On the Run: fitness made simple
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A better world starts with a better YOU.
Anonymous Asks:
surfnrunnr Said:
Hi, you’re current routine is definitely not helping you. At 5’11 and 140, you shouldn’t be losing weight. Even at 160 lbs, that’s still pretty lean. What is your goal? How do you want to improve? What pressures you into eating so scantily? Not even me, a 4’11 female eats 900 calories a day to lose weight. You’re at a good time to start weight-training because it looks like you hit your major growth spurt already. With good nutrition, I bet you could squeeze in a couple inches in the next 3 years! This question makes me nervous because I’m sensing eating disordered thoughts…
What can you do to change:
- Relax. Ask yourself why you’re putting yourself through this.
- Eat at least 2000 calories a day.
- Consume a high protein, moderate fat, moderate complex carb diet.
- Eat 3-5 meals a day.
- Start weight-training to build muscle. (you may not develop a lot at this age, but it’ll be good for you and give you a strong looking physique)
- Continue drinking mostly water, but also milk or other calcium fortified drinks.
I don’t like calling it “binge days” because eating healthy and moderately is something we learn to do and enjoy. Also, calling something a “binge” meal has negative connotations. Sure, people should have treats and indulge in something interesting once or twice a week, but let’s not call it a “binge” because we always want to be mindful of what we eat. We don’t BINGE. We enjoy something extra once in a while =)
P.S. my brother is 15, 5’8, and 140, size 31, and he’s thin and athletic…he’s never eaten less than 2000 calories a day since he turned 13. He mostly eats more than that now too, especially on soccer practice days.
Anonymous Asks:
surfnrunnr Said:
Everyone know what Dragonboating is? It looks intense!
- How many days are you dragonboating and/or working a day? If you’re only currently active only a couple days, you may be working out less than you were when you were running consistently.
- Are you going long hours between meals? It’s easier to overeat when you go 5+ hours between meals and fill up on the most accessible foods. Try splitting your meals in half and eating them 2-3 hours apart.
- How are you stress levels? Do you have a lot to do during that day that you just want to go home and vegg-out?
- Are you going out to eat more with your team and have more social events?
- A couple pounds is most likely muscle too! Since you’re building arm strength from rowing and quad/calf/hamstring muscles from running up and down stairs. These muscles don’t get worked as intensely during moderate running.
Weight seems to creep up on us when we change our lifestyle, and but necessarily in a bad direction (i.e. if we move places, new schedule, new job or school). Meals may be harder to eat at regular intervals, time to exercise is never that convenient…but being able to adapt is what makes us stronger. By paying more attention to your diet, you can lose these 15 lbs in HALF the time it took you to gain it.
Well this is what came to mind; hope it helps!
Anonymous Asks:
surfnrunnr Said:
I think you’re doing good by eating more protein than MyFitnessPal suggests. This may be why you’re feeling satiety with an intake of 1200! Those are guidelines anyways and 12 g is not a big deal. People usually want to know what snacks are HIGH in protein because there are sooo many healthy bites that are low in protein, but high in carbs. I wouldn’t stop eating your high protein snacks; but other ideas include: airpopped popcorn, bran flakes+almond milk+berries, carrots & hummus/sweet potato hummus, or Fruit Parfaits. Keep eating healthy!
I keep on walking by the box of Costco chocolate chip cookies my mom bought and each time I’m just eyeing them and think…”ahhh I want one”. But, I’m making a point to not have one today! I finished a long run of 15 miles today, and I don’t want to get in the habit of running and then eating whatever the heck I want, and putting food (in this case…cheap junk food) up on a pedestal and seen as a reward for hard work. Sorry, we will not “run for cupcakes.”
Oh and I put a little post-it note with the number of calories as a remind that 1 cookie = 2 bananas - all the vitamins and minerals. This is a good little tactic for foods that don’t come with nutrition facts! This doesn’t deter anyone else in the house either, so I’m not being a “health-nazi” or anything.
