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family meal

Food, Athletes & Joy of Eating

Once upon a time (before WWII), daily life revolved around structured meals: enjoying a hearty breakfast, dinner (at noon), and supper (at night). When women entered the workforce, eating patterns changed — lighter breakfasts and lunches, with bigger family-focused dinners. Fast forward to pre-COVID 2020, youth sports and life’s busy-ness totally disrupted dinner-times; structured meals got lost in the shuffle.

Today (week #8 of COVID shut-down), our stay-at-home lifestyle has gifted many of us with time to cook breakfast, enjoy lunch, and have family dinners. Yet, many athletes are feeling confused and/or uneasy about how they are eating:

“I’m sleeping until 11:00 a.m. Should I eat breakfast — or lunch — when I get up?”

“I now have easy access to food given I’m working at home. I spend too much time grazing. Seems like I am hungry all the time.”

“My eating habits are weird. How should I be eating? What is “normal” eating?”

Sound familiar? To add a supportive framework, joy to meals, and answer the question What is normal eating?, I turn to eating authority Ellyn Satter, author of Secrets of Feeding a Healthy Family (a book every parent should read; EllynSatter-Institute.org).

Here is her definition of “normal eating”:

Normal eating is going to the table hungry and eating until you are satisfied. It is being able to choose food you like and eat it and truly get enough of it — not stopping eating just because you think you should.

That is, did you stop eating breakfast today because the oatmeal in your bowl was all gone? Or were you truly satiated? At the end of lunch, did you stop at your one-sandwich allotment, even though you wanted more? If you are “feeling hungry all the time,” you likely ARE hungry; your body is requesting more fuel. Trust it. You’ll end up eating more sooner or later, so please honor that hunger and eat more now.

Normal eating is being able to give some thought to your food selection so you get nutritious food, but not being so wary and restrictive that you miss out on enjoyable food. That is, have you put yourself in food jail and banned “fun foods” like cookies, cupcakes, and chips, out of fear of over-eating them? Ideally, your meal plan includes 85-90% quality foods, with 10-15% fun foods. You need not eat a perfect diet to have an excellent diet. Some “fun food” in the midst of a pandemic can be, well, fun!

Normal eating is giving yourself permission to eat sometimes because you are happy, sad, or bored, or just because it feels good. Yes, food is a way we celebrate, mourn, and entertain ourselves. Sometimes we even need a hug from food, despite being not hungry. One bowl of ice cream will not ruin your waistline nor your health forever. That said, routinely overindulging in ice cream as a means to distract yourself from life’s pain will not solve any problem. If you are using food as a drug, to not start eating can be easier than stopping once you have started.

Normal eating is mostly three meals a day, or four or five, or it can be choosing to munch along the way. Most athletes require fuel at least every 3 to 4 hours. Those who “graze all day” commonly under-eat at meals. If you stop eating because you think you should, not because you are satiated, you will feel the urge to graze. Solutions: eat the rest of your breakfast-calories for a mid-morning snack, eat an earlier lunch, or better yet, give yourself permission to eat enough satiating food at breakfast. Living hungry all the time puts a damper on your quality of life, to say nothing of impairs athletic performance.

Normal eating is leaving cookies on the plate because you know you can have some again tomorrow, or it is eating more now because they taste so wonderful. If you are banning fun foods from your house because you can’t eat just one cookie, think again. Denying yourself permission to enjoy a few cookies boosts the urge to eat the whole plateful. I call that “last chance eating.” You know, “last chance to have cookies, because tomorrow I am back on my cookie-free diet.” Depriving yourself of cookies leads to binge-eating. Try planning in forbidden foods every day. They will soon lose their power.

Normal eating is overeating at times, feeling stuffed and uncomfortable. And it can be undereating at times and wishing you had more. Normal eating is trusting your body to make up for your mistakes in eating. Yes, even normal eaters overeat. It’s normal to have too much birthday cake, too much Sunday Brunch, too much ice cream. When competent eaters overeat, they listen to their body’s signals – and notice they take longer to get hungry again. That is, if you have a hearty brunch, you will be less hungry that evening. Trust me. Rather, trust your body.

