If you missed part 1, please click here.

Natural sweeteners have been used for thousands of years – dating back from the Aztec Indians of Mexico to the ancient Egyptians.  These natural compounds are used for a variety of purposes and not just for adding sweetness to foods.  Their applications range from providing moisture to baked items, slowing food spoilage and providing nutritional benefits as well.  The three natural sweeteners we will explore are honey, maple syrup and agave nectar.  In this second report, I will discuss the nutritional benefits associated with these sweeteners and how they can help you add value to your diet. (more…)

Artificial sweeteners have been quite the subject of debate within the last couple of years.  With the obesity epidemic in the United States reaching all time highs - these food compounds, which at one point were praised as newfound “diet saviors”, have now found themselves in the hot seat.  This article will provide you with information on three of the most commonly used artificial sweeteners namely sucralose, aspartame and saccharine.  (more…)

With today’s hectic schedules, it seems as everyone is rushing to get here or there. I know there are days where I’m in a rush and can’t seem to get out the door fast enough.  On top of everything on my agenda for the day, getting in a quality whole food breakfast can sometimes be a chore.  I realize fast-food options are available, but I’d rather have a filling freshly prepared nutrient rich breakfast that will supercharge my energy levels and get my day off to a running start.

If this sounds familiar, I’ve got a great easy and simple recipe for you. (more…)

Eating lean while going about your regular daily routine is easy to do with adequate preparation.  You can prepare your meals in advance, set aside your snacks and measure out any supplements taken a day or two ahead of time.  What happens when you travel away from home?  It could be for a vacation, a business trip or to visit family across the country.  Regardless of the reason, a big concern for many fitness enthusiasts is maintaining their hard earned physique progress as much as possible.  Since this topic poses its own challenges, I have outlined a few travel-friendly eating tips to help keep you on track. (more…)

With summer temperatures reaching the high 90’s and above, now more than ever, I appreciate any opportunity I can get to cool off. I thought it would be great if there were an easy and cool way to enjoy a summer time high protein treat that was easy to make and with minimal ingredients. Enter the ProV60 High-protein Popsicle… (more…)

For most bodybuilders the cheat meal is something of a sacred ritual, a practice that is looked forward to after a week of disciplined eating. Cheat meals provide a break from, generally speaking, the normal everyday round of chicken breast/brown rice/mixed vegetable meals that serve as perfect bodybuilding foods but offer little in regards to variety. (more…)

I hope everyone enjoyed the 4^th of July as much as I did.  This year my brother in law hosted a fantastic BBQ - (what better occasion to try out his awesome new grill!) complete with plenty of good eats.  To say that traditional BBQ food was available is an understatement - it was around in abundance.  Cheese platters, serving dishes full of crackers and bowls full of chips, dips and other munchies were present in full force.  I thought about giving in but will power prevailed as thoughts of my next physique goal helped keep my nutrition plan in check.  My cheat meal was scheduled for the next day, so this helped me curb my momentary lapse in judgment.

My wife and I prepared a delicious black bean relish to accompany the juicy chipotle marinated grilled chicken breast that you see pictured below.  As with each year, the “usual suspects” made their appearance (ribs, sausage, guilty potato salads and so on).  These foods, while delicious and completely worthy of a cheat meal, caused me to ask myself this question: “What are the nutritional differences between these two meals?”  I did some research and here are my findings - (more…)