Sounds dreamy right?

Pull out your fork and let’s get stuck into some tasty foods to eat to lose weight.

The best foods to eat to lose weight

The final taste

These foods should help to support your weight loss efforts and keep you in shape.

They’ll do these by providing essential nutrients your body needs to drop the pounds, while also giving you greater control over the amount of food you eat.

Tuck into any of these and enjoy the support they can offer you and your weight loss progress.

Needless to say, achieving a bikini model body isn’t a walk in the park.

It’s a carefully balanced combination of determination, dedication to the gym and a killer diet.

Eating well might sound simple, but it takes a whole lotta grit, planning and commitment to achieve this kind of physique.

If you’ve ever wondered: what do bikini models eat, we’re here with all the answers. To help you start your journey to optimum female physique, check out our guide today.

[Related Article: The Best Fat Burner Supplements for Women ] 

What do bikini models eat?

Now, you might think that to achieve this kind of body, you need to go to extreme measures. Well fear not, girl. You can get the results you’re looking in a healthy, safe way.

While you’ll have to measure your macro intake and weigh out the foods you eat, you’ll be nourishing your body with all the right stuff.

To get there, you need to have a plan. That’s both with your workouts and with your food. We’ve all heard the phrase abs are made in the kitchen and it’s definitely the case with fitness models.

There are plenty of fad diets and companies out there promising you fat loss results, but the reality is, there are no secret tricks or life hacks to a bikini model diet. You just need to be strict, plan out your food intake, be healthy and stick to it.

Understanding food

A bikini body is the result of some serious food knowledge. To achieve this kind of physique, you need to understand how food fuels your body. Once you’ve got that, you can start using your diet to power your workouts, improve your physique and burn fat.

The foundation of this is these three essential macronutrients:

Protein. This macro helps you build and maintain muscle. It’s an amino acid that’s used by your body to repair and grow your muscles after you work out.

Fat.  Your body needs fat as part of a balanced, healthy diet. It helps the body absorb certain vitamins to keep you in great shape.

Carbohydrates. These foods give you the energy your body needs to function. Whether that’s keeping your heart pumping or helping you smash a workout, carbs are essential.

Now, if you’re here you’ve probably heard of these macros already.

However, there’s more to it than just knowing what’s going in to your body.

Bikini models need to plan a careful ratio of their macros, which is usually done through the IIFYM diet. By balancing out these nutrients and finding the right calorie intake, you can build muscle, lose fat and power workouts to achieve that perfect physique.

To do this, bikini models will generally aim to eat lean protein, complex carbohydrates, healthy fats and vegetables.

Now we hear you, eating healthy is one thing, but how do you achieve that super toned physique? How much of this stuff do bikini models really eat?

Perfecting protein

You can’t sculpt that amazing bikini body muscle without protein. Every time you go to the gym, or even carry your groceries to the car, you’re creating tiny microtears in your muscle. Your body then adapts to this new strain by repairing the fibers to strengthen and grow your muscles. Protein is used to make these repairs.

Protein is the essential macronutrient to turn your workouts into super shapely gains, which makes it a super important part of the bikini model diet.

A bikini model will use lean protein to grow her gains. Lean protein contains less fat, so it’s less calories per gram, a high protein content and is easy for your body to digest.

Every meal should contain a healthy portion of protein, so your body has enough in its system to maintain and grow muscle.

Optimal amounts of protein are between 1.4-2.0g of protein per kg of body weight. Studies show for the best muscle growing results, you should aim to consume this macronutrient over the course of the day, in around 5-6 sittings.

Why go complex?

One of the most important things to learn about nutrition is how to use your carbs to your advantage. We’ve mentioned before, complex carbs are packed full of vitamins and goodness compared to simple, refined carbs. But what does this mean for your body and your workouts?

Complex carbs get their name because they’re made up of long, complicated chains. This takes more time to break down in the body, giving you a slower release of energy.

This is perfect if you’re looking for an optimal performance in the gym. A slower release of energy will give you enough energy to power you through a longer workout. Whether you’re lifting weights or smashing a fat burning HIIT session, you need the right energy to get the most out of it.

How much do bikini models eat?

Well that depends on their phases. When they’re building muscle, a bikini model will be in a high protein, high carb diet and a calories surplus. When they’re cutting to that super toned, stage-ready look we’re used to seeing, they’ll be in a calorie deficit. During this time, they’ll be eating plenty of protein to maintain muscle mass and cut fat.

