Reach YOUR Peak

• Start with the serving size: You need to know the amount of the food the label is giving you information about. It’s also helpful to know how many servings are contained in a package. This is where companies can trick you. You might think a bottle of juice contains 150 calories, but if you look at the label, the bottle may contain two servings, so you’re really consuming 300 calories.
• Check calories per serving in relation to the serving size: 100 calories in a one-cup serving is a lot different than 100 calories in a one-tablespoon serving.
• Total fat: Limit this amount to 56 to 78 grams a day.
• Saturated fat: No more than 16 grams per day.
• Trans fat: Consume two or less grams per day. A product may say “0 grams of trans fat,” but there still may be .5 grams or less grams. The only way to be sure is to read the ingredients. Steer clear of foods that say “hydrogenated oil.”

• Cholesterol: Stick to less than 300 mg a day.
• Sodium: Aim to eat less than 1,500 mg of added sodium per day.
• Total carbs: Look at this number in relation to the list of ingredients. If the number is high but the ingredients include whole wheat and whole grains, it still gets the green light. On the other hand, if you see ingredients such as sugar or high fructose corn syrup, and this number is high, I’d put that product back on the shelf.
• Fiber: Women need 25 to 35 grams per day so the higher this number the better.
• Sugars: Women are urged not to exceed 25 grams of processed sugar a day. Again, check out the ingredients and if you see things like sugar, brown sugar, or corn syrup, limit these foods.
• Protein: Depending on your activity level, a woman needs between 40 and 60 grams of protein a day.
• Vitamins: Some labels list the percentage of vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, iron, etc. Aim to get 100 percent of these nutrients.
• Ingredients: This is one of the most important aspects of the label. Look for real food ingredients (you can pronounce), and avoid enriched flour, hydrogenated oils, artificial flavors and colors, and refined sugars.

• Apples with almond butter
• Veggie frittata
• Jerky
• Tuna salad on tomato (hmmm this is a good idea)
• Avocado with sunflower seeds
• Caprese salad
• Cottage cheese with berries
• Prosciutto and melon
• Lox with cream cheese
• Nuts

1. Change your view: “After I finished Boston, a reporter asked if I was going to eat whatever I wanted for the rest of the week. The truth is, I eat what I want every day, so this week won’t really be any different. I love food, but I don’t look at it as a reward for a hard workout; it’s fuel to help me run harder and recover faster.”

2. Find what works: “When I worked with the nutritionist before the New York Marathon she had me trying out all these fancy products and special sports drinks. But during the race, that stuff really upset my stomach. So now I do what works for me: I focus on eating lean protein, vegetables, and whole-grain carbs to power me through my workouts. In races I keep it simple with a regular sports drink and gels.”

3. Be flexible: “The night before races, I used to get really upset if I couldn’t have spaghetti. I worried I wouldn’t run as well if I ate something else. Once I started traveling more, I realized that eating spaghetti before every race wasn’t going to be possible. Now, I don’t stress about it; I get what I can get. The night before New York I had seared ahi tuna, which looking back might not have been the best choice, but it was delicious!”

4. Don’t obsess: “I used to be super restrictive about what I ate and watched everything I put into my mouth. Then I went the other way, and ate a little bit too much of everything. Now, I’m in a healthier place. No food is off limits — if I tell myself I can’t have something, I’m way more likely to eat the entire container than if I allow myself to just have some. So I eat healthy most of the time, but if I want dessert, or a glass of wine, I have it!”

Fast Facts

What she ate the night before Boston: Bread with butter followed by pasta with meatballs in a wine sauce topped with Parmesan cheese.

What she sips during the race: Water and watered-down Powerade

What she eats after finishing: A protein shake — to help settle her stomach and get her body into recovery mode faster.

Q: Which is better: egg whites or eggs with yolks? Is eating whole eggs really bad for my health?

A:  You can eat both, but opt for whole eggs first. Whole eggs have a long nutritional history of being good for you, then bad for you (during the low-cholesterol craze), and then good for you again. The main reason why eggs were placed in the “don’t eat” basket several decades ago was due to their high cholesterol and fat content; a large egg has 200 mg of cholesterol and 6 grams of fat. The belief was that by removing cholesterol from your diet, your cholesterol levels would go down – sounds like it makes sense, right?

Unfortunately, or fortunately, your body is much more complex than that. Over the past several decades research has revealed two important facts:

1. Eating a little more dietary cholesterol does not lead to increases in your cholesterol levels.

2. Your total cholesterol level is not as important of a risk factor for cardiovascular disease as we once thought. Considering that more than 35-percent of coronary heart disease occurs in people with low total cholesterol levels, it was crucial to find a more accurate marker (perhaps a topic for a future Ask the Diet Doctor).

