Diet - Tailoring Your Sports Diet

We all know it’s important to eat healthy as part of a healthy lifestyle, and it seems pretty intuitive that the caloric requirement for an active person is greater than that for someone who is more sedentary. But, the diet for a runner or biker might be a little different than for a swimmer.

Susan Kleiner, sports nutritionist and author of "Power Eating" says that although technically there are differing needs between different types of athletes, it's very individualized. "While an endurance athlete does need less protein and more carbohydrates than a weightlifter, few athletes train purely in their own sport; most do some cross-training."

The first think you need to do is to determine how hard and how often you exercise. When you do low level exercises such as walking, your muscles burn fat (mostly) for energy. But as you increase the intensity level, stored fat might provide half (or less) of the fuel your muscles use, and also burn glycogen (carbohydrates your body stores). Glycogen gets converted by your body into glucose (energy) as you need it.

So, to burn fat and build muscle, you need carbohydrates. And, if you’re either planning a hard cardio workout, or competing in an event (like a running event or triathlon), you should eat carb-rich meals for two to three days prior to the event to load your muscles up with extra glycogen. And, also eat extra carbs just after the event to rebuild your depleted stores.

Most Americans eat 5 to 6 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight per day (one kilogram translates into 2.2 pounds). Says Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook, "If you eat a low-carbohydrate diet your muscles will feel chronically fatigued." Susan Kleiner, author of "Power Eating," offers the following rule of thumb for daily carbohydrate intake:

• Working out for one hour: 6 to 7 grams per kilogram
• For two hours: 8 grams per kilogram
• For three hours: 10 grams per kilogram
• For four or more hours: 12 to 13 grams per kilogram

Now, this doesn’t mean that you can cut back your protein requirements. Protein is essential for building and repairing muscles, and it can be used for energy if you've exhausted your carbohydrate supply. To make sure you’re keeping the right amount of protein in your diet:

• If you are training primarily to maintain muscle: you'll need 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram. That's about 70 grams for a 125-pound person.
• If your goal is to build muscle: you'll need 1.4 to 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram.
• To maintain or even build a little muscle and lose fat: you need to eat fewer calories while making sure you're getting 1.8 to 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram.

Note - to convert kilograms into ounces, mulitply the kilograms by 35.274.

Nutrition - Loose That Sugar In Your Diet!

Over the last 25 years, our population has seen a significant increase in obesity. And, part of the reason for this was, amazingly enough…the “low-fat” obsession we’ve seen over the last few years. Food manufacturers, in their quest to squeeze as much oil out of processed foods as possible – replace that fat with sugar in order to make reduced-fat foods tastier. Unfortunately, the net result has been an increase in sugar consumption from an average of 123 pounds per year, to an astronomical 160 pounds of sugar annually!

And…it’s not stopping. Our consumption of sugar keeps growing at nearly 2 percent per year. The problem is, on the spectrum of dietary dangers, processed sugars are right up there with unhealthy fats. One of the primary causes of obesity in our culture is High-Frutcose Corn Syrup (HFCS), according to Elson Haas, MD, the author of Staying Healthy with Nutrition (Celestial Arts, 2006, New Edition). And the problem is, our bodies are built to process all the sugar we take in.

Most dietary sugars are simple carbohydrates, which means they are made of one or two sugar molecules stuck together. Your body can easily take those molecules, pull them apart and digest them. Complex carbohydrates, such as those found in whole grains, vegetables, and legumes, are made up of long chains of molecules which takes your body longer to process. This is why your energy levels can spike, then crash, when you ingest simple carbs, and why that doesn t happen when you have a plate full of veggies. The presence of naturally occurring fiber in complex carbs slows that sugar-release process even further.

So, replacing those “fast burning” sugars with “slow burning” ones…allows your body to deal with the sugar you ingest in a much more effective way. But, how can you avoid the craving for “sweets”, and avoid those refined carbs?

First, it’s OK to have a little sugar in your diet. The FDA recommends no more than 10 grams per day (which is what you find in one soft drink) – about 2 teaspoons worth. So, if you have a little sugar through the day, that’s OK. But if you feel the urge to eat something sweet, reach for some fruit. Fruits contain fructose – natural sugar, but also contain fiber and other nutrients that slow digestion.

Also, stay away from refined- carb breakfast cereals (even unsweetened cereals. Instead, start your morning with healthy proteins & fats, which leave you feeling full longer. Try peanut butter on whole grain English muffins. Maybe a fruit smoothie with protein powder.

