UND-Pilsa Blog

For active adults it’s important to make sure you are getting the proper nutrition for your pre-meal and post-meal workouts. Here are 6 healthy eating tips to keep you on track!

Adequate Carbs!
With the latest low carb trend it can become difficult, to say the least, to figure out what you should be eating especially if you are active! The truth is, when you exercise your muscle burns a type of carbohydrate called glycogen for fuel. To keep these important fuel levels optimal for peak performance, we must eat a diet rich in whole grains, beans, potatoes, and other high-carbohydrate foods. You can’t produce optimal glycogen stores with a high protein low carbohydrate diet. Go for the whole grains such as 100% whole wheat breads, brown rice, quinoa, or millet. Limit the ‘white’ refined products.

Protein
Yes it is true, active people need more protein than the average person. It is especially important after our workouts to repair muscle damage. Include lean meats, fish, soy, and eggs. Active people need about 3-4 three-ounce servings a day.

Eat Your Fruits and Veggies!
When you exercise, you breathe harder taking in more oxygen. While you need oxygen to support life, it can become unstable in the body. Unstable oxygen can oxidize and damage your muscle cells which can bring on inflammation and soreness. You can protect yourself from oxidation by eating healthful amounts of antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables. Eat at least five fruits and vegetables a day!

Drink, Drink, Drink
The more you exercise, the more you sweat. Replacing these fluids is vital for peak performance and endurance. During long workouts you may need a sports drink that contains carbohydrates and electrolytes. Drink at least 8-10 servings of fluids/day.

Fueling Before A Workout
This step alone will not only lengthen your workout but it will also increase your performance which is key when training for an event. If you don’t eat before exercise you will likely feel light-headedness, fatigue, and nausea. In addition, your body turns to muscle protein for fuel because it doesn’t have enough carbohydrate. By starting your workout well-fueled, your body will burn a combination of the carbohydrate stored in your muscles and stored fat. Eat 2-4 hours before a workout or event. Choose a high carbohydrate, low fat, moderate protein meal or snack. Drink at least 10 ounces of water to help offset sweat loss during your workout.

Fueling After A Workout
It is important to consume calories and fluids during the first half hour after you exercise for optimal recovery. If you aren’t hungry right away a quick snack will do. Drinking a sports drink or 100% fruit juice will do the trick! Don’t forget to eat a meal later with protein to repair muscle damage.

© Meri Raffetto, 2004

About the Author

Meri Raffetto is a Registered Dietitian and a recognized professional in the area of nutrition and wellness. She has developed online weight management programs to help people get off of diets and get into way of life. For more information or to sign up for our free newsletter, visit www.reallivingnutrition.com.

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The calendar has turned on the first month of the 2006 baseball season. While there is plenty of season left, it’s a good time to evaluate who has the early lead on baseball’s top awards.

American League MVP:

1) Jim Thome - While he has slowed somewhat since his sizzling start, Jim Thome has been the best acquisition any American League team has made. Many questioned what he had left, but he put any doubts to rest immediately by homering in his first 2 games and 6 times in his first 10 games. His 10 homeruns and 24 RBIs are tops on the American League’s most talented team.

2) Jason Giambi - His .542 OBP is fantastic as Giambi continues to expand on last year’s comeback- player-of-the-year performance. While he leads the AL in walks with 27, Giambi is not just being passive, as he also leads the AL in RBIs with 27. Only his statuesque defense and stubbornness about embracing the DH role make him second choice.

3) Vernon Wells - The Blue Jays went on baseball’s biggest shopping spree, this off-season, but one of their incumbent players has turned in his best effort so far. With 9 homers, 25 RBIs and a .374 batting average, Wells is carrying a heavy load as Toronto tries to prove that they can keep pace with the Red Sox and The Yankees.

National League MVP:

1) Albert Pujols - Provided he stays healthy, it appears as though this award will be his to lose for many years to come. His record-breaking 14 homeruns in April and 32 RBIs have led the Cardinals to another great start.

