Check out these easy Thanksgiving swaps to save on calories!

Eating healthy on Thanksgiving doesn't have to difficult. While the day is traditionally filled with way too many calories, help yourself or the athlete in your life by making these easy swaps. I wrote this post a couple of years back and decided to update and re-post because it is a good reminder of simple tips and swaps to save big on calories without sacrificing flavor. 

Turkey
Baste with low-sodium/low-fat broth or olive oil. Season with herbs and spice. While the white meat is lower in fat, the dark meat is higher in vitamins and minerals. So a little of each is okay. If your family likes to deep-fry your turkey, don't eat the skin to omit a good portion of saturated fat.

Mashed Potatoes
Substitute trans-fat free and olive oil based tub margarine for butter, sub non-fat plain Greek yogurt for sour cream and sub non- or low-fat milk for cream/whole milk. Cut the added salt by half. Consider sweet potatoes versus white, which are lower in calories and higher in vitamins and minerals. If you go the sweet potato route, spice to your heart's delight but go easy on the brown sugar or marshmallows where calories can add up quickly. Try keeping them plain enough that you can actually taste the potato. When mashing, leave in some of the potato skins, which is where most of the fiber lies.

Calorie intake for athletes: How much is enough?

This week, enjoy a guest blog post from Carrie Aprik MS, RD, CSSD. Carrie practices as sports RD in Michigan. She can be reached at Nutrition4Motion@gmail.com. Follow her on Twitter @Nutri4Motion. Thanks Carrie!

Be Extraordinary, 

RDKate
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Consuming adequate calories is a major challenge for collegiate athletes and one that they are often unsuccessful at. Negative energy balance, or not consuming enough calories to match total energy expenditure, is the most common problem sports dietitians encounter. 

Four Fantastic Apps for Nutrition-Minded Athletes

It amazes me how many apps exist now for smartphones. I love when I find a good app that makes my life easier. Here are a few of my favorite sports nutrition apps. Whether you want to count calories, shop quicker, eat out easier or check supplements, there's an app for that.

*Disclaimer: I am not being paid by any of these apps to discuss them on this blog. As you will see, I freely discuss the pros and cons of each.*

1. MyFitnessPal - Free
There are lots of apps available for calorie tracking. I like this app because the database is HUGE, which makes it easy to find uncommon or specialty foods. For clients working with me, we can also become "Friends", which allows me to see their food diary. When entering food, be sure to pay attention to how many "confirmations" a given food has received. This will give you some indication as to how accurate the entry likely is. Because this is a user-entered food database, there will be error, but potentially not much greater than any error associated with food tracking. Another note: like all calorie counters, this app notoriously under-estimates calorie needs. However, to use a way to track patterns of mindless eating or general intake across the board, it is a great tool.

3 ways sleep deprivation ruins your training goals

Sleep is not always a priority for athletes, but it should be. In fact, ~28% of adults admit to getting less than 6 hours of sleep each night compared to the recommended 7-9 hours. Sleep deprivation (defined here as 4-6 hours of sleep nightly) has been linked to a host of health detriments. Here are the top three and why athletes should care.

1. Fatigue
The most obvious effect of lack of sleep is fatigue. Fatigue encourages more sedentary behavior, which in turn slows down your daily calorie burn. This can lead to increased body fat. Fatigue can also lead to that famous, "I'm just too tired to train; I'll take a nap instead" or perhaps the, "If I'm this tired, my body MUST need more sleep. I better not train." Enough days like this and suddenly you have lost multiple weeks of effective training. When your body is simply tired, no amount of hydration or snacks will solve the problem. The solution is to avoid this is in the first place by aiming for 7-9 hours of sleep nightly on average.

Thanksgiving Swaps for less saturated fat and calories

It's that time of year again: Thanksgiving. A time for family, friends and food...lots of it. While the day is traditionally filled with way too many calories, help yourself or the athlete in your life by making these easy swaps. Little changes cut down on added sugar, saturated fat, sodium and calories...but won't sacrifice flavor. And yes - I get that this is only one day so you think you should be able to eat whatever you want. But if you can make these changes without even tasting the difference, why wouldn't you?

Turkey
Baste with low-sodium/low-fat broth or olive oil. Season with herbs and spice. While the white meat is lower in fat, the dark meat is higher in vitamins and minerals. So a little of each is okay.