Hunger is your body’s way of telling you it has burned off what you gave it, and now it is ready for more fuel. You want to honor hunger and eat intuitively, like kids do. Kids eat matter-of-factly; they stop eating when they are content. Adults (especially weight-conscious athletes), don’t eat when they are hungry, then don’t stop when content. Rather, they “cheat” and guiltily stuff themselves with forbidden foods —last chance before the diet starts again!

Normal eating takes up some of your time and attention, but keeps its place as only one important area of your life. If you are spending 90% of your time thinking about food, you are likely hungry 90% of the time. (If humans didn’t think about food, they would never think to eat.) If you eat until you are satisfied, you will stop incessantly thinking about food. That said, food-thoughts can be a way to distract yourself from stuff you really don’t want to think about. In that case, talking with a counsellor might be helpful. Smothering your feelings with chocolate will not solve any of your problems.

In short, normal eating is flexible. It varies in response to your hunger, your schedule, your proximity to food, and your feelings. Many athletes very rigidly eat the same foods every single day. A sports nutritionist can help add variety (more nutrients), flexibility, and more joy to eating. Food can and should be one of life’s pleasures, both when training and in the midst of the pandemic.


Boston-area sports nutritionist Nancy Clark, MS, RD counsels both casual and competitive athletes, helping them learn how to eat competently. Her best-selling Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook is a helpful resource. For more information, visit NancyClarkRD.com.

Jicama-Broccoli-Coleslaw

The Naturopathic Chef: Jicama Broccoli Coleslaw

This salad is perfect as the weather warms up. The taste and health benefits are amazing. Bone building, hormone balancing, and heart health are just a few of the wonderful “side effects” of one of my most requested recipes. It’s a fresh and vibrant side dish to liven up any BBQ, picnic, or potluck.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup jicama, julienne
  • 1 cup broccoli florets
  • ¼ cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
  • ¼ cup purple onion, minced
  • ¾ cup grapeseed oil mayonnaise (Follow Your Heart brand)
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • 2 tsp fresh horseradish, shredded
  • 1 Tbsp honey

Directions

Toss first four ingredients together in a bowl and set aside. Combine Grapeseed oil mayo, lemon juice, fresh horseradish and honey in a separate bowl.  Pour over vegetables and toss to coat.  Chill and serve.

Phyte Bites

Horseradish relieves pain, reduces inflammation, and stimulates the metabolism.

Broccoli is a powerful weapon against hormone-based cancers (prostate, cervical, breast, and lung.)

Parsley is high in Apigenin and is a great bone strengthener. Harvard School of Medicine thinks Apigenin may possibly lead to a cure for ovarian cancer.

All of the ingredients listed contribute to strong bones, ligaments, and tendons. Grapeseed oil is the only oil we know of that actually clears plaque from our arteries. This combination of ingredients is a powerhouse of antioxidant activity.


Get more great recipes from Tina Martini — her book, Delicious Medicine: The Healing Power of Food is available to purchase on Amazon. More than a cookbook, combining 20+ years of experience, along with her love of coaching, cooking and teaching, Tina offers unexpected insights into the history and healing power of clean eating, along with recipes to help reduce your risk of disease and improve overall wellness so you can enjoy life!

