Healthy (and Happy) Holidays!

By: Jaimie Morgan, Dietetic Intern, Bastyr University

The holidays are here already! How do we stay healthy, active and avoid that dreaded holiday weight gain?

Here are some helpful holiday recipe and eating tips, to help reduce your intake of fat and calories during this long (three months!) holiday season:

• Continue with your regular exercise routine – studies have shown that people who keep the weight off are also the ones who stick as much as possible to their food and exercise programs
• Choose meats (such as turkey) without the skin
• Modify your favorite high-fat recipes
• Eat slowly – set your fork down on the table between bites, talk with others and enjoy their company!
• Choose foods wisely – When choosing from a tableful of rich holiday foods, go for the fruits and vegetables first, then go back for the higher fat items like casseroles and meats
• Never go to a holiday party starving! Have a small, healthy snack before departing, like whole-grain crackers, cheese and a piece of fruit.
• Take care of yourself – Taking time for yourself by doing exercise, meditating and making healthy choices will help to relieve holiday stress!

There's a great example of a typical vs. healthy holiday meal at:
http://www.dietbites.com/calories-in-holiday-meal.html
as well as some great tips on how to trim the calories and fat!

And don't forget about exercise! Stick to your routine as much as possible, or add some of these fun holiday exercise opportunities:
• Shoveling snow
• Snowball fighting
• Skiing/Snowboarding
• Hiding presents
• Kissing under the mistletoe!

Have a healthy and happy holiday season, from the team at HealthyHusky!

Creamy Penne Pasta and Chicken

It takes longer to cook the penne than to make the sauce! The roasted chicken can be bought pre-made from the grocery store deli. Delicious! Packed with protein and carbs, and you can add any of your favorite veggies as well.

HERE’S ALL YOU NEED TO DO

2 1/2 cups penne pasta, cooked as directed
4 tablespoons butter
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/3 cup onion, sliced
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons flour
1 (15 oz.) can chicken broth
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 roasted chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces (can be bought pre-made)
red pepper flakes, optional
grape tomatoes, sliced, optional

While the penne is cooking, melt butter in a medium sauce pan. Cook garlic and onions with 1/4 teaspoon salt, over medium heat, until onions have softened. Add flour and cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Stir in broth, stirring frequently until sauce comes to simmer. Remove from heat.
Simply stir in the sour cream until it has melted. Be sure the pasta is well drained, then move to a large serving bowl. Top pasta with chicken pieces. Pour sauce over hot pasta, tossing well to get all that creamy sauce inside the pasta. Allow to stand a few minutes before serving, so sauce can thicken. Garnish individual plates with grape tomatoes and red pepper flakes.

This recipe is so good I can’t wait to make it again.

Source: SimpleDailyRecipes.com

Peanut Butter and Banana Breakfast

A simple, easy breakfast to eat on-the-go and keep you energized all morning.

HERE IT IS

2 slices whole wheat toast
2 tablespoons peanut butter
8 banana slices per sandwich
a glass of orange juice

We have had to hurry out the door every day this week. Making these breakfast sandwiches made it easy to eat on the go and kept us satisfied until lunch time.

Source: SimpleDailyRecipes.com

Carrot, Spinach and Rice Soup

This is an easy, super quick soup that’s healthy, nutritious, kid friendly and easy on the budget.

HERE’S ALL YOU NEED TO DO

2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup chopped yellow onion
1 medium carrot, chopped the same size as the onion
1/4 cup parboiled white or brown rice (like Uncle Ben's or Minute Rice)
2/3 cup chicken broth
1 cup frozen spinach, thawed & squeezed dry
1 cup chicken broth
salt & pepper
Optional: 2-3 tablespoons light sour cream

In a medium sauce pan on medium heat, cook onions and carrots in butter with a pinch of salt, until tender. Add rice and cook until rice is a light golden color, then add 2/3 cup broth. When broth comes to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook until tender, 15-20 minutes.

Add spinach, 1 cup broth, season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook until spinach is hot. You’re ready to eat a light, flavorful soup.
If you like, add 2-3 tablespoons of light sour cream for a creamier texture, more calcium, protein and calories.

Source: SimpleDailyRecipes.com

Creamy Spinach and Ravioli

When I prep all my ingredients before cooking (give or take 15 minutes), this meal is cooked in 10 minutes. That’s including the heat-n-eat garlic bread on the side.

THIS IS ALL IT TAKES

1 (10 oz.) bag of frozen spinach, thawed
1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons oil
salt & pepper
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
1 vegetable broth cube
2 cups water
1/2 cup lite sour cream
1 family size package of fresh, ready to cook, four cheese ravioli
1 loaf of frozen heat and eat garlic bread
shredded Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven according to directions on garlic bread package.

Prep the garlic bread loaf on the cookie sheet. Prep spinach and onions, measure out the butter, flour, water and sour cream. Mince up the broth cube so it will dissolve better. Fill a large pot with hot water for cooking the pasta and set on high heat. Use a medium sauce pan for making the cream sauce and a small fry pan to saute the onions and spinach.

Start by adding 3 tablespoons of oil to the fry pan and heating it over medium to medium high heat. Add all BUT a 1/4 cup of onions and cook until softened. Add spinach, stir together and cook until heated through. Cover with a lid and remove from heat.

Next comes the cream sauce. Is the pasta water boiling yet? Yes? Good. Add the ravioli to the boiling water and pop the garlic loaf in the oven and set timer for 9 minutes. Lower the heat to medium on the pasta, and give the raviolis a gentle stir occasionally to keep them from sticking together.

Fully melt the butter in the saucepan over medium heat. Add the 1/ 4 cup sliced onions and cook until softened. Add the flour. Stirring continuously, cook the flour up to two minutes. Stir in the minced broth cube and 2 cups of water, until sauce is smooth and thickens a bit, 2-3 minutes. Turn off heat, gently whisk in sour cream until fully melted. Remove saucepan completely from electric burner.

If everyone in your family loves spinach then add it to the cream sauce now. Otherwise, when the ravioli is cooked and drained, pour the cream sauce over the pasta and allow to set. The sauce will thicken up and stick to the pasta…yummm. Top with shredded Parmesan cheese.

Oh and don’t forget about the garlic bread in the oven!

Source: SimpleDailyRecipes.com

Black Bean Snack Bites

Black bean nachos are served regularly round my house. Well, the other day, I didn’t have my normal flat, restaurant style chips and I had to use scoops. The kids loved the variety (they thought I’d made something new).

I kept them simple, but topped mine with chopped chicken, sliced onion and a dot of habanero sauce.

HERE’S ALL IT TAKES

Tostito Scoops (or other corn chips)
1 (15oz) can of black beans, drained
cheddar and jack cheese, shredded
thinly sliced onion (optional)
chopped cooked chicken (optional, can be bought pre-made)
habanero sauce (optional)
Preheat oven to 350F degrees.


Fill each scoop chip with any combination of the ingredients above.
Bake for 7 minutes. Serve hot!

Source: SimpleDailyRecipes.com

Easy Taco Salad

Taco Salad takes very little time to throw together and it only takes a little of this, a little of that.


HERE’S ALL YOU NEED

cooked ground beef seasoned with chili powder & cumin
green leafy lettuce
can of kidney beans, drained
shredded monterey jack & cheddar cheese
medium tomato, roughly chopped
purple onion, thinly sliced
tortillas chips
salt & pepper
Catalina dressing or Thousand Island

Start by seasoning cooked ground beef with chili powder and cumin. Set aside and allow to cool. Lay down the lettuce as the foundation, start with ground beef, then work your way down the list. You add as much of each ingredient as you wish to eat. I prefer Catalina dressing, but my husband prefers Thousand Island. To each their own.

Source: SimpleDailyRecipes.com

Simple Chickpea Salad

This chickpea salad is super fast to throw together and tastes AWESOME! It’s very filling and makes a perfect light meal. To make it even easier, you can use canned chickpeas (or whatever beans you have on hand) and a bottled salad dressing. Easy!

Meanwhile, HERE’S ALL IT TAKES

2 (14 oz) cans chickpeas, or 2 cups cooked chickpeas
6 green onions, chopped
2 medium tomatoes, cut into cubes
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon capers, drained
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley or cilantro
4 hard boiled eggs, cut into quarters

For the dressing (or use bottled oil and vinegar dressing):
5 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons white wine vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper

If using canned chickpeas, be sure to drain off the liquid. Place them in a serving bowl. Mix in the other ingredients, EXCEPT THE EGGS. Mix the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. Toss the salad with the mixed herbs. Pour the dressing over the salad and mix well. Taste for seasoning. Allow to stand for at least one hour. Just before serving decorate the salad with the egg wedges.

