Top 10 Health & Fitness Articles Of 2011

 

In 2011 over a quarter of a million people read our blog articles as it has become more and more popular over the past several months. In this posting we take a look at the top ten most popular health and fitness articles posted in 2011. To determine popularity we looked not only at the number of ‘Likes’ and ‘Tweets’ but also factored in the number of readers and reader response. Hopefully some of your favorites made it into the final top ten list and I am sure that you will find a few other gems that you may have missed! Thanks again for the continued support!

 

Top 10 Health & Fitness Articles of 2011

 

10. The Anti-Aging Properties Of Weight Training & Resistance Exercise

A detailed look at how our body ages on a cellular  level and how weight training and resistance exercise can play a significant role in maintaining quality of life as you get older. You can read the article in its entirety here.

 

9. Sweating Has Nothing to Do With Losing Fat

Getting a good sweat is thought of as the key to a good fat burning workout, however sweating has nothing to do with fat loss and is a poor indicator of how much fat you are burning while training or doing any physical activity. Read the article in its entirety here.

 

8. Tongol Tuna- A Safe Real Food Choice

I started writing about the benefits of tongol tuna several years ago and in this article we go over the problem of mercury in fish and the role of tongol tuna as a lower mercury alternative to traditional albacore tuna. You can read the article in its entirety here.

 

7. Six Pack Abs- It’s Not What You Do- It’s What & How You Eat

The quest of six pack abdominals has become the Holy Grail for many as the ultimate goal of their diet and exercise program. Unfortunately a surge of exercise products and services have sprung up over the years offering consumers much in the way of false hope by promoting various exercises as the way to a chiseled midsection. As lucrative as these products may be they not only don’t work, but distract us from the reality that a six pack comes from what and how you eat more than what type of exercises you do. You can read the article in its entirety here.

 

6. Multi-Vitamins & Vitamin Supplements Do More Harm Than Good

Multi-vitamins have long been thought of as a must have for anyone serious about their health. However hundreds of studies show that not only are multi-vitamins unnecessary for a population that is not clinically deficient in any major nutrient, but that they may actually increase the likelihood of certain diseases. If you take multi-vitamins or any vitamin supplement this is an article that you owe it to yourself to read.  You can read the article in its entirety here.

 

5. The Economics Of Obesity- Why The Food Industry Needs Us to Overeat

One of the biggest problems we face in the fight against obesity and growing diet related problems is the fact that the government plays a key role in supporting and promoting the food industries that make the very foods that we ought to avoid. In this in depth two part article we take a look at how the industry makes us eat more and how important overeating has become for the sustainability of the American economy as we know it. A must read for anyone interested in the behind the scenes machinery that allows corporations to wreak havoc with public health. You can read the article in its entirety here.

 

4. Can Bread Make You Gain Weight?

There is a common belief that bread will make you gain weight but the truth is that if you eat anything more than you should you’ll put some extra pounds on. In this article we take a look at the history of one of our oldest foods and debunk some of the myths about bread while showing the major differences between what we eat today and the bread that sustained our forefathers. You can read the article in its entirety here.

 

3. How Do Muscles Get Bigger And Stronger?

While many slave away at the gym in the quest for bigger and stronger muscles, few take the time to understand the mechanisms by which our muscles grow. In this comprehensive piece we take a look at our body’s response to stress, how it translates into improvements in our physiques and our performance and why training less is best. You can read the article in its entirety here.

 

2. Rethinking The Need For Cardio- Why Aerobics Don’t Work Well For Fat Loss

Aerobic type exercise is without question the most popular fitness activity for those bent on losing weight- however numerous studies and an understanding of the physiology of how our cardiovascular and muscular systems interact show that it isn’t the most effect form of exercise if weight loss is your ultimate goal. You can read the article in its entirety here.

 

1. Are Protein Shakes Bad For You?

The most popular article of the 2011 is about the now ubiquitous protein shake. While a staple in the dietary regime of almost all gym goers there is yet no real evidence that protein shakes actually help increase muscle mass or improve performance. In fact, evidence suggests that they might not necessarily be a good choice for someone interested in getting into peak shape. You can read the article in its entirety here.

 

I’ve been nominated for a Shorty Award for helping people with my health and fitness articles and would love to have your vote. Thanks for the support and click here to vote!

 

 

Celebrity NYC personal trainer Kevin Richardson is the creator of Naturally Intense High Intensity Training and one of the most sought after personal trainers in New York City. Get a copy of his free weight loss e-book here. You can contact Kevin at 1-800-798-8420.

 

How much do you know about health and fitness?

Take our quiz based on our blog articles, daily Twitter & Facebook health tips and see where you stand. Good luck!

How Did You Do?
90 to 100%- You are a tried and true expert in all things related to health and fitness.
70 to 89%- You know your stuff, but could do with a little brushing up on your diet and exercise knowledge.
50% to 69%- You passed, but just barely. Lot’s of catching up to do.
49% or less- You didn’t pass, but don’t despair, keep reading our blogs and articles and be sure to follow Kevin on Twitter for daily fitness updates and you’ll be up to scratch in no time!

 

The answers:

1. Someone who is overweight has a slower metabolism than someone with a healthy body weight.

False- The heavier you are the faster your metabolism will be- read more here

 

2. An apple really has 70,000 calories.

True. Strictly speaking an apple has 70,000 calories- since the energy content of food is measured in kilocalories which is one thousand calories. Confused? Read my article on understanding calories here.

 

3. If you follow a proper diet you can lose 10 lbs of fat in 1 week.

False- it’s mathematically  impossible if you are eating any food at all to lose that much fat in a week given the fact that you need to expend 36000 kcals for every 1 pound of fat. Read more here.

 

4. As little as 40 kilocalories over your daily energy requirements can lead to a weight gain of over 40 lbs in ten years.

Sad but true. A small intake over what your body really needs creates the silent, cumulative weight gain that seems to sneak up on you over the years – read more here.

 

5. Regular Snapple juices have less sugar than Coca Cola

False. Regular Snapple drinks have more sugar than an equal amount of Coca Cola even though it is marketed as a healthier alternative to sodas. Check out Kevin’s Twitter and Facebook updates for daily health tips!

 

6. When eating at a restaurant anything labeled ‘Crispy’ is fine to eat as a healthier choice.

False. The word ‘crispy’ is code for fried. Read more in our guide to healthy restaurant eating here.

 

7. Oats contain gluten.

False, pure oats do not contain gluten proteins. Read more on oats and gluten here.

 

8. Cane sugar is healthier than corn syrup.

False, several notable health organizations have affirmed that there is no distinction that should be made between the two in terms of health risk when consumption is immoderate. Read more here.

 

9. Weight training can’t protect you from bone loss over time.

False. It does and you can read more about the mechanisms of increasing bone density through resistance exercise here.

 

10. Feeling guilty after eating junk food can help you not eat it again.

False. The more you think about a food you ate the more likely you are to continue eating it. Read more about how guilt can sabotage your diet here.

