Changing Beverage Habits

Hi followers,

First, I'd like to thank you for sticking with us during our developmental stages. We've been trying hard to get our name out there in the health supplement industry, and know that our readers are a big part of that. Feel free to refer your friends to this site. With a larger community, our content will only get better. Thanks again for your support so far!

Now, lets get down to the beverage talk. I was inspired to write this post because of a recent article I read from Men's Health. The fact is, most North American's have significantly changed their beverage consumption over the past half century.

I've checked the literature, and some researchers have found that we consume nearly double the number of calories from beverages than our relatives did mere decades ago. That's a few hundred extra calories a day! Now, we haven't evolved an increasing need for fluids over the years, so what's up? Well, the main reason is the increasing popularity of soft (sweetened) drinks.

Soft drinks are mainly composed of high fructose corn syrup, which is sweet tasting, but is also a top source of empty calories. Empty calories refer to calories consumed that have little or no nutritional value. Cutting down on empty calories is one of the simplest modifications to your diet, because you're not depriving your body of any real nutrition.

So what can you substitute your soft drinks for? ANYTHING else. Have a glass a day of any of the following (no huge tricks here). Milk is an excellent source of several vitamins and minerals that are crucial to bone health, and is also shown to decrease your risk of some cancers. Juice that is NOT FROM CONCENTRATE and that has no added sugars, is usually a good source of vitamins, especially vitamin C (don't go drinking a litre of this a day). Tea/coffee can provide antioxidants and caffeine to your diet. Antioxidants, as I'm sure you've heard, are important for overall health and can reduce your risk of several cancers. Caffeine can provide a mental and physical boost for athletes in an armchair or on a field. Last but not least, water. I shouldn't have to explain this one to you.

Cut soft drinks from your diet and save having to work off the thousands of extra calories you consume in a year. I recommend substituting any of the above in place of that can of pop. Why not combine a few with a scoop of protein and make a shake?!?! Keeps you fuller for longer, and won't make you crash like that high fructose corn syrup does.

Until next time, keep striving for that healthier you!

Cheers,

Complete Nutrition Canada Team

One Simple Diet Change You MUST Make

Hi there fitness fans,

This post is for those of you who are new to the health supplement industry and are unsure where to start. In the past, "supplements" were only even considered by professional bodybuilders and highly trained athletes. However, over the past decade or so, research has shown that one supplement in particular has  helped promote healthy weight loss and increase strength. I'm going to recommend this supplement to anyone who is beginning to increase their level of physical activity. Wondering what it is?? Whey protein!

As mentioned, the published postive effects of whey protein are well-known. A diet higher in protein helps you feel fuller for longer, makes your body work harder to digest, and helps build and repair skeletal muscle (burning more calories for longer). What more convincing do you need?

I recommend starting with one protein shake in the morning, either to complement or replace your breakfast. If you plan on using it to replace your breakfast, I suggest using a recipe that includes fruits, milk and a scoop of protein. Having protein in the morning will help you eat less throughout the day.

As far as types of whey protein are concerned, there are generally two kinds; whey isolate, and whey concentrate. The only difference is % of protein per scoop. For example, isolate may be 90% protein (27 g in 31 g scoop), whereas concentrate will be lower 60-80% protein (25 g in 31 g scoop). Price wise, isolate is slightly more expensive because of a more refined manufacturing process. For beginner to intermediate levels, I'd recommend a mixed protein, and for more experienced folks, an isolate would be better.

As always, make sure to read the labels before you buy the product. Per scoop, your protein should have less than 2 g of fat, and no more than 5g of carbohydrates.

One of the most popular whey protein products on the market is Optimum Nutrition's 100% Whey Gold Standard. Whey Gourmet is a great tasting product. A fantastic Canadian made product is Strive nutrition's PRO-ISL. Ultimately, you may need to try a few different products to find one that works the best for you. For more information on any of these products, or to research additional whey proteins, visit the Complete Nutrition Canada website at http://completenutritioncanada.vitahub.com (or find the link on the bottom of this blog).

Good luck and keep working hard to get healthier!

Complete Nutrition Canada team