Fitness Tip: The Risk of Not Taking Care

Eating a healthy diet, combined with staying physically active and maintaining a healthy weight, can cut cancer risk by 30 percent to 40 percent, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research.

Get Fit and Stay Fit!

Kristy Lee Wilson

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A Healthy Diet Begins with Exercise

Do you ever wonder how you can maintain a healthy weight without starving yourself?  If so, it is important for you to understand that a healthy diet begins with exercise.  Without a solid exercise plan, it will be very difficult for anyone to maintain weight loss over the long term.

That is because pretty much any diet can help you lose weight over the short term.  Simply cutting back on calories while maintaining your normal schedule will certainly allow you to lose weight, at least in the short term.

The problem with dieting alone
The problem with this approach, of course, is that it is difficult to maintain.  Eventually you will grow tired of the same old restricted calorie diet, and when you stop eating that diet, the weight will quickly return.  Worse yet, many yoyo dieters end up gaining more weight than they lost, making it much more difficult to lose weight the next time.  In addition, this type of up and down weight gain and loss has been found to be even more dangerous than being overweight.

The key thing to remember is that a healthy diet begins with exercise.  Exercise should be the cornerstone of any diet program, and without a solid exercise plan in place it will be very difficult to maintain any weight loss you do achieve through diet alone.

Fortunately, it is not necessary to exercise like a fiend to achieve a healthy weight loss.  Studies have shown that you can gain significant health benefits simply by exercising a few times a week, for as little as 20 minutes each day.  That means that simply taking a walk around your neighborhood three or four times a year can be remarkably effective.

Take it easy
Of course more strenuous exercise is always an option, but it is important not to push yourself too soon.  If you introduce strenuous exercise into your exercise plan too quickly you could risk an injury, and that could set your diet and exercise plan back further.

For those times when it is too hot, too cold or too rainy to enjoy a walk or a run in the great outdoors, there are a number of excellent pieces of exercise equipment on the market.  There are a number of excellent pieces, including the good old exercise bike and treadmill to the newest elliptical trainers and similar equipment.

The most important thing to look for when purchasing exercise equipment is a piece of equipment that you will use.  When shopping for such equipment, be sure to remember that a healthy diet starts with exercise, and buy your equipment accordingly.  A piece of exercise equipment that is too difficult or too cumbersome to use will quickly become a clothes hanger, and you will not gain the benefits of regular exercise.

Whether you get your exercise through your exercise equipment, the old fashioned way of taking a walk or going for a run, or a combination of both approaches, the most important thing is that you get started and get started as soon as possible.  The sooner you start your exercise program the sooner you will be able to reap the many rewards of such a program.

Contact me today and let me help you get started.

Kristy Lee Wilson

10 Practical Diet Tips

Are you tired of diet tips handed out by someone with apparently unlimited income and time? For some of us, it may just not be realistic to spend half of our Sunday preparing carefully portioned meals for the rest of the week, or financially possible to buy all our meals prepackaged in just the right portions. And then there are those of us, myself included, who cringe at the thought of weighing food in order to achieve ‘optimal portion sizes’.

Here are ten real life diet tips I have come up for the rest of us:

1. Eating out? Restaurant portions tend to be HUGE, and if it’s on the plate, we tend to eat it. If it’s possible, order from the kid’s menu, where portions are more reasonably sized. Or ask the waiter to bring half of your meal and bag the other half for you to take home.

2. Keep healthy snacks around and easily accessible. A bowl of fruit on the kitchen table, a container of celery or carrot sticks towards the front of your refrigerator, or a couple of pop-open cans of fruit salad in your desk at work will help you reach for something healthy when those first hunger pains begin.  In other words, you’ll be more likely to grab something low-calorie and good for you if it’s easy to eat and.

3. Substitute frozen vegetables for canned. Canned veggies tend to be high in sodium and low in real nutrition. Buy economy size bags of frozen vegetables, with zip closures, to make it easy to pour out a single serving for a meal.

4. Buy a vegetable steamer. Steaming is one of the healthiest ways to cook vegetables. The food retains nearly all of its natural nutrients instead of leaching it out into the cooking water. Even better, it makes your veggies taste great – which means you’ll be more likely to eat them instead of filling up on fatty foods that pack on the pounds.

5. Never eat standing up. One of the easiest ways to sabotage your diet is to ‘eat without thinking’. Treat eating with the respect that it deserves. Fix yourself a plate. Sit down and eat properly. You’ll be less likely to just pop food into your mouth without paying attention.

