Sweat365 - Move more - every day!
Almost everyone overindulges at one point or another. Vacations and parties are part of life. There will always be social occasions where we find ourselves falling off the wagon, eating too many chips and drinking a little more than usual. A Sweat365 member recently commented, after returning from France, “I’ve gained 3.5 lbs, but it was worth every croissant!” Enjoying food and wine is part of experiencing life. More…
It’s difficult to eat healthy when you lead a busy life. That’s why I want to share this simple recipe with you. My family loved it. I loved the fact that we were eating something healthy and I didn’t have to spend hours in the kitchen.
5-6 organic chicken breasts
2 jars of Trader Giotto’s Cacciatore Simmer Sauce (from Trader Joe’s)
Cook on high for 3 hours in the crockpot
Boil 16 0z organic spaghetti noodles according to package directions
Pour cooked chicken cacciatore over pasta
Add a little fresh parmesan
Add a fresh green salad to complete the meal
I put the chicken in the crockpot. We went to the movies, came home and I cooked the pasta. It doesn’t get any easier than that.
Protein has a variety of uses in the body. Minimal amounts of protein are utilized in aerobic exercise. However protein is essential for repairing and rebuilding muscle tissue. It is also necessary for enzyme and hormone function and for the immune system.
Proteins are formed by linking amino acids. There are 10 essential amino acids for human beings. Protein is found in a variety of food sources. Protein from (meat, poultry, milk and fish) contain all the essential amino acids. Proteins from plant sources (corn, rice, and beans) do not contain all ten essential amino acids. Combinations of proteins from plant sources provide complete proteins. One example of this is rice and beans.
Protein deficiency is not a huge problem in the United States. Most Americans consume more than enough protein for adequate health. Athletes require more protein than those who are sedentary.
Protein Recommendations:
Amount in Common Foods:
A diet consisting of at least 60-70% carbohydrates, 25-30% fat and 10-15% is recommended for endurance athletes (marathoners). Although protein doesn’t provide much energy for the athlete, it’s important for recovery and rebuilding muscle tissue. Combining complex carbohydrates, protein and unsaturated fats into each meal and snack provides satiety and lasting energy.
Sources: Miriam Nelson, PhD John Hancock Center For Physical Activity and Nutrition
Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy Tufts University
Muscle glycogen is the primary fuel source for most sports!
Marathoner’s Diet
Why Carbs?
Back to back training days can deplete your glycogen (CHO) stores. This could result in a decrease in performance.
CHO Recommendations:
Approximately 60 - 70% of daily caloric intake
Approximately 500 - 600 g CHO/day to replete glycogen stores
Needs based on training time
Source: Miriam Nelson, PhD, John Hancock Center for Physical Activity and Nutrition
Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy Tufts University
1. Holiday Parties:
Never go to a party too hungry. Have a balanced snack before you go so that your “I AM STARVING’ brain doesn’t kick in and suggest that you eat everything at the party.
This goes for big dinners too. I recommend eating your regular breakfast and a lighter lunch and a snack on days when there will be a larger meal.
Survey the entire array of foods. Note which foods/drinks are your favorite. Make a plate of food and move away from the buffet to eat. Sit and relax while eating. Lingering around the food has been shown (yes they really do research on this stuff) to cause you to eat more!
Alternate beverages with ice water with lime. If you have a glass of water in your hand you are less likely to consume too many calories and/or alcoholic beverages. If you are hosting the party, provide plenty of water, sparkling and still, for your guests.
2. Food at work:
The dreaded never ending bowl of candy/cookies/chocolate covered anything! Remember to stay on your regular eating schedule. Don’t skip meals and try to recognize if you are eating when you are not hungry. If so, back away from the bowl and get some fresh air for stress relief.
3. Food at home:
I recommend keeping food off the counters and away in containers to be brought out when you are hungry. Snacking on even a few little treats here and there when you are not hungry can lead to weight gain and decreased performance.
In general, eat when you are hungry, stop when you feel satisfied. Think about what you really want and eat it mindfully. Be present with food and enjoy every last bite. There are no “off limits” foods. You don’t need to eat it all now, because you can have more later, when you are hungry.
