Winter Exercising, the right way!

Nancy Clark is a complete sports nutrition genius [most of the times]! So I'm reading a lot of her work, articles & books lately!

When the temperature drops outside, the last thing we want to do is get detached from the warmth of our homes; however, given that I vowed to increase my physical activity this year and that I prefer exercising outside as opposed to the gym, learning 'how' to exercise in the cold is a must!! 

Hiking in Barouk, Chouf - Lebanon
Shot by Bassam ZeinEddine

Winter Hydration - To start with, keep in mind that cold reduces the thirst mechanism; you will feel less thirsty and may not think to drink more often even if you are sweating. This actually happens with me all the time so whenever I am exercising outside during winter – whether bicycling, hiking, running or skiing, I am doing my best to consciously consume fluids to replace what is lost from sweat as well as water vapour exhaled when breathing. Nancy also suggests not to drink icy water, one that is kept in your backpack or on your bike. Instead, keep an insulated bottle of water filled with lukewarm/hot water to avoid any chills! Some choose to skip fluid breaks to minimize the need to urinate (yes, this is true!), but dehydration hurts one's performance so remember to drink!

Winter Food – Fuel up on food before you start any exercise with a high carb, medium protein, low fat meal. Not only does food provide you with fuel to pump up your exercise, but it also generates 10% extra body heart, aka thermogenesis for warmth, just 30-60 minutes after you eat!

For example, I am having 3 hours before my workout:

- peanut butter & toast with an apple/banana
- yogurt with fruit & almonds
- sandwich of thyme & oil/cheese/labne with cucumber

Or an apple/banana/grapes before 30 minutes to an hour before my workout!

Now in your backpack, always keep a source of quick sugars, preferably fruits or dried fruits, but chocolate and energy bars can come in handy as emergency foods! I also tend to keep raw nuts, but I rarely eat them while hiking, it's right after I finish that I have my fruit &/or nuts. Now during winter, your energy needs do not increase per say; however when your body temperature decrease, you will start involuntarily moving to generate heat, which burns extra calories. In case your temperature further drops, you will start shivering which can burn up to 400 calories/hr depleting muscle glycogen, this is why emergency food is needed, especially if you are injured or get lost in the cold. Keep them in your backpack either way!

Dress for the weather – Hats, scarves, waterproof shoes, and lots of layers! Experts suggest that the 1^st layer (closest to your skin) should be made of a synthetic material (like polypropylene), not cotton, in order to minimize sweat contact. Fleece or wool is good as an insulating 2^nd layer, and a 3^rd top layer should ideally be made of a waterproof and breathable cloth. Lose heavy jackets for they will overheat you! Keep an extra dry layer in your backpack, you never know! Nancy suggests to lose layers as we become warmer, but this still depends on the weather outside.

Winter Recovery Foods – No cold/frozen food and fluids for they will definitely chill your body no matter how hot you think you are. Instead, have warm fluids, soups and food to replenish what you have burned. Carbs & proteins are both needed so you can go for oatmeal with nuts, lentils soup, pasta with meat red sauce, toast and eggs, or cheese & turkey heated sandwich!

Make sure to protect your skin from the sun, especially on higher altitudes! Winter is not a good excuse to dump your outdoor activities, after all, summer bodies are earned during winter!

Reference The Athlete's Kitchen 

Mindful Exercising this Winter

Whether you are kicking off your year with healthy and active resolutions or you decided to take things slow, exercising in a proper conscious way will help you make the most out of your workouts! When it comes to me, I decided to exercise more regularly this new year, and I'm off to a good start! I've walked, ran, hiked, bicycled, and lifted weights in just 2 weeks from new year's day!

Mindful exercising is when you are fully aware of what you are doing while exercising, without overthinking, with no judgement, no day dreaming, no random thoughts, no life distractions – it’s nothing but you, your body, your breath, your muscles and your exercise! It's actually hard to dominate at first, especially that I am used to think my life through when I am exercising. This is fine sometimes, especially if you’re being positive and motivated; nevertheless, focusing on yourself and your exercise is much more important to fully benefit! In fact, a study conducted by a Harvard psychologist was able to improve blood pressure & decrease body weight, body and waist circumference in women just by making them more aware of their regular physical activity! That's why mindful exercising is my primary goal this year.

