Which oil is the best?

February 3rd, 2012

You know canola oil is good for everybody-it’s lowest in saturated fat, it is high in monos, has a good balance of omega-3s, zero transfat and zero cholesterol. But what about the other oils? How do they compare? You can find out at canolainfo.org. They have a great comparison chart of more than 10 different oils. Now you can pick the oil you need or want based on facts.

Remember:With regard to calories, it doesn’t really matter which oil you use. They all have the same amount of calories and they are all 100% fat. The difference is in the TYPE of fat they provide. Some are more heart healthy than others, like olive oil instead of corn oil.

Fuel to train and train to win!

Mary Bell RD/LD

Rudog

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Lettuce Wraps from Pei Wei

January 18th, 2012

These are one of my very favorite foods. If you haven’t tried them, put it on your list of things to do. Pei Wei is the scaled down version of PF Chang’s and they both have lettuce wraps on the menu. The recipe to make these delicious treats is down below. I can’t really vouch for the sodium content, but if you’re gonna eat Asian, you have to go in knowing the sodium content is going to be on the high side. They are about 980mg sodium for 2 servings. Drink extra water that day :)

But, the good thing is they are low in fat and high in flavor.

Lettuce Wraps Recipe

Minced Chicken with Cool Lettuce Wraps

Here is the link to all of the nutrition information for their menu if you’re interested.

Mary Bell RD/LD

www.rudog.com

 

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Rudog Energy Bars for Workouts and Snacks

November 26th, 2011
Rudog Energy Bars

Rudog Energy Bars with fresh fruit and hints of dark chocolate. Not actual size shown.

I have been looking for the perfect energy bar for years. I would even consider it a success if I could just find one that tastes like real food. I am still looking. Why do the bars have to be so chalky, dry and disgusting? Not to mention expensive. In addition to my personal hunt for the bar that is truly desirable and edible, I have also been looking for one that is well tolerated as a fuel source for my fighters during workouts. This has been a challenge. Many are just too rich, too dry, too chewy, and too expensive. Frustrated by this, I decided that maybe I could just create one myself. So I did.

I wanted certain features in my bar, so I used these criteria as a basis to create my recipe.

  1. Had to taste good
  2. Had to be moist, but not sticky or fall apart
  3. Had to be made without oil or butter
  4. Had to be well tolerated during high intensity workouts
  5. Had to be under $2
  6. Had to have no salt, no artificial sweeteners, or additives
  7. Finally, had to taste good with coffee!! :) (ok, that part was just for my personal benefit)

What I ended up with was a bar that does exactly all of that. I am excited to say that the bars have been a big hit so far. Because of their unique texture, they travel well and are easy to eat on the go. They don’t fall apart and they don’t make a mess in the car. Kids like them, too. They need to be kept in the fridge or the freezer since they don’t have any artificial ingredients or preservatives. You can take them from the freezer and they are thawed within about 10 minutes. A nice chilled temperature for eating on the run. You can also zap them in the microwave for 10 seconds and that produces the same result.

 

The bars contain primarily oats, fresh fruit, dark chocolate and are sweetened with honey and brown sugar. If you are allergic to nuts, these aren’t the bars for you because occasionally they may contain small amounts of nuts or foods that have nuts in them. They are purposefully NOT super sweet, but are full of flavor.

Currently, the bars can be made with strawberry, dark chocolate chunks, blueberries, or any combination of those. I have to admit that the best combination is a fruit with the chocolate.

The bars average about 260 kcals, 6g of protein, 4g of fat, and 4g of fiber. They sell for $15 a dozen. I can mail them to you, and the additional cost would just be for related shipping and handling. I am not a large operation, so I don’t have any special postal rates. The postage will certainly vary based on quantity and destination. If you are anywhere in or near the Dallas area, I have designated drop off locations where I can meet you.

Orders are taken during the week, bars are baked on Sundays and delivered or shipped on Mondays. Please email me to order at mary@rudog.net or call directly at 972 880 8443.

Mary Bell, the Fight Dietitian

 

 

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Why a REAL dietitian is important!