Everything they eat will be ‘clean’. That just means as healthy and vitamin-packed as possible.

For example, a bowl of oats is a healthy slow release carb, brimming with fiber, vitamins and minerals. It might have the same carb content as a chocolate bar, but this treat won’t have any of the healthy components of the bowl of oats. Refined sugars in the chocolate will also give you a quick energy spike, and a pretty nasty crash rather than a clean boost that lasts.

These are often referred to as ‘empty carbs’ because you’re not really getting any benefit from the, just calories.

The trick to replicating this diet is to keep it clean, find the right amount of calories for you and stick to it.

Top tips for a bikini model diet

On top of getting food nailed there are a few other things bikini models focus on to achieve next level results. It’s more than just about what you eat, it’s the approach you take too.

• Find your focus. Getting through a new diet and saying no to treats can be a challenge, so you need to find what motivates you and remind yourself of that throughout the process.
• Live the 80/20 life. Eating healthy doesn’t mean you’re never allowed to eat a treat again. On the contrary, a healthy relationship with food means enjoying yourself every now and then. Plan in a couple of cheat meals a week and work the rest of your calories for the day around that so you don’t feel like you’re missing out. Also, if you don’t give yourself a treat every now and then, it could trigger cravings, which puts you on the fast track to cheats-ville.
• Don’t give in to guilt. Guilt is not the way to motivate yourself girl. By planning in your cheat meals as mentioned above, you won’t feel guilty when you do go off track a little. Also, you should be empowered by your progress and that should be your main motivator, not feeling guilty.
• Be prepared to make compromises. There’s a reason you don’t see every weekend warrior looking stage-ready after a few weeks of working out and eating clean. This takes work, and although you can afford a few well-planned cheats every now and then, being strict with your diet is the fast track to success. So prepare to turn down sweet treats and your favorite cocktails all in the name of gains.
• Get planning. Not only do you have to plan your food intake, you’ve got to plan your menu too. That means meal prep is your new best friend. If you’ve ever tried perfecting your macros and avoiding temptation whilst going out for lunch every day, you’ll know it’s pretty much impossible. Prep food in advance so you don’t have to think about it, you’ll just slay it.

The final word

Once you’ve got these tips down, and your food is properly planned out, achieving bikini model physique is within reach. No doubt, a lot of work goes in to crafting this coveted physique, but when done right, it can be achieved in a safe and healthy way.

If you’re ready to take on the challenge, use this guide and see if you can perfect your nutrition and physique.

Looking for more fitness inspiration? Check out these articles:

• 5 High-Protein Snack Recipes
• Vegetarian Muscle Building Guide for Women
• What Does IIFYM Mean? – A Guide to Flexible Dieting for Fat Loss

Or could a fat burner help support your physique goals?

Where once there was a set way to grow muscle on a diet, nothing is set in stone anymore.

We’re all a heck-uv-a lot more educated when it comes to nutrition and now more and more fitness fiends are turning to a vegetarian diet for both health and moral reasons.

The main concern for many of our meat-free friends is knowing how to build muscle and advance their fitness journey whilst drastically changing their diet. One of the biggest issues around growing muscle on meat free diet all comes back to our favorite macro – protein.

Meat is one of the main sources of protein in our diet for many of us. If you’re planning to take meat off the menu, and still want to progress in the gym, then you need to be in the know about how you’re going to boost your intake.

Luckily, it can be done, and we’re here to help you get what you need out of your vegetarian diet.

Article Preview: 

• How do I build muscle as a vegetarian
• What does protein do?
• how to add protein to a vegetarian diet
• High protein foods that can help you gain muscle
• What other macros do you need?
• Final word

How do I build muscle as a vegetarian?

To build muscle, your body needs to be in a certain nutritional balance. These are the two main things you need to turn your hard work into muscle:

• Calorie surplus – You should be consuming more calories than you burn through your day-to-day activities and gym exercises.
• Protein consumption – You should also be eating enough protein to help build muscle after each workout.

If you achieve these two states for your body, irrelevant of whether you’re a vegetarian or not, you’ll build muscle. Simple.

The trick is getting the perfect balance of calorie and protein consumption, as well as finding the foods that will help you achieve these criteria.

What does protein do?

This macronutrient is what our bodies use to grow muscle. Whenever you work out, you create tears in your muscle tissue. Your body fixes these tears and helps the muscles to adapt by repairing the muscles and building them to grow back bigger and stronger.

