Posts Tagged ‘carbohydrates’
Monday, April 11th, 2011
I get this question a lot: “Which are better: Chia seeds or flax seeds?” While both seeds fall in the super food category, which one is the top power house of nutrients? I’ll let you decide.
Nutritional Facts (per 2 tbsp):
|
|
Chia Seeds
|
Flax Seeds
|
|
Calories:
|
122
|
80
|
|
Protein:
|
4g
|
3g
|
|
Omega 3 fatty acids:
|
6g
|
2.7g
|
|
Fiber:
|
6.9g
|
4g
|
Chia Seeds compared to other functional super foods:
Chia seeds have:
- 3 times more iron than spinach
- 15 times more magnesium than broccoli
- 8 times more omega 3 than pink salmon
- 3 times more antioxidants than blueberries (main antioxidants being: chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, & flavanol glycosides)
Other nutrient comparisons:
Chia seeds have:
- 6 times more calcium than milk
- 9 times more phosphorus than milk
- 19 amino acids and are high in tryptophan (the amino acid that assists in making serotonin our “feel good” hormone)
Usage and Storage:
- With Chia seeds, you can absorb the nutrients when the seeds are whole or ground. Flax seeds have to be ground in order for you to get the nutrients.
- The shelf life of Chia is much longer than flax seed.
- Flax seed have to be stored in the refrigerator due to the seeds being easily oxidized and the nutritional value decreased.
Facts on Chia:
Chia seeds are grown from the salvia hispanica plant that was discovered thousands of years ago by the ancient Aztec and Mayan people of Central and South America.
The mucilage, soluble fiber in Chia seeds, creates a gel when the seeds are added to liquids or will create a gel in your stomach. This gel creates a barrier between carbohydrates and digestive enzymes. This results in slower digestion of carbohydrates – so no sugar highs and lows when using Chia seeds and no over production of insulin. Remember, increased insulin production causes increased amounts of calories to be stored as fat. Blood sugar lows also are a culprit to many of the cravings we have. By preventing or minimizing sugar lows you decrease the number of cravings you will have!
Chia seeds expand 7 – 9 times their size! What this means for you is that you will be satisfied with less food or if you add the seeds to a drink they will allow you to feel like there is food in your stomach even though there is not. Overall Chia seeds will assist you in achieving the feelings of satisfaction that you are wanting from food.
Chia seeds absorb up to 10 times their weight and water. They are hydrophilic which means they are water loving. This increased water is important to hydrate your cells so they can function at optimal level, hydrated skin cells for radiant looking skin and much more!
What’s your decision?
Chia seeds are a small functional powerhouse that you want to have 3 -4 tablespoons per day! Note: if not used to using Chia seeds start slow in usage and work your way up to the 3 -4 tablespoons. Also, as you incorporate Chia seeds remember to increase you water content.
Chia seeds are available in the GBI office or online at WhyDiet.com!
Let me know your thoughts or questions by commenting below!
Yours in health,
Prudence
No Comments »
Tags: bariatric patient, carbohydrates, chia seed benefits, chia seeds, flax seeds, Gastric Band Institute of Las Vegas, pre-race nutrition, Prudence Ticknor
Posted in Eating, Nutrition, Weight Loss Products, obesity |
Tuesday, September 28th, 2010
Hello Team GBI!
Our training for the ½ marathon is off to a wonderful start! As we continue to train please be mindful of appropriate nutrition for bariatric patients. To help, I’ve put together a two part series to discuss hydration, nutrition as well as specific nutrition recommendations for long walk/run trainings.
Hydration
The number one concern while training is being able to stay hydrated throughout your workout. Once you allow yourself to feel thirsty it is almost impossible to get properly hydrated. The key is to make a hydration schedule and drink appropriate amounts of fluids throughout the day.
We recommend that your baseline is 64oz. of water plus 12 oz. of additional fluid for every 20 minutes of exercise. Be sure to take the time and do the math! Staying properly hydrated will make one of the biggest differences in how you feel during your training and after. It will also help your pace during the training as well as your performance on race day!
Water is the drink of choice for trainings up to 60 minutes. During all trainings over 60 minutes, you need to add some type of sports drink to replenish your electrolytes (mainly sodium and potassium). Look for sports drinks that are low in sugar. A great way to start is by filling your water bottles up with a 50/50 mixture of water and sports drink. It is important to remember that this is only needed for your actual training days when you exceed 60 minutes of exercise.
