Tag Archives: Food

Gain Weight the Right Way

by Jenna Stranzl RD CISSN.  This article was originally posted at http://jennastranzl.com

Pizza.  Burgers.  Candy bars.  Cheesesteaks.  Whole milk.  Have you ever tried any of these strategies to gain weight?  Some of you may want to throw darts at this post because you would do anything to have this problem – gaining weight.  For many athletes or even those with simply a furnace metabolism, this can truly be an aggravating experience.

Thing is, gaining weight can be done two ways – by either eating every thing in sight, or by training smart and eating higher calorie *smart* foods that have better nutrient profiles than a, let’s say, pork roll sandwich.  When people just eat to gain weight, they often whattoeat_lunch_pizzaburgerselect fatty foods and those that lack any nutritional value.  This makes an individual more likely to have increased risk for things such as heart disease, hypertension, disturbed sleep, lack of concentration, and especially with athletics – a decrease in performance.

Just like losing weight, the same applies to weight gain – patience and a healthy way of life.  Eating lean proteins, healthy fats, complex carbohydrates, and limiting added fats, sugar, and sodium.  Remember, to gain one pound per week, one must eat an additional 500 calories per day.  This could be as simple as 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, banana, and honey on your AM breakfast toast, an extra drizzle of olive oil on your salad, and a large glass of low-fat or skim milk before bed.

Easy calorie boost to toast — PB, banana, & drizzle honey

Need some additional ideas?  Look no further.  Here are 25 suggestions to help put on the pounds.

  1. Add calcium-rich cheese when making mashed potatoes (keep the skin in the mash to add a boost of fiber)
  2. Opt for light dressings – fat free dressings add minimal calories, but non-creamy dressings like balsamic, Italian, or oil and vinegar add healthy fats.  The healthy fats in the dressing actually help absorb the fat-soluable vitamins in the salad’s nutrients
  3. Use hearty complex carbohydrates like bulgar and wheatberry when making a pasta salad – great amount of calories in a small portion and packed with good for you nutrients
  4. Opt for quinoa over white rice.  Quinoa is a complete protein – who knew?  Use it with some tomatoes, garlic, and toss in some lean chicken or shrimp for a nice balanced dish
  5. Simply use thicker 100% whole-wheat bread slices versus thin sliced.  Many bakeries can cut the bread to a thicker slice, so speak up when at the counter.

Just a handful of almonds can add 100+ calories and heart-healthy fatsomega_6_fatty_acids

  1. Don’t go too long without eating!  Solution?  Carry around 100-calorie packs of foods.  Stock them in your car, duffle bag, locker, desk drawer, purse – wherever you can sneak a bag.  Even almonds come in 100-calorie packs (thank you Emeralds!!)
  2. High calorie snack?  Munch on trail mix!  Heart healthy nuts, fiber-rich dried fruits, and even toss in some pumpkin or sunflower seeds.  Limit the dried banana chips though, as they tend to be fried before packaging.
  3. Opt for a hefty bagel with cream cheese versus a bagel.  When you pick a whole-wheat bagel, you’re getting a better dose of the right type of carbohydrate, minimal fats.  They pretty much have the same amount of calories, but the bagel offers a better nutrient profile.  Or, add an egg to the bagel for a dose of protein.
  4. Pesto sauce!  Pesto sauce is heavy on the olive oil and heart healthy pine nuts so you can eat small amounts and gain calories quickly.  Toss into your pasta with a side of hearty bread and a salad drizzled with some olive oil and your calories are adding up!
  5. Pizza?  Opt for thick crust or Sicilian versus thin crust pizza.  Thick crust has more carbohydrate (our bodies prime source of fuel as athletes!) and calories.  You can also opt to add some lean proteins like shrimp and crabmeat or roasted turkey or chicken breast.
  6. Only use mustard on your sandwich?  Spread on some hummus!  Hummus boosts healthy fats, protein, and some fiber (chickpeas, lemon, and olive oil) and can create a fun alternative.  Just 2 tablespoons can boost the sandwich with an additional 50-100 calories.
  7. Avoid diet foods that might be in the house.  Steer away from mom’s Special K bars and Crystal Light.  Stick to heartier granola bars like Nature Valley and Cliff Bars.
  8. Toss the sodas as a means of added calories.  The sub?  Make your own!  Use 2 liters of seltzer water or club soda PLUS one tub of 100% fruit juice concentrate.  Mix and drink!

