While some of you who read this blog may be seasoned chefs,
my general observation throughout my time as a sports RD is that few athletes
have been taught how to cook pasta, let alone fillet mignon. So for
those who just want to survive in the kitchen, here are a few “How-To’s”.
This would make a great read for the college student athlete or athlete-to-be
who now has to fend for his/herself in the kitchen!
Pasta
1.
Bring water to a boil. Use enough water to cover
the pasta once pasta is in the pot. Test first if needed.
2.
Once boiling, add pasta to pot. Stir
occasionally to prevent pasta from sticking together.
3.
Refer to package for approximate baking times.
To test for doneness, pull out one piece of pasta using tongs of fork. Pasta is
done when it is still a little chewy.
4.
Drain water using a colander or the lid to the
pot. If making cold pasta salad, run pasta under cold running water. Otherwise,
add sauce to pasta on a plate and enjoy.
While many athletes enjoy drinking for social reasons, there are certain realities about alcohol and its effect on your body. Aside from overall health effects of alcohol ingestion, many athletes are unaware that alcohol consumption affects performance and recovery too. Here is how...
1. Alcohol dehydrates
Alcohol is a diuretic, which means it increases fluid losses in the body by blocking the normal signaling cascade that tells your body to hold on to fluid. Instead your kidneys continue to produce urine. This puts athletes at risk for dehydration, heat illness and muscle cramping.
Although the economy appears to be improving, many still follow a strict budget when it comes to food. The complaint I often hear is, "Eating healthy is expensive". While healthy food prices can't necessarily compete with the dollar menu at the local fast food place, there are plenty of ways to save money while making the right choices for your health and performance both now and long-term. Here are 15 ways (in 3 areas) to keep your stomach full and your wallet too.
Meal-Planning
Sorry but yes - you really do need to do a little planning. It is likely that you plan for other things in your life - laundry, kids carpooling schedules, deadlines at work or school - and planning for meals should be one of those. Here are few ways to make meal planning easier and result in bigger cost savings:
1. Before you leave for the grocery store, check your fridge and cupboards for what you already have on hand that you can use.
2. Make a list of meals based on weekly store specials. Use online websites such as AllRecipes.com for meal ideas based on what you find is on sale.
3. When planning meals, try the "flexitarian" lifestyle: go meatless 2-3 nights per week. That can save you big dough.