Protein is the building blocks of this process. You also need it to maintain your muscle levels.

As a key part of your diet, its essential you get healthy amounts of this amino acid in your diet. If you don’t have enough protein in your system, you can risk muscle atrophy.

This is a state where your body starts to compensate for all the extra work by taking the amino acids from healthier parts of the body to make any repairs. Essentially, it breaks down your other muscles to help you get by.

If you’re hoping to succeed with vegetarian muscle building you need to ensure you’re getting enough protein, otherwise you can say goodbye to gains.

According to a study, an active woman looking to gain muscle should include around 1.8 – 2.0g of protein per kg of body weight. You should be aiming to hit this every day, alongside an intensive resistance training program.

How to add protein to a vegetarian diet

This much protein might be more than you’re used to if you haven’t tracked your macros before, and it might seem hard to achieve if you don’t have meat in your diet. But don’t sweat it girl, we’ve got your back.

For the best muscle-growing results, you should aim to get as many of the 9 essential protein amino acids into your diet as possible:

• Leucine
• Histidine
• Methionine
• Isoleucine
• Lysine
• Valine
• Phenylalanine
• Threonine
• Tryptophan

High protein vegetarian foods that can help you gain muscle:

The whey to gains

A quality whey protein powder can be an absolute gamechanger in your muscle and fitness journey. Most products on the market pack in an impressive 20g of protein per portion, making it a powerful supplement to add to your nutrition plan.

It’s fast, convenient and loved by so many in the muscle gaining game because it’s naturally high in protein. It can also be flavored, so you get something that tastes good at the same time.

Whey is a by-product of the milk production process, which makes it appropriate for vegetarians, but not great if you’re thinking of becoming vegan.

If you’re a fan of whey, there are huge range of ways you can enjoy it in your diet. Take it as a shake, blend it into a chocolatey smoothie or add it to your oats for a protein packed snack.

Egg-cellent muscle growth

Eggs are one of those magical natural foods that are brimming with nutritious benefits. Aside from tons of vitamins and healthy fats, your average egg holds about 6g of muscle building protein.

They also contain all nine of the protein amino acids we mentioned earlier, making them an essential part of your muscle growing diet.

On top of that, they’re also full of key repair minerals like zinc, calcium and iron. This makes them perfect for muscle and repair. You’re welcome.

Dairy gains

Naturally high in protein and good fats, diary can be a fast and tasty way to get more protein in your diet.

If you’re lactose intolerant, give the milk-based products a miss – it’s not worth the stomach pain. If lactose is your friend, definitely check out these options:

Milk. A cup of milk is a great way to help your body recover. It’s full of vitamins, and minerals that optimize your body for the healing and growing process after a workout. A lot of athletes even go for a healthy portion of chocolate milk to give their body the best chances of recovering at speed.

Yoghurts. Specifically, processed yogurts can also be extremely high in protein, which give you a tasty and easy-to-consume serving of your muscle-building macro.

These days you can find Icelandic skyr style yogurts in most stores and supermarkets. Enjoy them as a refreshing treat after a meal and give your macro nutrients a powerful boost.

Cheese. Another tasty dairy treat is quark. It might look like a yogurt, but it’s actually a high protein form of cheese. Don’t get us wrong though, we’re not telling you to eat a block of cheese. Quark is usually flavored and tastes more like a sweet treat than cheese.

Working in that similar vein you’ve also got cottage cheese. This is another protein packed delight. Enjoy it as a savory snack or add some honey and you’ll satisfy that sweet tooth.

Plant-base proteins

When it comes to plant-based proteins, there are plenty of options to help you create a varied and versatile diet. Although they contain proteins, some have more of those nine amino acids than others do, so we recommend you mix up your intake as regularly as possible for a rich protein profile.

Here are a few high-protein options you should aim to include in your diet:

• Quinoa
• Soy based products
• Buckwheat
• Hemp
• Brown Rice
• Legumes (peas, beans, cashews)

Not only will these boost your protein intake, they’re all natural, nutrient-packed ingredients that will nourish your body.

What other macros do you need?

Once you figure out where your calorie surplus sits, and how much protein you should be consuming, you need to think about the carbs and fats you’ll be eating. The best way to do this is to use a macro calculator.

When you have an idea of how your diet will work, it’s just a matter if eating the right stuff to keep your body happy and healthy.

