ATP
  • Home
  • About
    • ATP's Story
  • Services
  • Blog
  • Contact

Mentor High Mental Health Fair: Food & Mood

3/31/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
Last Monday, March 25th, I had the pleasure of participating in the Mental Health Fair at Mentor High School. At my table, I educated students and parents on food and how it affects your mood. I also guided participants through an intuitive/mindful eating exercise with dark chocolate - learning to slow down and enjoy the entire experience of eating, closely listening to our satisfactory cues. 

There is a very strong connection between the food we eat and our mood. Our daily food choices can change the signaling of the neurotransmitters in our brain (serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine), impacting our mood and how we feel. That's why it's so important to lead a nutritious lifestyle!
In regards to athletics, if you feel well, you're more likely to excel in practice and on your performance stage. Below I've shared a few of the vital nutrients that can positively impact our mood:
  1. Complex Carbohydrates: our primary energy source; produces a sense of calmness
  2. Omega-3 Fatty Acids: key players in overall health and brain functioning; reduce inflammation/oxidative stress improving brain signaling to the rest of the body
  3. Vitamin C: immune supporter; antioxidant properties boot energy levels and can minimize mood changes
  4. Vitamin D: vital role in bone health, immunity and mood; shown to ease depressive symptoms
  5. Calcium: vital role in bone health and mood; shown to reduce anxiety-like symptoms, irritability and improve sleep
  6. Iron: vital role in carrying oxygenated blood throughout the body; fights off fatigue, irritability and mood swings

Notice how the nutrients above are also key players in accelerating recovery between practices/games and injury as well as preventing future injury! Leading a well balanced nutritious lifestyle is so important in many regards!

Healthy Regards, 
Jessica G. Anderson, MS, RD, LD, ACSM EP-C
​#FuelForTheGOLD

0 Comments

Healthy Loaded Veggie Pizza

3/30/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
At the grocery store the other day, I had the biggest craving for pizza. Being lactose intolerant, I haven’t had pizza for the longest time! But in recent years, I’ve discovered I can have Parmesan and very sharp cheeses as they contain less lactose than the soft ones! ✅

Last night when I got home from work, I was so excited to make my pizza! I grabbed all my ingredients out of the refrigerator, built my pizza and danced while making it. Lol 💃🏻

Let me tell you, my pizza had me singing. It was so delicious and it contained sooooo many veggies. For those of you skeptical that pizza can not be part of an athlete’s training or healthy lifestyle, I’m here to say that’s completely FALSE!😍✅🍕😍❤️
The whole wheat pizza dough is nutrient dense and full of fiber. Parmesan and sharper cheeses are lower in saturated fats and a great source of protein. And the veggies contain an assortment of vitamins and minerals with protective properties while also provide fiber for sustained and long lasting energy. ☺️💪✅

Pizza Recipe & Instructions: 😋
  1. Pre-heat Oven to 450F
  2. 1 whole wheat pizza dough thawed and pressed out onto a pizza sheet (*pre-spray pan w/ cooking spray prior)
  3. 1/2 jar of Little Italy CLE pizza sauce spread out on pan pressed dough
  4. Thinly sliced Parmesan strips placed on top of sauce to cover the pizza evenly
  5. One at a time, sautéed in a skillet with olive oil cooking spray - sliced white onion, sliced red peppers, chopped mushrooms, loads of fresh spinach (spinach sautéed about halfway through)
  6. Then top with artichoke hearts and sundried tomatoes
  7. Bake for 18min till golden brown 

Healthy Regards, 
Jessica G. Anderson, MS, RD, LD, ACSM EP-C
#FuelForTheGOLD
0 Comments

Ovo-Vegetarian Grain Bowl

3/22/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
My mom and I went out for lunch the other day at a new restaurant in North East Ohio called Next Door American Eatery. I love trying new dishes, especially the vegan and vegetarian ones to get ideas for my athletes and clients. This particular dish contains quinoa and, unlike any other grain, quinoa actually contains all of the essential amino acids that we can only get from animal-based proteins!

A lot of people are not a fan of quinoa, but when prepared right, you may be surprised how much you like it. The bowl contains roasted asparagus, scallions, roasted red peppers, water chestnuts, and almonds. Topped with a fried egg, the ooey goodness of the yolk brought all the flavors together.

Grain bowls, like this one, are perfect for heavy training days - packed with sustained fuel from the quinoa, muscle building properties from the egg and quinoa, and protective nutrients from the assortment of veggies! A game winning plate! 
For a light to moderate day, you may take some quinoa and place it over a salad. It’s delicious and it gives it an extra crunch!

Healthy Regards,
Jessica G. Anderson, MS, RD, LD, ACSM EP-C
#fuelforthegold
0 Comments

Exercise and the Gut Microbiome

3/21/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
Perhaps you've been hearing "buzz" surrounding the microbiome. 

