Question from KN: Thanks for these tips on pre-workout eating for cardio. My biggest problem with properly preparing for a hard cardio workout is that I have trouble eating and/or drinking before a workout as it gives me terrible stomach cramps once working out- even if I ate something (healthy) or just drink water even a whole hour before. Therein I dont have the energy I should have to get through the workout well. Is there any correlation that you have heard of between the kind of pre-workout snack you have and getting stomach cramps? or does it really just vary by person?

Answer from Martha: Yes, tolerance depends upon person to person. Years ago, I once saw my aerobic instructor inhale a jumbo slice of pizza 30 seconds prior to teaching an very intense aerobic class. Not recommended (or tolerated by the average person!). The best kind of meal/snack to eat prior to cardio is something that is easily digested; something that is low in fat, low in fiber, high in carbs and moderate in protein. Examples would be pretzels, nonfat yogurt, a slice of bread with jam, low fat crackers, low fiber cereal with nonfat milk. Since it sounds like you have a more sensitive gastro-intestinal tract, you may want to avoid fruit prior to exercising as it contains fiber. Even some of the energy bars may bother you. Have you tried to eat this snack 1 1/2 hours prior to exercise? If you still have trouble tolerating that, just make sure that you eat a good meal that contains carbs and protein several hours prior to exercising. And make sure you drink water throughout the day so you will go into your workout session being hydrated.

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Question from David:  Hello! Great post on pre/post workouts. This IS a critical topic. My question is what about cardio only days? I have been told to NOT eat before my cardio only sessions. I follow the pre/post rule for when I am lifting, but only the post rule for cardio days.Your thoughts?

Answer from Martha: Good question. I actually see quite a few people who have been told not to eat anything prior to exercising aerobically(not sure where this info came from). I am assuming that the rational is that you would burn more fat than carbs if you avoided eating carbs prior to exercise.  However the majority of studies have shown that you can significantly increase the intensity and duration of your cardio session if you eat carbs prior to exercising. You don’t see  marathon runners fasting prior to the marathon! Even if you aren’t headed out for a 26 mile run, I would still recommend eating some carbs prior to a cardio session. Carbs are the body’s major source of fuel during exercise. Let’s say you had dinner at 8 pm and then wanted to go for a 6 mile run at 7 am. Your body will have been in a fasted state for 11 hours. The fuel that our bodies use during exercise comes first from blood sugar (and yours would have been on the low side from not eating for 11 hours).  We then use our glycogen stores found in liver and muscles. This doesn’t last too long. We then will start to use more stored fat for energy. The point is that if you don’t have enough glucose in the blood and glycogen stores, you will get tired before you need to.  You will still burn fat when working out even if you eat carbs prior to exercising.

If you want to burn the most amount of fat,  sit on your couch all day long. We burn a lot more fat as compared to carbs while just sitting around. Obviously, I am not seriously recommending you do this … but you get my point.

Bottom line, if you are doing somewhat intense cardio for 40 minutes or more, I would recommend you eat some carbs prior to exercise. The amount of carbs you will need to eat will really depend upon your weight, how long you are going to exercise. and whether or not you are trying to lose weight. I might suggest ~ 150 calories of carbs for a 30 minute workout and 300 calories of carbs for an hour workout. You will need to experiment to see what makes you feel best. Try to pay attention as to whether or not the carbs increase your energy levels. Now if you’ve had a meal that contains some carbs ~ 4 hours prior to your workout, you really don’t need to eat any more (unless you will be doing a really long session).

 Hope that helped! Check out this link for more info on pre-workout meals.

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You spend hours in the gym pumping iron and eat a healthy diet… yet you aren’t getting the results you want. Building muscle mass involves a lot more than downing a protein shake or loading up on protein at meals. Assuming you are on track with your workout regimen, your lack of progress likely has something to do with your diet. New research has shown that what you eat and when you eat plays a major role in the development of muscle mass.

A little info about our muscles
Our bodies tend to be in a state of “negative protein balance”. This means that we are breaking down more protein than what we are building. This occurs while we are at rest and even after weight training. In order to build muscle mass, we need to be in positive protein balance. Our bodies need nutrients in order to become in “positive balance”. So what nutrients do we need?