6. Eat smaller meals more often. When you eat three meals a day, your body tends to store whatever it doesn’t need right that moment. By adopting a ‘grazing’ habit, you’ll keep your metabolism working throughout the day. Have a hearty breakfast, a piece of fruit with crackers or low fat yogurt as a mid-morning snack, a light lunch and an ‘after school snack’ mid-afternoon, then a light dinner. Just remember that you’re breaking up the same amount of food into smaller meals, not ADDING more food into your daily diet.

7. Grab a fruit juice or flavored water instead of soda. Soda is nothing but empty calories. No nutrients, lots of sugar. Instead, grab a bottle of 100% fruit juice, or water flavored with a splash of fruit.

8. Drink water. Even the FDA recommends at least 8 full 8 ounce glasses of water a day to keep your body working right. When you’re dieting, you should drink even more. It’s not just that full feeling – water helps your body digest foods properly and cleans out your system.

9. Can’t afford a gym membership? Make a pact with friends to exercise together. Make a date at least three times a week to play volleyball, take a walk or spend half an hour doing something active.

10. Skip the potato chips. Fatty snacks fried in hydrogenated oil like potato chips contribute fat and calories and not much else. Instead, grab a handful of dried fruit or a cup of yogurt for the same amount of calories and a lot more nutritional benefit.
Get Fit and Stay Fit!

Kristy Lee Wilson

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Fitness Tip: Stand and Sit Up Straight

No slouching on the cardio equipment please! Stand up straight, hold your head up high and get more out of your cardio workouts! Standing upright and supporting your own bodyweight uses the stabilizing muscles of the torso. The more muscles you use during any exercise… the more fat burning your body can do!

Get Fit and Stay Fit!

Kristy Lee Wilson

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Comfort Food…Your Two-Sided Friend

With one holiday under your loosened belt, you’re gearing up for many more celebrations…and piles of seasonal comfort food. If you don’t mind, I’d like to be totally candid with you today.

Sure, I could write you a ‘feel good’ article about cutting back a few calories and exercising a few minutes each day, but I’d rather be perfectly frank (and truly helpful).

Here’s the real deal: You abuse food.

That’s right. You’re overweight because you eat too much, and you eat too much because it brings immediate pleasure.

I am here to point out that this pleasure comes at high price…

The other side of comfort food: You’ve heard dishes being referred to as ‘comfort food’—some restaurants even have an entire section of their menu designated as comfort food. But comfort food is more than just a hearty dish.

• It’s those extra calories that you eat to feed an emotional need rather than a nutritional need.
• It’s excessively big portions that leave you stuffed.
• It’s high calorie snacks.
• It’s sugary treats.
• It’s fried, cheese smothered appetizers.
• It’s whatever you indulge in with mindless munching.

Could you relate to any of the above? Most of us tend to gravitate toward a particular form of comfort food. For many women it’s chocolate or other sugary treats. For men it often takes a saltier form.

Think of the last time you ate for pleasure rather than nourishment. Why’d you do it?

Out of Habit: Your body loves routine. If you always snack while watching television then you’d probably find it hard to relax without going through that munching motion. The good news is that once you break the cycle your body will quickly adapt to a healthier routine.

To Change Your Mood: Does the thought of a cupcake bring a smile to your lips? How about a large pizza to lift your mood? Pay attention to the emotions that trigger you to overeat—you may be surprised how often you use food to feel better.

Because Everyone’s Doing It: Who can resist comfort food when it’s offered among friends? Peer pressure doesn’t just apply to teenagers—it’s another reason to overeat. Remember that true friends will support your decision to refrain.

Can you remember how you felt after you last filled up on comfort food? If you’re honest, you’ll admit that the stuffed and bloated feeling was downright awful. So why do it?

Come on, where have your eating habits gotten you?

• Into clothes that are a few sizes larger.
• Drained and with less energy than ever before.
• Plagued with health concerns and prescriptions.
• Embarrassed and frustrated with your body.

Most people don’t realize it, but the battle to overcome your eating habits is decided by a single body part—and it’s not your mouth. (Your mouth is simply a puppet.)

It’s your brain. Once you’ve made up your mind, for better or for worse, you can bet that your body will obey your decision to the letter. You’ve proven it time and time again.

So make the decision to give up your unhealthy dependence on comfort food.

