Beef - It's What's for Dinner!

I admit it. I love red meat. Steak. Prime Rib. A juicy burger. As a person who eats clean and lives the bodybuilder lifestyle, many would expect me to eschew red meat. But certain cuts of red meat, when trimmed of fat and cooked, are not much worse on the nutrition scale than chicken or fish.

There are 29 cuts of beef that are designated lean—which means it must contain less than 10 grams of fat, 4.5 grams or less of saturated fat and less than 95 milligrams of cholesterol per 3 1/2 ounce serving. There are also a few cuts that qualify as extra lean, which means they must contain less than less than 5 grams of total fat, 2 grams or less of saturated fat and less than 95 milligrams of cholesterol per 3 1/2 ounce serving.

Chicken and lean beef both have the same protein content, about 7 grams per ounce. Beef is higher in fat, saturated fat and cholesterol, but if you keep your portions to around 4 ounces, which shrinks to about 3 ounces after cooking, you are still eating "healthy".

Beef is also great because it gives you a dose of good things like iron, zinc, selenium, phosphorus, vitamins B6, B12 and niacin. You don’t need a 12-ounce steak to benefit from these nutrients. They’re all there in a 4-ounce portion.

The key to choosing beef is to choose cuts that have loin or round in the name; i.e. sirloin or eye of round. Also opt for grass-fed beef whenever possible, as it is leaner than corn-fed. Since these cuts have less fat, they will be less tender, so you will want to marinate or rub them. Following is a great Ginger Soy marinade that makes any piece of meat delicious, especially when grilled.

Sue's Ginger Soy Beef (or chicken) Marinade

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup toasted sesame oil

1/8 cup unseasoned rice vinegar

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons sliced green onions

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

2 cloves garlic, grated

2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated

Mix all ingredients. Place in a large ziplock back with the meat. Marinate at least two hours or better, overnight. Keeps in the frig for about two days.

Hmmm, what shall I have for dinner tonight? I've got it: beef! Elementary my Dear Watson!

The Skinny on Fad Diets

Hello Everyone!


Most of us have been, or are currently on some kind of fat loss diet. I get lots of questions from people on what is the best way to lose weight and cut fat.
Are you searching for a new diet to help you shed the pounds and incinerate the fat? Confused about which diet to try? I’ll help you sort through the popular fat loss diets and choose the one that’s right for you.


If there’s one thing that’s a constant in the world, it’s that diet fads will come and go. Back in the 30’s and 40’s the diet trend was smoking (seriously, smoking was thought to help you lose weight because you’d be puffing instead of eating!).


The 50’s fad was prayer. Ask God to be slim and maybe it would happen! The 60’s pushed support groups and oh, The Cabbage Soup Diet. Diet pills were all the rage in the 70’s; the Scarsdale Diet dominated the 80’s and was dethroned in the 90’s by Dr. Atkins, which still proves to be popular today.


So here we are in the second decade of the twenty-first century. At last count there were over 300 diets being used today, everything from the Glycemic Impact Diet to the Bistro MD Diet. Do any of these diets actually work? Possibly. But most are merely gimmicks to fatten someone’s wallet and they will do little to help those of us with a serious desire to shed the pounds and cut the fat once and for all.


Read the rest of the article here:
The Skinny on Fad Diets

The article is too long to post on the Blog, so please be sure to click on the link to read it. You must may find a way to shed those pounds!

Take care,
Sue