Skiing and Eating

It's winter time and if you live or travel to ski country, you have to get outside and have fun. But winter sports requires proper fueling. Not only are you using energy to exercise, but you may be using extra calories to keep warm. Here are some tips if you love to exercise in the winter:

1. Have a hearty and wholesome breakfast. This is necessary to keep you going without burning out early. Consider a breakfast containing a protein (eggs or egg whites, lean meat or meat substitute, yogurt, etc.), a carbohydrate (whole grain cereal, bread, pancakes, oatmeal, etc.) and some fruit.
2. Drink plenty of fluids, particularly if you are at a high altitude.
3. Avoid alcohol at high altitudes which increases the risk of Altitude Mountain Sickness (AMS). See my prior post for more info on AMS.
4. Eat something every 2-3 hours. This will require you to carry fluids and snack foods. Energy bars are an easy snack to carry. But keep in mind that some energy bars require fluids for digestion.
5. After exercising all day long, have a snack comprised of carbohydrate and protein. This will replenish your glycogen stores and help your recovery so you can ski all day long tomorrow. Examples are a yogurt and fruit smoothie, a glass of chocolate milk, or a nut butter and jelly sandwich on whole wheat bread.
6. Most importantly, have fun!!!

Altitude Attitude

If you love skiing, hiking and running at high altitude, but you live at sea level like me, there are some things you should do before you go from zero feet to 12,000 feet to avoid acute mountain sickness (AMS).

AMS occurs from the combination of reduced air pressure and a lower concentration of oxygen at high altitude. Symptoms can range from mild to life-threatening, and can affect the nervous system, lungs, muscles, and heart. In most cases the symptoms are mild. In severe cases fluid collects in the lungs (pulmonary edema) causing extreme shortness of breath, which further reduces how much oxygen a person gets. Brain swelling may also occur (cerebral edema). This can cause confusion, coma, and, if untreated, death.

Approximately 20% of people will develop mild symptoms at altitudes between 6,300 to 9,700 feet, but pulmonary and cerebral edema are extremely rare at these heights. However, above 14,000 feet, a majority of people will experience at least mild symptoms. Some people who stay at this height can develop pulmonary or cerebral edema.

Symptoms generally associated with mild to moderate altitude illness include:
Difficulty sleeping
Dizziness or light-headedness
Fatigue
Headache
Loss of appetite
Nausea or vomiting
Rapid pulse (heart rate)
Shortness of breath with exertion

Symptoms generally associated with more severe altitude illness include:
Bluish discoloration of the skin
Chest tightness or congestion
Confusion
Cough
Coughing up blood
Decreased consciousness or withdrawal from social interaction
Gray or pale complexion (cerebral edema)
Inability to walk in a straight line, or to walk at all
Shortness of breath at rest

The key to avoiding AMS is a gradual ascent that gives your body time to acclimatize. People acclimatize at different rates, so no absolute statements are possible, but in general, the following recommendations will keep most people from getting AMS:
- If possible, you should spend at least one night at an intermediate elevation below 3000 meters (10,000 feet).
- At altitudes above 3000 meters (10,000 feet), your sleeping elevation should not increase more than 300-500 meters (1000-1500 feet) per night.
- Every 1000 meters (3000 feet) you should spend a second night at the same elevation.
Remember, it's how high you sleep each night that really counts; climbers have understood this for years, and have a maxim "climb high, sleep low". The day hikes to higher elevations that you take on your "rest days" (when you spend a second night at the same altitude) help your acclimatization by exposing you to higher elevations, then you return to a lower (safer) elevation to sleep. This second night also ensures that you are fully acclimatized and ready for further ascent.

Things to Avoid
Respiratory depression (the slowing down of breathing) can be caused by various medications, and may be a problem at altitude. The following medications can do this, and should never be used by someone who has symptoms of altitude illness (these may be safe in persons who are not ill, although this remains controversial):
- Alcohol
- Sleeping pills

- Narcotic pain medications in more than modest doses

Here are the nutrition tips you should follow to make your trip more enjoyable and reduce the chances of altitude sickness:

Two days before you leave:

1. Drink plenty of fluids

2. Refrain from alcohol

3. Eat a "clean" diet - fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, nuts. Avoid processed foods and foods with added sugar.

On the airplane: Continue the tips listed above, particularly consuming plenty of fluids.

When you arrive:

1. Continue the tips listed above.

2. Slowly make you ascent. Everyone has a different tolerance to the change in altitude. Some people can jump right into the 12,000 foot ski bowl with no problems, while others might take a day or two to get down the intermediate run without feeling lightheaded or nauseous.

3. Have fun!!!

It's cold and snowy - get outside and have fun!

