Foods for Lifelong Health

BY KATHLEEN WOOLF, PhD, RD
As an athlete, you know that healthy eating prepares your body for optimal performance. Did you know that your food choices today influence your health tomorrow? Healthy eating can significantly lower your risk for future disease such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, obesity and diabetes. Swimmers and non-swimmers alike can achieve their goal of lifelong health and fitness by selecting from the following top foods:

Berries are full of antioxidants and help to protect your body from cancer, heart disease and even Alzheimer’s disease. Berries are simple to prepare. After rinsing, add blueberries, raspberries, strawberries or blackberries to cereal, frozen yogurt and salads.

Salmon contains lots of omega-3 fats, the type of fat shown to lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, dementia and depression. Include two servings of salmon per week to provide your body with this healthy fat. Choose wild salmon over farmed salmon.

Whole grains (whole wheat bread, popcorn, brown rice, oatmeal and barley) are good sources of fiber and nutrients and provide your body with carbs, your fuel for exercise. Whole grains consist of the entire grain seed. Look for the words “whole” or “whole grain” when reviewing ingredient lists to ensure you are selecting whole grains. A diet rich in whole grains can lower your risk for diabetes, colon cancer,and inappropriate weight gain.

Low fat milk and dairy products provide your body with protein, calcium, phosphorous and vitamin D, important nutrients for bone health. Vitamin D also blunts the risk of several diseases including multiple sclerosis, cancer and diabetes. For optimal health, incorporate low fat (skim or 1%) milk and yogurt into your meals and snacks several times a day.

Green veggies such as spinach, collards, broccoli, kale and asparagus are full of nutrients (vitamin A, vitamin C, folate iron, and phytochemicals) and help lower risk of birth defects, heart disease, cancer and age-related vision loss. Choose a variety of vegetables every day. Green veggies can be roasted, stir fried, or added to a salad or soup.

Water. Many individuals, including swimmers, are at risk of dehydration. Dehydration can lead to headaches, fatigue and poor performance. Stay hydrated by including 8-10 glasses of water a day. Avoid energy drinks and caffeinated beverages as they may lead to further dehydration.

By focusing on these nutrient-rich foods, you will fuel your body for today and protect your health for decades to come.

Fast Food How To Lift The Guise On Healthier Choices

Reprinted from Mayo Clinic Nutrition Letter with permission

of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research,  Rochester, Minnesota 55905

By changing menus and methods of cooking, fast-food restaurants are making it easier for you to eat more healthfully. But don't be fooled by products that sound healthy. Here are our suggestions for how you truly can trim calories and fat:

• Be salad savvy -- Avoid the mistake of thinking "salad" is synonymous with "diet food." Salads can be sneaky about fat and calories. The taco salads offered at Wend's and Jack In The Box each deliver 500-plus calories, more than half of which come from fat. The meat and cheese in chef salads invariably overpower the vegetables to increase fat. Chicken and seafood salads usually are lower in fat and calories, averaging less than 200 calories.

It's the dressings that provide the crowning touch. They can add as much as 400 calories to any salad. Watch out for packaged dressings that contain more than one serving.

The calories and other nutrients are given for a one-half ounce serving, yet some packages hold up to 2.5 ounces. Ask for reduced or low-calorie salad dressing.

• Choose chicken carefully -- Chicken may be naturally lower in fat than hamburger, but when breaded and fried, it loses its nutritional edge. At 688 calories and 40 grams of fat, Burger King's Chicken Specialty has 100 more calories and 20 percent more fat than McDonald's Big Mac. Chicken chunks, strips and "stix" have fewer calories than chicken sandwiches, but still carry a heavy load of fat.

The leanest chicken sandwich we found is Jack In The Box Chicken Fajita Pita for 292 calories and 8 grams of fat -- if you skip the guacamole.

• Be suspicious of specialty sandwiches -- Even non-fried sandwiches made with lean turkey or ham can be deceiving. Hardee's Turkey Club packs more calories and as much fat as McDonald's Quarter Pounder. General clues to keep in mind when deciding about this type of sandwich are its size and the amount of cheese, mayonnaise or special sauces.

• Order burgers plain and non-imposing -- You know you're headed for calories and fat if you order a burger billed "jumbo," "ultimate," "double" or "deluxe." You may have to search the menu board a bit, but all major franchises offer a plain hamburger for under 300 calories. At Hardee's and Roy Rogers, the roast beef sandwich is one of the leanest items you can order.

• Don't read too much into the hype about healthier fat -- Switching from animal to vegetable fats is one step to lowered dietary cholesterol and saturated fat. But it doesn't transform fried foods into healthy options. Large orders of McDonald's french fries (cooked in an animal/vegetable blend) and Hardee's french fries (cooked in vegetable oil) have about 20 grams of total fat. Hardee's fries have no cholesterol and a bit less saturated fat. But the key to your heart health is trimming total fat, and all fried fast foods still fail to do that.

• You make the call -- Fast food has come a long way since the days of only burgers, fries and shakes. More food options can make it easier for you to elude excess fat and calories for speed and convenience. Nevertheless, it all comes down to what you say when the person at the counter asks, "May I take your order?"

Here are the leanest and fattest fast foods you can eat

We* reviewed products offered at six popular fast-food franchises. In terms of fat and calories, here are the best and worst choices you can make:

Best Picks Calories Fat(grams)

• Burger King Chicken Tenders (6 pieces) 204 10
• Hardee's Chicken Stix (6 pieces) 234 10
• Jack In The Box Chicken Fajita Pita 292 8
• McDonald's Hamburger 257 10
• Roy Rogers Roast Beef Sandwich 317 10
• Wendy's Plain Single 350 16

Worst Picks Calories Fat(grams)

• Burger King Whopper with Cheese 711 43
• Hardee's Bacon Cheeseburger 556 33
• Jack In The Box Ultimate Cheeseburger 942 69
• McDonald's McD.L.T. 674 42
• Roy Rogers Bar Burger 611 39
• Wendy's Bacon Swiss Burger 710 44

Note: Calories and fat are based on the most recent printed information provided to us by each company.

