3 Summer Nutrition Goals for Offseason Athletes

During the summer, athletes can go from having a hectic, crazy-busy schedule, to having more time off and less hours spent training. Summer is a great time to relax and recover from a hard year of training, but it is also a great time for athletes to pay closer attention to their diets, getting into a routine of healthy eating that will stick with them throughout the rest of the year.

1. Enjoy different foods by eating seasonally

Summertime fruits and vegetables are readily available at your local farmer's market, and they taste even better when they're in season.

Shopping at the farmer's market is also a great way to branch out and try a new vegetable this summer - pick out a new vegetable, find a recipe utilizing that recipe and make it! The offseason is the best time to do this, because you have more time to branch out and try new foods and recipes.

Athletes tend to fall into habits, eating the same foods during the season day in and day out, so it's important to add some variety to your diet while you can, trying out some new recipes you can fall back on when you're busier during the season.

2. Get in a habit of "food prepping"

One of the biggest complains busy athletes have is that they just don't have enough time to eat healthy throughout the week. Doing some "food prep" one or two days a week is one of the best ways to always have healthy meal and snack options on hand. Take one day to gather ingredients at the grocery store and a few hours to wash and cut vegetables, make grains, cook proteins, and bake will leave you with plenty of healthy options to make meals throughout the week.

Check out this beginner's food prep guide by Lindsay at The Lean Green Bean.

3. Set an off-season body composition goal: maintain, lose, or gain weight without sacrificing performance.

Summer is the off-season for many athletes, so many use this time as a vacation from their training and their  normal healthy diets, leaving them feeling a little sluggish and/or heavy once training starts up again.

The off-season should be a time for rest and recovery, but it's also a good time to make body composition goals without sacrificing training. Even those who just want to maintain weight shouldn't use the summer as an excuse to eat whatever they want, as a decrease in activity and an increase in food can result in unwanted weight gain.

Follow these offseason fueling tips for maintaining weight or making body composition changes, such as adding lean mass or losing weight, during the summer:

Maintaining weight

• Less activity in the summer means you don't need as many calories or carbohydrates during this summer to reduce weight gain:
• Reduce carbohydrates on off days, and eat a higher carbohydrate diet on high intensity days. 
• Decrease portion sizes, especially from desserts, fast foods, creamy sauces and salad dressings
• Hydrate with water instead of juice or sports drinks

Weight Gain

• Gaining 0.5 to 1 pound per week is a realistic goal.
• You add lean mass by increasing calories and providing an adequate training load, meaning you should have a plan to strength train throughout the summer.
• Eat often throughout the day (every 2-3 hours)
• Add calorie-dense foods, such as nuts, trail mix, peanut butter, granola, olive oil, avocado, full fat dairy and include beverages with calories, such as milk during meals to add calories to your day.

Weight loss

• Losing 1-2 pounds per week is a realistic goal.
• Including protein-rich foods (20-30 grams per meal through lean meat, eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, beans) is a good way to stay satisfied throughout the day and maintain lean muscle mass
• Avoid refined carbohydrates and sugary drinks like sports drinks, soda and juice
• Don't skip meals to cut calories - instead, front load your diet by eating a substantial breakfast, lunch and snacks during the day when you're most active vs. limiting calories during the day. You may get over-hungry by the end of the day and end up eating more at night than if you stayed satisfied by fueling yourself throughout the day. 

Meeting with a dietitian can help you meet your body composition goals, make a plan for during the season, brainstorm food prep ideas, and perform better during the season. 

Make an appointment to speak with a Sports Dietitian today by calling the Sanford Sports Science Institute Dietitian at 605-312-7878

Read More

The Nutrition Facts Label Got a Makeover: Check Out What's New!

Have you every looked at the Nutrition Facts Label on a product and scratched your head over what it listed as a serving?

For example, who listed a serving of ice cream as ONLY half a cup? Why are there more than one servings listed in a seemingly "snack sized" bag of chips, soda, or granola bar, when a person would likely open the package and eat it all at once?

Those numbers are about to change, as the FDA just finalized the new Nutrition Facts Label, giving a makeover to the 20-year-old Nutrition Facts Label design.

The Sanford Sports Nutrition Blog previously wrote about the proposed new food label when it was developed in 2014, but now the label is finalized, and most food manufacturers will have until July 2018 to switch over to the new label.

Updates to the New Label

• The calorie count is bigger, and the serving size will be in bold.
• The serving size is changing reflects a serving that Americans are actually eating (Again, have you actually ever measured out 1/2 a cup of ice cream? Or drank only 1/2 of a bottle of a beverage that says it contains 2 servings?)
• Added sugars will be added to the label, which shows how much sugar is added to the food during processing (versus sugar found naturally in fruit and dairy products).
• "Calories from Fat" will be eliminated, as more people need to be focusing on the types of fats they're consuming, not just the amount. (Focus more on healthy fats, avoiding trans fats). 
• Different daily value percentages for sodium, fiber, and vitamin D to reflect the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines amounts. 
• Actual amounts of vitamins (versus the old label that only listed percentages) and changes to WHICH vitamins are listed. Vitamin D and Potassium are now listed (instead of Vitamin C and Vitamin A) because the majority of people aren't getting enough of those key nutrients. 

U.S. Food and Drug Administration

In addition, foods that contain between 1-2 servings, or could be eaten up in one sitting (such as a whole bag of microwave popcorn or a pint of ice cream...) will have a dual column label to show the nutrition for one serving and for the whole package.

Old label (Left) vs. New Label (Right)
The Food and Drug Administration

The Nutrition Facts Label is important for active people and athletes, and this "Athlete's Guide to the Nutrition Facts Label" goes through what you should be looking for on the label. The new design should make healthy eating a little easier by being able to choose between comparable products with different nutrition.

Note: As a dietitian who works with athletes, I am excited to see the "Added Sugars" on the label. Many athletes need a diet rich in carbohydrates, but sometimes they're relying on that quick energy from sports bars and drinks to fuel their training and performance, and get stuck in the habit of eating those high-sugar foods all the time, when they should be eating more vegetables, fruits and whole grains and lean protein to fuel themselves outside of training. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015-2020 have emphasized how much sugar Americans are eating, including sugar in seemingly "healthy" foods like whole grain cereals or yogurts. This added part of the new label makes it easier to compare packaged products and choose more nutritious options!

