Top 10 Eating Tips for Very Active People

10. Primarily anaerobic and/or vegetarian athletes may be more likely to benefit from creatine supplementation

9. Steer clear of packaged snacky foods; focus on fruits, veggies and lean protein for snacks

8.  Limit or avoid alcoholic beverages

7. To limit fat and excess weight gain, consistently sleep at least 7 hours each night

6. Loose weight and fat by timing the majority of high-GI carbohydrate before and after workouts; whole grains, fruits, and non-starchy veggies the rest of the time

5.  Gain lean weight by slowly increasing healthy high-fat snacks (e.g. nuts) and including a high protein snack before bed (cottage cheese w/ berries, lean meat, and low-fat cheese are all good choices)

4.  Plan effective high-carb, moderate protein and low-fat pre-game meals

3.  Minimize eating out and fast-food

2.  Drink water and other flavored low-calorie beverages early and often

1. EAT a low-fat, high-carbohydrate with protein (4:1 ratio) snack after weightlifting

Smaller Snacks, Bigger Bellies?

Despite a new food guide pyramid, 2010 Dietary Guidelines, and an explosion of weight loss products, there is no sign of obesity relief.  Americans are trading value-based “super-sized” portions for mini versions of junk-food favorites.  But are dwarfed Chips Ahoy and Oreo Cookies really the answer? 

Ask Rita Coelho Do Vale and her crew at Tilburg University in the Netherlands—you’ll probably get a big and giant “NO!”  This research group asked “does having access to several little bags of snacks really make a weight-conscious person able to control his or her intake better?”  In order to find out, the researchers first made half of the participants “weight-conscious” by weighing them in front of a mirror—sounds like fun, right?  Anyway, the other half didn’t have to do this part.  After that the both groups of volunteers were plopped in front of a TV and asked to “rate advertising.”  While watching TV, participants had access to many small packages of chips (like 100 calorie packs) and two large bags of chips.

The people who did not get weighed, and were not prepped to be weight conscious, ate the same amount of chips, independent of whether they chose to eat from the small or large bags.  The participants subjected to the sadistic weighing protocol ate significantly more chips if they chose to start munching on the nine small bags, instead of two large bags.

But what does it all mean?  Essentially, the study results suggest that people who are weight conscious and have access to many tiny portions may be tempted to overeat. Several 100 calorie packs will quickly add up to the same amount of Calorie damage as an ice cream sundae, with only a fraction of the satisfaction.  Does this mean that manufacturers of mini cookie bites are pure evil?  Probably not.  As I told my disgruntled students yesterday in class, 100 Calorie packs aren’t a healthful choice—they are about 100% refined carbohydrates (added sugars and processed grains), and the new 2010 Dietary Guidelines explicitly recommend that we avoid these types of food.  But they there may be a way to include 100 calorie packs without overdoing it if you really enjoy them. 

How can someone include these types of foods in a reasonable way?  Most importantly, do not go for the variety packs, which include an assortment of treats in one package.  Having several small portions of a variety of junk foods is disastrous for the same reasons as belt-busting buffets.  Variety is the spice of life; unfortunately, junk-food variety is a nutrition nightmare.  Research, dating as far back as the 70s and 80s, shows that increased food variety also adds up to more overall calorie intake.  In 1981 Barbara Rolls and pals showed that different sandwich fillings caused people to eat more sandwiches—even boring food will be eaten in excess if there is a lot of variety and easy access.  As such, if you choose to buy 100 calorie packs, go for only one kind of treat.  Also, keep the foods stashed away in the cupboards.  Out of sight…   

Reaching Resolutions—Can it be done?

By: Jean Gutierrez, PhD, RD, CSCS

Every year, millions of people carefully construct New Year's resolutions designed to improve health, fitness or looks. Gyms are full, trainers are busy, and people are motivated to reach their goals. What are the keys to keeping January momentum going all year long?

1. Prioritize

Decide what is most important to you and make it a priority in your life. For example, if working out regularly will be a priority for you, think about what you may need to do to make it possible to exercise on a daily basis. For example, you may need to give up a prime time show in order to make morning workouts a viable option. For some people, the lunch hour may be the only possible time to be active. Find a consistent chunk of time that you can aside every day, and don't let ANYTHING trivial get in the way of your priority for that slot of time.

