This Speedo Tip is an excerpt from the January-February 2006
issue of Splash, in which special correspondent and Olympic
gold medalist Nicole Haislett offers some nutritional tips for
eating healthy Here, she offers a few simple, general rules
to follow.
Eat “white” things in moderation. This includes
butter, fatty cheeses, sour cream, cream cheese, cream sauces,
salad dressings and cream-based soups. You’re looking
at a fat content of 40 to 70 % in these items.
Low-fat doesn’t mean low-calorie. In fact, it usually
means the food is higher in calories because more sugar or corn
syrup is added to replace the fat. Just because something is
fat-free doesn’t mean you can eat all you want.
Choose lean cuts of meat. Cuts with the words loin or round
in them signify a leaner cut. Flank steak is a great option.
You can ruin good intentions if you cook lean meat in a “fattening”
way. Grilling, broiling, baking or sautéing in a small
amount of fat are the ways to go.
Good bread vs. bad bread. I personally don’t think an
athlete should shy away from carbohydrates. You need them to
fuel your body, but breads that contain a lot of fat and calories
such as banana or zucchini bread and muffins, which are made
with eggs and oil, should be avoided. Some of the jumbo muffins
you see have up to 20 grams of fat in them.
Don’t worry about cereal… just make wise choices.
Buy things with bran, fiber and wheat instead of the kid’s
cereals loaded with sugar. They have little nutritional value.
Sweeten your cereal with Equal or Splenda, add raisins or fresh
fruit and use skim milk.
Don’t torture yourself! If you have a sweet tooth, give
in a little bit or your cravings will worsen. If you like ice
cream, find a frozen yogurt place that has the kind of yogurt
that’s only 10 calories per ounce and fat-free. Don’t
burry it in toppings, except for maybe a little fruit. Graham
crackers and low-calorie fruit pops can satisfy a sweet tooth.
Here are some other simple rules
to follow:
* Use salsa, steamed veggies or marinara sauce on baked
potatoes.
* Liven up a salad with plain tuna, beans, raisins or sunflower
seeds.
* Replace fattening dressings with good balsamic vinegar
or even salsa.
* Order dressings on the side. Dip your fork in it, and
then eat the salad. You’ll use a lot less.
* Order pizza with lots of veggies and light or no cheese.
* Be very specific at restaurants about what you want and
how you want it cooked.
* Don’t graze. Eat your meals with intention, but
keep healthy snacks available.
* Don’t skip meals, especially breakfast. This slows
your metabolism.