What do you think of the new label?

Read More

Training Talk - 3 Things Runners Need to Know About Carbs

One of the biggest nutrition topics runners ask about is CARBOHYDRATES.

• Why do we need them?
• When should I eat them?
• When should I not eat them?
• Which carbohydrates will make me fat?
• Which carbohydrates are good?
• Should I try a low carb diet? 

This article is going to delve into why runners need carbohydrates, why runners need carbs on the run and which ones are best, and why it might be beneficial to train without food some of the time.

Despite the fact that all athletes' nutritional needs are different, most runners need to follow a diet that is high carbohydrate for the best training and racing results. I work with athletes all the time to help them determine how to fuel their bodies with enough carbohydrates, protein and fat from real food without overdoing it. 

While most athletes can (and should) focus on carbohydrates for the majority of their calories, it is important to stress the fact that as an athlete, you are an experiment of one - you get to decide what diet, training schedule, and recovery methods work for you. For example, there is plenty of anecdotal evidence that a high fat/low carb diet may work for some endurance or ultra-endurance athletes, but here I am making the recommendations for a higher carbohydrate diet for runners, based on the fact that your muscles' preferred fuel source is carbohydrates/glucose. This can be a controversial subject in the endurance world, but this article will delve into why we need carbohydrates most of the time, but how going without carbs may help boost performance. 

1. Daily Carbohydrate Needs

There is a huge emphasis for runners to get lots of carbs in their diets to help them run. Honestly, carbohydrate intake is sometimes overemphasized. Carbs before running, during running, after running, all day after a run - runners often neglect protein and healthy fats. That is not to say carbs aren't important! Carbohydrates from food are stored in the body as muscle and liver glycogen, which is used as fuel during exercise. At low intensities, a greater amount of fat is used as energy (though carbohydrates are always being used), but as exercise intensity increases from low to moderate/high intensity, the use of fat as fuel decreases and carbohydrates are used as the primary fuel source. Well-trained muscles can store even more glycogen, which is good news for endurance athletes who need that energy at mile 20 and beyond.

Fueling an endurance athlete through training and racing requires about 2.5-4.5 grams per pound of body weight, or 55-65% total diet from carbohydrate (compared to 2.5-3.0 grams/pound for moderate exercisers and more than 4.5 grams/pound for ultra endurance athletes).

Many athletes like to "bookend" their training with those carbohydrates, which is the time our bodies need the carbs the most.

• eat breakfast sometimes* (granola bar, cereal with milk, oatmeal, a banana with peanut butter, toast)
• fuel with carbohydrates during long runs sometimes* (Gu, gels, chomps, candy, etc.),
• refuel with a mix of carbs and protein post-workout 

Don't neglect those carbohydrates right after a workout - whether it's a post-workout snack or a full meal that contains carbohydrates and protein, this meal is important for recovery so athletes can accomplish their goals at their next workout. 

*Keep reading for "train low" techniques to try on long, slow training runs. 

2. The Science of Mid-Run Carbs

Once a workout goes over 90 minutes, glycogen/stored carbohydrates can get drained, especially for a moderate to hard intensity, prolonged workout. Eating some sort of carbohydrates on a run will help athletes to spare their glycogen stores, keep blood glucose from dropping, and can help replenish glycogen stores before the next training session, therefore helping you perform better on training runs and at races. 

During a training run or competition, aim for 40-60 grams of carbohydrate per hour (120-240 calories/hour) after that first hour of running. Most carbohydrate energy products (Gu's, gels, chomps, etc.) contain different types of sugars, so it is important to practice with many different types of carbohydrate fuels during training to experiment with how your body will respond to the different fuels. 

Some people may bring regular candy on their training runs, like gummy bears, but those pre-made carbohydrate products are usually formulated with electrolytes and also mix different types of sugars, allowing the body to absorb more carbohydrates per hour (more than 60 grams per hour).

Many carbohydrate products on the market contain maltodextrin (a very quickly and easily-digested carbohydrate) AND a different type of sugar (simple sugars like glucose and fructose). Anything above what the body can absorb and use may cause gastrointestinal distress, so it's important to practice fueling during training runs. I recommend practicing with many different types of carbohydrate fuels (solid, liquid, gels, different brands) to see how your body responds to them. 

Check the label for this GU energy gel, containing maltodextrin and fructose for sugars + electrolytes at about 100 calories , 23 grams of carbohydrates. 

Salted Watermelon Gu

INGREDIENTS: Maltodextrin, Water, Fructose, Leucine, Sea Salt, Citric Acid, Natural Flavor, Potassium Citrate, Sodium Citrate, Calcium Carbonate, Valine, Green Tea (Leaf) Extract (Contains Caffeine), Gellan Gum, Isoleucine, Sunflower Oil, Sodium Benzoate (Preservative), Potassium Sorbate (Preservative).

3. Try Training Low, Some of the Time

As mentioned above, carbohydrates stored in the muscles and liver, in addition to any carbohydrates eaten on the run help runners keep their energy levels high, prevent blood sugar from dropping, and help replenish glycogen levels for speedier recovery. This is especially true as intensity increases - when runners are pushing the pace or climbing a hill (anything at a higher intensity), they're burning carbohydrates. Having full glycogen stores and eating carbohydrates on runs over 90 minutes helps to delay fatigue and "hitting the wall" by sparing the glycogen stores from getting depleted. Once glycogen stores are depleted, fat becomes the primary source of fuel for exercise.

Endurance training increases the body's ability to oxidize fat, which in theory can help runners prolong endurance exercise without depleting their glycogen stores. It is more difficult for our bodies to use fat for energy, and if given the choice, muscles prefer carbohydrates to use for energy, but many athletes want to be able to burn more fat, to run longer in training and races without taking fuel with them or without "hitting the wall." Being able to burn more fat means being able to tap into the nearly limitless fat reservers (50,000 to 60,000 calories of triglycerides stored in your body, compared to only ~2,000 calories of total body glycogen stored). In fact, some recent studies have looked into "training low," or restricting carbohydrates for workouts. The research right now isn't strong enough to say that eating a high fat diet benefits performance, and in fact, repeatedly performing with low glycogen stores have been shown to decrease endurance, especially at high intensities.

