Q. I want to bulk up while getting leaner. How can I gain muscle and lose fat at the same time?

A. It's difficult for the body to build muscle and lose fat at the same time. Building muscle requires calories. If you are restricting calories to lose undesired body fat, your body does not have the fuel it needs to create new muscle tissue. Instead, the body breaks down muscle to use for fuel.

A dieting athlete can minimize muscle loss with-
1) a small calorie deficit that contributes to slow fat loss.
Knock off 200 to 400 calories a day (not 800 to 1.000 calories!).

2) an adequate protein intake (i.e., enjoy a protein-rich food at each meal and snack).
A reasonable target is about 0.7 to 1.0 gram protein per pound body weight, or about 100 to 150 g protein for a 150-pound person. That equates to 1 quart of milk (32 g), 1 can tuna (35 g) and 6 ounces chicken breast (45 g), plus the protein you get in other foods (bread, cereal, vegetables). Protein supplements tend to be needless; food can supply what you need.

3) frequently eaten meals that offer a constant supply of protein and fuel.
Eat at least every three or four hours, and have a small protein-rich bedtime snack, such as some cottage cheese.

4) strength training to help protect against muscle loss.
Your body protects the muscles you use, but breaks down the muscles that are less active and uses them for fuel.

For more information on how to lose fat and maintain energy for exercise, see
my Sports Nutrition Guidebook.

Nancy Clark MS RD CSSD
Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics

Drinking is "just a part of the culture" for many college athletes. The result is hung-over students who fail to train and compete at their best. To address the problem of alcohol abuse among student-athletes, many college campuses are educating students about social norms-the beliefs about what is normal and expected in social situations. For example, despite popular belief, "everyone" does not drink nor do "most students" get drunk all the time.

A 1999 survey at Southern Methodist University asked these four questions to students on a Friday about alcohol use on the previous night:
Did you drink last night?
Did you get drunk last night?
What percentage of SMU students do you think drank last night?
What percentage of SMU students do you think got drunk last night?

The answers showed major misperceptions about alcohol norms:
-Only 20% of students surveyed reported drinking the previous night, yet they believed that over half drank.
-Only 8% reported getting drunk, yet they believed at least one-third got drunk.
-Of students who drank, most reported consuming only a few drinks per week. Yet they believed most students were drinking 10 to 15 drinks per week.
-35% reported abstaining from alcohol, but very few believed that many of their peers were non-drinkers.

With ongoing social norm education, students will actually change their drinking practices. For example, a three-year social-norm education program targeted Division III athletes in a NY State college. It contributed to a 30% drop in both excessive alcohol consumption and the negative consequences of drinking. Among student-athletes with the highest exposure to the program, personal alcohol misuse dropped 50%. (1) Given that athletes are often role models, this change can have a positive impact on the entire campus and potentially (eventually) our entire sports society.

The bottom line: You can abstain from alcohol and not be the only one who does so!

Nancy Clark MS RD CSSD

References
1. Perkins H and Crais D. 2006. A Successful Social Norms Campaign to Rreduce Alcohol Misuse Among Collge Student-Athlets. J. Stud Alcohol 67:880-889.

http://smu.edu/healthcenter/alcoholeducation/adp_socialnorms.asp.

In one of the blog posts for new runners, a frustrated woman commented "And everyone said the weight would "fall off" when I started to run. Not true!"

I agree. Most novice runners start their exercise program believing undesired body fat will melt away. Not the case. If running contributes to a calorie deficit, body fat does dwindle away. But all too often, new runners eat a little bit more than usual, either because they are hungrier--exercise can stimulate the appetite for women (more so than for men)--or because they believe they deserve a reward of a cookie or two. The combination of hunger + desire for a reward = no fat loss, and often fat gain.

The other thing you have to look at is 24-hour energy expenditure. That is, some new runners become less active in the other parts of their day ("I ran today, so I'll sit and read instead of clean the house.") A study with middle-aged people who added on an hour of brisk walking each day indicated they did they eat more, nor did they lose weight. They simply napped and slept more... In 24-hours, they did not burn additional calories.

I recommend you run for health and fitness, and pay attention to eating smaller portions at dinner to lose undesired body fat. Just chip off 100 to 200 fewer calories at night. For information on how to lose fat and maintain energy to exercise, you might want to read my Food Guide for New Runners: Getting It Right From the Start.

Regardless of weight, enjoy feeling proud of your running accomplishments!
Nancy Clark MS RD
Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD)

Question: Should I use L-glutamine to reduce muscle soreness after a hard workout?
Answer: Supplementing with L-glutamine is an expensive way to get an amino acid .... you can get it in any protein-rich food. While L-glutamine might enhance recovery of patients in the hospital who have cancer, AIDS, or bowel problems and are not eating, the chances are that you, as a healthy athlete, can consume a multitude of amino acids (not just L-glutamine) through your diet.

Certainly, the best way to enhance recovery is to fuel up before exercise with a carb-protein snack (recovery can actually start pre-exercise, so the "tools" to recover are already in your system) and then to refuel afterwards, again with some carbs + protein. The carbs provide fuel and the protein heals and builds.

Some popular pre- and/or post-exercise options include yogurt, a little cereal/milk, half a sandwich, or lowfat chocolate milk--all in portions that settles well. You really don't need to buy engineered foods. Simply pay more attention to having the right foods readily available; don't let nutrition be your missing link.

