Fluid Recommendations; Athletes and Non-Athletes

Have you ever been to a yoga or pilates class where your instructor advised against drinking any fluids during the workout? Apparently this is common. I've never encountered this (but I've only taken about 3 yoga/pilates classes....) but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen. This is not good practice, because while you may not be moving as much as with other exercises (running, swimming, basketball) you are still sweating, and thus you are losing water and electrolytes. When sweating is involved, fluids need to be present. It's as simple as that.

The following information about hydration for athletes and non-athletes is from Today's Dietitian Magazine and the American Dietetic Association's Sport's Nutrition Manual for Professionals.


What's the point of drinking fluids? To attain euhydration (normal state of body water content). Sometimes electrolytes are necesary as well, which can be obtained from certain fluids.

Where do we obtain fluids? Drinks (80%) and food (20%). Even drinks such as beer and coffee count towards your daily fluid intake. They may have mild diuretic effects, but they still count as fluid. The foods that contribute the most fluid (water) are fresh fruits and vegetables.


How do we lose fluids? Through the skin, and respiratory tract (known as "insensible fluid loss"), urine, feces, and sweat. The total amount of fluid lost really depends on the individual. Some people sweat more than others throughout the day. Even your diet will effect the amount of fluid lost each day (think about the feces part....). Random Tip: If you have to go number two, don't hold it! The longer you hold it in, the longer your colon will have to extract fluid from your feces. This may help you retain more fluid, but it will also possibly cause constipation and pain when you finally go to the bathroom. Random Tip: If you are on a high protein diet, be sure to drink plenty of fluids. Why? The urea, which is a by-product of protein metabolism, will need excreted via the urine. The more urea you have to excrete, the more urine you will produce, thus the more fluids you loose each day.

What happens if you take in too much fluid? This is something that many of us never consider, but it's incredibly dangerous when it happens. Taking in too much fluid, especially without food or a sports drink, can cause a bloated stomach, puffy fingers and ankles, a bad headache, and confusion. These are all signs of hyponatremia (low blood sodium). Try not to gain weight during exercise. If you do, that means you are drinking too much!

What happens if you take in too little fluid? You become dehydrated, which will have a negative effect on physical and mental performance, whether you are an athlete or not. When you become dehydrated your body temperature and your heart rate increases. You also burn more glycogen. This is not good for an athlete. Random Tip: If you have dark yellow urine, you are dehydrated! Look for a color that is close to clear.

What are the fluid recommendations for non-athletes? It's often cited as 8 cups per day, and generally that is true. This depends on the person, however, and the environment in which they spend most of their day. People living in hotter climates may need more. People who consume very little foods, or few fruits and vegetables, may also need more. People who are on a high protein diet or who just started consuming more fiber may need more as well. There is not right answer. Just look at your pee for the answer :)

What the the fluid recommendations for athletes?

Before: Drink ~16 ounces (.5 liters) 2 hours before activity. Be sure to produce a light colored, almost clear urine. About 15 minutes before your activity you should consume 8 to 16 ounces of fluid (.25-.5 liters).

During: Drink to minimize loss of body weight, but be careful not to over-drink. If exercising more than an hour, or if exercising in a very hot climate that causes a lot of sweating, Gatorade or a similar sports drink may be warranted. If exercising less than an hour, water is fine. Drink between 16-64 ounces per hour (4-16 ounces per 15 minutes), depending on the workout, the environment, and your sweat rate.

After: Always weigh yourself before your workout. Then weigh yourself after your workout. Drink about 24 ounces (.75 liters) per pound lost. You can attain this throughout the rest of the day. Getting your fluid in the form of chocolate milk or Gatorade may be helpful, and may actually be necessary if you worked out for longer than an hour, or if you are a heavy sweater. Why? Glycogen replenishment (both Gatorade and chocolate milk), prevention of muscle soreness and promotion of muscle growth (chocolate milk) and to help speed rehydration (the sodium in the Gatorade and the sugar in both may help you drink more fluids). Also the electrolytes are important to replace those lost in your sweat.

Coming Up

Tomorrow or Friday I will be posting my thoughts about MyPyramid. I've been reviewing it in depth lately and have some serious issues with the plan, and I'd love to hear your thoughts. Have a great day everyone!

Percentages vs. Gram Macronutrient Recommendations

Thanks so much for all of your comments on my last post. As an RD I am always prepared to have people dispute what I write on my blog. In fact, I encourage my readers to share their opinions, whether or not it coincides with my own, and I'm always more than happy to comment with my own detailed thoughts and explanations. I also encourage you all to dispute anything I say if infact you believe I am wrong. I've actually had readers teach me stuff I did not know (when I did the MyPyramid post I said 1/2 cup cooked vegetables = 1 cup uncooked. WRONG! Apparently that's not the case with the new MyPyramid.gov. Now I know!).

I received another comment from a reader named Lara, to which I would like to respond. Again, her comment is in black writing, and my responses are in red.

In my previous post I wrote that my personal trainer at Urban Active had suggested that if I want to gain more muscle I should consider a 40% protein diet. In my blog post I wrote that I didn't think this was accurate, as I would likely lose weight if I chose such a diet. Lara said:

Why would you lose weight if you ate 40% protein. That makes no sense. Weight loss is primarily about calories. Yes, this is true. When my PT at Urban Active told me that I should consume 40% of my calories from protein, I was considering my own personal diet. I am aware that I consume an average of 2000 calories per day, and about 80-110 grams of protein. This equals about 16-22% calories from protein (there are 4 calories per gram of protein). When the PT said this to me I was considering what this would do for me personally, not the general public. If I started increasing my protein intake, I would likely decrease my carbohydrate and fat intake. I would also likely eat less calories, as higher protein diets have been proven to decrease a person's appetite, and I know that is the case for me.

