During exercise lasting less than 1 hour, it is not necessary to eat or drink anything but water. But you can benefit by eating and drinking the right foods within 30 minutes of completing your workout. Proper nutrition after your workout can leave you feeling better throughout the day and better prepare you for your next workout session.
It's been known for a while that it is beneficial to have some carbohydrates within 30-45 minutes of completing exercise, and now there are more studies that show that adding some protein speeds recovery even faster. Remember that if you had a little protein an hour or two before working out that you will have some amino acids in store already to begin rebuilding muscle. But adding protein to your carbohydrate post exercise can help speed recovery.
There are sports drinks now that have protein added to them. These drinks tout the fact that they have the optimal carbohydrate to protein ratio for post workout recovery. But it's not necessary to spend money on these drinks. Take the example of Michael Phelps who was spotted by a sports writer drinking Carnation Instant Breakfast between races. If you have kids at home, you probably already have all you need for an inexpensive and delicious post workout drink - chocolate milk(skim milk of course!). The sugars in the milk, the sugars in the chocolate mix, and the protein in the milk make it an ideal recovery drink. Some studies have shown that it is actually a more effective recovery drink than the ones the drink companies make.
Of course, you don't have to drink chocolate milk. You can also eat your carbs and proteins if you still have an appetite after your workout. Cheese and crackers, a bowl of Cheerios with milk, a banana with peanut butter, a meal replacement bar, or Gatorade and beef jerky all will give you carbs and protein.
If you've ever run a fun run, they probably had a good supply of oranges and bananas for the racers at the finish line. These are also good recovery foods because they will supply lost potassium and carbohydrates.
Remember that by design, exercise breaks down muscle during and after a session. But you can stop the breakdown mode by eating as soon as you can after you exercise. Eating (or drinking a sports drink or chocolate milk) helps your muscles in two ways. Carbohydrates stimulate the release of insulin, a hormone that helps build muscles as well as transports carbohydrates into the muscles to replenish depleted glycogen stores. Carbohydrate combined with a little protein creates and even better muscle refueling and building response, and it reduces cortisol, a hormone that breaks down muscle.
Finally, if you are having a real problem of feeling stiff, sore, and tired after exercise, be sure that you are spending 10-20 minutes "cooling down" after exercise to assist in the removal of lactic acid from the blood and muscles. As an example, spend 10 minutes walking after 30 minutes of running. The cool down combined with the proper nutrition after exercise can speed recovery for the next workout and leave you feeling fresher the rest of your day.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Fueling for exercise
You can improve how you feel during and after working out by eating the right foods at the right times. There are some pretty well tested guidelines to follow about what to eat and when eating will be most effective for your energy levels. Still, some experimentation will be required so that you can find what fits well with your stomach.
If you are working out in the morning, it will be best to eat breakfast first. While you sleep, your body continues to burn its stored glycogen from the liver, which is the source of carbohydrate that maintains normal blood sugar levels. A breakfast made of mainly carbohydrate with some protein will give you the morning boost you need. The carbs will give you energy on store for your workout, and the protein will give you a ready source of amino acids to start rebuilding your muscles after the workout.
If you are working out in the afternoon or evening, you will probably have enough energy from your last meal.
To time your meals, remember this general rule. Allow 3-4 hours for large meals to digest, 2-3 hours for a smaller meal, and less than an hour for a small snack. It is important not to eat large meals right before working out. During workouts, the body shuttles blood from the stomach to the working muscles. Because of this, digestion slows or even stops during intense workouts. So you can count on any food that is in your stomach to sit in your stomach while you are working out. If you are doing an exercise like swimming or biking, that will not effect you as much as if you are doing an exercise like running. Any exercise that causes your stomach to jostle around will probably cause you to regret that ribeye in your tummy.
