H.E.A.T. Blog

If you're like a lot of people -- especially if you're young -- you probably don't think much about your cholesterol. The thing is, your cholesterol level (which is reported in milligrams of cholesterol per deciliter of blood, or mg/dL) is a good indication of whether your diet and exercise regimen is working for you.

This month's issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter looks at how lifestyle choices can affect "good" and "bad" cholesterol levels. The article doesn't say all cholesterol is bad (it actually helps with digestion and hormone production), but too much cholesterol can narrow blood vessels and put you at risk for heart attacks and all sorts of other icky things. Being active and eating foods that are low in cholesterol -- and high in fiber -- can make a big difference to your body.

The point isn't that you should be in your doctor's office every week asking for a reading, but it's definitely a good idea to get it checked every once in a while, and it helps remind us that the choices we make on a daily basis are affecting more than what we see in the mirror in the mornings. For more info, read the rest -- or check out another great article on the top 5 foods that will help lower your cholesterol.

Can athletes go vegan/vegetarian and still be competitive? They can if they're dedicated to taking in enough calories to keep their energy output up -- especially if they're Scott Jurek, a record-winning, vegan, ultramarathoner who also happens to be the subject of an NYT piece on extreme diets and exercise. Jurek is training for the 24-Hour Run world championship in France, averaging 140 miles or more per week.

It's difficult for most people to fathom this kind of grueling schedule, particularly when they realize that Jurek gets all of his 5,000-8,000 daily calories from plant sources. But he says he just eats "the way people have been eating for thousands of years … Remember, almost every long-distance runner turns into a vegan while they’re racing, anyway -- you can’t digest fat or protein very well."

To hear more about what Jurek eats for training, read the rest. Interested in other vegan athletes? Check out this story about Kenneth Williams (photo above), the world's only vegan bodybuilder!

Since we've been talking about nutrition this week -- and getting back on track for that summer bod you want -- here's a great piece about the top 10 reasons most of us fall so easily into the trap of eating more than we actually need.

The idea is that if you know why you overeat, you can avoid doing it by removing some of these enablers from your life. Major contributors include constant access to food, massive portions (especially in Texas), distracting yourself with the TV while you snarf down dinner, and skipping meals during the day, which leads you to binge at dinnertime. {Read the rest}

Which one trips you up the most?

Celebrity athletes' milk endorsements are more than just smart marketing by the cows. While lots of people turn to whey protein shakes and sports drinks for post-workout muscle recovery and rehydration, for years, tons of weight lifters and other dedicated athletes have been using milk after training.

Unlike whey, milk combines slow and fast-digesting proteins, which helps keep you full longer and repair muscles. Unlike most sports drinks, milk is rich in sodium and potassium, which retain fluid and help rehydrate longer. And for those of you who get down on the fat content, studies have actually shown that whole milk causes more lean body mass gains than fat free milk, because the fat slows absorption.

When it comes down to it, there are tons of drinks out there that offer post-workout protein boosts and restoration, and you should choose something that's got the ingredients you need and a taste you like enough to make you stick with it. Just don't forget to add milk to your list of available rehydration options! {Read the rest}