And as an RD you should know that percentages are meaningless. 40% of 1500 calories is a lot different than 40% of 2500 calories. It is grams of the macronutrients that are what is important. Of course I know this. I don't feel that I need to explain every single thing I say, 100%, on my blog. If I did, my posts would be a mile long. I know that 40% protein for me would be about 400 grams, which equals about 4.2 grams per kg body weight. This is simply too much for me (and really too much for anyone if you ask me....).

Macronutrient intake is very personal of course, some do better with more of this or that but the comment that 40% would make the rest of your diet be unbalanced is totally unfounded. In my personal case, this is not totally unfounded. For others, you are correct. I was discussing my own diet, not the diet of someone else. That being said, perhaps I sounded like I was making a general statement, and I apologize for the confusion. I have seen people live happy and healthy lives on a high protein diet, and I really have no problem with these diets. If your kidneys are healthy and you compensate for the possible risk of dehydration, high protein diets are perfectly safe.


Any more comments out there? Bring them on! I'm happy to answer any questions, concerns, and/or complaints you may have. And please, don't ever hesitate to share your feelings.

This weekend I finally bought a new pair of shoes, thanks to Joanna's suggestion to do so on her post "Spring for Some New Shoes". I sprung!

The green inserts are for my high arches. I was told I have high arches, which is what causes my to get shin splints and stress fractures so easily. I started using these Dr. Scholl's inserts about 4 years ago and have not had any problems since. Of course, I also don't run outside as often anymore, and I think that makes a huge difference too.

Some of you asked me if I was sore after my session with the personal trainer on Thursday. The answer is YES. I was VERY SORE. I am now convinced that I need to do more resistance training. Nothing major, but more than my typical 10-15 minutes, 3 times a week. I actually enjoy it more than cardio anyway.

Coming Up

Did everyone watch Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution on Friday?? I finally had a chance to sit down and watch it last night, and I plan on actually doing a post about it tomorrow. Stay tuned!

If you're interested in how I would eat if I were a vegetarian athlete, check out my post on our workplace wellness blog. I've been really into tempeh lately and I think tempeh would be a major staple in my diet if I were to become a vegetarian (heck, it already is!).

Thanks for reading. And have a great day!

New Recipe and My Thoughts on Body Fat Percentage

Happy Saturday! Is it nice weather where you are? Yesterday morning I woke up to SNOW and ICE on the ground. WHAT?? It was almost 65 degrees last weekend, and this weekend it snows? Crazy. Today is nice and sunny, but still pretty chilly.

Today I wanted to bring some attention to a comment I received from an anonymous reader yesterday, regarding my last post. In that post I reported my body fat percentage (21.6%) and claimed that I am very happy with this percentage because it puts me in the range of "healthy and fit". I then proceeded to disclose that when I was anorexic I had been 11% body fat, which was definitely not something that I was proud of ( I made reference to the fact that this is an unhealthy body fat percentage, and it's no wonder I felt like crap all the time). The comment is written in black writing, with my comments in red:

I love your blog (thanks!), but there were a few things here that frustrated me a bit. Since your are an RD I have tremendous respect & appreciation for your knowledge, but nutrition for sport & fitness varies from the standard healthy diet. (Yes, I agree, depending on what type of training you are doing). Clearly a marathon runner needs to eat differently than a football player, etc. (Well, yes, but maybe not the offensive line. They do a lot of endurance training, similar to marathon runners. The defensive line, however, would clearly have a different diet and training protocol). Maybe you didn't mean to come off this way, but how you discuss the not-so-preposterous idea of being at 40% protein suggests being closed minded. Many people operate better and have more energy with a lower carb, higher protein diet. And as you know, loosing weight would have to do with the amount of calories from protein, not just from eating more protein vs. carbs or fat. (This is correct. What I should have said was that if that trainer was to suggest that in order for me to gain more muscle, I need to consume 40% of my calories from protein, he should have also said that I need to consume more calories that I burn. You cannot build muscle simply by eating a lot of protein, you have to be eating so as to create a positive calorie balance). What bothered me the most though was your statement about your body fat %. The way you suggest that 11% is unhealthy, I believe, is sending the wrong, perhaps irresponsible, message. There is a big difference between being anorexic at 11% and being healthy at 11%, which is very possible. That is actually around what I am, and I am very healthy & energetic, and in no way excessively skinny. (If you read any respectable and reliable journal, magazine, book, or talk to any professional RD or personal trainer, they will tell you that 12% is the lowest percent of body weight for women that is considered "not risky". I have two references right here in front of me, Sports Nutrition, A Practice Manual for Professionals by Marie Dunfor, PhD, RD, and The Complete Food and Nutrition Guide by Roberta Larson Duyff, MS, RD, which clearly state that this is the case. I also took several sports nutritional classes both while in undergraduate and graduate school, where 12% was cited as the lowest possible percentage of body fat for women that is considered not risky. That being said, I do believe you can reach 11% body fat while having a healthy diet. I should not have implied that those who have an 11% body fat are obviously anorexic or have disordered eating. But I will stick to my opinion that 11% body fat is simply too low. At that percentage of body fat you are putting yourself at risk, and I would never recommend staying that low for long periods of time. Some people may remain at that low of a body fat percentage while they are competing in a body competition, but otherwise they are likely to gain some back once they are not competing. That is always suggested. Even the not so reliable magazines report that the range of healthy body fat percentage for women should not go as low as 11%. You are at risk for infertility, heart problems, and improper insulation and cushioning of your organs and bones) Thanks for your comment, I really do appreciate it. If you would like to e-mail me and talk with me more about this subject I would be glad to hear your thoughts.