Affectionately referred to as The Walking Encyclopedia of Human Wellness, Fitness Coach, Strength Competitor and Powerlifting pioneer, Tina “The Medicine Chef” Martini is an internationally recognized Naturopathic Chef and star of the cooking show, Tina’s Ageless Kitchen. Tina’s cooking and lifestyle show has reached millions of food and fitness lovers all over the globe. Over the last 30 years, Tina has assisted celebrities, gold-medal athletes and over-scheduled executives naturally achieve radiant health using The Pyramid of Power: balancing Healthy Nutrition and the healing power of food, with Active Fitness and Body Alignment techniques. Working with those who have late-stage cancer, advanced diabetes, cardiovascular and other illnesses, Tina’s clients are astounded at the ease and speed with which they are able to restore their radiant health. Tina believes that maintaining balance in our diet, physical activity, and in our work and spiritual life is the key to our good health, happiness and overall well being. Visit her website, themedicinechef.com

grapefruit salad meal

Eat Well, Live Well, Age Well

Eat Well, Live Well, Age Well will be an entertaining, yet informative webinar based on my new book. I’m a nutritionist, chef, personal trainer, and wellness educator who shows people of all ages how to understand and embrace aging with strategies that help each of us live life to the fullest as we move on in years.

This is a very timely topic, whether we are that aging person, or a youngster entering professions that will have an increased responsibility to cater to a nationwide demographic of an aging population.

Eat Well, Live Well, Age Well conveys that there is no such thing as anti-aging… while growing old is inevitable and should be embraced, all of us can make every day of our lives wonderful through lifestyle habits that work. Living well is the only way to survive and endure aging.

Eat Well, Live Well, Age Well, will teach you that physically, emotionally, and professionally, we all have room to learn and grow. By following the simple concepts outlined in this session you can dramatically reduce the stresses that contribute to energy drain and premature aging.

Eat Well, Live Well, Age Well poses the questions we all have about aging, with practical solutions to follow. What we usually take to be negative aspects of aging will be accompanied and countered by strategies to live well. Fun tips and informative solutions for combating age related issues will be provided.

Eat Well, Live Well, Age Well looks into scientific research that is showing promising results to stave off the ill effects of a diminishing body through food choices, medical intervention, lifestyle and emotional behaviors.  With a positive attitude about aging, and understanding what is going on with you, you can dramatically improve the quality of your life. Mental attitude and how you see yourself today, will play a huge role in keeping you feeling youthful and vibrant in all your days to come.

Join me for this webinar! Click here to register.


Patricia Greenberg, The Fitness Gourmet has 30 years of experience as a Nutritionist, Chef, and Wellness educator. Patricia holds a BS in Nutrition and Food Science from Queens College, NYC, a Culinary Arts Degree, from Le Cordon Bleu in Scottsdale, AZ, and is an ACE Certified Trainer, with a sub-specialties in Sports Nutrition and Senior Fitness. She is also certified as a Dementia Friends Seminar educator through Alzheimer’s LA. She is the author of four books, “The Whole Soy Cookbook”, “Soy Desserts”, “Scrumptious Sandwiches, Salads, and Snacks”, and, “Eat Well, Live Well, Age Well!” She is a regular guest expert on both national television and radio programs, which over the years, has had an impact on the lives and health of thousands of people.

healthy meal1640770

How Should You Eat During Lockdown?

Has anyone else heard the call of their refrigerator nonstop during lockdown? It’s bad enough that we can’t go to the gym anymore and can wear stretchy loungewear all day, but to have access to your own fridge 24/7? It will be truly impressive if anyone can come out of this without having put on weight… 

Luckily, there are a few simple tricks to try to keep the unhealthy cravings at bay throughout isolation and preserve both your figure and your overall well being. Here’s what to consider the next time you reach for that Sub-Zero handle:

Avoid Snacking

When we’re bored, we naturally gravitate towards eating. It’s something to do that gives a hit of instant gratification and we’re all guilty of eating when we’re not hungry from time to time. Snacks are the worst because it’s hard to know when to stop and before we know it we’ve polished off that bag of Doritos and two tubs of Ben & Jerry’s. Oops.

We’re not saying no snacks are allowed, but instead of letting yourself go wild in the snack cupboard, try cutting back to one morning snack and one afternoon snack and leave it at that. If you simply must nibble on something every hour, opt for healthy choices like raw almonds or dried fruit. Sounds boring, but you’ll get the hang of it if you stick with it.