Why go skim? Skim milk lacks the artery clogging saturated fats whole milk provides but contains the same protein content.milk-500_0

  1. Drink 2% milk versus whole milk.  Whole milk just has additional saturated fats (a thumbs down for the heart).  Get your calories elsewhere from healthy calorie boosters like peanut butter, olive oils, dried fruits, etc.  The protein content of all milks (skim, low-fat, whole) are the exact same.
  2. Protein shakes are fine – just stick to those that are NSF approved.  Meaning, they are approved for sport.  If you take a drug test, you are knowing you are taking a protein supplement that has been tested and safe for use.  A lot of products out there may create a positive drug test, simply because there are components that fall into it during production or you do not know about.  EAS Myoplex and Muscle Milk Collegiate are GREAT options.
  3. Snack on dried fruits!  Dried fruits come in many types: peach rinds, apple slices, raisins, prunes (LOVE THEM!), cranberries, etc.  While there is sugar added during the drying process, they still contain a fiber boost and added calories.  Toss in your cereal, oatmeal, yogurt, ice cream, trail mix, and salads.  Prunes for example are high in antioxidants, which reduce free radical damage.  This can ultimately reduce muscle soreness after a workout.
  4. Skip creamy alfredo.  Why?  High in saturated fats and low in nutrients.  A simple substitution with a matching calorie content?  Penne pasta with grilled chicken, sautéed vegetables (in olive oil), and marinara sauce.  See, it is about the meal composition – selecting healthier options, with similar caloric content.
  5. Chocolate?  Dark chocolate!  It packs a punch in terms of antioxidants.  Make sure to select dark chocolates that offer over 65% cacao – meaning, the higher the percentage, the better the antioxidant level in the chocolate.
  6. Chomp on olives.  Heart healthy and can add calories without feeling like you ate a ton.

Fatty fish like salmon, mackarel, or trout provide anti-inflammatory properties that are helpful for an athletes training regime and recovery.

  1. Opt for lean meats or healthy fatty meats.  What is a healthy fatty meat?  Salmon, for example.  Salmon boosts more calories per ounce than tuna, but why?  Simply because of its oils and we know that fish oil does wonders for athletes.  Tuna is also a great choice though – because it boosts quality protein.  Select white meats versus dark to lower fat content (turkey and chicken).  Pork tenderloin is another great low-fat, hearty protein option.
  1. Making eggs?  Boost calories by wrapping those eggs into a whole-wheat tortilla!  Then add some cheese, peppers, onions, and mushrooms for an added veggie and calcium boost!
  2. Soups on!  Avoid creamy soups and select hearty bean soups like turkey chili, vegetarian chili, or lentil soups.  These soups have a high fiber, high protein profile with a similar amount of calories.
  3. Re-create your bland salad.  A salad can add healthy calories quickly.  How?  Add some of the following: sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, pecans or walnuts, feta cheese, soybeans, and lean proteins like turkey, fish, or chicken.
  4. Munch on nuts!  A small dose packs a heavy calorie punch (20 almonds or 12-13 walnuts is a serving).  Snack on these throughout the day to add up your numbers.
  5. Save room for your appetite.  Don’t always fill up on liquids – instead, focus on foods with a hearty nutrient profile.  Beef up your oatmeal or cereals by adding nuts, honey, fruits (dried or fresh), and a dash of granola

Most importantly, learn that weight gain is not an easy process and takes time.  Keep positive and understand that in order to gain, you must acknowledge that you may need to try foods you may not have thought to.  Step outside of the box and eventually, you will see these foods can make you become better, stronger, and healthier.

BIO

Jenna is a registered dietitian (RD) and sports nutritionist (CISSN).  She currently serves as the consulting sports nutritionist for The PGA Tour 2012, the Philadelphia Flyers (NHL), Trenton Titans (ECHL), Velocity Sports Peformance – Cherry Hill and Allentown/Lehigh Valley. Jenna has experience with athletes of all ages including recreational, elite, and professional athletes. She has worked for IMG Academies as a sports nutritionist to high-school and professional athletes in Bradenton, FL – including the US Men’s Soccer U17 National Team, the Penn State Sports Nutrition Clinic, and development of dietary supplements and pediatric nutrition research for Wyeth Nutrition/Pharmaceuticals. Additional experience includes a professional development at Athletes’ Performance, contributions for MLB’s RBI Program (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities), Major League Strength, the Taylor Hooton Foundation, STACK Media, and ShowcaseU.  Additional clients include athletes’ within professional and collegiate baseball, basketball, gymnastic, football, horse racing, and track & field.  Jenna is also currently the Program Coordinator of Nutrition at Drexel University, in conjuction with the Eat.Right.Now Program for the city of Philadelphia. As an avid runner, Jenna has participated in several marathons; therefore, ensuring sports nutrition is a part of her daily training and lifestyle.  If you really love this article, check out the rest at http://jennastranzl.com/about/

Cheating on a diet – good or bad?