Nutrients needed to build muscle mass
Protein is the major nutrient that builds muscle mass. Strength training increases your protein needs. Check out my previous post on the amount of protein you need a day in order to build muscle mass. This post also contains a chart that lists the protein content of foods. The average active person can easily meet their protein needs, assuming they are taking in an adequate amount of calories. However, they may not be consuming their protein at the right times (more on this later!).

In addition to protein,  you’ll also need to consume an adequate amount of calories. If you aren’t consuming adequate calories, your body will use the protein for energy, instead of using it to build muscle mass.

Last, but not least,  your body needs an adequate amount of carbohydrate. Not only is carbohydrate needed for energy, it also promotes the secretion of insulin. Elevated levels of insulin stimulate the growth of muscle as well as decrease the breakdown of muscle tissue following a workout.

Problems with the typical diet
Most of us have busy schedules and may not consume the optimal diet. Spending a good part of my day listening to what people eat, I have come across 4 common problem areas that can interfere with optimal developement of muscle mass:

1. Going too long without eating. Do you grab a bagel at 9 am,  a sandwich at noon, an apple at 5 pm, hit the gym at 6 pm and then grab dinner at 9 pm? Not good.  Your body is going too long without nutrients. The longer you go without eating, the greater the chances are that you’ll be in negative protein balance.
 
2. Not eating the right kind of foods before or after a workout. Do you eat just a piece of fruit or just a protein shake (without any carbs) or just a bag of nuts? Not the right kind of snack for muscle growth.

3. Following a really low carb diet. Again, not good! While I recommend limiting “bad” carbs, limiting all carbs can hinder your muscle growth as well as decrease your energy levels. Focus on eating moderate amounts of healthy carbs including fruit, whole grains, legumes and vegetables.

4. Not consuming adequate amounts of protein on a daily basis. I find this is more common in my female clients as compared to my male clients. Check out the chart in my previous protein post to see if you are meeting your protein needs.

Recommendations to maximize muscle growth
1. Eat more “mini-meals” containing carbs and protein versus 1-2 larger meals. Consumption of smaller meals containing protein seems to be superior over consuming the same amount of protein at one time. The ideal pattern would be breakfast, a small mid morning snack(if desired), lunch, a pre-workout snack, and a small post workout out snack if dinner will be more than 1-2 hours after your workout, then dinner. You can skip the post-workout out snack if you will be eating dinner soon after your workout. Of course, you may need to decrease the size of your meals if you are adding in more snacks. If you consume too many calories, you’ll gain weight!

2. Consuming a mixed snack containing carbs and protein immediately after exercise can facilitate the replenishment of energy stores as well as promote muscle development.

3. New research has shown that the pre workout meal/snack is even more important than the post workout meal when it comes to building muscle mass. This was news to me as I always focused more on the post workout meal with my clients looking to build muscle mass.

While the exact size and protein and calorie content of these pre and post workout “feedings” will vary depending upon the individual, it has been suggested that 15 grams of protein would be adequate. I would also suggest approximately 150 calories of a carb. Again, this is an estimation as the exact amounts will depend upon the individual persons needs.

Examples of pre / post workout snacks and meals
Protein shake with a cup of berries or a banana
Cottage cheese and fruit
Yogurt (try the higher protein yogurts such as Greek Fage - also called Total) and fruit
2 eggs (or several egg whites) and 1-2 slices of whole grain toast
Glass of low fat chocolate milk
Energy bar containing at least 10 grams of protein and 20 grams of carbs (check out my post on energy bars)
Grilled chicken, fish or lean meat, about one cup of a whole grain and veggies
Turkey or grilled chicken sandwich on whole grain bread

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When I went to Starbucks today to get my afternoon jolt, I noticed the calories listed on the menu. I think this is great! I wonder if it will really affect what people order. I have been taking an informal poll with my clients today to see if it would affect what would order. They all said yes… (maybe because they were talking to their nutritionist!)  One client told me “her friend” didn’t order the banana loaf in Starbucks based on the calories it contained. Another client told me she changed what she was going to order in Chipoltes based on the calories.

The other chain restaurants have until June 3 to post their calories. Working midtown, I’ll be waiting to see the calories posted on Hale and Hearty, Pax, Metro Cafe, Au Bon Pain, etc.

If anyone spots calories posted in their favorite lunch spots, let us know!

