Alisa's Blog
What's the skinny on "Skinny Fat"
I am sure by now most of you have heard the term “Skinny Fat” or “Normal Weight Obesity.” This has been a subject talked about numerous times on Super Now let’s take this concept a bit further…as Carl Lanore of Super Human Radio has said on numerous occasions BMI is flawed! BMI does not discriminate between body fat and lean muscle. And for those of you, who may be “skeptical” of this flaw, feel free to “Google” two Mayo Clinic studies from 2006 and 2007 suggesting this criterion. Having said this, maybe we, as well as the Medical Orthodoxy, need to shift the focus from the scale or BMI to having our body fat assessed. So, let’s explore body fat assessment. I wish I had a dollar for every time I have heard women say they are afraid to lift weights because they don’t want to look like a man or they don’t want too much muscle. My first reaction is what is too much muscle? Unless one is taking large amounts of drugs I feel relatively sure that too much muscle shouldn’t be a concern. And, dieting alone will eliminate weight but it definitely will not tone anything. As a matter of fact if one diets without lifting to tone and build you should expect to lose muscle. Skinny does not equal healthy!!! Your bone mineral uptake can be increased through resistance training. Both the effects of load baring exercises on bone mineral uptake, as well as an increase in muscle, make bones stronger. We need to feed our bones and lifting weight equals’ feeding our bones! I probably don’t need to mention this but I will just in case…Aerobic type exercises will get your heart pumping and burn some calories…it will NOT build muscle!! Only weight bearing exercises will build muscle! Now let’s get back to exploring body fat, when was the last time you had your body fat tested? My current journey has lead me to numerous body fat assessment sessions. I fell into the category of following the number on the scale. I can thankfully say that has all changed now! I now know and understand the importance of lean body mass. Losing body fat while gaining muscle is definitely a science that I wish more people understood. Especially women…we are the most prone to being skinny fat! So just because your scale registers a certain number or you wear a size 4 dress, this doesn’t mean that you have low body fat percentages. If you are not engaging into some form of muscle building routine than you too may be at risk of being skinny fat or have Normal Weigh Obesity. Please start exploring you options now before it’s too late!! Add new comment
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Human Radio and other media outlets. But just in case you are living under a rock and haven’t heard this term used researchers define Normal Weight Obesity as a condition of having a normal BMI with high body fat percentages.
High Protein Almond Pancakes With Strawberries
In November of last year I posted a blog with a recipe for High Protein Pancakes. Since that time I have made many different versions of 6 Egg Whites ¼ cup steel cut McCann’s Oats (Quaker Oats are Genetically Modified!) Since I used steel cut instead of rolled oats I let them soak in a small amount hot water for about five minutes to “swell” before I added them to the recipe. 2 scoops Vanilla Whey Protein 1 cup or 1 canister of Greek Yogurt (I like the Fage 0%) 2 Packets Vanilla Stevia (I buy mine from Whole Foods) 1 Tsp. Vanilla 1 Tsp. Organic Almond Extract (I may add just a bit more…I love all things almond) 7 Strawberries (cut in small pieces.) Please use organic….strawberries are heavily sprayed with pesticides!! Directions: Combine all of the ingredients (except for the Strawberries) in a blender and blend until everything is well combined (about 30 seconds). You want to have a nice smooth “pancake batter-like” consistency. It may not be as thick as you are accustomed to with regular pancakes. It may even have the appearance of a Crepe batter. (If the consistency is too thin for you simply add more oats. I don’t want the additional carbs.) Gently stir in the strawberries. If you prefer to mix it by hand a whisk will also work well. Pre- heat a non-stick pan or griddle over a medium heat and lightly coat with cooking spray. I used coconut oil cooking spray. You can test the pan by dripping a drop of water into the pan and see if it dances & sizzles. If so, your pan is ready! Pour the desired amount of batter into the pre heated pan. This should yield about 7 medium pancakes. Protein-12.3 grams (based on 7 pancakes) Carbs-7.2 grams Calories-87.7 Fat-1.2 grams Roasted Parmesan Herb Almonds
If you are planning a holiday party this season, Parmesan Herb Almonds are a great choice for a delicious healthy snack. And, they are so easy to prepare. Remember you can always adjust the ingredients to your liking! Happy Healthy Holidays!!
Parmesan-Herb Almonds
Ingredients
Directions
Very High Protein Pancakes
These pancakes are full of protein, and they taste just like, or possibly better, than regular pancakes! High Protein Pancakes
Directions: Combine all of the ingredients (except for the blueberries) in a blender and blend until everything is well combined (about 30 seconds). You want to have a nice smooth “pancake batter-like” consistency. Gently stir in the blueberries. I used frozen so that the end result would be a nice firm berry within the pancake. Pre heat a non-stick pan or griddle over a medium heat and lightly coat with cooking spray. I used coconut oil cooking spray. You can test the pan by dripping a drop of water into the pan and see if it dances & sizzles. If so, your pan is ready! Pour the desired amount of batter into the pre heated pan. This should yield 4 large pancakes.
To top or not to top…these pancakes taste great as is however, you may want to try Almond Butter or your favorite topping.
This is truly the ultimate travel meal because you can take it with you and it stays fresh for an entire day without refrigeration. It is also "finger food" and you can eat it conveniently a little piece at a time even while you're behind the wheel driving or even on a plane traveling.
Another option is to make a smaller, thinner pancake, top with nut butter, a fruit spread or nothing at all and roll it up like a burrito. A great on the go meal for you and your kids!!!
Enjoy!!
Nutrtional Facts: Serving size one pancake…yields four. Individual (w/o Blueberries) - 21.5 Protein/ 17.25 Carbs/ 2.75 Fat 2 G Fiber per pancake Individual (w/optional Blueberries) - 21.5 Protein/ 20.75 Carbs/ 2.75 Fat 2.5G Fiber per pancake
Healthy Snacking For The Holidays: Roasted Almonds
This is an easy snack idea for any holiday party!!
You will find that the almonds taste great with cinnamon only or the added spice of nutmeg and clove. I actually prefer the “spiced version.” Not only do the almonds taste great but, an added benefit is that your home will have the wonderful aroma reminiscent of holidays past!!
Cinnamon-Roasted Almonds
Ingredients 1 egg white1 teaspoon cold filtered water 4 cups whole natural almonds 1/2 cup white sugar-I used the raw organic sugar from Trader Joe’s. 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Directions
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that recipe and wanted to share this one with you. This “pancake” is so delicious you will feel as if you are eating Angel’s Food Cake and Strawberries. Reminiscent of younger days when my mother made my favorite dessert….Strawberries and Shortcake!! I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do!
