HEALTHY FAST FOOD
Kristy Richardson
Do you have a hard time eating healthy because of your busy schedule? For days when you don’t have time to prepare a healthy meal at home, here’s a list of healthy, inexpensive meal options at popular fast food restaurants.
Healthy Fast Food Meals for Under $4
El Pollo Loco
- BRC Burrito and Side of Fresh Vegetables
- Hamburger and Fruit n Yogurt Parfait
- Honey BBQ Sandwich with Green Beans
- Chicken Fajita Pita
- Hamburger with Fruit Cup
430 Calories, 10g Fat, 10g Fiber
McDonald’s
410 Calories, 11g Fat, 2g Fiber
Kentucky Fried Chicken
335 Calories, 4g Fat, 4g Fiber
Jack in the Box
310 Calories, 9.5g Fat, 4g Fiber
370 Calories, 12g Fat, 3g Fiber
Healthy Fast Food Meals for Under $6
- Skinless Chicken Breast, Small Side of Pinto Beans and Small Side of Vegetables
- 6” Sandwich from 6g Fat or Less Menu with a Package of Apple Slices
- Grilled Chicken Classic Sandwich with No Mayo and Apple Slices
- Oven Roasted Twister without Sauce and with Green Beans
- Tender Roast Sandwich without Sauce and with a Small Corn Cob
- Honey BBQ Snacker with Green Beans and a Small Corn Cobb
- Teriyaki Chicken Bowl
- Asian Chicken Salad with Grilled Chicken and Low Fat Chocolate Milk
El Pollo Loco
370 Calories, 4g Fat, 10g Fiber
Subway
265-405 Calories, 3-6g Fat, 7-8g Fiber
McDonald’s
370 Calories, 4.5g Fat, 3g Fiber
KFC
365 Calories, 7g Fat, 4g Fiber
370 Calories, 4.5g Fat, 3g Fiber
305 Calories, 3.5g Fat, 6g Fiber
Jack in the Box
585 Calories, 5.5g Fat, 4g Fiber
365 Calories, 4g Fat, 6.5g Fiber
This information was brought to you by OC Nutrition, Your Trusted Source for Health & Nutrition Advice. OC Nutrition offers nutrition counseling services for Triathica. If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, please contact:
Kristy L. Richardson, MS, MPH, RD, CSSD, CHES
Registered Dietitian & Exercise Physiologist
(949) 933-6788
kristy@ocnutrition.com
www.ocnutrition.com
THE DESERT TRIATHLON
Ron Saetermoe
One of my favorite races of the year is coming up quickly, March 7th . . . the Desert Triathlon put on by Klein/Clark Sports.
If you’re not registered for this event and plan to do it, you’d better sign up soon because I’m sure it will fill up and Brenda says the enrollment is way ahead of last year. In fact, they’ve offered Triathica members (you’ve actually got to be a member, not just a newsletter reader) discounts. $10.00 off the International and $5.00 off the Sprint registration.
To register go to www.active.com and use the codes: sprint10 or international10.
This is a great race for newbies and those that don’t like the swim.
I like this race for a number of reasons:
– It’s an early season race, which allows me to clear the competitive cobwebs.
– It’s close. The race takes place in La Quinta, out near Palm Springs.
– The swim is in Lake Cahuilla, which is a water reservoir so there are no large waves or sharks to worry about.
– The bike and run courses are flat. Other than one hill leaving and entering the park it’s completely flat.
– The weather is usually great (it can get windy).
– A lot of people I know compete there.
– There’s a sprint and Olympic race.
There’s one more reason I like this race and that’s because my pal, Lar Dog Davidson does it every year as well. When we first started competing in this race Larry passed me on the bike early on the second loop. The next year he passed me again on the second loop but later in the race. The next year, later again. Then last year he didn’t catch me until about the first mile on the run. If he races this year I’m hoping to hold him off until at least mile two on the run.
We’ll see . . .
Cheers!
IMPROVE YOUR RUN TIMES THIS SEASON
Jarrett Pflieger
Running off the bike can be a tricky thing to master. Even the best runners on the planet will have a hard time running directly after cycling in a triathlon race. Here are a few tips to help you improve your run times in your next triathlon.
1. Enter running races
If the only races you do are triathlons, you may be missing out on some serious performance gains. Entering purely running races is a great way to continually test yourself and improve your running performances in triathlon. No matter what we may say, we always work harder in a race than we do in training. Going out and doing a few 5K, 10K, half and full marathons during the year, depending on your race distance, can really help you develop your speed and endurance on the run. You also get more used to the nervousness associated with racing that many people have.
