NFL nutritionist's recommendations for staying healthy and getting into shape

Whether you are an NFL fan or not, everyone knows that NFL players are in shape.   Many teams now have a dietitian/nutritionist coaching them on good nutrition.  In the nutrition class I taught, I showed a video of an NFL team being consulted on eating to win with nutritionist/dietitian Leslie Bonci.  In the video, an NFL player noted how he ate 3 chicken breasts and 8 egg whites for breakfast. Bonci showed the team members that protein is important but so are other foods like fruits and veggies.  Recently, MSN has a great article on 3 simple principles to follow to get in shape and stay healthy for life, according to an NFL nutritionist ,  Mike Minnis.   Sounds easy.  What are these 3 principles?

 Principle 1:  Maintain a healthy weight by understanding energy balance

Nutritionist Minnis says understanding energy balance means: the balance of the calories you take in versus the calories you burn up. 

Take in more calories than you burn = not just weight gain but other issues as well.  “Eating too much can lead to visceral fat (stomach fat), that internal fat that has been shown to lead to metabolic dysfunction and a whole cascade of issues…” 

Take in too few calories and you can “lose muscle mass, be fatigued, and have increased risk of injury “. 

Focus on the right priorities.  Forget the organic foods, taking lots of supplements, artificial ingredients in foods, focus first on “whether you’re eating the right amount for your body and activity levels”. 

He notes, “If someone’s calorie budget is 2,000 calories a day and they are eating 2,500 calories a day, it does not matter if they are only eating grilled chicken, broccoli, and brown rice.  They will gain body fat.” 

On the other hand, there are athletes burning up huge amounts of calories per day and then losing weight, they don’t want to lose because they are burning up more calories than they are taking in.  

Principle 2: “Eat more protein, even if you are not an athlete”

Almost every male student in my class was focused on eating more protein.  They did not focus on the quality of protein nor did many understand that just eating more protein will not build more muscle.  Athletes do need high quality protein in their diet but they also need many other nutrients and exercise to build muscle.

Even those who are not athletes should focus not only on the amount of protein in their day, but focus on eating some high-quality protein at each meal. 

“People have a misconception that they don’t have to have much protein because they’re not working out (or they’re not working out as hard), or people get older and they think they don’t need much protein anymore, which is literally the opposite of what’s true,” Minnis said. 

But I do not want to put on muscle.  Eating enough high-quality protein helps you maintain the muscle you have and you do not want to lose muscle mass.  As people age, they begin to lose muscle and gain more fat.  To help prevent this, one wants to have enough high-quality protein in their diet.  (See:  Are you getting too much or too little protein? )  

Principle 3:  Eat enough fiber

Many students in my classes thought they were eating a “healthy diet”.  Almost no student could say how much fiber they needed each day and most had no idea what their fiber intake was.  Then they analyzed how much fiber they were getting each day.  Most were surprised at how little fiber they were taking in versus what they needed.  Not surprising as the American Society for Nutrition found that a large majority of us, 95%, have diets low in fiber. 

Are you a good weight with a good percentage of muscle mass and low body fat?  Great, but you still need to be concerned about how much fiber you are eating.  As Minnis notes, “if you’re not paying attention to other factors, such as your fiber intake, you may not be particularly healthy.”  

Did you know that fiber is the food for those healthy probiotics in your yogurt?  Those good bacteria in yogurt and in your gut thrive on fiber in your diet. 

The Mayo Clinic lists many benefits of a high-fiber diet:

•            Normalizes bowel movements
•  Helps maintain bowel health
•  Lowers cholesterol levels
•  Helps control blood sugar levels
•  Aids in achieving a healthy weight
•  Helps you live longer

How much fiber do you need each day? (See:  A power nutrient your diet may be lacking )  

The newest Dietary Guidelines (2020-2025) recommends:

• 25 g fiber/day for females 
• 38 g fiber/day for males

Unfortunately, most American diets are well below that amount ranging from only 16-19 grams of fiber a day.

Start reading packages and looking up the fiber content of the foods you eat and aim for “14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories” you eat. 

Many Americans are low in fiber because they not only are eating processed foods but many are focused on ultra-processed foods.  These foods pack on the calories, fat, salt, added sugar and promote weight gain. 