Carbohydrates

A lot of people think carbohydrates are the sign of an unhealthy diet. This simply isn’t the case. With the right carbs in your diet, you can boost your energy levels, take your workouts to the next level and improve recovery rates.

Steer clear of refined sugars and heavily processed carbs like bread or pasta. Your go-to is a complex, unprocessed carb. A great example of this is oats. They release energy slowly, so you benefit from a longer, more controlled release of energy. Perfect if you’re heading to the gym for a big session.

Here are a few other types of carbohydrates you should include in your diet:

• Wholegrain rice
• Sweet potatoes
• Quinoa
• Wild rice
• Beans
• Wholegrain bread

Fats

Fats also get a bad rep, but good fats are a key part of your diet. It’s also been shown that women on low fat diets experience a drop in estrogen [1], so it’s a good idea to get this macro into your meal plan for your overall health.

If you’re a vegetarian, it can be harder to get fat into your meals. We’ve got the answer girls. Nuts.

These little treats are packed full of calories and good fats, perfect if you’re looking to hit that calorie surplus and build muscle. They’re also brimming with healthy vitamins and minerals that will get your body working like a well-oiled machine.

What’s more, you can enjoy them as part of a nut butter – something we can’t get enough of.

Here are a few more veggie friendly sources of fat:

• Brazil nuts
• Walnuts
• Peanuts
• Almonds
• Chia seeds
• Olive oil

Final word

When you’re in the know, turning veggie and building muscle can be smooth sailing.

Once you know what you need to be putting in your body, the macronutrients you need to succeed and the foods that provide those nutrients, you’re on track to achieving some serious, meat-free gains.

Hungry for more nutrition-based articles from your girls at SMG? Read these:

• What is The Keto Diet and Can it Work for Weight Loss?
• What Does IIFYM Mean? – A Guide to Flexible Dieting for Fat Loss
• Using the Mediterranean Diet for Bodybuilding

References: 

You might have been feeling that little bit more tired than normal. Maybe your skin has been looking dry and fatigued, you’ve lost your libido or your period has been hit and miss.

Your hormones aren’t balanced.

And you know it.

The power of nutrition tells us that you can balance hormones safely and effectively with the right vitamins and minerals.

It’s okay people saying ‘just need to eat healthily’ or ‘focus on nutrient dense foods’ if you don’t quite know which foods fit the bill when it comes to optimal female health.

And that’s where this article comes in…

So check out our guide and rediscover the old you in no time.

Balancing Hormones With Essential Foods

The way your body works is all about synergy. Much like the building blacks of a beautiful palace are arranged to perfection.

In your own body right now you’ve got hundreds of physiological ‘systems’ ranging from muscular and skeletal, to nervous and digestive.

Each one controls a specific part of you. But they gel together to help control and balance hormones in females to boost health.

And if one of them isn’t functioning properly, the whole thing crumbles like a deck of cards.

Without the right nutrition, your body just can’t function as a whole.

Your physical health will eventually suffer – as will your reproductive, emotional and mental health too, which will be damaged pretty quickly without the essential foods.

But there is a fix.

The complicated matter of female hormones

Your body needs balance between hormones for it to work properly. Much like the symphony needs strings, horns and that dude at the front that waves his stick around like he’s free-styling his lateral raises.

Without these parts, it just doesn’t work.

While the men only really have testosterone to balance, we as women have all kinds of hormones to deal with.

It’s part of what makes us special.

Hormones are fueled by nutrition.

Your steroid hormones such as testosterone and estrogen – both hugely important for health and sports performance, are made from fats. And insulin and IGF-1 are examples of hormones manufactured from protein.

And then there are the hundreds of vitamins and minerals that act like cattle prods to give your hormones a jolt every now and then.

They all play their own role in promoting overall health.

Why should you balance your hormones?

Hormones run the whole show.

Although they are controlled by various parts of your brain, it’s these chemical messengers that act like medieval runners, passing communication between parts of your body to make sure it functions properly.

Every single one of your hormones plays a key role in your health:

• Estrogen – protects your brain and keeps your bones healthy. It also regulates sex characteristics such as wide hips and breasts.
• Progesterone – prepares your egg to be fertilized during menstruation. Higher levels are associated with PMS, bloating and breast soreness, but low levels are associated with early menopause and weight gain.
• Testosterone – this hormone is important for women as it helps build lean muscle, optimize physical performance and keep body fat low. It decreases the risk of metabolic and vascular disease and protects your brain too.
• Thyroid hormones – maintains your metabolic rate so is hugely important for fat loss. Works best when progesterone levels are optimized as well.

