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Every week, theres a new miracle diet and every year you cant help but wonder: Is this the weight loss diet that will finally work, once and for all? There are weight loss programs that work, but there are many more fads out there that will temporarily drop your weight (or perhaps make you sick), only to have the pounds return in a few short weeks. Fad diets are tempting, but like eating a rich dessert when you already have a full stomach: resist, resist, resist. In the long run, you will be healthier and less frustrated.

Fad diets can be deceiving. They are usually described in detail by a book that has been written by an expert with a Ph.D., or a doctor who is an MD. There may be a list of scientific references that seem to back up the claims (that no one ever checks carefully to make sure they are true). And, tons of people (including all of your friends and family) seem to be following the diet and having great results.

Does this sound familiar? Here are some obvious clues that a diet is a fad rather than a recommended approach for permanent weight loss:

1. It sounds too good or easy to be true.

2. Promises rapid weight loss (5-10 pounds in a week) or miracle cures.

3. Allows only certain foods or food groups (cutting out others).

4. Promotes a product, special herb, vitamin or other compound.

5. Can only be followed temporarily, but its not supervised by a doctor.

6. Its hard to imagine or difficult to follow the diet forever.

7. It doesnt recommend a form of exercise or says that its unnecessary.

8. Warns that one food or food group will make you seriously ill or worse.

9. Makes recommendations based on published science that are not endorsed by credible organizations or peer reviewed by other scientists.

10. Cites research that is preliminary, based on animals or has very few subjects.

Kristin Bogdonas is the nutritionand wellness educator for University of Illinois Extension serving Henry, Mercer, Rock Island and Stark counties. To contact her about health and wellness programs, call 309-756-9978.

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Start the Week Off Right: How to spot a fad diet in 30 seconds or less - Muscatine Journal

Quartz

The unbearable cost of being a vegetarian in India Quartz Recently at the release of our book First Food: Culture of Taste, which discusses the link between biodiversity, nutrition and livelihoods, I was asked a question: Why do you not, as an environmentalist espousing the cause of traditional and local ... and more »

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The unbearable cost of being a vegetarian in India - Quartz

Fruit-eating spider monkeys have bigger brains than their leaf-eating counterparts.

Wollertz/shutterstock

By Lizzie WadeMar. 27, 2017 , 11:00 AM

Ask any biologist what makes primates special, and theyll tell you the same thing: big brains. Those impressive noggins make it possible for primates from spider monkeys to humans to use tools, find food, and navigate the complex relationships of group living. But scientists disagree on what drove primates to evolve big brains in the first place. Now, a new study comes to an unexpected conclusion: fruit.

The paper is enormously valuable, says Richard Wrangham, a biological anthropologist at Harvard University who was not involved in the work. For the last 20 years, many scientists have argued that primates evolved bigger brains to live in bigger groups, an idea known as the social brain hypothesis. The new studys large sample size and robust statistical methods suggest diet and ecology deserve more attention, Wrangham says. But not everyone is convinced. Others say that although a nutrient-rich diet allows for bigger brains, it wouldnt be enough by itself to serve as a selective evolutionary pressure. When the authors compare diet and social life, theyre comparing apples and oranges, says Robin Dunbar, an evolutionary psychologist at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom and one of the original authors of the social brain hypothesis.

Alex DeCasien, the new studys author, didnt set out to shake up this decades-long debate. The doctoral student in biological anthropology at New York University in New York City wanted to tease out whether monogamous primates had bigger or smaller brains than more promiscuous species. She collected data about the diets and social lives of more than 140 species across all four primate groupsmonkeys, apes, lorises, and lemursand calculated which features were more likely to be associated with bigger brains. To her surprise, neither monogamy nor promiscuity predicted anything about a primates brain size. Neither did any other measure of social complexity, such as group size. The only factor that seemed to predict which species had larger brains was whether their diets were primarily leaves or fruit, DeCasien and her colleagues report today in Nature Ecology & Evolution.

