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

High Protein Diets Can Cause Dehydration, Even in Athletes!

Study findings: A diet high in protein silently caused dehydration in endurance athletes, individuals whose training gave them a greater capacity to adapt to dehydration than the average person.

Speaking at the Experimental Biology 2002 meeting in New Orleans on Monday, April 22, William Forrest Martin, a graduate student in the laboratory of Dr. Nancy Rodriguez, University of Connecticut, reported an unique study comparing the hydration status of five endurance athletes as they consumed low, moderate, and high amounts of protein for four weeks at each level. Adjusted for weight, based on a 150 pound individual, the daily protein intake was 68 grams daily for the low protein diet, 123 grams for the moderate protein diet, and 246 for the high protein diet. Although these athletes were not trying to lose weight, the high protein diet they consumed was roughly 30 percent of total caloric intake, proportionally comparable to many popular high protein diets.

As the amount of protein consumed went up, the degree of hydration progressively went down. During the period in which athletes were consuming the highest amounts of protein, their blood urea nitrogen (BUN) - a clinical test for proper kidney function - reached abnormal ranges. Other tests indicated that the high protein diet caused the kidney to produce a more concentrated urine. The researchers believe the bottom line is clear for athletes and non-athletes alike: when consuming high protein diets, increase your fluid intake, whether you feel as if you need to or not. The athletes in this study reported no difference in how thirsty they felt and consequently they did not drink more liquid from the low to high protein diets. Athletes or extremely active people may also want to monitor hydration status.

In fact, say the researchers, you might want to drink more water regardless of your diet. It has been estimated that three of every four Americans are chronically dehydrated, placing themselves at increased risk for heat illness and other health problems. As little as a two to three percent decrease in body water has been found to negatively affect performance and cardiovascular function.

Source: www.sportsnutrition.about.com

Nutrition Tips for Vegetarian Athletes

If you don’t eat meat, it can take a bit more planning to get adequate protein for muscle building and sports training. Vegetarians must take extra care to avoid deficiencies of iron, zinc, and B12, which can hurt exercise and strength training performance.

The following tips will help vegetarians who want to get the most from strength training programs.

How to Get Adequate Protein in Your Diet
The current protein recommendations for optimal muscle building in a strength athlete is 1.6 to 1.7 gram protein per kilogram of body weight (0.73 grams per pound). For a 200-pound athlete, that is a total of 145 to 154 grams of protein a day. There is no scientific evidence that more than 2.0 grams of protein per kg of body weight has any additional benefit in muscle strength or size.
You can get enough protein by including plenty of low-fat dairy products and protein-rich plant sources, like soy, in your diet. The following protein sources may work for vegetarians:

Milk, 8 oz, 8 grams
Tofu, 3 oz, 15 grams
Yogurt, 8 oz, 8 grams
Cheese, 3 oz, 21 grams
Peanut butter, 2 tbsp, 8 grams

How to Get Adequate Iron in Your Diet
Heme iron is a type of easily absorbed iron that is found in animal protein. If you eat fish or chicken, you will get this type of iron, but if you eat no meat, you will need to find other sources of iron. Our bodies don't absorb non-heme iron –- the kind found in vegetables -– as easily as the iron that comes from animal foods. Non-meat eaters, especially female athletes, must pay attention to their dietary iron needs. Good sources of non-heme include wholegrain cereals, leafy green vegetables, figs, lentils and kidney beans, and some dried fruits.

How to Get Adequate Vitamin C in Your Diet
Vitamin C in fruits, vegetables, and other foods help vegetarians absorb non-heme iron from other foods, so it’s a good idea to eat a combination of foods at each meal. Consider eating citrus fruits with an iron-fortified wholegrain cereal or have a citrus fruit juice with beans.

How to Get Adequate B12
Because vitamin B12 is available only from animal products, it is one of the most common nutrients missing from the diets of vegetarian athletes. To get enough B12 (you require only a small amount-2.4 micrograms-per day) try to eat B12-fortified foods like soymilk, and cereal. You can also get enough B12 if you consume eggs, cheese, milk or yogurt.

Avoid Foods That Interfere with Iron Absorption
Some foods contain substances that block the absorption of iron in the intestine. Coffee, whole grains, bran, legumes, and spinach all interfere with iron absorption and should be combined with vitamin C to increase iron absorption.
Talk To Your Doctor About Supplements

Although dietary supplements should not be used to make up for a poor diet, there are times when they can help prevent some deficiencies. Ideally, you should discuss the use of any supplements with your healthcare team.

All athletes are encouraged to eat a balanced diet that includes a wide variety of foods, but vegetarian athletes can rest assured that they don’t have to eat meat in order to get adequate nutrition for strength building. If you have concerns about your nutritional status, is is recommended that you talk with your doctor or a registered sports nutritionist to review you eating plan and make recommendations.

