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Appreciate August!

Posted on July 11, 2017 by Train for the Game LI in Sports Performance No Comments

Okay, its August. “I can’t believe summer’s almost over already!”

How can we prevent our minds from leaping forward to autumn and missing out on the glorious remaining weeks of summer?

Try these tips for mindfully appreciating August:

1) Bite into something seasonal. Before getting carried away by fall’s root vegetables and hearty soups, take a bite out of something currently in season. Pick up some Canadian blueberries or peaches and make a pie. Cull the basil from your balcony and make pasta with pesto. To ground yourself in the summer, try literally taking a bite out of August.

2) Get back outside. July may be the perfect month for camping, swimming, and lounging on the beach or the terrace, but the season for outdoor activities is far from over. Pools are still open, kids are still off school, and BBQ weather is still with us. Don’t let back-to-school advertising and an evening chill send you inside until next May. This weekend, eat brunch in the yard, take the kids to the park, or take a day trip to swim, hike, or canoe. It’s not too late.

3) Learn Something New: Read a book that interests and inspires you. See a museum exhibition. Try a new type of food or enroll in a one-night class. Remember what it’s like to learn and to be exposed to something fresh and captivating. It’s a very powerful feeling.

4) Look forward. Apple picking, hot chocolate, wearing cozy sweaters, reading by the fire, going for long walks in the park and not dying of the heat, and gallery openings are among the many things to look forward to. (and football!)

5) Reframe it. Cognitive reframing is a core part of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and is an effective treatment for anxiety and depression. The idea is to think differently and “reframe” negative or untrue thoughts into more positive ones. In other words, think about what you enjoy about the fall, instead of fixating on what you don’t like about the end of summer.

6) Change your routine. For the past five years have you gotten up at the same time? Did you eat the same thing for breakfast, or worse, skip it? Did you wear the same shoes every day? If you are feeling the dread of returning to school and work routines, a little switch in an everyday ritual might make the day more interesting. Eat something new for breakfast. Get to work earlier and leave earlier. Take a different route to work. Change the music you listen to, or check the weather on a different website.

Savor August and enjoy!

Top Seven Injuries Doctors See Most On Summer Weekends

Warm weather and longer days will bring many Americans outdoors for cookouts, pool parties and more. But long weekends also lead to more trips to urgent care or even the emergency room, according to experts. In fact, a 2015 study from researchers at Brown University found that heat-related illness alone can ratchet emergency department visits in the summertime.

The risk for issues like drowning and sports injuries go up in the hotter seasons, according to Dr. Christopher M. McStay, chief of clinical operations and associate professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. And they’re usually all preventable.

Below are the most common reasons why patients end up in their offices during summer months ― and what can be done to prevent you or a loved one from being among them.

Heat-related illness.

During summer months, people often show up at the doctor with a heat-related condition, from mild dehydration to severe heatstroke, says Dawne Kort, an emergency medicine doctor and attending physician at CityMD Urgent Care Walk-In Medical Clinic.

Fewer than 1,000 Americans die each year due to heat-related illness, according to a 2014 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But plenty more experience the more mild symptoms of too much sun exposure, which include nausea, dizziness, headaches and confusion.

“Be mindful of the temperature, stay hydrated and avoid being outside for prolonged periods of time if the temperature is high ― especially during the hottest time of the day,” Kort told HuffPost, noting that the warmest hours are usually between 2 and 4 p.m. Doctors see an uptick in drowning incidents and water activity accidents in warmer months.

Swimming injuries and drowning.

“We see a fair amount of swimming-related [injuries],” McStay told HuffPost. “Trauma related to jumping into a body of water, small children who are not being supervised, boating injuries.”

Joseph Perno, a pediatric emergency medicine physician at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida, says these water-related dangers definitely increase when the weather gets warm.

“We see a big spike in drowning,” Perno told HuffPost. “When you have a lot of adults together, you’d think there would be more people watching the kids but what happens is people are distracted: Talking, drinking, partying, having fun and no one is watching the kids.”

Drowning is the second most common cause of death by unintentional injury, behind car accidents, among children ages 1-4 years-old, according to the U.S. Centers For Disease Control And Prevention. Children are also more likely to drown in a swimming pool than anywhere else.

It’s so easy for a child to fall into water without someone realizing, Perno says. If you’re having a pool party, rotate having a designated adult to supervise water activities, he suggests.

Burns and cuts.

There are numerous hospital visits for burns associated with grilling and camp fires, as well as cuts from kitchen knives, according to McStay.

Children may try to touch the fires and adults make the common mistake of squirting lighter fluid onto hot coals. Be safe about it: Apply lighter fluid to coals when they aren’t lit, letting the fluid soak in, McStay suggests.

Food poisoning and gastroenteritis.