So, train low or no? It's not so black and white!

Regardless, of research, athletes can use the "train low" strategies to train their bodies to use fat more efficiently on runs.

They can to include some fasted workouts into their training schedule (not more than 50% of runs!) to promote training adaptations and work their fat metabolism versus training each and every time with carbohydrates. According to Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook, runners can try training with lower glycogen levels when they have a lower-intensity workout and keep themselves fueled for any high-intensity workouts.

Athletes can try eating a normal (higher carb) dinner the night before a long, slow training run, and wake up and run before breakfast, just taking water with them on a their runs. Most runners have enough energy to run at least 90 minutes, but may have to build up to running without fuel if they are used to usually running after eating. Athletes can also try training more than once a day, with that second training session being a low glycogen workout. Make sure to refuel right away after a workout to promote muscle recovery and glycogen storage.

Remember: Everyone is different!

These strategies may not work for everyone, and likely will not work for every run. If someone is a very speedy marathon runner, a low carb run or diet may not fit into their training. For best results, working with a Registered Dietitian with experience working with athletes can help you decide the best strategies to help you fuel YOUR workouts. Call the Sanford Sports Science Institute to make an appointment with the Registered Dietitian at 605-312-7878!

Read more:

Training Peaks (Asker Jeukendrup) || Food Fight: High Carb or High Fat Diet For Endurance Athletes

Running On Veggies || Nutritious Recipes for Athletes

Outside Magazine || The New Science Behind Low Carb Training

The Guardian || High Carb or High Fat? The Running Diet Debate

Read More

New Year's (Or Any Time) Resolutions You Can Actually Stick To

Do you set a New Year's Resolution?

The 1st of the year is seen by many as a fresh start; a time to look forward and set a New Year's Resolution. New Year's resolutions aren't for everyone - in fact, only a small percentage of people set a new Year's Resolution, and an even smaller percentage will actually keep theirs. This time of year is often criticized or joked about for that very reason - New Year's Resolutions to lose weight, work out more, eat healthier, get stronger, walk more steps, run faster, get to the gym more, cook at home, pack your snacks, are really difficult to keep.

These resolutions are usually hard to keep because people tend to set too many goals at once and their goals are very broad! It can be really easy to go into the new year with several very broad goals in mind (usually worded something like "do this activity more" or "do this activity less") and because the wording isn't very specific, that handful of goals suddenly morphs into one big, non-specific goal, which eventually morphs into an even less specific form of whatever goals you wanted to meet, which eventually just dwindles away. Sound familiar?

As a Registered Dietitian, I think any time of year (not just the New Year!) is a good time to set a resolution, or a goal, and it's my job to help people meet their goals related to nutrition and health. We wrote about this here - instead of going into the New Year with a regular old resolution, make a SMART goal.

A SMART goal is a goal that is specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time-bound.

Specific - This is the What, How and Why. One reason those goals to "lose weight," or "get healthier" don't work is because there are no specifics on how you're going to meet those goals. It can be really easy to drop your resolution "eat healthier" if you never wrote down the specifics of what that goal meant to you - did it mean you were going to eat salad for every single meal, or give up all sweets? You need to define all the specifics of your goal to achieve it.

Measurable - How will you know you've achieved your goal? How will you measure your success?  By being able to measure a goal, you will have tangible evidence that you're working towards your goal or meeting your goals. Instead of "going to the gym more" you would set a goal to "Go to the gym 3 nights per week."

Attainable - Your goal should challenge you, but shouldn't be too out of reach that you never attain it. You should be able to write down the steps to meet your goals. I like how Heidi Greenwood wrote in her recent post: "It may be helpful to view your health goals as if you were training for a marathon.  Not literally training for a marathon, but knowing that to reach your health goals is a process that requires planning, time, and external support." You wouldn't set a goal to train for a marathon and then never run more than 3 miles during your training - you would usually follow a very detailed, specific plan that has you meeting certain milestones before being able to run the full marathon. You should do the same with every one of your goals. 

Realistic - This is the one that gets a lot of people. Don't set yourself up for failure by setting a completely out-of-reach goal. Remember, you can always set a new goal after you've met your first goal. This is especially true for those goals that might reduce certain habits - a lot of people want to "give up sweets" or "eat better", so they deprive themselves of the foods they like in an attempt to meet their goals, which ends up in failure. Be realistic with yourself and be flexible with your goal. If you've never been able to give up sweets completely, maybe try reducing your sweets intake to a couple squares of dark chocolate per day that you will really savor. Another big goal people have is to "lose weight" and they usually have big goals in mind and not a lot of patience.

Sometimes it's better for people to focus on goals that are focused more on health and fitness (for instance, lifting heavier weights or packing your lunch), which will lead to weight loss, instead of being so hard on themselves for not losing 10 lbs. in a week. A realistic goal to set is to throw away the New Year's Diet - if diets worked, there wouldn't be so many of them.

Time-bound - This means you will have a time frame for meeting your long-term goal, but also for those shorter-term goals and steps along the way. Having a time-frame helps you determine what your steps along the way should be to meet your long term goal.

Once you've written your goal, write your actions to meeting the goal.

Examples:

Eat more meatless meals by making 2 new vegetarian recipes per week.
Action: Bookmark recipes online or in a vegetarian cookbook. Make a plan to shop once a week for ingredients for new recipes.

Walk 10,000 steps every day by March 1st, 2016.
Action: Increase steps by 200 steps per day each week starting January 1st until step count reaches 10,000 steps per day.

I will eat better to fuel my training this year by substituting my usual candy bar and chips snack with a healthier option.
Action: Write out which snacks I will have for the week and pack in my bag: apples and walnuts, cheese stick and grapes, homemade trail mix, peanut butter and jelly, hardboiled egg and a pear, Greek yogurt with berries and granola, etc.