That doesnt actually surprise Dunbar. In order to have a bigger brain, you have to have a change in diet, he says. Leaves nutrients are locked up behind thick cell walls, and breaking down those barriers takes a lot of time and energy. Primates that eat leaves have to lie around for hours, with all their energy going toward digestion. Eating fruit, on the other hand, offers an animal a jolt of calories in an easy-to-digest package. In primates, the main beneficiary of all that newly available energy is the brain.

So far so good. But for Dunbar, a key question remains: Why was that energy directed toward developing a bigger brain, and not some other body part? Thats where primates complex social lives come in, he says. Living in big groups makes it easier for primates to fend off predators, but it also means managing increasingly complex social relationships. The cognitive demands of those relationships made bigger brains the best use of the extra fruit-derived energy. Better diets merely provided the fuel for that evolutionary change. [Diet and sociality] are not alternative explanations for larger brains, Dunbar says. They are complementary explanations.

DeCasien sees another possibility, one that keeps fruit-eating in the drivers seat. Eating fruit is more cognitively challenging than eating leaves, she says. A primate can find leaves basically anywhere, but it must remember where and when the best fruit is likely to grow. Fruit eaters also range over larger areas than leaf eaters, so they need top-notch navigation skills. And because some fruits may be hard to reach or protected by defenses like spines, primates also need problem solving skills or even tools. Evolution could have pushed fruit-eating primates to develop bigger brains to deal with these complex foraging conditions, DeCasien says. In that case, social life might be largely irrelevant.

DeCasien admits the answer might not be black and white. Diets could have jump-started brain growth, enabling the first inklings of more complex social lives. The cognitive demands of those social lives, in turn, could have further driven evolution. Its definitely impossible to tease apart at some point, she says.

Any of these stories are plausible, Wrangham says, but its notoriously hard to distinguish selective pressures from beneficial physiological changes in correlation studies like this one. He suspects that diet allowed, rather than drove, the evolution of big brains. But hes convinced that diet is intimately tied to evolution, especially in a particular species of primate: humans. Cooking is what has taken the human lineage into a totally new realm, he says, especially after we learned to cook meat. The new study supports this history of diet-linked cognitive leaps, he says, and he hopes it will bring renewed attention to diets role in evolution.

Please note that, in an effort to combat spam, comments with hyperlinks will not be published.

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Is fruit eating responsible for big brains? - Science Magazine

Every week, theres a new miracle diet and every year you cant help but wonder: Is this the weight loss diet that will finally work, once and for all? There are weight loss programs that work, but there are many more fads out there that will temporarily drop your weight (or perhaps make you sick), only to have the pounds return in a few short weeks. Fad diets are tempting, but like eating a rich dessert when you already have a full stomach: resist, resist, resist. In the long run, you will be healthier and less frustrated.

Fad diets can be deceiving. They are usually described in detail by a book that has been written by an expert with a Ph.D., or a doctor who is an MD. There may be a list of scientific references that seem to back up the claims (that no one ever checks carefully to make sure they are true). And, tons of people (including all of your friends and family) seem to be following the diet and having great results.

Does this sound familiar? Here are some obvious clues that a diet is a fad rather than a recommended approach for permanent weight loss:

1. It sounds too good or easy to be true.

2. Promises rapid weight loss (5-10 pounds in a week) or miracle cures.

3. Allows only certain foods or food groups (cutting out others).

4. Promotes a product, special herb, vitamin or other compound.

5. Can only be followed temporarily, but its not supervised by a doctor.

6. Its hard to imagine or difficult to follow the diet forever.

7. It doesnt recommend a form of exercise or says that its unnecessary.

8. Warns that one food or food group will make you seriously ill or worse.

9. Makes recommendations based on published science that are not endorsed by credible organizations or peer reviewed by other scientists.

10. Cites research that is preliminary, based on animals or has very few subjects.

Kristin Bogdonas is the nutritionand wellness educator for University of Illinois Extension serving Henry, Mercer, Rock Island and Stark counties. To contact her about health and wellness programs, call 309-756-9978.

