Protein Lean Power

Power-up your workouts by adding lean protein to your breakfast

Warm Gluten Free Cereals: 

Buckwheat, Gluten Free Oatmeal and Organic Brown Rice Cereals

Cook as directed on the label and just before the cereal is completely cooked add pre-mixed protein powder to the cereal. Continue to cook on low heat for a few more minutes, or until the protein liquid is mostly absorbed. This will give you a creamy breakfast cereal with complex carbohydrates and protein.

To mix the protein powder: Add two scoops of protein powder to about 7-10 ounces of water (or non-dairy “milk”). Shake or blend until dissolved. Do not put the powder directly into the cereal without mixing, it will probably curdle and get lumpy without blending into the cereal.

Gluten Free Cold Cereals:

Blend protein powder in 8-10 ounces of almond, rice, oat or hemp milk. Shake or blend well. Add to your cereal bowl. You can combine this with fruit in season. 


Best Bet:

I recommend Protein Lean from Burn & Build Body to add to your warm or cold cereals and protein smoothies. It will add 17 grams of brown rice and green pea protein to your breakfast and won't cause bloating the way whey and casein protein powders can.

Protein plus Fruit Smoothies:

Mix fresh or frozen fruit with protein powder and about 8 ounces of water or almond milk. If you are allergic to nuts – use rice, oat or hemp milk.  

Eggs:

Look for organic, free range (as opposed to cage free), antibiotic free eggs. Buy them from farmers markets, or if you’re lucky enough to live in the country, go right to the farmer.

Best hard or soft boiled. Tasty scrambled eggs oxidize the cholesterol in the yolk. 

Combine your eggs with a slice of gluten free toast and steamed vegetables.

Meats:

Stay with leaner meats (turkey, chicken). Avoid sausage and fatty meats like bacon. Turkey bacon is processed, it just promotes itself as healthy, don’t be fooled.

6 to 8 ounces of is good for a serving. If you’re on a lean down and build fitness quest, meat at breakfast might be a short-term option. However, our morning metabolism isn’t usually ready for this kind of heavy protein. Stay with organic meats, or at least certified meats, free of growth hormones and antibiotics.

Combine your meat with a slice of gluten free toast, brown rice or quinoa and steamed vegetables.

McFriedBreakfasts:

This isn’t part of a healthy lifestyle or diet. No fast food breakfasts.

Know your egg, know your meat, don’t even think about dunkin a donut.

While you're at it, put these foods on your unhealthy list and  eliminate them from your diet:

Dairy including milk, cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese

Gluten containing grains, pastas and baked goods

Refined sugar and chemical sugar substitutes

Peanuts and peanut butters

Shell fish and shrimp

Deli meats and processed meats

Hydrogenated oils and oils heated to frying 

Soy products

Train your Mind,Train your Body,Tame your Tongue

Information on this site is not a substitute for consulting a licensed medical professional or nutritionist. Never begin an exercise or nutritional regime without consulting your health care provider.

Burn & Build Body with your Detox

More than Squeezing Lemons

I remember my first “detox experiment” when I was in my 30’s. Some friends were doing a fasting cleanse with water, lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper. What did I know? It sounded good to me, and since we were all engaged in similar spiritual pursuits and taking breath work classes together, I figured someone knew what they were doing. As it turned out, all we were really good at was squeezing the lemons and getting the cayenne pepper mix just right. In the end, we all went back to our old eating habits.

That wasn’t my last adventure into detoxification and I’m glad that I’ve had various experiences which have included a guided juice and vegetable liquid fast and Panchakarma, the Ayurvedic cleansing program. The goal of all of the various programs is always physical cleansing and rejuvenation.

Since then I’ve learned a lot, and since I’m working with my training clients on anti-aging and lifestyle changes in addition to pumping iron, I thought I’d share some of the information here. 

Metabolic Slow Down

Most people think that a detoxification is necessary only after you’ve binged excessively on drugs, alcohol or prescription medications. They also think that a detoxification has to be in a “fasting” form.  But that isn’t the case. Our bodies accumulate toxins through the ingestion of pesticides, breathing polluted air, drinking chlorinated water laced with fluoride and from the toxic by-products of digesting food, or only partially digesting food and from working out– as well as from drugs and alcohol. These toxic substances slow our metabolism - we get fat, decrease our energy and chip away at the vital life forces that keep us young, strong and confident.