Hiking in Marj Besri - Chouf, Lebanon
Shot by Ghandi Tarabay

To start with, the next time you hit the gym, hike, go for a jog or swim – learn the right techniques of the exercise you are engaged in. Wearing the right clothes, using the right gear and learning proper muscle techniques & moves are much needed to make the best out of your exercise.

In addition, listen to your body - whether in heart rate, joints, tension points, muscles stress, feeling of dizziness and thirst. For one, this will help you avoid overstressing your muscles and help you avoid injuries. It will also aid you in becoming more vigilant & aware of your surroundings, in improving your performance, in perfecting your reactions and thus making you a better athlete.

While exercising, focus on your breathing techniques as well. This seems the hardest for me so far! Feel your breath move in and out of your body. Pay attention to your nostrils as air passes in and out. Notice the way your abdomen expands and collapses. Focus on the sound of your exhalation and inhalation. When your mind wanders, unconscious breathing will follow your heart beats, leading to shorter and faster inhalations and exhalations - my obstacle :p. Redirect your attention to your breath and expand breathing. This will allow proper flow of oxygen in and carbon dioxide out. This will also help in pumping blood more efficiently throughout your body.

Focus on the here and now of exercising - what your body is doing and how your brain is reacting. With time, mindfulness in your exercise will become effortless. Attend your full range of sensations into what you are doing! Muscles, heart beat, breath, sweat! This will distract you from everyday challenges (which you have plenty of time to go back to!) while alleviating your stress and anxiety. 

I'll be looking more into winter exercises now that it snowed all over the place so I'm guessing my upcoming post will be icy!

Yansoun w Joz!

During this cold in Lebanon, I love to curl up with a warm drink! Today I went for a cup of an after infusion of anise with some raw walnuts on the side, it's actually my dad's favorite.

I just took 1 teaspoon of yansoun seeds, slightly crushed them to release their volatile oils and boiled them in water for 5 minutes. Antonio Tahhan preferred to have his anise with a man2ouche on the side; nevertheless, you can check here how he prepared his anise infusion a la Libanaise!

Anise benefits

Not only is it sweet with no sugar at all, it's absolutely warming! 

• Anise seeds have antioxidant effects, according to a 2007 study published in the journal "Food Chemistry". Its powder and extract exhibit significant antioxidant activity, with at least 25 antioxidants such as flavonoids like quercetin, and cumarins !
• Anise active compound, anthole, has been found to be antifungal and antimicrobial.
• The seeds contain vitamin C, B1, B2 as well as iron, potassium, sulfur and phosphorus. They also have galactogenic properties to induce milk production in breastfeeding women.
• Anise seeds have been used to relief indigestion, colic, gases, abdominal cramps and nausea. However, in Lebanon, it is quite the tradition to boil anise seeds and add them with infant formulas to help in relieving infants' colic. But it's not the wisest decision - anise infusions cannot be filtered properly by infants' kidneys and thus it is advised to let go such 'tradition'.
• As for anise oils (not its seeds), they may work as an expectorant, helping to cough up of mucus in conditions like asthma, bronchitis and the common cold. Keep in mind that when using anise oils, large quantities may cause nausea and vomiting, seizures and even pulmonary edema so don't go buying oils and using them on your own. Always consult your health care provider!

As for walnuts

• Walnuts are 62% fat, mainly polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as linoleic acid (omega 6) and linolenic acid (omega 3). Omega 3 is known for its ability to aid in reducing cholesterol levels in the blood, preventing formation of clots and reducing inflammatory processes. Actually, walnuts is one of the best vegetable sources of omega 3, along with canola oil!
• Walnuts are also a good source of proteins, more than peanuts but the same as almonds. They may lack some essential amino acids, but when combined with whole grains, it's a complete source of proteins.
• Walnuts are also a good source of vitamin B1 (thiamin) that is necessary for the function of the heart and stability of the nervous system and especially B 6 (pyridoxine) that is involved red blood cell production and proper brain functioning! This is why walnuts have been associated with helping in coronary heart diseases and disorders of the nervous system.
• As for minerals, walnuts are rich in phosphorus and potassium, while being low in sodium -  a great combination for promoting heart health. They also contain magnesium, iron, calcium, zinc, copper and manganese, an absolutely rich cocktail!
• Walnuts are the nuts with the highest caloric content, due to their high fat (oil) content. In fact, ONE walnut (with 2 halves) contains 26 calories! This is why just don't place the whole walnuts bag in front of you, it's very easy to overeat. Just place a small handful of nuts on the side of your cup and enjoy!