Mashed Potatoes
Substitute trans-fat free tub margarine for butter, sub non-fat plain Greek yogurt for sour cream and sub non-fat milk for cream/whole milk. Cut the added salt by half. Consider sweet potatoes versus white, which are lower in calories and higher in vitamins and minerals. If you go the sweet potato route, spice to your heart's delight but go easy on the brown sugar or marshmallows where calories can add up quickly. Try keeping them plain enough that you can actually taste the potato. When mashing, leave in some of the skin, which is where most of the fiber lies.

How to adjust your food intake when you taper

Whether it is to prepare for an upcoming competition or re-adjusting intake after the season is over, tapering intake goes hand-in-hand with tapering training. So, here are a few tips to make the process slightly less confusing:

1. Calculate carbohydrate needs
Because carbohydrate needs increase as training increases, needs also decrease when training decreases. Therefore, it helps to calculate where your intake should actually be when tapering.  To do this, first calculate your weight in kilograms by dividing your weight (in pounds) by 2.2. So, for example, 130lb/2.2 = 59.1kg. Next, multiply by the correct factor based on how training hours you are currently doing:

>4-5hrs/day = 8-12
1-3hrs/day = 6-10
~1hr/day = 5-7
Low intensity or skill-based activities = 3-5

Top 4 ways to use nutrition to prevent stress fractures in athletes

As athletes progress in their sport, both intensity and time spent in training increase. This can leave the body short on nutrients that provide protection against illness or injury. It is not uncommon for athletes to suddenly become sick or suffer from an injury after a change in their workout schedule or when transitioning from high school to collegiate athletics. Stress fractures are especially common in athletes who participate in cross country, track and field, basketball, gymnastics and tennis as a result of repeatedly striking the foot on the ground. To prevent occurrence or re-occurrence of stress fractures, athletes should allow enough time for rest between workouts and practice these four eating habits:

1. Eat to accommodate increased energy expenditure.

As exercise intensity and amount increase, so do energy needs. Increase overall caloric intake, but especially carbohydrate foods, to assure working muscles have enough fuel to recover. Some examples are: whole-wheat bread/ pasta/rice/tortillas/bagels, Triscuits, quinoa, and fruit. Also, eat the most in the beginning of the day (breakfast!) and less as the day progresses to assure muscles have sufficient energy on board heading into practice. Adequate caloric intake also means adequate vitamins and minerals to protect bones (see more in number four). 

5 ways alcohol wreaks havoc on your training

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.

Eating Fast Food: Meals that Work

Try as we might, there just comes a time when fast food may be the only option. Perhaps it is when you are running from one practice to the next with only 15 minutes to eat or when you have 20 minutes to eat dinner before a late-night meeting. Knowing what to order can ease your confusion, worry and stress. Fast food doesn't have to ruin your training, provided you choose wisely and stick to only one time a day only once in a while. So here are some options.............

Breakfast
McDonalds: Egg McMuffin, snack-size fruit & walnut tray, black coffee [510 Kcal, 61gm carb, 21 gm protein, 20 gm fat (6gm saturated)] 

Starbucks: Turkey bacon and white cheddar classic breakfast sandwich, 16 oz. caffe latte with nonfat milk and sugar-free syrup (if desired) [460 Kcal, 63 gm carb, 30gm protein, 7gm fat (2 gm saturated)]

Panera: Steel cut oatmeal with strawberries & pecans, 16 oz. cappuccino [440 Kcal, 57 gm carb, 14 gm protein, 18.5 gm fat (4.5 gm saturated)]

Lunch
McDonald's: Premium grilled chicken classic sandwich, fruit & yogurt parfait, side salad with oil-based dressing on side (i.e. Balsamic Vinaigrette), water [520 Kcal, 75 gm carb, 33 gm protein, 11gm fat (3 gm saturated)]

Subway: 6" roast beef on 9-grain wheat with Swiss cheese, plenty of veggies and olive oil blend; pair with 1 pkg apple slices, water [455 Kcal, 54 gm carb, 28 gm protein, 14 gm fat (5 gm saturated)] 

Einstein Bagels: Tuscan chicken pesto bagel thin sandwich, fruit and yogurt parfait, water [510 Kcal, 66 gm carb, 32 gm protein, 14 gm fat (4.5 gm saturated)] **this place has terrible food from a nutritional perspective; it was hard to find a meal that worked here!

Dinner
Noodles & Co.: Small Bangkok Curry with sauteed shrimp, side salad with fat-free Asian vinaigrette, side of edamame, water [475 Kcal, 60 gm carb, 28 gm protein, 13 gm fat (5 gm saturated)]

Chipotle: Burrito bowl with chicken, brown rice, tomato salsa, fajita veggies and lettuce; water, and bring a piece of fruit from home... [395 Kcal, 56 gm carb, 37 gm protein, 11 gm fat (3 gm saturated)] **Do not recommend eating here if you are watching your sodium intake!

