Chard. What? When I hear the word, I think of “charred.” Like, the way I DON’T want my meat cooked. I had no idea what chard is until I read this next installment of Michi’s Ladder foods by Beachbody’s Denis Faye. Another interesting food I’ve never eaten or heard of.

Climbing Michi’s Ladder: Chard
By Denis Faye

No, it’s not over-grilled meat. It’s a leafy green vegetable that’s a member of the beet family. However, unlike its shirt-staining cousin, you actually eat the leaves of chard, not the root (although beet leaves are growing in popularity). It also goes by the names Swiss chard and silver beet.

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Lunchtime is another critical moment in the world of those trying to lose weight or stay in shape.  I say critical because usually lunch takes place at the workplace.  If you don’t think ahead, and bring your lunch, you could be in real trouble.  Fast food restaurants at every turn, co-workers ordering in pizza or whatever else that can potentially blow your diet.  It’s important that you plan ahead your meals, and not got stuck with a lunchtime dilemma.  So your options are to dine out, order in, or bring your lunch.  Dining out and ordering in can get expensive.  (Joe Wilkes was kind enough to provide the information you see below.)

The best choice is to make your own lunch. You control what goes into the meal and what goes into your body. Instead of the artificial colors, flavors, and various incarnations of high fructose corn syrup you get from the local fast food chain, you can fill your plate with fresh whole foods that will energize your body and save you a ton of money. As my grandfather used to say, there’s no point putting your paycheck through your stomach. So here are some healthy ideas to get you through the day with high energy and low cost. › Continue reading

Here is another installment in Denis Faye’s series on Michi’s Ladder foods, bok choy. Bok choy seems almost like a perfect food: very few calories, but tons of nutrients!

Climbing Michi’s Ladder: Bok Choy
By Denis Faye

You may know it as Chinese cabbage or pak choi or you may not know it at all. A relative of good ol’ American cabbage, bok choy has green leaves and white stalks. If you’ve ever had soup in a Chinese restaurant, you’ve probably eaten bok choy.

The nutrition facts

The beauty of some leafy greens is that they pack a massive nutritional punch while being almost calorically void. At 20 calories for a cup of boiled bok choy, you probably burn more preparing and eating it. But that cup also lands you 144 percent of the recommended daily allowance (RDA)* for vitamin A, 74 percent of vitamin C, 72 percent of vitamin K, and nice little hunks of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate, vitamin B6, calcium, iron, manganese, and potassium. You also get 2 grams of fiber. › Continue reading

I was following up with some customers, and was especially curious about Terry as I knew from previous correspondence that he was getting closer and closer to completing the P90X workout. I was completely surprised when he emailed me back with some before and after pictures, and I could be crazy, but I thought he looked YOUNGER. Read his testimonial, and tell me if you don’t agree. Great job Terry!!

P90X Reviews: I Feel & Look Younger Than Before

From Terry: I had just turned 51 and I had stopped recognizing myself in pictures. I was active, playing tennis twice a week and working out at the gym twice a week but my body was in a rut. I did the same work out every time I went to the gym but I couldn’t understand why I wasn’t losing any weight. When I noticed my chiropractor had lost a significant amount of weight I asked him how he did it. P90X was his answer. I had never heard of P90X or seen any of the infomercials but I googled it and read about muscle confusion, it made sense as to why I wasn’t seeing any improvement. So I made the leap and sent away for the program, bought a pull-up bar, adjustable dumbbells, yoga mat & block and bands. The first few weeks were tough. It took me at least an hour and a half to finish the 54 minute work outs because I had to hit the pause button after almost every exercise. I had bought into the concept of “bringing it” but found myself bringing it to the porcelain deity more often than not. But each week I got stronger and after taking my 30 day pictures and seeing the tremendous improvement I was hooked. I feel like P90X has brought me back to looking like the person I remember. I’ve been told I look years younger and I feel years younger. We now have a saying in our house that we use whenever someone is not putting their all into something…. “Get down there Mr. Haus, this is P90X my brother”.

Since breakfast is the most important meal of the day, it’s important to make breakfast a healthy “good for you” meal. It has to be simple and easy, and of course taste good. Since we’re working longer and trying to fit in 30-60 minutes of exercise, sometimes breakfast gets pushed back to a quick snack on the run, or even worse, skipped all together.

Some people are under the impression that skipping breakfast will help them lose weight. But truth be told, people that skip breakfast often have less energy, and tend to gain weight. Their day starts with a slower metabolism, and burn fewer calories, and then when lunch time comes along, they overeat! Some people don’t make it to lunch, they are so hungry, they eat out of the snack machine, or indulge in donuts left in the break room. You are much better off, taking the extra time to eat a healthy breakfast. Fire up your metabolism, get some energy, and prevent those cravings in the break room. Try these quick n easy breakfast ideas to get you off on the right foot in the mornings! Special thanks to Joe Wilkes for the information provided below! › Continue reading

Ok, here it is…the next Michi’s Ladder food: barley.  I honestly think that the only association I’ve ever made with barley would be another food-type product: beer.  I must say that I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it is actually healthy!  Barley is a highly nutritious cereal grain.  I try not to think about beer and cereal at the same time, for obvious reasons.  So, here is the low-down on another good-for-you food, courtesy of Beachbody’s Denis Faye.

Climbing Michi’s Ladder: Barley
By Denis Faye

Yes, beer is made from barley, but, no, that does not land beer in tier 1 of Michi’s Ladder. Barley is actually a highly nutritious cereal grain with a nutty flavor. But to be completely honest, most cereal grains can be described as having a nutty flavor, so you should probably try it for yourself. It’s a great way to get those complex carbohydrates without resorting to wheat. › Continue reading

Arugula? I have to be honest with you when I say I really had no earthly idea what arugula was. I must admit that I was quite shocked when I realized that it was a green, leafy vegetable. I pictured some sort of oddly shaped, pale colored, root type vegetable. If you’re reading this wondering what the heck is Michi’s Ladder, click here. This is article number two in a series about Michi’s Ladder foods written by Beachbody’s Denis Faye. Check back with us in a day or two for the next food Denis covers: barley. Keep an open mind, you may find something new and yummy to add to your diet!

Climbing Michi’s Ladder: Arugula
By Denis Faye

Arugula is just the American name for this aromatic salad green. In the UK, they call it rocket. In France, it’s roquette—which is actually just a fancy way of saying rocket—but no matter what you call it, the stuff is a zingy addition to any salad. › Continue reading