 

11. Multi-vitamins have been conclusively proven to make you healthier.

False. Every study on the matter has found no health benefit to those without significant vitamin deficiencies (which contrary to popular belief if almost non-existent in developed countries). Read more about it here.

 

12. Soil today has 50% less of the nutrients it had 50 years ago and so do the fruits and vegetables grown in them.

False. While there is some reduction in soil nutrients over time, the amounts found in produce isn’t significantly lower, nor does it justify the use of vitamin supplementation. Read more here.

 

13. When you buy fruits and vegetables the growers get get as much as 50-60% of the profits.

False. Farmers get as little as 4% of the profit at times for produce- a figure that is far higher for those who raise animal stocks. That’s one of the reasons fruits and vegetables aren’t promoted as much as meat and high profit junk foods- the profit margins are simply too low. Read more about the economics behind the food that you eat here.

 

14. It is the interest of the US economy for you to eat more of the foods that aren’t good for you.

True. The food industry not only generates over 8% of the U.S. GDP with a trillion dollars in annual sales, but it also employs 12% of working Americans. Given these figures it isn’t surprising that government programs are in place to support their marketing  strategies to get you to eat more. Read more here.

 

15. Eating foods with added Omega 3 fats can improve your health.

False. Studies have shown this to not all be the case. Read more on how adding omega 3 fats to products do little to help anything but profit margins here.

 

16. Fasting is a great way to detoxify your body.

False and the only way to give your body a break from foods you believe to be toxic is to not eat those foods in the first place. Read more here on fasting and what it can and cannot do.

 

17. Aerobic exercise is essential for building endurance, losing body fat and working your heart.

False. It’s not the only way as studies have shown that you can increase endurance, lose body fat and get a significant improvement in cardiovascular efficiency from high intensity resistance training alone. Read how you can get fit in less time here.

 

18. Early man did not eat bread during the Paleolithic era and thus it is not a natural part of our diet.

False. Recent archeological digs in Italy, Russia and the Czech Republic have revealed the use of flat breads dating back as far as 30,000 years ago into what is commonly called the Paleolithic era. Read more about bread and its role in weight gain here.

 

19. Protein shakes are just as good as solid foods for your protein needs.

False. Contrary to marketing that masquerades as science, protein shakes are not only unnatural and highly processed products, but they can actually make you gain body fat. Read more here.

 

20. Tongol tuna is a better choice because it has lower mercury levels than regular tuna.

True. It’s a smaller fish and thus is lower in methyl-mercury. Read more about tongol tuna here.

 

21. The longer and more often you train the bigger and stronger your muscles will become.

False. Without continued overload to the point that stimulates an adaptive response, after becoming accustomed to the stimulus your muscles will have no reason to get bigger or stronger. It’s not always how much you do, it’s how you do it. Read more about how muscles get bigger and stronger here.

 

22. Eating for  your blood type is a proven way to ensure that you eat what is best for your body.

False. There is no science behind the idea that blood type has anything to do with food intake. Read more about the misinformation behind blood type diet theory here.

 

23. A drink or two a week won’t make a difference in your weight loss efforts.

False. Alcohol goes a long way in stopping your efforts to lose body fat. Read more about drinking and weight loss here.

 

24. Carbohydrates can make some people gain weight faster than anything else.

False. Any food, be it a protein, carbohydrate or fat consumed in quantities exceeding the caloric requirements of your body will make you gain weight. Fats, with a caloric value of 9 kcals per gram are actually more likely to make you gain weight as they have more calories than carbohydrates which have 7 calories per gram, but all things being equal eating anything more than you should will make you gain weight. Regardless of genetics. Read more about calories here and read more about the lack of evidence supporting a genetic link to modern obesity here.

 

25. The simplest way to eat well is to eat foods in as natural a form as possible with some degree of moderation.

True. The more unnatural a product is, the more likely it may not be the best decision for you to eat it. Read more by following updates on my Twitter account here.

 

Thanks for taking the test!

 

Kevin Richardson is an award winning fitness writer, one of the most sought after personal trainers in New York City and the creator of Naturally Intense High Intensity Training^TM. Get a copy of his free weight loss ebook here. If you live in the New York metropolitan area and need help losing weight or toning up and taking your body to the next level with a time saving and practical system of diet and exercise, give Kevin and his team a call at 1-800-798-8420 or click here to get started with 50% off your trial personal training session.

 

 

 

 

 

Eating Out & Staying Healthy- A Restaurant Guide To Healthy Eating

 

In this the second installment of our Eating Out Guide, we cover by cuisine some great tips for making healthy choices while eating out at restaurants. (If you haven’t already, you can read the first installment here). Choices that allow you the pleasure and convenience of being able to order food without the concern that eating out will cause you to forsake your goal of eating healthy and getting into shape. The guides are organized by cuisine and include practical and easy to understand rules for everything from American to Thai cuisine. Use it as a handy way to make better choices while eating out and be sure to book mark it or print it out for future reference. An ebook version of this blog post will be available in the near future to all newsletter subscribers, complete with actual sample menu selections so if you have not already done so please feel free to join my mailing list here. Thanks in advance for reading my blog posts and I hope this guide helps you enjoy the important social act of eating out.

 

Eating Out & Staying In Shape- Restaurant Cuisine Rules for Healthy Eating

There is such a wide variety of different cuisines to choose from when you eat out. Each has a range of dishes that you can order with little in the way of guilt but you have to know the rules. Sometimes there are things that you have no control over, like sodium levels. Many restaurants pre-season their foods so they can’t always accommodate you by whipping up a salt free version, but at higher end establishments I’ve found them almost always willing to do just that. The following guides will help you navigate the maze of many different food choices from different cuisines. I couldn’t fit them all but just about most of the main ones are covered. The rules apply to just about every type of food known to man in the first place. They are categorized so you can skip ahead to the cuisine you are interested in learning about but do take the time to read them all as each contain valuable lessons on how making better choices in terms of your food. Here is the list of cuisines covered:

 

American Cuisine

Chinese Cuisine

French Cuisine

Health Food & Organic Cuisine

Indian  Cuisine

Italian Cuisine

Japanese Cuisine (Highly Recommended)

Mediterranean Cuisine

Mexican Cuisine

Thai Cuisine

Spanish Cuisine

 

 

 American Cuisine- Eating Out & Staying Healthy At American Restaurants

American cuisine is an incredibly diverse culinary set of foods that range from barbequed meats to pies and seafood plates. Given the wonderfully different traditions (from New England clam chowder to California rolls) that create what we know today as American cuisine, it’s hard to narrow it down to a couple of foods.  Nevertheless there are some recommendations as to what you should and shouldn’t eat if you are trying to keep your calories in check when eating at American themed establishments. The great part about American cuisine is the meats and seafood.  You usually can’t go wrong with any such selections if you get a vegetable dish or salad to go with it. Steakhouse standards are usually fine as are grilled selections- shrimp included if it isn’t smothered in butter. Ribs are usually okay if you only have them very infrequently and even then it’s only a good idea if it isn’t smothered in sugary barbecue sauce- which for most takes the fun out of eating it in the first place. Common side orders in many restaurants are home cut fries and they are best avoided due to their high fat, sodium and calorie content. Selections that come with bread like hamburgers are fine as long as they aren’t loaded with salt and you leave the bread on the side. If you can get a leaner meat like bison for your burgers that makes it even better. It goes without saying that the obviously unhealthy additions like mayonnaise are a no-no and the same goes for most commercial forms of ketchup which are high in high fructose corn syrup and sugar. American cuisine is known for its dessert selections- apple pie, cheesecake, ice cream and the like and as we mentioned in the first part of the guide dessert is best avoided unless it’s fruit. Not great news, I know but it is the easiest way to stay on track. The practice of only having a small bit doesn’t help you learn how to appreciate foods that aren’t overly sweet which is an important lesson that you need to learn in order to be successful long term in controlling your weight and maintaining good health.

