I am the first to admit that before I found my love with running I was an elliptical girl. I would ride that machine for an hour with my headphone blazing. Then I found a new piece of cardio machinery when I was looking to move my studio. It was the ARC Trainer. Now most of my clients could not use an Elliptical because of its fixed motion. My orthopedic clients with knee, and back issues found it to be extremely uncomfortable. So we decided to get rid of the elliptical and buy ARC Trainer.
The ARC Trainer is a unique machine. You need to get on it to understand how it works. I tell my clients it is like running in the air. It is not easy, you need to build up the amount of time you spend on it. But once you do the results are great and you don't have to spend to much time on it. The idea behind the ARC is big calorie burning based on the muscles it targets (glutes, quads). This machine works the muscles not the joints, I have older clients with knee replacements using the machine for 30 minutes feeling great. I even use it as a recovery workout on days I don't run. When I run it's usually 60-90 minutes but on the ARC 40 minutes is just enough and great sweat going, and my knees, quads, and hip flexors feel loose.
If you have not tried the ARC trainer, I would highly recommend getting on one. If you are unsure how to use it ask a fitness professional for assistance and enjoy.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
What Should I Eat Before A Workout?
This seems to be a question I get more often then not. Should I or shouldn't I eat before I workout? My answer is you should eat a little something before a workout. I know that other fitness experts will tell you that you should workout first thing in the morning on an empty stomach to burn fat and calories, but what if you can't work out first thing in the morning or you are hungry when you wake up. My recommendation to clients is to eat something light before a workout like a banana dipped with almond butter, or a Greek yogurt. The body is no different than a car, it needs fuel to run and if your body is running on coffee and water in the morning the workout will feel like a struggle. Now some people will say I can't eat before a workout I feel sick. To them I say find something you can digest and plan to eat at least 30 to 40 minutes before you exercise so it has time to get absorbed in the stomach. After your workout I would say to eat something a bit more substantial if you feel necessary or depending on the intensity of the workout. If you are looking to lose weight don't eat after you workout. If you are looking for muscle mass, and not interested in weight loss then have something after the training, like a protein shake with fruit or egg whites and vegetables. Protein is a great post workout recovery meal and carbohydrates are good for pre workout (whole grain starches not a bagel). Here is a list of some of my pre workout meal recommendations:
-0% Greek Yogurt with berries
-Light English Muffin with a TBSP Almond Butter or Natural Peanut Butter
-Oatmeal with Cinnamon
-whole grain Cereal with fruit
-Whole Grain toast with sliced banana and almond butter
-Yogurt Drink (Dannon)
Post Workout Meal
-2 Eggs (substitute) with spinach or tomato
-Whey Protein Shake with fruit and almond milk
-Yogurt Parfait with almonds and fruit swirled with honey
This is just a few I like as well as my clients. Remember breakfast is the most important meal of the day, it jump starts the metabolism, and helps energize the workouts. So YES you should eat something before you exercise.
-0% Greek Yogurt with berries
-Light English Muffin with a TBSP Almond Butter or Natural Peanut Butter
-Oatmeal with Cinnamon
-whole grain Cereal with fruit
-Whole Grain toast with sliced banana and almond butter
-Yogurt Drink (Dannon)
Post Workout Meal
-2 Eggs (substitute) with spinach or tomato
-Whey Protein Shake with fruit and almond milk
-Yogurt Parfait with almonds and fruit swirled with honey
This is just a few I like as well as my clients. Remember breakfast is the most important meal of the day, it jump starts the metabolism, and helps energize the workouts. So YES you should eat something before you exercise.
Monday, April 25, 2011
What can I do to lose weight in my stomach?
This is a question I get asked all the time, all of my clients say they do all these crunches and sit ups yet the belly just won't go away. Well unfortunately you can do all the sit ups you want but it will not change the appearance of the stomach. The body is a great machine and will do what it needs and wants based on how you treat it, and sometimes that means storing fat where you may not like or want, and for most that is the midsection. The way to lose belly fat is with cardiovascular exercise first; then incorporating a strength workout, and healthy eating plan. Without doing these things the belly will not show muscle definition. You need to start off doing 30-40 minutes of cardio more days then not, followed by some basic large muscle combination type strength work (squat press). Then the food plan: stop eating white products, eat more fruits and vegetables, drink fluids, and get more omega 3 good fats. Don't use the exercise as means to eat more use it as a way to DO more, and have longer lasting energy.