I didn’t think the one tablespoon of capers made that much of a difference. I did enjoy the flavor when I came across them in a bite, but one tablespoon was really not enough to cover the amount of salad here. If you don’t have capers, don’t sweat it. Just keep going.

I do wonder how a roughly chopped ripe avocado would taste in the mix. Hmmm.

Source: SimpleDailyRecipes.com

Crunchy Fried Shrimp Dinner

Shrimp are delicious, and much easier to make than you think! They provide omega-three fatty acids and lots of protein. Add some cooked brown rice and veggies, and you're good to go!

HERE’S WHAT I DID

1/2 pound shrimp, shelled & deveined
1/4 cup flour
1 egg + 1 tablespoon water, beaten
1/2 bag of Panko bread crumbs
enough oil to cover the bottom of pan
Dredge the all shrimp in the flour. One by one, shake off any extra flour from a shrimp. Wet the shrimp in the egg-water. Roll the shrimp, coating evenly, in the bread crumbs. Set aside on large plate. Repeat.

Using a fry pan or cast iron skillet, cover the bottom of the pan with oil. Heat over medium-high heat. Cook shrimp on each side until crust in golden brown, up to a minute on each side. It doesn’t take long at all to cook the shrimp, so don’t walk away from the pan.

Move the shrimp to a foil envelope lined with a paper towel and keep closed to keep the heat in.

Source: SimpleDailyRecipes.com

Chocolate Dipped Bananas

What a delicious treat! Bananas are full of potassium, soluble fiber and carbohydrate, and the chocolate and nuts add both fat and calories. Yum!

These are absolutely delicious when eaten soon after dipping. I don’t recommend storing them in the fridge - they turn mushy and watery. I guess you can refreeze them. I don’t know. We ate all of ours, so I can’t tell ya.

I can tell you what I did.

HERE’S ALL IT TAKES

ripe bananas
semi-sweet chocolate chips
almond bark
chopped unsalted peanuts
popsicle sticks or lollipop sticks
I cut the bananas in half for smaller portions and for easier dipping in a shallow bowl of melted chocolate.

Skewer the bananas with the sticks, THEN PEEL THEM! Place them on a sheet or tray lined with wax paper, then put them in the freezer for oh, let’s say 15 to 30 minutes. (I actually forgot about them for 2 days.)

Anyhoo. Put the chopped peanuts in a plate so it’s easy to roll the banana across the nuts. Melt the almond bark with a handful of chocolate chips, either with the double boiler method or in the microwave. As soon as the chocolate has melted, take out the bananas are start dipping and QUICKLY move to the chopped nuts. Those frozen bananas work fast to harden up the chocolate. There’s no time to dilly dally.

Return the coated treats to the waxed paper until you’re finished.

Yell out, “Come and GET IT!” and they’re gone. They will vanish before your eyes.

Source: SimpleDailyRecipes.com

Simple Black Bean Soup

The secret to this soup is buying the right canned tomatoes to season the beans! This soup is packed with protein, minerals and antioxidants - serve with whole grain bread, rolls or tortillas for a satisfying meal.

HERE’S ALL IT TAKES

1 (15oz) can black beans
1/3 (14oz) can diced tomatoes with chipotle peppers
tortilla chips, shredded cheese, sour cream (optional)
Stir together and heat in a small saucepan over medium heat until hot.

You’re ready to eat!

Source: SimpleDailyRecipes.com

Oven-Roasted Red Potatoes and Onions

Oven roasted vegetables are so delicious and easy to serve. No matter what it is, as long as the oven is hot, there’s good olive oil on hand and you season it with plenty of coarse salt and fresh ground pepper…you cannot go wrong.

HERE’S A GREAT VEGGIE COMBO

red potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces
yellow onion, cut into 1 inch slices
extra virgin olive oil
course salt and fresh ground pepper

Heat oven to 425F degrees. On a large sheet pan, drizzle enough oil to coat potatoes and onions. Use your clean hands to toss the vegetables well and coat the sheet pan, too. Spread vegetables in a single layer. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender. Midway through roasting, turn the veggies once with a metal spatula. Potatoes will have a crispy outside and remain creamy, soft on the inside. The onions just turn into a sweet & savory sidekick to the potatoes that cannot be compared.

Source: SimpleDailyRecipes.com

Roasted Yellow Squash

Yellow squash would have to be my second favorite vegetable. Steamed, baked, or roasted, it’s good anytime. This can be a great side dish - add brown rice, some protein and you have a full meal!

IT DOESN’T TAKE MUCH

2 pounds yellow squash, sliced lengthwise
1 small onion, sliced into small wedges
3 slices of bacon, chopped
1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons healthy oil
salt & pepper
Preheat oven to 400F degrees.

It’s good to slice the squash and onions the same width, about 1/2 inch thick. Put all the sliced vegetables on a large sheet pan and drizzle the oil over them. Just use your hands to toss the vegetables and make sure their well coated.

Spread the veggies out on the sheet pan, sprinkle the chopped bacon on top. Roast the vegetables for 15 to 20 minutes, until tender. THAT’S IT!

Source: SimpleDailyRecipes.com

Vegetable Medley

Ok, I know I’ve already done a recipe with chick peas this week. But come ON! Who eats something different every night of the week? that lives on a reasonable budget? that hates to throw out good food?

I’m calling this recipe “vegetable medley”, because it’s better than “leftover vegetables from the frig that need to be cooked before they go bad.”

There wasn’t really enough of it to make into a dinner for two, but it made a robust lunch for one. Add some hearty grain bread for more carbohydrate, and you're set!

HERE’S WHAT I DID FOR LUNCH

1/2 onion, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, quartered
1/3 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
4 large white mushrooms, slices
1 tablespoon oil
1 1/2 cups frozen spinach, thawed
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
salt & pepper
1 cup chickpeas, cooked
Parmesan cheese, shredded
Cook onion, garlic, bell pepper, and mushrooms, pinch of salt & pepper, in oil over medium heat until softened. Lay spinach on top, sprinkle with a pinch of salt & pepper, add oregano and parsley. Cook for 5 minutes. Stir in chickpeas and cook until warmed through. Remove from heat.

Top with Parmesan cheese and CHOW DOWN!

Source: SimpleDailyRecipes.com

Budget-Friendly Red Beans and Rice with Sausage

Ever have those nights when it just looks like there’s nothing to eat, but it turns out you had something delicious all along?

Well, the other night this is all I had on hand. Two cups of cooked leftover pinto beans, 1 cup rice and one package of skinless sausage.

First, I cut the sausage into 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices and seared them in a large pot over medium high. The beans were too cold to throw directly in the pot, so I warmed them up in the microwave, then added to the large pot.

Next, I tossed in:

1 cup of dried parboiled rice (Like Uncle Ben's, or you can cook your own brown rice)
1 cup chicken (or vegetable) broth
1 1/4 cup water

I may have added more water to keep the ingredients from getting too thick. When the liquid came to a strong simmer, I covered the pot and turned down the heat to low. I made sure to cook the rice for 20 minutes. Then removed the large pot from heat and allowed to sit for 5 to 10 minutes. The extra liquid has a chance to thicken while it cooled down. Delicious!

Serve with cornbread or muffins, and enjoy.

Source: SimpleDailyRecipes.com

Strawberry Smoothie

Here's another great smoothie recipe that you can make and go! Use frozen fruit for faster preparation, and add any different combination you like!

1/2 cup crushed ice
1 cup orange juice
1 cup nonfat (or regular) vanilla yogurt
6 to 8 ripe strawberries, cleaned & quartered

Blend until smooth in a blender.

Source: SimpleDailyRecipes.com

Pineapple Banana Smoothie

A super-easy smoothie to start your day! You can add any other fruit, fruit juice or your favorite protein or supplement powder to this as well.

One Serving

1/3 cup crushed ice
1 large ripe banana
1/2 cup nonfat vanilla yogurt
1/3 to 1/2 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
Blend until smooth in a blender.

Source: SimpleDailyRecipes.com

Healthy Cranberry Pumpkin Muffins

These Cranberry Pumpkin muffins are moist and delicious. There’s no worries or guilt here, because these are healthy enough for breakfast. Add a hard-boiled egg or two and a portable milk carton, and you've got a full, portable breakfast!




