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Pre and Post Workout Foods

In my 22 years of being an athlete, I've seen one major mistake that many people make when designing their exercise regimen . People forget the IMPORTANCE OF FOOD!

While doing an intense work out on the stair-climber, it's obvious to say that food is probably the last thing on your mind. However, without proper caloric and mineral intake, your body will not be able to reach it's fitness potential and you will quickly run out of energy. Therefore, it's important to know what to eat and when to eat it before and after a workout. Here a few options and remember, the longer you work out, the more calories you need!

*BEFORE and AFTER A WORKOUT*
If you're eating something small like a bagel, you can wait up to an hour before you work out. If you're eating a full meal like breakfast or dinner, give yourself two hours to digest. Avoid dairy products and think carbs, protein, sugar and fiber!

Meals

Breakfast:
•    Two egg whites, two pieces of toast with jelly and a banana (protein, carbs, natural sugars, potassium)
•    A bagel, a mixed fruit smoothie with a scoop of whey protein (try Starbucks Vivanno Orange Mango Banana blended smoothie. 16 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber) (carbs, protein, fiber, natural sugars)

Small Breakfast, Morning Snack:
•    Special K Bar
•    Bagel with jelly
•    Banana with peanut butter, almonds,
•    1 egg white

Lunch:
•    Grilled chicken sandwich with a small side salad complete with vegetables. Fat free balsamic vinaigrette. Peanut butter covered banana for dessert. (protein, fiber, vitamin D, potassium)
•    Pasta with chicken, low-fast red sauce with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese. Piece of fruit for a side. (carbs, protein, fiber)

Small Lunch
•    Peanut butter and jelly (Great and fast!)

Dinner
•    Grilled chicken breast, steamed broccoli, a side of spaghetti (protein, fiber, carbs)
•    Grilled pork, a vegetable and pasta side

Keep in mind to ALWAYS be drinking water or Gatorade. Both water and Gatorade keep your hydrated and Gatorade replenishes all the sodium you lose during your workout.

Loading your meals with protein promotes muscle growth and build up, fiber keeps your digestive tract in order, carbs and natural sugars give you energy to burn and potassium (in bananas) helps prevent cramping. As long as you maintain a healthy and regular diet and exercise regularly, you will look and feel great!

And if you have a sensitive stomach like me, take 1 Tums before you start your workout. The antacid formula in Tums keeps your pre-workout meal from upsetting your stomach during exercise.

Cheers!

Posted Oct 1, 2008 by MerMango | 1 Comment | Share It

Filed under: exercise foods healthy

Whole Foods Budget Recipe Challenge

Whole Foods recently held a "Budget Recipe Challenge" calling for recipes that would cost no more than $4 per serving, is easy to make and most importantly does not sarcifice good taste. There are now 6 finalists on the site where we can vote for our favorite to win! You can win something too!

If you register on the Whole Foods website before October 8, you can post a comment on your favorite entry and you'll automatically be entered into a giveaway for a $500 Whole Foods gift card and 10 runner ups will win a $25 gift card. Winning any of these would definitely help. I like Whole Foods but the last time I went in there, I put about 4 items in the basket and it was about $25. Ok, that might be a bit exaggerated but you understand. I like gift cards. That's all. I also really like the 6 entries chosen as the finalists... Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas?! That's going on my list of things to try to make.

I really like these types of challenges. It makes you think a lot more before you buy. You might have to cut some ingredients out or find better replacements or try a mix of different ingredients you haven't tried before. This is one of those challenges where you have to pick up that flyer before you stroll the aisles and think about your meal. I find this fun.

Let us know if you know of a budget-minded, tasty and easy recipe for a nice every-day meal!

Posted Sep 25, 2008 by SuDoughName | Add a comment | Share It

Filed under: Whole Foods Budget Recipe Challenge

We Will NOT Be Seeing Dylan At The Peach Pit

After last week's mention of Dylan's name on 90210, I couldn't help but wonder if Luke Perry would make a guest appearance to bump up the number of the returning cast. The official answer from E! News is a solid "no". Bummer. Oh well, I don't really think he could have spiced it up anyway. I've seen two episodes of this because I was a fan of the older series but this new one is just really tame, at least in comparison to Gossip Girl. 90210 is like child's play compared to that one.

