Blog - Downtown Athletic Club Amarillo

7 High-Protein Snacks To Keep You Going

10/11/2016

By Dominic Zumbrun

eggs

If you're like most people, your day is jam-packed with activities — work, kids and family, household chores. Keeping yourself at a high-energy level can be challenging, to say the least, but eating the right foods can keep your metabolism revved up.

That said, protein is an essential part of a healthy diet, so much so that up to 35 percent of your diet should consist of it, and boosts your metabolism. Here are 10 high-protein snacks to help keep you going.

1. Celery with peanut butter
Celery is not only a low-fat food, it's also a big-time metabolism booster. A tasty snack of celery and peanut butter will keep you energized.

2. Nuts
Whether it's almonds, walnuts or pistachios, whole nuts are a healthy high-protein snack. They're also full of heart-healthy fats. But don't overdo it, because their calories can add up quickly.

3. Chia seeds
Chia seeds can be categorized as a "super food" considering all of their health benefits. They're high in protein, fiber and healthy omega-3 fats.

4. Greek yogurt
Greek yogurt has rapidly risen to the top to become a supermarket staple. Because it's thicker and creamier than regular yogurt, it's a more satisfying snack - plus it packs a heavy protein punch.

5. Cottage cheese
The virtues of low-fat cottage cheese are well-known, including that it's high protein. Pair it with diced fruits and vegetables, or eat it just on its own. Either way, it's a great snack that will keep you satiated between meals.

6. Hard-boiled eggs
Hard-boiled eggs used to get a bad rap because of their cholesterol content, but studies today say the saturated fat — rather than cholesterol consumed in food — has a greater impact on raising cholesterol levels. And just one whole egg contains 6 grams of protein.

7. Edamame
Just half a cup of edamame or soybeans contains 8 grams of protein and has only 100 calories. Add some flavor by sprinkling on a touch of sea salt.

The Downtown Athletic Club of Amarillo focuses on fitness, overall wellness, personal training, and much more. The DAC's personal trainers are available seven days a week.

What Gluten Is Anyway?

10/4/2016

By Dominic Zumbrun

food label

One food trend that has emerged in recent years is the move towards gluten-free food products. Ostensibly, this is because of gluten’s effects on the body. In a 2014 Pedestrian Questions segment, Jimmy Kimmel Live made fun of the many people who claim to be on gluten-free diets without being able to answer the question “what is gluten?” As with many trends, people tend to jump onboard without learning about the factors involved. All of this leads to the big question:

What Exactly Is Gluten?

Gluten is a collective name for proteins found in wheat and its derivatives as well as in rye and a few other grains. It can also show up in foods that do not include any grains due to contamination in a kitchen. Gluten works as a kind of glue to help foods hold their shape. It provides the elasticity seen in pasta and allows bread to rise.

Who Needs To Be Concerned About Gluten?

The people who need to avoid gluten include people who have an autoimmune condition called celiac disease. Celiac disease makes it difficult to digest gluten and affects about one percent of the population. People with the condition have difficulty absorbing the nutrients in their food. The symptoms of celiac disease include bloating and fatigue.

Recently, another condition called non-celiac gluten sensitivity has been making the headlines. Relatively little is known about this condition except that people with it do feel better when they stop eating foods that contain gluten. It has contributed to the popularity of the many gluten-free food products on the market. Not much is known about non-celiac gluten sensitivity. How much gluten is needed to cause its symptoms is still unknown and no one is certain that it is even related to gluten consumption. In addition, no one knows how many people have the condition though some experts estimate that as much as six percent of the population could be affected. While celiac disease appears to be hereditary, non-celiac gluten sensitivity does not appear to be connected to genetics at all. The conditions do share many of the same symptoms such as bloating and fatigue.

Are There Benefits To A Gluten-free Diet?

For people who have celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity, yes. For everyone else, the answer is no. Eating foods without gluten provides no health benefits and is just a waste of money, especially since gluten-free foods are often more expensive.

For help with achieving your fitness goals, contact us today at the Downtown Athletic Club in Amarillo. Our professional trainers are ready to help you on your journey to good health with both exercise and nutritional advice.

Meet our trainers

Can Meal 'Replacements' Help You Lose Weight?

9/27/2016

By Dominic Zumbrun

There's more to meal replacements than offering the convenience of not having to cook when you don't feel like it. Even more attractive to many (if not most) consumers is that they promote weight-loss while providing proper nutrition. The question is, how effective are they when it comes to peeling off the pounds?

