Tag: nutrition

Want to burn belly fat, build testosterone and get lean — by eating chili?  You can even use fatty ground beef.   [Recipe below.]

Men over 40 with higher testosterone levels have more energy, more strength and less belly fat, according to Clark Bartram, 53, Performance & Nutrition Industry Expert for Six Pack Abs, and Lead Advisor to the International Sports Sciences Association.  When men’s testosterone levels are low, they face muscle loss, low energy and loss of sex drive.  Additionally, their body stores most of the food they eat as belly fat.

Clark Bartram cooks testosterone boosting, belly fat burning chili.

When a man turns 30, his testosterone levels can decrease by 1-2% a year.  By the time he reaches his 40s and 50s, his testosterone production can be down to half of what it once was, according to Bartram.

“Giving you half the testosterone production and double the belly fat – that’s not good,” he says.  “That’s why it’s so important for us older men to start boosting our natural testosterone immediately.”

Rather than get testosterone treatments or “legal steroids” (with frequent side effects) from a physician, Bartram says, “Let food be your medicine.”

The fats in red meat as well as salmon and tuna boost testosterone, he said.  Other such foods are: almonds, garlic, eggs, cabbage, spinach, asparagus, avocados, bananas, watermelon, citrus fruit, grapes, and honey.

For chili, adding white button mushrooms are a key ingredient to blocking estrogen, the female version of testosterone.  Estrogen can cause a man to bloat, develop breast tissue and store more fat around the waist.  Rising estrogen levels also cause your belly fat to start producing a testosterone killing chemical that creates even more estrogen.

At TestMaxMeals.com, Bartram offers more testosterone boosting food tips, 3 so-called “healthy” foods that can dramatically decrease testosterone levels, and 3 “cheat” foods that boost testosterone.  He also explains how to quickly prepare and cook an entire week’s worth of your favorite testosterone boosting foods in less than an hour and at a low cost.

Clark Bartram’s Testosterone-Boosting Chili Recipe

2 lbs. ground beef (15% fat)                              1 can kidney beans
1 cup white button mushrooms                          1 can black beans
1/2 cup chopped onions                                    1 can organic chopped tomatoes
2 tbs. chili powder                                             pinch of salt
jar organic tomato puree                                    garlic to taste

1.) Sauté ground beef until it is brown.
2.) Place meat into big pot and add all other ingredients.
3.) Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 30-45 minutes.

It's the New Year so a lot of us are looking to jumpstart our weight loss journey for the year. One way that many around the world do so is my cleansing. Juice cleanses are cleanses that have grown in popularity in recent years.

Keep Cortisol in Check with these Natural Supplements 

Written by:  Sean Tierney, Head Coach Team T-Rex

The main difference between a personal trainer and a contest prep coach is that one trains you in a gym and the other helps to manage every possible aspect of your life that could potentially be playing a role in how your physique ends up looking on competition day. One of the most common factors I routinely assess when working with a client, in addition to training or diet, is stress. In a chronically stressed client, the body is essentially working against you – holding onto bodyfat, limiting lean muscle growth and negatively impacting several other key systems of the body such as digestion. This can be extremely frustrating for any client that seeks to obtain that stage or photo-shoot ready look when they’re otherwise working their butts off in the gym. What’s even more troublesome is that 90% of clients completely overlook the stress-cortisol connection as a factor and just assume that training and diet is supreme. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way. I like to say – you’ll never win a battle against hormones. They’re just too powerful and can’t be outworked, no matter who you are. Outsmarted – yes, and I’ll get into that in this article.

Let’s call this part one and get into what’s probably the most simple and basic way to win the fight against chronically elevated cortisol – supplementation. Here is a list of natural supplements that have shown promising results in scientific research when it comes to maintaining normal levels of cortisol and preventing against the negative effects of the ‘c’ word. (Note that some cortisol is actually good and plays key roles in many physiological processes and overall health. It’s when it gets out of control that it becomes a problem.)

Natural Cortisol Support Supplements 

1. Phosphatidylserine (PS)

What is it?

