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At a Glance—
Nutrition and Physical Activities
ACS Recommendations for Nutrition and Physical Activity for Cancer Prevention
Developed by the American Cancer Society 2001 Nutrition and Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee and approved
by the American Cancer Society National Board of Directors on November 1, 2001.
Recommendations for Individual Choices;
Eat a variety of healthful foods, with an emphasis on plant sources.
Eat five or more servings of a variety of vegetables and fruits each day.
Choose whole grains in preference to processed (refined) grains and sugars.
Limit consumption of red meats, especially those high in fat and processed.
Choose foods that maintain a healthful weight.
Adopt a physically active lifestyle.
Adults: engage in at least moderate activity for 30 minutes or more on 5 or more days of
the week; 45 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous activity on 5 or more days per week may further enhance reductions in
the risk of breast and colon cancer.
Children and adolescents: engage in at least 60 minutes per
day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity at least 5 days per week.
Maintain a healthful weight throughout life.
Balance caloric intake with physical activity.
Lose
weight if currently overweight or obese.
If you drink alcoholic beverages, limit consumption.
ACS Recommendation for Community Action
Public, private, and community organizations should work to create social and physical environments
that support the adoption and maintenance of healthful nutrition and physical activity behaviors.
Increase access to healthful foods in schools, worksites, and communities.
Provide safe, enjoyable, and accessible environments for physical activity in schools and
for transportation and recreation in communities.
==============================================================
SOURCE:
American Cancer Society
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
French Secrets to Staying Slim
U.S. and French Portion Sizes Vary Vastly
August 22, 2003 -- How can the French stay so
slim, with all those luscious croissants, cheeses, pastries, and sauces?
A new study brings home what's known as "the French Paradox."
Despite France's rich cuisine, the French are decidedly slimmer than Americans. Only 7% of French people are obese, compared
with 30% of Americans.
A group of scientists set out to investigate this phenomenon
-- comparing French and American foods, restaurants, cookbook recipes, even eating styles. The French secrets to staying slim
provide lessons to Americans on losing weight.
Sizing Things Up
Researchers weighed portions at 11 similar eateries in Paris
and Philadelphia -- fast-food outlets, pizzerias, ice cream parlors, and ethnic restaurants.
The average portion size in Paris was 25% smaller than in
Philly.
Chinese restaurants in Philly served meals that were 72%
bigger than Parisian Chinese restaurants.
They looked at foods sold in supermarkets:
A candy bar in Philadelphia was 41% larger than the same candy
bar sold in Paris.
A soft drink was 52% larger, and a hot dog was 63% larger.
A carton of yogurt was 82% larger.
Even American cookbook recipes -- from The Joy of Cooking
-- produced larger portions than the French cookbook, Je sais cuisiner. Larger meat and soup portions, and smaller vegetable
portions, were in the American cookbook than the French.
Also, Parisians spent 22 minutes on average dining at their
McDonald's, compared with the 14 minutes that Philadelphians spent on their burgers, fries, and soft drinks.
"The results suggest ... that if served somewhat less than
they would normally eat, people may be satisfied," reports lead researcher Paul Rozin, PhD, a psychologist with the University
of Pennsylvania. His study appears in the September issue of the journal Psychological Science.
Savor, Don't Stuff
Indeed, it's a cultural issue. Americans are getting exactly
what they want -- value for their dollar, regardless of taste, says Sheah Rarback, RD, nutritionist and professor at the University
of Miami School of Medicine.
They'll never lose
weight that way.
The portions that are served in France -- people in this country
wouldn't buy them.
"People here wouldn't be satisfied."
It's time either to start cooking more at home, or at least
eat smaller portions when dining out, Rarback says. "We need to get back to savoring the food we're eating, demanding foods
that are flavorful. We need to enjoy the food and the company, instead of just wolfing the food down and barely even noticing
the taste."
One suggestion:
Ask for a take-out box when your meal arrives. Put half the
dinner away immediately, even before your fork hits the plate. You can lose weight, one meal at a time.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
SOURCES: Psychological Science, September 2003. Sheah Rarback, RD, a nutritionist
and professor at the University of Miami School of Medicine. Cynthia Sass, RD, private-practice dietitian,Tampa, spokeswoman,
American Dietetic Association. WebMD Medical News, "30% of Americans Are Obese."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Be a Trans-Fat Detective
Get to the bottom
of how much of the hidden, harmful fats lurk in your food.
When you think of the "bad fats" -- the ones that can hurt your health -- you probably think
of the saturated variety. They are the ones that can raise your levels of bad cholesterol, or LDL, as well as your risks of
developing serious conditions like heart disease.
Well, you should know that saturated fats have some company in this department: the trans fats.
Health-wise, trans fats strike with a double whammy. They too can raise your levels of bad cholesterol,
but they also can decrease your HDL, or "good" cholesterol. Together, these two effects are primary risks of developing heart
disease, and they are a reason why many experts consider trans fats a bigger bad boy than saturated fat.
