Tag Archives: protein

Endurance Runners’ Diets Directly Effect Performance

Part of the joy in endurance running is that the athlete is afforded more calories than their couch dwelling counterparts. However, when a well-meaning non-runner says to me, “you get to eat whatever you want though, right?” I have to sadly answer no and explain how I believed that lie once too.

I began running with hopes that I could eventually eat junk food all day long and pay no penance for it. It took me just a few stomach churning runs to realize that I was wrong. For most runners, their performance is directly related to their diet.

“Junk in, junk out,” is the phrase nutritionist Diane Greenleaf likes to use as a reminder for how our body works. She pointed out that while training does lead to more calories being burned, it doesn’t replace the fact that the body needs nutrients. And it’s no surprise that our tasty junk food isn’t chock-full of vitamins.

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Posted on August 4, 2023 by Lacy

Top 10 Must-Haves on Your Grocery List for Weight Loss

When you lead a busy life, grocery shopping can be a time-consuming chore. If you’re beginning a new diet, you have probably seen a number of resources that offer sample grocery lists and suggested items that deserve a permanent place in your pantry or refrigerator.

While those lists can be helpful, they are sometimes more confusing than useful. Recently, we caught up with Caroline Cederquist, M.D. and founder of BistroMD, a gourmet meal delivery service developed by physicians. Cederquist shared her top ten grocery list items that she recommends patients purchase when they want to eat a healthier diet.

“The shopping list consists of top 10 mainstay items that help you stay on track, lose weight, and add lots of flavor to meals and snacks,” Cederquist said. “A lot of these items can also be used to substitute higher calorie foods for healthier ones.”

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Posted on August 3, 2023 by Maris

Textured Vegetable Protein is a Versatile Meat Replacement

Textured vegetable protein, or TVP, is a highly concentrated mixture made from soy flour. It’s very easy to cook, has virtually no taste and has no fat. Doesn’t sound very appetizing, right? Actually, that’s far from the truth.

I’m a big fan of using vegetable protein in place of ground beef , turkey or chicken. TVP is most often made from high protein content soy flour, but it can be made of cotton seeds, wheat or oats. The mixture is extruded, and becomes a spongy mass that is then cut into chunks, nuggets or grains. These shapes are then dried.  TVP is approximately 50% protein before rehydration.

When reconstituted, the TVP can be mixed with ground beef, turkey or chicken with a ratio as high as 3:1. The TVP takes on the flavor of the meat that it is mixed with and makes a fantastic filler. It’s very inexpensive and can be shelf stable for up to a year. These qualities make TVP a staple for those who follow a vegetarian, and in some cases, vegan, lifestyle. For those who are trying to lose weight, the reality that it is fat and cholesterol free make TVP a dream come true.

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Posted on July 25, 2023 by Carmen

We Love CLICK All-Natural Espresso Protein Drink

Confession: I am a coffee drinker. I can manage a french press myself. I drink it black. Despite a Starbucks in my family tree, I don’t find the coffee sold at that chain store up to my standards. I was skeptical about trying CLICK Espresso Protein Drink.

According to press releases, “CLICK is the brainchild of Greg and Beth Smith, a Fresno, California couple who owned a small chain of women’s fitness centers. The Smiths were seeking a delicious, healthy beverage for their members in response to the growing wall of sugar based energy and espresso drinks on the market.” The 15 grams of protein per serving is designed to provide sustained energy, in addition to the “two shots of espresso” or 100-150mg of caffeine per serving.

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Posted on June 14, 2023 by Brooke Randolph

The Ultimate Guide to Great Glutes

A great butt can stop traffic and even score you a few free drinks at the bar, but a person’s butt is also the window to their fitness. Chances are, if your glutes are in great shape, so is the rest of you. In addition to having a well rounded fitness routine, a tight and firm butt is also a great indicator that someone has a healthy and clean diet.

Most people think that the shape of their butt is the shape of their butt and there is nothing they can do about it. Some people are born without that crease under their tush, some are destined to always have it, some have cellulite, and some are smooth as a baby, right? Wrong.

Men tend to gain weight around their middles, and women tend to gain weight around their butt and hips. It’s just science. No one, however, is born with a high tight, bullet bouncing tush- it takes work. Therefore, you should work your glutes like they are a badge of honor.

Whether you want to get rid of your cellulite, wear boy short undies with confidence or add a little shape to your flat-as-a-pancake tush, we’ve got your plan to whip your butt into shape.

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Posted on June 10, 2023 by Kelly

Study Finds Breakfast Incomplete Without Protein

Woman having an fMRI scanMost people have heard that eating breakfast is important for maintaining a healthy weight, but a new study from the University of Missouri is proving this old wisdom with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans of the brain.

