Pre-Workout Snacks!

We wanted to share some information about healthy snacks to have before your next workout. Naturally, you want to have fuel to burn during exercise, but did you know there is a benefit to the types as well as timing of your snacks?  Here's what you need to know.

Timing Snacks:

You will want to avoid eating something right before you exercise.  You need at least a 30 minute window, otherwise your food won't have time to be digested and the energy from it won't be able to reach your muscles. In addition, blood flow will be diverted to your gut. Lastly, that undigested food in your stomach can cause you discomfort and affect cardiovascular exercise like running or swimming laps.

However, when you consider the timing of your snack it can be quite beneficial and provide energy for your activity. Eating some carbohydrates before exercise within 1 to 4 hours can replenish liver and muscle glycogen.  Additionally, it can stabilize blood sugar levels which ultimately fuels the brain and central nervous system.

Snack Choice:

Try selecting a carbohydrate-rich snack mixed with some protein and fat before your activity.  This will help keep you feeling satisfied and avoid a blood sugar spike.  And, the protein can help when you will be engaging in resistance training, and help promote muscle recovery when you're finished.  Snack ideas that work are low-fat plain yogurt, cheese sticks, nuts and seeds, and even canned seafood.  All you'll need to do is add something like a piece of fruit or a whole grain as your healthy carbohydrate source.

Snack Size:

The closer you get to your workout will determine the size of your snack. If you are fairly close to your workout then you will want to limit your fat, protein and fiber to allow the food to be absorbed more quickly. It you have 2 hours or more time before your workout then a 200 to 300 calorie snack will work. When you have an hour before exercise you will want to have a snack around 100 to 200 calories.  Have you only got 30 minutes before your workout?  Then you can simply have a piece of fruit, plus fruit is high in water and will help with hydration.  Skip the sugary sports drinks, you don't need them!

Here are some pre-workout snack ideas:

30 Minutes before exercise:  Think Carbohydrates - 1 small piece of fruit or 1 cup of fruit, 1 snack box of raisins, 2 brown rice cakes, 4 ounces of applesauce

60 minutes plus before exercise:  Think Protein/Fat - 6 ounces of plain yogurt, 2 T. nuts, 1/4 cup hummus, 1 T. unsweetened nut or seed butter, 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese, 1 cheese stick

120 minutes plus before exercise: Think Something Extra - 1/2 cup crunchy non-sugary cold cereal, 2 T. sunflower seeds, 8 ounces vegetable juice, 1 small banana, 2-3 ounces of canned tuna

Reference:  Health & Nutrition Letter, Tufts University, March 2017, VOL. 35, NO.1 (pp. 7)

Testimonial Time!

We love helping our clients make lifestyle changes to improve their health!  We are so thankful too that we are chosen to go on this journey with you! At Ideal Weight Loss Center we have designed a program that includes nutrition education, lifestyle modification, individual counseling, and long-range maintenance strategies.  Specifically, we design a healthy eating plan tailored for you that is affordable, while providing you with exceptional service, support, and education.  We always say that our goal is to help people achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Most importantly, we teach you how to keep the weight off once you have lost it. With that in mind, here's a nice success story we wanted to share!

"My weight loss wakeup call arrived in May 2016.  I had stepped on the scale and was back up over 200 pounds.  I had finally hit that point in my life that I needed to take control and stop yo-yo dieting as many call it.  I had finally reached a mind over matter state of being where I needed to do something about my weight and only I could make that decision.  All the excuses and telling myself I will do it someday needed to stop.  “Just do it” needed to be my focus. Not sure why so many negative thoughts consumed me all the time, I think it’s just how uncomfortable I was on the inside and how I hid from the truth the scale showed.  The secret to my success was making the call to Ideal Weight Loss and finding the guidance and support from Heidi.  For so long I had been doing everything my way and this needed to change.  I suffered from a bacterial stomach infection for over 5 years and ignored the signs that my body was giving me after I made bad food choices.  I would end up with rashes, upset stomach, and even bloating.  But my addiction to food always took main stage.  Once I started losing weight with Ideal Weight Loss, I knew that I had finally found something that made me feel more alive, determined and proud.  Following the lifestyle changes Heidi and Ideal Weight Loss provided was actually simple compared to any choices I had make before.  It took me several weeks to realize that my mind and body didn’t need all those “poor choices” to survive and I stopped craving them.  With Ideal Weight Loss I have become center stage and food is no longer running and ruining my life.   I have taken control over something that had dominated me for over 20 years.  I am extremely grateful for my relationship with Heidi and the Ideal Weight Loss program.  I can finally stand in front of the mirror with confidence, strength and appreciation for myself that was missing for so many years".