What are you supposed to do? For starters, lower the amounts of saturated and trans fats in
your daily diet. You can do it by choosing reduced-fat foods, like lower-fat dairy and leaner cuts of beef. (They contain
less total fat, less saturated fat, and less trans fats.) Reduced-fat crackers and microwave popping corn will contain less
total fat, less saturated fat, and less trans fat. You get the picture.
And, it may not be a popular notion, but making your own meals -- yes, homemade ones -- really
help you control how much fat you eat. You get to choose the type and amount of fat in each recipe you prepare. If you make
pie crust, biscuits, or waffles, use canola oil instead of shortening and use less cooking fat, in general, whenever possible.
It's those smart substitutions that help a lot. Where Trans Fats Lurk
I keep mentioning all these terms like unsaturated,
saturated, and trans fats. When you think about types of fats, remember that a lot has to do with the amount of hydrogen in
each type of fat molecule.
When the molecules are all full of hydrogen -- or are saturated with it -- the fat tends to
be solid at room temperature. The monounsaturated fats have one double bond in their carbon chain and polyunsaturated fats
have more than one double bond, and both are better for your health than saturated fats and trans fats.
But trans fats make things a bit more complicated. They get their name from their distinct chemical
structure. They occur naturally in small amounts in meat and dairy products. But they can be found in higher quantities in
partially hydrogenated vegetable oils which are primarily used in shortening, some margarines and processed foods.
Remember about that hydrogen. When food manufacturers need a more stable, solid form of oil
to make their products, they'll bubble hydrogen gas through vegetable oil. The process actually changes the chemical structure
of the fat, turning some of it into trans fats. The oil doesn't take up all the hydrogen to become fully saturated, yet it
does become a harmful type of fat.
Trans fats are lurking in all commercially made food products containing partially hydrogenated
oils or shortening. They also are hiding in frying fats used by many fast food joints. (A 1998 Dutch study estimated that
in the frying fat fast food chains use, a third of it is made up of trans fats.)
So watch out! These common foods most likely contain trans fats:
Most Margarines and Shortenings;
Frying fats in processed foods;
Deep-fried fast food, like french fries;
And any food that lists "partially hydrogenated oils" in the ingredients, such as: crackers,
cake mixes, snack cakes, snack foods, chips, doughnuts, pie crusts, biscuits, breakfast cereals, frozen waffles, microwave
popcorn, packaged cookies, and other baked and fried items.
The Daily Dose of Trans Fats
How much trans fats do Americans eat on a daily basis? Good question. It's almost impossible
to answer accurately because manufacturers are not yet required to list amounts of trans fats on food labels. And when a product
does use the harmful fat, there's no standard amount of how much is in there. Use The Clues
Until labels give us trans fat information, be sure to check the ingredient list for the words
"partially hydrogenated oil" or "shortening." If they are in the first three ingredients for a particular food product, and
the food product contains quite a bit of total fat, chances are there is a fair amount of trans fats in that food.
Pay special attention to margarines that list the grams of monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated
fat along with the total grams of fat and grams of saturated fat. With this info, you actually can figure out the grams of
trans fatty acids by doing a little math:
Step 1 -- Add up the grams of saturated fat, monounsaturated fat,
and polyunsaturated fat.
Step 2 -- If the number from step 1 is less than the total amount
of fat on the label, you can assume the missing grams are trans fats. More Reasons to Avoid Trans Fats
Trans fats may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes in women. In a 2001 study, researchers found that when
women replaced 2% of the trans fats they ate with polyunsaturated fat, they dropped their risk of diabetes by 40%.
But for women, the risks don't end there. Trans fats may increase their risk of colon cancer, too.
Researchers suspect that trans fatty acids are carcinogenic, but they need more proof to be sure.
They do know from a recent study that high levels of dietary trans fats doubled the risk of colon cancer in
menopausal women not on hormone replacement therapy.
Trans fats also have been implicated in developing breast cancer. A Dutch study suggests an association between
the amount of trans fat stored in the body and the risks of the disease in women after menopause.
Elaine Magee, MPH, RD, writes the celebrated syndicated column, "The Recipe Doctor." Magee is
the author of many books on nutrition and cooking, including her latest, The Flax Cookbook.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How
To Get the Most From Carbs
Unfortunately, simple starches and sugars provide none of the health benefits of whole grains that
are rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. Emerging evidence finds that people who eat too few whole grains
and too many refined carbohydrates are at an increased risk of diabetes. Here are some ways to begin eating healthier carbs:
How To Cut Down on Refined Carbohydrates
For a healthier diet, choose fewer refined
carbohydrates, such as white flour and sugar, and more fiber-rich complex carbohydrates from plant foods close to their original
form. Refined carbs are OK in small amounts, particularly for active people who can afford to take in empty calories, but
the bulk of your carbs (pun intended) should come from the ones that give you the fiber, nutrients and phytochemicals you
need to stay healthy.