Eating on the Road

By Linda Houtkooper, Ph.D., R.D. Linda is a Food Nutrition Specialist at the Cooperative Extension Service at the University of Arizona. She was once the author of a question/answer column in Swimming World magazine and she gave a presentation on nutrition at the ASCA World Clinic.

What should swimmers eat when swim meet or vacation takes them on the road? Should the foods for best performance be sacrificed for popular, convenient, fatty foods or is there something else they can eat?

Swimming success depends on ability, top-notch training, coaching, and good nutrition. Proper nutrition for swimmers includes foods that provide all essential nutrients in the proper amounts for good health and performance.

Nutrition-conscious swimmers know that they need high carbohydrate, low fat foods to perform their best. The best diet for training and performance is the VIM diet.

V= Variety of wholesome foods that provide the proper amount of nutrients to maintain desirable levels of body water, lean body mass, and fat. These foods will also maintain good health.

I= Eat foods that are individualized. Foods should reflect personal like. They should also make it possible to follow religious food preferences. Avoid foods that cause allergic reactions, and those the body can’t tolerate. Only use nutritional supplements recommended by your doctor or registered dietician.

M= Eat moderate amounts of foods that are high in fat, sugar, or sodium.

Use the suggestions below to maintain your top-notch VIM diet “on the road.”

Breakfast

• Order pancakes, French toast, muffins, toast, or cereal, and fruit or fruit juices. These foods are all higher in carbohydrates and lower in fat than the traditional egg and bacon breakfasts. Request that toast, pancakes, or muffins be served without butter or margarine. Use syrup or jam to keep carbohydrate high and fat to a low. Choose low fat dairy products, milk, hot chocolate, etc. Fresh fruit may be expensive or difficult to find. Carry fresh and/or dried fruits with you. Cold cereal can be a good breakfast or snack; carry boxes in the car or on the bus. Keep milk in a cooler or purchase it at convenience stores.

Lunch

• Remember that most of the fat in sandwiches is found in the spread. Prepare or order your sandwiches without the “mayo,” “special sauce,” or butter. Use ketchup or mustard instead. Peanut butter and jelly is a favorite and easy to make, but remember that peanut butter is high in fat. Use whole grain bread and spread more jelly, while using a small amount of peanut butter. Avoid all fried foods at fast food places. Salad bars can be lifesavers, but watch the dressings, olives, fried croutons, nuts, and seeds; or you could end up with more fat than any super burger could hope to hold! Use low fat luncheon meats such as skinless poultry and lean meats. Low fat bologna can be found in the stores, but read labels carefully. Baked potatoes should be ordered with butter and sauces “on the side.” Add just enough to moisten the carbohydrate-rich potato. Soups and crackers can be good low fat meals; avoid cream soups. Fruit juices and low fat milk are more nutritious choices than soda pop.

Dinner

• Go to restaurants that offer high-carbohydrate foods such as pasta, baked potatoes, rice, breads, vegetables, salad bars, and fruits. Eat thick crust pizzas with low fat toppings such as green peppers, mushrooms, Canadian bacon, and onions. Avoid fatty meats, extra cheese, and olives. Eat breads without butter or margarine. Use jelly instead. Ask for salads with dressing “on the side” so you can add minimal amounts yourself.

Snacks

• Eat whole grain bread, muffins, fruit, fruit breads, low fat crackers, pretzels, unbuttered popcorn, oatmeal raisin cookies, fig bars, animal crackers, fruit juice, breakfast cereal, canned meal replacements, and dried and fresh fruits.

Fast Food Breakfast Choices

Warm-ups for the morning session start at 7:00 am, your two children need a breakfast, you're in a strange town, and the only place you can find for breakfast is one of the fast food places. What to do?

The most important thing to do is avoid fats for two reasons: 1) Fats have an immediate and dramatic effect on the ability of the circulatory system to carry nutrients, especially oxygen, to muscle cells. For young people about to participate in a swimming meet this is a definite handicap. And 2) As part of developing lifetime habits for long term health, people of all ages should keep their daily fat intake to less than 30 percent of the total calories consumed.

The Mayo Clinic Nutrition Letter offers these tips:*

You don't always have to nix nutrition for speed and convenience. Fast foods may not make ideal meals, but some do offer healthful carbohydrate and only moderate amounts of fat. You also can downplay fat excesses by sorting out subtle differences among items. Consider these points the next time you're grabbing breakfast on the run:

Keep it simple -- The fewer ingredients you order in breakfast sandwiches, the lower the fat, sodium and calories. Hold the sausage and bacon.

Order it "drier that a biscuit" -- The English muffin is the lowest-fat breakfast food on most quick-service menus. Order it dry and substitute jelly for the butter; this virtually eliminates fat. When other ingredients are equal, a sandwich made on an English muffin is lower in fat than one on a biscuit. Croissant sandwiches are highest in fat. "Croissant" may sound light and airy, but it contains twice the fat of a biscuit and six times the fat of an English muffin.

Choose "cakes" instead of eggs --Pancakes, even with a little butter, offer more energizing carbohydrate and less fat and cholesterol than egg dishes.

Below are three of the lowest-fat breakfast options found by the Mayo Clinic Nutrition Letter: These meals supply 20 to 30 percent of daily protein for the average adult, about 25 percent of daily calories for the average women, complex carbohydrates, vitamin C, and, in one example, calcium.

1. McDonald's Hotcakes with butter and syrup, orange juice,coffee: 493 calories,16% of calories from fat.
2. McDonald's English muffin with butter, orange juice, low-fat milk: 384 calories, 23 % of calories from fat.
3. Jack in the Box Breakfast Jack (egg, ham and cheese on a hamburger bun), orange juice, coffee: 387 calories, 30 percent of calories from fat.

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*Reprinted from Mayo Clinic Nutrition Letter with permission of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, Rochester, Minnesota, 55905.