November 20th, 2011
Rudog Dietitian, Mary Bell

Mary Bell, fight Dietitian

I know that a lot of people don’t really understand the difference between a “nutritionist” and a dietitian, but there IS a difference and it’s an important one. First, anyone call call themselves a nutritionist. There isn’t a legal definition for the term. If Guy Mezger wants to promote the Blood Type Diet because he read the book and decided he liked it, he can call himself a nutritionist. (I work out at his gym, so I can pick on him) If you want to go take a weekend course on nutrition, you can call yourself a nutritionist. The word means absolutely nothing. In contrast, if a person refers to themselves as a Psychologist, there IS a legal definition for that word and everyone understands it. At a minimum it means that the person went to college and got a degree in that field of study. They took a professional exam that earned them their license, and they have to keep doing educational activities to keep their license every year. For that person to practice psychology in the state of “wherever” they have to be licensed in that state. They also have to carry liability insurance. You get the idea. Well, the same is true for a dietitian. A registered, licensed dietitian has gone to college, has a degree in science, has done thousands of hours of an internship, has taken a national exam, and then has become licensed to practice in a state. To maintain the credentials, many hours of continuing education must be completed over a 5 yr period. It’s a big deal. It’s a big difference.  If you are looking for help with your diet, make sure you are working with a registered dietitian. Your health insurance provider may even provide reimbursement for visits with the dietitian. It would be worth asking about. To find a dietitian in your area, you can go to eatright.org and click on the “find a dietitian” tab at the top of the page. You can also search your state’s list of licensed dietitians and search by city. Here is the link if you lived in Texas, to give you an example.

So now you should be asking, “Well, what is Rudog?” Great question! Rudog is the name of my nutrition consulting business and website business. I am in fact a registered and licensed dietitian. I have a clinical background (medical and hospital) and I work with athletes and non-athletes. My clinical background gives me the expertise to work with any specific medical condition, like diabetes, kidney disease, high blood pressure, cardiovascular problems, cancer, and so on. This is a great combination because I am able to work with fighters who may start out with no health problems, but develop some later. For example, I am currently working with a young fighter who has started experiencing serious blood sugar issues. He has a family history of this, too. We will be working this week to make sure his diet is appropriate for his blood sugar management and his training load.

The beauty of what I do and how I have my business set up, is that I can work with anyone anywhere in the world. Some people work with me through the Rudog website by paying a small monthly fee of $10. They get education on nutrition and then can email or text me to ask minor questions, etc. If they decide they want to do something more, than they pay for whatever service they need (less a 25% discount) and we “meet” by phone, email, or skype. It’s a great way to get the expertise of a dietitian at a fraction of the cost.  Others work with me by doing individual consults and we actually meet face to face. There’s a little something for everyone :)

I have clients all over the world. Many are pro fighters, others are hoping to become fighters.  Ask yourself, are you doing all you can do to reach your MMA goals? Make sure your diet isn’t being overlooked.

Please contact me for more information or if you have questions. You can email, call, or message me directly on FB.

Mary, the Fight Dietitian

972 880 8443

mary@rudog.net

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Questions from fighters, fans, and friends…..

September 23rd, 2011

Drink while you train

I write a monthly nutrition article for Scrapp! Fight Magazine and this month I decided to post some questions from the Rudog audience, with the answers of course! I have included a few below, but the rest will be available to Rudog subscribers or to Scrapp! subscribers.

 
What supplements/vitamins do you think that fighters should take? Are there any   that they shouldn’t take?

Submitted by Audrey Drew

Speaking generally, these are the basics that I recommend:

  1. A good multivitamin
  2. A calcium supplement if needs can’t be met through the diet
  3. Chondroitin and glucosamine
  4. Melatonin Spray
  5. Antioxidants (like Vitamin E, Vitamin C)

Things I like my fighters to stay away from are fat burners, large amounts of protein, growth hormone boosters, anything illegal (of course!!).  I also don’t recommend anything that provides more than 100% of the RDA. There are many supplements that provide RIDICULOUS amounts of substances that can actually be very harmful, even cause permanent damage.  If there isn’t a scientifically sound reason to take something, I don’t see the value in taking the risk or wasting the money.

 

For people who work the night shift and train early in the day, should there be any consideration given to the types of foods eaten, since the natural hormone cycle will be off? Submitted by Rhino BJJ

That is a tough situation indeed. It’s not so much that the types of foods need to be different, but that you have to pay close attention to the bad habits that can accompany working the night shift.  For example, it is not uncommon for night shift workers to have a much greater intake of caffeine, as well as just more “munching”, to help keep alert.

Some key areas to focus on:

  1. Consistency of meal times (not going longer than 3 hrs without something to eat)
  2. TIGHT portion control (Consider weighing and measuring foods to help)
  3. Choose high fiber and whole grain foods (These keep you full)
  4. Limit high calorie foods after 1 a.m.
  5. Avoid caffeine (This can interfere with getting quality sleep)

 

Is it more important to consume protein or carbs after an intense training session?

Submitted by Stephen Cloud

Actually, they BOTH are important. The ideal post-workout snack would have some carbs, some protein and even a little bit of fat. Good examples would be half of a turkey sandwich, a powerbar, or some lowfat string cheese with crackers. The carbs are needed to begin refueling the muscle. The protein is needed to help start repairing the damage done to the muscle during the workout. The fat is to provide flavor, as well as moderate the release of glucose into the bloodstream.

 

I would actually like to do this about once a month if you guys are interested. Please post your comments and feedback! Be sure to also check out the Rudog Like Page for more tips and info.

Mary Bell, the Fight Dietitian

 

 

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