Quick, Tasty, and Healthy Recipe #19
Chicken Quesadillas

Ingredients
(Serves 1)
1 whole wheat tortilla
1/4 cup black beans
3 ounces chicken
1/4 cup red and green bell pepper
1 ounce shredded American cheese

Possible Modifications

• Use any type of meat/poultry/tofu you wish
• Add extra veggies
• Add extra spices
• Use different cheese
  

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place the tortilla on a baking pan and cover the tortilla with the above ingredients (don't add too much or it won't fold properly). Fold the tortilla in half, then place in the oven for 10-15 minutes (depending on your oven and how you well done you prefer your quesadillas to be). If you want, you can add a bit more cheese on top!

Nutrition Facts

Rating: 10 out of 10 for both of us!
I used a wheat free tortilla, since I do not eat wheat.

I served this with a side of steamed veggies. You can never eat too many veggies! I also served it with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt and red hot (not shown in picture).

Coming Up

I've been so busy lately, I don't even have time to watch TV anymore! That being said, I may or may not have time to watch Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution today (we have it saved on Tivo). If I do, I will write a review, if I don't....well...you'll have to be surprised I guess!

Have a great weekend everyone, and thanks for reading :)

The Dietitian Vs. The Personal Trainer

Today I got my A*S kicked!! I had my physical assessment with a personal trainer from Urban Active.


Meet Vaughn, my personal trainer for the day. He's a great guy....even though he kicked my butt.


This is where all of the initial assessments are done (body measurements and questionnaire).


First he weighed me and took my body fat percentage. The instrument they used to measure body fat percentage was called a bioelectrical impedance analyzer (below).


I clocked in at 21.6%. I was happy with this number. It's in the range of "fitness and health". When I was anorexic my body fat percentage was 11%. Can you believe that??? No wonder I had zero energy and felt like crap.

After the weight and body fat measurement they asked me multiple questions about my medical background. Then they asked me questions about my dietary habits. They also asked me if I had any goals, and I had to think about this question for a while. I finally told them my goal was to get a bit more toned for bathing suit season (that's a reasonable goal, right?). He responded by saying I need to up my protein intake from 30% (about where I am at currently) to 40%. I laughed. Sorry, that's not going to happen. In my professional opinion a diet of 40% protein will mean I would loose weight. I don't want that. Plus, I wouldn't necessarily gain muscle by eating 40% protein, unless I am also eating more calories than I burn. I believe I can become more toned by eating exactly what I eat now, I just need to up the resistance training a bit. I didn't argue with him though, I kept my thoughts (mainly) to myself. It was good for me to hear this though, as I will be doing dietary consults with many of the personal trainer's clients. I needed to get an idea of what type of dietary advice they are providing to their clients prior to them meeting with me.

So after the questions were answered, I was asked to warm up either on the treadmill or the elliptical. I chose my favorite, the elliptical. I did a slow warm up for about 20 minutes.


Then it was time for me to go to hell. I was humbled by the next 20 minutes of the fitness assessment......

Even after this first exercise, I was ready to be finished. I sort of felt like I was on the Biggest Loser! I'm not sure what this exercise was called, but it was HARD!

I jumped up on the stepper (stacked three steps high), then squatted when I jumped to the ground. I did this for one minute (although it felt like five).


After ten minutes of some other stuff, Vaughn had me do push-ups on a stability ball (BOSU ball, turned upside down). I also had to touch my knee to my chest (this worked the abs).

I always thought this exercise (below) looked fun. HA! It was not fun. It was hard. I had to grab the rope as high as I could, then pull it down, for 2 minutes.


I found out I actually have some cleavage......

We worked with this 15 pound ball for quite some time. We did exercises for my arms and my abs.


After my last exercise, I thanked Vaughn for proving to me that I need to do more resitance training. Then I ran to my car and scarfed down a sweet potato and a string cheese. My body thanked me.

Question: Have you ever been to a personal trainer? Were you humbled like I was??

Coming Up

Tonight Nick and I finally get to spend some time together. Little does he know most of the time will be spent on him giving me massive body massages. Oh, did I mention that we had our house inspected today??? Yeah, the results were ok. There are definitely some issues, but nothing too serious.

On Saturday I will post a new recipe and a review of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution! Have a great night everyone, and thanks for reading :)

What Does the Scale Really Reflect?

Back in October I did a post about weighing yourself, and why I choose not to weigh myself often. In my opinion it's not good to focus on a number as a way to gauge your fitness and health (well, at least not the pounds number, other numbers may be helpful, such as blood pressure and cholesterol). Many people tell me that they weigh themselves everyday, and that it can have a major effect on their mood. But does the number on the scale really reflect what you think?