Stay away from processed foods – especially fast foods. According to Jack Challen, a nutrition researcher and author of “The Inflammation Syndrome (John Wiley & Sons, 2003). “The only difference between a doughnut and a McDonald’s Cheesburger is a smattering of protein – both are a mixture of the worst things you can eat”.

Remember not to eat when your stressed. When you feel stressed, your natural “flight or fight” response causes your body to speed up the breakdown of sugars in your body, because your body is packing glucose into your muscles as fast as it can to help you flee the situation.
And, if you’re looking for an easy way to cut back – stop drinking soft drinks, the biggest source of sugar in the American diet today. Instead, try drinking tea – and if you want to sweeten it, try other, non-sugar sources such as Spendia or Stevia. (Stevia is a natural, calorie-free sweetener that comes from a South American shrub – you can find it at Trader Joe’s, or supplement stores in both powder and liquid forms).

By moving away from a sugar-rich diet, you are taking a major step in not only feeling healthier, but you’ll also reduce your body fat and loose weight. The sooner we break the addiction to sugar, the better off our bodies will be!

Healthy Living - How Foods Affect Your Moods

by Bob Lachniet
President - Fitness 4 Home Superstore

Did you know your eating habits have a huge effect on your state of mind? If you're like many people, you may find that you feel sleepy after lunch. Or, if you haven't eaten in awhile, you're impatient and angry. When it comes to the food-mood connection, we're just beginning to understand how the quality and quantity of the nutrients available in our food impact our emotional resiliency and stability. Yet, what we eat affects our production of neurotransmitters and hormones, as well as our overall eneregy levels, and the quality of our synaptic connections. Plus, stress boosts levels of epinephrine (adrenaline), and other stimulating neurotransmitters, while suppressing calming ones. Skipping meals, consuming caffeine and sugar for energy, and fast food meals make this effect worse.

How can you make sure that what you eat helps your moods in a postive way? Brain chemicals, called neurotransmitters, regulate your moods. Serotonin and gamma aminobutyric acid (GAMA) calm us, while dopamine stimulate us. Keeping these in balace also balances our mood. And, certain foods can impact this balance. Proteins like those found in meats like chicken, fish, eggs, nuts, and legumes-these provide chemical units known as amino acids. Amino acids form the foundation of your neurotransmitters.

Serotonin: This keeps your mood upbeat. Fish, egs, chicken turkey, and other meats all contain the amino acid tryptophan, which your body makes serotonin from. Iron, zinc, and the vitamins B3, B6 and C help the enzyme reactions for this process.

GABA: This neurotransmitter keeps your mind calm and focused. Halibut, legumes, brown rice, and spinach contain the amino acid glutamine, which your body converts into GABA. Vitamins B3, B6 and B12 help the enzyme reactions for this process.

Dopamine: This is the neurotransmitter that makes you feel like you're full of energy. Your body converts the amino acid tyrosine (found in protein) to dopamine, and you can find extra tyrosine in almonds, avocados, dairy products, and pumpkin & sesame seeds. Vitamin B6, magnesium and zinc help the enzyme reactions for this process.

Norepinephrine: This is also a simulating neurotransmitter, which your body makes from dopamine with the help of the mineral copper, and vitamins B6 and C.

How to fuel your brain

First - eat whole foods that are rich in protein, complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals.

Second - eat a protein rich breakfast every day, such as eggs with whole-grain toast or fresh fruit.

Third - cook foods lightly (saute' or stir fry) - overcooking alters foods protein structure, making it harder for your body to process.

Fourth - avoid fast foods.

Fifth - eat regular meals and make sure you get good quality protein.

Lastly - add supplements to your diet. A good quality, high-potency multivitamin or B-complex vitamin. You want to look for 10 times the recommended daily value of vitamins B1, B2, B3, and B6. And, add fish oils (omega-3's) to your diet as well. Omega-3 fats also are essential for normal brain function. Your brain is about 70% fat, and needs omega-3's to help assist brain cells in communicating with each other. Plus, three different studies published in June 2006's issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry found that omega-3 fish oils can ease depression and mood disorders, and lower suicide risk. Just keep in mind that if your using blood thinners and other medications, omega-3 supplements might interfere, so you might want to talk to your doctor first.

Just remember - what you fuel your body with..also is what you're feeding your brain!