Any carbs you eat before working out will be your main source of energy, as long as you give them time to digest and get to your blood. The glycogen in your blood will last you for 45-60 minutes of exercise, so you won't need any other calories while you exercise. Any gels you eat during these shorter workouts would just be wasted money. Gatorade also is not needed for workouts under an hour. Water is all you will need to stay hydrated. Limit your protein and fat consumption before exercise. Carbs will digest faster and exit the stomach quicker, although as I mentioned earlier, there is a post workout benefit to eating a small amount of protein pre-workout.
One other thing to consider consuming pre-workout is caffeine. Caffeine enhances performance and makes effort seem easier. So go ahead and have your cup of coffee. Just remember that coffee can also encourage bowel movements, which can be a problem if you are planning on running. I call situations where I have to find a store on my course with a public restroom "code browns".
Consider these foods to get energy before workouts, especially if you are working out in the morning. A toasted whole wheat bagel or muffin with some peanut butter, a cup of yogurt, a meal replacement bar, a Nutrition-Grain bar, some dry cereal with milk, fruit with a glass of milk. All of these have carbs with some protein.
One other thing I like to do if my workouts are going to be close to an hour long is to shoot a gel about 30 minutes before I start my exercise. I also do this for any races that are 10k or longer. This way, the sugar is getting to my system about 30 minutes into my workout, keeping my energy level high for the remainder of the hour.
Of course, none of us live in the perfect world where we can time all our meals to get optimum benefit during our workouts. Just do your best and find out how much your stomach can tolerate. Triscuts are a great pre workout snack for carbs, but if I eat them an hour for a run, I'll burp them up and be miserable the whole time. A Clif Bar, on the other hand, sits pretty well with me.
In general, try to keep these things in mind. Get the majority of you calories each day from carbs. This will help your body replace muscle glycogen between workouts. If you work out in the mornings, you will perform better if you eat first, at least an hour before hand if possible. Have a small amount of protein with your pre workout meal to help with muscle recovery post workout. If you are fully charged before you start your workout, you should be good for about an hour long workout. The only stimulant I use is either coffee or the strawberry Crystal Light with caffeine. If you eat correctly, I don't think you should have any need for Red Bull, Monster, or any other energy drinks or pills.
I'll try to get some info out in the next few days on post workout nutrition.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
If you are working out in the morning, it will be best to eat breakfast first. While you sleep, your body continues to burn its stored glycogen from the liver, which is the source of carbohydrate that maintains normal blood sugar levels. A breakfast made of mainly carbohydrate with some protein will give you the morning boost you need. The carbs will give you energy on store for your workout, and the protein will give you a ready source of amino acids to start rebuilding your muscles after the workout.
If you are working out in the afternoon or evening, you will probably have enough energy from your last meal.
To time your meals, remember this general rule. Allow 3-4 hours for large meals to digest, 2-3 hours for a smaller meal, and less than an hour for a small snack. It is important not to eat large meals right before working out. During workouts, the body shuttles blood from the stomach to the working muscles. Because of this, digestion slows or even stops during intense workouts. So you can count on any food that is in your stomach to sit in your stomach while you are working out. If you are doing an exercise like swimming or biking, that will not effect you as much as if you are doing an exercise like running. Any exercise that causes your stomach to jostle around will probably cause you to regret that ribeye in your tummy.
Any carbs you eat before working out will be your main source of energy, as long as you give them time to digest and get to your blood. The glycogen in your blood will last you for 45-60 minutes of exercise, so you won't need any other calories while you exercise. Any gels you eat during these shorter workouts would just be wasted money. Gatorade also is not needed for workouts under an hour. Water is all you will need to stay hydrated. Limit your protein and fat consumption before exercise. Carbs will digest faster and exit the stomach quicker, although as I mentioned earlier, there is a post workout benefit to eating a small amount of protein pre-workout.
One other thing to consider consuming pre-workout is caffeine. Caffeine enhances performance and makes effort seem easier. So go ahead and have your cup of coffee. Just remember that coffee can also encourage bowel movements, which can be a problem if you are planning on running. I call situations where I have to find a store on my course with a public restroom "code browns".