If you make a commitment to do those things you will start to see that midsection shrink, and the 2 pack, 4 pack, 6 pack, whatever it is you want start to show in no time.
If you make a commitment to do those things you will start to see that midsection shrink, and the 2 pack, 4 pack, 6 pack, whatever it is you want start to show in no time.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Bunny Cupcakes
It is tradition in our family to make an Easter Bunny Cake. It is really fun and easy, but we eat a small amount and throw it out. Now that most of my family is health conscious they would rather taste something sweet them eat a whole big piece of cake. When my mother in law approached me this year to bake I wanted something that all will enjoy, and not feel guilty about, yet still held tradition of the bunny cake. Which is why this year the bunny cake had babies. They are so cute and simple, my sister and I spend the evening decorating them which is also a bonus when baking. You can include the family as well.
Ingredients:
2 Cupcake Cake Mix
1 container of white frosting
1 bag of coconut
1 bag large marshmallows
1 small bag of jelly beans
1 small bag peanut M and M's
1 pink gel icing
1 black gel icing
1 container of pink sprinkles
toothpicks or lollipop sticks
Cook your cupcakes according to package. Let them cool before decorating. Set up a bowl for your coconut, one for your sprinkles, m and m, and jelly beans. This way it is easy to get to. Take a knife and slice your marshmallow in half, stick your toothpick or pop stick inside so it is easy to place on the cake.
1) Frost your cooled cupcake
2) Dip in coconut
3) Take your marshmallows ears and dip in pink sprinkles, place them on the cupcake
4) Take jelly beans and place eyes
5) Take your M and M and make a noise
6) Use your black gel icing and make eyes and mouth
7) Use your pink gel and make whiskers
Place in a container and serve to friends and family. SO CUTE!
Ingredients:
2 Cupcake Cake Mix
1 container of white frosting
1 bag of coconut
1 bag large marshmallows
1 small bag of jelly beans
1 small bag peanut M and M's
1 pink gel icing
1 black gel icing
1 container of pink sprinkles
toothpicks or lollipop sticks
Cook your cupcakes according to package. Let them cool before decorating. Set up a bowl for your coconut, one for your sprinkles, m and m, and jelly beans. This way it is easy to get to. Take a knife and slice your marshmallow in half, stick your toothpick or pop stick inside so it is easy to place on the cake.
1) Frost your cooled cupcake
2) Dip in coconut
3) Take your marshmallows ears and dip in pink sprinkles, place them on the cupcake
4) Take jelly beans and place eyes
5) Take your M and M and make a noise
6) Use your black gel icing and make eyes and mouth
7) Use your pink gel and make whiskers
Place in a container and serve to friends and family. SO CUTE!
Friday, April 22, 2011
New Bar Find
Came across these bars in a cycle shop, I was so excited that they had ingredients I could read, they were gluten free (I am sensitive to gluten) and they looked good. I purchased these two flavors because I love pineapple, and dates. I wanted to see how the bars held up as far as energy pre workout and post workout. Both flavors were Great. I would recommend this bar in a second, as an athlete (runner), and fitness professional always moving I try to find something that is not loaded with sugar or additives. This is the bar for me, and they have other flavors I have not even tried yet. So if you are working out, running with the kids or traveling long hours give this bar a try. I promise you will love it.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Tough Love to Rid Pain!