What Are Meal Replacements?

Meal replacements are usually shakes or bars that are made with a certain amount of calories and nutrients. Not all meal replacements are created equally as products may have different purposes and target markets in mind.

SlimFast, for example, advertises itself as a low-calorie meal supplement to help aid weight loss, while others like Soylent market themselves as nutrient supplements for those who aren't eating enough.

Are Meal Replacements Effective For Weight Loss?

The jury seems to be out in terms of the effectiveness of meal replacements when it comes to weight loss. Some evidence has shown that meal replacements help with weight loss for up to a year — as long as they're used as directed. And some health experts say that meal replacements are particularly effective when it comes to jump-starting a weight loss program, especially since they help you keep a tighter reign on your daily caloric intake.

One study showed that people who used meal replacements actually lost a little more weight than those who followed a more traditional diet plan. But the overall caloric intake varied widely between individuals in both groups.

Advantages
Convenience, as mentioned, is one advantage of meal replacements, particularly for people who either don't have an interest in cooking, and/or the time to do it regularly. This is particularly important if you're consistently missing a certain meal, such as breakfast. Most are relatively high in protein and leave you with a feeling of fullness.

Disadvantages
While convenience is a definite draw to using meal replacements, critics argue that replacing meals isn't going to help you learn healthy eating habits that will enable you maintain long-term weight loss.
Others also argue that they don't contain all the nutrients you need for a balanced, healthy diet, including the fiber and phytonutrients that you find in fruits and vegetables.

Another potential disadvantage is that people can experience "taste fatigue" with meal replacements because of consuming the same type of food day after day. Cultivating long-term healthy behaviors, such as a healthy diet, is considered to be a more sustainable form of weight loss.

The Amarillo Town Club can help you lose weight through a combination of proper diet and exercise. Contact the ATC today.

7 Healthy, Kid-Friendly Foods For School Lunches

8/22/2016

By Dominic Zumbrun

school lunch

The back to school season means many things, including making sure your child has healthy lunches packed for every school day. Experts stress that children, especially younger children, need plenty of fiber (up to 20 grams) in their diet every day, and one way to help ensure it is by adding certain foods to meals and snacks.
Here are some of those foods, which can easily be included in your child's school lunch.

Apples
The skin and the flesh of an apple are two different kinds of fiber and are a great addition to a school lunch. Just be sure to leave the skin on — that's where much of fiber is contained.

Raspberries
You won't find many better fiber-filled fruits than raspberries. Just one cup has eight grams of fiber.

Pears
Like apples and baked potatoes, much of the fiber in pears - and just one medium pear has a quarter of the fiber kids need each day - is in the skin, but the flesh is likewise tasty and healthy.

Popcorn
Children obviously love popcorn and it's a healthy, low-cost snack that can easily be included in school lunches. Three cups popped have about 3.5 grams of fiber.

Oranges
Children love the sweetness of oranges and one orange contains two to three grams of fiber. Choose the fruit and not the juice, however, since orange juice has practically no fiber at all.

Raisins
Raisins are sweet but have no added sugar. Moreover, they're a good source of fiber and also contain iron.

Nut butter
Look for brands of nut butter that contain only nuts and salt while avoiding those that have extra sugar and oils. Nuts are a great source of fiber, protein and healthy fats.

The Downtown Athletic Club of Amarillo focuses on fitness, personal training, as well as nutrition and overall wellness. The DAC's personal trainers are available seven days a week.

Weight Loss As Easy As Drinking Water?

6/20/2016

By Dominic Zumbrun

The virtues of drinking water are many, including the fact that it's easily incorporated into your weight loss plan. Indeed, water has been shown to help you lose weight as well as being a foundation for all body functions.

How Will Water Help Me Lose Weight?

Here are five reasons why water should be part of your weight-loss plan:

1. Water curbs hunger
When you're dehydrated, your body may actually send signals that you need to eat, because the part of the brain that acts as a thirst center — the hypothalmus — also regulates your appetite. Staying hydrated helps you stave off fake hunger signals and drinking water before meals has been shown to help aid in weight loss. Another recommendation is to drink a glass of water before you go to a social or sporting event where there may be an endless supply of unhealthy snacks.