The Importance of Breakfast

BY KATHLEEN WOOLF, PhD, RD//Correspondent
As a swimmer, many of your practices start early in the morning. When you rise before the sun, there is less time (and desire) for eating a healthy breakfast. However, breakfast is the most important meal of the day and can influence performance in school and the pool. A healthy breakfast should include whole grains, fruit, dairy and protein. Having breakfast as part of your daily routine is a habit worth keeping.

Time after time, research supports the importance of a good breakfast for top school performance. Kids who eat breakfast study, listen and concentrate better. In other words, skipping breakfast leads to poor school performance. Breakfast-skippers have lower intakes of many vitamins and minerals compared to breakfast-eaters. Physical performance also improves on the days a healthy breakfast is consumed.

If you have an early morning practice, your breakfast needs to be split in two: a “pre-event breakfast” and a “recovery breakfast.” Your “pre-event breakfast” is the last opportunity to “top off” your fuel stores before practice. Having a pre-event meal will delay fatigue during exercise. Include foods that can be quickly digested and absorbed, such as cereal and/or toast, fruit or 100% fruit juice and low-fat milk or dairy. You can even plan to eat the pre-event breakfast in the car on the way to practice. Peanut butter sandwiches, yogurt drinks, fruit, string cheese and bagels are all great examples of healthy “grab and go” foods.

Right after practice, you should eat your “recovery breakfast.” After your workout, your body is primed to store more carbohydrate than at any other time during the day, allowing your body to replenish its carbohydrate stores so that you are ready for your next practice or event. Carbohydrate-rich foods and beverages, such as cereal, 100% fruit juices, low fat milk and yogurt should be the core of your recovery breakfast. Also, include some protein, such as peanut butter, cheese, lean meat, or eggs, to help repair and rebuild muscle. If you don’t choose wisely, you will have a difficult time during your next workout.

Make sure you “break the fast” so that you can swim faster!

Kathleen Woolf, PhD, RD is a registered dietitian and a member of the American Dietetic Association, the Sports, Cardiovascular and Wellness Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group, and the American College of Sports Medicine. She is an assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition at Arizona State University.

"Quick Energy"

By Keith B. Wheeler, Ph.D.
And Angeline M. Cameron

QUESTION: Many young swimmers eat powdered Jello at swim meets. Will this give an athlete "quick energy" for the meet and improve performance? Are there any true sources of quick energy that can be taken just before a meet?

ANSWER: No, ingesting powdered sugar (ie Jello) immediately before a swim meet will not supply the body with a quick source of energy and will not improve performance. In fact, it may reduce performance. The best way for swimmers to nutritionally prepare for a meet, is to eat a meal or snack that is high in complex carbohydrate, 4 hours before the competition begins.
This meal will help ensure that energy stores in the body, especially those in the liver and circulating blood, are adequate. Consuming too much simple sugar 15 to 30 minutes before a swim competition may cause blood sugar levels to be reduced, thus reducing performance.

There is no such thing as a quick energy source that can be taken immediately before a swim competition. Athletes and parents should be careful about using food sources or products that make this claim.

Stay Hydrated

BY KATHLEEN WOOLF, PhD, RD//Correspondent
As a swimmer, you spend your workouts surrounded by water. Surprisingly, swimmers are at increased risk of dehydration. Adequate fluid is needed inside your body to function as a coolant. Consume fluids before, during and after exercise to ensure success in the pool. Follow these guidelines to ensure that you are always well-hydrated.

HOW MUCH AND WHEN?

• Drink at least 2 cups (16 ounces) of fluid, preferably water, about two hours before exercise. Fifteen minutes before exercise, drink one-half to a cup of water.
• During exercise, drink about 6-12 ounces every 15-20 minutes. An average “gulp” is about one ounce. When your workouts are less than an hour, plain water will keep you hydrated. When your workouts are more than an hour, consume a sports beverage that contains fluid, carbs and electrolytes. Soda and fruit juices should not be consumed because they contain too many carbs for hydration during exercise and may lead to stomach discomfort.
• After exercise, replace fluids as quickly a possible. For every pound of body weight lost during a workout, drink three cups of fluid.
• Drink fluids at regular intervals throughout the day.

HOW DO I MONITOR HYDRATION?

• Check your urine color first thing in the morning. When well-hydrated, urine is pale yellow and does not have a strong odor. Dark yellow, infrequent urine suggests dehydration.
• Don’t rely on thirst. Instead, drink before you feel thirsty. If you are thirsty, it is too late.

ENERGY DRINKS: NOT A GOOD CHOICE!

Energy drinks are popular among teenagers and young adults. They are marketed as a quick way to boost mental energy and improve performance. These beverages are NOT appropriate for fluid replacement during exercise. They are full of caffeine and other stimulants that may make you feel jittery and lead to dehydration. They also contain too many carbs to be used for fluid replacement and may lead to stomach distress if consumed too close to the beginning of exercise.

Kathleen Woolf, PhD, RD is a registered dietitian and a member of the American Dietetic Association, the Sports, Cardiovascular and Wellness Nutritionist Dietetic Practice Group, and the American College of Sports Medicine. She is an assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition at Arizona State University.

Does "Energy Drink" In = Energy Out?

What kind of Consumer are you?

You find them everywhere. So-called energy drinks with names like Red Bull, Piranha, Monster, and Rock Star are on the shelves of your local grocery store, in vending machines at the gym and at the convenience store in the gas station down the street. Frequently displayed next to the Gatorade and fruit juices, energy drinks are heavily marketed to young adults and athletes.

You can download the entire article by clicking here.

Why kids don't need sports drinks

In some "healthy" school vending machines across the country, soda is out. But rehydrating, sugar-laden sports drinks are still in.

Often promoted by popular athletes as essential thirst quenchers, sports beverages can be beneficial if they're consumed during or after an intense workout that lasts an hour or more, said Russell Pate, professor of exercise science at the University of South Carolina.