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For those of you who are regular readers of my blog, you know that I have a chocolate obsession. Since I don’t keep it around, I am generally in control of my intake. I allow myself small amounts here and there (like the 25 cent mini chocolates found in deli’s). This satisfies my chocolate urges. However, if someone were to give me a box of chocolates or bake me a cake (like my stepmother did - check out this post), I would be in trouble due to my lack of control.

A box of chocolates appeared on my desk
This week I was working with a client who also has trouble controlling her intake of sweets, especially cookies and chocolates. She had been keeping boxes of chocolates in her apartment and had been able to stay away from it …. until recently when she started to eat them. At our last session, I strongly advised her to get rid of the chocolates in any way she could - give it her doorman, a homeless person or just throw them out. I hadn’t expected she would bring the boxes of chocolates to MY OFFICE at our next session. While I was very pleased with her ability to part with the chocolates, I was a bit nervous how I would handle this delicious box of truffles (that was already opened) sitting in my office.

How I handled the situation
After the client left, my “nutritionist” side won over the “chocoholic” side. I immediately gave the box to another woman who works in my office and told her to hide them. My plan was to bring in my camera the next day to take a picture of them for this blog as I thought it was an amusing story. So the next day, I brought in my camera, took the above pics, ate TWO of the truffles and gave the box away to my co-worker to take home.

Tips to handle your problem foods  (taken from my previous post on trigger foods)
1. The first step is to acknowledge that you have a control problem with certain foods. It is unlikely that you will suddenly learn how to moderate your intake of these foods. I have had many clients come to my office and ask me “How can I learn to have just one?”  Unfortunately, I do not have the answer! It is quite likely that you will never be able to have just one.

2. Do not keep these foods in your house - or office - if possible. How many times have you bought this particular food telling yourself that it was for your husband or if company dropped by, but deep inside you knew it was for you?  So rule number one is not to keep it in your environment. If you need to buy desserts or snacks for your family, buy something that does not trigger cravings or uncontrolled eating.

3. If you feel you can handle your trigger food if it is in packaged into an individual serving size, try buying 100 calorie packs, individually wrapped ice cream products, etc. The question is…. can you have just one 100 calorie pack?  If not, do not buy them.

4.  Since everyone is different, you will need to consider whether it would be best if you totally avoided your trigger food OR allowed yourself a moderate portion in a controlled environment. For example, if you love pasta but can not stop eating it if you make it at home, consider allowing yourself a pasta entree in a restaurant several times a month. Or allow yourself a real dessert on occasion in a restaurant, but do not keep sweets at home

5. Pay attention to how your body feels after eating the trigger food in the above controlled environment. If it still sets off cravings into the night or the next day, you are likely better off totally avoiding the food.

 6. If you feel really out of control with your eating, you should seek counseling as it can be a sign of an eating disorder.

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First, trans fats were banned in NYC. Now, chain restaurants have been ordered to post the nutritional content of their food on menus by June 3, 2008. A “chain” restaurant is one that has 15 or more outlets nationwide. 

Many of these restaurants have the nutritional info posted somewhere - but very few of them have the info posted right there on the menu. So the question is… if the calories were posted on a menu, would it affect your decision as to what you ordered? I would think for most of us, the answer would be yes! For example, if you have a craving for spaghetti and meatballs, you might think twice before ordering it at Romano’s Macaroni Grill if you knew it contained 2,430 calories! This is true - check out my previous post.

Unfortunately, this regulation applies to only chain restaurants. It would be great if all restaurants would post that info…

Here is the article from The New York Times:

Federal Judge Upholds NYC’s Calorie Posting Law
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City health officials won a big victory Wednesday when a federal judge upheld a regulation requiring some chain restaurants to post calories on menus.

U.S. District Judge Richard Holwell rebuffed a challenge from the New York State Restaurant Association, a trade group that argued the rule violates the First Amendment by forcing restaurants to ”convey the government’s message regarding the importance of calories.”

The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene believes the regulation, which takes effect Monday, will help the city achieve its goal of reducing obesity. The judge agreed.

”It seems reasonable to expect that some consumers will use the information disclosed … to select lower calorie meals … and these choices will lead to a lower incidence of obesity,” Holwell said.

