“Moo”ve Over Meat

When I speak to many athletes and ask them what component of food is the most important to their success, more often than not the answer I receive is “protein.”  As a culture, we have placed a great emphasis on protein sources in our meals, constructing plates that focus on meat as the main attraction taking up more space than it truly deserves.  Between larger than life slices of steak, quadruple burgers, 20 piece chicken nuggets and racks of ribs, we have gone a little overboard, using the excuse, “Protein is good for me—I can’t get enough protein!”

While protein has its place in a healthy lifestyle, it is NOT the macronutrient that should make up the majority of your daily intake.  According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, your calories for the day should be 45-65% carbohydrates, 20-35% fat, and only 10-35% protein.  Not only that, but focusing your meal choices on meat could lead to an increase in consumption of cholesterol and saturated fat, found primarily in meat sources.

In regards to athletes, while protein is an important aspect in your meals because it aids in recovery and muscle rebuilding, it is not the main fuel source that is going to have you performing your best.  Your body runs on carbohydrates or more specifically glucose.  Now to be fair, there are some carbohydrate sources such as refined carbohydrates (white rice and breads, cakes, cookies and semolina pasta) that will not help you perform your best.  These carbs will provide you with short term energy and are OK in a pinch when you need fuel during long bouts of exercise (over an hour of moderate to high intensity).  You want to focus on fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes as your main sources of carbohydrates.

More importantly, and this is for everyone not just the athlete, plant based whole foods, that come from the categories listed above, contain nutrients and phytochemicals that meat does not.  More and more research is coming out in support of plant-based lifestyles because of their ability to ward off chronic diseases and obesity related illness.  Not only that, a meat-based diet seems to encourage an environment that cancer and other chronic diseases prefer to grow in.

Scientists say that this may be the first generation of children who do not out-live their parents due to increasing chronic illness, the majority of which is brought on by being overweight or obese.  By making an effort to include more of these plant-based foods in your meals, you can help keep yourself from becoming a statistic.  Now all of you who read my blogs know that nothing is off limits, so if you are a diehard carnivore, try and make meat as more of the sidekick as opposed to the star of your plate.

Visit www.choosemyplate.gov or email me at shelbi@cheer360.com for some helpful hints towards how to build your healthy meals!

Are You Sure You Want Fries With That?

I may be about 9 years late, but yesterday I watched independent filmmaker Morgan Spurlock’s documentary “Super Size Me.”  In this film, Spurlock—who at the start of the film could be deemed by some the picture of health, decided to embark on a month long “McDonald’s binge” where he would eat McDonald’s food 3 times a day for 30 days.  He would order everything off the menu once over the course of that time span, and would only “supersize” things when asked by the drive-thru attendant or cashier.

Over the 30 days, Spurlock went and got checked by various doctors and in that span of time the results shocked doctors and the registered dietitian he was seeing.  He gained 24.5 pounds in 30 days, he his cholesterol went from a very healthy around 165 to an unhealthy 230.  His body fat increased from 11% to 18% and he basically had begun turning his liver into fat.  Around the 21 days mark, after experiencing chest pains the night before, one of the doctor’s even advised he should stop before something even more serious happened.

Spurlock’s actions may seem extreme, and I am sure to many of you reading this they are.  However there are people in this country who do rely on fast food establishments to make up the majority of their daily intake.  Spurlock was missing out on hitting the daily requirements for almost all his vitamins, and he was consuming almost twice the calories he was supposed to have per day.  He did it for 30 days and the damage done was almost unbelievable, even to physicians.  Think about the people who spend years or even a lifetime consuming mostly fast food.  If you correlate the increase in fast food establishments with the growing obesity crisis, it becomes pretty easy to know where to start pointing a finger.

Now to be fair, I am sure there are people who eat a fast food diet and are not looking serious health problems in the face.  There are likely people who also have learned to navigate fast food menus and maybe make it healthier than one would think.  But while there are exceptions to every rule it is important to remember that these exceptions are that and not the norm.

I am happy to have seen the film such a long time after it was released because it allowed me to see some of the progress that has been made.  McDonalds and many other chains have gotten rid of “Super size” type options.  They also have added options like apple slices, baked potatoes, carrot sticks, chili and even “light” menus to many establishments.  Progress is certainly being made, but the truth is, the majority of fast food is still going to be full of ingredients you couldn’t pronounce if you tried, and of more fat, sugar and cholesterol than you should be having in a regular meal or snack.  Try not to let convenience cause you healthy problems and learn to pack your own snacks and encourage your family to have meals at home.  Fast food on occasion as a part of a healthy diet is fine, but in truth it should be avoided.

