To Yolk It Or Not?

The debate continues. It's easy to be scared by the cholesterol and fat content of egg yolks. Add to that the cool factor of ordering the egg white omelet at Sunday brunch and you can see why yolks are catching a bad rap. A couple facts to be aware of.

1. The yolk contains the majority of the nutrients compared to egg whites.  When you ditch the yolk you lose half the protein, essentially all the Folate, Vitamins (B12, D etc.) and Calcium.  If you splurged on the expensive (Egglands Best) eggs, you tossed all the omega 3's as well.

2. Not all cholesterol is the same.  Most dietary (natural cholesterol) is good for you.  Google the difference between LDLs and HDLs.  Most studies show eggs raise HDLs in healthy, active people.  When you eat nutrient dense food your body responds by making less of what you're taking in.  Eat 'Good' fats (ex. Avocados) and your body decreases fat production.  The same can be said for eggs and their cholesterol content.

Keep everything in moderation.  An egg yolk (or two) in your omelet is beneficial.  You've been sleeping (fasting) 6-8 hours, whether training or not.  Give your body some protein, good carbs and good fats.  If you have the extra cash, opt for omega 3 enhanced eggs.  Also free range hens produce healthier eggs higher in omega 3's.

Free Fitness: Wow Nutrition

Wow Nutrition (2221 Murfreesboro Pike, Nashville, TN) is beginning a 4 week fitness series with classes and evaluations beginning on March 30th. You can check them out at https://www.facebook.com/events/543449069010689/. Did I mention it's FREE. Oh yes, I did.

Their page provides the following information :

"This is a FREE group provided by the Teams at WOW! Nutrition to help educate the community on Health & Wellness and to come together for a common purpose...to get healthy in a fun, encouraging, positive environment, with a group of supportive team members and coaches.


WHO CAN JOIN: All ages, shapes, sizes, and fitness levels are encouraged to join and participate. Participants will be divided will be divided into groups based on their current physical abilities and will work progressively at their pace, until they are ready to advance.


WHEN: Schedule is on Nashville 24 Fit Club meetup calendar. Classes will meet Monday-Friday @ 6:00 am - 7:00 am. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday @ 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm. Saturday 9 am - 10 am.


WHAT YOU WILL GAIN: You will gain strength, endurance, stamina, as you are moving towards a total body transformation. You will gain confidence, mental strength, support, belief in who you are and what you are able to accomplish, incredible bonding, friendships, and of course...FUN!


REQUIREMENTS: In order to join the Nashville 24 Fit Club Challenge - You must meet with your coach during the Body Composition Testing time frame - Thursday, March 14 from 5pm-7:30pm or Friday, March 15 from 5pm-7:30pm - to get STARTING Weight, Measurements, Body Scan, and Photo.

You must complete an up-to-date Body Scan and Health Evaluation with your Coach.
You MUST attend the Beginning Physical Assessment on March 30, Day #3 on April 5, & last day (Final Physical Assessment)
You must attend 2 weekly classes to participate in the Nashville 24 Fit Challenge - there are no penalties, but commit for you own good and results!"

Produce Picks 3/11/13: Cabbage, Carrots and Onions

Every week Aldi has Produce Picks of the Week which are sales for fresh produce.  They are ridiculously cheap.  I always buy something from the produce picks and will regularly post ways you can prepare them.

Today I bought a head of cabbage for $0.69, 2 pounds of carrots for $0.49 and 3 pounds of onions for $0.69.  With a few more ingredients you can have a delicious and healthy dish.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
1 teaspoon of tumeric
1/2 of an onion sliced
1 large jalepeno pepper diced
2 carrots peeled and cut into small sticks
3 cups of cabbage that has been shredded or thinly sliced
Sea salt to taste

Directions

1.  Prepare your veggies (shred or slice the cabbage, cut the carrots, slice the onion, and dice the jalepeno pepper).

2.  Over medium heat, heat the oil in a pan.  Then add the onions.  Cook the onions a few minutes until they get soft and start to turn translucent.

3.  Add carrots, jalepeno pepper, cumin and tumeric to the pan.  Cook covered for about 5 minutes until the carrots start to soften.  Stir occasionally.

4.  Add cabbage and salt to pan and mix together all ingredients.  Cook covered for 7-12 minutes until cabbage is soft.  Stir occasionally.

5.  Eat without guilt.

Move your body. Eat your veggies. Know your worth.

Like you, I am constantly searching for ways to look and feel better in my body.  The three most frequent reasons I hear that people are deterred from living a healthier lifestyle is that they lack the money, time and motivation to do so.  I want to combat this mindset by increasing your knowledge base of practical ways you can lead a healthier lifestyle while still being mindful of a tight budget.

In short, I want to help you to:

1.  MOVE YOUR BODY.

2.  EAT YOUR VEGGIES.

3.  KNOW YOUR WORTH.

Fitness does not have to be a luxury. JOIN THE STAY FIT CREW!

It is our responsibility to take care of ourselves AND EACH OTHER.  I am building a crew of like minded people who want to help each other achieve a healthier lifestyle.  

How can you further the mission of the the STAY FIT CREW?  By choosing a level on which you want to participate.  You can participate by:

1.  Following The STAY FIT CREW: You can follow this  blog, the Facebook page (Stay Fit Crew) and Twitter page (Twitter:Stay Fit Crew) (@stayfitcrew).

2.  Sharing Your Knowledge:  I will consistently communicate with you about healthier food options and activities you can do at home and in the community that won't make your wallet bleed.  In return, share this knowledge with others and share your knowledge with the crew.

3.  Donating To The STAY FIT CREW: Do you have exercise equipment you are no longer using, space available for people to engage in exercise activities, or money you want to give to help facilitate the fitness goals of others?  If so, donate them to the STAY FIT CREW.  

Contact me via email at stayfitcrew@gmail.com if you would like to donate equipment or space.  Financial donations may be directed to the following site: Go Fund Me:Stay Fit Crew 

 Additionally, if you know someone looking for fitness equipment then make these needs known to the crew.

4.  Seeking Personal Coaching:  If you are interested in personal coaching to help you achieve your fitness goals, my services are available.  Please contact me via email at stayfitcrew@gmail.com for pricing and scheduling.  

I'm excited about our more fit future!


Your Crew Captain,

Emmaly Carr