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5 Things YOU Should Know About Grapefruit

EducationWhitney Carlson4 Comments

With roughly 73% of your daily suggested serving of Vitamin C in just half a grapefruit, there's good reason that this fruit, though often overlooked, has extreme benefits to helping you reach your nutrition goals.

5 Things YOU Should Know about Grapefruit

  1. Grapefruit just may help you kick your metabolism into gear and start burning stubborn fat cells. How you ask? Grapefruit contains flavonoids that help stabilize your blood sugar levels which help you to keep levels intact over greater periods of time and your body functioning at optimum capacity. (Need more to read on metabolism? Check this out!)
  2. Pink and Red Grapefruit has high levels of lycopene, a carotenoid phytonutrient. What's that you ask? Essentially, it fights cell damaging free radicals - a substance very important in preventing/shrinking tumors!
  3. Pectin, a soluble fiber source, found in Grapefruit can help lower cholesterol! Specifically, research has shown that Blonde and Pink Grapefruits lower LDLs (this it the cholesterol you don't want) while Red Grapefruit lowers triglycerides.
  4. Grapefruit can help your skin to look radiant! We have all seen the grapefruit soaps and lotions at the makeup counters and drug store aisles, but have you ever wondered why it works? Because of the lycopene and other nutrients and enzymes found in Grapefruit, you expose your skin to a wealth of damage-fighting power! This means that applied directly to the skin (or eaten regularly), you will see a radiance that you may not have noticed as the Grapefruit helps to repair your damaged skin, including pesky lines and wrinkles!
  5. Ask your doctor before adding grapefruit to your diet! Enzymes found Grapefruit can inhibit the proper absorption of some prescription medications. Do your research! 

TWO ingredients and TEN minutes is all this Simple Baked Cinnamon Grapefruit takes! It's the perfect healthy snack that you will love!

Clean Eat Education :: Benefits of Coconut Water

EducationWhitney Carlson10 Comments

Wondering about coconut water? Is it all just hype or is there something out there about this often touted, "amazing" recovery drink? We've compiled some research for you and the results, though short, are pretty astounding!

Clean Eat Education :: Benefits of Coconut Water

  • Coconut water is naturally high in potassium, essential for normal cell function and proper recovery. Potassium is a key element in reducing leg cramps. In a similar serving size, coconut water can contain as much as 5x the amount of potassium as Gatorade or Powerade (without those processed sugars and dyes).
  • Coconut water also contains minerals that are essential for refueling your body after a moderate workout. (Just be careful - if you are a marathon runner or engage in extreme sports, your body may require more sodium to refuel than the traditional cup of coconut water provides.)
  • Coconut water contains cytokinins, a plant hormone that stimulates cell growth. Ingestion of cytokinins has been show to have to have anti-aging, anti-carcinogenic (reduces carcinogens), and anti-thrombotic (reduces risk of blod clotting) properties.

What's the nutritional content?

Most coconut waters are around 50 calories per 8oz serving and contain anywhere from 10g to 15g of sugars (albeit, natural sugar). 

There are so many brands out there! What is your favorite?  Here are a few of our favorites!

Fit Finds :: At Home Workout Essentials

Workout TipsWhitney Carlson8 Comments

We often get questions from our readers asking us to help them create the home gym of their dreams or simply asking what the best equipment is for home use. Although it helps if you lack space, a gym is NOT a requirement to eating clean and building the body you always dreamed of having. NEITHER is spending a TON of money on equipment for your home gym. You can stock your gym using our recommendations for UNDER $300!!

Create a Home Gym Under $300

Here are our recommendations for must-haves to get the most out of your workout at home:

A Good Quality Height Changing "Step" - This is a triple-duty piece of equipment! Not only can you use it for toning your legs (think step-ups) but also for cardio and as a bench upper body workouts (just consider throwing a towel down or a yoga mat for added comfort)

A Workout Mat or Yoga Mat - This one is really up to you! If you feel like you will need a little extra cushion (say you are working out on hardwood floors vs carpet) then you may feel like a workout mat is right for you. If Yoga is your thing, a good quality yoga mat can do double duty for you (PS - You can also get them in extra thickness!).

An Exercise/Stability Ball - Stability balls can be great to use as "benches" for upper body workouts or to tone your abdominal muscles during planks or crunches. My best suggestion is that you choose a ball that is medium in size - you don't want it to be too large (unless you are 6'4'') or too small.

A Weighted Medicine Ball - Medicine balls are phenomenal for a multitude of exercises. Slam one of these puppies against a wall during an ab workout, use it while you do burpees or simply use as a weight while you lift upper body. It's as functional as it is small!  We recommend a variety of weights, depending on your fitness level.

Resistance Bands - Resistance bands are possibly one of the best items that provide a "bang" for your buck! Not only can you string them together to make your workouts more challenging, but they are portable - you can take them with you when you travel!  Here is Jim's favorite set:

Free Weights - You can never have enough free weights! Especially as you begin building your gym and building your endurance and strength. When choosing weights, consider buying three (if buying static dumbells) - one that you are comfortable with, one you can do but struggle too and one to work up to! You can always keep adding! Or, consider a plate-loaded mechanism.

Jump Rope - Need a quick cardio pick me up? Try a jump rope! They are portable and CHEAP!

Workout DVDs - These are great for days when you just need a change from your ordinary workout! We have reviewed several different DVDs over the course of the blog - you will find the links to the reviews below.

What piece of equipment can you NOT live without in your home gym?