Football Season Survival Guide

With football season in full swing our weekends have now been overtaken with outings in front of the television and foods that may be "less than healthy". Never fear- I'm here with your "Football Season Survival Guide". Don't let all that hard work in the gym be wasted on the weekend. Here are my tips and tricks for navigating this football season.

Food

If you will be watching the game away from home make sure to eat a healthy snack before you go. This way you won’t be tempted to overindulge. Be sure to include filling protein and good fats. Arriving to any party ravenous is a recipe for disaster.

If you’re hosting the gathering you may choose to have the typical pizza, chicken wings, and chips to avoid an upheaval from your guests, but there are many healthy options you can add to your menu. Here are some of my healthy game-day fare tips:

• Include fresh fruits and vegetables such as apple slices, carrot sticks and cucumbers. You can make these more enticing by including healthy dips such as hummus and low fat ranch (try making it with Greek Yogurt).
• Provide low calorie non-alcoholic beverages and light beers to decrease drink calories. Be sure to offer guests plain, cold water. Adding cucumber or berries can entice them to drink up!
• Homemade trumps store-bought any day. Create scrumptious tortilla chips by baking your own tortillas and whip up a healthy guacamole using heart healthy avocados and salsa. Healthy "Game Day Chili" is perfect for feeding a crowd. Use lean ground beef, turkey or chicken then add add beans, tomatoes, and as many veggies as you like. Serve with cornbread and provide a selection of "healthy" toppings for people to choose from (these great recipes provided below).
• Baked chicken wings are a great alternative to fried, and much easier! See the BBQ chicken wing recipe below.
• If you are attending a party bring your own healthy appetizer. This will ensure you have at least one healthy option. Great choices are shrimp cocktail, roasted edamame, "buffalo wing" cauliflower, "healthified" deviled eggs, stuffed mushrooms, bruschetta, or a "never-fail" fruit and veggie platter.
• Keep food in the kitchen so you have to leave the TV to dish up. This alleviates mindless eating. How often do we continue to reach into the chip bowl without even thinking twice if it is sitting right in front of us!
• Make a batch of air popped popcorn. You can have a HUGE serving for few calories. Just watch the amount of butter/oil you use. My suggestion? Drizzle with a TBSP of melted coconut oil and add nutritional yeast for a delicious "cheesy" concoction.
• Use smaller plates. You will naturally consume less, especially if your food is in the kitchen and you have to leave your seat to refill your plate. If you are hosting, use smaller serving spoons to entice guests to take proper portions. 

Physical Activity

Between pre-game shows, the game itself and post game interviews you are in for a lot of sitting (and eating for that matter). Use these tips to ensure you get in some physical activity that does not just involve your jaw!

• Play a quick game of touch football or toss the football around at half-time. (Preferably outside your living room).
• Each time your team gives up a touchdown do 15 burpees, a field goal do 50 crunches, and an extra point (or 2) deserves 15 pushups.
• Get in a pre-game workout. Not only will this boost your metabolism but you will be less likely to overindulge later. (Just don’t think because you burned all those calories it’s ok to scarf down a whole plate of wings).
• Every little bit counts- after the halftime show and before the second half jump rope, jog in place, or do some plyometrics. You don't need a huge chunk of time to get a great workout. TABATA intervals can be a quick way to get that heart pumping. Choose an activity and perform it for 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds, then repeat for 8 rounds (or four minutes). I promise that heart rate will be elevated!
• Stretch while watching the game, you can still focus on the television but your muscles will reap the benefits.
• Rather than making monetary bets, use fitness endeavors. (Loser does 20 burpees, if they miss this field goal drop and give me twenty, etc.)
• Ultimately remember that you don’t have to be in a gym or have fancy equipment to get a great workout.

Recipes

Healthy recipes don’t have to be boring and bland. Use these to impress your friends at your game day get-together while secretly saving on calories, fat and sodium.

Chili Cheese Dip Try this tasty dip and serve with Baked Tortilla Chips.

• 1 pound lean (93/7%) ground beef or turkey (organic if possible)
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 2 teaspoons garlic, minced (bottled minced garlic is convenient)
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1- 8 oz. can tomato sauce
• 1 – 10 oz. can diced tomato and pepper
• 1 – 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 – 15 oz. can corn, whole kernel (optional)
• ¾ cup fat free greek yogurt
• ½ cup reduced fat shredded cheese (optional)
• Baked Tortilla Chips (make your own to save calories and fat- recipe below.)

