All Entries Tagged With: "Muscle"

High Protein Diets & Recipes

When sports supplements, vitamins and protein powders are concerned there’s a lot of misinformation and false marketing aimed at increasing product sales.  It’s important to note that you can achieve any and all of your fitness goals, even the seemingly unattainable ones, through a natural diet and proper fitness training program.  To give you an idea of the right types of foods to eat, our nutrition expert at Lucas James Personal Training in Scottsdale, Arizona weighs-in on the benefits and effects of consuming a high protein diet for both weight-loss and lean muscle gains.   We’ve even included some delicious chicken recipes and high-protein vegetarian options to help you on your way to a leaner body!

While goals for weight-loss and gaining lean muscle might seem like two completely opposite concepts, they’re actually quite similar processes.  Physiologically, the more lean muscle you have, the easier it is for your body to burn fat. Vis-vera, the less fat you have, the easier it is for your body to metabolize the foods you eat and build more dense, leaner muscle tissue.  Current research also suggests that protein may satisfy hunger better than both fats and carbohydrates.

With either fitness goal in mind, eating a high protein diet will help you both burn fat and reduce your body weight, while helping support lean muscle growth, weight loss, and reduce muscle catabolism or breakdown.

Aside from its dietary functions, our bodies use protein at all stages of growth and development throughout our lives for a variety of bodily processes. Protein is a major component in all body cells, including both muscle tissue and bones. It is also a crucial component of our immune systems, helping to fight off infection and protect our bodies.

In terms of eating too much protein, there are no real dangers associated with high protein intake unless you have specific digestive problems or kidney disease.  If this is the case, the high nitrogen content found in protein can place added stress on an already damaged kidney filtration system. Too much protein can have side effects if it comprises too large a part of your total diet, causing gastro-intestinal disorders or problems with proper nutrient absorption. Keeping this in mind, protein is important, especially for weight loss and healthy muscle growth, but so are carbohydrates and fats within a balanced diet.

The best sources for protein are typically lean meats, but also include plant sources such as tofu, beans, soy, nuts, saitan and quinoa.  For animal protein sources  we suggest incorporating foods such as chicken breast, lean fish such as Tuna, ‘fatty’ Omega-3 fish such as salmon, egg whites, turkey, skim dairy products, shrimp, veal or lean cuts of pork.  Depending on your dietary preferences you might decide to eat only a few of these options, but all will provide you with healthy helpings of protein! However, not all sources of protein are equal. Here’s a list from the United States Department of Agriculture describing the differences in amounts for some of the foods listed above.

There are no real dangers associated with high protein intake unless you have specific digestive problems or kidney disease. Too much protein can have side effects. If they take up too large a part of your diet it can cause gastro-intestinal disorders the likes of which you have never seen.  The chances of consuming too much protein is typically unlikely, but it’s always important to consult your physician or dietician before starting any new diet.

The main concern with high protein diets is a lack of carbohydrates. When there’s an insufficient carbohydrate intake, you have a drop in blood sugar and your body if forced to convert stored glycogen or sugar from the liver and muscles to its usable form.  The main issue is that this process known as ‘gluconeogenesis’ results in muscle breakdown.  Another concern is that high-protein diets are often high in saturated fat as well from animal sources such as red meat. For this reason, its important to limit the amount of red meat you eat to 2-3 times a week maximum, while focusing on leaner sources of protein.

Here are a few healthy, high-protein, low-fat chicken recipes:

(Sourced: about.com)

This baked honey mustard chicken makes such a simple yet delicious everyday low fat chicken dish. It also uses few ingredients, ones that you’ll likely have in your pantry already. Serve with some rice and your favorite vegetables.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients: 

• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp canola oil
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 4 six-ounce chicken breasts

Preparation:

-Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place a rack on top and spray with cooking spray.

-Combine honey, mustard, oil, curry powder, and pepper in a small bowl. Brush chicken pieces all over with the honey mustard mixture, then place chicken breasts on the rack.

-Bake for 25-30 minutes, turning half way through. Baste every 10 minutes or so with the remaining honey mustard glaze.

Per serving: Calories 268, Calories from Fat 52, Total Fat 5.9g (sat 2.2g), Cholesterol 82mg, Sodium 483mg, Carbohydrate 21g, Fiber 0.3g, Protein 32.9g

Here’s a simple summer chicken w/ tomatoes recipe that makes the most of fresh tomatoes and basil, and a generous dose of garlic. I like to use the punnets of mini heirloom tomatoes or at least a mix of red and yellow cherry or grape tomatoes.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 22 minutes

Ingredients: 

• 4 5-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to an even thickness
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 ounce basil, slivered
• 8 ounces cherry tomatoes

Preparation:

-Preheat broiler and spray pan briefly with nonstick cooking spray

-Place chicken breasts on broiler pan.