There is no better time than now.

Making a change is hard—that’s why I’m committed to being with you every step of the way. Contact me today to schedule a consultation.

You can end the abuse, once and for all.

Fitness Tip: Fat Vs. Muscle

We hear it all the time… “I’m working out less and my muscle is turning into fat!” One of the biggest myths in weight training… muscle and fat are completely different types of tissue and can’t magically be changed. Muscle shrinks (atrophy) when not stimulated so your muscles may seem softer. Compounding the problem, most people don’t lower their calorie intake to match their now lower energy needs. The result is less muscle mass and extra calories being stored as fat… a shift in your body composition.

Get Fit and Stay Fit!

Kristy Lee Wilson

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What You Should Know About Tea

by Ryan Andrews
Nowadays, pretty much everyone has accepted that tea (especially the green kind) confers some tremendous health benefits.

Indeed, as recent as two years ago, you could hardly find green tea in most grocery stories, convenience stores, or restaurants.

Now, the stuff is ubiquitous. Anywhere you turn, if you want a green tea, you can find it. You can even find it in some fast food restaurants.

So in this newsletter, we’d like to talk about tea – what it is, why it’s good for you, and what benefits it offers.

What is tea?

Tea is a beverage made by steeping leaves, twigs, or buds of Camellia sinensis, the common tea plant, in hot water for 1 to 5 minutes.

The fermentation of a tea determines its color. White tea is the least fermented form. Black tea is the most fermented form.

Interestingly, when the tea is fully dried, fermentation stops, and that’s how tea leaves retain their color (white, green, black) once dried.

So how does a tea leaf go from its natural state to your tea cup? Well, the leaves undergo fermentation, and are then heated and dried. During this process, flavor enhancers such as herbs, spices, fruits and flowers can also be added.

Note: when the label describes the tea as “herbal tea,” it’s referring to a beverage that contains only fruits and/or herbs with no actual tea leaves. So don’t get duped. Most “herbal teas” contain no actual tea.

Tea contains no calories and is a rich source of phytochemicals as well as a specific group of chemicals called methylxanthines (e.g., theophylline, caffeine, etc – although the methylxanthine content is much lower than in coffee and other caffeinated beverages).

How tea works in the body
Tea offers a host of health benefits, which will be outlined shortly. Many of the beneficial effects of tea are due to the flavonoids it contains.

Flavonoids belong to a grouping of chemicals that have strong antioxidant properties and can reduce free radical damage (free radicals produce what we call “oxidative stress” and can contribute to chronic disease).

When thinking flavonoids, think of catechins, specifically EGCG. The catechins are one type of powerful flavoniods that occur naturally in tea. And many believe it’s these flavonoids that contribute most of the benefits associated with tea.

In addition to the flavonoids, as mentioned above, tea contains methylxanthines (caffeine is a methylxanthine). The caffeine content in tea is lower than that of coffee and does not have an abrupt effect. Prospective jitters and withdrawal symptoms are unlikely.

How Milk May Ruin Tea
Interestingly, milk has long been added to tea to neutralize tannins (which are the most bitter components of tea) and reduce their acidity – leading to a smoother taste.

However, research has indicated that casein in milk will negate many of the beneficial components of tea. So don’t ruin your tea by adding milk. Order it straight up. And if you don’t like the flavor, mix your regular tea with a mint or herbal tea.

JB’s favorite is a mixture of loose green tea leaves and a bag of mint or pear flavored green tea.

Loose Tea vs. Bags
Tea is commonly packaged in “tea bags” for convenience. Among tea experts, this tea is known as “dust,” due to its poor quality.

The tea in bags is considered a waste product left over from sorting the higher quality loose leaf teas. Furthermore, tea in bags may be prone to oxidation and not steep as well due to the restricted form of the bag.

Now, if you enjoy tea that comes in bags – don’t stress – it can still offer similar benefits. However, we encourage you to try loose tea (or some combination of loose and bagged) to see how you like it.

If you’re new to loose tea, check out these infusers below or even a tea press. They’ll help you avoid picking leaves out of your teeth!

Tea Infuser A

Tea Infuser B

Tea Infuser C

Tea Press

The shelf life of tea varies based on the degree of processing. Black tea has a longer shelf life than green tea. The shelf life of herbal tea is usually the shortest.

To prevent oxidation, tea should be stored in an air-tight container and placed in a dry, cool and dark location.

