Diet Tips

A study at St. Lukes-Roosevelt Hospital in New York found that people who had three ounces of plain oatmeal with skim milk in the morning ate a third less lunch than did people whose breakfast was cornflakes with whole milk. Cereal that's high in fiber (at least three grams a serving) helps curb your appetite.
"Fattening" foods do not have to be high in fat. Regarding nonfat or low fat foods: If you find sugar within the first four ingredients listed on the package label then you may want to rethink your dietary selection. Sugary foods are often high in useless calories and can contribute greatly to unsuccessful weight loss or fat loss programs.

Throw away your scale: The measurement that genuinely reflects the efficacy of your fitness efforts is body composition, or fat versus lean tissue, not weight.

Use breakfast cereals, glucose drinks, carrots, or fruit as your initial post workout recovery snack. These foods rapidly restore exercise spent nutrients. Eat a full meal, including carbs and protein, within 90 minutes for maximum nutrient uptake.

Power up with Protein: Reduced energy intake and heavy exercise can increase your need for protein, well above the RDA. A more athletically popular balance of nutrients (versus the recent 60-70% carbs, 12-15% protein and 30% fat macronutrient recommendations) is more like 55-60% carbs, 20-25% protein and 20% fat. So, eat some meat, fish, tofu or beans.

Stephanie Oakes is a fitness correspondent for Discovery Health Channel, a contributing editor for USA Weekend Magazine and the LA Times, and appears on NBC's 'Today in New York'. She can be reached at soakes@beststuff.com.