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Outside magazine, May 1995
Nutrition: For a Good Time, EatBy Sara Corbett
Whereas Goody Petronelli comes from the laissez-faire school of nutrition, advocating that Todd put away "three good squares a day," Rob Sleamaker took a more measured approach with Tom, encouraging him to cut fats and embrace a menu of "healthy choices." According to Alice Lindeman, an associate professor of nutrition and dietetics at Indiana University in Bloomington, the right meal plan probably lies somewhere between Todd's liberty and Tom's stringency. "You don't need to go overboard in changing your diet to complement training," she says. "You just have to relax, eat a healthy variety of foods, and strive to get the protein, carbohydrates, and--yes--fat that you need to fuel your increased activity level." We asked Lindeman to take an analytical look at what landed on Tom's and Todd's training tables, including the occasional binge. Here's what she had to say.
ON TOM'S PLATE
Calories: 536 "A dynamite breakfast. It's high-quality protein, full of good, complex carbos, low in fat, and best of all, it's got variety. The calorie count puts Tom at 21 percent of his daily total. Just right."
Snack, 10:30 A.M.
Calories: 269 "You don't get a lot for your calories in an apple. In terms of nutrient density, an orange is higher in vitamin C and fiber. The carrot juice is a good source of cancer-fighting beta carotene."
Lunch, 12:30 P.M.
Calories: 565 "Bravo on the chili. Beans are a high-protein substitute for meat, and the added rice makes a complete grain-and-legume combo, which means it's got all the right amino acids for building protein. But really, Tom, does all this plain bread taste good? Your diet is admirably low-fat overall, so live it up a little with a spread."
Snack, 3:30 P.M.
Calories: 345 "There are better snacks to choose when you're sitting at your desk. Energy bars are designed to carry you through a long endurance workout; Tom's overloading on fiber and fructose syrup for a day at the office. Try a bagel with jam."
Dinner, 7:30 P.M.
Calories: 990 "Assuming that Tom exercised between work and dinner, he's smart to chow down on carbos shortly after a workout. He's replenishing the glycogen stores in his muscles and shortening his body's recovery time. Leafy vegetables give you lots of vitamin C, which is water soluble, meaning your body doesn't store much of it. So it's important to take in 60 milligrams or more every day--one big glass of OJ will do it. And Tom, the saying is an apple a day, not three. Variety is crucial to sticking with a healthy diet."
Meal of Shame: After the Softball Game
Calories: 2,325 "Eek! Registering 508 milligrams of cholesterol--200 more than you should have in an entire day--this is your body's knee-jerk reaction to all those apples and pieces of plain bread. Allow yourself a few small indulgences during a normal day, and you might feel less zealous about the après-softball snarf." The big picture: "Overall, Tom's got an enviable routine. Lose the buffalo-wing celebration and he's got a near perfect distribution of 80 percent carbos, 10 percent protein, and 11 percent fat, for a good daily total of 2,705 calories. Athletes at the beginning stages of training, however, need to get above-optimum amounts of protein--about 1.4 grams per kilogram of body weight--to build muscle mass efficiently. Tom's eating just one gram per kilogram of weight, a deficit that's easily remedied with a glass or two of skim milk or some peanut butter on his bread."
ON TODD'S PLATE "This is the no-brainer breakfast--convenient, but too small. He'll get some false energy from the coffee, since caffeine is a rapidly absorbed stimulant, but without the rest of a meal to accompany it, Todd won't be energized for long, and his blood glucose level is likely to drop later. Try adding some yogurt or cereal."
Snack, 10:30 A.M.
Calories: 170 "After that dainty breakfast, I was expecting this. Actually, it's an OK snack--fairly carbo-rich, with enough fat to keep him feeling sated until lunch."
Lunch, 1 P.M.
Calories: 1,390 "Long live the sandwich: It offers meat, vegetable, grain, and dairy all in the same mouthful. Though a lot of athletes go without meat, it's an unbeatable source of magnesium and iron. Iron, which carries the oxygen in your blood, is particularly vital to aerobic activity. Those corn chips, however, are 53 percent fat; I'd steer Todd toward lowfat pretzels. I won't hold the cookies against him, but if Todd had waited to absorb his lunch before grabbing them, he'd settle for one or two. It takes about 20 minutes for your stomach to stimulate the nerve that signals the appetite center in your brain to turn off that mad, craving sensation."
Postworkout, 5 P.M. "If you're active, the old eight cups of fluid a day rule applies--and then some. Shoot for 12."
DINNER, 8 P.M.
Calories: 1,314 "What can I say about the predinner corn chips? But way to go, Todd, on the salmon. Fish is low in fat and offers some real high-quality protein, providing most of the essential amino acids you'll need in a day. The potato's great for carbos: One spud gives you the same amount as half a cup of either rice or pasta, but with the bonus of extra fiber and vitamin C. There's nothing bad to be said about broccoli, and at least he had only one cookie. However, even light beer gets metabolized as fat."
Meal of Shame: A Quick Bite Out
Calories: 752 "If you're going to splurge, this isn't a bad way to do it. Most binge foods are all fat, but a burrito at least gives you a goodly amount of carbos, iron, and minerals." The big picture: "Todd's eating a total of 3,276 calories here, disregarding the burrito affair--which, given his height, weight, and activity level, is just about right. What he needs to look at is the fat that makes up close to 35 percent of his calories. An athlete who really wants to be competitive should keep fat to a maximum of 25 percent. Besides, cutting out fat almost always results in adding carbohydrates--and energy. At 15 percent, Todd's protein intake is good, but the carbos, at 45 percent, could use a boost. What about some fruit, Todd? Trade your brother an apple for a cookie."
Copyright 1995, Outside magazine
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