Get stronger by going to the gym 3 times per week.
Action: Find gym and get membership. Make the most of your gym time by getting a personal training plan.

Note on training plans - Fitness isn't one-size-fits-all, and the team at Sanford POWER develops training programs to help you meet your personal fitness goals. From individual to large-group training, Sanford POWER training programs can help you reduce your risk of injury, improve overall health and fitness, and increase mobility, flexibility and strength.  Call today at 605-312-7800 to find out more on training options. 

There are many goals you can set for yourself, but make sure you set a SMART goal instead of a regular old resolution to ensure you'll be able to follow through with it during the whole year. Does a whole year seem daunting to you? Write down a short-term SMART goal for the month. My smart goal this month is to take time each Sunday to go grocery shopping and prepare food (rice, sweet potatoes, cut up vegetables, hummus/dressings, salad and protein) for the week. 

Share: What goals have you set for yourself that you didn't think you would achieve? How did you achieve it? Do you have any New Year's Goals?

Read More:

Sanford Sports Nutrition || Getting SMART About New Year's Resolutions

Food and Nutrition Magazine || 5 Tips for a Guilt-Free New Year's Eve Party

U.S. News Health || Forget About the Weight, Let's Eat For Better Health

EatRight || Toss Out Fad Diets and Quick Fixes; This New Year Resolve to Develop a Healthful Lifestyle

Heidi Greenwood || How to Approach Your Health Goals in 2016

Meeting with the Sports Dietitian can help you set your own health and nutrition-related goals!

Read More

What is a reasonable vitamin D level?

The figure and table below are from Vieth (1999); one of the most widely cited articles on vitamin D. The figure shows the gradual increase in blood concentrations of 25-Hydroxyvitamin, or 25(OH)D, following the start of daily vitamin D3 supplementation of 10,000 IU/day. The table shows the average levels for people living and/or working in sun-rich environments; vitamin D3 is produced by the

Read More

How to Calculate Percentage of Weight Loss

The good Lord gave you a body that can withstand almost anything. It's your mind you have to convince.Vincent LombardiLose weight and maintain a healthy figure has become a necessity for the people of today. The modern lifestyle and unhealthy responsible for the increasing number of people are affected by obesity. People opt for different fits your lifestyle to stay healthy and fit shapes. You

Read More

How To Boost Your Immune System (All Year Long!)

We've all had those days where you can just feel a cold coming on. Eyes watering, nose running, coughing, sneezing, and feeling headache, you head over to the nearest grocery store to pick up some orange juice, soup and medicine. If you're an athlete, you might even think, "I wonder if I can still go to practice...?" or "I'll just wait for this cold medicine to kick in before I go running..."

Being sick can not only force you to take days off from school or work, but can also put a kink in your training schedule if your cold or flu lingers for days...or even weeks. If you push too hard while you're sick, you can risk even worse illness or injury.

Sometimes, you can't control getting sick, and popping vitamin C capsules probably won't help you kick a cold once you have it, but you can promote a healthier immune system throughout the year by consistently fueling your body with the foods it needs - use these 5 guidelines for more info:

1. Avoid under-eating or over-exercising

It is easy for athletes to get caught up in a training schedule, neglecting those rest days and proper nutrition. If you're not meeting your calorie needs and every single one of your workouts get your heart working at its max, your stress hormones will increase and you're going to be at risk for over-training, injury, and a weakened immune system. 

Any good training program will have rest days built in - they're there for a reason. Make your hard days hard, your easy days easy, and make sure your weight is consistent. If you start to lose more than 1 lb. per week or you're feeling weak or easily fatigued, you may not be eating enough calories to support your training. Weight loss goals are met during the off-season, so if you're trying to meet your weight loss goals during training, you may not be getting enough calories in to push your body on those hard training days. 

Not sure how many calories you need to eat to support your training or weight loss/gain goals? Call the Sanford Sports Science Institute at 605-312-7870 to schedule an appointment to get your Resting Energy Expenditure tested. 

2. Get enough sleep

A recent study showed that people with shorter sleep duration (under 6 hours per night) had an increased susceptibility to the common cold. Sleep should be an integral part of any athlete's training schedule. While you sleep, you give your muscles a chance to rest and rebuild. 

If your sleeping pattern is erratic or you're not getting at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night, you're not giving your body the rest it needs to recover. Your stress hormone cortisol increases, which can delay recovery after exercise. There is also an increase in ghrelin and decrease in leptin, two hormones that affect your hunger - in this case, by making you feel hungrier than normal. In addition, when you're sleep deprived, your immune system doesn't work as hard to fight off illness. 

The combination of delayed recovery, increased hunger (which can lead to overeating and weight gain) and decreased immune system functioning can be bad news for athletes during training. Make sure you're making sleep a priority - your sleep schedule should be considered just as important as your training schedule and your nutrition. 

3. Eat 5 or more servings of vegetables and fruits per day

...and we're not talking about potatoes, corn, or peas. You should be eating a serving of vegetables and/or fruits at each meal and snack, and the more color you have on your plate, the more immune-boosting vitamins and minerals you're getting in your diet. 

Some colorful foods you should be eating include: carrots, green leafy vegetables like spinach and kale, berries like strawberries and blueberries, citrus fruits such as oranges and grapefruit, bell peppers, sweet potatoes, winter squash and apples. Eating more fruits and vegetables increases your supply of inflammation-fighting, immune-boosting vitamins and minerals, so the more you eat, the better your body can recover after exercise or hard training. 

4. Jump-start recovery after exercise

After high intensity or long duration (>90 minute) workouts, athletes should eat a post-workout snack with 2:1 to 3:1 ratio of carbs to protein to refuel muscle glycogen (energy) and help promote muscle healing and growth. By doing this, your body can start to recover right away so you can start your next workout refueled and feeling energized. 

Good examples of this snack are chocolate milk, Greek yogurt with berries and granola, a banana with peanut butter, a peanut butter and jelly, rice with chicken and vegetables, a smoothie, etc. Make sure to eat periodically throughout the day (don't skip meals) to make sure your body has the building blocks it needs to build muscle and store carbohydrates away as glycogen to use in your next workout.

