Summer Squash, Yogurt & Tahini Dip

Ingredients:

• 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 Cup chopped summer squash
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 Teaspoon cumin seeds, lightly toasted and ground
• 1 Tablespoon tahini, well-blended
• 1 Clove garlic
• 2 Teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 Cup Greek yogurt
• Ground cumin for garnish

Instructions:

5 Ways to Keep Your Body Young

Keep Your Cells Healthy

Every day in your body 432 billion cells die and are replaced with new cells. This is the key to regenerating your body and staying young. Because of this you could have a better functioning body next year if you want, skinnier, with less pains and more energy…if you take the right steps.

That 432 billion number is a just a scientific estimate. Cells are so small and there are so many in your body (somewhere between 60 -100 trillion) that no one could ever count them individually. This is also why you don’t notice your body renewing itself all the time, but it is!

The Ultimate Muscle-Building Vegetarian Menu!

When you hear the words "buff vegetarian," does anyone come to mind? How about former Mr. Universe Bill Pearl and six-time Ms. Olympia Cory Everson? These eye-popping physiques were both supported by a vegetarian diet.

It's more than possible to build lean muscle without eating meat. If it sounds crazy, keep reading.

Do you want to expand your grocery-shopping horizons, pack in new sources of high-quality nutrients, and still consume 150-plus grams of protein in one day? Well, you'll get all that and more from the meatless meal plan below.

So if your tastebuds and food sensibilities are begging for a change—Ah! Not another chicken breast!—why not try vegetarian for a day?

You don't have to eat like a rabbit, and you don't have to commit to lifelong veggie-worship to take vegetarianism for a test drive.

It's all about complementary proteins and taking in all of your amino acids, minus the meat. But let's skip the science and get to the mouthwatering recipes, shall we?

Breakfast

Tofu and Spinach Scramble ///

What You Need

• 8 ounces firm Tofu (chopped or crumbled)
• 2 Egg Whites
• 2 cups Spinach
• 1/2 cup sliced Mushrooms
• 1/2 cup Cherry Tomatoes
• Olive Oil, fresh Garlic, Soy Sauce, Lemon Juice and Salt and Pepper to taste
• A sprinkle of Red Chili Flakes if you like it hot!

How To Improve Your Gut Health And Speed Fat Loss

You've got quite the gut.

Whoa, slow down, I'm not saying you're fat.

In fact, I've got a gut myself.

Actually, we've all got guts!

If you're familiar with functional medicine or have watched any popular health TV like Oprah, The Doctors, or Doctor Oz, then you already know that the "gut" is no longer that nasty thing hanging over our waistlines.

Your gut, otherwise known as your digestive tract, is now termed your 'second brain.' Before we get into why and how gut health is important to fat loss, let's get some background. Or should I say, gut-ground? (No, I probably shouldn't.)

She's ... too sexy for the ground, too sexy for the ground ...

The Great Gutsby

The 15 Best Lean-Muscle Building Foods

1. Beef (From Grass-Fed Cattle)

Beef is important for building lean muscle due to its protein content, cholesterol, zinc, B vitamins and iron content.

Beef from grass-fed cattle have much higher levels of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) than conventionally raised cattle, which gives you a boost in shedding bodyfat and building lean muscle.

2. Beets

A good source of betaine, also known as trimethylglycine, this nutrient not only enhances liver and joint repair, but also has been shown in clinical research to increase muscle strength and power.

Beets also provide an NO boost which can ehance energy and aid recovery.

Super-Low Carb Or Intermittent Fasting?

Q

Low-carb diets seem to be king of the hill at the moment, but I've been hearing a lot about intermittent fasting lately. Which is a better fat-loss diet?

This is a great question. The two approaches are more similar on a biochemical level than most people would think. Both are low-insulin diets, meaning they provoke a minimal insulin response from your body. Both also qualify as demanding diets, because they're in dead contrast with the way most people eat and can require a drastic change in eating habits and priorities.

No-Meat Muscle: 4 Rules For Building Lean Mass On A Vegetarian Diet

Fact: Humans need protein to grow and thrive. Falsehood: That protein has to come from dead critters. Meet your new muscle-building diet. No animals were harmed in making it!

If there's one thing that most vegetarians hate, it's having someone talk about their dietary system like it's a problem that needs to be solved. So let's get this out of the way: Vegetarians can build muscle and strength just like meat-eaters. Got that? Good.

There are hundreds of millions of vegetarians in the world, and people choose to embrace this lifestyle for countless reasons—from religious, to nutritional, to simple personal preference. As anyone who has embraced this lifestyle can attest, it's not as simple as "don't eat meat."