Stop Eating Lots of Sugar

If there’s one silent but deadly culprit hiding in just about everything packaged, it’s sugar. You already know it’s bad, but how bad? Let’s put it this way: Sugar can damage your heart, add unwanted belly fat, it’s toxic to your liver, bad for your brain, and is linked to cancer. That’s just the tip of the iceberg. If you haven’t ever thought about your thrice-daily desserts before, quarantine is actually a great time to do a little research and rethink what you’re putting into your body. You are what you eat! And we don’t mean sweet. 

Don’t Overdo It on Carbs

Carbs will quickly make you put on weight, so it makes sense to cut back during this period where you’re not as active. Of course, your body needs some carbs, but you definitely don’t need a doughnut with breakfast and a roll with dinner. 

Here’s an easy swap: instead of bringing out the tortilla or potato chips to scoop into hummus, exchange them for some crisp raw chopped cucumber, carrot sticks, or red pepper slices. You may not be a fan of the veggies uncooked on their own, but with the hummus it’s actually really tasty. You’ll feel more energized after this snack as well. A win-win.

Don’t Forget About Fruit and Veg

The best way to boost your immunity? Eat lots of food with natural color. We’re talking ripe red strawberries, dark blue blueberries, leafy green spinach; the works. You can also get lots of Vitamin C from oranges or a morning glass of natural OJ. You want to get as many nutrients in as possible to help your body out during this period where we are all particularly susceptible to illness. Natural, healthy nourishment is always a good idea. 

Skip Deep-Fried, Processed Foods

Fried foods like French fries may be a go-to treat for many, but they should, for the most part, be avoided during lockdown. Although it’s tasty, junk food is really bad for your brain as it spikes your sugar levels, but doesn’t provide any real nutrition. We all know they’re not good for us and just because we have a creeping feeling of despair over being locked indoors all the time does not mean that we should indulge in all of the most unhealthy foods. Trust us, it won’t make things better. 

Don’t Make Every Hour Happy Hour

The home bar may always be open, but that doesn’t mean drinking a glass of wine for breakfast everyday is acceptable. Drinking every day is not only terrible on your body – liver, skin, immune system, it’s also bad for your mental health. Plus, alcohol is made from sugar or starch, so you are drinking many calories without even realizing it. It’s ok, it’s not too late; just put down the glass and walk away slowly…

It’s not easy to eat healthy all the time, but if you avoid these toxic habits, you’ll feel a lot better overall during quarantine. Good luck and stay safe and healthy!


Rae Steinbach is a graduate of Tufts University with a combined International Relations and Chinese degree. After spending time living and working abroad in China, she returned to NYC to pursue her career and continue curating quality content. Rae is passionate about travel, food, and writing for Yummie.

 

 

Picture courtesy of Pexels.

healthy-food-and-exercise

Save the Date: Virtual Global Employee Health and Fitness Month is May 1-31

Virtual Global Employee Health and Fitness Month (GEHFM) 2021 Initiative is ready to go – all we need is you! us and show your support for an active healthy world! It has never been easier or more important to keep moving, set goals and create sustainable change in your health and well-being. IGNITE and National Association for Health and Fitness amazing step-by-step toolkits provide outstanding guidance, ideas and tangible examples to ensure success for each participant. Be sure to share your #GEHFM activities and experiences on social media and engage with other participants.

snack-break

Food, Anxiety & Athletes: A Troublesome Trio

As I write this column, the date is April 10th, 2020, three weeks into the coronavirus shut-down here in Boston. I continue to counsel clients from my virtual office. I am talking with gym rats and athletes alike who are stuck at home, hating what they see when staring at themselves during Zoom meet-ups, and are spending too much time fighting with food (Do I eat? Don’t I eat? Am I hungry—or just bored?). They are feeling anxious and self-critical.

