Sports Drinks - When do I REALLY Need to Refuel?

If you watch TV, you have probably seen the ads for the suped-up water or that famous Florida swamp drink, featuring uber-healthy and attractive athletes zipping around the track, the football field and even the ski slopes. And... have you thought to yourself, "Wow! I wonder what type of athlete I could be if I was properly fueled?" Thankfully, as I was renewing my Personal Trainer certification recently, I had the opportunity to take a course in Sports Performance and got the answer to this very question.

First of all, fueling your body the right way is REALLY important! That doesn't necessarily mean that you should be intaking sports and performance drinks on a daily basis to do that. It means eating the proper nutrients to make sure your body can convert those and your fat stores (not your muscle! see this post on maintaining a high metabolism for more information on that) for energy. It also means eating enough (yes - I want you to eat calories!!) to fuel your body through your daily functions and through your workouts, practices and games. That's for another day, but make sure you are eating right (lean proteins, whole grains, veggies and fruits and good fats) before you even think about adding a supplemental sports drink.

Here are some simple hydration rules for liquid fuel before and during workouts:

ALWAYS drink 17-20 oz of water 2 to 3 hours prior to exercise. This is an incredibly important step in preventing dehydration and allowing for optimum performance throughout your workout.

If your workout lasts less than 60 minutes, generally, you need to hydrate with ONLY water. H20 is enough unless you are sweating profusely or you are working out in the Mohave desert or somewhere with super high temperatures.

If your workout is 60 to 90 minutes, you will need to hydrate with water and electrolytes. This is not the same as many sports drinks. To accomplish this, consider one of the enhanced waters, such as smartwater by Glaceau.

When your workout is more than 90 minutes (think 1/2 marathon, marathon, etc.), you will want to refuel with water, electrolytes and a carbohydrate source. This is when you would need the sports drink!

Of course, we are not fans of the sugary, syrup-like sports drinks to refuel that 90+ minute workout. Since the sugar is not making a large impact on your performance, try making your own sports drink and use natural fruit to sweeten and tweak the taste. Experiment with all types of your favorite fruits for a yummy, clean and healthy sports drink, starting with this base:

• 12oz of Water
• 3 tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
• Pinch of Finely Ground Sea Salt
• Add in your flavoring (smashed fruit, etc...)

What is your favorite flavoring to the do-it-yourself sports drink?

Clean Eat Education: Chia Seeds - Big Benefits from a Little Seed!

Do you know what a chia seed is? If you have heard it before, you are probably familiar with Joseph Enterprises' Chia Pet.. Ch..Ch..Cha..Chia! Did you know you can eat chia seeds and they are fabulous for your health?

Clean Eat Education: Chia Seeds - Big Benefits from a Little Seed!

What are chia seeds?

• Chia is actually a flowering plant, grown commercially, which is in the mint family. (Imagine that!) It is native to Mexico and Guatamala. 

What are the health benefits to consuming chia seeds? Chia seeds are wonderful for you! See below...

• Great source of Omega-3. Infact, chia seeds are the richest plant source of Omega-3, which protects against inflammation and heart disease. Studies have found that chia seeds contain more Omega-3 than similar servings of salmon!
• Assist in controlling blood sugar. Important for diabetics and dieters, blood sugar regulation can be tricky. Since chia seeds slow the conversion of carbs into simple sugars, they help to regulate blood sugar levels in the body.
• Help promote weight loss. Chia seeds help promote weight loss by blocking the body's absorption of some (not all - we wish!) of the calories ingested when you eat.
• Keep you feeling fuller, longer. What weight loss pill or new diet craze hasn't cited feeling fuller longer as a benefit? Why spend extra money on pills that you have no idea what the content of them are when you can eat something natural and scientifically tested? Chia seeds absorb approximately 8-10x their weight in water, turning to a gelatinous texture. This takes your body a little longer to digest and keeps your metabolism in that fat burning zone.
• Helps stave off dehydration. As mentioned earlier, chia seeds can absorb 8-10x their weight in water. When the gelatinous gel is consumed, the body breaks down the chia seed gel and uses the water in the gel for important body functions.
• Increases Energy Levels. As a good source of plant protein, with just at 4g per one ounce serving, chia seeds help maintain proper metabolism levels through the breakdown of protein, leaving you less tired.
• High in Antioxidants. Looking for the next beauty remedy to keep your skin looking flawless. Keep eating your blueberries, but add in those chia seeds! Chia seeds are so high in antioxidants that no chemicals or preservatives are needed to maintain their freshness for 2 years at room temperature! Hello younger looking skin and a more youthful you! Talk about a power food!
• Lowers Blood Pressure. With the high fiber content (11g of it's 12g of carbs in just a one ounce serving) in chia seeds, adding a daily serving of chia seeds can help to reduce blood pressure.
• Helps Prevent Digestion Diseases such as Diverticulitis. Again, the fiber content in 1g of chia seeds is a huge benefit. As you digest the chia seeds, their movement and absorption throughout your body helps to keep your colon hydrated, thus helping to prevent certain digestion diseases.