Wendy's: Large chili, side salad with pomegranate vinaigrette dressing and no croutons, 1 pkg apple slices, unsweetened iced tea [430 kcal, 53 gm carb, 27 gm protein, 13 gm fat (4 gm saturated)] **Again this is also relatively high in sodium compared to other choices listed above!

In order to keep the macronutrient and sodium levels reasonable, notice that overall total calories often is low at only 400-500 Kcal. Your needs per meal are dependant on your body weight, current training regimen and performance goals. So, only use these meal options as a guideline. What I often tell my athletes is to keep healthy sides with them - in the car or office - so that they can start with one of the base meals above and then add things like fruit, veggies or unsalted nuts to increase the overall caloric intake without overdoing it on sodium and saturated fat.

Be Extraordinary,


RDKate

Nutrient Dense vs. Energy Dense: What's the difference?

Any of you who follow nutrition articles know that registered dietitians often recommending a "nutrient dense" eating pattern. But what is that exactly and which foods fit the bill? How do they differ from "energy dense" foods? As an athlete or active individual, why should you care?

Nutrient Dense
Nutrient dense simply means that in a relatively small quantity of a food, there is a large amount of vitamins and minerals. So, nutritionally you get more "bang for your buck". Nutrient dense foods are important because all metabolic processes in our body rely on adequate levels of vitamins and minerals - especially B-vitamins and Iron and Calcium. If you are an athlete, your body will stay better hydrated, recover more quickly and more efficiently use the food you eat if your intake is based on mainly nutrient dense foods. So which foods are nutrient dense? Here is a short list:

-100% Whole-grain or 100% whole wheat (WW) sources of carbohydrates, such as WW breads, pastas, rices, and rolls. A few great products are Raisin Bran, Kashi cereals, Triscuits, and Rhodes whole wheat bread varieties.
-Lean sources of protein such as grilled chicken, lean ground beef or steak, baked/broiled fish, tuna, beans, and tofu.
-Low-fat dairy sources such as low-fat milk, cottage cheese or yogurt. Greek yogurt is one example of a great product, though make sure it is not loaded with added sugar (same goes for regular yogurts).
-All fresh and dried fruits and vegetables or canned fruits in their own juice (drain the juice).
-Good sources of polyunsaturated fats such as salmon, walnuts, almonds, avocado and flaxseed.

Energy Dense
Energy dense means that in a relatively small quantity of food, there is a large amount of energy...or calories. There may or may not be a large amount of vitamins or minerals...though, typically this phrase is attached to foods that are low in vitamins and minerals and high in calories. Examples include cakes, cookies, ice cream, candy and other sweets as well as chips, fried foods, soda pop, juice drinks and coffee drinks. While foods such as avocado, dried fruit and nuts are in fact energy dense (small volume = high calories), they are also nutrient dense so are a great choice for athletes. Energy dense foods may more quickly replace calories burned during activity, but they lack the valuable nutrients needed for the body's repair and recovery. In addition, these foods tend to be high in saturated and trans fats, which are pro-inflammatory and place the body at an increased risk for illness and injury.

If you love your energy dense foods, choose them carefully. Plan to have 1-2 energy dense foods per week, but be sure to have them on off-days (preferably the day after competition versus the day before) and in small quantities. While they may taste good, they aren't doing any good for your body.

Until next week....Be Extraordinary,


RDKate

Fast Food Trivia - Which is the lowest in calories: Answers

Last week's blog featured a quiz created by Kelly White MS, RD, CSSD, LD. This week, check the answers below to see how well you did!

Kelly is a clinical, sports and wellness dietitian. Feel free to contact her directly at kwhitenutrition@gmail.com

Be Extraordinary,


RDKate
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How did you do?!
Which of the two choices has the most calories? Higher-calorie option is underlined; calorie totals follow.

