The misunderstood psychology of weight loss — how to lose 30 pounds PART 6

Food

First, if you’re focused on losing fat, aim for a deficit of around 500 calories per day or 3,500 per week. There are 3,500 calories in one pound of fat, meaning you’ll lose (at least) 1 pound of weight per week — probably more initially as you lose water weight and flush out other waste.

You need to know your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) as a starting point, which is how many calories you need to consume each day based on your current activity levels. You can calculate that here. Once you know your BMR, subtract 500 calories. That’s your daily calorie target.

The psychological impact of tracking goes a long way to keep you on track. If you screw up at one meal, you can make it up at the next meal by eating fewer calories, etc.

Protein is extremely important because it’s the building block for creating new muscle. Generally, you want to take in 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight, per day. If you weigh 200 pounds, you consume 200 grams of protein per day — typically 2-3 protein shakes and 3 meals per day.

To keep sane and stop your metabolism from slowing down, you should also have one day per week where you eat whatever you want. This is called an “off day”. If you’ve been craving chocolate, fries, etc, you eat them on your off day. Keep in mind, however, that you shouldn’t eat 20,000 calories during your off day. Eat what you want, but don’t over do it.

If you feel like eating crap during the week and the craving is really, really bad, keep an “Off Day List” which contains all of the foods you’re craving. The simple act of writing down the food you crave and knowing you’re only 1/2/4 days from being able to eat it will help.

When you have a craving for a food you only eat on your off days, go back and read your “why” statement. Read it 20 times. Then go on Youtube and watch a few “before and after” weight loss (or muscle gain) transformation stories. That should be enough to curb your cravings 95% of the time.

You’ll also want to regularly check your pH levels using pee sticks. You can buy them from any drug store. New research is showing a strong relationship between the acidity in your body and the amount of fat you hold on to, regardless of how much exercise you do and what you eat.

If your pH level is low (5.5 or less on a scale of 0–10), your body is highly acidic and will hold on to fat to protect organs from damage. The lower your pH level, the higher your chance of cell damage and mutation which can lead to cancer if enough acid forms in your system over time.

If your pH level is neutral or slightly higher (6.5 to 8), your body is more alkaline, contains less acid and therefore your body won’t hold onto fat, as there’s no damage to protect your organs from.

What’s the easiest way to get your pH level up so you’re more alkaline than acidic? Drink at least one (ideally two) fresh green juices every day. Buy a Nutribullet and throw in a handful of spinach, a handful of kale, half a cucumber, an Apple, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a cup of water. Blend it up and drink it. Simple.

https://medium.com/personal-growth/the-misunderstood-psychology-of-weight-loss-how-to-lose-30-pounds-in-2016-c26fbd8e16f3

12 Mental Tricks to Beat Cravings and Lose Weight

Mind over matter

Using pure willpower to overcome cravings doesn't always work. (If it did, dieting would be easy and we'd all be at our own healthy, feel-great weights.) Guess what? You don't have to tough out an unrelenting yen to house a box of Cheez-Its, you just need to fool yourself into thinking you didn't actually want to eat the junk food in the first place. It's easier than you think; here are tips from experts and recent studies to help you stay on track.

Visualize an internal pause button

The next time you want to reach for a big bowl of Chunky Monkey, picture yourself hitting a pause button in your brain. "If someone were to ask to borrow a lot of money, most people can stop and say, 'I'll think about it,'" says Coral Arvon, PhD, director of behavioral health and wellness at Pritikin Longevity in Miami, FL. But when that chocolate cake or bottle of wine is in front of us at the end of day, the majority of us don't hesitate to indulge. "Think 'pause,' and consider your decision for 10 minutes before making an actual decision," Arvon suggests.

Substitute junk food with healthy foods that resemble junk food

Find a healthy alternative that shares some of the same qualities as the fatty food you've got a craving for, says Jonathan Alpert, a New York City-based psychotherapist and author of Be Fearless: Change Your Life in 28 Days. Craving the crunch and salt of potato chips? Make a batch of satisfyingly crispy kale chips. Eyeing the carton of ice cream in your freezer? Whip up a fruit-packed smoothie bowl instead. "Over time your taste buds and brain will adjust and learn to like these healthier options," says Alpert.