- Lyndsay S.

Salt - Why We Need It

As your nutrition advocates we wanted to shed some light on this topic - salt.  It has been long thought that we need to make sure we limit our sodium intake to no more than 2,300 mg per day, which is about 1 teaspoon.  But, new research is showing that this may be too low.  Interestingly, one study found that data from 130,000 people from 49 countries that sodium intakes lower than 3,000 mg was associated with an increased risk of stroke, heart attack or cardiovascular disease.

So why do we need salt?  Well, for one your body needs sodium to live.  This mineral is an important nutrient that is necessary for some biological processes such as controlling blood pressure and keeping your nerves working.  If you're nervous about your salt intake, your body has measures to control sodium levels from getting too low.  If it gets too low hormones are released to keep the sodium you have, but those hormones can cause inflammation in your arteries and organs.

Another study published in the American Journal of Hypertension discovered that when sodium intakes were below 2,645 mg or above 4,954 mg coincided with an increased risk of mortality - whether or not other health conditions were present.  With that in mind, most Americans are not at risk for consuming too little, but we may be at risk for consuming too much.  Right now, the average American gets about 3,400 mg of sodium daily.

Researchers are hoping that recommendations about sodium intake will change and cause a shift away from being too restrictive. In any case, though researchers have not agreed yet on an ideal range they do agree on watching the source.  Try to avoid eating too much of these foods as they are heavy handed in sodium: pizza, cold cuts, processed foods, and bread.

Reference: EatingWell, March/April 2017, Sodium Shake Up (pp. 20).

Hunger Games

Were you actually hungry the last time you ate?  This is an important question to ask yourself because there are a few reasons why we eat, and if hunger is not one of them you may want to think about how hungry you really are - especially if you are watching your weight.  Did you know that the ability to recognize hunger is a characteristic of those who are at a healthy weight.  If you need some help in this department, you can use this guide the next time you are thinking about eating.

Starving & Ravenous:  You most likely have a headache or feel shaky and light-headed.  Try to avoid this as you tend to make poor choices when you're this hungry.  Plus, you eat more and our stomachs are no larger when we're at this stage.  You can curb this feeling by just taking a few bites of something, then pause for something healthier.

Noticeably Hungry:  You will notice hunger pangs, growling or an empty feeling in your stomach.  In addition, your mood and concentration start to shift.  This is a good time to eat because you are still in a place where you can control yourself from overeating.

Slightly Hungry:  You are sort of hungry, you may start to feel a "rumble" in your tummy.  This is a sign that you will want to eat soon.  But, before you eat try drinking a glass of water to see if you were simply thirsty.  Lastly, if you're only slightly hungry then you need only a bit of food.

Not Hungry or Full:  This mean you are comfortable and need no food.  If you're reaching for something then ask yourself if you're feeling frustrated, lonely, anxious/angry, or bored (F.L.A.B.).  If that's the case then you are dealing with an emotion and need to address it with something other than food. Also, are you used to eating because you've set yourself to an eating schedule? If that's the reason and you're not really hungry say out loud to yourself, "I'm not hungry, but I'm going to eat this anyway."  Doing this will force you to think twice, which may allow you to avoid eating, or at least wait until a time you actually are hungry.

Pretty Full:  You can feel that your stomach is full, but not overly.  This is an indication that you need no more food and a good place to stop eating.  A good habit to incorporate is to pause throughout your meal to check and see if you are hungry.  If you're full, stop. It's that simple.  Remember, you can always eat more later.  You can also try using smaller plates if overeating has become a habit.

Overstuffed:  You have eaten too much, you're uncomfortable.  Usually, you feel tired as well.  If this is a habit try slowing down when you eat by putting your fork down in between bites.  And, make sure you eat your meals at a table so you can focus on the meal itself.  Before getting seconds wait a few minutes to see if you're actually hungry.

