Peppered Beef Jerky Burns Fat?

I’m convinced. After spending a week eating peppered beef jerky for protein (about three times a day), I looked trimmer and did in fact shed a couple pounds. Of course there were other factors - I didn’t eat junk food during that week and I walked at least 30 minutes a day for exercise - but I’m convinced that peppered beef jerky played a factor in trimming my waist and providing energy throughout the day.

A bit of research on this theory shows that the high protein content in jerky feeds your muscles and in turn burns fat. Also, anything peppered or spicy really does speed up our metabolism (ay, mex food lovers)!

Either way, jerky tastes delicious! I was a bit disappointed however when I found that most grocery store versions contain loads of sodium, sugars, and even MSG (monosodium glutamate)!

Therefore, I buy Hal’s Homemade Jerky. Hal sells his delicious, MSG-and-sugar-free jerky locally in his Oklahoma town, but it is available to the masses via Ebay. Best part? He offers free shipping on all orders, and when I received my jerky  in the mail it was sealed fresh with mini packets of spicy pepper. Thanks, Hal!

Fitness Bit: Beverage Calorie Count

I can’t help but hear a dear friend’s calorie mantra chime in my head: “Never drink your calories!”

She essentially meant that we shouldn’t drink the bulk of our calories that are high in sugars and fats. Personally, I stick to water, diet sodas, tea, and the occasional lite latte or low-carb energy drink. However, when we’re out at restaurants or bars and we want our favorite mixed drink or beer, who’s to tell how many calories we’re actually drinking - on top of the rest of our food? Thanks to WebMD and some of my own research, we’ll now an idea:

Nifty!

Fitness Bit: Caffeinated Workouts

Did you know that incorporating a bit of caffeine into your pre-workout routine might just help you burn a few extra calories?

A small amount of caffeine – such as a cup of iced tea or your favorite diet caffeinated beverage – will help alleviate muscle aches and give you an added jolt of energy. Just what you need to keep you going longer and stronger at the gym! Don’t forget to hydrate during and post-workout with plain h2o – naturally.

Side note: Contrary to popular belief, caffeine does not cause dehydration. According to FitSugar:

“Lawrence Armstrong, of the Human Performance Laboratory, concluded that moderate caffeine consumption (up to about 500 milligrams a day) did not adversely impact exercise. While caffeine is a mild diuretic, meaning it briefly increases urine production, moderate amounts are not enough to interfere with a workout by causing excessive fluid loss. Dehydration is about the balance of fluid intake and fluid loss.”

So skip the decaf before the gym and add a little pep to your step! My choice faves are Peach Ooh-La-Long Honest Tea (an organic lightly sweetened black tea) or a Diet Rockstar energy drink if I’m feeling sassy.