Source:

D. Enette Larson-Meyer, PhD, RD, FACSM. Vegetarian Sports Nutrition: Food choices and eating plans for fitness and performance, Human Kinetics, 2007.

How Much Protein Do I Need?

Proteins are often called the building blocks of the body. Protein consists of combinations of structures called amino acids that combine in various ways to make muscles, bone, tendons, skin, hair, and other tissues. They serve other functions as well including nutrient transportation and enzyme production. In fact, over 10,000 different proteins are in the body.

Adequate, regular protein intake is essential because it isn’t easily stored by the body. Various foods supply protein in varying amounts with complete proteins (those containing 8 essential amino acids) coming mostly from animal products such as meat, fish, and eggs and incomplete protein (lacking one or more essential amino acid) coming from sources like vegetables, fruit and nuts. Vegetarian athletes may have trouble getting adequate protein if they aren’t aware of how to combine foods.

Protein Needs for Athletes

Athletes need protein primarily to repair and rebuild muscle that is broken down during exercise and to help optimizes carbohydrate storage in the form of glycogen. Protein isn’t an ideal source of fuel for exercise, but can be used when the diet lacks adequate carbohydrate. This is detrimental, though, because if used for fuel, there isn’t enough available to repair and rebuild body tissues, including muscle.

Recommended Daly Protein Intake

The average adult needs 0.8 grams per kilogram (2.2lbs) of body weight per day.
Strength training athletes need about 1.4 to 1.8 grams per kilogram (2.2lbs) of body weight per day
Endurance athletes need about 1.2 to 1.4 grams per kilogram (2.2lbs) of body weight per day
How Much Protein is That?
Not much, as it turns out. Here is a list of some high protein foods.

Food, Amount, Protein

Fish, 3 oz, 21 grams
Chicken, 3 oz, 21 grams
Turkey, 3 oz, 21 grams
Meat, 3 oz, 21 grams
Milk, 8 oz, 8 grams
Tofu, 3 oz, 15 grams
Yogurt, 8 oz, 8 grams
Cheese, 3 oz, 21 grams
Peanut butter, 2 tbsp, 8 grams
Eggs, 2 large, 13 grams

Strength athletes believe more protein is important to build muscle. It turns out that strength athletes actually require high carbohydrate intake and adequate glycogen stores to fuel their workouts. It is the strength training workout that leads to increased muscle mass and strength. This is because all high intensity, powerful muscle contractions (such as weight lifting) are fueled with carbohydrate. Neither fat nor protein can be oxidized rapidly enough to meet the demands of high-intensity exercise. Adequate dietary carbohydrate must be consumed daily to restore glycogen levels.

Article from www.sportsmedicine.about.com

Fat Provides Energy for Exercise?!?

Dietary fat is often blamed for many health problems; however, fat is an essential nutrient for optimal health. Adipose tissue (stored fat) provides cushion and insulation to internal organs, covers the nerves, moves vitamins (A, D, E, and K) throughout the body and is the largest reserve of stored energy available for activity. Fat is stored when we consume more calories then we use. There is an optimal level of body fat for health and for athletic activity. When that optimal level is exceeded, too much dietary fat can lead to problems with health as well as athletic performance.

Types of Dietary Fat

Saturated fats are found primarily in animal sources like meat, egg yolks, yogurt, cheese, butter, milk. This type of fat is often solid at room temperature. Too much saturated fat has been linked to health problems such as high cholesterol and heart disease. Because of this, saturated fat should be limited to no more than 10% of total daily calorie intake.

Unsaturated fats include monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which are typically found in plant food sources and are usually liquid at room temperature. Unsaturated fats have health benefits such as lowering cholesterol and reducing the risk of heart disease. Common food sources include olive and canola oil, avocados, fish, almonds, soybeans and flaxseed.
Trans fat has recently been added to the nutrition labels of most products. Trans fatty acids are created (naturally or man-made) when an unsaturated fat is made into a solid. Trans fats, like saturated fat, should be limited because they increase cholesterol levels and the risk of heart disease.

How Fat Provides Energy for Sports
Fat provides the highest concentration of energy of all the nutrients. One gram of fat equals nine calories. This calorie density, along with our seemingly unlimited storage capacity for fat, makes fat our largest reserve of energy. One pound of stored fat provides approximately 3,600 calories of energy. While these calories are less accessible to athletes performing quick, intense efforts like sprinting or weight lifting, fat is essential for longer, slower lower intensity and endurance exercise such as easy cycling and walking.

Fat provides the main fuel source for long duration, low to moderate intensity exercise (endurance sports such as marathons, and ultra marathons). Even during high intensity exercise, where carbohydrate is the main fuel source, fat is needed to help access the stored carbohydrate (glycogen).