Toxic Congestion

When toxins build up, our body looses the ability to function at its peak, opening the door for chronic, degenerative and non-specific diseases.  Our natural state of health and wellness is lost. Like Superman around kryptonite, we’re weaker everywhere… that includes mental functions and emotions that should be calm and happy – in addition to the physical dangers.

Starting a Detox

We can scrub our skin, but what about our internal organs? To look and feel our best, we have to make a conscious decision and take action to clear toxic substances from our system. Because a healthy, well functioning body is critical to gains made while strength training, I have about 70% of my new clients start with a cleanse. If you’re looking for a program, you’ll want to make sure you have guidance and support, someone to modify your program depending on your level of detoxification. Burn & Build Body was created to support my clients and Dr. Margolin's patients. Dr. Margolin and I co-founded Burn & Build Body and have been testing the Detox Kit for the last 5 years, it's user friendly, uncomplicated and has proven results.

Detox on the Run

On the run? Well, not really. But unless you can drop out of life for a week or two, you’ll be managing a detoxification program while you’re working, and dealing with everyday life. Since a program that detoxes the liver, kidneys, lymph system and supports intestinal function along with providing digestive enzymes is important to start with, I use the 14-Day Anti-Aging Detox Kit that has a specific diet, doesn’t’ crash your body and leaves everyone feeling more energetic and usually lighter.

My favorite thing is that the Burn & Build Body 14- Day Anti-Aging Detox program has a defined beginning and end, a specific and manageable diet, re-focuses eating patterns and while eliminating toxins, brings calm and change to both body and mind.

14-Day Detox vs "Fasting"

A fasting vs. food based detox. Both types of detoxification programs have benefits. When I "fast", it’ll be a fruit and vegetable juice fast, I’ll drop out of life for the duration and be in a place that prepares the juices and supports me spiritually as well as physically. The benefits of the Burn & Build Body cleanse – a cleanse that with a modified food diet include: being able to  choose to stay in your daily activities and having food to absorb and carry released toxins out of your system. 

Detox to Retox

I’m not sure if I made that word up, but it does happen. We slip into some of our old eating habits after a while. Confront your daily stresses and toxins start to build up again. So one detox gets us started, and repeated ones keep us healthy and vibrant. The New York Times (T-Magazine) recommends getting a detox Kit in December to detox after the holidays. (T-Magazine - see December 18)

Subversion Assault

It’s not just alcohol, sugar, dairy, gluten, heavy metals, pesticides and pollutants that are out to bring us down. (Translate that as “accelerate our aging process”), it’s people we know, even “friends” who want us on the same binge as them. Detoxification can also mean cleaning up our relationships and choosing healthy ones instead.

Burn to Build

Once I’ve completed this 14-Day Detox program, I find my results at the gym to multiply quicker than they have in the months before. Everything is building on a clean strong base, and nutrients are being absorbed and used as they were meant to. Because my liver is performing well, my hormone levels are better.

If you’re a guy reading this, know that a poorly functioning liver also affects your prostate health adversely. My post-detox leaner body affects my spirit as well, and I have more creativity when I’m writing or painting.

Adam Razak, an elite fitness trainer and martial artist uses and recommends these products to his clients to stay fit and get cut. On the Burn & Build Body cleanse, you'll burn body fat but not lean muscle.

This is what Rich Fitter, editor of Men's Exercise had to say about his experience:

"I plan on repeating this program every six months to ensure I stay healthy and fight father time. Given my experience with the (Burn & Build Body) 14-Day Anti-Aging Detox Kit, I highly recommend it to our (Men's Exercise) readers."

See the Anti-Aging Detox article from Men's Exercise.

Choose Anti-Aging

We get to choose what we put in our body. Choose foods that heal, nourish it and promote anti-aging. Tune-up your engine twice a year. You’ll be another chronological year older in 12 months, but your body won’t have biologically aged more than a few days.  See Burn & Build Lifestyle for food, shopping, cooking and recipe suggestions.

Train your Body. Train your Mind. Tame your Tongue.

Information on this site is not a substitute for consulting a licensed medical professional or nutritionist. You should never begin an exercise or nutritional regime without consulting your health care provider.

Cooking Healthy

Six Simple Tips

This is part 4 of “Living a Detox Lifestyle”.