HERE’S WHAT YOU’LL NEED

dry ingredients

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
3/4 cups dark brown sugar
1/2 cup old fashion oats
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup sweetened dried, cranberries
1/4 cup golden raisins
wet ingredients

1 1/4 cup pure pumpkin puree
1/2 cup healthy egg substitute or 2 eggs
1/2 cup all natural applesauce or canola oil
1/4 cup orange juice or water
Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Grease and flour 12 count muffin pan.

FIRST! Baking tip for the dried cranberries & raisins.
Place the cranberries and raisins in a microwave safe bowl and cover with warm water. Microwave on HIGH for 1 minute. This is a speedy way to rehydrate the dried fruit. Drain off the water from the dried fruit. The rehydrated fruit won’t burn when it’s exposed at the top of the baked item.

Now back to mixing it up. In a large mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients, including the pecans, rehydated cranberries and raisins. Mix well.

In a small bowl, stir together all the wet ingredients.

Always adding the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, use a rubber spatula and fold the wet into the dry ingredients. Do not over mix here. Go slowly allowing the flour a chance to absorb the moisture. Make sure all the flour is moisten.

Use either a 2 inch scooper or a large spoon to fill the muffin pan. I filled each muffin cup to the top. These are dense muffins so you can sorta heap the batter.

BAKE for 18-20 minutes.

Store the muffins just like you would Banana Bread, on a plate wrapped with cellophane, or in a resealable storage bag. They will keep well out on the counter in cool temperatures for at least three days.

Source: SimpleDailyRecipes.com

Breakfast To Go in 15 Minutes

Don’t tell me you don’t have time for breakfast. I’ll have you eating a very satisfying breakfast on your way out the door that only takes 15 minutes to prepare. Add some fruit and a carton of milk, and you've got a whole meal!





HERE’S ALL YOU NEED

1 can of grand biscuits (8 count)
3 eggs
3 tablespoons milk
salt & pepper
oven fried bacon or ham lunch meat slices
Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Bake biscuits as directed on package. Inside the 15 minutes it takes to bake the biscuits, scramble eggs and milk, season with salt and pepper and cook over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Right before the eggs set, press them flat in the pan to make them look like one flat pancake. Remove from heat and allow the heat from the pan to finish cooking the eggs through.

Microwave as many slices of bacon as you need. For every two oven fried bacon slices, cook at 70% power for 40 to 50 seconds, long enough to reheat but not overcook. If you don’t have oven fried bacon on hand, then just use your favorite ham lunch meat.

Slide egg pancake onto a plate. Using a 2 inch biscuit cutter, cut egg into individual servings.

YOU’RE READY TO HIT THE ROAD!

You can easily prep the extra biscuits and store in the frig for tomorrow’s breakfast. Wrap the biscuits individually to make them even handier to grab and go. To reheat them, microwave at 70% power for 1 minute or so. Go low and slow, so the biscuit doesn’t get chewy. You’re reheating, not cooking.

Source: SimpleDailyRecipes.com

Joe's Baked Egg Muffins

These egg muffins are delicious, easy to make, and can be eaten for breakfast OR dinner! You can pre-bake a whole muffin tin, refrigerate and reheat - yum!


Here's all you need:
Slices of bread, butter, crumbled bacon, two eggs, a little cream, salt & pepper, a pinch of cheese.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Butter your muffin tin. Cut edges off each piece of bread to form a square about four inches by four inches. Butter the bread slices. Press each slice gently into the bottom of the muffin cup so that the four edges are pointing up like in the picture. Bake for 3 to 6 minutes, depending on the thickness of the bread, until it is starting to crisp.

Remove tin from the oven, place the bacon, prosciutto or ham on the bottom of each cup. Crack an egg into each cup. Season with salt and pepper, pour a bit of cream on top and cover with cheese to your liking.

Place the muffin tin back into the oven and bake for 10 to 14 minutes until the whites are just set, or to the desired consistency. With a fork or an offset spatula, remove the bread cups, garnish with chives and devour!

Source: SimpleDailyRecipes.com

Simple Pinto Bean Soup

Beans are chock-full of protein and minerals - add more carbs by eating with tortillas or bread on the side!

Don’t be fooled by the simplicity of this recipe. It’s loaded with good flavor and very filling. It’s was created from NOT having enough leftover cooked pinto beans, but LOTS of bean broth.

HERE’S ALL I DID

I mashed 1 1/2 cups of cooked pinto beans, very well. Then added enough bean broth to make it soup. Warmed it up over medium heat, seasoned with salt & pepper. Served with shredded cheese, sliced jalapenos, and tortilla chips. (I added a few drops of Tabasco to my bowl, yum!)

It’s not gourmet cuisine, but it’s still good eats when there’s not much to eat.

Source: SimpleDailyRecipes.com

Tips for Healthy Holiday Recipes

Eating healthfully on Christmas doesn’t mean you need to avoid holiday food fare. Food often takes center stage today, causing fear of weight gain for many people. With some planning, fitting holiday treats into a healthful eating plan is easy.
You can eat smaller portions, replace high-calorie foods with low-fat options or slightly adjust recipes. By swapping out a few ingredients, even in Mom’s classic dishes, you can reduce fat and calories without sacrificing taste.

Here are some quick tips to help turn your holiday recipes into guilt-free pleasures:
- Use two egg whites in place of one egg.
- Try dried fruit instead of nuts.
- Use three tablespoons of cocoa powder and one tablespoon of oil in place of baking chocolate.
- Replace cream or whipping cream with evaporated skim milk.
- Try substituting an equal amount of applesauce for at least half the oil, margarine or butter in muffins and quick breads like banana bread.
- For dips, sauces and pie toppings, use non-fat yogurt or fat-free sour cream.
- Top casseroles with almonds instead of fried onion rings.
- Choose reduced-fat cheeses for salads and casseroles.

Subtle modifications can improve your recipe’s nutrition content without compromising taste.

Merry Christmas!

Produced by ADA’s Public Relations Team

Healthy Weight Gain Tips for Athletes

For many underweight athletes, the struggle to gain weight is a constant frustration, equal to that of overweight people who are trying to lose weight. "I’m always eating. I spend too much money buying food. I wish I could just eat normally and look normal. I hate my spindly legs..."

Clearly, genetics plays a powerful role in a person’s physique. But so does "the fidget factor." Never sitting still and constantly moving around even when seated - burns calories (possibly an additional 700+ calories per day, equivalent to one or two meals. Mellow out and try some of the following weight gain tips.

Weight gain tips. Theoretically, you have to eat 500 to 1,000 calories per day to gain one to two pounds per week. Without question some people do gain weight more easily than others. Controlled weight gain studies have shown 20 lbs differences in subjects who were overfed the same amount of calories for the same time period. Why the difference? Maybe its fidgeting and perhaps its genetics. Keeping those factors in mind, here are five important rules to help with your quest for bulk.

1. Eat Consistently. Every day , have three hearty meals plus one to three additional snacks. Do NOT skip meals. You miss out on important calories that you need to accomplish your goals.

2. Eat larger then normal portions. Instead of having one sandwich for lunch, have two. Eat three potatoes at dinner, instead of only two. Have a taller glass of milk, bigger bowl of cereal, larger piece of fruit.

3. Select higher calories foods. Read food labels to determine which foods have more calories than an equally enjoyable counterpart. For example, cran-apple juice has more calories than does orange juice (170 vs. 110/8 ounces); granola has more calories than Cheerios (700 vs 100/cup); corn more than green beans (140 vs 40/cup).

4. Drink lots of juice and milk. Beverages are a simple way to increase your caloric intake. Instead of drinking water, quench your thirst with calorie containing fluids. One athlete gained 13 pounds in 3 months simply by adding six glasses of cranberry juice(1,000 calories) to his standard diet.

5. Do strengthening exercises (weight lifting, push-ups etc.) to stimulate muscular development so that you bulk up instead of fatten up. Some underweight people are afraid exercise will result in weight loss rather than weight gain. Remember, exercise tends to stimulate the appetite; you’ll want to eat more. Exercise also increases thirst; you’ll easily be able to drink extra juices.

Many athletes today are taking creatine to gain weight. Creatine is a natural compound found primarily in meats. It is needed for immediate energy during short, intense exercise such as sprinting. If you are tempted to try creatine, I first recommended you pay attention to the above Weight Gain Tips. That is, you need to consistently eat more calories, drink more juices, and do strength training. No magic pill is going to replace these key steps.