2) Lance Berkman - The reason for the Astros’ slow start, last April, was likely because they missed Berkman’s bat. Berkman has had a fast start, this year (10 homeruns, 31 RBIs and .240 BA), and so have the Astros.

3) Carlos Delgado - The best acquisition any National League team made, this off-season, Delgado has really carried the load (10 homeruns and 21 RBIs) while Beltran was injured and Cliff Floyd slumped.

American League Cy Young:

1) Jose Contreras - His 4-0 record and league-leading 1.45 ERA still leads a pitching staff that makes the White Sox the best bet to win the AL Pennant at the sports book.

2) Curt Schilling - Baseball’s biggest loudmouth is once again able to “walk the walk.” His 4-1 record, 2.88 ERA and durability (40.2 IP) have led the Red Sox to an early tenuous hold on first place in the AL East.

3) Kenny Rogers - The ace on a staff of promising young guns, veteran Rogers has done everything you can ask for the Tigers (4-2, 2.59 ERA and a great 0.98 WHIP).

National League Cy Young:

1) Greg Maddux - Talk about giving a club a lift. Once again frustrated by injuries to Mark Prior and Kerry Wood, the cursed Cubbies are thrilled by Maddux’s early renaissance (5-0, 1.35 ERA).

2) Pedro Martinez - The daily updates by a panicked New York press corps on Pedro’s toe during spring training are long forgotten as Pedro has been fantastic (5-0, 0.89 WHIP). He already has beaten the hated Braves twice.

3) Bronson Arroyo - Wow, after the AL East, this is sure easy. Arroyo (5-0, 2.06 ERA) has led the way for baseball’s biggest early season surprise.

Rookies of the Year:

American League:

Jonathan Papelbon - Thrown into the Boston pressure-cooker, Papelbon leads the AL in saves (10) and has yet to allow a run in over 15 innings.

National League:

Prince Fielder - Unlike his father, Cecil, Prince didn’t need to serve some time in the Japanese League to find his stroke. Fielder’s .343 average leads all rookies.

Bet MLB Baseball @ http://www.wagerweb.com

WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

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For many of us who golf on a regular basis, we share a love-hate relationship with this sport. For some reason, golf keeps us coming back for more and more while at the same time frustrating us beyond any normal levels for any other pastime. Is it possible to have fun each and every time you hit the links for a round? It all comes down to what your expectations are when you are playing the game you love (or hate).

When you tee off on the first hole of any golf course, where do you expect the ball to go? Most of us expect a perfect shot, straight down the middle and at least 200 yards out. Is this realistic? In most cases, not even maybe. Sure, there are those of you out there who can hit a decent tee shot each and every time but for the rest of us, we’re lucky just to keep it in the fairway. Do you know that only 10% of all golfers consistently shoot below 100 each and every time they play golf?

If only one in ten golfers can consistently score below 100, how can this game be worth coming back for time and again? It all comes down to what you expect to shoot when you head out. Expect an 80 and maybe you shouldn’t if you usually play in the high nineties.

If you want to have fun golfing, it can be done. Most people who truly enjoy the game just go out and play it, no expectations brought with them when they hit the links. Many golfers find that as soon as they stop thinking about their score on each and every hole, not only do they start to enjoy the game a lot more but their score goes down as well.

Golf can be fun and it can also be serious and fun at the same time. Think of Tiger Woods. When he’s winning he looks like he is having the time of his life. Tiger only gets worked up when he is not winning or in a position to win the tournament. Is it realistic of him to expect to win every time he takes out the clubs? No, and considering that he is the best golfer in the world he does have a good chance of winning. But, for the rest of us we should just expect to play as good as we can play and once in a while, a little bit worse or a little bit better.

The key, as I see it is to try to accept that every game will not be perfect, and to try to enjoy each time we have the privilege of playing, even if that means playing worse than we are usually used to. Golf can always be fun, as long as out expectations are in line with our capabilities.

Mike Wyman is co-creator of the online dating website for golfers, DateAGolfer.com and PuttingForPar.com, a golf related website specializing in personalized ball markers.

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