Momentum Nutrition and Fitness:
Emily Edison, MS.RD.ACSM-HFI
Phone: 206-696-4386
Fax: 425-806-4640
Not everyone burns calories at the same rate. Some of us lead active lives and have faster metabolisms, as a result. Mothers of small children, or people with active jobs burn more calories than those who sit at a desk all day. Determining RMR, resting metabolic rate is the first step to figuring out how many calories you need to maintain your weight. Nancy Clark, MS, RD, is America’s leading Sports Nutritionist. Her book Sports Nutrition Guidebook gives us a formula for calculating calories. This formula is fairly accurate for healthy people.
What is Resting Metabolic Rate?
Resting metabolic rate is the amount of calories that your body needs to live at rest. That does not include activity. Resting metabolic rate is how many calories are needed to survive if you laid in bed all day.
To Estimate Your Daily Calorie Requirement:
1. Determine your estimated RMR by taking your body weight and multiply by 10.
Example 125 lbs x 10 = 1250 calories (RMR)
2. Determine how many calories you need for purposeful exercise.
Example jogging for 60 minutes at 6.0 mph burns 4.2 calories per pound of body weight. 125 x 4.2 = 525 calories
3. Determine how many calories are needed for activity level APART from purposeful exercise.
Example 1250 (RMR) x 30% = 375 calories
4. Add the answers to steps 1, 2 and 3 to determine today’s daily caloric requirement.
Example 1250 (RMR) + 525 purposeful exercise calories + 375 daily activity calories = 2150 calories. If this person jogged for only 30 minutes then she would only burn 262 calories in purposeful exercise. Then her daily caloric requirement would be 1887 calories.
You may have a sedentary job, but burn a lot of calories through exercise. You may have an active job, like a firefighter or a construction worker and have a high caloric requirement because of your daily activities. Balancing the amount of calories taken in with the amount expended is the key to maintaining a healthy weight.
I have to admit that I love my morning coffee. I’ll drink coffee in just about any form, latte’s, mocha’s, cappuccino’s, you name it, all nonfat of course!
Occasionally, I clean up my diet and eliminate coffee, sugar, white stuff and wine. I usually drop a few pounds when I do this. I drink more water, when I eliminate the coffee, plus I am saving a few calories from latte’s, which creates a calorie deficit.
As a runner, I am interested in improving my performance. I want to run faster. I also want to maintain a healthy body weight, that will make it easier to run.
Is Coffee Good or Bad?
Pros:
Antioxidents - The key is moderation. Some studies have found that small amounts of caffeine may help prevent cancer because of the antioxidants it contains. On the other hand, large amounts can cause heart palpitations and other circulatory problems.
Athletic Performance - Primary among caffeine’s benefits is its effect on free fatty acid metabolism. When frees fatty acids are used for fuel they spare glycogen, glucose and amino acids which would otherwise be metabolized at a faster rate. The net effect of this is increased availability of glucose for use as muscle fuel. In other words, higher blood sugar levels for longer periods of time. This is also why coffee is popular among students. The brain functions exclusively on glucose, and higher blood sugar levels facilitate thinking. The most popular effect of caffeine is not physical, but mental.
This stimulation, in the form of motivation, can be an advantage to an occasionally undermotivated athlete but be careful not to become too hyper before a race or ride. Excess stimulation can impair the ability to ride safely and intelligently.
The amount and type of caffeine consumed are significant determinants of its effectiveness. There are large qualitative differences between coffees, even though the total amount of caffeine might be similar. Better coffees are lower in acid, higher in caffeine and have a longer lasting effect. Ground coffees are generally preferable to canned or instant. Sodas are all basically similar except for taste, Coke and Mt. Dew (and Snapple) being the most popular among cyclists. Diet sodas are a good choice because of their fluid to caffeine ratio, taste, and lack of sugar. Tea is a popular choice among Europeans. Some pros drink a bottle full of Earl Grey and but, don’t drink anything but water off the bike.
Increases metabolism temporarily - Caffeine can HELP you drop small amounts of extra weight with the proper diet and exercise and in proper doses. but always be sure to drink alot of water, because most of the weight at first will be WATER WEIGHT and if you over-do the caffeine you can easily dehydrate yourself. Also remember, while caffeine speeds up you metabolism temporarily, it also can speed up your appetite. but as a whole it can be very helpful to boost energy while dieting and help you lose a few pounds or at least help you get started.
Cons:
Addicted - Caffiene causes a short-term elevation in your metabolism, which gives you a burst of energy. Like any addiction, however, as your body becomes accustomed to caffiene, it begins to compensate. Used over the long term, caffiene actually reduces your metabolism. . . you come to need increasing amounts of caffiene just to stay alert. The slower metabolism actually causes you to gain weight on less food. This makes Diet Coke the perfect product, since it is actually helping to create the problem it’s trying to “cure.”
