My experience with blogging has been an extremely positive and reassuring one.
First off, I learned a lot in this course about my peers, current events, and different perspectives. It’s given me an opportunity to expand on my own passion and show myself that I am capable of achieving a lot, given the right motivation. But regardless of my achievements, what I enjoyed most was the social aspect of the blogging experience. As an inquisitive person it’s really shown me a refreshing passionate side to people and has given me a chance to really analyze what they feel is important to them. It has also dispelled some myths and opened doors to subjects that I normally wouldn’t care to research such as politics, relationships, and different cultures.
Before I took this course, my accepted view was that I was bad at English because I lacked the skills, ability, and natural talent that would allow me to excel. By my second blog post, this notion had completely dissipated. Blogging about a passion or interest of my own allowed me to actually externalize thoughts that I had and not be worried so much about the composition rather than the material. In doing this I saw that I actually had a firm grasp of the English language and my only problem is that of creativity. It was a liberating experience to be sure and one that I will definitely suggest to anyone that needs to take this course.
A special thanks to the professor for making this course an enjoyable one.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Template for muscle gain
So after talking about proper dieting techniques I figured I should show you what a good template might look like. I will be using myself for this template and the goal of this will not be fat loss, but rather, muscle gain.
First step is to calculate my BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate), and for this I will be using the Harris-Benedict Procedure for men (Venuto).
BMR for men = 66 + (13.7 x body weight in kilograms) + (5 x height in centimeters) – (6.8 x age in years) (Venuto)
BMR for women = 655 + (9.6 x body weight in kilograms) + (1.8 x height in centimeters) – (4.7 x age in years) (Venuto)
BMR for men = 66 + (13.7 x 86kg) + (5 x 186cm) – (6.8 x 21)
BMR for men = 2031.4 calories/day
So what I have just calculated is my BMR which is approximately 2030 calories a day. If you have forgotten what the BMR (often called your maintenance calories) is, it is the amount of calories needed to maintain your body in a healthy state with no weight gain or weight loss, with just your basic energy expenditure (not including exercise) (Discovery Health).
So now I have calculated for maintenance calories and since I want to gain weight in muscle I’m going to have to take into account the calories that will be needed to build up my muscle and the calories that I will burn during the process of working out. Using this website I have found that in my one hour gym sessions I will burn approximately 200 calories. To gain a pound of muscle you also need about 1,800 calories of protein*. So let’s say I wanted to gain 2 pounds of dense muscle a month. That means that I want 3,600 calories of protein split up into 30 days, which equals about 120 extra calories of protein daily. Okay since I’m not a nutritionist this is all very rough estimating, but I will have to consume about (2030 + 200 + 120) 2,350 calories on work out days and (2030 + 120) 2,150 calories on non-work out days to reach my goal of 2 pounds of muscle gain by the end of the month.
I now have a basic template for the month and the hard part is figured out. I know what I want and how to get it, the rest is just mapping out a suitable diet using high-quality, nutritious foods and breaking them up into the 5-6 meals a day discussed in a previous post.
Some extra bits of info:
- Look for a good diet ratio online (it will have the ratio or percentages you will need to eat of carbs/proteins/fats; e.g. 40-40-20 diet is good for building muscle or losing weight which is why many people use it)
- Make your breakfast the largest meal by adding carbs and protein and adjust your daily diet accordingly
- Eat a good mixture of simple/complex carbs (think simple = immediate energy, complex = prolonged energy)
- Take your vitamins and essential fatty acids
- Drink plenty of water
There you have it, this is the final post of my blogs and I hope you all learned something from it.
* There are 28 grams in one ounce, and 16 ounces in one pound, therefore, there are 448 grams in one pound and multiplied by 4 calories per gram of protein yields approximately 1,800 calories.
References
Bodybuilding.com. Bodybuilding.com. 2008. 7 December 2008 http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/calories.htm.
Discovery Health. 30 October 2007. 7 December 2008 http://health.discovery.com/tools/calculators/basal/basal.html.
Venuto, Tom. AJ Design Software. 2007. 7 December 2008 http://www.ajdesigner.com/phpweightloss/weight_loss_equations_male_metabolic_rate_bmr_calorie_day.php.
First step is to calculate my BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate), and for this I will be using the Harris-Benedict Procedure for men (Venuto).