The research focused on teen girls who usually skip breakfast. An estimated 60 percent of teens regularly skip breakfast, which is associated with overeating later in the day and unhealthy snacking that leads to weight gain. Researchers compared hunger in individuals who continued to skip breakfast, those who ate a 500 calorie breakfast of milk and cereal, and those who ate a 500 calorie meal of waffles, syrup and yogurt. The latter meal was highest in protein.

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Posted on June 2, 2023 by Margaret

The Right Way to Fuel Your Child Athlete

I’ve had kids playing sports for more than 15 years (just typing that out makes me feel so, so old) and time and again, I’ve noticed one thing that just about every practice or game has in common.

Junk food.

Doesn’t that surprise you? It just doesn’t make sense to me. Admittedly, I’m a self confessed health food aficionado – although I have been known to dig into some french fries time and again – but I really have a hard time with the foods that many kids are offered after a difficult game. My kids have been given corn chips, candy bars, fruit snacks, squishy fruit punch pouches and even sodas. Rarely are there healthy choices offered.

I’ve been the team mom many times, and although I have often requested that healthier snacks be offered, the overwhelming concern is that kids just won’t eat them. A Sports Moms Study, funded by PepsiCo, found that more than 70% of moms are raising kids in competitive sports. The study found that sports moms spend 1/3 more time and more than twice as much money across their children’s extracurricular activities than those families without kids in sports. According to the study, the area in which most moms feel that they have the highest level of influence is their athlete’s nutrition. (more…)

Posted on May 25, 2023 by Carmen

Rest and Recovery an Important Component to Any Fitness Routine

We live in the age of extremes. We have to be the fastest, baddest, biggest and the best at everything we do. This is America! When speaking of cars, computers and the speed at which we receive our text messages, our all or nothing attitude is a definite advantage, but it is this mind frame that has lead us to gigantic food portions, exponentially rising obesity related healthcare costs and the first generation of children with a shorter life expectancy than their parents. We certainly are the biggest and baddest in terms of girth and the quality of our nutrition, that’s for sure.

It works the other way, too. We want instant gratification, instant results and immediate weight loss when adopting a fitness routine. In the age of the Biggest Loser, where contestants work out 8+ hours a day, everyday, and see double digit weight loss, it’s easy to get caught up in the idea that more is better. Unfortunately, our bodies don’t work that way.

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Posted on April 4, 2024 by Kelly

Answers to The 17 Day Diet Frequently Asked Questions, with Dr. Mike Moreno

The hottest diet of the year is without a doubt The 17 Day Diet by Dr. Mike Moreno. The original self-published book couldn’t keep up with the demands generated by endorsements from Dr. Phil and The Doctors. Earlier this month, Dr. Mike Moreno republished through Simon and Schuster and The 17 Day Diet is now available through national booksellers.

Since November when the book debuted, many questions have been asked by followers of the diet and by those considering the diet. We sat down with Dr. Mike to clarify the most commonly asked questions by our readers.

Here are your questions about The 17 Day Diet, and Dr. Mike’s answers:

Is The 17 Day Diet Appropriate for Diabetics?

“Absolutely, it’s a diabetic’s best friend,” whether type 1 or type 2, diabetics will realize weight loss. (more…)

Posted on March 31, 2024 by Natalie K

The Ins and Outs of the P90X Nutrition Plan

Sure, you’ve probably heard that the workouts in Tony Horton’s P90X system are tough, but what do you know about the system’s nutrition plan? When it comes to getting in shape and losing weight, we know that exercise is great for our bodies and building muscle, but you also have to eat the right foods to show off all that hard work. Here are a few more details on the diet side of this popular workout DVD system.

About the P90X Nutrition Guide

The plan includes three one-month phases, all which include small meals eaten consistently throughout the day and lots of water to drink!

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Posted on January 27, 2024 by Jennipher

Bugs Are a Better Source of Protein

insect“The question really should be: ‘Why do we NOT eat insects?” says Marcel Dicke, a food scientist and heal of entomology at Wageningen University in the Netherlands. He argues that bugs provide a healthier, more economic and green source of protein.

Dicke and his colleagues presented groundbreaking research into the possibilities of replacing animal meat with insects at the university to an audience of about 200. The guests were also invited to try a range of food prepared with grasshoppers, meals worms and buffalo worms. With the help of chef Henk van Gurp, the bugs became ingredients in a range of foods, from pastries to Thai spring rolls.

“Tasty…kind of nutty!” said one taster, Walinka van Tol of a meal worm praline. Dicke says that taste isn’t the issue, but rather convincing people that eating bugs doesn’t have to be disgusting. “People think it is something dirty. It generates a Fear Factor response,” he said, referring to the TV show that forced contestants to eat living bugs.

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Posted on January 26, 2024 by Health Buzz