Showing posts with label belly. Show all posts
Showing posts with label belly. Show all posts
Friday, March 20, 2015
Belly Cravings Its Soup Weather!
The air is crisp and cool. The glorious fall colors have arrived. A kaleidoscope of beauty is everywhere you look, making even mundane daily errands a thing of joy. This is simply my favorite time of year!
And I know all too well, just as autumn arrives here in the blink of an eye, it exits just as quickly. Sadly, its by far our shortest season so Im relishing each and every moment. Ive been enjoying long hikes in the woods, roller blading through the park, and harvesting seasonal veggies from the garden.
Yup, my backyard garden is still in full swing with squash, cauliflower, chard, cabbage, carrots, leeks, pumpkin, and kale. Late season fruits and veggies grace the fall table with color and variety. That beauty up top is a butternut squash, one of my favorites because of its sweet, full flavor.
There are over 25 species of pumpkin and squash, some of which have been cultivated for 9,000 years. All varieties are rich in beta-carotene and contain ample amounts of vitamin C.
And I know all too well, just as autumn arrives here in the blink of an eye, it exits just as quickly. Sadly, its by far our shortest season so Im relishing each and every moment. Ive been enjoying long hikes in the woods, roller blading through the park, and harvesting seasonal veggies from the garden.
Yup, my backyard garden is still in full swing with squash, cauliflower, chard, cabbage, carrots, leeks, pumpkin, and kale. Late season fruits and veggies grace the fall table with color and variety. That beauty up top is a butternut squash, one of my favorites because of its sweet, full flavor.
There are over 25 species of pumpkin and squash, some of which have been cultivated for 9,000 years. All varieties are rich in beta-carotene and contain ample amounts of vitamin C.
A landslide of apples and pears also appear mid-September and don’t let up until winter. I recently made a trip to one of the local orchards, and came home with a nice fragrant selection of both sweet and tart varieties.
I dont know about you, but something happens internally for me when autumn arrives. As if on cue, my belly says, "soup, please!" And thats when the wheels started turning: "Hmmm, butternut squash + apples + pears...sounds like soup to me."
So heres two different recipes for you to try, one savory, one sweet. Ill list the ingredients separately, but you can follow the same preparation instructions for both. Super simple and oh-so good. Enjoy!
I dont know about you, but something happens internally for me when autumn arrives. As if on cue, my belly says, "soup, please!" And thats when the wheels started turning: "Hmmm, butternut squash + apples + pears...sounds like soup to me."
So heres two different recipes for you to try, one savory, one sweet. Ill list the ingredients separately, but you can follow the same preparation instructions for both. Super simple and oh-so good. Enjoy!
Butternut Pear Soup
1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced
2 carrots, cut into medallions
2 leeks, cleaned well and sliced
2 Bosc pears, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 Tbsp cold pressed extra-virgin olive oil
6 C vegetable broth
1 sprig fresh thyme
1-inch ginger root, grated
coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Butternut Apple Soup
1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced
2 Honeycrisp apples, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 C coconut milk (meat + water of 1 young coconut, blended)
2 Tbsp local raw honey (can substitute agave nectar)
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp allspice
½ tsp cinnamon
Preparation:
1. With a large heavy knife, cut the squash in half lengthwise through the stem and remove the seeds.
2. Peel the rind from the squash with a vegetable peeler, and cut into small pieces.
3. Prepare the rest of your ingredients and set aside.
4. Using either a high-powered blender or a food processor, add liquids first, followed by the squash and remaining ingredients. Process until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
If you do use a high-powered blender, you can continue blending until the soup warms. No Vitamix? No problem. Invest in a double boiler. Its great for warming foods slowly. Just stir often and dont let the soup boil – if you can stick your finger in without getting scalded, youre good to go. You could also pour your soup into a glass mason jar with a lid and submerge the jar in a bath of hot water to warm it up.
Serve in pre-warmed bowls and pair with a nice salad.
Looking for more seasonal recipes? Ive compiled all of my Harvest-Inspired Autumn Recipes for you. Check them out and enjoy!
Tell me, when the weather gets cooler, what kind of food does your belly crave?
1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced
2 carrots, cut into medallions
2 leeks, cleaned well and sliced
2 Bosc pears, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 Tbsp cold pressed extra-virgin olive oil
6 C vegetable broth
1 sprig fresh thyme
1-inch ginger root, grated
coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Butternut Apple Soup
1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced
2 Honeycrisp apples, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 C coconut milk (meat + water of 1 young coconut, blended)
2 Tbsp local raw honey (can substitute agave nectar)
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp allspice
½ tsp cinnamon
Preparation:
1. With a large heavy knife, cut the squash in half lengthwise through the stem and remove the seeds.
2. Peel the rind from the squash with a vegetable peeler, and cut into small pieces.
3. Prepare the rest of your ingredients and set aside.
4. Using either a high-powered blender or a food processor, add liquids first, followed by the squash and remaining ingredients. Process until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
If you do use a high-powered blender, you can continue blending until the soup warms. No Vitamix? No problem. Invest in a double boiler. Its great for warming foods slowly. Just stir often and dont let the soup boil – if you can stick your finger in without getting scalded, youre good to go. You could also pour your soup into a glass mason jar with a lid and submerge the jar in a bath of hot water to warm it up.
Serve in pre-warmed bowls and pair with a nice salad.
Looking for more seasonal recipes? Ive compiled all of my Harvest-Inspired Autumn Recipes for you. Check them out and enjoy!
