Kid Friendly Neutral

Neutral After School Snacks

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There’s nothing like a quick and easy snack that contains no starches, no proteins and is essentially a “neutral” snack. Neutral foods are made up of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and/or soy.

Apples with Cheese: top apple slices with thin slices of non-dairy cheese.

Apple Peanut Butter Sandwiches: slices of apple topped with peanut butter.

Baked Tofu: slice baked tofu into sticks.

Banana Peanut Butter Bites: slices of banana topped with peanut butter.

Coconut Milk Yogurt: eat as is, use as a fruit dip or freeze in popsicle molds.

Frozen Grapes: freeze grapes. Eat directly from the freezer.

Roasted Endamame: pour one layer of shelled soybeans into a pie plate. Spray or drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and garlic or chili powder if you like. Roast at 450 degrees until lightly browned, about 10 to fifteen minutes. These are more delish than you can imagine!

Soy Yogurt: eat as is, use as a fruit dip or freeze in popsicle molds.

Veggie Sticks: dip radishes, celery, carrot, jicama, cucumber, bell pepper … into your favorite lo-cal dressing or stir lemon juice, salt, cayenne pepper and a little garlic into lo-fat yogurt.

 

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Treadclimber: A Low Impact Way to Achieve a High Level of Fitness

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Normally I am kind of a skeptic when it comes to infomercials on fitness equipment. The testimonials just seem too unrealistic for the most part and quite often I find myself rolling my eyes and changing the channel within just a few minutes. However, when I saw an infomercial for the Bowflex Treadclimber, for the first time … maybe ever, I was pretty intrigued by the piece and what it can do for its users.

What is a Treadclimber?

A Treadclimber is a home gym piece of equipment that basically gives you the best of three different types of cardio machines. It functions largely like a treadmill in that it generates a forward walking motion, like a stepper, as it has two separate treadles allowing you to step up with each stride, and finally like an elliptical machine as the two previously mentioned motions are combined to make a smooth, low impact exercise that protects your joints from intense wear and tear.

So Why is it So Great?

The great thing about the Bowflex Treadclimber is that the calorie burning that it facilitates is AWESOME, especially for a piece that is made for only walking. The claim behind it is that more muscle groups are engaged simultaneously, causing you to burn more than twice the amount of calories that you would on a stepper, treadmill, or elliptical trainer. Users also claim that it is easy to use, provides a great workout, operates smoothly, and has up to date technology that allow for goal setting and tracking of progress. It also supports a pretty high weight capacity at 300 lbs.

Cons?

The primary complaints that Treadclimber users have are that it hard to store, can be hard to move, it is expensive (ranging from about $1000 to $3300 depending on the model), it can be noisy, and the warranty isn’t very long.

The truth is, sometimes injuries and joint pain keep us grounded and unable to engage in high impact exercise. However, the Treadclimber still offers a way to get into some pretty great shape. You can still achieve great fitness and contribute to a much healthier lifestyle. So, no more excuses! You can also check out this page featuring home gym reviews that could add even more possibilities to your fitness program.

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Exercise on a Budget

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Many people feel that exercising simply costs too much money. If money is the ONE obstacle standing in the way between you and getting a regular and proper workout then consider a few helpful hints at how to exercise when you’re under a budget.

One of the first ways to cut back on spending while still being able to exercise regularly is to purchase exercise equipment that has multiple uses or can be used for a multitude of exercises. Some exercise equipment on the market is designed to work only one part of the human body. These items can be tempting to buy but will give you less results in overall health for a higher dollar price overall. Some equipment that can be used for a variety of exercises will work multiple areas of the body include an exercise ball, a multi station home gym, or a home cardio machines.

Exercise balls, which are relatively inexpensive (usually starting around $20), can be used for a variety of activities including working your abs, cardio exercises, and as a light weight medicine ball. But a smart purchase of an inexpensive multi use exercise tool is not the only way to save money while getting fit.