1. Clean Your Food

Thoroughly rinse all vegetables, lettuce, and greens before using. The use of vegetable and fruit “soap” is recommended to help removing pesticide residues. Grains should also be thoroughly rinsed before being cooked.

2. Cooking Vegetables

The best way to cook vegetables is to steam them. Boiling destroys their nutrient content. Be careful not to over cook them – you’ll destroy valuable enzymes as well as nutrients, vegetables should be a little crunchy, not soggy.

3. Cooking Meat

Ground meat, should be lean and always cooked to well done. Other meat cuts can be cooked to your preference, although medium or medium-rare better preserve nutrients.

4. Cooking Poultry

Remove the skin of all fowl before cooking. Use a thermometer when roasting to determine when poultry is done. Grill, roast or steam, never fry.

5. Cooking Fish

Fish may smell a bit like the sea, but never bad. Do not eat it if it does. Make sure fish is cooked all the way through.

6. Steaming Fish and Poultry

You can easily steam your fish and poultry in a stacking bamboo steamer. If you want to steam vegetables at the same time, put your fish or poultry on the bottom steamer and your vegetables on the top one. Vegetables usually cook faster, simply remove the top steamer and continue cooking the fish or chicken until done. You’ll be surprised at how tender and moist your food will be.

Avoid Cooking This Way

1. Frying

Broil, steam, bake grill, roast or saute instead.

Do not fry anything.

2. With Salt

Do not salt foods, at least until after they have been cooked. Use unbleached, crystal or sea salt.

3. With Microwave Ovens

Microwaving changes the chemical structure of your food. It’s not a form that is beneficial to your body.

4. With Aluminum

Aluminum is a highly toxic metal. Aluminum molecules enter food that is cooked, covered or stored in aluminum pots, cans or foil. Teflon coatings do not prevent aluminum for leaching into food.

5. Scrambling Eggs

Cooking scrambled eggs causes oxidation of the cholesterol contained in the yolks, making it a harmful substance. Poaching eggs is best, followed by boiling.

4. Raw

Unless you have a healthy digestive system, raw vegetables can be difficult to digest. Steaming is the best choice for the first month or two of a health therapy program. If you digest raw vegetables well, disregard this last suggestion.

For more information visit the NPR website. You'll find a vinegar wash formula for cleaning vegetables and fruit as well as other tips. Click Here.

Train your Body. Train your Mind. Tame your Tongue.

Information on this site is not a substitute for consulting a licensed medical professional or nutritionist. You should never begin an exercise or nutritional regime without consulting your health care provider

Metabolic Meal Plan

Getting Results

The hardest part of my own fitness program isn’t getting to the gym or taking part in body conditioning on a committed basis, it’s eating right. You probably figured that out by how much I write about food. The food part always seems like another job ­– plan it, shop it, cook it, and then hopefully be in the mood for it when it’s time to eat. Then start all over. 

Do it. The results are worth it.

If you missed “Eating to Burn”, you might want to read it and then return to here. Eating every three hours is not a fad diet. It’s just sensible, and the quality of what we eat makes all the difference. Aim for health first, you’ll never go wrong.

Ayla Yavin, L.Ac., an acupuncturist at Longevity Health, says that she has seen people actually reverse the aging process and become more physically fit and resilient as they get older. Four keys to this are good nutrition, plenty of rest, a sustainable exercise program, and rejuvenating therapies such as acupuncture, chiropractic and massage.

Eat Well

A diet loaded with fresh organic vegetables, legumes and seasonal fruit will help keep you healthy.

Gluten free grains will keep your muscles pumped and your brain clear. When it comes to grains, the less processed the better. Whenever I’ve forgotten this and taken a turn down the processed food aisle (that includes the cookie aisle) my energy, clarity and metabolism gets sluggish.

Quality protein will build muscle. You want this! Replace some of your evening carbs with protein – you’ll add more muscle while burning additional calories digesting the protein.

We feed our cars with the fuel that makes them run best. Why treat our bodies any differently? The way food interacts with our individual body chemistry is one of the most important aspects of health and fitness for us to understand. 

Fad Diets

Fad diets arrive, they peak and then new ones appear. That’s partly from marketing, but mostly from the fact that each diet only works on one-third of the people who try it and doesn't on the other two-thirds… it just isn't suited to their body chemistry. 

Fad diets can have value though. If you’re trying one, pause and learn what part of the diet structure works for your body. Learning to eat right is a lifelong process because our body’s requirements are constantly changing.