5. Give your gut some attention

You may have heard that 50-70% of your immunity comes from your stomach, so making sure your gut is healthy is vital to boosting your immune function. Check out a previous blog post on promoting good gut health for some more ideas, and include more of these foods in your diet:

Probiotics (good gut bacteria)

Yogurt or kefir with live and active cultures, probiotic supplements, kimchi, sauerkraut

Prebiotics (promote the health of good gut bacteria)

Asparagus, garlic, leeks, onions, beans, whole grains, potatoes

If you want to know more about boosting your immune system through food, call the Sanford Sports Science Institute to make a one-on-one appointment with the sports nutritionist: 605-312-7878.

You may also like:

NCAA/SCAN || Foods to Promote Immune Function

Food & Nutrition Magazine || Spices for Winter Wellness

Harvard Health || How to Boost Your Immune System 

Bazaar || 10 Foods to Eat to Avoid a Winter Cold

Read More

Tips for a Happier, Healthier Thanksgiving

Right around Thanksgiving, a million articles pop up on the news about what you should do to avoid the dreaded weight gain associated with the holidays, how you need to detox the day before and after Thanksgiving, or how to burn off all those calories from the food you ate.

There's a lot of dieting advice going around the internet these days, which can often times cloud the real reason to celebrate this time of year, to be thankful for what we have, not to burn off all those calories you're about to go eat. This doesn't mean these articles get it all wrong - Thanksgiving shouldn't be an excuse to eat ALL THE FOOD. When people overeat, they don't feel good, which is no fun when you want to enjoy your time with family and friends.

To put things into perspective, most Americans only gain about one pound during the holidays. One pound - this might make a difference in your overall health or sports performance if you're eating heavy, high fat meals plus desserts every day from November to January, resulting in greater than one pound weight gain...or if you gain one pound every year without losing that one pound during the rest of the year.

But, if you're an active individual or a competitive athlete, Thanksgiving can act as a rest day from your normal regimen, sit back, relax, enjoy being around family and friends, and enjoy some of your seasonal favorites. If that means you get a piece of pie, so be it! In fact, if you choose your foods correctly, you can enjoy some of your favorite dishes and be fueled up for a workout the next day. No detox, no diet, no restrictions.

1. Don't skip your other meals on Thanksgiving day.

By skipping meals because you assume you're going to want to eat massive quantities of food later in the day, you're setting yourself up to overeat. Instead, try to eat balanced meals (breakfast, lunch). If your Thanksgiving meal is scheduled for lunch time, a light, high-protein breakfast will help hold you over until lunch. If your meal is around dinner time, two lighter, balanced meals will prevent you from going into your meal feeling ravenous and ready to eat one of each food item.

Good options for a lighter breakfast and lunch:

Breakfast: Vegetable and egg scramble with a side of a banana with peanut butter
or 1/2 cup oatmeal with berries, cinnamon, milk and a sprinkle of walnuts
or a couple slices of nut butter toast with a banana

Lunch: Big salad made with mixed greens salad with 2 hard-boiled eggs, 1/2 cup garbanzo beans, 1 cup raw broccoli, 1 Tbsp sunflower seeds and 1 Tbsp balsamic vinaigrette
or 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt with 1/4 cup raw oatmeal, 1 Tbsp honey, 1 banana and                          sprinkle of nuts
or your favorite bowl of warm soup

2. Be aware of portions.

• The recommendation for what your plate should look like for each meal is: ~1/2 the plate is vegetables and fruit, 1/4 lean protein and 1/4 starches (grains, bread, corn, potatoes, etc.) Your plate should look like this on Thanksgiving, too. Even if the foods are "more unhealthy," at least you have the right idea on how your plate is divided. 



Source: American Heart Association Blog

• Turkey, especially the white meat, is a great source of lean protein. If you're going to have a piece of meat, keep the portion to the size of a deck of cards and move on to the other options.
• Each portion of your favorite foods can have between 150-200+ calories each: 1/2 cup mashed potatoes, 1/2 cup stuffing, 1 cup green bean casserole, 1 biscuit, 1 cup of gravy, several ounces of turkey with skin, a SMALL piece of pie...etc.
• A reasonable serving of pie is as big as the area between your fingers when you make a "peace sign" - Did you make a peace sign? How does your usual slice of pie compare? 
• Don't forget liquid calories - all those holiday drinks (punch, egg nog, hot cocoa, beer, wine, champagne, etc.) add up! Be mindful of how many drinks you're having that aren't water and try to replace some of those beverages with regular water. 

Calories shouldn't be your biggest focus, but it is always good to be aware of how much you're really eating before loading up your plate, and splitting your plate into the different sections can help you keep portions in check.  See tip 3 for tips on choosing foods. 

3. Survey all the options before loading up your plate, and only make one trip. 

This tip is included in Saint Louis University's Whitney Linsenmeyer's list of tips for enjoying the holiday without having to wear your sweatpants - Clean Eaters Can Beat Thanksgiving Food Hangover. You don't have to give up those indulgent foods you love, but by taking a smaller portion and savoring each bite, you'll really appreciate the food more.

This tip is good for anyone confronted with a buffet eating situation - it can be especially tempting to get heaping piles of a bit of everything the first time around...only to go back for seconds (or thirds) of your favorite dishes.

Instead, survey the food options - choose one serving of protein (turkey, ham, legumes, fish), grains/starches (stuffing, corn, roll, mashed potatoes), and fill the rest of your plate with vegetables (green bean casserole doesn't count as a vegetable) and some cranberry sauce.

4. Prepare healthy side dishes with a focus on vegetables.

The Harvard School of Public Health recommends that people prioritize plants, instead of focusing on meats (turkey, ham) and starches (mashed potatoes, stuffing/dressing). Even if you're a meat-lover, there are TONS of seasonal recipes for healthier, plant-based side dishes that help you break away from the traditional green bean goop and creamy mashed potatoes. Load up on the vegetables - they're high in nutrients and lower in calories.

Deep-orange foods (sweet potatoes, squash, pumpkin) are full of antioxidants and fiber, so try to incorporate those seasonal orange foods into your menu for a nutrient boost.