Imagine yourself eating

Thinking about eating a bag of candy makes it more likely you'll eat less of it when you actually start eating it, according to a 2010 study by Carnegie Mellon University researchers. Study participants who visualized eating 30 M&Ms before indulging in a bowl of the candies ate fewer M&Ms than two other groups who imagined eating only three candies or no treats at all. Researchers say the key lies in thinking about eating the food versus merely thinking about or visualizing it.

Tell yourself you can have anything

When you think about going on a diet, hunger pangs, deprivation, and waving goodbye to your favorite foods probably come to mind. Problem is, denying yourself your favorite foods immediately sets you up for failure, says Amy Goodson, RD, sports dietitian for the Dallas Cowboys and co-author of Swim, Bike, Run, Eat: The Complete Guide to Fueling Your Triathlon. "You want to make changes you can do for the rest of your life. The key is to eat what you want, but not everything you want," says Goodson. "You can still enjoy one to two splurges during the week as long as you stay on track the rest of the time."

How Can You Trick Your Brain into Eating Less?

The Best Healthy Snacks Of 2017 (So Far)

2017 has been a banner year for healthy foods, with innovations in snacks, oils, desserts, and more. Whether you want chocolate that helps with weight loss or chips that heal your gut, this list of the best of the year so far has you covered.

Eating Evolved Keto Cups

Whether you're dabbling with a keto diet or you just want to embrace healthier dessert options, these cups are a deceptively healthy delight. Eating Evolved is committed to embracing the motto "Chocolate: It's Food, Not Candy," and these cups do just that, with only four simple ingredients (organic cacao, organic coconut butter, MCT oil, and vanilla extract). Keep a stash in your freezer for whenever a chocolate craving strikes, and you'll never reach for the too-sweet stuff again.

The Coconut Cult Coconut Yogurt

The yogurt that's taken Instagram by storm. Each of these dairy-free quarts contains over 800 billion human-strain probiotics. Meant to be consumed more as a supplement than as straight yogurt, it's delightfully tangy (almost effervescently so) and pretty damn addictive. It also completely changed my digestion (read more about that here).

Bonafide Provisions Drinkable Veggies

These bone-broth-spiked beverages provide the perfect antidotes to the sometime cloying sweetness of many bottled juice products, instead embracing the savory side of ingredients like spring peas, butternut squash, beets, red pepper, and more. The collagen in the bone broth will help heal your gut lining, but more, you'll have any midafternoon cravings quelled by the amazing umami flavor. You can consume hot or cold.

Farmhouse Culture Kraut Krisps

If there's a better way to get your probiotics than a savory, crunchy chip, I haven't yet found it. The first ingredient in these chips is dried sauerkraut, which may sound strange but adds just the right amount of tang to each bite. Each gluten-free serving contains 1 billion CFUs of probiotics, and the flavors, which mimic the Farmhouse Culture sauerkraut types, are out of this world. Try the Dill Pickle or the Zesty Garden Veggie—you won't be disappointed.

Vital Proteins Collagen Beauty Water

My obsession with collagen runs deep (I started drinking it to heal my gut, and it's since worked wonders on my hair, skin, and nails), and this new beauty water line is a genius way to incorporate it into any routine. It contains collagen, probiotics, and hyaluronic acid, which helps skin retain moisture. The flavors of the line are fabulously spa-worthy, with Lavender Lemon, Melon Mint, and Cucumber Aloe. They can be added to smoothies or simply dissolved in water and drunk on their own, preferably while you're wrapped in a fluffy robe.

Simple Mills Chocolate Chip Crunchy Cookies

These ready-made chocolate chip cookies have one of the simplest, healthiest ingredient lists around, based around a prebiotic-rich tigernut, coconut, and almond flour blend. There's no refined sugar, no gluten, and no artificial flavor or preservatives (they use only a bit of rosemary extract to keep these cookies fresh). The flavor, though, is pure delight, with a snappy crunch and sweetly childhood-inducing bite.