Chuck Hunt, executive vice president of the restaurant association’s New York City chapter, said it would ask the judge to stay his ruling pending an appeal. The health department said it would not start fining restaurants until June 3.

”We don’t object to people doing it voluntarily,” Hunt said Wednesday. ”Our problem was the government agency forcing them to do it. We think restaurants should be able to determine from their customers how they want to get the information.”

The new rule applies to restaurants that are part of chains with at least 15 outlets nationwide. That includes fast-food places like McDonald’s and Wendy’s, as well as sit-down establishments like Olive Garden and T.G.I. Friday’s.

Some eateries, including Starbucks and Chipotle, have already started to post calorie information — and it appears to be having an effect.

Mark Laughlin, a freelance art director eating lunch Wednesday at a Chipotle near Manhattan’s busy Penn Station, said he opted to have his burrito without the tortilla or corn salsa after reading the calorie count. The menu said a burrito ranges from 420 to 910 calories, depending on toppings.

His lunch companion, Sara Hearn, agreed that the listings are a good idea. ”Just giving people the information will make them think twice about what they eat,” she said.

Others customers thought the rule was unnecessary.

”People are going to eat what they want; it doesn’t matter what the menus say,” said Ken Poulin, who didn’t even glance at the calorie information as he ordered his burrito. ”People need to eat more vegetables and have common sense.”

Bob Bertini, a spokesman for Wendy’s, said the chain would comply with the rule.

”We’ve been providing that information for nearly 30 years on a poster available for customers to review before they order,” Bertini said.

According to the health department, more than half of New Yorkers are overweight. Officials believe the regulation will prevent 150,000 New Yorkers from becoming obese and will stop another 30,000 from developing diabetes and other health concerns over the next five years.

The impetus behind the rule, health officials have said, is to make people think twice about ordering a 1,000-calorie lunch, which for many is about half the recommended daily total of calories.

The calorie rule is another in a string of public health measures promoted by Mayor Michael Bloomberg. During his first term he banned smoking in bars and restaurants, and more recently he pushed for a ban on artificial trans fats in restaurants.

New York City is believed to be the first U.S. city to enact a regulation requiring calorie information on menus. Since then, California lawmakers and those in King County in Washington, which includes Seattle, have considered similar bills.

The city Board of Health voted unanimously in January to approve the rule, a new version of a regulation struck down by Holwell last year after a challenge from the restaurant association.

J. Justin Wilson, a researcher at the Center for Consumer Freedom, a Washington-based group supported by restaurants and food companies, called the regulation ”dieting by guilt,” and said it leaves restaurants exposed to possible legal action.

”We’re concerned if someone puts an extra dollop of sour cream on a taco, it becomes grounds for a lawsuit,” he said.

New York City Health Commissioner Thomas R. Frieden said the decision will allow New Yorkers to make informed choices about what they eat. He said chain restaurants were singled out because they have standardized menus. The new policy won’t apply to most fine dining establishments, or the thousands of family-owned delis and pizza shops around the city.

”People can do whatever they want to do with the information,” he said. ”A lot of people still choose to smoke even though the surgeon general’s warning is on the pack.”
 

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If you spend much time traveling for work or pleasure, you know how difficult it can be to make healthy choices in an airport. And it’s even worse when you get stuck in the airport due to delays and cancellations … American Airlines? Luckily I don’t travel too much for business so I don’t have to deal with this situation very often. But I know that my clients who frequently travel often have a difficult time with healthy airport food choices.

Last week I made a trip to Detroit to lecture on Diet, Lifestyle and Hypertension for Novartis. (I did the same series of lectures last year  - see my posts).  I flew on Northwest Airlines. As usual, I was rushing and didn’t have time to eat prior to the flight. Searching for something to eat at the airport, I soon realized that I didn’t have too many healthy options.  It was funny that later on that evening, the chef who did the cooking demonstration at the Novartis lecture mentioned to me that he had a ”horrible food day”. He was stuck at an airport for hours and ended up eating a donut and a rueban sandwich!  

So I decided to write a post on healthy eating in airports. I am basing this info on what I saw at the Northwest Terminal. Other larger terminals  have more food choices (some better and some worse).