Tea Temperature

Recommended water temperatures for steeping tea are as follows:

White tea: 140-165 degrees
Green tea: 170-180 degrees
Oolong tea: 190-205 degrees
Black tea: Above 200 degrees

Don’t get stressed if you don’t feel like breaking out the thermometer every morning. Bring water just short of boiling. That will usually do the trick.

Note: The more fermented teas require higher water temperatures. When water temperatures are too low, the leaves can be devoid of oxygen and the taste can be bland and flat.

Supplements and Extracts

While we’re not against using green tea supplements, we want to make sure you don’t go getting too happy with green tea extract consumption.

Case reports have been published indicating that a very high consumption of these extracts can induce liver damage. This has yet to be validated in well-controlled studies but it’s worth thinking about.

Here’s some additional info on this:
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/me…ead.php?t=6771

The Benefits of Regular Tea Consumption

Now, let’s outline some of the benefits attributed to regular tea consumption.

Note: These benefits were outlined at the 2007 “Tea and Health” symposium, a conference in which tea researchers world-wide got together and provided some definitive answers on what tea does and what it doesn’t do – at least, according to what we know today.

We’ll list these benefits by category…

Tea and body composition

• Green tea increased 24-hour energy expenditure and fat oxidation
• 3-months of tea consumption decreased waist circumference by 4.5%

Tea and cardiovascular health

• Tea increased lipid oxidation
• Tea improved blood vessel function
• Those who consumed 3 or more cups of black tea per day had a reduced risk of heart disease and stroke
• Drinking 6 or more cups of black tea per day was associated with decreased serum cholesterol and triglycerides
• Those who drank a cup or more of black tea daily had a 44% reduction in the risk of heart attack compared to non-tea drinkers
• Those who consumed tea during the year prior to a heart attack were up to 44% more likely to survive following the cardiac event
• Japanese men and women who consumed just over 2 cups of green tea per day reduced their risk of death from cardiovascular disease by 22 – 33%
• 5 cups of black tea per day reduced LDL cholesterol by 11% and total cholesterol by 6.5% compared to placebo beverages
• Those who consumed 4 cups of tea per day had a 69% lower risk of atherosclerosis
• Tea restored blood vessel function in those with coronary artery disease
• Tea helped to prevent atherosclerosis
• Tea enhanced dilation of blood vessels
• Regular tea drinkers had a 65% reduced risk of developing high blood pressure

Tea and cancer

• Tea inhibited oxidative damage
• Tea decreased the growth of abnormal cells and inhibited uncontrolled cell growth
• Drinking tea combated free radical damage
• Tea boosted the immune system
• Tea helped prevent prostate cancer
• Those who drank tea had a reduced risk of skin cancer
• Tea assisted in the regression of oral cancer
• Tea drinkers had decreased ovarian cancer risk

Tea and immune function

• Tea boosted natural resistance to microbial infection

Tea and oral health

• Tea inhibited the plaque forming ability of oral bacteria

Tea and bone health

• Although caffeine intake has been suggested to be a risk factor for reduced bone mineral density, research indicated that drinking tea does not negatively affect bone mineral density
• Older women who drank tea had a higher bone mineral density than those who did not drink tea

Tea and kidney stones

• Those who drank tea had a lower risk of developing kidney stones

Tea and neurological decline

• Drinking tea resulted in a reduced risk of Parkinsons disease

Tea and spouse selection

• Those who drank 5 cups of green tea each day had a more attractive spouse (are you still paying attention to my article? This one has yet to be confirmed by research – but you never know).

Tea Recipes

When talking to folks who don’t consume enough tea, their excuse is usually that they don’t like the taste. However, this excuse is fairly lame.

Just like with other healthy meals and drinks, you’ve gotta be a little creative. To this end, here are a few recipes that can make including tea in your diet a delicious proposition:

Mint Chocolate Shake

Ingredients:

1/2 cup strongly brewed green tea with mint
1 cup ice
2 scoops chocolate whey protein
1 cup low-fat plain yogurt
1 tbsp flaxseed oil or vanilla flavored fish oil
1 tbsp semi-sweet chocolate chips or cocoa nibs

Instructions:

Prepare green tea by steeping for 5 minutes or using tea press/infuser. Allow to cool.

Pour tea in the blender and add 1 cup of ice.

Add to the blender, protein, yogurt, oil, and chocolate.

Blend on high until mixture is smooth and creamy.

