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A Short Guide to Diet, Proteins, Carbs and Fats

by: Stefan Simonovic

Designed by Freepik

A healthy and balanced diet is one of the most important things in a person's life. It doesn't matter if you are young, middle-aged, or someone who is a member of the senior dating community, you simply have to balance your diet if you want to lead a healthy and fulfilling life. To achieve that, you need to know how to dose properly the three macronutrients in your diet - proteins, carbs, and fats. To assist you with that, we’ve decided to create a short and simple guide that will help you improve your diet.

Protein - The Fuel Your Muscles Need

The word protein comes from the Greek word "protos" which can loosely be translated as "of prime importance" or "the most prominent one" Human body is 70 % water, but the rest of it is mainly made of protein. Our body uses protein to build, repair and maintain muscle tissue, and without it, we wouldn't be able to function normally on a daily basis. The protein consists of something that's called amino acids. Experts claim that there are 20 amino acids, and 9 of those 20 are essential to humans because our body can’t make them on its own. These 9 acids have to be taken in through the special diet. This is why you need to eat different types of food that are rich in protein. Some of them are:
  • Lean beef - has a lot of protein, but little fat
  • Chicken - one of the best sources of protein
  • Turkey - a little bit fatter than chicken
  • Fish - rich in protein and Omega-3 fish oil
Carbohydrates - The Energy Source

Carbohydrates are also known as saccharides or carbs. They are sugars or starches that provide our organism with pure energy. If protein is the fuel that helps your body to build its muscles, then carbs are the energy you use during your workout sessions. Sadly, a lot of people consider carbs to be the main reason for obesity. This, of course, is not true at all.

The thing you need to know about carbohydrates is that there are two kinds:
  1. Sugary (simple, fast-burning carbohydrates)
  2. Complex (slower burning carbs)
Now, eating too many calories of any kind is bad for your figure, but that doesn't mean you should stop eating carbohydrates. We get it, all those low-carb diets are really popular nowadays, but you need carbs because your body needs energy. Everything in moderation, of course. Also, if you're eating carbs, you need to be active during the day in order to burn them. Consuming that much energy and not being active will definitely make you fat.

Here are the best food choices for your daily carb intake:
  • Oatmeal
  • Rice (Brown rice is better than the regular one)
  • Sweet potatoes (avoid bread if possible)
  • Bananas - it provides you with carbs and potassium
  • Apples
  • Oranges (or any other citrus fruit)
Fats - The Common Enemy

Don't get us wrong, fat doesn't have to be the enemy, but only if you consume it with caution and in moderation. Actually, fat is one of the greatest sources of energy out there, but unfortunately, people tend to eat too much of it, which results in various, life-threatening diseases.

There are three main types of fats or triglycerides - Saturated, Polyunsaturated, and Monounsaturated
  1. Saturated Fats
  2. Saturated fats are usually found in basic animal and dairy products like milk, cheese, beef, pork, and lamb meat. Our liver uses this type of fat to make cholesterol, which is necessary for the production of certain hormones like testosterone, for example. Therefore, your body needs fat to produce hormones, but you have to be careful not to eat too much of it.
  3. Polyunsaturated
  4. Mostly found in foods like corn, safflower and sunflower oils. Polyunsaturated fat will help you lower your total cholesterol. However, the intake of this fat should also be monitored and limited.
  5. Monounsaturated
  6. You can find this type of fat in vegetable and nut oils. It will lower your bad cholesterol (LDL) without lowering your good cholesterol (HDL).
Trans Fats – The Real Enemy

Trans fats are made when polyunsaturated oils are altered through the hydrogenation process which is hardening vegetable oils in order to make margarine and other similar products. These fats will increase your bad cholesterol.

Most athletes and nutritionists suggest that people should avoid fats altogether. Therefore, you should focus on lean meat and dairy products with low levels of fat. This way, you'll be able to provide your body with enough protein and carbohydrates, without raising LDL. If you need to increase the levels of fat in your body, you can do that by consuming flaxseed, sunflower seeds, and olive oil.


About the author:

Stefan is a writer and a blogger in his spare time. He also works for First Beat Media, a company that mainly focuses on the online dating niche and similar services.



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Can a Diet Affect Depression

by: Stefan Simonovic

Feeling down every once in a while is completely natural, and there is no person on the planet that doesn’t go through a period of feeling less than happy, festive or hopeful.

[Flickr: John Bowno]

Not all of us are diagnosed with the major depressive disorder, obviously, because a clinical diagnosis like that depends mostly on how long the periods of feeling depressed last. Still, feeling out of sorts for whatever reason is so common nowadays that even the smallest of things can help get us back on our feet, at least temporarily. There is no doubt that eating healthy positively affects the mood, and no, the point of eating healthy isn’t just to be in good shape and feeling sexy to take on cougar dating, running the marathon or becoming a personal trainer. The point of eating healthy is to help our body and mind function at an optimal level, and today we take a look at how a proper diet does wonders when you’re feeling too depressed to even get out of bed in the morning.

