The Eat Clean Diet

When I decided to begin my journey it was as much about getting healthy as it was getting fit. A good deal of time early on was spent working out my nutrition plan.

One of the books I came across was Tosca Reno's Eat Clean Diet Cookbook. I rarely buy cookbooks any longer as it seems that you can find just about any recipe online. Sure enough, a quick Google search and I found several of Tosca's recipes available for preview.

I was so impressed with my "test meals" that I did indeed make the decision to purchase the Eat Clean Diet Cookbook and many of the recipes in that book are now part of my stable of healthy meals.

While I cannot share all recipes with my readers, below are a few that you could yourself find online. Test them out at your convenience and share your thoughts with me on how you like them.

BROWN RICE BREAKFAST BURRITOS
Who would think that rice could be part of your breakfast? In truth it is a wonderful addition to this version of burritos. Use any leftovers for lunch in your cooler.

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup diced celery
1/4 cup green bell peppers, diced
1/4 cup red bell peppers, diced
1/2 cup scallions, trimmed and chopped
1/2 cup peeled, shredded carrots
3 cups cooked brown rice
10 egg whites + 2 egg yolks
1/4 cup skim milk
Cooking spray
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
Warm tortillas
Salsa

METHOD
Coat large skillet with cooking spray. Over medium heat sauté vegetables for several minutes. Meanwhile in separate bowl whisk eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium low and pour eggs over vegetables. Add cooked rice and stir constantly until eggs set, about 3 minutes. Spoon into warm low-fat tortillas or eat as scrambled eggs. Top with salsa.

Vegetarian option:
Omit eggs and substitute one pound medium tofu, drained and mashed.

Tortilla options:
Many tortillas are quite fatty but there are brown rice options that are suitable for Clean-Eating purposes (and gluten-free diets, too!).

YIELD
Makes 2-3 servings

NUTRIENTS PER SERVING
Calories: 101
Fat: 12 g
Carbs: 8 g
Protein: 14 g
Cholesterol: 1 mg

ROASTED CHICKEN BREAST WITH RED POTATOES AND ASPARAGUS
Baked to perfection in a medley of fresh vegetables, garlic and spices, this clean-eating meal will have even the fussiest of families reaching for seconds.

INGREDIENTS

Cooking spray
3 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, chopped into 2 inch cubes
2 lb red potatoes, chopped into 2 inch cubes
1 1/2 cups chopped Roma tomatoes
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
3/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
Ground pepper to taste

METHOD:
Preheat oven to 400°F and spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Add chicken, potatoes, tomatoes, asparagus, basil, garlic and olive oil. Sprinkle with rosemary. Add pepper if desired. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, turning occasionally until tender. Serve.

YIELD:
Makes 8 servings

NUTRIENTS PER SERVING:
Calories: 426
Fat: 16g
Carbs: 30g
Protein: 40g
Fiber: 1g

ROAST STUFFED PORK TENDERLOIN
Pork tenderloin is a delicious and lean source of protein. Preparing it according to this recipe makes it a perfect special Sunday entrée. Add steamed veggies and baked sweet potatoes and you've got a meal. Don't like pork? Use boneless turkey breast instead.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup / 125 ml cooked broccoli
1/4 cup / 60 ml finely chopped parsley
1/2 cup / 125 ml breadcrumbs (use gluten-free bread if desired)
1/4 cup / 60 ml fine oat bran (uncontaminated)
1/3 cup / 80 ml chopped walnuts
1/3 cup / 80 ml finely chopped apricots
2 Tbsp / 30 ml water or low sodium chicken stock (gluten free if necessary)
2 pork tenderloins (or one large turkey breast)
1 Tbsp / 15 ml black peppercorns, coarsely chopped
1 tsp / 5 ml dried sage
1 tsp / 5 ml dried rosemary
1 tsp / 5 ml dried thyme
Sea salt

METHOD

In a medium bowl combine broccoli, bread crumbs, oat bran, walnuts, parsley, chopped apricots and 2 tablespoons / 30 ml water or low-sodium chicken stock. Mix well and set aside.

