#5 - Olympic Dieting Sochi

    All Olympic athletes, whether they are competing in alpine skiing, the luge, figure stating, or curling, know that the food and nutrition consumed during training and competition are key factors in helping them bring home the gold.As the Sochi Winter Olympics are coming to a close, I wonder what these athletes eat to prepare them for competition. Is a 6,000 calorie day really needed to fully achieve maximum strength?

According to the US Olympic Committee Sport Performance Division, consuming a diet rich in antioxidants such as fruits, vegetables, and grains is  important to prepare the athletes’ immune system prior to traveling and competition.  Traveling can have a toll on your body, especially when you are going to a different country. Climate change and time change can play a huge part in the way you compete, so athletes fuel their bodies with plenty of healthy foods prior to departure.  Team USA even sent their sport dietitians to Sochi before the games to figure out where to get healthy foods and find the best places to shop for food. 

I used to always think Olympians all pretty much ate the same thing. Carbs, proteins, veggies, and a bunch of water. According to the Eat to Compete article, athletes come in all shapes and sizes and they all have different goals for the future. Therefore, they do not all have the same requirements for nutrition. A figure skater or curler does not need to maintain a 6,000 calorie diet like a cross country skier may need to. It really depends on each sport! I also learned that fiber is typically reduced in an athletes diet to avoid any upset stomachs or pains while traveling. No athlete wants to prepare to compete with an upset stomach or gas.

Below I have listen the top 5 snacks Olympic athletes consume according to Competition Foods:


1.            Chocolate milk or soy milk + banana + water
2.            Chobani Greek yogurt+ apple + water 
3.            A shake with fruit + protein + water
4.            High protein cereals like Mini Wheats or Kashi + milk or soymilk + water
5.            A chicken, turkey, or tuna sandwich + fruit + water

#4: Is Juicing Really Worth It?

     When my mom forces me to chug down her green machine drink every night, I wonder to myself if it's really worth it.... The putrid smell of juiced kale, cucumber, spinach, celery, and broccoli gets me every time! I have to pinch my nose to drink it each night….

     I used to always think that juicing was only good if you were going on a diet and wanted to lose weight fast. But after reading the article from the Food Republic, I have realized that juicing is just something good to do once in a while. You still need your proteins and carbohydrates, but juicing is something that can be useful when you want to get nutrients to your body FAST. Not only do you obtain the nutrients quickly,  but your body does not need to break down the starch in the veggies, making it go straight into your bloodstream. Juicing is an easy way to fill your body with concentrated amounts of nutrient- packed vegetables. The drinks are automatically low in ingredients you want to avoid like toxic fats, added sugars, and salt. But there has to be some downsides to juicing....

     Juicing as a dietary supplement is just plain wrong. By strictly following a juicing program for a few days, your body begins to leave gaping nutritional holes in your diet. You consume little to no protein, and the only carbs you intake are those from the vegetables. Most of the fiber is also lost because the pulp is taken away when it is thrown into the machine. (Basically its a high-carb, low protein, low-fiber diet). This can cause dramatic spikes in blood sugar, headaches, mood swings, dizziness, and fatigue. So although juicing may seem good for a few days (and it is) make sure you stick with your proteins and carbs, and don't change your diet too much. 

#3 - Addictive Ingredients

     Ever wonder why you can't have more than a few chips during one sitting? After one, do you always feel an urge to stuff your face with more? I thought I was the only one experiencing such thoughts, but I had no idea the food I was putting in my body was genetically modified into making it more addictive to eat...
     I always knew that when foods had GMO's in them, they were bad to eat. I had no idea that it meant Genetically Modified Organisms, a.k.a. some of the worse foods to eat for your health. I had no idea by consuming GMO's, you can develop life threatening allergies to foods. With GMO's, you simply don't know exactly what you are eating because it is genetically modified. You don't know the side effects you will have, or what to expect. 
   One reason for foods with GMO's to be so common is because of the United States advertising for them. In the 2013 Superbowl, Beyonce advertised a commercial for Pepsi that was worth over 50 million dollars! If GMO's are so  bad for us, then why are we wasting our time advertising them so frequently! 
   Some of the most popular foods that are genetically modified are potatoes, papaya, corn, soybeans, and even vegetable oil. Who knew that even vegetables can contain GMO's?! Studies have shown that 50 percent of males, and 75 percent of women die prematurely due to a GMO diet. About 70-95 percent of foods are now genetically modified... Lets make an end to GMO diets and start eating organic! Although it may be more expensive, it is definitely worth the extra buck or two. 

Food Fix
Hidden Dangers of GMO's

Healthy vs. Junk Food- The Truth

     This article interested me extremely because it is stating the completely opposite idea of what I thought was accurate. After reading this I've realized that I have been wrong all along! Healthy food can be cheaper than junk food! How is this possible?!

     Typically when i walk into a Chipotle, or Wendy's I think I am getting so much food for the price I'm paying. Eight dollars for a huge burrito that fills me up for hours sounds great! After taking a second look at the prices compared to fresh produce there is not a complete price change. Of course the McDonald's Dollar Menu is very reasonable for what you get, but in comparison, you can get a full chicken, head of broccoli, and some salad for around 20 dollars. Enough to feed a family of 5. 

    This article also taught me that there is a huge debate over this topic in relation to money per calorie. People are drawn to fast food places because you get so much bang for your buck. Fast food is essential to the poor because they need cheap calories to fill them up quickly. Although the greasy, fried food is not the healthiest, it is easy to get and fills you up for hours. I also learned that the alternative to fast food does not have to be organic. There are not two extremes... Just because you want to eat healthy does not mean you have to eat organic. You can stay healthy and stick with salads, chicken, and fresh produce. Although fast food is easily accessible and fast to get, the money put out in comparison to fresh food is extremely similar.

   

Article on Junk Food

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#1 Introduction to Health Care: Obesity in the U.S.

Does it bother you that the most nutritious foods are so expensive? Why is extremely unhealthy food so easily accessible and inexpensive? This topic irritates me and has motivated me to begin blogging about the unhealthy choices Americans tend to make during their lifetimes. I also decided to choose this topic because it interests me and pertains to my everyday life. As i head off to college soon, I want to be aware of the food choices I will be given and how to budget my money to get the best meal that I can. I also want to learn what motivates people to go for the fast food instead of fresh produce. I am looking forward to learning more about this topic as I research the endless topics about Obesity and Food Choices in the United States.