When life feels out of control, athletes commonly end up trying to control other things, such as food, exercise, and weight. Some may be striving to chisel themselves into a perfect body (no excess body fat) and eat a perfect diet (no fun foods). Unfortunately, the same dedication and discipline that help them be top athletes are the same traits that foster eating disorders. For example, perfectionism is common to both athletes and people with anorexia. How else could figure skaters or gymnasts rise to the elite level without demanding perfection from themselves?

Yes, discipline, dedication, and perfectionism are driving forces that help good athletes become great. But genetics is fundamental, as is adequate­—but not necessarily perfect—fueling. That is, eating a cookie will not contaminate an athlete’s health nor ruin one’s ability to perform well.

If you are relentlessly pushing yourself hard right now out of fear of getting fat and losing fitness, please consider being gentler on yourself. This is a difficult time for many folks. Little is wrong with a bit of comfort food in the midst of chaos and crisis. Perhaps you can allow yourself to be “bad” and do something out of character, like bake cookies and enjoy some for an afternoon snack. Giving yourself permission to enjoy some comfort food is normal, assuming you also have other coping skills, such as writing in a journal and relaxing yourself with yoga.

When food has power over you

If you are spending too much time trying not to eat (Fill in the blank) ____ (cookies, cheese, ice cream, chips?) because you can’t eat just one serving, think again. Depriving yourself of your favorite foods makes them even more enticing. They can needlessly become too powerful. To take the power away from a “binge food,” you need to eat it more often. (Trust me!) Here’s the analogy:

Pretend you are caring for a four-year-old boy. You take him into a room filled with toys and tell him he can play with all of the toys except for the green truck. You leave the room and then look through the two-way mirror. What is he playing with? The green truck, of course! The same analogy holds true with food.

If you give yourself permission to eat, let’s say, some Oreos every day, after a few days, you’ll either have little interest in yet-another Oreo (because other foods actually make you feel better) or you will be able to eat just one Oreo; it will no longer have power over you. Yes, to gain control over foods that have power over you, you have to allow the food back into your life and eat it more often. Be curious; give it a try.

When the mirror makes you feel sad

Are you spending too much time these days critically evaluating your body in the mirror? Or hating what you see in the Zoom meet-up? Please, just, stop the body-hatred talk. Few humans have a perfect body. The imperfections you see are perfectly beautiful and acceptable.

Instead of being self-critical, be grateful that you are healthy. Grateful that you have two strong legs that help you be a good runner. Grateful that you have two hands that help you row crew. Grateful that you have a body that produced healthy babies that are now your beloved children. You could even apologize to your body for having tortured it with skimpy diets and excessive exercise in your efforts to control how it looks.

Rather than focus on how your body looks, turn your attention to how your body feels throughout the day, particularly before, during and after you exercise. Does your body feel hungry? Tired? Sore? Respond appropriately to that feeling by nourishing it with food, rest, a warm bath. Daily killer workouts that feel like punishment for having excess body fat inevitably end up with the athlete being injured and depressed.

Now is a good time to practice looking in the mirror (or the Zoom screen) and saying nice things about your body, such as, “I have pretty blue eyes.” “I like my silky hair.” “I have strong legs.” You can intentionally pay less attention to the crooked teeth, frizzy hair, and “too big” tummy. Do you really think others care about that stuff?

Note: For more information on making peace with your body, visit RealFoodWholeLife.com, JessieHaggerty.com, and Julie Duffy Dilllon’s podcast Love, Food.

When mindless eating gets out of control

If you find yourself grazing on snacks incessantly throughout the day and have fears about getting fat, try scheduling regular meals and snacks. Also give yourself permission to eat enough breakfast and lunch, so that you are fully satiated. Don’t stop eating those meals just because you think you should but rather because you actually have had enough to eat. Athletes who graze all day rarely feel fully fed.