Gym memberships can cost an individual hundreds and even thousands of dollars a year. While a gym offers their customers access to multiple types of exercise equipment, their main use comes in the form of fixed cardio equipment and weightlifting equipment. This means that the same person who spends hundreds of dollars a year and only uses the gym’s cardio machines would be better off purchasing their own equipment for their home. Quality equipment such as treadmills and elliptical machines can be purchased online and shipped to the buyer at a surprisingly cheap cost, certainly less than the cost of one year at a gym.

Consumers who wish to save even more when purchasing their own equipment should consider using online discount and coupon services like nordictrackcoupon.com. This site, nordictrackcoupon.com, gives patrons the ability to use coupons for the trusted exercise brand Nordic Track to receive discounts on purchasing exercise equipment.

Exercising on a budget is possible for those who have the desire and motivation to do so. By investing a little now on home exercise equipment an individual can save hundreds of dollars a year in gym membership cost while receiving the same or better results that all the gym rats achieve.

Healthy Products

Using Food to Control Hormones

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Hormone imbalances can wreak disaster in your life. Ranging from causing mood swings to allowing the development of cancer, uncontrolled hormones are dangerous. Studies have shown that women tend to develop more hormone related health problems. Various alternative therapies exist including hormone supplements and even surgery. However, these options have side effects and may cause other health problems. Going natural is the best option and this is easily done by eating the right foods which will work naturally to control your hormones.

There are certain groups of food which  have been proven to balance hormones naturally. The first group of foods are healthy fats. Most hormones are made from cholesterol and if you eat less fat then you may have insufficient hormone levels. Healthy fats are found in palm oil, coconut oil, olive oil, egg yolks, whole milk, butter and cream. Foods that contain unhealthy fats such as hydrogenated oils should be avoided.

The second important food group is the phytoestrogens which are plant products that have a similar effect to estrogen. Estrogen is important to our bodies well-being but in excess, it causes problems including cancers like that of the breast and endometrium. The estrogen receptors in our bodies will bind to the phytoestrogens, therefore no excess estrogen will be found to fuel cell mutations and lead to cancer. Excess estrogen has other negative effects apart from cancer such as hot flushes and menopausal symptoms. These can be avoided by eating phytoestrogen containing foods which such as legumes, grains, nuts and most fruits. Beans in particular are really beneficial. Therefore, if you are looking for a remedy to control hormonal dysregulation, go natural and eat your way to a solution.

Note from The UnDiet: Since hormones control your emotions, energy level, appetite, and metabolism, it stands to reason that unbalanced hormones can be a cause of unwanted weight gain. So if you can get a handle on balancing out your hormones then you may be removing a substantial block in your weight loss journey.

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Multiple Uses Of Acai Berry

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We had such a great response to the guest post on the benefits of acai berry that we thought we’d invite another guest post on the topic with some more specific information. Enjoy!

Right from top celebrities to the guy next door everybody is a fan of acai berry. Suddenly there are hundreds of acai berry products on the market. Such is the craze of this nutritious fruit from the Amazon rainforests. The fact is that the hype is totally justified. This inch-long fruit is a powerhouse of essential nutrition. It is packed with antioxidants, protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and amino acids. Not one or two but it offers several benefits to the human body. To know more click here.

  • When eaten regularly the fiber present in the fruit forms a layer on the inner walls of the colon and removes the toxic waste sticking to the walls of the colon. It is an effective natural colon clean. The fibers also prevent excess absorption of sugar by the colon walls.
  • The antioxidant present in acai berry gives a boost to the metabolism which in turn helps to lose weight. The antioxidants also help to remove the free radicals from the body that are harmful and accelerate aging.
  • You stop craving for food as acai berry is a super food for it contains all the essential nutrition. As the body gets the required nutrition it stops craving for food. This way you can easily maintain a slim body.
  • With a clean colon and increased metabolism you feel more energetic and active throughout the day. It also helps to get a clear and fresh mind. Overall you become more productive at your work place.
  • Acai berry seed oil is one of the key ingredients used in the manufacturing of cosmetic creams. As the oil is rich in antioxidants it helps to maintain soft and beautiful skin.
  • Acai berry is also known to be effective in fighting life threatening diseases like cancer.
  • This wonder fruit if taken regularly also helps to improve the eyesight.  The acai berry weight loss program is the way to go.
Vegan

Vegan Nutrition – Are You Getting What You Need?