Here are the food options I found at the Northwest Terminal at LaGuardia airport:
Chiles Too
Sbarro’s
Burger King
Nathans
Dunkin Donuts kiosk
Starbucks
Fox Sports cafe
Magazine stores (sell snack type foods)

Keep in mind that most of these places only offer a limited number of choices - not the full menu as you might see at one of your local restaurants.  While most of the food I saw was quite unhealthy ( i.e. Nathans fried hot dog nuggets, Chili’s Too buffalo wings, B.K. cheese burgers and fries, etc.), there were some “acceptable choices”.

“Acceptable food choices” at Northwest Terminal at Lagurdia Airport:

Healthy nutrition tips when traveling in airports:

1. If you don’t have time for a meal prior to heading out the airport, pack something to take along - or pick something up at your local deli. Waiting in airports can be stressful and/or boring… which can bring out emotional eating in many people. Bringing your own healthy snacks can do damage control. Suggestions: turkey sandwich, yogurt, fruit, nuts, string cheese. Snack on these healthier choices rather than purchasing the not-so-healthy snacks on your flight.

2. Be on the lookout for healthy food options in the airport. Most airports sell turkey or grilled chicken sandwiches. Use mustard versus mayo. You might also want to remove the cheese to save about 200 calories and 20 gm of fat. Other healthy options include a salad with grilled chicken. Make sure you get dressing on the side and use it sparingly. A better choice would be to ask for low calorie dressing.

3. Foods that contain protein, fat or fiber tend to hold you the longest. This is especially important if your flight gets delayed and you end up sitting there for hours…  This could turn into a diet disaster! So something like a turkey sandwich would be a better choice than a muffin. An ounce of nuts (make sure its one ounce - most portions are larger!) and a fruit would be a better choice than a bag of pretzels.

4. Drink plenty of water. This may help you to eat less. Also, flying tends to cause dehydration.  

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You know spring is in the air when the line at Pinkberry wraps around the corner! I was taking a walk this past Saturday (it was nearly 70 degrees!) and saw “the line” - at least 20 people - outside of the upper east side Pinkberry store.

Of course city girls are quite familar with Pinkberry.  Some are so obsessed with it that it has even been called “Crackberry”. If you check out the Pinkberry website, you will find a groupie section.

What is Pinkberry?
For those of you who aren’t familar with it, here is a little background info… Pinkberry frozen yogurt is made from real yogurt, without preservatives, additives, or excess added sugar (it does have some added sugar). The texture is firmer than soft serve, almost a bit icy, and creamy. The taste is different than other frozen yogurts as it has a tangy, slightly sour taste. Maybe this doesn’t sound so appealing - however it is delicious!  

The first store opened in January 2005 by Korean Americans Shelly Hwang and Young Lee. It is headquatered in La and currently has 36 stores, most in  Southern California with seven in New York City.

Most stores sell 3 flavors: plain, green tea and coffee. I personally like the plain flavor. They will let you try a sample size to see what flavor you like the best. There is also a selection of toppings including fruit and other crunchy toppings. The fruit toppings include: strawberry, mango, pineapple, blueberries, kiwi, raspberry, pomegranate, blackberry, and sometimes others depending on the season. Dry toppings include: granola, yogurt chips, chocolate chips, captain crunch, fruity pebbles, cocoa pebbles, coconut, almonds, walnuts.

Nutritional info:

The following nutritional info was taken from the Pinkberry website. All the nutrition info was given per 4 oz serving. However, the website said that all the sizes (small, medium, large) contained more than one serving, therefore my calculations are based on the actual calories you will get when you order the various sizes. Unfortunately, the nutritional info for the toppings was not listed. I would recommend you stick with the fruit toppings as the others can really add up!

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You’ve all heard the ads - take this pill and get rid of your belly fat. Do these pills really work? The ads claim that belly fat is caused by elevated cortisol levels. Taking these pills will (supposedly) lower cortisol levels, which in turn, will get rid of belly fat. Of course, a physician in a white coat is dispensing this info - which makes it seem all the more credible. With 66% of Americans overweight, all we have to do is to take this little pill and our belly fat will disappear!  If only it were so easy!

Question from one of my clients, Cindy: I am having trouble losing weight in my stomach area. I was thinking of buying Cortislim which claims to get rid of belly fat. What do you think?

Answer from Martha: Here’s the deal… yes, it is true that high levels of cortisol can contribute towards storing abdominal fat. And chronic stress can contribute towards elevated cortisol levels. That being said, there is no scientific proof that these supplements lower cortisol levels. All they do is lower the cash in your wallet. Save your money and work on stress management, exercising and eating healthy.