Bare Chia Coconut Bites

These chia-studded crispy bites are the perfect yogurt or smoothie topper, although they're also amazing to eat on their own when you want a crunchy snack. They're sweet, salty, and crunchy, making them oh-so-satisfying for any craving. The chia adds extra fiber and good fat to the coconut's already solid profile, while the flavors (including vanilla and pineapple) add additional interest.

Siete Nacho Chips

These chips are essentially the healthy Doritos of your dreams, with a satisfying crunch and a powdery, finger-coating cheesy flavor. They're made from high-fiber, gluten-free cassava flour and cooked in high-heat-safe, anti-inflammatory avocado oil, and that cheesiness you taste? That's from B-vitamin-rich, totally vegan nutritional yeast. The only problem with these chips is how addictive they are—once you open a bag, you might not be able to stop yourself.

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/best-healthy-snacks-2017

YOU SHOULD NEVER EAT CUCUMBERS AND TOMATOES IN THE SAME SALAD!

The only criteria people have for a salad is mixing together some tasty ingredients, but despite the flavor, there are also other things to consider. Some ingredients don’t go together in a salad, such as a combination of tomatoes and cucumber. Each of these vegetables has different digestion time, and according to Ayurveda, we must know the exact digestion time of each food we eat before mixing ingredients together.

Combining ingredients that have a fast and slow digestion is not a good idea as the lighter ingredient will end up passing in the intestine just as the first one is completely digested. This will result in fermentation of the food in your stomach that may poison your whole body. It will lead to slow digestion and fermentation of sugars and starches, and won’t allow you to enjoy your meal as you should. Besides this, the process of fermentation can also cause gasses, swelling and pain in the stomach as well as intestinal problems.

Cucumbers and tomatoes are not compatible with each other and should never be consumed together. When they reach the stomach and the process of fermentation starts, the acid released in the abdominal cavity for digestion can cause numerous digestive problems. Here are some other food combinations you should never try:

1. Eating fruit after meals is not a good idea – fruits need a lot of time to be digested and should never stay long in the stomach. Eating them after a meal will result in “wine” in your stomach that can lead to acid reflux and other digestive problems.

2. Mac and cheese is a popular meal in the USA, but one that should be avoided nonetheless. Macaroni are rich in starch, which has a different digestion time than protein, so the delay will lead to inevitable fermentation and further digestive problems. The same goes for macaroni and meat.

3. Meat and cheese omelet is a favorite meal of millions, but you should avoid putting too much protein on the same dish. Choose only one type of protein per meal.

4. You should never mix bread or noodles with orange juice as the acid content required to digest the juice can destroy the enzyme responsible for starch digestion.

5. Vegetables and cheese is another no-no combination – eating it will only result in bloating.

6. You should never eat melon and watermelon together, as these fruits are meant to be consumed alone, not in combination with any other fruit.

7. Many people love eating bananas and milk, but this combination will significantly slow down your digestion.

8. People usually add fruit to their bowl of yogurt for breakfast, but this combination will slow down your digestion and harm your intestinal flora. This especially goes for adding pineapple to your yogurt, which boosts the active ingredients that cause food poisoning.

http://www.healthylifeidea.com/probably-didnt-know-never-eat-cucumbers-tomatoes-salad/

What Nutritionists Eat When They Want to Slim Down

What Nutritionists Eat When They Want to Slim Down

After an indulgent vacay or even a few too many dinners out, your body’s probably craving a diet cleanup. Nutritionists go through this cycle, too—but the good thing is, we have training and knowledge that’s taught us how to slim back down in a healthy way. So I’ve asked some of my favorite registered dietitians to share what changes they make when they’re on a mission to slim down

After an indulgent vacay or even a few too many dinners out, your body’s probably craving a diet cleanup. Nutritionists go through this cycle, too—but the good thing is, we have training and knowledge that’s taught us how to slim back down in a healthy way. So I’ve asked some of my favorite registered dietitians to share what changes they make when they’re on a mission to slim down.

