Tag: the dolce diet

DOLCE LIFESTYLE:
10 Artery Cleansing Foods

by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD

1. Avocados
Packed with fiber to help pull fat from the blood, and are naturally sodium and cholesterol-free
2. Flaxseeds
Research has found benefits related to the prevention of diabetes, heart disease and breast cancer linked to these guys
3. Wild-caught salmon
Filled with omega-3s and anti-inflammatory properties, wild-caught salmon is one of the best fish to help lower cholesterol and dilate those blood vessels back to normal
4. Beans
Beans have been linked to lowered blood glucose levels, lower blood pressure and reduced cholesterol levels, plus they’re a great source of non-animal protein
5. Coconut Oil
Lots of people think since it is a saturated fat that coconut oil is not good for the heart or blood vessels. On the contrary, coconut oil is excellent for hormonal balance and is linked to lowered cholesterol levels and overall improved heart health
6. Garlic
Garlic acts as a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, which is very beneficial for cholesterol levels and improving blood flow through the arteries
7. Walnuts
As an excellent source of omega-3s, walnuts are great for reducing inflammation and improving cholesterol levels
8. Dark, green leafy vegetables
These guys are packed with fiber and other key vitamins and minerals that play a role in heart and blood health
9. Almonds
Almonds are high in magnesium and potassium, which are key minerals responsible for electrical signaling and electrolyte balance in the body
10. Water
Dehydration can lead to blood vessel constriction, so it is important to stay adequately hydrated to allow for normal blood flow

The Mike Dolce Show – A Fitness Podcast

Mike Dolce and Team Rousey coaches Edmond Tarverdyan, Ryron Gracie & Justin Flores talk martial arts and the will to win.
Mike Dolce is a 2X World MMA Awards Trainer of the Year, 2014 NJ Martial Arts Hall of Fame Inductee and 2014 Men’s Fitness Top 30 Game Changer for fitness. As the founder of The Dolce Diet & creator of UFC FIT, Mike Dolce is known the world over for his work managing the weight cuts of UFC athletes like Johny Hendricks, Ronda Rousey, Gilbert Melendez, Vitor Belfort, Thiago Alves and more!
His #1 international best-selling books include The Dolce Diet: 3 Weeks to Shredded, The Dolce Diet: Living Lean and The Dolce Diet: Living Lean Cookbook. For more information on Mike’s books, MMA weight cuts, weight management, gaining muscle, weight loss, overall healthy living, UFC FIT and so much more, visit TheDolceDiet.com and TheMikeDolceShow.com
Listen to the latest Mike Dolce Show fitness and lifestyle podcast and get motivated and inspired!

DOLCE LIFESTYLE:
5 Stretches for Tight Hips

by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD

We all hate stretching. It increases our workout time, and honestly, sometimes it just hurts. However, stretching is crucial to help prevent injury and to increase your flexibility/mobility, which is linked to longevity. So if today is your heavy squat day (don’t skip leg day!), try out these stretches to help give you the depth you should be striving for in your squat sessions.
1. The Lizard
With one knee bent at a 90-degree angle, foot firmly planted on the floor, extend your other leg back behind as straight as possible, and as deep as possible (think of pushing your hips into the floor). Hold for about 30 seconds each side, and don’t be afraid to move your hips around to really dig into this stretch.

2. The Playful Baby
Starting on your back, bring both legs back and hold each foot in your hand, just as a flexible baby does. You control how deep this stretch goes by how firmly you pull your feet towards you. You can even rock a little bit on your back as well to loosen your hips up. Hold for about 30 seconds.
3. The Russian Baby Maker (or Wide Squat)
This one does require a bit of flexibility. Crouch down into a nice, deep squat position. Now take your hands, and turn the tops of your hands inward and place on the center of each foot. Your elbows should be on the insides of your knees. Now in this position, push against your knees with your elbows for a nice, deep lateral stretch of the hips. Hold for about 10 second spurts (these are tough in one hold).
4. The Butterfly or Frog
Sitting on your bottom, bring your feet together in a butterfly or frog position. If you are more flexible, pull your feet closer to your body. Bend at the hip forwards and side to side to get the most out of this stretch. You should feel it especially in the groin area. Hold for about 30-45 seconds.
5. The Spider-Man
Also known as a Cossack Lunge, start standing in a sumo stance, bend at the knee on one side laterally (to the left or right) with the other leg straight. Pull yourself all the way down until you are in the classic Spider-Man position (you should be on the heel of the foot of you straight leg). Hold for 20-30 seconds then switch to the other side.