By Monica Mollica. In discussions about dieting, a topic that often comes up is that of “cheating”; is it good or bad to cheat once in a while during a diet?

In order to answer this question appropriately, it is necessary to look at both the quantitative and qualitative aspects of dieting, and the physiological and psychological responses they each elicit.

Dieting – what are we really talking about?

The dictionary definition of “diet” and “dieting” is “to eat and drink sparingly or according to prescribed rules” or “a controlled intake of foods, as for medical reasons or cosmetic weight loss”.

However, these definitions do not tell us anything about the two different aspects of dieting; the quantitative and qualitative parts, and their respective consequences.  In everyday parlance, dieting usually implies both eating less calories (quantitative aspect) than usual and eating “specific” foods (qualitative aspect).

Nevertheless, when considering the consequences of “cheating” (more formally known as dieting consistency / inconsistency) and trying to answer the question whether it is a good or bad practice, it is important to distinguish these aspects of dieting. Let’s take a quick look at each:

Calorie restriction

Calorie restriction (also known as dietary restriction). When reducing calories our bodies respond by lowering basal metabolic rate, and there also is reduction is spontaneous physical activity. If the calorie restriction is severe enough, our bodies go into starvation mode, which will counteract any fat loss efforts 1,2.

Specific food restriction

A diet usually has an explicit (or implicit) list of foods that it recommends. Eating specific foods has a more psychological impact than calorie restriction per see, especially if you don’t like the foods that are part of your diet plan.

The different types of “cheating”cheating-diet2

Now back to the issue of cheating. Looking at calorie restriction and specific food restriction separately, you see that that you can cheat in three different ways:

– eating more calories from the same “dieting foods”  (quantitative cheating)

– eating non-dieting “forbidden” foods, but still within your daily calorie allotment

(quantitative cheating)

– eating non-dieting “forbidden” foods, and exceeding your daily calorie allotment

(double whammy cheating!)

Dieting consistency is not yo-yo dieting!

Before we continue I want to make clear that this discussion on diet cheating (dieting consistency) should not be confused with yo-yo dieting (also called weight cycling; when one is repeatedly losing and regaining weight). Yo-yo dieting definitely has detrimental effects, especially psychologically 3,4.

Dieting consistency in this context is about maintaining the same diet regimen on weekends as on weekdays. For many people, diet and activity patterns differ substantially on weekends as compared to weekdays, with potential consequences on long term body fat weight that could promote the development or maintenance of excess fat storage and obesity if the pattern is repeated throughout the year.

Possible benefits and risk with cheating on a diet?

Allowing some diet flexibility on weekends, holidays, and vacations might reduce boredom, which is a known contributor to dieting lapses 5, and be more realistic from a long-term perspective. However, flexibility might also increase exposure to high-risk situations, a the chance for loss of control. This is especially true among people with addictive personalities 6.

What does the research say?

While it is well documented that holidays are associated with fat gain 7-9 it wasn’t until recently that studies started to investigate the influence of weekend eating patterns on short- and long-term body fat weight. The first study on weekend eating patterns was done on National Weight Control Registry subjects, who had successfully maintained a weight loss of at least 13.6 kg for 8 years 10. The purpose of the study was to examine whether maintaining the same diet regimen across the week and year promotes weight control or if dieting more strictly on weekdays and/or non-holidays is more conducive to long-term maintenance. Participants who reported greater dieting consistency were more likely to maintain their weight within 2.3 kg during the subsequent year, whereas participants with lower dieting consistency scores were more likely to regain weight during the subsequent year 10. A more recent study, where subjects consumed on average 236 calories more on weekend days, confirmed that weekend dietary indulgences contribute to weight gain or cessation of weight loss 11.

It has also been documented that as the duration of a diet increases, a shift in the balance between the effort and pleasure of weight maintenance may occur, which makes it easier to stick to the diet and thereby increases the likelihood of continued maintenance 12. This is supported by findings showing that repeated exposure trains flavor preference 13. In other words, a strong correlation exists between a person’s customary intake of a flavor and his preference for that flavor.

Bottom Line

Whether cheating on a diet (that is, a low diet consistency) will cause you any harm or good depends on your personal inclinations, and the reasons for the cheating.

From a biological perspective, I believe quantitative cheating, when you eat more calories from the same “dieting foods”, can be a good thing, since it can prevent lowering your resting metabolic rate and drops in spontaneous physical activity.

