LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
CAMP Fitness |
by Rick Moore |
Foods to Fear
"So, give me an idea of what your daily diet consists of," I said to my new client, a thirtyish male about five foot nine and 165 pounds. He wanted to lose the love handles and gain some muscle in the upper bodychest, arms, shoulders, and back. "It is possible to lose the fat and gain the muscle if you tell me what you eat," I said, "let's start with breakfast." His response wasn't too encouraging. Seems he really didn't eat breakfast but occasionally had 1/2 of a protein, granola, or power bar. That's it. I asked if he likes to eat breakfast. "Well, there's really nothing out there to eat," he said. I suggested he try having some eggs. He said no thanks, because he had heard that eggs are really bad for you, that they are loaded with cholesterol, and could cause a heart attack! Well, that just isn't true. Believe it or not, he had it all wrong. Eggs are great brain food. They contain choline, an essential element necessary for brain development. Cholesterol counts have been way eggs-aturated. I eat seven eggs every morning and my cholesterol count is 120. That's low. I'm not saying to eat 7 eggs a day2 would be sufficientbut don't be afraid to try them again. My client asked, "How about a bagel instead?" Well, by itself, it's a poor choice for breakfast. Many of us think of bagels as a good healthy choice, but they are not. The main ingredient in a bagel is white processed flour. Eating lots of these will surely pack on the pounds. Can we talk about the fiber? There's hardly any. Even loaded up with imitation blueberries, strawberries, and other faux fruits, the nutrition level is still zilch. So what choices do we have besides the bagel? They do make whole wheat and/or whole grain bagels if you really want one, but these are usually hard to find. Why not try whole grain or multi grain breads, there are large varieties of these on the market. Make mine toasted with peanut butteryum. "Now, I do have a cup or two of coffee in the morningnot all the time but when I do, is that doing any harm?" my client asked. Well, anything in excess can be bad for you. Drinking copious amounts of coffee will have a negative effect on you. You may develop a dependence on caffeine. In some people, drinking coffee can cause anxiety, heart palpitations, nervousness, the jitters, and headaches. A couple of cups of coffee a day are considered safe. Some people need that "zing" in the morning to get started. I know many weight lifters and body builders who drink a cup of coffee before their workouts. I have even tried it myself and it does give you a "boost or zing" to get you through. Well, that should help with making choices for breakfast the most important meal of the day. I asked my client (off the record) what his favorite food is, and he said he feels guilty every time he eats it. What is it? Seems it's my favorite food, toofried chicken! He told me anything fried is considered bad for you. Well that's kind of true. The actual chicken itself isn't bad, it's the fried skin that's the problem. Since fast food places have changed the way they fry foods, it has made a big difference in nutritional content. They no longer use animal fat (lard), but have switched to frying in vegetable oila much healthier alternative. Good for them! Now, back to the chicken. I told my client what I do. I love Popeye's Fried Chicken, so I peel off all the skin because I don't want those extra calories. (Don't go near the biscuits!) So, I told my client he can enjoy his "guilty pleasure" by just taking off the skin and tossing it away. Also, he has a much better choice for breakfasteggs, whole wheat toast, and coffee. Now don't get me started on orange juice. That's another thing.Rick Moore is a personal trainer certified by the American Fitness Professionals & Associates. Visit him at www.ricksfitness.net. |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 18, No. 07 June 13, 2008 |