DOLCE LIFESTYLE:
5 Tips to Get Shredded

by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD

1. Use Free Weights Instead of Machines
With free weights you get a better range of motion, plus you need to constantly engage your core to stabilize during these movements. Machines tend to do a lot of the work for you. Remember, you don’t need machines, you are a machine!
2. Use Movements That Will Increase Muscle Fiber Size
Bench press, deadlift, squats (specifically front and back squats), cleans and overhead presses all work multitudes of muscles at one time. This is a great way to work smarter, not harder. Don’t waste 2 hours in the gym trying to target specific areas when you can hit multiple areas with just a few movements.
3. Test Your 1 Rep Max
Every few weeks, test out your 1RM on certain lifts, like deadlift, bench, squat, etc. This is a great test of how far along your strength is coming. Always make sure to use proper form as much as possible, but realize that when we test our limits is when form tends to break down. Be safe, and if you aren’t an avid or well-trained lifter, maybe test out 90% of your max.
4. Protein Party
The usual recommendation for protein when attempting to gain muscle is 1-1.5g per pound of body weight. Depending on your training, size and frequency, some athletes can go as high as 2g per pound of body weight. When increasing protein it is important to monitor your symptoms. Check your urine color, if it is dark brown or looks like there is blood in it, then that could be a sign of kidney breakdown due to excessive protein. Protein can also cause kidney stones and jaundice in large doses. Just be careful, slowly add it in, make sure you’re drinking plenty of water and have other key nutrients in your diet. Also, make sure you include plant-based proteins as part of your protein allotment and not just all animal protein. The excess of animal protein tends to be the culprit for kidney issues.
5. Sleep
Your muscles grow while you sleep as they repair and recover. Remember, muscles are broken down in the gym, nourished in the kitchen, but grow in the bedroom. You could also throw off testosterone, insulin and cortisol levels with inadequate sleep.

Get more tips on how get shredded:

DOLCE LIFESTYLE: 5 TIPS TO GET RIPPED
DOLCE LIFESTYLE: BUILD A BIGGER BENCH PRESS

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DOLCE LIFESTYLE:
Top 10 Fiber Foods

by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD

Fiber is important for optimal digestive health and decreases your risk for developing heart disease. Fiber is an indigestible carbohydrate that really helps clean out the system. In terms of heart health, it binds to cholesterol and removes it as it makes its way out of the body. So why not kill two birds with one stone and up your fiber game? Recommendations for fiber are about 25 grams per day for women, and 35 grams per day for men. It is also important to SLOWLY increase your fiber intake, especially if your body isn’t used to it. If you dump too much fiber into your system at once, it can actually have the reverse effect of its normal function and cause constipation, gas and bloating. Also, be sure to drink plenty of water as you increase your fiber intake.
1. Lentils 1 cup = 15.6 g
2. Black beans 1 cup = 15.0 g
3. Oat bran 1 cup = 14 g
4. Raspberries 1 cup = 8.0 g
5. Whole wheat pasta 1 cup = 6.3 g
6. Pear 1 medium = 5.5 g
7. Broccoli 1 cup = 5.1 g
8. Apple (with skin) 1 medium = 4.4 g
9. Brussels sprouts 1 cup = 4.1 g
10. Almonds 1 ounce = 3.5 g

Read More About Fiber:

DOLCE LIFESTYLE: 10 MICRONUTRIENTS EVERY ATHLETE NEEDS
DOLCE LIFESTYLE: 5 ALTERNATIVES TO WHITE PASTA

The Mike Dolce Show – A Fitness Podcast

Mike talks to Jens Pulver and we learn about a new show called Wimp 2 Warrior that’s letting everyday folks try their hand at MMA fighting. Mike also answers your questions.
Mike Dolce is a 2X World MMA Awards Trainer of the Year, 2014 NJ Martial Arts Hall of Fame Inductee and 2014 Men’s Fitness Top 30 Game Changer for fitness. As the founder of The Dolce Diet & creator of UFC FIT, Mike Dolce is known the world over for his work managing the weight cuts of UFC athletes like Johny Hendricks, Ronda Rousey, Gilbert Melendez, Vitor Belfort, Thiago Alves and more!
His #1 international best-selling books include The Dolce Diet: 3 Weeks to Shredded, The Dolce Diet: Living Lean and The Dolce Diet: Living Lean Cookbook. For more information on Mike’s books, MMA weight cuts, weight management, gaining muscle, weight loss, overall healthy living, UFC FIT and so much more, visit TheDolceDiet.com and TheMikeDolceShow.com
Listen to the latest Mike Dolce Show fitness and lifestyle podcast and get motivated and inspired!