It's a good thing I'll be distracted with other shows returning and premiering this week and will most likely be dropping 90210 in favor of something else. A premier that I'd like to catch is Kath & Kim just because I like Molly Shannon and Selma Blair so this should be a fun pair to watch. I hope. A returning favorite is The Office. I always look forward to Steve Carell's oddball antics. I also really need to catch the new episode of Dexter somehow. I don't have Showtime but I must watch this show!

What are you looking forward to in this fall's line-up? Let us know what you'll be watching and eating in the TV Dinner Premieres activity - best TV dinner entry earns a bonus 5,000 food stamps!

Posted Sep 22, 2008 by SuDoughName | Add a comment | Share It

Filed under: fall line-up TV dinners

Pasta Giveaway Fit For Michael Phelps!

Maybe you've heard of the Michael Phelps diet, maybe you haven't. If you haven't, the gist of the story is that he gets to eat a ton of calories per day (around 12,000 for an estimated figure) and still have that body. Alright, of course I know he didn't get his Olympian status because of that diet but still, it's safe to say that I wish I could consume lots of calories and still have a great body. Notice that I haven't mentioned his work-out regime because well, his foodie habits are just plain nuts! Want to read more about his diet? Check out some of his meals from BBC News.

We here at Yummr definitely don't endorse such diets for the average non-Olypmian citizen but wedo believe in a good hearty meal. This is why we are giving away 5lbs. of Barilla Penne Pasta to 5 members of Yummr who share their favorite penne dishes! Check out our latest giveaway and submit your dishes HERE. Let us know what you would do with 5lbs. of Barilla Penne Pasta and you might end up with 5lbs. of pasta at your door! We hope this is enough to supply you with several hearty meals to come but are aware that this might only supply Michael Phelps for 3 days the most... unless you are on the same diet as he. We sincerely hope this is not the case :)

If you're not a Yummr member yet, why not? It's FREE and easy to sign-up!

Posted Sep 9, 2008 by SuDoughName | 2 Comments | Share It

Filed under: Barilla Penne Pasta giveaway Michael Phelps

Mr. Potato For President!

I came across a funny article about how the frozen potato foods company, McCain Foods, is taking advantage of its name and the presidential election by introducing a mock candidate - a potato. There is even a whole site dedicated to the campaign with games, polls, recipes and "issues" that this new candidate supports. I'd show you a video but it seems as though they have taken it down from YouTube.

I've established in a previous post that I am a lover of all potato foods so this looks like a great mock foodie candidate to me. Another mock candidate I'd currently support is a squash. It would be a healthy decision, no? More support from me goes out to a gelato candidate. Feel free to add on to my list or endorse my candidates.

Posted Sep 3, 2008 by SuDoughName | 2 Comments | Share It

Filed under: McMain Foods potatoes

Jen Lin-Liu Serves the Olympic Audience!

As I was getting ready this morning while watching the TODAY show do their coverage of the Olympics in Beijing, I was able to catch Jen Lin-Liu's segment on China's exotic fruits. She showed us the many different juicy and sometimes extremely smelly fruits native to China. Not only did Meredith find the smell of the durian repugnant but she also got pricked by it. This is why you should never play with your foods.

As you may already know, Jen Lin-Liu is the author of Serve the People: A Stir-Fried Journey Through China, a foodie book that we were giving away just last month. If you were one of the lucky ones who was able to win a copy of this fabulous book then you know this is a wonderful memoir of her journey to becoming a cook while exploring the culinary world of China. You can check out an excerpt of the book HERE.

Check out the TODAY show segment featuring Jen Lin-Liu below:

Has anyone else picked up a copy of the book? If you won a copy from Yummr, please share what you think of it in our Summer Foodie book club activity for your chance to win yet another great book!

Posted Aug 20, 2008 by SuDoughName | Add a comment | Share It

Filed under: durian exotic Chinese fruit Jen Lin-Liu Serve the People TODAY show

Wacky Dining Atmospheres

I recently began thinking about strange but entertaining dining experiences when Mars2112 was mentioned. What's Mars2112 say you? It's a wacky space themed family dining experience in the heart of Times Square here in NYC. It's one of those places that doesn't really have any great foodie dishes but that's not why you would go there anyway. It's a fun place for the family and kids when you want to talk to some martians who just so happens to be your servers. I'm really not recommending this place as a wonderful dining experience to stir up your taste buds since from what I can remember, they serve your generic burger and fries entrees but I can say that the decor and atmosphere are really out of this world.