When it comes to the other types of  cheating, the consequences are more of a psychological origin. If you have an addictive personality, do not even think about cheating. Remember, the best cure for any addiction is complete abstinence.

If you don’t have an addictive personality, but have a lot of fat to loose, it is ok for you to engage in quantitative or qualitative cheating on weekends, when you eat non-dieting “forbidden” foods, but still within your daily calorie allotment. But only do this if you feel that it helps you stay on track with your diet during the week days.

If you don’t have much fat to loose, and are just dieting to get in a little better shape, you can indulge  in double whammy cheating, when you eat non-dieting “forbidden” foods AND exceed your daily calorie allotment. Just don’t go too much overboard; your body and mind will still take note of what you’re doing.

In any case, the reason for you to cheat on a diet should be that it helps you to stick to in the long run. Not because other people coerce you into it or are trying to make you believe that you “have to” cheat on your diet to get results. That’s nonsense you often hear from folks who don’t have the willpower and discipline themselves. It has actually been shown that friends have an even larger impact on a person’s risk of obesity than genes do 14. So don’t fall for the peer-pressure and never engage in risky behaviors because your friends do!

My advice to you is to be your own scientist and lab rat; try and see how you feel. If you lose control you know cheating on a diet is not for you, and you better put your foot down and stick to your guns. However, a slip doesn’t have to mean failure; turn the experience you gain from it into good data to guide your for future dietary decisions and long-term success!

References:

1.         Maclean PS, Bergouignan A, Cornier MA, Jackman MR. Biology’s response to dieting: the impetus for weight regain. American journal of physiology. Regulatory, integrative and comparative physiology. Sep 2011;301(3):R581-600.

2.         Goran MI, Calles-Escandon J, Poehlman ET, O’Connell M, Danforth E, Jr. Effects of increased energy intake and/or physical activity on energy expenditure in young healthy men. J Appl Physiol. Jul 1994;77(1):366-372.

3.         Osborn RL, Forys KL, Psota TL, Sbrocco T. Yo-yo dieting in African American women: weight cycling and health. Ethnicity & disease. Summer 2011;21(3):274-280.

4.         Amigo I, Fernandez C. Effects of diets and their role in weight control. Psychology, health & medicine. May 2007;12(3):321-327.

5.         Smith CF, Burke LE, Wing RR. Vegetarian and weight-loss diets among young adults. Obesity research. Mar 2000;8(2):123-129.

6.         Avena NM, Rada P, Hoebel BG. Sugar and fat bingeing have notable differences in addictive-like behavior. The Journal of nutrition. Mar 2009;139(3):623-628.

7.         Hull HR, Radley D, Dinger MK, Fields DA. The effect of the Thanksgiving holiday on weight gain. Nutrition journal. 2006;5:29.

8.         Klesges RC, Klem ML, Bene CR. Effects of dietary restraint, obesity, and gender on holiday eating behavior and weight gain. Journal of abnormal psychology. Nov 1989;98(4):499-503.

9.         Yanovski JA, Yanovski SZ, Sovik KN, Nguyen TT, O’Neil PM, Sebring NG. A prospective study of holiday weight gain. The New England journal of medicine. Mar 23 2000;342(12):861-867.

10.      Gorin AA, Phelan S, Wing RR, Hill JO. Promoting long-term weight control: does dieting consistency matter? International journal of obesity and related metabolic disorders : journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity. Feb 2004;28(2):278-281.

11.      Racette SB, Weiss EP, Schechtman KB, et al. Influence of weekend lifestyle patterns on body weight. Obesity (Silver Spring). Aug 2008;16(8):1826-1830.

12.      Klem ML, Wing RR, Lang W, McGuire MT, Hill JO. Does weight loss maintenance become easier over time? Obesity research. Sep 2000;8(6):438-444.

13.      Liem DG, de Graaf C. Sweet and sour preferences in young children and adults: role of repeated exposure. Physiology & behavior. Dec 15 2004;83(3):421-429.

14.      Christakis NA, Fowler JH. The spread of obesity in a large social network over 32 years. The New England journal of medicine. Jul 26 2007;357(4):370-379.

 

About the Author

Monica Mollica

Health Journalist, Nutrition / Diet Consultant & Personal Trainer

BSc and MSc in Nutrition from the University of Stockholm

ISSA Certified Personal Trainer

Website:   www.trainergize.com

Email:   monica@trainergize.com

 

7 Foods with Healing Powers

By Melody Garza MS RD CISSN

Here are seven fresh and natural foods with powers to heal you physically and mentally.
1. Blueberries53c4119b41fd9.image
These nutrient-packed berries can help bruises disappear. They are a rich source of flavonoids and a good source of vitamin C, which together improve blood circulation (thus reducing swelling) and help form collagen, the tissue that holds skin together.