If hormones are too high or low, your body can’t function optimally. There’s always a knock effect too which will ultimately lead to ill health and poor performance.

It’s all about balance.

Essential Foods to Balance Hormones

#1. Oyster extract

Known for its libido-enhancing effects, oysters are packed full of the essential nutrient zinc. In fact, nearly 80% of oysters are made up from this nutrients.

Research shows that zinc enhances physical performance, sex drive, skin elasticity and hormonal balance.

It’s been shown to help boost testosterone and optimize estrogen levels in studies ranging from weekend warrior gym goers right through to professional wrestlers.

As an all-round nutrient, zinc should be right up there at the top of your list for health.

And if you don’t like that taste or slimy texture of oysters you can get all of the benefits by using a testosterone boosting supplement containing oyster extract such as TestoFuel – a premium hormone support system designed to give you more energy, tone up muscle and get rid of unwanted body fat.

It’s one of the most popular types of supplement for women that want to get all of the health benefits fast and without side effects.

#2. Broccoli

We all know that you should eat your greens to stay fit and healthy. But cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli will also help to balance hormones in females too.

Packed full of fiber, vitamin K and C, as well as fat burning nutrients such as chromium, and B vitamins, broccoli is a must have food for hormonal balance.

This nutritious greens food benefits women by providing a huge hit of folate (which can help prevent anemia when you’re on your period). It also optimizes estrogen levels, helping to reduce the risk of cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

Broccoli is definitely an essential food you should eat to balance hormones.

It’s practically a female multivitamin.

#3. Eggs

Once upon a time, we were told to avoid egg because of cholesterol. But that’s one of the reasons why they helps to balance hormones in females.

Estrogen, progesterone and testosterone are all ‘steroid’ hormones. That means they are sterol nutrients made from cholesterol.

Without these types of foods your body finds it hard to manufacture the right hormones to achieve balance.

Not only does one egg give you a whopping 7 grams of protein in just 75 kcals, eggs are choc-full of hormone balancing building blocks called high-density lipoproteins (HDLs).

But the best thing of all is that eggs are a rich source of vitamin D3 – a formidable testosterone-boosting nutrient.

D3 is great for health, but it’s real power is in its ability to balance hormones in females, ramp up sports performance and enhance muscle recovery.

If you train hard and want to build toned, shapely muscle, eggs give you all of the protein and fat you need to nail your hormones and boost athletic performance.

#4. Red beet

One of the most vibrant-colored foods that grow in the ground, red beets (also referred to by the uber-cool name blood turnips) are a real superfood for any woman that wants to balance her hormones.

High in vitamin A and C, folic acid and potassium, red beet is one of the only foods you’ll find that provides a natural source of nitrates.

Great for balancing hormones that improve skin, hair and overall wellness, red beet uses nitrate power to maintain blood vessel health too.

Red beet has been used by professional athletes to help improve blood flow, nutrient delivery and also high-intensity exercise performance.

Using supplements such as a premium pre workout containing red beet has been found to help women train harder for longer without fatigue, lose body fat and enhance endurance while workout out. 

It’s a pretty muddy, earthy tasting nutrient so isn’t for everyone. But if you can get used to the taste, you’ll unlock a whole host of hormone -balancing benefits.

Red beet is the new kid on the block when it comes to health foods.

Are you too tired for sex? Do you keep telling your partner that you have a “headache” so you can side-skirt getting naughty and just go to bed? If your libido has been less than lusty lately, try these foods that are all proven to give a powerful boost to your libido! You’ll feel like a teenager again, pining away for a little romp in the sack or two! Here are the ten foods that will increase your sex drive and additional four that will reduce it.

Libido Boosting Foods

Black Raspberries

Black raspberries are rich in phytochemicals, which increase libido, will instantly get you in the mood. It’s recommended to eat at least a handful every day to boost creativity underneath the sheets. They are also proven to increase overall sexual endurance. Eat at least 10 per day or take a tablespoon of raspberry seeds a couple of hours before having sex for more bow chicka wow wow!