Some research has shown that children will take in more fluids if offered a sports drink rather than water alone.

In school districts such as the Fayette County Public Schools in Lexington, Ky., meanwhile, sports drinks -- along with water and 100 percent juice -- are considered "healthy beverages" in vending machines if they contain less than 10 grams of sugar per serving.

But sports beverages are little more than sugar water with electrolytes, something most children don't need, said registered dietitian Lilian Cheung, a lecturer in the department of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health.

Kids get plenty of electrolytes in food. And even after vigorous exercise, water is as good as sports drinks for replenishing fluids while keeping electrolytes balanced, according to a 2006 study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

Children's health experts say sports drinks are not just contributing to obesity; they're also hard on the teeth. Research has shown they can do more damage to enamel than carbonated cola products, especially if sipped over long periods of time.

And ultimately, the drinks are unnecessary, said Harvard sociologist Steven Gortmaker, a healthful-eating researcher who has written several studies looking at children's consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. "Unless they're running marathons, which we do not recommend for kids, water is the best choice for quenching their thirst," Gortmaker said.

If your child won't drink water or has an aversion to school drinking fountains, don't fret. Studies show that when fluid is low, the body stimulates the thirst centers in the brain, and if water is available, kids will drink. And unless a child exercises for more than two hours, no extra calories are needed, said Dr. Joanna Dolgoff, a child and adolescent weight-management expert.

Though it varies by brand, a 20-ounce bottle of a sports drink contains about 10 teaspoons of sugar and 130 calories, more than you may burn during a workout. Drinking just one bottle every day for a year could add 13 pounds, said Dolgoff.

Hydration important while exercising

Dehydration is a common problem among athletes and can potentially be a life-threatening situation. With the fall school sports seasons once again underway, it is important to understand how to stay adequately hydrated to prevent dehydration and to optimize performance levels.

Dehydration is critical when exercising in the heat, but dehydration can occur in any type of exercise setting, including exercising in cool weather or in water. Developing a hydration plan or protocol is critical for maintaining an athlete's health as well as providing the opportunity for optimal performance. This must also include a rehydration strategy that takes into account the individual athlete, the sport dynamic (are there rest breaks and are fluids provided at break?), environmental factors, acclimatization state, exercise duration, exercise intensity and individual preference. Just as a coach develops a game plan or strategy for playing the game, the athlete must develop a strategy for staying hydrated.

Dehydration during exercise occurs when an athlete loses more fluid than he or she takes in. An athlete will lose water through sweat, urine and respiration. The simplest method in checking hydration status is to compare urine color. Urine should be clear to light yellow in color when fully hydrated. A second method in determining hydration status is monitoring pre- and post-exercise weights. Comparing these weights gives a fairly accurate measurement of the amount of fluid lost during exercise. A rule of thumb is "a pint and a half a pound" which refers to the need to consume one and a half pints (24 ounces) of fluid for each pound lost during exercise.

Water should be readily available to athletes at all times during practice and game situations. This may mean planning ahead for the athlete or the parents. If water is not provided during practices, the athlete should always carry a thermos or cooler of water sufficient for the length of the event.

It is also important to check to be sure that the athlete is drinking fluids. Replacement by thirst alone is inadequate. If you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated. Sports drinks are recommended for exercise lasting longer than one hour. When drinking sports drinks, the carbohydrate (CHO) concentration should range between 4 percent and 8 percent. Anything over 8 percent actually disrupts stomach-emptying and causes gastric discomfort.

Early recognition of dehydration decreases the occurrence and severity of heat illness. Basic signs of dehydration are thirst, irritability and general discomfort, followed by headache, weakness, dizziness, cramps, chills, vomiting, nausea, and decreased performance.

If you follow the hydration guidelines listed below, you will decrease your chances of becoming dehydrated and risking the effects of heat illness. The following guidelines are from the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) position statement and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) position statement.

Hydration BEFORE activity:

Drink 17-20 ounces of water or sports drink two to three hours before event

Drink an additional seven to 10 ounces of water 10 to 20 minutes before exercise

Ingesting a balanced diet and fluids during the 24 hours preceding an exercise session is also crucial.

Hydration DURING activity:

Drink seven to 10 fluid ounces of water every 15 to 20 minutes

If exercising more than one hour, add a carbohydrate sports drink. CHO concentration should be 4 percent to 8 percent. Concentrations higher than this will slow the fluid absorption rate.

Hydration AFTER activity:

Following exercise, athletes should consume approximately 24 ounces of fluid (a pint and a half) for each pound of body water weight lost during exercise

If an athlete has a 2 percent or greater body weight loss compared to the previous day, he or she should be held out of practice.

Ideally completed within two hours, rehydration should contain water to restore hydration status, carbohydrates to replenish glycogen stores and electrolytes to speed rehydration

For questions about sports hydration issues, call Kris or Jodi at Point Sports Medicine Center at 715-346-5190.

Breakfast On The Run

By Carol Bozarth, R.D., L.D., Nutritionist

"I don't have time to eat before I leave for school."

"I'm not hungry in the morning."

"I'm dieting, I'll skip a meal and save those calories."

Do your children (or you) use these excuses to avoid eating breakfast? Do they routinely "grab" a doughnut, danish, or candy bar to carry them through till lunch? Change this behavior NOW!

Breakfast is an important meal! The human body needs fuel to run on. That's what food provides. Studies continue to support the fact that individuals learn, think and perform better when their body has been nourished in the morning. A morning meal doesn't mean you need to eat as soon as you awake. For parents, it may be more convenient for you to eat once you are at your day's destination, provided you make time for it.

What would a morning meal contain?

Protein: low fat milk, cheese or yogurt, lean ham, turkey, peanut butter (use natural), egg white, (the cholesterol and fat is in the yolk - the white is pure protein).

Grains: breakfast cereals (hot or cold - provided it is not sugar coated), bread, rolls, crackers, bagel, english muffins, rice, pasta.

