Here is this week’s weekly challenge. Try to perform it as often as possible this week to supplement your training routine.

1. V-Ups with a cross
2. Superman with Rotation
3. Side Superman
4. Wood chop, Low
5. Glute Bridge: 45 degree with hip rotation
6. Leg overs: Double leg
7. Balance T-Bend

• 30 reps for each exercise and if the exercise calls for alternating sides, perform 15 reps per side
• Work for 15 minutes in total pausing at the 10 minute mark for 2 minutes before pushing through your last 5 minutes.  Good luck!!

V-Ups with a cross: Lay flat on your back with your arms extended over your head. Use your core to simultaneously raise your torso and legs together like the closing of a hinge.  Touch your right wrist to your left ankle at the top of the movement minimizing the amount of bend in your arms and legs as possible.  Slowly return to the starting position and repeat on the other side by touching your left wrist to your right ankle. (For a challenge hold a 10 lb weight in your hands)

Superman with Rotation: Lay on your stomach with your arms fully extended over your head. Simultaneously raise your arms, chest and thighs off of the ground.  Hold the contraction and while up, twist your body so that you alternate between lowering you left armpit to the ground and your right armpit to the ground. Return to a resting period. (For a challenge hold a 10 lb weight in your hands)

Side Superman:  Lay on your right side with your legs and arms fully extended with your arms over your head. Simultaneously raise your arms, torso and legs off of the ground trying to keep your legs and arms straight.  Hold the contraction at the top of the movement. Lower your right arm and leg until they lightly touch the floor. Ensure to work the other side before moving to the next exercise.  (For a challenge hold a 10 lb weight in your hands)

Woodchop, Low:  Stand with your feet at shoulder width apart and your knees slightly bent. Lift your chosen weight, (Or cable stack handle), to mid thigh height to start your motion. Rotate your torso as you raise the weight up and diagonally across your body as high as you are able to reach.  Complete the set and repeat to the other side.

Glute Bridge, 45 degree with hip rotation: Similar to the Single Leg Glute Bridge, however, extend your raised leg 45 degrees from your body.  Using your glutes, move your hips towards the ceiling so that only your heel and shoulders remain on the floor.  Hold this position and then return to the starting position. Alternate legs

Leg overs, Double leg (Also called windshield wipers): Lay flat on your back, hands spread out perpendicular to your body at shoulder level with both legs extended straight up.  Lower both legs to your left side with your legs straight until they lightly touch the floor and raise them back to the starting position. Repeat the movement to the other side. (As you lower your legs try to let your hips roll in the same direction as your legs but resist the temptation to raise your shoulders).  For a challenge, hold an exercise ball between your ankles…if the motion is too difficult, bend your legs at the knees.

Weighted Balance T-Bend: Balance on your right foot, extend your arms away from your side similar to a “crucifix” then bend at your waist making a T-shape with your body.  (Your left leg should be extended behind you as you balance on your left leg

We have all heard the advice to “cut down on red meat” for better health. While that is true for many cuts of meat, it’s important to point out that there are many health benefits of red meat, if you choose wisely. Load with complete protein; it’s also a great source of iron and vitamin B12. There are ways to enjoy red meats of all types, and avoid the artery-clogging fat so bad for our health.

What you might not have thought about are the variety of red-meat products that are not beef.

The large amount of both fat and saturated fat in many cuts of red meat support the advice that we must limit consumption–no argument there. So, while many prefer a marbled porterhouse, with a thick rim of fat around the outside, it’s best to save that for a special holiday or birthday celebration.

Lean protein also has an important role in weight management. Did you know that recent research supports these ideas?

• Protein can increase your sense of fullness (satiety).

• Higher protein diets can produce greater weight loss compared to others

• Exercising people require more protein daily than non-exercisers.

• Exercise is important for weight loss and maintenance, and protein fuels muscles.

• Protein can increase mental focus (important in sustaining motivation)

There are some new red meat alternatives (that are actually red!) that are low in fat, low in cholesterol and saturated fat, and look and taste like beef.

For times when you just want beef, there are more than 20 lean cuts from which to choose. Importantly, both red meat and the alternates are very similar in the total amount of complete protein per serving–about 25 grams per 4 ounce serving–but vary in their fat content.