Copyright: Nancy Clark, MS, RD

Proper Hydration for Exercise - Water or Sports Drinks

What and when athletes drink depends upon exercise duration and intensity

Water is the most essential ingredient to a healthy life. Water has many important functions in the body including:
- Transportation of nutrients / elimination of waste products.
- Lubricating joints and tissues.
- Temperature regulation through sweating.
- Facilitating digestion.
- Importance of Water During Exercise

Proper hydration is especially important during exercise. Adequate fluid intake for athletes is essential to comfort, performance and safety. The longer and more intensely you exercise, the more important it is to drink the right kind of fluids.

Dehydration
Athletes need to stay hydrated for optimal performance. Studies have found that a loss of two or more percent of one's body weight due to sweating is linked to a drop in blood volume. When this occurs, the heart works harder to move blood through the bloodstream. This can also cause muscle cramps, dizziness and fatigue and even heat illness including:

Heat Exhaustion
Heat Stroke

Causes of Dehydration
Inadequate fluid intake
Excessive sweating
Failure to replace fluid losses during and after exercise
Exercising in dry, hot weather
Drinking only when thirsty

Hyponatremia - Water Intoxication
Although rare, recreational exercisers are also at risk of drinking too much water and suffering from hyponatremia or water intoxication. Clearly, drinking the right amount of the right fluids is critical for performance and safety while exercising.

Adequate Fluid Intake for for Athletes
Because there is wide variability in sweat rates, losses and hydration levels of individuals, it is nearly impossible to provide specific recommendations or guidelines about the type or amount of fluids athletes should consume.

Finding the right amount of fluid to drink depends upon a variety of individual factors including the length and intensity of exercise and other individual differences. There are, however, two simple methods of estimating adequate hydration:

Monitoring urine volume output and color. A large amount of light colored, diluted urine probably means you are hydrated; dark colored, concentrated urine probably means you are dehydrated.
Weighing yourself before and after exercise. Any weight lost is likely from fluid, so try to drink enough to replenish those losses. Any weight gain could mean you are drinking more than you need.

Things that Affect Fluid Loss in Athletes
High altitude. Exercising at altitude increases your fluid losses and therefore increases you fluid needs.
Temperature. Exercising in the heat increases you fluid losses through sweating and exercise in the cold can impair you ability to recognize fluid losses and increase fluid lost through respiration. In both cases it is important to hydrate.
Sweating. Some athletes sweat more than others. If you sweat a lot you are at greater risk for dehydration. Again, weigh yourself before and after exercise to judge sweat loss.
Exercise Duration and Intensity. Exercising for hours (endurance sports) means you need to drink more and more frequently to avoid dehydration.

To find the correct balance of fluids for exercise, the American College Of Sports Medicine suggests that "individuals should develop customized fluid replacement programs that prevent excessive (greater than 2 percent body weight reductions from baseline body weight) dehydration. The routine measurement of pre- and post-exercise body weights is useful for determining sweat rates and customized fluid replacement programs. Consumption of beverages containing electrolytes and carbohydrates can help sustain fluid-electrolyte balance and exercise performance."

According to the Institute of Medicine the need for carbohydrate and electrolytes replacement during exercise depends on exercise intensity, duration, weather and individual differences in sweat rates. [They write, "fluid replacement beverages might contain ~20–30 meqILj1 sodium (chloride as the anion), ~2–5 meqILj1 potassium and ~5–10% carbohydrate."] Sodium and potassium are to help replace sweat electrolyte losses, and sodium also helps to stimulate thirst. Carbohydrate provides energy for exercise over 60-90 minutes. This can also be provided through energy gels, bars, and other foods.

What about Sports Drinks?
Sports drinks can be helpful to athletes who are exercising at a high intensity for 60 minutes or more. Fluids supplying 60 to 100 calories per 8 ounces helps to supply the needed calories required for continuous performance. It's really not necessary to replace losses of sodium, potassium and other electrolytes during exercise since you're unlikely to deplete your body's stores of these minerals during normal training. If, however, you find yourself exercising in extreme conditions over 3 or 5 hours (a marathon, Ironman or ultramarathon, for example) you may likely want to add a complex sports drink with electrolytes.

General Guidelines for Fluid Needs During Exercise
While specific fluid recommendations aren't possible due to individual variability, most athletes can use the following guidelines as a starting point, and modify their fluid needs accordingly.

Hydration Before Exercise
Drink about 15-20 fl oz, 2-3 hours before exercise
Drink 8-10 fl oz 10-15 min before exercise
Hydration During Exercise

Drink 8-10 fl oz every 10-15 min during exercise
If exercising longer than 90 minutes, drink 8-10 fl oz of a sports drink (with no more than 8 percent carbohydrate) every 15 - 30 minutes.

Hydration After Exercise
Weigh yourself before and after exercise and replace fluid losses.
Drink 20-24 fl oz water for every 1 lb lost.
Consume a 4:1 ratio of carbohydrate to protein within the 2 hours after exercise to replenish glycogen stores.

Source:

Consensus Statement of the 1st International Exercise-Associated Hyponatremia Consensus Development Conference, Cape Town, South Africa 2005. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine. 15(4):208-213, July 2005.

Exercise and Fluid Replacement, ACSM Position Stand, American College Of Sports Medicine, Medicine and Science In Sports & Exercise, 2007.

Institute of Medicine. Water. In: Dietary Reference Intakes for Water, Sodium, Cholride, Potassium and Sulfate, Washington, D.C: National Academy Press, pp. 73–185, 2005.

By Elizabeth Quinn, MS (Sports Science), About.com
Updated: January 23, 2008

Amenorrhea - Missed Periods in Athletes Can Cause Bone Lose and Osteoporosis

Athletes who stop having periods risk bone loss and osteoporosis


What is Athletic Amenorrhea?
Amenorrhea is a term used to describe the lack of a menstrual period. There are two types of amenorrhea:
Primary Amenorrhea, in which a woman never started having regular menstrual periods.
Secondary Amenorrhea, in which a woman who has begun regular menstruation suddenly stops having a regular period.
Amenorrhea in athletes, sometimes called exercise-associated amenorrhea, occurs when a woman doesn't have a regular period either because she exercises too much, eats too few calories or both. In order to have regular periods women need to consume a certain number of calories and maintain around 16 percent body fat or more. If a woman has too little body fat the ovaries stop producing estrogen and the woman stops menstruating.
There are many causes of amenorrhea, but in athletes stopping your period is a warning sign that the body is under too much stress and has too little energy stores to support healthy functioning. Experts speculate that a woman stops ovulating and menstruating to protect against pregnancy during extreme physiological stress and to use any available energy to support her basic physiological processes. Intense exercise and extremely low body weight has also been linked with lower levels of the hormone estrogen which is necessary to maintain healthy bones.

Athletic Amenorrhea and Health Complications
One of the first researchers to identify the complications of athletic amenorrhea was Dr. Barbara Drinkwater. She found that female athletes with amenorrhea had significantly lower bone density than women athletes who had normal periods. When these women resumed regular periods by decreasing their training or increasing their calorie intake, they did regain a small amount of bone density, but never completely returned to normal mass density levels. It is now clear that exercise-associated amenorrhea leads to irreversible bone loss.
This was ground-breaking research because at the time it was thought that weight-bearing exercise would increase in bone density and protect women from bone loss. When athletes started to show low bone density because of the lack of regular periods, it sounded an alarm in the sports medicine community and kicked off much more research on the female athlete triad, a combination of:

Low energy availability (eating disorders)
Menstrual irregularities (amenorrhea)
Weak bones (increased risk of stress fractures and osteoporosis)
The future health complications of loss of bone mass early in life can be devastating as a woman ages. The risk of stress fractures increases dramatically, but the long-term risk of severe osteoporosis that leads to bone fractures that may not heal properly as a woman ages is a real concern.

Treating Athletic Amenorrhea
Any female athlete who stops having a period should be very concerned about her health. Amenorrhea is not a normal part of training. It is dangerous and unhealthy. If you have stopped menstruating your first priority is to try to resume menstruation by:

Decreasing your training volume 10 to 15 percent
Increasing your calorie intake by 10 to 15 percent
Increasing your calcium intake
See your doctor, dietitian or athletic trainer

Women trying to overcome amenorrhea may need to gain from 2 to 5 pounds. Because body image and weight-related issues are often a part of this condition, it may be helpful for these athletes to work with a psychologist who specialized in athletes with eating disorders.