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As a vegan I am often asked whether vegan nutrition is really that much better than following “regular” nutritional guidelines.  The answer is yes… and no.  The truth is that you can be a vegan and still not be eating a truly nutritious diet.   In fact, many vegans tend to load up on carbs and processed vegan foods, which can not only cause weight gain, but can also contribute to other nutrition-related ailments.

On the other hand, if you follow a vegan diet that is balanced and insures that you have covered all the nutritional bases, you will undoubtedly lose weight, lower your blood pressure and keep yourself clear of diabetes. Here are a few guidelines to insure that your vegan nutrition plan has everything it needs:

Vitamin B12 – This is probably the biggest issue for vegans.  Contrary to popular belief, Vitamin B12 is not produced in animals.  It is actually manufactured by microorganisms that live primarily in soil and water.  When animals eat food that is grown in soil containing these microorganisms, they get the B12 and pass it on to the humans who eat them.  Because vegans don’t eat meat, they often develop B12 deficiencies.

There is actually an easy solution to the B12 issue.  You can take a methyl B12 supplement (the most bio-available kind of B12), or you can get your B12 and a boatload of other nutrients from nutritional yeast.  I highly recommend the latter as it is food-based.  In particular, I recommend KAL nutritional yeast.  It is grown on molasses and is completely plant-based.  It has a terrific nutty flavor, and you only need a couple of tablespoonfuls a day.  I throw it in smoothies, in soups, on cereals, and in my salad dressing.  It actually contains the entire compliment of B vitamins.

Vitamin D – As a vegan, you can still eat foods that have been fortified with vitamin D.  If you are very particular, you’ll want to be sure you are taking vitamin D2 rather than D3. D3 comes from the lanolin of sheep and is therefore an animal product.  D2 is synthetic and vegans consider it to be an acceptable alternative.  Unfortunately the research tends to show that D3 is more effective than D2.  Either way, make sure you are taking supplemental vitamin D of some kind, and spending some time in the sun!

Iodine – This one is often overlooked by vegans.  It is critical for thyroid health, reproductive health and it helps to keep your nails and hair strong.  You can get your iodine through iodized salt, but you’re better off using sea salt.  One of the best ways to get iodine is from seaweed.  You can get it from nori-wrapped vegan sushi, or just throw a small amount of kelp powder or dulce flakes on a salad.  It’s delicious and in addition to the iodine, you’ll be getting lots of wonderful minerals.

These three essentials, vitamin B12, vitamin D, and iodine, are all critical for good health.  If you insure that you include these in a diet consists mostly of vegetables, fruits, and legumes, along with a few nuts, seeds and whole grains, your  vegan nutrition will be in great shape and so will you!

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What Is Acai Berry And Does It Truly Work?

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Acai berry is a fruit that is found in the swamps and the jungles of the Southern and Central America. The berries are an inch long and are reddish purple colored. Research has found out that the acai berry is loaded with antioxidants, fiber and many other beneficial vitamins. Being a natural fruit the acai berry diet does not have any side effects. Only if you are allergic to berries then you should first consult your doctor before going ahead with the diet plan.