Continue reading here:
Start the Week Off Right: How to spot a fad diet in 30 seconds or less - Quad City Times

Why do I need fiber? Victority/ShutterstockVirtually every weight-loss program welcomes "good carbs" as part of a healthy, lean, long-term diet. "Good carbs" refers to complex carbohydrates, foods like whole grains, nuts, beans, and seeds that are composed largely of complex sugar molecules, requiring lots of time and energy to digest into the simple sugars your body needs for fuel. One of the biggest benefits of foods rich in complex carbs is that they also contain large amounts of fiber. Fiber, in basic terms, is the indigestible parts of plant foods. It is the husk on the grain of wheat, the thin strands in celery, the crunch in the apple, the casings on edible seeds. Fiber protects you from heart disease, cancer, and digestive problems. Depending on the type of fiber (there is more than one!), it lowers cholesterol, helps with weight control, and regulates blood sugar. Bottom line: This is one nutrient you don't want to miss. Yet the average American gets just 12-15 grams of fiber a dayfar below the recommended 25-30 grams. And that was before so many people started cutting carbs for weight loss, without realizing they were also cutting out healthy dietary fiber. Here's how to sneak "good carbs" and extra fiber into your daily diet with a minimum of effort. Keep a container of trail mixin your car and office for the munchies Mark Herreid/ShutterstockMix together peanuts, raisins, a high-fiber cereal, and some chocolate-covered soy nuts. Allow yourself one handful for a sweet, yet high-fiber, snack.

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30 Ways to Get More Fiber in Your Diet Without Even Trying - Reader's Digest

1 Jan 2017, 3 p.m.

This year you're going to lose weight. Really. Not like last year, when you tried to eat less and exercise more and ended up no lighter.

This year you're going to lose weight. Really. Not like last year, when you tried to eat less and exercise more and ended up no lighter, but by approaching the problem differently. Because calories in and calories out is probably the worst way to think about it.

Here's another one.

Excluding waste and sweating, it's true that the calories we take in have to be turned into either energy or weight. So it ought to be true that taking in less will cut weight. But what usually happens first is that we get hungry (and add back the calories, leaving our weight unchanged) or lethargic (expending less energy so that more of what we take in is directed to maintaining our weight).

It's almost as if our weightwantsto be maintained; as if it has a will of its own and manipulates the rest of us to get what it wants.

Which is probably what happens.

Tumours act as if they have minds of their own. They press-gang whatever they can find into making themselves grow. Children do it. During growth spurts their growth hormones direct whatever's coming in to building bones and muscles, leaving the rest of the body bereft or hungry.

Only in a trivial sense is it true to say that children grow because they eat more. They eat more because they are growing. And that growth is regulated by hormones.

In 1977 Rosalyn Yalow won the Nobel Prize for tracking the hormone insulin. When it's released, fat cells start packing in fatty acids. And they also close the exits so the fatty acids can't escape while the insulin is there. It's why, oddly,we often feel weak or hungry after having sugar. The energy we thought we'd get isn't accessible. So we want to eat more, which also gets tucked into fat cells if there's insulin around; which there will be if what we've eaten is rich in sugar or other carbohydrates.

Veteran science journalist Gary Taubes has just set out his findings in a book entitledThe Case Against Sugar, which followsWhy We Get Fat, andGood Calories, Bad Calories. He is more of a forensic examiner of evidence than he is a purveyor of diets, and his main finding is that much of the evidence has been buried.

He says in the 1960s it was fairly widely accepted that carbohydrates (especially sugar) boosted the production of fat and increased appetites. It's one of the reasons we use bread as a starter at meals; it prepares us to eat.

Fat, by contrast, doesn't bring on the production of insulin at all. It may eventually be stored in fat cells, but it doesn't make those cells pack fat in and prevent them letting fat out. It's one of the reasons it rarely makes us hungry. Try eating half a slab of butter and see whether it boosts your appetite.

But in the 1970s, in the United States and in Australia, where ourdietary guidelines follow the US, a new more plausible theory took hold. It was that fat causes fat. Nutritionist Ancel Keys laid it out in the massiveSeven Countries Studywhich compared nations including the US, Finland and Japan and concluded that the nations that ate the most fat suffered the most heart disease.