Seeing Your Doctor for Athletic Amenorrhea
If you are an athlete with amenorrhea, your doctor may do various tests to find out why your stopped menstruating. She will begin with a complete medical history, a physical examination and blood tests. She will ask about your training schedule and eating habits and may ask about any history of an eating disorder such as anorexia, bulimia or an exercise addiction. You may be asked to reduce your training intensity and duration and increase your calcium intake as well as your overall calorie intake. It is recommended that women with amenorrhea get at least 1,500 milligrams of daily calcium.
You may have a DEXA scan which is a type of x-ray that measures bone density. This helps determine your risk of developing osteoporosis.

If regular periods don't begin again within six months of making changes in exercise and diet, you doctor may consider using hormone replacement or oral contraceptives.

Even though women with amenorrhea are not menstruating or perhaps ovulating, it is still possible to become pregnant. Amenorrhea should not be considered a form of birth control.

Overcoming Athletic Amenorrhea
Amenorrhea is a serious health condition that can result in irreversible bone loss and devastating long-term health consequences. If you are an athlete who has stopped having regular periods, don't ignore it. By addressing and treating amenorrhea early, you may prevent the loss of bone and avoid serious fractures as you age.

Sources:

The Female Athlete Triad, Position Stand, The American College of Sports Medicine, Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 2007.

Warren MP, Chua AT., Exercise-induced amenorrhea and bone health in the adolescent athlete. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 2008

Nattiv A, Agostini R, Drinkwater B, Yeager KK.,The female athlete triad. The inter-relatedness of disordered eating, amenorrhea, and osteoporosis. Clin Sports Med. April, 1994

By Elizabeth Quinn, MS(Sport Science), About.com
Updated: October 28, 2008

Eating After Exercise: Post-Exercise Meal

What to eat after exercise to replenish muscle glycogen

All athletes know of the importance of the pre-exercise meal. However, what and when you eat following exercise can be just as important. While the pre-exercise meals can ensure that adequate glycogen stores are available for optimal performance, the post-exercise meal is critical to recovery and improves your ability to train consistently.

Hydration After Exercise
The first nutritional priority after exercise is to replace any fluid lost during exercise. In general the best way to determine how much to drink (either water of a sports drink) is to:

Weigh yourself before and after exercise and replace fluid losses.
Drink 20-24 fl oz water for every 1 lb lost.

Eating After Exercise
It is also important to consume carbohydrate, such as fruit or juice) within 15 minutes post-exercise to help restore glycogen.

Research has shown that eating 100-200 grams of carbohydrate within two hours of endurance exercise is essential to building adequate glycogen stores for continued training. Waiting longer than two hours to eat results in 50 percent less glycogen stored in the muscle. The reason for this is that carbohydrate consumption stimulates insulin production, which aids the production of muscle glycogen. However, the effect of carbohydrate on glycogen storage reaches a plateau.

Carbohydrate Plus Protein Speeds Recovery
Research shows that combining protein with carbohydrate in the two hours after exercise nearly doubles the insulin response, which results in more stored glycogen. The optimal carbohydrate to protein ratio for this effect is 4:1 (four grams of carbohydrate for every one gram of protein). Eating more protein than that, however, has a negative impact because it slows rehydration and glycogen replenishment.

One study found that athletes who refueled with carbohydrate and protein had 100 percent greater muscle glycogen stores than those who only ate carbohydrate. Insulin was also highest in those who consumed a carbohydrate and protein drink.

Protein Needs After Exercise
Consuming protein has other important uses after exercise. Protein provides the amino acids necessary to rebuild muscle tissue that is damaged during intense, prolonged exercise. It can also increase the absorption of water from the intestines and improve muscle hydration. The amino acids in protein can also stimulate the immune system, making you more resistant to colds and other infections.

Bottom Line
If you are looking for the best way to refuel your body after long, strenuous endurance exercise, a 4:1 combo of carbohydrate and protein seems to be your best choice. While solid foods can work just as well as a sports drink, a drink may be easier to digest make it easier to get the right ratio and meet the 2-hour window.

Post-Workout Foods
Some post-workout snacks with both carbohydrate and protein could be:
- Whole-grain crackers with nut butter
- Sandwich with turkey and vegetables
- Bar with 4g carb to 1g of protein
- Bowl of whole-grain cereal with milk
- Pita sandwich with hummus and vegetables
- 1/2 burrito with whole-grain tortilla, brown rice and black beans
- 1 banana with peanut butter
- Sports shake with 4g carb to 1g protein


Source

Betts JA, et al. Effects of recovery beverages on glycogen restoration and endurance exercise performance Williams MB, et al. Effects of recovery beverages on glycogen restoration and endurance exercise performance. J Strength Cond Res. 2003 Feb;17(1):12-9.

Ivy JL, Goforth HW Jr, Damon BM, McCauley TR, Parsons EC, Price TB. Early postexercise muscle glycogen recovery is enhanced with a carbohydrate-protein supplement. J Appl Physiol. 2002 Oct;93(4):1337-44.

Zawadzki KM, Yaspelkis BB 3rd, Ivy JL. Carbohydrate-protein complex increases the rate of muscle glycogen storage after exercise. J Appl Physiol. 1992 May;72(5):1854-9.

Res, P., Ding, Z., Witzman, M.O., Sprague, R.C. and J. L. Ivy. The effect of carbohydrate-protein supplementation on endurance performance during exercise of varying intensity. International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism.

Levenhagen DK, Carr C, Carlson MG, Maron DJ, Borel MJ, Flakoll PJ. Post exercise protein intake enhances whole-body and leg protein accretion in human. Medicine and Science in Sports & Exercise. 2002 May; 34(5): 828-37.

Miller SL, Tipton KD, Chinkes DL, Wolf SE, Wolfe RR.Independent and combined effects of amino acids and glucose after resistance exercise. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 2003 March; 35(3):449-55.

By Elizabeth Quinn, MS(Sport Science), About.com
Post-workout foods added by Jaimie Morgan, MS(Nutrition), Dietetic Intern, Bastyr University
Updated: February 26, 2008

Nutrition Tips for Strength Training

Eating for Muscle Building

In order to build lean muscle mass you need to combine an adequate calorie intake with a solid muscle strengthening program. A large number of calories are needed to fuel both workouts and tissue building. While getting enough calories is important, it is also important to get the right kind of calories.

Carbohydrate
Carbohydrate is the predominant energy source for strength training. Stored as glycogen in the muscles, it is the fuel used to supply energy for short, intense bursts of power. The harder and longer you work out, the more glycogen your muscles require. Once these stores of glycogen are gone your energy level will drop and you will run out of fuel to power muscle contractions. For this reason, athletes doing strength training exercise in the hopes of building lean muscle need to have an adequate carbohydrates intake.

Experts recommend at least 500 to 600 grams of carbohydrate per day to keep your muscle glycogen stores high. You can base your personal requirement on the following formula:

3.6gr carb x body wt(lbs)= grams carb/day

For a 140 pound person this is about 504 grams per day or about 2,000 carbohydrate calories and 720 grams or 2,900 carbohydrate calories for a 200-pound person.

Protein
Protein is the basic building material for muscle tissue, and strength trainers need to consume more than the non-exercisers. However, most strength athletes still overestimate their protein needs. Daily protein recommendations for serious strength athletes are about 0.6 to 0.8 grams per pound of body weight. That's about 90 to 115 grams of protein/day for the 140-pound athlete and 128 to 164 grams for those weighing 200 pounds.

Fat
After you've met your carbohydrate and protein needs there is room for fat. Fat is an essential nutrient, however, you require a small amount of it to remain healthy. Less than 30% of your total daily calories should come from unsaturated fat.

Water
In addition to the regular eight glasses of water every day, you need to drink to replace fluids that are lost during exercise. To be confident that you are well hydrated before workouts, drink 2 cups of fluid 2 hours before exercise. During your workout, drink 4 to 8 ounces every 15 to 20 minutes. After exercise, replace any further fluid losses with 16 ounces of water. If you want to be precise, you can weigh yourself before and after workouts. For each pound lost during exercise, you should be drink 16 ounces of fluid.

Sports drinks
Energy bars and sports drinks may be helpful if exercise lasts longer than 1 hour. Carbohydrate supplements can be useful to help fit adequate carbohydrates into a busy day if you don't have time to eat a meal. Consuming a meal-replacement beverage just after muscle-building exercise is convenient but you can do the same thing with a tuna sandwich, a banana, a bagel or other real food snack. You should try to consume some protein and carbohydrate after your workout in order to fuel muscle growth and replenish glycogen stores for your next workout.

Supplements
Most supplements that are supposed to help build muscle don't work. But some, such as creatine, fluid and electrolyte replacers, carbohydrate supplements, and liquid meal replacers may offer some benefits to strength training athletes.

