South Beach dieter cyclist “hits the wall” at mile 50, and asks RD: “How do I build up my glycemic stores so that it remains consistent with my weight program?”

Between your muscles, liver and blood a 150 pound person has about 1800 calories of carbohydrates stored. When your muscle glycogen (stored formed of carbohydrates) get too low, you “hit the wall,” you become fatigued and need to quit.
In comparison to the approximate 1800 calories of stored carbohydrates, the average, lean 150 pound also has about 60-100K calories of stored fat-enough to run hundreds of miles! Unfortunately, for endurance athletes, fat cannot be used exclusively as fuel because the muscles need a certain amount of carbohydrates to function well; carbohydrates are a limiting factor for endurance athletes.
To maintain adequate glycogen stores for long distance rides or runs, 60-70% of diet should be carbohydrates. Your plate should be 2/3 carbohydrate, ½ protein/fat.
Which foods contain carbohydrates? Bread, breakfast cereal, rice, potatoes, oatmeal, fruit, fruit juices, beans, vegetables and milk and dairy.
But not all carbohydrates are created equal. Some researchers have suggested that, depending on how quickly a food is able to raise blood sugar, there may be an effect on performance. This concept is known as glycemic index. This might mean all sources of carbohydrates in food products (including bars, gels, and drinks) are not the same. The higher the glycemic index, the higher the rise in blood sugar.
To help built up your glycogen stores, your snacks and meals should be 2/3 lower glycemic index (GI) carbohydrates. Some examples of these are: pasta, peas, chick peas, lentils, baked beans, peanuts, pears, oranges, sweetened yogurt, apple juice, skim milk.
Conversely, consuming moderate to high GI carbohydrates after exercise help to promote muscle glycogen storage, and to recover between workouts. Some examples of moderate GI foods are: orange juice, Gatorade, rice, oatmeal, whole wheat bread, pineapple, raisins, bananas, and grapes, and some examples of high GI foods are: watermelon, carrots, waffles, bagels, white bread, rice cakes, graham crackers, Cheerios, baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, and honey.
However, as research is controversial and high and low glycemic index foods may not be beneficial for all athletes, I highly recommend to "experiment" with different types of carbohydrates but only to do so during practices not competition.

South Beach dieter cyclist “hits the wall” at mile 50, and asks RD: “How do I build up my glycemic stores so that it remains consistent with my weight program?”

Between your muscles, liver and blood a 150 pound person has about 1800 calories of carbohydrates stored. When your muscle glycogen (stored formed of carbohydrates) get too low, you "hit the wall," you become fatigued and need to quit.

In comparison to the approximate 1800 calories of stored carbohydrates, the average, lean 150 pound also has about 60-100K calories of stored fat-enough to run hundreds of miles! Unfortunately, for endurance athletes, fat cannot be used exclusively as fuel because the muscles need a certain amount of carbohydrates to function well; carbohydrates are a limiting factor for endurance athletes.

To maintain adequate glycogen stores for long distance rides or runs, 60-70% of diet should be carbohydrates. Your plate should be 2/3 carbohydrate, ½ protein/fat.

Which foods contain carbohydrates? Bread, breakfast cereal, rice, potatoes, oatmeal, fruit, fruit juices, beans, vegetables and milk and dairy.

But not all carbohydrates are created equal. Some researchers have suggested that, depending on how quickly a food is able to raise blood sugar, there may be an effect on performance. This concept is known as glycemic index. This might mean all sources of carbohydrates in food products (including bars, gels, and drinks) are not the same. The higher the glycemic index, the higher the rise in blood sugar.

To help built up your glycogen stores, your snacks and meals should be 2/3 lower glycemic index (GI) carbohydrates. Some examples of these are: pasta, peas, chick peas, lentils, baked beans, peanuts, pears, oranges, sweetened yogurt, apple juice, skim milk.

Conversely, consuming moderate to high GI carbohydrates after exercise help to promote muscle glycogen storage, and to recover between workouts. Some examples of moderate GI foods are: orange juice, Gatorade, rice, oatmeal, whole wheat bread, pineapple, raisins, bananas, and grapes, and some examples of high GI foods are: watermelon, carrots, waffles, bagels, white bread, rice cakes, graham crackers, Cheerios, baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, and honey.

However, as research is controversial and high and low glycemic index foods may not be beneficial for all athletes, I highly recommend to "experiment" with different types of carbohydrates but only to do so during practices not competition.

This Valentine have your Chocolate and Eat it Too

The Aztecs had it right!

Cocoa beans are full of plant chemicals called flavanols. Flavanols are antioxidants that may reduce blood platelet stickiness and help prevent blood clots. According to the American Dietetic Association, Cocoa and dark chocolate may actually have up to 10x more antioxidant power than other antioxidant rich foods! Cocoa and Dark chocolate can be a good source of calcium, potassium and magnesium. Chocolate even contains vitamins A, B1, B2, D and E. The vitamins and minerals found in chocolate products can vary depending on the way the chocolate was processed.


While chocolate has benefits, just like other beneficial high fat foods such as nuts, its high calorie content means you’re best off enjoying it in moderation, if a trim figure is something you desire. Chocolate contains saturated fats, trans fats and sugar which are damamging to your health if eaten in excess, so keep your serving of chocolate as suggested below.

You only need a small square (about 1 oz) to get the benefits! Read more about the benefits of natural cocoa and dark chocolate here:
http://jn.nutrition.org/content/138/4/725.abstract

Chocolate facts good to know
Cocoa powder has double the nutrients as regular chocolate.
The purer the chocolate, the more benefits you receive.
Of the regular chocolates, dark has the most health benefits. But when chocolate or cocoa is diluted with milk, water, sugar or other processing methods, its nutrient content is diluted too. Therefore, 70% cocoa has more benefits than 50%.



