Spring into Fitness…

March 22nd, 2013

Spring is in the air and people are looking to reinvigorate their fitness routine with a little outdoor fun. The “Edmonton Home + Garden Show” is taking place on this month, and it will be a great place to find not only design, but fitness inspiration. On March 23rd & 24th, I will be presenting, “Food First for Fitness” on the cooking stage. This event will highlight key nutrition messages as well as delicious recipes to help you get the most out of your fitness. Whether you’re into running, biking, gardening, or playing a specific sport, this presentation will offer something for everyone.

If you cannot attend, check out the quick tips and feature recipes below. If you’re an athlete or require an individual nutrition plan to optimize sport performance, call anytime to book a one-on-one consultation.

Quick Tips

No matter what your fitness level, choosing the right foods and fluids can help your body perform at its best during activity. Eating well and following Canada’s Food Guide to meet basic energy and nutrient needs is a great place to start. Taking things a step further, it’s important to consider not only the “what” of eating, but the “when” of eating as well. For example, when it comes to nutrition for active living, consider these nutrition tips for BEFORE, DURING and AFTER exercise:

BEFORE

  • Fuel up with a balanced meal three to four hours before an activity, or have a snack one to two hours before an activity.
  • If you haven’t eaten for several hours and are hungry before an activity, eat or drink a light easy-to-digest carbohydrate-based snack.
  • Fruit, a few crackers, a small muffin, or a small smoothie will do. What you choose will depend on your personal tolerance.

DURING

A. Low-intensity activities, lasting less than one hour:

  • Stay hydrated by drinking at least 125 ml of water, every 15 minutes. If your exercise is low-intensity and lasting less than one hour, you do not need to refuel during the activity.

B. Moderate to high-intensity or prolonged activities:

  • Maintain fuel and fluid stores by drinking water or a sports drink, or eating a small carbohydrate-based snack, such as fresh or dried fruit.

AFTER

  • Refuel and repair by drinking fluids and eating a combination of carbohydrate-rich foods with some protein as soon as possible after finishing your activity. This can be followed by a series of small snacks or a meal two to three hours later. This is especially important for those that compete, train or exercise more than once a day or back-to-back days.

Feature Recipes

1. Medjool Date Raw Energy Bars

2. Homemade Sports Drink

Adapted from Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook

Ingredients:

  • ¼ cup sugar
  • ¼ tsp table salt
  • ¼ cup hot water
  • ¼ cup 100% juice of choice
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 3 ½ cups cold water

Directions:

  • Add hot water to bottom of pitcher, add sugar and salt, and then stir to dissolve
  • Add remaining ingredients and stir
  • Chill in refrigerator then serve

Yields four 1 cup servings and one serving has approximately 60 calories and 110 mg of sodium

3. Roasted Chickpeas

Adapted from Pulse Canada

Ingredients:

  • 2-540 ml cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 1 Tbsp canola oil
  • 4-6 Tbsp favourite sodium-free seasoning (e.g., Cajun, curry, garlic, cinnamon)

Directions:

  • Combine all ingredients in medium bowl and spread onto parchment lined baking sheet
  • Preheat oven to 400˚F (200˚C) then bake for 30, stirring every 15 minutes
  • Bake for additional 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes to promote even toasting

4. Chia Chicken

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs chicken thighs, trimmed and chopped
  • 1/3 cup Dijon mustard
  • ¼ cup honey
  • ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 tsp dried basil, or 1 tsp rosemary
  • 2 Tbsp chia seeds
  • Black pepper to taste

Directions:

  • Trim and chop chicken
  • Add all ingredients to slow-cooker and set to low for approximately 6-hours
  • Serve with vegetable of choice, and quinoa or brown rice

For case scenarios and Nutrition & Active Living FAQs click here.