Gastrointestinal issues frequently bring people to the emergency room during warmer months, according to Kort. In fact, food-borne illnesses peak in the summer months, since hot temperatures and humid conditions provide the optimum breeding ground for bacteria to multiply rapidly, according to the U.S Department of Agriculture.

“[It’s] commonly seen after a summer barbecue, where the food has not been properly cooked or may have been left out in the heat. Or when fruits and vegetables have not been washed properly,” Kort said. Be especially wary of food that’s been sitting out in the sun all day and wash your hands properly before eating, Kort advises.

Sports injuries

Sports-related injuries from playing frisbee, football and outdoor activities are also a bigger issue. Sprained wrists, twisted ankles and broken bones are common sights in urgent care clinics and emergency rooms between spring and summer, according to the experts.

Treatment for these injuries typically requires a little home care, Kort said. Rest the body, ice the injury, compress the body part and elevate the injured area. But if something feels seriously wrong or keeps getting worse, head to the doctor as soon as possible.

Skin irritations and insect bites.

With long days spent outdoors, it’s common to see irritations from wild plants like poison ivy, sumac and oak. Insect and tick bites are also common and, in some cases of infection, may require an antibiotic, Kort said.

This year, in particular, may bring with it more tick bites and tick-borne diseases than previous summers. And Zika virus, though currently out of the news cycle, may be poised to come back in some states. Keep an eye on any bumps or swelling that does not go away or grows in size. And learn some expert-backed tips to keep yourself safe from ticks and mosquitoes.

Sunburns.

While most sunburns don’t require a trip to the hospital, some do. In 2013, there were nearly 34,000 emergency room visits in the U.S. due to serious sunburns, according to recent research in Dermatology. Go to the doctor if your sunburn results in blistering or is accompanied by nausea, confusion, headache, extreme pain or chills. You should also head to the doctor if at-home remedies such as applying aloe vera or taking a pain reliever like ibuprofen does not help after a couple of days.

But even if you can take care of your burn at home, it’s an uncomfortable mishap that’s easy to avoid. Practice good sun protection habits for yourself and especially watch out for children you’re supervising, since they are unlikely to remember to reapply lotion. “Having a sunburn is uncomfortable and painful,” McStay said. “And the chronic risk of sun exposure and skin cancer is something to think about everyday.”

So walk into the rest of summer a bit more alert. Better to be safe than sorry.

Ten Tips on how to stay healthy at your next summer BBQ!

Posted on June 20, 2017 by Train for the Game LI in Sports Performance No Comments

Do you need some healthy summer BBQ advice so you can stay slim this summer?

BBQ foods shouldn’t trigger diet dread. You should feel empowered, and ready to roll up to every July 4th and “just because” BBQ and ready to man the grill if someone needs to take over the tongs. Enjoy the food, fun, friends and family. Grilling is a fun and flavorful way to cook no matter the season – even if it’s cold outside! Who doesn’t love to cook together with friends outdoors in the summer and tailgate at the games during the fall and winter?

The best part is that grilling can be one of the healthiest ways to cook!

Healthy recipes and diet tricks to enjoy summer BBQ season:

Go meatless and check out these great vegetarian bbq ideas — mushroom kabobs anyone?
Sizzle up some grilled stuffed jalapenos to beat the heat with some spice
Avoid toxic HCA’s and grill meat safely by knowing what to look for and why you shouldn’t just scrape off the burn. OK, so this isn’t the fun part, but be sure to scrub down the rack or grill pan after each use. Removing leftover burnt pieces of food stuck to the grill prevents burning, smoking and bitter flavors the next time you use it.
Pick the perfect protein. Fish, skinless chicken breast and lean ground poultry are all healthier choices. The good fats in fish like salmon and trout actually have health benefits. And when you grill with skill, your guests won’t even miss the red meat, which usually has more saturated fat. Wrap marinated fish fillets in foil, construct colorful chicken kebabs, or make more savory turkey burgers by mixing minced portabella mushrooms and onions into the patties. If you do choose meat or pork, get “loin” or “round” cuts and “choice” or “select” grades of beef instead of “prime.”
Let the simple grilled goodness shine through. Don’t drown your grilled masterpiece in salty sauces, sugary condiments or heavy dressings. Use as little of these as possible, and try making your own healthier condiments. It’s easier than you think! And sometimes, a simple squeeze of lemon or lime is all it needs.
Make your buns whole grain. Whole-grain buns and breads will complement your healthy feast with extra fiber, flavor and texture. If you’re watching your calories and carbs, try an open-faced burger or lettuce wrap.
Grill fruits for dessert. The natural sugars caramelize in the high heat, giving them extra sweetness and flavor. Try sliced apple, pear or pineapple or halved bananas, figs, nectarines, peaches or plums.
Whip up some mayo-less recipes, like no mayo coleslaw, no mayo potato salad and no mayo macaroni salad.
Try these super yummy summer salad recipes throughout the bbq season to stay on track!
Keep a frozen bag of shelled edamame and organic corn in your freezer and a can of black beans and red wine vinegar in your pantry. Thaw the beans and corn in the refrigerator overnight, toss with the well rinsed beans and ½ cup red wine vinegar. Bring it to the BBQ in a pretty bowl and your host will thank you. It’s a delicious salad (and your meal for the event!) And yes, you can add other vegetables from your cache: tomatoes, onion, parsley, carrots, radishes. Enjoy!

