Dustin's Tips on Nutrition

[Diane Vives, Fit4Austin]

Run Group, 

Coach D and I are extremely proud of you all!  The effort, dedication, and progress has not gone unnoticed and it is a privilege working with and learning from each and every one of you.  Keep up the good work!  

Starting this week there will be a weekly letter sent to the google group about the other aspect of training.  This particular part of training is often neglected but is one of the most important.  I am talking about the nutritional side of training.  Whether your goal is to maintain, lose or gain lean muscle, nutrition is often the key factor.  The letter will consist of basic education, guidelines, weekly goals, recipes, and fun facts.  These weekly letters are meant to be a tool for not only maximizing our potential during the workouts, but also life in general.  

Education:

There are three basic classes of nutrients often called macronutrients.  

 

Nutrient Function in the Body 

Carbohydrates:   Quick energy source, muscle glycogen stores, maintain blood sugar levels 

                  Fat:    Energy, hormones, cell structure, absorption of certain vitamins (A, D, E, K)

           Protein:   Muscles, enzymes, blood cells, hair, bones, nails, and immunity 

*Read nutrition labels!

Guidelines: 

When choosing foods remember these three principles:

Energy Density (caloric density): is the number of calories in a food per serving.

Nutrient Density: is the nutritional value per serving (vitamins, minerals, fiber, macronutrients)

Satiety: how full a food or meal makes you feel and how that affects how much you eat.  

Weekly Goal:

Focus on what Tom Venuto calls the High – Low Principle.  Choose foods this week that contain the highest nutrient density, the highest satiety value, and the lowest calorie density.  Your goal this week is to eat three healthy meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) at least four days this week.  If you feel the need for snacks in between then go ahead and grab your favorite fruit.  

Fun Fact:

Eating lean protein increases your metabolism due to the thermic effect of food, which is how much energy you burn to digest the food.  Protein has a thermic effect of 30 percent!  This means that if you eat a lean protein food that has 100 calories, 30 of those calories are used to digest and process the food, leaving only 70 calories of net energy available (Venuto, 2009).  

Examples of Lean Protein:  Eggs, lean cuts of meat (sirloin, tenderloins), poultry, and fish.  

Quick, Easy, and Tasty Recipe:

Baked Dijon Chicken:  2 servings

Two 4-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast

1 tablespoon light mayonnaise

1 tablespoon country Dijon mustard

1 pinch freshly ground black pepper

1 pinch ground paprika

2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley

Salt to taste

Trim all visible fat from the chicken

Pound chicken, between two pieces of waxed paper, with a mallet, until ½ inch thick.

In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, mustard, pepper, and paprika.

Place the chicken in a microwave – safe baking dish.  Coat one side of the chicken with the mayonnaise mixture and microwave on high for 3 minutes.  

Turn the chicken over and coat the other side.  Cook for an additional 3 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink.  

Sprinkle with chopped parsley and salt to taste.  

Have a great week and see you all Tuesday!