Hunger is a physiological request for fuel. Hunger does not mean “Oh no, I’m going to eat and get fat. Rather, hunger is your body’s way of saying it has burned off what you fed it and now needs more fuel. Yes, food is fuel, not the fattening enemy. Honor hunger.

Another way to bring control to your eating is to eat only when 1) you are sitting in a specific place (kitchen table?), 2) the food is on a plate, and 3) you are tasting it mindfully. (i.e. you are not standing in front of the open cupboard, wolfing down handfuls of chocolate chips.)

My hope is the above tips will help you find peace with food and your body. Enjoy food for nourishment and survive the coronavirus shut-down with sanity.


Boston-area sports nutritionist Nancy Clark, MS, RD CSSD counsels both casual and competitive athletes, helping them eat to win. The new 6th edition of her Sports Nutrition Guidebook is a best-selling resource. For more information, visit NancyClarkRD.com.

oxidative-stress

Paving the Road to Hell with Good Intentions

Going bigger is not necessarily better.

Many of us have the very best intentions with our health. We try to eat right, exercise, take supplements, make choices we deem to be healthy. However, we frequently think more is better: more restrictive with our food choices, more intense workouts, more supplements.

Let’s examine our choices from the perspective of inflammation.

What is Oxidative Stress?

Oxidative stress (OS) is an imbalance of free radicals and antioxidants in the body. Simply summarized, oxidative stress is electron thievery. Electrons are stable when coupled. Single electrons, called free radicals, scavenge the body to seek out other electrons to couple. It really is a wicked dating scene inside our cells!

Long-term oxidative stress damages the body’s cells, proteins, and DNA. OS strongly contributes to aging and is accepted to be the root of chronic conditions including diabetes, cancers, heart and vascular disease, depression, neurodegenerative disease, arthritis, Alzheimer’s, insulin resistance, IBD… more and more of our chronic issues are being linked to oxidative stress, as it can lead to chronic inflammation, to chronic illness.

Sources of Oxidative Stress

OS has both endogenous (from within) and exogenous (from our world) sources.

Endogenous: Cellular metabolism. Energy production happens in the mitochondria of our cells. Our currency or energy is ATP (adenosine triphosphate). OS is a natural by-product of ATP. When do we produce more ATP?

The body’s natural immune response can also trigger OS temporarily.

Fat cells create OS.

Exogenous: Exposures in our environment and lifestyle choices: alcohol, smoking, cell phone, EMF, environmental pollutants, many chemicals in our food and on our clothing, processed foods, sugar.

Chronic Diseases Continues to be on the Rise

Our inner antioxidant system was not designed to manage our current barrage of OS from our environment and lifestyle choices. According to the WHO, chronic disease is on the rise worldwide. Our levels of OS and chronic inflammation are also dramatically on the rise. An aging population and changes in our environment and our lifestyle choices are contributing to this steady increase. By lowering OS, we have a better chance of staving off illness.

Healthy Lifestyle?

From a perspective of inflammation, what is a healthy lifestyle?

Exercise

Bottom line: Too much exercise in terms of intensity and duration is proven to increase oxidative stress. Yes, exercise and physical activity are a necessity for every aspect of health. Exercise has been proven to lower oxidative stress, cardiovascular risk, but the mechanisms of this are still being studied.

  • It has been proven that starting “on an exercise program”, then quitting abruptly, increases OS.
  • Nutrition plus exercise is far more effective in lowering OS, than exercise alone.
  • Exercise has better control on lowering oxidative stress in people who have higher levels of CRP (inflammatory marker).
  • Exhaustive and prolonged exercise promotes the generation of ROS, depletion of antioxidants and vitamins, induces oxidative stress, renal impairment and inflammation.
  • Prolonged aerobic exercise is linked to dramatic increases in oxidative stress.
  • Less studied thus far, intense hypertrophy training (heavy weight lifting) has been shown to increase oxidative stress. Muscle mass is imperative for healthy aging; balanced training is key.