Later research concluded that the results derived were particularto the seven countries chosen. Had Keys chosen other countries, such as France and Switzerland with high rates of fat consumption and low rates of heart disease, the correlation would have disappeared. But by then an abhorrence of fat had been written into the guidelines.

Consuming less fat meant consuming more carbohydrates, especially sugar which improves the taste of low-fat foods. So obesity climbed. The University of Sydney's Charles Perkins Centre is one of the few that disputes the connection. It produced a paper defending sugar thatlater had to be correctedafter economist Rory Robertsonripped into it for misuse of statistics. Columnist Peter Fitzsimons details links between sugar and those dietitians promoting sugar in his bookThe Great Aussie Bloke Slimdown.

Just last month anindustry-funded paper purporting to defend sugarfell apart when one of the funders, Mars Inc, disassociated itself saying it madeall industry-funded research look bad.

Naturally, I am unable to guarantee that giving up sugar will make you lose weight. But I can guarantee that if you are anything like me it'll make you less hungry. I ditched sugar several new year's days ago, lost weight, and never got it back.

Peter Martin is economics editor ofThe Age. This story was first published on The Age.

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Ditching sugar is a new year diet that might actually work. Here's why - Tenterfield Star

Evelyn Gilbert Manziello, For Living & Being 12:02 p.m. ET March 25, 2017

Check with your health care provider before taking dietary supplements.(Photo: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

As the weather warms and we shed our winter coats, some of us worry about looking good in our spring clothes. After all, weve been covered up for months, but now its time to show some skin and enjoy the season.

Unfortunately, losing weight is not an easy task for many. If only there was a magic pill that could speed up the process.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH)approximately 15 percentof U.S. adults have used a weight-loss dietary supplement at some point in their lives. But do they work?

NUTRIENT DEFICIENCIES:Your body needs magnesium make sure you're getting enough

Dietary supplements are not a magic bullet when it comes to weight loss.(Photo: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Some experts say taking supplements may boost dieting efforts. However, the effectiveness and safety of them is a matter of debate. Several have been debunked as useless. While others, such as ephedra, also called ma huang, were actually taken off the U.S. market due to safety concerns.

Ephedra is a plant thats native to China. It contains substances that stimulate your nervous system, increase the amount of energy you burn, increase weight lossand may suppress your appetite. Once found in weight-loss supplements, ephedra was taken off the market in the United States in 2004 because of safety concerns. On the flip side, its hard to watch TV without seeing an ad for a pill that supposedly enables you to lose lots of pounds with little effort. Could these claims be correct or are trying these products a waste?

Studies and anecdotal evidence suggest that the truth lies somewhere in the middle.

Matt Johnson,owner of House of Nutrition in Poughkeepsie, saidweight-loss supplements are almost in demand as much as multivitamins. However, there is no magic bullet, no substitute for a clean diet or hard work.

However, some of his customers who take thermogenic fat burners have seen results, he said.

Certain combinations of supplements can create heat within the body," Johnson said. "The bodys natural response is to try and cool itself and as it does it releases body fat.

Ingredients in these products include caffeine from a natural source, such askola nut or guarana.

They are the core ingredients to create the heat needed, he said, noting that the formulas may also contain green tea and chromium.

Jason Asper lost 176 pounds in a year by working out with a trainer in the gym and not taking supplements.(Photo: Courtesy photo)

One of Johnsons customers is Jason Asper. The Wallkillresident works out with his trainer, Rob Wolfe, at Golds Gym in Newburgh.

I started working with Rob back in October 2015. I weighed 450-plus pounds, and within a year, I weighed in at 274 pounds, he said, without takingsupplements during that year

Rob wanted to see what my body was naturally capable of before we started using weight-loss supplements," he said. "Around the 14-month mark my body slowed down the weight-loss and maintained that weight.

Once his weight-loss progress stalled, Wolfe suggested he try a thermogenic supplement.