American Cuisine Rules For Staying In Shape

• Ask for sauces on the side, have appetizers only if you are going to be active later or if it is earlier in the day.
• If it’s fried skip it unless it’s all they have. If you must eat fried chicken remove the skin before eating it.
• If you must have an appetizer stick with salads without dressing  or cheese added or protein foods like chicken, fish, etc that preferably aren’t fried.
• Have water as your main drink- you’ll save a lot of calories that way and skip the wine list and the beer! If you must have something to drink make it an unsweetened ice tea.
• Don’t overdo it. If you eat too much of anything, even the healthiest items on the menu you can consume enough extra calories that will go right to your midsection. Always keep 1/3 of your stomach empty (especially at buffet type restaurants) and think in terms of having a quality dining experience and enjoying your food instead of eating to the point of being full.
• Learn to do without dessert if they don’t have fruit on the menu.  The taste for sweets is learned and like anything you learned it can be unlearned over time if you keep trying.
• Enjoy yourself!

 

Chinese Cuisine-  Healthy Eating Out At Chinese Restaurants

It’s important to note that most of what passes for Chinese food here in the United States is actually American cuisine created by Chinese immigrants who migrated to the country and formulated recipes that would be appealing to the American public. Since they are just about everywhere, we will cover these selections as well as the traditional Chinese fares which for the most part fall into different categories based on what part of China the food comes from. Cantonese cuisine is on the most popular when traditional Chinese food comes to mind and it consists of range of edible meats including duck, chicken as well as more exotic choices like organ meats, chicken feet, snails and frogs. As alien as many of these foods may be to Western taste buds, they are actually not bad from a health point of view. Cantonese foods tend to be steamed, shallow fried, boiled, braised or deep fried and with the exception of the fried foods everything  else tends to be good choices as long as the sauces stay on the side.

Dim Sum- which means ‘touch your heart’ and refers to a series of small different dishes that give you an opportunity to taste several different foods. Picks include rice based dishes, dumplings, buns with different meats inside, stir fried vegetables and soups. As much as the choices may not always be ideal calorie wise for someone trying to lose weight, the dishes are pretty small and if you stick to the foods that are freshest and not fried, you should be okay – as long as you don’t overdo it and keep the sauces on the side.

Other regional Chinese cuisines are Hunan which is usually spicy foods that are either stewed, roasted, braised or smoked with an array of vegetables and spices and Szechuan which uses a lot of garlic and peppers in addition to peanuts, sesame pastes and ginger for flavoring.

 

Chinese Cuisine Rules For Staying In Shape

• Ask for sauces on the side, have appetizers only if you are going to be active later or if it is earlier in the day.
• Choose grilled and steamed dishes over fried ones. Chicken, fish, shrimp, duck and even choices typically thought of as unhealthy such as beef and pork are fine in moderation as long as it isn’t fried or swimming in a high sodium and high fat sauce.
• ‘Crispy’ means fried so avoid anything on the menu in this category.
• If you can try to stay away from the more American Chinese food dishes like fried rice, General Tso’s Chicken, fried noodles and sweet and anything with sweet and sour sauce.
• Load up on the many vegetable based dishes that are always a part of Chinese Cuisine.
• Have water as your main drink- and feel free to have some green tea if it is provided while you wait for your meal. It actually does have some mild fat burning qualities.
• Don’t overdo it. Think in terms of having a quality dining experience and not paying to fill your stomach to the point of bursting.
• Learn to do without dessert. They serve some orange slices at the end of a meal at real Chinese restaurants (along with a fortune cookie that you will carry home for the kids) and that should be more than enough!
• Enjoy yourself!

 

 

French Cuisine- Eating Out & Staying Healthy At French Restaurants

Given that my better half hails from Paris and that I majored in French when I was in school, it goes without saying that I have a soft spot for French cuisine. Most would immediately think that all French foods are unhealthy as images of wines and cheeses with rich meats and extensive desserts tend to come to mind when French cuisine is mentioned, but there are many healthy selections. As I mentioned in the first installment of the Eating Out Guide- if you believe that there is nothing healthy on the menu you are far more likely to not see the healthy choices that are right before your eyes and here we will dispel the myth that all French food is bad for your waistline.

At French restaurants there is always a wide variety of meats and vegetables and usually all you have to do is to have the sauces on the side. French sauces are a wonderfully rich and flavorful tradition that gives signature luxuriance to the meals found at French restaurants. That being said most Americans don’t realize that the average French person doesn’t eat what you would find in a restaurant on a regular basis in the same way everyone in Italy doesn’t eat pasta every day.

There are many different regional differences to French cuisine but for the most part you can always find something that won’t make you go overboard calorie wise. Salads and vegetables are always available as appetizers as and make excellent starting choices. As for entrees, seafood is always on the menu as are grilled meats ranging from different kinds of poultry to beef, lamb and rabbit. In moderation, any such protein foods are fine as long as they aren’t lathered in sauce. For dessert fruit salads are often available and one of the best aspects of French cuisine is that the portions are not usually as astronomical as American cuisine which makes it much easier to not overdo it.

French Cuisine Rules For Staying In Shape

• Ask for sauces on the side whenever possible.
• Have appetizers only if you are going to be active later or if it is earlier in the day unless you can get a salad, some vegetables or a low fat protein food of some sort.
• Have water not wine as your main drink- you’ll save a lot of calories that go a long way in ensuring that your liver isn’t burdened with having to break down the alcohol in your bloodstream so it can carry out one of its key functions which is to metabolize your fat stores!
• Don’t overdo it. One of the central tenets of French cuisine is the act of enjoying your meal in very much the same way you would enjoy music or a work of art. Think in terms of having a quality dining experience and savoring what is on your plate without trying to fill your stomach to the point of bursting.
• Have fruit for dessert if it is available and if not then learn to do without it. Not having dessert ever killed anyone while one would find it hard to argue the contrary.
• Enjoy yourself!