Study: High school boys fear looking weak if they report concussions

Posted on June 19, 2017 by Train for the Game LI in Performance, Sports Performance No Comments

Male and female high school athletes have moderate levels of knowledge about concussion symptoms, but the boys are less likely report concussions for fear of seeming weak, a small U.S. study suggests.

The reasons boys gave for not reporting a concussion was centered around not wanting coaches or teammates to think they were weak or to “get mad,” researchers report in the Journal of Athletic Training.

“Although males and females have similar concussion symptom knowledge, we still see a negative stigma” with reporting them, lead author Jessica Wallace told Reuters Health by email.

“Especially within male dominated sports, we are seeing that many male athletes are not reporting because they are highly sensitive to how their peers and coaches view them,” said Wallace, an athletic trainer and researcher at Youngstown State University in Ohio.

Wallace thinks better concussion education programs are needed to teach kids the dangers of continuing to play with a concussion.

Concussion symptoms can include headache, dizziness and difficulty concentrating or sleeping. In all, 22 concussion symptoms are typically included in sport-related concussion education programs, the study team writes.

Athletes who continue to play with a concussion risk re-injury and a longer recovery time.

To determine how well high school athletes recognize these symptoms and how likely they are to report a concussion, as well as why they wouldn’t, the researchers enrolled 288 athletes (198 boys and 90 girls) at three Michigan high schools.

The participants answered a single survey that included a test of recognition of concussion symptoms. The survey also asked whether the student had ever experienced a concussion, how many concussions they had reported to a trainer, coach, parent or other authority figure, and reasons for not reporting the symptoms.

Of the 58 participants who had sustained a concussion, 25 reported having had two or more.

Knowledge of symptoms was similar between the sexes, with scores ranging from about 11 to 18 out of a possible 21 on the test.

FAILING TO REPORT CONCUSSIONS

The top reason for both boys and girls to not report a concussion was because they did not think it was serious. Other common reasons included not wanting to lose playing time and not wanting to let the team down.

The boys were anywhere from four to 11 times less likely than girls to report concussions, for reasons having to do with how they were perceived by peers and coaches.

It is important for athletes, parents, and coaches to understand that concussion is a treatable injury, but “an athlete has to report the injury for it to be treated,” Wallace said.

“If an athlete fails to report the injury and continues to play while symptomatic, it can either delay recovery or potentially result in a catastrophic outcome,” she said.

Coaches need to emphasize that concussions are serious and that reporting concussion symptoms is expected, Wallace added.

She suggests using a “buddy system” of reporting concussions.

“Often, athletes will not report their own concussion, but they will be mindful and protective of their teammates. So the ‘buddy system’ would help me as the athletic trainer because the athletes would come and tell me if they thought their teammate/friend was experiencing a concussion or concussion symptoms,” she said.

“Studies such as these are building blocks to helping us understand how to provide effective and impactful interventions to help athletes better report their injuries,” said Zachary Kerr, an exercise and sport science researcher at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

“Barriers to concussion reporting by athletes need to be resolved, with an emphasis not only on education and knowledge, but also the pressures that athletes face from peers, adults, and their own perceptions,” said Kerr, who wasn’t involved in the study.

Motivation Tricks to Help you Love Your Summer Workout

Posted on June 19, 2017 by Train for the Game LI in Motivation, Sports Performance, Strength and Conditioning No Comments

The only problem with hot weather is that it’s so darn hot outside. Put the cool factor back into your workout routine with these tricks:

Adjust your body temperature

Hop into a cold shower before your workout. A German study this year found that a pre-exercise cooldown improves performance in the heat — probably because it lowers your heart rate as well as core and skin temperatures. Too chicken to try it? Even just cooling your neck or head with an ice pack may make a difference.

Check the map

Does your usual running route leave you broiling in the sun? Find a shady new one through the Road Runners Club of America (rrca.org), which features running routes around the country via Google maps. You can also log on to weather.com, which offers a local parks forecast, a fitness comfort index, and an hourly forecast to help you figure out the best time of day to exercise.

Keep tabs on your ticker

The hotter it is, the harder your body has to work — so if you normally run at a 9-minute-mile pace, when the temperature hits 90 you may find yourself having to slow down to a 10.

This is where a heart-rate monitor comes in handy. You can make sure you’re not pushing yourself too hard in warm-weather conditions, which can up your risk of heat exhaustion or even heatstroke.