As a comparison, a 4 ounce serving of a juicy porterhouse steak (or other marbled meat with visible fat around the edge) has the same 25 grams of protein–but with 272 calories and a whopping 20 grams of fat (that’s about one third of recommended intake for the whole day!).

Take a peak at some of the new options:

OSTRICH

4 ounces serving = 135 calories and 2.5 grams of fat

Ostrich is one of the most recent additions to the “new red meats.” Found as steaks, in ground form, and even dried jerky, it is equivalent to red meat in protein content, and has even more iron than an equivalent serving of beef. Ostrich is a bird, but unlike chicken or turkey, does not have both white and dark meat. Ostriches produce only dark red meat. Most often purchased online, some folks pay a visit for direct sale at ostrich farms.

BUFFALO or “AMERICAN BISON”

4 ounce serving = 140 calories and 2.8 grams of fat

Buffalo is available in all of the same cuts as beef: Steaks, roasts, ground, and can be substituted for all recipes. Buffalo jerky is also available. Widely available in most supermarkets, you’ll find many restaurants with buffalo dishes on the menu.

VEAL

4 ounce serving = 120 calories and 2.8 grams of fat

Veal has always been a low-fat beef alternative, but has been under much scrutiny in recent years because of controversial conditions under which calves (baby cows) were raised. Good news for you veal lovers out there: There are many sources of “free-range” veal, where calves are roaming freely in fields.

While “top” veal from a butcher used to be praised for its “white” appearance, the new free-range veal is “pinker” – due to more muscle development from abundant activity. It’s a great substitute for beef, if you seek out the free-range variety. Available in most markets, you’ll find steaks, roasts, and ground veal. If you can’t find free-range veal in your local market, it’s readily available online.

PORK TENDERLOIN

4 ounce serving = 136 calories and 4 grams of fat

When we think of pork, many of use think only of a flavourful, but very fatty meat. While that’s true for many cuts (think ribs!), the pork tenderloin is a cut that is as lean as poultry. Lean and low cholesterol, it has the mouth-feel (chewy and tender) of beef, without the fat and calories. It’s reasonably priced, and available in all grocery stores.

SOY “MEAT”

4 ounce serving = 120 calories and 0.8 grams of fat

Many people think of meat substitutes made with soy, and think “Ick.” Before you judge too quickly, read on. Soy is a vegetable protein low in fat, and no artery-clogging saturated fat – which takes on the properties of what it’s cooked with.

Soy is a real culinary chameleon, so it lends itself to being flavoured and shaped to look and taste like beef. We often think of this as a block of white stuff, which is a soy product–tofu, with other variations called Tempeh. While not for everyone, there are some “flame grilled” burgers (like Boca) and also ready to use “crumbled ground meat” ( like Morningstar Farms) that can be used like ground red meat with a fraction of the fat and calories.

…And when you want the “real thing?”

BEEF

Lean cuts, like flank steak: 4 ounce serving = 160 calories and 6 grams of fat

Beef is a very healthy choice, if you choose carefully. First, what I call the eye test, and avoid the meats that have lines of fat running through it (called marbling) and a layer of fat around the outside. Choose cuts with very little visual fat, and read the labels for fat content, particularly with ground beef (looks for ultra-lean 90% lean /10% fat).

Some good choices include flank steak, eye of round, top round, bottom round. These cuts, with a lower fat content, are usually best marinated to tenderize, or cooked in low heat with additional liquids to avoid dryness (think stews, and crock pot options).

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The word “Vitamin” is composed of two parts: “vital” which means essential and “amine” because it was previously thought that this compound was amine in its nature. Multivitamins are a mixture of vitamins and minerals which are essential for the body to work and stay healthy.

We sometimes try multivitamin supplements without knowing what kind of vitamins and minerals we need to take, and the functions of every element and how it affects our body. This will be covered in this article.
The Essential Vitamins

There are two types of vitamins, fat soluble vitamins (vitamins which dissolve in fat) which are vitamins A, D, E and K, and Water soluble vitamins which are B complex, C, and folate (folic acid).

The functions of fat soluble vitamins:

1. Vitamin A – Growth, development, enhancement of our immune system, this vitamin is essential for our eyesight, especially night vision.

* Deficiency signs – Night blindness, skin problems with an increase in the rate of acquiring infections

* Great natural sources – liver, kidney, eggs and fish liver oil.