Cook beef or turkey in skillet until brown. Drain fat and rinse. Return to skillet and add chopped onions and garlic. Cook until onions are transparent. Add chili powder, cumin, oregano, black pepper, tomato sauce and diced tomatoes; simmer about 30 minutes. Stir in black beans and corn.

To assemble for serving: transfer chili mixture to slow cooker ( 1-1/2 to 2 quart), spread greek yogurt over chili mixture, and then sprinkle on shredded cheese. Set cooker to low setting to heat mixture through and melt cheese. Prepare baked tortilla chips below.

Baked Tortilla Chips

• 8 to 10- 6-inch corn tortillas (cut into quarters or eighths)
• Sea salt, paprika, chili powder, red pepper flakes, nutritional yeast or other desired seasonings
• Avocado or other high temperature oil, in a spray bottle

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray baking pan with cooking spray. Place quartered tortillas in a single layer on baking pan and lightly spray tortillas with oil. Sprinkle with seasonings of your choice. You may bake two pans at a time depending upon pan size and number of servings needed. Bake 15 minutes or until crisp (watch carefully so they do not brown). Remove from oven and allow to chips to cool.


Sweet Potato Skins 

• 4 sweet potatoes or yams
• Avocado, coconut or olive oil
• Sea Salt
• Pepper
• Optional Toppings: greek yogurt, cooked and chopped bacon, green onions and/or chives, feta or goat cheese, guacamole

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pierce yams or sweet potatoes with a fork. Bake 25-30 minutes or until soft (not too soft!). Remove from oven and cut in half. Scoop out insides of potatoes leaving a thin layer on the skins. Reserve flesh for another use.

Turn on broiler. Lightly spray or brush the skins with oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil skins for 4-5 minutes or until crispy. Garnish with toppings of choice. My favorite is greek yogurt, guacamole, bacon, chives and crumbled goal cheese. 

Homemade Guacamole 

• 2-3 large ripe avocados
• Chili Powder
• Cumin
• Sea Salt
• Ground Black Pepper
• Chopped onion, garlic, tomatoes and cilantro (optional)
• One medium lime

Scoop out the flesh of the avocados into a large bowl. Add in spices as desired. If using, stir in onion, garlic, tomatoes and cilantro. Squeeze in the juice of one fresh lime. Gently stir. Refrigerate until serving.

Goat Cheese, Yam and Bacon Stuffed Jalapenos 

• 8-10 jalepeno peppers
• 2 cups yam or sweet potato flesh (such as that reserved from the sweet potato skin recipe above)
• 4 slices cooked, chopped bacon or turkey bacon
• 2 oz goat cheese
• Sea salt
• Pepper
• Optional: chili powder, cayenne, red pepper flakes, harissa or garlic salt.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Half and seed peppers (make sure to wear gloves, and DO NOT touch your face!). In a medium bowl combine yam flesh, bacon, goat cheese and desired seasonings. Place filled pepper halves (filling side up) on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes then turn on broiler and broil for 2-3 minutes more.

Baked BBQ Chicken Wings 

• 2-3 pounds chicken wings (tips removed)
• Sea Salt
• Pepper

Sauce

• 3/4 cup tomato paste
• 1/4th cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4th cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 TBSP honey or coconut nectar
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• sprinkle black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill a large stockpot 3/4 full of water. Add a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Boil chicken wings for 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and dry with a paper towel.

Prepare sheet pan. Place aluminum foil on a baking sheet then place a cooling rack over the sheet. Lightly oil. Place dry chicken wings on the cooling rack and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until juices run clear. Remove from oven.

Meanwhile prepare sauce. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk until combined. Add more salt and/or honey to taste.

Turn on broiler. Brush wings with sauce and broil for 3-5 minutes until crispy (careful not to burn!). Let wings rest 5 minutes then enjoy!