An even simpler way to check that you’re not overdoing it: Try to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. You’ll know you’re exercising hard enough when you have to take a quick breath every three to six words (murmur it under your breath if you’re worried about getting funny looks).

Get the dirt

Try to walk, run, or cycle on dirt or gravel paths, since asphalt and concrete tend to radiate heat and reflect the sun’s rays, making you feel hotter. Take advantage of the breeze on the boardwalk or beach path even on steamy days and if possible, start out with the wind at your back, so when you’re finishing you’ll be running into a headwind, which is cooler.

Cool down with essential oils

Dabbing a few drops of peppermint or eucalyptus oil on the back of your neck and at your temples just before your workout provides a cooling effect and also opens up your nasal passages, so you can breathe a little easier when the air is humid. In fact, research has found that athletes who sniffed peppermint during their workout ran faster, had greater grip strength, and could do more push-ups than those who didn’t.

Summerize your intervals

To keep your fitness level up when the mercury is too, do your regular cardio (whether it’s walking, running, swimming, or biking) at a slightly slower pace, but add in 30-second speed bursts every three to five minutes. You’ll maintain your conditioning and burn more calories without having to go all-out the entire time.

Make like a pretzel

Turn the rising temperature to your advantage and concentrate on improving your flexibility with some dynamic stretches. One move to try for perpetually tight hamstrings: Stand and bend forward from the waist, reaching toward the wall Hold for 5 to 10 seconds. To stretch your hips — another inflexible zone — sit with one leg crossed over the opposite thigh and bend forward, keeping your arms outstretched; hold for 5 to 10 breaths.

Practice random acts of fitness

Sneak in little bits of exercise with some summer-friendly activities. For example: Washing the car for 30 minutes burns about 100 calories for a 140-pound woman; gardening burns 128. Other options: throwing a Frisbee, walking the dog, playing a game of volleyball (all about 100 calories), mowing the lawn (176 calories), biking around the neighborhood (192 calories), or hula-hooping, which burns about 50 calories in just 10 minutes. Stay active!

Protect your head

A mesh visor is a great way to shield your face from the sun while still allowing excess heat to escape from your head. One good option: the Nike Feather Light Visor ($18, nike.com), which has a Dri-Fit terry sweatband to move moisture away from the skin and mesh insets to keep cool breezes flowing. If you’re biking, consider one of the new helmets that have deep vents to provide breezy airflow.

Refuel with fruit

They’re more than 80 percent water, so fruits such as grapes, watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew are a tasty way to replenish fluids and boost your energy post-workout. Keep them frozen for a refreshing treat. Other good options: Smoothies, frozen yogurt, or Jell-O with fruit chunks. They provide the perfect mix of carbs and fluid and they’re easily digestible in the summer heat. If you’ve lost a lot of salt (hint: your clothes have white sweat stains after a workout), replace sodium by drinking water with electrolytes (Smart Water, Trace Minerals electrolytes in your water).

How to Deal with Stressed Athletes

Posted on May 23, 2017 by Train for the Game LI in Motivation, Sports Performance No Comments

Most athletes get pre-game jitters—even the pros admit that they suffer bouts of nervousness before games. While professional athletes are equipped to deal with pre-game anxiety, however, adolescent athletes typically aren’t. And the pressure to perform at a high level, may be placing too much stress on young athletes.

To determine how stressful youth sports are on athletes, UCLA researchers Dr. Tara Scanlan and Dr. Michael Passer asked adolescent soccer players to fill out questionnaires assessing their anxiety ratings before and after soccer games. About 20 percent of the athletes reported high levels of stress before games. Many also reported high anxiety after their team had lost a game.

Considering that nearly 68 million student-athletes participate in organized youth sports, serious stress and anxiety in even a small percentage accounts for a significant number of kids. So, how can you tell if your child is feeling overly stressed?

How much stress is too much for young athletes?

Sports psychologist Dr. Rainer Martens compares competitive stress to a virus. He elaborates that a little bit of stress makes athletes perform better, teaching them how to channel their anxiety to aid performance. Too much stress all at once, however, can drain a young athlete of energy, leaving them ill and unable to compete at their peak level. This effect can carry over into other parts of their life as well, including academics.

The American Psychological Association points out a few main indicators that signal an adolescent’s stress levels have gone from helpful to harmful:

Physical: Chronic stomach and headaches are common complaints of adolescents who are too stressed. If a child has a clean bill of health and still experiences stomach and headaches, it may be time to start looking at stress as the culprit.
Emotional: Stress can manifest itself in many negative ways, including increased irritability, mood swings, emotional outbursts, withdrawing from usual activities and more.
Behavioral. Too much stress is draining for young athletes, causing lethargy or the inability to concentrate. Athletes may change their eating habits—eating much more than normal or much less—or become more aggressive.