Nutrition Information:

Makes 1 large 593kcal shake (22fat, 36carb, 61 protein) or 2 small 296kcal shakes (11fat, 18carb, 30 protein).

Blueberry Oatmeal

Ingredients:

1/2 cup strongly brewed green tea with berry flavor
1 cup of water
1/2 cup Old fashioned large flake oats
2 tbsp ground flax seeds
1 tbsp pure honey
1/4 cup low fat milk or soy milk
1 scoop vanilla protein
1/4 cup frozen berries

Instructions:

Prepare green tea by steeping for 5 minutes or using tea press/infuser. Allow to cool.

Pour tea and 1 cup water into a pot.

Bring pot to a boil on high heat and add the oats.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until liquid is absorbed (approx 7-10 mins).

Remove from heat and stir in flax and honey.

Combine milk and protein in a blender and pour over oatmeal.

Add frozen berries.

Nutrition Information:

Makes 1 large 472kcal serving (10fat, 60carb, 35 protein) or 2 small 236kcal servings (5fat, 30carb, 15 protein).

——————————————————
Note: for 120 delicious, physique-friendly recipes like these, pick up a copy of our new Gourmet Nutrition – The Cookbook for the Fit Food Lover.
www.gourmetnutrition.com

Also note that if you purchase a copy of our highly acclaimed Gourmet Nutrition cookbook anytime between

today and the end of this month, 10% of the proceeds will go directly to the Healthy Food Bank.

Now you can eat delicious food yourself while helping feed

someone who’s hungry.
——————————————————

Final thoughts
Most benefits are seen with around 3 – 4 cups of green or black tea per day. So make sure you start there there.

In the research, regularly steeped tea was used in most trials. To this end, be careful with pre-bottled teas as they may have excessive amounts of added sweeteners and degraded beneficial compounds. Therefore they may not offer the same benefits as regularly stepped tea. __________________

Posted By:
John Berardi, PhD, CSCS
President, Precision Nutrition

Thanksgiving Does Not Mean You Have To Gain Weight

We all know that Thanksgiving is a great opportunity to relax and spend time with family and friends.  Many of us also know it is a great way to pack on the pounds.  While Thanksgiving has become associated with stuffing ourselves, there are ways to help curb your eating and give yourself a positive start to the holiday season.  Here are some tips for cutting back this turkey day.

Not eating too much on Thanksgiving actually starts before the big day.  Stress of making travel arrangements, buying supplies, and coordinating get-togethers can cause you to start eating more before turkey day even arrives.  Remember to take time to de-stress, relax, and take some time for yourself during the month of November.  This is also a good philosophy to keep through the rest of the holiday season as well.

One simple way to keep from gaining weight at Thanksgiving is to make small meal changes and substitutions while cooking.  This doesn’t mean you need to go buy a tofurkey; just substitute certain ingredients for more healthy ones.  Try adding extra spices to your meals so you don’t have to add much butter or gravy.  You can also substitute evaporated skim milk to deserts and chicken broth to gravy and mashed potatoes to add flavor without all the fat.  You can also try alternate cooking methods like letting the fat drip off the turkey or steaming veggies to make the meal healthier.

Never skip lunch on Thanksgiving, even if you’re eating early.  If you’re really hungry when you go to eat, you’ll end up eating a lot more, even factoring in the extra lunch calories.  Just remember to eat a sensible lunch and not pig out before the big meal.  You can also cut your portions on fatty foods by adding a healthy option to the beginning of the meal, like a salad.

Many of us do pretty well when it comes to keeping our portions small at Thanksgiving, but depending on how many options there are at your meal, all those small choices can add up to a lot of calories.  Instead of taking a little of everything, pick the things you want the most to eat and take a sensible portion of each of them.  You’ll eat fewer calories, but you’ll probably feel more satisfied because you got to eat all of your favorite foods.

In addition to eating less during the big event, why not go for a walk or do another physical activity after the meal.  This will help get your digestive system revved up to digest the extra calories and burn them off faster.  Instead of a walk, try an active game like charades so the whole family can join in and bond at the same time.

With a little planning and effort, you can keep your waistline slim this Thanksgiving holiday.

Enjoy the Holidays!

Kristy Lee Wilson

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A Balanced Diet Isn’t Enough

by John M Berardi, PhD, CSCS

What The Heck Is A Balanced Diet?
You hear it all the time – from your mom, from dietitians, from doctors, from coaches, heck, even from your uncle Jimmy.

