Diet & Nutrition

Health Benefits of Drinking Tea

January 27, 2019 Tim Comments Off

Tea is an aromatic beverage made by pouring hot or boiling water over cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. Tea originated in Southwest China as a medicinal drink – but it rapidly spread around the globe (the British empire played a big part and this). Tea is now second only to water as the most common beverage consumed globally. What’s herbal tea? Herbal tea is made with infusions of fruits or herbs, and typically does not include the tea plant. We’re not going to discuss herbal tea in this article, instead we’ll focus on the traditional kind. The exclusion of the tea plant leaves in the process for making herbal tea makes it a fundamentally different beverage. How is [Read more …]

Health Benefits of Coffee

January 27, 2019 Tim Comments Off

Coffee – What are the health benefits of coffee? You may have heard – study after study has shown that coffee has numerous health benefits. Why is that? There’s a lot of reasons – because coffee has a lot of good stuff in it, and we’ll go through them all here. For many of us (around 85%, given the latest surveys), this is good news – so grab that fresh cup of coffee and continue reading. You can rest assured we’re drinking coffee as we write this too. Coffee has caffeine that can improve your energy levels This shouldn’t be a shock to anyone – coffee contains caffeine. Caffeine is a chemical compound that acts as a stimulant to the [Read more …]

Water – The Best Beverage

September 27, 2018 Tim Comments Off

Here at FitAtMidlife.com one of our primary nutritional rules is : Thirsty? Drink water. Everybody knows that water is essential to life, and we drink when we are thirsty. But do you really need any beverage besides water? Ok, maybe coffee, and alcohol in reasonable proportions, if you partake in it. But I think you’ll understand the benefits of drinking water when you are thirsty: Water has 0 calories Water is plentiful Water is often free, and almost always the cheapest option Cold water can help you cool down Water is flavorless Water is what your body naturally craves when thirsty. Sodas, fruit juices, milk, and other beverages are loaded with calories. And it’s very easy to drink a lot [Read more …]

What You Need To Know About Body Fat

March 11, 2018 Tim Comments Off

Here’s the most important points to understand about body fat Fat (variously known as body fat, adipose tissue, or just plain fat) is essential to life. It’s not possible to have “zero body fat”, nor would such a condition be desirable. Fat serves to store energy for later use by the body, it cushions the body and organs, and serves as insulation. But perhaps most importantly – body fat is part of the endocrine system – the body’s system of glands that produce hormones that regulate metabolism, growth, tissue function, sexual function, reproduction, sleep, mood, and other things. This is a relatively recent finding – and it has important health considerations. Why Understanding Your Distribution of Body Fat is Important [Read more …]

Waist Size – Why It Matters

May 25, 2018 Tim Comments Off

Waist Size is a Key Indicator Of Health and Risk of Serious Illness Waist Circumference (or distance around the waist) is an important indicator of an individual’s amount of abdominal obesity, which is fat held around the stomach. Excess abdominal fat, resulting in waist sizes greater than 35 inches for women or 40 inches for men, is strongly associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and death. To measure waist size: Place a tape measure around your body at the top of your hipbone (normally at the level of your belly button.) Ensure the tape measure is level (horizontal around the waist), and snug, but should not be compressing the skin. Do not hold your breath [Read more …]

BMI – Body Mass Index

September 5, 2024 Tim Comments Off

BMI is Body Mass Index. Body Mass Index is a formula that uses weight and height to estimate body fat for adult men and women. The BMI is a controversial – it’s easy to calculate but it can’t possibly accurately measure your body fat. The calculation doesn’t consider body composition including individual factors such as bone or muscle mass. Height in inches: Weight in pounds: Calculate BMI Shortcomings of BMI As mentioned previously, the BMI is easy to calculate, but not a high precision measurement. Because it’s a simple calculation based solely on height and weight, it can’t take into account individual factors. When calculating your BMI, consider the following special conditions that may apply. The BMI may: Underestimate body [Read more …]