The Local 6 Get Fit Club Blog

Can Diet Fight Disease?
By Sharon Bartfield, MS, RD, LD/N

These days many of us are worried about boosting our immune system to ward off cold and flu viruses. While there is no one nutrient that can magically prevent illness, the quality of your diet can certainly have an impact on your body’s ability to keep its immune system in peak condition.

While a balanced diet is your best bet, there are certain vitamins in fruits and vegetables that promote immune function. For example, vitamins A and C are great immune boosters found in high quantities in fruits and vegetables. The rich variety of colors you see in the produce department is your first clue that there are loads of not only vitamins and minerals, but nonnutrient compounds that fight disease called phytochemicals.

While often challenging, it would be ideal to try to consume 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables per day with a variety of colors. That may seem like achieving the impossible, but it really isn’t when you consider the serving sizes. One typical serving of cooked vegetables is ½ cup. One cup of leafy raw vegetables is considered a serving. It is very possible to consume multiple servings at one meal.

Another nutrient to consider is lean protein such as soy, poultry, eggs, seafood, and beans. The building blocks of protein called amino acids are also building blocks for cells that boost your immune system. The way to calculate your estimated protein needs for maintaining your immune system is to take your body weight in pounds and divide that by 2.2. This gives you your weight in kilograms. Take your kilogram body weight and multiply it by .8 to 1 gram of protein. For example, a 150 man is about 68 kilograms, so his protein intake should not go below about 55-68 grams of protein per day.

Some other considerations are: to consume 1 cup of green tea per day; consider taking an age appropriate multivitamin; and consume some friendly bacteria. By friendly bacteria I mean probiotics such as yogurt that says it has “live active cultures”. These helpful bacteria may help your gastrointestinal tract resist bad bacteria and boost immune cells. Don’t forget to keep exercising. Those who exercise on a regular basis have been shown to have a boost in their immune function. Good luck on your venture to eat and exercise your way to better health!

Check out the following link to a nutrition fact sheet by the American Dietetic Association on how to eat to support the immune system and fight disease. http://www.eatright.org/ada/files/Eat_Your_Way_to_Better_Health.pdf

How to Fuel Your Workouts
By Sharon Bartfield, MS, RD, LD/N

To eat or not to eat…that is the question. Did you know that carbohydrates are the main fuel your body needs in order to sustain a workout? We get most of our carbohydrates mainly from fruits, dairy products, and grains (bread, cereal, rice, pasta, etc.). This fuel is converted to carbohydrate in our blood called glucose (blood sugar). We also have some stored carbohydrate in our liver and muscles called glycogen. These are fuel sources we rely on in order to have endurance. We cannot store an unlimited supply of glycogen, so you need to “top off” your reserves. Below are some fuel suggestions for both before and after your workout.

Eating before exercise:
1. Fuels your muscles
2. Helps prevent low blood sugar (symptoms include dizziness, nausea, and headaches)
3. Affects energy levels during your workout

If you exercise in the morning without any breakfast you will be working out on fumes rather than fuel. It is like choosing not to put gas in your car before driving to work. There is no one choice for every individual, so you may have to experiment with what works best for you. If you are exercising later in the day, and it has been several hours since your last meal, then make sure you consider one of the snack suggestions listed at the end of the article.

Eating after exercise:
It is best to refuel your muscles 15-60 minutes after a workout. Carbohydrates and protein are an important combination to replenish energy that was depleted in your muscles, repair the muscle to prepare it for the next workout, and to decrease soreness. A good rule of thumb to follow is about 75% carbohydrate and 25% protein. If you are having a meal after a workout, then it is not necessary to consume a snack as well.

General suggestions
1. Eat a balanced diet every day. Remember food is your fuel! Maintaining healthy nutrition is very important for exercise because your muscles rely on the foods you eat daily, not just the food you consume prior to a workout. If you choose foods such as fruits and vegetables, whole grain breads, and lean proteins such as chicken, fish, tofu, etc. you will noticed a big difference in how you feel.
Food that are fried, and high in saturated fat and/or sugar will not give you maximum exercise benefits.
2. Allow enough time to digest. Give yourself 3-4 hours for a big meal (400-500 calories), 2-3 hours (200-400 calories) for a smaller meal, and 1 hour or less for a small snack (100-200 calories).
3. Avoid high fat proteins such as red meat, and full fat cheeses prior to a workout since these take longer to digest and can contribute to fatigue. Carbohydrates are the most important fuel for a workout since they provide the energy for your muscles to perform at their best.
4. Drink 16-20 ounces of water 1 -2 hours prior to your workout. This will make your workout easier and more effective. Don’t forget to hydrate during and after your workout as well.

Ideas for pre-workout and post-workout small meals/snacks:
You may choose one food from each category. The quantities will vary depending on your calorie requirements, but here are some suggestions.

Listed below are some examples of how you might combine a food from each box above:

Cereal/oatmeal and skim milk
Yogurt smoothie (1 cup vanilla yogurt, 1 small banana, ½ cup frozen berries)
Graham crackers and skim milk
Lowfat yogurt and a piece of fruit
Lowfat chocolate milk
String cheese and banana
Low fat cottage cheese and ½ English muffin
1 slice low fat cheese and 6 wheat crackers
½ peanut butter and jelly sandwich on whole wheat bread
2 fig bars and 8 oz. skim milk
1 apple with 1 tablespoon peanut butter

Food for Thought…
By Sharon Bartfield, MS, RD, LD/N

Have you ever wondered what the secret is to reverse aging? Efforts to combat aging date as far back as 3500 B.C. Even Alexander the Great and Ponce de Leon were in search of the Fountain of Youth. Since then, there have been numerous attempts to lure consumers towards various “antiaging” products including dietary supplements. Scientists are still working on ways to combat the effects of aging, but for now we need to take a step back and look at regions of the world where people are dying of old age, not disease.