Anise as antioxidant

Anise as antifungal and antimicrobial

Walnuts.org 

Walnuts facts 

Warm Hot Chocolate in this Cold Weather!

Deliciousness in a warm cup

With rain all over the country, one can't but want a warm cup of tea, coffee or in my case hot chocolate! Tea and instant coffee mixes can sure provide you with a low calorie warm drink if prepared right, but I was craving some delicious cocoa and there's no better idea than to make a hot cup of chocolate! Better yet, there is no better news than the fact that cocoa is indeed a great source of antioxidants. Some cocoa powders - like natural ones from Nestle or Hershey's for example - have more antioxidants than others - Dutch processed cocoa - due to the different processing techniques that could reduce the polyphenolic compounds such as flavonoids. Nevertheless, unsweetened cocoa dry powder is the cocoa type to choose. Try to go for organic ones, I prefer those to be honest!

Preparation is simple and quick! Just mix 3 tbsp of milk (I usually go for almond or rice milk and not animal-source milk - so this is great if you're a vegetarian or vegan), 1 tbsp of unsweetened cocoa powder and 1 tsp of sugar (or agave if you are vegan) in a warm cup of water! This way, you'll end up with a rich warm cup of hot chocolate, enough to provide you with calcium, proteins and antioxidants all in around 100 calories! Now, for some, it's a big deal to switch to nut/rice milk, but, hey, you will be cutting off at least 100 calories and lots of cholesterol and saturated fats!

Keep in mind to lay low on those marshmallows, biscuits and cream that could lurk around your hot chocolate. Either way, when you're craving a sweet chocolate taste, hot chocolate made with skim milk and unsweetened cocoa powder is a healthier sweet source than a commercial chocolate bar.

Info source

Cup of hot chocolate photo

Right Nutrition When You Have the Flu!

So the flu season is here! I've been sneezing and coughing all day and I found myself super tired, with watery eyes, a sore throat and no appetite at all! Obviously, when you're sick, you're too tired to think about healthy eating! Now, a healthy lifestyle - with lots of fruits, vegetables and lean protein, accompanied by regular exercise – will help in increasing your immune system. Alas, colds and flus are possible and it’s natural to let good nutrition slide when coping with illness. But when your body battles flu symptoms for days or weeks, your diet is essential to help you achieve speedy recovery especially with work, school or university - these guys just don't seem to take a break!

Nutrition tips to boost your strength and immunity!

Protein is crucial - Because protein is crucial for building and repairing cells, it can help prevent the loss of muscle mass. It also helps maintain fluid balance and improves your body's ability to heal, especially that antibodies needed to find germs are actually made of proteins themselves!Some sources of protein are fish, chicken, lean meat. Eggs and dairy products such as milk, labne and cheese are also easily digestible forms of animal protein, but I'm not a big fan. You can go for animal sources of protein such as quinoa, legumes and nuts. The key is to combine legumes, beans and nuts with whole grains such as bulgur, whole wheat or rice. This way, legumes and grains will complement each other in providing you with complete source of proteins.

In addition, by eating foods high in protein, you also get the benefit of other healing nutrients such as vitamins B6 and B12, both of which contribute to a healthy immune system. Proteins also contain minerals such as selenium and zinc that work to keep your immune system strong!

Getting Enough Calories – When trying to lose weight, counting calories could become a habit. So if you are a calorie counter, it’s time to ditch this habit! When you are sick, instead of trying to cut your total energy intake down, it’s time to increase it. Because your body is working harder to fight off germs and boosting your strength, you will sure need the extra nutrients!

Moreover, when you are sick, your appetite might decrease which could cause unintentional weight loss leaving you weak and exhausted! Therefore, boost your protein in your diet, have fruit and yogurt, whole milk and cream soups with vegetables and chicken!