Right now, I'm using a basic one that has caffeine and green tea extract," he said. "While my weight has not drastically changed since using them, I have noticed my energy in the gym is much higher, which allows me to have a better workout.

On your quest to shed pounds, its tempting to run to a health food store to check out the supplement section, but before you do, its best to have a complete medical exam, said Dr. Kelly G. Jennings, a naturopathic doctor in Rhinebeck. She recommends comprehensive blood work for her patients who want to lose weight, since oftentimes blood sugar levels need to be stabilized before one can meet his or herweight-loss goals. Examining and correcting unhealthy diets and sleep patterns are also key.

Most often there is a reason why someone isnt losing weight, Jennings said.

Lifestyle choices can impede weight loss.

You have to address underlying health imbalances first," she said. "Then supplements can come down the line.

For some, taking conjugated linoleic acid has helped them jump-start their diet. According to the NIH, studies show that this essential fatty acid may reduce body fat. Various experts feel it could also help build muscle and make you feel full.

It may help optimize the essential fatty acid profile, but its not a wonder drug, Jennings said, noting that it probably wont be effective if it isnt part of a sustainable weight-loss plan.

Another supplement that might help with losing weight is probiotics, which put good bacteria into your digestive tract. Effective digestion and elimination are key to overall health as well as slimming down, according to Jennings. For those who are deficient supplementing with vitamin D, which acts like a hormone in the body, probiotics may be beneficial since it can stabilize ones mood and curb cravings.

Chromium picolinateis another option some dieters try. When used in combination with other herbs and minerals it may stabilize blood sugar and help those on their quest to look their best, Jennings said.

While Jennings said she is not opposed to the use of supplements for some of her dieting patients after they learn how to adjust their lifestyles so they eat and sleep well, and optimize their metabolism, some health care experts are uncertain if they are helpful, and others dont see any merit in them at all.

Dr. Robert Rosenzweig, a gastroenterologist with offices in Poughkeepsie, Rhinebeck and Kingston, said theres not enough credible information available to assess the effectiveness of weight-loss supplements.

The products havent been proven to work or not work, he said. Most mainstream physicians dont have faith that theyve been studied enough.

People are wasting their money when they buy supplements, saidRoufia Payman, supervisor of Outpatient Nutrition Education at Northern Dutchess Hospital. Weve become a nation that wants immediate satisfaction, but that doesnt work. Unfortunately, like everything else in life, you have to work at it.

What is effective are lifestyle changes, such asstarting your day with healthy protein and a veggie boost, she said. Eating soluble fiber, such aschia seeds, can also help with dieting, since it makes you feel full.

When you want to lose weight, vegetables are your best friends, Payman said. The best course of action isnt popping a pill. Its paying attention to the type of food and the quality and quantity of food you eat, and how much you move.

Evelyn Gilbert Manziello is a writer and editor based in Kinderhook and Queens. Contact her at Evhotstory@aol.com.

Roufia Payman, supervisor of Outpatient Nutrition Education at Northern Dutchess Hospital, says when you want to lose weight fruits and vegetables can be your best friends.(Photo: Courtesy photo)

The following are supplements that research and anecdotal evidence suggest aid in weight-loss. Before taking any its best to check with your health care provider.

Caffeineeither added to a weight-loss supplement or as an herbal source that naturally contains caffeine, such as guarana or kola nut, can act as a diuretic and cause thermogenesis. Possible side effects: Caffeine can cause sleep disturbances and feelings of nervousness, jitterinessand shakiness. It can be toxic when used in high doses.

ChromiumPicolinate is a combination of the mineral chromium and picolinic acid. It helps regulate blood sugar. Studies suggest chromium may help you lose a small amount of weight and body fat. Possible side effects: headaches, nausea, dizziness.

Conjugated Linoleic Acid is a fat found mostly in dairy and beef. Studies say that it may help curb body fat, boost muscleand help you stay full. Possible side effects: upset stomach, nausea, loose stools.