Buffalo Roasted Cauliflower

• 1 large cauliflower head broken into florets
• 1/2 cup hot sauce of choice (Franks etc.)
• 2 TBSP grass fed better, ghee or coconut oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Sprinkle cauliflower florets with sea salt and pepper then bake for 7-8 minutes. Meanwhile combine 1/2 cup hot sauce and oil of choice. Remove cauliflower from oven and toss with sauce. Return to oven for 3-5 minutes until heated through.

Homemade Hummus 

• 1 can garbanzo beans, chickpeas, or cannellini beans (drained and rinsed)
• 1 TBSP Tahini
• ½ TBSP Olive Oil
• 2 Garlic Cloves
• ½ tsp. paprika
• ½ tsp. cumin
• 1 TBSP lemon juice
• 1/4th cup plain greek yogurt
• Salt and Pepper to taste

In a food processor, combine above ingredients (except olive oil). Process until smooth. While processing, slowly add olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Game Day Chili 

• 2 pounds ground turkey breast, ground chicken breast or lean ground beef (omit for vegetarian)
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 can tomato sauce
• 1 can black beans
• 1 can pinto or chili beans (2 cans for vegetarian)
• 1 small can green chilis
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 TBSP chopped garlic
• 1/2 TBSP chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin 
• 1/2 TBSP paprika
• Sea salt to taste
• Ground black pepper to taste

Cook ground turkey, chicken or beef in a skillet. Drain and rinse. Add to a large crockpot with remaining ingredients. Stir until combined. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Top with greek yogurt, green onions and/or cheese if desired. Delicious served with Protein Corn Bread.

Protein Cornbread 

• ¼ cup rolled oats (blend this to turn into flour OR use 20 g oat flour) 
• ¾ cup cornmeal 
• 1 scoop unflavored whey protein 
• 2 TBSP pea or rice protein powder 
• 2 tsp. baking powder 
• ¼ tsp. baking soda 
• ¼ cup milk substitute (I used almond milk, unsweetened) 
• 1 TBSP coconut nectar 
• 1 cup Greek Yogurt (plain, FF or LF) 
• 1/4th cup unsweetened applesauce 
• 10 drops liquid stevia (or to taste, optional) 
• ½ tsp salt (or to taste, optional) 
• 1 egg 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine dry ingredients in small bowl. Combine wet ingredients in a medium bowl. Add dry to wet mixing with each addition. Ensure no lumps remain, then pour batter into a prepared 8x8 baking dish. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until slightly golden brown. Remove and let cool completely.

Once cool, cut into 8 pieces. For a delish treat, serve topped with organic ghee or honey/coconut nectar. 

Squash Fries 

• 1 (2 pound) butternut squash, acorn squash or other winter squash variety, halved and seeded
• Salt to taste
• Other Seasonings to Taste (be creative! Cinnamon is great for sweet, Cayenne Pepper for spicy)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Use a sharp knife to carefully cut away the peel from the squash. Cut the squash into sticks like French fries. Arrange squash pieces on a baking sheet and season with salt (also other seasonings if using). Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, turning the fries over halfway through baking. Fries are done when they are starting to brown on the edges and become crispy. Delicious topped with "Game Day Chili" recipe found above.

Keep a winning spirit!

Football season should not be an excuse to skip out on your exercise and mindlessly eat (or drink). Do not focus solely on the food and alcohol. Instead, enjoy watching the games and spending time with family and friends. Remember that we are all human, if you do overindulge just get back on track the following day and don’t lose sight of your long-term health goals. No crazy cleanses or marathon cardio sessions necessary. You go "on and off" a "diet". Instead, make manageable, maintainable lifestyle changes will keep you in the game for the long run. Fitness and health are journeys in which there is no destination, we must remember to enjoy the ride!

Looking for professional guidance, nutrition and exercise programming or help with meal planning and prep? Check out keypotentialfitness.com or email me at lindseymwoodkey@yahoo.com.

Meal Prepping 101

If I was to give you only a few tips on what leads to long-term success in one’s fitness journey, they would be consistency, hard-work and preparation. The first two should be self-explanatory.

First, you must stay consistent with your exercise and nutrition. We will veer off course every so often, but keeping these “slip ups” to a minimum and always moving forward towards your goal can be the difference between seeing the results you desire vs. seeing little to no progress at all.