Keep your Fiber in Check - Fiber is good for you both in the short and the long term. It helps keep you regular and prevents constipation. In the long run, it may lower the risk of intestinal problems, diabetes, and other diseases.But when you're feeling sick, it's easy to forget about the fiber. These diet changes, along with lower fluid intake and less exercise, can lead to constipation. So focus on having enough proteins, nutrient and energy dense foods as well as best sources of fiber such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains and nuts!

Having warm nutritious
soups can revitalize you!

Lots of fluids are a must - Water, soups and teas help keep your system stay well hydrated and counteract any fever you have. Warm teas help in opening congested airways, thin mucous secretions, coat the throat, soothe and warm up your aching stomach, help in decreasing any flu-related nausea and drain mucous secretions faster. Hence, the chicken soup: warm fluids with veggies as fibers and chicken as proteins!

In some people, dairy products increase mucus production. If this happens to you, avoid dairy for a few days. Dairy products may also make nausea and vomiting worse so know thy self!

Supplements - Vitamins and minerals are important for health; calcium, potassium, and vitamins A, C, D and E are just a few of them. But don't make the mistake of relying on supplements, instead you should concentrate on getting nutrition from whole foods. Lots start popping vitamin C tablets with their drinks and with every meal possible! Well, vitamin C  is protective if taken adequately as part of your daily dietary intake and not as a last minute resort! With whole foods, you’ll have the perfect combination of nutrients, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber! But hey, always check with your doctor before starting supplements or any alternative treatment!

Have lots of rest,
you need it!

Your sense of taste may be off since your nasal passages are plugged. So don't be surprised if some or your favorite foods don't taste the same.Remember to get plenty of rest, your body needs it!Everyone needs to get enough sleep, vitamins and nutrients and this is truer than ever when you're sick.

Photo sources

Sick man in bed 

Woman eating her soup

Resting in bed 

7 Things You Gotta Know About Coffee

• Coffee has its different national days in some counties that are actually public holidays. In Japan, for instance, October 1st is 'Coffee Day'. In Ireland, it is September the 19th, and in Costa Rica it is 12th September.There's no such thing in Lebanon, at least not yet!
• A cup of black coffee does not contain any calories if served without sugar, yet is still contains the caffeine. And even if you decide to go decaf, you'll still get some of that caffeine. In fact, if you drink 5-10 cups of decaffeinated coffee, you could get as much caffeine as from 1-2 cups of caffeinated one.
• More than 1.4 billion cups of coffee are consumed each day worldwide and it takes around 40 roasted coffee beans to make just one single espresso shot!
• Caffeine is not the main bitter compound in coffee; it's just responsible for 15 % of the bitterness you taste. The rest is due to antioxidants that form during the roasting the coffee beans.
• The traditional espresso machine was actually invented in France, not in Italy, bummer! However, the Italians took this idea, perfected it & made it their own and nowadays, the best espresso coffee machines are still made in Italy. Note that espresso in Italy is rather too important to be consumed with a meal. It is treated as a separate event and is given its own time after the meal.
• The most expensive coffee in the world comes from Civet poop. Civets are cat sized mammals that only ingest fine ripe berries and excrete them partially digested. Yup the partially digested berries are those fine coffee beans! Believe it or not 1 pound (around 1/2 kg) sells between 120 and 600 $.
• Last but not least, here's a quick mini poster that would help you to decipher all those coffee options next time you're ordering/making one: Make sure to go decaf, get yourself some skimmed milk & lay low on those added sugar, cream, syrups, toppings and chocolate chips! You can read more about what to choose when ordering/preparing your coffee here.

Illustration by Lokesh Dhakar

References:

Live Science

Escoffier

4 cups of coffee photo 

Different coffee types poster 

New Year’s Drinking Fiesta

New Year’s is a big deal in Lebanon! Actually, it’s a big deal everywhere. Spending time with friends and family is a great way to celebrate a new year coming, and for most of us, that means getting together and sharing dinner especially with a few cocktails. And yes, holiday drinking is enjoyable, but not for those of us who are trying to watch our waistlines because even few drinks can set that diet back!