While there is no magic fountain, there are regions of the word called Blue Zones. In these Blue Zones, there is the highest percentage of centenarians, people who live past the age of 100 years.

The Blue Zones that have been discovered thus far are Sardinia, Italy; Okinawa, Japan; Loma Linda, California; Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica; and Ikaria, Greece. Not only are these populations living longer, but they have 1/5 the rate of cancer and heart disease as most Americans. There are numerous factors that contribute to their longevity such as the importance of family, not smoking, moderate physical activity as part of their everyday life, social activity, and last but not least…diet.

Their diets consist of high fruit and vegetable intake, consumption of more healthful fats such as fish oils, olive oil, nuts, and seeds. They consume less saturated fat by consuming less animal protein and more plant proteins such as soy and legumes. They also consume smaller portions at meals, more whole grains, and less processed foods. Overall, their diets are higher in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants which fight disease.
Some say that 25% of how we live is determined by our genes and 75% is dictated by our lifestyle.

So the next time you try to reach for the “quick fix” anti-aging gimmick, consider what really works, as proven by people in Loma Linda, California or other regions of the world. It has been right in front of us all along!

Check out the website called EatBetterAmerica.com for their “healthified” versions of some of your favorite recipes. They have some great vegetarian recipes too!

Follow along with Episode 6 by learning what the Get Fit Clubbers had to go through to get points for their first challenge. Look for Episode 6 to be uploaded to the Local 6 Get Fit Club page on Monday 10/19/09 Get Fit Club Episode 6

___________________________________________________________________________________________

CLUE #1: THE YMCA OF CENTRAL FLORIDA HAS A VERY SPECIFIC MISSION STATEMENT. YOU NEED TO FIND IT DISPLAYED IN THE FACILITY, READ IT AND RECITE IT BY MEMORY.

ANSWER #1
TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF ALL IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, BY CONNECTING INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES WITH OPPORTUNITIES BASED ON CHRISTIAN VALUES THAT STRENGTHEN SPRIT, MIND AND BODY.

TASK #1
FITNESS CHALLENGE – 20 REPS OF ANY UPPER BODY STRENGTH MACHINE OR FREE WEIGHT EXERCISE.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

CLUE #2: THE YMCA OF CENTRAL FLORIDA HAS 5 CHARACTERS CORE VALUES THAT SERVE AS GUIDELINES FOR BOTH OUR STAFF AND MEMBERS. FIND THEM DISSPLAYED AND RECITE THEM

ANSWER #2
FAITH, HONESTY, CARING, RESPECT & RESPONSIBILITY

TASK #2
FITNESS CHALLENGE – WALK / JOG ON A TREADMILL FOR .25 MILE AS QUICKLY AND SAFELY AS YOU CAN.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

CLUE #3: THE YMCA OF CENTRAL FLORIDA HAS PROGRAMS SUCH AS PARENT-CHILD LESSONS AND SAFE START. GO TO WHERE THESE PROGRAMES TAKE PLACE. WHAT COMPANY DONATED SO THAT THE WAYNE DENSCH YMCA COULD OFFER THESE PROGRAMS?

ANSWER #3
DARDEN RESTAURANTS

TASK #3
FITNESS CHALLENGE – 20 SQUATS IN PROPER FORM.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

CLUE #4: THE YMCA OF CENTRAL FLORIDA ENSURES THAT NO ONE IS TURNED AWAY FOR THEIR INABILTY TO PAY FOR A PROGRAM OR MEMBERSHIP FEE. WHAT IS THE NAME OF THIS PROGRAM AND LOCATE THE WALL WHERE DONORS ARE RECOGNIZED.

ANSWER #4
SCHOLARSHIP

TASK #4
FITNESS CHALLENGE – FIND AN ELLIPTICAL AND STRIDE FOR 5 MINUTES AT YOUR OWN PACE.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

CLUE #5: THE YMCA OF CENTRAL FLORIDA HAS UNIFORM GROUP EXERCISE SCHEDULES POSTED IN EACH OF ITS 27 FACILITES. WHAT KIND OF CLASS IS A “YELLOW” CLASS?

ANSWER #5
CARDIO

TASK #5
FITNESS CHALLENGE- 20 STANDARD OR MODIFIED PUSH UPS IN GOOD FORM.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

CLUE #6: WHO WAS WAYNE DENSCH? FIND THE PLAQUE THAT DEDICATES THE BUILDING AND READ IT.

TASK #6
FITNESS CHALLENGE- JOG OR WALK IN PLACE FOR 1 MINUTE

___________________________________________________________________________________________

CLUE #7: CHILDREN AT THE WAYNE DENSCH YMCA LEARN MOTOR SKILLS TO ENHANCE THEIR PARTICIPATION IN SUCH SPORTS AS BASKETBALL, SOCCER, T-BALL AND FLAG FOOTBALL. WHAT IS THE NAME OF THIS SPECIFIC PROGRAM?

ANSWER #7
SMART START ACADEMY

TASK #7
FITNESS CHALLENGE – DRIBBLE A BASKETBALL AROUND THE PERIMETER OF THE COURT.

___________________________________________________________________________________________