Anonymous Asks:
surfnrunnr Said:
Hi! Have you and your doctor determined the cause of your anemia? (For other readers: most anemia is caused by a vitamin deficiency in Vitamin B, Folic Acid, and/or Vitamin C but can be a symptom of inherited or other chronic disease). From my nutrition course, I learned that a common way to improve conditions by diet is by consuming foods rich in iron, Vitamin C, B vitamins, and folic acid within a meal. Some foods include:
- Vitamin C: This one’s easy…oranges, grapefruit, mango, berries, tomatoes, bell peppers
- Folic Acid: leafy green vegetables (kale, spinach, mustard greens), and grains (quinoa, wheatberry), sweet potato, beans, lentils
- Vitamin B12: Red meat, whole eggs, yogurt, milk, cheese, nutritional yeast, fortified cereals, liver (I actually really love pâté de foie gras…)
Meal ideas:
- Breakfast: fortified cereal, milk, and an orange
- Lunch: Spinach or kale salad with cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, almonds, egg slices, balsamic vinegar and oil dressing
- Dinner: lean beef and string bean sautee, quinoa
- Snacks: Almonds, crudites (snap peas, bell peppers, cauliflower), whole grain toast
- Desserts: Greek yogurt with blueberries and/or strawberries.
Exercise! The good news is that cardio exercise like running helps to produce more red blood cells which can reduce anemia. Please talk to your doctor soon about what types and how much you can start out with. You want to get this done to have a fun and active summer!
Again for my other readers: People do not just develop anemia overnight; A person who eats meat has a 2-3 year supply of Vitamin B12 in their liver. Vegetarians and vegans who are not getting enough Vitamin B12 (which naturally comes from animal products) can have symptoms after ~5 years after they have depleted their liver supply (pernicious anemia).
Helpful links: http://www.webmd.com/diet/iron-rich-foods
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/anemia-000009.htm
Good luck and hope you can start running soon =) You’ll accomplish your dream I know it!
Harvard’s Health Eating Plate v.s. USDA’s MyPlate
Harvard’s is much more thorough and helps people make smarter choices. If we’re following MyPlate, we could be eating hot dogs for proteins, potatoes for vegetables, and fried rice for grains. At least MyPlate is better than the old food pyramid, which recommended 6-11 servings for breads, cereals, and grains a day and only 3-5 servings of vegetables.
Read more about it at Harvard’s School of Public Health Site
Anonymous Asks:
surfnrunnr Said:
Hi! When I was following a vegetarian diet, I got a lot of recipes from Vegetarian Times and got lots of ideas from their 28 Day Veggie Boot Camp, http://www.vegetariantimes.com/vegbootcamp/ . There’s a meal plan and newsletters to help your through the month. Will you be eating eggs? If so, that opens up a lot of options for filling meals. Browse recipes which incorporate:
- beans, lentils
- wheatberry
- quinoa
- broccoli
- non-fat dairy
- curry sauces (tasty!)
Here’s one of my recipes for vegetarian spaghetti squash: http://surfnrunnr.tumblr.com/post/11383049917/spaghetti-squash-marinara-packed-with-protein-and
Good luck! I hope you’ll enjoy your veggie-filled summer!
Anonymous Asks:
surfnrunnr Said:
If you’re going to be studying long hours, break your work into time blocks and eat during those breaks. Don’t nervously snack while you’re studying…you won’t be able to focus and you’ll be eating more than you know. Some things that worked for me while I studied for midterms, finals, mcat, etc. incude:
- Setting time goals: Study for 3 hours and then break for a meal.
- Walking around every hour.
- Drinking a lot of water to refresh your mind.
- Stretching breaks (I looked awkward in the library but I pretty much owned that place)
- Packing my own lunch and dinner so I wouldn’t have to eat cafeteria or fast food.
- Foods that helped me stay satisfied and energized: beans, apples, bananas, Greek yogurts, baby carrots, green tea, non-fat milk
- Food I bought during emergencies: Panda Express panda bowls with steamed veggies, Luna bars, ThinkThin bars, Muscle Milk, Subway
- The best thing for your brain while you’re studying is…drum roll please…adequate sleep. You’ll memorize and retain information easier and have stronger mental stamina.
- Brain foods for the long run: salmon, blueberries, avocado
- Great job keeping up with the running during this stressful time. Don’t stop! Even short cardio workouts throughout the week will keep you sharp and motivated.
- And most importantly…Don’t stress <3
This is not what I mean by “adequate sleep”…
Ever feel like eating some peanut butter but then realize that you can eat two bananas instead of 2 tablespoons? Yes, monosaturated fats are good for you, but we don’t really need 18 g of it that often. That’s why PB2 is such a great way to get the taste of peanut butter and still have room for more food! I like to mix it in my oatmeal and use it as a dip for carrots & celery. Having 1 serving of PB2 instead of regular peanut butter gives you 150 extra calories to fill up on 3 cups of strawberries, a Greek yogurt parfait, or bowl of soup…the possibilities are endless (so exciting ^-^! yay more food! ).