2. Set attainable and specific goals.

For instance, "I will loose 20 pounds in January" is not realistic. In this case, even if you manage to loose ten or 15 pounds, you may feel like you have failed. Do NOT set yourself up for failure. It is much better to make behavioral goals that will lead to weight loss. For example "I will exercise for 30 minutes 5 days per week and increase this amount by 15 minutes each month until I reach 75 minutes per day" is a reasonable and likely attainable goal that may help you to loose weight over time. But in any case, you’ve definitely established a healthful habit!

Also, make goals specific, for example "I will eat more fruits and vegetables" is too vague. A goal such as "I will eat 3 cups of fruit and 3 cups of vegetables each day" is an attainable and specific goal. You will know at the end of each day if you have succeeded!

3. Do not try to change everything overnight.

It takes a long time (years) to really change habits. Work on a little bit at a time to move in the direction of better health and a healthy weight. Remember, if you simply exercise for 30 minutes each day, you are still doing more than the majority of Americans and making an improved version of yourself! Remember, taking the stairs, parking farther away, etc. all count as activity! Start there!

4. Plan for rest days and your favorite "junk" foods.

Though "I will work out 7 days a week and eat no ice cream the whole year" may sound like a specific, attainable goal, it is mentally fatiguing to be overly-restrictive. Better goals may be "I will only eat out 1 time each week" and the exercise goal stated above.

5. Find a friend

If you have someone counting on you for support, you will be supported also. We all have down days, and having another person to help you get to the gym or eat right on those days will make a difference. If you have a significant other, try to change your habits together-- you'll both live a happier, longer life!

6. Monitor your progress

How do you know if you've reached your goals each day? You can keep a training journal or food journal-- these will both help. I use little monthly calendars that I hang on the fridge. I make my three specific, attainable goals and then check off each day if I made them.

You can make healthful changes that last throughout the year and for a lifetime. Remember to make specific, attainable goals that are a priority in your daily life!

Exercise Activity Log

I was perusing around the internet for an activity log to show one of my nutrition classes today. I was a little disappointed by the options. Some logs are great for people who are just starting to exercise, but it's difficult to find a log for the advanced exerciser who may be using ACSM or NSCA general guidelines (rather than accumulating "x" number of minute/steps per day). On this log, I left out stretching, since static stretching is a bit controversial. I also didn't include warm-up or cool down components, but it is important to do both. I had a bit of trouble making a log that isn't overly complicated, but also has room for specific exercise/reps/sets. Please comment if you have any suggestions for modifications to this log or know of another good exercise log for the advanced exerciser!

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE ACTIVITY LOG IN PDF FORM!

Fill Up on Fiber—Fight Fat?

Taking in loads of dietary fibers, which are found in natural foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grain cereals reduces the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.¹ As an added bonus, epidemiologic studies provide evidence that high dietary fiber intake prevents obesity and is inversely related to body weight. For instance, one study of 2909 participants (CARDIA) looked at the relationship between dietary fiber intake and weight gain over ten years.¹ Participants with fiber intakes in the highest 1/5 of the study group had body weights that were significantly lower than those in the lowest 1/5 of fiber intake. Liu et al.² used data from The Nurses Health Study, a study of 74,091 nurses over time, to show that women who increased dietary fiber the most gained about 3.3lb fewer pounds than women with the smallest fiber increase over 12 years. Increasing dietary fiber intake may allow an individual to maintain his or her weight over time.

In 2009, Tucker and Thomas reported the effect of women’s dietary fiber intake on weight gain and fat gain over 20 months, while controlling for factors like age, body weight, fat intake, energy intake and physical activity³. The women were asked to keep a 7–day weighed food record at the beginning of the study and after 20 weeks. The investigators determined that for every 1g decrease of dietary fiber intake (per 1000 kcal) per day, the women gained about 0.5lb (P=0.0061) and increased their body fat by about 0.25% (P=0.0052). On the other hand for every 1g (per 1000 kcal) of increased fiber consumption, the women lost about 0.5lb. When the weight changes were analyzed while controlling for overall energy intake, the association between a decrease in fiber intake and weight gain weakened, but was still significant. The change in body fat % was not ssignificant after controlling for overall energy intake.