Chocolate calorie counting

4 Hershey’s Kisses (100 calories)
2 Dove Promises (90 calories)
11 M&Ms (100 calories)
1 cup diet hot cocoa and 1 chocolate graham cracker (80 calories)
1 JELL-O fat-free chocolate pudding snack (100 calories)
1 Quaker Chocolate Crunch popcorn cake (60 calories)
1 cup strawberries drizzled with 1 tablespoon fat-free hot fudge (100 calories)
1/2 cup fat-free chocolate frozen yogurt (100 calories)
20 chocolate-covered raisins (80 calories)
1/2 cup General Mills Cocoa Puffs cereal (60 calories)
2 Snackwell’s Devil’s Food Cookie Cakes (100 calories)
2 bite-size York Peppermint Patties (100 calories)


1. Dark chocolate. A hunk of deep, dark chocolate smells lusciously chocolatey, and the first bite is very satisfying. Since it's so rich and the flavor so strong, you can be satisfied with very little. At 110-120 calories per ounce, that's more satisfaction for less than half the calories of a full-size milk chocolate bar with peanuts!

2. Frozen yogurt. Try a half-cup frozen chocolate yogurt (100 calories) topped with a half-cup sliced fresh strawberries (approximately 20 calories).

3. Chocolate popsicles. You can find a variety of low-calorie chocolate popsicles or frozen chocolate pudding pops in your supermarket's freezer. Starbucks now offers a Frappucchino Mocha frozen pop that weighs in at only 120 calories!

4. Chocolate puddings. Look for the fat-free varieties and indulge. Many low-cal varieties are just about 120 calories per serving.

5. Hot chocolate. On chilly nights, cuddle up with a steaming cup of hot cocoa: Heat 6 ounces skim milk (70 calories), 1/2 Tbsp. cocoa (10 calories), 1/2 Tbsp. sugar (24 calories) in a pan. Add a dash of cinnamon and/or vanilla extract. Heat while stirring constantly, and you'll warm yourself up with just approximately 100 calories!


6. Old-fashioned chocolate "ice cream" floats. For hot summer nights, make a frosty chocolate float: Place ½ cup nonfat chocolate frozen yogurt in a glass, and add your choice of diet soda to fill the glass. Each serving has approximately 110 calories, depending on the frozen yogurt used. This serves up a cool, refreshing drink that satisfies your chocolate craving and beats the heat.

7. Pure chocolate. Don't waste the calories on the cookie dough surrounding the chocolate chips ! Have a few squares of pure chocolate instead! One miniature chocolate bar (about 7 grams) is only about 36 calories.

8. Chocolate chips. Sprinkle semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips on your yogurt for a sweet after-dinner snack. One tablespoon of semi-sweet chips is 52 calories. Milk chocolate chips have 54 calories per tablespoon.

9. Chocolate jimmies. Sprinkle chocolate jimmies on your banana, or over vanilla yogurt for a chocolaty breakfast treat. At only 20 calories per teaspoon, it's a guilt-free way to indulge your chocolate craving.

10. Chocolate syrup. Make a chocolate sundae with fresh fruit instead of ice cream. Regular chocolate syrup has about 50 calories per tablespoon. Light chocolate syrup has only 25 calories per tablespoon.

11. For Women Only: Chewy calcium supplements like Viactiv come in delicious “milk chocolate” and “mochaccino” flavors. Each piece supplies 500 milligrams of calcium and has just 50 calories!


Whether you are eating chocolate for health benefits or to indulge yourself the fact is you will surely have a delicious experience. If you are calorie and health consciuos, just chose and eat the chocolate product that you enjoy the most, eat one piece, and savor each bite at a time. Bon a petit et bonne sante!

Disclaimer

The content of Wikinutrition.net is for informational purposes only. ANy information listed on this site is not intended to diagnose, prevent , treat or cure any disease. This blog contains thoughs, opinions and links to other sources of information. Before making any major chances to your diet or exercise routine, you should consult your physician.

Supervised Exercise Program IMproves HbA1c Levels in Diabetic Patients

A new study from Italy shows a structured, supervised exercise program improves HbA_1c levels and the cardiovascular risk profile of individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The exercise program, a twice-weekly, facility-based regimen that included aerobic exercise, resistance training, and counseling was significantly better at improving HbA_1c levels and cardiovascular risk factors than a treatment regimen that only counseled physical activity.

Researches think the twice-a-week sessions supervised by an exercise specialist served as continuous reinforcement to counseling," write lead investigator Dr Stefano Balducci (La Sapienza University, Rome, Italy) and colleagues in the November 8, 2010 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Although, participants in group that underwent exercise counseling alone successfully achieved the currently recommended target for physical activity, that being 150 minutes of moderate to intense activity per week, and while this activity improved cardiorespiratory fitness levels in these previously sedentary subjects, it was not enough to improve glycemic control or improve their cardiovascular risk profile.

"These results might imply that the amount of physical activity that is required to effectively reduce cardiovascular burden in these high-risk subjects could be higher than the minimum recommended," write the authors.

Costco cheese sold in 5 states linked to E. Coli

A Gouda Cheese recently sold by Costco Wholesale Corporation has been linked to an E. Coli outbrake that has sickened 25 people in 5 states.

The Bravo Farms Gouda cheese in question was sold and offered for in store tasting between Oct 5 and Nov 1 in Arizona, California, New Mexico, Colorado and Nevada.

No death were reported, yet 9 people had to be hospitalized.

Symptoms of E. Coli include bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping, and dehydration. E. Coli can cause severe anemia and kidney failure that can lead to death. Symptoms start 3-4 days after contact with E. Coli.