Here are some ways to keep yourself full:  
1. Fiber - Include beans, peas, and whole grains in your diet.  These foods contain fiber which provide bulk and slow digestions.
2. Protein - Eat 25 grams or about 4 ounces of protein at each meal. This will help balance out feelings of hunger if carbohydrates were eaten alongside your meal.
3.  Healthy Fats - Try adding fatty fish, nuts, seeds, and avocados to your diet.  The healthy fats in these foods prevent an insulin spike, and keeps you feeling full longer.
4. Broth-based Soups - The water content of broths, as well as other foods like fresh fruits and vegetables add volume in your stomach and make you fuller sooner.
5.  Full-fat Dairy - The fat keeps you full, and faster.  That's why even though they have more calories than their low-fat counterparts you will probably eat less of the full-fat version.

Reference:  EatingWell, March/April 2017, Taming the Beast (pp. 28-29).

Foods to Keep Our Minds Sharp

As we all know eating healthy has many benefits.  But, did you know that one of them is to help keep a sharp mind?  It turns out that certain foods carry quite a punch.  Before we name those foods lets take a look into what's going on first.

It just so happens that there are brain-protective eating patterns we can establish to boost our cognition.  Diets higher in non-starchy vegetables, fruits, whole grain, nuts, legumes and seafood while also limited in red meats, processed meats, sugar-sweetened foods and drinks, refined grains and added salt happen to be linked with a reduced risk of age-related cognitive decline, as well as dementia. Diets high in plant based foods, especially leafy greens, berries, and extra-virgin olive oil all contribute to keeping our minds in tip top shape. On the flip side diets high in trans/saturated fat and lacking in key nutrients sadly cause cognitive decline.

Additionally, healthy eating habits play a part in promoting better blood sugar, which protects brain function.  And, "insulin insensitivity and diabetes are risk factors for cognitive decline and dementia." Diets high in sugar and refined grains have the potential to increase cognitive risks due to their negative effect on blood glucose and insulin metabolism.

A diet that includes fish, and the healthy fats contained in it, have shown to benefit our brains.  Eating just one serving weekly of fish was associated with a 7% reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease.  Also, tree nuts and peanuts, which are full of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats may keeps our brains functioning well.

Including berries in your diet will give your brain a boost! Studies have shown that by eating just 1 cup of blueberries a day improved memory compared to a placebo.  Scientists are not exactly sure why, but they think it may be due to the anthocyanins (colorful phytochemical) in berries.  These anthocyanins have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which may help with oxidative damage in the brain. To get the most out of your foods try eating a variety of berries like blueberries, strawberries and raspberries as they will all contribute different brain benefits.

Why not try including some of these nutritional powerhouses in your diet!  Some of the best include:  Blackberries, blueberries, cranberries, strawberries, walnuts, and even coffee.

Reference:  Health & Nutrition Letter, Tufts University, February 2017, VOL. 34, NO.12, Eat Well to Keep Mind Sharp (p.1 & 3).

 

The Enteric Nervous System - The Second Brain

Did you know that your body has a second brain?  That's right, and it's located in your gut! It's called the enteric nervous system (ENS). To put it simply, the ENS is comprised of 200 to 600 million neurons.

A couple of functions of the ENS is to help call the right digestive enzymes to action to breakdown the food we eat, which helps with absorption. It also plays a role in monitoring the acidity and other chemical properties of food particles. Another function of the ENS is to help move food along your digestive tract by helping with peristalsis (contraction of intestinal muscles).  Lastly, our "second" brain helps detect harmful bacteria, and when they're found that's when we either vomit or have diarrhea.

Did you know that you brain and gut communicate with each other? For example, your ENS helps regulate hormones that tell your brain you're hungry, as well as when you're full, and when you're nauseous.  Another interesting thing to note is that your digestive tract and your brain are linked.  That's why eating fatty foods improves your mood. That's because your ENS sends a happy signal to your brain when they're consumed, which boosts your mood! And, it may be a reason why we eat comfort foods when we're stressed.  More research needs to be done in this area, so stay tuned! One last thought in this area is that scientists are trying to artificially stimulate the ENS for a treatment to depression.

Have you ever experienced "butterflies in your stomach"?  You can thank you ENS for that sensation. That happens when your ENS is diverting blood away from your stomach when your brain is processing stress.  This might also explain so called "gut" feelings. 

As we can see, our body is quite complex.  So, the next time you get "butterflies" in your stomach you can thank your enteric nervous system.

Reference:  https://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/awake-no3-2017-june/enteric-nervous-system-second-brain/