Fruit/Vegetable: fruit or vegetable juice, fresh frozen or dried fruit.

The following are examples of quick-to-prepare, easy-to-eat morning meals:

• low fat cheese and tomato sandwich (can be stuffed into a pocket pita)
• peanut butter and sliced apple or banana sandwich
• sliced egg (or egg white sandwich)
• lean ham or turkey sandwich with sliced tomatoes
• yogurt with fruit and dry cereal as a topping
• reheated pizza

Additional tips: Use disposable plates, cups, flatware. Plan for breakfast before going to bed.

Wake up 10 minutes earlier...it may create less stress and make the morning meal so much easier to swallow.

The key to eating breakfast is convenience. It must be easy to prepare, you must have the ingredients in stock, and the clean up must be minimal. Most important, everyone must like what they are going to eat.

Finding balanced nutrition for athletes in healthy snacks that taste good

The options for healthy snacks that actually taste good are more common now when it comes to balanced nutrition for athletes.  Whether homemade or prepackaged healthy snacks, finding the right nutrition for athletes can be a much tastier experience than it was in the past.

Homemade Healthy Snacks

Simply natural nutrition for athletes can be freshly made fruit and veggie smoothies.  Making them at home is not only easy, but comes with complete awareness of everything that is in these healthy snacks.  Choosing organic apples, carrots, beets, and other produce ensures not only the best nutrition for athletes, but also decreases exposure to pesticides and other potentially harmful chemicals.  For an added treat, consider freezing juice in Popsicle form for cool healthy snacks in the summer.   To save time and money without the hassle of juicing, try using concentrated whole food formulas.

Nuts, seeds, figs, dates and raisins provide more than just great nutrition for athletes.  They’re also extremely versatile and make a variety of delicious, healthy snacks.  A simple granola mix with raw almonds and raisins can provide a boost throughout the day.  In addition to flavor, this is a balanced blend of protein and essential fatty acids.  Keep in mind that raw nuts are much healthier than those that have been roasted, and of course, unsalted nuts have less sodium.

Prepackaged Healthy Snacks

Purchasing prepackaged nutrition for athletes requires more careful consideration.  Reading labels should be second nature for those who are serious about purchasing healthy snacks.  Look out for excess sodium and sugar – in addition to high protein and carb counts. Most of the nutrition for athletes today focuses almost entirely on making sure that protein and carbohydrate counts are high. However, many of the mainstream options also have high sodium and sugar, which can disrupt the balance of electrolytes in the body and actually work against an athlete. Also, too much protein is something that is causing unseen damage in many cases.  Truly healthy snacks are those that consider all the angles. It’s relatively simple now to find online, pre-packaged all natural food and drink concentrates that are powerfully healthy snacks providing serious nutrition for athletes.

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For more info:

Natural foods are not always healthy, so beware of clever advertising

Health Food 101: How can I find the best nutrition for athletes?

Health Drinks 101: How can you buy drinks that are truly healthy?

More About: Nutrition for Athletes

Eating on the Road

BY KATHLEEN WOOLF//Correspondent

As a competitive swimmer, many of your meals will be eaten on the road. Plan ahead and make good choices, so you stay well fueled while away from home.

Plan Ahead!

Bring food with you in your suitcase. Pack healthy snacks that are easily transported and don’t need refrigeration. Good choices include sports bars, dried fruits, pretzels, crackers, breakfast cereals, and canned fruits. By bringing your own food, you ensure that you are eating familiar items. If your hotel room has a refrigerator, purchase low fat milk, yogurt, cheese, and fresh fruit to eat between meals. Because the risk of dehydration increases while on the road, bring water and commercial sports beverages with you.

Choose Wisely!

Although restaurant choices are not always the most healthful, you can make good choices to ensure you are ready for competition. Avoid foods high in fats which may lead to stomach upset. Ask your server how foods are prepared and choose steamed, baked, boiled, grilled, or broiled selections. Request extra servings of potatoes, rice, and bread to provide your body with additional carbs. Mayonnaise, butter, cream-based sauces, and salad dressings should be ordered “on the side” so that you can control the amount added to your food.

Because fast food restaurants are convenient and affordable, many teams make pit stops here. Fast food is typically higher in fat and calories, however, better choices are available. Fortunately, most menus now include healthier options beyond a burger, shake, and fries. Grilled chicken sandwiches, side salads, and low fat milk are much better choices. Another idea is to select from the children’s menu, which often offers fresh fruits and/or vegetables and smaller portion sizes.

As an athlete, you should eat three healthy meals a day plus snacks to ensure you have the fuel for your sport. Follow your regular eating schedule and make good choices on the road so that you are ready for practice and competition.

Snacks

Reprinted from the Mayo Clinic Nutrition Letter *

It's 5 o'clock and dinner won't be ready for another hour. But you're hungry now. A bag of chips sits on the counter. There's nothing in the refrigerator but a few wilted carrot sticks and limp stalks of celery. Temptation strikes.

The real problem with snacking is not when you snack or even if you snack -- but what you choose to eat. Whether you buy your snacks ready-made or make them at home, the trick is to steer clear of excess fats and sugar. To do that, surround yourself with plenty of good-tasting foods rich in complex carbohydrates and fiber. Create an illusion of fat and calories by combining creamy and crunchy or chewy textures. And use a little imagination.

How to turn a potential liability into an asset

The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that 75 percent of women snack. Yet even routine snacking is not all bad. In fact, frequent mini-meals can be good for you. Here's how:

• Binge control -- If eating a bagel at 3 o'clock in the afternoon keeps you from eating second or third helpings at dinner, you may actually save calories. A 160-calorie bagel hardly compares to the 500 or so extra calories you may be tempted to devour because you're so hungry.

• Satisfaction for small appetites -- Young children's tiny stomachs can hold only small portions of food at one time.

Older adults who are less active and who burn fewer calories may also feel more comfortable eating smaller, more frequent meals.