BMR for men = 66 + (13.7 x body weight in kilograms) + (5 x height in centimeters) – (6.8 x age in years) (Venuto)
BMR for women = 655 + (9.6 x body weight in kilograms) + (1.8 x height in centimeters) – (4.7 x age in years) (Venuto)
BMR for men = 66 + (13.7 x 86kg) + (5 x 186cm) – (6.8 x 21)
BMR for men = 2031.4 calories/day
So what I have just calculated is my BMR which is approximately 2030 calories a day. If you have forgotten what the BMR (often called your maintenance calories) is, it is the amount of calories needed to maintain your body in a healthy state with no weight gain or weight loss, with just your basic energy expenditure (not including exercise) (Discovery Health).
So now I have calculated for maintenance calories and since I want to gain weight in muscle I’m going to have to take into account the calories that will be needed to build up my muscle and the calories that I will burn during the process of working out. Using this website I have found that in my one hour gym sessions I will burn approximately 200 calories. To gain a pound of muscle you also need about 1,800 calories of protein*. So let’s say I wanted to gain 2 pounds of dense muscle a month. That means that I want 3,600 calories of protein split up into 30 days, which equals about 120 extra calories of protein daily. Okay since I’m not a nutritionist this is all very rough estimating, but I will have to consume about (2030 + 200 + 120) 2,350 calories on work out days and (2030 + 120) 2,150 calories on non-work out days to reach my goal of 2 pounds of muscle gain by the end of the month.
I now have a basic template for the month and the hard part is figured out. I know what I want and how to get it, the rest is just mapping out a suitable diet using high-quality, nutritious foods and breaking them up into the 5-6 meals a day discussed in a previous post.
Some extra bits of info:
- Look for a good diet ratio online (it will have the ratio or percentages you will need to eat of carbs/proteins/fats; e.g. 40-40-20 diet is good for building muscle or losing weight which is why many people use it)
- Make your breakfast the largest meal by adding carbs and protein and adjust your daily diet accordingly
- Eat a good mixture of simple/complex carbs (think simple = immediate energy, complex = prolonged energy)
- Take your vitamins and essential fatty acids
- Drink plenty of water
There you have it, this is the final post of my blogs and I hope you all learned something from it.
* There are 28 grams in one ounce, and 16 ounces in one pound, therefore, there are 448 grams in one pound and multiplied by 4 calories per gram of protein yields approximately 1,800 calories.
References
Bodybuilding.com. Bodybuilding.com. 2008. 7 December 2008 http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/calories.htm.
Discovery Health. 30 October 2007. 7 December 2008 http://health.discovery.com/tools/calculators/basal/basal.html.
Venuto, Tom. AJ Design Software. 2007. 7 December 2008 http://www.ajdesigner.com/phpweightloss/weight_loss_equations_male_metabolic_rate_bmr_calorie_day.php.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Final Paper Ideas
My community is that of the Nutrition/Health/Fitness bloggers. Some of these bloggers are educators, while others are promoting a product, while others still may perhaps be sharing their own experiences as it is related to the topic. I feel that I fit in with the educators in the respect that this is a class where our compositions are supposed to be 50% research, and as such my blogs are simply an amalgamation of cited material and my thoughts.
I will be using several very different blog sites to juxtapose the views of nutrition and health with regards to the backgrounds and goals. For instance, you could say that the goal of a particular weight loss blogging site is to promote their product “HealthBarX." In other circumstances a fellow blogger might be putting out information to help others. But regardless of their goals/intentions I want to investigate what makes the blog site successful and what people feel that they can relate to.
Nutrition is such an important aspect of our lives, but it seems in my day-to-day encounters that not enough people pay attention to their diet. With this in mind I also want to see what people are interested in. If they’re not interested in nutrition, then I’ll investigate why they’re not interested. I feel that what I find will help me better understand the readers (current and prospective) which in turn will help me reach more people.
I will be using several very different blog sites to juxtapose the views of nutrition and health with regards to the backgrounds and goals. For instance, you could say that the goal of a particular weight loss blogging site is to promote their product “HealthBarX." In other circumstances a fellow blogger might be putting out information to help others. But regardless of their goals/intentions I want to investigate what makes the blog site successful and what people feel that they can relate to.
Nutrition is such an important aspect of our lives, but it seems in my day-to-day encounters that not enough people pay attention to their diet. With this in mind I also want to see what people are interested in. If they’re not interested in nutrition, then I’ll investigate why they’re not interested. I feel that what I find will help me better understand the readers (current and prospective) which in turn will help me reach more people.