2. Vitamin D – This is important for bone formation, it works by controlling calcium absorption and excretion. Recent studies show that vitamin D inhibits some forms of cancer growth.

* Deficiency signs – Rickets (disease characterized by deformities in the skeleton — especially hands, legs and chest bones, and pain in the bones and muscle weakness).

* Great natural sources – Cod liver oil, milk, eggs, liver and oily fish.

3. Vitamin E – It works as an antioxidant (protects our tissues from free-radical damage) and has other functions such as improving blood circulation and removing wound scars.

* Deficiency signs – none reported

* Great natural sources – wheat germ oil, almonds, sun flower oil and peanuts.

4. Vitamin K – Its major function is its role in the blood coagulation process which prevents our body from bleeding to death.

* Deficiency signs – Excessive bleeding or poor blood coagulation action.

* Great natural sources – spinach, broccoli, eggs and meat.

The functions of water soluble vitamins:

1. Vitamin C – It plays a vital role in the formation of several enzymes, absorption of iron, antioxidant function, formation of collagen (which leads to healthy skin and joints) and wound healing.

* Deficiency signs – Scurvy (a disease characterized by bleeding from the gums, bleeding from the skin, fatigue and delayed wound healing).

* Great natural sources – Kiwi and citrus fruits, guava, mango and broccoli.

2. Vitamin B complex – A complex of vitamins that total more than ten individual nutrients; the most essential being B1 (Thiamine), B2 (Riboflavin), B3 (Niacin), B5 (Pantothenic acid), B6 (Pyridoxine) and B12 (Cyanocobalamin).

* Functions – These vitamins play an important role in the body’s energy production, nervous system, immune system, and iron absorption.

* Deficiency signs – Vitamin B12 anemia (a disease characterized by fatigue, pallor, an increased heart beat rate and lack of energy). Some other signs include emotional disturbance, skin disease, tongue inflammation and hair loss.

* Great Natural sources – Meat, liver, milk, yeast and its products, nuts and whole grain cereals.

3. Folic acid - Essential in the formation of RNA and DNA.

* Deficiency signs – Megaloblastic anemia (a disease characterized by fatigue, pallor, increased heart beat rate and lack of energy) and possible infertility.

* Great natural sources – spinach, Brussels sprouts, green beans and cauliflower.

The Essential Minerals

The minerals are classified into three parts: macro, trace, and ultra trace minerals. The essential minerals which we need to be healthy are calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, iron, zinc, and fluorine. The essential trace elements are copper, chromium, manganese, molybdenum, selenium and iodine.

The functions of the most important essential minerals:

1. Calcium – Plays an important role in bone and teeth formation and nervous system health.

* Deficiency – Leads to stunted growth, increased rate of bone fractures and nervous system problems.

* A natural source – milk.

2. Iron - Plays an important role in red blood cell formation.

* Deficiency – Leads to iron deficiency anemia which is characterized by fatigue, pallor, concave nails with white lines and an increased heart beat rate.

* Natural sources – eggs, meat, liver and fish.

3. Zinc – Essential for growth and development, enhances immune function and wound healing, increases fertility.

* Deficiency – Leads to skin inflammation, hair loss, sore throat, delayed growth and diarrhea.

* Natural sources – meat, vegetables with leaves, whole grains, milk and eggs.

The functions of the most important essential trace minerals:

1. Iodine – This is essential for growth and development because it is a component of thyroid hormones.

* Deficiency – goiter (a disease characterized by an enlarged thyroid gland and a decreased heart beat rate).

* Natural sources – milk, sea fish, and iodized salt.

2. Chromium – Assists in glucose utilization by enhancement of insulin action.

* Deficiency – weight loss and an inability to tolerate glucose.

* Natural sources – meat, whole grains and nuts.

You can use the best natural sources of vitamins and minerals in your daily routine, the most important components are: milk, eggs, vegetables, fish and whole grain cereals.

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In preparation of the Muay Thai Expo scheduled for March 20^th and 21st, I have decided to prepare my body to rely more on my core this week.  Here is part of my Muay Thai Expo preparation routine that I have added to my normal training routine:

1. Skip for 5 minutes
2. Weighted Overhead Squat
3. Standing Knee Flexion
4. Weighted Reach to the Heel
5. Weighted T-Bend Balance
6. Toe Touch Crunches
7. V-Up
8. Glute Bridge
9. Glute Bridge, Single Leg
10. Glute Bridge with 45 Degree Hip Rotation
11. Leg Over
12. Superman
13. Weighted Opposite Arm/Opposite Leg

Ensure that you adjust the weight for your abilities and perform the list of exercises in order – 3 times.  Good luck and see you at the Muay Thai Expo!!