 

 

Health Food & Organic Cuisine- Eating Out & Staying Healthy At Health Food & Organic Restaurants

Today, there are a number of restaurant popping up that claim ‘Health Food’ as their cuisine type and as is the case with all things in the world of men, some are better than others. The good ones aren’t simply well dressed fast food restaurants but use whole and unprocessed ingredients and organic fruits, vegetables and meats. Good health food restaurants also won’t have much in the way of fried foods, but a large selection of grilled, steamed and baked dishes, usually made from scratch.

The good news is that at such a restaurant you can usually get whatever you like made to order without the extra sodium you’ll tend to find as standard in most regular restaurants and that you’ll have a nice variety of choices. The bad news is that just because it comes from a health food restaurant doesn’t mean that the food you are getting is going to help you with your goal to get in shape. Many offer lower calorie versions of junk food that are still far too high in calories, sugars or fats to qualify as a healthy choice. Low fat pizza, smoothies, protein shakes, muffins and the like shouldn’t be your selections regardless of how many  healthy adjectives are used to describe it on the menu. Similarly, with lower fat foods like chicken breasts, bison and hummus be careful if it comes with bread of any kind as it can be a source of some unwanted calories- even if it is in the form of a thin wrap. Remember as well that the laws of thermodynamics always apply and won’t changes because the restaurant has a reputation as a great place for healthy meals. If you overeat anything it can make you fat, so go easy on the portion sizes and enjoy the wider selection of guilt free choices at healthy food joints in moderation.

 

Health Food Cuisine Rules For Staying In Shape

• Many healthy food restaurants still serve foods with sauces so always make a point to ask for them on the side or have your order without them.
• Have appetizers only if you are going to be active later or if it is earlier in the day unless you can get a salad, some vegetables or a low fat protein food of some sort.
• Have water not protein shakes! They aren’t natural foods and you are better off without them! (Read my article on protein shakes here)
• Skip the smoothies and the vegetable juices- even if it is freshly blended. You wouldn’t eat 12 carrots at one sitting, so what is natural about drinking that many in a vegetable juice? Our bodies are designed to eat fruit and vegetables- not drink them, as the fiber will help us not overeat them or have a large insulin spike in response to their sugar content. Smoothies and juices don’t have those qualities and can make it easy to overindulge and have some extra layers packed around your stomach.
• Don’t overdo it. Just because the food is organic/fresh or healthy doesn’t give you free reign to eat until you are stuffed. On the contrary with lower fat foods you have to always make a point to stop yourself as you will naturally want to eat more of it to make up for the smaller calorie and fat count. The rule of thumb is to keep one third of your stomach always empty and you should be fine as long as you are only consuming solid foods.
• Enjoy yourself!

Indian Cuisine- Eating Out & Staying Healthy At Indian Restaurants

Aside from the fact that my great-great grandfather came from India, Indian foods are very much staples back in Trinidad where I grew up and I have a strong fondness for curries and other Indian dishes. Like many Asian cuisines, many think of Indian foods as a bit of a splurge diet wise, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be the case. Curries for the most part are actually pretty innocuous as far as calories go and are a simple and delightful way to add flavor to foods when you are dieting and trying to lose weight. The ingredients of cumin, coriander and turmeric are not only sodium free but also very low in calories and are fine additions to both meat and vegetable dishes. While most of the selections thus far offer quite a number of choices for carnivores, Indian cuisines have many more picks for those wishing to avoid meat. You will always have a wealth of vegetable plates to choose from.

Like many cooking styles Indian cuisine has a variety of different regional variations and ways of preparing their meals, but for the most part the staples  are rice, lentils, mung beans, split peas, an unleavened bread like dishes such as roti and naan and a variety of vegetables. Northern Indian cuisines use peanut oils to cook their foods, while coconut oil and milk are more popular in the west and the south. Tandoori barbecued meats are common in northern Indian cuisines along with an ample range of spices and herbs. Ghee is an important part of Indian cooking and is derived from butter. It is very high in fat and modern versions are made with hydrogenated vegetable oil and should be avoided as much as possible. You can’t really go wrong with many of the items on the menu of a traditional Indian restaurant as long as you keep the sauces to a minimum- although as I said before curries are usually fine. Naan bread and roti are okay if eaten in moderation and only before you are going to do some form of exercise or activity. If it is later in the day it would be wise to skip it.

 

Indian Cuisine Rules For Staying In Shape

• Ask for sauces on the side, have appetizers only if you are going to be active later or if it is earlier in the day.
• Choose protein foods as appetizers, especially if you are going to be eating a lot of carbohydrate type foods such as naan and roti with your entrée.
• Have water as your main drink- you’ll save a lot of calories that way.
• Don’t overdo it. Think in terms of having a quality dining experience and not paying to fill your stomach to the point of bursting.
• Learn to do without dessert. Like anything else, the taste for sweets is learned and anything learned can be unlearned with time.
• Enjoy yourself!

 

 

Italian Cuisine- A Guide To Eating Out & Staying Healthy At Italian Restaurants

First and foremost it should be noted that Italian cuisine isn’t only pizza and pasta. Both are on the verboten list of most trying to get into shape but it really isn’t representative of the extremely healthy and varied choices available at finer Italian restaurants. Pasta is cause for concern calorie wise as it is not too far away from being a simple sugar and has very little in the way of fiber to prevent a major insulin spike when you eat it. The lack of fiber also makes it hard for you to know when you have eaten too much as you probably have already gone far overboard by the time you start feeling full. Add to that the high calorie and high fat sauces and cheese and you are indeed looking at a perfect recipe for extra notched on your belt- but Italian foods aren’t only about pasta.

Here in New York there are more Italian restaurants than any other individual ethnic cuisine, and more often than not the more expensive the restaurant the more variety away from pasta and pizza dishes you’ll see. At any reputable Italian restaurant you’ll always have a great selection of salads and vegetables- especially as an appetizer. For main courses seafood is usually a safe bet with any sauces on the side so you can add it later if you so choose to do so, most of the poultry and meat plates are reasonable choices as well. Give all the cheeses a wide berth and do the same for the rich sauces and you will always be fine.

 

Italian Cuisine Rules For Staying In Shape

• Ask for sauces on the side, have appetizers only if you are going to be active later or if it is earlier in the day.
• Choose protein foods as appetizers.
• Have water as your main drink- you’ll save a lot of calories that way.

•  Stay away from the pasta, but embrace the seafood

• Don’t overdo it. Think in terms of having a quality dining experience and not paying to fill your stomach to the point of bursting.
• Learn to do without dessert. Like anything else, the taste for sweets is learned and anything learned can be unlearned with time.
• Enjoy yourself! (Seeing a trend here?)

 

 Japanese Cuisine- Eating Out & Staying Healthy At Japanese Restaurants

Japanese food has been a staple in my diet ever since I moved to New York. In terms of cuisine, it is usually the easiest place to find healthy and wholesome foods that are in line with my diet. So much so that I have a bit of a mantra- whenever in doubt- go Japanese! With such a wide assortment of fresh fish, vegetables and sashimi you simply can’t go wrong if you know what to get.