A naturally occurring phospholipid (derived from fat source – typically soy lecithin) that’s been shown to supress the release of cortisol from the adrenal glands when taken after a workout. PS is also considered a nootropic supplement and has demonstrated some impressive cognitive enhancing benefits as well, including preventing short term memory loss, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Dose?  

600-800 mg daily split over two doses typically taken in the post-workout period or after intense activity.

Coach Notes 

Not the cheapest cortisol support supplement, but on my own trials with clients, it does seem to provide some great results. I usually gauge this by how full and hard a client’s muscles stay while dieting over a period of a month, as well as changes in abdominal fat distribution.

2. DHEA

What is it?

A naturally occurring androgenic hormone that works in a balance with cortisol. You can think of it like this – normal DHEA levels help keep cortisol in check, but as we age, DHEA levels tend to decline and this takes away from it’s protective benefit. Supplementation can help to keep the ratio of dhea:cortisol in the normal range while maintaining the opposing effect of DHEA on cortisol.

Dose 

25-100 mg/day. It is possible to experience side effects on this supplement. Watch for androgenic side effects, start low and increase dose only as tolerated.

Coach Notes 

Because this is considered a hormone, you would want to test your own DHEA levels before even considering supplementation to see if it’s even needed. Anyone under the age of 35 should have plenty of DHEA still and it’s more for the 35 and older demographic that could see the greatest benefit from this supplement.

3. Vitamin C

What is it?

Water-soluble vitamin with protective, antioxidant properties. Has been shown in research to blunt the cortisol response post-workout and assist in the recovery process when taken prior to the exercise.

Dose 

1-2 grams per day, with one dose about an hour prior to training.

Coach Notes

Vitamin C should be a staple in any bodybuilder’s arsenal for the wide range of benefits it provides. Many aren’t even aware of it’s cortisol suppression abilities!

4. B-Vitamins

What is it?

B-vitamins can be depleted during intense periods of training and can make us more susceptible to the effects of stress and cortisol. Maintaining normal levels of b-vitamins has a protective effect on the adrenal glans and our reaction to stress.

Dose 

B-complex 50-100 mg once per day or split into two doses taken with food.

Coach Notes

You can have your b-vitamin levels checked in any routine physical. I’d suggest doing this before starting on any b-vitamin supplement.

5. Magnesium

What is it?

Chronic stress can deplete magnesium levels from the cells and make you more vulnerable to the effects of fight or flight reactions. Supplementing with magnesium can help to maintain your reserves and have a protective effect against stress and cortisol.

Dose 

300 – 600 mg/day as magnesium glycinate, gluconate or citrate.

Coach Notes

Magnesium is one of the most important minerals in a bodybuilder’s supplement cabinet. It helps with muscle contraction and relaxation, protein synthesis, atp production, increased anabolic hormones and helps maintain healthy blood pressure.

6. Adaptogenic Herbs i.e. Rhodiola, Ashwagandha, Relora, Astragalus Root

What is it?

I’ve clustered together this group of natural herbal supplements, known as adaptogens. Adaptogenic compounds increase our body’s ability to handle stress and strengthen our physiological reaction to it. It’s like giving your body some extra weaponry when you go into battle so you’re more prepared. You’ll find many of these ingredients in adrenal support supplements, which has many crossover benefits for buffering cortisol.

Dose 

Rhodiola – 200 -500 mg /day

Ashwaganda – 300-500 mg/day

Relora – 150 -400 mg/day

Astragalus Root – 30 mg/day

Coach Notes

These ingredients have become a staple in my post show protocols or when I get a client that’s been using too many stimulant-based fat burners for an extended period of time. They help to strengthen adrenal function and restore the body’s natural ability to combat stress.

7. Carbs

What is it?

Most of us already know that consuming carbs during and/or after your workout can effectively lower the cortisol response from training, but with the ongoing popularity of ultra-low carb diets, and carb-fearing competitors running rampant, it never hurts to give a reminder. At the very least, get your carbs in post-workout or you’re just breaking down what you worked for.