What does your weight (the number on the scale) reflect? Fat, muscle, fluid, skeletal tissue, and other tissues/organs

What changes when your weight changes? Fat, muscle, and fluid. The others do not change with weight, but they may change with age.

Body Fluid

• Changes regularly, throughout the day.

• Is effected by hormones, diet, heat, medications, and exercise.

• If you weigh yourself in the morning, you may easily weigh 3-4 pounds less than you do later at night! Fluid can fluctuate tremendously throughout the day.

• Women who are pre-menstrual can experience a 3-8 lb fluctuation in fluid weight.

Muscle

• When you are losing weight, you will loose muscle. Help combat this loss by including a workout regimen, with weights, that lasts 60-90 minutes, 5 days a week.

• People who are overweight actually have more muscle than people of normal weight. Why? They need to be able to support their extra weight.

• When you exercise to loose weight, you may not see the weight loss right away because your energy from fat will be used to power your workouts. Working out will help your muscles grow larger in size (no increase in the number muscle cells, only muscle cell size). Muscle weighs more than fat, therefore the scale may not show that you have lost weight.

Fat

• Fat loss is seen when you consume less calories than you burn.

• Fat loss can be measured multiple ways, but the most common is via bioelectrical impedance. Your local gym's personal trainers should have a machine to do this, or you can buy a special scale.

Bottom Line: If you want to weigh yourself everyday, that's fine, but keep in mind the number may not accurately represent your efforts to maintain, loose, or even gain weight. If your mood or your diet for the day tends to change depending on the number you see on the scale each day, you may want to consider weighing yourself once every other week, in my opinion.

Healthy Body Fat Percentages

For Health

<55 yrs women: 20-35%
>55 yrs women: 25-38%
<55 yrs men: 8-22%
>55 yrs men: 10-25%

For Fitness

<55 yrs women: 16-28%
>55 yrs women: 20-33%
<55 yrs men: 5-15%
>55 yrs men: 7-18%

Source: ADA Sports Nutrition; A Practice Manual for Dietitians

Bottom Line: These body fat recommendations may not be as low as you thought, am I right? Fat is important for brain function, insulation, and nerve impulse transmission (to name a few). Don't ignore the value of fat!

Coming Up
Tomorrow I will share with you some new products that you will start to see in stores soon! Have a great day everyone, and thanks for reading.

Grass-Fed Beef and a Bean Burger Recipe

I hope everyone had a fantastic weekend. This was a particularly exciting weekend for me. Nick and I are officially in contract for our house! We put an offer in and it was counter-offered, then we counter offered the owner's counter offer, they counter offered again, and we accepted! We are moving in on April 23rd. I may take a couple weeks off from blogging while we get settled. But BOY are we excited!

Now I'm diving right into today's blog post topic:

Grass-Fed Beef

If you've read any of the posts by Evan at "Food Makes Fun Fuel", you have at least heard of grass- fed beef. Heck, you have probably heard of it anyway. Truth be told, I've never tried it.

A couple weeks ago The New York Times' "Well Blog" posted a great article about the benefits of grass-fed beef, compared to grain-fed beef.

Pros

• Lower levels of unhealthy saturated and trans fat

• Higher levels of Omega-3 (EPA/DHA)
  

• More vitamins A, and E

• Twice the levels of Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA), which may have chemoprotective properties and also may help prevent other chronic diseases.

• May be better for the environment, compared to grain-fed beef.

• 100-percent grass-fed beef is typically free of antibiotics and hormones (not always...).
  

Cons

• Regarding the "lower levels of saturated fat and trans fat", well, you can buy lean grain-fed beef (90 percent lean and 10 percent fat), which also has incredibly low levels of unhealthy fat.

• The levels of Omega-3 found in grass-fed beef are still far lower than that found in salmon and tuna.

• Some grass-fed beef may have a "grassy taste". I don't think Nick would like that a whole lot....

• It's almost three times as expensive as regular, grain-fed beef.

• When the label says "grass fed" it may not mean the cattle were fed grass their entire life. It could mean they were fed grass just at the beginning of their life. The article said to look for the label from the American Grassfed Association for assurance that your beef was likely on a 100% grass diet, throughout their life.
  

** Check out this fantastic article about the difference between grass-fed and grain fed beef; CNN.com (article) **

Quick, Cheap, and Healthy Recipe #17
Bean Burgers

Ingredients
1/2 diced onion
1 can drained black beans
1/2 cup wheat flour
1 slice cubed whole wheat bread
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. salt
Canola oil for frying the onions and the burgers

Possible Modifications

• Use any spices you wish
• Use any type of bean (pinto, red, etc.)
• Use any type of flour or bread
  

Instructions
Sautee the onions until they are soft to your liking. Puree the beans in a blender, or mash them with a fork in a medium (don't make them too smooth, chunks are good!). Add all of the ingredients to the mashed/pureed beans.

Form the mixture into 6 medium sized (~1/2-3/4 inches thick) patties (or you can make them larger and make 4 or 5 patties). Add a bit of canola oil to a pan and heat the oil on medium. Disperse the oil throughout the surface area of the pan, and then fry away! Cook until they are slightly brown on both sides. Cut through to the middle to make sure they are hot inside. Then enjoy.

I served Nick's burger with some cheese and pickles, with extra pepper on top.