Glucomannan comes from the konjac plant. Its a soluble dietary fiber. According to the National Institutes of Health, it absorbs water in the gut to make you feel full but theres little evidence that it directly aids in weight loss. However, it may help stabilize blood sugar levels, which can be helpful when dieting. Possible side effects: diarrhea, flatulence, bloating, abdominal discomfort.

Green Tea Extract may help curb appetite and raise calorie and fat metabolism. Possible side effects: High doses could cause nausea, bloating, gas, diarrhea, dizziness, insomnia, agitation.

For more information, visit the NIH website:https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/WeightLoss-Consumer.

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Weight-loss supplements not a magic bullet - Poughkeepsie Journal

BBC News

Night-time loo trips 'linked to salt in diet' BBC News "This work holds out the possibility that a simply dietary modification might significantly improve the quality of life for many people," he said. Prof Marcus Drake, a nocturia expert from the University of Bristol, said the amount of salt people ate ... and more »

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Night-time loo trips 'linked to salt in diet' - BBC News

LAKEWOOD Seems like almost everyone, especially after the holidays, wants to lose weight.

I cant tell you the number of times thats been my New Years Resolution.

I have tried about every diet possible: Atkins, Nutrasystems, Weight Watchers, etc. Thanks to being held accountable by Julie Muhlstein at The Herald, when I worked there a dozen years ago, Weight Watchers worked the best for me.

Until now.

At the Marysville-Tulalip Chamber of Commerce Dinner and Auction in December, I was the high bidder on an item offered by Emily Countryman of Ideal Wellness in Lakewood. I had done a story on that program a few years ago and decided to give it a try.

My first appointment there I told her my wife had done the 30-10 weight loss program. Emily told me the founders of 30-10 were part of Ideal Wellness but broke off and started their own business. They both are protein and vegetable diets, with no sweets or carbohydrates. Supplements make sure clients get the vitamins they need.

What makes Ideal Wellness better than the highly advertised 30-10 weight loss program, in my mind, is not only the lower cost but the lifetime of coaching. Once I reach my goal weight I no longer have to buy their scientifically balanced food products, which cost $99 a week. They will put me on a plan of eating regular foods to sustain my weight. By the way, Ive lost 27 pounds in six weeks, and eight total inches. My wife joined this week.

Once I reach my new goal, I will continue to go in to be weighed once a month. If I gain five pounds, I told them I will go back on the weight-loss program. That way, I should never weight more than five pounds above my goal weight the rest of my life.

That has been a huge problem for me in the past. Im a yo-yo dieter. Id lose the weight but gain it back. Also, to help me for the rest of my life, Ideal Wellness coaches will be there to encourage me. Often times I will hit a goal, then stay there. Then get discouraged and start gaining. With a life coach, they can help push me through that wall.

The program is working much faster than I thought it would. I lost 16 pounds in the first two weeks, and 6 inches. Belly fat always has been hard for me to lose, but I lost 3 inches there and already am back into jeans I havent worn for years. My Body Mass Index is dropping fast, too.

Ill admit the food, and the amount you eat, isnt like going to a 4-star restaurant. But it does the job. And it works so well its easy to stay on. But I sure look forward to dinners when I can have up to 8 ounces of lean meat and four cups of vegetables. Its real food.

If you have a sweet tooth, Ideal Wellness has dessert products available as snacks that can solve that problem. There also are salty snacks, such as soy nuts, that I like.

I particularly enjoy the omelette, oatmeal and pancake mixes for breakfast and the soup mixes for lunch.

Im not the only one who has done well on this diet. Many of the counselors who work there have lost dozens of pounds using Ideal Wellness. There are pictures all over the walls of before and after shots of clients. And Ive included mine in this story, even though I plan to keep going.

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Finally, a weight-loss program that's 'Ideal for me - Marysville Globe

Just like her teammates, Olivia Smoliga wakes up three days out of the week and heads to a 5:30 a.m. practice at the pool. From there, its straight to the Coliseum Training Facility at Stegeman Coliseum for weightlifting and conditioning.