Dose 

Highly variant and dependant on the individual client. Anywhere from 20-70 grams of carbs intra or immediately post-workout is the typical range for my clients. Usually followed by one more meal of solid food carbs an hour or so later.

Coach Notes

My preference has been for the supercarb – Karbolyn for it’s easily mixability, pump enhancing properties and insulin response – which is beneficial for the peri-workout period.

8. Omega 3’s 

What is it?

Polyunsatured fatty acids, typically extracted from fish or flax, with a wide range of health benefits including the ability to reduce cortisol levels and calm the central nervous system.

Dose 

2-5 grams/day. Increasing dose as tolerated.

Coach Notes

Improving insulin sensitivity has always been my favorite benefit of omega 3’s but lowering cortisol is a very close second.

In part two, I will go over some of the other, non-supplemental ways to control cortisol including things like : avoiding overtraining, quality and duration of sleep,  avoiding excessive stimulant intake and managing stress through your day. Hope you enjoyed part 1, stay tuned for part 2 in an upcoming blog.

Sean Tierney B.A. (Kin)

Head Coach, Team T-Rex

Sports Nutritionist

CSCS

Certified Personal Trainer, ISSA

PTS, NWS

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300 Best Blender Recipes Using Your Vitamix - Book Review

For those of you who are blessed enough to own a vitamin you know that you can do so much more than make smoothies. Even picky eaters can learn to consume healthy foods when they are blended. Making your own gives you control over what goes into your body!

Vitamix is one of if not the most versatile mixer/blender that exists right now. Its powerful, fast and is incredibly easy to use. You can make smoothies, bread, pancakes or even muffins with flour!

The author Robin Abel has created an extensive collection of innovative recipes that will help you get the most out of your vitamix. There are tons of healthy recipes for delicious dishes from breakfasts to sauces, dips, spreads, nut butters, dressings, ice creams, milkshakes, cocktails, spice blends, dips, baby foods and even desserts. The bet part? There is even a bonus chapter on skin treatments, scrubs, masks and lotions.

Robin the author also includes useful information about your appliance, from the differences a month the different series to tips and techniques that demonstrate how you can turn your vitamix into an invaluable workhorse in your home kitchen.

So far I have only had the chance to try a few of the recipes because I am about to start prep again from provincials. I also don't have a vitamix so I had to use the ninja that I have. So obviously I didn't get the full effect. However I loved the mixed berry probiotic blast on page 228. Probiotics are very important for health and your digestive tract (if you didn't know).

You can purchase your copy here:

https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/300-best-blender-recipes-using/9780778805588-item.html

200 Best Smoothie Bowl Recipes by Alison Lewis - Book Review

If you are like me and you hate drinking your calories a smoothie bowl sounds like a much better option. You literally can make anything into a smoothie bowl.  Author Alison Lewis is also an internationally published author of two cookbooks, a professional recipe developer, nutritionist, and the owner of Ingredients Inc., a food and travel media company based in Birmingham, Alabama. So when it comes to food she definitely knows her stuff.

From reviewing thats amazing book I have learned how simple it is to prepare a smoothie bowl. I incorporate a lot of her recipes into my client programs when they get sick of shakes or for a great late night snack. They can be very satisfying and satiating. This book was originally published back in April but because of my prep I was unable to make use of it until now!

The book has easy to make recipes that don't involve a lot of complicated ingredients, and it even includes kid friendly recipes. She also gives you topping alternatives and options. You can get as creative as you want on top of the base. There are yummy dessert recipes, any time of the day recipes and even smoothie bowls with coffee and tea as the base. And if you follow my social media you will know that I love both my coffee and my tea! So you know those are some of my favourite recipes. Another one of my favourite recipes that she includes is what she calls the Peanut Butter Cup. It's on page 99 in the kid-friendly smoothie bowls. Be careful it is addictive!

Overall I give this book an 8/10. There are some really great healthy ideas for smoothie bowls. I wish that there was calorie counts and macros for those of us who do competition prep or track macros. And there are a lot of great recipes but no pictures to go with the recipes and I love a book that shows me beautiful photography along with the great recipe! I would suggest getting this book and adding it to your collection for fun meal prep ideas! Especially if you have kids!