2. Water boosts your metabolism
Dehydration slows bodily functions and your metabolism, which means you'll also have less energy for your workouts. Drinking water has been proven to contribute to the body's ability to burn calories, while dehydration slows the fat-burning process. An easy way to speed up your metabolism first thing in the morning is by drinking a glass or two of cold water. Doing so forces your body to warm up to the cold water entering your system, which means increasing your metabolism. Water also helps prevent muscle cramping, another reason to stay hydrated during workouts. It's also important to note that your water needs increase during long endurance workouts.

3. Water keeps you mentally sharp
Water helps transport oxygen to the brain while ensuring that it functions at optimal levels. Research has shown that even mild dehydration can negatively impact your cognitive performance, as well as affect your mood and make you feel tired. Your mood and fatigue can in turn lead you to mindless stress eating and poor food choices.

4. Water saves on calories
Not only does consuming liquid calories such as sodas and juices fail to fill you up, but they also have high sugar content that can affect your body in negative ways. Drinking water instead of sugar-sweetened beverages over an extended period can stop weight gain.

5. Water keeps you regular
Water is a great aid in preventing constipation. From the saliva in your mouth to balancing the acid in your stomach, water works from start to finish in keeping your digestive system running at it its best.

The Downtown Athletic Club of Amarillo is a professional, upscale health club that offers personal training as well as group fitness, overall wellness and nutrition.

Talk To A Personal Trainer

20 Things To Eat Before Hitting The Gym

6/13/2016

By Dominic Zumbrun

There may be times when you're tempted to skip eating before working out, whether it's lack of time or a myriad of other reasons. But if you want perform at your best — and get the most out of your workout — you need to properly fuel your body. Not eating before a workout can lead to low blood sugar, which can then lead to dizziness and fatigue.

Here are some pre-workout foods that will leave you energized and ready to work hard.

1. Coffee Protein Shake
Blending one cup of iced coffee with one scoop of chocolate whey protein will give you a nice pre-workout jolt.

2. Peanut Butter & Apple
Serve one medium apple with two tablespoons of all-natural peanut butter for a good dose of carbs.

3. Fruit Cup
It's sweet but simple: combine one cup of banana, oranges, berries and melon for the perfect pre-workout snack.

4. Fruit & Yogurt
Fruit is high in carbs and yogurt is packed with protein.

5. Oats
Oats are loaded with fiber, which means they will gradually release carbohydrates into your bloodstream.

6. Dried Fruit
Try 1/4 cup serving of dried berries, apricots and pineapple for a quick, easy pre-workout snack.

7. Bananas
Bananas have plenty of carbs to fuel your workout, but are also rich in potassium to help prevent muscle cramps.

8. Yogurt Parfait
Load up with a 1/2 cup nonfat yogurt, 1/2 cup fresh strawberries, and 1/2 cup whole grain cereal.

9. Pistachios & Blueberries
This is another protein and carbohydrate packed combo.

10. Eggs & Toast
Feeling particularly hungry? One or two hard boiled eggs with one slice of whole wheat toast will fill you up the right way.

11. Coffee & Milk
The caffeine in the coffee provides a kick while the milk offers proteins and carbs.

12. Fruit & Cottage Cheese
Use 1/2 cup of fresh berries to top off 1/2 cup of cottage cheese.

13. Oats & Eggs
Try 1/2 cup oatmeal with two whole eggs.

14. Wafflewich
Combine one frozen Kashi waffle with two teaspoons of almond butter and one teaspoon of jam.

15. Veggie Omelet
Combine two whole eggs with one teaspoon of water and one cup of sauteed veggies.

16. Whole Wheat Toast
One slice of whole wheat toast with jam will help fuel your workout.

17. Energy Bar
Opt for a bar with no more than 200 calories.

18. Oats & Almond Butter
Combine 1/2 cup oats with almond butter.

19. Energy Gel
Energy gel will help power an endurance workout.

20. Coconut Shake
Add two teaspoons of extra virgin coconut oil to one scoop of chocolate whey protein.

Use your fuel at the Downtown Athletic Club in Amarillo, an upscale health club that focuses on nutrition, group fitness, personal training and overall wellness.

What's The Deal With 'Sleep Dieting?'

4/18/2016

By Dominic Zumbrun

Diet trends come and go, but several kernels of wisdom about diet, fitness and health remain true and relevant. To lose weight, you have to create an energy deficit. That is, you have to take in less calories than you burn.