-Whisk oil, vinegar and garlic together

-Brush half of vinaigrette on to chicken breasts, and sprinkle half the slivered basil on top of chicken.

-Broil 5-6 minutes, then turn over. Brush second side with remaining vinaigrette and sprinkle remaining basil.

-Add tomatoes to broiler pan, surrounding chicken.

-Broil for 5-6 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.

Serving: Calories 198, Calories from Fat 48, Total Fat 5.4g (sat 1g), Cholesterol 82mg, Sodium 98mg, Carbohydrate 4g, Fiber 1.1g, Protein 33.5g 

This low fat baked chicken and rice dish has become a staple in our house. It’s quick and easy to prepare, and the whole family will eat it.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients: 

• 4 5-6 ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 cup long grain rice, uncooked
• 1 1/2 cups fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped (about 3/4 cup)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 3 cups fresh baby spinach, chopped (1/2 a six-ounce bag)

Preparation:

-Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

-Place chicken breasts in a single layer in baking dish that can accommodate the chicken in one layer.

-Combine uncooked rice, chicken broth, tomatoes, onion, garlic and oregano in a medium bowl. Stir in chopped spinach. Spoon mixture over chicken. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 35-40-minutes, until chicken is cooked through (165 degrees f) and rice is tender.

Serves 4.

Per Serving: Calories 372, Calories from Fat 23, Total Fat 2.5g (sat 0.6g), Cholesterol 82mg, Sodium 266mg, Carbohydrate 48.3g, Fiber 3.8g, Protein 38.9g

Here’s some High-Protein Vegetarian Recipes:

This Mexican casserole recipe is a one dish vegetarian casserole perfect for those busy nights. You can get this meatless vegetarian enchilada baked Mexican casserole in the oven in just a few minutes. A simple Mexican-inspired meal the whole family Ingredients:

• 2 cups chopped onion, fresh or frozen
• 1 1/2 cups chopped red pepper, fresh or frozen
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 cup salsa
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 15.8 ounce cans black beans, drained
• 12 6-inch corn tortillas
• 2 cups Monterey Jack and Cheddar blend cheese shredded
• 3 tomatoes chopped (optional)
• 1/2 cup sour cream (optional)
• 1/2 cup sliced black olives (optional)

Preparation:

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

-Combine onion pepper, garlic, salsa, cumin and black beans in large skillet and bring to simmer over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently for 3 minutes.

-Arrange 6 tortillas in bottom of 9″ x 13″ baking dish overlapping them as necessary. -Spread half of bean mixture over tortillas and sprinkle with half of cheese. Repeat layering process with remaining tortillas, bean mixture and cheese.

-Cover dish with foil and bake 15 minutes. Carefully remove foil and serve warm.

-Garnish with tomatoes, sour cream and olives.

Makes 8 servings of Mexican enchilada casserole.

Nutritional Information per Serving: (excluding optional ingredients)
Calories: 605
Fat: 11.5 grams
Fiber: 21.4 grams
Cholesterol: 25 mg
Protein: 34.9 grams
Vitamin A: 24% , Vitamin C: 51%, Calcium: 40%, Iron: 39% 

Easy Whole Wheat Vegetarian Lasagna. Make your lasagna just a bit healthier by using this recipe, which calls for whole wheat lasagna noodles and spinach. Even though it uses whole wheat noodles, this Italian spinach lasagna is incredibly rich and creamy as it uses plenty of mozzarella, Parmesan, and low-fat cottage cheese. Recipe courtesy of the Wheat Foods Council.

Ingredients: 

• 1 8 ounce package whole wheat lasagne noodles, cooked slightly (al dente)
• 1 9 ounce package frozen raw spinach
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 eggs
• 3 cups low-fat cottage cheese
• 3 cups pre-made or store-bought pasta sauce
• 3 cups grated low-moisture part skim mozzarella cheese

Preparation:

-Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.

-In medium mixing bowl, beat eggs; add cottage cheese and Parmesan cheese. Spray a 13 x 9-inch glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

-Put one layer of slightly cooked lasagna noodles flat across the bottom of the baking dish. Add 1/2 the leaf spinach, pressing down lightly and evenly over noodles. Top with another layer of lasagna noodles. Top this layer of noodles with the cottage cheese mixture; add the remaining spinach. Then add the last of the lasagna noodles laid evenly on top of spinach. Spread pasta sauce evenly over the top; sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Press down lightly.

-Cover baking dish with foil, using foil sprayed with cooking spray and keeping foil off the center of the lasagna. Secure sides tightly over baking dish.

-Bake about 1 hour 15 minutes in oven. To lightly brown the top, remove foil for a few minutes at the end of baking time.