General Nutrition Guidelines
As our training continues, keep in mind that the key is to listen to your body. Your body will tell you if you are not getting enough carbohydrates – you will feel the difference in your energy. What your body will require will depend on your current physical ability as well as how hard you train. The harder you push yourself, the more food energy you will need to maintain that same physical energy level. Remember that the main nutrients missing during training is your electrolytes: potassium and sodium. Simple changes such as using milk in your protein shakes instead of water or adding salt to your food can add the additional potassium and sodium that your body requires.
Be sure to consider the following guidelines:
- Stay with the recommended 3 meals per day at 4 oz. plus one additional protein shake to start. If you find you are feeling hungry or light headed throughout the day, you may need to change the items in your meals.
- Start by trying new food items before deciding to add additional food.
o Replace water with milk or even whole milk
o Consume different types of fruit or add peanut butter to your fruit to increase your carbohydrates and calories
- Review your eating habits and replace light or low fat foods with their regular versions (i.e. yogurt, milk)
If you continue to feel hungry and/or light headed after following the guidelines above, you may need to add an additional protein shake or bar to your diet however, I do not recommend adding an additional meal. As always, please feel free to ask specific questions as they arise!
Happy, Healthy and Safe Training!
Prudence
No Comments »
Tags: bariatric patient, benefit performance, carbohydrates, Dr. Darren Soong, Dr. James Atkinson, endurance, Gastric Band Institute of Las Vegas, Half Marathon Training, Las Vegas Half Marathon, Las Vegas Marathon, Las Vegas Rock n' Roll Marathon, marathon nutrition, Marathon Training Tips, pre-race nutrition, Prudence Ticknor, team fitness
Posted in Eating, Gastric Band Institute Events, Half Marathon Training, Nutrition, Physical Activity, Rock n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon |
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009
Congratulations, we are on the downward slope and are tapering off our miles as we head towards the big day! It is important to remember that as we decrease our training mileage, our carbohydrate intake should be decreasing as well. These next three weeks you want to gradually decrease your carbohydrate intake to approximately 40% of your total intake; choosing low glycemic index choices like whole grain starches, beans, and vegetables to help maintain a steady blood glucose level. This week will be the last week we will need our sports drinks, gel packs, sports beans, etc. After our long run this week, 6 miles, you will not need the simple sugars again until race day.
Eating too much, eating not enough or choosing foods that may not be suitable for you can all affect how you perform race day. Follow the article below for great nutrition tips to consider in these last few weeks before race day.
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-242-301–12845-1-1-2,00.html
Happy and Healthy Running/Walking,
Prudence
No Comments »
Tags: bariatric patient, Bariatric Surgeons, benefit performance, carbohydrates, complex carbohydrates, Gastric Band, Gastric Band Institute of Las Vegas, Gastric bypass, Half Marathon Training, lap band, lap band surgery, Las Vegas Half Marathon, Las Vegas Marathon, Las Vegas Rock n' Roll Marathon, Las Vegas Weight Loss Doctors, marathon nutrition, Marathon Training Tips, pre-race nutrition, simple carbohydrates, simple sugars, team fitness, Weight Loss Surgeons, Weight Loss Surgery
Posted in Eating, Gastric Band Institute Events, Half Marathon Training, Rock n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon |
Wednesday, October 28th, 2009
Halloween marks the first major event of the year’s holiday season. This Halloween let’s remember to be mindful of our holiday celebration customs in relation to our training. With the carnivals, office potlucks and trick-or-treating, comes candy. Many of you may be wondering if candy is totally off limits this year or will hinder your training. You may be thinking, “How can Halloween pass me by without one bite of a delicious chocolate treat?”
Remember, Halloween or not, candy is not off limits. You can have 1 oz. of candy 3 times per day with your meals, if you choose to. This holds true throughout the year, but we need to be more aware of our choices around the holidays. Often when we think of Halloween (or any holiday) as a once a year opportunity or as a special occasion, I find that it gives us permission to overdo it. Keep in mind, Halloween is not just about the candy. Instead of focusing on treats alone, get caught up in the fun of decorating your house or office, buying and carving pumpkins and eating pumpkin seeds (One serving of pumpkin seeds has 20 grams of protein). If you usually enjoy giving out candy at your desk, hand out plastic spider rings instead. Center your celebration around dressing up or creating a new costume. After all, dressing up in a goofy or scary costume really IS a once a year opportunity!