Nick's Rating: 9 out of 10

I didn't try one because they contained wheat, plus I don't really eat beans because they give me awful gas (I would have to take about 5 expensive Beano in order to prevent the gas.....). So Nick had the pleasure of enjoying these babies. He loved them.

Nutrition Information

Coming Up

Tonight I am heading over to Urban Active for a couple hours, to market our services some more. As for tomorrow's post, well, I'm fairly certain it will be focusing on body composition. What is a healthy weight and body fat? What are the factors that effect our weight status?

Have a great evening!

Agave vs. Honey, Carob vs. Dark Chocolate

We did it! We signed the papers and made an offer.....

but it was counter-offered by the owners last night :( What are we doing? Making another counter-offer of course! We'll hear back tonight. What an ordeal.

Last night, after hearing that our offer was declined, Nick and I watched the movie 2012. Do you want to spend 2.5 hours watching the most ridiculous movie ever made? Go ahead and rent it yourself! It was so lame. I laughed pretty hard throughout the movie, just making fun of it.

Q & A

About a month ago Kristen of Change of Pace asked me about Agave Nectar vs. Honey, and Carob Chips vs. Dark chocolate. Here is some information.

AGAVE

I recently did a post about HFCS and Agave nectar on our new workplace wellness blog. To read the post, click here. For a brief overview, dietitians really aren't recommending agave nectar as an alternative, "healthier" sweetener. While it may be "slightly less processed", it is actually 84% fructose! This is much higher than high fructose corn syrup. What's wrong with fructose? Nothing, really, especially in the form of fruit, but too much can cause major health issues. Fructose is not used for energy quite as readily as glucose, and most of it is taken up by the liver and turned to glycogen or stored as fat. THIS IS ONLY A PROBLEM IF YOU CONSUME TOO MUCH OF IT! Since sweeteners such as HFCS are found in so many foods, it's no wonder it gets the blame for all the chronic disease and the obesity epidemic. In comparison, honey is 50% fructose, 44% glucose, and 1% sucrose (fructose and glucose combined).

My opinion? I'd choose honey over agave nectar in a heartbeat. If you want the less processed honey, choose organic.

CAROB CHIPS

It's hard to compare carob chips to dark chocolate because it really depends on what kind of dark chocolate you buy. Some brands are much better than others. For example, if you buy "Dark Chocolate Chips", chances are they are just darkened chocolate, and are not much different than milk chocolate chips. If you buy Ghirardelli 85% dark chocolate, or Lindt's 85% dark chocolate, they actually provide many benefits. The same might be true with the different brands of carob chips, but I really don't know enough about carob chips to be sure. Overall, here are some nutritional differences between the two:

• Carob chips are said to be free of oxalate; Oxalate binds many minerals, such as calcium and iron, and may impede their absorption. It's ok to get some oxalates in your diet, just not too many. Dark chocolate has a good amount of oxalate. So does spinach.
  

• Dark chocolate is packed with heart healthy and chemoprotective (cancer preventative) phytonutrients! Carob chips? Not so much.

• Carob chips have more calories than dark chocolate, but this probably depends on the brand.

• Carob chips have more calcium, but dark chocolate has more iron (again, this depends on the brand).

• Carob chips have about the same amount of fiber, but more protein than dark chocolate (again, this depends on the brand).
  

• The author of one of my favorite books, Dr. Steven Pratt, tweeted the other day that a serving of dark chocolate a day (60% or above) may have a beneficial effect on metabolism!

Bottom Line: There are benefits of both. I'm sticking to my dark chocolate :)

Coming Up

I'm really not sure what's coming up in future CandidRD posts. Obviously I will keep you updated on out quest to buy a house, but as for topics, I'm not sure. I guess you'll have to be surprised!

Have a great day everyone. Thanks for reading!

A New, and Better Polenta!

Because I am not longer eating wheat, due to my fructose malabsorption, I have been exploring many new flours and grains. I recently made my first polenta from scratch, using cornmeal (not a whole grain, unfortunately). It was very tasty, but I wanted to try a new recipe that maybe had a little more "pizazz". Astra Libris posted this recipe on her blog a few weeks ago, which I immediately wanted to try! I finally made it this week, and I was not disappointed.

Polenta, "Food For Laughter" Style

As I do with just about all recipes, I made some slight modifications to Astra's recipe. I don't have the money to go out and buy ingredients that I will most likely never use again, so I had to substitute some ingredients. To see her original recipe, click here.

Ingredients
(makes 2 large servings)

1/2 cup cornmeal
1.5 cups Almond milk (yes, I said almond milk!)
3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp pepper

Tomato "Sauce" Topper

1 can fire roasted tomatoes, seasoned with garlic
2 T plain Greek yogurt

Directions

Combine the first three ingredients into a saucepan and heat on medium. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Heat until polenta starts to thicken (make sure you really work out the chunks of cornmeal at the beginning). Add the spices.

Once the polenta gets thick enough (basically once it gets to the point where there is no extra liquid, and it's thick to your liking), grab a small saucepan to start making the tomato "sauce" topper. Add a can of tomatoes to the saucepan. Heat the tomatoes on medium heat until they reach a simmer. Add the yogurt, and stir. Meanwhile, be sure to continue watching and occasionally stirring the polenta.


** Astra suggests blending the tomato "sauce" topper (tomatoes and yogurt) with an emulsion blender or other blender, but I didn't not do this. **

Pour the polenta into a shallow bowl and then add a heaping scoop of the tomato "sauce" topper.