What's another stand-out family friendly place in the big apple? I don't know if most of you would call it family friendly considering I got really scared looking for the bathroom to this place when I was way younger than I am now, but the Jekyll and Hyde Restaurant & Bar is another fun look-around. It's really just your average Party City finds inside but still spookfully delightful. Actually, they have a suspended Frankenstein on a lab table that is supposedly lowered at later hours in the day which I have never witnessed - I'm pretty sure you can't find one of these at Party City.

Another place that I recently made a pit-stop at was a fun looking diner somewhere near Saratoga Springs, NY. It has memorabilia from the grand 'ole days of Hollywood and mannequins set-up on stools. I really wish I could remember the name of the diner but I know it was something along the lines of Happy Days Cafe or Happy Times Diner. If anyone knows this place, let me know! Here are some photos I snapped of this place:

As you can see, I really love running into wacky places that might not have the best of food but are still worth talking about. I mostly gawk around and point out all the little oddities. I'd love to know if any of you have wacky or strange dining places in or around your hometowns - please share if you do!

Posted Aug 14, 2008 by SuDoughName | 4 Comments | Share It

Filed under: wacky dining places

From Your Good 'Ole Bodega

Anyone else have a bodega store near them? I know what the word bodega illicits. It usually goes hand in hand with imagery of dusty everyday goods like toilet paper, soap and sponges that seem like they've been there for 3 decades. You can tell by the outdated packaging and faded branding. Actually, you might not even recognize some of the brands until you do a double take and realize that yes, it is Tide, it's just Tide from the 70's.

Why did I want to bring up the subject of bodegas? Well, I actually really like the bodega around my corner. Actually, I like both bodegas around my corner. I buy some of my produce from there like bananas, lemons, and peppers. I think I also like to just say the word bodega. Anyway, as I was setting up my Twitter account for Yummr and starting to find some of you fine Yummr contributors on there, I came across ErinCooks' neat tweets and saw that she had recently purchased a Bodega Party in a Box. Now, when you really look into it, this $25 kit is just a cookbook with a compilation of recipes, advice and shopping tips from "corner store cooking experts". I really loved the gimmicky title that the Neighbors Project chose to give this call for donations. I also like what they are about:

"Neighbors Project is a growing movement of a generation of people living in cities who want to connect with their diverse neighbors to improve the neighborhood for everyone."

I will try not to stray too far off track here and just say that I've always liked shopping at bodegas. Let me be more specific, I like to pick up fresh produce from my bodega on the way back from work. It's nice getting to know your local neighborhood shop owners. I think this book implies that it might be a bit of a challenge for some people to go into a bodega and realize that it has more to offer than chips, booze and soda but I know the one around me offers more than that. This reminds me of an activity that I had put up a few months back challenging members of Yummr to go to their 99 cents stores to see if they would be able to produce a full yummy meal. Both bodegas and 99 cents stores tend to have some sort of negative connotation to them when it comes to foodie terms which is why I suspect not too many people were up to take that challenge.

Anyone else have a favorite local bodega that they go to regularly or any other local stores in their nieghborhood that they like to support? You know, not C-Town or Super Stop 'N' Shop.

Posted Jul 30, 2008 by SuDoughName | 2 Comments | Share It

Filed under: bodega party in a box bodegas Neighbors Project

Air-mail Meat

I don't know about you, but when I buy my meats I usually go directly to a grocer or market and hand select my cut. If you told me five or so years ago that the internet would one day also be a viable place to go food shopping, I would not have believed you. My friend is reliant on Fresh Direct for all his food consumption needs but I'm not completely keen with that idea yet. Don't get me wrong, I would love for someone else to carry my bottles of seltzer water and cans of chick peas the few blocks and up a flight of stairs to my apt for me but there is something about holding and selecting your own produe that I don't think I can let go of. Of course, I know my friend's diet consists of things that only needs a microwave for preparation. My point is, I'm starting to see more and more air-mailed meats commercialized and that baffles me even more. I mean, it's raw flesh be flown overhead straight to your door and onto your plates. One wrong step of packaging or timing can completely obliterate your meal. Ok, it's really just my paranoia kicking in right now. I would totally eat meat air-mailed to my door but I just haven't gotten around to it. "Eat air-mailed meat" is going on my list of things to do in life. If that is on your list of things to do, here are some places that I have come across while browsing the aisles of the internet:

• Omaha Steaks - not only do they have meats but they also have a variety of other packaged food goods (like dessert). They're headquartered in, surprise surprise, Omaha, Nebraska.
• Lobel's - they apparently have the best dry aged steaks and are located in New York City. This might be convenient for me. Oh right, if I can walk into the shop, it kind of defeats the purpose of trying meat delivered to my door.
• U.S. Wellness Meats Online - grass-fed meats. This actually gives a good reason to be ordering meat online.

