My Food Journal: Tuesday 6-16-09

9:00
1/2 cup oatmeal w/ sprinkle of sugar and light butter
1.5 scoops protein powder w/ water

12:00
1 small bowl of chilli (homemade)

3:30
1/2 turkey sandwhich on wheat w/ 1/2 slice colby cheese, light mayo
1/2 cup grapes

7:00
1/2 cup grapes

9:30
2 boiled eggs (removed half the yolk in both)

Rundown: Today was pretty good. I approximate the calories to be around 1100 calories. Protein was about 75 grams. I ate every few hours or so throughout the day which is good. I don't normally eat grapes because they are so high in sugar, but I'm treating myself since I don't typically eat them.

Multi-grain vs. Whole-grain

We've all been down the bread aisle at the grocery store and have been confronted with a multitude of bread choices that all seem healthy: "wheat," "whole-wheat," "multi-grain," "100% whole wheat" and so on. It can be a little over-whelming.

So what's the real deal?

When choosing your bread, the most important thing you can do, is look at the ingredient list. If you see anything that says enriched or refined, you can find a better choice of bread.

Whole-grain products contain all three parts of the grain: the germ, bran and endosperm. When grains are refined, some or all of these parts can be lost. Multi-grain products could be made out of several refined grains, which is not what we want. We want whole, unrefined grains. So your best bet, is to go with a bread that is whole-grain. But, be sure to check out the ingredient list for those key words: enriched and refined. If you see that, put it back and choose something else.

Check out this article for more detailed information on this topic.

Ab Training: Jack Knives

Are you in need of a new ab exercise?

Oftentimes, we fall into a routine and do the same exercises over and over.

Mostly, it's because we're comfortable with them, we know how to do them and -- let's be honest, here -- the thought of trying new stuff, can be intimidating.

Check out this link for a demo on doing jack knives. This is not a new exercise by any means, but it may be new to you!

Go ahead and give it a try, don't be scared.