Tag Archives: healthy eating

6 Essential Foods for Runners

Posted on February 26, 2015 by | 2 comments

Suppose you could only add 6 ingredients to your must-buy list. As a runner, which foods should you choose?

A runner’s diet is important not for only maintaining good health, but also to boost energy, aid the recovery and shed some extra pounds.

So, before your next trip to the grocery store, make sure you add these 6 essential foods to your list.

Salmon

Salmon

Salmon should be included in every diet. This fish is an excellent source of protein and omega-3 fats, which improve nervous system functioning and boost heart health by creating more elastic blood vessels.

Salmon also has protein, vitamins A, B and D and several minerals that are vital to a balanced and healthy diet.

In addition, salmon is a very versatile fish. Just add some fresh herbs and bake, grill, or poach it to put a healthy and delicious meal on the table.

Bananas

Bananas are among the best pre-workout foods for runners. They are an excellent source of carbs, with 0% fat, and are extremely high in potassium, which runners lose in sweat during exercise.

Bananas also help regulate muscle contraction, prevent cramping and are a “safe” pre-race food because they’re unlikely to cause gastrointestinal issues.

Whole Grain Pasta and Bread

Whole-grain

Pasta and breads are a runner’s best friends, before and after big workouts. They contain easily digestible carbs that help you fuel your runs and are ideal to restock spent glycogen stores.

But not all pasta and breads are created equal. Whole-grain versions contain more fiber, which promotes satiety and digestive health, additional B vitamins that are crucial to energy metabolism, and disease-fighting compounds such as lignans.

Instead of white bread or any baked products made with white flour, opt for whole-grain breads, pasta, rolls, crackers, and cereal.

Kale

If you want to add some green to your plate, kale might be one of the most nutritious options. Kale is a great source of vitamins A, B6, C and K, as well as iron and calcium.

Kale is also known by its strong anti-inflammatory properties, which can help runners to recover from low-grade inflammation resulting from exercise-induced muscle damage.

Sweet potatoes

Sweet-potatoes

A single sweet potato contains the always-important carbs and supplies more than 250 percent of the Daily Value for vitamin A, a powerful antioxidant. They’re also a good source of vitamin C, potassium, iron, manganese and copper.

And you don’t need to do much to make them taste good. Cooked in the oven or even in the microwave, they always make a great side for dinner.

Eggs

Eggs are nutritional powerhouses! With just one egg you’ll be able to satisfy about 10 percent of your daily protein needs and ingest all the crucial amino acids your muscles need to recover from intense workouts.

You’ll also get about 30 percent of the daily value for vitamin K, which is crucial for bone health.

Eggs can be eaten at any time of the day. Put your creativity to the test and try some healthy omelets and frittata recipes.

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5 Healthy Thanksgiving Eating Tips

Posted on November 26, 2014 by | Leave a comment

The holidays are a time to be merry with those we love, drink, eat and… gain a couple of extra pounds. Thanksgiving is no exception. In fact, according to a study in the New England Journal of Medicine, the average person gains one pound over the holidays and never loses it. No one wants that!

On the holiday season, stay on track with your healthy lifestyle while enjoying your Thanksgiving with these 5 eating tips:

1. Be prepared for Thanksgiving

Keeping yourself from eating on Thanksgiving is an unhealthy and non effective tactic. If you want to avoid overeating, instead of going into your Thanksgiving meal on an empty stomach, start your day with a well-balanced breakfast.

Eating a healthy breakfast jump-starts your metabolism, helps you get nutrients in before a great meal and keeps your hunger satiated, by preventing a sugar crash.

Opt for healthy and filling options, such as oatmeal with fruit, eggs and toast or yogurt. If you’re thinking on hitting the road on Thanksgiving, check out our pre-run suggestions.

2. A Healthy Feast

5 Healthy Thanksgiving Eating Tips

Your Thanksgiving meal doesn’t have to be unhealthy to taste good. Go through your favorite dishes’ recipes and replace all unhealthy ingredients with tasteful and healthy options.

Here are some of our suggestions:

  • Turkey is a great source of lean protein, but when eating it you’ll probably want to skip the skin.
  • Opt for olive oil instead of vegetable oil.
  • For a more nutritious option, consider mashing sweet potatoes – the orange variety – instead of regular potatoes.
  • When it comes to sauces, gravy is the better option. Canned sauces and cranberry sauce are very high in sugar content.
  • If you’d like to indulge in an alcoholic beverage, red wine is the best option since it is full of antioxidants.

3. Prioritize seasonal foods

On Thanksgiving, there is so much to try on the table that it is tempting to have a bit of everything. To enjoy all your favorite seasonal foods you have to prioritize the foods you love the most and don’t normally get the chance to eat.

Put on your plate the foods you want most first and if they didn’t satiate your hunger completely, go for more afterwards.

4. Drink an after meal tea

After dinner, put the kettle on and make yourself and your guests a cup of tea. This might not be the first after meal drink on your mind, but certain teas like ginger, peppermint, dandelion and green tea are great to aid in digestion.

Plus, this is a pleasant way of spending time with your friends and family, after the big Thanksgiving feast.

5. Work up that appetite

Even though this is not a true eating tip, it is probably the most important one.

If you go a little too far on Thanksgiving, do an extra workout later or the next day. And you don’t have to hit the gym to burn calories. Instead, go for a walk with friends and family, or play outside with the kids!

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