Nutrition Facts
(Recipes makes 2 servings, this is for 1 serving)

It scored an "A" in nutrition, and an "A" in taste! Even Nick liked it :) The sodium was 20% of the DV, which is not good, but hey, it could be much worse!

Urban Active Fitness

Recently my colleague, Kyle, and I embarked on a new business venture. While our workplace wellness side of the business has been sort of slow, we decided to take advantage of the clientele at some local gyms. We are starting at Urban Active Fitness. Here are some pictures of this amazing facility:

Our advertisement table: Starting March 29th we will provide dietary classes for moms, the older generations, and to the general groups (general advice). We will also provide one-on-one dietary consults. Visit our website at www.imagination2burn.com.

This place is huge. There are televisions everywhere. You sure feel "Urban" when you are in this place.


Basketball courts with scary man coming after me....

A track that goes around the entire facility!

Coming Up

Tonight Nick and I are signing the papers to make an offer on our house. Am I nervous? HECK YEAH! Am I excited? VERY. I will update you later in the weekend. I will also be posting the answer to a question I received a while ago, regarding Agave Nectar and Carob chips vs. dark chocolate.

Thanks for reading everyone! Have a great weekend.

Tuna Confusion and a New House

Thanks for your comments on my last post, about mercury in fish. A couple of you brought up some great points:

Melinda mentioned that it's also important to know the signs of mercury toxicity. One of the most common signs, she said, is confusion. Thanks Melinda! That is great information. Don't get too paranoid though, some confusion is normal. You will know when someone is confused to the point that it's not normal.

A couple of you mentioned that light canned tuna is low in mercury too (actually it has the lowest amount of mercury of all canned tunas). The problem with light canned tuna is that it's also low in EPA/DHA (the essential fatty acids), which is why I didn't mention it.

Bottom Line: Light canned tuna has the lowest amount of mercury out of all the canned tunas. Albacore also has a low amount (check out this website for more information), plus it has the added benefit of lots of EPA/DHA. The health benefits do outweigh the risks! If you are pregnant, however, I would stick to light canned tuna, and take a fish oil supplement that is high quality.

Picking a House...

The past couple of months have been filled with searching for a new house. Yes, it's true that Nick and I have yet to get married (or engaged for that matter) but we know we will eventually, and with the $8,000 stimulus ending in April, now is the time to buy! We have decided to choose "location" over "square-footage". What that means is that we will be moving to a very nice area, where you basically get much less house/land for the price. To us, it's worth it. We love the area, and the school system is fantastic (we're really looking to the future!).

Which do you like better? This one.....


Or this one?
I won't tell you which one I like better, but I want your honest opinion! I think we already know which one we are going to end up with, unless of course the inspection doesn't go as planned. Even if I don't get the house I really wanted, both of these houses will be fantastic for our first home. I'm so excited!

Coming Up

Tomorrow I will be doing a random post about a couple of TV shows that focus on nutrition. No, not the Biggest Loser, I'm officially over that that show.

Have a great day everyone, and thanks for reading!

I'll Have the Fish; No Mercury Please!

Do you ever worry about the contaminants in your fish? I hear these questions a lot, "should I eat tuna? Which fish is highest in mercury? Are fish oil supplements safe?

Here are some answers:

Tuna

• It is advised that adults eat no more than 1 can of tuna per week ( This is the general recommendation, I sometimes eat two cans, personally. The 1 serving per week recommendation is especially important for women who are pregnant).

• Albacore tuna is the richest source of omega-3 fatty acids, and it is also one of the least likely contaminated tunas (light canned tuna actually has the lowest amount of mercury, but it's also much lower in EPA/DHA).
  

Other Fish

• The fish that are generally highest in mercury include swordfish, shark, tilefish, and king mackerel. Again, it's especially important to keep away from these during pregnancy.
  

• The fish that are generally lowest in mercury are haddock, tilapia, salmon, cod, pollock, canned albacore tuna, and most shellfish.

Supplements

• If you take cod liver oil, be aware that many brands are potentially high in mercury and PCBs.

• In a recent review of 52 different brands of fish oil, ConsumerLabs.com found that none of the supplements had detectable levels of mercury or PCBs (yeah!).
  

• Look for the NSF or USP label on your supplements. This means the supplement has been tested for contaminants!

• On a different note, check out this article about the health benefits of fish oil. Basically, there are benefits, but they don't outweigh the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.
  

Quick, Healthy, and Cheap Recipe #16
Tuna Melt

Ingredients

1 slice whole grain bread
3 ounces canned or pouched white tuna
1 slice American Cheese
1 tsp Red Hot

Possible Modifications

• Use any bread you have available
• Use any tuna you have (white tuna has the most EPA/DHA)
• Use any kind of cheese!

Instructions
Add the tuna and the cheese on top of the bread. Pop into toasted oven until cheese is nice and melted.

ENJOY!

Nutrition Facts

EPA/DHA: ~.66-1 gram per serving (The recommendation is 1-2 grams per day)

Coming Up

Tomorrow I plan to show you the two houses that Nick and I are "fighting over". I'll let you be the judge as to which one you like best. I only have two pictures, from the outside. I'll show you more once we by one of the houses! I also plan on doing a product review.

Thanks for reading, and have a great day!

