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Hey Devil Dog: Let the Cheeseburger Go
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. - With many Marine's busy schedules, lunch is usually nothing more than some fast food and an energy drink.
Although this type of meal may give a quick burst of energy it can leave the Marine fighting to stay awake a few hours later.
Julie Burks, the Marine Corps Community Services dietitian, has some good reasons to kick the junk food and energy drink habit and some tips on how to eat healthy even with a busy schedule.
Energy drinks are a stimulant, high in caffeine and other ingredients that make the heart rate and blood pressure go up, explained Burks. The drinks also have high amounts of calories from sugar.
"The problem with a high heart rate and high blood pressure is the heart beats faster than it should," said Burks. "The whole idea of exercise is bringing the heart rate up for a period of time with the goal of bringing down your resting heart rate."
People use energy drinks and energy shots because they are tired, but what they should do is find natural ways to raise energy levels, explained Burks.
One way to raise energy levels is to get enough sleep, explained Burks. In addition, eating a healthy diet will also raise energy levels.
The best way to eat is four to six small meals throughout the day, explained Burks. Each meal should have a little bit of protein, carbohydrates and healthy fat. This will keep blood sugar levels steady which will keep your energy levels high.
One thing to stay away from is a lot of fat because fat makes you tired, explained Burks. Too much fat takes a long time to digest which makes energy decrease.
Unhealthy snacks are also a bad habit to have; good snacks have protein and carbohydrates, explained Burks. Two examples are yogurt and fruit, or a hand full of nuts and a piece of fruit.
"A big reason people don't eat health snacks is because they don't have healthy snacks with them," said Burks. "When they get hungry they either don't eat or find something close by, which usually is unhealthy.
"Some Marines go all day without eating and pig out when they go home, so at the end of the day they make poor choices because their blood sugar is low," added Burks. "When your blood sugar is low you crave something that is going to pick you back up, like sugar or fat, which gets their blood sugar up and slows down the metabolism."
Even if someone eats under the recommended calories per day, skipping meals throughout the day and eating one big meal at night causes the body to retain fat, explained Burks. People need little bits of calories all day long to support a healthy metabolism.
One habit Marines should pick up is eating before running and exercising, explained Burks. Most people chose not to eat before they run because they don't want to feel sick, but eating hours before a run can improve performance and endurance.
Good foods to eat before running are oatmeal, cereal, fruit, yogurt and bread.
"Fueling your body for a run is like fueling a car," said Burks. "Giving your body bad food is like giving your car bad gas."
Protein is a good fuel for the body and digests during a run. Good foods high in protein are meat, eggs and peanut butter.
Eating three hours before strenuous exercise or a long run will allow people to feel better and exercise longer before feeling fatigued, explained Burks. One hour before exercise someone can have something small like a glass of chocolate milk.
Carbohydrates are useful to fuel the body for runs or workouts longer than an hour. An easy way to take in carbohydrates and sugars is to eat small pieces of a sports bar or snack on small candies like jelly beans throughout an exercise.
The best time to eat after exercising is 30 minuets to two hours. The best type of meal to eat post-exercise should be high in carbohydrates and protein with some fat.
With some planning and smart grocery shopping, Marines can eat healthy throughout the day and remain energized without energy drinks.
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