Lean and Obese People

The modulation of weight by fiber intake may be dependent upon the initial size of participants. In the 12 year evaluation of the Nurses Health Study, as conducted by Liu et al.², a 14g daily increase of daily fiber intake was associated with a reduction in weight gain of about 7.7lb over 12 years, on average. If the women were overweight at baseline, the reduction of weight gain was greater than in participants who were lean to begin with. In essence, high fiber intake may protect overweight participants from becoming obese. In fact, the risk of developing obesity was decreased by 50% for the women who increased their fiber intake to the highest 1/5 of the group.

In an analysis of 12 intervention studies Howarth et al.⁴ reported that an increase in dietary fiber intake of 14g/day is associated with a 4.2lb weight loss over 3.8 months. Furthermore, participants that were initially obese benefited from weight loss that was three times that of lean participants. These studies suggest that increasing dietary fiber, in addition to emphasis on Calorie intake and macronutrient composition may be very important an overweight or obese person tried to lose weight. Also, feeding kids a diet with sufficient dietary fiber may help to prevent excessive weight gain.^5,6

Functional (Supplemental) Vs. Dietary Fibers

Though fiber supplements are marketed as a healthful addition to weight-loss diets, does the evidence support that fiber supplements will yield the same benefits observed for long-term dietary fiber intake? Unfortunately, the research has not been thorough enough to examine whether fiber supplements are as good as mixed dietary sources of fiber. And as research of fiber intake and LDL lipids ("bad" cholesterol) has suggested, different sources of dietary fiber have differential effects in the human body.⁶ Therefore, the association between each type of supplemental fiber and weight loss would have to be examined before definitive conclusions may be made about fiber supplement and weight loss. On the other hand, some reviews suggestthat fiber supplement in the amount of 6-7g/day may aid weight loss efforts in combination with a hypocaloric diet.^7,8

How Does Fiber Work?

Many mechanisms have been suggested for how dietary fiber aids in weight management, including promoting satiation, decreasing absorption of calories, and altering secretion of gastrointestinal hormones, including ghrelin and CCK. Some researcher think that fiber helps with weight loss mostly through energy displacement (fiber bulk replaces foods with more calories in the diet), since the impacts of fiber intake on weight loss are much less when energy intake is controlled for statistically.

Conclusion

There is convincing evidence to suggest that increasing dietary fiber will reduce overall energy intake and promote weight loss or weight maintenance in overweight and obese individuals. Some studies show greater weight loss for people who receive a fiber supplement in combination with a low calorie diet^7,8—the bulk of added fiber may make it easier for someone to follow a lower Calorie diet plan. The best approach is probably to eat a diet high in natural fibers from primarily fruits, vegetable, legumes and whole grains and maybe add a daily fiber supplement in the amount of 7-14g/day. Experimentally, oat bran, inulin, psyllium and guar gum may be good supplemental fiber choices.

References

1. Ludwig DS, Pereira MA, Kroenke CH, Hilner JE, Van Horn L, Slattery ML, Jacobs DR Jr. Dietary fiber, weight gain and cardiovascular disease risk factors in young adults. JAMA. 1999;282:1539-1546.
2. Liu S, Willet WC, Manson JE, Hu FB, Rosner B, Colditz G. Relation between changes in intakes of dietary fiber and grain products and changes in weight and development of obesity among middle aged women. Am J Clin Nutr. 2003;78:920-927.
3. Tucker & Thomas. Increasing Total Fiber Intake Reduces Risk of Weight and Fat Gains in Women. J Nutrition, 2009; 139:1-6.
4. Howarth NC, Saltzman E, Roberts SB. Dietary fiber and weight regulation. Nutr Rev 2001;59:129-139.
5. Kimm SY. The role of dietary fiber in the development and treatment of childhood obesity. Pediatrics, 1995;96:1010-1014.
6. Erkkilä AT & Lichtenstein AH. Fiber and Cardiovascular Disease Risk: How Strong Is the Evidence? The Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, 2006;21:3-8.
7. Editorial. Dietary Fiber and Control of Body Weight. Nutrition Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases, 2007;17:1-5.
8. Slavin JL. Dietary fiber and body weight. Nutrition, 2005;21:411-418.

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