Demystifying Label Claims

Do you ever read label claims and wonder, "what the heck does this even mean?!". I know I do! This post is meant to clear up some of the confusion when it comes to some very common label claims. SOURCE: ADA TIMES

Natural: While there is no specific definition, the FDA has not objected to the use of this term, as long as it is used in a truthful and non-misleading manor. The product should not contain added color, artificial flavors or synthetic substances. The use of the term "natural" cannot be added to ingredients on the ingredient list (for example, a company cannot write, "natural salt"), with the exception of the phrase "natural flavorings". The FDA does not regulate the use of this term, so you've got to trust the company from whom you are buying.


Processed vs. Unprocessed: According to the Farm Bill of 2008, a processed food is one that has "been processed to the point it undergoes a change of character". What does this mean? While many people consider frozen and canned fruits and vegetables, "processed", this apparently is not accurate. Examples include; raw nuts (unprocessed) vs. roasted nuts (processed); edamame (unprocessed) vs. tofu (processed); a head of spinach vs. cut, pre-washed spinach (processed). Does this make you change your view of processed foods? I bet you had no idea tofu was considered processed!



Whole Food: Refers to foods that are not processed, refined, or have added ingredients. There are several different definitions of whole foods, but by most definitions, whole foods would include whole grains, dairy, fresh produce, meat, and fish. Basically, any food that appears in it's most pure form, and which has undergone minimal processing.

Organic (meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy): These animals were not given antibiotics or growth hormones (Defined by the USDA)

Organic (plant foods): Produced without using most conventional pesticides; synthetic fertilizers bioengineering, or ionizing radiation. It is imperative that all farms be inspected to ensure that these standards have been followed, before allowing the "organic claim". There are also USDA standards for organic handling and processing.

Three levels of Organic
100 Percent Organic: Products that are completely organic or made of only organic ingredients qualify for this claim and a USDA Organic seal.


Organic: Products in which at least 95 percent of its ingredients are organic quality for this claim and a USDA Organic seal.


Made with Organic Ingredients: These foods are food products in which at least 70 percent of ingredients are certified organic. The USDA seal may not be used on these packages, but there can be a claim that the product is "made with organic ingredients".

To read more about the USDA Organic Seal, click here

Live and Active Culture: When purchasing yogurt, always look for a claim that the yogurt contains "Live and Active Cultures", not that is was made with them (because all yogurt is made with live and active cultures). This doesn't necessarily mean it has a beneficial amount, but at least you know that there are some live and active cultures. Also look for the Live and Active Cultures seal (below), which represents the fact that the product has at least 100 million viable bacteria at the time of manufacturing. The addition of alternative probiotics (not just the ones used to make the yogurt) makes the yogurt even more unique. Look for probiotics such as L. bulgaricus, B. bifidus, L. casei, and L. reuteri on the ingredient list.



Free Range: Do you by free range chicken or eggs? Keep in mind this does not necessarily mean that the chickens were allowed to roam free all the time. This count possibly mean that the chickens were given access to the outside, but not at all times. "The USDA regulations do not specify the quality or size of the outside range nor the duration of time an animal must have access to the outside" (Wikepedia). So while it's nice to think that these chickens are 100% free to roam wherever they wish, this is likely not the case.


Antibiotic Free: This doesn't really mean anything other than the fact that at the time of packaging, testing showed zero antibiotics in the animal. The animal could have been given antibiotics throughout its life, but they just so happen to be out of the system by the time of packaging. If you want 100% antibiotic free animal products, look for "Raised without antibiotics", or buy Organic.

Giveaway Update

Chia Seed giveaway!

Coming Up

Tonight Nick and I are going to do a "semi-final" walk through of our two favorite houses. I want one, he wants the other. We will be keeping track of the positives and negatives of each, then reviewing them at the end and hopefully making a decision. I hope this ends well, we've actually been fighting over this house issue a lot lately. This has been much more difficult than I ever imagined. I think we'll need to discuss our choice over a nice beer at our favorite local pub. Yeah, that sounds nice ;) That's what Fridays are for!

This weekend I will be posting about the DHA/EPA and mercury levels in different fish. Until next time, have a great evening!

Broccoli; A True Superfood

Thanks for all of your wishes for a Happy National Registered Dietitian Day yesterday! You guys are so sweet and kind, what would I do without you?! I also enjoyed reading your comments about the quotes I posted from "Men are From Mars, Women are From Venus". Some of you disagreed with what the author said, and I find that I disagree with this book sometimes too. But overall the book has really helped me understand men much better, and has helped Nick understand ME!

Today I decided to dedicate my post to one of my favorite vegetables; BROCCOLI!



Broccoli is an amazing vegetable. It's a member of the "cruciferous" family of vegetables, which also includes brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, mustard greens, kale, and bok choy. Here are some of the reasons why I make sure to eat at least 1/2 cup of broccoli (or the others listed above), everyday:

• Vitamin C for collagen repair (especially good for the small capillaries that help with circulation, and for gum health). Vitamin C also acts as an antioxidant, and works with other compounds in broccoli to increase it's ability to act as an antioxidant.
  

• Fiber for heart health and a healthy GI tract.

• Folate for heart health and for DNA synthesis (especially important for young women who may become pregnant, or who are currently pregnant.)

• Phytonutrients that act to bolster antioxidant defenses, and some of which actually act as antioxidants.
  