As a trainer it is tough to see a client not feel great, there are days when they feel no aches and days when they do. When my clients come to me with an achy whatever all I want to do is asses the problem and help in the best way I know how. Sometimes I can help with stretches, or mobility work, and other times it is with words, calm understanding non stressful or worrisome words. Yesterday was a great example of what a day of pain can turn into. I have a great client that has been with me for 3 years. We have made great improvements in his workouts and lifestyle. He originally came to me with terrible back pain and we used Pilates and nutrition to cure it. This time it was different. He was coming in late, canceling sessions, and not loving exercise anymore. He needed to get out of a funk, and fast. If he kept up with this mental mushy attitude all the work we did would be gone. The only thing I could think of to get him to snap out of it is to realize that there are going to be days of pain as we get older (he is 72), we need to make the necessary adjustments to the workouts, be grateful that you can still do things you enjoy (cycle, run, hike). He looked at me quiet at first but thanked me for the verbal loving smack in the face. He left the session pain free and ready to take on the rest of the day. So sometimes it is not about the exercise to help aleviate pain it is getting out of your head and listiening to tough love.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Fit Cuisine Passover Meal
So we all know that I love to try new recipes and make them healthier. But this week I needed to work with religion in mind. This week many of my clients celebrated Passover which means no bread, pasta, etc. I wanted to make meals that people still enjoyed but still had flavor and substance. So I came up with this menu:
Matzoh Lasagna (never used it before) always a first for everything
Ingredients:
4 Matzoh Boards
1 lb Fat Free Cottage Cheese
1 TBSP Italian Seasoning
1 tsp Pesto
1 Jar of your favorite marinara or your own jarred tomato sauce
1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese
Preheat the oven to 350. In a baking dish spray the bottom with olive oil. Take your cottage cheese and put it into a bowl. Add your Italian seasoning and pesto stirring it all together. Make sure your pan is big enough to fit the entire matzoh board. Place a little sauce on the bottom of your pan, place one board on top, spread the board with a bit more sauce, and take your cottage cheese and place it on the matzoh. Repeat this pattern till all 4 boards are done. Top the last matzoh with the rest of the cottage cheese and parmesan, cover and place in the oven for 30 minutes.
This was fun to make, and a lot easier than lasagna. It smelled wonderful and it was amazing how much flavor absorbed into the matzoh. A must make.
Chicken Marinara
Ingredients:
4 Chicken Breasts pounded
2 TBSP Olive Oil
2 TBSP Italian Seasoning
1 Can (28 oz) Stewed Tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped fresh broccoli
1/3 cup chopped green beans
1 small yellow squash sliced
1/3 cup sliced mushrooms
3 TBSP Sliced olives of choice
Preheat your olive oil in a large saute pan. Season your chicken with the italian season and place in the pan on low/med heat. Take your stewed tomatoes and place them on top of your chicken along with all of your vegetables. Let the entire pan cook till the vegetables are soft and the chicken is cooked though. Entire cooking time is about 25 minutes simmered on med low heat.
Tips: If you are doing this dish for the holiday they don't add a starch. If you want to use this for an weeknight meal then add rice or pasta.
Chicken Roll Ups
Ingredients:
4 Chicken Breasts Pounded
1 small jar roasted red pepper
4 Slices oven roated turkey breast
1 tsp pepper
1tsp paprika
1 TBSP olive oil
Preheat the oven to 375. Take your chicken breast and season them with olive oil and pepper. Take a slice of pepper and place it onto the chicken, then take a piece of turkey and place on top of the pepper. Slowly start to roll the chicken breast and place tuck side down on a greased baking dish. Sprinkle with the paprika, and bake for about 25 minutes.
Tips: This dish can have almost anything in it, for passover (no cheese) but you can add cheese whenever you want. This is a quick, simple and flavorful dish. Serve with a salad ,vegetable, or rice.
Sweet Carrots
1 small package of baby carrots
1/4 cup of water
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp butter substitute (brummel and brown or smart balance)
1 tsp honey
Take all of the ingredients and place into a small pot. Bring to a boil for about 10 minutes or until carrots are tender. Serve with any of the above chicken dishes or as a side for meals during the week.
Asparagus with Roasted Almonds
1 Stalk of Asparagus
1 TBSP sliced almonds
Olive oil Spray
Preheat the oven to 375. Take your stalks and spray them with olive oil, and spinkle your almonds. Roast in the oven for about 15 minutes remove and serve.
Matzoh Lasagna (never used it before) always a first for everything
Ingredients:
4 Matzoh Boards
1 lb Fat Free Cottage Cheese
1 TBSP Italian Seasoning
1 tsp Pesto
1 Jar of your favorite marinara or your own jarred tomato sauce
1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese
Preheat the oven to 350. In a baking dish spray the bottom with olive oil. Take your cottage cheese and put it into a bowl. Add your Italian seasoning and pesto stirring it all together. Make sure your pan is big enough to fit the entire matzoh board. Place a little sauce on the bottom of your pan, place one board on top, spread the board with a bit more sauce, and take your cottage cheese and place it on the matzoh. Repeat this pattern till all 4 boards are done. Top the last matzoh with the rest of the cottage cheese and parmesan, cover and place in the oven for 30 minutes.
