6
Milk. What’s Your Intake?
I had the chance to sit in with Neil Westford this week and talk about a better way to eat for a corporate challenge that just kicked off. It was very motivating and just reminded me about going back to the basics. What really startled me was the debate we had on milk.
The dairy industry has done a fantastic job at marketing. Since we were kids, it has been drilled in our heads that milk is healthy and necessary for our bones, is a healthy drink, and should be consumed daily. However, humans are the only species that continue to drink milk after being fed from our mothers.
Did you know that Vitamin D is NOT a natural ingredient in milk? The pasteurization process used on milk, which is an archaic method to prevent harmful bacteria entering our bodies, has many problems in itself. As pasteurization involves subjecting milk to high temperatures of heat treatment, this also kills good bacteria (as heat is a non selective procedure) and denatures much of the protein contained in the product. Also, as we age, we lose the enzyme lactate dehydrogenase, which allows us to process lactose. This is why many people have stomach bloating or uncomfortable reactions to dairy products or products containing dairy
I personally keep my dairy as more of a treat than a necessity. Each serving has 16g of sugar. If you are trying to lose weight or feeling bloated, try limiting your dairy intake and see if you start to see a change. A great alternative I have found to like is almond milk. The plain stuff!
All in all, don’t believe everything you read, do your research and decide for yourself. How is your dairy intake? Did you ever think that try limiting it?
22
5,4,3,2,1 Nutrition Rules
Nutrition Nutrition Nutrition
There is a lot of information out there about nutrition. We all know it is important, but with all the rules, how can we remember EVERYTHING there is out there? A mentor, Brett Kilka shared with me an easy way to remember the basics and what I call the K.I.S.S. method (keep it simple silly;)
5 Meals a Day
Eat five small meals a day, each with a protein, carbohydrate, and a fruit or vegetable. Eating nutritious food frequently is like constantly throwing logs onto a fire. The energy you get from good food turns your body into an athletic inferno!
4 Pints of Water (At Least!)
Our bodies are made up of a large amount of water. Nearly every process in the body requires water. If you don’t have enough, you’ll lose energy, strength, and eventually have serious problems like dehydration or heat stroke. Drink water! You can tell if you’re drinking enough if your pee is clear.
3 Eat every 3 Hours
Eating frequently ties hand in hand with all of the benefits of eating multiple meals. Eating nutritious food every couple of hours never allows you to “crash”. Your body constantly has the vitamins, minerals, and energy it needs to compete and repair.
2 Or less ingredients in the food you eat
The less “junk” they add to food, the better it is for you. A potato is a potato. Potato chips have a little potato with about 20-30 chemicals added that your body has no idea what to do with. These chemicals actually work against you being a better athlete. Your body likes real food. Look at the ingredients list on the food you eat. If there are more than 2, and you can’t pronounce them or wouldn’t eat them by themselves, don’t eat it!
1 Day per week to eat whatever you want
It’s ok to eat whatever you want 1 or 2 days per week. Most of the time once you get used to eating nutritious food, the junk doesn’t taste as good and it makes you feel gross. You don’t want to feel like you can’t ever eat anything you really like though. Try to eat as good as possible during a week of practices and games. During the weekend or during a day off from competing, enjoy some things you like, even if they aren’t the most healthy.
Any questions feel free to e-mail Alicia Obriecht– aobriecht@fxstudios.com
I would love to hear your feedback. Please comment below!!
Brett Klika, Director of Athletics at Fitness Quest 10 is an international speaker, educator, author, and motivator with 17 years experience in the realm of training and coaching. Through writing, speaking, and various other forms of media, Brett educates and inspires trainers and clients all over the world to optimize their lives through wellness. For constantly updated resources for personal trainers, visit www.brettklika.com!