Individually, these symptoms may just sound like the growing pains of a typical teen. The APA notes, however, that if parents see physical, emotional and behavioral signs of too much stress in their student-athlete, they should step in to help their child effectively cope with the stress.

Help your student-athlete cope with stress and develop mental toughness.

There are ways to help your athlete deal with immediate stress, and ways to help them develop mental tools to limit stress in the future. We’ve listed a few short-term and long-term actions you can take:

Immediate action: Ask them about the cause of their stress. Start the conversation about why they are stressed—is it pressure they’ve placed on themselves? Pressure from a coach, family member or friend? Is their “to do” list insurmountable?
Immediate action: Discuss healthy ways they can deal with their stress. Michelle L. Bailey, M.D., FAAP, a pediatrician and author of the book Parenting Your Stressed Child, suggests adolescents practice mindfulness to cope with stress. She defines mindfulness as the act of “paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, in a non-judging way.” Other strategies like breathing techniques, muscle relaxation, going out in nature and engaging in physical activity other than their sport are also healthy ways to deal with stress.
Immediate action: Find a place where your athlete can decompress. Every student needs a “stress-free zone” where they can let off some steam. For some, it might be sitting in their room listening to music. For others, it might be hanging out with their best friend. Recognize how your student-athlete decompresses, and encourage them to do so when feeling overly stressed.
Long-term action: Help your athlete develop a desire to achieve, rather than a fear of failure. Often, young athletes correlate failure to punishment and criticism, and begin stressing about situations that might culminate in failure. Reframe the message about failure by emphasizing achievement instead. By developing a positive approach to achievement, athletes focus on the benefits of putting forth their best effort, rather than the negative effects of failing.
Long-term action: Get them the tools they need to be successful. Stress can stem from an athlete’s insecurity that they don’t have the necessary skills to be successful. Work with your athlete on the physical skills they need in their sport. As their confidence in their athletic ability grows, they will experience less skills-based stress.
Long-term action: Change the conversation about competition. Stressed-out athletes tell themselves phrases like: “Don’t mess up!” “You’re going to blow it.” “I’ll let down the whole team if I lose.” Instead, give them new phrases, such as: “I’m going to give my all and see what happens.” “I’ll go out there and have fun.” “I’m just going to focus on doing my best.” Once they start identifying internal stressors, the quicker they can shut them down.
Long-term action: Ensure they get the right amount of sleep. Work with your student-athlete to create a sleep schedule. Students who get less than the recommended eight hours a night are more prone to stress and anxiety.

Stress is a natural part of life, but teaching your athlete how to cope with stress can set them up for success throughout their lifetime. Encourage your athlete to use practices that will increase their mental toughness and decrease negative reactions to stressful situations.

Impress all the guests at that Summer BBQ!

Posted on May 15, 2017 by Train for the Game LI in Nutrition No Comments

There are tons of reasons to love summer—longer days, trips to the beach, ice cream trucks on every corner—but our favorite part just might be the endless number of barbecues. From Memorial Day through Labor Day, it seems like someone’s always hosting a weekend event, and why not? Hanging out with friends, eating, and drinking outdoors… you don’t have to ask us twice.

While no one wants to show up empty-handed, spending a ton of time prepping for a potluck isn’t ideal either. Skip the complicated dessert (and the store-bought chips and dip) and bring one of these healthy fruit salads instead. They’re easy to make, refreshing, and don’t need to be refrigerated; plus, they’ll leave you way less bloated than packaged nacho dip—hooray!

Lemon Poppyseed Triple Fruit Salad

Simple and tasty are our two favorite words when it comes to recipes. Cut up pineapple, strawberries, and kiwis to make a super-colorful salad, stat. It comes with an easy, light dressing too, made with lemon juice, poppy seeds, and honey.

Blueberry, Watermelon, Mint, and Feta Salad

Watermelon, feta, and mint are an amazing flavor combination. Salty, sweet, and fresh, these ingredients are actually the perfect summer trio. And while they’re tasty on their own, blueberries and balsamic vinegar take things one step further for an even sweeter salad.

Honey-Lime Rainbow Fruit Salad

This salad is as close as you’ll get to a rainbow in a bowl, no food coloring required. Grab some grapes, oranges, kiwis, strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, and bananas, and toss in a honey-lime sauce for a fruit spread everyone will love.

Tropical Quinoa Salad

Want something a bit more substantial for your BBQ? Add quinoa to fruit salad. It tastes great with juicy berries, sweet mango, tart kiwis, and fresh oranges. Think of it as pasta salad’s sweeter cousin.

Berry Watermelon Fruit Salad

This pretty purple salad mixes alllll the berries with cherries and watermelon, plus a squeeze of lime juice. Just don’t wear white when you dig into this one.