 BTW - I did a post last year on how the companies who made Cortislim/Cortistress got fined 12 million dollars by the Federal Trade Commission for making false claims.

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Talk about losing weight… this guy from my gym lost 240 pounds! If you were to see him, it is hard to believe that he once weighed 445 pounds. He is one of the fittest guys I have ever seen. I had noticed him a few months ago because of his intense workout sessions on the eliptical trainer. I don’t think I had ever seen anyone workout that intense for such a long period of time.  When one of my friends at the gym told me this guy lost 240 pounds (yes - LOST 240 pounds!) , I had to introduce myself and find out the whole story. (Pic on the right is L.P when he weighed 450 pounds)

Here is my interview with “L.P”… This is probably the one of the most inspirational stories you’ll ever hear.

Martha: What is your current age, height and weight?
L.P: I am 46 years old, 5′9 and weigh 205 pounds. (Martha’s comment - while 205 pounds may sound a lot for someone who is 5′9 - L.P. does not appear to have an ounce of fat on him. I bet his body fat is 8% or less.) Pic on the right is L.P’s “after” pic

Martha: How much weight have you lost?
L.P:   240 pounds

Martha: How long did it take you to lose this weight?
L.P:  18 months

Martha: How did you lose the weight - did you count calories, follow any special diet, enlist support from anyone such as Weight Watchers, a nutritionist, doctor, etc.?
L.P:  I changed my eating habits and started paying close attention to sugars, carbs, fats as well as calories. I also did 2 hours of intense cardio a day.

Martha: Did you have a weight problem for most of your life?
L.P: No, I didn’t always have a weight problem. However, as I got older, I was exposed more to “bad ” food including fried foods, high sugar desserts and eating late at night.

Martha: What were your major problem areas when you were overweight?
L.P: I love desserts, used to eat late at night, ate really large portions and got no exercise.

Martha: I am very curious to know what triggered you to lose weight and how you stayed so motivated…
L.P: I was losing close relatives to high blood pressure, diabetes and cancer. I also had low self esteem, was self-conscious and was afraid of dying young.

 Martha: When did you first start to exercise (how long ago) and what did you first start to do for exercise?
L.P: I started to exercise about 11 years ago at a fitness center that was free to employees of my workplace. I started doing the treadmill for about 30 minutes.

Martha: You appear in great shape. What do you do for your current exercise program: (how many times a week, how many times do you weight train and perform cardio)?
L.P: My exercise regimen is 4-5 days a week of weight training and 7 days of cardio (winter time on the eliptical machine and summer time running outdoors). 5 of the 7 days, I do cardio in the morning and evening (for a total of 2 hours of cardio)

Martha: Can you tell us what you eat on a typical day for breakfast, lunch and dinner and snacks?
L.P:
Breakfast: oatmeal with banana and a protein drink (low carb, low sugar and high protein)
Lunch: 2 all-natural peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
Dinner: salmon or chicken and a sweet potato
Snacks throughout the day: rice cakes, oranges, protein bar, sugar-free pudding, yogurt with fruit. I also drink a gallon of water during the day.

Martha: Do you ever go off your “diet”?
L.P: Yes …without any guilt because I work out religiously on a regular basis.

Martha: How do you stay so motivated??????
L.P: It it helps me to stay motivated when other members of the gym come approach me and comment on my progress and body structure. I also like to help motivate other people and to see their progress.

Martha: Well, there you have it! For those city girls and guys who think losing 10 pounds is hard work, imagine what it would be like to lose 240 pounds! BTW - L.P has been approached to appear on various televsion talk shows to discuss his amazing feat. He declined all interviews. I would like to thank him very much for allowing me to interview him. I think he will be very inspirational to readers of citygirlbites who are trying to lose weight. It goes to show that you can lose weight and keep it off …with hard work! It also goes to show the importance of exercise when it comes to maintaining weight loss. Not only does exercise burn calories, it also will build/preserve muscle mass which will help to speed your  metabolism. I am certainly not saying that everyone has to exercise 7 days a week for 2 hours per session. But somehow you will need to make exercise a priority if you want to lose weight and keep it off!

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