This was fun to make, and a lot easier than lasagna. It smelled wonderful and it was amazing how much flavor absorbed into the matzoh. A must make.
Chicken Marinara
Ingredients:
4 Chicken Breasts pounded
2 TBSP Olive Oil
2 TBSP Italian Seasoning
1 Can (28 oz) Stewed Tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped fresh broccoli
1/3 cup chopped green beans
1 small yellow squash sliced
1/3 cup sliced mushrooms
3 TBSP Sliced olives of choice
Preheat your olive oil in a large saute pan. Season your chicken with the italian season and place in the pan on low/med heat. Take your stewed tomatoes and place them on top of your chicken along with all of your vegetables. Let the entire pan cook till the vegetables are soft and the chicken is cooked though. Entire cooking time is about 25 minutes simmered on med low heat.
Tips: If you are doing this dish for the holiday they don't add a starch. If you want to use this for an weeknight meal then add rice or pasta.
Chicken Roll Ups
Ingredients:
4 Chicken Breasts Pounded
1 small jar roasted red pepper
4 Slices oven roated turkey breast
1 tsp pepper
1tsp paprika
1 TBSP olive oil
Preheat the oven to 375. Take your chicken breast and season them with olive oil and pepper. Take a slice of pepper and place it onto the chicken, then take a piece of turkey and place on top of the pepper. Slowly start to roll the chicken breast and place tuck side down on a greased baking dish. Sprinkle with the paprika, and bake for about 25 minutes.
Tips: This dish can have almost anything in it, for passover (no cheese) but you can add cheese whenever you want. This is a quick, simple and flavorful dish. Serve with a salad ,vegetable, or rice.
Sweet Carrots
1 small package of baby carrots
1/4 cup of water
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp butter substitute (brummel and brown or smart balance)
1 tsp honey
Take all of the ingredients and place into a small pot. Bring to a boil for about 10 minutes or until carrots are tender. Serve with any of the above chicken dishes or as a side for meals during the week.
Asparagus with Roasted Almonds
1 Stalk of Asparagus
1 TBSP sliced almonds
Olive oil Spray
Preheat the oven to 375. Take your stalks and spray them with olive oil, and spinkle your almonds. Roast in the oven for about 15 minutes remove and serve.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Broccoli and Chicken Pie (Fit Cuisine Style)
So this weekend I wanted to try and make a pie. No, not an apple or pumpkin although I think Frank would have enjoyed that. I wanted to try a vegetable style pie, and since everyone loves broccoli and chicken I thought why not try these ingredients in a healthy dish. So here is the recipe, let me know what you think.
Ingredients:
2 Cups of fresh broccoli florets, steamed and sliced or a 12 oz frozen chopped bag(thawed)
1-2 cooked chicken breasts diced
1/2 cup low fat cheddar cheese + 1/4 cup
1/3 cup of sliced cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup Original Bisquick mix
1 cup fat free milk
2 eggs (use egg substitute)
1/4 tsp black pepper
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a 9 inch pie dish spray it with PAM. Put the broccoli, tomato and chicken into your dish, sprinkle with 1/2 cup of cheese. Next mix up your Bisquick, eggs, milk and pepper so that it is not lumpy. Pour the mixture into the dish and place it in your oven for about 30-35 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the dish with the rest of your cheese. Put back to bake for another 5 minutes and serve.
This dish is really light, complete meal. It pairs well not only with Chardonnay, but with a salad as well.
This is something the whole family will enjoy.
Ingredients:
2 Cups of fresh broccoli florets, steamed and sliced or a 12 oz frozen chopped bag(thawed)
1-2 cooked chicken breasts diced
1/2 cup low fat cheddar cheese + 1/4 cup
1/3 cup of sliced cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup Original Bisquick mix
1 cup fat free milk
2 eggs (use egg substitute)
1/4 tsp black pepper
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a 9 inch pie dish spray it with PAM. Put the broccoli, tomato and chicken into your dish, sprinkle with 1/2 cup of cheese. Next mix up your Bisquick, eggs, milk and pepper so that it is not lumpy. Pour the mixture into the dish and place it in your oven for about 30-35 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the dish with the rest of your cheese. Put back to bake for another 5 minutes and serve.