Second, it is going to be WORK. Whether you desire to run a marathon, lose weight, compete in a competition or squat 200 pounds, you will have to WORK AT IT. The secret is there is no secret. You will have days where you just want to sit in bed, eat ice cream and watch Netflix (now while I don’t advocate doing this on a regular basis, every now and then I think it can be good for the mind and the soul). Those who are successful push through when it gets hard and consistently put in the work.

So what about preparation. How can we best prepare ourselves to be successful in achieving our fitness goals? Having a solid training program with a specific goal is important. If you are trying to lose weight, run a marathon, be a powerlifter and do 15 pullups all at once, you are likely spinning in the mud. Choose a focus goal and devise a plan based on the desired outcome (this is where professional guidance is key. If you do not have a background in exercise or proper programming I highly suggest reaching out to a fitness professional for help).

We have now nailed down that you must be consistent, work hard and have a solid training program in place in order to progress. Now what if I told you about 70-80% of your results (specifically in relation to fat loss/muscle building) can be attributed to nutrition? We all know the cliché saying “you cannot out train a bad diet”. Well they were right on the mark.

Now what if I told you I did have a secret when it comes to the nutrition arena? This secret will take a bit of effort, but pay off 10-fold. It will simplify your life, keep you from binging on everything in your fridge while deciding what to make for lunch and help you walk past the donuts and bagels at work. (I know you are all envisioning this great new appetite suppressant/ metabolism enhancing magic pill). Sorry to disappoint, but this secret is MEAL PREPPING.

To sum up “meal prepping” for those outside the fitness world- meal prepping consists of cooking items in advance (either portions of or entire meals) to be consumed over the next few days. This is especially helpful for those with busy schedules or individuals who are away from the home most of the day.

The benefits of prepping in advance are numerous, but here are the main ones.

• More free time- you may spend more time on the weekend (or meal prep day) cooking, chopping, washing, etc. but over the course of the week you will spend much less time on these items (think that you are consolidating the tasks, only cleaning your kitchen once, etc.)
• Less chance of hitting the drive through- we have all been there. Busy, hungry, tired, cannot imagine the thought of even boiling water. This is when we make that quick stop at the quickest take-out spot and likely order something that is a little less than “healthy”.
• Healthier choices- when prepping your meals you are able to cook batches of whole, real, nutrient dense foods. This means less reliance on packaged, convenience/processed items. Think cooking a pot of rice vs. using the microwave or boxed versions, grilling chicken breasts instead of using store bout rotisserie chicken or making your own sweet potato fries vs. using the bagged, frozen, oil-coated ones.
• Less waste- when you prep food in advance and plan your meals ahead of time less food goes to waste. You buy what you need for the week instead of aimlessly walking through the grocery store and grabbing anything calling your name (this specifically pertains to perishable items such as dairy and meats and items that can spoil quickly like fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Save money- this of course follows the “less waste” benefit (don’t throw your dollars in the trash!) but also the premise that you will eat out less and rely on fewer of those convenience items that tend to be more expensive.

So great, now you see the benefits of meal prepping, but what is the best way to go about this? There are multiple strategies, and I will share some that have worked the best for me over the years.

First, plan your menu. Decide what your meals and snacks will consist of. Do an inventory of your cupboards, fridge and pantry to see which items you already have on hand and which you need to pick-up.

Next, formulate your grocery list. Also be specific on the amounts you need so you can cut down on waste. I like to divide my grocery list into sections of the store which makes for quicker, easier shopping (and less running back and forth across the store).

Often I will have to go to two or three grocery stores to get all my items (why can’t one store have everything?!). Shopping earlier in the day will help you avoid crowds and have a better selection of items to choose from.

Block out 2-3 hours of time to do your prep. I cook all of my animal proteins (think chicken, turkey, fish, lean meats, etc.), grains (brown rice, quinoa, etc.) and some vegetables (squashes, peppers, zucchini) so they are ready to go. Other items to make ahead include hard boiled eggs, any sauces or dressings you be preparing and using (hummus, salad dressing, etc.) and if applicable homemade protein bars, pancakes, waffles etc. that make for easy, on the go options.