Fast Food

1. Big Mac from McDonalds vs. Subway 12-inch Italian BMT sandwich: 600 vs. 900

2. Burger King Chicken Club Salad with Tendercrisp Chicken vs. Burger King Bacon Cheeseburger: 480 vs. 360

3. 2 McDonalds Quarter Pounders vs. Large McDonalds Chocolate Shake: 820 vs. 1160

4. Quiznos Chicken Bourbon Sandwich vs. Quiznos Classic Italian Sandwich: 320 vs. 950

5. Taco Bell Taco Salad vs. Taco Bell Nacho Cheese Steak Gordita: 840 vs. 270

Ice Cream/Beverages

1. Small Wendy’s Vanilla Frosty vs.Small Dairy Queen Oreo Blizzard: 310 vs. 570

2. Starbucks Small Coffee Frappuccino vs. McDonald’s Medium Coke: 180 vs. 210

3. Sonic Tropical Fruit Smoothie vs. Smoothie King Strawberry Smoothie: 500 vs. 380

4. Coldstone Medium Chocolate Ice Cream vs. McDonalds Vanilla Ice Cream Cone: 520 vs. 150 

5. Starbucks Café Americano vs.Starbucks Medium Hot Chocolate with whipped cream: 450 vs. 30

Restaurants

1.Ruby Tuesday’s Kids Meal Macaroni and Cheese vs. Pizza Hut one slice of Thin n’ Crispy Pizza: 900 vs. 230

2. Chili’s Cheese Fries vs. Outback’s Bloomin Onion: 2070 vs. 1700

3.Chili’s NY Strip Steak vs. Chili’s Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken: 790 vs. 1010

4. Red Lobster's Cajun Chicken Linguini vs. Applebee's Chicken Wings (12 ct): 1828 vs. 1545

5. Applebee's Honey Grilled Salmon dinner vs. Chili's Chicken Caesar Pita: 555 vs. 650

Of course many of these foods are okay in moderation, but you can see how eating out day after day can add to your waistline.There are many meals and beverages restaurants offers that are lower in calories and more nutritious.  Remember to plan ahead and look up foods before you go out to eat!

 

As the holidays approach, be aware of your fast food splurges

The holidays are quickly approaching. As many of us expect to take in quite a few calories from holiday parties and gatherings, it becomes especially important to be cognizant of what we eat before we get to those parties. Lack of time and high stress often leads to an increase in fast food intake during the season. This week, enjoy a guest blog by Kelly White MS, RD, CSSD, LD, who will test your fast food nutrition knowledge to help you prepare and stay on track during the next couple of months! Kelly is a clinical, sports and wellness dietitian. Feel free to contact her directly at kwhitenutrition@gmail.com
 
Be Extraordinary,
 
 
RDKate
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Eating out can be healthy, but one meal can also provide one half to all of your total calorie needs for the day.  Even if you are athletic and burn a lot of calories, some of these foods can STILL take up to ½ of your total calorie needs for the day.  Many foods listed below may seem like a decent choice (well, not that many of them), but you will be amazed at the total calorie amounts they provide!   If you are a very busy person, and eat out a lot, take advantage of the Apps on your phone, or use www.calorieking.com to look up food items in your favourite restaurants.   

Take this quiz to see how much you know about fast food meals and beverages!    Below you will see three categories:  Fast food, Ice Cream/Beverages, and Restaurants.  Which of the two choices has the most calories?

 

Fast Food

1.  Big Mac from McDonalds   vs.       Subway 12-inch Italian BMT sandwich

2. Burger King Chicken Club Salad with Tendercrisp Chicken   vs.      Burger King Bacon Cheeseburger

3. 2 McDonalds Quarter Pounders    vs.   Large McDonalds Chocolate Shake

4. Quiznos Chicken Bourbon Sandwich    vs.     Quiznos Classic Italian Sandwich

5. Taco Bell Taco Salad    vs.     Taco Bell Nacho Cheese Steak Gordita

 

Ice Cream/Beverages

 

1. Small Wendy’s Vanilla Frosty   vs. Small Dairy Queen Oreo Blizzard

2. Starbucks Small Coffee Frappuccino vs. McDonald’s Medium Coke

3. Sonic Tropical Fruit Smoothie vs. Smoothie King Strawberry Smoothie

4. Coldstone Medium Chocolate Ice Cream vs. McDonalds Vanilla Ice Cream Cone

5. Starbucks Café Americano vs. Starbucks Medium Hot Chocolate with whipped cream

 

Restaurants

 

1. Ruby Tuesday’s Kids Meal Macaroni and Cheese  vs. Pizza Hut one slice of Thin n’ Crispy Pizza

2. Chili’s Cheese Fries  vs. Outback’s Bloomin Onion

3. Chili’s NY Strip Steak vs. Chili’s Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken

4. Red Lobster's Cajun Chicken Linguini vs. Applebee's Chicken Wings (12 ct)

 

5. Applebee's Honey Grilled Salmon dinner vs. Chili's Chicken Caesar Pita

 

 

Come back next week to see the answers!