Everyone from your grandmother to your favorite whey manufacturer is a potential threat to sneak animal products into your food, meaning you have to be diligent about doing your research in addition to minding your macros.

Need a roadmap? Here are four simple rules that vegetarian athletes should keep in mind in order to maximize their nutrition. Heed them, and you'll have the fuel you need to grow like a weed.

Rule 1 /// Know Your Whey

Meat-eaters may classify the world in terms of carnivores and herbivores, but vegetarians know it's not so simple. There are several types of vegetarians including:

• Lacto-vegetarians (dairy is allowed)
• Pescatarians (fish is allowed)
• Lacto-ovo vegetarians (dairy and eggs are allowed)
• Vegans (No animal products of any kind are allowed)

Each variation presents its own set of unique challenges, as the people in these respective categories are well aware.

But one thing they all need when they're training is sufficient protein. Without it, they put themselves at serious risk for subpar results and just generally feeling like a wilted piece of celery.

The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective Athletes

Young athletes are often ambitious, but need a little direction. Follow these seven habits to turn your daydreams into daily life.

Life as a young athlete can be difficult, especially when you're pulled in so many different directions and given so much varying advice. Abide by these seven habits and soon you'll have all the power and prestige that comes with a physically fit body and a stable mental state. Follow the advice of people who've been there before, so you don't repeat their mistakes.

1 /// Don't Be a Fattie

There are a few ways to guarantee that you'll be a fattie, so let's address them head on. Remember, all healing starts with the truth. If this bothers you, then I'm probably talking about you.

Stop eating a bunch of crap food. Cut out breakfast cereal, stop buying the school lunch, and kill the fast food when your friends take their weekly (or daily) trip to McDonald's.

Stop skipping breakfast. You may have heard about intermittent fasting while reading the 50 blogs that offer different advice, each more confusing than the next. In high school, you don't need intermittent fasting.

You need to eat three good meals along with some smaller meals in between. This will actually lean you out if you keep protein high, and fats and carbs moderate.

Commit to eating stronger, more nutritious foods. Your friends will think you're crazy and you won't fit in with the "normal crowd," but who cares? Being normal sucks, and normal never helped create any champions.

Build Towering Trapezii: 5 Moves To Bigger Traps

You can have the biggest arms in the world, but if they're not connected to some boulder shoulders or thick, tall traps, you're going to look silly. Build the traps you want with these 5 movements!You can have the biggest arms in the world, but if they're not connected to some boulder shoulders or thick, tall traps, you're going to look silly. Build the traps you want with these 5 movements!


Yeah you notice the guys with the big arms, but you're mesmerized by the guys with the big traps. You know damn well they put in their time and didn't miss their workouts because they were too "tired." You commend them for their ability to grow those mountains on their shoulders and secretly envy a flexed pair.
If your physique resembles that of a bobblehead doll, get ready to take some notes. Trap training is not for the faint of heart. It takes real effort and guts.
Not everybody agrees about which day is best for trapezius training. Some say shoulder day, and others say back day. If truth be told, you're going to hit your traps on both of these days; but if you want my opinion, I find I am better able to focus on my traps while I train shoulders. My back day is usually focused on my mid-back and lats. On shoulder day, on the other hand, I get to squeeze my traps for added benefit.
To build those big-boy traps, here are some of my favorite exercises. Add two of these five movements to your normal shoulder routine:

Towering Traps Training

Take 5 Exercise Plan

Three exercise plans designed to suit three starting point fitness levels. Each plan has six exercises and should be done five times a week for maximum benefit. All the exercises can be done at home with minimal equipment.

Once you have completed 4 weeks of one exercise plan, progress to the plan for the next fitness level. Aim to do all 3 plans in a 12 week period.

Exercise Plan for Fitness Level 1

4 TRX Suspension Training Exercises You Can Do at Home.

The benefits of training with a TRX Suspension Training System for just about everyone are undeniable.

From hard core athletes to traveling executives to the busy stay at home mom, the portability and versatility make the TRX one of the best fitness gadgets invented for a time-effective workout.

Exercising with a TRX provides a more comprehensive and beneficial strength workout than you can get using dumbbells or machines by utilizing gravity and the user's body weight when exercising for a total body workout.

Here is a sampling of some of the many exercises that can be done utilizing the TRX.

TRX Squat
Face the system, stand with the handles at mid chest, arms are tight to your sides and elbows are bent. Position feet approximately shoulder width apart. Contract your abs and keep them tight as you bend the knees and slowly squat. Sit back and down like you're sitting into an imaginary chair, keeping your back straight and knees pointed in the same direction and in line with your toes. Descend until your thighs are parallel to the floor and your knees are over your ankles. Keep your body tight and push through your heels to bring yourself back to the starting position.