It is also helpful to wash and prep your produce. This includes chopping lettuce for salads, slicing cucumbers, carrots and celery for snacks and dicing vegetables that you can toss in a stir fry. Do keep in mind that some produce will spoil more quickly after it is washed, so be mindful of when you will consume these items. I often prep delicate veggies and fruits a maximum of three days in advance.

Once all of my items are cooked, I portion my meals for the next three days. This is where the Tupperware and Ziploc baggies come in handy. If you are concerned about the plastic, use glass containers and reusable BPA free bags. Having these ready to go will leave you less likely to reach for the chips or cookies when hunger strikes.

Food safety and “how long does it last?” come into play here. For cooked proteins try to keep them in the fridge no more than 3 days (4 max). Grains can last up to 5. This is where your freezer is your best friend. Portion and freeze your proteins and grains so you can pull them out towards the end of the week.

An example of a meal prep schedule would be:

• Sunday- shop for and prep foods. Portion meals for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, freezing any extras.
• Tuesday evening- take out frozen items to thaw.
• Wednesday evening- make meals for the remainder of the week. Some prefer to do this just for Thursday and Friday if they will be around the house on the weekend, or for the rest of the week if they will be out and about all weekend.

There you have it, meal prepping 101. I wish I could tell you reheated food is as good as fresh- but that’s just not the case. Personally however, with a busy schedule it is not always feasible to cook items directly before consuming. There is certainly a little give and take with meal prepping, but to me, the benefits far outweigh the costs (or should I say, less cost!). I’ll leave you with a few of my tricks I have found handy.

• Use your crockpot! This can be to prep your meats on “Meal Prep Day” or to start in the morning for a delicious dinner when you get home from work. Overnight oatmeal in the crockpot is a great way to ensure you have a quick, easy, ready-to-go breakfast.
• Prep enough variety, but not too much- can you reuse brown rice from your tacos on Monday for an Asian Stir-fry on Wednesday? How about your flank steak that was served with mashed potatoes, can you add it to a fajita? Think about how you can cook once for multiple meals.
• Keep staples on hand- having items in your pantry that will compliment your already prepared proteins and grains is crucial. Think low sugar marinara sauces, coconut aminos, vinegars, healthy oils, beans, etc.
• Not all veggies freeze well- if you are looking to freeze vegetables, stick to those with a lower water content (think green beans, not zucchini). Blanch them first in boiling water, shock them in ice water for a short time, and then spread in a single layer on a cookie sheet to freeze.
• Use a chalk marker to label meals- These are available at most. I used to use a sharpie on my lids or a piece of tape to label what was in the container, the date or what meal it was for. Not anymore! The chalk washes right off.
• Simplify your mornings- I have my crockpot oatmeal prepped and ready to go when I get back from my workout. I add stevia and cinnamon then pack it for the day. I also have my fruit portioned out so all that remains is my protein. Reheated eggs just don’t do it for me, so I have my 4 whites and 1 yolk in a container ready to be cooked, then I scramble it up and I’m out the door.
•  For busy mornings when I don’t have time to cook, I make a protein pancake the night before (combining my serving of oats, berries or banana and egg whites in a bowl then cooking on the stovetop like a pancake). These are delicious hot or cold, especially topped with nut  and cinnamon.
• Consider meal prepping even if you work from home- on days when I know I will be swamped with “at home” work I prep my meals for the day. This saves me time but also keeps me on track. We all know when we are tired/stressed it is easy to just grab whatever is available and easy. No excuses this way!

Need help with meal ideas, meal prepping strategies, recipes or other nutritional guidance? Contact me at lindseymwoodkey@yahoo.com or check-out Keypotentialfitness.com for packages and rates.

Fueling Your Kids for Success- The Perfect School Lunch

It’s that time again. Back to school shopping, brisk fall mornings, and streets filled with school buses. Ready or not, the kids are going back. The most frequent question I get from parents is which foods they should send with their children for lunch. Your child’s nutrition plays a key role in their academic success, performance in athletics, even their behavior and energy levels.

                  

Your child’s lunch should have the following components: a main course (healthy proteins, carbohydrates and fats), a serving of fruit, a serving of vegetables, a serving of low fat dairy (or dairy alternative if your child has a milk allergy), and a “fun” item. Now let’s break each of these down and give you a few choices.

