Nutrient Density - Science for Your Stomach!

Those of you keeping an eye on my career change from editor to nutritionist will be happy to hear that I'm really enjoying my first nutrition class (especially after an entire semester of just science and math courses!). I'm starting to think that a class like this should be required of everyone, maybe before graduating from high school and being released into the real world where you have to cook your own meals (or choose your own food in a dining hall).

Anyway, like I said, I'm excited about learning all of this great stuff and figuring out if I know as much as I thought I did. I came across this bit in my text book the other day and it makes so much sense that I want to share it:

"To eat well without overeating, select nutrient-dense foods - that is, foods that deliver the most nutrients for the least food energy... Just as a financially responsible person pays for rent, food, clothes, and tuition on a limited budget, healthy people obtain iron, calcium, and all the other essential nutrients on a limited energy (calorie) allowance. Success depends on getting many nutrients for each calorie "dollar." For example, a can of cola and a handful of grapes may both provide about the same number of calories, but the grapes deliver many more nutrients." -Understanding Nutrition, 12th Edition by Whitney and Rolfes

When I read this I couldn't help but think of those 100-calorie snack packs. I've always had an issue with them and this is basically why: sure there is 100 calories worth of food in each tiny bag. But you can extract 100 calories from just about anything and put it into a bag; that doesn't make it healthy. I don't suggest that people who use these as a substitute for junk food go back to the full size. They do serve a purpose in that way, just not a nutritional one.

If you're counting calories to try to lose weight, keep in mind what those calories are providing you - if the answer is either "nothing" or "oils and fats and refined white flour" maybe you want to reconsider your plan. Sure, you might shed some pounds by cutting calories dramatically while only eating junk (like this nutrition professor did when he went on a twinkie diet) but you'd be doing yourself more harm than good. Think nutrient density instead and opt for a piece of fruit, low-fat yogurt, handful of almonds, glass of vegetable juice, carrot sticks with hummus, whole-grain cereal bar, sweet potato chips... you get the picture!

Motivation Station

I’ve been thinking a lot recently about motivation. What does it take to get a person to eat right, to be active, to take the extra steps to live a healthier life? For some, it’s signing up for a race so that you  have something to work towards. For others, it’s the desire to fit into an outfit or bathing suit by a particular date or season.  Everyone has different motivators and as an aspiring nutritionist/encourager of active lifestyles, I’m always curious to hear about them. Who knows, maybe what made one person get up and get going could work just as well for someone else!

Here is one person’s story about how one word was all it took for him to make a change… 

"Andy" works for a mid-sized company that decided to implement a wellness program. If an employee signed up, their monthly health insurance rates would be lowered. All they had to do in return was weigh-in at a computerized scale once a week and make it clear that they were putting forth effort to improve overall health by either keeping a food log, taking stress-reduction seminars, quitting smoking, etc.

One of the features of the computerized scale was that it had your height programmed in so would give you your BMI each time it recorded your weight. Andy, who is in his mid-twenties and is of slightly above-average height, hadn’t paid much attention in the past to eating healthy. He’d always gotten away with getting his iced coffees with cream and sugar and eating pasta with sausage as an average meal. He didn’t appear to his coworkers as especially overweight, which is why it came to quite a surprise to him (and them, when he shared the information) that he wasn’t overweight; he was obese.

Every week he would sit down on the scale at work and every week the computer would tell him that he was obese. Seeing this word each week made Andy decide to make a change. He started ordering his iced coffees with milk; first whole milk, then eventually skim. Vegetables started to make an appearance in his pasta dishes. And, probably most importantly for him, he started running and going to the gym regularly. One year later he’s lost 30 pounds, ran a 5K with his co-workers, and is always on the look out for new ways to keep active.*

I think it’s important to remember that when hear about the “obesity epidemic,” it’s not always referring to people who might appear extremely overweight. There are reasons to motivate yourself into the healthy range besides outward appearance. Sure, Andy looks fit, but he also reduced his risk of chronic disease and lowered his blood pressure in the process.

What motivates you? What would it take for you to make a lifestyle change? 

Want to calculate your BMI? Try these sites:

http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/

http://www.bodyshapingtips.com/images/BMI-Chart.png

*special thanks to "Andy" for letting me share his story!

Be Active, Be Nice

I've been feeling less than active lately, mostly due to the fact that there is snow, ice, and/or puddles basically everywhere I turn and I'm not sure I have the energy to run and dodge nature's obstacles. I don't belong to a gym because during the summer I workout outside so much that a year-long membership just doesn't make sense. But this week I finally decided I needed a gym - there are only so many pay-as-you-go yoga classes that you can go to before you start to itch for a treadmill (and believe me, I never thought I'd itch for a treadmill).