Broccoli

You can eat broccoli any way you like: raw, cooked or sautéed! Just add them to a salad or eat them on the side with your steak. Broccoli has a high content of vitamin C which improves the blood circulation to your organs and has been suggested to improve the libido in women. If you were already planning on adding a vegetable in your dinner, but wondering which one, when it comes to your libido, broccoli is your best choice.

Cloves

Similar to broccoli, this super-food can be cooked in many forms. You can brew it in hot apple cider, add it your favorite sweet treat or add it in your tea. Make sure to make some for your partner too! Chives are a century-long medicine for male sexual issues in India. Recent research has confirmed this by concluding that clove extract significantly increased the libido of male lab rats.

They can also be used to get rid of foul mouth odor, so no more dragon breath ruining the mood when you’re trying to get it on. Powdered cloves taste great in Mexican food, along with cinnamon and cumin. This adds up to a delicious aphrodisiac, ooo la la!

Figs

If you want to become irresistible to your partner, this miraculous food will make you a love-making machine. Figs are known to be a powerful stimulant of fertility and can increase the release of pheromones. Try a handful before making love and witness their sexy potential. Figs are also known to increase the testosterone production in men.

Watermelon

If you’re looking for something that is both sweet and stimulating for your libido, try a piece of watermelon.

Despite it being comprised of more than 90% water, the rest is filled with essential compounds for your sexual health. It’s been found that watermelons contain substances which have an effect similar to Viagra on our blood vessels and can help with improving your libido. Watermelons have a phytonutrient known as citrulline, which your body transforms into arginine, an amino acid known to boost nitric oxide levels and relax your blood vessels, similar to Viagra!

Eggs

Regardless of how you want to cook them, eating eggs will boost your libido after a tiring day and will enable you the needed energy for the sexy marathon ahead. They have a high protein content, which will give you more stamina, and they have a few calories. Additionally, they are a great source of L-arginine, an amino acid which has been proven to combat various types of heart issues and sexual dysfunctions.

Ginseng

Numerous studies have shown that women who took a ginseng supplement experienced a significant increase in their libido in just one month, and more than 70% have confirmed that their sex life also improved. Incorporate ginseng in your diet or you can try some of the ginseng tea varieties.

However, just because a beverage contains ginseng, doesn’t mean it’s healthy. The majority of energy drinks sold on the market have ginseng in them, but they also have lots of other unhealthy compounds as well as lots of sugar, which decrease your libido.

Saffron

Even though it’s a bit expensive, saffron is a great spice, both literally and figuratively for your belly and your sex life. Scientists have found out that saffron has the potential to improve your sexual performance. It is recommended that you soak the threads in a warm liquid for about 20 minutes and then add them in rice, barley or quinoa, or just add it in a stew or a soup.

Lettuce

Prepare a salad with lettuce and whatever assorted vegetables you like. Dress it with some vinegar and heart-healthy extra virgin olive oil. This will not only boost your libido, but it will help you stay satiated. Lettuce has an opiate which helps to activate various sex hormones. Eat an entire bowl with your dinner and you’re good to go.

Ginger

Ginger has been used for medical purposes for centuries from cultures from all over the globe. Ginger has compounds in it that help with the adjustment of circulation temperature, detoxification of the mucoid residue which can be found in the gastrointestinal tract and boost the libido.

You can consume it in any form, raw, supplement or as an addition to your meal or beverage, and it has proven itself to be a powerful health defender in times of colds and the flu season. It’s also a bit hot which makes it an excellent addition to any soup or stew.

The Libido Killers

Oysters

Oysters have often been lauded as powerful aphrodisiacs, but that is not the case at all. They do have a high content of zinc, a mineral essential to the creation of many hormones, but they can also be a very toxic and unhealthy food. Along with other shellfish, they can absorb various toxins and all kind of parasites found in the ocean, which in many cases outweighs the zinc benefits. That’s why you should avoid them and opt for some spinach to get a meal low in calories and high in zinc.

Chocolate

Chocolate has always been lauded as one of the most potent aphrodisiacs, but current studies have started to claim otherwise. Despite having compounds like phenylethylamine which can boost endorphin and serotonin levels, it’s been found that there really is no relation between chocolate consumption and the improvement of libido or sexual performance. That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy chocolate in moderation, as dark chocolate still has overall health benefits.

Refined Baked Goods

Baked goods are filled with sugar, which literally kills your sex drive. Baked goods have saturated trans-fats, which have a negative impact on our cells, along with the immune system. These treats loaded with sugar surround the body’s cells, preventing any essential food glucose from entering the cell, keeping it the bloodstream, thus increasing blood sugar levels and reducing the libido.