                 

The main course - This is the “bulk” of your child’s lunch. It needs to have whole grain carbohydrates for energy, lean proteins to keep hunger pains away, and healthy fats for proper growth and development. 

For the carbohydrate, think whole grain breads, pitas, crackers, cereals or wraps (first ingredient listed should be “whole grain” look for ones without “hydrogenated oils”, the key word for trans fats). Leftover brown rice, whole grain pasta, cooked yams or potatoes also can make great options (make sure your child likes the item cold or has the ability to heat them up). Feeling adventurous? Whole grain frozen waffles can serve as a fun substitute for bread. 

For the lean protein, stick with turkey, low fat ham, chicken, tuna or lean roast beef. When using deli meats, look for ones low in sodium and preferably “nitrate free”. Cooking your own is safest, but that’s not always an option. If your child is not a big meat eater, send a hard-boiled egg, peanut butter, or hummus. All are high in protein, and also have healthy fats. If you choose to include these items, don’t worry about sending another source of good fats, but if not, use avocado, low fat mayonnaise (preferably made with olive oil), reduced fat cheese, or a small serving of nuts. (Make sure to check your school’s “nut policy”. Due to allergies, many schools are banning nuts and nut butters. If this is the case, sunflower seed butter or Tahini can be good replacements).

                  

Fruit and veggie sides - This is the component too many parents leave out. Make sure to send your child with items you know they’ll eat. This is not the time to introduce your child to new foods-save that for meals at home or you may end up with more waste than you bargained for (broccoli anyone?). Sliced carrots, celery, snap peas and cucumbers travel well. Including fun dips can make eating veggies easier. Think low fat ranch, hummus, or natural peanut butter. 

Pack fruits that won’t bruise easily. Apples, oranges (as long as your child can peel them), sliced peaches or pears (packed in Tupperware), and grapes work well. Once again, find a fruit your child enjoys or you’ll find it still in their lunchbox after school. For smaller children, make sure their fruits and veggies are in bite sizes that will be easy to consume. 

                  

Dairy - Calcium and Vitamin D are necessary nutrients for growing children and dairy products are a great source. Make sure the serving of dairy you send with your child is not a sugar bomb. Low fat yogurt, cottage cheese or milk are good options as are reduced-fat cheese sticks (these also include muscle building protein). 

If your child is lactose intolerant or has a milk allergy, consider soy, almond, coconut or rice milk products. Choose an item that is lower in sugar, does not contain any hydrogenated oils, and is the correct portion size (1 cup milk, 6-8 oz. yogurt, ½ cup cottage cheese, 1 cheese stick, etc.). Consider flavoring your yogurt and/or cottage cheese yourself with fruit or a teaspoon of honey to avoid excess sugars.

                  

While you want to send your children with healthy lunches, you do not want to deprive them of all “treats”. Teach them about moderation and portion sizes and help create a healthy relationship with food. Remember, there are not "good" or "bad" foods, just those we should consume "all the time" and those we should only include "some of the time". 

In lunches, allow them to choose one small “fun” item a day. Try to make a healthier choice (baked chips or pretzels, homemade cookies, dried fruits without added sugars, or sugar-free pudding/Jell-O cups). Watch out for sugary children’s drinks. Capri Suns, Sunny D, and Regular Kool-Aid will leave your child with a sugar high, then send them crashing down once class begins. Stick with water, low fat milk, or sugar free beverages (Crystal Light, G2, etc.). 100% juice in a 4-6 oz. portion can also be a good option.

                  

A discussion about children’s lunches would not be complete without including food safety. Gone are the days where you threw a mayonnaise-laden sandwich in a brown paper sack and called it good. Find a well-insulated lunch container and an ice pack that will last at least four hours. Make sure the ice pack is in the top of the cooler as cold air will travel downward. Consider freezing items that can be frozen. They will thaw throughout the day and keep the other foods colder. Be especially careful of things like mayonnaise, meats, eggs, and dairy (place them closet to the ice pack). They now make fun "bento box" type lunch pails for children that have separate compartments for the various meal components. Kids love having smaller portions of multiple items.

Remember that children "eat first with their eyes". Cutting their fruits and veggies into fun shapes, rolling up their meats, cubing their cheeses and using foods of different colors can increase the chances that your child will consume the items you pack. Include a small note or picture to make their lunch time extra special.