Consider these foods to get energy before workouts, especially if you are working out in the morning. A toasted whole wheat bagel or muffin with some peanut butter, a cup of yogurt, a meal replacement bar, a Nutrition-Grain bar, some dry cereal with milk, fruit with a glass of milk. All of these have carbs with some protein.
One other thing I like to do if my workouts are going to be close to an hour long is to shoot a gel about 30 minutes before I start my exercise. I also do this for any races that are 10k or longer. This way, the sugar is getting to my system about 30 minutes into my workout, keeping my energy level high for the remainder of the hour.
Of course, none of us live in the perfect world where we can time all our meals to get optimum benefit during our workouts. Just do your best and find out how much your stomach can tolerate. Triscuts are a great pre workout snack for carbs, but if I eat them an hour for a run, I'll burp them up and be miserable the whole time. A Clif Bar, on the other hand, sits pretty well with me.
In general, try to keep these things in mind. Get the majority of you calories each day from carbs. This will help your body replace muscle glycogen between workouts. If you work out in the mornings, you will perform better if you eat first, at least an hour before hand if possible. Have a small amount of protein with your pre workout meal to help with muscle recovery post workout. If you are fully charged before you start your workout, you should be good for about an hour long workout. The only stimulant I use is either coffee or the strawberry Crystal Light with caffeine. If you eat correctly, I don't think you should have any need for Red Bull, Monster, or any other energy drinks or pills.
I'll try to get some info out in the next few days on post workout nutrition.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Friday, May 20, 2011
Realize Your Potential
Tomorrow morning I'll be getting up, going on a bike ride, then heading to the Woodlands with my girls to watch the athletes competing in Ironman Texas. These athletes will be swimming for 2.4 miles, biking 112 miles, then finishing off with a little foot race also known as a marathon. There will be professional athletes there who travel the world competing in these Ironman events, with their championship held each year in Kona, Hawaii. But those aren't the ones I'm most excited about seeing.
The athletes I'm going to see are the people who are just like you and me. The moms and dads, school teachers, construction workers, retired people, Walmart managers, and the (fill in the blank with your profession). These are the people who at some point made a radical decision - that dedicating a year of their life and up to 40 hours a week of their time to train to reach their fullest potential- sounded like a good idea.
I plan on being at the course from about 10:00 am until about 3:00 pm tomorrow, but I really wish that I could be at the finish line at midnight tomorrow. That's because there is a 17 hour cutoff to finish the race, and only those who cross before midnight get to call themselves Ironmen. As midnight approaches there will be people who are finishing with tremendous heart. This is the time you will see the people who were perhaps most challenged by the race. The blind, the amputees, the Jon Blaises, the retired nuns. How many times in 17 hours, over 140.6 miles do you have a thought about quitting? I would think a few times, but at midnight we will see those who fought their emotions, their fatigue, their bodies, and their mental states and continued to move forward.
Throughout the evening and night people will be crossing a finish line and becoming Ironmen in a quest to reach their potential.
I want that kind of determination in all areas of my life. A determination to reach my potential no matter what obstacles are before me. And it doesn't take an Ironman race to do it. But it does take the same focus, dedication, determination, and effort that these athletes apply to their training and race day. A friend of mine posted a quote on Facebook last week that I've been meditating on since I read it.
"Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important thing I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life, because almost everything–all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure–these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important.
You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart." - Steve Jobs
One thought I've been having as I think on these words is that time is running out. Our time on this earth is finite, and we only have a limited amount of days to leave our mark, to reach our potential. I don't expect to be remembered by too many people after I'm gone. I'm not looking to cure cancer, end all war, feed the world, or save the whales. But I do want to be the best father I can, and leave a legacy with my daughters with the lessons I teach them and the example I set for them.
Another thing I read from this quote is that I can't allow other's expectations, my pride, or the fear of embarrassment to keep me from trying to reach my potential. Those of us who grew up on the Gulf Coast have probably all spent some time crabbing. If you've been fortunate to ever catch a bucket full of crabs, you might have seen that the ones on top of the pile will try to reach the lip of the bucket and try to pull themselves out. Unfortunately for them, the ones underneath them reach up and grab the ones that are trying to make their escape and pull them back down. Many people are just like those crab in the bucket. Once they see one of their friends starting to work towards their potential, they become afraid that they are going to be left behind. So they try to verbally pull you back down into the bucket. They might use embarrassment tactics, or try to transfer their expectations onto you. You just have to remind yourself that there is nothing wrong with trying to be extraordinary. It's okay for you to go after your dreams, and be the best person you can be.
