The Urban Trainer Blog - UK

The sweet potato is also known incorrectly in parts of the USA as a yam. The sweet potato goes by the scientific name of Ipomoea batatas, is a member of the Convolvulaceae family and a storage root. While the yam has the scientific name Dioscorea Species, is from the Dioscoreaceae family and is a tuber. And finally, sweet potatoes are native to Central America while the yam is native to Africa and Asia.

Now that little confusion has been cleared up, more about the sweet potato; one of the oldest vegetables known with relics dating back 10,000 years discovered in Peruvian caves. They were brought to Europe by Christopher Columbus. Today the main commercial producer is China which is responsible for around 80% of the World’s production. Read more »

The theory of negative calories is not a new one. Some very fibrous vegetables, like celery and lettuce, are very low calorie and it is claimed by some that the energy cost of actually chewing, digesting and then absorbing these foods, is higher than the actual amount of energy they provide. So, following this theory, the net result would actually be negative calories thus helping to lose weight. Read more »

Research has already revealed that skipping breakfast is a sure way to binge at dinner.

A new study from the University of Nottingham in the UK has revealed that missing out on breakfast will increase your LDL-cholesterol levels. Men and women who skipped breakfast for two weeks experienced a rise of almost two points in their LDL compared with no change in those who ate something in the morning. Read more »

Mostly people in the world have no idea how much of water they should drink in a day. So they live from day to day in a dehydrated state. They don’t drink enough water. Next to air, water is the element most necessary for survival. Proper water intake is a key to weight loss. By not drinking enough water, many people incur excess body fat, poor muscle tone and size, decreased digestive efficiency and organ function, increased toxicity in the body, joint and muscle soreness and water retention. Read more »

By Tom Venuto, NSCA-CPT, CSCS

Most fitness conscious people have heard that there are 3,500 calories in a pound of fat, so if you create a deficit of 3500 calories in a week, you lose a pound of weight. If you create a deficit of 7000 calories in a week, you lose two pounds, and so on. Right? Well, not so fast… Read more »

Many of us choose this fruit as a healthy snack. Yes, I said fruit; so I thought it time to take a closer look. Sunflower seeds are actually the fruit of the sunflower and when the hull is taken off you are left with a kernel. The plant grew wild in North America and was originally used by the native Indians, the first patent for squeezing oil from the plant was in 1716 in England, and the commercial varieties were developed in Russia an imported back to the US in the 19th Century. So sunflower seeds, and sunflower oil have been in use for a long time, it is not surprising then that the sunflower seed is small in size and big on nutritional content. Read more »

Alcohol is a potent antidepressant which affects the central nervous system. Drink it in moderation and you feel euphoric, little bit of lethargy and possibly confusion. As you continue you will spiral into stupor a coma and with excessiveness, death. You choose the state of mind you want to be in and let’s all hope it does not end up in the A & E. Of course not everyone is capable of making sound decisions after a few let alone abstain after your quota.

Alcohol is metabolized extremely quickly by the body. Unlike foods, which require time for digestion, alcohol needs no digestion and is quickly absorbed. Alcohol gets “VIP” treatment in the body – absorbing and metabolizing before most other nutrients. About 20 percent is absorbed directly across the walls of an empty stomach and can reach the brain within one minute. Read more »

As you know, the winter season can become a cold period. Why don’t we prepare ourselves well for it? With that in mind, the need to feed our bodies with the right nutrients is important. So! Start your day with a good and well balanced breakfast before you step out and make your way down to the gym. If you are a fan of oats, you’ll love this one. Read more »

The Recommended Allowance for protein is about 70 grams per day. Most foods contain protein, and it is easy to meet your protein requirements with a typical varied diet. Read more »

Which foods pack the biggest protein punch? You’ll be surprised Read more »