Keep your kids performing their best this school year with nutrient-packed lunches.  For some of my favorite “kid approved” recipes, see Tosca Reno’s “Clean Eating Family and Kids” or Devin Alexander’s “Biggest Loser Family Cookbook”.  Parents can benefit from these lunch “rules” as well. Set a good example for your children by packing your lunch to work instead of grabbing take out. Not only will you save money, but also excess salt, sugar, and calories. Here’s to a happy, healthy school year!

                  

Lactic Acid- Debunking a common held fitness myth

Another day and another long held “Bro Science” theory to squash. This started during my morning workout when I forgot my headphones- FAIL. Now I hate not having music while I workout for a few reasons. First, it opens the door for people to come “converse” with you during your rest periods and my workouts are not social hour. Next it means I am stuck to listen to these mainstream trainers standing by their clients moving the pin up and down on the leg extension machine while spewing their “knowledge”. It takes everything I have to not butt in and save these people from the completely bogus information being disseminated to them.

(Thinking back, maybe I should be thanking these individuals- they always give me great writing prompts…)

This morning it was “How’s that lactic acid from our Monday workout treating you?”. That was my first palm to face. Then it was- make sure you do cardio tomorrow to get all that acid out of your muscles. That’s where I almost lost it.

Science people, science.

(Let me throw out there that the Personal Training industry is HIGHLY unregulated. You can get
certifications on Groupon for gosh sakes. You have to go to beauty school to cut hair, massage school to give massages, but can take a 30 minute online exam and call yourself a “Trainer”… really? Or take no exam and simply call yourself a “Health Coach” then tell people what supplements they should take. Great. Now what if these individuals are on Metformin for their diabetes mellitus—are you still going to give them your cookie cutter supplement plan and pocket their money? I digress—let me get off my soap box and back to the topic at hand.)

We are going to start talking science here- I’ll simplify it as much as possible, but never will I “dumb down” physiology too much-that is where concepts get misunderstood and “broscience” emerges.

We return to our “lactic acid makes you sore” claim. First, lactic acid is by definition “an organic compound (CH3CHCO2H) which is produced both naturally and synthetically”. It is indeed an “acid” which means it can release a proton (or hydrogen ion, H+). If you have any chemistry background at all you understand that as the concentration of H+ ions increases, the pH decreases. If I lost you at the term “acid” simply understand that a drop in pH levels will affect the muscles ability to continue to contract and contribute to the “burning” sensation you feel in the muscle belly.

When lactic acid releases a hydrogen ion it joins with a sodium or potassium ion to become an acid salt, which we will refer to simply as lactate. Previously held beliefs were that this release of a hydrogen ion would cause a drop in pH coined “lactic acidosis” and decrease the muscles ability to continue to perform work. Recent studies however have shown this not to be the case.

Here is where the “lactic acid” theory has faults. There is little to no biochemical evidence that high levels of lactate CAUSE acidosis, but instead there is CORRELATION between the two. (Not to veer off course too much, but correlation simply means there is a relationship between two items, as “A” increases so does “B” and vise versa. NOW this is not saying that an increase in “A” CAUSES an increase in “B”, but simply that there is a positive correlation between the two. What if there was another factor, “C" CAUSING an increase in both “A” and “B”?) There is no denying that lactate levels increase during intense bouts of exercise, but is that really what’s behind it all? Could it be a separate metabolic process that causes the acidosis affecting performance and causing muscular fatigue during intense exercise?

Studies are now showing this to be the case. In reality lactate serves as a buffer during intense exercise and can RETARD, not cause acidosis (since it can ACCEPT an H+ ion). You read that right- could you have been lied to about lactic acid this whole time?

The belief is long-held and even published in numerous text books- heck- it’s what I was taught through my schooling. BUT upon further investigation and my own inquiry of how lactate accumulation could possibly be the cause of the acidosis I discovered the supporting data is weak at best.

So then what is actually causing the drop in pH that creates the threshold to which you can work without oxygen (anaerobically)? Could it be the breakdown of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) to ADP (adenosine diphosphate) and Pi (inorganic phosphate)? During this reaction, one of the phosphate groups is removed from ATP via hydrolysis releasing a proton (H+ ion) and energy (that of course is a highly simplified explanation of the reaction). Just remember that ATP is our bodies "energy currency", it is what fuels your activity.