Creatine
When combined with a good diet and strength training program, creatine has the potential to produce slightly more power during workouts. Research has also found that loading creatine into the muscles may help speed up muscle gain. While many creatine supplements are available at a price, meat is the best dietary source of creatine. Typical dose for creatine loading is 5 grams of creatine monohydrate four times per day for 5 days. A maintenance dose of 2 grams per day can follow. Taking more than the usual dosage of creatine offers no added benefit. Also, users should be aware that creatine and other popular supplements are subject to little government regulation, so there is no guarantee that they are pure.

Foods for Strength Training
Here are some post-strength training snacks with both carbohydrate and protein:
- Tuna sandwich on whole-grain bread
- Peanut (or other nut) butter on 1/2 whole-grain bagel
- Bowl of cereal with milk
- Banana and peanut butter sandwich
- Piece of fruit and lowfat cottage cheese
- Homemade smoothie with fruit and milk, soymilk or yogurt


Consult a registered dietitian, physician or other health care provider for personal nutritional counseling. This information is not intended as a substitute for appropriate medical treatment.


Source:

Nutrition for Sport and Exercise, 2005, Jacqueline R. Berning, Suzanne Nelson Steen, ISBN 0763737755.

By Elizabeth Quinn, MS(Sport Science), About.com
Strength Training Foods added by Jaimie Morgan, MS(Nutrition), Dietetic Intern, Bastyr University
Updated: October 16, 2007

Fighting Fat Gain: Strategies That Can Make a Difference

Tips for athletes who want to avoid weight gain

It's easy to get fat in America. Every day we are confronted with an abundance of delicious food that is easily accessible. That's one reason why the average American gains one to two pounds a year.
Simultaneously, we have engineered exercise out of our lives by building communities with no sidewalks for safe walking, TVs with remote controls, escalators, and automatic garage door openers. We've learned to turn to food for comfort when we are feeling stressed, isolated or lonely.

Because exercise is an essential key to maintaining a healthy weight, most athletic people who read this article do not have serious weight problems. But many more fight to stay lean, and all of you know someone-a parent, child, spouse or friend-who would be healthier if he or she were to lose at least 20 pounds. Here are three weight management strategies that can help you and your loved ones minimize fat gain and optimize desired fat loss without feeling denied or deprived of enjoyable food. The following doable suggestions can save 100 to 200 calories per day, enough to make a difference in your battle of the bulge.

Strategy #1. Boost your calcium intake.
In 1988, researchers were surprised and fascinated by the results of a study looking at the effect of calcium on blood pressure. Not only did the consumption of two cups of yogurt per day contribute to lower blood pressure, but also to 11 pounds of fat loss in 12 months-even though the subjects had been told to try to maintain weight! This finding triggered more research and today we know:

- calcium within the cell regulates fat storage.
- a high calcium diet turns more calories to heat than to body fat.
- calcium-rich diets contribute to fat loss in the stomach area.
- calcium-rich diets can help minimize midlife fat gain.
- eating three to four servings of calcium rich dairy foods per day contributes to loss of more fat and less muscle compared to dieters who ate less dairy. That is, in a 12 week weight loss study, those who ate three cups of yogurt per day lost 60 percent more fat than those on a calcium-supplemented diet. (Other components in milk, such as high quality protein, may contribute to this beneficial effect of burning fat while preserving muscle.)

A growing body of evidence indicates consuming calcium-rich dairy foods three to four times a day equates to the burning of about 100 more calories of body fat per day--or about 10 pounds of fat per year. Certainly, you can get calcium from nondairy sources (broccoli, calcium-enriched orange juice, supplements), but calcium from (preferably lowfat) dairy foods is most effective.

If you balk at the thought of consuming so much yogurt or milk, keep in mind you can easily choose cereal with lowfat milk for breakfast, have a lowfat yogurt for a midmorning or evening snack, and enjoy a lowfat latte for an afternoon energy booster. Other options include putting two slices (1.5 ounces) of lowfat cheese on a sandwich, cooking oatmeal with milk, and yes, even drinking chocolate milk for a post-exercise recovery drink, which provides a nice balance of carbs and protein.

Given that calcium-rich diets are helpful for not only weight management but also for regulating blood pressure and keeping bones strong, you'll do your health a favor by boosting your calcium intake. The trick to consuming more calcium-rich dairy is to be sure the calories are within your daily calorie budget and not excessive. That is, you cannot start to guzzle gallons of milk and expect to lose body fat! For help with learning how to balance more milk and yogurt into your daily diet, I suggest you consult with a local sports dietitian: go to www.eatright.org and put your zip code into the referral network.

Strategy #2. Eat breakfast.
About 40 percent of adults skip breakfast at least four times a week. Although skipping breakfast may seem a good way to eliminate calories, breakfast skippers tend to be fatter than breakfast eaters. But when people eat a larger-than-normal breakfast, they end up eating almost 100 fewer calories by the end of the day, an amount that can curb creeping obesity. Hence, eating breakfast is one strategy that makes a big difference in weight management (to say nothing of sports performance). In a group of dieters who have lost and kept off more than 30 pounds, 97 percent are now committed breakfast eaters! They know what works...

Strategy #3: Eat more fiber and whole grain foods.
Foods that are satiating (i.e., that fill you to the point you choose to stop eating) are rich in protein (meat, fish, chicken) or fiber(whole grains, fruits, vegetables). Given that protein often comes along with unhealthy saturated fat (e.g., cheese, bacon, hamburger), and excess calories of fatty foods are easily fattening, a wise option is to curb hunger by filling up on fiber-rich foods.

Fiber-rich foods also tend to be bulky; bulk helps promote satiety. That is, you can reduce the calorie content of a casserole by 30 percent by adding bulky vegetables (mushrooms, celery, peppers) and people will consume fewer calories without noticing the difference. According to Barbara Rolls, author of The Volumetrics Weight Control Plan, consuming bulky foods with a high fiber and water content can help you eat fewer calories. This means more fruit, vegetables, soup, beans, legumes, bran cereal (e.g., Bran Chex, Fiber-One), and whole grain cereals, (e.g., Wheaties, Cheerios, Total). Cereal is more satisfying than equal calories of a croissant.

Given the abundance of food in our society, we all need skills to manage the food environment. This means eating breakfast and consuming more calcium, fiber, and whole grains. Sounds like Wheaties is indeed the breakfast of (lean) champions!

Source:

Reprinted with permission of the American College of Sports Medicine, ACSM Fit Society Page, Summer 2004, p. 8-9.

By Elizabeth Quinn, MS(Sport Science), About.com
Updated: October 20, 2007

Comparing Diet and Nutrition Plans

Michael Dansinger, MD, from Tufts University, conducted a study to find out which commercial diet plan worked the best. His conclusion is that most commerical diet plans and nutrition programs work equally as long as participants stick with them. Although one plan may appeal more to some people for personal reasons, the overall finding is that weight loss and maintenance is due to more exercise and fewer total calories.
People who stayed on their diet for a full year experienced the most weight loss. Study results showed a 6 percent weight loss for the Ornish program participants, a 5 percent weight loss for those on both Weight Watchers and the Zone diets and a 4 percent weight loss for Atkins dieters.

Even with a moderate weight loss, participants significantly reduced their heart disease risk -- by 5 percent to 15 percent on average.

For the study, 160 overweight people were randomly assigned to one of the four diets. They followed a supervised program for two months and were left to continue the diets on their own. After only two months, 22 percent quit the study. After a year, 35 percent dropped out of Weight Watchers and the Zone diets, and 50 percent quit the Atkins and Ornish plans.

The researchers said the study suggests there is no one-size-fits-all diet best for everyone and any diet can work if it helps someone eat less and lose weight.

So while this study does seems to conclude that any diet can work, the drop-out rate raises other issues. It may be that finding and sticking with a balanced approach to eating for life is still the best long-term solution to maintaining a healthy weight.

By Elizabeth Quinn, MS(Sport Science), About.com
Updated: September 12, 2006

How Diet Choices Help Weight Loss and Weight Management

Whether you are an athlete or a couch potato losing body fat and maintaining a weight lose is not an easy thing to do. Anyone wanting to lose weight needs to reduce calorie intake and/or increase energy expenditure. It's simple math. But is there a way to decrease calories without feeling hungry? Barbara Rolls, a food nutrition researcher at Pennsylvania State University, offers the following tips.