Place pork tenderloins (or turkey breast) on cutting board and butterfly them - cut them in half lengthwise almost all the way through but not quite. Using the blade of a large wide knife, such as a cleaver, flatten the pork tenderloins. Spoon the stuffing into each of the tenderloins or turkey if using.

Fold one side over the other and tie with kitchen twine, starting at the end of the tenderloin or turkey breast. Sprinkle with dried herbs, black peppercorns and sea salt. Place in shallow casserole dish. Bake in preheated 350°F / 177°C oven for 25 to 40 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads 160°F / 71°C. Remove meat from oven and cover with foil. Let stand for 5 minutes.

Serve pork or turkey with unsweetened applesauce. It is delicious!

YIELD
Makes 8 servings

NUTRIENTS PER SERVING
Calories: 229
Calories from Fat: 63
Protein: 26g
Carbs: 14 g
Dietary Fiber: 1g
Sugars: 1 g
Fat: 7 g
Sodium: 87mg

Stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Pace Yourself

Here's a really interesting training tidbit for those of you looking to improve your strength.

Tempo is a training parameter that is quite often neglected. A study published in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that using a metronome helps to maintain a steady lifting tempo and can help you reach your hypertrophy goals faster.

If building strength is your overall goal, be sure to not rush through your sets and make certain to keep your cadence uniform throughout the entire range of motion for maximum benefit.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Can Fat Fight Fat?

When I first started studying nutrition it took me a while to wrap my head around the concept of “healthy fats”. From the time I hit my 30s it seemed that ‘fat free’ foods (Nabisco’s Snackwell cookies, chips, et al) took over the shelves of my local supermarket.

Funny thing is the more fat-free foods I consumed, the heavier I became!!

These days I focus on staying away from any foods that are packaged in colorful cardboard boxes and actually make certain to include healthy fats as part of my daily calorie intake.

My focus? Plenty of Omega-3's which is found in fish and fish oil, plants such as flaxseed, walnuts and soybeans.

Interestingly, research suggests that over-weight and obese people tend to have lower level of Omega-3 fatty acids than their healthy size counterparts. These results are in line with other research that suggests that Omega-3 supplementation may play a role in weight loss and preventing weight gain.

How is it that Omega-3 fatty acids can help fight fat? Omega-3's may increase thermogenesis - the process by which the body generates heat. Research also suggests that Omega-3's boosted satiety in overweight and obese individuals resulting in them eating less.

Bottom line: A diet supplemented with Omega promotes losses of body fat with simultaneous gains in lean mass.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Ask The Trainer

One of the most common questions I get is in regards to what to eat as a post-workout meal.

The first 45 - 60 minutes following a strength training workout is a window of opportunity for maximizing potential muscle gains. It is during this time after a workout that gylcogen stores are depleted, and the enzymes that convert glucose into glycogen are in a state such that sugar (glucose) can be consumed and is rushed directly to the muscles to replace lost glycogen stores.

Here is a list of 5 post-workout meals that are quick to prepare and easy to digest:

1. A post-workout shake that has a blend of quality protein (whey, casein, soy or a combination of these proteins) and carbohydrates (e.g, a banana).

2. Low-fat yogurt with fresh berries (stay away from pre-packaged yogurt with fruit on the bottom!).

3. A sports drink that has a blend of protein and carbohydrates.

4. A can of tuna and whole-grain crackers or Ezekiel bread.

5. Nonfat chocolate milk.

If you have a favorite post-workout meal I would love to hear about it! Feel free to post comments on your meal of choice!!

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Fat Loss Workout For Women?

Craig Ballantyne, founder of Turbulence Training, developed this workout for a really well known fitness magazine. While Craig has deemed this a "woman's workout", I'm guessing that many men out there will find this petty challenging!

This particular workout is targeted to individuals at an intermediate/advanced fitness level, but there are a few tips for making the workout easier if you beginners want to give it a try!