• Extra energy and nutrients -- Traditional meals often lose out to busy schedules. A grab-and-go meal is often the difference between some nourishment and none at all.

Snacks rich in complex carbohydrates and fiber will give you immediate energy that has some staying power. A small amount of low-fat protein adds more sustained energy.

Snacks to pick and fix:

Good-for-you snacks start with a proper pantry. Stock your refrigerator and shelves with foods that are fast -- not fussy. These ideas for healthful snacks keep fat and calories at bay by maximizing whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables. Best of all, you can make them all in 10 minutes or less.

• Toast one-half whole-wheat English muffin. Top with Canadian bacon, tomato slice, low-fat American cheese. Microwave until cheese melts.

• Mash one-half banana into peanut butter and spread on a whole-grain bagel.

• Mix cold leftover chicken (or convenience-type chunk chicken), seedless green grapes, sunflower seeds, plain yogurt and a dash of curry powder. Stuff into a whole-wheat pita pocket.

• Spread one-half cinnamon-raison bagel with part-skim ricotta cheese. Top with apple slices.

• Layer soft mini corn or flour tortillas with shredded low-fat cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese. Microwave until cheese melts. Slice into bite-size pie shapes.

• Spread a brown rice cake with farmer cheese (similar to cottage cheese, but drier and firmer) and fresh strawberries or low-sugar spreadable fruit.

• Top a baked potato with plain yogurt and Cajun seasoning.

• Spread raisin toast with apple butter.

• Spread a slice of whole-grain crisp bread (wafer-thin cracker) with fruit-flavored low-fat yogurt.

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* Reprinted from Mayo Clinic Nutrition Letter with permission of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, Rochester, Minnesota, 55905.

Drink Up: The Best Race Day Liquids

By Melanie McMullen // Swimnetwork.com Correspondent

What a swimmer puts into the body as fuel on race day can be critical to performance. While solid foods provide the fat, fiber, and carbs needed for endurance and speed, the right liquids are equally important.

To find out what liquids to down during a meet, Swimnetwork checked in on the favorites among the elite athletes and also got advice from two sports nutrition experts: Barbara Lewin, RD, LD, and owner of Sports Nutritionist and Kathleen Laquale, PhD, ATC, LAT, LDN and professor at Bridgewater State College in Massachusetts.

1. Jumpstart with a super food. Dara Torres prepares for a super sprint time on race day by having her favorite morning drink, a LivingFuel breakfast shake. She has one every day - including at meets - a few hours before takeoff. In fact, she downed a shake at 6:15am before her 10am 50 freestyle at the Beijing Olympics. The drink is marketed as “an optimized super-food meal replacement” composed of seven to eight different foods. The flavors contain either vegetable (broccoli, spinach, kale, carrot, barley grass, spirulina) or berry complexes (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, or cranberries).

2. Accelerate with a V8. If super foods seem super expensive for your training budget, try canned vegetable juices such as V8. They are filling, delicious, and also nutritious on race day, plus they are easy to pack and bring poolside. “V-8 juice is great for its potassium,” says Lewin. One 5.5 oz can contains a whopping 320 mg of potassium, which is key to a body’s muscle function.

3. Power on tap. Drinking plenty of water is the most simple but often overlooked race day performance tip. “Water is the number one nutrient of all six nutrients required by humans,” says Laquale. For swimmers, drinking water is especially important when the pool is heated or the meet is outdoors in a hot humid environment, she adds. Laquale recommends bringing a water bottle and drinking liberally during warm-up sets. Note that your body can absorb cold water more quickly than warm water, so drop in an ice cube or two. If your event is a long distance race or you need a long warm-up, bring a sports drink. Laquale suggests options with a 6 percent concentration of glucose, such as Gatorade or Powerade.

4. Get a caffeine boost. Nutrition studies reveal that coffee - in moderation - the morning of a race may have positive effects. Caffeine consumption has been shown to improve athletic performance in endurance events, including swimming, cycling, and tennis. “If you are used to having morning coffee, having a cup on race day is fine,” says Lewin. She recommends having the coffee approximately one hour prior to competition.

5. Save the milk for later. While milk is a top choice for recovery, it may not be the best option before a race. “Milk is not advisable before a race as it is high in protein and can create ‘cotton mouth’ or dry mouth,” says Laquale. “The jury is still out on milk.”

Melanie McMullen, BaySide Media (www.baysidemedia.com), is a freelance contributor for www.swimnetwork.com and a member of the Downtown Oakland YMCA Master’s swim team.

Balancing Breakfast Needs with Morning Workouts

By Keith B. Wheeler, Ph.D. And Angeline M. Cameron

Q. What do you suggest for a swimmer who cannot eat breakfast before a workout and immediately goes to school after the workout?

A. First, the swimmer needs to realize how important it is to get some nutrients (primarily carbohydrate and water) both before and after a morning workout. Research has conclusively shown that fasting will reduce both endurance and performance in a wide variety of activities.

If a swimmer gets up at 5:30 AM to workout without any nutritional support except when he or she ate the previous night (10 hours earlier), endurance and performance will likely be compromised. If the same swimmer then skips nutritional support after the workout, the day's subsequent activities could be quite stressful and cognitive abilities would be reduced.

Swimmers should try to consume at least 12 ounces of water or fluid and at least 100 grams of carbohydrate before a morning workout. A 12 ounce glass of orange juice or apple juice in addition to 3 bananas or 4 apples would supply this amount. If the athlete cannot tolerate solid foods during this period, complete liquid supplements (eg, Exceed\ Sports Nutrition Supplement) are excellent alternatives. One or two cans before and after a morning workout will help supply needed nutrients and water.

Race Day Fuel: A Winner’s Breakfast

By Melanie McMullen // Swimnetwork.com correspondent

What a swimmer puts into his or her body before competition is almost as critical as what they put into training before a meet. To find out what foods are optimal race fuel, Swimnetwork checked in for advice from two sports nutrition experts: Barbara Lewin, RD, LD, and owner of Sports Nutritionist,and Kathleen Laquale, PhD, ATC, LAT, LDN and professor at Bridgewater State College in Massachusetts.