The first rule of thumb for eating out or getting takeout from a Japanese restaurant is to order sashimi and not sushi. Sushi is made with rice and can often contain unwanted levels of sodium and added sugars whereas sashimi is simply raw fish. While there is no such thing as a perfect food- raw fish certainly fits the bill as a good low calorie and high protein food that will not only fill you up but ensure that you aren’t taking in any added sugars, salt or additives. You can also add some wasabi and ginger for some added flavor without any guilt as they are both very low in calories. You can have sashimi at any time of the day and it gives you an eating out option even on the strictest phase of any diet. My personal training clients have thrived on it for years with great results but as good as sashimi may be, all things must be eaten in moderation. You can overeat anything if you aren’t too careful and be mindful of the mercury levels of some of the bigger fishes used in sashimi, like salmon and tuna. Having it once in a while is fine, but not but not every day. Apart from sashimi, traditional Japanese restaurants offer a plethora of other great choices with meals that cater easily to vegetarians as well. Getting to the other items on the menu at Blue Ribbon Sushi there is truly a huge selection of plates that fall into the good food category. You will always be on track if you have a vegetable based appetizer with the sauces on the side but be wary of the use of soy sauce- which is extremely high in sodium and not what I would consider a part of any healthy food list. Miso soup contains a lot of sodium and soy as well, which I advise people to either avoid completely or eat in very small amounts and you are better off having a salad for starters anyway.

For main courses, you can have sushi on occasion if it is for lunch or you plan on being active afterwards. A general rule during the week is to have rice dishes on days you exercise or plan on being really active and have vegetables on the off days when you won’t need as much energy. All of the seafood, poultry, vegetable and meat selections are usually fine as long as they are not fried- which eliminates the tempura dishes. Teriyaki dishes as well should be given a wide berth as they contain soy sauce, sake or mirin, as well as high levels of sugar or honey. Instead go for the steamed dishes and ask for any sauces to be either not brought with your meal or placed on the side. To summarize, Japanese restaurants are prime locations for anyone looking to eat healthy but be sure to check the Health Inspection Grades and the reputation of the restaurant you go to if you are going to have sashimi or sushi. Having raw fish that isn’t kept at the proper temperatures or prepared correctly can cause severe illness- so don’t pick up your sushi or sashimi at the supermarket- especially in summer! Stick with the choices only from reputable Japanese restaurants.

 

Japanese Cuisine Rules For Staying In Shape

• Ask for sauces on the side, have appetizers only if you are going to be active later or if it is earlier in the day.
• Choose protein foods and vegetables as your appetizers, as most Japanese restaurant menus offer a wide range of them.
• Skip the sake and have water as your main drink- you’ll save a lot of calories that way and have no regrets!
• Don’t overdo it. Even though foods like sashimi are low in calories you can still overeat. Think in terms of having a quality dining experience and not paying to fill your stomach to the point of bursting.
• If they don’t serve fresh fruit then skip the dessert. Like anything else, the taste for sweets is learned and anything learned can be unlearned with time.
• Enjoy yourself!

 

Mediterranean Cuisine- A Guide To Eating Out & Staying Healthy At Mediterranean Restaurants

Thanks to the commercial success of many of the Mediterranean diet books most of us are aware that the emphasis on seafood, beans vegetables and olive oil and garlic infused meals create healthy items on any menu. One of the problems is that it is hard to define Mediterranean cuisine as a whole as it encompasses so many countries- from the African Middle Eastern countries like Egypt and Tunisia to Israeli, Greek and even French and Italian cuisines. That being said most Mediterranean restaurants here in the United States tend to have what many would term Middle Eastern food- but appellations aside they do offer great healthy choices for eating out or ordering in.

 

Hummus is perhaps one of the standards these days for many eating at Mediterranean restaurants and it is a spread made from made from cooked, mashed chickpeas, blended with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic. The sodium content can sometimes be high but at higher end restaurants it tends to be a bit lower. Hummus is a great food choice that’s high in fiber and protein but you must be aware that it isn’t a low calorie food and it is easy to overdo it. Usually used as a dip with pita bread or with  falafel, grilled chicken, fish or eggplant. Aside from falafel- which is a deep fried patty made from chickpeas or fava beans- having hummus with the other selections is fine. Combined with pita it creates a complete protein for anyone following the vegetarian route but be aware as well that pita bread does come with some added calories and can be easy to overeat. I usually recommend that people avoid breads altogether but if you must have it then do so in moderation. Other hallmarks of Mediterranean cuisine are variety of lamb, goat, yogurts and cheeses. Most restaurants have roasted meats on the menu which are always good choices but the cheeses and yogurts should be on the side if you want to keep your diet in check. There are also an assortment of vegetable dishes- okra, lentil pilafs, eggplant and wheat germ plates that are fantastic foods for anyone not wanting to eat meat. As good as the food may be, do keep in mind that you can overeat anything- so be vigilant of your portion sizes and get all sauces on the side so you can be in control of how much of it you eat- if any.

 

Mediterranean  Food Rules For Staying In Shape

• Go easy on the hummus and have it with grilled chicken, fish, eggplants or vegetables instead of with pita breads.
• Ask for all sauces and yogurts on the side
• Goat cheese is still cheese so skip it if you want to keep your calories in check.
• Choose grilled foods over fried ones. Lamb and goat are fine from time to time as long as you don’t overdo your portions.
• Stock up on the array of vegetable plates.
• Keep in mind the time of the day- feel free to have an appetizer if it is in the middle of the day, but load up more on  vegetables if it is later in the day or on days when you will be inactive.
• Have water as your drink- you’ll spend less and your liver and your waist will love you for it.
• Always leave feeling like you could still eat a little more, especially with easy to eat foods like hummus. Never leave a restaurant feeling stuffed!
• Enjoy yourself!

 

Caribbean Cuisine (See rules for Spanish and Indian Foods)

 

 

Mexican Cuisine- A Guide To Eating Healthy At Mexican Restaurants

Mexican restaurants are often thought of as places where healthy food isn’t on the menu and nothing could be further from the truth. As a rule, most quality Mexican restaurants offer a range of wholesome food choices that you can have while staying within the boundaries of eating healthy- you just have to make sure that you don’t overdo it. Of late, chain restaurants like Chipotle have opened across the country with a variety of healthy selections on the menu doing much to show that Mexican cuisine does indeed have a lot to offer those who are health conscious. Be mindful though that not everything on the menu falls into that category, even though it might be marketed as such.

To start or as your main course, any chicken or meat based salad is fine- but you have to forgo the cheese, the dressing and the guacamole if you want to keep your calorie count down. If you must have salsa- ask for it on the side as opposed to drowning your food in it- that way you can moderate how much of it you eat as it can be a source of added calories and unwanted sodium. Things like chips and guacamole are obviously not great candidates nor are soft tacos with cheese and sour cream added to it. If you must have a taco, have it custom made without anything added to the protein selection except for beans, corn and or rice. It’s a bit of a splurge so don’t have it too often and only if you plan on being active afterwards. Burritos can be a problem since everything is wrapped up but burrito bowls are fine as you can ask for the sour cream, guacamole and salsa to be omitted or on the side. Again these are foods you have before doing something- not late night dinner choices and be sure not to go overboard with it.

