It can be hard not to overeat. You eat a healthy meal at home, think you’re doing well, then you head out (to almost any destination) and are surrounded by junk food. You get hungry, and pretty soon you’re at the local burger joint, diet forgotten.
— Read on blog.myfitnesspal.com/6-appetite-control-strategies-that-helped-me-stop-overeating/
By Cynthia Sass
Whether you earn your living working up a sweat, or squeeze in workouts when you can, it’s easy to fall prey to eating errors that unintentionally hold you back from getting the most out of your workouts. Here are five common missteps I see, and how to correct them to reap the rewards of your hard work.
Eating Too Little Fat Despite my recommendations to include good fats at every meal, like avocado, nuts, seeds and coconut oil, some of my clients remain fat phobic, and will scale back, fearing that fat is “fattening.” But the truth is, getting enough fat is a smart strategy for both sports nutrition and weight control, because fat: delays stomach emptying, so you feel fuller longer; increases satiety, to shut off hunger hormones; boosts antioxidant absorption, which in emerging research is related to leanness; and ups metabolic rate, to help you burn more calories. In fact, fat is one of the most vital nutrients in your diet, because it’s a structural part of your cells, which means you can’t heal a cell or construct a new one without enough fat to perform these important jobs. Cutting back too much can result in fatigue, chronic hunger, or a lack of satiety, irritability, depression, a weaker immune system and an increased injury risk. So even if you’re trying to reduce your body fat percentage, don’t be afraid to add almond butter to a smoothie, top your salad with avocado, and sauté your veggies in extra virgin olive oil. Filling the fat gap can be the key to finally seeing results.
Using A Sports Drink When You Really Don’t Need One If you sweat heavily, work out for more than 90 minutes, or exercise in hot, humid conditions, reaching for a sports drink rather than plain water is a smart way to keep hydrated, stay fueled and replace the electrolytes lost in sweat. But if you’re exercising for less than an hour and a half, in a climate-controlled gym, plain water should be fine. The carbs in sports drinks are designed to keep you going when you can’t stop to eat, but if your muscles don’t need the fuel, just one 20 ounce bottle means consuming a surplus 35 grams of sugar, the amount in about 20 gummy bears. And while unsweetened coconut water is a little lower, an 11-ounce jug still contains 15 grams of potentially unneeded carbs.
Not Eating After A Workout Because You’re Afraid To “Eat Back” What You’ve Burned While it’s true that overcompensating for a workout by eating too much can prevent you from shrinking your fat cells, striking the right balance is key. Working out takes a toll on your body, and having the right raw materials to heal and repair the wear and tear is important for seeing results. In other words, it’s not just the training itself, but the healing from the training, that mends muscles, boosts metabolism and makes you more toned and fit. So while a good hard workout isn’t a license to sit down to a big plate of pasta, or eat dessert every night, you should be eating something afterwards, with a goal of delivering the nutrients your body needs to properly recover.
Only Eating Protein Post Workout While protein is a key recovery nutrient, it’s only one piece of the puzzle. In addition to a lean protein source, like a smart phone-sized portion of fish or chicken or a scoop of lentils, you should aim for plenty of produce (to replenish nutrients and supply antioxidants), a healthy fat source (which also helps muscles heal and optimizes circulation), a small serving of a whole grain, like wild rice or quinoa (to replete glycogen, the carbohydrate stored in muscle tissue, which serves as a primary fuel source during exercise) and of course fluid, preferably good old H2O (to rehydrate). If you exercise after work, a great post-workout recovery dinner would be a stir-fry made with chicken, shrimp or organic tofu, along with a variety of colorful veggies, over a small portion of whole grain rice, topped with sliced almonds or black sesame seeds. For a simple aromatic stir-fry sauce, that’s not loaded with sugar, whisk together a few tablespoons of brown rice vinegar, with a splash of fresh squeezed citrus juice (like tangerine or blood orange), and a dash each of fresh grated ginger, minced garlic and crushed red pepper.
Doubling Up On Recovery Meals For my pro athlete clients, I highly recommend eating something like an all natural bar or shake within 30 minutes of the end of a game or a tough training session whenever possible, because starting the recovery process within a half hour has been shown to help maximize healing. But employing this strategy if you’re not a pro can wind up working against you. For example, if you munch on a bar or grab a smoothie on the way out of the gym, then go home and eat dinner, you may be in recovery overkill. While it might not register as a meal, a bar with 30 grams of carbohydrate, 5 grams of fat, and 10 grams of protein is like eating a small turkey sandwich with mayo. And a smoothie can be the equivalent of three to four handfuls of fruit, plus a container of yogurt. Downing these “snacks” just an hour or so before eating a regular dinner, can mean giving your body far more than it needs for recovery, which results in feeding your fat cells, rather than shrinking them. If you’re going to be eating a meal with an hour of leaving the gym, skip the bar and shake. And if it’s going to be a little longer, munch on something like almonds, which supply some protein, good fat and nutrients, to tie you over.