-Allow to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Servings: Provides 10 servings

Calories/Serving: 373 calories/serving

Nutrition: One serving provides approximately: 373 calories, 33 g protein, 33 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 12 g fat (7 g saturated), 110 mg cholesterol, 142 mcg folate, 3 mg iron and 671 mg sodium.

Building Muscle Mass

For many people, increasing lean muscle mass can be just as difficult a task as loosing weight. When exercise is concerned, proper training style, technique, and form are all crucial components for maximizing muscle growth, body toning and overall results.  Scottsdale, Arizona based celebrity personal trainer Lucas James and nutrition expert and trainer Jason Apfel have created a customized ‘Lean Muscle Mass Fitness Program’ for both men and women looking to increase lean body mass, expand their athletic abilities and augment their physical edge.  We’ve decided to share our insight here with you so you can safely and effectively start on the path towards reaching your peak performance.

Nutritionally speaking, gaining lean muscle mass takes work, aside from getting into the gym.  When trying to increase muscle, protein is king.  It’s important not to eat the wrong type of calories or foods when fueling your body for lean muscle growth.  Make sure to eat foods that will give you energy in the gym as well.  This means complex carbohydrates.  Complex carbs give our bodies the fuel they need in the gym, while protein helps reduce muscle breakdown and promote muscle growth after exercise. You should have one gram of carbohydrate for each half gram of protein eaten an hour before a workout. This combination not only gives you the energy to lift, it also helps repair muscle damage and fully enhances the recovery process following the exercise.  It is ‘essential’ to consume essential amino acids –the building blocks of protein- found in animal products like dairy, meat, eggs, and fish protein.  These versions are much more beneficial for building lean muscle mass than their vegetable-protein counterparts. Remember, since everyone is different, it is important to receive proper nutrition counseling so that you don’t over eat, including protein which can cause detrimental effects on metabolism and body function if not taken in the proper amounts at the right time.

In terms of your training regimen, start by lifting heavier weights.  People often get carried away with performing the same exercises, lifting the same weight, at the same intensity level every time they get to the gym.  The “same” effort will only produce the “same” results.  Performing any one exercise for a prolonged period of time is a waste.  Not only do your muscles get use to the exercise, but your muscle building capabilities plateau as well.  Your body eventually will make all the changes it’s going to make in response to those exercises. To break this pattern and build more muscle mass lift progressively heavier weight with each set.  Repeat 3-4 sets of 6-12 reps max so that your muscles are fatigued on the last rep! With each set increase your weight and decrease the number of reps for each consecutive set.

When lifting be careful not to over exert yourself, as injuries usually occur during mass-building programs. Thoroughly warm up with at least 15 minutes of light cardio exercise and stretching and always have a spotter when using free weights, especially on your max-reps.  Try creating a power circuit to give your muscles a rest in between sets and employ supersets.  For example, if you are working back and shoulders alternate shoulder press with pull-ups so that you engage opposing muscle groups.  Make sure you have a proper exercise split so that you don’t over work specific muscle groups. Your muscles need time to recover, otherwise you continually break-down the muscles you’re trying to build up.

Stay motivated, stay dedicated and eat your spinach!

Men: Fat Burning & Testosterone Building Foods and Supplements

Building Testosterone with Food

Testosterone is a steroid hormone that is found in both men and women.  In males, it is the primary anabolic steroid sex hormone that is highly responsible for the proper growth and development of muscle mass and bones, aside from influencing  mood and energy levels.  If you are looking to increase natural testosterone production, some foods can help. While testosterone can only be produced by the body, certain foods have nutrients that will affect how much the body produces.

People often try to synthetically boost their testosterone levels through the use of supplements for its pro-body building, but these often come with detrimental side effects.  If you are looking to increase your natural production of testosterone, try eating specific foods that are high in protein and key components that can boost natural testosterone synthesis.

Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a vital component for our bodies, especially when hormone synthesis is concerned. Even though our body makes endogenous cholesterol on its own, cholesterol is usually considered as bad, due to its tendency to cause plaque buildup and arterial heart disease.  It is however in a sense, the chemical back-bone of testosterone.  Two foods that are high in cholesterol are eggs and red meat.  Watch out for the high levels of saturated fat found in both eggs and red meats.

Fats

While both fat and cholesterol can both be harmful to our health in large amounts, they can help to increase natural testosterone levels.  This includes unhealthy saturated fats and the healthier monounsaturated fats. Some foods that contain healthier fats are olives, seeds, nuts and avocados.

Indoles

Estrogen is a female-dominant hormone that is also found in small amounts in males. When levels of this hormone elevate, testosterone production goes down. Dietary indoles may help reduce the release of estrogen and promote a growth in  testosterone levels.  Most cruciferous vegetables are high in indoles, such as brussel sprouts,  broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower.