At many Mexican restaurants, steak is usually on the menu as is poultry, ceviche, seafood salads and soups. As long as the salt levels aren’t too high and you stay clear of the usual suspects like quesadillas and nachos you should be fine. While I am not a huge corn advocate, if the restaurant serves organically grown fare then corn tortillas should be okay in moderation.

 

 

Mexican Food Rules For Staying In Shape

• Ask for sauces on the side, freshly made salsa is okay in moderation if it isn’t too salty, as is guacamole. Guacamole is a bit high calorie, but not a problem if you don’t overindulge
• Skip the cheese laden foods.
• Choose grilled foods over fried ones. Chicken, fish, shrimp, and even beef and pork are fine as long as it isn’t fried and you don’t overdo your portions. Keep in mind that  ‘Crispy’ means fried!
• Have the corn tortillas- it has higher fiber content than wheat products and is gluten free.
• Keep in mind the time of the day- feel free to have an appetizer if it is in the middle of the day, but load up more on salads and vegetables if it is later in the day or on days when you will be inactive.
• Have water as your drink- you’ll spend less and your liver and your waist will love you for it.
• Always leave feeling like you could still eat a little more, especially with easy to eat foods like tortillas. Never leave a restaurant feeling stuffed!
• Enjoy yourself!

 

Spanish Cuisine- Eating Out & Staying Healthy At Spanish Restaurants

By Spanish food, I will include not only the foods of European origin but also the foods found in restaurants with cuisines from South America and the Spanish speaking Caribbean as well as they tend to be similar in many ways. The Spanish influence on the colonies is quite evident and for the most part Spanish food tends to have an impressive assortment of plates. From seafood, paellas, and other shrimp dishes to steaks, chorizo and rice dishes. As always you can hardly falter if you choose to have a protein or vegetable based appetizer and a main course of seafood, poultry or meats with the sauces on the side.

Rice dishes such as paella are common throughout most Spanish cuisines with rice and bean plates such as arroz con gandules more common in the Caribbean islands. All are fine choices when eaten in moderation and with an eye for what you are going to do next. A good way to look at it is that starchy carbohydrates like rice, potatoes and the like are energy foods you eat before doing some form activity, so if you plan on not doing anything after your meal you should go easy on them and have more fibrous carbohydrates like vegetables instead. On your training days rice dishes are fine- but have veggies on your off days or if you are eating later in the day and plan on going to bed afterwards. It is a myth that eating and then going to bed will make you fat as the time of the day that you eat doesn’t influence whether you store calories or not. What is important is that at the end of the day most people are more likely to overeat and not do anything with the excess calories ingested- so make it a rule not to load up later in the day.

Tomato based dishes are fine as well as long as they are not too high in sodium as are shrimp plates. There is much said about shrimp being an inherently unhealthy food and while I personally don’t eat it due to the way it is farmed and the harm such farming does to the environment, I see no reason why it can’t be consumed in moderation as long as it isn’t fried or smothered in butter even though it has a high fat content. With more Caribbean Spanish foods, pork dishes such as pernil and chuletas are fine as long as you limit yourself but beware of the fried dishes, especially ones like maduros- fried plantains which are highly addictive!

Eating anything in excess can make you fat- so be especially aware if you are having tapas that while you are enjoying the ambiance and perhaps the company that you may not know when enough is enough if you don’t pay attention to how much you are eating. And of course be sure to avoid alcohol as much as you can.

 

Spanish Cuisine Rules For Staying In Shape

• Ask for sauces on the side, have appetizers and rice dishes only if you are going to be active later or if it is earlier in the day.
• Choose protein foods like grilled seafood and poultry as your main courses with other meats and shrimp as occasional selections.
• Frito or frita means fried as does crispy- so stay away from anything on the menu with these words in it.
• Have water as your main drink- you’ll save a lot of calories that way and skip the alcohol!
• Don’t overdo it. Think in terms of having a quality dining experience and not paying to fill your stomach to the point of bursting.
• Learn to do without dessert unless they serve fresh fruit. Like anything else, the taste for sweets is learned and anything learned can be unlearned with time. (Read my article here about controlling your eating habits)
• Enjoy yourself

 

 Steakhouse (see American Cuisine)

 

Thai Cuisine- Eating Out & Staying Healthy At Thai Restaurants

The first thing that strikes you in any Thai Restaurant is the abundance of peanut and curry sauces. Curry is actually fine and used by many while dieting to add flavor to their food while shedding extra pounds. The peanut sauces are okay as long as you are able to moderate yourself. As high calorie as peanuts can be, our bodies don’t metabolize those calories the way it does other foods so a little here and there should be okay. Most Thai restaurants and Asian restaurants in general boast an abundance of seafood and healthy protein dishes to choose from. Appetizers menus tend to be filled with protein foods, salads and vegetables which are always good choices.  As always, don’t have appetizers if you are eating later in the day or are not going to be terribly active after your meal, (see my article- Managing Your Carbohydrates  for more information about food timing).

In Thai cuisine, there is an array of dishes with beef, pork, chicken, duck and fish with the occasional exotic foods like frog, crab and muscle tendons (which aren’t bad at all if you are adventurous enough to order it). In general, the roasted and barbecued meats are always good choices as are the steamed seafood selections like red snapper, tilapia, striped bass crab and shrimp. Vegetable dishes abound as well and curries and peanut sauces are fine as well as we mentioned before in moderation. If possible though try to get it on the side and dip you food in it for flavor as opposed to having your main course swimming in it. That way, you’ll cut the calories down a bit. Rice dishes are fine for active days while vegetables should replace them for dinner or later meals where you aren’t going to be doing much after your meal.

 

Thai Cuisine Rules For Staying In Shape

• Ask for sauces on the side, have appetizers only if you are going to be active later or if it is earlier in the day.
• Choose protein foods as appetizers.
• Have water as your main drink- you’ll save a lot of calories that way and skip the sake!
• Don’t overdo it. Think in terms of having a quality dining experience and not paying to fill your stomach to the point of bursting.
• Learn to do without dessert. Like anything else, the taste for sweets is learned and anything learned can be unlearned with time.
• Enjoy yourself!