Here are some tips from the experts:

1. Not everyone should eat like Mike. While Michael Phelps’ famous 12,000 calorie-a-day diet that (supposedly) includes three fried breakfast sandwiches, chocolate chip pancakes, five-egg omelets, grits and French toast may work for him, nutritionists hesitate to endorse it for race day.

If the typical swimmer ate what Phelps eats, “they’ll feel like a wet potato sack,” says Lewin.

“Swimmers need the right kind of fuel to perform well,” she says, noting that the perfect race day meal is low in fat, low in fiber, and high in carbohydrates. Her recommendations include a bagel with jelly and a bit of peanut butter, or a couple slices of white toast with jelly and a banana, or a fruit smoothie.

She also recommends white vs. whole grain breads. While whole grains are healthier in general, they take longer to digest and can weigh a body down. A racing swimmer needs foods that get to the muscles as quickly as possible.

2. Practice your pre-race breakfast meal. Laquale recommends that swimmers “practice” using certain foods on high-intensity workout days to see how the body performs with specific breakfast foods.

“Swimmers should consume foods they enjoy and are familiar with, and they will know how their body will respond,” says Laquale. She recommends simulating the race time, too. For instance, if the morning heats start at 9 a.m., the swimmer would want to simulate competition on a practice day also at 9 a.m.

3. Even if you are a ball of nerves, don’t run on empty. Face it, everyone gets nervous before a race. The worst thing you can do to battle a nervous stomach is skip breakfast.

“You have to give yourself the endurance you need for competition,” says Lewin. “A swimmer who doesn’t eat will have zero energy.”

Laquale advises those who have nervous stomachs to try foods that are low in bulk and easily digested, such as Carnation Instant Breakfast or Boost. She also suggests that a sports bar - with two cups of water per bar - might be helpful.

4. Don’t sneak a Snickers. Swimmers may think that having a candy bar before an event will provide extra energy. Incorrect, according to Laquale. “I knew a swimmer who believed that. He did okay in the first heat, but by the second and third heat, performance deteriorated,” she says. Eating candy causes a quick rise in blood sugar level that spikes the release of insulin, leading to a feeling of fatigue.

5. Time your meals according to your race schedule. Lewin recommends having breakfast at least one hour before competition and bringing meals and snacks to eat at intervals throughout the day. “Plan ahead, and always have plenty of fluids and the right foods such as fruit or yogurt with you,” she says. She also recommends bringing energy bars or a favorite baked option such as banana bread.

Laquale suggests these foods (consumed 3 to 4 hours prior to meet): breakfast cereal with milk, or scrambled eggs and toast, or a bagel and banana. For 1 to 2 hours prior to competition: a fruit smoothie, or cereal bars and fruit, or breakfast cereal with milk. With less than one hour to competition, she suggests: sports drinks, carbohydrate gel, or sports bars (with two cups water per bar).

Melanie McMullen, BaySide Media (www.baysidemedia.com), is a freelance contributor for Swimnetwork.com and a member of the Downtown Oakland YMCA Master’s swim team.

Nutrition Diva :: Is Milk Bad for You?

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No Sweat: 5 Easy Ways to Stay Hydrated

By Melanie McMullen // Swimnetwork.com Correspondent

For a swimmer, hydration is often at the bottom of the list of things to think about during training. But contrary to conventional wisdom, swimmers do sweat during practice, losing as much as 6 to 8 ounces of fluid every 15 minutes.

How? A body at work in the water generates friction from muscle contractions, causing a swimmer to heat up -- and dehydrate -- relatively quickly during an intense workout. Your body’s water loss can be even higher in the summer if you train in hot outdoor environments. Sweating out as little as two percent of your body weight (which is only 3 pounds if you weigh 150 pounds) can adversely affect your metabolism and performance.

To find out how to combat the effects of dehydration, Swimnetwork checked in with Australian sports physiologist and coach Rod Cedaro and sports nutritionist Nancy Clark. They offered these reliable methods to ensure you down enough water before you hit the water.

1. Pre-hydrate so you don’t dehydrate
The best way to avoid dehydration is to drink up before practice. Nutritionists recommend that you drink 17 to 20 ounces of water during the two hours before swim practice.

2. Bring your water bottle to every practice
Even if you start out fully hydrated, you need water while in the water. Cedaro recommends starting early in the swim practice and drinking small amounts (5 to 8 ounces) every 10 to 15 minutes. Smaller or slower athletes may need slightly less water to stay hydrated.

3. Determine your sweat rate
Most of us know whether we are moderate or heavy sweaters outside the pool, but do you know how much water you lose during swim practice? Weigh yourself before and after practice to determine your sweat rate. Each pound you lose is about a pint (16 ounces) of water loss that you will need to replace.

To ensure your sweat calculation is accurate, factor in your water intake during practice. For example, a swimmer who lost 1 pound after an hour-long swim and drank 16 ounces during the swim has an hourly sweat rate of 32 ounces. To match that sweat rate, the swimmer should drink roughly 8 ounces (or 1/2 of a 16-ounce water bottle) every 15 minutes.

Sweat rates vary greatly from person to person, according to Cedaro. Some evidence suggests that both younger and older athletes have less developed temperature regulation systems than swimmers age 18 to 35. So remember to retest your sweat rate once or twice a year.

4. Get a water log
While you may have some idea how much water you consume each day, the best way to ensure you are drinking enough is to be regularly track your intake. Some nutritionists estimate that 75 percent of Americans are chronically dehydrated and may not even know it.

A simple way to monitor your consumption is to use one of several specialized fitness applications for your phone or laptop that make tracking easy. For instance, the free “Eight Glasses a Day” application for iPhone lets you touch a virtual glass of water every time you drink a real one and counts glasses for you throughout the day (it refills all eight of your glasses at midnight). It even sends you a congratulations and health tip once you complete your eight-a-day goal.