Caffeine
In this post I’ll be talking about caffeine as a tool to further your workouts.
Caffeine is a psychoactive stimulant that is found in many plants worldwide such as the Cacao tree. As a socially acceptable drug, it has found its way into many food products such as soda, candy, ice cream, and chocolate. Its effects on a person start at, but are not limited to: stimulation of the nervous and cardiovascular systems, elevated mood, elevated energy, increased heart rate, increased metabolic rate, and increased respiratory rate (Nutrition and Well-being A-Z).
Many athletes (professional or not) use caffeine because it has been shown to increase speed, stamina, and performance in general (Clark). Since it speeds up your heart rate, it’s making you burn more calories per hour than normal, thus explaining the increased respiratory and metabolic rate. So not only will you be burning more calories per hour (for up to 3-4 hours depending on dosage), but you will also experience a psychological effect that may help keep you going past your normal burn out point. With that in mind, this may be just what you need to start burning off some calories as well as giving you an edge in the gym. For those considering using caffeine in an exercise program, it should be ingested in recommended dosages appropriate to your size about 30 minutes prior to a workout, but at least 3 – 4 hours before you plan to sleep.
Now as most of us know, caffeine is an addictive substance and therefore, care should be exercised when considering a diet regimen consisting of caffeinated supplements. It should also be noted that caffeine in doses of 500-600mg + have been shown to cause adverse effects such as: anxiety, depression, sweating, nausea, and insomnia (Mayo Clinic Staff). With regards to people with heart or health related issues, you should consult your doctor before the use of any such drug, including caffeine.
References
Clark, Nancy. RUNTHEPLANET. 2008. 6 December 2008 http://www.runtheplanet.com/trainingracing/nutrition/caffeine.asp.
Mayo Clinic Staff. MayoClinic.com. 6 December 2008. 6 December 2008 http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/caffeine/NU00600.
Nutrition and Well-being A-Z. 2008. 6 December 2008 http://www.faqs.org/nutrition/Ca-De/Caffeine.html.
Caffeine is a psychoactive stimulant that is found in many plants worldwide such as the Cacao tree. As a socially acceptable drug, it has found its way into many food products such as soda, candy, ice cream, and chocolate. Its effects on a person start at, but are not limited to: stimulation of the nervous and cardiovascular systems, elevated mood, elevated energy, increased heart rate, increased metabolic rate, and increased respiratory rate (Nutrition and Well-being A-Z).
Many athletes (professional or not) use caffeine because it has been shown to increase speed, stamina, and performance in general (Clark). Since it speeds up your heart rate, it’s making you burn more calories per hour than normal, thus explaining the increased respiratory and metabolic rate. So not only will you be burning more calories per hour (for up to 3-4 hours depending on dosage), but you will also experience a psychological effect that may help keep you going past your normal burn out point. With that in mind, this may be just what you need to start burning off some calories as well as giving you an edge in the gym. For those considering using caffeine in an exercise program, it should be ingested in recommended dosages appropriate to your size about 30 minutes prior to a workout, but at least 3 – 4 hours before you plan to sleep.
Now as most of us know, caffeine is an addictive substance and therefore, care should be exercised when considering a diet regimen consisting of caffeinated supplements. It should also be noted that caffeine in doses of 500-600mg + have been shown to cause adverse effects such as: anxiety, depression, sweating, nausea, and insomnia (Mayo Clinic Staff). With regards to people with heart or health related issues, you should consult your doctor before the use of any such drug, including caffeine.
References
Clark, Nancy. RUNTHEPLANET. 2008. 6 December 2008 http://www.runtheplanet.com/trainingracing/nutrition/caffeine.asp.
Mayo Clinic Staff. MayoClinic.com. 6 December 2008. 6 December 2008 http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/caffeine/NU00600.
Nutrition and Well-being A-Z. 2008. 6 December 2008 http://www.faqs.org/nutrition/Ca-De/Caffeine.html.
Sodium
Sodium is an electrolyte that deals primarily with the regulation of extracellular fluids, muscle contractions, and transmission of nerve impulses (American Heart Association). It is an essential nutrient because of these traits; however, most Americans receive many times the amount of sodium than is necessary or acceptable. This is partly due to the fact of high sodium levels in the processed foods that constitute many Americans’ diets. When excess levels of sodium are ingested on a regular basis, your kidneys may start to fall behind in the excretion of said mineral (Vincent). Since the sodium is not fully excreted, it stays in the blood where it increases your blood pressure by virtue of its water-retaining abilities (Mayo Clinic Staff). Having high blood pressure is not the same as having a rapid heart-beat, and therefore you will need to have your blood pressure checked by a doctor as it is not something you can readily check yourself.
“Uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to stroke, heart attack, heart failure or kidney failure.” (American Heart Association). If not for the sake of being healthy, it’s for these reasons that one should evaluate their own blood pressure and sodium intake. Research shows that healthy adults should be getting about 500mg of sodium daily, but are not to exceed 2,400mg (which even still is very high) (Mayo Clinic Staff). Some ways to cut sodium intake easily are by using salt substitutes, spices and herbs, and eating low sodium versions of processed foods you may not want to give up.
In this link to a page from the American Heart Association you can see some statistics on high blood pressure and how common it really is in American society.
References
American Heart Association. American Heart Association. 6 December 2008. 6 December 2008 http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4708.
---. American Heart Association. 6 December 2008. 6 December 2008 http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=2139
---. American Heart Association. 6 December 2008. 6 December 2008
http://www.hearthub.org/hc-high-blood-pressure.htm
Lifeclinic International, Inc. lifeclinic.com. 2008. 6 December 2008 http://www.lifeclinic.com/focus/nutrition/sodium.asp.
Mayo Clinic Staff. MayoClinic.com. 6 December 2008. 6 December 2008 http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/sodium/NU00284.
Vincent, Eileen. NORTHWESTERNUTRITION. 28 July 2007. 5 December 2008 http://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/nutrition/factsheets/sodium.html.
“Uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to stroke, heart attack, heart failure or kidney failure.” (American Heart Association). If not for the sake of being healthy, it’s for these reasons that one should evaluate their own blood pressure and sodium intake. Research shows that healthy adults should be getting about 500mg of sodium daily, but are not to exceed 2,400mg (which even still is very high) (Mayo Clinic Staff). Some ways to cut sodium intake easily are by using salt substitutes, spices and herbs, and eating low sodium versions of processed foods you may not want to give up.
In this link to a page from the American Heart Association you can see some statistics on high blood pressure and how common it really is in American society.
References
American Heart Association. American Heart Association. 6 December 2008. 6 December 2008 http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4708.
---. American Heart Association. 6 December 2008. 6 December 2008 http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=2139
---. American Heart Association. 6 December 2008. 6 December 2008
http://www.hearthub.org/hc-high-blood-pressure.htm
Lifeclinic International, Inc. lifeclinic.com. 2008. 6 December 2008 http://www.lifeclinic.com/focus/nutrition/sodium.asp.
Mayo Clinic Staff. MayoClinic.com. 6 December 2008. 6 December 2008 http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/sodium/NU00284.
Vincent, Eileen. NORTHWESTERNUTRITION. 28 July 2007. 5 December 2008 http://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/nutrition/factsheets/sodium.html.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Brain Power
So far in my posts I have discussed some basic nutritional information, metabolic processes, and a few ways to change your diet to optimize your health benefits. Now in one of my final posts, I would like to discuss what you can do for your brain. This is not a subject that gets much media attention, with respect to other dieting regimens, because of what I believe to be the lack of superficial craze. That is to say that trying to increase your intellect or striving for your personal best, from grade-school to adult life, has never quite seemed like the popular thing to do.
Opinions and self-image aside, I think we can concede that your brain is simply the most important part of our bodies. So how do we take care of this treasure? Well we certainly don’t do it by depriving it of nutrients and pumping it full of junk-food. In a time before many of the market-foods were manufactured, it wasn’t as big an issue for societies, let’s say, in the Mediterranean region, to receive a sufficient amount of nutrients for all parts of their persons’ in their normal diet. They’d get their essential fatty acids from the fish and nuts, protein from the abundant source of fish and meats, antioxidants from fruits and berries, etc.
Nowadays it’s not so easy, which is why when it comes to brain nutrition, I opt for the supplementary approach. The key word in my previous statement is SUPPLEMENTARY. That means that on top of the right nutrition (adequate protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals) I use some supplements to further cultivate my brain. A quick overview in brain nutrition shows that proteins are necessary as they are the substance that your brain builds with, carbohydrates are your energy source, and good fat is used as a regulatory component (The Thinking Business Limited). Furthermore, antioxidants protect your brain from degenerative damage by free radicals as discussed in an earlier post.
