Productive Monday and vitaminwater10

Monday was so productive! I got in a ton of reading, worked and ran 5.5 miles! 

As for food, if it was quick and simple, it was in my belly! As every morning does, Monday began with cream banana oats….followed by a Chocolate Chip ZBar!

The day included several handfuls of “trailmix”- almonds with golden raisins. Perfect combo!

“Lunch” was a big green smoothie (banana, soy milk, brown rice protein, bee pollen, Amazing Grass, ground flax, ice) and another Zbar!

Before heading into work I had a great 5.5 mile run. For a ton of little reasons, running has not been good to me the past few weeks. Today all was good! While icing I had the last of my honeydew melon.

Dinner was packed in a lunchbox and taken to work. I wish you could see the final product… it was yummy! I threw some fresh spinach, frozen brussel sprouts, a Dr. Praeger’s veggie burger and some seasonings and microwaved it all at work. Easy, yummy and healthy!

 

vitaminwater10

Over the past month I was luck enough to sample vitaminwater10 and do a short interview with Mona Rosene, MS, RD. I hope you enjoy the interview- I think Mona answered my questions fully!

1. What is a common nutrition mistake many active people make? How would you suggest changing that mistake?
   1. Most people don’t eat enough, especially if they’re trying to lose weight. They may cut calories down to 1200, and then work out a couple hours a day, and, most often, they don’t pay attention to recovery nutrition. This results in weight loss primarily from lean body mass (muscle) and not body fat. We want it to be reversed: lose more body fat & save as much muscle as possible, which is far more metabolically active than fat.
   2. This can be avoided by the following suggestions:

i. Determine your goals, i.e. weight loss, muscle gain, endurance, etc.

ii. Talk with a sports nutritionist or dietitian to help you design a meal plan that will fuel your workouts while helping you reach your physique goals.

iii. Track your food intake – this may seem too analytical for some people, but it’s the only way you will know exactly what you’re eating and when. This information will also help a coach or dietitian better design programs to reach your goals.

1. We hear all the time “don’t drink your calories.” What do you think about liquid calories in a diet?
   1. We should all be reading nutrition fact panels and educating ourselves on the food and beverages we consume. We should also be planning more of our meals and snacks, and set healthy guidelines to follow. Here are some good examples:

i. Low-calorie enhanced-water beverages can help us get the hydration plus nutrients we need every day. I just discovered Vitaminwater10 with only 10 calories per serving via natural sweeteners like Truvia. It has b vitamins, vitamin c and electrolytes. this is great for hydration throughout the day or while working out. I even saw one called go-go with ribose, a sugar that may help provide sustained energy.

ii. full calorie beverages have a place within your meal plan as well. I drink protein shakes. They can easily fit into your day – just plan it accordingly. It is perfect for exercise recovery!

iii. if someone is trying to lose weight, I recommend that alcohol be limited or avoided until the goal weight is attained.

1. I’m always confused about post-workout snacks. What should they be? When should I eat them?
   1. Post workout nutrition is vital in reaching goals, whether you want to improve performance or drastically change your physique. The ideal ratio between carbs and protein for post workout nutrition is 4:1 (carbs:protein). Chocolate milk may be one of the most effective recovery beverages. There has been great research published in the last couple years about its benefits for increasing lean body mass.
   2. Other options for post workout nutrition include 20-30g whey protein with 1% milk, skim milk or soymilk, sweetened instant oatmeal with whey protein added (this is the only time I’d recommend sweetened, instant oatmeal).
   3. There is a window of opportunity for post workout nutrition. The best time is within 30 minutes post workout – that means you have to plan and have your meal and beverage ready!

1. What should I be most concerned about nutritionally during periods where I work out a lot?
   1. Getting in enough calories to support your workouts. If you don’t eat enough your workouts will suffer. Intensity won’t be maintained and you could be defeating the purpose of working out because of over training combined with under-nutrition.

1. Do you think it is possible for an athlete to train while following a vegan diet? What should a vegan athlete be concerned about?

1. Yes, it is possible for an athlete to train while following a vegan diet, but it needs to be carefully planned. Also, it would be beneficial to look for food which target the vegan population that are made with other grains higher in protein such as Hemp, pea and Salba.

1. As a vegan, you must be cognizant of a few items:

i. It is hard to get Vitamin B12 from a vegan diet as it’s primarily found in animal products. A good quality multi-vitamin should be taken daily (like Trivita which is vegan-friendly by using nutritional yeast), or look for fortified foods and/or beverages with b12, such as vitaminwater, which contains between 10%-20% dv of b12 and is vegan friendly).

ii. Consuming quality protein in your meal plan – animal products (including dairy & eggs) contain all of the essential amino acids (EAA), which are crucial in maintaining and increasing muscle. Grains, fruits and vegetables do not contain all EAA. It was once thought you had to combine certain foods in each meal to effectively use EAA, but we have learned as long as they are consumed within the same day, it is sufficient.

1. Grains that are complete proteins include soy & quinoa.

iii. Calories – if someone is vegan, it may be difficult to get enough calories to support training. This is why someone who wants to become a vegan should consult with a dietitian prior to switching. On the other side of the coin, a vegan diet could involve getting too many calories from carbs & sugar due to poor planning or lack of knowledge regarding a vegan diet.

My review:

You probably saw a few vitaminwater10 bottles scattered throughout my posts. Overall I sampled go-go (mixed berry), mega-c (grape raspberry), revitalize (green tea) and recoup (peach mandarin).

I’m a water drinker at heart, but I am all for a low-calorie treat for a change every so often. The vitaminwater10’s did just that. They served as a really tasty, naturally sweetened, refreshing beverage. I used it as sort of a pick-me-up when I was running out the door or wanted a little of something sweet. The green tea was my least favorite, but the other flavors were so good. I will definitely buy another vitaminwater10 when I’m in the mood for something other than water. Taste and vitamins for 20 calories per bottle? Yes please :)

Have you had vitaminwater10? What is your favorite beverage?