• Phytoestrogens, which are "plant estrogens". They act similar to human estrogen, but instead of binding to estrogen receptors on cancer cells, and helping to replicate the cancer, it binds to the receptor and prevents the binding of human estrogen, thus preventing the growth of hormone sensitive cancers (prostate and breast cancer are two examples).
  

• Beta-catoene, lutein, xeaxanthin (all carotenoids), which can help prevent numerous types of cancer (especially colon and bladder) and which help protect the eyes, and the skin from UV rays.

• It takes GOOD!
  

Quick, Cheap, and Healthy Recipe #15
Broccoli Soup

Ingredients
(Serves 1)
1.5 cups steamed broccoli
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup 1% milk
1 T egg whites
1 t olive oil
1 ounce shredded white cheddar cheese
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Possible Modifications

• Use more broccoli!
• Use more or less egg whites
• Use any kind of milk you have available
• Use any kind of cheese, and any amount (although keep in mind, cheese is high in saturated fat)
• Use any seasonings you wish

Instructions
Steam your broccoli!

After steaming your broccoli, throw together each of the above ingredients, minus the cheese, into a Magic Bullet or other food processor. Blend until you reach desired consistency. Put the contents into a medium sized saucepan and cook on medium heat until you reach your desired temperature. Pour into a bowl, and sprinkle the cheese on top!

Nutrition Facts

My Rate: 8 out of 10
(It could have used a bit more seasoning, and maybe a tad bit more cheese!)

Nick's Rate: He hates soup, but he LOVES broccoli! Either way, he didn't try this.


Yes I know, this doesn't look very appetizing, but it does taste better than it looks!

Coming Up

If you didn't notice, there was no Biggest Loser review this week. I thought about watching the it on Tuesday, but then I realized, I really don't enjoy it and I have better things to do with my time. I may or may not pick it back up next week, but that really depends on how much work I have to do. I apologize to those of who who enjoy reading it, but sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do! Tomorrow I will be posting about label claims (ex: Natural, Organic).

Thanks for reading, and have a great day!

Turkey Burgers and Calorie Readouts on Exercise Equipment

Tuesday is coming to a close, and I'm pretty excited about it. A few updates; first, we went to see some new houses last night, with both Nick's mother and my parents. It was exciting, the big day is getting closer!! Also, a funny story. Last night Nick and I discussed what we would choose if we could have three foods on a deserted island. Here is what he said: White Chocolate Wonderful, Dark Chocolate Dreams, and English Muffins! HA!

Quick, Cheap, and Healthy Recipe #15
Fiesta Turkey Burgers

Ingredients
3 ounces lean ground turkey
1/4 cup sliced bell pepper (any color)
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp lime juice
1/4 tsp. cayenne powder

Possible Modifications

• Use any type of ground protein
• Use any type of non-starchy vegetable
• Use any spices, and amount of spices, you desire
• Add some oil or avocado for added moisture
  

Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a medium sized bowl, blend with clean hands.

** If you prefer to cook the peppers first, saute them in a pan with a bit of EVOO, to get them soft. This is not, however, necessary. I personally prefer a little crunch!**

Form into patties and cook evenly on both sides. Take the temperature of the patties and make sure the internal temperature reaches 180 degrees before consuming.

Place between a bun, or a slice of bread. Or eat however you please! Add condiments as you wish, and cheese if desired.

Nick's Rating: 9 out of 10
My rating: 8 out of 10
** Next time I will add a bit of oil, or avocado to the patties, for more moisture!**

Nutrition Information
(Includes one patty and 1 slice whole grain bread)

Calorie Readouts on Exercise Equipment
Source: Today's Dietitian Magazine

Are you one of the many individuals who tries to reach a desired calorie goal based off of what your exercise equipment spits out? While it's ok to do that, be aware that the calorie readouts may not be as accurate as you might think.

• The calorie readouts are a "ballpark estimate", and the machines that are most accurate are the ones that require exercisers to bear their weight (ellipticals and treadmills are better than stationary bikes and rowing machines).

• The best estimate will come from a machine that asks you to input your weight.

• Even when you enter your weight, the estimate may not be as accurate as possible, as muscle is more metabolically active than fat, and the machines do not consider this.

• Each machine uses a different equation to calculate calories burned (there are tons), so one machine might tell you one number, while another may claim you burned more or less.

• Some studies have shown that treadmills overestimate calories by 10-20%.

• For the best workout, don't hold on to the sides of the machines. By doing so, you are doing yourself a disservice because you are decreasing calorie usage.

• Trying to burn 400 calories? When your machine reaches the 400 calorie mark, go for five extra minutes. You will be much closer to the 400 calorie mark by that time.

Some thoughts: I used to be obsessed with looking at the calories that I burned while doing particular exercises, until I concluded that the science of "calories in, calories out" isn't exact, so why waste my time and energy focusing on the calories? Similar to weighing yourself, focusing on any number, which can fluctuate throughout the day (weight) and with different machines (calorie readouts), makes the activity less fun, in my opinion. I think it's more important to find an exercise you love to do and that provides a good challenge. More benefits will arise from doing different types of exercises, every day or every week. But If you still want to focus on calories burned, just remember the numbers are an estimate, and that's ok, just as long as you're aware.

Coming Up

I've been really busy with work lately, so I may or may not do a new post tomorrow. Either way, a Biggest Loser review is in the future! I'm excited for it to start back up again. I'll also be doing a post on all those crazy label terms we see on the shelves.

Have a great night everyone! Thanks for reading.