In most generic brain-power supplements, you find many of the same ingredients which include: amino acids, B-vitamins, essential fatty acids, and antioxidants. These are all elements that you could/should be getting in your normal diet, but if you’re deficient in these key elements necessary for proper brain functioning, this is how you can restore the balance. By proper brain dieting you can expect gains in your memory, mood, and functioning (AskDrSears.com). For example, have you ever misplaced your keys, looked all over the house, only to realize that they were in your pocket, purse, or jacket the entire time? How about putting things where they don’t belong, like trying to put a peanut butter lid on a jelly jar? Or my personal favorite, where I am searching high-and-low for the remote to the T.V. only to find that it had been sitting on top of the T.V. the entire time. These “brain farts” occur, in part, due to conditioning, stress, hereditary traits, sleep deprivation, but it also has a lot to do with your day-to-day memory and recognition abilities (Story). These are aspects of your brain’s cognitive functions that can be improved by the aforementioned nutritional elements. As far as your mood goes, it can help keep it elevated and inhibit “swings” or drastic polar shifts, which will enable you to approach all matters with a more level-headed outlook (Christie).
References
AskDrSears.com. AskDrSears.com. 2006. 30 November 2008 http://www.askdrsears.com/html/4/T040400.asp.
Christie, Catherine. Nutrition and Well-Being A to Z. 2008. 30 November 2008 http://www.faqs.org/nutrition/Met-Obe/Mood-Food-Relationships.html.
Story, PJ. Jeff & Bonnie Story. 2008. 30 November 2008 http://www.pjstory.com/Forgetfulness.htm.
The Thinking Business Limited. the thinking business. 2008. 30 November 2008 http://www.thethinkingbusiness.co.uk/brain_zone.html.
Opinions and self-image aside, I think we can concede that your brain is simply the most important part of our bodies. So how do we take care of this treasure? Well we certainly don’t do it by depriving it of nutrients and pumping it full of junk-food. In a time before many of the market-foods were manufactured, it wasn’t as big an issue for societies, let’s say, in the Mediterranean region, to receive a sufficient amount of nutrients for all parts of their persons’ in their normal diet. They’d get their essential fatty acids from the fish and nuts, protein from the abundant source of fish and meats, antioxidants from fruits and berries, etc.
Nowadays it’s not so easy, which is why when it comes to brain nutrition, I opt for the supplementary approach. The key word in my previous statement is SUPPLEMENTARY. That means that on top of the right nutrition (adequate protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals) I use some supplements to further cultivate my brain. A quick overview in brain nutrition shows that proteins are necessary as they are the substance that your brain builds with, carbohydrates are your energy source, and good fat is used as a regulatory component (The Thinking Business Limited). Furthermore, antioxidants protect your brain from degenerative damage by free radicals as discussed in an earlier post.
In most generic brain-power supplements, you find many of the same ingredients which include: amino acids, B-vitamins, essential fatty acids, and antioxidants. These are all elements that you could/should be getting in your normal diet, but if you’re deficient in these key elements necessary for proper brain functioning, this is how you can restore the balance. By proper brain dieting you can expect gains in your memory, mood, and functioning (AskDrSears.com). For example, have you ever misplaced your keys, looked all over the house, only to realize that they were in your pocket, purse, or jacket the entire time? How about putting things where they don’t belong, like trying to put a peanut butter lid on a jelly jar? Or my personal favorite, where I am searching high-and-low for the remote to the T.V. only to find that it had been sitting on top of the T.V. the entire time. These “brain farts” occur, in part, due to conditioning, stress, hereditary traits, sleep deprivation, but it also has a lot to do with your day-to-day memory and recognition abilities (Story). These are aspects of your brain’s cognitive functions that can be improved by the aforementioned nutritional elements. As far as your mood goes, it can help keep it elevated and inhibit “swings” or drastic polar shifts, which will enable you to approach all matters with a more level-headed outlook (Christie).
References
AskDrSears.com. AskDrSears.com. 2006. 30 November 2008 http://www.askdrsears.com/html/4/T040400.asp.
Christie, Catherine. Nutrition and Well-Being A to Z. 2008. 30 November 2008 http://www.faqs.org/nutrition/Met-Obe/Mood-Food-Relationships.html.
Story, PJ. Jeff & Bonnie Story. 2008. 30 November 2008 http://www.pjstory.com/Forgetfulness.htm.