There's more I'd like to say, but I have to get to bed and get some rest for my ride in the morning, so I'll save it for another time. So let me leave you with this video of Jon Blaise, a 2005 finisher of the Kona Ironman who had Lou Gehrig's disease.
Youtube used to have the entire race coverage from the 2005 Kona Ironman, but it's not there anymore. The series did a fantastic job of documenting Jon Blais' day. If anyone ever comes across the footage on DVD, I'd appreciate a chance to get a copy.
The athletes I'm going to see are the people who are just like you and me. The moms and dads, school teachers, construction workers, retired people, Walmart managers, and the (fill in the blank with your profession). These are the people who at some point made a radical decision - that dedicating a year of their life and up to 40 hours a week of their time to train to reach their fullest potential- sounded like a good idea.
I plan on being at the course from about 10:00 am until about 3:00 pm tomorrow, but I really wish that I could be at the finish line at midnight tomorrow. That's because there is a 17 hour cutoff to finish the race, and only those who cross before midnight get to call themselves Ironmen. As midnight approaches there will be people who are finishing with tremendous heart. This is the time you will see the people who were perhaps most challenged by the race. The blind, the amputees, the Jon Blaises, the retired nuns. How many times in 17 hours, over 140.6 miles do you have a thought about quitting? I would think a few times, but at midnight we will see those who fought their emotions, their fatigue, their bodies, and their mental states and continued to move forward.
Throughout the evening and night people will be crossing a finish line and becoming Ironmen in a quest to reach their potential.
I want that kind of determination in all areas of my life. A determination to reach my potential no matter what obstacles are before me. And it doesn't take an Ironman race to do it. But it does take the same focus, dedication, determination, and effort that these athletes apply to their training and race day. A friend of mine posted a quote on Facebook last week that I've been meditating on since I read it.
"Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important thing I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life, because almost everything–all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure–these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important.
You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart." - Steve Jobs
One thought I've been having as I think on these words is that time is running out. Our time on this earth is finite, and we only have a limited amount of days to leave our mark, to reach our potential. I don't expect to be remembered by too many people after I'm gone. I'm not looking to cure cancer, end all war, feed the world, or save the whales. But I do want to be the best father I can, and leave a legacy with my daughters with the lessons I teach them and the example I set for them.
Another thing I read from this quote is that I can't allow other's expectations, my pride, or the fear of embarrassment to keep me from trying to reach my potential. Those of us who grew up on the Gulf Coast have probably all spent some time crabbing. If you've been fortunate to ever catch a bucket full of crabs, you might have seen that the ones on top of the pile will try to reach the lip of the bucket and try to pull themselves out. Unfortunately for them, the ones underneath them reach up and grab the ones that are trying to make their escape and pull them back down. Many people are just like those crab in the bucket. Once they see one of their friends starting to work towards their potential, they become afraid that they are going to be left behind. So they try to verbally pull you back down into the bucket. They might use embarrassment tactics, or try to transfer their expectations onto you. You just have to remind yourself that there is nothing wrong with trying to be extraordinary. It's okay for you to go after your dreams, and be the best person you can be.
There's more I'd like to say, but I have to get to bed and get some rest for my ride in the morning, so I'll save it for another time. So let me leave you with this video of Jon Blaise, a 2005 finisher of the Kona Ironman who had Lou Gehrig's disease.
Youtube used to have the entire race coverage from the 2005 Kona Ironman, but it's not there anymore. The series did a fantastic job of documenting Jon Blais' day. If anyone ever comes across the footage on DVD, I'd appreciate a chance to get a copy.