Let us now see how acai berry helps to lose weight. This super food contains the perfect combination of phytosterols, fatty acids and amino acids. These substances help to boost the digestive system and increase the metabolism of the human body. Furthermore, it also reduces your craving for food as you receive all the nutrition required for the healthy functioning of the body. In addition to this the presence of fiber helps to keep the colon clean as fiber helps to remove all the waste that is stuck to the colon walls. This leaves you feeling fresh and energetic.  As a whole food strategy, acai berry weight loss is a proven way to help.

On top of this the presence of the antioxidants helps to destroy the toxins that can lead to life threatening diseases like cancer. Acai berry is also known to improve the eyesight and the overall immunity of the body. Though these benefits have not been proved scientifically there is no doubt that the acai berry is a super food that can help you to not only lose weight but also improve the overall health.

To make the maximum out of the acai berry diet combine a healthy diet and a mild exercise regime. You do not have to go to a gym to pump weights. All you need to do is go for a brisk walk in the park. This can accelerate the process of weight loss.

We here at the UnDiet wanted to add to our guest’s post with a few acai berry recipes so that you can start enjoying the weight loss and anti-aging benefits of this highly nutritious fruit.

Incredible Smoothies has some delicious and very healthy acai berry smoothie recipes that use nothing but whole foods. No hard to find powders and elixirs.  Be sure to check out their tips for coming up with your own recipes.

Vegetarian Times – Acai Sorbet recipe – yum!

So get yourself some acai, whip up some of these recipes and start enjoying the many benefits of this South American berry.

 

Paleo

One Reason Why the Paleo Diet Is a Sure Fire Diet for Most Americans

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Usually people who are in the market for an effective diet plan aren’t just trying to lose one or two pounds. They are looking for something that could help them make a significant change in their body composition. The Paleo Diet is centered around eating in a way that, for most Americans, would mean a significant alteration to their daily menu.

What is the Paleo Diet?

The Paleo Diet is a way of eating that encourages people to get back to their roots as hunters and gatherers, eating the natural foods our ancestors hunted, fished, and gathered since the beginning of time. In our day this would mean fish, wild game meats, grass-fed beef as well as vegetables, seasonal fruits, and healthy fats such as nuts, seeds, avocado, and olive and coconut oil. The diet completely EXCLUDES all grains, dairy, beans, refined sugars, processed foods, and alcohol. The claim is that our modern diet wreaks havoc on our bodies contributing to several “diseases of civilization” such as obesity, type II diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and many autoimmune diseases, as we have not had sufficient time to make the genetic adaptations necessary to handle an agricultural diet.

Why the Paleo Diet Will Work

We as Americans love and basically live on every food that the Paleo diet encourages followers to totally EXCLUDE from their diet. They are our quick foods, comfort foods, party foods, snack foods, basically every-occasion foods. The only bad thing is they are also the foods that have gotten us into trouble with our body weight too. Many of them are packed with calories and fat to enhance flavor and improve shelf life. By completely excluding all of these refined sugars and processed foods from our diet, and revising our diet to include fruits, vegetables, nuts, and lean cuts of meat, it is nearly impossible not to see results. Agreed? Read this article for more information on the Paleo Diet.

How Paleo Makes it Easy

Paleo followers have made the diet super easy to follow as well. There are numerous books and websites that lay everything out for you including meal ideas and even a shopping list of Paleo approved foods. Check out knowmybody.com for tons of information about how eating Paleo will do more than just help you lose weight.

 

 

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How to Make Naturally Sweet Sugar-Free Lemonade

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Lemonade is a favorite warm-weather drink all over the world. Traditionally made by pouring freshly squeezed lemon juice, water, and sugar, over ice, lemonade adds a lot of empty calories to the diet, so most dieters prefer to use low- or no-calorie sweeteners. But what can you do if you want the sweet-tart taste of lemonade without the sugar and also without Sweet ‘n Low, Nutrasweet, or acesulfam?

The obvious choice for a naturally sweet sugar-free lemonade is stevia. Liquid stevia extract is 100 percent natural, and it’s blissfully simple to use to make lemonade. Add a few drops, stir, and you’re done. There are, unfortunately, a couple of drawbacks to using liquid stevia extract to make lemonade.