The Thinking Business Limited. the thinking business. 2008. 30 November 2008 http://www.thethinkingbusiness.co.uk/brain_zone.html.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Negative-Calorie Foods
This is for all my binge-eating buddies out there, I feel your pain. You try and try to diet, but you have an insatiable appetite, and no self-control.
Let’s face the facts, being addicted to food is no different than being addicted to gambling, alcohol, or drugs. According to Higgins, the mechanism that keeps an alcoholic hitting the bottle is the same as the one that brings the binge-eaters back to the refrigerator (par. 1 - 3).
So, whereas I can’t give you prescription medications to curb your appetite, I can offer another solution that will let you eat your heart out: negative-calorie foods.
In a previous post I believe I briefly spoke about how this works. Basically, you have a food, like celery, that takes more energy to break down and metabolize than the caloric value inherent in it. Therefore you are burning energy by eating this food (not enough to make a diet out of though). What this allows you to do is to binge out on these foods, which won’t add to your weight. Keep in mind though that you don’t want to base your entire diet on these foods or else you’ll most likely experience malnutrition.
Here is an article that gives a brief overview of the negative-calorie diet plan and from which I have pulled the list of negative-calorie foods.
Negative-calorie foods:
Asparagus
Apple
Beet
Cranberries
Broccoli
Grapefruit
Cabbage
Lemon
Carrot
Mango
Cauliflower
Orange
Celery
Pineapple
Chile peppers
Raspberries
Cucumber
Strawberries
Dandelion
Tangerine
Endive
Garden cress
Garlic
Green beans
Lettuce
Onion
Papaya
Radishes
Spinach
Turnip
Zucchini
What you could do is to add some of these foods to your diet, especially if you realize that you are lacking some other nutritional elements. Antioxidants for example are hardly ever eaten in most people’s diets, but you can fulfill your requirements for them and curb your hunger by eating a fruit salad filled with oranges, strawberries, and raspberries. How about some fiber? You can grab an apple on your way out to work and have about 3 – 3.5 grams of fiber along with a healthy energy booster. If you start incorporating these foods into your diet you'll be amazed at how quickly the change will come about.
References
Higgins, Dilara E. Realization Center for Food Addiction Program. 24 June 2003. 15 November 2008 http://www.realizationcenter.net/fdaddct.htm.
Womens-Health-Questions.com. Women's Health. 2008. 15 November 2008 http://www.womens-health-questions.com/negative-calorie-foods.html.
Let’s face the facts, being addicted to food is no different than being addicted to gambling, alcohol, or drugs. According to Higgins, the mechanism that keeps an alcoholic hitting the bottle is the same as the one that brings the binge-eaters back to the refrigerator (par. 1 - 3).
So, whereas I can’t give you prescription medications to curb your appetite, I can offer another solution that will let you eat your heart out: negative-calorie foods.
In a previous post I believe I briefly spoke about how this works. Basically, you have a food, like celery, that takes more energy to break down and metabolize than the caloric value inherent in it. Therefore you are burning energy by eating this food (not enough to make a diet out of though). What this allows you to do is to binge out on these foods, which won’t add to your weight. Keep in mind though that you don’t want to base your entire diet on these foods or else you’ll most likely experience malnutrition.
Here is an article that gives a brief overview of the negative-calorie diet plan and from which I have pulled the list of negative-calorie foods.
Negative-calorie foods:
Asparagus
Apple
Beet
Cranberries
Broccoli
Grapefruit
Cabbage
Lemon
Carrot
Mango
Cauliflower
Orange
Celery
Pineapple
Chile peppers
Raspberries
Cucumber
Strawberries
Dandelion
Tangerine
Endive
Garden cress
Garlic
Green beans
Lettuce
Onion
Papaya
Radishes
Spinach
Turnip
Zucchini
What you could do is to add some of these foods to your diet, especially if you realize that you are lacking some other nutritional elements. Antioxidants for example are hardly ever eaten in most people’s diets, but you can fulfill your requirements for them and curb your hunger by eating a fruit salad filled with oranges, strawberries, and raspberries. How about some fiber? You can grab an apple on your way out to work and have about 3 – 3.5 grams of fiber along with a healthy energy booster. If you start incorporating these foods into your diet you'll be amazed at how quickly the change will come about.
References
Higgins, Dilara E. Realization Center for Food Addiction Program. 24 June 2003. 15 November 2008 http://www.realizationcenter.net/fdaddct.htm.
Womens-Health-Questions.com. Women's Health. 2008. 15 November 2008 http://www.womens-health-questions.com/negative-calorie-foods.html.
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