“I make sure to add adequate protein to meals—about 30g—especially at breakfast. People do not get enough protein at breakfast. Eggs are getting a reprise, and they are wonderful mixed with dark green and red veggies topped with fresh mozzarella cheese. Add a side of mixed berries and you have an amazing breakfast. In fact, a recent study suggests that adequate protein in the morning helps tame appetite throughout the day.”

—Angela Lemond, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

“When I’m not feeling my best it’s usually because I haven’t gotten enough sleep. I add in a bedtime snack of dried tart cherries and walnuts, which have melatonin to help me get shut eye and keep my hunger hormones in line.”

—Rebecca Scritchfield, MA, RDN

“I lean on nuts, tomato juice, popcorn and tea. I top my Greek yogurt with fruit and nuts at breakfast, eat salads at lunch, snack on popcorn and tomato juice and rely on tea instead of dessert. My only splurge is a glass of wine at dinner.”

—Kathleen Zelman, WebMD Director of Nutrition

“I make a hearty Tuscan white bean soup that’s chock full of baby greens (like kale or spinach) and some diced vegan sausage…I love this soup because it’s packed with satisfying protein, rich in plant based nutrition (fiber, folate and antioxidants), and soup is a fantastic comfort food that lets you feel full longer on fewer calories.”

—Kate Geagan, MS, RDN, author of Go Green. Get Lean.

“I swap out any treats (frozen yogurt, for instance) with fruit and prepare my food very simply—herbs and spices for flavor versus sauces and mixed dishes. I also cut down on bread, crackers and other similar carbohydrates, because those are the foods I am most likely to overeat, and replace them with some combination of produce and protein (apples with peanut butter, melted cheese over steamed veggies).”

—Marie Spano, MS, RD, CSCS, CSSD, Sports Nutritionist for the Atlanta Hawks

“Since sweets are my biggest downfall, I cut back on chocolate, ice cream…all the places I get too many excess calories. I replace them with more fresh fruit to take care of the sweet craving as well as more Greek yogurt (topped with fruit). I also just really watch portion control. I may simply just take a little bit less on my plate, or fill more of my plate with veggies rather than higher-calorie items.”

—Tara Gidus, MS, RD, CSSD, LD/N, Co-host, Emotional Mojo, national TV show

“As an RD I certainly believe that no one food or nutrient is solely responsible for weight gain, but for me too much sugar and too little protein at breakfast does seem to be a big influence on an (unwanted) tighter waistband. If I notice it’s time to cut back, I start by swapping in plain Greek yogurt for some of the sweetened varieties that I love. And I add in an egg (either hard-boiled or microwave scrambled) at breakfast. These are very small changes, but they make a difference in how hungry I am later in the morning and by lunch.”

—Regan Jones, RD, Founding Editor at HealthyAperture.com

http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/what-nutritionists-eat-when-they-want-to-slim-down/?utm_source=FACEBOOK&utm_medium=FB%20MyFitnessPal

10 Ways To Eat Yourself Beautiful

From anti-ageing miracles to fruits that work on your inner beauty, you really are what you eat. So munch your way to magnificence with these brilliant tips.

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It should come as no surprise that a varied, healthy diet will make us look better as well as feel it, with healthier skin, stronger hair and even a more svelte figure. There can be all kinds of reasons why we look grey or why our eyes have lost their sparkle, but most of the time we just need to refuel with a few of the everyday foods that can make a difference to our natural healthy appearance. Here are our top picks.

Peppers for bright eyes

Red, orange, yellow, green – they’re all a good source of carotenes some of which the body safely converts into vitamin A – which is essential for healthy eyes and our immune response.

Citrus fruits for anti-ageing

These are good sources of vitamin C, which is an essential antioxidant vitamin that is involved in collagen synthesis, helps build healthy tissue (including skin), protects against daily damage and supports your immune system – which makes you look great because you feel great! Blackcurrants are a good source too.

