Thai Friday

Thai Fried Rice w/ Chicken Nutrition Facts: Serving Size: 350 g (12.34 oz) Calories: 794 Total Fat: 22.1g Sodium: 1300mg (varies by recipe) Total Carbohydrate: 116.4 Total Protein: 29.1 I invite you to post your thoughts on this recipe. What are the nutritional deficiencies/excesses when consuming this product? What should you be careful of? What are your alternatives? I challenge you this Friday. The challenge: Transport your Thai Fried Rice w/ Chicken meal to the mailing station and weigh it. I bet it is more than 2 pounds (the styrofoam container weighs virtually nothing). Now read the serving size above and the calories per serving. If you consume the entire meal then by my estimation you will have consumed in excess of 2000 calories! Some Americans eat out for lunch every day. Another ingredient in our countries' recipe of obesity.

Breads, Starch, Rice, and other Grains

Spring Break - Bonita Springs, Florida

Starch

I am not a believer in the system dictating that starch and starch like products should be the cornerstone of the American diet. It is one of the core reasons I no longer carry the title of "Dietitian". Additionally, overconsumption of these products has led us down the insulin resistant problem paths we encounter today. The insulin resistant path begins with obesity, then diabetes, then kidney disease, then calcification of tissues, then heart disease. This is a disturbing trend and the overconsumption of sugar is the trend setter.

A good dietitian and nutritionist however knows that in addressing these problems you also have the psychological and behavioral eating patterns that made and continue to make our clients what they are today. Personally, I believe in the power of sugar over the power of the calorie. There will be more of this psycho-babble in the near future.

All of this leads back to the concept of moderation. How much starch and sugar do I really need? How much starch and sugar do I really want? The want question dominates. As a human you really do not need much starch and simple sugars to survive. As a human you may want a lot of starch and simple sugar. Want is always going to win in todays society. We have the means to get what we want, we will get it. This dominates over any politically correct method of systemized eating----DIET against the course of your lifetime-----the long haul. Remember my continuing question. Do you plan on maintaining the current eating behavior for the remainder of your life?

Below is my hierarchy of grains, completed in conjunction with nutrition expert Dr. D. Allan Higginbotham.

Breads, Rice, Cereals, and Pasta - Recommended

Gluten Free Bread
Whole Wheat Bread
Oatmeal
Total and whole grain, low sugar cereal
Sweet Potatoes
Brown Rice
Rye Bread
Pumpernickel Bread
Winter Squash
Small, whole grain bagel
Whole Wheat Pasta

Breads, Rice, Cereal, and Pasta - Restricted

White Starches
Potatoes
All types of French Fries (sweet potato included)
Grits
Corn - white and yellow
Croissants
Biscuits
White Bread Rolls
Fried Rice
White Pasta
Granola
Sugar Cereals
Tortillas - fried and not fried
Popcorn
Pretzels

FOSI and Kettlebell Burn

FOSI and the TGU - Emphasize the bridge on the way up AND on the way down.

"Form Over Speed and Intensity"

You have heard me mention Kettlebell Burn. The program is perfect for those of you that enjoy concentrating on your workout during your workout. Form Over Speed and Intensity (FOSI) correlates nicely as well. Within "Burn" there are no fancy movements, no manmakers, nor juggling; just the basics, which is all we need.

The Basics

In talking about the basics of this program I plan not to divulge the program format because the author is in business and would obviously want people to purchase his product. Allow me to mention that this is the most productive 70 dollars I have spent in a long time. The workout program has four, 4 week phases. Each workout is broken down into 3 segments for a total of 44 minutes. Within that 44 minutes there are 4 total minutes of organized rest time alloted. Here are the basic movements of phase 1 followed by a brief description of how I would perform these movements, concentrating:

1. Goblet Squat - Hold each bottom position for a 3 count when maximal depth is attained. Continue to safely attain maximal depth with shoulders back. Work flexibility not speed of movement.

2. Turkish Get Up - I average 35-40 seconds per get up, Emphasize each movement phase by pausing momentarily when you get there.

3. 1 - Arm Row - staggered stance, elbow in, bell to instep of opposite foot, pull to the rib cage.

4. Kettlebell Swing - Legs operate the same mechanics as an RDL with the exception of more explosive power generates in the swing because of hip and leg action/snap. DO NOT SWING THE KETTLEBELL ABOVE CHEST LEVEL, ARMS PARALLEL TO THE GROUND. If your hamstrings are not barking at some time during phase 1 (week 2 or 3 most likely) then you should reconsider your swing form.

5. The Reverse Lunge - Perform holding the kettlebell with two hands at chest level, with one hand in the rack position, or kettlebell locked out overhead. Focus on driving from the lead leg when coming out of the lunge.

6. The Clean and Press - Go as heavy as your 5 rep max. Define each clean and define each press. This is not a push press, but a hardstyle press. Breathe!

7. The Get Up Sit Up - Concentrate on keeping your chest big and your shoulder compact. I believe it would be wise to perform this phase of the workout with a lighter kettlebell (4 kg lighter) than you use performing your full TGU's.

Training for 40 of 44 total minutes requires stamina. The hidden beauty of this program is that you do not need to hurry through the movements, accumulating as many rounds as possible while maintaining a soft posture is the incorrect approach. Steady your pace and the conditioning will follow as your concentration inside each phase of each movement increases.

Most importantly.....have fun with it!