How can I eat chia seeds?

• It doesn't matter how you prepare the chia seeds, you will reap their benefits. Chia seeds can be eaten raw and in their natural form, gelled with water or juice (just be careful of the sugar content), added to baked goods including breads, muffins, cereals, added to puddings, shakes, protein powders, or just sprinkled on your favorite salad or meal. They are relatively tasteless, although they may have a faint nutty taste.

What is a suggested serving?

• 1 to 1.5 oz daily

What is the nutritional content of 1.5g of Chia Seeds?

• 205.5 calories, 108 calories from fat
• 13.5g fat, 1.5g saturated fat
• 0g cholesterol
• 7.5mg sodium
• 18g carbohydrates, 16.5g fiber, 0 sugars
• 6g protein
• Vitamin A - 0%, Vitamin C - 0%, Calcium - 27% (Wow!), Iron - 0%

Where can I buy Chia Seeds?

You can buy chia seeds at most health food retailers. Additionally, if you plan to have them on a daily basis, you can take advantage of Amazon's auto-ship feature on chia seeds. Below are a few varieties and price points to choose from.

• The Raw Food World Natural Health, 5lb Bag
• Spectrum Chia Seed Omega-3 and Fiber, 12oz
• Now Foods White Chia Seeds, 1 lb

Go Forth and Go for the Chia!

Informational Sources:

• Chia Seeds - http://www.nutsonline.com/cookingbaking/chia-seeds/premium.html
• Top 10 Benefits of Eating Chia Seeds - http://www.mychiaseeds.com/Articles/Top10ChiaBenefits.html
• Salvia Hispanica, Chia Seeds - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvia_hispanica

Clean Eat Education: Your Metabolism - What Exactly is it?

Does this sound like you? You have heard the word metabolism before and you know that in order for you to feel your best, look your best and function at your optimal performance level (even if that's sitting at a desk answering telephones), your metabolism should be up and steady. However, you are not exactly sure what all this talk about your metabolism really is!  What exactly does it mean and what does it do?

Let's throw out the definition of metabolism for you:

Dictionary.com defines metabolism as: the sum of the physical and chemical processes in an organism by which its material substance is produced, maintained and destroyed, and by which energy is made.

Merriam-Webster defines metabolism as: the chemical changes in living cells by which energy is provided for vital processes and activities and new material is assimilated.

Easy to understand? Not quite... let's break this down.

Simply put, metabolism is the body's process by which it converts your food, fat and yes, your muscle (scary, huh?) to energy. This energy fuels your normal body processes and functions, gives you the opportunity to digest and even chew your food, fuels you while you work out and play and helps your brain to process simple and complex tasks.  If your body is involved, your metabolism is involved!

So wait a minute... you just said that your body can burn your muscle for energy?  That's not a good thing, right?

Nope.  Not a good thing at all! You want to fuel your body and give it what it needs to perform its best and LOOK its best! Naturally, if you are not feeding your body every 2.5-3 hours, it starts to believe that it will not receive any additional food, thus beginning the stages of fasting fat storage. Your body holds on to the resources it has already - fat - in order to "stock" up for later since you aren't giving it more food. It begins to convert your muscle into energy instead of fat. Your hard work in the gym... gone! GOOD NEWS! You can fix this... keep feeding your body every 2.5-3 hours and not only will your body use the food you just put into it for energy, but it will break down some of your fat stores for extra energy rather than stealing from your muscle. Make sure you check out the calorie calculators to determine how many calories you should have each day and plan those meals accordingly.

Here is a graphic below:

Which one do you want? Boost that metabolism by eating 5-6 meals per day and stay above that line! 

See this post for information on foods that you can eat for extra energy boosts!  Remember though, unless you start eating more times per day, you will continue to rob yourself of energy and muscle! 

Stay lean and toned! Keep that muscle!