Following class for the day, the Georgia swimmer heads back to the pool again for practice at 2:45 p.m. Afterward, her nights are usually filled with trips to the Rankin M. Smith, Sr. Student-Athlete Academic Center for studying and tutoring.

Sleep, then repeat.

So where in her schedule does she fit the time to eat?

After all, with the amount of swimming she does each day and the amount of calories she burns, its imperative she eats enough to make up for it.

Welcome to the life of a collegiate swimmer.

All about that bank

Swimming in general is a great form of exercise. It is well known that one of the best ways to go about losing weight is swimming.

However, swimmers at the Division I level are not swimming to lose weight. Theyre swimming to go fast and break records, and to do so takes a lot of training.

To make up for this incredible amount of training, swimmers must compensate by eating plenty of food.

Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time, was known to eat a breathtaking amount of food in his peak years as a swimmer, reportedly consuming between 8,000 and 12,000 calories per day.

While its head coach Jack Bauerle who coaches his swimmers in the pool, Maria Breen coaches the Bulldogs on what to eat. Breen is a sports nutritionist at Georgia who oversees the diets of the swimming and diving team.

So exactly how much do swimmers eat? The answer isnt straightforward or the same depending on the person, day and even time of year.

It varies so much based on their body size and genetics, Breen said.

But the amount is consistently above that of the average citizen and other elite athletes.

Theres a reason swimming is so popular among those trying to lose weightit burns calories at a rapid rate. Combine this with the immense hours of pool time for collegiate swimmers, and you have a recipe for disaster should you fail to refuel.

This is where the all-important carbohydrates come into play.

When you think of hitting a wall in practice or just getting fatigued, a lot of times thats because you havent managed your carbohydrate recovery, Breen said.

Humans store carbohydrates in their body as energy in what is called glycogen.

After a long workout, or in this case, hours on end in the pool, that glycogen is broken down and stores of energy empty.

The heavier the training, the more carbohydrates they need since theyve expended that glycogen in practice, Breen said. Its all about getting that bank back.

This is no different for athletes in other sports.

Swimmers, football players and basketball players alike must take in enough carbs to make up for the glycogen theyve expended.

What differs is the amount of carbs needed, largely due to different types of workouts and practices.

Where football or basketball practice might include some standing around and instruction, swim practice consists mainly of swimming.

That principle is very similar for other teams, Breen said. Whats different is the amount of carbohydrates. [Swimmers] calorie needs are higher.

Eating an abnormal amount of food isnt the only problem these student-athletes have to worry about.

They also have to make sure theyre eating enough of the right types of food. While a diet of fast food and candy bars might sustain a normal college student, albeit unhealthily, these are no normal students.

University of Georgia's swim team sports nutrionist, Maria Breen, left, shows senior swimmer, Emily Cameron, right, nutrition facts of some of the snacks offered in the swimming and diving team room at the Ramsey Student Center in Athens, Georgia, on Monday, March 20, 2017. Breen helps swimmers pick the right drinks and food to energize them before their practices and those that are best to help them recover. (Photo/Reann E. Huber, http://www.reannhuber.com)

When freshman student-athletes first arrive in Athens, they learn this pretty quickly.

One of the big things for us, is we have to develop that base education, Breen said. Sometimes we call it plate coaching. When are you getting meals? Do you have your carbohydrates? Do you have a lean source of protein? Do you have dairy?

It can be a lot to take in, especially for those who might not have been the healthiest eaters before coming to college.

Take freshman Javier Acevedo, for example. Thats not to say Acevedo was one of those living on a diet consisting of french fries and potato chips.

The 19-year-old was on the Canadian Olympic team for the Rio games this past summer, but he lived like a normal high schooler does, and that included its fair share of indulging.

Ive learned a lot, Acevedo said. Especially coming from high school where I had my own car and I could basically do what I want. Here, I know I need to keep my body in good shape. I cant eat the same way.

This isnt an uncommon transformation to see, at least under Breen and her staff. Quite often, swimmers come to Georgia and realize the effect a strong and balanced diet can have on their performance in the pool.