Eat Some Protein
Research shows different foods and nutrients affect how full and satisfied people feel. For example, a number of studies indicate that calories-for-calorie, protein makes a person feel more full than carbohydrates or fats. This suggests that eating adequate lean protein can help control hunger and food intake.

Eat More Fiber
Additionally, dietary fiber has been shown to affect the feeling of being full and food intake. Research shows that eating an additional 14 grams of fiber per day is associated with a 10 percent decrease in calorie intake and a loss of body weight of a four pounds in four months. Eating more high-fiber foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains is a nutritionally sound way to not feel as hungry when reducing calorie intake. (Note: increase fiber gradually to avoid stomach upset, gas and diarrhea.)

About Energy Density of Food
In addition to nutrients such as protein and fiber, the energy content of food, gram for gram, also affects how full we feel. The term for this is energy density, which is simply the amount of calories in a gram of food. The relationship between the weight of food and its calories content is largely based upon the amount of water in the food. Water adds weight but not calories, so the higher the water content the lower the energy density.

Studies consistently show that over the course of a day or two, a person eats about the same weight of food. On average, the weight of food eaten is more constant than the daily calorie intake. So if you eat the same amount (by weight) of food, but lower the calories in each portion, you will consume fewer calories. Studies also indicate that you don't even miss the calories and feel just as full as the high calorie day.

Low Energy Density Eating Tips

- Eat more water-rich fruits, vegetables, and soups
- Add fruit to breakfast cereal
- Choose fresh fruit for snacks
- Add more vegetables to pizza, stir-fry, and pasta dishes
- Include a tossed green salad with lunch and dinner
- Choose broth-based soups before meals or as a meal
- Increase fiber intake by eating more high-fiber cereal, whole grains, legumes, vegetables and fruits.
- Limit intake of dry foods
- Limit consumption of dry foods such as pretzels and crackers, as they are dense in calories and are easy to overeat
- Drink water, low-calorie or calorie-free beverages such as fruit juice diluted with seltzer, diet soft drinks, etc.
- For snacks, "liquid foods" such as vegetable cocktails and drinks containing protein, such as those based on milk, are good choices to increase the feeling of fullness.

By Elizabeth Quinn, MS(Sport Science), About.com
Updated: October 26, 2008

Flank Steak Wraps

These delicious flank steak wraps are loaded with protein and carbs - you can use large flour tortillas in place of lavash.

Yield
4 servings

Ingredients
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (1-pound) flank steak, trimmed
Cooking spray
6 cups vertically sliced onion (about 3 medium onions)
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled blue cheese
1/4 cup fat-free (or regular) mayonnaise
2 (20-inch) lavash, cut in half
Preparation

Combine first 3 ingredients; rub evenly over steak. Cover and chill 2 hours.

Preheat broiler.

Place steak on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray; broil 7 minutes on each side or until done. Cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices.

While steak cooks, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion to pan; cover and cook 10 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently.

Combine cheese and mayonnaise; spread 2 tablespoons on each lavash half. Top each with 3 ounces steak and 1/2 cup onion; roll up.


Nutritional Information
Calories:450 (30% from fat)
Fat:14.9g (sat 7g,mono 5g,poly 0.5g)
Protein:29.8g
Carbohydrate:47.9g
Fiber:3.5g
Cholesterol:62mg
Iron:4.4mg
Sodium:940mg
Calcium:153mg

Cooking Light, JANUARY 2005

Broccoli and Cheese-Stuffed Potatoes

Make this meal even easier by using pre-cut vegetables and pre-made bacon bits from the store. Round out the meal with a garden salad, soup, or half a sandwich.

Yield
4 servings (serving size: 1 potato half)

Ingredients
2 baking potatoes (about 1 3/4 pounds)
2 bacon slices
1 cup broccoli florets
1 cup presliced mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Swiss cheese
1/4 cup fat-free (or regular) sour cream
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
Preparation

Preheat oven to 450°.

Pierce potatoes with a fork; arrange on paper towels in microwave oven. Microwave at high 16 minutes or until done, turning and rearranging potatoes after 8 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes.

While potatoes cook, cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan; reserve 1 teaspoon drippings in pan. Crumble bacon; set aside. Add broccoli, mushrooms, onion, and garlic to drippings in pan; cook 7 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.

Cut each potato in half lengthwise; scoop out pulp, leaving a 1/4-inch-thick shell. Combine potato pulp, onion mixture, cheese, and remaining ingredients; divide evenly among shells.

Bake at 450° for 8 minutes or until potatoes are thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with reserved bacon.


Nutritional Information
Calories:245 (22% from fat)
Fat:5.9g (sat 3.1g,mono 1.3g,poly 0.3g)
Protein:12.5g
Carbohydrate:42.3g
Fiber:5.3g
Cholesterol:17mg
Iron:2.1mg
Sodium:408mg
Calcium:297mg

Cooking Light, JANUARY 2005

Black Bean Burritos with Avocado

A delicious and quick dinner loaded with fiber and calcium!

Yield
4 servings (serving size: 1 burrito)

Ingredients
1/2 cup diced peeled avocado
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup water
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained
4 (10-inch) flour tortillas
6 tablespoons fat-free (or regular) sour cream
6 tablespoons bottled salsa
Preparation

Combine avocado and lime juice, tossing to coat.

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Stir in water, cumin, and beans. Reduce heat to medium; simmer 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally. Warm tortillas according to package directions. Spoon 1/4 cup bean mixture into each tortilla. Top with 1 1/2 tablespoons sour cream, 1 1/2 tablespoons salsa, and 2 tablespoons avocado; roll up.


Nutritional Information
Calories:424 (23% from fat)
Fat:10.7g (sat 2.1g,mono 5.3g,poly 2.2g)
Protein:15.7g
Carbohydrate:65g
Fiber:11g
Cholesterol:2mg
Iron:5.6mg
Sodium:931mg
Calcium:178mg

Cooking Light, JANUARY 2005

Greek-Flavored Turkey Burgers

These delicious homemade burgers can be made in advance and frozen for quick and easy lunches and dinners! Use hearty whole-grain rolls or French bread for extra carbohydrate.

Yield
4 servings (serving size: 1 burger)

Ingredients
1 large egg white
1 cup chopped red onion
3/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/3 cup (about 1 1/2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried dill
1 pound ground turkey
Cooking spray
4 (1 1/2-ounce) hamburger buns, split
1 (7-ounce) bottle roasted red bell peppers, drained and cut into 1-inch strips
Preparation

Place egg white in a large bowl; lightly beat with a whisk. Add onion and next 6 ingredients (through turkey); stir well to combine. Divide turkey mixture into 4 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add patties to pan; cook 8 minutes on each side or until done.

Place patties on bottom halves of hamburger buns. Divide peppers evenly among burgers; cover with top halves of buns.

Note: To freeze extra servings, wrap each uncooked patty individually first in plastic wrap and then in heavy-duty aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. To serve, thaw patties completely in refrigerator, and then cook and serve as directed.


Nutritional Information
Calories:426 (33% from fat)
Fat:15.7g (sat 5.7g,mono 5.5g,poly 3.2g)
Protein:30.5g
Carbohydrate:40g
Fiber:2.8g
Cholesterol:101mg
Iron:4.5mg
Sodium:790mg
Calcium:177mg

Cooking Light, JANUARY 2005

Hot Turkey Sandwiches

Serve these quick-to-make sandwiches for lunch on the Friday after Thanksgiving or any time you have turkey leftovers and crave a hearty sandwich. Cranberry-shallot chutney adds a sweet, tangy flavor. Bottled gravy will work fine in this recipe.

Yield
4 servings (serving size: 1 sandwich)

Ingredients
8 (1-ounce) slices French bread
2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
1/4 cup turkey gravy
4 reduced-sodium bacon slices, cooked and cut in half
12 ounces sliced cooked turkey breast
2 slices provolone cheese, halved
1 cup arugula
1 tablespoon cranberry-shallot chutney
Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°.

Place bread slices on a baking sheet. Spread light mayonnaise evenly over 4 bread slices. Spread turkey gravy evenly over remaining 4 bread slices. Top the mayonnaise-spread slices evenly with bacon slices, turkey breast, and provolone cheese. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Top cheese evenly with arugula. Drizzle with cranberry-shallot chutney. Top with gravy-spread bread slices. Press sandwiches together.


Nutritional Information
Calories:402 (25% from fat)
Fat:11g (sat 4.5g,mono 3.5g,poly 1.2g)
Protein:38.2g
Carbohydrate:35.1g
Fiber:2.1g
Cholesterol:89mg
Iron:3.3mg
Sodium:787mg
Calcium:174mg

Lia Huber, Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2005

Easy Baked Fish Fillets

Haddock or cod would make good substitutes for the grouper. Adjust the baking time depending on the thickness of the fish.