One problem with liquid stevia is its licorice-like aftertaste. If you happen to like licorice, using stevia extract to make your sugar-free lemonade may be fine. But that leads to the other problem with liquid stevia.

Stevia is hundreds of times sweeter than sugar. It is very easy to use too much. Too much stevia, surprisingly, carries a bitter taste that can be very hard to get out of your mouth. However, there is an almost sugar-free alternative,.

Powdered stevia sweeteners contain tiny amounts of stevia rebaudiosides, the plant chemicals that make stevia taste sweet. The powder in a stevia packet is actually 99.8 percent filler and only 0.2 percent stevia. The filler is usually some other sugar that is chosen to complement the sweetness of the rebaudiosides. Manufacturers in the US and Canada often use glucose, which is sensed on the tongue just a fraction of a second before the sweetness of the stevia rebaudiosides kicks in. Manufacturers in Australia and Asia use xylitol, a lower-calorie sugar that is manufactured from corn cobs. Powdered stevia products are not really completely natural, and they are not really completely calorie-free, but it only takes about 15 calories in sugar “filler” to carry the stevia rebaudiosides that will sweeten an entire pitcher of lemonade.

What if you simply don’t want any kind of added sugar at all in your naturally sweet sugar-free lemonade? Then the solution is to make your lemonade with “sweet lemons,” a relatively hard-to-find fruit born by the lemon species Citrus limetta. Once you find and buy the fruit, or after you pick your lemons from your own Citrus limetta tree, you will have to do your own squeezing to make a slightly greenish juice. The juice of the sweet lemon, however, is sweet enough to drink without sugar, artificial sweeteners, or stevia, and also high in antioxidant flavonoids and vitamin C.

Healthy Products Working Out

A Personal Review For The Stamina 55-1610 InMotion E1000 Elliptical Trainer!

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UnDiet: Thank you to one of our readers for this detailed review of what looks to be a great piece of home gym equipment.

I like this small so-called elliptical! Having tried a mini-stepper before, I found the Stamina Inmotion E1000 to greatly surpass the workout quality. Putting it together was a breeze.

I normally use it while I am watching TV and you can easily transport it from one place to another. Before I purchased this elliptical, I used to eat food while watching TV which is unhealthy. Now I’ve effectively swapped that habit by exercising on the Stamina E1000 elliptical machine. The advantages are tremendous!

Reviewers have stated how compact the stride is in comparison to the fitness-center elliptical machines. This is quite true actually; however I don’t feel this is as a bad thing as the motion is extremely nice!

The E1000 Elliptical Trainer can easily get my heartbeat up or assist me in breaking a sweat. The best thing is that this elliptical completely hits the core areas as there are no handles to lean on. Due to the lack of handles, one is forced to stand upright which in turn works the core muscles.

My abs are always sore the next day if I am completely focused on my position during workout. I sometimes carry small weights to workout my arms during cardio on this machine. That’s an additional advantage of having both hands free.

The tension could be changed from easy to hard very effectively. It apparently counts calories too (unsure how that actually works because it never requests my weight to begin with, but it’s still good because it helps me to monitor and motivate myself!)

The Stamina 55 E1000 trainer also counts steps and miles walked. My only real minor complaint is that it stops and starts over after 9999 steps rather than counting ahead. Nevertheless it does remember your steps and miles walked from a while back like a week ago or last 2 days!

It’s an excellent elliptical as its cheap, small and less expensive in comparison to regular elliptical machines. Even if it only lasts a few years, I possibly could buy a replacement but still wouldn’t be anywhere near to the cost of a regular elliptical!

I made use of the free Super Saver delivery to have mine shipped through Amazon and now I get a great workout several times a week within the confines of my very own house which saves me the troubles of having to pay at a gym and drive there just to get a decent workout!!