The Dangers Of Sleep Deprivation

College life is full of fun, hard work, and tough decisions. But where in the middle of all that is there time to sleep? Whether you're an athlete or not, time for sleep should be made to improve performance both on and off the field.

Off the Field: No sleep= Reduced Mental Capability
Your mental functioning deteriorates at double the rate of your physical functioning. While you sleep, your brain sorts through all the information you took in throughout the day. If you are missing out on sleep, you may feel physically fine but can't remember information you learned in practice or class yesterday. You may also struggle to make quick and effective decisions.

On The Field: No Sleep= Muscle Deterioration and Limited Energy Storage
Not getting enough sleep can increase the body's stress hormone, cortisol. Cortisol limits the amount of carbohydrates your body can store, thus decreasing your ability to produce energy. In addition, cortisol promotes muscle deterioration and loss of lean body mass.

Vitamin C- Boost Your Immune Strength!

Vitamin C is one of the most talked about antioxidants in the health and fitness field today. Theres good reason too- Vitamin C supplies your body with a proven host
of powerful benefits.

Benefits of Vitamin C include:

Increased Immune System Strength
Increased Wound Healing Ability
Increased Iron Absorption
Reduced damage done by exercise incuced free radicals

How Vitamin C Can Help An Athlete
High intensity exercise can cause the production of free radicals, highly unstable molecules which can destroy other important cells in the body. While it is important that the body does produce some free radicals, the amount body cannot sustain the high amount caused by exercise. Vitamin C can help by stabilizing the free radicals so they won't cause damage to other cells.

Sources of Vitamin C
Fruits and vegetables, especially red pepper, brocolli, kiwi, and citrus fruits

More is not necessarily better
Vitamin C cannot be stored in the body, making it useless to comsume more than 100% DV. Each vitamin C tablet provided in the MATC weightroom is more than enough for one days intake of Vitamin C.

Trick-Or-Treat Tips

Halloween is a time of fright filled fun, but sometimes the amount of sugar and fat from candy can be scary. Follow these simple tips to keep those dreaded pounds off:

Eating fat-free or low fat candy:

Eating candy that does not contain fat can significantly lower the overall calories. But beware, candy that normally contains fat but is made fat free may contain a lot of added sugar to replace lost flavor. Stick to candy that is naturally fat free or low fat to avoid haunting Halloween mistakes. Some good candies that are naturally fat free or low fat are twizzlers, gummy bears and skittles.

Get Nutty:

While nuts are high in fat and calories, the fat from nuts is much healthier than the fat from chocolate. While you may not be doing you physique a favor by chowing down, your heart will thank you.

Hard-nosed Dieting:

OK, so eating candy might not be hard-nosed dieting, but sticking to hard candies can be better than eating other candies. A tootsie pop, for instance, is 60 calories and fat free. Tootsie pops take longer to eat than soft candies, so that sugary flavor over time may keep you away from eating more and more candy.

Staying Hydrated With Electrolytes

Everyone preaches that you need to drink water while you're working out to stay hydrated, but thats only half of the equation. The reality is that if you are sweating while you are training, you are not only losing water, but electrolytes as well. Electrolytes are the minerals sodium, chloride, magnesium, calcium and potassium. While sources of these minerals should always be included in your diet, sodium and chloride need special attention as they are excreted in large amounts during sweating. This means that if you are active and sweat alot, the DRI for salt (2300mg) is not enough for you. Don't be afraid to eat salt, just don't go overboard with it.

There are many easy ways to ensure that you have enough electrolytes in your system to perform at your best. For instance, in the meal you eat before you train, consider eating slaty foods such as salted nuts or pretzels. During training, drinking Gatorade is a great way to replace the electrolyted you have lost in sweat. After you train, go ahead and salt your meat to mak sure you are getting enough sodium and chloride!

Immediate Recovery

You train hard to perform better at your sport. But without recovering from your training session, you won't be able to perform at your best. Let's start with the most importan time for eating for recovery- within a half hour to an hour and a half of training.

The energy that your muscles use during training comes mainly from carbohydrate stores in your body. Therefore, it is essential to replenish those energy stores immediately after training, In fact, your body's ability to store carbohydrate uncreases immediately after training as opposed to when your body is at rst. Simple carbohydrates such as sugar or white bread are perfect for eating after training. 40-100g of carbohydrate within an hour after training will help you recover faster.

Another key nutrient to supply your body with after training is protein. Your body uses the protein after training to rebuild the muscle it has broken down. A fast digesting source of protein such as whey is great for immediately after training. 25-40g of protein is sufficient to help rebuild muscles.

Putting It Together:

Sources of these 2 recovery nutrients can be found easily in your fridge or at the MATC. Muscle Milk and Gatorade shakes have both carbohydrate and protein to help you recover. Another easy source of fast acting carbohydrates and protein is chocolate milk! Don't forget other types of food- a lean meat and some fruit will provide you not only with carbohydrate and protein, but also vitamins and minerals that will enhance recovery.

Train hard! Recover better!

