Get Yoked with Egg Yolks

Egg carton with eggs

Egg whites are one of the most popular sources of protein in most athletes’ diets, as well as anyone who’s trying to lose weight or simply eat clean and lean. They offer a simple-to-prepare protein source, and by using just the egg whites, you get to reduce fat and cholesterol intake. But is that really a good thing? When it’s time to muscle up, you might want to consider that it’s easier to get yoked with egg yolks.

Don’t Fear the Fat
So, why do people avoid egg yolks? Well, the biggest reason is usually the fat content and the associated calories. A large egg yolk contains about 4.5-5 grams of fat, which is about 40-45 calories from fat alone. That’s not much in the grand scheme of daily calories, but if you’re eating several eggs at a single sitting, then the fat calories can add up in a hurry.

And beyond the calories, keep in mind the importance of fat in your diet. Fat is crucial for the absorption of many key vitamins and minerals, it’s absolutely vital when it comes to hormone production. Low-fat diets are usually low-health diets, so don’t fear the fat!

Cholesterol Control
The second reason people tend to avoid egg yolks is the fear of their cholesterol content. But that’s old, overplayed news. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is the bad cholesterol, but egg yolks only have about 1.6 grams of saturated fat per yolk, and studies have shown that cholesterol consumed from foods isn’t necessarily linked to increased LDL levels in the body.

Protein Power
Stop throwing away all that muscle-building protein! Not only are you wasting food by throwing out egg yolks, you’re also missing out on good protein. Every time you eat an egg white without the yolk, you’re getting just half the protein you could be getting out of each whole egg. Would you throw away half a tub of your favorite protein powder? Of course not! Plus, you can get extra yoked with the egg yolks because they contain muscle-building anabolic amino acids like L-leucine.

Necessary Nutrition
As an athlete, fitness enthusiast, or someone just trying to get in better shape, you probably pay more attention to your macro nutrients than anything else, so you’ve got a percentage of protein, carbohydrates, and fats you try to maintain, but what about the rest of the nutrition from micronutrients? Egg yolks are full of more health-enhancing nutrients than most people ever stop to think about or give them credit for.

In fact, while egg whites alone are a great source of low-calorie protein, it’s the egg yolks that carry most of the nutritional value. You’re throwing away a lot of important vitamins and minerals whenever you toss out an egg yolk. Those delicious egg yolks are also dense with potent antioxidants, including carotenoids that are even more bioavailable than those found in vegetables because of the fat content in yolks that aids in their absorption. Bonus!

Eat the Yolks
If calories are all you’re worried about, keep in mind that each egg yolk isn’t actually that calorically dense, and the nutrients they contain can help build muscle and prevent muscle loss. A low-fat or no-fat diet is a no-no for many reasons, so if you’re going to eat eggs anyway, consider throwing in a yolk or two or three to keep up with your required fat intake while you reap all the other health benefits of eating whole eggs.

Plus, there’s something to be said for the added flavor that comes from yolks. If you’re dieting down for a fat-loss goal and need to keep your protein intake high, adding some egg yolks into your giant “egg white” omelet will add much-needed nutrients, much-desired flavor, and they can help keep your appetite curbed a bit longer than egg whites alone.

Stop throwing away vital nutrients and get yoked with yolks!

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Stop Sitting and Get Up!

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Let’s face it. If you have an office job, you sit too much. If you’re a student, you’re at least forced to stop sitting and get up to walk to your other classes, but unless you’re involved in manual labor all day, you’re very likely sitting at your desk for far too long every day. For the sake of your health, it’s time to stop sitting and get up.

It’s estimated that approximately 75% of today’s workforce sits at a desk. The negative health implications of the nonstop sitting are piling up, and it’s time to face the fact that sitting so much is bad for your health. And I’m not just talking about the neck and back pain. Here are a few of the other negative health impacts:

  • Tension and tightness in muscles and joints
  • Numbness and muscle weakness
  • Decreased blood flow and poor circulation
  • Decreased range of motion in hips
  • Neck and back pain
  • Poor posture
  • Increased risk of disease
  • Weight gain (low activity and reduced circulation of fat-mobilizing lipase enzyme)
  • Sitting for 6 hours or more per day decreases life expectancy compared to those who sit less than 3 hours per day

So, if you find yourself sitting for most of the day, how can you avoid all the potential negative health issues? It’s simple: Stop sitting so much and get up!

It really is that simple. Even if you have a full-time office job, make some simple changes throughout your day as listed below.

Get a standing workstation

If your employer allows it, request an adjustable standing desk or a separate, standing work station. If you work from a home office, do the same, and if all else fails, get creative and make a standing work station by stacking books or boxes. 

Standing all day isn’t good either, so be sure to change between your seated and standing workstations throughout the day.

Choose the back of the parking lot

BMW at the back of a parking lot with no cars - Stop Sitting and Get Up!

Park at the far end of the lot to give yourself a little extra movement at the beginning and end of your day. Plus, as an added bonus, you’ll avoid door dings since everyone else will be cluttered near the entrance.

Take the stairs

Whether it’s at work, school, or while you’re out shopping on the weekend, take the stairs rather than an escalator or elevator. Make those otherwise neglected muscles and joints do some work.

Keep things out of reach

Sure, it’s convenient to keep everything right next to you, but do yourself a huge favor and move everything just out of arm’s reach. That’ll force you to get up and walk across your office or cubicle.

Walk or ride a bike

Row of parked bikes - Stop Sitting and Get Up!

If you live close enough to work, walk or ride a bike a few days a week. Make sure to also get up often during the day for bathroom breaks or to get coffee or water. In fact, use a smaller cup to force yourself to get up more often, and use the furthest restroom if you work in a large office.

Move!

Just get up and move! Set an alarm or use a desktop app to remind you to get up every 30-45 minutes. Take a short walk, stretch, squat, jump, lunge… Whatever! Taking even a little bit of time to stretch and move will do wonders for your health and will also make you more productive and focused on your work because of the increased blood flow.

Do I follow my own advice? Not nearly often enough, unfortunately. I’m fairly fit, but because I sit so much during the day, I’ve got chronic neck and back pain, so I fully understand how tough it is to stop working.

I’ve resorted to desktop reminders that prevent me from working until I get up and do something—annoying, but they keep me on track. I also recently dug out my old Anatomy of Stretching book to help with some of my biggest trouble areas—it’s helping a lot. I also have a foam roller that I might be a little addicted to, but that’s a story for another day. LOL!

The point is, it’s well worth the effort to get up and move every hour—or less if you manage it. Not only will it help prevent health issues, giving yourself breaks will noticeably improve your productivity.

So, stop sitting and get up!

—Jonathan Lawson


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Loosening your hips and hip flexors is simple with the “Sequential Flow Method” developed by Rick Kaselj, M.S., leading kinesiologist and injury specialist.

Rick has given over hundreds of live presentations to thousands of health professionals in the U.S. and Canada. His Unlock Your Hip Flexors program is highly recommended. For more info, go HERE.

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