Burpee Equivalents: Understanding Junk Food in terms of Your Favorite Exercise
by Dr. Jeff Godin, Ph.D., CSCS, & Spartan Coach
Occasionally we slip up with our diets and sneak in some junk calories. When we do, we have to pay the price…In Burpees! At Spartan Coaching HQ we have been conducting research to quantify energy expenditure during the Burpee exercise. Here is what we found:
|
|
Calories (kcals) |
burpees for 130lb individual |
burpees for 180lb individual |
|
1 large French Fries |
500 |
524 |
349 |
|
1 IPA beer |
195 |
204 |
136 |
|
1 Slice of Dominos Peperoni Pizza |
260 |
272 |
182 |
|
1 8 ounce Ted’s Bison Cheesburger |
730 |
765 |
510 |
|
1 scoop of Ben Jerry’s Cookie Dough ice cream |
270 |
283 |
189 |
|
1 12” Roast beef sub from Subway |
970 |
1016 |
677 |
|
1 Cola soft drink |
200 |
210 |
140 |
|
1 Fried Calamari Appetizer |
700 |
733 |
489 |
|
1 Plain Bagel |
320 |
335 |
223 |
|
1 Slice of Cheescake |
1000 |
1048 |
698 |
|
1 Egg McMuffin Sandwich |
300 |
314 |
210 |
|
1 Cadbury Creme Egg |
59 |
62 |
41 |
Some foods that we think are healthy can be sneaky little diet wreckers. University of Pittsburgh nutritionist Leslie Bonci, MPH, RD, shares a few of these “food frauds,” starting with Caesar salad. Just a small bowl has 300-400 calories and 30 grams of fat, thanks to loads of dressing.
Food Fix: Use only 1 Tbs. dressing and 2 Tbs. tangy, Parmesan cheese.
That “healthy” berry blend at a smoothie shop can have a whopping 80 grams of sugar, 350 calories or more, little protein, and often no fresh fruit. Fruit “concentrates” are often used instead of fresh fruit. And sorbet, ice cream, and sweeteners can make these no better than a milkshake.
Food Fix: Get the “small” cup. Ask for fresh fruit, low-fat yogurt, milk, or protein powder to blend in protein and good nutrition.
By Vanessa Rodriguez For Active.com
Although we know good nutrition is crucial for training, shelling out those extra few dollars for healthier groceries can be painful. These practical tips can help you meet the needs of both your budget and your body.
1. Establish your priorities. How important is good nutrition to you? Answering this question honestly can help you determine how much money you are willing to invest in your food. It’s difficult to spend money on things we don’t prioritize. Once we decide that our nutrition is something we want to invest in, it’s easier to make the following changes.
2. Plan and prepare. When it comes to food, saving money always means investing more time in planning and preparation. Yes, we love the convenience of food on-the-go. But eliminating them from your grocery runs can instantly slash our expenses. Be prepared to start washing, chopping, storing, and freezing. Sit down and plan your meals out for the entire week. Make a grocery list and stick to it.
3. Invest in a freezer. If you have the space, this can save you major dollars in the long term. Buy good meat in bulk. Buy entire animals if you can. Get fruits and vegetables in large quantities when they are in season (and therefore the cheapest), then freeze them for use throughout the year.
4. Invest in a nutrition or cooking class. Get a few friends together for a group session to save money. Pay for just a few consultations or classes to cover the basics. Learn to read food labels and get a grocery store tour (be careful when attending free tours—they are usually sponsored by a company with a vested interest in what you buy, so you won’t always be getting completely transparent information).
Spending money on a nutritionist may initially seem counterproductive, but there’s nothing worse than finding out that you’ve been spending all your money on food you thought was healthy, but really wasn’t. Many labels like natural, raw, and whole wheat are not regulated and can be used to sell products at a higher price. A nutritionist can teach you how to determine which foods live up to their labels and which are just clever marketing.
5. Sit down for meals. You’ll be amazed at how much more you eat when you’re on the run. Make time for meals. Sit at an actual table. You generally eat less if you eat with others, plus you are more likely to enjoy your food.
6. Pay more but eat less. Buy higher quality foods but pay attention to your portions. It’s important to accomplish this without feeling hungry, which is very possible by eating the right foods. Fruits and vegetables contain significant amounts of water and are therefore more filling. Whole grains are more satisfying than white flour-based products. In the end you feel full by eating less.
7. Choose your battles. You don’t have to buy everything organic. Pick and choose according to your means, but keep in mind that there are certain foods with higher pesticide loads (and therefore better bought organic). You can find a list of these foods here.
8. Get to know your food community. Most cities have some sort of resource for getting fresh food at a good price. It could be a community garden, a food box program, or a farmer’s market. A little bit of research into your local options can go a long way.
