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Lead Stories: Friday, July 25, 2008

Tips for Healthy Eating on Thanksgiving

Posted November 21st, 2007 at 4:36 PM by Megan Hueter

Section: Nutrition, Healthy Eating

Do you know that the average Thanksgiving dinner has over 2000 calories?

If you’re not careful, Thanksgiving could be the beginning of a downhill roller coaster of weight gain from Thanksgiving all the way through the Christmas season. If you’re trying to watch your weight gain this Thursday . . .

Read the rest of this entry at our partner site: HesFit.com

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ASK LARA: Are Lean Cuisines a Healthy Choice?

Posted August 25th, 2007 at 5:22 PM by Lara Johnson

Section: Nutrition, Healthy Eating, Columns, Ask Lara

Need advice? Injured? Confused? Overwhelmed? Bored? ASK LARA!
ASK LARA is a free advice column to help you with all of your running, fitness and nutrition inquiries. To ASK LARA — simply fill out the form at the conclusion of the column.

Q. Are Lean Cuisines a healthy source of nutrients for daily meals? Sometimes 2 or more?
~Lean and Mean from Connecticut

A. It depends on what you are using as a means for comparison. In my opinion, it is always best to go with fresh foods (vegetables, grains, fruits, and protein sources), and to steer clear of ready-made products. From this standpoint, frozen entrees are not the healthiest choice due to the preservatives found in such products. However, if your alternatives are fried foods and twinkies, Lean Cuisines are a much better choice. In any case, in the world of frozen foods, it’s best to know what to watch out for.
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Book Review: “Sports Nutrition for Endurance Athletes” by Monique Ryan

Posted July 19th, 2007 at 12:06 PM by Katie Drummond

Section: Motivation, Books, Nutrition, Healthy Eating, Hydration, Race Prep & Recov, Special Features, TFS Reviews

While the most elite competitive athletes have the luxury of a team of coaches, advisors, and dieticians to consult with on a regular basis, the average endurance athlete preparing for an event isn’t so lucky. That’s where Monique Ryan comes in. A nutrition expert who has worked with professionals for over 20 years, Ryan has recently released an updated version of her book, Sports Nutrition for Endurance Athletes. The lengthy volume is a thorough, well-researched, and invaluable resource, with specific advice for athletes with a range of dietary needs according to their sport and level of training.

Ryan has divided the book into three segments. Part I has a broader focus, with an outline of general dietary needs, regardless of sport or the intensity of your training regimen. Ryan clearly outlines different macro and micro nutrients necessary for daily living, along with their roles in wellness and the best ways to incorporate them into one’s diet. But the guide doesn’t stop at food – hydration is a key element to prime health and elite performance, and Ryan offers substantive information on the intricacies of maintaining adequate hydration, from the ins and outs of caffeine to the problems associated with alcohol consumption. This section of the book is bolstered by a number of quick and easy-to-read charts and diagrams outlining nutrients, sources, and recommended intake levels, making the science of nutrition easier to digest.

Read the rest of this review at our partner site: HerActiveLife.com

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TFS Book Review: “The Pump Energy Food” Cookbook

Posted May 28th, 2007 at 5:59 PM by Katie Drummond

Section: Motivation, Books, Nutrition, Healthy Eating, Vegetarianism, Special Features, TFS Reviews

With obesity in America at epidemic proportions, we need fewer restaurants boasting oversized meals heavy on deep fried foods, and more people like Steve and Elena Kapelonis, the owners of The Pump Energy Food restaurants in New York City.

The Pump promotes active and nutritious lifestyles by offering a delicious, healthful menu without using or including any butter, egg yolks, bacon, white bread, mayo, or fried foods. While those lucky enough to live in New York can get their fill of healthy fuel at one of Pump’s five locations, athletes looking for recipes that promote fitness and energy will find their culinary match with “The Pump Energy Food: A Revolutionary Cookbook and Eating Plan to Create the Body of Your Dreams“.

More than just recipes, the book is filled with advice for those who want to lose weight, build muscle, and/or increase energy…
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Book Review: “Thrive” by Ironman Triathlete (and vegan) Brendan Brazier

Posted May 22nd, 2007 at 9:50 AM by Katie Drummond

Section: Motivation, Books, Nutrition, Healthy Eating, Vegetarianism, Special Features, TFS Reviews

Ironman triathlon champion, overall elite athlete … and vegan? Anyone who still thinks a vegan lifestyle can’t support intense athletic training hasn’t met Brendan Brazier. A professional athlete who consistently places at the top in international Ironman triathlon events, Brazier is a formidable example of the potential for a plant-based diet to yield impressive athletic results.

In his bestselling book, “Thrive: A guide to optimal health & performance through plant-based whole foods”, Brazier goes beyond merely guiding readers through the world of vegan nutrition, and instead offers an entirely new way of seeing food: as the fuel necessary not only for sports, but for overall wellness.

