Calories in can equal A LOT of time running
Do you contributed to the30 million pounds of snacks consumed watching summer baseball games, Super Bowl, or Championship games? Research by the Calorie Control Council and Snack Food Association estimates that Americans on the average may consume 1200 calories from snacking alone, calories from meals are additional! In workout time – that is between 2-5 hours in the saddle or lacing up your shoes and going for a 2-2.5 hour run, depending on intensity and personal needs. Practice the 90/10 rule – make healthy choices 90% of the time, allow yourself 10% misses. This allows you to maintain healthy habits and be realistic. To stay the course, remove the indulgent snacks from the pantry to keep them from arm’s reach, and plan ahead.
Andrea Rudser-Rusin, MA, ATC, RD, CSSD
Recipe – Week 7: Peanutty Energy Bars
- ½ c salted dry-roasted peanuts
- ½ c roasted sunflower seed kernels, or use other nuts (pistachios!)
- ½ c raisins or other dried fruit
- 2 c uncooked oatmeal, old-fashioned or instant
- 2 c toasted rice cereal, such as Rice Krispies
- ½ c peanut butter, crunchy or creamy
- ½ c packed, brown sugar
- ½ c light corn syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla
- Optional: ¼ c toasted wheat germ
- In a large bowl, mix together the peanuts, sunflower seeds (or other nut)m raisins, oatmeal, and toasted rice cereal (and wheat germ). Set aside.
- In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine the peanut butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup. Microwave for 2 minutes. Add vanilla and stir until blended.
- Pour the peanut butter mixture over the dry ingredients; stir until coated.
- For squares, spoon the mixture into an 8- x 8-inch pan coated with cooking spray; for bars – spoon into a 9- x 13-inch pan. Press down firmly. (It helps to coat your fingers wit margarine, oil, or cooking spray.)
- Let stand an hour, cut into squares or bars.
Makes 16 squares or bars.
Permission for use from Nancy Clark, MS, RD. From Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook, 4th Ed. Recipe from Peanut Institute.
About Andrea Rudser-Rusin, MA, ATC, RD, CSSD
Andrea Ruder-Rusin, is a registered dietitian, board certified as a sports dietitian, and a certified athletic trainer (the sports medicine type). Andrea practices in the private sector under the title of SportWise Nutrition & Consulting LLC. Clients of SportWise include athletes and non-athletes as well as groups associated with both for-profit & not-for-profit organizations.
Andrea has Bachelor’s degrees in Athletic Training and Nutrition & Dietetics from The University of North Dakota. She holds Master’s degree in Exercise Physiology from The University of Minnesota. Her nutrition expertise includes sports nutrition, weight management, pre- & Post-bariatic surgery nutrition & lifestyle counseling, and behavior modification. Her sports medicine skills are maintained and put to good use with ongoing work for the United States Swimming national team and traveling with other USOC sponsored teams and competitions.
Her athletic career began some 30 years ago as an age-group swimmer under the instruction of internationally known swimming & stroke expert, Mike Stromberg. Ander continued her swimming career through college, splitting her time between The University of Minnesota and The University of North Dakota. While at UND she was NCAA champion in the 100 and 200 yard butterfly and was awarded All- American status at both universities in a variety of events and distances. Andrea has participated in 5k &10k open water swimming events, ironman & ½ ironman distance triathlons, and various running events ranging from 5k to marathon distance. She has completed 3 sub-12 hour ironman races and has placed 1st in her division in the 2.4mile swim portion of the ironman triathlon. She is also a member of team Go Dog Go!, 12-time co-ed relay champions at the Chicago Triathlon.
Words to live, train, and race by: “The pain of not trying your hardest lasts a lot longer than the pain it takes to push yourself to the limit” and advice learned early on from Coach Stromberg – “Just have fun, don’t sweat the small stuff.”