Tell me, when the weather gets cooler, what kind of food does your belly crave?
Sunday, March 8, 2015
Weight Loss Help 101 Ways to Burn Belly Fat Fast Part 4 of 6
The average mans body houses 43.2 pounds of fat. And at any one moment, that number is either increasing or decreasing—its never stagnant. Spend more of each day burning fat than you do storing it, and over time, youll bury your belly forever. Sound simple? It is. You see, theres no single secret formula for losing fat. In fact, find 100 successful losers and theyll give you 100 different ways to win the battle of the bulge. But we did them one better. On the following pages, youll find 101 tips designed to help you lose your love handles, bust your gut, and define your abs. Simply incorporate three or four into your life every day, and youll finish off your fat easier and faster than you ever imagined possible.
Load up on yogurt.
When researchers at the University of Tennessee put a group of volunteers on one of two diets—one high in calcium and one not—and cut each groups calorie intake by 500 calories, they found that the people getting calcium lost twice as much weight (an average of 13 pounds) compared with people on the standard diet. Study author Michael Zemel, Ph.D., believes extra calcium helps the body burn more—and store less—fat.
When researchers at the University of Tennessee put a group of volunteers on one of two diets—one high in calcium and one not—and cut each groups calorie intake by 500 calories, they found that the people getting calcium lost twice as much weight (an average of 13 pounds) compared with people on the standard diet. Study author Michael Zemel, Ph.D., believes extra calcium helps the body burn more—and store less—fat.
Order appetizers.
And avoid the bread bowl at all costs. If youre ravenous when you sit down to eat at a restaurant, immediately order a side salad, or a meat- or vegetable-only appetizer, rather than be tempted by these bottomless —and fattening—freebies.
And avoid the bread bowl at all costs. If youre ravenous when you sit down to eat at a restaurant, immediately order a side salad, or a meat- or vegetable-only appetizer, rather than be tempted by these bottomless —and fattening—freebies.
Pop peanuts.
Nuts have a very high satiety power—meaning they make you feel fuller after eating than many other foods. And even though theyre high in calories, those calories appear to be processed differently in the body. University of Michigan researchers found that men who added 500 calories worth of peanuts a day to their diet gained no excess weight at all.
Nuts have a very high satiety power—meaning they make you feel fuller after eating than many other foods. And even though theyre high in calories, those calories appear to be processed differently in the body. University of Michigan researchers found that men who added 500 calories worth of peanuts a day to their diet gained no excess weight at all.
Track your calories.
You could do it in a journal, but we know thats never going to happen. Instead, do it on the Web, at a site like fitday.com. Just create a free account, plug in the amounts of food youre eating throughout the day, and let the software tell you exactly how good—or bad—youre being.
You could do it in a journal, but we know thats never going to happen. Instead, do it on the Web, at a site like fitday.com. Just create a free account, plug in the amounts of food youre eating throughout the day, and let the software tell you exactly how good—or bad—youre being.
Do sprint intervals.
Interspersing short, all-out sprints with brief periods of rest is the most effective form of cardio for fat loss, says Stankowski. Try a 2-to-1 "work-to-rest" ratio. That is, sprint two times longer than you rest. So if you run a 150-yard sprint—a good distance to start with—in 20 seconds, rest 10 seconds, then repeat 3-7 times.
Check your mood.
The desire to snack may not be due to hunger at all, but rather the result of loneliness, depression, or anxiety. "Emotional eating is at the core of bad eating choices," says N.Y.C. psychotherapist Elizabeth Fagan, C.S.W. If you often find yourself eating when you feel down, or if you feel happier after a meal, that may signify a problem.
The desire to snack may not be due to hunger at all, but rather the result of loneliness, depression, or anxiety. "Emotional eating is at the core of bad eating choices," says N.Y.C. psychotherapist Elizabeth Fagan, C.S.W. If you often find yourself eating when you feel down, or if you feel happier after a meal, that may signify a problem.
Shop for one.
If you have to buy cookies, chips, or other processed junk foods, buy the single-serving package—rather than the large, family-style bag. That way, when you eat the whole package—and lets be honest, you know you will—youll at last have done a lot less damage to your waistline.
If you have to buy cookies, chips, or other processed junk foods, buy the single-serving package—rather than the large, family-style bag. That way, when you eat the whole package—and lets be honest, you know you will—youll at last have done a lot less damage to your waistline.
Find inspiration.
Take a digital picture of yourself, shirtless, in all your fat, naked splendor. Then use a photo-editing program on your computer to erase your love handles and create your own digital "after" shot. (You can also take a Polaroid of yourself in front of a black background and use a Magic Marker to thin down your waist.) Post the pictures somewhere youll see them often, like on the fridge or in your office at work.
Take a digital picture of yourself, shirtless, in all your fat, naked splendor. Then use a photo-editing program on your computer to erase your love handles and create your own digital "after" shot. (You can also take a Polaroid of yourself in front of a black background and use a Magic Marker to thin down your waist.) Post the pictures somewhere youll see them often, like on the fridge or in your office at work.
Go the distance.
Perform intervals for a designated distance rather than a designated time. Otherwise, youll be running shorter sprints as you get tired, reducing the number of calories you burn, says McGarr.
Perform intervals for a designated distance rather than a designated time. Otherwise, youll be running shorter sprints as you get tired, reducing the number of calories you burn, says McGarr.
Source: http://www.mensfitness.com/weight-loss/burn-fat-fast/101-ways-lose-your-gut?page=4
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