Lots of recovery time in the form of sleep is also essential. Speaking of sleep and fitness, meet "sleep dieting," a low impact weight loss strategy that works with just about any exercise and diet regimen.

Go To Bed, Wake Up Refreshed And Svelte

Sleep dieting entails several components that can enhance many diet and fitness scenarios. It is a form of:

Brief, intermittent fasting
Physical recovery
Stress reduction

Sleep dieting isn't some new fad. The idea of fasting now and again, resting, and reducing stress is an old dieting strategy that fitness enthusiasts have used for decades.

These days intermittent fasting is pretty standard in the Paleo and CrossFit communities. With sleep dieting, you abstain from food after supper and don't eat again until breakfast. Ideally, you should sleep for the better part of the time between supper and breakfast.

Fasting, Sleep, Stress And Cortisol

The practice of intermittent fasting is as old as cavemen. In the past, hunter-gatherer humans inadvertently fasted for want of food. Your body remembers this practice. As a result, your body knows how to burn fat for energy and spare muscle during brief periods of starvation. Random fasts of eight to 12 hours help burn extra calories and improve your body's sensitivity to insulin.

Poor or erratic sleeping patterns place stress on your body. Your body responds by churning out stress hormones, such as cortisol. Stress hormones disrupt your body's ability to metabolize sugar and burn fat effectively. They also cause you to crave comfort food and typical drive-thru cuisine.

On other hand, when you sleep well, your body goes into repair mode. Sleep helps your body rebuild muscle and eliminate toxins and stress hormones. This is the science behind sleep dieting, which is a time-tested strategy for losing weight without feeling deprived.

Leap Tall Buildings In A Single Bound

Another time-tested cure for stress is exercise. Exercise, diet and sleep go hand in hand, since downtime and recovery are essential to overall fitness success, health and longevity.

Note that sleep dieting is a tool, not a means to permanent weight loss and long-term health. Equally essential are the types of nutrition advice, exercise, support and guidance you'll find at a full-service fitness club, like Downtown Athletic Club.

Call or stop by, and speak with a staff member about DAC's professional, upscale and exclusive services. Explore personal training options or group fitness, such as Bikini Bootcamp or Zumba.

5 Tips To Stop Overeating

4/12/2016

By Dominic Zumbrun

One of the toughest things about maintaining a diet or healthy eating plan is fighting the urge to overeat. We can derail our own efforts in a variety of ways, many of which have nothing to do with willpower or mental weakness.

If you're struggling with these urges, there are many things you can do to stay on track, such as avoiding “distracted” eating in which you eat while focused on other things like your cell phone, computer, and the television. The healthy alternative is mindful eating in which you're truly focused on your meal, and eat more slowly and consciously.

Here are some other helpful hints to keep you from overeating.

Be Honest With Yourself
Before you sit down to a eat, take a moment to honestly assess how hungry you really are (you can rate it on a scale of 1 to 10, for example). Once you've rated your hunger, fill your plate accordingly. If you feel really hungry, make sure you're aware of when you actually feel full before piling on a second helping.

Eat Real Food
Switching your diet to whole, unprocessed foods is a key component of losing weight, but also of not overeating. Real food includes fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans and nuts, organic or grass-fed animal products, and fish, like salmon.

Eliminate Stress
Eating while you're stressed is a real trigger for overeating. For starters, you don't digest properly as stress hormones slow your metabolism. You also tend to eat more quickly, which leads to overeating. Deep breathing before you start eating, or even in the middle of your meal, will help you relax and slow down. Be mindful of your food, chew slowly, and savor each bite individually.

Fix Your Plate In The Kitchen
Carefully choose what you put on your plate and select the proper amount of vegetables, grains and protein. But do this in the kitchen and leave the extra food behind when you sit down at the table. It follows the adage of “out of sight, out of mind,” because the extra food won't be in front of you — tempting you the entire meal.

Eat Breakfast
We've all been told the importance of eating breakfast, and one of the reasons is that you won't feel famished the rest of the day. Being famished means you'll likely eat more food throughout the day.

The Downtown Athletic Club of Amarillo can help you reach your health and fitness goals in a non-intimidating environment. The DAC is a full-service fitness club with the latest in exercise equipment and personal training.

Snack Wisely With These 6 Swaps

2/29/2016

By Dominic Zumbrun

pistachios

Want to eat healthier? Start somewhere as simple as your snacks. Eating healthy snacks can be extremely easy with just a few recommended changes from nutrition experts.