Luckily for me, I discovered that one of the schools that I am taking classes at this semester happens to have a nice workout center, complete with lap pool, and I happen to get free admission. Sure it might be a fluke since I'm not a full time student, but I'm not questioning their willingness to give me free fitness. So anyway today I headed to the treadmills... and walked right past them to the indoor track! What's better, running in place on a machine, or running around in very small circles? At the moment I'm leaning towards the small circles since I can adjust my speed more organically and there is less chance of injury (yes I have accidentally stepped onto a treadmill that was already on and no it is not a fun experience).

After thirty minutes of running in circles I felt great. I had gotten some exercise, wasn't freezing cold, and could come here whenever I want for the next several months! Happy day. So I'm changing in the locker room and overhear some female undergrads (both wearing the uniform of black Northface jacket and Uggs) chatting with each other:

"OMG, did you see how crowded it was?"
"Yeah, but like, it's only because the semester just started. They'll all be gone by next week."
"You're totally right."
::smiles all around::

I know it's annoying to have to wait for a machine at the gym or to not get your favorite locker because someone else's stuff is in it. But when you look around at what's happening in our country with people eating junk and leading sedentary lifestyles, shouldn't we all be celebrating when there are more people exercising? Let's figure out what we can do to make them keep coming rather than waiting for the day when they've given up so that you can get the elliptical closest to the TV when Jersey Shore is on.

The Universal Language of Food+Drink

I live in New England and this winter we've gotten dumped on several times by big snow storms. I drive an old German car that requires me to put heavy things in the trunk if I want to have any hope of going somewhere when it's slippery. So I don't get real excited about all of the wet white stuff, especially if I have anywhere to be. Sometimes it seems like driving my car is a two person sport and here I am, a team of one.

There's where today's story comes in! Last week we had a huge Noreaster that left about 18 inches of snow in its wake. Combine that with the snow that the plows repeatedly cast off onto my car's passenger side and the snow that a snowblower piled onto the driver's side from the sidewalk... let's just say it was harder than usual to get at my car:

So after that storm I cleared it off a bit, but found alternate ways to get where I needed to be. And then I left town, and left the snow to solidify for days. Today it started raining ice, so I decided it would be a great time to free my car from the grasps of its snow cocoon and move it to a place where I'd have a fighting chance of leaving from tomorrow morning when I actually will need to use it. After only a couple of minutes of attempting to rock it out after not shoveling enough around it, a man who was shoveling the sidewalks at the apartment building across the street came over and started to help me. This in itself is extremely rare based on my other getting-stuck experiences in this region. So obviously I wanted to talk to him about it and thank him, but it soon became clear that we faced an unfortunate language barrier.

After he helped me with the shoveling, he stuck around to help push me out of the spot (here's where the two person team comes in handy). I was extremely grateful, and wanted to convey that to him. I knew that he'd still be outside for at least a few minutes in the cold since he wasn't done with the walkway, so I ran up to my apartment and made him a cup of hot chocolate. When he looked up at me through the freezing rain and saw the steaming cup in my hands, a huge smile spread across his face. And that, my friends, is today's story of how food (or in this case drink) helped me show gratitude and put a smile on a stranger's face.

When it comes to cheating, how often is too often?

No, I’m not talking about personal relationships here. I’m not even talking about that strict low carb, low fat diet that you swore you’d adhere to this year. What I’m referring to is just general healthy eating, drinking, and being active. Sure, we all sneak away every once in awhile and eat something we know is bad or go for too long without exercising. But how much is too much?

Sadly I don’t have a cut and dry answer for this one. That would just be too easy! If I could wave a magic wand and say, “you can eat junk twice a month and once a month you can go for a 7-day stretch without being active” that would become your routine and we all know that cheating is more fun when it feels forbidden.

To me, it all has to do with the reasoning behind it and the recognition that you’re doing it. Someone very close to me recently said that she is a “stress eater.” I share her tendencies and would be surprised to find many people who don’t want to eat more when they feel stressed out. Food tends to equal comfort. Yes, this can be extremely harmful if you don’t recognize it (or if you recognize it but continue to do it on a regular basis). But if you know that you’re a stress eater, and now and again feel that life would improve 98% if only you had some…[fill in the blank], then I say go ahead! 

Just make sure that once you’ve indulged and life is looking up, you go grocery shopping and stock up on the healthy stuff. And while you’re at it, why not walk to and from the grocery store or stop at the gym on your way? Chances are the fresh air and physical activity will improve your outlook on life even more than the food did.

***Full Disclosure***

I am starting a nutrition class tomorrow and I’m a little nervous that they’ll ask us what we ate for dinner today as part of the discussion.  I suppose this blog entry is my justification for the fact that, if I’m honest, I’ll have to answer “a packet of ramen and a PBR.” But I do have a big smile on my face because of it!

