Quaker Quips, Fitness Tips, MizFitOnTrip.

I give you Part 1 of Dave Grotto, president and founder of Nutrition Housecall LLC & dietitian for Quaker, answering your questions!

what are your top for tips for people to do after 40 to lose weight?

They are really the same tips I give to all of my patients. However, after 40, lean muscle tissue can really take a hit so it is important to concentrate on those things that help build it back up.

• Permanent weight loss doesn’t happen without a commitment to physical activity. Add in an extra 15 minutes of activity a day to what you are already doing to reach a goal of 30-60 minutes of activity a day.
• Calories rule. You should eat the amount of calories to maintain an ideal weight then depend on exercise to burn off the excess fat. A good rule of thumb is your ideal\goal weight x 10, if you are moderately active, but try not to dip below 1200 calories. It’s hard to get in enough essential nutrients in lower calorie diets.
• Breakfast eaters are the biggest losers. Starting the day off with a good breakfast helps you stay full and less likely to overeat at the end of the day. A hearty whole grain cereal like Quaker Oatmeal is one of the best foods you can eat to help keep you feeling full.
• Don’t even think about giving up your favorite foods! They MUST be planned into your diet – this is a plain and simple reality – you aren’t going to write out your favorite foods from your life…forget about it!

Is there really any health/cholesterol-lowering advantage to oats over, say, rye or triticale or barley or rice or whole wheat or quinoa and other whole grains we might eat?

Eating a variety of whole grains is wise for overall health. Many of the grains you mention do contain soluble fiber which is key to lowering cholesterol. But when it comes to research on the cholesterol lowering effect of whole grains, oats reign king! Quaker has more than 25 years of clinical proof that soluble fiber from oatmeal can help lower cholesterol as part of a heart healthy diet. Oats act like a sponge, blocking some of the cholesterol from being absorbed into the body.
If one is about to do a marathon or triathlon, how much in advance of the event should oatmeal be eaten in order to digest well but still provide the peak energy benefit?

I work with several long distance runners who include whole grain oats into their training regimine. In fact, some restaurants make available “oatmeal bars” to runners before the race that feature Quaker oat products on them. There is no hard and fast rule but many of my runners do well with eating a good sized bowl of oatmeal an hour or so before the race. The energy promoting carbohydrates found in oatmeal digest fairly quickly making them readily available before the big race.

I have always wondered about the real difference between soluble and insoluble fiber – and is that what people mean when they say ‘net’ carbs

Unlike most carbohydrates that are used for energy in the body, both insoluble and soluble fiber remain undigested when consumed. All plant foods contain both insoluble and soluble fiber to a varying degree.

Soluble fiber forms a gel when in the presence of liquid and helps block cholesterol from being absorbed in the body. It has also been show to help slow down the breakdown of carbohydrates into the simple carbohydrate called glucose. Soluble fiber also helps produce a type of fat called butyrate which helps protect the bowel from colon cancer. Some food examples would be oats, dried beans and peas, flaxseed, dried plums and psyllium husks.

Insoluble fiber helps promote regular laxation thus aiding in removing toxins and control acidity in the bowel. Some food examples that are rich in insoluble fiber include veggies such as dark green leafy, root veggies and fruits with skins, whole wheat products, corn bran seeds and nuts

The concept of “net carbs” is controversial. This is a term that was first used by authors that promoted low carbohydrate\high protein diets and to date, there are no government-approved definitions for the terms “low carb”, “impact carb”, or “net carbs”.

One working definition of “net carbs” is the resulting number of carbohydrates when you subtract those carbohydrates in a product that have little or no effect on blood sugar levels, such as fiber, sugar alcohols, and artificial sweeteners from the total number of carbohydrates.” Since there isn’t a standard, food manufacturer’s can define “net carbs” in any fashion they see fit. Research to date has not validated this concept. Many dietitians who I have worked with have observed that the consumer may confuse low “net carbs” with low calories. And calories are really the bottomline when it comes to weight management.

Thanks so much Dave (here is where you clickclickclick to his blog). We appreciate your time & insights.

And yes, People, there is more to come.

Keep your eyes here (after Chicago) & your ears open for my TWITTERS as I try to get an answer to all yer high fructose corn syrup queries.

This bloggerwoman is L.U.C.K.Y. and she knows it.

Chicago? Fab.

The other bloggers? AMAZING. (seriously.  and wise.  please to not forget the inspirationalandwise.)

All the other oaty goodness to come later.  Today? perhaps.  Video? fo’ shizzle.