Become a Lean, Mean, Grilling Machine

With summer right around the corner, it is time to head outside and scrub down the grill. As you plan your first barbecue, here are some delicious and healthy tips to impress your family and friends. When choosing meats, keep these tips in mind:

• Select white-meat poultry or lean cuts of red meat (sirloin, flank, or tenderloin) in small portion sizes (3oz, about the size of a deck of cards)


• Trimming fat off meat and removing skin from chicken will help lower calories and fat content

There are a variety of marinades that will add great flavor to any meat you choose to grill. There are many different ways to keep marinades low in fat and sodium content, while keeping their bold flavor.

• Try fat-free salad dressings, low-sodium soy sauce, or lemon juice


• With fish, place fillets on/in foil along with lemons, vegetables or your choice or herbs and cook until it flakes easily


• Baste chicken with barbecue sauce, orange juice or even olive oil to keep it moist and juicy

Side items are an important part of summer barbecues! There are several healthy alternatives to high fat potato salad that will keep fat and sodium content low.

• Grilled vegetables are delicious and easy! Try grilling corn on the cob, peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, or eggplant. These vegetables can be marinated along with your meat of choice and put on a kabob for easy serving


• Instead of adding mayonnaise to your favorite potato salad recipe, use mustard or yogurt to lower fat content. To add flavor, get creative! Add sodium-free seasonings or fresh herbs


• Fruit salad is always an easy, delicious dish that will keep you cool on a hot summer day. Pack it in your cooler alongside plenty of ice to keep it crisp and fresh

Keep Your Hands Out of the Cookie Jar!

It is that time of year again. The snow is melting, the weather is getting warmer, the days are growing longer, and that means one thing: Girl Scout cookies! There's nothing wrong with a cookie, or two, or even three as long as you set a reasonable limit.

Keep this nutrition information in mind when you are contemplating on eating that extra cookie:

Caramel deLites: 2 cookies, 140 calories, 6 grams saturated fat, 1 carb, 1 fat

Peanut Butter Patties: 2 cookies, 130 calories, 5 grams saturated fat, 1 carb, 2 fats

Samoas: 2 cookies, 110 calories, 1.5 grams saturated fat, 1 carb, 1 fat

Shortbread: 4 cookies, 120 calories, 2 grams saturated fat, 2 carb, 1 fat

Thin Mints: 4 cookies, 160 calories, 6 grams saturated fat, 1 carb, 2 fats

Nutrition resource: http://www.girlscoutcookies.org/

Additional suggestions to help you set reasonable limits include:

• Store your cookies out of sight. If you bought what amounts to a case instead of a box, store the excess in the back of the freezer, or wrap them in foil so the box is not staring at you every time you open your freezer


• Set a daily limit, and stick to it


• Amp up your activity. 160 calories is equal to running 1.5 miles, 20 minutes of aerobics, half hour of dancing, or 25 minutes of bicycling

Top 10 Reasons to Eat More Fruits & Veggies

Everyone tells us fruits and vegetables are good for us. You don't hear many people going around saying to eat more candy (though they are fruit flavored) and more potato chips (thought potatoes are vegetables). So why are they so important? Thanks to those at Fruits & Veggies More Matters, we know why we want a colorful plate. Read below and spread the word:

1. Color and Texture. Fruits and veggies add color, texture and appeal to your plate.

2. Convenience. Fruits and veggies are nutritious in any form - fresh, frozen, canned, dried and 100% juice.

3. Fiber. Fruits and veggies provide fiber that helps you fill up and keeps your digestive system happy.

4. Low in Calories. Fruits and veggies are naturally low in calories.

5. May Reduce Disease Risk. Eating plenty of fruits and veggies may help reduce the risk of many diseases, including heart disease and some cancers.

6. Vitamins & Minerals. Fruits and veggies are rich in vitamins and minerals that help you feel healthy and energized.

7. Variety. Fruits and veggies are available in almost infinite variety, there's always something new to try!

8. Quick, Natural Snack. Fruits and veggies are nature's treat and easy to grab for a snack.

9. Fun to Eat. Some crunch, some peel, and some grow right in your own backyard!

10. Fruits & Veggies are Nutritious AND Delicious!

Let’s start off 2011 with the basics. To be a healthy individual means to live a healthy lifestyle. You may think that’s hard to do when you have pressing social events or important projects. Stick to these 5 must-do’s and you’ll lower your chance of getting sick and increase your chance of performing well every day, making sure you don’t miss out on any fun.

1. Sleep 7-9 hours every night.

Sleep is the uninterrupted time your body has to repair itself. Research shows those who sleep fewer hours don’t perform as well in complex mental tasks as those who get at least 7 hours.
2. Eat fruits and vegetables every day.

The daily recommendation is 2 cups of fruits and 3 cups of veggies for those who get less than 30 minutes of moderate activity a day. That means athletes need to fill up on more!
3. Hydrate throughout the entire day.

Water is the most essential component that represents 80% of your body and 65% of your weight. Remember, if you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated.
4. Eat breakfast every morning.

Breakfast means to break the fast of your sleep cycle. Eat something within 30 minutes of waking up to prepare your body and mind for the day ahead.
5. Wash your hands several times a day.

Germs are in all the places we can and can’t see. Wash and rinse your hands with warm water for at least 20 seconds, especially before preparing and eating food.