This could be for a litany of reasons, from Breens teachings to self-motivation to the championship pedigree of a program like Georgia. Most likely, its a combination of all three.

One swimmer who has seen a dramatic transformation since arriving in Athens is senior Chase Kalisz. As a freshman, Kalisz weighed around 155 pounds and stood at 6-foot-1. Now, the Baltimore native weighs in at about 190 pounds and is 6-foot-4.

While his eating habits had no effect on his height, his weight was surely impacted by his food choices.

As I get older, I notice that I need to eat healthier, and I feel better when I eat healthier, Kalisz said. Theres more of an emphasis on eating the right things at the right time.

For Breen, its rewarding to see this process unfold. She doesnt like having to force people to do or eat something they dont want.

I want the athletes to take that step, and say, OK, I know it needs to go in my body, and I want to be active in this, Breen said.

Grab and go

As great as all of Breens work is, it goes without much value unless her students take what they learn and apply it.

At the end of the day, its up to the student athletes to make sure they eat enough of the right foods. This is one of the biggest challenges Breen faces as a nutritionist for a college sports program.

How does she make sure the food and resources she offers her student-athletes are accessible when they have two practices, class and tutoring nearly every day?

For the younger swimmers on the team, this means carving out the time to go to one of the universitys dining halls. Most commonly for the swimmers, the destination of choice is the Village Summit at East Campus Village, as this dining hall neighbors Gabrielsen Natatorium and is nearest to their dorm.

As for the upperclassmen, a growling stomach means its time to get in the kitchen and cook some food.

Living off campus after next year is going to be different, Acevedo said. Having the dining halls here is great and all, but Im not going to have a dining hall always later on in life. Living off campus and doing my own thing is going to prepare me for whats going to happen later on.

Even with all Georgia offers its student athletesfrom cooking classes to tours of grocery stores to meal plans at dining hallsit doesnt change the fact these athletes have minimal time in their schedules to actually eat.

Breen and her department knew this, and thats why they came up with the grab-and-go.

This station, a concession stands of sorts, offers quick snacks for Georgia student-athletes to take. Located at Stegeman Coliseum, its open for a few hours in the morning for breakfast before it closes and reopens for dinner.

Smoliga and other swimmers use this station to their advantage when looking for time to eat during their jam-packed schedules.

Grab-and-go is really helpful, Smoliga said.

University of Georgia's swimming and diving team room is filled with a variety of drinks and food to keep them energized before their practices at Ramsey Student Center in Athens, Georgia. (Photo/Reann E. Huber, http://www.reannhuber.com)

Following an exhausting early-morning workout or late-night tutoring session, there is nothing more convenient for these swimmers than a breakfast sandwich or smoothie. Not to mention, its much quicker than going to a busy dining hall and sitting down for a meal.

Its not a meal replacement, but its a substantial snack, Breen said. For swimming, its good because its right where they do their strength and conditioning and near the academic building.

To take it a step further, Breen stocks the teams lounge with fruits and other small snacks for the teams. If a swimmer comes to practice straight from class, he or she can grab a banana or granola bar before heading to the pool deck.

Maria [Breen] takes care of all those little things a coach would have a rough time doing, Bauerle said. Shes great. She helps us out a lot.

The future of food

With all Breen and the sports nutrition department does for Georgia athletics, combined with weakened restrictions by the NCAA, feeding student athletes is as easy as ever. Or, at least its running as smoothly as ever.

Previously, NCAA regulations limited student-athletes to receiving three meals a day. That rule has since been eliminated, and athletic departments now have much more leeway over how much they feed their student-athletes.

In reality, though, it has created new problems for colleges and universities to solve. By allowing unlimited meals and snacks for Division I student-athletes, the NCAA shifted the spotlight to sports nutrition.

Now a new battle has begun, one that Breen is fighting on the front-lines.

[Student athletes] are educated pretty well on what to put in their body, but we have to make sure that it is facilitated and available, Breen said. Thats one of the huge challenges in the college setting.

More here:
Calories, carbs and chlorine: An inside look into collegiate swimmers' diets - Red and Black

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