More exercise in terms of duration and intensity could lose the beneficial effects of exercise. It is very important for those engaging in stressful exercise to support their antioxidant system. Passive exercise is a liberating and invigorating addition to our lives. We can benefit from adding some range of motion and stretching, emphasize our cool-downs, Qi Gong, meditation, and passive exercise.

Nutrient Restricting Diets

Our body needs a variety of amino acids to function efficiently. Bioavailability of these amino acids varies amongst food sources. We need to eat antioxidants to counteract oxidative stress.

Let’s look at some research on a few popular diets, with respect to oxidative stress

  • Keto diet: Ketogenic diets have shown to increase inflammatory markers.
  • Paleo diet: can be good in some respects by eliminating sugar, alcohol. If not done carefully Paleo-ers have been shown to be deficient in fiber and certain minerals and vitamins, which is hurtful to gut health, and yes pro-inflammatory.
  • Vegan diets: Again, proceed with intense caution. Vegan diets tend to be very carb-heavy. Our grains are not what they used to be. Genetic modification and toxins abound, and our soil is not what it used to be as a source of minerals. Meat and dairy are rich in bioavailable amino acids, and of course, moderation is key.
  • A 2018 study showed that long term diets excessively low, or high in carbohydrates are both linked with a shorter lifespan.

There is NO utopian diet. Examine lifestyle decisions from the perspective of inflammation. The scale is not the omnipotent indicator of health. We need to examine what we are identifying as our markers of health.  Maybe our good intentions weaken our inner defenses. Be healthy and balanced. Balance is strength!


Shira Litwack has been in chronic care management and prevention for 30 years, specializing in lifestyle habits including holistic nutrition, medical fitness and oxidative stress reduction. She is frequently called upon by the media, has her own podcast bringing current research to the public.

She has created and provided oxidative stress assessments, to help clients identify potential health risks. From these, she provides guidance to lower inflammation.

 

Food-question

Sports Nutrition: Fads, Facts and Fallacies

The average American, spends 24 hours a week online. That includes many athletes who spend a lot of time surfing the Web, looking for answers to their nutrition questions. They generally find way too much conflicting information and end up more confused than ever. Hence, the goal of this article is to offer science-based answers to a few popular sports nutrition questions and share some food for thought.

Carbohydrates

We have all heard trendy comments about carbs: They’re a waste of calories, sugar is evil. Fact? No…

Are carbs a waste of calories, with little nutritional value?

The answer depends on your definition of “carbs.” Many athletes define carbs as sugar-filled baked goods and foods made with refined white flour, such as pasta, bagels, bread. In reality, carbohydrates include all types of sugars and starches. Carbs are in fruit, vegetables, beans (pinto, lima, garbanzo, etc.), grains (wheat, rice, barley, corn), and milk. These “quality carbs” add important nutrients to a sports diet.

Should athletes cut out sugar?

Sure, if that means cutting out EXCESS sugar. But if you plan is to cut out all sugar, technically speaking, you would need to stop eating any form of carbohydrate (fruit, veggies, grains), given those foods end up as sugar (glucose) in your body. That sugar fuels your muscles and brain. You’ll also need to cut out performance-enhancing sport drinks and gels.

Please judge a food based on all the nutrients that accompany the sugar, more so than just the sugar content. Some sugary foods are nutrient-rich. The natural and added sugar in chocolate milk, in combination with the milk’s protein, make chocolate milk an excellent recovery food. (The sugar refuels the muscles; the protein builds and repairs the muscles.)

If your goal is to cut out added sugar, you might want to think moderation, rather than all or nothing. US Dietary Guidelines say 10% of calories can come from added sugar. Eating a small sweet a day will not ruin your health forever.

Athletes who report a desire to cut out sugar commonly have a love-hate relationship with (too much) sugar. While they may believe sugar is addictive, a standard reason for overdosing on sugar relates to hunger. The body of a hungry athlete screams for quick energy: sugar. One way to curb sugar-cravings is to eat a satisfying protein-rich breakfast and lunch. By curbing hunger, you’ll enhance your chances of being able to choose quality carbs later in the day. Yes, eating enough breakfast can (and does) impact and improve your evening food choices. Give it a try?