To purchase the book from amazon:

https://www.amazon.ca/200-Best-Smoothie-Bowl-Recipes/dp/0778805336

150 Best Recipes For Cooking In Foil - Book Review

Foil packet meals = cooking at its simple best

I couldn't agree more with the above statement. As you guys know I am a fitness competitor and prepping meals is a huge part of my nutrition when I am on prep. It can be very time consuming. That means I am always looking for quick and simple recipes to get my food ready so I have more time for training. I also want them to taste good. I don't limit my sodium on prep so I flavour everything! And foil packets are so much fun, easy, and help create amazing flavours with your ingredients. They can also be prepared for oven, bbq or even camping!

This book: 150 Best Recipes For Cooking In Foil by Marilyn Haugen has quickly become one of my favourites for preparing meals! The delicious grilling and one recipes offer convenience with minimal cleanup. I hate cleaning so this is tremendously helpful for me. Its also great for the busy person who doesn't have a lot of time. Many of the dishes I ate ahead of time and refrigerate or freeze for reheat later.

I also like that the ingredients that she uses for her recipes are easy to find every day ingredients. You just chop, mix and you are ready to go. I make mine in the oven but you aren't just limited to the oven with these recipes which is particularly useful no matter what your cooking situation is.

I give this book an 8/10 simply because it is in black and white and not every recipe has a photo. However every recipe that I have tried has been amazing! So grateful to have been sent this book!

If you're looking for your own copy check out: https://www.amazon.ca/Foil-Packet-Cooking-Recipes-Grilling-ebook/dp/B01GZB1YDY

150 Best Meals In A Jar - Tanya Linton - Book Review

I love mason jars! I have always said that "everything tastes better in a mason jar." And it does! Thats why I was excited to receive this book 150 Best Meals In A Jar. Once you start using mason jars you will see just how easy it is to do meal prep, eat on the go. You can even be as innovative as you want with the recipes. There really are no limits.

The book has a wide variety of delicious meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It includes soups, snacks, fruit and vegetable salads, grain and legume salads, pastas, rice bowls, over night oats and even desserts.

My favourites are the over night oats. I always love including that into my own plans as well as my clients. One of my top fav recipes is the chocolate protein smoothie that is on pg 19.

The recipes are easy to follow, have great ingredients that are easily available and most often times you already have in your panty. Tanya Linton also provides great variations of the recipes so you aren't limited to exactly what she has in the originally recipe.

Overall I give this book an 8/10. There arent pictures of each recipe but there are just so many amazing options and variations its a go to book for meal prep. If you are into health and fitness and want amazing healthy recipes this is a go to!

To purchase your own copy head on over to:

Juice Guru - Transform Your Life By Adding One juice A Day - Book Review

I know we have all had our fair share of juices. But buying in a store can be fairly expensive. If you have the luxury of your own juicer or you happen to have gotten gifted one for Christmas even better. Did you know that almost 90% of us don't get the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables in our diet? With busy lifestyles these days its often hard to eat the right amount of veggies. Juicing definitely makes it easier.

I would highly recommend the Juice Guru book by Steve & Julie Prusssack if you are new to juicing and want to have a book on hand to use.  By following the straightforward guidelines in the book, you will take a huge step in transforming your health. It will also help you learn how to apply the science of habit so that juicing becomes an enjoyable practice you adopt for life rather than a short term experiment.

This book demystifies juicing and will help you incorporate this regimen into your daily lifestyle. It includes a 21 day plan that will help you get started that has 100 flavourful fruit and vegetable juices.

Ive tried quite a few of the recipes in this book. Mostly the veggie ones as I don't eat a lot of fruit on prep. One of my favs was the Nothin' But Greens which can be found on page 119 in the power greens section of the book! Give it a try and let me know how you liked it!

The book is available on amazon for purchase:

https://www.amazon.ca/Juice-Guru-Transform-Your-Adding/dp/0778805298

Let Them Eat Wheat! Using Ancient Wisdom/Modern Science to Overcome Food Intolerances - Book Review

I was recently sent a book by Dr. Jon dullard to review. The title of the book was Eat Wheat - A scientific AND Clinically-Proven approach TO Safely Bringing Wheat AND Dairy Back INTO your diet.