Those are only a few places that I came across. Anyone else ever try air-mailed meats or have been coming across any good reason to?

Posted Jul 15, 2008 by SuDoughName | 3 Comments | Share It

Filed under: airmail meat

Hot Summer Foodie Reads Giveaway!

We're supplying you with foodie goodness once again! It was so much fun having all of you join us back in May for our first cookbook giveaway, courtesy of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, that we wanted to give out a new batch of books to you this month.

The heat may be sweltering but we're sure you've got the right ingredients to keep you cool and relaxed. Just look at the no-churn ice-cream that Ldylvbgr whipped up - it's so scrumptious looking! I've never made my own ice-cream before but a no-churn recipe sounds like something I can handle without breaking a sweat and that's always a plus.

I break a sweat far too often nowadays when I walk out the door and step into the heat and gross humidity but unfortunately, this barrier has to be crossed before I reach a better destination. Good summer destinations in my mind are shady areas in a quiet park or hanging out underneath a patio umbrella... well, on my patio. These are the types of places where I can get lost in a good book. I'm currently reading several things at once (ranging from a classic to a young adults sci-fi romance story) but am always willing to add one more to my list. If you're anything like me, you crave both good eats and good reads. Our new batch of books is packed with just this. Take a look at the hot July books that we have to giveaway:

Fish Without a Doubt: The Cook's Essential Companion by: Rick Moonen & Roy Finamore Comprehensive. Friendly. Indispensable. With more than 250 simple and delicious recipes. No doubt about it, fish is a cook's dream. Fast. Low in fat, versatile, and healthful, it's even brain food. No other fish cookbook contains such a comprehensive selection of approachable, contemporary recipes. It's written by a pair of experts: a nationally known three-star seafood chef whose true passion is teaching home cooks, and an award-winning writer and sought-after food authority. Arranged for the cook's complete convenience, Fish without a Doubt encompasses chapters on all the techniques of fish cookery—from poaching to grilling to sautéing—as well as on all the most popular seafood dishes—from appetizers, to soups and salads, to burgers and pasta. The recipes range from updated versions of classics (Trout Almondine, Linguine with Clams, Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes) to the latest favorites (Steamed Black Bass with Sizzling Ginger,Tuna Burgers with Cucumber Relish, Thai-Style Mussels). It includes slews of quickies for weeknight specials (Broiled Fillets with Butter and Herbs) and centerpieces for splashier occasions (A Big Poached Char). Featuring only seafood that is not overfished, Fish without a Doubt provides the latest information for the eco-conscious cook about our last wild frontier.

Serve the People: A Stir-Fried Journey Through China by: Jen Lin-Liu As a freelance journalist and food writer living in Beijing, Jen Lin-Liu already had a ringside seat for China’s exploding food scene. When she decided to enroll in a local cooking school—held in an unheated classroom with nary a measuring cup in sight—she jumped into the ring herself. In Serve the People, Lin-Liu gives a memorable and mouthwatering cook’s tour of today’s China as she progresses from cooking student to noodle-stall and dumpling-house apprentice to intern at a chic Shanghai restaurant. The characters she meets along the way include poor young men and women streaming in from the provinces in search of a “rice bowl” (living wage), a burgeoning urban middle class hungry for luxury after decades of turmoil and privation, and the mentors who take her in hand in the kitchen and beyond. Together they present an unforgettable slice of contemporary China in the full swing of social and economic transformation.

A Pig in Provence: Good Food and Simple Pleasures in the South of France by: Georgeanne Brennan Georgeanne Brennan moved to Provence in 1970, seeking a simpler life. She set off on her many adventures in Provençale cuisine by tracking down a herd of goats, a cool workshop, some rennet, and the lost art of making fresh goat cheese. From this first effort throughout her time in Provence, Brennan transformed from novice fromagère to renowned, James Beard Foundation Award–winning cookbook author and food writer. A Pig in Provence is the story of how Georgeanne Brennan fell in love with Provence. But it’s also the story of making a life beyond the well-trodden path and the story of how food can unite a community. In loving detail, Brennan tells of the herders who maintain a centuries-old grazing route, of the community feast that brings a town to one table, and of the daily rhythms and joys of living by the cycles of food and nature. prinkled with recipes that offer samples of Brennan’s Provençale cooking, A Pig in Provence is a food memoir that urges you to savor every morsel.