Sleep well, live better
Sleep - it's not just beauty rest anymore. Scientists are adding more and more to the list of benefits to getting enough quality sleep.
There are two components to quality sleep, your sleep being uninterrupted, and the duration of your sleep. Most women need 6-7 hours of sleep each night, and most men need 7-8. Good news for men, the hour difference allow wives to get up early and cook breakfast for their husbands. Sorry, ladies, but you can't argue with science.
Okay, just joking about that last part. But seriously, sleeping long enough is only half of it. The other half is getting uninterrupted sleep. The two most important type of sleep for improving health and performance are called REM (rapid eye movement), and slow-wave sleep. Unfortunately, these types of sleep don't occur until we have been sleeping for 90 minutes of continual sleep. So if you a constantly awakened by a baby, the need to urinate, and uncomfortable pillow, or your husband's snoring, you will not get the most restorative sleep you could be.
This also show that afternoon naps can't make up for not getting enough sleep at night. A nap may increase your short term energy, but they a usually not long enough to produce the type of sleep you need for your best health.
So why should you be making this effort to sleep anyway? Sleep is when your body is most efficient at healing and restoring itself. Regular quality sleep also reduces the risk of obesity, cancer, heart disease, heart attacks, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Sleep improves the immune system response. Sleep improves your mood, helps you deal with stress, and reduces anxiety and irritability. Quality sleep helps you recover faster from your workouts.
As a shift worker, I completely understand how hard it can be to get quality sleep. I battle rotating sleep patterns, sleeping while neighbor's lawn work is going on, kids getting ready for school, and sunlight in my bedroom. So I have a few tips to share about falling asleep and staying asleep. And none of them involve sleeping pills, melatonin pills, or shots of whiskey.
My first recommendation is to exercise more. A study published in Psychophysiology found that fit runners who average 45 miles per week spend 18% longer in slow-wave sleep than deconditioned people. While I don't expect anyone to start logging 45 miles per week of running just to sleep better, I do want to show that there is a benefit to exercise that we probably all recognize already - we sleep better. One caution about exercise would be to try not to exercise within 2-3 hours of going to bed.
You can also try these suggestions:
Sleep in a cool room.
Maintain a regular bed time and waking schedule.
Don't eat heavy meals close to bedtime.
Avoid caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol close to bedtime. (coffee, colas, tea, and chocolate)
Don't watch stressful news programs.
Don't eat, plan, or problem solve in bed. You may want reconsider bringing your work laptop to bed.
For me, reading is almost a necessity at bedtime, and always helps me fall asleep more quickly.
Just like changing your diet or adding exercise to your life, getting better sleep will require a change in your habits. But since sleep improves how you look, how you feel, your mood, and your general health, I think it is worth it. Just the feeling of waking refreshed and having energy throughout the day is worth it. And it will give you the energy you need to spend time cooking a healthy meal instead of grabbing fast food, and the energy to stop at the gym on the way home from work instead of skipping your workout.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
There are two components to quality sleep, your sleep being uninterrupted, and the duration of your sleep. Most women need 6-7 hours of sleep each night, and most men need 7-8. Good news for men, the hour difference allow wives to get up early and cook breakfast for their husbands. Sorry, ladies, but you can't argue with science.
Okay, just joking about that last part. But seriously, sleeping long enough is only half of it. The other half is getting uninterrupted sleep. The two most important type of sleep for improving health and performance are called REM (rapid eye movement), and slow-wave sleep. Unfortunately, these types of sleep don't occur until we have been sleeping for 90 minutes of continual sleep. So if you a constantly awakened by a baby, the need to urinate, and uncomfortable pillow, or your husband's snoring, you will not get the most restorative sleep you could be.
This also show that afternoon naps can't make up for not getting enough sleep at night. A nap may increase your short term energy, but they a usually not long enough to produce the type of sleep you need for your best health.
So why should you be making this effort to sleep anyway? Sleep is when your body is most efficient at healing and restoring itself. Regular quality sleep also reduces the risk of obesity, cancer, heart disease, heart attacks, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Sleep improves the immune system response. Sleep improves your mood, helps you deal with stress, and reduces anxiety and irritability. Quality sleep helps you recover faster from your workouts.