While most of the buzz about eggs has focused on potential dangers of the high cholesterol content, whole eggs contain numerous nutrients that are key to good health. The yolk portion of an egg contains choline, an essential nutrient for brain health. Plus, whole eggs have an antioxidant capacity equal to that of an apple, an iconic symbol of good health, according to research published in Food Chemistry.

I recommend that you buy omega-3 eggs. The chickens that these eggs come from are fed a higher omega-3 diet and some omega-3 eggs (depending on the brand) contain up to 150 mg of the omega-3 fat DHA. This is the same healthy fat found in fish oil supplements that is essential for proper brain function and research shows may also help you lose weight.

Whole omega-3 eggs are a great addition to your diet and contain multiple essential nutrients. Enjoy them and your health will improve!

Pretty informative with some graphics!

Cool Water

Remaining hydrated is critical for our survival, and drinking water is the most effective way to do it. Water is refreshing, thirst quenching, available almost everywhere and easily portable. If you favor flavored waters, check labels to make sure they’re low-sugar or sugar-free.

Make Your Own

Create your own flavored waters by freezing small chunks of fruit in ice trays or freezer-safe containers then add them to your glass of water. You’ll have a colorful and delightful homemade healthy drink.

Be Juicy

What could be more refreshing than fresh-squeezed orange juice? With juice bars and raw foods restaurants all over the country, you can easily enjoy tasty juice blends such as orange, apple and carrot. If you juice at home, add a splash of seltzer water for fizz and fun.

Spot of Tea

If you like variety, try teas on for size. From fruity flavors to herbal blends, there are thousands of flavors of tea, and many provide additional health benefits. For extra energy, try black or green teas that are caffeinated; and white tea to a lesser extent.

Milk It

Milk is a healthy alternative to diet drinks. Low-fat milk or soy, rice, almond or hemp milks are satisfying beverages. Want something sweeter? Try vanilla flavored milks—most are sweetened with natural cane juice.

I just need to eat HEALTHIER. I’m not planning on restricting calories since I am running a ton, but I just need to remember “HEALTHY carbs….Ben&Jerry’s does not count as carbs to fuel my next run.” REMEMBER THIS

Step 1

Find a training schedule or program that is appropriate for your level of fitness. Most major marathons, such as the New York City and the Chicago marathons, offer on-line training schedules for beginners. Many local running stores offer marathon training programs at a nominal cost. Major charities offer marathon training programs. Stick to your training schedule, especially the weekly long run. Your long runs will increase gradually to 20 miles or more, depending on your training schedule. The long run is crucial to running a successful marathon and the long runs are great for weight loss.

Step 2

Eat a small meal with a mix of protein and complex carbs to fuel your body properly for the task at hand before the run. Oatmeal and an egg or peanut butter on a slice of whole grain bread are healthy choices that will fuel your run. Avoid bagels and other white flour items that are filled with empty calories.

Step 3

Eat some protein and complex carbs as soon as possible (optimally within 30 minutes of finishing your run) after a run, especially a long run. The proteins will help repair muscle tissue that naturally tears during a long run and the complex carbs will help even out your blood sugar levels. A turkey sandwich on whole grain or tofu and brown rice are two healthy choices.

Step 4

Do not think you can eat anything just because you are running. If you burn an average of 100 calories per mile run, in a 14-mile run you will have burned 1,400 calories. If you celebrate that run with a deep dish personal pizza, you will have eaten more calories than you burned. Eating lean proteins like fish or chicken and complex carbs like brown rice and wheat pasta are smarter choices.

Step 5

Remember to stay hydrated. Do not just drink water on the run, but increase your overall water intake daily. The Institute of Medicine advises that men consume roughly 3 liters (about 13 cups) of total beverages a day and women consume 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) of total beverages a day. Drink water instead of fruit juices and sodas. Reserve sugar-laden sports drinks for training runs and recovery.

Step 6

Eat multiple small meals, rather than three large meals. This will maintain your blood sugar levels and keep you feeling full. You might feel like you are more hungry and need more food as your training intensifies.

Step 7

Start to taper your training mileage two weeks prior to the marathon. The taper phase allows your body to rest before the big marathon push. When you taper your mileage, be sure to taper your caloric intake. Do not worry too much if you gain a pound or two during the taper phase.

Step 8

You do need carbs in your body for energy on race day, but do not go overboard the day before. Eat a salad with your meal and incorporate some protein, like chicken, into your pasta meal. Do not try any new foods. Stay away from creamy sauces or overly spicy foods.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/35009-lose-weight-training-marathon/#ixzz1WwVZru9f

1. Don’t weigh yourself daily! What you weigh and how much body fat you have should not be the sole criterion for judging how well you are able to perform in sports. That is, don’t think that if you get to XX percent body fat, you will run faster. For one, all techniques to measure body fat have inherent errors. (Even BodPod can underestimate percent fat by two to three percent.) Two, optimal body fat levels depend on genetics and what is optimal for your unique body. Pay more attention to how you feel and perform than to a number on the scale.

