ELIMINATING EXCUSES | fitness

Lately, I’ve seen billboards in Cincinnati advertising Michelob Ultra Beer now with reduced carbohydrates as “the smart choice.” One of the advertisements included a man and woman jogging. So is this beer with reduced carbs supposed to be good for you or supposed to help you stay fit like those joggers on the billboard? We know the truth about carbs (see posts from May 8-10, 2007 and October 10, 2007), so we aren’t going to automatically link fewer carbs with improved nutrition or health. Secondly, what does beer have to do with exercise? I do not know of any one who consumes beer for the sake of achieving any fitness or health goal. Personally, I find the advertisements misleading and ineffective. If you talk with any health professional, she/he will tell you that the smart choice is to not drink at all or to drink in moderation if you choose to drink. Alcohol is not considered a nutrient since it does not contribute to the growth, maintenance or repair of body tissue. Furthermore, alcohol can be converted to fat when total caloric intake exceeds caloric output. So in other words, there is nothing smart about reduced carb beer since alcohol has no nutritional value.

DO SOMETHIN’! (except for drinking reduced carb Michelob Ultra)

**source for information on alcohol: ACE Personal Trainer Manual 3rd edition, edited by Cedric X. Bryant, Ph. D and Daniel J. Green, page 116 - 117 –>

Canned tuna, particularly StarKist Solid White Albacore Tuna in water, is one of my primary sources of tuna. One can contains about 26 grams of protein and only 4 grams of fat which include some omega-3 fatty acids. It is common to see me eating a can or two at home or at work. Recently, a colleague asked me if I knew how much sodium was in my can of tuna. I am ashamed to say that I couldn’t recall the amount. When she told me about 400 milligrams (mg), I was shocked. So immediately, I went to my lunch bag and grabbed one of my 3 cans. She was right! One can of Starkist Solid White Albacore Tuna in water has about 400 mg of sodium (approximately 16% of the recommended daily value)! Clearly, I need to pay more attention to the nutrition facts of the foods that I eat. In my opinion, 400 mg is high for a can that is only 142 grams. Fortunately, I do have a low sodium diet; but I prefer to not consume that much sodium in one snack. My guess is that the sodium serves as a preservative, but we all know the risks associated with high sodium diets. From this point forward, I’ll begin buying tuna with a lower sodium content.

I just wanted to share this story with you as a reminder to read the nutrition labels on your food. You’ll be glad that you did.

DO SOMETHIN’! –>