As a shift worker, I completely understand how hard it can be to get quality sleep. I battle rotating sleep patterns, sleeping while neighbor's lawn work is going on, kids getting ready for school, and sunlight in my bedroom. So I have a few tips to share about falling asleep and staying asleep. And none of them involve sleeping pills, melatonin pills, or shots of whiskey.
My first recommendation is to exercise more. A study published in Psychophysiology found that fit runners who average 45 miles per week spend 18% longer in slow-wave sleep than deconditioned people. While I don't expect anyone to start logging 45 miles per week of running just to sleep better, I do want to show that there is a benefit to exercise that we probably all recognize already - we sleep better. One caution about exercise would be to try not to exercise within 2-3 hours of going to bed.
You can also try these suggestions:
Sleep in a cool room.
Maintain a regular bed time and waking schedule.
Don't eat heavy meals close to bedtime.
Avoid caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol close to bedtime. (coffee, colas, tea, and chocolate)
Don't watch stressful news programs.
Don't eat, plan, or problem solve in bed. You may want reconsider bringing your work laptop to bed.
For me, reading is almost a necessity at bedtime, and always helps me fall asleep more quickly.
Just like changing your diet or adding exercise to your life, getting better sleep will require a change in your habits. But since sleep improves how you look, how you feel, your mood, and your general health, I think it is worth it. Just the feeling of waking refreshed and having energy throughout the day is worth it. And it will give you the energy you need to spend time cooking a healthy meal instead of grabbing fast food, and the energy to stop at the gym on the way home from work instead of skipping your workout.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Friday, May 13, 2011
The most important meal of the day
To live a healthy and active life, every meal is important. But the one that gets neglected the most is breakfast. Some have e notion that skipping breakfast will save on their daily calorie count. Others, who are probably staying up to late and so can't wake up earlier, don't have time for breakfast. But breakfast is important enough that it is a meal that you should eat 7 days a week.
Skipping breakfast is not part of a good plan to control weight. It can actually have a negative effect on your weight. The body will want to make up any calories that you miss from breakfast later in the day, so you will be more likely to eat unhealthy snacks and to over eat at later meals. Eating breakfast cuts down on the urge to snack between meals. It will also kickstart your metabolism, which has been slowed through the night as you sleep, and help you metabolize food more efficiently throughout the day.
Traditional breakfast foods fall into two categories - the healthy, and the deadly. the latter category is made up of foods high in sugar and saturated fats. Bacon, ham, donuts, sausage, and fried eggs make for a fine tasting meal, but will shorten your life.
A health breakfast gives you an opportunity to get the day started positively by allowing you to get focused on eating from the 5 food groups - whole grains, lean protein, fruits, vegetables, and low fat dairy. You have a great chance during breakfast to get a jump on your daily fiber intake. Focus on including whole grains like oat and cereals. Think Wheaties, not Froot Loops. These will provide a chunk of your daily fiber. Also, cereals are fortified with vitamins and minerals which will give you some micro nutrients you might otherwise miss out on.
Other food to choose from include fruit, juices(pure juices, not cocktails with added sugar), skim milk, and low fat yogurt. I also enjoy whole grain toast, bagels, or English muffins with peanut butter or a fruit spread.
Eggs are a toss up. Personally, I'm not a fan of egg yolks. I understand that the yolk is full of goodness, but it is also full of cholesterol and calories. One egg yolk has about 200 grams of cholesterol, and the RDA is only 300 grams. So just 2 whole eggs will put you over the recommended daily limit. You'll have to make your own choice about eggs. I have an aversion to the yolks from my days of chunkiness when my cholesterol was high. If you want your egg with yolk but want to limit your cholesterol, try mixing 1 whole egg with a couple of egg whites. This might be a good compromise for your omelets and scrambled treats.
