The Fitness Guy: Healthy Foods Explained

Q: Whatever happened to plain old yogurt? Everything now seems to be Greek yogurt which costs close to twice as much as my store-brand. What's the difference?

A: There are many differences ranging from how each is made to texture and nutritional value - and yes, Greek yogurt wins hands down. Let's compare a 6 oz. container of Chobani brand (my favorite) Plain Greek Yogurt to the Publix brand equivalent. Both have about the same amount of calories (Chobani, 100; Publix 110) and neither has saturated or Trans fats. But the Greek yogurt has almost half the sodium (80 mg versus 140mg), fewer carbs (7g versus 19g), fewer sugars (7 g versus 12g) and, best of all, twice as much protein (18g versus 9g).

The Greek brand loses in one category: it has less calcium - 20% of the daily recommended amount versus 30% in the store brand. Greek yogurt is thicker because it is strained more during processing and so liquid is removed. This makes it creamier and a perfect replacement for recipes which call for unhealthy mayonnaise or cream cheese. You can also use Greek yogurt as a dip for fruit and veggies.

Q: I was at Chipotle recently and the guy in front of me asked for brown rice. The server said they had a batch coming up in a few minutes but did he want the white rice instead as "it's all the same thing." That got me thinking...what IS the difference between white and brown rice?

A: The short answer is that brown rice is a whole, natural grain which loses vital nutrients when the hull is removed to convert it to white rice. Both have similar amounts of calories and carbohydrates, but white rice is sadly lacking in a long list of essential nutrients - including magnesium, vitamin B6, vitamin E, zinc, thiamin and iron.

Most significantly though, is that brown rice has three times the fiber than white rice (3.5 g versus 1 g per cup). We need 25 to 38g of fiber in our diets every day, but many Americans fall short of that.

Q: I'm training for my first marathon and find I sweat buckets compared to other runners. Is there a way to calculate my sweat rate?

A: Yes, it's very simple. You will need three facts for the formula: your pre-exercise weight (in underwear), the number of fluid ounces of water or sports drink you consume during your training (16 oz. = 1 pound), and your post exercise weight (in underwear).

Here's the calculation: Sweat Rate = [Pre-exercise weight - Post-exercise weight] + Fluids consumed / Time (hours). Remember to rehydrate with more fluid than you lost in sweat.

TIP OF THE WEEK: ADD ALMONDS TO YOUR DIET

Add a handful of sliced almonds to your oatmeal, bran cereal, salads or steamed vegetables.
Almonds are rich in minerals such as zinc, magnesium and phosphorus and are one of the best sources of alpha-tocopherol vitamin E. This is important for fitness buffs because vitamin E is a potent cancer-fighting antioxidant that prevents free radical damage after heavy workouts, helping your muscles to recover faster. Almonds contain unsaturated fat, the "good" fat, and there is no cholesterol. One or two handfuls a day are recommended.

EXERCISE OF THE WEEK: THE HINGE

The Hinge is a great exercise to work the abdominal muscles. Sitting on an exercise mat with your hands on the floor, lean back to a 45-degree angle with your legs extended and your feet raised off the floor. Pull your knees in toward your chest. Hold, then return to the starting position and repeat.