This dish is really light, complete meal. It pairs well not only with Chardonnay, but with a salad as well.
This is something the whole family will enjoy.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Rest/Active Rest Day
I love to run and exercise. It is a part of my life, just like brushing my teeth. This Saturday I did Power Yoga, felt strong, Sunday I had a great 10 mile run. My legs felt strong, heart rate was perfect, felt like I could have run another 30 minute longer. Monday came and my grand plan was to run again with that same great feeling, except my body wanted NO part or a run. It was time to take a rest or active rest day. When that happens you need to respect what the good old body is saying. So I did and instead of doing nothing I did Pilates (active rest activity of choice). It is a great compliment to a well rounded workout routine. It is none weight bearing, challenging, and I actually feel taller and stronger. So if you are not feeling like a run or cardio, relax. Try something different (yoga, mat Pilates) of take the rest your body requires. I promise the next day you will feel refreshed and rejuvenated, I do all the time and you reduce your chances of injury.
Oh and one more silly thing girls, you will not get fat by taking a rest or active rest day it is the best thing you can do for yourself and will lead to future workout success.
Oh and one more silly thing girls, you will not get fat by taking a rest or active rest day it is the best thing you can do for yourself and will lead to future workout success.
New Lap Band Requirements-Not practical
Dr. Oz is probably one of my favorite shows to watch while running. The program is filled with some great information and some gross information about health, medicine and wellness. Although as a fitness girl I would love for them to discuss the importance of exercise more, but hey a little is better than none I guess. But today's show really bothered me and got me thinking as a society have we given up trying to better our health through proper eating, and movement? Or have we chosen to go under the knife for a quick weight lose fix without thinking of the consequences. The topic of discussion I am referring to is Lap Band.
Recently they just changed the requirements for the procedure. First you needed to be morbidly obese, over 45 BMI (body mass index) and had health risks, then they changed it to 35 BMI, and now it is 30 BMI with at least 1 health risk factor, that is not much. What really got me was not one mention of movement to help with weight. The 2 women on the show spoke about how they were ready to get this done, they tried every diet, shake, etc to lose weight and nothing changed they got bigger and felt worse, one woman was even diabetic and tired of her body hurting. Now I am not saying that the Lap Band does not have its place, but it has a lot of risks, what they actually due to the stomach, and what other health problems can occur from having it done is really scary. I personally known people that had it done that got skinny and felt great for a few months even a few years. Then as time progressed they became ill and the main cause was lack of proper nutrients, real food, no exercise, and to much medication. Now isn't the point of the Band to not be sick (prevent diabetes/high Cholesterol/hypertension)? Not sure. The doctors on the show were speaking about all the ways this could help, but only one mentioned exercise and cleaner eating. She was not in favor of the NEW guidelines and neither was I.
We have become such a quick fix society, you see it everyday on the TV. Infomercial, cleanses, DVD's, diet shakes all layed out to lose weight for summer, holiday, birthday you name it. Why can't we just speak the truth. People really stress themselves out about their bodies, and health. I know, I at one point went through it and help my clients not go through it everyday. We look at food now as the enemy and exercise is second to that. When in actuality it is the best free medication nobody is getting. I find that the less you obsess over your diet and exercise the quicker the results. When I saw what the Lap Band people ate I was wondering how they enjoy life (socially with friends and family). One girl ate 4 TBSP of yogurt, a cup of clear broth and 3 TBSP of chocolate pudding. That has NO nutrition, and how do you order that in a restaurant.
So lets stop having surgery our bodies were not intended to have (Lap Band). Lets instead make a promise to ourselves to stop buying bad food that we know make us weak, add more fruits and vegetables to our day, drink more water (even if it has a splash of juice) and MOVE YOUR BODY. We are issued one per lifetime so get off you butt and walk, start slow and build up. If you are overweight remember it did not happen overnight in it took time, just like getting healthy does. The resources out there are endless. If you are unsure where to start hire a fitness expert, join weight watchers, or a weight support group. Surgery may be quicker but not better.