Increases cortisol levels - It raises Cortisol levels in the body. Cortisol is a hormone that is responsible for fat storage in the body.
Spike in blood sugar - After caffeine begins to wear off your blood sugar plummets. This causes you to crave sugar. In other words you think your hungry when you’re really not. This is obviously counterproductive to your weight loss goal.
Fatigue - After caffeine wears off youare tired. Then you have more caffeine. Then you are tired. Ect… By the end of the day most people who drink coffee are exhausted and they dont know why. This fatigue makes it difficult to exercise which is a one of the most important ways we should be getting our energy.
Pesticides used on coffee crops - Coffee is a heavily sprayed crop, so drinking organic coffee might reduce or eliminate the exposure to toxic herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers.
Like anything else, moderation seems to be the key. I’ve been drinking more green tea lately. I also bought some new organic coffee from Milestone that I like. I continue to drink coffee and not drink coffee in spursts. There are times when I need the boost, especially when I am riding a century, or running a marathon. I don’t like to be addicted and sometimes I fall into that category. That’s when I take a break from it.
Sources:
http://www.mercola.com/2002/aug/17/coffee_tea_stress.htm
What_is_good_or_bad_about_caffeine_when_you_are_trying_to_diet”>http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_good_or_bad_about_caffeine_when_you_are_trying_to_diet
http://www.bicyclesource.com/body/nutrition/caffeine.shtml
There are some great whole wheat pastas out there now. I have been experimenting with them, trying to add more fiber and nutrition to our diet.
Organic Whole Wheat Penne Rigate
8 oz of chicken strips stir fried in Trader Joes Garlic Olive Oil
3 cups peppers, onions, asparagus (roasted at 450 degrees for 20 minutes) with Trader Joes Garlic Olive Oil and sea salt and pepper
Fresh parmesan cheese
Cook pasta according to directions. Toss with roasted vegetables and chicken. Serve with fresh parmesan cheese. Yum! My 13 year old daughter liked this one and didn’t notice the whole wheat pasta.
I am on a new kick. I’ve been buying sweet potatoes. I roast them in the oven with olive oil and sea salt and pepper…
Makes 4 Servings
Preheat oven to 450
Half the potatoes, then cut into 1/2 inch wedges. Toss with garlic olive oil, sea salt and pepper in a bowl. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer on a nonstick baking sheet. Bake, turning once, until browned and crisp. about 35 minutes.
Per serving( about 1 cup):234 calories, 4 g fat, og saturated fat, 48 g carbs, 6 g fiber, 3 g protein
I did the Bikram class today at Hot Yoga of Kirkland. There is a new instructor there named Glenn. This is the second class I have taken from him. He’s pretty good.
The Hot Yoga gang has posted a challenge to go one month without complaining. They are gathering signatures of people to stop negative talk. I think it’s an awesome idea. I signed of course!
I mentioned to Linda, the owner that we ought to put up a new challenge in June of giving up processed sugar. I have been making some changes in my diet, which include giving up sugar, processed foods, coffee drinks etc. I’ve lost about 6 pounds and I feel really good. I didn’t realize how much junk I was actually eating. Now I notice that I feel bloated and puffy when I eat stuff like pizza or icecream. I am not saying I will never eat the stuff again. I am just noticing the contrast and I am committed to feeling better and taking better care of myself.
Workout:
Although I got a late start, I’ve been a serious runner since 1994. I ran my first marathon in 1995 on my 30th Birthday. It’s been my goal to run the Boston Marathon since then. I missed qualifying by 12 minutes that year. I needed to run 3:40 and ran 3:52. Running in the most prestigious marathon, is the ultimate for most runners. The fact that you have to qualify, only fueled my competitive juices.
Over the next 9 years I ran 6 more marathons. I love running so much that I became a personal trainer and running coach in 2001. I continued to train and came within 4 minutes of my goal in 2003, when I ran 3:49. I was seriously hoping to qualify in 2004, but it didn’t happen. I had flare ups of plantar fasciitis off and on since I began running. In 2006 I ran 5 half marathons. Apparently this was too much for my body to handle. My plantar fasciitis became acute. I had to take time off to heal. (more...) 