| WHOLE FOOD SOURCE |
REFINED FOOD SOURCE |
SUGGESTED STRATEGIES |
Beet sugar
Sugar cane
Corn |
Soft drinks, presweetened breakfast cereals, sweets,
desserts. |
Keep to a minimum; sugars provide empty calories, crowding
out nutritious foods and contributing to weight gain. |
| Whole fruit |
Fruit juice drinks with added sugars; jams, jellies
and preserves; fruit bars and fruit treats with scant real fruit but plenty of corn syrup and other added sugars. |
Eat whole fruits - fresh, frozen or dried. Use dessert
recipes with whole or dried fruits as ingredients. Choose orange or grapefruit juice more often than juices filled with apple
or grape juice concentrate, which are mostly sugar. |
| Whole wheat |
White bread, many cereals and the vast majority
of pasta, cakes, crackers, French and Italian breads. |
No need to avoid pasta and good French bread. Just eat
some whole-wheat products every day. |
| Potatoes |
French fries |
You're eating mostly unhealthy fat, not carbs. Make
your own baked "fries" by roasting thinly sliced red potatoes sprayed with olive oil. Eat baked potatoes |
***********************
Good Food for Better Sex?
Are some foods better than others for fueling
good sex? It could just be that a healthy diet is healthy for your sex life.
If you want good sex, take care of your
heart. That's what author Lynn Fischer advises in her book The Better Sex Diet. She's not talking about looking after your
emotional state (although that could be the subject of another book), but minding the system that runs the muscular organ
inside your chest. After all, she says men and women of all ages need good blood flow to the genitals for arousal and erections.
Many people with clogged arteries may, well, have trouble.
To prevent such a misfortune, Fischer prescribes a low-fat
diet that is based on the medical findings of Dean Ornish, MD. His research has shown that heart disease can be reversed with
a low-fat diet, moderate exercise, and stress management.
Fischer's diet follows Ornish's vegetarian 10%-fat diet,
but adds some meat to the regimen. Overall, a week of the Better Sex Diet would involve eating lots of fruits,vegetables,
grains, and legumes, getting 10% of calories from fat, 5% from saturated fat, and 75% from carbohydrates.
Six weeks
of this can reportedly enhance your sexual vitality, potency, and health. Sound too good to be true? Maybe not. While none
of the experts contacted by WebMD endorsed Fischer's diet, all of them said that a program that's friendly to the heart should
also be good for sex. In fact, anything that promotes whole body health can apparently also enhance action in the bedroom.
"A diet that's healthy for you overall will be healthy for your sex life -- period," says Julie Walsh, MSRD, spokeswoman
for the American Dietetic Association.
Myths and Truths
People throughout history have usedaphrodisiacs, believing
that certain edibles heighten pleasure between the sheets. Oysters and alcohol are two popular examples in today's society.
There are also reports, such as a recent MensHealth article, that single out foods such as eggs, vanilla ice cream, and celery
as helpful aids. Another television news piece from Florida says grapes, cereal, and blueberries can do the trick.
Many
of these claims are based on the idea that particular vitamins and nutrients in some foods can boost an aspect of sex. For
example, the vitamins in eggs can supposedly reduce performance anxiety and premature ejaculation, the calcium in vanilla
ice cream evidently makes orgasms more powerful, and the folic acid in cereal keeps arteries clear, enhancing blood flow to
the right places.
Food science professional Mary Ellen Camire, PhD, encounters all sorts of theories about why certain
edibles improve sex life, and sometimes she just has to laugh. She says it's true that some vitamins and nutrients have particular
benefits, but too much of one thing can also have a negative effect on the body. Blueberries, for instance, has been touted
as a good aid for improving blood flow to the genitals. Consuming too much of the fruit, however, can cause diarrhea.
Camire
recommends a healthy diet, regular exercise, and a good attitude. "If you're having a nice meal and you're with a partner
you like, that's all you need," she says. "It's as much in the mind as with anything else."
Barnaby Barratt, PhD,
president-elect of the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists, couldn't agree more. He says a happy
sex life ultimately depends upon ridding oneself of shame, guilt, anxiety, and inhibition. "Sex is first and foremost a psychological
issue," he says. "Above and beyond that, things to do with food, diet, and so forth will be useful, but they're not going
to provide magical answers."
Psychology is so powerful, notes Barratt, that for some people who believe in aphrodisiacs,
specific foods may very well make them feel sexually alive and vigorous. Others may also find great pleasure in playing with
food (such as licking whipped cream off of a partner's body) that it enhances the sexual experience.
The Sweet Smell
of Sex
The mere scent of food and other items may be enough to sexually arouse men and women, according to research
by Alan R. Hirsch, MD, FACP, neurological director of the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago. Hirsch
conducted two studies that measured men and women's reaction to different smells. One study measured blood flow to the penis,
and the other to the vagina.
The results: Men appeared to be turned on most by a combination of smelling lavender
and pumpkin pie, and women by Good and Plenty candy and cucumber.