What I loved about the book: Its based on scientific facts that he has used with thousands of patients to help them cure their food intolerances. This book is a real eye opener and a must read for fitness and health enthusiasts or anyone that has dietary issues/intolerances. Its great also because it is evidence based.

I also enjoyed that he discussed the underlying cause of the gluten-free explosion.  And that he goes on to discuss that when you eliminate wheat and dairy fro your diet it may illuminate your symptoms but it may also be a temporary solution.

This book is also a great read because it helps you learn how to navigate around food toxins in modern what and dairy and reveal the hidden science on the benefits of wheat and dairy. Through this he helps you see that you can retrain your body to digest wheat and dairy again. These things are very applicable for health but for bodybuilding and aesthetics it does not 100% apply in my opinion.

Has gluten been found guilty without a fair trial? It wouldn't be the first time an innocent food was given a life sentence. For example, after almost 60 years of so-called "hard science" condemning cholesterol, we now find out that the science was flawed and high cholesterol saturated fats, such as butter, have been officially taken off the FDA's nutrient concern list. Is it possible that we have wrongfully given gluten the boot as well? Turns out, if you’re gluten-free or dairy-free, you might not have to be!

Eat Wheat: A Scientific and Clinically-Proven Approach to Safely Bringing Wheat and Dairy Back into Your Diet (Morgan James, January 2017) by Dr. John Douillard, DC, CAP, addresses this timely topic of food intolerances. After 3.4 million years of eating wheat and only 500,000 years of hunting meat, through Eat Wheat, Dr. Douillard reminds us that humans are actually genetically better equipped to eat wheat than meat and the true Paleo diet, clearly, included glutinous grains like wheat and barley.Dr. Douillard is a former NBA nutrition expert and creator of LifeSpa.com.

He has spent the past 30 years and has seen more than 100,000 patients in his natural health practice, helping to improve their digestive systems and begin to eat wheat again.“The most common dietary advice doctors have been giving their ailing patients for the past 30 years is to stop eating wheat and dairy,” says Dr. Douillard. “It’s just not that easy. Helping folks navigate around the processed versions of wheat while rebooting the digestive system is simply absent in medical practice, while being gluten-free has become a movement. We are fooling ourselves to think that all of our problems will disappear by just avoiding wheat. For years, I’ve seen patients after they have stopped eating wheat and dairy, and while they almost always feel better initially, the symptoms all too often return, leaving them with hardly anything to eat. With Eat Wheat, we can do better.”

Eat Wheat presents the science on the other side of the gluten-free aisle. For example, ancient wheat has been shown to have twice the gluten content of modern wheat yet decreased inflammation two-fold and lowered cholesterol and blood sugar.

So how could the more glutinous grain actually be healthier? In addition, wheat was a fall harvested grain that humans are well adapted to eating. Wheat digesting enzymes and microbes proliferate in the fall and winter to break down this so-called poison, gluten. So what is the real cause of America’s gluten sensitivity?

Eat Wheat explains how a breakdown in digestion has damaged the intestinal wall and leaked undigested foods and environmental toxins into the body’s lymphatic system, causing “grain brain” symptoms and food allergies. Although eliminating wheat and dairy from your diet may help your symptoms, it’s a temporary solution. The book addresses the root cause: the inability to digest well and break down harmful pollutants and toxins that can lead to more serious health concerns.Backed by more than 600 scientific studies, Eat Wheat is a revolutionary guidebook to regaining your digestive strength and safely bringing wheat and dairy back into your diet. It will also:

• Reveal hidden science on the benefits of wheat and dairy
• Help you navigate around food toxins in modern wheat and dairy
• Detail how to flush congested lymphatics linked to food intolerance symptoms
• Teach you to follow natural digestive circadian cycles
• Help bring your blood sugar back into balance
• Teach you proven exercise and detox techniques to reboot strong digestion and achieve optimal health and vitality

“Your digestive strength is the key to a long, healthy and vital life,” adds Dr. Douillard. “The choice as to whether or not you can eat gluten or dairy shouldn’t be decided for you because of weak digestion, it should be decided by you as a preference.”