#1: Gut-Healthy Enhancing Foods

Research has confirmed many times that certain foods can affect your mood, especially those that are easily digested or easy on the gut. The science behind this notion asserts that gut bacteria produce neurochemicals that play a role in mood and other neurological functions. Taking foods rich in probiotics, such as yogurt, miso, pickles, buttermilk, and certain types of cheeses will have your gut jumping for joy, reducing the risk of feeling depressed.

#2: Other Foods Linked to Lowering Depression

Also, aim for foods that help in the production of serotonin, the ‘happy’ hormone, such as chickpeas rich in tryptophan, serotonin’s precursor. B12 and folate help prevent mood disorders and dementia, and foods where those are found are beetroot, lentils, almonds, spinach, fish, and so on. Individuals with vitamin D deficiency often experience mood swings, and in addition to sun exposure, vitamin D deficiency is easily combated by consuming breakfast cereals, bread, milk, and food supplements. Selenium is another nutrient that decreases depression, and it is found in cod, Brazilian nuts, walnuts, and poultry. Eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids is crucial for proper cognitive and behavioral functioning, and if you like haddock, salmon, cod, halibut, and algae you’re in luck! Last but not least, dark chocolate increases endorphin production in the body, leading to an overall sense of well-being.

#3: Natural Depressants To Be Avoided

Having a drink or two every once in a while will do no harm, but alcohol is actually a depressant despite the fact that it produces an instant high. Heavy alcohol consumption decreases serotonin levels, meaning people with a drinking problem are more prone to depression and anxiety. Caffeine is much the same as it hinders the production of serotonin. Lots of people out there enjoy their coffee and can’t imagine life without it, but limiting coffee, tea, and hot cocoa intake has numerous health benefits, including a better mood. The usual suspects, such as processed foods and refined sugar also make us feel better instantly, but quickly lead to the crash-and-burn feeling, and should be reduced to the absolute minimum.


About the author:

Stefan is a writer and a blogger in his spare time. He also works for First Beat Media, a company that mainly focuses on the online dating niche and similar services.



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How Fitness Protects Your Brain

by: Stefan Simonovic

Source: Flickr

Sure, one of the most obvious effects of regular exercise is the body shape that it inevitably creates that makes you look and feel sexier, which definitely comes in handy when your mission is to date a cowboy who’s ripped and bursting with health. On the other hand, there are those less obvious effects that become evident as we age, and should never be ignored even if we think we’re never going to grow old – the effects that exercise has on the brain. Today, we take a look at how regular physical activity keeps the brain younger for longer and how it improves cognitive functioning.

Exercise Keeps the Brain Younger

As we get older and our fitness level deteriorates, so does the white matter in the brain compared to our fitter but not necessarily younger peers. When white matter deteriorates, our decision-making abilities decline, especially if memory loss has already been present for some time. This means that regular physical activity as we age can slow cognitive decline or even dementia, according to a recent study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.

The hypothesis that regular exercise can protect the brain in the old age has long been around, but there have never been more studies around proving that it is a fact. Further, research also suggests that people who are at high risk for Alzheimer’s can slow down the disease and keep their brain highly functional for longer. Although there is still more research needed to advance the field of cognitive decline in old age, the results that are currently available are certainly encouraging. So far, it has been concluded that exercise can slow the aging process of the brain by 10 years, which is pretty remarkable!

How Does It Do It?

Exercise can impact memory and thinking skills directly by reducing insulin resistance and inflammation, and by stimulating the release of growth factors. These growth factors are chemicals in the brain that affect the health of brain cells and stimulate the growth of new blood vessels. Indirectly, exercise improves mood and sleeping patterns and reduces stress levels and anxiety. Needless to say, problems in these areas often negatively affect cognitive impairment.

Given that exercise is just as good for the body as it is for the brain, we’d like to point out that not all exercise is created equal. When it comes to keeping your brain young, aerobic exercise seems to be at the forefront, and this isn’t surprising given that cardio makes the heart beat faster, in turn increasing blood flow to the brain. The blood delivers oxygen, which is the key factor given that the brain is the biggest consumer of oxygen in the body. Weight training is also beneficial because it increases the heart rate, which means more blood is pumped to the brain. When it comes to resistance training, the link to brain health hasn’t yet been established, but the research in this field is growing.

Obviously, the combination of aerobic and strength training is the best way to go because its effects on the overall health, not just our cognitive functioning, have been proven multiple times. By combining the two, you can expect to see a reduction in weight, lowering of blood pressure, improvements in the cardiovascular and respiratory functions, and better muscle strength.


About the author:

Stefan is a writer and a blogger in his spare time. He also works for First Beat Media, a company that mainly focuses on the online dating niche and similar services.