The Exercises Explained:

Weighted Overhead Squat with 20lb Weight: Extend your arms over your head with a 20 lb weight in each hand. (Adjust the weight for your abilities). With your feet pointed straight in front of you, sit back into a squatting position pushing your buttocks backwards as if you were attempting to sit on a chair.  Maintain your arms over your head throughout the entire exercise

Standing Knee Flexion with 20lb Weight: Stand with your arms at your sides with a 20 lb weight in each hand.  (Adjust the weight for your abilities). Raise your straightened left arm over your head and lift your right knee until it is bent 90 degrees and perpendicular to your upper body.  Repeat to the other side raising your left knee and right arm.  The right and left side equal one repetition

Weighted Reach to the Heel: You can do this movement with a medicine ball, a weight plate a dumbbell or of course, with no weight.  I chose to keep one of the 20lb weights from my previous exercise. Raise your hands over your head holding the weight equally between the two hands. Reach down slowly and touch the weight to the heel of one leg and return to a standing position with your hands over your head.  Repeat to the other side.

Weighted T-Bend Balance: Balance on your right foot, extend your arms away from your side similar to a “crucifix” then bend at your waist making a T-shape with your body.  (Your left leg should be extended behind you as you balance on your left leg

Toe Touch Crunches:  Lay flat on your back.  Simultaneously lift your shoulders off of the floor and your knees to your chest.  Touch your toes and return to your start position.

V-Up: Lay flat on your back with your arms extended over your head. Use your core to simultaneously raise your torso and legs together like the closing of a hinge.  Touch your feet at the top of the movement minimizing the amount of bend in your arms and legs as possible.  Slowly return to the starting position.

Glute Bridge: Lay on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.  Using your glutes, move your hips towards the ceiling so that only your heels and shoulders remain on the floor.  Hold this position and then return to the starting position.

Glute Bridge, Single Leg:  Similar to the Glute Bridge, however, raise one leg until it is level with the knee of the bent leg. Keep your knees together and using your glutes, move your hips towards the ceiling so that only your heel and shoulders remain on the floor.  Hold this position and then return to the starting position. Alternate legs

Glute Bridge with 45 Degree Hip Rotation: Similar to the Single Leg Glute Bridge, however, extend your raised leg 45 degrees from your body.  Using your glutes, move your hips towards the ceiling so that only your heel and shoulders remain on the floor.  Hold this position and then return to the starting position. Alternate legs

Leg Over: Laying flat on your back, extend your arms away from your body at shoulder level in a “T” position. Extend your legs straight up towards the ceiling then lower both legs together to your left side until your feet lightly touch the floor then raise them back to the starting position. Repeat the movement to the opposite side. Keep your should on the floor throughout the movement

Superman: Lay on your stomach with your arms fully extended over your head. Simultaneously raise your arms, chest and thighs off of the ground.  Hold the contraction for 10 seconds at the top of the movement then return to the start position

Weighted Opposite Arm/Opposite Leg: Kneel on all fours ensuring to align your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. (Ensure to look straight down). Simultaneously raise and straighten your left arm in front of your head with a weight in it and right leg behind you until they are parallel with the ground. Repeat with the right arm and left leg

If you’re not, you could end up with excess body fat, poor muscle tone, digestive complications, and muscle soreness — even water-retention problems.

Next to air, water is the element most necessary for survival.  A normal adult is 60 to 70 percent water.  We can go without food for almost two months, but without water only a few days.  Yet most people have no idea how much water they should drink.  In fact, many live in a dehydrated state.

Without water, we’d be poisoned to death by our own waste products.  When the kidneys remove uric acid and urea, these must be dissolved in water.  If there isn’t enough water, wastes are not removed as effectively and may build up as kidney stones.  Water also is vital for chemical reactions in digestion and metabolism.  It carries nutrients and oxygen to the cells through the blood and helps to cool the body through perspiration.  Water also lubricates our joints.