It's been very cold in New York City this January. It's currently 22 degrees outside and everyone is complaining that it's too cold to exercise outdoors. No, it is not! All you need to do is dress appropriately and get moving.

The key to comfort is dressing appropriately in layers. What activity do you want to do? Walk, run, ski...? Whatever it is, make sure your first layer is NOT cotton. Cotton absorbs moisture and keeps it there, so if you sweat, you'll be cold and wet. There are so many types of undershirts designed for movement in the cold that will absorb moisture and wick it away. This way you stay comfortable even if you perspire. Wear layers so you can take them off if you get hot, or add them on if you are cold. Start out a little cold - as you move, your body heat will increase and before you know it, you'll be comfortable in the 20 degree temperature.

My favorite activity when it is cold and snowy is cross country skiing. The past 2 weekends, I went skiing at Fahnestock Winter Park, located near Cold Spring, NY. It is only 1 hour north of New York City. They rent skis and snow shoes. The trails are groomed for nordic and skate skiing. It's a great all body workout. Not only do you get exercise, but you are in a beautiful location breathing the fresh winter air. Cross country skiing is something you can comfortably do when it is very cold and windy. Since you are in the trees, the wind is not a factor. And it's a full body workout, so your body stays warm. Make sure you wear layers and start out somewhat cool because before you know it, you'll be warm. Here is the link for more information regarding Fahnestock: http://www.roberts-1.com/fwp/#conditions

It is also a family activity. I took my 11 year old son with me and it was his first time cross country skiing. He loved it. Make sure you bring water and snacks with you because you may be out longer than you expect. Keep drinking so you don't get dehydrated. And have a snack if you are out for more than one hour. This is especially important if you are skiing with children. They get dehydrated easily. Keep it fun for the kids. Stop and play in the snow every now and then so they enjoy the activity and want to do it again. Fahnestock also has a sliding hill which is a great activity after skiing. They rent tubes if you don't bring a sled.

Enjoy the winter and the activities that you can only do in this season.

Certified Personal Training

I am excited to announce I passed the personal training exam and I am now certified by the National Academy of Sports Medicine. I have always incorporated exercise into my practice, but now I am certified to provide safe and effective personal training to my clients. This includes providing personal training to beginner exercisers who are looking to improve wellness, stability, flexibility and strength. I am also qualified to train experienced athletes who are looking to improve performance, speed, endurance and/or muscle mass.

My skills are unique in that I can incorporate the appropriate exercise and nutrition into a person's regime so they can meet their goals. So whether you want to improve your general wellness or enter a triathlon, I can give you the fitness and nutrition skills necessary to be successful.

Personal Training - Coming Soon

It's the holiday season and I hope that you are enjoying the year-end parties and family celebrations. We take the time this year to be thankful for our families and friends. And look forward to a new year full of happiness and good surprises. It hasn't been an easy year for many people given the difficult economic climate. But that makes it even more important to eat well, exercise, reduce stress and get plenty of rest.

So that means in 2009, we are off to a new start. That includes myself. Beginning January 2009, I will start providing Personal Training. I have always advocated exercise and provided guidelines for fitness. But now I will begin actual training that is specific to your needs. Whether it is general wellness, weight loss or athletic performance, I will coach you so you can meet your goals.

Wellness is multifaceted. To feel healthy and energetic, you need to eat heathfully, exercise regularly, reduce stress and sleep well. Begin 2009 with a new outlook. Or better yet, begin today!

Happy Holidays!

Eat locally and seasonally - Apple picking

This is the perfect time to get outside and visit your local apple orchard. Last week, we visited Hilltop Orchard in Richmond, Massachusetts and had a great time apple picking. They had a large variety of apples: Milton (heirloom), Cortland, Ginger Gold, Jersey Mac, McIntosh, Paula Red, Granny Smith, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Strawberry Apple, Summer Delight, Wealthy (heirloom) .

Now the big decision is what to do with all these apples besides eating one a day. I am looking forward to making apple sauce, apple crumble, apple muffins, apple pie and apple toppings for pancakes and French toast.

Why does an apple a day keep the doctor away? Apples are loaded with fiber, flavonoids, phytonutrients and antioxidants, particularly Vitamin C, quercetin, catechin, phloridzin and chlorogenic acid. Enjoy them fresh off the vine. And they store well in the refrigerator.

Happy picking!

Eat locally - a Seattle restaurant recommendation

Our 2 week trip ended in Seattle. We needed to find a place for dinner and the only information about Seattle restaurants that I had was something I tore out of a Travel and Leisure magazine a few months ago. There were 3 on the list that sounded interesting, but the one that I thought would be the best was also the first one we would drive by. It is called Tilth and what made it special was it featured locally grown, produced and/or caught food and drinks.