I usually have a bowl of oatmeal most mornings with some cinnamon and Splenda. Occasionally I add a banana or strawberries. If I'm board with that, I might instead have a whole wheat bagel with apple butter, an English muffin with peanut butter, or an egg white omelet.
My egg white omelets are hearty meals! I start with the whites from 5 eggs. If I have it left over from spaghetti, I like to add a little seasoned ground turkey. For veggies I include bell pepper, onions, mushrooms, and spinach. Finally, I'll top it with some fat free shredded cheddar, fresh pico de gallo if I've got it, and splash on some tabasco. I'll put that up to bacon and fried eggs any day.
If you must eat on the run, a dry toasted bagel, a banana or apple, or a bag of dry cereal are easy to eat in the car.
So for weight loss, weight control, health, and energy, make time for breakfast each morning.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Skipping breakfast is not part of a good plan to control weight. It can actually have a negative effect on your weight. The body will want to make up any calories that you miss from breakfast later in the day, so you will be more likely to eat unhealthy snacks and to over eat at later meals. Eating breakfast cuts down on the urge to snack between meals. It will also kickstart your metabolism, which has been slowed through the night as you sleep, and help you metabolize food more efficiently throughout the day.
Traditional breakfast foods fall into two categories - the healthy, and the deadly. the latter category is made up of foods high in sugar and saturated fats. Bacon, ham, donuts, sausage, and fried eggs make for a fine tasting meal, but will shorten your life.
A health breakfast gives you an opportunity to get the day started positively by allowing you to get focused on eating from the 5 food groups - whole grains, lean protein, fruits, vegetables, and low fat dairy. You have a great chance during breakfast to get a jump on your daily fiber intake. Focus on including whole grains like oat and cereals. Think Wheaties, not Froot Loops. These will provide a chunk of your daily fiber. Also, cereals are fortified with vitamins and minerals which will give you some micro nutrients you might otherwise miss out on.
Other food to choose from include fruit, juices(pure juices, not cocktails with added sugar), skim milk, and low fat yogurt. I also enjoy whole grain toast, bagels, or English muffins with peanut butter or a fruit spread.
Eggs are a toss up. Personally, I'm not a fan of egg yolks. I understand that the yolk is full of goodness, but it is also full of cholesterol and calories. One egg yolk has about 200 grams of cholesterol, and the RDA is only 300 grams. So just 2 whole eggs will put you over the recommended daily limit. You'll have to make your own choice about eggs. I have an aversion to the yolks from my days of chunkiness when my cholesterol was high. If you want your egg with yolk but want to limit your cholesterol, try mixing 1 whole egg with a couple of egg whites. This might be a good compromise for your omelets and scrambled treats.
I usually have a bowl of oatmeal most mornings with some cinnamon and Splenda. Occasionally I add a banana or strawberries. If I'm board with that, I might instead have a whole wheat bagel with apple butter, an English muffin with peanut butter, or an egg white omelet.
My egg white omelets are hearty meals! I start with the whites from 5 eggs. If I have it left over from spaghetti, I like to add a little seasoned ground turkey. For veggies I include bell pepper, onions, mushrooms, and spinach. Finally, I'll top it with some fat free shredded cheddar, fresh pico de gallo if I've got it, and splash on some tabasco. I'll put that up to bacon and fried eggs any day.
If you must eat on the run, a dry toasted bagel, a banana or apple, or a bag of dry cereal are easy to eat in the car.
So for weight loss, weight control, health, and energy, make time for breakfast each morning.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Monday, May 2, 2011
Reach your biggest goals
Just getting back from a successful pool workout and thinking about setting goals that look like mountains when we set them. 4 months ago I set a goal to complete a 70.3 Ironman event for my 40th birthday. A half Ironman includes a 1.2 mile swim as the first event. When I set the goal, I could just barely swim two laps in a pool for a total of 50 yards. That is just 2% of the swim distance I would need to be able to do. Since then I've taken swim lessons, been to triathlon swim clinics, started open water swimming, bought some Speedos(at least I look like I know what I'm doing), learned about googles, pull buoys, kick boards, swim technique drills, bought a wet suit, and I've been swimming 3-4 days a week.