Ideas for plant-based dishes:

Cookie and Kate || 16 Healthy Thanksgiving Sides

Plant Eaters' Manifesto || Plant-Based Thanksgiving Recipe Ideas

5. Sweat a little!

It's a great idea to exercise for 30-60 minutes on Thanksgiving (and really, every day!) Some families make it a habit to go on a walk, throw around the football, run a Turkey Trot, the list goes on. If you can find a way to move your body and get the blood flowing, you're going to feel a lot better than if you sat around watching football and eating all day (not that there isn't room in your day for exercise, sitting, AND football!)

Do you have any favorite healthier Thanksgiving dishes? 

Want to read more about this topic?

Peeled Wellness || Tips for Healthy Thanksgiving Feasting

Real Simple || How to Build a Healthier Thanksgiving Plate

American Heart Association || Healthy Holiday Eating Guide

This time of year is a great time to get in contact with the Sanford Sports Science Institute to set up an appointment with the sports nutritionist, or check out our sports testing offerings for athletes of all ages and abilities. Call today to find out more! 606-312-7870

Read More

The Athlete's Guide to Reading a Nutrition Facts Label

Do you read the nutrition facts label on the back of food items?

Knowing how to read a nutrition facts label is important for everyone, especially athletes who want to gain a competitive edge by fueling their bodies with the best foods possible. 

Many packaged foods will have some sort of advertising on the front that often makes the food sound healthy or to appeal to the increasing number of health-conscious shoppers...but did you know those front of the package statements can often be very misleading? 

For instance, you may have read a story in the news this week about a lawsuit against General Mills for falsely advertising or being misleading in their labeling of "Cheerios Protein". 

The nutrition facts label of the higher protein cereal lists a larger serving size, and contains a significant amount of added sugar compared to the regular cereal. Consumers may think they're buying a healthy product by buying the cereal advertised as having more protein, because protein is touted to help keep us fuller for longer and build muscle...but honestly, the protein-enhanced product isn't worth the extra added sugar. You're better off having your cereal with a protein-rich cup of milk or having a side of eggs or yogurt. 

This blog is to help guide you in making healthier choices at the grocery store by reading the nutrition facts label and knowing what to look for. 

The nutrition facts label will let you know: The Serving Size, Calories, Total Fat, Saturated fat, Trans fat, Cholesterol, Sodium, Total carbohydrate, Dietary fiber, Sugars, Protein, Vitamins and minerals for the serving size indicated.

So in the example label below, 1 cup (228 g) of this food contains 250 calories, 12 grams of total fat, 30 mg of cholesterol, etc.

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Sample Nutrition Facts Label

1. Start with the serving size

The "Serving Size" tells you the amount of food you get per serving, and all the nutrition facts listed are for that amount of food.

So, as mentioned above, there are 250 calories in 1 cup of this food. The next thing you should notice is that right below the "serving size," it lists that there are 2 servings per container. If you eat the whole container, you have to multiply all the nutrition facts by 2 (or whatever the amount of servings per container are). If you eat 1.5 cups, you would multiply the nutrition facts by 1.5, and so on. This is a good time to notice what your usual portion is versus what the serving size is for that food. 

2. What all the percentages mean...

The % Daily Values (DV) listed are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. This means if the label says the food has 10% DV for fat, the serving of that food is 10% of the fat in the diet of a person eating 2,000 calories a day.

These percentages aren't always relevant to athletes who often have higher energy and nutrient needs or have different macronutrient intakes based on their individual goals. Focus less on these percentages and really understand what the actual amounts are, which nutrients you should limit and which you should

3. Look at the calories, fat, and sodium

If you multiply the portion you usually eat by the serving size indicated - how many calories, grams of fat and milligrams of sodium are in your typical serving?

Calories aren't always the most important indicator of whether a snack is healthy or not, BUT  this number can be important for determining serving size, depending on your goals. If you're trying to lose weight, you might compare two similar products and see which one has less calories for the same serving. If you are choosing a snack, calories are important because you don't want to eat a product that has a full-sized meal amount of calories at snack time. If you're trying to put on weight, you might want to choose the product that has more calories per serving. 

Reduce the amounts of these foods: 

Trans fats -  Not all fats are created equally, so it is important to choose products that have no trans fats, which are often found in processed, packaged baked goods and snack foods. These fats can promote inflammation, which is bad news for athletes who should be focusing on reducing inflammation for faster recovery. 

Sodium - The recommended daily amount of sodium (salt) is under 2000 mg per day, but many athletes spend a good amount of their day sweating out salt. Focus on choosing unprocessed foods that are low in sodium most of the time, but if you notice a food you regularly eat is higher in sodium, make sure to pay attention to the serving size. Canned vegetables and soups, bread and snack foods are some of the higher sodium foods, so make sure to read the label.

4. Increase fiber, vitamins and minerals

Dietary fiber is found in complex carbohydrates, like whole grains, vegetables and fruits. These foods help keep athletes control body weight, regulate blood sugar, and maintain body weight. Include more of these foods in your diet. Athletes should focus on getting at least 25 grams of fiber per day. 

Foods that include more vitamins and minerals will help promote good health and lower inflammation that helps athletes recover more quickly and stay healthy throughout the year.

5. Check out that ingredient list

I'm sure you've heard people say you "shouldn't eat anything you can't pronounce," but it might be worth it to focus your attention on choosing foods that, in general, have fewer ingredients. If you're choosing a pre-packaged product, it may have a preservative or ingredient that makes it more shelf-stable that you may not be able to pronounce/recognize...but that doesn't necessarily mean the food is unhealthy. The ingredients are listed in descending order by weight, which means the food contains the largest amount of the food listed first and the least amount of the ingredient listed last on the label. 

My tips for using the ingredient list to your advantage: 

Choosing a whole grain product/bread

The first ingredient of the bread/cereal/whole grain product you choose should be whole wheat flour or whole grain flour. The package may even be labeled "100% whole grain bread" - this is the bread that contains more fiber, vitamins and minerals than the white/processed breads.

