Love Notes by Jari Love

7 Health Foods You Should Stop Throwing Away

by Jari Love

You have no problem spending $20 every week on fresh fruits and vegetables. But when you pick off the “weird” parts of the produce and discard them before cooking, you aren’t just tossing a few bucks in the trash—you’re also throwing away some serious nutritional benefits. Also, just because a fruit or vegetable doesn’t look “perfect” doesn’t mean it’s not full of nutrition. It can save you lots of money in some grocery stores that offer “off” fruits and veggies.

These forgotten spare parts come jam-packed with vitamins and heart-saving amino acids, says Leslie Bonci, M.P.H., R.D., director of sports nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Add them to your kitchen arsenal and reap the surprising rewards.

1. Cantaloupe Seeds – Their Hidden Powers: These seeds are usually the first to go when you crack open a melon, but they’re high in protein, fiber, vitamin E, and magnesium, says Bonci.

 How to Eat Them: Roast them in the oven and toss with olive oil for a nutrient-packed snack.

2. Onion Skins – Their Hidden Powers: These flaky exteriors are high in quercetin, a compound that can help lower your blood pressure and support a healthy immune system, says Bonci.

How to Eat Them: Add them to a stew or broth for extra flavor, then pick them out before serving.

3. Watermelon Rinds – Their Hidden Powers: These rinds contain the amino acid citrulline, which can help improve your blood flow, says Bonci.

How to Eat Them: Throw them in a quality blender with watermelon flesh (the red part you normally eat), strawberries, and a dash of orange juice for a refreshing smoothie.

4. Broccoli Leaves – Their Hidden Powers: These leafy greens are a triple threat with high levels of vitamin A, vitamin C, and calcium, says Bonci.

How to Eat Them: Cut them up and throw them into a stir-fry along with the rest of the broccoli. This is one simple way to make your diet better.

5. Celery Tops – Their Hidden Powers: They’re super flavorful and full of muscle-building magnesium, bone-strengthening calcium, and vitamin C, says Bonci.

How to Eat Them: Use them like an herb and add to a vegetable or chicken soup.

6. Orange Peels – Their Hidden Powers: You already knew they smell fantastic, but they’re also rich in digestive system-soothing fiber and immune-boosting vitamin C, says Bonci.

How to Eat Them: Use a cheese grater to sprinkle some on top of fish or chicken.

7. Swiss Chard Stalks – Their Hidden Powers: Their vibrant, reddish-purple color signals that they’re high in carotenoids, which act as disease-fighting antioxidants. They’re also full of Vitamin K, an important nutrient for boosting bone health, says Bonci.

How to Eat Them: Sauté them with mushrooms and onions for a tasty side dish. Via yahoo.com

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

Weight Loss: How I Lost Weight – 44lbs (20kg)

by Jari Love

Here’s a dose for Motivation Tuesday! Sarah has lost 44 pounds, and is making huge sacrifices. As a personal trainer and group fitness instructor, I always tell my clients they need to have a support system in their lifestyle change. Without a support system, your weight loss efforts will be incredibly hard. So read Sarah’s story, then be motivated that you can make all the changes you need to for your new health and fitness lifestyle, no matter what the consequences.

Sarah was heavily overweight most of her life. At the age of 55 and with a pre-diabetes diagnosis, Sarah came to me for advice and guidance on how to improve her health and perhaps shed a few pounds. Fast forward six months and Sarah has lost about 44 pounds BUT may be losing her husband in the process.

Working with successful businesswomen to help them gain control of their expanding waistlines as they approach menopause is as very exciting and humble experience.

To see transformations unfold is rewarding and exhilarating. Women share their successes and downfalls in a safe environment allowing them to achieve the body they are looking for.

Sarah’s husband married Sarah curves and all and does not want her to lose any more weight. This is despite Sarah sharing with her husband that she feels great, her pre-diabetes has been abated, and she would love to continue to lose another 40 pounds.

Lack of support from Sarah’s husband may be due to any of the following points.

He may have felt “safe” with her curves, believing that no one would try and steal her away.

With Sarah’s weight loss came increased self-esteem and confidence. He may have felt threatened that Sarah may leave him for another man.

Is Sarah’s husband to be vilified?

Or is it Sarah’s fault for changing the goal posts? He married a woman with curves, and she is no longer the woman that he married.

My advice to Sarah?

Encourage an open dialogue. He may be feeling insecure and if Sarah wants to stay with her husband, she needs to reassure him that though other men now find her attractive, he should not feel threatened but should be proud of any attention she may be garnering.

Include the husband in any extracurricular activities such as walking so the two of the can be gaining the benefits together.

While it is fine to have some curves (as opposed to being ultra skinny), once the curves leans towards being heavily overweight and interfering with your health action needs to be taken.

What would you do if you found yourself losing some excess weight only to find someone close to you is trying to sabotage your efforts? I would love to hear you thoughts and how you handled the situation. You can leave your comments below and I will answer everyone’s questions.

Julie Dargan is a Nurse, Naturopath BHSc and has worked in the wellness industry for over 30 years. Julie’s FREE 5 Day Kickstart Program is excellent to get you on the right track in your weight loss quest. Julie also has a private Facebook group for women over 50 and looking for solutions to halt weight gain in the menopause. Via huffingtonpost.com

Jari Love – original creator of  Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.