet Karina 

Free Pizza Crust

For years I've missed pizza. Not because there isn't gluten-free pizza available. It's out there. You can find it if you look hard enough. Take a gander in the frozen food aisle of your favorite natural market. Snoop around in the dairy case, next to the gluten-free bagels. You might even hit pay dirt at your local pizza joint (if they understand the ins and outs of cross contamination). So yeah. There are some choices out there.

# cake chocolate Chocolate Gingerbread Recipe holidays Nutrition tea bread

By Meet Karina 

The taste of this dense and lovely gingerbread smacks delightfully of cocoa and ginger spice. The texture is akin to pound cake. This is a perfect not-too-sweet cake for afternoon tea with your best friend, or an edible sigh-inducing respite from wrapping gifts. Nibble it playing Scrabble by a crackling fire.

Free Chocolate Gingerbread Recipe

# chicken chili comfort food Free Chicken Chili free diet free recipes Nutrition stew

By Meet Karina

New Year's Day looms. Ah, the annual parades. The glut of bowl games. The feast of football. Pigskin is king. Tight ends are tightening. Quarterbacks are quarterbacking. And kickers are praying to the football gods they won't be called in for a chip-shot, with 6 seconds to spare in the final quarter. 

Do I sound like I know what I am talking about? I don't. I just overheard some manly sporty banter over gluten-free tuna melts. To which I smiled politely.

Free Chicken Chili

Falafel burger with garbanzo Falafel Burgers Food Nutrition recipes

Falafel  is a deep-fried ball or patty made from ground chickpeas, fava beans, or both. 

Falafel is a traditional Egyptian food, usually served in a pita, which acts as a pocket, or wrapped in a flatbread known as lafa; "falafel" also frequently refers to a wrapped sandwich that is prepared in this way. 

The falafel balls are topped with salads, pickled vegetables, hot sauce, and drizzled with tahini-based sauces. Falafel balls may also be eaten alone as a snack or served as part of a meze.

Falafel Burgers With Hummus

cranberry bread Gluten-free holidays food Nutrition Recipe cranberry bread

by Meet Karina

Christmas and cranberries. The two go together like Beatles and Sunday. Brad and Angie. Milk and cookies. I was imagining a tea bread that might work for gluten-free French toast, you see. The sort of breakfast you'd like to wake up to on Christmas morning. Something warm with melting butter and cozy cinnamon. Something festive. Special. Not your average grab-on-the-go with coffee nosh. A gluten-free bread worthy of a holiday.

That's how it all started.

Recipe cranberry bread