Links:
- apple butter (must try soon)
- mashed carrot
- PB2 &PB2 recipes
- List from Dr. Gullo’s website.
Hope everyone is doing well!
~Geraldine
Link containing videos of Clinton and Obama sharing how they feel about healthier American diets.
Clinton (has a stent to reinforce a weak artery, vegan): I live on beans, legumes, vegetables, fruit…I drink almond milk with fruit and protein powder. It changed my whole metabolism…I wanted to lose a little weight, but I did it for a different reason…I researched that 82% of people since 1986 (with heart disease) who have gone on a plantbased diet have begun to heal themselves; their arterial blockage cleans up, the calcium blockage around their heart breaks up. We now have 25 years of evidence. So I thought, “Well since I need to lose some weight for Chelsea’s wedding, I’ll become part of this experiment. I’ll see if I can become one of those with a self-clearing mechanism.”
Obama (in response to Vegan Activist): I like BBQ. I’m not going to lie. But, the young lady makes a good point and that is: right now our food system is under severe pressure…Americans would actually benefit from a change in diet. I don’t think that that’s something we should legislate, but it’s something we should encourage…The fact that we are actually subsidizing some of these big agribusiness operations that are not necessarily producing healthy food, and that we don’t subsidize farmers selling fruits and vegetables…the fact that we are not doing more to make sure that healthy food are in schools…All these things do not make sense. Just making sure more fruits and vegetables in school lunch programs, that would make an enormous effect in our children’s diet, it would make use healthier in the long run, and it would cut our health care costs.”
Interesting topics to research: heart disease, agribusiness, food policy, improving school lunch programs, plant-based diet and decrease in healthcare costs
Anonymous Asks:
surfnrunnr Said:
MSG is a chemical flavor enhancer. It’s widely used in Asian restaurants and in processed foods. The average American who eats processed foods will consume about 0.5-1 g of MSG daily. In Japan, it’s oftentimes used as a condiment (next to the salt shaker) and people can eat up to 10g a day! It’s not directly linked to weight gain. However, foods with MSG taste better so you may consume more of it. MSG can cause a lot of side effects including: dizziness, nausea, flushed skin, rashes, and headaches. I flush and get headaches after ingesting MSG so I personally try and avoid it as much as possible. Also, if you have asthma, it can potentially be dangerous since some studies have shown asthma patients to have trouble breathing after consume MSG. Avoiding foods with MSG is a good way to eat clean and to stir yourself away from the worst processed foods. All in all, if you aren’t sensitive to MSG, but like Chinese foods, I would say it’s a “seldom” thing. Think of it this way though…if you find that something containing MSG tastes good, it probably is a load of junk and the MSG is just fooling your tastebuds…A rock could taste delicious with MSG sprinkled on it. It’s been used for 100+ years, it’s not going to kill you, you’re not going to sprout saddlebags anytime soon…it’s just a sure sign that that food is low quality and needs all the flavor enhancement it can get. mmmm rockkk
Yahoo users answer:
- Jim: No, you are a banana nutcase! LOL :)
- Mirchi: No, you’re a vegetarian. Sorry to break it to you, but there’s nothing such as a fruitarian. A vegetarian is someone who doesn’t eat meat products ~ meat, seafood included ~ and considering the fact that you only eat fruits and veggies, you’re a vegetarian. But, I wouldn’t recommend eating 15 bananas a day. lol (;
- Spunk Nutley: Fruitarian = Not a word. The suffix “arian” can be added to just about anything I suppose, but even if “fruitarian” was a word, then it would sort of imply that is the only thing you eat. There are animals that subsist mainly on fruit, but these animals are herbivores because fruit is plant matter.
- Saghoo: no you ain’t if you keep on eating other food stuff also … if you drink 3 bottles of pepsi does it made you pepsican? if you only eat banana you become monkey.lol
- ckngbbbl…: I am wondering how big your stomach is or how small the bananas are….Thats a lot of volume for a regular sized stomach.
- Dave: I think that you are just considered a fruit.
- Joseph:Yes. And if you try to eat anything else for breakfast you will be violently ill
- Hobbes: lol I think it means that you REALLY like bananas.
I’m astounded by how much sugar some dark chocolate bars can pack! The top bar has 28g of sugar per serving! Thank goodness there are bars that only have 5g of sugar such as Godiva. (I only eat half a serving, so that’s only 2.5 g!) A couple squares of Dark chocolate a few times a week can be a healthy part of your diet, but make sure to read the nutrition label to check for sugar, fiber, sugar alcohols (which can give people gas…), and ingredients.
