Healthy Lunch Boxes for Kids and Adults

It’s easy to get stuck in a rut when packing lunches. When we can’t cook or even warm up our food, our options are somewhat limited. But the standard lunch meat and cheese on bread with potato chips doesn’t do much for our health.

Sometimes we just need to think outside of the box (or in this case, the lunchbox). With some creativity, we can pack healthy lunches for ourselves and our kids. Here are a few suggestions:

Main Dishes:

* Make some pasta salad. You can find kits with everything you need in the grocery store, or you can make your own to suit your tastes. Include vegetables such as cucumbers, peppers and onions to add flavor and nutrition. For the kids, try using pasta in interesting shapes.

* Roll up a fajita. Use leftover meat from dinner the night before, and add lettuce, tomatoes, cheese and some of your favorite light dressing or sauce. These make a great change of pace for kids, too.

* Have a turkey bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich. This is healthy and provides a nice change.

* Toss up a grilled chicken salad. Grill some organic chicken breasts the night before, slice them up, and add them to some salad greens. Add some shredded cheese and cherry tomatoes to make a nutritious and filling dish.

* Put some homemade soup or chili in a thermos. It’s nice to have something warm for a change, especially in the winter.

* Make sandwiches with bagels instead of bread. Bagels are nutritious and filling, and they give you a break from plain old white or wheat bread.

Side Dishes:

* Pack some baby carrots, celery sticks or sliced cucumbers and a small container of hummus or vegetable dip.

* Send some yogurt with fruit and granola in your child’s lunch. It will provide protein, carbohydrates and vitamins that your child needs.

* Keep fresh fruit on hand. When you’re in a hurry, you can easily grab a piece and throw it in the lunchbox as a nutritious side dish.

* Whip up some fruit salad for an easy to make treat. Drain a can of fruit cocktail and add some chopped walnuts, marshmallows and sliced bananas soaked in lemon juice (to keep them from turning brown).

* Make your own trail mix. Mix your favorite kinds of nuts, raisins, dried bananas and cranberries, and granola.

Just because you eat your lunch out of a lunchbox, doesn’t mean it has to be boring and lack nutritional value. Using leftovers creatively and putting a new twist on your sandwiches will help you and your kids get over the packed lunch doldrums.

Kristy Lee Wilson

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Go FITNESS Shopping

Did you know that the grocery store is the source for most of your unwanted pounds?

Well, that and the fast food restaurants, but we’ll leave that for another day.

If you’re like most people then your shopping trips aren’t exactly organized. In fact, your grocery cart is likely to be more fat than fit.

The good news is that with a few small modifications to your routine you’ll be able to turn your grocery shopping trip into an easy opportunity to slim down.

I’ve broken down the process of healthy grocery store navigation with an easy-to-remember acronym – FITNESS.

Come, take a walk with me through your grocery store and we’ll improve your shape and the shape of your family members.

F: First Veggies
Your mom always told you that you had to eat your veggies before dessert-so this will be an easy one to remember. When you start shopping, first go to the produce section. The bulk of your shopping should take place here. Fresh vegetables, lettuce for salads, and fruits are the best things to eat when you want to look and feel great.

Don’t skimp on produce-aim to fill most of your cart here.

I: Is it Wheat?
When it comes to bread you only need to ask yourself one question. Is it wheat? White bread products have been processed and filled with simple carbohydrates – these will easily stick to your body as fat. Wheat breads, on the other hand, contain more fiber and are much healthier. Make it a policy to never purchase white bread, wheat bread is the right choice even for the little members of your family.

Always choose hearty wheat bread products-the more whole grain, the better.

T: Trim the Fat
In the meat section you are faced with a major decision. Do you go with your taste buds or do you go with your health conscious side? I urge you to stick with the latter. These days lean meats are more available than ever, and the benefits to going lean are numerous. When you choose lean meats you avoid extra saturated fat (your heart will thank you for this) and you also avoid the extra calories that come packed into each fat gram.

Want to be lean? Then eat lean meats.

N: Never enter the Junk Food Aisle
I have a simple policy that has saved me from thousands of unnecessary calories. I don’t walk down the junk food aisle. You and I both know that it is nearly impossible to walk past rows of chips, candies and cookies without putting something into the cart. The bright packages stamped with mouthwatering images will give your will power a run for its money. My two cents? Avoid that row altogether and save yourself from the whole ordeal.

Nothing good ever came from walking down the junk food aisle-just say no.

E: Edge around the store
Here’s a really easy trick for healthy shopping. Edge around the store, as in shop the perimeter and avoid the inner aisles. Think about it-the healthiest products are kept around the perimeter of the store: produce, meat, dairy. The inner aisles are where you run into trouble: processed food, baked goods, and sweets. Don’t get me wrong, there are healthy products kept in the inner aisles too, but a majority of the items are waist-expanders.

Shop in a circle-stick to the perimeter of the store, do less shopping in the aisles.