Mango Fruit Salad With Honey Yogurt Sauce

It may look like it, but this ain’t your momma’s Cool Whip fruit salad. Mix plain yogurt with honey and vanilla extract to make a light, creamy sauce to pour over strawberries, citrus, mango, apple, and bananas. It’s so sweet, it can double as dessert.

Mojito Fruit Salad

Your favorite summer drink gets the salad treatment with this boozy fruit dish. Get the party started by adding a little rum to your fruit bowl, along with lime juice, powdered sugar, and mint.

Citrus Avocado Salad

Stock up on your favorite citrus to make this killer salad—cara cara oranges, tangerines, blood oranges, whatever floats your boat will taste great on top of fresh greens and mixed in with fresh avocado slices.

Blueberry Pineapple Fruit Salsa

While not quite a salad, this fruit salsa looked too good not to include. Blueberries and pineapple are the perfect counterbalance to jalapeño and Sriracha in the spicy-sweet dip. Pro-tip: The flavors taste even better after a few hours, so make it earlier in the day and refrigerate until you’re ready to go.

For Father’s Day, Share These Healthy Tips With Dad

Posted on May 5, 2017 by Train for the Game LI in Motivation, Performance, Sports Performance No Comments

Want to give your Dad something special for Father’s Day? Share some of these tips for healthy summer living with him.

Feed Dad a healthy diet

A healthy diet and regular physical activity can help prevent heart disease and cancer, the two top killers of men. Joy Bauer, MS., RD., nutrition and health expert for the Today Show, notes that what is important “is the pattern of regularly consuming a diet rich in a variety of essential nutrients.”

Some “super foods” that experts recommend men consider to improve their health:

oysters, which are high in the antioxidant mineral zinc
bananas which provide quick energy in the form of potassium and vitamin B-6, which can aid the immune system
fatty fish which contains the healthy fat omega-3
broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables (cauliflower, Brussels sprouts), which have strong anti-cancer properties
Brazil nuts, so high in selenium that you only need to eat one or two, and a powerful antioxidant
whole grains such as oatmeal, which help lower bad cholesterol and are good for the prostate
soybeans, which improve prostate health
berries (black, blue, cherries, strawberries, raspberries and cranberries), which have antioxidant properties
red-orange vegetables to help preserve healthy skin

Now that you have some ideas of what foods to add to Dad’s breakfast, lunch and dinner this week, encourage him to stay healthy and prevent disease by practicing healthy behaviors with these tips:

Exercise regularly. You can also check your body mass index at and figure out if you are obese, overweight, or “just right.”
Try to cut down or cut out tobacco, drugs and excessive alcohol.
Go to the U.S. Preventive Task Force and search “men’s health” for a list of screening tests and preventive medications that are appropriate throughout the lifespan.

Let Dad Get Some Shuteye

After his workout, de-stressing session and a healthy meal, Dad should get some much-deserved sleep. The benefits of sleeping well include reduced risk for heart disease, obesity and diabetes, as well as stronger immunity, better memory, and a better sex life. If he’s managing his stress, getting exercise and eating healthy on a regular basis, Dad should have no trouble getting a good night’s sleep every night.

Give the Man a Hug!

It’s universal! Studies have shown that hugs can help lower blood pressure, boost the immune system, fight infections and lift depression. So, go ahead and give dad one of those great big bear hugs. It benefits you both.

Take a Hike

Grab a camera, some water and put aside a few hours to go for a long nature stroll with dad. It’s a great way to reminisce about the old days, as your pop probably took you for walks in nature when you were a tot. Walking is good low-impact exercise for you and your father, and the fresh air and movement will benefit you both mentally and physically. If your dad isn’t someone who regularly treks out into the trails, perhaps you should choose a route that’s more manageable in terms of length and terrain.

Happy Father’s Day!

The Science of Fueling for Performance

Posted on April 24, 2017 by Train for the Game LI in Nutrition, Sports Performance, Strength and Conditioning No Comments

The research of exercise physiologists and sports scientists study the best ways for competitive athletes to fuel their bodies to optimize their performance. John Ivy PhD, Professor Emeritus at the University of Texas-Austin and author of Nutrient Timing, is one such researcher. Here are some of his insights.