Brazier argues that stress – whether physical or emotional – has a powerful connection to eating, exercise, and attitude. According to him, stress can be beneficial; the right balance of exercise can strengthen the body, clear the mind, and promote natural healing. However, Brazier rightfully points out that the North American lifestyle is a magnet for negative stress: from our unhealthy eating to our sedentary exercise habits, Brazier offers studies that support what so many already know – Americans are overworked and unhealthy, and our bodies and minds are suffering as a result.
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Lean Dreams: Eating Disorders on NCAA Teams

Posted May 15th, 2007 at 9:43 AM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Nutrition, Healthy Eating, SoundOFF, Columns, Health & Fitness, Injury & Rehab, Exercise, Weight Loss

We see her running at cross-country and track meets every season; we watch her as she propels her thin arms and legs, conspicuous ribs, hollow cheeks and eyes, bulging veins and concave stomach forward. The visible markers on her body shout that something is not right, as her drive for perfection pushes her towards a dangerous dance with death.

The prominence of professional sports in America places athletes on the highest pedestal of celebrity, praise and respect. This cultural phenomenon gets replicated in college athletics in the form of big time Division I athletic programs. Often times, these programs incite the same excitement and feverish fandom as professional sports do - sometimes even more so because of the appeal of an athlete’s amateur status to the American imagination, and the almost cultish following of the universities that these athletes represent. Without question, the enormous pressure to excel and win in NCAA Division I programs creates serious issues concerning the physical well being of its athletes.
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Podcast 46: Interview with Kashi’s Jeff Johnson

Posted May 3rd, 2007 at 5:37 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: Nutrition, Healthy Eating, Special Features, Interviews, Podcasts

Episode 46 of The Final Sprint Podcast features my interview with Jeff Johnson; Senior Brand Manager and Nutritionist for Kashi.

Jeff, an avid athlete in his own right, speaks about Kashi’s line of health and energy-packed nutritional items, new products on the horizon, and their role in encouraging people to “make a change”.

In the interview Jeff also talks about his personal mission and Kashi’s commitment to offer
natural foods that make people feel better, healthier, stronger and happier.

Download the podcast to hear about how Kashi’s cereals, crackers, energy bars, and frozen entrees can compliment your current training and nutritional regimen and much more!

Listen In
[PLAY] (To Download: Right click and select “save as”)

[RSS] Add The Final Sprint Podcast RSS feed to your RSS reader to have the show delivered to you

Host: Adam Jacobs
Guest: Jeff Johnson
Producer: Greg Cherniet
Music: Ryan Ahlwardt & Darnell Perkins
File size: 17.3 MB
Length: 00:25:19

Check out every episode of TFS’s Podcast in iTunes!

Interested in featuring The Final Sprint Podcast on your site, blog or My Space page? Click here to learn how!

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Indulge in chocolate for your sweet tooth and your health

Posted January 20th, 2007 at 9:30 AM by Valerie Cerami

Section: Nutrition, Healthy Eating

Hersheys, Godiva, Lindt – dark, milk, white…

Guilt free, hedonistic (yet healthy) pleasure - dig into your holiday goodie stash (while it lasts).

Improve your mood, heart health, brain functioning – and even your skin!

Chocolate. Chocolate. Chocolate. The aroma, taste, texture and tantalizing effects (and affects) are truly addictive – and verifiably good for you, as well.

Discover chocolate in all its glory - indulge in all of its forms – hot, bars, cake or baths! For cocoa enthusiasts and the like - read on …

When it comes to cravings – good news – it isn’t just your imagination – or lack of willpower … In fact, it’s a documented fact that: Chocolate is the No. 1 most craved food, and women are the ones most likely to crave it. There, we know it’s true – but the reasons why we crave chocolate are complex and far reaching (but maybe these cravings aren’t such a bad thing after all!).
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Are soybean products
healthful or harmful?

Posted January 13th, 2007 at 8:00 AM by Martin Kennedy

Section: Nutrition, Healthy Eating, Health & Fitness

All plants contain chemicals that are healthful and chemicals that can harm us. Fortunately for us, our ancestors learned which plants are edible and healthful, and taught us to avoid those that are poisonous. However, if you eat very large amounts of one food, you can poison yourself, even though reasonable amounts are harmless or beneficial.
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Rookie running guidelines for long-term fitness

Posted January 9th, 2007 at 2:30 PM by Christopher Jack

Section: Running & Training, Nutrition, Healthy Eating, Health & Fitness, Exercise

The passing of another year means it’s that time again; time to look to the future and resolve to create that better you. For many, personal health and fitness become the centerpiece of their New Year’s Resolution.

Running can be an ideal and long-term means to those ends as long as you follow these simple guidelines:

Set a goal. The downfall of many beginners is setting a goal that is too high considering their running experience and fitness level. Starting small and building up can protect a new runner from injury and the frustration that may accompany failure.
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