Tips and Tidbits, February 11, 2009

ATHLETE spotlight

Denise Rathwick

“As of the last 18 months I’m a personal trainer at Innovative Fitness in Fircrest, WA. Fitness and serving others has always been a passion of mine. I first became certified as a trainer in 2001 and trained at a franchised club. One of my early goals was to be in the best shape of my life at age 50. After raising two boys it was finally my turn to become the athlete I had always dreamed I could be. Stepping on stage for the first time as a bodybuilder in 2003 at the age of 50 was a humbling and exhilarating experience. Year-to-date, I have competed in 11 contests, and I plan to compete in three shows in 2009. The Emerald Cup is my next goal, April 18th, I plan to take 1st after taking 2nd the last 3 years. In 2008 I competed in three contests taking first at the North West Night of Champions, second at the Emerald Cup and First at the Empire Classic. I’ve been following the Parrillo nutrition plan since 2002 and love the products. The butter flavored CapTri^® is so yummy and the Protein and Energy bars™ are so good I feel like I’m cheating. I’ve come a long way! I live my life on purpose and can’t imagine it any other way.” You can reach Denise by emailing: IamFitDenise@hotmail.com.

Nutrition Tip of the month:

Get your best results with proper nutrition: This involves training your metabolism to partition food more effectively, so it can be used to burn fat and build muscle. A diet that achieves this is a high-calorie one (between 2,000 and 10,000 calories a day or more) with five or more meals spread throughout the day and spaced two to three hours apart. The meals should include the proper combination of lean proteins, starchy carbs, and fibrous carbs. This combination of foods slows your digestion for consistent energy levels and increased endurance throughout the day and provides a constant supply of nutrients for muscular growth and repair.

Training Tip of the month:

Aerobic Training is absolutely critical for three reasons. First, aerobic exercise enhances recovery. Second, it builds cardiovascular density; and third, it accelerates fat-burning. Aerobics should be performed at certain times during the day: at night after your last meal and in the morning before breakfast, especially if you are trying to lose body fat. In the morning, your body draws upon fatty acids for energy in the absence of muscle glycogen. As a result, more body fat is burned.

Breaking News Fitness & Nutrition

Garlic’s Goodness Best Released With a Crush

Consuming large amounts of raw garlic may be good for your heart, but not necessarily your social life. So, how do we best enjoy these pungent little bulbs, without missing out on their impressive health benefits? Crush them. Then bake them slightly. Researchers have known for some time that garlic–like its close relative, the onion–is a rich source of heart-protective compounds called thiosulfinates. These sulfur compounds, best known for causing eyes to water, may lower blood pressure and break up potentially harmful clusters of platelets in the bloodstream.

But, up to now, most researchers and nutritionists assumed that the best way to seize on garlic’s cardiovascular benefits was to eat the small bulbs in their most unfettered form: in the raw. Not so, discovered ARS plant geneticist Philipp Simon and his colleagues. Since most people worldwide sauté or bake their garlic before eating it, the researchers wanted to know if cooking reduced garlic’s blood-thinning effects. They also wanted to see what impact crushing the garlic before cooking had on its ability to bust up artery-clogging platelets. After boiling, baking and microwaving both crushed and uncrushed cloves of garlic and evaluating them for their antiplatelet activity, the scientists learned that lightly cooked, crushed garlic provides most of the health benefits found in raw garlic. The only exception was microwaving, which stripped garlic almost entirely of its blood-thinning effects. The researchers contend that while heating might be generally blamed for reducing garlic’s antiplatelet activity, it’s the crushing that enables the beneficial compounds to be freed in the first place.

- Linda Tokarz, Sept. 18, 2007, USDA Agricultural Research Service

Question of the month:

Question: What does the term ‘building your metabolism’ mean?

Answer: This key Parrillo concept means that through proper training and nutrition you can steadily increase muscle mass, thereby increasing your metabolic rate and fat burning capacity. Metabolic rate is proportional to lean body mass, so the more muscle you’re carrying, the more food you have to eat. The conventional strategy to lose weight is to restrict calories. Current medical literature reports that this approach fails about 90% of the time. This is because during energy restriction as much as half of the weight lost is muscle. This lowers your metabolic rate and sets into play the body’s starvation response, which actually promotes fat retention.

Quick Tip of the month:

For an easy-to-make sweet treat that’s ready to eat in about 20 minutes, bake a Parrillo Hi-Protein Spice Cake™, frosted with Cream Cheese Flavor Protein Frosting™. This delicious dessert is packed with 25g of protein, has only 6 net carbs & no sugars! Email your tips to graphics@parrillo.com!

Supplement of the month:

Protein Ice Kreem Mix™

• 5 delicious Ice Kreem flavors: Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry, Peach, and Coffee

• Easy to prepare: just add 4 scoops of mix and 2 cups of water to your Ice Cream Maker and follow the machine’s instructions

• Packed with 42g of protein, contains 2g carbs with no sugar or fat

• You can also use the mix to make a frosty shake, using your blender, or a protein drink on the go!

Dominique’s Time Cruncher

Don’t have time to hit the gym? Take a brisk walk during your lunch break at work. Keep a pair of comfortable walking shoes in your car and you’ll be ready to get out there for a little exercise on days you’re too busy for the gym.

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