We even need water to breathe:  our lungs must be moist to take in oxygen and excrete carbon dioxide.  It is possible to lose a pint of liquid each day just exhaling.

So if you don’t drink sufficient water, you can impair every aspect of your physiology.  Dr. Howard Flaks, a bariatric (obesity) specialist in Beverly Hills, Calif, says, “By not drinking enough water, many people incur excess body fat, poor muscle tone and size, decreased digestive efficiency and organ function, increased toxicity in the body, joint and muscle soreness and water retention.”

Water retention?  If you’re not drinking enough, your body may retain water to compensate.  Paradoxically, fluid retention can sometimes be eliminated by drinking more water, not less.

“Proper water intake is a key to weight loss,” says Dr. Donald Robertson, medical director of the Southwest Bariatric Nutrition Center in Scottsdale, Arizona.  “If people who are trying to lose weight don’t drink enough water, the body can’t metabolize the fat adequately.  Retaining fluid also keeps weight up.”

The minimum for a healthy person is eight to ten eight-ounce glasses a day,” says Dr. Flaks.  “You need more if you exercise a lot or live in a hot climate.  And overweight people should drink in an extra glass for every 25 pounds they exceed their ideal weight.  Consult your own physician for their recommendations.

A formula that we use for daily water intake is: 1/2 ounce per pound of body weight if you’re not active (that’s ten eight-ounce glasses if you weigh 160 pounds), and 2/3 ounce per pound if you’re athletic (13 to 14 glasses a day, at the same weight).

Your intake should be spread throughout the day and evening.  You may wonder:  If I drink this much, won’t I constantly be running to the bathroom?  Yes.  But after a few weeks, your bladder tends to adjust and you urinate less frequently but in larger amounts.

And by consuming those eight to ten glasses of water throughout the day, you could be on your way to a healthier, leaner body.

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Here is this week’s weekly challenge – good luck:

• 1 minute of skipping and during your rest period – Leg Swings – 25 per leg
• 1 minute of skipping and during your rest period – 21 style pushups – 21
• 1 minute of skipping and during your rest period – Atlas Lunge with a 10lb dumbell in each hand – 20 per leg
• Rest for 1 minute

Repeat the sequence above 4 times

The description of the exercises:

Leg Swings:
Swing your partially bent right leg as high as possible attempting to touch the toe with your opposite hand. As the leg goes back down, let it swing backwards as far as possible to help to stretch your hip flexors as well. Try to keep your torso as tall as possible throught the exercise. Switch legs when complete.

21 style pushups:
Start in a pushup position. Your first 7 pushups start from the fully extended up position to halfway down. The next 7 pushups are from halfway down to fully down. Your last 7 pushups are normal fully extended pushups. Should you be unable to complete the series of 21 in standard form, continue your set on your knees instead of giving up!

Atlas Lunge with a 10lb weight:
Stand tall with your arms extended above your head. Step forward into a lunge with your right leg and simultaneously rotate and reach slightly backward over your right shoulder. (Adjust the weight for your skill level).

Learning how to read a nutrition label is a crucial step in eating better. Below you will find specific recommendations on how to interpret and understand nutrition labels based on the latest research. Understanding food labels, and healthy cooking are very important parts of learning how to eat better. Once you understand how to read food labels, you can start to use a nutritional value calculator to learn the nutrition values of different foods you’re eating.

The numbers below are for people who are looking to get healthier and/or lose weight without going on one of the many fad diets out there. Here is a guide on how to read a nutrition label:

Serving Size:
This is the size of each serving, usually based on the amount that the average person will eat. If you are eating 4-6 smaller meals per day, then your serving sizes should generally be smaller. Keep in mind that if there are 10 servings in a package and you eat the whole package, then you have to multiply all the calories, carbs, fat, etc. by 10.

Calories:
The amount of calories in one serving. Divide “calories from fat” by total calories to get the percentage of that food from fat (remember, this number should not be more than 20-30% per day). Be sure you understand how many calories you should be eating each day and check out this sample menu for a days worth of healthy foods (based on a 2000 calorie diet).

% Daily Value:
Based on a 2,000 calorie diet, these numbers listed on the nutrition label show percentages of total daily values that this serving of food is accounting for.