5. Drink water for short workouts, but go long with sports drinks
Cedaro and Clark both agree that simply drinking water is the best choice during a short workout of about an hour.

For workouts lasting longer than one hour, Clark recommends fluid replacement with sports drinks containing electrolytes, such as Gatorade. Swimmers can absorb those drinks into the bloodstream more quickly, so they help avoid dehydration during practice and aid in recovery.

Cedaro also notes that the intensity of the workout will impact hydration. “When the athlete is doing an easy aerobic set, water can be the principal hydration fluid. When he or she does more intense sets, the sports drink should be used more liberally,” he adds.

Once your workout is complete, Clark recommends a tall glass of chocolate milk. “Milk or another carbohydrate/protein combo is ideal,” she says. “A swimmer needs carbs for fuel, and protein to heal.”

You can get more of Clark’s advice in her book, “Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook” available at www.nancyclarkrd.com.

Melanie McMullen, BaySide Media (www.baysidemedia.com), is a freelance contributor for www.swimnetwork.com and a member of the Downtown Oakland YMCA Master’s swim team.

Carbs, Carbs, Carbs

BY KATHLEEN WOOLF, PhD, RD//Special Correspondent

Swimmers, like most athletes, use carbohydrates as fuel during exercise. Unfortunately, the body only stores a limited amount of carbohydrate, and it can easily be depleted after a vigorous workout. To maximize your body’s carbohydrate stores, consume carbs before, during and after exercise.

Carbs Before Exercise
Before every practice or competition, include carbs as part of a pre-event meal to “top off” your muscle stores. Select foods that can be quickly digested and absorbed. Depending on the time of your pre-event meal, vary your meal patterns. When a pre-event meal occurs 4 hours before your event, consume foods such as a turkey sandwich, apple, oatmeal cookie and low-fat milk. If your pre-event meal occurs less than one hour before an event, limit your intake to a small amount of juice or fruit or a sports beverage. Research consistently supports that eating a pre-event meal improves performance. However, a single pre-event meal will not compensate for an overall poor training diet.

Carbs During Exercise
When exercise lasts more than an hour, carbs are recommended during exercise to provide additional fuel for your body. Carbohydrate intake during exercise allows athletes to exercise longer and harder. Consume 30 to 60 grams of carbs per hour during long duration exercise. To provide your body with 30 grams of carbs, choose 2 cups of a sports beverage or 1 medium banana or 3 large graham crackers.

Carbs After Exercise

Immediately after every practice or competition, consume carbohydrate-rich foods and beverages as part of your recovery. Choose fruit, 100% fruit juices, low-fat milk, cereal, sports beverages and bagels to replenish your carbohydrate stores so that you are ready for your next event. What you eat after a hard practice affects your ability to perform during your next workout.

Carbs Always

Because carbohydrates are the predominant fuel for most events, swimmers need to focus on a carbohydrate-rich diet. For optimal performance, make it a habit to consume high-carbohydrate meals and snacks, before, during and after exercise.

Kathleen Woolf, PhD, RD is a registered dietitian and a member of the American Dietetic Association, the Sports, Cardiovascular and Wellness Nutritionist Dietetic Practice Group, and the American College of Sports Medicine. She is an assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition at Arizona State University.

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The Protein Pop: 6 Tips for Better Post-Workout Recovery

By Melanie McMullen // Swimnetwork.com Correspondent

Swimmers looking for the perfect post-workout recovery fuel may need to look no further than the refrigerator and the kitchen pantry. According to new research conducted by exercise physiologist Lynne Kammer at the University of Texas at Austin, ordinary foods - even whole grain cereal with milk - can yield extraordinary results.

The UT researchers from the Department of Kinesiology and Health Education investigated the post-exercise physiological effect of foods on athletes and compared the benefits of common foods to those afforded by more expensive sports drinks. Kammer’s team studied the athletes by giving them different recovery foods after a typical exercise session that included a warm-up and two-hour workout.

Their results yielded a few interesting surprises:

1. Grab the cereal and milk. Readily available and inexpensive breakfast food is as effective as popular carbohydrate-based sports drinks for recovery after moderate exercise. "We wanted to understand the relative effects on glycogen repletion and muscle protein synthesis," explains Kammer. "We found that glycogen repletion, or the replenishment of immediate muscle fuel, was just as good after whole grain cereal consumption and some aspects of protein synthesis were actually better."

2. Combine carbohydrates with protein. Her studies revealed that athletes benefit from consuming protein and carbohydrates rather than just carbohydrates or only protein after a workout.

3. Body mass matters. Kammer’s team identified a slight relationship in body size to the amount consumed. She noted that larger individuals benefited from a proportionately larger serving of recovery food and drinks.

4. Eat and drink sooner rather than later. The key to optimal recovery is consuming carbohydrate and protein within 30-60 minutes after you complete exercise. "Ideally, eat as soon as you get home from practice," Kammer suggests.

5. Age is a critical factor. A swimmer’s age matters mostly because of differences in total caloric intake needed rather than type of food. For example, a young age group swimmer who grows 4 inches in a year while attending a boatload of swim practices needs a lot more calories post-workout than a 55-year-old Masters swimmer. Young growing swimmers also need more protein right after practice for optimal recovery.

6. Don’t rely on the bottle. While Gatorade or Powerade are handy and portable post-workout options, neither contains protein. Swimmers need to eat something with protein after every workout, as the protein speeds up absorption of the glucose in a sports drink. Drinks are great for convenience, but whole foods yield better results.

"Don’t think you can get the best nutrition out of a bottle. A lot of swimmers have terrible diets, especially females, and wonder why they can’t drop time at meets. Many times it’s due to insufficient calories, and insufficient protein is a close second," Kammer adds.

Melanie McMullen, BaySide Media (www.baysidemedia.com), is a freelance contributor for Swimnetwork and a member of the Downtown Oakland YMCA Master’s swim team.