I love chocolate tasting and even take notes while trying different bars! My favorite percentage is 85% and I try to only buy chocolate with less than 8g of sugar per serving.
Note: 4g = 1 teaspoon
I’m very interested in the diet of the indigenous population of Okinawa, the southernmost cluster of islands of Japan. The Okinawan are known for having the longest life expectancy, high numbers of centenarians, & low risk of age-associated diseases. Researchers believe that the longevity of Okinawan people is attributed to their food! Their traditional Okinawan diet is:
- low in calories, but nutritionally dense
- rich in antioxidants & flavonoids
- plant-based: vegetable & fruit heavy
- moderate intake of fish
- limited intake of meat & poultry, refined grains, & sugar
- almost no use of dairy products
- “hara hachi bu,” the conscious practice of eating until 80% full
(following info from http://www.fyiliving.com/diet/special-diets/health-benefits-of-the-okinawa-diet/)
Okinawa diet is lots of complex carbohydrates from sweet potatoes and green leafy vegetables. Plus, the diet is very low in fat, sugar, and dairy products. Instead, Okinawans eat lots of soy, some meat (typically fish), fruits, and lots of vegetables. What researchers set out to discover was what were the key “functional foods” in the Okinawan diet. A functional food is a food that provides health benefits for your body beyond just meeting a basic nutritional need; for example, foods that contain disease-fighting phytochemicals in addition to providing basic requirements like protein, fiber or vitamins.
Researchers gathered a list of 12 functional foods that were eaten regularly by Okinawan elders.
- Sweet Potatoes/Yams (Ipomoea Batatas): The Japanese sweet potato is often referred to as the Yam here in the United States. Packed with vitamins A, B and C, yams are high in fiber, and also are a good source of magnesium, potassium and iron. The sweet potatoes in Okinawa are usually eaten daily, served as a side dish rather then rice as in other parts of Japan, which may partially explain why people in Okinawa live longer then the people in the rest of Japan. According to the researchers “In Japan, sweet potatoes are even prescribed to people with type two diabetes and to help manage cholesterol.”
- Soy: In the traditional diet, soy was the main source of protein. According to the researchers, “the tofu in Okinawa is lower in water content than the Japanese version and higher in healthy fat.” Furthermore, they concluded, “this not only increases the flavor of the tofu but also increases the isoflavone content, which may possibly be connected to the extremely low rates of breast and prostate cancer in Okinawa.”
- Goya which is a type of melon that is bitter in taste. Because of its taste, it is not served as a dessert, but rather in Okawana it is served in main dishes to add flavor. Goya is high fiber andVitamin C. Not only is Goya used as medicine to aid digestion in Okinawa, the researchers explained Goya is “often prescribed as medicinal herb in other parts of the world.”
- Konnyaku is a Japanese jelly derived from the starchy tuber of the Konjac plant. Konnyaku is a low calorie, low fat food that is high in fiber and calcium. The researchers explain, “Konnyaku is more than 90% water, and the rest is glucomannan [a type of soluble fiber], making it an effective treatment for constipation.” They added, ”The Okinawans say that konnyaku ‘cleans your stomach.’”
- Shiitake Mushroom: Shiitakes, like all mushrooms, are very low in calories, but are “high in protein (containing all 8 essential amino acids), fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins A, niacin, B12, C, and especially vitamin D, a nutrient often lacking in the diets of older Americans.” In Japan, these mushrooms are prescribed for their purported anticancer properties, and the researchers claim “it has been reported to increase survival for patients with stomach or pancreatic cancer, particularly when used in combination with chemotherapy immune booster.” The researchers were quick to point out that more research needs to be done to examine whether the shiitake mushroom does indeed have cancer fighting properties.
- Gobo is a root vegetable packed with fiber. Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that is not digestible. Fiber is an important part of the digestion process; not only does it help keep bowel movements regular, it also helps maintain an even blood sugar level by slowing down the rate of stomach-emptying.
- Hechimais a gourd. This squash is a “low-calorie vegetable that is high in vitamin C, folate, carotenoids, and some very interesting proteins that could have important health consequences anti-cancer properties.”
- Seaweed is eaten regularly in many parts of Asia, and is gaining popularity here in the U.S. thanks to the popularity of sushi. “Seaweeds are very low in caloric density; nutrient-dense; high in protein, iodine, folate, magnesium, iron, calcium, and carotenoids; and contain significant antioxidant capabilities.” The researches go on to say that seaweeds “may harbor medicinal properties, as they have been used to treat arthritis, colds, flu, and even cancer (although most of these claims have yet to be substantiated in clinical trials).”