Warm-Up

Make sure to start with a total body, bodyweight warm-up, featuring prisoner squats, easy pushups (again, this is Craig's workout. I'd like to see everyone doing full push-ups!), stability ball hip extensions, and planks.

Supersets

Don’t rest between supersets, but take 30-60 seconds before repeating each superset.

1A) DB Walking Lunge (8 reps/side)
1B) Stability Ball Ab Pike (10 reps)

2A) DB Chest Press (8 reps)
2B) 2-Leg Stability Ball Leg Curl (20 reps)

3A) DB Row (12 reps/side)
3B) X-Body Mountain Climber (12/side)

Interval Training (cardio)




To make that workout easier, use 1-leg hip extensions instead of walking lunges, planks instead of the ball pike, and side planks instead of X-body mountain climbers.

In total, this workout shouldn't take you more than 45 - 50 minutes.

Click here to get more Turbulence Training Workouts for only $9.95/each.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Pearl's Of Wisdom From Coach Sonnon

If you're lucky you find a qualified trainer who can teach you proper exercise technique. Over time you will not only transform your body, but realize many of the psychological and physiological benefits of exercise including improved cognitive function, reduced fatigue, an improved psyche and reduce levels of anxiety.

If you're really lucky, you will may come across the rare individual who can also teach you how to life your life to your best ability. In Coach Scott Sonnon I feel I have found both.

While I have followed Coach Sonnon for the past 5+ years, it has really been over the past several months, as I have continued to recover and learn to live with my vestibular disorder, that I have truly begun to appreciate the Coach's philosophy, which can be applied not only to fitness, but life itself.

In my journal I have jotted down some nuggets of information from Scott that I would love to now share with Catapult Fitness Readers.

Live. Learn. Grow.

Pearl of Wisdom 1: We can be shot with 2 arrows. 1 is PAIN: an evaporating hurt; 2 is SUFFERING: a lingering anguish. To live with honor, we must accept that we may be hit with the first arrow, but it is our choice to be shot with the second. Suffering is only our mind's story about pain, our self-pity. We are promised to face many pains in life, but suffering is a choice. Experience the pain and let it go. We need not suffer it.

Pearl of Wisdom 2: It takes bravery to confront Reality and take true baby steps. This I know and respect. And it takes a strong ego to defeat ego, so do not begrudge your will to push hard. It's a virtrue. Like most athletes with a strong ego, pushing hard must be defined in terms of how very hard it can be to take each baby step without skipping. With strong wills like yours it's harder to wear the yoke than feel the whip. And I respect you for this.

Note: These were Scott's words to me in confronting my condition as I attempted to re-engage in an exercise program. His words proved invaluable to me and enabled me to not simply recognize my limitations, but revel in my accomplishments.

Pearl of Wisdom 3: Finding the place where you want desperately to quit, and choosing to continue, is more than good training. We cannot compartmentalize perseverance. It ripples throughout our character.

Pearl of Wisdom 4: We've taken "Stopping and Smelling the Roses" to an illogical extreme; oscillating between mind-less work and over-indulgent leisure. Use daily training to reframe whatever you do as PRACTICE: a deepening development of yourself. Everything you do will become mysterious, illuminating and gratifying to you and everyone in your sphere of influence.

Pearl of Wisdom 5: The hardest lesson to teach the next generation? To live courageously. Why? Because it can only be done by example, which requires you to face your greatest fears, and make the difficult, righteous choice. When no one is looking. You shall not profit or be recognized for your deeds. I aspire to this.

I cannot really adequately express how Coach Sonnon has helped me in my recovery process. The best I can do is say that sometime we need to take ourselves out of our present and view life from a much broader perspective.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

How Sweet It Is

If you were around in the 1970s you likely heard of the grapefruit diet, a quick-fix, fad diet that had followers eating a grapefruit with each meal and consuming ridiculously low calories (~ 800/day).