When the amount of ATP needed to fuel the activity is met via cellular respiration (think exercise WITH sufficient oxygen), the protons released are used and do not accumulate meaning the pH stays relatively neutral. Now if the need for ATP increases and cannot be met via respiration (for example with intense exercise) two different energy systems, glycolysis (activities lasting about 30 seconds to 2 minutes) and/or the phosphogen system (about 10 seconds of all out work) come into play. Once called upon, these systems can supply ATP but they also increase the amount of protons released in turn lowering the pH to a more acidotic level. Think intense, anaerobic exercise (without oxygen) = proton release= acidosis.

Why then do lactate levels also increase with intense exercise (studies do support this correlation)?

Glycolysis itself breaks down carbohydrate (in the form of glucose or glycogen) into pyruvate. The interesting thing about pyruvate is that it can have two fates. When enough oxygen is present it can be oxidized in the mitochondria to produce more ATP. However, when sufficient oxygen IS NOT present, it will be converted into LACTATE. Notice I did not say lactic acid. So with intense exercise in which oxygen is a limiting factor lactate levels will INCREASE.

Interesting right? Hopefully you now see that lactic acid/lactate are not the cause of your muscular fatigue/that “burning” sensation within the muscle belly. Instead, it is your body working to meet the energy demands of your muscles via ATP production.

Now what about the theory that “lactic acid makes you sore” or the attribution of your DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) to lactic acid accumulation. Both of these are again, false.

At rest normal lactate levels in the blood are between 0.5 and 2.2 mmol/L. At complete exhaustion (as seen with intense exercise) they can be as high as 20-25 mmol/L. Peak lactate levels are seen 3-8 minutes after the completion of the activity depending on intensity and training level. A return to normal levels is usually seen within 1 hour of exercise cessation. An active recovery/cool down and regular training can decrease the amount of time it takes for the lactate to be “removed” from the blood stream.

Wait did I just say lactate (or “lactic acid” for all my bros out there) is gone within 1 hour of completing your training? That’s correct. Lactate is oxidized to pyruvate by the lactate dehydrogenase enzyme. Pyruvate can then be used in the Krebs Cycle helping your body produce more ATP (in the presence of oxygen).

This is all good and well but why are you sore after your lifting sessions? Remember, when you are strength training you are ultimately creating “micro-trauma” within the muscle belly. These small “tears” (if you will) are then repaired and built back stronger than before (assuming proper rest and nutrition practices are used.) The muscle can then withstand the same or greater loads in successive workouts. This is how we get “stronger” and why we experience hypertrophy of our muscle fibers.

(Note that eccentric loading, or that applied as the muscle lengthens will create more muscle breakdown than concentric loading which occurs as the muscle contracts. Cool huh?)

This trauma causes the accumulation of byproducts and fluids in the muscle while also increasing inflammation. THIS is what causes the soreness, not an “accumulation of lactic acid”. This soreness often arrives 24-48 hours AFTER the activity and can be referred to as DOMS or delayed onset muscle soreness.

If you pull anything from the last 10 minutes of reading this post may it be that:

1) Lactic Acid does not build up in the muscle, but lactate does (and the two are NOT synonymous).

2) The cause of decreased performance, the “burning” sensation felt in the muscle belly and the inability to continue high intensity exercise for long durations are not related to lactate but other metabolic processes which produce the ATP your muscles are utilizing in turn creating a more acidic environment.

3) The soreness you experience 24-48 hours after your training session is NOT “acid” in your muscle but micro-trauma you have created in the muscle fibers which in turn lead to byproducts/metabolites/fluid buildup and inflammation.

Make Sense? Yet another bro theory put to rest. If your trainer is spouting off about lactic acid, RUN. (Or better yet ask him/her what exactly lactic acid IS and see what crazy answer they come back with. You may now know more than them on this topic.)

As always, be a smart consumer, do your research, check credentials and for goodness sakes, don’t believe everything you hear and read.

Interested in individualized training or nutrition programs or have a burning fitness question? Contact me at lindseymwoodkey@yahoo.com or visit keypotentialfitness.com.