All alcoholic drinks contain calories, whether we like to admit it or not, and for those living in denial that drinks are just like water, I hate to burst your bubble. Whether the calories come from alcohol containing 7 calories per gram or from mixers added like soft drinks, fruit juices, sugar or cream, they all definitely count!

So here are some tips to follow when choosing your drinks:

·         Keep your limit to no more than 1-2 drinks for women and 2-3 drinks for men. Actually, guidelines are 1 drink for women and 2 for men, but since these are the holidays, one more drink is OK as maximum.

·         Avoid mixing your drinks with sweetened mixers which only contain huge amounts of calories.

·         If you choose to go for a beer, choose a light one.

·         Drink out of tall skinny glasses.

·         Mix drinks with water or diet soft drinks since they don’t add extra calories. A can of regular soda can add 150 calories to your drink while a diet soda has around 4 calories total, but we’ll discuss these in few seconds.

·         Know the percentage of alcohol and calories in your drink.

·         Fill your glass with ice cubes and then pour your alcohol, this way you’ll get a smaller amount of chilly, diluted alcoholic drink.

·         Drink a glass of water between drinks for 2 reasons. One, to fill up, but more importantly to re-hydrate your body since alcohol can make you lose your body water.

 

Now let’s take a look at popular drinks you will have to face during that party! I gathered the most famous drinks, whether wine, beer, hard liqueurs, cocktails and their mixers we have in Lebanon.
 

·         Wine in 114 mL as a serving size

Type	Calories per serving
Red	85
White	80
Rose	88
Sweet	105
Cabernet Sauvignon	88
Chardonnay	88
Light	50
Sherry	128

·         Beer in one bottle, around 340 mL as a serving

Type	Calories per serving
Regular	150 to 160
Light	90 to 110

·         Hard liqueur with a usual serving of 43 mL

Type	Calories per serving
Bourbon	98
Brandy	98
Gin	104
Rum	84
Scotch	105
Whiskey	104
Kahlua	161
Tequila	100
Vodka	100

·          Mixed drinks

Type	Serving Size	Calories per serving
Frozen Margarita	240 (1 cup)	404
Champagne	114 mL	91
Sangria	240 mL	169
Gin and Tonic	240 mL	195
Bloody Mary	240 mL	196
Screwdriver	240 mL	210
Bacardi Breezer lemon Light	1 bottle	96
Creme de Menthe	58 mL	250
Cosmpolitan	150 mL	327
Martini	150 mL	322
White Russian	170 mL	374
Tequila Sunrise	58 mL	75
Daiquiri	58 mL	112
Baileys Irish Cream	43 mL	108
Manhattan	58 mL	178
Black Russian	58 mL	162

·         Mixes

Type	Calories per serving
Red bull energy drink	110 per can
Mineral water	0
Perrier	0
Diet soda	0
Regular soda	150 per can
Tomato juice	25  in 114 mL
Dr pepper	100 per can
Bloody Mary mix	25 in 114 mL
Nestea Iced tea lemon	86 per can
Orange, pineapple, grapefruit, apple	60 in 114 mL

One more thing that could come in handy is this equation:
Calories in your drink = (milliliters / 28.4) x (% of alcohol x 2) x 0.8.

Let’s say you are drinking 50 mL of whiskey that has 40% alcohol (as indicated on label) thus Calories in that drink = (50/28.4) x (40x2) x 0.8 = 112 cals!
Or let’s take Arak; 70 mL of this 80% alcohol!
thus Calories = (70/28.4) x (80x2) x 0.8 = 315 calories!
So now you have actual information that will definitely help you assess whether your drink is high in calories or not. But know that even though you hear that alcohol has benefits, they just go down the drain once you exceed the guidelines we talked about earlier! 

Moreover, keep in mind that it is best that some people avoid drinking alcohol even in big parties such as New Year’s. These include women of childbearing age who may become pregnant, pregnant and lactating women, children and adolescents, people with specific medical conditions and people taking medications that may interact with alcohol.



Coffee or a cold shower will not eliminate alcohol from your blood; time only clears it, so it’s best to stop drinking 2 to 3 hours before you drive. But if you feel dizzy just sleep over wherever you are or hand in the driving responsibility to a non-drinker.
Never drink and drive!