Protein

Many of today’s athletes believe protein should dominate a sports diet. True? Not quite.

What percent of my calories should come from protein?

Dietary guidelines recommend 10% to 15% of daily calories should come from protein. In truth, athletes should base their protein needs on body weight, not percent of calories. The target for most athletes is about 0.5 to 0.75 grams of protein per pound of body weight (1.0-1.5 g pro/kg) per day. Athletes who restrict calories or are new to lifting weights might need a bit more protein—but most hungry athletes consume that much—plus more—within the context of daily food choices.

Can I get enough protein without protein shakes, bars and powders? Yes!

I rarely meet athletes who consume too little protein. Those who might benefit from a supplement include athletes with anorexia (who consume too little of most nutrients), dieting vegetarian athletes who fail to consume adequate plant protein within their restricted calorie budget. That is, for 125 calories, you can consume 25 grams of protein from a can of tuna but less than 4 g protein from the dollop (0.25 cup) of hummus on a salad.

Can vegan athletes perform as well as meat-eaters?

For certain, as long as they consume adequate protein, iron, calcium and B-12, among other nutrients. Not hard to do if the vegan is eating responsibly (i.e., not living on “vegan” Coke & potato chips). They might even perform better when they shift from a meat-based to plant-based diet. Plant proteins (such as beans, lentils, and hummus) offer both protein (to build and repair muscles) and carbohydrate (to fuel muscles).

To optimally fuel muscles, athletes who train about an hour a day need about 2.25 to 3.5 g carb/pound of body weight, depending on the intensity of the workout. For a 150-pound athlete, this comes to about 340 to 525 grams of carb a day (1,360 to 2,100 calories from carb). To hit that goal, starchy beans and grains should be the foundation of each meal and snack. Vegan athletes can easily hit that target, while many meat-focused or carb-avoidant athletes end up needlessly fatigued when meat/fish/chicken and salads displace starches and grains. No wonder many athletes report performing better when they switch to a vegan diet!

Fat

While fat has been shunned for years, it is now popular. Here’s what athletes want to know about dietary fat…

To lose undesired body fat, should I train my body to burn more fat?

Don’t bother! Burning fat differs from losing body fat. You might burn 800 calories doing two hours of fat-burning exercise, and then can easily replace it all by devouring a big meal. No fat loss there!

A wiser plan is to lose fat when you are sleeping (not when exercising), by eating less at dinner to create a calorie deficit for the day. That way, you can surround your workouts with fuel, and optimize your ability to train well. Weight is more of a calorie-game than a fat-burning game.

What about the high-fat keto diet for losing weight?

Keto advocates often rave they can lose weight without feeling hunger. True, a high fat diet is very satiating. But what happens after the diet? I’ve heard stories of keto dieters succumbing to carb-binges and rapid weight regain. My recommendation: Embark only on a food plan you want to maintain for the rest of your life. Meeting with a sports registered dietitian can help you learn effective weight management skills.

What about a keto diet for endurance athletes?

Some ultra-runners and ultra-athletes embrace a keto diet. By burning fat for fuel, they can eat less during long events and experience less intestinal distress. More research is needed on keto-athletes who have fat-adapted for several months (many studies are for less than one month): Can they perform better than carb-eaters? Current research suggests keto athletes might perform as well as carb eaters—but not better than. That’s a lot of dietary restriction for questionable performance benefits. That said, each athlete is an experiment of one and no one diet suits everyone.


Sports Nutritionist Nancy Clark, MS, RD counsels both casual and competitive athletes at her private practice in the Boston-area. Her best-selling Sports Nutrition Guidebook answers most nutrition questions and can help you eat to win. Visit NancyClarkRD.com for more information.