What you eat pre-exercise should last you about 60 to 90 minutes, and then you want to target about 200 to 300 calories per hour. Some athletes choose gels because they are convenient, but you need not spend your money on engineered foods. They are more about convenience than necessity. Other athletes enjoy banana, gummy candy, dried fruit, rice crispie treats, twizzlers ... and carb-based food that tastes good and settles well. Experiment to figure out what foods and fluids work best for your body. By staying well fueled, you will be able to recover more easily.

My Sports Nutrition Guidebook offers abundant information and food tips about how to best fuel before, during and after exercise, so you can get the most from your workouts.

Eat wisely and well, and enjoy less muscle soreness and better workouts.

Nancy Clark MS RD CSSD
Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics

More than ever, Americans are confused about what to eat. Many active people, in particular, try hard to feed themselves and their families healthfully. They often wonder--
What are the best foods to eat? To avoid?
How can I reduce my risk of heart disease?
How can I cook for my friend with cancer?
What's the best way to end family food-fueds?
How can I lose weight healthfully?
What's best to eat before I exercise?

If you are looking for a list of books that address these and a multitude of other nutrition questions and concerns, please visit the American Dietetic Associations' Good Nutrition Reading List:
Go to www.eatright.org
Click on "Food and Nutrition Information", and then
Good Nutrition Reading List.
Or, more simply, click here:

Good Nutrition Reading List

The books are all based on sound nutrition information. Many are written by registered dietitians or other nutrition professionals.

Have a good read!

Nancy Clark MS RD

Nancy, I'm a new runner who is hoping to lose weight but I'm not having much success. I'm fighting bad cravings for sweets and end up eating The Jellybean Diet. Help!

The jellybean diet ... sounds to me like you are getting too hungry. That is, craving sweets means you have gotten too hungry and your body is screaming for quick energy. The solution is to prevent hunger by eating more quality food at breakfast and lunch. Target about 500 calories at each of those two meals, and you'll find you feel better, have more energy, run better, are in a better mood throughout the day, are more productive, and are not hankering for jelly beans in the afternoon.
If you want to lose undesired body fat, your goal should be to fuel adequately during the day, and then eat a little less at the end of the day. The best time to lose weight is when you are sleeping, not when you are trying to run and function during the day.
If you want some more specific guidance on how to lose weight and have energy to exercise, I recommend my Food Guide for New Runners: Getting It Right the First Time. You might find helpful the strong section on weight, sweets cravings, and dieting. Or better yet, meet with a sports dietitian for personalized advice. You can find a local RD by using the referral network at
www.SCANdpg.org

Nancy Clark MS RD

In comparison to red meat, which is among the best sources of iron, spinach is a fair source of iron. The recommended daily intake for iron is 8 milligrams for men and 18 milligrams for women. A half-cup serving of cooked spinach contains about 2 milligrams of iron. Because cooking has minimal effect upon the iron content in spinach, the equivalent amount of uncooked spinach offers the same amount of iron. (That is, you need to eat about 2 cups of raw spinach to equate to 1/2 cup of cooked spinach)

Due to the presence of oxylates (organic acids that naturally occur in foods), the iron in both raw and cooked spinach tends to be poorly absorbed by the body. However, if you eat spinach with some type of animal protein, such as putting turkey in a spinach salad or serving cooked spinach along with a chicken dinner, your body can better absorb the iron.

To boost your iron intake, I also recommend you eat a source of vitamin C at each meal, such as -
-drink orange juice with breakfast
-adding tomato slices to your lunch-time sandwich
-and enjoying broccoli with dinner.
Cooking in a cast iron skillet can also boost your iron intake--especially if you cook an acidic food, such as tomato sauce, in the skillet. Another option is to choose iron-enriched breakfast cereals, such as Wheaties. Non-meat eaters have many ways to consume adequate iron, and reduce their risk of developing iron-deficiency anemia.

Perhaps more remarkable than it's iron content (of which only 3% is absorbable), spinach is an excellent source of vitamins A, C, folic acid, magnesium, potassium and several other nutrients that are an important part of your sports diet. Pop-eye was strong to the finish for several reasons--the least of which was the iron in spinach! Yet, I do encourage you to keep eating your spinach for the other nutrients is contains.

Nancy, is eliminating all sugar (except for natural sugar in fruits) from your diet safe? In normal grocery stores, it's almost impossible to find anything outside of the vegetable section that doesn't have sugar. I switched to soy milk but even that still has sugar....

Answer: Why would you want to eliminate all sugar? Sugar is a source of fuel for active muscles. All fruits, veggies and grains digest into sugar, the fuel that feeds your muscles as well as your brain. Milk also naturally contains sugar (lactose).

The concern should not be "sugar" but the source of the sugar. For example, sugar in soda pop is "empty calories" -- with no nutritional value. Sugar in oranges comes along with lots of vitamin C, potassium, folate and other health-promoting nutrients. Enjoying sweet oranges is a smart food choice, nutritionally preferable to drinking orange soda.

Processed foods often have a little sugar added. For example, the sugar in jarred spaghetti sauce adds to an enjoyable taste -- but it does not negate the nutrient content of the sauce. Don't worry about it! Nutrition guidelines say that 10% of calories can appropriately come from refined sugar. As an active person, you likely need at least 2,000 calories a day. That means, you could enjoy 200 calories of refined sugar, if desired. That's 50 grams -- a quart of Gatorade, or a ton of spaghetti sauce!

Rather than getting hung up on sugar, look at the balance of your whole diet. You want to eat a diet with 85 to 90% nutrient-dense foods. But you need not eat a "perfect diet" (for you, this sounds like a sugar-free diet) to have a good diet.

Nancy Clark MS RD CSSD