Tip: Metabolism Booster

GO LONG! LONGER!
Research shows that the longer your cardio sessions go, the longer your RMR (resting metabolic rate) will stay boosted after the workout.

from Hers Muscle and Fitness, June 2007

Drink Up!

Hydration is important. Water keeps digestion, nutrient absorption, temperature regulation, and waste elimination running smoothly. A 2003 study found that drinking a half-liter of cold water increased metabolic rate by 30% for more than an hour after drinking.
To calculate your water intake, take your body weight in pounds and divide that number by 2. That gives you the minimum number of ounces you should drink daily.

You say po-tay-to, I say po-tah-to

Q. What are the nutritional differences between a sweet potato, yam, and white potato? Which is healthier and how often should I include them in my diet?

A. Yams and sweet potatoes look alike, and they have just about the same amount of calories, carbohydrate and fiber. Even though yams have twice the potassium, sweet potatoes rule because they supply the most beta-carotene of all vegetables, while yams have virtually none. Beta-carotene is an antioxidant that fights cell damage and helps reduce the inflammation common after hard workouts. Because they're digested and absorbed much slower than white potatoes, sweet potatoes help ward off diabetes by controlling blood glucose levels. In fact, white potatoes raise blood sugar levels almost as quickly as sugar and spike insulin in a similar manner, making them a great postworkout snack when they're paired with a protein shake. The folate levels in white potatoes come in handy after you train, as folate helps with cell regeneration. However, sweet potatoes are the best with most other meals since you don't want insulin spikes at other times of day. They're also a good source of vitamin E, another potent antioxidant. With the exception of potassium, white potatoes are on a nutritional par with yams.

Recipe of the Week: Lemon Herb Chicken

Lemon Herb Chicken

Serves 4

Ingredients
2 tablespoons, plus 4 teaspoons olive oil
2 large chicken breasts
juice and zest from one lemon
1/3 cup each fresh parsley, mint, and basil
1/3 cup white wine

Directions

• Heat 2 tablespooons olive oil in an ovenproof skillet on high heat. Place the chicken in the skillet and sear for 2 mintues per side.
• While the chicken cooks, put the remaining oil, along with lemon juice, zest, and herbs into a blender or food processor and pulse until well mixed.
• Place the skillet witht he chicken in a 400 degree oven to roast for 8 minutes.
• Remove the skillet from the oven and place the chicken on a plate.
• Pour the wine into the skillet, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
• Add the herb sauce to the skillet and cook on the stove for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Season with salt and pepper.
• Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve.

Serves 4
Per serving:
199 kcal
28 g protein
24 g fat

Beer Belly

How Beer Makes You Fat

Leave it to Men's Health Magazine to it down....

1. You take a swig of beer.


2. Within seconds, the beverage passes through your esophagus and into your stomach.


3. Twenty percent of the alcohol is absorbed into your bloodstream; the rest is absorbed into your intestines.


4. The alcohol travels through our blood to your liver, where it is broken down. During this process, waste products called acetate and acetaldehyde are created.


5. Acetate and acetaldehyde signal your body to stop burning fat. At the same time, your body starts making fat from another waste product of alcohol, acetyl CoA.


6. Your body can effectibely process only 0.5 to 1 ounce of alcohol per hour.


So the more you drink, the longer your body is inhibited from burning fat, and the more fat builds up from the excess acetyl CoA.

A 12-ounce beer contains about 0.6 ounces of alcohol.
The following contain 0.6 ounces of alcohol:

• 5.5 ounces wine (11% alcohol)


• 14.3 ounces of light beer (4.2% alcohol)


• 1.5 ounces of hard liquor such as whiskey (40% alcohol/ 80 proof)


• 1.2 ounces of hard liquor (50% alcohol/100 proof)

The above calculations are based on the percentage of alcohol present in each beverage, so the alcohol percentage or proof is given. For example, wine can sometimes be more than 11% alcohol. If you would like to learn more about calculating the amount of alcohol in your drinks, please visit www.elegantpie.com/cheers.html for formulas to help you calculate the ounces of alcohol in your drinks as well as blood alcohol content.

What's the point? If you're trying to lose fat, cut out alcohol for a while. You'll see and feel your results faster.

How To Eat.... The Cliff's Notes Version

I've literally read thousands and thousands of pages on nutrition over the past two years. Recently I added a couple more very informative pages to my tally when I finished reading an interesting article by Michael Pollen in the New York Times Magazine.

If you have the time and inclination to read it, please do yourself a favor and do so. If you barely have time to get through my blog (and you skip the longer entries), here's a simplified version (it's going to sound familiar, but there's a reason for that...).

• A healthy diet is one that focuses on tons of leafy vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean protein.
  
• Whole foods (unprocessed foods like .... fresh vegetables and fruits, nuts, seeds, whole grains) contain nutrients, micronutrients, vitamins, and healthy phytochemicals that have complicated interactions which science is still struggling to understand. (Think of how we know that we need vitamin D to properly absorb calcium. It's taken science a while to understand that. Consider how many vitamins and minerals are in one tomato: we are far from understanding how every single vitamin compliments or interacts with all the other vitamins, but we DO know that tomatoes are good for us. You can take a lycopene supplement and hope that your body has the right balance of nutrients to take advantage of the lycopene-or-(god forbid) eat a fresh tomato.)
  
• A healthy diet is a varied diet. Don't just eat the same four or five vegetables, grains, or fruits every week. Eat lots of different plant matter.
  

Your challenge this week: eat more foods. (NOTE: I did not say eat more food. ) Make a list and see how many foods you eat. Next week try and add some new fruits and vegetables to the list.

Please read the article. I recommend it. If you like it and want to read more, Pollan also wrote The Omnivore's Dilemma. If you'd like other book recommendations, just ask. I've read close to a dozen on nutrition this past year.

Healthy Recipe: Texas Caviar

The first time I tried a variation of this popular bean dish, I was in Austin, TX. I was surprised by how simple and tasty it was. It is a great as a side dish or snack. Fat free, high fiber, and packed with vitamins--you can't go wrong. You can omit or add vegetables for tasty variations.

Ingredients:
1 can black eyed peas, rinsed
1 small onion diced
1/2 - 1 pepper, diced (go for red, yellow, or orange for added vitamins)
1/2 small onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
cilantro (or parsley), chopped (about a handful)
champagne or white wine vinegar to taste (I like 2-3 tablespoons)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions: So easy.... mix all of that stuff together in a tupperware. Refrigerate a few hours or overnight so the flavors can meld.

Serving size:
1/2 cup as side dish or snack
Servings: about 3.5

Calories per serving: approximately 110kcal
Protein: 8g
Fat: 0
Fiber: 3g
Iron: 15% DV