Whole grain foods for UV protection

Yes, believe it or not, you can help protect your skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays from the inside out. Wholegrains, along with seeds, are a wonderful source of vitamin E. The only fat-soluble antioxidant vitamin, it has many important properties, particularly protecting cell membranes, making it valuable for skin health and reducing UV skin damage.

Cereal for healthy skin

B2 can also be found in dairy produce and eggs, but some breakfast cereals are a useful source of riboflavin, which helps maintain skin health. It also helps to keep the eyes and mouth in good condition.

Leafy greens for general health

The term ‘superfood’ has fallen out of fashion because it suggested that just a few foods could solve all your problems. Although that’s not the case, there are some foods that tick more than one nutritional box. Leafy greens are a great source of carotene, folic acid and vitamin C and K (essential for healthy blood clotting), as well as fiber. That’s pretty ‘super’ by anyone’s standards…

Water to stop bloating

If your body isn’t getting enough fluids, it will hang on to the fluids it already has, leading to water-retention and bloating. The recommended 6 to 8 glasses of fluids a day is a good guide – and although you don’t have to exclusively drink water, at least you won’t be tempted to dunk a biscuit in it! Tea, coffee, and alcohol can cause dehydration, anyway, so are best avoided if possible.

Nuts for the brain

Nuts are an amazing source of nutrients and will stave off hunger as a long-lasting snack, which means you don’t need to feast on them – just keep a bag handy to nibble on from time to time. And while they may be very high in fat, they also have a good mix of mono-unsaturates and poly-unsaturates. Steer clear of coconut – high in saturated fat – and instead enjoy almonds and hazelnuts, particularly rich in vitamin E. Walnuts are packed with healthy unsaturated omega-3 fats, as are Brazil nuts, which are also a phenomenal source of selenium. For zinc try pistachios, cashews, and pecans.

Kiwi for the immune system

Kiwis are rich in vitamin C, which not only helps boost your immune system (reducing the risk of those grey-looking periods when you’re on the verge of illness) but also aids iron absorption when you are eating iron-rich foods. If you become iron-deficient you will most likely lose your bloom, as well as feeling tired and possibly dizzy.

Tomatoes for good skin and eyes

A great source of lycopene and carotene, tomatoes also contain vitamins C and E, important for maintenance of healthy skin condition and eyes. Even purées, tinned tomatoes, passata and tomato juice can be nutritionally good for you.

Fish for strong hair and nails

Tuna, sardines, mackerel and salmon are useful sources of essential fatty acids (omega-3 group), great not only for better inner health but also for problems like eczema. Protein and EFAs could also help keep your hair and nails looking great, too!

What foods do you swear by to help keep you looking gorgeous? Let us know in the comments section below.

https://www.supersavvyme.co.uk/health-wellbeing/diet-fitness/article/good-food-for-looking-good?utm_source=outbrain&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=health_wellbeing&utm_content=3112

Cooked Veggies Are Better Than Raw Ones? Here’s Why

In most cases, cooking vegetables reduces their nutritional value. (Thanks for highlighting that fact, cold-pressed juice trend.) However, in some cases, adding heat actually ups their health-boosting value. The carotenoids in carrots, for example, become more bioavailable after the sticks are cooked.

One of our favorite ways to do so in the chillier months is roasting. Set your oven to 375 degrees, toss carrots with olive oil, salt and pepper (add some garlic and herbs if you want to get fancy) and let them go for 25 minutes. The lovely caramelization is a delicious reminder of the cardiovascular-boosting benefits you’ll receive with every bite.

P.S. Including sliced parsnips adds a dose of potassium too!

http://womensrunning.competitor.com/2016/12/nutrition/cooking-vegetables-better-eating-raw_69356#mrOkp0sAtu9gubGo.97

10 Foods That Make You Look Younger

You can head off a lot of your most common beauty concerns simply by downing the right foods. That's right—eating well not only does wonders for your waistline and bolsters your immune system but can also provide some very real get-gorg benefits, such as smoothing wrinkles, giving hair a glossy shine and strengthening flimsy nails.