Recently they just changed the requirements for the procedure. First you needed to be morbidly obese, over 45 BMI (body mass index) and had health risks, then they changed it to 35 BMI, and now it is 30 BMI with at least 1 health risk factor, that is not much. What really got me was not one mention of movement to help with weight. The 2 women on the show spoke about how they were ready to get this done, they tried every diet, shake, etc to lose weight and nothing changed they got bigger and felt worse, one woman was even diabetic and tired of her body hurting. Now I am not saying that the Lap Band does not have its place, but it has a lot of risks, what they actually due to the stomach, and what other health problems can occur from having it done is really scary. I personally known people that had it done that got skinny and felt great for a few months even a few years. Then as time progressed they became ill and the main cause was lack of proper nutrients, real food, no exercise, and to much medication. Now isn't the point of the Band to not be sick (prevent diabetes/high Cholesterol/hypertension)? Not sure. The doctors on the show were speaking about all the ways this could help, but only one mentioned exercise and cleaner eating. She was not in favor of the NEW guidelines and neither was I.
We have become such a quick fix society, you see it everyday on the TV. Infomercial, cleanses, DVD's, diet shakes all layed out to lose weight for summer, holiday, birthday you name it. Why can't we just speak the truth. People really stress themselves out about their bodies, and health. I know, I at one point went through it and help my clients not go through it everyday. We look at food now as the enemy and exercise is second to that. When in actuality it is the best free medication nobody is getting. I find that the less you obsess over your diet and exercise the quicker the results. When I saw what the Lap Band people ate I was wondering how they enjoy life (socially with friends and family). One girl ate 4 TBSP of yogurt, a cup of clear broth and 3 TBSP of chocolate pudding. That has NO nutrition, and how do you order that in a restaurant.
So lets stop having surgery our bodies were not intended to have (Lap Band). Lets instead make a promise to ourselves to stop buying bad food that we know make us weak, add more fruits and vegetables to our day, drink more water (even if it has a splash of juice) and MOVE YOUR BODY. We are issued one per lifetime so get off you butt and walk, start slow and build up. If you are overweight remember it did not happen overnight in it took time, just like getting healthy does. The resources out there are endless. If you are unsure where to start hire a fitness expert, join weight watchers, or a weight support group. Surgery may be quicker but not better.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Athlete Iron Deficiency
This is an article worth sharing. I got the information from IDEA Fitness. It is a topic that I personally had to deal with over the past month. I wanted to share it with all of you athlete or not. It is so important to make sure we are getting good iron through vitamins and nutrients. I never realized how low mine were till a CBC pointed it out. So read the article below and make sure to take care of your health and body.
If you’re an athlete or an active person, you probably already know that exercise can put stresses on your body that ultimately increase your daily nutrient needs. What you may not know is that your daily intake of key vitamins and minerals is also crucial in supporting the body’s ability to exercise intensely. One essential nutrient that often goes unnoticed until it becomes a problem is the mineral iron.
To learn if you have iron deficiency and what you can do to increase your iron intake, read these guidelines from Joanne Adamidou, MS, a dietetic intern at Ohio State University who is pursuing her registered-dietitian credential, and Jenna Bell-Wilson, PhD, RD, LD, assistant professor of clinical allied medicine in medical dietetics at Ohio State University.
Iron plays a key role in oxygen transport and fuel utilization. But how exactly does this mineral affect peak physical performance? When an athlete operates without adequate iron, less oxygen is delivered to the muscles, maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) drops, and physical performance suffers. Additionally, iron deficiency may impair immune and other physiological functions.
Elite and recreational athletes who train hard will deplete their iron stores much faster than less physically active people. An athlete can lose iron through sweat, urine and the gastrointestinal tract, which makes iron deficiency among athletes very common. Female athletes are at greater risk of iron deficiency because of the added losses through menstruation. Adolescent athletes are also at high risk of iron deficiency and often have difficulty meeting iron requirements through diet.
While the stress of exercise is a significant factor, dietary choices cause most cases of iron deficiency . Vegetarian athletes are especially vulnerable in this regard, because they avoid animal sources of dietary iron, known as heme iron, which is more effectively absorbed than the nonheme iron from plant sources. In fact, heme iron provides up to one-third of all absorbed dietary iron.