Obviously, I do not promote fad diets but every now and again research rears it's head and finds something of value in what would seem to absurd.

In the case of the grapefruit diet, it's not the starvation tactics that are of value but rather a type of flavonoid found in grapefruit and other citrus fruit called naringenin.

A study published in the Journal Diabetes found that naringenin can prompt the liver to burn excess fat rather than store it - at least if you're a mouse.

The research was based on dividing healthy mice with normal body weight in to 4 groups.

One group was fed a normal, healthy diet. The second group received a high fat, high calorie diet. The third and fourth groups received a high fat, high calorie diet along with naringenin supplementation.

After 4-weeks the mice on the high fat, high calorie diet became obese in addition to insulin and glucose intolerant (markers linked to Metabolic Syndrome).

The two groups who received the naringenin supplementation did not gain weight like their high fat, high calorie counterparts. Nor did they develop markers linked to Metabolic Syndrome.

While it will obviously be interesting to see further research using humans as a control group, consider that a grapefruit a day may help keep the fat away. And if it doesn't, it's certainly a better snack than a bag of chips!

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

What Can We Learn From The Running Indians?

The Tarahumara Indians live high in the Sierra Madre Mountains of mainland Mexico, in the area known as Copper Canyon, as it is referred to in the U.S.

Unlike many indigenous people, the Tarahumara still live in relative isolation from Western society. They make their homes in caves, under cliffs and in small wood and stone cabins and are considered expert farmers and runners.

Yes, runners.

According to University of Arizona archeologist Michael Jenkinson, "The Tarahumara may be the finest natural distance runners in the world."

Matter-of-fact, the Tarahumara's running ability is legendary. They routinely run hundreds of miles on rocky terrain in home-made sandals on bare feet, yet suffer from none of the foot or hamstring problems that plague many runners in western culture.

Even more interesting, the seemingly super-human Tarahumara suffer no instances of heart disease, obesity or other degenerative diseases that plague Western civilization.

While conditioning and bio-mechanics may help to explain their running ability, how is it that the Tarahumara are able to avoid disease, and is there possibly a correlation between the Tarahumara's dietary practices and endurance performance?

To answer these questions we need to look at the Tarahumara diet itself.

According to the book The Running Indians, The Tarahumara's rely primarily on a plant-based diet that consists of complex carbohydrates (80%) and small amounts of protein and fat (10% each). The mainstay of their diet is corn, squash, beans and chili peppers, in addition to various wild plants found throughout Copper Canyon.

It is fairly well accepted in this day and age that plant-based diets rich in vegetables, whole grains, fruit and legumes decreases the risk of many chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity and even cancer.

There is probably less awareness that this same type of diet has special advantages for endurance athletes, and may well be the key behind the Tarahumara's ability to run ultra-marathon distances on a regular basis.

Important findings that support the relationship between endurance exercise and carbohydrate ingestion include:

"Ingestion of a high carbohydrate meal 3-4 hours prior to exercise ensures adequate carbohydrate availability and enhances exercise performance." (Costill DL, Hargreaves M, Carbohydrate nutrition and fatigue. Sports Med. 1992 Feb;13(2):86-92. Review. PMID: 1561511)

"Increased dietary carbohydrate intake in the days before competition increases muscle glycogen levels and enhances exercise performance in endurance events lasting 90 min or more." (Hargreaves M, Hawley JA, Jeukendrup A. Pre-exercise carbohydrate and fat ingestion: effects on metabolism and performance. J Sports Sci. 2004 Jan;22(1):31-8. Review. PMID: 14971431)

"As carbohydrate ingestion does not slow the rate of glycogen utilization in working muscle, it is also advisable for endurance athletes to start exercise with an adequate supply of muscle glycogen, irrespective of whether or not they ingest carbohydrate during exercise." (Dennis SC, Noakes TD, Hawley JA. Nutritional strategies to minimize fatigue during prolonged exercise: fluid, electrolyte and energy replacement. J Sports Sci. 1997 June;15(3):305-13. PMID: 9232556)

Food for thought for anyone training for their next marathon.