Just eat a “balanced diet” and you should be fine.

Of course, the fact that no one ever mentions what actually constitutes a “balanced diet” only adds to the mystique and allure of this mythical creature.

To your mom, a balanced diet pretty much means whatever she puts on your plate. To your dietitian and doctor, it pretty much means to eat less saturated fat and cholesterol. To your coach, it means whatever keeps you from getting fatter. And to your uncle Jimmy, it means skipping breakfast, having fries and a burger for lunch, and having a 6-pack of Coors Light after work.

For most people, a balanced diet is simply a buzz word for “eating whatever I want to eat.” The phrase is beautifully vague enough to be able to justify their own personal choices with amazing vehemence and rationalization. It’s vague enough to convince folks that no changes are necessary in their daily intake. It’s vague enough for dietitians to suggest that no supplements are required to meet our daily needs.

Yet it’s also vague enough to be utterly useless and void of all utility or meaning. And it’s vague enough to ensure that the rates of diabetes and heart disease consistently increase.

Truth be told, as you’ve probably guessed by now, I hate the phrase “balanced diet.” Indeed, if there were one phrase that should be banned from our collective nutritional lexicon, this is the one. It’s a useless term that is often used to justify counterproductive habits.

How About A Dietary Analysis
To help illustrate my point, just the other day I was searching the medical databases for a host of diet analysis studies.

My goal was to find studies done on athletes, recreational exercisers, and sedentary folks.

And my intention was to find out whether or not their so-called “balanced diets” were actually providing them with the minimum level of nutritional intake established by the very conservative American Dietetics Association.

You see, the ADA establishes nutrition standards for the population at large.

For example, assuming a 2000kcal diet, the average person should be getting the following macronutrients each day, according to the ADA:

Total Fat 65 g
Saturated fatty acids 20 g
Cholesterol 300 mg
Sodium 2400 mg
Potassium 4700 mg
Total carbohydrate 300 g
Fiber 25 g
Protein 50 g

And in terms of micronutrients, here’s what we should be getting to achieve 100% of our recommended daily intake, according to the ADA.

Vitamin A 5000 IU
Vitamin C 60 mg
Calcium 1000 mg
Iron 18 mg
Vitamin D 400 IU
Vitamin E 30 IU
Vitamin K 80 μg
Thiamin 1.5 mg
Riboflavin 1.7 mg
Niacin 20 mg
Vitamin B6 2 mg
Folate 400 μg
Vitamin B12 6 μg
Biotin 300 μg
Pantothenic acid 10 mg
Phosphorus 1000 mg
Iodine 150 μg
Magnesium 400 mg
Zinc 15 mg
Selenium 70 μg
Copper 2 mg
Manganese 2 mg
Chromium 120 μg
Molybdenum 75 μg
Chloride 3400 mg

Again, these numbers are conservative. They’ve been established by the ADA as rock-bottom minimums required to prevent us from contracting nasty diseases.

They say nothing about optimization, mind you. However, they are still useful. After all, if we dip below these levels, we’re in nutritional deficiency land. Cue up pirate songs, eye patches, and the talk of scurvy.

So, in beginning the research review mentioned above, my goal was to uncover some of the published literature, to see if anyone ever actually achieves a “balanced diet” in the real world.

My criterion, of course, would be something measurable. I’d be using a real dietary analysis to determine just what “balanced” actually meant.

My Experience
Now, my experience told me that I’d be pretty disappointed in this notion of a so-called “balanced” diet.

When at the University of Western Ontario working on my PhD, I assisted Dr Peter Lemon with an advanced Exercise Nutrition course. And, as part of the class, every year we had 150-200 students do a personal dietary analysis.

So, for 3 years straight, it was my job to collect these analyses and plug them into a database for further review. And, over the course of 3 years, and over 500 exercise and nutrition students, it was my experience that very, very few of them achieved 100% of the recommended intake of all the macro- and micro-nutrients.

In general, only about 10-15% of them met all of their dietary needs. The other 85-90% were deficient in one or more key nutrients – whether it was zinc, magnesium, omega 3 fatty acids, or protein.

Interestingly, in my hunt above, I found an interesting study published in 2006. This study, published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, corroborated my experience perfectly.

Here’s what the researchers found.

Seventy diets were computer analyzed from the menu of athletes or sedentary subjects seeking to improve the quality of micronutrient intake from food choices. All of these dietary analyses fell short of the recommended 100% RDA micronutrient level from food alone.