2. Lemons
Squeeze two whole lemons into your tea, seltzer, and other beverages or on salads and other food to get your daily requirement of vitamin C. This major antioxidant not only fights heart disease and boosts immunity but it also helps form the collagen we need to heal tendons, ligaments, bones, and blood vessels.

3. Garlic
Two garlic cloves a day may keep what Grandpa called “hardening of the arteries” away. We now call it arteriosclegarlic-with-parsley-fbrosis, but the garlic works just the same. In a German study recently presented at an American Heart Association conference in Washington, D.C., it was stated that taking two cloves of garlic a day reduces the formation of arterial plaque by up to 40% and 42 other clinical trials have shown that garlic can improve cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure.

4. Lettuce
If getting to sleep is a problem, a sedative you may not have known about is lettuce (except iceberg lettuce which is primarily water,) which contains a sleep-inducing substance called lectucarium. Its effects have been compared to the sedative effects of opium, but without the accompanying excitement.

5. Chocolate
Dark chocolate is packed with healthy nutrients, including flavonoids, that are part of a group of antioxidants known as polyphenols that decreases LDL (bad) cholesterol oxidation, reduces the risk of blood clots, increases blood flow in arteries, and may lower high blood pressure. In addition, most of us can agree that chocolate improves mood and pleasure. It does that by boosting serotonin and endorphin levels in the brain. Plus, chocolate contains a number of minerals, including calcium, magnesium, and potassium.

6. Apples
Give in to temptation when it comes to one of the earth’s healthiest foods. They are a great source of fiber. They’re also a source of the phytochemical quercetin—a compound widely recognized for its ability to fight heart disease and cancer. “Apples are one of the best sources of flavonoids—as long as you leave on the peel,” Kristine Napier, RD, writes in Eat to Heal. “Their complement of phytochemicals helps them fight heart disease, stroke, cancer, infections, inflammation and colitis.” Because of the combination of fiber and fructose, apples help maintain blood sugar levels, which is key in fighting that afternoon blood sugar low. In fact, a successful dieting tip is to crunch into an apple for your afternoon snack—you’ll end up eating a lot less during dinner.

7. Avocados
This tropical fruit wasn’t grown in the United States until the 1830s. It is rich in potassium, beta-carotene, and “good” fat—the same monounsaturated fat that’s found in olive oil and has been shown to reduce blood cholesterol levels. Avocados are also a rich source of the essential fatty acid (EFA) omega-9 that helps promote hormone regulation, the transportation of fat through the body, and the breakup of cholesterol. Because avocados are higher in calories than other fruits (2/3 of an avocado has about 150 calories) you might not want to eat the “alligator pear” at every meal, but you can increase the delicious quotient of your favorite sandwich by adding some slices or making it a fiesta by digging into some guacamole

 

BIO –  Melody Garza  MS RD CISSN

First & foremost, Melody Garza is a daughter, sister, aunt, girlfriend, best friend, & athlete; without these core roles, there would be an inability for her to triumph as a successful entrepreneur. Melody was born in Mexico and grew up in Texas; however, her life is now on the sunny beaches of Florida. She is a Registered Dietitian with a Bachelors degree in Kinesiology and Sports Science, a Masters in Nutrition and Dietetics, licensed as a massage therapist/colon hydrotherapist, and a Certified Sports Nutritionist with the International Society of Sports Nutrition (www.theissn.org). Melody Garza was a 3-sport athlete at the high school level and continued as a 2-sport athlete in college. Now, she plays beach volleyball competitively; winning several women and coed tournaments.  At 23 Melody co-owned an in-home personal training/massage therapy business in Naples, Fl. Although she left the company to pursue a higher education, entrepreneurship is a passion of hers, especially in the wellness industry. Now at 30, Melody offer services ranging from fitness coaching to nutrition counseling; sharing alternative forms of medicine to being environmentally friendly; and business consulting for those who want to work from home.  Melody strongly believes in a holistic approach to wellness. Wellness is a lifestyle that adheres to a balance of health that decreases the likelihood of becoming ill physically, mentally, and spiritually.  Comprised of seven dimensions and characteristics, wellness is achieved when a person’s like includes all seven elements in combination and in whole.  She is committed to making a difference in people’s lives by helping them achieve total wellness. As a coach and mentor, Melody is more like an accountability partner. She’s been through the journey of seeking total wellness, so Melody doesn’t speak to you as a trainer but rather a voice of experience.  For more info, go to www.LiveWellWithMel.com