S: Skinny Cow
The dairy section is filled with many healthy items; it is also filled with extremely high fat items. Your job is to pick out all those calcium-rich foods that you love in the low fat and non fat versions. I realize that many people have a prejudice against low milk or yogurt, simply because they’ve always eaten the full fat version. Making the switch to low fat is such a simple way to cut unnecessary fat and calories from your diet, while still getting all the benefits of dairy.

Fat free dairy products are the way to go-you’ll only lose unwanted pounds.

S: Stick with Water
Warning: mini lecture to follow. I’ll make it short and sweet. Drink more water-period. Sodas, sugary juices and calorie-laden alcoholic beverages are responsible for a large number of unnecessary calories in your diet. Don’t fill your cart with these sneaky calories. Keep them out of your kitchen and out of your life.

Looking for a tasty beverage? Look no farther than crystal clear water.

There you have it-your FITNESS shopping plan that will take your cart from fat to fit. I suggest that you write down the FITNESS steps on a note card and take it to the store with you.

Are you ready to take your body from fat to fit? I’ve got what it takes to get you there! No guess work, no fad diets, and no super long workouts.

Contact me today to learn more about my fitness and fat loss programs that will quickly change your life.

Don’t Believe the Lies

Repetition does not transform a lie into a truth.

That bit of wisdom came from Franklin D. Roosevelt during a radio address in 1939, and though he wasn’t talking about fitness, it certainly applies to the following fat loss myths.

Myth #1: Eating Late at Night Makes You Fat

The Facts: Your body doesn’t have an internal timer that causes late night eats to be stored directly as fat. Weight gain happens when you eat too much and exercise too little – you could eat too much in the morning, the afternoon, or late at night and it would all result in weight gain.

• Your Solution: Consider how many calories you eat and burn each day, rather than when you eat.

Myth #2: Snacking Promotes Weight Gain

The Facts: Eating snacks throughout the day is actually a great way to keep your metabolism up and to avoid overeating at meals. However, if you snack on junk food then be prepared to pack on pounds.

• Your Solution: When it comes to snacking it’s all about what you snack on.

Myth #3: You Can Lose Fat Without Exercise

The Facts: Exercise and healthy eating go hand-in-hand when it comes to permanent fat loss. Your body needs exercise just as it needs to be fed a diet filled with fresh produce, whole grains and lean protein.

• Your Solution: Accept exercise as a part of your daily lifestyle.

Myth #4: Fat Free Means ‘All-You-Can-Eat’

The Facts: It’s time to close your eyes and mentally erase everything that the 90′s taught about fat-free dieting. Fat-free foods are not the equivalent of flavored air – they contain plenty of calories and often lots of sugar.

• Your Solution: Be mindful of calories when eating fat-free foods.

Myth #5: Eat as Little as Possible for Maximum Fat Loss

The Facts: Eating too little causes your metabolism to shut down and puts your body into starvation mode, and prone to store fat rather than burn it.

• Your Solution: When it comes to fat loss think burn rather than starve.

Myth #6: Diet Pills Work for Fat Loss

The Facts: The only thing that diet pills are capable of burning is the extra cash in your wallet. Billions of diet pills are sold every year – all to no avail.

• Your Solution: Healthy eating and exercise can never be replaced by a pill.

Myth #7: You Should Never Eat Fast Food

The Facts: It’s all about what you order. Fried, processed and salty foods will cause weight gain – don’t order them. Lean meat, salad, vegetables and beans, on the other hand, are available at many fast food chains – order these instead.

• Your Solution: When eating fast food skip the fried items, stick with lean meats and salads.

Trying to lose weight is often a frustrating experience. In a world filled with quick fixes, lasting weight loss is not something that happens overnight. Remember that it took time to gain the weight, so it will also take some time to lose it.

Permanent weight loss happens as a result of a proper exercise and a good diet plan – my specialty.

Contact me today and together we will customize a diet and exercise plan designed to help you lose the weight, tone your body and feel fantastic.

Get Fit and Stay Fit!

Kristy Lee Wilson

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So-Called Health Food

This is the time of year when grocery stores put ‘health’ and ‘diet’ foods on display. Before you reach for that box of ‘health bars’ or ’100 calorie packs’ take a moment to actually read the nutrition label. Many of these items aren’t healthy at all. They are simply cleverly disguised junk food that will actually promote weight gain rather than weight loss. Stick with items that are low in sugar and fat, and eat fresh produce often.

Get fit and Stay Fit!

Kristy Lee Wilson

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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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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.

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.

Protein Problems: When You Need To Say Bye-Bye To Your Current Brand of Protein

by Dr John Berardi, CSCS

This week I’m out in Calgary working with Canada’s top bobsleigh and skeleton athletes. And right now, the athletes are in the midst of a testing camp, meaning that they’re all here competing for a position on this year’s upcoming World Cup and Europa Cup squads.

As nutritional support for their hard training is a must, I spend a lot of time with these athletes making sure everything is in place for success – food amount, food type, food timing, and appropriate supplement intake.