For starters, the microbiome encompasses the bacteria that resides in the gut (digestive tract). Just recently, science has discovered a strong correlation between our gut bacteria and how it may relate to disease risk and overall health, including athletic performance. 

As we know, nutrition and physical activity/exercise play an integral role in our overall health. The nutrients consumed from a well-balanced nutritious lifestyle are key in promoting a, highly diverse, healthful gut. 
Regarding athletic performance, a nutrient-dense performance plate (whole grains, fruits and veggies) supports the overall function of the gut, including the production of energy from non-carbohydrate sources (fats and proteins) during prolonged and/or intense exercise - when our immediate fuel stores have been depleted. Supporting previous evidence-based findings associated with injury prevention and recovery, a nutrient-rich performance plate can decrease risk for injury and accelerate an athlete's recovery.

So when all is said and done, a nutrient-dense performance plate goes beyond the scope of what is seen. Consider the how a well-balanced and nutrient-dense lifestyle can impact your overall sport performance and health! 

Healthy Regards,
Jessica G. Anderson, MS, RD, LD, ACSM EP-C

​#FuelForTheGOLD #FuelForTheGUT 
​
Source: Crosier, M., PhD, RD. (2019). Exercise and the human gut microbiome [PDF]. 
0 Comments

Power Greens Super Smoothie

3/19/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture

1 Scoop NSF certified for sport @gardenoflife Vanilla Protein (22g pro per scoop)

1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

2Tbsp @pb2foods

3 handfuls baby spinach

2Tbsp ground Flaxseed
​

Handful of ice cubes

Nutrition Facts: 279 calories, 16g carbs, 8g fiber, 11g fat, 34g protein, 472mg sodium, 1g sugar
%Daily Values: Calcium 69.4%, Potassium 670.9%, Iron 45.8%, Vitamin A 210.9%, 51.2% Vitamin C
0 Comments

​Pre-Workout Powders and Drinks: Is it really worth the buy?

3/19/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
As an RD, I’m not a fan of pre-workouts as they can contain synthetic/artificial ingredients as well as questionable and sometimes even banned substances for sport.  Much of the time, the ingredients they do contain are not backed up by sufficient research to say they do improve performance.

With underlying questions and possibility for concern, I encourage coffee as an alternative to a pre-workout. You’ll save money, not have to question “what’s in my drink?”, and you’ll still experience the same training intensity as if you had that pre-workout product.
​

Sometimes coffee gets a bad wrap but it shouldn’t! Coffee is rich in antioxidants and who doesn’t love the little pick-me-up from the caffeine. Coffee is just as, if not more, beneficial than a pre-workout product you can buy at a supplement shop!
And when it comes to health and drug testing, it’s when you surpass the 4 cups of coffee where more concern regarding overall caffeine intake should be assessed.

So go ahead. Enjoy your coffee and train like a champion! 

Healthy Regards,
Jessica G. Anderson, MS, RD, LD, ACSM EP-C

​#FuelForTheGOLD

0 Comments

Less Deprivation. More Appreciation.

3/13/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
Nutrition is not a “one-size-fits-all” solution. Unfortunately, the media and non-credible sources attempt to tell us otherwise - skewing public knowledge regarding nutrition.

As mentioned previously, fad diets and “cheat” meals carries a negative connotation - the idea that one must deprive and restrict foods in order to be healthy. And when that happens, disordered thoughts and nutritional behaviors can occur.

Just as we care for our relationships with others, we must nurture our relationship with food. Food is our friend!


The idea of restricting or depriving oneself a certain meal/treat can actually harm one's relationship with food and it can even cause one to consume excessive calories while the ongoing craving(s) continue to be dissatisfied.

Instead, nurture your body by making it an experience: color your plate with foods, keep trying new foods and have FUN with eating! And if you’re really longing for that piece of cake, enjoy it and NEVER feel guilty. I always encourage my athletes to follow the 80-20 rule during the off season and the 90-10 rule while in-season - eating a sound performance plate 80% to 90% of the time while treating themselves 10% to 20% of the time. :) 

A well balanced life should be one that is both ENJOYABLE and SUSTAINABLE. Even for my athletes, never deprive yourself of living life. Moderation is key. :) 

Appreciate food. Appreciate your body. Appreciate yourself.

Healthy Regards,
Jessica G. Anderson, MS, RD, LD, ACSM EP-C

0 Comments

    Author

    Welcome to ATP Sports Nutrition's Blog Site! Filled with sports nutrition tips and delicious recipes to best Fuel for the Gold.

    Archives

    February 2021
    December 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    April 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Fuel for the GOLD
  • Home
  • About
    • ATP's Story
  • Services
  • Blog
  • Contact