Eat Like an Olympic Athlete

I LOVE the Olympics and from February 12-18, I will be watching as the world comes together 'with glowing hearts' to witness as the saying goes, 'the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat' during the Vancouver Winter Olympic.

A couple years back during the Beijing Summer Olympics, we learned gold medal swimmer Michael Phelps consumes 12,000 calories a day when he is in training. In stark comparison, a male of about the same age and height that is only moderately active would require around 2,000 calories a day.

Do all Olympic athletes need a diet significantly different than ours?

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Obesity is a World Problem

Being overweight or obese is not an American problem. It is a world problem. A November 2006 World Health Organization (WHO) projection indicated at least one in three adults in the world was overweight while one in ten was considered obese. The expansion of obesity and diabetes around the world provides international health experts new concerns, while they are still dealing with the problems of wide spread malnutrition. It is scary to think that today, many people around the world are more likely to die from issues related to being overweight than those that die from being underfed.

Recently, Reader's Digest interviewed 16,000 people from 16 different countries around the world to learn about weight related attitudes and behaviors. What did they find out?

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Are You Following Steps to Live a Long Healthy Life?

As I was working yesterday, I heard a news report about a new heart health program by the American Heart Association. With an older brother that has already suffered a mild heart attack as well as a grandmother that died of heart related issues, I was interested in the report and set out to learn more.

By evaluating seven key health areas, setting goals for those areas where we fall short and establishing a plan to improve, all adults can improve their cardiovascular health according to the American Heart Association. To help people accomplish this, they have developed a seven step assessment tool. The tool will help people from ages 2-99 to:

• Understand current levels of cardiovascular health
  
  
• Assess individual health needs
  
  
• Commit to steps to improve health and quality of life
  
  
• Move closer to personal health goals

How can this assessment help you?

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Is Wheaties FUEL the New Breakfast for Champions?

The familiar orange box and 'breakfast of champions' slogan has been an American icon for generations. For many athletes, being featured on the box is a goal and dream come true when it happens. In 1921, Wheaties was discovered by accident and because of wise marketing decisions, an association with sports started a decade later. Since that time, Wheaties has been associated with many accomplished athletes such as Mary Lou Retton and Michael Jordan as well as other well-known icons such as Ronald Regan, The Lone Ranger, and Mickey Mouse. The tie with sports and fitness has helped Wheaties remained 'The Breakfast of Champions'.

Now there is a new cereal, 'By Champions, For Champions'. Will Wheaties FUEL with its distinctive black box accomplish the same iconic status? Is it something you should consider including in your healthy diet?

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If the Calorie Information Isn't Accurate, What Should You Do?

Researchers at Tufts University recently looked at 29 restaurant meals from casual dining establishments such as Wendy's and Ruby Tuesday and 10 frozen supermarket meals like Lean Cuisine, Weight Watchers, and Healthy Choices. The study findings regarding the accuracy of the stated energy content have been published in this month's The Journal of the American Dietetic Association. What did they reveal?

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What's the Deal with Taco Bell's Drive-Thru Diet?

A decade ago, Jared Fogle lost 245 pounds eating two Subway sandwiches a day and the Subway diet was born. Today, Subway has capitalized on his publicized success by focusing their marketing and menu on healthier eating alternatives for those dining away from home.

A decade later, Christine has lost 54 pounds with the Taco Bell Drive-Thru Diet. Is this fast food diet your key to success?

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The Basics of Building a Food Stockpile

Winter has officially just arrived but there have already been countrywide weather related issues that have changed plans, caused need to rush to the store as well as panic. At the same time, the unemployment rate is high, budgets are tight, and there is constant talk about the need to eat healthier.

Recently I have seen ads for special companies and services to buy long-term emergency food insurance or shelf stable emergency food kits to help your family be prepared for whatever may come. Building a stockpile takes time but the right approach can get you started in a cost effective and health conscious manner. Here are some basic tips to help as you start a stockpile in the New Year.

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Did Your 2009 Wishes Come True?

As we close out 2009, many of us review the year and take inventory regarding what we have or have not accomplished throughout the year.



Last year at this time, I suggested we list 3 wishes and resolve to make them come true during 2009.

Here where my three wishes for 2009:

1. Redecorate my dining room
    
2. Take the family to New York City
    
3. Run in at least one race

To make my wishes come true, I resolved to:

• Set time and money aside each month for the dining room project until it was complete.
   
• Change my weekly/monthly budget as necessary to save money for our trip while planning a trip based on the money saved.
   
• Eat, exercise and live a Spark life that allows me to be at the fitness level necessary to run in a race.

How did I do?

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Walden Farms Products Claim No Calories, Fat, Carbs, Gluten, or Sugar – Can They Be Good For You?

Recently we received an e-mail about Walden Farms products. The writer wondered what is in these zero calorie, carbohydrate, fat, gluten and sugar free products and if they were healthy or chemical ridden. We decided to take a closer look. Here is what we found.

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Is Gluten Intolerance on the Rise? What You Should Know

Gluten is a protein found in products made from wheat, rye and some forms of oats. In some people, gluten can trigger an immune response, which damages the fingerlike projections of the small intestine known as villi causing them to become flattened which limits their ability to absorb nutrients properly.