Using fat for fuel for exercise, however, is dependent upon these important factors:

Fat is slow to digest and be converted into a usable form of energy (it can take up to 6 hours).
Converting stored body fat into energy takes time. The body needs to breakdown fat and transport it to the working muscles before it can be used as energy.
Converting stored body fat into energy takes a great deal of oxygen, so exercise intensity must decrease for this process to occur.
For these reasons, athletes need to carefully time when they eat fat, how much they eat and the type of fat they eat. In general, it’s not a great idea to eat fat immediately before or during intense exercise.

Article from www.sportsmedicine.about.com

Carbs: The Key to Top Athletic Performance!

Carbohydrate is arguably the most important source of energy for athletes. No matter what sport you play, carbs provide the energy that fuels muscle contractions. Once eaten, carbohydrates breakdown into smaller sugars (glucose, fructose and galactose) that get absorbed and used as energy. Any glucose not needed right away gets stored in the muscles and the liver in the form of glycogen. Once these glycogen stores are filled up, any extra gets stored as fat.

Glycogen is the source of energy most often used for exercise. It is needed for any short, intense bouts of exercise from sprinting to weight lifting because it is immediately accessible. Glycogen also supplies energy during the first few minutes of any sport. During long, slow duration exercise, fat can help fuel activity, but glycogen is still needed to help breakdown the fat into something the muscles can use.

Adequate carbohydrate intake also helps prevent protein from being used as energy. If the body doesn’t have enough carbohydrate, protein is broken down to make glucose for energy. Because the primary role of protein is as the building blocks for muscles, bone, skin, hair, and other tissues, relying on protein for energy (by failing to take in adequate carbohydrate) can limit your ability to build and maintain tissues. Additionally, this stresses the kidneys because they have to work harder to eliminate the byproducts of this protein breakdown.

Carbohydrate has other specific functions in the body including fueling the central nervous system (CNS) and brain.

Storing Carbohydrate
One gram of carbohydrate provides four calories of energy. Athletes often talk about carbohydrate loading and carbohydrate depletion which refers to the amount of carbohydrate energy we can store in our muscles. This is generally around 2,000 carbohydrate calories, but we can change this number through depletion and loading. During depletion (from diet, exercise or a combination) we use up the stored carbohydrate.

If we don’t replenish these stores, we can run out of fuel for immediate exercise. Athletes often refer to this as "bonking" or "hitting the wall." In the same way, eating large amounts of carbohydrates can increase these stores. This is often referred to as carbohydrate loading or carbo-loading. Our maximal carbohydrate storage is approximately 15 grams per kilogram of body weight [15 grams per 2.2 pounds]. So a 175-pound athlete could store up to 1200 grams of carbohydrate [4,800 calories]; enough energy to fuel high intensity exercise for quite some time.

How Carbohydrate Fuels Exercise
Carbohydrate stored as glycogen is an easily accessible source of energy for exercise. How long this energy supply lasts depends on the length and intensity of exercise and can range anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes or more. To avoid running out of energy during exercise, start with full glycogen stores, replenish them during exercise and refill them after exercise to be ready for the next workout.

Types of Carbohydrate
Carbohydrates are also divided into simple and complex forms. Simple sugars (carbs) are absorbed and converted to energy very quickly and provide a rapid source of energy. Fruit and energy drinks are a good source of simple carbohydrates.

Complex carbohydrates take a bit longer to be digested and absorbed into the body. They also take longer to breakdown and therefore provide energy at a slower rate than simple sugars. Examples of complex carbohydrates are breads, rice and pasta. Starch and fiber are also considered complex carbohydrates but fiber can not be digested or used for energy. Starch is probably the most important energy source in an athlete’s diet because it is broken down and stored as glycogen. Foods high in starch include whole grain breads, cereals, pasta, and grains.

Article from www.sportsmedicine.about.com

Chicken Meatballs

I have a couple of friends that wont eat red meat. I started to look for recipes that use chicken or turkey that they could enjoy — and that the rest of us "wouldn't mind". They were so well liked I have given the recipe to all of our friends! Recipe is from Hy-Vee.com **Servings are based on 4 meatballs per person.

SERVES 6 , 24 meatballs

Ingredients
1 lb lean ground chicken
1/2 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
1 large egg
1 teaspoon sodium-free seasoning (Lawry's 17 blend is good)
1/2 cup barbecue sauce (I use "Cookies" BBQ sauce)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine chicken, bread crumbs, egg and seasoning blend.
2. Roll mixture into 24 meatballs. Brown meatballs in a skillet, sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, over medium heat.
3. Transfer meatballs to a greased 9-by-9-inch baking dish. Cover with barbecue sauce. Bake uncovered 5-10 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 170 degrees.
4. Serve with additional barbecue sauce if desired.

Orange Curried Chicken

This quick and easy recipe makes great leftovers!

SERVES 4

Ingredients
1 cup orange marmalade
1 tablespoon sweet curry powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup water
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a small bowl combine the marmalade, curry powder, salt and water.
3. Place chicken in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish and spoon marmalade mixture over chicken.
4. Bake in preheated oven 15-20 minutes or until cooked through, spooning sauce over chicken several times.