Packed my Snack Tonight, Preflight

Traveling can be hard when you're trying to eat right and be active - several hours of sitting still with limited or no access to healthy food? No thanks! Now, I have yet to contact airport officials regarding my idea for an adult 'play area' in airports fully equipped with mats for sit ups, stretching, and yoga, but the food thing can indeed be taken care of with a little bit of planning. If you follow a few simple tips you'll end up saving money, being one of the most satisfied passengers on the plane/train/bus, and you'll be less likely to overindulge in unhealthy convenience food when you finally get to your destination.

1. Pack lots of snacks
You never know when your train will stop halfway between Boston and Albany for several hours with no explanation (spring, 2002) your 2-hour flight will become 5 when you have to land for a medical emergency (winter, 2010) or you'll miss your connecting flight forcing you to take an unexpected 3-hour bus ride (basically whenever I fly through Chicago). Better to be prepared than starving - and you can always save any uneaten snacks for the return flight.

2. Bring them from home
Some airports are getting wise to the fact that travelers want healthy options and are providing restaurants and kiosks with alternatives to fast food - at prices around double what you'd pay in your local supermarket.

3. Make sure you've got a variety of nutrients
Yes, nuts make a good high-protein snack. But they are high in fat and overindulging in them can cause stomach stress. Sure, fruit is great! But even 5 apples and bananas won't keep you full. There's a reason they call variety the spice of life!

Here's what I packed today for my flight from Boston to Raleigh:

Carrots and celery with a wedge of laughing cow cheese, Primal Strips Thai Peanut flavored vegan jerky, Chocolate Dipped Coconut Luna Bar (new flavor, absolutely delicious). Total price: less than $5. Total calories: approximately 300. Nutritional perks: veggies, protein, calcium, fiber... the list goes on!

Lunch Bunch with Elmo

I can still remember how the sight of the salisbury steak at my elementary school cafeteria would make my stomach turn. It had grill marks on it, the kind where it's pretty obvious it never actually rested on a grill, with miscellaneous brown sauce on the side. And I could be wrong, but I'm fairly certain it was accompanied by a side of french fries. Of course not all school lunches were that unappetizing and unhealthy, but I just can't shake that particular memory. However, soon kids will have healthy (well at least healthier) lunches, thanks to the recent bill passed by the white house called the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. And what better beloved character to get kids excited about eating nutritious meals at school than ELMO! Here, he talks to Sam, the white house chef:

I love how he uses he tells Sam he doesn't like vegetables - because he loves them! Here's hoping that kids will start to get used to eating healthy at a young age, leading to fewer health problems and more fun being active.

Great Run! Now What Should I Eat?

To some people the answer to that question may be: whatever is in the house! But you’ve probably heard somewhere – whether in an article, from a coach, a product advertisement, or just via word of mouth – that you should consume protein after your workout. Most athletes I know accept this as a general rule, but why how much do you really need, and what foods will give you the protein you need, but keep the calories low?

How Much is Right for Me?

According to livestrong.com, The Journal of Nutrition recommends 0.2 to 0.4 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight when you’re done with your workout. Let’s break that down so it’s a bit easier to understand:

120 lbs = 11-22g

130 lbs = 12-24g

140 lbs = 13-26g

150 lbs = 14-27g

160 lbs = 15-29g

170 lbs = 15-31g

180 lbs = 16-33g

190 lbs = 17-34g

200 lbs = 18-36g

210 lbs = 19-38g

220 lbs = 20-40g

230 lbs = 21-42g

240 lbs = 22-43g

How Much Protein is In…

So how are you going to get in this protein? Part of what you eat will undoubtedly depend on the time of day. Here are some common foods with their grams of protein so that you can decide for yourself what’s right for you when you get done with your workout:

Breakfast Foods:

Egg, large: 6 grams of protein

Milk, one cup: 8 grams of protein

Peanut butter, 2 tablespoons: 8 grams of protein

English muffin: 6 grams of protein

Lunch/Dinner Foods:

Chicken breast, 3.5 oz: 30 grams of protein

Tuna, 6 oz can: 40 grams of protein

Tofu, ½ cup: 20 grams of protein

Beans, ½ cup: 7-10 grams of protein

Snacks:

Almonds, ¼ cup: 8 grams of protein

Clif® Builder Bar: 20 grams of protein

Clif® Shot Roks: 20 grams of protein

Luna® Protein: 12 grams of protein

Special K® Protein Shake: 10 grams of protein

Muscle Milk® Ready-to-Drink: 25 grams of protein

Run in the morning? Try an English muffin with two poached eggs (and don’t forget to throw on some tomato or avocado slices to make it extra delicious and nutritious). Swim during your lunch break? Try a pita sandwich with grilled chicken breast, hummus, cucumber, and sprouts. Hit the gym after work? A Luna® Protein bar or Clif® Builder Bar will help rebuild your muscles if dinner won’t be ready for longer than an hour. More of a nighttime athlete? A half a cup of tart frozen yogurt (available at various places around Boston such as Berryline, Chill, and Red Mango or in your local grocery store) is low in calories and packs 9 grams of protein – top it with some sliced almonds and fruit and you’re good to go!