Conclusion:  A few years ago, I was reading an article about the importance of protein at each meal.  Lunch and dinner were no problem but I was not getting much protein at breakfast.  Then I started making my oatmeal with a cup of cow’s milk instead of water.  A great way to add some high-quality protein to my day.  My husband also had a low protein breakfast so he added a cup of Greek yogurt mixed with fruit to his morning.  As noted in a previous blog, years ago my husband found out his cholesterol was too high.  Rather than start on drugs he told the doctor he would try diet and exercise first.  We both began to add more fiber to our day.  It is not easy taking in 25 grams of fiber for a lady or 38 grams of fiber for a guy.  We worked on it slowly as adding too much fiber all at once can lead to “bubble gut” as my daughter calls it.  My husband did get his fiber intake up, added in more exercise and got his cholesterol level within normal limits.  Read some labels this week and see how much fiber is in the bread you eat, the cereal, the pasta.  We started cooking spaghetti noodles with some regular noodles and some whole grain spaghetti noodles to add more fiber into the meal.  What are some ways you can add more fiber to your day?

Sources:  Leslie Bonci , 3 simple principles to follow to get in shape and stay healthy for life, according to an NFL nutritionist , visceral fat , losing weight , Are you getting too much or too little protein? , American Society for Nutrition , Mayo Clinic , A power nutrient your diet may be lacking , recommends  Images:  high quality protein , Fiber , Energy balance

Boost your mood with food

Feeling down, anxious, under stress?  Many people turn to food to boost their mood but then choose junk food, foods high in sugar and fat.  Junk foods won’t really help improve your mood.  What are some foods that not only are mood boosters but also good for your health?

Good fats and your mood:

The Harvard Health Blog notes the healthy omega-3 fats actually travel to our brains and interact “with mood-related molecules in the brain.  These healthy fats are also anti-inflammatory which helps “relieve depression”.  And omega-3 fats may help stabilize any mood swings.  (See:  What are omega 3 fats and why are they good for you? )  

Some ways to add omega-3 fats to your day:

• Fish:  A good source of omega-3 fats are fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna, herring and sardines. Oils:  flaxseed oil and canola oil.
• Seeds:  Flaxseeds, chia seeds
• Nuts:  walnuts are high in omega-3 fats
• Green, leafy vegetables like spinach, broccoli, kale, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts
• Eggs:  we buy eggs that state “omega-3” on the label.  These provide 125 mg of omega-3 fats per egg.

 

 Start your day with breakfast (See:  Breakfast – good and bad habits) 

• Who hasn’t heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  Eating a balanced, healthy breakfast can help put you in a good mood for the day.  WebMD notes: “Regularly eating breakfast leads to improved mood, according to some researchers --- along with better memory, more energy throughout the day, and feelings of calmness.”
• Include in your breakfast some whole grain carbs for fiber and nutrients, some lean protein, and some fat for staying power.  Real cow’s milk on whole grain cereal would provide a high quality protein and some complex carbs.  Put some butter on your toast and you have a good start to your day.  I also must have some fruit like a banana and some real 100% orange or grapefruit juice.

Boost serotonin which is the “feel good” chemical.  “Basically, the more serotonin circulating in your bloodstream, the better your mood.” 

What foods can help boost serotonin?

• Foods high in the amino acid tryptophan help get more serotonin into the brain.  All meat, fish, poultry (MFP) provide this amino acid.  Many people know turkey has tryptophan and that is why we may feel more relaxed after our big turkey meal.  Eating some carbs along with these MFP proteins seems to help the tryptophan get into the brain. 

Enjoy a cup of chamomile tea

    Some studies have found that this tea promotes relaxation and helps people fall asleep. 

Dark chocolate

• Many readers would be happy to know that dark chocolate seems to boost one’s mood, and may improve your memory and focus. Dark chocolate contains tryptophan and as noted above this amino acid helps more serotonin get into your brain.  A study in the Journal of Pharmacology found that the polyphenol compounds in dark chocolate have a positive affect on anxiety and seem to enhance calmness.
• Focus on dark chocolate, not milk chocolate.  Look for chocolate that is 70% or more cocoa solids.   

What other foods may help boost your mood?

• Fermented foods like yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, and kombucha may help your gut and your mood. 
• Bananas – one of my favorites.  Bananas are high in vitamin B6 which helps your body make some feel good neurotransmitters like serotonin.  A reader asked me why bananas didn’t give them a sugar high.  That’s because bananas have fiber which slows the absorption of the natural sugar, fructose, in bananas.
• Oats like oatmeal, muesli and granola.  Oats are a good source of fiber which helps slow the digestion of food and thus helps promote more stable blood sugar levels.
• More fruits and veggies, especially berries.  They aren’t sure why berries may help improve your mood but they think it is because berries are rich in those healthy antioxidants, especially the anthocyanins in purple-blue color berries like blueberries. 