"Your diet directly affects your day-to-day appearance and plays a significant role in how well you age," said Dr. Joshua Zeichner.

The smart approach, Zeichner said, is to create a plan that includes what he calls "the building blocks of healthy skin and hair"—nutrients, minerals and fatty acids—as well as antioxidants to protect your body from damaging environmental stresses.

Get ready to nab some beauty-boosting perks by tossing these essential face-saving edibles into your grocery cart.


Coffee
Grabbing some java every morning doesn't just jump-start your day—that cup of joe has bioactive compounds that may help protect your skin from melanoma (the fifth most common cancer in the U.S.), according to a recent report in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Researchers found that the more coffee people downed, the less likely they were to get the disease: Those drinking four cups daily had a 20 percent lower risk of developing malignant melanoma over a 10-year period than non-coffee drinkers.

Watermelon
The summertime fave is loaded with lycopene.

"This antioxidant compound gives watermelon and tomatoes their red color—and helps skin stave off UV damage," said nutrition pro Keri Glassman, RD, founder of NutritiousLife.com.

Researchers believe that the melon contains as much as 40 percent more of the phytochemical than raw tomatoes; that's the equivalent of an SPF 3, so use it to bolster (not replace) your daily dose of sunscreen.



Pomegranates
The seeds of this wonder fruit are bursting with antioxidants, like vitamin C, that prevent fine lines, wrinkles, and dryness by neutralizing the free radicals that weather skin. A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that higher vitamin C intake lessened the likelihood of dryness and wrinkles in middle-aged women. Also in the fruit's arsenal: anthocyanins (which help increase collagen production, giving skin a firmer look) and ellagic acid (a natural chemical that reduces inflammation caused by UV damage).



Blueberries
Boost radiance by popping some of these plump little beauties. Blueberries supply vitamins C and E (two antioxidants that work in tandem to brighten skin, even out tone and fight off free-radical damage), as well as arbutin, "a natural derivative of the skin lightener hydroquinone," Zeichner said.



Lobster
High in zinc, shellfish has anti-inflammatory properties that can help treat a range of skin annoyances, acne included.

"Zinc accelerates the renewal of skin cells," said Dr. Whitney Bowe, clinical assistant professor of dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. "That's why you find the nutrient in many acne medications."

In fact, research shows that people with acne have lower levels of zinc than people with clear skin.


Kale
On the long list of this leafy green's nutrients are vitamin K (it promotes healthy blood clotting, so the blood vessels around the eyes don't leak and cause Walking Dead-like shadows) and loads of iron.

"Insufficient levels of iron in your diet can cause your skin to look pale, making it easier to spot blood vessels under the skin," explained Dr. Howard Murad, associate clinical professor of medicine at UCLA. To max out the benefits, eat the veggie cooked, not raw.




Eggs
Your fingernails (toenails, too) are made of protein, so a deficiency can turn those talons soft. Keep yours thick and mani-pedi-ready by cracking smart: "Eggs are a good source of biotin, a B complex vitamin that metabolizes amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein," said Dr. Frank Lipman, director of Eleven-Eleven Wellness Center in New York City.



Walnuts
Omega-3 fatty acids (found in the natural oils that keep your hair hydrated) and vitamin E (which helps repair damaged follicles) are two secrets behind strong, lustrous strands—and these nuts are full of both, Lipman said. All you need is 1/4 cup a day. What's more, walnuts are packed with copper, which will help keep your natural color rich: Studies show that being deficient in the mineral may be a factor in going prematurely gray.



Avocado
Like you need another reason to love them: These rich fruits are high in oleic acid, an omega-9 fatty acid that helps skin retain moisture in the outer layer to keep it soft, plump and supple, Bowe said.