Avoiding partially hydrogenated oils

If you spy the words "partially hydrogenated" on your food label, that indicates that the food item contains trans fats, which are those unhealthy inflammation-promoting fats that can raise your cholesterol. Avoid this ingredient, which is often found in baked goods, chips/snack foods, coffee creamer, margarine, fried foods (donuts, french fries), and canned cinnamon rolls/biscuits. Even if a product claims it has "No trans fat!" it can still have a small amount - check the label to make sure you're choosing foods without this ingredient. Athletes need to be focusing on reducing inflammation, and this ingredient isn't going to help you meet your goals. 

Limit added sugars

This article isn't here to tell you that all sugar is bad, but if you're buying a food that  you eat daily (yogurt, cereal, granola, snack bars, bread, crackers), you need to be aware that sugars are often added to enhance taste or color of the product (even if you wouldn't expect the food to contain sugar and even if the food doesn't taste sweet).

The sugars listed on the nutrition facts label can indicate naturally-occurring sugars (lactose in milk or yogurt, sugar found in fruit juices), in addition to added sugars (sucrose, high fructose corn syrup, honey, brown sugar, etc). You might even find sugar in things you wouldn't think have sugar, like peanut butter!

Look for added sugars by noticing where "sugar" is listed in the ingredients list - is it the first or second ingredient? Try to find a comparable product where sugar is listed later. With yogurts, you can usually choose the "plain" variety and add your own sweetener - the ingredients should just be "milk and added cultures." 

Adding berries, cinnamon and a touch of honey is a good way to sweeten plain yogurt.

It may take a bit longer at first to start reading labels, but after a while, you will know which brands and products to put in your cart. 

Related links:

NYT || Placing a Cap on Americans' Consumption of Added Sugar

K State Extension || Are All Yogurts Created Equally? Not Exactly, a Nutritionist Says...

U.S. Olympic Committee || Reading Food Labels

Hello Healthy/MyFitnessPal || Why the WHO Advises You To Reduce Sugar Consumption

Nancy Clark || Traveling Athletes and Gas Station Nutrition

More questions? Need help choosing better options at the grocery store?

Make an appointment with the Sanford sports nutritionist to discuss how to individualize your diet to meet your goals. Call 605-312-7878.

Read More

How Much Protein You REALLY Need

How much protein should I be eating every day?

This is a common question from athletes and really, protein is a huge topic in magazines, websites and newspapers. Protein has been attributed to promoting muscle growth and recovery, maintaining lean muscle mass during weight loss, reducing body fat gain in teens, and helping with blood sugar control.

With all these benefits, wouldn't it seem that more protein is better? 

Not necessarily...eating more protein won't magically make your muscles grow and you don't store the extra protein as amino acids to use later and you don't just "pee out" the extra protein you eat. Although many athletes like to focus on protein-rich foods and protein shakes/supplements, it's important to focus on building a balanced performance plate, where carbohydrates (think complex carbohydrates like whole grains, vegetables, fruit, starches) are making up the majority of your calories to fuel your muscles and protein is only ~25% of your plate. Because everyone's calorie needs are DIFFERENT, this "perfect amount" of protein is going to be different for everyone. A large male is going to need a lot more calories and a proportional increase in his protein needs compared with a lighter female.

Losing weight

You might have heard that a high protein diet helps you lose weight, but this may be because protein foods can help you feel less hungry if you're cutting calories in order to lose weight and because when you cut calories, you risk losing muscle in addition to body fat. Eating a slightly higher protein diet (~30% protein) can help you spare protein during weight loss.

Building muscle

When it comes to building muscle, you need to focus on several different components, not just protein intake.

Your strength training routine is important for muscle growth. A progressively difficult strength training routine allows your muscles to adapt to the new stressors you're putting them under by growing bigger and stronger.

You need to make sure you're meeting your weight maintenance calorie needs, plus extra calories to build muscle. 

You can estimate your maintenance calorie needs using different equations OR if you're serious about your training goals, you can get your resting energy expenditure tested. Knowing your  individual restring energy expenditure can help you individualize your performance diet by knowing exactly how many calories you SHOULD be eating during the day to support your performance.

Getting your resting energy expenditure tested is a quick and easy tool you can use to help you meet your goals.
Call the Sanford Sports Science Institute at (605) 312-7870 to make an appointment today!

 Many athletes aren't meeting their basic calorie needs to support performance or maintain weight, but may be drinking protein shakes, hoping they'll gain muscle, but that's just not how it works. You have to combine exercise and a balanced diet for muscle growth to occur. 

Protein needs based on your goals

Protein needs are slightly higher for people involved in exercise, for repairing the muscle damage from training and to build to muscle, and because in general, people who exercise have higher overall calorie needs. The recommended amount of protein for most adults (sedentary/currently not in training) is 0.8 g/kg (0.4 g/lb) body weight per day. 

This being said, most people can meet their protein needs through a real food diet and don't need extra protein or amino acid supplements. There hasn't been much research to support the claims made by supplement companies that they help you build muscle or "get lean" any better than real foods with protein.

Individual/Type of Athlete	Grams of protein per kg or lb. per day
Recreational exerciser, adult	1.1 - 1.6 g/kg (0.5-0.7 g/lb)
Endurance	1.3-1.6 g/kg (0.6-0.7 g/lb)
Strength (build muscle mass)	1.6-1.8 g/kg (0.7-0.8 g/lb)
Athlete restricting calories (weight loss)	1.8-2.0 g/kg (0.8-0.9 g/lb) *When you're cutting calories, you will lose fat, but you can also lose muscle, so protein intake is important to spare muscle protein. **The Profile weight loss plan is a personalized high protein plan that has helped many people lose weight and keep it off!

*Source: Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook 

A 130 lb. marathon running female would need between 78 and 91 grams of protein every day:

130 x 0.6 = 78 grams of protein/day

130 x 0.7 = 91 grams of protein/day

This breaks down to only about 26 grams of protein per meal, if she eats 3 meals a day (really, most people are eating pre- and/or post-workout snacks). Think about eating some protein at each meal and snack (beans, nuts, seeds, eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, cheese, fish, meat, hummus, and milk).