2. Protein recommendations for both endurance and strength-trained athletes range from 0.5 to 0.8 grams per pound (1.2-1.7 g/kg) body weight. For a 150-lb. athlete, this comes to about 75 to 120 g protein per day, an amount most athletes easily consume through their standard diet without the use of protein supplements or amino acid supplements. Vegetarian athletes should target ten percent more, because some plant proteins (not soy but legumes) are less well digested than animal proteins.

If you are just starting a weight-lifting program, you’ll want to target the higher protein amount. Once you have built-up your muscles, the lower end of the range is fine.  

3. Athletes in power sports need to pay attention to carbohydrates, and not just protein. That’s because strength training depletes muscle glycogen stores. You can deplete about 25 percent to 35 percent of total muscle glycogen stores during a single 30-second bout of resistance exercise.

4. Athletes who eat enough calories to support their athletic performance are unlikely to need vitamin supplements. But athletes who severely limit their food intake to lose weight (such as wrestlers, lightweight rowers, gymnasts), eliminate a food group (such as dairy, if they are lactose intolerant), or train indoors and get very little sunlight (skaters, gymnasts, swimmers) may require supplements.

5. If you are vegetarian, a blood donor, and or a woman with heavy menstrual periods, you should pay special attention to your iron intake. If you consume too little iron, you can easily become deficient and be unable to exercise energetically due to anemia. Because reversing iron deficiency can take three to six months, your best bet is to prevent anemia by regularly eating iron-rich foods (lean beef, chicken thighs, enriched breakfast cereals such as Wheaties and Total) and including in each meal a source of vitamin C (fruits, vegetables).

6. Eating before hard exercise, as opposed to exercising in a fasted state, has been shown to improve performance. If you choose to not eat before a hard workout, at least consume a sports drink (or some source of energy) during exercise. 

7. When you exercise hard for more than one hour, target 30 to 60 grams (120 to 240 calories) of carbohydrate per hour to maintain normal blood glucose levels and enhance your stamina and enjoyment of exercise. Fueling during exercise is especially important if you have not eaten a pre-exercise snack. Popular choices include gummi candy, jelly beans, dried fruits, as well as gels and sports drinks.  More research is needed to determine if choosing a sports drink with protein will enhance endurance performance.

8. For optimal recovery, an athlete who weighs about 150 pounds should target 300 to 400 calories of carbs within a half-hour after finishing a hard workout. More precisely, target 0.5-0.7 g carb/lb (1.0-1.5 g carb/kg). You then want to repeat that dose every two hours for the next four to six hours. For example, if you have done a rigorous, exhaustive morning workout and need to do another session that afternoon, you could enjoy a large banana and a vanilla yogurt as soon as tolerable post-exercise; then, two hours later, a pasta-based meal; and then, another two hours later, another snack, such as pretzels and orange juice.

9. Whether or not you urgently need to refuel depends on when you will next be exercising. While a triathlete who runs for 90 minutes in the morning needs to rapidly refuel for a three-hour cycling workout in the afternoon, the fitness exerciser who works out every other day has little need to obsess about refueling.

10. Including a little protein in the recovery meals and snacks enhances muscle repair and growth. Popular carb+protein combinations include chocolate milk, yogurt, cereal+milk, pita+hummus, beans+rice, pasta+meat sauce.

11. Muscle cramps are associated with dehydration, electrolyte deficits and fatigue. Cramps are most common in athletes who sweat profusely and are “salty sweaters.” They need more sodium than the standard recommendation of 2,400 mg/day. Losing about two pounds of sweat during a workout equates to losing about 1,000 mg sodium. (Note: eight ounces of sport drink may offer only 110 mg sodium.) Salty sweaters (as observed by a salty crust on the skin of some athletes) lose even more sodium. If that’s your case, don’t hesitate to consume salt before, during and after extended exercise. For example, enjoy broth, pretzels, cheese & crackers, pickles and other sodium-rich foods. The majority of active people can easily replace sweat losses via a normal intake of food and fluids.

Final Words of Advice

If you can make time to train, you can also make time to eat well and get the most out of your training. Optimal sports performance starts with good nutrition!

I will definitely need to try this one:

Tea is refreshing tasty and low in calories, but you might be surprised to know that you can add protein to it and have it still taste great! I’ve got a great chai tea complete with tasty protein.

For this recipe, brew your tea as you normally would, but fill your glass or mug only until it’s half full.

In a separate bowl or container, mix ½ a scoop of vanilla protein powder with anywhere from a ¼ to a full cup of water. Pour that mix into the chai tea, sprinkle some cinnamon on top, and then relax!

Chai tea with protein powder is one of the fastest and easiest ways to boost your protein intake for the day without adding any fat or carb calories.

Protein Chai Tea

• ½ glass, cup, or mug of chai tea
• ¼ -1 cup water mixed with ½ scoop vanilla protein powder
• cinnamon