The menu changes frequently which reflects the seasonal aspect. Each item is available in either a small or large portion. The waiter suggested multiple small portions so we can try various items. Since I am not a food critic or a restaurant reviewer, I don't want to get into the specifics about what we ate. But I will tell you a story about our dinner.

Our waiter was very talkative and knowledgeable. After my husband and I ordered wine, he asked my 10 year old son what he wanted to drink. As usually, he asked for "water". I am so glad he never asks for soda. But then the waiter starts telling him about the home-made sarsaparilla soda. I started to cringe when I heard the word "soda". When Marc asked what is sarsaparilla, the waiter explained it is made from sassafras roots. Marc made a connection because in camp they picked the sassafras roots and made tea. That brought back memories from my camping days when we picked fresh sassafras and made tea. What a wonderful memory! So, of course, Marc ordered the soda. When it arrived, we all had a taste. It was not sweet like mass produced sodas. It tasted refreshing and delicious. I was disappointed he liked it so much because I wanted more than a sip.

So if you are ever in Seattle and need a place to eat, consider Tilth http://www.tilthrestaurant.com/menu.htm. It is on the pricey side, but it's a great experience. Another note is that it is considered the top 9th restaurant outside of New York City according to the New York Times.

Eating healthfully while on vacation -Part 2

We got back from 2 days at Telegraph Cove, and as many of you may have experienced, plans changed. Everything started out just fine. We woke up early and I prepared a breakfast that we could eat in the car - whole wheat bread, light cream cheese and locally produced smoked salmon. It was a 4 hour car ride, so during our break, we had some locally grown fruit (peaches, nectarines) as a snack.


We arrived on time to Telegraph Cove and headed towards the boat for our whale watching tour. We brought with us PB&J sandwiches plus fruit for lunch to eat on the boat. The tour was awesome. We saw humpbacks, orcas (killer whales), dal porpoises (so speedy - they raced our boat), sea lions (fat and happy) and eagles. But it was very rainy and cold. The boat had some snacks so I enjoyed a hot cup of coffee and half a cookie that I shared with my son. And that warmed me up.


Once the tour was over, I went to the Grizzly Bear tour operator to get some info on the following day tour. Unfortunately, we found out that the prior days they saw just 2 and 3 bears respectively and the weather forecast was for rain again. Now this is a 8 hour tour and I have limited sitting tolerance. So we decided to cancel the tour but still stay overnight in Telegraph Cove and do some sight-seeing on the drive home the next day.


That evening, we had dinner at the only restaurant in town. I had a yummy fish stir fry with locally caught salmon, halibut and prawns. We split a dessert 3 ways. I don't remember what it was, so it was obviously not very memorable.


We stayed overnight in Telegraph Cove overlooking the marina. It was an interesting "cabin" but cold. In the morning, we awoke and wanted to eat a breakfast out. This would be our first breakfast at a restaurant in over one week. So we drove 100+ km to Sayward and had a "decadent" breakfast. The menu was made up of primarily eggs, bacon, and potatoes. Then at the bottom of the menu, I found the "Jogger's Breakfast" which was yogurt, fruit and granola. That sounded fine to me. I haven't had enough calcium during this trip, so I knew I should select the yogurt option. What I received was a cup of strawberry yogurt, a tablespoon of granola and sliced nectarines, melon and oranges on the side. In addition to this, was home-made white bread, toasted with butter. So I ate my yogurt, fruit and granola. I usually don't eat white bread, but I make an exception for almost anything home made. It was delicious. During the day we explored Strathcona Provincial Park and did some moderate hiking. Our huge breakfast kept us feeling satiated until dinner.


Ok, so this was all about my trip and meals. What does this mean for you? Well, here are some more pointers that you can take away from my experiences and examples:


1. Bring food so you can prepare meals and snacks.
2. Select locally produced foods when possible.
3. Expect some bumps in the road and work around them. Make the best of the situation. If you find that your only eating options are not what you may consider healthy, then pick the best choice and compensate for it later in the day (or the next day). One "bad" day is not a big deal as long as the majority of the days are filled with whole grains, fruits, vegies, low-fat dairy, and lean proteins.
4. Share foods when eating out. This will give you a reasonable portion and also keep the price of a meal down.
5. Enjoy your vacation! This means sampling local fare including home-made breads, pastries and other delicacies. Today we had teriyaki smoked salmon - what a treat. It tasted nothing like the smoked salmon we get in New York City. This salmon was recently smoked and thickly sliced (about 1/4 inch thick). My 10 year old son could not get enough.