And today I just swam 48 laps non-stop, or about .68 miles. It was slow and my technique may not have been Michael Phelps-esque at the end(or at the beginning for that matter) but non the less, I can now say I can swim over 1/2 mile.
Less than two weeks away from my first sprint triathlon that starts with a 400 meter swim, and I'm finally feeling like I just might not need to be pulled in by a kayak and have my stomach pumped.
I share this with the hope of being an encouragement to you in reaching your goals. Hopefully, you have some mountainous goals of your own. Need to lose 100 pounds? Want to get off the couch and run a 5K, 10K, or maybe even a marathon? Want to go back to school and finish your college degree, or maybe you dropped out of high school and want to get a GED?
Get started. It doesn't matter how fast you move towards your goal at the start, its important to just get moving. I like the marathon t-shirts that say, "The miracle is not that I finished, but that I had the courage to start." Get a book, subscribe to a magazine, join a club, research on the internet, whatever you need to do to start learning about what you want to accomplish. Get away from the people who have given up on their goals, and get around the people who have attained what you want.
And please don't use the excuse that you don't have time. I'm sure there are a few of you more busy than I am, but only a few. It's not uncommon for me to work 28 days out of a 30 day month, and most of those 12 hour shifts. I teach two karate classes a week if I'm not working. I swim, bike, or run 7 hours a week. I cut my own grass, tend to a vegetable garden, do the banking, help cook meals, help with dishes, sometimes laundry, and house chores. I'm still and involved dad and husband. I'm not a superman, I'm just like you. But I make time for what is important to me. Want to accomplish big things? The number one thing you can do is turn off the tv. It's amazing how many books you can read, how much time you can spend jumping on a trampoline with your kids, and how many miles you can run if you will just eliminate that one thing from your life. I've decided that the tv just doesn't add any value to my life and decided to give it up. If I could just do the same thing with Jelly Bellys….
Let me leave you now with this. I hope it inspires you like it does me. Turn up the sound and watch it in full screen.
And today I just swam 48 laps non-stop, or about .68 miles. It was slow and my technique may not have been Michael Phelps-esque at the end(or at the beginning for that matter) but non the less, I can now say I can swim over 1/2 mile.
Less than two weeks away from my first sprint triathlon that starts with a 400 meter swim, and I'm finally feeling like I just might not need to be pulled in by a kayak and have my stomach pumped.
I share this with the hope of being an encouragement to you in reaching your goals. Hopefully, you have some mountainous goals of your own. Need to lose 100 pounds? Want to get off the couch and run a 5K, 10K, or maybe even a marathon? Want to go back to school and finish your college degree, or maybe you dropped out of high school and want to get a GED?
Get started. It doesn't matter how fast you move towards your goal at the start, its important to just get moving. I like the marathon t-shirts that say, "The miracle is not that I finished, but that I had the courage to start." Get a book, subscribe to a magazine, join a club, research on the internet, whatever you need to do to start learning about what you want to accomplish. Get away from the people who have given up on their goals, and get around the people who have attained what you want.
And please don't use the excuse that you don't have time. I'm sure there are a few of you more busy than I am, but only a few. It's not uncommon for me to work 28 days out of a 30 day month, and most of those 12 hour shifts. I teach two karate classes a week if I'm not working. I swim, bike, or run 7 hours a week. I cut my own grass, tend to a vegetable garden, do the banking, help cook meals, help with dishes, sometimes laundry, and house chores. I'm still and involved dad and husband. I'm not a superman, I'm just like you. But I make time for what is important to me. Want to accomplish big things? The number one thing you can do is turn off the tv. It's amazing how many books you can read, how much time you can spend jumping on a trampoline with your kids, and how many miles you can run if you will just eliminate that one thing from your life. I've decided that the tv just doesn't add any value to my life and decided to give it up. If I could just do the same thing with Jelly Bellys….
Let me leave you now with this. I hope it inspires you like it does me. Turn up the sound and watch it in full screen.
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