The fats contained within also clog the ventricles, decreasing the oxygen supply to the sexual organs and preventing the spleen from creating a sufficient amount of leukocytes (white blood cells). Without enough white blood cells, the formation of sperm and eggs are very difficult.

Dairy Products

If you just have to have cheese or ice cream, you may need to reconsider your choices if you want to get laid. Try subbing them out with a lactose-free alternative every now and then.  It’s been found that the lactic acid found in dairy products as well as the elements that destroy oxygen can really diminish the libido to extremely low levels, which means restricting dairy products to maximum 3 times a week. One shouldn’t neglect dairy’s most beneficial mineral: calcium.

It is tightly related to the cell’s health as well as your overall sexual health. Healthy cells increase the sensitivity for an improved circulation to the genitalia, which results in enhanced sexual pleasure. That’s why you need to drink more soy milk, eat leafy vegetables, sprouted beans, broccoli, cabbage, which are all rich in calcium.

This smoothie is so good and good for you! It also is jam packed full of essential nutrients for your tendons and ligaments, so say buh-bye to those sore knees!

Knee-dless to say, knees might be one of the most important joints in the human body. We can’t do anything without our knees. They promote proper upright posture and provide support so we can walk, jump and run.

We use our knees a lot, which makes them one of the most susceptible joints to suffer injuries. All of those minor knee injuries accumulated throughout the years causes the ligaments to lose their flexibility and mobility. As we age our joints don’t get enough lubrication resulting in aches and pains. Sounds like a bummer, doesn’t it?

Miracle Knee Pain Cure

Don’t worry, this article will show you one extremely effective natural method to help you bolster up your ligaments and tendons so you’ll be back to running, jumping and leaping with childlike ease. This powerful smoothie concoction is full of ingredients known for their effective anti-inflammatory characteristics, and are ideal for reducing pain. It’s got orange juice and pineapple, which bring loads of vitamin C, bromelain, silicon, and magnesium.

In addition to their inflammatory properties, these nutrients restore the overall strength of your body, providing you with energy. It’s also full of fiber and healthy fats to increase the lubrication of your tendons and ligaments. Drink one smoothie a day for at least two weeks for relief of all joint and ligament pain.

Cinnamon-Pineapple Smoothie for Healthy Joints – Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (250 ml) of water
• 0.25 Oz (7g) of cinnamon
• 2 cups sliced pineapple chunks
• 1 cup instant cooked oatmeal (follow directions on package first)
• 1 cup raw natural orange juice
• 2 ½ tablespoons almonds, crushed
• 2 ½ tablespoons raw honey

Preparation:

First, prepare the instant oatmeal as directed on the package. Then squeeze the pineapple juice from the pineapple chunks. Add the orange juice, cinnamon, honey and almonds to a blender and blend on high. Add the oatmeal and pineapple juice, and blend them again. You should end up with a smooth mixture. If it’s too thick, just add several ice cubes, blend again and enjoy!

A smoothie a day will keep those knee aches at bay!

More on How to Keep That Knee Pain Away for Good

To further prevent injury on your knees and sooth knee pain at the source, here are three helpful stretches:

Subine Hamstring Stretch

Your hamstrings run from your hips to your knees and actually cross over your knees. Increasing flexibility in this large muscle will ease knee pain. Keep your spine stable to get the most out of your stretch.

1. Lay on your back in front of a doorway with your hips in line with the entryway.
2. Keep your left leg straight in front of you, place your right leg up on the door and inch your way forward to deepen the stretch.
3. Hold for 30-60 seconds.

Standing Calf Stretch

1. Stand about three feet from a wall and put your right foot behind you ensuring your toes are facing forward.
2. Keep your heel on the ground and lean forward with your right knee straight. Feel the stretch.
3. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds.

Pretzel Stretch

1. Lie flat on your back and bend both knees. Cross one leg over the other so your foot is on the opposite knee.
2. Bring both knees towards your chest and gently pull the uncrossed leg towards you until you feel a stretch in your buttocks.
3. Hold for 30-60 seconds.

Stretching and a smoothie a day will keep those knee aches at bay!

Did you know, cinnamon is also a thermogenic? Check out our list of top metabolism boosters to see how you can ignite total body calorie burn!