Lately here’s what’s been going on in the nutrition world!
Report: World’s Population is 17 million tons overweight by Alastair Jamieson
The global population weighs 316 million tons. 17 million of those pounds are due to being overweight. The global average weight is at 137 pounds, but North America has an average of 178 pounds.
Five Sports nutrition Misconceptions by Sarah Dimashkieh
1. “Work out on an empty stomach, it helps you burn more fat and lose weight faster.”
“The bottom line: exercising on an empty stomach does not help you burn more fat.” Dimashkieh says. “When you’re low on energy, you’re likely lowering your endurance levels and shortening your exercise time causing you to burn less amount of fat.”
Here’s the breakdown: Low energy = lower endurance = shorter exercise period = lower fat burn + less calorie burnt
2. “Eat a high protein diet, and avoid all sources of carbs if you are exercising.”
According to Dimashkieh, research indicates that it is important to consume carbs such as fruits 15 minutes after exercising to help restore muscle glycogen. “Have a cup of milk, a smoothie or even a whole wheat turkey sandwich within a window of 30 minutes to two hours after your workout. This is important because it helps improve your ability to train consistently,” Dimashkieh adds.
3. “Pineapple, kiwi, grapefruit and other herbal mixes such as green tea help your body burn fat.”
Dimashkieh does a little experiment. “Spread some butter on pealed and slicked kiwi or pineapple pieces. Does the butter disappear?” The butter will melt, but not disappear. “This indicates that these fruits and others do not help burn body fat,” explains Dimashkieh. You can try it yourself.
4. “Drinking a lot of water will cause water retention and will increase your abdominal fat.”
“Without proper hydration, your muscles and ligaments will likely become stiff during exercise,” explains Dimashkieh. “Also remember that sodas, coffee, tea, and other beverages are not a substitute for water,” Dimashkieh says. “Sugar and caffeine actually cause the body to lose fluid, instead of hydrating our body.”
5. “Exercise prevents you from losing weight.”
“Losing weight depends on the amount of calories you consume and burn each day. Eating more calories than you burn during exercise can lead to weight gain, while burning more calories than you eat can help you lose weight.” Physical activity, especially aerobic exercise is crucial if you are trying to lose or maintain your weight. “Increasing the rate at which you burn calories actually increases your chances of losing weight,” Dimashkieh says.
Politicians, health advocates seek transparency restrictions in food stamp program by Monica Eng
We all have seen it, someone stacking chips, candy and other processed junk into their cart and then whip out their EBT card for food stamps, also known as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.)
This article goes into detail about how it’s perfectly legal under federal law to buy food with little nutritional value on the food stamp program. But politicians and health advocates want to change that to restrict purchases to healthier items would help encourage better diets, reduce health care costs and make better use of precious tax dollars, according to the article.
Illinois has tried to push a bill to make soda, chips and candy ineligible but that was unsuccessful.
Fun fact: Obesity related health care costs are predicted to read $550 billion by 2030.
Read the article for more information, but I did want to bring up the fact that the wonderful ladies I work with at the Southeast Missouri Food Bank are trying to work up a grant that allows SNAP qualifies to come to the farmer’s market and get $2 “script” which is like monopoly money to use around the market, for every $1 off their EBT card. So essentially they are getting anything 50% off because they are getting $2 for ever $1, to spend. How wonderful, right? I think that would be great!
District’s Needy Get Fruit and Vegetable RX by Jane Black
On a similar note, this was something I just read! Jessica Wallace, coordinator of the “We Can” program that helps low income families that are struggling with obesity or chronic disease, created a new way to help others, in addition to the cooking classes, yoga and other healthy lifestyle choices they provide. The Unity Health Care Upper Cardozo clinic has begun writing fruit and vegetable prescriptions to help cover cost of produce.
[source]
35 families will receive vouchers for $1 per family member per day, $112 every four weeks for a family of four to spend at any of the 5 district Farmer’s Markets. This will help healthful eating and allow cash to buy ingredients in hopes to change the way they shop and eat.
Apparently “Wholesome Wave,” a nonprofit organization specializing in incentive programs to encourage healthful eating and lure new dollars to farmer’s market has done what Cape Girardeau hopes to do at their market, and they have initiated the Double Value Coupon doubling food stamps and WIC if they spend at the market. Such great things are happening!
It’s in it’s third year now and taken word for word from the article
Of the 1,200 participants in six towns and cities in the Northeast, 66 percent said they ate more fruits and vegetables as a result of the program and 38 percent improved their body mass index, a standard measure used to estimate healthy body weight. The program brought new customers to farmers markets. More than half of families that received fruit-and-vegetable prescriptions had never, or rarely, been to a farmers market.
Q: Did you find anything interesting?
Q: What myths or things have you heard regarding sports and nutrition?
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