There's no surefire explanation for the findings,
says Hirsch, who theorizes that the favored smells may remind people of their childhoods. Such nostalgia can supposedly reduce
anxiety and inhibitions, thereby increasing blood flow to the genitals.
Previous research has shown that smells are
important in attraction, says Barratt, but those studies have mainly focused on people's scents. "Clearly, we do know that
how people smell has an effect on the sexual desire of a partner," he says, noting that a body's scent has a lot to do with
the person's diet.
SOURCES:
Lynn Fischer, The Better Sex Diet. Julie Walsh, MSRD,
spokeswoman, American Dietetic Association. MensHealth: "The Sex-For-Life Diet." WESH.com: "Eat Better to Improve Your Sex
Life." Mary Ellen Camire, PhD, professor of food science and human nutrition at the University of Maine. Barnaby Barratt,
PhD, president-elect, American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists. Alan R. Hirsch, MD, FACP, neurological
director, Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation, Chicago.
*~*~*~~**~~~**~~*~*~~**~~~***~~**~*
What
to eat, how to make it, and how much
Food is one of life's great pleasures. It is also what fuels your
body, and depending on what you eat, can completely affect how you look and feel. We all know what we like to eat, but most
of us have no idea of how we should eat for optimum nutrition. Most of us are aware that we need proteins, carbohydrates,
fats, vitamins, minerals, and water in the proper ratios to subsist, but are lost when trying to calculate this in relation
to "real" food.
This is one of the most popular topics at the message boards. Below we have laid out some starter meals
for you. But first, here are three general guidelines to use to achieve healthy eating:
1. Variety " mor more than
'the spice of life' where nutrition is concerned, eating a variety of foods ensures that you will get enough nutrients. If
you eat the same foods everyday, you run more of a risk of missing out on one or more key ingredients. Even a seemingly healthy
diet is often deficient in something because there is no one food that has everything you need to perform at the top of your
game. You will thrive best by eating a variety of foods.
2. Moderation – It's something that we are always
harping about here at Beach Body. By eating in moderation, even unhealthy junk food can have a place in your diet. Chips,
cakes, and soda won't kill you in small doses. The problem is that these are foods we tend to binge on. By learning to always
eat in moderation, you lessen the risk of having a bad diet.
3. Wholesomeness – non non-processed foods
are almost always a better choice than processed foods. A simple rule of following the least processed option for a food can,
in itself, lead you to a much healthier diet. Things like whole grain over enriched flour, potatoes rather than potato chips,
or apples over apple juice can have a profound effect on your diet.
We should all try and eat 5 to 6 times per day.
Our guideline for ratios of proteins/fats/carbohydrates is to get as close as possible to 40/30/30 in percentage. This should
vary somewhat based on how much exercise you do. For example, if you are doing Power 90 intensely, than maybe 30% protein,
25% fat, and 45% carbs would be optimal. A sedentary person would drop the carbs back to 40, while a triathlete might increase
that percentage upwards to 55 (mainly through added energy bars, drinks, and supplements).
The following are some highly
nutritious meals which you can prepare to achieve optimal health and healthy weight loss. Feel free to print these out and
keep them handy.
We've included a couple of options for breakfasts, lunches, dinners, snacks, and a post-exercise meal.
Bon
appetite!
fredys@fredysnet.com
BREAKFAST
The 'most
important meal of the day' should be consumed differently depending on your schedule. Many people workout first thing in the
morning, which we recommend doing on an empty stomach. That turns some breakfasts into a post-exercise meal and changes the
way you want to get your nutrients (mainly in that you want sugar and more carbohydrates than you normally would to replenish
blood sugar).
Non-exercise breakfast
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Scrambled
egg/egg whites and wheat English muffin
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1 whole egg
3 egg whites
1 whole
wheat English muffin
nonstick cooking spray
1 teaspoon butter
salt
pepper
Scramble eggs. Toast bread. Butter and season to taste.
Per serving: 386 calories, 51%
fat (22 g), 26% carbs (26 g), 23% protein (21 g)
Post exercise breakfast
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Yogurt
w/ fruit
*****************************************
1 cup non-fat flavored yogurt
1 banana
1 apple
Per serving:
423 calories, 2% fat (1 g), 86% carbs (96 g), 12% protein (14 g)
LUNCH
The meal
that can be the most fun. You don't need to worry as much about excess carbohydrates because you will most likely burn them
off, but adequate protein should be included. However, you still want to exercise moderation as too many carbs can affect
your energy.
Quick Lunch
*****************************************
Grilled
Chicken Breast Sandwich
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4 ounces cooked chicken breast
salad greens of
your choice (arugula, red lettuce, fresh spinach)
1 tablespoon low-fat mayonnaise (less than 35 calories per tablespoon)
chopped
onion
pickle relish, mustard (as desired)
2 slices crusty whole wheat bread, toasted if desired
Cut chicken breast
into chunks. Mix with mayonnaise and condiments. Top with greens and spread on bread.