Related Articles- Eating Out & Staying Healthy- The Rules

 

Kevin Richardson is an award winning health and fitness writer, one of the most sought after personal trainers in New York City and creator of Naturally Intense High Intensity Training^TM. Get a copy of his free weight loss ebook here and be sure to sign up below for our newsletter for more fitness tips and an even more in-depth restaurant guide coming out in the coming weeks! If you live in the New York metropolitan area and need help losing weight or taking your body to the next level give Kevin and his team a call at 1-800-798-8420 or click here to get started with 50% off your trial personal training session.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Comprehensive Guide To Eating Out & Staying In Shape- Restaurant Rules

Part 1 of 2

 

It used to be really simple. If you don’t want to gain weight and always eat healthy just cook all of your meals at home and don’t eat out at restaurants. It’s how I grew up back in the islands and it works- but as effective as it may be in terms of having complete control over what goes into your body, eating only home cooked meals simply isn’t always possible for everyone in today’s fast paced world. More and more people have little choice but to eat out on a regular basis as home cooked meals aren’t always practical if you are always on the run. Ask your grandparents and they’ll tell you that jobs today aren’t anything like what they were several decades ago. Our information intensive environments coupled with an ultra-competitive job market have made 40 hour weeks all but obsolete and it isn’t uncommon for many to have to endure 50-70 hour work weeks to get by. Such arduous hours make it impractical if not impossible for many to find the time or the energy to cook everything they need for the coming week. For others, eating out is an integral part of their job description if not a regular event that is part of their office culture, needless to say, while eating only home cooked meals may be the easiest way to stay in shape- it is very much possible to eat out and keep the pounds off as well. It takes some doing but it isn’t impossible.

 

I, for one, eat out on a pretty regular basis, so much so that I’ve been a Zagat reviewer for the past ten years or so, here in New York City and not in any way does it force me to make compromises in terms of consistently eating well. That being said, you do have to be knowledgeable of what you can and cannot eat on the restaurant menu and you can’t expect to find something wholesome at a fast food chain. Too often, health fanatics isolate themselves from their friends and family by not going out to eat and in so doing they miss the opportunity to partake in one of the most ancient of human social activities- which is in sharing a meal. It doesn’t have to be that way and it shouldn’t be. Being healthy isn’t about living a Spartan and hermetic existence- it’s about balance, and when done judiciously, eating out can easily find a place in a healthy lifestyle. In part one of the Eating Out Guide, I will do my best to outline some of the basics  to keep in mind when eating out in general and in part two I will cover in detail the food selections available to you and what you should avoid in over a dozen different popular cuisines. Thanks for reading and I hope this guide not only encourages you to eat out at good restaurants but also helps you keep your waistline trim at the same time.

 

 

The Psychology of Eating Out & Staying In Shape

The Rules

1. Don’t be negative-  If you think that there’s nothing healthy to eat- you won’t find anything healthy to eat.
2. Your parents aren’t watching- Just because it’s on your plate doesn’t mean that you have to eat it
3. You are the boss so don’t be afraid to ask for what you want the way you want it.

 

Rule 1. There is always something you can eat if you are at a good restaurant

One of the biggest mistakes when you are eating out is to think that you don’t have any healthy choices. Such a predisposition only makes it more likely that you will indeed eat eat junk food and is one of the reasons people blow their diet when eating out or ordering in. In Ninjutsu, the martial tradition that I have taught and studied for the past few decades,  there is a sub-discipline called tonpo- the art of escape. You may wonder what the art of escape has to do with eating out, but the fundamental precept of tonpo is that if you believe there is no way out then it is unlikely that you will ever find one. However if you see things for what they are without a prejudiced point of view and remain alert, you will find that there is almost always a way out. With regards to eating out, if you go to a restaurant and resign yourself to eating poorly then that’s exactly what you’ll do. You’ll only see the poor choices on the menu and won’t have the perspective of trying to make the best of the choices before you. If you are always  positive that there must must be something healthy on the menu then you’ll most likely find it and make wiser choices. Keep in mind that these precepts won’t always work in a dive or fast food restaurant and it’s another reason why you should always eat or order in from quality establishments. It costs a bit more but you are more than worth it.

Rule 2. Just because it’s on your plate doesn’t mean you have to eat it.

When we were children most of us were taught to always finish what was on your plate. Growing up it was often painful to be confronted with something I didn’t like as I knew that if it was on my plate I had to eat it. While this is great principle to teach kids the value of food and not to be wasteful, it can cause more problems than it solves when we are adults as it can encourage us to overeat. Especially given the over-sized portions served at many restaurants here in the United States. Compounding the ingrained traits of always eating what’s on your plate is the conviction that you’re not getting the most for your money if you don’t eat your money’s worth of food. It might be good economics- but good economics is actually one of the reasons our nation faces obesity problems in the first place (read my article on the Economics of Obesity here). These ways of thinking do little to promote healthy eating habits and hinders you from making sensible judgements about what goes into your body and encourages a very negative way of looking at food. Such points of view create great consumers but fall far short of creating healthy individuals.

It can be hard to not eat everything and not feel wasteful, but a different point of view can make all the difference. If I’m at a restaurant and an order of mashed potatoes automatically comes with my main course, I look at it from the point of view that I only paid for the main course and not the  included mashed potatoes. From my perspective the extras are thrown in for free and I am always very firm about asking that any extras that I will not eat stay in the kitchen and not on my plate. By focusing only on what I ordered and not having the included side dishes on my plate makes much easier to not give in and something out a misplaced sense of obligation. Sometimes the side dish is already on your plate, in which case you just have to keep your goals in perspective. You can get some practical tips on avoiding the temptation of food right in front of you in my article on avoiding temptation here.

Rule 3. Remember that at a restaurant that you are the boss.

When was the last time you were at work and your boss asked you to do a project a particular way but you chose to do it your way instead and he or she was perfectly fine with it? Doesn’t happen too often in the real world, does it? And the same applies to the restaurant staff when you are eating out. When you order at restaurant of any kind- you are the boss. Not the waiter and not the chef, just you. That being said you shouldn’t be afraid of hurting anyone’s feelings since it’s their job to see to it that you get what you want. That’s the contract between a customer and any reputable restaurant, when you want something cooked a certain way you should be able to get it prepared just the way you want it. This is another reasons I advocate restaurants over fast food chains. In a real restaurant your preferences are far more likely to be accommodated. You can’t ask for your hamburger without salt or additives at McDonald’s nor should you expect such levels of service at as such establishments. It’s very much take it or leave it and my advice would be to always leave it and eat somewhere else. You aren’t the boss and so it is always worth the extra money it costs to eat at a better place.

 

Click here for part two of our Eating Out Guide as we cover over a dozen different cuisines and what you need to know to make the best food choices when ordering them:

Eating Out & Staying Healthy- A Restaurant Guide by Cuisine

 

Kevin Richardson is one of the most sought after personal trainers in New York City and the creator of Naturally Intense High Intensity Training™. Get a copy of his free weight loss ebook here. If you live in the New York metropolitan area and need help losing weight or taking your body to the next level give Kevin and his team a call at 1-800-798-8420 or click here to get started with 50% off your trial personal training session.

 

 

 

Six Tips For Staying Food Illness Free For The Summer!

