Earlier today, I was reading a magazine and stumbled upon this very interesting article. The article talked about this new protein ice cream that had come out. For each 2 scoop serving, the ice cream had 217 calories, 14g of fat, and 21g of protein.
This low-sugar, whey-infused ice cream was created by Jacob Kennedy, a "gym-going chef" who was fed up with the lack of good tasting post-workout options. According to taste testers, this ice cream tastes better than the normal ice cream, because it is churned slowly.
For all the ice cream lovers out there, this must feel like a dream come true. Ice cream that contains 40% of my daily value of protein per serving? Plus, it's low fat and low sugar, and tastes great! That means I can eat ice cream all day and still be healthy, right?
Not so fast. Even though this ice cream is healthy for you, it is still meant to be a post workout supplement. This means you eat it AFTER working out.
Unfortunately, this ice cream can only be found in London. So all we can do is look at the pictures on their website, and drool, hoping that one day, we will get the chance to try this palatable treat.
I'm sure all of you know at least a skinny person who seems to eat a lot but not gain any weight. I know I do. You may wonder how is this possible. Is there a black hole in their stomach? Does their body not process calories? Are they human?
Well, I found an article online that can help explain some of this. The article, which is shown below, talks about the three main body types people have. They are: ectomorph, mesomorph, and endomorph.
The skinny person I was talking about in the first paragraph is most likely an ectomorph. An ectomorph is a person who finds it very hard to gain weight. Typical traits of an ectomorph include fast metabolism, small shoulders, flat chest, and lean muscle mass.
You can read more about ectomorphs, and the two other body types here: What is Your Body Type?
As some of you may know, the Oasis of the Seas is the largest cruise ship in the world. I had the pleasure of cruising on that ship the past week. I have to say, it has to be seen in person to be appreciated. Looking at pictures is remarkable, but being on the ship is another level of awe-inspiring. The ship features things like FlowRider surfing simulator, ice skating rink, rock climbing wall, and the first ever Zip-Line at sea.
One of the favorite things to do on cruise ships is to eat. I admit, I stuffed my face every day (and enjoyed it). Because there are over 20 dining options on the cruise ship, it is impossible to try them all in the span of one week. Listed below are 5 of my favorite foods that I enjoyed in the past week, along with where you can find them, and a picture I took of them. Hope it looks as good as it tasted!
Kummelweck Sandwich
Location: Park Cafe
Price: Free
Description: This Roast Beef sandwich is a guest favorite. Slices of roast beef is piled in between a nice bun with salt and some seeds on top. The secret Kummelweck sauce is hidden on the insides of the bun. Perfect for lunch, or a quick snack.
Izumi Sushi Rolls
Location: Izumi Restaurant
Price: $6-$8 per roll
Description: I was very pleasantly surprised with the quality of sushi from Izumi. I have eaten a lot of sushi in my life, and these are some of the better quality rolls that I have had. Shown in the picture is the Snow Crab California roll and Dragon Eel roll. For those who love sushi, you have to give this place a try. It is worth every cent.
Honeydew Melon Soup
Location: Opus Dining Room
Price: Free
Description: All of the chilled soups offered on board are delicious. They remind me more of a smoothie, than a soup. And I love smoothies. Some of the chilled soups offered are Strawberry, Pineapple and Lychee, and the Honeydew Melon soup shown below. After being in the hot sun all day, these soups are a perfect way to rehydrate at dinner.
Fisherman's Plate
Location: Opus Dining Room
Price: Free
Description: This was offered on our second formal night, and boy was it delicious. Lobster tail is a staple of cruise ship dining, and the lobster tail here is one of the better ones that I have had. The meat is succulent, and there is shrimp and some vegetables to help give the meal additional textures.
Low Fat Mango Pudding
Location: Opus Dining Room
Price: Free
Description: I regret not ordering this dessert for myself. This picture is of my mom's mango pudding, which was offered on the first night of our cruise. I only tried a bite of this, but it was a bite I will remember for a long time. The mango pudding is both soft enough to melt in your mouth, yet rigid enough to retain the ship as you pick it up with a spoon. The flavor is light, yet distinct. It is the perfect dessert for people who want a delicious end to a delicious meal.
I recently read this article in Bottom Line magazine and found it to be very interesting. The article talks about how a lot of people are struggling to lose weight. Often times, they lose weight, but they end up gaining it back. All of these diets and calorie counting isn't working for them. This article talks about using your Brain, your most powerful organ, to help you lose weight.
Here is an excerpt from the article:
Strategy one: Look at your feelings
When you wish to eat, ask yourself whether you really are hungry. Pay attention to your stomach. Is it full or empty? Ask yourself, Do I really need food right now?