What's in – What's out

I’ve received a lot of emails asking what my personal daily diet looks like, so I’m going to share one with you here. My day starts at 4:30 am, but for writing this plan, I started it at 7 am – when I'd really rather get up.

My eating is fairly simple and always starts with breakfast. There are three meals and three small snacks. Eating like this keeps me fueled all day long and gives me abundant energy to work out. The snacks are foods that can be kept in a desk or cooler – or in a gym bag if you’re on the run. New York fitness trainer and former Mr. Australia, Gennaro Ferra, uses a diet similar to this to keep his clients in shape.

Alcohol, most dairy, soy, peanuts, wheat (and gluten sources) and highly processed foods  are eliminated from my daily diet. Try this for yourself – go 10 days without them and see how you body feels. Then, if you want, add them back one at a time. Be sure to notice how you feel after each one re-enters your body? Does the wheat and gluten bloat you up? Do your joints hurt when you have an alcohol binge, or are you suddenly re-craving sweets the day after?

You’ll probably notice that red meat isn’t listed on my typical day menu. It is part of my diet though, a couple of servings a month. It’s better for us to eat less red meat and be sure it’s the best – hormone free, organic grass fed beef. 

Eggs are organic and free-range. Chicken and turkey is organic – or at least hormone and additive free. Vegetables and fruits are organic and seasonal. I visit local farmer's markets or purchase their produce whenever possible.

If you are over 40 – or in my case, over 60 – keeping your meals small and frequent is one of the healthiest things you can do for yourself.  Plus when you eat like this, you’ll have a metabolic furnace that will burn fat, support muscle growth, and keep your energy levels high all day long. None of these meals should hit you like a Thanksgiving Day feast. If they do, you’ve eaten too much. The same applies if you’re still full after 3 to 3 ½ hours – cut down your portions at the previous meal.

Whenever I want to prepare for a photo shoot or event, I make sure I stay on course like a Cessna getting directions from air traffic control. Our bellies are the center of our power. Take charge of your eating, and you'll be surprised at how more much personal power you feel.

My Six Meal Plan

Breakfast 7 am

·      1/2 cup of cooked oats with a scoop of protein powder mixed in, or

·      Hot brown rice or buckwheat cereal with protein powder, or combine with fresh fruit, or cook in a spoonful of raisins.

Mid-morning 10 am snack

·      6 oz organic or goat's milk yogurt, 1 organic apple, pear, or

·      5 oz tuna with lemon and a small white sweet potato, or

·      2 hard boiled eggs plus 1/3 cup buckwheat cereal, or

·      8-10 oz homemade protein shake, or

·      2 spoonfuls of hummus and gluten free crackers or vegetables

·      12 Almonds and an apple, pear or other fruit in season, or

·      6-8 Gluten free crackers with almond butter.

Lunch 1 pm

·      Steamed or grilled chicken and cruciferous vegetables, or

·      Grilled salmon or turkey with steamed vegetables

·      Include a serving of grain like brown rice or quinoa, or white sweet potato

·     If I have a craving for something sweet, I'll wait for a half hour. If it doesn't pass I'll eat half a piece of fruit. 

Mid-afternoon 4 pm snack

·      6 oz organic or goat's milk yogurt, 1 organic apple or pear, or

·      5 oz tuna with lemon and a small white sweet potato, or

·      6 0z satay chicken and vegetables, or

·      2 hard boiled eggs and vegetables, or

·      8-10 oz homemade protein shake, or

·      2 spoonfuls of hummus with vegetables, or

·      12 Almonds and an apple or pear (or other fruit in season)

Dinner 7 pm

·      Wild salmon or white fish, or

·      Chicken or turkey breast

·      Vegetables including steamed asparagus, broccoli, spinach and cauliflower

Evening 10 pm

·      If you get hungry, make a protein shake. I prefer this with water only late at night, but you could make it with blueberries and almond milk.

·      Prep yourself for a restful sleep with hot caffeine free tea – mint, ginger or one of your favorite herbal teas.

Train your Body, Train your Mind, Tame your Tongue.

Photo: Sarah Bailey. Taken on my 60^th birthday. 

Information on this site is not a substitute for consulting a licensed medical professional or nutritionist. You should never begin an exercise or nutritional regime without consulting your health care provider.