   

Diet is an important part of the process for anyone serious about losing weight and getting in shape, however in all the details about what to eat, when to eat and what not to eat, there is often little time given to the element of food safety. As the temperatures go up this summer more and more people will get sick from food poisoning and the bad part is that if you are eating several meals throughout the day, with most of those meals consisting of high protein foods, then you do indeed run a very high risk of getting sick if you are not careful with your food preparation and storage. According to the Center for Disease Control an estimated 76 million cases of food borne disease occur each year in the U.S. with most of them being rather mild cases and cause symptoms that last for a day or two. However many are indeed life threatening and the CDC estimates that there are 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths related to foodborne diseases each year.  

Food safety is a big issue for me, mainly because had a serious run in with food poisoning about 15 years ago and it changed my life forever. It was my first summer here in the U.S. and I left the house earlier than usual for work and thus was unable to cook and take my lunch with me, as I usually do. That day for lunch I had Chinese food for lunch at a nearby take out restaurant - nothing fancy or unhealthy, mind you just some steamed vegetables. Later that afternoon however I got so sick that I woke up the next day in a hospital bed a full 17 lbs lighter than I was the day before! After that ordeal I promised myself that I would learn everything there was about food safety to ensure that this would never happen again- and so far so good- which is quite an accomplishment for someone that eats 6 plus times a day!  

I also worked for 14 years as the director of the recreation and food programs for both HIV/AIDS and the formerly homeless populations, and since I was responsible for sometimes preparing and handling food, I had to get food handling certification. When working with individuals with compromised immune systems, what might give someone else a bad day can end up costing them their lives!  That being said, I would like to pass on some very important tips for you this summer to make sure that you stay bacteria free this summer and all year round!  

Rule 1: KEEP HOT FOODS HOT AND COLD FOODS COLD!  

If I was asked what is the best overall rule of thumb for food safety, I would have to go with this one. It is so important if you are carrying food with you during the day that you keep it at the appropriate temperature. If you cook something fresh and need to eat it several hours later I would suggest that you invest in a thermos that is big enough for you to fit your food into. You can also use your thermos to keep foods cold that may have been refrigerated- just be sure to wash your thermos by hand after each use and check to see that there are no cracks before you put your food inside. That way you have a safe way of carrying your food around with you during the day!  

Rule 2: Wash your hands before you eat!  

I know I sound like a mother on this one, but I can hardly tell you how much of a difference it makes if you routinely clean your hands before eating or handling your food. A quick trip to any bathroom will show you that most people don’t know how to wash their hands. You have to wash with hot water and soap (any kind will do- it doesn’t have to be antibacterial) for at least 30 seconds to really get the germs off. Most wash for less than 10, which really doesn’t do much. A good guide is to sing the Happy Birthday song twice while washing, that will make sure you spend just enough time to wash your hands properly. If not around a water source, you can use a hand sanitizer or alcohol swabs, just don’t assume that your hands are clean and just eat.  

Rule 3: Get a thermometer for your refrigerator!  

Bacteria exist everywhere and you cannot get away from them. Under certain conditions like when they have moisture, and favorable temperatures, they grow very quickly, increasing in numbers to the point where some types of bacteria can make you sick. Bacteria grow most rapidly in the range of temperatures between 40 and 140 °F, the so called “Danger Zone,” with some forms being able to double in number in as little as 20 minutes.  

To minimize the growth of bacteria in a any unit the temperature must be kept at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or less. Unfortunately, while we humans can do a pretty good job of saying whether something is hot or cold, we cannot tell the difference between 39 degrees or 40 degrees, and that difference could make you very sick or worse. Don’t leave your temperature regulation to simple guesswork, invest in a thermometer for your fridge and you might be surprised that it isn’t always at the best temperature to keep your cold foods cold! By the way any perishable foods kept at temperatures above 40 °F for more than 2 hours should not be consumed.  

 Rule 4: If you eat out check the restaurant’s health inspection record!  

It might sound a bit involved but the beauty of the Internet is that you can access the food saftey inspection records for just about any restaurant  from your local department of health. Do a search for ‘restaurant food saftey inspections’ and you can look up where you are about to eat online. Interestingly enough, the Chinese take out restaurant that put me in the hospital had 48 violation points on their last inspection with everything from inadequate personal hygeine and unsantizited food contact surfaces to the presence of vermin in food areas. Do a quick check of the restaurants in your neighbourhood (if you live in New York you can do a check here) I’m sure that you will be surprised at how many places have sub standard food inspection reports.  

Here in New York starting in July 2010,  the health department will require certain types of food service establishments to prominently post letter grades that correspond to their sanitary inspection scores- which I am certain will go a long way in forcing a lot of food establishments to clean up their act!  

 Rule 5: Use Bleach and water to clean up!  

Whenever you handle meats, you should have a bottle with a bleach solution to disinfect surfaces that come into contact with meats in addition to washing with hot soapy water. You only need 1 tablespoon of bleach per quart of water to make an effective germ killer and it is a cheap and effective means of killing bacteria. More expensive cleaners only make the germs smell nice for a while, but do nothing to kill them, so bleach is the way to go.  

Rule 6: Use Your Sense Of Smell!  

Sounds a bit primitive, but it works! I cannot tell you how often I hear people say that the fish they ate didn’t smell too wholesome, but they ate it anyway- that might be a recipe for getting sick as fresh fish does not have any smell whatsoever! For over one hundred thousand years our sense of smell has kept us healthy by telling us when foods were not good to eat but today it is a sense that we almost ignore when it comes to food. That and the fact that most of our meats are wrapped in plastic- which does a first rate job of hiding the fact that the meat may be past its prime. When buying meat, chicken or fish, there should be no smell- none at all. Any odor is a sign of bacteria proliferation and you need to not buy it, not cook it and not eat it! For prepared foods (especially at restaurants) if your protein foods have a strange odor, don’t be afraid to send it back. It is your right as a consumer and don’t take the risk of eating it because the potential downsides really aren’t worth it.  

If the food is supposed to be served hot and is only lukewarm when you get it, or hot on the outside, but only warm on the inside, then send it back as well. It might sound like you are being a pain, but the reality is that you need to look out for your health, and if you are paying for food, it should be food that is safe to eat. Unfortunately foods don’t have to smell badly to make you sick, so it isn’t a be all and end all proposition that because there is no smell that all is well. There are two different types of bacteria: pathogenic bacteria, the kind that cause foodborne illness, and spoilage bacteria, the kind of bacteria that cause foods to deteriorate and develop unpleasant odors, tastes, and textures.  

Pathogenic bacteria can grow rapidly in the “Danger Zone,” the temperature range between 40 and 140 °F, but they do not generally affect the taste, smell, or appearance of a food. In other words, one cannot tell that a pathogen is present.  

On the other hand, spoilage bacteria can grow at low temperatures, such as in the refrigerator. Eventually they cause food to develop off or bad tastes and smells. Most people would not choose to eat spoiled food, but if they did, they probably would not get sick. It comes down to an issue of quality versus safety. I hope these tips help you stay safe and I wish everyone a happy summer! 

Kevin Richardson is the creator of Naturally Intense High Intensity Training 10 Minute Workouts and one of the most sought after personal trainers in New York City. Get a copy of his free weight loss ebook here.