Yield
4 servings (serving size: 5 ounces fish)

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds grouper or other white fish fillets
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon light mayonnaise
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1 1/2 tablespoons butter or stick margarine, melted
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Preparation

Preheat oven to 425°.

Place fish in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Combine lime juice, mayonnaise, onion powder, and pepper in a small bowl, and spread over fish. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs; drizzle with butter. Bake at 425° for 20 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Sprinkle with parsley.


Nutritional Information
Calories:223 (30% from fat)
Fat:7.5g (sat 2.7g,mono 2g,poly 1.3g)
Protein:33.6g
Carbohydrate:5.3g
Fiber:0.2g
Cholesterol:84mg
Iron:1.8mg
Sodium:223mg
Calcium:56mg

Cooking Light, OCTOBER 1999

Southwest Cilantro Fish Stew

This fabulous fish stew practically cooks itself - just chop some vegetables, saute and let simmer! You can eat it on its own with thick slices of bread, or add more carbs by eating it over rice.

Yield
4 servings

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup (1/4-inch-thick) slices carrot
1 cup (1/4-inch-thick) slices celery
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeño pepper, sliced
4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 cups cubed peeled Yukon gold or red potato
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, undrained
1 pound halibut, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp
Lime wedges
Cilantro sprigs (optional)
Preparation

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, garlic, and jalapeño to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in broth, potato, wine, cilantro, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until potato is tender. Add fish and shrimp; cook an additional 5 minutes or until fish and shrimp are done. Ladle 2 1/2 cups stew into each of 4 bowls; serve with lime wedges. Garnish with cilantro sprigs, if desired.



Nutritional Information
Calories:372 (18% from fat)
Fat:7.6g (sat 1.2g,mono 3.6g,poly 1.8g)
Protein:42.1g
Carbohydrate:32.8g
Fiber:5.7g
Cholesterol:122mg
Iron:5.4mg
Sodium:684mg
Calcium:167mg

Diana Rios, Lytle, Texas, Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2007

Easy Fish Tacos

This is a delicious and simple fish taco recipe - just mix up the crema, bake the fish, and assemble the tacos. You can even sub the chopped cabbage with pre-chopped salad mix or cabbage from the supermarket. A delicious and easy dinner!

Yield
4 servings (serving size: 2 tacos)

Ingredients
Crema:
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons fat-free (or regular) mayonnaise
3 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
1 teaspoon grated lime rind
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, minced

Tacos:
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 pounds red snapper fillets
Cooking spray
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
2 cups shredded cabbage
Preparation

Preheat oven to 425°.

To prepare crema, combine the first 8 ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.

To prepare tacos, combine cumin and next 5 ingredients (through garlic powder) in a small bowl; sprinkle spice mixture evenly over both sides of fish. Place fish on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 9 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Place fish in a bowl; break into pieces with a fork. Heat tortillas according to package directions. Divide fish evenly among tortillas; top each with 1/4 cup cabbage and 1 tablespoon crema.


Nutritional Information
Calories:394 (14% from fat)
Fat:6.3g (sat 1.5g,mono 1.5g,poly 1.5g)
Protein:40.3g
Carbohydrate:40.1g
Fiber:5.5g
Cholesterol:70mg
Iron:3.5mg
Sodium:857mg
Calcium:233mg

Lisa Bell, Cooking Light, DECEMBER 2006

Sauteed Snapper with Plum Tomatoes and Spinach

If you can't find snapper, purchase another mild, firm white fish, such as cod or halibut. Serve alongside your favorite pasta tossed with pesto.

Yield
4 servings (serving size: 1 fillet and about 1/2 cup spinach mixture)

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
4 (6-ounce) snapper fillets
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 cups diced plum tomato (about 6 tomatoes)
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
1/4 cup dry white wine
3 cups baby spinach leaves
Preparation

Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle fish evenly with salt and pepper. Add fish to pan; cook 2 minutes on each side. Remove fish from pan.

Heat remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add tomato and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Stir in wine; simmer 2 minutes. Add spinach to pan; cook for 1 minute or just until spinach wilts. Return fish to pan. Spoon tomato mixture over fish; cook 1 minute or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness.


Nutritional Information
Calories:225 (24% from fat)
Fat:5.9g (sat 1g,mono 2.9g,poly 1.3g)
Protein:36.5g
Carbohydrate:5.2g
Fiber:1.7g
Cholesterol:63mg
Iron:1.3mg
Sodium:280mg
Calcium:90mg

Michele Powers, Cooking Light, MAY 2007

Skillet Fillets with Cilantro Butter

Any mild white fish such as cod, flounder, or orange roughy would also be delicious in place of tilapia. Serve these brightly flavored fillets with sautéed spinach or a green salad

Yield
4 servings (serving size: 1 fillet and about 2 teaspoons cilantro butter)

Ingredients
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
4 (6-ounce) tilapia fillets
Cooking spray
1 lemon, quartered
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon salt
Preparation

Combine first 3 ingredients; sprinkle over both sides of fish. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Coat both sides of fish with cooking spray; place in pan. Cook 3 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Place fish on a serving platter; squeeze lemon quarters over fish.

Place butter and remaining ingredients in a small bowl; stir until well blended. Serve with fish.


Nutritional Information
Calories:194 (32% from fat)
Fat:6.9g (sat 3.1g,mono 2.5g,poly 0.6g)
Protein:30.5g
Carbohydrate:1.2g
Fiber:0.2g
Cholesterol:88mg
Iron:0.7mg
Sodium:354mg
Calcium:32mg

Nancy Hughes, Cooking Light, JANUARY 2006

Athletes and Iron Deficiency

Iron deficiency is a common problem for women athletes. Studies have routinely found that athletes, especially female athletes, are often iron-deficient or anemic. Iron is essential for athletic performance. One of its major functions is to carry oxygen to and carbon dioxide away from all the cells in your body. The brain also relies on oxygen transport and without enough iron you will find it hard to concentrate and feel tired and irritable. Iron is also needed to maintain a healthy immune system. If you don't have enough iron you may be prone to more frequent infections.
Athletes and Iron Deficiency
A combination of the following factors place athletes at risk of iron deficiency:

Inadequate supply of dietary iron. Athletes who avoid red meat have difficulty meeting the body's iron needs.
Increased demands for iron. Hard training stimulates an increase in red blood cell and blood vessel production, and increases the demand for iron. (Iron turnover is highest for endurance athletes training at high intensity).
High iron loss. Blood loss through injury, or menstruation. In endurance athletes, ‘foot strike’ damage to red blood cells in the feet due to running on hard surfaces with poor quality shoes leads to iron loss. Finally, because iron is lost in sweat, heavy sweating leads to increased risk of deficiency.

Symptoms
The symptoms of iron deficiency include loss of endurance, chronic fatigue, high exercise heart rate, low power, frequent injury, recurring illness, and loss of interest in exercise and irritability. Other symptoms include poor appetite, and increased incidence and duration of colds and infections. Many of these symptoms are also common to over-training, so misdiagnosis is common. The only sure way to diagnose a deficiency is a blood test to determine iron status. If you experience any of the symptoms above, and you are in one of the higher risk categories, you should visit your physician for lab work.
If your physician confirms iron deficiency, she will recommend an increase in your dietary iron intake. If your deficiency is severe, you may need supplements. Never use iron supplements unless under the supervision of your doctor, as too much iron can cause irreversible damage and a higher risk of cancer and heart disease.

Good Sources of Iron
The RDA for women and teenagers is 15 milligrams per day. Men should consume 10 mg. Endurance athletes may need slightly more. You can get iron in both animal and plant foods, but the iron in animal sources has an absorption rate of about 15 percent, compared to about 5 percent for plants. So the more effective way to increase iron status is by eating animal products such as lean red meat, poultry or fish or liver. You can also increase the amount of iron in foods you eat by cooking with a cast iron skillet (especially if cooking acidic foods).

Iron absorption from any foods, whether plant or animal, is decreased if they are accompanied at meals by caffeine. Calcium and zinc also reduce the ability of the body to absorb iron. However adding fruit (citrus fruit in particular), to meals enhances iron absorption. The best sources of iron in the diet include: Lean red meat, iron-fortified breakfast cereal, nuts and legumes, (combined these with foods high in vitamin C).

Source: www.sportsmedicine.about.com