Per serving: 412 calories, 14%
fat (7 g), 51% carbs (54 g), 35% protein (34 g)
Vegetarian
Lunch
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Mushroom-Barley Burgers With Sage
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These
burgers are easily made in a food processor. If you do not have one, simply mash ingredients together in a large bowl. To
make 1 cup cooked barley (as called for here), boil 1/3 cup barley in enough water to cover for 45 minutes, until tender.
Drain.
4 large Portobello mushrooms (about 1 1/2 pounds with stems),
stems removed and caps chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup cooked pearl barley (prepare as directed on package)
1 egg
2
tablespoons minced fresh sage, or 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon sherry
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black
pepper
4 whole wheat hamburger buns, split
Set a large, nonstick skillet
over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and saute 5 minutes, until tender and liquid evaporates. Transfer mushrooms to a food
processor fitted with the metal blade and add remaining ingredients except buns. Pulse on and off until well blended. Shape
mixture into 4 equal patties. Refrigerate 20 minutes.
Preheat grill or broiler.
Grill or broil burgers (if broiling, use a baking sheet) 5 minutes per side, until browned on the
outside and cooked through. Place on buns and serve.
Nutritional score (per burger):
216 calories, 18% fat (4 g; 1 g saturated), 64% carbs (35 g), 18% protein (9.7 g)
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DINNER
The issue with dinner
is whether or not you have exercised yet and how soon you are going to bed. The main thing you want to avoid is going to sleep
with un-burned carbs in your system, because they will be stored by the body as fat (it takes about 3 hours to burn carbs
out of your system). For this reason, dinner should be eaten at least 3 hours before bed, preferably high in protein. And
if it is carb-intensive, the carbs should come from veggies instead of starches.
Pre-exercise Dinner
*****************************************
Steak Salad with Creamy
Lemon Caesar
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Nonstick cooking spray
2 pounds Yukon
gold or red bliss potatoes, cut into bite-size pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons minced fresh
rosemary, or 1 tablespoon dried
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 pound flank steak
12 cups chopped
romaine hearts
12 plum tomatoes, diced
3 teaspoons finely grated Parmesan cheese
Dressing
1 8-ounce
container nonfat plain yogurt
1/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
2
anchovies, or 1 1Ú2 teaspoons anchovy paste
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and
freshly ground black pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 375 F. Coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
Combine
potatoes, 1 teaspoon olive oil, and rosemary in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper; toss to combine. Scatter on baking
sheet. Roast for 50 minutes or until potatoes are golden.
Season steak on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat remaining
1/2 teaspoon olive oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook steak in oil for 8 minutes on each side, or
until cooked as desired. Then, transfer steak to a cutting board.
Add 1/4 cup water to skillet and stir over low heat
for 1 1/2 minutes, scraping up any brown bits that have stuck to bottom of the pan. Set aside.
Cut steak on a diagonal
into thin slices. Keep warm.
Combine dressing ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Add skillet juices
and pulse to combine.
Place romaine in a large salad bowl. Add tomatoes, potatoes and dressing; toss to combine. Portion
salad among 6 large plates. Top with an equal amount of steak and Parmesan cheese.
Per serving (3 1/3 cups dressed
salad, 2 ounces steak and 1/2 teaspoon grated Parmesan): 411 calories, 20% fat (9 g; 3 g saturated), 53% carbs (56 g), 27%
protein (28 g)
Post-exercise Dinner
*****************************************
Sirloin
Burgers with Roasted Garlic and Rosemary
*****************************************
1 whole bulb
garlic
1 pound ground sirloin
1 zucchini, ends trimmed and coarsely grated
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1/2
teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
4 whole wheat hamburger buns, split
4 tomato slices
4 lettuce
leaves
4 red onion slices
Preheat oven to 400 F.
Wrap garlic in foil, place in oven and roast 45 minutes,
until tender. When cool enough to handle, peel away foil and squeeze cloves from papery skin. Transfer to a large bowl and
add sirloin, zucchini, rosemary, salt and cracked pepper. Mix well to combine. Shape mixture into 4 equal patties.
Preheat
grill or broiler.
Grill or broil burgers (if broiling, use a baking sheet) 5 minutes per side for medium doneness.
Arrange burgers on buns and top with tomato, lettuce and onion.
Per serving (one burger): 293 calories, 23% fat (7.6
g; 2.5 g saturated), 35% carbs (26 g), 42% protein (31 g)
Vegetarian
Dinner
*****************************************
Soba Salad With Asian Vegetables and Golden Tofu
*****************************************
Dressing
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons orange
juice
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon minced fresh-peeled ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 teaspoons
toasted sesame oil
Salad
8 1/2 ounces soba or whole wheat spaghetti, uncooked
4 cups broccoli florets
1
(10-ounce) package frozen baby peas
2 cups diced cucumber
1 (15-ounce) can baby corn, drained
1 (8-ounce) can sliced
water chestnuts, drained
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 pound firm tofu, cut into bite-size cubes
6 cups shredded
purple cabbage
In a small bowl, whisk together all dressing ingredients. Set aside.