Endurance athletes need three times more carbs than protein to optimally fuel their muscles. If you are on a high protein (or high fat) diet, you could easily be missing that goal. Poorly fueled muscles have a higher risk of becoming damaged during exercise.
Eating every 2-3 hours is best. Let’s say you are an Ironman triathlete who is training hard day after day. To optimally fuel your muscles on a daily basis, research indicates you want to consume at least 2.5-3.5 grams carbohydrate/lb. (6-8 g/kg) body weight/day, spread evenly throughout the day. That means carb-rich grains, fruits & veggies every 2-3 hours. This naturally happens if you eat breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner, and evening snack.
Consuming carbohydrate stimulates the release of insulin. Insulin regulates the amount of glucose (sugar) in blood and allows the blood glucose to get into muscles to fuel muscles and replenish depleted muscle glycogen. Insulin also blocks the breakdown of muscle. (That’s why people, before being diagnosed with Type I diabetes, experience a lot of muscle loss.)
Protein combined with carbs stimulates a higher insulin response than eating just carbohydrate alone. This means, after you exercise, recovering with chocolate milk will replace glycogen more efficiently and better refuel your depleted muscles than if you were to have a Gatorade.
Fueling at half-time offers an energy advantage. Soccer or football players would be wise to consume a carb-protein beverage, as tolerated, during half-time. Toss a few 8-ounce lowfat chocolate milk boxes into your gym bag.
After an exhausting strength and conditioning workout, a 155-lb (70 kg) athlete should consume about 450 calories of recovery food. The ideal target is 25-30 grams protein + ~85 grams carb as soon as tolerable. (More precisely 0.2 g protein + 0.6 g carb/lb. (0.4 g P + 1.2 g C/kg) body weight.) This could be a fruit smoothie (8 ounces of Greek yogurt + banana + berries) or 1 cup of cottage cheese + ½ cup granola + canned peaches. Food labels can help you figure out winning combinations of foods. (Don’t get obsessed about the exact ratio; pay more attention to the concept of consuming more calories from carbs than from protein.)
To get the most out of your weight-lifting program, you want to surround your workout with food. In a 13-week training program, one group consumed carbs + protein before and after the workout, while another group ate the same food but at the start and end of the day. The group that ate food close to their workout had a better training response and at the end of the 13-week training period, they were able to lift heavier weights (bench press, squat, dead lift).
Choose carbs plus protein after hard exercise. By choosing both carbs+ protein (oatmeal + eggs, or pasta + meat sauce), you will be able to exercise better 24 and 48 hours after hard muscle-damaging exercise. You’ll have a lower blood level of creatine kinase (CK), a marker of muscle damage.
Post-exercise protein activates mTOR, an enzyme that turns on muscle-building pathways. While protein helps build muscles, carbs refuel muscles; so again, you want to eat some sort of carb-protein combination at meals and snacks. Doing so helps sustain a rapid rate of recovery for 8 hours.
About 20 grams of post-exercise protein is optimal to stimulate muscle growth. It’s more protein than many morning-exercisers might consume. For example, if you generally eat just a bowl of oatmeal after your morning workout, your might want to cook the oatmeal in milk and add two hardboiled eggs to the meal. Or if you have just a salad after a lunchtime run, top it with tuna fish.
A before-bed snack helps muscle growth. At night, growth hormone peaks between 10:00 PM and 2:00 AM (the same time kids have growth spurts). You want to take advantage of elevated growth hormone by providing your muscles with the tools they need to grow. This means, before bed, eat a snack with protein, such as cottage cheese, turkey roll-ups, or 3-4 ounces of leftover chicken. (But please, don’t even think about getting up in the middle of the night to eat. Sleep is more important!)
A bedtime snack helps maintain blood glucose levels. In the early hours of the morning (4:00 AM) when blood glucose is sinking, another hormone, cortisol, triggers muscles to break down into amino acids (the building blocks of protein). These amino acids then get converted into glucose by the liver and normalize blood glucose levels so the brain has fuel to function. A bedtime snack can help maintain normal blood glucose levels overnight.
Don’t exercise on empty in the morning; you want to break the fast! When you awaken in the morning, your cortisol levels are elevated and breaking down muscle. If you eat nothing before your morning workout, and/or skip breakfast afterwards, you stay in a catabolic (muscle-loss) state. Bad idea! A pre-workout snack, such as a banana, granola bar or swig of orange juice can switch your body from being in the muscle breakdown mode to the muscle-building mode.
Protein-pacing helps reduce muscle loss at you age. By the time the average (non-athletic) 20 year-old is age 70, he or she has lost about 40% of his/her muscle mass; the rate of decline is about 6% per decade. Muscle power starts to decline about age 30; strength at about age 40. By lifting weights, you can curb that loss; use it or lose it! To reduce muscle loss, do “protein pacing” – eating protein evenly throughout the day. This is preferable to having a big chunk of protein just at dinner.

The bottom line: Food works! To optimize your performance, 1) pay attention to what and when you eat and 2) choose carb-protein combinations, with more carbs than protein.

Tips for Clever Swaps to Eliminate Refined Carbs from your Diet

Posted on April 21, 2017 by Train for the Game LI in Nutrition, Performance, Sports Performance No Comments

Make no mistake: Carbohydrates are essential—they’re the body’s main energy source. But the more refined a carb is, the worse it is for you: “Refined carbs have had much of the fiber and good-for-you compounds stripped away, which makes them less nutritious and filling,” says Rachel Meltzer Warren, RDN, a nutritionist in Jersey City, New Jersey. Minimally processed kinds, on the other hand, are typically a package of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and starch that digest more slowly and keep you fuller longer, she adds. These tweaks let you replace refined carbs (white flour, sugar) with more nutritious choices (veggies, whole grains) for a full stomach and steady energy.