Conclusion:  So, if you are feeling a bit blue, skip the high sugar, high fat junk food and opt for a healthier option to boost your mood.  These mood boosters will not only help you feel in a better mood but are also good for your overall health.  

 

 Sources:  Harvard Health Blog , stabilize , What are omega 3 fats and why are they good for you? , omega-3 fats , fish , vegetables, Breakfast – good and bad habits , WebMD , chemical , studies , dark chocolate , Journal of Pharmacology , dark chocolate , foods Image Sources:   Eggs  , Mood foods  , Mood boosting foods

How to boost your immune system with food

This Fall how can you eat to boost your immune system?  What foods should you be adding to your day or week?  Fall and winter may bring on colds, the flu, and other infections.  Are there foods you can eat to help boost your immune system?  Besides the traditional chicken soup and hot tea that many recommend, what other foods can give your immune system a boost?  

 

Can some foods really give your immune system a boost?

No one food will prevent you from getting sick.  But eating foods full of the vitamins and minerals your immune system needs, will help give your immune system a boost and may help prevent an illness and help you recover faster if you do get sick.  Doctor Cassandra Calabrese says, “There’s no doubt that a healthy diet improves your immunity to illness.  What you put in your body is important for your overall health, including your immune system.”  

What are some foods to stock up on to give your immune system a boost this fall and winter?

• Focus on vitamin C and foods rich in C. 

As noted in my blog post, How does vitamin C keep you healthy?, vitamin C helps keep your immune system healthy.  Vitamin C is not stored in your body so it is important to eat some foods rich in C every day. 

Citrus fruits are a great way to get a daily “dose” of vitamin C.  This vitamin “may prevent or shorten infections by promoting immune cell functions, [and] can be found in most citrus fruits...”   

Oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruit are loaded with vitamin C.  If you prefer juice, be sure it is 100% real juice and not a juice drink like Sunny D.  Lemon water is a healthy choice but lemonade is mostly sugar water and not a way to boost your C.

Watermelon, bell peppers, broccoli are also good ways to add some C to your day.  

• Enjoy some garlic:  As noted in a previous blog post, we were having a new roof installed a few years ago.  We were talking to the manager outside when he reached into his pocket and pulled out an entire garlic, peeled it and ate all the cloves.  He said he did it for good health.  Garlic is not only good for your heart; it is great for your immune system.  Garlic contains alliium, which stimulates your white blood cells to help fight off cold or flu viruses.  
• Eat some fatty fish:  if you are a fish lover, there are many ways to add some healthy omega-3 fats to your day.  Not all fats are bad for you as omega-3 fats are good for your heart, brain, eyes and help your immune system.  Fish rich in omega-3 fats include herring, wild salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines, anchovies, lake trout and striped bass.  If you like tuna from a can, choose chunky light tuna to reduce mercury amounts. 
• Turmeric:  Many people have added some turmeric to their day as it is an anti-inflammatory (See:  Anti-inflammatory foods ).  But turmeric not only helps your immune system it also acts as an anti-viral. 
• Yogurt:  who knew enjoying some yogurt would not only be good for your bones but also for your immune system?  Those healthy bacteria in yogurt, the probiotics, are an immune system booster.  NIH has found “probiotics stimulate the immune system…”  Be sure the yogurt you eat is made from cow’s milk and not a plant-based milk.

Conclusion:  How can you give your immune system a boost?  What are some foods you not only could add to your diet but add them regularly?  I enjoy a glass of real OJ or grapefruit juice every day.  I start my day with a vitamin C boost.  Every lunch I enjoy some yogurt made from cow’s milk.  Even on vacation I try to be sure these two foods are included in my day.  At a recent hotel breakfast, they had some great OJ and Activia yogurt in their little fridge.  Activia promotes its yogurt as having the healthy probiotics.  Some Americans think they are drinking orange juice when they buy Sunny D, Hi-C and other fruit drinks.  Choose juices that are 100% juice to get all the healthy vitamins and minerals in real juice.  Read the ingredient label to be sure the only ingredient is juice and not sugar and artificial colors. 

Sources:  says , How does vitamin C keep you healthy? , vitamin , alliium , omega-3 fats , Fish , Anti-inflammatory foods , turmeric , NIH , Activia    Image Sources:  Activia yogurt , Citrus fruits , Immune system