Interestingly, as most of the athletes use some type of protein supplement to help meet their high protein needs, every time I’m out here I’m reminded of how many folks are hypersensitive to protein powders – especially whey protein.

In fact, during this trip alone, I’ve had to take 5 athletes off whey protein because of their negative reactions to the stuff – even the so-called “high quality” whey isolates.

One athlete, for example, had extreme bloating and gas from their whey protein supplement. Within 30 minutes of drinking their shake, a big, smelly cloud would fill the room and their belly would bloat up to about 125% of its normal size.

Another athlete, who has used whey protein during training sessions for the last year, thought – FOR THE ENTIRE TIME – that he had a low-grade, chronic head cold due to the extreme stuffy-ness he’d experienced during every workout.

Another athlete, after every serving of whey protein, would build up a thick coating of mucous in their throat as a result of their protein supplement.

And the list goes on…

These symptoms, of course, are commonly associated with food allergies and/or food intolerances. And unfortunately, they are symptoms many of them, and likely many of you, have either failed to recognize, ignored, or just simply learned to live with.

But, as I told my athletes, these symptoms are not normal and should not be brushed aside. Rather, they should be dealt with and eliminated.

So, at this point, let me pose these 4 questions:

How often do you feel gassy and bloated?

How often do you suffer from flatulence?

How often do you have a stuffy nose?

How often do you feel excess mucous production in your head and throat?

If these symptoms above are part of your normal day, it’s time to look to your food intake to see what might be causing the problem or problems.

Specific to protein problems, the symptoms above are typically the result of one or both of the following:

Lactose Intolerance
In certain individuals (those without enough lactase enzyme activity), undigested lactose passes through the stomach into the intestines where it must be fermented. Through this process, lots of gas is formed, causing stomach cramps, bloating, flatulence, and diarrhea.

Protein Allergy/Intolerance
In addition to the above, symptoms can be a result of milk protein allergy/intolerance. While casein protein has been implicated in more cases of milk protein problems than whey, both milk proteins can cause similar issues. This is due to the fact that in some individuals, casein and whey can cause an excessive inflammatory immune response. This leads to mucous production. And high mucous means blocked airways, stuffy noses, and thick throats.

Now, I know. Your supplement manufacturer swears that the protein they’re selling you is a “high quality” isolate. And yes, true high-quality isolates contain very little lactose. But again, it may or may not be the lactose that’s the problem. It could be the protein isolate itself that’s causing the issue.

But, consider this as well…any protein powder that contains “whey protein concentrates” still contains lactose – even if the manufacturer claims it’s a high quality isolate. Therefore if it’s got concentrates, it’s got lactose.

In addition, many protein industry insiders believe that some companies are lying about the quality of their product to increase profit margins. They claim that since it’s much cheaper to use lower quality whey protein concentrate than it is to use a high quality whey protein isolate, some companies are adding concentrate without listing it on the label.

Sneaky, sneaky.

Of course, I’m not trying to kick off a conspiracy theory – rather, I’m just trying to help you look and feel better by avoiding potential dietary problems. And, like I said above, even if you’ve got high quality protein product that is lactose free, you could actually have a protein allergy/intolerance. Therefore the protein type itself would have to go.

Now, without making things too complicated here, let’s get practical with a few suggestions for those of you who think you’re having problems with your protein supplements.

1) Switch Protein Brands
If you consistently get gassy and bloated or stuffy and mucousy after having a supplemental milk protein product, it may be time to switch brands. Your brand might have too much lactose or too high a concentration of certain protein products and either of these could be detrimental.

Indeed, this week one of my athletes switched protein powders from a whey protein isolate to a milk protein blend and within 1 day all of their complaints disappeared. Heck, I’ve even seen athletes switch from one brand of whey isolate to another and have an improvement in function and a removal of symptoms.

2) Switch Protein Types
If you switch protein brands and that doesn’t help, you may legitimately have an intolerance to the milk protein itself.

In such case, you might try switching to rice protein isolates. Rice protein isolates are hypoallergenic and are nowadays fortified to contain a complete compliment of amino acids.

3) Think About Your Dairy
One other thing to also consider if you’re suffering the symptoms above is your dairy intake. Maybe, instead of your protein being the problem, you’re having a problem with milk, cheese, yogurt, etc. Again, the lactose or protein fractions in dairy products may be the culprit, so don’t rule either out.

If it turns out that dairy is the problem, you could switch to non-cow’s milk dairy (goat or sheep’s milk dairy), or you could switch to soy-based dairy like milk, yogurt, etc.

In the end, the point of this article isn’t to make you a dairy or protein hypochondriac. Don’t invent symptoms that don’t exist. However, I do encourage you to think about your protein and dairy intake and consider whether your protein supplements and dairy are helping or hurting you.

If you’re aware of the link between what you eat and how you feel, it’s much easier to begin to change things up if a particular food is problematic.

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For more discussion on this topic, feel free to post your thoughts and questions below.

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