Foods you should be eating

Last week we revisited Mike Furci’s list of foods you should avoid and asked you to compare it to what you actually eat. This week we’re emphasizing the positive with Mike’s list of authorized foods.

You’ll see that he breaks it down by proteins, carbohydrates and vegetables. You’ll also notice that there’s plenty of delicious food for you to eat. You don’t have to sacrifice taste or enjoying food in order to eat healthy.

Now that you have both lists, the basic idea is to reduce and replace. Reduce your consumption of the banned foods, and then replace it with something you like on the approved foods list. For example, if you’re eating sugary cereal each morning, replace it with oatmeal or fruit. If you like pasta, trying replacing some of it with whole grain pastas. The key is taking an honest look at your diet and then replacing bad foods with better options.

  

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Nutrition Principles

Did you read Mike Furci’s recent article about getting in shape for summer? If you’ve hit the pool and weren’t happy with how you looked without a shirt, then you might want to give it a read. You should check out the entire article, but here are Mike’s nutrition principles for consistent, healthy eating that will help you get lean and mean.

If you’re hungry, eat. If you’re not, don’t.

Under no circumstances should you count calories, ever.

Avoid calorie-dense fast foods. (Mainly processed, fast foods, fruit juice, soda pop and other high-carb foods.)

Plan your meals, and prepare your food in advance. This is perhaps the single biggest contributor to consistent healthy eating. You’re less likely to fall off the wagon if there is quality food already made.

Eat at least four meals per day. Your goal should be to eat six times per day, once every two to three hours. A healthy snack, e.g., vegetables, cottage cheese, sugar-free yogurt, etc., is considered a meal.

Make sure to eat a portion of protein with every meal. If your meal consists of a starchy carb, always consume a bit of your protein first. This ensures a lower glycemic index for the meal and will curb eating too many carbs.

A portion of protein is four to eight ounces, or a portion is about the size of the palm of your hand or a clenched fist.

Choose carbohydrates that are on the lower end of the glycemic index. Refer to the Approved Foods chart.

Whenever time is of the essence, use meal replacement packs, protein powders and drinks, cottage cheese, yogurt, etc. This takes the guesswork out of meal planning during a busy day.

Use natural unprocessed fats and oils for cooking and salad dressings. Avoid using, or strictly limit, your consumption of polyunsaturated fats (vegetable oils) and never cook with them.

If you want to get healthy, look better and feel better, you need to learn more about how to eat. Read this article and then read Mike’s columns regularly.

  

Have a hangover? Try a bacon sandwich

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Like most of us here, you’re probably dealing with a serious hangover this morning. Well, we have some great news for you. In a recent article on FoxNews.com on hangovers we noticed a very appealing remedy – bacon sandwiches!

Theory: It is the hangover cure for many — its smell and taste often prove irresistible. Tradition has it that the bread soaks up the alcohol.

Hangover rating: 5/5 A recent study at Newcastle University’s Center for Life confirmed that a bacon sandwich can indeed provide relief. “Bread doesn’t soak up alcohol but is high in carbohydrates that boost blood-sugar levels and speed up the metabolism, helping to get rid of alcohol quickly,” says researcher Elin Roberts. “Bingeing on alcohol depletes brain neurotransmitters but bacon, which is rich in protein, contains amino acids that top these up and make you feel better.”

We know have scientific support for the notion that those late night, or morning after, breakfast feasts are actualy good for you (sort of). That’s good enough for us.

If you’re looking for other options in light of your New Year’s resolution to trim that gut, then check out our hangovers page or some of the hangover posts at Asylum.com.