Bring a large pot of water
to a boil. Add soba or whole wheat spaghetti; cook 4 minutes. Add broccoli; cook 4 more minutes. Add peas; drain. Place in
a large bowl to cool.
When the mixture is cool, add diced cucumber, baby corn and water chestnuts.
Heat oil
in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add tofu. Sauté 5 minutes on each side or until golden. (Use chopsticks to
turn over tofu.) Pour 2/3 of dressing over noodle mixture and gently toss to mix.
Place a portion of soba salad in
center of six large plates. Top with tofu and surround with a ring of shredded purple cabbage. Drizzle salads with remaining
dressing.
Per serving (2 2/3 cups salad, 2 2/3 ounces tofu): 446 calories, 22% fat (11 g; 2 g saturated), 55% carbs
(70 g), 23% protein (26 g)
SNACKS AND DESSERTS
Most of us do not eat enough fruit and it is an almost perfect snack food. Fruits offer us
not only an abundance of fiber, water, vitamins and minerals, but also bioflavonoids, which besides being fun to say, protect
our blood vessels and offer excellent antioxidant nutritional benefits.
Other good options during the day are things
like Power Bars, Balance Bars, or other protein-type bars. Power Bars are mainly carbohydrates and good before lengthy exercise
or intense activity. No-carb bars or protein shakes are okay if your diet tends to be protein deficient and you are not doing
much activity over the next few hours. Balance bars (or any 40/30/30 bar) are good for an average afternoon at work unless
your job is totally sedentary. When it comes to bars, we recommend eating half a bar, rather than an entire bar as a snack,
which makes them more comparable, calorie wise, to a piece of fruit.
Desserts can be healthy but are nearly always
laden with carbs, which makes them tough to recommend because you usually crave them at night. If you exercise at night, then
a light dessert post-exercise is actually beneficial - just not too close to bedtime. If you're not going to exercise, well,
then just try and keep it as low carb as possible (but we won't suggest sugar substitutes because they are still controversial).
As always, our concern is about the amount you consume, and its effect on your daily calorie intake. Portions can make or
break you.
Here is a sample dessert just in time to make your Valentine's Day--relatively--healthy.
*****************************************
Sweet Heart Surprise Cheese Tart
*****************************************
Canola oil cooking spray
12 sheets low-fat graham crackers, crushed
1/2 cup Grape-Nuts cereal
1 tablespoon
Canola oil
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 1/2 cups low-fat ricotta cheese
1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1/3 cup granulated
sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/3 cup chocolate chips
2 cups sliced strawberries
2 tablespoons
granulated sugar
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Lightly coat a 10-inch spring-form pan with cooking spray.
In
a food processor, blend crushed graham crackers, Grape-Nuts, canola oil and orange juice. Press mixture into the prepared
spring-form pan.
In a small bowl, blend together ricotta cheese, yogurt, 1/3 cup sugar, lemon juice and vanilla. Spoon
onto graham cracker crust.
Bake 35 minutes, remove and immediately sprinkle with chocolate chips. Cool to room temperature.
Top with sliced strawberries and sugar. Refrigerate until well chilled and serve.
Nutritional information per serving
(1/10 of recipe): 247 calories, 22% fat (6 grams; 2 grams saturated), 58% carbohydrate (37 grams), 20% protein (12 grams)
Late-night Dessert Option
*****************************************
Herb Tea
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Note: There are NO good late-night desserts we can recommend, but switching from dessert to something like Chamomile
or SleepyTime herbal tea can have a great effect on your health and satisfy a pre-bed urge to consume something.
POST-EXERCISE SNACK
Within
one hour of finishing your workout your body absorbs nutrients approximately 4 times better than at any other time. You want
to take advantage of this window and fuel up. Most important is that you replenish your body's glycogen (blood sugar) stores,
which have been depleted through exercise. For this reason it is the only time during the day that your body really needs
sugar.
A carbohydrate/protein ratio of 4:1 is suggested as optimum for recovery from an intense workout.
Smoothie Option
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Chocolate/Banana Smoothie
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1
scoop chocolate flavored whey protein
1 banana
12 oz soy milk
4 oz water or ice
Mix in blender and serve
Per
serving: 330 calories, 16% fat (6 g), 54% carbs (51 g), 30% protein (25 g)
Real food option
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Whole
grain cereal w/ soy milk and banana
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1 cup whole grain cereal
1 banana
8
oz soy milk
Pour milk on cereal, add banana.
Per serving: 365 calories, 10% fat (5 g), 80% carbs (83 g), 10%
protein (11 g)
The
Bodytype Diet
How to eat to fit your genes
The jury is still out. The verdict on how much genetics contribute to the amount of skeletal muscle you can build naturally
is still under deliberation, and rightly so. The new guy in the gym seems to have grown like a weed this year while you, the
most committed lifter on the planet, haven't gained a pound in months. Your body just isn't responding to the weight cycling,
exercise variety and active rest you've implemented in your program. You're doing everything right, so what's the deal? Before
you place all the blame on your parents, concentrate on two things: your mirror and your table.
