That dinner menu sounds really tasty, doesn’t it? It sounds like a lineup straight out of a fancy New York City restaurant but it’s actually what’s for dinner for the 33 hungry Chilean miners who have been sitting under 2,300 feet of rock since August 5th. But have you ever wondered whether these miners are getting enough nutrition? We couldn’t imagine being trapped down under thousands of feet of rock but we do hope they’re being fed well while waiting to be rescued out.

Recently, AskMen.com asked American Dietetic Association Spokesperson and Eating Free Creator Manuel Villacorta about the Chilean miners’ diet and how it might address their extraordinary plight.

Here’s an excerpt of the interview with Manuel at AskMen.com.

Read the entire story from AskMen.com by following this link.

When did doctors become politically correct?  Better yet, when did doctors just stop talking?  I posed the question to a client, “Has your doctor ever told you to lose weight?”  Considered obese on BMI standard, I was surprised when she replied that her doctor never even touched on the subject of weight.  She felt that her doctor didn’t want to have an uncomfortable conversation.  Innocently, we look to our health professionals to let us know what we’re doing wrong or right and to guide us to appropriate behaviors that will keep us disease-free.  These days it seems we get shuffled through various waiting areas until we finally meet with our doctor for maybe 7 minutes.  In that 7 minutes, “doctor’s orders” may be “Eat healthy and exercise more.”  Well, it’s just not that easy and if it were, there wouldn’t be an obesity epidemic.

Let’s not sugar coat or just ignore the problem anymore!  I’m tired of the “eat healthy and exercise more” slogan that does nothing but make people feel guilty and frustrated.  I have hundreds of overweight and obese clients who come to me because they have no idea what “eat healthy and exercise more” actually means.  I also have hundreds of clients who are already eating healthy foods and are still overweight.  Each person is different and that’s why eating healthy and exercising more just doesn’t cut it.

At Eating Free, you learn how your body works; what it needs to sustain, work efficiently, and feel good.  My clients appreciate honesty and although I may not call them fat, I will absolutely tell them what their appropriate weight or waist circumference should be to remain free of chronic disease.  I will also tell them how they should get to that weight goal – how much food and how much exercise – based on their specific metabolism, lifestyles, and abilities.  We also work on behaviors, because we all know that doing the right thing doesn’t always happen.  We need goals, a plan, and steps from point A to point B.  Directly and frankly, I owe it to my clients to not ignore their bad habits and to let them know that these habits may kill them.

Perhaps it was a movement towards political correctness; perhaps the pharmaceutical grasp of the magic pill to cure everything; or perhaps simply a fear or discomfort to speak plainly.  It is unfortunate and life-threatening that many doctors no longer feel the need or understand how to advise their clients on healthy behaviors or at least direct them to appropriate resources.

Renew

Stress is one of the biggest pitfalls in weight management.  Your body views stress as anything from meeting a deadline to skipping a meal or even just emotional distress.  Knowing your limits, managing your time, and including time to relax allow your body to refresh.  Mindfully eating by smelling, chewing, savoring, and eating guilt-free not only minimizes your digestive efforts but also nourishes the body to support your daily activities.

Energize

Your body is working every second of every minute of every day and requires an enormous amount of support.  Staying hydrated with a cup of water per hour keeps your muscles and joints flexible and your blood flowing.  Controlling your hunger hormone, Grehlin, by eating every 3-4 hours, not delaying or skipping meals, and combining your food groups will keep your blood sugar level and your brain and body at peak condition.  Your meals should uplift and energize you.

Sleep

Sleep is just as important as exercise.  Lack of sleep has been shown to increase weight.  Studies have shown that those who sleep less than 5 hours per night have a 73% chance of becoming obese and those who sleep 6 hours per night have 27% more likelihood of becoming obese.  Those who sleep least, weigh the most!

Time for You

Cooking, chopping, slicing, and planning meals – sorry, but there is just no way out of it!     Many times when clients tell me they exercise 6 days a week, 1-1.5 hours each day and don’t have time to sleep, cook, or shop, my response is to cut their exercise time in half and use the extra time to sleep more and to shop, cook, prepare and eat their meals.  Let go of the idea that preparing and eating is a chore.  If you do not prioritize your health, your health will not prioritize you!

It may come as a surprise, but the Eating Free movement aims to bring eating back!  Eating Free to health and weight loss involves self-care practices in renewal, energy, sleep and time.  Eating and living well was never meant to be separate.