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What's The Best Butt Exercise?

by: Stefan Simonovic

Designed by Katemangostar

We live in a world where physical appearance is one of the prerequisites for romance and dating. It doesn't matter if you're a girl or a woman who's trying to dominate cougar dating scene, you need to look your best in order to impress single men. Now, besides a pretty face and lovely breasts, the thing most men are looking for in a woman is a firm and attractive butt. However, considering that glutes are the largest muscle group in a human body, you'll have to work pretty hard in order to achieve the desired goals. Therefore, in order to help you, we decided to share with you some of the best butt exercises you can do at home on a daily basis.

Glute Bridge

For this particular exercise, you don't need fancy equipment or any kind of special environment. You can do it on your living room floor. All you have to do is lie on your back with knees bent. Make sure the width between your feet is the same as the width of your shoulders. Then, start raising your hips straight up off the ground. This move engages your glutes and strengthens your core. Keep your tushy in the air for a couple of seconds, then lower it down slowly back to the ground. Do series of ten repetitions and your butt will be grateful.

Hip Thrust

This is, without a doubt, one of the simplest and best butt exercises out there. Much like in the previous one, you also have to lie on your back, with your knees bent. However this time, your feet have to be hip-width apart. Make sure to place your hands on the ground directly beneath your shoulders, with your fingers facing away from your body. Squeeze your buttocks and lift your hips until your body forms a "table". Stay in that position for about five seconds, and then slowly lower your hips to the ground.

Step-Up

For this exercise, you'll need something to stand in front of, like a bench, step, or a simple chair. Place the left foot on the bench and step up, using your left glute muscle to lift your body. Whatever you do, do not use your right foot. Straighten your left leg until you're in a standing position, then slowly lower your body, right until you bend the left knee again. Do the same thing with your other foot on the step. A little warning, this exercises requires a bit more effort, but hey, if you want a perfect butt, you have to break some sweat, right?

All Types of Squats

We can't talk about butt exercises without mentioning the ultimate butt exercise - squats. This is the best exercise for the gluteus maximus. However, it's not only good for your butt, it also works your hips, thighs, and calves. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold some weights if your body weight is not enough for you. Then, bend the knees and lower your body into a squat. Make sure your knees stay behind your toes. Also, keep the torso upright and contracted at all times. Then, use your heels, glutes, and quadriceps to stand up. If squats are too much for your knees, feel free to do any one of the exercises we listed before squats. Every single one of them will help you tone your butt perfectly.


About the author:

Stefan is a writer and a blogger in his spare time. He also works for First Beat Media, a company that mainly focuses on the online dating niche and similar services.



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Why We Eat Too Much at Night

by: Stefan Simonovic

[Source: Flickr]

People are known for having many weird and unexplainable habits that can sometimes have negative physical and psychological consequences. For example, some of us will neglect our social lives entirely thanks to the habit of playing video games online or because we've hooked on cougar dating sites. On the other hand, there are people who can’t go to bed before they stop by their fridges at night, which often results in gaining some extra pounds.

While the former is not that common, the latter is something many people experience regularly. Eating at night may seem like a harmless habit, but it can actually lead to some pretty unwanted outcomes like already mentioned excessive weight gain or even insomnia. This is why we want to talk about the reasons behind night eating and some potential tricks on how to stop it.

Physiological Factors

If somebody asked you to guess the reasons behind a person’s night eating, you would probably assume that it has something to do with that person’s psyche and habits. Although both of these factor in to the problem, having the urge to eat at night is more of a physiological nature.

As it happens, a certain study from 2013 has proven that our internal clock is the main culprit for night eating. Researchers at OHSU and Harvard have tested 12 non-obese individuals and their eating habits, only to discover that all of them, despite being completely healthy, show that they have cravings for starchy, salty and sweet foods once evening hours begin, usually around 8:00 PM.

The circadian system, a.k.a. the human’s internal clock is something our species has developed over the course of thousands of years. Upon further research, the two teams figured out that night eating was, in fact, something our great-great-great ancestors did as a form of storing fat in order to increase their chances of survival.

How to Stop it?

Being a caveman and having to eat at night to gain fat and stay alive is fine and all, but night eating doesn’t really have a place in modern civilization since we no longer have to protect ourselves from the elements and wild beasts. So, the question remains: how to stop night eating?

The first step toward the elimination of night eating would be breaking your patterns. For instance, if you have a habit of sitting at your laptop in the kitchen in the evening after which you have to go to the fridge in order to grab something to snack on, move your laptop to the bedroom and thus help your mind disassociate laptop-time from night eating-time.

Furthermore, you can pre-plan meals so that you won’t feel hungry in the evening at all, giving your body absolutely no reason to crave food at such a late time.

Have you experienced some of the night eating related issues? How did you fight them? You can tell us all about it in the comment section below!


About the author:

Stefan is a writer and a blogger in his spare time. He also works for First Beat Media, a company that mainly focuses on the online dating niche and similar services.



Read more ...

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