Cantaloupe
The sweet melon contains beta carotene, or vitamin A, which is believed to regulate the growth of skin cells on your scalp and sebum in the skin's outer layer, Zeichner said. This keeps pores from getting clogged and causing flakes.


http://www.foxnews.com/health/2015/07/11/10-foods-that-make-look-younger.html?utm_source=zergnet.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=zergnet_1235920

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EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT JUICING

Can fruit and vegetable juices really sharpen your edge and turbocharge vitality? Experts weigh in on the trend—and tell you how to do it right.

 

With the influx of health nuts and fitness junkies slamming back cold-pressed juices, you'd be hard-pressed not to think about juicing. But, is it healthy and beneficial enough to be storming the juice bar or cranking out your own concotion; or is it just a health fad?

Well, you already know that diets packed with fruits and vegetables reduce your risk for chronic conditions and diseases that can lead to an untimely death; but produce also plays a key roll in weight management. And odds are good you're not getting the five servings a day recommended by the USDA. (In fact, CDC data shows only a third of US adults eat two-plus fruits, and about a quarter get three-plus veggies, daily. Yikes.) So to close up that gap, most experts agree that juicing can help pack more nutrients into your day. There’s some research (like this study in the journal Nutrition) that supports that recommendation as well.

Still, it’s not as simple as chugging juice. Here’s what nutrition experts say you need to know.

Can Fruit Make You Fat? >>>

1. Supplement, don’t cleanse. Nutritionists largely agree that juicing can offer a low-fat, nutrient-rich jolt of energy when added to already healthy, balanced diets—but as far as the cleanse-for-weight-loss meal replacement trend? Skip it. Juice digests quickly, and can cause the type of extreme hunger that leads to overeating and binging. “Drinking juice in lieu of eating food is not healthy or sustainable, no matter how nutrient-packed,” says Marjorie Nolan Cohn, RD, a national spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Juice cleanses (read: fasts) can also lead to unstable blood sugar, headaches, and lightheadedness. So, yeah, your workouts aren't going to happen; or you'll be so exhausted during them you won't have the energy to keep up and can up your odds for injury.

2. Pick the right ingredients. Certain vitamins are more easily absorbed as juice, like vitamin C and Bs, while others, like vitamin A, E, K are best taken through the full digestion process, says Cohn. And some vegetables, such as tomatoes, actually provide more nutritional value when cooked, points out Kelly O’Connor, RD, LDN, a registered dietician at Baltimore-based Mercy Medical Center. Keeping all this in mind, these best bets that will maximize nutrition: leafy greens (spinach, collard greens, swiss chard, kale, mustard greens), kiwi, papaya, grapefruit, red bell peppers, broccoli, strawberries, oranges, asparagus and garlic. Cherie Calbom, MS, CN, author of The Juice Lady’s Big Book of Juices & Green Smoothies also favors parsley, blood-pressure-lowering beets (combine with carrot or apple to enhance taste), inflammation-fighter ginger root, potassium-packed cucumbers, and antibacterial lemons. Avoid overly mushy or tender fruits, like bananas (if craving potassium, use half) and peaches, which can make your juice too thick and mushy, says Cohn.

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3. Find the perfect mix. Warning: Vegetable juice might not knock your socks off at first, so you’ve got to experiment. Plot how you'll keep a variety of produce stocked, then have fun with it. Start with two cups of greens, which can taste bitter, balanced by one piece of fruit. Then, play around with the ratio, adding cayenne pepper or cinnamon for extra seasoning if desired. (Still not sure where to begin? We asked the experts for their favorite combos—grapefruit-orange-kale-cucumber for Cohn and carrot-apple-ginger for Calbom.)

4. Sip fast. Whipping up batches of liquid vitality for the week, or even day, isn’t most potent. “Guzzle that juice immediately,” says Cohn. “By changing the texture and integrity of fruits and vegetables from solid to liquid and removing protective skins, the foods quickly start to lose nutrients.”

The Fruits Lowest in Sugar That Will Help You Lose Weight, Ranked >>>

http://www.mensfitness.com/nutrition/what-to-drink/should-you-be-juicing