Check your FreeQ Score and start Eating Free.

Eating is for survival, but Eating Free is your choice!

The ADA is the world’s largest organization of food and nutrition professionals, which is committed to improving the nation’s health and to advancing the profession of dietetics through research, education, and advocacy.  The ADA’s vision is to “optimize the nation’s health through food and nutrition.”

The ADA’s nationwide volunteer spokesperson network consists of 30 registered dietitians who annually conduct thousands of print, TV, radio, and online interviews about nutrition and healthful eating on behalf of the organization.  These registered dietitians representing the 25 largest media markets as well as specialty nutrition areas are the news media’s best resources for expert commentary, and are considered some of the country’s leading experts in nutrition.

“I feel very honored and privileged to have been chosen by the ADA to fill one of these important positions,” says Manuel.  “I look forward to communicating important messages about wholesome food, proper nourishment, and sensible weight management to people across America and throughout the world.”

Manuel will serve a very specific function within the network, since he is:

• one of the leading weight loss and behavior and lifestyle modification specialists in the country;
• the only West Coast spokesperson who is a board-certified sports dietitian;
• one of only three bilingual (English and Spanish) spokespersons in the U.S., and the only bilingual spokesperson on the West Coast; and
• one of only two male ADA spokespersons nationwide, and the only male spokesperson on the West Coast.

Expect to see more of Manuel and his truly effective Eating Free program!

What happened to elegance in eating? When did the concepts of “eating-on-the-go” or devouring plastic-wrapped or boxed meals become appropriate methods of dining? How did eating in front of the TV or in the car become alternatives to the dinner table? Our modern lives are often hectic and mindless; jumping from work to family to social and community obligations. Running down the long to-do list, barely crossing each item off, even exercise has to be scheduled. Many of us have lost touch with what food is and what it does. For many, it is merely a means to quench hunger, rather than to nourish. Our health and meals have sadly become an inconvenience.

Elegance in dining brings to mind fresh, whole foods and ingredients and the time to touch, smell, and taste flavors. Chopping, slicing, cooking, putting love into your foods is elegance. Presentation on a plate with silverware and cloth napkin at a dinner table with candles and the scent of flowers in a nearby vase is elegance. Spending time and nourishing yourself and those you love is elegance. Welcome back elegance and mindfully prepare and eat your next meal.

2. Eat carbohydrates at every meal and snack. Good choices include whole grain or enriched breads, rolls, low-fat muffins, waffles, pancakes, and cereals. Vegetables and fruits, vegetable and fruit juices, brown rice, pasta, and baked white or sweet potatoes are also good carbohydrate choices.

3. Eat well during training. Training should include fuel training. Just as you plan your training, you should plan to properly fuel your body. Work with a sports dietitian to learn about nutrition recommendations and create a meal and snack plan that works with your training schedule and performance goals.

Clearly, there is no nutrition benefit in replacing two buns, which are equivalent to 2 grams of fat and 160 calories, with two fried chicken fillets. The KFC Double Down sandwich has an astounding 590 calories, 31 grams of total fat, 10 grams of saturated fat, 190 mg of cholesterol and an unknown amount of sodium. Instead of cutting down the carbs, KFC should be reducing the fat.

With over 60% of Americans suffering from obesity, how can we save money in health care if we are creating more problems? A recent national study estimates that obesity costs $147 billion a year. Obesity has been linked to common chronic diseases such as diabetes, stroke, heart disease and cancer. We need a sound and evidence-based message to combat the obesity epidemic in America and, seriously, KFC is not helping.

Nutrition is key in long-distance running and is just as important as a good training regimen. The number of calories you need for running depends on a number of factors: your body weight, how fast you run, how long you run, and your training frequency. A recreational runner will have very different calorie needs than a competitive runner who logs 100 miles per week while training.

For example, a 150-pound recreational runner burns 10 calories per minute while running a 12-minute mile, and a 110-pound competitive runner burns 14 calories per minute while running 6-minute mile.

Carbohydrate is the most important fuel for runners, so consuming adequate carbohydrate on a daily basis is necessary to replenish your energy stores. When you train, eat whole grains, fruits, and vegetables at every meal.

When training hard every day, runners need 3.6 to 4.5 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight per day. For recreational runners, 2.3 to 2.7 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight per day is enough.

How about proteins and fats? Distance runners need 0.55 to 0.64 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day as well. The typical American diet provides plenty of protein, so runners usually get enough protein without adding protein drinks or supplements.