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

Excuses, Excuses

With beach season quickly approaching now is an excellent time to revisit your 2010 fitness goals.

While losing weight/exercising in consistently a top New Year resolution, unfortunately, within a few weeks of making these goals most folks go back to their old habits.

Why?

Well, what seem to be valid excuses can easily be dispelled so, before allowing yourself to fall off the wagon, arm yourself with these excuse-busting facts and make this summer the year you get in kick-butt shape!

Excuse #1: I don't have time.
You do not need to spend hours on end in the gym to get in to the best shape of your life. Matter-of-fact, you do not even need to belong to a gym.

While Craig has recently added 4-day/week workouts, most Turbulence Training strength training programs are 3x/week. Including cardio your weekly time commitment is around 2 hours and can easily be performed in the comfort of your home (with minimal equipment), so there is no additional time for commuting.

If you still feel that you don't have the time, consider this - people who exercise can add 3 years to their life.


Excuse #2: I am too tired.
Barring a medical condition, exercise actually will put some pep in your step!

Our bodies make energy by using oxygen to turn the calories we eat in to fuel that our bodies can use. The more efficient we are at using oxygen, the more fuel we can produce. The more fuel we have available, the more energy we have (and the more efficient we become at using that energy).

Cardiovascular exercise improves the body's ability to extract oxygen from your circulatory system and deliver it to the tissues that require it.

Even light to moderate exercise will provide you with more energy, so if you are currently fairly sedentary you will find that you will benefit greatly by taking a brisk walk once a day.

Excuse #3: It's boring.
I agree that if you do the same exercises week in and week out, it can get pretty ho-hum. You are also likely to stop seeing results, so the key is to mix it up. There is no need for exercise to be boring if you keep an open mind.

For me, this is another reason that I prefer to follow the Turbulence Training program. Craig provides at least one new workout each month (for 2010 he is promising 2 new workouts per month!). Workouts incorporate a myriad of protocols from bodyweight exercises to kettlebell workouts to medicine ball exercises.

I supplement this with a weekly spinning class and I am looking to add either martial arts or boxing to my regime.

So, let's recap. More energy, a longer life and a leaner, stronger you. Sounds like pretty compelling reasons to start working out. Oh, and let's not forget that beach season is around the corner!

So, what's your excuse?

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan

But The Box Says Zero Trans Fat

If you think that just because the label on the box says "zero" trans fat that you're safe from this demon of all fats, think again!

For those not quite sure how trans fat differs from other types of fat, let's start with a quick primer.

Trans fats are vegetable fats that have been chemically altered by a process called hydrogenation.

The process of hydrogenation involves adding hydrogen to liquid unsaturated fats to provide greater stability. This stability means a longer shelf life for products containing trans fat due to the fact that the hydrogenation process makes the liquid fats solid at room temperature.

While this is obviously good news for the food manufacturers, it is bad for the consumer. While our digestive system views hydrogenated fat as food, the bloodstream cannot use it. The hydrogenated fat remains in the blood stream for an extended period of time and leads to the subsequent formation of plaque which, in turn, leads to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

The evils of trans fat have been well documented and in January 2006 it became mandatory for food manufacturer's to list how much trans fat is in their products. Today it is commonplace to see the phrase “0 Grams Trans Fat” splattered across food packaging.

However, 2 1/2 years later, what many people don’t know is that while the nutrition label may say “0 Grams Trans Fat”, the product may still actually contain trans fat.

When the Food and Drug Administration passed this regulation there was a loophole created whereas any food that contains less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving can say it contains "0 grams of trans fat". This enables some foods to appear much healthier than they really are.

Before you grab that box of crackers that you think may be good for you, check the ingredients listing and make certain that neither partially hydrogenated vegetable oil or vegetable shortening are listed.

If they are, you know that product contains trans fat and you can now make an educated decision – do you really want to put that into your body?

Train hard; stay strong.

Peace.

Susan