Example of protein in meals:

Meal	Food	Grams of protein per meal
Breakfast	2 whole eggs, scrambled 1 handful of spinach ¼ cup part-skim mozzarella 1 banana	23 g
Snack	¼ cup almonds 1 apple	7 g
Lunch	4 cups of mixed greens Chopped bell peppers 1/2 cup black beans ¼ cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas) 2 Tbsp balsamic vinaigrette	17 g
Snack	1 cup Greek yogurt 1 Tbsp honey ½ cup blueberries	22 g
Dinner	1 cup brown rice, cooked 4 oz. grilled chicken breast 1 cup steamed broccoli	40 g

Focus on balance

You can prevent muscle breakdown and maximize strength gains by optimizing your nutrition plan throughout the entire day. Instead of focusing on "protein, protein, protein," you should be providing your body with the "building blocks" it needs for muscle growth by eating a balanced meal or snack with protein and carbohydrates every 3-4 hours.You may have heard of the "window of opportunity" - eating a protein/carbohydrate-rich snack 30-60 minutes after your workout can aid in recovery and promote muscle repair.

If you're struggling in your workouts, check your carbohydrate intake - if you're cutting too many calories and carbohydrates out of your diet, your performance could suffer because you're not fueling your muscles with the carbohydrates needed to work hard.

The Forgotten R - REST

Don't forget how important REST can be in your performance plan. Without rest days, you aren't giving your body enough time to repair from your last workout. By fueling your body correctly and taking time to rest, your body will be able to recover properly and you will ultimately be able to meet your goals.

As with everything in life, meeting your goals takes time. Stray away from programs that promise quick results - you have to put in the work and the time to meet your performance goals.

You can make an appointment to get your resting energy expenditure tested or to speak with the sports nutritionist at the Sanford Sports Science Institute by calling (605) 312-7870. 

Related links:

Today's Dietitian || Athletes and Protein Intake

MyFitnessPal || Nutrition 101 - Protein

Science Daily || Protein-packed breakfast prevents body fat gain in overweight teens

Eat Right || Protein and the Athlete: How Much Do You Need?

Greatist || 31 Healthy and Portable High-Protein Snacks

Stack || The High Protein Food You're Not Eating Enough Of

Profile by Sanford || Grocery Store Picks

Read More

Pack a Snack

Snacking is a huge topic in the news and among clients (Is eating more snacks better? Should I eat between meals? Is 5 small meals better than 3 large meals?) I recommend that clients eat when they're hungry, which often includes eating several snacks throughout the day, especially if you're very active or you're an athlete. 

Packing snacks to bring to work or school is a great way to ensure you don't get stuck buying something over-priced from the school or work cafeteria or the vending machine (where the healthy pickings are slim). 

Knowing which foods to pack as a healthy snack can save you money, provide you with more nutrients and fuel your body throughout the day. This is especially true for active people and athletes, who need more calories than the "average" person. Our bodies utilize nutrients better when we spread them throughout the day and timing meals and snacks to fuel activities and help our bodies recover can improve performance. 

Comparing the Numbers

The USDA reports:

• fruit roll snacks are about 82 calories and 28 cents per portion
• bananas are about 100 calories and on average, about 18 cents per portion

Although fruit rolls/snacks and other foods of this variety can seem like a good deal because they often go on sale and may have health claims such as "100% fruit" or "An excellent source of vitamin C!", bananas and other fruits are often just as budget-friendly and contain more nutrients (that aren't necessarily advertised) to fuel your body than snack foods. 

Pre-packaged foods aren't ALWAYS a bad choice, but if you can build a more complete, nutrient-dense snack with foods from several food groups, you'll stay fuller for longer and your body will be getting more vitamins, minerals and fiber. 

The easiest way to choose a filling nutritious snack is to follow this formula:

1. Complex carbohydrates

 
Complex carbs are fruits, vegetables and whole grains. 

Common examples include: apples, bananas, carrots, whole grain crackers, whole grain bread, potatoes, brown rice, raisins, granola, whole grain cold cereal or oatmeal and legumes/beans (chickpeas, black beans, peas, etc.)

2. Protein

Protein sources are dairy foods, meat and poultry, and nuts and seeds.

Common examples include: yogurt (Greek yogurt has more protein!), milk, cheese, lunch meat, chicken, hard boiled eggs, almonds or other nuts.

How much protein do you need? You're probably getting enough, but make sure you're getting some as part of your snacks!

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends making small swaps to your normal grocery cart by looking at the foods you "always" eat each week and trying to make a swap for a more nutritious option. For example, you can swap out those fruit snacks for a piece of fruit or swap that chocolate chip fiber bar for some nuts or whole grain cereal. 

Source: National Dairy Council

Again, your snack bar (or other favorite portable snack) may be satisfying and tasty, but you should set a goal to get more variety in your diet.

Remember, eating snacks and meals with more variety, from more than one food group, is going to provide you with the most nutritional "bang for your buck" - you're going to be getting more nutrients and feel more satisfied with, for example, and apple paired with some nuts vs. if you just ate the apple by itself.

The protein and healthy fats in the nuts help hold you over for longer and the carbohydrates in the apple give your body a quick source of energy. 

10 portable snack ideas to throw in your backpack/bag/purse:

1. Almonds/mixed nuts (~1/4 cup) with an apple
2. String cheese and grapes
3. Greek yogurt with berries and 1/4 cup granola
4. Cheese and whole grain crackers
5. A cup of milk and whole grain cereal
6. Peanut butter* and celery with raisins
7. Nut butter and jelly sandwich on whole grain bread or crackers
8. 2 hard boiled eggs and an apple
9. 1/3 cup oatmeal cooked with milk and 1/2 Tbsp peanut butter
10. Beef jerky and carrots

*You can portion peanut butter into small containers if you don't want to bring the whole peanut butter jar to work/school.

Ask the Dietitian: What snacking questions do you have? What are your favorite snacks?

I love plain Greek yogurt with berries and flax seeds. If I don't want to bring a lunch bag or don't have access to a refrigerator to keep it cool, I opt for a piece of fruit and nuts or a tablespoon or 2 of peanut butter. 

Read More