The Battle for Wine and Love: or How I Saved the World from Parkerization by: Alice Feiring In this entertaining oenological salvo, wine blogger and journalist Feiring makes an argument for wine authenticity through adherence to old techniques. She's against what she calls Big Wine—viticulture as business and technology—and blames the shrinking appreciation for hand-vinified, long-aged Old World wines (like the Barolo that eventually led to her career) on, among other things, the UC–Davis School of Enology and Viticulture and the wine writings of critic Robert M. Parker Jr. (of the book's title). But what sets her sprightly polemic apart is that her argument is pinned to a personal narrative of wine tours through Europe and California. Rounding out the Syrah-and-the-City parallels are several female characters who receive noms de vin like Honey-Sugar and the air-kissing Skinny, and most entertainingly of all, the author's Carrie-like relationships. Parker looms like Mr. Big over all Feiring's oenological relationships; they finally have a couple of phone dates that distill the differences between them down to quantifying (Parker) versus qualifying (Feiring). The author, who already has fans through her blog and other journalism, can count on new ones with this publication.

Would you like to be a winner of one of these wonderful foodie titles? It's quite easy to win one! Just make sure you come back each and every day this month to enter our Hot July Foodie Reads Giveaway! To qualify for the Hot July Foodie Reads Giveaway, all you simply have to do is participate any way you please:

• Join one of the discussions on the forum (or start a new one!)
  
• Participate in one of our activities
• Submit a recipe
• Share your photos
• Document your meals
• Take our quizzes and polls

Go ahead, start exploring Yummr, participate each day this month and you may very well be a winner of one of the great books we are giving away!

Hot July Foodie Reads Giveaway Winners!
Giveaway Day	Winner	Book
July 1st	fsutrill	A Pig in Provence
July 2nd	Cupcakenerd	Serve the People: A Stir-Fried Journey Through China
July 3rd	Misschef	Fish Without a Doubt
July 4th	David	The Battle for Wine and Love or How I Saved the World from Parkerization
July 5th	Amicus-Cupcake	A Pig in Provence
July 6th	Ldylvbgr	Serve the People: A Stir-Fried Journey Through China
July 7th	KitchenGirl	Fish Without a Doubt
July 8th	gezellig_girl	The Battle for Wine and Love or How I Saved the World from Parkerization
July 9th	allknames	A Pig in Provence
July 10th	TOMMY_T	Serve the People: A Stir-Fried Journey Through China
July 11th	Amicus-Cupcake	Fish Without a Doubt
July 12th	Misschef	The Battle for Wine and Love or How I Saved the World from Parkerization
July 13th	shanshea	A Pig in Provence
July 14th	kaitsplate	Serve the People: A Stir-Fried Journey Through China
July 15th	lordofthefoodies	Fish Without a Doubt
July 16th	poolej2	The Battle for Wine and Love or How I Saved the World from Parkerization
July 17th	Ldylvbgr	A Pig in Provence
July 18th	Misschef	Serve the People: A Stir-Fried Journey Through China
July 19th	kaitsplate	Fish Without a Doubt
July 20th	magumbo	The Battle for Wine and Love or How I Saved the World from Parkerization
July 21st	spidermom84	A Pig in Provence
July 22nd	mom2ross	Serve the People: A Stir-Fried Journey Through China
July 23rd	gezellig_girl	Fish Without a Doubt
July 24th	KitchenGirl	The Battle for Wine and Love or How I Saved the World from Parkerization
July 25th	madball911	Serve the People: A Stir-Fried Journey Through China
July 26th	alicerose58	Fish Without a Doubt
July 27th	juststudying	The Battle for Wine and Love or How I Saved the World from Parkerization
July 28th	Feistyfoodie	Fish Without a Doubt
July 29th	HKFanatic	A Pig in Provence
July 30th	HKFanatic	The Battle for Wine and Love or How I Saved the World from Parkerization
July 31st	allknames	The Battle for Wine and Love or How I Saved the World from Parkerization

Posted Jul 1, 2008 by SuDoughName | 13 Comments | Share It

Filed under: Alice Feiring giveaway Houghton Mifflin Harcourt