People that suffer from gluten-sensitivity may become diagnosed with an autoimmune condition known as gluten-sensitive enteropathy, non-tropical sprue, or celiac sprue, which are three different names for the same condition. Since the exact cause of celiac disease is unknown, prevention is difficult. For those that can recognize risk factors or identify multiple suggestive symptoms, early diagnosis and treatment can limit long-term complications and ensure a long and healthy life. Celiac disease diagnosis is typically based on results of a series of blood tests and perhaps small intestine tissue evaluation to look at specific antigens and antibodies.

A New York Times article last week reported that celiac disease is frequently overlooked and under diagnosed.

Here are some facts from the article that I found interesting.

• One out of every 133 people in America has diagnosed celiac disease compared to 10 years ago when it was only about one out of every 10,000 people across the United States.
  
  
• There are approximately three million Americans with celiac disease.
  
  
• It takes about ten years for a person with symptoms to receive a diagnosis of celiac disease.
  
  
• In 2003 there were approximately 135 gluten-free products on the market compared to today where there are over 830.
  
  

Back in the 1990's when I was working as a Registered Dietitian in a teaching hospital, it was very rare that I would have a client in need of gluten-restricted diet education or restriction. When someone did have that need, we used a resource list for specialty products that could be mail ordered and eating away from home was strongly discouraged. Today, you can walk into many large supermarkets and find a complete gluten-free section and there are resources such as the Gluten-Free Restaurant Awareness Program to help people find gluten-free dining opportunities. However, the increased awareness and availability of gluten-free foods for those that need them also opens a door for food marketers and fad diet promoters as well.

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Be Nutrition Wise While Flying the Friendly Skies

Surveys indicate that the majority of the American public wants to know the nutritional information for the food they eat. This is also true when it comes to flying the friendly skies.

Recently, an article about how U.S. airlines rate on the nutrition scale, revealed the 2009 DietDetective.com airline survey results. The survey found that American Airlines was "most improved" over previous studies because of some sensible substitutions that were made. Continental took the top food spot because they offer free meals that are lower in calories, nutrient rich and provide variety.

Here is some highlight information for some of the more common airlines to help you make nutrient wise choices while traveling by air this holiday season as identified by the Annual Airline Snacking and Onboard Food Survey.

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4 Important Nutrients You May be Missing

Vitamins and supplements are big business about a $20 billion business to be more exact. Many medical providers agree that taking a multivitamin can be beneficial but for many people that eat a well balanced diet, it isn't typically necessary.

A recent position paper by the American Dietetic Association reveals that eating a variety of foods to consume your nutrients is the best way to stay healthy and avoid chronic disease. This isn't a new nutrition philosophy but it is a message that can't be restated often enough in our supplement crazy society.

Most people can get the nutrients their body needs from a typical meal plan that includes a variety of foods from all food groups. However, many of us are falling short in several key nutrients and additional supplementation may be beneficial to help fill in the gaps.

Here are 4 important nutrients that may provide supplementation benefits even with a healthy diet.

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6 Party Foods to Avoid This Holiday Season

Last weekend, my husband and I enjoyed a wonderful evening with many of his co-workers and their guests at their company holiday party. As drinks were enjoyed and the conversation flowed, friendly people roamed around serving appetizers. The most interesting appetizer we tried was the shrimp topped grits cake.

When it was time for the main course, we had our choice of two wonderfully prepared tables, one focusing on vegetarian pastas and the other which included meat entrées. Luckily, none of the worst holiday foods on this list were offered and we enjoyed a wonderful meal, great conversation and exciting entertainment thanks to the Rock Band set up in one of the dining areas.

Which foods should you watch out for and limit at your party events this season?

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Can Pride Make a Difference in Your Life?

Self-pride is the ability to see your own personal value and worth and serves as a gauge for how much you like, accept, approve, and respect yourself. Self-pride influences every aspect of your life because how you feel about yourself comes through in what you say and do. When you make decisions with an unfavorable view of yourself, you are more likely to demean you efforts, body, talents and abilities. As days, months, and years go by, that ongoing negative dialogue can result in feelings of anxiety, irritability, or resentment. Over time, those feelings can also lead to loneliness or depression.

Many of us spend a great deal of time trying to improve what we see as flawed and imperfect with a low sense of pride in ourselves. We remember who we were in a different time in our life and somehow expect that the person from back then can still exist in a new set of conditions, roles, and responsibilities. Although on paper we realize this is unrealistic, we continue to measure ourselves with an unrealistic measuring stick and as time goes by, we lose more and more pride in ourselves. The negative self-talk plays in our heads more than the positive and one day we realize we are in a cycle we never intended to be in or learned how to deal with.

One of the 5 things I talked about in my Giving Thanks – 5 Ways to Develop an Attitude of Gratitude blog a while back was giving up negative self-talk. Developing self-pride can help you get rid of those ongoing negative scripts that are playing in your head. Here are some ways to help you get started developing a stronger sense of self-pride.

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7 Hot Restaurant Trends for 2010

The National Restaurant Association was founded in 1919 and is the leading association for the restaurant industry.

The American Culinary Federation, Inc. was established in 1929 and is a premiere professional organization for culinarians in North America.

Recently the National Restaurant Association conducted its annual survey of more than 1,800 professional chefs who were members of the American Culinary Federation. Here are 7 hot, new restaurant trends to watch for in the coming year.

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