- Turmeric (Ucchin) is an herb very popular in tea in Okinawa and is also garnering attention lately in the U.S. because of its potential healing properties. In Okinawa it is taken in pill form to “prevent a hangover.” It is also used as a spice to add flavor to foods. The researchers say that tumeric may have”anti-inflammitory potential” as well as help with rheumatoid arthritis, it may fight cancer cell growth, prevent leukemia and help stave off Alzheimers disease.
- Mugwort (Fuchiba) is used as a spice or found in Okinawan tea. It is also readily used for its medicinal powers in many parts of Asia because Mugwort ”appears to have sedative effects; they are used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat neuroses, depression, irritability, restlessness, insomnia, and anxiety. More than 100 studies have been done on mugwort, many of them supporting its folk uses…. The best evidence for the Artemisia class of plants, of which mugwort is a member, is for the treatment of infectious disease, such as malaria.”
- Hihatsu is a type of pepper, used in cooking or to sprinkle on food just like in the Western world. Okinawans use Hihatsu to “treat stomach problems and gout.”
- Fennel (Ichoba) is eaten as a spice, like here, and also as a vegetable. There have been studies that claim fennel may help in “weight loss, and is used to treat upset stomach, heartburn and gas.”
Original research here! It’s an interesting and fairly easy read.
*All quoted research was from and article published in the 2009 issue of the Journal of the American College of Nutrition,
entitled “The Okinawan Diet: Health Implications of a Low-Calorie, Nutrient-Dense,
Antioxidant-Rich Dietary Pattern Low in Glycemic Load”
Hi Everyone! My friend, Emilie, from Norway has decided to follow a pescatarian lifestyle starting Jan. 1st 2012 after considering veganism and vegetarianism. Read about why she changed and try and maintain an open mind!
Benefits of a Pescatarian Diet:
- Sufficient Omega-3 fatty acids for your brain, eyes, skin & cholesterol levels (you’ll have to worry about this someday!)
- Lean protein with minimal saturated fat
- Easy to follow in social settings
- Meals can be filling & low-carb
- Makes weight-loss relatively easy
- More environmentally friendly than a diet including meats from land animals. Bringing seafood to your table uses less fossil fuels & water. Farming land-animals heavily depletes the rainforest and significantly pollutes our water and air.
Cons:
- Dangers of consuming high levels of mercury. To avoid this, eat wild-caught when possible & large fishes. Pregnant women should limit their intakes especially.
- …Unfortunately, living animals are still dying.
- Hipster vegans & their superiority complex
- Quality seafood can be expensive.
~Geri
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yes, I am officially a pescetarian :D
If you are wondering a pescetarian is someone who does not eat meat, but eats seafood, dairy and eggs.
I have been thinking about it for quite sometime and on New Years Eve as I watched the fireworks I made my decision. Yes I know cheeeesy.
This is not really a very altering decision for me. I was eating meat maximum twice a month already, so cutting it out completely will be easy peasy. Because of that I will not only avoid being haunted by the longing for meat, but I will also avoid not knowing what to eat. I am already a beans and lentils girl! I have two recipes on my tumblr that feature meat and I will delete those posts, because I wish for my tumblr to only include pescetarian recipes. The only challenge I think I will have to face is what I will eat when there is a special occasion where people usually eat meat (like christmas). Christmas is the only thing really bothering me, because we go to my uncle and aunts place every year and eat reindeer steak. This year I will probably bring some sort of fish, which will lead to quite a lot of akwardness. I hope that before christmas my whole family is aware of me being a pescetarian and that they will get used to the fact.
I am not too worried about how people will react when I tell them I have become a pescetarian, my parents know I hardly eat meat (and they are used to me eating a lot of weird stuff). Plus vegetarians are a lot more common now, so me being a pescetarian will probably be pretty well recieved by the people around me.
Why am I becoming a pescetarian? Well, that is pretty easy actually, I believe it to be healthy. I believe that avoiding meat is healthy (I am not saying that eating meat is unhealthy). Also there are the ethical reasons. I once read about someone who had decided to become vegetarian because she would not be able to kill animals herself. The same goes for me, however I am capable of killing a fish. Wild-caught fish are not breed to be eaten like other animals. There is no such thing as a wild-caught cow. I also believe that not eating fish will rob you of much needed nutrients (I try to avoid supplements).
That is about it, thank you so much Geri for helping me make this decision, you are THE bomb!