Zinc

Zinc is a mineral involved in proper red blood cell formation, blood clotting, tissue repair and bone health. But it has also been found to increase sperm production and boost testosterone.  Zinc can be found in high amounts in beef, pork, turkey, chicken liver, oysters pumpkin and other seeds and nuts such as almonds.

Salmon

Salmon is one of the best foods to increase testosterone because it is a good source of both zinc and vitamin A. It also has omega-3 fatty acids, which reduces globulin in the body. Globulin is an enzyme that binds to testosterone, rendering it useless.

Spinach

If you want to add some vegetables to your testosterone building diet, consider spinach. It has one of the highest levels of vitamin A among leafy green vegetables.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are an easy food to add to any meal. They are high in vitamin A, which is another nutrient that increases testosterone production.

Supplement: Tribulous (natural supplements for testosterone)

Fat Burning Foods

It’s no secret that weight-loss can be a painstakingly tedious process.  While loosing those extra pounds may be hard, keeping them off is harder. Long-term weight loss must be accompanied by adequate physical activity and safe exercise, but proper nutrition and diet can help jump-start your metabolism and augment your body’s fat burning potential. Here are a few tips from celebrity personal trainer Lucas James and nutrition expert Jason Apfel for fat burning foods that will helop you eat for a leaner body.

-BEVERAGES-

Current research suggests that Green Tea may help to lower cholesterol and decreases the risk of diabetes and stroke.  As an added bonus, the low levels of caffeine in tea help to boost  metabolism and burn fat.  The leading theories suggest that Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), found in green tea, serves as a potent antioxidant with therapeutic properties for many disorders, possibly including even cancer.  It’s thought that EGCG causes the brain and nervous system to run more quicker, helping to burn more calories.

A recent study by the Nutrition Institute at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. Suggests that low-fat calcium may help reduce body fat. The study shows that three to four daily servings of low-fat diary products can help augment our body’s fat-burning machinery.  Milk contains high levels of calcium, which acts as a metabolic signal to reduce body fat storage. Milk is also a rich source of the ‘good’ complex carbohydrates, which help to keep insulin levels lower after eating a meal.

Similar to Green Tea, Coffee contains caffeine, which helps increase your heart rate and in turn your metabolism, helping to burn more calories.  It important to use skim milk as a creamer and use little sugar or none.

-FIBER-

Fiber helps to reduce the rate of absorption of fat to our blood stream, leaving us less bloated and cleaner internally.  It is one of the few functional foods approved by the FDA to help lower cholesterol levels, reduce the risk of colon and G.I. cancers, and aid weight loss.  Here are a few high fiber foods:

Berries are one of the best foods for fat burning, as they’re an excellent source of fiber.  Aside from its digestive benefits, fiber in berries helps us stay satiated longer and aids the metabolism of dietary fat in our meals.

Oranges have one of the highest fiber contents of all fruits.  Recent research suggests that higher fiber diets are associated with decreased adipose (fat) tissue.  Oranges are also packed with healthy minerals and vitamins such as Vitamin C.
Whole grain cereals are a terrific source of both complex carbohydrates and fiber, helping to keep our energy levels up while maintaining a blood sugar and insulin levels after a meal.  When insulin levels spike due to a meal high in sugar or simple carbohydrates our bodies revert to a fat storing mode.  Eating foods that reduce spikes in blood sugar can help our bodies avoid excess fat storage.  Oats are a great example of a cereal that is rich in fiber.  Since oatmeal is slowly it doesn’t cause a big spike in insulin the way simple carbs do.

-PROTEINS-

Turkey is an excellent source of lean protein, which helps boost metabolism.  The more lean muscle our bodies have, the more efficiently we can burn fat. Turkey breast can be used just like chicken, so try turkey burgers, stir-fry, or skewers!

Chicken similar to turkey, is full of metabolism-boosting protein.  Researchers have found that men who increased their protein intake and reduced their carbohydrates increased the number of calories they burned each day by up to five percent.

Salmon contains Omega-3 fatty acids, which can alter the levels of a satiety hormone found in fat called leptin. Lower leptin levels are associated with a higher metabolism.  Aside from the cardiovascular benefits, the good fats in salmon will help reduce the bad fats in our blood stream.

Tuna can also help reduce the level of leptin the bodies.  Lower leptin levels have been associated with faster metabolisms that burn fat more efficiently.

Pork is an excellent source of protein. The more protein you consume, the harder your body has to work to digest it, helping to burn calories in the process. It’s important however to keep your cuts of pork lean.

-VEGETABLES-

Jalapenos and Habaneros contain capsaicin, the chemical responsible for the fiery heat and spice they contain. Aside from their kick, the capsaicin within can help to speed up our heart rate and boost metabolism.  A recent Canadian study found that men who consumed coffee and red pepper burned almost 1,000 more calories a day than the control group.