Unfortunately, the body cannot manufacture its own iron and is thus dependent on food intake for an adequate supply. Most nutrition experts question the need and long-term safety of taking daily iron supplements to prevent iron depletion. That’s because there is a plethora of foods that are very good sources of bioavailable, or readily absorbed, iron. For a look at some common examples, see “Good Sources of Iron in Food.”
Here are some practical food-pairing ways that will optimize the iron in your diet:
If you’re an athlete or an active person, you probably already know that exercise can put stresses on your body that ultimately increase your daily nutrient needs. What you may not know is that your daily intake of key vitamins and minerals is also crucial in supporting the body’s ability to exercise intensely. One essential nutrient that often goes unnoticed until it becomes a problem is the mineral iron.
To learn if you have iron deficiency and what you can do to increase your iron intake, read these guidelines from Joanne Adamidou, MS, a dietetic intern at Ohio State University who is pursuing her registered-dietitian credential, and Jenna Bell-Wilson, PhD, RD, LD, assistant professor of clinical allied medicine in medical dietetics at Ohio State University.
Iron plays a key role in oxygen transport and fuel utilization. But how exactly does this mineral affect peak physical performance? When an athlete operates without adequate iron, less oxygen is delivered to the muscles, maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) drops, and physical performance suffers. Additionally, iron deficiency may impair immune and other physiological functions.
Elite and recreational athletes who train hard will deplete their iron stores much faster than less physically active people. An athlete can lose iron through sweat, urine and the gastrointestinal tract, which makes iron deficiency among athletes very common. Female athletes are at greater risk of iron deficiency because of the added losses through menstruation. Adolescent athletes are also at high risk of iron deficiency and often have difficulty meeting iron requirements through diet.
While the stress of exercise is a significant factor, dietary choices cause most cases of iron deficiency . Vegetarian athletes are especially vulnerable in this regard, because they avoid animal sources of dietary iron, known as heme iron, which is more effectively absorbed than the nonheme iron from plant sources. In fact, heme iron provides up to one-third of all absorbed dietary iron.
Unfortunately, the body cannot manufacture its own iron and is thus dependent on food intake for an adequate supply. Most nutrition experts question the need and long-term safety of taking daily iron supplements to prevent iron depletion. That’s because there is a plethora of foods that are very good sources of bioavailable, or readily absorbed, iron. For a look at some common examples, see “Good Sources of Iron in Food.”
Here are some practical food-pairing ways that will optimize the iron in your diet:
- Combine plant nonheme iron sources, such as lentils and green, leafy veggies, with foods that are high in vitamin C, such as orange juice.
- Use cast-iron cookware, which may increase the iron content of cooked foods.
- Don’t drink tea and coffee while eating iron-rich foods, since both beverages can impair iron absorption.
- Avoid pairing iron-rich foods with certain grains, such as wheat bran, or with veggies such as spinach, rhubarb, chard and beet greens. These foods contain chemical compounds called phytates and oxalates, which impair iron absorption.
- Don’t mix calcium-rich beverages, like milk and fortified orange juice, with foods that are high in iron, since calcium can also inhibit iron absorption.
Morning Infomercial Thoughts
Thanks to my lovely dog Corona, this morning was a 5:45 wake up..and it was Saturday, my sleep till 7 day. So I decided I am not going to go back to sleep; the sun is starting to rise, I will sit and watch TV. It is amazing the programs that are on so early in the morning about diets to start and exercises to try. The one that was very interesting yet not practical for any of my clients is this workout called Turbo Fire. This workout is guaranteed to burn major calories in no time flat, they actually showed a mom 46 who dropped 40 lbs. Without seeing what the workout was I thought; lets see what you need to do. Well ladies and gentlemen it was a high end dance workout with upbeat music and a group of people kicking legs and bringing their knees to their face. Wow, that is crazy! Although I am sure that this style of exercise has its place (the dance craze is here) it is to a small population. We need to sell to the masses. People that feel they can actually perform the exercises being demonstrated. If I were to show any one of my clients this video they would laugh. We need to stop making exercise a joke, it needs to be taken seriously. We don't have an obesity epidemic because people are doing to much Turbo Fire, we are just not moving enough. So lets go back to the basics and make a promise to ourselves to move 30 minutes everyday or most days. Your body and health will thank you for it!
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