Nutrient-Dense Snacks
Try switching from high-calorie to nutrient-dense snacks. Nutrient-dense foods are those that offer vitamins, minerals, fiber, healthy fats, and other elements of nutritional value. Instead of snacking on cookies, try eating something like Greek yogurt topped with almonds.

No Added Sugar
Instead of eating snacks with added sugars, try eating whole fruit. This means getting away from fruit-filled bars and fruit roll-ups, and opting for kiwi, persimmon, oranges, and other sweet fruits instead. For an even more delicious snack, pair your fruit with a cheese snack.

Whole Grains
Replace refined grains, such as white bread, with whole grain options, like whole grain crackers and popcorn. To keep full, pair your snacks with proteins or healthy fats. You can also try using sunflower oil to aid in popping your popcorn.

Unsalted Snacks
Eat unsalted nuts instead of candy bars or energy bars. Some great options to try are in-shell pistachios with dried apricots.

No Solid Fats
Eliminate solid fats, and try eating healthy oils instead. One great way to do this is to switch your butter for oil with healthy fats, like grapeseed, coconut, or olive oil. There are also many delicious snacks made with healthy oils to choose from, like hummus. Pair crudités, such as endives or sliced bell peppers, with chickpea or black bean hummus for the ultimate healthy snack.

No-Sugar-Added Beverages
There are many healthy beverages to choose from to pair with your snacks. Get away from sugary sodas and juices, and try hot green or black tea, iced herbal tea, or seltzer with a lime wedge instead. You can also amp up your water by adding orange, lemon, lime, or even cucumber slices.

Make sure to keep your snacking down to a minimum, and eat snacks no sooner than three hours after a big meal. If you would like more tips on reaching your fitness goals through dieting and exercise, look no further than The Downtown Athletic Club. Contact us today to learn more.

How Fast Food Affects Your Body

2/8/2016

By Dominic Zumbrun

At this point, not being aware of the harmful effects of eating fast food would require living in a cave. It's not only well-documented, but most people you interact with on a daily basis can speak intelligently about it.

Still, have you really, truly given thought to the implications of eating a fast food meal? You know that it's packed with fat, loaded with sodium, and so on, but it doesn't hurt to dig deeper and get the full story.

Just The Facts

Let's start with steroids, hormones and antibiotics, which are part of your fast food meal whether you know it or not.

Antibiotics are fed to livestock to keep them from getting sick in close quarters where much of low-quality meat comes from.
Steroids and hormones are fed to livestock to make them fatter while accelerating their growth.
More antibiotics and antibiotic-resistant bacteria are thus passed on to you. In fact, 80% of all antibiotics in the United States are found in our food. The consequences? Resistance to beneficial antibiotics, depletion of good bacteria in the stomach, obesity and intestinal discomfort.

Additives During Processing

Ever heard of tertiary butylhydroquinone? Maybe not, but it's a common additive during the processing of poultry and meat. The FDA wouldn't even give it approval for many years because five grams of it could kill you. Even just one gram of it can cause nausea and breathing difficulty, for starters.

Sugar

Ah, sugar. It shows up in fast food in places you wouldn't even expect. Rest assured too much of it can lead to a variety of unhealthy issues.

It's not a surprise, for example, that a Whopper includes 68% of your daily sodium intake. What's surprising is that it also includes 11 grams of sugar.
Then there's soda. Most sodas are made with high fructose corn syrup, which increases bad cholesterol, uric acid and fat. It can also lead to hypertension, high blood pressure, and more.

Some other things to consider:

Much of fast food is made with polyunsaturated vegetable oils, which of the omega-6 variety can lead to cancer, blood clots, inflammation, high blood pressure, weight gain, digestive problems — you get the picture.
The excess cholesterol found in fast food can add up over time, and one out of six Americans already suffers from high cholesterol. A simple breakfast biscuit with egg and sausage can use up 87% of your daily value of cholesterol.
Red meats and processed meats increase your risk of colon cancer.

If you're looking to take your health to another level, dropping fast food is a great first step. Follow up this step by contacting one of the professional trainers at the Downtown Athletic Club of Amarillo. We can help you start an exercise routine and guide you on what to eat to better fuel your body.

This is the background of the Bottom Area shown below. It'll display correctly on published site.
If you don't want background for the bottom area, simply hover over the bottom of this image to delete it. The background of the bottom area will be a solid dark color.