Now, you may wonder, “Do the simple sugars in candy hinder our trainings?” If you want to save your candy for our long run, you can use candy instead of using your gels, sports beans, etc. However, be mindful of whether or not this really allows you to enjoy the treat. “Simple sugar” means that the sugar breaks down faster into your blood stream. In regards to your body, simple sugars tend to make you feel tired, slow, sluggish – I think you get the point. For training you want to focus on complex carbohydrates, which I discussed last week, to stay alert and energized.
Remember we are walking/running 8 miles the day after Halloween - I know you guys want to feel your best! Enjoy your Halloween candy but don’t go over 1 oz at any meal you choose.
Happy Halloween and Happy Training,
Prudence
No Comments »
Tags: bariatric patient, Bariatric Surgeons, candy and exercise, carbohydrates, complex carbohydrates, Gastric Band, Gastric Band Institute of Las Vegas, Gastric bypass, Half Marathon Training, Halloween, holiday season eating, holiday season exercise, lap band, lap band surgery, las vegas, Las Vegas Half Marathon, Las Vegas Marathon, Las Vegas Rock n' Roll Marathon, Las Vegas Weight Loss Doctors, Marathon Training Tips, simple carbohydrates, simple sugars, team fitness, Weight Loss Surgeons, Weight Loss Surgery
Posted in Eating, Gastric Band, Gastric Band Institute Events, Gastric Sleeve, Gastric bypass, Half Marathon Training, Las Vegas Weight Loss Surgeons, Rock n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon, Weight Loss Support, Weight Loss Surgery, lap band |
Tuesday, October 20th, 2009
Now that our trainings are getting longer, I wanted to discuss the importance of fueling your body. Today let’s talk about the importance of carbohydrates. There are two types of carbohydrates, simple and complex. During training you want to increase your intake of complex carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates break down at a slower rate which means they provide a slow, steady form of energy which is best for long distance training. A few complex carbohydrate food choices are pasta, rice, beans, vegetables, legumes and potatoes. Beans and legumes are great choices for bariatric patients since they include both protein and complex carbohydrates.
Where does the energy come from?
The energy we utilize during long distance training primarily comes from glycogen, which comes from carbohydrates. The more glycogen storage you have during training, the better you will feel and perform. The more you train, the more efficiently your body will store carbohydrates as glycogen. This means having a consistent exercise program will condition your body to convert more consumed carbohydrates into glycogen vs. being stored as fat. Because carbohydrates break down into glycogen, the more carbohydrates you take in, the more available glycogen becomes. However, don’t let this be an excuse to overdo your carbohydrate intake. For many, exercise is used as an excuse for an excessive intake of carbohydrates and typically poor quality food choices as well. Remember to be mindful of excessive intake that can sabotage your efforts for performance.
As a bariatric patient you are taught to eat 4 oz. of food a meal and I usually recommended that 3 of those oz. are protein. During training you may want to alternate your percentage of carbohydrate intake. For example, after trainings your post meal may consist of 2 oz. of protein and 2 oz. of a complex carbohydrate or 3 oz. of carbohydrate and 1 oz. of protein. The key is to pay attention to your body and find out what works best for you. Choose a combination of proteins and complex carbohydrates that help you feel your best.
Remember, complex carbohydrates are needed as part of a balanced meal plan for optimal performance and feeling great!
See this resource for complex carbohydrate options:
http://www.the-master-runner.com/complex-carbohydrate-foods.html
Happy and Healthy Training,
Prudence
1 Comment »
Tags: Allergan lap band, bariatric patient, Bariatric Surgeons, carbohydrates, complex carbohydrates, Dr. Darren Soong, Dr. James Atkinson, eating with the lap band, Ethicon Realize band, Gastric Band, Gastric Band Institute of Las Vegas, Gastric bypass, glycogen, Half Marathon Training, lap band surgery, las vegas, Las Vegas Half Marathon, Las Vegas Marathon, Las Vegas Rock n' Roll Marathon, Las Vegas Weight Loss Doctors, Marathon Training Tips, protein, simple carbohydrates, team fitness, Weight Loss Surgeons, Weight Loss Surgery
Posted in Bariatric Surgeons, Eating, Gastric Band, Gastric Band Institute Events, Gastric Sleeve, Gastric bypass, Half Marathon Training, Las Vegas Weight Loss Surgeons, Rock n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon, Weight Loss Support, Weight Loss Surgery, lap band |
|
|