Breakfast:

Instead of quiche, whip up breakfast stuffed peppers.
Crack 2-4 eggs into 2 halves of a bell pepper and bake them at 350 degrees until the eggs are firm (about 25 minutes). Top with fresh chives or a dried spice, like thyme. “The peppers spice up regular eggs but eliminate the crust cheese and cream of a quiche,” says Meltzer Warren. “Plus, they’re beautiful to serve.”

Instead of French toast, make protein pancakes.
Mash a ripe banana in a bowl, add 1 egg, and whisk with 2 tablespoons whole-wheat flour. Pour the mixture on a griddle over low heat and cook the way you would with normal pancake batter. “Fruit contains carbohydrates, but bananas also offer fiber, potassium, and vitamin C, unlike slices of French-toast bread,” says Meltzer Warren.

Instead of a bagel and lox, have a smoked-salmon omelet on sprouted-grain bread.
Make an omelet with 2 eggs, 1 slice of smoked salmon, and a sprinkle of goat cheese and chives. “You get the same flavors that you would from a bagel with cream cheese and lox, but incorporating the eggs and sprouted grains will keep you satisfied a lot longer,” says Meltzer Warren.

Instead of a blueberry scone, try berry oats.
Heat up a handful of frozen blueberries, grate lemon zest, then fold both into 1/4 cup rolled oats prepared with hot water and a dash of cinnamon. Sprinkle with chia seeds for a protein boost. Oats are full of fiber, so they’re a super carb (unlike the added sugars and white flour found in many coffee-shop pastries).

Lunch:

Instead of a chicken wrap, prep deli lettuce cups.
Scrap the carb-heavy wrap and use a large leaf of Boston lettuce as the outer shell. Inside, layer a few pieces of sliced chicken breast, avacado, a drizzle of honey mustard, and a pickle spear. Hold together with a toothpick.

Instead of a bag of potato chips, snack on Brussels sprouts crisps.
Separate the leaves of these antioxidant-rich veggies, then toss them in a bit of olive oil and sea salt. Bake at 350 degrees, turning them every 5 minutes or so, until they are browned and crisp around the edges. “It may require some time, but the crispy leaves are so crunchy and delicious that it’s worth it,” says Tami Ross, RS, a dietician and diabetes educator in Lexington, Kentucky.

Instead of croutons on salad, add sunflower seeds.
Whether croutons are baked or fried, they don’t pack much nutritional value. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of sunflower seeds on salads to add crunch along with healthy fats, vitamin E, and a bit of fiber.

Instead of a burrito bowl, choose a Mexican-style salad.
Replace the bed of rice with a bed of shredded lettuce, then top with meat, vegetables, black beans, pico de gallo, and guacamole. “You’re still getting the same flavors in each bit, just with a healthier green base,” says Marissa Lippert, RD, owner of Nourish Kitchen and Table in New

Dinner:

Instead of sushi, order sashimi pieces with a side of miso soup and edamame.
“The issue with sushi is that if you’re hungry, you need a lot of it to satisfy you,” explains Lippert. “There’s so little protein within all that white rice.” Sashimi comes without the rice (and refined carbs), and paring it with a side of miso soup and edamame, which packs fiber, helps better tame your appetite. (A cup of edamame also has 22 grams of protein.)

Instead of traditional pizza, make a socca flatbread.
“Chickpea flour and water bake into a flatbread that works perfectly as a pizza crust,” says Meltzer Warren. (Chickpea flour has fewer carbs and calories than white or whole-wheat flour, and it’s a better source of protein.) Whisk 1 cup chickpea flour, 1 cup water, 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt—then let the dough sit for half an hour. Preheat oven to 450 degrees; place a cast-iron pan inside for 5 minutes. Remove pan, pour in 1 tablespoon oil, and swirl. Pour half the batter into pan; bake until cooked through (about 8 minutes). Add cheese and toppings. Return pan to oven; bake until cheese is melted and toppings are warm. Repeat with other half of dough.

Instead of spaghetti, opt for zoodles with meatballs and marinara sauce.
Spiralized zucchini gives the illusion of noodles and pairs well with a variety of traditional pasta sauces, says Meltzer Warren. The veggie on its own may not fill you up, notes Lippert; you can top your bowl with a scoop of whole-wheat pasta and grass-fed beef meatballs.

Instead of mashed potatoes, choose roasted cauliflower.
Toss florets with 1/4 cup oil, a dash of cayenne, and a pinch of salt; roast at 425 degrees, tossing regularly, for about 40 minutes. “Cauliflower has a similar mouthfeel as a potato,” says Meltzer Warren, “and the spice gives it the appeal of Cajun fries.”