2. Pace yourself
Running after swimming and biking is hard. Running after swimming and biking at full speed without pacing yourself is impossible. To have a good run, you need to save some energy, especially on the bike. Knowing how hard to push it on the bike to get a good time and still have enough for the run is part science and part art form. You need to practice this in order to have your best race possible, which brings us to the next tip.
3. Brick workouts
Brick workouts are when you pair two or more exercises together done back-to-back without rest. A very common, and beneficial, brick workout is a bike-run brick. The feeling of running on tired legs is hard to get used to, but brick workouts will help you grow accustomed to and push through the discomfort. Brick workouts also help you determine how fast you can go while still conserving energy for the next leg of the race.
Some people do one large brick every week or every other week. I personally like running a very short distance (one mile or less) after each ride I do, and will do a long run after a bike once a week, maximum. Experiment to see what works best for you.
4. Gain endurance on the bike
It may seem counterintuitive to think about the bike when you are trying to improve your run, but additional endurance on the bike could enable you to run better. Longer bike rides may not make you faster, but they will allow you to feel better and have more energy after riding the same distance at the same speed. Even if you don’t improve your bike times at a certain distance, but do feel and perform better after you ride the distance, it is still a win. Try incorporating some longer rides in your training if you feel your endurance is lacking.
Hopefully these tips will help you become a stronger triathlon runner in 2010. It may be wise to consult a certified coach before attempting any new training program if you are an inexperienced triathlete.
COMING BACK
Ron Saetermoe
Chances are, if you’re like the majority of triathletes, you haven’t been training much the past several weeks, or months. No, i’m not going to attempt to make you feel guilty for slacking, because I happen to think slacking is good sometimes.
If you think you have to train hard, all of the time, to really perform at your best, you are dead wrong. We all need to give ourselves physical and mental breaks from time to time.
Personally, I’ve still been working out five to six times a week, sometimes twice a day, but most of the efforts have been conservative. After the huge volumes of training leading up to Ironman Arizona I just felt like I needed a break.
The other thing I’ve given myself a break on is my diet. It was my goal to weigh 160 before Ironman Arizona and I reached that goal without sacrificing any strength. And while I’m not generally disciplined with my diet, I did manage to get down to my goal weight.
Since IMAZ, it has been another story. I’ve been eating ice cream, cake and fast food like they’ll be banning it soon. As a result, I’ve gained six pounds since my race. Of course 166 isn’t exactly overweight for a six-foot male, but I definitely feel it.
The one thing I have done is been very disciplined regarding my resistance (strength) training. I’ve been doing two sessions each week for the past three weeks. While I’ve really enjoyed these sessions, I’m also really sore after them. As a result, my other workouts have been compromised because of the muscle soreness.
You have to expect some aches and pains when you reenter the world of triathlon training. The advice here is obvious. Take it slow, and don’t overdo it. On those days when I’m really sore I still try to work out, but will reduce the volume or intensity of these sessions.
For example, last Wednesday I did a very intense hour on the CompuTrainer. While it was really painful, I was so glad I did it. It felt like I still had most of my hard-earned fitness. Later that same day I got on the treadmill with the aim to go another hour. I was fine through the warm-up but just didn’t have “it,” so I stopped after 30 minutes.
So, do I feel guilty for not completing my workout or slacking on my diet? No. If I’m in the same place three weeks from now I’ll be beating myself up for such transgressions, but not now.
It’s a new year and if you’re competing in 2010 it’s time for you to get started. Start back slow. Don’t try to do too much, too soon. If you don’t have “it” on a particular day give yourself a pass. Yes, you’ll want to get very persistent in your training very soon now if you want to have a good season but for now a little slacking is advised.
Cheers!
STAY CONNECTED WITH THE TRIATHLON COMMUNITY
Jarrett Pflieger
One of the great aspects about competing in the sport of triathlon is all the relationships you can form along the way. Training and competing alone is OK, but nothing beats the competitiveness and camaraderie of training and racing with a friend or a group.
Triathlon is a great way to meet new people that share your interests and athletic goals. The social aspect of the sport is what draws many people to it and keeps it growing. Meeting other athletes and staying connected is easier than ever before with all the tools available on the Internet. I’m sure many of you already have a Facebook and Twitter account, but if you don’t, I highly recommend you check them out.
Facebook.com and Twitter.com are great for keeping up with what’s going on in the sport, both locally and abroad. Triathica has accounts with both websites and we routinely send out updates, articles, tips, and announcements that are free to anyone. Aside from joining a local organization like the Orange County Triathlon Club, setting up an account with a social networking website is a great way to connect with other athletes, learn training and racing tips, find training partners, and more.
Check out our Facebook and Twitter posts and create a free account while you are there if you do not have one already. Please introduce yourself; we’d love to meet you.