People often eat for reasons that have nothign to do with hunger. We eat when we're upset, frustrated, bored, etc. The act of eating is a disctraction from uncomfortable feelings and a coping mechanism that makes the feelings less intense.
Studies have shown that mood strongly affects food choices. One study published in American Demographics found that people gravitate towrad ice cream and cookies when they're sad...potato chips when they're bored... and pizza or steak when they're happy.
My advice: Before you eat anything, seriously ask yourself why you want it. If you haven't eaten for several hours, you're probably just hungry. But if you're craving a snack even though you ate recently, you're probably dealing with emotional hunger. Ask yourself, "How am I feeling aobut the world today?"..."What's my mood?"..."What do I really need at this particular moment?"..."Does my stomach feel empty?"
When you eat only when you're hungry and you don't use food for an emotional fix, you've achieved homeostasis, a type of mind-body balance in which you desire only what you need.
Imagine a single cell floating in a petri dish. It doesn't think about food. It takes in nutrients when it needs them and stops when it has had enough. It is in a perfect state of homeostais.
You can achieve the same harmony by being self-aware, or mindful.
What do do: Suppose that you came home from work and already are anticipating the taste of chocolate. Don't go straight to the pantry. Instead, run through the mindful list. If you determine that you are experiencing only emotional hunger, take three very deep breaths and smile. This simple exercise can make the craving go away. It also works if you've already started eating and don't want to overeat.
If you wish to read the rest of the article, obtain a copy of Bottom Line Magazine Volume 34 Issue 15, or comment below and I will send you the rest of the article.
Push Up Pro Review: The Ultimate Upper Body Workout?
You may have seen this commercial on TV. The Push Up Pro, which has been around for a few years now, claims to be the ultimate upper body workout, at the affordable price of $19.99. This revolutionary piece of equipment was designed by Jack Zatorski, who in 2003 set the world record for push ups. Let's take a look at his commercial, which is right below this sentence.
Here are some of the things that were said in this video:
"Strengthen and tone, sculpt and define. Now, there's a new way to get fit quick."
"It's the new way to sculpt and tone the chest, shoulders, arms, and even abs."
"It's the ultimate upper body workout."
"Guaranteed results within 10 days or your money back."
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They all seem like promising statements. But, you can say that for any of these commercials on TV.
I decided to buy a set of Push Up Pro grips myself and see what all the hype was about. Was I really going to get guaranteed results within 10 days, or was nothing going to change? Let's find out.
The Grips: The box contained 2 Push Up Pro grips, one for each hand. They are light, and simplistic. Upon placing them on the ground, the handles are very easy to rotate. The handles have some "rubber-like" material on them so your hands won't slide off. Since the grips are small, they can be stored in a gym bag or backpack.
The Initial Workout: I wanted to do a practice set and see how many push ups I could do with the Push Up Pro while rotating the handles. Normally, I can do around 30 regular push ups. With the Push Up Pro, I could only do 15. I definitely felt it in my arms and chest.
Surprisingly, rotating the handles added a lot of difficulty to a normal push up. This is because when you rotate the handles, it forces your body to use more muscles in order to support the weight of your body. This adds difficulty and variety to a normal push up workout.
10 Days Later: Throughout the 10 days, I tried different things with the Push Up Pro. I did normal push ups, rotating grip push ups, push ups with my feet on a chair, close grip push ups, and more. In the beginning, I couldn't do many repetitions, and had to take a few minutes break after every set.
However, toward the end, I was gaining more endurance and was able to do more repetitions. My max amount of push ups in one set at the end of the 10 days was 20, which was a 25% increase!
Verdict: I do think Push Up Pro is worth the $20 investment, but only if you plan on using it and not having it sit there collecting dust. I think the Push Up Pro is most beneficial for people who are just starting to get into an exercise routine. Here's my reasoning: In my opinion, the best upper body workout are pull ups. They work all the muscles in the upper body, with the most strain on the triceps, shoulders, and back.
However, not everyone can do pull ups. For these people, I recommend the Push Up Pro. Even if you can't do normal push ups, you can start by doing wall push ups, like stated in the video. As you progress and get stronger, you can move to doing push ups with your knees on the floor, and eventually, regular push ups.
Final thoughts: I feel like if you buy the Push Up Pro, make an exercise goal, and stick to that goal, you will see results. It may take more than 10 days, but eventually you will see results. My friend suggested that I write a review on this because he was pondering whether or not to "invest on this", so I obliged. This was my first official review on my blog, and hopefully it provided you with some new information and insight. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this review, and as always, if you have any questions or feedback, comment below.