Dr. John Douillard, DC, CAP, is a globally recognized leader in the fields of natural health, Ayurveda and sports medicine. Over the past 30 years, he’s helped over 100,000 patients repair their digestive system and eat wheat and dairy again. He is the creator of LifeSpa.com, a leading Ayurvedic health and wellness resource on the web with over 4.5 million views on YouTube. LifeSpa.com is evolving the way Ayurveda is understood around the world, with over 700 articles and videos proving ancient wisdom backed by modern science. Dr. John is the former Director of Player Development and nutrition advisor for the New Jersey Nets NBA team, author of six books, a repeat guest on the Dr. Oz show, and has been featured in Woman’s World Magazine, Yoga Journal, the Huffington Post and dozens of other publications.
 
For more information, please visit www.eatwheatbook.com,www.lifespa.com, and connect with Dr. Douillard on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.
 
Eat Wheat will be released in ebook form on September 1, 2016, and in paperback and hardcover on January 10, 2017. It can be pre-ordered from Amazon, Eat Wheat Book and all major booksellers.

HelloFresh Canada expands nationwide

HelloFresh Canada is now delivering its healthy and convenient meal kits from coast to coast, to help all Canadians answer that age-old question: “What’s for dinner?”

“The entire team is proud of the progress we’ve made in just six months since our launch. We’ve received overwhelmingly positive feedback from our current customers in Ontario, and we’re certain people across the country will soon see the benefits of our meal kits,” said Ian Brooks, Managing Director, HelloFresh Canada. “This expansion reinforces our mission to provide nutritious, tasty meals to Canadians.”

HelloFresh’s unique culinary experience streamlines meal preparation by sending at-home cooks inspirational recipes and pre-measured, pre-chopped ingredients to make meals from scratch in 30 minutes or less. HelloFresh takes care of the meal planning, shopping, measuring, and delivery, leaving time for the fun parts: cooking and eating!

The service is simple – customers visit HelloFresh.ca, or download the app on Android or iOS. From there they choose their subscription option (Pronto Plan or Family Plan), and select their meals for the upcoming week. Meals are delivered weekly on Tuesdays and Wednesdays directly to customers’ doorsteps, packed in state-of-the-art boxes to ensure each delivery arrives fresh.

Recipes are developed in the HelloFresh test kitchen by an in-house culinary team headed by Irene Ngo. The meal kits contain seasonal ingredients, along with step-by-step recipes and nutritional information.

“We love sharing the joy of cooking every day in a way that is approachable and rewarding. We believe that healthy eating patterns start in the home, and our kits get Canadians started with easy and delicious recipes, and high-quality ingredients,” said Ngo.  “Our recipes explore new flavours and deliver crowd favourites, and get people on the path to healthy eating.”

The globally renowned organization first launched in Ontario, in June 2016, and will now reach nine provinces, excluding Quebec. The company continues to adapt its services to meet the ever-growing demand for “cook from scratch” meals. Subscribers globally are rediscovering the joy of food with HelloFresh by preparing healthy, tasty meals they can be proud to place on the dinner table. Canadian meal kits start at just $10.85 per plate. Visit HelloFresh.ca for all the available options.

Twitter: @HelloFreshCA

Facebook: Facebook.com/HelloFresh

Instagram: @HelloFreshCA

#HelloFreshLife

About HelloFresh

HelloFresh currently operates in the USA, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Australia, Austria, Switzerland, and Canada. HelloFresh delivered 22.1 million meals in the 3-month period up to 30 September 2016, to about 850,000 subscribers. HelloFresh was founded in November 2011, and is based in Berlin.

Additional offices are located in New York, London, Amsterdam, Zurich, Sydney, and Toronto. Current investors include Baillie Gifford, Insight Venture Partners, Phenomen Ventures, Rocket Internet, and Vorwerk Direct Selling Ventures.