9. Remember that any change is good change. Don’t get discouraged. Your body is the greatest asset you own. Eating well may take up more of your time, but it can also help you live longer and feel happier. You’re stuck with your body for life; how you prioritize your food is ultimately your choice.
Vanessa Rodriguez is the former nutrition editor for Active.com. She is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist and an avid ultra-distance trail runner.
I found this article and recipe by Marni Sumbal and I thought I would share it on my site. As an endurance athlete I find it very hard to keep from eating everything in site after long workouts. These habits and this recipe will help not over indulge from the post workout cravings. Like any recipe you can make modifications to better suit your taste or for what is in your cabinet. I replaced the tofu with grilled chicken, the wild rice with plain brown rice, and I left out the nutty dip. Other than that I kept everything the same. I hope you guys enjoy the tips and feel free to add a comment on how you modified the recipe or if you liked it.
Two strategies that I find very effective for a healthy balance in athletes and fitness enthusiasts are:
For the first point — you will see my recipe below which could be titled either “rice bowl with veggies” or, for more nutritional value and nutrient density, “veggie bowl with rice.” I find this very effective for individuals who struggle with portions, have trouble making healthy changes in the diet (to be long-lasting) or struggle with giving up (or eliminating) favorite foods. This makes it much easier to make slow, gradual changes by introducing more healthful items (like veggies) but not completely give-up some of your favorites.
As we all know, habits can be changed. Learning new behaviors doesn’t happen quickly so by making a few swaps you may find yourself gravitating to a new style of eating. I also find this a fantastic tip for all those who have considered an off-limit food list to change body composition. When working with athletes I coach, we say no food is off-limits but we always address how that food makes us feel and how it helps us reach our goals, which leads me to my second point.
This is for those who struggle with second portions, deciding what to have for a meal or snack or struggling with cravings for that after-meal/mid-day sugary treat. This one is simple to suggest but often a struggle at first to implement. Before every meal or snack, ask yourself how that food will make you feel when you eat. You should strive to feel better after you eat than before you started. I find this very useful for individuals who eat a meal but always need that extra something after a meal. I certainly find nothing wrong with a nice small piece of dark chocolate but for those who always have ice cream after dinner or can’t stop after one bowl of cereal or 2 pieces of bread, just ask yourself: “How will this food make me feel when I am done?”
Like I said it sounds very simple but this can make the difference of eating 1/2 cookie and feeling very satisfied with your small portion of a treat after dinner versus having 2 cups of ice cream with chocolate syrup, granola and a few berries on top.
I hope you enjoy my latest creation. It is inspired by the rice bowl at Moe’s Southwest Grill. If these vegetables are not your favorite, feel free to swap in veggies that you enjoy most.
Veggie Bowl with Rice
Nearly everyone has the desire to be more healthy. No big secret that one of the principle elements to this is how you eat. Eat better, and you’ll feel better. Feel better, and you’ll be more on top of it. Be more on top of it, and you’ll perform better at work. Perform better at work, and you’ll succeed more. This isn’t rocket science folks…which leads us to the first point….
1) Don’t treat eating better like it’s rocket science. KISS: Keep It Simple Stupid. Stay away from complex diet plans. Eat simple quality. Avoid elaborate calorie counts, carb counts, special meal timings, etc., as all make staying on course difficult.
2) No Franken-foods. Author Michael Pollan put it best with a few simple adages: “Don’t eat anything that your great-great-grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food,” and “Is it food, or is it food-like?” Go deeper with Pollan’s easy guide Food Rules http://michaelpollan.com/books/food-rules/
3) Eat Only Ethical Meat, And Eat Less Of It. Corn-fed beef is like “fine Corinthian leather,” in that it’s an attribute manufactured by an ethically-challenged marketer. Corinthian leather, was a term that was both meaningless and harmless. In the case of corn-fed beef, it is neither. Actual cows were designed by mother nature to eat grass, not corn, and have to be pumped full of antibiotics to keep them alive on such an unnatural corn-based diet. The factory-based system of meat production has countless other challenges. Eat only naturally-raised, grass fed/grass finished beef, and other “ethical meats.”
4) Give up soda. Start today. All soda, including energy drinks. Not just that bad HFCS stuff, but also the stuff that contains the ‘natural’ sugars and sweeteners. Diet stuff too. Quick, before you tell yourself you can’t, resolve to chuck it, and chuck it now. Cold turkey. You are stronger than it, and you know it. So prove it. So, now where to get the caffeine? For some, black coffee is love at first sight. For others, it’s an acquired taste. So acquire it already. Or, go for alternatives that many folks feel are superior for you and the environment, specifically teas, or my preference yerba maté. With any of the above, treat yourself to quality. Don’t sweeten it. In just a few days, you’ll acquire the taste and enjoy it for the rest of your (now longer) life. Do NOT replace your soda with nearly-equally-iffy substitutes like flavored waters, and pre-sweetened bottled coffee/teas/mate.
Will Hayes Fitness of Charlotte, NC 