The more you take the food you eat into your own hands, the less likely you are to be become “super sized!” 

Snack Attack!

Even though school is approaching an end, summer doesn’t always offer the most relaxing schedule.  Whether you find yourself on a summer sports league, working part time, attending several social events while still trying to fit in some relaxation time at the beach, your schedule can be just as busy during the summer as the school year.

When you are busy it can be a challenge to eat healthy.  You also might find yourself going long intervals in between work or practice and if you are rushing to leave in the morning, you might not have time to make a sandwich or a full lunch.  Enter snacking!  Snacking is a great way to keep yourself feeling full so you don’t overeat when the opportunity to sit down for a meal does arise.

Here are some great snack ideas that are quick to prepare and are nutritious too!

Greek yogurt+fruit—This balance of protein from the yogurt, carbohydrates, fiber and nutrients from the fruit and about 20% of your calcium needs, this combination is easy to grab from the fridge and start your day with if a full breakfast isn’t in the cards.

Nuts- There are so many varieties of nuts and a little goes a long way!  A quarter cup of almonds (about 15-20 depending on the size) can provide you with healthy fats, lean protein and filling fiber.  They are easy to stash in the glove compartment of your car or even make up your own trail mixes with some dried fruit and dark chocolate chips!  Remember to eat the right serving though because too many nuts will lead to an overdose of fat.

Hummus and vegetable sticks- It’s always fun to dip! Hummus is made from chic peas which are a good source of lean protein and because of it’s growing popularity comes in a variety of flavors.  Pick your favorite vegetables to dip for a super healthy snack.

Sandwich separates- Sometimes making a sandwich seems cumbersome and you don’t always have everything you need to make the perfect one.  Instead, take a low-fat cheese-stick and break it up into cubes.  Roll each cube in a piece of low sodium deli meats for a sandwich snack.   Though cheese can be an enemy to the health conscious, if it is consumed in moderation and in low fat varieties, they are actually a good source of protein and calcium.

Whole grain chips and salsa- Salsa is a great way to get in vegetables and it is very low in calories. Two tablespoons is only about 30 or so calories so you can scoop salsa to your hearts desire!  It’s a much better option to heavy cream dips and high calorie ranch.  Whole grain chips have filling fiber as well!

Use snacks this summer to keep you full and get in some key nutrients that you might miss if you are skipping meals.  Packing your own snacks is a way better option than hitting the concession stand or vending machines.  Happy summer snacking!

Spring Cleaning—Not Just for Your Closet!

With the nice weather finally upon us, the time has come to switch out the sweaters and furry boots for sleeveless and sandals!  But spring cleaning doesn’t have to be limited to your wardrobe, it is a great time to take a look at your eating habits and see where you can do some tidying up!

Between holidays, New Year’s resolutions that never quite materialize, or the notion of, “I am eating to stay warm!-- it is not unlikely you put on a little extra weight in the winter months.  The foods tend to be heavier such as thick soups and stews, and since several fruit and vegetable favorites are out of season, you might find yourself slacking on eating your five-a-day.  But now that spring has sprung, it is a great time to reevaluate how you have been eating, and make some healthy changes as you move forward into the warmer months.

Similar to a cleaning “to-do” list you might make, create a list of healthy habits you would like to work on building, or maybe some unhealthy ones you developed that you would like to get rid of.  The important thing to remember is to tackle only one problem at a time.  Trying to change too many behaviors too fast can result in poorer results due to getting overwhelmed, and reveling in smaller successes is more likely to breed greater success in the long run.

Here are some suggestions for things you might want to work on:

·         Spring is a great time for produce!  Try to increase your fruit and vegetable consumption little by little every day by looking up what is in season and incorporating it into your eating.

·         Hot beverages dominate the winter, and too many hot chocolates or coffee drinks may have hindered your water consumption.  Add frozen berries, sliced cucumbers or citrus fruits, or even a splash of 100% fruit juice to water or seltzer for a cool, refreshing drink, and up that water intake to 8 cups a day!

·         Perhaps you found yourself eating out too much during the winter months.  Restaurants can have a lot of hidden calories, fat, and salt in their meals, so make an effort to decrease the number of times you purchase lunch out, or go out for dinner.

·         It is easy to go overboard with night time eating in the winter between the cold temperatures outside and dark falling so early.  Now that the sun is out longer, take a walk instead of a snack in the evening hours so you are replacing something unhealthy with a something good for you!

Remember to tackle one change at a time, and to enjoy every success.  No matter how small the accomplishment, healthy changes little by little can lead to an overall healthier life!

If there is a behavior you picked up this winter and would like suggestions on how to alter it, email me at shelbi@cheer-360.com for help!