In other words, over 70 diets were analyzed from individuals actively trying to improve their nutritional intake. And not a single one even achieved the minimum micronutrient suggested by the ADA!

The Study
If you’re interested in checking out the study details, which I think you should be, here’s the paper for your review.

J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2006; 3(1): 51–55.
Food Alone May Not Provide Sufficient Micronutrients for Preventing Deficiency
Bill Misner

Introduction
Reference Daily Intakes (RDI) is a new term that replaces the familiar U.S. Recommended Daily Allowances (U.S. RDA). RDIs are based on a population-weighted average of the latest RDAs for vitamins and minerals for healthy Americans over 4 years old.

RDIs are not recommended optimal daily intake figures for any particular age group or sex. Government-established Reference Daily Intake guidelines (RDI) are designed to prevent nutrient-deficiency diseases.

Most nutritionally oriented professionals imply that a balanced variety of foods selected from the Food Guide Pyramid (FGP) will supply all micronutrients at the RDA or new RDI levels necessary to maintain optimal health and prevent nutrient-deficiency diseases. The American Dietetic Association (ADA) has proposed a conservative strategy for managing dietary micronutrient deficiency and sufficiency:

“It is the position of the American Dietetic Association (ADA) that the best nutritional strategy for promoting optimal health and reducing the risk of chronic disease is to wisely choose a wide variety of foods. Additional nutrients from fortified foods and/or supplements can help some people meet their nutritional needs as specified by science-based nutrition standards such as the Dietary Reference Intakes. This position paper addresses increasing the nutrient density of foods or diets through fortification or supplementation when diets fail to deliver consistently adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals.”

Between 1996 and 2005, 70 diets were computer analyzed from the menu of athletes or sedentary subjects seeking to improve the quality of micronutrient intake from food choices.

Surprisingly, all of these dietary analyses fell short of the recommended 100% RDA micronutrient level from food alone.

Therefore, based on diets analyzed for adequacy or inadequacy of macronutrients and micronutrients, a challenging question is proposed: “Does food selection alone provide 100% of the former RDA or newer RDI micronutrient recommended daily requirement?”

Methods
From 70 computer-generated dietary analyses, 20 subjects’ diets were selected based on the highest number of foods analyzed from 10 men (ages 25–50 y) and 10 women (ages 24–50 y).

A First Data Bank Nutritionist IV computer-program default was utilized, defaulted to apply the Harris-Benedict equation, a formula that determines energy expense against RDA micronutrient requirement, by age, gender, and body mass index (BMI).

The purpose of this study was to determine if food intake alone provided the Recommended Daily Allowances (RDA) requirements for 10 vitamins and 7 minerals. The ten vitamins analyzed were Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Vitamin B-1, Vitamin B-2, Vitamin B-3, Vitamin B-6, Vitamin B-12, and Folate. The seven minerals analyzed were Iodine, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Zinc, and Selenium.

The 20 Individual Diets analyzed originated from the following subjects:

1. Two professional cyclists athletes (A)
2. Three amateur cyclists athletes (A)
3. Three amateur triathletes athletes (A)
4. Five eco-challenge amateur athletes (A)
5. One amateur runner athlete (A)
6. Six sedentary non-athletes (S)

Hence, fourteen (14) athletes’ (A) and six (6) sedentary subjects’ (S) diets were analyzed for calorie and RDA-micronutrient adequacy or inadequacy.

Results
Based on each subject’s activity level (caloric expense), age, gender, and body mass index (BMI), 10 of the diets were found calorie-excessive, above energy requirements (4 men and 6 women), but the remaining 10 diets were found calorie-deficient, not meeting 100% of their energy requirements (6 men and 4 women).

When total calorie intake percents were averaged by gender, men consumed only 92.6% of the calories required for their total energy requirements, while women consumed only 97.3% of the calories required to meet their energy requirements.

Of the 20 diets analyzed, 50% were calorie-sufficient and 50% calorie-deficient resulting in an overall -7.4% deficiency for men and a -2.7% deficiency in women (Table 1.).

CLICK HERE FOR TABLE 1

Calorie deficient diets tended to record a greater number of micronutrient deficiencies as compared to the calorie-sufficient diets.

Of the 340 micronutrient entries generated from 17 micronutrients analyzed, all 20 subjects presented between 3 and 15 deficiencies each based on the Recommended Daily Allowances (RDA) value from food intake alone.