Total Fat:
The amount of fat (in grams) per serving. If you see any amount of trans fat listed on the label, choose another option. There is a lot of controversy around whether saturated fat is bad for you or not. There haven’t been any conclusive studies to show whether it’s good or bad, but you should eat saturated fat in moderation and look for “healthy fats” such as monounsaturated fats listed on the label.

Cholesterol:
Cholesterol = not good. Too much can lead to heart disease and stroke. Limit your cholesterol intake as much as possible. If you eat a lot of eggs, try eating a 4:1 ratio of egg whites to egg yolks instead. The yolks are loaded with cholesterol.

Sodium:
Watch for foods with high sodium (salt) content. If the Daily Value percentage is above 20%, consider a healthier option with less salt. Also, be very wary of showering your food with the salt shaker. Be sure to measure how much salt you are actually using – this will help you monitor your salt intake. You shouldn’t be eating more than 1 teaspoon total per day.

Total Carbohydrates:
Keep on eye on foods and drinks with high sugar content. Sugars are basically empty calories (lots of calories and little nutritional value) so they often lead to weight gain. Aim to keep your sugar intake under 32 grams or 6% of your total calories per day.

You will also see Fiber content listed on the nutrition label under Carbohydrates. Fiber is good…the more, the better. Fiber has a ton of health benefits, which include lowering cholesterol, preventing cancer, preventing constipation, and helping weight loss. Fiber also makes you feel more full so you often end up eating less.

Protein:
Protein is good, as long as you’re getting it from lean, healthy food sources such as poultry, fish, and other lean meats, low-fat dairy products, beans, nuts, etc.

Vitamins and Minerals:
Try and eat a wide variety of foods that are high in different types of vitamins and minerals. I also recommend taking a multi-vitamin supplement (such as One-a-Day) with close to 100% of the RDA for each vitamin listed.

Ingredients:
People often overlook the ingredients list on the bottom of a nutrition label. Take a close look at the ingredients listed. Look for natural ingredient names that you understand. The first ingredient listed on the ingredient list of a nutrition label composes the largest percentage of the food and so on. Make sure you avoid the following terms whenever possible:

1. High fructose corn syrup, fructose, glucose, dextrose – these are synthetic sugars derived from corn. They are a reason for many major health problems and many experts agree that they’re one of the major contributors to today’s obesity epidemic.

2. White Flour, Enriched Flour, Bleached White Flour, Wheat Flour* – eating too many refined carbohydrates raises blood sugar levels and increases blood fats called triglycerides, which puts you at much higher risk for heart attack, stroke, diabetes, and obesity.

*Note that “Wheat Flour” is on the list above. This a deceptive way food companies get you to think you’re eating healthy…a product could have 1% “wheat” and they can call it wheat flour. Look for whole wheat or whole grain listed as the first ingredient.

3. Aspartame, Saccharin, Sucralose, Phenylalkaline – these are artificial sweeteners that we don’t know much about. Some early reports have said that they cause cancer but the bottom line is that there’s not enough research to know either way…so avoid them.

4. Partially Hydrogenated or Hydrogenated Oil – these are trans fats and are terrible for you.

As a general rule, also stay away from any ingredients that sound like a chemistry experiment. Do you know what sodium nitrate is? Neither do I, so I prefer not to eat it. A shorter ingredient list with names you actually understand is what you’re looking for here.

Recap – How to Read a Nutrition Label
Calories/Calories From Fat:	Calories from fat – no more than 20-30% of per day of total fat consumption
Total Fat:	Small amounts of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats (“good fats”) are good for your heart
Saturated Fat:	Eat in moderation. Try and keep your total under 20 grams total per day
Trans fat:	0 grams – these are horrible for you…stay away from them.
Sodium:	Less than 2,300mg of sodium per day (equivalent of 1 tsp.) per day
Fiber:	25 grams or more per day
Sugar:	Less than 32 grams or 6% of total calories per day of added sugar (sugar from natural sources like fruit is okay)
Protein:	.36 grams per pound of body weight per day for the average person but largely dependent upon your fitness goals (i.e., for someone who is looking to gain lean muscle it is recommended to eat between .75 and 1 gram per pound of body weight)
Ingredients:	Look for all natural ingredients and avoid ones that sound like a chemical equation. Avoid “high fructose corn syrup,” “refined flour,” artificial sweeteners, and hydrogenated oils. The less ingredients listed, the better

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