DOLCE LIFESTYLE:
Top 10 Non-Dairy Calcium Sources

by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD

Calcium is needed to build strong bones as well as for muscle contractions. Most people think they can only get calcium through dairy foods, such as milk or yogurt. However, this non-dairy food list can help supply the required serving (about 1000mg) of calcium each day! And don’t forget to eat these top 10 goodies with vitamin D-rich foods to enhance calcium absorption.
1. Wild-caught salmon 3 oz. (canned) = 190 mg; 3 oz. (raw) = 80 mg
2. Spinach ½ cup = 175 mg
3. Amaranth ½ cup = 150 mg
4. Tofu ¼ cup = 125 mg
5. Kale ½ cup = 100 mg
6. Almonds ¼ cup = 95 mg
7. Broccoli, cooked ½ cup = 90 mg
8. Sesame seeds 1 tbsp. = 90 mg
9. Okra ½ cup = 75 mg
10. Beans ½ cup = 50 mg

DOLCE LIFESTYLE:
3 Healthy Alternatives to Sugar

Sometimes we want to add a touch of sweetness to our green tea, coffee or Blueberry Madness. Here are some tasty and healthy ways to kick up the sweetness without using cane sugar or artificial sweeteners.

by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD

1) Raw Honey
Often referred to as the “Nectar of the Gods”, honey has tons of vitamins, minerals and antioxidant properties. It is often coined for its antibacterial benefits, and is excellent to incorporate post-surgery or post-sunburn either orally or directly to the burn/cut. Also, go for raw since none of the nutrients will be lost during the heating process.
2. Stevia
Stevia is an all-natural sweetener that is derived from the herb Stevia rebaudiana from Paraguay. You can find stevia in crystal or liquid forms. Try to go for stevia in the raw if you can. Some common brand names include: Truvia, SweetLeaf, and Stevita.
3. Coconut Sugar
This unprocessed sugar has a similar taste to brown sugar. And it is packed with nutrients, such as, iron, zinc, potassium, and B vitamins. It melts/bakes like sugar, but doesn’t induce the same glycemic response on the blood as regular sugar!

DOLCE LIFESTYLE:
5 Alternatives to White Pasta

by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD1. Spaghetti Squash
Just slice in half and bake to get the stringy, fibrous membrane out of the center with a fork. This squash also absorbs sauce very well, and is packed with vitamins A and C.
2. Spiraled Veggies
You significantly reduce the carb count and add in much more fiber. There are lots of spiraling tools you can use. Try it with zucchini, beets, squash, and more.
3. Black Bean Spaghetti
This nutritious alternative is packed with fiber, magnesium, folate, potassium and iron, which provides a much greater nutritional punch than regular, white pasta. Since the noodles are black, it may also be fun for the kids to change up their plate scenery. This is great with marinara sauce or you can use it to create your own Mexican-inspired masterpiece.
4. Brown Rice Pasta
This is a great alternative to wean you from regular pasta into the veggie pastas. This type is most similar to regular pasta and is prepared the same way. It also contains lots of fiber and B vitamins.
5. Soba Noodles
These are buckwheat noodles with a high fiber and protein content. With a nutty flavor, this type of noodle is best served cold as a pasta salad or in a stir fry (very similar to chow mein noodles). And they are naturally gluten-free since buckwheat is actually a seed, not a wheat derivative.

DOLCE LIFESTYLE:
6 Key Nutrients Vegans and Vegetarians May Be Missing

by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LDWhen eliminating whole food groups, we run the risk of missing out on key nutrients. Here is a list of those nutrients along with vegan/vegetarian options that are excellent sources of those key nutrients.
1. Protein
• Beans
• Legumes
• Cage-free/non-GMO fed eggs
• Greek yogurt
• Cheese
• Nuts/seeds
2. Calcium
• Broccoli
• Kale
• Greek yogurt
• Cheese
3. Iron and 4. Zinc
• Kale
• Spinach
• Broccoli
• Beans
• Legumes
• Whole grains: Ezekiel bread
• Almonds/cashews
5. Essential Fatty Acids
• Olive oil
• Coconut oil
• Flax seeds
• Hemp seeds
• Walnuts
6. Vitamin B12
• Tofu
• Fortified whole grains: Ezekiel bread