Sure, people come in all shapes and sizes, but those shapes and sizes all had definite beginnings -- a genetically predetermined
bodytype of ectomorph, endomorph or mesomorph or, more likely, some combination thereof. You can find out which one you are
by taking a good, hard look in the mirror. Are you slender and small-boned, with long arms and a thin neck? You're probably
an ectomorph. If you're pear-shaped with shorter arms and legs and big bones, you might be an endomorph. And if you're thick-chested,
broad-shouldered and naturally muscular (not to mention shunned by the other two bodytypes!), you're probably a mesomorph.
Once you figure out your genetically determined bodytype, you must examine your kitchen table -- or, more specifically,
what you eat off it. Research shows that you can increase muscle mass only through overloading your muscles and supporting
the subsequent growth with a sufficient increase in food intake. That one dictum can work for everyone as long as you know
that each bodytype will respond differently to what that food intake includes. In a nutshell, however, a good meal is a terrible
thing to waste. Whether you're an ectomorph, mesomorph or endomorph, you have a serious responsibility to take care of business
at mealtime.
A good meal is a terrible thing to waste. Whether you’re an ectomorph, mesomorph or endomorph,
you have a serious responsibility to take care of business at mealtime.
That being said, you still need to know several things: What types of food and how often should you eat? Should you take
any supplements? Would any type of food, supplement or situation hinder you from maximizing the growth potential of your particular
bodytype? To help you answer these important questions, digest the information on the following pages that's appropriate to
the bodytype you most closely resemble. It could help you transform your body into the physique you've always wanted!
ECTOMORPH
Just Eat!
Dietary needs: Consume 1.5-2 grams
of protein per pound of bodyweight; protein intake can be as high as 30% of your total daily calories. Your carbohydrate intake
should be around 50%, and fat intake 20% of your total daily calories. To add muscle, the number of calories you eat daily
must exceed the number of calories you burn.
Frequency of meals: Eat five medium-sized meals a day. Eating too
many small meals could fuel your already high metabolism.
Supplements: Have one weight-gain or protein shake each day with
a meal and another one right before bedtime. Take creatine to help your energy levels during training and aid muscular adaptation.
Things
to avoid: Fat-burners, mahuang, stress.
Things to remember: Don't skip meals, and make sure you drink at
least 80 ounces of water a day.
A constant flow of high-quality protein, clean carbohydrate and fat is critical. In fact, you'd need 2,000-2,500 extra
calories from a good diet to add just 1-2 pounds of lean tissue from resistance training! This illustrates the unfortunate
truth that the ectomorph begins at a deficit and must counter the effects of that blazing metabolism with a rush of quality
nutrients.
"Don't worry about getting fat, just eat!" says three-time Ms. International and IFBB pro Laura Creavalle. "You need to
increase your calories to grow, so boost your intake of starchy carbohydrates, protein and fat."
Susan M. Kleiner, PhD, RD, explains: "With this bodytype, the No. 1 thing is calories. The ectomorph has trouble getting
enough, so he or she needs to eat every 2-3 hours. Use supplements to add calories on busy days; choose meal-replacement beverages,
sports bars and sports drinks. Carry food and fluids with you so you don't get caught hungry or thirsty."
The ectomorph must also be aware of the need to eat properly before and after training. Evidence shows that eating a meal
containing carbohydrate and protein before lifting weights may reduce catabolism during exercise; eating a similar meal afterward
may promote a more anabolic profile. IFBB pro Milos Sarcev suggests eating 2 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight daily
and increasing your intake of starchy carbohydrates like rice, potatoes and pasta. "It's even okay to add some saturated fat,"
he says. "Eating steak and eggs wouldn't hurt." Don't get too much saturated fat, however.
The ectomorph lives in the land of catabolism and it's an uphill battle to leave town. To make it to the freeway, you must
fuel your body with something other than its own muscle protein throughout the day. Stay full with a few medium-sized meals.
Basically, your motto could be, "Eat big to get big."
ENDOMORPH
The Heat Is On
Dietary needs: Above all else, limit
your fat intake. All your protein should come from lean sources such as low-fat fish, skinless chicken breasts, egg whites
and lean turkey. Consume a variety of vegetables, but never use plant sources for protein. Limit fruit to the early part of
the day. Eat only quality complex carbohydrates such as potatoes, long-grain rice and lentils.
Frequency of meals:
To get the calorie-burning benefits of constant digestion and absorption, eat 5-7 small meals every day. The thermogenic nature
of food is critical.
Supplements: Thermogenic products and protein shakes (unless inadvisable for health
reasons).
Things to avoid: High-fat dairy products, deli sliced luncheon meats, incomplete protein sources,
alcohol and soft drinks, second helpings.