Good sources of protein include fish, chicken, turkey, lean cuts of beef, low-fat or nonfat milk, yogurt, low fat cheeses, eggs, nuts, and soy.

Distance runners burn more fat than people who don’t exercise. Calories from fat should make up about 20% to 25% of the calories in a runner’s diet. Choose heart-healthy fats, such as canola oil, olive oil, and nuts.

How to fuel before, during and after running

Before Running. Your pre-exercise goal is to be fueled for your training. The ideal pre-exercise meal should be carbohydrate rich and well tolerated. The number of carbohydrates you need depends on your weight and the timing of the meal prior to exercise. Generally, you should consume 0.5g to 2g per pound of body weight of carbohydrate 1 to 4 hours prior to exercise.

An hour before a run, consume 0.5 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight. For a 145-lb runner that’s 145 lb x 0.5 g/lb or 72.5 grams of carbohydrates.

Sample meal:
1. one small banana (15g of carbs) + one slice toast (15g of carbs) + one Tbsp of jam (15g of carbs) + 16oz of Gatorade (30g of carbs) = 75 grams of carbohydrate
2. one cup of cooked oatmeal (30g of carbs) + 4 Tbsp raisins (30g of carbs) + 8 oz Gatorade (15g of carbs) = 75 grams of carbohydrate

During Running. Consuming 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrates every hour has proven to improve performance in exercise lasting longer than 90 minutes. Your pre-workout meal will provide enough energy for exercises lasting less than 90 minutes. Try gels, energy drinks, or anything that you can tolerate.

After Running. If your exercise lasts longer than 90 minutes, you should consume 0.7 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight immediately after exercise, followed by 0.7 grams of carbohydrates per pound of body weight 2 hours later, which will enhance your muscle recovery rate.

Consume carbohydrates that are quickly absorbed into your bloodstream. You may prefer a high carbohydrate drink if your stomach does not tolerate solid food immediately after exercise. Adding a small amount of protein (about 6-15grams) will also provide amino acids for building and repairing muscle tissue.

For a 145-lb runner that’s 145 lb x 0.7 g/lb or 101 grams of carbohydrates plus 6-15 grams of protein.

Sample meal:
one bagel (60 grams of carbs) + 8 oz chocolate milk (45 grams of carbs) + 2 oz of low fat cheese (14 grams of protein)

1. Eat before you go. If you eat about thirty minutes to an hour before dining out, it will make sticking to your meal plan much easier. When your stomach is growling, making good food choices is hard. A good example of a premeal snack is a small piece of fruit, a yogurt, and a bit of low fat cheese.

2. Avoid skipping breakfast and lunch to “save up.” Skipping meals will definitely make you overeat and will slow down your metabolism.

3. Eat the lower-calorie foods first. Order soups and salads to start and you will be less hungry when the higher-calorie entree arrives.

4. If bread or chips are too tempting, REMOVE them from your table. Do not fool yourself with willpower. It is almost impossible to stop eating if it is in front of you. Practice out of sight, out of mouth.

5. Order an appetizer as your main entree.

6. Think about your choices and what will be best for your meal plan and limit your alcohol intake.

7. Ask about portion sizes and how things are cooked.

8. Request substitutions. Many restaurants are great about accommodating your needs.

9. Always ask for salad dressing and sauces on the side and do not trust a menu that describes a dressing as light. This definition is frequently misused.

10. Choose broiled, grilled, or roasted meats and steamed vegetables.

11. If portion sizes are too large, share it or ask for a “take-home bag.”

1. Keep cleaned and prepped vegetables in your fridge like broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, and turnips.

2. Double up on vegetables in sandwiches and wraps.

3. Eat a salad with lunch and dinner or even as a snack. A salad can be as simple as mixed greens with tomato drizzled lightly with olive oil and seasoned with salt and ground pepper.

4. Make stir fries. Add a low-fat sauce to diced and frozen cut vegetables.

5. Add extra vegetables to sauces and casseroles. For example, add carrots to spaghetti sauce.

6. Make vegetable soup or get a can of low sodium soup and add vegetables.

7. Dip vegetables in low fat salad dressing.

8. Add vegetables to side dishes like rice or beans.

9. Add vegetables to egg white scrambles.

10. Grill or roast zucchini, portobello mushrooms, eggplant, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, bell peppers or asparagus drizzled lightly with olive oil and seasoned with salt and ground pepper.