STLtoday - Select wisely so you don’t crunch diet
By Marjie Gilliam
COX NEWS SERVICE
06/30/2008
DAYTON, OHIO — One of the best ways to help manage weight is to eat five to six small meals a day, but those who are time-crunched often find this difficult to do. For convenience, many people turn to protein-nutrition-energy bars as an option rather than skip meals.
To help make a more informed decision:
— Keep in mind that one bar does not always equal one serving. So if you are counting calories and watching portion sizes, it becomes especially important to read labels so that you do not consume more than intended.
— Avoid bars that contain trans fats. Look for total fat content on the label, and go with a bar that contains 5 grams or less per serving. Multiply the number of grams per serving by 9 (each gram of fat has 9 calories) and then check the total number of calories per serving. If your bar contains 5 grams of fat per serving and each serving is 90 calories, for example, then you know that half of calories in each serving are coming from fat.
— If your diet is less than healthy, look for a bar that has at least 35 percent of the RDA requirement for vitamins and minerals. For those who eat a reasonably healthy and well-balanced diet or supplement with vitamins and minerals, be aware that you may already be meeting your nutritional needs. For example, a fortified bar might provide 35 percent of your daily needs for iron or other minerals or vitamins. Consuming a fortified cereal that contains 50 percent of your daily needs, plus a multivitamin/mineral pill that contains 100 percent, along with other foods consumed during the day, could easily add up to too much, which could interfere with absorption of certain vitamins and minerals, or cause other problems. In this case, cutting back on portion sizes might be one way to ensure you are not ingesting too much.
— Nutrition bars should not “be used as a constant meal replacement. Instead view them as one way of providing your body with energy when you might otherwise have to skip a meal. A well-balanced healthy diet consists of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean meats, fish and high fiber foods like beans, as well as seeds and nuts, which provide healthy Omega 3 fatty acids.
— A popular choice with athletes and other active people are Promax energy bars. They come in two sizes, a larger meal-replacement bar, which contains 20 grams of protein, approximately 280 calories and only 5 grams of fat, and a smaller snack-size, 70 calorie bar containing 5 grams of protein and only 1.5 grams of fat. The smaller bar is a good option for taking the edge off hunger without spoiling lunch or dinner and a better alternative than desserts when your sweet tooth is getting the better of you. More information on Promax bars can be found at www.promaxnutrition.net.
COOK AHEAD
For easy access to meals throughout the week, set aside an hour or two on the weekend to cook ahead. Bake or grill several boneless skinless chicken breasts and hard-boil a dozen eggs (these can be used in a variety of ways, including on top of tossed salads, egg salad or mixed in with tuna and light mayo when making tuna salad).
Take a few minutes as your food is cooking to cut pieces of your favorite fruits into bite-size pieces, package them in plastic baggies or other small containers for easy-to-eat snacks when on the run, or as a pick-me-up after a workout. Create your own healthy trail mix by throwing together almonds, walnuts, peanuts, raisins or other dried fruit.
Prepare small packages of raw veggies such as baby carrots, cherry tomatoes and broccoli with hummus, whole-grain crackers with string cheese, or small celery sticks with peanut butter for easy snacks anytime.
Wraps made with low-fat, high fiber tortillas, pita or flat bread make great meals on the go. Chicken strips or other lean meat sprinkled with a little low-fat cheese and healthy toppings such as green onion, no-fat sour cream and/or salsa make a quick and satisfying alternative to fast food.
When having a meal, try to consume both a protein and a carbohydrate food to help maintain a healthy balance of vitamins and minerals. Some examples are yogurt or cottage cheese with fruit, half a peanut-butter sandwich on whole-grain bread with preserves or banana, or a small tossed salad topped with chicken strips or boiled egg whites and low-fat vinaigrette dressing.
Marjie Gilliam is an International Sports Sciences Association Master certified personal trainer and fitness consultant. E-mail: OHTrainer@aol.com. Her website is at www.ohtrainer.com.
The original article can be found here.