Things to remember: Don't eat too late or too quickly, and make
sure you leave the table before you're stuffed.
"The endomorph has less room for error," Kleiner begins. "Just as with the ectomorph, calories are the controlling factor.
Yet if your goal is to taper, calories need to be restricted and each macronutrient amount (protein, carb or fat) has to be
more exact." Also realize that while some foods will boost your metabolism, some will slow it down. This thermic effect is
a process the endomorph needs to take control of now!
Here's the skinny on what this means for you: For roughly every 100 calories of protein you ingest, your body will use
20% of its own calories just to digest, absorb and distribute the protein. And for every 100 calories of carbohydrate you
eat, your body will burn roughly 10%-12% of its own calories to do the same. As for fat, well, your body will burn just 5%
of its own calories to digest and absorb 100 calories.
As you can see, even though fat is essential, it won't "stir the pot" like protein and carbohydrate. To get the most out
of your protein, Creavalle, also an accomplished bodybuilding chef, suggests making skinless chicken breasts, fish and scrambled
egg whites your mainstays. "This way you can eat more and have a full feeling without eating too much carbohydrate and fat,"
she notes. Milos agrees, but adds a twist: "If you want to lose fat, eat more fibrous carbs than starchy carbs. Eating frequent
meals that are high in both protein and fibrous carbohydrates will help."
All in all, be careful what kinds of carbs you eat, watch your fat intake and utilize the thermogenic nature of protein.
Mesomoph
Get With the Program
Dietary needs: Eat 1 gram of lean
protein (scrambled egg whites, lean turkey, skinless chicken breasts and fish) per pound of bodyweight daily. Your carbohydrate
intake should remain high: 60%-65% of your daily calories. Limit fat to 15% of your daily caloric intake.
Frequency of meals:
5-7 meals per day.
Supplements: Protein shakes and meal replacements.
Things to remember: Don't eat
the same things in the same amounts each week -- variety is the spice of life! Rather than trying to stay too lean all year,
increase your calories now and then to pack on the muscle. You can gain muscle and lose fat easily, so make the most of that
gift of balance.
Mesomorphs are blessed, to say the least. Not only do they look sensational, but their bodies have an innate ability to
keep them that way. Research shows that muscular bodybuilders have a higher 24-hour energy expenditure, meaning they burn
more calories both during activity and at rest than their non-bodybuilding counterparts of the same age, height and percent
fat. Who could ask for more?
Even though you're able to gain muscle and get rid of unwanted fat easily, don't rest on your laurels! You still need to
strive to make a good thing great. As Kleiner says, "The mesomorph has the tendency to be lazy, and to eat and train without
a system or a strategy." Get with the program by eating the proper amounts of protein, fat, carbohydrate and supplements --
all the right building blocks, if you will -- to make serious gains and reach your potential. After all, "You can't build
a mansion with five bricks, even if the bricks are the best bricks you can buy," Milos explains.
Is there hope for your bodytype? Absolutely. No matter what Mother Nature has given you, knowing how to make the most of
your own personal combination of muscle and metabolism will help you turn some heads!
References
Bosselaers, I., Buemann, B., Victor, O.J., Astrup, A. 24-hour energy expenditure and substrate utilization in bodybuilders.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 59(1):10-2, 1994. Bouchard, C., Dionne, F.T., Simoneau, J., Boulay, M.R. Genetics of
aerobic and anaerobic performances. Exercise Sport Science Review 20:27-58, 1992. Clarkson, P.M., Rawson, E.S. Nutritional
supplements to increase muscle mass. Critical Review of Food Science Nutrition 39(4):317-328, 1999. Kreider, R.B. Dietary
supplements and the promotion of muscle growth with resistance exercise. Sports Medicine 27(2):97-110, 1999. Smith, N.J. Gaining
and losing weight in athletics. Journal of the American Medical Association 12;236(2):149-151, 1976. Van Zant, R.S. Influence
of diet and exercise on energy expenditure -- a review. International Journal of Sport Nutrition 2(1):1-19, 1992.
Tea Extract Can Lower Cholesterol
LDL Reduced by 16% in People Taking Green, Black Tea Extract
It has long been suspected that tea helps lower cholesterol, and now new research offers some of the first evidence that
this is true. But you probably won't see a benefit by drinking only an extra cup or two a day.
The study shows that people with moderately high cholesterol who took a supplement containing extracts of green and black
tea for 12 weeks had mean reductions in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol of 16%. (LDL cholesterol is the type of
cholesterol in the blood that is responsible for plaque buildup in the arteries.) While this is not as large a reduction as
that typically seen with statin drugs, it is comparable to many non-statin treatments, lead researcher David Maron, MD, tells
us.
Although an earlier study involving a green tea extract alone failed to lower cholesterol levels, Maron says it is not
yet clear if the addition of the black tea extract made the difference in this trial.
Protective Properties
Tea is rich in polyphenols, which are believed to have antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-bacterial, and anti-viral properties.
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