Males averaged deficiencies in 40% of the vitamins and 54.2% of the minerals required.

Females averaged deficiencies in 29% of the vitamins and 44.2% of the minerals Recommended Daily Allowances (RDA) required.

The male food intake was RDA-deficient in 78 out of 170 micronutrient entries, or 45.8% of the 10 vitamins and 7 minerals analyzed.

The female dietary intake was RDA-deficient in 60 out of 170 micronutrients or 35.2% of the 10 vitamins and 7 minerals analyzed. Both male and females as a single entity recorded 138 micronutrient deficiencies out of the possible 340 micronutrients analyzed, or 40.5% micronutrient RDA-deficiency from food intake alone. (Table 2.)

CLICK HERE FOR TABLE 2

Accuracy of the individual food-weighed measures, accuracy in reporting foods consumed, and the accuracy of the computer-generated software are factors that affect the accuracy of the results reported in this observational study.

The effect of activity on calorie deficiency in this contingent demonstrates an increased micronutrient deficiency in athletes (A) and surprisingly, the sedentary subjects (S) in this study also posted food-borne micronutrient deficiencies.

Each chronic deficiency proportionately increases the risk of nutrient-deficiency diseases. In highly active athletes (A), micronutrient deficiencies occur at higher rates because calorie deficits are associated with exercise expense.

Food alone in all 20 subjects did not meet the minimal Recommended Daily Allowances (RDA) micronutrient requirements for preventing nutrient-deficiency diseases. The more active the person, the greater the need to employ a variety of balanced micronutrient-enriched foods including micronutrient supplementation as a preventative protocol for preventing these observed deficiencies. (Tables 3, 4, 5).

CLICK HERE FOR TABLE 3

CLICK HERE FOR TABLE 4

CLICK HERE FOR TABLE 5

Concern for micronutrient adequacy from food alone is not a new question. Excerpts 70 years ago (1936) from the 2nd Session of the 74th USA Congressional Record (excerpts) stated:

“Laboratory tests prove that the fruits, the vegetables, the grains, the eggs and even the milk and the meats of today are not what they were a few generations ago (which doubtless explains how our forefathers thrived on a selection of foods that would starve us today).

It is bad news to learn from our leading authorities that 99% of the American people are deficient in these minerals, and that a marked deficiency in any one of the more important minerals actually results in disease. Any upset of the balance, any considerable lack of one or another element, however microscopic the body requirement may be, and we sicken, suffer, and shorten our lives.”

This twenty-subject dietary analysis study is not representative of the entire population, however the results supported by the 1936 congressional record, beg the question:
“Does food selection alone provide 100% of the former RDA or newer RDI micronutrient recommended daily requirement?”

It may be that chronic micronutrient insufficiency from food alone is more fact than fantasy. This study calls for a dietary analysis of a larger contingent of the population to determine if there is an association between chronic suboptimal RDI-micronutrient deficiency and suboptimal health disorders that may digress into disease.

Our Conclusions
In the end, the take home message here is quite clear.

Most people trying their best to achieve a “balanced diet” are falling short, creating personal deficiencies in vitamins, minerals, and more.

In the study above, the nutrients folks were most at risk for deficiency in were:

Iodine – 100% of the diets were deficient in iodine
Vitamin D – 95% of the diets were deficient in vitamin D
Zinc – 80% of the diets were deficient in zinc
Vitamin E – 65% of the diets were deficient in vitamin E
Calories – 50% of the diets were deficient in calories
Calcium – 50% of the diets were deficient in calcium

Of course, this doesn’t mean that nutritional supplements are necessary as a first line of defense. Indeed, recent data have clearly demonstrated that the vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals found in real food, dose per dose, often outperform those found in pills and capsules.

What it does mean, however, is that if you’re not getting the advice of a nutrition professional, or if you’re not following a sound eating protocol that’s designed specifically to overcome nutrient deficiencies, you’d better get cracking.

The longer you wait, the more at risk you’ll become for a host of nutritional deficiency related diseases and disorders, diseases and disorders you could have prevented simply by changing just a few eating habits.

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To learn more about how to improve your own nutritional intake and avoid nutrient deficiencies — I encourage you to pick up a copy of Precision Nutrition.

This comprehensive nutrition program is designed to teach you everything you need to know to look fantastic, feel your best, and perform at the top of your game.